Transcript Ionic Wheeze - Physics at SMU - Dedman College

Ionic Wheeze
Tim Johnson
CFB 3333
April 27, 2005
1
Demonstration
Seeing is Believing
2
Contents
• Ionic Breeze Claims
• Electrostatic Precipitators
• Ozone
• Consumer Reports
• Endorsements
3
Ionic Breeze Claims
• Moderately priced ($350)
• Cleaner air with no filters to replace
• Silent operation
• Minimal power consumption
• Continuous cleaning
• Complies with U.S. safety standards
4
Ionic Breeze Claims
Are all these claims true?
Is the Ionic Breeze safe?
…or effective?
NO, scientific evidence suggests otherwise
5
Electrostatic Precipitators
• The Ionic Breeze Quadra is an electrostatic precipitator
• Electric current is passed through metal collection
plates
• Charged, airborne particles become attached to
oppositely charged collection plates
• Ozone gas is released as a byproduct
6
Types of Ozone
“Good” Ozone
– 10 to 30 miles above the Earth’s surface
– Protects us from the sun’s UV radiation
“Bad” Ozone
–
–
–
–
Near Earth’s surface
Harmful to humans
FDA, 0.05 ppm
NIOSH, 0.10 ppm
7
Effects of Ozone
According to the EPA, ozone gas can:
• Irritate the respiratory system
• Reduce lung function
• Worsen chronic respiratory diseases like asthma,
emphysema, and bronchitis
• Inflame and damage lung cells
• Cause permanent lung damage
Symptoms of ozone exposure include prolonged coughing,
sore throats, and chest pains
8
Ozone Concentrations
• Ozone cleaners can emit unsafe levels of ozone,
even when a user follows the manufacturer’s
operating instructions
• Ozone concentration influences:
–
–
–
–
–
Size of the room
Amount of ventilation
Opened doors and windows
Device strength
Device setting
9
Consumer Reports
February 2002
• Tests focused on Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR)
• Of the 16 models, only the Ionic Breeze did not have certification
from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM)
• The Ionic Breeze finished in last place and received a “poor” overall
rating, the lowest possible score for overall performance
• “Proved unimpressive in our tests”
• “Almost no measurable reduction in airborne particles”
• After complaints from Sharper Image, an independent expert
confirmed CR’s testing protocol
10
Sharper Image FAQ
Question 23. Does CADR measure the
effectiveness of the Ionic Breeze GP or Quadra?
“No, not at all. CADR is not designed to test the
new Ionic Breeze technology, which has a low
air-speed flow versus conventional kinds of air
cleaners that rely on a high-speed airflow for
their operation. One key to the Ionic Breeze’s
efficiency and effectiveness is its silent, 24-hour
operation. Its airflow is slower but constant.”
11
Consumer Reports
October 2003
• Additional, longer-lasting experiments
• Ionic Breeze failed again
• Two independent experts verified the Consumer
Reports’ protocol, and they found pseudoscience
in Sharper Image’s testing methodology
12
Air Cleaning Speed Graph
Friedrich and Whirlpool models (on lowest setting) cleaned more than 25
times faster than the Ionic Breeze (on highest setting)
(from Consumer Reports, October 2003, p.27)
The bars represent the speed of removing respirable smoke particles from a test
chamber.
13
Litigation
• Sharper Image sued Consumers Union, the nonprofit organization
that publishes Consumer Reports, claiming:
– Articles were “incomplete, inaccurate, and misleading”
– Consumer Reports staff were driven by “disappointment and shock”
because Quadra sales had not decreased since the first review in 2002
– Data was altered to make the Ionic Breeze look bad
• The case was dismissed on November 9, 2004
• Sharper Image forced to pay Consumers Union $525,000 under
California’s Anti-SLAPP laws
• Sharper Image originally appealed the decision, but later dropped the
suit because sales were not suffering
14
Consumer Reports
May 2005
• Tested ozone emissions of 5 ionizing air cleaners
• Models that perform poorly and emit relatively high levels
of ozone:
– Sharper Image Professional Series Ionic Breeze Quadra S1737
SNX
– Brookstone Pure-Ion V2
– Ionic Pro CL-369
– IonizAir P4620
– Surround Air XJ-2000
15
Endorsements
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA)
• “Seal of Truth,” but NOT:
– A “seal of approval”
– An “endorsement”
– A “recommendation to buy”
• $5,000 application fee required
• Companies submit “independent research” to be reviewed by
an anonymous panel of alleged experts (the panel also saw
reports stating the Ionic Breeze was ineffective)
16
Endorsements
British Allergy Foundation (Allergy UK)
• Seal is an endorsement
• Fee is required
• Refused to disclose details
about the testing protocol
• Allergy UK website states that using endorsed products
“does not mean that an individual’s allergic symptoms will
necessarily diminish.”
17
Endorsements
Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM)
• Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) certifications
• The higher the CADR, the better
• Ratings generally range from 10 to 450
• Ratings above 350 are considered excellent, and ratings
below 75 are considered poor
• Cleaners with a CADR of 10 or less are essentially the same
as gravity removing airborne particles
18
Conclusions
• The Ionic Breeze Quadra and other electrostatic
precipitators can produce dangerous concentrations of
ozone
• Scientific data indicates that the Ionic Breeze is not an
effective means of removing pollutants from the air
• Sharper Image utilizes financial influence and
pseudoscience to “prove” the effectiveness of the Ionic
Breeze
• Some endorsements have little significance, but CADR
certifications can indicate effectiveness
19
Ionic Breeze For Sale
Like new!
Contact me at [email protected] to make an offer
20
Selected References
•
Consumer Reports
–
–
–
February 2002
October 2003
May 2005
•
Consumer Reports Press Room
http://www.consumerreports.org/main/detailv2.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=58159
5&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=156209
•
Consumer Reports - Air cleaners: The Truth Behind the Accolades
http://www.consumerreports.org/main/detailv4.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=58163
5&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=162697&bmUID=1114587487524
•
Response to Consumer Reports by Richard Thalheimer
http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/cust_help/consumerreportresponse.jhtml#1
•
EPA – Ozone Generators (not electrostatic precipitators, but still relevant)
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ozonegen.html
21
Thank You
Questions?
22