Apparatus and method for filtration of polymer melt

A device for filtering plastic melt comprising:

• an inlet valve;
• an outlet valve;
• a filter canister comprising a melt channel with a mouth formed in a wall;
• a removable cover configured to form a cavity when attached to the filter canister, wherein the mouth of the melt channel is in direct fluid communication with and opens directly into the cavity and the removable cover comprises a plurality of raised portions, the raised portions being opposite the mouth,
• wherein a plurality of filter cartridges are arranged in the cavity and each of the filter cartridges is formed by a filter substrate and a filter lattice,
• wherein the filter substrate is anchored to the wall of the filter canister opposite the removable cover when the removable cover is attached, the filter substrate comprising a wall having a plurality of openings, said wall defining an internal space, which opens through an outlet into a collection channel,
• wherein the filter substrate extends from the wall towards and is closed at a terminal end by one of the plurality of raised portions of the removable cover when the removable cover is attached to the filter canister;
• wherein the filter lattice covers the openings of the filter substrate,
• wherein the melt channel is adjacent to the inlet valve and is configured to be brought into fluid communication with an inlet channel via the inlet valve,
• wherein the collection channel is adjacent to the outlet valve and is configured to be brought into fluid communication with an outlet channel via the outlet valve, and
• wherein the removable cover fixes the filter lattices onto the filter substrates,
• a ventilation channel in communication with the inlet valve;
• a drainage channel in communication with the outlet valve, wherein the melt channel is configured to be connected to the ventilation channel via the inlet valve and the collection channel is configured to be connected to the drainage channel via the outlet valve;
• and
• a heat cup that is arranged to surround the filter canister and the removable cover when attached and configured to heat the filter canister, wherein the heat cup is spaced apart from the filter canister.