Donaldson Aerospace & Defense is bringing dry media technology to the civilian helicopter market. The company is flight-testing its next-generation non-woven dry media on MD500s equipped with inlet barrier filters and will certify and offer the technology as an option for a range of popular helicopters.
Donaldson’s dry media uses the company’sproprietary nanofiber technology to provide 99-percent particle separation. It has been battle tested for more than a year on U.S. Black Hawk helicopters in Iraq. Nanofiber filtration stops contaminants from reaching the engine while maintaining engine performance.
“With dry media operators now have a range of quality options,” said Robert Stenberg, Donaldson St. Louis business development director. “We work in partnership with our operators to help them evaluate and choose the solution that is right for them. For example, dry media is preferred for high-tempo operations, while oil-coated is ideal for those flying in more normal, less extreme environments. And because dry media can be vulnerable to higher pressure drops, Donaldson is applying its research and development capabilities to ensure that its commercial product meets exacting standards for OEM quality and performance.”
