Visible and infrared light reflective air purification system

Abstract

A versatile air purification system is disclosed herein. The invention harnesses reflective light trapping components capable of circulating high-intensity visible and infrared radiation. Passing air absorbs a part of the energy in aerosols as viruses and bacteria. Excessive energy consequently induces denaturation of biomacromolecules and can trigger chemical and physical disinfection mechanisms to airborne pathogens. This technology is also compatible with various HVAC systems, like those of medical facilities, buildings, and vehicles, and can be utilized for other fluids too. The system can further be applied as a distinct, portable air purification apparatus.

Claims

1. An air purification system comprising at least: a. a light trap comprising: a frame that forms an air duct connecting an inlet and outlet apertures, which allows air to flow through, and an inner reflective surface; wherein the light trap possesses at least one of the following properties: i. a concave curvature geometry for most of the inner surface area; ii. a larger inner volume than the multiplication of the length between the two apertures by the average area of the inlet and outlet apertures; wherein said light trap's inner reflective surface possesses the attribute of at least 80% reflectance of incident light intensity for at least a part of the infrared or visible ranges or at parts of both infrared and visible ranges; b. at least one light source, wherein most of its light intensity is in the form of visible, or infrared, or both visible and infrared light; wherein: said light source can illuminate the inner reflective surface of the light trap; and the visible and infrared part of the light emitted by said light source (b) can be substantially reflected by the inner reflective surface of said light trap (a).

2. The air purification system of claim 1, wherein the inner reflective surface of the light trap is made of a material or a compound containing any material from the following group: aluminum, silver, copper, gold, PTFE, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC); wherein, an optional substantially transparent coating may cover said reflective surface.

3. The air purification system of claim 1, wherein the inner reflective surface of the light trap is a dielectric mirror or a distributed Bragg reflector, including mirrors fabricated from alternating layers of different refractive indices.

4. The air purification system of claim 1, wherein the light trap further comprises an inlet flange and an outlet flange, capable of connecting the light trap as a part of the airflow duct of an HVAC system.

5. The air purification system of claim 1, wherein said light source is in the form of optical fibers light source or include optical fibers, which illuminate the trap with light that includes infrared radiation or visible radiation, or both types, by an external light source, optically connected to said optical fibers.

6. The air purification system of claim 1, wherein said system further comprising at least one light shield in front of any of the light trap's apertures.

7. The air purification system of claim 1, wherein said air purification system is further configured as a part of an HVAC system, in any part throughout the HVAC system or connected in series to the HVAC system, its ends or an extension duct of the HVAC system.

8. The air purification system of claim 1, wherein said air purification system is further configured to fit as a part of an HVAC system of an airplane, a cruise ship, a bus, a car, or a train.

9. The air purification system of claim 1, wherein said light trap is illuminated by essentially visible light sources only.

10. The air purification system of claim 1, wherein said system contains more than one of said light trap, which are interconnected in series, in parallel or in a combination of both fashions.

11. The air purification system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said light sources is in the form of a solar concentrator capable of conveying sunlight into said light trap via a duct with an inner reflective surface or through optical fibers.

12. A portable air purification HVAC unit comprising at least: a. an air purification system according to claim 1; b. a portable HVAC system, capable of any full or partial combination of the following features: ventilating, heating, cooling, and air conditioning; wherein: said air purification system is connected to said portable HVAC system, so that the air which goes through the portable HVAC system travel at least partially through the air purification system too.

13. The portable air purification HVAC unit of claim 12, wherein said portable unit is further configured as a wearable device, capable of supplying purified air around the respiratory tract of the user.

14. A fluid purification system comprising at least: a. a light trap comprising: a frame that forms a duct connecting an inlet and outlet apertures, which allows fluid to go through, and an inner reflective surface; wherein the light trap possesses at least one of the following properties: i. a concave curvature geometry for most of the inner surface area; ii. a larger inner volume than the multiplication of the length between the two apertures by the average area of the inlet and outlet apertures; wherein at least a part of said light trap's inner reflective surface possesses the attribute of substantial reflectance of incident light for at least a part of the infrared or visible ranges or at parts of both infrared and visible ranges; b. at least one light source, wherein most of its light intensity is in the form of visible, or infrared, or both visible and infrared light; wherein: said light source can illuminate the inner reflective surface of the light trap; and the visible and infrared part of the light emitted by said light source (b) can be substantially reflected by the inner reflective surface of said light trap (a).

15. The fluid purification system of claim 14, wherein said light source emits exclusively light with wavelengths exceeding 450 nm.

16. The fluid purification system of claim 14, wherein said fluid purification system is further configured as a part of a water purification system, an aqueous solutions purification system, or as an HVAC system, in any part throughout the HVAC system or connected in series to the HVAC system, its ends or an extension duct of the HVAC system.

17. The fluid purification system of claim 14, wherein said light source emit light primarily in the visible spectrum and no other light source illuminates the inner surface of said light trap with another kind of electromagnetic radiation.

18. The fluid purification system of claim 14, wherein said system is further configured to purify passing air, water, or aqueous solutions.

19. The fluid purification system of claims 14, wherein at least one of said light sources is in the form of a solar concentrator capable of conveying sunlight into said light trap via a duct with an inner reflective surface or through optical fibers.

20. The fluid purification system of claim 19, wherein said light trap further comprising a substance capable of a photocatalytic activity with the absorption of sunlight.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0015] The believed key elements of the current invention are provided below by way of example. Emphasis should be placed on the fact that the drawings are presented for illustration and clarification purposes. These are not intended to define the limits of the present invention. Also, the following disclosure of claims will allow a person skilled in the art to manufacture and utilize the present invention. This person will apprehend that variations, modifications, and alternations may be applied, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

[0016] FIG. 1 is an illustration of an elongated light trap with a concave contour and rounded cross-section;

[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates a cylindrical trap with a diameter wider than its connecting flanges;

[0018] FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the inner parts of the trap in FIG. 2;

[0019] FIG. 4 corresponds to a compact light shielded trap;

[0020] FIG. 5 describes a compact light shielded trap with flanges to connect an HVAC system;

[0021] FIG. 6 shows a trap which is containing multiple concave inner reflective surfaces; and

[0022] FIG. 7 illustrates a multiple concave inner reflective surface trap with a square cross-section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which describes an elongated light trap with a concave contour and a round cross-section 100. This trap is compounded from a trap frame 130 which contains an inner reflective surface 117. This surface may be of the same material as the trap frame 130, such as aluminum for instance. Alternatively, a coated reflective surface as silver or dielectric mirror layers may form the inner reflective surface. Additional polymeric or glass transparent coating may cover the reflective inner surface. Moreover, light sources 20 are interconnected to said trap 130. These light sources can be placed at any place inside or on the inner surface of the trap. Yet, a preferred location for the light source(s) should be in about the middle of the trap. The combination of the reflective surface with the elongated geometry of the trap should allow light to be reflected multiple times on average. Inlet flange 40 with an inner diameter of about the inlet aperture 111 and outlet flange 45 are interconnected to trap 100. These flanges should interconnect the trap to the ducts of the HVAC system. Therefore, the trap should be integrated as a part of the HVAC system while disinfecting its flowing air. The cut around the middle of the trap is visible in this sectional view for the illustration of the inner surface and light sources.

[0024] FIG. 2 displays the full cylindrically shaped disinfection light trap 200 with trap frame 120. This trap demonstrates a larger trap diameter than inlet flange 40 and outlet flange 45, although in many cases symmetry may render the two installation directions interchangeable. Said flanges are supposed to be about the diameter of the HVAC ducts, leading the air in and out of the system. By this feature, the volume of the trap should be higher, and the inner surface, on the ends of the trap, next to the apertures can reflect light back as well. Electrical connecting line 21 for the light source(s) is demonstrated here. The inner surface of the trap should contain a duct for the air to flow from the inlet aperture to the outlet aperture, engulfed with reflective material or layered mirror as dielectric or distributed Bragg reflector for most of the inner surface. Optical fibers or other light sources as LED lights, should illuminate the inner trap surface, providing excessive denaturing energy to any pathogens which pass through.

[0025] A sectional view of said cylindrically shaped disinfection light trap 200 is depicted in FIG. 3. This visualizes the inner parts of the trap as the reflective inner surface 117 and light sources 20. LED light sources are preferred light sources for this invention for their high-efficiency properties. Another preferred origin of light is directed by optical fibers into the trap. These kinds of lights are widely available and allow efficient infrared and visible light output. Five light sources are connected to light trap 200 in this figure example. These lights can be arraigned differently with a single light or multiple light sources. As an alternative, light source(s) connected to the trap, by means of optical fiber(s) can carry light to the inner space of the trap. This brings unwanted absorption by any lightings installed and their wiring to the minimum.

[0026] FIG. 4 exhibits a compact light-shielded trap 300 with a trap frame 110. The frame contains a reflective inner surface 117, capable of substantially reflecting the light of light source 20. This trap has an inlet aperture 111 and an outlet aperture 112. The trap is interconnected to light shield 30 by connectors 35. The light shield holds the ability to reflect light at least partially. This is especially from the surfaces facing the inner parts of the trap as surface 31. An optional deflecting section 32 of the shield is aerodynamically designed to allow more linear flow through the light trap. Additional inlet flange 40 and outlet flange 45 are added and shown in FIG. 5. These flanges should allow easier and tighter connections to the HVAC system. Said light-shielded trap 300 may be elongated as well and might also be shaped in other oval or cylindrical shapes. In this case, the light shield 30 may be adjusted to the overall length of the trap. Alternatively, two separated light shields can cover the inner aperture and outlet aperture.

[0027] Multiple concave inner trap surfaces are demonstrated in FIG. 6. This light trap 400 with trap frame 140 contains three light-reflective compartments. Each of these acts as a separated active unit, reflecting light from its inner surface 117. Escaping light now may circulate through the adjacent traps. By this method, not all the compartments must contain a light source. This trap sample contains three light sources 20 and electrical wiring 21. Such a trap and all other trap types can be shaped in different cross-sectional geometries as well. FIG. 7 illustrates a square resembling cross-sectional design. This light trap 500 with trap frame 150 can fit better to a square duct of HVAC system partially drawn as part 50. Clearly, it is possible that only the inlet and outlet apertures or the connecting flanges will be shaped according to the HVAC duct. In trap 500, the trap's body is squarely designed too. This may fit better to the allocated volume of the HVAC system and turn the airflow from a square duct, more linear in nature.