CN116447697A

CN116447697A - Purification device with heating filter for killing biological species including covd-19

Info

Publication number: CN116447697A
Application number: CN202310311857.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 蒙泽尔·A·胡拉尼; 余罗; 任志锋
Original assignee: Integrated Viral Protection Solutions LLC
Current assignee: Integrated Viral Protection Solutions LLC
Priority date: 2020-04-30
Filing date: 2020-08-21
Publication date: 2023-07-18
Also published as: CN112325423A; CA3169296A1; EP4143487A1; EP4143487A4; SG10202007442SA; MX2020009033A; CN112325423A8; JP2023523837A; CN112325423B

Abstract

The present invention provides a purification device with a heated filter for killing biological species including covd-19. The apparatus utilizes the supplied electrical power to process an air flow of an air handling system of the facility. The frame has a plenum with an inlet and an outlet. The frame is configured to be positioned in an air stream of the air handling system to pass the air stream therethrough. A filter is disposed in the plenum and is configured to filter the air flow therethrough up to a filtering threshold. An ultraviolet light source disposed in the plenum is connected in electrical communication with the supplied electrical power and is configured to generate ultraviolet radiation in the plenum. A permeable metal barrier disposed in the plenum is configured to block air flow therethrough up to a blocking threshold. The barrier is connected in electrical communication to the supplied electrical power and is heated to a surface temperature.

Description

Purification device with heating filter for killing biological species including covd-19

This patent application is a divisional application of patent application having application number 202010849987.X, application number "purification device with heating filter for killing biological species including covd-19" on application day 21 of 8/2020.

Cross reference to related applications

The present application claims priority from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/018,442 and U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/018,448, both filed on even 30, 4/2020, which are incorporated herein by reference. The present application is filed concurrently with a patent application entitled "mobile decontamination device containing heated filters to kill biological species including devid-19," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to purification devices, and more particularly to purification devices with heated filters for killing biological species including covd-19.

Background

Various infectious pathogens, including bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms, can cause diseases in humans. As is known, the fatal human SARS-CoV-2 strain (COVID-19) infection has affected human conditions at all levels of life worldwide. The covd-19 infection is continuously transmitted by circulating air flow as the primary mechanism for transmission. There are few active strategies to protect the public from covd-19, and these current strategies are widely controversial, costly and inefficient. Because current filters and air purification techniques fail to successfully kill small size (0.05 micron to 0.2 micron) covd-19 viruses, a passive method is needed to condition and purify the circulating air in all environments against atomized covd-19 immediately.

In general, air filtration is used in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to remove dust, pollen, mold, particulates, etc. from air moving through a facility by the system. The filter used for filtration may take a variety of forms and may be configured to filter particles of a given size with a given efficiency.

For example, high Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters are commonly used in clean rooms, operating rooms, pharmacies, homes, and the like. These filters may be made of different types of media, such as fiberglass media, ePTFE media, etc., and may have activated carbon-based materials. Typically, HEPA filters can filter more than 99% of particles of a given size (e.g., 0.3 microns or a certain size) in diameter. Even with its efficiency, HEPA filters cannot block very small sized pathogens (virions, bacteria, etc.).

Ultraviolet (UV) germicidal lamps can block pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and molds. UV germicidal lamps generate ultraviolet radiation which can then destroy the genetic material of microorganisms. The disruption may kill the pathogen or render it unable to reproduce. Prolonged exposure to UV radiation can also break down pathogens that have deposited on the irradiated surface.

One example of an ultraviolet system includes an upper indoor air ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) system. In the UVGI system, UV germicidal lamps are installed near the ceiling in an occupied room. Then, air circulated by convection near the ceiling of the upper portion of the space is irradiated within the effective field (active field) of the UV germicidal lamp. The UVGI system may also be installed in a duct of an HVAC system and may irradiate small airborne particles containing microorganisms as air flows through the duct.

While existing systems for filtering and sterilizing radiation can effectively remove particulates and destroy pathogens while processing air, there remains a need to clean air in densely populated environments such as facilities, homes, workplaces, hospitals, nursing homes, sports venues, etc. to further reduce the transmission of pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and mold.

In particular, 2019 New coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was a novel virus of global health significance caused by infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Covd-19 is thought to spread by the respiratory droplets in close contact from person to person. Studies have shown that this virus can survive for several hours at a time and can be carried continuously by an air stream. For this reason, it is believed that a fixed 6 foot interval is ineffective in situations where people stay together in the room for a long period of time because the infection can be carried simply by the air stream.

For example, following an airborne cough, covd-19 (SARS-CoV-2) may survive in the spray for up to three hours, and airborne convection is considered to be the primary mechanism of infection transmission. Thus, spray injection and convection may cause direct airborne infections and social distances may be ineffective for closed environments where people stay together for a long time.

Since there is currently no therapeutic approach to covd-19, environmental decontamination strategies can help slow down viral transmission. Unfortunately, current systems for treating circulated air are expensive and mainly use UV germicidal lamps. These products require professional installation, are not readily accessible to the general public themselves, and are not used to kill the covd-19. Furthermore, filtering in HVAC systems may be ineffective. The size of the covd-19 is between 0.05 microns and 0.2 microns, but HEPA filters can filter particles larger than 0.3 microns, thus requiring additional protection against spread of the covd-19.

For these reasons, the subject matter of the present disclosure is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.

Disclosure of Invention

The subject matter of the present disclosure relates to a purification device that filters air and attempts to destroy viruses, bacteria, mold, pollen, volatile organic compounds, allergens, and pollutants. The purification device is intended to be reasonably priced, easy to install, and available and used in both residential and commercial environments. The purification device may be applied to real world solutions to minimize viruses (e.g., covd-19) and other pathogens in the circulated air, and the purification device may be deployed as a dedicated heating filter for use in business, residential, public transportation, and public places.

For example and as discussed below, the decontamination device includes a barrier heater or heated filter that uses directional heat transfer of a highly efficient nickel foam/mesh that is raised to a temperature that proves to be able to kill pathogens such as coronaviruses (e.g., covd-19). The purification device further includes an Ultraviolet (UV) light source that destroys the virus using UV-C light. The UV light source and the barrier heater are combined together in a flame retardant and flame resistant filtration system that can then be integrated directly into the air return port of the air handling system of the facility, the oven air inlet, and other parts or densely populated environments (e.g., airport terminal, church, hospital, workshop, office space, residence, transportation means, school, hotel, cruise ship, recreational facility, etc.). Since there is currently no therapeutic approach to covd-19 and many other pathogens, environmental decontamination strategies can help slow down viral transmission, and the air decontamination provided by the disclosed devices can provide a primary defense against transmission.

In one configuration, the device utilizes the supplied electrical power to process an air flow of an air handling system of the facility. The device includes a frame, a filter and a UV light source, and a heater. The frame has a plenum with an inlet and an outlet and is configured to be positioned in an air flow of the air handling system to pass the air flow therethrough.

The filter is disposed across a surface area of the plenum and includes a first material, such as a metal. The filter is configured to filter the air flow therethrough up to a filtering threshold. The ultraviolet light source is disposed in the plenum. The ultraviolet light source is connected in electrical communication with the supplied electrical power and is configured to generate an effective field of ultraviolet radiation in the plenum. The heater is disposed across a surface area of the plenum and includes a permeable barrier of metallic material. The permeable barrier of the heater is configured to block air flow therethrough up to a blocking threshold. Furthermore, the permeable barrier of the heater is connected in electrical communication to the supplied electrical power and is heated to a surface temperature.

In another configuration, an apparatus utilizes an air filter and supplied electrical power to treat an air flow of an air treatment system in a facility. The device includes a frame, a UV light source, and a heater similar to the heater disclosed above. The filter may be mounted adjacent to the frame or may be mounted separately in the air handling system.

In yet another configuration, a method is for treating an air flow of an air handling system in a facility. The frame is positioned in the air handling system to pass an air stream therethrough. The air flow is filtered through a filter disposed between the inlet and the outlet across a surface area of the plenum of the frame up to a filtration threshold. By powering the ultraviolet light source disposed in the plenum, an effective field of ultraviolet radiation is generated in the plenum. By providing a permeable barrier across the surface area of the plenum and having a heater of metallic material, air flow is impeded up to an obstruction threshold. By supplying a voltage potential across the permeable barrier, the permeable barrier of the heater is heated to a surface temperature.

The foregoing summary is not intended to summarize each potential embodiment or every aspect of the present disclosure.

Drawings

FIG. 1 illustrates a facility having an air treatment system with a purification apparatus according to the present disclosure.

Fig. 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D and 2E illustrate other arrangements of the disclosed purification device for use with various air treatment systems.

Fig. 3A, 3B, and 3C illustrate front, side, and end views of the purification device of the present disclosure.

Fig. 4A and 4B show schematic side views of the arrangement of the purification device and its components.

Fig. 4C shows a schematic side view of another purification device and the arrangement of its components.

Fig. 5A, 5B and 5C show diagrams of detailed features of the barrier heater of the disclosed purification device.

Fig. 6A shows another heating device having a plurality of electrical elements disposed in a plenum (plenum) of a frame and connected to a power control.

Fig. 6B, 6C and 6D illustrate other configurations of the disclosed purification device.

Fig. 7 shows a schematic arrangement of an air treatment system with a plurality of purification devices.

Fig. 8A shows a configuration with a plurality of purification devices subject to a main control unit.

FIG. 8B illustrates another configuration having environmental components subject to a primary environmental control and a number of decontamination devices.

Fig. 9A-9B show side views of the permeable barrier of the disclosed heater in a flat configuration and a corrugated configuration.

Fig. 10A to 10B show diagrams of a barrier heater having a flat configuration.

Fig. 11A to 11B show diagrams of a barrier heater having a corrugated configuration.

Fig. 12 shows a graph of exposure time and temperature.

Detailed Description

The subject matter of the present disclosure is directed to a decontamination device for instantly destroying pathogens, such as the covd-19 virus, from circulating air by filtering the pathogens and exposing the pathogens to high temperatures (200 ℃ or above) (392°f or above). By doing so, the subject matter of the present disclosure may reduce the infectious transmission of viruses and other biological species that may cause future infections, while providing the public with a sense of security and distraction to return them to work, school, life, entertainment, and healthcare in the world behind devid-19.

The primary mechanism of action of the purification device is a dedicated heated filter or barrier heater using a low energy, high performance, targeted thermally conductive, high resistance porous metal foam encased in a flame retardant frame. The disclosed heating filter or barrier heater may be combined with a high efficiency HVAC filter. In addition, ultraviolet light (UV-C) may be added to the system environment to achieve additional killing effects. Studies have shown that heat and low wavelength light have been demonstrated to successfully inactivate covd-19 for the duration of exposure.

As disclosed below, the purification device of the present disclosure may be incorporated into an air handling system of a facility, vehicle, or any other environment. Using the same technology, the mobile/robotic covd-19 decontamination device may be deployed for use in public places, medical institutions, nursing homes, schools, airplanes, trains, cruise ships, performance sites, theaters, churches, grocery and retail stores, prisons, and the like. Details are provided in the patent application entitled "removable decontamination apparatus containing heated filters to kill biological species including devid-19," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

As shown in fig. 1, a facility 10 (e.g., a home, hospital, office space, airport terminal, church, or other enclosed environment) has an air handling system 20. As shown herein, the system 20 is a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, although other air handling systems may be used. Typically, the HVAC system 20 includes a blower 22, a heat exchanger 24, and a return outlet (return) 30 of the cooling coil 26, a tank 32, a return duct 34, and the like, which direct drawn return air from the indoor space to the system 20. In turn, the system 20 provides conditioned supply air to the space through supply ducts 36, vents 38, and the like. The heat exchanger 24 may comprise an electric or gas furnace for heating air. The cooling coil 26 may be an evaporator that is connected in a cooling circuit to other conventional components external to the facility, such as a condenser, compressor, expansion valve, etc.

Integrated with the system 20 or incorporated into the system 20, one or more purification devices 100 are used in a facility to purify an air stream. In one arrangement and as shown, the purification apparatus 100 is used in an air return 30 of an HVAC system 20, with return air drawn through the air return 30 to pass through a conditioning element of the HVAC system 20. Each air return 30 in the facility may have such a purification device 100 so that during operation of the HVAC system 20, return air is drawn in through the purification device 100. Because the HVAC system 20 uses many different filters of various sizes, the purification apparatus 100 can have a size that is suitable for the various filter sizes.

As will be discussed in more detail later, the purification apparatus 100 tends to heat the return air by flash heating. To this end, the device 100 is preferably disposed in the return air upstream of the cooling coil 26. This may allow some of the heat to dissipate in the air stream before being cooled by the cooling coil 26. When heating the indoor space, the purification apparatus 100 may simply add the heat provided by the system 20. It is even contemplated that the vent 38 of the air distribution system 20 may also have such a purification device 100. However, the device 100 may tend to diffuse the air flow and pushing the air flow through the filter is less efficient, making use of the device 100 in a vent possible, but less advantageous.

Studies of air flow in conference rooms and office spaces have shown that convection patterns may continue to carry infection between chairs at conference tables and between compartments in open office spaces. This suggests that reliance on person-to-person spacing may be ineffective due to convection of air.

Control of the purification apparatus 100 may be entirely manipulated by the local controller 200, the local controller 200 independently determining whether to conduct air flow through the apparatus 100. Alternatively, the local controller 200 may be integrated with the system controller 50 for the HVAC system 20, and the system controller 50 may signal activation of the system 20 and indicate to the local controller 200 that air flow is being conducted through the device 100. In another alternative, the purification apparatus 100 may lack local control and may be centrally controlled by the system controller 50. It should be appreciated that these controls may be used in any combination throughout the facility 10, multiple purification devices 100, conditioning areas, HVAC components, and the like.

Although FIG. 1 shows the purification apparatus 100 disposed at the return port 30 of the tank 32 for the air treatment system 20, other arrangements may be used. In general, the purification apparatus 100 can be sized for use in a typical furnace opening (14 to 20 inches by 25 inches) as used commercially. The plurality of HVAC zones may then be targeted by the decontamination device.

For example, FIG. 2A shows a purification apparatus 100, the purification apparatus 100 being disposed immediately upstream of a blower 22 and other components of an HVAC system 20, the HVAC system 20 having a horizontal furnace 24. Fig. 2B shows the purification apparatus 100 disposed adjacent to the blower 22 and other components (e.g., a horizontal furnace) of the system 20. Finally, fig. 2C shows the purification apparatus 100 disposed above the blower of the downflow furnace. These and other configurations may be used. The oven may use a gas oven or an electric heating element, as the case may be, and other conditioning components may be further mounted downstream.

Fig. 2D illustrates an air handling system 80 in an aircraft 70 having a purification apparatus 100 of the present disclosure. In the aircraft 70, the air in the cabin 74 may change 20 to 30 times per hour, with about half of the air being recirculated through the filter. Because the nacelle 74 is pressurized, outside air enters the inlet 82 of the system 80 from the engine 72 at high temperature and high pressure. The hot and compressed air reaches the air conditioning unit 84 of the aircraft 70, where the air is cooled substantially in the air conditioning unit 84. For heating, some of the incoming air may enter the nacelle 74 through the overhead outlet 75. For cooling, the air from the conditioning unit 84 is passed to a mixing manifold 86a, wherein the cooled outside air is combined with the cabin air to produce a 50/50 mixture. The mixed air from the mixing manifold 86a may then be circulated through the nacelle 74 via the overhead outlet 75. Then, a portion of the air in the cabin 74 from the inlet 77 is discharged from the outlet 79 in an amount equal to the outside air entering the cabin 74 to maintain balance, and another portion of the cabin air passing through the buffer manifold 86b is recirculated in the mixing chamber 86 a. Because the outside air is fresh, the purification apparatus 100 of the present disclosure is placed at the mixing manifold 86a and/or the buffer manifold 86b of the air handling system 80 to handle the recirculated cabin air.

Fig. 2E illustrates an air handling system 90 for use in a cruise ship having a purification device 100 of the present disclosure. As shown, return/release air drawn through return duct 92a is diverted through filter 94 by blower 96a, blower 96a forcing air through heat wheel 98. Then, the additional blower 96b transfers the air from the exhaust port 93a to the atmosphere.

At the same time, the outside air entering the air inlet 92b passes through the filter 94 and the other end of the heat wheel 98 before being transferred to the cooling and filtering element. At return conduit 92a, the return/release air is also diverted to the cooling and filtering element. For these elements, the air passes through a filter 94, cooling coil 95, UV light treatment 97, additional filter 94 and steam humidification treatment 99 before passing out to the supply air duct 93 b.

As shown in fig. 2E, the purification apparatus 100 may be used in return air from return conduit 92a, which is recirculated back through system 90. Throughout the cruise ship, various components including duct heaters, axial fans, dampers, etc., are used to conduct air. Various self-contained unit heaters may also be used in different areas of the cruise ship. Because the cruise ship looks much like a facility, the purification device can be incorporated into various return ports, pipes, vents and stand-alone units used throughout the ship.

It should be appreciated that other vehicles and mass transit systems having air handling systems may benefit in a similar manner to aircraft and cruise ships. For example, buses, trains, and subways used in public transportation have air handling systems that generally use both outside air and recycled air. The disclosed purification apparatus 100 may be incorporated into these air treatment systems in a manner similar to those discussed above.

With knowledge of how the purification apparatus 100 is used and where it may be installed in a facility, the discussion now turns to specific details of the disclosed purification apparatus 100. Fig. 3A, 3B, and 3C illustrate front, side, and end views of an example purification apparatus 100 of the present disclosure. The apparatus 100 includes a frame 110 configured to be inserted into an existing air return port of a facility for complete replacement of the existing return port or for use at an air inlet of a furnace.

In general, the frame 110 has four sidewalls that surround the plenum 116, with the plenum 116 exposed on opposite open faces (one face for the inlet 112 of the plenum 116 and the other face for the outlet 118 of the plenum 116). If desired, the inlet 112 may include a rim 114 that will generally engage around the wall opening of the return port (30: FIG. 1). Fasteners (not shown) may secure the edges to the surrounding structure. Although configured for a particular implementation, typical dimensions of the frame 110 may include an overall dimension of 20 inches wide by 30 inches high by 7 inches deep.

As best shown in fig. 3A, the inlet 112 or edge 114 may form a receptacle for holding a filter (not shown) that filters the air flow into the plenum 116. Inside the plenum 116, the frame 110 holds a barrier heater 140. As briefly shown herein, the barrier heater 140 includes a permeable barrier 142 composed of metal and including a mesh, foam, screen, or curved medium, the permeable barrier 142 being supported by a surrounding housing 145 and disposed across the plenum 116 to provide a permeable surface area for treating the air flow as described below.

Also inside the plenum 116, the frame may hold the UV light source 130 as an additional treatment with the barrier heater 140. (other embodiments disclosed herein may not include a UV light source 130.) as briefly shown herein, the UV light source 130 includes two UV-C Light Emitting Diode (LED) strips placed across the plenum 116 to provide an effective field for treating the air flow as described below. More or fewer sources 130 may be used and different types of sources 130 may be installed.

Turning to fig. 4A, a schematic side view of the purification apparatus 100 is shown with an arrangement of its components. As previously described, the purification apparatus 100 may be used in a return 30 of an air treatment system. The wall opening of the return opening 30 may typically have a return air grille 31 to protect the internal components. The frame 110 of the purification apparatus 100 is fitted in the return port 30, and may be held by a fixing member (not shown) such as a bolt and a screw. As described, the air filter 120 may fit into a socket of the frame 110. Typically, the filter 120 fits simply tightly in the socket, but fasteners may be used.

Preferably, the purification apparatus 100 first filters the air flow through the filter 120 up to a filtration threshold. In this way, the filter 120 may prevent dust and other particulates from being drawn into the purification apparatus 100 and further into the HVAC system (20: fig. 1).

As described herein, an effective field of ultraviolet radiation may be generated in the plenum 116 of the device 100 by powering the UV light sources 130 disposed in the plenum 116. In the plenum of the device 100, air flow is impeded up to a resistance threshold by a barrier heater 140 disposed in the plenum 116. The barrier heater 140 includes a permeable barrier 142 (e.g., mesh, foam, screen, curved media) of a metallic material such as nickel, nickel alloy, titanium, steel alloy, or other metallic material. The permeable barrier 142 may be flat, corrugated, curved, pleated, etc., and may be arranged in one or more layers. By supplying a voltage potential across the mesh/foam, the metal mesh/foam 142 of the heater 140 is heated to a surface temperature. Preferably, the UV light source 130 is disposed in the plenum 116 between the filter 120 and the barrier heater 140 such that radiation from the source 130 can treat the air flow passing through and can also treat the exposed surfaces of the filter 120 and the barrier heater 140.

Turning now to fig. 4B, another side schematic view of the purification apparatus 100 is shown with an arrangement of its components. The frame 110 of the device 100 is shown holding the filter 120, UV light source 130, and barrier heater 140 in the plenum 116. The purification apparatus 100 is used with a control circuit and supplied power. For example, the control circuitry includes a controller 200, the controller 200 having appropriate power circuitry and processing circuitry for powering the purification apparatus 100 and controlling the purification apparatus 100. The controller 200 may be connected to one or more power supplies 40 of one or more types, such as available AC power supplies for the facility, battery power, or other power sources. The power circuit of the controller 200 may convert the supplied power as needed to generate DC power and voltage levels.

Looking at the frame 110, the filter 120 is disposed in the plenum 116 of the frame 110 and may be retained in the receptacle 115 toward the inlet 112. The filter 120 is composed of a first material and is configured to filter the air flow therethrough up to a filtering threshold. Preferably, the filter 120 is a metallic filter media 122 composed of stainless steel, aluminum, or the like, which is engaged in one or more layers depending on the amount of air flow and the desired level of filtration. The filter 120 has a housing 125, the housing 125 also being composed of metal and framing a metal filter media. In general, the metal filter 120 may be a 1 inch thick HVAC filter made of a metal that is fire resistant and flame retardant and has a high level of efficiency.

A barrier heater 140 is also disposed in the plenum 116 and may be positioned toward the outlet 118. Insulation 145 for both heat and electricity may separate the barrier heater 140 from the frame 110. The barrier heater 140 includes a mesh/foam of metallic material and is configured to block air flow therethrough up to a blocking threshold.

The UV light source 130 may be disposed in the plenum 116 and, as previously described, may preferably be located between the metal filter 120 and the barrier heater 140. The UV light source 130 generates an effective field of UV-C light in the plenum 116 to treat the passing air stream. Pathogens such as viruses may be eliminated when subjected to a dose of ultraviolet light, as described herein. For example, only about 611. Mu.J/cm ² Can be eliminated by the UVGI dose>99% of sRNA coronaviruses up to 0.11 μm in size.

Both the UV light sources 130 and the barrier heater 140 are connected in electrical communication with the power supply 40 by a controller 200, the controller 200 controlling the illumination of the light sources 130 and the heating of the barrier heater 140 in the plenum 116.

The UV light source 130 may include one or more UV-C lamps, a plurality of light emitting diodes, etc. disposed in the plenum 116. For example, source 130 may use one or more ultraviolet germicidal lamps, such as mercury vapor lamps. The source 130 may also use a light emitting diode with a semiconductor to emit UV-C radiation.

One or more structures may be provided in the frame 110 to support the UV light sources 130. The structure used may depend on the type of source 130 used and may include fixtures for the lamps and strips of UV-C LEDs. For example, the UV light source 130 may use several UV-C light emitting diodes that extend through the plenum 116.

The effectiveness of UVGI treatment in an air stream depends on many factors, including the target microorganism species, the intensity of exposure, the time of exposure, and the amount of humidity in the air. A sufficient dose will kill the DNA-based microorganisms. Accordingly, the intensity of the UVGI treatment, the time of exposure, and other factors may be configured and further controlled in the purification apparatus 100 and HVAC system to achieve a desired effectiveness.

The UVGI treatment provided by the decontamination apparatus 100 may be effective to destroy pathogens such as covd-19. UV-C or short wave light generated by a UV light source in the wavelength range from 100 nm to 280 nm may have proven bactericidal effects. In particular, far UVC light at 222 nm is effective to kill and inactivate the aerosolized virus for the duration of the exposure.

The disclosed purification apparatus 100 does not require high cost and special installation in the air return or ductwork, as compared to the conventional use of UVGI in HVAC systems. Rather, the disclosed apparatus 100 provides for actual installation and operation that can be seen as being as easy as changing HVAC filters every 1 to 3 months at home.

As discussed in more detail below, the metal permeable barrier of the barrier heater 140 may include nickel mesh/foam. The barrier heater 140 is configured to block air flow therethrough up to a 20% block threshold if the foam has a porosity of at least 80%.

The decontamination device 100 may include an antimicrobial coating on one or more surfaces to eliminate living bacteria and viruses. For example, the filter 120 may have an antimicrobial coating to eliminate pathogens captured by the filter media. The inner walls of the plenum 116 of the frame may also have an antimicrobial coating. The mesh/foam of the barrier heater 140 may have an antimicrobial coating if feasible under heating conditions.

As further shown in fig. 4B, a controller 200 disposed in electrical communication with the UV light source 130 and the barrier heater 140 is configured to control: (i) Radiation from a UV light source 130 powered by the power supply 40, and (ii) heating of the barrier heater 140 by the power supply 40. The controller 200 may be a local controller that may include a communication interface 212 to communicate with other purification devices and with other components of the air handling system (20: FIG. 1) in the facility, such as the system controller (50). The local controller 200 may receive a signal that the HVAC system (20) is in an on/off state, which signal is indicative of airflow through the apparatus 100. The controller 200 may then control the heating of the barrier heater 140 and the illumination of the UV light sources 130 based on the received signals.

To this end, the controller 200 is placed in electrical communication with a heater circuit 214 connected to the barrier heater 140. The controller 200 may control the heating of the barrier heater 140 with the heater circuit 214 powered by the power supply 40 as air passes through the device 100 (drawn in by the HVAC system), at least for a period of time. It should be appreciated that the controller 200 and heater circuit 214 include any necessary switches, relays, timers, power transformers, etc. to regulate and control the power supplied to the barrier heater 140.

The controller 200 heats the barrier heater 140 at least when signaling to the controller 200 that the HVAC system (20) is operating to indicate air flow through the apparatus 100. Preheating prior to the HVAC system (20) drawing in return air may occur prior to the air being drawn in through the apparatus 100 so that the target temperature may be reached in advance. This may require an advance signal from the system controller (50) or may involve intermittent heating of the barrier heater 140 to maintain a certain reference temperature. Post-heating after the HVAC system (20) is turned off may also be beneficial for a number of reasons.

The controller 200 is also provided in electrical communication with a drive circuit 213 connected to the UV light source 130. The controller 200 may control the illumination of the UV light sources 130 with the drive circuit 213 powered by the power supply 40 as air passes through the device 100 (drawn in by the HVAC system), at least for a period of time. It should be appreciated that the controller 200 and the drive circuit 213 include any necessary switches, relays, timers, power transformers, electronic ballasts, etc. to regulate and control the power supplied to the light sources 130.

The controller 200 illuminates the light source 130 at least when the controller 200 is signaled that the HVAC system (20) is operating to indicate air flow through the device 100. To achieve the target illumination, some pre-illumination may be required for the lamps, etc. of the UV light source 130 to achieve full illumination before air is drawn in through the device 100. This may require an advance signal from the system controller (50). Back illumination of source 130 after HVAC system (20) shut down may also be beneficial for a number of reasons.

For monitoring and control, the controller 200 may include one or more sensors 216, 217, and 218. For example, the controller 200 may include a temperature sensor 216, the temperature sensor 216 being disposed in the plenum 116 adjacent to the barrier heater 140 and disposed in electrical communication with the controller 200. The temperature sensor 216 is configured to measure a temperature associated with heating of the barrier heater 140, so the controller 200 may reach a target temperature. Depending on the implementation and pathogen to be affected, the barrier heater 140 may heat to a surface temperature above about 54 ℃ (130°f). Indeed, studies have shown that heat at about 56 ℃ or above 56 ℃ to 67 ℃ (133°f to 152°f) can kill SARS coronavirus, and that far UVC light at 222 nm can be effective in killing and inactivating aerosolized virus.

The controller 200 may be connected to a light sensor 218, such as a photocell or other light sensing element, to monitor the illumination of the UV light source 130Intensity, wavelength, operation, etc. For example, the UV light source 130 may be configured to generate a light having a wavelength of at least 611 μJ/cm in an effective field in the plenum 116 ² Ultraviolet radiation from the ultraviolet germicidal irradiation is dosed and measurements from the photosensor 218 can monitor the radiation.

The controller 200 may be connected to a further sensor 217, such as a flow sensor, to sense the flow, speed, etc. of air through the plenum 116. If not remotely signaled, the flow detected by the flow sensor 217 may be used by the controller 200 to initiate operation of the device 100. The velocity of the flow may be measured by the flow sensor 217 to coordinate a target flow rate through the device 100, and thus the heating of the air flow by the barrier heater 140 may be coordinated with the detected flow rate and target heating level. If the device 100 is integrated with an HVAC system (20) that is operable at different flow levels, feedback from the flow sensor 217 may be used to control the level of intake air through the device 100 or may be indicative of the level of intake air through the device 100. The velocity of the flow may also be monitored to coordinate the target irradiation of the air flow by the UV light source 130 so that an appropriate level of exposure may be achieved.

As described herein, the purification apparatus 100 combines thermal energy with UV-C light and is configured within a flame-retardant and flame-resistant filtration system. The device 100 may be placed in a return port behind an HVAC grille for return air. As disclosed herein, embodiments of the purification apparatus 100 include a barrier heater 140, and thus may include various features of the controller 200, sensors, etc. discussed above with respect to the barrier heater 140. Some embodiments may not include UV light sources 130, while other embodiments may include various features of UV light sources 130 and controller 200, sensors, etc. discussed above with respect to UV light sources 130. In particular, fig. 4C shows another schematic side view of the purification device 100 with its arrangement of components without a UV light source. Similar components are provided with the same reference numerals as in the other embodiments and are not repeated here.

As suggested, the disclosed purification device 100 may eliminate pathogens, such as covd-19, while filtering air to 99.97% (ASME, U.S. department of energy) particles. As disclosed in this patent application incorporated herein, this configuration may be incorporated into a movable housing for larger public areas including airport terminal, churches, hospitals and other enclosed areas to reduce infectious air particles.

Although the purification apparatus 100 has been described above as including the frame 110, the frame 110 accommodates the air filter in the frame 110. The device 100 may include a frame 110, the frame 110 being mounted behind a conventional air return 30 that has received a filter. Alternatively, the apparatus 100 may include a frame 110, the frame 110 being mounted at the air inlet of the oven downstream of the individually held air filters 120. The purification apparatus 100 may be sized to a furnace opening for commercial use (e.g., 14 to 20 inches by 25 inches). The HVAC zone may then be targeted. In this type of arrangement, the purification device 100 may include the frame 110, the UV light source 130, and the barrier heater 140 as before, but the frame 110 does not necessarily hold or receive the air filter 120. Instead, a separate air filter may be installed elsewhere in the HVAC system (e.g., at the return outlet).

The discussion now turns to details of the barrier heater 140 of the disclosed purification apparatus 100. The metal mesh/foam of the barrier heater 140 may have one or more layers of material and may have a suitable thickness. As one example, the mesh/foam may have a thickness of 0.5mm to 2.0 mm. The metal mesh/foam composed of nickel (Ni) may have a composition of 1.43×10 ⁷ C/m ² Surface charge density (sigma) of (a). The Ni mesh/foam is conductive and it is highly porous with random three-dimensional channels defined therethrough. The mesh/foam exhibited a resistance of about 0.178 Ω, and the resistivity of the exemplary Ni foam was calculated to be about 1.51x10 ^-5 Ωm。

For example, fig. 5A shows a first graph 60A of temperature (°c) produced by an exemplary Ni foam material for a barrier heater per unit of supply power (W). Foam samples with dimensions 1.65mm by 195mm by 10mm were studied. The temperature is measured after the voltage is applied until the temperature becomes stable. As shown in graph 60A, the temperature is shown as a generally linear rise in power supplied per unit, such that about 7 watts produces a temperature of about 120 ℃ (248°f).

FIG. 5B shows an exemplary Ni foam material after flowing through a barrier heater for heating to a temperature, a gas (e.g., N ₂ ) A second graph 60B of measured temperatures of (c). At room temperature of about 21.7 ℃ (71°f), the gas used for the measurement originated from an upstream distance of about 3.5cm from the heated Ni foam. Temperature measurements were made at different downstream distances relative to an exemplary Ni foam material, which was heated to an initial temperature of about 115 ℃ (239°f). It can be seen that for downstream distances ranging from 1cm to 4cm from the exemplary Ni foam, the measured temperature of the gas was reduced from about 29 ℃ to 23 ℃ (84°f to 73°f). This shows that the heating generated by the barrier heater 140 composed of this exemplary Ni foam material provides a tortuous heating surface area to which the air stream and any pathogens may impinge, but which is localized and dissipated in the downstream air stream.

Fig. 5C shows another graph 60C of measured temperatures taken at different downstream distances relative to an exemplary Ni foam material at another initial temperature. Here, the Ni foam is at an initial temperature of about 54 ℃ (129°f). For distances ranging from 1cm to 4cm from the exemplary Ni foam, the measured temperature of the gas was reduced from about 24.5 ℃ to 21.7 ℃ (76°f to 71°f).

As described herein, the barrier heater 140 may use nickel, but may also use nickel-based or iron-based alloys developed for applications at high service temperatures and in corrosive environments. Nickel is slowly oxidized by air at room temperature and is considered corrosion resistant. Nickel is a high performance metal that can be easily tuned to reach high temperatures and has minimal heat transfer to its surroundings or to air molecules passing through it. For example, when a voltage is applied across the nickel mesh/foam (1.43 x 10 ⁷ Sigma) the metal will conduct energy to a target temperature that is hot enough to kill pathogens including covd-19 upon contact. The target temperature may be 56 ℃ to 66 ℃ or higher, even exceeding 93 ℃ (133 °)F to 150F or higher, even exceeding 200F). In this way, the nickel mesh/foam (0.5 mm to 2.0 mm) provides a heated charged surface area for pathogens to strike and be eliminated by the heated mesh. At the same time, the porosity (80% to 90%) of the foam/mesh of the barrier heater 140 does not unduly impede the air flow and does not adversely increase the energy required by the HVAC system.

As disclosed above, heating in the plenum 116 may be achieved with a barrier heater 140 having a mesh/foam, the barrier heater 140 being heated to a target temperature and providing a tortuous path for return air through the mesh/foam. Other forms of heating may be used. As disclosed above, UV illumination in the plenum 116 may be achieved with UV strip lamps. Other forms of UV illumination may be used.

For example, fig. 6A shows another arrangement with multiple electrical elements (UV light sources 130 and barrier heaters 140) disposed in the plenum 116 of the frame 110 and connected to the power control 201. The plenum 116 includes a carbon medium 152 on one or more sidewalls for adsorption and purification purposes. The plenum 116 may also include a filter 120 disposed at the inlet.

As alluded to above, the disclosed purification apparatus 100 may be used alone or in combination with air treatment systems and other purification apparatus 100. As one example, fig. 6B shows a configuration of the purification apparatus 100 according to the present disclosure, which includes the UV light source 130 and the barrier heater 140 controlled by the control/power circuit 202. The UV light sources 130 and the barrier heater 140 may be similar to those disclosed herein and may be housed together in a housing or frame 110 to fit into the air stream of an air handling system. For example, the housing or frame 110 may be retrofitted or added to existing plumbing of the air handling system, may be disposed upstream of operational components of the air handling system, or may be configured elsewhere in the air stream. Filtration may be implemented elsewhere in the air handling system. As such, the control/power circuitry 202 may have the necessary components as disclosed herein to control the UV light sources 130 and the barrier heater 140.

As another example, fig. 6C shows another configuration of the purification apparatus 100 according to the present disclosure, which includes a barrier heater 140 controlled by a control/power circuit 203. The apparatus 100 as shown may not include a UV light source, but such a source may be used in other environments or elsewhere in the facility. The barrier heater 140 may be similar to those disclosed herein and may be housed in a housing or frame 110 to be assembled into the air stream of an air handling system. For example, the housing or frame 110 may be retrofitted or added to existing plumbing of the air handling system, may be disposed upstream of operational components of the air handling system, or may be configured elsewhere in the air stream. Filtration may be accomplished elsewhere in the air handling system, or may be incorporated into the frame 110 using filters (not shown) as disclosed elsewhere herein. As such, the control/power circuitry 203 may have the necessary components as disclosed herein to control the barrier heater 140.

As yet another example, fig. 6D shows yet another configuration of the purification apparatus 100 according to the present disclosure, including the UV light source 130 controlled by the control/power circuit 204 and including the barrier heater 140 controlled by the control/power circuit 203. The UV light sources 130 and the barrier heaters 140 may be similar to those disclosed herein and may be housed in separate housings or frames 110 a-110 b to be assembled into the air stream of the air handling system. For example, the housings or frames 110 a-110 b may be retrofitted or added to existing ducts of the air handling system, may be disposed upstream of operational components of the air handling system, or may be configured elsewhere in the air stream. Filtration may be implemented elsewhere in the air treatment system, or may be incorporated into one or both of the frames 110 a-110 b using filters (not shown) as disclosed elsewhere herein. As such, the control/power circuits 203, 204 may have the necessary components as disclosed herein to control the UV light source 130 and the barrier heater 140, respectively.

As alluded to above, the disclosed purification apparatus 100 may be used alone or in combination with air treatment systems and other purification apparatus 100. Fig. 7 shows a schematic arrangement of an air treatment system 20 with several purification devices 100a to 100 n. As described above, more than one purification apparatus 100a to 100n may be used in a facility, and these apparatuses 100a to 100n may have a control configuration for remote or local control.

For example, the air handling system 20 (e.g., HVAC system) may include its system controller 50 and may have a user/communication interface 52. The system controller 50 includes a central processing unit and memory as typically found in environmental controllers. The user/communication interface 52 may include, for example, a graphical user interface, a control panel, wired communication, and wireless communication, as commonly found in environmental controllers. As before, the HVAC system 20 includes components such as a blower 22, a furnace 24, a compressor 27, a thermostat 29, and any other conventional components.

The system controller 50 may communicate with one or more individual decontamination apparatuses 100a and 100n disposed in the facility via wired or wireless communication. These individual decontamination apparatuses 100a and 100n have a local controller 210 and a user/communication interface 212. The local controller 210 includes a central processing unit and memory as typically found in environmental controllers. The user/communication interface 212 may include, for example, a graphical user interface, a control panel, wired communication, and wireless communication, as commonly found in environmental controllers. As before, the stand-alone devices 100a and 100n include the disclosed purging components, such as UV source driver 213, heater circuit 214, sensor 216, and the like.

As further shown, the system controller 50 may likewise communicate with one or more integrated decontamination devices 100b disposed in the facility via wired or wireless communication. These integrated devices 110b have no local controls and can be controlled directly by the system controller 50. As before, the integrated device 100b includes the disclosed purging components, such as UV source driver 213, heater circuit 214, sensor 216, and the like.

Based on the above arrangement, it will be appreciated that the facility may be configured with multiple system components for different areas, rooms, areas, etc. of the facility. Briefly, fig. 8A shows a master control unit 250 having a central processing unit 252 and a communication interface 254 for communicating with a plurality of local controllers 200 a-200 n in different areas 104 a-104 n of the facility configuration 102 via wired and/or wireless communication 256. Each of the local controllers 200 a-200 n may control one or more of the purification devices 100 a-100 n in a given zone 104 a-104 n.

As another brief example, fig. 8B shows a primary environmental control 50 having a central processing unit and communication interfaces 52 a-52B for communicating with a plurality of system components in a facility configuration 102 via wired and/or wireless communications 56. The primary environmental control 50 may communicate with local controllers 200a through 200n in different areas 104a through 104n of the facility configuration 102. Each of the local controllers 200 a-200 n may control one or more of the purification devices 100 a-100 n in a given zone 104 a-104 n. In addition, the master control 50 may be in communication with local environmental systems 21 a-21 n of the air handling system 20 of the facility. These local environmental systems 21 a-21 n may be dedicated to different areas of a facility (e.g., floors, rooms, buildings, etc.).

As previously described, the permeable barrier 142 of the barrier heater 140 disclosed herein may have different layers and configurations. In fig. 9A, a portion of a barrier heater 140a is shown in which the permeable barrier 142 is planar and has a defined thickness T1. One or more such planar barriers 142 may be used in series adjacent to each other to block and interact with the intrusive air flow. To increase surface area and interaction, a portion of the barrier heater 140B is shown in fig. 9B as having folds, corrugations or pleats 142 in the permeable barrier 142. The mesh material of the barrier 142 may have its original thickness T1, but the corrugated barrier heater 140b exhibits a thickness T2 for the incoming air flow. One or more such corrugated barriers 142 may be used in series adjacent to each other to block and interact with the intrusive air flow.

The corrugated barrier heater 140b provides several advantages in view of the flexibility of the Ni foam. First, the resistance of the ni foam is much greater by the bend 144, which can help the barrier heater 140b when used with a residual voltage (110V). Second, as shown in fig. 9B, the bend 144 creates an effective distance T2 that is many times greater than the thickness T1 for interaction with the incoming air. The gaps between the bends 144 in the hot Ni foam create high temperatures that can be effective to destroy pathogens. It should be noted that the number of bent portions, the bending length, and the like can be easily controlled, and the longer the bending length, the higher the temperature that can be obtained. Third, the curved Ni foam barrier 142 in fig. 9B has a much smaller area exposed to in and out air than a flat Ni foam with two major sides exposed to air, which minimizes heat loss, and therefore the temperature of the barrier heater 140 can increase faster and can reach much higher values with the same power consumption.

For example, fig. 10A shows a graph of input voltage versus current generated for a barrier heater 140A having a flat Ni foam configuration, and fig. 10B shows another graph of current versus temperature level generated for a barrier heater 140A having a flat Ni foam configuration. Meanwhile, fig. 11A shows a graph of input voltage versus current generated for the barrier heater 140B having the corrugated Ni foam configuration, and fig. 11B shows another graph of current versus temperature level generated for the barrier heater 140B having the corrugated Ni foam configuration. As can be seen in fig. 10B and 11B, at the same voltage of 1.0V, the temperature of the corrugated barrier heater 140B may be more than twice the temperature of the flat barrier heater 140 a.

It should be appreciated that the various features of the disclosed purification device 100 and its UV light source 130 and barrier heater 140 may be configured to meet a particular implementation and process air for a particular pathogen. Testing with actual pathogens requires careful control, which has been done in a laboratory setting.

For UV light source 130, the intensity, effective field, wavelength, and other variables of the UV light from source 130 may be configured to treat the air for a particular pathogen, and these variables are preferably determined by testing directly with the actual pathogen in a controlled laboratory environment.

For the barrier heater 140, the thickness, material, effective surface area, permeability, ripple, temperature, and other variables of the permeable barrier 142 from the barrier heater 140 may be configured to treat air for a particular pathogen, and these variables are preferably determined by testing directly with the actual pathogen in a controlled laboratory environment.

Previous studies on SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV have established that coronaviruses can be inactivated by heating. See, e.g., leclerca, 2014; darnell, 2004; pastorino, 2020. The results of the preliminary studies conducted in the BSL3 facility indicate that SARS-CoV-2 has significant heat resistance to enveloped RNA viruses. Only 100 ℃ (212°f) of the experimental plan for 10 minutes can completely inactivate the virus.

In particular, the heat resistance of the human SARS-CoV-2 strain (COVID-19) has been carried out in the BSL3 facility. The experimental plan for this study included the use of water and brine at room temperature or at boiling temperature (fig. 12). For the latter, 10. Mu.L of SARS-CoV-2 was added to 90. Mu.L of preheated water or saline at 100deg.C (212F). Whereas for the control cultures performed at room temperature, these solutions were incubated at 100℃for 30 seconds or 10 minutes.

After incubation, 900 μl of room temperature medium was added and titrated. Control groups incubated for 10 minutes and 30 seconds at room temperature remained ineffective in reducing viral load. In contrast, the experimental protocol 100 ℃ to 30 seconds describe a trend, but the exposure time is obviously not long enough to effectively reduce the viral load, but the viral load in water is relatively low compared to saline. For water or saline, complete virus inactivation was only possible with 100℃to 10 minutes of experimental protocol (greater than 5Log ₁₀ Reduction).

The data generated confirm that the virus has significant thermostability for enveloped RNA viruses. Other studies on heat inactivation may illustrate curves of variable temperature (50 ℃, 100 ℃, 150 ℃, 200 ℃, 250 ℃, and 300 ℃) and exposure duration (1 second, 5 seconds, 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 3 minutes, and 5 minutes), which may then be correlated to expected heat damage caused by a barrier heater as disclosed herein, e.g., with permeable Ni foam.

However, according to recent studies, the disclosed heating filter of the barrier heater 140 may be safely used at high temperatures [ (200 ℃ to 250 ℃) (392°f to 482°f) ] to kill the covd-19. In particular, studies have been conducted at the garvieton national laboratory/NIAID biodefense laboratory network (biosafety level 4) and include findings of control experiments. Studies have found that covd-19 will be vaporized in atomizing air upon contact with the special heated filter system of the present disclosure (i.e., the disclosed barrier heater 140). The results indicate that the active virus is reduced by a factor of 100 by the heated barrier heater 140 and the kill rate of the covd-19 reaches 100%. This study shows how the covd-19 can be eliminated from the air.

The disclosed purification apparatus 100 can effectively kill viruses and bacteria in circulated air at a high temperature of about 250 ℃ (482°f). As disclosed herein, a barrier heater 140, such as nickel (Ni) foam, is low cost, electrically conductive, highly porous with random channels, and mechanically strong and has good flexibility, acting as a good filter for sterilization and disinfection in HVAC systems or other environments. The curved Ni foam provides a structure with higher resistance and lower voltage and increases the surface area for sterilization. Mechanical killing using high performance metals at temperature and mechanical pressurization can be applied to the environment of the covd-19.

Other related studies as disclosed herein have found that in view of their high performance and design, there is no significant temperature increase in the air passing through the disclosed heated filter. Preliminary studies of filters and their conductivity have been done at the texas superconducting center at houston university. The research partners include universities of texas agro-engineering, engineering and engineering laboratory lines and universities of texas medical partnerships. As already explained, the temperature of the Ni foam barrier heater 140 increases very rapidly and can be heated to high temperatures at low watt power. After passing through the heated Ni foam of the barrier heater 140, the air temperature drops very rapidly, even at temperatures exceeding 100 ℃ (212°f), the air temperature being only room temperature at 4cm away.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments and other embodiments is not intended to limit or define the scope or applicability of the inventive concepts conceived of by the applicants. It will be understood that features described above in accordance with any other embodiment or aspect of the disclosed subject matter may be utilized alone or in combination with any other described features in any other embodiment or aspect of the disclosed subject matter, while benefiting from the present disclosure.

In exchange for disclosing the inventive concepts contained herein, the applicant expects all patent rights afforded by the appended claims. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include all modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

Inventive concept

The invention provides the following inventive concepts:

1. an apparatus for treating an air flow of an air treatment system with supplied electrical power, the apparatus comprising:

a frame having a plenum with an inlet and an outlet, the frame configured to be positioned in the air flow of the air treatment system to pass the air flow therethrough;

a filter disposed across a surface area of the plenum and comprising a first material, the filter configured to filter the air flow therethrough up to a filtration threshold; and

A heater disposed across the surface area of the plenum and comprising a permeable barrier of metallic material, the permeable barrier of the heater configured to block the flow of air therethrough up to a blocking threshold, the permeable barrier of the heater being connected in electrical communication to the supplied electrical power and heated to a surface temperature.

2. The apparatus of inventive concept 1, wherein the permeable barrier of the heater comprises a mesh, foam, screen, or curved medium.

3. The apparatus of inventive concept 1 or 2, wherein the metallic material of the permeable barrier comprises nickel.

4. The apparatus of inventive concept 1, 2 or 3, wherein the first material of the filter comprises a metallic material.

5. The apparatus of any one of inventive concepts 1-4, further comprising an ultraviolet light source disposed in the plenum, the ultraviolet light source connected in electrical communication with the supplied electrical power and configured to generate an effective field of ultraviolet radiation in the plenum.

6. The apparatus of inventive concept 5, further comprising one or more structures disposed in the frame and supporting the ultraviolet light source.

7. The apparatus of inventive concept 6, wherein the one or more structures comprise one or more strips or one or more fixtures.

8. The apparatus of inventive concepts 5, 6, or 7, wherein the ultraviolet light source comprises one or more UV-C lamps or a plurality of UV-C light emitting diodes disposed in the plenum.

9. The apparatus according to any one of inventive concepts 5 to 8, wherein the ultraviolet light source is configured to generate ultraviolet radiation having an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation dose of at least 611 μj/cm 2.

10. The apparatus according to any one of inventive concepts 5-9, further comprising a controller disposed in electrical communication with the ultraviolet light source, the controller configured to control (i) heating of the permeable barrier by the supplied electrical power and (ii) radiation of the ultraviolet light source powered by the supplied electrical power.

11. The apparatus of inventive concept 10, wherein the controller is disposed in electrical communication with a drive circuit connected to the ultraviolet light source, the controller configured to control ultraviolet radiation of the ultraviolet light source with the drive circuit powered by the supplied electrical power.

12. The apparatus of inventive concepts 10 or 11, further comprising a light sensor disposed adjacent to the ultraviolet light source and disposed in electrical communication with the controller, the light sensor configured to measure ultraviolet radiation associated with the ultraviolet light source.

13. The apparatus of any one of inventive concepts 1-12, wherein the permeable barrier of the heater is configured to block the air flow therethrough up to a 20% block threshold if the porosity of the permeable barrier is at least 80%.

14. The apparatus of any one of inventive concepts 1-13, wherein the permeable barrier of the heater is heated to a surface temperature of at least greater than about 56 ℃, i.e., 133°f.

15. The apparatus of any one of inventive concepts 1-14, wherein the frame includes a plurality of sidewalls surrounding the plenum between an open side of the inlet and an opposite open side of the outlet.

16. The apparatus of any one of inventive concepts 1-15, further comprising an electrical insulator disposed between an edge of the permeable barrier and the frame.

17. The apparatus of any one of inventive concepts 1-16, wherein the filter is disposed in the plenum toward the inlet, the permeable barrier is disposed in the plenum toward the outlet, and the ultraviolet light source is disposed between the filter and the barrier heater.

18. The apparatus of any one of inventive concepts 1-17, further comprising a controller disposed in electrical communication with the permeable barrier and the ultraviolet light source, the controller configured to control heating of the permeable barrier by the supplied electrical power.

19. The apparatus of inventive concept 18, wherein the controller is disposed in electrical communication with a heater circuit connected to the permeable barrier, the controller configured to control heating of the permeable barrier with the heater circuit powered by the supplied electrical power.

20. The apparatus of inventive concept 19, further comprising a temperature sensor disposed adjacent to the permeable barrier and disposed in electrical communication with the controller, the temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature associated with heating of the permeable barrier.

21. The apparatus of inventive concepts 18, 19 or 20, wherein the controller includes a communication interface configured to communicate with the air handling system and configured to receive a signal indicative of the flow of air through the apparatus, the controller configuring the control based on the received signal.

22. The apparatus of any one of inventive concepts 18-21, further comprising a flow sensor disposed adjacent to the plenum and disposed in electrical communication with the controller, the flow sensor configured to measure air flow through the plenum, the controller configured for the control based on the measured air flow.

23. The apparatus of any one of inventive concepts 1-22, wherein the frame is configured to be positioned in at least one of:

a return port of the air handling system in a facility;

an air intake of a furnace of the air handling system in a facility;

an outlet of the air treatment system in a facility; and

a mixing chamber of the air handling system of a vehicle.

24. An apparatus for treating an air flow of an air treatment system of a pathogen with supplied electrical power, the apparatus comprising:

a heater comprising a permeable barrier of metallic material having a surface area exposed to the air flow and configured to block the air flow therethrough up to a blocking threshold, the permeable barrier being connected in electrical communication to the supplied electrical power and heated to a surface temperature for the pathogen.

25. The apparatus of inventive concept 24, further comprising a frame having a plenum disposed between an inlet and an outlet, the frame configured to be positioned in the air flow of the air treatment system, the heater disposed in the plenum of the frame.

26. The apparatus according to inventive concept 24 or 25, further comprising:

an ultraviolet light source connected in electrical communication with the supplied electrical power and configured to generate an effective field of ultraviolet radiation in the air stream.

27. The apparatus of inventive concept 26, further comprising a frame having a plenum disposed between an inlet and an outlet, the frame configured to be positioned in the air flow of the air treatment system, the ultraviolet light source and the heater disposed in the plenum of the frame.

28. The device of any one of inventive concepts 24-27, wherein the pathogen is a virus, wherein the permeable barrier is heated to a surface temperature of at least greater than 200 ℃ for the virus.

29. A method for treating an air stream of an air handling system of a pathogen, the method comprising:

Positioning a frame in the air handling system to pass the air flow therethrough;

filtering the air flow through a filter disposed between an inlet and an outlet across a surface area of a plenum of the frame up to a filtration threshold;

blocking the air flow up to a blocking threshold by a permeable barrier of a heater disposed across the surface area of the plenum and having a metallic material; and

the permeable barrier of the heater is heated to a surface temperature for the pathogen by supplying a voltage potential across the permeable barrier.

30. The method according to inventive concept 29, further comprising: an effective field of ultraviolet radiation is generated in the plenum by powering an ultraviolet light source disposed in the plenum.

Claims

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the permeable barrier of the heater comprises a mesh, foam, screen, or curved medium.

3. The device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the metallic material of the permeable barrier comprises nickel.

4. A device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the first material of the filter comprises a metallic material.

5. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising an ultraviolet light source disposed in the plenum, the ultraviolet light source connected in electrical communication with the supplied electrical power and configured to generate an effective field of ultraviolet radiation in the plenum.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising one or more structures disposed in the frame and supporting the ultraviolet light source.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the one or more structures comprise one or more strips or one or more fixtures.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the ultraviolet light source comprises one or more UV-C lamps or a plurality of UV-C light emitting diodes disposed in the plenum.

9. The apparatus of any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the ultraviolet light source is configured to generate ultraviolet radiation having an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation dose of at least 611 μj/cm 2.

10. The apparatus of any one of claims 5 to 9, further comprising a controller disposed in electrical communication with the ultraviolet light source, the controller configured to control (i) heating of the permeable barrier by the supplied electrical power and (ii) radiation of the ultraviolet light source powered by the supplied electrical power.