News
Donaldson marks centennial with special exhibit
March 30, 2015 By Donaldson
March 30, 2015, Nashville, Tn. - Donaldson Company, Inc. marks its 100th anniversary this year with an exhibit at Quad A.
The 2015 Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit is the latest annual gathering of U.S. Army Aviation leaders and the companies that support their critical operations around the globe. The gathering is sponsored (as it has been in the past) by the Army Aviation Association of America (aka Quad A).
The military filtration solutions displayed by Donaldson Aerospace & Defense at Quad A include dry media developed for the Inlet Barrier Filter (IBF), which protects engine performance on Sikorsky H-60 BLACK HAWK helicopters. IBF-equipped BLACK HAWK helicopters fly key missions such as air assault, air cavalry, aeromedical evacuation and special operations for the U.S. Army.
During the event, Donaldson employees will brief attendees on the IBF it is developing for the U.S. Army special operations Boeing MH-47G Chinooks, as well as a number of filtration solutions that are available for other aircraft types and auxiliary power units, including Boeing MH/AH-6 Little Birds, Bell Helicopter OH-58D/F Kiowa Warriors, 407s, and Pratt & Whitney AeroPower products like the H-60.
“Army Aviation helicopters perform critical warfighting, humanitarian, training and other missions throughout the globe,” said Robert Stenberg, Director of Business Development at Donaldson Aerospace & Defense in St. Louis, Missouri. “We at Donaldson are proud to help Army aviators perform these missions reliably and safely and are committed to supporting them with the best available technology.”
Founded in 1915, Donaldson has been providing filters to protect critical military equipment since it developed solutions for trucks and artillery tractors during World War I. Military aviation began to benefit from Donaldson’s filtration expertise in the 1950s, when U.S. Air Force B-52 bombers first used Donaldson catalytic air cleaners. In the 1960s, helicopters benefitted when Donaldson fielded the first turbine-engine air particle separator system, using its Strata Tube precleaners. The turn of the 21st century saw the U.S. Army’s approval of the first fully integrated helicopter IBF. Since then, Donaldson has delivered more than 600 IBFs for U.S. Army BLACK HAWK helicopters.
The Donaldson IBF reduces engine turbine operating temperatures, makes more power available for missions and reduces maintenance when compared with other power plant protection options. It also extends engine life by significantly reducing component erosion. These benefits enable operators to realize substantial cost savings and improve “time on wing” for helicopter power plants.
At Quad A, Donaldson will be unveiling a dry filtration media – a revolutionary invention. This new media replaces the current woven, oil-coated media. This dry filtration media has been battle tested for more than a year on BLACK HAWK helicopters; it uses Donaldson’s proprietary nanofiber technology to provide 99 percent particle separation for the BLACK HAWK IBF systems. Dry media is easy to maintain and can be cleaned using basic techniques. This helps reduce maintenance and support requirements in the field. Donaldson is the first manufacturer to offer dry media filtration for helicopter engines.
