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Many people have problems identifying the difference between a strainer valve and a filter. This is because they essentially perform the same task. A filter is any device that separates solids from liquids or gases. It does this by passing the fluid or gas suspension through a barrier, which is a particular filter medium. The filter then removes all the particles above a certain size and allows everything else to flow through. On the other hand, a strainer valve is designed to remove unwanted large particles from a liquid suspension in order to protect downstream equipment from being damaged. In most cases this is a pump or more delicate filter. The main difference between a valve and a filter primarily lies in the resistance. Strainers typically offer a lower resistance to liquid flow. As a result, the pressure drop across strainers is relatively small. On the other hand, the pressure drop across thicker media filters is significant. This is because a strainer valve is typically designed only to trap the largest particulates whereas filters are often more delicate and can capture much smaller particles. Another difference lies in the purpose. A strainer valve is typically used to protect other downstream equipment from being damaged. A filter is typically used specifically to separate particles from fluid. This is why many people consider a valve to be a type of filter. At the same time not all filters are considered to be valves. A majority of valves are mounted at a pump inlet in order to protect downstream equipment. This is because the pump inlet is the best location to provide their protective function in an effective manner. Strainer valves the benefit from having very little impact on the whole system in terms of pressure drop page. Plus, the strainer can be easily cleaned when it is located near the inlet. Filters on the other hand are simply deployed wherever they are needed most. While some are located near pumps there is no limit to where they could be utilized. Currently, there are several different types of strainer valves which are regularly used. One of the most popular is the basket type valve. It is popular because it is one of the easiest to use. This quick open design makes it easy to clean the screen while minimizing pressure loss. The Y-Type strainer is also popular. While there is a small amount of pressure loss because the filter area is more than twice the size of the nozzle cross-section, it is incredibly corrosion resistant and designed to be extremely resilient to high temperatures and pressures.
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