A membrane for a membrane filter plate, having an elastic compression face and a peripheral fastening means. The membrane displays an elastic compression face and a peripheral fastening means. An opening for a fluid communication into a filter chamber is configured in the membrane. The invention furthermore relates to an arrangement of at least two filter plates of which one filter plate is a membrane filter plate having a membrane. One membrane is fastened on the first filter plate by means of the peripheral fastening means such that a compression means chamber is formed between the membrane and the first filter plate. The second filter plate bears on the first filter plate such that a filter chamber is formed between the compression face of the membrane and the second filter plate. At the periphery of the filter plates, a duct is formed between the filter plates.

An outlet piece assembly for a horizontal plate and frame-type filter, such as tower press. The disclosure is based on the idea of providing the outlet piece assembly as having a base removably attachable to a filter press (e.g., to the filter plate or plate frame thereof), and a lid removably fixed to the base, such that an internal conduit of the outlet piece assembly running between a vat end and a discharge end is formed between the base and the lid. This enables a part of an associated filtrate vat component, such as the vat liner, to be received between the base and the lid, thereby ensuring secure sealing between these components.

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.