Modular, high-throughput air treatment system

• US 8,690,999 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2011
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enverid Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Enverid Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Meirav, Udi, Biran, Israel
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US13/024,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20110198055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 961/08, 961/30, 951/06, 165/58, 165/59, 454/254
• US Class Current: 96/108
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/102 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/104 Alumina
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/106 Silica or silicates
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/108 Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/204 Metal organic frameworks (MOF's)
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/708 Volatile organic compounds V.O.C.'s
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/06 Polluted air
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40007 Controlling pressure or temperature swing adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40043 Purging
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4508 for cleaning air in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4566 for use in transportation means
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4575 in aeroplanes or space ships
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0407 Constructional details of adsorbing systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0446 Means for feeding or distributing gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0462 Temperature swing adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/047 Pressure swing adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/72 Organic compounds not provided for in groups B01D53/48 - B01D53/70, e.g. hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2003/0691 Adsorption filters, e.g. activated carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 3/06 : Filtering B60H3/0078 takes precedence
• 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 11/74 : for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/28 : Arrangement or mounting of filters
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/40 : Pressure, e.g. wind pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/70 : Carbon dioxide
• 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 8/90 : Cleaning of purification apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 : of CO2

Abstract

Air treatment modules, systems and methods for removing contaminants from indoor air are provided. Device embodiments may include one or more air inlets, one or more air outlets and a plurality of inserts which each include at least one adsorbent material. The inserts may be arranged separate from each other to form a plurality of substantially parallel air flow paths between the one or more air inlets and one or more air outlets. The adsorbent material may be arranged for regeneration within the air treatment module using thermal swing desorption and/or pressure swing desorption. Related systems, methods and articles of manufacture are also described.

Claims

1. An air treatment system for removing contaminants from indoor air, the system comprising:

a source of indoor air providing an indoor airflow containing one or more contaminates;

a source of purging air, different from the source of indoor air, configured to provide a purging airflow to release contaminants adsorbed by an adsorbent;

one or more air treatment modules each having one or more first air ports, one or more second air ports, and a plurality of inserts each including an adsorbent material;

controls configured to cause the system to operate in at least three operational modes including;

an active adsorption mode in which the adsorbent material of the plurality of inserts adsorb one or more contaminants from the indoor airflow, a regeneration mode for releasing contaminants from the adsorbent material of the plurality of inserts when exposed to the purging airflow, and

a disconnect mode where substantially no air flows through the one or more modules, one or more valves arranged and configured to direct, during one or another operational mode, at least one of the indoor airflow and the purging air flow to flow to and from the one or more treatment modules via the first air ports and the second air ports; and

wherein;

during the active adsorption mode, one of either the first air ports or the second ports is configured to receive the indoor air flow and the remaining one of the first air ports or the second air ports not receiving the indoor airflow is configured to expel the indoor airflow such that the indoor airflow flows over and/or through adsorbent material of the plurality of inserts, and

during the regeneration mode, one of the first air ports or the second air ports is configured to receive the purging airflow and the remaining one of the first air ports or the second air ports is configured to expel the purging airflow such that the purging airflow flows over and/or through the adsorbent material of the plurality of inserts; and

wherein the one or more air treatment modules comprise a plurality of air treatment modules adjacently affixed to one another, and wherein the system further includes a common inlet plenum and a common outlet plenum arranged to communication with the first ports and the second ports, and the plurality of inserts of the plurality of adjacent air treatment modules form a plurality of substantially parallel air flow paths between the one or more first air ports and the one or more second air ports.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a support frame having one or more structural support members for supporting the plurality of inserts, wherein the one or more first air ports and the one or more second air ports are formed by the support frame and the plurality of inserts.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of inserts are positioned within the support frame at an angle of less than about 30 degrees relative to air flow paths between the one or more first air ports and the one or more second air ports.

4. The air treatment module of claim 2, wherein the support frame includes an inlet side and an outlet side, and wherein the one or more first air ports are formed in the inlet side and the one or more second air ports are formed in the outlet side.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more first air ports and the one or more second air ports are formed adjacent to each other along one side of the support frame.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the air treatment module is configured to be incorporated within an HVAC system.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising one or more valves and/or fans configured to control the amount of air flowing through the one or more modules during each operational mode.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more first air ports and the one or more second air ports are offset from each other.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the adsorbent material is selected from the group consisting of molecular sieves, zeolite, activated charcoal, silica gel, porous alumina and metal-organic-framework materials.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the adsorbent material removes at least one of carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds from the indoor air.

11. A method for removing contaminants from indoor air, comprising:

providing a system comprising;

a source of indoor air providing an indoor airflow containing one or more contaminates;

a source of purging air, different from the source of indoor air, configured to provide a purging airflow to release contaminants adsorbed by an adsorbent;

one or more air treatment modules each having one or more first air ports, one or more second air ports, and a plurality of inserts each including an adsorbent material;

controls configured to cause the system to operate in at least three operational modes including;

an active adsorption mode in which the adsorbent material of the plurality of inserts adsorb one or more contaminants from the indoor airflow, a regeneration mode for releasing contaminants from the adsorbent material of the plurality of inserts when exposed to the purging airflow, and a disconnect mode where substantially no air flows through the one or more modules;

and one or more valves arranged and configured to direct, during one or another operational mode, at least one of the indoor airflow and the purging air flow to flow to and from the one or more treatment modules via the first air ports and the second air ports; and

upon selection of the active adsorption mode, directing the indoor airflow to one of either the first air ports or the second ports of each module;

flowing the indoor airflow over and/or through the adsorption material of the inserts so as to adsorb contaminants thereon, the resulting airflow comprising a scrubbed indoor airflow;

directing the scrubbed indoor airflow to the remaining one of the first air ports or the second air ports not receiving the indoor airflow to expel such airflow from each module;

upon selection of the regeneration mode, directing the purging airflow to one of the first air ports or the second air ports of each module;

flowing the purging airflow over and/or through the adsorption material of the inserts so as to release adsorbed contaminants, the resulting purging airflow containing the released contaminants being thereafter directed to the remaining one of the first air ports or the second air ports to expel such airflow from each module; and

upon selection of the disconnect mode, ceasing the flow of an airflow through the one or more modules; and

wherein the one or more air treatment modules comprise a plurality of air treatment modules adjacently affixed to one another, and wherein the system further includes a common inlet plenum and a common outlet plenum arranged to communication with the first ports and the second ports, and the plurality of inserts of the plurality of adjacent air treatment modules form a plurality of substantially parallel air flow paths between the one or more first air ports and the one or more second air ports.