Lessons from Pandemic Lockdowns Pave the Way for Air Filtration Improvements

n a time when people have too much on their minds to be worrying about air pollution, new data from certain parts of the United States indicate an unexpected benefit of the coronavirus lockdown:  a steep and significant plunge in outdoor air pollution. 

 

The findings come from researchers at Louisiana State University, where meteorologists were tracking pollution trends both locally in Louisiana and as far away as China. What they found was a nearly 60% reduction in nitrogen dioxide levels, one of the most harmful air pollutants facing human beings today. 

 

While the downtrend is not likely to last, it is an effective reminder of how big a role human activity plays in outdoor pollution and why commercial air filtration systems will remain an essential part of the battle for improved IAQ. 

 

How the Coronavirus Has Affected the Air Quality index Around the World 

 

The researchers at LSU were using some of the very same tools used to determine the Air Quality Index (AQI), a global tool used to report daily air quality in different parts of the world. 

Air quality experts agree that keeping track of an area’s AQI is an important part of protecting  indoor air supply from the same pollutants. 

 

“The truth is, no matter how good the  HVAC system is,  some portion of the indoor air supply will be from outside air, which makes AQI an important metric for anyone with a commercial building or facility,” Explains Mark Davidson, Manager of Marketing and Technical Materials at Camfil USA. “The relationship between outdoor air pollution and indoor air quality is more significant than most people realize.”  

 

The Most Harmful Air Pollution Effects 

 

Because the long-term health effects of air pollution can be highly damaging to human health, it is more important than ever to understand the consequences of poorly filtered air. 

 

Respiratory diseases are one of the most common results of extended air pollution. While more serious conditions including lung cancer, heart disease, birth defects, and liver failure can occur, preexisting conditions can make an individual more susceptible to viruses like COVID-19. 

 

Using Ultraviolet Light to Fight the Virus 

 

As virologists are starting to learn more about the SARS-CoV-2 virus (the specific coronavirus that causes COVID-19),  many commercial and industrial entities are adding supplemental technologies to  well-established air filtration methods to protect their facilities. One of these includes UV-C  which  utilizes ultraviolet light to inhibit the virus from replicating. 

 

“While it’s true the coronavirus, as well as many other microorganisms,  may be killed or inactivated by the proper dose of UV-C, it does not magically remove them from the airstream,” says Davidson. “A certain amount of the organism remains even if dead, and once inhaled into the lungs, can create health issues like any other tiny inanimate object. Our lungs aren’t meant to house coral reefs built from the remains of microorganisms which is why high-efficiency air filters and in-room air purifiers are the primary defense against any airborne contaminant, living or dead.” 

 

Q: Are There High-Efficiency Air Filters or  In-Room Air Purifiers Suitable for Virus Control? 

 

While a number of different commercial air purifiers have been sold as virus control systems, it’s critical to understand these systems are only as good as the air filters installed in them. If the systems advertise HEPA filters, they should be labeled to show each filter was individually tested to a minimum of 99.97% efficiency on 0.3 micron-sized particles. If less than HEPA filters are installed, the air filters should be labeled as having been tested using the ASHRAE 52.2 Standard with Appendix J and the filter’s minimum value should be MERV 15/MERV-A 15A or higher.    

 

The CamCleaner from Camfil USA is one such system capable of holding either HEPA or MERV 15A air filters for larger, more open areas. A smaller system known as The City M is ideally suited for single rooms and contains a HEPA air filter as well as a molecular filter that helps control gaseous contaminants.  

Why the Healthcare Industry is a  Good Example to Follow.

 

One of the leading examples of effective air filtration can be found in the healthcare industry, where limiting the spread of airborne contaminants is essential to protecting vulnerable patients from pollution, bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. 

 

One of the best ways to emulate a medical-grade filtration system is by maintaining adequate airflow and pressure, two things that are directly determined by the layout of the system and the quality of the air filters themselves. Camfil USA is one of the leading designers of commercial filtration systems that can help keep a building’s occupants protected against the ongoing threat of air pollution. 

 

Sources:

1. https://www.nola.com/news/coronavirus/article_a07399fa-9ad5-11ea-b6ec-27c951b355e5.html

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Camfil Update: Air Filtration Experts Share Advice for Controlling Workplace Air Quality

Industry leaders in air filtration manufacturing and engineering, Camfil USA, has released an article detailing their advice for controlling and improving workplace air quality. While poor air quality is linked to a variety of health problems and improving it should always be a priority, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted just how important it is to ensure the air we breathe is clean. 

“When safeguarding the health of people remains the primary concern, it is the responsibility of businesses to leave no stone unturned when preparing to relaunch or refresh the business,” says Mark Davidson, Manager of Technical Materials at Camfil USA. As many businesses are having to reopen their offices, Camfil offers six important tips for protecting employees and customers by improving and maintaining safe indoor air quality. 

1. Understanding your surroundings. Recent studies have confirmed that droplets infected with the COVID-19 virus may remain airborne longer than initially thought, and may be able to survive on some open surfaces for days (up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard, and as long as three days on plastic and stainless steel, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine). In addition to this risk, the fact remains that indoor air can be five to fifty times more polluted than outside air; with city-dwellers spending up to 90% of their time indoors, these high pollution levels pose significant health risks. “Evaluating the outside atmosphere along with indoor air quality is the first step in the process to regain control,” notes Davidson.
2. Categorize your air quality requirements. There are many laws in place designed to protect human health, business processes, and the environment from airborne pollutants, but air quality is governed by several different bodies, including the EPA and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). “Regulatory efforts start with categorizing the air pollutants, setting its limits to avoid any human harm, and taking appropriate actions to mitigate the risks involved,” says Davidson, “So all businesses must identify the substances known as air pollutants or harmful particles in the surrounding air to initiate the plan of control.”
3. Use a checklist. There are several essential tasks that you should regularly check to ensure that your air filtration system is in good working order. Camfil has made a checklist of these items for your convenience, which you can download here. 
4. Identify potential contamination risk. Every breath we take contains more than 25 million particles. Depending on the specifics of your business, your air may be at risk for containing harmful microbes, chemicals, gases, ozone, or particulate matter, all of which can be serious health risks. Different harmful substances require a different solution. Camfil provides containment equipment for highly critical applications such as laboratories and hospitals, and recommends air cleaners for facilities with elevated airborne contamination. Low-risk applications can consider using EPA filters or ePM1 80% or higher category of air filtration. 
5. Monitor particle levels. The World Health Organization (WHO) believes that particles are affecting the health of more people worldwide than any other pollutant. Tracking your air quality is a valuable long term tool to give you early indications of potential problems so that preemptive measures can be taken. 
6. Understand your air change requirements. Air filtration is one of the ways to fight the impact of harmful pathogens such as COVID-19. Clean air should be introduced into your facility regularly to ensure a clean work environment. A high-efficiency air filtration solution can prevent infections in the air because it can trap and remove harmful organisms, as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other harmful chemicals, from the air. Contact an air filtration expert to handle your air quality requirements. 

About Camfil Clean Air Solutions 

For more than half a century, Camfil worldwide has been helping people breathe cleaner air. As a leading manufacturer of premium clean air solutions, we provide commercial and industrial systems for air filtration and air pollution control that improve worker and equipment productivity, minimize energy use, and benefit human health and the environment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Camfil has been applying their decades of experience in biosafety containment, healthcare, and other sectors of the air filtration industry to provide technological solutions for the public as well as in hospitals and healthcare facilities. To get in touch with a local Camfil consultant, please click here. 

https://www.camfil.com/en-us

 

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Media Contact: 

Lynne Laake 

Camfil USA Air Filters 

T: 888.599.6620 

E: Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

F: Friend  Camfil USA on Facebook

T: Follow Camfil USA on Twitter 

Y: Watch Camfil Videos on YouTube

L: Follow our LinkedIn Page

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Air Filtration Experts from Camfil Describe How Grocery Stores Can Improve Indoor Air Quality, Reduce Operating Costs

Over the years, modern-day grocery stores have evolved far beyond just selling produce and canned goods. Today, you can expect a grocery store to function as part community center, part big-box retailer, part food processor, part restaurant, and more. This evolution adds an ever-increasing strain on the HVAC system to maintain acceptable ventilation and clean air. If there’s one thing that’s going to survive long after the pandemic is over, it will be the public’s demand for safe environments within retail spaces.  

 

In a new video, air filtration expert and Food and Beverage Segment Manager at Camfil USA Patrick Lally explains how one grocery store chain protected their customers by increasing indoor air quality while cutting filter-related operational expenses by 40%. 

The Customer’s Test Protocol

Prior to consulting Camfil, the stores used a combination of economy-grade pleated filters and cut-to-size roll media filters. “Essentially, it was whatever the installer had in their truck that day,” Mr. Lally notes. Filter change-outs operated on a traditional calendar-based schedule, with changes occurring every three months. 

 

Approximately 150 stores were divided into three groups, and all stores installed new air filters at the beginning of the test period. The first group of about 100 stores used various combinations of either the economy-grade pleated air filter or cut-to-size roll media. The remaining stores used Camfil’s 30/30 Dual 9 pleated air filter, which is guaranteed to last (and maintain rated efficiency) for a full year in the environments typically found in grocery stores.  

 

To examine the differences that using the 30/30 Dual 9 air filter in place of what the stores were already using, Camfil measured pressure drop over time and observed the quality of coils in the HVAC system downstream from the air filters as a measure of how much unfiltered air was bypassing the filters. (Photographs of the coils were taken at the beginning of the test period for comparison.)

 

The Results

 

By the end of the test period, the economy-grade pleated filters kept the coils  relatively clean, but the pressure drops typically increased to the point the filters needed to be changed every three months as expected. “While the coils were  somewhat clean, pressure drop increased steadily and by three months, the filters needed to be changed out,” Mr. Lally explains, “Essentially, the units were gradually being starved of air.”

 

The opposite problem arose with the cut-to-size roll media. “The pressure drop stayed very low, barely moving if at all. The reason being was that there was a significant amount of bypass around the filters. The coils were noticeably dirtier which means there must have been a significant amount of unfiltered air entering the building.” 

 

The Dual 9 air filter, on the other hand, performed well in terms of minimizing both pressure drop and bypass, increasing on average only two-tenths of an inch throughout the whole test period.  This was a good indicator that there was no unfiltered air bypassing the filter and entering the building. “The net result is that we were getting a larger volume of filtered air entering the building. Given everything we’ve been going through over the past twelve months with the pandemic, that’s something that shouldn’t be overlooked.” 

 

(Read the case study here.) 

What Makes the 30/30 Dual 9 Different from other Pleated Panel Air Filters? 

This case study is an example of the Dual 9 air filter doing what it was designed to do: simultaneously increasing indoor air quality and reducing operational costs. (The grocery store chain reduced their filter-related operational costs by 40% when they switched to the Dual 9.) 

 

“When Camfil engineering developed the Dual 9, it was created solely with function in mind. The goal was to compete on performance, not the initial purchase price. They weren’t concerned as much with first-cost, but with  the total cost of ownership,” notes Mr. Lally, “They wanted to create the highest performing pleated filter on the market, and they succeeded in doing that.” 

 

Several unique design characteristics allow the Dual 9 air filter to perform as well as it does: 

• The dual-density, high-lofted filter media, exclusive to Camfil, has a high dust loading capacity, allowing the pressure drop to remain low over time. 
• The U-shaped pleats, instead of conventional V-shaped pleats, allows all of the media surface area to be used.
• The robust frame, made of moisture-resistant, high-strength beverage board material with a wire backing to maintain pleat support,  gives the filter the rigidity to maintain structural integrity across 12 months of use.

 

One more surprising improvement that Mr. Lally and the team from Camfil had not anticipated: the regional manager noted that he saw notably less roof damage in the stores that implemented the Dual 9, likely because of less frequent filter changes. It was also noted that fewer annual filter changes enable managers the flexibility to schedule this potentially dangerous type of work during moderate seasons of the year as opposed to times when snow and ice are more likely.  

 

About Camfil Clean Air Solutions

For more than half a century, Camfil has been helping people breathe cleaner air. As a leading manufacturer of premium clean air solutions, we provide commercial and industrial systems for air filtration and air pollution control that improve worker and equipment productivity, minimize energy use, and benefit human health and the environment. We firmly believe that the best solutions for our customers are the best solutions for our planet, too. That’s why every step of the way – from design to delivery and across the product life cycle – we consider the impact of what we do on people and on the world around us. Through a fresh approach to problem-solving, innovative design, precise process control, and a strong customer focus we aim to conserve more, use less and find better ways – so we can all breathe easier.

 

The Camfil Group is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, and has 33​ manufacturing sites, six R&D centers, local sales offices in 30 countries, and about 4,80​0 employees and growing. We proudly serve and support customers in a wide variety of industries and in communities across the world. To discover how Camfil USA can help you to protect people, processes, and the environment, visit us at www.camfil.us/

 

 

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Media Contact: 

Lynne Laake 

Camfil USA Air Filters 

T: 888.599.6620 

E: Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

F: Friend  Camfil USA on Facebook

T: Follow Camfil USA on Twitter 

Y: Watch Camfil Videos on YouTube

L: Follow our LinkedIn Page

 

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Camfil’s Free ‘Managing Virus Threats’ Virtual or In-Person Presentation Now Available for Scheduling

Riverdale, NJ — Leading engineers and manufacturers of air filtration equipment at Camfil USA are offering a complimentary presentation for businesses and facilities to learn about their options regarding managing virus threats. 

 (See a short preview of the content covered in this presentation.) 

Businesses of all sizes across the entire spectrum of the economy are aware of how impactful the COVID-19 pandemic has been over the last year. The following statistics show the cumulative impact of COVID-19 on businesses and facilities across the country: 

• 73% of companies have seen a decrease in sales 
• 84% of companies have experienced staff shortages due to illness  
• 93% of companies have seen a decrease in operating profit
• 75% of companies have experienced problems related to the supply chain
• 62% of workers have been asked to work remotely 

Proper air filtration and ventilation have been shown to be key pieces in reducing the spread of COVID-19 infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that windows be kept open in public buildings where possible to increase clean, natural ventilation without recirculating air. 

However, there are a number of reasons why this may not be possible. Buildings in close proximity to a noisy and polluted road could actually increase the overall health risk for occupants.  Opening windows in locations where climates reach extremely low temperatures in the winter or uncomfortably high in the summer is not an option. In some cases, the design of the building or configuration of the HVAC systems does not allow for this type of ventilation. Camfil offers proven air solutions, including new products, air filter efficiency upgrades, and supplemental systems. 

With a running time of approximately 45 minutes, the virtual presentation is conducted by an air filtration expert from Camfil. They will explain how airflow influences the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and how proper air filtration can help facilities mitigate the spread of infections. The presentation offers specific details on which air filtration solutions can help protect people while lowering operating expenses. 

(Related: Camfil Launches New Air Filtration Upgrade Selection Tool.) 

For a detailed virtual or in-person presentation to key staff responsible for managing risk mitigation at your facility, schedule a date and time with a local Camfil expert here.  

About Camfil Clean Air Solutions

For more than half a century, Camfil has been helping people breathe cleaner air. As a leading manufacturer of premium clean air solutions, we provide commercial and industrial systems for air filtration and air pollution control that improve worker and equipment productivity, minimize energy use, and benefit human health and the environment. We firmly believe that the best solutions for our customers are the best solutions for our planet, too. That’s why every step of the way – from design to delivery and across the product life cycle – we consider the impact of what we do on people and on the world around us. Through a fresh approach to problem-solving, innovative design, precise process control, and a strong customer focus we aim to conserve more, use less and find better ways – so we can all breathe easier.

The Camfil Group is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, and has 33​ manufacturing sites, six R&D centers, local sales offices in 30 countries, and about 4,80​0 employees and growing. We proudly serve and support customers in a wide variety of industries and in communities across the world. To discover how Camfil USA can help you to protect people, processes and the environment, visit us at www.camfil.us/ 

##

 

Media Contact: 

Lynne Laake 

Camfil USA Air Filters 

T: 888.599.6620 

E: Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

F: Friend  Camfil USA on Facebook

T: Follow Camfil USA on Twitter 

Y: Watch Camfil Videos on YouTube

L: Follow our LinkedIn Page

The post Camfil’s Free ‘Managing Virus Threats’ Virtual or In-Person Presentation Now Available for Scheduling appeared first on Air Filters for Clean Air.

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