Rigid media filter contains porous metal, ceramic or plastic media. The media are more stable than the fabrics so do not distort under varying pressure.
Thus, any trapped particles are unlikely to be release. Also, there is unlikely to be migration of the medium into the filtrate. Metal and ceramic media can be used for high pressure and temperature.
Rigid media are often supplied in cartridge filter. They may be cylinders, multiple cylinder or a series of discs. Rigid media are expensive to throw away, their stability allows them to be cleaned to some extent.
Some media can be clean by the user but others will need to be sent to the manufacturer for high pressure backflush, ultrasonic or autoclave cleaning.