Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a siliceous rock, a biologically generated siliceous sedimentary rock, which is mainly composed of the remains of ancient diatoms. Its chemical composition primarily consists of SiO2, represented as SiO2•nH2O, with its mineral makeup being opal and its various forms. When used with a filter press, it mainly acts as a filter aid.

Characteristics of Diatomaceous Earth Filter Aid

High porosity
Diatomaceous earth itself is formed by the fossils of diatoms and has a natural porous structure with a porosity of up to 85%-90%, which provides it with excellent filtration performance, can capture tiny particles and improve filtration efficiency.

Lightweight and chemically stable
Diatomaceous earth has a light density and will not significantly increase the burden on the system. At the same time, its main component is silicon dioxide (SiO₂), which is chemically stable and will not react chemically with most substances.

Strong adaptability
Diatomaceous earth filter aids can adapt to different filter media, including high-viscosity liquids, low or high-temperature environments, and liquids of various pH values.

Environmental protection
Diatomaceous earth filter aids are a natural mineral product that is easy to handle after use and meets environmental protection requirements.

How to Use Diatomaceous Earth Filter Aid

Pre-coat filtration
On the filter equipment (such as plate and frame filter, vacuum filter, or diatomaceous earth filter), first apply a layer of diatomaceous earth on the filter cloth or filter screen to form a pre-coat. This layer can effectively intercept suspended impurities and prevent the filter cloth from clogging.

Dynamic filtration
During the filtration process, a certain proportion of diatomaceous earth filter aid is directly added to the liquid to be filtered, mixed evenly, and sent to the filtration equipment. The impurities are adsorbed by the filter aid and retained on the filter layer, and the filtrate is clearer after flowing out.

Application Fields of Diatomite Filter Aids

Food and beverage industry
In the production process of beer, wine, juice, etc., it is used to remove suspended impurities such as yeast, protein, sediment, etc., making the liquid clearer and more transparent. In edible oil filtration, diatomite can effectively remove impurities and pigments and improve the quality of oil products.

Pharmaceutical industry
Diatomite filter aids can be used for drug liquid filtration and injection preparation to ensure the sterility of drugs and improve purity.

Chemical Industry
In the production of chemical products such as resins, pigments, and catalysts, diatomaceous earth filter aids are used to filter particles and insoluble impurities.

Environmental Protection
Diatomaceous earth filter aids are used in water treatment, sludge dehydration, and waste liquid filtration to effectively separate pollutants and clean liquids.

Other Application Fields

In addition to being used as a filter aid, diatomaceous earth (DE for short) is also widely used in many other fields, thanks to its natural porous structure, lightweight, chemical stability, and environmental protection. The following are other major applications of diatomaceous earth in different fields.

Diatomaceous earth, thanks to its distinctive physical and chemical properties, has found extensive applications as a filter aid, functional filler, catalyst carrier, pesticide and fertilizer carrier, thermal insulation material, adsorbent, bleaching agent, and more.

Diatomaceous earth can be used to produce interior wall paint, and its application in exterior wall paint is also advancing with promising prospects. Moreover, diatomaceous earth is extensively utilized in resin, rubber, papermaking, concrete, cement fillers, and various decorative thermal insulation coatings. Diatomaceous earth is a very important catalyst carrier, which is widely used in various reactions such as oxidation, reduction, polymerization, conversion, synthesis, desulfurization, etc.