Feasibility of granular bed filtration of an aerosol of ultrafine metallic particles including a pressure drop regeneration system

A process for filtering an aerosol of ultrafine metallic particles (UFP) has been designed and tested, based on the principle of a multistage granular bed. The filtration system comprised a succession of granular beds of varying thickness composed of glass beads of different diameters. This system allows the pressure drop to be regenerated during filtration (“on-line” mode) using a vibrating probe. Tests monitoring the pressure drop were conducted on a “10-L/min” low airflow rate device and on a “100-m3/hr” prototype. Granular bed unclogging is automated on the latter. The cyclic operation and filtration performances are similar to that of filter medium-based industrial dust collectors.