Air Filter Engineers Completes Mechanical Filtration Retrofit for Illinois Hospital

An unnamed Illinois hospital has successfully mitigated indoor air quality issues caused by rooftop helicopter exhaust through a targeted filtration system upgrade. The facility, which handles up to three helicopter landings daily, previously struggled with jet fuel fumes infiltrating surgical areas through rooftop intake louvers. Working with Air Filter Engineers, the hospital replaced its existing two-stage filtration setup—consisting of MERV 8 pre-filters and 1-inch activated carbon trays—with Rensa Filtration's 2-inch MERV 10 CarbonWeb Plus 50/50 pleated filters.

This retrofit, completed without the need for mechanical alterations, successfully consolidated particulate and gas-phase filtration into a single medium. The project reduced total pressure drop from approximately 1.2 inches w.g. to 0.60 inches w.g., resulting in increased airflow and improved energy efficiency. By eliminating the labor-intensive maintenance of nearly 1,000 heavy carbon trays, the hospital also reduced ergonomic strain and maintenance requirements for its facilities staff while ensuring better compliance with surgical air quality standards.