Where it fits
When the question is not only whether a filter holds back particles but also how long it lasts, whether its structure is intact and whether its pressure drop is reasonable, this is the service. It is a complete cartridge performance platform covering retention, integrity, flow rate and dirt-holding capacity in one workup, so specifications and change-out intervals can be defined precisely. New and used cartridges are both accepted.
Key characteristics
Challenges use highly monodisperse standard particles — silica, gold and iron oxide, with the available sizes listed in the specification table above. Monodispersity is the precondition for reproducibility: if the particle size distribution is itself broad, the retention curve cannot separate the behaviour of the filter from the behaviour of the particles.
Pore size distribution and pore morphology can be cross-checked against the nominal rating in the same run. The porometer reads from 2 nm to 500 µm, and SEM at better than 2 nm resolution captures both top-view and cross-section images — when retention data and the nominal rating disagree, the cross-section often shows why straight away.
Integrity testing runs on a custom-built system covering all sizes and formats, with air pressure at the 30 psi standard or the condition the customer specifies. Cartridges from the same batch are compared under identical challenge conditions, which is what makes the results usable for specification and selection.
Choosing between options
Against the two neighbouring services, the split is capability versus cleanliness:
| Service | What is measured | Typical trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Cartridge performance testing (this) | Retention, integrity, flow and dirt-holding together | Defining specifications and change-out intervals, advanced-node selection |
| Nanoparticle retention testing | The nanometre-range retention curve only | Confirming the true filtration grade |
| Filter cleanliness testing | Organic extractables, metal extractables, particle shedding | Incoming inspection and contamination tracing |
Operation & change-out
What to send: cartridges of the same model, new or used. For a dirt-holding assessment, include an additional cartridge from the same batch, since that test runs the element to exhaustion. Please provide the nominal rating, end-cap style and operating flow range, and state the process chemistry the cartridge contacts. Turnaround is confirmed with the quotation from scope and sample count; samples are held for one month after closure.