Troy’s Valeo Unveils Air Sterilization System for Public Transportation

Valeo, which is based in Paris and has its North American headquarters in Troy, has developed what it says is the world’s most powerful air sterilization system for bus and motor coach cabins.
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illustration of bus with Valeo air sterilization system
Valeo has developed an air sterilization system for bus cabins. // Image courtesy of Valeo

Valeo, which is based in Paris and has its North American headquarters in Troy, has developed what it says is the world’s most powerful air sterilization system for bus and motor coach cabins.

The system eliminates, upon activation and in a single airflow cycle, more than 95 percent of viruses, including COVID-19, as well as any bacteria or mold present in the air circulating in the cabin.

Valeo devices are available as a standalone solution box or they can be directly integrated into a vehicle’s air conditioning system. They use ultraviolet light technology similar to that used in medical and hospital facilities. The UV rays work as a germicide and can kill microbes. The rays stop the microbes from spreading.

The system creates a light labyrinth that blocks the UV rays from spreading outside of the metal box, ensuring that passengers are never exposed to them. The Institute of Medical Virology at the Goethe University Hospital in Germany confirmed the technology’s virucidal efficacy in July.

The solution has been integrated as original equipment in vehicles manufactured by a Brazilian bus maker. It is designed to be compatible with buses and motor coaches of all types and sizes.

Valeo plans to bring the systems to market in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Valeo’s air purifiers also will be offered to operators of vehicles already on the road, which can be adapted to existing ventilation systems or retrofitted to non-air-conditioned vehicles.

The company is also planning to roll out the technology to passenger vehicles.

Valeo has also developed vehicle-cabin air filters that act against air pollution. They have three layers of non-woven material and a coating that together block ultra-fine particles, harmful gases, fungi, mold, and certain viral particles.

The filters have been certified by TÜV Sud in Europe and CATARC in China, noting that they block 96 percent of pollen allergens and 99.8 percent of viruses, including coronaviruses. They purify an average-sized car cabin when users turn on the air conditioning in under five minutes. The filters can be adapted to a many different vehicles.