We have a process wherein precipitation occurs when reagent A (a 70% aqueous solution) is added to reagent B (a 30% aqueous solution). Precipitation is instantaneous and a batch of 6,000 kilograms of active ingredient is completed in 90 minutes. It takes 480 minutes to filter the slurry through a batch filter, and we wish expand the process threefold. How do we convert this process into a continuous one? We can install a straight-line filter, but how do we set up a pilot plant to optimize the continuous process?
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Re: Creating a pilot plant for a continuous process
31 July 2008 at 1:29pmThe pilot plant likely will not have as full of a process train (not as much equipment) as the full scale process. For the pilot plant, consider two tanks in series for the precipitation, with the second tank agitated and feeding a pilot-size drum filter. If a drum filter is not available, filter cake tests will have to be performed on stationary filter media with measurement of the volume or weight of slurry per filtration area vs. time. Optimization of the filtration parameters may be desired. The filtration rates (in lph/m2 or gpm/ft2) can be scaled-up by the multiple of the of the full scale process compared to the pilot scale process.
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