Air ionizer for an apartment: benefits and harms, types of devices, how to choose, options for self-assembly

Air ionizer for an apartment - what is it

To determine the question of what an air ionizer is needed for, a few words should be said about what is meant by the term "ionization". For this it is necessary to recall the course of school physics. There are two main particles in nature - ions and electrons. Atoms are built from them, from which molecules are subsequently obtained.

In simpler terms, when an atom is detached from an electron, an ion is formed, which can have a negative or positive charge. In another way, they are called aerons. There are three types of these particles:

• lungs;
• heavy;
• average.

Depending on the level of concentration of aerons, the quality of the air inside the room changes, which affects the well-being of a person. With a decrease in the number of ions, their artificial creation is required, for which special devices have been developed - ionizers.

What does an air ionizer do for an apartment? When this technique works, charged ions are created, and there are devices that generate only positive, negative, or both types of particles at once. An additional necessary function of the room air ionizer is to accelerate the decomposition of harmful substances, for example, from tobacco smoke, and the destruction of a number of pathogens that may be present in air.

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Everyone knows about fresh mountain or sea air. It is so because of the large number of aerons. The natural process of ionization is carried out by lightning discharges.

The benefits and harms of air ionizers for an apartment

There is no reliably confirmed data on the benefits or harms of air ionizers for houses that you can buy in stores, since there has been no special research on this question. But in any case, such devices have their own advantages and disadvantages:

• air ions are able to positively affect the state of erythrocytes, which leads to an improvement in air exchange of the lungs by 10%;
• improving the quality of night sleep, which contributes to better rest;
• improving concentration and attention;
• normalization of the mental state, since the number of neuroses and depressive states decreases;
• bringing to a natural state the course of metabolic processes.

The disadvantages of air ionizers are:

• in the presence of a viral infection transmitted by airborne droplets indoors, the risk of an outbreak of the disease increases;
• the acceleration of metabolism caused by the ionizer negatively affects the condition of the patient experiencing fever, which is especially harmful in the presence of cancer;
• an excessive amount of air ions can make the air difficult to breathe, to which people with asthma react sharply;
• when the ionizer is operating, ozone is formed in the air, which is an oxidizing agent, and if the maximum concentration is exceeded, there is a high risk of poisoning;
• lack of an immediate positive result, which is cumulative.

How the ionizer works and its main design features

The main element of any apartment air ionizer that you can buy in consumer electronics stores is a pair of electrodes that create a high voltage zone. When a corona discharge occurs, electrons with a negative charge are released, which, when they appear, collide with oxygen molecules. The result of this "accidents" is the formation of an air ion or oxygen ion, which is obtained by attaching an additional electron.

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When negatively charged ions move in different directions, a field is created that has a beneficial effect on living organisms entering it.

Additional elements of the device are:

• a current rectifier and its AC-to-DC converter;
• an ultraviolet emitting lamp;
• a fan system for "overclocking" the air saturated with ions;
• filters to retain harmful impurities.

Air purifier and ionizer for an apartment: types of devices

When choosing the best model, it must be borne in mind that there is a wide variety of types of air ionization devices.

Active and passive ionizers

The main difference between these two types is the presence or absence of a ventilation system, which is used to evenly distribute saturated air throughout the room. The only drawback of active models is the insignificant noise generated during operation.

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Since there is no air blowing system in passive ionizers, the field generated by the device does not exceed 1.5 m in diameter.

Bipolar and unipolar ionizer

Division, which is based on the kind of particles created. During operation, unipolar models are capable of generating only negatively charged ions, but at the same time they strongly saturate the air with ozone, which negatively affects the health of living organisms. Bipolar devices are capable of producing double-charged ions, which can reduce the amount of ozone generated and reduce the level of electrostatic stress.

Apartment air ionizer with humidifier

A device that combines two functions at once. This is a controversial advantage, since an increase in humidity creates a favorable environment for the development of pathogens, and the use of an ionizer promotes their spread. Modern models of air ionizers for an apartment with a humidifier, which is confirmed by reviews, have an additional option in the form of the presence of an ultraviolet lamp, which is required for disinfection of the environment.

Air humidifier for an apartment. In a special publication of our portal, we will tell you in detail about air humidifiers. You will find out why an air humidifier is needed in an apartment, the purpose and functions, the principle of operation of different types of devices, how choose an air humidifier for an apartment according to its characteristics and how to use an air humidifier correctly, several useful tips.

Ionizer plus purifier

Also a combined device that combines the functions of ionization and purification, and each must work separately. It is very important to pay attention to the quality of the filters, which must retain even the smallest particles.

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The quality of the filter is important so that when the air ionization function is turned on, all the collected dust and dirt does not start scattering around the room and does not settle in the lungs.

Chizhevsky chandelier

This device got its name from the discoverer of the ionization principle, biophysicist Chizhevsky. Currently, the device is practically not used, since it is unipolar and generates ozone in an amount exceeding the maximum permissible standards.

Ozonation and ionization: what is the difference

Many people wonder which is better - an ozonizer or an ionizer, since for most these are two similar devices. In fact, the difference between the two lies in design and scope:

1. Ionizers are used to saturate the air with air ions, which is necessary for the prevention of various diseases. These devices can be used even when people are in the room.
2. Ozonizers used only as disinfection. In the course of their work, ozone is released, so the presence of people in the room where the working ozonizer is located is undesirable.

It turns out that the use of an ozonizer will be useful in places where there are various viruses, and an ionizer will be required to improve air quality.

How to choose an air ionizer for an apartment: an overview of the best models

The purchase of an air ionizer is quite an expensive pleasure, therefore, when choosing a specific model, you need to be careful and attentive. Among the best devices, according to experts and buyers, the following devices can be listed:

• Winia AWX-70. The device is made in South Korea, which is optimal in terms of price-quality ratio. The use of this device is possible in rooms with an area of ​​no more than 50 "squares". The cost is 24 thousand rubles.

Feedback on Winia AWX-70

• PanasonicF-VXD50R-S. Japanese ionizer, which additionally has the functions of cleansing and moisturizing. The cost of the device is 33 thousand rubles. It can be used indoors up to 42 m2.

Feedback on PanasonicF-VXD50R-S

• Sharp KC-A51 RW / RB. A budget option, the cost of which does not exceed 21 thousand rubles. Advantages, in addition to the price, can be considered the presence of a carbon filter to eliminate odors and a special filtering device to retain impurities.

Review on Sharp KC-A51 RW / RB

• Termica AH6-300. One of the best models, equipped with an ultraviolet lamp, which allows you to achieve the destruction of bacteria and infection. Additionally, the set includes a remote control. It features quiet operation and a good filtering system. The cost is only 6,500 rubles.

Review of Termica AH6-300

Is it possible to make an ionizer with your own hands

This device in its primitive version can be made by a person who is not very versed in electronics. The simplest type of ionizer is a chandelier, which is made from ordinary copper wire. The base is a ring on which a wire of a smaller diameter is pulled with a mesh. At the intersection, needles or pins must be soldered. When connected to a voltage source (it can even be an antenna cable), negative particles are formed, which, when they collide with an air molecule, become air ions. More complex modifications will require knowledge in the field of electronics, the ability to read circuits.

The purchase of an air ionizer cannot be considered a completely useless thing. Based on the numerous reviews of people who successfully use such devices, they can have a positive effect on human health. To see again how to choose the right ionizer is suggested from the video.