3M POLYKLEAN Specifications

a 3M company

®

®

PolyKLEAN

All-Polypropylene Rigid Thermal Bonded Filters

Featuring:

Consistentfiltration
throughout the life of
the filter for superior
quality effluent

Up to ten or more times
the service life of
competitivefilters

Lowoperatingpressure
drop achievesthe
required flowusing
fewerfilterelements

Applications
Include:

Industrial Processes
Coatings
Food&Beverages
Oil & GasProcessFluids
Chemicals
Electronics
Pharmaceuticals

PolyKLEAN®Filter Cartridges

Advancing depth filtration through technological innovation

PolyKLEAN filters, manufactured using CUNO's rigid extrusion bonded technology, are
all-polypropylene depth filter cartridges offering premium features including:

consistent particle removal efficiencies throughout the filter's life,

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increased surface area for extended filter life,

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low initial pressure drop for enhanced flow, and

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high particle removal efficiencies at high flow rates (flux).

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The filter's extended service life results in fewer filter change-outs while its enhanced
flow characteristics can typically reduce the number of filters required to achieve a given
flow rate. These combined features of PolyKLEAN filters can

.

PolyKLEAN Filter Construction

The unique PolyKLEAN filter manufacturing process combines the superior process
control with the quality assurance enabled by an ISO 9001 certified quality system to
provide consistent product performance. The CUNO exclusive manufacturing process
provides a high degree of fiber-to-fiber thermal bonding, without the use of binders, to
produce a rigid, core-less, filter structure with the following properties:

FLOW

GROOVED

SURFACE

INCREASE IN

SURFACE AREA

does not unload contaminants with increasing differential pressure like

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typical meltblown filters,
allows grooves to be machined into the upstream surface, without

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tearing or melting the filter structure, providing more than double the
effective surface area, and

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exhibits exceptionally low differential pressure for a given filter rating.

Consistent filtration throughout the service life of a depth-style filter depends
on how well the filter’s structure tolerates fluctuations in operating
conditions - including contaminant loading and differential pressure.
Flexible structures, such as those found in typical meltblown and
string-wound filters, tend to compress and change porosity with increased
pressure, while rigid structures do not (Photo 1). Media compression can
result in short filter life because the pores collapse and ultimately close.

Feature Benefit

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Eliminates unloading at high differential pressure

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Rigid depth filter construction

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Enhanced contaminant holding capacity

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Grooved cartridge with extended surface area

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All polypropylene construction

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Materials of construction listed in FDA 21CFR and
ANSI / NSF Standard 42 and 61 certified

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Core-less filter structure

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Continuous integral length filter element (up to 40")

Efficient removal of deformable materials

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Consistently superior particle removal throughout filter life
and at high flow rates (flux).

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Fewer filter change outs

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Long filter life

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Promotes fuller utilization of the depth-matrix

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Long filter life

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Compatibility in a wide range of applications and operating
conditions

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No adhesives, binders, surfactants, lubricants

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Complies with regulations for food and beverage contact

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Approved for use in potable water applications

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Ease of disposal via incineration or shredding

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No bond joints to break

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Easy to install

Photo 1. - Compressible vs Rigid

Compressible

structures @ 35 psid

Rigid

2

Media compression can also cause the filter to release already held particles. The robust PolyKLEAN

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filter captures and retains contaminant within its rigid filter matrix, even under increasing differential
pressure. In addition, the unique depth filter structure of the PolyKLEAN filter provides a significant
increase in contaminant holding capacity and provides greater flow capacity at a given pressure.

Unlike soft meltblown and string-wound filters that require core support, the PolyKLEAN filter is
self-supporting and is grooved to provide greater than twice the surface area. The increase in surface
area prevents premature blinding of the outer surface by large particles and gels and promotes fuller
utilization of the depth-matrix. The result is significantly longer life than competitive cartridges.

PolyKLEAN Filter Performance

PolyKLEAN filters exhibit superior filtration characteristics. The rigid construction allows for
enhanced performance compared to other filter structures with equivalent removal ratings.

Superior Service Life

Extensive testing of PolyKLEAN filters has
demonstrated an appreciable advantage in service

Graph1.-Life Comparison of Filters Exhibiting

Similar Efficiency

life. Graph 1 compares rigid PolyKLEAN filters
to typical meltblown and string-wound filters of
equivalent efficiency. All filters were challenged
under identical conditions. Comparison of test
results, when test filters are subjected to the same
contaminant load up to 20 psid, shows the
relative life of the test filters. As depicted,
PolyKLEAN filters typically provide nearly twice
the life of its closest competitor, and up to10

Percent (%) of

PolyKLEAN Filter Life

100

50

PolyKLEAN

Meltblown 1
Meltblown 2
Wound Filte

0

Meltblown 3

times or more the life of some competitive filters.

Consistent Removal Efficiency

The rigid PolyKLEAN structure resists deformation, filter by-pass, compression, and particle unloading.
This allows PolyKLEAN filters to achieve excellent filtration efficiency up to its recommended
change-out pressure (35 psid), while typical melt blown and wound structures exhibit significant drops in

removal efficiency at much lower differential pressures (£ 10 psid).
To demonstrate the PolyKLEAN filter’s

removal consistency, efficiency at four
sampling points (initial, 0.5 psid, 1 psid,
and 10 psid) was measured on
PolyKLEAN filters and typical melt blown
and wound structures. All equivalently
rated filters were tested under the same
conditions to enable direct comparison.
As shown in Graph 2, PolyKLEAN filters
display a stable, consistently higher
contaminant removal throughout the
duration of the test. Note that the other
melt blown and string wound structures
yield erratic removal and as such can not
provide predictable performance even
under controlled conditions of uniform
contaminant loading and pressure.

Graph 2. - Efficiency Comparison of Filter Cartridges

Rated at 5 Microns

100

80

60
40

20

Percent (%) of

0

PolyKLEAN Efficiency

Initial

Differential Pressure (psid)

0.5

1

10

PolyKLEAN

Meltblown 1

Meltblown 2

Wound Filter

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