Cleaning the air

[PEDARRIN2]

https://globalplasmasolutions.com/

I deal more on the water side of dealing with microbial issues in buildings.

My company wants to install this in our office as part of our COVID response prior to coming back from remote work. When/if I see something like this on the water side, I typically call it pseudo science.

When they make the claims about being similar to the ocean for air purification and lightning (but no ozone), I wonder. But I have little experience on the air side.

Thoughts?

 

[IRstuff]

Sounds a bit dubious, mostly in terms of numerical efficacy, since their website seems to be devoid of efficacy/performance.

https://www.iqair.com/us/blog/air-cleaning-technology/do-air-purifiers-work

https://molekule.science/do-ionizer-air-purifiers-remove-odors/

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

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[IRstuff]

see also

https://www.researchgate.net/public...eaners_in_Reducing_Indoor_Levels_of_Particles

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

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[EnergyProfessional]

We once had a presentation from them. I'm not smart enough to judge if the plasma really kills virus. But their tests are based on a steady state exposure in a 10'^3 chamber. The plasma has a life of 50 seconds.

note many of the pathogens have kill times in minutes, not seconds. virus seem to be killed faster (a virus doesn't have a really protective "skin" like bacteria). They said they are working on COVID-19 tests. They say it doesn't produce ozone.

assuming you want to put this into an AHU, there are the following concerns I would have:
- with 50 second life in a large chamber, I assume the ions going through a small duct and fan will encounter many more surfaces to decay. But even if we assume they live for 50 seconds, by the time they leave the diffuser, they are almost gone depending on size for the duct system. So the space receiving the air won't have many ions. If you are lucky, it "cleans" the air coming from the AHU, but not the space served. So my co-worker sneezing on me, will still infect me. Kind of the same problem like you have with any treating of the supply air.
- In rooms that receive transfer air the air is even older. So the bathroom, hallway and other spaces where you encounter many people, there is no added protection.

It probably doesn't hurt, and probably kills some viruses in the supply air, but it is NOT a substitute for other measures (distancing, masks, washing etc.). They are not horribly expensive and don't require much in maintenance or pressuredrop, like HEPA filters.

The danger I see is that a company installs that and says, or thinks, now it is safe to get everyone back into crowded spaces. Maybe they provide 1% added safety, but management will think, or claim, it is 100% safe. Like handing out dust masks to workers exposed to VOC.

 

[emalsyd]

We've installed quite a few of the ionizers. We've used Phenomenal Aire by Top Product Innovations.

http://www.topproductinnovations.com/main.html

I think they license the ionizer technology from GPS. They have independent 3rd party testing data on their website. They were also tested to UL867 Standard for Electrostatic Air Cleaners and were below the UL described ozone levels.

I have a couple in my home and office. You can't really tell they are working, there is no fresh ocean or mountain air smell.
We've done some indoor air testing with a monitor we have and have noticed decreased particulates and VOC.

At my home I noticed the same. It also has worked well on odors when cooking. You still get the cooking smells but they are gone much sooner when the ionizer is on versus when its off.