Inertial deposition of aerosol particles from laminar flows in fibrous filters

Abstract

The deposition of aerosol particles onto filter fibers under the effect of inertial forces is studied in a wide range of Stokes numbers (St) at Reynolds numbers close to unity (Re ∼ 1). Coefficients η of the capture of inertial particles with finite sizes in model filters composed of parallel rows of identical parallel fibers located normal to the direction of a flow are determined based on the numerical solution of the Navier-Stokes and particle motion equations. It is shown that, at Re < 1 and a constant particle-to-fiber radius ratio, R = rp/a, number St uniquely characterizes capture coefficients η for particles with different densities, while, at Re ≥ 1, the capture coefficient depends on both St and Re. At constant R and St values, the larger Re the higher the capture coefficient. The influence of the structure of the model filter on pressure drop Δp and η is investigated. A nonuniform arrangement of fibers in rows is shown to increase the Δp/U ratio at lower Re values and to make the η -St dependence more pronounced than that for systems of uniformly ordered fibers. The results of calculations agree with the experimental data.