Tests prove UV effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2
10th March 2021
ITALY: An Aermec fan coil unit fitted with a UV-C lamp is said to have been proven effective against SARS-CoV-2 in tests by the University of Padova’s department of microbiology.
Italian manufacturer Aermec has been supplying its fan coils with UV-C technology since 2016. This UV lamp is completely built-in and shielded and thus has no effect on people outside the device or the air currents.
These fan coil units have already been proven effective against bacteria, including streptococcus and staphylococci, often present in hospital settings, influenza viruses, gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, pathogenic allergens produced by dust mites, pollen, mildew spores and other allergens.
Now, in a corona-modified form, with a titanium dioxide (TiO2) treated surface next to the lamp, the fan coil has also been successfully tested against the coronavirus at the University of Padova.
The research study using real SARS-CoV-2 virus material was carried out to medical standards and ran from the end of June 2020 to December 2020.
The Aermec model FCZI200HP fan coil unit included the TiO2 treated surface, with ductwork on the suction and discharge sides. The tests were carried out at 20ºC and with uncontrolled relative humidity.
The tests with the fan coil unit were carried out over four different time periods, between 2 hours and 12 hours. The results showed a net effectiveness against the virus of 72.9% at maximum fan speed, up to 84.3% at automatic fan speed and 62.9% with the fan at minimum flow.
