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Pressure Filtration of Australian Bagasse Pulp

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Abstract

A one-dimensional pressure filtration model that can be used to predict the behaviour of bagasse pulp has been developed and verified in this study. The dynamic filtration model uses steady state compressibility parameters determined experimentally by uniaxial loading. The compressibility parameters M and N for depithed bagasse pulp were determined to be in the ranges 3000–8000 kPa and 2.5–3.0 units, respectively. The model also incorporates experimentally determined steady state permeability data from separate experiments to predict the pulp concentration and fibre pressure throughout a pulp mat during dynamic filtration. Under steady state conditions, a variable Kozeny factor required different values for the permeability parameters when compared to a constant Kozeny factor. The specific surface area was 25–30% lower and the swelling factor was 20–25% higher when a variable Kozeny factor was used. Excellent agreement between experimental data and the dynamic filtration model was achieved when a variable Kozeny factor was used.

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Abbreviations

A :

Cross-sectional area of a porous bed for use with Darcy’s Law, cm2

c :

Pulp concentration, g/cm3

h :

Height of the pulp mat in the compressibility cell, cm

K :

Darcy’s permeability constant, cm2

k :

Kozeny factor

ΔL :

Height of a bed of porous material for use with Darcy’s Law, cm

M :

Compressibility constant, kPa, used in the expression P s = Mc N

m :

Compressibility constant, kPa, used in the expression \({P_{\rm s}=m \phi^{n}}\)

N :

Compressibility constant, -, used in the expression P s = Mc N

n :

Compressibility constant, -, used in the expression \({P_{\rm s}=m \phi^n}\)

ΔP :

Pressure drop across a bed of porous material for use with Darcy’s Law, mPa

Q :

Flowrate through a porous material for use with Darcy’s Law, cm3/s

S v :

Specific surface area of pulp fibre (cm2/cm3)

t :

Time, min

x :

Distance from the top platen, cm

α :

Pulp swelling factor, cm3/g

μ :

Liquid viscosity, mPa s

\({\phi}\) :

Solidity (i.e. volume solids fraction)

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Rainey, T.J., Doherty, W.O.S., Martinez, D.M. et al. Pressure Filtration of Australian Bagasse Pulp. Transp Porous Med 86, 737–751 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-010-9649-x

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