Spot ventilators and method for spot ventilating bathrooms, kitchens and closets

• US 20060112828A1
• Filed: 11/29/2005
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ranco Incorporated of Delaware (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Ranco Incorporated of Delaware (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Ehlers, Gregory Allen
• Granted Patent: US 7,226,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 96/63
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/32 by electrical effects other than those provided for in group B01D61/00
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 2201/14 the gas being moved electro-kinetically
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/011 Prefiltering; Flow controlling
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/017 Combinations of electrostatic separation with other processes, not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A spot ventilator and method for spot ventilating a localized environment of a building is provided. The spot ventilator comprises a passage and at least one corona discharge apparatus. The passage extending between an inlet positioned in the localized environment and an outlet. The at least one corona discharge apparatus positioned in relation to the passage such that a fluid from the localized environment is drawn into the passage through the inlet and is expelled through the outlet. The method of ventilating a localized environment of a building includes the steps of sensing a first change in the localized environment, energizing a corona discharge apparatus to produce an electric wind, drawing air from the localized environment into a passage via the electric wind and expelling the air from the passage through the outlet.

Claims

1. A spot ventilator for maintaining air quality of a localized environment within a building, the building having an interior and an exterior, the spot ventilator comprising:

a passage extending between an inlet positioned in the localized environment and an outlet; and

at least one corona discharge apparatus positioned in relation to the passage such that a fluid from the localized environment is drawn into the passage through the inlet and is expelled through the outlet.

2. The spot ventilator of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one sensor for sensing changes in the localized environment; and

a processor operatively coupled to the at least one sensor for selectively activating the at least one corona discharge apparatus in response to sensed changes in the environment.

3. The spot ventilator of claim 2, wherein the at least one sensor and processor are coupled in a unitary module.

4. The spot ventilator of claim 1, further comprising an ozone depletion apparatus positioned in relation to the passage for removing ozone from the fluid drawn therethrough.

5. The spot ventilator of claim 1, further comprising at least one filter positioned relative to the passage to remove contaminants from the fluid passing through the passage.

6. The spot ventilator of claim 1, wherein the passage fluidly communicates the localized environment in the interior of the building with the exterior of the building.

7. The spot ventilator of claim 1, wherein the outlet is positioned in the localized environment such that fluid drawn from the localized environment through the inlet is expelled back into the localized environment.

8. The spot ventilator of claim 2, wherein the processor selectively activates the corona discharge apparatus in the localized environment in response to the at least one sensor sensing a change in occupancy of the localized environment.

9. The spot ventilator of claim 8, wherein the processor further selectively deactivates the at least one corona discharge apparatus after a predetermined period after a further sensed change in the occupancy of the localized environment.

10. The spot ventilator of claim 1, wherein the at least one corona discharge apparatus comprises at least one positively charged emitter array in spaced relation to at least one negatively charged collector array.

11. The spot ventilator of claim 10, wherein at least one of the emitter array and collector array is adapted to filter the fluid passed through the passage.

12. The spot ventilator of claim 1, wherein the corona discharge apparatus is removably positioned in to passage to allow removal and cleaning thereof.

13. The spot ventilator of claim 10, wherein the at least one collector array comprises a first collector array positioned vertically below a second collector array, the first and second collector arrays being horizontally spaced from the at least one emitter array, and wherein the passage includes a first passage portion and a second passage portion downstream from the emitter array and wherein the first passage portion is positioned vertically below the second passage portion, and wherein the first collector array is positioned in-line with the first passage portion and the second collector array is positioned in-line with the second passage portion, and wherein a first portion of fluid passing through the emitter array passes only through the first collector array and the first passage portion, and wherein a second portion of fluid passing through the emitter array passes only through the second collector array and the second passage portion.

14. The spot ventilator of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of selectively oriented dampers for selectively directing the first portion of fluid to one of the environment and the exterior of the building and selectively directing the second portion of fluid to one of the environment and the exterior of the building.

15. The spot ventilator of claim 2, wherein the processor selectively varies the potential difference across the at least one corona discharge apparatus to selectively vary the flow of fluid drawn through the passage.

16. The spot ventilator of claim 11, wherein the processor reverses a polarity of the potential difference across the at least one corona discharge apparatus to clean the at least one corona discharge apparatus.

17. A spot ventilator for maintaining air quality of a localized environment within a building having an exterior and an interior, the spot ventilator comprising:

a passage extending between an inlet installed in the localized environment and an outlet;

at least one corona discharge apparatus including an emitter array positioned in the passage and a collector array positioned in the passage in spaced relation to the emitter array, the emitter array and the collector array cooperatively producing an electric wind in the passage when operated such that air is drawn from the localized environment into the passage through the inlet, and expelled through the outlet;

at least one sensor for sensing changes in the environment; and

a controller operatively coupled to the at least one sensor and the at least one corona discharge apparatus for selectively controlling the corona discharge apparatus in response to sensed changes in environment.

18. The spot ventilator of claim 17, wherein the controller selectively operates the at least one corona discharge apparatus based on a preprogrammed schedule.

19. A method of ventilating a localized interior environment of a building, comprising the steps of:

sensing a first change in the localized environment;

energizing a corona discharge apparatus to produce an electric wind;

drawing air from the localized environment into a passage via the electric wind; and

expelling the air from the passage through the outlet.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of expelling the air comprises the step of expelling the air back into the local environment.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of expelling the air comprises the step of expelling the air to the exterior of the building.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of filtering the air.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of cleaning the corona discharge apparatus.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of cleaning the corona discharge apparatus comprises the steps of de-energizing a first array, reversing a polarity of energization on a second array, and energizing a third array.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

sensing a second change in the localized environment; and

de-energizing the corona discharge apparatus.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of dehumidifying the air.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of dehumidifying the air comprises the step of configuring the corona discharge apparatus to separate the air drawn from the local environment into a first portion of lower humidity air and a second portion of higher humidity air.