The combined device simultaneously purifies the air and moisturizes it. A home air cleaner removes dust, pollen, pet hair and fluff, soot and smoke. Large suspensions of more than 10 microns are eliminated faster; small ones up to 2.5 microns in size take time to remove. Manufacturers produce many models, so attention is paid to the right choice of characteristics.
Description, principle of operation and purpose
The sink is a combination of a humidifier and an air purifier, due to which the dimensions of the installation are 2 times the dimensions of the first device. The device does not spray moisture or vapor. The sink absorbs the stream, moisturizes it (wets it), filters it and gives it out ready-made.
Winning features:
- eliminates about 99% of dust and organic impurities;
- evenly moistens the airspace of the room;
- the smallest moisture particles do not settle on objects and surfaces and do not form mold;
- low energy consumption.
The disadvantage is that the device slowly moisturizes the air, reacts sensitively to open openings and drafts and is notable for its high cost due to the combined functionality.
Varieties according to the principle of action:
- Electrostatic models draw previously charged particles to plates with opposite potentials. They are characterized by low productivity and create an ozone level harmful to humans in the atmosphere. It requires regular cleaning of the plates, otherwise the efficiency decreases.
- Photocatalytic devices use membranes containing titanium oxide. Streams pass through the filter, are irradiated with UV rays, while toxic impurities are oxidized and decomposed.
- Ion air purifiers produce ions with negative potential. Harmful substances often have a positive charge and form small-sized clusters with anions. Particles become heavier and attracted to the floor, walls and surfaces of objects, from where they are removed by wet cleaning.
- Filter species use flow through filters. Cleaning barriers are made using HEPA technology; sometimes carbon filters are used that require regular replacement.
- Inertial sinks use inertness of dust particles. The retracted stream sharply changes direction, and impurities by inertia continue to move and are captured by the filter.
In inertial models, air can spin, while particles are carried to the walls, and the flow is directed in the center. There are combined types that have filters inside after inertial washing.
Rules for choosing a device
When buying, the maximum air exchange is taken into account. An effective device allows the volume of room air to pass 2-3 times per hour. The cubic capacity of the room is taken, multiplied by 3 and compared with the technical parameters from the passport.
Filters are water, ozonizing, carbon, HEPA filters, electrostatic and others. Each of them is distinguished by its positive sides and has disadvantages. There are species that need to be cleaned; other options require replacement. Quality sinks are equipped with several varieties.
The installation may include additional functions:
- display for reading performance indicators;
- indicators, backlight;
- timers;
- flavoring devices.
Simplicity of maintenance plays a role.some models require time for this. Pay attention to the frequency of water changes, washing membranes. It matters the ability to change the filter unit and the cost of this operation.
Work area
The characteristics indicate the quadrature of the processed premises. Most often, the sink is placed in the bedroom, as the quality of night rest determines daytime well-being and work efficiency. The unit can not always clean the atmosphere of several rooms.
If you put the device in the corridor, the microclimate of the far rooms will remain without cleaning. The location of the walls and the width of the doorways through which laundered flows will come in matters. It is better to keep the doors open, but this is not always possible, so the device is designed to work in one room.
There are several sizes of sinks on sale:
- Desktop or portable devices for a small room. They can be moved in space and taken with you to the office. Such models, due to the small water intake, require frequent liquid refill.
- Indoor varieties work with the area of one room or purify the air in adjacent rooms, with a total quadrature of no more than 110 m².
- Powerful devices. The systems will cope with several separate spaces with a total area of 150 - 250 m² if the adjacent doors are open. They are characterized by high cost and consumption of a large amount of electricity.
Users use a portable installation, which seems profitable and convenient. But the principle of the device involves a slow change in the humidity indicators of the room due to the natural evaporation of clean air molecules in the surface of the sink. The process is measured, you can manage to transfer the installation to another room when a high-quality microclimate has not yet been created.
Used technologies
Inside the sink there is a fan and plate drums wetted by liquid from the tank. Impurities in the form of particles fall down, while the air molecules are saturated with moisture. Clean masses enter the room through the outlet. The priority of the task is determined by the user. If you want to increase the moisture content, models with an evaporation rate of 500 ml / h are recommended.
Ionizing rods in the installation design are made of silver with antiseptic additives. Metal ions are distinguished by disinfecting properties. Such an element is in water, emits particles and purifies the liquid without the use of chemicals. The life of the rod varies within one year, during this period the evaporated moisture is disinfected.
There are sinks that focus on removing dust, allergens, this contributes to the ionization function. It is important that the production of charged particles in the installation has a separate regulation, since the washing itself works without stopping. Charged atoms raise immunity well, have beneficial effects on the respiratory system.
Performance
The indicator determines the volume of water in grams, which passes into the air in an hour of work. The capacity of the water tank is also important, especially for production plants. Tentatively, the volume of the tank should be 5-7 liters, if the productivity is 300-500 grams per hour. Only the fan rustles in the air washer, but it is weak and does not make loud noises. Most models work quietly and can be used in the children's room.
A traditional humidifier scatters water, large drops are more often concentrated in the installation area. Humidity around the device can be 60%, and in the far corner show 30%. The sink draws in air from all over the space, so the hygrometer will show the same performance at different points in the room.Sometimes small particles soar in space and are drawn into fabric upholstery, furniture, taking moisture away from the air, doing it evenly.
Air flow from the street affects performance. If there are gaps in the windows, humidity and cleaning will go slower due to the counteraction of fresh masses.
Mode of operation
There are two operating modes: hydrofiltration and a water bath. In the first order, the sink operates due to the rotation of the rod in the center of the water tank. The spinning element picks up drops that are in contact with the feed stream and clean it. Technology refers to noisy varieties, some people find it difficult to fall asleep.
The principle of a water bath uses the torsion of a raised disk. Moisture is trapped on the surface and creates a water coating. The wheels are blown by the turbine and the droplets evaporate. Such sinks are characterized by almost silent operation. Simple models operate in one mode at maximum power.
Expensive installations allow you to choose the principle of humidification and cleaning. As a result, the user sets the fast, intensive, slow or economical mode. The ability to choose the order of functionality is welcome, but the lack also does not affect the quality of work too much. The sink and humidifier are manually controlled or electronic coordination is applied using the remote control.
Additional features
Some devices inside have a compartment for inserting an aromatic component. The air is moistened, ionized, washed and gets a pleasant smell. Not every device has such a function, structural parts may suffer from contact with aromatic oil. The regulation on aromatization is in the passport of the sink.
A hygrostat and hygrometer are rarely integrated. The first device is designed to coordinate the humidity parameters that are set in the device so that the apartment does not become damp. In the conditions of the constant opening of windows, doors and the movement of residents around the house, this almost cannot happen. The hygrometer measures the amount of water vapor in the air. Additional functionality includes the ability to work with the use of a screen where operation parameters are displayed. The timer allows you to delay the start of the wash or set the shutdown time.
A filtration technology called HEPA has come from the field of atomic research and involves a highly efficient pollution retention method. The membranes are made of corrugated material with a special weave of fiber. Large particles of dirt due to inertness are trapped in folds, and small particles settle on the threads of the fabric. The technology has several levels of filtration.
Scope of an air sink
The unit is installed where there is dry air, for example, in rooms with central heating, a large surface of radiators or in places where an electric fireplace is used. It is worth choosing a sink with good performance, so that there is a large evaporation area, and in the passport there is a capacity of 200 - 500 ml per hour of operation.
The sink is used in rooms where there is a lot of dust, animal hair, there are indoor plants that produce pollen. In such cases, an apparatus with preliminary ionization of air is purchased for the rapid deposition of pollutants.
Cleaning washes solve the problem of unpleasant odors from organic matter, cigarette smoke and chemistry. A washing of any type will help, almost all aromas are absorbed in a natural way when passing through the unit.
Recommendations for use and maintenance
The installation location is chosen where the person spends more time. Modern devices have a beautiful view and fit into a different interior. The plants need to be cleaned and filled with water, but the luminous indicators signal such a need, so you can not skip the procedure.
Processing Order:
- during cleaning, the liquid container and the compartment for filling the flavor are washed;
- turbine blades are wiped every few months;
- the sponge as part of the device is washed with detergent, rinsed thoroughly;
- disks are dismantled, disassembled and washed with soap;
- the drum can be washed in the dishwasher, as it’s hard to get all the surfaces, and the part does not disassemble.
Cleaning is carried out periodically using professional products from the manufacturer or citric acid is used. Neglect of the procedure leads to calcination of surfaces and failure.
Rating of the best air washers
German air humidifier Venta LW 25 Serves 20 - 40 m². The device is equipped with filters that must be cleaned and do not require the purchase of new elements. The tank has a volume of 7 liters, there is a compartment for aromatic capsules, antibacterial protection. The device is characterized by reliability and safety, automatically switches off without water.
Compact unitWinta awi-40 from the Korean brand Winia - a universal and proven model that is not inferior to European manufacturers in quality, but costs half the price. Cleans the atmosphere of 40 m², equipped with a touch screen for control. There is an automatic humidity controller, the installation works in 5 modes, including night. The ionization filter must be replaced if it is dirty.
Simple assembly Boneko W2055DR without replacing consumables consumes 20 watts per hour. There is a liquid crystal screen for tracking operating parameters. Antibacterial protection is represented by a silver rod, which changes once a year, aromatization is provided, the humidity level is monitored by a sensor. A tank with a capacity of 7 liters, the sink serves 50 m².
Yitachi EP-A 7000 falls into the rating of air washers for the home. Designed and manufactured in Japan. The device takes 50 watts per hour, serves 50 m², has a capacity of 670 ml per hour. There are several levels of purification, the HEPA antiallergenic membrane is used. Filters have a life of 3 to 8 years.
Model Panasonik F-VXL 40 also assembled in Japan, serves a room of 30 m². The operation of the device is fully automated. Sensors monitor the quality of the microclimate and turn on the installation in case of non-compliance. HEPA composite cleaning delays the smallest contamination, a special barrier suppresses 17 types of allergens. It is possible to regulate the work in manual mode.
