How Does a Can Filter Work?

Print this articleFiltering air helps prevent toxins, odors, fumes and other unpleasantries from entering your lungs. Myriad types of air filters exist, among them can filters. Known for their can-like shape, these filters use activated carbon to remove gaseous toxins, fumes and odors from the air. Understanding how these filters work requires an examination of the properties of activated carbon and can filter construction and assemblies.

Related Searches: Activated Carbon

Activated carbon is a form of charcoal produced by using oxygen to open pores in the molecular structure of carbon. This essentially means that the substance contains millions of small hollows at the molecular level. When gaseous materials come in contact with activated carbon, they move into these molecular pores and become trapped. In this way, activated carbon removes odors, fumes and gas from air. Material used to create activated carbon includes coconut shells, wood and coal.

Can Filter Construction

Can filters assume the shape of canisters. They contain a hollow central chamber surrounded by cylindrical layers that include a prefilter, filter and mesh outer layer. The actual filter inside a can filter contains all the activated carbon found in the device. As air passes through a can filter, it circulates throughout the central chamber, allowing the filter to remove all gaseous materials trapped in the air. After cleaning the air, a can filter returns it to the room free of toxins, gases and odors.

Can Filter Assembly

Can filters work as part of a system when it comes to filtering air. Can fans, which look like foreshortened versions of can filters, attach to the top of the filter canister. The fan, in turn, attaches to a duct, pipe or some other system that carries air. When activated, the fan sucks air from an environment and passes it through the can filter to clean it.

Additional Information

Can filters commonly appear in interior plant growing operations, such as greenhouse or hydroponic growing areas. In such environments, the filters help protect plants and gardeners from potentially harmful gaseous toxins and fumes that become trapped in enclosed areas. Activated carbon filters, including can filters and other similar devices, often appear in larger filtration systems with numerous other types of filters. These filters work together to remove all impurities from air. While activated carbon filters trap gases, high-efficiency particulate air filters trap miniscule solid particles within air.

Related SearchesReferencesDanforth Filters: Carbon Air FiltersIndoor Purifiers: Air Purifier GuidePlanet Natural: The Original Can FilterCF Group: Can Filter and Can Fan FAQsHome Harvest: Activated Carbon Air FiltersRead Next:

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