Kinds Of Air Filters & Air conditioning

Kinds of Air Filters

There are basically only two kinds of processes to make healthy air in your home: first, air cleaners, i.e., those that remove particles, odors and volatile organic chemicals (gases) from the air by entrapment, and second, air purifiers, those that destroy bacteria, viruses, odors and volatile organic chemicals (gases). But, you're right, there is more than one kind of method to do each of these processes. In a nutshell, here they are:

PROCESS 1:

FILTERS TRAP PARTICLES, ODORS AND GASES

There are basically two kinds of filters.
The first is media, or mechanical filters.

1. HEPA Filters Remove Allergens
A hospital grade HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter is the most efficient mechanical filter for removing small particles, including allergens so small that they can only be seen with a microscope (0.3 microns or larger). Pollen, mold, fungal spores, dust mites, cockroach dust, tobacco smoke and bacteria are but a few examples.

2. Pre-filters Remove Larger Particles
A pre-filter removes particles from the air larger than a HEPA filter's smallest sizes, extending the life of the HEPA filter and protecting the gas absorbing media from dust coating and fouling.

3. HEGA Filters Remove Odors and Gases
A HEGA (High Efficiency Gas Accumulator) filter was designed for the British military for their gas masks and is quite good for tobacco smoke removal, in addition to everyday household odors and gases.

4. Activated Carbon Filters Remove Odors and Gases.
Granulated charcoal, which has been heated, results in a highly absorbent carbon, which is used for purifying gases by adsorption and deodorization. To do a great job you need a large amount of high quality activated carbon.

5. Zeolite Filters Remove Odors and Gases.
Zeolite is a natural mineral that is found in cavities in basic volcanic rocks. Bonded to polyester it has the ability to filter molecular-sized particles of volatile organic compounds (gases), especially pet odors and urine.

The second type of filter is electronic.

1. Negative Ion Filters Cause Particles to Clump, Fall on the Floor / Surfaces.
Negative ions energize, improve sleep and keep air fresh. Negative ions are generated with electricity. These negative ions cause allergens in the air, which have either a neutral or a positive charge, to be attracted to and stick to the negative ions (opposites attract). This forms clumps, which become heavy enough to fall to the floor or tables where they can be vacuumed or dusted off, instead of staying in the air where they can be breathed in.

2. Electrostatic Filters Remove Extremely Fine Particles from Gas Streams.
Electrostatic filters are both media filters and electronic filters. They are mechanical filters whose trapping ability is increased by an electrostatic charge generated by the flow of dry air through the media that attracts particles to the filter or screen. It is a gas phase filter used to remove extremely fine particles from gas streams, such as exhaust fumes, organic hydrocarbons, formaldehyde from particle board used in home construction, paint solvents, chlorine, cleaning chemicals and other fumes.

3. Electret Filters Remove Nanosize Particles.
The electret filter is an electrostatic filter whose charge is imposed at the time the filter is manufactured. The filter is composed of permanently charged electret fibers capable of collecting nanosize particles.

PROCESS 2:

AGENTS THAT DESTROY BACTERIA, VIRUSES, ODORS AND VOLATILE ORGANIC CHEMICALS (GASES).

1. Photocatalytic Oxidation Destroys Bacteria, Harmful Gases and Odors.
Photocatalytic oxidation kills and decomposes bacteria cells. It is a process where contaminants are oxidized through the interaction of ultraviolet radiation with a chemical or metal oxide catalyst. The titanium dioxide photocatalyst has been found to be more effective than any other antibacterial agent. It also reduces or eliminates polluted compounds in the air such as cigarette smoke, emissions of vehicle exhausts and power stations, and smog, as well as volatile compounds arising from various construction materials.

2. Ultraviolet Light Kills Disease-Causing Germs and Mold on Contact.
Ultraviolet light breaks organic molecular bonds, which means it destroys micro-organisms such as germs, viruses, molds and bacteria too small to be filtered out by filters. Although General Electric says that ultraviolet lights cannot kill molds, there are more than one kind of ultraviolet lights, the best of which CAN kill molds.

3. Ozone (Activated Oxygen) Kills Mold Spores and Active Molds, Bacteria, and Viruses.
Ozone (activated oxygen) is one of the most powerful sanitizers and deodorizers known. It eliminates odors and harmful substances at their molecular level. The fungi and molds that can grow in places that have experienced a flood can be removed with ozone. However, it can be very harmful to our lungs and other organs. The use of ozone in home air purifiers is a matter of great debate. Because of the potential risks involved, and because there are so many other effective ways to purify home air, we do not encourage the use of ozone at home.
All of these kinds of air purification methods need to be researched to find which is/are best for your needs. Don't ignore this and you can find a purifier that will be the best air purifier for you.

Air Conditioning

Air conditioning is not just about controlling the temperature; it also concerns purifying the air around you. This it does by means of a simple process of filtration. When exposed to unfiltered/unclean air continuously we, who breathe it in, might end up with difficult diseases like asthma or other allergies. Most Air-Conditioning units have a built in electronic air cleaners. These make use of the basic principle of electrostatic energy to drag out about 95% of the irritating elements we have floating around in the air around us and store it on plates in them. Cleansers like these are fixed in between the furnace and the air ducts so as to help filter the air indoors. The air in your home contains dust particles, fumes, allergens and a dozen other substances which simply won't go away no matter how much you clean or vacuum. When you switch on your AC this air will flow through the cooling system with the elements described above. It will then be dragged through a pre-filter in the electronic cleanser; this usually cleans it of the majority of irritating substances. Those that it does not are given an electric charge once they enter the filter. These charged particles are then drawn to the plates where they remain deposited until the plates are cleaned. Broadly speaking electronic air purifiers can be classified under two categories; electrostatic precipitators and charged media filters. Electrostatic precipitators collect particles on charged plates installed in them. In Charged Media Filters on the other hand the same substances are deposited on the charged fibers provided in the machine. The first kind of Purifiers are usually considered to be more effective than the latter. This is because Electrostatic precipitators supply dirt particles and other irritants in the air with a charge before depositing them; this causes a larger number of particles to be collected. Any common electrostatic precipitator can be expected to produce anywhere around 20,000 volts just to provide the particles with charge. There are two easy tests to find out how efficient an electronic air filter is. These are what is popularly called the weight-arrestance test and the dust-spot test. The first tests the machine's cleansing capacity in terms of the weight of the dirt the filter can remove. But this test will not confirm whether or not the machine is capable of removing small particles from your breathing air. The second test checks to see if the filter can catch substances between 0.3 to 6 microns, that is really minute substances and particles.

Air Cleaner Filters

Air filters trap small particles from the air, thus providing cleaner air. There are various types of air filters. The finer the filters, the better the filter system works, since it thus captures a larger percentage of airborne particles. There are three types of air filters.
HEPA Filters (high efficiency particulate arresting filters) are said to be the best because of their ability to trap up to 99% of particles down to 0.3 microns in size. However, very minute molecules, such as gas and tobacco smoke, are still able to pass through these filters. Pleated filters (also known as 'media filters') use the same materials as the HEPA filter, but are less effective because they are less tightly packed. Gas Phase Filters are less popular, since they only remove odors and fumes, but not any particulate matters.
There are a few guidelines that you need to follow before selecting the right type of air cleaner filters. The most important is to ensure that the filter has UL and Class II FDA approval, which simply means that the product is effective and in good condition. How effective is the filter? What are its capabilities in regards to removing substances and particles? To find out, see if the efficiency rate is in accordance with a 'True HEPA (high efficiency particulate air)' or better.
True HEPA means the filter must be able to capture at least 90% of all particles 0.3 microns or more in diameter. Check out the device's CADR rate (clean air delivery rate). The device should be able to cycle enough air to change every four to six minutes in the particular environment. The filter should be easy to clean and change. Also, compare the rates to replace a worn-out filter A good filter should not be too noisy.