A continuous filtration process that starts with a new, particle-free filter medium usually goes through the following phases: The initial depth filtration in the given filter medium, the clogging phase in the given filter medium and the cake-forming filtration on the surface of the filter medium. Until now, these phases have been described using different modelling concepts, which make a holistic view of the entire filtration process difficult.

In a new holistic view of the entire filtration process, the traditionally distinct phases are to be described with the aid of a coherent model. According to this model, particle separation takes place during the entire filtration process in two coexisting filtering systems: In the case of a fiber layer as a filter medium, a fiber packing represents the one filtering system. All particles deposited in and on the fiber packing are regarded as the other coexisting filtering system, in which all these particles can be described together in the form of a granular-bed.

Model calculations can be carried out on this basis. An important aspect of this modelling approach is the investigation and corresponding description of the particle quantities separated by the two filtering systems. These assigned quantities of the separated particles by the respective filtering systems change with the filtration time both in their absolute quantities and in the form of a ratio.

Suitable experimental investigations are carried out to verify the corresponding model calculations. In microscopic in-situ investigations, serial images of the continuous loading process in real filter media are taken, which are used to document the changes in the loading status in small steps. The desired information is to be obtained by subsequent image analysis. The first results...