Enabling Safe Air Quality Levels In The Transport Industry With Game-Changing Air Filtration

交通运输业受到新冠肺炎大流行的严重影响。人们担心含有病毒的生物气溶胶会在船上引起感染，从而导致大流行的传播。此外，有报道称，通常令人不快的气味性挥发性有机化合物（VOCs）和空气中的颗粒物引发了空气质量问题。这个问题是全球性的，影响到所有类型的交通工具，包括飞机、火车、公共汽车、汽车，甚至客轮。通过引入过滤器，不仅可以杀死病毒，还可以捕获挥发性有机化合物和气味，从而降低感染风险和健康问题，同时增强乘客和机组人员在大流行后旅行中的信心，可以大大改善空气质量。不幸的是，现有的空气过滤技术即使结合使用（即HEPA与木炭过滤器）也无法提供所需的性能。因此，需要替代和新颖的解决方案。Aqdot（一家总部位于剑桥的中小企业）拥有独特的、专有的VOC/异味捕获技术（AqFresh），可以有效地去除各种令人不快和/或有害的分子。这项创新目前已在家庭护理、宠物护理和工业清洁产品中商业化。该项目旨在通过开发可扩展的、随时可用的空气过滤器，将新型挥发性有机化合物/气味捕获技术与抗病毒功能结合起来，使该技术适应运输行业的需求，从而显著改善运输中的空气安全和质量。这种创新的过滤器是用一种独特的涂层配方浸渍适当的聚氨酯泡沫基材而产生的，将被设计成适合全球过滤器制造商现有的系统。将制定和测试过滤器的抗病毒和减少voc的能力。然后，这些过滤器原型将由商业制造商在操作环境中进行整合和测试，以期在全球范围内推出。Aqdot将与客户合作，在航空航天、汽车和公共交通的过滤框架中快速采用这一创新。一旦获得成功，Aqdot创新的空气过滤器将为全球运输行业带来空气质量的重大改善，使其不受病毒、挥发性有机化合物和气味的影响，最大限度地减少船上的感染风险和健康问题，帮助应对即将到来的Covid-19大流行，同时减少未来潜在大流行的影响。它还将确保安全，并建立乘客和机组人员在大流行后恢复旅行的信心，重振运输业，并为经济提供急需的推动力。该项目将展示对创新型英国中小企业的支持，加强英国的技术组合，并具有巨大的出口潜力。在成功展示了结合VOCs/异味捕获和抗病毒性能的创新过滤技术的技术可行性和潜力之后，影响的扩展将集中在加速该技术的市场吸收上。主要合作伙伴将参与合作项目，以评估过滤器在运行条件下的性能。将制定一个清晰而详细的商业化战略，并建立关键的合作关系，以确定大规模生产材料的供应链。总的来说，新型过滤器将以合适的形式投入市场，用于大规模生产，其市场潜力将得到实现，从而加强英国的技术组合，最大限度地减少新冠病毒的影响，并为社会带来额外的效益。

The transport industry has been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. People fear that virus-containing bioaerosols cause infection on board which has contributed to the spread of the pandemic. This is also compounded by reports of air-quality issues arising from the often-unpleasant odorous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and airborne particles. This problem is global, affecting all types of transport including airplanes, trains, buses, cars and even passenger ships. Air quality could be greatly improved by introducing filters that not only kill viruses but also capture VOCs and odours, thereby reducing risks of infection and health concerns while boosting the confidence of passengers and crew in post-pandemic travel. Unfortunately, existing air-filtration technologies are unable to deliver the performance required even when used in combination (i.e. HEPA with charcoal filters). Therefore, alternative and novel solutions are required.Aqdot (a Cambridge-based SME) has a unique, proprietary VOC/malodour-capture technology (AqFresh) that is effective against a wide range of molecules that are unpleasant and/or harmful. The innovation is currently commercially available in home care, pet care and industrial cleaning products. This project aims to adapt the technology to meet the needs of the transport industry by developing scalable, ready-to-adopt air filters that bring together novel VOC/odour capture technology with antiviral capabilities, significantly improving air safety and quality in transport.The innovative filters, generated by impregnating appropriate polyurethane foam substrates with a unique coating formulation, will be designed to fit into existing systems of global filter manufacturers. The filters will be formulated and tested for anti-viral and VOC-reduction capabilities. These filter prototypes will then be incorporated and tested in operational environments by commercial manufacturers with a view for global roll out. Aqdot will partner with customers to allow rapid adoption of this innovation in their filtration frameworks in aerospace, automotive and public transport.Upon success, Aqdot's innovative air filters will bring major improvements in air quality for the transport industry worldwide to be free from viruses, VOCs and odours, minimising the risk of infections and health concerns onboard, helping to combat the immediate Covid-19 pandemic while reducing the impact of future potential pandemics. It will also assure safety and build confidence among passengers and crew to resume travelling following the pandemic, reinvigorating the transport industry and giving a much-needed boost to the economy. The project will demonstrate support for innovative UK-based SMEs, strengthen the UK technology portfolio and has significant export potential.After successful demonstration of the technical feasibility and potential of the innovative filtration technology combining VOCs/malodour capture and antiviral performance, the extension for impact will focus on speeding the market uptake of the technology. Key partners will be engaged in collaboration programs to assess the filters performance under operational conditions. A clear and detailed commercialization strategy will be put in place as well as key engagements will be established for definition of the supply chain for large scale production of the materials. In overall, the new filters will be ready for market adoption in a suitable format for large scale production and their market potential will be realised, strengthening the UK technology portfolio, minimizing the impact of Covid-19 and delivering extra benefits to society.