EP1567201A1

EP1567201A1 - Non-ozone a cluster anion apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP1567201A1
Application number: EP03813305A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mi-Sook Han; Young Lee
Original assignee: Nitech Corp Ltd
Current assignee: Konami Amusement Co Ltd
Priority date: 2002-12-18
Filing date: 2003-08-27
Publication date: 2005-08-31
Also published as: AU2003253478A8; JP2006511044A; CN1729024A; CN100379461C; AU2003253478A1; KR20040054160A; WO2004054628A1; EP1567201A4

Abstract

The present invention claims non-ozone a cluster anion apparatus, which attached to inside indoor air purifiers or air conditioners, generates anion. Electrons generally regard the interface between a metal and the gas as a barrier, and to discharge an electron beyond the barrier, energy higher than the energy confining the electron should be applied. In other words, an electric field higher than the electron-confining energy is required. In case the electric field gets higher, tunnel effect occurs, in which electrons have the property of wave and penetrate the thinned energy barrier between a metal and a dielectric(air), instead of passing over it. Tunnel effect has been generally known to happen in case the thickness of energy barrier is below about 100[Å]. On the interface between a metal and the gas, tunnel effect happens in case the charged electric field is around 107~108[V/cm¯] to generate a current of a few µA. The tunnel effect, however, may happen at a voltage as low as 2-5kV in case of a fine line section or sharp points. To be specific, the present invention consists of anion generating section that has the form of metal fiber(MF) with innumerable sharp protrusions and power supply section, and the anion generating section is composed of an alloy of eight metals of platinum, stainless steel, copper, silver, zinc, nickel, manganese and tungsten, conductive cloth with free electrons, conductive gum and semi-conductive gum twisted like a rope. The MF employed for the present invention has numerous needles on its surface. As the needles discharge electrons to the air at the energy lower than general ionization potential when the MF is charged with electric energy. In this case the ambient moisture due to attachment of moisture influences it. Electrons emitted from needles attach to neutral particles, such as oxygen and others (oxygen has very high electron affinity [-135KJ/mole], to turn them into anions. In the case, mass of anions grows larger than that of electrons and their moving speed drop not only to reduce conductance but also not to ionize other neutral particles. Accordingly, the present invention claims that it generates anion, without generating ozone (O3).

Description

NON-OZONE A CLUSTER ANION APPARATUS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to non-ozone anion apparatus that mounted inside air purifiers or air conditioners, generates anion.

BACKGROUND ART

Electrons generally regard the interface between a metal and the gas as a barrier, and to discharge an electron beyond the barrier, energy higher than the energy confining the electron should be applied. In other words, an electric field higher than the electron-confining energy is required. In case the electric field gets higher, tunnel effect occurs, in which electrons have the property of wave and penetrate the thinned energy barrier between an metal and a dielectric (air), instead of passing over it. Tunnel effect has been generally known to happen in case the thickness of energy barrier is below about 100[A]. On the interface between a metal and the gas, tunnel effect happens in case the charged electric field is around 10⁷~10⁸[V/cni] to generate a current of a few /A. The tunnel effect, however, may happen at a voltage as low as 2-5kV in case of a fine line section or sharp points.

To be specific, the present invention consists of anion generating section that has the form of metal fiber (MF) with innumerable sharp protrusions and power supply section, and the anion generating section is composed of an alloy of eight metals of platinum, stainless steel, copper, silver, zinc, nickel, manganese and tungsten, conductive cloth with free electrons, conductive gum and semi-conductive gum twisted like a rope. The MF employed for the present invention has numerous needles on its surface. As the needles discharges electrons to the air at the energy lower than general ionization potential when the MF is charged with electric energy. In this case the ambient moisture due to attachment of moisture influences it. Electrons emitted from needles attach to neutral particles, such as oxygen and others (oxygen has very high electron affinity f-135KJ/mole], to turn them into anions. In the case, mass of anions grows larger than that of electrons and their moving speed drop not only to reduce conductance but also not to ionize other neutral particles. Accordingly, the present invention claims that it generates anion, without generating ozone (O,).

Air purifiers have become nowadays one of living necessaries to supply clean air to people who spend most of their time indoor, such as offices, living rooms or sleeping rooms.

To be good to health, air should be free from various harmful ingredients and bad-smelling matters, as well as has plenty of anion, but the actual air quality is far from meeting the requirements owing to insufficient ventilation, as most of modern buildings have closed structure for the purpose of raising energy efficiency. For the reason, there are always indoor VOCs generated from building materials, bacteria and viruses in addition to a new contaminants of electromagnetic wave that is generated from various electric home appliances. A number of researches showed that these contaminants are charged with cation, which reduces the density of anion in the air, thus deteriorating comfortableness, physical conditions and mental concentration as well as causing various diseases.

These imply that ionic balance of the air should be urgendy restored by purifying the room air and forcefully supplying anion. Anion has been generated at large by the methods of electric discharge, electronic emission and water wave, and the most popular way is currendy to generate anion by the application of the principles of electric dust collection. The electric dust collection method, however, has various disadvantages, as it generates harmful ozone and electromagnetic wave by high electric field in the process of generating anions, and hardly generates cluster anion that is most close to natural anion. In addition, it requires relatively big size to generate anion. Electronic emission method requires pulse energy as it need high energy to discharge electrons to the air, which requires complicated structure despite relatively poor performance. Water wave method, which generates anions by splitting water drops, requires larger size than other methods and generates low-value anions. Compared with these methods, the present invention generates anions at low energy thanks to its unique properties of materials. It has been known that anion has influence on parasympathetic nerve, thus relaxing us from stress and protecting us from various diseases by increasing immunity. It has been also known to effectively remove air contaminants. The present invention, which relates to a cluster anion apparatus, generates anions in the following method:

As shown at Fig. la and Fig. lb, the existing anion apparatus have a clearance between stylus electrode (1) and flat plate electrode (2), and current of high voltage is supplied to stylus electrode (1) and flat plate electrode (2) is grounded to generate anions.

To be specific, if a voltage above a certain level is applied to a nonconductor, the non-conductor turns into a conductor, of which phenomenon we call electric breakdown and the concurrent flow of current electric discharge. If the DC voltage applied between the stylus electrode (1) and flat plate electrode (2) is gradually raised, electric breakdown occurs in the air around the stylus electrode tip emitting dim light as shown Fig.l.

We call the current of about flλ (10^"6A) flowing between the two electrodes corona discharge. The same electric discharge partially occurs in a liquid or solid, which we call partial discharge collectively. If we keep on raising voltage, an electric breakdown occurs at a certain value throughout the electric field between the electrodes, which is connected to a highly conductive discharge path to cause current surge. We call this phenomenon complete breakdown or flashover and the voltage between electrodes at which complete breakdown occurs breakdown voltage.

If a complete breakdown occurs in a gas, it is very easy to send an electric current between the electrodes, which means that a number of electrons or ions have been generated in the discharge space. These charged particles have been produced by ionization, which designates the phenomenon that atoms or molecules stirred by external energy turn to cations after discharging electrons that had been restrained around nucleus as extra-nuclear electrons until they were stirred by external energy. Ionization occurs when molecules of gases and high-speed electrons collide, or a gas is applied to short wave rays or molecules of gas collide.

An atom is composed of the nucleus and extra-nuclear electron(s) that revolves around the nucleus. Extra-nuclear electrons are on the orbit close to the nucleus, which is called ground state. If an atom in ground state is applied to external energy as in the cases of collision with other particles or ray irradiation, extra-nuclear electrons transfer to the energy level higher (i.e. outer orbit) than ground state, which is called excitation and the energy necessary for the excitation is called excitation energy. If an atom is applied to a greater external energy, extra-nuclear electrons free themselves from the restraint of nucleus to be free electrons and the atom to be an cation. This is the process of aforesaid ionization and the minimum energy for ionization is called ionization energy or ionization potential. The phenomenon that the charged particles of the positive and the negative combine and return to neutral particles is called recombination, which is divided into the recombination of electron and cation, and the recombination of anion and cation. Among the said recombinations, recombination of anion and cation is easier to occur, because the speed of anion is much slower than cation and anion are near to cation to have more opportunity for interaction. This sort of gases are called electro negative gases, to which halogens (F, Cl, Br, I) that have one less peripheral electron than inert gases, itheir compounds or oxygen, air and vapor that contain oxygen belong.

Generation of anions by the combination of gas molecules and free electrons is called electron attachment. In case of electric discharge in the air, the following phenomena happen:

E + 0₂ → O + O 0₂ + O → o₃ The existing air purifiers perform electric discharges in the form as shown above and in the process, generate ozone (O,) that is a poisonous matter lethal to men. A strong oxide, ozone, is produced as a by-product in the process of gaseous electric discharge for the production of anion.

The following illustration of ozone generation by silent discharge shows the process in detail: O₂ + e^" → O + O + e

O + o- → o₂

O + 0₂+ M → O, + M 0₂ + O₂ → O, + O As shown above, oxygen turns into ozone through electric discharge and the produced ozone reacts with air contaminants to reduce to oxygen. Despite some favorable effects, ozone has fatal influence on men.

As an oxidizer, ozone leaves no harmful residuals and disinfects bacteria and virus with strong effect. In addition to powerful bleaching effect, it reacts with stinking gases and harmful organic matters such as cigarette smoke to make them harmless.

Ozone transfers one of the three atoms of oxygen to other matters in a moment and is very strong in oxidizing all matters, organic and inorganic.

In the same principles, ozone affects the human body. It combines with organic matters on the skin and generates harmful matters to cause fatal troubles.

For instances, it may destroy lung cells to deteriorate breathing ability, and what's worse, it may damage genes in the cell nucleus to cause cancers by DNA mutation. Tender tissues such as the cornea are particularly vulnerable to ozone.

Known to severely affect children, old and feeble persons, and heart disease patients, ozone is such a dangerous gas that a number of researches have reported that ozone density exceeding 7% increases death rate by 7%. For the reason, many countries strongly regulate the density of ozone as shown below:

Japan Industrial Health: 0.06 (8 hours avcrage)/0.12 (1 hour average) Korea Environment Ministry: 0.06 (8 hours average) /0.1 (1 hour average)

OSHA (occupational Safety Health Association): 0.1 (8 hours average) /0.3

(15-30 minutes)

Influence of Ozone on the Human Body

Ozone begins to give out unique a little fishy smell at the density of 0.01 —

0.03ppm and the smell is disgusting to some people. Most of people confuse anion with ozone due to this unique smell, but, in actuality, anion has no color, smell and taste and has been known to be good to health. The confusion has arisen, because the conventional anion apparatus has generated anions together with ozone.

Current method of anion generation by silent discharge inevitably produces ozone as by-product in the process of producing anions, and it has the problem that in case of reducing ozone production, it also reduces the anion production. Most of current anion apparatus attached to air purifier generate anion in such method.

Many cases have been reported that persons who have been exposed to ozone produced from air purifier for a long time felt nausea and in some cases, even vomited. It may be deadly particularly to pregnant women, old and feeble persons and children.

For the above reasons, governments of many countries strictly regulate the generation of ozone and so, development of apparatus to substitute current anion apparatus is urgently requested.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention intends to provide non-ozone cluster anion apparatus that can resolve the problems stated above.

The present invention consists of anion generating section that has the form of metal fiber (MF) with innumerable sharp protrusions and power supply section, and the anion generating section is composed of an alloy of eight metals of platinum, stainless steel, copper, silver, zinc, nickel, manganese and tungsten, conductive cloth with free electrons, conductive gum and semi-conductive gum twisted like a rope. The MF employed for the present invention has numerous needles on its surface. As the needles discharges electrons to the air at the energy lower than general ionization potential when the MF is charged with electric energy, the present invention claims that it is non-ozone cluster anion apparatus that generates only anion, without generating ozone (O,). Another claim of the present invention is that it provides a solution for the regulation problem of ozone as it, unlike conventional anion apparatus, does not produce the by-product ozone in the process of generating anions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. la and lb are illustrations of the principles employed with anion apparatus of the existing air purifiers.

Fig. 2 is an illustration of the composition of anion apparatus of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a detail illustration of major components of anion apparatus of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is an illustration for the presentation of the working of anion apparatus of the present invention, which shows cluster generation by moisture.

Fig. 5 is an illustration for the presentation of anion apparatus of the present invention, which shows the process of cluster (deionization) generation. * Description of numerials for major sections of the illustrations *

1 : Stylus electrode 2: Flat plate electrode

11 : Main body of anion

12: Anion generating section apparatus

13: Power supply section 14: DC high voltage connection cable

15: Fligh voltage section for anion

16: Power inlet generation

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The above described and other purposes and features of the present invention can be more definitely presented by the attached illustrations. Fig. 2 is an illustration of the composition of anion apparatus of the present invention and Fig. 3 is a detail illustration of major components of anion apparatus of the present invention. Fig. 4 and 5 are illustrations for the presentation of the working of anion apparatus of the present invention, which respectively show the cluster generation by moisture and the process of cluster (deionization) generation.

As shown in Fig. 2, non-ozone cluster anion apparatus, which is composed of anion generating section 12 and high voltage section for anion generation 15, generates anions by applying high voltage to anion generating section 12 from the high voltage section of anion generation 15.

The anion generating section 12 with the form of fiber winds the main body 11 of anion apparatus and the regular power supply 13 is connected to one end of the anion generating section 12 to supply DC high voltage.

High voltage section for anion generation 15, which converts the supplied AC and DC power into DC high voltage, is connected to the power supply 13 through DC voltage connection cable 14.

The anion generating section is presented in detail below: As illustrated in Fig. 3, the anion generating section 12 is composed of an alloy of eight metals of platinum, stainless steel, copper, silver, zinc, nickel, manganese and tungsten, conductive cloth wid free electrons, conductive gum and semi-conductive gum twisted like a rope.

Applied with electric energy, the anion generating section 12 discharges electrons to the air through a given resistance without spark discharge for safety.

Magnified surface of anion generating section 12 that has the form of fiber shows numerous lightening rod-like shapes, which provide wide surface area that allows to discharge electricity at a very low electric energy. The following is a detail presentation of the mechanism for the constraining of ozone generation.

If electrons are emitted to the air through the numerous rods, oxygen, which accounts for 21% of the air and has the largest electron affinity second to hydrogen, attracts electrons and turns into anion owing to electron charge. In the process, ambient moisture combines with the anion to make molecular cluster.

The following formula shows the mechanism of the forming of the small cluster ions: e +O₂ → 0₂ ^" + H₂0 → O₂-(H₂O)n Fig. 4 is the sketch that illustrates the fomiing process of anions (0₂ ^~) by moisture.

Part of emitted electrons emit electron ion, which momentarily makes the nucleus and attracts ambient gas molecules to become small ions, which combines to turn into a cluster. These small ions and electrons, if attached with corpuscular, such as dust, dirt or fog, turn into cluster ion, which looks like a small ion, but has the mass hundreds times that of small ion. Fig. 6 is the sketch that illustrates the forming process of cluster ion.

For the reasons, the present invention claims that it is non-ozone cluster anion apparatus that generates anions wholesome to men, but does not generate ozone. Cluster ion, which is most similar to natural ions, stays in the air for longer time and moves farther than any ions, while the ions generated by the existing anion apparatus that accompany ozone are a sort of electrons that are neutralized as soon as they are generated. Detail presentation of the present invention has been limited to some concrete examples, but diverse modifications and revisions of the invention within the scope of described technology is clearly possible and such modifications and revisions naturally belong to the claims of the patent of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention of non-ozone cluster anion apparatus enables persons to breathe with ease and take comfortable rest indoor, thus protecting persons from diseases by increasing the physical resistance to diseases, as it can steadily generate plenty of anions without generating ozone harmful to men.

The present invention, an apparatus generating anions that have been known to be wholesome to men free from ozone, is particularly useful in fundamentally restraining of the ozone generation that has been inevitable in electric discharge by the conventional ways. In addition, it is an apparatus for the solution of ozone regulation problem arising from ozone generated in the process of anion generation, as it does not generate ozone.

Claims

1. In connection with the anion apparatus; the anion generating section that is composed of an alloy of eight metals of platinum, stainless steel, copper, silver, zinc, nickel, manganese and tungsten, conductive cloth with free electrons, conductive gum and semi-conductive gum twisted like a rope and connected to the main body 11 of the anion apparatus; the power supply 13 that is attached to one end of the above anion generating section 12 to supply DC power; non-ozone cluster anion apparatus that is distinguishingly composed of anion generating high voltage 15 that receives AC and DC power through regular power oudet 16 to converts it into DC high voltage and supply to the above power supply 13 through DC voltage connection cable 14.

2. In connection with claim 1, non-ozone cluster anion apparatus that has distinguishingly numerous sharp protrusions on the surface of the aforementioned anion generating section 12.