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Air Purification by Honest Air Online
Technology Summary
AHPCO™, is an Advanced Hydrated
Photocatalytic Oxidation technology. Basically, it is a broad spectrum high
intensity UV light targeted on our patent-pending quad-nano Xtreme™ quad
metallic catalyst in a low-level ozone and moist atmosphere. This creates an
advanced oxidation of friendly oxidizers. Unlike ozone, these oxidizers are
safe, but yet aggressive at killing mold, bacteria, viruses and more. They
also effectively neutralize odors and VOCs. Once they have done their job they
revert back to oxygen and hydrogen. AHPCO technology has been successfully
used in water, air, food and laundry applications.
Development
The UV light and ozone are not new
discoveries. Ozone was first discovered in the late 1800's and used as a water
purifier in Europe. UV light was discovered in the 1930's. Actually, nature
discovered it before; it was called the "sun". The disinfection qualities of
UV light are also not new. Hospitals have used UV light for decades in
operating rooms. Barbers were disinfecting combs in the 1950's with UV light.
What is new is the enhancement of both these natural, friendly oxidizers and
the validation for use on air, water, food and laundry.
History of Air Systems
In the mid-1980's air purifiers
started to make their way into the residential market. Ozone air systems were
widely used in the commercial restoration business for fire and flood damage
to buildings. These applications utilized corona discharge systems (CD) that
use a spark or electrically charged plates to simulate lightning. This
converted the oxygen (O2) to ozone (O3). The CD method creates very high
concentrated ozone. Plus by using air as the oxygen source, you are receiving
20% oxygen and 80% nitrogen. The problem with CD systems is with oxygen
conversion you also get a nitrogen conversion, which makes nitric acid and
nitric oxide. The problem facing the residential air systems was that the cost
of an oxygen generator was so high they went without one. This, of course,
created a CD unit that produced high concentrated ozone plus low levels of
nitric oxide and nitric acid. The maintenance was a problem due to the
corrosive nature of nitric acid and the high concentration of ozone exceeding
the Federal safety limits of .04 ppm. Ozone readings at the exhaust have
exceeded 10 ppm, which is potentially lethal. Air Oasis decided to stay out of
this dangerous market.
In the late 1980's it was discovered
that the lower concentration of ozone could have an effect on odors, mold and
bacteria. Testing this theory, determined that safe, low levels of ozone could
have a significant result with airborne mold, odors and bacteria. The problem
was to create a safe residential air purifier that could produce safe, low
concentrations of ozone that would not exceed the .04 ppm Federal limits. This
was accomplished in the early 1990's, about the same time as the Federal
Government was going after the ozone residential units. This battle of the
Feds and manufacturers gave ozone a very bad name. With the technology to
build a device that produces safe, low concentrations of ozone and the ability
to ensure a room would not exceed .04 ppm, it was time to set out to validate
the use of this device on mold, VOC's, odors and bacteria.
Fox TV News was doing a three-part
series on indoor air problems and tested one of the ozone units. The unit they
had tested was producing 18 ppm ozone, a lethal amount that drove the camera
crew and news reporter right out of the office. The Fox people then asked if
they could independently test the AHPCO technology. They ran tests supervised
by an independent air specialist and two medical doctors. The series turned
out to be a fantastic infomercial for this technology. The results couldn't
have been better. Fox ran this on their national news network and their
national health news. Popular
Science picked up the story for the magazine and ran it on the Popular Science
TV Show.
In 2003 the AHPCO Cell was developed.
Rhodium was now added as a catalyst and improved hydration compounds were also
added. Plus, a total new target concept was used. A 360 degree cell provided
maximum exposure of the catalysts. The bulb was reworked and a HE/UV Broad
Spectrum bulb with a heavy duty filament and long life coating was developed.
This gave the new AHPCO Cell an unprecedented 3 year, 25,000 hour life. This
was a major improvement over the current standard 8,000-10,000 hour UV bulb
life. The most important improvement was the efficacy, the new cell design
created more hydro peroxides, super oxide ions and ozone levels were .01-.015
ppm or less. Country or forest air is usually around .01-.02 ppm of ozone.
Most people can smell ozone at .01 ppm, and .05 ppm is the federal safe limit
for medical devices. The new cell also produces hydroxide ions and ozonide
ions which broadened the scope of capabilities. By using a AHPCO™ Cell with
redundant oxidizers our scope of effectiveness is widely broadened.
In March of 2006 our new quad-nano
Xtreme™ catalyst coating was introduced. With this new patent-pending coating
a fifth powerful catalyst metal was added. We also reduced the particle size
of our metals down to a nanosize particle in order to increase the surface
area and therefore increase the kinetic rate of reaction. The hydrophilic gel
was also improved to further hydrate the coating and react in combination with
the metal catalysts (by donating hydrogen to the ozone) to decompose ozone to
form hydroxide ions, and radicals, as well as hydro peroxides, such as the HO2
radical and hydrogen peroxides, which are desirable reaction products from the
decomposition of ozone due to their strong oxidizing properties, which
enhances the germicidal effect of UV radiation.
While competitors are using TiO2 alone
with no hydrating agents or other less effective catalyst coatings, Air Oasis
is setting the trend for the next generation of air purifiers.
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