Filter Press for Zinc Purification

This filter press case study is a typical application where the filter press is used for the zinc purification. This application forecast many steps of filtration by chamber and membrane filter press in order to purify the zinc before the zinc leaching process by sulfuric acid. After the leaching we have another filtration step where is used membrane filter press to purify the zinc acid solution

Case Study on using Filter Press for Zinc purification

Feed Details

Feed : Zinc Ferrite
Feed T : 60-70 Deg C
pH : < 3
Conc. : 30-35% (w/w)
Qty. : > 20 DMTPH

Desired Output Parameters

Filtered Cake Moisture : ≤ 20-25% (w/w). Cake Washing was needed for recovery of soluble zinc.

Process Engineering

A representative zinc sample is collected & tested in Dewater Filter Press R & D Laboratory in Italy in a lab scale Filter Press.
The first step was to clearly understand the slurry zinc, chemical & physical characteristics & tests such as elemental analysis, dimensional Particle size analysis, IR Spectroscopic analysis, XRD Crystalline Phase analysis were conducted.

Subsequently multiple filtration tests were conducted on the Zinc sample by altering

  • filter press plate configurations,
  • chamber thickness,
  • feeding,
  • squeezing,
  • Cake washing efficiency
  • cake blowing pressures & time

to define the optimum filtration parameters to reach the performance parameters required by the customer.

Result (Dry Cake)

Filtered Cake of Zinc Ferrite from Zinc Refinery

Filter Press & its ancillaries sizing

The Filtration test results from the zinc sample provided us the optimum process parameters to make the sizing of the Filter Press & all the associated ancillary equipment.

The Filter Press & the ancillaries are sized considering the results from the filtration test.

Recommended solution

Membrane plate with cake washing configuration was choosen for this zinc purification project

We recommended the customer for 01 No. Dewater HP 15 Model Filter Press to reach the total capacity with desired Filter Press performance parameters.

*Our projects are covered under non-disclosure agreement. Hence specific process input-output details can not be shared.
**Please contact us for your specific requirements & we will be happy to assist & support.

We offer customised complete filtration solution

incl. thickening, filtration & dry cake transfer