Air decontamination devices

• US 7,326,387 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Austin Air Systems Limited, Failsafe Air Safety Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Theodore A.M. Arts
• Inventors: Thomsen, James M., Chirayath, Paul J., Schentag, Jerome, Arts, Theodore A. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayekar; Kishor
• Application Number:
  US10/434,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20040146437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,734 Days
• Field of Search: 422/186.3, 422/186.07, 422/121, 96/55
• US Class Current: 422/186.3
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/202 Ozone
• 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: A61L 9/20 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/708 Volatile organic compounds V.O.C.'s
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4508 for cleaning air in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/804 UV light
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2279/65 for the sterilisation of air disinfection, sterilisation or deodorization of air A61L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/10 Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using filter plates, sheets or pads having plane surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/121 V-type arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/007 by irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/50 Air quality properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/125 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/44 Protection from terrorism or theft
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/108 using dry filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/15 by chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/158 using active carbon
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/22 using UV light
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/26 : using ozone
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/40 : by ozonisation for sterilisation F24F8/26
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 : Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

Air decontamination devices in one example include a filter directly exposed to ultraviolet (“UV”) radiation on an upstream side and a downstream side. Ozone may be provided to permeate the filter, as well. Reflectors may be provided to reflect UV radiation emitted in a direction away from the filter, towards the filter. The filter may be a V-bank filter, for example. Air sampling ports and prefilters may be provided. The air decontamination units may be used to decontaminate the air after industrial and medical contaminations and terrorist biological, chemical and radiological attacks, for example. Mobile isolation units, and methods of decontaminating rooms, are disclosed, as well.

Claims

1. A decontamination device comprising:

a housing defining an air inlet, an air outlet and a path for air to flow from the inlet to the outlet;

a stationary filter positioned within the housing, along the path, the filter having an upstream side defining a plurality of adjacent, upstream facing chambers across the upstream side to receive air flowing along the path, and a downstream side defining a plurality of adjacent, upstream facing chambers across the downstream side for the exit of air from the filter to the path;

a plurality of first stationary ultraviolet lamps, wherein at least some of the plurality of first lamps are at least partially within respective upstream facing chambers to directly and simultaneously illuminate the entirety of each of the respective upstream facing chambers;

a plurality of second stationary ultraviolet lamps, wherein at least some of the plurality of second lamps are at least partially within respective downstream facing chambers to directly and simultaneously illuminate the entirety of each of the respective downstream facing chambers; and

an ozone generator proximate the filter.

2. The decontamination device of claim 1, further comprising:

a blower within the housing, along the path, to cause air to flow along the path during operation.

3. The decontamination device of claim 2, further comprising:

a manually operated control device supported on an exterior surface of the housing; and

the control device being coupled to the ozone generator, to the blower and to at least one of the second UV lamps to control activation of the ozone generator, the blower and the second UV lamp.

4. The decontamination device of claim 1, further comprising a second ozone generator downstream of the filter.

5. The decontamination device of claim 4, further comprising:

a manually operated control device supported on an exterior surface of the housing;

the control device being coupled to the second ozone generator to control operation of the second ozone generator.

6. The decontamination device of claim 4, further comprising:

a timer coupled to the second ozone generator to control operation of the second ozone generator.

7. The decontamination device of claim 1, further comprising:

a manually operated control device supported on an exterior surface of the housing; and

the control device being coupled to the ozone generator to control operation of the ozone generator.

8. The decontamination device of claim 1, further comprising at least one prefilter positioned along the path, upstream of the first ultraviolet lamps, such that air flows through the at least one prefilter prior to flowing through the filter, during operation.

9. The decontamination device of claim 1, wherein the ozone generator is an ultraviolet lamp.

10. The decontamination device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one reflector positioned to reflect light from at least one of the first and second ultraviolet lamps onto a surface of the filter.

11. The decontamination device of claim 10, further comprising:

at least one first reflector positioned to reflect light from at least one of the first ultraviolet lamps onto at least one of the upstream facing chambers of the filter; and

at least one second reflector positioned to direct ultraviolet light from at least one of the second ultraviolet lamps onto at least one of the downstream facing chambers of the filter.

12. The decontamination device of claim 1, wherein:

the filter comprises a plurality of transverse intersecting walls forming at least one upstream facing V-shaped region and at least one downstream facing V-shaped region;

each upstream facing V-shaped region is directly, completely illuminated by at least one of the first ultraviolet lamps during operation; and

each downstream facing V-shaped region is directly, completely illuminated by at least one of the second ultraviolet lamps during operation.

13. The decontamination device of claim 1, wherein:

the housing has an external wall defining at least one air sampling port through the wall, to provide communication from an exterior of the housing to the path.

14. The decontamination device of claim 1, further comprising an intake duct adapter fixed to the housing, proximate the air inlet.

15. The decontamination device of claim 1, further comprising an exhaust duct adapter fixed to the housing, proximate the air outlet.

16. The decontamination device of claim 1, wherein the filter removes at least 99.97 percent of particles of 0.3 micron size during operation.

17. The decontamination device of claim 16, wherein the filter removes at least 99.99 percent of particles of 0.1 micron size during operation.

18. The decontamination device of claim 1, wherein the filter comprises ultraviolet transmissive material.

19. The decontamination device of claim 1, wherein the filter comprises fire resistant material.

20. The decontamination device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the second ultraviolet lamps emits radiation capable of breaking down ozone during operation.

21. The decontamination device of claim 20, further comprising:

a manually operated control device supported on an exterior of the housing; and

the control device being coupled to at least one of the second ultraviolet lamps to control operation of the second ultraviolet lamp.

22. The decontamination device of claim 1, further comprising:

an ozone detector proximate to the air inlet; and

a control device being coupled to the ozone detector to control operation of the ozone generator.

23. The decontamination device of claim 1, further comprising:

a high efficiency gas absorber coupled to the inlet.

24. A decontamination device comprising:

a housing defining an inlet, an outlet, and a path for air to flow from the inlet to the outlet;

a stationary filter positioned along the path to filter air flowing along the path, the filter comprising a plurality of transverse intersecting walls defining a plurality of upstream facing V-shaped chambers to receive air along the path, and a downstream side for air to exit from the filter, to the path; and

at least one stationary ultraviolet lamp upstream of the filter, at least partially within a respective region defined by each V-shaped chamber, to completely, directly and continuously illuminate each transverse wall of a respective V-shaped chamber.

25. The decontamination device of claim 24, further comprising:

a blower within the housing, along the path, to cause air to flow along the path during operation.

26. The decontamination device of claim 24, wherein the downstream side of the filter defines at least one downstream facing chamber, the unit further comprising:

at least one second ultraviolet lamp downstream of the filter, facing the at least one downstream facing chamber, to completely, directly illuminate the at least one downstream facing chamber.

27. The decontamination device of claim 26, further comprising:

at least one second reflector downstream of the at least one second ultraviolet lamp, to reflect ultraviolet light emitted by the at least one second ultraviolet lamp, onto the at least downstream facing chamber.

28. The decontamination device of claim 27, wherein the at least one second ultraviolet lamp is within a second region defined by the downstream facing chamber.

29. The decontamination device of claim 24, further comprising:

an ozone generator proximate the filter.

30. The decontamination device of claim 24, further comprising:

a prefilter along the path, upstream of the filter.

31. The decontamination device of claim 24, wherein the filter removes at least 99.97 percent of particles of 0.3 micron size, during operation.

32. The decontamination device of claim 24, wherein the filter comprises ultraviolet transmissive material.

33. The decontamination device of claim 24, wherein the filter is fire resistant.

34. The decontamination device of claim 24, wherein the housing has an external wall defining an air sampling port through the wall, enabling communication between an exterior of the housing and the path.

35. The decontamination device of claim 24, further comprising:

at least one reflector upstream of each ultraviolet lamp, to reflect ultraviolet radiation emitted by each ultraviolet lamp, onto each transverse wall of the respective V-shaped chamber.

36. A decontamination device comprising:

a housing defining an inlet, an outlet, and a path for air to flow from the inlet to the outlet;

a filter positioned along the path to filter air flowing along the path, the filter having an upstream side defining at least one upstream facing chamber within the filter to receive air along the path, and a downstream side for air to exit from the filter, to the path; and

at least one ultraviolet lamp upstream of the filter, positioned at least partially within a region defined by the chamber, to completely and simultaneously illuminate the chamber.

37. The decontamination device of claim 36, further comprising:

a blower to cause air to flow along the path.

38. An air decontamination device comprising:

a housing defining an air inlet, an air outlet and a path for air to flow from the inlet to the outlet;

a filter comprising a plurality of transverse walls defining, at least in part, at least one upstream facing V-shaped chamber to receive air flowing along the path, and at least one downstream facing V-shaped chamber for the exit of air from the filter, to the path;

at least one ultraviolet lamp stationary with respect to the filter, each of the at least one ultraviolet lamps being at least partially within each V-shaped chamber, to directly and completely illuminate each transverse wall defining a respective V-shaped chamber; and

at least one reflector stationary with respect to the filter, positioned and configured to reflect ultraviolet light from each ultraviolet lamp toward a respective V-shaped chamber at a plurality of angles, to completely illuminate each transverse wall defining the V-shaped chamber.

39. The air decontamination device of claim 38, wherein the blower is downstream of the filter.

40. The air decontamination device of claim 38, further comprising:

at least one ozone generator proximate the filter.

41. The air decontamination device of claim 38, further comprising:

an ozone detector proximate to the air inlet; and

the ozone detector being coupled to the at least one ozone generator to control operation of the ozone generator.

42. The decontamination device of claim 38, further comprising:

at least one prefilter positioned along the path, upstream of the filter, such that air flows through the at least one prefilter prior to flowing through the filter, during operation.

43. The air decontamination device of claim 38, wherein:

the housing has an external wall defining at least one air sampling port through the wall, to provide communication from an exterior of the housing to the path, to draw air from the exterior of the housing, through the port, to the path.

44. The decontamination device of claim 43, further comprising at least one of:

at least one sampling tube received within the at least one air sampling port, to collect air external to the housing; and

at least one particulate collector received within the at least one port, to collect particles in the air external to the housing.

45. The air decontamination device of claim 38, wherein the filter removes at least 99.99 percent of particles of 0.1 micron size during operation.

46. The air decontamination device of claim 38, wherein the filter comprises ultraviolet translucent material.

47. The air decontamination device of claim 46, wherein the filter comprises fiberglass.