Filter Housings Research Articles

Modular injection mould with a conformal cooling channel for the production of hydraulic filter housings

The article presents the idea, design, construction, and implementation of a production technology for hydraulic filter housings using a modular injection mould. The annual demand for filters for specialised marine hydraulics systems by HYDROMEGA averages about 1,000 pieces. Two sizes of filters with the same housing connection dimensions are used. Due to the small scale of production, the modular injection mould was designed and manufactured to press two types of a polyamide housing. Changing the shape of a moulded part requires removing or installing modules that change the die and punch dimensions, which reduces the costs of production of a single tool compared to the costs of production of two separate tools. The mould design process was supported by the numerical analyses of operation and processes of plastic injection, cooling, moulded part shrinkage, and mould cavity deaeration. A mould and a series of moulded parts were manufactured and verified positively for dimensions and durability.

Smart Control Monitors the Active Period of Using Biofilters on Motor Vehicle Exhausts

Many natural ingredients can be used as biofilters, but the use of biofilters is constrained by the difficulty of knowing when the saturation period is so that the active ingredients can be replaced immediately. The research aims to make a smart control of the active period of a motor vehicle exhaust biofilter that effectively provides information about the active period of the biofilter used. The tools and materials used are motorbikes, exhaust biofilters, MQ-135 sensors, exhaust filter housings, ESP8266 Node MCUs, 16 x 2 LCDs, switches, jumper cables and smartphones. The data collection method uses measuring CO2 levels using the MQ-135 sensor, which is read on the LCD screen and sends notifications to smartphones via the Telegram application. Data analysis used descriptive statistical analysis presented in tables and graphs. The results showed that the smart control filter is a blend of leaf biofilter Simplicia, filter housing, MQ-135 sensor, power bank, IoT, LCD screen and cellphone installed with the Telegram application. To turn on the sensor so it can send notifications to the LCD screen mounted on the speedometer, you need to turn on the ON button. CO2 levels and filter status will be read on the LCD screen. Notifications are also sent to cellphones via the telegram application so owners can find CO2 levels and control the active period of using leaf biofilter simplicial.

H2O Innovation's Piedmont secures international orders for housings and couplings

H2O Innovation Inc's independent subsidiary Piedmont recently secured 13 orders for fibreglass reinforced (FRP) cartridge filter housings, stainless steel duplex couplings and PiPerLinkTM permeate connectors.

Industrialization of Aluminum Alloy Uniform Solidification Controlled Rheological Die Casting

An efficient and low-cost aluminum alloy uniform solidification control technology, namely, air-cooled stirring rod (ACSR) process, has been developed for preparing large volume semisolid slurry. The semisolid slurry preparation process is connected with the die-casting machine to form multiple integrated intelligent rheological die-casting production lines for the efficient preparation of rheological die-casting of large-scale thin-walled aluminum alloys. At present, the ACSR process can produce 40 kg of large-volume semisolid slurry with a solid phase ratio of 25% to 35% within 30 s. This rheological die-casting process has been industrialized for the preparation of high-quality aluminum alloy large-scale thin-walled parts, such as new energy vehicles and 5G communications. Typical products produced by this process include heat dissipation housings for 5G communications, filter housings, antenna chassis and three-electric structural shell, end cover, and ABS system valve body for new energy vehicles. Compared with traditional die castings, aluminum alloy castings prepared by the new process not only have fine and spherical microstructures, good surface quality, and fewer internal pores but also enjoys more excellent mechanical properties and thermal conductivity.

Xebec Adsorption makes UK acquisition

Canadian clean energy solutions provider Xebec Adsorption Inc has bought Tiger Filtration (TFL), a UK-based manufacturer of alternative filter elements, housings and bespoke filtration solution for the compressed air and gas industry.

High-performance glass-fibre reinforced biobased aromatic polyamide in automotive biofuel supply systems

The increase in service temperature and the use of renewable but also more aggressive biofuels such as biodiesel have remarkably raised demands for the durability of polymer components used in automotive fuel systems. The commonly used aliphatic polyamides (PAs) can here be problematic to use in (bio)diesel systems at high temperature in locations such as fuel pipes and fuel filter housings. In the present work, the ageing behaviour of a new class of easily melt-processable glass fibre-reinforced highly-biobased semi-aromatic polyamides (polyphthalamide, PPA) was investigated in very demanding environments (petroleum diesel (B0) and its commercial blend with 20 vol% biodiesel (B20)) at high temperature. The results showed that the PPA matrix had better barrier properties towards both petroleum and bio-based diesel compared to conventional PA12, as revealed by its lower and slower fuel uptake. The sorbed fuels plasticized the composite, decreasing the glass transition temperature (Tg), with B20 having a larger plasticizing effect on PPA than B0. Notably, the mechanical properties of the PPA composite were not negatively affected even after long exposure to both B0 and B20. This was due to the low level of fuel uptake, high Tg and intact interface between the glass fibres and PPA matrix.

A self‐preserving, partially biodegradable eDNA filter

Abstract eDNA studies often rely on water filtration in the field and immediate sample preservation to prevent DNA degradation during sample transport. However, filter membrane transfer steps for preservation can increase risk of sample contamination and the reliance on typical single‐use filter housings produces significant plastic waste. We created a new eDNA filter housing (compatible with any suction pump) partially comprised of a biodegradable, hydrophilic material that functions to automatically preserve captured eDNA via desiccation—no filter membrane transfer steps, no chemical or cold storage required. We tested the self‐preservation capabilities of the desiccating filter housings by filtering replicate samples in an eDNA mesocosm study and compared with ethanol preservation. Self‐preserving filters were placed back into original packaging for storage, and samples for both preservation methods were kept at room temperature until extraction at prescribed time points (11 days, 18 days, 25 days, 32 days, 60 days, 88 days, 172 days) post‐filtration. Paired field samples were also collected from six pond locations targeting an additional species to demonstrate field performance. Quantitative PCR results from the mesocosm study indicated that both methods effectively preserved eDNA over a 6‐month storage period, with the self‐preserving filters yielding slightly more target DNA on average (SQ = 329 copies) than ethanol‐preserved samples (SQ = 288 copies) (F1,38 = 4.050, p = 0.051). Neither method showed signs of degradation after 172 days. Results from field sampling indicated a larger difference between preservation methods, with the self‐preserving filters containing approximately 2X the eDNA of ethanol‐preserved samples on average (paired t test, p = 0.020). These data suggest that self‐preserving eDNA filter housings are a viable alternative to standard ethanol preservation methods and may provide higher detection sensitivity in some circumstances. The new filter housings should also help in reducing the risk of sample contamination, minimize protocol steps and result in less plastic waste. Such innovations are important to assure eDNA data quality and to help in facilitating the inclusion of non‐expert sample collectors (e.g. citizen scientists) in research programs.

Influence of natural aging on the mechanical properties of high pressure die casting (HPDC) EN AC 46000-AlSi9Cu3(Fe) Al alloy

Abstract The standard aluminum alloy AlSi9Cu3(Fe) is the most common Al alloy used to produce castings by means of high-pressure casting technology and has wide application in the automotive industry, especially for motor mounts, gearbox housings, filter housings, generator housings, turbocharger housings, etc. The advantages of AlSi9Cu3(Fe) alloy are relatively good mechanical properties, strength and hardness, although it shows slightly lower elasticity and corrosion resistance. The artificial aging process or stabilization annealing can be used to improve the dimensional stability of castings, with the aim of achieving better mechanical properties as soon as possible. In this paper, the influence of natural aging time on the mechanical properties of AlSi9Cu3(Fe) alloy as well as on microstructure development was investigated. Specimens were prepared by high pressure die casting technology under optimized parameters. Chemical content was determined by optical emission spectroscopy. Thermodynamic calculation was performed by Thermo-Calc 5 software and transformation temperatures during dynamic measurement were followed by differential scanning calorimetry. Tensile properties after 3 and 30 days of aging, as well as 7 months, were determined by a tensile test at an MTS 810 instrument. Metallographic analysis was carried out by optical microscope and field-emission scanning electron microscope. Results showed a significant increase in tensile strength, yield strength and elongation with aging time and formation of (αAl + βSi), Alx(Fe,Mn)ySiz, Al2Cu-Si, Al5FeSi and Al-Mg2Si-Cu phases.

EDNA Sampler: A fully integrated environmental DNA sampling system

Abstract Species monitoring using environmental DNA (eDNA) is a powerful new technique for natural resource scientists and the number of research groups employing eDNA detection is growing rapidly. However, current eDNA sampling technologies consist mainly of do‐it‐yourself solutions, and the lack of purpose‐built sampling equipment is limiting the efficiency and standardization of eDNA studies. Here, we describe the first fully integrated sampling system (Smith‐Root eDNA Sampler) designed by a team of molecular ecologists and engineers for high‐throughput eDNA sample collection. It consists of a backpack portable pump that integrates sensor feedback, a pole extension with remote pump controller, custom‐made filter housings in single‐use packets for each sampling site and onboard sample storage. The system is optimized for sampling speed and replicability, while minimizing risk of contamination. We present an example pilot study designed to identify optimal eDNA Sampler system parameter values (i.e. pump pressure, flow rate, filter pore size, sample volume) in a new sampling environment. We identified a peak in filtration efficiency at a flow rate threshold of 1.0 L/m, and found that 5 μm filters captured significantly more target eDNA than 1 μm filters. Results also suggest that high filtration pressures may reduce eDNA retention, which implies that pressure should be standardized to avoid biasing detection data. Similar to the technological evolution of backpack electrofishers, eDNA sampling technology is in the process of transitioning from a nascent phase to professionally engineered research tools. Such innovations will be essential as eDNA monitoring becomes one of the industry standard methods used for species detection and management.

Improved Field Methods for Construction of Concrete Biosand Water Filter Housings

This paper discusses two alternative solutions to remedy the difficulties and challenges associated with low-cost field methods for construction of concrete biosand water filter housings. Outer and inner forms are required to retain the concrete in the desired shape for the filter housing. Removal of the inner form can be a challenging process. The first method outlines a procedure for the use of an inflatable boat fender that is used for the inner form. The boat fender can be deflated and easily removed after the concrete is set. The second method uses stuffed feed sacks for the inner form. The feed sacks are stuffed with a granular material and stacked vertically. After the concrete is set, the granular material is removed and the feed sacks are readily separated from the concrete. Both methods of construction are described in detail. Findings include two rapid field methods for constructing inexpensive concrete biosand water filter housings.

Overcoming the problem of residual microbial contamination in dental suction units left by conventional disinfection using novel single component suction handpieces in combination with automated flood disinfection

ObjectivesDecontaminating dental chair unit (DCU) suction systems in a convenient, safe and effective manner is problematic. This study aimed to identify and quantify the extent of the problems using 25 DCUs, methodically eliminate these problems and develop an efficient approach for reliable, effective, automated disinfection. MethodsDCU suction system residual contamination by environmental and human-derived bacteria was evaluated by microbiological culture following standard aspiration disinfection with a quaternary ammonium disinfectant or alternatively, a novel flooding approach to disinfection. Disinfection of multicomponent suction handpieces, assembled and disassembled, was also studied. A prototype manual and a novel automated Suction Tube Cleaning System (STCS) were developed and tested, as were novel single component suction handpieces. ResultsStandard aspiration disinfection consistently failed to decontaminate DCU suction systems effectively. Semi-confluent bacterial growth (101–500 colony forming units (CFU) per culture plate) was recovered from up to 60% of suction filter housings and from up to 19% of high and 37% of low volume suction hoses. Manual and automated flood disinfection of DCU suction systems reduced this dramatically (ranges for filter cage and high and low volume hoses of 0–22, 0–16 and 0–14CFU/plate, respectively) (P<0.0001). Multicomponent suction handpieces could not be adequately disinfected without prior removal and disassembly. Novel single component handpieces, allowed their effective disinfection in situ using the STCS, which virtually eliminated contamination from the entire suction system. ConclusionFlood disinfection of DCU suction systems and single component handpieces radically improves disinfection efficacy and considerably reduces potential cross-infection and cross-contamination risks. Clinical significanceDCU suction systems become heavily contaminated during use. Conventional disinfection does not adequately control this. Furthermore, multicomponent suction handpieces cannot be adequately disinfected without disassembly, which is costly in time, staff and resources. The automated STCS DCU suction disinfection system used with single component handpieces provides an effective solution.

Setting standards for HEPA filter efficiency

EPA filter housings are mandatory in bio-safety laboratories class BSL 3 (exhaust air) and BSL 4 (supply and exhaust air). HEPA filter elements have to meet the requirements of EN 1822 after manufacturing but are they still meeting quality requirements after delivery and installation as well as later during operation? The solution is compact measuring equipment to check both the efficiency ratio and integrity of the HEPA filter elements without de-installation.

Per- and polyfluorinated compounds in house dust and indoor air from northern Norway – A pilot study

Polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are an extremely versatile class of compounds and are used in a variety of consumer applications and products. Recent studies have suggested that PFCs in indoor air and dust could act as sources of human exposure and outdoor air contamination. This study presents method development and analysis of a wide range of PFCs in dust and air using active sampling techniques with commercially available sampling equipment (forensic nozzles with filter housings for dust collection and polyurethane foam (PUF)-XAD2-PUF sandwich-tubes for air sampling) using both liquid and gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The developed method was validated and tested for applicability to analyze dust and air samples at both low and high concentrations (0.5ng and 25ng per analyte per air sample, respectively). Samples from private households and an office building were analyzed to explore differences in distribution patterns and concentrations. Perfluorooctane sulfonate, perfluorodecane sulfonate, perfluoroheptanoate, perfluorooctanoate and perfluorononanoate were observed in all samples of dust from private households, in the range from 1 to 80.1ngg−1. Fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) were the predominant PFCs in indoor air samples with ∑FTOHs ranging between 4.7 and 17.9ngm−3. The concentrations found in the present study are generally lower than those previously reported. This variation may be due to differences associated with geographical locations and lifestyles. However, use of different sampling techniques and strategies among studies can introduce large variations in PFC concentration found, making direct comparisons challenging.

The Efficiency of HEPA Filters in the Air-Handling System of a Bio-Containment Laboratory in India

The High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) in Bhopal, India is a BSL-4 laboratory that was constructed following the Labystad (The Netherlands) model and was commissioned in 1997 as a bio-containment facility to undertake research and diagnostic work on exotic and emerging diseases of animals in the country. The laboratory's air-handling system is comprised of 23 air-handling units (AHUs) with 97 HEPA filters (Anfilco, India) fitted in 92 filter housings. Preventing environmental contamination is achieved by maintaining graded negative pressure ranging between −50 to −200 Pascals. This paper discusses the efficiency of the HEPA filters following the dioctylphthalate (DOP) testing carried out over a decade-long period. Out of the 81 (83.5%) filters replaced during this period, HEPA filters of 59 (72.83%) housings were replaced once; of 17 housings (20.98%) were replaced twice, and of 6 housings (7.4%) were replaced three times. Major reasons for the replacement of these filters include blockage (48.18%) and lowered efficiency (51.85%) of the filter medium. The majority of the filter changes at HSADL can be attributed to the routine ageing of the filters, resulting in the degraded mechanical strength of the filter medium or choking due to aerosols and dust. Some areas of the laboratory encountered a higher rate of filter change and the reasons thereof are discussed. These observations regarding HEPA filter efficiency in AHUs are probably the first in a tropical environment. The possible roles of factors such as the availability of a dense tree canopy in the direction of the air flow, the close location of the lab to a large water body, and the lab's distance from the dusty highways in the longevity of this laboratory's HEPA filters are also discussed. This study re-emphasizes the need for regular monitoring of the HEPA filter function in the AHUs and their prompt replacement when damaged to ensure effective bio-containment.

A study of the efficacy of various home filtration substrates in the removal of microcystin-LR from drinking water

This study was conducted to determine whether common water filtration and purification systems bought by consumers and used in the home would remove cyanotoxins from water. Commonly used universal filter housings and filter sizes were utilized to identify filter media that may be effective in the removal of microcystin-LR in deionized water. Results suggest that the efficacy of home filtration devices in removing microcystin-LR varies considerably with the type of device being used. Carbon filters successfully removed microcystin-LR allowing only 0.05-0.3% of the toxin load to pass through the filter. On the other hand, pleated paper and string wound filters allowed > 90% of microcystin-LR present in the sample to pass through the filters. Theoretically, the use of carbon home filtration devices tested in this study may provide protection against human exposure to cyanotoxin in addition to protection provided by water treatment methodologies utilized in water treatment facilities. Further studies need to be done to assess the efficacy of home filtration devices for various cyanotoxins and for other filtering conditions such as increased toxin load, the presence of other contaminants in drinking water, and the repetitive use of the same filter over longer time intervals.

Robust scale‐up of dead end filtration: Impact of filter fouling mechanisms and flow distribution

Robust design of a dead end filtration step and the resulting performance at manufacturing scale relies on laboratory data collected with small filter units. During process development it is important to characterize and understand the filter fouling mechanisms of the process streams so that an accurate assessment can be made of the filter area required at manufacturing scale. Successful scale-up also requires integration of the lab-scale filtration data with an understanding of flow characteristics in the full-scale filtration equipment. A case study is presented on the development and scale-up of a depth filtration step used in a 2nd generation polysaccharide vaccine manufacturing process. The effect of operating parameters on filter performance was experimentally characterized for a diverse set of process streams. Filter capacity was significantly reduced when operating at low fluxes, caused by both low filtration pressure and high stream viscosity. The effect of flux on filter capacity could be explained for a variety of diverse streams by a single mechanistic model of filter fouling. To complement the laboratory filtration data, the fluid flow and distribution characteristics in manufacturing-scale filtration equipment were carefully evaluated. This analysis identified the need for additional scale-up factors to account for non-uniform filter area usage in large-scale filter housings. This understanding proved critical to the final equipment design and depth filtration step definition, resulting in robust process performance at manufacturing scale.

Bacterial contamination of dental chair units in a modern dental hospital caused by leakage from suction system hoses containing extensive biofilm

Within six months of opening of the new Dublin Dental Hospital in September 1998, areas of corrosion were observed on many of the baseplates of the hospital's 103 dental chair units (DCUs) at the site of attachment of the suction hoses. The corroded areas were heavily contaminated with Pseudomonas spp. and related genera posing a risk of cross-infection, particularly for immunocompromised patients. These species were used as marker organisms to investigate the source of the contamination. P. aeruginosa was the predominant species recovered from 41 selected DCU baseplates (61% prevalence), whereas P. putida (46% prevalence) and P. aeruginosa (43% prevalence) were predominant at the attachment ends of 37 selected high-volume suction hoses. Forty-one selected isolates of P. aeruginosa from 13 DCU baseplates, 16 high-volume suction hoses and 12 coarse filter housings (another suction system site) from 19 separate DCUs were serotyped to determine the similarity of isolates at each site. The majority of isolates (68.3%) belonged to serotype O:10, while the remainder belonged to serotypes O:6 (7.3%), O:11 (7.3%), O:14 (9.8%) and O:5/O:16 (7.3%). Of the isolates from DCU baseplates, additional isolates with the same serotype were recovered from other suction system sites in 10/13 (77%) cases. Isolates of only one serotype were recovered from each of the 19 DCUs investigated. Forty-one serotyped isolates were also subject to computer-assisted analysis of SpeI-generated DNA fingerprint profiles, and similarity coefficient (S(AB)s) values were calculated for each pairwise combination of isolate profiles. The data obtained showed that the isolates consisted of two distinct main populations, each containing separate clades corresponding to specific serotypes. Serotype O:6 (three isolates), O:11 (three isolates) and O:5/O:16 (three isolates) belonged to a single strain in each case. Serotypes O:14 (four isolates) and O:10 (28 isolates) belonged to two strains in each case. The two serotype O:10 strains, termed fingerprint groups I (four isolates from three DCUs) and II (24 isolates from 10 DCUs), were the most distantly related of all the strains identified. These findings demonstrated that the hospital DCUs had become colonized with a small number of P. aeruginosa strains, one of which (serotype O:10, fingerprint group II) predominated. These results also confirmed that DCU baseplate contamination was most likely to be due to leakage from suction system hoses at the baseplate attachment sites, probably due to loosening during use. Replacement hose connectors that firmly retained the suction hoses in the attachment sites so that they could not be loosened by movement of the suction hoses solved this problem, and eliminated further contamination of the DCU baseplates.

Optimization Technique for Design of Automotive Air Filter Housings with Improved Fluid Dynamic Performance and Filtration

A filter housing design technique has been developed that computes the housing geometry required to provide a user-specified velocity distribution through the filter. Appropriate control of the flow field across the filter can improve filter efficiency. Two-dimensional computational designs have been performed specifying a uniform velocity distribution through the filter. This distribution corresponds to a uniform, constant pressure drop across the filter from the upstream to the downstream side. A computational optimization method is used to minimize the variation in the pressure drop along the filter by changing the geometry of the upper wall. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations of the viscous laminar flow upstream and downstream of the filter are performed using two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations. As the upper wall profile is numerically changed, the CFD solution for the computations is repeated and the pressure drop variation is reevaluated until an optimum configuration is achieved. The optimization results have produced a pressure distribution that is very close to the specified uniform distribution. Experimental verifications were performed using a laser Doppler anemometer to measure the velocity distribution just upstream of the filter and a pressure transducer to measure pressure drops across the filter. The velocity distribution in this (optimized) housing is more uniform than other housing models having the same fundamental rectangular geometry.

Assessment of the Elution of Charcoal, Cellulose Acetate, and Other Particles from Cigarettes with Charcoal and Activated Charcoal/Resin Filters

This experiment was designed to study the release of cellulose acetate fibers, charcoal, and other particles from cigarettes with charcoal and activated charcoal/resin filters. For the first time in such studies, efforts were made to identify the particles that were eluted using other analytical techniques in addition to light microscopy. Other corrective measures were also implemented. During the studies it was found that trimming of larger filters to fit smaller filter housings introduced cellulose acetate-like particles from the fibers of the filter material. Special, custom made-to-fit filters were used instead. Tools such as forceps that were used to retrieve filters from their housings were also found to introduce fragments onto the filters. It is believed that introduction of such debris may have accounted for the very large number of cellulose acetate and charcoal particles that had been reported in the literature. Use of computerized particle-counting microscopes appeared to result in excessive number of particles. This could be because the filter or smoke pads used for such work do not have the flat and level surfaces ideal for computerized particle-counting microscopes. At the high magnifications that the pads were viewed for particles, constant focusing of the microscope would be essential. It was also found that determination of total particles by using extrapolation of particle count by grid population usually gave extremely high particle counts compared to the actual number of particles present. This could be because particle distributions during smoking are not uniform. Lastly, a less complex estimation of the thickness of the particles was adopted. This and the use of a simple mathematical conversion coupled with the Cox equation were utilized to assess the aerodynamic diameters of the particles. Our findings showed that compared to numbers quoted in the literature, only a small amount of charcoal, cellulose acetate shards, and other particles are released. It was also shown that those particles would have a low likelihood of reaching the lung.

Enhanced filter elements and housings

The new enhanced DuoFlo ™ filter elements from Cuno can be specified with either polypropylene or polyester filter media, with nominal removal ratings from 1 to 100 microns available. Visit www.filtsep.com for the latest filtration industry news