Chemical Engineering July 2020 - 12

Newsfront
Advances in Filtration
Presented here are a few recent developments in filtration, including new cartridge design,
automated self-cleaning systems and more
U
sed
for
everything
from
purifying a liquid product,
or recovering a solid product
from a gas or liquid
solvent, to environmental applications
such as air-pollution control
and wastewater treatment, filtration
is arguably one of the most widely
used unit operations in the chemical
process industries (CPI). As a result,
no single filtration technology dominates
the CPI. Instead, a wide variety
of application-specific methods
are constantly being developed and
improved upon to handle a smaller
class of filtration issues. Recent developments
are presented here.
General trends
" Filtration and separation have many
drivers, " says Chris Wallace, vice
president of Technology, Filtration
Technology Corp. (FTC; Houston;
www.ftc-houston.com) " and at FTC
we offer solutions across a broad
range
of
industries and applications.
The drive to develop new applications,
such as carbon capture,
reuse or sequestration, is definitely
a hot topic. Also, we recognize increased
demand for the products
our customers in certain industries
manufacture, " says Wallace.
" Just consider the impact COVID19
has had on products related to
PPE [personal protective equipment]
and the chemical sanitizer
supply chain, or on the reduction
of demand for other products like
fuels. Many facilities have redirected
their processes to support this new
demand, which impacts their filtration
and separation challenges.
Based on what we know today, I
see the demand for products supporting
PPE and sanitization chemicals
continuing over the long term,
with the reduction in demand for
fuel being only a short-term trend.
12
FTC
Figure 1. Invicta is said to offer up to 275% more surface area over cylindrical filters
Of course, environmental legislation
is a significant driver for all filtration
and separation technologies. It has
historically been a driver and will
continue to be over the long term, "
says Wallace.
" Even in tumultuous times, the
one thing that remains the same
with all our customers is a steady
focus on process reliability and improved
process efficiencies, " says
Wallace. " As a result, the trend is for
more reliable filtration performance,
higher flow capacity, lower clean
pressure-drop, longer online filterlife,
smaller footprint, lower energy
demand, minimal operator exposure
to hazardous fluids, and the
reduction of waste, " he says.
Improved cartridge design
When it comes to filtering liquids,
cartridge technology has been a traditional
way to remove solids from
liquid products, such as fuels and
water. " Developments in polymer
and fiber technology, non-woven
media technology and membrane
technology, as well as advancements
in filter-testing equipment capabilities
have really raised the bar
on what can be done, " says FTC's
Wallace. " These advancements in
filtration media technology and cartridge
technology, combined with
our ability to analyze particle properties,
capture mechanisms, loading
and efficiencies on small- and
full-scale test stands in our R&D
center, have allowed us to redefine
expectations upwards. This applies
to new requirements driven by our
customers' ever-changing needs,
as well as to legacy applications, "
says Wallace.
" For example, " Wallace continues,
" we see a lot of chemical treatments
and additives added to fluid processes.
These
often-undisclosed
additives can impact filtration performance
or even cause degradation
of a filter or filter media. Additionally,
we see demand for fluid
processes at higher temperatures,
which results in complex chemical
and thermal compatibility challenges.
Our arsenal of filter media
and element construction materials
combined with our testing capabilities
allows us to offer filter cartridge
solutions with proper chemical and
thermal compatibility to withstand
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Chemical Engineering July 2020

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