Learn Online about Automatic Filtration Technologies

The days away at a conference and travel for work remain curtailed in 2021. Yet, you can still learn online. I’ve partnered with the American Filtration and Separations (AFS) Society to offer a short course March 16. Automatic Filtration Technologies for the Chemical Process Industries draws on my decades experience. I hope you’ll join me! The AFS course presented live online on Tuesday, March 16, from 9am to 11am CST (UTC -6), will cover automatic technologies designed to help alleviate…


API filtration technologies

Weighing Alternative API Filtration Technologies

Image source: Google images Being a process engineer is all about making choices. When it comes API filtration technologies, many different types of equipment can be used for removing catalyst residues. While conventional filtration equipment is operated manually, I recently worked with PharmTech on an article outlining how both candle filters and pressure plate filters are operated as automated systems. This article reviews what we discussed. Pharmaceutical manufacturers are increasingly…


Clear thinking about automated clarification technologies

Photo by SplitShire on Pexels.com This is an edited version of an article I wrote for The Chemical Engineer. I hope you enjoy this take on automated clarification technologies. Throughout my career in the solid-liquid separation market space, I have seen some interesting solid-liquid separation solutions. At one melamine resin facility, the slurry was in a formaldehyde process. The operators were wearing masks, opening up a manual plate filter in a room with residential floor fans, to dig out…


Raney nickel catalyst

Removing Catalyst Fines From Raney Nickel Catalyst Reactions

  Image source Whether you call it Raney nickel or Raney mud, this alloy of aluminum and nickel is a reagent common to many organic processes. Currently, most Raney nickel catalyst slurries are clarified with the use of manual plate or nutsche filters, bag filters, or cartridge filters.  Yet any of these approaches require manual operations for cake discharge and cleaning between batches or campaigns. At the same time, they accrue high labor, maintenance and disposal costs  and  expose…


pharmaceutical hydrogenation

Novel Filtration Technologies for Pharmaceutical Hydrogenation

Image source When it comes to removing catalyst fines from pharmaceutical hydrogenation reactions, BHS Filtration has come up with a novel approach. Currently, most hydrogenation slurries are clarified with the use of manual plate or nutsche filters, bag filters, or cartridge filters. All of these require manual operations for cake discharge and cleaning between batches or campaigns. At the same time, these units suffer from high labor, maintenance and disposal costs as well as the exposure of…