Catalytic Air Treatment Self-Cleaning With Sequential Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air cleaning technologies face challenges in effectively removing contaminants, as adsorbed gases can desorb and re-enter the air when concentrations decrease, and existing systems lack efficient self-cleaning mechanisms to maintain catalyst performance over time.
Innovation Solution
The proposed air cleaning system employs a housing with multiple catalyst layers and a radiation shield to direct heat towards the catalysts, allowing for sequential heating and self-cleaning modes, which adsorb and oxidize contaminants at varying temperatures, ensuring complete oxidation and minimizing secondary contaminants. This system includes a controller to manage airflow and heating, optimizing the air cleaning and self-cleaning processes based on environmental conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional air cleaning technologies use adsorbent materials like activated carbon to capture contaminants, then contaminant removal is improved when contaminant concentration is high, but adsorbed gases begin to desorb and are released back into the air when contaminant concentration decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the catalyst by adjusting temperature and airflow rate to switch between air cleaning mode and self-cleaning mode. In self-cleaning mode, the heater is activated to increase catalyst temperature and airflow rate is reduced, enabling thermal desorption and oxidation of accumulated contaminants, thus preventing their release back into the air and maintaining reliable contaminant removal performance over time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic self-cleaning cycles where the system alternates between normal air cleaning operation and self-cleaning mode. During self-cleaning mode, the heater and air mover are controlled to create conditions for contaminant desorption and oxidation, then the system returns to normal operation. This periodic action prevents contaminant accumulation and maintains reliable performance
2Reliability
If a heater is used to provide heat to the catalyst for oxidizing residual contaminants at higher temperature, then oxidation completeness is improved, but energy loss increases due to heat dissipation to surrounding air
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts or shields the heating element from the main airflow path using a radiation shield. This prevents heat from being directly carried away by the airflow, reducing convective heat loss. The shield allows thermal radiation to reach the catalyst while blocking the airflow from directly cooling the heater, thereby maintaining oxidation effectiveness while reducing energy waste
Solution Approach 2:
The radiation shield acts as an intermediary between the heater and the airflow. It mediates heat transfer by allowing thermal radiation to pass through to the catalyst while blocking convective heat loss to the air. This intermediary structure enables complete oxidation at higher temperatures while minimizing energy loss to the surrounding air
3Productivity
If the air mover operates at high flow rate to move air through the system, then air treatment efficiency is improved, but heating efficiency of the catalyst decreases due to reduced residence time and heat carry-away
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic action by switching between normal air cleaning mode with high airflow and self-cleaning mode with reduced airflow. During self-cleaning mode, the air mover operates at reduced speed to allow proper heating of the catalyst and sufficient residence time for thermal desorption and oxidation processes, while still maintaining system productivity through periodic operation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively removes contaminants by ensuring complete oxidation and maintaining catalyst performance through sequential heating and self-cleaning modes, reducing energy loss and enhancing air quality in residential and automotive settings.
Implementation Method 1
shielding a heating element from air moving along the air flow path using a radiation shield arranged to direct radiated heat in a downstream direction along the air flow path
Implementation Method 2
adsorbing and/or oxidizing contaminants in the air at one or more catalyst layers downstream of the heating element
Implementation Method 3
converting chemical compounds in the air into less harmful or less odorous constituents
Implementation Method 4
a heater to provide heat to the catalyst to oxidize residual contaminants at a higher temperature
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for treating air. A housing can enclose a heating zone and an oxidizing zone positioned downstream of the heating zone with respect to a flow direction of the air being treated. A catalyst in the oxidizing zone oxidizes contaminants from the air, and an air mover positioned is configured to move air from an air inlet through the housing to an air outlet. An air treatment cycle can include an air cleaning mode at a high air flow and a self-cleaning mode at a lower air flow. A heater is operated during the self cleaning mode to oxidize contaminants that on the catalyst from the air cleaning mode.