Coronavirus
Technology Solutions
October 9, 2020
New Officers for Eurovent Air Filters
Eurovent Publishes HVAC Market Report
Suominen has Unique Media for Masks
Screentec Expanding Mask Production
Mask Leakage is Greater for Small Particles in
the Size Range of COVID
Vogmask has Low Leakage Due to the Option for
Five Mask Sizes
Georgia Tech Researchers Design Mask with Low
Leakage
___________________________________________________________________________
New Officers for Eurovent Air Filters
During its meeting on 29 September 2020, the
Eurovent Product Group ‘Air Filters’ (PG-FIL)
elected Dr. Marc Schmidt (Vice President
Technologies Europe, AAF International) as its
new chairman. He is joined by Dr. Thomas Caesar
(Director Global Filter Engineering, Freudenberg
Filtration Technologies), who was re-elected for
his second term as PG-FIL Vice-Chairman.
PG-FIL met in a full-day online session on
Tuesday, 29 September 2020, with a focus on
regulatory updates under Ecodesign and REACH,
and the revision of several Eurovent Air Filter
Recommendations. The group elected Dr. Schmidt
as its new chairman for the next two-year term.
He will succeed Jan Andersson of Camfil, who
served as PG-FIL chairman for many years. Dr.
Caesar was unanimously re-elected as the group’s
vice-chairman, continuing his role for the next
two years.
Dr. Schmidt, new chairman of PG-FIL, stated:
“Correct air filtration is more crucial than
ever for the health and well-being of building
occupants. Under the banner of Eurovent, it is
our duty to convey this message to the market,
to the policymakers, and to the public, and to
raise awareness of the importance of clean and
healthy indoor air. I am humbled that the
Product Group ‘Air Filters’, which represents
manufacturers from all over Europe, has vested
its trust in me to lead the charge on this.”
The next meeting of PG-FIL is scheduled for
March 2021. Given the continued uncertainty
around the public heath situation, the exact
date and location of the meeting will be
determined at a later stage.
Eurovent Publishes HVAC Market Report
Yannick Cotrelle Market Intelligence Manager of
Eurovent commented on the new report assessing
the European HVAC market.
“With one million deaths worldwide, and more
than 33 million people infected in 188
countries, the coronavirus called covid-19 will
have been at the origin of the worst pandemic of
the beginning of this 21st century. The first
wave, which occurred between February and June
for Europe, forced a number of countries to take
restrictive measures (closures of schools,
hotels, restaurants, borders; general lockdown,
etc.) which had a negative impact on the economy
̶but not always as we will see!
The second wave currently underway, which is
fortunately much less deadly than the first
(especially in Western Europe), will have a more
transparent impact on the market, with most
sectors having already started to adapt to this
new post-covid world. It is impossible to
summarize in one sentence or even one page the
effects of the covid-19 crisis on the entire
HVAC&R market, past and future, as they depend
on very different factors. This is why the
ambition of this special covid-19 report is to
provide you with a clear and concise answer to
each question you ask yourself about your
market, thanks to a simplified framework,
organized by type of product, country,
application and project. We hope you will
appreciate reading this prospective study which
marks a new stage in the development of Eurovent
Market Intelligence, always with the aim of
better helping you to find your way in this
uncertain world.”
This survey was conducted in the period from 12
August to 25 September 2020 with 100 HVACR
companies from 19 countries. The survey
concerned eight types of products, that were
united in three groups for the analysis: - HVAC
(Chillers, AHU, Fan Coil Units, Rooftops, VRF);
- Refrigeration (Heat exchangers and Cooling
towers); - Air filters.
The survey was based on primary and secondary
research: 1. Primary research: 1.1. The
questionnaire on the sales results and prospects
in 2020, as well as expectations for the future
(filled in by all the respondents). 1.2. A
profound interview with the respondents for
qualitative clarifications of their market
situation and vision (conducted with 40
respondents). 2. Secondary research: 1.1.
Analysis of the macroeconomic statistics on the
economic development by country. 1.2. Analysis
of the information in press article on
countries' economy in 2020 and forecasts about
their further development, government response
to Covid crisis and the situation in the most
important industries (construction, tourism,
health, etc.).
Forecast methodology The forecast for 2020-2023
was made by product, by country and by
application. The forecast was based on the
following information: 1. 2020 forecast: -
quantitative results on orders cancelled, new
orders received during 1H2020 in comparison to
1H2019 and the size of order book for 2H2020 in
comparison to 2H2019, received from the
questionnaires of the respondents; - results of
market evolution in Q1-Q3 2020 for four products
(chillers, fan coils, AHU, rooftops), based on
the quarterly survey regularly conducted by EMI;
2. 2021-2023 forecast: - expectations of the
respondents for the business restart; - analysis
of the macroeconomic situation by country and by
the industry/application of HVAC products.
Suominen has Unique Media for Masks
Suominen has developed a nonwoven material for
the manufacturing of face mask applications. The
new nonwoven has passed European Standard EN
14683:2019 Type II requirements in terms of
filtration efficiency and pressure drop.
“Our FIBRELLA® Shield nonwoven has
excellent filtration efficiency and pressure
drop values meaning that the material provides
protection while being comfortable and easy to
breathe through. Measured with an applied method
by VTT results indicate that FIBRELLA® Shield
nonwoven’s filtration efficiency is higher than
99% reaching type II requirements but of course
the material can also be used for lighter model
Type I masks or uncertified masks,” says
Category Manager Johanna Sirén.
“FIBRELLA® Shield has received
positive feedback from several user panel tests
about its textile-like softness and being
odorless. The panel results show also that
FIBRELLA® Shield is comfortable to
use even for several hours and it doesn’t build
up moisture during use,” Johanna Sirén
continues.
The standard EN14683:2019 for medical masks is
for end products and the converter has to repeat
the tests to confirm the standard compliancy for
the end product. The end product needs to comply
also with the regional regulations, if any.
Developed in cooperation with VTT, this new
material is the latest addition to the FIBRELLA® family.
FIBRELLA® Shield is already in
production at Suominen’s Nakkila plant.
Currently the plant is capable of producing
material for approximately 15 million masks per
month.
Screentec Expanding Mask Production
The past few months have seen major changes at Screentec’s Oulu-based factory. New production lines and more factory space are just a few of the exciting changes happening. There is a lot of positive news, despite these turbulent times.
Screentec Oy, together with its partners, such as Nord Option, and support from the Finnish ELY-Centre, has invested heavily in new production lines of PPE equipment. The need from the healthcare sector for surgical masks and FFP 3 masks has been great, especially on the Finnish domestic market. The importance of domestic supply chains and manufacturing has never been greater.
Screentec aims to get three new production lines up and running as soon as possible. The first two, one for surgical masks and the other for FFP2 and FFP3 masks are already up and running. There is still work to be done on the 3rd production line and steps have been taken to ensure there is enough floor space for the machines to operate.
Starting next month, their factory will be expanded with over 400m2 of extra space to allow for this new expansion. This also means that Screentec has had to increase its workforce significantly. Over the past few months they have managed to create well over 30 new jobs and their growth will continue in the coming months.
Last month, their quality management system has
undergone an extensive audit and they are proud
to inform you that their ISO 13 485
certification has been renewed for another three
years!
In March, Screentec’s Chief Technology Officier, Mikko Paakkolanvaara, got the idea to start producing the Screentec V3 Visor after seeing that there was a great shortage of domestic PPE in Finland. In just a few weeks’ time Screentec has managed to set up a mass production of these devices and CE mark certification is well underway. Weekly production volumes of the Visor V3 are already in excess of 30 000 units per week and production speed is being ramped-up constantly.
Sadly, Visors aren’t the only piece of PPE in short supply, new measures both in Finland and the rest of the EU mean that there is an unprecedented need for FFP3 masks. These masks protect the user from a minimum of 99% of particles, with a leakage of 2% or less under EU standards. This means they are some of the best pieces of protective gear available to prevent infections from happening. Urgent action is needed to make sure that enough FFP3 masks are available to both healthcare professionals and other people in the near future.
To this end, Screentec struck a deal with five university hospitals across Finland to set up a production line for almost six million FFP3 masks. Production of the masks started in June 2020. It involved significant investments in production equipment and logistics, but Screentec’s CEO Mr. Antti Tauriainen, is confident that the company is able to meet this new challenge: ” With the Visor V3 production, we were able to show that our company is able to quickly set up production lines and deliver on promises. This gave the hospitals the confidence to choose us as their partner for this task.”
Despite the increase in activity at the company, Antti is keeping a level head in this situation: ” The Visor V3 production line enabled us to hire between 18-26 new people, which is a significant increase for us. We would like to keep these people on in the future as well, so we are taking steps to ensure that their employment is sustainable. Our company has been around for over 30 years and we always keep the long run in mind.”
When asked about continued support for the new
PPE products, Antti mentioned that Screentec
intends to keep them as a permanent part of the
company’s product portfolio. Customers can
expect to be able to purchase them for years to
come.
Mask Leakage is Greater for
Small Particles in the Size Range of COVID
An older study by the University of Waterloo has
an important comparison of dust masks. It shows
that the inward leakage is higher for sub-micron
particles than for larger particles.
Also the pressure drop across the mask is a
function of leakage.
https://nirvanabeing.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/UW-Air-Pollution-Data-Round-1.pdf
Vogmask has Low Leakage Due to the Option for
Five Mask Sizes
This older data in the chart above with one mask
design does not reflect the current Vogmask
products. Vogmask supplies five sizes S - XL.
Vogmask is Quantitatively Fit Tested on human
subjects to ensure the filtering efficiency is
retained over a series of motions like walking,
head movements, bending over, talking, etc. Here
is a sample of the fit testing on Test Subjects.
Georgia Tech Researchers Design Mask with Low
Leakage
Imagine a reusable face mask that protects
wearers and those around them from SARS-CoV-2,
is comfortable enough to wear all day, and stays
in place without frequent adjustment. Based on
decades of experience with filtration and
textile materials, Georgia Institute of
Technology researchers have designed a new mask
intended to do just that — and are providing
the plans so
individuals and manufacturers can make it.
The modular Georgia Tech mask combines a barrier
filtration material with a stretchable fabric to
hold it in place. Prototypes made for testing
use hook and eye fasteners on the back of the
head to keep the masks on and include a pocket
for an optional filter to increase protection.
After 20 washings, the prototypes have not
shrunk or lost their shape.
“If we want to reopen the economy and ask people
to go back to work, we need a mask that is both
comfortable and effective,” said Sundaresan
Jayaraman, the Kolon Professor in Georgia
Tech’s School of Materials Science and
Engineering. “We have taken a science-based
approach to designing a better mask, and we are
very passionate about getting this out so people
can use it to help protect themselves and others
from harm.”
The fundamental flaw in existing reusable cloth
masks is that they — unlike N95 respirators,
which are fitted for individual users — leak air
around the edges, bypassing their filtration
mechanism. That potentially allows virus
particles, both large droplets and smaller
aerosols, to enter the air breathed in by users,
and allows particles from infected persons to
exit the mask.
The leakage problem shows up in complaints about
eyeglasses fogging up as exhaled breath leaks
around the nose, making people less likely to
wear them. The fit problem can also be seen in
constant adjustments made by wearers, who could
potentially contaminate themselves whenever they
touch the masks after touching other surfaces.
To address the leakage challenge, Jayaraman and
principal research scientist Sungmee
Park created a two-part mask that fastens behind
the head like many N95 respirators. The front
part — the barrier component — contains the
filtration material and is contoured to fit
tightly while allowing space ahead of the nose
and mouth to avoid breathing restrictions and
permit unrestricted speech. Made from the kind
of moisture-wicking material used in athletic
clothing, it includes a pocket into which a
filter can be inserted to increase the
filtration efficiency and thereby increase
protection. The washable fabric filter is made
of a blend of Spandex and polyester.
The second part of the mask is fashioned from
stretchable material. The stretchable part,
which has holes for the ears to help position
the mask, holds the front portion in place and
fastens with conventional hook and eyelet
hardware, a mechanism that has been used in
clothing for centuries.
“We want people to be able to get the mask in
the right place every time,” Jayaraman said. “If
you don’t position it correctly and easily, you
are going to have to keep fiddling with it. We
see that all the time on television with people
adjusting their masks and letting them drop
below their noses.”
Beyond controlling air leakage, designing a
better mask involves a tradeoff between
filtration effectiveness and how well users can
breathe. If a mask makes breathing too
difficult, users will simply not use it,
reducing compliance with masking requirements.
Many existing mask designs attempt to increase
filtration effectiveness by boosting the number
of layers, but that may not be as helpful as it
might seem, Park said. “We tested 16 layers of
handkerchief material, and as we increased the
layers, we measured increased breathing
resistance,” she said. “While the breathing
resistance went up, the filtration did not
improve as much as we would have expected.”
“Good filtration efficiency is not enough by
itself,” said Jayaraman. “The combination of
fit, filtration efficiency, and staying in the
right place make for a good mask.”
The stretchable part of the mask is made from
knitted fabric — a Spandex/Lyocell blend — to
allow for stretching around the head and under
the chin. The researchers used a woven elastic
band sewn with pleats to cover the top of the
nose.
The researchers made their mask prototypes from
synthetic materials instead of cotton. Though
cotton is a natural material, it absorbs
moisture and holds it on the face, reducing
breathability, and potentially creating a “petri
dish” for the growth of microbes.
“Masks have become an essential accessory in our
wardrobe and add a social dimension to how we
feel about wearing them,” Park said. So, the
materials chosen for the mask come in a variety
of colors and designs. “Integrating form and
function is key to having a mask that protects
individuals while making them look good and feel
less self-conscious,” Jayaraman said.
The work of Jayaraman and Park didn’t begin with
the Covid-19 pandemic. They received funding 10
years ago from the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention to study face masks during the
avian influenza outbreak. Since then Jayaraman
has been part of several National Academy of
Medicine initiatives to develop recommendations
for improved respiratory protection.
Covid-19 dramatically increased the importance
of using face masks because of the role played
by asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic exposure
from persons who don’t know they are infected,
Jayaraman said. While the proportion of aerosol
contributions to transmission is still under
study, they likely increase the importance of
formfitting masks that don’t leak.
Jayaraman and Park have published their
recommendations in The Journal of The Textile
Institute and will make the specifications
and patterns for their mask available to
individuals and manufacturers. The necessary
materials can be obtained from retail fabric
stores, and the instructions describe how to
measure for customizing the masks.
“There is so much misinformation about what face
masks can do and cannot do,” Jayaraman said.
“Being scientists and engineers, we want to put
out information backed by science that can help
our community reduce the harm from SARS-CoV-2.”
Link to plans, patterns and specifications for
this mask
The full article can be found on line.
The authors are Sungmee Park and
Sundaresan Jayaraman,. the paper is “From
containment to harm reduction from SARS-CoV-2: a
fabric mask for enhanced effectiveness, comfort,
and compliance.” (The Journal of The Textile
Institute, 2020) https://doi.org/10.1080/00405000.2020.1805971
