US 9,789,219 B2Granted

Glycol sensor for feedback loop control

AssigneeProlitec Inc.

InventorsCraig Kelly, Richard W. Weening

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A method of maintaining a desired level of an aerosolized compound within a space to be treated with the compound, the method including providing a diffusion device with the compound in liquid form and a control system for operating the device. The control system includes a sensor in fluid communication with the air within the space to be treated configured to sense the concentration of the compound aerosolized within the space. The diffusion device is operated to diffuse the compound into the space. The concentration of the compound within the space to be treated is sensed with the sensor and operation of the diffusion device is altered based on the concentration of the compound sensed to achieve a desired concentration of compound within the space. The sensing and operation altering steps are repeated periodically to maintain the desired concentration of the compound within the space.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method of maintaining a desired level of an aerosolized compound within a human occupiable space that is subjected to uncontrolled ventilation rate conditions arising from HVAC activity and from entry/exit activity of human occupants moving into and out of the human occupiable space, the method comprising:

providing a diffusion device including the compound to be aerosolized from a liquid form and including a control system for operating the diffusion device to diffuse the compound into the air within the human occupiable space to be treated irrespective of the presence of human occupants, the control system of the diffusion device including a sensor in fluid communication with the air within the human occupiable space to be treated with the compound, and the sensor being configured to sense the concentration of the compound aerosolized within the human occupiable space to be treated;
operating the diffusion device to diffuse the compound into the human occupiable space to be treated throughout a treatment period in which the human occupiable space is subjected to uncontrolled ventilation rate conditions arising from HVAC activity and from entry/exit activity of human occupants moving into and out of the human occupiable space;
sensing the concentration of the compound within the human occupiable space to be treated with the sensor throughout a treatment period in which the human occupiable space is subjected to uncontrolled ventilation rate conditions arising from HVAC activity and from entry/exit activity of human occupants moving into and out of the human occupiable space, and altering the operation of the diffusion device based on the concentration of the compound sensed within the human occupiable space if necessary to achieve a desired concentration of compound within the human occupiable space to be treated;
and
repeating the sensing and altering step periodically during the treatment period to maintain the desired concentration of the compound within the human occupiable space to be treated.

2 more elements

A liquid diffusion device for treating a human occupiable space that is subjected to uncontrolled ventilation rate conditions arising from HVAC activity and from entry/exit activity of human occupants moving into and out of the human occupiable space with a compound aerosolized from a liquid, the liquid diffusion device comprising:

a control system for operating the liquid diffusion device to diffuse the compound into the occupiable space to be treated;
the control system including a sensor in fluid communication with the air in the human occupiable space to be treated, the sensor configured to sense the concentration of the compound within the air of the human occupiable space to be treated irrespective of the presence of human occupants throughout a treatment period in which the human occupiable space is subjected to uncontrolled ventilation rate conditions arising from HVAC activity and entry/exit activity of human occupants moving into and out of the human occupiable space;
and
the control system configured to alter the operation of the liquid diffusion device based on the concentration of the compound sensed within the human occupiable space to be treated and a desired concentration of that compound.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/280,320Filed 24 Oct 2011 · continuation in part
Priority: 26 Mar 2007
Published: US 2012/0097753 A126 Apr 2012
Granted: 17 Oct 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

A61L 9/14
Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air: using sprayed or atomised substances including air-liquid contact processes
A61L 2209/111
Apparatus for controlling air treatment: sensor means, e.g. motion, brightness, scent, contaminant sensors
F24F 8/50
Treatment, e.g. purification, of air supplied to human living or working spaces otherwise than by heating, cooling, humidifying or drying: by…
F24F 2110/66
Concentration of specific substances or contaminants: volatile organic compounds [VOC]

Family

Application11/691,363Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 26 Mar 2007
Application61/405,952Us provisional application · filed 22 Oct 2010
Application13/090,240Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 19 Apr 2011
US 2012/0097753 A1Pre-grant publication · published 26 Apr 2012
US 7,930,068 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2008/0243273 A1Published application
US 2011/0253797 A1Published application
US 9,789,219 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.