Dynamic electrostatic filter apparatus for purifying air using electrically charged liquid droplets
First Claim
1. An air cleaning apparatus, comprising:
- a chamber into which a flow of input air is directed, said input air containing a plurality of particles, said input air becoming a flow of output air after being cleaned within said chamber;
at least one nozzle through which a liquid is sprayed into said chamber, said liquid being electrically charged, said liquid becoming separated into a plurality of droplets upon exiting said at least one nozzle; and
said chamber being configured to cause said flow of input air and said charged liquid droplets to intermix at an intermix space, wherein said plurality of particles are attracted to said charged liquid droplets, thereby removing a portion of said plurality of particles from said input air, which thus becomes said flow of output air;
wherein, when said flow of input air passes through said intermix space of said chamber at an air velocity of substantially 2.54 meters per second (500 fpm), said plurality of particles at substantially 0.3 microns in size is cleaned from said input air at a cleaning efficiency of greater than 70%, at a backpressure of less than 0.2 inches of water column, and without substantial change to a temperature and humidity of said input air.
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Accused Products
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 semiconducting 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.
83 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An air cleaning apparatus, comprising:
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a chamber into which a flow of input air is directed, said input air containing a plurality of particles, said input air becoming a flow of output air after being cleaned within said chamber;
at least one nozzle through which a liquid is sprayed into said chamber, said liquid being electrically charged, said liquid becoming separated into a plurality of droplets upon exiting said at least one nozzle; and
said chamber being configured to cause said flow of input air and said charged liquid droplets to intermix at an intermix space, wherein said plurality of particles are attracted to said charged liquid droplets, thereby removing a portion of said plurality of particles from said input air, which thus becomes said flow of output air;
wherein, when said flow of input air passes through said intermix space of said chamber at an air velocity of substantially 2.54 meters per second (500 fpm), said plurality of particles at substantially 0.3 microns in size is cleaned from said input air at a cleaning efficiency of greater than 70%, at a backpressure of less than 0.2 inches of water column, and without substantial change to a temperature and humidity of said input air. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An air cleaning apparatus, comprising:
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a chamber into which a flow of input air is directed, said input air containing a plurality of particles, said input air becoming a flow of output air after being cleaned within said chamber;
at least one nozzle through which a liquid is sprayed into said chamber, said liquid being electrically charged, said liquid becoming separated into a plurality of droplets upon exiting said at least one nozzle; and
said chamber being configured to cause said flow of input air and said charged liquid droplets to intermix at an intermix space, wherein said plurality of particles are attracted to said charged liquid droplets, thereby removing a portion of said plurality of particles from said input air, which thus becomes said flow of output air;
wherein, when said flow of input air passes through said intermix space of said chamber at an air velocity of substantially 2.54 meters per second (500 fpm), said plurality of particles according to the ASHRAE dust spot test is cleaned from said input air at a cleaning efficiency of greater than 85%, at a backpressure of less than 0.1 inches of water column, and without substantial change to a temperature and humidity of said input air. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. An air cleaning apparatus, comprising:
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a chamber into which a flow of input air is directed, said input air containing a plurality of particles, said input air becoming a flow of output air after being cleaned within said chamber;
at least one nozzle through which a liquid is sprayed into said chamber, said liquid being electrically charged, said liquid becoming separated into a plurality of droplets upon exiting said at least one nozzle; and
said chamber being configured to cause said flow of input air and said charged liquid droplets to intermix at an intermix space, wherein said plurality of particles are attracted to said charged liquid droplets, thereby removing a portion of said plurality of particles from said input air, which thus becomes said flow of output air;
wherein, when said flow of input air passes through said intermix space of said chamber at an air velocity of substantially 0.4572 meters per second (90 fpm), said plurality of particles at substantially 0.3 microns in size is cleaned from said input air at a cleaning efficiency of substantially 99.97%, at a backpressure of less than 0.8 inches of water column, and without substantial change to a temperature and humidity of said input air. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An air cleaning apparatus, comprising:
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a chamber into which a flow of input air is directed, said input air containing a plurality of particles, said input air becoming a flow of output air after being cleaned within said chamber;
at least one nozzle through which a liquid is sprayed into said chamber, said liquid being electrically charged, said liquid becoming separated into a plurality of droplets upon exiting said at least one nozzle; and
said chamber being configured to cause said flow of input air and said charged liquid droplets to intermix at an intermix space, wherein said plurality of particles are attracted to said charged liquid droplets, thereby removing a portion of said plurality of particles from said input air, which thus becomes said flow of output air;
wherein, when said flow of input air passes through said intermix space of said chamber, said plurality of particles is cleaned from said input air at a pressure adjusted efficiency (PAE), which represents the cleaning efficiency in percent divided by the backpressure, that does not deviate by more than 25% after two months of continuous use of said air cleaning apparatus.
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Specification