Mineral Perlite

Perlite is an amorphous volcanic glass that has a relatively high water content, typically formed by the hydration of obsidian. It occurs naturally and has the unusual property of greatly expanding when heated sufficiently. It is an industrial mineral and a commercial product useful for its light weight after processing.

This expansion is due to the presence of two to six percent combined water in the crude perlite rock. When quickly heated to above 1600°F (871°C), the crude rock pops in a manner similar to popcorn as the combined water vaporizes and creates countless tiny bubbles which account for the amazing light weight and other exceptional physical properties of expanded perlite.

The physical character of expanded perlite bubbles lends itself to a variety of special purposes – including use as a filter aid separating small solid particles from liquids.

Lightweight expanded perlite bubble structures are milled and classified using strictly defined processes to produce perlite filter aids with specific flow characteristics. The various grades utilize the jagged interlocking structures (see image right) to create billions of microscopic channels between the filter aid particles to produce optimum flow rates and clarification abilities for a wide variety of applications.

The Benefits of Perlite as a filter aid

Perlite filter aids are lightweight, inert, impart no taste or odor to liquids being filtered, and are virtually insoluble in mineral and organic acids at all temperatures. Solubility in strong alkaline solutions varies depending on temperature and contact time.

Without using a filter aid the solid particles in the liquid will soon accumulate on filtering surfaces and block them. A perlite filter aid makes a filtering layer (cake) that transfers the actual filtering from the septum to the whole mass of filter aid. Filtration occurs in the tiny pores formed by the fine particles of filter aid.