Filter apparatus operating features

Abstract

A pressure-filter apparatus includes at least one filtration chamber coupled with a source of slurry. The filtration chamber is also coupled with a source of fluid at an elevated pressure, which may be arranged in series or in parallel with a source of wash fluid. The pressure-filter apparatus may also include a source of fluid at a conventional pressure.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of separating a slurry into solids and liquids, comprising: 
 uniformly distributing a quantity of said slurry in at least one filtration chamber; and    forcing said liquids from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a first quantity of a first fluid at a pressure decreasing from an elevated pressure.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further including forcing residual liquids from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a second quantity of said first fluid at a pressure decreasing from a conventional pressure, after the pressure of said first quantity of said first fluid becomes substantially equal to said conventional pressure, said elevated pressure being higher than said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further including forcing residual liquids from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a quantity of a second fluid at a pressure decreasing from a conventional pressure, after the pressure of said first quantity of said first fluid becomes substantially equal to said conventional pressure, said elevated pressure being higher than said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         4 . A method of separating a slurry into solids and liquids, comprising: 
 uniformly distributing a quantity of said slurry in at least one filtration chamber at a slurry-input pressure; and    forcing said liquids from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a first quantity of a first fluid at a pressure decreasing from an elevated pressure.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said elevated pressure is at least as high as said slurry-input pressure.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further including forcing residual liquids from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a second quantity of said first fluid at a pressure decreasing from a conventional pressure, after the pressure of said first quantity of said first fluid becomes substantially equal to said conventional pressure, said elevated pressure being higher than said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said conventional pressure is at least as high as said slurry-input pressure.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said slurry-input pressure is at least as high as said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5  further including forcing residual liquids from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a quantity of a second fluid at a pressure decreasing from a conventional pressure, after the pressure of said first quantity of said first fluid becomes substantially equal to said conventional pressure, said elevated pressure being higher than said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said conventional pressure is at least as high as said slurry-input pressure.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said slurry-input pressure is at least as high as said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said slurry-input pressure is at least as high as said elevated pressure.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further including forcing residual liquids from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a second quantity of said first fluid at a pressure decreasing from a conventional pressure, after the pressure of said first quantity of said first fluid becomes substantially equal to said conventional pressure, said elevated pressure being higher than said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said slurry-input pressure is at least as high as said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  further including forcing residual liquids from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a quantity of a second fluid at a pressure decreasing from a conventional pressure, after the pressure of said first quantity of said first fluid becomes substantially equal to said conventional pressure, said elevated pressure being higher than said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said slurry-input pressure is at least as high as said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         17 . A method of separating a slurry into solids and liquids, comprising: 
 uniformly distributing a quantity of said slurry in at least one filtration chamber;    applying a quantity of a wash fluid to the contents of said at least one filtration chamber; and    forcing said liquids and said wash fluid from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a first quantity of a first fluid at a pressure decreasing from an elevated pressure.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further including forcing residual liquids from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a second quantity of said first fluid at a pressure decreasing from a conventional pressure, after the pressure of said first quantity of said first fluid becomes substantially equal to said conventional pressure, said elevated pressure being higher than said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  further including forcing residual liquids from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a quantity of a second fluid at a pressure decreasing from a conventional pressure, after the pressure of said first quantity of said first fluid becomes substantially equal to said conventional pressure, said elevated pressure being higher than said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         20 . A method of separating a slurry into solids and liquids, comprising: 
 uniformly distributing a quantity of said slurry in at least one filtration chamber;    applying a quantity of a wash fluid at a wash-input pressure to the contents of said at least one filtration chamber; and    forcing said liquids and said wash fluid from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a first quantity of a first fluid at a pressure decreasing from an elevated pressure.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further including forcing residual liquids from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a second quantity of said first fluid at a pressure decreasing from a conventional pressure, after the pressure of said first quantity of said first fluid becomes substantially equal to said conventional pressure, said elevated pressure being higher than said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said elevated pressure is at least as high as said wash-input pressure.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said wash-input pressure is at least as high as said elevated pressure.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20  further including forcing residual liquids from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a quantity of a second fluid at a pressure decreasing from a conventional pressure, after the pressure of said first quantity of said first fluid becomes substantially equal to said conventional pressure, said elevated pressure being higher than said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein said elevated pressure is at least as high as said wash-input pressure.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein said wash-input pressure is at least as high as said elevated pressure.  
     
     
         27 . A method of separating a slurry into solids and liquids, comprising: 
 uniformly distributing a quantity of said slurry in at least one filtration chamber at a slurry-input pressure;    applying a quantity of a wash fluid at an elevated pressure to the contents of said at least one filtration chamber; and    forcing said liquids and said wash fluid from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a first quantity of a first fluid at a pressure decreasing from said elevated pressure.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein said elevated pressure is at least as high as said slurry-input pressure.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  further including forcing residual liquids from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a second quantity of said first fluid at a pressure decreasing from a conventional pressure, after the pressure of said first quantity of said first fluid becomes substantially equal to said conventional pressure, said elevated pressure being higher than said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein said conventional pressure is at least as high as said slurry-input pressure.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29  wherein said slurry-input pressure is at least as high as said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28  further including forcing residual liquids from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a quantity of a second fluid at a pressure decreasing from a conventional pressure, after the pressure of said first quantity of said first fluid becomes substantially equal to said conventional pressure, said elevated pressure being higher than said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein said conventional pressure is at least as high as said slurry-input pressure.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32  wherein said slurry-input pressure is at least as high as said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 27  wherein said slurry-input pressure is at least as high as said elevated pressure.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  further including forcing residual liquids from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a second quantity of said first fluid at a pressure decreasing from a conventional pressure, after the pressure of said first quantity of said first fluid becomes substantially equal to said conventional pressure, said elevated pressure being higher than said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein said slurry-input pressure is at least as high as said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35  further including forcing residual liquids from the contents of said at least one filtration chamber with a quantity of a second fluid at a pressure decreasing from a conventional pressure, after the pressure of said first quantity of said first fluid becomes substantially equal to said conventional pressure, said elevated pressure being higher than said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein said slurry-input pressure is at least as high as said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         40 . A pressure-filter apparatus comprising: 
 at least one filtration chamber;    a source of slurry at a slurry-input pressure coupled with said at least one filtration chamber; and    a source of fluid at an elevated pressure coupled with said at least one filtration chamber.    
     
     
         41 . The pressure-filter apparatus of  claim 40  further including a source of fluid at a conventional pressure coupled with said at least one filtration chamber, said elevated pressure being higher than said conventional pressure.  
     
     
         42 . The pressure-filter apparatus of  claim 41  wherein the fluid at said elevated pressure and the fluid at said conventional pressure are the same.  
     
     
         43 . The pressure-filter apparatus of  claim 41  wherein the fluid at said elevated pressure and the fluid at said conventional pressure are different.  
     
     
         44 . The pressure-filter apparatus of  claim 41  further including a source of wash fluid, coupled with said at least one filtration chamber.  
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 44  wherein said source of wash fluid is in series with said source of fluid at said elevated pressure, said source of wash fluid disposed between said at least one filtration chamber and said source of fluid at said elevated pressure.  
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 44  wherein said source of wash fluid is in parallel with said source of fluid at said elevated pressure.  
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 44  wherein said source of wash fluid and said source of fluid at said elevated pressure are integrated together.  
     
     
         48 . A pressure filter apparatus comprising: 
 at least one filtration chamber;    a source of slurry at a slurry-input pressure coupled with said at least one filtration chamber;    a source of fluid at an elevated pressure coupled with said at least one filtration chamber; and    a source of wash fluid at a wash-input pressure coupled with said at least one filtration chamber.    
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 48  wherein said source of wash fluid is in series with said source of fluid at said elevated pressure, said source of wash fluid disposed between said at least one filtration chamber and said source of fluid at said elevated pressure.  
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 48  wherein said source of wash fluid is in parallel with said source of fluid at said elevated pressure.  
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 48  wherein said source of wash fluid and said source of fluid at said elevated pressure are integrated together.  
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 48  further including a source of fluid at a conventional pressure coupled with said at least one filtration chamber, said elevated pressure being higher than said conventional pressure.