Energy Technology Revolution’s latest piece, titled “Lessons Learned From Smoke Season 2023 About Protecting Indoor Air Quality” asks the question: How do you keep indoor air fresh when the outdoor air is polluted? Here’s one way author Jay Stein answers:
Once high MERV filtration is in place, building operators in places with high levels of ozone pollution may want to take the next step, and clean their indoor air without bringing in much outdoor air. The technology that makes this strategy possible is known as sorbent filtration. Sorbents are materials that gas molecules naturally adhere to on contact, and can be incorporated into filters formulated to absorb carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, and ozone. When sorbent filters are saturated, such that they can no longer absorb any more gas molecules, they are regenerated by forcing hot air through them. The absorbed gas molecules are then released from the sorbent filters and expelled outdoors.
While sorbents have been used for decades in spacecraft and submarines, currently, there’s just one manufacturer of such filters for buildings: enVerid, a young company based near Boston. It not only makes the filters but also incorporates them into modules containing fans, particulate filters, regeneration heaters, controls, and dampers (see picture below). Buildings that install these modules could potentially eliminate nearly their entire outdoor air intake and the pollution that comes with it.
We wholeheartedly agree and are grateful for the shout-out!