Pleatable filter media
View Patent ↗This invention is directed to a filter media for manufacturing pleated filters comprising a non-woven, needle punch felt including a blend of a first polyester fiber and a bi-component fiber wherein said bi-component fiber has a sheath and a core wherein said sheath has a melting point above 110° C. and said nonwoven felt has an efficiency of greater than 89% for particles size of 3 to 10 μm as determined by testing method ASHRAE 52.2. The invention can include a top portion and a bottom portion manufactured from a web made from a carding process that is cross lapped, cut and overlapped so that said top portion and said bottom portion are entangled by a needle punching process to create a homogeneous arrangement prior to applying heat and pressure to stiffen the media for pleating.
1. A filter media for manufacturing pleated filters, comprising:
a non-woven, needled felt comprising a blend of a first polyester fiber and a bi-component fiber, said first polyester fiber and said bi-component fiber being entangled by a needle punching process; and
a conductive scrim integrated into the filter media, wherein
said bi-component fiber has a sheath and a core and said sheath has a melting point above 110° C.,
said felt is stiffened and embossed with a pattern on each side of the felt, and
said felt has an efficiency of greater than 89% for a particle size of 3 to 10 μm as determined by testing method ASHRAE 52.2.
2. The media of claim 1 , further comprising a top portion and a bottom portion manufactured from a web made from a carding process, wherein said media is cross lapped, cut and overlapped so that said top portion and said bottom portion are entangled by a needle punching process to produce a homogeneous arrangement.
3. The media of claim 2 , further comprising the scrim placed between said top portion and said bottom portion prior to forming the felt.
4. The media of claim 3 , wherein said scrim comprises a grid of conductive fibers.
5. The media of claim 3 , wherein said media has an efficiency of greater than 88% for a particle size of 1 to 3 μm as determined by testing method ASHRAE 52.2.
6. The media of claim 1 , wherein said pattern comprises a pattern of diamonds having dimensions of 0.25 to 3.0 mm 2 , and said pattern of diamonds being transferred from a single patterned embossing roller having a negative of said pattern of diamonds.
7. The media of claim 1 , wherein said media has a MERV rating of about 10 and an air permeability of about 16 cubic feet per minute.
8. A method of manufacturing a filter media comprising:
creating a web further comprising a blend of a first polyester fiber and a bi-component fiber using a carding process wherein said bi-component fiber comprises a sheath that has a melting point above 110° C.;
cross lapping the web;
cutting said web into a top portion and bottom portion;
overlapping the top and bottom portion;
entangling said top portion and said bottom portion to integrate said top portion and said bottom portion into a homogeneous media using a needle punch process;
placing a conductive scrim between said top portion and said bottom portion prior to entangling said top portion and said bottom portion; and
stiffening and embossing said homogeneous media with a pattern on each side of said homogeneous media,
wherein said homogeneous media is produced having an efficiency of at least 19% for a particle size of 0.3 to 1.0 μm, at least 62% for a particle size of 1.0 to 3.0 μm, and at least 89% for a particle size of 3.0 to 10.0 μm, as determined by testing method ASHRAE 52.2.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising embossing one side of said homogeneous media with a diamond pattern.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said diamond pattern has dimensions of 0.25 to 3.0 mm 2 .
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein said media is produced having the efficiency of at least 29% for the particle size of 0.3 to 1.0 μm; at least 75% for the particle size of 1.0 to 3.0 μm and at least 98% for the particle size of 3.0 to 10.0 μm.
12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising pleating said homogenous media.
13. A filter media for manufacturing pleated filters, comprising:
a top portion of a felt cut from a web produced by a carding process, the web having a first polyester fiber and a bi-component fiber, wherein said bi-component fiber has a sheath and a core;
a bottom portion of said felt cut from said web and oriented under said top portion and entangled with said top portion by a needle punch process to form a homogenous filter media; and
a conductive scrim,
wherein a first side of said homogenous filter media being embossed with a pattern, and further wherein said embossed filter media has an efficiency of greater than 75% for a particle size of 1.0 to 3.0 μm and greater than 98% for a particle size of 3.0 to 10.0 μm, as determined by testing method ASHRAE 52.2.
14. The media of claim 13 , wherein said pattern is a diamond pattern having dimensions of 0.25 to 3.0 mm 2 .
15. The media of claim 13 , wherein said filter media is pleated.
16. The media of claim 13 , wherein said first polyester fiber is in the range of 5% to 90% by weight of said filter media.
17. The media of claim 13 , further wherein the scrim being placed between said top portion and said bottom portion prior to needle punching said top and bottom portions.
18. The media of claim 13 , wherein said filter media comprises at least one fiber selected from the group consisting of: nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, acrylic, PPS, aramid, polyimide and a fluoropolymer fiber.