Managing Contaminants in High-Temperature Process Streams

Many refinery and renewable fuel processes rely on filtration systems specified by micron rating. This approach assumes contaminants behave as rigid particles that can be removed by pore-size sieving.

However, oftentimes hydrocarbon and mixed-phase process streams contain semi-deformable foulants—materials such as phospholipids, waxes, gums, and asphaltenic clusters that change shape under elevated temperature conditions.

Because these contaminants deform under real process conditions, micron rating alone is not always a reliable indicator of filtration performance. Semi-deformable foulants can bypass conventional filtration systems or rapidly blind filter surfaces, leading to unstable filtration performance and frequent cartridge changeouts.

SynGuard filtration technology was developed to address these challenges by focusing on contaminant behavior under process conditions, rather than relying solely on micron rating.

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Operational Consequences of Semi-Deformable Contaminants

Protecting equipment | Increasing efficiency | Reducing maintenance

In hydrocarbon and mixed-phase process streams, semi-deformable contaminants can behave differently than rigid particles under elevated temperature conditions. Because these materials can deform and pass through pore structures designed for rigid solids, conventional micron-rated filtration may not consistently prevent contaminant carryover.

This behavior can lead to several operational challenges, including:

• Rapid filter blinding and unstable differential pressure
• Frequent cartridge changeouts and maintenance interruptions
• Heat exchanger fouling caused by organic aggregates
• Contaminant carryover into downstream catalytic processes
• Inconsistent filtration performance across varying feedstocks

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Rethinking Filtration for Semi-Deformable Foulants

Designed to manage contaminants whose behavior is driven by interaction between organic and inorganic components.

By applying surface-energy-tuned layers and a lofted depth filtration architecture, SynGuard manages semi-deformable foulants and the fine solids they entrain under real feed-temperature conditions.

Traditional Pleated Filter	SynGuard™
Surface sieving	Depth entrapment
Rigid particle assumption	Semi-deformable targeting
Micron rating driven	Contaminant behavior driven
Early blinding	Progressive loading

This depth-based capture approach enables contaminants to be retained within the media structure rather than accumulating rapidly on the surface.

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Media Architecture Built for High-Temperature Filtration

Lofted media | Varied external screens | Lofted depth layers | Internal support 

SynGuard consists of a lofted (three-dimensional depth) filtration structure configured in a pleated geometry to increase effective filtration area while maintaining internal contaminant capture.

The media construction includes:

• Lofted depth filtration layers
• Surface-energy-tuned capture zones
• External structural screens
• Internal support layers designed for thermal stability

This structure enables controlled depth capture while maintaining stable differential pressure and extended service life in high-temperature filtration environments.

Learn how Jonell’s IntegraLabs can help you evaluate your fluid processes to see if SynGuard is the right fit for your business.

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Contaminants Commonly Found in Process Streams

SynGuard media targets both organic and inorganic semi-deformables such as:  

• Algae in offshore platforms
• Phosphorous-based deformables in renewable feeds
• Precursors to catalyst foulants
• Organic aggregates contributing to heat exchanger fouling
• Contaminants present in petrochemical feedstocks

These materials often behave differently than rigid particles, particularly under elevated temperature and pressure conditions.

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Product Range

Filtration flexibility | Suitable for a wide range of applications

SynGuard PE	SynGuard MT	SynGuard HT
Up to 250°F (121°C) continuous operation	Up to 365°F (185°C) continuous operation	Up to 425°F (218°C) continuous operation
Lofted synthetic filtration media in pleated configuration	Lofted polyamide filtration media in pleated configuration	Lofted aramid filtration media in pleated configuration
Low surface energy	Medium surface energy	High surface energy
Common applications: – Pretreated biofeeds for renewable diesel and SAF production – Circular economy feeds – Aqueous systems with organic contamination – Offshore water systems	Common applications: – Heavy petroleum fractions – Hydroprocessing feed systems – Catalytic dewaxing and hydroisomerization feed conditioning – Blended refinery feeds combining straight-run, cracked, and opportunity crudes	Common applications: – Heavy petroleum fractions – Hydroprocessing feed systems – High-temperature catalytic dewaxing and hydroisomerization feed filtration – Reactor effluent conditioning and hot separator downstream filtration

Filtration Specifications

SynGuard cartridges provide flexibility to support a range of filtration requirements and system configurations.

• Filtration rating: 1 to 50 µm nominal
• Absolute options: Available with integrated Beta 5000-rated media layers for customized configurations
• Flow configuration: Inside-to-outside or outside-to-inside
• Dimensions: Standard 5-inch OD and larger formats available
• Customization: Fully configurable platform including micron rating, layer construction, and geometry

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Total Filtration Solutions

Housings + Cartridges + Systems = Total Filtration Solutions

We design cartridges with the housing in mind to optimize the performance of the total solution. SynGuard cartridges can be used with a wide range of housings we manufacture.