In industries where water management is critical, choosing the right filtration strategy can make the difference between compliance, efficiency, and costly downtime.
At Flocell, we’ve designed our XFM Modular Filtration Systems to deliver flexible, high-performance solutions tailored to the environment they serve.
Two of the most common approaches are Single Pass filtration and our Bio Dialysis process.
Both methods rely on the proven performance of our XFM Fines Filters but their applications, benefits, and outcomes differ.
Here’s what you need to know.
What is Single Pass Filtration?
Single Pass is exactly what it sounds like: water enters the filtration system, passes through once, and the filtered water is discharged.
This approach is ideal when there’s no opportunity to recirculate through a fixed body of water.
Typical applications include:
- Links to biofilters (moving or fixed bed)
- Integration with DAF units (dissolved air flotation)
- Pairing with lamella clarifiers, cloth filters, or screen filters
- Any process designed for straight-through, once-only water polishing before discharge
In essence, Single Pass filtration is a direct, efficient solution for systems where water moves linearly from treatment to outfall.
What is Bio Dialysis?
Bio Dialysis is a step beyond Single Pass. It’s a multi-pass, closed-loop process that delivers progressive water quality improvement over time.
Here’s how it works:
- Water is drawn from an existing body such as a settlement or balancing tank
- The XFM Fines Filter(s) processes this water at a higher flow rate than what is entering the tank
- Filtered water is then reintroduced into the same tank
Because the water cycles through multiple times, our XFM Fines Filter(s) have repeated opportunities to capture solids.
Over time, the suspended solids load within the tank decreases significantly.
The benefits don’t stop there:
- Progressive clarity: Each pass removes more solids, driving down turbidity
- No infrastructure changes: The existing outfall remains unchanged, discharging as normal
- Built-in protection: Once solids are fully removed, the tank can act as a shock buffer, providing resilience in the event of a system failure and reducing the risk of compliance breaches
Think of Bio Dialysis as filtration with an added layer of insurance, constantly polishing water quality while safeguarding operations.
Choosing the Right Strategy
The choice between Single Pass and Bio Dialysis often comes down to site layout, available infrastructure, and risk tolerance:
- Choose Single Pass if:
- Your system is built for linear, straight-through flow
- There is no available settlement or balancing tank
- You need a compact solution integrated into existing upstream processes
- Choose Bio Dialysis if:
- You have an existing tank or body of water to recirculate through
- You want progressive solids reduction and higher clarity over time
- You want added protection against compliance risks and system shocks
Smarter Filtration, Designed Around You
At Flocell, we believe filtration should adapt to the environment, not the other way around.
Whether your site demands the efficiency of Single Pass or the resilience of Bio Dialysis, our XFM Modular Filtration Systems are engineered to deliver reliability, sustainability, and peace of mind.
💧 Ready to explore the best approach for your site?
Contact the Flocell team today to discuss your requirements.
