Chelsea Group Ltd.

Artos Technology

George Benda

John E Groetsema

Michael Fleck

An apparatus and method of purifying air where a photocatalyst is exposed to ambient air to purify it from bacteria, hydrocarbons, and volatile organic compounds. The apparatus can contain a vertical reactor containing the photocatalyst either on sheets, in a web-like structure, or in a fibrous mass, or any other way of holding it. The photocatalyst can be excited with an ultraviolet light source. Air rises through the reactor by natural convection caused by a heater or heater element located in the reactor. The apparatus can contain no moving or replaceable parts. An optional air filter can also be located at the bottom of the reactor to remove particulate matter from the rising air. In one embodiment, excess visible light from the ultraviolet light source is allowed to escape from the top, bottom, or side of the device to provide light for persons to see at night thereby acting as a night light which simultaneously purifies air. The invention also comprises a method where cooler ambient air is allowed to enter a chimney or reactor and flow upward past a heater by natural convection, also flowing past an excited photocatalyst thereby being purified from contaminants such as bacteria and organic compounds.

Apparatus and method for purifying air

An apparatus and method of purifying air where a photocatalyst is exposed to ambient air to purify it from bacteria, hydrocarbons, and volatile organic compounds. The apparatus can contain a vertical reactor containing the photocatalyst either on sheets, in a web-like structure, or in a fibrous mass, or any other way of holding it. The photocatalyst can be excited with an ultraviolet light source. Air rises through the reactor by natural convection caused by heat from a transformer and/or from the ultraviolet light.

Small modules directly situated at power outlets in buildings, that contain at least one sensor gather and report local environmental data such as temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, motion, particulate matter concentration, carbon monoxide, methane, or other parameters. The local modules report data back over existing building power wiring to a central unit. The central unit may store or reduce data for reporting over to a computer over a conventional RS-232 link. The data can be used to prove compliance with environmental and safety regulations and requirements or used to control HVAC equipment. Also, the data can be displayed or used with energy price tier systems.

Apparatus for building environmental reporting and control

A reaction chamber is filled with a fine fibrous material capable of holding powdered anatase titanium dioxide. Embedded in the fibrous mesh is a source of ultraviolet light that is used to photo-excite the titanium dioxide. Air containing carbon monoxide is passed through the reaction chamber, and carbon monoxide is oxidized to carbon dioxide which then passes out of the filter. An alternative embodiment is a rectangular plate several feet square containing fibrous material containing titanium dioxide. Ultraviolet light impinges on the fibrous material photo-exciting the titanium dioxide. When air from an HVAC system is passed through the filter, carbon monoxide is oxidized into carbon dioxide and thus effectively removed from the air. Ultraviolet light can alternatively be supplied to the filter via lossy optical waveguides or fiber optics. These waveguides may be coated with titanium dioxide or the titanium dioxide may be separately suspended in the filter.

Carbon monoxide air filter

A method and apparatus for replacing existing thermostats in buildings with physically small, inexpensive sensor array units that gather local environmental data such as temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, motion, particulate matter concentration, possibly toxic gas presence, and other parameters. The local arrays report data back over existing building wiring including thermostat wires and building power to a central data logging node. The central data logging node stores and reduces data for reporting over to a computer over a conventional RS-232 link. The data is used to prove compliance with environmental and safety regulations and requirements.

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Itasca, IL, United States of America

George Benda