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Designing a new solid-liquid filtration process or optimizing an existing one requires consideration of a number of factors aside from the type of filter that will be used. This one-page reference reviews two groups of considerations: one related to equipment, and another more related to the materials being separated.
Material-related issues
Solids properties The physical characteristics of the solids being filtered have a substantial effect on the level of difficulty of the filtration process, and in turn on the appropriate type of filter and operating conditions. For example, particles that are incompressible (rigid) are usually easier to filter than those that are soft and compressible. Solids that are crystalline can be relatively easy to filter, whereas amorphous, slimy or gelatinous solids are more difficult to separate and require more complex techniques.
Particle-size distribution. The solids in a slurry are often characterized by the average particle size, which can be a useful measure. However, the particle-size distribution is also very important. The filter must be designed to retain the smallest particles that need to be removed. The tendency for particles to agglomerate, shifting the distribution toward larger sizes, may also be...