The enVerid Air Purifier from enVerid Systems, a provider of indoor air quality solutions, is a filtration product that has been shown to capture 99.99% of viruses, including a surrogate for the COVID-19 virus. It combines a high-efficiency filter with built-in ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) technology to capture and inactivate viruses, and is suitable for offices, classrooms, retail stores, and other commercial applications.
The enVerid Air Purifier can be mounted below the ceiling where their visibility provides peace of mind, or out of sight in the ceiling plenum. Each unit comes with a wall-mounted LCD-display controller for monitoring and control. This localized filtration solution offers a way to ensure healthy indoor air quality without the significant expense of upgrading HVAC systems, and the “energy penalty” associated with conditioning higher volumes of outside air. Compared to portable air filters, this ceiling-mounted system saves floor space, avoids clutter, and allows for more flexible placement to minimize noise and optimize air flow.
“Indoor air quality (IAQ) has never been more important to school administrators, building owners, and tenants as they prepare for people to return to school and work,” said Christian Weeks, CEO of enVerid Systems. “Consistent with our company mission to make the world a cleaner, healthier place, we are excited to expand our product offerings with a solution that provides peace of mind for building occupants and owners concerned about COVID-19 airborne transmission in the buildings where we learn, work, and shop.”
Each enVerid Air Purifier quietly pulls air from the occupied space and runs it through a multi-stage series of high-performance filters. Cleaned air is then sent back into the space. Each unit treats up to 1,000 square feet of space, cleaning the entire air volume every 20 minutes. Multiple units can be installed to meet the requirements of any size space.
ASHRAE’s most recent Building Readiness guide recommends high-efficiency filters “in high occupancy or high bioburden (such as the building entry) spaces” in addition to increasing filter MERV levels in existing air handling equipment fans and motors.
Third-party tests conducted by LMS Technologies, a U.S.-based independent air media and filter testing company, showed that the enVerid Air Purifier removes 99.99% of viruses from air passing through the filter. Testing was done using MS-2-bacteriophage, a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2. Viral efficiency testing was performed according to ASTM F2101-19, the standard test method for determining bacterial filter efficiency for medical face mask materials.
Testing by LMS also showed a single pass efficiency of 99.95% for particles whose diameter is equal to 0.3-0.5 μm, the lower end of the size range generally attributed to bioaerosols that can carry viruses. The UVC sterilization lamp installed in the return air box kills bacteria and viruses entering the unit and adsorbed on the filters. The Air Purifier can also be used without the UVC sterilization lamp.
Four hanging brackets are included with the enVerid Air Purifier. Duct connections and ceiling return may be required depending on the installation. The unit requires access to 110V or 220V power and is connected to the controller with an 18-gauge stranded shielded communication wire (not included). Side access is required for filter replacement. The filter display on the control panel shows the number of days until the next high efficiency filter replacement, which is required every six months if the UVC lamps are in use and every 12 months if they are not in use. The washable pre-filter should be cleaned every time the high efficiency filter is changed and replaced every one to two years. The UVC lamp bulbs should be replaced every 9,000 hours and cleaned whenever the high efficiency filter is replaced.
