The most versatile and consistently efficient equipment for liquid-solid separation is the fabric filter. The media used for filtering is the heart of the total system and is a major factor in determining the efficiency of the system and the cost of its operation. Four factors must be considered in proper filter media selection – the fiber, the fabric, the finish, and the method of fabrication. Within these four factors, there are other important limiting considerations:
| FIBER SELECTION | 1. Resistance to heat |
| 2. Resistance to chemicals | |
| 3. Physical properties | |
| FABRIC APPLICATIONS | 1. Weight |
| 2. Clean cloth permeability | |
| 3. “Conditioned” cloth permeability | |
| FABRIC FINISHES | 1. Dimensional stability |
| 2. Flex and abrasion properties | |
| 3. Cake release characteristics | |
| FILTER FABRICATION | 1. Size |
| 2. Component parts (closures, rivets, tracking, etc.) | |
| 3. Seam construction | |
| 4. Sewing stitches, tension, needle type and size |