Exceptionally Durable Air Filter Combats Tough Operating Conditions

Customer Profile

• Minority-owned disadvantaged small business, SBA 8(a) Certified
• Provides services for Federal government that include facilities engineering, maintenance and management
• Established in 2009

• Located in Alabama
• Base includes major office complexes and specialized RDT&E (Research, Development, Test & Evaluation) facilities

The Filtration Situation

Wolf Creek Federal Services is a private contractor that does all of the facilities maintenance work for a United States Army Base located in Alabama. This army base is a garrison for a number of tenants, and the workforce there averages 36,000 to 40,000 personnel daily.

Due to Alabama’s high humidity and extensive precipitation for much of the year, air filters have to be exceptionally durable. Wolf Creek was experiencing a high frequency of changeout with a prefilter they were using in areas where equipment testing was performed. The prefilter being used was supposed to last 6 months but actually needed to be changed out after 4 months, due to environmental conditions. This led to high costs, both in terms of buying additional filters and labor costs. What’s more, this product was not being delivered on time. Wolf Creek therefore needed a durable filter that had longer life and higher dust holding capacity (DHC), with a reliable delivery system in place.

The AAF Flanders Solution

Wolf Creek’s AAF Flanders representative furnished a sample of the VariCel 2+SC filter for testing. This filter was recommended because it holds up well in harsh environments. The VariCel 2+SC media is moisture resistant and can withstand intermittent exposure to water without affecting filter performance. The media pack is encased in high-impact plastic cell sides and completely sealed in a water-based copolymer emulsion, keeping particulate from bypassing the filter media.

Impress^® Technology pleat formation delivers a robust media pack, with a burst strength exceeding the standard seen in the industry. Pleat formation and a center support bar make the filter mechanically stable, so that the media resists distortion under high pressure loads. This durable design translates to exceptionally long life.

This filter also has an energy-efficient design. The wider pleat openings and exits of the VariCel 2+SC filter deliver lower entrance and exit losses. This, combined with less restriction from separator material and better media utilization, delivers a low pressure drop. The lower operating resistance reduces operating costs and saves energy.

The Results

Wolf Creek was extremely satisfied with the performance of the VariCel 2+SC filter in testing, so much so that they ordered 200 filters of this type to be installed throughout the army base. In addition, Wolf Creek now uses several other AAF Flanders filters at the base, including HeavyDuty™ Panel Filters in the barracks and MEGApleat^® in the laboratories.

Due to the outstanding performance of the VariCel 2+SC filters, Wolf Creek designated several types of AAF Flanders filters in their specifications, so that even if this contractor needs to bid the project, an AAF Flanders filter will be specified. This is a direct result of the reduced labor and cost savings that utilizing AAF Flanders filters has yielded.