Fluid utilized in apparatus for purifying air

• US 6,607,586 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2001
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Willey, Alan David, Yazici, Mehmet Suha, Verhoff, Marta Lea, Gartstein, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiesa, Richard L.
• Application Number:
  US10/036,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20030079608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 96/27, 96/52, 96/53, 502/172, 95/71, 95/72
• US Class Current: 96/27
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 2201/06 Ionising electrode being a needle
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 2201/32 Checking the quality of the result or the well-functioning of the device
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/0175 Amassing particles by electric fields, e.g. agglomeration
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/12 characterised by separation of ionising and collecting stations
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/155 Filtration
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/16 wet type
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/368 by other than static mechanical means, e.g. internal ventilator or recycler
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/41 Ionising-electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/47 flat, e.g. plates, discs, gratings
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/49 tubular

Abstract

An apparatus for removing particles from air, including an inlet for receiving a flow of air, a first chamber in flow communication with the inlet, wherein a charged spray of semi-conducting fluid droplets having a first polarity is introduced to the air flow so that the particles are electrostatically attracted to and retained by the spray droplets, and an outlet in flow communication with the first chamber, wherein the air flow exits the apparatus substantially free of the particles. The first chamber of the apparatus further includes a collecting surface for attracting the spray droplets, a power supply, and a spray nozzle connected to the power supply for receiving fluid and producing the spray droplets therefrom. The apparatus may also include a second chamber in flow communication with the inlet at a first end and the first chamber at a second end, wherein particles entrained in the air flow are charged with a second polarity opposite the first polarity prior to the air flow entering the first chamber. The second chamber of the apparatus further includes a power supply, at least one charge transfer element connected to the power supply for creating an electric field in the second chamber, and a ground element associated with the second chamber for defining and directing the electric field, wherein the air flow pases between the charge transfer element and the ground element.

Claims

1. A fluid for use as a spray in an air purifying apparatus, wherein particles in an air flow entering said air purifying apparatus are electrostatically attracted to droplets of said spray, said fluid being non-aqueous, said fluid having physical properties which enable a sprayability factor according to a designated algorithm within a specified range, wherein the sprayability factor is calculated according to the following equations:

2. The fluid of claim 1, wherein said sprayability factor specified range is approximately 2.4-7.0.

3. The fluid of claim 1, wherein said sprayability factor specified range is approximately 3.1-5.6.

4. The fluid of claim 1, wherein said sprayability factor specified range is approximately 4.0-4.9.

5. The fluid of claim 1, wherein said sprayability factor is a function of certain physical properties of said fluid which relate to spray droplet size able to be formed.

6. The fluid of claim 1, wherein said sprayability factor is a function of flow rate for said fluid.

7. The fluid of claim 5, wherein said sprayability factor is a function of density for said fluid.

8. The fluid of claim 5, wherein said sprayability factor is a function of resistivity of said fluid.

9. The fluid of claim 5, wherein said sprayability factor is a function of surface tension of said fluid.

10. The fluid of claim 1, wherein said sprayability factor is a function of certain physical properties of said fluid which relate to coverage and effectiveness of said spray.

11. The fluid of claim 10, wherein said sprayability factor is a function of viscosity of said fluid.

12. The fluid of claim 10, wherein said sprayability factor is a function of a relative dielectric constant for said fluid.

13. The fluid of claim 1, wherein said fluid is nonaqueous.

14. The fluid of claim 1, wherein said fluid is inert, non-volatile and non-toxic.

15. The fluid of claim 1, said fluid being in a class consisting of oils, silicones, mineral oil, cooking oils, polyols, polyethers, glycols, hydrocarbons, isoparafines, polyolefins, aromatic esters, aliphatic esters, fluorosurfactants and mixtures thereof.

16. The fluid of claim 1, said fluid being in a class consisting of glycols, silicones, ethers, hydrocarbons and their substituted or unsubstituted oligomers with molecular weight less than 4000 and mixtures thereof.

17. The fluid of claim 1, said fluid comprising:

(a) tetraethylene glycol, and (b) at least one of;

(i) propylene glycol,

(ii) dipropylene glycol,

(iii) triethylene glycol, and

(iv) 1,3 butylene glycol.

18. The fluid of claim 17, wherein said fluid, in percentage of weight, comprises:

20%-50% tetraethylene glycol;

0%-50% propylene glycol;

0%-50% dipropylene glycol;

0%-80% triethylene glycol; and

0%-20% 1,3 butylene glycol.

19. The fluid of claim 1, said fluid comprising:

(a) dipropylene glycol, and (b) at least one of;

(i) propylene glycol, and

(ii) transcutol CG.

20. The fluid of claim 19, wherein said fluid, in percentage of weight, comprises:

25%-90% dipropylene glycol;

0%-50% propylene glycol; and

0%-10% transcutol CG.