Filtration

Filtration is the process by which solid particles dispersed in liquid or gaseous fluids are separated from the fluid. This process is done for two main purposes: (1) removal of suspended solids and (2) thickening. Removal of suspended solids is generally done for the purposes of treatment or remediation of air or water to improve the [Page 1115]quality of the fluid, and thickening is done as a sludge-processing technique. The mechanism by which filtration occurs is a mechanical or physical operation wherein some type of material or medium such as filter screens, filter paper, or some granular material such as sand or other materials is interposed and then gravity or pressure-pumping processes are used to separate the solids from the fluid as they are caught ...