Aery Te Punaha Whakakino Hau Uvc

Press Kit

Unique Properties

Aery uses a dual-stage approach for disinfection.

The first stage utilises the waste heat produced from the UVC light emitting diodes and repurposes it to accelerate pathogen kill rate when untreated air is pulled through the heated fins of the heatsink. The second stage increases the air's exposure to UVC as it passes through a series of bends located under the light emitting diodes. The design maximises the disinfection efficacy in a compact module.

Dimensions & Packaging

Width 139mm x Depth 138mm x Height 692mm

Tags

Disinfection, Air Purifier, Sanitisation, UVC, Simtech, Innovation Factory, A*STAR, Industrial Design, Singapore

Production Technology

The need for more effective disinfection systems was brought upon by the coronavirus pandemic. Recent studies on pathogen deactivation mentioned higher temperatures of up to 38 degrees Celsius can accelerate the deactivation rate of pathogens and while others showed the correlation between the duration of UVC exposure and the decline in pathogens survivability. This motivated the idea of increasing the UVC exposure duration by making an air channel with bends and making use of the thermal load from the heatsinks mounted with LEDs while retaining the effective wavelength for pathogen deactivation through the use of UVC LED technology

Design Challenge

The challenge was to find the right balance between the fin length of the heatsink, UV-C LED lifespan and heat generated coupled with the efficacy of killing pathogens. Understanding the behaviour of air flowing through the system is complex due to potential pressure build-ups in various parts of the system. All these challenges have been factored in while keeping the system compact.

Research

During this global pandemic, great emphasis is placed on disinfecting our environment to limit community transmission. This caused a surge in demand for hygiene and cleanliness with UVC LED exhibiting increased disinfection efficacy and lifetime in comparison to existing mercury lamps. Studies also show that higher temperatures increased the deactivation rate of pathogens. As such, we saw an opportunity to leverage on the UVC LED technology while repurposing the energy transfer within the system, thus allowing us to create an economical and effective air disinfection solution.

Inspiration

The coronavirus pandemic has stirred the world into warding off current and future pandemic threats with a greater emphasis on the enhancement of cleanliness and hygiene in the new normal. As disinfection, sanitisation and cleaning become an integral part of our daily life, it challenges us to rethink what constitutes a safe environment in our social fabric during these uncertain times. Aery was developed to help people regain confidence in social interaction when sharing a common space.

Project Duration

The project started in February 2021, Singapore and finished in March 2021 in Singapore. The product is currently being tested further and the development of the next version is in progress.

Operation Flow

The disinfection process starts by accelerating air through an active inlet fan. The untreated air is blown through the heatsink for heat transfer, killing some pathogens as air temperature rises. It is then channelled through a U-bend and accelerated by another active fan. The air is then blown through an air-channel with bends to increase UVC exposure duration for higher disinfection efficacy via the UVC LED. The increased temperature and exposure duration will result in a more effective deactivation of the pathogens before the air is released back into the environment.

Image Credits

Image #1: Creator Duane Lye Dun Wei, Product Shot, 2021.
Image #2: Creator Duane Lye Dun Wei, Washroom Deployment, 2021.
Image #3: Creator Duane Lye Dun Wei, Airflow Sequence, 2021.
Image #4: Creator Duane Lye Dun Wei, Room Deployment, 2021.
Image #4: Illustrator Teeraphan Pensupha, The double space living room interior design and concrete wall background / New 3D rendering interior design scene, 2021.
Image #5: Creator Duane Lye Dun Wei, Colour Options, 2021.