Industrial Air Purifier Market: Latest Technology Trends & Advancements

The increasing prevalence of airborne disease, in addition to the rising air pollution levels, plays a vital role in fueling the demand for air purifiers globally. Air purifiers decontaminate the air from dust, gases, viruses, odors, smoke, volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, pollen, as well as pet dander. And as a result, these devices observe significant usage across commercial, residential, and industrial environments.

In industrial spaces, air purification systems are used to cleanse the air quality throughout a plant, manufacturing unit, or even in specific areas where different processes generate particulates, vapors, and fumes. Accordingly, the global industrial air purifier market is projected to grow with a CAGR of 7.09% during the forecast years 2022 to 2030. The market growth is attributable to key factors such as the economic impact of degrading air quality, the rise in health concerns due to air pollution, and the increasing need for workers’ safety.

Air Filtration has become a Priority

The industrial air purifier sector continually seeks ways to improve air purifiers’ maintenance requirements, cost-effectiveness, and neutralization capability. Aligning with this, the prominent research trends include identifying new catalysts for affordable fabrication as well as energy-efficient operations, non-portable and portable air purification systems, nanostructured catalysts for higher air purification efficacy, and bio-based air purification designs for the treatment of various pollutants.

In essence, the market’s need of the hour entails the development of efficient and economical air purification systems with the potential to eliminate all types of indoor air pollutants, especially amid the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research across the globe has proven the novel coronavirus to be airborne, indicating that it can remain suspended in the air for long periods of time. In addition, air-conditioned spaces are at a higher risk of the virus’ spread since these rooms lack ventilation and re-circulate the same air indoors. Given these factors, sanitizing indoor air is a priority for enclosed public spaces, including schools, offices, hotels, gyms, restaurants, and others.

Industrial Air Purifier Market: Latest Technology Trends

Air filtration is essential in manufacturing and production since it protects employee health and plant assets while keeping indoors clean and safe. Besides, from ensuring optimal equipment life to providing workers with safe and healthy air, the benefits of a good industrial air purification system are countless.

However, with numerous developments and innovations rapidly emerging in the environmental services industry, which industrial air purifier technology would work best?

Inkwood Research lists the market’s top trending technologies & solutions:

• Electrostatic Precipitators (ESPs) –

Originally designed for recovering valuable industrial-process materials, electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) are used for controlling air pollution, primarily in terms of removing dangerous particulate matter from waste gases at power-generating stations and industrial facilities. By concentrating their energy on only small particles suspended in the air, ESPs utilize relatively lesser electricity compared to other types of air purifiers.

For example, Hamon & Cie International SA (Belgium), a key player operating in the global industrial air purifier market, provides ESPs that are designed to meet stringent particulate emission standards with high equipment reliability and minimal pressure loss for extended plant operations. Likewise, Babcock & Wilcox Inc’s (United States) electrostatic precipitator technologies offer maximum particulate removal efficiency with proven reliability as well as reduced operating and maintenance costs.

• UVGI Air Purification Technology –

Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) is an air purification technology that disinfects the atmosphere by releasing UV-C rays at a 253.7 nm wavelength. These rays eliminate viruses, bacteria, and fungi by disrupting microorganisms’ DNA, thus preventing them from reproducing. Furthermore, several corporates, commercial spaces, and residences utilize UVGI solutions for sanitizing indoor air through the installation of a UV air sanitizer. Although UVGI air purifiers can be used as a standalone product, they can also be integrated with existing air conditioning systems, such as cassette AC units or a central air-conditioning system with fan coils or AHUs.

• Molecular Industrial Air Purification Technology –

As per Inkwood Research, the molecular industrial air purifier segment, under the product type category, is set to capture the highest share of 57.56% by 2030. Molecular filters make use of activated carbon beds to amass volatile chemicals, gases, and fumes generated from industrial processes deemed the key cause of indoor pollution in industries. These purifiers are suitable for application in the pharmaceutical, food & beverage other industries, necessitating extremely clean working environments.

For instance, in food & beverage facilities, molecular air cleaners are primarily used for eliminating peracetic acid from aseptic filling lines and ethylene as well as ozone, which is responsible for decreasing the life of fresh products. Accordingly, food & beverage is expected to be the fastest-growing industry vertical during the forecast period.

• HEPA & ULPA Filtration Technology –

High-efficiency particulate absorbing filters or high-efficiency particulate arrestance filters (HEPA) are highly efficient in trapping airborne particles such as pollen, dust, smoke, as well as bio-contaminants. The industry standard is that the unit must be able to eliminate at least 99.97% of particulates measuring 0.3-micron diameter in a laboratory setting. On the other hand, ultra-low penetration air (ULPA) filters are 99.999% effective in removing submicron particulate matter measuring 0.12-micron diameter or larger.

While ULPA filters are often used in applications where airborne pathogens and particles are dangerous to human health or crucial in assembling and manufacturing operations of sensitive equipment, HEPA filters are used in applications necessitating contamination control. These include the production of hard disk drives, semiconductors, food and pharmaceutical products, medical devices, as well as in hospitals, residential spaces, and automobiles.

Purification Systems of the Future: Filterless Industrial Air Purifiers

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the majority of the global population (99%) inhales the air that exceeds its guideline limits. Moreover, the air breathed comprises high levels of pollutants, with low- and middle-income nations suffering from the maximum exposures. Hence, these factors fuel the demand for air purifiers in order to improve indoor air quality.

Conventional air purifiers have multiple filters that purify the air and trap smaller particles and irritants. However, these filters can become a secondary source of infection if not treated with utmost care and regularly maintained, as the trapped microorganisms continue to thrive. But, as the name suggests, a filterless system has no such limitations and is powered by magnetic technology with high filtration efficiencies, called filterless magnetic air purification (FMAP).

FMAPs employ a tri-stage micro-trapping process that integrates polarisation (filtration), impingement (collision), and agglomeration (amassing materials) for a ‘trap and kill’ outcome that not only traps the disease-causing agents but also eliminates them, therefore eradicating the hazard of activating secondary air-pathogen pollution in enclosed settings. As a result, controlling indoor air quality through the use of efficient yet cost-effective air sanitization technologies is a key trend directing the global industrial air purifier market growth during the forecasted period.

By Shruti Vanjare