Vehicle air purifying apparatus for simultaneously reducing harmful gas and particles

A vehicle air purifying apparatus is provided. The vehicle air purifying apparatus includes: a charger configured to discharge positive (+) ions or negative (−) ions to charge particles included in harmful gas; a removable collecting electrode configured to have positive (+) or negative (−) polarity to allow the particles charged by the charger to be attached thereto; and a filter configured to filter harmful gas and have positive (+) or negative (−) polarity, and the filter is formed in a tubular shape having an empty space therein and the removable collecting electrode is inserted into the filter.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0138246, filed on Oct. 14, 2014 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

Apparatuses and methods consistent with the exemplary embodiments relate to a vehicle air purifying apparatus which can simultaneously reduce harmful gas and particles.

BACKGROUND

As environmental issues increasingly arise all over the world, regulations on harmful gas generated from a variety of pollution sources are being tightened. For example, in Korea, a law for tightening the regulations on ultrafine particles in vehicles will be enforced in 2015.

Gas from a pollution source such as a vehicle, a factory, a boiler, and the like include harmful gas which is harmful to the human body or causes environmental pollution, and fine particles like as granular material.

A related-art method for purifying air in vehicles uses a filter which is used in the vehicles. However, the filter rarely reduces harmful gas. In addition, an ionizer air cleaner is being sold, but is merely an ion generating device and lacks the capability of purifying.

Therefore, techniques for removing harmful gas and particles (in particular, fine particles) simultaneously and effectively are developing. For example, Korean Patent Registration Nos. 530973 and 623853 disclose that an activated carbon filter is installed at a front portion or a rear portion of an electrostatic precipitator to process harmful gas and fine particles. However, since the related-art methods require the electrostatic precipitator and the separate activated carbon filter, the size of the processing device increases. In addition, since the processing device has a complicated structure, the costs for installing and maintaining increase.

Korean Patent Registration No. 1087055 discloses an electrostatic precipitator which uses an activated carbon fiber filter which charges and processes particles simultaneously. However, though this electrostatic precipitator can be miniaturized, efficiency is low because it is difficult to apply high voltage to a discharge electrode and ozone generation rate is high.

SUMMARY

One or more aspects of the exemplary embodiments provide a vehicle air purifying apparatus which can reduce harmful gas and particles simultaneously.

One or more aspects of the exemplary embodiments also provide a vehicle air purifying apparatus which can reduce harmful gas and particles simultaneously without causing ozone.

One or more aspects of the exemplary embodiments also provide a vehicle air purifying apparatus by which a lifespan of an activated carbon fiber filter can be extended.

One or more aspects of the exemplary embodiments also provide a vehicle air purifying apparatus which can re-use a removable collecting electrode by cleansing the collecting electrode.

According to an aspect of an exemplary embodiment, there is provided a vehicle air purifying apparatus for simultaneously reducing harmful gas and particles, including: a charger configured to discharge positive (+) ions or negative (−) ions to charge the particles included in the harmful gas; a removable collecting electrode configured to have positive (+) or negative (−) polarity to allow at least some of the particles charged by the charger to be attached thereto; and a filter configured to filter harmful gas and/or particles that are not attached to the removable collecting electrode from among the particles charged by the charger and have positive (+) or negative (−) polarity, wherein, when the charger discharges the positive (+) ions, the removable collecting electrode has the negative (−) polarity and the filter has the positive (+) polarity, wherein, when the charger discharges the negative (−) ions, the removable collecting electrode has the positive (+) polarity and the filter has the negative (−) polarity.

According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, there is provided a vehicle air purifying apparatus for simultaneously reducing harmful gas and particles, including: a charger configured to discharge positive (+) ions or negative (−) ions to charge the particles included in the harmful gas; a removable collecting electrode configured to have positive (+) or negative (−) polarity to allow at least some of the particles charged by the charger to be attached thereto; and a filter configured to filter particles and/or harmful gas that are not attached to the removable collecting electrode from among the particles charged by the charger and have positive (+) or negative (−) polarity, and, wherein the filter is formed in a tubular shape having an empty space therein and the removable collecting electrode is inserted into the filter.

According to one or more exemplary embodiments, the removable collecting electrode removes particles and the filter removes harmful gas, so that the effect of simultaneously reducing the harmful gas and particles can be achieved.

According to one or more exemplary embodiments, the microfiber discharge part is used to generate high concentration ions and thus charging efficiency of gas to be processed can be enhanced and ozone is not generated.

According to one or more exemplary embodiments, particles are removed by the removable collecting electrode, so that the lifespan of the filter can be extended.

According to one or more exemplary embodiments, the collecting electrode is configured to be removable, so that the collecting electrode can be easily cleansed and reused.

According to one or more exemplary embodiments, ultrafine particles (for example, particles of a diameter of about 0.3 μm) may also be removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings to clarify aspects, features and advantages of the inventive concept. The exemplary embodiments may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Rather, the exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the application to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Exemplary embodiments described herein include their complementary embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other components.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The matters defined in the description, such as detailed construction and elements, are provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the exemplary embodiments. However, it is apparent that the exemplary embodiments can be carried out by those of ordinary skill in the art without those specifically defined matters. In the description of the exemplary embodiment, certain detailed explanations of related art are omitted when it is deemed that they may unnecessarily obscure the essence of the inventive concept.

Verification of Terms

The term “filter” used in the following description refers to an “activated carbon fiber filter”, a “filter having at least part coated by activated carbon”, “activated carbon”, or a “filter capable of attaching harmful gas and/or particles”. In the following exemplary embodiments, the filter is an activated carbon fiber filter for the purpose of explaining the present disclosure. However, the filter used in the present disclosure is not limited to the activated carbon fiber filter.

FIG. 1is a view to illustrate a vehicle air purifying apparatus which can reduce harmful gas and particles simultaneously according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 1, the vehicle air purifying apparatus which can reduce the harmful gas and particles simultaneously according to the present exemplary embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as the “vehicle air purifying apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment”) can remove harmful gas and particles included in air by using microfiber discharge and an activated carbon fiber filter.

The vehicle air purifying apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a body10, a charger20to charge particles included in air, a filter30to filter harmful gas and particles, and a power supply V. The charger20includes a grounded part21and a microfiber discharge part23, and the filter30includes an activated carbon fiber filter31and a removable collecting electrode33.

The body10serves as a main frame of the vehicle air purifying apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment, and is made of material having predetermined stiffness so as to maintain its tubular shape having an empty space therein. The tubular shape recited herein may be a cylindrical shape or a prism shape, but the present disclosure is not limited to these shapes.

The charger20and the filter30are disposed in the body10. Although the power supply V is disposed on the outside of the body10inFIG. 1, the power supply V may be disposed in the body10.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the body10is divided into a part P1where the charger20is disposed (hereinafter, referred to as a first part) and a part P2where the filter30is disposed (hereinafter, referred to as a second part).

In the present exemplary embodiment, harmful gas and particles (fine particles or ultrafine particles) to be processed pass through the charger20first. In this case, the particles are charged to have polarity. The particles which have passed through the charger20move to the filter30. In the filter30, the particles may be attached to the removable collecting electrode33, and the harmful gas may be attached to the activated carbon fiber filter31. The air from which the harmful gas and particles are removed by the filter30(hereinafter, referred to as purified air) is discharged to the outside.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the microfiber discharge part23generates positive (+) ions or negative (−) ions, and the particles passing through the charger20are charged with a positive (+) charge or a negative (−) charge by these ions. InFIG. 1, the microfiber discharge part23generates positive (+) ions for the sake of easy explanation of the present disclosure, but the microfiber discharge part23may be configured to generate negative (−) ions.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the microfiber discharge part23is made of microfiber including a carbon fiber or stainless material, and thus generates high concentration ions and does not generate ozone.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the grounded part21may be made of conductive material and may be grounded.

In the present exemplary embodiment, a voltage (V) is applied to maintain a predetermined potential difference between the removable collecting electrode33and the activated carbon fiber filter31. When the potential difference is maintained between the removable collecting electrode33and the activated carbon fiber filter31, the particles charged with the positive (+) charge or the negative (−) charge are attached to the removable collecting electrode33.

For example, when the microfiber discharge part23is configured to discharge positive (+) ions, the activated carbon fiber filter31is configured to have positive (+) polarity and the removable collecting electrode33is configured to have negative (−) polarity. On the other hand, when the microfiber discharge part23is configured to discharge negative (−) ions, the activated carbon fiber filter31is configured to have negative (−) polarity and the removable collecting electrode33is configured to have positive (+) polarity.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the activated carbon fiber filter31is formed in a tubular shape and has the removable collecting electrode33inserted thereinto. When the activated carbon fiber filter31is formed in the tubular shape, the removable collecting electrode33may be formed in the tubular shape.

The tubular shape herein may be a cylindrical shape or a prism shape, but the present disclosure is not limited to these shapes.

The removable collecting electrode33formed in the tubular shape includes a side part, an upper part, and a lower part. The side part of the removable collecting electrode33is disposed to face the activated carbon fiber filter31in the proximity of the activated carbon fiber filter31, the upper part of the removable collecting electrode33is disposed to face the microfiber discharge part23, and the lower part of the removable collecting electrode33is disposed to be easily inserted and removed. Since the potential difference is maintained between the side part of the removable collecting electrode33and the activated carbon fiber filter31which face each other, a line of electric force starts from a side of a high electric potential and reaches the other side.

When the removable collecting electrode33is configured to be inserted into the activated carbon fiber filter31, it is easy to insert and remove the removable collecting electrode33.

As described above, when the microfiber discharge part23has positive (+) polarity to discharge positive (+) ions, the removable collecting electrode33has negative (−) polarity and the activated carbon fiber filter31has positive (+) polarity. On the other hand, when the microfiber discharge part23has negative (−) polarity to discharge negative (−) ions, the removable collecting electrode33has positive (+) polarity and the activated carbon fiber filter31has negative (−) polarity. That is, the microfiber discharge part23and the activated carbon fiber filter31have the same polarity and the removable collecting electrode33has the different polarity.

In the present exemplary embodiment, since the particles are attached to the surface of the removable collecting electrode33, the removable collecting electrode33should be cleansed after it is used for a predetermined time. To achieve this, the removable collecting electrode33is configured to be removable. That is, the removable collecting electrode33is inserted into the activated carbon fiber filter31for use, and is removed from the activated carbon fiber filter31when it is time to cleanse and is then cleansed. Thereafter, the cleansed removable collecting electrode33may be used again in the vehicle air purifying apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment.

As can be seen fromFIG. 1, the particles included in air are charged to have positive (+) polarity or negative (−) polarity, and the charged particles are attached to the removable collecting electrode33. For example, large particles from among the charged particles are attached to the upper part of the removable collecting electrode33, whereas the other small particles are attached to the side part of the removable collecting electrode33. The particles attached to the side part of the removable collecting electrode33are those attached by the line of electric force generated between the removable collecting electrode33and the activated carbon fiber filter31.

According to the present exemplary embodiment as described above, the large particles are not attached to the activated carbon fiber filter31and are attached to the removable collecting electrode33first. The small particles may be attached to the removable collecting electrode33by a strong electric field formed between the activated carbon fiber filter31and the removable collecting electrode33.

FIG. 2is a perspective view to illustrate a vehicle air purifying apparatus which can reduce harmful gas and particles simultaneously according to an exemplary embodiment,FIG. 3is a cross sectional view to illustrate the vehicle air purifying apparatus ofFIG. 2,FIG. 4is a view to illustrate an operation principle of the vehicle air purifying apparatus ofFIG. 2, andFIG. 5is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle air purifying apparatus ofFIG. 2.

Referring toFIGS. 2 to 5, the vehicle air purifying apparatus100according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a body110, a charger120to charge particles included in air, a filter130to filter harmful gas and particles, a control and power unit140, and an inlet150. The charger120may include a grounded part121, a microfiber discharge part123, and a support part125to support the microfiber discharge part123. The filter130may include an activated carbon fiber filter131and a removable collecting electrode133. The inlet150may include a cover151and a fan153.

The body110serves as a main frame of the vehicle air purifying apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment, and the charger120, the filter130, and the control and power unit140are disposed in the body110.

The body110is made of material having predetermined stiffness so as to maintain its tubular shape having an empty space therein, and the charger120and the filter130are disposed in the body110.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the body110may be divided into a part P11where the inlet150is disposed (hereinafter, referred to as a third part), a part P12where the charger120and the filter130are disposed (hereinafter, referred to as a fourth part), and a part P13where the control and power unit140is disposed (hereinafter, referred to as a fifth part). As shown inFIG. 5, the third part, the fourth part, and the fifth part may be removably connected with one another. Herein, a discharge outlet111may be formed on the fourth part P12to discharge purified air passing through the filter130therethrough.

The fifth part where the control and power unit140is disposed is configured to be separable from the fourth part. When the fifth part is separated from the fourth part (seeFIG. 5), the filter130disposed in the fourth part can be separated. That is, the activate carbon fiber filter131and the removable collecting electrode133of the filter130can be separated from each other.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the control and power unit140controls the other elements (for example, the body110, the charger120, the filter130, and the like) and supplies power to the elements. The control and power unit140controls the charger120and the filter130to have appropriate polarity.

In the present exemplary embodiment, harmful gas and particles to be processed enters through the inlet150and passes through the charger120. In this case, the particles are charged to have polarity. The particles which have passed through the charger120moves to the filter130. In the filter130, relatively larger particles are attached to the removable collecting electrode133and small particles and harmful gas are attached to the activated carbon fiber filter131. Since the large particles are attached to the removable collecting electrode133rather than the activated carbon fiber filter131and the large particles are not attached to the activated carbon fiber filter131, the replacement cycle for the activated carbon fiber filter131may be extended.

The air from which the particles and harmful gas are removed by the filter130is discharged to the outside.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the air which has passed through the charger120meets the removable collecting electrode133first and then moves to the activated carbon fiber filter131.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the removable collecting electrode133prevents the air which has passed through the charger120from moving to the control and power unit140and guides the air to move to the activated carbon fiber filter131.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the microfiber discharge part123generates positive (+) ions or negative (−) ions. The particles passing through the charger120are charged with a positive (+) charge or a negative (−) charge by these ions. InFIGS. 2 to 5, the microfiber discharge part123generates positive (+) ions for the purpose of explaining the present disclosure. However, the microfiber discharge part123may be configured to generate negative (−) ions.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the grounded part121may be made of conductive material and may be grounded.

In the present exemplary embodiment, a voltage is applied to maintain a predetermined potential difference between the removable collecting electrode133and the activated carbon fiber filter131.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the activated carbon fiber filter131is formed in a tubular shape and has the removable collecting electrode133inserted thereinto. When the activated carbon fiber filter131is formed in the tubular shape, the removable collecting electrode133may be formed in the tubular shape. The removable collecting electrode133formed in the tubular shape includes a side part, an upper part, and a lower part. The side part of the removable collecting electrode133is disposed to face the activated carbon fiber filter131in the proximity of the activated carbon fiber filter131, the upper part of the removable collecting electrode133is disposed to face the microfiber discharge part123, and the lower part of the removable collecting electrode133is disposed to be easily inserted and removed. Since the potential difference is maintained between the side part of the removable collecting electrode133and the activated carbon fiber filter131which face each other, a line of electric force starts from one side and reaches the other side.

When the microfiber discharge part123has positive (+) polarity, the removable collecting electrode133has negative (−) polarity and the activated carbon fiber filter131has positive (+) polarity. On the other hand, when the microfiber discharge part123has negative (−) polarity, the removable collecting electrode133has positive (+) polarity and the activated carbon fiber filter131has negative (−) polarity. That is, the microfiber discharge part123and the activated carbon fiber filter131have the same polarity and the removable collecting electrode133has the different polarity.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the removable collecting electrode133should be cleansed. To achieve this, the removable collecting electrode133is configured to be removable. That is, the removable collecting electrode133is inserted into the activated carbon fiber filter131for use, and is removed from the activated carbon fiber filter131when it is time to cleanse and is then cleansed. Thereafter, the cleansed removable collecting electrode133may be used again in the vehicle air purifying apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment.

Referring toFIG. 4, fine particles included in air (for example, air in the vehicle) are charged to have positive (+) polarity or negative (−) polarity when passing through the charger120. Some of the charged fine particles are attached to the upper part of the removable collecting electrode133, whereas the other fine particles are attached to the side part of the removable collecting electrode133. The polluting gas included in the air is filtered by the activated carbon fiber filter131.

In the exemplary embodiments described above with reference to the drawings, the activated carbon fiber filter and the removable collecting electrode are formed in the tubular shape. However, this is merely an example and the activated carbon fiber filter and the removable collecting electrode may be formed in other shapes.

In addition, in the exemplary embodiments described above with reference toFIGS. 1 to 5, the activated carbon fiber filter is used. However, this is merely an example and any kind of filter that has electrical conductivity to be able to draw particles or harmful gas thereinto may be used.

While exemplary embodiments have been particularly shown and described above, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.