Patent Publication Number: US-7594959-B2

Title: Conducting gas purification filter and filter assembly

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     Present invention relates to an electrostatic gas purification filter and a filter assembly comprising such filter. In particular the invention relates to a filter adapted for purifying air from particles, that can be continuously supplied with charge to increase its efficiency in collecting and retaining charged airborne particles. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The need for effective air purification is ever increasing. The need is evident in providing a healthy home environment and comfortable conditions in offices and vehicles, and also in creating clean room environments for advanced production and research. 
     In existing systems for filtering of air, particularly in larger buildings, the air purification is often combined with ventilation systems. The air that is forced into the building is typically made to pass through one or more filters with the purpose of reducing the amount of particles in the air. The air filters are normally divided into three classes: coarse filter, high efficiency filter and micro filter (or High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter). Coarse and high efficiency filters are often used in combination and can be made to be effective in blocking particles of a size larger than 1 μm. However, a significant portion of the air pollution comprises of particles with sizes below 1 μm, and among these are substances chat has been shown to be of importance regarding health aspects. Furthermore, in clean rooms, the requirements concerning the size of particles and their concentrations are significantly harder than what can be provided with the combination of coarse and high efficiency filters only. To effectively filter out particles smaller than 1 μm, commonly used techniques comprises the uses of one or more micro filters. The micro filters comprises of materials of extremely fine fibers giving very large active area of the filter. The term “density” is a measure of the level of filtering. It is possibly to obtain high degrees of filtering using micro filters. However, these filters are typically expensive and due to their high density they often have a short lifetime. Hence, the micro filter needs to be frequently replaced, which result in high maintenance costs. Additionally, due to their high density, the micro filters causes a large pressure drop, not at least than the filters are starting to get clogged. This results in a lower air flow and a deterioration of the ventilation if the filters are not frequently exchanged. Alternatively, the fans of the ventilation needs to work harder, which gives higher cost of operation and often an increase in noise. Accordingly, although technically possible, it is costly and cumbersome to achieve and maintain a high degree of air purification using micro filters and at the same time provide a sufficient ventilation. 
     The above described filters are functioning through their density only. Other principles of purging air is known in the art. Among the known principles are the use of electrostatic filters. These filters have in combination to having a high density, also been provided with a electrostatic charge in order to attract charged air particles (see for example www.camfil.se). The material in the electrostatic filters are good insulators, for example polymers, and the filter gets the electrostatic charge during the manufacturing or mechanical machining of the filter, for example. 
     Electrostatic filters can be effective, but their electrostatic charge is often relatively quickly neutralized by particles of opposite charge which are caught in the filter, which leads to a deterioration in efficiency of the filters. Further, the filters are typically sensitive to moisture in the air, which will lower the electrostatic charge of the filters. In practice, then used in realistic conditions, the electrostatic filters typically have lost a significant part of their capacity already after a couple of weeks. 
     Electric charge is used also in air purification using so called ionizers. Ionizers transfers charge in the form of electrons to airborne particles and molecules. These charge particles can more easily agglomerate to larger particles which can be made to attract to a positive part of the ionizer. Alternatively high efficiency or micro filters are used to collect the agglomerated particles. Similarly, positive airborne particles can be made. The efficiency of the filters can be increased further if the filters are given an electrostatic charge. If high voltage ion emitters are utilized, actual ionization of the surrounding gas (air) occur due to so called corona discharge. The so created ions collides and sticks to the airborne particles. Depending on the potential of the emitter, positive or negative ions may be created. Such filter and filtering systems are commercially available from Transjonic AB, for example. 
     Transjonic discloses an arrangement for air purification intended to supplement or replace a conventional air purification in a ventilation system. One or more ion emitters are placed in an air duct for the incoming air stream, close to a filter package. An improved air purification is achieved both due to that small particles agglomerates more easily to larger entities which can be caught by a high efficiency filter, for example, and due to electrostatic effects in the filters. However, the electrostatic filters have the same shortcomings as described above, i.e. the electrostatic filters loses their charge during operation and hence, loses some of their filtering capability. 
     Accordingly, a problem with the prior art techniques is that arrangements comprising electrostatic filters loses capacity due to that the electrostatic charge of the filters decrease during operation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One object of the present invention is to provide filters which can be provided with electrostatic charge during operation, whereby increasing their capacity in trapping charged airborne particles. 
     This is achieved with the filter according to the invention as defined in claim  1  and the filter assembly as defined in claim  4 . 
     Thanks to that the filter according to the invention comprises polymer that has obtained substantially increased conductivity by a doping process, may the filter according to the invention be supplied with electric charge during operation and whereby maintain the capability to attract charged airborne particles. 
     The filter according to the invention is preferably manufactured from a synthetic metal, for example based on one of the following materials, combinations of some of the following materials, or derivatives of the following materials: polyacetylen, polyaniline, cis-polyacetylen, Polypyrrole, polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT), poly(phenylene vinylidene), Poly(thiophene) or poly (dialkylfluorene). 
     The filter assembly according to the invention utilizes the conducting filter described above. Air is governed through the filter arrangement, wherein the conducting filter is in connection with a first electrical potential and hence receiving has an electric charge. Preferably the filter arrangement comprises of at least a second conducting filter which has received an electric charge which is opposite that of the first filter. Preferably, the first and second conducting filters are so arranged as to constitute an electrical capacitor, whereby ensuring an even charge distribution over the filter surfaces. 
     One advantage afforded by the present invention is that the conducting filter may be supplied with charge during operation, either continuously or on demand. 
     A further advantage afforded by the present invention is that the conducting filters may be arranged in an arrangement giving a condition similar to a capacitor. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1   a - b  illustrate a filter arrangement according to the invention comprising a conducting filter according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a filter assembly according to one embodiment the invention comprising two conducting filter according to the invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a filter assembly of the type forming a capacitor according to one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a filter assembly of the type forming a capacitor according to one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a filter assembly of the type forming an elongated capacitor according to one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a filter assembly of the type according to an embodiment of the invention used in combination with an ion emitter; and 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a conducting thin film air purifier according to the invention mounted on a glass window. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The embodiments of the present invention will be described primarily in the context of air purification, in particular to using the filter and filter assembly according to the invention to remove airborne particles from air. As appreciated by the skilled in the art the filters can equally well be used for purification of other gases, gases mixtures and certain liquids. 
     One aspect of the present invention may, on a conceptual level, be described as replacing the known isolating electrostatic filters with filters of a conducting material, which conducting filters are given an electric charge by connecting the filter to a high voltage source. 
     Up to now, filters with sufficiently high conductivity to function as outlined above, have only been possible to manufacture in metal, or with a high degree of metal in a metal/insulator combination. Metallic filters have not been possible to manufacture with the high density that is needed to achieve the higher levels of air purification. Recently a new group of materials have emerged, the so called “synthetic metals”. Synthetic metals comprises of polymers which has received charge carriers by a process that is similar to the doping of semiconductors. Therefore, synthetic metals are also referred to as “doped”. The polymers may be n- or p-doped, either chemically or electronically, to a state which can be characterized as metallic. A large variety of polymers have in this manner been transformed into becoming conductors, with a large span in conductivity. Doped polyacetylene and polyaniline are known examples of synthetic metals. Also cis-polyacetylene, polypyrrole, poly(thiophene) (and derivatives thereof), poly(phenylene vinylidene), poly(ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), polyfenylenvinyliden), polydialkylfluorene), for example have been shown to give high conductivity with doping. Synthetic metals has been described in the art that exhibit conductivity up around 10 5  S/cm, which is a good conductor and equivalent to a number of metals such as some iron alloys. A comprehensive study of common synthetic metals and their electric properties is given in “Synthetic metals: a novel role for organic polymers” by A. G. MacDiarmid, Current Applied Physics 1, 2001, 269-279. 
     Generally as high conductivity as possible is preferable in a electrostatic conducting filter arrangement according to the invention. However, the absolute value of the conductivity is not critical and a conductivity equivalent to that of a semiconductor could in many applications suffice. Preferably, the conductivity of the conducting filter should be above 10 S/cm and even more preferably above 10 2  S/cm. The filter material&#39;s applicability with regards to other properties than the electrical should also be considered, for example mechanical and chemical properties. In addition, the cost of production is also of importance, considering the relatively large amounts of the material needed in a ventilation system, for example. 
     The above mentioned synthetic metals should be appreciated as examples, and the invention should not be considered as limited to these materials. In the present application the term “synthetic metal” be interpreted as an polymer which through a doping process, or a process similar to doping, has been given a substantially increased conductivity. 
     Among the large variety of synthetic metals which have been reported a large portion also have mechanical and chemical properties that make them suitable as filter materials. It is in this aspect the materials typical polymer characteristics that is utilized, for example the possibility of fabricating very thin fibres of the material (some μM), which in many cases can be made to curl during the manufacturing process to give a filter with high density and a very large effective surface area. Some of the polymers, which have been shown to be possible to dope and “transform” into a synthetic metal, are polymers that today are used in filters (in their un-doped, non-metallic form), for example polyethylene, polyaniline, polypropylene and polyacetylene. These materials are in their un-doped forms well known and well suited for filter applications, for example with regards to their mechanical properties. In addition several production methods are known and used to effectively produce air filters using these polymers. The recently discovered possibility of making these normally highly insulating materials, conductive, makes polyethylene, polyaniline, polypropylene and polyacetylene, for example, particularly well suited to be used in a conducting filter according to the present invention. 
     A number of methods are used to manufacture synthetic high efficiency and micro filters. Most of these methods may with only minor adaptations, if any, by used also in the manufacturing of conducting filters. Suitable methods include, but is not limited to: air-laid material, wherein ready-made fibers are blown into an air-stream to form a continuous web; meltblown processes, wherein melted polymers are extruded in an high-temperature, high-velocity air-stream, which results in very thin fibers; and flash-spun processes also capable of producing very thin fibers. 
     The conducting filter according to the invention is supplied with electrical charge by that it is connected to a high DC-voltage, preferably a high voltage source of conventional type. Suitable voltage will depend on the electrical properties of the filter material and the required efficiency of the filter. Typically, a voltage of 10-100 kV is suitable. The to the filter supplied charge causes the charged airborne particle to be trapped and held by the filter due to the same mechanisms as in the conventional electrostatic filters. As the conducting filter according to the invention may be supplied with electrical charge, either continuously or then needed, by the connection to the voltage source, the conducting filters will not lose their charge during operation. By choosing polarity from the voltage source, the conducting filter can be given either positive or negative charge, which constitute an advantage of the inventive filter as the same type of filter can be used to attract both positively and negatively charged airborne particles. In fact, the very same filter can be made to have different charge at different times, which could be used to adapt the filter to variations in the air pollution. Filter components with different charge can be made to interact to further enhance the filtering efficiency, which will be further exemplified below. 
     If the voltage is cut-off, the charge of the conducting filter will remain during a time period, but the charge will decrease due to discharges. The filter will eventually lose its electrostatic properties. Preferably, the conducting filter is a high efficiency or micro filter, with regards to its conventional filtering properties, so that a vast majority of the particles collected in the filter will remain. Upon switching on the voltage the filter will regain its electrostatic properties. 
     The conducting filter according to the invention may be formed in any of the shapes and designs commonly used for air filters, for example panel (flat) filters, bag filters and pleat filters. 
     In a first embodiment of the invention the conducting filter, connected to a high voltage source may be described as replacing an existing filter or filter package in a ventilation system, for example.  FIG. 1   a - b  shows an air duct for incoming air  100  in a ventilation system,  1   a  in a perspective view and  1   b  in a partly cross-sectional view. A flow of incoming air is provided with the use of a fan, or fans (not shown). The direction of the airflow is indicated with arrows. The fan is placed either before or after a conducting filter  110 , with regards to the direction of the airflow. Preferably, the conducting filter  110  is provided in one of the standardized dimension and with the standardized means for attachment which are commonly used in the trade. Preferably the filter constitute of a number of bags in order to increase the effective surface area Alternatively the filter may be of the pleat-type. The conducting filter  110  must be electrically isolated from its surroundings in order to maintain its charge. Otherwise the charge would transported away by the usually electrically conductive materials, e.g. steel plate, used in the cover of the air duct and/or in the fixture of the conducting filter  110 . 
     Preferably, the conducting filter  110  is mounted in a frame  130  made of insulating material. Preferably the isolating frame  130  also constitute the mechanically supporting element of the filter and optionally provides fixtures adapted to engage with fixture means  115  of the air duct. The filter is provided with an electrical contact  140  to be connected to a high voltage source  145  via a cable. One or more conducting filter  110 , the frame  130 , fixtures and possibly other elements such as sealings, supporting rims are included in a filter assembly  150 . The high voltage source  145  is preferably located outside of the air duct  100  and an electrical through-connection is provided through the cover of the air duct to connect to the electrical contact  140  of the filter. The conducting filter may be held at either a positive or a negative potential. Preferably, the pole of the high voltage source  145  which is not in use is grounded. 
     The charged conducting filter is most effective for particles of the opposite charge. The efficiency of a filter arrangement can be increased by the use of a further conducting filter. One embodiment of the invention using two or more conducting filters are shown in  FIG. 2 . A second conducting filter  210  is arranged after the first conducting filter  110 , with regards to the direction of the airflow. The two filters are given opposite electric charge, by supplying the first conducting filter  110  with a negative potential and the second conducting filter  210  with a positive potential or vice versa. The filter arrangement according to this embodiment exhibit an additional advantage in that an even charge distribution over the surfaces of the filters is more easily achievable compared to the single conducting filter arrangement. This can be understood by considering the charged single conducting filter of  FIG. 1 . In this configuration the conducting filter is held at a high potential and the surrounding (conducting) cover is typically grounded, as would be the case in a ventilation system in a building. The free charges in the filter will typically accumulate in portions of the filter which are closest to a grounded surface, for example along the edges of the filter. Accordingly, an uneven charge distribution may occur. The uneven charge distribution can be mitigated by careful design of the filter an the air duct, for example utilizing a non conductive material for the air duct. 
     In certain application a more even charge distribution would be preferably. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2  an even charge distribution is achieved by adapting the distance between the first and second filter so that the filters have an electrostatic effect on each other. Similar to the charge distribution condition in a typical plate capacitor, the charges in the first conducting filter  110  will be essentially evenly distributed over the surface of the filter facing the second conducting filter  210 , and vice versa. In addition to giving a better charge distribution, the supplied high voltage does in this arrangement not need to be as high as in the case with single conducting filter, which is advantageous both in the light of the cost of operation and from security aspects. Filter arrangement utilizing an effect similar to that in an electric capacitor will in the following be referred to as “capacitor filter”. 
     The use of the capacitor effects is further developed in a further embodiment of the present invention, which will be described with reference to  FIG. 3 . In this embodiment the two conducting filters are combined into a filter assembly  300 . The first and second conducting filters are separated by a separating member  310 , the separating member  310  being an isolator and with high permeability to air. Preferably, the separating member have a design and is made of a material so that it contributes to the mechanical filtering properties of the filter assembly  300 . Suitable materials include polymers in their un-doped isolating forms. 
     The thickness of the separating member  310  is preferably adapted to the isolating properties, intended voltage difference between the conducting filters, intended density of charge carriers, and the intended use of the filter assembly. Disrupted discharges should be avoided and if the filter assembly is to be used in an environment with a high degree of moisture, a thicker, or alternatively better insulating, separating member  310  should be considered. The filter assembly may be extended with a plurality of pairs of filters arranged after each other with regards to the direction of the flow of air. Whereby, the air is passed through a plurality of capacitor filters. 
     In an alternative embodiment, described with reference to  FIG. 4 , the filter plates in the filter assembly  400  are orientated so that their greater planes are essentially parallel with the main direction of the flow of air. Arranged between each conducting filter  405  is a separating member, which preferably is made of a high efficiency filter material. In the filter assembly  400 , subsequent filters are given opposite charge, i.e. connected to different poles of the high voltage source, for example. This is schematically illustrated in  FIG. 4 . In that way adjacent pairs of filter receive opposite, but evenly distributed charge. 
     Pleat-filter commonly have a designed that is well suited to adapt to capacitor filter. A pleat filter comprises of a plurality of rows of tightly pleated filters in connection with each other. A filter assembly of capacitor type can be arranged by making the pleated filters of synthetic metal and the filter rows mounted with isolating material in-between. 
     A yet further embodiment of the present invention providing a capacitor filter  500  with very large electrically active surface is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . To obtain a large surface area of the capacitor filter, similarly to what is known from one type of electrical capacitors, the conducting filters are covered with an insulator and rolled to form a cylinder or folded to form a block. 
     The filter assembly of this embodiment comprises of a first layer of conductive filter  505 , a first layer of isolating filter  510 , a second layer of conducting filter  515 , and a finishing second layer of insulating filter  520 . Preferably, the layers are rolled together to form a cylinder and are held together by the use of adhesive, bands or tape, or put into a mantle. Thus, a capacitor filter with a very large active surface area can be formed. During operation the conducting layers  505  and  515 , respectively, are connected to high voltage(s) of opposite polarity. The filter assembly according to this embodiment can be used either with the direction of the flow of air essentially parallel with the length of the cylinder, i.e. perpendicular to the circular cross-section of the cylinder (indicated by a plurality of thin arrows in  FIG. 5 ), or in an direction essentially perpendicular to the envelope surface of the cylinder (indicated by a thick arrow). If the layers of filters instead are folded, other cross-sectional forms can be formed, for example quadratic or rectangular. These shapes can be advantageous if the filter assembly is intended to be used in existing ventilation system, wherein the ducts typically have a quadratic or rectangular cross-section. 
     The conducting filter according to the invention may advantageously be used in combination with the previously described devices for transferring charge to airborne particles, the so called ion emitters. Depicted in  FIG. 6  is an filter assembly  600  according to one embodiment of the invention utilizing an ion emitter  605 , which by corona discharger transfers charge to airborne particles  602 , and is located before the conductive filter  610 , or conductive filter package, with regards to the direction of the flow of air. Preferably, one pole of the high voltage source is connected to the ion emitter  605  and the other to the conducting filter  610 . To further increase the efficiency the filtering system may be provided with a first ion emitter/filter pair with a first charge configuration (for example: ion emitter −, filter +) and a second ion emitter/filter pair with a second charge configuration (ion emitter +, filter −). 
     The conducting filter, filter assembly and filter systems according to the inventions have here been exemplified in the application of air purification in buildings and specifically in combination with ventilation systems. This should be appreciated as non limiting examples of the use of the invention. As appreciated by the skilled in the art, the conducting filter and filter arrangements according to the invention can be used in a wide variety of filtering and purification applications, including, but not limited to: air purification in vehicles, boats and airplanes; filtering of air in clean-room environments; and filtering of air in engines and machines. The conducting filter may also be effective in the area of filtering combustion fumes. Many of the particles which are created at combustion, for example in a combustion engine, are electrically charged, which makes the conducting filter according to the invention particularly useful in applications wherein the exposure to combustion pollutions are high. 
     An alternative usage of the conducting filter according to the invention is to form the material into a thin fabric, thereby creating a conducting fabric. The conducting fabric of this embodiment may, for example, be used to drape the walls in a clean room and given an electric charge in a similar manner as the conducting filter. The conducting fabric will attract charge airborne particles and the air is purified. This effect can be described as a passive air purification, compared to an active air purification exemplified in the above embodiments, wherein air is forced through a conducting filter. The passive air purification of this embodiment may advantageously be combined with above described active methods. Alternatively may the air in a room be brought into circulation by a simple arrangement of fans, and hence, the effectivity of the conducting “drapery” will be increased as more air will get into contact with its surface. The “drapery” does typically not need to be charged with such high voltage as the filters in the above embodiments since a large are of the active surface is easily accomplished. Preferably, the “drapery” is given a positive charge since the body of a building has been found to often be positively charged. 
     As an alternative of the “passive” purification technique the synthetic metals may readily be fabricated as an thin films, which for some polymer can be made to be transparent or semitransparent. This thin conducting film can be applied to for example one or more windows in a room, and, on supplying a potential, function as collectors of charged airborne particles in the manner described above. Depicted in  FIG. 7  is a thin conducting film  705  applied to the glass  710  of a window  715 . The thin conducting film  705  is connected to a voltage source, typically and preferably at a potential below 100V. The thin conducting film may optionally be combined with a shading layer (not shown) providing a sun block. Alternatively the thin conducting film may be coloured to provide shading properties by itself. 
     In the above described embodiments the conducting filter (and fabric) has been supplied with charge by being connected to a voltage DC source. A filter with metallic properties may be supplied with charge in other ways, for example by exposing the conducting filter to microwave radiation. A filter assembly according to an embodiment of the invention using microwaves to charge the filter, may comprise one or more microwave generators adjacent to the conducting filters. Electrical charge is generated in the conducting filters by the radiation from the microwave generator(s). Preferably, the filters and the microwave generators are enclosed in a metallic housing as to prevent the potentially hazardous microwave radiation from exiting the assembly. A suitable metallic housing is typically already provided by the air duct of a ventilation system. Preferably the microwave generators are not operating continuously, rather, the filter assembly should be equipped a charge measuring device and a control system starting the microwave generators if the charge of the conducting filter falls below a predetermined value. 
     While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.