Energy consumption of using HEPA-based portable air cleaner in residences: A monitoring study in Seattle, US

Portable air cleaners (PACs), offering both auto and manual (adjustable) operation modes, are commonly used in residences. Compared with adjustable mode, auto mode's advantage of reducing indoor PM_2.5 has been previously demonstrated. This study examines the energy consumption of such PACs in six residences recruited in Seattle, United States, and compares the power consumption between auto and adjustable modes. Each residence went through a one-week-long PAC filtration session under auto and adjustable modes, respectively. PAC power consumption, indoor PM_2.5, temperature, and relative humidity (RH) were measured at 10-second intervals in each residence. A linear mixed-effects regression (LMER) model was used to compare the PAC power consumption between the two modes after adjusting for indoor PM_2.5, temperature, and RH. Results show that the mean (standard deviation) PAC power consumption under adjustable and auto modes were 7.0 (3.5) and 6.8 (2.6) W, respectively. The average monthly energy consumption of continuous PAC operation was estimated to be ∼5 kWh for both modes. Based on the LEMR model, PAC power consumption under auto mode was approximately 3% larger than that under adjustable mode, after adjusting for living-room PM_2.5, temperature, and RH levels. The implications for PAC operation mode selection in residential environments were discussed.