Cleaning Process Filter Cartridges Before Sanitization and Reuse
This Critical Insight Blog was developed in collaboration with Alconox, a fellow TCP Analytical company and manufacturer of cleaning agents especially suited for pharmaceutical, biotech, and food and beverage processing.
One good way to minimize filtration costs is to employ filters capable of being cleaned (and sanitized if required) for reuse. Preparing filters for reuse has two objectives. The first is to clean the filter by removing particulates and other contaminants that are causing reduced flow through the filter. The second is to sanitize the filters to kill any unwanted microorganisms.
In developing the process required to properly prepare filters for reuse, it is important to remember that sanitization and sterilization are not the same as cleaning.
Cleaning the filters is a vital first step. Otherwise, the high temperatures and/or harsh chemicals used for sanitizing the filter may cause the surface contamination to permanently bond to the filter, resulting in a permanent loss of flow capacity.
Identifying an effective filter cleaning procedure depends on several factors, such as particulate vs biological contamination and contaminant affinity to the filter material (binding).
For heavy particulate loading, often times a simple backflush is sufficient to clean the filter surface. This requires incorporating the backflush capability into the original system, or having an offline cleaning set up to do so.
Depending on the nature of the contaminant, simple flushing or even backflushing may not be sufficient for effective cleaning. In these cases, using a cleaning agent, such as Tergazyme® Enzyme-Active Powdered Detergent from Alconox, LLC can be a good choice to help break up the contamination and return your filters to good working order.
Filter cleaning using these agents is typically performed off line to prevent the cleaning agent spreading into the process. After removing the filter, the first step is a water rinse to remove loose and soluble particles. Depending on the cleaning process requirements, this may also include a backflush.
After flushing, the filter is then cleaned with Tergazyme® following the manufacturer’s instructions for use. The filter must be thoroughly rinsed after cleaning to remove all residual cleaning agent. The filter is then ready for any required sanitization steps. This can also be done off line (such as preparing the filter to be stored for later reuse), or inline after reinstalling the filter.
Critical Process Filtration has published detailed filter cleaning and sanitization instructions, including the use of detergents such as Tergazyme®. General cleaning instructions are also included in a recent TechNote published by Alconox Cleaning Process Filter Cartridges Before Sanitization and Reuse.
