KRAKOW OXYGEN HOUSE - SNORKEL
Lung cancer is one of the most common malignancies. Every year 1,3 million people are dying because of this disease and the newest research are showing that the biggest affect to the lung cancer growth has carcinogens such as cigarette smoke or polluted air. With the air pollution, Cracow has the sad record of being third most polluted city in Europe. Sometimes PM 2,5 and PM10 particle concentration is getting over 700%. The following proposal is not exclusively developed to help people affected by cancer but for the whole Cracow community which is exposed for the air pollution in the whole urban area. The building’s form and the applied raster visible on the green roof is a reference to the lungs alveoli structure. By that, people getting inside the structure can feel like entering to the LUNGS OF THE CITY
Mineral composition of atmospheric aerosols in Cracow
The aerosol composition varies seasonally, but quartz and irregular or spherical aluminosilicate particles, Fe-oxides, metallic iron, other metal-rich particles are always present. Carbonate and sulphates particles are also common, whereas pure chloride particles are scarce. High level of toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in particulate matter is common in Cracow. The most cancerogenic benzopyrene is created in urban areas dominated by old types of coal heating stoves, in which the coal is burned with plastic waste. A huge amount of fine fractions of particulate matter is especially harmful. Unfortunately, in Krakow fraction of dust with a diameter of less than 1 micron represents more than 90%.
Dust removal technology
An electrostatic precipitator is a filtration device that removes fine particles, like dust and smoke, from a flowing gas using the force of an induced electrostatic charge minimally impeding the flow of gases through the unit. The device applies energy only to the particulate matter being collected and therefore is very efficient in its consumption of energy (in the form of electricity). The dust particles carried by the gas are inherently electrically neutral, they must be electrified so that the purification process could occur. Electrostatic force depends on the load of grain dust and the load possible to collect on the grain depends on the size of that grain. Therefore, electrostatic precipitators are very effective, usually more than 99 % for particles with dimensions of 1 micron are captured.
Mosses have high capacity for retaining dust and intensive accumulation of the chemical substances. It is a biological method of dust removal, that can be an additional used for air purification in the installation with the electrostatic precipitator.
Application of particulate matter as extenders in the industry.
Extenders are conventionally used to thicken the paint or increase material volume and strengthen the structure of the paint or the lacquer. Particular matter can be also applied as the extender for plastics industry (for gums, glues and other materials). Admixture of the waste dust could significantly improve stiffness, electrical conductivity, resistance to weather conditions and a number of other parameters.