An eco-friendly air purification system that reduces ultrafine particles and operates filter-free is moving into the mainstream, offering cleaner air in subways, schools, and other indoor public facilities.
Dr. Hak Joon Kim and his research team at the Department of Urban Environmental Research of the Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM) have successfully completed two years of testing and are now moving to deploy their purification technology across a broader range of applications, according to a summary on TechXplore.
Their technology uses electrostatic force to clean the air and has a much lower ozone output compared to traditional systems. The report explained that by using microfiber discharge electrodes and nonmetallic carbon plates, their system also uses 80% less energy, removing more than 90% of ultrafine particles from the air.
Ozone, which can cause damage to the tissues of the respiratory tract, is a byproduct of electrostatic filtration, but Dr. Kim's process reduces the emission levels to five parts per billion, which the article states is lower than general atmospheric conditions.
Since it's also filter-free, this new system sidesteps the issues of decreased airflow due to clogging and the subsequent costs of cleaning or replacement.
As particles accumulate on collection plates and purification capacity decreases, airflow is used to separate the contaminated dust, which is then vacuumed away. This keeps the unit clean without the need for water, helping to decrease wastewater and downtime.
The technology has been tested at several subway stations, and a pilot installation at an elementary school is underway while the company seeks certification for wider deployment.
Reducing air pollution is crucial for human health, and in the post-COVID era, air filtration is especially important in enclosed, high-traffic areas.
"This is the only technology that has fundamentally solved the ozone emission issue, which has long been a barrier to applying electrostatic methods indoors," said Dr. Kim, per the report.
"Moreover, it is economically viable, reaching the break-even point within approximately three years after initial deployment."
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