ASHRAE Journal Supplement - AMCA InMotion - October 2020 - 1

F R O M

T H E

E D I T O R

Interrupting the Spread of COVID-19
Staff
Scott Arnold, Editor in Chief
Manager of Industry Content
AMCA International Inc.
Bonnie James, Art Director
JAM Graphics & Publishing
Published by ASHRAE JOURNAL
and HIGH PERFORMING BUILDINGS
on behalf of AMCA INTERNATIONAL
Greg Martin
Associate Publisher
ASHRAE Media Advertising

AMCA International
2019-2020 Board of Directors
David Johnson, Chairman of the Board
Director of Engineering
Berner International
Amit Ahuja, President
Managing Director
Maico Gulf
Mats Sandor, Vice President
Technical Director
Systemair AB
Jim Meats, Treasurer
Vice President, Marketing
Loren Cook Co.
Trinity Persful, Secretary
Vice President, Marketing
Twin City Fan Companies Ltd.
Mark Bublitz, Director
Vice President, Engineering
The New York Blower Co.
Yongning, Chen, Director
Senior Engineer
Zhejiang Yilida Ventilator Company Ltd.
Frank Cuaderno, Director
Vice President of Engineering
Mars Air Systems

Are heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems
"spreaders" of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus
disease 2019 (COVID-19)? That possibility became acute in
July when 239 scientists from 32 countries co-signed an
appeal to the medical community and relevant national and
international bodies to recognize the potential for transmission
of SARS-CoV-2-initially thought to be spread primarily
through large respiratory droplets that, once expelled, fall
quickly to the floor-as an aerosol.
"Studies by the signatories and other scientists have
demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt that viruses are
released during exhalation, talking, and coughing in microdroplets small enough to remain
aloft in air and pose a risk of exposure at distances beyond 1 to 2 m [3 to 6 ft] from an
infected individual," the commentary1 reads.
ASHRAE assumed a leadership role in helping the buildings industry respond to
COVID-19 threats by establishing the ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force. The task force reviews,
organizes, consolidates, and publishes information about the spread and mitigation of
COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
Among the task force's recommendations are providing sufficient and effective
ventilation (supplying clean outdoor air, minimizing recirculation of air) and supplementing
general ventilation with such airborne-infection controls as local exhaust, high-efficiency
air filtration, and germicidal ultraviolet-or, as it commonly is known, "UV-C"-light.
UV-C fixtures can be installed in air-handling units and in the upper part of indoor
spaces to inactivate airborne infectious agents. Although the technology is covered in
ASHRAE Handbook volumes and other technical resources, as evidenced by several
recent webinars AMCA has participated in, questions concerning its application persist.
In response, we made the use of UV-C light for HVAC air and surface disinfection the
subject of this year's cover story. Long-established but not widely utilized, UV-C light
has proven effective against previous coronaviruses and looks promising against
SARS-CoV-2.
As always, our mission with AMCA inmotion is to advance the knowledge of air systems.
Toward that end, we have prepared articles on mitigating system effect, modifying lifesafety dampers in the field, interpreting fan curves, and specifying high-temperature fans.
I hope you find this edition of AMCA inmotion useful. If there is a topic you would
like to see covered in a future issue, please contact me at sarnold@amca.org or
+1 847-704-6335.
Reference
1) Morawska, L., & Milton, D.K. (2020). It is time to address airborne transmission of
COVID-19. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/Airborne_COVID-19

Features

Departments

02 UV-C for HVAC Air and Surface
Disinfection

01 From the Editor
40 AMCA Asia Update
44 AMCA Middle East Update

Armin Hauer, Director
Manager, Regulatory and Government Affairs
ebm-papst

12 Mitigating System Effect to Optimize Fan
Performance and Efﬁciency

Ed Rizk, Director
Executive Director
OSA Products

18 Field Modiﬁcations of Fire, Smoke, and
Combination Fire/Smoke Dampers

Louis Shum, Director
Marketing and Technical Director
G.E. Aluminum Technology Co. Ltd.
Mike Wolf, Director
Director of Regulatory Business Development
Greenheck Fan Corp.
Mark Stevens, Executive Director
Executive Director
AMCA International Inc.
w w w. a m c a .o r g

24 Straightening Out Fan Curves
30 Specifying High-Temperature Industrial
Fans

ON THE COVER: Image
of virus by Niinew/
Bigstock. Photograph
of UV lamps in air
handler courtesy of UV
Resources.

AMCA International Inc. is a not-for-profit association of manufacturers of air-system components for
commercial HVAC, industrial-process, and power-generation applications. Its mission is to advance
the knowledge of air systems and uphold industry integrity on behalf of AMCA members worldwide.
Editorial content for this supplement was provided by Air Movement and Control Association International Inc. The appearance
of any technical data, editorial material, or advertisement in this publication does not constitute endorsement, warranty, or
guarantee by either ASHRAE or AMCA International of any product, service, process, procedure, design, or the like.

2020 A M CA i n m o t i o n

http://www.bit.ly/Airborne_COVID-19 http://www.amca.org

ASHRAE Journal Supplement - AMCA InMotion - October 2020

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