U.S. patent number 3,873,835 [Application Number 05/412,151] was granted by the patent office on 1975-03-25 for ionizer.
Invention is credited to Vladimir Ignatjev.
United States Patent |
3,873,835 |
Ignatjev |
March 25, 1975 |
IONIZER
Abstract
An ionizer is provided with an ion-producing means in the form
of a carbon electrode to which a high source of DC potential is
applied for generating a substantial amount of ions of the same
polarity as that of the applied potential by corona discharge. In
an illustrated application, the carbon ion-producing electrode is
mounted on a fan of an air ionizer for rotation therewith, for
simultaneously generating air ions and rapidly dispensing the ions
in the air stream of the fan, which may be directed axially or
radially therefrom.
Inventors: |
Ignatjev; Vladimir (Norwalk,
CT) |
Family
ID: |
23631800 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/412,151 |
Filed: |
November 2, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
250/324;
250/423R; 361/231; 250/423F; 361/230 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01T
23/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01T
23/00 (20060101); H05b 003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;250/324,325,326,423
;317/4 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lawrence; James W.
Assistant Examiner: Anderson; B. C.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Levinson, Esq.; Joseph
Claims
I claim:
1. An air ionizer for generating and dispersing ionized air,
comprising, in combination,
a. a radial fan having a fan shaft,
b. a rotating cage-type fan blade means mounted on said fan shaft
for rapidly moving a stream of air in a radial direction therefrom
on the rotation of said fan,
c. ion-producing electrode means mounted on and positioned within
said cage type fan blade means in conductive contact with said fan
shaft for simultaneously generating air ions and rapidly dispersing
said ions by said stream of air into the radial space surrounding
said fan,
d. a source of high D.C. potential, and
e. means for conductively coupling said source of high D.C.
potential to said fan shaft thereby applying said source of high
D.C. potential to said ion-producing electrode means whereby air
ions are generated by said ion-producing electrode means by corona
discharge.
2. The air ionizer set forth in claim 1 wherein said ion producing
electrode means is comprised of conductive carbon electrodes.
3. The air ionizer set forth in claim 2 wherein said conductive
carbon electrodes are in the form of stranded filaments of
conductive carbon.
4. The air ionizer set forth in claim 1 having
a. a motor and a motor shaft driven thereby,
b. insulated coupling means for coupling said motor shaft to said
fan shaft whereby said motor drives said fan shaft, and
c. a reflector electrode mounted between said motor and said
ion-producing electrode means and coupled to said source of high
D.C. potential of the same polarity applied to said ion-producing
electrode means, whereby said reflector electrode repels air ions
generated by said ion-producing electrode means.
5. An ionizer for generating ions by corona discharge
comprising
a. an ion-producing electrode means comprising conductive carbon in
the form of a plurality of stranded filaments, each filament having
an extremely small diameter in the micron range,
b. a source of high voltage,
c. means for applying said source of high voltage to said
ion-producing electrode means for generating a substantial amount
of ions by corona discharge, and
d. fan means for moving a stream of air over said ion producing
electrode means, thereby rapidly dispensing the ions generated by
said ion producing electrode means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an ionizer for generating ions by corona
discharge, and more particularly in one form thereof to an air
ionizer for generating and dispensing ionized air.
Ion generation is becoming increasingly important for a number of
applications. Some industries are plagued by static charge that
attracts dust and dirt and causes self-attraction of charged
particles, making it difficult to operate certain types of
equipment, for example, that which is utilized to stack plastic
bags, handle webs of plastic or paper, and other material-handling
functions. Many electrical apparatus, including computers, can be
affected by electrostatic charge on the surface of the wiring or on
isolated chassis parts. If the static charge build-up is large
enough to produce a spark, the result could be as little as an
annoying personal shock, or as serious as an explosion. In another
application, ions are generated to place a charge on
photo-sensitive paper or other such materials in the
document-reproduction field. Another important area which is under
investigation is the effect of air ions on plants and living
organisms, including their effect on humans. The results of such
investigations tend to show that a preponderance of positive air
ions in the air has a detrimental effect on most humans, causing
headaches, nervousness, and a generally reduced capability of the
thinking processes to function normally. On the other hand, an
excess of negative air ions appears to favorably influence the
central nervous system, lower blood pressure, reduce the tendency
to fatigue, increase the capacity to concentrate, and produce an
over-all calming effect of wellbeing.
A number of approaches have been taken for generating ions which
operate on the corona discharge principle, utilizing metallic
needles or wire of very small diameter. Among the problems which
exist with known systems is the lack of adequate generation of ions
in a small space, as well as their speed of removal. Since the air
ions have a relatively short life, from milliseconds to 30 seconds,
they must be generated in adequate quantity and dispensed promptly
in order to derive any benefit therefrom. In corona discharge
systems ion density is also a function of the speed of removal from
the electrode. Another problem encountered in corona discharge
devices is the generation of toxic ozone and nitrous oxides, which
are not only undesirable, but which cannot be tolerated in large
quantities.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an
ionizer for generating ions in substantial quantities in a small
space wile avoiding substantial production of ozone and other toxic
gases.
A further object of this invention is to provide a new and novel
ion-producing means which is incorporated with an ion-dispensing
means for simultaneously generating and dispensing ions to the
surrounding area.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In carrying out this invention in one illustrative embodiment
thereof, an ion-producing means in the form of a carbon electrode
is provided, having a high source of DC potential applied thereto
for generating a substantial amount of ions of the same polarity as
that of the applied potential by corona discharge. The
ion-producing means may be mounted on a fan of an air-ionizer for
rotation therewith for simultaneously generating and rapidly
dispensing the ions generated thereby in the air stream of the fan,
which may be directed axially or radially therefrom.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of one form of air
ionizer embodied in the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the fan shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a top sectional view of the fan shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged portion of one type of electrode which may be
employed in the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of another type of electrode which may
be employed in the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a front view of another type of fan which may be employed
in the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a top view of FIG. 6.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Ions are classified according to size as small, medium or large,
and have a lifetime of milliseconds to thirty seconds, depending on
their size and polarity. Positive ions are used for charge reversal
in copying processes, and are considered favorable for plant life.
Negative ions are used for charging zinc oxide paper in copying
processes, and are considered favorable for animals, and humans.
The generation of positive ions by corona discharge is primarily a
gas-phase phenomenon, and is not highly sensitive to the material
used for the electrode generating the ions or the surface condition
of the electrode. However, the generation of negative ions by
corona discharge involves both the gas-phase phenomenon and the
electron emission properties of the electrode material utilized and
its surface condition. Extensive tests have shown that the dominant
ions in air at atmospheric pressure for negative corona are
CO.sub.3 -- ions. The present invention in its broadest scope
utilizes this fact by employing a conductive carbon electrode
which, as used herein, would include within its scope conductive
graphite. The carbon material utilized as a corona discharge
electrode has two functions. The first is to supply carbon for the
production of CO.sub.3 -- ions, and second to act as a reducing
agent for O.sub.3 -- and NO-- ions. An example of one of the
reactions is as follows:
O.sub.3 -- + CO.sub.2 .fwdarw. CO.sub.3 -- + O.sub.2
One preferred form of carbon electrode is shown in FIG. 4, and
identified with the reference numeral 50. The carbon electrode 50
is in the form of a stranded filament which is cut to the length of
1/4 to 1 inch which, when under great magnification, resembles at
one end thereof the appearance of a brush. A high source of DC
potential, on the order of 10,000 to 30,000 volts, is applied to
the electrode 50 to produce a corona discharge along the surface
and at the ends of the stranded filament 50. The polarity of the
ions generated is the same as the polarity of the DC potential
applied thereto. With the configuration of the carbon electrode 50
as shown in FIG. 4, hundreds of corona discharges occur on the ends
of the filament to produce or generate ions. Since the charge of
the ions so generated has the same polarity as the filament ends,
the ions so generated are repelled, dispensing them into the outer
atmosphere surrounding the electrode 50. The generation of the many
corona-producing points of the electrode 50 propels the ions
rapidly outward. The carbon electrode may also be in the form of a
stranded filament 57, as shown in FIG. 5. In this case the many
strands of the filament 57 generate ions along the surface thereof,
of the same polarity as that of the high potential applied thereto.
Although the invention is not considered limited to a specific type
of carbon electrode, one type which has been found suitable for the
present application is produced by Union Carbide Corporation having
a diameter of 0.04 in. consisting of five plies with 480 filaments
per ply. Although the aforesaid carbon electrode may be used for
generating ions for many applications, it is further described
herein with reference to an air ionizer utilizing a rotating fan
for dispensing the ions. It should be appreciated, however, that in
the application described, other types of electrodes, for example
metallic electrodes, may also be utilized in that application, and
the type of electrode used will depend on the particular
requirements of any specific application requiring the generation
of ions.
Referring now to FIG. 1, one form of air ionizer is shown, having
an enclosure 10, a bottom panel 12, a divider 14, side openings 15,
and a closure 16 in the form of a filter which rests on a ledge 18
in the enclosure 10. A motor 20, mounted on the bottom panel 12,
has a rotating motor shaft 22 which drives a fan shaft 28 via a
cylindrical coupler 24 having an H-shaped cross-section. A
cage-type fan 30 is mounted for rotation on the fan shaft 28 by the
motor 20. The motor 20 is spaced from the divider 14 by a flanged
spacer 26. A doughnut-shaped power supply 40 which supplies a high
DC potential, on the order of 10,000 to 30,000 volts, is grounded
on one terminal thereof, and the other terminal is connected via
conductor 38 to a reflector electrode 34 mounted in the upper
flange of the flanged spacer 26. This electrode is coupled via
conductor 36 to metal bearings 32 which apply the source of
potential 40 to the fan shaft 28. It will be understood that other
forms of means for applying the potential to the shaft 28 may be
utilized; for example, a brush and slip-ring arrangement could be
used.
The stationary grid 42 is provided in front of the openings 15 in
the enclosure 10, which is coupled to the source of potential 40
through a potentiometer 44 for controlling the potential on the
grid. The grid 42 can be utilized to control or regulate the flow
of ions from the ionizer.
As will best be seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, corona discharge
electrodes 50 are mounted on an insulated wire 55, which is mounted
on the fan blades of the fan 30. The conductor 55 is conductively
coupled to the fan shaft 28 by insulated conductor 52. As will be
seen in FIG. 4, the electrode 50 is mounted to the insulated
conductor 55 in an area which may be surrounded by a sphere of
insulated material 56 to create turbulence of the air to help move
the ions away from the electrode 50 as they are generated. As is
illustrated in FIG. 3, a plurality of electrodes 50 may be spaced
within the cage-type fan.
In the preferred form, the electrode 50 would be made of a
conductive carbon as described above, which provides hundreds of
ion-producing points. However, it will be apparent to those skilled
in the art that metallic electrodes in the form of needles may be
utilized if desired.
In operation, and assuming that it is desired to generate negative
ions, the ion-producing electrodes 50 are coupled to the fan shaft
28 by insulating conductors 52. The fan shaft 28, which is rotated
by the motor 20 via the motor shaft 22 and the coupler 24, has a
source of high negative potential applied therethrough through the
bearings 32 which are coupled via line 36 to reflector electrode 34
and to the negative terminal of the power supply 40 by conductor
38. The high negative voltage which is transmitted to the
electrodes 50 produces a large supply of negative ions. The
movement of the fan, along with the plurality of electrodes spaced
within the fan blades, moves a stream of air, carrying the ions in
a radial direction out through the openings 15 in the enclosure 10,
dispersing them to the areas desired. The construction illustrated
provides several important features. With the exception of the
conductors and metal shaft, all other portions of the system are
made of insulating material, which isolates the grounded motor and
power supply from the fan. Since the fan shaft 28 supplies the
source of potential to the electrodes 50 and the ions generated are
the same polarity as the potential applied to the electrodes, the
shaft itself acts as a reflector, sending the ions away from the
shaft. A reflector electrode 34 is also provided between the
grounded motor and power supply, and electrodes 50, which reflects
the ions and prevents them from being deflected toward the grounded
motor and power supply. A large amount of ions are generated
because each channel of the radial fan can carry an ion-producing
electrode. As was stated previously, the amount of the ions
produced is limited by the speed of the ion removal from the
ion-producing electrodes 50. By combining the electrodes with the
fan, rapid removal is achieved, since the ions generated are
dispensed simultaneously by the movement of electrodes with the
fan. The sphere 56 partially surrounding the electrodes 50 also
creates turbulence, moving the ions away from the electrodes. The
system is also made compact by the combination of the ion
production and their removal means into a single integral unit. It
will also be noted that, unlike many other systems, a grounded
electrode in close proximity to the ion-producing electrode is
eliminated in the present system. The present system avoids this by
using a high voltage with one terminal to the power supply
grounded, and the exposed area of the charge-carrying parts is kept
to a minimum. The maintaining of the high voltage-carrying surface
at a minimum reduces the production of ozone and other toxic gases.
Also, in using a carbon electrode, which is the preferred form, the
carbon combines with the oxygen to produce CO.sub.3 --, and
prevents the formation of ozone. As was pointed out earlier, the
system does not require an opposite field electrode, which also
holds down gas production. Then, too, the high voltage-carrying
surfaces are maintained at a minimum.
FIG. 5 shows another type of corona discharge electrode 57, which
may be utilized in the form of a metal wire, or preferably
conductive carbon in stranded filament form. The electrode 57 is
mounted on the fan blade, similarly to the wire 55 in FIG. 4, but
with the surface being exposed and the high voltage applied thereto
for creating corona discharge. The electrode will be on the order
of 0.002 to 0.004 in. for metal and 0.04 in. for the carbon type.
The conductive carbon stranded electrode is preferred since its
surface consists of hundreds of tiny filaments which generate more
ions than the similar wire filament. Then, too, because of the
larger surface area and with the high negative potential on the
stranded electrode, in the case of negative ion generation, the
ions are strongly repelled from the surface of electrode 57.
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the combined ion-producing electrodes and
fan in the form in which the air stream is propelled axially
instead of radially, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The fan 60 has a
plurality of electrodes 50, for example like those shown in FIG. 4,
positioned between each of the blades are shown, any suitable
plurality may be provided with the electrodes positioned
therebetween, and the shape may take many forms. The high voltage
may be coupled to the electrodes, utilizing a power supply and the
means shown in FIG. 1. Corona discharge electrodes such as shown in
FIG. 5 may also be utilized in place of the electrodes shown by
mounting them on the blades to extend between the blades and rotate
therewith. The operation of the fans of FIG. 1 and FIG. 7 is the
same, except that in the case of FIG. 1 the stream of air with the
ions therein is generated radially, whereas the stream of air with
ions is generated axially by the fan of FIG. 6. The same objectives
are achieved by the two types of fan generating the air stream,
which is to generate a large amount of ions in a small space, with
the negligible production of toxic gases, and deliver the ions
quickly to the desired area. With respect to the embodiment of FIG.
6, the compactness is achieved in the same manner as shown in FIG.
1 by a combination of ion production and the air-moving means into
an integral ion-generating fan.
Since other modifications and changes, varied to fit particular
operating requirements and environments, will be apparent to those
skilled in the art, the invention is not considered limited to the
examples chosen for purposes of disclosure, and covers all changes
and modifications which do not constitute departures from the true
spirit and scope of this invention .
* * * * *