06-23-2021

Cubusan air disinfection device to turn the Hamburg European Open into one of the safest tennis tournaments in the world

When it comes to health, the Cubusan will play a key role in keeping the infection risk as low as possible at the Hamburg European Open 2021. The Cubusan is an air disinfection device developed by Austrian mechanical engineering group WINTERSTEIGER AG. WINTERSTEIGER is fully owned by the Hamburg-based Lange family, who also own Jungheinrich together with the Wolf family. Sandra Reichel, Tournament Director, said: “The Cubusan air disinfection device, along with our extremely comprehensive hygiene concept, will help to make this one of the safest tennis tournaments in the world. The health of our players, visitors, and staff is our number one priority. We want our tournament to serve as a model for other tennis competitions and sporting events in general. As the organizers of a major event, we bear a huge responsibility in these times.”

Over 50 Cubusan cubes are to keep the indoor air permanently clean at the Hamburg Rothenbaum stadium during the two-week tournament. This long-standing German tennis tournament will take place between July 7-18. The women’s tournament will be held first (July 7-11), followed by the men’s in the second week.

“The Cubusan works on the basis of Sterex technology and uses cold plasma to eliminate up to 99.99 % of all bacteria, fungal spores, and viruses – including SARS-Cov-2. This new development is far superior to the FFP2 face masks, which are effective for just a short period of time, and considerably reduces the infection risk when used as an additional measure,” explains Daniel Steininger, General Manager Division Sports & Hygiene at WINTERSTEIGER AG. One cube, which measures just 19 x 19 x 19ؘ cm, is sufficient for a 50 m²or 120 m³ room, while any number of cubes can be installed in larger rooms. At 32 dB, the cube is also very quiet, consumes less energy than a 25 W light bulb, and is odorless. It combats viruses and bacteria without chemicals, ozone, or UV-C. As a so-called "plug and play" product, it is also fully maintenance-free and has no lights or filters that need to be replaced. “Thanks to its straightforward operation and high degree of efficiency, our new air purification cube will provide a valuable service at the Hamburg European Open. We believe the Cubusan, alongside masks and social distancing, will play an important role in keeping players, visitors, staff, and journalists safe,” stresses Steininger.

Efficacy surpasses FFP2 masks

Together with external research partners, WINTERSTEIGER has succeeded in getting the Cubusan CP-120 air disinfection device ready for series production after a development period of just six months. WINTERSTEIGER also turned to the renowned Center of Excellence for Technical Hygiene and Applied Microbiology in Malsfeld. The center's head and assessor Dr. Ulrich F. Schmelz led the investigations in the accredited "Umwelthygiene Marburg" laboratory. The laboratory is accredited according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 for microbiological investigations and the investigation of pharmaceutical products and medical devices (DAkkS Berlin). This means that the laboratory has extremely high quality standards that are applicable worldwide, ensuring the validity of the results. Thanks to the speed with which the Cubusan eliminates aerogenic germs and due to the high degree of efficiency, the microbiocidal potency of the hydroxyl radicals is up to 100 times stronger than the filter performance of FFP2 masks.

While conventional air filter units and air circulation systems draw in the air in the room and filter and/or irradiate it with UV-C light depending on the system, the air disinfection device from WINTERSTEIGER eliminates the germs directly where they occur, continuously and evenly throughout the room. Air circulation systems, and also air-conditioning units, also distribute germs with the air, which stick to aerosols. This increases the risk of infection.

Cube uses the "detergent of the atmosphere"

Cubusan takes nature as a role model and produces multiple mini summer storms, so to speak. The electrophysical technology is based on the action of hydroxyl radicals (OH). These molecules are produced in nature by water vapor in combination with sunlight – for example after a thunderstorm, when the first rays of sunlight burst through the clouds and the air is noticeably fresher and cleaner. Hydroxyl radicals are therefore sometimes also referred to as the "detergent of the atmosphere". The plasma generator in the cube produces a mixture of air and cold atmospheric plasma, in which countless numbers of these highly reactive hydroxyl radicals are formed. They are distributed evenly throughout the room by the built-in fan and natural diffusion and clean the air of viruses, bacteria, and fungal spores with an efficiency of up to 99.99 %. Even if the room is briefly ventilated or a door is opened, the Cubusan continues to work reliably because sufficient hydroxyl radicals are generated on an ongoing basis. A space of at least 3.5 m² should be available per person and the room should continue to be ventilated regularly.

For more information, visit www.cubusan.com