Question 1

How do I decide between bag, cartridge and automatic filtration?

Accepted Answer

Solids concentration and required rating decide it. Above roughly 50 ppm with a 5 µm or coarser requirement, bags are the most economical. Below 5 µm absolute, or where validation matters, cartridges take over. Once manual change-outs exceed one per week on a continuous line, automatic self-cleaning filtration becomes the lowest total cost.

Question 2

What information do you need to size a system?

Accepted Answer

Flow rate and turndown range, inlet particle size distribution and concentration, required outlet specification, fluid chemistry, operating temperature and viscosity, and available inlet pressure. With those six inputs we can return a staged design and a pressure budget, usually within 48 hours.

Question 3

Can you help if I do not have particle size data?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our laboratory performs particle size distribution, rheology and filterability index testing on submitted samples, typically returning results within five working days. For complex streams we can also run bench-scale filtration trials.

Question 4

How much design margin should a filter carry?

Accepted Answer

We size for the worst credible condition, not the average — peak flow, coldest viscosity and highest solids loading. Typically that produces 20 to 30% margin on the nameplate duty, which is what keeps a system stable when the process moves.

Question 5

When should I move from 316L to duplex?

Accepted Answer

Chloride concentration and temperature drive it. Above roughly 200 ppm chloride at 60 °C, 316L accumulates pitting and crevice corrosion risk, and 2205 duplex becomes economical over a ten-year life. In seawater at temperature, super duplex 2507 or titanium is usually required.

Question 6

Which elastomer should I specify?

Accepted Answer

EPDM for hot water, steam and polar solvents; Viton for hydrocarbons, acids and high temperature; silicone for pharmaceutical and food where extractables matter; PTFE-encapsulated where nothing else is compatible. We check the full fluid inventory including CIP chemistry before recommending.

Question 7

Do you supply a chemical compatibility matrix?

Accepted Answer

Yes — a matrix covering more than 200 fluids against every media and elastomer we supply is available for download, and our engineers will verify any combination not listed.

Question 8

Do you hold ASME certification?

Accepted Answer

Yes — ASME Section VIII Division 1 with U-stamp authorisation and National Board registration, plus PED 2014/68/EU Module H through TÜV Nord for European destinations. The certification route is fixed at kick-off so the data book matches the destination.

Question 9

Can our third-party inspector witness fabrication?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and we encourage it. Client and third-party hold points are written into the inspection test plan at kick-off and scheduled with at least ten days' notice. We regularly work with Lloyd's, DNV, TÜV, BV and SGS.

Question 10

What does the delivered documentation include?

Accepted Answer

Material certificates traceable to heat number, welder qualification records, NDT reports with film or scan data, PWHT charts, hydrostatic test records, dimensional inspection reports and the operating manual — delivered in hard copy and indexed digitally.

Question 11

Are your products suitable for hazardous areas?

Accepted Answer

Yes. ATEX Zone 1 and Zone 2 certified configurations are available across the automatic filtration and dust collection ranges, with Ex d motors, intrinsically safe instrumentation and a documented earthing scheme.

Question 12

What is your typical quotation turnaround?

Accepted Answer

48 hours for standard configurations against complete data. Engineered systems requiring sizing calculations or CFD typically take five to seven working days.

Question 13

What are typical lead times?

Accepted Answer

Four to six weeks for stocked housings and elements, ten to fourteen weeks for custom metallurgy or third-party-inspected vessels, and twelve to twenty weeks for engineered skid-mounted trains from approved P&ID.

Question 14

Do you ship internationally?

Accepted Answer

We serve 62 countries with EXW, FOB, CIF and DDP terms. Export documentation, certificates of origin and destination-specific certification are handled in-house.

Question 15

Do you provide commissioning support?

Accepted Answer

Every engineered system includes supervised installation, commissioning and operator training, with a signed performance record at handover. Site support for standard products is available on request.

Question 16

When should elements be changed?

Accepted Answer

At the recommended terminal differential pressure — typically 2.4 bar for cartridges and 1.5 to 2.0 bar above clean baseline for bags — or at the validated time limit, whichever comes first. Running past terminal differential risks element collapse and releases captured solids downstream in one slug.

Question 17

How do I know if a filter is bypassing rather than blinding?

Accepted Answer

Differential pressure that stops rising, or falls, while downstream quality degrades is the signature of bypass. Blinding shows a steadily rising curve with maintained downstream quality. The curve shape tells you which failure you have.

Question 18

Do you offer maintenance contracts?

Accepted Answer

Yes — scheduled element supply, differential pressure monitoring, annual inspection and integrity testing under an agreed service level, with response times defined by criticality.

Question 19

Can you service equipment supplied by others?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We service and re-element competitor equipment, and frequently begin a relationship with an independent condition assessment of an existing installation.

Selection & Sizing

Materials & Compatibility

Certification & Compliance

Commercial & Delivery

Operation & Maintenance

Ask the awkward question.

The questions engineers actually ask us.