LUDWIGSBURG - Mann+Hummel is now applying its well-established nanofibre media in cabin air filters for automotive applications.

In the last few years, international studies have shown the impact of fine dust on health; the smaller the particles are, the more dangerous they are. PM2.5 particles that are smaller than 2.5 µm can go deeper into human respiratory system and can cause severe health issues and even death.

For the separation of finest particles Mann+Hummel has been successfully using nanofibre technology for a number of years in a number of applications for the commercial vehicles sector. Now this technology is also used in cabin air filters for automotive applications reducing the number of pollutants that vehicle occupants breathe, and therefore improving the air quality in the vehicle cabin.

The nanofibre filter media produced by Mann+Hummel consists of a carrier media and an extremely thin layer of ultra-fine polymer fibres. The fibres with a diameter of less than one micrometer are approximately 200 times smaller than the fibres of the carrier material or 650 times smaller than a human hair. These ultrafine fibers and their large number ensure a higher separation efficiency of fine particles like PM2.5 and PM1, and also ultrafine particles ensuring, at the same time, a low air flow resistance thanks to the low grammage of the fibre layer.

A ePM1 classification of the nanofibre filter media was achieved according to ISO 16 890, which means that the filtration efficiency of PM1 particles can reach up to 95 %.

Mann+Hummel, which has a granted patent in Germany that protects specific aspects of the filter media and the underlying production process, says that the stable long-term efficiency over the whole filter lifetime needs to be highlighted. Compared with traditional electret filter media, the nanofibre media shows a much lower reduction of filtration efficiency after ageing. This effect is visible in laboratory, but also in field tests.

Furthermore the nanofibre media is highly resistant against extreme environmental conditions, as humidity and temperature fluctuations. The filter technology can also be combined with any further media like particle filter media, filter media with activated carbon (for the adsorption of gases and odors) or/and bio functional layer (for the additional inactivation of microorganisms). This enables varieties of customized solutions to meet the requirements of vehicle manufacturers.