ABSTRACT
Indoor air quality is increasingly recognized as a serious health hazard in many international environments. During the recent pandemic, this concern was amplified as Covid-19-related mortality closely correlated with poor air quality. Even a comparatively small decline in the Air Quality Index (AQI) can be linked to a sharp mortality increase. Worsening air quality levels are compounded by distinct air-quality issues in different geographical areas. In the face of this serious and wide-ranging threat, the common solution-introducing a high MERV-rated filter-comes up short, as these filters create back pressure that often exceeds the capacity of the HVAC systems in which they are installed. High-backpressure filters also use more energy and require frequent filter changes, making them more expensive to maintain and bad for the environment. This paper describes a new form of electrostatic filtration that is ideal for international markets since it has a uniform performance, low back pressure, is energy efficient, and can be tuned to perform at a range of filtration levels depending on demand. Developed at the University of Washington, the technology features porous electrodes that collect and hold, a large capacity of particles regardless of their size and physical properties. This paper will describe the technology, prototype testing, including a 6-month pilot installation, and will detail how the technology can be used to achieve on-demand MERV 15 filtration levels in systems that require continuous low back pressure and reduced energy consumption.