In the world of filtration, there are several factors to a given filter system that engineers and floor operators should be mindful of. For example, the amount of pressured drop within the system affects energy expenses, the longevity of your filter media, and the amount of stress on your machinery.
When working with woven wire mesh, in particular, the pressure drop can be calculated based on the profile of the weave pattern. With these calculations, you can draw several conclusions about the mesh specifications you are interred in.
W.S. Tyler has come to understand that selecting a weave pattern is a daunting task and is often overlooked. To help you truly gain trust in your mesh, we want to help you select a weave pattern that delivers optimal results and is a glove fit for your specific filter system.
The following article was written to help you makes heads or tails on how wire mesh specifications can influence the pressure with a filter system and will cover:
- What pressure drop is
- How pressure drop coefficient is calculated
- The takeaways pressure drop coefficient calculations provide
What Is Pressure Drop?
In the world of filtration, most filter systems have two sides of filtering: the input side and discharge side. The input side is where unfiltered solution is projected through the filter media, such as woven wire mesh, and the discharge side is where the filtrate is found.
Pressure drop refers to the difference in pressure seen between the input and discharge sides of your filter system.
How Do I Calculate the Pressure Drop Coefficient?
The pressure drop coefficient of a filter medium can be calculated with the equation: 𝜁=𝚫ρ/((ρ/2)ν2). In this equation, 𝜁 represents the pressure drop coefficient, 𝚫ρ represents the pressure difference between the input and discharge side of the filter system, ρ represents the density of the air, and ν represents the flowrate.
Now, having said that, there are several factors that are taken into consideration in regards to the pressure drop coefficient of woven wire mesh surface filters in particular. These factors include:
Fluid properties
- Process temperature
- Density
- Kinematic viscosity
Flow properties
- Volumetric flowrate
- Flow area
- Maximum pressure drop
Particle properties
- Particle size/particle size distribution
- Particle cut size
NOTE: A good rule of thumb to validate your calculations is that the larger the pressure drop coefficient, the larger the pressure drop.
What Does the Pressure Drop Coefficient Tell Me?
A properly calculated pressure drop coefficient provides insight into the permeability and genetic pore diameter of the woven wire mesh. This knowledge helps to ensure you implement a wire mesh filter cloth that is appropriate for your filtration operation.
With respect to the above note, having a lower pressure drop coefficient means there is a high flow rate. On the other hand, if your pressure drop coefficient is high, then there is a low flow rate or an increased resistance from the mesh filter.
Learn How the Perfect Wire Diameters Are Archived
Woven wire mesh is viewed as one of the most versatile filter media on the market. This is due to the fact that it delivers a perfect balance of precision and durability while also remaining budget-friendly in most cases.
Now, it is widely known that most parameters of women wire mesh filters can be customized. Of the parameters, the wire diameter is one of the more prominent as it plays a key role in both the accuracy and durability of your mesh solution.
This is why it's important that reliable fabrications processes are used during all aspects of the wire weaving process.
As W.S. Tyler has been helping customers weave wire mesh into their day-to-day tasks for 140 years, we understand that you may have uncertainties about how reliable your mesh is. We strive to resolve these uncertainties so you can reallocate your time towards improving other areas of your operation.
We’ve written the following article to help you better understand the ins and outs of wire drawing so you know how the wire of your mesh should be fabricated for peak accuracy: