Many people spend most of their time in an indoor environment. A positive relationship exists between indoor environmental quality and the health, wellbeing, and productivity of occupants in buildings. The indoor environment is affected by pollutants, such as gases and particles. Pollutants can be removed from the indoor environment in various ways. Air-cleaning devices are commonly marketed as benefiting the removal of air pollutants and, consequently, improving indoor air quality. Depending on the type of cleaning technology, air cleaners may generate undesired and toxic byproducts. Different air filtration technologies, such as electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) have been introduced to the market. The ESP has been used in buildings because it can remove particles while only causing low pressure drops. Moreover, ESPs can be either in-duct or standalone units. This review aims to provide an overview of ESP use, methods for testing this product, the performance of existing ESPs concerning removing pollutants and their byproducts, and the existing market for ESPs.

The main aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of filter status (new and aged), pre-ionization, on the particle filtration in modern passenger cars. Measurements of in-cabin and outside PM_2.5 (dp < 2.5 μm) concentration and UFP (ultrafine particle, dp < 100 nm) counts, to calculate I/O (indoor to outdoor) ratios, were performed. They were done at two locations, to study the influence of different outside conditions on the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning) system. The measurements were performed in two new cars, with similar HVAC systems and settings, using a new filter and an aged synthetic filter. Furthermore, an ionization unit was installed upstream of the filter in both cars. This enabled the study of filter status, with and without ionization, under common driving conditions. The results show that the HVAC system performances were very similar at the two locations, with average I/O ratios of 0.35–0.40 without ionization and 0.15–0.20 with ionization applied, although the outside conditions were considerably different. Furthermore, the aged filter clearly worsened the filtration ability. Considering the corresponding average PM_2.5 I/O ratios in one location as an example, the average for the new filter was 0.20 and 0.60 for the aged filter. The corresponding UFP I/O ratios were 0.24 and 0.57. Other findings are that the aged filter with ionization reached a performance close to the new filter (without ionization), and that increased ventilation airflow and decreased recirculation degree, as expected, led to an increase in the I/O ratio for both particle sizes.

High-temperature and high-pollution mobile sources are frequently encountered in industrial environments. Fixed-position exhaust outlets often fail to promptly remove heat and contaminants when these sources are in motion, leading to local accumulation and reduced indoor air quality. This study proposes a novel mobile exhaust system capable of tracking and dynamically aligning with moving emission sources to improve heat removal and cooling efficiency. Three configurations were evaluated: (1) a fixed exhaust outlet, (2) an exhaust vent moving synchronously with the heat source, and (3) a buoyancy-driven tracking exhaust outlet. Small-scale experiments and CFD simulations using dynamic mesh techniques were conducted. The results showed that the synchronous system reduced ambient temperature by an average of 0.25 to 2.3 °C compared to the fixed outlet, while the buoyancy-tracking system achieved an additional 0.15 to 2.5 °C reduction. The study also introduces a correlation between thermal plume inclination and the Archimedes number, providing a predictive basis for exhaust positioning. Given the similar dispersion patterns of heat and airborne pollutants, the proposed system holds promise for both thermal management and contaminant control in dynamic industrial environments. Furthermore, the system may offer critical advantages in emergency ventilation scenarios involving intense heat or hazardous pollutant outbreaks.