As we know, water is an essential resource in industrial processes. However, the impurities and contaminants in the water can harm the machinery and final product, which makes the water treatment a crucial step to ensure industrial operations efficiency and quality.
In the water treatment process, filter elements play a pivotal role, ensuring that water is purified and safe for use. In this article, we will explore most of the commonly used filter elements and their significance in industrial water treatment.
What is Industrial Water Treatment?
Wikipedia explains “Water treatment is used to optimize most water-based industrial processes, such as heating, cooling, processing, cleaning, and rinsing so that operating costs and risks are reduced.”
Simply put, Industrial water treatment refers to the processes and techniques used to purify water for various industrial applications. This includes manufacturing, power generation, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, oil and gas, and more.
The primary objectives of industrial water treatment are to remove impurities, reduce the risk of corrosion, and maintain the efficiency of equipment.
Inadequate water treatment can lead to a variety of consequences, such as reducing the equipment lifespan, increasing maintenance costs, and more substandard products coming out and it is also possible to affect human being health.
Filter elements, as one of the most important parts of the water treatment system play an important role here to reduce all these risks.
Introduction of Filter Elements
Filter elements are the core components of filtration systems in industrial water treatment. They are designed to physically or chemically remove impurities from water, ensuring it meets the required quality standards. Various types of filter elements are used in the system, each with its unique characteristics and applications.
Types of Filter Elements
Media Filters
These are commonly used in industrial settings. They consist of layers of media that trap particles when water passes through. The media can be quartz sand, anthracite, manganese sand, or other materials that are mainly used for water treatment to remove turbidity, soften water, and pre-treatment for pure water.
Cartridge Filters
Cartridge filters are cylindrical in shape and contain a porous material that captures impurities as water flows through. They are efficient at removing fine particles and are widely used in different applications.
Likefilter offers different kinds of cartridge filters including :
Pleated Cartridges
The pleated cartridge is characterized by its large filtration area, the particles are trapped on the surface of the pleated membrane.
Non-pleated Cartridges
The non-pleated cartridge is also called the depth filter cartridge due to the micron rating becoming smaller from the outer layer to the innermost layer. The deeper layer traps smaller particles.
Cartridge filters can be made of various kinds of materials, such as polypropylene, polyester, glass fibers, cotton, cellulose, ceramic, etc. And the micron rating can be 0.2~200um.
They are installed inside the filter housing, such as stainless steel filter housing, FRP filter housing, or plastic housing(UPVC).
Bag Filters
Bag filters use a bag-shaped medium to capture contaminants. They are known for their high dirt-holding capacity and long service life.
Bag filters can be made of polypropylene, Nylon, or polyester.
There are five sizes of filter bags available in the market that fit different flow rate requirements of various projects. The micron rating can be 1~250um.
Same as cartridge filters, bag filters are also installed inside the filter housing, such as stainless steel filter housing, FRP filter housing, or plastic housing(UPVC).
Membrane Filters
Membrane filters utilize a semi-permeable membrane to block particles based on size. Normally the different membrane filter you choose depends on what types of procedures to be applied. There are several procedures to use it, Cross-flow filtration, Microfiltration, Nanofiltration, Ultrafiltration, and Reverse osmosis.
Filter Element Maintenance and Replacement
Proper maintenance of filter elements is essential for consistent water quality. Regular inspections and cleaning are crucial to prevent clogging and maintain optimal performance. Signs of filter elements that need to be changed include reduced flow rate and increased pressure drop.
When replacement is necessary, it’s important to follow proper procedures. The cost of replacing filter elements varies depending on the type and size of the system, making the performance with budget balance is an important consideration.
Applications of Filter Elements
Filter elements are employed across diverse industries to ensure the quality of water used in various processes.
Chemical Manufacturing
In chemical production, water quality directly impacts product purity and safety. Filter elements remove impurities, ensuring consistent product quality.
Food and Beverage Production
Maintaining water quality is critical in food and beverage manufacturing, where contaminants can affect taste, safety, and shelf life.
Pharmaceuticals
The pharmaceutical industry relies on ultra-pure water for drug manufacturing. Membrane filters are commonly used to achieve the necessary level of purity.
Power Generation
Power plants require clean water for cooling and steam generation to prevent equipment corrosion and maintain efficiency.
Oil and Gas
Filter elements in the oil and gas industry mechanically trap contaminants from fluids, protecting equipment, and ensuring product quality through pressure drop monitoring and maintenance.
Advancements in Filter Element Technology
Filter element technology continues to advance, enhancing their efficiency and sustainability.
Innovations in filter materials have led to increased removal capacities and longer filter life. Automation and monitoring systems have also been integrated into filtration processes, allowing for real-time adjustments and predictive maintenance.
Sustainability is a growing concern, leading to the development of eco-friendly filter elements that reduce waste and energy consumption.
Conclusion
The filter elements are the central component of industrial filters. The actual filtration process takes part in the filter elements.
The main filter variables, such as retention capacity, dirt holding capacity, and pressure loss are determined by the filter elements and the filter media used in them.
Different filter elements are used in the specific procedure or project. The selection of the filter elements depends on the factors including but not limit to below:
- Contamination level
- Filtration capacity
- Desired water quality
- Operation condition
- Contaminants characteristics
- Operation cost
In the ever-evolving landscape of industrial water treatment, filter elements remain steadfast in their commitment to delivering quality water, protecting equipment, and safeguarding the integrity of industrial processes.
Likefilter, as a member of the water treatment industry, is making an effort to offer qualified filtration products as well as the best service to support getting clean water for the world.
