The CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR) is working on a hi-tech device to help reduce the concentration of ambient air pollution, more effectively than anti-smog guns and smog towers that are currently used.
What makes the device unique is that it will not only clean air by reducing PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations but will also reduce gaseous pollutants from the air, a feature that is unavailable in the present ambient air pollution reduction devices.
The institute has already made the design and technology of the device with the help of a grant of Rs 34.79 lakh given by the DST-Science and Research Engineering Board (SERB) for the project.
The technology has now been given to an external agency to fabricate the device.
Dr B. Sreekanth, the brain behind the design and development of this device, scientist and assistant professor of environmental monitoring division, CSIR-IITR, who is the project investigator, said, “A few recent ambient air purification devices like WAYU of CSIR-NEERI and Smog-Tower of IIT Bombay are facing challenges at the field evaluation stage due to their huge size, power requirements and maintenance. However, there is a demand for competent and upgraded device-technology solutions for improved air quality. Hence CSIR-IITR is making a new one.”
He said the institute has been conducting air pollution monitoring at nine locations in Lucknow since 1997 and has also been involved in various national policies and standardisations for air pollution management.
He said, “The proposed device technology is designed for 1,000 cubic metre per hour (m3/hr) intake of ambient airflow and computational simulations found that the design of the device reduced concentration of fine particulate matters (like PM10 and PM2.5) up to 80 per cent and gaseous pollutants (like SO2 and NO2) up to 60 per cent.”
He said the device technology also oxidises the concentration of other critical pollutants in the breathing air like carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon, and volatile organic compounds. Fabrication of the device is in progress through an external mechanical agency under a turnkey basis based on CSIR-IITR-developed design and geometry.
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