Industrial Air Cleaning Systems

There are many concerns in the manufacturing business, from handling odors and chemical fumes, to the new challenge of protecting workers from Covid-19. Ever-increasing energy costs loom over your budget. What if there was a solution to all these issues?

The Varionix system uses bipolar ionization to clean and purify indoor air. These positive and negative ions attach to pathogens like viruses and bacteria (including Covid-19), destroying the pathogen's surface. When this happens, a virus like Covid-19 can no longer reproduce, or infect a person, even when inhaled. They also can't form colonies on commonly-touched surfaces.

This same system that protects the air from viruses and bacteria also destroys airborne allergens like dust and mold, and reduces energy costs for heating and cooling by drastically lowering the amount of outdoor air needed. On average, buildings that use the Varionix system see a 50% reduction in heating and cooling costs, while achieving the environmental benefits of lowering energy usage. 

In addition, bipolar ionization attacks odors at their sources, and breaks down Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and other contaminants that affect air quality. This improves productivity in many manufacturing businesses.

“We tested for almost a month with a larger Varionix stand alone unit in different spaces,” says Stacy West, Senior Director of Operations for American Fruits and Flavors, which develops and makes flavors for products including Monster energy drinks. “Eventually we decided on six smaller units and put them in all our labs. Immediately our chemists commented on how the air quality was improved, and how they even felt it improved their overall personality characteristics because they felt the air was fresher. Now when they're using something that's really strong, they just turn up the ionization power and it helps to dispel the odor much quicker. As opposed to it taking overnight, or a weekend, to dissipate, it happens in about an hour or two.”

Coronavirus Concerns

While health authorities are still still trying to understand all possible ways for Covid-19 to propagate, it's believed to spread predominantly from person-to-person, between people who are in close contact/proximity with one another (within about 6 feet), or via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. (CDC) It may also spread through aerosols, or particles that can linger in the air for several hours. Typical air handling systems are not designed to eliminate all these particles.

A person can also get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has come into contact, then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, although this is not thought to be the main way this virus spreads. (CDC)

Now, imagine such an infectious virus inside a building like your manufacturing facility, perhaps because infected respiratory droplets entered the air and traveled inside the HVAC system ducts, as a result of sneezing, coughing, or touching surfaces within a structure. When these infected droplets are deposited on various surfaces, including those our hands touch frequently, like counters and doorknobs, everyone is susceptible to the virus. If the pathogen is also floating through the air, there is another source of infection.

How can you avoid or alleviate the contamination of your buildings? Advanced air purification solutions are vital. Varionix systems from Airionex, when installed in the existing HVAC systems of buildings or as a standalone unit, actively and efficiently eliminate microbes and viruses from the passing air. In this way, they remove the risk of HVAC systems contaminating entire buildings by delivering and depositing infected particles. The continuous application of bipolar ions emitted to ambient air is the most effective air purifying technology for decontaminating indoor air.