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EP4655533A1 - Système de traitement d'air - Google Patents

Système de traitement d'air

Info

Publication number
EP4655533A1
EP4655533A1 EP24712282.3A EP24712282A EP4655533A1 EP 4655533 A1 EP4655533 A1 EP 4655533A1 EP 24712282 A EP24712282 A EP 24712282A EP 4655533 A1 EP4655533 A1 EP 4655533A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
treatment
stage
air
airflow
stages
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP24712282.3A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Michael Ernest Levey
David Cameron
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sterilize Aer Group Ltd
Original Assignee
Sterilize Aer Group Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sterilize Aer Group Ltd filed Critical Sterilize Aer Group Ltd
Publication of EP4655533A1 publication Critical patent/EP4655533A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F8/00—Treatment, e.g. purification, of air supplied to human living or working spaces otherwise than by heating, cooling, humidifying or drying
    • F24F8/20—Treatment, e.g. purification, of air supplied to human living or working spaces otherwise than by heating, cooling, humidifying or drying by sterilisation
    • F24F8/22—Treatment, e.g. purification, of air supplied to human living or working spaces otherwise than by heating, cooling, humidifying or drying by sterilisation using UV light
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L9/00—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air
    • A61L9/015—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air using gaseous or vaporous substances, e.g. ozone
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L9/00—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air
    • A61L9/14—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air using sprayed or atomised substances including air-liquid contact processes
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L9/00—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air
    • A61L9/16—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air using physical phenomena
    • A61L9/18—Radiation
    • A61L9/20—Ultraviolet radiation
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L9/00—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air
    • A61L9/16—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air using physical phenomena
    • A61L9/18—Radiation
    • A61L9/20—Ultraviolet radiation
    • A61L9/205—Ultraviolet radiation using a photocatalyst or photosensitiser
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L9/00—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air
    • A61L9/16—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air using physical phenomena
    • A61L9/22—Ionisation
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D46/00—Filters or filtering processes specially modified for separating dispersed particles from gases or vapours
    • B01D46/0027—Filters or filtering processes specially modified for separating dispersed particles from gases or vapours with additional separating or treating functions
    • B01D46/0032—Filters or filtering processes specially modified for separating dispersed particles from gases or vapours with additional separating or treating functions using electrostatic forces to remove particles, e.g. electret filters
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B03—SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
    • B03C—MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
    • B03C3/00—Separating dispersed particles from gases or vapour, e.g. air, by electrostatic effect
    • B03C3/01—Pretreatment of the gases prior to electrostatic precipitation
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B03—SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
    • B03C—MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
    • B03C3/00—Separating dispersed particles from gases or vapour, e.g. air, by electrostatic effect
    • B03C3/017—Combinations of electrostatic separation with other processes, not otherwise provided for
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F8/00—Treatment, e.g. purification, of air supplied to human living or working spaces otherwise than by heating, cooling, humidifying or drying
    • F24F8/10—Treatment, e.g. purification, of air supplied to human living or working spaces otherwise than by heating, cooling, humidifying or drying by separation, e.g. by filtering
    • F24F8/192—Treatment, e.g. purification, of air supplied to human living or working spaces otherwise than by heating, cooling, humidifying or drying by separation, e.g. by filtering by electrical means, e.g. by applying electrostatic fields or high voltages
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F8/00—Treatment, e.g. purification, of air supplied to human living or working spaces otherwise than by heating, cooling, humidifying or drying
    • F24F8/20—Treatment, e.g. purification, of air supplied to human living or working spaces otherwise than by heating, cooling, humidifying or drying by sterilisation
    • F24F8/24—Treatment, e.g. purification, of air supplied to human living or working spaces otherwise than by heating, cooling, humidifying or drying by sterilisation using sterilising media
    • F24F8/26—Treatment, e.g. purification, of air supplied to human living or working spaces otherwise than by heating, cooling, humidifying or drying by sterilisation using sterilising media using ozone
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L2209/00—Aspects relating to disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air
    • A61L2209/10—Apparatus features
    • A61L2209/11—Apparatus for controlling air treatment
    • A61L2209/111—Sensor means, e.g. motion, brightness, scent, contaminant sensors
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L2209/00—Aspects relating to disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air
    • A61L2209/10—Apparatus features
    • A61L2209/13—Dispensing or storing means for active compounds
    • A61L2209/134—Distributing means, e.g. baffles, valves, manifolds, nozzles
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L2209/00—Aspects relating to disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air
    • A61L2209/10—Apparatus features
    • A61L2209/13—Dispensing or storing means for active compounds
    • A61L2209/135—Vaporisers for active components
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L2209/00—Aspects relating to disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air
    • A61L2209/10—Apparatus features
    • A61L2209/16—Connections to a HVAC unit
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L2209/00—Aspects relating to disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air
    • A61L2209/20—Method-related aspects
    • A61L2209/21—Use of chemical compounds for treating air or the like
    • A61L2209/211—Use of hydrogen peroxide, liquid and vaporous
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L2209/00—Aspects relating to disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air
    • A61L2209/20—Method-related aspects
    • A61L2209/21—Use of chemical compounds for treating air or the like
    • A61L2209/212—Use of ozone, e.g. generated by UV radiation or electrical discharge

Definitions

  • HVAC systems Heating, ventilation and air conditioning
  • filters introduce airflow resistance that increases with time as they become clogged, with corresponding significant decreases in efficiency and increases in power consumption over time.
  • pathogens viruses including SARS-COV- 2, influenza and rhinovirus, as well as bacteria including tuberculosis, and fungal spores
  • HVAC heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning
  • Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus sp., Enterococcus sp., Listeria monocytogenes, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus sp.
  • Gram-negative bacteria Acinetobacter sp., Corynebacterium sp., Enterobacter sp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp., Pseudomonas sp., Serratia sp., Stenotrophomonas sp.
  • Fungi Alfernaria sp., Aspergillus sp., (A. niger), Candida sp., Chaetomium sp., Cladosporium sp., Cryptococcus sp., Penicillium sp., Rhodotorula sp.
  • Aerosols consist of very small droplets and droplet nuclei that remain suspended in the air for much longer than the larger droplets.
  • Corona viruses such as SARS-CoV-2
  • SARS-CoV-2 Transmission of Corona viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, is particularly prevalent inside crowded, confined indoor spaces such as workplaces (offices, factories) and other indoor settings, such as restaurants, parties, shopping centres/malls, worker dormitories, classrooms, cruise ships, vehicles, railway carriages and aircraft, where coughing, speaking, shouting or singing produce a mixture of both aerosols and droplets in a range of sizes.
  • High levels of SARS-COV- 2 infections have been reported in meat and fish processing plants in a number of countries due to the close proximity of workers who spend all day in air conditioned, chilled environments, where the lower temperatures facilitate the relative longevity of the airborne virus particles.
  • Meat and fish processing plant are supposed to maintain a minimum number of air exchanges per hour, however often their air conditioning/ventilation systems have not been designed to be able to achieve these volumes of air exchange throughout working areas, whilst allowing for improvements in filtration efficiency, e.g. with high efficiency HERA filters.
  • Smaller droplets ( ⁇ 5pm) and particles generated through coughing, sneezing or talking may stay airborne for hours and be transported over much longer distances.
  • Small particles such as droplet nuclei or solid residues are formed from droplets as they evaporate and desiccate may also stay airborne a long time and be transported over long distances.
  • the exposure time for aerosol droplets of sizes ⁇ 5pm is up to 3 hours (10,800 seconds), whilst the exposure time for aerosol droplets of sizes >10pm is approximately 6 seconds.
  • coronavirus particles which are 0.08-0.16pm in size, remain active in common indoor air conditions for up to three hours and for two to three days after settling on indoor surfaces. This means that such small particles can stay airborne and be transported long distances by airflows within enclosed spaces or via the air ducts of ventilation and air conditioning systems.
  • HERA Filtration is able to reduce the concentration of infectious agents and particulates in an enclosed space by passing the airflow through high-efficiency particulate air (HERA) filters, which are able to capture up to 99.97% of aerosols, pathogens and other particulates with sizes >0.3pm, thereby removing the majority of them.
  • HERA filtration imposes additional operating costs due to the increased fan power required to push air through HERA filters, which further increases over time as the filter media becomes fouled, and there is the cost of periodic replacement and disposal of the filter media (to incineration or landfill).
  • Ultra-low particulate air (ULPA) filters can capture up to 99.99% of aerosols, pathogens and other particulates with sizes >0.12pm, but require fans drawing even higher power than HEPA filters, and even more frequent replacements and disposal of the filter media.
  • the use of local air purifiers can minimize the risks of infection caused the spread of airborne infectious agents within their local environments.
  • HPAP high-performance air purification
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an air purification system in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
  • Figure 2 is a process flow diagram for an example implementation of the present invention for the treatment of recirculated airflow using two stages of ultraviolet treatment with wavelengths concentrated within particular narrow ranges of the electromagnetic wave spectrum, one stage of atomisation of an aqueous solution of one or more oxidising agents and/or biocides and two stages of electrostatic precipitation with dry electrodes described in Example 1 ;
  • Figure 3 is a process flow diagram for an example implementation of the present invention for the treatment of recirculated airflow using ozone gas, one stage a of ultraviolet treatment with wavelengths concentrated within particular narrow range of the electromagnetic wave spectrum, one stage of atomisation of an aqueous solution of one or more oxidising agents and/or biocides and two stages of electrostatic precipitation with dry electrodes as described in Example 2; and
  • Figure 4 is a process flow diagram for an example implementation of the present invention for the treatment of recirculated airflow using two stages of ultraviolet treatment with wavelengths concentrated within particular narrow ranges of the electromagnetic wave spectrum and two stages of electrostatic precipitation with porous precipitation electrodes that are wetted with an aqueous solution of a biocide, which is continuously filtered and recirculated as described in Example 3; and
  • Figure 5 is a process flow diagram for an example implementation of the present invention with the inclusion of the option to reduce the concentration of oxides of nitrogen (nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide) for the treatment of recirculated airflow using two stages of ultraviolet treatment with wavelengths concentrated within particular narrow ranges of the electromagnetic wave spectrum and two stages of electrostatic precipitation with porous precipitation electrodes that are wetted with an aqueous solution of one or more oxidising agents, which is continuously filtered and recirculated as described in Example 4.
  • oxides of nitrogen nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide
  • the present invention relates to an air treatment system for air purification, the air treatment system comprising a plurality of treatment stages and configured to receive air for treatment, to pass the received air as an airflow through the plurality of treatment stages sequentially, and to output treated air; wherein each of the plurality of treatment stages is configured to apply a treatment on the airflow, and wherein the plurality of treatment stages comprises: at least one ultraviolet treatment stage configured to apply ultraviolet light to the airflow passing through the ultraviolet treatment stage; and at least one electrostatic precipitation stage configured to apply electrostatic precipitation to the airflow passing through the electrostatic precipitation stage.
  • the innovative treatment sequence combines multiple treatment stages such that the majority of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and fungi are destroyed, and these, together with airborne particulates, including dust and pollen, are removed from the airflow. This is furthermore achieved in a manner that is cost effective in terms of capital, installation, operation and maintenance, as well as being energy efficient.
  • the present invention includes implementation of the application an innovative sequence of at least four technologies within a single air purification system to disinfect and remove particulates from the air in closed, confined or poorly ventilated spaces or from the air being circulated/recirculated through heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
  • air purification systems may either be installed within airflow of a heating, ventilation or air conditioning system or contained within enclosed cabinets and include internal/external electrically operated fans to draw air in through the air purification system(s) before releasing it back into the local environment, room or other enclosed space.
  • the innovative sequence of technologies ensures that not only is the air disinfected, but also almost all of the particulates, liquid droplets, aerosols and pathogens are removed and deactivated/destroyed.
  • the selected technologies utilised in the sequence offer a number of important benefits when compared with high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters or ultralow particulate air (ULPA) filters, which impact airflow and therefore result increased energy consumption due the increased resistance to airflow within the HVAC systems.
  • the present invention may also include the option of adding another stage into the sequence of technologies utilised in the air purification system, which will remove oxides of nitrogen (NOx), particularly nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and/or sulphur dioxide (SO2) and/or hydrogen sulphide (which may be present, for example, in meat/fish processing plants) from the airflow.
  • NOx oxides of nitrogen
  • NO2 nitric oxide
  • NO2 nitrogen dioxide
  • SO2 sulphur dioxide
  • hydrogen sulphide which may be present, for example, in meat/fish processing plants
  • the selected sequence of technologies has been selected to minimise any risk of irritation, allergic reaction or other effect upon eyes, mucous membranes or skin of the occupants of a room or other enclosed space, as might be experienced should ozone, cold plasma or chemical fogging be used alone to disinfect air within such room or other enclosed space.
  • the principal technologies integrated into the present invention include:
  • the ultraviolet light may be generated by ultraviolet lamps. Such ultraviolet lamps may emit light having a specific wavelength or wavelengths in the range of 170nm (orabout 170nm) to 270nm (or about 270nm), which will simultaneously deactivate/destroy a majority of the viruses, bacteria and fungi carried within the airflow through the system.
  • the ultraviolet light may be generated at a wavelength that also generates ozone within the airflow (e.g. a wavelength between about 170nm to about 190nm) .
  • the ultraviolet light may alternatively be generated at a wavelength that removes ozone from the airflow (e.g.
  • the efficacy of the ultraviolet treatment stage can be increased by increasing the intensity.
  • the minimum intensity anywhere within the ultraviolet light application chamber is 12mJ/cm 2 and (preferably at least 17mJ/cm 2 ), which provides effective ozone/pathogen removal in a power-efficient manner.
  • oxidising agent(s) and/or other biocide(s) as an atomised liquid preferably using electrospray, ultrasonic or other liquid atomising technology, or in gaseous form, into the airflow within a heating, ventilation, air conditioning or air recirculation system.
  • oxidising agents and/or biocides may include peracetic acid, sodium peracetate or potassium peracetate and/or in combination with hydrogen peroxide, and/or peroxygen salts including, but not limited to, sodium persulphate, potassium persulphate, sodium percarbonate, potassium percarbonate, etc.
  • the oxidising agent(s), whether introduced in gaseous or aerosol form acts to deactivate/destroy viruses, bacteria and fungi that may remain after the ultraviolet treatment.
  • the airflow with the oxidising agent and/or biocide is then guided through a chamber and/or pipework to create turbulence/mixing effect within the airflow.
  • the airflow is directed through two or more stages of electrostatic precipitator to remove airborne particulates, including virus particles, bacteria, fungi, spores and liquid droplets, which may be carrying viruses and/or bacteria.
  • the electrodes in the electrostatic precipitators are designed so that they are self-cleaning to minimise system maintenance interventions.
  • the electrostatic precipitator may function to extract the agent from the airflow.
  • Adding an additional stage or stages of atomisation of an aqueous solution of a one or more chemical compounds that will react with, and hence remove, nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide and/or sulphur dioxide (SO2) and/or hydrogen sulphide including, but not limited to, sodium carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, potassium carbonate, potassium hydrogen carbonate, sodium percarbonate, potassium percarbonate sodium persulphate, potassium persulphate, sodium peracetate, potassium peracetate, to be followed by a corresponding stage of electrostatic precipitation , before the final ultraviolet let treatment.
  • the agent is chosen to react with nitrogen dioxide to create nitrate/nitrate salts and, and to react with (oxidise) nitric oxide to create nitrogen dioxide (which will then chemically react with the chemical compounds to produce nitrate/nitrite salts).
  • the chemical compounds are chosen to react with sulphur dioxide and/or hydrogen sulphide to create sulphate/sulphite salts.
  • a plurality of chemical compounds are chosen such that a different chemical compound will react with each of nitric oxide, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide and nitrogen dioxide.
  • the same chemical compounds is chosen that reacts with sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide and nitrogen dioxide and a separate oxidising agent is chosen for insertion that oxidises the nitric oxide (in such embodiments, the nitric oxide may be removed in a preceding stage in which an oxidising agent is deployed into the air flow).
  • a chemical compound is chosen that will react with both nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide to produce nitric/nitrate salts and also with sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide to produce sulphite/sulphate salts.
  • At least one final stage of ultraviolet light to remove any ozone from the airflow (e.g. a wavelength between about 200nm and 270nm) that may either have been present in the airflow into the system and/or introduced or generated within the system, in addition to adding a final biocidal stage of treatment.
  • the final stage of ultraviolet light to remove any ozone in the airflow may be one of the two or more separate stages of ultraviolet light referenced above, or may be an additional ultraviolet stage.
  • the final stage of ultraviolet light further comprises injection apparatus configured to introduce a photocatalyst into the airflow, prior to application of UV light by the final stage of ultraviolet light.
  • This arrangement improves the removal of ozone from the airflow by the final stage of ultraviolet light, prior to outputting the airflow as treated air.
  • the photocatalyst may be introduced into the airflow by an injection stage of the plurality of treatment stages, such as an injection stage disposed prior to the final stage of ultraviolet light.
  • the photocatalyst may be injected after one or more electrostatic precipitation stages earlier in the sequence of treatment stages, and an additional electrostatic precipitation stage may be arranged after the final stage of ultraviolet light.
  • Photocatalysts that may be used include, but are not limited to, titanium dioxide, chlorinated titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or mixtures thereof.
  • the final stage of ultraviolet light further comprises of a suitable carrier structure(s) coated externally with photocatalysts, exposed directly to the ultraviolet light, prior to outputting the airflow as treated air.
  • the carrier structures may include, but are not limited to, wires, tubes, narrow plates and meshes, mounted in the final UV light chamber.
  • Photocatalysts that may be used include, but are not limited to, titanium dioxide, chlorinated titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or mixtures thereof.
  • the air treatment system integrates combinations of different technologies that are capable of biocidal and particulate/droplet removal. Furthermore, the selected combinations of technologies described herein ensure the required destruction/removal of the viruses, pathogens and airborne particulates/droplets, but it is cost effective in terms of capital, installation, operation and maintenance, as well as being energy efficient.
  • Embodiments described herein include a first stage and a second stage of treatment, comprising:
  • a particular wavelength e.g,187nm that also creates a small amount of ozone in the airflow
  • ultraviolet light irradiation at a particular wavelength e.g. 254nm
  • water, or a solution of an oxidising agent or biocide is atomised/sprayed into the airflow prior to its passage through a series of two or more electrostatic precipitators designed to remove the majority of airborne particulates and droplets (>0.1
  • the second electrostatic precipitator ensures removal of most of the dust, airborne particles of fats, oils and greases, liquid droplets, etc., virus particles, bacterial and fungal spores remaining after the first electrostatic precipitator (or set thereof).
  • the electrodes have pneumatically/electrically driven vibrators attached, which are operated periodically to shake adhering particles into a collection hopper/chamber. Most of the atomised aqueous solutions of oxidising agent(s) and/or biocides(s) will be removed by the electrostatic precipitator(s) placed within the airflow. The atomisation of the liquid droplets further increases the removal rates of particulates due their collisions with particulates and subsequent coalescence into large droplet sizes.
  • An electrostatic precipitator is a device that is configured to remove particulates from an airflow passing through the electrostatic precipitator.
  • the electrostatic precipitator comprises ionisation electrodes and collection electrodes arranged such that the air flows from the ionisation electrodes to the collection electrodes.
  • the ionisation electrodes are configured with a potential difference at a sufficient level to ionise particles within the airflow (e.g. above 1000 Volts, but not greater than the breakdown voltage for water vapour saturated air for the separation of the ionisation and collection electrodes in the electrostatic precipitator).
  • the charged particles then flow to the collection electrodes, which may be grounded or configured to receive a voltage of opposite polarity to the ionisation electrodes.
  • the ionised particles then collect on the collection electrodes, thus removing the particles from the airflow.
  • electrostatic precipitator is an example only; alternative designs of electrostatic precipitator may be used for the present invention.
  • embodiments of the present invention also include arrangements of parallel plate electrodes, which are alternately ionisation and collection electrodes, or collections of cylindrical electrodes with the ionisation electrodes at the centres of the outer cylindrical collection electrodes.
  • the electrostatic precipitator may include an injection assembly (such as a nozzle or nozzles) provided above (or beside) the collection electrodes to introduce water or aqueous solution of an oxidising agent and/or biocide onto the collection electrodes.
  • the introduced water or aqueous solution removes pathogens and particulates collected/adhering to the collection electrodes, either periodically or continuously wetting the collection electrodes.
  • the water or aqueous solution including the removed pathogens/particles may then be collected beneath the electrodes, filtered using ceramic media or other treatment technologies to remove dead pathogens and particulates, and then recirculated through the nozzles for re-use. Applying either water or biocide will improve the removal of collected particles through application of a fluid flow over the electrodes.
  • Use of specifically an aqueous solution of biocide improves particulate removal as it will not only dislodge harmful particles but neutralize them.
  • Porous collection electrodes which may be wetted with a disinfectant solution of hydrogen peroxide and/or ozone in water (the ozone be produced using a small ozone generator) or hypochlorous acid, etc., or other aqueous solution of one or more oxidising agents and/or biocides, which is filtered is filtered using suitable ceramic or other filter elements and recirculated, where the porous collection electrodes may be wetted using the nozzles described above; or by pumped flow through the internal void in hollow porous electrodes.
  • the electrodes may be provided vertically or in other orientations (e.g.
  • the collection electrodes may be cooled below the dew point of water at one atmospheric pressure (and preferably below 10C).
  • Electrodes vertically results in the water flowing down the electrodes due to the effect of gravity, thereby improving the efficiency of the electrode.
  • alternative arrangements/orientations of electrodes are possible (e.g. horizontal electrodes or plates).
  • the above arrangements of electrostatic precipitation electrodes may be provided in combination with each other.
  • the vertical electrodes may also be cooled and/or be porous, and the electrostatic precipitator may comprise a combination of electrodes having different properties (e.g. a combination of cooled electrodes with porous electrodes).
  • Alternative variations of the present invention that are fitted with wetted/chilled collection electrodes may utilise of disinfectant solutions produced by electrolysing solutions of sodium or potassium sulphate in water using boron doped diamond or mixed metal electrodes to form peroxygen compounds: hydrogen peroxide, sodium or potassium persulphate, etc., which have biocidal properties and are injected/atomised prior to the electrostatic precipitators and also into the collection hoppers/chambers where particulates and droplets removed by the electrostatic precipitators are collected to ensure the destruction of virus particles, bacterial and fungal spores.
  • Air mixing apparatus may be installed between any two treatment stages in the plurality of treatment stages, the air mixing apparatus configured to mix the air to improve the distribution of any agent or water that has been introduced into the air flow.
  • the air mixing apparatus is provided after any treatment stage that introduces an agent (e.g. biocide, oxidizing agent or chemical compound) into the air flow.
  • an agent e.g. biocide, oxidizing agent or chemical compound
  • baffle plates or similar e.g. a fan
  • baffle plates or similar are installed after the injection/atomising injection points to ensure effective mixing/distribution of the ozone throughout the air volume.
  • the second electrostatic precipitator may include electrode structures + power supplies that are designed specifically to generate ozone at the electrodes to ensure localised destruction of virus particles, bacterial and fungal spores; and/or include an arrangement of a series of UV-C lamps (either quartz or LED with quartz windows) installed after the electrostatic precipitators.
  • UV-C lamps have two functions: i) To irradiate and destroy almost all virus particles (>99.99%), bacterial and fungal spores that might remain in the airflow after electrostatic precipitation: and ii) To remove a potential workplace hazard by the removal of the majority ozone remaining in the airflow through its transformation into oxygen gas - specific wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation present in UV-C light to break open the unstable bonds in the oxygen atom triplets that comprise the ozone molecules, which then reform to normal oxygen gas comprising of molecules, each containing two oxygen atoms.
  • treatment intensity may include increasing the luminance of UV lamps of one or more ultraviolet treatment stages, increasing the voltage applied to the ionising electrodes of one or more electrostatic precipitation stages, increasing the flow of an agent to the collection electrodes of at least one electrostatic precipitation stages and/or increasing the volume or rate or flow of the agent or water injected by at least one of the injection stages.
  • the sensor or sensors comprise a sensor or sensors configured to detect levels of biocide, oxidising agent, chemical compounds and/or contaminants within the airflow.
  • the one or more sensors include sensors configured to detect levels of ozone within the air flow (such sensors are not expensive).
  • the one or more sensors may also include a sensor or sensors configured to detect levels of oxides of nitrogen in the air flow and/or levels of sulphur dioxide and/or levels of hydrogen sulphide in the air flow.
  • the sensor or sensors may also measure the rate of collection of liquid from the electrostatic precipitator(s) and/or the rates of consumption of water, aqueous solutions of oxidising agent(s), biocide(s) and/or chemical compounds.
  • the controller may determine the total number of people within the room, building, or facility.
  • the controller may control at least one treatment stage to increase the intensity of treatment upon increase of one or more of the carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, humidity, number of people entering the room, building or facility or total number of people inside the room, building, or facility.
  • the controller may control at least one treatment stage to decrease the intensity of treatment upon decrease of one or more of the carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, humidity, or total number of people inside the room, building, or facility or an increase in the numberof people leaving the room, building, orfacility.
  • the controller may further adjust the rate at which air is drawn into the air treatment system in response to measurements from one or more of the sensors.
  • the controller may control at least one treatment stage to reduce or increase the concentration of the detected agent (for example, upon detection of increased ozone level, the intensity of the final ultraviolet stage to remove ozone may be increased or an additional final ultraviolet stage may be switched on).
  • the humidity of the air e.g. immediately before the electrostatic precipitators
  • the controller may increase/reduce the amount of aqueous solution of oxidising agent(s)/biocide(s) being atomised into the air flow.
  • the measured rate of collection of condensed liquid could also be used as a surrogate measurement in this fashion. Using humidity or measured rate of collection in this manner reduces the required number of sensors, providing a more cost-effective and simpler apparatus.
  • Further variations to present invention may include capabilities for the collection, storage and processing of data, including the implementation of statistical analysis of/using Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence techniques, collected by sensors to facilitate the monitoring, prediction, display locally and/or remotely, automation and optimisation of the treatment within the airflow and/or room building or facility.
  • a Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence model may be provided that has been trained on set of training data that includes operation states of the air treatment system for a variety of measured parameters of the air treatment system as described above.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates an air treatment system 100 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
  • the air treatment system 100 is configured to receive air 120A for treatment from a source 130.
  • Source 130 may be an enclosed space within which the air treatment system is arranged, or may be an external source, such as a different enclosed space, adjacent room or external environment.
  • the air treatment system 100 is configured to purify the received air 120A to return output treated air 120C.
  • Output air 120C may be returned to the source 130 or may be output elsewhere (e.g. a different room, space or environment external to the source).
  • the air conditioning system is configured to receive air 120A and output air 1200 from and to the same space, thus providing air purification in a closed system.
  • the air treatment system 100 comprises a plurality of treatment stages 140 (shown as stages 140A...140N in Figure 1 ) and is configured to pass the received air as an airflow 120B (by fans or other transport mechanism) that sequentially passes through the plurality of treatment stages that are sequentially disposed within the air treatment system 100.
  • Each of the plurality of treatment stages 140 is configured to apply a treatment to the airflow 120B.
  • each of the plurality of treatment stages may be a treatment stage as described above. The successive application of each treatment stage improves the overall air purity as compared to treatment with a single stage alone.
  • Each of the plurality of treatment stages include a stage according to one of the principal technologies described above.
  • the air treatment system 100 comprises at least one ultraviolet treatment stage 140A, MON configured to apply ultraviolet light to the airflow; and at least one electrostatic precipitation stage 140A, MON configured to perform electrostatic precipitation on the airflow.
  • Additional stages may be provided in addition, such as additional ultraviolet treatment stages, additional electrostatic precipitation stages and/or one or more stages to inject agents into the airflow, such as biocide(s), oxidising agents and chemical compound(s).
  • agents into the airflow such as biocide(s), oxidising agents and chemical compound(s).
  • Various combinations of the principal technologies may be deployed within the present invention.
  • there is disposed at least one treatment stage capable of introducing an agent into the workflow e.g.
  • ultraviolet light stage to create ozone or an injection stage arranged before at least one stage capable of removing the agent from the workflow (e.g. ultraviolet light stage to remove ozone or an electrostatic precipitation stage).
  • Embodiments of the air treatment systems disclosed herein include innovative orderings of the treatment stages.
  • a stage configured to injects an agent into the airflow is provided before the electrostatic precipitator(s), such that the electrostatic precipitator(s) are configured to remove not only pathogens from the airflow but any remaining agent such as a biocide.
  • the first and last stage of the plurality of treatment stages are ultraviolet treatment stages, with the first stage configured to create an oxidising agent and the last stage configured to remove the oxidising agent.
  • the oxidising agent is present within the airflow for all intermediate stages but is removed before the air is output.
  • the plurality of treatment stages 140 comprises at least two electrostatic precipitators in sequence.
  • the function of the second and subsequent electrostatic precipitators is to remove any particulates remaining in the airflow after treatment of the first electrostatic precipitator, thereby improving the overall efficiency of the system.
  • the air treatment system 100 includes a controller 150, said controller configured to control operations of the air treatment apparatus, said operations comprising one or more of: activating one or more treatment stage of the plurality of treatment stages; deactivating one or more treatment stage of the plurality of treatment stages; controlling operation one or more treatment stage of the plurality of treatment stages; and controlling the rate at which the airflow is passed through the plurality of treatment stages.
  • the rate of airflow may be controlled, for example, by adjusting a level of differential pressure within the air conditioning system.
  • the controller may be a PLC (programmable logic controller), may be a general-purpose computing system such as a laptop, desktop, server, or mobile device, or may be one or more processors configured to execute a computer program comprising instructions that, when executed, perform the operations of the air treatment system.
  • PLC programmable logic controller
  • Embodiments of the invention include a computer program comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed, perform the operations of the air treatment system, or a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing the computer-readable instructions or a carrier medium storing the computer-readable instructions.
  • the air treatment system further comprises one or more sensors 160, the one or more sensors 160 being configured to measure one or more properties of the received air 120A, airflow 120B, treated air 120C and/or the environment external to the air treatment system 100.
  • the controller 150 is further configured to perform control operations of the plurality of treatment stages in response to data received from the sensor indicating the measured property.
  • the controller 150 may be included in the air treatment system or may be separate to the air treatment system 100 and configured to communicate with the system 100.
  • the plurality of stages 140 includes at least one injection stage configured to introduce an agent into the air flow.
  • the introduced agent is selected from agents that function as a means to purify the airflow.
  • the agent may be a biocide, or may be an oxidising agent and/or may be a chemical compound that chemically reacts with an agent to be removed from the air flow (for example, a chemical compound or compounds that react with oxides of nitrogen and/or sulphur dioxide (SO2) and/or hydrogen sulphide).
  • SO2 sulphur dioxide
  • embodiments of the invention also include a method of air treatment for removal of pathogens and airborne particulates, wherein the method includes receiving air for treatment, passing the received air as an airflow through a plurality of treatment stages sequentially, outputting the treated air, wherein each of the plurality of treatment stages is configured to apply a treatment to the airflow, and wherein the plurality of treatment stages comprises: at least one ultraviolet treatment stage configured to apply ultraviolet light to the airflow; and at least one electrostatic precipitation stage configured to perform electrostatic precipitation on the airflow.
  • Example 1 is illustrated in Figure 2.
  • the airflow for treatment is transported in the into the treatment system, which comprises the sequence of treatment processes listed above, by fans or other transport mechanism, where it passes across an arrangement of lamps, which emit high intensity ultraviolet light (for example, and as mentioned above, in some embodiments, the minimum intensity is 12mJ/cm 2 , and is preferably at least 17mJ/cm 2 ) with wavelengths concentrated between 170nm and 200nm.
  • the ultraviolet at these particular wavelengths is both directly biocidal to virus particles, bacteria and fungi, and also causes ionisation of molecules of oxygen gas causing them to dissociate into electrically charged oxygen ions that are biocidal, and some of these ions reform as molecules of ozone gas, which is an oxidising agent and is biocidal/virucidal.
  • the airflow emerges from the arrangement of lamps and passes through a baffle plate arrangement, which creates turbulence and ensures effective mixing of airflow to maximise the probabilities of collisions/interactions between the electrically charged oxygen ions and ozone gas molecules with the remaining active virus particles, bacteria and fungi to increase the rates of destruction of these in the airflow.
  • the airflow passes through first one stage of electrostatic precipitation, which removes a majority of particulates, droplets and dead/inactive/active virus particles, bacteria and fungi.
  • the airflow passes through a second stage of electrostatic precipitation, which removes the majority of any remaining particulates, droplets and dead/inactive/active virus particles, bacteria and fungi.
  • Atomising nozzles ore provided after the baffle plates, the atomizing nozzles configured to introduce an aqueous solution of one or more oxidising agents and/or biocides into the airflow.
  • a second set of atomising nozzles are provided between the first electrostatic precipitator and the second electrostatic precipitator, and are configured to introduce an aqueous solution of one or more oxidising agents and/or biocides into the airflow.
  • the airflow passes across an arrangement of lamps, which emit high intensity ultraviolet light with wavelengths concentrated between 200nm and 270nm.
  • Ultraviolet light at these particular wavelengths is both directly highly biocidal to virus particles, bacteria and fungi, and also destroys ozone molecules, causing them to dissociate and breakdown into oxygen molecules, thereby removing hazardous ozone gas that might remain after previous treatment stages.
  • the airflow for treatment is transported in the into the treatment system, which comprises the sequence of treatment processes listed above, by fans or other transport mechanism, where ozone gas, which is biocidal to virus particles, bacteria and fungi, is introduced from an ozone generator and mixed into the airflow.
  • ozone gas which is biocidal to virus particles, bacteria and fungi
  • the airflow passes through a baffle plate arrangement, which creates turbulence and ensures effective mixing of airflow to maximise the probabilities of collisions/interactions between ozone gas molecules and active virus particles, bacteria and fungi to increase the rates of destruction of these in the airflow.
  • atomising nozzles introduce an aqueous solution of one or more oxidising agents and/or biocides into the airflow.
  • the airflow passes through firstly one stage of electrostatic precipitation, which removes a majority of particulates, droplets and dead/inactive/active virus particles bacteria and fungi.
  • the airflow passes through a second stage of electrostatic precipitation, which removes the majority of any remaining particulates, droplets and dead/inactive/active virus particles, bacteria and fungi.
  • the airflow passes across an arrangement of lamps, which emit high intensity ultraviolet light with wavelengths concentrated between 200nm and 270nm.
  • Ultraviolet light at these particular wavelengths is both directly highly biocidal to virus particles, bacteria and fungi, and also destroys ozone molecules, causing them to dissociate and breakdown into oxygen molecules, thereby removing hazardous ozone gas that might remain after previous treatment stages.
  • Example 3 is illustrated in Figure 4.
  • the airflow for treatment is transported in the into the treatment system, which comprises the sequence of treatment processes listed above, by fans or other transport mechanism, where it passes across an arrangement of lamps, which emit high intensity ultraviolet light with wavelengths concentrated between 170nm and 200nm.
  • Ultraviolet light at these particular wavelengths is both directly biocidal to virus particles, bacteria and fungi, and also causes ionisation of molecules of oxygen gas causing them to dissociate into electrically charged oxygen ions that are also biocidal/virucidal, and some of these ions reform as molecules of ozone gas, which is an oxidising agent and is biocidal/virucidal.
  • the airflow is passes through a baffle plate arrangement, which creates turbulence and ensures effective mixing of airflow to maximise the probabilities of collisions/interactions between ozone gas molecules and electrically charged oxygen ions with the active virus particles, bacteria and fungi to increase the rates of destruction of these in the airflow.
  • the airflow passes through two stages of electrostatic precipitation with porous electrodes, which are continuously wetted with a pumped flow of a solution of biocide in water, e.g. sodium hypochlorite solution, chlorine dioxide or quaternary ammonium compounds, etc., to remove the majority of particulates, droplets and dead/inactive/active virus particles bacteria and fungi.
  • a solution of biocide in water e.g. sodium hypochlorite solution, chlorine dioxide or quaternary ammonium compounds, etc.
  • the biocide solution is pumped away from the electrodes and through a filtration subsystem before being returned to a biocide solution reservoir tank.
  • the airflow passes through a second stage of electrostatic precipitation, which removes the majority of any remaining particulates, droplets and dead/inactive/active virus particles, bacteria and fungi.
  • Example 4 is illustrated in Figure 5.
  • the airflow for treatment is transported in the into the treatment system, which comprises the sequence of treatment processes listed above, by fans or other transport mechanism, where ozone gas, which is biocidal to virus particles, bacteria and fungi, is introduced from an ozone generator and mixed into the airflow.
  • ozone gas which is biocidal to virus particles, bacteria and fungi
  • the airflow is passes through a baffle plate arrangement, which creates turbulence and ensures effective mixing of airflow to maximise the probabilities of collisions/interactions between ozone gas molecules and active virus particles, bacteria and fungi to increase the rates of destruction of these in the airflow.
  • atomising nozzles introduce an aqueous solution of one or more oxidising into the airflow.
  • the airflow then passes through one stage of electrostatic precipitation, which removes a majority of particulates, droplets and dead/inactive/active virus particles bacteria and fungi.
  • a second set of atomising nozzles introduce an aqueous solution of one or more chemicals to react with, hence remove oxides of nitrogen from the airflow and then through a second stage of electrostatic precipitation, which removes the majority of any remaining particulates, droplets and dead/inactive/active virus particles, bacteria and fungi.
  • the airflow passes across an arrangement of lamps, which emit high intensity ultraviolet light with wavelengths concentrated between 200nm and 270nm.
  • Ultraviolet light at these particular wavelengths is both directly highly biocidal to virus particles, bacteria and fungi, and also destroys ozone molecules, causing them to dissociate and breakdown into oxygen molecules, thereby removing hazardous ozone gas that might remain after previous treatment stages.
  • NPs Numbered Paragraphs
  • the present invention is for a system to treat air drawn from within a room or other enclosed space for discharge back into the room or other enclosed space or elsewhere, or for air drawn from outside or other exterior environment and discharged into a room or other enclosed space or elsewhere, whereby several treatments, including the application of ultraviolet light, ozone and/or aqueous solutions of other oxidising chemicals and/or biocides and electrostatic precipitation are applied to the flow air in sequence after it has been drawn from the room or other enclosed space such that the majority of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and fungi are destroyed, and these, together with airborne particulates, including dust and pollen, are removed from the airflow.
  • a system according to NP 1 where the sequence of treatment processes includes an initial application of ultraviolet light in the wavelength range of 180nm to 190nm from sources installed within the path of airflow prior to electrostatic precipitation, such that not only are pathogens in the airflow are irradiated with this ultraviolet light and many are destroyed/inactivated, but ozone is also generated by these sources of ultraviolet light at a low concentration, which also exhibits additional biocidal activity against the pathogens.
  • Such ultraviolet lamps emitting light having a specific wavelength or wavelengths in the range of 180nm to 270nm, which will simultaneously deactivate/destroy a majority of the viruses, bacteria and fungi carried within the airflow through the system.
  • NP3 A system according to NP 1 and optionally NP 2 where the treatment process includes an initial application of ozone with air or gas containing separately generated ozone, which is injected into the airflow prior to electrostatic precipitation to aid the inactivation/destruction of the pathogens.
  • NP4 A system according to NP 3 where baffle plates are installed after the injection points ozone for ozone, or air or gas containing separately generated ozone, to ensure effective mixing/distribution of the ozone throughout the airflow and hence, improve the inactivation/destruction of airborne pathogens in the sequence of treatment processes.
  • NP5 A system according to NPs 1 , 2 or 3 and 4, where water is atomised into the airflow prior to electrostatic precipitation to improve the performance of the electrostatic precipitation process for the removal of airborne pathogens and particulates from the airflow.
  • NP6 A system according to NPs 1 , 2 or 3 and 4, where an aqueous solution of one or more oxidising agents and/or biocides and/or other chemical compounds, including, but not limited to, aqueous solutions of ozone, hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, sodium or potassium peracetate, sodium or potassium persulphate, sodium or potassium percarbonate, hypochlorous acid, sodium or potassium hypochlorite, sodium or potassium chlorite, chlorine dioxide and/or other biocidal chemicals, and/or sodium or potassium carbonate, sodium or potassium hydrogen carbonate, are sprayed or preferably atomised into the airflow using electrospray, ultrasonic nozzles or other atomising technology prior to electrostatic precipitation to improve the inactivation/destruction of airborne pathogens including those pathogens that may remain after treatment with ultraviolet light, and also to improve the performance of the electrostatic precipitation process for the removal of airborne pathogens and particulates from the airflow.
  • NP7 A system according to any of NPs 1 - 6, where the electrostatic precipitator contains two or more stages of electrostatic precipitation.
  • NP8 A system according to NP 7 where the particulate collection electrodes in the electrostatic precipitator have pneumatically, hydraulically or electrically driven mechanisms attached, which are operated periodically to vibrate shake adhering particulates into a collection hopper/chamber.
  • NP9 A system according to NP 7 where the particulate collection electrodes in one or more stages of the electrostatic precipitator have nozzles installed above or beside them in a suitable arrangement, such that when water or aqueous solution of one or more oxidising agents and/or biocides and/or other chemical compounds is introduced either periodically or continuously through the nozzles, the flow from nozzles removes collected/adhering pathogens and particulates from the electrodes, which is then collected beneath the electrodes, filtered using ceramic media or other treatment technologies to remove dead pathogens and particulates and then recirculated through the nozzles.
  • NP10 A system according to NP 7 where the particulate collection electrodes in one or more stages of the electrostatic precipitator are cooled to aid the condensation and coalescence of the atomised water, or aqueous solution of one or more oxidising agents and/or biocides and/or other chemical compounds, which is then collected beneath the electrodes, filtered using ceramic media or other treatment technologies to remove dead pathogens and particulates and then recirculated through the atomiser.
  • NP1 1 A system according to NP 7 where the particulate collection electrodes in one or more stages of the electrostatic precipitator are porous, such that water or aqueous solution of one or more oxidising agents and/or biocides and/or other chemical compounds is introduced inside the electrodes and exits through their porous surfaces and flows downwards carrying collected pathogens and particulates, which is then collected beneath the electrodes, filtered using ceramic media or other treatment technologies to remove dead pathogens and particulates and then recirculated through the porous electrodes.
  • NP12 oxidising agents and/or biocides and/or other chemical compounds
  • This downward flow of water or aqueous solution of one or more oxidising agents and/or biocides is collected in a chamber beneath the electrodes and then filtered using ceramic media or other treatment technologies to remove dead pathogens and particulates, before being recirculated over the outer surfaces of the electrodes.
  • NP13 A system according to NP 7 where the aqueous solution of one or more oxidising agents and/or biocides and/or chemical agents are selected specifically such that they will chemically react with oxides of nitrogen (oxidising nitric oxide to nitrogen dioxide) to form nitrite/nitrate salts from nitrogen dioxide in aqueous solution and/or chemically react with sulphur dioxide to form sulphite/sulphate salts in aqueous solution, thereby removing oxides of nitrogen and/or sulphur dioxide from the airflow through the system.
  • oxides of nitrogen oxidising nitric oxide to nitrogen dioxide
  • sulphur dioxide to form sulphite/sulphate salts in aqueous solution
  • NP14 A system according to NP 7 where a different aqueous solution of chemicals, which will chemically react with nitrogen dioxide to form nitrite/nitrate salts and/or sulphur dioxide and/or hydrogen sulphide to form sulphite/sulphate salts, is sprayed or preferably atomised into the airflow using electrospray, ultrasonic nozzles or other atomising technology prior to final electrostatic precipitation stage specifically to chemically react with, and hence remove, oxides of nitrogen in particular nitrogen dioxide, (most nitric oxide present in the airflow into the system will already have been oxidised to nitrogen dioxide by the preceding stages or stages where oxidising agents are used) and/or chemically react with sulphur dioxide to form sulphite/sulphate salts, where such chemicals may include, but not be limited to, one or more of sodium or potassium peracetate, sodium or potassium hydrocarbon carbonate, sodium or potassium carbonate, sodium or potassium percarbonate, etc.,
  • NP15 A system according to any of NPs 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1 1 , 12, 13 and 14 where the treatment process includes an application of one or more stages ultraviolet light in the wavelength range of 200nm to 270nm to the airflow after it exits electrostatic precipitation, such that not only are pathogens remaining in the airflow after electrostatic precipitation destroyed, but removal of ozone remaining in the airflow through its transformation into oxygen gas - specific wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation present in UV-C light break open the unstable bonds in the oxygen atom triplets that comprise the ozone molecules so that they break down to oxygen are irradiated with this ultraviolet light, but ozone as might be present in the airflow exiting the electrostatic precipitation is destroyed by these particular wavelengths of ultraviolet light.
  • the treatment process includes an application of one or more stages ultraviolet light in the wavelength range of 200nm to 270nm to the airflow after it exits electrostatic precipitation, such that not only are pathogens remaining in the airflow after electrostatic precipitation destroyed, but removal of
  • NP16 A system according to any of NPs 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1 1 , 12, 13 and 14 where the treatment process includes an application of one or more stages ultraviolet light in conjunction with photocatalysts including, but not limited to, titanium dioxide, chlorinated titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or mixtures thereof, to the airflow after it exits electrostatic precipitation to breakdown and remove the ozone molecules as might be present in the airflow exiting electrostatic precipitation or other treatment stage.
  • photocatalysts including, but not limited to, titanium dioxide, chlorinated titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or mixtures thereof
  • NP17 A system according to any of NPs 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1 1 , 12, 13 and 14 that includes a sensor or sensors to control and activate and/or deactivate one, or more, or all of the stages in the sequence of technologies implemented within the current invention, and/or increase/decrease periods of activation, treatment intensity and/or other operating parameters of one, or more, or all stages in the sequence of technologies implemented within the current invention.
  • sensors may amongst other measured parameters detect changes in carbon dioxide concentrations and/or temperature and or humidity within the air flow and/or room, building or facility, movement and/or numbers of individuals entering or leaving such room building or facility.
  • the present invention is for a system to treat air drawn from within a room or other enclosed space for discharge back into the room or other enclosed space or elsewhere, or for air drawn from outside or other exterior environment and discharged into a room or other enclosed space or elsewhere, whereby several treatments, including the application of ultraviolet light, ozone and/or other oxidising chemicals and electrostatic precipitation are applied to the flow air in sequence after it has been drawn from the room or other enclosed space such that the majority of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and fungi are destroyed, and these, together with airborne particulates, including dust and pollen, are removed from the airflow.
  • a system according to Clause 1 where the sequence of treatment processes includes an initial application of ultraviolet light in the wavelength range of 180nm to 190nm from sources installed within the path of airflow prior to electrostatic precipitation, such that not only are pathogens in the airflow are irradiated with this ultraviolet light and many are destroyed/inactivated, but ozone is also generated by these sources of ultraviolet light at a low concentration, which also exhibits additional biocidal activity against the pathogens.
  • Such ultraviolet lamps emitting light having a specific wavelength or wavelengths in the range of 180nm to 270nm, which will simultaneously deactivate/destroy a majority of the viruses, bacteria and fungi carried within the airflow through the system.
  • Clause 4 A system according to Clause 3 where baffle plates are installed after the injection points ozone for ozone, or air or gas containing separately generated ozone, to ensure effective mixing/distribution of the ozone throughout the airflow and hence, improve the inactivation/destruction of airborne pathogens in the sequence of treatment processes.
  • Clause 5 A system according to Clauses 1 , 2 or 3 and 4 where water is atomised into the airflow prior to electrostatic precipitation to improve the performance of the electrostatic precipitation process for the removal of airborne pathogens and particulates from the airflow.
  • Clause 6 A system according to Clauses 1 , 2 or 3 and 4 where an aqueous solution of an oxidising agent, including, but not limited to, solutions of ozone, hydrogen peroxide, sodium or potassium persulphate, hypochlorous acid, sodium hypochlorite, or other biocidal chemical is sprayed or preferably atomised into the airflow using electrospray, ultrasonic nozzles or other atomising technology prior to electrostatic precipitation to improve the inactivation/destruction of airborne pathogens including those pathogens that may remain after treatment with ultraviolet light, and also to improve the performance of the electrostatic precipitation process for the removal of airborne pathogens and particulates from the airflow.
  • an oxidising agent including, but not limited to, solutions of ozone, hydrogen peroxide, sodium or potassium persulphate, hypochlorous acid, sodium hypochlorite, or other biocidal chemical is sprayed or preferably atomised into the airflow using electrospray, ultrasonic nozzles or
  • Clause 7 A system according to any of Clauses 1 , 2 or 3, 4 and 5 or 6 where the electrostatic precipitator contains two or more stages of electrostatic precipitation.
  • Clause 8 A system according to Clause 7 where the particulate collection electrodes in the electrostatic precipitator have pneumatically/electrically driven vibrators attached, which are operated periodically to shake adhering particulates into a collection hopper/chamber.
  • Clause 9 A system according to Clause 7 where the particulate collection electrodes in one or more stages of the electrostatic precipitator have nozzles installed vertically above them in a suitable arrangement, such that when water or aqueous solution of an oxidising agent and/or biocide is introduced above the electrodes to remove collected/adhering pathogens and particulates, either periodically or continuously wetting the collection electrodes, this is then collected beneath the electrodes, filtered using ceramic media or other treatment technologies to remove dead pathogens and particulates and then recirculated through the nozzles. Clause 10.
  • Clause 1 1. A system according to Clause 7 where the particulate collection electrodes in one or more stages of the electrostatic precipitator are porous, such that water or a solution of an oxidising agent and/or biocide in water is introduced inside the electrodes and exits through their porous surfaces and flows downwards carrying collected pathogens and particulates, this is then collected beneath the electrodes, filtered using ceramic media or other treatment technologies to remove dead pathogens and particulates and then recirculated through the porous electrodes.
  • Clause 12 A system according to Clause 7 where the particulate collection electrodes in one or more stages of the electrostatic precipitator are designed such there is a continuous downward flow of a thin film of water or a solution of an oxidising agent and/or biocide in water carrying collected pathogens and particulates, this is then collected beneath the electrodes, filtered using ceramic media or other treatment technologies to remove dead pathogens and particulates and then recirculated over the electrodes.
  • Clause 13 A system according to any of Clauses 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1 1 , and 12 where the treatment process includes an application of one or more stages ultraviolet light in the wavelength range of 250nm to 290nm to the airflow after it exits electrostatic precipitation, such that not only are pathogens remaining in the airflow after electrostatic precipitation destroyed, but removal of ozone remaining in the airflow through its transformation into oxygen gas - specific wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation present in UV-C light break open the unstable bonds in the oxygen atom triplets that comprise the ozone molecules so that they break down to oxygen are irradiated with this ultraviolet light, but ozone as might be present in the airflow exiting the electrostatic precipitation is destroyed by these particular wavelengths of ultraviolet light.
  • the treatment process includes an application of one or more stages ultraviolet light in the wavelength range of 250nm to 290nm to the airflow after it exits electrostatic precipitation, such that not only are pathogens remaining in the airflow after electrostatic precipitation destroyed, but removal of o
  • Clause 14 A system according to any of Clauses 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1 1 , and 12 where the treatment process includes an application of one or more stages ultraviolet or other light in conjunction with one or more photocatalysts to the airflow after it exits electrostatic precipitation to breakdown and remove the ozone molecules as might be present in the airflow exiting electrostatic precipitation or other treatment stage.
  • a system according to any of Clauses 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1 1 , and 12 that includes a sensor or sensors to control and activate and/or deactivate one, or more, or all of the stages in the sequence of technologies implemented within the current invention, and/or increase/decrease periods of activation, treatment intensity and/or other operating parameters of one, or more, or all stages in the sequence of technologies implemented within the current invention.
  • sensors may amongst other measured parameters detect changes in carbon dioxide concentrations and/or temperature and or humidity within the air flow and/or room, building or facility, movement and/or numbers of individuals entering or leaving such room building or facility.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Epidemiology (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Disinfection, Sterilisation Or Deodorisation Of Air (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un système de traitement d'air pour l'élimination d'agents pathogènes et de particules en suspension dans l'air, le système de traitement d'air comprenant une pluralité d'étages de traitement, et étant configuré pour recevoir de l'air pour le traitement, pour faire passer l'air reçu sous la forme d'un flux d'air à travers la pluralité d'étages de traitement de manière séquentielle, et pour délivrer de l'air traité ; chacun de la pluralité d'étages de traitement étant configuré pour appliquer un traitement au flux d'air, et la pluralité d'étages de traitement comprenant : au moins un étage de traitement aux ultraviolets configuré pour appliquer une lumière ultraviolette au flux d'air ; et au moins un étage de précipitation électrostatique configuré pour effectuer une précipitation électrostatique sur le flux d'air.
EP24712282.3A 2023-03-07 2024-03-07 Système de traitement d'air Pending EP4655533A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB2303330.1A GB2628335B (en) 2023-03-07 2023-03-07 Air treatment and disinfection systems
PCT/GB2024/050599 WO2024184644A1 (fr) 2023-03-07 2024-03-07 Système de traitement d'air

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4655533A1 true EP4655533A1 (fr) 2025-12-03

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EP (1) EP4655533A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB2628335B (fr)
WO (1) WO2024184644A1 (fr)

Family Cites Families (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5656242A (en) * 1995-06-07 1997-08-12 L2B Environmental Systems Inc. Air purifier device
CA2473540C (fr) * 2002-01-16 2008-12-02 Vent Master (Europe) Limited Dispositif et procede de ventilation a lampes a u.v.
CN1252423C (zh) * 2004-06-17 2006-04-19 上海交通大学 组合式空气净化杀菌装置
CN201346435Y (zh) * 2008-12-30 2009-11-18 杭州西湖喷泉设备成套有限公司 喷雾除尘净化装置
GB2531314A (en) * 2014-10-16 2016-04-20 Airfilt Ltd A method and system for purifying kitchen extract air
CN204380457U (zh) * 2014-11-24 2015-06-10 郑州金石环境技术有限公司 空气净化装置
CN105233599A (zh) * 2015-08-25 2016-01-13 太仓旺泰净化设备有限公司 一种喷水式空气除尘装置
CN109268966A (zh) * 2018-09-12 2019-01-25 广东格仑帝环保材料科技有限公司 一种低风阻高效率的空气净化器
CN111497571B (zh) * 2020-04-16 2022-07-29 广西科学院 一种新型室内空气净化的方法
CN113757889A (zh) * 2021-11-08 2021-12-07 长沙瑞庭科技有限公司 一种复合式空气消毒站
CN114941875A (zh) * 2022-06-30 2022-08-26 上海戎和实业有限公司 一种用于中央空调电子净化病毒消杀设备

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Publication number Publication date
GB2628335A (en) 2024-09-25
WO2024184644A1 (fr) 2024-09-12
GB202303330D0 (en) 2023-04-19
GB2628335B (en) 2025-04-30

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