PLEATED FILTER STRUCTURE FOR AIR CLEANING AND AIR FILTERING METHOD

Abstract

A pleated filter structure is provided for the removal of gaseous pollutants from a gas mixture to be filtered. The structure comprises an ideally air impervious filter sheet, being pleated so as to form an adjacent series of slit shaped conduits for the passage of air through the structure, each bounded on either side by the folded sections of the filter sheet, these being joined by a series of top creases and bottom creases. The top and/or bottom creases incorporate slit-shaped openings allowing passage of a gas mixture into and/or out of the structure. Gas to be filtered enters through one side of the structure, passes laterally across the filter sheet section surfaces and exits through the other side. Also provided are methods for the manufacture of a pleated filter structure, comprising forming rows of slit-shaped openings in a filter sheet and providing folds, in alternating directions, along the lengthwise extensions of adjacent rows of openings. Methods for filtering a gas are also provided.

Claims

1. An air filter structure for removing gaseous pollutants from air to be filtered, comprising a filter sheet, wherein the filter sheet is pleated so as to form a series of linked sheet sections, each sheet section having a top edge and a base edge, adjacent sheet sections being joined so that the top edge joins together define a set of top creases and the bottom edge joins together define a set of bottom creases, the sheet sections being gas impervious; wherein at least one of said creases incorporates one or more slit-shaped openings for the passage of the air to be filtered.

2. An air filter structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each top crease incorporates one or more slit-shaped openings for the passage of the air to be filtered.

3. An air filter structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each bottom crease incorporates one or more slit-shaped openings for the passage of the air to be filtered.

4. An air filter structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the angle between adjacent sheet sections is 45 degrees or less.

5. An air filter structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spacing between adjacent top creases or between adjacent bottom creases is between 0.5 mm and 5 mm.

6. An air filter structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length between the base edge and top edge of each sheet section is between 10 mm and 60 mm.

7. An air filter structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filter sheet comprises an absorptive sheet of chemically-impregnated fibrous material such as paper or glass-fibre or non-woven fabric; or the filter sheet comprises gas-oxidising elements capable of catalytic gas oxidation; or the filter sheet comprises activated carbon elements containing activated carbon material.

8. A method of producing an air filter structure for the removal of gaseous pollutants from air to be filtered, comprising: providing a filter sheet having one or more rows of parallel slit-shaped openings, wherein the rows run parallel with a width direction of the slit-shaped openings; pleating the filter sheet by forming folds running parallel with a length direction of the slit-shaped openings, a fold being formed at least at the location of each slit-shaped opening, wherein the direction of each fold is alternate to that of any adjacent fold, thereby generating a pleated series of sheet sections, the sheet sections being gas impervious.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein one or more folds are formed running parallel with the length direction of the slit shaped openings but not coincident with any slit-shaped openings.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the spacing between neighbouring holes of the same row is between 10 mm and 60 mm.

11. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the angles of the provided folds are such that the spacing between adjacent top creases or between adjacent bottom creases is between 0.5 mm and 5 mm.

12. A method of filtering air to remove gaseous pollutants, comprising passing the air through a filter structure, said filter structure comprising: a filter sheet which is pleated so as to form a series of linked sheet sections, each sheet section having a top edge and a base edge, adjacent sheet sections being joined so that the top edge joins together define a set of top creases and the bottom edge joins together define a set of bottom creases, wherein at least one of said creases incorporates one or more slit-shaped openings for the passage of the air to be filtered, the sheet sections being gas impervious; wherein the method comprises: passing the air between the sheet sections, so that the air enters into the filter structure through and/or between the base creases and exits the filter structure through and/or between the top creases.

13. An air cleaning unit, comprising an air filter structure according to claim 1.

14. An air filter stack, comprising an air filter structure according to claim 1.

15. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the filter sheet comprises an absorptive sheet of chemically-impregnated fibrous material such as paper or glass-fibre or non-woven fabric; or the filter sheet comprises gas-oxidising elements capable of catalytic gas oxidation; or the filter sheet comprises activated carbon elements containing activated carbon material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] Examples of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0055] FIGS. 1a-c show an example of a pleated mechanical particular filter known from the prior art;

[0056] FIG. 2 shows an example of a corrugated gaseous pollutant filter known from the prior art;

[0057] FIG. 3 shows an example a parallel plate filter structure known from the prior art;

[0058] FIG. 4 shows an example of a filter structure in accordance with the invention;

[0059] FIG. 5 shows a side view of an example of a filter structure in accordance with the invention;

[0060] FIG. 6 depicts a second example of a filter structure in accordance with the invention; and

[0061] FIG. 7 shows an example of a method of manufacturing a filter structure in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0062] The invention provides a pleated filter structure for the removal of gaseous pollutants from a gas mixture to be filtered. The structure comprises an ideally air-impervious filter sheet, being pleated to as to form an adjacent series of slit shaped conduits for the passage of air through the structure, each bounded on either side by the folded sections of the filter sheet, these being joined by a series of top creases and bottom creases. The top and/or bottom creases incorporate slit-shaped openings allowing passage of a gas mixture into and/or out of the structure. Gas to be filtered enters through one side of the structure, passes laterally across the filter sheet section surfaces and exits through the other side. Also provided are methods for the manufacture of a pleated filter structure, comprising forming rows of slit-shaped openings in a filter sheet and providing folds, in alternating directions, along the lengthwise extensions of adjacent rows of openings. Methods for filtering a gas are also provided.

[0063] In a simplest embodiment, the invention comprises a single sheet of active filtering material, pleated and with slits provided at one or more of the pleat creases for the passage of air into and/or out of the device. A pleated structure allows for greater active filtering surface area, as compared with flat, planar sheets. An air passage laterally across surfaces, as opposed to through them, allows for a significantly reduced air-pressure drop across the device. Reduced air pressure drop means that air may be passed through the filter structure with less effort, mitigating energy costs where the airflow through the filter is for example fan or vacuum-assisted, or allowing for a faster flow rate of air across the device.

[0064] The invention in its most general form may be used for filtering gaseous pollutants from any arbitrary background gas mixture. Merely for ease of description, in examples described below, reference is frequently restricted to the particular case of filtering of air. Reference to air filtration, however, is not to be understood as limiting to the general applicability of the invention to other gas bases/carriers.

[0065] As described above, air/gas filtration devices adapted for the passage of air parallel to active filtering surfaces are known, and examples are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Pleated filter structures are also well known, and an example shown in FIGS. 1a-c. However, these are currently restricted to the field of particle filtration, and require air to be passed through the material of the filter sheet, rather than laterally across. The invention is based on combining the advantageous functionalities of both the pleated and the parallel-plate filter structures to provide a pleated filter structure across whose active surfaces air to be filtered can pass laterally.

[0066] In FIG. 4 is shown an example of a simple embodiment of the invention. A filter sheet 40 has regularly spaced folds in alternating directions so as to form a pleated structure comprising a series of linked sheet sections 42, adjacent sheet sections being joined at one edge, and these joins together defining a set of top creases 44 and a set of bottom creases, 46. Into said creases are incorporated one or more slit-shaped openings 48 for the passage of air. Slit shaped openings in the same crease are separated by bridges of sheet material 50.

[0067] The example of FIG. 4 further comprises a rigid frame 52 for housing the filter sheet 40 and for maintenance of the pleated shape. However, in other examples, a rigid frame may not be required. For example, the filter sheet may be comprised of a material which holds its shape without external mechanical support. Alternatively the filter structure might be incorporated as a component within a larger structure or system which already comprises elements for housing the filter sheet.

[0068] Air to be filtered 54 enters the structure through the base and exits through the top (or vice versa in alternative examples). The slit-shaped openings in the creases allow gas to pass from one side of the filter sheet to the other without having to pass through the material of the filter sheet itself.

[0069] In FIG. 5 is shown a schematic diagram of a cross section of the example filter structure of FIG. 4, indicating more clearly the air flow path through the device. Gas enters the structure through the slits 48 provided in bottom creases 46 and/or by passing through gaps 64 separating bottom creases. Upon entering, gas is directed through slit-shaped conduits 66 formed by the tapered spacing between neighbouring sheet sections 42. Sheet sections essentially form a stack of absorption elements defining a plurality of slit-shaped tapered air conduits, similar to the straight conduits in a parallel-plate filter structure. Air can be passed through the conduits with incursion of only a small pressure drop from one side to the other. As it passes through the conduits, the air makes surface contact with constituent sheet sections and gaseous pollutants are removed from the gas through processes of lateral gas diffusion or oxidisation.

[0070] In the particular example of FIGS. 4 and 5, there is incorporated into each one of the creases at least one slit-shaped opening 48. However in a simplest example, just one slit-shaped opening is incorporated into just one crease, either a top crease 44 or a bottom crease 46, this one crease facilitating passage of gas from one side of the structure to the other. Inclusion of just one slit however, might have an impeding effect on air flow capacity through the filter structure.

[0071] In an alternative example, there may be slits incorporated into some or all top creases but none in bottom creases, or vice versa. In the case of the former, air enters the filter structure only through gaps 64 between bottom creases, and consequently may exit the structure only through the slits provided to corresponding top creases 48. In this case only downward-facing surfaces (surfaces facing toward the base creases) perform the active filtering function, the top-facing surfaces not coming into contact with the gas to be filtered.

[0072] In a preferred example, the filter sheet comprises a material which is substantially air impermeable. For efficient functionality of the filter, air must enter and exit the structure only through slit-shaped openings in creases, and/or through spaces between adjacent creases. This ensures that the gas does not need to change direction, expand or contract during its passage through the filter, and this in turn results in a minimization of incurred gas pressure drop across the filter.

[0073] In different examples, the angle formed at each crease, and correspondingly the spacing between adjacent top creases or between adjacent bottom creases, may vary. In a particular example, the angle formed between adjacent sheet sections may be 45° or less. Varying the angle between neighbouring sheet sections affects the internal dimensions of air conduits 66, and thereby influences fluid dynamical properties of the device pertaining to air flow though the structure.

[0074] Efficient extraction of pollutants from inflowing air relies upon a fast rate of lateral gas diffusion to side walls of the conduits. A sufficiently fast rate may be achieved by limiting the pitch between adjacent sheet sections to just a few millimetres. In a preferred example, the angle between adjacent sheet sections is chosen such that the spacing between adjacent top creases or between adjacent bottom creases is limited to between 0.5 mm and 5 mm. This small lateral spacing ensures that lateral diffusion can occur at a sufficiently fast rate to guarantee high efficiency in extraction of pollutants.

[0075] The lengths of sheet sections between top and base edges may also vary in different examples. In an example, the length between edges is between 10 mm and 60 mm. The effective lifetime of the filter structure varies in proportion to its overall volume, and hence, for a given number of sheet sections, extending their height may increase effective lifetime. Compactness of the structure may also be consideration however, in which case smaller heighted sheet sections might be preferred.

[0076] In different examples, the filter sheet may be comprised of one of a number of different materials, suitable for removing different kinds of pollutant substance. In one embodiment, for example, the filter sheet might comprise a chemically-impregnated carrier, the impregnants capable of chemically absorbing pollutant gasses from the air, via, for example, one or more acid-base interactions or through perhaps a chemical condensation reaction. Impregnated filter materials are particularly applicable in the case of removal of formaldehyde and/or small acidic gasses such as SO.sub.2, acetic acid, formic acid or HNOx.

[0077] In a particular example, the filter sheet comprises a carrier sheet of hydrophilic fibrous cellulose (crepe) paper or glass-fibre material, impregnated with a suitable volume of an aqueous solution comprising 25% w/w Tris-hydroxymethyl-aminomethane, 15% w/w potassium-formate, 15% w/w potassium bicarbonate, and 45% water. This is particularly suitable for removal of formaldehyde and/or acidic gasses from air.

[0078] In an alternative example, a similarly constituted carrier sheet is instead impregnated with an aqueous solution comprising 35% w/w citric acid and 65% w/w water. This embodiment is particularly applicable to the absorption of alkaline gasses such as NH.sub.3 and amines.

[0079] Pollutant substances may be removed from air through processes of gas-oxidisation. In this case, the filter sheet may be comprised instead of an inorganic material such as glass-fibre or quartz fibre, which has been coated with TiO.sub.2, and subsequently irradiated with ultraviolet light, of wavelengths preferably below 400 nm. The resultant filter sheet is suitable for removing gaseous pollutants such as formaldehyde and volatile organic hydrocarbon gasses (VOCs) via a process of photo-catalytic oxidation.

[0080] In a final example, the filter sheet may be comprised of elements containing activated carbon material, this being particularly suited to the removal of many VOCs as well as some inorganic gasses, such as NO.sub.2, O.sub.3 and radon.

[0081] In FIG. 6 is shown an example of a filter structure in accordance with the invention, having filter sheet comprising activated carbon material. Sheet sections 72 each comprise a quantity of activated carbon material 76, which is sandwiched between two very thin fibrous webs 74 of a porosity, in an ideal example, or 50% or greater. The activated carbon material 76 may be present in the form of granules, or alternatively may in extruded or otherwise compressed form. Granular activated carbon material may be fixed in position between porous webs 74 by means, for example, of glue or other adhesive. Air cleaning in this example occurs through a process of adsorption of gaseous pollutants in the micropores of the activated carbon.

[0082] An important advantage of the present invention in comparison with, for example, prior parallel plate or corrugated filter structures is the applicability of simple manufacturing processes, in particular processes substantially similar to those already employed in the mass-production of pleated particle filters such as that shown in FIG. 1.

[0083] In FIG. 7 is shown a simple example of a process for the manufacture of a filter structure in accordance with the invention. In this example, a rectangular filter sheet 40 is first provided, and this sheet subsequently manipulated in order to realise one or more rows of parallel slit-shaped openings 80. A process of punching or cutting, for example, may be applied in order to form the holes, leaving bridges of sheet material separating adjacent rows. However, in alternative examples, a filter sheet might be provided with holes already realised, either by a prior process of punching or cutting, or through a sheet moulding process which excludes material from the regions occupied by the holes.

[0084] To the filter sheet, with openings now formed, is applied a pleating process, comprising forming folds running parallel with the lengthwise extensions of the slit-shaped openings, the direction of each fold alternate to that of any adjacent fold. By folding along the extensions of the slits 80, the slits become incorporated into the creases formed by the folds, thereby generating the structure characteristic of the invention.

[0085] The filter sheet may comprise a single row or more than a single row of openings. If just a single row is formed, each crease (top or base) has a maximum of one slit incorporated into it. Where more than one row is provided, more than one slit features in each crease. In FIG. 7, for example, two rows of slits are formed in the filter sheet, and correspondingly two openings are formed in each crease.

[0086] The method requires manipulation of only one main component (the filter sheet 40) and hence represents a significant simplification in comparison with methods of manufacture of parallel plate and corrugated filter devices, which require the production and assembly of a number of distinct parts. In addition, the method is substantially similar to the well-established manufacturing process for pleated particle filters, a simple example of which method is shown in FIG. 1a. The method of FIG. 7 differs from that of FIG. 1a only by the inclusion of the extra step of forming slit-shaped holes 80 in the sheet prior to folding. Such a step could easily be added to existing manufacturing process flows without significant alteration to equipment or mechanisms.

[0087] Other variations on the method may be applied in order to produce filter structures having differing arrangements of creases and openings. In the particular example of FIG. 7, folds are formed only along the extensions of the slits, and correspondingly a filter structure is produced having slits incorporated within each and every crease. However, in alternative examples, additional folds may be formed parallel, but not coincident, with lengthwise extensions of slit shaped openings, thereby producing filter structures having some creases which are free from openings.

[0088] In one embodiment, for example, folds are formed at all points equidistant from, as well as coincident with, the slit-shaped openings. In this way, two sets of creases are formed: one which incorporates openings, and one which is free from openings. Where the slits in each row are uniformly spaced with respect to one another, the filter structure produced by the method for example has a top set of creases, each incorporating one or more slit shaped openings, and base set of creases, none of which incorporate slit-shaped holes.

[0089] Alternatively, the holes might be non-uniformly spaced, or, equivalently, folds non-coincident with holes may be formed in a non-uniform arrangement. In this way there may be formed top and bottom sets of creases, wherein some but not all of the top creases incorporate holes and/or some but not all of the bottom creases incorporate holes.

[0090] Additionally, the heights of generated sheet sections 42 may be varied by varying the spacing between neighbouring folds. In the simple example of FIG. 7, wherein folds are provided only along lines coincident with formed openings, this corresponds to varying spacing between adjacently formed holes. In one preferred example, spacing between neighbouring holes of the same row might be between between 10 mm and 60 mm.

[0091] In different examples, filter structures may comprise filter sheets having differing compositions, suited for extraction of different kinds of pollutants, and these may require variations on the general method of production. For example, the filter sheet might comprise a chemically impregnated carrier, the impregnants capable of chemically absorbing pollutant gasses from the air, via, for example, one or more acid-base interactions or through perhaps a chemical condensation reaction. Impregnated filter materials are particularly applicable in the case of removal of formaldehyde and/or small acidic gasses such as SO.sub.2, acetic acid, formic acid or HNOx.

[0092] For this example, it is advantageous to start with a carrier sheet of hydrophilic cellulose (crepe) paper or glass-fibre material or non-woven fabric, to form holes and to pleat in accordance with the method describe above, and then subsequently to impregnate the sheet with a suitable impregnant or mixture of impregnants. Suitable such mixtures have been described in detail above.

[0093] In addition to pleating, the method may in some examples be supplemented by a further process of framing; providing a rigid structure to the filter sheet for its housing and for the maintenance of the pleated shape. In some cases, the dimension and shape of the pleats may be additionally supported and fixed in position by means of extra spacers between the pleats. However, in other examples, these steps are omitted—for example, where the filter sheet is comprised of a material which holds its shape without external mechanical support, or where the filter structure is to be incorporated as a component within a larger structure of system which already comprises elements for housing the filter sheet.

[0094] Applications for a filter structure for extraction of gaseous pollutants from air are numerous and widespread. The particular advantages of the present invention over prior similar filters include a reduced air pressure drop across the filter. This makes the filter particularly well suited to applications in which gas to be filtered is mechanically assisted in its passage across the filter, for example via a fan or pump. Reduced air pressure drop means that air may be passed through the filter structure in these cases with less effort, mitigating energy costs, or alternatively allowing for a faster flow rate of air across the device.

[0095] The above described filter structure may be readily incorporated within larger air cleaning units or air filter stacks. The filter may be placed, for example, in a series combination with one or more additional filters, such as particle filters. In this case, a particle filter is preferably placed upstream from the gas filter(s) in order to protect the latter from particle deposits upon active filtering surfaces. Alternatively, one or more variant embodiments of the invention may be placed in series combination with themselves, for example, embodiments having filter sheets suitable for the extraction of different sorts of gaseous pollutant.

[0096] Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used to advantage. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.