Inlet Filter and Method of Use

An inlet filter, the inlet filter comprising:

• a frame;
• filter material;
• a feed stream inlet;
• and
• a filtrate outlet;
• the frame comprising a thick portion and a narrow portion opposite the thick portion, the thick portion of the frame comprising the feed stream inlet;
• the frame comprising a spring-comprising portion, the spring-comprising portion having an equilibrium thickness, and the spring-comprising portion comprising a spring configured to apply a force tending to move the spring-comprising portion into an equilibrium configuration having the equilibrium thickness while the spring-comprising portion is not in the equilibrium configuration;
• at least a portion of the filter material being positioned along a bottom surface of the frame;
• and
• the inlet filter configured to filter at least a portion of a feed stream that enters the inlet filter, the inlet filter configured to retain a retentate and discharge a filtrate stream, the retentate comprising solid materials that cannot pass through the inlet filter, the filtrate stream comprising at least a portion of the fluid in the feed stream that passes through the filter material and any solid materials that pass through the filter material.