Bipolar ionisation tested against viruses in air and on surfaces.
Bipolar Ionisation on test in Madrid.
BIPOLAR IONISATION PUT TO THE TEST
Bipolar ionisation gained a lot of attention at this time because of its’ ability to remove pathogens from surfaces as well as the air. Early on in the pandemic, the main concern was around fomite (surface) transmission.
The ability of the technology to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) had been known for a long time.
Bipolar ionisation uses the process of agglomeration to reduce the level of ultrafine particles lingering in the air. The process is not selective, it will not differentiate between viral droplets or dust, it is effective on both.
The Madrid testing showed a 99% reduction of the viral surrogate in the air, and a ~80% reduction on surfaces. Please get in touch for a full copy of the test report.
INDUSTRY ACCEPTANCE
- CIBSE released guidance on air cleaning technologies in 2021
- The technology is also included in the British Council for offices guidance (BCO). They suggest that ions are created as close as possible to the occupied space.
- AirRated give credit to NBPI for reducing levels of particulates and VOCs.
IN-HOUSE EXPERTISE
Spire Building Services have supplied thousands of Bipolar ionisation systems to the UK market since 2018. Knowing how to implement the technology correctly is critical to ensure its effectiveness.
The founder of Spire Building Services was asked to report on successful application of bipolar ionisation for the CIBSE Journal. The article about the bipolar ionisation testing in Madrid was featured in the CIBSE Journal early on in the pandemic in October 2020.
He also spoke at the CIBSE Technical symposium about clean air technology application in late 2020 and at CIBSE Build2Perform event in 2021. He will next be appearing at the technical symposium in April 2022 to talk about real-life testing of IAQ improvement solutions and again at CIBSE Build2Perform in November 2022.
We sell the systems primarily through OEM manufacturers who include them in response to specifications from building services engineers.
If you are an MEP engineer who would like assistance with specifying bipolar ionisation systems, please get in touch.
If you are a manufacturer looking to incorporate the technology into your systems, we would be delighted to assist you.
Read more about the Plasma Air systems or view our product range here.