FAQ

Particulate Size (PM)

Particulate Matter (PM) Basics | US EPA

What is PM, and how does it get into the air?

Size comparisons for PM particles
PM stands for particulate matter (also called particle pollution): the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye. Others are so small they can only be detected using an electron microscope.

Particle pollution includes:

• PM10 : inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 10 micrometers and smaller; and
  PM2.5 : fine inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 2.5 micrometers and smaller. How small is 2.5 micrometers? Think about a single hair from your head. The average human hair is about 70 micrometers in diameter – making it 30 times larger than the largest fine particle.
  Sources of PM: These particles come in many sizes and shapes and can be made up of hundreds of different chemicals.
• Some are emitted directly from a source, such as construction sites, unpaved roads, fields, smokestacks or fires.
  Most particles form in the atmosphere as a result of complex reactions of chemicals such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which are pollutants emitted from power plants, industries and automobiles.

What are the Harmful Effects of PM?

• Particulate matter contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small that they can be inhaled and cause serious health problems. Some particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter can get deep into your lungs and some may even get into your bloodstream. Of these, particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, also known as fine particles or PM2.5, pose the greatest risk to health.
• Fine particles are also the main cause of reduced visibility (haze) in parts of the United States, including many of our treasured national parks and wilderness areas.
• Learn more about health and environmental effects

What is Being Done to Reduce Particle Pollution?

• EPA regulates inhalable particles. Particles of sand and large dust, which are larger than 10 micrometers, are not regulated by EPA.
• EPA’s national and regional rules to reduce emissions of pollutants that form PM will help state and local governments meet the Agency’s national air quality standards. Learn about how air quality standards help reduce PM.

How Can I Reduce My Exposure to PM?

• You can use air quality alerts to protect yourself and others when PM reaches harmful levels:
• AirNow: Every day the Air Quality Index (AQI) tells you how clean or polluted your outdoor air is, along with associated health effects that may be of concern. The AQI translates air quality data into numbers and colors that help people understand when to take action to protect their health.
• Go to About AirNow to learn how you can get AQI notifications.
  Also learn how the Air Quality Flag Program can help air agencies, schools, and other community organizations to notify their citizens of harmful conditions and adjust outdoor physical activities as needed.

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Is this only available in a 1”?

What does the install in a roof top or AHU look like with multiple 2” or 4” filters ? Are multiple unit’s daisy chained together? Is there an issue with degradation of gaskets due to the plasmic field produced?

• The modules do come in 1” nominal (7/8” actual) in direction of airflow.
• Normally, roof top units do have 2” or 4” filters.
  • If 2”, we remove the 2” particle filter and slide in the Aireshield with a 1” MERV 8 filter.
    • The outcome is MERV 13 in the space.
  • If 4”, we remove the 4” particle filter and slide in the 1” Aireshield with a 2” MERV 13. There would be a 1” spacer added
    • The outcome is MERV 16 in the space. See attached report.
• In the case of multiple modules: Yes, daisy chain them together because power consumption is less than 12 watts on the largest 24”x24” modules.
• The plasma field is confined and does not emit anything. So unlike UV technology that degrades HAVC material: Aireshield does not.

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Does this technology have any effect on odors, organic and VOC’s?

• Under normal operation, we set the voltage increase to 5500 volts from the factory. This generates 1 ppb of ozone 9 unlike ionization and UV that can generate 20 ppb and above).
  • However, we do installations where they are exhausting from Cannabis grow houses, and in this applications, we have increase the voltage where Ozone is still below 5 ppb, and has some effect on Limonene.

Are there minimum quantities when ordering? Where do these ship from? Lead times?

• There are no minimum ordering qty’s.
  • However, some companies order for stock.
• These ship from Kenilworth, NJ.
• The standard sizes listed below ship out in 1 to 2 days.
  12×24 , 24×24, 16×25, 20×20, 20×25

The brochure I have show the Aireshield replacing the filter, is this correct? I thought this was intended to work in conjunction with not replace filters.

• In cases where there is a residential 1” filter track, yes, the Aireshield is used.
  • The mechanism to remove harmful particles from the air is sedimentation similar to the way PM10 and larger fall out.
• But, if the track is larger, we do like to sandwich Aireshield with a smaller thickness particle filter.

Does this unit have UL2998 validation for zero ozone emissions? I saw the unit was tested for ozone through Blue Heaven.

• Yes, it does.
• Intertek used Blue Heaven to apply CSA 22.2 No. 187 for not only Canada but California as well.
  • The normal operation is 1 ppb of O3.

Do you have any testing data, maybe from Blue Heaven, showing the increase in MERV rating with your product?

• Yes we do from LMS labs.
o They used a 52.2 test duct and the 1000 cu.ft. chamber per AHAM.
• The report shows the MERV 13 to MERV 16.
• Below is the MERV 8 to MERV 13.

Do you have any installation videos? Residential and commercial?

Yes, we have a residential & commercial test installation video on You Tube.