FABRIC
FILTER       NEWSLETTER 

 

August 2006
No. 370

Speaker's Forecast Demand Growth

Inspec Fibers hosted their bi-annual High Temperature Filtration conference last month. We covered it partially in the newsletter last month, but here are some additional interesting insights.

PPS resin capacity is a critical question. A presentation by Takayuki Abe of Kureha shed some light on this subject. Kureha has increased its capacity of PPS to 10,000 tons/yr up from 7500 tons. Estimated global capacity of linear and cross-linked PPS for all producers including Kureha, FI, Toray, DIC Chevron and Tohso was 43,000 tons in 2005. Capacity in 2008 is projected to be 68,500 tons. Linear PPS capacity was 17,500 tons in 2005 and is projected to be 41,500 tons in 2008.

The McIlvaine Company has just completed a study which shows a steady growth in use of PPS. Long-term projections for dust collection have been made. This application alone could require 7000 to 12,000 tons by 2020 and will be over 4500 tons in 2010.

Relative to high temperature filtration in China, Sun Jiayong told attendees that total generating capacity is expected to be 950,000 MW by 2020. Sixty-three percent or 600,000 MW will be coal. This is almost twice the present U.S. coal-fired capacity. The strict new regulation of 2003 GB 12223 limits particulate to 50 mg/Nm³. To meet this level there will be a need to substantially improve the performance of existing precipitators or to switch to bag filters.

The Feng Tai power station installed a bag filter in 2000 using Procon plus P84 and has been successful.

Needle felts utilizing micro denier fibers have a lot of advantages in hot gas filtration, according to Michael Konesky of Southern Felt Company, Inc. Development of fine/micro denier fibers (defined by Southern Felt as having a fiber diameter of less than 10 microns) and fibers with unique cross-sections (such as P84 fiber) are available not only for low temperature fibers, but are now available for most high temperature fibers as well. Unique cross-sections can be produced with all polymers presently extruded by fiber makers. Improved needlefelting techniques and machinery has enabled the proper processing of finer or micro denier fibers into new and distinctive constructions. More stringent emission regulations have created the need for more filtration-efficient products.

Benefits of needle felts utilizing micro denier fibers include the following:

· High separation efficiency—appreciable improvement on PM_2.5 testing

· Low dust penetration—up to 50 percent less than standard felt equivalent

· Excellent throughput—up to 50 percent fewer pulses required to maintain pressure differential

· Lower operating costs—fewer number of pulses means reduced energy costs

· Ambient and hot gas needlefelts available—Broad range of options

· Affordable—provides appealing option between standard felt and membrane products

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