What is the difference between high-efficiency filters with and without partitions?

When selecting HEPA high-efficiency filters, many purchasers, clean room engineers and HVAC designers will encounter a practical problem:

There are high-efficiency filters with partitions and high-efficiency filters without partitions. Which one should you choose?

Both are high-efficiency air filters, but the internal filter element structure is different.

According to the definition of GB/T 13554-2020, filters with partitions use corrugated partitions to support the folded filter material to form air channels; filters without partitions use linear adhesives or other separators to support the filter material to form air channels.

Therefore, the two are not simply 'high efficiency' and 'low efficiency', but have different filter structures.。

1. Let’s first look at the structural differences between the two filters.

It can be simply understood as:

With partitions:

Filter media → fold → separated by partitions → form a filter channel

No partitions:

Filter media → fold → glue line/separator fixed → form filter channel

Special attention is needed here:

'With partitions' and 'without partitions' are structural classifications and are not equal to filtration efficiency levels.

H13, H14, ULPA, etc. belong to the concept of filtration efficiency/performance level and cannot be directly confused with 'with or without partitions'.

2. What scenarios are high-efficiency filters with partitions suitable for?

The high-efficiency filter with partitions uses corrugated partitions to support the filter material, so that the filter material maintains a certain pleat distance and air channel.

This type of structure can be configured in different sizes, filter materials and partitions for use in clean rooms, HVAC and other air purification systems.

Common applications can include:

According to public industry information, partitioned high-efficiency filters will also be used in clean workshops, local purification equipment and other scenarios.

3. What scenarios are suitable for high-efficiency filters without partitions?

High-efficiency filters without partitions usually adopt a Mini-Pleat structure, with glue lines or other separation methods to maintain the pleat distance of the filter material.

Due to the elimination of traditional solid partitions, its structure can be made more compact, so it is more common in some equipment that has requirements for installation space, weight or filter thickness.

For example:

According to Aili Industrial's existing product information, EFU products are equipped with high-efficiency filters and can use filter materials such as glass fiber; some EFU products use H14 filtration grade.

At the same time, Aili Industrial EFU product information also shows that some equipment can be configured with U15 filtration grade, and provides filter material options such as PTFE and glass fiber.

Therefore, for applications such as clean air supply at the top of FFU, EFU and semiconductor equipment , specific selection needs to be made based on equipment height, installation space, air volume and filtration efficiency.

4. Which one has higher filtration efficiency, with or without partitions?

This is an easily misunderstood question.

The filtration efficiency cannot be judged simply based on 'with partitions' or 'without partitions'.

Filtration efficiency is mainly related to the filter material, structure, manufacturing quality, and specific test standards and test results of the filter.

For example, there can also be different structural filters of level H13 or H14.

Therefore, when purchasing, you should focus on confirming:

GB/T 13554-2020 defines HEPA and ULPA according to corresponding testing methods and efficiency requirements. Therefore, it is recommended to refer to the testing data and technical parameters of specific products when purchasing.

5. Which one has greater air volume, with or without partitions?

The air volume cannot be judged only by the presence or absence of partitions.

The air volume of the filter is related to many factors, including:

Filter size → filter material area → filtration efficiency → face wind speed → initial resistance → system fan capacity

Therefore, even if two filters of the same size have different structures, the actual air volume cannot be determined based on the structure alone.

For systems that require larger air handling capacity, selection should be based on actual air volume requirements.

If the system air volume is large, you can further consider:

Large air volume V-type filter

The V-shaped multi-filter structure increases the expansion area of ​​the filter material to match the corresponding air treatment system.

6. The installation space is limited, which one should I choose?

If the project has obvious installation height restrictions, you need to focus on the thickness and structural dimensions of the filter.。

For example, FFU, EFU and some air purification modules installed on the top of equipment have clear requirements for filter thickness.

At this time, you usually need to:

Equipment height → Filter thickness → Air volume → Filtration efficiency

Think about it together.

Aili Industrial's product information includes a 70mm high-efficiency filter configuration. For example, the EFU product uses a 450×450×70+10mm filter, H14 filtration efficiency, and is equipped with an EC fan.

This type of product illustrates a practical selection logic:

Equipment space is limited→Filter thickness is limited→Filter area, air volume and resistance need to be rematched

Therefore, for space-constrained scenarios such as EFU and semiconductor equipment, it is not recommended to directly apply ordinary clean room filter specifications.

7. Should a clean room have partitions or no partitions?

It needs to be determined according to the specific design conditions of the clean room.

It can be judged from the following aspects:

Therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all answer for all cleanroom projects.

8. Which high-efficiency filter should be chosen for FFU and EFU?

For FFU and EFU, usually need to be prioritized.equipment size, filter thickness, air volume, filtration efficiency and installation method 。

Especially for EFU applications, the equipment usually needs to be installed on specific production equipment or clean equipment, and the filter height may be limited by the equipment space.

Aili Industrial's EFU data shows that its products can use HEPA filters of different sizes and provide H14, U15 and other filtration efficiency configurations.

Therefore, if it is an FFU/EFU project, it is recommended to provide the following directly to the manufacturer when purchasing:

Equipment model + installation size + filter size + target wind speed + filtration efficiency

This makes it easier to get matching product solutions than saying 'I want an H14 filter' alone.

9. How does Aili Industry help customers choose high-efficiency filters?

In terms of air purification products, Aili Industry not only provides individual HEPA/ULPA filters, but also involves FFU, EFU and supporting control systems.。

For example, in the Aili Industrial product information, FFU/EFU can be equipped with H14 high-efficiency filters, and some EFU products can also be equipped with U15 filtration level; at the same time, the products can be equipped with EC fans and control systems.

For customers, this means that filter selection can be considered in conjunction with specific equipment, rather than just looking at the filter itself.

For example:

Clean room project → Confirm cleanliness requirements → Select HEPA/ULPA → Confirm size and air volume

FFU project → Confirm FFU size → Match HEPA/ULPA → Match fan and control

EFU project → Confirm equipment space → Confirm filter thickness → Match air volume and filtration efficiency

This project-based selection method is more suitable for actual project procurement.

10. Product Selection Suggestions of Aili Industrial High-Efficiency Filters

If you are purchasing a high-efficiency filter, you can first determine which situation your project belongs to:

If you are still unsure, it is recommended to send the original filter photos, size, model, system air volume and usage scenarios to Aili Industrial, and engineers will make a judgment based on actual working conditions.

11. FAQ Conclusion

With or without partitions, you should not just look at the product name

The biggest difference between high-efficiency filters with partitions and high-efficiency filters without partitions is the different separation structures of the filter materials.。

Filters with partitions use partitions to support the filter material, while filters without partitions use glue lines or other separation methods to form filter material channels.

The real selection should consider comprehensively:

Filtration efficiency → Air volume → Resistance → Size → Thickness → Installation space → Use environment

For different applications such as general clean rooms, HVAC, FFU, EFU and semiconductor equipment, the suitable filter structure may also be different.

Therefore, there is no need to simply judge which one is 'better', but rather which one is more suitable for the current project.

12. Aili Industry: From filter to FFU/EFU matching selection

For customers who need high-efficiency filters, Aili Industry can configure products in combination with actual air purification equipment.

Aili Industrial's existing product information covers FFU, EFU, high-efficiency filters, ULPA filters and related control systems . Among them, FFU/EFU can be configured with H14, U15 and other filtration efficiency levels according to different projects.

If the customer not only needs filters, but also needs FFU, EFU, EC fans, control systems or clean equipment , the installation size, air volume, cleaning requirements and equipment information of the project can be provided to Aili Industrial.

This allows for matching from the perspective of the entire air handling system, rather than selecting a single filter parameter individually.

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