Sparkler Filter
Sparkler Filter
Mechotech engineers and manufactures the Sparkler Filter as turnkey process equipment for enclosed polishing filtration of liquids ahead of downstream processing. The liquid is pumped into a vertical pressure vessel that holds a stack of filter plates coated with filter media, so suspended solids are retained on the plates while the clear filtrate leaves the vessel, all in a fully enclosed system. Mechotech’s articles on herbal and ethanol extraction place sparkler filters, with bag, cartridge and pressure-leaf filters, after extraction to protect downstream heat exchangers and evaporators, and its Bag Filter page names the sparkler filter for filter-aid filtration. The unit is designed around the client’s liquid, solids load and target clarity, then fabricated, installed and commissioned by Mechotech as a single scope.
The Sparkler Filter is built in SS 316L (or a process-appropriate grade) as a vertical pressure vessel on a skid with a feed pump, with an inlet and an outlet, a pressure gauge, a sight window and a local control box, as Mechotech’s illustration shows. The process liquid is pumped through the plate stack; solids collect on the coated plates and the filtrate is drawn off. Electropolished product-contact surfaces and CIP connections allow cleaning between batches, and PLC-based control supports repeatable operation. The plate area, the filter media or filter aid and the pump are configured to the liquid and the solids load, and the unit is delivered with full documentation to support GMP qualification.
Technical Specifications
| Equipment Type | Sparkler Filter — enclosed vertical pressure filter with a stack of coated filter plates |
|---|---|
| Working Principle | Process liquid is pumped through filter plates coated with filter media; suspended solids are retained and clear filtrate leaves the vessel |
| Duty | Enclosed polishing filtration ahead of downstream processing; filter-aid filtration where the process needs it |
| Vessel | Vertical pressure vessel on a skid, with inlet and outlet connections, pressure gauge and sight window (as shown in Mechotech’s illustration) |
| Filter Media | Plate coating or filter aid selected to the liquid and the target clarity (configurable) |
| Feed System | Feed pump on the skid; flow and pressure configured to the duty |
| Product-contact Material | SS 316L (or process-appropriate grade), electropolished |
| Automation | PLC-based control with a local control box |
| Cleaning | CIP-capable product-contact circuit |
| Capacity | Configured to requirement — pilot-scale to larger commercial installations with modular expansion |
| Compliance | GMP hygienic design; full documentation for qualification |
Plant Capacities
| Scale | Typical Use | Plate Stack |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot | Trials on the client’s extract or liquid | Small stack, configured to the trial |
| Production | Polishing of extraction-line liquids | Stack sized to the flow and solids load |
| Large production | High-volume clarification | Larger stack or multiple units |
Filter area, plate count and pump duty are sized to the liquid’s flow, solids load and target clarity; no fixed areas or flow rates are quoted on this page.
Manufacturing Process
Precoat or Media Preparation
Where a filter aid is used, the plates are coated with the media before the main run; the media and its preparation are selected to the liquid.
Liquid Feed
The liquid to be filtered is pumped through the inlet into the closed vessel.
Plate-Stack Filtration
The liquid passes through the coated plates; suspended solids are retained on the media and the clear filtrate collects inside the plates.
Filtrate Discharge
The clear filtrate leaves through the outlet to the next step, such as an evaporator or a storage tank.
Solids Removal
Once the plates are loaded with solids, the run is stopped and the retained solids are removed from the vessel; the arrangement is configured to the duty.
CIP & Changeover
The vessel and plate stack are cleaned in place between batches or product changeovers.
Major Plant Equipment
- Vertical pressure vessel with coated filter-plate stack (SS 316L, electropolished)
- Feed pump
- Inlet and outlet connections
- Pressure gauge and sight window
- Filter media or filter-aid preparation (where used)
- Skid frame and local control box
- CIP connections
- PLC-based control
Plant Output
Applications
- Polishing of herbal and botanical extracts after extraction
- Protection of downstream heat exchangers and evaporators (per Mechotech’s articles)
- Filter-aid filtration of liquids (per Mechotech’s Bag Filter page)
- Separation of spent carbon and fines after activated-carbon treatment (per Mechotech’s Activated Carbon Purification page)
- Pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and food liquid clarification
Key Features
Enclosed System
The liquid is filtered inside a closed pressure vessel, which limits exposure of the liquid during polishing; suitability for a flammable solvent is specified per project.
Filter-Aid Capable
Mechotech’s Bag Filter page names the sparkler filter for filter-aid filtration, where a coated medium is needed for fine solids.
Fits the Extraction Line
It sits after extraction and ahead of evaporation, where Mechotech’s articles place sparkler filters.
SS 316L, CIP-Capable, PLC Control
Electropolished SS 316L product-contact surfaces, CIP connections and a PLC control box support hygienic, repeatable operation.
Scalable Capacity
The filter is sized to the customer’s requirement, from pilot-scale validation to commercial capacity, with modular expansion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mechotech supply the complete Sparkler Filter?
What capacities are available for the Sparkler Filter?
Which industries use the Sparkler Filter?
What is a sparkler filter?
Where does a sparkler filter sit in an extraction line?
How does a sparkler filter differ from a bag filter or a cartridge filter?
How does it differ from a filter press or a Nutsche filter?
What information is needed to specify a sparkler filter?
Which related filtration pages does Mechotech list?
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