Filter | Troubleshooting

Filter Problems, and Why Filters Fail

By Jose M. Sentmanat

Photo 1
hat are the common filter problems and why
do they happen? Often
the filter is a process equipment component that is ignored until it fails to
perform to meet process requirements
for clarity, flow rate and cycle time.
When performance problems occur,
the operators send their distress call to
the process or plant engineer and the
challenge to solve the problem begins.
If a process can function well without a filter, somebody is ahead of the
game. But most likely, if there is a liquid with suspended solids as part of
the process, then a filter is essential. Of
the problems that can happen with filters, they can be grouped as follows:

Group 1 Problems with filter

equipment or components.
Group 2 Problems with filter
ancillary equipment.
Group 3 Problems with filter
operational procedures.
EQUIPMENT AND COMPONENTS
Undersized Filter: Often initial
investment cost plays a large role in
selecting the filter, so a less expen-

Photo 2
sive or undersized filter is purchased
to meet a budget. The undersized filter is not capable of handling the
process flow or the total amount of
suspended solids overwhelms the filter solids capacity before the cycle is
complete. Photos 1 and 2 show the
effect of too large a solids load for filter cake space.
Filter cleaning operating instructions should not start with once the
pressure is released, grab a shovel,
and start digging to find the filter elements. Overloading the filter cake
space with solids, as illustrated
above, will cause bridging of the filter cakes between the filter leaves,
warping the leaves and causing mechanical damage.
The solids buildup in the filter
during filtration is based on the flow
volume and the total percent of suspended solids in the feed to avoid
overloading situations like shown in
Photos 1 and 2.
Sometimes the initial tests performed on a test solution to determine
the filter requirements do not represent the actual process feed composition. If a process starts on a production
28 June 2014 www.filtnews.com

scale with a different feed from what

was originally tested, an undersized filter causes production problems.
Internal Support: Sometimes the
internal support of the filter leaves affect the filtration flow and the pressure
drop through the filter. Photo 3 shows
one filter leaf with a solid internal support so that the liquid, as it passes
through the filter cloth, flows on top
of the solid corrugated sheet. In Photo
4, to prevent the filter cloth from adhering to the solid support, a coarse
woven honeycomb support is laid between the solid support and the filter
cloth cover, Photo 5. By adding this
internal support, filtration flow is improved; the filter cloth is separated
from the drainage support with the
honeycomb. Field reports have shown
an improvement in some cases of a
25% higher flow when the honeycomb
internal supports are installed under
the filter cloth bags. This drainage
support also helps cushion impacts on
the filter cloth protecting the cloth
from tears when hit against a sharp or
blunt object.
Maintenance: Lack of proper
maintenance is a major cause of filter

Photo 3: Solid Support

Photo 4: Honeycomb Support

Photo 5: Cloth Bag

problems. A good preventive maintenance program will maintain the filter system in good condition and
problem free. Care in proper cleaning
of filter leaves is very important.
Leaves that are dirty cause low filtration flow rates and high differential pressure due to flow restrictions
caused by reduced internal drainage
in the filter leaves. See Photos 6 and
7. Photo 6 shows very dirty filter
leaves with actual damage to the wire
mesh. Photo 7 on the right shows a
filter leaf that appears to have clean
wire mesh. However, process conditions of low flow and high-pressure
drop were experienced. A section of
the wire mesh was removed and examination showed the internal support was dirty and clogged with
solids buildup. This result demonstrates that surface cleaning of the
media covering the filter leaf was not
sufficient. A good thorough internal
cleaning is necessary to keep the internal structure of the leaf clean and
free of solids buildup that obstructs
internal flow and causes high differential pressure. For cleaning filter
leaves, it is recommended that a
soaking in a 2% caustic bath at about
150 F for a couple of hours be performed, followed by high pressure
hosing to thoroughly dislodge the
solids built up in the internals; then
wash the leaves well. In the worstcase scenario, ultrasonic cleaning by

a specialized shop is necessary.

In the repair of mesh filter leaves
by welding the wire mesh to the filter
leaf, care during the welding process
is essential to ensure that the welding
is good and free of gaps or pinholes

that would cause bypassing during

filtration. Photos 8 and 9 illustrate
some of these problems. Photo 8
shows poor welding of the wire mesh
leaving a gap (where the blade of the
pocket knife is inserted). This gap at

www.filtnews.com June 2014 29

Filter | Troubleshooting

Photo 6: Very dirty filter leaves

Photo 7: Dirty Internal

Photo 8: Pocket Knife in Welding Gap

Photo 9: Channeling through Pinhole

the poor weld causes bleed through

and prevents the proper buildup of
the filter cake during precoating and
subsequent filtration. Photo 9 shows
channeling in the filter precoat
caused by pinholes in the welding of
the wire mesh. Bypassing of the flow
through holes prevents the filter cake
from properly forming on the filter
leaf, causing the channeling effect
that is shown.
Sometimes operators use im-

Photo 10: Improper Scraping Tools

proper tools to scrape the filter cake

off the leaves to complete discharge
of the filter cake. Photo 10 shows
some typical improper tools used by
operators. These tools, when made of
metal and used in a hurry can cause
damage to the filter wire mesh as
shown in Photo 11 where there is a
hole in the wire mesh. This hole will
cause bleed through and improper
filter cake formation during precoat
and filtration.

Repair of holes in wire mesh or replacement is required to prevent clarity

problems during filtration. Sometimes
the wire mesh covering the filter leaf
develops holes due to corrosion, wear,
or erosion by the abrasiveness of the filter aid passing through the wire mesh
during initial buildup of precoat. Protection of mesh from impact with sharp
objects when plates are outside the filter is another consideration. Periodic
inspection of the leaves is needed to en-

Photo 11: Tear in Wire Mesh from Tools

30 June 2014 www.filtnews.com

Photo 12: Wire Mesh Holes from

Corrosion

Photo 13: Wire Mesh Hole from

Corrosion

Photo 14: Warped and Damaged Filter

Leaves

sure that there is no damage to the wire

mesh. Photo 12 and 13 illustrate wire
mesh holes from damage due to corrosion, photo 14 shows warped and damaged filter leaves and photo 15 shows
good filter leaves properly precoated
with evenly formed filter cake.
Process Variables: Another filter
problem is the selection of improper
filter equipment because of inadequate consideration of the flux of the
process liquor, inaccurate knowledge

of the total suspended solids in the

solution, the particle distribution or
the nature of the solids. Without a
proper analysis of the actual process
liquor conditions, trouble looms on
the horizon. When consulted about a
filter problem, a very common finding is that the filter user has no critical data on the solution to be
filtered. Particle analysis is not available with important information
such as particle size, nature of the

solids particles, and if the solids are

compressible or not compressible.
Ignoring temperature and pressure
fluctuations that affect behavior of
the process liquor and its filterability
often happens with consequent filter
problems. Sudden changes in temperature affect the viscosity of the
process liquor and the solubility and
amount of solids.
Baffling: Improper baffling of the
precoat and feed liquid flowing into the

www.filtnews.com June 2014 31

Filter | Troubleshooting

Photo 15: Good Filter Cake

Photo 16: Air Bubbles in Spotty Filter Cake

Photo 17: Cartridges with Missing Springs

Photo 18: Dirty Vertical Filter Leaves

filter will upset the cake and cause erosion of the filter cake and loss of clarity.
Some horizontal filter plates have blank
areas to serve as a baffle. However, precise stacking of the plates and correct
alignment of the plate bundle with the
baffle area opposite the inlet nozzle in
the tank is necessary.
Filter Media: Sometimes the filter
media is not the right grade for the
application whether paper, cloth or
wire mesh is used. The right filter
media for the application is determined in the bench scale testing of
the process liquid and selected to
meet the process requirements.
PROBLEMS - ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT
Ancillary filter equipment can
cause problems when incorrectly

specified or integrated in the system.

Lacks of proper instrumentation, incorrect piping, agitators or pumps
are factors in filter problems.
Pressure Gauges: Pressure gauges
are needed on the inlet feed pipe
ahead of the filter and on the discharge outlet line of the filter to calculate the differential pressure across
the filter system during operation.
Too high a differential pressure will
damage filter leaves. Too low a differential pressure causes uneven cake
distribution and loss of clarity.
Check Valves: A check valve in
the outlet piping of the filter prevents
back flow to the filter and premature
fall off of the filter cake and loss of
clarity. Any back flow to the filter
tank not only affects the filter cake,
32 June 2014 www.filtnews.com

but also can damage the filter leaves

and wire mesh media or cloth covers.
Precoat and Bodyfeed: One definite cause of problems with the filter
is the lack or improper precoat
and/or bodyfeed operations. Bench
scale testing of the process liquor determines the proper grade of filter
aids for precoating for initial clarity
and body-feeding to keep the cake
open to meet the process cycle time.
Agitators: Improper agitation in
the feed tank causes settling of the
solids and instead of a gradual feed
of the suspended solids to the filter,
lumps of the solids go to the filter
that disrupt the filter cycle.
If the agitation of the liquid in the
feed tank is too fast, the suspended
solids and bodyfeed particles un-

Photo 19: Sealant Patches (black dots) on Wire Mesh

dergo size reduction, due to abrasion,
which affects the filterability of
solids from the process liquor.
Pumps: The selection of wrong
precoat and/or feed pumps is a cause
for problems with the filter. For precoating and feeding the filter the
most common pump is an open impeller centrifugal pump. For high
viscosity liquids a positive displacement pump is better. For bodyfeed a
diaphragm type pump is best. Avoid
using a pulsating pump that causes a
stop and go type flow that affects fil-

Photo 20: Sealant on Edges with Leaks

ter performance by upsetting the

cake. Avoid getting air into the filter
feed and use proper venting of tanks
to avoid air blocks. Photo 16 shows
a spotty filter cake caused by air in
the feed to the filter. Air bubbles
trapped in the filter cake will burst
causing the filter cake to break, leaving bare spots on the media. This
condition causes clarity problems
and affects the performance of the filter. Bare areas of filter cake are subject to bypassing with no filtration,
and the solids become imbedded in

www.filtnews.com June 2014 33

the filter media and inside the filter

leaf structure. Sometimes the liquid
velocity through the filter is so high
that the suspended solid particles are
forced through the filter cake, which
affects the clarity of the filtrate.
PROBLEMS - OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES
When consulted about a filter
problem, a very common finding is
that the filter operator has no critical
data on the process solution for filtration. Data such as the total quantity of suspended solids, the nature

Filter | Troubleshooting

Photo 21: Cake Drop-off due to Pump Problem

of the solids, or particle analysis is
not available to give important information for particle size, nature of the
solids particles, or if the solids are
compressible or not compressible.
Common causes of filter problems
are inadequate operator training and
procedures, not following instruc-

Photo 22: Lumpy Precoat Problem

tions or simply a disregard for proper

operation of the filter. Photo 17
shows filter cartridges where the operators failed to insert the compression springs on some cartridges
causing the filter to malfunction.
These missing springs were found
lying in the bottom of the filter tank.

Photo 18 shows the top view of a

vertical tank, vertical leaf filter; the
leaves are dirty due to lack of good
housekeeping practices of cleaning
the leaves and the filter internals on
a regular basis.
In shift operations, there are instances where operators have inten-

tionally throttled the filter feed valve

to continue running the filter to keep
the differential pressure switch and
instrumentation from stopping the filter on their shift. Thus, they postpone
the work of pulling the filter off production for cleaning to the next shift.
At times operators have dragged
the filter leaves on the floor while
handling them during installation in
the filter, causing tears and wear
spots on the filter media. Or simple
carelessness with the handling of the
filter leaves causes damage to the filter leaves and/or to the filter media
(paper, cloth or wire mesh).
Often when wire mesh covered filter leaves develop cracks or wear
spots, causing bleed through of solids
during filtration affecting clarity and
contaminating the filtrate with solids
that pass through the holes or cracks,
operators try to do quick repairs by
using sealants to cover such holes and
cracks as shown in Photos 19 and 20.
The time and effort spent in doing
these short lived quick patching
operations on leaves is much better
invested by having the leaves repaired by a qualified and experienced
shop or simply buying a new set of
leaves, if the leaves are old enough to
warrant replacement.
Photos 21 and 22 are of the same rotary vacuum pressure filter. Photo 21
shows where the precoat and filter cake
has prematurely dropped off due to
problems with the vacuum pump. If the
pump starts having problems, interrupting the continuous flow, the cake simply
drops off the drum. The operator must
then stop the filter and thoroughly clean
the filter drum to get it ready for the
next cycle. This operation is not only
time consuming but also a loss in production. Having ancillary equipment in
good working condition by good preventive maintenance during plant shut
downs avoids production problems.
Photo 22 shows what can happen
when the filter is not cleaned thoroughly including the filter trough. If
the trough is dirty and not properly
cleaned the precoat liquid will pick
up the impurities left in the trough.
Then the precoat cake is irregular
with lumps of unwanted impurities,

which definitely affects the filter performance. The operator will have to
stop the filter and thoroughly clean
the entire filter drum and feed
trough. Operator attention and understanding of the process and
equipment needs is important.
Based on experience, the filter
consultant or troubleshooter is called
when filter problems are difficult and
not easily resolved by plant personnel. Before calling the consultant
and/or troubleshooter, do good
homework by having full data on the
application. Know the percent of suspended solids, nature of solids, particle analysis, physical data such as
specific gravity of liquid, density of
the solids, temperature and feed
pressure. Have the piping and instrumentation drawing (P&ID) of the
process indicating capacities and description of all related ancillaries.
Consulting trouble-shooting service
is paid by the hour and days on the
job trying to resolve the problems.

www.filtnews.com June 2014 35

The person coming to help should

not get paid for sitting around waiting for the plant personnel to gather
the necessary information required to
properly assess the situation to solve
FN
the filter problem.
For more information contact:
Jose M. Sentmanat, Owner/Manager
LIQUID FILTRATION SPECIALIST, LLC
PO BOX 1064
CONROE, TX 77305-1064
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.filterconsultant.com
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The following people contributed to this article with
information and photos:
Bill Boyd of LEEM/LSS FILTRATION, RAMSEY, NJ,
www.leemfiltration.com
Jan Hermans, SULPHURNET, CULEMBORG, THE
NETHERLANDS, www.sulphurnet.com
Alan Greig, GREIG FILTERS, INC., LAFAYETTE, LA,
www.greigfilters.com
Tom Bevins, FILTER ALL, INC/SEWN WELD INDUSTRIES, INC, MAGNOLIA, TX,
www.filterallinc.com
Julio Mauricio Pineda Marroquin, Consultant,
GUATEMALA, [email protected]