Filtration of aerosol particles by parallel and staggered filter arrays.

We report a simple paper filter-based cross flow filtration method for air purification. We have examined a monolith filter array with a cross flow ratio of 1.0 and parallel and staggered filter arrays with a cross flow ratio of about 0.7 in terms of pressure drop and collection efficiency. The monolith filter array shows a monotonic increase in pressure drop from approximately 0.9 to 2.1 kPa. The parallel and staggered filter arrays reduce the increase in pressure drop, which can be maintained as low as 0.8 kPa over the entire range of dust loadings examined. The monolith filter array shows the highest collection efficiency, which is more than 95% over the entire range of dust loadings examined. The collection efficiency of the parallel and staggered filter arrays is initially as high as 70% and decreases to 30% when the dust loading increases to 40 and 100 g m−2, respectively. In particular, collected particles are more uniformly distributed on the staggered filter array than on the parallel filter array, resulting in the initial collection efficiency of 70% being sustained for a longer time. This uniform distribution in the staggered filter array may prevent a rapid increase in local pressure drop. This study provides insight into the development of filtration systems using simple paper filters without increasing the pressure drop and decreasing the collection efficiency. Copyright © 2022 American Association for Aerosol Research [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]