Photocatalyst air treatment

Abstract

To provide a photocatalyst reactor including a reaction chamber arranged so as to receive an air flow containing one or more air-borne contaminants, and an air treatment device including a photocatalyst reactor.SOLUTION: A reaction chamber includes first inner surfaces 5018A and 5118A, second inner surfaces 5018B and 5118B, a photocatalyst 5004 which is arranged in both of the first inner surfaces and the second inner surfaces and decomposes one or more contaminants with a photocatalyst, light sources 5009 and 5010 which are arranged so as to illuminate at least a part of the photocatalyst arranged in the first inner surfaces and the second inner surfaces, and a double-layered permeable material arranged between the light sources and the first and second inner surfaces, and makes the air flow pass between the permeable material and the light sources, in which the first inner surface and the second inner surface have separate parabolic contours, and the contour of the first inner surface is a mirror image of the contour of the second inner surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5B

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a photocatalytic reactor for treating an air stream and an air treatment system comprising a photocatalytic reactor. Regarding the device. [Background technology]

[0002] Air treatment devices treat the air to remove contaminants. Conventional air treatment devices are large, High-efficiency particulate filters are used alone to physically capture airborne particles by excluding them. Air (HEPA) filters remove at least 99.97% of 0.3 μm particles Some air treatment systems use activated carbon filters to filter out volatile chemicals from the air. When used to purify air, activated carbon removes pollutants by adsorption, so there is a limited As a result, activated carbon filters have a limited removal capacity and therefore need to be replaced if they are to maintain filtration performance. Rather than capturing pollutants, technologies such as photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) are needed to Photocatalytic oxidation can be used to destroy certain air pollutants. To oxidize air pollutants into less harmful compounds, e.g., volatile organic compounds (VO C) to carbon dioxide and water. This reaction occurs by the absorption of a photon The reaction is catalyzed by a catalytic surface that is activated by the Reactive substances other than contaminants provide the hydrogen and oxygen atoms necessary for progression. No chemicals are consumed. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a suction device is provided for receiving an air flow containing one or more airborne contaminants. A photocatalytic reactor is provided having a reaction chamber disposed therein. The reaction chamber comprises a first the surface, the second inner surface, and one or more contaminants disposed on both the first inner surface and the second inner surface. A photocatalyst for photocatalytic decomposition of a substance and a photocatalyst disposed on the first inner surface and the second inner surface. and a light source disposed to illuminate at least a portion of the medium. The inner surfaces have distinct parabolic shaped profiles, the profile of the first inner surface being a mirror image of the profile of the second inner surface. The first and second inner surfaces may be continuous.

[0004] The light source may include a light emitting diode. The first inner surface and the second inner surface may include a light emitting diode. The first inner surface and the second inner surface may be arranged symmetrically about the optical axis of the first inner surface. The second half of the light emitting diode may be arranged to be at least partially illuminated by the first half of the light emitting diode. and arranged so that at least a portion of the inner surface is illuminated by the second half of the light emitting diode. do.

[0005] The light sources are positioned so that each illuminates at least a portion of both the first inner surface and the second inner surface. The first inner surface and the second inner surface may include a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged on the first inner surface. The light emitting diodes are arranged symmetrically about the optical axis of each of the first and second light emitting diodes. The light may be distributed to illuminate different lengths of both the first and second inner surfaces. The bar may be elongated in shape, with the plurality of light emitting diodes aligned in the longitudinal direction.

[0006] The reaction chamber may include an air inlet and an air outlet, and air may pass between the air inlet and the air outlet. The photocatalyst may be arranged such that a flow of air contacts the photocatalyst.

[0007] The reaction chamber may comprise at least one layer of transparent material separating the photocatalyst from the light source. .

[0008] The first inner surface and the second inner surface are at most about 100 mm from an outermost surface of the at least one layer of transparent material. The distance between the electrodes is preferably 10 mm or less, more preferably 7 mm or less, and still more preferably 1 mm to 7 mm. do.

[0009] The photocatalytic reactor may include multiple reaction chambers. The multiple reaction chambers are arranged around a common axis. Each reaction chamber may have a first inner surface and a second inner surface facing inward, and a light source The reaction chamber is disposed so as to be centrally disposed relative to the first inner surface and the second inner surface. The reaction chambers may be arranged in series. The arrangement of the reaction chambers may be arranged in a rotational relationship around a common axis. The reaction chambers may be arranged to have n-fold rotational symmetry, preferably n being the number of reaction chambers. Equal to the number.

[0010] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air treatment device comprising a photocatalytic reactor according to the first aspect. Provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a photocatalytic reactor for use in an air treatment device. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is an end view of the photocatalytic reactor of FIG. 1A. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example of a further photocatalytic reactor for use in an air treatment device. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B is an end view of the photocatalytic reactor of FIG. 2A. [Figure 3A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another example photocatalytic reactor for use in an air treatment device. [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B is an end view of the photocatalytic reactor of FIG. 3A. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an end view of an example of a further photocatalytic reactor for use in an air treatment device. [Figure 5A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another example of an alternative photocatalytic reactor for use in an air treatment device. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B is an end view of the photocatalytic reactor of FIG. 5A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] An example of an improved photocatalytic reactor will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B. The photocatalytic reactor is generally designated by the reference numeral 1000. Photocatalytic reactor 1000 a reaction chamber 10 arranged to receive an airflow containing one or more airborne contaminants 01 and a photocatalyst 1004 for photocatalytic decomposition of one or more pollutants, 1004 is placed on a substrate 1003 provided by a reaction chamber 1001. The catalytic reactor 1000 is attached to a first side 1006 of a printed circuit board 1008. A light emitting diode device comprising a printed circuit board 1008 having a plurality of light emitting diodes 1009. The photocatalytic reactor 1 further comprises a LED printed circuit board ("LED PCB") 1012. 000 is a substrate 1003 illuminated by a light emitting diode 1009 to promote photocatalytic decomposition. In particular, the substrate 1003 is arranged to be illuminated by the light emitted by the LED PCB 1012. The LED PCB is connected to the diode 1009 so that the light emitted from the diode 1009 strikes the substrate 1003. It is positioned so as to block 1012.

[0013] In the example shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the photocatalytic reactor 1000 includes a reaction chamber 1001. An elongated reaction chamber 1 encircling an elongated LED PCB1012 extending along the length of the The reaction chamber 1001 includes a reaction chamber 1001 at a first end thereof. a reaction chamber inlet (not shown) at a second end of the reaction chamber 1001 and a reaction chamber outlet (not shown) at a second end of the reaction chamber 1001. and an air flow passing between the reaction chamber inlet and the reaction chamber outlet is arranged to flow through the substrate. 1003. Next, the separator / barrier 1005A, 10 05B separates the reaction chamber of the photocatalyst 1004 from the LED PCB 1012 and is partitioned 1 At least a portion of 005A and 1005B is emitted by a light emitting diode 1009. Being transparent to radiation, the photocatalyst 1004 is illuminated by the light emitting diode 1009. Next, the plurality of light emitting diodes 1009 of the LED PCB 1012 can be illuminated. 10, aligned longitudinally along a first side 1006 of the length of the LED PCB 1012, This provides a light source along the entire length of the photocatalytic reactor 1000 .

[0014] In the example shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a substrate 1003 in a reaction chamber 1001 is provided with a plurality of projections. The plurality of protrusions are provided by fins 1011A and 1011B. Each fin 101 has a photocatalyst 1004 extending inwardly away from the inner surface of the fin 101. These fins 1011A, 1011B are disposed on at least one surface of the fins 1011A, 1 1011B provides a high surface area for the photocatalytic decomposition of pollutants. , 1011B is an elongated reaction chamber 1001 having a length L along its length and a fin 1011A and 1011B are inwardly spaced from the respective inner surfaces of the reaction chamber 1001. The fin 1011 has a height H that is determined by how far the fin 1011 extends. A, 1011B are longitudinally shaped, and the longitudinal axis of each fin 1011A, 1011B is The fins 1011A, 1 011B is the length of the reaction chamber 1001 for air flow from the air inlet to the air outlet. A channel 1002 extending along the fins 1011A, 1011B is defined between the fins. In this example, each fin 1011A, 1011B has a partially curved cross section along its height. (i.e., the contour of the fin). However, in another arrangement, each fin 1011A , 1011B may have a straight cross section.

[0015] The fins 1011A, 1011B are a first set of fins 1011A and a second set of fins 10 11B, a photocatalyst 1004 is disposed on each fin. The first set of fins 1011A and the second set of fins 1011B form the light emitting diode 100 9 covers at least a portion of the length of the surface 1013 of each fin 1011A, 1011B. 1013. In other words, each light-emitting diode 1 009, each fin 1011A, 1011B is not shaded by the adjacent fins. However, the fins 1011A, 1011 To illuminate the entire length of B, multiple light-emitting diodes (e.g., multiple light-emitting diodes distributed in the longitudinal direction) are used. A light emitting diode (LED) 1009 may be required. The light emitting diode 1009 may be located on each fin 101. 1A, 1011B, at least one surface 1013 of different lengths, possibly overlapping. The rays are distributed so that each illuminates a specific area.

[0016] In the example shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, each of the first set of fins 1011A is a fin. A line (e.g., , a line extending along the height of the fin and resembling a chord line) meet at a first convergence or intersection point F 1. Then, each of the second set of fins 1011B is Extending from the base end 1015 of the fin 1011B through the tip 1016 of the fin 1011B The first convergence point F1 is arranged so that the line is directed to the second convergence point F2. Unlike the convergence point F2, both the first convergence point F1 and the second convergence point F2 are light-emitting diodes. The offset is set relative to the position of the dot 1009.

[0017] The first set of fins 1011A extend from a first inner surface 1018A of the reaction chamber 1001. A second set of fins 1011B extends inwardly from the second fin 1011A of the reaction chamber 1001. Extending inwardly from the inner surface 1018B are first inner surface 1018A and second inner surface 1018B. The first inner surface 1018A and the second inner surface 1018B generally face the light emitting diode 1009. 018B are arranged symmetrically around the optical axis O of the light-emitting diode, so that the first set The fins 1011A of the light emitting diode 1009 are illuminated by the first halves of the light emitting diodes 1009. and the second set of fins 1011B are arranged such that the second set of fins In the example shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the photocatalyst 1004 also includes a first inner surface 1018A and a second inner surface 101 It is placed on top of both 8B.

[0018] The first inner surface 1018A and the second inner surface 1018B have separate arc-shaped contours (i.e., that is, their cross sections are curved segments having different focal points, and The contour of the first inner surface 1018A is a mirror image of the contour of the second inner surface 1018B. 1018A and the second inner surface 1018B are reflections of each other so that they together The first inner surface 1018A and the second inner surface 1018B each have a mirror / reflection symmetry. It may have either a circular arc-shaped profile or a parabolic profile.

[0019] In the example shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the partitions 1005A, 1005B are light emitting diodes. 1009 and the photocatalyst 1004, and has two layers of transparent material separating them. These two layers of transmissive material are separated from the second layer of transmissive material 1005B by a gap. The first layer of transparent material 1005A is separated from the second layer of transparent material 1005A. 1005B is impermeable to air and emits light emitted by a light emitting diode 1009. In the example shown in Figures 1A and 1B, two layers of transparent material are 1005A and 1005B are tubular and arranged concentrically around the LED PCB 1012. The innermost of these tubes is the LED PCB1012, which contains the light-emitting diodes. The conduit is arranged to allow air flow through it to cool the pole 1009. Provide a conduit through which

[0020] By providing a double-layer barrier between the light-emitting diode 1009 and the photocatalyst 1004, A first reaction chamber 1001 arranged to receive an air flow containing contaminants The heat dissipation between the first portion 1019 and the second portion 1020 housing the LED PCB 1012 This reduction in heat loss is a major benefit of the light-emitting diodes. This is particularly useful when implementing active cooling of the board 1009.

[0021] 2A and 2B show a further example of an improved photocatalytic reactor. Generally indicated by the reference numeral 2000. The photocatalytic reactor 2000 is adapted to treat one or more airborne pollutants. a reaction chamber 2001 arranged to receive an air stream containing a contaminant; and a photocatalyst 2004 for photocatalytically decomposing the contaminant. The photocatalyst 2004 is a reaction chamber. The photocatalytic reactor 2000 is placed on a substrate 2003 provided by a photocatalytic reactor 2001. 1A and 1B, and therefore corresponds to Reference numbers are used for similar or corresponding parts or features of these embodiments. In particular, the photocatalytic reactor 2000 comprises an elongated L-shaped reactor 2002 extending along the length of the reaction chamber 2001. The reaction chamber 2001 includes an elongated reaction chamber 2001 surrounding an ED PCB 2012. 001 includes a reaction chamber inlet (not shown) at a first end of the reaction chamber 2001 and a A reaction chamber outlet (not shown) is provided at the second end of the reaction chamber 2001, and a reaction chamber inlet The air flow passing between the nozzle and the reaction chamber outlet is directed to the photocatalyst 2003 disposed on the substrate 2003. 004. The partition / barrier 2005 then exposes the reaction chamber 2001 to the LED P At least a portion of the partition wall 2005 is separated from the CB 2012. 9, 2010, photocatalysts 2004 are transparent to the radiation emitted by It may be illuminated by light emitting diodes 2009, 2010.

[0022] In the example shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the LED PCB 2012 is double-sided. Therefore, the LED PCB 2012 is attached to the first side 2006 of the printed circuit board. A plurality of first light emitting diodes 2009 are disposed on the second side 2007 of the printed circuit board. a printed circuit board having a plurality of second light emitting diodes attached thereto; 8. Therefore, LED PCB2012 is suitable for both double-sided and multi-layer circuit boards. The first light emitting diode 2009 of the LED PCB 2012 is 2006 and aligned longitudinally along a first side 2006 of the length of the LED PCB 2012. The two light emitting diodes 2010 are spaced apart and aligned along a second side of the length of the LED PCB 2012. 007, thereby aligning the photocatalytic reactor 2000 along its entire length. Provide a light source.

[0023] Next, in order to promote photocatalytic decomposition, the substrate 2003 is provided with a first light emitting diode 2009 and The photocatalytic reactor 20 is illuminated by both the first light emitting diode 2010 and the second light emitting diode 2010. In particular, the substrate 2003 is arranged so as to block the LED PCB 2012. The light emitted from the light emitting diodes 2009, 2010 of the LED PCB 2012 is The LED PCB 2012 is then attached to the substrate 2003. are arranged to surround

[0024] In the example shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the reaction chamber 2001 of the photocatalytic reactor 2000 is also The reaction chamber 2001 thus has a first side 2001A and and a second side 2001B, the first side 2001A being a side of the printed circuit board 2008. The first light emitting diode 20 provided on the first side surface 2006 and the second side surface 2001B 2009, and a second side 200 of the printed circuit board 2008. 7 is arranged to be illuminated by a second light emitting diode 2010 provided at

[0025] By providing a double-sided photocatalytic reactor, the length of the reactor can be reduced without compromising the overall volume. This is especially important when integrating photocatalytic reactors into home air treatment systems. This increases the cost of materials, especially the bulkheads 2005A, 2005B and the printed circuit board 2008. Reduce associated costs.

[0026] The first side 2001A and the second side 2001B of the reaction chamber 2001 are then 1A and 1B, respectively, replicating the finned configuration of the reaction chamber 1001 shown in FIG. Specifically, the first side 2001A of the reaction chamber 2001 is provided with a first set of filters. a first set of fins 2011A and a second set of fins 2011B, The second side 2001B is connected to a third set of fins 2011C and a fourth set of fins 2011D. 2011D, and the photocatalyst 2004 is provided on at least one surface 2013 of each fin 2011. The first set of fins 2011A and the second set of fins 2001 B is a graph showing the light from the first light emitting diode 2009 reflected by the surfaces 2011A and 2011B of the fins 2011A and 2011B. 2013. The light source 2013 is positioned to illuminate at least a portion of the length of the surface 2013 along the entire height of the surface 2013. Next, the third set of fins 2011C and the fourth set of fins 2011D are The light from the two light emitting diodes 2010 is guided to the surfaces 2013 of the fins 2011C and 2011D. It is positioned to illuminate at least a portion of its length along the entire height of face 2013 .

[0027] On a first side 2001A of the reaction chamber 2001, a first set of fins 2011A Each of the fins 2011A extends from a base end 2015 through a tip end 2016 of the fin. A line (e.g., a line extending along the height of the fin and resembling a chord line) first converges The second section of the fin 2011B is then positioned so as to face the point or intersection F1. Each of the fins 2011B extends from a base end 2015 of the fin 2011B to a tip end 2016 of the fin 2011B. The first convergence point F1 is arranged such that the line extending therethrough is directed to the second convergence point F2. Unlike the second convergence point F2, both the first convergence point F1 and the second convergence point F2 are 1 is offset relative to the position of the light emitting diode 2009.

[0028] Correspondingly, on the second side 2001B of the reaction chamber 2001, the first Each of the three sets of wires runs from the base end 2015 of the fin 2011C through the tip 2016 of the fin. The lines extending from the first point to the second point are then directed toward a third convergence or intersection point F3. , each of the fourth set of fins 2011D extends from the base end 2015 of the fin 2011D to the A line extending through the tip 2016 of the lens 2011D is directed to a fourth convergence point F4. The third convergence point F3 is different from the fourth convergence point F4. and the fourth convergence point F4 are offset with respect to the position of the second light emitting diode 2010. to.

[0029] A first set of fins 2011A is disposed on a first side 2001A of the reaction chamber 2001. Extending inwardly from the first inner surface 2018A of the reaction vessel 2011, a second set of fins 2011B are Extending inwardly from a second inner surface 2018B on the first side 2001B of the chamber 2001 The first inner surface 2018A and the second inner surface 2018B generally correspond to the first light emitting diode 2 A third set of fins 2011C faces the second side of the reaction chamber 2001. Extending inwardly from a third inner surface 2018C on face 2001B is a fourth fin 2011D. The set includes a fourth inner surface 2018D on the second side 2001B of the reaction chamber 2001. The third inner surface 2018C and the fourth inner surface 2018D extend inwardly. Facing the photodiode 2010 .

[0030] As can be seen from FIGS. 2A and 2B, the LED PCB 2012 is supported by the substrate 2003. The partition wall 2005 is then positioned at the center of the space defined by the light emitting diode 2002. A single layer of transparent material disposed between and separating the photocatalyst 2009, 2010 and the photocatalyst 2004. The layer of transparent material is impermeable to air and includes a light emitting diode 2009. , which is transparent to the radiation emitted by 2010. In the example shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, The single layer of transparent material 2005 is tubular and arranged concentrically around the LED PCB 3012. This tube of transparent material 2005 has an LED PCB 1012 located within it, emitting light. Arranged to allow air flow through the conduits to cool the photodiodes 2009, 2010 Provide a sealed conduit.

[0031] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the important features of the photocatalytic reactors of FIGS. It will be appreciated that it is possible to provide an improved photocatalytic reactor. Further examples of the photocatalytic reactor are described with reference to Figures 3A and 3B. The photocatalytic reactor 3000 is shown generally at 3000. The photocatalytic reactor 3000 is configured to react with an air stream containing one or more airborne contaminants. a reaction chamber 3001 arranged to receive the photocatalytic decomposition of one or more contaminants; and a photocatalyst 3004 for oxidizing the photocatalyst by a reaction chamber 3001. The photocatalytic reactor 3000 is disposed on a substrate 3003 on which the photocatalytic reactor 3000 is provided. These are very similar to those referenced above, and therefore corresponding reference numbers are used. In particular, the photocatalytic reactor 3000 is an elongated LED PCB 301 that extends along the length of the reaction chamber 3001. The reaction chamber 3001 is a long and narrow reaction chamber that surrounds the reaction chamber 2. A reaction chamber inlet (not shown) is provided at a first end of the reaction chamber 3001, and a reaction chamber inlet (not shown) is provided at a second end of the reaction chamber 3001. and a reaction chamber outlet (not shown) at the second end. The airflow passing between the mouth and the nozzle comes into contact with a photocatalyst 3004 disposed on a substrate 3003 . The bulkheads / barriers 3005A, 3005B then enclose the reaction chamber 3001 between the LED PCB 3012, and at least a part of the partitions 3005A and 3005B is a light-emitting diode. The photocatalyst 30 is transparent to the radiation emitted by the diodes 3009, 3010. 04 may be illuminated by light emitting diodes 3009, 3010.

[0032] In the example shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the LED PCB 3012 and the reaction chamber 30 Both of the 01 are double-sided. However, unlike the examples shown in Figures 2A and 2B The partition walls 3005A and 3005B that separate the photocatalyst 304 from the LED PCB 3012 are The two layers of transparent material are separated by a gap from the second layer. A first layer of transparent material 3005A separated from a first layer of transparent material 3005B. The transparent materials 3005A and 3005B are impermeable to air, and the light emitting diodes 3 3A and 3B. In the example shown, the two layers of transparent material 3005A, 3005B are tubular and the LED P Arranged concentrically around the CB3012, the innermost of these tubes contains the LEDs The PCB 3012 is located and airflow is provided to cool the light emitting diodes 3009 and 3010. A conduit is provided that is positioned to allow passage therethrough.

[0033] A further example of an improved photocatalytic reactor is described with reference to Figure 4. The photocatalytic reactor comprises: The photocatalytic reactor 400 is generally designated by reference numeral 4000 and is shown in cross section in FIG. 0 has three counters arranged to receive an air stream containing one or more airborne contaminants, Reaction chambers 4001, 4101, 4201 and a photocatalytic decomposition system for one or more pollutants and a photocatalyst 4004, the photocatalyst 4004 being provided in the reaction chambers 4001, 4101, 4 201. The photocatalytic reactor 4000 is disposed on a substrate 4003 provided by each of the photocatalytic reactors 201. , a light emitting diode printed circuit within each of the reaction chambers 4012, 4112, 4212 The LEDs further include substrates ("LED PCBs") 4012, 4112, and 4212. PCBs 4012, 4112, and 4212 are attached to a first side of the printed circuit board 4008. The light emitting device includes a printed circuit board 4008 having a plurality of light emitting diodes 4009 attached thereto. The photocatalytic reactor 4000 includes reaction chambers 4001, 410 for facilitating photocatalytic decomposition. 1, 4201 are provided with a corresponding LED PCB 401 2, 4112, and 4212 are arranged to be illuminated by the light emitting diodes 4009. In particular, the substrate 40 provided by each of the reaction chambers 4012, 4112, 4212 03 is positioned to block the corresponding LED PCB4012, 4112, 4212, Emitted from light emitting diode 4009 on LED PCB 4012, 4112, 4212 The light impinges on the substrate 4003 .

[0034] In the example shown in FIG. 4, each of the reaction chambers 4001, 4101, 4201 is elongated. , each of the elongated chambers 4001, 4101, 4201 extending along the length thereof. Surrounding the LED PCBs 4012, 4112, and 4212. Each of the 4201 and 4202 has a reaction chamber inlet (not shown) at a first end of the reaction chamber; A reaction chamber outlet (not shown) is provided at a second end of the reaction chamber, and the reaction chamber inlet and The air flow passing between the reaction chamber outlet and the photocatalyst 400 disposed on the substrate 4003 4. The partition / barrier 4005 then attaches the photocatalyst 4004 to each LED PCB 40 12, 4112, and 4212, and at least a part of the partition wall 4005 is a light-emitting diode. The photocatalyst 4004 is transparent to the radiation emitted by the light emitting diode 4009. Next, each LED PCB 4012, 4112, A plurality of light emitting diodes 4009, 4212, are spaced apart and extend the length of the printed circuit board 4008. 4001. , 4101, 4201 provide a light source along their entire length.

[0035] In the example shown in FIG. 4, the substrate 4003 in each of the reaction chambers 4001, 4101, and 4201 The plurality of protrusions are provided by fins 4011A and 4011B. and extend inwardly away from the inner surfaces of the reaction chambers 4001A, 4001B, and 4001C, respectively. A photocatalyst 4004 is disposed on at least one surface of each of the fins 4011A and 4011B. These fins 4011A, 4011B are highly efficient for photocatalytic decomposition of pollutants. Each fin 4011A, 4011B is elongated and provides a surface area for the elongated reaction chamber 4 4001A, 4001B, 4001C along the length of the fins 4011A, 4011 B moves inwardly away from the inner surfaces of the reaction chambers 4001, 4101, and 4201. Thus, the fin 4011A has a height that is defined by how far the fin 4011A extends. The fins 4011A, 4011B are elongated, and the longitudinal axis of each fin 4011A, 4011B is aligned along the light emitting The fins 4011A, 401 1B shows a respective reaction chamber 4001 for air flow from an air inlet to an air outlet. , 4101, 4201 defining a channel 4002 therebetween that extends along the length of the In the illustrated example, each fin 4011A, 4011B has a linear cross section ( However, in another arrangement, each fin 4011A, 40 11B may have a curved cross section.

[0036] The fins 4011A, 4011B in each reaction chamber 4001, 4101, 4201 are A photocatalytic 1004 is disposed on each fin. The first set of fins 4011A and the second set of fins The fins 4011B of the fins 4011A are arranged such that light from the corresponding light emitting diodes 4009 is guided to the surface 4013 of the fins 4011B. At least a portion of the length of the face 4013 of each fin 4011A, 4011B along the entire height In other words, the inside of the reaction chambers 4001, 4101, and 4201 Each light-emitting diode 4009 is illuminated by each fin without being shaded by the adjacent fins. At least one of the surfaces 4011A and 4011B illuminates the entire height of the surface 4013. The light emitting diode 4009 (for example, a plurality of light emitting diodes distributed in the longitudinal direction) is It may be necessary to illuminate the entire length of each reaction chamber 4011A, 4011B. In the fins 4011A, 4011B, 4011C, 40101, 40102, 40103, 4011B, 4011C, 40104, 4011D, 4011E, 4011F, 4011G, 4011H, 4011I, 4011J, 4011K, 40 11B, each of which may have a different but overlapping portion of the length of at least one face 4013. The light is distributed so that it shines brightly on each of the four lights.

[0037] In the example shown in FIG. 4, in each reaction chamber 4001, 4101, 4201, a first cell Each of the fins 4011A of the set has a length extending from a base end 4015 of the fin 4011A to a tip end 4016 of the fin 4011A. A line extending through the fin (e.g., a line extending along the height of the fin and similar to a chord line) The lines are then arranged so that they are directed toward a first convergence point or intersection point F1. Each of the second set of fins 4011B extends from a base end 4015 of the fin 4011B to a base end 4016 of the fin 4011B. 11B is arranged so that a line extending through the tip 4016 of the The first convergence point F1 is different from the second convergence point F2. Both of the convergence points F1 and F2 are offset with respect to the position of the light emitting diode 4009.

[0038] The first set of fins 4011A are connected to each of the reaction chambers 4001, 4101, 201 and a second set of fins 4011B extending inwardly from a first inner surface 4018A of the , from the second inner surface 4018B of each of the reaction chambers 4001, 4101, 4201 The first inner surface 4018A and the second inner surface 4018B extend generally in the direction of the light emitting diode. The first inner surface 4018A and the second inner surface 4018B face the light emitting diode 4009. symmetrically arranged about the optical axis of the ord, so that the first set of fins 4011A , arranged to be illuminated by the first half of each light emitting diode 4009, and the second The fins 4011B of the lid are illuminated by the second halves of each light emitting diode 4009. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the photocatalyst 4004 is also disposed in each reaction chamber 40 Both the first inner surface 4018A and the second inner surface 4018B of 01, 4101, and 4201 is placed on top.

[0039] Within each reaction chamber 4001, 4101, 4201, a first inner surface 4018A and a second inner surface 4018B are The inner surfaces 4018B of the respective inner surfaces 4018A and 4018B have distinct arcuate profiles (i.e., their cross sections are at different focal points). a first inner surface 4018B that is a mirror image of the contour of the second inner surface 4018B; In other words, the first inner surface 4018A and the second inner surface 401 8B are reflections of each other, so that they both have mirror / reflection symmetry. The first inner surface 4018A and the second inner surface 4018B each have either a circular arc-shaped profile or a parabolic profile. It may have either

[0040] As can be seen in FIG. 4, the reaction chambers 4001, 4101, and 4201 are arranged around a common axis. In particular, the three reaction chambers 4001, 4101, and 4201 have a common arrangement. The three reaction chambers 4001, 4002 are arranged to have three-fold rotational symmetry around the axis. 101, 4201 also indicate that the substrate 4003 in the reaction chamber 4001, 4101, 4201 , which defines a volume of space within which the LED PCBs 4012, 4112, 4212 are located. The partitions 4005 are arranged in series so as to form the LED PCBs 4012, 4112, 4212 and separating them from the photocatalyst 4004. This layer of transparent material is impermeable to air and is illuminated by light emitting diodes 4009. In the example shown in FIG. 4, a single layer of transparent material 400 5 has the form of a branch tube, concentric around the LED PCB4012, 4112, 4212 The branch pipe is arranged in a circular shape. The transparent material 4005 of this branch pipe has LED PCB 4012 , 4112, 4212 are positioned and airflow is channeled to cool the light emitting diodes 4009. providing a conduit arranged to allow the passage of the

[0041] The photocatalytic reactor 4000 described above includes three reaction chambers. It will be appreciated that the vessel 4000 may include any number of reaction chambers. The reactor 4000 is elongated. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that this does not necessarily have to be the case. There will be.

[0042] The photocatalytic reactors of Figures 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B and 4 are all irradiated. The photocatalytic reactor is arranged to maximize its surface area and thus its efficiency. In so doing, this arrangement also ensures that the absence of shadows is eliminated by each light-emitting diode. To optimize the illuminated surface area, the number of LEDs needed to illuminate the fins is Keep it to a minimum.

[0043] The photocatalytic reactors in Figures 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B and 4 all have a photocatalytic ratio The device includes fins that provide a relatively large surface area. An alternative improvement is one that does not include such fins. An example of a photocatalytic reactor is described with reference to Figures 5A and 5B. The photocatalytic reactors 5000 are each shown in FIG. Two reaction chambers 5001, 5101 arranged to receive an air flow including and a photocatalyst 5004 for photocatalytically decomposing one or more pollutants, the photocatalyst 5004 being , on the substrates 5003, 5103 provided by the reaction chambers 5001, 5101, respectively. In the example shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the photocatalytic reactor 5000 is a two-sided light emitting Further included is a diode printed circuit board ("LED PCB") 5012. The LED PCB 5012 is attached to a first side 5006 of the printed circuit board 5008. a first side of the printed circuit board 5008 and a second side of the printed circuit board 5008; and a plurality of second light emitting diodes 5010 attached to the surface 5007. The LED PCB 5012 is therefore a double-sided circuit board and and a multilayer circuit board.

[0044] Next, the photocatalytic reactor 5000 is configured such that the substrate 5003 in the first reaction chamber 5001 is A first light emitting diode 50 is attached to a first side 5006 of a support circuit board 5008. 5109, while the substrate 51 in the second reaction chamber 5101 is 03 is a second light emitting diode attached to a second side surface 5007 of the printed circuit board 5008. In particular, the first reaction chamber 50 is arranged to be illuminated by the diode 5010. The substrate 5003 of the first embodiment is arranged to cover the LED PCB 5012, and the first light emitting diode The light emitted from the electrode 5009 strikes the substrate 5003, while the second reaction chamber The substrate 5103 of 5101 is arranged to block the LED PCB 5012, and the second light emitting Light emitted from the diode 5010 impinges on the substrate 5103 .

[0045] In the example shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the photocatalytic reactor 5000 is elongated and has first and second The reaction chambers 5001, 5101 are distributed around the axis of the photocatalytic reactor 5000, and are arranged as follows: , has two-fold rotational symmetry around the axis. The LED PCB 5012 is located inside the boards 5003 and 5103 of the chambers 5001 and 5101. In particular, the LED PCB 50 is disposed in series to define a spatial volume in which the LEDs are located. 12 are elongated and axially aligned within the elongated photocatalytic reactor 5000, and the reaction chamber 500 1, 5101. The first light emitting diode of the LED PCB 5012 5009 are spaced apart and extend longitudinally along a first side 5006 of the length of the LED PCB 5012. The second light emitting diode 5010 is spaced apart and aligned along the length of the LED PCB 5012. 5007 of the photocatalytic reactor 500. Provides a light source along the entire length of the 0.

[0046] Then, the reaction chambers 5001 and 5101 are respectively At the first end is a reaction chamber inlet (not shown) and at the second end of the reaction chamber 5001, 5101 and a reaction chamber outlet (not shown) at one end. The air flow passing between the substrates 5003 and 5103 is irradiated with the photocatalysts 50 disposed on the substrates 5003 and 5103. 04. The partition / barrier 5005 then separates the reaction chambers 5001, 5101 into L At least a part of the partition wall 5005 is separated from the ED PCB 5012. 5009, 5010, and the photocatalyst 5004 The light emitting diodes 5009, 5010 may be illuminated. In the example shown, the bulkhead 5005 is tubular and is concentrically disposed around the LED PCB 5012. The tube of transparent material includes a single layer of transparent material disposed within the tube of transparent material. 5012 is located in the center of the light emitting diode 5009, 5010 through which air flows. A conduit is provided that is arranged so as to be passable through the

[0047] In the example shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, each of the reaction chambers 5001, 5101 includes a first and a first inner surface 5018A, 5118A and a second inner surface 5018B, 5118B, 5004 has first inner surfaces 5018A, 5118A and second inner surfaces 5018B, 5118 B. The first inner surface 5018A, 5118A and the second inner surface 5018B , 5118B has a separate parabolic contour, which means that their cross-sections are curved segments with different foci and are the mirror images of the contours of the second inner surfaces 5018B, 5118B having the contours of the first inner surfaces 5018A, 5118A. Next, the photocatalytic reactor 5000 has light-emitting diodes 5009, 5010 on the corresponding surfaces 5006, 5007 of the LED PCB 5012 arranged so as to illuminate both the first inner surfaces 5018A, 5118A and the second inner surfaces 5018B, 51 18B. In particular, the first inner surfaces 5018A, 5118A and the second inner surfaces 5018B, 5118B of each reaction chamber 5001, 5101 are symmetrically arranged around the optical axis O of the corresponding light-emitting diodes 5009, 5010, so that as a result, the first inner surfaces 5018A, 5118A are illuminated by the first half of the light-emitting diodes 5009, 5010, and the second inner surfaces 5018B, 5118B are illuminated by the second half of the light-emitting diodes 5009, 50 10. The first inner surfaces 5018A, 5118A and the second inner surfaces 5018B, 5118B of each reaction chamber 5001, 51 01 are also continuous. 10. In the arrangement of FIGS. 5A and 5B, due to the lack of surface features (e.g., fins or other protrusions), the total surface area of the photocatalyst 5004 is reduced compared to the arrangements shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B and 4, while the substrates 5003, 510 3 carrying the photocatalyst 5004 are arranged as close as possible to the light sources 5009, 5010 in order to maximize the irradiance of the photocatalyst 5004. However, in order for air to be able to pass through the photocatalytic reactor 5000, a gap is required between the partition 5005 and the substrates 5003, 5103, and the partition 500

[0048] In the arrangement of FIGS. 5A and 5B, due to the lack of surface features (e.g., fins or other protrusions), the total surface area of the photocatalyst 5004 is reduced compared to the arrangements shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B and 4, while the substrates 5003, 510 3 carrying the photocatalyst 5004 are arranged as close as possible to the light sources 5009, 5010 in order to maximize the irradiance of the photocatalyst 5004. However, in order for air to be able to pass through the photocatalytic reactor 5000, a gap is required between the partition 5005 and the substrates 5003, 5103, and the partition 500 3 carrying the photocatalyst 5004 are arranged as close as possible to the light sources 5009, 5010 in order to maximize the irradiance of the photocatalyst 5004. However, in order for air to be able to pass through the photocatalytic reactor 5000, a gap is required between the partition 5005 and the substrates 5003, 5103, and the partition 500 3 carrying the photocatalyst 5004 are arranged as close as possible to the light sources 5009, 5010 in order to maximize the irradiance of the photocatalyst 5004. However, in order for air to be able to pass through the photocatalytic reactor 5000, a gap is required between the partition 5005 and the substrates 5003, 5103, and the partition 500 3 carrying the photocatalyst 5004 are arranged as close as possible to the light sources 5009, 5010 in order to maximize the irradiance of the photocatalyst 5004. However, in order for air to be able to pass through the photocatalytic reactor 5000, a gap is required between the partition 5005 and the substrates 5003, 5103, and the partition 500 3 carrying the photocatalyst 5004 are arranged as close as possible to the light sources 5009, 5010 in order to maximize the irradiance of the photocatalyst 5004. However, in order for air to be able to pass through the photocatalytic reactor 5000, a gap is required between the partition 5005 and the substrates 5003, 5103, and the partition 500 By optimizing the separation distance between the reaction chamber 5 and the substrate 5003, 5103, A thinner layer of air is provided which optimizes cleaning and mixing of the air within the 5001, 5101. In the example shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the septum 5005 has a diameter D of about 35 mm. The separation distance S between the outer surface of the partition wall 5005 and the substrates 5003 and 5013 is about 3 mm at maximum. However, the separation distance S is at most 10 mm, preferably at most 7 mm, and more preferably at most 10 mm. Preferably, it may be 1 mm to 7 mm.

[0049] To ensure that the air in the photocatalytic reactor is treated evenly, a uniform irradiance is generated over the entire catalyst surface. However, LEDs do not emit light with cylindrical symmetry, but rather with a lamella Conventional photocatalytic reactors that utilize LED light sources are typically cylindrical. The LED has a substrate, so that the light emitted by the LED is uniformly distributed over the entire surface of the substrate. In order to achieve this, a lens is required to be placed between the LED and the substrate. This adds cost and size to the LED package. Applicant achieves this by providing a substrate whose cross-sectional shape is defined by two separate parabolic arcs. It has been found that a more uniform irradiance of the substrate can be obtained by using such a parabolic contour. The use of a catalytic converter takes into account the local irradiance provided by the LED light source. Such an inner surface having a parabolic profile has a function of the angle α. This allows the difference in irradiance between all the inner surfaces to be reduced, and the inner surface with the photocatalyst is more sensitive to the light. In this regard, the first inner surfaces 5018A, 5118A and The cross-sectional contour shapes of the first inner surfaces 5018B and 5118B are Bezier curves, particularly quadratic Bezier curves. Therefore, the first 5018A, 5118A and the second The cross-sectional contours of 5018B and 5118B are three-point Bézier curves defined by the following formula: It may be defined by a line.

[0050]

number

[0051] Here, P0 is the start point of the curve, P2 is the end point of the curve, and P1 is the control point of the curve. The use of the Jie curve provides a more uniform irradiance at the photocatalytic surface as a function of the angle α. It is possible.

[0052] As previously mentioned, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the above-mentioned photocatalytic reactors can be used in place of conventional photocatalytic reactors in air treatment equipment. It will be appreciated that a photocatalytic reactor may be used.

[0053] In the preceding description, integers or elements that have known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents are used. Where reference is made, such equivalents are hereby incorporated by reference as if individually set forth. The appended claims should be read to determine the true scope of the invention. and the claims should be construed to include such equivalents. In addition, any element or feature of the invention described as preferred, advantageous, convenient, or the like is optional. The reader will understand that such disclosure does not limit the scope of the independent claims. While any integer or feature may be beneficial in some embodiments of the present invention, it is not desirable to It is understood that some of the features may be different and therefore may not be present in other embodiments. I want to be understood.

Claims

1. 1. A photocatalytic reactor comprising: a reaction chamber disposed to receive an airflow containing one or more airborne contaminants; 、 The reaction chamber has a first inner surface, a second inner surface, and a first inner surface and a second inner surface. and a photocatalyst disposed on both the substrate and the substrate for photocatalytic decomposition of one or more of the pollutants; The photocatalyst is disposed on the first inner surface and the second inner surface so as to illuminate at least a part of the photocatalyst. a light source disposed on the surface of the first inner surface and the second inner surface are separate parabolic rings. a contour of the first inner surface that is a mirror image of the contour of the second inner surface; Photocatalytic reactor.

2. 10. The photocatalytic reactor of claim 1, wherein said first inner surface and said second inner surface are contiguous.

3. The light source includes a light emitting diode, and the first inner surface and the second inner surface are 3. The photocatalytic reactor according to claim 1 or 2, which is arranged symmetrically around the optical axis of the photodiode. 。

4. The light sources each illuminate at least a portion of both the first inner surface and the second inner surface. a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged so as to be in contact with the first inner surface and the second inner surface; are arranged symmetrically around the optical axis of each of the plurality of light emitting diodes.

4. The photocatalytic reactor according to any one of claims 3 to 4.

5. The plurality of light emitting diodes each have a length extending along both the first inner surface and the second inner surface.

5. The photocatalytic reactor of claim 4, wherein the light is distributed to illuminate portions of the reactor having different thicknesses.

6. The reaction chamber has an elongated shape, and the plurality of light emitting diodes are aligned in the longitudinal direction. The photocatalytic reactor according to claim 4 or 5.

7. The reaction chamber includes an air inlet and an air outlet, 7. The photocatalyst according to claim 1, wherein the air flow passing through the gap is in contact with the photocatalyst. The photocatalytic reactor according to item 3.

8. The reaction chamber is made of at least one transparent material that separates the photocatalyst from the light source. The photocatalytic reactor of claim 1 , comprising a layer.

9. The first inner surface and the second inner surface are outermost surfaces of the at least one layer of transmissive material. Therefore, the maximum distance is 10 mm or less, preferably 7 mm or less, and preferably 1 mm to 7 mm. The photocatalytic reactor of claim 8, wherein the photocatalytic reactor is separated by a distance of 100 mm.

10. 10. The photocatalytic reactor according to claim 1, wherein the photocatalytic reactor comprises a plurality of reaction chambers. The photocatalytic reactor described herein.

11. The plurality of reaction chambers are distributed about a common axis, and each reaction chamber is disposed within the first inner and the second inner surface is disposed so that the first inner surface faces inward, and the light source is disposed on the first inner surface. and centrally disposed relative to said second inner surface.

12. The photocatalytic reactor according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the plurality of photocatalytic reactors are arranged in series. Catalytic reactor.

13. The reaction chambers are arranged in a rotationally symmetrical manner about the common axis. and preferably has n-fold rotational symmetry, n being equal to the number of reaction chambers. Item 13. The photocatalytic reactor according to any one of items 10 to 12.

14. An air treatment device comprising a photocatalytic reactor according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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