AIR FILTRATION

Air filtration involves the separation of "particles" from airstreams. Understanding

separation techniques requires an exact definition of what particles are. The size of
filterable particles is normally defined in terms of microns. One micron equals 1/25,400
of an inch. Even with a microscope, particles less than 1 micron are difficult to see.
Tobacco smoke, for example, typically ranges in size from 0.01 to 1.0 micron. Particulate
generated in grinding plastic might be as small as a few microns and as large as several
hundred microns. When the naked eye "sees" tobacco smoke, it is actually seeing the
light which is being reflected or scattered from millions of small particles. The
wavelength of such light is in the ultraviolet range, hence the blue haze normally
associated with a smoke-filled room. Plastic dust from grinding, on the other hand, can be
seen as individual particles floating in the air and rather quickly settling to the floor.

As particles become very small, they cease to behave so much like particles as they do
gas phase molecules. It is difficult to tell whether such small particles are actually
suspended in air (particles) or diffused throughout it (gas or vapor). The bottom boundary
where particles act as true particles is about 0.01 micron. The normal theory of separation
does not apply to particles below this size and removing them from air requires
techniques reserved for gaseous materials. Particles above 0.01 micron are usually
considered to be filterable. Removal equipment is almost as diverse as the size ranges of
the particulates generated.

Filtration of particles relies on four main principles:

1 Impaction
2 Diffusion
3 Straining
4 Electrostatics

Particles can be influenced by any one of these principles, or all of them simultaneously.

Impaction

Larger particles are filtered due to the impaction mechanism. Larger particles have higher
mass and are therefore harder to turn than smaller particles
due to inertia. Because of this inertial effect, the particles
continue to travel in a somewhat straight line even though
the air stream is turning to move past the fibre. Once the
particle comes into contact with the fibre, it becomes
attached and is filtered from the air stream.
Diffusion

When particles become very small, their mass is so low that, should
they collide with any air molecules, just the random motion of the air
molecules will cause them to rebound randomly. This motion is
commonly referred to as Brownian Movement. If the velocity of the
airstream is low, this diffusion movement will in turn cause random
collisions with fiber or droplets in the way of the airflow. Hence,
much like impaction, probabilities can be developed for collisions due to this diffusion.
Key factors are fiber size, fiber quantity and airstream velocity. As with impaction, as
more and more particles collect, the probability of collision (efficiency) for other
particles is enhanced, but with an associated increase in pressure drop.

Straining or Sieving

if the width of a passage is smaller than that of the particle suspended in the airstream,
then the particle will be stopped and held. However, as each
particle plugs a hole, air resistance increases. Standard house
screens are typical of this filter type. Small particles pass through
it but bugs cannot pass through. Very small particles are seldom
collected using this method which is primarily used only for
specialized laboratory experiments. This is ahnost never the
primary filter mechanism in industrial dust collection.

Electrostatics

If a charged particle passes through an electrostatic

field it is attracted to an oppositely charged body. Such
charges can be generated and imparted to particles in an
airstream in much the same way as static charges
develop during the combing of one's hair or just
walking across a rug. Electrons are stripped from large
quantities of molecules with the net effect that particles
of dirt not otherwise collected might be charged by
friction as they pass through, then collected as they attach themselves to oppositely
charged bodies. This effect can occur inside such filtering devices as fiber beds which
operate primarily on the principles of impaction and diffusion but have their efficiencies
enhanced by electrostatic effects.

Charges may be purposely induced onto airstream particles by applying energy to a

special configuration of wires and plates stretched across the airstream. These devices,
called electrostatic precipitators, form a special category of air filtration. Whether particle
charges are induced by applying energy to a dirty airstream or occur naturally, they can
be valuable tools in increasing air cleaning effectiveness.
Types of Filter Systems

Particle control technology can be roughly divided into two broad categories, namely,

1 Air Filtration
2 Dust Control

The first is a means for controlling the contamination of ventilation air inside of office
and other occupied building space. The second usually pertains to heavier industrial
emissions, either inside or outside of a plant. In this latter case, particle concentration
often dictates the control technology employed. For normal ventilation purposes,
contaminants are usually defined as particles less than 10 microns in size and
concentrations less than 2 Mg/M3 (milligrams per cubic meter). In contrast, dust control
devices must be able to handle concentrations of 20 to 40,000 Mg/M3 and particle sizes
ranging from 0.5 to 200 microns.

Control equipment for nuisance industrial dust can be divided into the following types:

1 Media Collectors
2 Electrostatic Precipitators.

Media Collectors

Filter media for dust collectors can be anything from cotton bags to glass fiber sheets.
While temperatures of operating airstreams or of their entrained particulates usually
influence media selection, basic operating principles are the same for most filter types.
They operate on the principles of impaction and diffusion.

Where dust concentrations are very heavy, devices called 'baghouses' collect dust
particles and are usually equipped with 'auto-renewal' hardware such as shaking or
vibratory mechanisms. These shake collected materials from the media, thus extending
media life and allowing the device to stay on line for long periods of time even where
loading is heavy. The rapping, or shaking, action can be activated while the system is on
line and operating to its airflow capacity. Normally only one section of bags is cleaned
during each rapping cycle.

The initial buildup of dust on the filter media is called the 'cake'. It aids collection
efficiency by extending the equivalent filter collecting surface. Buildup of cake on the
filter media is watched closely, since completely cleaning it off results in a severe
decrease in collection efficiency.

Such equipment normally requires a large amount of floor space for installation. With
proper fabric selection, this type of system can achieve efficiencies of 99.9% by weight,
but very poor performance is the rule for particles in the 0.1 to 2.0 micron range. Pressure
drops are usually very high in this type of collector.
Other types of filters, used in lighter applications more closely approximating ventilation,
include panel, vee bag and pleated filters.

Electrostatics

Electrostatic precipitators are divided into two categories, namely, the Single-Stage and
Two-Stage types. The single-stage version is used mostly where heavy concentrations of
industrial combustion by-products are present. Concentrations as high as 200 Mg/M3 can
be handled by such a device. Efficiencies of 99% are possible, with low pressure drops.
Space requirements are large per CFM of airflow, although usually not as large as with
the fabric baghouse. Voltages range from 20 to 65 KV, velocities from 60 to 300 FPM.
Components can handle temperatures up to 850 degrees F. Efficiencies on particles 2
microns and smaller are extremely low.

Two-stage electrostatic precipitators operate at much lower voltages and temperatures.

They are designed to handle much smaller particles (down to 0.01 microns) associated
with industrial oil smoke, metal oxides such as welding, etc. Normal concentrations are
much lower.

How all this works

The self-contained multiple-stage media type collector operates by means of a system

fan, usually built into the filter cabinet, it moves contaminated air through its filters,
cleans the air and returns it back to the work space. The number of filters placed in series
varies with the application, but the two most con-tmon filter configurations are called
two-stage and three stage, respectively.

Two stage filtration consists of a prefilter and final filter and is used in most standard dust
removal situations. For dust applications, a 30% pleated prefilter is followed by a bag
filter with efficiency up to 95%. For oil mist applications, a special impingement-type
channel prefilter removes large oil and grease droplets, allowing a 95% bag filter to take
care of remaining particulates.

Three-stage filtration consists of prefilter, intermediate filter and final filter. For dust
applications, a 300/o prefilter is followed by an intermediate bag filter with efficiency to
95% and anchored by a final box-cell filter rated up to 99.97% efficient (Hot DOP Test
Method). Where odors are a problem, the final filter takes the form of a vee-bank carbon
cell.

Where the application dictates, further filtration may be necessary. Accessory filter
configurations such as 'wraparound' prefilters are available as the application dictates.
The wraparound prefilter is a bolt-on accessory designed for applications where much of
the dust to be collected is . very large and removable from the air by large-pore,
inexpensive media. This type of filter significantly extends the life of other filters
operating downstream.
Cleaned air passes through a built-in unit blower and is exhausted, usually back to the
plant. Airflow and duct static pressure losses at the site dictate blower/motor drive factory
settings of the Model DB unit. Another unit, the Model DA, is designed only for hanging
directly in the plant environment (not for ducted installations) and has a multiple speed,
direct drive motor with no blower/motor adjustments.