On the Subject of HEPA filter...

From Mr. Janez Pogačar
Techincal Director
Hyla d.o.o.
Ljubljana, Slovenia

E-mail to Dr. Ian Shelmerdine, dated 7th September 2006

Our comments regarding the HEPA filter are very simple. Basically, the additional HEPA filter in combination with a water filter with a centrifugal separator is a problematic "improvisation".

  • The HEPA filter is expensive and effective only when new and intact. When damaged (with a hole), it is no longer a filter at all!
  • Even the smallest bacteria size is sufficient to enable complete and efficient filtration by HYLA NST ("New Separator") separator alone.
  • Germs have a "perfect environment" on the backside of the wet HEPA filter (and a HEPA filter is wet due to water droplets coming through the separator). Hence a HEPA filter may actually increase bacteriological problems!
  • Dust trapped in water will be eliminated from the room, while the tiny amount of dust partly escaping the separator (about 0.03% on average as tested and proven by the "Institut für Analytik und Beratung" (Institute for Analysis and Consultation in Gro-Umstadt, Germany) will almost certainly be trapped the next time it enters the HYLA. Only dust trapped in water does not fly around−this is our concept−and well over 99.9% of all dust is trapped in the HYLA water the first time around!
  • The performance of the BrandX filtration, a leading competitor to the HYLA, without a HEPA filter significantly worse than HYLA filtration. We believe this is why, for the first time in their history, that BrandX was forced to introduce an additional element into their machines! To repeat - the HYLA NST filtration performance is better than all known HEPA filter machines - BrandY, BrandZ, BrandX, and so on. We would submit the HYLA to any comparative tests based on science with any of these machines. So far, none has taken our challenge!

Finally, we should mention that, as you know, we are selling HYLA on several markets parallel to HEPA based products and our experience is that very few customers indeed actually demand to have a cleaner with a HEPA filter.

Of course, certain populations may be very well educated - but basically the HEPA filter does not assist, rather it detracts from, the cleaning operation for the reasons mentioned above.

HYLA outperforms all other cleaners today, has done for several years, and we constantly strive to maintain our lead over all the competition!

© HYLA d.o.o. September 2006