Tubular filter with non-woven media and method of making filter

Abstract

Tubular filters with non-woven media and methods of making the filters are provided. A filter cartridge is provided that includes a plurality of individual fibers, where the individual fibers have different cross-sections and are arranged in a random fiber grid. The filter cartridge also includes at least one plate media, where the plurality of individual fibers are thermally bonded to the at least one plate media, where the plate media is helically wound to form a cylindrical profile.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62 / 964,914, filed on January 23, 2020, and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 17 / 154,487, filed on January 21, 2021. The above-mentioned application and all documents cited therein or during the prosecution thereof ("application references") and all documents cited or referenced in the application references ("documents cited therein") and all documents cited and referenced in the documents cited therein, together with the manufacturer's instructions, descriptions, product specifications and product instructions for any products mentioned therein and any documents contained by reference therein, are incorporated herein by reference and may be employed in the practice of the present invention. More specifically, all referenced documents are incorporated by reference as if each individual document was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to filter media technology for use in various industrial applications. Background Art

[0004] Filter media technology is used in a wide variety of industrial applications, including but not limited to the oil and gas industry. Filters are typically elongated in shape with an inlet end and an outlet end. Gas or liquid flows through the filter and various contaminants, such as dirt, are captured by the various media within the filter housing and are thereby removed from the gas or liquid stream.

[0005] While the shape and basic function of the filter are fairly consistent across filter types, the media that actually filters the gas or liquid stream varies greatly. These differences depend on the materials, manufacturing process, and arrangement of the media.

[0006] There remains a need to improve filtration performance (eg, the amount of contaminants collected by a filter and the flow rate of liquids and gases through the filter), and to improve the strength and rigidity of the elongated filter itself. Summary of the invention

[0007] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a filter element is provided. The filter element includes a plurality of individual fibers, wherein some of the individual fibers include a leaf-shaped cross-section and others have a circular cross-section. The filter element also includes at least one flat sheet of media, wherein the plurality of individual fibers are thermally bonded to the at least one flat sheet of media, wherein the flat sheet of media is spirally wound to form a cylindrical profile.

[0008] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a filter is provided. The method includes mixing a plurality of individual filter fibers to form a flat plate medium, and then winding the flat plate medium into a spiral shape. The method also includes using heat to bond the plurality of individual filter fibers to the flat plate medium during the step of winding the flat plate medium. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The present disclosure will be more readily understood through the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like elements, and in which:

[0010] Figure 1 is an image of the filter element.

[0011] Figure 2A is a cross-sectional image of a flat sheet of media consisting of fibers with circular cross-sections.

[0012] Figure 2B is a cross-sectional image of a flat sheet of media composed of fibers having a leaf-shaped cross-section.

[0013] Figure 2C is a cross-sectional image of a flat plate medium composed of fibers having a circular cross-section and fibers having a leaf-shaped cross-section.

[0014] Figure 3A is an image of a plurality of filter media fibers that have not been thermally bonded together.

[0015] Figure 3B is an image of a plurality of filter media fibers thermally bonded together.

[0016] Figure 4 is an embodiment of a filter element having multiple layers. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The overall content of the following disclosure can be best understood by reading the detailed description provided in conjunction with the drawings, figure descriptions, abstract, background technology, technical field, and related headings. The same reference numerals found in different figures represent the same elements or functionally equivalent elements. Elements listed in the abstract are not referenced, but are still referenced by association to elements in the detailed description and related disclosures.

[0018] Figure 1 An elongated filter element 10 is shown. The elongated filter element 10 may include multiple layers of nonwoven filter media 30 (e.g., Figure 4 ), which consists of individual fibers 20 (in Figure 2A in) or 22 (in Figure 2B ) or a combination of these two fibers 20, 22 (in Figure 2C (in) composition. Figure 3A and Figure 3BOne such layer 30 of a nonwoven filter medium composed of a plurality of individual fibers 22 is shown. Figure 3A A plurality of individual fibers 22 are shown prior to being thermally bonded together, and Figure 3B A plurality of individual fibers 22 are shown after being thermally bonded together.

[0019] Figure 2A-2C A cross-sectional image of a plurality of fibers 20, 22 and the flow of liquid and gas through the filter (from left to right) is shown. The plurality of fibers 20, 22 are composed of polyethylene bicomponent fibers and staple fibers. The bicomponent fibers and the staple fibers have an average diameter of about 10-90 microns and an average length of about 1.5-2.0 inches, respectively. The staple fibers have a melting point of about 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and the bicomponent fibers include a polyethylene sheath having a melting point of about 230 degrees Fahrenheit.

[0020] Traditionally, filter devices use fibers 20 having a cylindrical cross-sectional profile (e.g. Figure 2A , reference numeral 20). However, Figure 2B The novel design of the fibers 22 shown utilizes a non-circular cross-section to improve contaminant retention and coalescing properties. Figure 2B In the embodiment of the present invention, the fiber 22 has a trilobal cross-section, wherein three lobes 24 extend from a central portion 26 of the fiber 22. The size, shape, and orientation of the lobes 24 can all be uniform, or the size, shape, and orientation of the lobes can be irregular. In addition, the fiber 22 can have a variety of regular and irregular cross-sections. Although the depicted embodiment uses a trilobal cross-section 22, any number of lobes, including four or more lobes, can be used as desired.

[0021] exist Figure 2C In the embodiment of the present invention, the filter element 10 uses a combination of fibers 20 having a circular cross-section and fibers 22 having a non-circular cross-section. In a preferred embodiment, the bicomponent fibers have a circular cross-section 20, and the staple fibers include a subset of fibers 20 having a circular cross-section and a subset of fibers 22 having a non-circular cross-section 22. In a preferred embodiment, the staple fibers 22 having a non-circular cross-section have a trilobal configuration. However, other embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure may include staple fibers 22 having a non-circular cross-section of several different sizes, shapes, and cross-sections.

[0022] exist Figure 2CIn an embodiment, a combination of bicomponent fibers and staple fibers are mixed and laid into a flat sheet of media (or "mat"). In one embodiment, the filter element may include four layers of flat sheet media. Each flat sheet of media has a thickness of approximately 1.5 mm to 2.0 mm and an average weight of approximately 170 gsm (grams per square meter). However, other embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure may include one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, etc. layers of flat sheet media to achieve the desired functionality. These flat sheet media are fixed by a needle punching process to interweave the fibers without heating (thereby avoiding the initial activation of the low melting point bicomponent fiber sheath). The interwoven needle punched fibers form a flat sheet of media having a non-uniform mixture of bicomponent fibers and staple fibers (i.e., a "random grid").

[0023] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the staple fibers 22 having a non-circular cross-section account for about 10-20% of the random grid, the bicomponent fibers 20 having a circular cross-section account for about 60% of the random grid, and the remaining staple fibers 20 having a circular cross-section account for about 20-30% of the random grid. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the staple fibers 22 having a non-circular cross-section are trilobal fibers.

[0024] Each layer of flat sheet media is composed of a specific media grade, composition or fiber blend ("fiber recipe"). Examples of preferred fiber recipes for flat sheet media are as follows:

[0025] % of ingredients fiber 60％ 3 denier bicomponent fiber 30％ 1.4 denier staple fiber 10％ 6 denier trilobal staple fiber

[0026] Table 1. Recipe 1

[0027] % of ingredients fiber 60％ 3 denier bicomponent fiber 30％ 6 denier staple fiber 10％ 6 denier trilobal staple fiber

[0028] Table 2. Formulation 2

[0029] % of ingredients fiber 60％ 3 denier bicomponent fiber 20％ 1.4 denier staple fiber 20％ 6 denier trilobal staple fiber

[0030] Table 3. Recipe 3

[0031] % of ingredients fiber 60％ 3 denier bicomponent fiber 30％ 15 denier staple fiber 10％ 6 denier trilobal staple fiber

[0032] Table 4. Recipe 4

[0033] % of ingredients fiber 60％ 4 denier bicomponent fiber 20％ 15 denier staple fiber 10％ 45 denier staple fiber 10％ 6 denier trilobal staple fiber

[0034] Table 5. Formulation 5

[0035] The above embodiments are preferred fiber formulations (or compositional compositions) for use as flat sheet media layers that may be used to form filter elements. However, other embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure may include different compositional compositions of bicomponent fibers and staple fibers of various cross-sections.

[0036] Figure 3AA plurality of fibers 20, 22 are shown arranged in a random grid prior to thermal bonding. Figure 3B A plurality of filter media fibers 20, 22 are shown arranged in a random grid after being thermally bonded together.

[0037] like Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown in FIG. 1 , the random grid includes a series of gaps (i.e., "voids") between the fibers 20, 22. These voids are empty spaces (i.e., "void spaces") through which substances such as liquids or gases can pass unimpeded. The series of voids defines a means for liquids and gases to pass from one side of the filter media layer 30 to the other side of the filter media layer 30. Because the fibers 20, 22 have been mixed into a random grid, the path between the two ends of the filter media layer 30 includes a series of random voids and void spaces, which serve as semi-permeable paths (i.e., "tortuous paths") for liquids and gases.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment of the filter element, particles smaller than 0.3 microns can easily pass through the tortuous path. Particles larger than 0.3 microns are captured in the void spaces of the random grid, removing contaminants from the liquid or gas as it passes through the tortuous path. However, various filter elements can be created and optimized to filter contaminants of different sizes, such as 1 micron particles, 5 micron particles, 10 micron particles, 25 micron particles, 45 micron particles, etc.

[0039] The preferred embodiment of the present invention is an improvement over the prior art because the composition of trilobal staple fibers 22, round staple fibers 20, and bicomponent fibers 20 increases particle capture capabilities and improves the overall efficiency of the filter element 10. The mixture of round cross-section fibers 20 and trilobal cross-section fibers 22 has significant advantages. For example, the trilobal cross-section 22 enables an optimized random grid that increases the void space between each fiber 20, 22 to allow for capture of contaminants in liquid or solid form and increases the path for gas flow. These advantages can improve contaminant retention, removal efficiency, coalescence performance, and airflow through the filter element 10.

[0040] The effectiveness of each filter element depends on the fiber formula (or component composition) of each layer of flat media used. Several preferred embodiments of the filter element are described below:

[0041]

[0042] Table 6. Composition and arrangement of components of preferred filter element embodiments

[0043] As shown in Table 6 above, Example A is a gas filter composed of three layers of flat plate media and microglass material. In Example A, the microglass material constitutes the inner layer, Formulation 1 constitutes the second layer, Formulation 2 constitutes the third layer, and Formulation 3 constitutes the outer layer. The flow direction of Example A is from the inside to the outside. In other words, the gas first contacts the filter at the inner layer ("upstream"), passes through each layer of the filter, and then leaves the filter at the outer layer ("downstream").

[0044] Example B is a gas filter composed of three layers of flat plate media and micro glass material. In Example B, the micro glass material constitutes the inner layer, Formulation 1 constitutes the second layer, Formulation 2 constitutes the third layer, and Formulation 3 constitutes the outer layer. The flow direction of Example B is from the inside to the outside. In other words, the gas flows from upstream in the inner layer to downstream in the outer layer.

[0045] The microglass materials of Examples A and B form the inner layer (or core) of the filter element but are not thermally bonded to the filter media layer. With respect to Example A, the microglass material is optimized to filter particles of 0.5 microns. With respect to Example B, the microglass material is optimized to filter particles of 0.3 microns.

[0046] Example C is a gas filter composed of four layers of flat media. Formulation 1 constitutes the inner layer, Formulation 2 constitutes the second layer, Formulation 3 constitutes the third layer, and Formulation 4 constitutes the outer layer. The flow direction of Example C is from the outside to the inside. In other words, the gas flows from the upstream of the outer layer to the downstream of the inner layer.

[0047] Example D is a liquid filter composed of four layers of flat sheet media. Each of the four layers of Example D is composed of Formulation 1. The filter element of Example D is optimized to filter micron particles between 1 and 5 microns.

[0048] Example E is a liquid filter composed of four layers of flat media. Formulation 1 constitutes the inner layer, Formulation 2 constitutes the second layer, Formulation 3 constitutes the third layer, and Formulation 4 constitutes the outer layer. The flow direction of Example E is from the inside to the outside. In other words, the liquid flows from upstream in the inner layer to downstream in the outer layer. The filter element of Example E is optimized to filter micron particles of about 10 microns.

[0049] Example F is a liquid filter composed of four layers of flat sheet media. Each of the four layers of Example F is composed of Formulation 4. The filter element of Example F is optimized to filter micron particles between 25 and 40 microns.

[0050] Example G is a liquid filter composed of four layers of flat sheet media. Each of the four layers of Example G is composed of Formulation 5. The filter element of Example G is optimized to filter micron particles of approximately 75 microns.

[0051] While the filter elements of Examples AG are optimized to capture and filter contaminants of various particle sizes, these filter elements are not limited to use for filtering the micron particles for which they are optimized.

[0052] Embodiments AG are preferred embodiments of the present invention. Other embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure may include filter elements in which the arrangement of the flat media layers is independent of the directional flow. However, in other embodiments, the arrangement of the layers may depend on the flow direction to achieve the desired function.

[0053] Additionally, alternative combinations of fiber formulations and flat sheet media layers can be created for other intended purposes. For example, alternative arrangements of fiber formulations and flat sheet media layers can be used to optimize filtration of 15 micron particles.

[0054] Compared to other similar filters in the art ("prior art"), the filter element of the present invention has a greater dirt holding capacity. Dirt holding capacity refers to the total amount of contaminants that a filter element can hold before the filter element needs to be replaced.

[0055] Based on product testing (as shown below), the filter element of the present invention has significant improvements over the filter elements of similar products in the art:

[0056]

[0057] Table 7. Comparison of dirt holding capacity between prior art and the present invention

[0058] Table 7 shows the test results of various filter elements optimized for capturing four different particle sizes. The first column lists the average particle size used in the test. Each row lists the dirt holding capacity of the corresponding filter optimized for capturing pollutants of the listed particle size (i.e., 1 micron, 5 microns, etc.). As shown in the table above, the embodiments of the present invention can capture significantly more particles (in grams of mass) per 10 inches of the filter element for all four particle sizes compared to the filter products of the prior art.

[0059] In addition, the filter element of the present invention has greatly improved collapse resistance compared to leading competitors in the field. The collapse level is defined as the pressure difference required to cause the filter element to rupture, fail or collapse. The collapse level of the present invention is greater than or equal to 30 psid (pounds per square inch, differential), and the average collapse pressure is between 30-36 psid.

[0060] The improved collapse rating of the present invention is an unlikely improvement over the prior art. As expected, the use of trilobal fibers 22 would increase the void space between the fibers 20, 22, and increased void space would result in a poorer filter. However, the filter element of the present invention outperforms similar products in the art in both void space and collapse rating.

[0061] The improved collapse rating of the present invention also allows for increased flow capacity through the filter element. Flow capacity is defined as the maximum flow rate through the filter before the filter element is damaged or collapses. The flow of gas or liquid through the filter creates an upstream pressure and a downstream pressure. Upstream pressure refers to the pressure applied to the filter from the gas or liquid side before filtration. Downstream pressure refers to the pressure applied to the filter from the gas or liquid side after filtration. As flow increases, both the upstream pressure and the downstream pressure applied to the filter increase. The upstream pressure minus the downstream pressure is the differential pressure applied to the filter.

[0062] Therefore, the flow capacity depends on the maximum pressure difference (collapse level) that the filter can withstand. In view of the improved collapse level of the present invention, the flow capacity of the present invention is also improved over the prior art.

[0063] The following table shows the differential pressure applied to each filter element at several flow rates by the filter of the prior art and the filter element of the present invention:

[0064]

[0065]

[0066] Table 8. Flow Capacity of Prior Art Filters Given Pressure Differentials

[0067]

[0068] Table 9. Flow capacity of the filter of the present invention in terms of pressure difference

[0069] Tables 8 and 9 list the flow rates (gallons per minute) and corresponding pressure differentials (psi, differential) for several different filters. In Table 8, the prior art filters are represented by the particle size of the contaminants to be captured. In Table 9, the embodiments of the present invention are identified in the third row.

[0070] As described above, at higher flow rates, the pressure differential of the present invention is significantly lower than that of the prior art. Therefore, the present invention is able to operate at higher flow rates with a lower risk of filter collapse.

[0071] The measurements in Tables 8 and 9 were taken early in the life cycle of each filter ("initial differential pressure"). As the filter collects contaminants, the differential pressure will slowly increase, and the filter will eventually fail or collapse. Therefore, the lower initial differential pressure of the present invention indicates a longer filter life. Because the differential pressure starts at a lower level, the amount of time required for the differential pressure to reach the collapse level of the present invention is longer than that of the prior art filters.

[0072] Compared with the filter elements sold in the art, the efficiency of the filter element is improved or equivalent. The efficiency refers to the ability of the filter to collect and remove pollutants from the gas or steam passing through the filter. Specifically, the efficiency represents the percentage of pollutants collected by the filter within a set time period. Table 10 shows the test data of the particle removal efficiency of the gas filter in percentage. The efficiency comparison between the embodiments of the present invention and the prior art is shown as follows:

[0073]

[0074]

[0075] Table 10. Comparison of the efficiency of the prior art filter and the filter of the present invention

[0076] Table 10 shows the percentage of 0.3 micron particles filtered from the gas over time. Previously it was believed that an increase in void space would result in reduced efficiency because more contaminants would be able to pass through the tortuous paths of the random mesh. However, despite the filter element of the present invention including greater void space, the efficiency of the present invention is still as effective, if not more effective, than the prior art.

[0077] Figure 4 The filter element 10 can be manufactured in various ways known in the art, such as further described in U.S. Patent No. 5,893,956, which is incorporated herein by reference. Typically, the filter element 10 is composed of multiple layers of nonwoven filter media 30 (such as Figure 3A and 3B As shown), each layer comprises a plurality of fibers 20 or 22, which are combined together and then arranged in a spirally wound manner, such as Figure 4 As shown. Layers 30 may be bonded together in a variety of ways, including but not limited to adhesives, resins, chemical bonds, sintering, lamination or other similar methods. While in this embodiment, layers 30 are composed of nonwoven filter media; they may also be made of other materials, including but not limited to woven mesh and membrane materials.

[0078] In the prior art, the individual fibers 20, 22 are heat bonded together on a flat sheet of media. After the individual fibers are heat bonded, the fibers are heat bonded using the method of U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,956. Figure 4 The machine shown in the figure mechanically rolls a flat sheet into a spiral shape to form a cylindrical profile, which results in Figure 1. Multiple flat sheets, each with its own set of individual fibers, may be laminated together to form the filter element 10. This standard manufacturing process, particularly the mechanical winding of the flat sheet media, places unnecessary stress and strain on the heat-bonded fibers as the fibers naturally want to return to their original, unwound state. This undesirable stress reduces the durability and rigidity of the final filter element 10.

[0079] To reduce or eliminate the above-mentioned unwanted stresses, the present invention can be manufactured in an alternative manner. In the present invention, multiple individual fibers 20, 22 are mixed and laid into a "mat" or flat sheet of media, which are fixed by a needle punching process to interweave the fibers 20, 22 without heating, thereby preventing the initial activation of the low-melt fiber sheath. This process maintains the original integrity of the sheath, and the initial activation does not occur until the fiber mat is processed into a finished product. This maintains the ability to use 100% low-melt sheath in the structural bonding of each layer of the filter element 10.

[0080] Other production methods currently used in the art may use a fiber mat (or flat media) that is "heat set" as the fibers are laid down, which results in the formation of initial bonds that must be broken and rebonded during the winding process, resulting in less uniform and less controllable bond locations in the finished product.

[0081] After the fibers 20, 22 are secured by needling, the flat sheet media is fed into a winding process to form the final desired cylindrical shape without applying unnecessary mechanical stress to the thermal bonding between the fibers. During the winding process, the fibers 20, 22 are compressed, heated, and bonded. As the heated material is fed into the spiral winder, compression is applied to its surface to compress the staple fibers and bond them to the molten pool created by the heated low-melting fiber sheath. The amount of pressure applied to the fibers 20, 22 has a direct effect on the permeability of the materials being bonded. The winding process applies a pressure of 5-50 psi. In a preferred embodiment, the pressure is set between 20-25 psi.

[0082] In the winding step, each layer of flat sheet media is wound together to form the filter element 10. Each layer of flat sheet media is assigned to its own station, which has a device for applying the flat sheet media to the mandrel. The first layer of flat sheet media is applied to the mandrel. The second layer of flat sheet media is applied to the first layer of flat sheet media, and so on. Each layer is applied simultaneously (or nearly simultaneously). Other methods can be used to apply each layer of flat sheet media to the filter element 10. In alternative methods, one station can be used to apply each layer of flat sheet media, or each layer of flat sheet media can be applied to the filter element 10 at different times.

[0083] During the winding process, a ceramic coated infrared heat source introduces heat to the plurality of fibers 20, 22 to melt the bicomponent fibers and produce a bond of the staple fibers. While applying heat to melt fibers is common in the art, the heat source of the present invention is unique because its concave shape conforms to the shape of the filter element and helps to introduce less intense, more evenly distributed heat to the surface. Even distribution of heat is critical to proper bonding and permeability of the finished product. The ceramic coating of the heat source protects the operator from the ultraviolet and infrared rays used to conduct the heat. In a preferred method, the heat source is set to a temperature between 900 and 1400 degrees Fahrenheit. However, alternative temperatures may be used to bond the bicomponent fibers and the staple fibers.

[0084] The speed of the winding process is variable. Depending on the wall thickness and final inner and outer diameters of the filter element 10, the final finished product output speed of the winding process can vary linearly from 2 feet to 4 feet per minute.

[0085] The above detailed description and the examples described therein are for the purpose of illustration and description only, not limitation. Therefore, it is contemplated that the present disclosure covers any and all modifications, variations or equivalents that fall within the spirit and scope of the basic principles of the above and appended claims.

Claims

1. A filter element for a filter separator and a dry gas filter, the filter element comprising: A filter media comprising a plurality of layers wherein each layer is spirally wound about and along a longitudinal axis to define a cylindrical non-pleated profile, wherein each layer is defined by a nonwoven, needle-punched, and heat-set mixture of a plurality of bicomponent fibers and a plurality of staple fibers, wherein a subset of the staple fibers have a non-circular cross-section and comprise about 10-20% of the mixture, the bicomponent fibers comprise about 60% of the mixture, and the remaining staple fibers comprise about 20-30% of the mixture, wherein the bicomponent fibers have an outer sheath having a melting point of about 230 degrees Fahrenheit and the staple fibers have a melting point of about 400 degrees Fahrenheit; wherein the bicomponent fibers and the staple fibers each have an average diameter of about 10 to 90 microns and an average length of about 1.5 to 2.0 inches; wherein each layer has a thickness of about 1.5 mm to 2.0 mm and an average weight of about 170 gsm; and The plurality of bicomponent fibers and staple fibers are arranged in a random grid, wherein the plurality of bicomponent fibers and the staple fibers define a series of voids, each void defining a void space, wherein the series of voids define a tortuous passage, The tortuous passage is permeable to liquids and solid particles with a size less than 0.3 microns.

2. The filter element of claim 1, wherein the short fibers having a non-circular cross-section are trilobal fibers.

3. The filter element of claim 1, wherein the filter element is comprised of four layers of nonwoven filter media, the total thickness of the nonwoven filter media being between 0.25 and 1.0 inches.

4. The filter element of claim 1, wherein the bicomponent fibers are selected from the group consisting essentially of 3 denier bicomponent fibers or 4 denier bicomponent fibers.

5. The filter element of claim 1, wherein the staple fibers having a non-circular cross-section consist of 6 denier trilobal fibers.

6. The filter element of claim 5, wherein the remaining staple fibers are selected from the group consisting essentially of 1.4 denier staple fibers, 6 denier staple fibers, 15 denier staple fibers, and 45 denier staple fibers.

7. The filter element of claim 1, wherein the void spaces collect and capture liquids and solid particles of 0.3 microns or larger, the void spaces having a total dirt holding capacity of about 60 to 90 grams per 10 inches.

8. The filter element of claim 1, wherein the filter element has a differential pressure of less than 3 psid at a liquid flow rate of 14 gpm.

9. The filter element of claim 1, wherein the filter element has a collapse rating greater than 30 psid.

10. The filter element of claim 1, wherein the filter element has an efficiency greater than 99% after one hour.

11. A filter element for a filter separator and a dry gas filter, the filter element comprising: Four layers of nonwoven filter media, wherein each layer of nonwoven filter media comprises a mixture of a plurality of individual fibers, wherein the mixture of the plurality of individual fibers comprises: A first subset of trilobal staple fibers; a second subset of round staple fibers; and a third subset of bicomponent fibers; The first subset of trilobal staple fibers comprises about 10-20% of the mixture; The second subset of round staple fibers comprises about 20-30% of the mixture; The third subset of trilobal staple fibers comprises about 60% of the mixture; Each layer of nonwoven filter media has a thickness of about 1.5 mm to 2.0 mm and an average weight of 170 gsm; Each layer of nonwoven filter media is spirally wound about and along a longitudinal axis into a four-layer filter element having a cylindrical, non-pleated profile having a thickness of approximately 0.25 to 1.0 inches.

12. The filter element of claim 11, wherein the plurality of individual fibers have an average diameter between 10-90 microns and an average length between 1.5 and 2.0 inches.

13. The filter element of claim 12, wherein the fibers of the first subset, the second subset, and the third subset are needle punched and bonded together by heat treatment.

14. The filter element of claim 13, wherein the fibers of the third subset have a melting point of approximately 230 degrees Fahrenheit and the staple fibers have a melting point of approximately 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

15. The filter element of claim 14, wherein the heat source used to bond the fibers of the first, second, and third subsets is set at a temperature of about 900 to 1400 degrees Fahrenheit.

16. A filter element according to claim 11, wherein the filter element has a cross-section, the gas or liquid flow is configured to pass through the cross-section, and the plurality of individual fibers are configured to adsorb and capture liquid and solid contaminants as small as 0.3 microns in the gas or liquid flow when the gas or liquid flow passes through the cross-section.

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