Purification device for purifying air

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning device for cleaning air, comprising a filter medium (2) for filtering particles from the air and an ionizer device (3) having at least one electrode assembly (4) arranged upstream of the filter medium (2). An improved and long-lasting cleaning effect is achieved in that, in a first operating mode (9), at least one of the at least one electrode assembly (4) causes a negative corona discharge, and in a second operating mode (10), at least one of the at least one electrode assembly (4) causes a positive corona discharge. The invention also relates to an air-conditioning system (100) and a vehicle (200) having such a cleaning device (1).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a purification device for purifying air, in particular to a purification device for a vehicle, and also relates to an air conditioning facility and a vehicle having the purification device. Background Art

[0002] In many applications, it is desirable to purify the air. For this purpose, purification devices with filter media are usually used. To purify the air, the air flows through the filter media, wherein the filter media filters particles such as dust from the air and thus purifies the air.

[0003] If the air is heavily polluted, especially if the air contains a lot of dust or fine dust, it is necessary to purify the air better. For this purpose, the filter medium can be correspondingly larger in size. This requires a correspondingly higher installation space requirement.

[0004] It is known to equip purification devices with ionizer means.

[0005] Such a purification device in a vehicle is known from EP 3 056 364 A1. The ionizer device has an electrode assembly with an electrode and a counter electrode, which is arranged upstream of the filter medium. A voltage is applied to the electrode and the counter electrode, so that a corona discharge occurs during operation, which leads to the charging and ionization of particles and molecules contained in the air. Summary of the invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to specify an improved or at least different embodiment for a purification device of the type mentioned at the outset and for an air-conditioning system and a vehicle having such a purification device, which is distinguished in particular by a permanent purification effect on the air.

[0007] This object is achieved according to the invention by the subject matter of the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0008] Therefore, the basic concept of the present invention is that in the purification device, upstream of the filter medium, in order to ionize, not only negative corona discharge but also positive corona discharge is generated. Here, according to the present invention, it is recognized that the long-term use of a corona discharge of a polarity, that is, the long-term use of negative corona discharge or the long-term use of positive corona discharge, will lead to a rapid decrease in the efficiency of the filtering effect, so that the purification effect of the purification device decays rapidly. For example, the negative corona discharge commonly used in the prior art causes the gas molecules in the air to be positively ionized due to the high kinetic energy in the near field of the electrode that accelerates the electrons. As the distance increases, the electrons are deposited on the gas molecules, wherein, in the case of negative corona discharge, the electron deposition is more prominent relative to the ionization. This generally leads to that the filter medium is more prominently and increasingly loaded with negative charge carriers (hereinafter also referred to as negative air charge carriers) in the air. As a result, the positive charge carriers (hereinafter also referred to as positive filter charge carriers) in the filter medium are increasingly neutralized, which leads to a reduction in the filtering effect achieved by the filter medium. As the duration increases, an excess of negative charge carriers may even occur in the filter medium, so that the filter medium eventually repels particles from the air. According to the invention, this situation is now counteracted in the following way, that is, not only a negative corona discharge but also a positive corona discharge is used upstream of the filter medium. Here, the positive corona discharge leads to a reduction in negative air charge carriers and, in particular, to a reduction in the deposition of electrons on gas molecules. Therefore, not only negative charge carriers but also positive charge carriers are brought into contact with the filter medium. As a result, the filter medium always or at least has a balanced share in terms of positive filter charge carriers and negative filter charge carriers during the extended operating duration. The latter leads to an improved filtration of particles from the air, in particular also filtration of odors, and this is accompanied by at least a prolonged duration. As a result, an improved and lasting purification effect is achieved.

[0009] According to the inventive concept, the purification device has a filter medium for filtering particles from the air. Here, the flow path of the air is guided through the filter medium. The purification device also has an ionizer device. The ionizer device includes at least one electrode assembly, and the flow path is guided through the at least one electrode assembly upstream of the filter medium. The respective electrode assembly has at least one electrode and at least one matching electrode, and a voltage for corona discharge in the air is applied at at least one electrode and at least one matching electrode during operation. Here, in a first operating mode of at least one electronic component in at least one electrode assembly, at least one electrode is of negative polarity and at least one matching electrode is of positive polarity. In addition, in a second operating mode of at least one electrode assembly in at least one electrode assembly, at least one electrode is of positive polarity and at least one matching electrode is of negative polarity. The ionizer device is designed accordingly.

[0010] In operation, air flows first through at least one electrode assembly and then through the filter media.

[0011] In the first operating mode, a negative corona discharge takes place in the air. This means that the respective electrode assembly operated in the first operating mode causes a negative corona discharge in the air.

[0012] In the second operating mode, a positive corona discharge takes place in the air. This means that the respective electrode assembly operated in the second operating mode causes a positive corona discharge in the air.

[0013] The respective electrode assemblies can induce either a negative corona discharge or a positive corona discharge at the same time.

[0014] Preferably, the respective electrodes are tip or jet electrodes and are arranged in the flow path of the air.

[0015] Preferably, the flow path leads through the respective counter-electrode. Thus, air can flow through the respective counter-electrode. For example, at least one of the at least one counter-electrode can be designed in the form of a channel through which air can flow.

[0016] In principle, the filter medium can be of any design as long as it cleans the air by means of the absorption particles and preferably also of odors.

[0017] The filter medium can be, for example, a fiber filter or comprise a fiber filter.

[0018] The filter medium is advantageously a component of a filter element which is arranged downstream of at least one electrode assembly in the purification device.

[0019] Preferably, the filter medium or the filter element comprising the filter medium fills the cross section of the air that can flow through it. This leads to an improved filtering effect.

[0020] Purification equipment is used to purify the air and can be used for any purpose.

[0021] Purification devices can be used, for example, in air conditioning systems, in particular in so-called “HVAC systems”, the English abbreviation “HVAC” standing for “Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning”.

[0022] The air conditioning system preferably has at least one heat exchanger, through which air flows during operation, so that during operation of the heat exchanger heat is transferred from the air to the heat exchanger, or vice versa.

[0023] The purification device is particularly used for vehicles. In the vehicle, the purification device is preferably used to purify the air to be supplied to the interior of the vehicle. Here, the purification device can be a component of such an air conditioning system.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the ionizer device is designed so that in at least one electrode assembly of at least one electrode assembly, the polarity of at least one electrode and the counter electrode can be reversed, so that the electrode assembly can be operated in the first operating mode and the second operating mode in sequence. This allows, in particular, to provide an ionizer device with a single electrode assembly, so that the purification device is simplified and implemented in a cheap and space-saving manner. In an ionizer device with at least two electrode assemblies, the positioning of the negative corona discharge and the positive corona discharge can also be changed in this way. This leads to an improved equalization of the filter charge carriers and therefore to an improved, lasting purification effect.

[0025] The “polarity” of an electrode is understood herein to mean the polarity that is achieved by means of an applied voltage.

[0026] The ionizer device can have at least two electrode assemblies, which can be operated with opposite polarities during operation. The ionizer device is designed accordingly for this purpose. In the following, for better differentiation, the electrode assemblies that can be operated with opposite polarities are also referred to as first electrode assemblies and second electrode assemblies. Therefore, the ionizer device has at least one first electrode assembly and at least one second electrode assembly. During operation, the at least one first electrode assembly can be operated in a first operating mode and the at least one second electrode assembly can be operated in a second operating mode, or vice versa.

[0027] In particular, at least one first electrode assembly is operated in the first operating mode and at least one second electrode assembly is simultaneously operated in the second operating mode, or vice versa. The ionizer device is therefore designed such that in the mixed operating state at least one first electrode assembly is operated in the first operating mode and at least one second electrode assembly is simultaneously operated in the second operating mode.

[0028] Advantageously, the operation of at least one first electrode assembly in the first operating mode and at least one second electrode assembly in the second operating mode is alternating. The ionizer device is designed accordingly. This means that during the duration, at least one first electrode assembly is operated in the first operating mode and at least one second electrode assembly is operated in the second operating mode. This operating state is also referred to below as the first mixed operating state. After the expiration of this duration (possibly with an interruption), at least one first electrode assembly will be operated in the second operating mode and at least one second electrode assembly will be operated in the first operating mode. This operating state is also referred to below as the second mixed operating state.

[0029] The ionizer device is therefore advantageously designed such that in the mixed operating state, the at least one first electrode assembly is operated in the first operating mode and the at least one second electrode assembly is operated in the second operating mode, or vice versa.

[0030] In particular, the ionizer device is advantageously designed such that in the first hybrid operating state, at least one first electrode assembly is operated in the first operating mode and at least one second electrode assembly is operated in the second operating mode. Furthermore, the ionizer device is advantageously designed such that in the second hybrid operating state, at least one first electrode assembly is operated in the second operating mode and at least one second electrode assembly is operated in the first operating mode.

[0031] In this case, the switch between the first mixed operating state and the second mixed operating state can be performed successively, in particular periodically. The ionizer is designed accordingly.

[0032] In order to switch between the mixed operating states, the polarity of the at least one first electrode assembly and the polarity of the at least one second electrode assembly can be reversed, as described above. The ionizer device is designed accordingly.

[0033] If the ionizer device has at least one first electrode assembly and at least one second electrode assembly, an electrical insulator is preferably arranged between them in the flow path. Interactions between the electrode assemblies are thus avoided or at least reduced. As a result, the effect of the ionizer device is improved and the purification effect is therefore more effective.

[0034] The first operating mode and the second operating mode can be implemented sequentially and in particular alternately for all electrode assemblies of the at least one electrode assembly. The ionizer device is designed so that in the first operating state, all electrode assemblies of the at least one electrode assembly are operated in the first operating mode, and in the second operating state, all electrode assemblies of the at least one electrode assembly are operated in the second operating mode.

[0035] The first operating mode and the second operating mode can also occur simultaneously on different electrode assemblies. This means that the ionizer device has at least two electrode assemblies, wherein one electrode assembly is operated in the first operating mode and the other electrode assembly is operated in the second operating mode, in particular simultaneously.

[0036] A preferred embodiment is that the electrodes and the counter-electrode of the ionizer device are arranged side by side transversely to the flow path, in particular transversely to the average direction of the flow path, thereby reducing the flow resistance in the air. Therefore, the purification device can be constructed more compactly and has a higher purification effect.

[0037] If the ionizer device has at least two electrode assemblies, the air preferably flows through the at least two electrode assemblies in parallel. This means that the flow paths are preferably conducted through the electrode assemblies in parallel. For this purpose, the electrode assemblies are preferably arranged side by side transversely to the direction of the flow paths, in particular transversely to the average direction of the flow paths. In particular, neutralization of air charge carriers during parallel operation in a mixed operating state is thereby avoided or at least reduced. In other words, the durability is increased in this way while increasing the purification effect.

[0038] A preferred embodiment is that at least one electrode assembly is arranged along the flow path opposite to the filter medium. This results in a reduction in the distance between the at least one electrode assembly and the filter medium. Thus, the filter medium is improved in this way and the charge carriers are loaded more effectively. The result is an improved and lasting purification effect.

[0039] It should be understood that in addition to the purification device, an air conditioning facility and a vehicle having the purification device are also respectively included in the scope of the present invention.

[0040] Further important features and advantages of the invention emerge from the dependent claims, the drawings and from the associated description of the figures with reference to the drawings.

[0041] It is understood that the features mentioned above and yet to be explained below can be used not only in the respectively stated combination but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description, wherein the same reference numerals refer to identical or similar or functionally identical components.

[0043] In which respectively schematically:

[0044] Figure 1 A diagram showing a greatly simplified block diagram of a purification device in an air conditioning system of a vehicle;

[0045] Figure 2 A simplified sectional view shows the purification device in a first operating state;

[0046] Figure 3 A simplified sectional view showing the purification device in a second operating state;

[0047] Figure 4 A simplified sectional view showing a purification device in a first mixed operating state in another embodiment;

[0048] Figure 5 Show Figure 4 A simplified sectional view of a purification device in a second mixed operating state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] As exemplified in Figures 1 to 5 The purification device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is used to purify air. For this purpose, the flow path P of the air is guided through the purification device 1. As can be seen from Figure 1 It is known that the purification device 1 can be used in an air conditioning device 100 and / or a vehicle 200. Here, the vehicle 200 can include the air conditioning device 100. After flowing through the purification device 1, the air flows into the interior space 201 of the vehicle 200, so the interior space 201 is arranged downstream of the purification device 1. The air conditioning device 100 has at least one heat exchanger 101, which is used to transfer heat with the air. Therefore, the flow path P is guided through the heat exchanger 101. Figure 1 In FIG. 1 , a single heat exchanger 101 of the air conditioning system 100 can be seen, which is arranged purely by way of example downstream of the purification device 1. Of course, the air conditioning system 100 can also have a plurality of heat exchangers 101. At least one of the at least one heat exchanger 101 is connected to the Figure 1 In the loop process 102 indicated in FIG. 1 , during operation of the air conditioning facility 100 , a fluid (eg, a refrigerant or coolant) circulates through the loop process separately from the air fluid.

[0050] In particular, from Figures 2 to 5The purification device 1 known from the invention has a filter medium 2 for filtering particles from the air. For example, the filter medium 2 can be a fiber filter 11 or has a fiber filter 11. The flow path P leads through the filter medium 2. In operation, air flows through the filter medium 2, wherein the filter medium filters particles, such as dust and fine dust, from the air. The filter medium 2 is designed accordingly. Preferably, the filter medium 2 also filters odors from the air. The filter medium 2 is preferably electrostatically charged in the new state, that is, it has charge carriers (not shown), which are also referred to as filter charge carriers below. The purification device 1 also has an ionizer device 3, which is used to perform corona discharge in the air and is combined to charge and ionize molecules and particles in the air. Therefore, charge carriers will be generated in the air by means of the ionizer device 3, which are also referred to as air charge carriers below. The ionizer device 3 has at least one component 4 composed of electrodes 5 and 6 for performing corona discharge. The respective components 4 are also referred to as electrode components 4 below. Therefore, the respective electrode assembly 4 has electrodes 5, 6 that are polarized differently during operation, which are also referred to as electrodes 5 and counter electrodes 6 below for better distinction. Therefore, during operation, a voltage for corona discharge is applied between the electrodes 5 and the counter electrodes 6 of the electrode assembly 4. The flow path P is guided through the respective electrode assembly upstream of the filter medium 2. Here, in the embodiment shown, the counter electrode 6 forms a channel-shaped section of the electrode assembly 4 that can be flowed through, in which at least one electrode 5 of the electrode assembly 4 is arranged. In the embodiment shown, the respective electrode 5 is constructed as a tip 7 or a spray electrode 8.

[0051] The following will refer to Figures 2 to 5 Explained in more detail, the ionizer device 3 is designed so that in the first operating mode 9 of at least one electrode assembly of at least one electrode assembly 4, at least one electrode 5 is of negative polarity, while at least one counter electrode 6 is of positive polarity. In addition, the ionizer device 3 is designed so that in the second operating mode 10 of at least one electrode assembly of at least one electrode assembly 4, at least one electrode 5 is of positive polarity, while at least one counter electrode 6 is of negative polarity. The respective electrode assembly 4 can be operated either in the first operating mode 9 or in the second operating mode 10 at the same time. In the first operating mode 9 of the respective electrode assembly 4, a negative corona discharge occurs, while in the second operating mode 10 of the respective electrode assembly 4, a positive corona discharge occurs. As a result, the share of positive and negative filter charge carriers is kept balanced for a longer duration. As a result, an improved and lasting purification effect is achieved.

[0052] In the illustrated embodiment, at least one electrode assembly 4 is arranged along the flow path P opposite the filter medium 2. Figures 2 to 5It can be seen that in the exemplary embodiment shown, the electrodes 5 and the counter-electrodes 6 of the ionizer device 3 follow one another alternately transversely to the flow path P. The ionizer device 3 shown in the drawing has five electrodes 5 purely by way of example.

[0053] from Figure 2 and Figure 3 It can be seen that the ionizer device 3 can be designed so that in at least one of the at least one electrode assembly 4, the polarity of at least one electrode 5 and the counter electrode 6 can be reversed. As a result, the electrode assembly 4 can be operated in the first operating mode 9 and the second operating mode 10 in sequence. Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the ionizer device 3 has, by way of example, a single electrode assembly 4, wherein Figure 2 In the case of the first operating mode 9 shown in FIG. 1 , as indicated by the corresponding symbols “+” and “−” on the electrodes 5 and the counter electrodes 6, the polarity of all electrodes 5 is negative, while the polarity of all counter electrodes 6 is positive. Figure 3 It can be seen that by changing the polarity of the electrode assembly 4, the polarity of all electrodes 5 is positive, and the polarity of all matching electrodes 6 is negative. Figure 2 In the first operating state 12 indicated in FIG. 1 , all electrode assemblies 4 are operated in the first operating mode 9. In contrast, in Figure 3 In the second operating state 13 shown in FIG, all electrode assemblies 4 are operated in the second operating mode 10 .

[0054] from Figure 4 and Figure 5 It can be seen that the ionizer device 3 can also have at least two electrode assemblies 4, which can be polarized differently at the same time, and for better distinction, they are referred to as the first electrode assembly 4, 4a and the second electrode assembly 4, 4b below. Therefore, the ionizer device 3 has at least one first electrode assembly 4, 4a and at least one second electrode assembly 4, 4b. Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the ionizer device 3 has, purely by way of example, a first electrode component 4 , 4 a and a second electrode component 4 , 4 b. Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the exemplary embodiment shown in , the air flows through the electrode assembly 4 in parallel. This means that the flow paths P are guided through the electrode assembly 4 in parallel.

[0055] In operation of the first electrode assembly 4, 4a, in the first electrode assembly 4, 4a, at least one electrode 5 is of negative polarity and at least one counter electrode 6 is of positive polarity, and in operation of the second electrode assembly 4, 4b, in the second electrode assembly 4, 4b, at least one electrode 5 is of positive polarity and at least one counter electrode 6 is of negative polarity, or vice versa. Figure 4 and Figure 5 In this regard, Figure 2 and Figure 3 This is similarly indicated by the corresponding symbols "+" and "-" on the electrode 5 and the counter electrode 6. Thus, the first electrode assembly 4, 4a can be operated in the first operating mode 9, while the second electrode assembly 4, 4b can be operated in the second operating mode 10, or vice versa. An electrical insulator 14 is arranged between the first electrode assembly 4, 4a and the second electrode assembly 4, 4b.

[0056] Therefore, it can be achieved Figure 4 and Figure 5 , in which one electrode assembly 4 is operated in first operating mode 9 and at the same time another electrode assembly 4 is operated in second operating mode 10 . Figure 4 Here, a first mixed operating state 15 , 15 a is shown, in which first electrode assembly 4 , 4 a is operated in first operating mode 9 and second electrode assembly 4 , 4 b is operated in second operating mode 10 . Figure 5 , a second mixed operating state 15, 15b is shown, in which first electrode assembly 4, 4a is operated in second operating mode 10 and second electrode assembly 4, 4b is operated in first operating mode 9. In this case, ionizer device 3 can be switched between first mixed operating state 15, 15a and second mixed operating state 15, 15b, in particular regularly.

[0057] The ionizer device 3 is designed accordingly for carrying out the operating modes 9, 10 and the operating states 12, 13, 15. For example, the ionizer device 3 has a correspondingly designed control mechanism (not shown).

Claims

1. A purification device (1) for purifying air, in particular a purification device for a vehicle (200), the purification device having - a filter medium (2) for filtering particles from the air, a flow path (P) of the air being directed through the filter medium (2), - an ionizer device (3) having at least one electrode assembly (4), the flow path (P) leading through the electrode assembly upstream of the filter medium (2), - in, The respective electrode assembly (4) comprises at least one electrode (5) and at least one counter electrode (6), to which a voltage for producing a corona discharge in air is applied during operation. - wherein the ionizer device (3) is designed such that in a first operating mode (9) of one of the at least one electrode assemblies (4), the at least one electrode (5) is of negative polarity and the at least one counter electrode (6) is of positive polarity, - wherein the ionizer device (3) is designed such that in a second operating mode (10) of one of the at least one electrode assemblies (4), the at least one electrode (5) is of positive polarity and the at least one counter electrode (6) is of negative polarity.

2. The purification device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The ionizer device (3) is designed such that in at least one of the at least one electrode assembly (4), the polarity of at least one electrode (5) and the counter electrode (6) can be reversed, so that the electrode assembly (4) can be operated in a first operating mode (9) and a second operating mode (10) in sequence.

3. The purification device according to claim 1 or 2, It is characterized in that - the ionizer device (3) has at least one first electrode assembly (4, 4a) and at least one second electrode assembly (4, 4b), The ionizer device (3) is designed such that the at least one first electrode assembly (4, 4a) can be operated in a first operating mode (9) and the at least one second electrode assembly (4, 4b) can be operated in a second operating mode (10), or vice versa.

4. The purification device according to claim 3, It is characterized in that An electrical insulator (14) is arranged in the flow path (P) between the respective first electrode assembly (4, 4a) and the respective second electrode assembly (4, 4b).

5. The purification device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, It is characterized in that The ionizer device (3) is designed such that in a first operating state (12), all electrode assemblies in the at least one electrode assembly (4) operate in a first operating mode (9), and in a second operating state (13), all electrode assemblies in the at least one electrode assembly (4) operate in a second operating mode (10).

6. The purification device according to claim 4 or 5, It is characterized in that The ionizer device (3) is designed such that in a mixed operating state (15), the at least one first electrode assembly (4, 4a) is operated in a first operating mode (9) and the at least one second electrode assembly (10) is operated in a second operating mode (10), or vice versa.

7. The purification device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, It is characterized in that The ionizer device (3) has at least two electrode assemblies (4), through which the flow path (P) is guided in parallel.

8. The purification device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, It is characterized in that The at least one electrode assembly (4) and the filter medium (2) are arranged opposite each other along the flow path (P).

9. An air conditioning installation (100), in particular an air conditioning installation for a vehicle (200), through which a flow path (P) of air is directed, the air conditioning installation having - at least one heat exchanger (101) for transferring heat to air, - A purification device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, arranged in the flow path (P).

10. A vehicle (200) having a cleaning device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in particular having an air conditioning system (100) according to claim 9.

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