Velcon Filters, Inc.

 
Contact Velcon:
Phone:
719.531.5855
800.531.0180
Fax:
719.531.5690
Mailing Address:
Velcon Filters, LLC
1210 Garden of the Gods Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Email:
vfsales@velcon.com

 

     
 

Filter Sizing Information
FO Series Filter Cartridges

 
 

Housing Selection Guidelines


FILTER SIZING

  1. Select the desired filter cartridge type and micrometer (micron) rating.
  2. Determine the viscosity at the operating temperature for the fluid being filtered.
    See Oil Viscosity Characteristics - Data Sheet #1533.
  3. From the cartridge flow rate data estimate the flow rate that will result in a 2 psi differential pressure.
  4. Divide the total desired flow rate by the flow rate determined in 3, above. This will give the required number of cartridges.
  5. Select a filter housing that will hold the required number of cartridges.

NOTES:

  • For double and triple length cartridges find the flow rate for the equivalent single length cartridge and multiply by 2 or 3, as appropriate. For example, the triple length five micron rated FO-644PLF5M would have 3 times the flow rate of the single length five micron rated FO-614PLF5.
  • For recirculating lube and hydraulic oil systems where contaminant generation will be slight, it is common practice to size for a 5 psi initial pressure drop.

 


CARTRIDGE FLOW RATE (USGPM) VS. VISCOSITY DATA

FOR 2 PSI AND 5 PSI INITIAL PRESSURE DROPS

 

Cartridge
33 SUS
2 CS
39 SUS
4 CS
46 SUS
6 CS
59 SUS
10 CS
98 SUS
20 CS
142 SUS
30 CS
187 SUS
40 CS
2 psi
5 psi
2 psi
5 psi
2 psi
5 psi
2 psi
5 psi
2 psi
5 psi
2 psi
5 psi
2 psi
5 psi
FO-614PLF1/2
68
68
50
66
33
65
20
50
10
25
7
17
5
12
FO-614PLF1
68
68
50
66
33
65
20
50
10
25
7
17
5
12
FO-614PLF2
68
68
66
66
65
65
52
64
26
63
18
44
13
33
FO-614PLF5
68
68
66
66
65
65
64
64
63
63
53
62
40
61
FO-614PLF25
68
68
66
66
65
65
64
64
63
63
62
62
61
61
FO-614PLF75
68
68
66
66
65
65
64
64
63
63
62
62
61
61
FO-718PL1/2
50
50
50
50
38
50
23
50
12
29
8
19
6
15
FO-718PL01
50
50
50
50
38
50
23
50
12
29
8
19
6
15
FO-718PL02
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
31
50
21
50
16
39
FO-718PL05
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
FO-718PL15
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
FO-718PL50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
FO-618FGA5
68
68
66
66
42
65
25
60
13
31
8
21
6
16
FO-618FGA10
68
68
66
66
50
65
30
64
15
38
10
25
8
19
FO-618FGA25
68
68
66
66
50
65
30
64
15
38
10
25
8
19


Cartridge
233 SUS
50 CS
348 SUS
75 CS
463 SUS
100 CS
927 SUS
200 CS
1390 SUS
300 CS
1853 SUS
400 CS
2316 SUS
500 CS
2 psi
5 psi
2 psi
5 psi
2 psi
5 psi
2 psi
5 psi
2 psi
5 psi
2 psi
5 psi
2 psi
5 psi
FO-614PLF1/2
4
10
3
7
2
5
1
3
1
2
-
1
-
1
FO-614PLF1
4
10
3
7
2
5
1
3
1
2
-
1
-
1
FO-614PLF2
10
26
7
18
5
13
3
7
2
4
1
3
1
3
FO-614PLF5
32
60
22
55
16
40
8
20
5
13
4
10
3
8
FO-614PLF25
60
60
59
59
45
58
22
55
15
50
11
28
9
23
FO-614PLF75
60
60
59
59
58
58
45
57
30
56
22
55
18
45
FO-718PL1/2
5
12
3
8
2
6
1
3
1
2
1
2
-
1
FO-718PL01
5
12
3
8
2
6
1
3
1
2
1
2
-
1
FO-718PL02
12
31
8
21
6
16
3
8
2
5
2
4
1
3
FO-718PL05
41
50
27
50
20
50
10
25
7
17
5
13
4
10
FO-718PL15
50
50
50
50
42
50
21
50
14
35
10
26
8
21
FO-718PL50
50
50
50
50
50
50
30
50
20
50
15
38
12
30
FO-618FGA5
5
13
3
8
2
6
1
3
1
2
1
2
1
1
FO-618FGA10
6
15
4
10
3
8
1
4
1
3
1
2
1
2
FO-618FGA25
6
15
4
10
3
8
1
4
1
3
1
2
1
2

 

Figures in table are flow rates (US GPM) that will cause a pressure drop of 2 or 5 psi across the cartridge.

CONTAMINANT CAPACITY


Velcon recommends filter cartridges be changed when they reach 25 psi differential or in accordance with your company’s fuel handling procedures. The amount of contaminant a cartridge will hold before that point depends on many factors, the key one being the nature of the contaminant itself. A hard, particulate contaminant has very different filtration characteristics than a soft, gel-like contaminant.


Accurately estimating the life of a cartridge in a given application, therefore, is extremely difficult. However, when a cartridge has been sized for an initial pressure drop of 2 psi, the following rule of thumb is often employed for particulate contaminants: A 1 or 2 micrometer cartridge will hold up to 3 pounds of contaminant, and a 5 micrometer or greater cartridge will hold up to 5 pounds.

 

REDUCED FLOW RATE EFFECTS


The filter sizing above is based on a 2 psi initial pressure differential which is a widely accepted industry standard. However, where heavy contaminant loads are anticipated, a substantial savings in operating costs for cartridges and filter change labor can be achieved by over-sizing the filter. Reducing the flow rate per cartridge in half will increase the contaminant capacity of each cartridge by 30 to 50 percent. This means that doubling the size of the filter will increase the total throughput between cartridge changeouts by as much as three times.

 

FO Series Filter Sizing Information - Data Sheet #1532