nir-vana innovation network

The universal fog disinfection system offered by an experienced Polish R&D institute is designed for decontamination of viruses, bacteria and fungi from outerwear of passing people. It solves very current and actual problem of pandemic situation caused by COVID-19 which at preasent threatens the majority of the population around the world.
Although there are similar systems on the market, this one have some outstanding innovations and advantages described in the section below.
The main element of the solution is an air-water spraying disinfectant mist system. The installation is equipped with an automatic control activated by a photocell. In addition, it is equipped with a flow regulator with which it is possible to regulate the amount of disinfectant sprayed. The disinfecting chamber is made of stainless steel profiles and polycarbonate plates.
The operating characteristics of the universal disinfecting installation allow it to be built in places where a significant number of employees move (e.g. main communication routes, access to production halls).
The main assumption of application of the installation are areas where there may be a significant concentration of people.
The first implementation works of the installation were carried out on the access roads to the slopes of hard coal mines, in which, due to their specificity, it is not possible to maintain a social distance.

Due to the possibility of using many types of disinfectants, including those enabling longer surface protection (e.g. with silver nanoparticles), it is advantageous to use the installation, e.g. at the entrances / exits to / from workplaces.

Universal fog disinfection installation, in a wider range, can be used in public spaces in generally accessible places (markets, squares, promenades, stations, stadiums, etc.).

The installation can also be used to disinfect goods (e.g. during unloading with forklifts).

An ait water spraying disinfection installation can also complement the protective measures that have been used for many years in critical places such as pigsties or henhouses, where the transfer of any undesirable microorganisms could cause significant losses.

The construction of the installation (supply tank + mist generation system) allows the device to be used for purposes not directly related to disinfection. Installation using only water in the tank can act as cooling curtains used in public spaces. The system for regulating the operating parameters of the installation allows it to be used to apply specialized protective coatings on moving objects (e.g. fireproof or anti-corrosive).

The institute is searching for licensors in Europe but also beyond its borders. The company should have technical and technological experience in production of similar solutions. They want to make a collaboration with the companies who can make a serial production.The licensor would be expected It would be also advantageous if the company had well established market relationships with potential final customers like those mentioned above.

Advantages & innovations

An innovative, two-chamber disinfectant tank has been built into the power supply system of the presented installation. The design of the tank allows to refill the disinfectant without the need to shut down the installation and bring it to a non-pressurized state. One of the tank chambers (larger, non-pressurized) is connected to the other (smaller, pressure) chamber by a check valve. When the pressure is released in the smaller chamber (installation in the standby phase), the disinfectant fluid is refilled by gravity from the larger chamber. In order to deliver the disinfectant to the nozzles, the smaller (pressurized) chamber is supplied with compressed air, which accumulates in its upper part and pushes the disinfectant out of its lower part. The following aspects prove the innovativeness and advantages of using this installation: • the working medium is only compressed air with a pressure in the range of 0.3-0.6 MPa (with a temporary output of about 0.6 m3 / min, 30 dm3 / cycle), • the use of air-water nozzles that allow for the generation of a mist stream with a much smaller mean diameter of the droplets, which increases the total area of all drops of the spraying stream, without changing their total volume, • a five-fold increase in the active surface of the disinfectant spray, produced from the same amount of liquid, increases the efficiency of the installation and reduces operating costs, • increasing the safety of users through the use of fog disinfection and at the same time reducing the risk of an infectious disease outbreak among the crew, • the disinfectant tank used is a two-chamber system that can be refilled even while the system is in operation, • the consumption of the disinfectant is also small, amounting to (approx. 0.6-1.0 dm3 / min, 15 cm3 / cycle).

Stage of development

Already on the market

Partner sought

For this specific solution the institute is searching for different type of companies being able to produce the COVID-19 gates on the basis of the licence agreement. The company should have technical experience to implement serial production as well as appropriate market recognition and established relationships with prospected final customers (like big companies and organizations, shopping malls, public spaces and others). The requirements for such system is still arising especially as the world is facing the global pandemic situation caused by coronavirus.