Apparatus for treating indoor air

• US 5,221,520 A
• Filed: 10/23/1992
• Issued: 06/22/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: North Carolina Center For Scientific Research Incorporated
• Original Assignee: North Carolina Center For Scientific Research Incorporated
• Inventors: Cornwell, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCKANE, ELIZABETH L
• Application Number:
  US07/965,212
• Time in Patent Office: 242 Days
• Field of Search: 422/122, 422/4, 422/120, 422/111, 55/DIG. 30, 55/387
• US Class Current: 422/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/01 Deodorant compositions compositions released by contact with a liquid A61L9/05
• 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: B01D 53/74 General processes for purification of waste gases; Apparatus or devices specially adapted therefor B01D53/92 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/75 Multi-step processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/85 with gas-solid contact
• 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: Y10S 55/30 Exhaust treatment

Abstract

Apparatus for purifying indoor air comprises a blower for circulating air through a duct and removing particles and neutralizing a number of harmful gases through a process of molecular catalytic cracking of heavy hydrocarbons at ambient temperatures. Preferably, the apparatus includes a series of treatment elements including an ozone generator for producing a oxidator gas, a bio-mass collector, a filter coated with zeolite and surface modified hopcalite for removal of CO and NO_x compounds, a filter coated with calcium carbonate for removing carbon dioxide and hydrohalic compounds, a filter coated with zeolite for solvents such as MEK and adsorbing water, and one or more filters for removing particulates in the air stream. The filters thus remove particulates and neutralize a number of harmful gases that may be present in indoor air.

Claims

1. A method of molecular catalytic cracking of heavy hydrocarbons at ambient temperatures, comprising the steps of introducing ozone into an air stream for reacting with ammonia and formaldehyde;

and directing the airstream and ozone through a catalyst compound composed of at least two mechanically mixed Periodic table elements of the type forming active catalyst sites at the boundaries of such Periodic table elements, in which the catalyst compound has been surface modified by irradiation at an energy level sufficient to cause molecular dispersion of at least one of the Periodic table elements and increase the number of active sites.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said catalyst compound is surface coated on a filter material.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said catalyst compound comprises hopcalite.