Do industrial air purifiers work?

Spoiler alert: The short answer is Yes, industrial air purifiers can work. But it depends on which purifier you choose for your situation.

People face many indoor air quality (IAQ) threats in the workplace. These include outdoor pollution (roughly half of which makes its way inside typical buildings), dust, allergens, viruses, bacteria, molds, and VOCs. Depending on the workplace, dangerous chemical odors may also be present. 

Pollution levels indoors are often higher than outside, which is why the increased circulation of “fresh” outdoor air is a recommended strategy for mitigating IAQ issues. However, this is an expensive strategy since the outdoor air needs to be heated or cooled, and possibly de-humidified (depending on the regional) and may not be all that fresh. In the summer, for example, wildfire smoke can travel thousands of miles before inviting itself inside. And global warming is increasing the number and severity of wildfire events. 

Since many people spend 40 hours a week or more in these indoor work spaces, close to half of their waking hours, it is critically important to remove exposure to unnecessary hazards. 

What is an industrial air purifier?

People often use the term “industrial air purifier” interchangeably with “commercial air purifier” to refer to purifiers for such facilities as offices, schools, hospitals, stores, and other commercial establishments, as well as factories and warehouses. While you might think of these locations as distinct, in fact they often face the same challenges and requirements, and may even be physically closely connected. A factory or warehouse may have an office or a store just a door – or a ventilation duct – away. Some particles, including viruses, are far smaller than 1.0 microns (PM 1.0).

Here, we consider “industrial” and “commercial” air purifiers to be essentially the same thing. 

How effective are commercial air purifiers?

Air purifiers typically work by passing the air through one or more filters which remove particles of a particular size. To deal with a range of threats, some air purifiers use two or more filters – first eliminating the largest particles, and then filtering out the remaining smaller ones. 

To deal with COVID risks, MERV-13 filters because the most recommended for commercial HVAC systems by ASHRAE and CDC. Typical HVAC filters are MERV-8. They must remove at least 90% of particles 3-10 microns in size, but only half of those below 1 micron, which are often the most dangerous. The reality is, they can’t effectively reduce the threat from viruses, bacteria, and many other fine particles.

On the other hand, MERV 16 filters must be able to remove more particles, but they’re often expensive and use a lot of energy. The filters must be changed frequently and we’ve heard from many sources that that maintenance is often overlooked. 

HEPA filters, on the other hand, remove 99.97% or more of airborne particles, substantially reducing virtually all airborne hazards. HEPA filters used in COVID wards were found to essentially eliminate the COVID aerosols. 

Some industrial air purifiers, such as those designed for clean rooms, use other technologies to eliminate even smaller particles, or deal with industry-specific hazards, but they are not needed for most applications.

So, if you use the right tool for the job, the industrial air purifier can significantly reduce and even eliminate airborne risks.

What’s the problem with industrial air purifiers?

Industrial air purifiers have several issues:

• The filters get dirty and require frequent changes, often every six months or less. This is a hassle for maintenance, an expense for the company, and generates a lot of solid waste.
• The filters may become safe harbors for viruses, bacterias, molds, and other threats as they build up.
• The accumulation of filtered material slowly clogs up the filter, making it harder to pull air through it, and increasing energy use. This could burn out the equipment.

A new type of commercial air purification technology improves indoor workplace air quality while reducing the impact on the environment, as well as reducing operating costs and maintenance. These self-cleaning systems combine HEPA grade filtration and catalysis. In just minutes a month, these devices convert the collected pollutants into harmless air and water. Unlike traditional systems, the novel filters do not act as an increasingly congested reservoir of particulates, viruses, bacteria, and mold. Plus, by eliminating particles that fill up and clog the filters, these new systems reduce the need to frequently replace filters. Over the system’s lifetime, organizations could save up to 75% of costs compared to other industrial HEPA air purification systems.