NAFA Air Filtration Guide Overview

This document from the National Air Filtration Association discusses different types of air cleaners including media filters, electronic air cleaners, and agglomerators. It provides details on how media air cleaners use HEPA and carbon filters, while electronic air cleaners use an ionizer and collector section. The document outlines factors that affect the design and efficiency of electronic air cleaners, and discusses standards and applications that are not suitable for them. It also describes how electronic air cleaners can be washed or use agglomeration to remove dust from collector plates.

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NAFA Air Filtration Guide Overview

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kesavaganesan58

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Chapter 6: Air Cleaners: Introduction to Chapter 6 of the guide, focused on various types of air cleaners and their functionalities.
Overview of Air Cleaners: Lists different types of air cleaners, as well as their service requirements and operational standards.
Media Air Cleaners: Discusses the usage and functionality of media-type air cleaners, highlighting HEPA and molecular filters.
Electronic Air Cleaners: Describes two-stage electronic air cleaners, detailing their components like the ionizer and collector sections.
Service Requirements: Covers necessary considerations for the maintenance and design of electronic air cleaners to ensure easy cleaning and functionality.
Standards for Electronic Air Cleaners: Reviews safety and operational standards for electronic air cleaners set by various associations and guidelines.
Unsuitable Applications: Identifies scenarios where electronic air cleaners are not suitable, including high humidity and explosive gas environments.
Commercial ESP: Visually displays a commercial Electrostatic Precipitator intended for industrial applications.
Dust Disposal: Explains methods for removing dust captured by electronic air cleaners using washing or blowing techniques.
Washable Electronic Air Cleaners: Details procedures for maintaining washable electronic air cleaners when collector plates become dust-laden.
Washing Procedures: Describes washing procedures for electronic air cleaners, including manual and automatic methods.
Agglomerator Unit: Identifies the agglomerator unit used in air filtration processes.
Agglomerator Units: Explains the function of agglomerator units in forming larger dust particles to improve collection efficiency.
Afterfilters: Outlines afterfilter technology options, including automatic roll and extended surface filters for improved efficiency.
Sample Questions: Provides common questions for training or review focused on electronic air cleaner technologies and practices.
Conclusion: Final page thanking the reader, with a prompt for additional questions.

NAFA Guide To Air Filtration

Fifth Edition

Chapter 6
Air Cleaners

presented by the

National Air Filtration Association

Air Cleaners

• Different types of air cleaners

- Media
- Electronic Air Cleaners (aka--
Electrostatic Precipitators
- Agglomorators

• Service requirements for air cleaners

• Standards for operation

Media Air Cleaners
 Most media-type air cleaners use HEPA
filters and
molecular
(activated carbon)
afterfilters
to clean the air.
Media Air Cleaners
 Air cleaners also come in whole-house
residential styles that add-on to the existing
HVAC unit
Electronic Air Cleaners
Two-stage electronic
air cleaners utilize:

 an ionizer section

 a collector section
Efficiency
 The ASHRAE 52.2 filter test method has no
specific procedure for testing the loading of
electronic air cleaners – carbon fouls units

 The efficiency is highest when the plates are

clean.

 Velocity and humidity sensitive.

Prefilters
 Low-efficiency air filters upstream of an
electronic air cleaner:
– Filters will act as air distribution panels to
equalize the airflow.
– Will capture large particles that could bridge the
plates and cause a short or arcing
 excessive power consumption
 snapping noise
 Elimination of arcing helps control ozone generation.
Factors Affecting ESP
Design & Efficiency
 Their successful use depends on the
following:
1. Particle Size
2. Velocity through the filter
3. Voltage on Ionizer and Collector
4. Collector Plate Spacing
5. Collector Plate Loading
6. Ionizer Spacing
7. Ozone
Service Requirements
 Electronic air cleaners should be designed
for easy cleaning.
 Important design considerations:
1. Insulators: high quality arc-resistant material
and mounted out of the airstream.
2. Easy access to the ionizer and collector cells.
3. Some provision for isolating a section in large
multi-component units if one becomes
defective.
Standards for Electronic Air
Cleaners
 UL 867 “Standard for Electronic Air Cleaners:
Unites States
– Covers electrical and fire safety requirements.
– It makes no comment about the air-cleaning
ability of electronic air cleaners
 CSA C22.2 No. 187-Mi986 Canadian Standard:
– Specifically states (Par.i.5) that the Standard
does not specify the effectiveness of air
cleaners with respect to the removal of airborne
particles.
– Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
Association (AHAM) AC-1-2006
Applications Not Suitable for
Electronic Air Cleaners
• Conditions of very high humidity

• Systems where there can be a build up of

explosive gases.

• Unattended equipment where periodic

maintenance procedures are not assured.
Commercial ESP
Dust Disposal
 The removal of dust that an electronic air
cleaner has captured can be accomplished
in two ways:
1. It can be washed off the collector plates.
2. If it has agglomerated on the plates, it can be
allowed to blow off the plates. The blow-off is
then captured by a mechanical filter
downstream of the agglomerator cells
Washable Electronic Air
Cleaners

 When the collector plates became loaded

with dust so that the performance of the
electronic air cleaner is reduced, the power
is shut off and the plated are washed.
Washing
 Removable component assemblies.
– Washing tanks
 Manual wash in place.
– Power spray with detergent
 Automatic wash in place.
– Built in spray nozzles
 Mobile washers.
– Large installations
Agglomerator Unit
Agglomerator Units
 Dry collector plates with a strong bond
between the small dust particles and the
collector plates.
 The particles on the plates form
agglomerates.
 As the agglomerates grow larger, their
attraction to the plate is reduced and finally
these agglomerates may be introduced back
into the airstream.
Afterfilters
 Automatic Roll Filters
– Capture agglomerates – larger particles
– Because the face velocity is not uniform, it can
cause variations in efficiency.

 Extended Surface Filters

– MERV 14
– More uniform air flow creates conditions for the
agglomerator to operate at optimum efficiency.
Sample Questions
 Electronic Air Cleaners cannot be tested for
loading using the ASHRAE 52.2 test
because?
The carbon in the Test Dust shorts out the
electrical connections of the unit.
 One advantage of a self-contained ESP is?
Washable cell/capture of smaller
particles/good for source capture/portable
Thank you.