Designing, Constructing and Testing of an Air Filter Cleaning Chamber

Abstract

ABSTRACT Currently, most people at motor vehicle service stations clean air filters from an open environment which is likely to cause opportunistic diseases and airborne fungal infections. The objectives of this study were to design, construct and test an air filter cleaning chamber with dust collectors. Relevant mathematical equations were used to obtain the dimensions required in designing the different components of an air filter cleaning chamber using Solid Works 2017 Software. As soon as the production drawings for all the components were ready, materials that were to be used in fabrication were scrutinized for selection. Mild steel was used in fabricating the cleaning chamber, wire mesh and duct pipe and clear glass was provided for observation in the chamber when cleaning. The rubber material was embedded in the door for access into the cleaning chamber. During testing, the following instruments were necessary when cleaning the five air filters of the same size; (1) air compressor, (2) air gun, (3) stop clock and (4) the weighing scale. The average masses of both the dust removed from an air filter and that collected in the dust collectors were obtained after the experiment. The cleaning chamber was designed, fabricated and tested successfully and was found to have a dust collection efficiency of 80.7%. It is recommended that the cleaning chamber should be used to clean any other dirty tools and equipment that could have been exposed to dust. The use of the air filter cleaning chamber should be implemented since it has not been in existence in all parts of Uganda.