Ultraviolet (UV) light has been used for decades to clean water, surfaces, and air. In recent years, ultraviolet technology used in UV purifiers is being used to increase air quality.
What, if any, UV air purifiers protect us from airborne viruses? What is their purpose?
Concerns about air quality and a rise in health awareness due to the COVID-19 epidemic have caused a surge in UV purifier usage. According to a Research and Markets study, the market for air purifiers worldwide will grow to USD 31.83 billion in 2027.
Due to rising health concerns related to COVID-19 airborne viruses, demand for UV air purification system HVAC services has seen a dramatic surge. These systems play a critical role in providing healthier indoor environments that contribute to overall well being.
There are various air purifiers on the market that can reduce the impact of airborne contaminants, including viruses, in home, office, commercial, and home environments. Combating airborne viruses is now a major need because they have been found to spread COVID-19 in enclosed, indoor, and air-conditioned spaces that have little ventilation.
What is UV Air purifiers?
UV air purifiers were made to utilize shortwave UV-C light to destroy airborne pathogens and microorganisms such as mould, bacteria, and viruses.
UV air purifiers share the same objective as all air purifiers—to decrease and eliminate indoor air pollution. But UV technology differs from other types of air purifiers because instead of merely taking out pollutants from the air, they inactivate them, making the air they breathe cleaner, safer, and safer for everyone.
What is the UV purifier’s performance?
As the air moves across the device, it passes through UV-C technology, removing airborne pollutants using germicidal UV light. The main safety concern could be that UV light could produce Ozone in this process (these fears stem from the first UV mercury lamps that were used in the late 20th century).
Exposure to UV-C light poses a risk to humans. But in top personal devices such as Respiray, the UV-C light is sealed within the device, which means there is no exposure to UV-C light to humans. Nowadays, reliable UV air purifiers feature UV-C lights that do not emit Ozone, making them safe to use.
The UV air purifier currently comprises two different types of devices:
- Freestanding or stand-alone devices
- Wearable and personal devices, both wearable and personal
- Standalone UV air purifiers
A stand-alone UV air purifier is an air quality control equipment that utilizes ultraviolet-C light to cleanse the atmosphere of dangerous viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens and keep the air safe to breathe.
Office and home UV air purifiers typically come in compact sizes. Some models are bigger than others, but it may take longer to clean a room’s air quality, depending on the model type. Certain models contain mercury lamps and do not necessarily use the most efficient UV-C LEDs.
Rensair is a good example of a UV-based standalone air purifier. Genano does not use UV-C but plasma technology. Both of them utilize HEPA filters that require replacement and cleaning.
Personal or wearable UV air purifiers
An air purifier for personal use provides greater protection when turned on. It safeguards the wearer immediately and does not have to wait for the room to be cleansed. Additionally, the wearer can move locations without purifying the new space or moving an air purifier. Purifiers for wearable ultraviolet that don’t require filters won’t become filthy or clogged, as filters do not need to be replaced.
Air purifiers that wear ultraviolet are part of a multi-faceted solution to kill harmful airborne microorganisms, viruses and pathogens without wearing masks. They are more environmentally friendly because they can be used again and not masks.