FiltXPO to debut with a focus on the full spectrum of filtration applications & technology

FiltXPO, an exhibition and technical conference dedicated exclusively to filtration and separation applications and technology, will be presented Feb. 26-28 at Chicago’s Navy Pier. The event marks the relaunch of INDA’s previously named Filtration Expo with an emphasis on covering the entire spectrum of filtration and separation applications and technology.

“We are expanding our vision for the future of our important Filtration Expo by providing industry participants from around the world with great new potential to exhibit, learn and meet with others in the industry at a global event in North America,” said INDA president Dave Rousse, in a 2018 announcement introducing FiltXPO 2020.

“The conference element of FiltXPO will bring together some of the leading thinkers on the cutting edge of the key areas of filtration and separation sciences,” said Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Ph.D. Klopman Distinguished Chaired Professor at North Carolina State University.

FiltXPO will feature more than 30 speakers and seven keynote addresses over three days of conference and expo programming. It is expected to attract more than 2,000 attendees and 200 exhibitors.

The conference program is being led by a range of subject matter experts from business and academia, including:

• Air/Gas Filtration – Paul Marold, President, Lydall Performance Materials
• Biopharmaceuticals – Ruben Carbonell, Ph.D., Frank Hawkins Kenan Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at North Carolina State University
• Membrane Technology – Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Industry Research and Extension, William A. Klopman Distinguished Professor, North Carolina State University, and Executive Director, The Nonwovens Institute
• Filter Media Modeling – Hooman V. Tafreshi, Ph.D., Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University
• Nanofiber Filter Media – Alexander Yarin, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, University of Illinois, Chicago
• Separation & Manufacturing – Taylor Sulmonetti, Ph.D., Associate, Exponent
• Water Filtration – Hervé Buisson, Vice President, Veolia Water

Featured topics in the conference program include:

• Engineering cleaner air
• Developing next-generation filters
• Low-cost material alternatives for microfiltration applications
• Testing filter efficiencies
• Protecting livestock against airborne viruses
• Meeting stringent emission norms
• Groundbreaking nanofiber research

Among other compelling session topics are modeling filtration technologies that can provide clean air and water to astronauts on deep space missions; ecological and environmental alternatives to fluorinated hydrocarbons; filtration megatrends affecting machinery manufacturers; new silicon filtration membrane technology; and optimizing filtration media for wastewater-related gas removal.

FiltXPO will feature more than 30 speakers and seven keynote addresses over three days of conference and expo programming. It is expected to attract more than 2,000 attendees and 200 exhibitors.

Keynote session highlights include:

• “Gas Phase and Particulate Filtration: Delivering Advanced Solutions with Performance” Materials – Michael O’Laughlin, Vice President, Advanced Solutions, Lydall Performance Materials will provide insights for engineering cleaner air with gas phase filtration by adsorbing molecular contaminants with physisorption and chemisorption.
• “Current Challenges, New Technologies and the Future Prospects of Novel Filters for Biopharmaceutical Separations” – Michael Phillips, Ph.D., Director Next Generation BioProcessing R&D, MilliporeSigma will share a Fortune 500 company’s viewpoint on new technologies and challenges overcome to develop next-generation filters.
• “Understanding Airborne Dust and Droplet Filtration Via Multiscale Modeling and Experiment” – Hooman Tafreshi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University will present past and current studies on modeling dust particles filtration via fibrous filters that are key to designing new products for droplet removal.

Other feature presentations include:

Air/Gas Filtration:

• “A Novel Long-Life Air Cleaning Unit and its Continuous Operation Performance Analysis” presented by Xin Feng, Research Fellow, Air Cleaning Techcenter (ACT), China Academy of Building Research
• “Testing and Estimating Efficiencies of Ventilation Filters at PM2.5 and 10” by R. Vijayakumar, Ph.D. President, Aerfil, LLC
• “Airborne Pathogen Protection in Livestock Operations,” Carlos Lora, Global Director of Market Strategy Animal Science, AAF International (Daikin Industries)
• “An Innovative Filter Media for Hot Gas Filtration Application,” Neeraj Shukla, Manager, Welspun India Limited

Biopharmaceuticals:

• “Progress and Future Potential of Monolitchic Chromatographic Resins in Bioseparations” presented by Ales Strancar, CEO, BIA Separations D.O.O.

Filter Media Modeling:

• “Microscale Simulation of Gas-Liquid and Liquid-Liquid Filtration,” presented by Ben Mullins, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Director Occupation, Environment and Safety, Curtin University
• “Modeling Heterogeneous Filter Structure and Pressure Drop Evolution,” Chris Hogan, Ph.D., Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, University of Minnesota, Department of Mechanical Engineering
• “Modeling to Design Filtration Processes with Application to Crewed Missions in Deep Space,” Christopher Cox, Ph.D., Professor & Department Head, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
• “Machine Learning-Based Segmentation and Identification of Individual Fibers and Binders in CT Images of Fibrous Media,” Andreas Wiegmann, CEO, Math2Market GmbH
• “Modeling and Simulation of Meltblown Processes for Fine Fiber Nonwovens,” Dietmar Hietel, Ph.D., Director of Process Control, Fraunhofer-Institute For Industrial Mathematics (ITWM)

Membrane Technologies: 

• “Preparations and Characterizations of Low-Cost Porous Ceramic Membranes for Potential Microfiltration Applications,” presented by Jang-Hoon Ha, Ph.D., Powder and Ceramics Division, Korea Institute of Materials Science
• “Antifouling Silicon Nanofiltration Membranes for Molecular-Scale Separations in Harsh Environments,” Brendan Smith, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Associate, MIT
• “PLA Filter Media,” Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Ph.D., William A. Klopman Distinguished Professor and Executive Director, North Carolina State University, The Nonwovens Institute

Nanofiber Filter Media: 

• “Metallized Nanofibers: Pollutants Removal and Medical Applications Based on Filtration,” presented by Alexander L. Yarin, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, University of Illinois at Chicago
• “Production of Micro and Nanofibers by Solution Blow Spinning: Current Status,” Eliton Medeiros, Ph.D., Professor, Federal University of Paraíba

Separation and Manufacturing:

• “Case Study in the Development and Use of PFAS and Other Flourinated Hydrocarbons and the Resulting Ecological Mayhem,” presented by Hal Alper, President & Chief Science Officer, MYCELX Technologies Corporation
• “Filtration and Filter Media Production in a Changing World,” Lothar Kaierle, Vice President Sales Nonwovens, American Truetzschler, Inc.
• “Textile Composites: Important Considerations for Performance and Manufacturability,” Ray Piascik, Director of Marketing and Sales, Beckmann Converting, Inc. & Sandel International

Water Filtration:

• “Targeted Odorous Gas Removal” presented by Jayraj Joshi, Ph.D., Product Innovation Specialist, Purafil Filtration Group

For more details about FiltXPO and to register to attend, visit www.filtxpo.com/registration.html.

Exhibitor profiles

Swiss-made precision for innovative CNC pleating solutions

JCEM Group, which includes JCEM GmbH (Switzerland), TAG GmbH (Germany) and JCEM Inc. (USA), is the global leader for all types of pleating equipment, offering the world’s most innovative, efficient, and robust pleating systems available. Our lineup consists of the latest generation P7 model offering world-record pleating speeds, turnkey blade & mini pleat systems, cabin air lines, custom requirements, and much more.

Expanded nonwoven product portfolio takes center stage

With its Oerlikon Barmag, Oerlikon Neumag and Oerlikon Nonwoven brands, the Oerlikon Manmade Fibers segment is the world market leader for manmade fiber filament spinning systems, texturing machines, BCF systems, staple fiber systems, and solutions for the production of nonwovens.

Adhesives, casting materials and foams for air, liquid and gas filtration systems

As a specialist within the STOCKMEIER Group, STOCKMEIER Urethanes GmbH & Co. was founded in 1991 in Germany as a polyurethane systems house focused on the development and manufacturing of coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers for a wide range of sports and industrial markets. Operating worldwide with ISO 9001 certified production facilities and laboratories in Germany, France, the United Kingdom and the United States, STOCKMEIER Urethanes provides customers with consistent global delivery of high-quality polyurethane products and services.

* International Filtration News and FiltXPO are owned by INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry.