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Characterisation of HEPA and ULPA Filters by Proposed New European Test Methods
The rapid development of microelectronic technology, with the increased storage density of today’s VLSI circuitry, requires clean-rooms of class M1 (US Federal Standard 209E). In such clean-rooms the air needs to be approximately 350 times cleaner than in a ‘traditional’ class M3.5 (class 100 according to US Federal Standard 209D), and the filters should have penetrations and leaks up to 1000 times lower than usual. This situation raises several questions. Are existing standardized test methods capable of measuring the efficiency of and leaks from such filters? If not, what are the most important changes which have to be made to allow such filters to be fully characterized? How are such filters to be manufactured, and when manufactured, how can they be tested in large-scale production? The paper highlights some aspects of a new approach to filter testing, and takes into consideration the latest developments in European standardization with regard to HEPA and ULPA filters.
April 1995; 7 pp.; 797KB

Clogging of HEPA Fibrous Filters by Solid and Liquid Aeresol Products: An Experimental Study
For several years, environmental purification requirements have become more and more stringent. Among all the devices designed to remove small particles from gas streams, fibrous filters are economically the most interesting technology since they are both effective and quite simple to use. They are made up of an entanglement of thin fibres in which particles are collected according to several mechanisms like diffusion, interception or inertia. If clean filters are relatively well-known and have been the subject of many studies, their behaviour during clogging is still not completely understood. This aspect is of major importance as it determines the life time of the filter. We describe in this paper the filtration experiments carried out with solid particles on one hand and liquid particles on the other hand. The evolution of pressure drop in relation to the d eposit aspect is analysed in both cases and a comparison of both behaviours is performed.
March 1999; 6 pp.; 1107KB

Collection of Three Bacterial Aerosols by Respirator and Surgical Mask Filters Under Varying Conditions of Flow and Relative Humidity
A variety of respirator filters and surgical masks were challenged with three aerosolized bacteria: Mycobacrerium abscessus (Ma) (a rod), Staphylococcus epidermidis (S.e.) (a sphere), and Bacillus subtilis (B.S.) (a rod). Tests were conducted at two flow rates (45 and 85 I./min) and two humidity levels (30 and 70%). Aerosols were measured with a total-particle, direct-reading, spectrometer and a viable particle cascade impactor. Measurements up- and downstream of the filter or mask were used in determining aerosol penetration; respirator or surgical mask fit was not evaluated. Bioaerosol penetration measured with two aerosol sampling instruments was found to correlate. Additionally, bioaerosol test parameters were evaluated with respect to their effect on penetration. Increasing flow resulted in increased penetration of all organisms while an increase in relative humidity did not exert a consistent effect on all organisms. Of the respirators approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), filter efficiency was as expected with dust/mist respirators having the lowest and HEPA filters the hLighest efficiency. Surgical masks were the least efficient of all filters tested; these are noi certified by NIOSH. Bioaerosol penetration was compared to that of a polystyrene latex sphere (PSL) aerosol. Penetration of the test aerosols was predicted on the basis of particle aerodynamic diameter and was expected to be in this order: PSL > M.cr. > Se.= B.S. The PSL aerosol was the most penetrating, as predicted. However, results showed that B.S. was more penetrating than S.e. The aerodynamic diameter may not be the best parameter for predicting aerosol penetration of nonspherical particles in these filters.
May 1997; 14 pp.; 922KB

Effect of Prefilters on the Performance of HEPA Filters
The main purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of different particle size distributions and flow rates on the pressure drop performance of HEPA filters with/without prefilters at a constant dust loading. Tests were conducted at constant velocity and dust loading for the new HEPA filters up to a loading which resulted in a pressure drop of 3” of H,O. The effect of the preglter was then characterized by testing a new HEPA filter with prefilter installed. The cheaper prefilter was then replaced at a total pressure drop of 3” of H,O, after which additional testing was conducted on the HEPA with a new prefilter. Based on the results of the performance with and without prefilters, it was then possible to evaluate the potential benefits of using prefilters upstream of the HEPA filters, the reduced costs associated with the use of the prefilters, and the potential reduction in waste disposal volume.
April 1999; 6 pp.; 1239KB

Environmental Technology Verification Test Report of Control of Bioaerosols in HVAC Systems Aeolus Corporation Synthetic Minipleat Panel, SMP-M12-24244
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program to facilitate the deployment of innovative or improved environmental technologies through performance verification and dissemination of information.The goal of the ETV Program is to further environmental protection by accelerating theacceptance and use of improved and cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to achieve this goal by providing high quality, peer-reviewed data on technology performance to those involved in the design, distribution, financing, permitting, purchase, and use of environmental technologies. ETV works with recognized standards and testing organizations; stakeholder groups which consist of buyers, vendor organizations, permitters, and other interested parties; and with the full participation of individual technology developers. The program evaluates the performance of innovative and improved technologies by developing test plans that are responsive to the needs of stakeholders, conducting field or laboratory tests (as appropriate), collecting and analyzing data, and preparing peer-reviewed reports. All evaluations are conducted in accordance with rigorous quality assurance protocols to ensure that data of known and adequate quality are generated and that the results are defensible. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory contracted with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to establish a homeland-security-related ETV Program for products that clean ventilation air. RTI evaluated the performance of ventilation air filters used in building heating,ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. This verification statement provides asummary of the test results for the Aeolus Corporation Synthetic Minipleat Panel, SMP-M12-24244 media air filter.
February 2004; 19 pp.; 402KB

Environmental Technology Verification Test Report of Control of Bioaerosols in HVAC Systems Aeolus Corporation Synthetic Minipleat V-Cell, SMV-M14-2424
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program to facilitate the deployment of innovative or improved environmental technologies through performance verification and dissemination of information. The goal of the ETV Program is to further environmental protection by substantially accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to achieve this goal by providing high quality, peer-reviewed data on technology performance to those involved in the design, distribution, financing, permitting, purchase, and use of environmental technologies. ETV works with recognized standards and testing organizations; stakeholder groups which consist of buyers, vendor organizations, permitters, and other interested parties; and with the full participation of individual technology developers. The program evaluates the performance of innovative and improved technologies by developing test plans that are responsive to the needs of stakeholders, conducting field or laboratory tests (as appropriate), collecting and analyzing data, and preparing peer-reviewed reports. All evaluations are conducted in accordance with rigorous quality assurance protocols to ensure that data of known and adequate quality are generated and that the results are defensible. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory contracted with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to establish a homeland-security-related ETV Program for products that clean ventilation air. RTI evaluated the performance of ventilation air filters used in building heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. This verification statement provides a summary of the test results for the Aeolus Corporation Synthetic Minipleat V-Cell, SMV-M14-2424 media air filter. S-1
December 2003; 19 pp.; 402KB

Environmental Technology Verification Test Report of Control of Bioaerosols in HVAC Systems Airflow Products AFP30
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program to facilitate the deployment of innovative or improved environmental technologies through performance verification and dissemination of information. The goal of the ETV Program is to further environmental protection by accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to achieve this goal by providing high quality, peer-reviewed data on technology performance to those involved in the design, distribution, financing, permitting, purchase, and use of environmental technologies.ETV works with recognized standards and testing organizations; stakeholder groups which consist of buyers, vendor organizations, permitters, and other interested parties; and with the full participation of individual technology developers. The program evaluates the performance of innovative and improved technologies by developing test plans that are responsive to the needs of stakeholders, conducting field or laboratory tests (as appropriate), collecting and analyzing data, and preparing peer-reviewed reports. All evaluations are conducted in accordance with rigorous quality assurance protocols to ensure that data of known and adequate quality are generated and that the results are defensible. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory contracted with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to establish a homeland-security-related ETV Program for products that clean ventilation air. RTI evaluated the performance of ventilation air filters used in building heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. This verification statement provides a summary of the test results for the Airflow Products AFP30.
March 2004; 19 pp.; 487KB

Environmental Technology Verification Test Report of Control of Bioaerosols in HVAC Systems Columbus Industries SL-3 Ring Panel
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program to facilitate the deployment of innovative or improved environmental technologies through performance verification and dissemination of information. The goal of the ETV Program is to further environmental protection by accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to achieve this goal by providing high quality, peer-reviewed data on technology performance to those involved in the design, distribution, financing, permitting, purchase, and use of environmental technologies. ETV works with recognized standards and testing organizations; stakeholder groups which consist of buyers, vendor organizations, permitters, and other interested parties; and with the full participation of individual technology developers. The program evaluates the performance of innovative and improved technologies by developing test plans that are responsive to the needs of stakeholders, conducting field or laboratory tests (as appropriate), collecting and analyzing data, and preparing peer-reviewed reports. All evaluations are conducted in accordance with rigorous quality assurance protocols to ensure that data of known and adequate quality are generated and that the results are defensible. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory contracted with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to establish a homeland-security-related ETV Program for products that clean ventilation air. RTI evaluated the performance of ventilation air filters used in building heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. This verification statement provides a summary of the test results for the Columbus Industries SL-3 Ring Panel media air filter.
February 2004; 19 pp.; 469KB

Environmental Technology Verification Test Report of Control of Bioaerosols in HVAC Systems AAF International BioCel® I (Type SH)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program to facilitate the deployment of innovative or improved environmental technologies through performance verification and dissemination of information.The goal of the ETV Program is to further environmental protection by accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to achieve this goal by providing high quality, peer-reviewed data on technology performance to those involved in the design, distribution, financing, permitting, purchase, and use of environmental technologies. ETV works with recognized standards and testing organizations; stakeholder groups which consist of buyers, vendor organizations, permitters, and other interested parties; and with the full participation of individual technology developers. The program evaluates the performance of innovative and improved technologies by developing test plans that are responsive to the needs of stakeholders, conducting field or laboratory tests (as appropriate), collecting and analyzing data, and preparing peer-reviewed reports. All evaluations are conducted in accordance with rigorous quality assurance protocols to ensure that data of known and adequate quality are generated and that the results are defensible. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory contracted with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to establish a homeland-security-related ETV Program for products that clean ventilation air. RTI evaluated the performance of ventilation air filters used in building heating,ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. This verification statement provides asummary of the test results for the AAF International BioCel® I (Type SH) media air filter.
February 2004; 19 pp.; 508KB

Environmental Technology Verification Test Report of Control of Bioaerosols in HVAC Systems AAF International DriPak® 90/95%
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program to facilitate the deployment of innovative or improved environmental technologies through performance verification and dissemination of information. The goal of the ETV Program is to further environmental protection by substantially accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to achieve this goal by providing high quality, peer-reviewed data on technology performance to those involved in the design, distribution, financing, permitting, purchase, and use of environmental technologies. ETV works with recognized standards and testing organizations; stakeholder groups which consist of buyers, vendor organizations, permitters, and other interested parties; and with the full participation of individual technology developers. The program evaluates the performance of innovative and improved technologies by developing test plans that are responsive to the needs of stakeholders, conducting field or laboratory tests (as appropriate), collecting and analyzing data, and preparing peer-reviewed reports. All evaluations are conducted in accordance with rigorous quality assurance protocols to ensure that data of known and adequate quality are generated and that the results are defensible. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory contracted with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to establish a homeland-security-related ETV Program for products that clean ventilation air. RTI evaluated the performance of ventilation air filters used in building heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. This verification statement provides a summary of the test results for the AAF International DriPak® 90/95% media air filter.
December 2003; 19 pp.; 447KB

Environmental Technology Verification Test Report of Control of Bioaerosols in HVAC Systems Filtration Group AeroStar "C-Series" Polyester Panel Filter
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program to facilitate the deployment of innovative or improved environmental technologies through performance verification and dissemination of information. The goal of the ETV Program is to further environmental protection by accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to achieve this goal by providing high quality, peer-reviewed data on technology performance to those involved in the design, distribution, financing, permitting, purchase, and use of environmental technologies. ETV works with recognized standards and testing organizations; stakeholder groups which consist of buyers, vendor organizations, permitters, and other interested parties; and with the full participation of individual technology developers. The program evaluates the performance of innovative and improved technologies by developing test plans that are responsive to the needs of stakeholders, conducting field or laboratory tests (as appropriate), collecting and analyzing data, and preparing peer-reviewed reports. All evaluations are conducted in accordance with rigorous quality assurance protocols to ensure that data of known and adequate quality are generated and that the results are defensible. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory contracted with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to establish a homeland-security-related ETV Program for products that cleanventilation air. RTI evaluated the performance of ventilation air filters used in building heating,ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. This verification statement provides asummary of the test results for the Filtration Group AeroStar "C-Series" Polyester Panel Filter.
March 2004; 19 pp.; 471KB

Environmental Technology Verification Test Report of Control of Bioaerosols in HVAC Systems Filtration Group AeroStar FP-98 Minipleat V-Bank Filter
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program to facilitate the deployment of innovative or improved environmental technologies through performance verification and dissemination of information. The goal of the ETV Program is to further environmental protection by accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to achieve this goal by providing high quality, peer-reviewed data on technology performance to those involved in the design, distribution, financing, permitting, purchase, and use of environmental technologies. ETV works with recognized standards and testing organizations; stakeholder groups which consist of buyers, vendor organizations, permitters, and other interested parties; and with the full participation of individual technology developers. The program evaluates the performance of innovative and improved technologies by developing test plans that are responsive to the needs of stakeholders, conducting field or laboratory tests (as appropriate), collecting and analyzing data, and preparing peer-reviewed reports. All evaluations are conducted in accordance with rigorous quality assurance protocols to ensure that data of known and adequate quality are generated and that the results are defensible. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory contracted with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to establish a homeland-security-related ETV Program for products that clean ventilation air. RTI evaluated the performance of ventilation air filters used in building heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. This verification statement provides a summary of the test results for the Filtration Group AeroStar FP-98 Minipleat V-Bank Filter.
February 2004; 19 pp.; 468KB

Environmental Technology Verification Test Report of Control of Bioaerosols in HVAC Systems Glasfloss Industries, Inc. Z-Pak Series S, Model ZPS24241295BO
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program to facilitate the deployment of innovative or improved environmental technologies through performance verification and dissemination of information. The goal of the ETV Program is to further environmental protection by accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to achieve this goal by providing high quality, peer-reviewed data on technology performance to those involved in the design, distribution, financing, permitting, purchase, and use of environmental technologies. ETV works with recognized standards and testing organizations; stakeholder groups which consist of buyers, vendor organizations, permitters, and other interested parties; and with the full participation of individual technology developers. The program evaluates the performance of innovative and improved technologies by developing test plans that are responsive to the needs of stakeholders, conducting field or laboratory tests (as appropriate), collecting and analyzing data, and preparing peer-reviewed reports. All evaluations are conducted in accordance with rigorous quality assurance protocols to ensure that data of known and adequate quality are generated and that the results are defensible. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory contracted with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to establish a homeland-security-related ETV Program for products that clean ventilation air. RTI evaluated the performance of ventilation air filters used in building heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. This verification statement provides a summary of the test results for the Glasfloss Industries, Inc. Z-Pak Series S filter.
September 2004; 20 pp.; 411KB

Environmental Technology Verification Test Report of Control of Bioaerosols in HVAC Systems Tri-Dim Filter Corporation Predator II, Model 8VADTP123C23CC000
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program to facilitate the deployment of innovative or improved environmental technologies through performance verification and dissemination of information. The goal of the ETV Program is to further environmental protection by accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to achieve this goal by providing high quality, peer-reviewed data on technology performance to those involved in the design, distribution, financing, permitting, purchase, and use of environmental technologies. ETV works with recognized standards and testing organizations; stakeholder groups which consist of buyers, vendor organizations, permitters, and other interested parties; and with the full participation of individual technology developers. The program evaluates the performance of innovative and improved technologies by developing test plans that are responsive to the needs of stakeholders, conducting field or laboratory tests (as appropriate), collecting and analyzing data, and preparing peer-reviewed reports. All evaluations are conducted in accordance with rigorous quality assurance protocols to ensure that data of known and adequate quality are generated and that the results are defensible. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory contracted with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to establish a homeland-security-related ETV Program for products that clean ventilation air. RTI evaluated the performance of ventilation air filters used in building heating,ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. This verification statement provides a summary of the test results for the Tri-Dim Filter Corporation Predator II filter.
September 2004; 20 pp.; 391KB

Environmental Technology Verification Test Report of Control of Bioaerosols in HVAC Systems Aeolus Corporation Synthetic Minipleat V-Cell, SMV-M13-2424
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program to facilitate the deployment of innovative or improved environmental technologies through performance verification and dissemination of information. The goal of the ETV Program is to further environmental protection by substantially accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to achieve this goal by providing high quality, peer-reviewed data on technology performance to those involved in the design, distribution, financing, permitting, purchase, and use of environmental technologies. ETV works with recognized standards and testing organizations; stakeholder groups which consist of buyers, vendor organizations, permitters, and other interested parties; and with the full participation of individual technology developers. The program evaluates the performance of innovative and improved technologies by developing test plans that are responsive to the needs of stakeholders, conducting field or laboratory tests (as appropriate), collecting and analyzing data, and preparing peer-reviewed reports. All evaluations are conducted in accordance with rigorous quality assurance protocols to ensure that data of known and adequate quality are generated and that the results are defensible. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory contracted with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to establish a homeland-security-related ETV Program for products that clean ventilation air. RTI evaluated the performance of ventilation air filters used in building heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. This verification statement provides a summary of the test results for the Aeolus Corporation Synthetic Minipleat V-Cell, SMV-M13- 2424 media air filter.
December 2003; 19 pp.; 455KB

Environmental Technology Verification Test Report of Filtration Efficiency of Bioaerosols in HVAC Systems Columbus Industries High Efficiency Mini Pleat
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program to facilitate the deployment of innovative or improved environmental technologies through performance verification and dissemination of information. The goal of the ETV Program is to further environmental protection by accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to achieve this goal by providing high quality, peer-reviewed data on technology performance to those involved in the design, distribution, financing, permitting, purchase, and use of environmental technologies. ETV works with recognized standards and testing organizations; stakeholder groups which consist of buyers, vendor organizations, permitters, and other interested parties; and with the full participation of individual technology developers. The program evaluates the performance of innovative and improved technologies by developing test plans that are responsive to the needs of stakeholders, conducting field or laboratory tests (as appropriate), collecting and analyzing data, and preparing peer-reviewed reports. All evaluations are conducted in accordance with rigorous quality assurance protocols to ensure that data of known and adequate quality are generated and that the results are defensible. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory contracted with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to establish a homeland-security-related ETV Program for products that clean ventilation air. RTI evaluated the performance of ventilation air filters used in building heating,ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. This verification statement provides asummary of the test results for the Columbus Industries High Efficiency Mini Pleat media air filter.S-1
February 2004; 19 pp.; 454KB

Environmental Technology Verification Test Report of Control of Bioaerosols in HVAC Systems Glasfloss Industries, Inc. Excel Filter, Model SBG24242898
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Environmental TechnologyVerification (ETV) Program to facilitate the deployment of innovative or improved environmental technologies through performance verification and dissemination of information. The goal of the ETV Program is to further environmental protection by accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to achieve this goal by providing high quality, peer-reviewed data on technology performance to those involved in the design, distribution, financing, permitting, purchase, and use of environmental technologies. ETV works with recognized standards and testing organizations; stakeholder groups whichconsist of buyers, vendor organizations, permitters, and other interested parties; and with the full participation of individual technology developers. The program evaluates the performance of innovative and improved technologies by developing test plans that are responsive to the needs of stakeholders, conducting field or laboratory tests (as appropriate), collecting and analyzing data, and preparing peer-reviewed reports. All evaluations are conducted in accordance with rigorous quality assurance protocols to ensure that data of known and adequate quality are generated and that the results are defensible. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory contracted with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to establish a homeland-security-related ETV Program for products that clean ventilation air. RTI evaluated the performance of ventilation air filters used in building heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. This verification statement provides a summary of the test results for the Glasfloss Industries, Inc. Excel filter.
August 2004; 20 pp.; 407KB

Environmental Technology Verification Test Report of Control of Bioaerosols in HVAC Systems AAF International Perfect Pleat Ultra, 175-102-863
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program to facilitate the deployment of innovative or improved environmental technologies through performance verification and dissemination of information. The goal of the ETV Program is to further environmental protection by accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to achieve this goal by providing high quality, peer-reviewed data on technology performance to those involved in the design, distribution, financing, permitting, purchase, and use of environmental technologies. ETV works with recognized standards and testing organizations; stakeholder groups which consist of buyers, vendor organizations, permitters, and other interested parties; and with the full participation of individual technology developers. The program valuates the performance of innovative and improved technologies by developing test plans that are responsive to the needs of stakeholders, conducting field or laboratory tests (as appropriate), collecting and analyzing data, and preparing peer-reviewed reports. All evaluations are conducted in accordance with rigorous quality assurance protocols to ensure that data of known and adequate quality are generated and that the results are defensible. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory contracted with the Research TriangleInstitute (RTI) to establish a homeland-security-related ETV Program for products that clean ventilation air. RTI evaluated the performance of ventilation air filters used in building heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. This verification statement provides a summary of the test results for the AAF International PerfectPleat Ultra filter.
September 2004; 20 pp.; 391KB

High-efficiency particulate arrest–filter vacuum cleaners increase personal cat allergen exposure in homes with cats
Background: On the basis of experimental chamber studies, vacuum cleaners with double-thickness bags and integral high efficiency particulate arrest (HEPA) air filters are claimed to reduce airborne allergen levels and are currently recommended to allergic patients. Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of vacuum cleaning on personal inhaled cat allergen exposure in homes with cats. Methods: Five unused new vacuum cleaners were compared with an old non-HEPA filter vacuum cleaner. Each vacuum cleaner was tested in an experimental chamber and in 5 homes with cats. Inhaled cat allergen was measured by nasal air sampling. Results: New vacuum cleaners failed to leak any allergen in the experimental chamber. There was a significant increase in inhaled cat allergen during vacuum cleaning in homes (F = 48.39, df = 1.4, P = .002) with no difference between the old vacuum cleaner and the unused new vacuum cleaners (5-fold and 3-fold increase compared to baseline, respectively; F = 0.005, df = 1.4, P = .95). Conclusions: The use of new HEPA-filter vacuum cleaners increases inhaled cat allergen in homes with cats. The use of HEPA-filter modern vacuum cleaners to reduce pet allergen exposure in the homes of pet owners should not be justified merely on the basis of experimental chamber data. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003;111:784-7.)
Jan 2003; 4 pp.; 87KB

Observations on Engineering Aspects of the Brentwood Postal Facility Fumigation
The 14,000,000 ft3 Brentwood postal facility in Washington, DC, was contaminated with anthrax spores contained in a letter addressed to Senator Thomas Daschle. Two postal employees died of inhalation anthrax. The U.S. Postal Service decided to fumigate the entire building with chlorinedioxide (ClO2) to inactivate the remaining spores. This paper provides a summary of the four tests of the ClO2 generation and scrubbing system at the building.
2003; 7 pp.; 180KB

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2009; 1 pp.; 50KB

Radiological Dispersion Device (Dirty Bomb)
Recent terrorist events have raised concern about the possibility of a terrorist attack involving radioactive materials, possibly through the use of a “dirty bomb”. Information in this text should help people understand what a dirty bomb is, what they can do to minimize any consequences if they are near the site of such an explosion, and how it may affect their health.
February 2003; 2 pp.; 20KB

Remediating Sites with Anthrax Contamination: Building on Experience
Prior to the anthrax attacks on the civilian population in late 2001, bioterrorism experts believed that the remediation of large urban areas or buildings contaminated with anthrax spores was not a viable option. The cleanup experience from the 2001 attacks, in which letters containing Bacillus anthracis spores were mailed to media outlets and two Senators, has demonstrated that buildings in the civilian sector can be effectively remediated and returned to productive use. This paper discusses the key roles of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the remediation process. It summarizes the remediation process for decontaminating sites, focusing on sites at which fumigations have been/will be performed and the agents chosen for those fumigations. It identifies the factors that must be addressed before undertaking fumigations and presents information on agents being used for fumigations. Finally, it presents key lessonslearned to date from anthrax cleanups that will enhance future cleanups, should they be needed.
2004; 10 pp.; 144KB

Residential and Commercial Air Filter Efficiencies
media air filters. More than twenty filters have been tested. These filters vary from flat-panel, furnace filters to deep-pleated, rigid-cell filters. The filters included charged (electret), noncharged, tackified, and washable media. The residential type filters were tested at the typical flowrate of approximately 1.5 m/s (295 fpm), while the commercial filters were tested at approximately 2.5 m/s (492 fpm). An optical particle counter (OPC) was used to determine the filtration efficiencies over the 0.3 - 10 :m range as specified in the ASHRAE 52.2 test methodology. In addition, a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) determined the efficiencies for particle sizes down to 0.03 :m. The filters were all tested when clean and new. Approximately half of the filters, including all of the charged and some of the non-charged filters, were then exposed to a newly developed conditioning step that consists of exposure to high concentration, nanometer size, aerosol. The exposure time varies by the amount of media in a filter. This conditioning step has been proposed for inclusion in ASHRAE 52.2 to allow the method to better reproduce the real-life performance drop-off of electret media filters. After conditioning the filters were again tested for efficiency. Data are presented to allow comparison of filter efficiencies by filter style, media type, pressure drop, effect of conditioning, and estimated MERV.
2003; 18 pp.; 256KB

The Effect of Loading Dust Type on the Filtration Efficiency of Electrostatically Charged Filters
Ventilation filters composed of electrostatically charged fibers, also referred to as electret filters, are known to have the potential to decrease in filtration efficiency with use. However, little data have been available on whether such decreases are seen in actual applications. ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers) is developing a new test method (draft ASHRAE 52.2P "Method of Testing General Ventilation Air-cleaning Devices for Removal Efficiency by Particle Size") that includes procedures intended to reveal if a filter's efficiency decreases with use. The work described in this paper had three purposes: 1) conduct tests to quantify the changes in filtration efficiency that electret filters undergo with actual use, 2) assess the adequacy of the draft ASHRAE 52.2P methodology to reveal these changes, and 3) if needed, develop a laboratory test method that more closely reveals these changes than is achieved with the draft ASHRAE 52.2P methodology. Three types of electrostatically charged filters were evaluated: a rigid-cell filter charged via an electrodynamic spinning process, a pleated panel filter charged via a corona charging process, and a residential filter charged via a split-fiber process. The filtration efficiency measurements covered the 0.3 - 10 μm diameter size range. Exposures consisted of outdoor ambient air, inhome air, ASHRAE dust, ASHRAE dust without carbon black, and a submicrometer salt aerosol. Results show that all the ambient and in-home exposed filters had substantial decreases in filtration efficiency. Laboratory tests using the draft ASHRAE 52.2P procedures did not reproduce these results well, often showing either little change or increases with loading, rather than decreases. The submicrometer salt aerosol came closest to duplicating the outdoor and inhome aerosol exposure results, although the magnitude of the efficiency decrease was underestimated in some cases.
1999; 6 pp.; 34KB

The Influence of Pleat Geometry on the Pressure Drop in Deep-pleated Cassette Filters
In air filtering applications, a filter’s pressure drop at a defined collection efficiency constitutes an important parameter. This paper discusses the variables influencing the pressure drop in air filters featuring deep-pleated filter media. For cassette-type fine filters in accordance with EN 779 or for HEPA/ULPA filters in accordance with EN 1822, the most commonly used media are paper-like materials with a thickness of less than 1 mm, which offer a relatively high resistance to the air flowing through them. Manufacturers accordingly endeavour to accommodate a max;mum of filter medium area in a small space. To enable the pressure drops customary in intake, exhaust and re-circulated air filtration to be assured, the filter medium is therefore arranged in narrow, deep pleats. Particularly when large quantities of air are being handled per filter element, it is advantageous to pleat the filter medium in depths of 150 mm to 280 mm. The conversion technique and the resultant pleat geometry exert a crucial influence on the pressure drop concerned.
November 2002; 6 pp.; 1020KB