Air purification tower being tested in northwest China

A 60-meter-tall air purification tower has been built in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, to research solutions for the city's chronic smog problem.

A 60-meter-tall air purification tower in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. [File Photo: cnwest.com]

The purification capability of the tower, with a diameter of 10 meters, is being tested by researchers from Institute of Earth Environment at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

A glasshouse measuring 60 meters long and 43 meters wide sits around the base of the tower. The polluted air in the glasshouse is heated by solar energy. The hot air rises inside the tower and passing through layers of cleaning filters.

Xi'an has long been troubled by heavy air pollution in winter. The purification tower project aims to artificially remove pollutants such as PM 2.5 from the atmosphere.

Cao Junji, a researcher with the institute, said that the research team plans to release detailed data in March to assess the facility's overall performance in a thorough and scientific manner.

If it is successful in Xi'an, the project will be expanded to more Chinese cities.