Small carbon filter idea

[Podenco]

L.S.,

I made a carbon filter set up for my grow cabinet that works well. It is a separate (inconspicuous) wooden box that fits a centrifugal fan that pushes (not sucks) air through the smallest can filter available.

But I also have a small clone box that produces smell as the clones get big. At first I thought "lets put the boxes next to each other and connect with a hole" so the filter box pulls air from both boxes. But that means drilling large holes in thick wood, solving light/air leakage issues and it will mean that the boxes always have to be next to each other. Not an option. Connecting boxes with a air tube still means drilling holes so that is a no go too. The clone box needs its own filter.

I have been looking at diy set-ups with PC fans and carbon filters but I think that PC fans are to weak to pull/push air through larger masses of carbon. But. Large surface carbon filters do exist, for cat litter boxes and kitchen exhaust hoods. And I came across this:

https://www.thepurringtonpost.com/litter-box-air-filter/

If this combination of weak fan and large thin carbon filter works for cat smell, it might work for our little boxes as well. It would mean using a large part of the ceiling or wall of a small box to fit the not so expensive cat litter box carbon filter and have 1/2 PC fans pull air through it.

So I am searching for a carbon filter with dimensions 30 x 30 x 2 cm. There are quite some around for air purifier systems...

P

 

[4Dbox]

How did that work out? I'm interested in small box solutions.

 

[f-e]

From a construction point of view, having smelly air in a pressurised chamber raises the need for good sealing. Where possible (which isn't always) keep the smell in chambers under vacuum. That way, any air leaks are seen as fresh air entering the dirty air chamber that will be scrubbed. Not unscrubbed air escaping.

I made something similar. Here a fan and carbon are boxed up in-line, but the only part of the system that's pressurised is the clean air leaving the fan to head outside. Any leak in the dirty side is pulling clean air in.



The OP could turn his fan to achieve this. Blowing out the bottom would put a vacuum around the filter that draws air in through the filter from the left.

 

[zaprjaques]

Nice one, looks like cats can grow their own in near future.

From my own little experience i can say that if the temps arent too high you can extract the air a lot slower, giving the carbon more time to do its magic as the air is passed through it.

you probably wont need a super strong pc fan if youre shooting for that option. and no really thick layer of carbon either.

but that might involve some trial and error to find that sweet spot.
And you might need to replace the carbon more often.

Strong fan + big filter is probably more convenient and safer too.

 

[MdNewgrower]

My small box solution.

 

[Podenco]

BTW my filter box works fine. It is silent and there is no smell. It gives a bit of vibration but plants do not seem to mind. I might put extra rubber feet to the trays my pots are in.

BTW 2. My fan is pushing, I read everywhere these fans push better than they suck.

P.