Reliable evaluation of filters used in nuclear power stations

The filter user is faced to a real problem when trying to define the removal rating of the filter he needs for a given application. It is of common knowledge that filter manufacturers do not use the same language. Methods used to validate the filters are different and this makes particularly difficult the comparison of performances of different filters. Not only the evaluation methods are different, but also the filter qualities and, particularly, the ability of filters to maintain their performances all over the period of use, in other words, their reliability. Poorly defined filter evaluation methods may oftenly mask filter weaknesses. This paper describes the method used by PALL Company to validate the filters used for particulate removal in process liquids and, particularly those used in the nuclear power stations in the different water filtration applications