Filtration media
View Patent ↗Particles may be used to filter harmful biological material from an fluid stream such as air. The particles can be arranged into a bed to filter the harmful biological material from the fluid. The particles include a biocidal agent which is used to destroy the harmful biological material.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a bed of inorganic particles used to destroy harmful biological material from an air stream in a ventilation system for a building, each of the particles having interconnecting openings extending throughout the particle and opening onto an outer surface of the particle to form a reticulated labyrinth of struts; and
a biocidal agent positioned in the reticulated labyrinth of struts, the biocidal agent being used to destroy the harmful biological material which enters the reticulated labyrinth of struts.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a mean size of the particles is about 0.5 mm to 4 mm.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the biocidal agent comprises silver and/or an antibiotic.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a mean size of the openings is about 0.1 microns to 10 microns.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the particles include ceramic material.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the particles absorb the harmful biological material.
7. An apparatus comprising:
a bed of inorganic particles used to destroy harmful biological material from an air stream, each of the particles including a plurality of pores; and
a biocidal agent positioned in the pores of the particles, the biocidal agent being used to destroy the harmful biological material;
wherein a mean size of the pores is about 0.1 microns to 100 microns.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein a mean size of the particles is about 0.5 mm to 4 mm.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the biocidal agent comprises silver and/or an antibiotic.
10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the pores form a reticulated porous structure.
11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the particles include ceramic material.
12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the particles include metal.
13. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the particles absorb the harmful biological material.
14. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the harmful biological material collects in the pores.
15. An apparatus comprising:
a bed of inorganic particles used to destroy harmful biological material from an air stream, each of the particles including a plurality of pores; and
a biocidal agent positioned in the pores of the particles, the biocidal agent being used to destroy the harmful biological material;
wherein the pores form a reticulated porous structure.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein a mean size of the particles is about 0.5 mm to 4 mm.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the biocidal agent comprises silver and/or an antibiotic.
18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein a mean pore size of the pores is about 0.1 microns to 10 microns.
19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the particles include ceramic material.
20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the particles include metal.
21. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the particles absorb the harmful biological material.
22. An apparatus comprising:
a bed of inorganic particles used to remove a filtrate substance from an air stream, each of the particles including a plurality of reticulated pores; and
a reactive substance positioned in the pores of the particles, the reactive substance being used to chemically react with the filtrate substance and/or serve as a catalyst for reactions involving the filtrate substance;
wherein a mean pore size of the pores is about 0.1 microns to 10 microns.
23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein a mean size of the particles is about 0.5 mm to 4 mm.
24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the reactive substance chemically reacts with the filtrate substance.
25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the reactive substance comprises a metal catalyst.
26. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the reactive substance is dry.
27. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the particles absorb the filtrate substance.
28. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the reactive substance is coated on surfaces that define the pores.
29. An apparatus comprising:
a bed of inorganic particles used to destroy harmful biological material from an air stream, each of the particles including a plurality of pores; and
a biocidal agent positioned in the pores of the particles, the biocidal agent being used to destroy the harmful biological material;
wherein a mean pore size of the pores is at least about 1 micron.
30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein a mean size of the particles is about 0.5 mm to 4 mm.
31. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the biocidal agent comprises silver and/or an antibiotic.
32. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the mean pore size of the pores is no more than about 100 microns.
33. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the pores form a reticulated porous structure.
34. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the particles include ceramic material.
35. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the particles include metal.
36. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the particles absorb the harmful biological material.
37. A ventilation system comprising:
a bed of inorganic particles used to remove a filtrate substance from an air stream, each of the particles including a plurality of pores having a biocidal agent positioned in the pores;
a catalytic reactor;
wherein the air stream passes through the catalytic reactor after passing through the bed of particles.
38. The ventilation system of claim 37 comprising duct which is used to channel the air stream from one location to another location, the bed of particles and the catalytic reactor being positioned in the duct.
39. The ventilation system of claim 37 wherein a mean size of the particles is about 0.5 mm to 4 mm.
40. The ventilation system of claim 37 wherein a mean pore size of the pores in the particles is about 0.1 microns to 10 microns.
41. The ventilation system of claim 37 wherein the pores in the particles form a reticulated porous structure.
42. The ventilation system of claim 37 wherein the particles include ceramic material.
43. The ventilation system of claim 37 wherein the particles include metal.
44. The ventilation system of claim 37 wherein the particles absorb the filtrate substance.
45. An apparatus comprising:
a bed of inorganic particles used to destroy harmful biological material from an air stream in a ventilation system for a building, each of the particles including a plurality of reticulated pores; and
a biocidal agent positioned in the pores of the particles, the biocidal agent being used to destroy the harmful biological material;
wherein a mean size of the particles is about 0.5 mm to 4 mm.
46. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein the biocidal agent is dry.
47. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein the biocidal agent comprises silver and/or an antibiotic.
48. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein a mean pore size of the pores is about 0.1 microns to 10 microns.
49. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein the particles include ceramic material.