Patent ID: 8277529

Claim:
A filter element comprising at least two layer of a nonwoven filter media, the filter element comprising: (a) a first media layer comprising at least two layers of a first filter medium comprising a first fiber comprising a bicomponent fiber comprising a diameter of 5 to 50 microns, and 5 to 50 wt % of a second fiber, wherein the first filter medium has a pore size of 0.2 to 50 micrometers, a permeability of 2 to 200 ft-min −1 , a solidity of about 2 to 25% at 860 Pa and a basis weight of 5 to 1000 g-m −2 ; and (b) A second media comprising at least one media layers of a second filter medium that is different from the first filter medium and comprising a pore size of 0.5 to 100 micrometers, a permeability of 5 to 500 ft-min −1 , a solidity of about 2 to 25% at 860 Pa and a basis weight of 20 to 120 g-m −2 .