Blog Tag: odor removal

When Pure Air Systems was established in 1985, there were a number of companies selling HEPA like and HEPA type air filtration systems. Many of these were used in the Asbestos Abatement projects that were prevalent at that time. In fact, Pure Air Systems was a spin-off from HEPA unit designed for abatement but never got into production.

The model 600H unit was a unit with a prefilter, carbon media filter and true commercial grade HEPA filter with a 1/3HP GE motor and Lau Blower. It was in one large section which was subsequently broken into two sections. This was the beginning of the PAS Line of HEPA systems. 

As the popularity of the 600H unit grew, PAS introduced the new ECM motors from GE to make the HEPA system available as a stand alone unit as well as using variable speed motors that were then being introduced by all the HVAC companies.

By 1999 PAS had grown the line from one unit to seven different systems including the new portable unit. It has also moved into a new 9,000 square foot building. As of this date, 90% of the units are still built with parts made in the USA and it is now one of only 3 companies in the world that make this type of HEPA with the size and flexibility in size range and air flow control.

For more information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon air filtration systems, please go to our website at: http://www.pureairsystems.com   or call us on our toll-free number at: 800-869-8025.

Removing odors and gaseous pollutants from any environment is much difficult than removing airborne particulate. There are a number of air filter types that can easily remove airborne dust, but the removal of airborne odors and gases requires some very specific materials that can effectively adsorb these organic or inorganic molecules.

The most common material used to remove odors is activated carbon ( charcoal) which comes in a number of sizes. The most common is cocoanut shell carbon that is usually around 1/4″ in size and is often enclosed in a mesh type material or sometimes in a fine opening screen container. Carbon can be used in both air and water for the extraction of gaseous pollutants, making it one of the more popular materials on the market.

When cocoanut shells are placed in a high temperature oven under pressure it expands the surface area of the material and then makes it into a carbon material. The expansion to the shell gives the material a very high surface area and the ability to adsorb up to 100 times its own weight in gaseous pollutants. This means that a small amount of carbon material can remove a large amount of the odors and last a long period of time. 

Pure Air Systems has been manufacturing HEPA and Carbon based, fan powered, commercial grade air filter systems since 1985. The various systems available from PAS include carbon media as a standard part of the filtration unit along with a prefilter an HEPA filter. In cases where a customer only has an odor or gaseous pollutant issue, Pure Air Systems can remove the HEPA filter and replace it with an all carbon bed of material. Depending upon the odor challenge, the systems can hold from as little as 8 lbs of carbon up to 60 lbs of carbon material. And the air flow capacity of the systems range from 50 CFM to 2000 CFM.

For more information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon air filter systems please go to our website at: http://www.pureairsystems.com or call us on our toll-free number at:  8-869-8025.

Carbon that is used for odor control if often made from expanded cocoanut shell carbon. This type of carbon has a high surface area and very high ratio of molecular adsorption to weight of carbon. This makes this material suitable for both adsorption of organic and inorganic odors and gaseous pollutants in both air and water applications.

For general odors found in most homes; typically pet, cooking and carpet odors, carbon filters placed in the HVAC system will be capable of removing about 50% of those odors with a replacement cycle of once every two months.

For commercial and industrial applications, it may be necessary to use large carbon beds, 10 – 20lb pads of carbon, to significantly reduce the the gaseous pollutants. And, in some cases, a catalytic material like zeolite may be required to enhance the adsorption of the gaseous pollutants. Depending upon the amount of pollutant being released it may be necessary to replace these carbon pads as often as once a week. 

Odors such those produced by cigarettes are some of the most difficult to remove as the nicotine smoke produces a sticky residue with adheres to almost any surface and releases that odor for long periods of time. Carbon can help in these cases but replacement of the carbon can be up to once a day.

For more information on carbon and other filtration processes please go to our website at: http://www.pureairsystems.com  or call us on our toll free number at:  800-869-8025.

The removal of gaseous pollutants ( odors ) is often accomplished by using a masking agent sprayed into the room or area with the odor. If the odor is temporary or infrequent then the aerosol spray deodorizers will usually meet the task. If, however, the odor is from a continuous source and is strong enough or dangerous to breathe then commercial grade carbon media filters will be required.

The use of expanded carbon ( charcoal) for the reduction/removal of airborne gaseous pollutants has been around for over 100 years. These carbon media packs ( usually 1 inch to 4 inches in depth) can be very effective at removing these strong, continuous odors and the carbon can be combined with other materials to catalyze some pollutants that are not removed by just carbon alone.

Pure Air Systems, has been manufacturing HEPA and Carbon based, fan powered, commercial grade air filtration systems, since 1985. These metal framed units incorporate the newer variable speed motors and the air flows range from a low of 50 CFM up to 2,000 CFM. PAS offers a wide range of sizes and configurations to fit any specific need. Some of the large units can hold up to 80 lbs of carbon media or applications where high concentrations of gaseous pollutants are present. 

For more information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon filtration systems please go to our website at: http://www.pureairsystems.com   or call us on our toll free number at:  800-869-8025.

With over 13 years of experience in using FDM and FFF 3D style printers one learns quickly the various quirks in the operation of these printers. While they have improved dramatically since the 2011-2012 introduction of desk top printers, there are still some challenges when printing with various filament types. To be specific, ABS ( Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene ) has been one of the more popular materials with which to print. However, this material off-gasses when printing at 245 Degrees C and above and the odor can be quite significant. In addition, the gases produced along with some of the fine particles released during printing can become a health concern if not properly vented or isolated when printing occurs.

One of the other issues when printing with ABS is the layer separation that can take place if the object being printed cools to rapidly during the printing process. To minimize this issue you need to enclose the printer and keep the cold air drafts from falling on the printer bed. This enclosure can also also double as a mechanism to reduce the entry of the odors and particulate into the room. The use of a fan powered exhaust system attached to a vent in the enclosure along with a carbon media and HEPA filter will allow for continued use of the printer inside any room or enclosed area without compromising the environmental integrity of the room.

Pure Air Systems has been making fan powered HEPA and Carbon medial filters since 1985. These systems are designed to move from 50 CFM up to 2000 CFM with the ability to control the air volume in 1% increments. These metal framed units come in seven different configurations with the addition of a portable unit that is a prefect fit for the enclosures that would be placed over the 3D printers. For more information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon media filters please go to our website at: http://www.pureairsystems.com      or call us on our toll-free number at: 800-869-8025.

Airborne pollutants come in many forms. Some we can see like smoke from manufacturing or burning leaves, or particulate in the air from a wide range of sources. But there are many pollutants that are invisible to the naked eye but may produce strong odors some of which can be deadly in large concentrations. Odors produced outside tend to dissipate quickly and unless you are next the source you may not even notice it. On the other hand, gaseous pollutants in closed spaces can be extremely dangerous unless either properly vented or contained in a controlled environment.

Many household odors such as odors from pets, food, cooking, smoking or from various crafts, can be somewhat harmful or a strong irritant if inhaled over a long period of time. These gaseous odors are not removed with standard furnace filters, as those are primarily for capturing airborne particulate, rather you will require a material that will adsorb the gaseous particles. Typically this material is comprised of activated carbon ( charcoal ) and placed in the return air stream of the HVAC system or used in a stand-alone, fan-powered unit.

Carbon is one of the most effective media for reducing and/or removing gaseous pollutants from the air. Expanded carbon has a very high surface area and can adsorb over 100 times its own weight in gaseous pollutants. This material is often contained in a mesh type bag or cannister with perforations to allow air to pass through with minimal resistance. Carbon does have some limitations in that once the carbon has adsorbed it available capacity it will then begin to release this same odor back into the air stream. Typically this material will last 2 to 4 months for most applications before it has to be replaced. 

For more information on carbon for odor removal please go to our website at:  http://www.pureairsystems.com    or call us on our toll-free number at: 800-869-8025. 

The removal of airborne odors and gaseous pollutants is a totally different technology than the removal of airborne particulate. To capture gaseous odors and pollutants requires some form of material or compound that can capture the gaesous molecules and hold them in place. The most commen type of material used for this type of process is carbon which is activated charcoal placed in a web-like enclosure. This material is created under high tempertures and has a very high surface area with lots of openings that can capture gaseous pollutants up to ten times its own weight. 

The term used for capturing gases and odors with carbon and other materials is the “adsorbtive process” This is different than the term “absorb” which is used with sponge-like materials. Carbon has a great affinity to capture and hold the majority of organic and inorganic gases and will hold them until the carbon becomes saturated at which time the carbon needs to bed replaced. Frequency of change is dependent upon the amount of odor producing gas and the volume of air ( in CFM ) that you are cleaning. 

Granular carbon media can be packaged in many ways. For water filtration the carbon media is placed in a porous bag or fine screen enclosure. For use in airborne processes it can be placed in a cardboard frame with fine screening material or infused in a  filter media type substrate an placed accordian style in a frame sized to fit into any opening. These carbon filters can be placed in the return air of HVAC ductwork and used in conjunction with air filters.

Pure Air Systems manufactures a complete line of fan-powered air filtration systems that can include HEPA and Carbon media filters or all Carbon media for applications where just gases and odors need to be removed. In all cases a prefiter is always placed in front of the carbon or HEPA filter fo keep the secondary filters clean.

For more information on the complete line of air filtration systems please go to our website at:  https://www.pureairsystems.com   or call us on our toll-free number at:  800-869-8025.

The other day I went to purchase some doughnuts at a new Bakery that opened up in an old strip mall near our house. The other tenants in the building include a bar, fix it shop and automotive repair shop at the end.

Older buildings, especially small strip mall building often had very little barrier between business compartment and odors from one business could and often did migrate into the adjacent store or even businesses two stores away.

This Bakery had that problem. Walking in to the doughnut shop one would think the aroma would be of baked goods. Not this one. It had the odor of un-burned hydrocarbons, oil and something else I could not identify. Fortunately the baked goods did not share that odor but it did make it somewhat unappetizing when I purchased the baked goods.

Pure Air Systems has been making Hepa and Carbon based, fan powered, commercial grade air filtration systems since 1985. These units can move as little as 50 CFM or as much as 2,000 CFM and can operate either attached to an existing HVAC unit or as a stand-alone system.

A 2000 CFM unit could be placed in the odor infected business and both filter out the odors and particulate as well as pressurize the environment to minimize the infiltration of the airborne contaminants. This has been done hundreds of times with the 2000HS units with exceptional results.

The problems facing the doughnut shop are duplicated in strip malls across the U.S. It is especially challenging when your store is next to a Nail Salon or Hair Salon. Odors from the chemicals used in these facilities can actually destroy your business. And trying to get the management to allow you to move to another location may not be possible or not allowed in your contract.

For more information on the complete line of air filtration systems please go to our website at: https://www.pureairsystems.com  or call us on our toll-free number at: 800-869-8025.

I have written over 100 articles and blogs on the subject of removing cigarette smoke and odor from any indoor environment and the resolutions we have today are the same as those proposed 30 years ago.

The best and most effective method of removing smoke from the indoor environment is to eliminate any smoking in indoor environments. It’s just that simple. Removing it using air filtration, air dilution, carbon filters and high volume fans is only a band-aid approach at best.

Once the cigarette smoke sticks to any surface it will re-release that odor for days. It requires a strong solvent based cleaner to remove the brown tar material that is present on the walls of a smoking environment.

Pure Air Systems has been around since 1985 producing high capacity, commercial grade, certified HEPA and Carbon based fan powered air filtration systems for the residential, commercial, institutional, medical and industrial market place. Many of these systems were sold for the exclusive purpose of removing cigarette and cigar smoke from indoor environments.

The degree of effectiveness of the systems was directly proportional to how much smoke we could remove at the source over time. And, the cigarette smoke will clog up a prefilter in two to three weeks and the HEPA filter in less than 3 months. The Carbon media in the units which is designed to remove much of the odor, would last perhaps 4 to 6 weeks at best. In essence, it is very expensive and difficult to remove the cigarette smoke and odor with any degree of effectiveness.

It is for this reason that smoking is prohibited from most buildings, hospitals, schools, airports, planes, trains and ships. Aside from the environmental issues smoking is also extremely harmful to your health.

For more information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon based filtration systems please go to our website at: https://www.pureairsystems.com  or call us on our toll-free number at: 800-869-8025.

3D Printers have been on the market now since 2010 and the use of the FDM or FFF style 3D printers that use filaments made from a wide variety of materials are the most commonly used in schools, libraries, small R&D labs, business and homes.

Some of the materials that are used in the printing process such as ABS and Carbon Fiber produce significant odors and in a small room this can be very noticeable and unpleasant. In addition, small, sub-micron particles are released into the air during the printing phase. These particulate are too small to see with the naked eye but can become an irritant to those individuals who have allergies or have some form of respiratory dysfunction.

In order to remedy this issue, should it present itself as a problem, one option is to enclose the 3D Printer to contain the odors and particulate and the second is to connect a filtration system to the enclosure to effectively remove the odors and remove the airborne particulate.

LiteWorld LLC makes a large plexiglass enclosure with aluminum frame and large access doors that will fit over the larger open 3D printers such as the LulzBot TAZ 3D Printers. These enclosures can be purchased directly from LiteWorld by going to their website at: http://www.liteworldllc.com or contacting them by phone at: 941-999-8200.

Pure Air Systems makes the HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems that can connect to one or multiple enclosures to both remove the odors using the Carbon filters that are included in the systems and remove the particulate by using the commercial grade HEPA filters. These high end systems, coupled with the LiteWorld enclosures will provide an almost clean room environment for your 3D Printer operation.

For more information on the complete line of Carbon and HEPA based air filtration systems please go to our website at: https://www.pureairsystems.com or call us on our toll-free number at: 800-869-8025.