Germicidal apparatus
A germicidal UV chamber cleanses air passing through a duct system, such as a central air system.
1. A germicidal chamber comprising:
a plurality of interconnected truncated spherical segments defining a chamber having a longitudinal axis, an upstream inlet opening, and a downstream outlet opening;
an ultraviolet light source positioned within the chamber; and
a grille positioned adjacent the upstream inlet opening, the grille including a plurality of grille elements, each grille element defining a portion of a sphere and having a reflective, concave inner-facing surface that focuses ultraviolet light incident on the grille element to a focal point along the longitudinal axis, the focal point of each of the plurality of grille elements of the grille positioned adjacent the upstream inlet opening being at a different location along the longitudinal axis.
2. The germicidal chamber of claim 1 wherein one or more of the plurality of grille elements of the grille positioned adjacent the upstream inlet opening includes a convex, outer facing surface, at least a portion of the convex, outer facing surface provided with a light absorbing material.
3. The germicidal chamber of claim 1 wherein the reflective, concave inner-facing surface of each grille element of the grille positioned adjacent the upstream inlet opening is a specular reflective surface.
4. The germicidal chamber of claim 3 wherein the reflective, concave inner-facing surface of each grille element of the grille positioned adjacent the downstream outlet opening is a specular reflective surface.
5. The germicidal chamber of claim 3 wherein one or more of the plurality of grille elements of the grille positioned adjacent the downstream outlet opening includes a convex, outer facing surface, at least a portion of the convex, outer facing surface provided with a light absorbing material.
6. The germicidal chamber of claim 1 further comprising a grille positioned adjacent the downstream outlet opening and including a plurality of grille elements, each grille element defining a portion of a sphere and having a reflective, concave inner-facing surface that focuses ultraviolet light incident on the grille element to a focal point along the longitudinal axis, the focal point of each of the plurality of grille elements of the grille positioned adjacent the downstream outlet opening being at a different location along the longitudinal axis.
7. The germicidal chamber of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the grille is positioned within a squared off shell adjacent the upstream inlet opening.
8. The germicidal chamber of claim 7 further comprising an inner baffle and an outer baffle, the inner and outer baffles positioned within the shell between the grille and the upstream inlet opening.