Performance assessment: Gas-phase contaminant capture equipment

Many test methods exist for evaluating gaseous-contaminant filtration media, and a few for evaluating functional filters and other devices. These test methods are designed primarily for use in product quality control and to rank products. Designers of filtration devices and HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning) systems engineers, however, need test data which allow calculation of device performance under actual operating conditions. End users need data to determine system maintenance costs. We call such tests design parameter tests. The natures of the three test groups are as follows: Quality control tests These are generally simple and inexpensive, presumably run on each media or component lot. Product differentiation tests These are also relatively simple, involving feeding of specific contaminants in airstreams passing through devices or media samples, and measuring the contaminant removal efficiency. These tests are usually run at product market introduction, to provide some (limited) performance data for clients. They may also be used later to confirm manufacturers' data. Design parameter tests Design parameter tests are much more demanding. To be fully informative, they require lengthy feed of a range of contaminants at low concentrations. High-sensitivity gas contaminant detectors may be required to obtain data for a useful array of contaminants at concentrations met in actual applications. Such tests are normally performed during the development of a new product. They are rarely published by suppliers. This discussion is limited to devices and media used in building HVAC systems, and a few studies which help define test conditions. Tests for respirators, chemical warfare agent protection, nuclear reactor safety systems, and applications involving special conditions are too complex to be contained in this article.