EP4027068A1

EP4027068A1 - Installation limiting viral cross contamination of persons in a room and filtering device for such an installation

Info

Publication number: EP4027068A1
Application number: EP22460003.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Robert FRET
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2021-01-12
Filing date: 2022-01-11
Publication date: 2022-07-13
Also published as: PL436649A1

Abstract

The installation limiting the viral cross contamination of persons in a room - especially indoor public places according to the invention is characterized in that it contains at least a filtering device (1) treating breathable air, adapted to draw and filter air from the interior of the room or from the outside of the room, connected to the system distributing treated air (2) individually for each person in the room, whereas, the system distributing treated air (2) consists of at least one main air trunk line (2.1) which via distributive tees (2.3) or distributive crosses (2.4) is connected to the lateral air trunk lines (2.2), whereas, distributive tees (2.5) on lateral trunk lines (2.2) and distributive tees (2.10) and distributive crosses (2.11) on main trunk lines (2.1) are connected to air connection nozzles (2.8) via adjustable valves (2.6)The filtering device (1) treating breathable air is characterized in that it consists of at least a casing (1.1) equipped with at least one air inlet (1.6), (1.7) and at least one treated air outlet (1.8) and a control panel (1.9), whereas, inside the casing (1.1) there is a set of filters which consists of at least an air filter for initial purification (1.3), a blower (1.2), an antivirus air filter (1.4) and a specialist air filter (1.5) containing an absorber with activated charcoal and moreover preferably the device is equipped with agents (1.20) or (1.22) or (1.23) for additional air treatment.

Description

The subject of the invention in an installation limiting viral cross contamination of persons in a room - especially inside a public utility building constituting a separate respiratory air installation protecting the persons in such a room against viral cross contamination. A filtering device treating breathable air for such an installation is also the subject of the invention. The installation and the device according to the invention may be used in various kinds of rooms such as: bureaus, offices, schools, production halls, service undertakings, cinemas, theatres, restaurants, shops, indoor sports facilities, hospitals, churches and others.
Various kinds of ventilation and air-conditioning systems are already known in the prior art and used to remove polluted air from rooms and replace it with fresh air. Such systems have to be applied and used because the air in the volume of the rooms gets constantly polluted, whereas, such air may be polluted (contaminated) with:

naturally occurring atmospheric pollutants (dirt, dust, smog, microorganisms);
pollutants pertaining to living conditions (gas combustion, smoking cigarettes, using different cleaning agents, etc.);
naturally occurring microbiogical contaminants (mites, fungal and mold spores, epidermis, animal hair, bacteria);
pollutants of the exhaled carbon dioxide (CO₂) and toxic carbon monoxide (CO);
bacterial and viral contaminants distributed via the air-conditioning devices;
viral contaminants in the exhaled breath of people inside these rooms.

The particles of the naturally occurring microbiological contaminants mentioned above do not exceed 1 micron and constitute 90% of all particles suspended in the air.
Each person in a room exhales about 500 litres of air per hour (ca. 0.5 m³/h), maximum up to 2m³/h. While the human organism, as far as possible, copes well with the naturally occurring contaminants, the mentioned viral contaminants in the exhaled breath of people in the same room, often additionally spread by the air-conditioning system is a matter of concern. The filtroventilation and air conditioning systems that have normally been functioning until now in an indoor public place do not namely protect against viral infections originating in the same room. People in such rooms have to use individual protection measures against contaminations (e.g. protective masks).
Various ventilation and air-conditioning systems are known in the prior art. One of the basic safety conditions for people indoors is access to fresh air secured by an adequate ventilation system.
Ventilation which is responsible for the exchange of air inside buildings often cooperates with the air-conditioning system. The basic function of air-conditioning is air temperature adjustment in a room in order to ensure optimum conditions for being inside and breathing, irrespective of the season of the year. Most frequently air conditioning is used to cool the enclosed space in summer and to heat it in the colder seasons. The advanced solutions for ventilation and air conditioning systems in higher quality enclosed spaces cannot only cool/heat air, but also moisturize and purify it thanks to filters trapping dust, smoke, bacteria, viruses, fungi, animal hair and odors.
The issue, however, is to protect the people in an enclosed space against viral cross contamination.
The aim of the invention is to work out an installation limiting viral cross contamination of persons inside a building - especially indoor public places. The aim of the invention is also to work out a filtering device for the treatment of breathable air which is appropriated for such an installation.
The installation limiting viral cross contamination of persons in a room - especially an indoor public place, according to the invention, is characterized in that it contains at least a filtering device treating breathable air adapted for drawing and filtering the air from the inside or the outside of the room which is connected to a system distributing treated air, individually for each person in the room, whereas, the system distributing treated air consists of at least one main air trunk line, which via distributive tees or distributive crosses is connected to the lateral air trunk lines,whereas, the distributive tees on the lateral trunk lines and the distributive tees and distributive crosses on the main trunk lines are connected to air connection nozzles via adjustable valves. Preferably, at least one air inlet valve operated manually or via an actuator is installed on one inlet to the filtering device. Preferably, connection nozzles of the system distributing treated air have built-in air glands.
The filtering device for the installation limiting viral cross contamination of persons in a room - especially an indoor public place, according to the invention, is characterized in that it consists of at least a casing equipped with at least one air inlet and at least one treated air outlet and a control panel, whereas, inside the casing there is a set of filters consisting of at least an air filter for the initial air purification, a blower, an antivirus air filter and a specialist air filter containing an absorber with activated charcoal and moreover the device is preferably equipped with agents for additional treatment of air. Preferably, the device contains ultra-violet (UV-C) flow lamps functioning as an agent for additional treatment of air. Preferably, a nozzle supplying a moisturizing agent appropriated for the inhalation of air is inserted into the interior of the casing as an agent for additional treatment of air. Preferably, a nozzle supplying oxygen is inserted into the interior of the casing as an agent for additional treatment of air. Preferably, in the interior of the casing there is a sensor detecting pressure of the treated air installed at the end of the draft where air is treated. Preferably, in the interior of the casing there is a sensor detecting the carbon monoxide content installed at the end of the draft where air is treated. Preferably, in the interior of the casing there is a sensor detecting the oxygen content in the treated air. Preferably, in the interior of the casing there is a heat exchanger for heating or cooling treated air. Preferably, in the interior of the casing there is a sensor detecting the temperature of the treated air.
The subject of the invention is presented in embodiments in the drawing where figure 1 presents the installation limiting viral cross contamination of persons in a room - especially an indoor public place taking air in from the interior of the room and the filtering device treating breathable air which is a part of this installation, in the first embodiment, figure 2 presents the same installation in the second embodiment where air is drawn from the environment outside the room and treated in a range necessary for breathing and distributed individually for breathing for each person, whereas, the device additionally contains an exchanger system of warm and cold air, while figure 3 presents the installation in the third embodiment where air is drawn directly from the interior of the room, as well as, from the environment outside the room and treated in a range necessary for breathing and distributed individually for breathing for each person.
In the first embodiment shown in figure 1 the installation limiting viral cross contamination of persons in a room - especially in an indoor public space consists of a filtering device 1 drawing air directly from the interior of the room and treating the incoming air in the range indispensable for breathing and consists of a system of distributing the treated air 2 individually for each person. The system of distributing the treated air 2 consists of two main air trunk lines 2.1 and distributive tees 2.3 and distributive crosses 2.4 redistributing the air into respective lateral trunk lines 2.2. Distributive tees 2.10 and distributive crosses 2.11 are directly connected to the main trunk lines 2.1 and distributive tees 2.5 taking air out to the valves 2.6 operated manually by handwheels 2.7 with connection nozzles 2.8 with built-in glands 2.9 limiting the maximum air volume per person are directly connected to lateral trunk lines. The system distributing treated air 2 provides treated breathable air individually for each person, after being connected to the connection nozzle 2.8 by means of additional equipment already known in the prior art and not shown in the drawing.
The filtering device 1 treating breathable air consists of a casing 1.1 equipped with one air inlet 1.6 placed inside the room and taking air in from its interior and two treated air outlets 1.8 and also a control panel 1.9. Inside the casing 1.1 there is a set of filters consisting of at least an air filter for initial purification 1.3 (minimum class F5), a blower 1.2, an antivirus air filter 1.4 and a specialist air filter 1.5 containing an absorber with activated charcoal and there are integrated agents for additional air treatment. Air is taken in through the initial air purifying filter (pre-filter minimum class F5) 1.3 via the blower 1.2 from the interior of the room via the air intake nozzle 1.6, then air undergoes antiviral treatment via a fine filter (a highly efficient HEPA filter minimum class H14) 1.4 and qualitative treatment via a specialist filter (absorber with activated charcoal) 1.5 and further moved to the system distributing treated air 2 via the air outlet nozzles 1.8. The air outlet from the set of filters has integrated agents 1.20 for additional air treatment in the form of ultraviolet UV-C flow lamps which additionally decontaminate the air.
Moreover, the air outlet from the filtering device 1 has an integrated overpressure sensor 1.12 determining the outlet air overpressure in [Pa], whereas, air overpressure in the air outlet nozzles 1.8 is maintained within the limits indispensable for breathing due to the volume change (change in revolutions) of the blower 1.2. Depending on the need, the outlet air from the filtering device 1 may additionally be moisturized with an inhalation agent (eg. a saline solution) by the feed nozzle 1.22 and enriched with oxygen via the feed nozzle 1.23.
In the second embodiment shown in figure 2 there is an installation limiting viral cross contamination of persons in a room intended for public use as in the first embodiment, whereas, the air inlet is situated on the outside of the room, whilst the filtering device 1 is additionally equipped with heat exchangers for heating air 1.10 and cooling air 1.11 - additionally treating purified air in terms of the required temperature as a result of either heating or cooling and an additional temperature sensor 1.13 at the air outlet - determining the outlet air temperature, whereas, the air temperature is maintained within the limits necessary for breathing as a result of the readjustment of heat exchangers in terms of heating 1.10 or cooling 1.11 the outlet air. Heat exchangers are situated behind the ultraviolet lamps 1.20.
In the third embodiment shown in figure 3 the installation as in the first embodiment is adapted to take air in from the interior of the room and as in the second embodiment is adapted to take air in from the environment on the outside of the room. The portion of the air drawn directly from the interior of the room by the air intake nozzle 1.6 and air taken from the environment on the outside of the room via the air intake nozzle 1.7 is controlled by the degree by which the air valves open, i.e. valve 1.14 on nozzle 1.6 and valve 1.15 on nozzle 1.7, whereas, the degree by which air valves 1.14 and 1.15 open is determined manually by handwheels 1.21 and 1.22 respectively or by electric actuators 1.16 and 1.17 respectively. The filtering device 1 is additionally equipped with an additional air content sensor 1.18 at the air outlet - determining the oxygen content in the treated exhaust air, whereas, the oxygen content in the exhaust air is controlled within the limits indispensable for breathing as above by the degree by which the air valve opens, i.e. valve 1.15 on nozzle 1.7 taking air in from the environment on the outside of the room and valve 1.14 on nozzle 1.6 taking air in from the interior of the room respectively.
In each embodiment an additional air content sensor 1.19 can be installed at the air outlet from the filtering device 1 treating breathable air determining the occurrence of a toxic gas (carbon monoxide CO) in the treated outlet air, whereas, the occurrence of carbon monoxide in the air is signalled visually and acoustically on the control panel 1.9.
Electric supply, control and monitoring of the equipment of the filtering device 1 treating breathable air, including: the blower 1.2, heat exchangers for heating 1.10 and for cooling 1.11, ultraviolet UV-C flow lamps 1.20, electric actuators for valves 1.16 and 1.17, the over-pressure sensor 1.12, the temperature sensor 1.13, the oxygen sensor 1.18 and the CO sensor 1.19 is carried out by the control panel 1.9 powered from an external power grid.
Components comprising the filtering device 1 treating the supplied air indispensable for breathing may not be enclosed in a common casing 1.1 but freely detached in separate casings tightly interconnected with each other.
In each embodiment the system distributing treated air 2 supplies treated breathable air individually for each person after being connected to the connection nozzle 2.8 via additional equipment not shown in the drawing. The number of connectors 2.8 for taking treated air in by respective persons is limited by the technical parameters of the installation limiting viral cross contamination of persons in an indoor public space, including the efficiency of the filtering device 1 treating breathable air in the range of capacity [m3/h] and the obtained compression [Pa].
In a broader range, indoor public places, where a supplementary installation limiting viral cross contamination of persons according to the invention is foreseen, are understood as rooms in public utility buildings appropriated for the needs of public administration (the Parliament of the Republic of Poland, the Senate of the Republic of Poland, ministries), the judicial system (courts, public prosecutor's office), culture (cinemas, theatres), religious worship (churches), education, higher education (lecture rooms), science, upbringing, health care (waiting rooms, patient rooms), provision of community or social services, bank services, trade (cash desks), postal services, tourism. sports, passenger handling in transport and other buildings appropriated for similar functions, including office and social space.
The use of the installation limiting viral cross contamination of persons in an enclosed space - especially an indoor public place and the filtering device treating breathable air according to the invention shall reduce the risk of viral cross contamination caused by persons breathing in this room, especially in cases when such persons are sitting, standing in close proximity to one another. The above installation shall secure indoor public spaces more efficiently without the need for maintaining social distancing.

Claims

The installation limiting viral cross contamination of persons in a room - especially an indoor public space is characterized in that it contains at least a filtering device (1) treating breathable air, adapted to draw, filter and treat air coming from the interior of the room or from the outside of the room connected to a system distributing treated air (2) individually for each person in the room, whereas, the system distributing treated air (2) consists of at least one main air trunk line (2.1) which via distributive tees (2.3) or distributive crosses (2.4) is connected to the lateral air trunk lines (2.2), whereas, the distributive tees (2.5) on the lateral trunk lines (2.2) and distributive tees (2.10) and distributive crosses (2.11) on the main trunk lines (2.1) are connected to connection nozzles for drawing treated air (2.8) individually by respective persons via adjustable valves (2.6).
The installation according to claim 1 is characterized in that the air intake valve operated manually or via an actuator (1.14) or (1.15) is installed at least on one inlet to the filtering device (1).
The installation, according to claim 1 is characterized in that the connection nozzles (2.8) for drawing treated air in the system distributing treated air (2) have built-in air glands (2.9).
The filtering device (1) for the installation according to claims 1-3 of this invention is characterized in that it contains at least a casing (1.1) equipped with at least one air inlet (1.6) or (1.7) and treated air outlets (1.8) and the control panel (1.9), whereas, inside the casing (1.1) there is a set of filters consisting of at least an air filter for the initial purification (1.3), a blower (1.2), an antivirus air filter (1.4) and a specialist air filter (1.5) containing an absorber with activated charcoal and moreover the device is equipped with at least one agent allowing additional air treatment (1.20) or (1.22) or (1.23).
The filtering device (1) according to claim 4 is characterized in that it contains ultraviolet UV-C flow lamps as an agent (1.20) additionally treating air.
The filtering device (1) according to claim 4 is characterized in that a nozzle supplying a moisturizing agent appropriated for the inhalation of air as an agent (1.22) additionally treating air is inserted into the interior of the casing (1.1).
The filtering device (1) according to claim 4 is characterized in that a nozzle supplying oxygen as an agent (1.23) additionally treating air is inserted into the interior of the casing (1.1).
The filtering device (1) according to claim 4 is characterized in that inside the casing (1.1) there is a sensor detecting the pressure (1.12) of treated air installed at the end of the draft where air is treated.
The filtering device (1) according to claim 4 is characterized in that inside the casing (1.1) there is a sensor detecting the carbon monoxide content (1.13) installed at the end of the draft where air is treated.
The filtering device (1) according to claim 4 is characterized in that inside the casing (1.1) there is a sensor detecting the oxygen content (1.18) in the treated air.
The filtering device (1) according to claim 4 is characterized in that it contains a heat exchanger (1.10) or (1.11) for heating or cooling the treated air.
The filtering device (1) according to claim 4 and 11 is characterized in that inside the casing (1.1) there is a sensor detecting the temperature (1.19) of the treated air.