GORE-TEX ®

Filtration Products

Expanded-PTFE
MEMBRANE Filtration
Membrane Filtration 101
Shanghai, China
March 2004
Membrane Filtration 101

Welcome all!

Tim Fisher - Global Technical

Services

Leo Wang - Pac Rim Technical

Services

Introductions and Housekeeping

 Membrane Filtration 101
Goals today:

Learn from each other

Understand Fabric Filtration Theory and Practice

Learn some of the important calculations and
“math” associated with Fabric Filters

Media Selection

Understand In-Depth Filtration vs. Surface

Understand membrane differentiation
 Membrane Filtration 101
Goals today:

Effective sales techniques, tools for selling
membrane filters

Develop winning strategies and techniques:
• selling “up” from non-membrane filter systems
• selling “against” in-kind membrane competition

Market Strategies and Issues - open discussion

If time - a Case Study
 Filtration
Within Gore, there are “three” main
businesses focusing on filtration:

Microcontamination
• Passive Filtration

Microfiltration
• Active Filtration

Industrial Filtration
• Active Filtration with clean-in-place systems
• Also call ourselves “Cleanable Filtration”
 Filtration
It is all about separating things

solids from a gas

liquids from a gas

solids from a liquid

gases from gases …

Let’s look at just the “dry” applications

typical in industrial applications...
Separations Technology:
Mechanical Separators

Wet Scrubbers

Electrostatic Precipitators

Fabric Filters
Mechanical Separators - Cyclones
Useful for large
particle sizes
Reduces abrasive
loading to
downstream
equipment
Inexpensive
Mechanical Separators - Cyclones
Multi-clones
Mechanical Separators - Wet Scrubbers
Mechanical Separators - Wet Scrubbers

Venturi, Impingement
Plate, Spray Tower
Can be very efficient
Can condition gas
streams
Can handle wet dusts
and gas streams
Mechanical Separators - Wet Scrubbers
While the unit itself
is not expensive, it
must be part of a
very complex and
expensive system.

Not as efficient at low

particle sizes
Electrostatic Precipitators (ESP’s)
Electrostatic Precipitators (ESP’s)
Electrostatic Precipitators (ESP’s)
 Multiple
Fields used for
efficiency
 Few moving
parts - easier
maintenance

•Collection efficiency not good for

small particles
•Efficiency depends on dust resistivity
Fabric Filter Systems
 Fabric Filtration Theory and
Practice
Fabric Filter Systems

Shaker, Reverse Air and PJ
• each has its own issues

Short discussion on Filtration Theory

Technical Guidelines and other things that go
wrong!

Issues of material selection (Temperature,
Chemical components, Physical requirements,
Cost (not necessarily “Price”)
 Fabric Filter Systems
Shaker Baghouse

Collection on the inside of
the bag.

Bags mechanically shaken.

Old technology

Maintenance of motors is a
problem

Larger systems - OFF LINE
CLEANING
Fabric Filter Systems
Reverse Air Fabric Filter Systems
Baghouse

Dust collection on
inside of the bags

Bags are tensioned,
and contain anti-
collapse rings to
prevent closure of the
bag during cleaning

Gentle cleaning, bags
last a long time

Big systems - OFF-
LINE
Fabric Filter Systems
Pulse Jet Baghouse
Fabric Filter Systems

Dust collection on
outside of the bags

Bags have
cages/baskets inserted
to prevent collapse
during operation

Compressed air blast
used to clean bags -
very aggressive

Can be economical for
small volumes
Pulse Jet Baghouse
Fabric Filter Systems

Can be smaller than
low energy systems
• saves up front money

Aggressive cleaning
shortens bag life
• 2-4 years compared to
5-8 years for SH & RA

More moving parts -
more maintenance

ON-LINE/OFF-LINE
CLEANING
Cartridge Collectors
Fabric Filter Systems

Can be smaller than PJ
baghouses
• saves up front money

same principles as PJ
baghouses

Cartridges clean
differently than bags,
do not always work

Not always a
replacement for bags,
but has its place
Important Calculations
 Fabric Filter Systems
Calculations/Important Numbers:

Permeability

Air/Gas to Cloth Ratio:

ACR = Volume of Gas to be filtered

Area of filter cloth

Filtration Velocity
 Fabric Filter Systems
Calculations/Important Numbers:

ACR Gross / Net:

Gross ACR = Volume of Gas to be filtered

Total Baghouse Filter Area

Net ACR = Volume of Gas to be filtered

Baghouse Filter Area
Reverse Airs? during off-line cleaning
 Fabric Filter Systems
Calculations/Important Numbers:

Inlet Velocities:
• = Compartment gas flow rate/inlet area
– Important for abrasion and pressure drop issues

Upward/“Vena Contracta” Velocities
• = compartment gas flow rate/total cell plate hole area
– Only for Reverse Airs and Shakers
– Important for abrasion and pressure drop
 Fabric Filter Systems
Calculations/Important Numbers:

Lift/Can Velocities:
• = Compartment gas flow rate/tubesheet area between the bags
– Pulse Jets and Cartridge collectors only
– Important for RE-ENTRAINMENT
• Re-entrainment - particles are blown back up onto the bag
immediately after cleaning - results in poor cleaning, high
pressure drops
Filtration Theory
 Filtration Theory
Sieving

Particle too big
to fit between
filter fibers.

“Pore Size”
important

Important
mechanism for
liquid filtration

Not important
for dry filtration
 Filtration Theory
Inertial Impaction

Particle is “heavy” - can not follow gas stream
line around filter.

Inertia causes it to strike filter fiber
 Filtration Theory
Interception

Particle does not compress, while gas stream
can - can not follow gas stream line around
filter due to “geometry”.
 Filtration Theory
Diffusion

Particle is very small. “Bounces” off of gas molecules
and other particles. Motion is random.

By random chance, it comes into contact with filter fiber.
 Filtration Theory
What does it mean?

A single fiber can be a filter!

The more fibers there are, the more efficient the filter
• NOT the “tightness” of the filter (i.e.. small “pore size”)

There is a particle size that is the most difficult to collect:

Actual
Collection Interception and Impaction
Efficiency

Diffusion

0.1 - 0.3 µm Particle Size

 Technical Guidelines
Temperature limits for Fiberglass:

PTFE coated fiberglass OK up to 205°C

Between 205°C - 230°C, can use ptfe coated,
but with low acid concentrations (if high, use
AR glass)

Between 230°C and 260°C, use AR glass
unless exiting good experience

AR glass turns silver white at 540°C, softens at
815°C.

PTFE off-gases at 350°C to 370°C
 Technical Guidelines
Acid Gas Concentrations (for fiberglass)

SOx

Up to 2% S coal (or 1000 ppm SOx), use ptfe
coated glass or AR glass - watch dew points

Up to 3% S coal (or 1500 ppm SOx), use AR
glass or GORE-TEX woven or felt filter media

Over 3.5 % S coal (or 2000 ppm SOX), use
GORE-TEX woven or felt all-PTFE filter media
 Technical Guidelines
Acid Gas Concentrations (for fiberglass)

Hydrofluric Acid

Less than 10 ppm AR glass (watch for local dew
points)

Over 50 ppm, all PTFE felt or woven materials

HCl

No known problems with either AR glass or all
PTFE felt/woven filter media (watch for stainless
steel components, dew points)
 Technical Guidelines
Lift (or Can) Velocity

Off-line for bulk density less than 10 lb/ft3
• (0.16 gm/cm3)

<3 fps for “ “ between 10 - 20 lb/ft3
• <0.9 m/s (0.16 - 0.32 gm/cm3)

<4 fps for “ “ between 20 - 35 lb/ft3
• <1.2 m/s (0.32 - 0.56 gm/cm3)

<5 fps for “ “ above 35 lb/ft3
• 1.5 m/s (> 0.56 gm/cm3)
 Technical Guidelines
Vena Contracta Velocity (Upward, or the
velocity through the cell plate).

< 250 fpm (76 m/min) no problem

< 350 fpm (107 m/min) with a thimble, 1x
diameter tall

Velocity can be increase if:
• Grain Load is low
• Dust is light and non-abrasive
 Technical Guidelines
Inlet Velocity

Shaker/Reverse Air collectors:

Trough hopper:
• End Inlet 4500 fpm (1372 m/min) with baffle
• End Inlet 3000 fpm (915 m/min) without baffle
• Side Inlet 3500 fpm (1067 m/min) with baffle
• Side Inlet 2500 fpm (762 m/min) without baffle
 Technical Guidelines
Inlet Velocity

Pulse Jets:

High Side Inlet 2500/3000 fpm with baffle
• MUST have baffle (762/915 m/min)

Trough Hopper:
• End Inlet 3500 fpm (1067 m/min) with baffle
• End Inlet 2500 fpm (762 m/min) without baffle
• Side Inlet 3000 fpm (915 m/min) with baffle
• Side Inlet 2000 fpm (610 m/min) without baffle
 Technical Guidelines
Inlet Velocity

Pulse Jets:

Pyramid Hopper
• 3500 fpm (1067 m/min) with baffle
• 2500 fpm (762 m/min) without baffle
 Technical Guidelines
Bag Tensioning

Reverse Air - 5 to 6 lbs per inch of diameter
• 0.09 - 0.11 kg per millimeter of diameter
• Use the lower side for difficult to clean dusts, use the
higher side for easier to clean dusts

Shakers
• Pinch the seam and rotate between 45 and 90 degrees
• Bag should be just snug at the maximum upward
throw of the shaker arm.
 Technical Guidelines
Pulsing glass, fabrics

Reduce pulse pressure to 50 to 70 PSI (3.5 - 4.8 bar) for
high pressure cleaning systems

Reduce pressure to 30 PSI (2 bar) for low pressure/high
volume systems

Set pulse on-time for 250 to 500 milliseconds (up from the
normal of 100 to 150 msec for felts)

Cage vertical wire spacing less than 20 mm, horizontal
support rings at maximum 200 mm spacing. Good quality
wire, no burrs, welds contacting glass.
 PERFORMANCE CONDITIONS

Owner/Location:
Process Description:
Collector Description:
Technical Guidelines
Collector Manufacturer:
Model or Size: Collector Inside Dimensions:

Design Conditions Actual Conditions Proposed Conditions

Flow Rate (acfm)
Temperature ( F)
Inlet Grain Loading
Particulate Size Distribution
Particulate Bulk Density
Gas Analysis
Differential Pressure
No. Bags/Compartment
No. Bags/Collector
Bag Dimensions
Bag Material
Air-to-Cloth Ratio (Gross/Net)
Lift Velocity
Vena Contracta Velocity
Inlet Duct Size(s)
Inlet Velocity
Cleaning Frequency
Pulse Pressure
Reverse Airflow and S.P.
Cage Construction (Cage Tol. = +0/-
1/32" dia.; +0/-1/16" L)
Tube Sheet Hole Diameter (Tube
Sheet Tolerance = +/- 1/32" dia.)
Thimble or Cell Plate Dimensions
Time for a Break?