Dicacel Cellulose

DicacelDicalite is the exclusive agent for Dicacel cellulose filter aids in Europe. Dicacel filter aids are used where fibres are essential or the chemistry demands cellulose.

In the production of cellulose filter aids, the pulp is thoroughly purified, then it is specially processed to give good filtration characteristics in a wide range of grades. It is essentially pure cellulose, practically ashless and non-abrasive.

Dicacel cellulose filter aids are widely used in filtering plating solutions and chemicals where soluble silica is undesirable. The purity and combustibility of Dicacel offers a distinct advantage in recovering catalysts by filtration. The same advantage holds in metallurgical filtration for recovering rare metals. Dicacel cellulose filter aids are extensively used for filtration of steam condensate from boiler operations.

In most cases, cellulose is used as a precoat on the filter septum for fixed bed filtration. It creates a porous mat or paperlike layer on the filter screen or cloth. The fibres bond together providing a fairly rigid medium. The fibres readily bridge even the coarser septum openings to build up a precoat in a minimum of time. Such a precoat will not crack under usual pressure changes; will plug small leaks in the filter septum; and will often remain on the septum when the pump is stopped. Dicalite perlite and diatomite filter aids may be applied over the first Dicacel precoat or mixed directly with diatomite.

General Chemical Characteristics Dicacel
Characteristic Value
cellulose content +99% (atro)
alfa-cellulose content +89 %
ash content max. 0.3 %
ether extract max. 0.1 %
pH 5.5 – 6.5
approximate moisture 5 – 8 %
iron 40 – 50 ppm
copper max. 10 ppm

Typical Physical Properties Dicacel Grades
Property Dicacel 1 Dicacel 2 Dicacel 4 Dicacel 10 Dicacel 20
Brightness (ISO) +90% +90% +90% +90% +90%
Permeability (darcies) 7.6-8.3 5.5-7.5 1.8-2.7 1.0-1.9 0.4-0.9
Non compr. bulk density (g/l) 30-50 110-150 150-185 180-210  
Dry compr. bulk density (ml/50g) 400-500 350-400 240-270 130-150 150
Typical Screen Analysis Dicacel Grades(*)
Mesh Dicacel 1 Dicacel 2 Dicacel 4 Dicacel 10 Dicacel 20
on 40 mesh 5-15 1-5 0 0 0
thru 100 mesh 35-50 50-65 90-100 95-100 100
thru 200 mesh 10-20 15-25 40-50 85-95 97

(*) ASTM E 11 – 70, on RO-TAP


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