PX-25-001 - The Acceleration of Volatile Organic Compound Removal by In-Duct Photocatalytic Oxidizing Air Cleaners in a Residential House ✓ Most Recent

The overall characterization of the effectiveness of photocatalytic oxidizing (PCO) air cleaners has been met with conflicting results. Based on available literature, most of the testing performed on PCO air cleaners has been in controlled laboratory settings with favorable conditions. For this study, two different PCO air cleaners were installed in the HVAC system of a research home at the University of Texas at Tyler (UTT). Two household products, and one pure volatile organic compound (VOC) substance that are related to three VOC experiments (each consisting of a PCO air cleaner on and off period) were injected in the house. The PCO on and off periods, or decay periods, were subsequently compared, analyzed, and translated into quantitative values of removal efficiencies for each PCO air cleaner. The removal efficiencies recorded for both the PCO air cleaners tested ranged from 0.3% to 15.4%. In comparison to PCO air cleaner removal efficiencies seen in literature, no significant acceleration of VOC abatement was seen with the powering on of the PCO air cleaners in the research home. This paper aims to assist in the characterization of the technology’s effectiveness in a whole-home application and guide the future testing of PCO air cleaners in similar settings. This study includes a correction model that minimizes unrelated variations in sensor VOC readings due to climatic variables.