Solar-Powered Smart Air Purifiers for Healthcare Facilities: A Sustainable Innovation

Abstract

Maintaining high air quality in clinical settings is essential to safeguard patient and staff health, particularly in dental clinics where procedures generate airborne contaminants. This study presents an innovative approach to air quality management tailored for dental clinics, focusing on solar-powered air purifiers equipped with smart monitoring and automation systems. Using solar thermal energy, the system ensures continuous air purification without relying on grid electricity, aligning with sustainability goals specific to healthcare environments. A Raspberry Pi controller is employed for prototyping, processing real-time data from air quality sensors, while the full-scale implementation will transition to a custom-built controller to enhance efficiency. Key components include high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, air quality sensors, and automated feedback mechanisms. The system activates automatically based on particulate levels, ensuring energy-efficient operation and optimal indoor air quality. A mobile and web dashboard provides remote access for monitoring, control, and data logging, offering facility managers an easy-to-use solution for maintaining clean air. A working prototype of the solar-powered air purifier has been designed and built, currently undergoing testing in a controlled environment to assess its real-time performance and efficiency. These tests aim to validate the system’s ability to meet strict air quality standards, ensuring that energy use is optimized through automated responses. The results will guide any refinements to the custom-built controller and inform plans for large-scale deployment within dental clinics. The solar thermal collectors capture sunlight and store energy to power the purifier, ensuring operation even during low-light conditions. This system reduces carbon emissions and operational costs and meets strict health and safety standards by mitigating airborne pathogens generated during dental procedures. Future developments will include proprietary filters tailored to the specific needs of dental clinics, further enhancing filtration performance and energy efficiency. This project bridges the gap between sustainability and healthcare by showcasing a scalable solution designed specifically for dental clinics. The integration of renewable energy and automation provides a seamless, environmentally conscious air purification system. These innovations contribute to sustainable healthcare infrastructure by improving both air quality and operational efficiency in energy-constrained environments.