Case Study – Optimal resin filtering made possible with Sivtek’s Dual cylinder Self-Cleaning Filter
Overview
Under challenging conditions that would stop an average filter, the Self-Cleaning Filter® with dual cylinder option from Sivtek offers the same impeccable filtration as a standard Self-Cleaning Filter®.
Requirement & Challenges
An Indonesian chemical company’s plant manager aimed to enhance the filtering process of their resin production line for the construction industry. The line had three different filtering stages, namely pre-pump straining, intermediate filtering, and finished product filtering, each of which resulted in several problems relating to productivity, waste disposal, and housekeeping.
The process line was using a regular pump strainer positioned between the process vessel and pump to filter out larger particles before the product went into the pump. However, cleaning the strainer was a difficult task, and it was not always effective in preventing larger particles from passing through and causing problems with the pump.
Moving further along the production line, a cartridge filter was utilized to capture small particles after the process tank discharge pump. However, replacing the fibre-mesh filter cartridges would interrupt production and the discarded cartridges resulted in both environmental and disposal expenses.
The final stage of filtering was managed by a bag filter system that contained two nylon bags with a capacity of 300-microns each. Switching the bags during maintenance created hazardous waste, and the removal of product-saturated bags led to product wastage.
The manager in charge of the chemical plant in Indonesia, which produces resins for the construction industry, sought advice from Galaxy Sivtek to enhance their filtering procedures. The Sivtek Self-Cleaning Filter® caught their attention, as it could potentially solve the messy cleaning and waste disposal issues caused by their existing pump strainer, cartridge filter, and dual bag filters.
Solution
The Self-Cleaning Filter® 800 was installed as a replacement for the standard pump strainer. This new filter has an automatic cleaning cycle that begins when the pressure difference in the system reaches a set level. With the SCF in operation, filtering occurs without interruption and the pump is safeguarded from the large particles that previously posed a risk to its performance.
To resolve the issues related to hazardous waste management during disposal, the plant replaced the intermediate cartridge filter with a Self-cleaning filter® 800 that comes equipped with a dual cylinder option. Since resins are known to be a difficult substance to filter, the dual cylinder is specifically designed to handle such sticky and quickly drying liquids. With the robust dual drive mechanism, the SCF with Dual cylinder option now flawlessly performs the difficult task of filtering resins.
The Self-Cleaning Filter® from Galaxy Sivtek operates through a distinctive cleaning disc that moves up and down the filter screen with the aid of a single pneumatic actuator, removing debris from the screen. The collected debris is automatically eliminated from the collection chamber underneath the filter, allowing uninterrupted production.
The Sivtek Self-Cleaning Filter® with dual cylinder performs the same filtration function as the standard SCF but employs two actuators instead of one. This design allows the filter to handle difficult applications such as thick or adhesive liquids, high shear materials, sugar-based fluids, and rapidly drying paints. The SCF with Dual cylinder option is perfectly capable of filtering resins without any issues.
A Sivtek Self-Cleaning Filter®800 was installed to replace the bag filters for the final cleaning of the finished product before loading into tankers for shipment.
Results
The installation of Sivtek Self-Cleaning Filter® at various stages of resin processing has resulted in significant improvements in productivity, filtering quality, waste reduction, and maintenance. These upgrades have automated the cleaning process of the pre-pump filter, ensuring that the filter screen is cleaned on demand, preventing severe restriction of product flow. Additionally, the cleaning cycle is completed without stopping production or exposing the pump to contaminants.
The intermediate filtering stage has also undergone a significant transformation with the installation of SCF. This has eliminated hazardous waste challenges and messy filter changes, which were previously required by cartridge filters. The SCF has been specifically designed for resin filtering, making it an ideal solution for this stage of the process.
In the final stage of the filtering process, the Sivtek Self-Cleaning Filter® has resolved many housekeeping issues. The filter system drains at ground level, eliminating the need to transport contaminated bag filters down the loading platform. This has eliminated the mess, time, and cost associated with removing, transporting, and disposing of the bag filters. Additionally, the filter purges can now be reused in lower grade products, reducing product loss and increasing output.
CONCLUSION
The plant manager was so impressed with the performance of the Sivtek Self-Cleaning Filter® with Dual cylinder option in resin filtering that he has decided to make it the standard filter for all future installations in the plant. The success of the SCF has given him confidence that the filter will provide similar benefits in other areas of the plant.
The performance of the Self-Cleaning Filter 800 filter in finished product filtering has also attracted attention from other facilities within the company. Following the success at the plant, three other company facilities have installed Self-Cleaning Filter 800 filters for finished product filtering. The success of the SCF at the plant has helped to convince other plant managers to make the switch to the new filter, and the results have been similarly impressive.
