Medical air handling system with laminar flow and energy-based air decontamination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11938252-B2
Application number	US-202016952224-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2020
Priority date	Dec 11, 2012
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

A fluid filtration system is shown. The fluid filtration system utilizes a one-piece or multiple piece containers having a plurality of radiation-transmissible media adapted to receive light, such as ultraviolet light, white light or other wavelength light. The radiation-transmissible media are situated in the container and at least one or a plurality of radiation sources, such as ultraviolet lamps, are situated in an array in proximity to the radiation-transmissible media. The radiation-transmissible media interrupts the flow and velocity of the fluid stream passing through the container to extend the duration of radiation for any contaminants and also provide enlarged surface areas for the contaminants to be received and ultimately exposed to the radiation. In one example, the radiation-transmissible media may be tubular or spherical sections that are hollow or solid and made of quartz. In other embodiments, an air handling system or decontamination system is provided in a system that intentionally disrupts flow, decontaminates it and outputs it to provide a substantially linear and laminar flow output of decontaminated air from the air handling or decontamination system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air handling system comprising:
a housing or duct having an inlet for receiving an air stream and an outlet;
a turbulence generator associated with said inlet for receiving said air stream and for generating a turbulent air stream in proximity to said inlet in response thereto;
a decontamination energy generator for creating a decontamination energy that is applied to said turbulent air stream after entering said inlet to provide a decontaminated air stream that is at least partially decontaminated; and
an air moderator for receiving said modulated and decontaminated air steam inside said housing and for causing a linear or laminar air stream before entering said outlet and thereafter causing said linear or laminar flow to flow out of said outlet in response thereto;
wherein said air moderator comprises a linear or laminar air stream generator for receiving said turbulent air stream and for generating said linear or laminar air stream in response thereto;
wherein said linear or laminar air stream generator generates said linear air stream during or after said decontamination energy generator applies electromagnetic energy to said turbulent air stream;
wherein said linear or laminar air stream generator comprises at least one of air channels, baffles, walls, perforations, cylinders, ducts, louvers, valves grilles, wings, flaps grids, grates, wires or foils, to reduce turbulence in said decontaminated air stream;
wherein said decontamination energy generator is situation between said turbulence generator and said air moderator;
wherein said air moderator is situation inside said housing or duct and between said inlet and said outlet and is exposed to said decontamination energy from said decontamination energy generator.

2. The air handling system as recited in claim 1 wherein said housing comprises an air handler housing, said air handler housing comprising an airflow generator for facilitating generating said air stream in said air handling housing.

3. The air handling system as recited in claim 1 wherein said turbulence generator comprises non-linear airflow means for creating said turbulent air stream.

4. The air handling system as recited in claim 3 wherein said non-linear airflow means for creating said turbulent air stream comprises at least one of air channels, baffles, blockers, perforations, cylinders, spheres, ducts, registers, walls, louvers, vales, wings, flaps, turns, reflectors, chambers, grids, grates, wires or foils or similar processes to introduce turbulence into said air stream.

5. The air handling system as recited in claim 1 wherein said decontamination energy generator comprises a system for applying electromagnetic energy to said turbulent air stream either during or after said air stream is influenced by said turbulence generator, said decontamination energy generator applying electromagnetic energy comprising at least one of a non-ionizing radiation, an ionizing radiation, ultraviolet, infrared, electrons, electrostatic, plasma, light, laser, LED, lamp or excited gas, each being adapted to effect biological and non-biological contamination in the turbulent air stream.

6. The air handling system as recited in claim 1 wherein said turbulence generator and air moderator are located in series in said housing or duct and said decontamination energy generator is situated between them.

7. The air handling system as recited in claim 1 wherein said turbulence generator and air moderator are located in series in said housing or duct and said decontamination energy generator applies electromagnetic energy to at least portion of said air stream simultaneously as said turbulence generator causes turbulence to said air stream.

8. The air handling system as recited in claim 1 wherein said turbulence generator and air moderator are located in series in said housing or duct and said decontamination energy generator applies electromagnetic energy to said air stream after said turbulence generator causes turbulence to said air stream.

9. The air handling system as recited in claim 1 wherein said housing is an air handler housing of an air handler having an airflow generator.

10. The air handling system as recited in claim 1 wherein said housing is a duct in a building.

11. A method of decontaminating an air stream, said method comprising the steps of:
receiving said air stream in a housing or duct;
causing turbulence in said air stream by a turbulence generator to provide a turbulent air stream in proximity to an inlet;
applying electromagnetic energy by a decontamination energy generator to said turbulent air steam after entering said inlet either during or after said causing step to provide a decontaminated air stream; and
moderating said modulated and decontaminated air stream inside said housing to provide a linear or laminar airflow after said applying step before entering an outlet and thereafter causing said linear or laminar airflow exiting said housing or duct;
wherein said moderating step is performed using an air moderator comprising a linear or laminar air stream generator for receiving said turbulent air stream and for generating said linear or laminar air stream in response thereto;
wherein said linear or laminar air stream generator generates said linear air stream during or after said decontamination energy generator applies electromagnetic energy to said turbulent air stream;
wherein said linear or laminar air stream generator comprises at least one of air channels, baffles, walls, perforations, cylinders, ducts, louvers, valves grilles, wings, flaps grids, grates, wires or foils, to reduce turbulence in said decontaminated air stream;
wherein said decontamination energy generator is situation between said turbulence generator and said air moderator;
wherein said air moderator is situation inside said housing or duct and between said inlet and said outlet and is exposed to said electromagnetic energy from said decontamination energy generator.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said housing comprises an air handler housing of an air handler having an airflow generator for facilitating generating said air stream in said housing or duct.

13. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said causing turbulence step is performed using a turbulence generator that comprises non-linear airflow means for creating said turbulent air stream.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said non-linear airflow means for creating said turbulent air stream comprises at least one of air channels, baffles, blockers, perforations, cylinders, spheres, ducts, registers, walls, louvers, vales, wings, flaps, turns, reflectors, chambers, grids, grates, wires or foils or similar processes to introduce turbulence into said air stream.

15. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said decontamination energy generator comprises a system for applying electromagnetic energy to said turbulent air stream either during or after said air stream is influenced by said turbulence generator, said decontamination energy generator applying electromagnetic energy comprising at least one of a non-ionizing radiation, an ionizing radiation, ultraviolet, infrared, electrons, electrostatic, plasma, light, laser, LED, lamp or excited gas, each being adapted to effect biological and non-biological contamination in the turbulent air stream.

16. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said causing turbulence step is performed using a turbulence generator and said modulating step is performed using an air moderator located in series in said housing or duct.

Assignees

• Kirschman David Louis
• Aerobiotix Llc

Inventors

• Kirschman David Louis

Classifications

• A61L9/20 Primary

  Ultraviolet radiation · CPC title

• A61L2/087

  Particle radiation, e.g. electron-beam, alpha or beta radiation · CPC title

• A61L2/26

  Accessories · CPC title

• B01D46/0028

  provided with antibacterial or antifungal means · CPC title

• A61L9/18

  Radiation (A61L9/22 takes precedence) · CPC title