초록 ▼

Portable, rapidly deployable filter unit for use in air filtering methods providing high efficiency filtration of airborne toxins. The filter unit includes a fan section and a filter section that are releasably attachable at their respective lateral ends permitting the filter unit to be reconfigurab

Portable, rapidly deployable filter unit for use in air filtering methods providing high efficiency filtration of airborne toxins. The filter unit includes a fan section and a filter section that are releasably attachable at their respective lateral ends permitting the filter unit to be reconfigurable to properly handle a variety of threat scenarios involving protecting the occupant(s) and equipment in an enclosure against an airborne release of toxic chemical, biological, or radiological agents that threaten to contaminate the air supply, or, alternatively, for decontaminating the air of an isolation room occupied by contaminated or contagiously ill persons or materials and protecting the occupants or equipment located outside the isolation room.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A portable filter unit, comprising:a fan section mounted on a movable first cart, wherein the fan section comprises first and second opposite lateral ends, and wherein the fan section includes a fan and a motor operable for driving the fan to cause air to flow into the first lateral end or second

1. A portable filter unit, comprising:a fan section mounted on a movable first cart, wherein the fan section comprises first and second opposite lateral ends, and wherein the fan section includes a fan and a motor operable for driving the fan to cause air to flow into the first lateral end or second lateral end and exit through the opposite first lateral end or second lateral end thereof;a filter section mounted on a second movable cart, wherein the filter section comprises third and fourth opposite lateral ends, and wherein the filter section includes a macroscopic dust prefilter, a HEPA filter, and a gas adsorbent filter, and the filter section is adapted to allow air to flow into the third lateral end or fourth lateral end and through the prefilter, HEPA filter, gas adsorbent filter, in that sequence, and opposite third lateral end or fourth lateral end thereof;wherein the fan section and filter section are adapted for making a releasably attachable interconnection of either of the opposite lateral ends of the fan section in abutting relationship with either of the opposite lateral ends of the filter section, and wherein airflow is caused to pass through the fan section and filter section when the motor drives the fan.2. The portable filter unit of claim 1, wherein the interconnection comprising a releasable mechanical fastener.3. The portable filter unit of claim 1, wherein the interconnection comprising a positive pressure latch.4. The portable filter unit of claim 1, wherein the interconnection comprises two or more releasable mechanical fasteners positioned at respective locations around a circumference of the respective lateral ends of the filter and fan sections.5. The portable filter unit of claim 1, wherein the interconnection further comprising a continuous air-excluding gasket positioned between the abutting respective lateral ends of the filter and fan sections.6. The portable filter unit of claim 4, wherein the releasable mechanical fasteners are positioned at respective locations around the circumference of the respective lateral ends of the filter section and fan section in a configuration limiting interconnections between the filter section and fan section to interconnections operable to cause air flow to be directed through the prefilter of the filter section before the HEPA filter and the gas adsorbent filter when the motor drives the fan.7. The portable filter unit of claim 6, wherein the fan in the fan section is operable to blow air from the fan section into and through the filter section, when the motor drives the fan.8. The portable filter unit of claim 1, wherein the first and second carts each are equipped with cart rolling means.9. The portable filter unit of claim 1, wherein the fan is selected from the group consisting of a centrifugal fan and a wheel plenum fan.10. The portable filter unit of claim 1, wherein the filter section adapted to remove chemical, biological, and/or nuclear (CBR) materials from an airflow conducted through the filter unit.11. The portable filter unit of claim 1, wherein the gas adsorbent filter comprises a mesh filter medium containing activated carbon impregnated with copper-silver-zinc-molybdenum-triethylenediamine.12. A method for filtering contaminants from air, comprising:a) making a fluid connection between a first airspace located inside an enclosure and a second airspace located outside the enclosure;b) positioning a filter unit in the first airspace or in the second airspace, the filter unit, which is fluidly connected to the fluid connection, comprising:a fan section mounted on a movable first cart, wherein the fan section comprises first and second opposite lateral ends, and wherein the fan section includes a fan and a motor operable for driving the fan to cause air to flow into the first lateral end or second lateral end and exit through the opposite first lateral end or second lateral end thereof;a filter section mounted on a second movable cart, wherein the filter section comprises third and fourth opposite lateral ends, and wherein the filter section includes a macroscopic dust prefilter, a HEPA filter, a a gas adsorbent filter; andwherein the fan section and filter section are adapted for making a releasably attachable interconnection of either of the opposite lateral ends of the fan section in abutting relationship with either of the opposite lateral ends of the filter section;c) operating the motor to drive the fan in the fan section effective to move a contaminated air stream drawn from either of the first airspace or the second airspace through the filter section effective to remove contaminants from the air stream;d) discharging the resulting decontaminated air stream from the filter unit into the other airspace.13. The method according to claim 12, wherein step d) is performed without recontamination of the air stream with contaminants occurring after the air stream exits the filter section.14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first airspace comprises a positive air pressure environment.15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the filter unit being positioned in the second airspace, and the fan section interconnected with the filter section in a manner effective to blow the air stream as drawn from contaminated air in the second airspace into and through the filter section after the air stream passes through the fan section.16. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the filter unit being positioned in the first airspace, and the fan section interconnected with the filter section in a manner effective to pull the air stream as drawn from contaminated air in the second airspace through the filter section before the air stream passes through the fan section.17. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first airspace comprises a negative air pressure environment.18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the filter unit being positioned in the second airspace, and the fan section interconnected with the filter section in a manner effective to pull the air stream as drawn from contaminated air in the first airspace through the filter section before the air stream passes through the fan section.19. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the filter unit being positioned in the first airspace, and the fan section interconnected with the filter section in a manner effective to blow the air stream as drawn from contaminated air in the first airspace into and through the filter section after the air stream passes through the fan section.20. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the filter section includes a macroscopic dust prefilter, a HEPA filter, and a gas adsorbent filter.21. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising positioning a plurality of releasable mechanical fasteners at the respective lateral ends of the filter section and fan section in a configuration limiting interconnections between the filter section and fan section to provide interconnections operable to cause air flow to be directed through the prefilter of the filter section before the HEPA filter and the gas adsorbent filter when the motor drives the fan.22. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the contaminants comprise at least one of a chemical gas and a radiological gas.23. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising drawing the contaminated air stream from either the first or second airspace while occupied by at least one person.