All About Retention

All About Retention

This post is not about company turnover, it is about retaining particles!  “Retention” in filtration referrs to a specific particle size selected for removal.  For example, a “100 Micron” bag is capable of capturing particles that are at least 100 microns across.

Retention is not a cut-and-dry subject.  Filter media tends to fall within two categories of retention: “Nominal” and “Absolute”.

Using our 100 micron example, Nominal filter media is able to retain 60-70% of particles that are 100 microns across or larger.  Nominal media tends to be a single, or thin layer of construction and are generally cost-effective.  It is normally used at the beginning or middle of a filtration process.

An Absolute filter media is engineered to remove  99% or more particles at the stated retention.  Such precision is common in retentions 25 microns and smaller.  This is because the media is multi-layered or a more precise grade for the sake of performance.  Absolute filter media is normally used at the end of a filtration process for final quality assurance.

This post can be considered a “nominal” view of retention.   Contact Findlow Filtration today to learn more about filter retention and what will work best for your process!

By | 2019-09-04T14:13:32-04:00 September 4th, 2019|Filtration 101, Tech Talk|0 Comments

About the Author:

Matt Schmitz has been in the business of filtration since 2006. He began the laboratory analyzing customer samples and R&D testing, followed by service work and startups in the field at customer sites. While his strength is in mechanically-cleaned filter technologies, he continues to grow his knowledge and experience with filters at Findlow Filtration.

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