ASTM International

Standard Test Method for Determining Initial, Fractional, Filtration Efficiency of a Vacuum Cleaner System
 N F1977

Annotation

This test method may be used to determine the initial, fractional, filtration efficiency of household and commercial canister (tank-type), stick, hand-held, upright, and utility vacuum cleaner systems.

Water-filtration vacuum cleaners which do not utilize a replaceable dry media filter located between the water-based filter and cleaning air exhaust are not included in this test method. It has been determined that the exhaust of these vacuum cleaners is not compatible with the specified discrete particle counter (DPC) procedure.

The initial, fractional, filtration efficiencies of the entire vacuum cleaner system, at six discrete particle sizes (0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0, 2.0, and >3 m), is derived by counting upstream challenge particles and the constituent of downstream particles while the vacuum cleaner system is being operated in a stationary test condition.

The vacuum cleaner system is tested at the nozzle with the normal airflow rate produced by restricting the inlet to the nozzle adapter with the 1 -in. orifice.

The vacuum cleaner system is tested with a new filter(s) installed, and with no preliminary dust loading. The fractional efficiencies determined by this test method shall be considered initial system filtration efficiencies. The filters are not changed between test runs on the same cleaner.

Neutralized potassium chloride (KCl) is used as the challenge media in this test method.

One or two particle counters may be used to satisfy the requirements of this test method. If using one counter, flow control is required to switch between sampling the upstream and downstream air sampling probes.