NE researchers develop tunnel sanitizer based auto temperature device to fight Covid-19
In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, disinfectant tunnels are emerging as India's one of the important strategies to disinfect people and protect against infections.
GUWAHATI: Researchers from northeast have innovated tunnel sanitizer with FAR-UVC (a form of ultraviolet light) which sanitizes just in a few seconds without causing harm to human eyes and skin.
The tunnel is designed with a view to reduce the time of sanitization in places where there are people entering in large numbers such as religious gatherings, educational institutions and hospitals. In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, disinfectant tunnels are emerging as India's one of the important strategies to disinfect people and protect against infections.
The tunnel sanitizer based auto temperature device has been built by a team, comprises of people from multidisciplinary areas- Hirak Ranjan Das, Noor Islam and Sasanka Barooah from the Royal Global University, Guwahati, Dr Dinesh Bhatia from the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, Dr Kalyan Kumar Das from Assam Engineering College and Professor Animesh Mishra from NEIGHRIMS, Shillong.
"The tunnel does not require human control and operates with the help of ultrasonic sensors and microcontrollers. It has two chambers with three different levels of disinfection. In the second chamber, the person entering the tunnel experiences a hot air blast at 50 degree Centigrade. This is to make sure that any bacteria or viruses that could have survived during the disinfectant spray process would be killed through the heat in the second chamber. It is followed by exposure of far UVC light with a wavelength ranging from 207 to 222 nm that has capability to kill the viruses and is considered to be safe for the human eyes and skin," said Dinesh Bhatia, one of the team members.
"The sanitization process is effective as the person walks through the tunnel and disinfectants are sprayed all over the person from different angles so that the whole body can be sanitized. Taking this into consideration, our research and collaborative team, consisting of faculty, scientists, doctors and industrialist have developed the tunnel sanitizer based automatic temperature controller device," he added.
After more than three months of research, discussions, trials and testing, the machine has been made compact and cost effective. The people passing are sprayed with a disinfectant solution coming out of a high pressure air compressor. The disinfectant is an eco-friendly, multi-purpose microbiocide solution which is effective to disinfect different bacterial spores, viruses, protozoa and fungi.
When a person enters through the tunnel automatically the nozzle will be activated and a full body along with the clothes and shoes will be sanitized with sprays at high pressure and speed. "The disinfecting process can be completed in 3-4 seconds. With proper implementation, such sanitizers can disinfect articles of clothing and shoes for a significant period of time. The output material is like mist and highly effective as it covers a larger surface area unlike liquid disinfectant and does not need any drainage system in place," said Bhatia.
The tunnel will be equipped with a thermal scanner at the entrance. Any person detected with temperature higher than the normal body temperature will not be allowed to enter the premises and pass through the tunnel. Bhatia specifically acknowledged the idea to prepare the tunnel sanitizer during one of his meetings with Dr JN Nayak, Registrar of NEHU, Shillong who emphasized the need for the same in the educational institutions and at the main entrance of the universities.
The tunnel is designed with a view to reduce the time of sanitization in places where there are people entering in large numbers such as religious gatherings, educational institutions and hospitals. In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, disinfectant tunnels are emerging as India's one of the important strategies to disinfect people and protect against infections.
The tunnel sanitizer based auto temperature device has been built by a team, comprises of people from multidisciplinary areas- Hirak Ranjan Das, Noor Islam and Sasanka Barooah from the Royal Global University, Guwahati, Dr Dinesh Bhatia from the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, Dr Kalyan Kumar Das from Assam Engineering College and Professor Animesh Mishra from NEIGHRIMS, Shillong.
"The tunnel does not require human control and operates with the help of ultrasonic sensors and microcontrollers. It has two chambers with three different levels of disinfection. In the second chamber, the person entering the tunnel experiences a hot air blast at 50 degree Centigrade. This is to make sure that any bacteria or viruses that could have survived during the disinfectant spray process would be killed through the heat in the second chamber. It is followed by exposure of far UVC light with a wavelength ranging from 207 to 222 nm that has capability to kill the viruses and is considered to be safe for the human eyes and skin," said Dinesh Bhatia, one of the team members.
"The sanitization process is effective as the person walks through the tunnel and disinfectants are sprayed all over the person from different angles so that the whole body can be sanitized. Taking this into consideration, our research and collaborative team, consisting of faculty, scientists, doctors and industrialist have developed the tunnel sanitizer based automatic temperature controller device," he added.
After more than three months of research, discussions, trials and testing, the machine has been made compact and cost effective. The people passing are sprayed with a disinfectant solution coming out of a high pressure air compressor. The disinfectant is an eco-friendly, multi-purpose microbiocide solution which is effective to disinfect different bacterial spores, viruses, protozoa and fungi.
When a person enters through the tunnel automatically the nozzle will be activated and a full body along with the clothes and shoes will be sanitized with sprays at high pressure and speed. "The disinfecting process can be completed in 3-4 seconds. With proper implementation, such sanitizers can disinfect articles of clothing and shoes for a significant period of time. The output material is like mist and highly effective as it covers a larger surface area unlike liquid disinfectant and does not need any drainage system in place," said Bhatia.
The tunnel will be equipped with a thermal scanner at the entrance. Any person detected with temperature higher than the normal body temperature will not be allowed to enter the premises and pass through the tunnel. Bhatia specifically acknowledged the idea to prepare the tunnel sanitizer during one of his meetings with Dr JN Nayak, Registrar of NEHU, Shillong who emphasized the need for the same in the educational institutions and at the main entrance of the universities.
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