Two functions, one familiar fixture
The drying motor and drying airflow are independent from the treatment module. Hands are dried through the conventional outlet when a user activates the dryer; room air follows a different route through the enclosed chamber.
This distinction matters. It makes the operating principle easier for specifiers to understand and avoids implying that treated room air is being blown directly onto hands.
Room air enters through convection
The temperature difference generated inside the treatment chamber establishes convection. Room air is drawn into the lower intake and rises without a separate fan or extra motor dedicated to the treatment path.
Within the aluminium assembly, diffuser plates manage the route around the enclosed lamp and reflective surfaces. The chamber is designed to contain the UVC source while air passes through the treatment zone.
Treated air returns through the top
After travelling through the enclosed module, air exits via the upper vents and returns to the room. The cycle continues while the Sterillo unit is powered, independently of hand-dryer use.
Annual lamp replacement and routine product maintenance should be included in the facilities plan. Installation and maintenance must follow the current manufacturer documentation.
What the evidence does and does not say
A 2016 controlled evaluation tested the technology against airborne Staphylococcus epidermidis NCTC 11047 in a one-cubic-metre chamber. The reported average removal efficiency, after accounting for natural airborne reduction, was 99.96% at 120 minutes.
That result belongs to the stated laboratory conditions and organism. It is not a promise of equivalent performance in every occupied washroom, nor evidence about viruses, illness prevention or clinical outcomes.