Particulates, retention filter media

In the second type of filtration, depth or deep-bed filtration, the particles penetrate into the pores of the filter medium, where impacts between the particles and the surface of the medium are largely responsible for their removal and retention. This configuration is commonly used for the removal of fine particles from very dilute suspensions, where the recovery of the particles is not of primary importance. Typical examples here include air and water filtration. The filter bed gradually becomes clogged with particles, and its resistance to flow eventually reaches an unacceptably high level. For continued operation, it is therefore necessary to remove the accumulated solids, and it is important that this can be readily achieved. For this reason, the filter commonly consists of a bed of particulate solids, such as sand, which can be cleaned by back-flushing, often accompanied by... 

The filter medium is that critical component which determines whether or not a filter will perform adequately. Within the context of solid/Uquid separation the term filter medium can be defined as any material that, under the operating conditions of the filter, is permeable to one or more components of a mixture, solution or suspension, and is impermeable to the remaining components (Purchas and Sutherland, 2002). The principal role of a filter medium is to cause a clear separation of particulates (which may be solid particles, liquid droplets, colloidal material, or molecular or ionic species) from the liquid with the minimum consumption of energy. In order to achieve this, careful selection of the medium must take into account many factors criteria by which a medium is assessed include the permeability of the clean medium, its particle retention capability and the permeability of the used medium. Serious loss of permeability may follow plugging or blinding of pores in the filter medium, and can determine the lifetime of the medium if an uneconomic filtration rate results. Permeability and particle retention are dependent on the structure of the medium, but interaction of media structure with the shape and size distribution of the particles challenging the medium is also of crucial importance. 

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