How Does a Vertical Filter Press Work?

The filtration process normally includes several stages.

1. Filter Plate Closing

The hydraulic system closes and locks the vertical filter plate pack. The plates and filter cloth form sealed filtration chambers.

2. Slurry Feeding

A feed pump transfers slurry into the filter chambers. Liquid passes through the filter cloth, while suspended solids remain inside the chambers and gradually form a filter cake.

3. Diaphragm Squeezing

After the initial filtration stage, water or compressed air enters the diaphragm chamber. The diaphragm applies additional pressure to the filter cake, removing more liquid and reducing final cake moisture.

4. Filter Cake Washing

When the recovered solid requires higher purity, washing liquid can be introduced through the cake. The washing process removes soluble impurities or recovers valuable substances remaining in the filter cake.

5. Air Drying

Compressed air passes through the filter cake to remove residual liquid. This step can further decrease moisture content before cake discharge.

6. Automatic Cake Discharge

The plates open automatically, and the filter cloth moves continuously or intermittently. The filter cake separates from the cloth and falls into a collection hopper, conveyor or other downstream handling system.

7. Filter Cloth Cleaning

An automatic cloth washing system removes remaining particles from the filter media, helping maintain filtration performance during repeated cycles.

Main Advantages of a Vertical Plate Filter Press

High Degree of Automation

The complete filtration cycle can be controlled through a PLC and HMI system. Operators can monitor feed pressure, squeezing time, washing time, drying time and discharge status from the control panel.

Lower Filter Cake Moisture

Diaphragm squeezing and compressed-air drying can remove more liquid from the cake than gravity filtration alone. Lower cake moisture can reduce transportation, drying and disposal costs.

Efficient Cake Washing

The chamber structure allows washing liquid to pass through the filter cake in a controlled direction. This makes the equipment suitable for mineral concentrates, chemical products and other materials requiring impurity removal or valuable liquid recovery.

Automatic and Reliable Cake Discharge

The moving filter cloth assists cake release and reduces the risk of filter cake remaining between the plates. This feature is useful for sticky, fine or difficult-to-discharge materials.

Consistent Filtration Results

Automated pressure, timing and valve control help maintain consistent filtration conditions. This improves the uniformity of cake thickness, moisture and washing results.

Reduced Manual Labour

Plate opening, cloth movement, cake discharge and cloth cleaning can be automated, reducing the amount of direct operator involvement in the filtration area.

Vertical Filter Press Applications

Vertical filter presses can be used for slurry dewatering, concentrate recovery, tailings treatment and process-liquid clarification.

The actual filtration performance depends on particle size distribution, solids concentration, viscosity, temperature, compressibility and chemical compatibility.

Vertical Filter Press Selection Guide

Before choosing a vertical filter press, buyers should provide accurate process information to the equipment manufacturer.

Slurry Characteristics

Important slurry parameters include:

• Material composition

• Solid concentration

• Particle size distribution

• Slurry temperature

• pH value

• Viscosity

• Corrosiveness

• Abrasiveness

• Filtration test data

These parameters influence filter plate material, filter cloth selection, feed pressure and filtration cycle time.

Required Processing Capacity

Processing capacity should be calculated according to slurry volume, solids content, operating hours and expected filtration cycles per day. A larger filtration area does not automatically guarantee higher productivity if the slurry has poor permeability.

Target Cake Moisture

The required final moisture content determines whether diaphragm squeezing and compressed-air drying are necessary. Buyers should specify whether the cake will be transported, disposed of, dried further or returned to another production process.

Cake Washing Requirements

For applications requiring high product purity or valuable liquid recovery, the supplier should evaluate washing liquid volume, washing pressure, cake thickness and washing efficiency.

Filter Plate and Filter Cloth Materials

Polypropylene filter plates are commonly used because of their chemical resistance and relatively low weight. However, plate and cloth materials should be selected according to slurry temperature, acidity, alkalinity and particle characteristics.

Automation Level

An automatic vertical filter press may include:

• PLC and HMI control

• Automatic valve control

• Feed pump interlocking

• Automatic diaphragm squeezing

• Automatic cake washing

• Compressed-air drying

• Filter cloth movement

• Automatic cloth washing

• Fault alarms

• Remote monitoring

• Production data recording

The automation configuration should match the plant’s production requirements and control system.

Custom Vertical Filter Press Solutions

Vertical filter presses can be customized according to the customer’s filtration process and site conditions.

Available customization options may include:

• Filtration area

• Filter plate dimensions

• Chamber thickness

• Hydraulic closing pressure

• Slurry feeding method

• Diaphragm squeezing pressure

• Cake washing system

• Air drying system

• Filter cloth material

• Cloth washing system

• Wetted-part materials

• PLC and electrical components

• Voltage and frequency

• Platform and access structure

• Cake hopper or discharge conveyor

• Remote control and data communication

For a more accurate equipment configuration, laboratory or pilot filtration testing should be carried out before final model selection.

Vertical Filter Press Price

The vertical filter press price depends on filtration area, plate size, plate quantity, automation level, construction materials and auxiliary equipment.

A complete quotation may include:

• Main filter press

• Hydraulic power unit

• Slurry feeding system

• Diaphragm squeezing system

• Cake washing system

• Air drying system

• Filter cloth washing device

• PLC control cabinet

• Platforms and safety guards

• Cake collection or conveying equipment

• Installation and commissioning services

• Spare parts and filter cloth

Buyers should compare not only the initial machine price but also filtration capacity, cake moisture, energy consumption, maintenance requirements and filter cloth service life.

Vertical Filter Press Manufacturer

As a vertical filter press manufacturer, we can provide equipment selection, filtration testing, process design, manufacturing, installation guidance and after-sales support.

Before production, our engineering team evaluates the slurry properties, target processing capacity, required cake moisture and washing conditions. The vertical filter press is then configured to match the customer’s actual filtration process rather than being selected only according to nominal filtration area.

Contact us with your slurry data, processing capacity and target cake moisture to receive a suitable vertical filter press configuration and quotation.