Filter apparatus and method

A filter apparatus comprising:

• a filter housing comprising a tubular member having a longitudinal axis, a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, the filter housing defining a filter chamber having a sidewall defined by the tubular member, wherein the filter chamber has a substantially constant profile or a substantially continuously tapered profile along the longitudinal axis without constrictions or narrowing sections, the filter chamber comprising a plurality of mechanical filter elements for forming a static filter pack to perform mechanical filtration of a liquid, the mechanical filter elements each having an open cell structure comprising a plurality of open cells, the plurality of open cells each having a cross-sectional area less than 3 mm2;
• the filter apparatus being configured to generate a flow of the liquid through the mechanical filter elements during filtration;
• wherein the filter apparatus is configured to establish a flow rate per unit cross-sectional area of the static filter pack in the range 150 m3/m2/h to 550 m3/m2/h during filtration.