Removal of airborne nanoparticles by membrane coated filters

The increasing amount of nanoparticles with the development of nanotechnology gives rise to concerns about potential negative impact on the environment and health hazards posed to humans. Membrane filter is an effective media to control nanoparticles. Three filters coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane were investigated in this study. A series of experiments on the filter efficiency and relevant parameters such as the particle size and face velocity were carried out. The data show that the efficiency curves for the membrane filters demonstrate the typical shape of “v” for particle sizes from 10 to 300 nm at face velocities from 0.3 to 15 cm/s. Membrane filters with larger pore sizes have larger Most Penetrating Particles Sizes (MPPS), and the MPPS decreases with increasing face velocity. The efficiencies decrease with increasing face velocity for particle sizes from 10 to 300 nm. We present the filtration efficiency data as a novel three-dimensional graph to illustrate its dependence on the particle size and face velocity. The membrane coated filter can be considered as two combined layers, one fibrous layer and one membrane layer. We develop a new filtration efficiency model which is a combination of the models for the two layers. Results from the model calculation agree with experimental data well. The study can help to optimize the filter product and to determine the operational parameters of filters, thus contributing to reduction of air pollution by rapidly emerging nanoparticles.

► Removal of airborne nanoparticles in the range of 10–300 nm by PTFE coated membrane filters was studied.
► The most penetrating particle size increases with increasing pore size and decreases with increasing face velocity.
► Under our experimental conditions, the efficiency decreases with increasing face velocity for all particle sizes.
► The filtration data was plotted as a novel 3D graph to illustrate its dependence on the particle size and face velocity.
► The membrane coated filter was modeled as a composite filter and calculation results agreed well with experimental data.