A pump suction strainer or inlet strainer is a type of filtering device that attaches to a pump's inlet port and prevents particulate from damaging the pump or passing through the system to the final outlet. Suction strainers are found in a variety of places, including paint guns, hydraulic equipment, fuel pumps, industrial cooling systems, and water treatment facilities, among many others. Pump suction strainers are available as inserts, while others have inlet and outlet ports for installation at the pump head.
The suction screen or filtering element of a suction strainer is generally made of stainless steel to prevent rust or corrosion. It removes and retains particles too large to pass but allows the flowing media to pass with very little flow restriction. One important consideration when purchasing a suction strainer is the perforation or mesh size of the straining element with respect to the application at hand.