The market for filtration media will exceed $17 billion in 2012 with the liquid cartridge segment accounting for nearly one-third of the total, according to McIlvaine Company’s Air/Gas/Water/Fluid Treatment and Control World Markets report. This conclusion is based on more specific forecasts appearing in 10 other McIlvaine reports.
Just under 10 percent of the total media market will consist of media for masks, respirators and vacuum cleaners, McIlvaine says. There is wide range of media used in this segment from inexpensive media used in facemasks and paper vacuum bags to the more expensive, high-efficiency media used in respirators.
The report shows the fluid power and mobile segment is dominated by vehicle applications. Fuel filtration filters account for much of the $1.4 billion in this segment. The indoor air and gas turbine segment is over $2 billion. Media for the intake for gas turbines and other rotating machinery represent 8 percent of this total market.
The same non-woven media used in dust collector bags is also used in filter cloths and other liquid applications. Membranes are making a significant penetration in the air segment, according to McIlvaine. These are typically membrane films laminated onto non-wovens. Recently, back-pulsed tubular membrane bags have gained market share in the liquid segment.
McIlvaine says there is a significant market for filtration media in cleanroom clothing. This media prevents skin particles from reaching the ambient air but allows air to penetrate and keep the wearer comfortable.
However, the largest markets for media are in liquid cartridges. McIlvaine says non-wovens and membranes account for almost half the market, while carbon block and other media accounts for the remainder. This market is evenly split between industrial applications and residential/commercial applications.
Cross-flow membrane media consists of the membrane film and generally a non-woven support. The biggest market is in reverse-osmosis modules used for desalination.
For more information on the Air/Gas/Water/Fluid Treatment and Control World Markets report, click here.
