WO2007055430A1

WO2007055430A1 - Air purifier with sterilization, deodorization and absorbing toxic materials

Info

Publication number: WO2007055430A1
Application number: PCT/KR2005/003756
Authority: WO
Inventors: Young Jung Bang
Original assignee: Young Jung Bang
Priority date: 2005-11-08
Filing date: 2005-11-08
Publication date: 2007-05-18

Abstract

The present invention relates to an air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization, and removing the harmful materials, the air purifying apparatus comprising first and second ventilation openings respectively formed at upper and lower portions of a housing (30); an anti-germ filter (100) mounted at the lower portion of the first ventilation opening (40); a suction fan (120) mounted at the lower portion of the anti-germ filter (100); a first black lamp (140) mounted at the lower portion of the suction fan (120); a first ceramic photo- catalytic filter (200) mounted at the lower portion of the first black lamp (140); a first filter (300) mounted below the first ceramic photo-catalytic filter (200) for performing the function of deodorization; a second filter (400) mounted below the first filter (300) for performing the functions of deodorization and adsorbing the mold; a third filter (500) mounted below the second filter (400) for adsorbing the germs, mold, and virus; a second photo-catalytic filter (600) mounted below the third filter (500); a second black lamp (620) mounted below the second ceramic photo- catalytic filter (600); and a discharging fan (700) mounted below the second black lamp (620) for emitting air through the second ventilation opening (50).

Description

Description Title of Invention

AIR PURIFIER WITH STERILIZATION, DEODORIZATION AND ABSORBING TOXIC MATERIALS

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization and removing harmful materials, in particular, to an air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization and removing harmful materials, which can maintain the freshness of indoors, a cattle shed, and farm products for a long period of time.

Background Art In general, a lot of dusts are drifting in the indoors such as home, hospital, school, and the like. Such dusts can be divided more concretely into fume, mist, smoke, and the like. The fume is a solid particle having a diameter below 0.1 βra and produced by condensation from the gaseous state. In particular, the fume is a solid particle produced by oxidation and condensation of the gaseous component resulted from the vaporization of a metal.

Also, the mist is a liquid particle produced from the vaporization of the liquid following the condensation, it is produced from the spray or splash of the liquid. Further, smoke is particulate carbide produced from the combustion of the solid.

In addition, a microbe contamination material can be classified in to a floating germ attached to the dust or water vapor drifting in the air, a germ dropping down to the ground, germs in the air. Especially, in case of the germ floating in the air, the microbe lives its life with attachment to the dust or water vapor, and the like. In this regard, the microbe proliferates in an environment of humid and bad air. Such germs are originated from several dusting powders, an air purifier, a refrigerator, a humidifier, pet animals, and the like. Also, dusts concentrated in ducts of ventilation facilities or air conditioning device can be another factor producing the indoor dusts and microbe materials. Thus, the microbe contaminating materials are supposed to be the primary factor of causing infectious ailments, allergy ailments, respiratory ailments, and the like.

Meanwhile, in the conventional air conditioning and heating device, upward style has been employed principally in suctioning the air suctioned from below to emit in the upper portion. However, there happens to be stable hot air in the indoor, and a lot of fine dusts and drifting germs are contained in the hot air. Accordingly, in case of the conventional upward style air conditioning device or air purifying device, it is impossible to remove the fine dusts and drifting germs efficiently and rather cause a problem of dispersing them.

Further, the conventional air purifying device employed an AC motor to suction and emit a large volume of airs to make serious noise. Accordingly, the conventional art used a DC motor to settle such problems, however, it could not transport a large volume of airs because the torque power was weak.

Disclosure of Invention Technical problem

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the problems occurring in the conventional arts, and the primary object of the present invention is to provide an air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization and removing harmful materials, which can adsorb, decompose, remove the fine dust and drifting germs (such as mold, virus, colitis germs, salmonella, staphylococcus, and the like) in the hot air positioned at upper side of the indoors and perform the function of deodorization.

Secondary object of the present invention is to provide an air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization and removing harmful materials, which can adsorb ethylene gas in the agricultural product storehouse, to thereby maintain the freshness of the agricultural product for a long time .

Third object of the present invention is to provide an air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization and removing harmful materials, which can effectively adsorb and remove the bad smell and drifting germs in a closed animal shed (chicken, duck, and the like) to thereby prevent the contamination from the infectious virus, and can remove the secondary source of infection described above more effectively by providing an air conditioning system mounting the air purifying apparatus of the present invention.

Fourth object of the present invention is to provide an air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization and removing harmful materials, which can remove the drifting germs, mold, and the like stuck to the bottom of any construction effectively when the air float is little, by increasing the blowing power through outputting high torque with small noise and vibration, and employing the powerful circulation function. Technical solution

To solve such objects of the present invention, there is provided an air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization and removing harmful materials, the apparatus comprising first and second ventilation openings respectively formed at upper and lower portions of a housing; an anti-germ filter mounted at the lower portion of the first ventilation opening; a suction fan mounted at the lower portion of the anti-germ filter; a first black lamp mounted at the lower portion of the suction fan; a first ceramic photo-catalytic filter mounted at the lower portion of the first black lamp; a first filter mounted below the first ceramic photo-catalytic filter for performing the function of deodorization; a second filter mounted below the first filter for performing the functions of deodorization and adsorbing the mold; a third filter mounted below the second filter for adsorbing the germs, mold, and virus; a second photo-catalytic filter mounted below the third filter; a second black lamp mounted below the second ceramic photo-catalytic filter; and a discharging fan mounted below the second black lamp for emitting air through the second ventilation opening.

Also, the first ventilation opening can be mounted above the housing, and the second ventilation opening can be mounted below the housing. Alternately, the first ventilation opening can be mounted below the housing, and the second ventilation opening can be mounted above the housing.

Further, the discharging fan can be rotated by a BLDC motor. In addition, the first filter may be composed of natural zeolite containing silver, natural zeolite containing calcium, and activated carbon in a weight percent ratio of 10-50: 20~50: 20~70, and the zeolite containing silver is a natural zeolite containing 0.1 to 2.0 wt% of silver, which is fabricated by spraying 0.1 to 2.5 wt% of silver nitric acid solution to the natural zeolite to contain it, and sintering the natural zeolite containing the silver nitric acid solution at 200 to 500^°C.

Also, the second filter may be composed of natural zeolite containing silver, natural zeolite containing calcium, and activated carbon in a weight percent ratio of 20-60: 30~50: 10-40, and the zeolite containing calcium is a natural zeolite containing 5 to 20 wt% of calcium, which is fabricated by spraying calcium chloride saturated solution to the natural zeolite to contain it, and sintering the natural zeolite containing the saturated solution at 250 to 450^°C. Further, the third filter may be composed of natural zeolite containing silver, natural zeolite containing calcium, and activated carbon in a weight percent ratio of 20~ 40: 30-50: 50-80, and the activated carbon contains 0.2 to 1.0 wt% of silver, and is fabricated by spraying 0.5 to 2.0 wt% of silver nitric acid solution to the activated carbon following the drying at 80^°C, and sintering the activated carbon at 100 to 300 "C in nitrogen atmosphere.

The objects, other objects, specific advantages, and new features of the present invention can be made apparent through the following detailed explanations and preferred embodiments made in conjunction with the appended drawings.

Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an appearance of an air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization, and removal of the harmful materials according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an inside exploded perspective view of an air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization, and removal of the harmful materials according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a graphic view for showing a change of the gas concentration along with the lapse of time, in case of using the air purifying apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a graphic view for showing the results of the experiment in which ratios of removal of the harmful germs are measured.

FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are graphic views for showing the results of experiment in which acetaldehyde can be removed by using the air purifying apparatus of the present invention.

Best Mode for Invention

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the appended drawings below. In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an appearance of an air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization, and removal of the harmful materials according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an inside exploded perspective view of an air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization, and removal of the harmful materials according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGs. 1 and 2, the air purifying apparatus according to the present invention comprises a hexahedral housing 30 in the appearance. A first ventilation opening 40 is formed at the upper side of the housing 30, and a second ventilation opening 50 is also formed at the lower portion of the housing.

Further, an anti-bacillus filter 100, a suction fan 120, a first black lamp 140, a first ceramic photo-catalytic filter 200, fist, second, and third filters 300, 400, 500, a second ceramic photo-catalytic filter 600, a second black lamp 620, and a discharging fan 700 are arranged in sequence at the inside of the housing 30 from the upper side to the lower side.

The anti-bacillus filter 100 made of synthetic resin material, sponge, and the like is mounted at the first ventilation opening 40, and functions to filter large dust, and the like in the suctioned outside air first of all.

The suction fan 120 is constructed to suction contaminated air from the outside through the first ventilation opening 40 and the anti-bacillus filter 100. The suction fan 120 can be constructed of a BLDC motor. In particular, if the BLDC motor is used for the suction fan, it has an advantage that the BLDC motor can be used in everywhere in the world without any separate conversion of the motor because the BLDC motor has no relation with the voltage frequency.

The first black lamp 140 is mounted below the suction fan 120, and a first ceramic photo-catalytic filter 200 is mounted below it. The first black lamp 140 radiates wavelength having a region of 380 nm to which the photo-catalyst (TiO₂, SiO₂, SiC and a little volume of activity increasing agent) of the photo- catalytic filter 200 can react most effectively. An UV-C lamp used in the conventional photo-catalytic device becomes a factor of decreasing the air purifying function rapidly by intercepting the floatation of air, and causes cataract, and the like, when eyes of people are exposed to it directly. Further, the conventional UV-C lamp can cause respiratory ailments of children or the old and the weak due to the production of ozone. Accordingly, it is improper to use the UV-C lamp in places such as a hospital, and the like. However, in the present invention, if ultra violet ray is radiated on the catalyst (titanium dioxide) , OH radical can be produced because a black light (BL) was mounted. Such radical can decompose organic chemical materials or kill germs because it has stronger oxidation power than that of the hydrogen peroxide, chloride, ozone, and the like.

When such photo-catalytic reaction is progressed, it is called to be environment-friendly, because carbon-dioxide and water, which are not harmful to human body, are discharged.

The first filter 300 (which is called a high functional filter) is mounted below the first ceramic photo-catalytic filter 200 to perform the function of adsorbing and deodorizing the living bad smell component. The first filter 300 is constructed of natural zeolite containing the silver, natural zeolite containing the calcium, and activated carbon in a weight percent ratio of 10 ~ 50: 20 ~ 50: 20-70 in composition. In this regard, the zeolite containing the silver is a natural zeolite containing the 0.1 to 2.0 wt% of silver, which is fabricated by spraying 0.1 to 2.5 wt% of silver nitric acid solution to the natural zeolite to contain it, and sintering the natural zeolite containing the silver nitric acid solution at 200 to 500^°C. Such materials are made to be porous so as to increase surface area and are immersed into non-woven fabric or wrapped by the non- woven fabric.

The second filter 400 (which is called a multi-functional filter) is mounted below the first filter 300 to perform the function of adsorbing and deodorizing the mold. The second filter 400 is constructed of natural zeolite containing the silver, natural zeolite containing the calcium, and activated carbon in a weight percent ratio of 20 ~ 60: 30 - 50: 10-40 in composition. In this regard, the zeolite containing the calcium is a natural zeolite containing 5 to 20 wt% of calcium, which is fabricated by spraying the calcium chloride saturated solution to the natural zeolite to contain it, and sintering the natural zeolite containing the calcium chloride saturated solution at 250 to 450^°C. Such materials are made to be porous so as to increase surface area and are immersed into non-woven fabric or wrapped by the non-woven fabric .

The third filter 500 (which is called a high functional filter) is mounted below the second filter 400 to perform the function of adsorbing the germs, mold, and virus. The third filter 500 is constructed of natural zeolite containing the silver, natural zeolite containing the calcium, and activated carbon in a weight percent ratio of 20 ~ 40: 30 ~ 50: 50-80 in composition. In this regard, the activated carbon is fabricated to contain 0.2 to 1.0 wt% of silver by spraying 0.5 to 2.0 wt% of silver nitric acid solution to the activated carbon, and then drying at 80^°C, and sintering at the atmosphere of nitrogen. Such materials are made to be porous so as to increase surface area and are immersed into non-woven fabric or wrapped by the non- woven fabric.

The second ceramic photo-catalytic filter 600 is mounted below the third filter 500, and the second black lamp 620 is mounted below the second ceramic photo-catalytic filter 600. The construction of the second ceramic photo-catalytic filter 600 and the second black lamp 620 is identical with that of the first ceramic photo-catalytic filter 200 and the first black lamp 140, and the action and effect thereof are also similar. Accordingly, the second ceramic photo-catalytic filter 600 and the second black lamp 620 finally decompose and convert the bad smell into fresh wind.

The discharging fan 700 is mounted below the second black lamp 620 and discharged air via the second ventilation opening 50. As for a motor for driving the discharging fan 700, a BLDC motor is employed for high torque, low noise and vibration. Further, an electric leakage breaker 55, a power switch, and the like are mounted in the housing 30, and a controller 56 provided with a LED indication device and several switches is positioned on the front surface. The controller is operated to control the operation of the respective suction fan 120, the discharging fan 700, first and second black lamp 140, 620, and the like.

Hereinafter, the action of sterilization, deodorization, anti -germ can be proved by the direct experiment of the air purifying device having the functions of sterilization and deodorization and construction as described above.

At first, the first filter 300 was fabricated by comprising the natural zeolite containing the silver, the natural zeolite containing the calcium, and the activated carbon in weight percent ratio of 20: 40: 40. Then, the second filter 400 was fabricated by comprising the natural zeolite containing the silver, the natural zeolite containing the calcium, and the activated carbon in weight percent ratio of 30: 30: 40. Further, the third filter 500 was fabricated by comprising the natural zeolite containing the silver, the natural zeolite containing the calcium, and the activated carbon in weight percent ratio of 40: 40: 20. Thereafter, by using the air purifying apparatus having the filters 300, 400, and 500 as described above, following experiments have been performed. (Experiment 1)

Table 1 shows results obtained by the anti -germ test performed by the Korea Life and Environment Test Institute on the air purifying apparatus of the present invention, table 2 shows results of the power of deodorization.

Table 1

The test of ratio of anti-germs was performed through the following processes. At first, one test piece of the filter was charged into a triangular plask and added 0.9% physiological saline solution, and then identical amount of pre-cultivated test germ solution was inoculated. The cultivated germ solution of lm£ was recovered, and then the triangular plask was shaking incubated for twenty four hours at 120 rpm in the shaking incubator of 37°C. After the inoculation, the initial number of the germs was confirmed with the recovered suspension, and recovered after the shaking incubation of twenty four hours, and then measured the number of remaining germs after twenty four hours. The comparative group used the sterilized physiological saline solution.

The ratio (%) of anti-germs is calculated from the following formula: Ratio of anti-germs = (number of germs in the comparative group after twenty four hours - the number of germs in the test piece group after twenty four hours) x 100/ (number of germs in the comparative group after twenty four hours) . As shown in table 1, it can be seen that it was possible to obtain the ratio of anti-germs of 96.7% or 97.6% . (Experiment 2)

The deodorization test of table 2 was performed by the method of KICM-FIR-1085. As can be seen from table 2, the deodorization ratio after the elapse of two hours was 99.1%, which was very excellent of the capacity of deodorization.

Table 2

(Experiment 3)

FIG. 3 is a graphic view for showing the change of gas concentration over time, when the air purifying apparatus of the present invention was used. As shown in FIG. 3, while the gas concentration was about 120 ppm after the elapse of two hours, when the blank was passed through the air purifying apparatus of the present invention, it could be seen that the gas concentration was almost 0 ppm. In other words, from FIG. 3, it can be seen that the air purifying apparatus of the present invention deodorized and adsorbed the gas almost completely. (Experiment 4)

The air purifying apparatus of the present invention was employed directly in the incubator for the spawn of mushroom, and the ratio of success for the new songi-mushroom was compared. The reason why the new songi-mushroom incubator was selected was because it should be operated completely as a germfree room, and the result of the pollution was closely related to the ratio of success for the mushroom. In the conventional incubator for the spawn of the mushroom, a positive pressure device was driven, powerful air purifier was operated, and several products were sterilized and used. In case of using such conventional method, the success ratio of the new songi-mushroom is about 70 to 90%. However, when the air purifying device of the present invention was employed without operating the conventional positive pressure device and air purifying device, and performing the sterilization and disinfection of the product, the success ratio of 99.9% was obtained. It represents that the air purifying apparatus of the present invention can suffice the desire level for the new songi-mushroom without the complex management and operation. Further, it is proved that the air purifying apparatus of the present invention has not only sterilization power for the harmful germs, but functions of not performing the sterilization of the harmless germs.

(Experiment 5)

The ratio of removal of the harmful germs was measured by using the air purifying apparatus of the present invention, when the contamination rapidly increased. At first, in order to inspect the contamination in the experiment room according to the operation of the air purifying apparatus, a petridish with molding the PDA package was opened for thirty seconds and closed, and exposed to the heat for four days at 28 ^"C, and then the colony of the mold germ was counted. The air purifying apparatus of the present invention was operated from the beginning of the fourth week in January, when the contamination increases rapidly. Together with the experiment using the petridish, the spawn inoculated at the date identical with the experiment was incubated, and then the interrelation between the experiment and the real work was inspected by selecting the contaminated spawn and counting the number thereof.

FIG. 4 is a graphic view for showing the result obtained from the experiment of measuring the ratio of removal of the harmful germs as described above. As shown in FIG. 4, it can be seen that the contamination decreased rapidly after the operation of the air purifying apparatus of the present invention. Finally, it can be seen that the contamination was below 5.

(Experiment 6)

Hereinafter, the experiment of removing the volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) represented by the acetaldehyde by using the air purifying apparatus of the present invention will be explained. The volatile organic chemicals represent a hydrocarbon compound producing bad smell or ozone after it was volatilized. In this regard, it is a carcinogenic material producing obstacles to the neural system through the skin contact or the respiratory respiration, to thereby be worldly regulated. At first, the air purifying apparatus of the present invention was charged into an experiment device of a desired size and closed the device tightly. Then, a predetermined concentration of the acetaldehyde was injected to the experiment '5- device. The air purifying apparatus was operated after the acetaldehyde reached a predetermined concentration and accomplished equilibrium. Next, the concentration of the acetaldehyde along with the operation time was measured by using a measuring device. Then, the operation of the air purifying 0 apparatus was stopped when the acetaldehyde was not detected. The air purifying apparatus was again operated when a predetermined amount of acetaldehyde was supplied and accomplished equilibrium.

FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are graphic views for showing the results 5 of experiment in which acetaldehyde was removed by using the air purifying apparatus of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the acetaldehyde of 60 ppm injected at first was not detected after the elapse of two hours, the acetaldehyde of 36 ppm injected secondarily was not detected after the elapse of 0 two hours, and the acetaldehyde of 41 ppm injected tertiary was not detected after the elapse of two hours. This shows that the air purifying apparatus of the present invention adsorbs and removes the acetaldehyde completely.

While the present invention employs several filters, any of 5 the filters can be omitted or applied repeatedly according to the selection or necessity of the people in the relevant art of the invention, however, it should be construed to be belonged to the range of the right of the present invention. Industrial Applicability

As described above, according to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to effectively remove

(sterilize, and disinfect) fine dust, drifting germs (such as mold, virus, colitis germs, salmonella, staphylococcus, and the like) , and harmful materials in the hot air positioned at upper side of the indoors and perform the function of deodorization.

Also, it is possible to effectively adsorb and remove the bad smell and drifting germs in a closed animal shed (chicken, duck, and the like) to thereby prevent the contamination of the animals from the infectious virus, and it is possible to maintain the freshness of the farm product by adsorbing, decomposing, and removing the secondary source of infection such as mold and virus, and ethylene gas effectively, by providing an air purifying apparatus of the present invention in the storehouse of the farm product .

Further, it is possible to remove the inconvenience arising from the noise and vibration, because it is possible to increase the blowing power through producing high torque with small noise and vibration by using the BLDC motor.

While the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited by the embodiments. It is to be understood that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. However, such variations and modifications are all pertained to the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization and removing harmful materials, the apparatus comprising: first and second ventilation openings respectively formed at upper and lower portions of a housing; an anti -germ filter mounted at the lower portion of the first ventilation opening; a suction fan mounted at the lower portion of the anti-germ filter; a first black lamp mounted at the lower portion of the suction fan; a first ceramic photo-catalytic filter mounted at the lower portion of the first black lamp; a first filter mounted below the first ceramic photo- catalytic filter for performing the function of deodorization; a second filter mounted below the first filter for performing the functions of deodorization and adsorbing the mold; a third filter mounted below the second filter for adsorbing germs, mold, and virus; a second photo-catalytic filter mounted below the third filter; a second black lamp mounted below the second ceramic photo- catalytic filter; and a discharging fan mounted below the second black lamp for emitting air through the second ventilation opening.

2. The air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization and removing harmful materials according to claim 1, wherein the first ventilation opening is mounted above the housing, and the second ventilation opening is mounted below the housing.

5 3. The air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization and removing harmful materials according to claim 1, wherein the first ventilation opening is mounted below the housing, and the second ventilation opening is mounted above the housing. 0

4. The air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization and removing harmful materials according to claim 1, wherein the discharging fan is rotated by a BLDC motor. 5

5. The air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization and removing harmful materials according to claim 1, wherein the first filter is composed of natural zeolite 0 containing silver, natural zeolite containing calcium, and activated carbon in a weight percent ratio of 10-50: 20-50: 20-70, and wherein the zeolite containing silver is a natural zeolite containing 0.1 to 2.0 wt% of silver, which is fabricated by 5 spraying 0.1 to 2.5 wt% of silver nitric acid solution to the natural zeolite to contain it, and sintering the natural zeolite containing the silver nitric acid solution at 200 to 500^°C .

6. The air purifying apparatus having functions of '0 sterilization, deodorization and removing harmful materials according to claim 1, wherein the second filter is composed of natural zeolite containing silver, natural zeolite containing calcium, and activated carbon in a weight percent ratio of 20-60: 30-50: 10-40, and wherein the zeolite containing calcium is a natural zeolite containing 5 to 20 wt% of calcium, which is fabricated by spraying calcium chloride saturated solution to the natural zeolite to contain it, and sintering the natural zeolite containing the saturated solution at 250 to 450^°C.

7. The air purifying apparatus having functions of sterilization, deodorization and removing harmful materials according to claim 1, wherein the third filter is composed of natural zeolite containing silver, natural zeolite containing calcium, and activated carbon in a weight percent ratio of 20-40: 30-50: 50-80, and wherein the activated carbon contains 0.2 to 1.0 wt% of silver, and is fabricated by spraying 0.5 - 2.0 wt% of silver nitric acid solution to the activated carbon following the drying at 80^°C, and sintering the activated carbon at 100 to 300 ^°C in nitrogen atmosphere.