Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2026

DOI

10.1080/23744731.2026.2719039

Publication Title

Science and Technology for the Built Environment

Volume

Advance online publication

Pages

12 pp.

Abstract

This research presents a cost-effective microscale modeling analysis of high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter media. We analyzed leak-free and leaking media with known leak sizes. A three-dimensional fibrous model with non-homogeneous fiber diameters (0.2–2 µm) and a packing density of 7.5% was developed to replicate a HEPA filter sheet (H14) microstructure. The objective was to simulate and analyze the pressure drop and collection efficiency of nanofibrous media for aerosol particles with a diameter of dp ≤ 0.5 µm. The results were compared to prior experimental and theoretical models, exhibiting a high level of agreement with pressure drop and efficiency predictions. We determined the pinhole size at which the collection efficiency of a leaky filter medium is influenced by collection through the fiber bed, and the size at which efficiency is controlled by collection through the pinhole. We also determined the smallest pinhole size at which a noticeable change in the filter medium’s efficiency begins to occur. Ultimately, this microscale parametric CFD study provides a fundamental physical understanding of microleak transport, offering mechanistic guidance for future full-scale experimental work and the design of scanning equipment used in testing and certifying HEPA and ultra-low particulate air (ULPA) filters.

Rights

© 2026 The Authors

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 

Original Publication Citation

Abraham, D. M., Eckels, S. J., & Amiri, S. N. (2026). Modeling HEPA filter media performance and evaluation of filtration leak test success. Science and Technology for the Built Environment. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/23744731.2026.2719039

Download

Share

COinS