System and method for in-situ conditioning of emitter electrode with silver
AssigneePanasonic Precision Devices Co., Ltd.
InventorsKenneth Honer, Guilian Gao, Matthew Schwiebert, Nels Jewell-Larsen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Cleaning and/or conditioning electrode surfaces can provide significant performance and operational benefits in EHD devices. In particular, conditioning of emitter electrode surfaces with silver (Ag), silver compositions or silver preparations applied in situ at successive times throughout the operating lifetime of an EHD air mover has been found to significantly reduce ozone production. Structures and techniques are described for in situ conditioning electrode surfaces and, in particular, emitter electrode surfaces of an EHD device such as an air mover or precipitator, with a conditioning material that includes silver.
Claims72
An apparatus comprising:
- an electrohydrodynamic (EHD) device that includes an emitter electrode energizable to motivate ion flow;
- and
- a conditioning surface to frictionally engage the emitter electrode, wherein the conditioning surface and a frictionally engaged surface of the emitter electrode are movable relative to one another to, at successive times throughout the operating life of the apparatus, deposit a conditioning material comprising silver on the frictionally engaged surface of the emitter electrode.
A method of managing ozone in an electrohydrodynamic (EHD) device, the method comprising:
- energizing an emitter electrode of the EHD device to motivate ion flow;
- and
- at successive times throughout the operating life of the apparatus and in situ, moving a conditioning surface and a frictionally engaged surface of the emitter electrode relative to one another to deposit a consumable conditioning material comprising silver on the frictionally engaged surface of the emitter electrode.
A method of making an electronic device product capable of renewing in situ a consumable ozone reducing material to at least partially abate ozone otherwise produced during operation of the electronic device product, the method comprising:
- tensioning an emitter wire energizable to motivate ion flow;
- positioning at least one conditioning surface of a carriage to frictionally engage the emitter wire and to, when transited along the emitter wire, deposit a conditioning material comprising silver on the frictionally engaged surface of the emitter wire;
- and
- mechanically coupling the carriage to a drive mechanism operable, at successive times throughout the operating life of the electronic device product, to transit the conditioning surface along the emitter wire.
An apparatus comprising:
- an electrohydrodynamic (EHD) fluid mover that includes emitter and collector electrodes energizable to motivate fluid flow therebetween;
- and
- a conditioning mechanism operable to, at successive times throughout the operating life of the apparatus, apply a consumable ozone catalyst to a surface of the emitter electrode.
A method for conditioning an electrode comprising:
- operating an electrohydrodynamic (EHD) fluid mover that includes emitter and collector electrodes energizable to motivate fluid flow therebetween;
- operating a conditioning mechanism at successive times between operation of the EHD fluid mover;
- and
- applying in situ, during the operating of the conditioning mechanism, a consumable ozone catalyst to a surface of the emitter electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.