SE PAR ATION

HIGH-THROUGHPUT
DEWATE RING AND CAKE
WASHING
HORIZONTAL VACUUM BELT FILTER (HVBF)
In the most challenging applications, for example
chemicals or mining and minerals, reliable
dewatering and product recovery is critical to
maintaining continuous production. This is why
ANDRITZ has put decades of expertise into the
Horizontal Vacuum Belt Filter (HVBF) technology,
to provide a solution with the highest throughput
and low residual cake moisture content, while
keeping operating costs low.

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A cost effective solution
for dewatering and
product recovery
The ANDRITZ horizontal vacuum belt filter uses state-of-the-art vacuum filtration
technology to offer an efficient and reliable solid/liquid separation unit that is fully
CE certified for dewatering and washing of slurries. With an installed base of more than
680 horizontal vacuum belt filters throughout the ANDRITZ GROUP, we have encountered
some of the toughest dewatering and cake washing challenges in the industry. In fact,
ANDRITZ has been working closely with its customers to continuously improve the value
and efficiency of every machine, without compromising on reliability or availability.

VARIETY AND VARIABILITY ANDRITZ has a wide range of experience in the

The innovative modular design of the ANDRITZ installation of horizontal vacuum belt filters in a number
horizontal vacuum belt filters enables us to offer a wide of industries including, but not limited to:
range of filters with effective filtration areas ranging
from 6m2 to 138m2. This coupled with a wide range of Dewatering applications
materials of construction enables ANDRITZ to customize • General tailings
solutions to suit any application. The ANDRITZ horizontal • Gypsum
vacuum belt filter is able to attain the highest cake • Phosphate rock
washing efficiencies when compared to any other • Coal fines
filtration technologies, due to plug flow displacement of • Magnetite
the wash liquor, resulting in maximized product recovery. • Iron ore
• Lithium

Washing applications
• Leached materials
• Zinc
• Copper/cobalt
• Soda ash
• Gypsum
• Flue gas desulfurization (FGD)
• Pulp washers
• Potash

ANDRITZ horizontal vacuum belt filter

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Features
and benefits
ANDRITZ makes use of the latest vacuum filtration technology to offer unique design features
that can be tailored to suit your specific needs for optimum dewatering or product recovery.

ADDED VALUE WHEN WORKING

WITH ANDRITZ
• High-throughput dewatering and cake washing
• Reduced downtime due to innovative design
• Global testing facilities
• Increased flexibility due to modular design

1
2

Filtrate receiver

4
1 Various slurry feeder designs to ensure even distribution of slurry and full
coverage of filtration area for various applications.

2 Co-current and counter-current for cake washing using plug flow

displacement to allow for maximized product recovery.

3 Various possible methods of supporting the rubber carrier belt to reduce

downtime during maintenance work and increase availability.

4 Unique vacuum box lifting and lowering device for easy inspection and
replacement of wearing parts resulting in reduced downtime of the filter.

5 High-pressure cloth washing to minimize cloth blinding and maximize

filtration rates.

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Innovative features to boost
performance even further
ANDRITZ has developed a new device for lifting vacuum boxes on horizontal
vacuum belt filters – the SmartLIFT. Not only does the device make short work
of a classically high-risk task, it can also be retrofitted to any brand or size and
reduces downtime for vacuum box maintenance by over 30%.

WHY DOES A VACUUM BOX NEED A LIFTING DEVICE? the vacuum box. The retaining system keeping the
Vacuum box maintenance on horizontal vacuum vacuum box in position can now be removed. Then the
belt filters is an unpleasant, high-risk job. Current bellow(s) is/are simply deflated to lower the vacuum
methods involve unwieldy hand-operated winches, box so maintenance can now be carried out in a safe
counterweights, levers, and other manual lifting and stable position. The vacuum box is lifted back into
equipment, all of which are high-labor alternatives that position by inflating the bellow(s).
run the risk of personnel injury, while the option of using
a pneumatic cylinder can prove prohibitively expensive.
YOUR BENEFITS
HOW DOES IT WORK? • Transforms a high-risk task into a low-risk task
The horizontal vacuum belt filter vacuum box is fitted • Reduces the downtime required for vacuum
with a SmartLIFT vacuum box lifting device that is box maintenance by 30%
situated directly under the vacuum box. A bellow- • Reduces labor input since less manpower is
supported frame runs between guide slides on either required to lift and lower the vacuum box
side of the main frame vacuum box opening. The • Reduces the risk of injury during vacuum box
support can be adjusted in order to centralize the maintenance by 50% as the lifting device stabilizes
vacuum box in the horizontal vacuum belt filter. the vacuum box when lifting and lowering
• Is low-maintenance thanks to the device
For maintenance purposes, the bellow-supported having no pivoting points
frame is lifted pneumatically to take the weight of

Intermediate frame with vacuum box lifting device installed Bellows for vacuum box lifting device

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DUAL CLOTH TENSIONING SYSTEM
The ANDRITZ filters are designed with a dual cloth
tensioning system (static and dynamic). This allows
the filters to continue operating efficiently even if the
cloth stretches abnormally and also allows for easy
installation of the filter cloth due to movable rollers.

Dynamic cloth tensioning system

Static cloth tensioning system

20m2 horizontal vacuum belt filter installed in a

graphite concentrate dewatering application

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Customized solutions to suit
your applications and needs
Numerous design options are available for the horizontal vacuum belt filter in order
to offer the optimum dewatering or cake washing solution that fits your needs. One
of the options includes the selection of the rubber carrier belt support method in
order to minimize friction and increase the lifetime of the rubber carrier belt.

ANDRITZ is able to offer various options for supporting requirements. The rollers have internal bearings, which
the rubber carrier belt: result in minimal maintenance and eliminate the need
for a high-pressure blower. This reduces consumption
• Roller deck support system of energy or lubrication water, resulting in lower OPEX
• Belt slides costs. The belt slides system is made up of disposable
wear belts running on strips that utilize water to
Each system has unique advantages that are applied minimize friction. While this system eliminates the need
to the filter based on the application requirements for a high-pressure blower, more lubrication water is
and your specific needs. The roller deck support required. However, there are fewer moving parts so less
system contains a number of low-friction rollers to maintenance effort is required.
support the belt, resulting in minimum drive power

1 Belt slide system

2 Roller deck support system utilizing low-

friction rollers with internal bearings

Roller deck belt support

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Engineering solutions for
optimized designs
ANDRITZ has fully integrated engineering capabilities that enable
accurate design with state-of-the-art technology to provide
optimized equipment sizing and footprint.

ENGINEERING CAPABILITIES INCLUDE

CFD analysis 3D modelling FEA analysis

The wide variety of materials of construction and the bolted frame structure allow for modular designs that are
customized to the clients‘ requirements.

FILTRATION AREAS (m 2 )
Belt width (m)

Total vacuum box 1.2 1.6 2 2.4 3.2 4.2 4.8

length (m)

6 6 8 11

9 9 13 16 20

12 12 17 22 27 36 48 55

15 21 27 33 45 60 69

18 25 33 40 54 72 83

21 38 46 63 84 97

24 43 53 72 96 111

27 49 60 81 108 124

30 66 90 120 138

33 73 99 132

36 108 144

39 117 156

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Laboratory facilities and
CAKE FORMATION RATE (kg/m2.h)

1,600

trials for a fully optimized

1,400 thickness 1
thickness 2
1,200 thickness 3
1,000

dewatering process
800

600

400
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
FLOCCULANT DOSAGE (g/t)
The state-of-the-art laboratory testing facilities around the globe enable ANDRITZ
to offer the most suitable horizontal vacuum belt filter size that can be used for
both dewatering and multiple cake washing to provide optimum product recovery.

As the world’s leading separation specialist, 16

"W" FLUX (kg/m2)

we understand that no challenge starts or

12
ends with one single machine. By taking a
closer look at your entire process, we can 8

apply the knowledge of more than 4

2,000 separation specialists and the technical
0
capabilities of one of the world’s broadest 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
technology portfolios. Whether it’s upstream CAKE THICKNESS (mm)
or downstream, add-ons or automation,
Cake formation rate versus flocculant dosage
we have in-depth process know-how and
resources around the world to further optimize
CAKE FORMATION RATE (kg/m2.h)

your entire dewatering process. 1,600

1,400 thickness 1
thickness 2
1,200 thickness 3
1,000

800

600

400
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
FLOCCULANT DOSAGE (g/t)

Cake thickness versus “W“ flux

10
16
/m2)
Your
full-service provider
With ANDRITZ, you gain access to one of the world’s largest OEM manufacturers
for solid/liquid separation systems, including such well-known brands
as 3Sys Technologies, Bird, Delkor Capital Equipment (Pty) Ltd., Escher Wyss
dryers, Guinard Centrifugation, KHD Humboldt Wedag, Krauss-Maffei
centrifuges, dryers, and filters, Lenser, Netzsch Filtration, Rittershaus & Blecher,
Royal GMF Gouda, Sprout Bauer, and Vandenbroek.

Whether you need spare parts, rentals, local service, predictability in opera tions while raising your overall
repairs, upgrades, or modernization of your equipment, production efficiency. Wherever you operate, our net-
ANDRITZ is your true full-service provider. From initial work of 550 service specialists and global service
consulting through to service agreements, process centers ensures we’ll always be there to support you
optimization, and training programs, we are always for many life cycles to come. Let’s sit down and see
looking for ways to minimize down time and increase how we could take your operations to the next level.

LOCAL SUPPORT REPAIRS & UPGRADES SECOND-HAND & RENTALS TRAINING

Responsive local service Optimization of machine and Certified second-hand and Operator training and tailored
centers and field service process performance, repair work, rental machines seminars for operating and
technicians retrofitting, and modernization maintenance personnel

OEM SPARE PARTS SERVICE AGREEMENTS PROCESS OPTIMIZATION LAB AND ON-SITE TESTS
Filter cloths, spare and wear Preventive maintenance, contracts Automation tools and Lab and testing capabilities
parts from OEMs or with for spare parts, maintenance, process expertise to boost for process optimization and
OEM level quality, all readily inspections, repairs, upgrades, your profit machine upgrades
available operation, and equipment monitoring

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WHAT’S YOUR SEPARATION CHALLENGE?
ANDRITZ Separation is the world’s leading separation specialist with
the broadest technology portfolio and more than 2,000 specialists in
40 countries. For more than 150 years, we have been a driving force in the
evolution of separation solutions and services for industries ranging from
environment to food, chemicals, and mining & minerals. As the OEM for many
of the world’s leading brands, we have the solutions and services to transform
your business to meet tomorrow’s changing demands – wherever you are and
whatever your separation challenge. Ask your separation specialist!

AFRICA EUROPE
ANDRITZ Delkor (Pty) Ltd. ANDRITZ AG
p: +27 11 012 7300 p: +43 316 6902 2691
[email protected] [email protected]

ASIA NORTH AMERICA

ANDRITZ Singapore Pte. Ltd. ANDRITZ Separation Inc.
p: +65 6512 1800 p: +1 817 465 5611
[email protected] [email protected]

AUSTRALIA SOUTH AMERICA

ANDRITZ Pty. Ltd. ANDRITZ Separation Ltda.
p: +61 3 8773 4888 p: +55 47 3387 9100
[email protected] [email protected]

CHINA
ANDRITZ (China) Ltd.
p: +86 757 8258 6802
[email protected]

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reserved. No part of this copyrighted work may be reproduced, modified, or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in any database
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of the relevant copyright laws. ANDRITZ AG, Stattegger Strasse 18, 8045 Graz, Austria. PB HVBF 3.0/06.2022 EN