Filterability index test device

Clogging indices, or filterability indices, are currently the only parameters that give valid evidence for assessing how filterable a liquid is.

G.B. Project’s research in the field of filtration has led to what is currently the most advanced system for assessing and controlling the filtration quality of liquids in the food industry.

IF-LAB automatically runs the test and calculates the modified filterability index and the maximum filterable volume. It is used to assess the efficiency of the various filtration systems: precoat, sheet, cross-flow.

It is easy to use and comes with a Ø 25 mm membrane holder, a high-precision pressure regulator and a safety valve.

How the clogging index is calculated

The product is passed through a 3.9 cm² (Ø 25 mm) membrane with 0.65 micron pores, under a constant pressure of 2 bar. The time taken by 200 ml and by 400 ml of product is measured. The index is the time for 400 ml minus twice the time for 200 ml.

Example: with T200 = 1’15” (75 seconds) and T400 = 2’46” (166 seconds), CI = (166 − 150) × 1.66 = 27. The 1.66 coefficient converts seconds into hundredths of a minute, the unit in which the index is conventionally expressed.

Membrane filtration should be avoided if the clogging index is above 50.