Air purification system assembly comprising five stages

Advanced
Air Purification Systems
By Jeffrey L. Roseberry and Bernice Valantinas
President VP & COO
ProMark Associates, Inc., Skokie, IL, USA ProMark Associates

T
he achievement of clean, comfortable technologies to overcome limitations. is the main end use of 48- 55% energy
indoor air is one of the challenges of Two projects, a casino with heavy smok- consumed.
the 21st century. Pollutants in outdoor ing and a new airport terminal, illustrate Ventilation: Effects on Indoor
and indoor air have increased in variety how an advanced air purification technol- Air Quality and HVAC Energy
and concentration. Equally urgent is the ogy, designed to be integrated within the Consumption
need to control energy use, especially by HVAC system, can provide superior IAQ Ventilation with outside air to provide
HVAC. There is a dual urgency: to develop safely, reliably, and energy-efficiently.
improved methods for air cleaning and Scope of the Problem About the Authors
to reduce HVAC energy consumption. Global building space will increase by Jeffrey L. Roseberry has 25 years of experience
in gas phase filtration products and services. A
Current methods achieve results, but 26% to 178 billion square meters by 2020.
chemical engineer with a Masters in Business from
they are constrained by their product’s Of that, 4.92 billion will be green building the Kellogg School of Northwestern University,
primary focus on cleaning air, the design certified. To address this rise in energy USA, he is actively involved in ASHRAE technical
resulting from that focus, and by industry demand, Building Energy Management committees and holds two patents on advanced
requirements for ventilation. Energy use Systems (BEMS) investment will surpass 10 air purification technologies.
reduction becomes a secondary goal or billion USD by 2016 in the US alone. Office Bernice Valantinas joined ProMark in 2000 to
the primary goal of a separate product. and retail are the most energy intensive launch expor t of a refrigerator filter to retard
Advanced air purification technology buildings typically accounting for over produce spoilage for GE Appliance. She looks after
ProMark’s technology in India, Mexico, Chile, the
takes a step forward in meeting the dual 50% of the total energy consumption
Middle East, and the Far East. Earlier, she spent
challenge with broad focus and capabilities. for non-domestic buildings. In the USA, 25 years in hospital administration and healthcare
Its design flows from incorporating supermarkets, hospitals and restaurants marketing. She holds an MBA from Kellogg, and
existing methods and adding advanced have the highest intensity of use. HVAC is a member of the Illinois Green Building Council.
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fresh air for occupants has been the underpinning of HVAC standards efficiency to enable a 50% reduction in ventilation rate without
since 1836. It has thus driven HVAC design. The assumption has increasing indoor aldehyde concentrations.”3
been that outside air is clean or cleaner than inside air. The reality Uses & Limitations of Existing Air Cleaning
is that both outside and inside air contain pollutants. Not since the Methods
late 1970’s has the energy consumption by the HVAC system been Gas Phase Media Filters:
widely considered. Now, methods like Demand Control Ventilation Activated carbon, an adsorbent, along with chemisorbant
(DCV) are being applied to control use of outside air. media such as potassium permanganate (KMnO4) on alumina,
effectively removes odors and VOCs. Various types of filters or
Achieving indoor air quality for comfort and safety has
modules hold carbon, KMnO4 on alumina, or a blend of both. These
almost exclusively been limited to dilution with outside air. In
solutions by media are available from multiple vendors and are safe
the days of clean outside air and no air conditioning, opening
to use. Control of pathogens with gas phase filtration is very limited.
a window was a straightforward solution. But buildings got
Gas phase filtration costs can mount up with 1-2 changes per year.
taller, windows were sealed, and AC became the norm year
Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI):
round. Energy use and cost significantly increased. Today,
UVGI is becoming more widely applied in hospitals and
we are striving for Net Zero, sustainable buildings. However,
buildings to control some bacteria and viruses. It helps prevent
lightening the energy burden caused by high levels of
growth of algae and legionella in the AHU drain pan and cooling
ventilation and high air conditioning loads still leaves the
coil. UVGI can be effective against microbes; however, the kill rate
indoor air quality issue to be solved.
is dependent on extended exposure and contact or residence
In ventilation theory, outside air mixes with recirculated air time. In-duct installations are unable to treat the entire airstream
to continuously dilute pollutants, thus assuring there will always as it goes by, so bypass is assured. In addition, certain bacteria and
be pollution, just less concentrated. This leads to over ventilation. viruses (such as TB bacilli, Legionella pneumophilia, C-DIFF, MRSA
In 2005, the US Department of Energy (DoE) funded and H1N1) may need multiple UV doses to ensure eradication,
Lawrence Berkeley National Labs (LBNL) to conduct research on thus requiring additional stages of UV lamps.
air purification methods that would also reduce energy use in Advanced Air Purification - Safe, Sustainable,
buildings1. This study found some disadvantages of increased Clean Indoor Air
ventilation: An advanced air purification system (APS) harnesses the
1. Indoor concentrations of some outdoor pollutants increase. oxidative power of UV/PCO and embeds it in a five stage sequence
2. Outdoor air is a major source of ozone indoors increasing with of air filtration, air purification, controls, sensors and safeguards.
higher ventilation. The five stage process eliminates viruses and bacteria, in
3. Outdoor respirable particles increase indoors with increased addition to VOCs, odors, SOx, NOx and particulates. Any
ventilation, unless properly filtered. intermediates formed along with newly created oxidation
4. Indoor humidity will increase with ventilation rate when radicals are destroyed within the system. Purified air then passes
outdoor air is more humid than indoor air. downstream. The process of advanced air purification does
5. Higher indoor humidity can lead to more dust mites and not create hazardous waste or byproducts, is a safe process to
greater risk of mold growth. maintain, and offers ease of operation.
LBNL’s 2005 paper studied ultraviolet light (UV) and photo The advanced APS is scalable and can be integrated into
catalytic oxidation (PCO) as means to remove volatile organic existing HVAC. Placed in front of the AHU, it should treat both
compounds (VOCs), the main pollutant class of gases including outside and recirculated air. By purifying all the air each time it
many carcinogens. Their tests showed that UV and PCO do passes through the AHU, pollutant existence is shortened to a few
destroy VOCs, but destruction is not complete due to limited minutes. With pollutant levels reduced, the need for ventilation to
residence time and partial conversions. Harmful intermediates are dilute indoor air is significantly reduced.
formed, such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. These and other Advanced Air Purification System Stages
intermediates must, in turn, be eliminated. Stage 1: Prefiltration
In 2007 LBNL repeated the test and energy study with UV/PCO Prefiltration uses conventional HVAC filters, but must be
followed by permanganate on alumina2. This combination yielded capable of 95% efficiency to 1µ (micron). This protects the next
a vastly better solution: stage, which is UVPCO.
“In summary, the use of a multi-panel, folded scrubber Stage 2: Ultraviolet light and photocatalytic oxidation (see
filled with NaMnO4.H2O (sodium permanganate monohydrate) Figure 1).
chemisorbant media downstream of the prototype UV/PCO air This is the most effective use of UV light, increasing its
cleaner effectively counteracted the generation of formaldehyde germicidal power dramatically by partnering it with a catalyst.
and acetaldehyde due to incomplete oxidation of VOCs in the Full potential of UV light spectrum is utilized which goes
UV/PCO reactor. Thus, this combined UV/PCO air cleaner and beyond UVGI to create hydroxyl radicals with the oxidative
chemisorbant system appears to have sufficient VOC removal equivalent of 2.5 times chlorine.
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 Advanced Air Purification Systems
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Figure 1: Ultraviolet light and photocatalytic oxidation Figure 2: Media in modules

This powerful chemistry is generated dynamically from water filters need replacing. This is also available to the BMS.
molecules. These active molecules oxidize organics, such as Stage 5: Final Filter/Catalyst (see Figure 4).
VOCs and pathogens. This stage serves as the final stop-gap for any media dust that
Stage 3: Media in Modules (see Figure 2). may get through from Stage 3 or 4. Standard filters are with 30%
The carbon and KMnO4 on alumina remove both odors and efficiency. For critical applications, HEPA filters can be added.
VOCs. Intermediate products of Stage 2 oxidation are captured Casino Case Study
by carbon and converted to carbon dioxide and water by ozone Casino Project: New construction addition
from Stage 2. In the Stage 3 process, the ozone is broken down
and the carbon is regenerated in situ, retaining its active life, Laboratory Test Results of Air Samples
often for years. Dubuque Casino: TVOC Levels

The V-shaped media-holding modules are an advanced

design that offers reduced air resistance, increased media bed
depth, and longer residence time.
Stage 4: Controls and Sensors (see Figure 3).
UV safeguards sensors when section doors are being opened
and automatically turn off UV lights to prevent accidental
exposure.
Sensors monitor temperature, humidity, ozone, and TVOCs
in real time to provide IAQ data. Monitoring for additional target
contaminants can be added.
BMS – Building Management System interface is provided
allowing integration with HVAC systems based on sensor data. Courtesy of Prism Analytical Technologies, Inc.

Pressure guages are provided to monitor when particulate Figure 5: TVOC levels in a casino
Challenges:
• 60-70% smokers
• 30,000 sq. ft. with 20 ft. ceilings
• H igh odor complaint volume
experienced in previous facility
Solution:
• 30% fresh air, 70% recirculated air
• APS consisting of three prefilters, UV/
PCO, carbon media modules, potassi-
um permanganate on alumina media
modules, final filter and controls
• T h re e 3 3 , 0 0 0 c f m A P S u n i t s
installed ahead of respective AHU
• 100% of all returning air sent to
Figure 3: Controls and sensors Figure 4: Final filter/ catalyst APS first
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Results: air purification provides clear benefits for people and for the
• In operation since May 2005 environment.
• Original activated carbon still in use as of May 2011 References
• UV lamps and KMnO4 media only replaced twice 1. L.P. Lombard, J. Ortiz, C. Pout, A review on buildings energy
• Maintaining TVOCs at 200-300 nanograms/liter, making consumption information, Elsevier B.V., March 2007.
the air on the casino floor (first bar in Figure 5) cleaner than 2. A.T. Hodgson, D.P. Sullivan, W. J. Fisk, Evaluation of Ultra-
USGBC minimal requirements Violet Photocatalytic Oxidation (UVPCO) for Indoor Air
Airport Terminal Design Case Study Applications: Conversion of Volatile Organic Compounds
at Low Part-per-Billion Concentrations, Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory, September 2005.
3. A. T. Hodgson, H. H. Destaillats, H.Toshifumi, W. J. Fisk,
Evaluation of a Combined Ultraviolet Photocatalytic
Oxidation (UVPCO)/Chemisorbent Air Cleaner for Indoor
Air Applications, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
February 2007.
4. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard #62.1-2010 Ventilation for Acceptable
Indoor Air Quality.
5. Manufacturer/supplier literature, drawings.
Indian Contacts
Vijay M Trilokekar, Regional Director, India, Mumbai.
vijaymt1@gmail.com
Champak Roy, General Manager, Sevcon India Pvt. Ltd.,
Delhi. champak@sevcon.in v
IGI Airport Terminal 3, which uses 120 advanced air purification systems for
TFA AHUs handling 5,00,000 CFM of treated fresh air
In 2007, an advanced solution for IAQ was sought for New
Delhi’s IGI Terminal 3 new construction. The proposal was based
on the casino design taking into account the difference in the
outdoor environment. The outside air in this airport is very
hot, humid, dusty, and full of both car and plane engine fumes.
Neither ventilation alone, nor ventilation combined with gas
phase filtration, can eliminate odors and pollutants economically.
Singular energy reduction solutions such as desiccant wheels
would do little to improve IAQ. DCV is the same dilution solution,
just more energy sensitive.
The final airflow volume is around 5 million CFM. The
PPP that is holding the building for 30 years has a long-term
vision embracing operating savings estimated at $162 M from
installation of the APS.
Conclusion An Advt. appeared here
The direction is clear: advanced air purification technology,
integrated into new or existing HVAC systems, utilizes the
capabilities and helps surmount the limitations of current air
cleaning methods. The whole is larger than the sum of its parts.
An advanced air purification system can successfully tackle the
dual challenge of eliminating harmful pollutants and reducing
HVAC energy consumption. Lesser the ventilation needed to
dilute indoor air to acceptable levels, lesser the air which must
be heated or cooled. Use of energy recovery or control methods
can further enhance energy savings. A strong case can be
made for adding an advanced air purification system to new or
existing buildings. It is a sustainable solution to 21st century air
quality and energy use challenges. Most importantly, advanced

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