IT202100025748A1 - Air knife ventilation system with laser sterilization and purification for the protection of occupants from airborne pathogens and harmful substances, operating in continuous service - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

of the invention with the title ? Air blade ventilation system with laser sterilization and purification for the protection of occupants from airborne pathogens and harmful substances, operating in continuous service?

Technical framework

The present invention refers to a system and method that uses a laser source for the treatment of air with the aim of obtaining sterilization as well as the reduction of substances reducible by combustion.

State of art

Contamination by polluting substances or pathogens transported in the air has always been a source of additional problems. sectors of the economy. Just think of food contamination, transmissibility? of diseases by air or simply to the pollution generated by some production processes.

Air filtration yes? developed as a response to the needs for greater quality? of the air, developing to the current ULPA filters capable of retaining percentages close to 100% of microorganisms and polluting substances.

The main flaw of these systems? certainly represented by the load losses generated, by the need? of numerous ?pre-filters? knitted more? wide and economical to use? in confined environments the most? possible. Moreover, environments such as clean rooms, intensive care units and operating rooms that exploit this technology represent a small portion inserted in larger buildings. wide to which? guaranteed quality? of the minor air.

This is undoubtedly why? how much more? do you want to increase the capacity? filtering how much more? the costs increase due to the cost of the filter, its pi? frequent replacement by the personnel in charge which entails a cost in man hours and finally due to the greater load losses which can be quantified as a cost for greater electricity consumption.

Furthermore, a ULPA filter suffers from very humid fluids and cannot be used with liquids, for which micro-perforated steel filters are used, extremely expensive due to the type of materials and processes necessary to create them, making filtration for the reduction of pollutants extremely expensive.

Sometimes a filtration of an entire environment is not carried out but the airborne polluting source is diverted towards a treatment system, avoiding as much as possible. possible that it spreads into the environment.

? the case of filter extractor hoods used for example in welding or painting workstations. These hoods are able to create a unidirectional flow of pollutants towards the filter instead of? disperse them into the environment provided that the processing is carried out at a short distance, of the order of a few metres. They are usually mounted on the wall and fulfill their function as long as they are a precise location is maintained between the welding or painting station and the operator, with respect to the filter.

Specifically, the welding or painting station must be placed in front of the filter and the operator can? carry out your operations without ever interposing in the area that goes from the work area to the filter. This why? the extraction hood creates a flow of air that transports the polluting substances emitted in the work area; if the operator intervenes between it and the filter, he would be hit, making the use of the hood useless.

Another way to deal with the presence of dangerous substances dispersed in the air or vice versa to prevent them from entering? that of creating pressure differentials between environments. There are two categories: positive and negative pressure with respect to the outside.

Positive pressure is used to avoid contamination from outside, such as in operating rooms or clean rooms.

Negative pressure is used when ? more? It is important to prevent the contents of the negative pressure environment from dispersing outside, such as in infectious disease departments with isolated subjects.

Maintaining a pressure differential between two environments implies hermetic entry thresholds, which are more costly and above all cannot be achieved. continuous transit between the two environments must be expected, due to the pressure variation caused by each entry/exit.

Furthermore, anyone who enters an infectious disease ward with a person in isolation must entrust his protection from airborne transmission to the use of PPE for the respiratory system. This why? during the subject's stay, the entire environment becomes contaminated with pathogens, which due to diffusivity? they move away from the subject who emits them. The air coming out of the room's ventilation system is sometimes treated with ionizers, UVGI, x-rays, ULPA filters or chemical sterilization before being released outside. Once the infected person leaves the room, fumigation must be carried out to sterilize it.

Where not? filtration of the environment is convenient or possible, a dedicated filtration inserted in PPE (personal protective equipment) such as masks, masks and similar used by people who must be in this environment is used.

The problem of sterilizing materials instead? has always been approached in two ways: chemical or physical sterilization of materials (for example dry heat, moist heat, chlorine) or through the use where possible of materials such as copper and its alloys with strong bacteriostatic and bactericidal.

The capabilities? copper antimicrobials are used today where?? it is necessary to keep the proliferation of microorganisms under control, such as inside medical isolation rooms, intensive care units, operating rooms and other environments with similar needs; in such environments copper or its alloys are used for handles, taps, shelves and everything else? that for which we want to guarantee greater safety with respect to the proliferation of microorganisms. Sometimes copper dopings are used on so-called self-cleaning fibers.

The laser? a radiation that stands out for the enormous coherence of its emission and irradiance which allows it to travel very long distances and transport enormous energy concentrated in a very small area.

Thanks to these characteristics, from its invention to today it has found more and more application areas. The heat developed by the laser is currently used in various fields such as the removal of oxides from surfaces, for cutting, for engraving, for PVD (Physic Vapor Deposition). When radiation impacts materials that are unable to reflect it or discharge its heat, it causes them to sublimate or burn.

It is also used in telecommunications for signal transmission and in medicine to create controlled burns.

The heat ? has always been a source for treating pollutants that can be reduced by combustion. ? the case of waste incineration or the catalytic converter of a car.

In both cases, after having guaranteed a correct supply of oxygen, more? ? the exchange area and the temperature are higher, the more ? It is easy for combustion to approach ideal combustion, therefore with few unburned substances. For this reason, burning 25 kg pellets produces less unburnt substances than burning a whole 25 kg log.

The combustion temperature instead? an insurmountable upper limit linked to the materials used. In the case of catalysts used in car exhausts, attempts are made to raise it with ceramic materials or doping.

Generating heat to sterilize or thermally break down a substance, especially when it is not capable of self-powering combustion or doing so while maintaining adequate temperatures, has a high energy cost.

The laser? capable of reflecting on some surfaces, continuing to transport much of its energy and discharging it onto objects not capable of reflecting it or absorbing its power.

In the system covered by the patent, the characteristics of laser radiation are used on a fluid, to sterilize and reduce its load of pollutants that can be subjected to combustion.

Sterilization using the laser and its capacity? penetrating, works with fluids of different characteristics, ? more? fast and reliable in acting compared to a UVGI in which particulates can easily shield pathogens.

Furthermore, in addition to sterilizing, the laser breaks down other pollutants that can be removed by combustion, thanks to its ability to to develop enormous powers per square millimetre;

The laser? more? sure of an x-ray sterilization and even more? efficient. An x-ray tube has energy efficiency up to 10 times lower and higher equipment costs.

The system can be customized in size, quantity? of the components and their location in space, depending on the place where they are to be assembled. The system can be used for rooms, warehouses, vehicles, aircraft and more? in general to reduce pollutants present in a fluid that transports them.

Air treatment is not obtained with exclusive ULPA filtration and has lower costs for electricity and maintenance at the same time? of result and volume treated. Unlike chemical sterilization systems, less hazardous waste is created to be disposed of and there are fewer VOC emissions.

The system uses copper for its capabilities? antimicrobial, for good workability? and for good conductivity? thermal it presents. The system also uses a unidirectional air flow to remove pathogens and pollutants in a similar way to the hoods used? spoke.

Brief description of the designs:

Fig.1 closed area served by the system, highlighting the parts that make the entry and exit of air possible

Fig.2 front view of the entire system

Fig.3 exploded drawing of the self-cleaning system which allows automatic cleaning under the walking surface

Fig.4 two views of the laser discharger and laser reflection chamber

Fig.5 rear view of the entire system

Fig.6 view of the automatic cleaning system in its placement behind the room wall

Fig.7 "exploded" drawing of the sealing and adjustment system of the laser emitter

Fig.8 rear view of the laser coupling system dedicated only to the parts that allow longitudinal movement

Fig.9 view of the front parts of the laser coupling system which allow it to be moved on two axes

Fig.10 overall view of three laser emitters, their sealing systems and the coupling system, to highlight the path followed by the laser beams

Fig.11 operating principle of the air knife

Fig.12 path taken by the air under the walking surface, which allows the elimination of particulates on the wetting liquid

Fig.13 top view of the lower part of the laser reflection chamber and the path followed by the laser beams

Fig.14 view to highlight the height space occupied by the laser beams inside the laser reflection chamber

Detailed description of the invention:

The air from which pathogens and harmful substances have been eliminated is moved by four motors (26 Fig.2,5).

The air begins its cycle inside a ventilation tube (2, Fig.1,2,5) and enters the room from the ceiling, through a copper plate with slits designed to guarantee a constant and perpendicular flow in all points of the room (3, Fig.1,2,5).

The flooring of the room (4, Fig.1), ? equipped with slits designed to capture the air flow which collaborates with the ceiling diffuser (3, Fig.1,2,5) in creating a constant and perpendicular flow in all points of the room, that is? of a so-called ?air blade?.

The air blade that is created ensures that the occupants (with 9, Fig.1,2 we want to stylize a person in the drawing to give an idea of the dimensions and positioning) breathe sterile air free from pathogenic substances or harmful, even if there is an release of the same near them.

This why? the air entering from the ceiling? already? been treated and is therefore made available to the pure occupants; during its descent it collects any pathogens or harmful substances which will then be subjected to sterilization treatment or elimination of harmful substances.

This aspect of the air blade, not being easily highlighted in the system drawings, without weighing them down excessively and perhaps making them unclear, is treated separately in Fig.11, where an ideal situation is presented for the sole purpose of explaining the phenomenon in object and its implications.

Looking at Fig.11, it is clear that there is a minimum safety distance depending on the direction of the polluting emission (pathogenic or harmful) in the room, all things being equal. of strength. Besides this, the only limit imposed by the system is? that the source of pathogenic or harmful emission is not placed exactly above the vertical of the subjects to be protected (i.e. in the area delimited from A to C), why? There? would imply its immediate transport to them. Limit not very frequent in reality? and that in any case if present, it can? be overcome by providing an opposite direction of air (i.e. from bottom to top) and the same parts of the system that will soon be examined, mounted in the opposite direction.

Returning to the operation of the system, the air captured from the floor (4, Fig.1) begins to be treated with the aim of eliminating the largest particles. coarse particles present in the flow and to lighten the bacterial load and therefore the workload on the laser reflection chamber (37 Fig.2 and 5) which deals with sterilization or combustion.

As shown in (Fig.12) the air entering from the floor (4 Fig.1,12) undergoes a sudden change of direction which, due to the effect of the centrifugal force, causes the wetting and trapping of the particulate particles on a bed liquid(5 Fig.1); also the length of the path, the turbulence at the points of entry of the air under the walking surface and the reduced space offered for the passage of the air under the walking surface, make it unlikely that the particulate remains trapped in the wetting liquid ( 5 Fig.1)

The floor (4 Fig.1,5) ? a sheet metal welded to a foot (8 Fig.1) which in turn rests on another sheet metal (6 Fig.1).4,6,8 are copper-plated to exploit the bactericidal and bacteriostatic characteristics of copper. The whole thing rests on a bed of heat-insulating and anti-vibration material (7 Fig.1).

This first district cleans itself with a continuous exchange of water and the passage of a pipe cleaner (14 Fig.1,3) anchored to a rope (17 Fig.1,3) through springs (61, Fig.3) which they guarantee passage when it meets the support feet of the flooring (8 Fig.1). The handling of the pipe cleaner? implemented by a motor (13, Fig.3) connected to a transmission shaft (22, Fig.1,3,5) passing through some pulley boxes (12 Fig.1,3,5).

The cleaning ? aided by soaps, an UVGI emitter (15 Fig.1,3) and ultrasound (16 Fig.1,3).

The dividing wall placed between the room and the cleaning system (21, Fig.1) descends below the surface of the water to prevent air from being unnecessarily sucked in from the area dedicated to the self-cleaning system just mentioned.

The air that is now under the walking surface is captured at the ends. of the room from (10, Fig.1,2,5,6) which is? placed just above the surface of the dampening liquid (5, Fig.1,3) and passes into (11, Fig.1) which is a common ventilation tube.

From here until the treated air is reintroduced into the served room, the system is divided into components subject to wear or maintenance, to guarantee uninterrupted operation even in the event of maintenance or breakdowns. The isolation of a branch of the system from the twin occurs by filling the siphon (23, Fig.2,5) of the branch when the machine is stopped with water. In the case of the siphons (23, Fig. 2,5) connected to (2, Fig.1,2,5) sterile water is used arriving from the dedicated tank (100, Fig.2), moved by (30, Fig. 2)

The siphons (23 Fig.2,5) connected to a ventilation tube (11 Fig.1,2,5) are filled alternatively with water entering from (24 Fig.2) and drained once finished, through (25 Fig.2); the full siphon inhibits the passage of the air flow, which passes into the twin line.

The air flow then enters a dust collector cyclone (27 Fig.2.5) and, after passing another siphon (23 Fig.2.5), enters a filter (28 Fig.2.5) with the aim of eliminating particulate residues present therein; the capacity? of the filter (28 Fig.2,5) is calibrated according to the type and quantity? of particulate matter in the system's working environment.

The flow continues passing through a common ventilation pipe (29 Fig.2,5) and arrives at a crossroads consisting of the connection of two siphons (23 Fig.2,5) at whose ends? there? an aeration tube (31, Fig.2,5) connected to the laser reflection chamber (37 Fig.2,5). The two siphons are filled alternatively like the previous ones, depending on the laser reflection chamber you intend to use.

The flow so far? was treated above all with a view to eliminating most of the suspended particulate matter. This why? it would be uneconomical to have the laser reflection chamber (37 Fig.2,5) treat a flow with too many suspended particles, given that it would create particulate residues in the chamber itself, increasing its maintenance.

The flow to be treated then takes the path left free by the empty siphon (23 Fig.2.5) and through a common aeration tube (31 Fig.2.5) enters the laser sterilization/combustion chamber made up of two dischargers lasers placed at the ends? (32 Fig.2,13,14) of a laser reflection chamber (37 Fig.2,5,13,14) located centrally, in which sterilization or combustion takes place.

The air flow then entering the sterilization chamber, encounters a first laser discharger (32 Fig.2). The laser discharger (32 Fig.2), as shown in detail in (Fig.4,13,14) works thanks to a?high roughness? of the copper surfaces as you get closer to the center and as you get closer to the extremity? connected to the tubular (31 Fig.2). The laser discharger (32 Fig.2) ? a part not divided by the laser reflection chamber (37 Fig.2,5), which differs from this one in that one has a mirror finish, therefore with very low roughness? to obtain a reflection, while the other has a high roughness finish? to obtain a diffusivity? and heat discharge of laser beams; therefore they are separated conceptually by function but not physically, being obtained through a different processing of the same piece.

The arresters (32 Fig.2,4,5) are placed at the ends? of the laser reflection chambers (37 Fig.2,5,13,14) to circumscribe the laser beams inside them for safety reasons. Laser dischargers (32 Fig.2,4,5) work by exploiting the principle by which the laser beam, impacting on a rough and not very reflective surface (69,70 Fig.4,13,14), discharges its power into heat and diffused light. The lower and upper part of the laser reflection chamber and the laser dischargers (32,37 Fig.2,4,5) ? connected by a stud screw (66 Fig.4,13,14) and a nut (67 Fig.4) and is sealed by a copper gasket (71 Fig. 4,13,14).

Each arrester (32 Fig.2,4,5,13,14) ? surrounded by a cooling jacket (68,103 Fig.4) fed by incoming water from a pipe (33, Fig.4) in which water circulates which comes from and is collected (recirculation) in a storage tank (48 Fig.2, 5) to guarantee its usability? for example for heating, domestic hot water, etc.

The laser reflection chamber (37 Fig.2,5,13,14) ? made up of orthogonal copper-plated and "mirror" polished walls; from a slot located on one side at the beginning of the reflection chamber, immediately after the first laser discharger, a group of laser beams (90, Fig.13,14) enter with a power between 1watt and a few kW each.

The laser beams (90 Fig.9,10,13,14) before entering the laser reflection chamber (37 Fig.2,5), are aligned and coupled via an alignment system shown in Fig.7,8,9 ,10,14.

The detailed explanation of the alignment is reported below.

The single laser emitter (73 Fig.7,9,10) ? surrounded by rubber or other suitable material to guarantee a firm grip, but without damaging it (78 Fig.7) and everything is ? enclosed in a round tube (80 Fig.7), divided into two parts held together by two hose clamps (79 Fig.7). The position ? adjustable via adjusting screws with rounded tip (76 Fig.7,10) and lock nut (75 Fig.7,10) mounted on a square tubular (74 Fig.7,10) welded onto the laser holder box (39 Fig.2, 5,10) and having an inspection slot (77 Fig.7).

The single laser beam (90 Fig.9,10) hits a copper plate with the lower edge cut at 45 degrees and polished (91 Fig.9,10). The copper plate (91 Fig.9,10) ? mounted together with the laser coupler (92 Fig.9) which will be discussed? shortly, on a tubular structure (89 Fig.8,9,10). The copper strips (91 Fig.9,10) are mounted at heights that increase towards the laser coupler (92 Fig.9), to allow passage to the laser beam (90 Fig.10) possibly placed upstream .

The laser beam hitting the copper plate (91 Fig.9,10) continues its travel deviated by 90 degrees, towards the laser coupler (92 Fig.9) which is a copper strip polished and mounted through (97,98 Fig.9) on a spherical joint (95 Fig.9) welded onto a square tubular (85 Fig.8,9,10).

Welded onto (85 Fig.8,9,10) there are two plates (93 Fig.9) which provide support to the adjustment screws with rounded tips (94 Fig.9,10) and equipped with a lock nut (96 Fig.9, 10).

As shown in Fig.8, which ? the rear view of the laser coupler (92 Fig.9), the square tubular (85 Fig.8,9,10) serves among other things to move the entire coupling system in the longitudinal direction. The movement ? obtained through a captive nut (83 Fig.8) and a threaded bar (81 Fig.8,9) welded onto (85 Fig.8,9,10) and secured to two guides formed by (86,87 Fig.8) .

The degrees of freedom? allowed to the laser coupler (92 Fig.9) serve to optimally calibrate the entry of the laser beams (90 Fig.9,10) inside the laser reflection chamber (37 Fig.2,4,5,13 ,14).

The laser beams (90 Fig.9,10,13,14) enter parallel one above the other and without any distance to divide them, occupying the entire height of the laser reflection chamber 37 (Fig.2,4,5) and are inclined in the same direction as the air flow, in order to make them reflect as many times as possible, inside the reflection chamber (37 Fig.2,4,5), before they reach the laser discharger (32 Fig .2,4,5,13,14)

According to optical laws, laser beams are reflected with minimal energy dispersion, the more the surfaces are reflective. An irradiance is created inside the reflection chamber, intolerable by any form of life and sterilization develops conceptually between two theoretical limit states: the ideal one in which the pathogen is found in the air without any substrate and is hit from the laser beam perishing; the one in which the pathogen is transported on a generic substrate of particulate or vapor, which in contact with the laser is combusted or becomes vapor tending to a critical temperature. This process is repeated as many times as the number of reflections inside the laser reflection chamber (37 Fig.2,4,5,13,14), making the presence of life forms at the exit of the sterilizer unlikely and of substances reducible by combustion.

Then the incoming air flow after passing the laser reflection chamber (37 Fig.2,4,5,13,14) comes out purified from pathogens and harmful substances reducible by combustion, finally passing a second laser discharger (32 Fig.2,4,5) with which the sterilization/combustion chamber ends.

In fact, the coupled laser beams (90 Fig.9,10,13,14), having reached the end of the laser reflection chamber (37 Fig.2,4,5), enter a second arrester (32 Fig.2,4, 5,13,14) which transforms the residual power into heat and diffused light with lower irradiance.

The two laser dischargers (32 Fig.2,4,5,13,14) work with the aim of circumscribing the laser beams (90 Fig. 9,10,13,14) inside the laser reflection chamber (37 Fig .2,4,5,13,14)

The air flow then enters an aeration tube (31 Fig.2,5), passes an unfilled siphon (23 Fig.2,5) and through another tube (2 Fig.1,2,5) placed at the intersection of the two siphons, a treatment system passes (102, Fig.1,2,5) which is used to break down any combustion residues. The air is then introduced onto a ceiling created from a copper-plated sheet metal on the upper face and having slots to guarantee a constant outlet flow at every point of the room (3 Fig.2,5).

The air flow entering the room thus enters. from above with a perpendicular direction and reaches the floor (4 Fig.1,2) before starting the cycle again.

The system presented, can? be connected to existing air conditioning systems to control temperature and humidity? and air exchange, placing the connection upstream of the laser reflection chamber (37 Fig.2,4,5,13,14) inside which the sterilization/combustion takes place.

The individual laser emitters (73 Fig.7,8,9) are monitored in their operation as a failure would make the sterilization and treatment of harmful substances unsafe. For this reason every laser? connected to a?unit? diagnostics and there are two adjustable power supplies: one main and the other auxiliary (55 Fig.2).

The cooling of the lasers (73 Fig.7,9,10) and the dischargers (32 Fig.2,4,5,13,14) starts from a tank (48 Fig.2,5) filled with water. aqueduct via a float valve (51 Fig.2,5). The tank (48 Fig.2,5) ? It is also equipped with a drain with a thermostatic valve (50 Fig.2,5) which opens if too high a temperature is reached to guarantee reliability. of the cooling of the lasers, discharging part of the water which is replaced by cold water from the aqueduct, lowering the temperature of the recirculating water.

The recirculation? controlled by a system made up of two pumps - main and auxiliary - (46 Fig.2) intercepted by a 3-way valve (47, Fig.2) and a flow switch (45 Fig.2) which cuts off the current to the laser emitters (73 Fig.7,8,9) in the extreme situation in which, despite the presence of auxiliary systems, the circulation of cooling water is not guaranteed.

The water once used to cool the laser emitters (73 Fig.7,8,9) contained in the laser box (39 Fig.2) and the laser dischargers (32 Fig.2,13,14) into which it enters from a tube (33 Fig.2,14) in a ?jacket? (68,103 Fig.4,14), returns to the tank (48, Fig.2,5) through (49 Fig.2,5) and is made available as water hot from the sampling tube (52 Fig.2,5).

The air circulation system? equipped with inspection and maintenance doors (35 Fig.2,5,6)

Claims (4)

1. Sterilization system characterized by the fact that in combination with common filtering systems (4,5,27,28,102), it uses laser radiation for the sterilization and reduction of pollutants susceptible to combustion contained in a fluid, and which exploits a air blade to circulate the air in the served room; the system passes the sterilized fluid and those to be sterilized through copper components to exploit its capabilities. antimicrobials (2,3,4,6,8,10,11,23,29,31,37) and includes: 2. the use of laser radiation with adjustable power inside a laser reflection chamber (37) to eliminate or lower the amount of of pathogens and polluting substances susceptible to combustion, dispersed in a fluid. 3. the use of a floor and a ceiling (3,4) to create vertical circulation of air in a closed area: this is how it is formed? an air blade that protects the occupants and creates a forced path for airborne pollutants or pathogens, Fig.11 4.A chamber for laser reflection (37) characterized by having an internal height exactly equal to the height of the laser beams used so that the entire section is occupied (Fig.14)