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In today’s industry driven world, one of the
greatest drawbacks of rapid development is the pollution generated. It
has been proven that many of the modern ailments such as asthma, coughs
and colds, blocked noses, and other bronchial infections are caused by
the pollutants emitted from factories and motor vehicles, apart from
the dust and pollen contaminants. Thus, the importance of installing an
air cleaner cannot be overemphasized. Air cleaners effectively clear
the air of these tiny solid or liquid contaminants. The most dangerous
of these are under 10 microns of size, and can be potentially cause
serious ailments to the lungs as well as resulting in eye irritations.
In addition to the benefit for humans, air cleaners also serve to
enhance the life of delicate electronic gadgets such as televisions,
music systems, or computers that are sensitive to dust particles. Some
air cleaners are also capable of eradicating harmful gases and odors.
For those who have furry pets or birds, air cleaners that eradicate
allergy-inducing dander are very useful. Air cleaners are ideal for
homes, offices, factories, gymnasiums, as well as hospitals.
Features and working of air cleaners
Air cleaners are of four types; mechanical
filters, electronic cleaners, ion Generators, and hybrids. Mechanical
filters, similar to furnace filters, act to filter the air of suspended
particles, using traditional paper-like filters. These filters need to
be cleaned occasionally. Electronic cleaners work by generating an
electric field and electrically charging dust particles in the device’s
vicinity, which then get attracted to an oppositely charged terminal
plate within the cleaner. As in the case of mechanical filters, these
electrical plates also need to be frequently cleaned of the accumulated
dust particles. Ion generators too, charge particulate matter in the
air. However, in this case, instead of the particles being attracted
into the system, they are attracted to static components of the room,
such as the floor, ceiling, walls, and even curtains. Hybrid air
cleaners enmesh the technologies used by the other air cleaners.
High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA)
filters incorporate a glass fiber filter, and have a 99.97 percent air
cleaning efficiency rate, with the capability of blocking particles as
miniscule as 0.3 microns, which include tobacco smoke, pollen and other
allergens. Some HEPA filters offer around 15 air exchanges per hour in
a 12 x 15 foot room at approximately 350 cubic feet per minute (CFM)
air circulation, and also use a carbon-zeolite filter for dual air
filtration. Additionally, built-in ultraviolet lamps kill spores,
bacteria, and even viruses. Outdoors, the effective air purifying range
of the HEPA cleaner can extend up to 1000 Square feet. Some air
cleaners display warning lights intimating the user when the filters
need to be cleaned or changed. Newer air cleaners offer a 360 degree
air intake facility with an updraft clean air exhaust feature, a
three-way motor, and a permanent HEPA filter.
Portable air cleaners are broadly of two
types; smaller desktop units and bigger console units. The desktop air
cleaners are capable of purifying air only in the nearby vicinity of
the device, whereas the console units are more suited for a big room or
even an entire house.
What to look for in an air cleaner
In addition to the percentage of pollutants
captured by the device, another consideration is the quantity of air
circulating through the device, measured in cubic feet. In a large
room, the greater the air capacity of the device the better the
efficiency, as the rate of air filtration should be greater than the
rate of new pollutants being added. It would make sense choosing a
filter powerful enough for the room size under consideration. A basic
yardstick for measuring the efficacy of an air cleaner would be the
number of times the air is filtered per hour. There is no upper limit
for this air filtration rate, as air pollution can spread at a
breakneck pace.
Sometimes, ion generating and electronic
devices emit ozone, a harmful gas. This drawback can be avoided if the
cleaner is properly installed and maintained. Other parameters to be
considered include a durable body, portability, lower power
consumption, an antimicrobial growth inhibitor presence, and fire
safety.
Most air cleaner are required to pass
stringent international quality tests, one of which is the Military
Standard 282 test for HEPA filters. The air cleaner is checked for the
percentage of 0.3 micron-sized dioctylphthalate (DOP) smoke removed,
which is a carcinogen. Another test created by the American Society of
Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
requires numerous parameters to be met. The trapping capacity for
coarse particles is measured by the weight arrestance test. The life of
the filter is detected through its dust blocking capacity. The dust
spot efficiency test checks for the fine particle trapping ability. The
resistance to airflow ratio determines the energy requirement of the
filter. Some other international bodies setting standards for the air
cleaners are the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, Clean Air
Device Manufacturers’ Association, Consumers’ Union, and the FDA
Medical Device Listing.
Some reputed manufacturers of air cleaners
include Aller Air, Austin Air, Bionaire, Blueair, Friedrich
Electronics, Honeywell, and Holmes.
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