Common Customer Misunderstandings & Mistakes Impacting Cartridge Filtration Performance

In the world of cartridge filtration, customers play a crucial role in ensuring the optimal performance of their filtration systems.

However, some common mistakes can inadvertently lead to issues with cartridge filters. Let's explore these memorable missteps and valuable lessons learned to prevent them from recurring.

1.) Installation Procedures Oversight− When filters are installed, it is recommended that the bags that the filters arrive in are cut off at the bottom end cap end first, and remain on while the filter is installed, so that the filter is kept clean while being installed. The problem occurs when the housing bowl is then closed, and the housing filled and vented. However, the customer then reported no flow.

Unfortunately, the customer has forgotten to remove the bags from the filters, and this was preventing flow.

2.) Seeking Greater Flow, Overlooking Filter System Integrity − When we arrived the customer was annoyed because he had contamination in their mineral water bottles. The membrane cartridges were obviously not doing their jobs! We then went to the manufacturing floor and started to inspect the filter housings. We found one housing where we had condensation from the top of the bowl down to about halfway down. So, we asked to look inside.
What we found inside was a 5-round housing with only 3 cartridges fitted. Therefore, water could follow straight through without passing through the filter cartridges, hence causing the problem the customer had complained about. A few red faces from the manufacturing team.

3.) New filters don’t give extra life. In fact, their service life is far less − This happens quite often in trials where filters are evaluated against one another in parallel, but the flow through each branch is not checked. The new cartridge with the better flow − differential pressure becomes the least path of resistance and the flow splits 60:40 or 70:30 and even more, which means the new filter is working far harder than the existing one.

Easily sorted by adjusting valving on the line with the new filter to ensure flow is 50:50. Then we can get a fair comparison.

4.) Housing Mismatch for Application − Often we will see an application where the customer is using membrane filters but has installed them in an industrial housing. This can cause issues with the cartridges sealing correctly, and the design of most industrial housings has dead spots where microorganisms can thrive. This leads to downstream contamination issues.

The appropriate solution is to use the correct housing for the application and where membranes are in use then definitely a sanitary-hygienic housing design is necessary. Where that might not be possible due to budget restrictions it is best not to try this halfway solution but wait until you have the budget to do it correctly.

5.) Incompatible Prefilter Choice − Often commonly seen in compressed air and fermenter applications where the filter supplier does not have a good understanding of the application from a gas perspective. Compressed air will possibly contain condensate, small amounts of oil and particulate contamination. When this hits a liquid prefilter the particulate is removed within the filter and the condensate and oil coalesced but is moving toward the centre of the filter as these filters have an out to in orientation. This means that the water and oil will be reentrained in the compressed gas stream and fed straight on to the final gas sterilising filter causing it to blind.

The solution is simple. Use a coalescing filter which is designed to work in to out. Particulate is retained inside the filter, but condensate and oil can drain from the gas stream and is not entrained protecting the final sterile gas filter from blinding.

By understanding and addressing these common mistakes, customers can enhance the efficiency and longevity of their cartridge filtration systems. The key lies in meticulous attention to installation details, system integrity, flow monitoring, appropriate housing selection, and thoughtful prefilter choices.

When considering your next supplier make sure that they have to knowledge and experience to be able to ensure you avoid these types of issue. If you have any questions about any of these issues or want to find out how Porefilter can work with you then please contact us.