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.
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!