In order to contribute to the whole country’s prevention and control COVID-19, in recent years, units and individuals of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT – Bach Khoa) , VNU-HCM have made great efforts in designing, manufacturing, transferring technology and mass production to launch a variety of products, to support the entire country to prevent COVID-19. In the context that Vietnam has basically controlled the virus and lifted the lockdown measures, we would like to sum up and introduce scientific-technological products that the University that have designed, implemented, and finalized during such a difficult period of time.
These products are the result of the accumulation of knowledge, experience in scientific research and technology transfer of many units in the school. When the country needs to put up a united front in the prevention of COVID-19, the University can promptly make remarkable scientific and technological contributions, typically the mobile sterilization chamber using clean air of the Research Center for Manufacturing Engineering (BK-RECME); Mobile surface sterilization chamber, Mobile surface sampling and sterilization chamber, non-contact hand sanitizer sprayer, simple resuscitator from National key Laboratory of Digital Control and System Engineering (DCSELab); breathing airflow equipment from The Polymer Research Center – Faculty of Materials Technology; The product line of surgical masks from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering’s research team.
The product from Research Center for Manufacturing Engineering (BK-RECME)
Recently, Bach Khoa Research Center for Manufacturing Engineering has successfully created the mobile sterilization system working within 30 seconds and releasing clean air out of the chamber later. The system is installed with filters inside and outside to maintain clean air before entering the system and after being discharged from the system. This technology has been applied in laboratories of semiconductors and medical equipment, using clean air and ozone (adhering to the allowed amount for users), negative ions.
According to Assoc. Prof. Vo Tuong Quan – Director of the Center, the special feature of the system is the use of clean air, ozone, and negative ions to kill bacteria sticking on the host surface. The technology is used in combination of the principles of air-shower and anti-bacterial gases. The system is operated automatically, without directly touching the human body (the door automatically opens and closes in different directions).
In addition, the negative ions source in the system will kill bacteria for the second time, collect dirt out of the host body to enhance the ability to kill bacteria on the surface. The inlet lets the air pass through the filter before it enters the high-pressure blower. The system of ducts, wind flow is designed so that ozone will not directly affect the human nose.
Currently, the system is being commercialized for related businesses and units who are in demand, ready for mass production.
The products from National key Laboratory of Digital Control and System Engineering (DCSELab)
Mobile sterilization chamber was made by the collaboration of DCSELab and The Youth Scientific and Technological Promotion Center (belonged to the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union), using the law of Anolyte disinfectant usage to spray all over the body for the purpose of sterilization, applying various disinfecting technology: UV, ozone, heat, and disinfectant. The design includes sensors to detect people and automatically spray; signal light, 360-degree ultrasonic spray system that does not cause wetting helps disinfect the whole body; Anolyte disinfectant solution has been formulated and tested for safety factors before usage.
Mobile surface sampling and sterilization chambers are used for non-contact patient sampling between the medical team and patients. After sampling, the chamber is disinfected before taking the next sample to minimize the risk of spreading the disease to the area where samples are taken for testing. The chamber uses the technology of ultrasonic nozzles up to 113kHz, the piezoelectric ceramic membranes tear apart the linkage between the solution particles into a size of 10nm, then push them up and cover 360 degrees on the subject in the fast chamber quickly. Ultraviolet light sterilization technology exposes bacteria, viruses and protozoa to germicidal wavelengths of ultraviolet light, which prevents their re-generation and development. However, UV rays are not allowed directly to reach a person, so making the device limit the angle by itself will not allow UV rays to harm the doctor and the person sampled. Besides, Hepa filter technology combines with UV to completely disinfect the virus, bacteria remaining in the air after being sucked out of the chamber.
The resuscitator is operated according to the principle of squeezing/releasing the Ambu bag automatically to bring air into the patient’s lungs corresponding to the two phases of inhalation and exhalation. The resuscitator has two modes of operation: Volume control and Assist control, these two operating modes can automatically switch back and forth. The main equipment and materials of the machine include ambu bag, DC servo motor, controller, differential pressure sensor, artificial lungs, oxygen supply tank. The product is being completed after many corrections and consultations with the specialists of Cho Ray Hospital and Ho Chi Minh City Medicine and Pharmacy University.
Non-contact hand sanitizer sprayer uses ultrasonic technology, spraying hand sanitizer according to WHO standards to create liquid mist droplets, which can go through the space between fingers and automatically detect hands and spray the substance. The product applies ultrasonic nozzles up to 113kHz, the piezoelectric ceramic membranes tear apart the linkage between the solution particles into a size of 10nm and help them go through space between fingers to conduct disinfection. In addition, the anaerobic spray will prevent the alcohol amount in the substance from mixing with oxygen so it’s absolutely safe from fire.
The product from The Polymer Research Center
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Huynh Dai Phu – Dean of the Faculty of Materials Technology, during the current outbreak of COVID-19, one of the most urgent problems is the global shortage of medical equipment supplies. For COVID-19 patients, besides wearing a mask, when the disease gets worse, it is necessary to breathe with non-invasive equipment. However, these methods still carry risks when carrying out such treatment procedures that infected droplets and aerosol particles can be inhaled. Since then, the risk of infection for health workers when working for long hours in the environment without a negative pressure room. Regarding the medical team of doctors, the use of masks, protective clothing, protective masks, anti-droplet masks to prevent the risk of infection is extremely important.
The breathing airflow mask made by The Faculty of Material Technology’s research team and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Huynh Dai Phu – Dean of the Faculty of Materials Technology and postgraduate student Nguyen Thai Hoa have collaborated with Dr. Nguyen Thien Binh to research and design medical equipment to overcome this situation. The equipment contains 3 parts, designed so that the air inlet tube can be connected to the bacterial filter, the air before entering the mask will be filtered to ensure no cross-contamination. Enough airflow allows doctors to carry the masks for hours. Air exhaled through the one-way valve prevents fogging vision, facilitating operation. This design can also be used as a breathing mask for patients when changing the position of the exhalation valve. The equipment has removed some disadvantages of the normal nose-mouth masks during the pandemic peak.
“To protect the environment, the material used to make this device is the environmentally friendly biodegradable polymers,” said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Huynh Dai Phu. At the moment, the research team has provided some products for the Trung Vuong Hospital and continued to invent more equipment for future needs.
The product from the Department of Organic Chemistry
In response to the scarcity of hand sanitizer on the market, a group of officials and students of the Department of Organic Chemistry – Faculty of Chemical Engineering (HCMUT – Bach Khoa) quickly created disinfectant gel, disinfectant spray, hand sanitizer for the University’s officials and students. The products are equipped at the key positions of the University such as the gate of the buildings (staircase area), meeting rooms, reception rooms … In addition, in the shortage, the University has prepared these products to give to HCM City’s member universities and Northern provinces.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thi Hong Nhan, Head of Department of Organic Chemistry, said: “These are regular cleaning and disinfecting products that have cleaning and antimicrobial effects because these bacterias can cause inflammation. “In an acute respiratory disease caused by a new kind of Coronavirus, this is considered one of the preventive measures.” These are simple exercises from the lessons in the classroom, which are considered as a solution in response to the shortage of disease prevention and disinfection products. Students directly perform operations from preparing materials, planning, producing and finishing products. Lecturers are the ones who support the formula and check the product quality.
The product from lecturers of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
The automatic medical mask body making and single-point ultrasonic welding device was made by a group of lecturers of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. The productivity of an automatic body making machine can reach a maximum of 90 pieces/minute, while the productivity of single-point ultrasonic welding machines is only 15 pieces/minute. Therefore, to ensure the same productivity, a body shaping machine will come with six ultrasonic band welding machines. In this design, 3 to 5-layer medical masks can be created depending on the number of rolls of fabric inserted. One of these layers of fabric is the filter cloth, also known as an antibacterial fabric. The outstanding advantage of this design is that it uses only one ultrasound system, compared to previous designs using two 20kHz frequency ultrasound systems. Products of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Loc, Dean and Doctor Nguyen Thanh Hai, Head of Department of Mechanical Equipment and Material Technology.
In addition to the mentioned products, the lecturers and students of the University also have diverse other practical products to support the prevention of the Covid-19 epidemic such as anti-droplet mask shield (dust-proof, helping avoid and prevent droplets from sneezing, coughing; increasing protective properties), mask straps that reduce pressure on the ears which use 3D printing technology made by the 3D printing research team (MA. Huynh Huu Nghi, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering).
Along with many other science and technology products, the Covid-19 prevention supportive products are researched and manufactured promptly to show a part of the school’s science and technology potential. The University has and will spend a lot of resources for scientific research activities, supporting start-up creativity activities for officers, lecturers and students. This also proves that the training programs of HCMUT – Bach Khoa have completely met practical needs, social requirements, confirmed the quality of training, enhanced international integration eligibility, contributed to the culture quality development of the system of VNU-HCM in particular and across the country in general.
