1. Pressure Gauge Load Cell Pressure Release Valve Compression Lid Disc Backers Base Water Fz Air Core Bushing W.L. Gore – Lateral Permeability Test Device Alec Ploshnick, Josh Matz, Rich Stanton, Wen Li Advisor: Dr. Michael Keefe Sponsors: Kevin Cresswell, Mike Hawley, Tyler Hinkle Project Scope: To design, fabricate, and develop a test stand and procedure to characterize the lateral-direction permeability and performance of liquid filtration media backers with respect to flow and compression. Design Requirements Project BackgroundTesting and ValidationConcept Generation Acknowledgments FlowCompression Final Concept Needs: Path Forward Metrics: We would like to thank the Engineering Faculty at the University of Delaware for providing us with this opportunity. Also a special thanks to Dr. Keefe and our sponsors at W. L. Gore for all the insight and help they provided us during every step of this design project. Following the conclusion of this project, W. L. Gore will use this device to further characterize other backer material samples, which will determine the best material for future filter applications. Testing Study Topics: Evaluating backer behavior before and after compression is applied Evaluating the repeatability of the testing device to generate similar results under same conditions Evaluating flow rates with respect to number of samples and compression Evaluating flow between aluminum plates and backer samples Comparing different backer samples under the same conditions SolidWorks Image Prototype Image Problem Statement: Liquid filters produced by W.L. Gore’s industrial division combine micro-porous ePTFE filtration membranes with macro-porous backer materials which physically support the filtration media in the application. Up to a point, the flow rate of the device is largely determined by the surface area of the filtration media in the device. Higher surface areas require a larger amount of media, higher pleat counts, and result in larger compression forces between the individual pleats. In filters with very high pleat counts (and high compressive forces between the pleats) the working fluid is forced to permeate through the “x” and “y” directions of the backer layer before moving in the “z” direction through the ePTFE membrane. Understanding the permeability / lateral flow of backer materials under various degrees of compression is an important factor in the development of future filtration devices. The final concept consists of the Flow Rig, the Compression Stand, a Pressure Dispensing Vessel, an Electronic Scale, and a Computer that gathers all the data The pressure dispensing vessel will be attached to pressurized air to create a constant and accurate water flow rate in This water will travel through a tube attached to the water inlet hole on the Base Plate of the Flow Rig The Compression Stand will then compress the Flow Rig (compressing the backer samples) and water will begin flow After the water exits the backer samples into the Water Basin, the water will then travel through a pipe and into a bucket on an Electronic Scale This scale is hooked up to the Computer and records instantaneous weights every second; to determine flow rate out With this data, a graph of Flow vs. Compression can be generated and analyzed to show the characteristics of each backers permeability Scissor Jack Compression Stand How it Works: Testing Results Backer behavior is not affected by multiple compressions or flow tests Test device can produce same results after repeated tests Increasing number of samples increased flow rates Increasing compression decreased flow rates Flow escapes between aluminum plates and backer samples. Silicone discs were placed in between backer and aluminum plates, resolving this problem Results above show varying backer sample flow rates under specified conditions Conclusions Backer Behavior: Compression & Repeatability Data Flow Rates vs Compression, Sample Size, & Air Pressure Flow Rates between Aluminum and Backers Different Backer Samples: Flow Rates vs Compression & Sample Size Low Pleat Density Lower Compression Water flows easily through pleats High Pleat Density Higher Compression Water forced to flow ‘laterally’ through backers Filter Media within it’s Cage Water Flow Path After analyzing the data from the testing device, it was concluded that the testing device does help with characterizing the lateral permeability of backer material with respect to flow and compression. It was noted in the data above that increasing sample size increases flow while increasing compression decreases flow. On top of this, the testing device provided accurate and repeatable results. This proves the project scope was satisfied and the device can assist with comparing varying backer materials.