ION AIR PURIFICATION
Air continually circulates within offices and homes through the ventilation system every minute of every hour of every day. Inside air can be 100 times more polluted than outside air - underscoring the importance of a proper air purification system. Modern modular air purification units often employ two tools that help improve air quality: ultraviolet light and ion air purification.
Ultraviolet (UV) LightSunlight is the most effective natural air purifier known to break down chemical and biological contaminants. UV lights work in a similar fashion through both UVV and UVC capabilities.
Ultraviolet (UV) light is a powerful weapon in the battle against an unhealthy environment. While some air purifiers remove harmful solids, those that incorporate ultraviolet lights purify the air, removing chemicals and biological contaminants UVV destroys chemical contaminants (solvents, formaldehyde, VOCs) by photo-oxidation while UVC destroys biological contaminants (yeast, mold, bacteria, and viruses) by destruction of the organism's DNA. Since airborne organisms have short life spans, their population decreases rapidly when reproduction is inhibited by UVC.
The more time bacteria is suspended in front of the UV light, the higher the UV dosage it receives, the greater the kill.Factors in achieving a high kill are: a) the intensity of the UV source and b) the length of time the bacteria is exposed to the UV light.
The more time in front of the lamp, the higher the UV dosage the contaminants receive, and the higher the kill. Finally, to increase the dwell time (the time the contaminant is in contact with the UV Energy), the purifier is mounted parallel to the air-stream, maximizing the time the contaminant is in contact with the UV lamp.
Some air purification systems slow, twist and mix the air around the UV lamp, dramatically increasing the time the contaminants are suspended in front of the lamp. A good analogy would be putting your hand over a candle. If you were to quickly move your hand through the flame, you would barely feel the heat. If you move your hand slowly through the flame, you would surely be burned. When the air purifier slows down the contaminant in the air, it can be "burned" by the UV lamp
UV air purification systems' efficiency decreases farther away from the bulb. This decrease occurs very quickly and is not linear. The "kill rate" right next to the UV bulb is 100 percent. It is 60 percent efficient 1/2 inches from the bulb, and 20 percent efficient two inches from the bulb. While this mere 20% efficiency at only two inches from the bulb may sound troubling, consider that air is constantly circulating and passes through the system more than once.
To get the most from your UV system, it is important to use a UV light that has both UVV and UVC capabilities. UV bulb manufacturers normally use two different types of quartz glass in the bulb: approximately 20 percent for UVV and 80 percent for UVC capabilities. The life expectancy of a UV bulb should be about 12,000 hours of run time. If the blowers were to run 24-hours-a-day, the bulb life span would be approximately 15-16 months.Air Purifiers And Ultraviolet (UV) LightAsthma, allergies, and other afflictions are triggered by the repeated exposure of the lungs to small doses of chemical substances. Everyday, an individual's lungs can process up to 1,000 cubic feet of air, or the equivalent of 30,000-quart containers per day.
Airborne contaminates cause diseases such as influenza, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and pneumonia. Combating health hazards found in the air begins with choosing the proper air purification system. Air purifiers clean solid particles from the air.
The ideal air purification system simulates natural processes. Nature creates ozone (O3) with lightning or UV light from the sun. Naturally occurring or generated, ozone is possibly the greatest purification element we have available to deal with man-made pollutants. Ozone is highly reactive, destroying bacteria, fungi, and viruses in addition to oxidizing (burning) pollutants.
Reactions with ozone generally produce pure oxygen (O2), carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen (H2), and/or water (H2O). Ozone's properties as a bactericide, viricide, fungicide and deodorizer are well accepted by the scientific community. However, it is also well established that exposure to high levels of ozone can be harmful to health, and in particular can be a respiratory irritant. This has led to a controversy as to the safety of such ozone generators for general public use. There is no consensus as to when ozone levels become harmful to humans, but based on available research, regulatory agencies such as the FDA have set safe levels at .05 ppm (parts per million) for continual exposure and OSHA has set 0.1 ppm as a maximum for 8 hour exposures. Other agencies and organizations have similar recommendations.
The ideal air purification system combines fail-safe methods for release of ozone at acceptable, fail-safe levels not allowing the accumulation of ozone to exceed recommended, safe levels with UV light. Some air purifiers contain special ultraviolet lamps that produce photolic ozone as well as control its level. Along with these functions, the lamps also produce ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI). Like ozone, UVGI destroys bacteria, viruses, and fungi and has been used in medical facilities for years for those exact purposes. Combining photolic ozone with UVGI and moisture (humidity) produces a powerful oxidant known as hydroxyl radicals. These purifying hydroxyls have been described as the single most important cleansing agent in the earth's atmosphere. They break down hazardous organic compounds and are a catalyst in the chain reaction necessary for contaminant oxidation.
Ion Air Purification
The ideal air purification system will also contain an ion air-purifying feature. Negative ions have been linked directly and indirectly to better health. Negative ions have been shown to increase oxygenation of the lungs and lower complaints of general aches, pains, lethargy and depression. Additionally, investigators at the EPA have shown how particles charged by combining with negative ions tend to attach to grounded surfaces such as ceilings, walls, and floors. This electro-static attraction effectively removes otherwise airborne toxins (nitrates, sulfates, auto emissions and more) from your breathable air. Conclusion
Use of air purification technology that features ultraviolet light and ion air purification assures that air circulating within offices and homes through the ventilation system every minute of every hour of every day is "flushed" and relatively free of harmful pollutants and irritants.
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