A filter cake is formed by the substances that are retained on a

filter Filter, filtering or filters may refer to: Science and technology Computing * Filter (higher-order function), in functional programming * Filter (software), a computer program to process a data stream * Filter (video), a software component tha ...

. Filter aids, such as

diatomaceous earth Diatomaceous earth (), diatomite (), or kieselgur/kieselguhr is a naturally occurring, soft, siliceous sedimentary rock that can be crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder. It has a particle size ranging from more than 3 μm to le ...

activated carbon Activated carbon, also called activated charcoal, is a form of carbon commonly used to filter contaminants from water and air, among many other uses. It is processed (activated) to have small, low-volume pores that increase the surface area avail ...

are usually used to form the filter cake. The purpose is to increase flow rate or achieve a smaller micron filtration. The filter cake grows in the course of

filtration Filtration is a physical separation process that separates solid matter and fluid from a mixture using a ''filter medium'' that has a complex structure through which only the fluid can pass. Solid particles that cannot pass through the filter ...

, becoming "thicker" as

particulate matter Particulates – also known as atmospheric aerosol particles, atmospheric particulate matter, particulate matter (PM) or suspended particulate matter (SPM) – are microscopic particles of solid or liquid matter suspended in the air. The ter ...

and filter aid is retained on the filter. With increasing layer thickness, the flow resistance of the filter cake increases. After a time, the filter cake has to be removed from the filter, e.g. by backflushing. If this is not accomplished, the filtration is disrupted because the

viscosity The viscosity of a fluid is a measure of its resistance to deformation at a given rate. For liquids, it corresponds to the informal concept of "thickness": for example, syrup has a higher viscosity than water. Viscosity quantifies the inte ...

of the filter cake gets too high; hence, too little of the mixture to be filtered can pass through the filter cake and the filter plugs. The specifications of the filter cake dictate the filtration method of choice.

References

Filters Water treatment Water technology {{Hydrology-stub

See also

References