Development of granular activated carbon fabric cabin air filter

Abstract

Automobile environments are exposed to hundreds of pollutants. In-duct ventilation filters are promising for reducing pollutants in automobile passenger compartments. Cabin air filters remove odours, capture airborne particles, and maintain a clean, fresh environment in the automobile cabin. In this experimental work, the effect of different types of face layer filter fabrics (As pre-filter), varying areal density of face layer fabrics (GSM), and granular activated carbon sizes were studied for the performances of the cabin air filter in terms of pressure drop (ΔP) and adsorption/removal efficiency of polluted gases like hydrocarbon, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides. The Spun Bond-Melt Blown-Spun Bond (SMS) fabric shows the highest hydrocarbon (HC) removal efficiency and the lowest pressure drop. In contrast, tissue filament woven fabrics show the lowest removal efficiency for hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and pressure drop. The thermal-bonded fabric shows the highest removal efficiency of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). As the areal density (Layer weight) of face fabrics increases, the removal efficiency of all gases and the differential pressure drop across the cabin air filter both increase. As pressure drops, air filter resistance increases, and hydrocarbon adsorption rises significantly. The removal efficiency of carbon monoxide (CO) gas is 100% across all types of face-layer fabric, layer weight, and granular activated carbon (GAC) sizes. Tissue filament woven face layer fabric (Lowest in price and acts as pre-filter media) provides the same adsorption of carbon monoxide gas (CO) as SMS and thermal bonded nonwoven. As the activated carbon granular size increases, the removal efficiency of the hydrocarbon and the differential pressure drop (ΔP) both decrease.