Additive-Manufactured Metallic Filter Media With Controlled Porosity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current filtering media, such as disposable masks, have short durability, high waste generation, and high pressure drop issues, making them inefficient and environmentally unfriendly, especially for high-efficiency applications like FFP1 and FFP2 masks, and they lack complex shape manufacturing capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing method using additive manufacturing with selective laser melting to create metallic filtering media with a coalescent network of interconnected strands, allowing for controlled porosity and shape complexity, resulting in high-efficiency filters with low pressure drop and long durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional sintering methods are used to manufacture metallic filters, then filtering efficiency can be achieved, but the pressure drop increases prohibitively and the porosity distribution becomes heterogeneous
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the manufacturing parameters from conventional sintering to additive manufacturing with controlled layer deposition. By controlling the deposition parameters (layer thickness, deposition speed, heating rate) and creating a specific coalescent network structure with interconnected strands, the invention achieves homogeneous porosity distribution (30-70%) that maintains low pressure drop while ensuring high filtering efficiency for particles >100 nm
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a controlled porous structure through additive manufacturing, forming a coalescent network of interconnected metallic strands with deliberate void spaces. The porosity is controlled at 30-70% through parameter optimization, creating a homogeneous distribution that allows fluid passage with minimal pressure drop while maintaining filtration capability
2Reliability
If disposable masks are used to ensure high filtering efficiency, then filtration performance is achieved, but waste generation increases substantially and environmental impact worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The invention enables recovery and reuse of the filtering medium by manufacturing it from reusable metallic materials through additive manufacturing. The metallic coalescent network structure can be cleaned and reused multiple times, eliminating the need for disposable masks and substantially reducing waste generation while maintaining high filtering efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses metallic materials (such as stainless steel, aluminum, or copper powders) to create the filtering medium, forming a composite structure of metallic strands with controlled porosity. This metallic composite material provides both the necessary filtration performance and the durability for reuse, replacing conventional disposable non-woven materials
3Adaptability or versatility
If additive manufacturing is used to create complex shapes, then manufacturing versatility improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes additive manufacturing parameters (layer thickness of 10-100 μm, deposition speed, heating rate, and atmosphere control) to achieve precise control over the coalescent network structure formation. By carefully controlling these parameters, the invention enables manufacturing of complex three-dimensional shapes with homogeneous porosity distribution while managing process complexity through systematic parameter optimization
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method enables the production of reusable, high-efficiency filtering media with low environmental impact, capable of achieving filtration rates over 99% for particles larger than 100 nm, while maintaining a low pressure drop and allowing for complex shapes, thus addressing the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
each pass comprising the deposition of at least one layer of said metallic material, the deposited material adhering to the metallic material of at least one layer deposited before
Implementation Method 2
The deposition of the metallic material at the level of each layer is controlled at each pass such that the stack of the metallic material deposited during said successive passes constitutes said functional part
Data Source
AI summary
A manufacturing method enabling the obtainment of a functional part essentially formed in a metallic material, all or part of the functional part delimiting a filtering medium permeable to a fluid and delimiting first and second main faces for a preferred circulation of the gas through the filtering medium. The method includes a main phase consisting of an additive manufacturing method in successive passes from a support tray. Each pass includes the deposition of at least one layer of the metallic material, the deposited material adhering to the metallic material deposited before. The deposition is controlled at each pass so the stack of metallic material constitutes the functional part. The filtering medium includes a coalescent network of connecting strands interconnected according to a three-dimensional spatial distribution between the faces, the connecting strands of the network delimiting therebetween pores spatially distributed within the filtering medium in three dimensions between the faces.