Air Intake Filter Screens Prevent® and solve air intake problems

Permatron manufactures some of the world's leading air filters which are used to protect expensive HVAC equipment by stopping debris at air intakes - before it has a chance to enter the system.

Today more than ever before, mechanical, maintenance and process engineers are being challenged to provide effective solutions that help to optimise environmental air quality and process cooling efficiency, while reducing downtime and maintenance cost.

Regardless of the technology used to process incoming fresh air, the challenge has always been keeping cooling towers and other HVAC systems clean. When fresh air is drawn from the outside into HVAC systems, it brings along with it a wide range of airborne debris that can impact air quality and quickly clog the system. A clogged HVAC system ultimately leads to downtime for cleaning and maintenance.

In facilities that rely upon process cooling for robotic assembly, injection moulding or other production applications, downtime due to HVAC system fouling is particularly costly because of lost productivity.

Air intake problems are usually seasonal in nature. The times of year that represent the greatest maintenance challenge are spring, summer and autumn. Depending upon the season and region of the country, different environmental factors come into play.

In the spring, nesting birds are frequently problematic (especially in cooling towers). In areas where spruce trees exist, you can count on seed being a problem during the summer.

In wetland regions, insects are frequently problematic during spring and summer and in rural farming areas, leaves, pollen and crop harvest debris can be problematic during the summer and autumn.

Maintaining good air and water ecology are important elements in managing healthy and efficient HVAC systems. However, until recently, most businesses and institutions could do little to improve the quality of the air before it entered their systems. Hence entry of airborne debris places greater demand on the HVAC maintenance process.

Unlike traditional internal filter banks used in air handling units, air intake filters are installed on HVAC systems at the point where fresh air enters into the system thus filtering out debris before it can become a problem.

Air intake filters can also be installed on cooling towers, air-cooled chillers and condenser units or any fresh air intake opening. Air intake filtration is specifically designed to stop spruce seed, pollen, leaves, insects, birds, paper, construction debris and other airborne matter from being drawn into air intake openings.

Originally published by Permatron Chicago - Filtration Solutions since 1957