In order to address the sustainability and environmental issues associated with conventional HVAC filters, inventive HVAC filters have been developed that are completely biodegradable and compostable and exhibit Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) ratings that are superior to conventional HVAC filters. More particularly, it has been discovered that biodegradable electrospun nanofibers can be used to produce biodegradable HVAC filters that exhibit superior filtration performance relative to conventional HVAC filters produced from polypropylene electrostatic media or triboelectric nonwoven media.
B01D 39/16 - Other self-supporting filtering material of organic material, e.g. synthetic fibres
B01D 46/54 - Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using ultra-fine filter sheets or diaphragms
B32B 5/02 - Layered products characterised by the non-homogeneity or physical structure of a layer characterised by structural features of a layer comprising fibres or filaments
B32B 5/26 - Layered products characterised by the non-homogeneity or physical structure of a layer characterised by the presence of two or more layers which comprise fibres, filaments, granules, or powder, or are foamed or specifically porous one layer being a fibrous or filamentary layer another layer also being fibrous or filamentary
B32B 7/12 - Interconnection of layers using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
The present invention generally relates to the design and manufacture of nanofiber layers, webs, films, or membranes that may be self-supporting and can function as standalone products. More particularly, the present invention relates to a microporous nanofiber films and the use of such films in a wide variety of products and applications, including applications where physical property tuning is typically limited. Generally, the microporous films of the present invention can function as a standalone nanofiber membrane or can be bonded to other microporous films to produce a layered stacked film stack with customizable properties. Unlike conventional microporous films available in today's market, the microporous films of the present invention can be lighter, require less raw material cost to produce, and can improve operating performances in a variety of applications.
D04H 1/728 - Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of fibres the fibres being randomly arranged by electro-spinning
D01D 5/00 - Formation of filaments, threads, or the like
D04H 3/016 - Non woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length characterised by the fineness
D04H 3/16 - Non woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length characterised by the method of strengthening or consolidating with bonds between thermoplastic yarns or filaments produced by welding with bonds between thermoplastic filaments produced in association with filament formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion
D01D 5/28 - Formation of filaments, threads, or the like while mixing different spinning solutions or melts during the spinning operation; Spinnerette packs therefor
The present invention generally relates to a dual density air filtration media that comprises a plurality of nanofibers layers formed from nanofibers having different fiber diameters. Due to the presence of these multiple nanofiber layers with different nanofiber diameters, the resulting filtration media of the present invention comprises a gradient density. In particular, the present invention uses a novel combination of two or more layers of nanofibers made via an electrospinning process, wherein the nanofiber layers made up from different fiber sizes are strategically applied to a cellulose or synthetic base material or substrate, to thereby maximize the filtration efficiency and dust holding capacity of the resulting filtration media.
A present invention is directed to a laminated filtration media comprising a nanofiber coating applied onto a synthetic substrate. Generally, the laminated filtration media can be produced by applying the nanofiber layer onto the synthetic substrate via an electrospinning process and then thermo-mechanically bonding the nanofiber layer onto the synthetic substrate via a thermal bonding process. The laminated filtration media exhibits superior durability and can be used in a wide array of air filtration applications.
B01D 39/00 - Filtering material for liquid or gaseous fluids
B01D 39/16 - Other self-supporting filtering material of organic material, e.g. synthetic fibres
B32B 5/08 - Layered products characterised by the non-homogeneity or physical structure of a layer characterised by structural features of a layer comprising fibres or filaments the fibres or filaments of a layer being specially arranged or being of different substances
B32B 27/28 - Layered products essentially comprising synthetic resin comprising copolymers of synthetic resins not wholly covered by any one of the following subgroups
D01F 6/44 - Monocomponent man-made filaments or the like of synthetic polymers; Manufacture thereof from mixtures of polymers obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds as major constituent with other polymers or low-molecular-weight compounds
B32B 38/00 - Ancillary operations in connection with laminating processes
D01F 6/88 - Monocomponent man-made filaments or the like of synthetic polymers; Manufacture thereof from mixtures of polycondensation products as major constituent with other polymers or low-molecular-weight compounds
B01D 46/54 - Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using ultra-fine filter sheets or diaphragms
B32B 37/24 - Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by the properties of the layers with at least one layer not being coherent before laminating, e.g. made up from granular material sprinkled onto a substrate
An apparatus for corrugating filter media includes upstream and downstream rollers. The upstream roller has an exterior surface including a corrugation pattern defining a plurality of circumferential channels. A heating source heats the filter media so that the filter media is within its elastic temperature range when the filter media engages the upstream roller. A motor drives rotation of the upstream and downstream rollers. A controller controls the motor so that the downstream roller rotates at a rotational speed greater than the upstream roller to impart tension to the filter media at the upstream roller. The heated filter media at least partially enters the channels of the corrugating pattern on the upstream roller to form corrugations on the filter media. A method of forming corrugations on filter media may be performed using the apparatus.
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