Exclusively H14 HEPA high-performance filters complying with EN 1822 specifications (ISO 45H filter ISO 29463) like they are used for example in the TAC V+ are able to even filter the tiny virus-infected aerosol particles (0.1 - 0.2 µm) from the room air, and this at a percentage of 99.995 %. Therefore the filter efficiency of H14 HEPA filters complying with EN 1822 is 10 times higher than that of H13 HEPA filters with 99.95 %, as used in most air cleaners!

99.995 % or 99.95 %? This may not sound like a lot, but exactly these two decimal places make the big difference between H13 and H14 HEPA filters! Virus-carrying aerosol particles are extremely tiny. And "virus filters" are designed to "filter viruses". That's why TAC high-performance air purifiers not only filter the large, but also the small-sized, highly infectious aerosols from the room air not even filtered out by FFP2 and FFP3 respiratory masks, which therefore don't offer genuine protection. Real safety is exclusively provided by an H14 HEPA filter (EN 1822)!

Scientific studies, however, qualify that a filter performance beneficial to the decay rate pursued can only be confirmed if the volume flow of the air cleaner and the flow speed in the particulate air filter are sufficiently attuned to one another by an adequately dimensioned filter surface, a property which is offered by the high-performance air purifiers TAC V+, TAC M, TAC ECO and TAC BASIC or the multi air handler TAC XT!

Only with the TAC V+ and TAC XT the special, fully encapsulated H14 high-temperature lamellae high-efficiency particulate air filter is treated thermally at regular intervals. Explicitly for this purpose, this filter has been developed and interspersed with special, heat conducting metal fins.

This thermal filter decontamination technology offers you several benefits at the same time! By heating the filters, the proteins of the viruses filtered out, which are relevant to the infectiousness, are denatured, and the viruses are practically destroyed. Therefore infectious viruses can no longer enter the ambient air from the filter, for example by improper handling during a filter change. Furthermore, bacteria, germs and other microorganisms are additionally destroyed. Filter decontamination at temperatures much lower than 100 °C would not be sufficient here. It's not without reason that drinking water containing germs, for instance, should be boiled, i.e. heated to about 100 °C, for at least three to five minutes before use.

All this means extra employee protection can be ensured during operation and also when the filter is changed! You could say, it's the "virus airbag" that provides for more safety. It is there when you need it – and as long as nothing happens, you won't even notice it.

Scientific studies substantiate the usefulness of thermal filter decontamination for ensuring effective virus filtration. Professor Christian Kähler, for example, points out: "To ensure a maximum degree of hygiene and a longer lifetime in continuous operation, the H14 filter should be heated to approx. 100 °C every day for about 15 minutes, in order to prevent the formation of biofilms, bacteria and fungi without using harmful chemical additives or UV-C radiation."

We recommend carrying out thermal decontamination once a week. Only in hygienically sensitive areas with a low air temperature and very high humidity level should thermal decontamination be carried out once a day. Thermal decontamination of the filter carried out on a weekly basis requires only 1.0 kW of additional energy per week and will not increase the room temperature.

The decisive plus in terms of safety and hygiene for only 28 cents per day, which moreover pay for themselves

The on-demand thermal filter decontamination offers the decisive plus in terms of safety and filter hygiene! And yet, the additional energy input required is negligible. Even with thermal decontamination carried out daily, the costs only amount to 1 kWh, i.e. 28 cents per day of use. And if thermal decontamination is carried out once a week, the costs are just under € 15 per year.

Because thermal decontamination also increases the filter lifetime, a new filter has to be purchased less frequently. This saving means that you benefit from the added value of thermal decontamination – maximum filter safety and filter hygiene – practically free of charge!

Aerosol separators and virus air cleaners take effect where many people are present in narrow spaces over a longer time and exhale larger quantities of aerosols. Aerosols, whether virus-carrying or not, for the greater part consist of micro droplets – pure water, that is. Customary H14 filters may be able to "catch" these humid aerosols, however, they also catch additional problems. Since the increasing humidity in the filter causes it to start fouling more quickly. As a result, the filter resistance increases, constantly reducing the clean air volume emitted and thus significantly reducing the filter lifetime. The fast fouling of filters at high loads of aerosols has been scientifically proven by field tests.

Moreover, the constantly high level of humidity favours the formation of filter mould or biofilms. Instead of eliminating a hazard, others may therefore be created. For example, a decreasing flow rate, shorter filter lifetimes and mould on the filter. But since the filter is heated to more than 100 °C at regular intervals, the ingress of moisture, fast sooting and filter mould are not a problem with the TAC V+ and TAC XT. Since the humidity is fully discharged again in the course of the thermal regeneration cycle, not only drying the filter at regular intervals, but additionally regenerating it again via its self-cleaning function.

With this innovative procedure the filter resistance remains low and the clean air flow remains at a constantly high level for a considerably longer time. Consequently the lifetime is longer than that of other filter systems without thermal regeneration and decontamination. This is also confirmed by current studies, which sum up as follows in the context of an examination of the TAC V+ and its H14 filter which complies with the specifications of EN 1822 (ISO 45H filter ISO 29463) and which features a self-cleaning function: "Therefore it is to be expected that this filter can have a lifetime of several years, depending on the load."

Maximum filter hygiene for just 28 cents per day, which practically pay for themselves

Thermal decontamination and regeneration of the filter requires only 1 kWh of energy. Even if thermal decontamination is carried out once a day, the costs amount to approx. 28 cents per day of use, and if thermal decontamination is carried out once a week, the costs amount to just under € 15 per year. At the same time, however, the unique thermal filter decontamination and filter regeneration offers you the decisive added value in terms of safety and hygiene over the entire filter lifetime. And all this is basically at zero cost, because the longer filter lifetime achieved by regular thermal filter regeneration means that a new filter does not have to be purchased as often – this saving means that you benefit from the added value of thermal decontamination – maximum filter safety and filter hygiene – practically free of charge!

The task of qualified high-performance air purifiers is to make the utilization of interior spaces possible again – and not to make it more difficult! Nevertheless, without large volumes of clean air, the risk of infection cannot be minimized!

When aerosol particles are separated or viruses and bacteria are filtered out, high air circulation rates between 6 and 8 per hour are required, and in the medical sector even 12- to 15-fold air circulation rates per hour. It is important to note that the virus-free room air volume, which determines the risk of infection, results from the circulation rate and the room volume. Without these large air circulation rates, spontaneously occurring aerosol clouds cannot be reliably and quickly diluted and filtered out.

Therefore, even in smaller rooms of 45 m² you already need amounts of clean air from 700 m³ to 1,500 m³, which requires a fan with a correspondingly high ventilation power. In particular, to establish an optimum air flow and air routing in the room. In addition to the flow geometry, filter efficiency and long filter lifetimes, however, an acceptable noise level, in spite of the large air volumes and the high fan performance, is desirable.

Therefore, low noise emission was a top priority when the TAC high-performance air purifiers were designed

All models – whether mobile or stationary – have been subjected to an elaborate sound insulation concept and are now equipped with an integral silencer on the suction side as standard equipment. All in all, this makes the new TAC generation hardly noticeable in everyday use and by far the quietest devices on the market in relation to air flow rate/device size.

For noise sensitive areas such as schools, offices or medical practices we recommend using the optional sound protection caps by means of which the sound level experienced subjectively can be lowered even further. In workshops, packing stations or discotheques, etc. the use of the sound protection caps usually is not required.

With the optional sound protection caps, the TAC V+, for instance, produces only approx. 30 dB, depending on the power level. For comparison: A customary laser printer already generates a sound level of approx. 50 dB during operation.