In modern industrial manufacturing, Polymer melt filter elements play an indispensable role. They are one of the key components that ensure smooth production processes and maintain product quality. Whether in plastics, chemical fiber, rubber processing, filter elements silently carry out their crucial function. In plastics processing plants, for example in granule, fiber, cable or film production, small particles and gels can lead to major problems. In the industry, the famous manufacturer is Porous Metal Filters, Inc from US they produced Polymer metallic filter cartrdges specializing in today’s polymer filtration industry.
Working Principle of Polymer melt filter Element
The core function of a Polymer melt filter element is filtration. During processing, when high-temperature, high-viscosity melt flows, it often contains impurities such as unmelted raw particles, polymer degradation gels, dust, and other foreign matter. The Polymer melt filter element acts like a precision sieve — its unique internal filtration structure allows only clean melt to pass through while trapping the contaminants inside or on the surface.
Filtration accuracy is usually measured in microns, typically ranging from a few microns to several dozen microns, depending on process requirements.
- For example, in the production of high-quality optical plastic lenses, Polymer melt filter elements with a filtration accuracy of 5 µm or smaller may be required to ensure clarity and optical performance.
- For general-purpose plastic production, 10–20 µm is often sufficient.
During filtration, the melt enters the filter element under pressure. Common filter materials include stainless steel woven mesh and stainless steel fiber sintered felt:
- Stainless steel woven mesh offers high strength, precision, and resistance to high pressure, suitable for high-demand melt filtration processes.
- Sintered fiber felt features a large filtration area and strong contaminant-holding capacity, making it suitable for fine impurity capture.
Material Selection for Polymer melt filter Elements
Material selection is critical to performance and service life. Among many options, stainless steel is the most commonly used due to its high-temperature and corrosion resistance.
For example, during polycarbonate (PC) production, PC melt can be corrosive at high temperatures — stainless steel filter elements operate stably while maintaining melt purity and mechanical strength.
For special melts, such as fluorine-containing polymer melts, filter elements made from Hastelloy are preferred due to their superior corrosion resistance, ensuring long-term reliability even under aggressive chemical environments.
Structural Design of Polymer melt filter Elements
Polymer melt filter elements come in various structures with the goals of:
✔ Ensuring filtration efficiency
✔ Reducing flow resistance
✔ Extending service life
Pleated filter elements are the most widely used of the filter structures. They fold the filter media to greatly increase surface area, allowing:
- High flow rate
- Compact size
- Uniform distribution of impurities
- Reduced clogging risk
Therefore, pleated polymer melt filters are extensively used in chemical fiber melt filtration.
Maintenance of Polymer melt filter Elements
To ensure long-term stable performance, proper maintenance is essential:
✔ Set a reasonable replacement cycle based on process and melt properties.
✔ When inlet and outlet pressure difference reaches a certain level, replace the filter element in time.
✔ Continue using a clogged filter may reduce filtration efficiency or cause filter rupture, allowing impurities downstream.
✔ During replacement, handle carefully to avoid damage.
✔ Properly clean or dispose of used filter elements, especially if they contain corrosive or toxic residues.
Regular cleaning of the entire filtration system — including housing and pipelines — prevents buildup and ensures melt flow. Many continuous-production plants also set up maintenance schedules to check sealing performance, connection parts, and overall system condition.
Conclusion
Although small in appearance, Polymer melt filter elements are essential to ensure stable production and high product quality. From working principles, material selection, structural design, to maintenance — every step involves engineering knowledge and innovation.
With ongoing industry upgrades, Polymer melt filter elements will continue to evolve, contributing to high-quality development across various fields.
