Photocatalytic Air Sanitizer
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www.ascenthvac.com [email protected] 844-627-2368 AIR SANITIZER The Natural Path To Clean Air The recent pandemic has prompted questions from customers about how a building’s HVAC systems may affect the concentrations and transmission of infectious disease, viruses, mold, mildew, bacteria, chemical reactions and their impact to respiratory infections and people with asthma. Answering these questions will help building owners and property managers more effectively reduce the risks of spreading infectious disease and improve the indoor air quality. Key Benefits of our IAQ Equipment Include: Consider the addition of Photocatalytic • Significant reduction of microbiological elements (viruses, mold, bacteria and mildew) AIR SANITIZER Technology with 3rd • Reduction of organic odors caused by VOCs including diesel Party Test Data proven to Kill Viruses, exhaust fumes Mold, Bacteria and Mildew in addition • Low Pressure drop 0.05" at 500 fpm vs. HEPA filters 1.6-3.0" at 2x initial PD change out to typical Filter Capture methods. • OSHPD Certificates, UL and EPA • Multiple 3rd party testing • 17 Years of proven Installations Our goal is to significantly improve indoor air quality in • Over 100 Hospital Installations various applications including office buildings, • Minimal maintenance and longer life-cycle than other air cleaning technologies construction sites, senior housing, schools, hospitals and airports. Our approach is to use the best possible Available in a Variety of Configurations: technology to do more than filter bad particles from the • Easily retrofit into existing air handling systems air. Our equipment uses powerful and groundbreaking • Curb-Integrated for use with existing and new rooftop technology to accomplish our goals. packaged systems • Portable and duct-mounted versions • Bolt on module for negative air machines and construction site fan filter modules iaqsolutionsinc.net/products Page 1 www.ascenthvac.com [email protected] 844-627-2368 Question: Answer: Is the air we breathe placing us at risk? Several sources confirm that Bioaerosols can (Should we be concerned about indoor air quality?) survive in an air system. reproduction, distribution, or transmission For personal use only. Additional © 2014 ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). in either print or digital form is not permitted without ASHRAE's prior written permission. 1. THE ISSUE “The COVID-19 virus can remain viable and infectious in aerosols for hours and on surfaces for The potential for airborne transmission of disease is widely recognized, although there remains uncertainty concerning which diseases are spread primarily via which route, whether it be airborne, short range droplets, direct or indirect contact, or multimodal (a combination of mechanisms). Ventilation and airflow are effective for controlling transmission of only certain diseases. Several days.” -The New England Journal of Medicine ventilation and airflow strategies are effective and available for implementation in buildings. Although this PD is primarily applicable to diseases that spread from person to person, the principles also apply to infection from environmental reservoirs such as building water systems spp. and organic matter with spores from mold (to the extent that the microor- with Legionella 1 The first step in control of such a disease is to eliminate ganisms spread by the airborne route). the source before it becomes airborne. ASHRAEPositionDocumenton 2. BACKGROUND Airborne Infectious Diseases “Some infectious diseases are transmitted through inhalation of airborne infectious particles, 2.1 Introduction to Infectious Disease Transmission This position document covers the spread of infectious disease from an infected individual cross transmission or person-to-person transmission, by to a susceptible person, known as small airborne particles (an aerosol) that contain microorganisms. This PD does not cover direct or indirect contact routes of exposure. Direct contact means which can be disseminated through buildings by pathways that include ventilation systems.” any surface contact such as touching, kissing, sexual contact, contact with oral secretions or skin lesions, or additional routes such as blood transfusions or intravenous injections.Approved Indirect byASHRAEBoardofDirectors contact involves contact with an intermediate inanimate surface (fomite), such as a doorknob January19,2014 or bedrail that is contaminated. Exposure through the air occurs through (1) droplets, which are released and fall to surfaces -ASHRAE Position Document on Airborne Infectious Diseases 5HDIILUPHGE\7HFKQRORJ\&RXQFLO about 1 m (3 ft) from the infected and (2) small particles, which stay airborne for hours at a time )HEUXDU\ and can be transported long distances. The aerobiology of transmission of droplets and small particles produced by a patient with acute infection is illustrated in Figure 1. Because large droplets are heavy and settle under the influence of gravity quickly, generalExpires$XJXVW,20 dilution, pressure differentials, and exhaust ventilation do not significantly influence droplet concentrations, velocity, or direction, unless they reduce diameter by evaporation, thus becom- droplet nuclei has been used to describe desiccation of large droplets ing an aerosol. The term into small airborne particles (Siegel et al. 2007). If influenza transmission occurs not only through direct contact or large droplets, as is the , Of the modes of transmission, this PD’s scope is limited to aerosols, which can travelairborne longer, aerosol distances through the airborne route, including by HVAC systems. The terms and droplet nuclei are used throughout this PD to refer to this route. HVAC systems are not known to entrain the larger particles. The size demarcation between droplets and small particles has been described as long-standing public health tradition, but also through the airborne route, as newer data suggests, having a mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) of 2.5 to10 µm (Shaman and Kohn 2009; Duguid 1946; Mandell 2010). Even particles with diameters of 30 µm or greater can remain suspended in the air (Cole and Cook 1998). Work by Xie and colleagues (2007) indi- t cates that large droplets are those of diameter between 50 and 100 µm at the original time of release. Tang and others (2006) proposed a scheme of large-droplet diameter 60 µm, HVAC systems may contribute far more both to transmission of disease and, potentially, to Legionella, see ASHRAE (2012a). Readers are referred to other resources that address 1 For ASHRAE’s position concerning mitigation of transmission of this waterborne pathogen (ASHRAE 2000; CDC 2003; the forthcoming ASHRAE Standard 188; ASHRAE OSHA 1999; SA Health 2013, and WHO 2007). For ASHRAE’s position concerning mold and moisture, see1791 ASHRAETullieCircle,NE•Atlanta,Georgia30329-2305 (2013d). 404-636-8400•fax:404-321-5478•www.ashrae.org reduction of transmission risk. - ASHRAE Position Document on Airborne Infectious Diseases 3 Question: Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) has successfully been Are UV lights effective against Virus? used in HVAC units to keep coils and drain pans free of microbial growth. However, Ascent is unaware of evidence that Answer: UVGI has been conclusively shown to kill or disable microbes or viruses that may be UVGI can be effective with adequate present in an airstream. Based on air velocities in typical air handling systems, any dwell time but unlikely effective on microbes traveling in the airstream would likely not have enough exposure time to be viruses in an airstream at 500 fpm. affected by the UV lights alone. Question: Answer: I have filters in my HVAC System, if I upgrade to HEPA Even the best filters may let the smallest Airborne filters will that stop airborne transmission of virus? Droplet nuclei pass through. Size does matter. The Covid virus is between 0.06-0.14µm “HEPA filters are commonly used “We have demonstrated in “Something that may be in individual and collective our laboratory that biological of some interest to protection applications and are aerosols of MS2 coli phage, a designers of operating very efficient at removing common viral simulate, can rooms is that the particulate matter from the air. penetrate both Carbon microorganisms spanning the most HEPA filters are typically rated HEPA Aerosol Canister (CHAC) and flat penetrating particle size range of HEPA to be 99.97% efficient at collecting the sheet HEPA material. The penetration is filters are predominantly nosocomial most penetrating particle (0.3µm) (Lee linear over time, through viral penetration (hospital acquired) infections.” 1980). While this is an impressive collection exceeding MID (minimum infections doses) - Filtration of Airborne Microorganisms: efficiency, IT IS NOT ABSOLUTE; 0.03% of is expected to occur in minutes following Modeling and Prediction ASHRAE matter at the most penetrating size does a viral challenge.” Transactions: Research, WJ Kowalski, M.S., penetrate the HEPA filter. - Viral Penetration of high efficiency P.E., William P Bahnfleth, Ph.D., P.E. particulate air (HEPA) filters, Air Force T.S.Whitmam, Ph.D. https://virologydownunder.com/flight-of-the-aerosol Research Laboratory, Tyndall AFB Page 2 www.ascenthvac.com [email protected] 844-627-2368 Question: Do alternatives exist that can capture or destroy the Third Party Tested IAQ Solutions Panels are part of an overall risk biological aerosols that penetrate HEPA filters? management plan. Contact Ascent for 3 rd party test results. Answer: Filters alone will not meet all of your