Optimal Design of a Filter Media by Tuning the Structure of Needle Punched Nonwoven: Influence of Carding Parameters

This research work investigated the influence of carding parameters on different properties. In this study an attempt has been made to change the fibre orientation by changing the carding parameters such as feeder speed, cylinder speed and doffer speed keeping the same areal density of fabrics. In a combination of three different levels of feeder, cylinder and doffer speeds were also considered for sampling plan to create a three-factors three-levels Box-Benkhen Design for a better explanation of results. The fibre orientation was measured by using both direct (image analysis) and indirect (lindslay's cutting and combing) method. The properties such as bursting strength, filtration efficiency and pressure drop were evaluated. The properties were analyzed and explained in the light of fibre orientation. It was found that the considered carding parameters influenced the fibre orientation to a great extent and the properties are influenced by the fibre orientation. In the end, an overall optimization has been done to achieve maximum filtration efficiency with minimum pressure drop and moderate busting strength.