Porous Media and Filtration

It seems that the importance of filtering particles from a fluid stream was first recognized for public health reasons. Indeed, the fact that membranous sacs such as bladders could prevent particle dust inhalation was already known to the Romans, and is mentioned by Plinius. However, the generalized use of filters had to wait until technology was sufficiently advanced, ln the course of time, filtration theories have been essential in the development of new and better filters. Despite the significant developments that have occurred in the last decades, the topic is still an active area for theoretical and experimental research. General filtration principles are known but in most cases the theories developed have not yet reached the stage of practical application. In this chapter the state-of-art about filtration and filters is reviewed