TEQOYA Air Purifiers based on an ozone-free negative ions generation technology
Country of development/application:
France
Scope of innovation
☒ Office work
☐ Production / Service supply process
Sector-specific
☐ Yes / please, specify sector(s):
☒ No (relevant for all sectors)
Description of the needs
Some devices that are advertised as air purifiers purposely emit large amounts of ozone, the main component of smog. Not only are ozone generators ineffective in cleaning indoor air, but inhaling ozone is proved to pose serious health risks for humans and animals, depending on the level of exposure.
Some devices are marketed with advertising claims that they kill viruses, bacteria, mold and other biological contaminants, and remove chemical contaminants and odors. However, when ozone concentrations are below the health standards, it does not effectively remove biological contaminants. Ozone also does not remove particles (e.g. dust and pollen) from the air, including the particles responsible for most allergies. Ozone generated by air purifiers does little to remove chemical pollutants. In fact, ozone has been found to react with existing chemicals in the air to create additional toxic pollutants, most notably formaldehyde and ultrafine particles. Some consumers purchase air purifiers to eradicate odors. There is scientific evidence that ozone concentrations below the health standards are not effective in removing many odor-causing chemicals. Ozone is also known to deaden the sense of smell. Not only does this disguise rather than eliminate odors, it can also have the dangerous effect of decreasing a person’s ability to detect high ozone levels. Unlike the situation in air, ozone can be used successfully to purify water in some applications. This is because high levels of ozone can be used in the water, most of the ozone reacts in the water, and people typically are not present when the ozone is used.
People who buy ozone generators may not be aware that ozone can harm the cells in the lungs and respiratory airways. Exposure to ozone irritates and inflames the lining of the respiratory system. This causes symptoms including coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and impaired breathing. Ozone can worsen asthma symptoms, and may contribute to the development of asthma. Elevated exposures to ozone can cause permanent lung damage, and repeated exposure can even increase the risk of dying among persons already in poor health. Persons especially vulnerable to health problems from breathing ozone include children and those who already suffer from asthma or other respiratory diseases, including the elderly. There are many experimental studies on animals, including dogs, cats, hamsters and guinea pigs that show respiratory effects from exposure to ozone. Birds are especially sensitive to the effects of air pollutants, including ozone.
TEQOYA is a French company that uses the principle of air ionisation to manufacture and market air purifiers. The technologies of the company are developed with the focus to protect people from indoor air pollution 24/7 without harming the planet. They are based on more than 20 years of research, started even before TEQOYA was founded and has been intensified since then to further improve the quality of company’s solutions by meeting new needs.
Description of the solution
At the core of TEQOYA air purifiers is the ozone-free air ionization technology, initially created by Professor Jacques Breton – a member of the New York Academy of Sciences and Officer of the Palmes Académiques in France. TEQOYA air ionizers recreate the electrostatic abatement of pollutant particles indoors, as it is done in the purest environments. The intense negative ion production by TEQOYA air purifiers is completely safe (certified ozone-free by independent laboratories). On top of their effectiveness in purifying the air, the negative ions help restore a permanent level of negative ions, similar to the level found in natural environments.
The core of TEQOYA’s ionization technology is based on specially manufactured needles, integrated in a particular geometric and electrostatic conformation. This is called conformation ion optics. It enables the plasma to be confined to the tip of the needle.
The electronic performance of TEQOYA’s air purifiers enables the user to benefit from a high level of safety and reliability together with highly efficient energy consumption. Since 2014, TEQOYA has led the development of this high-performance technology and annually dedicates 20% of its turnover to R&D. The company strives to further improve the ozone-free air ionization process and expand its scope of application.
Product list includes:
• ALANA™ Air purifier with reusable filter for living rooms. Price: €649.00 incl. VAT.
• TEQOYA 450 Air purifier for home and large rooms. Standing and ceiling options. Price: €549.00 incl. VAT.
• TEQOYA 200 Air purifier for bedroom. Price: €379.00 incl. VAT.
• TEQOYA Nomad Portable air purifier for car. Price: €199.00 incl. VAT.
• Laser Egg CO2 Indoor air quality monitor + CO2. Price: €179.00 incl. VAT.
Description of the effect
Environmental benefits:
• Eliminates up to 99% particles and germs;
• No disposable filters or any other consumables;
• No fan: totally silent and low-power (1,5 W);
• No generation of hazardous chemicals.
Financial benefits:
• Made to last: 5 and 10 years warranty;
• Easy to use: no maintenance required nor extra costs with filters and other consumables;
• Plug & Forget: low consumption (1,5W), less than 5 € per year.
Tested and certified by independent laboratories in France and abroad, TEQOYA air purifiers are effective against 99.9% of polluting particles: urban pollution, viruses, bacteria, allergens, mold and even ultra-fine particles.
Tests on germs and micro-organisms:
• TEQOYA air purifiers have been tested on the H1N1 virus. A series of samples were subjected to controlled ionization. After 25 minutes, the number of virus particles had decreased by about 75%.
• TEQOYA air purifiers have been tested on bacterial flora responsible for gastrointestinal problems. The bacteria, collected in a six-stage sieve sampler, were put in the presence of the device. In 2 hours, the elimination rate of the bacteria reached 95%.
• TEQOYA air purifiers have been tested on Klebsiella Pneumoniae bacteria which is responsible for nosocomial infections (infections contracted in hospitals) that can affect the most vulnerable people: the elderly, diabetics, etc. elderly, diabetics, etc. These tests have shown a 99.9% bacterial elimination rate achieved in 3 hours.
Tests on particles down to 7 nanometers:
• TEQOYA air purifiers have been tested on cigarette smoke particles, which are among the finest in the world, as well as those emitted by gasoline and diesel engines. The result: after 2 hours, these particles were completely eliminated from the indoor air.
• TEQOYA air purifiers have been tested on fine and ultrafine particles. The real-life tests were performed in a 20 m² room with a ceiling height of 2.50 m. The door was closed during the tests. The result: within 15 minutes, air pollution by particles was reduced by 80%.
• TEQOYA air purifiers have been tested on ultra-fine particles (those emitted by vehicles). The tests were conducted in the cab of a tractor. The result: after only 5 minutes of use, the pollution level in the cabin is reduced by 2/3 (2,000 particles/cm³ versus 6,000 particles/cm³).
• The NOMAD TEQOYA air purifier was tested in a vehicle equipped with a class F9 filter (the highest level in the “fine filter” category): 90% reduction of cabin pollution in 250 seconds. The results are impressive, especially when compared to the action of specific filters for fine particles. Experience has shown that fine particles are poorly filtered by the systems installed in vehicles.
• In 2017, TEQOYA air purifiers were installed on the ceiling in a 2000 m² building of the Beaumanoir group in Shanghai. Two real-life measurement campaigns were conducted one week apart to prove the effectiveness of the equipment system. They showed the same purification performances: in 2 hours of operation, the particulate pollution was divided by three in the 2000 m² of equipped open space.
• In partnership with the French National Air Quality Association RESPIRE, TEQOYA has carried out an experiment to validate the high performance of its innovative e-filtration technology in situ, and also the efficiency of using ALANA™ air purifiers spread out over a large space (such as a classroom), rather than using a single large unit.
Tests on absence of ozone and safety
• The results of tests carried out on TEQOYA air ionizers are conclusive: air purifiers emit a large quantity of negative ions without emitting ozone, which is not the case for most air ionizers.
• This second set of tests measured the potential emission of toxic substances (including ozone) produced by different ionizers. The ozone concentration was measured to verify whether or not TEQOYA devices have an over-concentration of ozone. The result: no ozone emissions were detected on TEQOYA air ionizers.
• TEQOYA patented technology does not produce any oxidizing gases (including nitrogen oxides and other oxidizing chemical compounds), as evidenced by the EPR test which detects the presence of any chemical compound with oxidizing potential.
Tests on semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs):
• TEQOYA air purifiers are tested on SVOCs. The use of TEQOYA devices helps the decay of particulate aerosol observed during the evaporation of terpenes.
Company/companies that developed/implemented/offer the innovation
TEQOYA is a French company present on the whole French territory and internationally through its partners. Since 2015, the company designs and manufactures air purifiers locally. Energy-efficient, comfortably silent, without ozone emissions, without disposable filters, without programmed obsolescence… the company is committed to designing products that are healthy and friendly to people and planet.
TEQOYA currently holds seven patents covering ozone-free air ionization, electrofiltration without electrical discharge, ion spread in an airstream, formaldehyde treatment, and filtering air inlets (for the development of new applications in the construction sector). The company invests more than 20% of its turnover in R&D every year. TEQOYA’s mission is to ensure healthy air quality in low-carbon buildings.
TEQOYA SAS
Head office: 7 route de Préchac – 33730 Villandraut, France
Mailing address : 19 rue Chapon – 75003 Paris, France
E-mail: contact@teqoya.com
Phone: +33 (0)1 43 70 52 93
Website: https://www.teqoya.fr/
Additional information
Video: TEQOYA’s advanced technology TEQOYA
Video: How does it work? TEQOYA air purifier
Video: Air purifier test: TEQOYA 450 demonstration
на TEQOYA 450