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UV-C air disinfection in building technology: Smart technology to combat the pandemic and make interior spaces safer
Uwe Heitzmann
The risk of becoming infected with a virus or other pathogens is particularly high in closed rooms where there is no natural exchange of air. The motto has therefore been "wear a mask, keep your distance and ventilate regularly". However, what if sufficient distance cannot be maintained and adequate ventilation is not possible?
Enclosed rooms offer a particularly good breeding ground for viruses and bacteria. Undisturbed by external environmental influences such as wind, microorganisms can spread in the air and settle on surfaces, which is why the germ load is relatively high in such places. In elevators and (office) buildings, there is also the fact that people are in a confined space and the routes of infection are therefore particularly short. Sufficient air exchange is often hardly or not at all possible.
Two approaches to making closed rooms safer, especially in the workplace, are UV-C disinfection in elevators and in central HVAC systems – LiftNclean and LEM are both products manufactured in Germany that meet all the quality and regulatory safety standards one would expect from German products.
WELL-PROTECTED EVEN IN THE TIGHTEST OF SPACES: UV-C DISINFECTION IN THE ELEVATOR (LIFTNCLEAN)
To reduce the risk of infection in narrow, closed spaces such as elevators, Exyne Asia Technology is offering LiftNclean from Dinies Technologies GmbH in Germany, a lowmaintenance UV-C disinfection device that can also be installed and put into operation in existing elevator systems. The UV-C radiation reliably kills up to 99.9 per cent of all pathogens such as the influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 in the elevator air. Since this process takes place inside the machine and without the use of chemical agents, there is never a health risk for the people in the elevator cabin. The device works parallel to the elevator in continuous operation and does not have to be switched on or off separately.
The noise pollution is also significantly lower compared to HEPA filters; while the fans used there reach >45 dB, the noise level of the LiftNclean is a maximum of 35 dB. "In this case, the room air is first directed with the help of a fan through the disinfection tube inside the housing, where a UV-C emitter is located," explains Uwe Heitzmann, Managing Director of EXYNE Technology Co., Ltd. "When the corresponding radiation with a wavelength of 254 nm hits the microorganisms in the air, it modifies their DNA so that they can no longer reproduce or die off."
GERM-FREE AIR WITHOUT CHEMICALS AND FILTERS: UV DISINFECTION IN AIR DUCTS OF HVAC SYSTEMS (LEM)
Dangerous pathogens and fungi are largely distributed by central ventilation units in the premises of all types of buildings. Medical facilities, production facilities, schools and office complexes are particularly affected. To prevent this, the interior of ventilation systems can be specifically equipped with UV-C lamps. There, UV-C tubes can clean the air and control fungal growth in hard-to-reach places. The room air is disinfected with the help of the UV-C light as it is passed through the ducts. The escaping air is then up to 99.9% germ-free.
The disinfection of cooling and ventilation systems with UV-C light not only leads to less duct contamination, but also ensures better air quality. The UV-C ventilation disinfection module, called LEM from Dinies Technologies in Germany, is a plug and play module that can be installed directly in the existing central air-conditioning ducts. UV-C radiation eliminates up to 99.9 per cent of all micro-organisms.
The air that is returned into the rooms after disinfection is up to 99.9 per cent sterile and no longer infectious. In addition, the pathogens cannot develop resistance to UV-C radiation, which is why the light in the ultraviolet spectrum does not have to be adapted to mutated viruses, for example. Rather, it can be used to effectively inactivate almost all viruses, bacteria and fungi such as mould spores which are usually also present in air ducts.
LOWER MAINTENANCE COSTS DUE TO INFREQUENT TUBE CHANGES
Both LiftNclean and LEM are characterized by a long service life with long maintenance intervals. Compared to HEPA filters, which must be changed regularly, the light tube must be replaced at most once a year. This not only lowers the acquisition and maintenance costs, but also significantly reduces the working time and, in the case of elevators, the downtime of the corresponding cabin. The change can be easily carried out by the service technicians and is done within a few minutes.
The advantages gained by implementing from the start of designing building or even by retrofitting LiftNclean and LEM are apparent – chemical-free disinfection in buildings of all types reduces the cost of expensive cleaning services and makes facility management so much easier. It gives a plus for safety and a good feeling with hygienically clean air – simply by UV disinfection and retrofitability in every ventilation system. Whether a hotel, office building, school, university or research centre, with the new LiftNclean and LEM-Module you get efficient and effective solutions for the disinfection of air, surfaces and objects.
Uwe Heitzmann Managing Director EXYNE Technology Co., Ltd.
Contact details: Witcharai Petbundi Exyne Asia Technology Co., Ltd +66 85 323 7260 info@exyneasia.com https://exynetechnology.com
