CONCEPTS OF FILTRATION & PRACTICES

APPLICATION
• Pre-Filter
• Clarify
• Sterilize
• Separate
• Concentre
• De-Salt

FILTRATION TERMINOLOGY
Flow Rate:
Speed of liquid or gas flow through a filter.
Throughput:
The total volume of liquid or gas which can be passed through a filter.
Dirt Holding Capacity:
The number of particles a filter can hold before blocking liquid or gas flow.
Porosity:
The number of pores in a given area of membrane, in other words, pore volume or void
Pore Size/Retention Rating:
The diameter of the pores in the membrane.
Hydrophilic/phobic :
Water-loving/Water-repellent.
Differential Pressure/Pressure Drop:
The difference in pressure on the upstream and downstream sides of the membrane.
EFA:
Effective Filtration Area

1
RETENTION MECHANISMS
-Direct Impaction = Sieving
-Inertial Impaction = A small particle is trapped by the filter media due to its own
momentum.
-Diffusional Impaction=A very small particle is trapped by the filter media due to its
own diffusion.
-Adsorption=Dependent on the Operating Conditions: -Pressure Drop
-No. of Particles
-Surface Tension
-pH/Ionic Conditions

TYPES OF FILTERS
Membrane Depth Other
Cellulose Acetate Polypropylene Stainless Steel
PVDF Glass Fiber Ceramic
Nylon Polycarbonate
Polysulfone
Polyethersulfone
PTFE

Hydrophilic vs. Hydrophobic

Hydrophilic: Water loving >> used for liquid filtration

Hydrophobic: Water repellant >> used for gas filtration or
aggressive organic solution /
solvents

Determined by the Material of Construction of the membrane of the filter

Pleated vs Wound

Pleated: high surface area + thin layer

>> higher flow rate

>> lower dirt holding capacity

Wound: low surface area + thick layer

>> lower flow rate

>> higher dirt holding capacity

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Determined by the construction process
Absolute vs. Nominal

Absolute Filter retains 100% of the unwanted particles of a defined size when performed
according to defined parameters
Ex: Sterilizing grade filter acc. To HIMA

Nominal Filter retains only a certain amount of particles

Determined by the Material of Construction and the retention efficiency

Definition of a sterilizing grade filter

a sterilizing grade filter cartridge should produce a sterile effluent when challenged with a
minimum concentration of 107 Brevundimonas diminuta organisms / cm2 of filter area”
when conducted according to the HIMA test method
-> document “Microbiological Evaluation of Filters for Sterilizing liquids”

FILTER LAYERS
Single layer: 1 layer

Double layers: 2 layers -same pore size = homogeneous

Ex: 0.2mic + 0.2mic
-different pore size = heterogeneous
Ex: 0.45mic + 0.2mic

Multiple layers:>3 layers -different pore size = heterogeneous

Ex: 8mic + 5mic + 3mic

O-rings All Polypropylene

Silicon: standard Upstream & Downstream support layers
Viton & EPDM: according End caps & Adaptors
To chemical compatibility Inner core & outer Capsule body