Air Filter Design
April 14, 2026, Tuesday
8:00 AM – 10:00 AM ET, USA
$USD 350
$USD 175 (Member Only)
Course Objective
This course provides an extensive understanding of air filter design and filtration systems. It explores the fundamental mechanisms of particle capture, covering concepts such as interception, inertial impaction, diffusion, and electrostatic attraction. Additionally, the course lays a solid foundation in aerosol science, including topics like particle diameter, size distribution, shape, and relevant testing standards.
Participants will learn to analyze and quantify key metrics, including filtration efficiency, pressure drop, and filter lifespan. The course also examines how design selection affect these performance parameters, such as filter media type, filter surface area, filter geometry (Flat, bag, pleated and cartridge), particle characteristics, airflow velocity, operating and climate conditions.
This course is designed to equip participants with the knowledge to analyze existing filter designs, understand the trade-offs between different performance metrics, and effectively monitor filter performance for optimal outcomes.
Course Outline
1. Introduction to the Principles of Air Filter Design:
Overview of air filtration processes, history, purpose, and basic principles.
2. Airborne Pollutants:
Definitions, types, and sources.
3. Filter Design Parameters & Pollutant Characteristics:
Physical and chemical traits, particle transport, and aerodynamic behavior in airstreams.
4. Filter Anatomy & Geometry:
Pleat design, depth, surface area optimization, and aerodynamics.
5. Translating Pollutant Characteristics to System Architecture:
Appropriate filter design, media selection, and the strategic configuration of multi-stage filtration systems.
6. Particular Filtration Mechanisms:
Understanding the physics and principles of solid particle capture
7. Molecular (Gas-Phase) Filtration:
Addressing gaseous contaminant removal through adsorption, chemisorption, and specialized media.
8. Translating Application Sensitivities into Engineering Choices:
Adapting designs for specific environmental and sector-specific demands.
9. Performance & Lifecycle Management:
Predicting maintenance cycles and total cost of ownership.
10. Sustainability and Circular Design:
Evaluating environmental impact and lifecycle efficiency.
11. Innovations:
Innovations to the design process, cartridge elements, filter media, and geometry.
12. Live Q&A / Panel Discussion:
Future Filter trends, regulatory shifts, and opportunities in peformance optimization.
Instructor Biography
Dr. Iyad Al-Attar
Instructor, Canada
Dr. Al-Attar is a mechanical engineer and an independent air filtration consultant. He is also a Visiting Academic Fellow in the School of Aerospace, Transport, and Manufacturing at Cranfield University, consulting for air quality and filter performance relevant to land-based gas turbines. Dr. Al-Attar is the strategic director, instructor, and advisory board member of the World Filtration Institute. In 2020, EUROVENT Middle East appointed Dr. Al-Attar as the first associated consultant for air filtration affairs. Dr. Al-Attar received his engineering degrees (BSc, MSc, Ph.D.) from the University of Toronto (Canada), Kuwait University, and Loughborough University (UK), respectively. Dr. Al-Attar’s area of expertise focuses on designing and performing high-efficiency filters for HVAC and land-based gas turbine applications, particularly on the chemical and physical characterization of airborne particles. Dr. Al-Attar is a columnist in the EUROVENT Middle East newsletter, Climate Control Middle East Magazine, ES Engineering, USA, and Caloryfrio Magazine, Spain. He has authored many articles on air quality, filter design, performance, particle characterization, and climate change, which were translated into Arabic and Spanish. Dr. Al-Attar is an editorial member/referee in the Filtration Society (UK) and the Journal of Cleaner Production.
Mr. Satish Dinakaran
Panelist, USA
Mr. Satish Dinakaran is the Senior Principal of Advanced Technology for air filtration and sanitization products at AprilAire. He began his air filtration journey in 2005 after earning his master’s degree in mechanical engineering with a focus on indoor air quality. His career launched with a pivotal role on a U.S. Department of Defense-funded project, where he led the design, manufacturing, and testing of non-powered CBRN shelters for the U.S. military. Over the years, Satish has held leadership roles in Engineering, R&D, and Project Management at Filtration Group, Flanders (later AAF Flanders), Pall Microelectronics, and currently, AprilAire. His work includes the development of innovative products across HEPA, residential, and commercial HVAC filtration. He is also the primary inventor on two patents related to air filtration technologies. Satish is a member of the ASME standard Committee on Nuclear Air and Gas Treatment (CONAGT). He also serves as an expert on the U.S. Technical Advisory Group to ISO, where he chairs Advisory Panel 10 for HEPA filters in nuclear applications, and contributes to Advisory Panel 4 for general HEPA filter standards.
Mr. Chris Muller
Panelist
Mr. Muller, ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer, Director IEQ Technical Services of AAF International, is recognized globally as an expert in indoor/environmental air quality, filtration and enhanced air cleaning systems, and gas-phase air filtration technology with demonstrated competencies in product development and applications. With more than 30 years in the filtration industry, he has written and spoken extensively on these and related topics with more than 250 articles and peer-reviewed papers, more than 150 seminars, and 8 handbooks to his credit. He has been a driving force on multiple industry association and technical committees, improving awareness and standards in the industry, especially in the field of gas-phase air filtration and indoor environmental air quality. He co-authored ASHRAE’s Position Document on Filtration and Air Cleaning, ASHRAE Guideline 42P: Indoor Air Quality in Commercial and Institutional Buildings, and ASHRAE Standard 62.1 User’s Manual.
Panelists
Dr. Samuel Li is Vice President of Consumer Filters Americas at Freudenberg Filtration Technologies, a global leader in filtration solutions focused on improving air quality and advancing industrial and consumer processes. With more than 15 years of experience in consumer filtration systems, he specializes in indoor air quality (IAQ), particularly odor removal through advanced impregnation and modification technologies for porous materials. Dr. Li has held leadership roles across research and development, operations management, and sales, combining technical expertise with strategic business insight to drive innovation in filtration technologies. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, an MBA, and earned his PhD in Material Processing Engineering from Sun Yat-sen University in 2024.
Mr. Nick Agopian is President of Reviveaire, USA. With 30+ years of Filtration, HVAC & energy-recovery experience, Nick focuses on Indoor Air Quality and improving the human condition indoors. Nick’s has held executive positions of VP for various businesses like Circul-Aire, Dectron Internationale, President and General Manager at SEMCO, a Fläkt Woods company, and Vice President at RenewAire. Nick is highly involved with ASHRAE,where he sits on numerous technical committees, such as ASHRAE 62.1 & 62.2, ASHRAE Position Document - Human Health and Wellness in the Built Environment, TC 2.3, SPC 145P, TRG4.IAQP, TG 9, etc. He’s also served on a special board for filtration part of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), Additionally, he served on the Board of Directors for the Missouri Innovation Center’s Life Sciences Business Incubator, Board of the local Chamber of Commerce, and Chairman of the Board for the Home Ventilating Institute. A committed lifelong learner, Agopian’s undergrad was in Mechanical Systems Engineering from Vanier, Quebec, Canada, and an International M.B.A. from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
Dr. Christine Sun, President of the World Filtration Institute, USA, is a globally renowned technical and market expert in the filtration and nonwovens industry. With over 30 years of experience in academia and industry, she has in-depth knowledge of filtration and extensive hands-on expertise in product and business development, with over 100 technical publications and patents in the field. She is also actively involved in the development of many air and liquid filter test standards, such as ASHRAE and ISO. Dr. Sun worked for Freudenberg Filtration Technologies from 2004 to 2011 as an R&D manager and then served as Technology Director for Donaldson Company from 2011 to 2013. She was the Chair of the American Filtration and Separation Society (AFS) from 2016 to 2017 and has received the AFS Fellow Award in 2019, the Sr. Scientist Award in 2012, and the best paper awards from INDA (Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry) in 2008. She is also an editorial board member for the Journal of Industrial Textiles. Dr. Sun received her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, and her Executive Certificate from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, USA.