Filter systems with dirty air chamber spacer elements and methods of using the same

A filter system comprising:

• a housing comprising a tubesheet separating the housing into a dirty air chamber and a clean air chamber;
• a plurality of spacer elements attached to the tubesheet, wherein each spacer element of the plurality of spacer elements comprises a clean air inlet and a clean air outlet, and wherein the clean air inlet of each spacer element of the plurality of spacer elements is located in the dirty air chamber;
• a plurality of apertures in the tubesheet, wherein each spacer element of the plurality of spacer elements is positioned over an aperture of the plurality of apertures in the tubesheet such that air passing from the dirty air chamber into the clean air chamber through each spacer element of the plurality of spacer elements passes through the aperture,
• a plurality of filter elements, wherein each filter element of the plurality of filter elements is attached to the clean air inlet of one spacer element of the plurality of spacer elements;
• and
• a dirty air inlet attached to the housing, wherein the dirty air inlet is configured to deliver a dirty air stream into the dirty air chamber;
• wherein each spacer element of the plurality of spacer elements comprises an element length measured along an element axis extending though the clean air inlet and the clean air outlet of the spacer element, and wherein the dirty air inlet defines a width measured parallel to the element axis that is greater than the element length of each spacer element of the plurality of spacer elements.

A method of removing particulate matter from dirty air, the method comprising:

• delivering dirty air into a dirty air chamber of a housing comprising a tubesheet separating the housing into the dirty air chamber and a clean air chamber, wherein the dirty air is delivered into the dirty air chamber in a dirty air stream along a dirty air flow axis;
• and
• positioning a plurality of spacer elements and attached filter elements in the dirty air chamber, wherein each spacer element of the plurality of spacer comprises a clean air inlet and a clean air outlet, and wherein the clean air inlet of each spacer element of the plurality of spacer elements is located in the dirty air chamber, wherein the housing comprises an end wall panel located across the dirty air chamber from the tubesheet;
• wherein the dirty air inlet extends across the dirty air chamber from the tubesheet to the end wall panel such that delivering dirty air into the dirty air chamber comprises delivering dirty air onto the plurality of spacer elements and the attached filter elements.

A method of removing particulate matter from dirty air, the method comprising:

• delivering dirty air into a dirty air chamber of a housing comprising a tubesheet separating the housing into the dirty air chamber and a clean air chamber, wherein the dirty air is delivered into the dirty air chamber in a dirty air stream along a dirty air flow axis;
• and
• positioning a plurality of spacer elements and attached filter elements in the dirty air chamber, wherein each spacer element of the plurality of spacer comprises a clean air inlet and a clean air outlet, and wherein the clean air inlet of each spacer element of the plurality of spacer elements is located in the dirty air chamber, wherein the housing comprises an end wall panel located across the dirty air chamber from the tubesheet;
• wherein each spacer element of the plurality of spacer elements comprises an element length measured along an element axis extending though the clean air inlet and the clean air outlet of the spacer element, and wherein the dirty air inlet defines a width measured parallel to the element axis that is greater than the element length of each spacer element of the plurality of spacer elements such that delivering dirty air into the dirty air chamber comprises delivering dirty air onto the plurality of spacer elements and the attached filter elements.