Soft Ionization for Cleaner Air and Better Filtration

Needlepoint bipolar ionization (NPBI) is a soft ionization technology that uses bundled carbon fiber emitters to generate positive and negative air ions. Those ions travel through the building's duct distribution system and into occupied spaces, where they interact with airborne particles, certain viruses and bacteria, and volatile organic compounds.

GPS Air holds 30+ patents on its NPBI technology, which has been deployed in over 250,000 installations worldwide.

Soft ionization adds an electron to or removes an electron from a molecule. The target molecule remains intact with a net charge. This is different from hard ionization approaches such as corona discharge or photocatalytic technology, which use high energy to fragment molecules and can produce ozone as a byproduct.

GPS Air's NPBI equipment is a soft ionization technology and produces no ozone within UL 2998 certification parameters.

Ions generated by NPBI attach to fine and ultra-fine particles, giving them a charge. Oppositely charged particles attract each other and cluster into larger aggregates, a process called agglomeration.

Larger particles are more effectively captured by HVAC filters. Independent testing shows NPBI can boost a MERV 8 filter to MERV 13 performance levels for fine particle removal.

Ions modify the charge of, and interact with, the surface proteins of certain airborne viruses and bacteria. Surface proteins are the mechanism these organisms use to attach to cells and reproduce. This process occurs in the airstream throughout the building, not just inside the ductwork.

Any specific efficacy claims reference the particular lab study, pathogen, and test conditions; GPS Air's full third-party testing results are available at gpsair.com/resources/third-party-testing.

GPS Air's NPBI product line includes the DM-2® (duct-mounted), CI-2® (compact, auto-cleaning, for in-plenum and in-space installations), GPS-FC24™-AC lightweight system handling up to 2,400 CFM or 6 tons), GPS-FC48™-AC (high-volume air handling up to 4,800 CFM / 12 tons), IDF-2® (low-profile ceiling tile fan with integrated NPBI, no ductwork required), and GPS-DM48™-AC (light-weight, duct mounted handing up to 4,800/ 12 tons).

Product selection depends on system configuration, CFM requirements, and installation constraints.

Emitter fouling is a known challenge in ionization technology. Dust and particulate accumulation on the emitter surface can reduce ion output if not addressed. GPS Air's bundled carbon fiber emitters are designed to maintain consistent performance, and several GPS Air NPBI products — including the CI-2 and GPS-FC48-AC — incorporate a patented auto-cleaning mechanism that keeps the emitter surface clear without manual intervention.

GPS Air holds more than 30 patents on its NPBI technology, with emitter design and cleaning performance among the key areas of innovation.