When investing in industrial filtration equipment, selecting the right filter press is crucial for optimizing efficiency, reducing operational costs, and ensuring long-term reliability. Whether you're in wastewater treatment, mining, chemical processing, or food production, understanding key factors before purchasing a filter press will help you make an informed decision.
In this guide, we’ll cover the top five things to know before buying a filter press, including:
What Is a Filter Press and How Does It Work?
How to Choose the Right Filter Press for Your Needs
Key Features: Processing Capacity & Filtration Efficiency
Filter Plate Materials: Which One Is Best?
Why Partner with a Reputable Manufacturer?
A filter press is a solid-liquid separation device that uses pressure filtration to remove solids from liquids. It is widely used in industries such as:
Mining & Minerals (dewatering slurry, tailings)
Wastewater Treatment (sludge dewatering)
Chemical & Pharmaceutical (product purification)
Food & Beverage (juice clarification, edible oil filtration)
Slurry Pumping: The slurry (a mixture of liquid and solids) is pumped into the filter press.
Filtration: The slurry passes through filter plates lined with filter cloths. Solids are trapped, while the liquid (filtrate) exits through discharge ports.
Cake Formation: Over time, solids accumulate, forming a filter cake between the plates.
Cake Discharge: Once the chambers are full, the press opens, and the filter cake is removed for disposal or further processing.
Filter presses come in different types, including:
Recessed Chamber Filter Press – Ideal for high-solids applications.
Membrane Filter Press – Uses squeeze plates for higher dryness.
Plate and Frame Filter Press – Traditional design for general filtration.
Choosing the right type depends on your industry and filtration requirements.
Selecting the best filter press involves evaluating several factors:
Small-scale operations may need a manual filter press (1-50 cubic feet).
Large industrial plants require automated high-capacity presses (up to 1,000+ cubic feet).
Manual Filter Presses – Lower cost, suitable for small batches.
Automatic Filter Presses – Faster cycles, reduced labor costs.
High-Pressure Membrane Filter Presses – Best for ultra-dry cakes.
Mining: Needs corrosion-resistant materials for abrasive slurries.
Wastewater: Requires high-efficiency dewatering for sludge.
Food & Pharma: Must meet hygienic standards (e.g., stainless steel plates).
Initial investment vs. long-term savings (e.g., energy efficiency, reduced waste disposal costs).
Filter cloth replacement frequency – Some materials last longer than others.
By assessing these factors, you can choose a filter press that maximizes productivity while minimizing costs.
The filtration speed and cycle time determine how much slurry a filter press can handle. Key metrics include:
Chamber Volume (measured in liters or cubic feet) – Larger chambers process more slurry per cycle.
Cycle Time (typically 2-4 hours) – Faster cycles mean higher throughput.
Xuda Filtration are exported all over the world and different industries with quality first. Our belief is to provide our customers with more and better high value-added products. Let's create a better future together.
Filtration Pressure (7-30 bar) – Higher pressure improves dewatering efficiency.
A high-efficiency filter press should:
Produce dry filter cakes (low moisture content).
Minimize filtrate turbidity (clear liquid discharge).
Operate with low energy consumption.
Advanced models like membrane filter presses use squeeze plates to further reduce moisture, making them ideal for industries requiring ultra-dry solids.
The filter plate material affects durability, chemical resistance, and filtration performance. Common options include:
MaterialBest ForProsConsPolypropylene (PP)General-purpose, cost-effectiveLightweight, chemical-resistantLess durable under high pressureStainless SteelFood, pharma, corrosive chemicalsExtremely durable, hygienicHigher cost, heavierCast IronHigh-pressure applicationsStrong, long lifespanProne to rust if not maintainedRubber-CoatedAbrasive slurries (mining)Resistant to wear & tearLimited chemical resistanceFor harsh environments, stainless steel or specialized coatings are recommended. For cost-sensitive applications, polypropylene is a popular choice.
The factory’s expertise and production capabilities directly impact the filter press’s performance and longevity. When choosing a manufacturer, consider the following key factors, especially when partnering with an industry leader like BRIGHT:
BRIGHT is a globally recognized manufacturer of high-quality filter presses, known for:
Advanced Production Facilities: State-of-the-art manufacturing plants with CNC machining, automated welding, and precision molding to ensure consistent quality.
Strict Quality Control: Every filter press undergoes rigorous pressure testing, material inspections, and performance checks before delivery.
Large-Scale Production Capacity: Ability to fulfill bulk orders while maintaining high standards, making BRIGHT a reliable supplier for industrial clients.
Innovative R&D: Continuous development of high-efficiency membrane filter presses and energy-saving filtration solutions to meet evolving industry demands.
BRIGHT offers tailored solutions, including custom plate sizes, automation levels, and material selections (PP, stainless steel, rubber-coated).
Specialized designs for mining, wastewater, chemical, and food industries to maximize filtration efficiency.
ISO certified, ensuring international quality management standards.
Compliance with CE, ASME, and other industry-specific certifications for safety and performance.
24/7 technical assistance for installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance.
Fast spare parts supply worldwide, minimizing downtime.
Comprehensive warranty and long-term service agreements for peace of mind.
Proven track record in supplying filter presses to mining, chemical, and wastewater industries.
Competitive pricing without compromising quality.
One-stop filtration solutions, from consultation to after-sales service.
Investing in a high-performance filter press requires a manufacturer with strong technical expertise, reliable production capacity, and excellent customer support. BRIGHT stands out as a leading global supplier, offering durable, efficient, and customized filtration systems for various industries.
Plate Size
Once the cubic foot capacity of a filter press has been determined the next step is, the proper selection of the size of the filter plates, frame, components and any accessories. This will allow you to see exactly where the cu. ft. capacity fits in relation to the volume of each size press. For example a 5 cu. ft. can be sized as a 470 mm, a 630 mm and also an 800 mm. The size selected is determined by the amount of expandability desired. After the plate size is selected, there are many options from which to choose. The following information is a summary of what needs to be considered in order to make the proper selection, Please read each section in turn and note your requirements.
Plate Construction
Select the type of filter plate material. The standard material is an industrial grade polypropylene. An optional FDA approved food grade polypropylene material, or a high temperature glass filled polypropylene material are also available. Special materials are also available such as Carbon Steel , Stainless steel and Kynar.
Plate Style
The standard is a 100 psi recessed gasketed plate with EPDM seals. Viton seals are available as an option. Also available are non-gasketed plates with quick removal latex edged cloths, where the cloth acts as the gasket. The Non gasketed plates allow for easier change out of the filter cloth, are lower in cost, but are not completely liquid tight during the processing stage. Special membrane squeeze plates have the ability to expand after the chambers are full to “squeeze” additional process liquid out of the filter cake. A “mixed stack” of plates will be provided where every other plate will be a special membrane squeeze plate
Optional Backing Plate
If a shorter cycle is desired, when running low volume applications for example, the capacity of the filter press can be temporarily reduced. This is done by moving the follower (tail) plate forward in the plate stack. The backing or “blank plate” is then placed behind the follower plate acting as extra support. The follower plate will not flex or break when used in this manner.
Plate and Press Pressure Rating
The 100 psi design is standard for most dewatering applications and will produce a cake with approximately 30-35% solids. A 225 psi design can be used to provide an increased yield per cycle and depending on the application can increase the solids in the cake to 50% or more.
Cake Thickness
The 32 mm cake thickness is standard. Options include 25, 38 and 50 mm cake thickness. 25 mm would be used for high viscosity (slimy) materials and 50 mm would be used for easily filtered material.
Cloth Type
ErtelAlsop can provide filter cloths in many different materials, weaves, thread styles, and air permeability values resulting in a wide array of performance characteristics. If possible ErtelAlsop would like to receive samples of the process liquid to conduct filterability tests for cloth selection. If testing is not possible then we will furnish our standard polypropylene filter cloth, a monofilament x multifilament, Sateen weave with a CFM<1.0.
Frame Design
All ErtelAlsop frame configurations are sidebar design. Frames can be designed in Carbon Steel or Stainless Steel.
Volume of Plates/Expansion Spacer
All filter presses are available with optional removable expansion spacer. On presses ordered with a spacer, the first number denotes current plate capacity. The second number in the nomenclature is the maximum capacity the frame will allow.
Discharge/Air Blow-down Piping
The discharge/air blow-down piping is available in either manual or in automatic operation. An optional core blow-down is available to purge the center feed line of residual fluid. Available materials of construction are schedule 80 CPVC, or schedule 40 Stainless Steel.
Feed Style
The feed style can vary for special applications such as pharmaceuticals and some type of food processing. Center feed is standard, however a choice of any corner feed is available.
Automation versus Manual Operation
Manual or semi automatic operation requires input from an operator to start and operation of the filter press, including opening and closing, blow down, plate shifting etc. Fully automated presses require initial start up of operation and then close fill, blow-down, plate shift, discharge and cloth wash is automated. Restarting the press cycle still requires operator input.
Are you interested in learning more about filter press spare parts manufacturer? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!