Photo By Daniel DeAngelis | Special filtration units, designed by Advanced Industrial Management (Code 300)...... read more read more
When faced with the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) workforce have stepped up, displaying both ingenuity and resilience. The newest innovation created by an NNSY employee is a filtration unit that helps to purify the air.
NNSY Advanced Industrial Management (Code 300) Program Manager Bill Young conceptualized the machines in September 2020. Young noticed a troubling and significant spike in the national death rate for those who contracted the virus. This prompted him to develop a device that would filter the air and act as a second line of defense after physical distancing and wearing a mask. His colleague, Health Physicist (Code 105) Jeremy Gerdes, designed a unit that could be used in smaller spaces like a vehicle, desk, or office. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Shipbuilding Support Office (Code 284) Branch Head Scott Sikora then developed an ultra low-cost unit for the home.
Young and the COVID Management Team (CMT) met with NNSY’s Sheetmetal Shop (Shop 17) to nail out a design. Together, the CMT and Shop 17 took Young’s concept to prototype in three business days. Shop 17 took Young’s general design principles and functions and turned them into a physical product. “We were able to discuss the entire project throughout a two-hour meeting and by the next morning, Shop 17’s layout team had built the initial drawings. Over the next two days the aluminum frame was cut, folded, and assembled so that we had a functional prototype three days after seeing the spike in the death rate,” said Young.
Despite a quick transition from concept to prototype, the project faced multiple hurdles in its development – the largest being the procurement of materials. After the CMT and Shop 17 produced the first 80 units, they waited for three weeks to get replacement metal necessary for the device’s frame. Another setback occurred when new fans, which are at the center of each device, arrived and were significantly smaller than the fan used on the prototype. To overcome these obstacles, Shop 17’s Layout Supervisor Stan Bailey redesigned the filtration units four times and has just completed the most recent redesign.
Young said the biggest challenge was answering the pivotal question: will these machines help stop the spread of COVID-19? To ensure the answer was “yes” and that these filters did reduce the spread of COVID-19, a number of extensive tests were conducted. “We decided to use a smoke machine to generate smoke in an office to act as a coronavirus proxy and then run the filtration unit to see how long it would take to clean the space,” said Gerdes.
The tests were a shared effort between NNSY’s Fire Department, Safety, Health and Environmental Department (Code 106), and the CMT. A test unit was placed in a vacant office trailer and a smoke machine, typically used by NNSY’s Fire Department for training, filled the space with smoke as a proxy for COVID-19 air particles. By measuring the space’s dimensions and the airflow rate of both the installed ventilation and the unit itself, the team could calculate how long the device would take to clean the air inside the trailer. The team ran a series of 11 tests – running fans at various speeds and using different filters to see what worked best.
The tests proved the device to be successful in purifying the air. Each filtration unit blows air straight up and distributes it along the ceiling. The return path causes the unfiltered air to move along the floor where it is less of a risk.
“COVID spreads primarily through the air. When we breathe, speak, cough, or sneeze, we put out microscopic particles that can be inhaled by others. These invisible particles can stay in the air for hours, so people in a space can get COVID even after the person with COVID has left the room. Many areas have some form of air filter, but most of the time, those filters aren't able to remove the smallest particles, so the risk of transmission is still there. By using what is called MERV 13 filters, we can reduce the virus in the air to nearly nothing quite quickly,” said Young.
Like any filtering device, the filters need to be replaced periodically. According to Young, most devices have a Differential Pressure (DP) indicator on them that indicate when the filter needs to be replaced. “By design, filter change out should be quite infrequent unless the unit is being used in an environment that is producing a significant amount of airborne particulate,” said Young. He recommended switching the filter every 6-12 months for general office space and monthly or quarterly for dirtier spaces.
The commitment and collaboration of numerous NNSY departments on this project showed the importance of prioritizing the safety and health of shipyard employees. Looking beyond the COVID-19 virus, these filtration units will aide employees with allergies by continuing to filter the air and remove allergens or other irritants. “At some point, COVID will be a memory, but we will still have allergies and pollutants in the air. These units will help many people by keeping our air clean,” said Young.
The most recent design of the filtration units is currently being finalized and the team is planning on bulk producing 500 units for distribution across the shipyard. Projects and managers can request units for their cognizant areas and offices by sending an email to the CMT at NNSY_CMT@navy.mil. The units are being distributed by members of the CMT’s disinfecting team and are being placed in common areas such as conference rooms. Filter replacements can also be requested through the CMT. These units will not solely be distributed at NNSY; they are also being prepared for other shipyards and naval facilities. Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility recently began manufacturing them for Naval Base San Diego.
The project was a team effort championed by CMT Lead Dean Berrett and Deputy Ralph Gagnon. Shop 17 mechanics were crucial in the design, prototyping and fabrication of the units. Senior leaders ensured funding was available and provided guidance through a variety of complications. So many NNSY employees were involved in the testing and redesign process which allowed the project to be successful despite any obstacles it faced. When reflecting on the project, Young said it was not a “one person effort” but that the project’s success was on account of teamwork and the ability to put others first.“ Although we faced many setbacks, we can produce great results when we think first about others’ needs. That was the key to this project,” said Young.
| Date Taken: | 02.02.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 02.03.2021 14:54 |
| Story ID: | 388281 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 85 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NNSY Employees Create Innovative Filtration Units in the Fight Against COVID-19, by Allison Conti, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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