Filtration (I)

The theoretical concepts underlying filtration can be applied towards practical solutions in the
field. Comprehension of the basic principles is necessary to select the proper equipment for an
application. Theory alone, however, can never be the basis for selection of a filter. Filtration
belongs to the physical sciences, and thus conclusions must be based on experimental assay. It
is, however, helpful in understanding why a slurry is more suitable for one design of filtration
equipment than another. Methods of optimization in the field can also be predicted by having
a background in the theory. Slurries vary significantly in filtration characteristics. Even batch to
batch variation in product particle size distribution and slurry concentration will greatly
influence filterability and capacity of a given filter. It is, therefore, essential to evaluate a slurry
in laboratory tests at a vendor’s facility or at one’s plant with rental equipment to prove the
application. There are three (3) types ofpharmaceutical filtrations: depth, cake, and
membrane. Cake and depth are coarse filtrations, and membrane is a fine, final filtration.
Membrane filtration and cross-flow filtration are discussed in Ch. 7. 242 Filtration 243 1.1
Depth Filtration Examples of depth filtration are sand and cartridge filtration. Solids are
trapped in the interstices of the medium. As solids accumulate, flow approaches zero and the
pressure drop across the bed increases. The bed must then be regenerated or the cartridge
changed. For this reason, this method is not viable for high solids concentration streams as it
becomes cost prohibitive. Cartridge filtration is oflenused as a secondary filtration in
conjunction with a primary, such as the more widely used cake filtration. 2.0 CAKE FILTRATION
Rates of filtration are dependent upon the driving force of the piece of equipment chosen and
the resistance of the cake that is continually forming. Liquid flowing through a cake passes
through channels formed by particles of irregular shapes.