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FILTRATION & SEPARATION ‘ASK THE EXPERT’ AND OPTIMISE FILTRATION
Poor filtration decisions are costing millions in missed opportunities to optimise performance, minimise maintenance and reduce total cost of ownership, says Chris Nixon, Global Product Director at Cleanova
ccording to Cleanova, over-reliance on generic datasheet specifications is a key reason why filtration systems are poorly designed and maintained. The result is either oversized filtration systems, which represent higher capital costs, or sub-optimal filter choices that mean the system is designed to fail. “The cost of poorly specified and maintained
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filtration systems is significant – and entirely avoidable,” says Chris Nixon, Global Product Director at Cleanova. “We want to encourage those responsible for plant design, operation and maintenance to involve filtration experts earlier, so they can reap the benefits that an appropriately designed and sized filtration system can bring. “Standard filtration specifications are only a starting point,” he continued. “Filtration systems should be developed using application-specific data based on the customer’s priorities. Otherwise, filtration sizing and media selection will not be optimised, and this will lead to problems once the plant is up and running. Ideally, further testing should take place soon after commissioning to double-check that system operating parameters are as predicted.” Filtration is a vital part of many industrial processes, including emerging sustainable technologies like carbon capture and storage. Filters are deployed at key points to remove contaminants, including solids and fluids, from product streams. Properly specified filtration systems make an essential contribution towards the quality of the end product and prevent damage to processing equipment. Conversely, if a filtration system is not well matched to the task, or is poorly maintained, then additional costs can quickly accrue. The frequency of filter element change-out and maintenance work will be higher than anticipated, leading to extended periods of downtime. Operational costs often rise, because a blocked filter can lead to increases in energy consumption as the processing system attempts to maintain flow rates. Expensive
additives may also be required to achieve the desired product quality. If left unchecked, poor filtration performance can lead to loss of reputation, loss of business and lost profit. As an example of how filtration experts can add real value, Cleanova cites a Middle East customer who had used generic flow calculations when specifying a new filtration system as part of a plant upgrade to improve product purity. Based on the generic criteria, tenders for the filtration package could only propose an over-sized solution that literally would not fit the available space in the plant.
Cleanova took a different approach. They worked with the customer to understand their specific purity requirements and then assessed the entire production process to determine the type and size of contaminant that the new filtration system needed to remove. This meant Cleanova were able to design a new, compact filtration skid that would meet the physical space constraints and exceed the efficiency requirements of the application. “Our custom filtration solution was more compact and used fewer elements, which reduced CAPEX by 40 percent and halved the OPEX compared to the generic system,” said Nixon. “As an added bonus, the lower cost enabled faster
budget sign-off and
It is clear from the real- life examples in this article, that filtration experts like Cleanova can deliver tangible
benefits at every stage of the filtration lifecycle
meant the customer was quicker to market with its higher purity product.” Poor initial specification or a change in process are often the root cause of filter failure. Both may result in higher levels of contamination than anticipated in the product flow, which leads to filters becoming clogged. While compressors and engines will keep on going, the filter becomes the point of failure because it is overloaded. One industrial customer who called in Cleanova had been overspending on maintenance for years due to inadequate filtration. The concentration of solid and liquid contaminants in the recycled gas stream from a DRP reactor was causing higher changeout frequencies than expected and adversely affecting production. Cleanova used its Gas Filtration Test Skid at the customer’s site to perform analysis of the process gas over several days – without interrupting production.
Samples were analysed by Cleanova and independent laboratories to determine the actual process gas conditions. The analysis determined that the current filters provided an initial removal efficiency of 93-95% at 50µm: but there were significant volumes of particulates in the range of 2µm - 40µm present in the flow. Permeability tests also highlighted that the flow permeability of the 50µm filter was reduced by more than 2025% due to liquid saturation of the media. Based on these results, Cleanova recommended a reconfiguration of the existing filter to 98% @ 100µm, reducing element differential pressure and improving operational life. A finer filtration system downstream was also recommended to achieve the customer’s optimum requirement of 5-10µm whilst still improving the operational lifetime overall.
Cleanova
www.cleanova.com
SEPTEMBER 2024 | PROCESS & CONTROL 11
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