High efficiency low pressure drop synthetic fiber based air filter made completely from post consumer waste materials

• US 8,398,752 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2010
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jerry M. Brownstein, Kathy R. Brownstein
• Original Assignee: Jerry M. Brownstein, Kathy R. Brownstein
• Inventors: Brownstein, Jerry M., Brownstein, Kathy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCKENZIE, THOMAS B
• Application Number:
  US12/850,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20110030557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 55490-528, 95273-287, 281/03, 28107-108, 28110-115
• US Class Current: 95/273
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0283 comprising filter materials made from waste or recycled materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0654 Support layers
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/1225 Fibre length
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/1233 Fibre diameter
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/125 Size distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/1623 of synthetic origin
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/163 sintered or bonded
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0028 provided with antibacterial or antifungal means
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0038 with means for influencing the odor, e.g. deodorizing substances
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/10 Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using filter plates, sheets or pads having plane surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 67/0002 Organic membrane manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/4226 characterised by the apparatus for manufacturing the glass fleece
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/4291 Olefin series
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/46 by needling or like operations to cause entanglement of fibres D04H1/45 takes precedence; needling machines D04H18/00

Abstract

A non-woven textile based filter media is produced from polyester fiber generated using recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) beverage bottles, and that non-woven textile based filter media is used to make an air filter. By controlling the diameters and lengths of the PET derived polyester fibers, a non-woven textile based filter media that exhibits a natural Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) of about 8 (without requiring electrostatic treatment) and a pressure drop of 2.9 PSI or less can be achieved. A related exemplary embodiment is an air filter fabricated entirely from recycled materials, including a recycled cardboard frame, the non-woven textile based filter media made from recycled PET derived polyester fibers, and a support structure made of recycled plastic or metal wire.

Claims

1. A method for filtering air, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an air filter; and

(b) introducing the air filter into an air flow, such that the air filter filters the air,

wherein the air filter comprises;

(a) a frame; and

(b) a non-woven textile filter media disposed in the frame, the nonwoven textile filter media comprising a needle-punched wadded mass comprising longer fibers and shorter fibers, wherein the shorter fibers range from 5 to 55 mm in length and make up a substantial majority of the wadded mass and the longer fibers range from 60 to 100 mm in length and make up a minority of the wadded mass, the longer fibers and shorter fibers being polyester fibers,

wherein the polyester fibers comprise a combination of about 1.5 denier fibers and about 4 denier fibers,

wherein a ratio of 1.5 to 4 denier fibers is between 1;

1 to 1;

4, and

wherein the non-woven textile filter media exhibits a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) of about 8 without requiring electrostatic treatment, and a pressure drop of 2.9 PSI or less.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the polyester fibers are produced from recycled PET beverage bottles without delustering the polyester fibers so produced.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the non-woven textile filter media has sufficient mechanical strength to withstand a flow of air through the non-woven textile filter media without the flow of air disrupting the integrity of the non-woven textile filter media, wherein the flow of air is at least about 1968 CFM.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the air filter consists entirely of recycled materials.

5. An air filter for filtering air, comprising:

(a) a frame; and

(b) a non-woven textile filter media disposed in the frame, the nonwoven textile filter media comprising a needle-punched wadded mass comprising longer fibers and shorter fibers, wherein the shorter fibers range from 5 to 55 mm in length and make up a substantial majority of the wadded mass and the longer fibers range from 60 to 100 mm in length and make up a minority of the wadded mass, the longer fibers and shorter fibers being polyester fibers,

wherein the polyester fibers comprise a combination of about 1.5 denier fibers and about 4 denier fibers,

wherein a ratio of 1.5 to 4 denier fibers is between 1;

1 to 1;

4, and

wherein the non-woven textile filter media exhibits a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) of about 8 without requiring electrostatic treatment, and a pressure drop of 2.9 PSI or less.

6. The air filter of claim 5, further comprising a support structure coupled to the frame to support the non-woven textile filter media.

7. The air filter of claim 6, wherein the frame and support structure are made from recycled materials, such that the air filter consists entirely of recycled materials.

8. The air filter of claim 5, wherein said non-woven textile filter media has a thickness ranging from about 0.5 cm to about 2.5 cm.

9. The air filter of claim 5, wherein said non-woven textile filter media weighs less than about 0.15 to about 0.35 ounce per square foot and has a thickness of about 0.5 cm to about 2.5 cm.

10. The air filter of claim 5, wherein the non-woven textile filter media has sufficient mechanical strength to withstand a flow of air through the non-woven textile filter media without the flow of air disrupting the integrity of the non-woven textile filter media, where the flow of air is at least about 1968 CFM.

11. The air filter of claim 5, wherein the polyester fiber is derived from recycled green colored polyethylene terephthalate bottles, such that the non-woven textile filter media is green in color.

12. The air filter of claim 5, wherein the non-woven textile filter media is made by combining less than about 10% of recycled synthetic fibers from non polyethylene terephthalate sources with the polyester fiber.

13. The air filter of claim 5, wherein said non-woven textile filter media weighs less than about 0.15 to about 0.35 ounce per square foot.

14. The air filter of claim 5, wherein the polyester fiber is produced without applying any delustering to the polyester fiber so produced.

15. A method for making a non-woven textile filter media for filtering air, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a quantity of bulk polyester;

(b) generating a quantity of polyester fiber having a predefined diameter from the quantity of bulk polyester;

(c) cutting the polyester fiber to a predefined length;

(d) using the polyester fiber having the predefined length to generate the non-woven textile filter media,

(e) needle punching the polyester fiber to form a wadded mass comprising longer fibers and shorter fibers, wherein the shorter fibers range from 5 to 55 mm in length and make up a substantial majority of the wadded mass and the longer fibers range from 60 to 100 mm in length and make up a minority of the wadded mass, the longer fibers and shorter fibers being polyester fibers,

wherein the polyester fibers comprise a combination of about 1.5 denier fibers and about 4 denier fibers,

wherein a ratio of 1.5 to 4 denier fibers is between 1;

1 to 1;

4, and

wherein the non-woven textile filter media exhibits a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) of about 8 without requiring electrostatic treatment, and a pressure drop of 2.9 PSI or less.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the non-woven textile filter media that weighs less than about 0.15 to about 0.35 ounce per square foot and has a thickness of about 0.5 cm to about 2.5 cm.