Air Filters

AC units and control

ME536

Dr. Ahmed Elsafty

y
College of Engineering & Technology
Mechanical and Marine Engineering Dept.
Arab Academy for Science, Technology and
Maritime Transport

Contents
Indoor air quality
P
Purpose
off filters
filt
Filters tests
Types of filters
Filters selection

IAQ [Indoor Air Quality]

Indoor air is one of the top five environmental threats to
h
human
h lth
health.
According to the World Health Organization, 30% of
commercial buildings show signs of Sick Building
Syndrome (SBS).
SBS is characterized byy headaches, nausea, irritated
nasal passages, itchy eyes, and skin irritation among
building occupants.
As evidence of how pervasive this problem is,
is IAQ was
recently ranked the Number 1 management issue by the
International Facilities Management
g
Association.

Indoor Air Q
Quality
y (IAQ)
( Q)
Indoor air quality (IAQ) defined as the nature of air that
affects the health and well-being of occupants.

OR
How well indoor air satisfies the three basic requirements for
human occupancy :((a)) Th
Thermall acceptability
bili
(b) Maintenance of normal concentrations of respiratory gases
(c) Dilution and removal of contaminants to levels below health
or odor discomfort thresholds.

Purpose of Filters:

P
Purpose
off filt
filters
To remove particulates from air-stream. Depends on:

Particle size
S
Shape
Mass
Construction
Electrostatic properties

AHU

Filter

Particles larger than 2.5 mm are classified as coarse dust

while
hil th
thatt lless th
than 2.5
2 5 mm are considered
id d as fifine d
dust.
t
Arrestance: A standardized synthetic dust consisting of
various particle sizes is fed into the air cleaner
cleaner, and the
mass fraction of the dust removed is determined.
Dust-spot efficiency:
y Atmospheric dust is passed into the
air cleaner, and the discoloration effect of the cleaned air
on filter paper targets is compared with that of the
incoming air
air.
Fractional efficiency or penetration: Uniform-sized particles
percentage
g removed by
y
are fed into the air cleaner and the p
the cleaner is determined.
DOP: is a penetration test where Di-Octyl Phthalate (oily
liquid with a high boiling point) is used as an aerosol
aerosol.

AHU

Filter

Group I: Panel-type filters of expanded metal. (Aluminum Filter)

G
Group
II:
II Pleated
Pl t d panel-type
lt
filters
filt
off fine
fi synthetic
th ti fib
fibers bl
blends.
d ( Synthetic
S th ti Filter)
Filt )
Group Ill: Extended-surface filters of fine glass fibers. (Bag Filter)
Group IV: Extended-area pleated HEPA-type filters of ultra fine glass fiber
paper. Biological grade air filters are generally 95% DOP efficiency; HEPA
filters are 99.97% and 99.99%;; and ULPA filters are 99.999%.

Comparative Performance of Viscous Impingement and Dry-Media Filters

Group I
Panel-type filters of spun glass, open cell foams, expanded metal and screens, synthetics, textile
denier woven and nonwoven, or animal hair.

Group
p II
Pleated panel-type filters of fine denier nonwoven synthetic and synthetic-natural fibers blends, or
all natural fibre.

Group III
Extended surface supported and nonsupported filters of fine glass fibers,
Extended-surface
fibers fine electret synthetic
fibers, or wet-laid paper of cellulose- glass, synthetic, or all-glass fibers.

Group IV
Extended-area pleated HEPA-type filters of wet-laid ultra fine glass fibre paper. Biological grade air
filters are generally 95% DOP efficiency; HEPA filters are 99.97%
99 97% and 99.99%;
99 99%; and ULPA filters are
99.999%.
Notes:
1. Group numbers have no significance other than their use in this figure.
2 Correlation between the test methods shown are approximations for general guidance only
2.
only.

AHU
Type

Coarse dust filter

Fine dust filter

High efficiency
particulate air filter
(HEPA)

Ultra Low Penetration

Air Filter (ULPA)

Filter

Eurovent class

New Class

Efficiency

EU1

G1

<65

EU2

G2

>65, <80

EU3

G3

>80,, <90

EU4

G4

>90

EU5

F5

40, <60

EU6

F6

>60, <80

EU7

F7

>80, <90

EU8

F8

90<95

EU9

F9

>95

EU10

H10

85

EU11

H11

95

EU12

H12

99.5

EU13

H13

99.95

EU14

H14

99.995

EU15

U15

99.9995

EU16

U16

99.99995

EU17

U17

99.999995

Measured by

Synthetic dust
weight arrestance

Atmospheric dust
spot efficiency

Sodium chloride
or liquid
q
aerosol

Liquid aerosol

AHU/PAU-Filters
Air filtration is an important component to achieve
an acceptable indoor air quality.
Low-efficiency filters of the panel type as pre-filter
Medium- and high-efficiency
g
y bag
g type
yp for filtering
g
the air
Carbon-activated
Carbon activated gaseous absorption filters for
removal of objectionable odors

Test Method for Filters with different efficiency

Weight
arrestance

Dust Spot

Di-Otyl
Phthalate
DOP

Particle size of test

dust

Large particles
in atmospheric
dust

Atmospheric dust

0.3m
particles

Means to determine
dust concentration

Precision
Balance

Change in light
transmission

Particle count

Application

Low efficiency
filter

Medium efficiency
filter

High
efficiency filter

Low Efficiency Filter

Dust spot efficiency lower than 30%
Panel type
Dimension 500mm x 500mm
Filter media
Corrugated metal wire mesh
Dry
y and
a d reusable-nylon
eusab e y o
Dry and disposable Glass fibre mats

Medium Efficiency Filter

Filter efficiency between 30% to 95%
Extended surfaces such as pleated mats or bags are used to
Increase surface area of the filter media
Increase air velocity flowing through the filter media

High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter

Principle of operation
z
It remove dust particle by filtration of the passing air;
Construction:
z
The filter media is glass fibre of submicrometer diameter
that is formed into pleated paper mats (dry and disposable).
z
The
e pe
performance
o a ce o
of filter
e media
ed a is
s measured
easu ed by a
alpha
p a value
a ue
which is a function of penetration in % and pressure drop
(mm).
z
Typical
yp
size of filter is 600mm x 600mm x 300mm
z
Surface filter media area may be 50 times of the face area

High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter (Contd)

Application: meet the requirement of di-octyl phthalate (DOP) 99.97%
efficiency for dust particle 0.3m
z

Clean room

Clean space for microelectronic industry

Pharmaceutical industry

Precision manufacturing industry

Operating theatre in hospital

Electronic air cleaner

Principles
p
of operation
p
z When traveling in the air stream of the ionizing
field, positively charged dust particles are
attracted
tt t d and
d attached
tt h d to
t the
th ground
d plates.
l t
z Dust particles agglomerate at the ground plates.
z Ground plates
plates dust particles glow to such sizes
that they are blown off and carried away by the air
stream.
Application:
z Atmospheric dust
z Cigarettes smoke

Electronic air cleaner(contd)

A high
g DC p
potential of 1.2kV is applied
pp
to the ionizing
g field.
Positive ions generated from the ionizer wire charge the dust particles.
After passing the ionizing section, dust particles come to a collecting section.
This section consists of several p
plates alternativelyy g
grounded and insulated.
A strong electric field is produced by a DC potential of 6KV is applied to these
plates. Dust particles become positively charged which are attracted and
attached to the ground plates.

Activated carbon filter

Principles of operation:
Removal by absorption.
Activated carbon has porous surface.
Gas molecules diffuse into the microspores or macrospores of activated
carbon, bond to these surfaces and come in contact with the carbon
granules.
Reactivation or regeneration required for activated carbon at the end of
its life
Construction
Activated carbon is in the form of granules or pellets
pellets.
Activated carbon is placed in special tray
This special tray slides easily into position to form activated carbon beds
These activated carbon beds are sealed into the cell housing by facing
plates.
Low efficiency filter is placed as pre-filter
Application:
l Refuse storage room ventilation: removal of objectionable odour and
irritating vapour of gaseous airborne particles 3nm to 6nm in size

Activated carbon filter

Effects of indoor air pollution

IAQ problems which affect people
fall into three general areas: (a)
comfort, (b) acute health effects,
and (c) chronic health effects.
Pollutants in our indoor environment
can increase the risk of illness and
affect work productivity. The
relationship between point sources
(
(contaminants)
t i
t ) and
d susceptible
tibl
population will determine the risk
and effect of indoor air pollution,
and this is often driven by
inadequate ventilation

Major factors influencing filter design and

selection
1 Degree of air cleanliness required
12- Specific particle size range or aerosols
that require filtration
3- Aerosol concentration
3

Particle size
The most important
characteristics of the air
stream that most affect
the air filters.
Particles less than 2.5
micrometer
c o e e in d
diameter
a ee
are generally reoffered to
as fine with those greater
than 2.5 micrometer
being considered as
coarse.
coarse

Rating filters
Three operating characteristics that
distinguish the various types of filters:
1-Efficiency: the ability of the filter to remove
particulate matter from an air-stream.
2-Air flow resistance: is the pressure drop
across the filter at a given air flow rate.
3-Dust-holding capacity: the amount of
particulate type of dust that filters can hold
when it is operated at a specified air flow
rate.

Filter tests
Arrestance:
A standardized synthetic dust consisting of
various particle sizes is fed to the filter.

Dust spot efficiency:

A standardized atmospheric dust is passed
into the filter, and the discoloration effect of
the cleaned air filter paper targets is
compared with that of that of the incoming
air.

Fractional efficiency or
p
penetration:
Uniform-sized particles are fed into
the filter and the percentage removed
by the
e filter
e is
s de
determined,
e
ed, by a
photometer or condensation nuclei
counter

Particle size efficiency:

Atmospheric dust is fed to the filter
and air samples taken upstream and
downstream are drawn through a
particle counter to obtain efficiency
verses particle size

Test Method for Filters with different efficiency

Weight
arrestance

Dust Spot

Di-Otyl
Phthalate
DOP

Particle size of test

dust

Large particles
in atmospheric
dust

Atmospheric dust

0.3m
particles

Means to determine
dust concentration

Precision
Balance

Change in light
transmission

Particle count

Application

Low efficiency
filter

Medium efficiency
filter

High
efficiency filter

Mechanism of particle collection

Straining.
Strain particles through membrane
openings that are smaller than the
particulate being removed

Direct
ect interception.
te cept o
The particles follow a fluid
streamline close enough to a fiber
that the particle contacts the fiber
and remains there

Inertial deposition
Coated viscous material. [Adhesive
[
coating, wire screen impingement filter

Diffusion
Very small particles have random
motion about their basic streamlines
(Brownian motion), which contributes
to deposition on the fiber

Electrostatic effects.
Particles
P
ti l or media
di charging
h i
can produce changes in the
collection of dust

Types of filters
Panel filters,
filters in which the
accumulating dust load
causes pressure drop to
p to some
increase up
maximum recommended
value

Renewable media filters,, in

which fresh media are
introduced into the airstream as needed to
maintain essentially
constant resistance and
consequently, constant
y
efficiency

Electronic filters, which if

maintained p
properly
p y by
y regular
g
cleaning have relatively constant
pressure drop and efficiency

HEPA filters
Made
M
d off an extended
t d d surface
f
configuration
fi
ti
of deep space folds of submicron glass fiber
paper.

It must be capable of removing 99.97% of

particles as small as 0.3
0 3 microns.
microns

standard
t d d ffor labs,
l b clean
l
room, nuclear,
l
hospitals, semiconductor, electronics,
pharmaceutical manufacturing and toxicparticulate applications

ULPA filters
ULPA filters can remove particles as
small as 0.1 microns.

Ultra low penetration air filters are

g
extended media dryy filters in a rigid
frame that have a minimum particle
collection efficiency of 99.999% for
particles g
p
greater than or equal
q
to 0.12
micron in size.

Renewable media filters :(RMF)

Types of RMF
1-Moving-curtain viscous
impingement filters.
2-Moving-curtain dry
media filters

Electronic filters
Using electrostatic precipitation
to remove and collect
particulate contaminants such
as dust, and smoke.
The filter consists of an
ionization section [small
diameter wire with a dc volt 6
6-25
25
kV grounded] and collecting
plate section [a series of
parallel equally spaced with a
positive DC volt of 4-10kV].
4-10kV]
Electronic filters should have an
y
to
indicator or alarm system
indicate when the high voltage
is off or shorted out.

Other filters
Liquid sprayers:
Used to remove wettable solids contaminants, liquid
contaminants
t i
t and
d water
t soluble
l bl polluting
ll ti gases iin
industrial
Ultra-violet lamps:
Lamps give an electromagnetic (Ultraviolet) radiation of
intensity 14,000 microwatt cm2. This would kill most
known bacteria in fraction of seconds

Activated carbon filters:

activated carbon will attract the atoms of
gases that cause the odor.
the g

The VOC (volatile organic compound) filter,

such as activated carbon removes
dangerous household chemical gases
from things like cleaners, paints, solvents,
carpets, furniture,
f
and other material
containing chemical substances.

Filter selection
Evaluation of filters

Degree of air cleanliness required.

Disposal of dust after it is removed from the air.
Amount and type of dust in the air to be filtered.
Operating resistance to air flow (pressure drop).
S
Space
available
il bl ffor filt
filtration
ti equipment.
i
t
Cost of maintaining or replacing filters.
Initial cost of the system
system.

Particle size:
The most important characteristics
of the air-stream
air stream that most affect
the air filters.
Particles less than 2.5 micrometer
[m] in diameter are generally
reoffered to as fine, with those
greater
t
th
than
2 5 [m]
2.5
[
] being
b i
considered as coarse.

Rating filters:
Three
ee operating
ope a g characteristics
c a ac e s cs that
a d
distinguish
s gu s
the various types of filters:
1.Efficiency:
1
Efficiency: the ability of the filter to remove
particulate matter from an air-stream.
2 Ai flow
2.Air
fl
resistance:
i t
[[resistance]
i t
] is
i th
the pressure
drop across the filter at a given air flow rate.
3.Dust-holding capacity: the amount of particulate
type of dust that filter can hold when it is operated
at a specified air flow rate.

Typical Filter Applications Classified by Filter Efficiency and Type

Pre-filter

Pre-filter/Filter

Final Filter

Filter tests:
Arrestance:
es a ce
A standardised synthetic dust consisting of various particle sizes is fed to the filter.

Dust spot efficiency:

A standardized atmospheric dust is passed into the filter, and the discoloration effect of
the cleaned air filter paper targets is compared with that of the incoming air.

Fractional
F ti
l efficiency
ffi i
or penetration:
t ti
Uniform- sized particles are fed into the filter and the percentage removed by the filter is
determined, by a photometer or condensation nuclei counter.

Particle size efficiency:

Atmospheric dust is fed to the filter and air samples taken upstream and downstream are
drawn through a particle counter to obtain efficiency verses particle size.

Mechanisms of particle
collection:
1.

Straining.
Strain particles through membrane openings that is smaller than the particulate
being removed.

2.

Direct interception.
The particles follow a fluid streamline close enough to a fibre that the particle
contacts the fibre and remains there.

3.
4.

Inertial deposition.
Coated viscous material. [adhesive coating, wire screen impingement filter]
Diffusion.
Very small particles have random motion about their basic streamlines (Brownian
motion),
) which contributes to deposition
p
on the fibre.

5.

Electrostatic effects.
Particles or media charging can produce changes in the collection of dust.

Types of filters:
Common filters are grouped as follows:
1 Panel filters,
1.
filters in
i which
hi h the
th accumulating
l ti dust
d t load
l d causes pressure drop
d
t
to
increase up to some maximum recommended value.

2.

Renewable media filters,

in which fresh media are introduced into

the air-stream as needed to maintain essentially constant resistance and
consequently, constant efficiency.

3.

Electronic filters,

which if maintained properly by regular cleaning,

have relatively constant pressure drop and efficiency.

4.

Panel filters,

there are a variety of panel filters including viscous

impingement filters,
filters dry-type
dr t pe extended-surface
e tended s rface filters,
filters and High Efficiency
Efficienc
Particulate Air [HEPA] filters.

5.

Viscous impingement filters,

are panel filters made of coarse

fibers with high porosity. Glass fibers, steel or aluminium mesh, and metal baffles
are used for filter media. The filter medium is often coated with a viscous
substance e.g. filter oil [adhesive] that causes particulates to impinge on the
fibers to stick to them.
them

HEPA filters:

Stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air filters.

Made of an extended surface configuration of deep space folds of
submicron glass fibre paper.
paper
it must be capable of removing 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3
microns.
These filters are the standard for labs, clean room, nuclear, hospitals,
semiconductor, electronics, pharmaceutical manufacturing and toxicparticulate applications.

ULPA filters:

Stands for Ultra Low Penetration Air filters.

ULPA filters can remove particles as small as about 0.1microns.
0 1microns
Ultra low penetration air filters are extended media dry filters in a rigid
frame that have a minimum particle collection efficiency of 99.999
percent for p
p
particles g
greater than or equal
q
to 0.12 micron in size

Renewable Media Filters:

1.
2.

Types of RMF:
Moving-curtain
Moving
curtain viscous impingement filters.
Moving-curtain dry media filters.

Electronic filters:

Using electrostatic precipitation to remove and collect

particulate contaminants such as dust
dust, and smoke
smoke.
The filter consists of an ionization section [small diam.
wire with a dc volt 6
6-25kV
25kV grounded] and collecting
plate section [a series of parallel equally spaced with a
positive DC volt of 4-10kV].
Electronic filters should have an indicator or alarm
system to indicate when the high voltage is off or
shorted out.

Cross Section of Ionizing Electronic Air Cleaner

Other filters:
1 Liquid Sprayers:
1.
used to remove wettable solids contaminants, liquid contaminates and
water soluble polluting gases in industrial areas such as hydrogen
p
, Sulphur
p
dioxide,, Nitrogen
g oxide and carbon monoxide.
sulphide,

2. Activated Carbon Filter:

The carbon sheath is heated to a high temperature to be activated. Once
i t ll d th
installed,
the activated
ti t d carbon
b will
ill attract
tt t th
the atoms
t
off th
the gases th
thatt
cause the odour. carbon will absorb as much as 50% of its weight in
foreign gases.
The V.O.C.
V O C (Volatile Organic Compound) filter
filter, such as activated carbon
-- removes dangerous household chemical gases from things like
cleaners, paints, solvents, carpets, furniture, and other material
containing chemical substances.

3. Ultra-Violet Lamps:
Lamps give an electromagnetic (Ultraviolet) radiation of intensity 14,000
microwatt cm2
cm2. This would kill most known bacteria in fraction of
seconds.

Filter selection:
Evaluation
E
l ti off filters:
filt
1. Degree of air cleanliness required.
2 Disposal
2.
Di
l off dust
d t after
ft it is
i removed
d from
f
th
the
air.
3 Amount and type of dust in the air to be
3.
filtered.
4 Operating resistance to air flow (pressure
4.
drop).
5. Space
p
available for filtration equipment.
q p
6. Cost of maintaining or replacing filters.
7. Initial cost of the system.
y