How They Work
ECOairflow electronic air filters works through a combination of three (3) filtration processes. This gives them capabilities that no non-powered filter can match. Each of these is described below.
Collision
Collision is the primary method all filters use to trap dust and other particles passing through them. All filters have some form of media which has been woven or spun into a specific density. The denser the weave, the smaller the gaps in between. Particles that are larger in diameter that the gaps, cannot pass through and they collide with the weave and are trapped. The degree of effectiveness depends on the density of the weave. More expensive pleated filters and HEPA filters have very dense weaves with very small spaces.
The problem with this type of filtration is that in order to filter effectively, all non-powered filters suffer from problems that directly correlate to the performance of the filter. The higher their efficiency, the greater the problems. These problems include;
- Higher heating/AC operating costs.
- Higher strain on furnace/AC
- Reduced filter life.
- Redued air flow for filtration.
To complicate matters further, the greatest number of particles in the air we breathe and most of the more dangerous ones are extremely small and these simply pass through even HEPA filters. It is not possible to make a non-powered filter that will allow air flow and still capture ultra-fine particles. The best non-powered filters only filter effectively down to .3 microns in size as that is the average size of the gaps in their weaves.
While .3 microns is small, it is still much larger than most viruses. It is also 30-80 times larger that the heavy metal particles created as a bi-product of the Radon decay process. Tobacco smoke is also much smaller and will pass easily through even the best non-powered filters.
ECOairflow filters solve all these issues through the use of high voltage (but very low amperage) electronics to use a principal known as polarization.
Polarization
ECOairflow filters create an electronic corona field which alters the polarity of particles in the vicinity of this field. Once charged, particles become attracted to the collector pads in the filter and seek the pad fibers out, instead of just passing through the gaps. This is very similar to the principal of magnetism. This process has been proven in independent certified lab tests to be up to 45 times as effective as even the best non-powered filters when comparing performance in the .001-.010 micron range.
Agglomeration
Charged particles can also be attracted to other particles of similar and larger sizes When they collide and stick together, they form larger particles which are more easily captured by the Ecoairflow filter on subsequent passes. This phenomenon is known as agglomeration.
What This Means to You
The use of electronic polarization to charge particles allows the filter media pads to be made of a much less dense material than high quality non-powered filters. This means;
- High filtration performance. (Up to MERV 14 depending on model and filter configuration).
- Lower HVAC operation costs (up to 15% per year).
- Longer pad and filter life.
- Better air quality. Many people notice a reduction in allergy symptoms after installation of an ECOairflow filter.