Coronavirus
Technology Solutions
Holistic and
Timely Use of
Filtration
Resources Needed
to Fight COVID
Face Masks will
be the Focus on
Wednesday at the
WFI Conference
Researchers at
King Abdullah
University
Develop Membrane
for Face Masks
TTG has
Efficient
Membrane Media
for Masks
ePTFE Membranes
- Application in
High-End Face
Masks
DHA Uses Same
Media for Masks
and Gas Turbine
Inlet Filters
TEFM Provides
ePFTE Membranes
for Masks
Membranes for
Mask Supplied by
Cobetter
BYU Develops
Nanofiber Mask Nanofiber Media Reduces Face Mask Resistance
Holistic and
Timely Use of
Filtration
Resources Needed
to Fight COVID
The filtration
industry can
save hundreds of
thousands of
lives in the
next year
regardless of
how fast
vaccines can be
produced and
delivered. More
efficient masks
and air filters
are needed.
Alternatives are
not nearly as
effective
because
·
Sanitation is
proving to be a
minor solution
because the
virus is
airborne.
·
Social
distancing is as
effective in
avoiding virus
as it is
avoiding perfume
or cigarette
smoke.
·
Partitions cause
turbulence and
can cause
viruses to
remain in
suspension but
do not prevent
the small
particles from
easily flowing
around any
structure.
·
Increasing the
amount of
outside air
flowing through
a room is hugely
expensive as
opposed to
filtration.
The challenge is
to make adequate
numbers of
efficient masks
and filters
available now
but avoid the
cost of
mothballing
newly built
facilities when
the vaccines
become
effective.
There is a
holistic
approach which
will accomplish
this goal. All
air filters are
essentially just
filter media
with a support
structure.
Membranes can be
used in masks
and in gas
turbine intake
filters. There
are very
specialized
facilities to
make the media
but a variety of
sources can be
utilized to make
the structures,.
Many of these
sources can add
second shifts
and produce
filter housings
or masks and
then switch to
some other
products.
The Mcilvaine
forecast for the
2022 filter
market done last
year is now
outdated but
does show the
use of
membranes, non
wovens and other
media in various
filtration
applications.
By using
a variety of
media types in
masks and air
filters there
will be enough
media for the
short term and
no need to build
facilities which
would only be
used
temporarily. The
fact that there
are a number of
different
types of
vaccines being
produced is
comparable to
using a number
of different
media types.
There is a fast
track program to
expand world
vaccine
production by
orders of
magnitude over
the period of a
year or two and
then scale back.
This is much
more of a
challenge than
scaling up to
produce the
necessary masks.
In terms of
filters there
are small air
purifiers,
larger laminar
flow systems,
fan filter
units, and
upgraded
HVAC systems.
All of these
products will
save lives.
However,
none will have
the cost/benefit
ratio of masks.
The
holistic program
should therefore
prioritize
mask
production.
Wildfire health
impairment is
steadily
increasing.
There is growing
evidence that
trace
contaminants
such as lead in
the air are more
prevalent than
previously
known. So even
in a city such
as St Louis it
will be wise to
wear a mask when
the wind is
blowing from the
lead smelter.
For many cities
around the world
air pollution is
the cause of
hundreds of
thousands of
deaths.
Allergies impact
millions. Many
people have
sensitive lungs.
All
of these
factors provide
long term demand
for masks.
There will be a
mix of
disposable and
reusable masks.
But as shown in
the daily
CATER Mask
Decisions
the CATER Mask
has the comfort,
attractiveness,
tight fit,
efficiency and
reusability
which is needed.
Since a CATER
mask could be
used for 30 days
or even longer
it will require
much less media.
Disposable masks
will use much
more media and
will be less
effective. If
the mask costs
$2 and is used
for one day the
monthly cost
would be $60.
A $50
dollar CATER
mask will have
an 80 percent
net efficiency
or $0.63/ unit
of efficiency vs
disposable masks
at 20 percent
net efficiency
or $3.00/unit of
efficiency.
The disposable
cost per unit of
efficiency is 14
times that of a
reusable mask
with a 90 day
life.
The cost per
unit of
efficiency of
masks and
filters is a
function of the
viral load as
well as the
filtration cost
and efficiency.
An emitter of
the virus is
filtering out
100% of the
load.
So the
cost is only
$0.63/ unit of
virus avoided.
He will also be
a recipient. So
even though the
cost as a
recipient is
relatively high
the net
combination is
less than the
0.63/unit
efficiency.
Upgrading an
HVAC system is
likely to
involve less
than 1% of the
viral load
generated by the
individuals in
the building.
The problem is
that recipients
are likely to be
located so that
they are exposed
prior to the
ultimate removal
in the HVAC
system.
Even in
an optimal
setting with
very good
downward laminar
flow air and
exposure to 10%
of the virus
before it
reaches the
recipient the
net unit
efficiency cost
is still higher
than the mask.
Air purifiers in
the rooms of
people in
households with
coronavirus will
come close to
the unit
efficiency cost
of the mask but
air purifiers in
locations where
there is no
known virus are
less cost
effective.
A combination of
masks and
vaccinations can
create herd
immunity
quickly. It will
be a combination
of CATER,
surgical and
medium
efficiency cloth
masks. It will
not include
inefficient
cloth masks.
Because CATER
masks are tight
fitting,
efficient,
comfortable, and
attractive they
will be 93%
effective where
utilized. It was
determined that
only one mask
would be needed
per month and
possibly only
one per quarter
due to
reusability.
This will be the
most
cost-effective
option.
The following
table was
presented last
week in our
Alert. Since
that time there
has been a
change in the
likely number of
people
vaccinated. On
the other hand
we learn that
even with a 94%
effectiveness
most people will
still want
protection in
case they are
part of the 6%.
Other vaccines
with 60%
effectiveness
will result in
no herd immunity
even with 70% of
the people
vaccinated.
Therefore we
still calculate
that it would be
desirable to
spend $98
billion per
month from now
until June and
then $60 billion
per month in the
subsequent
quarter. This
could drop to
under $10
billion per
month
by
February of
2022.
There is a very
large market
potential for
non COVID
applications.
The potential
for the COVID
applications is
much higher than
other
applications
through 2021 but
by 2022 it will
be smaller than
the other
combined
markets. So if
CATER mask
suppliers can
capture a big
share of the non
COVID market
there is not
much of a peak
and valley.
It is unlikely
that CATER mask
suppliers can
scale up to $118
billion in
revenues in
2021, but if
they could
capture 70% of
the market there
would be no
downturn in 2022
and only a
slight reduction
in 2023.
The present
revenues for
masks which
truly fit the
CATER criteria
are only around
$200 million.
This
means the 2021
market potential
is 600 times
larger than the
present market.
The long term
market is 300
times the
present market.
The challenge is
to persuade
people in highly
polluted cities,
in an area where
there is
wildfire smoke,
working in meat
processing
plants, or just
riding the
subway that if
they are going
to wear a mask
it should be a
CATER mask.
It would
normally be
impossible to
increase
revenues for a
type of product
by 50 fold let
alone 600 fold.
But the
pandemic creates
a huge
opportunity for
mask suppliers.
If they
do not seize it
many thousands
of people will
die. So it is
not only the
profit motive
which should
drive the mask
suppliers.
CATER Mask
Decisions
will be
providing the
evidence which
will show why
CATER masks are
the best choice
for the wide
range of
applications.
Mask suppliers
can take
advantage of
this free
service to
educate their
prospects.
The Conference's
theme is "IAQ
Health and
Safety Solutions
Associated with
COVID-19",
December 15-16,
2020,
8:00 am
-12:00 pm
EST. It
will address the
critical roles
of facemasks and
air filtration
during the
current pandemic
for public
health and
safety. The
virtual
conference will
feature the
following four
sessions:
1. Emerging
Challenges and
Responses
2. IAQ and the
Built
Environment
3. Facemask
Technologies and
Latest
Developments
4. Facemask/Air
Filter Test
Methods and
Standards
Face masks will
be discussed on
Wednesday.
One of
the speakers
will be Wendover
Brown, Her
background is
provided at
https://www.wfinstitute.com/post/fashion-in-efficient-consumer-masks
A replaceable
nanoporous
membrane,
illustrated
above, attached
to an N95 mask
filters out
particles the
size of
SARS-CoV-2
(purple
circles),
allowing only
clean air (blue
circles)
through.
Credit: ACS
Nano 2020,
DOI:
10.1021/acsnano.0c0397
To make the
membrane, the
researchers
first developed
a silicon-based,
porous template
using
lithography and
chemical
etching.
They placed the
template over a
polyimide film
and used a
process called
reactive ion
etching to make
pores in the
membrane, with
sizes ranging
from 5-55nm.
Then, they
peeled off the
membrane, which
could be
attached to an
N95 mask. To
ensure that the
nanoporous
membrane was
breathable, the
researchers
measured the
airflow rate
through the
pores.
They found that
for pores tinier
than 60nm (i.e.
smaller than
SARS-CoV-2), the
pores needed to
be placed a
maximum of 330
nm from each
other to achieve
good
breathability.
The hydrophobic
membrane also
cleans itself
because droplets
slide off it,
preventing the
pores from
getting clogged
with viruses and
other particles.
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsnano.0c03976
TTG’s
proprietary
membranes have
helped guard
medical
personnel and
medical
equipment for
years. The
latest AIRADIGM™
innovation takes
health care
worker and
patient
protection to
the next level.
Merging
expertise in
filtration and
membrane
engineering with
experience in
performance
fabric design,
TTG has created
a new AIRADIGM
composite
medical face
mask medium that
delivers an
incomparable
value equation
that includes
comfort,
longevity,
durability, and
sustainability.
Three Layers of
Protection
The new AIRADIGM
composite fabric
TG77007 meets
N95 surgical
mask and ASTM
Level 3 criteria
for face mask
media that offer
the highest
levels of
protection
against
particulates,
microbes, and
fluids. *
Comfort and
Performance
This unique
AIRADIGM
composite
medical face
mask fabric
provides
filtration
capabilities
that do not
degrade with
humidity the way
that traditional
mask materials
do. Microbe and
particle
protection
levels stay
consistently
high for all-day
protection
without frequent
mask
replacements.
Durable and
Sustainable
AIRADIGM
membranes and
composite
fabrics are
manufactured by
TTG in the
United States in
a clean,
resource
considerate,
state-of-the-art
facility for the
highest quality,
quickest
customer
support, and
most reliable
deliveries.
*Click
here for
AIRADIGM’s
TG77007
composite
medical face
mask material
technical
specification
sheet.
ePTFE Membranes
- Application in
High-End Face
Masks
With the recent
advent of
Covid-19, there
is a significant
strain on
resources
pertaining to
either the
prevention or
containment of
the virus.
One of the key
shortages
highlighted has
been around face
masks, where
some experts
have suggested
that if the
pandemic
continues to
wreak havoc, the
US presently has
only 1% of the
face masks it
would need.
This shortfall
has led to
opportunistic
behavior, such
that the price
of face masks
has more than
quadrupled in
the past three
weeks. As a
result, good
quality masks
are not only
scarce, but are
being sold at an
unimaginable
premium.
Poly Fluoro Ltd
ePTFE membranes
have advantages
as mask media.
While ePTFE
itself is not a
low-cost
material, its
application in
face masks could
be revolutionary
and allow for a
very effective
product in
fighting the
current crisis.
The reasons for
this are as
follows:
With the current
crisis in play,
it is essential
that newer and
more effective
materials are
brought into
action. ePTFE is
one such
material, as it
can be
manufactured in
bulk and
embedded into a
standard
non-woven
polypropylene
mask to give a
manifold
improvement in
protection,
while adding
very little in
terms of cost.
By the company’s
estimate, a
simple ePTFE
lined face mask
should cost
nothing more
than US$0.2 per
piece – which is
a far cry from
the US$2-3 we
are currently
seeing for
high-end masks
on the market.
Poly Fluoro Ltd
has been at the
forefront of
polymer
innovation,
pioneering the
manufacture and
application of
engineering
plastics since
1985.
Integrating
in-house
processing
techniques with
innovative
machining and
fabrication
capabilities,
they have
developed a
unique range of
products
tailored to suit
numerous
applications.
Poly Fluoro
partners with
over 100
Original
Equipment
Manufacturers
(OEMs),
supplying
value-added
products in
PTFE, PEEK,
Delrin, Nylon,
and a range of
other
high-performance
polymers.
Over the years,
the company’s
specialty
products have
become
synonymous with
the most
reliable and
robust
engineering
plastics for OE
fitment.
Operating out of
a 20,000 square
foot plant, they
are an
accredited ISO
9001 company
that offers
end-to-end
design,
prototype, and
production
services.
The company
manufacturing
facility is
equipped with
the capacity to
mold, extrude,
expand, and
machine polymers
in sizes ranging
from 10mm to
500mm in
diameter.
Specializing in
both virgin and
formulated
grades, they
offer
end-products
ideally suited
for use in
original
equipment and
industrial
maintenance.
DHA Uses Same
Media for Masks
and Gas Turbine
Inlet Filters
DHA Filter has
been in
industrial
filtration for
more than three
decades.
Like so many
companies, the
Coronavirus
pandemic has had
a dramatic
impact on how it
does business.
As a filtration
media producer,
DHA began
receiving
inquiries as
early as January
by face mask
manufacturers
looking to
procure
meltblown
polypropylene.
Up to this
point, this has
been the
preferred
material for
face mask
construction. As
the volume of
requests rapidly
increased, it
became clear
that the supply
of this material
was going to
fall well short
of global
demand.
DHA began the
search for
alternative
materials that
might yield
similar if not
superior
filtration
properties.
Immediately it
became apparent
that the DHA
proprietary HEPA
grade, low
resistance PTFE
membrane
developed for
gas turbine
inlet filters
would be a
viable option.
DHA reworked the
membrane with
approved base
support
materials to
quickly enter
the PPE arena.
The underlying
technology is an
PTFE face mask
membrane that
acts as the
mask’s
efficiency
layer.
It is
encompassed by a
layer of
spunbond
polypropylene on
either side to
complete the
composite used
to make the
masks. In lab
testing the
material proved
to be 99%
efficient at
filtering
particles 0.1
micron and
larger. This
exceeds the
standard for
materials used
in typical PTFE
face mask. The
material is also
100% hydrophobic
which aids in
creating an
impenetrable
barrier against
droplets and
spray.
TEFM Provides
ePFTE Membranes
for Masks
TEFM is made of
ePTFE
microporous
material by
unique nano-technology.
The PTFE
membrane has a
micropore
structure with
small pore size,
high porosity
and irregular
permutation. The
efficiency for
diameter 0.3 um
particulate can
be above 95%. It
has excellent
performance to
block PM2.5
particulate,
dust mite, virus
& bacteria. The
PTFE filtration
membrane with a
wide
application,
such as N99,
N95, KF94, FFP3
mask, medical
masks is
reusable.
The masks retain
performance
after repeated
washing,
especially after
laundering with
surfactants and
at high
temperatures,
but performance
may differ from
the laboratory
tests. Hence,
while
antimicrobial
masks can offer
additional
protection
against
microbes, basic
hygiene
practices such
as not touching
the mask surface
and washing of
hands should
still be
observed.
Membranes for
Mask Supplied by
Cobetter
Cobetter is a
Chinese company
supplying PTFE
membranes for
masks. The
advantages are
explained at
https://www.cobetterfiltration.com/Industries/Medical/Mask/mask-membrane-PTFE/
Founded
in 2003,
Cobetter is an
international
company
headquartered in
Hangzhou, China
with over 1500
employees and
nearly 100,000
square feet of
filtration
production area
cleanroom space.
With over 1,200
products and
100-patented
technologies,
Cobetter has
developed a full
product range
composed of core
materials with
unique
performance
capabilities.
Cobetter has
implemented
extensive
quality control
methods
throughout their
entire
manufacturing
process for
their filtration
products. These
measures ensure
the products are
high quality,
stable, and
reliable in
accordance with
ISO 9001, 13485,
14001, and OHSAS
18001 standards.
One of
Cobetter’s core
competencies is
their membrane
technology which
they develop and
manufacture
in-house.
The Cobetter
representative
in the U.S. and
Singapore is
Banner
Industries. It
was founded in
1985 to serve a
rapidly
expanding high
purity market
and to satisfy
the increasing
demand for
high-quality
components with
fast delivery at
competitive
prices.
That may soon
change.
Recently,
students from
BYU’s College of
Engineering
teamed up with Nanos
Foundation to
develop a
nanofiber
membrane that
can be
sandwiched
between the
cloth pieces in
a homemade mask.
While today’s
typical cloth
mask might block
fewer than 50%
of virus
particles, the
membrane — which
can be made
using simple,
inexpensive
materials — will
be able to block
90 to 99% of
particles,
increasing
effectiveness
while preserving
breathability.
The membranes
are made through
a process called
“electrospinning,”
which involves
dissolving a
polymer plastic
in a solution
and then using
an electrical
current to move
a droplet of the
polymer downward
through a
needle. As the
droplet
accelerates, it
stretches into a
very small fiber
that retains a
static charge.
“Those
nanofibers
randomly land on
a collector to
create a sort of
non-woven mesh,”
said Katie
Varela, a BYU
mechanical
engineering
senior on the
project team.
The remaining
charge in the
fibers is
beneficial, she
explained,
because virus
particles also
have a static
charge. “When
they come close
to your mask,
they will be
statically
attracted to the
mask and will
not be able to
go through it,
and so it
prevents you
from inhaling
viruses.”
Liquid polymer
is stretched out
to create
nanofibers used
to increase the
efficiency of
cloth masks.
aMedical
and/or FDA
classification.
OUK = FDA
clearance as a
surgical mask
with
antimicrobial/antiviral
agent; ONT = FDA
clearance as an
N95 mask with
antimicrobial/antiviral
agent.
Washable/reusable
masks do not
require any
certification. bAntimicrobial
tests were
performed only
on fabric but
not directly on
the masks. cSingle
HEPA filter
provided with
the mask is not
washable or
reusable. dReusable
but not
recommended to
be laundered.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7429109/
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