Design Notes
Air-purification systems (and their terminal blocks) help battle COVID-19 Barry Nelson of WAGO
GreenTech uses WAGO’s picoMAX pluggable PCB terminal blocks for reliable connections in its design.
As doctors and medical experts continue to try and find a vaccine for COVID-19, one company is looking to help control the spread — especially in medical facilities. For the past ten years, GreenTech Environmental has been at the fore ont of producing residential air-purification systems. Now with the help of CASPR Medik, they have created an air-purification system for hospitals and medical centers that has demonstrated effectiveness against viruses similar to COVID-19. It should be noted that their system has not been tested directly against the COVID-19 strand, but CASPR Medik has tested it against similar viruses on hard and absorbent surfaces. CASPR Medik has also conducted testing of this system against the Feline Calicivirus. This is a highly contagious virus that is one of the major causes of upper respiratory infections in cats. Feline Calicivirus is a well-known surrogate for Norovirus and COVID-19. It is a virus that
CASPR designs install into HVAC systems to continually disinfect public and patient areas in healthcare settings. Billed as an alternative to hydrogen misters and ultraviolet light, the technology employs oxidizing molecules to disinfect closed areas.
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spreads through airborne particles when coming in contact with infected surfaces or by coughing or sneezing. With the technology developed by GreenTech and the testing done by CASPR, both strands were significantly reduced or eliminated. Medical facilities are taking precautions at every turn to stop the spread of COVID-19. They use hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, and other materials to try to keep rooms and surfaces clean. However, as GreenTech founder and CEO Allen Johnston explains, “There are a lot of liquid sanitizers that do a great job and kill pathogens. But within a short time, people reenter the room and the area becomes contaminated again.” GreenTech’s proprietary photocatalyticbased air-purification technology continuously sanitizes and purifies the room as people come in and out. “It’s a slower process,” Johnston says, “but much more effective because it works continuously.” With the outbreak of COVID-19, Johnston says that orders om medical facilities all across the world have been pouring in. GreenTech had planned for 6,000 purifiers to be manufactured throughout the year, but due to the virus, DESIGN WORLD
6/8/20 3:16 PM