A process for the preparation of a concentrated filter cake from an admixture of partially-decomposed organic material and a polar liquid using a filter press without the input of thermal heat or superheated steam or other pressurized gas or liquid is provided by this invention. The admixture is mixed with an additional amount of the polar liquid to produce a feed slurry of the admixture having a moisture content of about 90-99% wt. The resulting slurry admixture is then introduced into the filter press having a plurality of filter plates with porous membranes secured along their outlet. The pressure condition introduced inside the filter plate chambers is increased by a pressurized gas or liquid to force the polar liquid from the admixture slurry though apertures contained in the membrane, thereby leaving a filter cake of the partially-decomposed organic material having a moisture content that is lower than the moisture content of the initial partially-decomposed organic material feed. The process and its equipment may be used to treat a variety of partially-decomposed organic material/polar liquid slurry admixtures, including high moisture peat containing water, and reduce the moisture content of the resulting peat filter cake to as low as 60% wt for peat or about 50% wt for a peat/Biochar admixture.

A diaphragm filter plate for a filter plate assembly of a recessed plate-type filter, such as a filter press or a tower press. The diaphragm filter plate is configured for use with a diaphragm including a sheet-like body having a flexible structure, and, at least on a side of the body, a plurality of distinct attachment studs to be inserted into corresponding distinct attachment holes of a respective filter plate for attaching the diaphragm to the filter plate. The attachment studs are arranged along a sealing region extending along a periphery of the filter diaphragm and extend in a direction perpendicular to the diaphragm body. The attachment studs are equipped with an opening extending through the filter diaphragm, between the opposing sides thereof.

A sealing strip for sealing adjacent filter plate assemblies of a horizontal filter press. The disclosure is based on the idea of providing the sealing strip with a stiffener at a base portion of the sealing strip, positioned such that it intersects with a line running through a ridge provided on a distal portion of the sealing strip and extending along a vertical direction, perpendicular to both the length direction and the width direction of the sealing strip, as seen along the cross-sectional profile of the sealing strip. A filter frame, a filter frame assembly and a filter apparatus having such a sealing strip are also provided.

A filtration cassette including a multilaminate array of sheets including filter sheets alternating with permeate sheet members and retentate sheet members, and a cross-flow filter device comprising a multiplicity of stacked filtration cassettes of such type. The improvements associated with the filtration cassettes described herein include, but are not limited to, at least one of: reinforced inlet(s) providing for longevity and improved cleanability of the cassettes; spacer permeate screens to limit throughput restriction; stainless steel or otherwise stiffened permeate sheets to prevent movement and increase flux; and stainless steel permeate sheets that can be used with ultrasonic transmission to minimize fouling of the filter sheets and extend cleaning cycles. Advantageously, the filtration cassettes are more resistant to higher temperatures than the filtration cassettes of the prior art.

A filter plate assembly which is resistant to both wear and deformation caused by creeping, while facilitating maintenance thereof. A filtrate vat is provided that is formed on, and integral with the filter plate, in addition to a separate, replaceable vat liner. In this way, a rigid structure of the filtrate vat capable of resisting deformation may be achieved, while the vat liner separates the filtrate from the filtrate vat and the associated filter plate, providing wear resistance and facilitating maintenance. The present disclosure further concerns the filter plate and the filtrate vat.

A filter press device includes a supporting frame and elongated side rails disposed parallel and horizontally on the supporting frame. A following head assembly is disposed on an end portion of the supporting frame, and a following head assembly is movably disposed on another end portion of the supporting frame. The elongated side rails support a combination of filter plates of varying sizes through one or more adapters. An adapter plate interposes between adjacent filter plates of different sizes, providing fluidic communication between the different sized filter plates.