Posts Tagged ‘PCO’

Photocatalytic Oxidation, or PCO, is the air purification technology that’s used in every single KesAir product to scrub the air of harmful bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Developed for use in the controlled, enclosed spaces of the International Space Station, PCO is a process that produces no harmful emissions – and you can use it to protect your entire food storage or processing facility. 

We’ve adapted this powerful purification technology for use in all kinds of spaces – and it has proven extremely effective in eliminating bacteria, viruses, and other threats like ethylene gas in food storage, all without producing any harmful emissions like ozone. Even better, the entire KesAir lineup consists of FDA Class II listed medical devices – certified safe for use in some of the most sensitive environments. With recorded proof of effectiveness, PCO offers a safe solution to premature spoilage and other problems in food storage – protecting products and employees alike.

Citrus Warehouse PCO Study Results

Not only is Airocide in operation for thousands of customers in North America, our technology can be found all over the globe. For example, a study conducted in the refrigerated citrus warehouse of a produce wholesaler in Valencia, Spain revealed the effectiveness of the Airocide system in reducing mold spores. Two Airocide ACS-100 units were used to purify the air in a 43,400 ft3 warehouse containing oranges. Air samples were taken twice over a seven day period, once at the beginning to establish a baseline for the airborne mold in the facility without Airocide, and once after 7 days with the two units active and on.

After 7 days at a temperature of 54°F, the Airocide PCO air purification system had eliminated 79% of the airborne mold in the refrigerated warehouse. More details on this study are available here on our website, and along with a variety of other studies on our PCO technology, it shows that Airocide effectively reduces those pathogenic threats that contribute to premature spoilage and mold in food storage.

PCO Purification for a Variety of Industries

Wineries, dairies, produce wholesalers, grocery stores, and cold storage facilities all use Airocide to protect their products. KES customers from local food banks to Del Monte Fresh Produce and Whole Foods Market are happy to let us know how well their units are working with real-world results. A broad variety of unit sizes allow us to create PCO air purification systems to fit any application, and they’re even safe enough to use in your back offices.

Find the Right PCO System for Your Facility

Launching the creation of a safe, effective PCO air purification system for your facility is as simple as reaching out to KES for a free facility proposal. We can work to determine which unit is right for your unique application, and how you can effectively use PCO to reduce viruses, mold, bacteria, ethylene, and more in your facility. Reach out for a proposal today, and start protecting your bottom line with PCO technology from KesAir.

Design of Cold Storage for Perishables: Protect the Air with PCO!When designing a cold storage facility, whether for fruits and vegetables, flowers, meat, dairy, or any other perishable product, there’s one key element that can set your facility apart from the rest. The quality of the air, and the effectiveness of your air purification system could mean the difference between storage and spoilage.

Food safety, facility sanitation, and operating costs depend on a system that efficiently and effectively scrubs the air of mold, bacteria, and ethylene gas and other gaseous organic compounds. Airocide is the solution that will let you perfect the design of your cold storage facility, with all the effectiveness of Developed for Nasa photocatalytic oxidation (or PCO).

More Effective Air Purification with PCO Technology

Because of airborne threats like ethylene gas, mold spores, and bacteria, air purification is paramount in cold storage. But, when it comes to items like fruits and vegetables, products can bring in their own contaminants: ethylene gas, mold, and bacteria spores. Even if they’re thoroughly sterilized, ripe fruits and vegetables put off a gas called ethylene, which speeds ripening and can cause certain plants to overripen or spoil. This  volatile organic compound, or VOC, collects in enclosed spaces, affecting other produce items prematurely as more collects.

But there’s a solution, developed for NASA for the space station and perfected for use on earth by the scientists and engineers at KesAir.

Photocatalytic oxidation, otherwise known as PCO, was developed to help astronauts eliminate ethylene from the space station. The VOC was being produced by an experiment on growing food plants in space. Ethylene was ripening the plants too quickly – but after install, the PCO technology eliminated it, and it was found to destroy bacteria and viruses in the air as well.

Designing Cold Storage With Photocatalytic Oxidation

Today, that same PCO air purification technology is available, and it’s the ideal air purification system for the design of your cold storage facility. That’s because, from the very beginning, we’ve been developing PCO air purifiers to fit a wide variety of spaces – developing systems that can effectively and efficiently scrub the air no matter how large or small the space.

With a PCO air purifier installed, you’re killing airborne threats in your refrigerators or coolers. That means bacteria and mold has less of a chance of landing and spoiling delicate produce, and VOCs that would normally circulate in the air are removed completely – converted to harmless trace elements of carbon dioxide and water vapor. With Airocide air purifiers, you can also be sure your entire space is protected – we can use the measurements of your facility to create a custom Airocide system.

It’s easy to use and operate, and low-maintenance as well – and you can even protect your back offices and common areas with the same proven technology, thanks to our AiroPro line of purifiers. To learn more about KesAir Airocide, reach out to talk to a PCO air purification expert. You’ll protect your customers’ products and your bottom line with Developed for Nasa air purification from KesAir.