Fanless indoor air quality treatment

• US 7,311,756 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2005
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ranco Incorporated of Delaware (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Ranco Incorporated of Delaware (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Ashworth, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiesa, Richard L.
• Application Number:
  US11/288,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20060112829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 96/18, 96/19, 96/24, 96/25, 96/30, 96/31, 96/55, 96/74, 96/96, 96/97, 96/39, 96/63, 95 2- 4, 95/7, 95/70, 95/73, 95/74, 361230-235, 454/237
• US Class Current: 95/70
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/32 by electrical effects other than those provided for in group B01D61/00
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 2201/14 the gas being moved electro-kinetically
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/017 Combinations of electrostatic separation with other processes, not otherwise provided for

Abstract

An indoor air quality system for a structure is provided. The indoor air quality system includes a ventilation system and a corona discharge apparatus. The ventilation system directs air through the structure. The corona discharge apparatus is positioned within the ventilation system and is operable to filter the air and to move the air through the ventilation system.

Claims

1. An indoor air quality system positioned in a building, the indoor air quality system comprising:

a ventilation system for directing air through the building, the ventilation system including an outside air intake exposed to an environment outside of the building;

at least one corona discharge apparatus within the ventilation system, the corona discharge apparatus operable to filter the air and to move the air through the ventilation system; and

wherein the corona discharge apparatus is operable to draw fresh air from outside the building though the outside air intake and to filter the fresh air.

2. The indoor air quality system of claim 1, wherein the ventilation system includes a return, and wherein the corona discharge apparatus is operable to draw the stale air from inside the structure through the return.

3. The indoor air quality system of claim 1, wherein at least one electrode in the corona discharge apparatus is removable from the ventilation system for at least one of inspection, cleaning, and replacement.

4. The indoor air quality system of claim 1, further comprising a heat exchanging appliance in fluid communication with the ventilation system, and wherein at least one of the corona discharge apparatus is positioned downstream of the heat exchanging appliance.

5. An indoor air quality system positioned in a building, the indoor air quality system comprising:

a ventilation system for directing air through the building, the ventilation system including a duct terminating at a register, and the duct including a fresh air intake exposed to an environment outside of the building for drawing in air from outside the building and;

at least one corona discharge apparatus within the ventilation system, the corona discharge apparatus operable to filter the air and to move the air through the ventilation system; and

wherein the corona discharge apparatus is disposed in the ventilation system proximate a register to force air from the duct into the building.

6. The indoor air quality system of claim 5, further comprising means operatively coupled to the corona discharge apparatus for varying a flow rate of the air through the ventilation system.

7. The indoor air quality system of claim 5, further comprising an ozone depletion apparatus positioned downstream of the corona discharge apparatus for reducing ozone from the air.

8. The indoor air quality system of claim 5, wherein the corona discharge apparatus is removably positioned within the ventilation system to allow cleaning thereof.

9. The indoor air quality system of claim 5, wherein the corona discharge apparatus is configured to move the air through the ventilation system at up to about six hundred cubic feet per minute when energized.

10. An indoor air quality system for a structure, the indoor air quality system comprising:

a ventilation system for directing air through the structure, the ventilation system including an outside air intake;

at least one corona discharge apparatus within the ventilation system, the corona discharge apparatus operable to filter the air and to move the air through the ventilation system;

wherein the corona discharge apparatus is operable to draw fresh air from outside the structure though the outside air intake and to filter the fresh air; and

a heat exchanging appliance in fluid communication with the ventilation system, and wherein at least one of the corona discharge apparatus is positioned upstream of the heat exchanging appliance.

11. The indoor air quality system of claim 10, wherein the ventilation system includes at least one exhaust, and wherein the corona discharge apparatus is operable to draw stale air from inside the building through the exhaust and into the ventilation system.

12. The indoor air quality system of claim 10, wherein the corona discharge apparatus comprises an emitter array in spaced relation to a collector array.

13. The indoor air quality system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the corona discharge apparatus is positioned downstream of the heat exchanging appliance.

14. The indoor air quality system of claim 10, further comprising a thermostat operatively coupled to the corona discharge apparatus and to the heat exchanging appliance to control operation thereof.

15. The indoor air quality system of claim 10, wherein at least one electrode in the corona discharge apparatus is removable from the ventilation system for at least one of inspection, cleaning, and replacement.

16. An indoor air quality system positioned in a building, the indoor air quality system comprising:

a ventilation system including a duct extending to an outside air intake exposed to an environment outside of the building, the outside air intake capable of receiving fresh air from outside the building; and

a corona discharge apparatus positioned within the ventilation system, the corona discharge apparatus operable to draw the fresh air from outside the building and stale air from inside the building into the ventilation system, to filter the fresh air and the stale air to produce filtered air, and to move the filtered air through the ventilation system.

17. The indoor air quality system of claim 16, wherein the corona discharge apparatus comprises a positively charged emitter array and a negatively charged collector array in spaced relation to the positively charged emitter array, the positively charged emitter array and the negative charged collector array cooperatively producing an electric wind in the ventilation system.

18. The indoor air quality system of claim 17, wherein the indoor air quality system further comprises a second positively charged emitter array and a second negatively charged collector array in spaced relation to the second positively charged emitter array, the second positively charge emitter array and the second negatively charged collector array disposed proximate at least one of a register and a heat exchanging appliance.

19. A method of improving air quality in a building, the method comprising the steps of:

drawing fresh air from outside the building into the building using a corona discharge apparatus;

drawing stale air from inside the building;

filtering the fresh air and the stale air with the corona discharge apparatus to remove at least one of contaminants and pollutants to produce filtered air; and

circulating the filtered air through the building with the corona discharge apparatus such that the air quality in the building is improved.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises the step of reducing a level of ozone in the filtered air.