Protecting people
The importance of HEPA filtration 

The importance of HEPA filtration for capturing airborne viruses

Did you know that some viruses can be airborne? In poorly ventilated areas viruses can often remain airborne for between 3 and 16 hours by using airborne particulates as a vehicle. To reduce the risk of airborne viruses it is important that the air is changed and cleaned in your facility. Often these air changes can be achieved through your ventilation system, but when increased air changes and lower particulate concentration is needed, plug and play air purifiers are often recommended to help protect the people in your building from airborne viruses

Why HEPA filtration?

HEPA filtration has been designed to capture the smallest particulates from the air. For viruses to travel or remain airborne it needs a vehicle in the form of particulate matter. By capturing these particles in the airstream a HEPA filter can ensure that the air is cleaned and protected.

HEPA filters are certified and tested to ensure efficiency in the airstream. With certified HEPA filters you can capture 99.995% (H14) of the airborne contaminants (Viruses, Allergens (pollen etc) and Particulate Matter)

HEPA filters vs  viruses

HEPA filtration vs UV-C in the airstream

To best evaluate your clean air technology needs the first step is to evaluate the performance of the technology at removing and capturing the contaminants in the air stream. 

  1. HEPA filters were designed to remove airborne contaminants (Virus, Allergens and Particulate Matter) from the air-stream. UV-C has been developed to neutralise viruses on static surfaces
  2. H14 HEPA filters can capture 99.995% of the airborne contaminants in one filter pass through. UV-C needs a contact time to help neutralise the virus, in most cases this contact time can be 6 seconds. In an air-stream this contact time may be unachievable
  3. Once captured by a HEPA filter a virus will become inactive after a short period of time, no other technology is needed. With UV-C particulate filtration is needed to capture the virus to ensure efficiency as well as protect the light from dust particles (as these can reduce the effectiveness of UV-C)

HEPA filtration vs UV-C

Created Tuesday 8 December 2020
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