INLINE AIR HANDLER SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED METHOD OF USE

• US 20060131511A1
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invensys Systems Incorporated (Invensys PLC)
• Original Assignee: Ranco Incorporated of Delaware (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Ehlers, Gregory Allen Sr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,151,264 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/373
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/804 UV light
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/007 by irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/325 Irradiation devices or lamp constructions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3222 Units using UV-light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3224 Units using UV-light guiding optical fibers

Abstract

An inline air handler system and associated method of use is disclosed. This includes a member, at least one sensor operatively attached to the member, at least one ultraviolet light operatively attached to the member, at least one electronic input device, at least one electronic output device, a control unit, which includes a processor, that is electronically in communication with the at least one sensor, the at least one ultraviolet light, the at least one electronic input device and the at least one electronic output device, a water purification mechanism that includes an ultraviolet radiation chamber to allow water to flow between the inlet and the outlet through the ultraviolet radiation chamber and the ultraviolet radiation chamber can be positioned adjacent to at least one ultraviolet light. The air filtration unit and the member are positioned in a chamber located within a heating, ventilation, evaporative cooling and/or air conditioning system.

Claims

1. An inline air handler system comprising:

a member;

at least one sensor operatively attached to the member;

at least one ultraviolet light operatively attached to the member;

at least one electronic input device;

at least one electronic output device;

a control unit, which includes a processor, that is electronically in communication with the at least one sensor, the at least one ultraviolet light, the at least one electronic input device and the at least one electronic output device; and

an air filtration unit positioned adjacent to the at least one sensor and the at least one ultraviolet light, wherein the air filtration unit and the member are positioned in a chamber located within an air system selected from the group consisting of a heating system, a ventilation system, an evaporative cooling system and an air conditioning system, and combinations thereof.

2. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the air system includes a return air plenum and a supply air plenum with the chamber located between the return air plenum and the supply air plenum.

3. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the air system includes a return air plenum, a driven air chamber, a heating chamber, a cooling chamber and a supply air plenum with the chamber located between the return air plenum and the driven air chamber.

4. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the driven air chamber includes an air propulsion mechanism, the heating chamber includes a gas-fired heating unit, and the cooling chamber includes an evaporator coil.

5. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 3, further includes an auxiliary heating chamber with resistive heating elements, which is located between the evaporator coil and the supply air plenum.

6. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one humidity sensor.

7. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one biological sensor.

8. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the at least one biological sensor is selected from the group consisting of a bio-toxin sensor, a bacteria sensor, a spore sensor and a virus sensor.

9. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one air sensor.

10. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the at least one air sensor is selected from the group consisting of a flammable vapor sensor, a carbon monoxide sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, a NOx sensor, a radon sensor and a smoke detector.

11. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one air flow sensor.

12. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the at least one air flow sensor is from the group consisting of a static pressure sensor, a vacuum sensor and a volumetric flow sensor.

13. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one temperature sensor.

14. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the air filtration unit is selected from the group consisting of paper, fibrous, foam, electronic, passive electrostatic, active electrostatic and ionic types of filters.

15. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one ultraviolet light includes a plurality of light emitting diodes.

16. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are mounted on a flexible electrical circuit board.

17. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a water purification mechanism that includes an inlet, an ultraviolet radiation chamber, and an outlet, wherein the inlet is connected in fluid relationship to the ultraviolet radiation chamber and the outlet is connected in fluid relationship to the ultraviolet radiation chamber to allow water to flow between the inlet and the outlet through the ultraviolet radiation chamber, wherein the ultraviolet radiation chamber is positioned adjacent to the at least one ultraviolet light.

18. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 17, wherein the at least one ultraviolet light includes a plurality of light emitting diodes.

19. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 18, wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are mounted on a flexible electrical circuit board.

20. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 18, wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are integral to the ultraviolet radiation chamber.

21. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 19, wherein the flexible electrical circuit board at least partially surrounds the ultraviolet radiation chamber.

22. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 19, wherein the flexible electrical circuit board is located within the ultraviolet radiation chamber.

23. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 17, wherein the ultraviolet radiation chamber is a transparent tube with the at least one ultraviolet light positioned on the outside of the transparent tube.

24. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 17, wherein the ultraviolet radiation chamber is a transparent jacket that allows fluid flow on the outside of the at least one ultraviolet light that is positioned within the transparent jacket.

25. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 17, further comprising a first manifold connected between the inlet and the ultraviolet radiation chamber and a second manifold connected between the ultraviolet radiation chamber and the outlet.

26. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 17, further comprising an upper reflective shield positioned above the at least one ultraviolet light and a lower reflective shield positioned below the at least one ultraviolet light.

27. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic output device includes an electronic display.

28. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic output device is in electronic communication with the control unit in a group consisting of wired communication, wireless communication, power line carrier and any combination thereof.

29. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic output device includes an audible alarm.

30. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic input device is in electronic communication with the control unit in a group consisting of wired communication, wireless communication, power line carrier and any combination thereof.

31. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic input device is selected from the group consisting of an electronic thermostat, at least one pushbutton, voice recognition, a television set interface, a security alarm display, a global computer network enabled appliance, telephone, personal digital assistant, home control interface and a Wireless Application Protocol enabled device.

32. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the control unit is in electronic communication with an electronic display and input device through a network.

33. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the control unit is in electronic communication with an electronic display and input device through wireless communication.

34. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 32, wherein the control unit is in electronic communication with an electronic display and input device through wireless communication to the network.

35. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 32, wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of a local area network or a wide area network wherein a network communication architecture is selected from the group consisting of point-to-point, star, mesh or star-mesh with protocols selected from the group consisting of proprietary, Internet, contention, polled or derivatives thereof.

36. An inline air handler system comprising:

a member;

at least one sensor;

at least one ultraviolet light operatively attached to the member;

at least one electronic input device;

at least one electronic output device;

a control unit, which includes a processor, that is electronically in communication with the at least one sensor, the at least one ultraviolet light, the at least one electronic input device and the at least one electronic output device; and

an air filtration unit, wherein the air filtration unit and the member are positioned in a chamber located within an air system selected from the group consisting of a heating system, a ventilation system, an evaporative cooling system and an air conditioning system and combinations thereof and the air filtration unit is positioned within the member and the at least one sensor is positioned within the air filtration unit.

37. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 36, wherein the at least one sensor utilizes nanotechnology.

38. An inline air handler system comprising:

a member;

at least one sensor operatively attached to the member;

at least one ultraviolet light operatively attached to the member;

at least one electronic input device;

at least one electronic output device;

a control unit, which includes a processor, that is electronically in communication with the at least one sensor, the at least one ultraviolet light, the at least one electronic input device and the at least one electronic output device;

a water purification mechanism that includes an inlet, an ultraviolet radiation chamber, and an outlet, wherein the inlet is connected in fluid relationship to the ultraviolet radiation chamber and the outlet is connected in fluid relationship to the ultraviolet radiation chamber to allow water to flow between the inlet and the outlet through the ultraviolet radiation chamber, wherein the ultraviolet radiation chamber is positioned adjacent to the at least one ultraviolet light; and

an air filtration unit positioned adjacent to the at least one sensor and the at least one ultraviolet light, wherein the air filtration unit and the member are positioned in a chamber located within an air system selected from the group consisting of a heating system, a ventilation system, an evaporative cooling system and an air conditioning system, and combinations thereof.

39. The inline air handler system as set forth in claim 38, wherein the at least one sensor is selected from the group consisting of a humidity sensor, a bio-toxin sensor, a bacteria sensor, a spore sensor, a virus sensor, a flammable vapor sensor, a carbon monoxide sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, a NOx sensor, a radon sensor, a smoke detector, a static pressure sensor, a vacuum sensor, an air volumetric sensor and a temperature sensor.

40. A method for utilizing an inline air handler system comprising:

utilizing at least one sensor operatively attached to a member;

utilizing at least one ultraviolet light operatively attached to the member;

providing input through at least one electronic input device;

filtering air through an air filtration unit positioned adjacent to the at least one sensor and the at least one ultraviolet light, wherein the air filtration unit and the member are positioned in a chamber located within an air system selected from the group consisting of a heating system, a ventilation system an evaporative cooling system and an air conditioning system, and combinations thereof; and

receiving output with at least one electronic output device, wherein a control unit, which includes a processor, is electronically in communication with the at least one sensor, the at least one ultraviolet light, the at least one electronic input device and the at least one electronic output device.

41. The method for utilizing an inline air handler system as set forth in claim 40, wherein utilizing the at least one sensor operatively attached to a member includes utilizing at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a humidity sensor, a bio-toxin sensor, a bacteria sensor, a spore sensor, a virus sensor, a flammable vapor sensor, a carbon monoxide sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, a NOx sensor, a radon sensor, a smoke detector, a static pressure sensor, a vacuum sensor, an air volumetric sensor and a temperature sensor.

42. The method for utilizing an inline air handler system as set forth in claim 40, wherein the filtering air through an air filtration unit includes utilizing an air filtration unit selected from the group consisting of paper, fibrous, foam, electronic, passive electrostatic, active electrostatic and ionic types of filters.

43. The method for utilizing an inline air handler system as set forth in claim 40, further comprising filtering water through a water purification mechanism that includes an inlet, an ultraviolet radiation chamber, and an outlet, wherein the inlet is connected in fluid relationship to the ultraviolet radiation chamber and the outlet is connected in fluid relationship to the ultraviolet radiation chamber thereby allowing water to flow between the inlet and the outlet through the ultraviolet radiation chamber, wherein the ultraviolet radiation chamber is positioned adjacent to the at least one ultraviolet light.

44. The method for utilizing an inline air handler system as set forth in claim 40, wherein the providing input through at least one electronic input device includes an input device selected from the group consisting of at least one pushbutton, voice recognition, an electronic thermostat, a television set interface, a security alarm display, a global computer network enabled appliance, telephone, personal digital assistant, home control interface and a Wireless Application Protocol enabled device.

45. The method for utilizing an inline air handler system as set forth in claim 40, wherein the receiving output with at least one electronic output device includes an electronic output device consisting of an audible alarm and an electronic display and wherein the control unit is in electronic communication with the electronic output device through a group consisting of wired communication, wireless communication, power line carrier, at least one wired network, at least one wireless network and any combination thereof.

46. The method for utilizing an inline air handler system as set forth in claim 45, wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of a local area network or a wide area network and a network communication architecture selected from the group consisting of point-to-point, star, mesh or star-mesh with protocols selected from the group consisting of proprietary, Internet, contention, polled or derivatives thereof.

48. The method for utilizing an inline air handler system as set forth in claim 40, wherein the at least one sensor utilizes nanotechnology.

47. A method for utilizing an inline air handler system comprising:

utilizing at least one sensor;

utilizing at least one ultraviolet light operatively attached to the member;

providing input through at least one electronic input device;

filtering air through an air filtration unit, wherein the air filtration unit and the member are positioned in a chamber located within an air system selected from the group consisting of a heating system, a ventilation system an evaporative cooling system and an air conditioning system, and

combinations thereof, wherein the air filtration unit is positioned within the member and the at least one sensor is positioned within the air filtration unit; and

receiving output with at least one electronic output device, wherein a control unit, which includes a processor, is electronically in communication with the at least one sensor, the at least one ultraviolet light, the at least one electronic input device and the at least one electronic output device.

49. A method for utilizing an inline air handler system comprising:

utilizing at least one sensor operatively attached to a member, wherein the at least one sensor is selected from the group consisting of a humidity sensor, a bio-toxin sensor, a bacteria sensor, a spore sensor, a virus sensor, a flammable vapor sensor, a carbon monoxide sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, a NOx sensor, a radon sensor, a smoke detector, a static pressure sensor, a vacuum sensor and a temperature sensor;

utilizing at least one ultraviolet light operatively attached to the member;

providing input through at least one electronic input device;

filtering air through an air filtration unit positioned adjacent to the at least one sensor and the at least one ultraviolet light, wherein the air filtration unit and the member are positioned in a chamber located within an air system selected from the group consisting of a heating system, a ventilation system, an evaporative cooling system and an air conditioning system, and

combinations thereof and the air filtration unit is selected from the group consisting of paper, fibrous, foam, electronic, passive electrostatic, active electrostatic and ionic types of filters;

receiving output from at least one electronic output device, wherein a control unit, which includes a processor, is electronically in communication with the at least one sensor, the at least one ultraviolet light, the at least one electronic input device and the at least one electronic output device; and

filtering water through a water purification mechanism that includes an inlet, an ultraviolet radiation chamber, and an outlet, wherein the inlet is connected in fluid relationship to the ultraviolet radiation chamber and the outlet is connected in fluid relationship to the ultraviolet radiation chamber thereby allowing water to flow between the inlet and the outlet through the ultraviolet radiation chamber, wherein the ultraviolet radiation chamber is positioned adjacent to the at least one ultraviolet light.