Our experts have developed a list of the most frequently asked questions for you to explore. We encourage you to see if your question might be included in our list. If you couldn’t find it here, please Contact Us directly to learn more about how ARTA can help you achieve your goals.

1. How long will it take to fill the filter press/how long should the cycle time be on the filter press?

This can vary greatly depending on your process and application.  It can be from 10 minutes to 5 hours or more.  We can do a test to determine the answer for your specific application.  For a quote on testing, we require a completed data form.  Call us to request a quote and the data form.

2. My press is dropping sloppy cakes and I think that my clothes are blinding. What do I do?

This usually means it is time to clean your filter cloths.

3. Why won’t my press build a good filter cake?

Possible causes are:

  1. Dirty filter cloths.  What to do:  Clean or replace filter cloths.
  2. Malfunctioning (low) feed pump.   What to do:  Clean and adjust as needed.
  3. Incorrect treatment or treatment change.  What to do:  Contact us.

4. Why are there solids in my filtrate?

Possible causes are:

Incorrect filter cloths for your application.  What to do:  Contact us.

Holes in your filter cloth.  What to do:  Replace filter cloths.

Gasketed cloth out of the grooves.  What to do:  Clean groove and drainage surface behind cloth and reinstall.

Cloth on head plate not properly retained.  What to do:  Replace cloth on head plate.

5. Can I feed at 250 bar on my 200 bar press?

NO!  If you have a 100 psi press, it is designed for 100 psi only.  Over-pressurization could cause leakage or catastrophic damage to filter plates and the hydraulic system.  Higher pressure skeletons are available if you need one.  For more details, call us.

6. Why is my filter press squirting out from between the plates during feed?

Have you made any recent changes to the plate stack that could be causing this?  If not, possible causes are:

  1. Solids build-up on sealing surfaces.  What to do:  Use nylon cleaning spatula to remove cake from sealing surface.
  2. The hydraulic pressure is not to recommended specifications.  What to do:  Adjust to required pressure.
  3. The feed pressure is too high.  What to do:  Adjust to required pressure.
  4. There is a wrinkle or hole in the filter cloth.  What to do:  Replace the filter cloth.

If you have gasketed plates, your gaskets may be loose or torn.  What to do:  Reinstall or replace gaskets.

7. How can I tell when my filter cloths are dirty?

Usually you will need a longer cycle time to achieve the same cake dryness.  You may also notice sloppy cake or discharge flow is less.

8. How do I clean my filter cloths?

Use a spatula to scrape cake off the surface.  Cake buildup can cause bending of the press frame.  Excessive bending can lead to equipment failure!  Keep the cloths and plates as clean as possible, especially along the sealing surface.

Keep the following in mind when scraping cloths:

  • Use care not to cut or rip the cloth.
  • Cloths deteriorate over time and become more fragile and susceptible to tearing.
  • Make sure the edge of the spatula is smooth.
  • Do not tap the spatula on hard objects to remove cake from the spatula surface.  This may form dents or tears in the spatula surface that can tear cloths.

9. How long do cloths last?

They could last as little as six months or as long as two years.  It depends on many things:

Your process.

How often you run your filter press.

What you run through your filter press.

How well you maintain your filter cloths.

It’s probably time to change your cloths when you see abrasion, stretchiness, folding, holes, poor cake, dirty filtrate or when conventional cleaning techniques don’t restore the performance of your filter press.

10. How often should I change the oil in my hydraulic system?

Under normal conditions, you should usually change your hydraulic oil once a year, or every 2,000 operating hours.  Under severe conditions, the oil will need to be changed more frequently.

11. How often should I change the hydraulic filter?

Whenever you change your oil, you should change your filter.

12. I don’t have (or I lost) my Operation & Maintenance manual. Can I purchase another one?

Yes.  Call customer service at +98 915 311 0932 to purchase replacement or additional O&M manuals for your filter press.

13. What’s the best filter cloth for my process?

This depends on your process.  Cloth selection is as much an art as it is a science.  Based on our 15 years of experience and lab testing, we can make an expert recommendation to you.

We supply cloths based on criteria you give us and based on sample processing we do in our lab.  Should your process change, we recommend that your cloth type be evaluated for suitability.

14. What micron size are my filter cloths?

There is no micron rating on filter cloths.  They are rated by air permeability.

15. What size feed pump do I need for my press?

It depends on your process, but for further information you can contact us at:

+98 915 311 0932

16. How do I size my Compressor for my press feed pump and air blow?

It depends on your process, but further information you can contact us at +98 915 311 0932

17. How many more plates can I add to my press?

It depends on:

  • The amount of opening space left in your press.
  • How much clean-out space you want to sacrifice.
  • If your press has an expansion piece.

You may be able to buy new, longer sidebars if you have a bolt-on style press.  Call customer service at:   +98 915 311 0932

18. How many plates can I take out of my press?

Safely, none.  We can provide you with a back-up plate if you need to reduce the capacity of your press.  Call customer service at +98 915 311 0932

19. Why is my press leaking hydraulic oil?

Possible causes are:

  1. Overfilled Hydraulic Reservoir.  What to do:  Inspect Hydraulic Reservoir sight gauge with cylinder COMPLETELY extended and add or drain necessary oil.
  2. Faulty Hydraulic Cylinder.  What to do:

Contact customer service at:+98 915 311 0932

20. Can I wash cloth with a portable high pressure washer?

Yes, provided the hose has a fan and not a needle tip. The wand should be moved over the cloth consistently and not held in one position. 800 to 900 psi is probably an adequate pressure to clean cloths. If cleaning is not efficient then consider chemically removing embedded particulates.

21. Can I chemically clean my Filter Cloth?

Chemical cleaning of filter cloth is a very effective way of rejuvenating filtration performance. Polypropylene cloths will accept both caustic and acid cleaning, Nylon and polyester fibers require more careful selection of the cleaning medium – contact us for help.

REMEMBER – precautions must always be taken when handling chemical cleaning solutions!

22. Why does my Filter Press leak around the edges of the Plates?

The filtration characteristics of specific slurries will affect filtration efficiency and having too much back pressure will result in edge leaking. Poorly designed filtrate discharge piping, higher than recommended pumping volumes or incorrectly selected filter cloth all cause or contribute to this problem.

23. Can I reduce my cycle time?

Normally the slurry characteristics determine cycle time. Conditioning of the slurry can improve the dewatering time. Thinner cakes will also reduce cycle times and are more easily washed.

24. What is the highest pressure I can pump to my filter press?

Filter presses are designed generally for two pressure 7 and 15 bar although special machines are made for higher pressures. Check the equipment manual to ensure you do not exceed the pressure your filter framework was designed for. If you need assistance measure your cylinder ram size, note the hydraulic pressure and contact us for help.

25. What is the best pump for a filter press?

Many pump types are used with good results, depending upon the characteristics of the material being processed. Air diaphragm pumps do not shear flocculated slurries and are the most common type of pump used. An added advantage to this type of pump is that the air drive stalls when filtration is complete. Mono pumps are used on high pressure filters.

26. Can I try samples to see if they work?

We will provide a small number of samples at no charge for initial evaluation. It is usual for us to require some information on the conditions and your goals prior to making recommendations.

27. How do I extend my cloth life?

Cloth life is shortened by mechanical damage, which may be caused by chemical attack or mechanical abrasion or both. Life is also shortened when cloth becomes blinded. Write down all the operating conditions and in particular changes that you have made and forward them to use for recommendations. We have a questionnaire for this purpose.

28. Can I buy spare filter cloth for my filter press? How long may I store filter cloth?

Generally our customers prefer to provide their filter press supply for a specific period of time in order not to have any future problems as rarity or lack of cloth, high prices, and etc.

29. How can I buy spare filter plates for my filter press?

Questionnaires are available to help fill in the correct dimensions. Presently ARTA is in direct contact with old customers on the field.

30. How can I tell if my cloth needs replacing?

Filter cloth life depends on different factors. Usually, the filter cycle times will be longer and the filter cake will become progressively wetter. If your cloth has not performed well from the start then you need to modify the design.

31. Did you find your question here?

If you didn’t find your question, what was your question?  Please send us an e-mail and let us know: Info@artafilter.com

For further assistance on cloths, plates and all your parts needs, call our customer service department at +98 915 311 0932 or e-mail us.

Thank you.