Electrified Air Filter Body for Low-Resistance Virus Neutralization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional HEPA filters are ineffective in retaining viruses due to their size and increase air resistance, leading to high energy consumption in large systems, and mechanical retention filters allow viral particles to pass through.
Innovation Solution
A filter device with topographically defined electrical conductors on a planar, air-permeable support body generates an electric field of 10⁶ to 10⁹ V/m, damaging viral spike proteins to render them harmless without mechanical filtration or plasma generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If very fine-mesh filter media are used to retain viruses, then virus retention is improved, but air resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical retention system with an electrical field-based system. Electrical conductors are applied to the filter body to generate an electrical field that neutralizes viruses through electrostatic interaction, eliminating the need for extremely fine mechanical mesh structures and thereby reducing air resistance while maintaining virus retention capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameter from mechanical filtration (physical mesh size) to electrical field strength. By applying voltage to the electrical conductors, the system creates an electrical field with specific field strength parameters that effectively neutralize viruses without requiring the high air resistance associated with fine-mesh mechanical filters
2Reliability
If multiple filter media are arranged in series to improve virus retention, then virus retention is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces multiple mechanical filter media layers with a single electrical field generation system. Electrical conductors applied to the filter body create an electrical field that can neutralize viruses in one pass, eliminating the need for multiple sequential filter layers and the associated high energy consumption for moving air through them
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of multiple filter media into a single integrated electrical field-based filter body. The electrical conductors are applied directly to the filter body, combining the filtration and virus neutralization functions into one component, thereby reducing the number of elements and energy required
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 electric field effectively neutralizes viruses, reducing air resistance and energy consumption while preventing viral infection, similar to vaccination effects.
Implementation Method 1
an electric field with a field strength in the range of 10⁶ to 10⁹ V/m is generated between the electrical conductors
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a filter device (1) for making viruses inoccuous, comprising at least one planarly designed, air-permeable carrier body (10) which is designed as a filter body (12) for a room air filter (13). According to the invention, electrical conductors (14, 15) are attached on the planar carrier body (10), between which an electrical potential can be applied. The invention further relates to a module comprising such a filter device (1).