Pleated Filter Design by Computer Simulations

Four aspects are important in the design of hydraulic lters. We distinguish 
between two cost factors and two performance factors. Regarding performance, filter 
efficiency and filter capacity are of interest. Regarding cost, there are production 
considerations such as spatial restrictions, material cost and the cost of manufacturing 
the filter. The second type of cost is the operation cost, namely the pressure drop. 
Albeit simulations should and will ultimately deal with all 4 aspects, for the moment 
our work is focused on cost. 
The PleatGeo Module generates three-dimensional computer models of a single pleat of a 
hydraulic filter interactively. PleatDict computes the pressure drop that will result for 
the particular design by direct numerical simulation. The evaluation of a new pleat design 
takes only a few hours on a standard PC compared to days or weeks used for manufacturing 
and testing a new prototype of a hydraulic filter. The design parameters are the shape of 
the pleat, the permeabilities of one or several layers of filter media and the geometry of 
a supporting netting structure that is used to keep the out
ow area open. Besides the 
underlying structure generation and CFD technology, we present some trends regarding the 
dependence of pressure drop on design parameters that can serve as guide lines for the 
design of hydraulic filters. Compared to earlier two-dimensional models, the 
three-dimensional models can include a support structure.