Experimental filtration efficiencies for large pore nuclepore filters

Experimental filtration data were collected in an effort to validate an impaction model previously developed and presented. Using a sampler with a 9.5 μm pore diameter Nuclepore filter, collection efficiencies were measured for both liquid and solid aerosols over a size range of 2–9 μm. Data for the liquid aerosol showed good agreement with the impaction model; however, data for the solid aerosol indicated an appreciably lower collection efficiency than predicted by the model. The liquid aerosol data validate the impaction model. The solid aerosol data indicate particle bounce or reintrainment subsequent to impact and underscore particle capture as a problem to be dealt with if the Nuclepore surface is to be used as a size selective filter.     

Effects of an external electric field on the collection efficiency of air filters: Filtration mechanisms with an external e-field

An external electric field was applied on the filter to improve its collection efficiency, and the collection efficiencies of the different filters under various conditions were evaluated. Dominant electrical filtration mechanisms for each condition were investigated using experimental and theoretical approaches. Four types of air filters were used as test filters: a charged fiber filter, a low-grade filter with 50% collection efficiency in the most penetration particle size (MPPS) zone, and two high-grade filters with more than 95% collection efficiency in the MPPS zone. Three different particle charge states—neutralized, single-charged and uncharged—were considered. For neutralized particles, the external electric field led to a 14.5%p. and 2.5%p. increase in the collection efficiencies of the low-grade filter and charged fiber filter, respectively. With the electric field, the collection efficiency of the low-grade filter increased by 30%p. for single-charged particles. The electric field also affected the collection efficiencies of the charged filter and high-grade filters, but the effect was not significant. For uncharged particles, the electric field did not lead to a remarkable increase in the collection efficiencies of any of the filters. Through experimental and theoretical analysis, it was found that the polarization force imposed on the charged fiber was the dominant factor for the charged fiber filter regardless of application of the external electric field. The Coulombic force imposed on the electric field was the dominant factor for the low-grade filter, while both the Coulombic and the polarization forces affected the collection efficiency of the high-grade filter.

Copyright © 2017 American Association for Aerosol Research     

Ceramic filters with membrane coatings

Translated from Steklo i Keramika, No. 1, pp. 23–24, January, 1990.     

Surface-collection efficiency of Nuclepore filters for nanoparticles

The flat surface of Nuclepore filters is suitable for observing collected particles with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). However, experimental data on surface-collection efficiency are limited because surface-collection efficiencies cannot be measured directly using aerosol measuring instruments. In this study, the surface-collection efficiencies of Nuclepore filters were determined by establishing the ratio of the number of particles deposited on the surface of the filter visually counted with an SEM to the number of inflow particles counted by a condensation particle counter, using monodispersed polystyrene latex particles (30–800 nm) and silver particles (15–30 nm). Because Nuclepore filters with smaller pore sizes would be expected to produce higher minimum surface-collection efficiency and a higher pressure-drop, 0.08 and 0.2 µm Nuclepore filters were chosen as the test filters in view of both collection efficiency and pressure drop. The results showed that the minimum surface-collection efficiencies of the 0.08 µm pores at face velocities of 1.9 and 8.4 cm·s^?1 were approximately 0.6 and 0.7, respectively, and those of the 0.2 µm pores at face velocities of 1.5 and 8.6 cm·s^?1 were approximately 0.8 and 0.6, respectively. Because the pressure drop of the 0.2 µm pore filter was lower than that of the 0.08 µm pore filter under the same flow-rate conditions, the 0.2 µm pore filter would be more suitable considering the pressure drop and collection efficiency. The obtained surface collection efficiencies were quantitatively inconsistent with theoretical surface-collection efficiencies calculated using conventional theoretical models developed to determine the collection efficiency of filters with larger pores.

© 2016 American Association for Aerosol Research     

Permeability characteristics of carbonated concrete considering capillary pore structure

During carbonation process, the calcium phases present in cement are attacked by CO₂ and converted into CaCO₃ and the permeability of concrete is changing due to the change in porosity. The rate of carbonation depends upon porosity and moisture content of the concrete. Especially in underground reinforced concrete structures, the interior portion of concrete surface may be exposed to carbonation and the exterior portion of concrete surface exposed to wet soil or underground water. As carbonation proceeds from outer surface into internal portion of concrete, microstructure is also changed continuously from outer surface into internal portion of concrete. Even the deteriorations in the structures due to the carbonation have been reported more, research on permeability characteristics of concrete considering carbonation and micro-structural information is very scarce.In this study, the permeability coefficient in carbonated concrete is derived by applying a capillary pore structure formation model in carbonated cement mortar and assuming that aggregates do not affect carbonation process in early-aged concrete as a function of porosity. The permeability obtained from the micro-level modeling for carbonated concrete is verified with the results of accelerated carbonation test and water penetration test in cement mortar.     

Simulation of low pressure impactor collection efficiency curves

The collection efficiency of the low pressure impactors has been studied using numerical simulations. Flow field was modeled by solving the equations describing the time-average flow field (RANS) with a commercial CFD solver. Particle tracks were calculated separately using Lagrangian methods. Simulation results were verified against published experimental results. Effect of turbulent velocity fluctuations on the impactor resolution was investigated by comparing the ratio of the simulated to experimental impactor resolutions as a function of the turbulence level of the jet. It was found that the turbulence is the dominant mechanism reducing the resolution when the local Reynolds number is over 1800. Effect of jet-to-plate distance on the resolution of the low pressure impactor was studied in the case of low turbulence level. Highest resolution was achieved when the ratio of jet diameter to jet to plate distance (S/W) is 2. When the ratio is lower or higher, resolution is reduced because there is an increase in nonuniformity of the impaction conditions across the jet.     

孔径梯度分布对亲油型滤材气液过滤性能的影响

在天然气净化、大型旋转机械曲轴箱通风和压缩空气过滤等领域,气液聚结过滤器具有广泛的应用。利用滤材过滤性能实验装置,分析了气液过滤过程中不同孔径梯度分布的亲油型滤材的压降、穿透率和饱和度变化,比较了其过滤性能、内部液体分布特性以及对液滴二次夹带现象的影响。结果表明：在气液过滤过程“通道压降”阶段,孔径递增滤材压降和0.8 μm以上液滴穿透率的变化曲线具有明显的分层特征。不同孔径梯度分布滤材的稳态过滤性能存在明显差异,主要原因是滤材内部存在液体运移通道的传递现象。通过与孔径递减和孔径均匀分布滤材的稳态过滤性能对比,发现孔径递增滤材在保证较低压降的同时具有最高的品质因子,有利于减少液滴二次夹带现象的发生,且对0.8 μm以上不同粒径液滴均具有最高的过滤效率,即孔径递增滤材在气液聚结过滤器设计中更具优势。     

Filtration efficiency for bacterial aerosol through breathing filters

Tests determining the filtration efficiency for a bacterial test aerosol of Bacillus subtilis spores through filter cartridges of domestic materials and through filter cartridges where the principal filtering layer was an electrostatic material from Freudenberg company were carried out to determine the efficiency of purifying air from microorganisms using breathing filters. Tests of the breathing filters were prepared and carried out according to a procedure developed at the SRC FMBA of Russia. Spores of B. subtilis were elliptical and small (0.7 × 1.3 μm). Their concentration in the aerosol was (2.76-5.00)⋅10⁷ spore/m³. The tests were carried out with linear filtration rate 17 cm/s.     

Effect of pore structure on SO2 adsorption efficiency

The influence of the impregnation concentration of copper nitrate in a porous alumina pellet on the SO₂ adsorption efficiency has been investigated. The mechanism of adsorption and pore clogging has been analysed on the basis of the partitioned pore structure model and the results has been compared with the experimental breakthrough curves. The complete conversion of the pellet was attained in the low concentration of impregnation. The breakthrough time could be increased by increasing the concentration in the range from 2.0 to 6.0 mol// copper nitrate solution when the SO₂ concentration was about 3000 ppm. The conversion rate however, dropped rapidly as the pore clogging occurred at the higher concentration than the optimum level.     

The particle collection efficiency of a cascade of cylinders

The entry flow and the trajectories of small solid particles into a fibrous filter, which is modelled as a single row or cascade of cylinders, is examined. Both large (potential) and small (creeping) Reynolds number flows through the cascade of cylinders are treated using the Boundary Element Method (BEM). Results for the collection efficiency are presented as functions of the Stokes number for both types of flow and are shown to be in excellent agreement with existing published results. An asymptotic expansion of the flow is developed both upstream and downstream of the cascade and it is shown to significantly affect the collection efficiency.     

变孔隙毛细芯平板热管性能

毛细芯是热管的核心部件,单一均匀孔隙毛细芯往往难以同时兼顾高性能热管对于毛细抽吸力和渗透率两方面的需求,变孔隙毛细芯则可以根据需要分别设置变化的内部孔隙分布,同时满足所需要的毛细抽吸力和渗透率。本文以纤维毡为主要材料制备不同孔隙分布的变孔隙毛细芯,搭建变孔隙毛细芯平板热管实验台,通过实验研究毛细芯的孔隙分布等参数对平板热管的启动性能和传热性能的影响,研究结果表明：含有变孔隙复合毛细芯的平板热管比含均匀孔隙毛细芯的平板热管性能更好,启动所需的时间更短,热管的传热性能也更好。其他条件相同,倾斜角度为45°时,回流方向孔径递减毛细芯平板热管能承受的加热功率比均匀毛细芯平板热管高约2W,比重力热管高3～4W。     

The collection efficiency of a particle-loaded single filter fiber

The collection efficiency η(M) of single fibers, both isolated and within a parallel array, was determined as a function of accumulated particle mass for Stokes numbers St=0.3–3 and interception parameters In=0.04–0.32. This regime is dominated by inertia, interception and particle bounce. Measurements were made with an optical in-situ particle counting technique. Monodisperse polystyrene aerosols (1.3, 2.6, 3.6 and 5.2 μm) were deposited onto steel wires of 8 and 30 μm, respectively. Particle accumulation reached values on the order of M=0.5–1 μg/mm fiber, corresponding to 10⁴–10⁶ particles per mm, depending on size.η(M) was found to increase for all operating conditions between about 2 and nearly 50 fold, most strongly however for those conditions were the bare fiber is ineffective as a particle collector, i.e. for very low or very high values of St number, corresponding to low collision or low adhesion probabilities, respectively. The absolute efficiency increased to values approaching or exceeding unity, i.e. the effective fiber collision cross-section exceeded the diameter of the bare fiber. For fibers within an array of parallel fibers (equivalent packing density ∼0.004), the initial efficiency η₀ was higher than for an isolated fiber by almost an order of magnitude. However the increase with loading was substantially smaller, typically by an order of magnitude.The efficiency increase can be described by a power law of the type where b and c are empirical fit coefficients. Within an array, the exponent c is on the order of 0.7±0.05, but lower than reported in earlier work on fiber arrays which suggest a value near unity. For isolated fibers, c→1 as interception becomes dominant (at very low flow velocities) while at high impact velocities and significant particle bounce c≈0.5. The coefficient c correlates with fiber Reynolds number, but not with other parameters. The coefficient b is inversely proportional to η₀ (consistent with earlier work, however with significantly lower values than previously published) and a function of (St/R)².The experimental section of the paper is preceded by a literature review on single-fiber efficiency data and models for the inertia-interception regime, including both information on bare fibers and dust loaded fibers. An improved, general fit function with physically meaningful limits for St→0 and St→∞ is proposed for the efficiency of bare fibers.     

Collection efficiency of sintered ceramic filters made of submicron spheres

The performance of filters made of sintered submicron alumina particles was evaluated. The filter has a high collection efficiency and high pressure drop, requiring the development of a special measuring system for its evaluation. The system consists of a polydisperse NaCl particle generator, a differential mobility analyzer (DMA), an ejector to supply aerosols for testing filters with high pressure drop, and a mixing-type condensation nucleus counter (CNC) capable of obtaining a stable reading of very low concentration particles. Penetrations as low as 10⁻⁹ can be measured in the particle diameter range of 0.02-0.14 μm. Two filters made by sintering 0.60 and 0.84 μm alumina particles were evaluated. The experimental data collected served as the basis of theoretical development. Following the single fibre theory, the filter penetration is calculated by using a single sphere as the element. Both the diffusion and interception collection mechanisms were taken into account. The resulting equation gives a general trend of efficiency curves as a function of the parameters involved, e.g. the test aerosol size, packed particle size and filtration velocity. However, it is not sufficiently accurate for providing quantitative performance results.     

Aligned carbon nanotube sheet high efficiency particulate air filters

Aerosol filters, made with conventional micro-fiber fabrics, are designed to efficiently capture small particles from the air. Filters constructed of nano-fiber fabric structures provide even greater filtration efficiency than conventional micro-fiber fabrics due to their higher surface area and smaller pore size. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are very small diameter fibers that have the potential to be integrated into filters to further increase particle capture efficiency. In this study, CNT sheets, drawn from millimeter tall CNT arrays, were integrated between traditional micro-fiber fabrics to produce aerosol filters. The filtration performance of the novel filters showed that when the number of CNTs layers increased, the filtration efficiency increased dramatically, while the pressure drop also increased. In order to meet high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter requirements with a reasonable pressure drop, CNTs were laid in a cross-plied structure within the filter. The results demonstrated that the three layer cross-ply structure provided 99.98% filtration efficiency at 0.3 μm particle size at a 10 cm/s face velocity, making it a viable method for producing low basis weight HEPA filters utilizing CNTs as the main filtration component.     

Analytical expressions for predicting capture efficiency of bimodal fibrous filters

In this work, a series of numerical simulations are formulated for studying the performance (collection efficiency and pressure drop) of filter media with bimodal diameter distributions. While there are numerous analytical expressions available for predicting performance of filters made up of fibers with a unimodal fiber diameter distribution, there are practically no simple relations for bimodal filters. In this paper, we report on the influence of the fiber diameter dissimilarity and the number (mass) fraction of each component on the performance of a bimodal filter. Our simulation results are utilized to establish a unimodal equivalent diameter for the bimodal media, thereby taking advantage of the existing expressions of unimodal filters for capture efficiency prediction. Our results indicate that the cube root relation of Tafreshi, Rahman, Jaganathan, Wang, and Pourdeyhimi (2009) offers the closest predictions for the range of particle diameters, coarse fiber number (mass) fractions, fiber diameter ratios, and solid volume fractions (SVF) considered in this work. Our study revealed that the figure of merit (FOM) of bimodal filters increases with increasing fiber diameter ratios for Brownian particles (d_p<100 nm), and decreases when challenged with larger particles. It has also been shown that when increasing the ratio of coarse fibers to fine fibers, FOM increases for Brownian particles, and decreases for larger particles.