UV-AIRE� Air Purification System
Indoor Air: High Concentrations of Biological Contaminants
 With tighter building construction in recent years, the quality of indoor air has declined dramatically.
The air circulating in the ductwork of the average home or office can be concentrated with contaminants including molds, bacteria, viruses, and dust mites. We fill our lungs up to 20,000 times each day. Over time, these contaminants can cause inflammation of the mucous membranes, upper respiratory problems, asthmatic conditions, headaches, and flu-like symptoms.
Filtering systems offer little or no help because these airborne contaminants either pass through the filter or simply collect on the filter medium, creating a breeding ground. Now, with the UV-Aire� Air Purifying System, a solution is available to directly address the problems associated with poor indoor air quality.
The Sun: Nature's Outdoor Air Purifier
For years, scientists have known that one of the most effective air purifiers is natural sunlight. Not the light we see when we look out the window, but the invisible "C" band, ultraviolet rays that make up part of the sun's light spectrum. The sun's UV-C rays act as a natural outdoor air purification system, inhibiting the growth and reproduction of bacteria, viruses, fungi, molds, and dust mites. However, this natural process does not occur indoors. Ultraviolet radiation (UV-C) replicates the natural outdoor purification system of the sun by destroying the illness and disease-causing microbes living and multiplying in indoor air. In combination with a quality filter, it is the most effective way to reduce airborne contaminants and the health risks they represent.
Facts About Indoor Air
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- According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the air in homes can be up to 100 times more polluted than outdoor air.1
- The National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine reports that exposure to indoor pollutants is a key contributor to the asthma problems of this nation.2
- Most allergy and asthma sources are passed from person to person through the air.
- The air in a single room can contain hundreds of thousands of infectious bacteria, viruses, fungal spores, and contaminants, which can only be seen with a microscope.
- Health effects may show up immediately, or after years of exposure to poor indoor air quality. These symptoms include some respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer. They may be severely debilitating or fatal.3
Facts About UV
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- The disinfection of medical equipment using UV has been a common and reliable practice.4
- UV disinfection has been determined to be adequate for inactivating bacteria and viruses.5
- The germicidal effects of UV light cause photochemical damage to DNA and RNA within microorganisms.6
- "...ultraviolet radiation, properly integrated with heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems, shows the most promise as a widely applicable means of air disinfection." Richard Riley, M.D.7
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| * The UV-V wavelength generates ozone. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, ozone can be harmful to your health. When inhaled, ozone can damage the lungs. Relatively low amounts of ozone can cause chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath, and throat irritation. Ozone can also compromise your ability to fight respiratory infections. All UV-Aire lamps are coated to block this wavelength. |
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UV-AIRE� Air Purification System
How The In-duct UV-Aire Works
 UV-Aire uses the energy from a specially designed, high-intensity UV-C lamp to reduce microorganisms in the entire home as they cycle through the HVAC system. Mounted inside the ductwork, the UV-Aire sterilizes or kills most contaminants as they pass the lamp.
The process requires very little maintenance and costs just pennies a day to operate. The UV-Aire could be one of the best health and comfort investments a homeowner ever makes.
Indoor Air Treatment With UV
UV's effectiveness in killing bacteria is directly related to a microorganism's exposure time. Indoor air in a typical residential forced-air HVAC system will be recirculated 40-75 times a day. With a UV generating lamp mounted in the HVAC duct, cumulative exposure can be very effective in controlling indoor bacteria.
UV rays will also kill germs that breed in drain pans and A-coils. Properly positioned, an ultraviolet system can significantly reduce indoor air contamination and prevent the growth of new microorganisms.
The treatment of indoor air with ultraviolet radiation has been successful in health care facilities, food processing plants, schools, laboratories and other applications. It is safe, silent, and proven.
Since direct exposure to UV light can cause skin cancer and blindness, the most practical application of UV light in the home or office is in the main air distribution (heating and/or air conditioning) system. As UV light will not pass through metal, glass, or plastic, a UV light can be installed in the main supply or return duct of a central heating or air system without concern for direct exposure to eyes or skin. This is an ideal location since the air in the home or office will pass through the HVAC system up to 75 times per day during normal operation, and as many as 150 times per day in continuous fan mode.
Filter Systems Alone Don't Solve the Problem
The majority of indoor air is conditioned by forced-air heating and cooling (HVAC) systems. Standard fiber air filters are entirely ineffective in trapping germs, as most particles are simply too small, passing through the porous filter. New, high efficiency style filters will only capture
airborne bacteria down to a certain size. These high efficiency filters are nominally effective, trapping small airborne contaminants on the filter, creating a breeding ground where germs can continue to grow and multiply.
HVAC systems are a dark and damp breeding ground for mold and bacteria, particularly at the system filter and air conditioning A-coil. The buildup of matter on the A-coil and filter can significantly reduce the efficiency of the appliance by constricting and reducing air flow. This means increased cost to the homeowner in addition to the risk of airborne pollutants. |
UV-AIRE� Air Purification System
How Much UV Energy is Required to Kill Bacteria?
Most, if not all bacteria can be destroyed by the use of UV light. The main factors in disinfection are the amount of UV power the lamp produces and the length of time the bacteria is exposed to the UV light source.
The energy required to kill microorganisms is a product of the UV light's intensity and exposure time. This energy is measured in microwatt seconds per square centimeter.
Intensity x Exposure Time = microWatt seconds/cm2
Table 1 lists the amount of UV energy (measured in �W-sec/cm2) necessary to destroy various bacteria.
Independent Lab Testing
Independent lab testing of the UV-Aire shows that in a single-pass air flow test, one 18-inch UV-Aire lamp can reduce levels of Serratia Marcescens (a typical bacteria) by 93%, while a two lamp system can reduce by 99%.1
The calculated average UV energy output levels of a single UV-Aire lamp in an 18-inch square duct is 2,608 �W-sec/cm2 and 6,186 �W-sec/cm2 for a two lamp system. The 6,186 is comparable to the 99% energy required for Serratia Marcescens. It can be seen that there is a direct correlation between the UV-Aire UV lamp output and the observed kill rates in the lab.
Bird Flu Virus (Avian Flu)
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| The Bird Flu Virus is a type of Influenza. Since the kill rate for the influenza virus is 6,600 microwatts of UV energy, it is reasonable to conclude that the Bird Flu virus can be reduced or eliminated by 6,600-10,000 microwatts. |
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UV dose required for the de-activation of various microbes
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| Bacteria |
UV Dose |
| Serratia Marcescens |
6,160 |
| Legionnella bozemanii |
3,500 |
| Legionnella micdadei |
3,100 |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis |
10,000 |
| Salmonella enteritidis |
7,600 |
| Salmonella typhi (Typhoid Fever) |
7,000 |
| Streptococcus hemolyticus |
5,500 |
| Virus |
UV Dose |
| Influenza |
6,600 |
| Infectious Hepatitis |
8,000 |
| Adeno Virus Type III |
4,500 |
| Rotavirus |
24,000 |
| Mold |
UV Dose |
| Aspergillus amstelodami |
77,000 |
| Mucor Mucedo |
77,000 |
| Penicillium chrysogenum |
56,000 |
| Yeast |
UV Dose |
| Baker's Yeast |
8,000 |
| Brewer's Yeast |
13,200 |
| UV dose is measured in microwatt seconds per centimeter squared (�W-sec/cm2). The information presented is intended to give the reader a general idea of how UV disinfects, based upon various credible resources. We do not guarantee its accuracy in any way. |
| Distance from Lamp |
Intensity Factor |
| 0 |
354 |
| 1" |
127 |
| 2" |
69 |
| 4" |
32 |
| 6" |
20 |
| 8" |
14 |
| 10" |
14 |
| 15" |
6 |
| 20" |
4 |
| 25" |
3 |
| 30" |
2 |
| 35" |
1.4 |
| 39.97" |
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UV lamp intensity is rated at a distance of one meter. To determine the intensity of ultraviolet radiation at different distances from the lamp, multiply the intensity of the lamp by the intensity factor shown in the models and specifications chart.
Example: To determine the ultraviolet intensity of the UV-18 at a distance of six inches, multiply 73 by 20 to yield 1460 �W-sec/cm2. |
Correlating The Lab Test With Other Bacteria
Use the chart below to estimate the effectiveness of the UV-Aire with other bacteria.
Harder-to-kill bacteria and molds require greater energy or exposure time to be as effective. For example, 99% reduction of Rotavirus requires 24,000 �W-sec/cm2 of UV energy versus 6,600 �W-sec/cm2 for Influenza virus (see table below). This means that Rotavirus spores are five times more resistant than Influenza. Consequently, spores will require five times the UV output energy from the lamp or five times greater exposure time. For practical purposes, we recommend trapping the spores in a high efficiency filter downstream of the UV-Aire which can be irradiated continuously with the UV-Aire lamp.
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UV-AIRE� Air Purification System
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STANDARD MODELS
UV-12, UV-18, UV-28, UV-12HP, UV-18HP, UV-28HP |
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- Hinged cover for easy accessibility
- Includes patent pending angle bracket and duct board mounting kit
- Installs easily and plugs into a standard 120V outlet
- All UV-HP (heatpump) models are 240V
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DUAL LAMP MODEL
UV-18X |
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- Double lamp maximizes intensity and effectiveness
- Handles up to 4000 sq. ft.
- Includes patent pending angle bracket and duct board mounting kit
- Installs easily and plugs into a standard 120V outlet
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