Air flow treatment system and method for ventilation systems
A system and method for using cold atmospheric plasma to treat an air flow to inactivate viruses and sterilize the air flow. The system comprises a source of a carrier gas, a humidifier connected to said source of a carrier gas, a source of a feed gas, a plasma generator configured to plasmatize said carrier gas into a plasma; and a mixer having an interior chamber, an active electrode inside said interior chamber and connected to an electrical output of said plasma generator, an outer electrode connected to a ground and a dielectric barrier between said inner electrode and said outer electrode, wherein said mixer has a first fluid input port connected to said source of a carrier gas, a second fluid input connected to said source of a feed gas and a fluid output connected to a ventilation system.
1 . A system for sterilizing a flow of air in a ventilation system, comprising:
a source of a carrier gas;
a humidifier connected to said source of a carrier gas;
a feed gas inlet connected to said ventilation system;
an RF generator configured to generate an RF voltage to plasmatize said carrier gas into a plasma;
a mixer having an interior chamber, an active electrode inside said interior chamber and connected to an electrical output of said RF generator, an outer electrode connected to a ground and a dielectric barrier between said inner electrode and said outer electrode, wherein said mixer has a first fluid input port connected to said humidifier, a second fluid input connected to said source of a feed gas and a fluid output connected to a ventilation system; and
a duct fan configured to draw said feed gas into said mixer.
2 . A system for sterilizing a flow of air according to claim 1 , further comprising a UV light array in said chamber of said mixer.
3 . A system for sterilizing a flow of air according to claim 1 , wherein said carrier gas comprises air.
4 . A system for sterilizing a flow of air according to claim 1 , wherein said feed gas comprises air.
5 . A system for sterilizing a flow of air according to claim 1 , wherein said RF generator is configured to operate with a frequency in the range of 10 kHz to 200 kHz and an output peak voltage in the range of 3 kV to 6 kV.
6 . A system for sterilizing a flow of air according to claim 1 , wherein said RF generator generates electrical energy having a frequency within 5 kHz of one of 40 kHz, 100 kHz and 200 kHz.
7 . A system for sterilizing a flow of air according to claim 1 , wherein said RF generator comprises a high frequency electrosurgical generator and a low frequency converter.
8 . A system for sterilizing a flow of air according to claim 1 , further comprising a duct connector to said mixer.
9 . A system for sterilizing a flow of air according to claim 8 , further comprising a compressor connected to said duct for supplying said carrier gas to said duct.
10 . A system for sterilizing a flow of air according to claim 1 , wherein said humidifier is configured to humidify said carrier gas to at least 70% humidity.
11 . A system for sterilizing a flow of air according to claim 1 , wherein said ventilation system is an air conditioning system.
12 . A system for sterilizing a flow of air according to claim 1 , wherein said ventilation system is heating system.
13 . A method for sterilizing a flow of air in a ventilation system, comprising:
providing a flow of a carrier gas;
humidifying said flow of said carrier gas;
plasmatizing said humidified carrier gas with electrical energy from a RF generator in a mixer having an interior chamber, an active electrode inside said interior chamber and connected to an electrical output of said plasma generator, an outer electrode connected to a ground and a dielectric barrier between said inner electrode and said outer electrode, wherein said mixer has a first fluid input port connected to said source of a carrier gas, a second fluid input connected to said ventilation system at a first point and a fluid output connected to said ventilation system at a second point;
supplying a feed gas from said second fluid input into said mixer;
mixing said feed gas with said plasmatized carrier gas in said mixer; and
supplying said mixed feed gas and plasmatized carrier gas to said ventilation system through said fluid output.
14 . The method for sterilizing a flow of air in a ventilation system according to claim 13 , wherein said step of humidifying said flow of said carrier gas comprises humidifying said carrier gas to at least 50% humidity.
15 . The method for sterilizing a flow of air in a ventilation system according to claim 13 , wherein said step of humidifying said flow of said carrier gas comprises humidifying said carrier gas to 100% humidity.
16 . The method for sterilizing a flow of air in a ventilation system according to claim 13 , wherein said carrier gas comprises air.
17 . The method for sterilizing a flow of air in a ventilation system according to claim 13 , wherein said feed gas comprises air.
18 . The method for sterilizing a flow of air in a ventilation system according to claim 13 , wherein step of supplying said feed gas to said mixer comprises drawing said feed gas into said mixer with a duct fan.
19 . The method for sterilizing a flow of air in a ventilation system according to claim 13 , wherein said step of humidifying said carrier gas comprises humidifying said carrier gas to at least 70% humidity.