The latest in filtration technology TWE Group

ThE LaTEST IN FILTRaTIoN TEChNoLoGy

The tasks of filtration are the separation or elimination of harmful substances before their release into air and liquid, for the protection of equipment from industrial circuits or for the recovery of valuable substances. The Germany-based nonwovens specialist TWE Group is continuously developing its offering to meet these demands.

There are many complex global challenges today that require a new way of thinking when it comes to filtration technology. These include global warming, population growth, urbanisation, the required increase in raw material and energy efficiency and the switch to sustainable energy resources. But there are also new opportunities, such as the emergence of Industry 4.0 and new possibilities in terms of product design, device technology and filtration performance.

When looking at the filtration market, the expansion of existing products and market segments on the one hand, and a strong increase in new fields of application on the other hand, is becoming clear. In the field of engineering nonwovens, filtration is one of the areas with the greatest growth potential. Recent studies show that the global market for filter fabrics in 2018/2019 can exceed the €5 billion threshold. The predicted average annual growth rate is estimated at 5 per cent.

The focus for air/gas filtration continues to be on fiber nonwovens with a share of 53 per cent (needle punched nonwovens: 10,075 tonnes; wetlaid nonwovens: 8160 tonnes). Filament spunbond fabrics and meltblown nonwovens have a combined share of 47 per cent.

In comparison, the proportion of fiber nonwovens in liquid filtration is significantly higher at 73 per cent and 23,000 tonnes than in air filtration. In the area of liquid filtration, 9360 tonnes of polymer-based nonwovens were produced in 2016.

environmental awareness

Fine dust in focus owing to the increasing awareness of their negative impact on health, particulate matter (PM10), particulate matter (PM2.5) and ultrafine dust (PM1) have received more and more attention in all areas in recent years.

In December 2017, the European Environment Agency announced that around 520,000 people die prematurely in Europe each year as a result of air pollution. One of the main causes of this is fine dusts, which are inhaled with every breath. The polluted air flows through the trachea into the lungs, fills the alveoli and is then exhaled again. Pollutants, soot, exhaust gases, tire wear, pollen, sand and millions of the finest suspended particles enter the body through the air. Particles so small that humans breathe them in unnoticed are the most dangerous. They colour the lungs dark, almost comparable to a smoker’s lung. The ultrafine dust, which cannot be stopped by the alveoli, enters the bloodstream and is transported via the blood through the arteries into the organs. Ultrafine dust (nanoparticles) have an inflammatory effect when inhaled, can change the immune system, and can also activate viruses that rest in lung tissue cells.

TWe’s challenge

TWE has taken on all these tasks to develop filter media that positively counteract these fine dust partices. As a strong player in the field of coarse dust filtration and pre-filter media, the group has focused all its efforts in recent months on the development of foldable media from coarse dust to particulate matter. The media are purely mechanically bonded and thus free of chemical binders. The solidification and layer bonding are carried out through a combined process of mechanical and thermal solidification. The media are highly pleatable with knife and rotary folders, and the folds are sharpedged and stable. The media consist of 1 to 5 layers, depending on the application, the dust concentration and the required filter class. A major advantage over comparable media is the abrasion resistance of the applied fine fibre layer.

Filtech 2018

In recent years, great efforts have been made to conserve resources and reduce particulate matter pollution in the ambient air both outdoors and in built-up areas, as well as during industrial processes. The results of these extensive development activities have been the focus at various symposia and trade fairs in the past year. The classification of filter media for general air filtration can be more application-related thanks to the new ISO 16890, which has been in force since January 2017, although the launch involved some difficulties in setting up the new test equipment and processes.

FILTECH 2018, which will take place from 13–15 March in Cologne, is an international platform for experts from all branches of the filtration industry to exchange their experience and knowledge. It will be an excellent marketplace for wide-ranging information on new filter materials, technologies, regulations and test options as well as for presenting the many new products and results of research projects over the past year. n