Method and device for improving indoor air quality using window

• US 20060002836A1
• Filed: 07/05/2005
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Autowin Corporation
• Original Assignee: Autowin Corporation
• Inventors: Kim, Hak Guym
• Application Number:
  US11/175,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20060002836A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 423/210
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/015 using gaseous or vaporous substances, e.g. ozone A61L9/20 takes precedence ; evaporation in general B01B1/005
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/22 Ionisation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/32 by electrical effects other than those provided for in group B01D61/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/74 for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/50 Air quality properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/192 by electrical means, e.g. by applying electrostatic fields or high voltages
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/40 by ozonisation for sterilisation F24F8/26
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method and a device for improving indoor air quality (IAQ) using a window. The indoor air quality is automatically controlled so that a contaminant content of air is maintained at or below an allowable limit, and the evaluated indoor air quality is numerically displayed. The method, compatible with various types of windows, comprises generating hydroxyl radicals (—OH) in an indoor space to decompose contaminants and thus remove the contaminants, measuring contents of the indoor contaminants and numerically displaying the measured contents, forcibly exhausting contaminated indoor air when the content of contaminants is at or above an allowable limit, and stopping exhaustion of air when the content is at or below the allowable limit, so that the indoor air quality is maintained at a suitable state and improved.

Claims

1. A method of improving indoor air quality using various types of windows, comprising:

generating hydroxyl radicals (—

OH) in an indoor space to decompose contaminants and thus remove the contaminants;

measuring contents of the indoor contaminants and numerically displaying the measured contents; and

forcibly exhausting contaminated indoor air when the content of contaminants is at or above an allowable limit, and stopping exhaustion of air when the content is at or below the allowable limit, so that the indoor air quality is maintained at a suitable state and improved.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the generation of the hydroxyl radicals (—

OH) is repeatedly and automatically controlled to be turned on and off by a timer, depending on a volume of the indoor space regardless of the degree of contamination of the indoor air.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the measurement of contents of the indoor contaminants is achieved by measuring a content of carbon dioxide (CO₂), among the contaminants of indoor air.

4. A device for improving indoor air quality using various types of windows, comprising:

an exhaust path provided at a window frame to exhaust air;

a front case, which is provided in front of the exhaust path in a room and through which an inlet is formed;

a rear case, which is provided at the rear of the exhaust path outside the room and through which an outlet is formed;

an exhaust unit, which is provided in the rear case to forcibly exhaust the contaminated indoor air through the exhaust path or to stop exhaustion of the air;

a contaminant content measurement indicator for continuously measuring a content of contaminants in the indoor air using a sensor and for numerically displaying measured values therethrough;

a control unit for controlling the exhaust unit so as to forcibly exhaust the contaminated indoor air or stop exhaustion of the air, respectively, when the degree of contamination of the indoor air is evaluated to be at or above the allowable limit or at or below the allowable limit using the contaminant content measurement indicator; and

a hydroxyl radical generator which readily generates hydroxyl radicals (—

OH) independently of the degree of contamination of the indoor air to decompose the indoor contaminants and thus remove the contaminants.

5. The device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the exhaust unit comprises an exhaust fan provided with a motor, and an exhaust path controlling member for opening or closing the exhaust path.

6. The device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the exhaust path controlling member comprises:

a fixed plate through which a plurality of first exhaust slits is formed at regular intervals and which is fixed to a window frame outdoors so as to correspond to the exhaust path; and

a controlling plate which is movably connected to the fixed plate by a solenoid fixed to the fixed plate, so that a plurality of second exhaust slits is formed at regular intervals to simultaneously open or close the first exhaust slits of the fixed plate and thus exhaust contaminated indoor air through the exhaust path or stop exhaustion of air.

7. The device as set forth in claim 6, wherein the motor of the exhaust fan and the solenoid of the exhaust path controlling member are simultaneously or sequentially controlled by the control unit.

8. The device as set forth in claim 6, wherein guide grooves for receiving and guiding bent portions of the controlling plate are further formed on the fixed plate, and openings are further formed through the controlling plate so that the controlling plate is stably moved while the controlling plate is connected to the fixed plate using screws threaded therethrough.

9. The device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the sensor for measuring the content of the contaminants is a sensor for measuring carbon dioxide content of the indoor air.

10. The device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the generation of the hydroxyl radicals (—

OH) by the hydroxyl radical generator is turned on or off depending on a volume of the indoor space.

11. The device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the hydroxyl radical generator is automatically controlled using a timer.