Air treatment apparatus and methods

An air treatment apparatus, comprising:

• a base;
• a generally frustoconical housing extending upwardly from the base that terminates in a slanting top surface, the housing having an inner surface that defines an interior and a cross section that decreases in size from a lower end adjacent the base to an upper end adjacent the top surface, the housing also having a side surface with louvered openings including an upper air inlet portion that serves as an air inlet and an adjacent lower air outlet portion that serves as an air outlet, the housing also having additional air outlets defined in the lower end of the housing adjacent the base and in the top surface of the housing;
• a negative ion generator positioned within the interior of the housing and coupled to the base, the negative ion generator being a hollow cylinder with dielectric outer side and top surfaces and a conductive inner surface;
• a fan positioned within the interior above the negative ion generator, the fan being adjacent the air inlet portion of the side surface of the housing;
• a photo-ionizing assembly disposed within the interior and generally above the fan and the negative ion generator, the photo-ionizing assembly including a fluorescent bulb and a tray for supporting the bulb, the tray being slidingly removable through a tray opening defined in the side surface of the housing above the air inlet opening;
• and
• an electrical circuit that provides power to the negative ion generator, fan and photo-ionizer, the circuit including a power switch, a power supply and a ballast, the power supply being connected to the power switch, the fan, the negative ion generator and the ballast, and the ballast also being connected to the photo-ionizer.

A multi-approach air treatment apparatus, comprising;

• a photo-ionizing assembly that emits a predetermined wavelength of ultraviolet light, wherein a first portion of the emitted light produces ozone upon impingement with adjacent air and a second portion of emitted light impinges upon a target that produces radicals and ions that bond with and reduce a portion of volatile organic compounds within the air;
• and
• a negative ion generator that produces negative ions by an electrical charge applied to an enclosed conductive inner surface, the negative ion generator having a substantially non-conductive outer surface on which the negative ions are formed and from which the negative ions are transferred to air,
• wherein the photo-ionizing assembly and the negative ion generator are powered by a common power supply operating at a substantially constant voltage.

A method for treating air, the method comprising:

• producing negative ions on a substantially non-conductive exterior dielectric surface of a negative ion generator by applying a charge to an enclosed inner conductive surface of the negative ion generator;
• passing air to be treated along the exterior dielectric surface so that negative ions encounter the passing air;
• and
• exposing air to be treated to a photo-ionizing light source to photo-ionize at least a portion of the passing air such that ozone is produced to oxidize contaminants in the air.