Apparatus and method for selective environmental conditioning of substantially enclosed areas

An apparatus for selective conditioning of preselected characteristics of a substantially enclosed utilization area having units therein to promote removal of undesired matter from the area while more nearly establishing predetermined naturally occurring environmental characteristics therein, said area being formed by structure including a ceiling structure and a plurality of inwardly facing surfaces, said apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of negative ion generating means for generating a selected quantity of negative ions within the area, each of said negative ion generating means being spaced a preselected distance from one another in said area adjacent to said ceiling structure thereof;
• positive electrostatic field establishing means including a plurality of positive field collector means each of which is positioned adjacent to, and spaced a preselected distance from, different ones of said plurality of negative ion generating means in said area, said positive field establishing means for generating a selected field intensity within the area and further including pulse establishing means for establishing pulsations having a selected frequency in said positive electrostatic field;
• and
• control means for controlling selection of said quantity of ions generated by said ion generating means and selection of said intensity of said electrostatic field generated by said electrostatic field establishing means independently of one another.

A method for selective conditioning of preselected characteristics of a substantially enclosed utilization area to promote removal of undesired matter from the area while more nearly establishing predetermined naturally occurring environmental characteristics therein, said area being formed by structure having inwardly facing surfaces, said method comprising:

• generating a selected quantity of negative ions within said area from a plurality of preselected spaced first positions in said area;
• generating a positive electrostatic field having a selected intensity in said area from a plurality of preselected second positions in said area, said second positions being adjacent to, and spaced a preselected distance from, each of said first positions;
• establishing pulsations having a selected frequency in said positive electrostatic field;
• and
• selecting said quantity of negative ions and said intensity of said positive electrostatic field independently of one another.