Method and apparatus for purifying air from biological agents and volatile organic compounds

An air purifier for eliminating chemical and biological pollutants from a room, comprising:

• an inlet air channel;
• one or more air sucking components configured to direct air from the room into said inlet channel, and to direct the air via said air channel into a perforated membrane mounted in a chemical and biological pollutants-elimination reactor;
• and
• an outlet air channel configured to receive treated air from the reactor;
• wherein the reactor comprises a reservoir configured to contain a purifying aqueous alkali hydroxide/H2O2 solution;
• wherein during the purifier's operation, said perforated membrane is positioned below a surface level of the solution such that air passing through the perforated membrane is converted into bubbles that travel through the solution and towards said outlet channel;
• wherein the air purifier further comprises a removable storage unit positioned above the reactor, said removable storage unit is configured to contain and supply alkali hydroxide, hydrogen peroxide, and optionally water to said reactor;
• and
• wherein a bottom outlet of said inlet air channel is sealed against a top surface of the perforated membrane, so as to allow passage of air from the inlet air channel only through the perforations of the membrane towards a section of the reservoir below the membrane, and wherein the diameter of said membrane is smaller than the diameter of said reservoir of alkali hydroxide/H2O2 solution.

An air purifier for eliminating chemical and biological pollutants from a room, comprising:

• an inlet air channel;
• one or more air sucking components configured to direct air from the room into said inlet channel, and to direct the air via said air channel into a perforated membrane mounted in a chemical and biological pollutants-elimination reactor;
• and
• an outlet air channel configured to receive treated air from the reactor;
• wherein the reactor comprises a reservoir configured to contain a purifying aqueous alkali hydroxide/H2O2 solution;
• wherein during the purifier's operation, said perforated membrane is positioned below a surface level of the solution such that air passing through the perforated membrane is converted into bubbles that travel through the solution and towards said outlet channel;
• wherein the air purifier further comprises a removable storage unit positioned above the reactor, said removable storage unit is configured to contain and supply alkali hydroxide, hydrogen peroxide, and optionally water to said reactor;
• and
• wherein a bottom outlet of said inlet air channel is configured to lead contaminated air to a perforated membrane, said perforated membrane having a spiral tubing configuration and being positioned at a lower portion of said purifying solution's reservoir.

An air purifier for eliminating chemical and biological pollutants from a room, comprising:

• an inlet air channel;
• one or more air sucking components configured to direct air from the room into said inlet channel, and to direct the air via said air channel into a perforated membrane mounted in a chemical and biological pollutants-elimination reactor;
• and
• an outlet air channel configured to receive treated air from the reactor;
• wherein the reactor comprises a reservoir configured to contain a purifying aqueous alkali hydroxide/H2O2 solution;
• wherein during the purifier's operation, said perforated membrane is positioned below a surface level of the solution such that air passing through the perforated membrane is converted into bubbles that travel through the solution and towards said outlet channel;
• wherein the air purifier further comprises a removable storage unit positioned above the reactor, said removable storage unit is configured to contain and supply alkali hydroxide, hydrogen peroxide, and optionally water to said reactor;
• wherein said storage unit comprises an alkali hydroxide container, a H2O2 container, and optionally a water container;
• and
• wherein the air purifier has an essentially cylindrical shape, wherein said alkali hydroxide container, said H2O2 container, and said water container are arranged concentrically within the storage unit.

A home air purifying system, comprising:

• a plurality of air-quality sensors, each sensor being positioned at another room of the home;
• a mobile air purifier;
• and
• a docking station which is configured to:
• host the mobile air purifier;
• receive air quality measurements from all said plurality of sensors, and determine when a level of contamination at a room exceeds a predefined contamination threshold;
• and
• communicate with said mobile air purifier, and at least send to it an indication of a room in which a contamination above said predefined contamination threshold has been detected;
• wherein said mobile air purifier is configured to:
• communicate with said docking station, and at least receive from it an indication of the room in which the contamination above said predefined contamination threshold has been detected;
• and
• upon receipt of said indication, navigate to the contaminated room, operate there to purify the room, and upon completion, return to the docking station;
• wherein said mobile air purifier comprises:
• an inlet air channel;
• one or more air sucking components configured to suck air from the room into said inlet channel, and to direct the air via said air channel into a perforated membrane mounted at a bio-hazards elimination reactor;
• and
• an outlet air channel configured to receive treated air from the reactor, and to return the treated air into the room;
• wherein the bio-hazards elimination reactor comprises a reservoir configured to contain a purifying aqueous alkali hydroxide/H2O2 solution;
• wherein during the purifier operation said perforated membrane is positioned below a surface level of the solution such that air passing through the perforated membrane is converted into bubbles that travel through the solution and towards said outlet channel;
• and
• wherein the air purifier further comprises a removable storage unit positioned above the reactor, said removable storage unit is configured to contain and supply alkali hydroxide, hydrogen peroxide, and water to said reactor.

A method of improving indoor air quality, the method comprising:

• providing airflow through CO2 adsorption scrubber over a first period of time to capture CO2 by an adsorbent in the scrubber while reintroducing CO2-depleted air from the scrubber into a room;
• desorbing CO2 from the adsorbent during a second period of time while guiding air laden with the desorbed CO2 from the scrubber into a gas/liquid contactor charged with aqueous alkali hydroxide/H2O2, solution;
• passing the CO2-laden air through a perforated membrane installed in the gas/liquid contactor below the surface level of the aqueous alkali hydroxide/H2O2 solution, such that bubbles produced travel through said solution, solution;
• and
• getting treated air with reduced CO2 level from said gas/liquid contactor.

An air purifier comprising:

• a device used to move air for supplying air flow through the air purifier;
• CO2 adsorption scrubber;
• a gas/liquid contactor located downstream of the scrubber;
• an outlet pipe to release air from the air purifier to the room;
• a first air flow line connecting said device to the outlet pipe, configured to direct incoming air stream to the adsorption scrubber, and outgoing air stream from the scrubber to said outlet pipe;
• a second air flow line connecting said device to the outlet pipe, configured to direct incoming air stream to the gas/liquid contactor, and outgoing air stream from the gas/liquid contactor to the outlet pipe;
• a third air flow line connecting said device to the outlet pipe, configured to direct incoming air stream to the adsorption scrubber, and outgoing air stream from the scrubber to the gas/liquid contactor;
• an array of valves to guide the moving air through said first, second or third air flow lines;
• and
• optionally a heater positioned downstream to the adsorption scrubber.