IEC 63086-1:2020

Overview

IEC 63086-1:2020 is an international standard developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that defines methods for measuring the performance of household and similar electrical air cleaning appliances. This first part of the series establishes the general requirements for testing electrically powered air cleaners designed for single-phase AC circuits up to 250 V and DC circuits up to 48 V. It also covers battery-operated and dual-supply devices (when in battery mode).

This standard replaces the previous IEC PAS 62587 (2008) and focuses specifically on the air cleaning function of appliances, including combination products such as air conditioners, humidifiers, and heaters with built-in air cleaning functionality.

IEC 63086-1 excludes appliances for industrial use, medical treatment locations like surgical suites and laboratories, and household range hoods or cooking fume extractors (covered under IEC 61591).

Key Topics

• Scope and Applicability
  Defines the voltage limits and device types covered, including specifications for AC, DC, battery-operated, and combination devices limited to their air cleaning function.

• Test Environment and Conditions
  Specifies the conditions under which devices are tested, including test chamber size (typically 30 m³), air exchange rate, and environmental parameters like temperature and humidity.

• Instrumentation and Equipment
  Details the required instrumentation such as thermometers, hygrometers, timers, power supplies, and detectors (including CO detectors) necessary for accurate performance measurement.

• Device Placement
  Guidelines on placement of different device types during testing, including floor, table, wall-mounted, robotic, and direct plug-in air cleaners to ensure standardized measurement conditions.

• Performance Metrics
  Defines measurement procedures for air exchange rate, noise levels, and energy efficiency, including power consumption during maximum performance operation and standby.

• Standardized Calculations
  Introduces calculation methods for pollutant concentration decay, clean air delivery rate (CADR), and decay constants to quantify air cleaning performance with precision.

• Test Chamber Design
  Provides schematics and structural requirements for the test chamber and test stands, ensuring consistency and repeatability of test results globally.

Applications

IEC 63086-1 is essential for:

• Manufacturers of household and similar electrical air cleaning appliances aiming to validate and certify product performance according to internationally recognized methods.
• Certification Bodies providing conformity assessment based on standardized testing parameters to ensure consumer safety and product efficacy.
• Regulatory Authorities that require benchmarking of appliance performance for market approval or environmental compliance.
• Consumers and Industry Stakeholders looking for reliable and standardized data on appliance performance related to pollutant reduction, noise levels, and energy consumption.
• Testing combination air cleaning functions in devices like HVAC units, humidifiers, and heaters under controlled conditions without interference from non-air cleaning features.

Related Standards

• IEC 61591 – Covers household range hoods and cooking fume extractors, excluded from IEC 63086-1 scope.
• Other IEC 63086 Series Parts – Subsequent parts address specific technologies, pollutant types, or advanced methodologies for air cleaning performance measurement.
• ISO/IEC Directives Part 2 – Provides framework for preparation of IEC standards, ensuring consistency in development processes.
• International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Supports consistent terminology across IEC standards.

Keywords: IEC 63086-1, electrical air cleaning appliances, household air cleaners, performance measurement methods, clean air delivery rate, noise measurement, energy efficiency, test chamber, battery-operated air cleaners, IEC standards, pollutant reduction testing.