Clean Air Technology Takes To The Skies

Technology developed in the United Kingdom has successfully eliminated all airborne viruses and bacteria and is now set to herald a new standard of clean air on board the world's passenger and cargo aircraft.

Named AirManager, the new active air-treatment system was originally produced by Quest International UK for use in health centres and has now been adapted by the BAE Systems aerospace group for aviation use.

It has already been successfully tested on the flight deck and cabin air systems of eight BAE 146 and Avro RJ jetliners, and trials involving Boeing 757 airliners are under way.

The operations director of BAE's regional aircraft business, Sean McGovern, said: "At a time when there is increasing concern about the transmission of infections on aircraft, together with the continued debate about the quality of air on board aircraft, we are making benchmark technology available to the world's airlines to allow them to address the widest possible challenges to cabin air quality. Our combined approach has raised the bar to a new level.

Efficiency

The patented AirManager, invented by Quest director David Hallam, uses close-coupled field technology (CCFT), a contained and safe electrical field that eliminates bad odours and breaks down and destroys airborne pathogens, contaminants and toxins.

In simple terms, the system consists of a high voltage coil contained within a glass tube that when powered generates a plasma field contained within a Faraday cage through which cabin air is passed. Electrostatic filters capture particulates with the exiting airflow passing through the plasma field that denaturises bad smells and viruses.

Hallam explained: "The main strength of this technology is its ability to destroy a wide range of contaminants very quickly. It achieves a single-pass kill rate of 99.999 per cent of biohazards and removes particles down to below 0.1 micron, equivalent to a single particle of cigarette smoke. Our system provides far greater reduction of airborne contaminants to that achieved by conventional passive high-efficiency particulate arrest filters.

Air quality

The improved management of air quality stems from Quest research into non-thermal plasmas in the late 1990s that revealed that this form of energy could be easily harnessed and adapted into a very efficient method of sterilising air. The first commercial application was in nursing homes to remove unwanted odours.

This led to its wider use to protect patients compromised by harmful germs and biohazards - such as C.difficile and the "super-bug" methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) - the protection of food testing laboratories from cross infection of test samples, medical applications to protect patients from airborne contaminants, and its use to tackle problems caused by volatile organic compounds in manufacturing operations involving pharmaceuticals, ink production and solvents.

Wider usage

The technology is now widely used in the health sector with some 5,000 systems providing clean air in hospitals, nurseries and veterinary quarantine centres. Quest has long believed AirManager could provide the answer to concerns and criticisms of the quality of air produced on aircraft.

These worries included growing awareness of the transmission of infections on board, and media concern that increased use of cabin air recirculation was being made to increase aircraft fuel savings at the expense of fresh air for passengers.

As a result, five years ago BAE Systems was brought in to carry out a lengthy scientific research programme to assess the potential of CCFT in the aviation field.

A BAE spokesman reported: "The research included tests on pyrolised engine oils, hydraulic and de-icing fluids with startling results under laboratory conditions. The conclusion was that CCFT technology had great potential in aerospace. It is now being installed on the 146/RJ and Boeing 757 and sets a new standard for the management of cabin air quality which we expect to be extensively adopted across many aircraft types.

Five major European airlines have been involved in trial installations of the clean air unit in eight BAE 146/Avro RJ jetliners, and full European Aviation Safety Agency certification has now been given for its use on these types of aircraft.

In the light of this success, one airline has followed up with an order to install the equipment throughout its Avro RJ fleet and it has also been ordered for use on BAE 146 executive jets. The system has been further engineered for use on board Boeing 757 jetliners and trials with this have reached an advanced stage,

The tests have also shown that AirManager offers the prospect of fuel savings because it allows the plane's air conditioning to operate more effectively. It is believed this saving will at least cover the purchase cost in the first year. Installation of the compact unit has also been found to be easy and can be achieved during overnight line maintenance

Interest in the prospect of a significant improvement in cabin air quality and healthier travel in jets that for the first time do not have the familiar "aircraft smell" has led to BAE Systems becoming authorised distributor for worldwide AirManager sales to airlines for the next five years.

Following its certification for use in 146/RJ and Boeing 757 airliners, approval is likely to be sought for its use on other types of aircraft such as the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 jets.