Air Filter Media for HVAC Systems
Fibertex Nonwovens has developed a new fully synthetic nonwoven air filter media to enhance energy efficiency and operational sustainability in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
Given that HVAC systems contribute substantially to a building’s energy consumption, a key factor in efficient operation is minimising the energy required for supply air fans to overcome filter airflow resistance.
Energy costs
Traditional filter media often exacerbates this resistance, driving up energy costs. Furthermore, growing environmental concerns necessitate the elimination of potentially harmful substances, like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from building materials.
Fibertex’s new patent-pending E-Flow filter media effectively addresses the urgent need for eco-friendly, high-efficiency air filter media, with performance standards comparable with, and in certain metrics, outperforming, traditional high-efficiency filter media.
Pore bridging
Conventional air filter media, given its nonwoven structure, is susceptible to a phenomenon known as pore bridging. As the media is loaded with particulate contaminants, this pore bridging leads to increased resistance to airflow, resulting in a demand for greater energy to maintain airflow.
Fibertex E-Flow filter media has been designed to counter these issues through its advanced nonwoven structure, which ensures lower pressure drop and consistent airflow over prolonged usage.
Extensive laboratory testing shows that E-Flow filter media delivers approximately 67% lower energy consumption when compared with traditional alternatives of similar size and efficiency.
Stable performance
E-Flow filter media, which is manufactured to stringent quality and environmental specifications at Fibertex nonwoven and nanotechnology production facilities, utilises the Fibertex Pleatex design, developed to enhance mechanical filtration. By incorporating nanofibres into its pleatable nonwoven structure, the E-Flow filter media ensures high performance, without relying on the delicate and potentially hazardous fibres used in conventional filter media.
Traditional high-efficiency filter media can degrade in energy efficiency over time due to moisture and particulate contaminants, thus increasing airflow resistance. In contrast, E-Flow filter media provides stable filtration performance throughout its design lifetime, achieving Eurovent 4/21’s highest energy efficiency rating of A+. This translates to substantial reductions in both energy costs and carbon footprint.
Nonwoven structure
Fibertex E-Flow filter media offers up to 50% longer filter service life, even with a reduced amount of filter media, compared with conventional glass fibre media. These results are achievable due to the advanced Pleatex nonwoven structure, which has a high dust-holding capacity. By minimising the rate of pressure increase as dust accumulates, E-Flow filter media reduces the energy required for maintaining airflow.
The global team of Fibertex experts works closely with customers to design filtration systems that suit exact requirements in many industries, including automotive, industrial, commercial, and residential applications. Customised solutions are achieved by combining quality filter media with the latest filtration technologies and advanced manufacturing processes.
