The pressure drop is also related to the open area of a screen and the selected screen size opening. The smaller the screen size opening the larger the pressure drop created. As a screen becomes clogged the pressure drop will increase. Most piping systems permit a clean screen pressure drop of around 15 – 20 kPa. We typically recommend cleaning the screen when the pressure drop reaches around 70 kPa.
The maximum differential pressure that a screen can withstand is known as the screen burst pressure. Burst pressures typically exceed 100 kPa. However it is not recommended to operate a strainer near the burst pressure. Screens require periodic cleaning to ensure that they continue to perform and to ensure that the pressure drop across them remains low.
