Electrostatic charging air cleaning device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air cleaning technologies, such as HEPA filters and electrostatic precipitators, face limitations in removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and gases like NOx and CO, and require frequent maintenance and filter replacement due to bio-fouling and clogging, while also needing a collection electrode for particle trapping.
Innovation Solution
An electrostatic charging air cleaning device that uses pre-chargers to generate corona discharges with opposite charges, a charged divider to attract and repulse particles, and a separator with apertures to agglomerate particles, eliminating the need for a collection electrode and reducing maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If HEPA filters are used to remove PM, then PM removal efficiency is improved (99.97% removal of PM0.3 and larger), but the device cannot remove VOCs and gases such as NOx and CO
Solution Approach 1:
The air cleaning device is divided into multiple functional zones: a first region with a first pre-charger for charging PM, a second region with a second pre-charger for charging PM with opposite charge, and a third region with a separator. This segmentation allows different mechanisms to handle different pollutants - electrostatic charging for PM and photocatalytic oxidation for VOCs and gases, thereby achieving both high PM removal efficiency and versatility in removing multiple pollutant types.
2Reliability
If conventional electrostatic precipitators are used, then PM removal is achieved, but a collection electrode is required which increases device complexity and maintenance needs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the collection electrode component from the traditional electrostatic precipitator design. Instead of using a collection electrode to trap charged particles, the patent uses a separator with apertures in the third region that allows PM to pass through while preventing re-entry into the second region. This extraction of the collection electrode simplifies the device structure and reduces maintenance requirements while maintaining effective PM removal.
3Reliability
If HEPA filters are used, then PM filtration is effective, but frequent filter replacement is needed due to bio-fouling and clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical filtration system (HEPA filter) with an electrostatic field-based system. Pre-chargers generate corona discharges to charge PM particles, and the charged particles are then separated by a separator with apertures. This substitution eliminates the mechanical filter that is subject to bio-fouling and clogging, thereby extending the service life of the air cleaning device while maintaining effective PM removal capability.
4Productivity
If a separator with small apertures is used to prevent agglomerated particles from reentering, then clean air delivery is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separator is designed with locally differentiated properties: it has apertures of specific sizes (e.g., 5 μm) that are optimized to allow charged PM particles to pass through while blocking larger agglomerated particles. This local quality optimization at the separator level achieves high clean air delivery rate by preventing re-entry of agglomerated particles without requiring complex overall device design, as the separation function is localized to the separator component.
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
Effectively removes particulate matter and VOCs without a collection electrode, reducing maintenance needs and improving air purification efficiency by agglomerating particles larger than the separator apertures, preventing re-entry and enhancing clean air delivery.
Implementation Method 1
The first pre-charger is configured to generate a first corona discharge to electrostatically charge PM in the incoming air stream with a first charge
Implementation Method 2
The charged divider is configured to be charged with a voltage bias of a third charge, to attract PM with the second charge in the second exiting air stream and to repulse PM with the first charge in the first exiting air stream
Data Source
AI summary
An electrostatic charging air cleaning device having first and second pre-chargers. The first pre-charger is configured to generate a first corona discharge to electrostatically charge PM in the incoming air stream with a first charge to form a first exiting air stream exiting the first pre-charger. The second pre-charger is configured to generate a second corona discharge to electrostatically charge PM in the incoming air stream with a second charge to form a second exiting air stream exiting the second pre-charger. The device also includes a separator having apertures such that PM in the second exiting air stream passes through the separator to agglomerate with PM in the first exiting air stream to form agglomerated particles. The apertures are sized such that the agglomerated particles are larger than the apertures to preclude the agglomerated particles from reentering the second exiting air stream.