Wildfire Smoke -- A Rigorous Challenge for HVAC Air Filters
Tanya Shirman, Hediyeh Zamani, Sissi Liu

TL;DR
This study evaluates the effectiveness of various HVAC filters in removing wildfire smoke, revealing rapid efficiency decline in charged media and emphasizing the need for smoke-specific testing standards.
Contribution
It provides a comprehensive comparison of filter media performance against wildfire smoke and highlights the necessity for new testing standards tailored to smoke particles.
Findings
Charged polymer media show rapid efficiency decline in smoke removal.
Mechanical media maintain more stable performance but increase airflow resistance.
SEM analysis reveals unique smoke-fiber interactions affecting performance.
Abstract
Wildfires pose a significant air quality challenge as the smoke they produce can travel long distances and infiltrate indoor spaces. HVAC filters serve as a primary defense against this threat. In our study, we tested over 17 different types of commercially available filter media, including charged and uncharged synthetic, as well as fiberglass media, from leading global manufacturers, to assess their efficiency in removing smoke, using pine needle smoke as a proxy for wildfire smoke. Our findings revealed that charged polymer media, across all tested MERV grades, showed a rapid decline in smoke removal efficiency within minutes while causing no increase in airflow resistance. In contrast, mechanical media demonstrated more stable performance but experienced an increase in airflow resistance. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we examined smoke deposition on fiber media,…
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Taxonomy
TopicsFire Detection and Safety Systems
