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An obvious disadvantage of a permanent strainer of the types just described is the need to shut down the plant flow so that they may be cleaned. Where continuous operation is required in a pipeline service, duplex strainers can be used in an integral unit with the provision to isolate one element at a time for cleaning, or even having multiple strainers in one unit (as shown in Figure 3.6 ). Individual strainer elements or baskets are then made accessible via cover plates with static seals (usually O-rings).

The duplex or multi-basket strainer must still be watched to check for the need to swap baskets. Self-cleaning strainers may be used as an alternative to dual or multiple strainers where continuous operation is critical in the process system. Two
methods of self-cleaning are illustrated in Figure 3.7 – one uses a brush and the other a scraper. Brush cleaning is suitable for most applications, with scraper types more specifically suited for handling high-viscosity products.