| NSF Org: |
TI Translational Impacts |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | December 21, 2015 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | December 21, 2015 |
| Award Number: | 1549666 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Prakash Balan
pbalan@nsf.gov (703)292-5341 TI Translational Impacts TIP Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships |
| Start Date: | January 1, 2016 |
| End Date: | December 31, 2016 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $223,865.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $223,865.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
4712 W FAIRVIEW AVE BOISE ID US 83706-2241 (314)956-5909 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
One Brookings Drive St Louis MO US 63130-4899 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | STTR Phase I |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.084 |
ABSTRACT
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project will be the development of an air purification system that in a single step will achieve HEPA standard air filtration efficiencies coupled with the removal of gaseous pollutants and inactivation of air borne pathogens while reducing the overall energy required to provide clean air. This would significantly aid in providing cleaner air thereby reducing chances of airborne disease transmission. The implications of this technology are even more significant for sensitive environments such as hospitals and clean rooms where clean air is required, but is expensive due to the high energy cost associated with current filtration technologies. This technology would be able to overcome current drawbacks with filtration technologies by significantly reducing the dependence of clean air on energy consumption. The technology also has potential applicability in other specialty markets where HEPA filters are used.
The technical objectives in this Phase I project are to develop a soft x-ray enhanced electrostatic precipitator (SXC-ESP) system for the co-removal of particles, gaseous pollutants, volatile organic compounds and the inactivation of pathogens from contaminated air streams. The project will address significant scientific challenges associated with air purification by providing a mechanistic understanding of the ultrafine (nanometer sized) particle charging and capture process; and of the pathways of gaseous species oxidation and pathogen inactivation in photo-ionizer coupled coronas. This mechanistic understanding will form the basis of the design and scale up parameters for the technology for high efficiency air purification with low energy consumption. This model led design will be used to fabricate a scaled up prototype for the co-removal of particulates, gaseous pollutants, and the inactivation of pathogens. The prototype system will be tested under field conditions in collaboration with facilities and maintenance professionals and experts in the filtration industry.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
On average, people spend about 90% of their time indoors, where airborne contaminants can include particles, gaseous pollutants (volatile organic compounds, odors, toxic chemicals), allergens, and pathogens (bacteria, viruses, fungi). These contaminants are of higher concern in healthcare environments such as hospitals and clinics. Current filtration technologies used in hospitals are primarily based on media filters. Media filters capture particulate contaminants from the air by creating a physical barrier to the air flow. This results in a significant pressure drop across the filter and thus contributes significantly to energy consumption in HVAC systems. As a result, the use of HEPA filters is limited to certain high risk spaces in hospitals. Furthermore, current filters are inadequate in removing gaseous pollutants and inactivating pathogens. Additional filtration technologies, such as UV and carbon based technologies are needed for the inactivation of pathogens and the removal of gaseous pollutants. This significantly adds to the lifecycle cost of the system and the maintenance requirements.
During Phase I, Applied Particle Technology (APT), in collaboration with Washington University in St Louis, has demonstrated a proof of concept and scalability of a photoionization enhanced electrostatic precipitation (PE-ESP) technology for removal of particulates and gaseous pollutants from indoor air. The technology utilizes a charge and capture methodology to remove particles, inactivate pathogens and decompose gaseous pollutants. The pressure drop across the system is minimal and does not increase over time, which provides the advantage of low energy consumption by the HVAC system enabling better air purification throughout the building. The research further established a theoretical model to understand the mechanisms involved in the charging and capture of the pollutants. A model guided design approach was utilized to demonstrate scale up of the technology followed by experimental verification of the performance of experimental test aerosols and indoor environments.
The continued development and commercialization of this technology would significantly improve public health as a result of better air quality in indoor environments and reduced operating costs associated with air purification. Concurrently, it would significantly reduce energy consumption in HVAC systems. The technology would also provide significant benefits in other applications including aircraft cabins, defense systems, clean rooms, commercial buildings, and residential buildings.
Last Modified: 03/31/2017
Modified by: Tandeep S Chadha
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