Modelling of filtration processes of fibrous filter media

This work presents a stochastic approach, based on Monte Carlo method, to simulate liquid filtration processes through non-woven fibrous materials. The real filter material is represented as a multilayer medium with a network of multiply connected pores. To describe the deposition and resuspension of particles on and from the filter medium, the following four mechanisms were considered: particle capture by sieving, patricle capture by fibers; particle capture by blocked pores; and particle re-entrainment. The particle capture by fibers and blocked pores, and particle re-entrainment depend on the balance between the adhesion and removal forces. The adhesion forces for particles of diameter smaller than 20 μm were determined through the concept of London-Van Der Waals forces. For particles of diameter greater than 20 μm, gravitational forces were considered. Three-dimensional random flow was assumed to stimulate the particles motion through the multilayer medium. The pressure drop across the filter medium was calculated as the sum of the pressure drop across the clean filter plus the pressure drop due to the deposited particles.A FORTRAN Program was developed to implement the filtration process model. For a wide range of typical filtration conditions, the calculated filter efficiencies predicted the experimental results with a percent difference between 0.5 and 19.3 depending on the particle size. The filter material capacities were predicted with an average discrepancy of 23.0%     

A STAGGERED ARRAY MODEL OF A FIBROUS FILTER WITH ELECTRICAL ENHANCEMENT

A staggered array of parallel circular cylinders is proposed as a model for a fibrous filter. The flow field within the array is numerically solved utilizing Stokes' approximation. Electrical enhancement of the filter is modelled using the method of images. Predictions of pressure drop and collection efficiency are compared to experimental data and it is shown that while the model overpredicts the pressure drop it can give reasonable estimates of collection efficiency.     

Analytical expressions for predicting performance of aerosol filtration media made up of trilobal fibers

Despite the widespread use of fibrous filtration media made up of trilobal fibers (referred to as trilobal media here), no mathematical formulations have yet been developed to predict their collection efficiency or pressure drop. In this study, we model the cross-section of a trilobal fiber with three overlapping ellipses separated from one another by a 120° transformation. We generate 2-D models representing the internal structure of trilobal filters having fibers with different dimensions and aspect ratios, and used them to predict pressure drop and collection efficiency of trilobal filter media. This information is then utilized to define an equivalent medium with circular fibers for each trilobal filter. Our results indicate that the circumscribed circle of a trilobal fiber can serve as an equivalent circular diameter, and therefore be used in the existing empirical/semi-empirical correlations that have previously been developed for predicting performance of filters with circular fibers. We have also proposed easy-to-use expressions that can be used with our equivalent circumscribed diameters for calculating the pressure drop of trilobal media.     

OPTIMIZATION OF NONWOVEN FILTER PERFORMANCE FOR INTERMEDIATE REYNOLDS NUMBERS

The selection of a nonwoven air filter structure that is optimal for specific conditions is not simple and is affected by many factors. Traditionally, the selection process is based on experience and professional instinct. However, this approach to decision-making lacks an objective basis for making comparisons between alternative structures. In order to optimize the effectiveness of the filter performance, the decision-making process must be placed on a rational and objective basis.

In this paper, a general approach to a multicriteria optimization is discussed. Linear and nonlinear models are analyzed as well as compound criteria obtained by various combinations of simple criteria. An essential component of the optimization model is the criterion function, which is a mathematical expression of the optimization criterion deduced from the goals. Each criterion represents a filter characteristic, such as filter efficiency, pressure drop, flow rate, dust-holding capacity and, in some cases, economic indices.

The formulation of the optimization problem involves transforming filter performance into an equivalent mathematical model. A set of equations was developed to describe initial efficiency and pressure drop as well as efficiency and pressure drop for dust loaded nonwoven media at intermediate Reynolds numbers.

Using a simple mathematical method, the optimal structure of a nonwoven filter for a given set of conditions was obtained. A compound criterion can also be used as a quality factor in order to make comparisons between filters of different structures.     

Pressure‐Responsive Hierarchical Chiral Photonic Aerogels

Pressure‐responsive chiral photonic aerogels are fabricated by combining liquid crystal self‐assembly and ice‐templating processes. The aerogels have a hierarchical structure in which the primary 2D chiral nematic structured walls of cellulose nanocrystals form ribbons that support a secondary 3D cellular network. Owing to the flexibility of the aerogels in solvent, the 3D structure of the aerogel can easily be transformed to a 2D structure by pressure‐induced rearrangement. The aerogels vary from white in color, which arises from light scattering, to a reflective photonic crystal displaying bright iridescent colors that depend on the immersed solvent. A solvent‐sensitive ink that shows quick color response to different solvents is designed using the pressure‐responsive photonic aerogel. This material demonstrates a new response mechanism for the design of smart and mechanoresponsive photonic materials.     

Filtration of dust in a circulating granular bed filter with conical louver plates (CGBF-CLPs)

A novel circulating granular bed filter with conical louver plates (CGBF-CLPs) was designed to remove dust particulates from the flue gas stream of a coal power plant. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the performance of the CGBF-CLPs. Dust collection efficiency and pressure drop data were analyzed to determine better operating conditions. The effect of solid mass flow rate, collector particle size and dust/collector particles separator types on the dust collection efficiency and pressure drop in the CGBF-CLPs were investigated in this study. The solid mass flow rate (B) varied from 15.59+/-0.44 to 20.36+/-0.68 g s(-1) and the initial average collector particle sizes were 1500 and 795 microm, respectively. Two types of separators, a cyclone and an inertial one, for separating the dust and collector particles were used in the CGBF-CLPs system. An Air Personal Sampler (SKC PCXR8) was used to determine the inlet and outlet dust concentrations. A differential pressure transmitter and data acquisition system were used to measure the pressure drop. Experimental results showed that the highest dust collection efficiency was 99.59% when the solid mass flow rate was 17.08+/-0.48 g s(-1) and the initial average collector particle size was 795 microm with the cyclone type separator. The results showed that the attrition fines of the original collector particles returning to the granular bed filter (GBF) reduced bed voidage. This phenomenon significantly increased the dust collection efficiency in the CGBF-CLPs. As a consequence, a bigger bed voidage creates a lower dust collection efficiency in the GBF.     

高温烟尘陶瓷纤维过滤技术特性及其应用评述

在综述国外用于高温烟尘净化的几种主要陶瓷纤维滤料和高温陶瓷过滤器结构性能及其发展现状基础上,提出了比表面积大、净化效率高、过滤阻力低、初始投资低和运行较可靠的蜂窝覆膜陶瓷过滤器的选型择优建议;通过对陶瓷过滤器的应用评述,并结合我国对节能减排的客观需要,说明了在我国尽快发展用于高温烟尘净化的陶瓷纤维过滤技术的必要性。     

Optimization Technique for Design of Automotive Air Filter Housings with Improved Fluid Dynamic Performance and Filtration

A filter housing design technique has been developed that computes the housing geometry required to provide a user-specified velocity distribution through the filter. Appropriate control of the flow field across the filter can improve filter efficiency. Two-dimensional computational designs have been performed specifying a uniform velocity distribution through the filter. This distribution corresponds to a uniform, constant pressure drop across the filter from the upstream to the downstream side. A computational optimization method is used to minimize the variation in the pressure drop along the filter by changing the geometry of the upper wall. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations of the viscous laminar flow upstream and downstream of the filter are performed using two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations. As the upper wall profile is numerically changed, the CFD solution for the computations is repeated and the pressure drop variation is reevaluated until an optimum configuration is achieved. The optimization results have produced a pressure distribution that is very close to the specified uniform distribution. Experimental verifications were performed using a laser Doppler anemometer to measure the velocity distribution just upstream of the filter and a pressure transducer to measure pressure drops across the filter. The velocity distribution in this (optimized) housing is more uniform than other housing models having the same fundamental rectangular geometry.     

电气石颗粒/聚苯硫醚针刺毡复合过滤材料的过滤性能

为提高工业用过滤材料对细颗粒物的捕集效率,以袋式除尘用聚苯硫醚（PPS）针刺毡为基材,聚氨酯热熔胶膜为黏合层,通过溶液沉淀法将具有自发极化特性的电气石（TM）颗粒覆于基材表面,经热压处理制备了含不同纯度、不同含量、不同颗粒粒度的TM颗粒/PPS针刺毡复合过滤材料;利用SEM研究了TM对微细粒子的吸附情况,利用滤料性能测试装置研究了TM颗粒/PPS针刺毡的过滤性能,结果表明：附着TM颗粒后,TM颗粒/PPS针刺毡对亚微米粉尘过滤效率明显提高,TM纯度越高效果越好,纯度为87.16%时,滤料对0.3~1 μm粒子过滤效率提高幅度≥13.35%;最优附着浓度为5 mg·cm^-2时,用于综合评价滤料过滤效率与阻力的滤料品质因数Q_F值最高;TM颗粒粒径越小,过滤效率提升效果越明显,TM颗粒粒径18~38 μm时,对0.3~1 μm粒子过滤效率提高幅度≥7.25%。TM颗粒/PPS针刺毡复合滤料较传统针刺毡滤料过滤性能明显增强。     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF DUST FILTRATION IN SURFACE-TYPE NONWOVENS

Surface type nonwovens are widely used in industrial dust control. Recently, they have been utilized in some engine air filtration applications as automotive filters, heavy-duty engine self-cleaning filters or safety filters. Because of their mechanical strength and regenerative ability they are a perfect material for applications where filter replacement is a problem. On the other hand, the random distribution of fibers and needle punching may result in pinhole formation during dust loading, especially at high aerosol velocities. As a result, the seepage mechanism is common in applications involving fine solid aerosols.

In the inertia dominated region, the collection efficiency of particles depends on the adhesion probability. When particle momentum increases, the efficiency decreases. In general, there is no agreement between filtration theory and experiment when the Stokes number is greater than one.

Filter efficiency increases with dust loading when the filter medium is a good dust cake supporter. In this case, dust reentrainment, causing seepage, may occur at high aerosol velocities and pressure drops. In contrast, reentrainment in nonwovens can take place even at lower aerosol velocities and dust loadings. It is difficult to predict conditions favorable for dust reentrainment and pinhole formation. This process depends on media geometry, dust particle size distribution, and aerosol flow parameters.

This paper discusses filter performance of surface-type nonwovens exposed to polydisperse dusts. Filter efficiency and pressure drop are discussed as functions of aerosol velocity, dust loading, and dust particle size distribution.     

壁流式柴油机微粒捕集器材料和结构的研究进展

在壁流式柴油机微粒捕集器(DPF)的候选材料方面,重结晶碳化硅和硅结合碳化硅得到了最多的研究和应用,通过改进制备方法提高了DPF抗热震性、强度等关键性能。此外,钛酸铝、氮化硅、莫来石等由于具有各自突出的优点,也得到了越来越多的研究。在DPF结构方面,重点研究了孔穴密度及形状、入口膜等对捕集效率和压降等的影响。     

Granular bed filtration of high temperature biomass gasification gas

High temperature cleaning of producer gas from biomass gasification has been investigated with a granular filter. Field tests were performed for several hours on a single filter element at about 550 °C. The results show cake filtration on the granular material and indicate good filtration of the biomass gasification producer gas. The relatively low pressure drop over the filter during filtration is comparable to those of bag filters. The granular filter can operate with high filtration velocities compared to bag filters and maintain high efficiency and a low residual pressure.     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF DUST FILTRATION IN SURFACE-TYPE NONWOVENS

ABSTRACT

Surface type nonwovens are widely used in industrial dust control. Recently, they have been utilized in some engine air filtration applications as automotive filters, heavy-duty engine self-cleaning filters or safety filters. Because of their mechanical strength and regenerative ability they are a perfect material for applications where filter replacement is a problem. On the other hand, the random distribution of fibers and needle punching may result in pinhole formation during dust loading, especially at high aerosol velocities. As a result, the seepage mechanism is common in applications involving fine solid aerosols.

In the inertia dominated region, the collection efficiency of particles depends on the adhesion probability. When particle momentum increases, the efficiency decreases. In general, there is no agreement between filtration theory and experiment when the Stokes number is greater than one.

Filter efficiency increases with dust loading when the filter medium is a good dust cake supporter. In this case, dust reentrainment, causing seepage, may occur at high aerosol velocities and pressure drops. In contrast, reentrainment in nonwovens can take place even at lower aerosol velocities and dust loadings. It is difficult to predict conditions favorable for dust reentrainment and pinhole formation. This process depends on media geometry, dust particle size distribution, and aerosol flow parameters.

This paper discusses filter performance of surface-type nonwovens exposed to polydisperse dusts. Filter efficiency and pressure drop are discussed as functions of aerosol velocity, dust loading, and dust particle size distribution.     

静电增强纤维动态过滤的理论研究

为了推导、预测滤料间有外加静电场时过滤器效率和压降的变化并且分析各参数如纤维厚度、颗粒直径、电场强度对效率和阻力的影响,提出了建立在D．Thorns建立的数学模型的基础上的静电增强纤维动态过滤效率和压降的计算方法,首先计算了单纤维的过滤效率和压降,然后计算纤维过滤器稳定状态的过滤效率和压降,从而计算了纤维过滤器动态过滤时的效率和压降,得出了重要结论：粒子直径越小,压力损失越大；电场强度越大,过滤效率越大,压力损失越小；增加纤维厚度能显著提高过滤器的过滤效率。     

异丙醇处理对熔喷聚丙烯驻极体空气净化材料性能和结构的影响

本文通过测试过滤效率和阻力、热刺激放电谱、X射线衍射谱以及扫描电镜观测,研究了异丙醇浸泡和熏蒸对材料驻极体性能及微观结构的影响。结果表明,异丙醇浸泡与熏蒸都可以使材料中的电荷完全消失,但不会影响材料的晶相结构。浸泡后材料的剩余过滤效率比熏蒸后的高。浸泡与熏蒸对材料过滤阻力的影响不大。     

The effect of magnetic field on the performance of new design cyclone separators

In this paper it is attempted to improve the performance of the gas–solid new design cyclones with imposing magnetic fields. First, Eulerian-Lagrangian method is used to model the flow and to track the solid particles within the new design cyclones. The Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes equations with Reynolds stress turbulence model (RSM) are solved by use of the finite volume method based on the SIMPLE pressure correction algorithm in the computational domain. The velocity fluctuations are simulated using the Discrete Random Walk (DRW). Then, to investigate the possible influence of the magnetic field, horizontal and vertical distances of the magnetic source from the coordinate origin as influential parameters are investigated. Solid particles with three different diameters and with different materials including polystyrene, ferrous and nickel are used. Results show that applying a magnetic field can improve the collection efficiency for all different particles’ materials. Analysis of results proves that there is a strong correlation between cyclone performances. It is observed that the collection efficiency is very sensitive to vertical distance of the magnetic source from the origin. Moreover, providing higher efficiency without imposing pressure drop is the advantage of implication of a magnetic field.     

还原氧化石墨烯/MnO_2气凝胶对甲醛的去除

为制备新型高效去除甲醛材料,采用水热法制备了还原氧化石墨烯(RGO)/MnO_2气凝胶,通过SEM、TEM、TGA、XPS和BET对RGO/MnO_2气凝胶的形态结构及性能进行了表征,并研究了RGO/MnO_2气凝胶对甲醛的去除能力。结果表明:在RGO/MnO_2气凝胶的前驱体中,氧化石墨烯(GO)为单层二维纳米材料;MnO_2气凝胶由MnO_2纳米线组成,MnO_2纳米线的直径在40nm左右,长度达5μm以上,且属于隐钾锰矿型结构。RGO/MnO_2气凝胶是一种由片状材料组成的具有三维多孔结构的材料,该片状材料是由均匀分布的RGO纳米片和MnO_2纳米线组成的,RGO将MnO_2纳米线隔开,起到隔板的作用,使MnO_2纳米线在RGO中均匀分布。RGO/MnO_2气凝胶在100℃以下具有良好的热学稳定性。RGO/MnO_2气凝胶对低浓度甲醛具有较好的去除能力,去除率为62.5%,与MnO_2气凝胶相比,相同条件下RGO/MnO_2气凝胶对甲醛的去除率提高了30.0%,证实RGO有助于提高MnO_2对甲醛的去除能力。     

PERFORMANCE OF AGRICULTURAL VEHICLE CAB FILTERS MEASURED WITH MONODISPERSE AEROSOLS

The filtration efficiencies of various types and makes of filters used in the cabs of agricultural vehicles have been measured in the laboratory using monodisperse aerosols. Both new and used filters were tested, though in the latter case areas of minimal dust loading were selected as samples for testing in order to obtain results close to those expected from unladen filters. Monodisperse aerosols of urea, in the respirable and near-respirable size range, were used. The results showed that pleated paper and needlefelt filter materials were poor at capturing small particles, though they have the advantage of robustness and low pressure drop. Pleated glass fibre materials performed much better but with the disadvantages of high pressure drops and fragility. The electrostatic filters tested had a low pressure drop and high filtration efficiency, but the form in which they were used was not that which would result in the optimal efficiency, resistance and lifetime.     

Structure optimization of granular bed filter for industrial flue gas filtration containing coagulative particles: An experimental and numerical study

A numerical model for the flow and filtration characteristics of industrial flue gas in granular bed filter (GBF) was established and the local filtration efficiency for different granule layers was investigated. Numerical validation results show that the GBF structure with large size granules at the inlet region and small size granules at the outlet region can effectively improve the filtration performance of GBF and the underlying mechanism was revealed. Then an experimental system was built to validate the suitability of the optimized GBF structure for the filtration of industrial flue gas with coagulative particles. The experimental results show that the optimized GBF structure is also suitable and its superiority is more significant with the increase of filtration time. The results show that the pressure drop and filtration efficiency of the experimental system increase with the increase of dust particles concentration. The existing of coagulative particles is conducive to the growth of smaller size dust particles, the pressure drop and filtration efficiency increase significantly. In addition, the pressure drop and filtration efficiency decrease with the increase of cooling rate. The results of this study are expected to be useful for the design and optimization of industrial flue gas purification and waste heat recovery.     

Novel flow analysis of regenerator under oscillating flow with pulsating pressure

A new model for the oscillating flow combined with pulsating pressure in cryocooler regenerators is developed to overcome inaccuracy of the conventional flow model based on steady flow friction factor. The new model is based on two non-dimensional parameters and one-dimensional governing equations. One of the parameters is the oscillating flow friction factor represented by the amplitudes of the pressure drop and the flow rate. The idea of the other important parameter originates from a volume averaged continuity equation, which includes the characteristic of randomly oriented matrix geometry. This parameter is named as Breathing factor, which implies that the regenerator breathes against the main oscillating flow. Empirical correlations of the parameters are obtained for screen regenerators. It is revealed that the phase angles of the pressure drop and the mass flow rate in regenerators are well predicted by introduction of the Breathing factor.