The Pannevis RT Horizontal Vacuum Belt Filters from Larox Celebrates 40 Years of Superior Performance in the CPI
11 October 2007
Larox is proud to announce that this year the Pannevis RT Horizontal Vacuum Belt Filter celebrates its 40th anniversary with the first unit ordered in 1967. Also this year we will also celebrate the delivery of the 1,500th Pannevis RT filter.
In 1967 the Pannevis RT vacuum belt filter created a revolution in vacuum belt filtration being the very first tray-type horizontal vacuum belt filter. The first unit was delivered to a client in The Netherlands who quickly bought more units in and continues to be a customer of Pannevis to this day with four filters currently operational. They still operate the filters bought in 1975 while the first unit from 1967 is still in operation at another customer after being sold and revamped in 2000 giving the Pannevis RT filters an operational life of over 40 years.
From this beginning the Pannevis RT filter quickly became the market leader in the chemical process industries due to its ease of operation, superior performance, cleanliness and reliability. As a result of continuous improvement over the years, Pannevis introduced the first fume-tight, gas-tight and pressure-tight vacuum belt filter designs. The introduction of the press belt and vacuum press belt systems significantly improved the dewatering performance for many applications.
The new standardized RT designs continue the Pannevis tradition of being at the forefront of technical and marketplace development with regard to belt filter technology. The great success of the Pannevis RT filter is further celebrated by the 1,500th filter delivery during this year.
The Pannevis RT filter was the first to use a solid tray to support the filter cloth. The continuously moving cloth is located in the profiled tray supported by an open grid running the length of the filter. The vacuum for separation of the solids and liquid is applied to the underside of the cloth. When vacuum is applied, the forward movement of the cloth pulls the tray with it at the same speed as the cloth. When the tray has advanced to a specified point, the vacuum is briefly removed from the underside of the tray and the tray is retracted to its original position. Vacuum is then reapplied and the tray again advances with the cloth.
The RT filter can accommodate multiple wash steps, either in co-current or counter-current, vibration, hot air drying, cooling, steaming or mechanical compression, any or all such steps in almost any combination. Gas-tight or pressure-tight enclosures can be offered allowing safe operation of processes involving flammable materials, explosives, hazardous materials, or any process where containment is a critical factor.
The ability to carry out multiple wash steps, with each wash filtrate precisely collected into its own receiver enables the Pannevis RT filter to produce very high purity products with low wash water consumption. Washing can be done with more than one liquid and can be either co-current or counter-current. Very high purity cakes, up to 99.99% or better, can be produced.
Pannevis filters can be used for the following operations:
Continuous separation of slurries into filter cake and clear filtrate
Washing of the filter cake in the following configurations:
- Co-current washing
- Counter-current washing
- Reflux counter-current washing
- Leaching using either co-current or counter-current extraction
- Co-current or counter-current chemical reaction
Mechanical compression of the filter cake to increase dry solids content using:
- Vacuum seal belt
- Vacuum press belt
- Press belt
- Vibration
Thermal drying of the cake using:
- Hot gas (air, nitrogen or steam)
- Microwave
PANNEVIS GT
The Pannevis GT gas-tight filter from Larox is a completely enclosed design that can continuously process virtually any solvent based product in a sealed housing, while operating under a continuously re-circulated nitrogen or other inert gas blanket. The filter housing is also designed to easily meet cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practice) making it especially suitable for pharmaceuticals and biotech products.
Gas tight filters are currently used for many pharmaceuticals, both intermediate and final, as well as fine chemicals, bio-products, solvent-processed foodstuffs, solvent wetted organic solids and pyrophoric materials. With over 120 production scale units installed worldwide, Larox is the world leader in solvent-based vacuum belt filtration with the Pannevis GT filter.
The Pannevis range of RT horizontal vacuum belt filters is fully supported by the Larox Service group, the most comprehensive and experienced network in the industry, covering the world with operations in over 40 countries and providing reliable support throughout the entire lifecycle of the product.
Larox is committed to helping its clients meet the following goals:
- Reduced lifetime production costs – especially energy based costs
- Improved product quality, value and consistency
- Improved safety, health and environmental performance
- Improved yield and productivity
ABOUT LAROX GROUP
Larox is a leading innovator and supplier of solid/liquid separation solutions for the world's process industries. Companies in mining and metallurgy, chemical processing and related industries benefit from our high-performance, high-efficiency process solutions, technologies and products. Larox operates in over 40 countries and has over 430 employees. Larox Group is headquartered in Lappeenranta, Finland.
In addition to Larox our major product names are Ceramec, Scanmec, Hoesch, Pannevis and Scheibler. Most of the product names have served the markets for several decades, and they are now supported by Larox aftermarket services.
