Cartridge filters are well-suited to the filtration of liquids with contaminant levels of less than 100ppm. They are typically disposable, and should be replaced when the filter is clogged.

Cartridge filters can be surface or depth-type filters:

Surface filters capture particles on the surface of the filter, and are typically made of thin materials, such as paper, woven wire or cloth. Surface filters are recommended when filtering sediment of a similar size – for example, if sediment particles are 5 micron, then a pleated 5 micron filter works best because it has the greatest available surface area. As the size of the filter surface increases, a number of advantages accrue: the filter can accommodate higher flow rates; the filter’s dirt-holding capacity increases; and the life of the filter is extended.

Depth-type filters capture particles and contaminants through the total thickness of the medium. Compared with pleated surface filters, depth filters have a limited surface area, but this is compensated for by the depth of the filter.

Cartridge filters are typically designed for applications with a desired filtration rate of 0.1 to 500 micron. Note the distinction between absolute and nominal filtration rate:

Absolute filtration rate indicates the maximum size of a particle that can pass through the filtration unit.

Nominal filtration rate indicates the real size at which materials pass through the filtration unit, accounting for the fact that a certain percentage of materials larger than the nominal filter rating will be able to pass through. The % efficiency rating (e.g., 98%) of the nominal filtration rate indicates the amount of larger particles that will be successfully blocked by the filter.

Advantages of Cartridge Filters

Simple: the compact, space-saving design of the cartridge filter housing facilitates installation and enables quick cartridge changeover with no special tools

Versatile: cartridge filter systems can be adapted, through custom construction materials and combinations of cartridge types, to meet the unique needs of your project

Efficient: cartridge filter systems will realize significant savings in time, labor and replacement costs