DOST funds USC ventilation system research vs viruses

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has issued an P8.3-million research and development grant to the University of San Carlos (USC) in Cebu to support its effort to develop a low-cost indoor ventilation system that can curb the spread of airborne viruses.

Science Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said the research led by Dr. Edward Querikol is being conducted in close collaboration with Dr. Frank Helleis of the Max Planck Institute of Chemistry in Mainz, Germany. Helleis invented a low-cost ventilator system.

Dela Peña said the USC R&D would seek to redesign the system of Helleis to fit indoor tropical environment in the Philippines.

If successful, the ventilator system will be prototyped and used in select indoor environments in the country such as typical classrooms for primary, secondary and tertiary levels; essential business offices such as banks and government agencies; public transport vehicles such as jeepneys and buses, and small manufacturing facilities.

The DOST chief said that a USC team composed of engineers has left for Germany to study, train and learn the process, design and engineering behind the low-cost ventilator and how it will be modified and adjusted to fit local indoor tropical environment.

The DOST-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development has released the first tranche of P6 million from the P8.3-million grant to the USC for the project.