Proactive air/surface decontamination system and devices for building HVAC ducts
A system for decontaminating/neutralizing breathable air and surfaces in an occupied enclosed space, i.e., hydroponic greenhouses, aircraft, rail and road vehicles, in building ducts, or rooms, includes mounting an atmospheric hydroxyl radical generator along an inside surface of an occupied space having respective air inlets and air outlets. The hydroxyl radical generator includes a polygonal housing supporting a plurality of spaced crystal-spliced UV optics medical grade pure quartz, which emit/irradiate ultraviolet in the nanometer wavelength/ultraviolet spectrum of between 100 and 400 nanometers for deactivating and neutralizing atmospheric chemicals and pathogens in breathable air and surfaces. The hydroxyl radicals contact the walls of the reaction chamber housing. The hydroxyl radicals become created and excited to react quickly with impurities including VOC, virus, bacteria and fungi, rendering them inactivated and neutral. The breathable air passes through the polygonal housing and is decontaminated and neutralized of impurities before entering the occupied enclosed space.
1 . An air purification system ( 601 ) configured for retrofit with respect to an opening made in a wall of an existing air duct of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a building, said air purification system comprising:
a cover plate ( 640 ), said cover plate comprising:
a first side;
a second side, said second side being configured to mount against the duct;
a periphery sized to cover and extend beyond an entire periphery of the opening in the wall of the existing air duct; and
a plurality of holes, each configured to admit a mounting fastener therethrough to secure said cover plate ( 640 ) to the duct to cover the opening;
a lamp housing, said lamp housing being linearly elongated and configured to extend in an axial direction from a first end to a second end, with an opening to form an air inlet at said first end and an air outlet opening at said second end, to accommodate air flow in the duct into said air inlet and out from said air outlet, when said cover plate ( 640 ) is secured to the duct to cover the opening;
a first lamp bracket ( 614 ), said first lamp bracket comprising: a flat plate; wherein said flat plate is configured to mount to and to extend between a first side of said lamp housing and a second side of said lamp housing, in proximity to a first end of said lamp housing, and to extend parallel to the axial direction of said lamp housing;
a second lamp bracket ( 615 ), said second lamp bracket comprising: a flat plate; wherein said flat plate of said second lamp bracket is configured to mount to and to extend between a first side of said lamp housing and a second side of said lamp housing, in proximity to a second end of said lamp housing, and to extend parallel to the axial direction of said lamp housing;
a first plurality of spring clasps ( 612 a , 612 b ), each mounted to said first lamp bracket;
a second plurality of spring clasps, each mounted to said second lamp bracket;
a plurality of UV bulbs ( 612 , 613 );
wherein said first plurality of spring clasps and said second plurality of spring clasps are configured to releasably support said plurality of UV bulbs in a spaced arrangement within said lamp housing, with each being oriented parallel to the axial direction of said lamp housing;
wherein each of said plurality of UV bulb are configured to emit ultraviolet light to generate hydroxyl radicals from water vapor contained within the air flow in the duct, the hydroxyl radicals being usable to deactivate volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), viruses, bacteria, mold, and pathogens in the air flow in the duct;
a control box ( 620 ), said control box comprising:
a box housing; and
a microprocessor and electronics configured to communicate with, and control operation of, each of said plurality of UV bulbs;
a mounting bracket ( 619 );
wherein said mounting bracket ( 619 ) is configured to mount said lamp housing to said cover plate ( 640 ); and
wherein said mounting bracket ( 619 ) is configured to support said lamp housing at a substantially central position within the duct, with each of said UV bulbs oriented parallel to a direction of air flow in the duct, when said cover plate ( 640 ) is secured to the duct to cover the opening.
2 . The air purification system ( 601 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said first lamp housing portion and said second lamp housing portion form an octagonal cross-sectional shape when said second lamp portion is pivoted into the closed position.
3 . The air purification system ( 601 ) according to claim 2 , wherein said box housing is secured to said first side of said mounting plate to position said control box ( 620 ) outside of the duct, when said cover plate ( 640 ) is secured to the duct to cover the opening in the duct.
4 . The air purification system ( 601 ) according to claim 3 , wherein said lamp housing comprises:
a first lamp housing portion;
a second lamp housing portion;
a hinge;
wherein said hinge in configured to pivotally mount said second lamp housing portion to said first lamp housing portion to pivot between a closed position and an open position;
wherein said first lamp bracket ( 614 ) is mounted to extend from a first side of said first housing portion to a second side of said first housing portion, in proximity to a first end of said first housing portion; and
wherein said second lamp bracket ( 615 ) is mounted to extend from said first side of said first housing portion to said second side of said first housing portion, in proximity to a second end of said first housing portion.
5 . The air purification system ( 601 ) according to claim 4 , wherein said spaced arrangement comprises: said first plurality of spring clasps and said second plurality of spring clasps being positioned to mount said plurality of UV bulbs in a symmetric arrangement within said octagonal cross-sectional shape.
6 . The air purification system ( 601 ) according to claim 5 , wherein said spaced arrangement comprises: said first plurality of spring clasps and said second plurality of spring clasps being positioned to mount said plurality of UV bulbs in a staggered arrangement within said octagonal cross-sectional shape.
7 . The air purification system ( 601 ) according to claim 6 , wherein said mounting bracket ( 619 ) comprises:
an elongated first flange;
an elongated second flange;
an elongated third flange;
wherein said elongated second flange and said elongated third flange each extend perpendicularly away from respective distal ends of said elongated first flange to thereby form a channel-shaped cross-sectional portion;
an elongated fourth flange configured to extend away from a distal end of said elongated second flange;
an elongated fifth flange configured to extend away from a distal end of the third flange;
an elongated sixth flange configured to extend away from a distal end of said elongated fifth flange;
wherein said elongated fourth flange and said elongated fifth flange are configured to mount against and support a first angled side and a second angled side of said octagonal cross-sectional shape;
wherein said elongated sixth flange is configured to support a bottom surface of said octagonal cross-sectional shape; and
wherein each of said elongated first flange, said elongated second flange, and said elongated third flange, said elongated fourth flange, said elongated fifth flange, and said elongated sixth flange are elongated parallel to the axial direction of said lamp housing.
8 . The air purification system ( 601 ) according to claim 7 , comprising: a first handle and a second handle, said first handle and said second handle configured to extend away from a first end and a second end of said box housing, respectively.
9 . The air purification system ( 601 ) according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a UV light sensor, said UV light sensor configured to detect emission of UV light from said plurality of UV bulbs, and to provide feedback to indicate a need for bulb replacement; and
a fire sensor configured to detect excess heat in said system.
10 . The air purification system ( 601 ) according to claim 9 ,
wherein said microprocessor and electronics are configured to wirelessly communicate with a smartphone to remotely monitor and control operation of said system.
11 . The air purification system ( 601 ) according to claim 10 , further comprising: a plurality of indicator lights configured to indicate a status of said system, including power status, diagnostic information, runtime of the UV bulbs emitting UV light, and airflow speed.