How do ionic air purifiers work

Electrostatic air purifiers take advantage of this fact by providing a positively charged collector plate that attracts particles.

Regular ionizers do not have a plate, so the particles end up on the floor or stuck to the curtains somewhere else in the room. Ionizers can be made in many different forms. Some are fanless, relying on air currents within the room to carry particles through them. This has the advantage of being very quiet, but it takes a long time for a fanless ionizer to purify all the air in a room.

Others use a fan to speed things up. Ionizers can also be combined with other air purification technologies, such as a HEPA filter for removing more particles from the air, or a carbon filter for removing volatile organic compounds VOCs , odors and other gaseous pollutants. Sometimes the filter is charged, so it acts as the collector plate in an electrostatic purifier. In the early s the Ionic Breeze ionizing air purifier was sold by Sharper Image in shopping malls across the U.

It was a new way of using technology to purify air, and for a while many people bought into the hype. But Consumer Reports tested the Ionic Breeze and found it ineffective at purifying air and later, potentially dangerous because it generated ozone.

There are two types of pollutants you need to deal with to improve your indoor air quality: particulate pollutants and gaseous pollutants. To determine if ionizers are effective, we need to address both types.

Ionizers are not especially efficient anyway. Fanless models clean a relatively small amount of air, and even models with fans have low clean air delivery ratings CADR. On the plus side, small, fanless models are very quiet and easy to move from room to room. Ionizers that use an electrostatic collector plate are more efficient—in fact, they are quite good at removing particles from the air.

However, this efficiency only lasts as long as the collector plate is clean. As it becomes saturated with particles, efficiency drops drastically.

Electrostatic precipitators also draw a lot of electricity. The process of using an electrical charge to generate ions also creates ozone gas. Ozone can be used to decontaminate and sterilize indoor areas, and is often used for that purpose. However, at effective concentrations, it is very dangerous. If you do not want a negative ionizer your choices among brands are limited. EJ and mod air purifiers we make do not have an ionizer.

And no unwanted ozone. As mentioned earlier, the concern with an ionizer is that it will generate ozone. The state of California requires all air purifiers to be lab tested. Negative Ionizers are small devices that create a negative charge.

This charge allows the HEPA filter to capture more particles. Ion generators come in different shapes and are small in size similar to a dental floss container. In the spirit of full disclosure we will show you how the ozone testing is done and what the results look like.

To date, we have not seen anyone else share this type of information. The ozone testing is done at a certified test lab in the US such as Intertek. This is an extensive test with measurements taken in many places on the air purifier. As you can see in the picture below. The negative ions can travel in different directions. So, many measurements. The testing is performed for 8 hours with many measurements taken. To pass an air purifier must be less than 0.

Here are the results of the ozone test for the Finn air purifier. Results far below the 0. Here are the Max ozone test results. Again, far below the standard for what is considered safe. Actually, this test did not show any ozone. The FDA has established an ozone standard of 0. This means an air purifier must produce less than 0. The testing for ozone is done in a controlled test lab. The problem is that we do not live in test labs. We live in homes. Homes that have other things in them like cleaning supplies and nail polish that give off fumes.

These fumes when in contact with technologies like PCO or ionizers can produce ozone. Check out the California Air Resources Board's research "some devices could produce unhealthful levels of ozone in more realistic conditions Our air purifiers were designed for people with sensitive systems like COPD or asthma.

If they are effective and safe for this group they will work great for everyone. We make them to be safe from the ground up. They have a low level 1 watt or less negative ionizer. Yet with the press of a button you can turn this off. Best Air Purifiers For Children. Who Uses Oransi Air Purifiers. The Link Between Allergies and Asthma. In just 3 simple steps you'll find the right air purifier for your needs. Are you a new customer? Create an account today and enjoy these benefits:.

Free Shipping! Compare All Air Purifier. In addition, they produce small amounts of ozone, which is actually a lung irritant and also detrimental to the environment. While some people with respiratory conditions may find their conditions improve with use of an ionic air purifier, some may actually develop additional breathing problems. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there is no standard way to measure the effectiveness of an air ionizer purifier, since it does not capture and collect particles the way mechanical air filters do.

Therefore, there is really no way to know how well they work. The bottom line, for us, is that we want something we know is going to be effective. When asked do ionic air purifiers work better than the alternatives, we have concluded that they do not.

While there are a few different alternatives from which to choose, we recommend a mechanical air purifier with a HEPA high energy particulate air filter from Honeywell. Those made by Honeywell have been determined to capture and remove at least The HEPA filter is especially recommended if you have mold or other potentially hazardous substances in the home. The Honeywell air purifiers also contain activated carbon prefilters that help remove odors from the air.

You can follow this link to Amazon. Besides having the lowest prices, we found their customer reviews very helpful when selecting the right model for your needs.