ASHRAE Standard to Control Infectious Aerosols and UVC Air Cleaning Technology

ASHRAE, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, was founded in 1959 as a result of the merger between the American Society of Heating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, ASHAE, and the American Society of Refrigerating Engineers, ASRE. The mission of ASHRAE is to advance the science of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration to serve humanity for a sustainable and healthy environment for all.

ASHRAE Drafts New Standard to Control Infectious Aerosols

As part of this mission, ASHRAE has recently drafted a new standard, 241P, Control of Infectious Aerosols, that addresses indoor air quality and its contribution to the spread of airborne pathogen-based diseases. This new standard outlines the minimum requirements for HVAC systems with a focus on reducing the risk of transmission of airborne diseases, including influenza as well as COVID-19. Standard 241P is aimed at offering guidance to create healthier environments where people live, work, and play.

This pathogen mitigation standard 241P recognizes the importance of air changes per hour (ACH) to control and suppress the spread of airborne pathogens. One of the most important points of focus of the standard is that buildings would be required to achieve 4 to 6 full-volume air changes per hour.

Traditionally, ACHs have only referred to mechanical ventilation, swapping inside air with fresh outdoor air, although this new standard includes “air cleaners” as equivalent technologies that, when deployed in a building, can add to the ACH count. HEPA filters, as well as UVC air purification systems, are both considered mechanisms that add to the ACH count when deployed in buildings.

Standard 241P is expected to have final approval in June, with an anticipated publishing date in July 2023. The global COVID-19 pandemic was one catalyst to spur the development of the standard to protect people against the spread of pathogens by improving ventilation and indoor air quality in occupied buildings. This is the first standard of its kind that addresses the concept of mitigating pathogen spread and addresses long-range transmission with minimum requirements for filter and air cleaner safety and effectiveness, room air distribution, and equivalent outdoor air, including ventilation, filtration, and air cleaning. The areas of focus include system operation, maintenance tasks, residences, and healthcare facilities, as well as the development and implementation of Building Readiness Plans.

Air Cleaners to Improve Indoor Air Quality

There are various mechanisms that are proven to improve indoor air quality, including:

• Ventilation – mechanical air exchange

• Filtration – pushing air through a filter

• UVC lamps – efficient and effective for air purification

UVC and Far UVC lamps equate to significantly more air exchanges than mechanical ventilation alone. ASHRAE offers guidance in the usage of UVC disinfection lamps in HVAC systems in Chapter 62, Ultraviolet Air and Surface Treatment. UVC air purification is becoming increasingly popular due to concerns about the quality of indoor air and the ability of UVC radiation to interrupt the transmission of harmful pathogens, including influenza viruses, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB), pathogenic organisms as well as potential bioterrorism threats.

UVC lamps used in room settings such as upper room UVGI systems and air handling systems inactivate harmful microorganisms by damaging the structure of nucleic acids and proteins (DNA) at the molecular level. This inactivates the pathogen and makes them incapable of reproducing, thus rendering them harmless. Upper room, also called upper air, devices installed in occupied spaces control suspended bacteria, viruses, and fungi contained in droplet nuclei that have the potential to be transmitted through HVAC systems. In duct UVC systems installed in air handling units control pathogens and bioaerosols in recirculated air and help to control microbial growth on cooling coils and other mechanical surfaces.

AHSRAE Standards Help UVC System Designers of Air Purification Systems

UVC air purification systems rely on performance data from UV lamp manufacturers, including data from the germicidal lamp, the ballast, and fixtures, as well as the expertise of system designers. Many UV germicidal lamp manufacturers utilize a variety of methods to determine the UV dose delivered. ASHRAE offers standards that help UVC system designers to choose the correct components and rate equipment performance.

ASHRAE Standard 185.1, Method of Testing UV-C Lights for Use in Air-Handling Units or Air Ducts to Inactivate Airborne Microorganisms, establishes methods for testing and evaluating the effectiveness and the ability of UVC lights to inactivate airborne pathogens when installed in typical ventilation systems.

ASHRAE Standard 185.2, Method of Testing Ultraviolet Lamps for Use in HVAC&R Units or Air Ducts to Inactivate Microorganisms on Irradiated Surfaces, establishes similar test methods to measure the intensity of UV lamps on irradiated surfaces when operating in typical HVAC&R conditions.
UVC lamps have been used for years in HVAC systems, although are gaining in popularity and usage due to their high efficacy in eliminating the spread of airborne pathogens and harmful microorganisms.

UVC Lamps Proven Effective And Efficient In Air Handling Systems

According to a study published by Columbia University, far-UVC light rapidly reduces active airborne microbes to make indoor air quality essentially as safe as outdoor air. This study revealed that far UVC light bulbs took less than five minutes to reduce microbes by more than 98%, even as microbes were continually sprayed into the room. As long as the lights were on, the level remained very low. This study suggests that far UVC lamps installed in the ceiling could be an extremely effective passive technology to reduce person-to-person transmission of airborne mediated diseases such as influenza and COVID in indoor settings. This lowers the risk of the spread of these pathogens as well as mitigates the next pandemic

In this study, far UVC lamps provided the equivalent of 184 equivalent air exchanges per hour. As the efficacy of indoor air quality treatment systems is typically measured in terms of equivalent air changes per hour, this study showed that UVC lamps far surpass any other approach to disinfecting occupied spaces indoors.

Far UVC lamps are UV lamps designed to emit wavelengths in the range of 222 nm, compared to typical UVC germicidal lamps, which are commonly designed to emit wavelengths in the range of 254 nm. 254 nm lamps are highly effective at killing a variety of harmful germs, although human exposure can cause damage to the skin and eyes. 222 nm lamps are becoming more popular as they are proving to deliver the same or greater germicidal efficacy in many applications and are safer for use in occupied spaces.

Another study reported by the U.S. Department of Energy conducted by Edward Nardell, MD Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, showed that Mercury GUV (germicidal UV) lamps added the equivalent of 24 equivalent active air changes per hour and consumed the same energy as comparable fluorescent lights. Since the CDC recommends 6 to 12 ACH ventilation in hospital procedures and isolation rooms, this study shows that UVC germicidal lamps once again surpass requirements for air changes per hour.

Germicidal UV Lamps for Air Purification Systems

Germicidal UV lamps, including far UVC lamps, are highly effective and efficient and can treat a large volume of air at once. Upper room UVGI systems provide significant improvement to air changes per hour, and whole room far UVC systems additionally increase ACH activity to improve air quality and most of the room around occupants. HVAC UVC systems clean and treat the air with required air capture, whereas far UVC is less dependent upon air movement and disinfects air in the room around occupants.
Consult with an experienced UV lighting company, such as the leading global supplier, LightSources, to learn more.

UV Lighting: History and Uses

Ultraviolet (UV) light means “beyond violet,” as violet is the highest frequency of light visible to the human eye. The electromagnetic spectrum of light that the human eye can detect is in the range of 380 to 700 nanometers (nm). UV lighting has a shorter wavelength and a higher frequency than visible violet light. 

UV light was first discovered by German physicist Johann Ritter in 1801 when he discovered that invisible light rays darkened paper soaked in silver chloride faster than visible light

UVA, UVB, UVC and Far UVC 

Ultraviolet UV lighting can be categorized into three different areas known as:

UVA – this is the longest wavelength of UV light and is emitted between 320 to 400 nm.   UVA is the least carcinogenic wavelength but still contributes to sunburns and skin cancer.

UVB – light emitted in the wavelength range of 280 to 320 nm is considered UVB. It is more carcinogenic than UVA, however, only about 5% of this light reaches the earth’s surface.

UVC – this is the shortest wavelength of UV light in the range of 100 to 280 nm. UVC light, when emitted from the sun, is the shortest wavelength of light and is completely absorbed by the ozone layer, thus never reaching the earth.  UVC lights are designed to emit UVC radiation, mostly for germicidal applications.

Each category of UV lighting has very useful purposes for many industries and applications. UVA and UVB light are common in many medical phototherapy lamps. UVC light has been known for over a century to possess highly effective sterilization and disinfection properties, particularly at 254 nm.

Far UVC lamps are becoming more popular as they are designed to emit wavelengths close to 222nm, which is found to provide the similar germicidal efficacy to 254 nm lamps while being safe to use in occupied spaces.

UVC Germicidal Lamps

UV lamps designed to emit UVC radiation in the range of 254 nm are used in many germicidal applications, such as UV air purification systems, UV water disinfection, and UV sterilization of surfaces. 

UV Air Purification

UVC lamps have been used for decades to disinfect and remove harmful contaminants from the air, including dust mites, mold spores, viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other harmful airborne microorganisms. UV C air sterilization has a long history of improving indoor air quality and preventing various airborne diseases, as reported by the National Library of Medicine, The History of Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation for Air Disinfection.

Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) is used in air purification systems such as Upper Room UVGI and HVAC systems. 

Upper room UVGI systems are designed to disinfect air above occupied spaces in wall or ceiling-mounted UVGI fixtures.  UVC lamps in HVAC systems also disinfect air as it passes through furnaces and AC units to remove harmful airborne contaminants and protect equipment against the buildup of mold and fungi. 

UV Water Disinfection 

UVC lamps provide a highly effective, cost-efficient, and safe alternative to chemical water treatment. UVC lamps are found in many water disinfection systems, such as wastewater treatment for drinking water and industrial water, life sciences and aquaculture, pool and spa applications, and other water treatment applications. 

UV Surface Sterilization

UVC germicidal lamps are also used in many surface sterilization applications to prevent the presence or buildup of harmful microorganisms on surfaces. UV surface sterilization lamps are used in hospitals and medical applications, restaurants, commercial kitchens, and residential products. 

LightSources is an industry-leading global supplier of UV lighting solutions and UV germicidal lamps used in these processes and other germicidal applications. 

UV Medical Phototherapy Lamps

The history of UV light providing therapeutic effects dates back to the early 1900s, with UVA and UVB lamps providing effective treatment to a variety of skin conditions. Specific medical phototherapy lamps must be used for effective treatment and should be prescribed by a physician and used under a doctor’s care. 

UV Tanning Lamps

Ultraviolet lamps designed for tanning beds typically emit UVA radiation, sometimes with a small percentage of UVB. Tanning lamp manufacturers like LightSources offer various innovative lamp designs and proprietary solutions. 

UV Curing Lamps

UV lamps are used in a variety of industrial processes that require curing various coatings, varnishes, lacquers, adhesives, and inks. UV curing provides many benefits to manufacturers with faster curing than air-dried processes and a higher level of quality. UV curing is used in many applications, such as automotive, electrical, optical, and other industrial applications.  LightSources offers various UV curing lamps, including medium pressure, high pressure, and amalgam curing lamps.

How to Select a Light Therapy Box for Seasonal Depression

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, seasonal depression that occurs during fall and winter months due to a lack of sunlight affects approximately 4 to 6% of people. Seasonal Affective Disorder, also called SAD, can affect another 10 to 20% of people and is four times more likely to occur in women than in men. SAD is also more common in northern locations such as Washington state as opposed to a more southern and sunny state like Florida

Light therapy with a medical phototherapy lamp, also called a light therapy box, can help to alleviate some symptoms of seasonal depression although can be more effective when combined with additional treatments such as psychotherapy and antidepressant medication

How Light Therapy Treatment for Depression Work

Light therapy boxes mimic outdoor sunlight, which is believed to cause a chemical change in the brain that eases symptoms of seasonal depression and lifts your mood. Generally, a light therapy box should emit as little UV light as possible and should provide an exposure to 10,000 lux of light

Recommendations for using light therapy include:

• Using for about 20 to 30 minutes within the first hour of waking up

• Have your eyes open but do not look directly at the light

• Keep the lamp a distance of 16 to 24 inches away from your face

Light therapy boxes are designed with special medical phototherapy lamps. Some people might think that a tanning bed provides the same benefit although this is not true. Tanning bed lamps are quite different and are known to increase the risk of skin cancer. While light therapy for seasonal depression is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, FDA, they are designed to be safe and effective.

Your doctor can help to recommend a specific type of light therapy box, although you can buy one without a prescription and most health insurance plans will not cover the cost.

Considerations When Choosing a Light Therapy Box

It is best to speak with your doctor about your symptoms and for help in choosing the right type of light therapy treatment. For people with bipolar disorder, too much exposure could induce manic symptoms. People with eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, or eye damage from diabetes should speak with their eye doctor before beginning phototherapy

When choosing a light therapy box make sure that it is specifically designed to treat seasonal depression. Many medical phototherapy lamps are designed to treat skin disorders such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, and vitiligo. Medical therapy lamps designed for skin conditions are not the same as lamps designed for depression.  Tanning lamps and UVC germicidal lamps are also not designed with the same wavelength and can cause harm instead of benefits if used incorrectly.

LightSources is a leading global supplier of UV lamp solutions including medical phototherapy lamps. We provide high-tech, custom designed and engineered lamps for a wide range of applications and industries, including phototherapy. Contact us for high-quality UV lamp solutions including light therapy lamps for seasonal depression.

UVC Lamps Help Hospitals with Effective Sterilization

Hospitals provide critical care to people with serious illness whether emergency treatment, diagnostic services, or ongoing care for chronic illness.  Due to the nature of the typical patient, hospitals must be vigilant in sterilizing surfaces and protecting patients from infection.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that on any given day an estimated one out of every 31 patients in the U.S. contract a Healthcare Acquired Infection (HAI) from their stay in a hospital. 

Patients who enter a room following a patient that had an infection such as the influenza virus and even drug resistant superbugs like MRSA run a high risk of contracting an HAI.  

UV Lamps in HVAC and Air Purification Systems

Many illnesses can be transmitted through airborne particles such as tuberculosis and many influenza viruses.  UVC lamps in air purification systems play an important role in sterilizing the air making it healthier for patients and staff.  UV lamps can be installed in upper room UVGI (ultraviolet germicidal irradiation) systems or directly into HVAC systems for automatic purification.  Some systems can be designed to come on when a patient leaves the restroom, for example, while others are always working behind the scenes in furnaces and AC units.  

UVC Germicidal Lamps for Surface Sterilization

UVC lamps provide highly effective sterilization in air, water, and surface sterilization systems.  There are many ways to reap the benefits of surface sterilization with systems like UVC robots and UVC lamps that directly disinfect critical areas like surgical rooms.  UVC lamps are also used to disinfect and keep surgical equipment clean.  UVC robots are being deployed in hospitals as well as other public places to work autonomously with high rates of efficacy. 

LightSources Leading UVC Lamp Supplier for Hospital Disinfection Systems

LightSources is a leading global supplier of UVC germicidal lamps found in sterilization systems in hospitals and the healthcare industry.  Our UVC lamps are designed and engineered by the leading high-tech lamp designers in the industry with proprietary technology.  We offer a wide selection of germicidal lamp products as well as custom designed solutions and prototype development. 

LightSources supports OEMs of all sizes with the following germicidal lamp products:

• Low pressure amalgam lamps

• Low pressure mercury lamps

• Quartz sleeves

• MPUV technology

• Electronic ballasts

We offer these types of germicidal UV lamps and others to meet your sterilization needs.  We provide custom solutions with custom phosphor blends to meet your exact specifications. Our UVC germicidal lamps are found worldwide in air, water and surface sterilization systems including hospital UV disinfection systems. 

LightSources offers high-quality UVC germicidal lamps proven to deliver high efficacy and long-lasting performance.  We offer custom solutions and prototype development with quick turn-around time.  Contact us to learn more about our many lamp solutions for UVC germicidal systems for hospital disinfection. 

How Effective is UV Light in HVAC Systems?

Ultraviolet (UV) light emitted in the UVC range has powerful germicidal properties although can be harmful to the eyes and skin with direct human exposure.  UVC light in heating, venting, and cooling (HVAC) systems is a great way to sterilize the air in homes, commercial and industrial buildings without direct exposure.  UV light is proven to be very effective at improving indoor air quality by eliminating harmful pathogens from the air. 

How HVAC Systems with UV Germicidal Lamps Work

UVC lamps which are engineered to produce wavelengths in the 254 nanometer (nm) range are proven highly effective at eliminating any threat from many types of germs and mold.  UVC radiation in that wavelength quickly penetrates the DNA of microorganisms including many types of bacteria and viruses, which renders the cell unable to replicate and harmless.  UVC lights eliminate these microorganisms from the air as well as preventing the buildup of fungi, mold, and mildew. 

Germicidal UV lamps mounted in HVAC systems are proven to sterilize the air as it passes through the ventilation system to improve indoor air quality.  A study conducted by Penn State University and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, ASHRAE, concluded that UV lamps successfully reduced the amount of pathogens and fungi in the air and improved indoor air quality in children with mold induced asthma. 

HVAC systems with UV purification lamps provide healthier, cleaner air and also improve efficient operation of HVAC units.  By preventing the buildup of mold and mildew, HVAC systems operate cleaner and more efficiently, prolonging equipment life.  LightSources provides germicidal UVC lamps for any industry with custom engineered products including phosphor blends to meet your requirements, custom sockets and bases and prototyping services available. 

LightSources offers a wide selection of UVC germicidal lamps found in many surface, water, and air sterilization systems worldwide. We offer the leading, high-tech lamp designers in the industry offering custom designed germicidal solutions. Contact us to learn more about the proven effectiveness of UV air sterilization lamps in HVAC systems.