Padovan "Ecofilter" and "Viktoria"

Horizontal Plate Pressure Filters

 

The Padovan Ecofilter and Viktoria filter are both horizontal plate filters, using positive pressure filtration through a diatomaceous earth medium. They are suitable for champagne or beer filtration, as well as wine. Specifically, they are used for clarifying and polishing filtration of turbid liquids containing low concentrations (0.5 - 5 g/l) of highly obstructive solids in suspension. Filter aids such as Diatomaceous Earth or Perlite are added in preset quantities to the turbid liquid to be filtered. The cake, a mix of filter aid and separated solid substances, maintains its porosity for a long time during filtration. These machines range in size from 5 to 80 square metres of filtration area.

The unit is supplied as a stand-alone filter, and contains the filtration chamber, mixing tank with agitator, main pump, diatomaceous earth dosing pump, piping, and an electrical control board.

The filtration plates consist of a flat and non-deformable disc that is covered with a stainless steel mesh. The most significant feature of these plates is the lack of a drainage screen that is often a source of pollution and deposits of solids.

A special inlet flow distributor avoids vortexes and abnormal flows of liquid at both high and low outputs.

Because of the filters design the cakes are stable even with a lack of dynamic filtration, meaning that the filtration cycle can be interrupted for a short period of time without any inconvenience.

At the end of the filtration cycle, the residual liquid in the chamber is filtered either through special filtering elements in the base of the chamber, or an auxiliary filter. After this, the cake is discharged through the bottom of the chamber by spinning the plates - no water is needed for this. This dry cake is then discharged . Final rinsing of the filtering elements requires a small amount of washing liquid sprayed on the rotating plates.

Working Principles:

 Precoating:

The diatomaceous earth suspension is prepared in the mixing tank with the agitator. A precoat is formed on the filtering elements by recycling the d.e. suspension throught the tank and filtration chamber using the main pump.

  

 Filtration:

The liquid to be filtered is sent to the filtration chamber using the main pump. The dosing pump, with variable output, injects a constant quantity of d.e. into the liquid, creating a uniform and porous cake.

  

 Residual liquid filtration:

The liquid is filtered through a precoat filter external to the main chamber, using the main pump. With bigger filters, the liquid is filtered using the lower plates of the main plate pack under pressure of air or gas. The liquid under the plate pack can be filtered through the above-mentioned external filter.

  

 Cake detachment and discharge, washing of filter:

The cake is detached by rotating the plates, using centrifugal force to dislodge the earth. This is then discharged through the bottom opening of the filter. After this the rotating plates are washed with water sprayed through jets inside the chamber.