FR2945450A1 - DEVICE FOR PURIFYING AIR. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an air purification device (10) comprising an air inlet (12) for the passage of polluted air, a filtering medium (30) intended to be crossed by the polluted air to purify it and an air outlet (14) for the passage of the purified air characterized in that it is shaped to directly receive a flow of air A leaving an air conditioning system (20) so that the air flow from the air inlet (12) to the filter medium (30) and then to the air outlet (14) is ensured.

Description

The present invention relates to gaseous fluid treatment devices, and more particularly to air purification devices for air conditioning systems. It finds application in all sectors where there is a need to control the ambient air quality of a confined space and applies particularly to the purification of indoor air in all places of life, private or collective such as that residential buildings, supermarkets, airports, offices, medical facilities, hospitals, shops, houses, transport.

Air conditioning system means any device that treats the air to vary one of its physical properties such as an air conditioning unit, a central air or a mechanically controlled fan. To fight against the indoor pollution of a confined space, it is essential, in the current air conditioning systems, to diffuse air as pure as possible that is to say free of impurities such as biocontaminants like micro -organisms (viruses and bacteria), allergens and fine particles, or toxic gases (VOC volatile organic compounds - formaldehyde, toluene, benzene, etc.).

Thus, there are known air conditioning systems equipped with air purification devices placed in their air circulation circuit either from the outside or recycled from the system. These devices may comprise, in particular, air treatment means by photocatalysis and / or plasma chemistry or any adsorbent filtering units, hybrid filters or specific gas filters. However, it often happens that the filter assemblies have a rapid pressure drop and, consequently, a short service life. In addition, it has been found that the various components of an air conditioning system, including those placed in the path of the air conditioning, are places promoting the development of microorganisms accumulating there. The purification of air by a device integrated in the air conditioning system is then often insufficient. Indeed, the neutralization of biocontaminants can not be obtained imperfectly, the pollutants are not completely eliminated from the air conditioning that is diffused through the air outlets of these air conditioning systems. There are, moreover, transportable air purification devices for filtering the ambient air of a place. These air purifiers connect to an external power source and rely on an air intake system associated with one or more filters in combination. More specifically, these devices require air suction / propulsion means of the motor-fan unit type in order to suck the air and circulate it in the air distribution duct through the filter (s) of the device. At each passage in the device, the air is rid of these undesirable particles. These devices then have the disadvantage of requiring a significant energy consumption. In addition, they often have a large footprint on the floor, wall or ceiling.

The invention aims to solve the problems mentioned above. An object of the present invention is to provide an air purification device effective in terms of destruction of particulate and gaseous pollutants from the ambient air treated by an air conditioning system. Another object of the present invention is to provide an ecological air purification device that is to say that requires no external power source and has a reduced energy consumption. It is also desirable to provide a space-saving air purifying device adaptable to any type of air conditioning system. Finally, a last object of the present invention is to provide an air purification device with a limited cost and easy installation. For this purpose, there is provided according to the invention an air purification device comprising an air inlet for the passage of a polluted air, a filter media for passage through the polluted air to purify it and a air outlet for the passage of purified air remarkable in that it is shaped to directly receive a flow of air out of an air conditioning system so that the air flow from the entrance air to the filter medium and then to the air outlet is ensured.

Thanks to the present invention, it eliminates any air suction / propulsion system integrated in the air purification device for circulating the air that is desired to purify through the device. Indeed, it is the force of the air flow exiting the air conditioning system that is used to induce the flow of air through the purification device.

According to particular embodiments of the invention, the device may comprise one or more of the following characteristics, taken individually or in combination technically possible: the air inlet, arranged opposite the conditioning system of air, comprises an opening adapted to receive the flow of air exiting said system; - he is autonomously energetic; It comprises an energy accumulator and means for producing electrical energy from renewable energy to maintain charge and recharge said accumulator; it comprises means for producing electrical energy from wind energy produced by the circulating air flow; It comprises means for producing electrical energy from photovoltaic energy; the means for producing electrical energy from photovoltaic energy comprise a flexible panel of photovoltaic cells intended to capture the light energy to transform it into electrical energy; The filter medium comprises a photocatalyst cell having a photocatalytic filter in the form of a support coated with a photocatalyst agent intended to be irradiated by a light source for trapping chemical and / or microbiological pollutants; the filter medium comprises a prefilter intended to trap physical pollutants disposed upstream of the photocatalytic cell; it comprises removable fastening means to the air conditioning system.

Other aspects, objects and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of nonlimiting example and with reference to the appended drawings, in which: - Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an air purification device according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the air purification device 1 of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 represents an exploded view of the air purification device of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show the various constituent parts of an air purification device 10 according to the present invention. This purification device 10 is in the form of an enclosure 11 which comprises an air inlet 12 passing through or licking a wall of said enclosure 11 through which the mixture of air and possible pollutants penetrates inside the device 10. It also comprises an outer cover 13 in which is provided an air outlet 14 for the passage of the treated and purified air. This defines an upstream zone for the air to be purified and a downstream zone for the treated air.

The enclosure 11 contains a filter medium 30 through which a forced circulation of the air is organized to purify it, this medium 30 being illuminated by a light source 40 fed by suitable supply means 50. These elements will be described precisely below in relation to FIGS. 2 and 3.

This purification device 10 is intended to be fixed by appropriate fixing means 60, described below in connection with FIG. 1, on an air conditioning system 20. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, according to FIG. In the invention, the air purification device 10 is shaped to directly receive the air flow exiting the air conditioning system 20 so that the air flow from the air inlet 12 to the filter medium 30 then to the air outlet 14 of the device 10 is ensured. This air conditioning flow leaving the air conditioning system 20 is represented by the arrow A.

By consistent, it is meant that the suction / propulsion of air necessary to establish the forced air flow through the purification device 10 is only created by exploiting the flow of conditioned air A delivered by the conditioning system. air 20 at the air outlet mouth 21 of the latter without external kinetic contribution to this flow of air A flowing.

Indeed, it is the speed of the air flow A exiting the air conditioning system 20 which induces the flow of air through the purification device 10. The conditioned air flow having a particular kinematics it is directly diffused through the purification device 10 and to the filter medium 30 to be purified. For this, the air inlet 12 of the air purification device 10, arranged opposite the air outlet mouth 21 of the air conditioning system 20, comprises an opening adapted to that 21 In the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the air inlet 12 of the air purification device 10 has complementary air distribution flaps 15 of the air flaps. air distribution 22 present on the air outlet mouth 21 of the air conditioning system 20 so that the flow of air A exiting this system is oriented and channeled to the air purification device 10 Thanks to the present invention, it eliminates any air suction / propulsion system type motor-fan integrated in the air purification device 10 to circulate the air that is desired to purify . Furthermore, as illustrated more precisely in FIGS. 2 and 3, in one embodiment of the present invention, the filter medium 30 is distributed in a first 31 and a second 32 filter modules arranged successively in the air path. to purify. The first filter module 31 disposed in the upstream region of the device 10 may be adapted to a desired or required filtration characteristic. In a non-limiting example of the present invention, the first filter module 31 comprises a pre-filter for trapping physical pollutants such as dust or particles.

This pre-filter may be any adsorbent. An example is an active carbon filter or a high performance HEPA type filter. However, the first filter module 31 can be formed by a combination of several different filters so that various substances can be removed from the air passing therethrough. Thus, in a non-limiting example of the present invention, the first filter module 31 could comprise an activated carbon filter disposed downstream of a particulate filter. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the pre-filter has a thickness of the order of 50 mm. Regarding the second filter module 32, it comprises a photocatalyst cell 70 having a photocatalytic filter in the form of a fibrous support coated with a photocatalyst agent. Preferably, the second filter module 32 by photocatalysis is disposed downstream of the first filter module 31 so that intermediate products which can form in the first filter module 31 can be removed. The photocatalysis occurs on the surface of the photocatalyst agent, the latter being intended to adsorb and destroy the pollutant gas molecules which pass through the purification device 10 by virtue of radiation reduction reactions under the effect of radiation. produced by the light source 40. As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, this light source 40 is interposed between the first 31 and the second 32 filtration modules. In a non-limiting example of the invention, it is placed at a distance of about 20 mm from the photocatalytic filter. Advantageously, the photocatalyst agent is TiO 2 titanium dioxide. Of course, other catalysts could be used in the context of the present invention, such as, in particular, other metal oxides, alkaline earth oxides, actinide oxides or rare earth oxides. Preferably, the support of the photocatalyst agent is a fibrous medium transparent to the radiation used. In combination with such a photocatalyst agent, the light source 40 is able to emit ultraviolet radiation.

It may thus include, without limitation, one or more tubular or flat ultraviolet lamps or a plurality of light emitting diodes. In a non-limiting example, the light source 40 emits in wavelengths of the order of 254 nanometers. In a non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the light source is capable of emitting an ultraviolet power of 20 mW / cm 2 of irradiated surface. Advantageously, the lamps or light-emitting diodes 10 spend little energy. For example, their consumption is of the order of 20W. Under the effect of the photocatalytic filter, the flow of air A leaving the air outlet mouth 21 of the air conditioning system 20 and passing through the purification device 10 becomes free of the chemical and microbiological pollutants which have accumulated at the level of the air conditioning system 20. The photocatalysis makes it possible to cut down all the components that are not treated by the air conditioning system 20 such as volatile organic compounds, odors, ozone, bacteria and mold. Furthermore, the light source 40 is powered by a power accumulator 50 placed upstream of the first filter module 31. According to the invention, the air purification device 10 is autonomously energetic. This means that it does not require any external power source of the mains connection type. Indeed, the energy accumulator 50 is maintained in charge and rechargeable by means of producing electrical energy 90 from renewable energy integrated in the device 10. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. Figures 2 and 3, the air purification device 10 comprises means for producing electric power 91 from wind energy. Thus, a series of wind turbines 91 is placed upstream of the first filter module 31 at the level of the energy accumulator 50. The wind energy is produced by the action of the force of the air flow A leaving the air conditioning system 20 which rotates the blades of the wind turbines 91.

The blades of each wind turbine 91 rotate an alternator (not illustrated) which converts the mechanical rotation movement into electrical energy directly used by the energy accumulator 50. In one exemplary embodiment, the power supplied by wind turbine 5 is defined by the following relation (1): P (KW) = 0.37xS (m2) xV3 (m / s) (1) Where S: surface of the intercepted airflow; V: the speed of the air flow intercepted. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is also provided means for producing electrical energy 92 from photovoltaic energy integrated in the device 10 for maintaining and recharging the energy accumulator 50. means comprise means for capturing the photovoltaic energy and for converting it into electrical energy stored in the energy accumulator 50, which is intended to supply the energy required for the light source 40. In one embodiment In a preferred embodiment, light energy, and more particularly solar or artificial energy, is captured by means of a panel of photovoltaic cells 92 whose production of electrical energy is proportional to the amount of sunlight. Advantageously, this panel of photovoltaic cells 92 is placed on the outer cover 13 of the air purification device 10 downstream of the air outlet 14, the cover 13 being the part most exposed to solar radiation. Preferably, this panel 92 is a flexible and thin high performance panel. This has the advantage of being able to conform to the profile of the air purification device 10. In the non-limiting example illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, the panel 92 has a curved profile adapted to that of the outer cover 13 of the 10. Thus, the purified air stream having passed through the filter media 30 is deflected on the cover 13 provided with the panel 92 to move towards the side faces of the enclosure 11 to be diffused into the room. However, other embodiments may provide an air outlet 14 orientable downwardly of the enclosure 11 in the form of the outer cover 13 of the device 10 supporting the photovoltaic cell panel 92.

With such means for producing electrical energy, there is a photocatalytic air purification device 10 which does not require any expenditure of electrical energy other than that which it produces. In addition, by using the force of the air flow exiting the air conditioning system 20 to replace a motorcycle fan unit to circulate the air through the chamber 11 as described above, the device 10 is energy efficient. As the air suction / propulsion system has become totally optional, an alternative embodiment can provide for adding a motor-fan unit to reinforce the operation of the conditioned air flow A delivered by the conditioning system. air 20 to establish the forced air flow through the purification device 10. This group would include one or more series of fans placed on one or more side faces of the device 10 and powered by the aforementioned accumulator 50 to assist the mixing of the air destined to be purified. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide means for producing electrical energy comprising only wind turbines or only photovoltaic panels and / or located at locations along the path of the air in the purification device. Similar to those described or different. Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the air purification device 10 comprises fastening means 60 that are removable to the air conditioning system 20 so that it can be fixed in a simple manner and then be transportable. to another air conditioning system 20 if necessary. The fixing means 60 are adapted to maintain and immobilize the air purification device 10 facing the air outlet mouth 21 of the air conditioning system 20 so that the air flow A leaving the system 20 is directed and channeled into the chamber 11 of the device 10. The fastening means 60 of the purification device 10 may be of any type allowing a removable attachment. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the fastening means 60 of the device 10 consist of a series of flexible steerable arms 61 housed on the lateral external faces of the enclosure 11 of the device.

These arms 61 comprise at their free end a system of fasteners 62 such as suction cups, clips or clamps that can be fixed on the lateral faces of the air-conditioning system 20. In other embodiments, the means fasteners 60 may comprise latching means for cooperating with corresponding latching means or openings on the air conditioning system 20. They may also comprise a series of spring arms clinging to the inner walls of the air conditioning system 20.

Advantageously, it is thus possible to fix the air purification device 10 on any type of air conditioning system 20. By fixing the air purification device 10 directly to the air outlet 21 of the system of air conditioning 20, it is advantageously freed from any footprint of the device 10.

The operation of the air purification device 10 according to the present invention is as follows. The flow of air A exiting the air conditioning system 20 is directed and channeled to the air inlet 12 of the air purification device 10.

Depending on the direction of circulation of the air flowing inside the device 10, it then rotates the blades of the wind turbines 91, thus promoting the production of electrical energy to be stored in the accumulator 50 of the device 10. A flow of air A is then propelled towards the first filter module 31. The solid pollutants present in the air stream A are then fixed by this first module 31. The pre-filtered air stream A then passes through the photocatalytic cell 70. The light source 40, supplied with electricity via the accumulator 50 charged by the wind turbines 91 and the photovoltaic cell panel 92 emits an ultraviolet light beam towards the photocatalytic filter 70. The catalyst agent The ultraviolet irradiated photosensitive material then reacts with the pollutants present in the pre-filtered air stream A, and, by reaction with ultraviolet light, removes the pollutants fixed on the pre-filter 31 and those passing through it.

This is reinforced by the light source 40 germicidal effect that sterilizes the pre-filtered airflow A. The stream of air A thus sterilized goes to the air outlet 14 of the air purification device 10 to be evacuated.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate, compared to the purification devices of the prior art, a portable device that does not require the integration of an air intake system or an external power source while providing effective purification. conditioned indoor air.

It will also appreciate a self-contained, energetic, simple design and installation device that can be used by anyone in any living space where indoor air purification is desired. Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments of the device described above as examples, but it encompasses all possible variants.

Claims (11)

REVENDICATIONS1. An air purifying device (10) comprising an air inlet (12) for the passage of polluted air, a filter media (30) to be passed through the polluted air to purify it and an exit of air (14) for the passage of the purified air characterized in that it is shaped to directly receive a flow of air A leaving an air conditioning system (20) so that the air flow from the air inlet (12) to the filter medium (30) and then to the air outlet (14) is ensured. 2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the air inlet (12), disposed vis-à-vis the air conditioning system (20), comprises an opening adapted to receive the flow of air exiting said system (20). 3. Device according to one of claims 1 to 2 characterized in that it is autonomously energetic. 4. Device according to claim 3 characterized in that it comprises an energy accumulator (50) and means for producing electrical energy from renewable energy (90) to maintain charge and recharge said accumulator (50). ). 5. Device according to claim 4 characterized in that it comprises means for producing electrical energy (91) from wind energy produced by the flow of air A flowing. 6. Device according to one of claims 3 to 5 characterized in that it comprises means for producing electrical energy (92) from photovoltaic energy. 7. Device according to claim 6 characterized in that the means for producing electrical energy (92) from photovoltaic energy comprise a flexible panel of photovoltaic cells for capturing the light energy to transform it into electrical energy. 10 8. Device according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that the filter medium (30) comprises a photocatalytic cell (70) having a photocatalytic filter in the form of a support coated with a photocatalyst agent to be irradiated by a light source (40) for trapping chemical and / or microbiological pollutants. 9. Device according to claim 8 characterized in that the filter medium (30) comprises a prefilter (31) for trapping physical pollutants disposed upstream of the photocatalytic cell (70). 10. Device according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that it comprises removable fastening means (60) to the air conditioning system (20). 15 11. An assembly comprising an air conditioning system equipped with a device (10) according to one of the preceding claims.