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KSL Teknik, DrM Group’s representative in Turkey, offers solutions for high-efficiency solid-liquid separation processes in sectors ranging from chemicals and petrochemicals to mining, food, pharmaceuticals and environmental applications with the FUNDABAC®, CONTIBAC®, CONTIBAC® RX and STERIBAC filtration technologies. A closed system design, automatic cake discharge, high solids holding capacity and engineering that can be customised to process conditions make the technology stand out especially in critical filtration applications.
Although filtration is often seen as an auxiliary equipment function in industrial processes, it is one of the core operations with a direct impact on product quality, process continuity, raw material recovery, waste volumes and operational safety. Conventional filtration methods may not be sufficient, particularly for separating fine particles, handling high solids concentrations or in processes involving hazardous or valuable substances.
The filtration systems developed by Swiss-based DrM, Dr. Mueller AG are positioned here less as standard filter equipment than as solid-liquid separation systems configured for the process. KSL Teknik, DrM’s official representative in Turkey, acts as the local point of contact for applying these technologies to the different process requirements of Turkish industry.
Closed, automated solid-liquid separation with FUNDABAC®
One of DrM’s core technologies, the FUNDABAC® Candle Filter, is developed for applications where it is important to isolate the process environment from the outside atmosphere during filtration, obtain a clear filtrate and remove the solid phase in a controlled way.
Solid particles are retained on the outer surface of filter elements arranged vertically in the system, while the liquid phase passes through the filter medium and is separated. At the end of the filtration cycle, the cake that has formed can be released from the filter elements by applying reverse gas pressure. This allows discharge as a dry cake or, depending on process requirements, as a slurry without opening the system.
The ability to run stages such as filtration, cake washing, drying, heel volume recovery and discharge through the automation system is particularly important for processes where operator contact must be reduced.
This design is a noteworthy alternative for catalyst recovery, fine particle separation, retention of valuable solids, and processes handling toxic, pyrophoric or aggressive chemicals.
CONTIBAC® technology for high solids loads
In continuously operating processes, batch-wise operation of filtration equipment can interrupt production and create a significant bottleneck.
CONTIBAC® is a system of candle filters for applications that allow dilute suspensions to be thickened continuously or semi-continuously, producing a clear filtrate.
Because backwashable filter elements allow the filter surface to be reused, filtration performance is maintained in processes with high solids loads. This is especially important in plants where interruptions to the process flow are not acceptable.
For applications involving higher flow rates and solids loads, CONTIBAC® RX offers a solution for thickening and clarifying high-volume process streams. The system can regenerate its filter elements with automatic backwash cycles using gas or clean filtrate.
CONTIBAC® RX systems can be configured with different material options, automation levels and filtration areas depending on the process. According to DrM, the filtration area can be scaled to 50 m² and above.
Which sectors in Turkey offer potential?
The wide range of applications for DrM filtration technologies gives KSL Teknik a field of use that can reach different industry groups in the Turkish market.
In chemical and petrochemical plants, leading applications include recovery of catalysts and precious metals, activated carbon filtration, recovery of valuable residues from highly corrosive chemicals, purification of chemical intermediates and processing of process liquids with high solids content.
In mining and metallurgy, separating fine solids is an important process step in hydrometallurgical processes and in the processing of critical minerals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper and rare earth elements. DrM systems are also used in various international projects in this field.
Battery recycling is another application area with growth potential for Turkey. Separating the fine metal salts, carbon particles and precipitates formed in black mass processing and hydrometallurgical recovery processes requires high-performance filtration.
In the food and food ingredients sector, hygienic process design becomes important alongside product purity in applications such as yeast, fermentation products and additives.
STERIBAC technology, developed for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and hygienic production processes, is positioned for processes aiming for a closed system design and compatibility with CIP/SIP applications.
In environmental technologies, too, filtration of industrial wastewater, flue gas scrubbing systems, biodiesel production, battery recycling and cleaning of liquid streams from carbon capture processes are creating new applications for filtration technologies.
Process data first, equipment second
One of the notable aspects of DrM’s approach is that the filtration system is not selected solely on the basis of nominal catalogue capacities.
Parameters such as particle size, solids concentration, liquid viscosity, temperature, chemical composition, filtrate quality requirements, cake structure and process cycle directly affect real system performance.
For this reason, DrM makes it possible to test the process with laboratory and pilot-scale filtration systems before full-scale investment. The test infrastructure starts with filtration areas of 0.012-0.048 m² in laboratory systems and can be scaled from 0.16 m² to 50 m² in pilot systems.
This approach is particularly important for plants with a product that has not been filtered before, or those experiencing capacity, filtrate quality, cake moisture or maintenance problems with an existing filtration system. Determining the right filtration solution is not just a matter of calculating filter area; it requires understanding how the process liquid actually behaves.
The real opportunity for KSL Teknik: talking about the process, not the filter
As pressure on process plants in Turkey over energy, raw materials, water use, labour and waste management increases, the criteria for evaluating filtration technologies are also changing.
A filtration investment now has to be assessed not only on initial equipment cost, but also on parameters such as product loss, filtrate quality, consumables use, operator requirements, maintenance time, process downtime and recoverability of the solid phase.
Offering DrM technologies to Turkish industry through KSL Teknik is therefore a noteworthy option, especially for companies facing bottlenecks in an existing filtration process, planning capacity increases or designing a new production line.
For KSL Teknik, too, what will make the difference is not just presenting FUNDABAC®, CONTIBAC® or STERIBAC equipment, but defining and testing the solid-liquid separation problem in the customer’s process and determining the filtration technology that suits the application.
In critical processes, the right question is often not “Which filter should we use?” but “How can we separate solids and liquids in this process in the safest, most controlled and most sustainable way?”
Sources
DrM Group – Filtration Solutions
DrM Group – FUNDABAC® Candle Filter
DrM Group – CONTIBAC® / CONTIBAC® RX
DrM Group – STERIBAC Hygienic Design Filter
DrM Group – Laboratory and Pilot-Scale Filtration Systems
DrM Group – Filtration Applications
DrM Group – Turkey representation information
KSL Teknik – Filter Technologies
Author
Pompa Vana
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