Photocatalytic Air Purification via UV-Illuminated Heat Exchange Fin Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current air conditioning systems are inadequate in effectively eliminating biological and chemical pollutants, such as viruses, bacteria, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), from indoor air, as existing filtration and purification methods are limited in their ability to achieve rapid and comprehensive sterilization and air quality improvement.
Innovation Solution
An air-conditioning indoor unit with heat exchange fins coated with a hydrophilic photocatalytic material and equipped with ultraviolet lamps, which enhances photocatalytic reactions to decompose pollutants and improve sterilization and disinfection efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If ultraviolet photocatalytic oxidation technology is used for sterilization, then sterilization capability is improved, but sterilization speed deteriorates due to limited photocatalytic contact area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies photocatalytic coating not only on dedicated sterilization components but also on the heat exchange fin surface, which is already present in the air conditioner. This allows the heat exchange fin to serve dual purposes: thermal exchange and photocatalytic sterilization, significantly increasing the effective photocatalytic contact area and improving sterilization speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines heat exchange function and photocatalytic sterilization function into a single component (heat exchange fin). By coating the fin surface with photocatalytic material, the same component that cools or heats air also performs sterilization, eliminating the need for separate sterilization components and increasing contact area.
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 solution effectively combines heat exchange and photocatalytic functions to enhance air purification, significantly improving indoor air quality by eliminating chemical and biological pollutants, thereby enhancing sterilization and disinfection effects.
Implementation Method 1
a surface of which is coated with a hydrophilic coating containing photocatalytic material; and an ultraviolet lamp arranged at or near the heat exchange fin so that ultraviolet light of the ultraviolet lamp covers the surface of the heat exchange fin coated with the hydrophilic coating
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchange tube, through which air and refrigerant exchange heat
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an end product for air-conditioning indoor unit, which comprises a heat exchange tube through which air and refrigerant exchange heat; a heat exchange fin on which a tube hole for passing through the heat exchange tube is formed and the surface of which is coated with a hydrophilic coating containing photocatalytic material; and an ultraviolet lamp arranged at or near the heat exchange fin, so that the ultraviolet light of the ultraviolet lamp can cover the surface of the heat exchange fin coated with the hydrophilic coating. The invention further provides an air-conditioning indoor unit configured with the end product and a method for coating heat exchange fins of the end product. The end product for air-conditioning indoor unit according to the invention can achieve highly efficient air purification.