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Topic: Air filatration

I have done a bit of research on this, but i was wondering if any one has some experience with air filters for printers or filament extruders. In order to filter the UFP's do you need to have an enclosure?

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2

Re: Air filatration

I researched a bit too, and unfortunately to the best of my knowledge, you're probably not going to be able to buy a filter with any guaranteed effectiveness for particles of the appropriate size range.

If you'd like to be cautious, which is valid given the health effects are currently unknown / unresearched (although the lack of detection or specific control in the history of general plastics manufacturing might indicate the likelihood of them being severe or even consequential is low), then take steps to minimise your dosage. I do the following:

* Operate in a well ventilated room
* If you're using an enclosure, let it air a bit before sticking your head in
* Spend time away from the printer when it's running happily
* Use PLA rather than ABS where appropriate for the application

Then keep up with the research, and if someone can find both a reason to filter them and a filter that can perhaps there's a then a technical control to implement. smile

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3 (edited by Tomek 2014-07-02 17:01:28)

Re: Air filatration

I found a decrease in fumes from ABS printing when I ran a DIY carbon filter on a small four-inch squirrel fan.  It's not about particulate filtration by size but the polarity of carbon. 

I also have my printer entirely enclosed which already keeps most of the scent down. This helped clean it up more.


Note that the decrease in smellable fumes does not necessitate a decrease in toxic/carcic fumes. It means a decrease in smellable fumes, and probably a decrease in other bad fumes.

4

Re: Air filatration

Why not vent to atmosphere?

5 (edited by ggunners 2014-07-02 18:04:39)

Re: Air filatration

I have used a Benchtop Solder Smoke Absorber about $36 USD on Amazon. It helps reduce the ABS odor.
http://www.soliforum.com/misc.php?action=pun_attachment&item=5700&download=0

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Re: Air filatration

Yup, the carbon filters absorb a lot of the volatiles (smelly bits) - fortunately humans come with detection equipment built in for those!! From what I've read, if you're not burning plastic those fumes aren't as bad for you as they smell, but they're still not pleasant and keeping the dose down could only be a good idea.

(Incidentally, I note from your sig ggunners you're an expert with the SD2 and a fan of the smell? tongue)

Not so much for UFPs - we can't smell them, the carbon filters probably don't filter them (or at least we don't know). I'll say it, I'm totally skeptical that they're even a problem in the first place. Note this is and can only be an opinion.

Venting out the window like a laser cutter (properly combusted plastic is hella bad for you!) is an option. I'd probably add a heater to the input air (after the blower) to keep the chamber temp up so I wouldn't lose that advantage of the enclosure - which makes me not really bothered to implement it. smile

SD3. Mk2b + glass, heated enclosure, GT2 belts, direct drive y shaft, linear bearings, bowden-feed E3D v5 w/ 0.9° stepper
Smoothieboard via Octoprint on RPi

7

Re: Air filatration

Seal the enclosure, run negative pressure. no preheater needed.

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Re: Air filatration

elmoret wrote:

Seal the enclosure, run negative pressure. no preheater needed.

That's how I do it but with a carbon filter and you don't smell a thing until I open the door.  There are many things we are exposed to everyday that are much worse for us than anything coming from our printers.

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9

Re: Air filatration

I agree with Wardjr that there isn't much to be concerned about unless maybe you're sleeping in the same room with the printer running all night every night - then you might want to adjust your situation a little to minimize your exposure respectively.

But - for the fun of it - I'm working on making my case air tight with a filtered circulation system using these filter cartridges which you can pick up at Home Depot or Lowes or probably other places too.  The important part is that these are acid-gas filters which means that they should work to "filter" to to at least less than about maybe 15 angstroms diameter particles.  Technically they're treated to adsorb the acid-gas molecules more than they're designed to filter but they should be proficient at catching most of the fumes put off by the printer.  I would pair it up with a 12V fan and hope that it's able to pull enough air to recirculate fast enough so that if I wait a few minuets after printing then most of the air volume has been filtered.

3M acid-gas replaceable filter 60923
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/e … amp;rt=rud

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