Larox Offers the Superior Solution for Thick Mud Juice Filtration in the Sugar Industry With the Hoesch Membrane Filter Press
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25 June 2007
Hoesch Membrane Filter Presses from Larox are the industry leader for thick mud (carbonation mud) dewatering (de-sweetening) offering a proprietary plate design that completely eliminates plate failure and maximizes production capacity.
Hoesch actually developed the very first membrane filter press with polypropylene plates back in the 1960's, so we offer more rubber membrane experience than any other filter press company. The proprietary design of plate pack is the heart of the filter, and these were designed and developed in-house, and are unique to Larox. Plates are available as either 1200 x 1200 mm or 1500 x 1500 mm, which are standard within the sugar industry. The following features therefore ensure the very best performance.
- The plate has a center feed with a distribution and supporting ring for optimized distribution of the slurry. The central port is of a size that reduces the velocity during distribution and prevents the cake from being washed away around the feed port. It also ensures equal cake distribution in all directions. This eliminates the potential for tapered cakes (thicker at the bottom than at the top).
- A 60 mm chamber depth is provided for carbonation mud. The increased volume/filtration area provides higher solids capacity per fill, thus increasing slurry capacity. The larger chamber volume results in a thicker and heavier cake which discharges from the chamber more readily. It also uses less air during cake blowing.
- The 60 mm chamber thickness typically fills to about 60%, preventing plate bending while ensuring equal cake build up on the filtration surface. This is important for high-wash efficiency – low specific wash water consumption, very high sugar yield and low sugar content of the cake. It also allows for filter cake washing (de-sweetening) by either corner washing or alternatively by washing via the slurry feed channel for so-called 'fast step' washing. This is often done when capacity demands require increased throughput. The shortened filtration cycle from 'fast-step' washing can add up to 15% extra capacity. Larox builds both options into the programming of the MFP operation.
- The 60 mm chamber depth and resulting 38 – 42 mm cake thickness after pre-squeezing substantially reduces the air consumption during the cake blowing step and ensures the highest dry solids content in the filter cake.
- The replaceable rubber membrane is made from EPDM. It is easily exchanged without the need for any special tools, and can be done without removing the plate from the press. The EPDM grade chosen is suitable for the temperatures and process conditions of the sugar industry, and has an excellent track record.
- The use of a replaceable rubber membrane allows so-called 'empty chamber' operation. If only partial chamber filling or no filling of individual chambers occurs, the rubber membrane does not suffer any damage, and can still follow any shape the filter cake takes. This can be especially true at the end of a campaign, or with poor quality feed material.
- A totally enclosed plate shifting mechanism ensures effective operation at all times. The Hoesch MFP is guaranteed to provide more uptime with higher reliability and lower maintenance than alternative presses currently in use on sugar.
