For houseplants to purify indoor air from pollutants, the air must not only reach their roots once and remain there, but rather be "drawn past" them in large quantities.
So why not simply provide a technical ventilation of the root system with a fan?
Technical systems of this kind (there are a few on the market) come with a significant problem: Plants do not like this permanent ventilation. Figuratively speaking, they get "cold feet," catch a cold, drop their leaves, and die.
To avoid this, they must be accustomed to the permanently constant airflow over a longer period. But even if the plants then (t)olerate it: Electricity is expensive, technology is expensive and prone to failure (electricity and moisture in one system), and fans are also not silent.
At AIRY, we therefore rely on the chimney effect.
The chimney effect is a physical effect that causes vertical airflows.
For basic understanding: Warm air is less dense than cold air. There is a so-called thermal density difference between the two. The reason: When heated, substances generally expand (exception: water with its density anomaly), meaning that the constant number of particles occupies more space, which reduces the density of the substance.
With the help of a vertically oriented pipe, the direction of the airflow can be influenced. Usually, the pipe also causes an acceleration of the flow. This effect is illustrated by a simple experimental setup as shown in the following video:
How and why does this work now with the AIRY system?
The chimney effect at AIRY is made possible by the special shaping of the outer shell, which has been tested in numerous (and years-long) experimental series and further developed for optimal function. Natural air movements are used, which occur for many reasons (sunlight, movements in the room, etc.). Important for the plant: These are natural movements, not permanent ventilation by a technical device. Plants can handle this excellently!
For those who prefer a much more technical calculation of the chimney effect at AIRY:
The operating principle of the chimney effect at AIRY can be calculated and scientifically understood based on the research of Dr. Fritz Otto Schmidt at the University of Rostock. Schmidt states regarding his "Calculations of the Intelligent Container System (IBfG) based on kinetic gas theory in connection with photosynthesis activity and enzyme development":
"As a result of the absorption of heat quantities by radiation intensity from outside, the principle of the black body, a pressure increase inevitably occurs as calculated, which leads to the start of the airflow. This process is supported and accelerated by further effects.
At the upper end of the IBfG, which is basically constructed like a Venturi tube, the exit velocity ϖ2 of the air and thus the flow rate Q can be calculated assuming the average velocity (ϖ1 = 0.01 m/s).
The flow rate Q of the air under these conditions (Q = 0.00023 kg/s) for 1m3 is about 9 minutes and thus for 50 m3 about seven to eight hours.
This means that the air of a 50 m3 room passes through the IBfG in approximately 7.5 hours and simultaneously flows through the plant's leaf canopy at the top to be inhaled by the stomata of the leaves.
And now, after all the technical explanations, once again in simple words with a bit of disco fog in the video:
