Preliminary studies to determine the shelf life of HEPA filters
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, CA (United States); and others
We have completed a preliminary study using filter media tests and filter qualification tests to investigate the effect of shelf-life on HEPA filter performance. Our media studies showed that the tensile strength decreased with age, but the data were not sufficient to establish a shelf-life. Thermogravimetric analyses demonstrated that one manufacturer had media with low tensile strength due to insufficient binder. The filter qualification tests (heated air and overpressure) conducted on different aged filters showed that filter age is not the primary factor affecting filter performance; materials and the construction design have a greater effect. An unexpected finding of our study was that sub-standard HEPA filters have been installed in DOE facilities despite existing regulations and filter qualification tests. We found that the filter with low tensile strength failed the overpressure test. The same filter had passed the heated air test, but left the filter so structurally weak, it was prone to blow-out. We recommend that DOE initiate a filter qualification program to prevent this occurrence.
- Research Organization:
- USDOE Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety, and Health, Washington, DC (United States). Office of Environmental Guidance; US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Washington, DC (United States). Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research; International Society of Nuclear Air Treatment Technologies, Inc., Batavia, OH (United States); Harvard Univ., Boston, MA (United States). Harvard Air Cleaning Lab.
- OSTI ID:
- 95684
- Report Number(s):
- NUREG/CP-0141; CONF-940738-; ON: TI95007828; TRN: 95:018847
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 23. DOE/NRC nuclear air cleaning and treatment conference, Buffalo, NY (United States), 25-28 Jul 1994; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the 23rd DOE/NRC nuclear air cleaning conference; First, M.W. [ed.] [Harvard Univ., Boston, MA (United States). Harvard Air Cleaning Lab.]; PB: 820 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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