•CADR: Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR)
signifies the amount of clean air delivered by an air
purifier.
Three numbers are usually listed for each air purifier
(one for tobacco smoke, one for pollen, and one for
dust). The higher the tobacco smoke,
pollen and dust numbers, the faster the unit filters the
air. The CADR determines how well an air purifier
reduces these pollutants.•Carbon/Zeolite: Carbon and zeolite are
materials used in some air purifiers that
remove gases and odors. Both have properties that allow
them to absorb gaseous materials and pollutants.
Zeolite is a cheaper version and is not nearly as
effective as carbon.
•CFM: Cubic feet per minute. The amount of air, in
cubic feet, that flows through a given space in one
minute. 1 CFM equals approximately 2 liters per second
(l/s).
•HEPA: Stands for High Efficiency Particulate
Air. HEPA filters can
capture 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns.
Can also capture 95-99% of particles below 0.3 microns.
HEPA filters were originally designed to capture and
remove microscopic particles such as radioactive dust
in atomic plants. HEPA filters are a mainstay in
areas that require clean air such as hospitals, clean
rooms, and high-tech manufacturing plants.
•Ionic (Electrostatic Precipitator): Basically,
air is drawn through an electrical field. As the
particles in the air pass through the electrical field,
an electronic charge is given to them. The charged
particles are then attracted to a series of flat plates
with an opposite electrical charge. Effectively removes
many particles from the air, such as allergens, fine
dust particles, some bacteria and viruses, chemical
fumes and other ultra-fine particles. This process
usually causes a small amount of ozone to be created.
•Ozone: A unstable derivative of oxygen, O3,
that is formed naturally in the ozone layer from
atmospheric oxygen by electric discharge or exposure to
ultraviolet radiation. It is a highly reactive
oxidizing agent used to deodorize air, purify water, and
treat industrial wastes.
•Prefilter: A filter used in many air
purifiers that is designed to capture particles 1 micron
in size and larger. Some air purifiers used
activated carbon as their prefilter to remove odors and
gases. A prefilter will extend the life of a HEPA
filter.
•Ultraviolet light: The part of the light
spectrum that is below 400 nm and invisible to the human
eye. Ultraviolet
light is used in some air purifiers to destroy
microorganisms such as bacteria, mold and viruses.
