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UV-Aire Purifiers
Uv-Aire
uses
the
energy from a specially designed, high-intensity UV-C bulb to
eliminate
microorganisms that cycle through a home's HVAC system. Mounted inside
the
ductwork with an external control switch, Uv-aire
sterilizes
contaminants
as they pass by the bulb.
The process requires very
little
maintenance and costs just pennies a day to operate. Uv-Aire
could
be
one of the best health and comfort investments you'll ever make.
The air circulating in the
ductwork of
your home or office can be some of the poorest quality anywhere. Molds,
bacteria, yeasts, dust mites, viruses- all could be present in every
breath you
take. And you fill your lungs up to 20,000 times each day. Over time,
these
contaminants become concentrated causing allergies, inflammation of the
mucous
membrane, upper respiratory problems, asthmatic conditions, headaches
and even
flu-like symptoms.
Facts:
* Indoor air quality
problems, often
referred to as sick building syndrome, cost North Americans over $100
billion
each year in health care, absenteeism, lost production and lost
revenue.
* 65 to 75 percent of
infections and
allergy sources are passed from person to person through the air.
* Airborne contaminants
cause diseases
such as influenza, hepatitis, tuberculosis and pneumonia.
UV-Aire’s
Ultraviolet
Light
Kills Anthrax
And Other Airborne Bacteria
It is a fact that indoor air can
contain up to 100
times more airborne contaminants than outside air. Without exposure to
sunlight,
a natural bacteria inhibitor, your home or office is a breeding ground
for
germs. Anthrax and other airborne bacteria are invisible, tasteless and
odorless. These germs can be sterilized with chemicals such as
chlorine, but
only on surfaces, not when they are airborne. For more than 50 years,
scientists
have known that the most effective sterilizer of airborne bacteria is
Ultraviolet light.
The UV-Aire™ Is A Practical Means Of Controlling Airborne
Bacteria Such As
Anthrax
Since direct exposure to UV light can cause skin cancer and blindness,
the most
practical application of UV light in the home or office is in the main
air
distribution (heating and/or air conditioning) system. Since UV light
will not
pass through metal, glass or plastic, a UV light can be installed in
the main
supply or return duct of your central heating or air system without
concern for
direct exposure to eyes or skin. This is an ideal location as the air
in the
home or office will pass through the HVAC system 50-75 times a day
during normal
operation and as many as 125 times a day in continuous fan mode.
UV Energy Required To Kill Anthrax
Most, if not all bacteria can be destroyed by the use of UV light. The
main
factors in disinfections are the amount of UV power the lamp produces
and the
length of time the bacteria is exposed to the UV light source. Table 1
lists the
amount of UV energy (measured in µW-sec/cm2) necessary to destroy
various
bacteria.
For example, a 90% reduction of
Bacillus anthracis
(Anthrax bacteria) requires 4,520 µW-sec/cm2 of energy while Serratia
marcescens requires 2,420 µW-sec/cm2 of energy.
Lab Testing Of Serratia
Marcescens
Our lab testing of the UV-Aire shows that with a single-pass air flow
test, one
18-inch UV-Aire lamp can reduce levels of Serratia marcescens by 93%
while a two
lamp system can reduce by 99%.1
The calculated average UV energy output
levels of a
single UV-Aire lamp in an 18-inch square duct is 2,608 µW/cm2 and 6,186
µW/cm2
for a two lamp system. The 6,186 is comparable to the 99% energy
required in
Table 1 for Serratia marcescens. It can be seen that there is a direct
correlation between the UV-Aire UV lamp output and the observed kill
rates in
the lab testing.
Correlating The Lab Test With Anthrax
Applying this comparison to other bacteria like Anthrax, Bacillus
anthracis, the
estimated reduction of Anthrax in a single-pass would be 85% in an
18-inch
square duct utilizing a UV-Aire lamp, and 94% with a two lamp system.
Maximizing effectiveness requires a UV-Aire in combination with a high
quality
filter.
Harder to kill bacteria and molds require greater energy or exposure
time to be
as effective. For example, 99% reduction of Anthrax spores require
46,200 µW-sec/cm2
of UV energy versus 8,700 µW-sec/cm2 for Anthrax bacteria (See Table
1). This
means that Anthrax spores are 5 times more resistant than its bacteria
form.
Consequentially, spores will require 5 times the UV output energy from
the lamp
or 5 times greater exposure time. For practical purposes, we recommend
trapping
the spores in a filter, which can be irradiated continuously with the
UV-Aire.
It is recommended to use a high quality 90%-95% filtration rated air
filter or
electronic air filter.
Most filters of this type are rated down to the 0.3 micron particle
size. Low
cost, fiberglass filters should be avoided as they are typically only
10%
efficient with 1 micron particle size. For example, the Anthrax
bacteria is a
rod shaped organism that measures approximately 1 micron in diameter by
4
microns long. For this size bacteria or spore, a filter that works down
to a 0.3
micron would be very effective. The trapping action of the filter
removes the
bacteria and spores from the air, keeping the bacteria from circulating
through
the duct.
The filter itself is a potential biological hazard with bacterial
contamination.
To address this, install the UV-Aire upstream of the filter.
Normally, we recommend the UV-Aire downstream of the filter to keep the
UV lamp
clean. Placing the UV-Aire on the upstream side of the filter allows
the UV
light to continuously radiate onto the filter’s surface and the trapped
bacteria. This dramatically increases exposure time and allows the UV
rays to
kill the resistant Anthrax spores. However, with the UV-Aire on the
upstream
side of the filter, the UV lamp may collect dirt more quickly. Any dust
or other
foreign materials inhibit the transmission of the UV light, lowering
its
effectiveness. Depending on the operational environment, lamps may
require
periodic cleaning.
Note: The UV-Aire™ is designed for in duct mounting only
 How
it works:
UV-Aire uses the energy
from a specially
designed, high-intensity UV-C bulb to eliminate microorganisms that
cycle
through a home's HVAC system. The UV-Aire should be mounted inside the
ductwork,
downstream from an "A" coil in the supply plenum, or upstream from the
air filter in the return plenum. UV-Aire sterilizes contaminants as
they pass by
the bulb. The external control switch allows the contractor or
homeowner to
control the bulb's operation..
Call us to have a quote on purifying your air today!
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