CakeFil Candle Filtration for Chemical Processing and Petrochemical Applications
Chemical processing and petrochemical manufacturing present the most demanding combination of filtration challenges in industry: highly aggressive chemistries that attack conventional filter materials, fine-particle separations required at high continuous throughput, fully automated operation with zero tolerance for shutdown downtime, and in catalyst recovery applications, the economic imperative of maximum precious metal recovery from the reaction stream.
CakeFil's housing material range — from 316L stainless to Super Duplex and all-plastic inner parts — and its six filter cloth options from PP Mono to PVDF/PTFE address every combination of these requirements.
Petrochemical product filtration
Lubricants, process oils, and petrochemical intermediates carry fine particulate from reaction processes, equipment corrosion, and catalyst fines. CakeFil removes this contamination to sub-10 micron standards continuously — no cartridge disposal, no shutdown for element changes, no quality variability between cycles. PVDF/PTFE cloths with Duplex housings provide the chemical compatibility required for light hydrocarbon streams; higher-viscosity streams are addressed by adjusting flux and cake-build operating parameters per application — a configuration K Factor's application engineers establish for each installation.
Acid, alkali, and solvent stream filtration
Strong acids, concentrated lyes, and industrial solvents eliminate most conventional filter systems. CakeFil's PVDF/PTFE cloth with Duplex or Super Duplex housings and fluoropolymer-compatible seals handle pH from strongly acidic to strongly alkaline and are compatible with the organic solvent streams encountered in chemical synthesis, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and specialty chemical production.
- Acids: Sulfuric, hydrochloric, phosphoric, organic acids — PVDF/PTFE cloth, appropriate housing alloy
- Alkalis: Sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, ammonium solutions — PP or PPS cloth, stainless housing
- Solvents: Acetone, toluene, ethanol, MEK, NMP — cloth and seal selection confirmed per application
- High temperature: Up to 180 °C with PPS or PVDF/PTFE cloths — eliminating the temperature ceiling that rules out conventional polymer filters
Catalyst recovery — precious metal filtration
In catalytic process chemistry — hydroprocessing, fine chemical synthesis, pharmaceutical API manufacturing — catalyst represents significant economic value. CakeFil's sub-micron filtration with filter aid precoat makes it the technology of choice for precious metal catalyst recovery. The cake, concentrated with recovered catalyst, is discharged dry for direct return to catalyst regeneration. In a process consuming $500,000 of platinum or palladium catalyst annually, even a 1% improvement in recovery rate saves $5,000 per year.
Brine filtration — chlor-alkali and salt processing
Chlor-alkali membrane electrolysis requires brine with suspended solids below 1 mg/L to prevent membrane fouling and maintain electrolysis efficiency. CakeFil systems with diatomite or cellulose filter aid achieve the sub-1 mg/L standard required — in a fully automated, continuous system that maintains this standard consistently across production cycles.
Service Locations — Chemical and Petrochemical
Start Your 30-Day Free Trial
K Factor's 30-day free trial makes the K-Optifil or an inline pressure strainer system available in your facility at no cost and with no purchase obligation. We assess your flow rate, pressure, fluid, and contamination profile. We deliver and commission the system inline. You run it for 30 days and measure continuous flow performance, reject volume, and maintenance time eliminated. If the results don't justify the investment, return it. No invoice.
Available to qualifying facilities in the United States, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf markets.