Types of Wire Mesh for Filtration and Screening

Stainless steel wire mesh has excellent high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance and high strength, which enables it to maintain the stability of its chemical and physical properties in acid, alkali and humid environments. Therefore, the most common application of stainless steel wire is filtering and screening in extreme environments such as industrial petroleum, marine, aerospace and other fields. Stainless steel wire mesh of different materials and different weaving methods can be applied in different fields. 

The most common stainless steel wire meshes for screening and filtering are generally the following:

Stainless steel wire mesh for filtration and screening can be classified according to the material of the stainless steel used. Common grades include 304 & 304L, 316 & 316L, 201 and 202. In addition, nickel wire mesh, Inconel wire mesh and Monel wire mesh are also often used for filtration and separation in extreme environments because of their higher strength and corrosion resistance.

304 & 304L Stainless Steel Wire Mesh: 304 stainless steel is the most common grade of wire mesh. It is an austenitic stainless steel with 18% chromium and 8% nickel. 304 stainless steel wire mesh has excellent corrosion resistance and is often used for petrochemical liquid filtration, oil-water separation, food and beverage filtration. At the same time, because of the high temperature resistance of 304 stainless steel wire, it is also often used for refinery catalyst filtration, natural gas processing, high-temperature flue gas filtration, chemical gas filtration. In addition, the hygienic and sterile advantages of 304 stainless steel also make it often used in pharmaceutical factory sterile filtration and laboratory filtration equipment. Of course, in addition to being used in extreme environments, stainless steel mesh can also be used for general powder screening, ore grading and agricultural seed screening.

316 & 316L Stainless Steel Wire Mesh: This grade contains 16% chromium, 10% nickel and 2% molybdenum. The addition of molybdenum can improve the corrosion resistance of 316 relative to 304, especially the corrosion resistance to chlorides and other industrial solvents, so 316 stainless steel wire mesh is more suitable for marine environments, acid and alkali environments and situations where high-precision screening is required. At the same time, 316 & 316L stainless steel wire mesh has excellent high temperature resistance and can be used in high-temperature flue gas, high-temperature furnace exhaust filtration, and industrial waste gas purification. 316 & 316L are also often used in sterile environments, medical filtration and biological experiments due to their food and safety and antibacterial properties. In addition, they are also often used for metal powder, food powder and chemical screening.  

201 Stainless Steel Wire Mesh: As a low-cost alternative to 304, 201 grade stainless steel contains less nickel (about 5%) and more manganese and nitrogen. It is not as corrosion-resistant as 304, but is still suitable for less demanding environments. 201 stainless steel wire mesh is often used in applications where high strength and lower material cost are important factors. Because 201 stainless steel wire is not highly corrosion-resistant, this type of mesh can be used for general liquid filtration, such as tap water and lubricating oil, but because 201 stainless steel contains manganese and nitrogen, it has higher hardness and better wear resistance, and can be used for large particle screening of sand, minerals, grains, etc. In addition, most of the common ventilation system filters, air conditioning system filters, mechanical equipment protection nets and animal protection nets in our lives use 201 stainless steel wire mesh.

202 Stainless Steel Wire Mesh: This grade is similar to 201, but has molybdenum added to improve corrosion resistance. However, it is still not as effective overall in terms of corrosion resistance as higher grades of stainless steel such as 304 and 316. 202 is often used in environments where corrosion is not a major issue but cost savings are needed. For example, 202 stainless steel wire is often used in industrial liquid filtration with mild corrosion, screening of particulate matter and screening of ores, air filtration and ventilation mesh, food processing and agricultural screening, and mechanical equipment protection.

Nickel Wire Mesh: Nickel wire mesh is woven from high-purity nickel wire. Compared with ordinary stainless steel wire mesh, nickel wire mesh has higher corrosion resistance and can resist corrosion from acid, alkaline and salt solutions. It is particularly suitable for environments with strong acid, strong alkali and high chlorine content. It is most commonly used for filtering seawater, petroleum, and chemicals. Nickel wire mesh also has the characteristics of high temperature resistance and food grade safety. Therefore, it is often used as high-temperature filter elements and high-purity filtration in the pharmaceutical industry, such as fuel filtration systems for aerospace engines, filter elements in high-temperature furnaces, and filtration of medicines, injections, and biopharmaceuticals.

Inconel Wire Mesh: Inconel wire is mainly composed of nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr) and iron (Fe), and has excellent high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance and other characteristics. Compared with stainless steel wire meshes of other materials, the most outstanding feature of Inconel wire mesh is its high temperature resistance, so it is often used in high temperature gas filtration, aerospace, heat exchange systems, etc. Similarly, it also has the corrosion resistance, high strength, fatigue resistance and oxidation resistance of stainless steel wire meshes of other materials, which makes it also often used in petrochemical, marine engineering and natural gas filtration.

Monel Wire Mesh: Monel wire is usually composed of 63% nickel and 37% copper, and also contains a small amount of iron, manganese, carbon and silicon. Monel wire mesh has the characteristics of non-magnetic and can be used in environments that require electromagnetic shielding or anti-magnetic. It also has excellent corrosion resistance, excellent mechanical properties, good high temperature resistance and food grade safety, which also makes it often used for filtration and screening in the oil and gas, chemical, marine, aerospace, pharmaceutical and other industries.

The most common weaving processes for screening and filtration wire mesh:

In addition to the material that affects the use of stainless steel wire mesh, its weaving method is also an important factor that affects the application of stainless steel wire mesh. The most common weaving methods are Plain weave, Twill weave, Dutch weave, and Five heddle weave.

Plain weave: The plain weave has warp and weft threads arranged alternately, with each warp thread interlaced with each weft thread. It is the most basic weaving method. The stainless steel wire mesh of this weaving method has uniform mesh holes, a high open porosity, good structural stability and wear resistance. It is generally used for ordinary screening and protection, and is suitable for particle screening and mechanical protection nets.

Twill weave: Each warp and weft of the twill weave is interlaced with more than two silk threads, which is tighter and stronger than the plain weave. Therefore, it is more wear-resistant and has better compression resistance than the plain weave. It is suitable for filtering in high-intensity environments such as relatively high temperature and high pressure.

Dutch weave: The warp and weft diameters of Dutch weaving are different. The weft spacing is tighter, forming smaller pores, with higher filtration accuracy. It can be used for micron-level filtration. At the same time, it is more wear-resistant and pressure-resistant than ordinary weaving methods. Therefore, it is often used for some ultra-fine filtration, filtration under high temperature and high pressure, and filtration of air and liquid particles.

Five heddle weave: In this weaving method, each weft wire is staggered through four warps to form a unique grid structure with a smooth surface, which can reduce material blockage and is easy to clean. It has higher strength and rigidity than ordinary weaving and is suitable for scenarios with higher load-bearing capacity, such as oil and gas filtration, fine chemical production, pulp and paper industry, and high-load screening applications.

Cechen wire mesh manufacturer, we specialize in providing high-quality metal wire mesh designed for screening and filtration applications. Our products include stainless steel wire mesh and alloy mesh, offering exceptional durability, corrosion resistance, and precision. With a wide range of weaving techniques, we ensure that our wire mesh meets the specific requirements of various industries, such as industrial filtration, mining, pharmaceuticals, food processing, and chemical processing.

Whether you need standard specifications or customized solutions, we are dedicated to providing the best stainless steel screening and filtration wire mesh solutions. Our expert team is ready to assist you in selecting the right product for your application. Contact us today to discuss your requirements and get a tailored solution that ensures efficiency and reliability!