DEVICE FOR GENERATING HYDROXYL RADICALS

Abstract

A device for generating hydroxyl radicals having: a) at least one container suitable for containing a substance from which hydroxyl radicals are generated; b) at least one conversion unit suitable for generating hydroxyl radicals from that substance; c) a fluid conduction system that allows air to be recirculated inside the device in such a way that part of the air with a mixture of radicals circulates several times before going outside and d) a base having a power supply, a fan, an air inlet and outlet duct from the device, means for electrically supplying the various components of the device and a controller; in which the air inlet and air outlet duct include a mixing vessel before the air outlet of the device, these vessel and conversion unit are independent of each other and can be independently removed from the base.

Claims

1. A device (1) for generating hydroxyl radicals comprising: a) at least one container (12) suitable for containing a substance from which said hydroxyl radicals are generated; b) at least one conversion unit (11), suitable for generating said hydroxyl radicals from said substance; c) a base comprising a power supply, a fan, an air inlet and outlet duct of the device, an electrically supplying device for the device and a controller; wherein said air inlet and outlet duct of the device comprises a mixing vessel before the air outlet of the device, wherein the device has at least one fluid conduction system (4) with a duct that connects the second channel (15) of the duct to the lower part of the first channel (14), thus allowing the recirculation of air within the device in such a way that at least part of the air with the radical mixture, circulates several times before going outside, and that said at least one container (12) and at least one conversion unit (11) can be removed from the base unit.

2. The device (1) for generating hydroxyl radicals according to claim 1, wherein the air inlet and outlet duct (6) of the device comprises a first section (18), which conducts the air supplied by the fan (3); a second section (19) connected to the first, which is narrower and to which part of the air supplied from the first; a third section (20) connected to the second and first, which conducts the mixture of the fluids from the first two sections to the device outlet (6), and a fourth (21) where the air is mixed and released to the outside.

3. The device (1) for generating hydroxyl radicals; according to claim 1, wherein the container (12) is an open container comprising a wick (13) of a material selected from the list comprising cellulose, cotton, sponge or a mixture thereof.

4. The device (1) for generating hydroxyl radicals according to claim 1, wherein the substance from which hydroxyl radicals are generated is a liquid substance which is selected from the group comprising terpenes such as limonene, myrcene, pinene, linalool or rosemary essential oil, hydrogen peroxide, water, or a mixture thereof.

5. The device (1) for generating hydroxyl radicals according to claim 1, wherein the device also generates other radicals, such as hydroperoxyl radicals (—HO.sub.2) and/or negative and/or positive ions and/or ozone (O.sub.3).

6. The device (1) for generating hydroxyl radicals; according to claim 1 wherein the conversion unit (11) is a plasma generator.

7. The device (1) for generating hydroxyl radicals according to claim 1, wherein the conversion unit (11) is an ultraviolet light generator.

8. The device (1) for generating hydroxyl radicals according to claim 8, wherein said ultraviolet light generator (16) generates ultraviolet light with a wavelength between 200 nm and 300 nm.

9. The device (1) for generating hydroxyl radicals; according to claim 1, wherein said conversion unit (11) is an ultrasound generator (17).

10. A device (1) for generating hydroxyl radicals according to claim 10, wherein said ultrasound generator (17) generates at a frequency in the range of 1.5 MHz to 2 MHz.

11. The device (1) for generating hydroxyl radicals according to claim 1, wherein said conversion unit (11) is an ion generator.

12. The device (1) for generating hydroxyl radicals according to claim 1, wherein said conversion unit (11) is an ozone (O.sub.3) generator.

13. The device (1) for generating hydroxyl radicals according to claim 1, further comprising sensors (10) for the detection of volatile organic compounds, or sensors for particles in the air, or temperature and humidity sensors, or sensors for the detection of carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide.

14. The device (1) for generating hydroxyl radicals according to claim 1, further comprising a data transmission module for either Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth transmissions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the base and the conversion unit and the substance container unit from which hydroxyl radicals can be generated according to this invention;

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of another embodiment of the base, in which an ultraviolet light generator is used instead of an ultrasound generator;

[0044] FIG. 3A shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the device according this invention showing a section of the air flowing through inside the device;

[0045] FIG. 3A shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the device according this invention showing another section of the air flowing through inside the device;

[0046] FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the device according this invention in which it is shown how the conversion unit and the container of the substance are placed at the base of the device;

[0047] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the device according this invention in which the way the conversion unit is docked to the base independently of the substance container unit is shown, therefore defining the corresponding place for each of the pieces inside of the device;

[0048] FIG. 6a show a graph where the hydrogen peroxide liberation to the air according to a device from the state-of-art; and

[0049] FIG. 6b show a graph where the hydrogen peroxide liberation to the air according to the device of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the device 1 from this invention comprises a base 2, in which there is a fan 3, an air duct 4 comprising a mixing vessel 5 near the air outlet 6 of the device 1. In addition, said base 2 comprises a controller 7 in the form of a base plate and a sensor 10. The air duct 4 has a wider first section and a narrower second section that gets even more narrower before the connection to the secondary channel.

[0051] In FIG. 1, an ultrasound generator 16 that will be used in conjunction to the mixing vessel 5 to generate hydroxyl radicals is observed. In its place, in FIG. 2 an ultraviolet light generator 17 with the same objective is observed, analogous to FIG. 1.

[0052] As observed in FIG. 1, air from the exterior gets inside the device from the fan zone 3, and is pushed to the primary channel 14, causing it to flow into the first and second section. This disposition gives the air acceleration and increases pressure, leading to the creation of a Venturi effect, that allows the total absorption of the air from the secondary channel 15 that contains the hydroxyl radicals generated by the conversion unit and the substance or the reactant. After that, the fluid from channel 15 that contains the hydroxyl radicals is recirculated through the tertiary section to end up once more in the first section, there it will go up and divide again. Thus, both the fluid from the primary channel 14 and the reabsorbed from secondary channel 15 are mixed and go into the mixing vessel 5, in which a turbulence is provoked, allowing an improvement in the mixing process and generation of hydroxyl radicals. After that, the air with the hydroxyl radicals is expulsed to the outside through the air outlet 6.

[0053] Optionally, the mixing vessel 5 can have a coating of parallel lines or in the form of a mesh made from a conductive metal material (not shown) and an ultrasonic generator 16 (FIG. 5) or ultraviolet light 17 (FIG. 6). Said generator improves the excitation and/or vibration of hydroxyl radical generator molecules, an effect that is enhanced by the metal cladding of the mixing vessel 5 and that allows for better mixing, thus improving the total efficiency of the process and minimizing the loss of reactives.

[0054] In order to cover a large area of interior space, the hydroxyl radical generator is able to generate a stable and sufficient amount of hydroxyl radicals through various reactions and exhibit superior effects in purifying and sterilising the air, therefore providing a higher quality of life and environment than is provided by currently available devices.

[0055] In FIGS. 3A and 3B, the different sections of air flow are observed: primary section 18, secondary section 19, tertiary section 20 and quaternary section 21.

[0056] FIG. 4 shows how the conversion unit 11 and the container unit 12 are located in the base 2. Arrows indicate how they both must be docked, independently from each other. The container that holds the reactant does not comprise any electrical connection, however, the conversion unit 11, be it in form of ionizer or in form or plasma generator (or others), comprises an electrical connection 9, the same way that the fan 3 has an electrical connection 8.

[0057] In FIG. 5 it is observed that the conversion unit (ionized) 11 has been located in its place and it is also shown the container 12 suitable to contain a substance from which hydroxyl radicals can be generated. The arrow generates the position in which said container 12 in the base 2 is docked. Said container comprises a wick 13, to help evaporate the substance or reactant present in said container 12.

[0058] To cover a large area of interior space, the hydroxyl radical generating device of the present invention can generate a stable and sufficient amount of hydroxyl radicals through various reactions, and exhibits superior effects in air purification and sterilization, thus providing environmental and life quality superior to those provided by state-of-the-art devices.

EXAMPLES

[0059] To optimize the amount of radicals released, the ability of the system to achieve a complete reaction of the elements is more important than the method of releasing the reactant (vaporization, ultrasound, nebulization, etc.). To achieve the complete reaction of all the elements, reactant with ions-ozone, it is necessary to mix several times by the reactant base and by the ozone and ion generator unit. In an optimal process, the reactant and oxidant mixture must pass through the generating unit at least twice so that the oxidants and radicals generated in the first-round help decompose the ozone that had not reacted in it, and consequently decompose completely the reactant base and decompose the redundant ozone, thus generating a greater amount of radicals and hydroxyl groups. Furthermore, this generation is enhanced through the use of a mixing vessel 5 that generates turbulence and where elements such as ultrasound, ultraviolet or infrared light are added, applied to the air in that area where the mixture is located.

[0060] In the tests carried out, the difference in ozone concentration between the two devices mentioned in the patents named above is clearly observed, with mixing of ozone and simple reactant where the substances are mixed and released directly, and the difference for the purpose of this patent where they are performs repetitive mixing with bypass and turbulence generation.

[0061] There are no relevant differences in the amounts of vaporization / release of reactant as well as in the production of ozone and in both cases hydrogen peroxide is used as a base.

[0062] All tests are carried out and certified by independent laboratories according to International Standard EN 60335-2-69 (European Standard) or UL 867 (American Standard). The volume of the test space is of a similar size, about 25 m3 approx. and the same environmental conditions of 23° and 45% relative humidity +/-10%.

Example 1

[0063] Regarding the method used in other embodiments, a simple outlet was carried out, with an evaporation method and without a mixing chamber (Simple Method). The equipment was in operation for 8h, where room concentrations of 1.6 × 10-6 (16 ppb) were reached.

[0064] In contrast, for the results referring to the object of this patent (proposed method), a cycle composed of more than one recirculation with the mixing vessel and during 24 hours of operation was carried out. The ozone concentration obtained in the room was always less than 0.01 ×10-6 (1 ppb). This value coincides with the tolerance limit of the equipment, so it is considered as non-existent. It is important with this type of equipment to control ozone emissions, which over time can reach critical concentrations.

[0065] Hydrogen peroxide emission tests were also carried out in the air. The tests were carried out in the laboratory with a Dräger X-am® 5100 device at a distance of 30 mm from the air outlet for both performances, obtaining the following results.

[0066] The proposed system of repetitive mixing with bypass and mixing vessel does not emit traces of hydrogen peroxide while the simple method in previous embodiments maintains an average emission of 0.26 ppm.

[0067] This lack of ozone and hydrogen peroxide release is explained because the entire generation has been consumed in the creation of hydroxyl radicals. This is also reflected in the results obtained in terms of reducing the microbiological load.

[0068] If we compare the results obtained in viral load reduction with both methods we get:

TABLE-US-00001 Antiviral effect of the different air circulation methods (previous/simple method and proposed method) Test Room Volume m3 Initial load Log. (10X) TestTime % Effectivity Simple Method Urn Box 0,064 5 2 h 92% Proposed Method Room 30 5 <30 min 100,00%

[0069] The viruses used for the test are Mengovirus and Respiratory Syncytial Virus. The data in the first row are those provided by the developers of the previous method and were performed in an urn. The second row shows the certified data obtained with the proposed method and carried out in a room, demonstrating greater effectiveness in less time and in a much larger space.

[0070] Tests have also been carried out with bacteria (Escherichia coli) obtaining the following results:

TABLE-US-00002 Antiviral effect of the different air circulation methods (previous/simple method and proposed method) Test Room Volume m3 Initial load Log.(10X) Test Time % Effectivity Simple Method Room 8 4 2 h 50% Proposed Method Room 7,4 8 2 h 97,20%

[0071] It is observed that even when the initial load is doubled, the proposed method is capable of reducing the bacterial load with much greater efficiency in the same time interval and at a similar volume.

[0072] In both viruses and bacteria, the tests have been carried out repeatedly, obtaining the equivalent differences. The supplied amounts of Ozone and of reactant (hydrogen peroxide) are the same in all versions, both with the simple method and with the device of the present invention.