When it comes to driving efficiency in any industrial process, filtration is often an unsung hero. It’s easy to overlook the importance of filtration and other small components that keep operations chugging along smoothly – but all too often, paying attention to these details can make or break your success over time. As industrial engineers and facility managers, controlling water clarity, enhancing heat transfer capabilities, and protecting equipment from corrosion are just a few reasons why having reliable and high-performance filtration processes can have lasting benefits for your business. Read on to learn more about the role of industrial filtration for enhanced productivity.
What is Industrial Filtration
Industrial filtration is the process of removing unwanted particles and impurities from a variety of industrial processes. As Relevant Industrial’s Filtration Product Manager, Ashley Goodenough, can attest, the importance of filtration cannot be overstated. With years of experience in manufacturing and construction, Ashley has developed a keen eye for detail, allowing her to understand the needs of each process plant. Her ability to look beyond the surface and view filtration from a broader perspective has allowed her to see what needs to be included to get the desired results. By removing these impurities and particles, industrial filtration ultimately leads to a more efficient and cost-effective operation, which is crucial in any industry.
The Importance of Industrial Filtration
Industrial filtration may sometimes seem like an afterthought, but this process can make all the difference in keeping your business running smoothly. By filtering out impurities in liquids and gases, filtration systems play a critical role in ensuring that your products meet high standards and regulations. Almost every industry relies on filtration, from pharmaceuticals to oil and gas, to maintain the integrity of its final products.
Filtration is also a crucial aspect of the manufacturing process, and it touches everything we consume. From the food we eat to the air we breathe, filtration is a part of everything we do. Have you ever opened a bag of chips only to find it stale? It's possible that contamination in the air was the culprit. Compressed air can be a breeding ground for microorganisms that can easily find their way into your favorite snacks during the packaging process. Manufacturers understand the challenges that they're faced with and work diligently to ensure that their products meet strict quality and safety standards. It's essential to recognize the importance of filtration in preventing contamination and maintaining product quality.
A More Sustainable Future
One key aspect in achieving sustainability and environmental friendliness within companies is by addressing the issue of filtration. Filters must be replaced regularly, but what happens to the old ones? Take, for instance, disposable masks during the COVID-19 pandemic - the amount of waste created from these single-use products has been staggering. This highlights the need for companies to rethink their filtration processes to keep contaminants out of the air and minimize the amount of disposable waste they generate. Finding sustainable solutions, such as reusable filters or responsible disposal methods, can help businesses achieve a cleaner, more environmentally friendly approach.
As we continue on our path toward sustainability, one innovation that is gaining momentum in the industry is renewable filters. Unlike the traditional filters made with non-biodegradable materials, these new filters are made with metal which can be cleaned, recycled, and reused. This not only ensures that we are not contributing to landfill waste but also helps us toward our goal of achieving a more sustainable way to use our resources. By choosing reusable filters, we are taking a step in the right direction toward a greener future. Improving air quality while creating less waste is a win-win situation.
Filtration Moving Forward
As an expert in the industrial filtration industry, Ashley notes some important trends businesses should be aware of. “We get filtration in refrigerators so that we can have clean water, but how often are we actually changing the filter? You see the light go off and ignore it. Next thing you know, your water doesn’t taste as good as it used to - because you ignored changing the filter. It’s the same with industrial filtration,” says Goodenough. “Can you get by without changing it or adding a filter? Probably. But will your end result be as good? Probably not.”
Filtration has become integral to almost every industry sector, including refineries, power plants, food and beverage, hospitals, and morgues. It plays a vital role in keeping workers safe by ensuring the air they breathe is clean - especially in refineries where breathing air inside can be 2-3 times dirtier and more polluted than outside air. People often focus on the end product or the tools used during production, but it's equally important to consider the workers' safety in the industrial process. One key aspect of keeping workers safe is ensuring that the air they breathe on the job is as clean as possible. By utilizing filtration systems, we can help remove harmful particles from the air, creating a cleaner, healthier work environment. This holds true not only in factories and plants but also in our own homes. It's important to understand that the air we breathe on a daily basis may not be as clean as we assume it to be.
When was the last time you changed the HVAC filters in your home? It is common to overlook this essential task, yet the air we breathe inside our homes directly impacts our overall health. It is not just the outside pollution that affects us but also the indoor pollutants we often overlook. The most common home appliances, such as refrigerators and washers, can create unwanted air pollutants, leading to poor indoor air quality. With the growing concern about global warming and its effects on our health, maintaining your HVAC filters should be a top priority. We owe it to ourselves and our families to maintain a healthy living environment, and clean air is essential.
Relevant Filtration Solutions
As the world progresses, industrial filtration will remain a critical component of the industrial process. Keeping up with changing regulations and increasing environmental awareness can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Investing in high-quality reusable filters and safe disposal methods can have a tangible impact on sustainability outcomes. The consequences of cutting corners regarding filtration are profound, so it pays to work with an expert. Relevant Solutions provides experienced professionals and innovative products for all your filtration needs - from ensuring you comply with industry standards to offering even higher levels of safety than required. Relevant Solutions has the expertise and experience to help you bring your filtration methods up to par - give us a call or click today for a consultation.