Chemical and pharmaceutical processes involve reactions/precipitations to produce a slurry. The valuable material may be the liquid, the solid, or both. The first step after the reaction is a bulk separation process that removes large, coarse solids. This is relatively straightforward, but as processes have become more sophisticated and quality requirements have tightened, it is necessary to remove residual particle fines from slurries. These particles are small — typically 1–5 μm in diameter, or even smaller — and at low concentrations, on the order of parts per million (ppm). This article describes a new approach to clarification for replacing bag and cartridge filters, filter presses as well as conventional manual separation equipment.
New Approaches for Removing Catalyst Fines from Chemical and Pharmaceutical Slurries
March 21, 2017