Candle filter device

A filter assembly comprising:

• a filter vessel (100) defining a hollow interior;
• a head plate (3) having a plurality of holes (5) extending therethrough, the head plate sealingly dividing the hollow interior into:
• a feed room (1) for receiving an unfiltered fluid to be filtered;
• and
• a filtrate room (2) for receiving filtered fluid, being in fluid communication with at least one filtrate outlet (10) capable of permitting filtered fluid to exit the filtrate room (2);
• a plurality of filter candles (4) mounted to the head plate (3), each filter candle (4) including a filter material surrounding a centrally disposed dip tube (14) defining an interior volume or dip channel therein, the interior volume being in fluid communication with a respective hole (5) for delivering fluid passing through the filter material to the filtrate room (2);
• a gas supply inlet (8) extending through a wall of the filter vessel (100) and in fluid communication with the feed room (1) for introducing a gas into the feed room (1);
• a depressurization outlet (12) extending through the wall of the filter vessel (100) and in fluid communication with the feed room (1), for depressurizing the feed room (1);
• a discharge outlet (11) in fluid communication with the feed room (1) and disposed at a lowermost portion of the filter vessel (100), for emptying the feed room (1);
• a feed inlet (6) extending through a lower wall portion (24) of the filter vessel (100);
• and
• a standpipe (7) in fluid communication with the feed inlet (6) within the feed room (1), for receiving a fluid to be filtered from the feed inlet (6) and introducing the received fluid into the feed room (1), the standpipe (7) extending vertically into a region within the feed room (1) between at least some of the plurality of filter candles (4), for introducing fluid to be filtered through an opening at the end of the standpipe (7), into the region.