GB2609454A

GB2609454A - Air purifier

Info

Publication number: GB2609454A
Application number: GB2111062.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Charles Paul Carnegie Andrew
Original assignee: Air Sentry Ltd
Current assignee: Air Sentry Ltd
Priority date: 2021-07-30
Filing date: 2021-07-30
Publication date: 2023-02-08
Also published as: GB202111062D0

Abstract

An air purification device / building management system integrating more than one air purification device 1, the device comprising drawing in air (dirty air) from a room or building in which the device is located through inlet apertures 15 in a lower part 10 of the device, passing the air through a particulate filter, and then discharging the filtered air (clean air) out of a plurality of vents 25 in an upper part 20 of the device, and wherein the upper part of the device has a curved top 30 (aerofoil surface). The filter may be a HEPA or ULPA filter. The vents may be arranged in aligned columns to create an air multiplier effect as the filtered air rises from the device. Airflow (34, fig 3) from sides of the device is pulled over the curved top and acts as an aerofoil to encourage an upward and rotational column of filtered air (36) (Venturi effect) to create a greater flow of the filtered air to all areas of the room. The device may be mounted on wheels to be mobile or mounted on a wall 30cm below the ceiling

Description

AIR PURIFIER

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an air purification device forming part of a system that significantly improves the indoor air quality in any room or building in which the device is placed or installed. Significantly better air quality is achieved when compared to many other systems, due to the unique design evolved from the applicant's hospital devices and systems.

[0002] The air purification device according to the invention produces background air currents that provide quiet but extensive mixing of the air within the room or building and is designed to enhance air mixing and to avoid the localised air cleaning associated with basic air purifiers or 'scrubbers'. The device has been developed to address the needs for areas such as education settings, GP and Dental clinics and commercial use such as offices.

Background Art

[0003] The Applicant initially produced full hospital orientated systems to protect staff and patients from air transmitted or transported diseases and pollutants in hospital and clinical environments, such as intensive care units, operating theatres and hospital wards. Air purification, using air dilution, has always been a requirement of such clinical environments. However, now that we are living with Sars-cov 2 (coronavirus) air purification is a critical tool in everyday life. To return to 'normal', air purification is also now an essential part of health and safety planning in commercial, hospitality and education settings.

[0004] Granted patent document US8758680 B1 (initially published 19 April 2012) describes methods and devices for cleaning air to purify indoor air polluted by dust, germs, and the like. Pollutants include dust, molds, ticks, pollens, and various pathogenic germs including influenza viruses, tuberculosis bacteria, methicilin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (M RSA) as nosocomial infectious bacteria, LegioneIla bacteria, coronaviruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) viruses, noroviruses, campylobacter, and food-poisoning germs. The air cleaning method described in this document pressurises air taken into the upper opening of a main, cylindrical container body by an air blower and the air is blown from the upper opening into the cylindrical body and rotates and descends in a spiral manner so that it collides and mixes with a liquid (sterilising fluid, deodorant fluid or water) to wash the air before it is blown outside through the lower opening of the main container body.

[0005] An alternative air cleaner and method for controlling an air cleaner is described in granted patent EP 3 211 338 B1 (initially published 30 August 2017). This document describes an air cleaner that suctions in and purifies contaminated air and then discharges purified air and an example is given of an air cleaner that includes a blower that introduces outside air into the air cleaner and a filter capable of filtering dust and bacteria, for example from the contaminated air. Generally, the air cleaner is configured to purify an indoor space, such as a home or an office. Although this document highlights a similar problem to the present invention; namely that the air cleaner in the related art has the problem that its capacity is limited, and thus purification of air in an entire indoor space is limited i.e. air around the air cleaner is purified whereas air in a space away from the air cleaner is not purified. However, it seeks to solve this problem in a very different way to the present invention by increasing the fan performance and using multiple fan modules, which results in a much more complex construction.

Summary of invention

[0006] The present invention provides an air purification device according to claim 1 and/or any of the depending claims.

[0007] In particular, the air purification device according to the invention, draws air from the room or building in which the device is located ('dirty air') into the lower part of the device, before passing it though a particulate filter such as a HEPA or ULPA filter and then discharges the 'clean air' out of a plurality of shaped vents in the upper part of the device.

[0008] The top of the device is curved forming an aerofoil surface and there are a lower number of vents to the sides of the curve than the front. The vents are aligned to produce an air multiplier effect. The rising air flow at the front is therefore directly upwards but this 'pulls' air from the sides of the device across the longer curved, aerofoil surface, causing the air to rotate. Therefore, the position and number of vents is designed to interact with the curved top of the device to rotate the air, creating a Venturi effect above the unit to help maximise air flow around a room. This column allows the 'clean air' current to rise away from the inlet ports, helping produce a whole room air current as opposed to the localised rotational one that exists with most air purifier systems.

[0009] Now that air purification is an essential part of health and safety planning in commercial, hospitality and education settings, the device according to the invention has been adapted to specifically cater to the needs of these settings. It is an affordable, flexible, air purifying system that houses a purpose designed HEPA 14 or ULPA 15 cartridge filter, effective against all airborne pathogens, including coronavirus.

[0010] Examples of the types of filter used include a single EN1822 Hepa14 filter or a multistage ULPA 15 filter. The large surface area of the filter allows for a filter life up to 24 months between changes, which helps reduce costs considerably.

[0011] Preferably, the filter or multistage filters are incorporated into a filter cartridge that can be accessed easily for handling and and the cartridge filter design allows it to be easily replaced when necessary.

[0012] The device can be wall mounted easily so that it doesn't obstruct the flow of people in the room. Alternatively, it can simply sit on top of an existing piece of furniture and mobile units have wheels which make them easy to transport to their desired location. The device has three versions, one with wheels (mobile version), one without wheels (fixed or mounted version) and a third version that can be operated by a building management system (BMS). The best location for the device is mid wall (length) for all types of units and leaving a space or free area above the unit (for example about 30cm) from the ceiling for fixed units to allow the 'clean air' to mix and start to circulate.

[0013] The air flow from the device according to the invention forms a rotational motion within the slow-moving air stream passing throughout the entire room. In operation, the slow-moving air flow 'pulls' air from the entire room, including corner areas, which are a problem for many existing approaches, especially where ventilation inlets and outlets are solely ceiling mounted. The system can work independently or be used alongside any existing system/s to enhance biosecurity. In trials, the wall-mounted device has been shown that it can successfully supplement an older, non-compliant system to meet current standards. The slow-moving air flow occurs throughout the entire room, including corners and surface deposition is significantly reduced. Near sterile, "clean air" exits the device and rotates upwards to form a return path. This pushes the "clean air" to every level of the room, creating an extreme level of mixing and air dilution. This completes the cycle, which is continuous and results in any room achieving near sterile status within 10 minutes.

[0014] This creates a significant level of mixing within the room environment, maximising dilution. Dilution is the rationale behind all healthcare ventilation systems used for infection control. In any room, the dilution effect is equivalent to around sixty air changes per hour, without the noise or wind that is conventionally required to achieve this. The majority of rooms are maintained at ISO EN Level 8, which is significantly cleaner than 'normal' air.

Brief description of drawings

[0015] The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a front view of the mobile design (with wheels); Fig. 2 shows a front view of the fixed or mounted version of the design (without wheels); Fig. 3 shows the front view of the I design shown in fig. 2, illustrating the airflow around the device and in particular the airflow over the curved top of the design interacting with the vertical front/rear airflow to create a Venturi effect; Fig. 4 depicts airflow in an office, based on zero pressure room data using computational fluid dynamics.

[0016] Referring to figures 1 and 2, the main body of the device 1 comprises a lower part 10 and an upper part 20. The lower part 10 has a plurality of inlet apertures 15 through which the ambient air or "dirty air" in the room is drawn into the device 1. The upper part 20 has a curved top 30 and a plurality of shaped vents 25 that are arranged in aligned columns. In figure 2, it can be seen that the main body 10, 20 of the device 1 is provided with a number of wheels 40 that can be used to move the device 1 to whichever position is required. Once in position, the wheels 40 are locked by associated brakes 45.

[0017] Figure 3 depicts the same main body 10,20 of the device 1 as shown in figures 1 and 2, but this figure also illustrates the main airflows. "Dirty air" 2 is drawn into the inlet apertures 15 of the lower part 10 of the device 1. This air then passes through a filter (not shown), before being ejected through the shaped vents 25 in the upper part 20 of the device 1 as "clean air" 5. As described in paragraph [0016] the shaped vents 25 are arranged in aligned columns, which creates an air multiplier effect. The rising "clean air" flow 5 at the front is therefore directly upwards but this 'pulls' air 34 across the longer curved top 30, which acts as an aerofoil surface causing the air to rotate around an upward column of air 36. This column allows the air current to rise away from the shaped outlet vents 25, helping produce a whole room air current as opposed to the localised rotational one that exists with most air purifier systems.

[0018] Figure 4 shows a mobile air purification device 1 in a general office location, illustrating the Venturi mixing of "clean-air" 7 above the device 1 initially upwards and rotational and gradually extending out the "clean air" 50 to every level of the room.

Claims

Claims 1. An air purification device (1) or building management system integrating more than one device (1) that draws air from the room or building in which the device (1) is located hereinafter referred to as 'dirty air' (2) through inlet apertures (15) into the lower part (10) of the device (1), before passing it though a particulate filter (not shown) and then discharges the 'clean air' (5) out of a plurality of shaped vents (25) in the upper part (20) of the device (1), wherein the device (1) has a curved top (30) that acts as an aerofoil surface and the rising 'clean air' (5) at the front of the device (1) pulls 'clean-air' from the sides of the device (1) across the aerofoil surface (34) causing the 'clean-air' to rotate around an upward moving column of 'clean-air' (36) to produce a whole room 'clean-air' current (50) at every level of the room.
2. An air purification device (1) or building management system integrating more than one device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the shaped vents (25) are aligned to produce an air multiplier effect of 'clean-air' as it rises up the front of the device (1).
3. An air purification device (1) or building management system integrating more than one device (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the particulate filter is incorporated in an EN1822 Hepa14 filter or a multistage ULPA 15 cartridge filter.
4. An air purification device (1) or building management system integrating more than one device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device can be wall mounted not to obstruct the flow of people in the room.
5. An air purification device (1) or building management system integrating more than one device (1) according to claim 4, wherein the device (1) is mounted at least 30 cm below the ceiling above it in order to allow the 'clean air' to mix and start to circulate around the room.
6. An air purification device (1) or building management system integrating more than one device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the "clean air" is pushed to every level of the room, resulting in the room achieving near sterile status within 10 minutes.
7. An air purification device (1) or building management system integrating more than one device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (1) can be used alongside any existing system/s to enhance biosecurity.
8. An air purification device (1) or building management system integrating more than one device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in any room, the dilution effect is equivalent to around sixty air changes per hour. 2. C\I C\I o 3. 4. 5. 6.