A plate-and-frame filter press alternates solid filter plates and hollow frames between two end plates under hydraulic clamping force — slurry is pumped into the hollow frames where solids accumulate as a filter cake while filtrate passes through the filter cloth on each plate face and exits through the plate drainage channels. Processing 1–50,000 L/batch at cake thicknesses of 5–50 mm and pressures of 3–15 bar, it achieves the highest cake dryness of any filter press type — suited to fine particle slurries requiring maximum moisture reduction before further processing.
Slurry feed pump delivers pressurised slurry into the frames — cake builds progressively on both cloth faces of each frame until the frame fills completely. Filtration pressure rises as cake resistance increases — feed pump works against increasing back-pressure. When inlet pressure reaches maximum (indicating cake full) or flow rate drops below threshold, the feed pump stops. The hydraulic ram retracts, plates and frames separate, and the solid cake drops from each frame by gravity or is manually removed. Cloth washing (optional) restores cloth permeability between batches.
Challenges
Cloth Blinding Requiring Frequent Manual Cleaning
Solid particles penetrate filter cloth fibres over multiple batches — permeability falls; cycle time extends progressively.
Cake Cracking Allowing Bypass of Unfiltered Slurry
Non-uniform cake fill or compressible solids create cracks — unfiltered slurry bypasses cake and contaminates filtrate.
High Manual Labour for Plate Opening and Cake Discharge
Manual plate shifting and cake scraping requires 2–4 operators per batch — major labour cost on large press.
Cloth Misalignment Causing Leakage at Plate-Frame Joint
Cloth displacement under fill pressure allows slurry to escape at plate edges — contamination and loss.
Filter Aid Required for Fine Non-Filterable Particles (<5 µm)
Very fine or gelatinous particles blind cloth immediately — filter aid (diatomite, perlite) pre-coat required.
Solutions
- Automatic High-Pressure Cloth Washing System (Between Batches, 6 bar Spray): Dedicated spray bar traverses each cloth between batches — restores permeability without cloth removal.
- Filter Aid Pre-Coat System (Diatomite 500–2,000 g/m² on Cloth Face): Pre-coat layer traps fine particles — prevents direct cloth contact and blinding; added each batch.
- Hydraulic Plate Shifting System (Fully Automated, One Plate Per 30 s): Automated shifting arm moves plates sequentially — eliminates 3 of 4 operators; cake discharge by gravity.
- Cloth Sealing Groove on Plate Face (Ensures Cloth Seating Under Pressure): Machined groove retains cloth edge — prevents displacement under slurry fill pressure.
- Fully Enclosed Housing with Filtrate Collection Tray (Zero Floor Spillage): Enclosed housing collects all filtrate — zero spillage; appropriate for HPAPI and solvent service.
Applications
- Pharmaceutical: API and intermediate filter cake production, active crystalline compound isolation, excipient dewatering.
- Chemical: Pigment filter cake, catalyst, specialty chemical solids dewatering.
- Mining: Mineral concentrate, tailings dewatering — highest cake dryness of all filter types.
- Food & Beverage: Wine lees, beer filter cake, fruit press cake, vegetable wash water dewatering.
- Wastewater: Municipal and industrial sludge dewatering — reduces sludge volume for disposal.
Models & Capacities
Type 2A — Plate-and-Frame Filter Press: Models & Capacities | |||||||||||
Model | Scale | Plate Size [mm×mm] | No. of Frames (max) | Filter Area (max) [m²] | Chamber Vol. (max) [L] | Cake Thickness [mm] | Filtration Pressure [bar] | Plate Shift | Hydraulic Clamping [t] | Overall L [mm] |
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FPF-150 | Lab | 150×150 | 6 | 0.25 | 5 | 20 | 3–15 | Manual | 30 | 900 |
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FPF-320 | Lab/Pilot | 320×320 | 12 | 2.4 | 80 | 25 | 3–15 | Manual | 60 | 1,400 |
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FPF-470 | Pilot | 470×470 | 20 | 8.8 | 350 | 30 | 3–15 | Manual | 120 | 2,200 |
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FPF-630 | Production | 630×630 | 40 | 31.7 | 1,270 | 35 | 3–15 | Manual/Auto | 200 | 3,500 |
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FPF-800 | Production | 800×800 | 60 | 76.8 | 3,840 | 40 | 5–15 | Auto | 380 | 5,200 |
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FPF-1000 | Production | 1,000×1,000 | 80 | 160 | 8,000 | 40 | 5–15 | Auto | 600 | 7,500 |
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FPF-1200 | Large Prod | 1,200×1,200 | 100 | 288 | 14,400 | 50 | 5–15 | Auto | 900 | 10,000 |
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FPF-1500 | Large Prod | 1,500×1,500 | 120 | 540 | 32,400 | 50 | 5–15 | Auto | 1,400 | 14,000 |
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