Particle concentration efficiency tests

The particle concentration efficiency tests are used for the various grades of high efficiency air filters (HEPA, ULPA), and use the sub-micrometre aerosols described in earlier paragraphs. The procedures are described in detail in BS EN 1822, which also highlights the Most Penetrating Particle Size (MPPS) as probably the most important performance characteristic. 

The leak test ( DOP test situ test to verify that filters do not leak on inatidlation. The leak test is not a second efficiency test. It is intended to dis> close leaks around the frames and damage to the filter medium. An aerosol of oil particles with mass median diameter of 0.3 pm is used to challenge the filter deteaion Is by aerosol photometry on the downstream side. Standards of integrity are specified as maximum permissable percentages of the upstream concentration of particles that can be recovered downstream of the filler. 

The choice of the system to be used for collecting particulate matter depends on the water volume to be sampled and the expected particle concentration therein. Borosilicate glass microfiber filters proved to be appropriate to separate the suspended material from the aqueous solution for a sample size up to 300 L [14]. A limiting factor may be represented by filter plugging, as demonstrated in a validation study conducted by Uza and coworkers to test the efficiency of an automated preconcentration water sampler (APS) for PCDDs and PCDFs [21]. The APS system is composed of a two-stage particulate filtering unit with coarse and fine filters, and an Amberlite XAD-2 resin column to trap dissolved hydrophobic compoimds. Various filter combinations were tested and, in all runs, filter plugging was observed. 

The most important results of the tests performed at the industrial ESP facility consist in the trends of outlet particle concentration, collection efficiency and energy consiunption... 

It is possible to remove small particles using dispersed or dissolved gas flotation devices. These units are primarily used for removing suspended hydrocarbons from water. Gas is normally dispersed into the water or released from a solution in the water, forming bubbles approximately 30-120 pm in diameter. The bubbles form on the surfaces of the suspended particles, creating particles whose average density is less than that of water. These rise to the surface and are mechanically skimmed. In the feed stream, chemicals called "float aids" are normally added to the flotation unit to aid in coagulation of solids and attachment of gas bubbles to the solids. The optimum concentration and chemical formulation of float aids are normally determined from batch tests in small-scale plastic flotation models on-site. Because of the difficulty of predicting particle removal efficiency with this method, it is not normally used to remove solids from water in production facilities. 

Detention efficiency. Conversion from the ideal basin sized by detention-time procedures to an actual clarifier requires the inclusion of an efficiency factor to account for the effects of turbulence and nonuniform flow. Efficiencies vaiy greatly, being dependent not only on the relative dimensions of the clarifier and the means of feeding but also on the characteristics of the particles. The cui ve shown in Fig. 18-83 can be used to scale up laboratoiy data in sizing circular clarifiers. The static detention time determined from a test to produce a specific effluent sohds concentration is divided by the efficiency (expressed as a fraction) to determine the nominal detention time, which represents the volume of the clarifier above the settled pulp interface divided by the overflow rate. Different diameter-depth combinations are considered by using the corresponding efficiency factor. In most cases, area may be determined by factors other than the bulksettling rate, such as practical tank-depth limitations. 

Batch equilibrium tests are conducted on solid phase suspensions, prepared with previously air-dried solids, ground to uniform powdery texture for mixing with various concentrations of the pollutants of interest in solution. The concentrations of these pollutants or the COMs leachate in the solution are designed to evaluate the capability of the suspended solids to adsorb all the pollutants possible with increasing amounts of available pollutants, consistent with interaction characteristics dictated by the surface properties of the solids and the pollutants [1,16,22-26,66,67,71]. For a successful and proper study of solid particle sorption of pollutants, the requirement for complete dispersion of solid particles in solution is absolute [143 -145]. Common practice is to use a solution to solid ratio of 10 1 [1], together with efficient sample agitation at a constant temperature (e.g.,48 h at 20 °C). 

The slope of the lines presented in Figure 5 is defined as k(q/v). The q/v term defines the turnover of the tank contents or what is commonly referred to as the retention time. When q is increased, the liquid contacts the carbon more often and the removal of pesticides should increase, however, the efficiency term, k, can be a function of q. As the waste flow rate is increased, the fluid velocity around each carbon particle increases, thereby increasing system turbulence and compressing the liquid boundary layer. The residence time within the carbon bed is also decreased at higher liquid flow rates, which will reduce the time available for the pesticides to diffuse from the bulk liquid into the liquid boundary layer and into the carbon pores. From inspection of Table II, the pesticide concentration also effects the efficiency factor, k can only be determined experimentally and is valid only for the equipment and conditions tested. 

Phosphoric acid (PAFC). The electrolyte is concentrated H3P04 absorbed on to a solid matrix, and operates at 200°C. The electrodes are carbon loaded with platinum particles the anode fuel is hydrogen and the cathode fuel is air. The cell voltage is usually around 0.67 V. This type of cell has been tested commercially, producing 4.8 MW for several months at 40 per cent efficiency. 

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