UV LED Air Purifier Layout for Uniform Sterilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The rapid degradation of air quality in Korea due to industrialization and indoor air contamination from fine dust, formaldehyde, and airborne bacteria leads to increased demand for effective air purification methods, with existing air purifiers struggling to efficiently sterilize and deodorize air.
Innovation Solution
An air purifier design incorporating a UV light emitting diode (LED) unit and a filter unit, with a fluid control structure and light reflecting structure to enhance air flow and UV ray exposure, utilizing UV LEDs that emit different spectral ranges for sterilization and photocatalyst reactions to decompose organic materials and sterilize bacteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UV rays are used to sterilize air, then sterilization effectiveness is improved, but uniform UV exposure of air flow is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from point-source UV lamps to a planar UV LED array structure, changing the spatial dimension of UV emission. Multiple UV LEDs are arranged in an array on a circuit board, creating a distributed light source that provides more uniform UV irradiation across the air flow path, resolving the uniformity issue while maintaining sterilization effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by positioning UV LEDs at specific locations where air flow passes through, ensuring that UV exposure is concentrated where needed. The circuit board with UV LEDs is strategically placed to match the air flow pattern, providing localized sterilization where it is most effective while ensuring uniform coverage across the entire air stream.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If physical filtration is used to remove contaminants, then particle removal is improved, but the device becomes more complex with multiple filters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the UV sterilization function with the filtration system by integrating the UV LED array directly into the air purifier housing near the filter elements. This combination allows simultaneous particle filtration and microbial sterilization in a single integrated structure, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining comprehensive contaminant removal capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The air purifier is designed with multi-functionality, combining physical filtration for particles and UV irradiation for sterilization in one device. The UV LED unit serves multiple purposes: sterilizing air, deodorizing organic compounds, and working synergistically with the filtration system to provide comprehensive air purification without requiring separate standalone devices.
3Use of energy by moving object
If UV LEDs are used instead of traditional UV lamps, then energy efficiency is improved, but light distribution uniformity becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the UV light source into multiple individual UV LEDs arranged in an array on a circuit board, replacing a single traditional UV lamp. This segmentation allows each LED to contribute to the overall light distribution, and through proper spatial arrangement, achieves uniform light distribution across the air flow while maintaining the energy efficiency advantages of LED technology.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a light reflecting structure as an intermediary between the UV LED array and the air flow. This reflecting structure helps distribute and redirect UV light from the LEDs, ensuring uniform illumination across the entire air stream while allowing the use of energy-efficient UV LEDs. The reflector acts as a mediator that transforms the directional LED output into uniform omnidirectional UV exposure.
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 air purifier effectively sterilizes and deodorizes air by ensuring uniform UV exposure and improved air flow, enhancing the efficiency of UV-based air purification and filtration, addressing the challenges of air quality degradation.
Implementation Method 1
an ultraviolet (UV) light emitting diode (LED) unit arranged inside the case over the fan along a flow path of air
Implementation Method 2
UV LEDs arranged on the PCB, and a light reflecting structure disposed to surround the UV LEDs. The air flows along the flow path within the case and through the through-holes and UV LEDs irradiate UV rays onto the air that passes through the through-holes to sterilize the air
Implementation Method 3
purifies the air through radicals generated by reactions between a photocatalyst filter and UV rays
Data Source
AI summary
An air purifier includes a case having an air inlet and an air outlet, a fan disposed adjacent the air inlet, a UV LED unit and a filter unit arranged over the fan along a flow path of air, and a fluid control structure disposed between the fan and the filter unit.