A Northern Irish company has created a new air steriliser which is claimed to kill Covid-19.
The UV-C Air Steriliser, which has been created by Ballycastle based firm Ilimex, has been found to remove 99.9999 per cent of pathogens in the air following tests at the University of Ulster.
The company believes that it could prove to be the answer to keeping public spaces free from the virus, allowing the reopening hospitality businesses and offices.
Speaking about the new product, Ilimex Limited CEO Gerry Corrigan added: “We have been working with Ulster University’s Schools of Engineering and Biomedical Sciences to refine what is a life-changing installation that could help not just NI but the global economy to co-exist with Covid-19.
“Air can be infectious for a long time and the technology used by the Ilimex UV-C Air Steriliser ensures cleaning occurs on first pass. Our research shows that as a result of using this technology no viable viruses could be detected. It is 100% effective and with such results we believe we are in a position to transform how we live and work during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
The steriliser uses also removes dangerous pollutants from the environment including Volatile Organic Compounds, formaldehydes, benzene, nitrogen dioxide, mold spores, smoke and particulate matter, and much more.
It does this by employing wide band extra long-life UV sources including high efficiency light-emitting diodes, to reduce operating cost, titanium dioxide photocatalytic filtration, silver-ion doped HEPA 13 filtering to PM1 (antibacterial filter) and activated carbon.
Carl McGarrity of the Salthouse Hotel in Ballycastle has installed the Ilimex UV-C Air Steriliser. He said: “As a hospitality business you have an immense duty of care to keep both your staff and customers safe and today this means ensuring your premises are virus free.
“Having the Ilimex UV-C Air Steriliser installed in our premises gives us that reassurance that we are doing everything we can to ensure safety. It’s a very smart device, easy to use and an investment that we know will pay off for years to come.”
Ilimex are currently engaging with the Northern Ireland Executive and Invest NI has offered just over £75,000 of support to assist Ilimex in the development of the technology which is also supported by the McHenry Group in Ballycastle.
It has just finished a second phase of testing at the University of Ulster.
Patrick Dunlop, Senior Lecturer at the School of Engineering, Ulster University said: “My team and colleagues within the School of Biomedical Sciences, including Dr Nigel Ternan and Dr Bill Snelling, have looked at the effectiveness of the technology and refined the product in collaboration with Ilimex.
"We’ve also carried out extensive testing and proven that it removes a high number of viruses. We’ve been impressed with how the Ilimex team have responded to the need for advanced air treatment technology.”
The cost of the steriliser will start at £2,495 including VAT, and the company has said that depending on the premises, more than one device may be needed.
