Pilot Plant

Research on suitable materials and technologies conducted in 2022 led the team to create a pilot plant green factory. The entire air purification system fitted with detectors was installed at Ma-El Srl in Presezzo, near Bergamo. Ma-El Srl manufactures moulds and equipment for the cold working of metals. A complex suction system that conveys over 15000 cubic metres of air to be treated.

Argos Pro is the core of the technology revolving around the Green Factory project. It consists of a cartridge filtration unit that purifies the oil mists, vapours, and fumes of various mechanical processes. Argos Pro is available in 3 sizes, with flow rates from 3,000 to 15,000 m3/h and with different combinations of increasing filtration efficiency, up to an efficiency of 99.97%. It is fitted with a digital display for viewing the main functions and the exclusive “LED Up” system, which can indicate the clogging status of the filter elements via three colours.

The Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) system purifies the plant’s air through C-band ultraviolet lighting at 275 nm. Near the filtration unit, the air is stored inside two UVC systems fitted with H13 absolute filters. Light is radiated through modules consisting of UVC LEDs, which self-adjust through the control board, managing operation and intensity.

The photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) filtration system treats the air by radiating band-A ultraviolet lighting at 365 nm to the titanium dioxide (TiO2) filter. This treatment is also effective against viruses, bacteria, and pollutants in plants producing processing waste. A driver controls and reduces the power supply of the UVA LEDs installed on the electronic circuit when their temperature reaches or exceeds 70 °C.

A programmable control interface remotely manages the various suction areas along the plant. The control interface can self-calibrate the system based on the air data. Moreover, end-users can keep track of the system’s warnings and notifications and remotely manage the plant’s predictive maintenance. The plant’s control interface system includes a program that self-manages and sets suction parameters for the various areas.

After developing and testing the hardware and firmware, the first air quality detection devices were installed at Ma-El’s pilot plant. IoT sensors collect information from the production plant to enable new value-added functions of the filtration systems. The air quality sensors and an IoT (Internet of Things) gateway are part of the sensor network of the Green Factory project and help improve the air quality in work settings.

The plant’s dashboard displays the data collected by the IoT Air Quality Monitor sensors to allow users to monitor air pollutant parameters at all times. From PM , to VOCs and CO2 1-100 values in the air, this software is used as a process management panel, providing an overall view of the plant’s air quality.