Patent ID: 6036859
Filing Date: 2000-03-14
Classification: B01D

Abstract:
Filter press apparatus comprising:a substantially rigid outer shell;a plurality of substantially parallel filter plates assembled as a unit and locatable within said outer shell to provide a closable filtration vessel;means for providing to the closable vessel a medium under pressure to be filtered by the filter plates;a substantially impermeable primary membrane lining the shell and defining a space therebetween;means for supplying a pressure medium to the space defined between the primary membrane and the shell in order to urge the primary membrane towards the unit to define a substantially incompressible boundary wall to the unit fixed for a filtration operation;a secondary membrane having an intermediate portion interposed between the primary membrane and the unit of filter plates, said secondary membrane extending adjacent to and surrounding peripheral edges of all filter plates to sealingly cover spaces between adjacent filter plates; andmeans for axially compressing the unit of filter plates;whereby upon axial compression of the unit, the intermediate portion of the secondary membrane moves axially with the unit and slides relative to the primary membrane which remains substantially stationary.