Clean Lift: a Case Study from Industrial to Civil Application

Airborne contamination control, crucial across industrial sectors, is exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, prompting a focus on indoor spaces and ventilation systems. Elevator cabins, often overlooked, present unique challenges due to poor ventilation, high occupancy density, and short exposure periods for their passengers. Humans are a huge and variegated source of contamination. Post-Covid-19, research interest in elevator ventilation has increased, though commercial solutions remain inadequate and existing elevator codes lack detailed guidelines for indoor air quality (IAQ) improvement. This paper discusses the need for efficient, responsive ventilation systems and proposes a clean lift ventilation system for industrial application easy to be reconverted into civil applications. A real industrial clean lift case study has been designed, realized and experimentally tested. The study explores technical solutions to ensure good IAQ and safety standards, bridging the gap between industrial and civil environments. The work emphasizes the need for efficient and responsive ventilation systems within elevator cabins, highlighting the short exposure periods that heighten contamination risks. Overall, the paper underscores the importance of innovative solutions to mitigate airborne contamination in off-design conditions while maintaining an overall low energy consumption during operation. This work represents one of the first attempts to adapt in the near future industrial cleanroom production technology for civil use in vertical transportation.