Device For Disinfecting Air By Means Of Combustion

Abstract

A device (1) for disinfecting air by combustion has a primary inlet (10) that sucks primary air into a combustion chamber (11) with a burner nozzle (12). The primary air flows along a flow path into a mixing chamber (13) arranged along the flow path after the combustion chamber (11). The primary air (L1) is heated to a first temperature. The mixing chamber (13) has an outlet (14) and at least one secondary inlet (15). Secondary air can be sucked (L2) into the mixing chamber (13) through the inlet (15). The mixing chamber (13) produces a mixed air (L3) of a third temperature of at least 100° C. from a mixing of the primary air (L1) and the secondary air (L2). The mixed air (L3) is held in the mixing chamber (13) for a predetermined residence time, and discharges the mixed air (L3) along the flow path through the outlet (14).

Claims

1. A device for disinfecting air by combustion, comprising: a primary inlet where a primary air can be sucked in, a combustion chamber with a burner nozzle arranged in or in front of the chamber, primary air can flow through the combustion chamber along a flow path, and a mixing chamber is arranged along the flow path after the combustion chamber; a mixing ratio of a fuel inflowing through the burner nozzle and the primary air is chosen such that the fuel inflowing through the burner nozzle burns completely in the combustion chamber, and the primary air can be heated to a first temperature; the mixing chamber has an outlet and at least one secondary inlet where a secondary air can be sucked into the mixing chamber; the mixing chamber produces a mixed air of a third temperature of at least 100° C. from mixing the primary air at the first temperature and the secondary air at a second temperature, the mixed air is held for a predetermined residence time at the third temperature, and the mixed air is discharged along the flow path through the outlet.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein a primary air fan is arranged along the flow path before or after the combustion chamber, the primary air fan sucks the primary air through the primary inlet and conveys it into the combustion chamber.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the combustion chamber is delimited by a flow-through protective grid along the flow path towards the burner nozzle and/or towards the mixing chamber.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein a secondary air fan is associated with the at least one secondary inlet, the secondary air fan is designed to suck the secondary air through the respective secondary inlet and to blow it into the mixing chamber.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein a mixing fan is arranged in the mixing chamber for mixing the primary air with the secondary air and for preparing the mixed air.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein a measuring device for detecting oxygen content, temperature, pressure, rate and/or fuel content of the mixed air is arranged in the mixing chamber and/or along the flow path at or in the outlet.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein a throttle device for throttling the volume flow of the mixed air along the flow path through the outlet is included in or at the outlet where the residence time of the mixed air in the mixing chamber can be controlled.

8. A method for air disinfection by combustion with a device according to claim 1 comprising: sucking the primary air through the primary inlet and mixing the primary air with the fuel supplied through the burner nozzle; choosing a mixing ratio of the primary air and the fuel such that the fuel is burned completely in the combustion chamber, and heating the primary air to the first temperature during combustion; routing the primary air heated to the first temperature into the mixing chamber and, in the mixing chamber, mixing the primary air with the secondary air at the second temperature to form a mixed air at the third temperature of at least 100° C., maintaining the mixing air in the mixing chamber for a predetermined residence time and subsequently flowing out of the outlet of the mixing chamber, killing viruses and bacteria present in the mixed air by the application of the third temperature for the predetermined residence time and disinfecting the mixed air flowing out of the outlet.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0045] Other advantageous further developments of the disclosure are identified in the dependent claims or presented below together with the description of the preferred embodiment of the disclosure with reference to the FIGURE.

[0046] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a device according to an advantageous embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] The FIGURE shown schematically is an example and shows a device 1 for disinfecting air by means of gas combustion in a longitudinal section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The FIGURE shown schematically is an example and shows a device 1 for disinfecting air by gas combustion in a longitudinal section.

[0049] For this purpose, primary air L1 is sucked by a primary air fan 21 through a primary inlet 10 into a combustion chamber 11. Here, the primary air L1 is mixed with a fuel B, in this case a gas as fuel B, through burner nozzle 12. The burner nozzle 12 is configured as a gas burner nozzle. In order to delimit the combustion chamber 11 from surrounding areas, or to divide the combustion chamber 11 into subsections, two protective grids 16 are provided. The grids 16 are spaced apart along the direction of flow of primary air L1. They are arranged after burner nozzle 12 and primary air fan 21. This delimits a combustion zone within combustion chamber 11.

[0050] By combustion of the fuel-air mixture, primary air L1 is heated to above 1000° C., wherein the fuel is completely burned. In the combustion however, combustion products can form, such as, for example, CO.sub.2.

[0051] The heated primary air L1 flows from combustion chamber 11 into mixing chamber 13. Here, primary air L1 is mixed with a secondary air L2 that is sucked in through, in this case, two secondary inlets 15 by a secondary air fan 22 in each inlet. In this case, secondary air fans 22 and primary air fan 21 suck the respective air from the same surroundings or the same room.

[0052] Although the secondary air L2 is not involved in the combustion in the combustion chamber 11, it may be heated to a temperature sufficient to kill viruses or bacteria also present in the secondary air L2. The hot exhaust air of the combustion of the primary air L1 flowing into the mixing chamber 13 kills the viruses or bacteria.

[0053] A mixing fan 23 is arranged in mixing chamber 13. The mixing fan 23 mixes the primary air L1 and the secondary air L2. Thus, the resulting air mixture or the resulting mixed air L3 has a third temperature as homogenous as possible that corresponds to at least 100° C. and preferably about 200° C.

[0054] Mixed air L3 is held at the third temperature in the section following the mixing fan 23 along the flow path of the air through mixing chamber 13. Thus, mixed air L3 along this section and during the residence time of mixed air L3 in this section is exposed to the third temperature for sufficient time to kill the viruses and bacteria still contained in mixed air L3. This section can also be referred to as a disinfection section of mixing chamber 13.

[0055] To control the residence time in mixing chamber 13, length L of mixing chamber 13, which is relevant for the length of the flow path of mixed air L3, can be adjusted to a maximum volume flow to be conveyed and a maximum flow rate. Thus, mixed air L3, even at a maximum discharge from outlet 14, is exposed sufficiently long to the third temperature.

[0056] To check whether the mixed air has the appropriate parameters, and also for controlling the components such as burner nozzle 12 and fans 21, 22, 23, a measuring device 17 is provided in the area of outlet 14. The measuring device 17 captures the parameters of mixed air 13 relevant for checking and controlling. For this purpose, measuring device 17 may include several sensors.

[0057] Furthermore, a throttle device 18 is provided at a transition area from mixing chamber 13 to outlet 14. In the present case, it is designed as a throttle valve. The volume flow of mixed air L3, from mixing chamber 13, and, together with fans 21, 22, 23, the air pressure in mixing chamber 13 can be controlled by throttle device 18.

[0058] Following outlet 14, further systems, such as, for example, a heat exchanger, can be provided to extract heat not needed for further use from mixed air L3, and reuse the heat.

[0059] Heat extracted from mixed air L3 by a heat exchanger can be used for preheating the primary air and/or the secondary air. Thus, an even larger air volume flow can be brought to the third temperature and thus can be disinfected.

[0060] The disclosure in its implementation is not limited to the preferred exemplary embodiments specified above. Rather, a number of variants is conceivable that makes use of the illustrated solution even in case of principally different implementations.

[0061] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.