In 2022, the WHO estimated that the number of deaths due to air pollution would reach up to about 7 million per year, of which about 3.8 million, more than half, were due to indoor air pollution. In South Korea, various policies are being introduced and implemented to manage indoor air quality, and air cleaning facilities are also in the limelight. 

Filters are used in most air purifiers and devices. Since they are consumables, periodic replacement and maintenance are required. If the management is not done properly, the quality of the indoor air gets worse and a vicious cycle is occurring with the dispose of the used filter. But as is often the case, innovations are made when nobody even imagines. Watervation, which has a technology that uses water to purify the air without a filter, is attracting attention. PowerKorea sat down with CEO Jeong Yoon-young and learned the story.

Watervation’s WVG wins Gold Prize at the iENA and Grand Prize at the IFIA Innovation Awards

Watervation’s WVG technology provides a clean solution that removes harmful gases and carbon without a conventional filter. WVG won the Gold Prize at the iENA and the Grand Prize at the IFIA Innovation Awards in Germany. The core of this technology is a unique pumping method that uses pressure and centrifugal force to pump water without a pump alongside a water filter that increases the surface area of water. WVG does not require a submersible pump because it rotates water through a difference in air pressure and centrifugal force through a double structure. Thanks to this, the power to rotate can be reduced over time, maximizing energy efficiency. 

▲ Watervation / CEO Jeong Yoon-young

WVG uses this technology to turn the sprayed water into a filter. The water obtained with strong pressure through the centrifugal force is divided into small droplets through numerous nozzles and sprayed, and the contact area of the divided water with air is maximized. CEO Jeong explains, “The contact surface is increased by cutting and spraying the water stream. When the sphere is broken, the surface area is enlarged and the cleaning efficiency is increased.” The water with a maximized contact area collects fine dust, harmful gases, and carbon. WGV showed 100% reduction efficiency for three harmful gases, such as formaldehyde, ammonia, and acetic acid, which have molecules smaller than fine dust. WGV has also been verified for carbon dioxide reduction performance, and reduction of harmful bacteria and viruses. 

From indoors to industrial sites and smart farms

Introducing purification solutions to open a new paradigm of purification system

Through WVG, Watervation provides an indoor air purifying system that can be used in general homes and offices, as well as an air purifying system for industrial and barn use. The company’s clean solutions are scalable to fit the size required, enabling scale-up from small to large. WGV can convert water into polar molecules to capture and reduce greenhouse gases most efficiently and powerfully. Jeong says, “We provide a clean solution with POU scrubbers and dust collectors especially at semiconductor and display plants.” 

WGV is also a great help for smart farm facilities, which are becoming increasingly important. Agriculture-related carbon emissions account for 12.6% of total carbon emissions, but if the plant growth rate is increased, a large carbon reduction effect can be seen. In particular, since water is essential for smart farms, it fits very well with WVG’s system. Watervation’s smart farm solution is an ALL IN ONE high-efficiency system that handles air purification, air circulation, humidification, and temperature efficiency at once. WGV raises water without a pump through the next-generation pumping method and has a system that automatically supplies water without electricity through an automatic circulation system. It is greatly increasing energy efficiency. As WGV uses water instead of a filter, the water vaporizes and automatically adjusts humidity and temperature to obtain the effect of improving the growth rate. 

Watervation is developing environmental solutions that can realize a carbon-zero city as well as the devices that can reduce greenhouse gases at industrial sites.