Lab Services
- Bubble Point Test
- Diffusion Test
- Low Pressure Bubble Point
- Volume Determination
- Water Intrusion Test
Bubble Point Test Content
Diffusion Test Content
Low Pressure Bubble Point Content
Volume Determination Content
Water Intrusion Test Content
Installation of Filter Housing/Cartridge with Application
For Filter housings
- Clean the Filter Housing(s) before installation.
- Flush the system of any debris that may have resulted from installation.
- Ensure that the direction of liquid flow is from the inlet through the outlet of the Housing.
- Close the Lid of the housing using the handle, being careful not to drop it.
- Tight the housing with swing bolt in a diagonally pattern.
- Confirm that the gaskets/O-Rings have been properly installed in the Lid of Housing.
- If there is a possibility of backflow to the Filter Housing when the system is turned off, install an outlet valve to protect the filter media.
- Do not force or bend the Filter Housing out of line when piping /at the time of installation.
- Threaded Connections: We recommend the use of a thread sealant.
- Confirm that the gaskets used are compatible with the application.
- All Housings are hydrostatically tested as well as reverse hydrostatically tested (tested with water, under pressure) prior to shipment.
- Ensure that Vent Ports, Drain Ports and Pressure Gauge Ports are as per drawing.
- A Vent Valve should be installed in the Vent Port on the shell, Pressure Gauges, used to monitor differential pressure, should be installed in the Gauge Ports on the shell and the Filter Vessel Body of each Housing. Drain Valves should be installed in the Drain Ports on the Bottom Head of the Housing and on the body for the collection of residual liquid.
- Confirm that the O-Rings have been properly installed in the Lid of Housing.
- Open the supporting plate and supporting rod for installation of filter cartridge.
- Cover the filter cartridge with shell and tight it with swing bolt using standard tightening procedure.
- Finally check all the fitting of lines and of housing points before operation.
- Confirm that the appropriate gaskets/O-Rings and Filter cartridge have been installed properly.
- Ensure that all the connections are made correct and all the clamps and swing bolts are tight.
Start Up Procedure
- Open the Vent Valve.
- Gradually fill the Vessel with liquid by opening the Inlet Valve slowly. As liquid enters the Vessel, air is allowed to escape through the Vent Valve to prevent an air pocket from forming.
- At the first sign of liquid immerging through the Vent Valve, immediately close the Vent Valve and open the Outlet Valve, allowing liquid to flow through the Filter Housing. This begins the filtration process.
- Monitor the Upstream and Downstream pressure with Gauges, when the Filter Housing is "on-line". The difference between the two readings is known as the "pressure differential", measured across the Filter cartridge. Increased upstream pressure indicates "blinding", and the need for Filter cartridge replacement. Follow the Filter cartridge manufacturer’s recommendation for maximum allowable differential pressure.
Start Down Procedure
- Stop the flow of liquid to the housing by closing the Inlet Valve.
- Close the Outlet Valve to isolate the Housing from the liquid flow.
- Observe the pressure and temperature closely. Proceed to Step 4 only if the parameters are within safe limits.
- The Housing is still in a pressurized state. Slowly open the Downstream Drain Valve located at the bottom of the Filter Housing, and capture the liquid in an appropriate container . Safeguards should be taken to wear protective clothing suitable for the material being handled.
- Open the Vent Valve located on the top of the Filter Housing. This will promote faster gravity drainage from downstream side drain valve.
- Open the Drain Valve located at the Base. If there is any unfiltered residual liquid, collect it in a suitable container.
- Open the swing bolt of assemblies from the Lid, and lay them back through the slots provided. Open the housing Lid using the handle, and tilt it back completely. The cartridge may now be removed for replacement.>
Safeguards should be taken to wear protective clothing suitable for the material being handled. Filter cartridge must be changed at or before the maximum differential pressure, recommended by the manufacturer. If the Filter cartridge is not changed on a timely basis, it will become "blinded" and will not drain.
- Ensure that all the residual liquid has been drained from the Housing chamber and Filter Cartridge.
- Open the shell using the shell handle. Than open the supporting plate and supporting rod for removal of filter cartridge.
- If the cartridge does not come loose easily, twist the Collar in a circular motion when pulling up.
- Remove the Cartridge from the Housing to minimize spills and exposure.
- A Filter Cartridge that has been used with a hazardous liquid may contain residual amounts of material and should be handled with the same safeguards that would be used in handling any hazardous and/or toxic material.
- "O-Rings" are subject to wear and should be checked for dirt, cuts, or swelling each time when the Filter shell is opened.
- Replacement of “O-Rings” should be done prior to pressurization of the Filter Housing.
- Be certain that the “O-Ring” material is both chemically and thermally compatible with the fluid being filtered.
- “O-Rings” should be checked each time the Filter shell is opened.
- Inspect the bolts for elongation or thread wear, due to excessive tightening.
- Check all components of the assembly for corrosion, and replace if necessary.
Housing Leaks
All Filtration Systems Vessels are hydrostatically tested at our factory to assure the integrity of the Housing. If Housing leaks:- Confirm that the O-Rings are in place, and properly installed. Check O-Rings for dirt, cuts, or swelling and replace, if necessary.
- Make sure that both the Inlet and Outlet Shut-Off Valves are open for filtering.
- Check all threaded connections; use a threading compound product, as required.
- Check the Housing Body to determine if it was bent out of line during installation.
Installation & Operating Instructions for Filter Cartridge
For Filter housings
- Check the batch No. Part No. and Micron rating written on the label of box of filter cartridge.
- Open the box cut the polyethylene bag at the end of open cartridge with clean scissors.
- Check Serial No. written on filter cartridge.
- Do not take filter cartridge from polyethylene bag.
- Do not hold cartridge with naked hands.
- Check the filter cartridge physically, if found any defect replace it.
- Check the end connection of filter cartridge.
- If (DOE) double open ended connection ensure that cartridge gasket are centered over the housing.
- Check filter cartridge O-rings seals it should be clean, intact, correctly located in their grooves and free from cuts and chemically compatibility with respect to filter solvent.
- Using the Polyethylene bag as protection and holding the cartridge near the open and press the cartridge firmly into the filter housing. If filter housing has a twist lock system, slightly turn the filter in clockwise direction to locate a retaining lugs.
- Remove the bag before the filter housing is closed.
- Ensure that in which application (Air, liquid, gas) filter cartridge is going to be use.
- Read the operating instructions carefully before installing.
- Check the certificate of filter cartridge it is place in box with filter cartridge.
- Check the chemical compatibility of filter cartridge membrane with respect to solvent.
- Check the Micron rating of filter cartridge.
- Filter cartridge used in which process batch or continuous process.
- Is the filter cartridge is back washable or Disposable.
- Maximum operating temperature of filter cartridge.
- Maximum Differential Pressure of filter cartridge.
- Effective filtration area of filter cartridge.
- Filter cartridge are using at Pre-filtration or at final stages.
- CIP and SIP sterilization process of filter cartridge.
- At the time of changing cartridges ensure that filter housing is depressurized and the process liquid has been drained off.
- Particular care must be taken at the time of replacing of filter cartridges that have been used to filter toxic, non-toxic and flammable liquids.
- After replacing the filter cartridges keep the filter cartridges in polyethylene bag.
- After installation of filter cartridge every filter cartridge should to be integrity tested periodically as and when required before discarding , replacing or any changeover is there , or there is any change in operating or process parameters.
- Efficiency of Filtration from the cartridge also depends upon the batch size, and working conditions with or without pre-filtration.
- Replacement of Filter cartridge also depends upon the following parameters.
- If filter cartridge is not physically found ok.
- If Gasket of filter cartridge are in de-shaped or damage conditions.
- There is a high differential pressure with respect to the clean initial differential pressure.
- If during the operation there is a sudden drop in pressure is observed.
Filter cartridge can be integrity tested by various methodologies, Manual or by Automatic method, Bubble point, Diffusion flow, or Water intrusion test. The filter cartridge must pass with in the specified limit after the completion of test .
The various test parameters are given in validation guide for reference .
Replacement of the cartridge is done if the filter has reached its full life i.e. the pressure drop is across the system is 3.6 bar or it has been not found integral after test.
FSP TECHNOLOGIES , is having a lab support for its clients , we have automated testing machine for testing filter cartridge and capsule filter. We are doing all type of test like Bubble Point test, Diffusion Test (Forward Flow), Water Intrusion Test. It is a non-destructive test that has been correlated to bacteria retention and validates the performance of the filter cartridge. An “in specification” result confirms the porosity of the filter membrane and that the cartridge is structurally integral.