Prediction of dimensionless cutsize for size-fractionated measurements of particles that impact on a sintered stainless-steel filter

Abstract

This investigation experimentally studied the penetration curve of particles that impact on a sintered stainless-steel filter with various pore sizes, sampling flow rates and jet diameters. The penetration curves were compared to those with an aluminum foil substrate. Test data reveal that when the sintered stainless-steel filter has larger pore sizes (100 mu m or 40 mu m), the particle penetration, P(%), is lower and the curve is less steep than that obtained from the aluminum foil substrate. The penetration curve of the sintered stainless-steel filter with smaller pore size (5 mu m) is close to that of the aluminum foil substrate. The dimensionless cutsize-shift (the ratio of the dimensionless cutsize of sintered stainless-steel filter to that of aluminum foil) falls as the pore sizes and the Reynolds number increase. Experimental data were then compared with theoretical results, and theory over-predicted the dimensionless cutsize-shift. Hence, a regression equation for the dimensionless cutsize-shift is proposed by fitting the experimental data. The discrepancy between the experimental data and the regression prediction is within 4%. The regression equation can be used to predict the dimensionless cutsize for the size-fractionated measurements of particles that impact on a sintered stainless-steel filter with various sized pores and Reynolds numbers.