Investigation of pleated air filters: effects of various shapes and design parameters on flow patterns and pressure drop

Air filters with pleats of different shapes present intricate manufacturing complications and flow patterns that pose a significant computational challenge. These pleated filters are primarily employed to enhance filtration area and dust-removing efficiency, as the volume of fine particulate matter in the atmosphere continues to escalate. This study examines diverse pleat shapes, such as U-shaped, semi-triangular, triangular, and sine wave triangular pleats, and investigates the effects of different design parameters, including pitch, height, thickness, angle, and amplitude of the pleat at varying inflow velocities. The simulation results using the RNG k-epsilon turbulence model have been compared to the previously documented experimental data and found to be in close agreement, within the inlet velocity range of 0.5-4.5 m/s. The study revealed that the pressure drop across the filter is influenced by both the pleat shapes and design parameters. In comparison to U-shaped, semi-triangular, and triangular pleats, the pressure drop values in rectangular-type pleats are higher by approximately 10%, 42%, and 100%, respectively, for a unit height of pleat and filter medium thickness. Among all the pleats examined, sine wave-type triangular pleats had the lowest pressure drop value. These results can provide valuable insights to industries involved in clean-air environments and automobiles.