Abstract:
An air filtration system comprising: a tunnel; a bank of fans at the front which move air through the tunnel; a washing station for washing the air with droplets of hot water, cold water or both within the tunnel; a water precipitator for separating the water droplets from the air moving through the tunnel at the rear. A collection pond, water overflow weir and pond adjacent the rear of the tunnel allow for separation of pollutants from the water. The pollutants are periodically removed while the water is filtered, purified and water recirculated for re-use at the washing station; and a sediment removal device. This invention may further include a laser plasma component for incinerating particulates; an electromagnetic component for removing magnetic particles; and an acoustic energy device for further atomizing the water droplets.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The applicant claims the benefit of his PCT Application Ser. No. PCT/US03/19330, filed Jun. 17, 2003 which claims priority from his Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/391,759, filed Jun. 26, 2002. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to the field of air pollution control. More particularly, this invention relates to methods and apparatuses to remove a variety of pollutants from the air.  
         [0003]     The severity of the current air pollution problem and the need for a new approach to pollution removal cannot be overstated. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 4 out of every 10 Americans live in areas where the ambient air is often unhealthy to breathe. According to the U.S. Congressional Office of Technology Assessment, tens of thousands die prematurely every year in the U.S.A. and Canada because of respiratory or cardiac problems attributed to air pollution. According to the California South Coast Air Quality Management District, 1 in 10 people are extremely vulnerable to particulates from smokestacks, chimneys, diesel exhaust, blowing dust, etc. These particulates, which hang in the atmosphere to form a haze, are linked to cancer and present an extreme health threat to respiratory-impaired people.  
         [0004]     The magnitude of pollutants released into our atmosphere yearly is staggering. In addition to the emissions from millions of motor vehicles, billions of pounds of toxic air pollutants are also released annually into the skies above North America. This ongoing fouling of our air manifests itself by triggering a host of destructive processes. Acid rain caused by air pollution threatens lakes in many states. Chlorofluorocarbons destroy the earth&#39;s protective ozone layer, which increases the amount ultraviolet radiation hitting the earth. Increased ultraviolet radiation causes millions of new skin cancer cases per year. Looming ominously ahead is the atmospheric greenhouse effect caused by air pollution. Many predict that this could lead to catastrophic droughts, and melting of glaciers and the polar ice caps leading to subsequent flooding of coastal areas.  
         [0005]     A wide variety of air pollution control devices or air cleaning machines are already in use. Exemplary of such air pollution control devices are electrostatic precipitators, fabric filters and other filtration machines, wet scrubbers, mechanical particulate collectors, sorption process machines, vehicle pollution control devices, etc. The existing pollution control devices and methods are directed towards attempting to prevent pollutants from entering the atmosphere at a specific source or towards clean up efforts. Prior conventional pollution control techniques do nothing to remove particulates, such as dust, which are a product of man&#39;s activities rather than produced by any particular machine and process.  
         [0006]     The source control approach is clearly not working. The quality of our air continues to worsen. In fact the EPA is now considering how to remove particulates. What is needed is an entire rethinking of modern air pollution control strategies.  
         [0007]     There exists, therefore, an urgent need for an air cleaning system which can remove pollutants, which are present for whatever reason, from the air on a large scale. Development of an air cleaning system which can remove pollutants from the air on a large scale represents a great improvement in the field of pollution control and satisfies a long felt need of the pollution control engineer and the public at large.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention is an air filtration system comprising s tunnel with a fan or a bank of fans at the front. Within the tunnel there is a washing station for washing the air with droplets of hot water, cold water, steam or all. Within the tunnel at the rear there is a water precipitator for separating the water droplets from the air moving through the tunnel. Adjacent the rear of the tunnel is a collection pond, with a water overflow weir at its rear. Adjacent the weir is a pond. A water recirculating system is attached between the pond and the washing station. There is also a sediment removal device.  
         [0009]     The fan or fans move polluted air through the tunnel where the water droplets trap pollution and the water precipitator separates the polluted water droplets from the air moving through the tunnel. This creates a quantity of polluted water, which is collected in the collection pond. In the collection pond the pollutants settle out to form a sediment with an over layer of clear water. The clear water flows over the weir into the pond where it is recirculated back to the washing station with appropriate filtering and purifying. The sediment removal device is used periodically for removing the sediment from the collection pond.  
         [0010]     This invention may further include a laser plasma component for incinerating particulates; an electromagnetic component for removing magnetic particles; and an acoustic energy device for further atomizing the water droplets; and a second steam misting station.  
         [0011]     An appreciation of the other aims and objectives of the present invention and an understanding of it may be achieved by referring to the accompanying drawings and description of a preferred embodiment.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is an overall, perspective view of one embodiment of this invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 1A  is a close up view of one of the air moving fans of this invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the water washing element of this invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2A  is a close up view of a spray head.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is an overall, perspective view of a second embodiment of this invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a perspective illustration of the tunnel, and the water precipitating components of this invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of one arrangement of the pollution treating components of this invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of a second arrangement of the pollution treating components of this invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of a third arrangement of the pollution treating components of this invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is a front, elevational view of the negative ion grid of this invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 8A  is a close up view of the negative ion grid system of this invention illustrating ionization of particles in the polluted air.  
         [0023]      FIG. 9  is a view of the wind and rain tunnel alone illustrating the insert access door and guide channels.  
         [0024]      FIG. 10  is a front perspective view of the steam injection insert component of this invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 10A  is a close up of a steam mister.  
         [0026]      FIG. 11  is a front perspective view of the laser plasma insert component of this invention.  
         [0027]      FIG. 12  is a front perspective view of the electromagnetic coil generator insert component of this invention.  
         [0028]      FIG. 13  is a front perspective view of the acoustic energy field insert component of this invention.  
         [0029]      FIG. 14  is a partial perspective view of this invention illustrating a protective screen, service platform and elevators.  
         [0030]      FIG. 15  is a front perspective view of an exhaust security screen. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0031]     While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.  
         [0032]     Everyone has noticed that pollution is practically non-existent after it has rained. This is because the water droplets dissolve gaseous pollutants and entrain particulate pollutants. This invention is based, in part, on the well known phenomenon of removal of air pollution with droplets of water.  FIG. 1  is an overall, perspective view of one embodiment  10  of this invention. At the front end of this invention is a single fan or a bank of air moving fans  14 . Design and construction of such fans is well known in the pollution control industry. An enlarged view of one fan  14   a  is illustrated in  FIG. 1A . The purpose of the bank of fans  14  is to draw polluted air into the invention.  
         [0033]     The polluted air is drawn into a tunnel  18  which may be thought of as divided into several zones  18   a,    18   b.  In the first zone  18   b,  closest to the fans  14 , the polluted air is exposed to a spray of water  20  via one or more manifolds  22  with spray nozzles  26 .  FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of one such water misting or water washing manifold  22 .  FIG. 2A  is a close up view of a water misting head or spray nozzle  26 . Spray nozzles  26  are provided which provide a fine spray  20 . The water provided to the manifold  22  may be heated to hot water or steam, or chilled via a heating or cooling system  30 . Chilling may be desirable if this invention is operated in a particularly hot environment while heating may be desirable if this invention is operated in a particularly cold environment. This will affect the temperature of the air exiting the rear  46  of the tunnel  14 . Flow meters  34  and valves  38  may be incorporated into each manifold  22  for monitoring, maintenance and adjustment purposes. Pollutants are dissolved and entrained in the water droplets  20  as the air passes through the manifolds  22 . Typically, not all of the pollutants will be removed with a single washing. Therefore, the invention will preferably include a number of manifolds  22 . The number is adjusted so that the maximum amount of pollution is removed from the air.  
         [0034]     Most of the water droplets  20  agglomerate and fall to the bottom  42  of the tunnel  18  which is slanted downwards towards the rear  46  so that the water flows away from the fans  14  and further into the tunnel  18 . Some of the water droplets  20  will become a fine mist which will not fall immediately. The second zone  18   b  of the tunnel  18  is designed to allow a space for this fine mist  20  to agglomerate and settle to the bottom  42 .  
         [0035]     The air, which is now cleansed of pollutants, exits the rear  46  of the tunnel  18 . All of the water, which now contains particulate and dissolved pollution, runs along the bottom  42  of the tunnel  18  and drains into a settling pond  50 . In the settling pond  50 , the solid pollutants settle to form a sediment  54 , which can be periodically removed by well known methods and disposed of in accordance with applicable regulations.  
         [0036]     As the settling pond  50  fills, the supernatant water  56  flows over a weir  58  at the rear  62  of the settling pond  50  and into a collecting pond  66 . The water  70  in the collecting pond is recycled for use in the water misting manifolds  22 . Appropriate return piping  74  and pumps  80  are provided for this purpose. Preferably, the recycled water  70  is filtered and purified prior to re-use. Appropriate filters and purifiers  78  are provided for this purpose. There is also a make up line  82 , with an optional purifier  78 , connected to the public water main or other source of fresh water, to add water to the system. The additional water is needed to make up system water losses due to evaporation and removal with the sediment  54 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 3  is an overall, perspective view of a second embodiment  100  of this invention. The second embodiment  100  is similar to the first  10 . At the front end of this invention is a single or bank of air moving fans  14 . Design and construction of such fans is well known in the pollution control industry. The purpose of the bank of fans  14  is to draw polluted air into the invention.  
         [0038]     The polluted air is drawn into a tunnel  18  which may be thought of as divided into several zones  18   a,    18   b,    18   c.  In the first zone  18   a,  closest to the fans  14 , the polluted air is ionized by a grid  86  that is ionized with negative charge.  FIG. 8  is a front, elevational view of the negative ion grid  86  of this invention.  FIG. 8A  illustrates how the particles  90  in the air become negatively ionized as they pass through the grid  86 .  
         [0039]     In the next zone  18   b  the polluted air is exposed to a spray  20  of water via one or more manifolds  22  with spray nozzles  26 .  FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of one such water misting manifold  22 .  FIG. 2A  is a close up view of a water misting head or spray nozzle  26 . Spray nozzles  26  are provided which provide a fine spray  20 . The water provided to the manifold  22  may be heated to hot water or steam, or chilled via a heating or cooling system  30 . Chilling may be desirable if this invention is operated in a particularly hot environment while heating may be desirable if this invention is operated in a particularly cold environment. This will affect the temperature of the air exiting the rear  46  of the tunnel  14 .  FIG. 3  illustrates a case where one manifold  22   a  is provided with heated water while the remaining manifolds  22  are provided with water at ambient temperature. In this case incoming water is heated with a heater  30  and a bypass loop  94  is provided to bypass the heater  30  and provide ambient temperature water to the other manifolds  22 . Typically, not all of the pollutants will be removed with a single washing. Therefore, the invention will preferably include a number of manifolds  22 . The number is adjusted so that the maximum amount of pollution is removed from the air.  
         [0040]     Flow meters  34  and valves  38  may be incorporated into each manifold  22  for monitoring, maintenance and adjustment purposes. Those most familiar with the art to which this invention pertains will recognize that, of course, pollution is dissolved and entrained in the water droplets  20  as the air passes through the manifolds  22 . Ionization of the incoming particles  90  increases attraction of the particles  90  to the water droplets  20  thus increasing the percentage of particles  90  that are entrained.  
         [0041]     Most of the water droplets  20  agglomerate and fall to the bottom  42  of the tunnel  18  which is slanted downwards towards the rear  46  so that the water flows away from the fans  14  and further into the invention. Some of the water droplets  20  will become a fine mist which will not agglomerate and fall immediately. The third zone  18   c  of the tunnel  18  is designed to allow a space for this fine mist  20  to agglomerate and settle to the bottom  42 .  
         [0042]     There may be positioned within the tunnel  18  one or more devices to enhance removal of particles  90  or dissolution of pollutants by the mist  20 .  FIG. 10  is a front perspective view of a steam manifold  22   a  of this invention.  FIG. 10A  is a close up of a steam mister  26   a.    FIG. 11  is a front perspective view of a laser insert component  96  of this invention. The laser insert  96  comprises a laser  98  and prism  104  arranged to provide a planar laser field  106 . The laser  98  is selected so that the field  106  will incinerate particles  90 .  FIG. 12  is a front perspective view of an electromagnetic coil generator insert component  104  of this invention. The electromagnetic field will attract and retain magnetic particles  90 .  FIG. 13  is a front perspective view of an acoustic energy field insert component  108  of this invention. This component  108  incorporates one or more sealed speakers driven at ultrasonic frequencies. The acoustic field so produced super atomizes the water  20  and enhances the ability of the water  20  to dissolve and retain the pollutants.  
         [0043]     The components  22   a,    96 ,  104 ,  108  illustrated in  FIGS. 10, 10A ,  11 ,  12  and  13  may be installed depending on the kind of pollution that may be encountered in a particular location. To enable these inserts  22   a,    96 ,  104 ,  108  to be installed and removed as needed, an access door  112  is provided in the tunnel  18 . One location for such a door  112  is shown in  FIG. 3 . A clearer illustration is shown in  FIG. 9 . In the interior of the tunnel  18  there are tracks  116 . Since each of the components  22   a,    96 ,  104 ,  108  may be provided with top  120   a  and bottom  120   b  wheels, these components  22   a,    96 ,  104 ,  108  may be inserted and removed as needed.  
         [0044]     A bank of downward slanting vanes  124  is positioned at the rear  46  of the tunnel  18  in order to ensure that water droplets  20  fall to the bottom  42 . For clarity,  FIG. 4  is a perspective illustration of the wind and rain tunnel  18 , and the vanes  124  of this invention.  
         [0045]     It will be obvious to those most familiar with the art to which this invention pertains that this invention may be assembled in many different configurations to accommodate the pollution experienced in a given area.  FIGS. 5, 6  and  7  are illustrative of some of the ways the different components of this invention may be assembled.  FIG. 5  illustrates an assembly having an electromagnetic coil  104 , an ionization grid  86  a steam mister  22   a,  a water mister  22 , an acoustic energy field  108  and two final banks of water misters  22 .  FIG. 6  illustrates an assembly having an ionization grid  86  a steam mister  22   a  or hot water mister  22 , a water mister  22 , an acoustic energy field  108  and two final banks of water misters  22 .  FIG. 7  illustrates an assembly having a laser insert  96 , an ionization grid  86  and four banks of water misters  22 .  
         [0046]     The air, which is now cleansed of pollutants, exits the rear  46  of the tunnel  18 . The water runs along the bottom  42  of the tunnel  18  and drains into a settling pond  50 . In the settling pond  50 , the solid pollutants settle to form a sediment  54 , which can be periodically removed by well known methods and disposed of in accordance with applicable regulations.  FIG. 3  illustrates one method: a hydraulic arm sediment pump  128 .  
         [0047]     As the settling pond  50  fills, the supernatant water  56  flows over a weir 1    58  at the rear  62  of the settling pond  50  and into a collecting pond  66 . The water  70  in the collecting pond  66  is recycled for use in the water misting manifolds  22 . Appropriate return piping  74  and pumps  80  are provided for this purpose. The recycled water  70  may need to be filtered and purified prior to re-use. There is also a make up line  82 , with an optional purifier  78 , connected to the public water main or other source of fresh water, to add water to the system. The additional water is needed to make up system water losses due to evaporation and removal with the sediment  54 .  1 A weir is defined as an obstruction or dam placed in a stream to raise the water and, divert it into a millrace or irrigation ditches, etc.    
         [0048]     The size of this invention will depend on the concentration of pollution experienced in a given location. Because of its unique design, this invention can be used to cleanse cubic miles of air per day making it fairly massive. Typically, it will require platforms  132  and elevators  136  to service the fans  14 . Also protective screening  140  may be required.  FIG. 14  is a partial perspective view of this invention illustrating a front protective screen  140 , service platform  132  and elevators  136 .  FIG. 15  is a front perspective view of an exhaust security screen  144 . The security screen may be necessary to prevent unauthorized access to the invention.  
         [0049]     It is intended to install a network of the above described units all over the country, with concentration in areas having the greatest pollution. Each individual unit will be designed, as described above, to treat local pollution conditions. Fan speed and the individual components used are the major variables that can be adjusted to accommodate local pollution conditions. If pollution conditions change, some components of the invention can be changed as described above. To enable more efficient operation, pollution monitors  148  may be installed in the tunnel  18  to monitor the condition of the incoming and outgoing air. Suitable pollution monitors  148  are available from SICK, Inc., 6900 West 110th Street, Bloomington, Minn. 55438, or Pem-Tech, Inc., 10808 Fallstone Road, Suite 325, Houston, Tex. 77099.  
         [0050]     The following reference numerals are used on  FIGS. 1 through 15 :  
         [0051]      10  First embodiment of invention  
         [0052]      14  Bank of fans  
         [0053]      18  Tunnel  
         [0054]      22  Manifold  
         [0055]      22   a  Hot water manifold  
         [0056]      26  Spray nozzle  
         [0057]      30  Water heater or chiller  
         [0058]      34  Flow meter  
         [0059]      38  Valve  
         [0060]      42  Bottom of tunnel  
         [0061]      46  End of tunnel  
         [0062]      50  Settling pond  
         [0063]      54  Sediment  
         [0064]      58  Weir  
         [0065]      62  End of settling pond  
         [0066]      66  Collecting pond  
         [0067]      70  Recycled water  
         [0068]      74  Return piping system  
         [0069]      78  Filter or purifier  
         [0070]      80  Pump  
         [0071]      82  Fresh water inlet piping  
         [0072]      86  Ionization grid  
         [0073]      90  Particles  
         [0074]      94  Bypass loop  
         [0075]      96  Laser insert  
         [0076]      98  Laser generator  
         [0077]      100  Second embodiment of invention  
         [0078]      102  Beam splitting prism  
         [0079]      104  Electromagnetic insert  
         [0080]      106  Laser field  
         [0081]      108  Acoustic energy insert  
         [0082]      112  Insert access door  
         [0083]      116  Guide tracks  
         [0084]      120   a  Top guide wheel  
         [0085]      120   b  Bottom guide wheel  
         [0086]      124  Vanes  
         [0087]      132  Service platform  
         [0088]      136  Service elevator  
         [0089]      140  Protective screen  
         [0090]      144  Exhaust security screen  
         [0091]     Thus, the present invention has been described herein with reference to a several embodiments  10 ,  100  for particular applications. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the present teachings will recognize additional modifications, applications and embodiments within the scope thereof.  
         [0092]     It is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any and all such applications, modifications and embodiments within the scope of the present invention.