Project Mentor: Professor Joseph Menicucci, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Project Description:
How can we improve public health in Kazakhstan by innovating on indoor air purification?
Air pollution is a critical issue threatening urban transformation in Almaty, where pollution levels—especially of PM2.5, PM10, and NO2—greatly exceed the WHO limits. The winter months are particularly hazardous, with PM2.5 concentrations reaching 17 times the recommended limits due to coal-fired heating plants. The impact of this pollution is severe, contributing to thousands of preventable deaths and significant public health costs. In 2022, the World Bank reported over 10,000 annual premature deaths in Kazakhstan due to air pollution, costing the economy more than $10.5 billion.
This project aims to tackle this challenge by working with our partners at Lingnan University in Hong Kong, who have developed PureAura, a low-cost, high-efficiency air purifier that has proven effective in dense urban environments like Hong Kong and the Philippines. Field tests have shown that these air purifiers can reduce indoor PM2.5 concentrations by 80%, significantly improving air quality.
Over the coming year, our team will undertake both laboratory and field tests of the PureAura filters in various living environments across Almaty. These trials will enable us to validate the filters' effectiveness and refine their design for wider commercialization. Additionally, we will collaborate with students from Almaty Management University and the International Information Technology University to develop simulation models that optimize the design and strategic placement of these air purifiers.
We are looking for students who are passionate about environmental health, product design, and social entrepreneurship. By joining this project, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge environmental research, test innovative technology, and work on a solution that could have a real, lasting impact on public health in Almaty and beyond. Student interest / experience in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), including use of COMSOL Multiphysics and/or Ansys Fluent, is welcome but not necessary.