A Robust and Low-cost Technology for Risk Mitigation of Pathogenic Infection in HVAC Systems

该项目开发了一种创新技术，用于捕获和破坏通风建筑物中空气中悬浮的病原体。几种传染性细菌，如冠状病毒和流感，可能在加热，通风和空调（HVAC）系统中传播，同时封装在微小的液滴中。HVAC管道可以作为建筑物中传染病循环和传播的管道。 此外，所有HVAC过滤器截留和积累微生物的程度取决于过滤器规格和过滤器更换频率。微生物在过滤器中的积累会使过滤器成为真菌和细菌的滋生地，使过滤器成为生物危害物体。因此，除非遵循安全处置方案以最大限度地降低风险，否则过滤器处置可能会变得危险。此外，气流的任何变化或扰动都可能将一些微生物释放到环境中。在过去，紫外线（UV）光已被用于减少空气中的生物污染物。然而，在HVAC系统中安装现有技术并不容易，并且受到HVAC系统设计的限制。对于更传统的HVAC系统，例如基于管道的系统，安装这样的单元通常是昂贵且劳动密集的。因此，这种单元很少用于医疗建筑物外的HVAC系统。该项目开发了一种紧凑而经济的设备，其工作原理是通过HVAC过滤器捕获微生物并通过加热使其灭活。其目的是进行概念验证测试，建立原型，开发高效，最佳和具有成本效益的单元，并为几何形状/配置，材料，操作和规格提供指导方针。所有通风建筑，如医院/诊所、高层建筑和护理设施，都可以从这项技术中受益。该技术可以有效地消除微生物，并且可以很容易地安装在现有和新的HVAC系统中。计算表明，比现有的紫外线技术更有效的微生物灭活，成本只有一小部分。预计该技术将由工业合作伙伴商业化。

This project develops an innovative technology to entrap and destroy pathogens suspended in the air in ventilated buildings. Several infectious germs, such as coronavirus and influenza, may travel in the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system while encapsulated in minute droplets. The HVAC ducts can serve as conduits for the circulation and spread of infectious diseases in the building. Further, all HVAC filters entrap and accumulate microbes to the extent that depends on the filter specification and filter replacement frequency. Accumulation of microbes in the filter can turn the filter into a breeding ground for fungi and bacteria, making the filter a biologically hazardous object. Hence, the filter disposal may become hazardous unless a safe disposal protocol is followed to minimize the risks. Also, any change or disturbance in the airflow may release some of the microbes into the environment. In the past, Ultraviolet (UV) light has been employed to reduce biological contaminants in the air. However, the installation of existing technology in the HVAC system is not easily possible and is limited by the HVAC system's design. For more conventional HVAC systems such as duct-based systems, installing such units is often costly and labour-intensive. Hence, such units are seldom used in HVAC systems outside the healthcare buildings. This project develops a compact and economical device that works based on entrapping microbes by the HVAC filters and inactivating them by heating. The aim is to conduct proof of concept tests, build the prototype, develop efficient, optimal and cost-effective units, and advance guidelines for the geometries/configurations, materials, operations, and specifications. All ventilated buildings such as hospitals/clinics, high-rises, and care facilities can benefit from this technology. The technology can eliminate the microbes effectively and can easily be installed in existing and new HVAC systems. Calculations indicate more efficient microbial inactivation than existing UV technologies at a fraction of the cost. The technology is expected to be commercialized by the industrial partner.