WO2010091694A1

WO2010091694A1 - Electrostatic air cleaner

Info

Publication number: WO2010091694A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/000924
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alfred Stadler
Original assignee: Stadler Form Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2009-02-10
Filing date: 2009-02-10
Publication date: 2010-08-19

Abstract

The invention relates to an air cleaner (10) having a housing (11) comprising an air inlet opening (12) and an air outlet opening (13). A high-voltage electrode (14) is disposed in the area of the air inlet opening (12), so that an air flow (L1) flows around said electrode. A plurality of flow chambers (15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4) permeated by the air flow are disposed downstream of the high-voltage electrode (14) in the flow direction. A first flow chamber (15.2) and a directly adjacent second flow chamber (15.3) are formed here from three parallel plates (16.1, 16.2, 16.3). A first side face of the middle parallel plate (16.2) faces the first flow chamber (15.2) and the opposite second side face thereof faces the second flow chamber (15.3). The air cleaner (10) further comprises a first supply connection, in order to be able to apply a first high voltage to the high-voltage electrode (14). A second supply connection is further provided, in order to supply a part of the parallel plates (16.1, 16.3) with a second high voltage. A third supply connection serves for setting the housing (11) and another part of the parallel plates (16.2) to a reference potential.

Description

ELECTROSTATIC AIR CLEANER

The invention relates to an air cleaner.

There are different types of air purifiers. Common air purifiers work with fans and HEPA filters (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter). These air cleaners have good filtering performance, i. Relatively many particles are retained. Because of the use of a HEPA filter, however, the air resistance is relatively large. The air resistance either reduces the volume flow of the air to be cleaned, or the electrical power of the air purifier must be set higher in order to be able to cope with a certain volume flow.

Other air filters work with so-called electronic filters. It is a disadvantage of the known solutions that electronic filters use that they are less efficient than the air cleaners with HEPA filters. With the electronic filters, significantly fewer particles are removed from the air to be cleaned.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a solution which achieves excellent cleaning performance and nevertheless has good electrical efficiency. It is another object of the invention to provide a solution that is capable of cleaning large volume flows of air without causing annoying noise.

In particular, the present invention is to provide solutions that are suitable for use in private and business environments. Therefore, especially the handling should be easy.

An inventive air cleaner has a housing having an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening. In the region of the air inlet opening, at least one high-voltage electrode is arranged such that it is surrounded by an air flow which flows in through the air inlet opening. Seen in the direction of flow sit behind the high-voltage electrode a plurality of flow chambers, which are flowed through by the air flow and guide the air flow in the direction of the air outlet opening. A first flow chamber and an immediately adjacent second flow chamber are formed of three parallel plates. A middle parallel plate of the three parallel plates faces, with a first side face, an open flow channel of the first flow chamber and with the opposite second side face an open flow channel of the second flow chamber. The air cleaner also has a first supply connection in order to be able to apply a first high voltage to the high-voltage electrode. In addition, a second supply connection is provided to supply a portion of the parallel plates with a second high voltage. A third supply connection serves to place the housing and another part of the parallel plates at a reference potential.

Further details and advantages of the invention will be described below with reference to embodiments and with reference to the drawings. Show it: 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a first air cleaner according to the invention;

Fig. 2A is a schematic plan view of the first air cleaner, according to the invention; Fig. 2B is a schematic plan view of the first air cleaner, according to the invention, with details for applying the high voltages;

Fig. 3 is a schematic side view of a second air cleaner, according to

Invention;

Fig. 4 is a schematic side view of a third air cleaner, according to the invention.

Detailed description

In the following, terms are explained and defined that appear several times in the description and the claims.

The invention relates to so-called air cleaner 10. In the following, various embodiments of such air cleaner 10 are described, all of which implement the same inventive concept.

An inventive air cleaner 10, as shown in Figures 1, 2A and 2B, has a housing 11 having an air inlet opening 12 or a corresponding air inlet side and an air outlet opening 13 or a corresponding air outlet side. In the region of the air inlet opening 12, at least one high-voltage electrode 14 is arranged such that it flows around an air flow L1 (indicated by four arrows in FIGS. 1 and 2A) flowing in through the air inlet opening 12. Seen in the direction of flow sit behind the high voltage electrode 14 a plurality of flow chambers 15.1, 15.2, 15.3 and 15.4 (ie n = 4), which are flowed through by the air flow and lead the air flow in the direction of the air outlet opening 13. A first flow chamber 15.2 and an immediately adjacent second flow chamber 15.3 is formed from three parallel plates 16.1, 16.2, 16.3. The middle parallel plate 16.2 of these three parallel plates 16.1, 16.2, 16.3 is with a first Side surface facing an open flow channel of the first flow chamber 15.2 and with the opposite second side surface an open flow channel of the second flow chamber 15.3. The air cleaner 10 furthermore has a first supply connection in order to be able to apply a first high voltage V 1 to the high-voltage electrode 14. In addition, a second supply connection is provided in order to supply a part of the parallel plates 16.1 and 16.3 with a second high voltage V2. A third supply connection serves to place the housing 11 and another part of the parallel plates 16.2 at a reference potential E.

This design of the air cleaner 10 is also referred to herein as HPP Filter System ™ (high potential particle). The following describes the operation of such an HPP filter system.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, an air flow Ll with dust and dirt particles (here referred to briefly as particles) from left to right through the air cleaner 10 is performed. Particularly preferred is an embodiment in which the air flow Ll is passed from bottom to top through the air cleaner 10 (see, e.g., Fig. 4). The air flow is blown or sucked by fans (not shown in FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B) through the air cleaner 10.

The air purifier is connected to give a potential difference between the first high voltage Vl and the reference potential E, which is more than 5000 V, and preferably between 7500 V and 8500 V. The potential difference between the second high voltage V2 and the reference potential E is more than 2500 V, and preferably between 3000 and 4500 V.

Preferably, the reference potential E is set to ground potential.

A corresponding exemplary electrical circuit of an air cleaner 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 2B. A corresponding first supply connection 31 may be provided in order to apply the first high-voltage V 1 to the high-voltage electrode 14. One second supply terminal 32 allows the second high voltage V2 to be applied to a part of the parallel plates 16.1, 16.3, and a third supply terminal 33 makes it possible to place the housing 11 and another part of the parallel plates 16.2 to the reference potential E.

Particularly preferred is an air cleaner 10, in which a metal wire or a metal filament serves as a high voltage electrode 14. This metal wire or metal filament is preferably between two opposite walls 17.1,

17.2 of the housing 11 stretched or arranged. The metal wire or the metal filament preferably has a diameter of between 0.1 mm and

0.3mm. Particularly preferred is a tungsten wire 14 with a diameter of 0.2mm.

The particles are passed through the high voltage electrode 14 e.g. charged to about 8000 V (at Vl = 8000 V) and then through the parallel plates 16.1, 16.2,

16.3 sucked through. The parallel plates 16.1, 16.2, 16.3 are alternately positively charged to reference potential E (preferably grounded) and to the second high voltage V2 (preferably V2 = 4000 V).

The positively charged particles are repelled by the positively charged parallel plates 16.1 and 16.3 and attracted by the earthed parallel plates 16.2 and / or the side walls 17.3, 17.4 of the housing 11. Thus, the particles of different sizes, which are sucked through the air cleaner 10, deposited on the parallel plates 16.2 and on the side walls 17.3, 17.4, which are at reference potential E.

The dimensions of the individual elements of an inventive air cleaner 10 are very important in order to obtain an efficient filter. The parallel plates 16.1, 16.2, 16.3 must be very close together to build an optimal electronic magnetic field in the flow channels between the parallel plates 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, so that as many particles as possible are retained in the air cleaner 10 and the air sucked through is cleaned as well as possible. The parallel plates 16.1, 16.2, 16.3 preferably have a distance A which is between 2.5 mm and 10 mm and preferably between 4 mm and 5 mm.

Preferably, metal plates are used as parallel plates 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, the metal plates having a thickness D in the range between 0.25 mm and 1 mm. Preferably, the thickness D is between 0.3mm and 0.6mm. Aluminum plates have proven particularly useful.

With an optimal design of the individual components of an air cleaner 10 with the above-described information, results in an air cleaner 10, on the one hand can collect a lot of particles and through the other hand, the air flows very easily and without much resistance. This enables the cleaning of large volumes of air (volume flows) with a high efficiency.

Preferably, the internal structure of the air cleaner 10, that is the HPP ™ filter is washable with water and therefore does not need to be replaced.

In the following, further details of the first embodiment of the invention are described. The air cleaner 10 according to FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B has a total of four flow chambers 15.1, 15.2, 15.3 and 15.4. The outer two chambers are defined by the side walls 17.3 and 17.4 of the housing 11 and the two parallel plates 16.3 and 16.1. The inner two flow chambers 15.2 and 15.3 are formed only by parallel plates 16.1, 16.2 and 16.3.

The high voltage electrode 14 is at a high voltage potential Vl, as already described. Since the housing 11 is grounded or is at a reference potential E, the high voltage electrode 14 is mounted relative to the housing 11 isolated. For this purpose, high voltage insulators 18 (eg made of ceramic) can be used, as can be seen in FIG. But it is also possible that housing in the region of the attachment points of the high voltage electrode 14 to isolate. In Fig. 3, a second embodiment of an air cleaner 10 is shown. This air cleaner 10 is characterized in that in the housing 11 a plurality of chamber groups 20.1, 20.2, 20.3 are arranged. Each of these chamber groups 20.1-20.3 comprises a high-voltage electrode 14, n flow chambers (here with n = 6) and m parallel walls / plates with m = n + 1 (here m = 7).

The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is further distinguished by the fact that the chamber groups 20.1 - 20.3 are not defined / limited by the side walls 17.3, 17.4 of the housing 11, but that chamber walls 34 delimit the chamber groups 20.1 - 20.3. These chamber walls 34 are placed on the reference potential E.

The following additional specifications apply. The parameter n is greater than 2. The number m of the parallel walls / plates is given by the equation m = n + l; wherein at least part of the parallel walls / plates of parallel plates 16.1, 16.2, 16.3 and another part of chamber walls 34 is formed. According to the embodiment according to FIG. 3, there are five parallel plates per chamber group (the number of parallel plates here is always an odd number) and two chamber walls 34.

On the input side, an optional first grid or network element 21 may be arranged, on the one hand, to prevent the high-voltage electrodes 14 from being touched and to possibly catch large dust or dirt particles.

On the output side, an optional second grid or network element 22 may be arranged.

A particularly preferred embodiment is shown in FIG. This air cleaner 10 is characterized in that five chamber groups 20.1, 20.2, 20.3, 20.4, 20.5 are arranged in the housing 11. Each of these five chamber groups 20.1-20.5 comprises a high voltage electrode 14, n flow chambers (here with n = 6) and m parallel walls / plates with m = n + 1 (here m = 7). The five chamber groups 20.1 - 20.5 are housed in a housing 11 and arranged so that the parallel walls / plates of the chamber groups 20.1 - 20.5 are perpendicular to a substrate or floor 1, respectively hang. Air is sucked from below into the housing 11, as indicated by the two arrows Ll. In the air flow Ll is a first input-side filter 23, which is referred to here as a pre-filter. This pre-filter 23 eliminates eg large particles. The air then flows from below past the five high-voltage electrodes 14 and then through the chamber groups 20.1-20.5. On the outlet side of the chamber groups 20.1 - 20.5 sits another optional secondary filter 24. Preferably, an activated carbon filter is used as a post-filter 24. Above sits in the housing 11, a fan 25 to build up and maintain the air flow. L2 designates here the exiting air flow. For example, a high voltage power supply 26 may be located adjacent the fan 25.

However, such an embodiment may also include three chamber groups or seven chamber groups, as needed and space constraints.

Claims

claims

1. Air cleaner (10) having a housing (11) having an air inlet opening (12) and an air outlet opening (13), wherein - in the region of the air inlet opening (12) at least one high-voltage electrode (14) is arranged so that they from a Air flow (Ll), which flows through the air inlet opening (12), is flowed around,

- Seen in the flow direction behind the high voltage electrode (14) a plurality of flow chambers (15.1 - 15. n) are arranged, which are flowed through by the air flow and the air flow in the direction of

Lead the air outlet (13),

- A first flow chamber (15.2) and an immediately adjacent second flow chamber (15.3) of three parallel plates (16.1, 16.2, 16.3) are formed, wherein a middle parallel plate (16.2) of the three parallel plates (16.1, 16.2, 16.3) with a first side surface of the first

Flow chamber (15.2) and with the opposite second side surface of the second flow chamber (15.3) facing,

- A first supply terminal (31) to apply a first high voltage (Vl) to the high voltage electrode (14), and with - a second supply terminal (32) to a second high voltage

(V2) to create a part of the parallel plates (16.1, 16.3), and with

- A third supply connection (33) to the housing (11) and another part of the parallel plates (16.2) to a reference potential (E) to lay.

2. Air cleaner (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that

- The potential difference between the first high voltage (Vl) and the reference potential (E) is more than 5000 V and preferably between 7500 V and 8500 V, and - that the potential difference between the second high voltage (V2) and the reference potential (E) more than 2500 V and preferably between 3000 and 4500 V.

3. Air cleaner (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reference potential (E) is set to ground potential.

4. Air cleaner (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, character- ized in that it is at the high voltage electrode (14) to a

Metal wire or a metal filament which is preferably stretched between two opposite walls (17.1, 17.2) of the housing (11), wherein the metal wire or the metal filament preferably has a diameter which is between 0.1mm and 0.3mm.

5. Air cleaner (10) according to claim 4 or, characterized in that the metal wire or the metal filament by means of high voltage insulators (18) with respect to the reference potential (E) lying walls (17.1, 17.2) of the housing (11) is isolated.

6. Air cleaner (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that metal plates serve as parallel plates (16.1, 16.2, 16.3), wherein the metal plates have a thickness (D) in the range between 0.25mm and lmm and wherein the thickness ( D) is preferably between 0.3mm and 0.6mm.

7. Air cleaner (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distance (A) between the parallel plates (16.1, 16.2, 16.3) is between 2.5mm and 10mm and preferably between 4mm and 5mm.

8. Air cleaner (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized

- That in the housing (11) or on the housing (11) at least one fan (25) is arranged to suck in air (Ll) and to maintain the air flow U (L2), and / or - That in the housing (11) or on the housing (11) at least one high voltage power supply (26) is arranged to provide the first high voltage (Vl) and the second high voltage (V2).

9. Air cleaner (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the housing (11) a plurality of chamber groups (20.1, 20.2, 20.3) are arranged, each chamber group (20.1 - 20.5) comprises:

- a high-voltage electrode (14), - n flow chambers (15.1 - 15. n) with n greater than or equal to 2

- m parallel plates with m = n + l, wherein at least a part of the parallel plates of parallel plates (16.1, 16.2, 16.3) is formed.

10. Air purifier (10) according to claim 9 or, characterized in that it additionally comprises:

- A pre-filter (23) in the air flow (Ll) in front of the high voltage electrodes sits (14),

- A post-filter (24), preferably an active carbon filter, which sits in the air flow behind the flow chambers (15.1 - 15. n).