All You Need to Know About Filter Press Maintenance

Filter Press maintenance is essential to ensuring that your system runs efficiently and with as few issues as possible. When running properly, a filter press is a highly effective form of water treatment.

During daily routine inspection of your filter press, you’ll want to maintain the entire system while paying close attention to the hydraulic fluid cleanliness, oil levels, the hydraulic cylinder, the power unit, and the slurry feed pump.

Let’s take a closer look at each of these parts and how they need to be maintained to ensure they run smoothly. Then, we’ll go over the basics of daily filter press maintenance in case this is your first time using them. This is your total guide to filter press maintenance.

CLEAN IT OFTEN

This may be a no brainer, but many issues with filter presses arise from irregular cleanings.  Liquid slurry can be very messy, so it’s only a matter of time before a filter press experiences debris build up and parts get broken. Consistent cleaning of your filter press, and its parts, will help the system to function properly and prolong the life of your press. Filter presses consist of certain parts that require unclogging regularly for them to function at a peak level. Sludge will regularly build up on the press and needs to be scraped off of filter plates between cycles to avoid any issues.  Filter cloths, special cloths used to catch the buildup of solids, need to be pressure washed frequently. A filter cloth cannot achieve necessary quality of discharge when the cloths are clogged.  A sign that your cloths need cleaning is that the filter cakes will be wet, and the filtration cycles will take longer.  If preventative cleaning of a filter cloth is ignored and the press is binding, an acid rinse might be necessary, or you may need to replace some filter cloths.

DAILY MAINTENANCE CHECKS

Apart from cleaning, there are 6 other preventative steps that can be taken to achieve optimal levels of operations and efficiency.

First, it is imperative to create a log of press data.  This log will help to create a benchmark that you can base judgements off and will help to alert your team to the cleaning schedule.  Common data kept in a press log include cycle time, cake consistency (edge, center), air blowdown time, filtrate clarity, etc.  A log can be one of the most important tools to spot irregularities and help to prevent any major damage to your filter press.

After checking the log and verifying standard levels of operation, you can begin by making sure that the hydraulic oil used in your filter press is clean. Dirty oil can wreak havoc on system parts, ultimately causing your entire system to fail. When a complete system fails, you are left to deal with unanticipated down time, drastic drops in efficiency, and lost money. For those reasons, it is essential to sample the oil for cleanliness often.

When the filter press is operating, check the oil levels and temperature. If oil levels are off, this could lead to hydraulic power unit inefficiency. When the oil in a press is too hot, your entire filter press could break down. It is common practice to change your hydraulic oil filter whenever you change the oil.  This helps to prolong the life of the filter press and ensures that the press runs efficiently.

Once the oils are checked, search the fittings and hydraulic lines for leaks. Small leaks have the tendency to grow rapidly, developing into a much larger issue. If a leak is discovered, tighten the fittings, or replace them as well as the hose.

Frequently verify that the nuts and bolts are secure. Fasten anything that needs fastening and replace anything that needs replacing such as parts that may be corroded. When the bolts are properly tightened, mark the bolt and surrounding area to serve as an easy-to-spot indicator for future checks.

Lastly, make sure that the press safety system is in optimal condition. If a defective safety device is found, lockout the press and perform service on the unit promptly.  

GET YOUR FILTER PRESS FROM JMARK SYSTEMS

JMARK Systems is a leading provider of filter presses, components, and mobile wastewater treatment systems. With decades of experience in the industry, JMARK Systems has a proven track record of delivering high quality products and exceptional service. 

JMARK Systems offers a water optimization audit to achieve the best results for your industry, enabling us to recommend the best type of wastewater treatment for your application. 

Contact us today to learn more about our filter presses and how they can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your process.