Effect of filter collection efficiency on the clean air delivery rate in an air cleaner

The performance of an air cleaner is evaluated by the clean air delivery rate (CADR), which is defined as the measure of the delivery of contaminant-free air. Herein, we conducted comparative analyses of various particulate air filters with various collection efficiencies. We installed each filter in identical commercial air cleaners to determine the effects of the collection efficiency on the CADR. Three different filters (E11, E12, and H13 classes) were prepared to determine the effects of the filter collection efficiency and pressure drop on the air cleaner performance (ie, the CADR). Based on experimental data, filters E11 and E12 had similar CADRs and flow rates. However, filter H13, which had the highest collection efficiency and the lowest flow rate, had the lowest CADR. This indicates that even if a filter with higher collection efficiency is installed in an air cleaner, the larger pressure drop causes a reduction in the air flow rate. The CADR value is widely distributed for a flow rate range for commercially available models; however, the collection efficiencies for most air cleaners on the market lie in a narrow range. Therefore, the flow rate has the most direct impact on the performance of a commercial air cleaner.