Coalescer Filter – Introduction, Working Principle, Feature & Application

Coalescer filter is a type of internally mounted coalescer filter element, made of materials such as micro-fiberglass, synthetic fibers, and thermoplastic resins. Its primary function is to separate liquid droplets and aerosols from gas and liquids. Each coalescer filter material has a range of filtering grades for various coalescer filter element functions and media and is specifically designed to meet application requirements.

It can be used to separate different petroleum-based liquids, such as hydraulic fluid, jet fuel, and others by removing water. This ensures the best possible fuel efficiency and operation of industrial equipment, motor vehicles, and generators. In addition, the coalescer filter element can be used to remove oil and water aerosols from compressed air systems. To prevent the coalescer filter element from clogging and restricting air or liquid flow, it is critical to ensure that your system has the right type of filtration configuration. Coalescer filter elements can operate alone or can be integrated into complex separation systems, depending on the application and filter media.

A white coalescer filter element
Working Principle

Different from traditional particulate filtration, which removes solid contaminants from gas or liquids. The coalescing filtration has two steps to remove undesirable substances.

  • Smaller particles may need interception and diffusion. However, particles larger than one micron can often be removed with direct contact filtration.
  • On the fiber material of the filter element, liquid droplets gather and coalesce at fiber intersections to form larger droplets that are attracted to the bottom of the filter element by gravity. Droplets grow larger and heavier as they accumulate and advance down the filter, eventually falling from the filter base into a drainage system.
Working principle of coalescer filter and coalescer separator filter
Advantages
  • Lower pressure drop with a large surface area
  • Protection for the downstream equipment
  • High efficiency
  • Longer service life
  • Lower maintenance and operation costs
  • High capacity and high flow rate
Application
Processing plants of oil and gas

Coalescer filters are used in a wide range of applications, including fuel filtering, petrochemical refining, oil and gas activities, and petrochemical operations. They can be employed in oil and gas refining systems to separate gas and liquid to create high-purity end products. Additionally, coalescer filter elements are employed to safeguard oil and gas refining machinery against water vapor, which can corrode pipes, storage bins, and other vital pieces of machinery. They can be utilized in practically any filtering system that needs to remove submicron liquid droplets and aerosols, including the cabin pressurization systems for airplanes.

Filtration is an important part of many industries, which can not be ignored. As one of the essential filtration systems, coalescing filtration is needed in many oil, gas, and liquid industries. It does fine filtration with 2 phases, coalescing droplets, and aerosols, and then removing them. Boedon has years of filtration experience and can manufacture replacement coalescer filter elements for various brands, like Kaydon. If you are interested in our coalescer filters, please feel free to contact us.