Abstract:
An air decontamination unit is described with a housing defining an interior, an intake and exhaust in direct communication with the interior, a blower—in operational communication with a control panel—for drawing in and moving air through the housing, which further includes a filter assembly, a UV lamp, an ozone lamp, and an ozone sensor for detecting the concentration of ozone therein—positioned in the interior of the housing, all in direct communication with the control panel.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an air decontamination unit that uses a filter assembly, ozone gas, and ultraviolet light to clean and sanitize air. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Previous attempts in decontaminating air have involved filtering. Unfortunately, filtering does not eliminate pathogens or destroy microorganisms present in the air. Other attempts in providing systems for decontaminating air have involved the use of ultraviolet light and/or ozone production in bulky systems or systems requiring permanent fixation into the existing HVAC structure. These systems are generally confined to a single location or require modification of existing HVAC structures. Other attempts in providing systems for decontaminating air have provided ultraviolet light and/or ozone production, but have failed to utilize the ultraviolet light or ozone in a system that generates a high velocity of air, which cleans and sanitizes a room. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     An air decontamination unit is described that utilizes a filter assembly, ozone gas and ultraviolet light to clean and sanitize air. The air decontamination unit provides a high velocity of cleaned and sanitized air into its ambient environment. The air decontamination unit is portable and may be easily moved from one location to another location. The air decontamination may be provided with wheels and handles to aid in the transport between locations. 
     The air decontamination unit comprises a housing defining an interior. The housing further comprises an intake and an exhaust, wherein the intake and exhaust are in communication with the interior of the air decontamination unit. Air enters the housing via the intake, and after the air is cleaned and sanitized, the air exits the housing via the exhaust. A blower is positioned relative to the interior for drawing air into the housing and moving air through the interior of the housing. The housing further comprises a filter assembly for filtering the air entering the housing through the intake. A control panel is in operational communication with the blower. An ozone lamp is positioned in the interior of the housing. The ozone lamp is in electrical communication with the control panel. A UV lamp is positioned in the interior of the housing. The UV lamp is in electrical communication with the control panel. An ozone sensor is in electrical communication with the control panel for measuring the concentration of ozone gas in the interior of the housing. 
     The cleaned and sanitized air is exhausted from the housing of the unit at a high volume and velocity sufficient to remove and/or destroy a substantial amount of the microorganisms and pathogens present in the operating environment of the unit. The high velocity of the exhaust air circulates about the room and expands into cracks and crevices where microorganisms, pathogens and contaminants may be located. The unit processes high volumes of air at a high velocity, up to approximately 3000 cubic feet per minute, to process the air in the room. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the air decontamination unit. 
         FIG. 2  is a view of the exhaust side of the air decontamination unit. 
         FIG. 3  is view of the intake side of the air decontamination unit. 
         FIG. 4  is view of the status indicators on top of the control panel. 
         FIG. 5  is a view of the remote control. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the control panel, the UV lamp, and the ozone lamp. 
         FIG. 7  is a view of the components and circuits of the control panel. 
         FIG. 8  is a side, sectional view the air decontamination unit. 
         FIG. 9  is top, sectional view of the air decontamination unit. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
     An air decontamination unit is described herein. The air decontamination unit provides a high velocity of cleaned and sanitized air into its ambient environment. The negative pressure created by the air decontamination unit intensifies the cleaning and sanitizing processes of the air decontamination unit. The air decontamination unit provides germicidal killing power of approximately 200 to 8000 microwatts and a 0-100% variable ozone output. The air decontamination unit eliminates microorganisms, bacteria and viruses from ambient air along with odor from smoke, pet and food preparation. 
     The air decontamination unit may be safely and effectively utilized in nearly any type of facility. The air decontamination unit is suitable for restaurants, bars, senior care living facilities, commercial office buildings, veterinary clinics, schools, child care facilities, hospitals and the like. Use of the air decontamination unit in such facilities will reduce pathogens in the ambient air, reduce infection, and reduce the incidence of sickness caused by airborne pathogens. The air decontamination unit may be utilized in meat lockers and storage facilities and produce/vegetable storage facilities to improve and extend the shelf-life of food items. The air in meat processing facilities is prone to picking up proteins of the hide and carcasses. These proteins encourage growth of microorganisms, which lead to food spoilage. By destroying the microorganisms, the decay of the food items is reduced, and the shelf-life of the food items is increased creating value for the food industry. 
     The air decontamination unit provides germicidal and odor protection through a centralized system comprising filters, a UV lamp, and an ozone lamp. The ultraviolet lamp emits radiation that directly destroys microorganisms. The ozone lamp emits radiation that forms ozone gas that cleans and sanitizes the air. The air decontamination unit includes one or more filters to remove particulates and pathogens from the air. A control system monitors and operates the air decontamination unit. The air decontamination unit may operate as a stand-alone device. The air decontamination unit may also be incorporated into the infrastructure of an existing HVAC system. The air decontamination unit may also operate with a number of similar air decontamination units in a room or facility. 
     The air decontamination unit eliminates pathogens and microorganisms from the ambient air in the room or facility in which the operating air decontamination unit is located. Bacteria, fungus, mold spores, viruses, yeasts, cysts, algae, fungal pathogens, and protozoa are all eliminated by the operation of the air decontamination unit. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-9 , an air decontamination unit  10  is shown. The air decontamination unit  10  is portable and may be easily rolled from one room requiring air decontamination to a second or additional rooms also requiring air decontamination. 
     The air decontamination unit  10  comprises a housing  100 , which forms a box-like structure. The housing  100  may be made from aluminum or other sturdy and non-reactive material. As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the housing includes an interior  120 , which aids in directing the air flow through the air decontamination unit  10 . Ambient air is drawn into the air decontamination unit  10  and the air is cleaned and sanitized. The cleaned and sanitized air is exhausted from the air decontamination unit  10  into a room or facility. The cleaned and sanitized air is safe for direct contact with the occupants of the room or facility. 
     The housing  100  includes wheels  130  for mobility. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the air decontamination unit comprises four wheels  130  engaged with a bottom surface  140  of the air decontamination unit  10 . The wheels  130  may be replaced with casters, tracks, slides, etc. that also provide for mobility for the air decontamination unit  10 . 
     Exterior sides  150  and  160  of the air decontamination unit  10  comprise four handles  173  to allow the operator to hold and maneuver the air decontamination unit  10  during transport from a first room to a second room. As shown in  FIG. 3 , an intake side  170  of the air decontamination unit  10  comprises an intake manifold  175 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , an exhaust side  190  of the housing  100  is opposite of the intake side  170 . The exhaust side  190  comprises an exhaust port  195 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , a filter assembly  200  is positioned on the intake side  170  of the housing  100 . The filter assembly  200  filters the incoming ambient air entering the housing  100  from the intake side  170 . The filter assembly  200  removes particles, bacteria and other contaminants from the air entering the air decontamination unit  10  from the intake manifold  175 . The filter assembly  200  comprises one or more particulate filters  220 , an anti-bacterial filter  240 , and a 0.3 micron hepa filter  260 . The particulate filter  220 , anti-bacterial filter  240 , and the 0.3 micron hepa filter  260  are commercially available and may have an industry standard sizes of 24 inches by 24 inches. The particulate filter  220  removes particles up to 10 microns and larger from air entering the unit  10 . The anti-bacterial filter  240  removes particles up to 1 micron and larger from the air entering the unit  10 . The filter assembly  200  remove particulate from the air entering the housing  100 . 
     A blower  300  draws air into the interior  120  of the housing  100  through the intake manifold  175  and the filter assembly  200 . After passing through the interior  120  of the housing  100  and the filter assembly  200  for processing, the blower  300  exhausts the air through the exhaust port  195  of the housing  100 . Before the air is exhausted via the exhaust port  195 , the air passes first through the filter assembly  200  for filtration. Next, the air contacts a UV lamp  320  such that the UV radiation from the UV lamp  320  destroys microorganism present in the air. Finally, the air is subjected to and mixed with ozone gas created by an ozone lamp  340 . The arrangement of filter assembly  200 , the UV lamp  320  and the ozone lamp  340  with and in the housing  100  provide for the incoming air to first be filtered, followed by exposure to UV light, and then mixed and contacted with the ozone gas. 
     A suitable UV lamp  320  is a hot filament lamp. The UV lamp  320  emits radiation at a wavelength of approximately 248 nanometers to approximately 260 nanometers. The UV lamp  320  has an output of approximately 200 microwatts to approximately 8000 microwatts. In the embodiment shown, the UV lamp  320  is commercially available from LightSources, Inc. and LightTech Lamp Technology Ltd. and is made from quartz glass. This particular UV lamp  320  emits radiation at 254 nanometers, which kills germs present in the air. The UV lamp  320  is rated for a life of approximately 20,000 hours. 
     A UV lamp trap  330  partially surrounds the UV lamp  320 . The UV lamp trap  330  acts as a deflector or shield to increase the contact time of the ambient air with the radiation emitted by the UV lamp  320 . The UV lamp trap  330  may comprise an angled, a rounded, or semi-circular plate or extension extending most of or the entire length of the UV lamp  320 . The UV lamp trap  320  provides a physical barrier that slows or temporality traps air adjacent to the UV lamp trap  320  for UV treatment. The UV lamp trap  330  is on the side of the UV lamp  320  opposite of the incoming air flow through the filter assembly  200 . 
     After the air passes the UV lamp  320  and the UV lamp trap  330 , the air next passes the ozone lamp  340 . The ozone lamp  340  is a hot filament lamp with a quartz tube that emits radiation that creates ozone gas from the oxygen molecules found in the ambient air entering the air decontamination unit  10 . The ozone lamp  340  emits radiation at a wavelength of approximately 180 nanometers to approximately 190 nanometers. In the embodiment shown, the ozone lamp  340  is commercially available from LightSources, Inc. and LightTech Lamp Technology Ltd. and emits radiation at 185 nanometers. The ozone lamp  340  provides instant-start for ozone production and operates at 25 watts. The ozone lamp  340  is rated for a life of approximately 20,000 hours. The ozone output of the ozone lamp  340  is adjustable to provide varying levels of ozone. 
     The ozone gas formed by the ozone lamp  340  cleans and sanitizes the ambient air. The ozone gas also mixes with air. After passing the ozone lamp  340 , the air is drawn into an entry side  310  of the blower  300  and the blower  300  forces the now-cleaned and sanitized air comprising ozone gas through the exhaust port  195  and into the room containing the air decontamination unit  10 . The exhausted air contains a concentration of ozone gas at approximately or just under 0.1 ppm to sanitize and clean the ambient air in a room. 
     An ozone sensor  350  measures the concentration of ozone in the air exhausted by the air decontamination unit  10 . The ozone sensor  350  comprises a probe  355  that is positioned on an interior side of the exhaust side wall  190 . The ozone sensor  350  is in electrical communication with the control panel  400 . When an ozone concentration of greater than 0.1 ppm is measured by the ozone sensor  350  and this measurement is relayed to the control panel  400 , the control panel  400  shuts off the ozone lamp  340 . After the ozone level has lowered to a lower threshold level of approximately 0.09 ppm, as measured by the ozone sensor  350 , the control panel  400  turns the ozone lamp  340  back on to again create ozone gas within the air decontamination unit  10 . As such, the control panel  440  monitors and operates the ozone lamp  340  to maintain a constant ozone residue at approaching or approximately just under 0.1 ppm. This feature prevents the air decontamination unit  10  from increasing the ozone levels in the exhaust air above workplace safety standards set by OSHA. In other embodiments, the lower threshold to turn the ozone lamp  340  back on is approximately 0.07 ppm to approximately 0.08 ppm. In other embodiments, the lower threshold may be set to ozone values at any value below 0.1 ppm. 
     The control panel  400  may be positioned on a top side  199  of the housing  100 . The control panel is in electrical communication with the UV lamp  320  and the ozone lamp  340 . In the embodiment shown, the UV lamp  320  and the ozone lamp  340  are directly connected or engaged to the control panel  400  through ports  410  in the top side  199  of the housing  100 . 
     A flow sensor  370  is also in electrical communication with the control panel  400 . The flow sensor  370  is positioned in the interior  120  of the housing. When the flow sensor  370  detects movement of air in the housing  100 , the control panel  400  turns on both the ozone lamp  340  and the UV lamp  320 . The control panel  400  may comprise a programmable logic controller such as a commercially available LCIC-1106A Load-cells interface card. The air decontamination unit  10  operates on standard alternating current. The control panel  400  includes a relay board  482 , a multiplexer  484 , a serial interface  486 , and led lights  488  in electrical communication. 
     The control panel  400  comprises operating modes of low, medium, high and boost, which provide varying levels of ozone gas. The different operating modes increase the power supplied to the to the ozone lamp  340 . The low ozone output level may be used in spaces of approximately 1500-2600 square feet. The medium ozone output level may be used in spaces of approximately 2600-3750 square feet. The high ozone output may be used in spaces of approximately 3750-4900 square feet. The boost ozone output level may be used in spaces of approximately 4900-6000 square feet. 
     The air decontamination unit  10  may be easily moved from location to location due to its compact size and wheels  130 . In the alternative, the air decontamination unit  10  may be permanently or temporarily positioned in line with a conventional HVAC system that heats and cools a room or facility. 
     The blower  300  exhausts air comprising ozone gas at approximately 1000 cubic feet per minute to approximately 3000 cubic feet per minute. The control panel  400  may comprise different speeds for the blower  300 , such as a high speed, which processes approximately 2600 cubic feet per minute and a low speed that process approximately 1300 cubic feet per minute. The operator may adjust the speed of the blower  300  by choosing the desired speed at the control panel  400 . The exhaust port  195  funnels the air exhausting from the housing. The exhaust port  195  and blower  400  operate in conjunction to exhaust the cleaned and sanitized air. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the control panel  400  includes a visual output of LED signals showing the various modes and status of the control panel  400 . For example, indicator lights are provided to show the status of power to the air decontamination unit  10 , whether the blower  300 , germicidal, and ozone functions are operational, whether service is required for the air decontamination unit  10 , and whether the boost, high, medium, or low is the current status of the ozone lamp  340 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 5 , an optional remote  500  is shown. The remote  500  generally includes the same status modes as the control panel  400 . The remote  500  allows for the operator to remotely control the air decontamination unit  10 . 
     The blower  300  is a commercially available unit from the Emerson Corporation. A blower  300  with a motor having approximately one horsepower to approximately two horsepower is suitable for the purposes described herein. A motor with a centrifugal style fan is suitable. The blower  300  pulls contaminated air through the clean filters at a static pressure of approximately 1.7 to approximately 2.0 inches of water column. One of ordinary skill in the art may increase or decrease the horsepower for larger or smaller applications. 
     The exhaust side  190  may include a number of controls and gauges for the air decontamination unit  10 . A minihelic gauge  420  may be placed on the exhaust side wall  190 . The minihelic gauge  420  is in operational communication with the interior of the air decontamination unit  10  to measure the pressure of the air in the air decontamination unit  10  to insure that the filter assembly  200  is not obstructed or blocked and is allowing air to enter and exhaust from the air decontamination unit  10 . An on/off switch  440  is provided to turn the air decontamination unit  10  on and off. An hours monitor  450  may be provided to measure the usage of the air decontamination unit  10 . 
     The air decontamination unit  10  provides a high velocity of cleaned and sanitized air into its ambient environment. The negative pressure created by the air decontamination unit intensifies the cleaning and sanitizing processes of the air decontamination unit. The high velocity of the exhaust air circulates about the room and expands into cracks and crevices where germs and other microbes and contaminants may be located. This high velocity of air is helpful in cleaning and sanitizing the various nooks and crannies in a particular room, such as in a keyboard, and other narrow or tight openings. 
     Ozone gas is generally unstable (a property that gives ozone its extraordinary oxidizing capabilities). Ozone gas cannot be packaged or stored and must be generated on site. Ozone creates none of the trihalomethanes commonly associated with chlorine compounds and properly matched to the application; ozone will reduce most organic compounds to carbon dioxide, water and a little heat. Finally, as ozone sheds the atom of the oxygen causing its molecular instability during the oxidation process, it becomes oxygen again. As such, an air decontamination unit  10  poses no health hazards. While ozone is a toxic gas and the established concentration limits must be adhered to, the odor threshold of 0.01 ppm is far below the safety limit of 0.1 ppm exposure over an eight hour period. The first symptoms of excessive ozone exposure are headaches, eye, nose or throat irritation or a shortness of breath. These symptoms can be relieved by the simple application of fresh air. While no deaths have been reported from ozone, sound safety practices deserve attention. 
     In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the air decontamination unit  10  has a size of approximately 33 inches long by 26 inches wide by 26 inches high and weighs approximately 145 pounds. These dimensions for the air decontamination unit  10  allow it to pass through a conventional 28-inch doorway. These dimensions allow the air decontamination unit  10  to be moved from room to room in order to clean and sanitized different spaces. 
     The air decontamination unit  10  may be utilized in medical facilities and food processing facilities. The air decontamination unit  10  reduces the level of microorganisms in these facilities resulting in reduce infections in the medical facilities and reduced spoilage in the food processing faculties. 
     The air decontamination unit  10  may be located within an isolation room in a medical facility with no inlet or exhaust ducting, so there is no affect on room pressurization. This setup accelerates the removal rate of airborne contaminants and provides supplemental ACH (air changes per hour) equivalents. The air decontamination unit  10  is user-friendly, functional and engineered to provide the highest level of micro-decontamination. The air decontamination unit  10  may be operated in a room or facility on a constant basis, i.e., 24 hours per day, seven days a week. The air decontamination unit  10  provides versatile, in-room operation providing outstanding short-term and long-term patient isolation solutions by meeting the Center for Disease Control&#39;s Guidelines for Infection Control in Healthcare Facilities using a range of negative or positive pressure modes of operation. The air decontamination unit  10  may be especially appropriate for facilities concerned about the possible need to add surge capacity in response to a bioterrorism event or a pandemic. The air decontamination unit  10  may be used in combination with the in-room HEPA filtration systems to help minimize any possibility that highly infectious biological pathogens can migrate into other areas of the facility. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that variations from the specific embodiments disclosed above are contemplated by the invention. The invention should not be restricted to the above embodiments, but should be measured by the following claims.