Diaphragm type cake compressor for filter presses

Claim 2

In a filter press that includes a plurality of recessed plates operably disposed between a fixed end plate and a movable end plate, with said plates being of like corresponding quadrilateral margin configuration, with said recessed plates each defining a slurry feed port, a filtrate outlet means, and a wash inlet means, with each said recessed plate being shaped to define a planar packing surfacing on either side of same and recessing between said packing surfacing and the slurry feed port that is in fluid flow communication with said filtrate outlet means, with filter sheeting material being applied over either side of each plate, and with the filter sheeting material of each plate on either side of same being coupled together through the slurry feed port, and means for closing said movable end plate and said recessed plates against the fixed plate with said recessed plate slurry feed ports aligned for supplying the slurry to the cake chamber formed by each pair of adjacent recessed plates about the slurry feed ports thereof for filtering the slurry through the filter sheeting material that is disposed on either side of the respective cake chambers for providing filtrate liquid flow to said filtrate outlet means, the improvement comprising a cake compressor arrangement therefor comprising cake compressors interposed in alternating relation along the filter press with the respective recessed plates whereby one of said cake compressors is disposed across each cake chamber in bisecting relation thereto, each of said cake compressors comprising: a planar panel of quadrilateral marginal configuration having oppositely facing side faces on either side of same, with each side face having a continuous marginal portion about the rim of the panel corresponding in configuration to the panel marginal configuration, said panel marginal configuration conforming to said marginal configuration of said plates, and with each said panel side face including its marginal portion being planar and coplanar with the plane of said panel, said panel being formed at a site spaced from said face marginal portions thereof with a slurry feed through opening that is aligned with said slurry feed ports of the respective recessed plates, said panel configuration defining corner portions at the upper and lower ends of the panel, with at least one panel corner portion defining a filtrate passing aperture and with at least one other panel corner portion defining a wash passing aperture, said filtrate passing aperture and said wash passing aperture being aligned with said filtrate outlet means and said wash inlet means of said recessed plates, respectively, a pair of elastomeric membranes for each said panel and each said membrane having a quadrilateral configuration approximating that of said panel whereby said membranes each having a marginal configuration thereabout that approximates the marginal configuration of the respective panel faces, with one of said membranes for each said panel being disposed against one face of said panel and the other of said membranes for each said panel being disposed against the other face of said each panel, and with said membranes of the respective membrane pairs being bonded to said panel thereof continuously about the respective marginal portions of said panel faces, respectively, to define a continuous static seal thereabout, said membranes of said membrane pairs, respectively, being coupled together through and about their panel, said slurry feed through opening in sealed relation thereto to define a slurry feed port through said compressor having a continuous annular seal thereabout, said membranes of the respective membrane pairs being bonded to said faces, respectively of said panel thereof, in sealed relation thereto about said panel apertures to define aperture seals for each membrane pair about the respective apertures of said panel thereof, said membranes of said membrane pairs being apertured in alignment with the respective apertures of said panel thereof to define through the respective compressors a filtrate passing opening and a wash passing opening respectively aligned with said filtrate outlet means and said inlet means, said membranes of each said membrane pair each defining a portion of same, between said annular seal and said static seal of the respective compressors to the exclusion of said aperture seals of the respective compressors, that is free to deflect laterally thereof and away from the panel face opposing same, to form a cake compressing diaphragm portion on either side of said panel of the respective compressors, said panel of the respective compressors including means for supplying fluid under pressure between its said faces and said membrane diaphragm portions for inflating said membrane diaphragm portions into cake compressing relation with the cake when formed between same and the filter sheeting opposing same.

Claim 3

The improvement set forth in claim 1 wherein for each said cake compressor: said bonding comprises double faced adhesive tape stripping along said static seal at the respective marginal portions of the respective panel faces and diagonally of said panel corner portions to form said static seal and said apertures seals respectively, with one face of the tape being adhered to the panel and the other face of the tape being adhered to the membrane at the respective faces of said panel.

Claim 4

The improvement set forth in claim 2 wherein for each said cake compressor: said panel defines side edges that form said marginal configuration thereof, said supplying means comprises said panel being formed to define passages leading from one of said side edges to the respective membrane diaphragm portions.

Claim 5

The improvement set forth in claim 2 wherein for each said cake compressor: said panel is formed from a rigid inert material, and said membranes are formed from a nitrile rubber elastomer.

Claim 6

The improvement set forth in claim 2 wherein for each said cake compressor: said panel is formed from a rigid inert material, and said membranes are formed from a synthetic elastomeric material.

Claim 7

For use in a recessed plate type filter press that includes a plurality of recessed plates operably disposed between a fixed end plate and a movable end plate, with said plates being of like corresponding quadrilaterial marginal configuration, with said recessed plates each defining a slurry feed port, a filtrate outlet means, and a wash inlet means, with each said recessed plate being shaped to define a planar packing surfacing on either side of same and recessing between said packing surfacing and the slurry feed port that is in fluid flow communication with said filtrate outlet means, with filter sheeting material being applied over either side of each plate, and with the filter sheeting material of each plate on either side of same being coupled together through the slurry feed port, and means for closing said movable end plate and said recessed plates against the fixed plate with said recessed plate slurry feed ports aligned for supplying the slurry to the cake chamber formed by each pair of adjacent recessed plates about the slurry feed ports thereof for filtering the slurry through the filter sheeting material that is disposed on either side of the respective cake chambers for providing filtrate liquid flow to said filtrate outlet means, a cake compressor therefor for operative position application across a recessed plate defined cake chamber formed by a predetermined pair of the adjacent recessed plates, in bisecting relation to such cake chamber, and between such predetermined pair of recessed plates and the filter sheeting material of the respective plates of such predetermined pair of plates on the confronting sides of same, said cake compressor comprising: a planar panel of quadrilateral marginal configuration having oppositely facing side faces on either side of same, with each side face having a continuous marginal portion about the rim of the panel corresponding in configuration to the panel marginal configuration, said panel marginal configuration conforming to said marginal configuration of said plates, and with each said panel side face including its marginal portion being planar and coplanar with the plane of said panel, said panel being formed at a site spaced from said face marginal portions thereof with a slurry feed through opening that is positioned to be aligned with said slurry feed ports of the respective recessed plates when said compressor is applied to said such chamber, said panel configuration defining corner portions at the upper and lower ends of the panel, with at least one panel corner portion defining a filtrate passing aperture and with at least one other panel corner portion defining a wash passing aperture, said filtrate passing aperture and said wash passing aperture of said panel being positioned to be aligned with said filtrate outlet means and said wash inlet means of said recessed plants, respectively, when said compressor is applied to said such cake chamber, a pair of elastomeric membranes for said panel and each said membrane having a quadrilateral configuration approximating that of said panel whereby said membranes each having a marginal configuration thereabout that approximates the marginal configuration of said panel faces, with one of said panel membranes being disposed against one face of said panel and the other of said panel membranes being disposed against the other face of said panel, and with said panel membranes being bonded to said panel continuously about the respective marginal portions of said panel faces, to define a continuous static seal thereabout, said panel membranes being coupled together through and about said slurry feed through opening in sealed relation thereto to define a slurry feed port through said compressor having a continuous annular seal thereabout, said panel membranes being bonded to said panel faces in sealed relation thereto about said panel apertures to define aperture seals for each membrane about the respective panel apertures, said panel membranes being apertured in alignment with the respective apertures of said panel to define through the compressor a filtrate passing opening and a wash passing opening respectively positioned to be aligned with said filtrate outlet means and said inlet means, respectively, when said compressor is applied to said such chamber, said panel membranes each defining a portion of same between said annular seal and said static seal, to the exclusion of said aperture seals, that is free to deflect and distend laterally thereof and away from the panel face opposing same, to form a cake compressing diaphragm portion on either side of said panel, said panel and said side faces thereof being substantially coextensive with and being disposed between said portions of said membranes, said panel including means for supplying fluid under pressure between its said faces and said membrane diaphragm portions for inflating said membrane diaphragm portions into cake compressing relation with the cake when said compressor is applied to said such chamber and such cake is formed between same and the filter sheeting of said such chamber confronting same.

Claim 8

For use in a recessed plate type filter press that includes a plurality of recessed plates operably disposed between a fixed end plate and a movable end plate, with said plates being of like corresponding quadrilaterial marginal configuration, with said recessed plates each defining a slurry feed port, a filtrate outlet means, and a wash inlet means, with each said recessed plate being shaped to define a planar packing surfacing on either side of same and recessing between said packing surfacing and the slurry feed port that is in fluid flow communication with said filtrate outlet means, with filter sheeting material being applied over either side of each plate, and with the filter sheeting material of each plate on either side of same being coupled together through the slurry feed port, and means for closing said movable end plate and said recessed plates against the fixed plate with said recessed plate slurry feed ports aligned for supplying the slurry to the cake chamber formed by each pair of adjacent recessed plates about the slurry feed ports thereof for filtering the slurry through the filter sheeting material that is disposed on either side of the respective cake chambers for providing filtrate liquid flow to said filtrate outlet means, a cake compressor therefor for operative position application across a recessed plate defined cake chamber formed by a predetermined pair of the adjacent recessed plates, in bisecting relation to such cake chamber, and between such predetermined pair of recessed plates and the filter sheeting material of the respective plates of such predetermined pair of plates on the confronting sides of same, said cake compressor comprising: a planar panel of quadrilateral marginal configuration having oppositely facing side faces on either side of same, with each side face having a continuous marginal portion about the rim of the panel corresponding in configuration to the panel marginal configuration, said panel marginal configuration conforming to said marginal configuration of said plates, and with each said panel side face including its marginal portion being planar and coplanar with the plane of said panel, said panel being formed at a site spaced from said face marginal portions thereof with a slurry feed through opening that is positioned to be aligned with said slurry feed ports of the respective recessed plates when said compressor is applied to said such chamber, said panel configuration defining corner portions at the upper and lower ends of the panel, with at least one panel corner portion defining a filtrate passing aperture and with at least one other panel corner portion defining a wash passing aperture, said filtrate passing aperture and said wash passing aperture of said panel being positioned to be aligned with said filtrate outlet means and said wash inlet means of said recessed plants, respectively, when said compressor is applied to said such cake chamber, a pair of elastomeric membranes for said panel and each said membrane having a quadrilateral configuration approximating that of said panel whereby said membranes each having a marginal configuration thereabout that approximates the marginal configuration of said panel faces, with one of said panel membranes being disposed against one face of said panel and the other of said panel membranes being disposed against the other face of said panel, and with said panel membranes being bonded to said panel continuously about the respective marginal portions of said panel faces, to define a continuous static seal thereabout, said panel membranes being coupled together through and about said slurry feed through opening in sealed relation thereto to define a slurry feed port through said compressor having a continuous annular seal thereabout, said panel membranes being bonded to said panel faces in sealed relation thereto about said panel apertures to define aperture seals for each membrane about the respective panel apertures, said panel membranes being apertured in alignment with the respective apertures of said panel to define through the compressor a filtrate passing opening and a wash passing opening respectively positioned to be aligned with said filtrate outlet means and said inlet means, respectively, when said compressor is applied to said such chamber, said panel membranes each defining a portion of same between said annular seal and said static seal, to the exclusion of said aperture seals, that is free to deflect and distend laterally thereof and away from the panel face opposing same, to form a cake compressing diaphragm portion on either side of said panel, said panel and said side faces thereof being substantially coextensive with and being disposed between said portions of said membranes, said panel including means for supplying fluid under pressure between its said faces and said membrane diaphragm portions for inflating said membrane diaphragm portions into cake compressing relation with the cake when said compressor is applied to said such chamber and such cake is formed between same and the filter sheeting of said such chamber confronting same.

Claim 9

The cake compressor set forth in claim 6 wherein: said bonding comprises double faced adhesive tape stripping along said static seal at the respective marginal portions of the respective panel faces and diagonally of said panel corner portions to form said static seal and said aperture seals respectively, with one face of the tape being adhered to the panel and the other face of the tape being adhered to the membrane at the respective faces of said panel.

Claim 10

The cake compressor set forth in claim 7 wherein: said adhesive tape is of the pressure sensitive type.

Claim 11

The cake compressor set forth in claim 6 wherein: said panel defines side edges that form said marginal configuration thereof, said supplying means comprises said panel being formed to define passages leading from one of said side edges to the respective membrane diaphragm portions.

Claim 12

The cake compressor set forth in claim 6 wherein: said panel is formed from a rigid inert material, and said membranes are formed from a nitrile rubber elastomer.

Claim 13

The cake compressor set forth in claim 6 wherein: said panel is formed from a rigid inert material, and said membranes are formed from a synthetic elastomeric material.

Claim 14

A recessed plate filter press comprising the filter press set forth in claim 6 wherein: each of said cake chambers thereof has one of said cake compressors disposed as a unit in said operative position thereacross in said bisecting relation thereto with said clamping means effecting clamping of the respective cake compressors between the pair of confronting recessed plates that form the cake chamber that is bisected by the respective cake compressors.

Claim 15

The recessed plate filter press set forth in claim 12 wherein: said cake compressors are retrofitted in the respective cake chambers.

Claim 16

In a recessed plate filter press comprising the filter press of claim 12, a replacement membrane for replacing one of said panel membranes of one of said cake compressors, said replacement membrane being identical to said panel membranes and having adhered to one side of same, one side of double faced pressure sensitive adhesive tape stripping positioned thereon congruent to the position of said static seal of said panel membranes on said panel membranes, with the other side of said tape stripping being overlaid with a protective covering, whereby on removing one of said panel membranes from one of said cake compressors and removing said protective covering from said replacement membrane tape stripping, said replacement membrane may be adhered to said panel of said one cake compressor in replacement of said removed membrane thereof.