Air purifiers clean indoor air at four times the normal rate

Air purifiers remove aerosols at four times the normal rate in poorly ventilated spaces, according to a new study conducted by University College Dublin in partnership with Camfil. 

Air purifiers clean indoor air at four times the normal rate

For the experiment, the researchers used one of Camfil’s City M air purifiers in a room measuring 4m x 5m x 2.6m.

The presence of aerosols was then measured by observing the average image intensity of laser light scattered by the aerosol. 

The experiment revealed that when untreated, aerosols slowly dissipated over 500 seconds. However, when the air purifier was at its maximum speed, the aersols were cleared in under 160 seconds. 

These findings are significant because the World Health Organisation (WHO) recently declared that Covid-19 is transmitted mostly through the inhalation of airborne aerosols within close range.

These findings, therefore, suggest that air purifiers can therefore help to reduce the spread of Covid-19, while also tackling more long-standing health problems caused by exposure to indoor air pollutants. 

Dr Kevin Nolan from the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at University College Dublin said: ‘We are very grateful to Camfil for allowing us to use their City M air purifiers for these experiments.

‘Since the outbreak of Covid-19, it has become more and more important to test new methods of keeping our indoor spaces clean and free from airborne particles. Camfil’s City M air purifiers have proven to be highly effective in removing the presence of aerosols quickly and efficiently, creating a healthier and safer environment. Conducting these experiments at the Mater Misericordiae Hospital in Dublin has allowed us to display how hospitals can benefit from the use of top-quality air purifiers to protect patients and staff.’

In related news, Air Quality News reporter Laura O’Neill, investigates how the Covid-19 crisis has highlighted widespread weakness in the UK’s approach to ventilation in care homes.  

Photo by Henry McIntosh