Inductively coupled dielectric barrier discharge lamp

• US 9,493,366 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2011
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Vecziedins, Karlis, Miles, Michael E., Schwannecke, Joshua K., Meekhof, David A., Squires, Donovan L., Stoner, William T. Jr., Norconk, Matthew J., Bylsma, Richard B., Lilley, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): STOFFA, WYATT A
• Application Number:
  US13/152,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20110297844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,992 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/325 Irradiation devices or lamp constructions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3222 Units using UV-light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3223 Single elongated lamp located on the central axis of a turbular reactor
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/326 Lamp control systems
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/006 comprising a software program or a logic diagram
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/008 comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/02 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/06 pH
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/11 Turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/40 Liquid flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/04 Disinfection
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 5/54 supported by a separate part, e.g. base
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 5/62 Connection of wires protruding from the vessel to connectors carried by the separate part
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 65/046 the field being produced by using capacitive means around the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 65/048 the field being produced by using an excitation coil

Abstract

A dielectric barrier discharge lamp assembly for a fluid treatment system. The lamp assembly can include an inductive secondary, first and second electrodes coupled to the inductive secondary, and a lamp including a dielectric barrier interposed between the first and second electrodes. The dielectric barrier can define a discharge chamber including a discharge gas, and one of the first and second electrodes can extend within the discharge chamber. The inductive secondary can be adapted to receive power from a nearby inductive primary to promote a dielectric barrier discharge in the discharge chamber. The resulting dielectric barrier discharge can generate ultraviolet light for the treatment of air or water, or for other applications.

Claims

1. A point-of-use water treatment system comprising:

a base station including an inductive primary adapted to generate a time-varying electromagnetic field in a power supply mode and in a communications mode, the base station defining a fluid flow path; and

a lamp assembly adapted to be removably supported within the base station and adapted to radiate ultraviolet light for treating a fluid moving through the fluid flow path, the lamp assembly including;

an inductive secondary adapted to receive power from the inductive primary, first and second electrodes electrically coupled to the inductive secondary, an ultraviolet lamp electrically coupled to the first and second electrodes, an RF antenna for communication with the inductive primary, and a memory tag associated with the RF antenna,

wherein the inductive secondary is adapted to receive power from the inductive primary when operating in the power supply mode and adapted to supply the power to the first and second electrodes to energize the ultraviolet lamp, and

wherein the inductive primary is operable in the communications mode to read data from the lamp assembly memory tag before energizing the ultraviolet lamp and operable in the communications mode to write data to the lamp assembly memory tag after energizing the ultraviolet lamp without a separate coil for RF communications to the lamp assembly.

2. The point-of-use water treatment system of claim 1 wherein the ultraviolet lamp is a compact fluorescent lamp, a tube fluorescent lamp, or an LED lamp.

3. The point-of-use water treatment system of claim 1 wherein the inductive secondary defines an outer radius less than an inner radius defined by the inductive primary, the inductive secondary and the inductive primary being substantially coaxial.

4. The point-of-use water treatment system of claim 1 further including a pulse driver circuit electrically connected between the inductive secondary and the first and second electrodes to convert a first voltage received by the inductive secondary into a second voltage applied across the first and second electrodes.

5. The point-of-use water treatment system of claim 1 wherein the base station includes a sensor to measure the luminescent output of the lamp assembly.

6. The point-of-use water treatment system of claim 1 wherein the base station includes a sensor to measure the turbidity, pH, or temperature of a fluid moving through the base station fluid flow path.

7. The point-of-use water treatment system of claim 1 wherein the base station includes a sensor to measure the flow rate of the fluid moving through the base station fluid flow path.

8. The point-of-use water treatment system of claim 1 wherein the RF antenna is adapted to generate a waveform for transmission to the inductive primary.

9. The point-of-use water treatment system of claim 1 wherein the RF antenna is adapted to reflect a waveform for reception by the inductive primary.

10. The point-of-use water treatment system of claim 1 wherein the inductive secondary extends around a magnetic core.

11. The point-of-use water treatment system of claim 1 wherein the inductive secondary is received within an interior opening of the inductive primary such that the inductive primary and the inductive secondary are concentrically arranged with respect to each other.

12. The point-of-use water treatment system of claim 1 wherein the data read from the lamp assembly memory tag includes historical operational data of the lamp assembly.

13. The point-of-use water treatment system of claim 1 wherein the data written to the lamp assembly memory tag includes updated operational data of the lamp assembly.