Nonwoven sliver-based filter medium for filtering particulte matter

Abstract

A filter medium for filtering matter from a fluid and the manufacture thereof are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a method may be performed by a filter medium for filtering particulate matter from a fluid. Further, the filter medium may include a nonwoven sliver formed into a predetermined shape and composed of first synthetic staple fibers having a first denier, second synthetic staple fibers having a second denier, and third synthetic staple fibers having a third denier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A filter medium for filtering particulate matter from a liquid, the filter medium comprising:
 a nonwoven sliver formed into a predetermined shape, wherein the nonwoven sliver comprises:
 first synthetic staple fibers having a first denier; 
 second synthetic staple fibers having a second denier; and 
 third synthetic staple fibers having a third denier; 
   wherein the filter medium is configured to filter particulate matter from a liquid, with a fiber migration of about 500 fibers or less for a flush volume ranging from about 17,500 milliliters to about 20,000 milliliters at a flow rate ranging from about 500 cubic centimeters per minute to about 750 cubic centimeters per minute.   
     
     
         2 . The filter medium of  claim 1 , wherein the filter medium is configured to have a fiber migration of about 100 fibers or less for a flush volume ranging from about 17,500 milliliters to about 20,000 milliliters applied to the filter medium having a volume ranging from about 0.040 cubic feet to about 0.070 cubic feet. 
     
     
         3 . The filter medium of  claim 1 , wherein the filter medium is configured to have a fiber migration of no more than 500 fibers for a flush volume ranging from about 17,500 milliliters to about 20,000 milliliters applied to the filter medium having a volume ranging from about 0.040 cubic feet to about 0.070 cubic feet. 
     
     
         4 . The filter medium of  claim 1 , wherein the first denier ranges from about 1 denier to about 10 denier, the second denier ranges from about 10 denier to about 20 denier, and the third denier ranges from about 20 denier to about 50 denier. 
     
     
         5 . The fitter medium of  claim 1 , wherein the second denier ranges from about 10 denier to about 20 denier, the first denier is less than the second denier, and the third denier is greater than the second denier. 
     
     
         6 . The filter medium of  claim 1 , wherein the filter medium comprises a core and an outer wrap, and a density of the core is greater than a density of the outer wrap. 
     
     
         7 . The filter medium of  claim 1 , wherein a composition of the nonwoven sliver comprises from about 10% to about 60% of the first synthetic staple fibers, from about 10% to about 60% of the second synthetic staple fibers, and from about 10% to about 50% of the third synthetic staple fibers. 
     
     
         8 . The filter medium of  claim 1 , wherein the filter medium has a volume, and a volume of the first synthetic staple fibers, a volume of the second synthetic staple fibers, and a volume of the third synthetic staple fibers comprise less than about 2% of the volume of the filter medium. 
     
     
         9 . The filter medium of  claim 1 , wherein the filter medium is configured to filter particulate matter having a grain size ranging from about 5 microns to about 10 microns. 
     
     
         10 . The filter medium of  claim 1 , wherein the filter medium has a flow resistance of no more than about 50 millibars. 
     
     
         11 . The filter medium of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first synthetic staple fibers, the second synthetic staple fibers, or the third synthetic staple fibers are crimped and folded to form a cross-locking characteristic. 
     
     
         12 . The filter medium of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first synthetic staple fibers, the second synthetic staple fibers, or the third synthetic staple fibers comprise at least one of bi-component fibers or fibers configured for thermal bonding. 
     
     
         13 . The filter medium of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first synthetic staple fibers, the second synthetic staple fibers, or the third synthetic staple fibers comprise fibers that are one or more of oleophilic, oleophobic, hydrophilic, or hydrophobic. 
     
     
         14 . A filter for filtering particulate matter from a liquid, the filter comprising:
 a housing comprising an inlet port configured to receive liquid and an outlet port configured to discharged at least partially filtered liquid; and   a filter medium associated with the housing to filter particulate matter from liquid entering the inlet port, the filter medium comprising:
 a nonwoven sliver having a substantially cylindrical shape or a substantially spherical shape, and comprising a core having a first density and an outer wrap having a second density less than the first density, wherein the nonwoven sliver comprises:
 first synthetic staple fibers having a first denier; 
 second synthetic staple fibers having a second denier; and 
 third synthetic staple fibers having a third denier; 
 
 wherein the filter medium is configured to filter particulate matter from a liquid. 
   
     
     
         15 . The filter of  claim 14 , wherein the second denier ranges from about 10 denier to about 20 denier, the first denier is less than the second denier, and the third denier is greater than the second denier. 
     
     
         16 . The filter of  claim 14 , wherein a composition of the nonwoven sliver comprises from about 10% to about 60% of the first synthetic staple fibers, from about 10% to about 60% of the second synthetic staple fibers, and from about 10% to about 50% of the third synthetic staple fibers. 
     
     
         17 . The filter of  claim 14 , wherein the filter medium is configured to filter particulate matter having a grain size ranging from about 5 microns to about 10 microns. 
     
     
         18 . The filter of  claim 14 , wherein one or more of the first synthetic staple fibers, the second synthetic staple fibers, or the third synthetic staple fibers are crimped and folded to form a cross-locking characteristic. 
     
     
         19 . The filter of  claim 14 , wherein one or more of the first synthetic staple fibers, the second synthetic staple fibers, or the third synthetic staple fibers comprise at least one of bi-component fibers or fibers configured for thermal bonding. 
     
     
         20 . The filter of  claim 14 , wherein one or more of the first synthetic staple fibers, the second synthetic staple fibers, or the third synthetic staple fibers comprise fibers that are one or more of oleophilic, oleophobic, hydrophilic, or hydrophobic.