The following is an apparatus and a method that enables the automated collection and identification of airborne particulate matter comprising dust, pollen grains, mold spores, bacterial cells, and soot from a gaseous medium comprising the ambient air. Once ambient air is inducted into the apparatus, aerosol particulates are acquired and imaged under a novel lighting environment that is used to highlight diagnostic features of the acquired airborne particulate matter. Identity determinations of acquired airborne particulate matter are made based on captured images. Abundance quantifications can be made using identity classifications. Raw and summary information are communicated across a data network for review or further analysis by a user. Other than routine maintenance or subsequent analyses, the basic operations of the apparatus may use, but do not require the active participation of a human operator.

The following is an apparatus and a method that enables the automated collection and identification of airborne particulate matter comprising dust, pollen grains, mold spores, bacterial cells, and soot from a gaseous medium comprising the ambient air. Once ambient air is inducted into the apparatus, aerosol particulates are acquired and imaged under a novel lighting environment that is used to highlight diagnostic features of the acquired airborne particulate matter. Identity determinations of acquired airborne particulate matter are made based on captured images. Abundance quantifications can be made using identity classifications. Raw and summary information are communicated across a data network for review or further analysis by a user. Other than routine maintenance or subsequent analyses, the basic operations of the apparatus may use, but do not require the active participation of a human operator.

The electric dust collecting apparatus comprises a plurality of discharge electrodes that are disposed in an exhaust flow passage, a ground electrode that constitutes at least a part of an inner wall surface of the exhaust flow passage, and a voltage applying device that is configured to apply voltage selectively from a common power supply to each of the plurality of discharge electrodes. The plurality of discharge regions, each of which includes at least one discharge electrode, are provided in the exhaust flow passage and an electrode-to-electrode distance between the discharge electrode and the ground electrode is different in each of the plurality of discharge regions. The voltage applying device applies voltage to the discharge electrode for each discharge region, and changes the discharge region where voltage is applied to the discharge electrode in accordance with exhaust gas temperature.

The electric dust collecting apparatus comprises a plurality of discharge electrodes that are disposed in an exhaust flow passage, a ground electrode that constitutes at least a part of an inner wall surface of the exhaust flow passage, and a voltage applying device that is configured to apply voltage selectively from a common power supply to each of the plurality of discharge electrodes. The plurality of discharge regions, each of which includes at least one discharge electrode, are provided in the exhaust flow passage and an electrode-to-electrode distance between the discharge electrode and the ground electrode is different in each of the plurality of discharge regions. The voltage applying device applies voltage to the discharge electrode for each discharge region, and changes the discharge region where voltage is applied to the discharge electrode in accordance with exhaust gas temperature.

Apparatus for reducing the translucence or opacity caused by smoke within a closed environment includes a fibrous substrate comprising non-conductive fibers. The apparatus further includes elongated, substantially parallel electrodes disposed on the substrate arranged as one or more pairs of adjacent electrodes, wherein a discharge gap is defined between each pair. The apparatus additionally includes a component configured for applying a voltage between each pair to generate a non-thermal microplasma in a corresponding discharge gap to collect or bind one or more airborne particulate combustion byproducts.

Apparatus for reducing the translucence or opacity caused by smoke within a closed environment includes a fibrous substrate comprising non-conductive fibers. The apparatus further includes elongated, substantially parallel electrodes disposed on the substrate arranged as one or more pairs of adjacent electrodes, wherein a discharge gap is defined between each pair. The apparatus additionally includes a component configured for applying a voltage between each pair to generate a non-thermal microplasma in a corresponding discharge gap to collect or bind one or more airborne particulate combustion byproducts.

The following is an apparatus and a method that enables the automated collection and identification of airborne particulate matter comprising dust, pollen grains, mold spores, bacterial cells, and soot from a gaseous medium comprising the ambient air. Once ambient air is inducted into the apparatus, aerosol particulates are acquired and imaged under a novel lighting environment that is used to highlight diagnostic features of the acquired airborne particulate matter. Identity determinations of acquired airborne particulate matter are made based on captured images. Abundance quantifications can be made using identity classifications. Raw and summary information are communicated across a data network for review or further analysis by a user. Other than routine maintenance or subsequent analyses, the basic operations of the apparatus may use, but do not require the active participation of a human operator.

The following is an apparatus and a method that enables the automated collection and identification of airborne particulate matter comprising dust, pollen grains, mold spores, bacterial cells, and soot from a gaseous medium comprising the ambient air. Once ambient air is inducted into the apparatus, aerosol particulates are acquired and imaged under a novel lighting environment that is used to highlight diagnostic features of the acquired airborne particulate matter. Identity determinations of acquired airborne particulate matter are made based on captured images. Abundance quantifications can be made using identity classifications. Raw and summary information are communicated across a data network for review or further analysis by a user. Other than routine maintenance or subsequent analyses, the basic operations of the apparatus may use, but do not require the active participation of a human operator.

A fan device including high voltage power source, conductive blade, first electrode and a resistance device is provided. Connecting side of the conductive blade is connected to first electric contact of the high voltage power source, and the conductive blade further includes a vibration side, wherein the conductive blade is extended from the connecting side to the vibration side along a first direction. The first electrode electrically connected to the second electric contact of the high voltage power source. The first electrode is disposed on a side of the vibration side of the conductive blade, and located in the vibrating range of the vibration side. The resistance device is connected between the conductive blade and the second electric contact in series.

A method of generating a non-thermal microplasma, including the steps of providing a fibrous air-filter, arranging one or more pairs of elongated, adjacent, substantially parallel spaced-apart electrodes on the fibrous air-filter, wherein a discharge gap is defined between each pair; placing a component in signal communication with the electrodes for applying a voltage between each pair; and generating a non-thermal microplasma in a corresponding discharge gap and thereby removing one or more combustion byproducts from ambient air.