Method of separating solids from liquids and/or separating emulsions

The invention concerns a method of separating solids from liquids for use with liquids containing solid components (for example, for filtering effluent) and/or for separating emulsions such as oil-water emulsions. It is proposed that a filter layer (3) consisting of thin, film-like filter particles should be used. These filter particles can be retained by sieve floors (4), thereby permitting the use of non-standard regeneration techniques such as very rapidly siphoning off the liquid enriched with the solids and/or emulsified droplets, drawing it rapidly through a drainage pipe (5), and increasing the pressure in the gas chamber of the filter.