Particulate matter (PM) and bioaerosols (bacteria and viruses) strongly affect the air quality outdoors and indoors. They are one of the main risk factors for premature deaths, hospital admissions, and disease transmission worldwide. Aerosol technology tackles SDGs 3 and 11, dealing with governing physical laws, measurement techniques, and control technologies of airborne micro and nanoparticles.
Aerosols play important roles in atmospheric sciences because they affect visibility and climate change, while they represent one of the main concerns when speaking of air pollution.
Aerosol technology is employed to engineer useful aerosols, including spray technology, gas phase synthesis systems for commodity materials, and aerosol-based coating and 3D printing processes.
Nanotechnologies and new additive manufacturing process design rely on instrumentation to produce, sample, and control airborne particles. Low-cost PM sensors represent an opportunity to monitor various kinds of occupied environments.
Air cleaning equipment can contribute to the control of viable or non-viable aerosol particles in enclosed spaces. Ventilation systems coupled with suitable air-cleaning equipment are among the most important contributors to building energy use. Proper optimization techniques are essential to minimize their environmental impact.
Supervisor:
Prof. Paolo Tronville https://aerosoltech.polito.it/