Patent ID: 7048775

Claim:
An apparatus for monitoring the integrity of filtration systems comprising a filter housing which is provided for carrying out integrity tests and for filtration, said filter housing including two or more filter elements and an electronic monitoring and test unit which is provided for monitoring and for carrying out integrity tests, each filter element including an electronic memory element, having a communication part that is arranged in the filtration housing and is connected to the monitoring and test unit, and via which data can be read from the electronic memory elements; said apparatus further comprising at least one of (i) means for determining whether the filter elements in said filter housing are the correct filter elements and a means for inhibiting said apparatus if at least one filter element has been determined not to be correct and/or (ii) means for determining if limiting data has been reached by a filter element and a means for inhibiting said apparatus if at least one filter element has reached or exceeded said limiting data.