How Do I Know When My Filter Cloths Need to be Changed?

Filter cloth life is shortened by mechanical damage which may be caused by chemical attack, mechanical abrasion, or both. Cloth life is also shortened when the material being filtered clogs or blinds the filter cloths, impacting porosity and no longer allowing the filtrate to properly flow.

There are many factors affecting cloth performance including:

• Application
• Material being filtered and the nature of the slurry, e.g. whether the particles in the slurry are coarse or dense
• Operating conditions
• Effectiveness of cake discharge mechanisms
• How frequently and effectively you are cleaning your filter cloth

Even filter cloth that is the correct design for your operating conditions will eventually have to be replaced. Timeframes can vary significantly depending upon the aforementioned factors.

This filter cloth showing poor cake release is in need of replacement

In contrast, this filter cloth has no cake residue

Some telltale signs that your filter cloth may need replacing include:

• Your filtration cycle times are getting longer
• Your filter cake has become progressively wetter and sloppier and is insufficiently dry/solid
• You see impurities in the filtrate, i.e. the filtrate is no longer clear
• You see holes in the filter cloth

Remember that when using a filter press for liquid-solid separation, your filter cloths are the key, front line, ingredient for an effective, efficient dewatering operation. Contact us so that we may assist you in selecting the right filter cloths for your operating conditions to optimize cloth life. We will help you with speedy and correct filter cloth replacement from our extensive inventory of standard and custom materials suited to your markets and applications. Micronics is here to help you operate your filter press at peak efficiency.