The effect of gas slip on pressure drop and deposition of submicron particles in fibrous filters

The effect of gas slip at fibers on the drag to a flow and the deposition of submicron particles in model filters with a tree-dimensional flow field has been considered. The average values of the drag force and the efficiency of diffusion collection of particles with finite sizes in a double hexagonal three-dimensional model filter taken as a standard uniform filter have been calculated as depending on the packing density of fibers and the Knudsen number. It has been shown that, in the region of the sizes of the most penetrating particles, under preset conditions, and at specified filter parameters, the obtained collection efficiency values agree with the results of calculations performed by empirical formulas for a model fan filter. Moreover, formulas derived for a planar flow taking into account the slip effect are applicable to highly porous filters.     

Hierarchical Fibrous Honeycomb Ceramics with High Load Capability and Low Light-Off Temperature for the Next-Generation Auto Emissions Standards

Novel and stringent automotive exhaust gas emissions standards are urgently needed to counter the problems posed by the worsening global climate and environment. However, the traditional cordierite-based honeycomb ceramics substrates with ultimate pore density have seriously restricted the establishment of new emission standards. Herein, we introduce a novel robust substrate with tailored volume-specific surface area and low heat capacity. This substrate employs the synergy of high-strength ceramic fibers and ultrathin TiO₂ nanosheets. The micro-sized fibers provide support to ensure structural strength during the catalytic reaction, while the nanosheets play the dual role of connecting the fibers and providing a high surface area for catalyst immobilization. The new three-dimensional (3D) microarchitecture exhibits a high volume-specific surface area of 3.59×10⁴ cm²/cm³, a compressive strength of 2.01 MPa, and remarkable stability after high-speed air erosion at 800 °C. The honeycomb-like structure exhibit low resistance to gas flow. Furthermore, after loading with Pt and Pd nanoparticles, the composite 3D microarchitecture delivered an excellent catalytic performance and prominent structural stability, with a super low light-off temperature of 150 °C. The outstanding mechanical and thermal stability and the high surface area and light-off temperature of the new substrate indicate its potential for use as a highly efficient catalytic carrier to meet the next-generation auto emissions standards.     

Deposition of Aerosol Particles on the Row of Polydisperse Fibers Due to Interception with Allowance for Slip Effect

The efficiency of deposition of aerosol particles due to interception during the gas flow through the equidistant periodic row of parallel polydisperse fibers with random fiber radius distribution over the period was studied in the approximation of small Reynolds numbers. The case of advancing viscous flow perpendicular to the row was considered. An effect of gas slip at the fiber surface was taken into account. Quality of such model filter was studied. Expressions for deposition efficiency and filter quality averaged over random ensemble of fibers were derived; they well describe the results of numerical simulation based on lognormal fiber radius distribution including high degrees of fiber polydispersity.     

Simulation of nanofibrous filters produced by the electrospinning method: 2. The effect of gas slip on the pressure drop

The dependence of pressure drop in a model filter on the distance between pairs of fibers, interfiber distances in the pairs, and the orientation of the pairs of fibers relative to flow direction is calculated with allowance for the effect of gas slip along the surface of doubled nanofibers. An isolated row of doubled parallel fibers oriented normal to the flow is selected as a model filter. Flow fields in the row of the fibers and drag forces acting upon them are calculated by the Stokes equations, which are solved by the numerical method of fundamental solutions. For pairs of fibers lying in the same plane in a row, the results of the numerical calculations agree with the analytical solution.     

Effect of fiber orientation on fiber wetting processes

The current work incorporates a microscopic study of the effect of fiber orientation on the fiber wetting process and flow of liquid droplets along filter fibers when subjected to airflow and gravity forces. Glass filter fibers in various combinations were oriented at various angles within a plane defined by the airflow direction and were supplied with distilled water in aerosol form. The behavior and flow of the liquid collected by the fibers were observed and measured using a specially developed microscope cell, detailed in the paper. The experimental results were compared to a theoretical model developed to describe the behavior. The theory and experimental results showed good agreement. The developed theory allows an optimum angle to be determined for the internal filter fiber structure in the design of wet filters. A sensitivity analysis of the model was conducted to determine the most important parameters. This will aid design of wet filtration systems such that maximal self-cleaning can be accomplished with minimal water use.     

Inertial deposition of aerosol particles from laminar flows in fibrous filters

The deposition of aerosol particles onto filter fibers under the effect of inertial forces is studied in a wide range of Stokes numbers (St) at Reynolds numbers close to unity (Re ∼ 1). Coefficients η of the capture of inertial particles with finite sizes in model filters composed of parallel rows of identical parallel fibers located normal to the direction of a flow are determined based on the numerical solution of the Navier-Stokes and particle motion equations. It is shown that, at Re < 1 and a constant particle-to-fiber radius ratio, R = r _p/a, number St uniquely characterizes capture coefficients η for particles with different densities, while, at Re ≥ 1, the capture coefficient depends on both St and Re. At constant R and St values, the larger Re the higher the capture coefficient. The influence of the structure of the model filter on pressure drop Δp and η is investigated. A nonuniform arrangement of fibers in rows is shown to increase the Δp/U ratio at lower Re values and to make the η -St dependence more pronounced than that for systems of uniformly ordered fibers. The results of calculations agree with the experimental data.     

Deposition of aerosol nanoparticles in filters composed of fibers with porous shells

The diffusion deposition of submicron aerosol particles in model filters consisting of fibers covered with permeable porous shells is studied. An ordered system of parallel cylinders arranged perpendicular to the flow is used as a model filter. The results of calculations are given for the dependences of the capture coefficient on the shell radius, the shell permeability, the packing density of the filters, the particle radius, and the flow velocity. Calculations are performed within a wide range of Peclet numbers. It is shown that the capture coefficient and the quality criterion γ of a filter increase with the diffusion mobility of particles and shell permeability, as well as that the dependence of the quality criterion on the radius of permeable shells has a maximum. It is also shown that the capture coefficients for fibers with porous shells, calculated using the cell model and the isolated row of fibers, almost coincide with one another.     

Filtration application from recycled expanded polystyrene

Water-in-oil emulsion with drop size less than 100 mum is difficult to separate. Coalescence filtration is economical and effective for separation of secondary dispersions. Coalescence performance depends on flow rate, bed depth, fiber surface properties, and drop size. The amount of surface area of the fibers directly affects the efficiency. A new recycling method was investigated in the previous work in which polystyrene (PS) sub-mum fibers were electro-spun from recycled expanded polystyrene (EPS). These fibers are mixed with micro glass fibers to modify the glass fiber filter media. The filter media are tested in the separation of water droplets from an emulsion of water droplets in oil. The experimental results in this work show that adding nanofibers to conventional micron sized fibrous filter media improves the separation efficiency of the filter media but also increases the pressure drop. An optimum in the performance occurs (significant increase in efficiency with minimal increase in pressure drop) with the addition of about 4% by mass of 500 nm diameter PS nanofibers to glass fibers for the filters.     

A model of a dust-loaded filter with asymmetric deposit of particles on fibers

Results of numerical simulation have been reported for the flow field and diffusion deposition of nanoparticles in a model dust-loaded fibrous filter, i.e., a row of parallel fibers coated with porous permeable shells shifted toward an incident flow. The flow field and point particle collection efficiency on fibers coated with the shells have been calculated by combining the Stokes, Brinkman, and convective diffusion equations. It has been shown that the pressure drops and efficiencies of nanoparticle deposition in the filters composed by fibers with coaxial and asymmetric porous shells are almost identical.     

Cellulose–water interactions during enzymatic hydrolysis as studied by time domain NMR

The different states and locations of water within the cellulose matrix can be studied by the use of time domain low field NMR. In this work we show how the state and location of water associated with cellulose in filter paper fibers are affected by enzymatic hydrolysis. Three locations of water were identified in the filter paper; (1) bound water associated with the microfibril surfaces and (2) water in the cell wall or cellulose matrix and (3) capillary water in the lumens and between fibers. The different mechanisms of cellulase enzymes can be seen in their effect on the cellulose–water interactions and the synergistic effects between endo- and exo enzymes can be easily detected by time domain NMR. An interesting observation is that it is possible to link the state and location of water within the cellulose fiber with structural changes upon enzymatic hydrolysis.     

Melt spinning and laser‐heated drawing of a new semiaromatic polyamide,PA9‐T fiber

Fibers of PA9‐T, a new semiaromatic polyamide containing a long aliphatic chain, were prepared by melt spinning. As‐spun fibers were subsequently drawn with a CO₂ laser‐heated drawing system at different draw ratios and various drawing velocities. On‐line observations of drawing points deciphered two drawing states; namely, flow drawing and neck drawing, over the entire range of drawing. Drawing stress revealed that flow drawing is induced by slight drawing stress under a low draw ratio up to 3, and neck drawing is induced by relatively high drawing stress under a higher draw ratio. The effect of drawing stress and drawing velocity on the development of the structure and properties has been characterized through analysis of birefringence, density, WAXD patterns, and tensile, thermal, and dynamic viscoelastic properties. For the neck‐drawn fibers, almost proportional enhancements of crystallinity and molecular orientation with drawing stress were observed. The flow‐drawn fibers have an essentially amorphous structure, and birefringence and density do not always have a linear relation with properties. The fibers drawn at high drawing speed exhibit improved fiber structure and superior mechanical properties. The maximum tensile strength and Young's modulus of PA9‐T drawn fibers were found to be 652 MPa and 5.3 GPa, respectively. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 433–444, 2004     

Determination of methacrylic acid in the drain of a biotrickling filter using isotachophoresis and capillary zone electrophoresis

The performance of a biotrickling filter for treatment of concentrated waste gases was investigated. The macrokinetics of methylmethacrylate degradation in the biotrickling filter is studied by measuring the degradation product methacrylic acid in the drain of the filter. The drain was analysed using isotachophoresis (ITP) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). The CZE analyses were carried out in an I.D. 75 microm capillary at 20 kV (negative inlet polarity) using a 0.01 M Tris-acetate buffer of pH 4.45. The electroosmotic flow (EOF) was suppressed by addition of CTA and PVA to the buffer. Detection was at 214 nm. After filtration through a 0.45-microm filter, samples were directly injected. The calibration graph was linear between 10 and 800 mg/l methacrylic acid, with an analysis time under 2 min.     

Stokes flow and deposition of aerosol nanoparticles in model filters composed of elliptic fibers

The calculation is implemented for the fiber collection efficiencies due to diffusion of nanoparticles in model filters, i.e., separate rows of fibers with an elliptic cross section located normal to the flow at different orientations of the ellipse axes with respect to the flow. The Stokes flow field in the system of the fibers is found by the method of fundamental solutions. The concentration field of Brownian particles and the efficiency of their deposition onto the fibers are determined from the numerical solution of the equation for the convective diffusion. The dependence of the capture coefficient on the Peclet number for elliptic fibers is shown to have the form η = APe^−m, where exponent m changes from 2/3 to 3/4 at the parallel and normal orientation of the major axes of the ellipses with respect to the flow, respectively. It is shown that, from the viewpoint of aerosol nanoparticle capture, the best filters are those in which the fibers have a maximum midsection at the same cross-sectional area.     

纳米CT成像表征锦纶6中TiO2颗粒分布状况

无机纳米材料与高分子基质共混构成有机-无机复合材料,对其电学、光学和机械性能产生显著影响,因而受到广泛关注.为使其性能得到切实改善,需要使无机纳米材料在高分子基质中均匀分散.对其分散状态的检测传统方法是对材料进行超薄、连续切片后,用透射电子显微镜(TEM)进     

Development of quadrupole mass spectrometers using rapid prototyping technology

In this report, we present a prototype design of a quadrupole mass filter (QMF) with hyperbolic electrodes, fabricated at the University of Liverpool using digital light processing (DLP), a low-cost and lightweight 3D rapid prototyping (RP) technique. Experimental mass spectra are shown for H₂⁺, D₂⁺, and He⁺ ions to provide proof of principle that the DLP mass filter is working as a mass analyzer in the low-mass range (1 to 10 amu). The performance of the DLP QMF has also been investigated for individual spectral peaks. Numerical simulations of the instrument were performed by coupling CPO and Liverpool QMS-2 programs to model both the ion source and mass filter, respectively, and the instrument is shown to perform as predicted by theory. DLP thus allows miniaturization of mass spectrometers at low cost, using hyperbolic (or other) geometries of mass analyzer electrodes that provide optimal ion manipulation and resolution for a given application. The potential of using RP fabrication techniques for developing miniature and microscale mass analyzers is also discussed.     

Deposition of nanoparticles in filters composed of permeable porous fibers

The diffusion deposition of nanoparticles is studied from a flow at low Reynolds numbers in model filters composed of permeable circular porous fibers. The field of particle concentration is calculated and the capture coefficient is determined for a cell, as well as the isolated row of parallel fibers within a wide range of Peclet numbers (Pe) depending on the fiber permeability. It is shown that at Pe > 1, the diffusion capture coefficient η increases with permeability, while at Pe → ∞, it tends toward the limiting value, which is equal to the gas flow rate through the porous fiber. The capture coefficients calculated from a cell model and for a row of fibers are almost equal to each other. The diffusion deposition of aerosol particles in the highest penetration range is calculated with an allowance for their finite sizes and it is shown that the radii of most penetrable particles decrease with an increase in fiber permeability.     

Environmental formaldehyde analysis by active diffusive sampling with a bundle of polypropylene porous capillaries followed by capillary zone electrophoretic separation and contactless conductivity detection

Compared to other volatile carbonylic compounds present in outdoor air, formaldehyde (CH(2)O) is the most toxic, deserving more attention in terms of indoor and outdoor air quality legislation and control. The analytical determination of CH(2)O in air still presents challenges due to the low-level concentration (in the sub-ppb range) and its variation with sampling site and time. Of the many available analytical methods for carbonylic compounds, the most widespread one is the time consuming collection in cartridges impregnated with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine followed by the analysis of the formed hydrazones by HPLC. The present work proposes the use of polypropylene hollow porous capillary fibers to achieve efficient CH(2)O collection. The Oxyphan fiber (designed for blood oxygenation) was chosen for this purpose because it presents good mechanical resistance, high density of very fine pores and high ratio of collection area to volume of the acceptor fluid in the tube, all favorable for the development of air sampling apparatus. The collector device consists of a Teflon pipe inside of which a bundle of polypropylene microporous capillary membranes was introduced. While the acceptor passes at a low flow rate through the capillaries, the sampled air circulates around the fibers, impelled by a low flow membrane pump (of the type used for aquariums ventilation). The coupling of this sampling technique with the selective and quantitative determination of CH(2)O, in the form of hydroxymethanesulfonate (HMS) after derivatization with HSO(3)(-), by capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CE-C(4)D) enabled the development of a complete analytical protocol for the CH(2)O evaluation in air.     

Preparation of a new type of fiber adsorbent attached with silica microparticles.

A new type of fiber adsorbent attached with silica microparticles was prepared. The silica microparticles were formed by the polymerization of silica oligomers on glass fibers, which were woven into a glass filter. The surface of the silica microparticles was chemically modified by bonding C18-ligands. SEM images indicated that the diameter of the uniform and spherical silica microparticles fixed on glass fibers was on the order of micrometers. It was confirmed that the glass filter adsorbent was effective for the adsorptive removal of toluene of low concentrations.     

Fiber spinning from the nematic melt. V. Flow instabilities in the 75:25 copolyester of p-hydroxybenzoic acid and 2-hydroxy-6-naphthoic acid

We have investigated the rheological properties of the Celanese copolyester with the composition 75 mol% p-hydroxybenzoic acid and 25 mol% 2-hydroxy-6-naphthoic acid (designated as 75HBA/25HNA). Three different samples having inherent viscosities 3.0, 6.0, and 9.2 dL/g were studied. A flow instability is observed at low shear stress which produces an irregularity in the fiber diameter. The surface irregularity becomes less pronounced above a minimum shear stress, indicating that the flow instability originates in the capillary. For these nematic melts, the minimum shear stress marking the onset of more regular flow is found to decrease with increasing temperature and with decreasing inherent viscosity of the copolyester. The die swell ratio of extrudates decreases with increasing shear stress. Fibers were spun from the samples having η_inh = 9.2 and 3.0 dL/g. The initial modulus and tenacity to break for 75HBA/25HNA fibers spun at sufficiently high shear stress to produce smooth filaments are significantly lower than the values we previously reported for fibers of the 58HBA/42HNA copolyester. Moreover, the optimum properties are obtained at relatively low spin-draw ratios. The 75HBA/25HNA polyester also exhibits a yield stress which decreases with increasing temperature. This observation indicates the presence of crystallities at the test temperatures. We believe that the higher content of HBA in the present copolymer gives rise to crystallization of HBA blocks in the thread line and that defects are introduced at higher spin-draw ratios which cause the mechanical properties to become worse.     

Preparation of submicron‐scale,electrospun cellulose fibers via direct dissolution

Cellulose nonwoven mats of submicron‐sized fibers (150 nm–500 nm in diameter) were obtained by electrospinning cellulose solutions. A solvent system based on lithium chloride (LiCl) and N,N‐dimethylacetamide (DMAc) was used, and the effects of (i) temperature of the collector, (ii) type of collector (aluminum mesh and cellulose filter media), and (iii) postspinning treatment, such as coagulation with water, on the morphology of electrospun fibers were investigated. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X‐ray diffraction studies of as‐spun fibers at room temperature reveal that the morphology of cellulose fibers evolves with time due to moisture absorption and swelling caused by the residual salt and solvent. Although heating the collector greatly enhances the stability of the fiber morphology, the removal of salt by coagulation and DMAc by heating the collector was necessary for the fabrication of dry and stable cellulose fibers with limited moisture absorption and swelling. The presence and removal of the salt before and after coagulation have been identified by electron microprobe and X‐ray diffraction studies. When cellulose filter media is used as a collector, dry and stable fibers were obtained without the coagulation step, and the resulting electrospun fibers exhibit good adhesion to the filter media. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 1673–1683, 2005