Electronic air cleaners and associated systems and methods
AssigneeUniversity of Washington through its Center for Commercialization
InventorIgor Krichtafovitch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Electronic air cleaners for use in heating, air-conditioning, and ventilation (HVAC) systems and associated methods and systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an electronic air cleaner (100, 200, 300) includes one or more collecting electrodes (122, 322) having a collection material with a porous, open-cell structure and a conductive internal portion (125, 325). The collection material can be configured to collect and receive charged particulate matter in an airflow path. After a period of time, used collection material can be removed from individual collecting electrodes (122, 322) and replaced with new collection material.
Claims10
An air filter, comprising:
- a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a cavity therebetween;
- and
- an electrode assembly between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the electrode assembly includes a plurality of first electrodes wherein said first electrodes include an internal conductive portion and one or more collecting structures disposed on said internal conductive portion, and wherein said one or more collecting structures include an open cell structure having a high electrical resistivity and having an outer surface generally parallel with an airflow through the cavity;
- one or more second electrodes arranged in columns within said electrode assembly alternating with said first electrodes, wherein said first electrodes have a first electrical potential and said second electrodes have a second electrical potential different from said first electrical potential;
- and
- a first corona electrode disposed within said cavity at least proximate said inlet.
An air filter, comprising:
- a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a cavity therebetween;
- and
- an electrode assembly between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the electrode assembly includes a plurality of first electrodes wherein said first electrodes include an internal conductive portion and one or more collecting structures disposed on said internal conductive portion, and wherein said one or more collecting structures include an open cell structure having a high electrical resistivity and having an outer surface generally parallel with an airflow through the cavity;
- one or more second electrodes arranged in columns within said electrode assembly alternating with said first electrodes, wherein said first electrodes have a first electrical potential and said second electrodes have a second electrical potential different from said first electrical potential;
- a first corona electrode disposed within said cavity at least proximate said inlet, wherein the first corona electrode comprises a wire, and wherein the air filter further comprises a cleaning device configured to slideably move from a first position on the wire to a second position on the wire;
- and wherein the cleaning device comprises a propeller having a center bore configured to receive the wire therethrough, and wherein the bore includes an interior surface configured to engage the first corona electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.