Choosing the Best Filtration Method for Your Liquid Processing Application
Selecting filtration equipment is the combined result of many considerations. In addition to removing the undesirable material from a liquid stream, the filtration method selected must also satisfy other requirement.
(PRWEB) June 13, 2005 -- Selecting filtration equipment is the combined
result of many considerations. In addition to removing the undesirable material
from a liquid stream, the filtration method selected must also satisfy other
requirement.
Installed costs must be weighed against operating costs.
Waste disposal costs must be considered. Is continuous flow a requirement of the
application, or can the filtration equipment be operated intermittently? Is
working exposure to the process liquid during filter cleaning or replacement a
problem? These and other factors must be weighed when choosing the right
filtration method for a particular application.
The products being
removed from a liquid process stream are as widely variable as the types of
filters designed to remove them.
Products being removed in potable water
treatment applications are often molecular in size. However, many other
filtration applications are concerned with the removal of specific trace solids
from a liquid process stream. Surface-type filters using fibrous cartridges of
mesh screens made of woven wire or fabric are often used in these applications.
The following analysis will focus on the removal of these trace solids,
rather than the entire scope of liquid filtration.
Filtration
Methods:
There are three basic filter types to consider when specifying a
liquid processing filter:
- Bag filters
- Cartridge filters
-
Self-cleaning/Clean-in-place (CIP) filters.
- Each one has advantages and
disadvantages when compared with the others, and the different types are
appropriate for different applications.
Self-Cleaning/CIP filters are
typically most appropriate for applications where:
Flow rates are high Filter
media replacement costs are high, or Exposure of the process liquid to workers
or the environment is undesirable.
They can be used to remove suspended
solids of approximately one micron and larger from all types of liquid process
streams.
Bag and cartridge filters can both remove suspended solids for
applications with lower flow rates, where:
Exposure to the process
liquid is not a problem Lower volumes of solids must be removed.
Bag and
cartridge filters are roughly equivalent in price, although self-cleaning/CIP
systems tend to cost more initially. However, users should consider the total
operating costs of the filtration system, not merely the initial purchase price.
Media replacement, disposal costs, labor costs, and downtime should all
be included when evaluating filtration systems.
Factors to
Consider:
When selecting a filter for a particular application, the following
criteria should be considered: How large is the process volume? What is the flow
rate? Is it a continuous or batch process?
What are the material
characteristics of the solids being removed? Such as:
- How large are the
particles?
- Is the material hazardous?
- Can the material being removed
be recycled back into the process stream at another point?
What are the
waste disposal costs? Such as:
- How often do bags or cartridges need to be
replaced?
- Can the waste volume be reduced or eliminated by switching to a
different filtration method?
What are the labor and downtime costs for
filter or cartridge replacement? Such as:
- Can downtime be reduced or
eliminated by switching to a different filtration method?
If you would
like help determining the answers to any of these question, please submit your
data to the Ask Filter Man forum. We will respond to you within a 24-hour time
period, at no cost or obligation by you!
www.RPAprocess.com
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/6/prweb249376.htm