| There seem to be as many ways to purify air as | | | | This will make a large particle out of many little |
| there are contaminants to purify out of it. Herein, | | | | particles, which then are easier for a filter to trap. |
| a peek under the hood at the rather complex | | | | Ionization is rumored to have a bunch of fringe |
| business of keeping microscopic junk out of your | | | | benefits, such as improving your mood, helping |
| lungs:HEPA and ULPA filters: There seems to be | | | | reduce depression from Seasonal Affective |
| two definitions for the acronym HEPA; either "high | | | | Disorder, and alleviating the symptoms of asthma |
| efficiency particulate air,", or "high efficiency | | | | - but there is some debate as to which of these |
| particulate absorbing." ULPA means "Ultra Low | | | | effects are real. Certainly, I notice that I feel |
| Particulate Air". Both kinds attempt to strain as | | | | cheerful just after a thunderstorm, and I'm told |
| many foreign particles from the air as they can | | | | that's because lightening puts more ions in the air, |
| and still let air through. ULPAs are tighter filters | | | | so the air always feels cleaner afterwards.Ozone |
| than HEPAs, though only by a few | | | | Air Cleaners: In a radical departure from previous |
| percents.Electrostatic Filters: Work the same way | | | | methods, these purifiers are not content to sit |
| the static on your clothes do, only they use an | | | | and wait for the pollutants to come to them. |
| electric charge on the filter to draw particles to | | | | Instead, they release small amounts of ozone, |
| the filter. Turn the electricity off, the filtered | | | | which then go out and find the pollutants and |
| particles drop, usually into a disposal receptacle. | | | | neutralize them.Ultraviolet: These use radiation |
| You only need to look at how dust particles tend | | | | from ultraviolet light bulbs to kill biological |
| to stick to your monitor's glass surface (it's | | | | organisms. From germs to funguses, these |
| generating static electricity, too) to see an | | | | purifiers are like a "bug zapper" for microscopic |
| example in action. Clever, no?Electrostatic | | | | bugs! Frequently seen in hospitals.Carbon Filters: |
| Precipitators: Not just a tongue-twister, but a | | | | Exactly as the name suggests, these are the |
| similar concept as the filter; here we're using two | | | | regular old technology where you catch stuff in |
| opposite charges to attract airborne particles to a | | | | the filter until it's dirty, then you change it for a |
| plate or grid wire. This is how some of the | | | | new one. Unimaginative compared to all the |
| purifiers that don't need a filter to change work; | | | | whiz-bang space-age technology out there; plus |
| you just wash off the precipitator plate and reuse | | | | they only catch big particles.Washable Foam: |
| it. A similar stunt on a larger scale is how a | | | | Another large particle-catcher, these are similar to |
| coal-burning power-plant scrubs some of the ash | | | | the carbon filters, only they can be washed in |
| out of the smoke it produces.Ionizers: Ionizers | | | | warm, soapy water, drip-dried, and reused.For |
| use static electricity in a different way; they | | | | more information about Air Purifier Info please |
| make the pollutant particles stick to each other. | | | | visit my website. |