Frequently Asked Questions

The Air-Clenz System™ was invented and designed to capture, isolate, and clean a “high concentration” of an individual’s exhaled air quickly and close to the face when seated in a multi-seat venue. Air-Clenz™ can capture and isolate most of a breath of exhaled air before it spreads out within the multi-seated venue environment. Thus, reducing the chances of infecting many other individuals. Air purifiers are very good at cleaning air within a small to medium sized space. They can be placed close to an infected individual thus capturing “some” of the exhaled air of the infected individual. However, because conventional air purifiers are not designed to capture very a high concentration of exhaled air compared to room air, an air purifier captures and cleans a higher concentration of room air and a lower concentration of exhaled air.

It is true that today’s aircraft’s air handling system recycles the aircraft’s cabin air every 2 – 3 minutes. However, it only takes 10 seconds to catch certain of the COVID variants. Further, a 2021 University of New Mexico research study shows that 75% of pathogens remain in the aircraft and only ~25% exit the cabin. Of the 75% of the pathogens that remain in the aircraft these pathogens become stuck to the passenger’s clothing, the aircraft’s seats, and walls. In contrast the University of New Mexico in a separate research study has shown that in a certain configuration for aircraft Air-Clenz™ can reduce crossed infection through airborne particle spread by 90+%.

In most vehicles the exhaled air collector of the Air-Clenz System™ is located within 2 feet or less from the face of an individual seated within the vehicle, thus most pathogens are captured and isolated within 3 – 5 seconds for each exhaled air breath, cough, or sneeze.

In most multi-seated theaters, the exhaled air collector of the Air-Clenz System™ is located within 3 feet or less from the face of an individual seated within the theater, thus most pathogens are captured in 3 – 5 seconds or so for each exhaled air breath, cough, or sneeze. Most of any non-captured air is captured within a couple of rows from the individual source of the exhaled air.

Air-Clenz™ can be attached to the back of each chair / seat or can be free standing directly behind the chairs / seats. It can also be built into the seat in which case customized seating would be required.

It is important to understand that exhaled air travels at very fast speeds. By example, an exhaled air breath travels up to 5 miles per hour, an exhaled air cough travels up to 50 miles per hour and an exhaled air sneeze travels up to 100 miles per hour. Air-Clenz™ blocks and deflects the exhaled air (in the form of, by example only, a breath, cough, sneeze) towards an exhaled air suction intake where the exhaled air is then moved through and towards (in most cases) an exhaled air purification chamber for cleaning and release back into the indoor multi-seated venue. No other existing commercial technology can accomplish this.

In most cases the answer is no.  In most cases, but not all, an exhaled air collector is located above knee height.  The walking space between rows of seats is reduced very little in most cases. The thickness of the exhaled air collector in most cases is approximately 2 inches. The walk area between seats is therefore decreased very little. When an Air-Clenz™ exhaled air purification unit is attached to the back of a seat, the unit can be designed to follow the curvature of the back of the seat.

Yes, in most cases one or more fans are utilized and an LED on off indicator.

No, in most cases any increased noise level ranges between 15 dB and 40 dB.

This depends upon the venue in which the Air-Clenz system™ is being utilized.  In certain cases, the exhaled air collector is located adjacent to an exhaled air purification chamber and thus a conduit is not needed.  In other cases, the exhaled air collector is connected to an exhaled air purification chamber by a conduit. The exhaled air purification chamber is where the pathogens and or contaminants are removed and or destroyed.

Not in most cases. The exhaled air collector can comprise a microbicidal material and / or agent which assists in destroying microbes. The air suction conduits continuously move air to an air purification chamber where the air is cleaned and or purified and then released into the indoor venue. Thus, air flows one way out of the multi-seated environment into the air purification system where microbes / pathogens are removed and / or destroyed. Purified / cleaned air is then moved back into the venue by the HVAC system.

Yes, by having multiple Air-Clenz™ units working in the same room and adding in the effect of the HVAC system the clean air turns per hour for that room is increased substantially.  By way of example only, a school classroom in the US as of 2020 had an average of 3 clean air turns per hour.  Using Air-Clenz™ in a school classroom with an Air-Clenz™ for each student + the school’s HVAC system it is possible to increase the clean air turns per hour to 10 or more.

This depends upon the venue and the type of Air-Clenz™ unit being employed.  In certain cases, such as when Air-Clenz™ is attached to a monitor, laptop, tablet, or a single chair back the answer is no.  However, when multiple connected Air-Clenz™ units are being employed the air suction conduits may need to be designed and customized.

Air-Clenz™ captures and cleans the exhaled air of an individual sitting in front of the Air-Clenz™ unit and some room air. When an individual is looking mostly straight ahead towards Air-Clenz™ the highest concentration of exhaled air is captured and cleaned.  As the individuals looks oblique to Air-Clenz™ a lesser amount of exhaled air is captured and cleaned, and a larger amount of room air is then captured and cleaned.

The Air-Clenz System™, in most cases is a closed looped system by which it captures, cleans exhaled air with room air, and releases the cleaned air back into the indoor venue where it mixes again with room air.  This mixed air is then captured and cleaned again by the HVAC system which then releases the captured and cleaned air back into the indoor venue in which case the cycle continues.

No, in most cases a licensee, by way of example only, a HVAC system or Air Purification provider will do so under a license from Air-Clenz Systems™.

In most cases the cost will be minimal to remove Air-Clenz ™. This is true for cases where the seat back or the monitor, laptop or tablet was not customized.  In these cases where the air-Clenz™ was attached, Air-Clenz™ can be easily removed from the backs of the chairs or from the monitor, laptop, or tablet.

No, the system is designed to minimize maintenance. By way of example only, the exhaled air collector can comprise a microbicidal material or agent and require little cleaning. The number of changeable filters is limited in number and the filters are easily accessible. The fan or fans are rated for years of use. And if UVC lamps are utilized to destroy pathogens they have a life of 12,000 hours (or at 8 hours of use per day) and will last approximately 4 years before needing to be replaced.

Air-Clenz™ work very well with monitors, laptops, tablets, TVs and seatbacks. Air-Clenz works best when the user is sitting and is within a set ~ 2 -3 feet from an exhaled air blocking surface.

The principles behind Air-Clenz Systems™ have a long successful history of identifying, protecting, selling and / or licensing IP. So yes, multiple patent applications have been filed and all US and Foreign rights have been preserved. Most recently Air-Clenz Systems™ received its first patent covering seating for vehicles of all types (including aircraft) and buildings of all types (including schools, offices, and theaters). Air-Clenz Systems™ anticipates receiving it first patent covering monitors, laptops, tablets, and TVs by the end of 2022.