ANDRITZ SEPARATION presents new product series of filter presses driven by compressed air

Air-over-oil filter presses are used wherever there is no power connection available or possible in a process line. By deliberately dispensing with electrical equipment, the SP series is a cost-effective alternative to conventional machines and a further development of the filter presses designed for manual operation only. Due to their easy handling and modular design, the new filter presses are flexible for use in a wide range of applications in solid-liquid separation. The series is based on a small number of unit sizes, which significantly reduces the effort for storage of spare parts and training of operating personnel.

Safe operation 

The filter press operates according to the so-called plug-and-play principle. To start up the machine, the operator needs only connect up a compressed air hose at 6 to 8 bar to the pneumatic cabinet.

The heart of the new press is the hydraulic unit operated by compressed air. Once supplied with air, the pneumatically driven high-pressure pump generates up to 400 bar hydraulic pressure. Two-handed control guarantees safe operation. The inflowing hydraulic oil then moves the cylinder that generates the locking force required to close the press securely. After completion of the filtration process, the operator relieves the pressure in the press and opens it again with two-handed control. 

As the safety of the operator and of the process always has top priority at ANDRITZ, a so-called pneumatic interlock has been developed. It serves as an additional safeguard against unintentional opening of the press during the filtration process. Thus, the pneumatic-mechanical interlock makes it impossible to open the press while it is pressurized. 

As part of further development work, the level of automation has been increased by means of a semi-automatic, pneumatically assisted plate transport system. When the operator has opened the filter press safely, he can use the plate transport system. Using the pneumatically driven cylinder, the operator can move the filter plates in parallel without any great effort, making things much easier for the operator, especially if he has several presses to operate. 

The new SP series filter presses at a glance

• Filter area: 6.5 to 226.4 m2
• Volume: 69.4 up to 2,401 l
• Filter press sizes (lxwxh): 1.94 x 0.69 x 1.27 m to 9.68 x 1.43 x 1.99 m
• Weight of filter presses when empty: 950 to 17,500 kg