Filtration and sedimentation of sugar beet pulp-acidified water mixtures

Abstract

Sugar beet pulp-acidified water mixtures were vacuum filtered at 25, 45, 65 and 85 degrees C temperatures and various pressures (0.13 x 10(5), 0.20 x 10(5) and 0.27 x 105 Pa) and the cake compressibility coefficients for different temperatures were calculated. Specific cake resistance was found to be dependent on the filtration pressure. The correlation between the pressure drop and the average specific cake resistance showed that sugar beet pulp-acidified water mixture forms compressible filter cake. Using kieselguhr as a filter aid to increase the filtration efficiency, the effects of varying the precoated kieselguhr/ sugar beet pulp ratio and body fed kieselguhr/sugar beet pulp ratio on specific cake resistance were studied. In sedimentation of sugar beet pulp-acidified water mixtures; critical point height, sedimentation rate and sedimentation volume were calculated.