Challenges
Nearly half a million school buses in the US transport over 20 million students each year, around 47 billion student-miles, spanning the ages 5 to 18. Combined with scratches and scrapes, runny noses, coughs and sneezing, it is an environment that carries a wide range of pathogens being carries by many too young to effectively control themselves. It is a story very familiar to any parent of young children as they appear to be constantly home with ‘some bug from school’.
Chemical sprays, foams and diluted liquids for wiping cannot cover all surfaces. They also do not remain in contact for long enough for some pathogens – most disinfectants have a label contact time of 1-10 mins, far longer than a quick spray and wipe. They leave a residue, harm absorbent surfaces, and are hazardous and time-consuming to apply manually.
UVC light is effective but fails to destroy pathogens in the shadows and crevices including air circulation systems.
But there is one thing that comes into contact with everything inside a school bus.
Air.
Ozone and UVC
O3D2 uses AI with both ozone and UVC light during scheduled maintenance to decontaminate all compartment surfaces, including upholstery. The ozone also penetrates inaccessible locations like air ducts and underneath seats.
Decontamination time
The cleaning cycle is entirely automated and lasts a few minutes depending on certain factors. O3D2 monitors progress until everything is decontaminated and then proceeds to convert the excess ozone back into oxygen so it is safe to resume operations.
Efficacy
Schedule a site survey to objectively determine the level of decontamination you can expect. We have seen results up to 99.99%.
Side effects
No harmful chemicals are used and no residues remain. The only side effect is to enrich the air with fresh oxygen.
O3D2
O3D2
Biosecurity
Biosecurity
How does O3D2 use AI?
O3D2 uses AI to continuously sense the environment and make instant decisions that result in cleaner outcomes, in less time, without damaging the assets its trying to keep clean in a careful balancing act.
How does O3D2 produce ozone?
It uses high-voltage electron ionization to split diatomic oxygen into ions, which combine with O2 to produce triatomic oxygen, O3. The process is more efficient with drier input air, and even better when coupled with an oxygen concentrator.
What kind of UV light does O3D2 produce?
It produces high-energy UVC light, in the 254-280 nm range of wavelengths which is known to disinfect
How does ozone decontaminate?
Triatomic oxygen is a highly reactive gas. Each molecule readily oxidizes various elements of organic material. For example, it cause bacterial membranes to rupture, rendering them inert. For viruses, ozone causes peroxidation of the infected cells and also damages the viral capsid.
Which pathogens can O3D2 destroy?
Bacteria, viruses, fungi, mold and spores. Each pathogen reacts differently to ozone and UVC, meaning different concentrations and contact time.
Is ozone safe?
Yes, it is FDA approved for use in decontamination with OSHA guidelines for concentrations and exposure time, and 0.1 ppm is considered safe for humans. O3D2 constantly monitors the air to assess when it is safe to re-enter.
What happens to the unspent ozone?
It naturally degrades back into regular oxygen. This can take minutes to hours depending on many factors including whether it is airborne or dissolved in water, temperature and humidity. For safety, O3D2 measures the concentration of ozone until it is safe. Catalytic destructors accelerate the process.
What types of public transport can be cleaned this way?
Buses, light and heavy rail, trams and planes are among the best candidates, with a typical decontamination cycles typically lasting a few minutes.
The solution is ineffective with open top vehicles such as open buses and open trams.