How Does a Filtration System Work?

What Is Filtration?

Filtration is mechanical screening process. A filtration media (metal screens, cloth, membrane) has a source gas or liquid passed through it under pressure. Particles larger than the gaps in the filtration media are trapped by the media with smaller particles and the gas or liquid passing through.

Filter Efficiency

As more source (gas or liquid) passes through the filter and more screened particles are trapped by the media, the remaining openings are loaded up with trapped particles. These trapped particles tend to reduce the remaining gaps in the media, helping trap more particles and making the filter more effective.

This "loading up" of the filter traps more and smaller particles, reducing the flow through the media until the filter is completely blocked or the pressure on the filter causes the media to tear open, passing filtered and unfiltered gas or liquid.

Multi-Stage Filtration

Most filters are multi-stage. A coarse pre-filter traps large particles and the main filter traps the smaller particles of concern without being overloaded by both large and small particles. As the finer filter is usually the more expensive, this arrangement extends the service life of the fine filter while delivering the desired result after the filtering process.

References

• Oil Filtration Systems
• Liquid Filtrations Systems
• Air Filtrations Systems