STTR Phase I: Soft X-ray Enhanced Electrostatic Precipitator for High Efficiency Air Purification in Indoor Environments

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project will be the development of an air purification system that in a single step will achieve HEPA standard air filtration efficiencies coupled with the removal of gaseous pollutants and inactivation of air borne pathogens while reducing the overall energy required to provide clean air. This would significantly aid in providing cleaner air thereby reducing chances of airborne disease transmission. The implications of this technology are even more significant for sensitive environments such as hospitals and clean rooms where clean air is required, but is expensive due to the high energy cost associated with current filtration technologies. This technology would be able to overcome current drawbacks with filtration technologies by significantly reducing the dependence of clean air on energy consumption. The technology also has potential applicability in other specialty markets where HEPA filters are used. The technical objectives in this Phase I project are to develop a soft x-ray enhanced electrostatic precipitator (SXC-ESP) system for the co-removal of particles, gaseous pollutants, volatile organic compounds and the inactivation of pathogens from contaminated air streams. The project will address significant scientific challenges associated with air purification by providing a mechanistic understanding of the ultrafine (nanometer sized) particle charging and capture process; and of the pathways of gaseous species oxidation and pathogen inactivation in photo-ionizer coupled coronas. This mechanistic understanding will form the basis of the design and scale up parameters for the technology for high efficiency air purification with low energy consumption. This model led design will be used to fabricate a scaled up prototype for the co-removal of particulates, gaseous pollutants, and the inactivation of pathogens. The prototype system will be tested under field conditions in collaboration with facilities and maintenance professionals and experts in the filtration industry.