Automotive air filter pleat parameters must often be estimated by design engineers, affecting overall filter performance. This paper examines pressure-flow response of and particle deposition upon three different pleat profiles. Pleat models, analysis operating point, and analysis parameters were based on a Purolator automotive air filter application. Computational assumptions included steady state, incompressible, isothermal, laminar air flow with a modified/extended Darcy law equation used for media flow computations. Inlet velocities were set to maintain the filter rated volumetric flow rate with equal pressure drop through each pleat model. 1–50 micron diameter spherical particles were used in Monte Carlo particle deposition analyses. Once introduced into the computed flow fields, particle trajectories were computed assuming inertial, body, buoyancy, and drag forces were active. Histograms depicting particle starting and deposition locations were constructed for five particle size sub-classes. Flow field and structural influences on particle deposition tendencies were noted.

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