Air filter assembly

A method of filtering air comprising:

• supplying air into an inlet of an air filter assembly, the air filter assembly comprising:
• a housing comprising a manifold having the inlet and an outlet, and a filter bowl removably coupled to the manifold;
• a binderless filtration media disposed in the housing, wherein the binderless filtration media is free of binder materials that may degrade or release volatile organic compounds under high-temperature conditions;
• and
• a catalytic converter disposed in the housing;
• wherein a flow path is defined through the housing that includes flowing through the binderless filtration media and then through the catalytic converter before exiting the housing;
• and
• directing the air into the filter bowl;
• and
• passing the air through the binderless filtration media;
• and
• passing the air through the catalytic converter after the air passes through the binderless filtration media.

An air filter assembly configured for use in a fuel tank inerting system (FTIS) of an aircraft, the air filter assembly comprising:

• a housing comprising a manifold having an inlet and an outlet, and a filter bowl removably coupled to the manifold;
• a binderless filtration media disposed in the housing, wherein the binderless filtration media is free of binder materials that may degrade or release volatile organic compounds under high-temperature conditions;
• a catalytic converter disposed in the housing and comprising a honeycomb of passageways, the catalytic converter configured to adsorb one or more volatile organic compounds including one or more of one or more of Toluene, Propylene Glycol (C3H8O2), Pentanoic Acid, Butane (C4H10), Formaldehyde (CH2O), and Carbon Dioxide (CO2);
• and
• first and second drain plugs in a bottom of the manifold, the first drain plug upstream of the binderless filtration media, the second drain plug downstream of the catalytic converter, the first and second drain plugs configured to drain accumulated liquid based on pressure thresholds;
• wherein:
• a flow path is defined through the housing that includes flowing through the binderless filtration media and then through the catalytic converter before exiting the housing;
• and
• the binderless filtration media is configured to withstand high temperatures of at least about 600 degrees Fahrenheit without degradation or VOC release;
• whereby the air filter assembly integrates multiple functions including particulate, aerosol, liquid, ozone, and VOC removal in a compact form factor optimized and/or usable for a fuel tank inerting system (FTIS) of an aircraft.