Methods and systems described perform air cleaning and/or sanitization in a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and/or refrigeration (HVACR) system by detecting a concentration of airborne contaminants in a space serviced by the HVACR system. The detected concentration of airborne contaminants is determined whether it exceeds a threshold relative to a capacity of a first air cleaner. When the detected concentration of airborne contaminants exceeds the threshold, a second air cleaner is selected and enabled to be activated in the space. When the detected concentration of airborne contaminants does not exceed the threshold, the first air cleaner is selected and enabled to be activated in the space. The first air cleaner has a cleaning material different from the second air cleaner, and the first air cleaner, relative to the second air cleaner, treats the space at a lower concentration of airborne contaminants. The second air cleaner includes specifically designed cleaner modules.

This publication discloses a filter unit connectable to a mobile communication device including a fan for generating an air flow inside the filter unit, electrodes covered with a photo catalytic material like TiO.sub.2 in the air flow, UV-LEDs illuminating the electrodes, and outlet for the air flow directed in direction of user of filter unit.

In an air-outlet unit that forms an air outlet of an air conditioner in an automobile, a light-emission control unit controls, in accordance with the airflow rate of the air conditioner that is obtained from an air-conditioning control device of the automobile, an LED driving unit that drives an LED array in such a manner that the amount of light that is emitted from the LED array and that activates a photocatalytic filter increases as the airflow rate of the air conditioner increases. The light that is emitted from the LED array is visible light, and some of the light that is reflected by the photocatalytic filter transmits to an area outside of the air-outlet unit by passing through fins that adjust the direction and the flow rate of the air blown by the air-outlet unit.

A vehicle air conditioner is equipped with a photocatalyst which is irradiated with light so that bacteria generated in the photocatalyst is removed. In particular, an entire area of the photocatalyst is irradiated with the light using a small number of light sources so that sterilization effect of a filter can be improved.

In a photocatalytic device, a photocatalytic filter is formed of a corrugated member and a gas is allowed to flow over front and rear surfaces of the filter from one end toward the other end thereof along a direction in which ridges and valleys extend, and a gas inflow part and a gas outflow part are provided at both end positions of a photocatalytic filter instead of providing a gas inlet-side flow channel and a gas output-side flow channel at positions facing filter surfaces. Thus, a contact area between a gas and the filter surfaces can be maintained, and miniaturization of the device such as reduction in the thickness or diameter can be realized without increasing gas circulation resistance. In addition, enhanced light irradiation efficiency, simplified structure, energy saving, and cost reduction can be realized. Moreover, the problem of heat can be solved.

A fluid treatment apparatus including a photocatalyst filter having a first surface and a second surface, a light source unit spaced apart from the photocatalyst filter to provide light to the first surface, a housing including an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path formed between the photocatalyst filter and the light source, and a guide member disposed at one side of the housing and including at least one slat to guide a movement direction of a fluid, in which the slat is inclined at least in a direction closer to the first surface of the photocatalyst filter along an advancing direction of the flow path when an air flow rate of the fluid has a first value, and in a direction away from the first surface of the photocatalyst filter along the advancing direction when the air flow rate of the fluid is greater than the first value.

An air sterilization device for a vehicular air conditioner may include an air conditioner case, which includes an air inlet provided at an intake side of the air conditioner case and an air outlet provided at a discharge side of the air conditioner case and which includes an air path therein, a photocatalytic unit, which is configured to blow internal air or external air toward the air outlet of the air conditioner case and a surface of which is coated with a photocatalyst, and an optical source unit configured to radiate ultraviolet rays to the photocatalytic unit to thus cause a photocatalytic reaction at the photocatalytic unit, generating hydroxyl radicals.

A device for air purification, incorporated into a vehicle, which comprises a case, fixed to the outside of the vehicle and having a longitudinal duct through which air passes, the air entering impure through at least one opening located in the front part, with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle, and exiting through at least one opening located in the rear part under the suctioning effect of at least one fan disposed in the opening. From the inlet to the outlet, the air purification device successively includes the following devices: a photocatalytic reactor; a reverse microwave; an activated carbon filter; and a HEPA filter, just before the fans located in the outlet conduit.

A vehicle air supply system, in particular in automotive vehicles. The essence of the air supply system according to the vehicle air supply system is that inside the system there is a photocatalyst between at least one air intake (1,2) and at least one supply port (5). The photocatalyst may be deposited on inner surfaces of at least one element selected from the group including vehicle's ventilation/air conditioning system (3), inlet ducts (4), supply ports (5), dampers (7) and filters (9). Preferably, the photocatalyst is given in the form of a bypass (6) or an insert (10) or an adapter (8).

The present invention relates to a photocatalytic module for an automobile air conditioner and an automobile air conditioner having the same and, more particularly, to a photocatalytic module capable of eliminating various germs resulting from dew formed on an evaporator installed in an automobile air conditioner and corresponding bad smell, and an air conditioner having the same.

The photocatalytic module includes a duct fixation frame 54 adjacent to an inner wall of the duct 10; a filter fixation frame 55 having one end connected to the duct fixation frame, the filter fixation frame 55 fixing the photocatalytic filter 52; a photocatalytic filter 52 fixed by the fixation frame 55, being formed by applying a photocatalytic material onto a supporter having a shape of a plurality of cells neighboring each other and provided with a plurality of airflow paths; and a substrate 58 fixed to the duct fixation frame 54 and equipped with an ultraviolet (UV) light emitting diode (LED) 59 for radiating ultraviolet light toward the photocatalytic filter 52.

The present provides an air conditioner having the photocatalytic module installed therein and an LED disposed upstream of the photocatalytic filter on the flow path of the duct.