Filtration Systems Types and Terms

  • Cartridge filtration involves the use of a porous cartridge filter, commonly made of polypropylene (PP) or ceramic, which catches particles as liquids pass through it. Cartridge filtration is an easy filtration method but not suitable for liquids with high turbidity and fouling remains a common problem leading to filter replacement.
  • Centrifugal separators, also called "centrifugal filters" or "cyclone separators," use cyclones in which substances, such as immiscible liquids, gases and solids, are separated during rapid rotation from the contaminated fluid. The rotation of the cyclone is caused by the entrance of the pressurized fluid from which the contaminants must be removed.
  • Chemical filtration removes contaminants through the use of a chemical medium, such as activated carbon, in the filter. Chemical filtration remains common in the filtration of gases.
  • Electrostatic filtration is a filtering process that involves electrically charged media that use an electric field to filter substances and remove particles as small as .01 micrometers in size. As the substances pass through the charged media, certain particles are attracted to the charged media.
  • Filtration is the process of passing fluid through a filter to remove contaminants.
  • Filtration equipment includes filters, strainers, and housings.
  • Liquid filtration may involve the removal of particles from a liquid, known as "liquid-solid filtration," or the separation of liquids from gases, known as "gas-liquid filtration."
  • Membrane filtration involves the use of a membrane as the filter media to allow the passage of substances such as air and water, while preventing the passage of other substance particles. Membrane filters are small and automated and used for applications that include purifying blood during dialysis treatments, removing bacteria and odors and desalinating water.
  • Nanofiltration is a type of membrane filtration used to remove extremely small particles. The effectiveness of nanofiltration lies between that of reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration.
  • Oil filtration is necessary to remove particles and contamination that may hinder the functioning of equipment. Oil filtration remains common in the automotive/trucking and agricultural industries, as well as other industries that utilize equipment requiring the use of motor, hydraulic and other types of oils.
  • Pressure filters, excluding rotary drum pressure filters, are semi-continuous machines whose collection of filtrate is dependent upon the operating mode of the filter (e.g. constant flow rate, constant pressure or both, with pressure rising and flow rate reducing). Pressure filtration is a batch process that is typically fed from and discharged to a continuous process and requires a surge tank located upstream from the filter and a batch collection of cake downstream.
  • Reverse osmosis is a type of filtration method in which water is pushed under pressure through a membrane, while contaminants are prevented from passing through the filter. Filtered contaminants include sodium, phosphorus, aluminum, lead and fluoride.
  • Water filtration involves the purification of water for drinking purposes. Wastewater is also filtered to remove excess particles.
  • Wet/dry filtration is a biological filtration process involving the exposure of the filter medium to air to facilitate nitrification. Wet/dry filters are commonly used in aquariums.
  • Ultrafiltration is a type of membrane filtration that removes particles ranging from 0.002 to 0.1 micrometers in size. Filtered substances include bacteria and viruses.



Filtration System Terms

Apex - The outlet located at the bottom of a cyclone.
 
Centrifugation - The use of rotational forces to separate liquids and solids.
 
Coagulation - The neutralization of the electrical charges on fine particles in water using chemicals called coagulants. The coagulants cause the particles to clump together, and the clumps are then skimmed or drained off or filtered from the water.
 
Collecting Efficiency - The capability of a device to capture and retain particles.
 
Decantation - Removing the top layer of a fluid after the heavier material, which can be either a solid or a denser liquid, has settled.
 
Demineralization - The act of removing dissolved mineral salts from water.
 
Dense Membrane - A non-porous membrane.
 
Effluent - The treated substance that emerges from the filtration system.
 
Fluid - Any liquid, gaseous or vapor substance.
 
Flux - The amount or volume of a substance passing through a given unit of a membrane or filter in a given amount of time.
 
Fouling - The clogging of membrane filters due to the buildup of particles on the membrane and in the membrane pores.
 
Homogeneous Membrane - A membrane in which the properties remain the same throughout the substance.
 
Influent - The substance that enters the filtration system to be filtered.
 
Membrane - A film structure, having a thickness greater than its lateral measurements, through which substances flow as the chemical separation of substance particles occurs.
 
Osmosis - The process of passing a fluid through a membrane to increase fluid concentration.
 
Osmotic Pressure - The superficial hydrostatic pressure on a semi-permeable membrane caused by osmosis.
 
Overflow - The stream of fluid that leaves the cyclone through the vortex finder.
 
Permeability - The ability of a fluid substance to pass through a material. Filters have varying degrees of permeability that allow substances of different sizes to pass through them.
 
Potable Water - A unit of water containing fewer than 500 parts per million (ppm) that is suitable for drinking.
 
Ppm (Parts per Million) - Unit of measurement indicating one part per every million parts of air, water, etc.
 
Slurry - A liquid containing suspended solids.
 
Strainer - Filtration mechanism for the removal of coarse particles from liquid substances. Strainers usually function as an initial filtration method used prior to other filters that remove smaller particles.
 
Vortex Finder - The outlet at the top of the cyclone through which overflow exits.