Straight Pore Microfilter with Efficient Regeneration

While the novel filtration media contemplated in this proposal is directed toward NASA missions, substantial additional opportunities also exist, both within the Department of Defense and in civilian markets. Within land forces there are numerous vehicles and stationary installations that require atmospheric control to afford protection from biological and particulate (radiological) threats. Filtration is an integral part of that protection. However in remote and hostile environments, the efforts required to maintain the filtration equipment can be problematic. Thus an efficiently regenerative microfilter would be advantageous. Uses for such a device range from personnel carriers, battle tanks, remote command centers, and field hospitals. We estimate that there may be 50,000 such vehicles/installations in the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps that could utilize this technology. Other applications include biological filtration, protein purification, and precision filtration for the milk and beverage industry that requires good anti-fouling, and regeneration properties.

Dust pollution is one of the major issues that threaten the health of the astronauts and system reliability for Moon and Mars exploration. NASA has a clear need to remove particulate matter suspended in habitat air. The filtration system needs to be highly efficient, durable, reliable, and simple to maintain. Preferably, the system would be capable of in situ regeneration that would be required infrequently. The proposed filtration system, capable of being regenerated in place by utilizing changes in the atmospheric humidity, is very promising. It would not require intense reverse air pulses to renew the filtration surface as conventional filters do. Elimination of the pulse cleaning allows the filtered particulate to be collected in aggregate form, thereby simplifying mission atmospheric control. More »