Air cleaner with improved airflow
View Patent ↗An air cleaner is provided according to an embodiment of the invention. The air cleaner includes an air duct including an inlet end and an outlet end, a pre-filter positioned at the inlet end, an electrostatic precipitator positioned in the air duct downstream of the pre-filter, a post-filter positioned in the air duct downstream of the electrostatic precipitator, and a fan unit positioned in the air duct downstream of the post-filter. Airflow travels from the inlet end to the outlet end. The airflow first encounters the pre-filter, encounters the electrostatic precipitator after encountering the pre-filter, encounters the post-filter after encountering the electrostatic precipitator, and encounters the fan unit after encountering the post-filter. Each of the pre-filter, the electrostatic precipitator, and the post-filter can be separately installed and removed from the air duct.
1. An air cleaner, comprising:
a base portion;
an elongated tower portion extending substantially vertically above the base portion and including a shell, at least one door, and a control panel;
a substantially vertical air duct inside the tower portion and including an inlet end and an outlet end, wherein an airflow travels in a substantially vertical fashion from the inlet end to the outlet end;
a pre-filter positioned at the inlet end, wherein the airflow first encounters the pre-filter;
an electrostatic precipitator positioned in the air duct downstream of the pre-filter, wherein the airflow encounters the electrostatic precipitator after encountering the pre-filter;
a post-filter positioned in the air duct downstream of the electrostatic precipitator, wherein the airflow encounters the post-filter after encountering the electrostatic precipitator; and
a fan unit positioned in the air duct downstream of the post-filter, wherein the airflow encounters the fan unit after encountering the post-filter;
wherein each of the pre-filter, the electrostatic precipitator, and the post-filter can be separately installed and removed from the air duct.
2. The air cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the pre-filter is removably mounted in the air duct.
3. The air cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the electrostatic precipitator is removably mounted in the air duct.
4. The air cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the post-filter is removably mounted in the air duct.
5. The air cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the pre-filter is received by a pre-filter receptacle located in the air duct.
6. The air cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the electrostatic precipitator is received by an electrostatic precipitator receptacle located in the air duct.
7. The air cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the electrostatic precipitator is received by a non-vertical electrostatic precipitator receptacle located in the air duct.
8. The air cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the post-filter is received by a post-filter receptacle located in the air duct.
9. The air cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the post-filter includes an odor filtration element.
10. The air cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the post-filter includes an odor emitting element.
11. An air cleaner, comprising:
a base portion;
an elongate tower portion extending substantially vertically above the base portion and including a shell, at least one door, and a control panel;
a substantially vertical air duct inside the tower portion and including an inlet end and an outlet end, wherein an airflow travels in a substantially vertical fashion from the inlet end to the outlet end;
a removable pre-filter positioned at the inlet end, wherein the airflow first encounters the pre-filter;
a removable electrostatic precipitator positioned in the air duct downstream of the pre-filter, wherein the airflow encounters the electrostatic precipitator after encountering the pre-filter;
a removable post-filter positioned in the air duct downstream of the electrostatic precipitator, wherein the airflow encounters the post-filter after encountering the electrostatic precipitator; and
a fan unit positioned in the air duct downstream of the post-filter, wherein the airflow encounters the fan unit after encountering the post-filter;
wherein each of the pre-filter, the electrostatic precipitator, and the post-filter can be separately installed and removed from the air duct.
12. The air cleaner of claim 11 , wherein the pre-filter is received by a pre-filter receptacle located in the air duct.
13. The air cleaner of claim 11 , wherein the electrostatic precipitator is received by an electrostatic precipitator receptacle located in the air duct.
14. The air cleaner of claim 11 , wherein the electrostatic precipitator is received by a non-vertical electrostatic precipitator receptacle located in the air duct.
15. The air cleaner of claim 11 , wherein the post-filter is received by a post-filter receptacle located in the air duct.
16. The air cleaner of claim 11 , wherein the post-filter includes an odor filtration element.
17. The air cleaner of claim 11 , wherein the post-filter includes an odor emitting element.
18. A method of providing an air cleaner with a base portion and an elongated tower portion extending substantially vertically above the base portion and including a shell, at least one door, and a control panel, the method further comprising:
generating an airflow in a substantially vertical air duct inside the tower portion that includes an inlet end and an outlet end, wherein the airflow travels in a substantially vertical fashion from the inlet end to the outlet end;
passing the airflow through a pre-filter located in the air duct;
passing the airflow through an electrostatic precipitator located in the air duct downstream of the pre-filter;
passing the airflow through a post-filter located in the air duct downstream of the electrostatic precipitator; and
passing the airflow through a fan unit located in the air duct downstream of the post-filter, with the fan unit generating the airflow;
wherein each of the pre-filter, the electrostatic precipitator, and the post-filter can be separately installed and removed from the air duct.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the pre-filter is removably mounted in the air duct.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the electrostatic precipitator is removably mounted in the air duct.
21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the post-filter is removably mounted in the air duct.
22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the pre-filter is received by a pre-filter receptacle located in the air duct.
23. The method of claim 18 , wherein the electrostatic precipitator is received by an electrostatic precipitator receptacle located in the air duct.
24. The method of claim 18 , wherein the electrostatic precipitator is received by a non-vertical electrostatic precipitator receptacle located in the air duct.
25. The method of claim 18 , wherein the post-filter is received by a post-filter receptacle located in the air duct.
26. The method of claim 18 , wherein the post-filter includes an odor filtration element.
27. The method of claim 18 , wherein the post-filter includes an odor emitting element.