ENVIRONMENT
Clearing Smog from Beijing's Air
Beijing has long been dealing with one of the worst pollution problems among global "mega-cities".
21 November, 2016
Researchers have linked air pollution to 4,400 deaths per day across China.
The latest creation by Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde is the Smog Free Tower, a seven-meter high aluminium structure that removes smog from the air much in the same way an air purifier does.
Roosegaarde recently installed the tower in Beijing, after first testing a prototype in Rotterdam that made it easier to convince Chinese officials to give it a try. The pilot project, launched a year ago, is located in community greenspace along Vierhavensstraat 52. The unit is designed to process 30,000 cubic meters of air per hour, and pump it back into the immediate space to create a clean-air oasis.
Roosegaarde recently installed the tower in Beijing, after first testing a prototype in Rotterdam that made it easier to convince Chinese officials to give it a try. The pilot project, launched a year ago, is located in community greenspace along Vierhavensstraat 52. The unit is designed to process 30,000 cubic meters of air per hour, and pump it back into the immediate space to create a clean-air oasis.
Image: Digital Trends
That is especially important in a city like Beijing – and perhaps even more so in cities like New Delhi – where air toxicity levels are so high that national emergencies are declared, the sun disappears, and children must wear masks. The newly installed unit in Beijing is in a former industrial park now converted to an art and design district, and stands beside an old smokestack as "a sign of hope for a whole city," Roosegaarde said.
The aluminium exterior on the Smog Free Tower is clean and attractive, and it wraps the hexagonal structure in slats that protect the purification systems inside the tower. The system itself is based on models used in hospitals and other large facilities, but has been reimagined to scrub air in the urban environment.
The aluminium exterior on the Smog Free Tower is clean and attractive, and it wraps the hexagonal structure in slats that protect the purification systems inside the tower. The system itself is based on models used in hospitals and other large facilities, but has been reimagined to scrub air in the urban environment.
Roosegaarde designed the system to work using a positive ionization process, as he explained to Forbes magazine. The tower releases positive ions into the air, which causes them to attach themselves to dust particles. A negatively charged surface inside the Smog Free Tower then attracts the positive ions loaded with air particles. In the final step, the tower systems pump purified air back into their immediate setting. If all the talk of ions makes it clear that Smog Free Tower runs on electricity, it does – but very efficiently.
So far, independent tests on the system performance find that it removes about 60 percent of the particulate matter. In Beijing, where the air routinely exceeds World Health Organization standards for safety at levels reaching nine times the recommendation, that means a real improvement in breathing.
So far, independent tests on the system performance find that it removes about 60 percent of the particulate matter. In Beijing, where the air routinely exceeds World Health Organization standards for safety at levels reaching nine times the recommendation, that means a real improvement in breathing.
The project, initially funded on Kickstarter, was in development for three years before Roosegaarde brought it to the start-up market. He was inspired to build it after visiting Beijing and experiencing firsthand how air pollution is impacting lives, and he is negotiating to place more towers in China now.
What happens to the particulate matter collected in the towers? It is collected and compressed into tiny cubes, and in yet another spark of Roosegaarde's creativity, is then made into jewelry sold to help fund more towers. For his work, the Dutch designer received the Airbnb Design Innovation Medal at this year's London Design Festival – and not just for his achievement with the Smog Free Tower, but for a few other bright ideas as well.
Image: HSW News
What happens to the particulate matter collected in the towers? It is collected and compressed into tiny cubes, and in yet another spark of Roosegaarde's creativity, is then made into jewelry sold to help fund more towers. For his work, the Dutch designer received the Airbnb Design Innovation Medal at this year's London Design Festival – and not just for his achievement with the Smog Free Tower, but for a few other bright ideas as well.
Image: HSW News
At Studio Roosegaarde, the planet is always a priority. Roosegaarde is now working on a portable system that works like the tower but is designed for bicyclists to commute or casually ride with a fresh air supply – making it easier for them to choose a carbon-free transport decision that in turn further reduces air pollution.
He is also working on a sustainable dance floor that harvests the energy of dancers, exploring smart highway technologies, and exploring how to use environmentally friendly materials like aluminium to make the world ever greener.
He is also working on a sustainable dance floor that harvests the energy of dancers, exploring smart highway technologies, and exploring how to use environmentally friendly materials like aluminium to make the world ever greener.
Banner image: Jinghua News