Coronavirus: CMERI develops disinfectant walkways

The CSIR-Central Mechanical

Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) in Durgapur has developed 'disinfection walkways' aimed at preventing community transmission of COVID-19 at one spot.

The walkways use air compressor/high velocity air pumps to ensure optimum mist formation while disinfecting, a CMERI spokesman said on Monday.

These walkways can be installed in critical locations such as isolation/quarantine facilities, mass transit system entry points, medical centres and any other location with a considerable amount of footfall, he said.

Embedded sensors of the walkways are activated once people step in and the operational time of the system can be varied within a range of 20 seconds to 40 seconds, the spokesman said.

 

One such walkway has been installed on the CMERI campus in Durgapur, he said.

The CMERI is a laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

"The disinfection walkway can be considered to be one of the most comprehensive disinfectant delivery systems available. The walkway ensures maximum target coverage with minimum shadow area occupied by an individual," the spokesman said.

The institute has come up with two variant prototypes of the walkway.

One variant deploys "six bar pressure air compressor" to ensure optimum mist formation and the initial cost is relatively higher, but the operating cost is much less, owing to optimum usage of disinfectant in this system.

The second variant deploys 1 horse power pressurised motor high velocity pump to ensure optimum mist formation. The initial cost of this variant is relatively lower, he said.

"The exact cost of installing either of the variants is being assessed," the spokesman said.