Choosing an air ionizer for an apartment

You probably noticed how easy and pleasant it is to breathe in the mountains, in a coniferous forest, near the sea or a waterfall. The reason is a large concentration of negatively charged particles - ions of natural origin. At the same time, in poorly ventilated areas, with a large number of functioning office equipment and household appliances, performance dramatically decreases over time. The reason is an excess in the air of positively charged particles - cations. Installing an ionizer will optimize the ratio of negative and positively charged particles in the room.

How is the ionizer

useful? The presence of a large number of negative ions can significantly improve the gas exchange processes occurring in the human lung. This causes an improvement in metabolism and strengthens the immune system, accelerates tissue regeneration( wounds heal faster), improves sleep, the condition of the skin and in general - human well-being. But the main effect is associated with the respiratory system - the risk of SARS and asthma and the manifestation of allergic reactions are reduced.

How the ionizer

works Regardless of the constructive implementation, the principle of operation of the ionizer itself remains the same - it is based on a corona discharge. A high voltage with a negative charge is applied to an electrode that has a large curvature of the surface( for example, it is a plate with needle-like spiers).A corona discharge occurs at the tip of the electrodes, as a result of which ions are formed. The resulting flow of ions flowing from the electrode spreads throughout the room. At the same time, the particles of pollution and dust particles contained in the air, being charged, settle on the plates of the ionizer. As a result, purified ionized air comes out of the device.

Varieties of ionizers

Some models of air ionizers may contain additional functions. For example, the ionizer cleaner has a built-in filter, purifying air - such a combination can significantly improve the quality of indoor air. If the room is very dusty, then you should buy a device with a built-in HEPA filter. If the dust level is relatively small and I want to save on replacing the filter, then it is worth stopping the choice on ionizers with an electrostatic filter. It is reusable, easy to clean and has a good indicator of air filtration.

Another example is an ionizer-humidifier, such a device will provide an ideal indoor microclimate. Such a combination of devices will save space, which is very important for the apartment, while maintaining the quality of work. The humidifier itself can be of a very different type - air washing, ultrasonic, etc.

However, there are monofunctional air ionizer models that are optimized for working in specific conditions. For example, an air ionizer for a car that is powered by a cigarette lighter is recommended for drivers who spend a lot of time behind the wheel. Another model is suitable for those who work at a computer for a long time, which is a fairly powerful source of positively charged particles. To neutralize their action and increase the concentration of ions, you can use a small USB air ionizer. It is very compact, comparable in size to a USB drive, the so-called USB flash drive and is powered by a standard USB port.

Another ionizer variant is a salt lamp. It is a low-power incandescent lamp, on which a layer of crystals of natural salt is applied. When heated, the salt begins to emit negatively charged ions. It can be a ball-shaped lamp or a lamp installed in an untreated stone. Despite the decorative appeal, such salt ionizers have one major drawback - low power and, as a result, create a low concentration of ions.

Important:

The most famous ionizer is the Chizhevsky lamp, but you should not buy it for a house / apartment. After all, it is medical, not a household appliance, its use must be strictly metered.

How to choose an air ionizer for the apartment

First of all, before choosing an air ionizer for an apartment, it should be noted that its use has several limitations. First of all, doctors do not recommend installing it in the rooms where the child is, who has not yet turned one year old. In addition, the installation of ionizers for people with cancer is contraindicated - as mentioned above, ions improve metabolism, which can cause accelerated growth and reproduction of cancer cells. Some people have an individual intolerance to aerons.

Before proceeding to the assessment of the basic parameters of the ionizer, you should deal with one fairly common misconception: the ionizer cannot replace a humidifier with itself. Just as the air humidifier performs completely different functions than the air ionizer, maintaining the optimum level of humidity.

Bipolar or unipolar

Depending on the type of ions produced, ionizers are bipolar( produce positive - cations and negative - anions) and unipolar( generate only anions).Among experts there is no consensus on how justified the choice of a bipolar ionizer. It is believed that the natural, most harmonious ratio of negative and positive ions in the air should be 3: 2.But at the same time a large number of household appliances is the source of a large number of positively charged particles. Therefore, for office space, it is optimal to choose a unipolar ionizer, moreover, it is much cheaper. But for a child's room with a minimum of household appliances, a bipolar ionizer is better suited, even though such models are quite expensive.

Performance

Can be specified in two versions. The first is the created concentration of ions per cubic meter of space, the optimal value is from 10 thousand to 20 thousand ions per cubic centimeter. The second option is to indicate the area for which the ionizer is designed, while calculating the performance is performed for rooms in which the ceiling height is 2.5 meters.

Voltage on the radiator

It should be in the range from 20 kV to 30 kV.The indicator below the recommended level can not provide continuous production of ions. Voltage above 30 kV is not recommended by electrical safety rules. In addition, with this voltage begins the active generation of ozone, whose high concentration can be dangerous.

Noise level

Depends on which ion propagation method is used. With the active fan is used, which becomes a source of noise, with passive ions spread independently. Passive air ionizers are quieter and cheaper, but they have a significant drawback - the uneven distribution of ions throughout the volume of the room. A negatively charged particle is unstable, it tends to recombine by attaching a positively charged particle. Therefore, in the immediate vicinity of the ionizer concentration of ions will be high, but in the far corners of the room( especially if it is large), they can simply not "get."The air ionizer with a built-in fan has a higher noise level, but at the same time provides a more uniform distribution of ions throughout the entire volume of the room.