Industrial HEPA filters for heavy equipment, mining and transportation
In heavy-duty industries such as construction, mining, and transportation, dust and other airborne contaminants are common. The use of industrial-grade cabin air filtration is important to keep equipment operators safe.
HEPA refers to High-Efficiency Particulate Arrestance and is rated by using values at most penetrating particle size (MPPS). Industrial HEPA filters capture the smallest airborne particles classified as sub-micron in size to provide better air quality.
These efficiencies range from low levels at 99.97% @>0.3 microns to a high-efficiency level of 99.9995% at 0.12 micron, making HEPA filters ideal for industries that handle extreme elements.
Classification of HEPA according to the USA (ASME AG-1 + DOE-STD-3020-2015) and Australian Standards (AS4260-1997 ) is an arrestance of 99.97% @ >0.3 microns. The penetration of particles is less than 0.05%, ideal for Bio-Aerosol Protection.
The Benefits of HEPA Filter Systems
The use of HEPA filters in heavy-duty conditions has been an industry standard for years to keep equipment and employees safe. HEPA filters are designed to capture and filter microscopic dust, dirt, allergens, pollen, bacteria, tobacco smoke and mold spores from the air.
HEPA filters adhere to strict standards of providing a minimum filtration level of 99.97% on particles down to 0.3 microns in size. Anything below this standard is not a HEPA filter. With this high level of standard, HEPA filters are the top choice for heavy-duty industries.
How HEPA Filters are Tested
HEPA filters were first used in hospital operating theatres and environments that require complete sterile conditions such as pharmaceutical manufacturing. These industrial HEPA filters are used not only for applications where dust and coarse particles need to be removed from the air but also to retain bacteria and harmful microparticles.
HEPA filters are tested using DEHS aerosol, mineral oil, and other materials that produce particles about 0.3 microns or smaller in size. Essentially, 10,000 0.3 micron-sized particles are blown into a HEPA filter. To meet HEPA standards, only 3 out of 10,000 particles are allowed to pass through.
DEHS (Diethylhexylsebacat) is used in many standards (for example EN779 and EN1822) at the generation of droplet aerosols for filter testing. Di-Ethyl-Hexyl-Sebacat (DEHS) is a non-soluble, colourless, and odourless liquid which is suitable for producing steady aerosols.
The main proportion of droplets created by aerosol generators can be stated in the most penetration particle size (MPPS 0.2…0.3 µm).
The Bottom Line
Improving the air quality for workers in construction, mining, transportation, and other industrial applications centres around eliminating the risk of life-threatening illness and lung damage. High-efficiency industrial HEPA filters meet the filtration requirements for cabin ventilation across all heavy-duty industries.