Resin Tank Loading: For Epoxy Resin Filtration & Resin Manufacturers
Synthetic resins (e.g., epoxy, alkyd, and phenolic resin) are intermediates used in a variety of final products; paint, printed circuit boards, wire coatings, adhesives and plastics. The critical nature of the final product will determine the level of filtration required – it may be 1 µm absolute or 70 µm absolute. Most resins have viscosities much higher than water, ranging from 10 to 10,000 cps or higher in addition to hard particulate matter, with many of these resins containing deformable gelatinous contaminants to prevent gel penetration. The filter cartridge pressure drop must be minimized through the use of pleated cartridges. Gel filtration takes place within the process, with a polishing filter used at the tank vehicle loading for removing any remaining contaminants. Prior to selecting a filter medium, the solvent base of the resin must be known as it is usually the most chemically aggressive component in the resin.
Problem
Resin production presents many challenges as the process is often at high temperatures and the process reaction generates unpredictable contaminant size, type and quantity. These contaminants and haze in the resin result in cratering, fish eyes, dull finishes, and particulate defects in the end user product, requiring the resin product to be reworked, regraded or even scrapped.
Filtration practices, such as continuous recirculation through a filter cartridges or filter presses, is not a cost effective means of contaminant removal and results in the following scenarios:
- Bypass and poor resin quality with redundant quality checks
- Filter change-out within a batch
- Increased production time, labor, and worker exposure to VOC’s
- Increased disposal costs and resin scrap
| Application Guide for Resins | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Feature-Tec Filter Cartridge | Source Location | Suggested Filter Rating | Product Links |
| NMO PE FCN FCE |
Resin Reactor | 25 – 75 µm | NMO PE FCN FCE |
| PE FCN FCE |
Solvent | 5 – 25 µm | PE FCN FCE |
| PE FCN FCE |
Storage Tank | 5 – 50 µm | PE FCN FCE |
Recommended Products:
FCN Nylon Melt-blown Filter Bag
FCE Polyester Melt-blown Filter Bag
Markets:
Resins: Epoxy, Alkyd, Phenolic
