polypropylene oil filter?

[schwartr88]

I noticed that our water filters are made of polypropylene and have a nominal rating of 5 microns. Why not make an oil filter out of this material?

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[Alcibiades]

Too restrictive?

 

[Ray H]

Polypropylene melts at 320 deg. F. Might be a problem under really, really severe service conditions?

 

[Pete C.]

Too expensive.

 

[Filter guy]

We have two sources for a particular hydraulic part number we sell that the media is "microglass" style. Or a fully synthetic media.

One uses a standard metal wire to pleat the media.

The other uses polyproplyene to pleat the media.

We have had one account use the part number and the polypropylene melted. We have to sell them the other version.

 

[Gary Allan]

Polyproplyne should degade lower then 320F ..I think they don't recommend more then 150F for a working temp. 320F may be the extrusion temp used to form the stuff as a molten polymer (I used this stuff in extrusion and that temp sounds about right).

Cotton cartridges have a Type 304 stainless steel core. Maximum temperature is 250° F.
Polypropylene cartridges have a polypropylene core. Maximum temperature is 150° F.

Costs are for comparison only. Actual costs would probably be lower.



............ss core...................pp core

Size gpm Each Each
0.5 2
4535K41 $21.45 4535K71 $17.27
1 2
4535K51 22.60 4535K81 18.15
3 3
4535K53 27.40 4535K83 23.87
5 4
4535K43 17.68 4535K73 14.52
10 4
4535K55 24.30 4535K85 21.00
25 5
4535K45 15.77 4535K75 12.67
50 5
4535K57 21.94 4535K87 19.09
75 5
4535K59 21.00 4535K89 18.38
100 5
4535K47 14.28 4535K77 11.82
350 5
4535K48 14.28 4535K78 11.82


There's not much cost advantage of PP over a SS core filter in our scale of use.

If you can cool your oil below the melting temp ..PP has the advantage (Schultz - thank you) of being able to be totally incinerated.


BUT ...if you wanted to make a offline drip filter for used oil for makeup or whatever, I think that it would be a fairly quick deal. It wouldn't be as fine or as cheap as TP ..but would probably last a good while.

Anyone wanting a cheap(er) source for these types of filters ...I think I still have a contact for them by the case ..in just about any length/diameter and um rating (thanks to FG).

 

[Gary Allan]

Oh ..btw..these are only suitable as bypass filters. They only have about the same square inches of surface area as your small spin-on ..even the 20" cartridges have only about 125^" of surface area. They are a "depth" media. Although they may be flow rated ..I haven't been able to figure out at what pressure this is done at. I do know that we used PP for our massive water filters (about 30 20" carts in just one chamber of our tandem setup) ..the differential for service was like 50-60 lb before they were changed (our maintenance men were lazy - when you lost water ..they first got swapped to the other unit ..then when it went down - the next poor bast--- got stuck with changing all 60 on his work order).

 

[Schultz]

Polypropylene (PP) is molded/extruded at temperatures around 350°F. It has a softening point around 150-170°F, some even lower depending on the grade. I don't think it would be a good choice for hot oil. I think the cellulose, glass or cellulose/glass blend are the best choices.

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

So THAT's what they make the squirrel-cage center tube of the E-Core out of!

I KNEW it!

 

[Ray H]

I'm pretty sure you know better. But in case you're serious, e-core center tubes are nylon.

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

Yes, I was kidding..

 

[Dark Jedi]

I know form the water filters we use on our cooling tanks at work. if the temp gets above 130. it will collaspe and shrink the filters we use.

 

[turbochem]

quote:

---

I don't think it would be a good choice for hot oil. I think the cellulose, glass or cellulose/glass blend are the best choices.

---

But what if it looked better cut open? You know, "Filter X's construction looked more robust. They use a rigid polymer where other filters use flimsy cellulose"


(tongue firmly planted in cheek)