Purification apparatus with electrodeless bulb and methods of operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11299405-B2
Application number	US-201715719485-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2017
Priority date	Sep 28, 2017
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

A purification apparatus includes a radio frequency (RF) signal source that generates an RF signal, first and second electrodes, and a conduit. The first electrode receives the RF signal and converts it into electromagnetic energy that is radiated by the first electrode. The conduit includes input and output ports and a chamber. The input and output ports are in fluid communication with the chamber, and the chamber is configured to receive an electrodeless bulb. The chamber is defined by first and second boundaries that are separated by a distance that is less than the wavelength of the RF signal so that the chamber is sub-resonant. The first electrode is physically positioned at the first boundary, and the second electrode is physically positioned at the second boundary. The first and second electrodes and the chamber form a structure that capacitively couples the electromagnetic energy into an electrodeless bulb within the chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A purification apparatus comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) signal source configured to generate a RF signal;
a first electrode electrically coupled to the RF signal source, wherein the first electrode is configured to receive the RF signal and to convert the RF signal into electromagnetic energy that is radiated by the first electrode;
a second electrode;
a conduit that includes an input port, an output port, and a chamber, wherein the input port and the output port are in fluid communication with the chamber, and the chamber is configured to receive an electrodeless bulb that has an outer diameter, and wherein the chamber is defined by first and second boundaries that are separated by a distance that is less than a wavelength of the RF signal so that the chamber is sub-resonant and that is greater than the outer diameter of the electrodeless bulb, wherein the first electrode is physically positioned at the first boundary on a first side of the chamber and, when the electrodeless bulb is positioned within the chamber, the first electrode is outside the electrodeless bulb, wherein the second electrode is physically positioned at the second boundary on a second side of the chamber opposite the first side of the chamber and, when the electrodeless bulb is positioned within the chamber, the first electrode and the second electrode are outside the electrodeless bulb and the electrodeless bulb is positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode, the input port is configured to enable a fluid or gas to flow into and through the chamber so that a first portion of the fluid or gas flows between the first electrode and the electrodeless bulb and a second portion of the fluid or gas flows between the second electrode and the electrodeless bulb and the output port is configured to enable the fluid or gas to flow out of the chamber and wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, and the chamber form a first structure that is configured to capacitively couple the electromagnetic energy into the electrodeless bulb when the electrodeless bulb is positioned within the chamber between the first and second electrodes, and the electromagnetic energy radiated by the first electrode causes the electrodeless bulb to emit ultraviolet light to kill pathogens in the fluid or gas passing through the chamber;
a support structure configured to hold the electrodeless bulb between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the support structure includes a clamp configured to couple to the electrodeless bulb and a post coupled at a first end of the post to the chamber and at a second end of the post to the clamp; and
a receptacle in fluid communication with the chamber, wherein the receptacle is configured to filter the pathogens in the fluid or gas.

2. The purification apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the distance is less than half the wavelength of the RF signal.

3. The purification apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the distance is less than one 50th the wavelength of the RF signal.

4. The purification apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the distance is less than one 100th the wavelength of the RF signal.

5. The purification apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the distance is in a range between 10 centimeters and 3.0 meters.

6. The purification apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first and second electrodes each have a planar conductive structure.

7. The purification apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a variable resonant circuit electrically coupled between an output of the RF signal source and the first electrode; and
a system controller configured to establish and modify a resonant frequency of the variable resonant circuit through control signals that the system controller sends to the variable resonant circuit.

8. The purification apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:
an electric field sensor configured to sense an electromagnetic field intensity within the chamber, and to send a sensor signal to the system controller indicating the electromagnetic field intensity,
wherein the system controller is configured to modify the resonant frequency of the variable resonant circuit based on the electromagnetic field intensity indicated in the sensor signal.

9. The purification apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:
a radiation intensity sensor configured to sense a radiation intensity within the chamber, and to send a sensor signal to the system controller indicating the radiation intensity,
wherein the system controller is configured to modify the resonant frequency of the variable resonant circuit based on the radiation intensity indicated in the sensor signal.

10. The purification apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:
a luminous intensity sensor configured to sense a luminous intensity within the chamber, and to send a sensor signal to the system controller indicating the luminous intensity,
wherein the system controller is configured to modify the resonant frequency of the variable resonant circuit based on the luminous intensity indicated in the sensor signal.

11. The purification apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:
a contamination sensor configured to sense a contamination level within the chamber, and to send a sensor signal to the system controller indicating the contamination level,
wherein the system controller is configured to modify the resonant frequency of the variable resonant circuit based on the contamination level indicated in the sensor signal.

12. The purification apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the variable resonant circuit includes one or more variable passive devices selected from inductors, capacitors, and resistors.

13. The purification apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the RF signal has a frequency in a range from 10 megahertz (MHz) to 3.0 gigahertz (GHz).

14. The purification apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the RF signal source is configured to generate the RF signal to produce a voltage across the first and second electrodes in a range of 90 volts to 3000 volts.

15. The purification apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the purification apparatus is selected from a water purification unit, a wastewater treatment system, an appliance that dispenses, filters or utilizes water, a pool filtration system, a pumping system, a water heater, a reverse osmosis system, a refrigerator, a freezer, a vacuum cleaner, an air conditioning unit, and an air purification system.

16. A method of operating a purification system, the method comprising:
producing, by a radio frequency (RF) signal source, a RF signal;
conveying the RF signal to a first electrode of a lamp excitation conduit that includes the first electrode, a second electrode, an input port, an output port, and an internal chamber configured to receive an electrodeless bulb that has an outer diameter, wherein the internal chamber is defined by first and second boundaries that are separated by a distance that is less than a wavelength of the RF signal so that the internal chamber is sub-resonant and that is greater than the outer diameter of the electrodeless bulb, wherein the first electrode is physically positioned at the first boundary on a first side of the internal chamber and, when the electrodeless bulb is positioned within the internal chamber, the first electrode is outside the electrodeless bulb, wherein the second electrode is physically positioned at the second boundary on a second side of the internal chamber opposite the first side of the internal chamber and, when the electrodeless bulb is positioned within the internal chamber, the first electrode and the second electrode a

Assignees

• Nxp Usa Inc

Inventors

• Smith Gavin James
• Mongin Lionel
• Piel Pierre Marie Jean

Classifications

• C02F1/001

  Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance (C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00) · CPC title

• C02F1/487

  using high frequency electromagnetic fields, e.g. pulsed electromagnetic fields · CPC title

• C02F2201/48

  Devices for applying magnetic or electric fields · CPC title

• C02F2201/46175

  Electrical pulses · CPC title

• C02F2303/04

  Disinfection · CPC title