Kazuo Tokuda: CTO Airpure Co.,Ltd.
Masato Kiuchi: Doctor of Engineering
We have been manufacturing products such as sterilizers and deodorizers using ozone-generating cold cathode tube ultraviolet lamps for 25 years.
We had also been developing products using corona discharges, and when we experimented with combining these technologies, we realized that corona discharges and ultraviolet lamps were compatible with each other.
We then conducted various verifications to put this technology to practical use, obtained joint patents, and developed products such as sterilizers and insect repellents for medical institutions and food factories.
We have commercialized COMFORLD as a culmination of the manufacturing technologies we have cultivated so far, assuming that it will be used not only for viruses but also in a variety of situations where sterilization is required, so that it can be used safely in homes and offices.
Study Ozone generation
It is a well-known fact that even trace amounts of ozone have sterilizing power. There are various methods of ozone generation, from the discharge method used in general ozone generators to the plasma method.
If the ozone concentration can be well controlled, it can be a very effective sterilization method. However, it is not that simple to adjust the ozone generation rate, since lowering the ozone generation rate reduces the sterilization effect and makes sterilization take longer.
We have studied ozone generation methods in the past while developing products that utilize ultraviolet rays and ozone, such as devices for water sterilization, sterilization and deodorization equipment for business use, and room deodorization equipment for hotels.
We experienced difficulties in developing a method to generate ozone by electrical discharge because it is difficult to control the concentration. I also recall that in humid places, white deposits would adhere around the electrodes, making maintenance very difficult.
Through various trials and errors in development, we finally arrived at ozone generation using ultraviolet CCFL lamps (ozone and sterilization rays). With this method, the amount of ozone generated can be controlled simply by selecting the lamp and output (W) according to the size of the room and the intended use.
Reduce Ozone concentration below environmental standards
Using previously patented technology, COMFORLD has succeeded in reducing ozone concentration to a level that does not affect the human body while maintaining the high sterilizing power of ultraviolet light and ozone, thereby achieving both high sterilizing power and safety.
To safely control ozone, COMFORLD uses a high-voltage corona discharge system to remove the released ozone and adjust the concentration to well below the environmental standard value of 0.1ppm.
High-voltage corona discharge occurs at the red electrode in the illustration, and ozone is removed by discharge on the outlet side.
In addition, the airflow generated by the fan + high-voltage discharge circulates the air, making the air purifier suitable for indoor sterilization.
Sterilization and ozone generation are performed by the following wavelengths emitted from the ultraviolet lamp, and the amount of ozone emitted in the room can be kept at a level that does not exceed environmental standards.
Germicidal ray … Wavelength 253.7 nm
Ozone ray … Wavelength 184.9 nm