Pleated Filter Protrusions for Masking Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pleated filtration media face challenges in maintaining uniform pleat spacing and preventing pleat bunching, especially in high viscosity liquid applications, leading to fluid flow restriction and reduced performance due to masking and increased pressure drop.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating three-dimensional projections on the surface of the pleated filtration media, which can be formed or applied, to maintain desired spacing between media faces and prevent masking, thereby enhancing fluid flow and contaminant removal efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the number of pleats within a given volume is increased, then the media surface area is increased, but fluid flow restriction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces protrusions that extend in the third dimension (perpendicular to the media face), creating additional spacing without increasing the two-dimensional pleat density. This allows more pleats to be packed into the same volume while maintaining adequate flow channels through the protrusion-induced spacing.
2Area of stationary object
If pleat spacing is reduced to increase media density, then more media is available for filtration, but pleat bunching and masking occur
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusions are pre-formed on the media surfaces before assembly, establishing predetermined spacing points that prevent pleat bunching during installation and operation. This preliminary structural feature ensures uniform spacing is maintained without requiring complex assembly procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusions act as intermediary elements between adjacent media faces, physically preventing them from coming into intimate contact. These protrusions mediate the spacing relationship, ensuring that even when pleats are densely packed, they maintain adequate separation to prevent masking.
3Manufacturing precision
If adhesive beads are used to secure media faces, then pleat spacing is maintained, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the spacing function from the adhesive bonding process and incorporates it directly into the media structure through protrusions. This eliminates the need for separate adhesive application steps and reduces manufacturing complexity while maintaining spacing uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusions are self-contained structural features that automatically maintain spacing without requiring external adhesives or bonding agents. The media structure serves its own spacing function, eliminating the need for additional manufacturing steps involving adhesive application and curing.
Data Source
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AI summary
Pleated filtration media, filtration media packs, and filtration elements containing projections are disclosed. The pleated filtration media includes projections on at least one surface, the projections configured to engage adjacent media sheets so as to reduce masking of the media. The pleated media and media pleat packs contain protrusions on the surface of the media. These protrusions are three dimensional structures that are on the surface of the media and are provided by forming the protrusion directly in the filtration media or applying structures, such as adhesive beads, or onto one or both faces of the media. Elongation of the adhesive bead can facilitate greater separation of the adjacent faces of pleated media if desired. These protrusions, also referred to herein as projections or dimples, can either contact each other or contact flat media and keep adjacent media faces from becoming in intimate contact with each other.