Case Study : EMW® Pulsfilter vs. Pleat-Lock

How EMW®-Pulsfilter with Poret®-Wrap reduce differential pressure and extend service life.

Problem

At a site in Central America two gas turbines of the GE 7F 5-Series type are in operation. During operation, there were increasing strong rises in differential pressure (Δp), resulting in power losses, increased fuel consumption and unplanned turbine shutdowns.

The existing pulse filters exhibited inconsistent pleat geometry. Due to the instability of the Pleat-Lock technology the pleat packs compressed during operation – the active filter area decreased, flow resistance increased and Δp peaks rose.

Legacy pulse filter system with Pleat-Lock: pleat packs collapse — reducing the effective filtration surface
Legacy pulse filter system with Pleat-Lock: pleat packs collapse — reducing the effective filtration surface

Solution: In a comparative study EMW® Pulse Filters with an innovative stabilized pleat technology in combination with the pulsable Poret® Wrap were used. In operation one unit was equipped with the EMW® combined pulse filters and the other unit with pulse filters using the so-called Pleat-Lock technology.

Pulse filter equipped with Poret® Wrap
EMW®-Pulsfilter mit Poret®-Wrap installiert

Site Profile

Weather

    • Climate: Central America, subtropical-hot
    • Annual precipitation: approx. 600–800 mm/year – medium level (moderate); tending to dry to moderate with seasonal peaks.
Subtropics

Air Quality & Particles

• AQI often in the moderate range
• Frequently elevated PM₁₀ levels, which can rise to 2 to 5 times normal values; 24-h average of PM₁₀ up to approx. 197 µg/m³

Airborne particles

Technical Solution

Before installation
Before installation
Before installation

The EMW® Pulse Filters impress with a revolutionary pleat design that offers maximum stability of the filter media.

After installation
After installation
After installation

The interior of the EMW® Pulse Filter still shows an intact pleat structure even after use, thereby ensuring minimal development of differential pressure during operation.

Final result
Final result
Final result

Opening a pleat of the EMW® Pulse Filter reveals the well-thought-out media structure. The innovative design allows a full utilisation of the filter area, which leads to a significantly extended service life of the EMW® pulse filter.

EMW® Pleat Technology: Ensures a permanently stable pleat pattern, uniform media utilisation and reduced increase of differential pressure.
Poret® Wrap
: A pulsable, unique pre-filter media for pulse filters with increased dust storage capacity

Results

Chart: Results —  EMW®-Pulsfilter vs. Pleat-Lock
Chart: Results — EMW®-Pulsfilter vs. Pleat-Lock
Pulse filter Pulse filter with Pleat-Lock technology EMW® Pulse Filter with Poret® Wrap
Average Δp 2,524 mbar 1,896 mbar
Maximum Δp 5,377 mbar 3,774 mbar
Share Δp ≤ 2,5 mbar 44,2 % 98,7 %

EMW® Pulse Filters demonstrate the more robust peak-load performance and spend significantly more operating time in a low differential pressure range. This is an indicator of fewer pulse cycles and an extended operating period to stabilise the power plant operation of the gas turbines.

• Increased availability & output: reduced Δp peaks mitigate the risk of load reductions/down-regulations.
• Lower OPEX drivers: potentially fewer pulse cycles, longer operational intervals until filter change.
• Higher operational safety: a more stable Δp curve enables plannable maintenance intervals.

Conclusion (field operation, GE 7F 5-Series):

• Lower peaks: Δp EMW 2.235 mbar vs. 3.019 mbar (Pleat-Lock).
• Fewer outliers: Max Δp EMW 3.774 mbar vs. 5.377 mbar.
• Share Δp ≤ 2.5 mbar: EMW 98.7% vs. 44.2% (Pleat-Lock).

The combination of the innovative pleat technology of EMW® Pulse Filters and the pulsable pre-filter media Poret® Wrap delivers a more stable differential pressure, lower operating costs and a longer service life of the filters – thereby making a measurable contribution to operational safety and plant efficiency.

Peak performance enabled by the EMW® filter upgrade: EMW®-Pulsfilter  + Poret® Wrap
Peak performance enabled by the EMW® filter upgrade: EMW®-Pulsfilter +Poret®-Wrap

FAQ 

1. Why do unstable Pleat-Lock pleats lead to increasing differential pressure?

Because pleat packs are pushed together → active filter area decreases → flow resistance increases → differential pressure rises → operational safety and plant efficiency decrease.

2. What role does Poret® Wrap play in pulse operation?

It increases the dust holding capacity by up to 50% and extends the service life of the pulse filters. Poret® is the only prefilter medium on the market that can be pulsed effectively.

3. Why is the filter system’s differential pressure so crucial for gas turbines?

A rising differential pressure forces higher energy consumption and in practice leads to load reduction or derating. In addition, an increasing differential pressure endangers plant operation. In the worst case, the unit must be shut down unexpectedly to replace the filters.

4. How do EMW® pulse filters improve service life?

By:

  • stabilised pleat geometry
  • uniform utilisation of the filter media
  • stable differential pressure
  • longer service life
5. How does Poret® Wrap improve service life?
  • pulsable
  • immense increase in dust holding capacity
  • washable and reusable
6. Can these results be transferred to other sites?

Yes – especially to sites with high dust loads and/or strongly fluctuating humidity.

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