Method and device for the treatment of air of at least one...

Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting – deodorizing – preser – Chemical reactor – With means applying electromagnetic wave energy or...

Reexamination Certificate

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C422S186070, C422S121000, C361S231000

Reexamination Certificate

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06528023

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods and devices for the treatment of air of at least one room by air ionization wherein this ionization is realized by electrical discharge in ionization tubes or in corona discharge tubes.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that the room air and thus the breathing air can be treated with ionization apparatus. In this context, bacteria and other germs are killed and large molecules are split up into smaller molecule fragments. Complex and large molecules are, inter alia, odor-causing substances so that odor can be suppressed by means of air ionization. Moreover, it is even possible to eliminate room air loading situations which are detrimental to the health of persons in the room as well as to effectively reduce microorganisms in the air.
In ionization apparatus a high electrical field between two voltage potentials is used. For this purpose, as is known in the art, ionization tubes in the form of glass tubes are used in which the inner side is coaxially coated and the outer side is electrically conducting. When a sufficiently high electrical voltage is supplied, the glass of the wall forms a dielectric substance in which a large electrical field is present. The air flowing through is then enriched with ions. An important disadvantage is that starting at a certain voltage ozone is formed, and the ozone formation increases with increasing voltage.
In German patent document 43 34 956.0 C2 a method for the treatment of air with ions and a device for performing the method are described wherein the long-term stability of the ionization apparatus is increased. The discharge voltage is controlled such that the threshold for an increased ozone generation is never surpassed. As in the case of unloaded natural air, with the prior art method and the prior art device a minimum intensity of oxygen ions of approximately 5% as the lower process limit is technically maintained, and this corresponds substantially to the natural value. By means of the employed sensors, which are provided in the form of air-quality sensors, an airflow sensor, and an air humidity sensor, this minimum intensity within a load range can be substantially maintained.
When outer disturbance sources are present, i.e., an increased ozone loading in the ambient air, for example, in smog situations resulting from sun radiation, different situations in nature, for example, inverted weather situations, thunderstorms, outer energy fields, or in the case of inner disturbance sources, for example, in the form of electrical devices installed in the vicinity of air supply lines for transformation of voltage or frequencies, electromagnetic radiation, or other radiation, the loading with ozone in the supply air can increase undesirably and can lead to surpassing the limit value.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a device for performing the method of the aforementioned kind such that a loading with ozone will not surpass a certain limit value.
In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved with respect to the method in that air ionization is carried out by means of electrical discharge in ionization tubes or in corona discharge tubes, wherein the level of ionization power is determined by an electronic control device as a function of the parameters:
oxidizable air components in the air to be treated,
relative air humidity in the air to be treated,
flow velocity or volume flow of the air to be treated,
ozone loading in the supplied air, and
minimum intensity of oxygen ions,
determined by sensors, i.e., a first air quality sensor, an airflow sensor, an air humidity sensor, an ozone sensor, and/or a second air-quality sensor.
In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved with respect to the device for performing the method according to the invention, wherein a supply line for supplying treated air is connected to at least one room to be supplied with treated air, in that a second air-quality sensor is provided in the room and/or in an exhaust line of the room and/or in the circulation line of the room between an exhaust line and the air treatment device, and in that the supply line between the air treatment device and the at least one room is provided with at least one ionization apparatus, an airflow sensor, and air humidity sensor, and an ozone sensor, and that the air-quality sensors, the airflow sensor, the air humidity sensor, and the ozone sensor are functionally connected via signal lines with the electronic control device.
The methods and devices for air treatment of at least one room by ionization, carried out by electrical discharge in ionization tubes or by corona discharge, are characterized, in particular, in that the level of ionization power is determined by an electronic control device depending on the values or parameters of the oxidizable air components (for example, vaporous organic compounds—VOC), the relative humidity, the flow velocity/volume flow, the loading of the air to be treated by ozone, while ensuring a minimum intensity of positive and negative oxygen irons (matching the natural state of the air), which parameters or values are determined by sensors, i.e., a first air-quality sensor, an airflow sensor, and air humidity sensor, an ozone sensor and/or a second air-quality sensor. The method according to the invention is controlled such that, in particular, that the following values are determined directly: loading of the external air with volatile hydrocarbons by a first air quality sensor, the flow velocity or the volume flow of the air to be treated by an airflow sensor, the relative humidity of the air to be treated by an air humidity sensor, the contents of ozone in the supply air by an ozone sensor, and the oxidizable air components of the exhaust air and/or of the circulating air by means of a second air quality sensor in the circulation line between the room and the air treatment device or, optionally, in the exhaust line or, optionally, in the room. Corresponding to the above listed measurement values, the level of the ionization power of at least one or more ionization apparatus is controlled by the electronic control device such that the minimum intensity of oxygen ions is lowered and, when ozone values are too high, the ozone is reduced by formation of free radicals as well as natural oxygen clusters.
The special advantage resides in that, in particular, also the value of ozone in the supply air is correspondingly evaluated, controlled, and, when reaching or surpassing fixed points, signals are sent to the electronic control device. Accordingly, the ionization apparatus is affected such that a detrimental effect on persons present in the room is prevented as much as possible. This is the result of the ozone sensor provided in the supply line of the room and connected via the electronic control device to the ionization apparatus.
The electronic control device ensures an indeed stable supply air ionization which corresponds to natural levels wherein a predetermined ozone limit value is not surpassed and wherein, in extreme situations, ozone is eliminated. In this connection, the above indicated sensor signals are evaluated and processed in the control device such that optimized alternating pulses, which are supplied to the at least one ionization apparatus, automatically adjust a situation-specific ionization intensity. Each alternating pulse is a full sine curve which can be cut off when passing through zero, if needed. The frequency and voltage (potential) are not changed in this connection. Advantageously, in contrast to prior art solutions, several alternating pulses (several sine curves) are combined to packages or sets. The package size and thus the number of the alternating pulses of each package or set provides a possibility to further optimize the air ionization and to minimize at the same time loading of the electrical power mains. It is important in this connection that the discharge voltage remains constant so tha

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