The maximum flow rate through a filter bag is determined by the resistance to flow, indicated by its initial differential pressure when it is clean. As the filter bag deisgn becomes more complex with thicker materials and multiple layers the maximum flow rate is reduced. In the chart below the #2 size standard efficiency needle felt filter bags have a maximum capaicty of 176 GPM where as the same size ACCUGAF filter bag has a maximum flow rate of 66 GPM and that is because the ACCUGAF filter bag is fabricated from thicker, denser material and has multiple layers - a requirement to provide 99.9% efficiency.
The industry standard size filer bags are numbered 1 - 4. The "SE, 152, 154 and Certa-Seal" filter bags are for obselete Ronningen-Petter bag filer housings, however the filter bags themselves are still available.
The maximum flow rate chart per filter bag shown above is based upon liquids having a viscosity similar to water and for an initial clean differential pressure ≤ 3 PSI. We can calculate the number of filter bags required for higher flow rates and for higher viscosity fluids; we can also calculate how many filter bags are required to maintain a customer specified clean differential pressure. Our standard filter housings are available with as many as 24 filter bag chambers to handle flow rates in excess of 4,300 GPM.