When running w1 I don’t use anything but it in the crc. When using celite, it’s not so much about the overall volume… you’re more so looking for a 1” thick cake after you compress it. 3/4-1” of celite is my go to for just about anything I’m using celite for.
I’d say the biggest thing on packing powders that’s become more evident the more I run, is that you always need to vacuum pack, or compress your powders with a tool of choice to get the best results.
The media does a better job when your product has to work to get through it.
I have run into an issue with W1 when using killa sintered disks, it seems that small amounts of W1 pull through. What kind of filter do you use? When I buy a sintered disk from BVV I do not see this issue. Curious what your procedure is, do you use a press to pack your powders?
You need to pack the w1 on to paper. I only use the sintered discs as a fail safe much further down after the paper. Going direct on the sintered disc is sure to disappoint. I have a 6” sintered 1um waiting for someone with the right touch to clean it.
Now I use paper only and am moving on to the tampon tek after my 1um sintered to help catch absolutely anything that tries to sneak by. Filtering down to .22um
I use vacuum assist with the top of the crc open, or if I’m packing media into the bottom of the material column, I just level the media and start to toss bio on top, and proceed to pack it with all my pent up aggression
Gotcha. I actually have 2 killa plates, a 5micron and a 1 micron. From what you said, I feel like I could keep powder from getting by by going 5micron plate with paper filter and powder ontop → 1micron filter with just a paper filter ontop → collection. I havent read through the tampon tek yet, but im guessing its a smaller filter just to catch any small bits. I’ll get to reading it.
I like to toss my media onto 3 stacked up 3um papers. That in theory (correct me if I’m wrong someone) should get me down to 1um. Then stack the 5um and the 1um sintered below it.
Tampon tek is a rolled up felt filter, a depth filter rolled up like a t-shirt shot out of one of those cannons). It’s the end all be all to protect your cls from powder that gets by. Anyone I know doing this has pretty much safeguarded their system from sub 1um disaster
Sadly, the stacking of filters with the same pore size does not change at what level they filter. Your three 3um filter papers are only filtering at 3um. What the stacking will do, however, is help prevent blowout.
I was told not so nicely on the site a while back and left my comment up, unedited, so that hopefully others would see (learn) and not be berated like I was. Nothing wrong with stacking filter papers. It can definitely help, just not in the way you are thinking.
Also, the 5um filter is not going to catch anything new, as the solution has already been filtered (really well) at 3um. Really, that filter isn’t doing anything at all. You may get more benefit to stacking the filters in decreasing pore size (5um > 3um > 1um).
Hope this helps (and that I was nicer than those who educated me! Haha).
Edit: Found the thread where I said that. People weren’t really as mean as I remembered (well, maybe @BG305 haha), and it was likely much more the overwhelming embarrassment I was experiencing. Here it is:
Never see anything past 2nd filter stack, and if I do its operator error, and is always verified before a run.
Particulates should scare you, lung tissue is incredibly sensitive to environmental factors like these, always handle powders with some type of face covering.
