Energy consumption performance optimization of PTFE HEPA filter media during dust loading through compositing them with the efficient filter medium

Abstract

• Composite PTFE media designed to reduce resistance growth and energy consumption. • Windward efficient media affect significantly performance of composite PTFE media. • Eligible loading aerosols for HEPA media have mass mean diameter less than 0.4 μm. • Composite PTFE media saved over 50% energy consumption at 8 g/m2 loaded dust mass. Enormous energy has been consumed by cleanroom ventilation systems due to their characteristics of greater flowrate and round-clock operation. The novel PTFE HEPA filters/media have much lower initial resistance compared to traditional glass fiber HEPA media, but their life span energy consumption may be greater due to their larger resistance growth speed. According to resitance growth characteristics of PTFE media, composite PTFE media were developed in the current study to improve their energy consumption performance by replacing their windward material with efficient media. Three electret filter media and three glass fiber media of different filtration efficiencies were used for developing six composite PTFE media. Dust loading experiments using eligible polydisperse KCl aerosol were conducted for these composite media and their mass averaged resistances during dust loading compared. The effects of windward media efficiencies on the performance of composite PTFE media were also experimentally investigated. Results showed that the energy consumption performances of PTFE HEPA media were significantly improved after being composited. The PTFE medium composited with the E6 electret medium had 246% greater loaded dust mass at final resistance of 900 Pa and 59% lower energy consumption at loaded dust mass of 8 g/m 2 than the original PTFE HEPA medium.