Critical Process Filtration Blog

One of the first questions many customers ask when evaluating filtration solutions is, “How many filters will I need?” Getting to the correct answer requires consideration of many factors.

When a process does not perform as expected, asking the question “What changed” is the best place to start. For over 20 years we have been helping customers find the culprit in their filtration process when suddenly results go awry. A robust, professionally designed filtration system will work the same way, every day, until something changes. Intentional changes are easy to figure out, but what happens when something changes in the process and no one is aware until a batch is compromised? That’s a critical point for process review and troubleshooting. Here are the top questions we ask in determining "what changed" so we can help get your operation back on track.

The alcohol, low oxygen content, relatively low pH, hops extracts (alpha-acids) and dissolved carbon dioxide in beer inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria. That is why beer has been a safe drinking alternative for so many centuries. However, some microorganisms can survive and even thrive in beer and spoil the flavor and aroma of any good brew.

DEVELOPMENT, SCALE-UP, AND VALIDATION OF PHARMACEUTICAL FILTRATION PROCESSES Our Technical Service Team performs application testing for a wide variety of fluids from water to complex chemical solutions. No matter what industry the customer is part of, we carefully document our test results and make recommendations based on those results. We get it right the first time.  For pharmaceutical applications, whether removing particles from ingredients entering the plant or sterilizing parenteral products, the testing, and documentation we routinely create help show the consistent performance required for the validation of the process.

Pore size ratings are an important indicator of how well a filter will remove particles of varying sizes from a liquid or gas. It is just as important to take into consideration whether the filter rating is Absolute or Nominal, and the removal efficiency stated for the rated pore size, as not all nominal rated filters are created equal.

It happens. Unfortunately, more often than anyone would like. You are about to process a new batch of fluids or adjust the current load and inventory status reports show that only half of the filters needed are in stock. Your next regular delivery is two months out. A phone call to your vendor reveals they can expedite your next order and it will arrive in six weeks. What do you do? You jump into crisis management mode, determined to figure out – how else can we get filters delivered fast? The answer to that question is now driving your business goal for that batch or shall we say, the cart is now leading the horse. In this article, we will discuss options for improving delivery strategies and putting the horse back in the lead.