Modeling and Simulation of Dewatering of Particulate Suspensions by Batch Pressure Filtration

A Darcy law based approach for simulation of batch const-ant pressure filtration of particulate suspensions when the feed solids concentration changes, is developed. Using filtration data obtained using a feed suspension with a not-very-low solids concentration, we propose procedures to predict changes in (0 kinetics of dewatering in the cake formation stage, and (ii)transition point between the cake formation and consolidation stages, as the initial solid concentration changes. The evolution of dewatering can be predicted using these two model parameters. The approach is simpler to implement in comparison to avail-able pressure filtration models which require several char acterization experiments.