Due to outbreak of COVID-19, there is an urgent need of disinfectants for killing the germs in various buildings and premises. To combat the novel coronavirus that causes the disease commonly known as COVID-19, it's essential to know how to create and use effective cleaning solutions. Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is one of the proven disinfectant and is being used in sanitization where 0.05-0.5% NaOCl is recommended by WHO and CDC, USA, whereas 1% is recommended by ICMR, India. The Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization recommend using a sodium hypochlorite bleach solution as one way to disinfect areas contaminated with the novel corona virus. There are many ways of using disinfectants such as: sprays, wipes, and mopping that can help disinfect areas exposed to the novel corona virus.
Sodium hypochlorite has a very similar destructive effect on proteins present in a virus as heat stress does and prevents growth of bacteria as a secondary effect. Since two months of lockdown, availability of sodium hypochlorite (which is an essential commodity for area disinfection of COVID 19, as per WHO/ICMR) is affected due to disruption in production and distribution. This necessitates development of on-site hypochlorite generators. The unit has been designed such that it can be operated safely by limited unskilled manpower with readily available raw material (table salt and water). The unit is a modular one which can be scaled up easily depending on the requirement.
Due to outbreak of COVID-19, there is an urgent need of disinfectants for killing the germs in various buildings and premises. To combat the novel coronavirus that causes the disease commonly known as COVID-19, it's essential to know how to create and use effective cleaning solutions. Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is one of the proven disinfectant and is being used in sanitization where 0.05-0.5% NaOCl is recommended by WHO and CDC, USA, whereas 1% is recommended by ICMR, India. The Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization recommend using a sodium hypochlorite bleach solution as one way to disinfect areas contaminated with the novel corona virus. There are many ways of using disinfectants such as: sprays, wipes, and mopping that can help disinfect areas exposed to the novel corona virus.
Sodium hypochlorite has a very similar destructive effect on proteins present in a virus as heat stress does and prevents growth of bacteria as a secondary effect. Since two months of lockdown, availability of sodium hypochlorite (which is an essential commodity for area disinfection of COVID 19, as per WHO/ICMR) is affected due to disruption in production and distribution. This necessitates development of on-site hypochlorite generators. The unit has been designed such that it can be operated safely by limited unskilled manpower with readily available raw material (table salt and water). The unit is a modular one which can be scaled up easily depending on the requirement.
The present SHEP is able to produce on-site sodium hypochlorite of 0.1-1% concentration as prescribed by WHO/ICMR for use as disinfectant for sanitizing areas affected due to COVID-19. The energy and current efficiencies obtained are at par industrial standards. Overall, on-site electrolysis process offers many advantages such as: reduced operational costs, consistent solution strength, and production of required volumes as needed, non-hazardous chemical (feed or product). The on-site electrolyser requires electricity, salt and water. There is no need of handling corrosive, dangerous gases and can be used at hospitals/home with ease. The hazard potential of the minute quantity of chlorine and hydrogen gas generated during the operation is quite negligible due to safe handling. The Mixed Metal Oxide (MMO) coating on the anode of the Ti based electrodes is heart of the unit which controls the selectivity of the desired electrochemical reaction. The design and operating parameters of the electrolyser provides the required concentration of product and efficiency of operation.
