Assessment of various CFD models for predicting airflow and pressure drop through pleated filter system

• Suitable turbulence model to calculate flow field in the pleated filter system.
• Detailed experimental data of the flow field through the pleated filter.
• Flow simulation in the hybrid system consisting of the ESP and the pleated filter.

Pleated filters, sometimes in combination with an electrostatic precipitator, are widely used to control particle contaminants in enclosed environments. Such a filter system can improve the health of occupants in these spaces. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) can be a powerful tool for optimizing the design of pleated filter system. However, the performance of various CFD models has not been clearly understood for predicting transitional turbulent flows in pleated filter systems. This study evaluated the performance of several turbulence models, including the standard k–ɛ model, low Reynolds number k–ɛ models, the v2f model, Large Eddy Simulation (LES) models, and Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) models, for simulating the pressure drop and transitional flows through pleated filters both with and without an electrostatic precipitator. The simulated results from the models were compared with the experimental data from the literature and our measurements. The results indicate that the v2f, LES and DES (Spalart–Allmaras) can accurately predict the pressure drop and flow distributions in pleated filters. Because the LES requires high computing capacity and speed, the DES (Spalart–Allmaras) and the v2f models are recommended for the optimal design of a pleated filter system.