A ventilation system developed by the Technical University of Graz aims to prevent the spread of Covid in Austrian schools in the future. Separate parts of the new exhaust air system could be bought cheaply in hardware stores – the installation can be carried out by the schools themselves, TU said on Tuesday.
The ventilation works with a tilting window that can be closed in the cold winter months to prevent drafts. Using a fan, pipes on the ceiling and extractor hoods above the seating areas, the used, aerosol-laden air is then extracted and transported outside. At the same time, according to TU Graz, the system ensures a continuous supply of fresh air through the tilt window. Unlike conventional air filter systems, this ventilation system removes aerosols immediately – before they can circulate in the room. The system was designed based on a concept from the German Max Planck Institute and step-by-step instructions will follow in mid-August.
In a pilot test, the exhaust air ventilation system was installed in two school classes of the Sacre Coeur private school in Graz in the autumn of 2021. In addition, CO2 measuring equipment with a traffic light system has been installed in the two classrooms to monitor the CO2 content and the aerosol concentration. This can be used to determine when to ventilate. The costs for one lesson are around 500 to 700 euros. The components for the ventilation are available in hardware stores and the installation can be carried out by any schoolmaster.
Installation with the students
At the Sacre Coeur, the research team, led by construction physicist Christina Hopfe, installed the ventilation system together with the students. In addition to cost savings and uncomplicated installation, the ventilation system has other advantages: no intervention in the building structure is required, the noise level is lower than that of conventional air filter systems and no maintenance is required. “With properly planned and installed exhaust fans, the risk of infection is about eight times lower,” Hopfe added. This facility can also be used for other infectious diseases.
Source: Krone
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