Modular air sanitation unit

Abstract

An air sanitation unit is disclosed, comprising one or more photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) devices, a fan for moving air through the PCO devices, and a duct for guiding the airflow. Additional embodiments are described for increasing the airflow rate through the PCO devices, improving the concentration of the oxidizer produced in the airflow, and reducing the energy demand of the unit.

Claims

1. An air sanitation unit, wherein the air sanitation unit is A duct including an inlet and an outlet for guiding the airflow through the unit, One or more photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) devices arranged in the duct, wherein each PCO device is A frame having length, width and height, wherein the longitudinal axis extends along the length of the frame, A pair of cell panels arranged opposite to each other across the width of the frame, wherein the internal portion of the frame between the cell panels defines an internal chamber, and the cell panels include a plurality of openings that allow air to flow into and through the internal chamber, and at least the internal surface of the cell panel and the opening surface of the cell panel contain a photocatalytic material, An ultraviolet lamp is disposed within the internal chamber and extends along the longitudinal axis. A PCO device including one or more PCO devices, A fan configured to move ambient air into the inlet, then through one or more PCO devices, and then through the outlet. An air sanitation unit equipped with the following features.

2. The air sanitation unit according to claim 1, wherein the fan is positioned upstream of the one or more PCO devices so that ambient air is pushed through the one or more PCO devices.

3. The air sanitation unit according to claim 1, wherein the fan is positioned downstream of the one or more PCO devices so that ambient air is drawn through the one or more PCO devices.

4. The air sanitation unit according to claim 1, wherein the fan is a cross-flow fan.

5. The air sanitation unit according to claim 1, wherein almost all of the airflow passing through the duct passes through one or more PCO devices.

6. The air sanitation unit according to claim 1, wherein the duct includes an inverted funnel positioned upstream of the one or more PCO devices.

7. The air sanitation unit according to claim 1, wherein the unit includes two or more PCO devices.

8. The air sanitation unit according to claim 7, comprising a first PCO device and a second PCO device, wherein the first and second PCO devices are aligned vertically such that the airflow passes through either the first or the second PCO device.

9. The air sanitation unit according to claim 7, comprising a first PCO device and a second PCO device, wherein the first and second PCO devices are aligned horizontally such that the airflow first passes through the first PCO device and then through the second PCO device.

10. The air sanitary unit according to claim 1, further comprising one or more additional cell panels, the additional cell panels including a plurality of openings that allow air to flow into and through the internal chamber, and at least the inner surface of the additional cell panel and the opening surface of the additional cell panel containing a photocatalytic material.

11. The air sanitation unit according to claim 10, wherein one or more additional cell panels are located upstream of the one or more PCO devices.

12. The air sanitation unit according to claim 10, wherein one or more additional cell panels are located downstream of the one or more PCO devices.

13. The air sanitation unit according to claim 10, wherein the surface of the main plane of at least one additional cell panel is oriented in a direction having an inclination angle with respect to at least one of the main planes of the cell panels of the one or more PCO devices.

14. The air sanitation unit according to claim 13, wherein the inclination angle of the additional cell panel is greater than 0 degrees and within a range of approximately 60 degrees, or within a range of approximately 15 degrees to approximately 45 degrees, or approximately 30 degrees, or within a range ending at any two of the above values.

15. The aforementioned unit is An upstream additional cell panel positioned upstream of the one or more PCO devices, wherein the main plane of the upstream additional cell panel is oriented in a direction having an inclination angle with respect to the surface of at least one of the main planes of the cell panels of the one or more PCO devices, A first and second downstream additional cell panel located downstream of the one or more PCO devices, The main plane of the first downstream additional cell panel is oriented in a direction having an inclination angle with respect to the surface of at least one of the main planes of the cell panels of the one or more PCO devices, The second downstream additional cell panel is positioned downstream of the first downstream additional cell panel, and the main plane of the second downstream additional cell panel is parallel to the main plane of at least one of the cell panels of the one or more PCO devices, and the first and second downstream additional cell panels The air sanitation unit according to claim 10, comprising:

16. An air sanitation unit, wherein the air sanitation unit is A photocatalytic oxidation device, A frame having length, width and height, wherein the longitudinal axis extends along the length of the frame, A pair of cell panels arranged opposite to each other across the width of the frame, wherein the internal portion of the frame between the cell panels defines an internal chamber, and the cell panels include a plurality of openings that allow air to flow into and through the internal chamber, and at least the internal surface of the cell panel and the opening surface of the cell panel contain a photocatalytic material, An ultraviolet lamp is disposed within the internal chamber and extends along the longitudinal axis. Photocatalytic oxidation devices, including Equipped with, The aforementioned device is an air sanitation unit located within an air duct.

17. The air sanitation unit according to claim 16, wherein the unit is configured to operate when the airflow through the air duct fails to reach a minimum flow rate.

18. The air sanitation unit according to claim 17, wherein the unit is connected to an airflow sensor and is configured to activate when the airflow sensor fails to detect a minimum airflow through the air duct.

19. A fan that is in fluid communication with the air duct, wherein the fan is configured to provide airflow through the air duct. Furthermore, The air duct forms part of a ventilation system, and the ventilation system is connected to one or more ventilation devices (e.g., an air conditioning unit, a furnace, etc.). The air sanitation unit according to claim 16, wherein the air sanitation unit and the one or more ventilation devices are connected to a system that operates the fan of the air sanitation unit when the one or more ventilation devices do not produce an airflow through the air duct.

20. The air sanitation unit according to claim 19, wherein the air sanitation unit is connected to an interlock system configured to control access to an environment that is in fluid communication with the ventilation system during the operation of the air sanitation unit.

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