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Debunking 3 Filtration Myths and Misconceptions

Debunking 3 Filtration Myths and Misconceptions

Don't be fooled by filter myths, learn what's really going on

Article written by FCX Performance, Inc


Myth 1- There is only one solution to each filtration application 

There could be multiple solutions to an application depending on the needs and resources of the customer. For instance, two plants manufacturing the same product could have different filtration solutions depending on multiple factors. Some factors that can impact your filtration solution are options for disposal of contaminated material or filters, how much maintenance time is required, whether there someone readily available to provide maintenance and what your budget is or a filtration system.

Myth 2- Published media dirt holding capacities are completely accurate and perfectly reflect the quality of the media  

Published capabilities are a good indicator of how a filter media performs; however, filters that show a higher dirt holding capability could potentially hold more dirt in real life compared to the results that were reached in the lab during testing. One way your filter could potentially hold more dirt than the published capability is if you ensure flow rate and flux rate are consistent.

Another key factor is the variance in size of solid contaminants. If the solids are all fine and the same size, the filter media will likely hold less dirt by forming dense filter cake, making it hard to flow product through and potentially plugging the media faster. On the other hand, if your solids vary in size, a heavier filter cake can be formed, allowing the filter to hold more dirt while still making it easy for the product to flow through. When laboratory testing is conducted for filter media, manufacturers use a material with good particle-sized distribution, so if your application doesn’t have a size range of particles, then your dirt holding will be different than the lab results.

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Myth 3- More is always better when it comes to surface area   

More usable surface area is always better, but if you have a lot of media that is tightly pleated, the product may not be able to flow through the media. It is critical to make sure your flow can reach or penetrate through all the media in order to properly filter your product. You can achieve more surface area by stacking media on top of each other (horizontal pleat) or adding vertical pleats to media if the pleats aren’t too close to each other. Overall, more surface area can be better if the product can still flow through the media and truly take advantage of all the surface area

 


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