Ionic Technology

Ionic Air Purifiers are available in three different forms. Find out which is right for you.

Electronic air cleaners, like ionic air purifiers, basically utilize three different technologies to clean the air. These types of air purifiers attempt to charge particles and then deposit them on metal plates or on the floor. Ionic air purifiers can be very effective when used in combination with other air cleaning technologies.

Here is a rundown of the three types of ionic air purifiers:

1. Electrostatic Precipitator
This type of ionic air purifier works by charging particles with a negative charge as they come into the purifier. Positively charged metal plates are also present in the unit. The newly charged particles are then "attracted" to the oppositely charged plates where they are trapped. The metal plates must be cleaned often in order to remove the particles.

2. Negative Ionizer
Ionic air purifiers that use this technology emit negative ions that seek out and "ground" positively charged particles such as dust, smoke, and fumes. The particles, once charged, then stick to furniture and the floor. They must be removed by vacuuming or else they are re-introduced into the air through movement.

3. Media-Charged Filter
This type of ionic air purifier makes use of a charged filter that collects particles by being oppositely charged to the ionized particles. It is similar to a HEPA filter but will begin to lose its efficiency much quicker and will need to be changed much more often.

Be sure to keep in mind that ionic air purifiers will produce ozone, which generally has a sweet, unpleasant smell. Of the three, the electrostatic precipitator and media-charged filter will produce the lowest levels of ozone.

Recommendations
If you are thinking of purchasing an ionic air purifier, we would recommend buying one that uses either the electrostatic precipitator or the media-charged filter. The negative ionizer will not be as effective because it just causes the particles to stick to everything in your room. Eventually, if they are not "picked up" they will get re-circulated.

All in all, ionic air purifiers are effective in removing all size particles from the air, neutralizing viruses, bacteria, smoke, and fumes, and circulating throughout the room.

Courtesy of: Air-Purifiers-101.com