Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D39/00—Filtering material for liquid or gaseous fluids
  • B01D39/14—Other self-supporting filtering material ; Other filtering material
  • B01D39/16—Other self-supporting filtering material ; Other filtering material of organic material, e.g. synthetic fibres
  • B01D39/1607—Other self-supporting filtering material ; Other filtering material of organic material, e.g. synthetic fibres the material being fibrous
  • B01D39/1623—Other self-supporting filtering material ; Other filtering material of organic material, e.g. synthetic fibres the material being fibrous of synthetic origin

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to filter media, and more particularly to filter media comprised of a plurality of fibers having a material disposed on an exterior surface thereof for, among other things, selectively attracting and retaining particulate matter.
• a filter medium for attracting and retaining particulate matter comprising: at least one fiber; wherein the at least one fiber has at least one material disposed on an external surface thereof; wherein the at least one material has a high affinity for the particulate matter; wherein the at least one fiber is comprised of an elongated fiber having multiple lobes with a longitudinally extending internal cavity including an opening from the internal cavity to an outer fiber formed between adjacent lobes ; wherein the at least one material is disposed on at least a portion of a surface of the internal cavity.
• a filter medium for attracting and retaining particulate matter comprising: at least one fiber; wherein the at least one fiber is comprised of an elongated fiber having multiple lobes with a longitudinally extending internal cavity including an opening from the internal cavity to an outer fiber formed between adjacent lobes; wherein the at least one fiber has at least one material disposed on an external surface thereof; wherein the at least one material has a high affinity for the particulate matter.
• a method for attracting and retaining particulate matter entrained in an air stream comprising: providing at least one fiber; and passing the air stream through the at least one fiber,- wherein the at least one fiber has at least one material disposed on an external surface thereof; wherein the at least one material has a high affinity for the particulate matter; wherein the at least one fiber is comprised of an elongated fiber having multiple lobes with a longitudinally extending internal cavity including an opening from the internal cavity to an outer fiber formed between adjacent lobes; wherein the at least one material is disposed on at least a portion of a surface of the internal cavity.
• a method for for attracting and retaining particulate matter entrained in an air stream comprising: providing at least one fiber; and passing the air stream through the at least one fiber; wherein the at least one fiber is comprised of an elongated fiber having multiple lobes with a longitudinally extending internal cavity including an opening from the internal cavity to an outer fiber formed between adjacent lobes; wherein the at least one fiber has at least one material disposed on an external surface thereof; wherein the at least one material has a high affinity for the particulate matter.
• the FIGURE is a perspective view showing a fiber which is suitable for practicing the invention.
• the filter medium of the present invention is primarily intended to be used to filter particulate matter entrained in an air stream.
• the filter medium can include an optional support member, such as a peripheral cardboard or plastic frame or bracket to support the filter medium, so as to form a filter element .
• the present invention is based on the use of a class of fibrous materials which have the ability to capillarily hold an impregnated liquid and/or solid phase material due to the nature of their unique cross-section.
• This fiber which has this unique cross-section can be made into a variety of particulate filters, either of the woven or nonwoven varieties.
• suitable fibers include, without limitation, elongated fibers having multiple lobes with a longitudinally extending internal cavity including an opening from the internal cavity to the outer fiber formed between adjacent lobes.
• U.S. Patent No. 5,057,368 entitled “Filaments Having Trilobal Or Quadrilobal Cross-Sections” and issued to Larg an et al . describes a trilobal or quadrilobal fiber formed from thermoplastic polymers, the fiber having a cross-section comprised of a central core having three or four T-shaped lobes, the legs of each intersecting at the center of the core such that the angle between the legs of adjacent lobes is from about 80° to about 130°.
• a filter media is composed of a plurality of wicking fibers each of which comprise a strand with a hollow region impregnated with any of a variety of liquid phase absorbing systems made from the combination of a carrier liquid and soluble complexing/degrading agent or agents .
• the filter media may be made from any of a variety of fibers which can rapidly transport a liquid phase by the nature of either their geometry or their chemical composition. Geometries may include multilobal cross-sectional configurations, porous hollow fibers, porous or striated fibers or tightly bundled microfibers, all of which exhibit the property of wicking fluid from an external, source.
• the impregnated or pregnant fibers can either be ' formed into fibrous mats, sheets, or webs by any number of conventional methods, or alternatively, the pregnant fibers can be mechanically incorporated (e.g., disposed) onto and/or within a conventional fibrous mat, sheet, or web (typically comprised of a plurality of entangled non- woven fibers) .
• the resulting filter media, whether comprised of, or incorporating, pregnant fibers is a low density, high pore volume material (e.g., 50% pore volume for fibers) .
• the high pore volume is preferred so as to allow the proper level of air flow through the filter media without a significant pressure drop occurring.
• liquid phase material which matches the surface energy and wettability of that particular particle.
• liquid phase materials such as oils can be used for attracting and retaining dust and dirt particles.
• the present invention has application in customized filtration applications such as the removal of microbes.
• some solvents have strong affinity for microbes such as, but not limited to, polymers such as polyvinylpyridine .
• Solid phase materials can be used equally as well as liquid phase materials in order to attract and retain particulate matter without any substantial pressure drop across the filter medium.
• particulates such as carbon powders can be impregnated into the fibers of the present invention.
• solid phase materials can also be melted into a free flowing state and then applied onto the fiber of the present invention.
• the fiber 10 has a cross-section with a central core 12 and three (or alternatively four) T-shaped lobes 14 that terminate on an external wall member 16.
• the legs of the lobes 14 intersect at the core 12 so that the angle between the legs of the adjacent lobes 14 is from about 80° to 130°.
• the thermoplastic polymer is typically a polyamide, a polyester, a polyolefin or a combination thereof.
• the fiber 10 as illustrated in the FIGURE is formed as an extruded strand having three hollow interior longitudinally extending cavities 18 each of which communicates with the outer strand surface by way of longitudinally extending slots 20 which are defined between the outer ends of the T-shaped lobes 14.
• the material 22 (either liquid phase and/or solid phase) is applied in any number of conventional methods to at least a portion of one or more surfaces of the cavities 18.

Landscapes

• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Filtering Materials (AREA)
• Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)
• Woven Fabrics (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Family Cites Families (3)

• 2001
  • 2001-01-25 WO PCT/US2001/002348 patent/WO2001054796A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2001-01-25 JP JP2001554773A patent/JP2003520669A/ja not_active Withdrawn
  • 2001-01-25 EP EP01903286A patent/EP1251930A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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