4 Points You Need to Know About Pleated Filter Cartridges

The pleated filter cartridge is a filter cartridge with pleated structure filter medium. In terms of filtration efficiency, it can be divided into absolute filter efficiency and nominal filter efficiency. According to the material properties of the filter membrane, it can be divided into hydrophilic and hydrophobic. And it's generally divided into PP, Glass Fiber, Nylon, PES, PTFE, PVDF pleated membrane filter according to the type of filter membrane material. Pleated cartridge filters are usually used in food and beverage, biopharmaceutical, microelectronics, power plants, chemicals and other fields.

1. How to Produce Pleated Filter Cartridges?

The Pleated Filter Cartridge is mainly composed of filter membrane, non-woven fabric, long fiber, support net, inner core, outer cage, end cap and sealing ring/gasket. It is made by the membrane pleated process, the ultrasonic edge seam welding process, and the ultrasonic hot-melt welding process. Let us take a look at the below production process:

(1) Membrane Pleated Process

The membrane pleated process is a process of stacking filter media such as filter membranes, non-woven fabrics, long fibers, etc and pleating them through a membrane pleated machine. After making these filter media into a pleated shape, then cut the pleated filter media according to the membrane area required for the pleated filter cartridges.

(2) Ultrasonic Edge Seam Welding Process

The ultrasonic edge seam welding process is a process of welding the edge seam of the cut pleated filter medium through an ultrasonic edge seam welding machine. It is sealed between the seams and the pleated filter media becomes a ring structure, ensure that the pleated filter media will not leak during the filtration process.

(3) Ultrasonic Hot Melt Welding Process

The ultrasonic hot-melt welding process is mainly through the hot-melt splicing between two filter cartridges by a hot-melt welding machine, or the welding process between the filter element and the end cap, so that the pleated cartridge filters can achieve a filtering effect without side leakage during use.

2. What are The Advantages of Pleated Cartridge Filters?

The pleated membrane filter mainly relies on the filter membrane to intercept the pollutants in the liquid on the same plane. Compared with the deep filter elements such as melt blown filter and string wound filter, which use the internal structure of the medium to intercept pollutants, the pleated filter has a better filtering effect. Let's take a look at the following specific advantages:

(1) Higher Filtration Efficiency

The filtration method of the pleated filter cartridge is surface filtration. The membrane pores on the filter membrane are evenly distributed and have the same pore size. The pollutants are directly intercepted on the surface of the filter membrane, and the particles will not leak when the pressure fluctuates. Melt blown filter cartridges and String Wound Filter Cartridges belong to deep filtration. The filter holes are all over the entire filter medium, and the pollutants are mainly intercepted by the filter holes inside the filter medium. When the pressure fluctuates, the particles may leak.

(2) More Precise Filtering Effect

The filter membrane of the pleated membrane filter is made of polymer chemical materials through advanced technology. Compared with the inner filter hole of the deep filter element such as Melt Blown Cartridges and string wound cartridges, the filter membrane hole of the pleated filter cartridge can be made into a smaller pore size, in order to achieve a more precise filtering effect.

(3) Better Flexibility

The filter medium of the pleated cartridge filter can be composed of one or more layers of filter membranes, long fibers and non-woven fabrics with different filtration precision. Compared with the filter medium of the deep filter element, the diversity of the filter medium of the pleated filter cartridge can make more flexible application in more different fields.

3. How to Replace The Pleated Filter Cartridges?

During the filtration process of the pleated cartridge filter, when the value of the pressure gauge on the top of the filter housing reaches the value recommended to replace the pressure difference, in order to avoid the damage of the filter cartridge due to excessive pressure and the occurrence of insufficient water produced by the filter housing, a new pleated filter cartridge must be replaced. Let's take a look at the replacement steps of the pleated membrane filter.

(1) Prepare brand new pleated filter cartridge which length, inner diameter, outer diameter, precision, filter material and sealing ring all meet the standard of use;

(2) Confirm that the system is in a stopped state, close the water inlet valve and the water outlet valve;

(3) Slowly open the exhaust valve on the top of the filter for pressure relief treatment to avoid danger caused by excessive pressure during the replacement process;

(4) Open the drain valve and drain the liquid in the cartridge filter housing until the liquid no longer flows out. This process should be done slowly to avoid the liquid in the filter housing from splashing around;

(5) Open the cover on the top of the filter, take out the pleated filter cartridge that needs to be replaced, and then clean the remaining dirt inside the filter housing;

(6) Open the bag of the pleated cartridge filter, moisten the O-ring with a suitable lubricant (such as water), reduce the friction between the O-ring and the socket at the bottom of the cartridge filter housing, and facilitate installation;

(7) Hold the end of the pleated filter cartridge close to the O-ring, and vertically insert the the pleated cartridge filter into the socket at the bottom of the filter housing. At this time, it should be noted that the O-ring and the socket at the bottom of the housing should be in complete contact, and the O-ring should not be exposed to ensure the tightness of the cartridge filter housing;

(8) Install and secure the filter platen, close the filter top cover and tighten the blots;

(9) Close the drain valve of the filter housing, slightly open the water inlet valve, and let the liquid enter the housing. When the liquid overflows from the exhaust valve on the top of the housing, close the exhaust valve;

(10) Slowly open the downstream outlet valve until it is fully opened, and then slowly adjust the inlet valve until the pressure difference between the upstream and downstream of the filter housing reaches the value of the initial pressure difference.

4. How to Maintain Pleated Filter Cartridges?

(1) Steam Sterilization: When the pleated filter cartridge is used in the field that requires a sterile environment, it needs to be sterilized with clean, dry saturated steam before use. Please click this link How to Steam Sterilize the Pleated Filter Element? to learn how the pleated membrane filter is steam sterilized.

(3) Storage: If the pleated cartridge filter is temporarily not in operation, it should not be dried, but should be stored in the cartridge filter housing with purified water or water containing an antibacterial agent (such as less than 10ppm sodium hypochlorite or 2% hydrogen peroxide solution), rinse well before reuse.

(2) Cleaning: When the pleated filter cartridge is used for a long time, it will inevitably become blocked. In order to increase the flux of the filter element and prolong its service life, it is possible to choose to clean the pleated cartridge filter. Please follow the link How to Clean Your Pleated Filter Cartridges? to learn how to clean the pleated filter cartridges.

What Pleated Filter Cartridges Hongtek Supply?

PP Pleated Cartridges	PES Pleated Filters	PTFE Pleated Cartridges	PVDF Pleated Filters	Nylon Pleated Cartridges	Glass Fiber Pleated Filters