Sub-Building Ozone Barrier for Safe Termite Deterrence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for protecting buildings from termite damage, such as passive barriers and chemical fumigation, are inefficient and costly, often requiring multiple treatments and disrupting human habitation, with termites frequently not being completely eradicated due to the difficulty in achieving 100% effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the infusion of ozone into the ground below a building at a concentration that creates a hostile environment for termites, causing them to vacate and secrete a warning pheromone that deters others, without being lethal, combined with controlled delivery cycles to maintain a safe ozone level for human habitation and prevent resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high concentration fumigating chemicals are used to kill termites, then termite eradication effectiveness improves, but human safety deteriorates and building evacuation is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different ozone concentrations to different spatial zones: high concentration in the sub-building region for termite control, and low concentration in habitable spaces for safety. This localized quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between effective termite eradication and human safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The building protection space is segmented into two distinct zones: the sub-building region (where termites are present) and the habitable region (where humans occupy). Different ozone treatment strategies are applied to each zone, allowing effective termite control without compromising human safety.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If continuous low level ozone infusion is used to maintain safe levels for human habitation, then human safety is maintained, but termite deterrence effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic cycling between low ozone levels (for human safety) and high ozone levels (for termite deterrence/eradication). This periodic action allows the system to maintain human safety while periodically achieving effective termite control, resolving the contradiction between continuous safety maintenance and periodic deterrence effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The ozone concentration is made dynamic rather than static, adjusting between low and high levels based on the operational phase (maintenance vs. treatment). This dynamic adjustment allows the system to satisfy both human safety requirements and termite deterrence effectiveness at different times.
3Reliability
If high concentration ozone is used to eradicate termites, then termite population is reduced, but termite resistance to ozone develops over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic high concentration ozone treatments rather than continuous exposure. This periodic action prevents termites from developing resistance by interrupting continuous selective pressure, while still achieving effective population reduction during treatment phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the ozone concentration parameter dynamically, alternating between low and high levels. This parameter change strategy prevents termites from adapting to a constant high concentration, thereby preventing resistance development while maintaining eradication effectiveness during high concentration phases.
4Ease of manufacture
If passive barriers are used to prevent termite entry, then installation simplicity improves, but barrier integrity is difficult to maintain at 100% performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical passive barrier system with a chemical ozone treatment system. This substitution eliminates the integrity issues of physical barriers while maintaining protection effectiveness through active ozone delivery to the sub-building region.
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
This approach effectively prevents termite re-infestation by modifying their behavior and creating a long-term deterrent without harming humans, reducing the need for frequent and costly treatments and minimizing structural damage.
Implementation Method 1
infusing the ground or the region below the floor slab of a building with a concentration of treatment agent which is sufficient to create a hostile environment without actually killing any termites
Implementation Method 2
delivering ozone through the said introduction pathway into said region at a rate such as to maintain the concentration of ozone below a safety threshold level in the habitable parts of the building such as to allow continuous uninterrupted occupation by humans
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for protecting the lower regions of and structure of a building (10) from damage or degradation by termites. The method comprises the steps of creating a region in the ground below the building having properties hostile to termites whereby to discourage them from approaching the vicinity of the building. In one embodiment means for creating a hostile region in the ground below the building are provided by a pump (12) which creates a superatmoshpheric pressure field (40) in this region. Treatment agents (31) such as ozone may be delivered to the ground region in order to provide a hostile effect to the termites by affecting their pheromone chemistry and/or their reproductive or communicative behavior. A secondary function of the present invention relates to the creation of a forced ventilation (46) of the habitable region (18) within which the apparatus of the present invention resides.