EFFECT OF PREKOTAC AS FILTER AIDS ON PRESSURE DROP AND PARTICLE PENETRATION IN PILOT PLANT FABRIC FILTRATION SYSTEM

Abstract

Filter aids are powdered materials which are produced from a wide variety of raw materials used as precoat to improve filtration in fabric filter. Based on previous study, filter aids build up a porous, permeable and rigid cake structure that retains solid particles and allow the gas pass through in filtration. This study aims, to investigate the performance known as PrekotAC on pressure drop and particle penetration in pilot plant fabric filtration system with varying material loadings and filtration velocities. The PrekotAC is an admixture of PrekotTM and activated carbon mixed in different weight compositions. Based on the result obtained, consistent pressure drop across the filter cake where the pressure drop decreases as the ratio of PrekotTM contained in the formulated PrekotAC mixture increaseas influenced by the porosity of the former which forms more permeable filter cake resulting in lower pressure drop. Since pressure drop across the filter cake determines the cleaning frequency which closely related to the life span of the filter media, applying filter aids helps to reduce its pressure drop thus extending the life span of the fabric filter. The finding also showed that the total particle penetration through the fabric media was proportionally related to addition of PrekotTM in the PrekotAC admixture. It is observed that higher ratio of PreKot™ in the formulated PrekotAC materials leads to higher number of particles that are able to penetrate through the filter media. Nevertheless, PrekotAC 10:90 which have the minimal ratio of PreKot™, demonstrated better collection efficiency among the mixtures.