The air purification specialist UVCclean, Germany, now uses the Basf melamine resin foam Basotect as sound absorber in its mobile airtubeUVC air filter systems. These filters use UV-C technology to lower the concentration of aerosols that transmit bacteria, spores and viruses such as the coronavirus in the air. They can be installed in schools, kindergartens, offices and restaurants, as well as at hairdressers, in waiting rooms, hotel lobbies, conference rooms and production facilities.

Thanks to its excellent sound absorption properties, its resistance to UV light and fire as well as its many design possibilities, Basotect is used in various versions of the air filters, both in the interior and on the outside as colored cover. The tailored acoustic elements are made by Bosig, manufacturer of acoustic systems from Gingen, Germany.

The room air is sucked in by the airtubeUVC filters and exposed to short-wave UV-C light in a shielded stainless steel cylinder. Because radiant energy in this waveband has a germicidal effect, viruses, bacteria, mites and mold spores are killed quickly. At the same time, the air filters are very quiet so that technical rules for workplaces can be complied with and noise emissions that have a negative impact on teamwork are prevented. Basf’s Basotect plays a key role in this thanks to its outstanding noise reduction properties: The 80 series of the airtubeUVC, which is covered with colored Basotect sound absorbers, generates a noise level of max. 38 decibels (measured at a distance of one meter when running at full capacity). In comparison, conventional vacuum cleaners or kettles produce around 70 decibels.

“Our air filters can be used wherever people come together, the recommended minimum distance cannot be adhered to or a mask is sometimes a hindrance,” said Hartmut Weinreich, head of technology at UVCclean. “They considerably lower the risk of infection: Scientific studies have shown a high level of effectiveness in reducing dangerous microorganisms such as coronaviruses when the UV-C technology is used in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations. The devices are also quiet, highly efficient and safe - and this also thanks to Basotect, which has convinced us with its outstanding sound absorption, its flame retardance and the many design options it offers.”

The inherently flame retardant melamine resin foam Basotect is easy to process and shape: it is light, flexible and dimensionally stable at the same time, and displays excellent color stability and a high level of light reflection. In other airtubeUVC models, UVCclean uses the light grey Basotect G+ in different shapes inside the filters, where it makes a key contribution to both the filtration effect and noise absorption. Basotect G+ is less susceptible to dirt as a result of its color, making it the ideal choice for construction and industrial applications. “Until now, many air filter manufacturers have been using conventional foams for optimizing acoustics,” said Dietmar Wingerath from the European Basotect sales team. “By using Basotect, the airtubes set new standards in terms of safety, hygiene and noise protection. The air filters are another example of just how versatile our melamine resin foam is: It can be adapted to innovative solutions and, in doing so, helps companies in different industries address the challenges we are faced with as a society.”