DEVICE FOR AIR PURIFICATION, INCORPORATED INTO A VEHICLE

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A device for air purification, incorporated into a vehicle, the device comprising. a casing, 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 a front part, with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle, and exiting through at least one opening located in a rear part under a suction effect of at least one fan disposed in the opening; from an inlet to an outlet, the air purification device successively includes the following devices: a photocatalytic reactor consisting of several steel plates, which are impregnated with titanium dioxide, and of ultraviolet light tubes, sequentially located to perform a good photocatalytic reaction and downstream of said plates in the clean air outlet direction; a reverse microwave for the purpose of reducing the temperature of the inlet air stream in order to better capture the pollutant particles by not sublimating them and reducing their volume, making their capture more efficient; generates a magnetic field that abates the pollutant; an activated carbon filter, for the purpose of absorbing harmful particles and gases; and a HEPA filter, just before the fans located in the outlet conduit, for the purpose of filtering the pollutants that may have passed through the activated carbon filter and have not been purified.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the plates, which are impregnated with titanium dioxide, are located in an intercalated manner, with some in the lower part and others in the upper part of said duct, forming a labyrinth that reduces air speed, while at the same time facilitating that the impure air entering through the opening hits against these plates so that a previous decantation of various suspended particles takes place, in order to protect the rest of the existing filtering elements up to the outlet opening.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the casing that houses all the devices forms an aerodynamic casing that is placed horizontally in the upper part of the truck or bus and has side accesses, at least in correspondence with the filters, that allow their removal for cleaning or replacement, without the need to disassemble the device in its entirety.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the activated carbon filter is connected to a differential pressure clock that indicates its clogging state.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein an adjustable grid is placed between the reverse microwave and the activated carbon filter.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the ultraviolet light tubes, fans and other electrical/electronic devices are powered from the vehicle current or from at least one photovoltaic plate fixed on top of the device.

7. The device according to claim 6, further comprising: a grid at the inlet opening that prevents the entry of insects, leaves or large particles inside the device due to the absorption of the air by the fans from the outlet opening.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the inlet opening and outlet opening are connected by means of tubes to the inside of the compartment of the vehicle in which they are assembled in order to purify the air existing inside the vehicle.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the is a land vehicle, and the casing is fixed to an upper part of the vehicle.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the casing that houses all the devices forms an aerodynamic casing that is placed horizontally in the upper part of the truck or bus and has side accesses, at least in correspondence with the filters, that allow their removal for cleaning or replacement, without the need to disassemble the device in its entirety.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the activated carbon filter is connected to a differential pressure clock that indicates its clogging state.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein an adjustable grid is placed between the reverse microwave and the activated carbon filter.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet light tubes, fans and other electrical / electronic devices are powered from the vehicle current or from at least one photovoltaic plate fixed on top of the device.

14. The device according to claim 1, further comprising: a grid at the inlet opening that prevents the entry of insects, leaves or large particles inside the device due to the absorption of the air by the fans from the outlet opening.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the inlet opening and outlet opening are connected by means of tubes to the inside of the compartment of the vehicle in which they are assembled in order to purify the air existing inside the vehicle.

16. A device for air purification, incorporated into a vehicle, the device comprising: a casing, 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 being an inlet and located in a front part, with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle, and exiting through at least one opening being an outlet and located in a rear part under a suction effect of at least one fan disposed in the opening; from the inlet to the outlet, the air purification device successively includes: a photocatalytic reactor consisting of several steel plates, which are impregnated with titanium dioxide, and of ultraviolet light tubes, sequentially located to perform a photocatalytic reaction and downstream of said plates in a clean air outlet direction; a reverse microwave configured to and/or programed to generate a magnetic field that abates a pollutant(s); an activated carbon filter; and a HEPA filter, just before the fans located in the outlet conduit.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] As a complement to the description being made, and for the purpose of helping to make the features of the invention more readily understandable, the present specification is accompanied by a set of drawings which, by way of illustration and not limitation, represent the following:

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a schematic vertical-longitudinal section view of a device made according to the invention.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a rear elevation view from the purified air outlet of this device.

[0024] FIG. 3 schematically depicts the assembly of the filters (8, 9) in the casing (1).

[0025] FIG. 4 schematically depicts the assembly of the device for purifying the air inside a bus (13).

[0026] The following is a list of all the references included in the attached drawings.

1) Casing.

[0027] 2) Impure air inlet.
3) Clean air outlet.
4) Units of sheet metal impregnated with titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2).
5) Units of ultraviolet light tube.
6) Reverse microwave.
7) Adjustable grid.
8) Activated carbon filter.
9) HEPA filter.

10) Fans.

[0028] 11) Inlet grid.
12) Inner duct.
13) Support vehicle.
14) Support guides for the filters (8, 9).
15) Air intake tube in the vehicle.
16) Air inlet tube in the vehicle.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0029] As can be observed in the mentioned figures, the device for air purification, incorporated into a vehicle, object of the invention, comprises a casing (1), which is fixed on the outside of the vehicle (13), preferably in the upper part thereof if it is a land vehicle. This casing (1) has a longitudinal duct (12) through which air passes, the air entering impure through at least one opening (2) located in the front part, with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle, and exiting through at least one opening (3) located in the rear part under the suction effect of at least one fan (10) disposed in the opening (3). Between the inlet (2) and outlet (3), the device successively includes, in this order, the following devices: A photocatalytic reactor, a reverse microwave (6), an activated carbon filter (8) and a HEPA filter (9).

[0030] The photocatalytic reactor consists of several steel plates (4), which are impregnated with titanium dioxide, and of ultraviolet light tubes (5), sequentially located to perform a good photocatalytic reaction, located downstream of said plates (4) in the clean air outlet direction. On the other hand, the mentioned plates (4) are located in an intercalated manner, with some in the lower part and others in the upper part of said duct, forming a labyrinth that reduces air speed, while at the same time facilitating that the impure air entering through the opening (2) hits against these plates (4) so that a previous decantation of various suspended particles takes place, so that the rest of the filtering elements are protected in this first phase. The photons, together with TiO2, destroy the pollutant that may be in the air stream being sucked in from the outside. These tubes should be replaced approximately every twelve months to ensure that the light is intense enough to degrade pollutants.

[0031] An inverted microwave (6) is installed downstream of the photocatalytic reactor. The purpose of this device is to reduce the temperature of the inlet air stream in order to better capture the pollutant particles by not sublimating them and reducing their volume, making their capture more efficient; it also generates a magnetic field that abates the pollutant. This element does not need to be replaced, just like the plates (4) placed first.

[0032] Next, two filters are placed, a first activated carbon filter (8), for the purpose of absorbing harmful particles and gases; and a second HEPA filter, just before the fan(s) (10) located in the outlet conduit (3), said filtering being for the purpose of filtering the pollutants that may have passed through the activated carbon filter and have not been purified.

[0033] The activated carbon filter (8) is connected to a differential pressure clock, which is located in a visible place in the cabin of the vehicle; this clock indicates the state of the filter, that is, if it is saturated with pollutant, since in this case the loss of pressure increases, along with the saturation of the filter, and therefore this would indicate that its replacement or regeneration by means of a sonic system is necessary.

[0034] The casing (1) that houses all the devices forms an aerodynamic compartment that is placed horizontally in the upper part of the truck or bus and has side accesses, at least in correspondence with the filters (8, 9), that allow their removal for cleaning or replacement, without the need to disassemble the device in its entirety, being moved to one side by transverse guides (14).

[0035] In FIG. 1, an adjustable grid (7) can be seen between the reverse microwave (6) and the activated carbon filter (8).

[0036] Likewise, a grid (11) is placed at the inlet opening (2) that prevents the entry of insects, leaves or large particles inside the device due to the absorption of the air by the fans (10) from the outlet opening.

[0037] When it comes to purifying the air inside the vehicle (13) in which the device (1) is assembled, the inlet opening (2) and outlet opening (3) of the device are connected by means of separate tubes (15, 16) with the inside of the compartment of the vehicle (13) for the purpose of purifying the air inside the vehicle. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the device is assembled on the roof of a bus and the air intake into the device is taken from inside the vehicle, preferably from the front area, while the purified air outlet is also directed to the inside of said vehicle, preferably in the rear area. The position of the air inlet and outlet inside the bus is not a relevant fact, the only feature being that they will be separated as far as the interior space allows in order to allow the purified air to travel as far as possible inside the vehicle.

[0038] The ultraviolet light tubes (5), fans (10) and other electrical/electronic devices are powered from the vehicle current or from a photovoltaic plate fixed on top of the device.

[0039] A device with an approximate electrical power of 1500 W is expected to provide a flow rate of 4000 m3/hour of clean air, with a purification level of more than 99%.

[0040] The pollutants captured are: CO.sub.2, CO, NO.sub.x, SO.sub.2, benzene, formaldehyde, pathogens and suspended particles (PM10 and PM2.5).

[0041] Having sufficiently described the nature of the invention, as well as a preferred exemplary embodiment thereof, it is evident that the invention can have industrial applicability in the indicated sector.

[0042] Likewise, it is stated for the appropriate purposes that the materials, shape, size and arrangement of the elements described may be modified, as long as this does not imply an alteration of the essential features of the invention that are claimed below: