Students Build Solar-Powered Air Filtration System

A team of students from the Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University has developed a solar-powered air filtration system to improve air quality for nomadic communities in Mongolia. These communities migrated to the polluted Ger district in Ulaanbaatar due to a drought and faced significant health problems, with children experiencing a 40% reduction in lung function. The Project Koyash team collaborated with the nonprofit Taiwan Fund for Children and Families (TFCF) and received a $10,000 grant from EPICS in IEEE to deploy their systems.

The solar-powered system, designed for Mongolia’s abundant sunlight, includes a solar panel, battery, Arduino microcontroller, inverter, and filter, all housed in a weatherproof box. It operates autonomously and effectively reduced the air quality index from 325 to 80 within 90 minutes during testing. The team’s multidisciplinary approach and collaboration with TFCF have been key to their success, and they plan to continue deploying and improving the system to benefit more residents in the Ger district. The project has grown into a registered nonprofit, providing long-term support and solutions to address air pollution in the region. The team emphasizes the importance of persistence and adaptability when tackling complex global challenges.