Straining Applications for Wire Cloth

In straining applications, a strainer is used to “strain” or “filter” contaminates in a system that could flow down the line and damage more expensive pieces of equipment, or spoil a manufacturing process. In effect, a strainer could be viewed as a very inexpensive “insurance policy” to help protect the overall systems.

The most important part of the strainer or filter is the screen because it is the screen that guards an orifice or protects moving parts. One particle of scale, dirt, or other entrainment can cause serious damage to highly engineered, expensive equipment. To prevent equipment damage and protect against contamination, strainer screens must be designed of durable, corrosion-resistant materials with the specific application in mind.

Woven Wire Straining Applications

Woven wire is the most popular material used in the manufacture of modern strainer screens. This is partly due to its inherent characteristics — high percentage of open area and roundness — which favor high flow and are ideal for flow pattern. Other reasons for woven wire popularity in straining applications include its high strength and its ability to withstand extreme temperature variations, corrosive environments and vibration.

Woven screens find their greatest use in low and medium pressure applications. In high pressure service, the fine mesh screen may be supported by a coarse backing screen.

Straining Applications Meshes and Weaves

Plain weave screens ranging from .0008″ openings upward represent the bulk of strainer applications. For high pressures or heavy loads, twilled weaves or corduroy type weaves are available.

Filter screening, using aids, usually range from 60 to 100 mesh screens. In this service, twilled weaves or corduroy cloths are usually recommended.

Straining Applications Strainer Shapes

Basket strainers are designed and constructed to strain particulates out of high-volume process streams or processes with heavy soil loads, helping manufacturers increase productivity and protect product integrity.

Y-Strainers are devices for mechanically removing unwanted solids from liquid, gas or steam lines by means of a wire mesh straining element. They are used in pipelines to protect pumps, meters, control valves, steam traps, regulators and other process equipment. Y-Strainers are used in a wide variety of liquid straining applications to protect downstream process system components in many industries, including: chemical processing, petroleum, power generation and marine. Water handling applications, where Y-Strainers are used to protect equipment that could be damaged or clogged by unwanted sand, gravel or other debris, are very common.

Dorstener Wire Tech produces a wide range of wire cloth for straining applications. DWT offers solutions for corrosion resistance, high flow, high strength, and easy to clean straining applications.

Dorstener is ISO 9001 Certified, and all our products are manufactured to the highest quality standards. Our staff is available to help you design the straining wire product that will meet your design requirements and budget. Contact us today for more information about our wire used in straining applications.