A filter disc will save you from expensive system shutdown due to blockages.
Yes, allowing impurities in your system can be a disaster.
In fact, it can lead to system breakdown.
That’s why you should invest in high quality and reliable filter disc.
Today’s guide will take you through the vital aspects of filter discs, including basic definition, structure, types, advantages to applications.
It will help you choose the right accessory for your unique needs.
Filter Disc Definition
A filter disc is a type of filter that you can use to filter different fluids especially water for irrigation.
Filter disc
It has close resemblance to the screen filter except for a few modifications.
The filter cartridge of the filter disc consists of different discs on top of one another.
All the discs have small bumps or grooves covering them.
You might confuse the pile of filter discs for a pile of poker chips.
The rings or discs have a hole at the center that forms a hollow cylinder right in the middle
This creates a passage for the water to pass through as the discs block the impurities.
Normally, the quality of filtration will depend on the size and quantity that filter element can retain.
Here, the discs have color codes that will denote the filtration level.
The micron rating for most filter discs range from 20 microns for very fine filtration level.
It extends to 400 microns for the coarse level of filtration.
You might also find other filter discs which measure filtration quality using the mesh size.
Typically, the size of the mesh will range from 40 microns to 600 microns.
In this case 40 is the coarsest while 600 is the finest.
Different types of filter disc
The filter discs are available in different sizes from small units ranging from ¾” as the smallest inlet and outlet.
The size will also vary according to the application.
Small filter discs are mainly for drip irrigation systems while the larger ones are for large industrial applications.
After understanding what a filter disc is, let us have a look at some of the benefits of the filter disc.
Advantages of Using the Filter Disc
Using a filter disc comes with a number of benefits.
In comparison to a filter media, the filter disc can back flush faster and more effectively.
Disc filter
Some of the benefits include:
· Ease and Speed of Maintenance
The filter disc is very easy to maintain.
You will also spend very little time in removing and cleaning the filter disc.
Apart from that, the installation and replacement is super-fast and easy.
You might not need extra services of a technician to help you in maintenance.
Just follow the manufacturers manual and everything will fall in place.
· Low Pressure Consumption
Depending on the application, the filter disc does not operate under very high pressure.
This means that the system might not need a power system to increase the pressure.
Most of the systems depend on gravity for enough pressure to allow the water to flow.
· Speed of on-site installation
The process of installation is quite fast due to small space requirement.
It comes complete with a housing unit and you will not have to fix any parts.
All you need to do is install it into the system and allow the device will be ready to go.
· Performance
Despite the size of the filter disc, it is able to perform perfectly.
The smallest of filter units have the very huge filtration systems.
Some of the have a flow rate of up to 500 liters per second.
· Flexibility
You can easily adjust the filter to meet your specifications.
You can get in touch with your supplier to supply you with a filter disc that will meet your specifications.
The filter disc has to be adjustable to fit the different projects you have.
· Long life
Manufacturers use different materials that are strong enough to last longer.
Most of them are stainless steel that are resistant to damage.
The device can also perform well in case of high pressure thus increasing the durability.
Filtering Principle of Filter Disc
The filtering principle is an explanation of how the filter disc works.
It explains the process through which a fluid goes through to eliminate the impurities in the fluid.
Working of disc filters
In this section you will learn about the process of filtering a fluid using a filter disc.
The most significant filtering element in the filter disc is a filter segment with a fabric coat.
Water flows into the filter disc through the inlet of the filter disc housing.
Remember, water flows through the inner space of the filter segment and the fabric traps the impurities in the water.
The filter disc might have one or multiple layers of rings or filter discs.
Every disc has 12 segments and the number might vary according to the type of filter disc.
Here, the number of discs will determine the capacity of the filter disc.
The higher the number of filter discs, the larger the capacity of the filter disc.
Also, the number of layers will also determine the quality of filtration.
The more the number of layers, the higher the quality of filtration.
Water will pass through all the layers of filter disc and then exit through the filter housing outlet.
Types of Filter Discs
There are many types of filter discs available in the market today.
The different types of filter discs are capable of performing different functions.
Manufacturers have different designs for the different types of filter discs thus affecting the level of performance.
Types of filter discs
In this section, you will learn about different types of filter discs such as:
· Mesh Filter Discs
This type of filter discs is available in flat and pleated versions.
You can either decide to use the pleated or the flat versions depending on the application requirements.
The mesh filter disc is the best option for cleaning and protecting the gas or liquid flow system.
They are cost effective and can provide a wide increase in the area of filtration for similar installation.
· Fiber Filter Discs
There are different types of fiber disc filters that you can use in both gas and liquid applications.
You can also find them in both, pleated or flat versions that will fit your requirements.
To save space and money, you decide to go for the inexpensive flat discs.
It might not be as effective so use it in fluids with few contaminants.
You can use the pleated filter disc with a larger area of filtration and very low pressure drop and smaller footprint.
The designs are available in different filtration rates and micron ratings.
· Powder Filter Discs
There are different types and sizes of metal powder filter discs.
The sizes range in diameter and thickness.
Manufacturers use powder metallurgy technique in making the powder filter disc with diverse porosity.
The density of the filters ranges from 35% to 75% with different micron grades from 0.003 to 200 micrometers.
· Automatic Filter Disc
An automatic filter disc works under the same principle as that of the manual filter disc.
The only difference is in the cleaning system.
It has an automatic back flush cleaning system that will get rid of the impurities from the filter discs.
· Manual Filter Disc
Manual filter disc is available for efficient operations practically with very minimal maintenance.
It consists of different plastic rings that stick together to create cylindrical filter element.
As water flows through the manual filter disc, the rings compress and effectively blocks the contaminants.
In the process, it prevents the irrigation system from clogging with many contaminants.
Remember, it functions properly as a stand-alone device but you can also combine it to form a battery of filter discs.
It is available in different sizes ranging from ¾” to 6” with different micron ratings ranging from 40 to 200.
The advantages of using the manual filter discs include:
i. It has highly effective disc rings that will capture and hold a lot of debris.
ii. Less frequent cleaning due to high holding capacity of the rings vs the screen filters.
iii. You can easily remove the rings for faster and effective cleaning without scrubbing the rings.
iv. The color codes on the disc rings makes the identification on the mesh rating easy and fast.
You can use it effectively in primary irrigation filters for averagely clean water.
Apart from that, it also protects the irrigation system from abrasion and/or clogging.
Filter Disc Applications
In many cases, most people use the filter discs in agricultural applications to clean water for irrigation.
You can use it to block different types of contaminants such as organic matter and fine sand.
Irrigation system – Photo courtesy: Clear water pump services
Organic matter can, however, clog the filter discs faster in comparison to other impurities.
It will prompt you to clean the system more often for efficient filtration.
Apart from the agricultural sector, you can find the filter disc in other applications such as:
· Filtration of Air
The filter disc is available in a number of devices for the filtration of air.
It assists in removing contaminants in the air that we breath.
You will find a filter disc in air regulator components, andair conditioners among other devices.
It also assists in the filtration of corrosive gases etc.
· Filtration of Liquids
Filter discs with different micron ratings filter impurities from different liquids.
Ceramic industries use it cleaning ceramic polluted water before releasing it as waste.
Food industries also use it in cleaning beverages before packing them for consumption.
The device helps in cleaning sewage water, and filtering corrosive liquids among others.
· Filtration of Solids
Solids contain different impurities in them.
Manufacturers of pure solids often find different contaminants in the solids they produce.
Most of them use the filter disc to separate the impurities from the pure solids.
Some of the industries that depend on filter disc include coal, glass and food processing industries.
· Filtration of Oil
Oil is a very important component in different applications.
It is the reason why you should always make sure it is clean enough.
Different industries use the filter disc in cleaning or refining oil, petroleum, edible oil and hydraulic oil.
· Filtration of Other Fields
Apart from the applications you have gone through, there are numerous of applications that depend on the filter disc.
These applications include: textile industry, automotive industry, insulation industry, chemical industry, medicine making, metallurgy among many other industries.
How to Choose a Filter Disc
Choosing a good filter disc can be a daunting and challenging task.
Different manufacturers are good at producing different filter discs with unique features.
So, whenever you are purchasing a disc filter, remember to look at the following features:
Sintered disc filter
· Material
Choose a filter disc with the material that is strong enough and durable
. The material has to be compatible to the liquid you intend to filter.
Most of the filter discs are stainless steel.
You can also find other materials such as copper, carbon steel, bronze, brass, phosphor etc.
· Number of Layers
A filter disc can have more than one layer.
The more the number of layers, the high the filtration efficacy.
Choose a good filter disc with one layer or multiple layer depending on how dirty the fluid is.
· Shape
Filter discs are available in different shapes and sizes.
You can get a filter disc in a square, round, oval, rectangular, tube, or cylindrical shape.
The shape that you choose should be able to fit well with the pipes that you will connect it to.
· Technology
You can find different filter discs with different filtration technology.
The filter disc can either be sintered, perforated, and/or woven.
Make the right choice depending on the most effective technology in filtration.
· Edge processing method
There are different edge processing methods that manufacturers employ on the filter discs.
Some of them include spot welding, edge wrapping, butt welding and seam welding.
In this case, it is important to choose an edge processing method that can withstand pressure in your system.
· Types of weaving
The filter disc can have a number of weaving types especially if it is a wire mesh.
The weaving types of the wire mesh include twill weave, plain weave and Dutch weave among others.
Also, the weaving type will affect the efficiency of the device in filtering different fluids.
Filter Disc Installation Process
Installing a filter disc is an easy process that you can do on your own.
You will have to follow the installation manual to guide you through the installation process.
If not, it is important to hire a technician to help you in the installation process.
You should know that the process of installation will depend on the type of filter disc you are using.
Structure of filter disc system
First, you will have to collect all the tools you need to open the filter disc housing.
There is no provision for cleaning as the work continues.
The only option is to halt all the operations and clean the filter disc.
Make sure that the system you are operating is under no pressure as it might cause injury.
Apart from that, make sure you have protective clothing on such as gloves.
Remove the top cover of the filter disc housing by releasing the holding clamp.
Using a screw driver, unscrew the butterfly nut that holds the filter discs.
After that, remove the tightening cylinders and the filter discs.
You can use a plastic paper bag to cover the filter disc before you gently carry and remove it.
The plastic paper bag will prevent any impurities from falling into the system.
Tie every set of discs to a string and then place them in the cleaning solution which can be water.
You can also refer to the installation/operation manual for the right cleaning solution.
Soak the filter disc in the cleaning solution to remove sticky debris such as algae on the grooves.
Using a brush, you can carefully and thoroughly clean the filter disc.
Rinse the filter discs with clean water and then allow it to dry.
Remove the strings on the discs and carefully reassemble the whole system.
Confirm that the number of discs on the pine are correct.
The discs should also align properly after putting it back to the system.
You can replace the tightening cylinder and then tighten the butterfly nut.
Replace the housing and the cover of the filter and tighten the holding clamp properly.
The system can now resume normal operations.
In some cases, you can clean the filter sic without disassembling the whole system.
You can accomplish this by moving water backward through the filters in the back flushing process.
Let us have a look at the back flushing method of cleaning the filter disc.
Back flushing method is the process where water moves backwards through the filters.
After that, the water will move back to the source.
It will make sure that the filter discs are clean without wasting water for rinsing the unit.
The process of reversing the water will allow the water into the ring set.
It will create downward pressure on the spring inside the cone of the filter disc unit.
This will also relax the individual rings or discs and result into the removal of some of the debris.
The quality of a back flush will depend on:
i. The quality and quantity of the water you are using
ii. The condition of the rings you are cleaning
iii. The type of debris in the water you are using
iv. The pressure of the water flowing through the system.
Sticky debris will pose a great challenge as they will have to soak before they fall off.
Small silt may also stick to the grooves of the disc.
Continuous back flushing may remove the debris but it is not as effective.
As time goes by, you might have to disassemble the whole unit and remove the debris.
Remember, you can have an automatic backflush disc cleaning system that is hands free.
It works in a similar manner as any back flush process.
Filter Disc Replacement
Filter discs may be in use for a very long time.
It might also go through a series of cleaning until you might not clean it anymore.
Apart from that the filter discs might also undergo damage from the debris.
In all the cases, the efficacy of the filter disc will reduce and affect the filtration process.
The only option for this is to replace the filter disc with a new one.
At FilSon Filters, we offer one of the best filter replacement services.
All we need is the original brand name of the filter disc, part number and dimension
Our team will provide you with the appropriate filter disc replacement cross reference chart.
FilSon filter disc replacement is 100% quality guarantee and save money too.
Conclusion
With the above information, you are in the best position of making a good choice for a filter disc.
Do not wait any longer.
Pick up your phone and dial your suppliers number.
Remember to negotiate the terms with reference to the information above.
Ask as many questions as possible.
You can also make a request for a custom filter disc if possible.