Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) develops 2 products to fight COVID-19

In a continuous quest to contribute towards fight against COVID-19, DRDO has introduced two products, which can enhance operations at public places during pandemic.

Mist Based Sanitiser

DRDO has developed Automatic Mist Based Sanitiser Dispensing Unit.  Centre for Fire Explosive & Environment Safety (CFEES), Delhi, along with HPO 1, using its expertise in mist techlogy for fire suppression, has developed automatic mist- based sanitiser dispensing unit. It is a contactless sanitiser dispenser, which sprays alcohol-based hand rub sanitiser solution for sanitisation of hands while entering buildings, offices, complexes etc. It is based on water mist aerator techlogy, which was developed for water conservation.

unit operates without contact and is activated through an ultrasonic sensor. A single fluid zzle with a low flow rate is used to generate aerated mist to dispense hand rub sanitiser. This sanitises hands with minimum wast. Using an atomiser, only 5-6 ml sanitiser is released for 12 seconds in one operation and it gives full cone spray over both palms so that disinfection operation of hands is complete. It is a very compact unit and bulk fill option makes it an ecomical and long-lasting product. It is easy to install a system as wall-mountable or on a platform. As an indication of operation, an LED illuminates spray.  

READ: COVID-19: DRDO develops contact-less automatic mist based sanitiser dispensing unit

unit was manufactured with help of M/s Riot Labz Pvt Ltd, ida, and one unit has been installed at DRDO Bhawan. unit can be used for sanitisation of hands at entry and exit to hospitals, malls, office buildings, residential buildings, airports, metro stations, railway stations, bus stations and critical installations. product is also expected to be very useful for entry and exit of isolation and quarantine centres.

UV Sanitisation Box

Along with this DRDO has also developed UV Sanitisation Box and Hand-held UV device.  Defence Institute of Physiology & Allied Sciences (DIPAS) and Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS), DRDO laboratories in Delhi have designed & developed Ultraviolet C Light-based sanitisation box and handheld UV-C (ultraviolet light with wavelength 254 nametres) device. UV-C consists of a shorter, more energetic wavelength of light. It is particularly good in destroying genetic material in COVID-19.

radiation warps structure RNA which prevents viral particles from making more copies of mselves. UV-C kills microbes quickly. Sanitisation of items by employing UV-C light avoids harmful effects of chemicals used for disinfection. This is environment-friendly and is a contact-free effective sanitisation method.

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UV-C box is designed for disinfecting personal belongings like mobile phone, tablets, purse, currency, cover of office files, etc. COVID-19 virus will be deactivated by using UVC lamps in one minute placed equidistantly in a box with a UV dose of 100 mJ/cm2. UV lamps used in sanitisation box also emits 185 nm which produces ozone and is able to take care of unexposed area on surfaces of objects placed in box.

hand-held device having eight Watt UV-C lamp disinfects office and household objects like chairs, files, postal delivered items and food packets with an exposure of 45 seconds at a 100 mJ/cm2 irradiance placed at a distance of less than two inches. This measure can reduce transmission of Coronavirus in office and public environment, which is required to work in all conditions.

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