Industries & Applications
About Filter Press Pumps
Filter press pumps are specialist pumps designed to fill a filter press with slurry and achieve high pressure for a good quality cake. Although set-ups differ from site to site, they are usually sited on the ground close to the filter press and are piped up into the filter press.
Centrifugal slurry pumps are good for the higher flows needed when filling filter presses, but struggle to maintain the higher pressure required when pressing. Progressive cavity pumps meanwhile are great for the high pressure but are unable to achieve high flows.
Most sites that operate a filter press will adopt a compromise solution, either using a centrifugal double-stage slurry pump or a ram pump to undertake both the filling and pressing. This however may not be your best option.
Filter Press Pump System
A solution operated by Atlantic Pumps provides the advantages of both types of pumps without any compromise. Furthermore, by spending slightly more on the initial outlay, you can make large savings in the long run.
The filter press pump system offered by Atlantic Pumps differs to most set-ups because it comprises of two pumps: a centrifugal slurry pump and a positive displacement pump. A SlurryPro centrifugal pump will handle the bulk filling of the press while the positive displacement pump does the pressing.
Neither pump in our two-pump set-up needs to be running continuously or pumping for longer than is necessary unlike the centrifugal double-stage slurry pump option. With the pumps operating for a reduced combined time therefore, a site can reduce its energy costs and save money.
Centrifugal double-stage slurry pumps are also in near constant operation. As a result, they will often wear out quite quickly. As our own investigations have found, parts aren’t readily available and can be costly.
With the SlurryPro and positive displacement pump both operating for less time than the centrifugal double-stage slurry pump, wear to the parts in our set-up are greatly reduced.
And when it does come to replacing components, parts for our filter pump press pumping system are available on very quick lead times with affordable maintenance costs.
In smaller applications and sites, such as laboratories a two-pump set-up wouldn’t be suitable. In such situations we would either recommend a SlurryPro centrifugal pump or LSM peristaltic pump - both proven performers in a wide variety of applications.
Upgrades, Optimisation, & Repair
Over the last couple of years, an increasing number of filter press operators have turned to Atlantic Pumps for help optimising their filter press process and maintenance. As a result, Atlantic has expanded its range of spares and wear parts in line with its commitment to reducing filter-press downtime.
Atlantic Pumps supply genuine Matec filter press plates, cloths and flocculants. To view a full list of products, please see here.
Atlantic Pumps’ ability to design and install turnkey filter press optimisations was given a boost in late 2023 with the addition of Peveril Machinery, manufacturers of bulk dry handling equipment.
With established expertise in pump systems for abrasive, challenging fluids and slurry, plus the addition of Peveril’s dry bulk capabilities, they are helping more sites with fast response and innovative optimisations.
One recent beneficiary of Atlantic’s optimisation upgrades is Breedon, who have been able to increase a filter press production capacity by over 40% using an innovative filter-feed pump system, designed and built for them by Atlantic Pumps.
The new pump acts as an initial fast-fill feed into Breedon’s Latham filter presses, significantly shortening the cycle time and saving energy consumption in the process. Integration with the existing washplant ensured that system capacity was maximised with minimal outlay and downtime. With the high-volume pumps operating at the low-pressure stage, and automatic switch-over to ram pump for the final stage, each pump is operating near its best efficiency point (BEP).
Contact Us
For prices or to discuss filter press pump solutions for your site, please call us on 0800 118 2500 or complete our contact form.