Automatic screen filters are a type of filter that can be used to separate fine particles out of water. This is done by placing a screen in the way of the water’s flow, allowing the water to pass through, but blocking the particles from passing through with it.
Most frequently, automatic screen filters are compared to media filters. People tend to be unsure of which is better, as they do both have their pros and cons. For many reasons though, the general majority tend to favour automatic screen filters.
1. Less water used in backflush
One of the big advantages of automatic screen filters is that they use significantly less water during the backflush phase of filtration. Since the backflushing process uses a portion of the previously filtered water, it is preferable that not too much of it be used to send backwards through the system, as it is slightly counterproductive.
Automatic screen filters use a focused backflush as a self-cleaning method. This means the water is forced backwards through the screen to loosen and remove the particles that got caught in the screen while it was passing through the other way.
Often, the system will begin its self-cleaning process based on the pressure it senses. When the pressure reaches a certain level, the system knows it requires cleaning, and will activate the backflushing process. This is one common method but different systems complete the backflushing process differently.
2. Cheaper
For many reasons, automatic screen filters cost the user less. Firstly, the system itself can be less expensive compared to other types of filtration systems. As well, they use less energy to run, and do not have many moving parts that would need replacing – and for those that do need replacing, the parts are not generally very costly.
In addition, these types of screen filters can be used as a primary filter, which helps filter out the bulk of the particles and causes the less frequent replacement or repair of other filtration systems being used in tandem.
3. Lower maintenance
As mentioned, automatic screen filters have few moving parts that require maintenance or replacement. They are fairly self sufficient in that they clean themselves and don’t often break down. Every so often it may be necessary to manually clean the filter to remove some debris that has become stuck, or to give the screen a more thorough cleaning than the self-cleaning feature is able to do.
However overall, these filtration systems are very independent, and as a result are actually recommended for remote worksites.
4. Smaller but still powerful
Automatic screen filters are fairly small and do not require a lot of space for installation. However, they are still able to manage the filtration of huge quantities of water. Automatic screen filters can be made to handle flow rates anywhere from 10 to 3500 cubic meters per hour, depending on the system.
5. Can filter out most particles
Automatic screen filters can be made to handle particles of various microns. A micron is one millionth of a meter. For reference, the human eye cannot detect anything smaller than 40 microns. Automatic screen filters are efficient at the filtration of particles from 2000 microns all the way down to 10 microns. Some say that automatic screen filters are not ideal for filtering out certain particles.
One example often used is that algae, for instance, can turn into string-like pieces that fit through the holes in the screen filter. Even so, automatic screen filters are advancing and some models now claim to be able to efficiently remove organic materials like algae and slime from the water.
