Fleet Maintenance - 54

GUEST EDITORIAL
» As we look ahead to the future of new
media technology, the industry must
remain committed to advanced filtration
products on which fleets can rely.
Photo courtesy of WIX Filters

Products like WIX Filters' high-efficiency
XE fuel filters feature multi-layer media for
enhanced fuel-cleaning and water removal
performance.

Advancements in
new filter media
Efficient and cost-effective
filter options will continue to
drive product development.

A vehicle filter's media is crucial to both its
efficiency and ability to ensure an engine functions properly and reliably. Types of media
vary depending on the product and the filter's
purpose, with premium filters using high-tech
media that give them an edge over other filters.

Changes to engine oil filters

Extended drain oil filters provide features
and functionality to increase filter life. For
instance, the XD filter from Mann+Hummel
features patent pending Spin Flow Technology.
With this technology, angled fins placed where
the oil enters the filter start the process of
directing heavy particles to the coarse filtration element in order to remove them from
the oil. This allows the XD multi-density wire
back media in the fine filtration element to

By Donald Chilton

DIRECTOR OF PRODUCT MANAGEMENT,
MANN+HUMMEL GROUP
Global filtration solutions provider Mann+Hummel is the
parent company for the WIX Filters brand. Since 1939, WIX
Filters has been an innovator in filtration products. WIX
designs, manufactures, and distributes products for automotive, diesel, agricultural, industrial, and specialty filter
markets. WIX's product line includes oil, air, cabin interior,
fuel, coolant, transmission, and hydraulic filters for automobiles, trucks, off-road equipment, and manufacturing
applications. Chilton leads a strategic team responsible for
over $1.1 billion in products for business-to-business and
business-to-consumer channels for the company. He has
nearly two decades of experience in product development,
engineering, sales, marketing, and product leadership.

54 Fleet Maintenance | June 2019

trap smaller particles. The XD high-strength
media will trap the larger particles being
"spun" down and will trap media clogging
sludge for vehicles in need of an extra layer of
protection. This heavy duty filter has become
the standard on some modern engines.
Glass media also serves as a way to filter
out harmful particles. This type of media is
the most efficient and cost-effective option
available for severe conditions. These filters
feature microfiber glass media in order to
filter out more of the small, engine-destroying
particles. Benefits of glass media include lower
resistance to oil flow, which provides better
protection during engine start-ups, especially
in cold weather.

A look at other filter types

The filtration industry must stay committed to
both advanced technology and skillful engineering, knowing that a successful collaboration of the two creates state-of-the-art and
reliable products. This philosophy must extend
to air and fuel filters as well.
Fuel filters
Media technology will continue to evolve as
oil chemistries change and fuels become more
specialized. The newest filter medias currently
on the market are multi-layered and formed
from a combination of natural and synthetic
materials. The majority of these media changes are happening on the fuel side as a way to
combat the water and contaminants that are
destroying injectors.
As system efficiency continues to improve,
the pressure at the injector nozzle will continue
to climb, and the filter must protect these injector nozzles. It's also important to remember
that water separation properties are critical in
the modern diesel fuel available in most areas
of North America.

Engine air filters
The use of nanofiber technology in commercial vehicle and off-road sector applications
over the course of several years has improved
engine air filter performance. A nanofiber filter
media consists of a carrier media, in addition
to an extremely thin layer of ultra-fine polymer
fibers. The fibers, which measure at a diameter
of less than one micrometer, are approximately 200 times smaller than the fiber diameter
of the carrier material. The result is a considerable improvement in particle separation.
Furthermore, nanofibers offer very low flow
restriction and the high separation performance ensures that smaller particles are separated by the nanofiber layer of the filter media.
Designed to hold finer contaminants for a
longer service interval, filters with nanofiber
technology provide superior protection for
demanding on- and off-road trucks, fleets,
mining, and agriculture environments. These
air filters offer greater protection for both the
engine and its sensitive components because
the technology provides higher initial efficiency and a final efficiency up to 99.99 percent.

Setting future expectations

As technology and fleet needs continue to
evolve, the filtration industry must focus its
efforts on acquiring expert knowledge and
advanced technology to develop high-performance filter media that meets increasing
customer requirements.
Access to simulations, laboratory tests, and
special analysis software to improve nanofiber
coatings for customized applications, in addition to combining technology with other media
and materials, will prove advantageous.
In the development process, companies
should utilize analysis software that is able
to automatically determine the fiber diameter
distribution and pore size distribution from
scanning electron microscope images of nanofibers. This distribution substantially determines
the separation efficiency and flow resistance
of the media. The current age of measuring
distribution has eliminated the need for stuffing cotton waste into a can. Those days are long
behind us, as media is now tailor-made to both
the application and customer needs.
As we look ahead to the future of new media
technology, the industry must remain committed to advanced filtration products on which
fleets can rely. Today, companies are beginning to model three-dimensional structures
of the media of the future. These technological innovations will certainly impress positive
advancement within the industry.

Fleet Maintenance

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