Transverse flow self-cleaning strainer

A system for filtering particles from a fluid, comprising:

• a main line having the fluid flowing therethrough;
• a pump coupled to the main line, wherein the pump is configured to cause a portion of the fluid from the main line to flow therethrough, and wherein the portion comprises from about 1% to about 10% of the fluid in the main line;
• a strainer coupled to the pump, wherein the strainer comprises:
• a housing having an inlet, a first outlet, a second outlet;
• and
• a filter element positioned in an internal volume of the housing, wherein the filter element defines a bore formed axially-therethrough and a plurality of openings that are substantially transverse to the bore, wherein a first portion of the fluid that enters the housing through the inlet flows through the openings in the filter element into an outer annulus and exits the housing through the first outlet, and wherein a second portion of the fluid that the housing through the inlet flows through the bore and exits the housing through the second outlet, wherein the inlet of the housing is in direct fluid communication with the bore formed axially-therethrough the filter element and the outer annulus is provided between the housing and the filter element;
• a sensor coupled to the first outlet and configured to measure a flow rate of the first portion of the fluid that exits the housing through the first outlet;
• and
• a valve coupled to the first outlet and configured to be actuated to maintain the flow rate of the first portion of the fluid within a predetermined range.

A method for filtering particles from a fluid, comprising:

• introducing a fluid into a strainer through an inlet of the strainer, wherein the strainer comprises:
• a housing having the inlet, a first outlet, a second outlet;
• and
• a filter element positioned in an internal volume of the housing, wherein the filter element defines a bore formed axially-therethrough and a plurality of openings that are substantially transverse to the bore, wherein a first portion of the fluid that enters the housing through the inlet flows through the openings in the filter element and exits the housing through the first outlet, and wherein a second portion of the fluid that the housing through the inlet flows through the bore and exits the housing through the second outlet, wherein the first portion of fluid comprises from about 1% to about 10% of the fluid that enters the housing through the inlet, and wherein the second portion of the fluid comprises from about 90% to about 99% of the fluid that enters the housing through the inlet;
• measuring a flow rate of the fluid entering the housing through the inlet with a first sensor that is coupled to the inlet;
• measuring a flow rate of the first portion of the fluid that exits the housing through the first outlet with a second sensor that is coupled to the first outlet;
• comparing the flow rate of the fluid entering the housing through the inlet and the flow rate of the first portion of the fluid that exits the housing through the first outlet;
• and
• actuating a first valve coupled to the first outlet when the flow rate of the first portion of the fluid that exits the housing through the first outlet differs from the flow rate of the fluid that enters the housing through the inlet by more than a predetermined amount.