Air
Oasis Technology Summary
AHPCO ™, is an
Advanced Hydrated Photocatalytic Oxidation technology. Basically,
it is a broad spectrum high intensity UV light targeted on a quad
metallic catalyst in a low-level ozone and moist atmosphere. This
creates an advanced oxidation of friendly oxidizers. Unlike ozone,
these oxidizers are safe, but yet aggressive at killing mold, bacteria,
viruses and more. They also effectively neutralize odors and VOCs.
Once they have done their job they revert back to oxygen and hydrogen
. AHPCO technology has been successfully used in water, air, food
and laundry applications.
Development
The UV light and ozone are not new discoveries. Ozone was first
discovered in the late 1800's and used as a water purifier in Europe.
UV light was discovered in the 1930's. Actually, nature discovered
it before; it was called the "sun". The disinfection qualities of
UV light are also not new. Hospitals have used UV light for decades
in operating rooms. Barbers were disinfecting combs in the 1950's
with UV light. What is new is the enhancement of both these natural,
friendly oxidizers and the validation for use on air, water, food
and laundry.
History of Air Systems
In the mid-1980's air purifiers started to make their way into the
residential market. Ozone air systems were widely used in the commercial
restoration business for fire and flood damage to buildings. These
applications utilized corona discharge systems (CD) that use a spark
or electrically charged plates to simulate lightning. This converted
the oxygen (O2) to ozone (O3). The CD method creates very high concentrated
ozone. Plus by using air as the oxygen source, you are receiving
20% oxygen and 80% nitrogen. The problem with CD systems is with
oxygen conversion you also get a nitrogen conversion, which makes
nitric acid and nitric oxide.
The problem
facing the residential air systems was that the cost of an oxygen
generator was so high they went without one. This, of course, created
a CD unit that produced high concentrated ozone plus low levels
of nitric oxide and nitric acid. The maintenance was a problem due
to the corrosive nature of nitric acid and the high concentration
of ozone exceeding the Federal safety limits of .04 ppm. Ozone readings
at the exhaust have exceeded 10 ppm, which is potentially lethal.
Air Oasis decided to stay out of this dangerous market.
In the late
1980's it was discovered that the lower concentration of ozone could
have an effect on odors, mold and bacteria. Testing this theory,
determined that safe, low levels of ozone could have a significant
result with airborne mold, odors and bacteria. The problem was to
create a safe residential air purifier that could produce safe,
low concentrations of ozone that would not exceed the .04 ppm Federal
limits. This was accomplished in the early 1990's, about the same
time as the Federal Government was going after the ozone residential
units. This battle of the Feds and manufacturers gave ozone a very
bad name.
With the technology
to build a device that produces safe, low concentrations of ozone
and the ability to ensure a room would not exceed .04 ppm, it was
time to set out to validate the use of this device on mold, VOC's,
odors and bacteria. Fox TV News was doing a three-part series on
indoor air problems and tested one of the ozone units. The unit
they had tested was producing 18 ppm ozone, a lethal amount that
drove the camera crew and news reporter right out of the office.
Enter the Air Oasis AHPCO Cell
Technology
The Fox people then asked if they could independently test the AHPCO
technology. They ran tests supervised by an independent air specialist
and two medical doctors. The series turned out to be a fantastic
infomercial for this technology. The results couldn't have been
better. Fox ran this on their national news network and their national
health news. Popular Science picked up the story for the magazine
and ran it on the Popular Science TV Show.
In 2003 the
AHPCO Cell was developed. Rhodium was now added as a catalyst and
improved hydration compounds were also added. Plus, a total new
target concept was used. A 360 degree cell provided maximum exposure
of the catalysts. The bulb was reworked and a HE/UV Broad Spectrum
bulb with a heavy duty filament and long life coating was developed.
This gave the new AHPCO Cell an unprecedented 3 year, 25,000 hour
life. This was a major improvement over the current standard 8,000-10,000
hour UV bulb life. The most important improvement was the efficacy,
the new cell design created more hydro peroxides, super oxide ions
and ozone levels were .01-.015 ppm or less. Country or forest air
is usually around .01-.02 ppm of ozone. Most people can smell ozone
at .01 ppm, and .05 ppm is the federal safe limit for medical devices.
The new cell also produces hydroxide ions and ozonide ions which
broadened the scope of capabilities.
By using a
AHPCO™ Cell with redundant oxidizers our scope of effectiveness
is widely broadened.
In March of
2006 our new quad-nano Xtreme™ catalyst coating was introduced.
With this new patent-pending coating a fifth powerful catalyst metal
was added. We also reduced the particle size of our metals down
to a nanosize particle in order to increase the surface area and
therefore increase the kinetic rate of reaction. The hydrophilic
gel was also improved to further hydrate the coating and react in
combination with the metal catalysts (by donating hydrogen to the
ozone) to decompose ozone to form hydroxide ions, and radicals,
as well as hydro peroxides, such as the HO2 radical and hydrogen
peroxides, which are desirable reaction products from the decomposition
of ozone due to their strong oxidizing properties, which enhances
the germicidal effect of UV radiation.
While competitors
are using TiO2 alone with no hydrating agents or other less effective
catalyst coatings, Air Oasis is setting the trend for the next generation
of air purifiers.
Air
Oasis™
Air Purifiers
Play the Air Oasis 3000 Video
