Air quality device

• US 20070181000A1
• Filed: 02/03/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Rafalovich, Alexander, Wilson, Mark, Shah, Arti, Subbarao, Gautam, Bandaru, Sathi, Patil, Mahendra, Tsozik, Yefim, Hooker, John, Whitaker, Carl
• Application Number:
  US11/346,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20070181000A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 96/134
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/014 containing sorbent material, e.g. activated carbon
• 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 9/16 using physical phenomena
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/205 using a photocatalyst or photosensitiser
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/22 Ionisation
• 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 11/39 Monitoring filter performance
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/40 Pressure, e.g. wind pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/50 Air quality properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/16 by purification, e.g. by filtering; by sterilisation; by ozonisation
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/22 using UV light
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/26 using ozone
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/30 by ionisation
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/80 Self-contained air purifiers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

An air quality device includes a housing defining an airflow path, a humidity control module in flow communication with the airflow path, and an air contaminant removal module. The air contaminant removal module comprises at least one of a particle removal module arranged within the housing, an odor removal module arranged within the housing, and an anti-microbial module arranged within the housing.

Claims

1. An air quality device comprising:

a housing defining an airflow path;

a humidity control module in flow communication with the airflow path; and

an air contaminant removal module in flow communication with the airflow path comprising at least one of;

a particle removal module arranged within said housing;

an odor removal module arranged within said housing; and

an anti-microbial module arranged within said housing.

2. An air quality device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said air contaminant removal module comprises:

a particle removal module configured to remove particulates from the airflow channeled through said housing, said particle removal module comprising at least one of a media filter element, a charged media filter element, an electrostatic cell element, an impingement filter element, and a particle ionization element;

an odor removal module configured to remove odors from the airflow channeled through said housing, said odor removal module comprising at least one of an activated carbon media filter element, an activated alumina element, an ozone generating element, a hydroxyl radical generating element, an absorption filter element, a photo-catalyst element, and a chemical catalyst element; and

an anti-microbial module configured to remove at least one of bacteria, viruses and microbes from the airflow channeled through said housing, said anti-microbial module comprising at least one of an ultra-violet lamp element, an ozone element, and an ionization element.

3. An air quality device in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said air contaminant removal modules and said humidity control module are oriented in series within said housing, such that said humidity control module is positioned downstream of each of said air contaminant removal modules.

4. An air quality device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said airflow path is divided into a first airflow path and a second airflow path, said first airflow path directed to said air contaminant removal module, said second airflow path directed to said humidity control module.

5. An air quality device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said housing comprises an expanded area portion having an expanded cross-section, one of said humidity control module and said air contaminant removal module positioned within said expanded area portion, such that a resonance time for the airflow through said expanded area portion is increased.

6. An air quality device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said humidity control module comprises a humidifying media element, said humidifying media element coupled within said housing and having one of a vertical orientation, a horizontal orientation, and an inclined orientation.

7. An air quality device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said humidity control module comprises a water supply element, said water supply element comprising one of a water distribution tray and a water spray nozzle.

8. An air quality device in accordance with claim 7 wherein said water supply element is configured to supply water to said humidity control module, the supply of water is pulsed based upon a control algorithm based upon at least one of time, air temperature, media wetness, and air wetness.

9. An air quality device comprising:

a housing defining an airflow path;

a humidity control module in flow communication with the airflow path;

an air contaminant removal module in flow communication with the airflow path, wherein said air contaminant removal module comprises at least one of;

a particle removal module arranged within said housing;

an odor removal module arranged within said housing; and

an anti-microbial module arranged within said housing; and

a controller operatively coupled to each of said air containment removal modules and said humidity control module.

10. An air quality device in accordance with claim 9 further comprising at least one sensor configured to detect at least one of the operational status of said modules and the status of the airflow through said housing, wherein said sensor is configured to transmit a signal to said controller based on the status detected by said sensor.

11. An air quality device in accordance with claim 9 further comprising a plurality of pressure sensors arranged within said housing and coupled to said controller, said pressure sensors transmit a signal to said controller based on the pressure of the airflow through said housing.

12. An air quality device in accordance with claim 9 further comprising at least one humidity sensor arranged within said housing and coupled to said controller, each said humidity sensor transmits a signal to said controller based on the humidity of the airflow through said housing.

13. An air quality device in accordance with claim 9 wherein said air contaminant removal module comprises an anti-microbial module comprising an ultraviolet lamp element, said air quality device further comprising an ultraviolet light sensor arranged within said housing and coupled to said controller, said ultraviolet light sensor transmits a signal to said controller based on an amount of ultraviolet light sensed by said ultraviolet light sensor.

14. An air quality device in accordance with claim 9 further comprising at least one sensor configured to detect at least one of the operational status of said modules and the status of the airflow through said housing, wherein said sensor is positioned within said housing.

15. An air quality device in accordance with claim 9 further comprising at least one sensor configured to detect at least one of the operational status of said modules and the status of the airflow through said housing, wherein said sensor is positioned remote with respect to said housing.

16. An air quality device in accordance with claim 9 wherein said controller is configured to operate said humidity control module and each of said air contaminant removal modules independently with respect to one another.

17. An air quality device in accordance with claim 9 further comprising a display coupled to said controller, said display configured to at least one of display information relating to the operational status of said modules, display information relating to the status of the airflow through said housing, and receive control commands to transmit to said controller.

18. An air quality device comprising:

a housing defining an airflow path;

a humidity control module in flow communication with the airflow path;

an air contaminant removal module in flow communication with the airflow path, wherein said air contaminant removal module comprises at least one of;

a particle removal module arranged within said housing;

an odor removal module arranged within said housing; and

an anti-microbial module arranged within said housing;

an air moving device coupled in flow communication with the airflow path; and

a controller operatively coupled to each of said air containment removal modules, said humidity control module, and said air moving device.

19. An air quality device in accordance with claim 18 further comprising a sensor arranged within said housing and coupled to said controller, said sensor configured to transmit a signal to said controller based on one of an amount of airflow through said housing and a pressure of the airflow through said housing, said controller configured to operate said air moving device based on the signal from said sensor.

20. An air quality device in accordance with claim 18 wherein said air moving device is configured to increase one of a flow rate of airflow through said housing and a pressure of airflow exhausted from said housing.

21. An air quality device in accordance with claim 18 wherein said housing comprises an inlet and an outlet, said air moving device coupled to one of said inlet and said outlet.

22. A method of purifying air comprising:

providing a humidity control module;

providing an air containment removal module comprising at least one of a particle removal module, an odor removal module, and an anti-microbial module;

channeling airflow through the humidity control module; and

channeling airflow through air containment removal module.

23. A method of purifying air in accordance with claim 22 further comprising channeling airflow through air containment removal module prior to channeling the airflow through the humidity control module.

24. A method of purifying air in accordance with claim 22 further comprising:

providing a controller; and

operating at least one of the humidity control module and the air containment removal module based on at least one of the operational status of the humidity control module and the air containment removal module and the status of the airflow through the humidity control module and the air containment removal module.

25. A method of purifying air in accordance with claim 24 further comprising:

coupling a sensor to the controller; and

detecting at least one of the operational status of the humidity control module and the air containment removal module and the status of the airflow through the humidity control module and the air containment removal module.

26. A method of purifying air in accordance with claim 22 further comprising:

providing an air moving device; and

operating the air moving device to channel airflow through the humidity control module and the air containment removal module.

27. A method of purifying air in accordance with claim 26 further comprising:

providing a sensor configured to detect at least one of the operational status of the humidity control module and the air containment removal module and the status of the airflow through the humidity control module and the air containment removal module;

coupling the sensor to a controller;

coupling the air moving device to the controller; and

operating the air moving device based on an input to the controller from the sensor.