Proper air filtration is necessary to prevent contaminants from coming into contact with product or fouling process handling equipment. Ambient air heating and dehumidification heat exchangers can be packaged with intake filters as required for the application.
The pictured C Series heat exchanger filters intake air with two stages of filtration. The first stage includes pleated panel MERV 8 pre-filters to trap large particles, preventing them from entering the next filtration stage. The second stage includes a bank of MERV 13 V-Bank filters to trap 90% of particles 1 micron and larger. The MERV 8 filters are low cost and can be replaced more frequently to improve the longevity of the MERV 13 final filters. This heat exchanger heats 5,000 SCFM of filtered ambient air from winter lows of 0°F to 160°F with 125 PSIG saturated steam for a food product drying process.
The heat exchanger assemblies can be fitted with differential pressure gauges and pressure taps to indicate when it is time to change the filters, so the process can continue running smoothly and free of particulate. Filters protect the heat exchanger by preventing fouling and plugging, which can diminish performance overtime, and more importantly, proper filtration will protect the quality of the final product.
Simple setups can include a single stage pleated panel filter or an aluminum or 304 stainless steel mesh washable inlet filter. More complex intake filter assemblies can include multiple stages of filtration that include pre-filters and bag filters or HEPA filters to protect the downstream process. The filter housing includes a gasketed access door, which can be opened and sealed using hand knobs. The filters can be easily removed and installed using multiple sets of tracks to fix the filters properly in place.
