Design, Construction, and Evaluation of an Air Filtration System Based on a Nanofiber Filter Containing a Metal-Organic Framework for the Removal of Aerosols Emitted from CNC Machining Operations

Mehrdad Helmi  Kohnehshahri; Farideh  Golbabaei; Somayeh Farhang  Dehghan; Rezvan  Zendehdel; Alireza  Abbasi; Zahra  Yadegar

doi:10.18502/jhsw.v15i2.21404

Mehrdad Helmi Kohnehshahri School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Farideh Golbabaei School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Somayeh Farhang Dehghan School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Rezvan Zendehdel Environmental and Occupational Hazards Control Research Center, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Environment, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Alireza Abbasi School of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Zahra Yadegar School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jhsw.v15i2.21404

Keywords: Local exhaust ventilation system, Filtration, CNC, Metalworking fluids, Nanofiber filter, Metal- organic framework

Abstract

Introduction: With the advancement of industries and increased use of metalworking fluids, controllingpollutants generated by machining operations has become increasingly challenging. This study aimed toaddress these challenges by designing an air filtration system designed specifically for this purpose.

Material and Methods: A local exhaust ventilation system was developed based on the VS-80-12 ACGIHstandard, tailored to the working conditions and air sampling of the environment. The filtration systemincludes an aluminum pre-filter, an E11 class filter, and a nanofiber filter incorporating a metal-organicframework. The performance of the system was evaluated by measuring the numerical concentrationof particles and the mass concentration of oil mist at both the inlet and outlet. The results were thencompared to those obtained from an E1 class filter.

Results: The results obtained from XRD and FTIR analyses showed that ZIF-8 had high crystallinity andwas successfully incorporated into the structure of the fibrous media filter containing metal-organicframework. The evaluation revealed that the filtration system effectively removed pollutant particles attheir source. Notably, the initial efficiency for larger particles reached 100%, while the average removalefficiency for particles smaller than 2.5 microns was 99%.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the combination of nanofiber filters with a metal-organic framework andaluminum pre-filters presents an effective solution for controlling particulate pollutants from machiningoperations. However, further research is necessary to comprehensively assess the system’s performance,particularly regarding dust loading capacity. Future studies should also explore the effects of variousfactors, such as airflow rate and the type of metalworking fluid, on the system’s efficacy.