Laboratory filtration apparatus forms an important segment of the laboratpry equipment sector. No doubt it does multimillion dollar worth business world wide and the lab filtration equipment market is well set to reach $983 million by the year 2010. Filtration equipment are essential devices which uses filter to mechanically segregate mixtures. Besides filtering, thickening and clarifying mixture of various materials is also performed by the lab filtration equipment. Laboratory filtration equipment encompasses a broad range of products depending on the filtration mechanisms. It is actually the different mechanisms that makes filters work. effectively in removing contaminants of various type and varieties. Accordingly lab filtration equipment can be sub divided into three categories.
Types of Filtration
Macrofiltration :
It
is the simplest and the cheapest option in laboratory filtration. Ideally
macrofiltration suits best for filtration of particles which are equal or
greater to 50 µm.
Microfiltration :
Microfiltration process of separation is for particles or microbes which can
be with the help of a microscope. Microfilters are best suited for membrane
pore size ranging from 0.05 - 0.5 µm in diameter.
Ultrafiltration :
In case of ultrfiltration, a positive or negative pressure is applied to
drive a solution via a semi-permeable membranes. The size of the molecular
species ranges from 1 - 1,000 kd. The molecular shape of dissolved solutes
has a substantial impact on the retention characteristics. That is the
reason the pore rating for ultrafiltration (UF) membranes is some how
indirectly ascertained as the nominal molecular weight cut off (MWCO) which
has a retention capacity of approximately 95%.
Market Drivers for Laboratory Filtration
Equipment
- A major growth driver in the coming years would be the biotech
industry.
- R & D activities in the medical sector for developing new
treatments for fatal diseases.
- Heightened use of microfiltration membranes in laboratory filtration
applications.
- Enhanced investment flow in research and development activities
cutting across various sectors.
Market Drivers for Filtration Mechanism
- Mechanical separation : Mechanical separation also known as
interception is the most simple filtration mechanism. The principle is
that a particle in movement is stopped when faced with a passageway or
hole which is smaller as compared to the particle size.
- Gravity separation : Gravity separation is perfect medium for
both solid/liquid separation and liquid/liquid separation. The mechanism
uses the concept of density difference of the substances being
separated. Examples of this type are the gravity filtration equipment.
- Vacuum filtration : Vacuum filtration is a mechanism that is
basically used to collect a desired solid. Compared to gravity
filtration vacuum filtration is faster.
Laboratory Filtration Selection Guide
Procuring laboratory filtration equipment can be a complex task. The
decision is often plagued by a variety of factors. Some of these are with
regard to the nature of task to be performed, quality or price,to go in for
single vendor or multiple ones etc. Given here is a a simple guide to make
your task simpler:
- First it is important to ascertain the particle size which needs to
be retained or filtered. Membranes have the ability to hold back
particles that are equal to, and larger than their denominated pore
size.
- Then an assessment needs to be done for the chemical compatibility of
the membrane filter. This is done with regard to items to be filtered
like liquid or gas. A careful thought is to be given to the chemical
resistance properties of the parts of the filter that will be in touch
with the filtrate.
- Another vital point to be considered is the colour and surface
pattern of the membrane depending on the process to be performed.
- Lastly there is also a need to consider things like:
- - Hydrophilic or hydrophobic membranes
- - Temperature
- - Flow rate
- - Throughput
- - Sterilization needs
