6 Ways the Chemical Industry Uses Wire Mesh Materials

The chemical industry plays a vital role in today's economy by transforming raw materials into a variety of substances. Companies that produce chemicals must adhere to strict standards, not only for regulatory reasons, but also because industrial chemistry is a precise operation.

Countless other industries rely on chemical production. These substances are an important part of the production of cleaning products, toys, cosmetics, paints, adhesives, rubber, textiles, clothing, electronics and food additives such as flavorings and preservatives.

To ensure the proper production of chemicals, the industry uses specific equipment, tools and materials, including industrial wire mesh products.

Wire mesh screens for the chemical industry

What are the uses of wire mesh in chemical production? Metal hardware cloth has a variety of uses in the industry, but most of them fall under the category of filtration.

Companies often use wire mesh for chemical industry filtration to separate liquids and gases, filter acids from alkalis, filter substances at extreme temperatures, remove static charges, prevent contamination and treat water. Here's what you should know.

1.Oil and gas filtration

Crude oil and natural gas make up a large portion of the raw materials that the chemical industry converts into products and substances. Metal screens are used to separate and process these hydrocarbons for chemical production.

2. Low to high temperature filtration

Stainless steel wire mesh is a very durable and long-lasting product, especially when galvanized. This material performs very well in a variety of harsh environments and severe temperatures.

For this reason, it is commonly used for chemical filtration of compounds in applications from very high to very low temperatures. Liquids and gases may undergo physical or chemical changes when they become extremely hot or cold, but the filter media (stainless steel hardware cloth) will remain intact.

3. Acid and base filtration

In chemistry, acids and bases are seen as opposites. Therefore, they often combine to neutralize each other, and this is how compounds such as salt, chlorine and hydrogen peroxide are produced.

Neutralization requires equal amounts of base and acid. Metal screen materials are used to filter the acid from the base (and vice versa) to obtain the exact amount required.

4. Electrostatic removal

Everything has a positive, negative or neutral charge. Products and substances can generate excessive positive or negative charges, sometimes called static charges or electrostatic charges.

This can be a safety issue or a chemical issue. Woven wire screens are used by the chemical industry to remove static charges from chemicals and production materials.

5. Contamination Prevention

As with many other markets using laboratories and plants, the chemical industry must be extremely careful about contamination.

In addition to affecting chemical reactions, it can slow down production and lead to lost profits. Stainless steel wire mesh with a small micron weave is essential for removing contaminants, refining compounds and purifying substances.

6. Water treatment

Speaking of contamination and purification, the chemical industry also uses wire mesh to treat and filter water. H₂O is a key component of many chemical processes, which need to be clean, pure and free of contamination. Mesh filters can be used to extract biological contaminants and chemical impurities from water.