TRIALLING A TECHNOPULP BELT PRESS FILTER AT PIONEER MILL

SUCROGEN CANE PRODUCTS, Pioneer Sugar mill has a need to replace some small rotary vacuum filters (RVFs) due to the condition of existing aged plant. A vacuum belt press filter (VBPF) manufactured by Technopulp of Brazil was purchased and installed at Pioneer Mill in September/October 2012 and commissioning trials undertaken over a five week period commencing in early November. There are no vacuum belt press filters currently in use in Australian sugar mills for mud processing. The Technopulp filter is a relatively common and well accepted technology with over 600 units installed. The main attractions for the VBPF to Pioneer Mill were the lower capital costs than the RVFs and potentially operational benefits for the mill. As advised by Technopulp the pre-conditioning of the feed mud stream to the VBPF was found to be critical to the performance of the filter. Management of the feed pre-conditioning step occupied a large part of the commissioning period and, by the finish of the season, the performance of the VBPF was close to meeting specifications. Further improvements to suit the conditions at Pioneer Mill are planned for the 2013 season. The trials have confirmed that the Technopulp filter will work on Burdekin soil types (both clay and non-clay types) and can be a financially attractive alternative to the RVF. More trials are required to further fine tune the operation of the filter.