Design and Fabrication of Catch and Kill Air Filter

EasyChair Preprint 4954

Abstract

Airborne transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) via air-conditioning systems poses a significant threat for the continued escalation of the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Considering that SARS-CoV-2 cannot tolerate temperatures above 70 °C, here we designed and fabricated efficient filters based on heated nickel (Ni) foam to catch and kill SARS-CoV-2. Virus test results revealed that 99.8 percent of the aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 was caught and killed by a single pass through a novel Ni-foam–based filter when heated up to 200 °C. In addition, the same filter was also used to catch and kill 99.9 percent of Bacillus anthracis, an airborne spore. This study paves the way for preventing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other highly infectious airborne agents in closed environments. Air filters are common enough daily items, familiar to anyone who has ever used an air conditioner on a hot summer’s day, but scientist clarified that a common air filter cannot kill the SARS-CoV-2 as well as other highly infectious airborne viruses Hence This project is about designing and fabricating the catch and kill air filter to help essential workers are at elevated risk of exposure mainly at schools, health care facility, hospitals etc. by providing them safety. This project will help people to buy air filters with lower cost and highest safety during this pandemic.

Keyphrases: COVID-19 pandemic, Infectious airborne Virus, Nickel foam, carbon filter, electrostatic precipitator, fan

@booklet{EasyChair:4954,
  author    = {Chetan Bandhekar and Ganesh Bhojane and Tejas Choudhary and Sahil Dalvi},
  title     = {Design and Fabrication of Catch and Kill Air Filter},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 4954},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2021}}