Specialty filtration and separation equipment includes specialized or proprietary products and accessories for filtration and separation. A filtration system works by passing a gas or liquid through a media that traps contaminants. Filtration equipment uses centrifugal force, gravity or screens to separate solids from fluids, or to separate homogeneous materials based on particle size or specific gravity. Biological filtration uses wastewater-digesting microbes. Many industrial filtration products use calcite filters, deionization filters, or reverse osmosis membrane (ROM) filters. High performance membranes can be bonded to a variety of substrates. Depending on the application, specialty filtration and separating equipment can use linear, round, or elliptical motion. An air filtration product can use the electrostatic properties of airborne contaminants in their removal. Cryogenic air separation equipment produces liquid oxygen, nitrogen and other gasses of high purity. An emergency filtration product can be used to recover spills, clean up release of hazardous materials, and provide safe drinking water. Dust filtration can be used to improve indoor air quality, recover products, or remove contaminants from process air.

Specifications for specialty filtration and separating equipment include the compatibility of the filter medium with various substances, the flow rate in gallons per minute, filter efficiency, and working and static pressure (for pressure filters). An air filtration product or industrial air filtration system may include a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, ultra low penetration air (ULPA) filter, or super ULPA SULPA) filters. An industrial filtration product designed to separate water from oil can remove specific forms of water, such as air compressor condensate from oil. Depending on the application, selecting specialty filtration and separating equipment may require an analysis of additional specifications.

Specialty filtration and separating equipment differs in terms of certifications and approvals. Technical Committee 131 of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) maintains standards that apply to many different types of specialty filtration and separating equipment. For example, ISO 2943 establishes standards for compatibility of filter elements with fluids. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the American Petroleum Institute (API) maintain ANSI/API 12J specification for oil and gas separators. Many HEPA filters meet Standard 586 from Underwriters Laboratory (UL).