The Science Behind Porous PTFE Venting: The Future of Venting Technology

Venting in industries can save significant amounts of cost and time. Packaging vents ensure that the pressure inside the system is equalized, ensuring the system is durable and safe for long-term usage!

Allowing the exchange of gases also ensures that there is no accumulation of toxic components or flammable gases, which can take the shape of a hazardous accident.

With the new porous PTFE venting, the benefits of these packaging vents have become multifold. PorVent® innovation has led to the creation of versatile vents made of membrane-based vents that allow pressure equalization and prevent the stored contents from escaping, thus saving costs.

Keep reading this blog to discover everything you need to know about this venting technology! 

 

PTFE Properties and Benefits

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a highly versatile polymer with unique properties that make it ideal for various industrial venting solutions, which have been listed below:

• Flexibility and durability – PTFE membranes are easily customisable and hence can be modified and tailored to suit industry-specific needs. In addition, PTFE material also has excellent mechanical properties, which makes it resistant to wear and tear, ensuring that these membranes do not lose their performance over time. This durability of PTFE vents also means they can easily be used in harsh and critical environments such as outdoors or in industries. 
• Chemical resistance – PTFE’s structure enables it to stay chemically inert; hence, the possibility of reacting with the contents is eliminated. Additionally, PTFE is also resistant to chemical attacks, which ensures that it can provide venting for a long duration without being corroded or degraded. 
• Temperature resistance – PTFE membranes are highly flexible even at extremely high or low temperatures, making them suitable for use in harsh or fluctuating conditions. This polymer does not become brittle or deformed due to fluctuating temperatures, which makes it a reliable option for industrial venting. 
• Lightweight – Apart from being flexible, PTFE membranes are lightweight and can provide adequate venting without adding extra weight to the system. 
• Hydrophobic and Oleophobic properties – PTFE membranes exhibit both hydrophobicity and oleophobicity, which prevents the ingress of water vapours or oil, thus reducing the corrosion or failure of critical system components.

PorVent®’s Porous PTFE Venting Technology

With an array of valuable properties, PTFE finds applications in various industrial venting solutions. PorVent® has leveraged these unique properties of PTFE membranes to craft packaging vents.

PorVent manufactures a range of products using PTFE membranes, such as porous PTFE discs, inner plugs, push-fit plugs, cap vents, and other products that can be used for different industrial applications.

The PTFE membranes are engineered to have a porous structure, which enables them to be selectively permeable. This means there is an enhanced airflow due to the bidirectional exchange of air while the escape of liquid contents and entry of contaminants is blocked.

In this way, two major industrial problems are tackled with one simple solution. In addition, these porous PTFE vents can withstand extreme environmental conditions such as fluctuating temperatures and pressure.

The best part is that these vents are also excellent at dissipating thermal energy and pressure equalization, which helps preserve the entire system’s integrity.

Lastly, all these benefits can easily be obtained without significantly modifying the system’s design or shape! 

 

PorVent®’s Porous PTFE Venting Solutions vs Traditional Methods: A Comparative Analysis

There are a lot of pitfalls when it comes to the traditional venting methods. All these shortcomings are listed below:

• System deformation – Traditional venting methods are similar to an on-and-off switch. These vents are designed to open only if the pressure exceeds the threshold limit. Therefore, despite altitude or temperature fluctuations, action is only taken once this limit is reached, which increases the risk of system deformation. In the case of batteries and chemical storage containers, this deformation can result in leakages and expose the environment and humans to various hazards. 

• Complexity of installation – Unlike porous PTFE venting, traditional venting methods are not flexible. Due to their rigidity, the installation might be complex and may involve drilling, assembly, and other activities that can increase manufacturing costs.
• Liquid and Contaminants Ingress – If the venting methods are simply some form of holes, there is a risk that external particulate matter might pass through these holes and enter the system. If the system involves critical electronic components, they might rust or lose their performance due to getting clogged. 

These are the primary challenges that the packaging industries face when using traditional venting methods. However, the industry is undergoing rapid development with the discovery of porous PTFE vents.

PTFE membranes, owing to porosity, can allow constant pressure equalisation, and as a result, the system weight can also be reduced! This is because the internal pressure threshold can be lowered; thus, the overall system costs and weights are reduced.

In addition, PTFE membranes operate 24/7 and continuously optimise the system conditions, making them extremely reliable. These membranes have been subjected to extensive mechanical stress testing by PorVent® and have shown promising results.

PTFE’s ability to operate with precisely the same performance despite extreme environmental conditions gives it an upper hand over any other packaging and venting methods.

 

Porous PTFE Vents’ Industrial Applications

Naturally, with so many properties that provide porous PTFE venting an edge over traditional venting methods, they are utilised in many industries. Some of these industrial applications are listed below:

• Automotive vents – PorVent® vents help dissipate moisture as well as thermal heat. This ensures that the sensitive electrical components do not get corroded due to moisture or fried due to excessive heat. Due to their breathable yet selectively permeable nature, these vents allow for gas exchange without allowing the entry of contaminants into the automotive parts.

• Pressure release vents – Pressure release vents are vital, especially in batteries and chemical storage containers. By allowing continuous pressure equalisation, these porous vents prevent the swelling and explosion of the systems. In addition, they allow the gases that are produced due to chemical reactions to escape, thus preventing gas accumulation. 

• Medical vents – PTFE membranes are biocompatible; hence, they do not react with any fluids, making them apt for medical applications. In addition, these vents also prevent pathogens from contaminating the system, thus maintaining the sterility of the equipment. These vents are often used in blood transfusions, ostomy bags, and chemotherapy, to name a few. 
• Outdoor Lighting Systems – Outdoor lighting systems are always in contact with air, which increases the risk of water vapour condensing on these systems. This condensation can lead to light fogging, ultimately reducing the luminosity and performance. However, since porous PTFE venting is hydrophobic, it prevents water vapour ingress inside these systems! 

PorVent® vents have been used in myriads of real-life applications, and they have created wonders in improving the performance and efficiency of the systems. 

Conclusion

 PorVent®’s porous PTFE venting technology is an innovative, economical, and simple solution to the existing venting problems. With a wide array of properties such as hydrophobicity, selective permeability, durability, and porosity, these vents are not just excellent barriers to foreign contaminants but also an effective way to provide ventilation to your systems.

Be it any industry, these vents have revolutionised them with their simple designs and easy installation process. To learn more about the types of vents and their role in industries, visit PorVent®’s website!