Liquid discharge filter and its use

A filtration process comprising the steps of:

• introducing a mixture of liquid and solids into a filter vessel having an upper cylindrical section surrounding at least one filter, and a lower conical section, the mixture being introduced through an aperture (6) in the lower conical section;
• forcing the liquid to flow through the at least one filter to form a filtrate downstream of the filter that exits the filtration vessel through a filtrate discharge outlet (8), while a filter cake of solids accumulates on an upstream surface of the at least one filter;
• stopping the flow of the liquid through the at least one filter;
• removing any remaining liquid from the filter vessel after the flow of liquid has been stopped;
• drying the filter cake;
• introducing a slurrifying liquid into the lower conical section through at least the aperture (6) in the lower conical section;
• regulating the quantity of slurrifying liquid in the filter vessel via a second aperture (9) extending through the wall of the cylindrical section;
• causing any accumulated filter cake to fall from the at least one filter into the lower conical section after the accumulated filter cake has been dried;
• injecting steam or gas into the lower conical section through at least one injection nozzle extending through the wall of the lower conical section, to agitate and cause the slurrifying liquid and any fallen filter cake to form a slurry in the lower conical section;
• and
• discharging the slurry formed in the lower conical section out through a discharge outlet (5) disposed in the lower conical section.