| Which
Brand of Air Filter Strains Particles Best? |
Researched by Arielle
C.
2003-04 |
|
PURPOSE
The purpose of this
experiment was to find out which brand of furnace filter was most effective
at straining particles from the air.
I became interested
in this idea when a family member got sick during a smoky and dusty period
last summer. I wondered about which brand of air filter would work most
efficiently.
The information gained
from this experiment would help consumers to figure out which brand of
air filters to buy for the best performance.
HYPOTHESIS
My hypothesis was that
brand A would filter more particles than brand B and would increase more
in mass due to these particles.
I based my hypothesis
on the fact that brand A was advertised to be better than brand B.
EXPERIMENT
DESIGN
The constants in this
study were: the furnace used for the filters, the time that the filters
were left in, size of filters, airflow strength, and quality of the air.
The manipulated variable
was air filter brand A and brand B.
The responding variable
was the amount of particles collected determined by their mass.
To measure the responding
variable I used a triple beam balance.
MATERIALS
| QUANTITY |
ITEM DESCRIPTION |
| 2-3 |
furnace filters |
| 1 |
triple beam
scale |
| 1 |
roll of duct tape |
PROCEDURES
1. Cut furnace filter
A in half.
2. Weigh one-half
on a triple beam balance and write its mass on the filter half.
3. Repeat step 2 for
the other half.
4. Repeat steps
1-3 for filter B.
5. Tape one-half of
A and one-half of B together firmly.
6. Put the filters
in the furnace after weighing them with the triple beam balance.
7. After the filters
have been in the furnace for about one week, take them out and weigh them
again. Record the weight.
8. Repeat the trials
3-4 times.
RESULTS
The original purpose
of this experiment was to find out which brand of furnace filter was the
most effective at straining particles from the air.
The results of the
experiment were: brand A was better than brand B.
See the table and graph
below.
CONCLUSION
My hypothesis was that
brand A would filter more particles than brand B, and that brand A would
increase more in mass due to these particles.
The results indicate
that this hypothesis should be accepted.
Because of the results
of this experiment, I wonder if I would get the same results with the same
brands, but with more trials.
If I were to conduct
this project again, I would do more trials with different brands of filters.
|
INTRODUCTION
Ever since ancient
Egypt, people have used different things to filter the dirt and dust from
the air in their homes. Today people still use air filters in their homes,
although it has changed over the many years.
Types of Air Filters
Choosing the type
of air cleaner depends on the size and the amount of the particles being
taken out of the air. According to their code of operation, air cleaners
are classified. The main types of air cleaners are: 1) filtration, 2) electrostatic
precipitator, and 3) inertial. Air filters use a dry, uncoated filter made
from materials such as wool felt, cellulose fiber, or cotton batting. Air
filters come in both cleanable and disposable types. Although dry filters
can hold large amounts of lint, large accumulations of lint can clog the
filters pores, slowing the air flowing though the filter, and lowering
the effectiveness. The most recognizable dry filters are those that are
used in the air cleaners of cars and in the heating and cooling systems
of houses. Electrostatic precipitators are among the most significant air
cleaners in use today because they have so many uses and because they run
so effectively. They are particularly useful for removing particles of
dust and smoke, but they also remove bacteria and pollen. Ventilation controls
both the supply and exhaust of air within certain areas in order to provide
sufficient oxygen to the occupants within the area.
Air Cleaning
Cleaning the air can
be done numerous ways. Air filters usually consist of closely packed fiberglass
wool or metal fibers that have been coated with sticky oil or some other
type of adhesive. As air goes through the filter, the filth, dirt, and
dust in the air stick to the fibers. Blowing air through sprays of water
called air washers can also clean air. A central air conditioner that uses
this method has a row of nozzles that shoot a fine mist of water into the
air, rinsing out the dirt.
Air Allergies
An allergy is an exaggerated
and sometimes harmful reaction to outer matter called allergens. Allergens
are caused by animal dander, which are minuscule scales from the skin of
furred animals, as well as their hair. About 20% of the worlds population
has allergies. Only about 50 million people in the U.S. have allergies
of a different kind. Allergic reactions can also be triggered throughout
the body than in one specific location; it is called anaphylactic shock.
When this happens, a person might get hives or welts on their skin, as
well as itching allover the body. An additional danger is that there is
a possibility of swelling of the tongue, throat, and voice box because
they can close up the upper airways, which causes choking, then death.
Summary
In short, air
filtration is a part of everyday life. As you can see, some people have
to have filtrated air to not become agitated and /or ill.
|
|
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Air cleaners. World
Book Encyclopedia. 2002 edition.
Allergies. Microsoft
Encarta. 2002 edition. CD-ROM.
Allergies. World
Book Encyclopedia. 2002 edition. CD-ROM.
Types of air cleaners.
World Book Encyclopedia. 2002 edition. CD-ROM.
Heating, ventilating,
and air conditioning. Microsoft Encarta. 2002 edition. CD-ROM. |
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank
the following people for helping make my project possible:
* My mom for supporting
me and helping me throughout my project.
* My family for supporting
me.
* Because of their
hard work, I would like to thank especially Mr. Newkirk and Mrs. Helms
for helping me.
* I would also like
to thank my friends Azalea and Brittney for helping me with my project.
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