Source: Corning Inc., September 10, 2019
A new collaboration with the CleanTech Alliance, a coalition furthering the development of clean technology, may help Corning clean the air we breathe.
“We are actively looking for strategic collaborations to develop demonstrations of the Corning Air Treatment System,” Huiqing Wu, research associate, Corning Research Center China, said during a presentation at the CleanTech Alliance’s Innovation Showcase. “If we succeed, the air quality of large indoor spaces and heavily polluted areas will improve.”
The Corning Air Purification System – introduced last year as a prototype that won the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 Materials for Clean Air Award – uses similar technology to Corning Environmental Technologies’ ceramic substrate and filters for automotive exhaust. The system uses fans to funnel incoming polluted air through ceramic honeycomb filters that trap particulate matter, allowing clean air to be released into the environment.
Particulate matter, or PM, are microscopic particles – such as organic compounds, metals, dust, pollen, and mold. Due to its small size, PM can be easily inhaled by humans and could lead to numerous health problems, such as asthma, lung cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disease, among others. According to a study by the Lancet Commission, in 2015, PM was the cause of 3.8 million premature deaths, or 7 percent of deaths globally.
In one year, the Corning’s prototype delivered more than 80 million cubic meters of clean air and captured 5 pounds of solid PM. The clean air released through the system had concentrations of PM well below levels set by the World Health Organization.