IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0204389
(2005-08-16)
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등록번호 |
US-7645323
(2010-02-22)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Massenbauer-Strafe, Ilse A.
- Neirynck, Brian M. C.
- Strafe, Jürgen F. G.
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
13 인용 특허 :
8 |
초록
▼
A method and apparatus for improving air quality within an enclosed space. The apparatus provides at least three molecular sieves that contain zeolite material to treat the air to remove toxins such as suspended particles, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, bacteria, formaldehyde, to
A method and apparatus for improving air quality within an enclosed space. The apparatus provides at least three molecular sieves that contain zeolite material to treat the air to remove toxins such as suspended particles, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, bacteria, formaldehyde, total volatile organic compounds, radon, ozone, toxic mould and organic odor-causing compounds. The apparatus uses the sieves such that one of the sieves is locked and retaining air, substantially immobile within, for a period of not less than 2 seconds to allow the zeolite material to breakdown the compounds and release the individual natural elements.
대표청구항
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The invention claimed is: 1. A method of improving air quality within an enclosed space, said method comprising the steps of: (a) drawing air from within said enclosed space; (b) passing said drawn air through at least one filter to remove at least some particulates; (c) directing filtered air to t
The invention claimed is: 1. A method of improving air quality within an enclosed space, said method comprising the steps of: (a) drawing air from within said enclosed space; (b) passing said drawn air through at least one filter to remove at least some particulates; (c) directing filtered air to three molecular sieves in the following manner providing a substantially continuous operation including an air immobile retention period for each molecular sieve, each of said three molecular sieves having a first end and a second end and containing zeolite material therein, said second ends of said three molecular sieves being interconnected to each other by conduits: (i) directing filtered air to a first one of the three molecular sieves through the first end of said first molecular sieve while displacing and/or directing an amount of air previously within said first molecular sieve through said conduits to a second one of the three molecular sieves and displacing and/or directing air previously retained within said second molecular sieve through the first end of said second molecular sieve to an outlet, and simultaneously retaining air substantially immobile within a third one of the three molecular sieves for an air immobile retention period; (ii) subsequent to said air immobile retention period for said third molecular sieve, directing filtered air to said second molecular sieve through the first end of said second molecular sieve while displacing and/or directing said amount of air previously within said second molecular sieve through said conduits to said third molecular sieve and displacing and/or directing air previously retained within said third molecular sieve through the first end of said third molecular sieve to said outlet, and simultaneously retaining air substantially immobile within said first molecular sieve for an air immobile retention period; (iii) subsequent to said air immobile retention period for said first molecular sieve, directing filtered air to said third molecular sieve through the first end of said third molecular sieve while displacing and/or directing said amount of air previously within said third molecular sieve through said conduits to said first molecular sieve and displacing and/or directing air previously retained within said first molecular sieve through the first end of said first molecular sieve to said outlet, and simultaneously retaining air substantially immobile within said second molecular sieve for an air immobile retention period; (iv) subsequent to said air immobile retention period for said second molecular sieve, operating the steps (i), (ii) and (iii) in a continuous cycle; (d) whereby the oxygen content of air through said conduits is above a threshold, and after retaining the air substantially immobile within any one of the molecular sieves, the air retained within said any one molecular sieve is treated and pollutants in the air are broken into simple components, and when the treated air is displaced and/or directed from said any one molecular sieve to the outlet, substantially all said simple components are exhausted along with the treated air from said any one molecular sieve exclusively through the first end of said any one molecular sieve to the outlet. 2. The method of improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 1, wherein said air immobile retention period of between 2 and 10 seconds. 3. The method of improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 1, wherein said air immobile retention period is between 3 and 5 seconds. 4. The method of improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 1, wherein said air immobile retention period is between 3.5 and 4.5 seconds. 5. The method of improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 1, wherein said air immobile retention period is not less than 2 seconds. 6. The method of improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 1, further comprising passing the filtered air through a compressor before directing the filtered air to the three molecular sieves. 7. The method of improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 1, wherein the three molecular sieves are operated under a pressure greater than atmospheric. 8. The method of improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air between the at least one filter and the outlet is pressurized. 9. The method of improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 6, wherein: (a) at step (c) (i) further sensing and controlling the oxygen content of air through said conduits above said threshold; (b) at step (c) (ii) further sensing and controlling the oxygen content of air through said conduits above said threshold; and (c) at step (c) (iii) further sensing and controlling the oxygen content of air through said conduits above said threshold. 10. The method of improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 9, wherein the threshold is between 70% and 80%. 11. The method of improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 9, wherein the threshold is 72%. 12. A method of improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 9, wherein the threshold is 82%. 13. An apparatus for improving the air quality within an enclosed space, said apparatus comprising: (a) air driving means to draw air from within said enclosed space through an air inlet; (b) at least one filter connected to said inlet to remove at least some particulates; (c) three molecular sieves containing zeolite material connected in parallel to each other between said at least one filter and an outlet, each of said three molecular sieves having a first end and a second end, said second ends of said three molecular sieves being interconnected to each other by conduits; (d) a plurality of valves to direct flow from said at least one filter to any one of said three molecular sieves, flow from any one of said three molecular sieves to said outlet and flow between said three molecular sieves through said conduits; and (e) control means for controlling said plurality of valves such that filtered air from said at least one filter is directed to a first one of the three molecular sieves through the first end of said first molecular sieve, an amount of air previously within said first molecular sieve is displaced and/or directed through said conduits to a second one of the three molecular sieves, air previously retained within said second molecular sieve is displaced and/or directed through the first end of said second molecular sieve to said outlet and air within a third one of the three molecular sieves is simultaneously retained substantially immobile for an air immobile retention period, and subsequently controlling said valves such that each molecular sieve progresses in a continuous cycle through the stages of receiving filtered air through the first end thereof from said at least one filter, retaining said air substantially immobile therein for an air immobile retention period and then receiving said amount of air through said conduits from another molecular sieve while being connected to said outlet, whereby the oxygen content of air through said conduits is above a threshold, and after retaining the air substantially immobile within any one of the molecular sieves, the air retained within said any one molecular sieve is treated and pollutants in the air are broken into simple components, and when the air is displaced and/or directed from said any one molecular sieve to the outlet, substantially all said simple components are exhausted along with the treated air from said any one molecular sieve exclusively through the first end of said any one molecular sieve to the outlet such that said apparatus provides a substantially continuous operation including an air immobile retention period for each molecular sieve. 14. The apparatus for improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 13, wherein said control means ensures said immobile retention period is between 2 and 10 seconds. 15. The apparatus for improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 13, wherein said control means ensures said immobile retention period is between 3 and 5 seconds. 16. The apparatus for improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 13, wherein said control means ensures said immobile retention period is between 3.5 and 4.5 seconds. 17. The apparatus for improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a free standing unit. 18. The apparatus for improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 13, further comprising an alternative air moving or conditioning apparatus. 19. The apparatus for improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 13, wherein said three molecular sieves are operated under a pressure greater than atmospheric. 20. The apparatus for improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a sensing means to sense performance of said at least one filter and an indicating means to alert a user to degradation of the performance beyond a pre-determined limit. 21. The apparatus for improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 13, wherein said control means ensures said air immobile retention period is not less than 2 seconds. 22. The apparatus for improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a compressor connected between said at least one filter and said three molecular sieves. 23. The apparatus for improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 13, wherein said control means ensures the air between said at least one filter and said outlet is pressurized. 24. The apparatus for improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 13, wherein said control means includes a sensing unit for sensing and controlling the oxygen content of air through said conduits above a threshold. 25. The apparatus for improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 24, wherein the threshold is between 70% and 80%. 26. The apparatus for improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 24, wherein the threshold is 72%. 27. The apparatus for improving the air quality within an enclosed space as claimed in claim 24, wherein the threshold is 82%.
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