Simon Honours

HOW TO SELECT THE BEST AIR PURIFIER INTRODUCTION Prior to the birth of the industrial revolution in the mid-18th century, any real damage from pollution was healed quickly: the world’s giant lungs –great forests and jungles of old – could handle almost any airborne pollution. This massive effluent vs the inability to correct it gives rise to increasing health issues and global damage. Add to that an unchecked population explosion and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. AIR PURIFICATION Why do we need Air purification? We all know how harmful air pollution is to our health. Our lungs are like highways for clean and dirty air and process both equally. Healthy content is metabolized for us to live. The unhealthy toxins and diseases are also processed sometimes with disastrous effect. Although our bodies are wondrously and miraculously made, there is only so much that they can handle and sadly, we’re not immune to the ravages of air-borne pollutants. Air pollution is increasing at alarming rates. The concentration of air pollutants is growing at unchecked rates and increasing exponentially. Global warming is largely due to airborne effluent containing pollutants and particulates. Many cities wallow in mist-like shroud thanks to pollution. Courtesy of “Statista” Air purification systems. They are exactly what they say: air purifiers. Purification is the process by which undesirable toxins and particles are removed from the air to produce air fit for specific purposes. Toxins can be gases, chemicals in solution, biohazards or suspended solid etc. Air conditioning on the other hand has to do with temperature control and air circulation. Purification balanced by what is cost-effectively acceptable all the way through to perfectly balance air, i.e. ±78 % nitrogen, 21% oxygen, >1% argon, 0.04% carbon dioxide, and other trace gases and a little water vapor. HOW DO AIR PURIFICATION SYSTEMS WORK? Air purification systems range from tiny purifiers you can put on your night-stand all the way to massive, large scale HVAC (High Volume Air conditioning) systems for use on industrial scales. I have to hand it to the Chinese: Early 2019 saw history in the making. A purification plant over 320 feet high was built in Xian, Northern China. Still in its experimental phase, early reports assure us of noticeable air quality improvement diminished smog. Specifically engineered air purifiers use an intricate blend of fans, membranes and filters, chemicals, liquid solutions, heat, UV light, electrical and ion systems etc. to remove harmful airborne substances. Harmful air is drawn through the system under pull-pressure, undergoing its designed purification process along the way until the desired air quality is expelled and recirculated. There are smaller, more localized problems than the global issue where air purification is still required. Let’s take a brief look at a few of these closer to home: CHOOSING AIR PURIFIERS FOR HOUSEHOLD APPLICATIONS. What am I trying to solve? Air purifiers maintain a healthy air environment. Consider the following type of filtration requirements when choosing an air purification system: For allergy relief The air purification system must include HEPA and activated carbon systems. HEPA (highefficiency particulate air) filters can remove almost all particles bigger that 0.3 microns in size effectively reducing dust in the air, pet dander and dust mites. For asthma and similar respiratory solutions Include HEPA and chemical filtration. Smoke Designed to remove tobacco smoke, fireplace soot, and other fumes aggravating respiratory conditions. This required HEPA and activated carbon systems. Chemical allergies A combination of HEPA, activated carbon and MCS (multiple chemical sensitivities) systems are best. Combatting viruses and bacteria HEPA filtering system are great at destroying harmful airborne viruses and bacteria. Ultraviolet air purifiers use UV-C germicidal light to kill airborne bacteria, viruses, and germs. The best systems combine HEPA and activated carbon systems. HEPA filters cannot remove gases, VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and smells less than 0.3 microns. Activated charcoal air filters perform where HEPA filters can’t. If you want to go the extra mile, add UV-C’s into the mix as well. In order to be safe, the system required depends on what must be blocked or destroyed. Don’t assume that a system that blocks out allergens that cause hay fever will also block out smallpox for example. How big must it be? It’s about ACH rate (air change per hour) and room volume. Air must be circulated at least 4 times per hour. Regarding volume, use the following guide on system sizes: Small: Medium: Large: Whole-House: <3,000 ft3; Between 3,000 and 7,000 ft3; Between 7,00 and 19,000 ft3; Get specific guidance. What features are available? ▪ Energy conservation are Energy Star-rated by the EPA. ▪ Systems can be controlled from smart phone apps with real-time quality indicators. ▪ Caster wheels and handles ▪ Remotes; ▪ Variable speed settings; ▪ Maintenance indicators. Where should I put it? Consider where you spend most of your time. It’s likely to be the bedroom, otherwise look at multiple room systems. How often do I need to change out filters? Good systems include indicators alerting you to change the filters. Here’s a guide on how often to change filters: HEPA Filters: - Yearly. Activated carbon filters - Every 6 months. Pre-Filters: - Every quarter. UV systems - rarely if every. For large-scale solutions, specialized teams of scientists and engineers need to run EIA’s (environmental impact assessments) in order to determine what pollutants exist and what solution to provide. Businessinsider.com lists the best air purification systems for household / office use for 2019: ▪ Best air purifier overall: Coway Airmega 200M. ▪ Best air purifier for allergies: Dyson Pure Cool Air Purifier Fan. ▪ Best air purifier for larger rooms: Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Air Purifier. ▪ Best non-electric air purifier: Morihata International Chikuno Cube. IN CONCLUSION In an ideal world… prevention is better than cure. Until we can cure our planet, we need to manage what we have. Air purification systems, although sometimes seldom thought of, have real potential to create clean air. It’ll take time, but with ingenuity, such as that shown by the Chinese in Xian, we can get there on a global scale. I’d like to think that with a growing social conscience and the rampant power of social media, we can “make the world a better place, for you and for me and this world”, to quote the popular lyrics. Is it possible to create Eutopia? I think so.