Particle detecting module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10969310-B2
Application number	US-201916263979-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2019
Priority date	Apr 27, 2018
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

A particle detecting module is disclosed and includes a main body, which is consist of an air guiding part and a detecting part, by driving a plurality of heating elements disposed within a plurality of storage chambers of the air guiding part, air inside these storage chambers is heated and the moisture of the air is removed, and then the air is transported to the detecting part, so that a sensor of the detecting part could detect the sizes and the concentrations of the suspended particles, and the interference of the humidity is reduced.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A particle detecting module comprising:
a main body comprising:
an air guiding part, comprising:
a plurality of storage chambers; each of which comprises an inlet aperture, a heat-dissipation aperture, an outlet aperture and a heating element, wherein the heating element is configured to heat and dehumidify the air within the storage chamber, the water vapor generated thereby is discharged out from the storage chamber through the heat-dissipation aperture and the dehumidified air is guided out from the storage chamber through the outlet aperture;
a plurality of airflow channels, wherein each two adjacent storage chambers are in fluid communication with each other through a corresponding one of the airflow channels, so that after the air in each storage chamber is dehumidified, the dehumidified air is guided to an adjacent storage chamber through the corresponding airflow channel to be dehumidified again;
a plurality of temperature and humidity sensors, each of which is disposed within each of the plurality of storage chambers, respectively, to detect the temperature and the humidity of the air within the corresponding storage chamber, thereby adjusting a heating time and a heating power of the heating element of the corresponding storage chamber; and
a plurality of valves disposed on the inlet aperture, the heat-dissipation aperture and the outlet aperture of each of the plurality of storage chambers, respectively, so as to control a communication state of each storage chamber which is to perform a heat and dehumidification operation, wherein each of the valves is controlled to be opened or closed according to a detecting result of the temperature and humidity sensor of the corresponding storage chamber; and

a detecting part combined with the air guiding part, comprising:
a carrying partition dividing an inner space of the detecting part into an inlet compartment and an outlet compartment, and having a communication opening in fluid communication between the inlet compartment and the outlet compartment; and
a discharging aperture in fluid communication between the outlet compartment and the exterior of the main body;

a fine particle detecting base disposed in the inlet compartment and having a detecting channel and a receiving slot, wherein the receiving slot is located at one end of the detecting channel to be in fluid communication therewith;
an actuator disposed in the fine particle detecting base and configured to guide the air to flow in one way in the detecting part, wherein the air is guided to flow from the inlet compartment into the detecting channel, then being guided to the outlet compartment through the communication opening and discharged out through the discharging aperture; and
a sensor disposed on the carrying partition and located in the detecting channel of the fine particle detecting base, the sensor being configured to measure a concentration of suspended particles contained in the air in the detecting channel,
wherein when air at a humidity level higher than 40% is guided from the exterior into the air guiding part, the air is transported through each of the plurality of storage chambers connected in serial to be heated and dehumidified to achieve the humidity level ranged from 10% to 40%, after which the dehumidified air is transported into the detecting part and transported to the detecting channel through the actuator, and the concentration of suspended particles contained therein is detected by the sensor.

2. The particle detecting module according to claim 1 , wherein the air transported to the detecting part is at the humidity level ranged from 20% to 30%.

3. The particle detecting module according to claim 1 , wherein the inlet apertures, the outlet apertures and the heat-dissipation apertures of the storage chambers which are to perform the heat and dehumidification operation are opened by controlling the corresponding valves, so that when the air at the humidity level higher than 40% is guided from the exterior into the air guiding part, the air passes through each of the storage chambers to be heated and dehumidified for several times while water vapor generated thereby is discharged out from each of the storage chambers through the heat-dissipation aperture thereof, after which the dehumidified air at the humidity level ranged from 10% to 40% is transported into the detecting part.

4. The particle detecting module according to claim 1 , wherein by controlling the corresponding valves, the inlet aperture and the heat-dissipation aperture of a single one of the storage chambers which is to perform the heat and dehumidification operation are opened and the outlet aperture thereof is closed, while the inlet apertures and the outlet apertures of the rest of the storage chambers are opened and the heat-dissipation apertures thereof are closed, so that when the air at the humidity level higher than 40% is guided from the exterior into the single one storage chamber, the air is heated and dehumidified by the heating element thereof, wherein once the temperature and humidity, sensor of the single one storage chamber determines that the humidity level of the air within the single one storage chamber has met a required value, the outlet aperture of the single one storage chamber is opened and the dehumidified air therein at the humidity level ranged from 10% to 40% is transported through the rest of the storage chambers into the detecting part.

5. The particle detecting module according to claim 1 , wherein the inlet aperture and the heat-dissipation aperture of a single one of the storage chambers which is to perform the heat and dehumidification operation are opened and the outlet aperture thereof is closed by controlling the corresponding valves, so that when the air at the humidity level higher than 40% is guided from the exterior into the single one storage chamber, the air is heated and dehumidified by the heating element thereof, wherein once the temperature and humidity sensor of the single one storage chamber determines that the humidity level of the air within the single one storage chamber has met a first required value, the outlet aperture of the single one storage chamber is opened and the dehumidified air is guided to another one of the storage chambers connected to the single one storage chamber in serial to be heated and dehumidified again, while the inlet aperture and the heat-dissipation aperture of the another storage chamber are opened and the outlet aperture thereof is closed, wherein once the temperature and humidity sensor of the another storage chamber determines that the humidity level of the air within the another storage chamber has met a second required value, the outlet aperture of the another storage chamber is opened and the twice-dehumidified air is guided to further another one of the storage chambers connected to the another storage chamber in serial to be heated and dehumidified repeatedly, so that the air is heated and dehumidified in batches by the multiple ones of the storage chambers, after which the air at the humidity level ranged from 10% to 40% is transported into the detecting part.

6. The particle detecting module according to claim 5 , wherein the sensor is a PM 2.5 sensor.

7. The particle detecting module according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a micro-electromechanical-systems gas pump.

8. The particle detecting module according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a gas pump comprising:
a nozzle plate comprising:
a suspension plate permitted to undergo a bending vibration;
a plurality of connection components connected with the edges of the suspension plate to elastically support the suspension plate; and
a central aperture formed at the center of the suspe

Assignees

• Microjet Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mou Hao-Jan
• Huang Chi-Feng
• Han Yung-Lung
• Chen Hsuan-Kai

Classifications

• G01N15/0205 Primary

  by optical means · CPC title

• G01N2035/00455

  Controlling humidity in analyser · CPC title

• G01N15/0606

  by collecting particles on a support · CPC title

• G01N15/06

  Investigating concentration of particle suspensions (by weighing G01N5/00; investigating sedimentation of particle suspensions G01N15/04; investigating individual particles G01N15/10) · CPC title

• G01N15/1459

  the analysis being performed on a sample stream · CPC title