Where Metal Disc Filters Are Heading Next: Notes from the Field

If you handle hot, dirty, or frankly punishing process streams, a
Metal Disc Filter built from high-temperature metal fibre alloy fabric is hard to beat. The quiet revolution here isn’t flashy—it’s a better media architecture and cleaner sintering that lift stability, even when the system breathes heat and pressure all day. I’ve seen this in refineries and polymer plants; operators often say, “it just holds up.”

Why the market is moving

Three trends: higher operating temperatures (think >500°C), tighter ESG reporting that discourages disposable elements, and the need for stable ΔP under cycling. In fact, many buyers are swapping woven meshes for sintered fibre media because diffusion-bonded pathways don’t unravel. Also, the media used here—High Temperature Resistant Metal Fibre Alloy Fabric—happens to show low pollutant emission and surprisingly low combustion noise when the disc doubles as a burner diffuser. It sounds niche; it’s not.

Key specs at a glance

Media Options	316L, 304L, FeCrAl (RA), Inconel 600/625, Hastelloy C-276
Micron Rating (nominal)	3–80 µm (β200 at 10–40 µm typical; real-world use may vary)
Porosity	≈ 35–70% (ASTM F316 / ISO 4003 bubble-point correlation)
Operating Temperature	Up to 600–900°C depending on alloy; FeCrAl tops the chart
Max Differential Pressure	Up to 1.5 MPa for small discs; check test data per ISO 2941
Diameters / Thickness	Ø 10–300 mm; 0.5–5 mm stacks; edge crimp or ring-welded
Joining	Vacuum sintering, diffusion bonding, laser or TIG ring weld
Certifications	ISO 9001; material MTRs; RoHS on request

Process flow and testing (the practical version)

• Materials: fine stainless or FeCrAl fibres laid into graded mats; optional support mesh.
• Methods: cold pressing → vacuum sintering → precision laser cutting → edge forming/welding.
• Integrity & pore tests: ISO 2942 first bubble point; ASTM F316 bubble-point/flow; ISO 4003 correlation.
• Performance: ISO 16889 multi-pass for β(x); pressure verification per ISO 2941.
• Service life: often 12–36 months in liquids; gas duties longer. Clean by backflush or low-pressure pulse.
• Safety notes: thermal shock tolerance is strong; still, ramp rates matter above 600°C.

Where they’re used

Petrochem (amine treaters, flare gas polishing), polymer melt guards, hydrogen and syngas skids, solvent recovery, powder conveying, and even burner faces—thanks to low combustion noise, anti-clogging, and good security under cycling. Many customers say the discs keep ΔP flatter between maintenance windows.

Vendor snapshot (indicative)

Vendor	Media Grade	Certs	Lead Time	Notes
Hebei Porous Filters, Rm. C-1301, Hyde Park Plaza, Shijiazhuang 050056, China	FeCrAl, 316L	ISO 9001, MTR	2–4 weeks (≈)	Strong customization; good value for Metal Disc Filter prototypes.
EU Specialty Sinter House	Hastelloy, Inconel	ISO 9001/14001	4–8 weeks	Premium alloys; higher pricing.
Trader/Assembler	316L	Varies	1–3 weeks	Cost-effective; check traceability and test data.

Mini case notes

• Refinery amine loop: swapping to Metal Disc Filter (10 µm β200) cut average ΔP by ~18% and extended CIP interval from 3 to 6 weeks.
• Battery solvent polish: 5 µm stack reduced particle counts (≥10 µm) by ≈92% per ISO 16889-style test; operators noted quieter burner diffusers on the same media—nice side benefit.

Customization tips

For gas duties above 700°C, I’d lean FeCrAl. For chlorides, Hastelloy C-276 earns its keep. Edge-weld rings prevent fibre fray in reverse-pulse cleaning. And please, specify test method with your micron rating—bubble point (ASTM F316) versus multi-pass (ISO 16889) tells very different stories.

Data above are indicative; actual performance varies by media grade, stack design, and duty profile.

Authoritative citations

1. ASTM F316: Pore Size Characteristics of Membrane/Porous Materials
2. ISO 4003: Sintered metal materials — Determination of pore size distribution
3. ISO 16889: Multi-pass method for evaluating filtration performance
4. ISO 2941/2942: Verification of collapse/burst and fabrication integrity