What are HEPA Filters and How Do They Work?
While airliners have long made major efforts in ensuring the cleanliness and safety of aircraft cabin air, an increased concern in recent years has made many passengers interested in the practices conducted by various airliners to keep them safe. Many airlines have let their customers be aware of increased efforts for cleaning to prevent the spread of pathogens and viruses, as well as have discussed the presence of HEPA filters in many aircraft. HEPA filters have long seen widespread implementation in aircraft of all types since the 1990s, though it was not until fairly recently that a majority of customers became aware of such technology. As a robust equipment piece that is highly efficient at filtering air, it can be very useful to understand the capabilities and design of HEPA filters.
HEPA filters, or high-efficiency particulate air filters, are equipment that contain a high-intensity system of fibers that are capable of filtering out a high amount of contaminants such as dust, bacteria, moisture, and all other materials that are 0.3 microns or larger. As such, HEPA filters generally have an efficiency of removing up to 99.97% of all airborne particles. Additionally, many aircraft will have air filtered through the HEPA filter around 20 to 30 times an hour. Due to the high quality of such components, passengers and crew members within the cabin or cockpit may be protected from any type of contamination that poses harm to individuals with much greater success as compared to conventional filter types.
While not guaranteed to be present on all aircraft, a majority of airliners have adopted such technology for the safety of flight. Additionally, HEPA filters can also be present within other sections of the aircraft air filtration system as well, further increasing air quality. While around 40% of cabin air is recycled through such equipment, the other 60% is piped in from the outside of the aircraft for freshness, ensuring the safety and quality of breathable air.
While HEPA filters are much more advanced than their conventional air filter counterparts, they too require regular replacement due to aging and wear. As fibers become worn and the efficiency of the filter decreases, it is important to change such components to ensure continued air quality. Luckily, the replacement process for HEPA filters is quite easy, only requiring an individual to open a panel, remove the old filter, and place a new one. To ensure that components are replaced on a regular basis, one may always refer to the specific manual of the aircraft, that of which will typically dictate the replacement or maintenance intervals of various components. Nevertheless, it can be prudent to replace air filters more frequently than is required, and the basis for replacement can fall on visual inspections and the quality of current components.
Beyond aircraft, HEPA filters are commonly found in a number of areas such as hospitals and homes, as well as within manufacturing facilities related to hard disk drives, medical devices, food and pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and more. As there are many companies and manufacturers that create HEPA filters or similar products, it is important to find trustworthy sources that sell legitimate HEPA filters, rather than those who market products that are described as “HEPA-like” or “HEPA-style” filters. For high quality HEPA filters that you can steadily rely on for your aircraft, there is no better alternative to AOG Purchasing.
AOG Purchasing is a streamline procurement platform, providing customers access to over 2 billion new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find items. With AS9120B, ISO 9001:2015, and FAA AC 00-56B certification and accreditation, we are fully committed to the quality of our offerings. If you are ready to begin the purchasing process or would simply like to speak with one of our representatives regarding our offerings and services, give us a call or email today and we would be more than happy to help you.
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