Investing For Growth - New Products and Research
Indoor Air Quality (Continued)
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Filtration
- ASHRAE now recommends using a minimum filter level of
MERV 13 to mitigate infections aerosols.
- Prior to 2020, a vast majority of commercial buildings utilized
filtration levels of MERV 4 to MERV 8.
- Standard packaged rooftop units in the market, particularly
40 tons and smaller, are not typically built to support this
recommended level of filtration because it imposes an
increased pressure drop.
- However, AAON standardizes a design that uses a backward
curved plenum fan wheel, which can accommodate higher
airflow and static pressure with very little reconfiguration.
- Thus, more often than not, in the 40 ton and smaller category,
it is easier for existing buildings that use AAON equipment
to retrofit its filtration to a higher MERV level compared to
buildings that do not use AAON equipment.
Air Disinfection
- ASHRAE supports using ultraviolet lighting and
bipolar ionization technology.
- AAON units, including systems already installed,
have capabilities of utilizing this technology.
- Ultraviolet Lighting for Air Disinfection - ASHRAE
states, "Ultraviolet energy inactivates viral,
bacterial, and fungal organisms so they
are unable to replicate and potentially
cause disease."
- Bipolar lonization uses an electronic charge to
create a plasma field filled with a high
concentration of positive and negative ions.
As these ions travel with the air stream,
they attach to particles, pathogens and gas
molecules. The ions help to agglomerate
fine submicron particles together, which
allows the HVAC filters to trap them
more effectively.
AAON
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