Strainers

Strainer Names

Liquid filters go by a variety of interchangeable names. Strainers are another name for bag filters, which are common filter types. This is particularly true of bags with poor filtering characteristics. A filtering instrument with a relatively modest amount of filtration is called a "strainer." For instance, a reverse osmosis water filter would never be referred to as a strainer since it has a very high degree of filtration done on a small scale.

Strainers are used to filter out bigger particles from a flow. For example, Big-pored strainers are used to filter undesirable large particles from milk while leaving behind desired, smaller particles when manufacturing dairy products. Strainers are often composed of metal and fashioned into a mesh for heavy-duty purposes. For lighter-duty purposes, they may be fashioned out of cloth.

Types of Strainers

The different types of strainers include:

Basket Strainers

Most water treatment applications use basket strainers. These strainers are typically installed in horizontal pipeline configurations and located upstream of machinery, valves, and other heavy equipment. Basket strainers serve as an effective pre-filter, keeping the machinery down the line from debris and damage. This helps cut down costs, replacement expenses, and downtime in the future.

Basket strainers are the best solution where ultra-fine filtration is required, but high pressure needs to be maintained. These strainers are often made from stainless steel because stainless steel is durable and easy to clean. Because of their basket shape, a larger filter area is created, and they have a high capacity to hold contaminants.

Even though the removal and cleaning of basket strainers are easy, and double or multi-cylinder configurations are available to help cut down on regular processing downtime. Selecting a mesh size will depend on the size of contaminants that must be removed. This makes basket strainers an effective and customizable filtration tool in all water treatment applications.

Duplex Strainers

Duplex strainers provide the same level of filtration as single strainers. However, they do not require a system to be shut down regularly for cleaning. The configuration of the double strainer allows workers to simply swap out strainers when one is full. The switch can be made while the system is functioning. Water pressure is only minimally affected when the changeover is being done.

Self-cleaning Strainers

Self-cleaning strainers provide continuous flow and little pressure change through a motorized filtration device. The water flows upwards towards the filter, which blocks suspended particles from passing through. These particles are pushed downwards to be collected.

When the pressure drops to a set point, contaminants are automatically eliminated through the flush valve. Shutting down the system is unnecessary because a backward system is used to continually clean the filter and remove debris. Self-cleaning strainers effectively filter water at every contamination level, from freshwater to brackish water to salt water. Self-cleaning strainers also provide a high level of filtration for high-viscosity liquids. These types of strainers can be used as both pre-filters and secondary filters in water treatment applications.

Temporary Strainers

Temporary strainers are installed to coarse debris and unwanted contaminants for a set amount of time. Once there is no longer any debris available in the system, the temporary strainer can be removed. A spacer washer is installed in its place. Temporary strainers use either flat disks or cone-shaped baskets for removing contaminants and are available in various mesh sizes. The cone-shaped strainers have a large filtration area. However, temporary strainers with a flat disk design are an effective choice when one can’t install baskets.

Applications of Strainers

• They are used for keeping contaminants out of equipment and machinery.
• Strainers are used in swimming pool pumps. For example, the basket strainer keeps the swimming pool clear of leaves, insects, and other debris on the bottom or surface of the pool.
• These strainers can remove larger particles like organic matter, sand, rocks, and chemical clots from a pipeline.
• In petrochemical operations, strainers are used because they can strain the undesired solid particles from fuel lines and transport pipelines.
• Strainers are also used in paint manufacturing.

Benefits of Strainers

• They are highly effective filters.
• Basket strainers have a high holding capacity with no change in pressure.
• The stainless steel design makes strainers easy to clean.
• Duplex strainers can be rotated out easily, without the need to shut down the system completely.

Choosing the Right Strainer Supplier

To make sure you have the most positive outcome when purchasing strainers from a strainer supplier, it is important to compare at least four suppliers using our list of strainer suppliers. Each strainer supplier has a business profile page that highlights their areas of experience and capabilities and a contact form to directly communicate with the supplier for more information or request a quote. Review each strainer company website using our patented website previewer to get an idea of what each business specializes in, and then use our simple RFQ form to contact multiple stainer companies with the same message.