Air decontamination device and method
An apparatus for the decontamination of air, the apparatus comprising a housing ( 1 ) having an air inlet ( 4 ) and an air outlet ( 6 ) with an air passage ( 2 ) there between, means ( 20 ) for directing a stream of air through the housing, the housing containing a non-thermal plasma cell ( 30 ), an ultraviolet emitting device ( 40 ) and an ozone depletion catalyst ( 42 ), the non-thermal plasma comprising an anode ( 32 ), a dielectric ( 32 ) and a cathode ( 33 ), the cathode being in the form of a meshed enclosure which surrounds the ultraviolet emitting device and ozone depletion catalyst to form a reaction chamber and Faraday cage. The non-thermal plasma cell may also be provided as a columnar cell for forming an array of cells and the dielectric may comprise water droplets to improve the efficiency of the device.
1. An apparatus for decontamination of air, the apparatus comprising:
a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet with an air passage therebetween;
an arrangement adapted to direct a stream of air through the housing; and
a non-thermal plasma cell, an ultraviolet (UV) emitting device and an ozone depletion catalyst all included in the housing, the non-thermal plasma cell comprising an anode, a dielectric and a cathode, the cathode being a meshed enclosure which surrounds the ultraviolet emitting device and ozone depletion catalyst to form a reaction chamber and Faraday cage,
wherein the dielectric comprises deionized water droplets or vapor.
2. An apparatus for decontamination of air, the apparatus comprising:
a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet with an air passage therebetween;
an arrangement adapted to direct a stream of air through the housing;
a non-thermal plasma cell, an ultraviolet (UV) emitting device and an ozone depletion catalyst all included in the housing, the non-thermal plasma cell comprising an anode, a dielectric and a cathode, the cathode being a meshed enclosure which surrounds the ultraviolet emitting device and ozone depletion catalyst to form a reaction chamber and Faraday cage; and
a water droplet emitter provided within the housing to deliver a fine spray of water into the reaction chamber.
3. An apparatus for decontamination of air, the apparatus comprising:
a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet with an air passage therebetween,
an arrangement adapted to direct a stream of air through the housing, and
a non-thermal plasma cell, an ultraviolet (UV) emitting device and an ozone depletion catalyst all included in the housing, the non-thermal plasma cell comprising an anode, a dielectric and a cathode, the cathode being a meshed enclosure which surrounds the ultraviolet emitting device and ozone depletion catalyst to form a reaction chamber and Faraday cage,
wherein the housing includes an arrangement adapted to deliver microwaves of a certain wavelength to the reaction chamber.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a hydrocarbon emitter provided within the housing downstream of the reaction chamber.
5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the cathode comprises a porous mesh of conducting material that is formed into a cage-like structure for surrounding the UV emitting device and ozone depletion catalyst.
6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the ozone depletion catalyst surrounds the UV emitting device.
7. An apparatus for decontamination of air, the apparatus comprising:
a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet with an air passage therebetween;
an arrangement adapted to direct a stream of air through the housing; and
a non-thermal plasma cell, an ultraviolet (UV) emitting device and an ozone depletion catalyst all included in the housing, the non-thermal plasma cell comprising an anode, a dielectric and a cathode, the cathode being a meshed enclosure which surrounds the ultraviolet emitting device and ozone depletion catalyst to form a reaction chamber and Faraday cage,
wherein the cathode houses a microwave emitter for delivering microwaves of a certain wavelength to excite the UV emitting device.