A filter candle is provided, comprising



one or more filter elements shaped as hollow cylinders of porous material, the filter elements having substantially identical inner and outer diameters and are disposed coaxially with each other;
a support element comprising a metal tube disposed within the filter element(s), said metal tube having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the filter element(s), said metal tube having a wall with a plurality of perforations; and at least two annular sealing disks having an outer diameter equal to or larger than that of the filter element(s) and an inner diameter smaller than that of the filter element(s), wherein first and second terminal sealing disks are disposed at opposite axial end faces of a single filter element or of a plurality of filter elements disposed in line,

wherein the filter elements are compressed between the first and second terminal sealing disks.