A filtration system using lightweight fibrous media (LFM) that are pre-compressed either 1) manually; or 2) in-situ using hydraulic flow; and where the LFM are forced to separate and relax for cleaning either: 1) manually, 2) in-situ in their filter housing, or 3) in an auto-clean system using separate devices in order to enact a particularly aggressive cleaning process. A plurality of lightweight fibrous media balls are pre-compressed and used to form a single mass that can filter water as the media are compressed by pre-compression before installation, or by water flow pushing on a pre-compression plate during filtration thereby forming a single mass providing multitudes of tortuous paths through which water can flow and the media can capture small particulate matter.

A filter module for binding particles from a particle-laden material mixture, in particular from an aerosol or from a particle-laden fluid, is provided. The approach of deforming an open-pored medium, in particular periodically, by means of a relative motion relative to a deformation unit and in this way producing a motion of the material mixture to be filtered through the open-pored medium is provided, whereby the material mixture is filtered by the open-pored medium. According to an embodiment, a cylindrical open-pored medium is introduced, together with a deformation unit, into a cylindrical housing and said open-pored medium can be deformed geometrically, in particular periodically, preferably at least along the cylinder axis of the housing and/or in the radial direction, by means of the deformation unit. According to an embodiment, a plurality of filter elements are arranged adjacent to each other with respect to the longitudinal extent thereof and are deformed with respect, to the longitudinal extent thereof periodically, preferably in an undulating manner, in particular substantially sinusoidally, wherein the deformation motions of the filter elements are phase-shifted with respect to each other.

Backwash shoes and methods of using backwash shoes are provided to increase the filtration area of a cloth filter media, the backwash shoe having a trailing surface formed from a series of merlons and crenels whereby some of the pile threads of the cloth filter media are compressed toward the support surface of the cloth filter media by the trailing surface and some of the pile threads remain in an extended or straightened position.

The present invention provides to a filter residue treatment device, comprising a means for supplying a pressurized fluid, a housing comprising a) a first inlet for the introduction of a medium different from the pressurized fluid and comprising a filter residue and b) a second inlet for the introduction of the pressurized fluid and an inflatable or flexible means comprised in the housing and configured and arranged for being operated by the pressurized fluid such that in an inflated or flexed state it pushes the filter residue comprised in the medium introduced through the inlet towards a filter means.