Application Case: Solving Carbon Particle Contamination for a Malaysian Customer

In 2024, Pullner received feedback from a customer in Malaysia. The customer was producing a high-purity liquid product used in an electronic manufacturing process. During their final quality inspection, small black carbon particles were occasionally found in the finished product. Although the quantity was not large, the particles created a serious risk for downstream users, especially in processes where product cleanliness and particle control are strictly required.

For confidentiality reasons, the customer name, company name, and detailed product information are not disclosed.

Before contacting Pullner, the customer had already tried to replace the existing filter cartridges several times, but the problem was not completely solved. The original filtration system used a relatively simple arrangement: one set of standard pleated filter cartridges installed near the final outlet. This design could remove part of the visible particles, but it placed too much pressure on the final filter. Once the upstream contamination load increased, some fine carbon particles still had a chance to pass through or cause unstable pressure during production.

After reviewing the customer’s working condition, Pullner checked several key points, including the process flow, filter housing position, liquid flow direction, existing filter material, micron rating, operating pressure, and replacement frequency. Based on the analysis, Pullner found two main problems.

First, the filter arrangement was not reasonable enough. The customer relied too much on the final filtration stage, while there was no effective pre-filtration before the liquid entered the final filter. As a result, the final filter had to capture both large particles and fine particles at the same time, which shortened its service life and made filtration performance unstable.

Second, the original filter material was not the best choice for this application. The customer’s liquid had certain compatibility requirements, and the previous filter material had limited performance in particle retention and cleanliness. For a high-purity process, the filter material itself must have low particle shedding, low extractables, and stable chemical compatibility.

To solve the problem, Pullner suggested changing the filtration system from a single-stage filtration design to a staged filtration arrangement. A pre-filter was added before the final filter to remove larger carbon particles and protect the downstream high-efficiency filter. Then, a finer final filter cartridge was selected for the last filtration point before product discharge or packaging.

At the same time, Pullner recommended changing the filter material according to the customer’s liquid properties. The original standard material was replaced with a cleaner and more suitable high-purity filter medium. This helped improve particle interception efficiency, reduce the risk of secondary contamination, and maintain more stable flow performance during operation.

After the new filter arrangement and material were tested on site, the customer reported that the black carbon particle issue was significantly improved. The final product became cleaner, the pressure rise of the filtration system was more stable, and the filter replacement cycle was also more controllable than before. More importantly, the customer was able to reduce repeated product inspection and rework caused by particle contamination.

This case shows that in semiconductor and high-purity liquid filtration, the micron rating is not the only factor. Filter material, cartridge structure, installation position, flow distribution, and staged filtration design all directly affect the final filtration result. A suitable filtration solution should be selected based on the real working condition, not only based on a simple filter model or size.

Pullner can provide customized filter cartridge solutions for customers facing particle contamination, carbon particle issues, unstable pressure drop, short filter lifetime, or imported filter replacement requirements. By analyzing the customer’s process and choosing the right filter material and structure, Pullner helps customers improve product cleanliness and maintain stable production performance.

For more information about Pullner semiconductor filter cartridges and high-purity filtration solutions, please visit www.pullnerfilter.com.