As the supply base of ultraviolet products continues to grow, the buying public is starting to get wary of the manufacturers' claims. People are trying to gain an understanding of what makes 'Product X' better than 'Product Y'? There is a ton of glamorous content on the internet and in the literature that many manufacturer's provide, but there is not a grade established to define which one's are the best, the same as others, or the worst. From some research I have done, we know that a standard was proposed back in 2004-but its adoption proves to be difficult, as testing procedures are a stumbling block. Click here for the link to the PDF document from 2004.
"TC 2.9 is concerned with all aspects of equipment and systems that utilize ultraviolet radiation to destroy or de-activate chemical and / or biological air and surface contaminants in HVAC systems and indoor spaces, including but not limited to effectiveness, safety, maintenance, and economics."
It is with some hope that the TC2.9 committee will be able to introduce a working standard for ultraviolet devices that will define best applications for different devices, and which may serve in multiple classes - and provide an accepted rating within each volume. As we've mentioned in previous blogs, there is not a Swiss Army UV device - some are suited for surface cleaning, some are suited for in-duct purification, etc. The committee actually is showing 11 different classes that a UV device can be listed under.
