COMFORLD features high sterilizing and deodorizing power through the triple function of ultraviolet light + ozone + negative ions.
UV and ozone, which have a proven track record in commercial equipment for hospitals and food factories, effectively sterilize viruses and pathogenic bacteria, while negative ions decompose chemical substances that cause odors, as well as pollen and PM2.5 that cause allergies.
COMFORLD passes air through the unit and sterilizes viruses and other germs by the effects of ultraviolet rays (wavelength 253.7nm) and ozone (wavelength 184.9nm) generated by the cold cathode tube type ultraviolet ozone generating lamp between corona discharges.
Both the amount of ultraviolet light and ozone generated can be adjusted by the lamp’s wattage, and if corona discharge is also generated on the outlet side, ozone is decomposed and the ozone emitted is kept below 0.03ppm, far below the environmental standard value.
Sterilizing effect of Ultraviolet light
The sterilizing effect of ultraviolet light has been proven against all types of bacteria, viruses, and molds, and is a widely used sterilization method in the fields of medical hygiene and food. UV light does not leave a substance residue like alcohol or chlorine, so it can be used safely to sterilize items that go into the mouth or come into contact with the hands.
Ultraviolet rays are classified into UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C according to their wavelengths. Among these, ultraviolet rays near 260 nm, known as UV-C, are the most effective in sterilization.
Effects of Ultraviolet radiation on bacterial DNA
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), which contains genetic information, exists in the nucleus of a bacterial cell. DNA is known to absorb light at specific wavelengths well, with a peak absorption coefficient near the wavelength of 260 nm as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 2 shows the bactericidal effect of UV light on fungi, which also has a peak in wavelength characteristics near the 260 nm wavelength.
When the absorption coefficient graph of DNA and the wavelength characteristic graph of the bactericidal effect of UV light are superimposed, the peaks around 260 nm are almost identical, which indicates that UV-C with a wavelength around 260 nm has the highest bactericidal effect.
The ultraviolet lamps used in COMFORLD can emit ultraviolet rays (UV-C) at a wavelength of 253.7 nm, which is close to 260 nm, an effective wavelength for sterilization.
The mechanism of ultraviolet sterilization is said to be that when bacteria are irradiated with ultraviolet light, the thymine that makes up their DNA is damaged by a photochemical reaction called dimerization (dimer formation).
Effects of ultraviolet light on viruses
Compared to bacteria, viruses differ in structure and size, but the sterilizing effect of ultraviolet light is comparable.
Viruses are composed of genes (RNA or DNA) and proteins. Unlike bacteria, viruses cannot multiply by themselves, so they repeat infection by transcribing their own genetic information into cells.
Therefore, ultraviolet light is a very effective disinfection method for viruses.
In addition, RIKEN (RIKEN) has published research results showing that the inactivation of new coronaviruses by ultraviolet irradiation was caused by damage to viral RNA.
Ozone sterilization
Ozone has a strong oxidation capacity and is a very effective means of deodorization, sterilization, etc. For this reason, ozone is often used in the medical, food, and other commercial fields.
Another advantage is that ozone is a naturally occurring substance that returns to oxygen when decomposed, so it does not have the residual toxicity of chemicals or other chemical substances.
Ozone is a substance consisting of three oxygen molecules bonded together and is denoted as O3. Ozone is also an unstable substance, easily decomposing into O2 + O.
When it comes in contact with cell membranes of bacteria and other organisms, the O destroys the cell membranes. The bacteria are killed by the destruction of the cell membrane. In this case, unlike drugs, the bacteria do not become resistant.
However, ozone has adverse effects on living organisms, so it is important to control ozone concentration.
Ozone concentration control
Using previously patented technology, Cam Fold has succeeded in reducing ozone concentration to a level that does not affect the human body while maintaining the high sterilizing power of ultraviolet rays and ozone, thereby achieving both high sterilizing power and safety.
In order to control ozone safely, Cam Fold uses a powerful corona discharge system to remove the released ozone, reducing its concentration to 0.03ppm, far below the environmental standard value (0.1ppm).
Because of its strong oxidation ability, ozone has the second highest sterilizing power among natural elements after fluorine, making it an extremely effective means of deodorization and sterilization. Another advantage is that ozone is a naturally occurring substance that returns to oxygen when decomposed, so it does not have the residual toxicity of drugs or chemicals.
However, if the concentration of ozone is controlled incorrectly, it can have adverse effects on the human body, so handling ozone requires knowledge and experience.
COMFORLD is an air purifier developed by engineers who have been involved with ozone for many years. It has the ability to take air inside to sterilize and deodorize, and by breaking down ozone at the outlet and ionizing it, it is possible to reduce ozone to a safe concentration.
In addition, the output of the ozone-generating ultraviolet lamp is automatically adjusted according to the operation mode (sleep, weak, medium, or strong) and the size of the room to ensure safety.
Explanation of ozone concentration control in COMFORLD: Ozone emissions are kept within environmental standards