Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for removing solid contaminants from the air comprising a generally stationary horizontally disposed cylindrical housing having a pair of spaced opposed vertical end walls and a peripherally disposed filter medium wall extending therebetween to define a filter compartment, a reduced air inlet opening in one end wall for introducing air to be filtered into the compartment and initially directing the same in a path of travel to the other end wall for deflection and recirculation through the compartment in a generally circular path before passage through the cylindrical filter medium wall for filtration thereby, and a plurality of contaminant discharge openings spaced about the lower peripheral portion of the other end wall for directly removing contaminants in the air from the compartment before their entrapment on the filter medium of the unit.