How can you ensure that your filter elements last longer?
In industrial filtration systems, maximizing the service life of filter elements is essential to reduce operating costs and minimize production downtime. Premature filter wear can lead to additional costs in terms of maintenance, frequent replacements and unplanned downtime. Here are several critical parameters to consider to ensure optimum filter life.
1. Proper sizing of the filtration system
Filter sizing is an essential factor in filter durability. Using undersized filters for a given process leads to rapid accumulation of contaminants, increased pressure drop, and accelerated degradation of filter elements.
For optimum sizing, it’s important to know the characteristics of your process:
- Flow rate: Too high a flow rate through the filter can cause excessive mechanical forces and rapid deterioration of the filter media. Ensure that the filter can handle the expected flow rates without compromising its efficiency.
- Particle size: It’s crucial to select a filter capable of effectively retaining the target particle size while minimizing pressure drop.
- Retention capacity: the choice of filter type ( meltblown / pleated / High Flow ) will have a strong impact on retention capacity and therefore on optimal sizing.
- Clogging frequency: Choosing the right filter surface area (more surface area = greater dirt-holding capacity) reduces clogging frequency, enabling filter elements to last longer.
Moreover, undersizing leads to frequent filter replacement, while oversizing can increase costs without any real benefit.
2. Chemical compatibility of filter elements
Chemical compatibility between the fluid being filtered and the filter material is a key factor in avoiding premature physical degradation of the filter media and the potential release of dissolved compounds. Filter media materials must be chosen according to the chemical properties of the fluid and the operating conditions, additives and contaminants present.
- Metallic materials: Certain corrosive fluids can attack metallic elements (stainless steel, aluminum, etc.). It is therefore crucial to select the right alloy, especially where chloride is present.
- Polymers: Polymeric materials such as polypropylene or PTFE offer good chemical resistance for certain applications. However, certain solvents or acids can degrade these materials if they are not compatible with the process conditions. The temperature factor can be aggravating. It is therefore important to take this factor into account.
- pH effect: pH variations can damage certain filter materials, so it’s important to choose those that are stable within the pH range of the process.
- CIP: Cleaning the production unit may involve chemical cleaning. It’s important to choose filter elements whose composition is compatible with the products and temperatures used for CIP, to prevent them from spoiling.
Chemical incompatibility can cause non-visible damage that can impact the efficiency of your filter elements over time, and lead to the release of dissolved compounds that can pollute your environment.
3. Operating temperature
The temperature of the fluid to be filtered also plays an important role in filter service life. Excessively high temperatures can rapidly degrade filter elements, especially if they are made from heat-sensitive materials.
- High temperatures: For high-temperature fluids, metal or ceramic elements may be required, particularly in industries such as chemicals or power generation.
- High-temperature polymers: In certain applications, materials such as fiberglass, polyester or PTFE, capable of withstanding extreme temperatures, are more suitable.
Incorrect material selection in relation to temperature can lead to loss of filter performance, structural weakening or irreversible deformation.
4. Frequency and efficiency of filter cleaning
Some filters are designed to be cleaned and reused, such as wire-mesh or pleated filters and membrane filters (in contrast, depth filters, by their very nature, are not suitable for cleaning). However, inadequate or too frequent cleaning can damage the filter media.
- Cleaning methods: Backwashing, co-current or ultrasonic cleaning are common methods for water filters, but the use of solvents or chemical solutions for other fluids should be chosen according to compatibility with the filter media.
- Duration of cleaning cycle: The frequency of cleaning should be determined by the degree of clogging of your elements. It is advisable not to wait until the filter element is completely clogged, in order to facilitate and guarantee effective cleaning. Cleaning should restore the filter’s initial properties. A check of the initial delta P or porosity should ensure that your cleaning is effective. Cleaning too frequently can damage the filter structure, while cleaning too infrequently can lead to excessive accumulation of contaminants, increasing pressure drop and accelerating wear.
5. Operating pressure and pressure drop
Flow conditions have a considerable impact on the service life of a filter element. Excessive flow will cause a high initial pressure drop, which will increase rapidly as the filter becomes clogged, and may lead to mechanical deformation or even breakage of the filter media. To optimize filter element life and cycle time, it is preferable to work with constant flow and variable pressure. The differential pressure recommended by the cartridge manufacturer must be respected.
- Differential pressure: an important factor. Regular monitoring of the differential pressure before and after the filter helps determine the optimum time to change or clean the filter element. An excessively rapid increase in this factor is an indicator of a potential fault (dimensioning, unsuitable filter element type).
- Pressure surge control: In some industrial systems, sudden pressure variations (pressure peaks) can damage filters and impair filtrate quality. The use of pressure damping devices eliminates these risks and problems.