Student Develops UV-Light Unit for ACs to Kill Viruses Instantly

Covid19 cases are on the rise in the world which makes us extremely cautious about the surfaces we touch, the food we eat and even about the air we breathe.

However, researches from Lovely Professional University in India have developed a novel device to help disinfect air with the help of air conditioners. The device uses asset of ultra-violet tubes that emit rays at a particular wavelength, killing the viruses preset in the air.

The device takes no time to boot and starts working from the moment you turn on the AC. The sensing unit lights up the tube. There is an indicator installed inside the unit that show if and when the tube needs to be replaced.

A BTech student, Manish Kotni at the Lovely Professional University developed the solution under the guidance of Dr. SorabhLakhanpal, Associate Professor and Additional Dean, Head Divison of student welfare, Mandeep Singh, Assistant Professor, School of Electronics and Electrical Engineering and Rubul Amin Choudhury, Assistant Professor, School of Electronics and Electrical Engineering.

It took them a month to develop a working prototype. The cost of each module is between Rs. 1500 to 2000 and they expect the prices to come down further once it’s mass-produced. A device like this will be quite helpful in place where people gather in large numbers, like, restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, malls to name a few.

“We are pleased to develop such a device that can significantly help in reducing the spread of virus in enclosed places. Enclosed public areas, a category in which almost all retail and F&B fall; has been severely impacted by people’s reluctance to venture out despite them following the social distancing norms, as people fear contracting the virus from the AC air circulation. A device like this can he help boost safety at all of these places,” Kotni added.