Method for air treatment in a moving air flow vessel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11493218-B2
Application number	US-202117400197-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2021
Priority date	Jun 27, 2019
Publication date	Nov 8, 2022
Grant date	Nov 8, 2022

Abstract

A hybrid humidity control and air purification device and method for hybrid humidity control and air purification. The hybrid device is a single unit capable of humidifying dry environmental air, dehumidifying humid environmental air and removing particulates and contaminants from the air. The device controls the outgoing air to a relative humidity setpoint between 35-50% with negligible particulate matter content. Particulate matter is transferred to water, which may be supplied and flushed by an automatic water pumping system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for hybrid humidity control and air purification, comprising:
surrounding a cyclonic vessel, a cold water bath, a heating chamber, a heat pump including a compressor and a controller by an enclosure, the enclosure having a first air intake port and a first air outlet vent, wherein the cyclonic vessel is in the shape of a vertically oriented truncated cone with a wide portion disposed at an upper end of the truncated cone and a narrow portion disposed at a lower end of the truncated cone;
receiving environmental air at the first air intake port fluidly connected to a cyclonic vessel, by actuating a first fan located within the first air intake port;
providing a water stream in the cyclonic vessel, by actuating a first water inlet valve located in the cyclonic vessel;
spinning the environmental air and water stream by adjusting the motor speed of a motor located within the cyclonic vessel, wherein spinning the environmental air propels particulates in the environmental air into the water stream, thus purifying the air and generating a purified air stream;
expelling the purified air stream from the cyclonic vessel into a first air tube by actuating a second fan located within a first air output port in the cyclonic vessel;
receiving the first air tube at a second air intake port;
fluidly connecting the second air intake port to a first microbubbling filter located in a first temperature controlled cold water bath having a first cold water volume;
the microbubbling filter separating the purified air stream into microbubbles, the microbubbles evaporating into a first air volume located above the cold water volume;
controlling the temperature of water within the cold water volume by adjusting the motor speed of a compressor connected to a cooling coil located within the cold water volume, wherein controlling the temperature controls the humidity of the air in the air volume;
expelling the humidified purified air stream from the first air volume into a cold water bath air tube by actuating a third fan located within a third air output port located within the cold water bath;
receiving the cold water bath air tube at a heating chamber air intake port located in the sidewall of a heating chamber;
heating the humidified air stream;
and expelling the heated humidified air stream into the environment by actuating an exit fan located within the air outlet vent;
wherein the controlling is carried out by a controller configured to receive signals from sensors located within the device, and actuate the fans, actuate the water valves, adjust the cyclonic vessel motor speed, control the motor speed of the compressor, and control the expansion valve based on the signals received from the sensors.

2. The method for hybrid humidity control and air purification of claim 1 , the cold water bath further comprising a second cold water bath, the second cold water bath having a first chamber containing a volume of phase change material selected to change phase in the range of 4.5-10 degrees Celsius, preferably at 5 degrees Celsius, a second cooling coil and a cooling loop, and a second chamber containing a second volume of water, a second microbubbling filter, and a second volume of air located above the second volume of water;
receiving the purified humidified air into the first chamber;
passing the purified humidified air through the cooling loop;
separating the purified humidified purified air by passing the purified humidified air through the second microbubbling filter connected to the cooling loop; the microbubbles evaporating into the second air volume;
expelling the humidified purified air stream from the second air volume into a cold water bath air tube by actuating a fourth fan in a fourth air output port located within the second chamber;
controlling the humidity of the second air volume by controlling the temperature of the first chamber,
wherein controlling the temperature is carried out by a controller configured to control the motor speed of the compressor connected to the second cooling coil.

3. The method for hybrid humidity control and air purification of claim 1 , the first air intake port further comprising a first temperature sensor, a first relative humidity sensor and a first particulate sensor, the first fan having an adjustable speed, wherein the controller has circuitry configured to adjust the fan speed and receive signals from the sensors;
measuring the particulate matter, the temperature and the relative humidity of the environmental air entering the cyclonic vessel;
adjusting the fan speed based on signals received from the sensors.

4. The method for hybrid humidity control and air purification of claim 1 ,
the cyclonic vessel further including a first water level sensor and a first water outlet valve;
the first cold water bath further including a second water inlet valve, a second water outlet valve, a second temperature sensor, a second water level sensor and a first water quality sensor;
measuring the water temperature, the water level, and the water quality; and
controlling the second water inlet valve, the second water outlet valve, the water level and the water quality based on signals received from second water level and first water quality sensors;
actuating the valves based on signals received from the first and second water level sensors; and
controlling the motor speed of the compressor and the motor speed of the fans based on the signals received from the temperature sensors.

5. The method for hybrid humidity control and air purification of claim 1 , the enclosure air output vent further comprising an air output vent temperature sensor and a second relative humidity sensor,
controlling the variable expansion valve based on signals received from the air outlet vent temperature sensor and the second relative humidity sensor.

6. The method for hybrid humidity control and air purification of claim 1 , the cyclonic vessel further comprising a first water outlet valve; the cold water bath further comprising a first water quality sensor, a second water level sensor, a second water outlet valve and a second water inlet valve; the enclosure further comprising a water pump including an optional lint grinder; and a sewer line connected to the water pump;
wherein the controller actuates the water inlet and water outlet valves, and the water pump based on signals received from the water level and water quality sensors.

7. The method for hybrid humidity control and air purification of claim 1 , further comprising thermally insulating the heating chamber from the cooling water bath by constructing a housing surrounding the heating chamber, wherein the housing is at least one of a double walled heat shield comprising thermally insulative material between the walls.

8. The method for hybrid humidity control and air purification of claim 4 ,
the enclosure further comprising a secondary heater connected to a heating control switch, wherein the controller includes circuitry configured for:
initiating a sterilization cycle by actuating the heating control switch to raise the temperature in the enclosure to a temperature range of 60-100 degrees Celsius for a time period based on the measurement of the water quality sensor.

Assignees

• Univ King Fahd Pet & Minerals

Inventors

• Alsadah Jihad Hassan

Classifications

• F24F2203/12

  Dehumidifying or humidifying belt type · CPC title

• F24F11/0008

  for air-humidification (F24F11/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F24F2110/50

  Air quality properties · CPC title

• F24F3/147

  with both heat and humidity transfer between supplied and exhausted air · CPC title

• F24F2003/144

  by dehumidification only · CPC title