FUNDABAC® Candle Filter for Demanding Solid-Liquid Separation
Specified for processes where containment, yield, and cake quality cannot be compromised.
When is FUNDABAC® the Right Configuration?
FUNDABAC® is the preferred configuration when the process requires dry cake discharge, in-vessel cake washing or drying, patented heel volume recovery, or fully enclosed handling of pyrophoric, toxic, or high-value solids. Each system is engineered to the specific separation duty, not adapted from a standard catalogue design.
Customized for Your Process
Filter area, element count, vessel geometry, discharge configuration, cake washing sequence, and automation logic are all specified per project, based on your process data and, where useful, filtration trials on your actual slurry.
Fully Automatic Operation
Filtration, cake drying, heel volume recovery, and discharge run as a single automated cycle with PLC or DCS integration, requiring no manual intervention between steps.
Built to Last
FUNDABAC® systems operate at temperatures up to 180°C, with special designs rated to 350°C, and have accumulated decades of continuous service in chemical, petrochemical, and oil and gas plants worldwide.
Engineered for Reliability
The FUNDABAC® vessel houses multiple hollow candle elements arranged vertically, with no moving parts inside. High-quality synthetic filter media and premium wetted metals are selected to the process chemistry, operating temperature, and solids loading.
Feed slurry enters the pressure vessel and pressure drives the liquid through the filter media from outside to inside, forming a uniform cake on the outer surface of each candle. Uniform cake formation determines filtrate clarity and cycle consistency.
At the end of the filtration cycle, a reverse gas pressure shock expands the filter media, cracking the cake and breaking it away from the elements. Solids discharge as a dry cake or reslurried cake depending on process requirements, fully automatically and without opening the vessel.
What's Inside a FUNDABAC® Filter?
FUNDABAC® FilterFUNDABAC® Candle Filter A sealed pressure vessel with no moving parts inside. Opening it up reveals the two components that do the work, the filtrate registers, and the candle elements suspended from them.
The Pressure Vessel
In operation the filter is sealed. Everything that follows happens inside, with no exposure to atmosphere.
Filtrate Registers
The candles hang from registers in the upper part of the vessel. They collect the clarified filtrate as it leaves the elements, and carry the gas pulse back down to discharge the cake.
The Candle Elements
Each element is a patented multitube candle. Pressure forms the cake on the outside, grooves in the profile help it adhere, and the filtrate escapes through the centre tube to the registers above.
Nothing That Moves
No rotating or sliding parts inside the vessel.
What Makes FUNDABAC® Operationally Efficient?
The fully enclosed, pressure-driven design keeps maintenance intervals to a minimum and supports a wide range of process capabilities within a single automated cycle, including cake washing, steam drying, filter aid application, and patented heel volume recovery.
Filter aid (precoat, body feed or both) can be applied if required
Uniform cake adherence for efficient drying and discharge
Patented heel volume filtration minimizes product loss
Optional cake washing for enhanced solids purity and/or product recovery
Exceptionally low operating and maintenance costs
Pilot and lab-scale units available for testing and process validation
Filtration Area
Customizable, ranging from lab-scale units (0.012 m²) to industrial-scale systems (300 m²)
Operating Pressure
Up to 20 barg. Designed for a wide range of industrial pressure conditions only dependent on selected design conditions for filter vessel
Operating Temperature
Up to 180°C, special design up to 350°C
Filter Media
PP, PVDF, PTFE, PPS, PEEK, PE, Stainless Steel 316L
Vessel Materials
Carbon steel, stainless steel (various grades), titanium, high nickel alloys, fiberglass
Lining Options
Hard rubber, PVDF, PFA, PP, Halar
Filter Internals
Stainless Steel (various grades) incl. high nickel alloys, PP, PVDF, PPS
Process Possibilities
Dry or reslurried cake discharge, cake washing, steam drying, heel volume filtration
Automation
Compatible with PLC or DCS for fully automatic operation
Cleaning
Option for sanitary design with CIP/SIP options for GMP compliance
Heel volume filtration is a patented process that allows our filters to recover the residual liquid (the “heel”) that remains at the bottom of the vessel after standard filtration is complete. Instead of discarding this heel or leaving valuable product behind, the system recycles it using a smart flow design.
How it works:
From the lowest point in the vessel, the heel is pumped back via the feed pump and dispersed through a centrally located spray nozzle in the filter cover.
This creates a fine spray that is evenly distributed over the filter elements.
The heel liquid is then pushed through the existing cake using gas pressure, completing a final filtration step and increasing yield.
This method also supports efficient cake washing, where the wash liquid is sprayed in the same way. Because the liquid is evenly dispersed and pushed through the cake with minimal volume, this technique significantly reduces wash liquid consumption compared to conventional methods.
Why it matters:
Increases yield (less product loss)
Facilitates batch integrity
Reduces waste volume and environmental load
Improves cost-efficiency
Loads from YouTube
Loads from YouTube
Loads from YouTube
Loads from YouTube
Loads from YouTube
BP OIL
"DrM filters have operated reliably and trouble-free, keeping our amine in excellent condition with minimal operator involvement."
Cydsa
"DrM filters have been in long-term operation and remain in excellent condition. We are very pleased with both the filters and the support provided."
Hitech
"DrM filters have been operating trouble- free for many years and remain in excellent condition. We are very satisfied and hope to cooperate again in the future."
GNFC
"We are able to operate our TDI plant at over 100% of its rated capacity with a single DrM filter running for more than 3 months continuously. The performance has been very satisfactory."
Roquette
"DrM filters have been in operation for over a decade and remain in excellent condition. They require little maintenance, and the support from DrM has been excellent."
SKC
"Over the years, we have gradually expanded to seven DrM filters, appreciating their reliability and low maintenance in our operations."
Pilot & Lab Testing
for Your Process
Lab and pilot-scale FUNDABAC® units are available for on-site or off-site testing under real process conditions. Testing establishes filtration rate, cake quality, wash efficiency, and discharge behavior before committing to a full-scale system, reducing scale-up risk and supporting confident process decisions.
Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQDoes DrM supply just the filter, or a complete, integrated system?
FUNDABAC® is available as a standalone filter unit or as a semi-skid or full-skid package that integrates pumps, piping, and controls into a single delivered system, sized to fit directly into your existing process line. Sizes range from small standalone units up to industrial installations above 300 m² of filtration area. Each filtration cycle runs through PLC or DCS automation, so control logic is built in rather than something your team has to engineer separately, and that same automation lets it run from your plant's existing control system instead of as a manual standalone step. The right scope, filter only through full turnkey package, gets defined through the application questionnaire below.
Can FUNDABAC® handle difficult or high-solids slurries, or does it need filter aid?
FUNDABAC® is built to handle a wide range of slurry conditions, including fine and compressible solids, achieving sub-micron particle retention and high solids capture efficiency. For particularly difficult or fine solids, filter aid such as precoat or body feed can be applied when required, though it isn't needed for every application. The system adapts to both dry and slurry cake discharge, so the right configuration depends on your specific solids loading and separation goals.
How much does a FUNDABAC® filter cost?
Every FUNDABAC® filter is engineered for a specific process, so there is no standard price list. The main cost drivers are filtration area, materials of construction, and level of automation. What's worth weighing alongside the purchase price is running cost: FUNDABAC® needs no filter aid disposal or routine cartridge replacement, and heel volume filtration recovers residual product that would otherwise be lost with every batch. The fastest way to get an accurate estimate is to download the application questionnaire below and send it back to our engineering team.
Is the FUNDABAC® candle reusable, or does it need replacing after each use?
Yes. FUNDABAC® candles are reusable, not disposable. After each filtration cycle, a reverse gas pulse cleans the cake from the element automatically, so the same candles run through many filtration cycles without manual media replacement. This is different from cartridge filters, which are designed to be discarded and replaced after a single use.
Can a FUNDABAC® filter include cake washing and drying in the same system?
Yes. Cake washing and steam drying are both available as built-in process steps, not separate equipment. Cake washing improves solids purity and product recovery, while steam drying dewaters the cake further before discharge. Both run within the same automated cycle, configured to match your process requirements.
Resources & Downloads
Access detailed brochures, technical resources, and our application questionnaire to learn more about our filtration systems, accessories, and performance monitoring options, or to help define the right solution for your process.
