Selecting and looking after Steam Filters for Industrial Applications

Steam filtration is a crucial a part of any industrial application requiring steam as a source of energy, be it for driving mechanical processes, heating, or sterilization. Steam is definitely an inherently dirty resource generally contaminated with rust, scale along with other particulates. The constant maintenance program for just about any steam-based system must always incorporate a filtration aspect of safeguard each facet of the body from contamination.

In industry steam is generally utilized in processes for various applications. In most cases, you are able to divide the commercial utilization of steam of their many forms into several groups, because both versions exhibits specific process needs:

Process steam for energy transfer for such applications as thermostatic and pressure controls, or energy for driving mechanical processes

Culinary steam as employed for food & beverage processing

Superheated steam is usually present in mechanical applications that depend on its considerable energy, for example electrical energy production along with other mechanical processes, in addition to antimicrobial applications

Saturated steam, like superheated steam, drives mechanical processes and offers heat energy for thermostatic processes, for example cleaning and sterilizationDry saturated steam processes are routinely present in pharmaceutical and petrochemical applications, in addition to food and beverage processing

In-situ sterilization depends on steam to sterilize-in-place aspects of a sterile system without getting to alter or disassemble the machine after that, therefore maintaining absolute sterility

In-situ cleaning is comparable to in-situ sterilization with no absolute purification requirement.

Regardless of application, there’s great requirement for contaminant-free steam to safeguard downstream equipment or processes from scale, rust, along with other particulates. One significant application is sterilization. By design sterile filters for compressed air or gas systems remove microbial and viral contaminants in the compressed air source just before application. To effectively perform this function, you have to first sterilize the sterile filter and it is element just before use. Furthermore, you have to re-sterilize the filter every single day, in addition to every time you shut lower the machine whether for maintenance or else. One efficient way of sterilizing filters in-situ is by using steam to organize the units. Presenting steam, however, also brings forth contaminants generally present in steam sources, for example dirt, rust, and scale particulates contaminants which will dramatically lessen the existence and efficiency from the sterile filter element since it’s design serves to get rid of these biological contaminants and never the bigger coarse contaminants present in sourced steam. Steam filters will effectively remove individuals coarse particulates before the steam being brought to the sterile filters for in-situ sterilization, therefore growing their functional existence.

Steam filter housings are always manufactured of stainless to make sure housing integrity when operating within the rigorous ecological conditions of compressed steam sources. Lesser materials, for example aluminum or polycarbonate, commonly are not appropriate for steam environments. Steam filters are usually provided with NPT, flange, sanitary, or stub-finish connections with pipe sizes varying from 1/2″ to 12″. Likewise, the steam filter elements can be found in stainless mixing stainless finish caps having a porous sintered stainless filtration media. The sintered stainless element media can be obtained in a number of pore sizes, typically varying from 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, 25, 40 and 50 microns, based on your filtration needs.

Chad Harrison

James Harrison: James, a supply chain expert, shares industry trends, logistics solutions, and best practices in his insightful blog.