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Not all filters are the same - how do you find the right one?
04/29/2024
Filters, especially cabin air filters for motor vehicles, have become increasingly important in recent years. Not least due to the constantly rising number of people with respiratory diseases and allergies as well as increasing air pollution. However, finding the right cabin air filter is no easy task. The right materials, the right fit and, last but not least, the appropriate filtration of fine dust and bacteria are crucial. In this article, we provide useful tips and tricks on what to look out for when choosing a filter.
Different filter types
The spectrum of different filter types now ranges from particle filters to special activated carbon filters. What are the differences?
Simple particle filters are designed to filter air pollutants in various states and sizes < 5 micrometers. These include pollen, road dust, abrasion from brakes, tires or clutches as well as soot or dust.
An activated carbon filter, on the other hand, can also bind gases such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide or sulphur dioxide in addition to its normal filter function. This is made possible by the large surface area of the activated carbon.
But not all charcoal is the same
Did you know that the nature of the activated carbon surface depends on the origin of the carbon? Coconut fiber, for example, has a rather large surface structure compared to stone, brown and charcoal. This is particularly advantageous in that it allows a longer contact time with the carbon and a larger amount of iodine in mg/g carbon, also known as the CTC value, can be absorbed.
The longer contact time also ensures that more organic compounds are absorbed and the filter can therefore work more effectively.
The right materials make all the difference
However, the best raw materials are of no use if the processing is not right - because even a small bypass means that a large part of the filter performance is lost. Elastic fleece is an ideal material here, as it not only ensures that the filter can adapt optimally to the installation space provided for it in the vehicle, but also that the filter performance remains constant in the long term.
Development of filter media
In addition to particulate filters and normal activated carbon filters, there are also filters that not only filter pollen, fine dust and gases, but also nitrogen oxides (NOx). The special feature here is that NOx is not only filtered but also bound in the long term as a chemical salt compound and is not released again during disposal. This is made possible by an additional layer of specially impregnated activated carbon.
Filter media have developed rapidly in recent years - and will continue to do so in the future. The first HEPA filters, which filter viruses as well as fine dust and bacteria, are already on the market - and the trend is rising.
MEYLE cabin air filters. For the protection of your health.
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