Cylindrical UV LED Irradiation Chamber for Portable Pathogen Neutralization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for neutralizing pathogens in inhaled and exhaled air are not adequately portable, lightweight, or self-contained, and fail to effectively provide safe breathing air for first responders and caregivers, particularly during the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus epidemic.
Innovation Solution
A portable, self-contained gas irradiation system utilizing UV LEDs with germicidal wavelengths of 100-400 nm, integrated with a HEPA filter and a cylindrical irradiation chamber design that allows for sequential exposure of air streams to UV light, ensuring effective pathogen neutralization and easy transportability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UV-C light technology is used to neutralize pathogens in air streams, then pathogen neutralization effectiveness is improved, but device portability and weight are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The irradiation chamber is divided into multiple compartments (first, second, third, fourth compartments) arranged in a circular pattern around a central axis. Each compartment contains UV-C light sources positioned at specific locations to irradiate air streams from different directions. This segmentation allows effective pathogen neutralization through multiple exposure points while keeping each individual compartment compact and lightweight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent arranges irradiation compartments in a circular configuration around a central vertical axis, utilizing three-dimensional spatial arrangement. Air streams can flow horizontally through the compartments or vertically through the chamber, providing flexible multi-directional irradiation. This dimensional arrangement maximizes pathogen exposure to UV-C light while maintaining a compact footprint suitable for portability.
2Reliability
If multiple UV-C light sources are positioned to provide effective exposure time and distance to air streams, then pathogen neutralization is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple UV-C light sources are integrated into a unified irradiation chamber structure with compartments arranged around a central axis. The light sources, air stream pathways, and support structures are combined into a single self-contained unit that can be easily transported and deployed. This merging reduces the complexity of assembling and coordinating separate components while maintaining effective multi-point irradiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The irradiation chamber is designed to handle multiple air streams simultaneously through its circular compartment configuration, making it universally applicable for treating exhalations from multiple persons or for prolonged treatment of continuous air flow. The same structure serves both horizontal and vertical air flow configurations, providing multi-functional capability without requiring separate devices for different scenarios.
3Ease of operation
If a self-contained portable system is designed for easy transport and use by first responders, then ease of operation is improved, but pathogen neutralization effectiveness may be worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The irradiation compartments are nested around a central vertical axis within a compact cylindrical or circular housing. UV-C light sources are positioned within each compartment, and air stream pathways are nested through the compartments in sequence. This nested arrangement maximizes the neutralization effectiveness within a compact volume, ensuring that even in a portable size, the air streams receive adequate exposure to multiple UV-C sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed as a self-contained unit with all necessary components (UV-C light sources, irradiation chambers, air stream pathways, and control systems) pre-integrated and ready for immediate deployment. First responders can simply position the device and activate it without requiring complex setup or calibration, ensuring both ease of operation and maintained effectiveness for rapid response situations.
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 system effectively purifies air streams by deactivating pathogens, providing safe breathing air for individuals and quarantining infected persons, while being compact and easy to use, thus addressing the need for effective pathogen neutralization in a portable and lightweight format.
Implementation Method 1
UV-C light is germicidal, which means it deactivates the DNA of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens
Implementation Method 2
UV LEDs have germicidal wavelengths of 100-400 nm, and typically in the range of 100-280 nm
Implementation Method 3
an incoming air stream is first filtered of air particulates, gases, vapors, and/or biological material by passing air through a high efficiency particulate air ('HEPA') filter
Data Source
AI summary
A gas irradiation system has an irradiation chamber having a plurality of irradiation compartments disposed circumferentially about a central axis. One of the compartments is an inlet compartment. The inlet compartment has an aperture at the bottom through which gas flows from the compartment. A UV LED is disposed within or adjacent to the aperture, where the UVC LED is configured to irradiate the gas and neutralize pathogens. Circumferentially adjacent to one side of the inlet irradiation compartment is an outlet irradiation compartment. Circumferentially adjacent in the opposite circumferential direction on the other side of the inlet radiation compartment is the first of a plurality of intermediate irradiation compartments. These intermediate compartments extend circumferentially about the central axis between the inlet compartment and the outlet compartment. The gas flows sequentially through each of the irradiation compartments, being irradiated in each compartment.