The project ran between November 2022 and October 2023.
Global air purification market is very large and is expected to grow to about USD 51.4 billion by 2032 from the current size of USD 12.7 billion (2021). Particle filters are typically fossil-based polymers (e.g. polyurethanes and/or blends with polyesters), or glass fibers. Racoon Miljöfilter, the main needs owner in this project is an innovative SME. They currently source petroleum-based polymer foams and apply a special patented coating that allows particle filtration and additional and multiple functions, such as removal of dangerous gases and deactivation of harmful pathogens and spores.
They currently sell air filters in high-performance machinery typically to companies such as Caterpillar, Volvo, Boliden Mining, Sandvik, amongst others.
In this step-2 project, the used waste products from viscose textile recycling and produced foamed materials that could be used as particle filters for Racoon mijlöfilters. And explored the use of brewery waste as additives in the foaming process.
The foams prepared at a semi pilot-scale were tested under realistic operational conditions. This went well and the filter operated satisfactorily under realistic air-flow conditions. The particulate matter filtration efficiency was indicative of PM10. This is significant since the foaming process was not optimized to obtain different cell-sizes. The main focus in this project was on the production process. By adjusting the foaming step, one can obtain finer cell-sizes that could potentially result in meeting PM2.5 criteria.
Overall, this project will have a direct positive impact on SDG goals 9.2, 9.4, 9.5 and 12.1, 12.2, 12.4, 12.5, 12.6. There are several indirect positive impacts to other SDGs as well.
Participants
RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB, Racoon Miljöfilter AB, MoRe Research Örnsköldsvik AB, ShareTex AB and Oppigårds Bryggeri AB.
Photo from the project.
Budget
The project’s total budget was 2,3 MSEK.
Read about Valorising biomass into multifunctional air filters – step 1.