Airborne particle removal system

• US 7,074,261 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: OPM Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: OPM Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Murphy, Bryan W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hopkins, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US10/314,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20030167740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 553/37, 554/29, 554/67, 554/19, 553/24, 554/82, 553/411, 553/56, 962/23, 963/11, 963/13, 963/06, 963/55, 952/14, 952/19
• US Class Current: 96/223
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2267/40 Different types of filters
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2275/10 Multiple layers
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2279/51 in clean rooms, e.g. production facilities for electronic devices, laboratories
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 45/16 generated by the winding course of the gas stream , the centrifugal forces being generated solely or partly by mechanical means, e.g. fixed swirl vanes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/02 Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, having hollow filters made of flexible material
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/12 in multiple arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 47/06 Spray cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 50/20 Combinations of devices covered by groups B01D45/00 and B01D46/00

Abstract

An airborne particle removal system includes a vacuum assembly to introduce a flow of air into a housing. A cyclone dust collector is positioned in the housing downstream of the vacuum assembly with respect to the flow of air through the housing. A plurality of filter bags is positioned in the housing downstream of the cyclone dust collector with respect to the flow of air through the housing. A plurality of high efficiency particulate air filters is positioned in the housing downstream of the filter bags with respect to the flow of air through the housing. In certain preferred embodiments, a liquid distribution system introduces a liquid agent into the system.

Claims

1. An airborne particle removal system comprising, in combination:

a housing;

a vacuum assembly to introduce a flow of air into the housing;

an input conduit comprising a plurality of inlet ports connected to the vacuum assembly through which airborne particles are introduced into the system;

a cyclone dust collector in the housing positioned downstream of the vacuum assembly with respect to the flow of air through the housing;

a plurality of filter bags in the housing positioned downstream of the cyclone dust collector with respect to the flow of air through the housing;

a plurality of high efficiency particulate air filters in the housing positioned downstream of the filter bags with respect to the flow of air through the housing; and

a plurality of outlet ports formed in the housing, wherein each high efficiency particulate air filter is secured to an interior surface of the housing such that the flow of air passes from the high efficiency particulate air filters through the outlet ports.

2. The airborne particle removal system of claim 1, further comprising a particle collection container in the housing and operably connected to the cyclone dust collector.

3. The airborne particle removal system of claim 2, wherein the first particle collection container has a lid to seal the container.

4. The airborne particle removal system of claim 1, further comprising at least one particle collection container in the housing and operably connected to the filter bags.

5. The airborne particle removal system of claim 1, further comprising a liquid distribution system configured to introduce a liquid agent into the flow of air.

6. The airborne particle removal system of claim 5, wherein the liquid distribution system comprises a reservoir for a liquid agent, at least one nozzle, and a liquid agent conduit connecting the reservoir to the at least one nozzle.

7. The airborne particle removal system of claim 6, wherein the reservoir contains hypochlorite.

8. The airborne particle removal system of claim 6, wherein at least one nozzle is configured to spray the liquid agent into an input conduit connected to the vacuum assembly through which airborne particles are introduced into the system.

9. The airborne particle removal system of claim 6, wherein at least one nozzle is configured to introduce the liquid agent into the plurality of filter bags and the plurality of high efficiency particulate air filters.

10. The airborne particle removal system of claim 1, wherein the filter bags comprise two layers of filtration.

11. The airborne particle removal system of claim 1, wherein the filter bags are connected in parallel with one another.

12. The airborne particle removal system of claim 1, wherein the filter bags are configured to filter particles having a major dimension of approximately 0.50 microns.

13. The airborne particle removal system of claim 1, wherein the filter bags are formed of fabric.

14. The airborne particle removal system of claim 1, wherein the high efficiency particulate air filters comprise four layers of filtration.

15. The airborne particle removal system of claim 1, wherein the high efficiency particulate air filters are configured to filter particles having a major dimension of approximately 0.30 microns.

16. The airborne particle removal system of claim 1, further comprising a shaft connecting the cyclone dust collector to the plurality of filter bags.

17. The airborne particle removal system of claim 1, wherein the vacuum assembly comprises a fan.

18. The airborne particle removal system of claim 17, wherein the fan includes an impeller having a plurality of reverse curved fins.

19. The airborne particle removal system of claim 1, wherein the filter bags are formed of fabric and comprise two layers of filtration media, an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein the interior surface of the inner layer is singed.

20. An airborne particle removal system comprising, in combination:

a housing;

a fan assembly to introduce a flow of air into the housing;

an input conduit comprising a plurality of inlet ports connected to the fan assembly through which the flow of air is introduced;

a cyclone dust collector in the housing positioned downstream of the vacuum assembly with respect to the flow of air through the housing;

a plurality of filter bags in the housing positioned downstream of the cyclone dust collector with respect to the flow of air through the housing;

a plurality of high efficiency particulate air filters in the housing positioned downstream of the filter bags with respect to the flow of air through the housing;

a plurality of outlet ports formed in the housing, wherein each high efficiency particulate air filter is secured to an interior surface of the housing such that the flow of air passes from the high efficiency particulate air filters through the outlet ports; and

a liquid distribution system comprising a reservoir for a liquid agent, at least one nozzle to spray the liquid agent into the flow of air, and a liquid agent conduit connecting the reservoir to the at least one nozzle.

21. The airborne particle removal system of claim 20, further comprising a particle collection container in the housing and operably connected to the cyclone dust collector.

22. The airborne particle removal system of claim 20, further comprising at least one particle collection container in the housing and operably connected to the filter bags.

23. The airborne particle removal system of claim 20, wherein at least one nozzle is configured to spray liquid into an input conduit connected to the fan assembly through which airborne particles are introduced into the system.

24. The airborne particle removal system of claim 20, wherein at least one nozzle is configured to introduce the liquid agent into the plurality of filter bags and the plurality of high efficiency particulate air filters.

25. The airborne particle removal system of claim 20, wherein the filter bags are configured to filter particles having a major dimension of approximately 0.50 microns.

26. The airborne particle removal system of claim 20, wherein the high efficiency particulate air filters are configured to filter particles having a major dimension of approximately 0.30 microns.

27. An apparatus for airborne particle removal comprising, in combination:

a housing having a first filtering zone, a second filtering zone, and a third filtering zone;

an input conduit comprising a plurality of inlet ports through which a flow of air is introduced;

a vacuum assembly to introduce the flow of air into the first filtering zone, the flow of air traveling from the first filtering zone to the second filtering zone and from the second filtering zone to the third filtering zone;

a cyclone dust collector positioned in the first filtering zone;

a plurality of filter bags positioned in the second filtering zone;

a plurality of high efficiency particulate air filters in the third filtering zone;

a plurality of outlet ports formed in the housing, wherein each high efficiency particulate air filter is secured to an interior surface of the housing such that the flow of air passes from the high efficiency particulate air filters through the outlet ports; and

a liquid distribution system comprising a reservoir for a liquid agent, at least one nozzle to spray the liquid agent into the flow of air, and a liquid agent conduit connecting the reservoir to the at least one nozzle.