Air-permeable filtration media and related systems

• US 7,892,326 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2008
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Point Source Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Point Source Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Raetz, Gregory J., Raetz, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAWRENCE JR, FRANK M
• Application Number:
  US12/173,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20080271605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 96/15, 961/08, 961/53, 961/54, 961/34, 95/57, 95/90, 555/24, 555/27, 210/502.1, 210503-505, 428/221, 428/323, 442/164, 442/417
• US Class Current: 96/15
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0407 comprising particulate additives, e.g. adsorbents apparatus incorporating gas filtering material B01D46/0036
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0435 Electret apparatus incorporating such gas filtering material B01D46/0032
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0485 on particles
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/10 Filtering material manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/1216 Pore size
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/1233 Fibre diameter
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/1241 Particle diameter
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/102 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/106 Silica or silicates
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/108 Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/202 Polymeric adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/206 Ion exchange resins
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/304 Linear dimensions, e.g. particle shape, diameter
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/083 of organic material
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/1623 of synthetic origin
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/2055 Carbonaceous material solid sorbent compositions comprising free carbon B01J20/20
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/02 by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography solid sorbent compositions B01J20/00, preparation of inorganic compounds or elements C01
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/20 comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28004 Sorbent size or size distribution, e.g. particle size
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28019 Spherical, ellipsoidal or cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28023 : Fibres or filaments fibres or filaments in the form of membranes B01J20/28038; B01J20/28007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28028 : Particles immobilised within fibres or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/2803 : Sorbents comprising a binder, e.g. for forming aggregated, agglomerated or granulated products
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28033 : Membrane, sheet, cloth, pad, lamellar or mat
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28038 : Membranes or mats made from fibers or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28078 : Pore diameter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2861 : Coated or impregnated synthetic organic fiber fabric

Abstract

The present invention provides an air-permeable filtration media that includes an air-permeable backing and an adsorbent. The adsorbent is at least partially embedded in the air-permeable backing. The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing an air-permeable filtration media. The present invention also provides a method of substantially removing contaminants from air, employing the air-permeable filtration media.

Claims

1. An air-permeable filtration media comprising:

an air-permeable backing; and

a plurality of adsorbent elements applied to, and partially or substantially embedded within, the air-permeable backing, at least a portion of the adsorbent elements having an average size of about 1 micron or less across,

wherein the application of the plurality of adsorbent elements to the air-permeable backing provides an enhanced electrostatic filtration charge.

2. The filtration media of claim 1, wherein the plurality of adsorbent elements are applied to, and partially or substantially embedded within, the air-permeable backing without the use of an adhesive composition.

3. The filtration media of claim 1, wherein the plurality of adsorbent elements are applied to, and partially or substantially embedded within, the air-permeable backing without the use of a binder.

4. The filtration media of claim 1, wherein the plurality of adsorbent elements are attached to the air-permeable backing using an electrostatic charge.

5. The filtration media of claim 1, wherein an adsorbent cross-sectional thickness applied to the air-permeable backing is substantially restrictionless to the passage of a stream of air.

6. The filtration media of claim 1, wherein an unpleated cross-sectional thickness of the air-permeable backing and the plurality of adsorbent elements is about ⅛

of an inch or less.

7. The filtration media of claim 1, wherein the plurality of adsorbent elements are configured to remove at least one particulate and at least one gaseous chemical compound from a stream of air.

8. The filtration media of claim 7, wherein the embedding of the plurality of adsorbent elements within the air-permeable backing provides enhanced removal of the at least one particulate or the at least one gaseous chemical compound.

9. The filtration media of claim 1, wherein the plurality of adsorbent elements include varied geometries.

10. The filtration media of claim 1, wherein the air-permeable backing includes a material selected from a group consisting of:

woven thermoplastic synthetic polymeric fibers, unwoven thermoplastic synthetic polymeric fibers, electrostatically charged thermoplastic synthetic polymers, non-electrostatically charged thermoplastic synthetic polymer fibers, and combinations thereof.

11. An air-permeable filtration media comprising:

an air-permeable backing including a plurality of fibrous elements; and

a plurality of adsorbent elements at least partially embedded within the air-permeable backing thereby producing an enhanced electrostatic charge, at least a portion of the plurality of adsorbent elements having an average size of about 1 micron or less across and substantially coating the plurality of fibrous elements.

12. The filtration media of claim 11, wherein the plurality of adsorbent elements substantially fill one or more voids of the air-permeable backing.

13. The filtration media of claim 11, wherein an outer surface of a first adsorbent element contacts or nearly contacts an outer surface of a second adsorbent element.

14. The filtration media of claim 11, wherein the plurality of adsorbent elements include a material selected from a group consisting of:

activated carbon fiber, activated carbon particles, carbonized basil planes, carbonized particles, sodium silicate, zeolite particles, molecular sieves, porous polymer adsorbers, carbonized ion-exchangers, and combinations thereof.

15. The filtration media of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of adsorbent elements includes a coating assisting in adsorbing one or more impurities.

16. The filtration media of claim 11, wherein the embedding of the plurality of adsorbent elements on the plurality of fibrous elements is performed using negative pressure.

17. A filtration system comprising:

a filtration unit including an air-permeable filtration media, the filtration media including,

an air-permeable backing, and

a plurality of adsorbent elements at least partially embedded within the air-permeable backing, the at least partial embedding producing an enhanced electrostatic charge;

a unit configured to force a stream of air; and

a duct system configured to receive the stream of air from the unit.