Filter Talk - Volume 8 / Number 2 - Fall 2010

THE POWER OF THE SUN IN YOUR HVAC UNIT

Filtration Group has long been known as an industry leader in providing air filtration products for removing harmful or unwanted particulate and contaminants. What you may not know is that Filtration Group also has the ability to supply a wide variety of state of the art products for destroying biological contaminants for both air and object purification applications. These contaminants include mold, bacteria, viruses, allergens and other pollutants which may not be captured by traditional air filtration products.

THE SUN AND UV RAYS The Sun delivers specific UV wavelengths that destroy biological contaminants that are introduced into the atmosphere. Just like the Sun’s UVC rays, VioStar UV systems produce the exact UV light wavelengths, bringing the same natural process into building environments. VioStar UV Air and Object Purification Systems continuously destroy the biological contaminants as they circulate through the building or grow on cooling coils, resulting in a true whole-building air treatment system.

UVC LIGHT The UVC (254 nm) light produced by VioStar UV Systems is the same UV wavelength light produced by the Sun. The UVC wavelength attacks the microorganism on a molecular level deactivating and destroying the contaminant. Unlike conventional UV “sticklights” on the market, VioStar Bio-Wall and Crystal Coil Systems use a patented process designed to deliver the maximum UV dosage to the desired target.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TREAT, THE AIR OR COIL?" Using Ultraviolet energy to destroy biological contaminants may be rooted in science, but how do we deliver the ultraviolet intensity needed to destroy the biological contaminants that may be traveling through the building's ventilation system or the mold growing on an evaporator coil? Now we have a chance to revisit the question, "air or coil"? One can be very successful treating both applications when UV is applied correctly. If an end-user is expecting IAQ benefits from UV systems mounted on a coil, they could be disappointed to find out that the results may be nominal. As explained in Chapter 16 of the ASHRAE Handbook, the benefits to UV lights mounted on a coil are limited for the most part to maintaining system cleanliness, improving energy efficiencies and improving IAQ resulting from a dirty coil. Improving a building's IAQ resulting from other sources besides a dirty coil however is not one of these benefits.

MAKING AN EFFECTIVE PRODUCT RECOMMENDATION Sizing a commercial UV job is much more than just installing a UV lamp into a duct or mounting one onto an evaporator coil. Various factors need to be considered such as air temperature, humidity, evaporator coil dimensions, air velocities, upstream or downstream coil side installation, duct size, percentage of fresh air, target biological contaminants, desired kill rate, UV lamp aging, lamp fouling and lamp cooling when properly sizing a UV installation. Only when these factors are considered can we move forward in making an appropriate UV equipment sizing proposal.

Filtration Group has developed sizing software for both Bio-Wall air purification and Crystal Coil coil cleaning applications taking into account all of the variables mentioned above influencing microorganism destruction rate. By inputting these variables into the software, Filtration Group can provide a representation of how the UV system will actually perform in ‘Real-Time’ after installation. This is a valuable tool. The end-user will have at their disposal the destruction rate for any particular contaminant as well as how and where to place the UV system(s). When properly sized, UV air and object purification technologies can dramatically improve air quality and reduce maintenance costs while improving energy savings.

FILTRATION GROUP ANNOUNCES JOINT VENTURE FILTRAIR ASIA

Filtrair of Heerenveen, The Netherlands and Spectrum Filtration of Kolkata, India are pleased to announce that the companies are planning to form a joint venture Filtrair Asia. The company will produce and market the Optipleat product line in India. Filtrair will supply the manufacturing equipment and provide the engineering support to the patented product. Spectrum Filtration will be responsible for production, the facility and managing the business. Both parent companies will support the marketing of the product.

“This joint venture between Filtrair and Spectrum Filtration will establish our second manufacturing JV in Asia and our first in the rapidly growing market of India. Our relationship with Spectrum goes back over ten years and we are looking forward to strengthening the partnership for years to come,” notes Brandon Ost, CEO Filtration Group.

Spectrum Filtration Headquarters - Kolkata, India

The Optipleat has an excellent performance reputation in applications as varied as air filtration for gas turbines to air filtration in automotive paint booths, hospitals, and pharmaceutical facilities. The Optipleat provides high levels of fine airborne particulate removal with exceptionally low resistance to air flow.

NEW ORLEANS CONVENTION CENTER IMPROVES AIR QUALITY WHILE REDUCING ENERGY COSTS

The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (MCCNO) is located along the mighty Mississippi River and within walking distance of the French Quarter. MCCNO is the nation’s sixth largest convention center and consistently ranks in the top 10 for hosting the most national conventions and tradeshows annually since its 1985 opening. It’s the engine that drives the Crescent City’s hospitality industry.

THE PROBLEM The MCCNO HVAC system design required MERV 8 2” pleated prefilters followed by MERV 11 cartridge filters which are 12” deep, a traditional combination for HVAC systems from that era. They were required to order truck loads of filters to get the best price which overwhelmed available storage space. Boxes of bulky air filters were stored in hallways, break rooms, offices, and basically in any space available.

Another issue was the labor costs required to handle the filters during stocking, installation, and removal. Cartridge filters are heavy and hard to handle. Temporary labor costs reached approximately $28,000 for the installs. MCCNO also has a strong commitment to the New Orleans and communities to continue to improve “Green” practices. Specific major focus components include; Waste Reduction, Energy Conservation, and Clear Air Practices.

THE SOLUTION Considering the storage, desired efficiency, handling, and disposal issues Bill Faulkner, market development specialist for Filtration Group recommended the new Nexfil™ MERV 13 2” commercial grade high efficiency mini-pleat filter. This filter is constructed with state-of-the-art synthetic filter media in a super compact design allowing it to replace much larger, heavier filters. The Nexfil has an exceptionally low resistance to air flow, allowing the MCCNO to upgrade to the desired MERV 13 efficiency level while actually lowering energy consumption.

RESULTS Nexfil’s compact design eliminated the storage and handling problem. The dirty filter waste volume will dramatically decrease (over 50%) in this scenario. Temporary labor costs were also eliminated.

The low resistance allowed MCCNO to reduce energy consumption in addition to improving IAQ. The clean filter pressure drop reduced from approximately 0.75” wg to 0.35” wg. MCCNO has a Computerized Energy Management System and variable volume HVAC system which will adjust for the reduced pressure and save tens of thousands of dollars on energy costs. The advanced design of the Nexfil helps progressive facilities like MCCNO solve problems and advance the commitment to improve “Green” practices by lowering energy consumption, improving IAQ, and reducing the waste stream.