The Importance of Measuring Your Pressure Drop

One of Filtra-Systems' objectives is to help you improve your operational processes by efficiently filtering industrial water.

Two solutions offered to you, bag filters and cartridge filters, both are used in a wide range of industrial processes by companies in varying industries.

Even though these filtering solutions are ubiquitous throughout many industries, too many of them neglect or improperly maintain their systems.

Poor maintenance of your filtering systems has a measurable adverse effect on business.

One of the most overlooked aspects of proper upkeep is tracking the pressure drop across the filter housing.

Both bag and cartridge filters are usually sized so that the pressure drop with clean elements is less than 1 psi.

As the filter media collects dirt, sediment, and other contaminants, the pores in the media become clogged.

The initial result of this is a less efficient system because of clogged media's restricted flow and increased pressure drop across the media.

The differential pressure increases as more and more material are collected.

The trouble is, if left unchecked, the elements have the potential to rip, leading to a failure in filtering incoming fluid.

Not only will no filtration occur, but previously captured contaminants will also be released.

Even worse, the failure of an operation's filtration system can cause the entire operation to come to a halt, something every business wants to avoid.

This can, of course, lead to missed deadlines and disappointed customers.

However, all these negative effects are entirely avoidable when the proper measurement of pressure drop is observed.

Measuring your pressure drop helps you prevent bags and cartridges from failing.

The differential pressure across the filters should be tracked.

This can be done by either using two pressure gauges (one upstream of media, one downstream), or a single differential pressure gauge.

IMPORTANT: typically bag filters will need to be replaced when the pressure drop reaches 10-12 psi, and most cartridges need to be changed when the pressure drop reaches 15-35 psi.

Following these simple guidelines ensures both your bag and cartridge filters will continue to operate correctly.

For more ways to test your bag and cartridge pressures and avoid costly filtration equipment and bag filter failures, call us 248-427-9090