Scientists at the Silesian University of Technology have built an innovative ULI air purifier to supporting the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and against smog.
The purifier can be used in large, poorly ventilated spaces, in which large groups of people are present, including hospitals, schools, kindergartens and offices.
Realising that many such buildings are poorly ventilated, the researchers decided to build a device that would improve the situation quickly and inexpensively.
The university’s Dr. Sebastian Werle said: “Innovation of this device consists in pulse action and its applicability in large rooms. It is also more efficient and universal, because it fits not only in the fight against COVID-19, but also against smog.”
The unique design, enabling pulse air flow in a specially designed channel, generates non-linear air flow in places with UVC LED lamps. The device is equipped with two high-performance fans. In addition, engineers equipped ULI with a noise sensor. As a result, the device placed, for example, in a school corridor, will engage maximum speed when students come out of classes during recess.
One of the inventors, Dr. Artur Czachor, CEO of the tech start-up WAAM said that the device has two intakes through which air can be supplied from another room or from outside the building, additionally purified and then supplied to the target room.
The device can purify the air in an average size classroom, it is more efficient and cheaper than similar available purifiers, and has low operating costs. Czachor said: “We tried to construct a device that would not expose public facilities, which often struggle with financial problems, to the costs of frequent maintenance or expensive filters. We built it to be cheap, economic and efficient.”
According to Dr. Ewa Brągowska from the Department of Technologies and Installations for Waste Management of the Silesian University of Technology, during ULI testing it turned out that the air purification efficiency was 30 percent better compared to commonly available devices.
The air purifier will be used in the paediatric admission room at the Clinical Hospital No. 1 in Zabrze.
Hospital director Dr. Dariusz Budziński said: “We chose the admission room, because that is where we have an accumulation of cases with various types of viruses. The three most common are: influenza virus, RSV virus and coronavirus, which is very common among both children and caregivers these days.”
The hospital in Zabrze has been cooperating with the Silesian University of Technology for a long time, including the use of disinfection gates developed by scientists from the university. (PAP)
Author: Krzysztof Konopka
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