Filtration Automation of the Future

Sometime in the future most filter applications will be automated to the extent that when filters are ready to be replaced the action will be automatic. Furthermore, the replacement period will be based on need and not on interval.

There will still be room for individual experts, but they will increasingly be specialists who are remotely monitoring operations. One such example is the use of fabric filters to capture both dust and SO2 in coal fired boiler systems. The plant operations are remotely monitored by the specialists. When maintenance challenges go beyond the routine, they intervene with solutions. In one case, this resulted in changes to the bags being offered by suppliers. So, there will always be a need for experts, but they will perform at a very high level and focus on exceptions rather than normal challenges.

The fabric filter industry has long relied on instrumentation to determine performance. The so-called bag detector has been in use and visually measures leaks from broken bags. But we have moved to where there are many parameters which can be used to trigger a replacement before a bag breaks. Filter manufacturers in the future will maintain special expertise in what can be called a guide function.

An automation system consists of three functions: guide, control, and measure.

The big revenues are in the control segment which includes computers, motors, and other electrical gear.

Measurement includes the instruments used to measure air, liquids, and solids. The guide function includes the software which is the brains of the operation. This is where filter manufactures can lead rather than follow. The best guide strategy is based on the most detailed knowledge of filter parameters and challenges. How long can an excess temperature of 400°F be sustained prior to shut down? What is the best pulsing sequence and duration for cleaning bags?

The guide function is a small but key segment of the automation system. Filter suppliers will be well served to dominate this space and deal on equal terms with the control suppliers. Otherwise, at some point, the big control suppliers could be main contractors and filter companies just subcontractors.

There are many revenue possibilities obtainable from IIOT and Remote O&M. The big difference is the service and automatic replacement of filter elements as part of annual contracts. With a cost reduction sharing system, both supplier and customer can benefit.

The increased ability to measure contaminants will continue to shape and expand the filter market. In the pharmaceutical, hospital, food and other life sciences applications, it is now possible to measure viable particles continuously. Previously total particles could be continuously monitored but live particles could not be separately identified.

The life sciences industry could only measure the danger by use of settling plates. They accumulated life organisms in a culture. Over a 24-hour period these plates would provide the viable particle load but only for the previous day and not in real-time. New instruments now allow measurement of total particulate and the viable segment separately.

The whole science of measurement and setting limits is challenging. For example, high-efficiency air filters have been analyzed based on the most penetrating particle size but there is debate on the most penetrating particle size and if that is 0.1 microns rather than 0.2 microns. The theory is that the Brownian movement of very small particles makes them more easily captured.

There are also issues with efficiency of electrostatically charged filters once the dust loading starts to diminish the electrostatic charge. New ambient measurement abilities are changing the market and protection of people from contaminants. One example is the ability to measure total ambient particulate. Regulations require that ambient particulate levels are a certain level in micrograms per cubic meter. But lead, and other metals have much greater harm potential than silica or some other particles.

The city of St. Louis, MO USA was meeting its ambient particle limits. Then it installed monitors able to measure just the lead content. When the wind was blowing from the direction of a lead smelter, the lead percentage of the total dust in the ambient air increased substantially. So, the assessment of harm is now much more accurate due to new monitors. The performance of air pollution control equipment is measured with stack monitors. They are very accurate in measuring the dust quantity per unit of exhaust gas. But surprisingly measuring the quantity of gas exhausted is not that easy. Thermal, differential pressure, and ultrasonic options are used but provide slightly different results depending on stack gas conditions. There are other anomalies as well. Mercury limits are set by measuring the vapor phase mercury in the exhaust. The reasoning is that nearly all the mercury is in the vapor phase. How the systems remove the mercury involves converting the mercury to a particulate. So, theoretically the polluting plant only has to convert vaporous mercury to a particulate and then can emit it from the stack without penalty.

Mercury in the vapor phase travels from gold mines in Chili to the Arctic Circle. Mercury on a particle surface will be deposited much nearer to the emitting plant. This local versus global analysis also applies to CO2 vs. CO vs. NOx. By operating at higher temperatures, the NOx is reduced but the CO2 is increased. The NOx is a local health hazard whereas the CO2 is a global hazard for the future. The industry needs guidance on the harm of CO2 vs. NOx

Artificial intelligence is quickly impacting the filter industry in a variety of ways. It is already possible to make better filter decisions using AI. This will quickly expand to where all the available case histories of the various suppliers will be instantly analyzed and advise the purchaser of the best choices.

THE EVENT FOR HVACR / FEB 10-12

Johnson Controls and Truelink Capital Management Deal

Truelink Capital announced that it has closed the transaction to acquire Air Distribution Technologies, a market leader in the air management and filtration solutions space, from Johnson Controls. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Air Distribution Technologies, with its robust market presence, will now operate as an independent company. Doug Schuster, the current leader of the division, will continue to lead the company.

With over 4,500 employees across more than 25 global locations, Air Distribution Technologies is a key player in the HVAC ecosystem, boasting well-known brands such as Koch Filter, Titus, Ruskin, Krueger, PennBarry, and Tuttle & Bailey. The company was acquired by Johnson Controls in 2014. This transaction marks the fifth acquisition for Truelink Capital, launched in 2022 by Todd Golditch and Luke Myers. www.airdistribution.com

Andritz to Design Carbon Capture Plant in Finland

International technology group ANDRITZ has been selected to perform the front-end engineering design (FEED) for a large-scale carbon capture unit for Westenergy’s wasteto-energy plant in Mustasaari, Finland. This project will make a significant contribution to decarbonization and the circular economy.

The order was received from ECCU Ltd, a joint venture of Westenergy Ltd, CPC Finland Oy and funds managed by Prime Capital AG. The aim is to capture all the carbon dioxide from the flue gases of the Mustasaari waste-to-energy plant, which produces district heating and electricity from sorted, non-recyclable municipal waste. The captured carbon dioxide will be liquefied, and a large portion will be made available to produce carbon-neutral synthetic e-fuels.

As the FEED contractor, ANDRITZ will refine the carbon capture plant concept and prepare the design documentation as a basis for the joint venture’s final investment decision. The concept will place a focus on the optimal integration of the carbon capture process into the waste-to-energy plant to maximize the utilization of available heat and the reuse of residues in a closed loop. www.andritz.com

Cleanova Acquires Sidco Filter Co. and Shawndra Products

Cleanova has successfully acquired Sidco Filter Co. and Shawndra Products Inc., two leading clean tech filtration companies based in the U.S. These strategic acquisitions align with Cleanova’s vision to expand its global footprint and strengthen its presence in the filtration industry.

Cleanova, established in October 2023 and owned by the pan-European private equity firm Px3 Partners, combines fresh thinking with proven technology to provide innovative filtration solutions. The addition of Sidco and Shawndra underscores Cleanova’s commitment to constant innovation and the highest product quality, as they expand their market reach.

Established in 1997 and headquartered in Manchester, New York, Sidco Filter Co. manufactures original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and aftermarket filters for air and gas markets. Shawndra Products Inc., founded in 1982 and headquartered in Lima, New York, provides meticulously designed filter elements. Sidco and Shawndra merged earlier this year to form Sidco Group, prior to the acquisition by Cleanova.

The two companies have built strong reputations for their innovation, quality and customer service. Their mission and vision also closely align with that of Cleanova, with a continual journey towards industry-leading filtration solutions and placing customers at the heart of decision-making. www.cleanova.com cover edition with 233 pages, including a glossary of terms. covers the basics and application know-how as reviewed in the previous two

Marketing announces the release of its latest edition — available now!

It also now shows various technology updates on portable filtration modules, as well as a report on the history of filter

Ad Sales

Driven By Design LLC

PUBLISHER advertising@inda.media +1 239.225.6137

Sabine Dussey

GERMANY, FRANCE, AUSTRIA, SWITZERLAND, SCANDANAVIA, BENELUX sabine.dussey@dussey.de +49 2129 5900910

Joan Oakley BUYER’S GUIDE joakley@inda.media +1 248.347.3486

Ferruccio Silvera & Filippo Silvera ITALY & SPAIN info@silvera.it +39 02.284.6716

Frank Strazzulla UNITED STATES +1 949 375 2902 frank@filtnews.com

Zhang Xiaohua CHINA ifj_china@126.com +86 13522898423

Advertiser Index

NX Filtration Announces CEO: Floris Jan Cuypers

NX Filtration, the global provider of hollow fiber nanofiltration technology, announced the appointment of Floris Jan Cuypers as new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective September 1, 2024, to lead NX Filtration through its next stages of growth. Cuypers has a strong track-record of executive leadership positions focusing on commercial impact and operational excellence. Floris Jan Cuypers is succeeding former CEO Jeroen Pynenburg..

Floris Jan Cuypers brings a wealth of experience in leading and growing international organizations. Between 2018 and 2023 he served as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at ERIKS, a global industrial service provider, offering technical products and services to all sections of industry. Since 2023, he has been COO at SHV Energy. Floris Jan Cuypers is a Dutch national and holds a Master of Science in Applied Physics from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. www.nxfiltration.com