Contractor Ron Gulley, of Bill’s Heating and Air Conditioning in Moline, Ill., got a good look inside the installed Constructo 1.0 air exchanger at the Venmar Ventilation booth.

They're not just zapping contaminants with UV lights; they're filtering, then zapping, then sending the air through charcoal media, and at last through a final filter one manufacturer described as a polish for the air.

More than one manufacturer also promoted the fact that its air cleaner features enhancements so that its operation does not affect HVAC system pressure drop - an important consideration.

Visitors to the AAF booth saw numerous products, including filtration products designed to deal with nuclear, biological, and chemical agents.

HEAVY DUTY

"For more than 30 years, we have filtered contaminants from airstreams in nuclear plants," the company said. It calls its products next-generation commercialized NBC filtration technologies, employing and adapting designs that have been used in military applications.

The Dust Free (www.dustfree.com) Bio-Fighter germicidal UV light features a 24-V electronic ballast that mounts inside the air handler control panel. The UVC light is available in 12-, 14-, or 16-inch lengths, with or without odor control. It is intended to keep the coil clean and protect IAQ from that aspect.

Koch Filter Corp. (www.kochfilter.com) introduced its DuraMax2vâ„¢ extended-surface minipleat filter, engineered for prolonged filter life cycles in office buildings, hospitals, paint booths, and other commercial-industrial applications. The new model provides low pressure drop and high efficiency due to its minipleat design, the company said. It's available in efficiencies from MERV 11 through 15.

Lifa Air Inc. (www.lifa.com) introduced its High-Security filter system, which is said to provide 99.95 percent filtration of airborne biological and chemical agents.

It is available with new system designs and can be retrofitted to existing HVAC systems, the company said. According to Kalevi Ruuska, the product has been tested in the Finnish military.

A multistage removes particulate and gaseous pollutants. The air then passes through an ultra-low penetration air (ULPA) filter, which rains solid, liquid, and radioactive particles, the company said. Optional UV lights destroy bacteria collected on the particles. From there the air flows through an activated carbon filter.

"A centrifugal fan compensates for the pressure drop caused by the ULPA and absorption filters," the company said.

“We expect Total Spectrum to set a new standard in the provision of and maintenance of indoor air,” said Jeff Rosenberry, president of ProMark Associates Inc.

The product's design allows it to be scaled up or down for a variety of applications, and retrofitted to existing HVAC systems. Its built-in media regeneration system does not produce ozone or leave waste byproducts, the company says. "We expect Total Spectrum to set a new standard in the provision of and maintenance of indoor air," said president Jeff Rosenberry.

A series of 4-inch deep pre-filters are placed to provide a desired efficiency level, usually MERV 14, the company said. The air then passes through the company's photocatalytic oxidation section that removes gaseous pollutants, creates oxidation and reduction chemistry, and regenerates a carbon media. "A second media bed ... follows as a final polishing filter for gases." The system includes air quality sensors installed before the final filter.

The Sanuvox (www.sanuvox.com) S300HFX HEPA/UV air purifier has been designed for larger applications such as offices, schools, casinos, and military facilities, to remove biological contaminants, chemicals, VOCs, diesel films, and cigarette smoke. The HEPA filter is said to trap contaminants down to 0.3 microns in size. It comes with a two-speed blower (200/300 cfm) and can be used as a stand-alone or installed air-cleaning system.

Steril-Aire (www.steril-aire-usa.com/rids.htm) introduced its Remedial In-Room Decontamination Systems, a mobile unit equipped with multi-patented, high-output UVC technology. According to the company, "This device provides a safe and effective decontamination solution for surfaces infested with mold, bacteria, and viruses."

It plugs into a 110-V outlet and can be wheeled into various areas. According to the company, it can decontaminate any area that can be reached by the light, and is ideal for cleaning up surface mold in flooded spaces.

Zentox's (www.zentox.com) Photox air purification system is designed to reduce indoor airborne microbiological and volatile organic compound (VOC) contaminants. Based on photocatalytic oxidation technology (PCO), the product is designed to remove odors, toxic vapors, and infectious organisms from the indoor environment.

Tests run by EMSL Analytical showed that Photox reduced VOC levels to below established OSHA exposure limits, the company said. Formaldehyde concentration dropped from 5 ppm to 0.2 ppm after 30 minutes of use. Ammonia levels went from 60 to 9 ppm after 30 minutes, and to 2 ppm after 60 minutes. The system reduced the concentration of viable Stachybotrys after 60 minutes and Bacillus after 120 minutes of operation.

Photox can be used in food processing plants, hospitals, schools, office buildings, medical offices, laboratories, poultry grow-out houses and hatcheries, restaurants, and nursing homes. It is listed in GreenSpec, a directory of certified green products designed to assist engineers in attaining LEED points.

Ping-pong balls! Glasfloss Industries demonstrated the low pressure drop of its new Z-Line pleated filters, compared to a competitor’s filter of the same MERV rating.

HEALTHY HOMES

Media air cleaners, like the Trion Air Bear Supreme, have filters that are replaced periodically and provide an annuity replacement business for the contractor, Fedders pointed out. Electronic air cleaners (EACs), like the Trion by Fedders HE Plus 2000, come standard with an airflow sensor and line cord that facilitates their installation.

Spinnaker's (www.spinnakerindustries.com) L2B All·Airä whole-house air purifier uses UVC lights, whose self-cleaning coating helps maintain a high kill rate for airborne pathogens and the destruction of VOCs, the company said. A photocatalytic process also reduces airborne odors. Model SP3000 is a whole-home model; the SP3005 is a DX UV model; and the 3010 is a DS insert, UV air purifier model.

The Ultravation (www.ultravation.com) Phototronicâ„¢ whole-house purification product line includes progressive air filtration, odor and VOC treatment, UV air treatment, and optional true HEPA filters. Models are said to fit any HVAC system; stand-alone, ceiling, and wall-mount models are available. Stage one of the filtration process involves MERV-11 particle capture. Stage 2 uses the Refreshâ„¢ Ultra-Ionâ„¢ photocatalyst air-cleaning system.

Venmar Ventilation's (www.venmar.ca) booth featured an installed Constructo 1.0 air exchanger, a compact unit designed for small prefabricated and tract houses, condos, apartments, and other limited-space applications. It can be upgraded from an HRV to an ERV by changing its core, the company says. A three-mode wall control allows the user to select on/off/intermittent operation in 20-minute on and 30-minute off cycles.

Lifa Air’s High-Security filter system is said to provide 99.95 percent filtration of airborne biological and chemical agents.

SAMPLES AND SENSORS

A duct-mounted particle sensor also uses particle light scattering; particle concentrations are output in a 1-10-V signal. The signal can be tied into the HVAC system or other data logging applications. The company also offers a handheld particle counter.

The Evalu-aire Pro screen test kit from Pure Air Control Services Environmental Diagnostics Laboratory (www.pureaircontrols.com) allows facilities and service providers to quickly and economically identify potentially harmful microscopic airborne and surface contaminants.

The kit's sampling equipment includes a heavy-duty carrying case, high-volume pump, aerobiology cassettes, surface microscopy preparations, a dust allergen screen, telescoping tripod stand, AHU mold screen sample report, vinyl tubing, and a digital timer. Diagnostic lab support is included.

Pure Choice (www.purechoice. com) introduced The Nose® analog IAQ monitor. Its multisensor platform measures temperature, RH, and CO2. It's a field-selectable, 4-20 mA/0-10 VDC unit with long-lasting sensors, the company says, and it offers "simple integration into legacy systems."

Benefits of using the product are said to include energy savings (because HVAC control is based on occupancy), improved tenant IAQ satisfaction, compliance with ASHRAE Standard 62-1989, and it can achieve LEED points.

Publication date: 02/13/2006