All about ionisation

What is ionisation?

Eoleaf’s air purification devices serve as both air purifiers and ionisers. But you may be asking yourself: what, exactly, is an ioniser? Simply put, it is a device capable of generating and diffusing negative ions. It is the only method used to "actively" filter your air in our devices. Rather than purifying the air by passing it through the purifier, ionisation diffuses negative ions directly into the ambient air. This allows real-time protection of the targeted space undergoing air purification.

An ioniser removes positive charges from a neutral molecule by generating a localised electric arc. This creates a negative ion (or anion). These negative ions are then diffused into the air via eight conductive filaments.

Ozone

Eoleaf has been able to develop powerful ionisation technology, all without emitting harmful ozone, thanks to an innovative design that uses eight separate conductive filaments. Our devices generate more than 20 million ions per cm³; at a distance of one meter, they generate more than 6.3 million ions; and at a distance of 3 meters, 0.5 million ions. All with a total radius of 5 meters.

Our products use air ionisers that only start to emit ozone when two conditions are met: 1) when it reaches a certain value of electric field, and 2) when the electronic density is high enough in the air. We designed our air purifiers to avoid this from occurring by dividing our discharge outlet in 8 different filaments. We use "needlepoint bipolar ionisation" with a voltage of 5.0 kV. This technology has been utilised for twenty years and, contrary to "corona discharge ionisation", it does not lead to emission of harmful levels of ozone. Of course, any form of ionisation leads to some generation of ozone, but it is negligible (less than 0.05 PPM), and that is why most air ionisers have now switched to that technology.

We also tested our units (in our lab) and were able to confirm that, if they emit any ozone at all, it would be less than 0.01 PPM. This test was simply for the sake of transparency since, even if our units did emit ozone, it would be filtered/reabsorbed by the activated carbon filter and the photocatalysis, two other technologies we use in our systems.

You can also turn the ioniser function off, if you so wish.

Ionisation targets which types of pollution?

Ionisation is a technique that is particularly recognized for its high efficiency against particulate pollution (fine particles, nanoparticles, and dust). Negative ions are highly reactive (due to their polarity). They attach themselves to pollution particles of positive polarity and will either disintegrate these positively-polar particles or will weigh them down and drop them to the ground, far away from your lungs.

Studies are still being undergone on this particular subject, but ionisation has also shown promising results^1,2 against germs, and, in particular, the flu virus. Targeting their membranes and changing their functions, negative ions were shown to attack bacteria and viruses.

Ionisation’s effects on well-being

Eoleaf’s ionisation technology is recognised and particularly powerful for its anti-pollution effects. However, the line is not drawn there: there are other benefits that are associated with ionisation. While studies are still in the preliminary stages, research has begun to show that negative ions are commonly associated with a feeling of well-being due to their presence in natural environments such as mountains, forests, and waterfalls. A natural space contains 100 to 1000 times more negative ions in the air than the air of a city or urban environment!

Certain studies have also reported numerous health benefits thanks to the presence of negative ions. Negative ions have been shown to boost your immune system, improve your blood circulation, and improve the quality of your sleep.

In summation, while the phrase “negative ions” may have a negative connotation from its name alone, they are beneficial for health. Conversely, the presence of positive ions often points to poor air quality and is said to have many harmful effects. Positive ions are generally associated with a feeling of increased stress, tension, and fatigue.

Resources

¹ Hagbom M, Nordgren J, Nybom R, Hedlund KO, Wigzell H, Svensson L. (2015, June). Ionizing air affects influenza virus infectivity and prevents airborne-transmission. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/srep11431.

² Pollard, E. (1954). The Act of Ionizing Radiation on Viruses. Advances in Virus Research 2, 109-151. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S006535270860531X.