Tony M Jul 22, 2009:

Aha! You see, my hunch was right after all!

I think it makes perfect sense, and doesn't imply adding any more liquid: it starts off as a very runny suspension, then as it is filtered (= liquid is removed) it becomes a thicker slurry, and then as further liquid is removed, it becomes a paste; were it to be dried at this stage, it would indeed become a more or less friable 'cake'.

Makes technical sense, the only thing now is to find the right term!

I think the key question to ask is "how is this physically achieved in the process?" — since the verb required in EN will likely depend on that. Certainly 'compacting' would be one way to squeeze out more liquid and consolidate the 'mud' into a 'cake' — but unfortunately, there might also be other ways of achieving the same end result.

Joan Berglund (asker) Jul 22, 2009:

client says it should have read "empâter" They further say it should be empâter as in to paste or to slurry, which makes it even less clear to me. Am I wrong in thinking that these words in English sound like liquid is being added back? I am sure that is not the case. I asked them to explain please exactly what is being done to the cake, whether it is being further compacted or broken down. I will see what they say.

Tony M Jul 22, 2009:

thicken One definition of 'empâter' is 'to thicken', and I think that is totally cosnsistent with the idea of compaction. Squeeze out the remaining moisture, for example...

Joan Berglund (asker) Jul 22, 2009:

I really don't know what to make of this My first thought was something like "compact" or some similar word meaning something to make the cake hold together, but I can't find a definition for either empatter or empâter that has this meaning - I did find "mash" for empâter, sort of in the same spirit as knead. The next step is drying. Perhaps they are breaking it up and smoothing out any lumps to make it dry more homogeneously? I am adding this to a list of questions for my client, I will post if they say anything informative.

whither has fle Jul 21, 2009:

To get away from "yummy" cake/shoes caked in mud/long walk in fields/"matière" in general sense/ substance/kneading the substance?

Joan Berglund (asker) Jul 21, 2009:

Ok, I was only kidding about wheelbase - just getting frustated with this job!

Joan Berglund (asker) Jul 21, 2009:

The cake is what is being kep.

Tony M Jul 21, 2009:

gâteau Do we actually know what this 'cake' is? I'd sort of been assuming it was the unwanted waste material filtered out of the wanted liquid; but perhpas it's the other way round: what is being captured in the filter is the wanted part...? Alternatively, is it in fact a 'cake' of filtration material?

Joan Berglund (asker) Jul 21, 2009:

probably a typo? the preceding sentences of the section are not really informative: Puis charger sur le filtre :
1er lavage : 3ème lavage opération précédente ou éthanol neuf: Lisser légèrement le gâteau et charger :
2ème lavage 2ème lavage : 4ème lavage opération précédente ou éthanol neuf: 579 l
Lisser légèrement le gâteau et charger... I don't know what is up with this document, I am starting to suspect it is a translation from Chinese by a native German speaker or something. I think you are right Tony, and it is empâter - compact, tamp down, although "wheelbase and smooth the cake" would be more in the spirit of the original document.

Tony M Jul 21, 2009:

typo? Can't help wondering if it mightn't be a typo for 'empâter' (to thicken, etc.) — here, I would take it to mean something like 'compact' or perhaps 'tamp down'; as Liz A. says, the exact term needed will almost certainly be determined by the wider context.