Contaminant extraction systems, methods and apparatuses

A contaminant extraction system for extracting contaminants from an air flow, comprising:

• a first channel with an inlet and an outlet into which a first air flow is directed, said first air flow containing a plurality of contaminants;
• a solvent reservoir containing a volume of solvent;
• a charged droplet generator for using said solvent to produce a plurality of charged liquid droplets in said first channel;
• a second channel with an inlet and an outlet into which a second air flow is directed;
• an electric field generator for generating a first electric field in said first channel and for generating a second electric field in said second channel, wherein the second electric field is of a magnitude greater than the first electric field;
• and
• an extraction grid located between said first channel and said second channel;
• wherein said charged liquid droplets are dispersed into said first channel allowing said plurality of contaminants in said first air flow to become charged;
• and wherein said charged containments are expelled into said second air flow using the potential difference generated from the second electric field;
• and wherein said second air flow containing said charged contaminants is expelled out of the second channel outlet and a purified air flow is expelled from the outlet of said first channel.

A contaminant extraction apparatus for extracting contaminants from an air flow, comprising:

• a first channel with an inlet and an outlet into which a first air flow is directed, said first air flow containing a plurality of contaminants;
• a solvent reservoir containing a volume of solvent;
• a charged droplet generator for using said solvent to produce a plurality of charged liquid droplets in said first channel;
• a second channel with an inlet and an outlet into which a second air flow is directed;
• an electric field generator for generating a first electric field in said first channel and for generating a second electric field in said second channel, wherein the second electric field is of a magnitude greater than the first electric field;
• and
• an extraction grid located between said first channel and said second channel;
• wherein said charged liquid droplets are dispersed into said first channel allowing said plurality of contaminants in said first air flow to become charged;
• and wherein said charged containments are expelled into said second air flow using the potential difference generated from the second electric field;
• and wherein said second air flow containing said charged contaminants is expelled out of the second channel outlet and a purified air flow is expelled from the outlet of said first channel.

A contaminant extraction method for removing contaminants from an air flow comprising:

• the step of directing an air flow through a channel with an air fan;
• the step of generating a first electric field in the channel between an electrospray source and a ground plane in electrical communication with a collector;
• the step of dispensing charged liquid droplets into the air flow using at least one charged droplet generator;
• the step of allowing said charged liquid droplets to interact with particles and polar species in the air flow so that charge is transferred to at least one particle or polar species;
• and
• the step of extracting said one or more charged particles onto the collector using the potential difference in the electric field.

A contaminant extraction method for removing contaminants from an air flow comprising:

• the step of directing an air flow through a channel with an air fan;
• the step of generating a first electric field in the channel between an electrospray source and a ground plane in electrical communication with a collector;
• the step of dispensing charged liquid droplets into the air flow using at least one charged droplet generator drawing solvent from a solvent reservoir;
• the step of allowing said charged liquid droplets to interact with particles and polar species in the air flow so that charge is transferred to at least one particle or polar species;
• and
• the step of extracting said one or more charged particles onto the collector using the potential difference in the electric field.

A contaminant extraction system for extracting contaminants from an air flow, comprising:

• an air flow channel with an inlet into which an air flow is directed with an air fan, said air flow containing a plurality of contaminants, and an outlet;
• a solvent reservoir containing a volume of solvent;
• a charged droplet generator at one side of the channel for using an amount of solvent to produce a plurality of charged liquid droplets in the channel;
• a ground plane located at the side opposite to the charged droplet generator;
• a collector in electrical communication with said ground plane;
• an electric field generator for generating an electric field in the channel between the charged droplet generator and the ground plane;
• wherein said charged liquid droplets are dispersed into the channel allowing said plurality of contaminants in said first air flow to become charged;
• and wherein once the containments are charged they are expelled into the collector using the potential difference generated from the electric field;
• and wherein said purified air flow is expelled out of the channel outlet.

A contaminant extraction apparatus for extracting contaminants from an air flow, comprising:

• an air flow channel with an inlet into which an air flow is directed with an air fan, said air flow containing a plurality of contaminants, and an outlet;
• a solvent reservoir containing a volume of solvent;
• a charged droplet generator at one side of the channel for using an amount of solvent to produce a plurality of charged liquid droplets in the channel;
• a ground plane located at the side opposite to the charged droplet generator;
• a collector in electrical communication with said ground plane;
• an electric field generator for generating an electric field in the channel between the charged droplet generator and the ground plane;
• wherein said charged liquid droplets are dispersed into the channel allowing said plurality of contaminants in said first air flow to become charged;
• and wherein once the containments are charged they are expelled into the collector using the potential difference generated from the electric field;
• and wherein said purified air flow is expelled out of the channel outlet.