What is a micron
Author:huahang Time:2016-10-15 13:21:55
A micron which is a value assigned to a filter, is a unit of measure in the metric system equal to 1 millionth of a meter in length.
It is used to indicate filters' ability to remove a certain size of partice. The average cross-section of a human hair is 50 micron. The human
eye can not see anything smaller than 40 microns in size.
A filter that has a rating of "5 micron" has some ability to filter particles as small as 5 micron. For example, a filter with a micron rating of
5 will filter out particles of 5 microns or larger and a filter with a micron rating of 10 will filter out particles of 10microns or larger.
Nominal micron rating and Absolute micron rating are two most common micron ratings used.
Nominal Micron Rating is equal to the smallest size particle that may get trapped. For example, the smallest particle a 20 micron
nominally rated system can trap is 25 micron. This doesn't mean a 30 or 50 micron particle may pass through.
Absolute Micron Rating is equal to the largest particle size that can get through the openings in the filter element.
If you are provided a micron rating by a filter manufacturer, it is important to ask if it is the nominal or absolute rating.