Apparatus and method for treating impurities in air and materials

Abstract

An assembly and method for treating or otherwise improving an atmosphere contained within an enclosed space. The enclosed space can be a container such as a bag or other housing for equipment, food and / or suitable material. Ozone is generated within an atmosphere that is exposed to the material. The generated ozone is mixed with the atmosphere. At least a portion of the generated ozone is then removed from the mixed atmosphere. The assembly and method can be used to treat contaminated sports equipment and the like, as well as to treat food storage atmospheres, such as those exposed to fresh fruits and vegetables.

Description

GOVERNMENT INTEREST[0001]This invention was made with government support under DOD Contract Numbers W911QY-07-C-0005 and W911QY-07-00117, respectively. The United States Government has certain rights in the invention as provided in the respective contracts.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]This invention relates generally to materials, apparatuses, assemblies and methods for treating air such as by removing one or more impurities from the air.[0004]In one aspect, the invention relates to methods and assemblies for treating an atmosphere that has been exposed to a material within an enclosed space so as to remove impurities from the atmosphere. Such impurity removal may involve one or more of a treatment to sanitize, decontaminate, deodorize, condition and / or dry the atmosphere, for example. Such methods and assemblies may employ UV light to generate ozone, the ozone in conjunction with UV light to destroy impurities in the air, and then uses a catalytic...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021]It is another object of an aspect of the invention to produce ozone to destroy ethylene and then to dissociate the excess ozone back to oxygen, to maintain acceptable levels of ozone within a shipping or storage container, for example that carries fresh fruits and vegetables. According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the ethylene can be destroyed in each pass through a cleaning unit or apparatus in accordance with the invention so that the atmosphere in the storage container is cleaned by repeated circulation through the cleaning apparatus. As long as the rate of destruction of ethylene is higher than the rate of generation of ethylene in the storage container, the cleaning apparatus will reduce the ethylene levels to a desired steady-state level. By designing the cleaning apparatus to partially clean the atmosphere, and relying on recirculation of the atmosphere to reduce the contaminants to desired levels, the balance between system performance, volume and cost can be better optimized.

[0033]This invention provides two opportunities to oxidize the odors and the microorganisms, one in an air cleaning unit, and the second, such as at a lower ozone concentration, in the ambient air of the storage container. This dual approach can better remove impurities from the air in the storage container and from surfaces of the materials. Ozone concentrations are relatively high in the air cleaning unit and the mixing rates between the ozone and the air is relatively high, and thus the oxidation rates of the impurities is relatively high. The air in the storage container can be quickly deodorized and sanitized. By establishing the desired control sequence of flow direction through the air treating unit, the concentration of ozone in the enclosed space can be precisely established. A very low concentration of ozone can be established in the storage container in order to sanitize surfaces of the materials. This dual approach can minimize negative effects of ozone concentrations in the air handling system or the surface of the sports or other equipment.

Problems solved by technology

Equipment pieces are relatively large, bulky, oddly shaped, fitted with straps, and difficult to wash and dry.

If not properly dried or cleaned, the sweat-soaked equipment becomes a site for growth of bacteria, mold, mildew, fungus, and other microorganisms that can spread disease, cause odor and / or damage or discolor the equipment.

The equipment and the bag, bin or other storage container can become malodorous.

Odors from the equipment can emanate from or through the container and make unpleasant the corresponding room, such as a vehicle compartment.

The ozone directly contacts the sports equipment, which can be a serious problem because ozone can destroy many equipment materials, such as when the ozone exists in air at concentrations that are high enough to kill undesirable microorganisms.

Also, ozone is a lung irritant and can leak out of the equipment bag and dangerously be inhaled, such as when the user opens the sports equipment bag.

These safety issues can be serious enough to warrant alternative approaches.

A similar configuration is taught by Liang, U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,077, which is limited because contaminated materials must be in a direct line of sight of a UV light source, in order to be sanitized.

The clothes alone can restrict exposure between the material and the UV light.

Air that circulates in the armoire cannot be deodorized.

The materials used in toys and stuffed animals make it difficult to clean them quickly and conveniently.

These cleaning procedures are time consuming and burdensome.

Ethylene gas (C2H4) accumulates during the transport and storage of fresh fruits and vegetables and thus causes a problem for commercial agriculture and consumers.

Small amounts of ethylene, sometimes less than 1 ppm, can induce fruit ripening, and can produce undesirable flavors such as bitterness, colors, such as yellowing or browning, and textures, such as softening, and thus can increase susceptibility to disease.

In addition, mold and fungus and other microbes on the surfaces of food products, such as fresh produce can lead to damage of or total loss of the infected fruits or vegetables.

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