Two-Stage VUV and UV-C Air Purification for Single-Pass Sterilization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air filtration devices are bulky, costly, or ineffective in filtering and sterilizing the smallest and most dangerous microorganisms in a single pass, posing a risk to medical professionals and individuals from airborne pathogens and contaminants.
Innovation Solution
A medical-grade air purification system utilizing a vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) reaction chamber followed by ultraviolet-C (UV-C) radiation to treat air, combined with HEPA or ULPA filters and activated carbon, achieving rapid sterilization and filtration in a single pass.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional air filtration devices are used, then filtration capability is provided, but the devices are bulky and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical filtration systems with a plasma-based purification system. The plasma generator creates plasma that directly neutralizes and eliminates pathogens, replacing the need for bulky mechanical filters while maintaining high effectiveness against airborne contaminants.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the state of air from a passive filtration medium to an active plasma-treated gas. By transforming air into plasma and then recombining it with atmospheric gases, the system achieves rapid pathogen elimination in a compact form factor, improving both portability and filtration effectiveness.
2Reliability
If traditional air filtration devices are used, then filtration is provided, but they are ineffective in filtering and sterilizing the smallest and most dangerous microorganisms in a single pass
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes mechanical filtration with plasma-based sterilization. The plasma generator creates plasma that directly neutralizes pathogens including viruses and bacteria in a single pass, eliminating the time required for multiple filtration stages while achieving complete sterilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The plasma treatment utilizes highly reactive oxygen species and other reactive components generated during plasma formation. These strong oxidants rapidly neutralize and destroy microbial cell walls and genetic material, achieving effective sterilization in a single pass without time delay.
3Ease of operation
If existing air purification systems are used, then air treatment is provided, but they are too large to be physically accessible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces large-scale mechanical filtration systems with a compact plasma-based purification device. The plasma generator and associated components are designed to be small and portable while maintaining the ability to rapidly purify air, thus improving both accessibility and purification rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and eliminates pathogens directly from the air stream through plasma treatment, rather than relying on large volumes of air passing through bulky filtration media. This extraction approach achieves rapid purification in a compact device that is easily accessible and portable.
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 eliminates pathogens and contaminants in approximately 0.026 seconds, providing clean air in a 1000 cubic foot room in four minutes, significantly reducing the transmissibility of airborne pathogens in healthcare environments.
Implementation Method 1
The air is treated with vacuum ultraviolet radiation in a first reaction chamber to generate irradiated air
Implementation Method 2
The irradiated air is treated with ultraviolet-C radiation in a secondary reaction chamber to generate purified air
Implementation Method 3
A carbon filter that interfaces with the fan to remove ozone and contaminants from the irradiated air
Data Source
AI summary
A system, method, and air purification device. Air is taken in from an environment into the air purification system. The air is treated with vacuum ultraviolet radiation in a first reaction chamber to generate irradiated air. The irradiated air is treated with ultraviolet-C radiation in a secondary reaction chamber to generate purified air. The purified air is emitted back into the environment from the air purification system.