STTR Phase I: Soft X-ray Enhanced Electrostatic Precipitator for High Efficiency Air Purification in Indoor Environments

这个小型企业技术转让第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是开发一种空气净化系统，该系统一步就能达到HEPA标准的空气过滤效率，同时去除气态污染物和空气传播病原体的失活，同时减少提供清洁空气所需的总能源。这将大大有助于提供更清洁的空气，从而减少空气传播疾病的机会。这项技术的影响对于医院和洁净室等需要清洁空气的敏感环境更为重要，但由于与当前过滤技术相关的高能源成本，这项技术的成本很高。这项技术将能够通过显著降低清洁空气对能源消耗的依赖来克服目前过滤技术的缺点。这项技术在其他使用高效微粒空气过滤器的专业市场也有潜在的适用性。第一阶段项目的技术目标是开发一种软x射线增强静电除尘器（SXC-ESP）系统，用于共同去除颗粒、气体污染物、挥发性有机化合物和从污染气流中灭活病原体。该项目将通过提供对超细（纳米尺寸）颗粒充电和捕获过程的机理理解，解决与空气净化相关的重大科学挑战；探讨了光离子耦合冠状体中气态物质氧化和病原体失活的途径。这种机理的理解将为设计和扩大低能耗高效空气净化技术的参数奠定基础。该模型设计将用于制造一个按比例放大的原型，用于共同去除颗粒，气体污染物和灭活病原体。原型系统将与设施和维护专业人员以及过滤行业的专家合作，在现场条件下进行测试。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project will be the development of an air purification system that in a single step will achieve HEPA standard air filtration efficiencies coupled with the removal of gaseous pollutants and inactivation of air borne pathogens while reducing the overall energy required to provide clean air. This would significantly aid in providing cleaner air thereby reducing chances of airborne disease transmission. The implications of this technology are even more significant for sensitive environments such as hospitals and clean rooms where clean air is required, but is expensive due to the high energy cost associated with current filtration technologies. This technology would be able to overcome current drawbacks with filtration technologies by significantly reducing the dependence of clean air on energy consumption. The technology also has potential applicability in other specialty markets where HEPA filters are used. The technical objectives in this Phase I project are to develop a soft x-ray enhanced electrostatic precipitator (SXC-ESP) system for the co-removal of particles, gaseous pollutants, volatile organic compounds and the inactivation of pathogens from contaminated air streams. The project will address significant scientific challenges associated with air purification by providing a mechanistic understanding of the ultrafine (nanometer sized) particle charging and capture process; and of the pathways of gaseous species oxidation and pathogen inactivation in photo-ionizer coupled coronas. This mechanistic understanding will form the basis of the design and scale up parameters for the technology for high efficiency air purification with low energy consumption. This model led design will be used to fabricate a scaled up prototype for the co-removal of particulates, gaseous pollutants, and the inactivation of pathogens. The prototype system will be tested under field conditions in collaboration with facilities and maintenance professionals and experts in the filtration industry.