Straight pore microfilter with efficient regeneration

• US 20120111198A1
• Filed: 05/23/2011
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Giner Electrochemical Systems, LLC (Ener1, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Giner Electrochemical Systems, LLC (Ener1, Inc.)
• Inventors: LaConti, Anthony B., McCallum, Thomas J., Schmitt, Edwin W., Liu, Han
• Application Number:
  US13/068,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20120111198A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 95/285
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0478 on a layer of the filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/1216 Pore size
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/1692 Other shaped material, e.g. perforated or porous sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/2429 of the honeycomb walls or cells
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/24491 Porosity
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/24492 Pore diameter
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/2484 Cell density, area or aspect ratio

Abstract

A gas particulate filter well-suited for, but not limited to, removing airborne particulates from air. According to one embodiment, the filter is a composite structure including a porous support and an ionomer coating. The porous support is preferably made of a material designed to endow the filter with good mechanical properties. The pores of the porous support are preferably micron or smaller straight pores. The ionomer coating, which is applied to the porous support but does not completely seal the pores of the porous support, is preferably selected to provide the filter with good filtering properties and regeneration through controlled ionomer hydration/dehydration and corresponding ionomer swelling and contraction.

Claims

1. A filter well-suited for removing particulates from a gas, the filter comprising:

(a) a support, the support comprising a plurality of straight pores extending from one surface of the support to an opposite surface of the support; and

(b) an ionomer coating applied to the support, the ionomer coating partially filling but not completely sealing at least some of the straight pores.

2. The filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support is a non-ionomer polymer film.

3. The filter as claimed in claim 2 wherein the non-ionomer polymer film is made of a material selected from the group consisting of perfluorinated polymers, polyvinylidene fluoride, poly(tetrafluoroethylene), polybenzimidazole, polyphenylenesulfide, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyesters, polyparaphenylene, polyquinoxaline, polyarylketone, polybenzazole, polyaramid, poly(etherether-ketone), liquid crystal polymers, polyimide, and polyetherimide.

4. The filter as claimed in claim 3 wherein the non-ionomer polymer film is made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyimide, a liquid crystal polymer, and polybenzimidazole.

5. The filter as claimed in claim 4 wherein the non-ionomer polymer film is made of polyimide.

6. The filter as claimed in claim 4 wherein the non-ionomer polymer film is made of a liquid crystal polymer.

7. The filter as claimed in claim 4 wherein the non-ionomer polymer film is made of polybenzimidazole.

8. The filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the straight pores have a pore size of about 10 to 80 μ

m.

9. The filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the straight pores have a pore size of about 10 to 30 μ

m.

10. The filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support has a thickness of about 9 to 25 μ

m.

11. The filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support has a thickness of about 9 to 15 μ

m.

12. The filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support has a porosity of about 40 to 60%.

13. The filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support has a porosity of about 40 to 50%.

14. The filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ionomer coating comprises an ionomer having an equivalent weight of about 700 to 1100.

15. The filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ionomer coating comprises a perfluorinated sulfonic acid.

16. The filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ionomer coating comprises a sulfonated hydrocarbon.

17. The filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the filter has a dust removal efficiency of about 90 to 99%.

18. The filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the filter has a dust removal efficiency of about 95 to 99%.

19. A filter assembly, the filter assembly comprising a plurality of stacked filters, at least one of said stacked filters comprising a filter as claimed in claim 1.

20. A filter assembly, the filter assembly comprising a first filter and a second filter, said second filter being stacked on said first filter, said first filter comprising a non-woven porous fabric, said second filter comprising a filter as claimed in claim 1.

21. The filter assembly as claimed in claim 20 wherein said first filter comprises ionomer fibers.

22. A filter assembly, the filter assembly comprising a plurality of stacked filters, each of said stacked filters comprising a filter as claimed in claim 1.

23. The filter assembly as claimed in claim 22 wherein each of said stacked filters has a different pore size and/or ionomer loading.

24. A method of filtering particulates from a gas, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a filter, the filter comprising

(i) a support, the support comprising a plurality of straight pores extending from one surface of the support to an opposite surface of the support;

(ii) an ionomer coating applied to the support, the ionomer coating partially filling but not completely sealing at least some of the straight pores, and

(b) passing the gas through the pores of the filter.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24 wherein the support is a non-ionomer polymer film made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyimide, a liquid crystal polymer, and polybenzimidazole, wherein the straight pores of the support have a pore size of 10 to 80 μ

m., and wherein the ionomer coating comprises a perfluorinated sulfonic acid having an equivalent weight of about 700 to 1100.

26. A method of preparing a gas particulate filter, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a support having a plurality of straight pores; and

(b) applying an ionomer to the support so as to partially fill, but not completely seal, at least some of the straight pores.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26 wherein said support forming step comprises providing a support and using a laser to micromachine straight pores in the support.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27 wherein said laser is an excimer laser.

29. The method as claimed in claim 26 wherein the support having a plurality of straight pores is formed by micromolding.