Patent Application
20210341370
The present invention relates to filter systems for suspended matter with particle sizes from 400 pm to ≤500 μm and for noxae.
The present invention also relates to filtration methods for removing suspended matter with particle sizes of from 400 pm to ≤500 μm and noxae from gaseous, liquid and gel-like fluids.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of the said filter system and the filtration method for the removal of environmentally harmful, unhealthy, and/or toxic suspended matter with particle sizes from 400 pm to ≤500 μm from the fluids in a wide variety of technological fields.
Last but not least, the present invention relates to equipment and systems that contain said filter systems.
Filters for suspended matter are filters for separating particulate matter from the air. They belong to the depth filters and separate suspended matter particles with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than 1 μm. They are used, to filter out bacteria and viruses, mite eggs and mite excretions, dusts, aerosols, smoke particles, fine dust or ultra-fine dust.
According to their separation efficiency they can be categorized as,
Therefore, there are no filters available for the range from 1 nm to 50 nm.
Depending on the particle size, the filter effect is based on the following effects:
In the particle size range from 100 nm to 500 nm, the diffusion effect and the blocking effect to occur together. In the particle size range of 500 nm to >1 μm, the inertia effect and the blocking effect also occur together.
According to the filtration effects, particles with the particle size of 200 nm to 400 nm are the most difficult to separate. They are also designated as MMPS=most penetrating particle size. The filter efficiency drops to 50% in this size range. Larger and smaller particles separate better due to their physical properties. EPA, HEPA and UPLA are classified according to their efficiency for these grain sizes using a test aerosol made from di-2-ethylhexyl sebacate (DENS). K. W. Lee and B. Y. H. Liu give formulas in their article “On the Minimum Efficiency and the Most Penetrating Particle Size for Fibrous Filters” in the Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association, Volume 30, No. 4, Apr. 9, 1980, Pages 377 to 381, which formulas make it possible to calculate the minimum efficiency and MMPS for fiber filters due to the diffusion effect and the inertia effect. The results showed that MMPS decreases with increasing filtration speed and with increasing fiber volume fraction and increases with increasing fiber size.
However, the fact that there are no filters for nanoparticles with an average particle size d50 of 1 nm to <50 nm available is also particularly critical. It is precisely these particles that are easily deposited in the bronchi and alveoli and generally have the highest mortality and toxicity. Therefore, they can cause diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, arteriosclerosis, arrhythmia, dermatitis, autoimmune diseases, cancer, Crohn's disease or organic failure.
This is particularly critical since the depth filters or the suspended particle filters are used in medical areas such as operating rooms, intensive care units and laboratories, as well as in clean rooms, in nuclear technology and air washers.
Another problematic technology in this regard are electrostatic precipitators for electrical gas cleaning, electrical dust filters or electrostats, which are based on the separation of particles from gases using the electrostatic principle. The separation in the electrostatic precipitator can take place in five separate steps:
1. Release of electrical charges, mostly electrons,
2. Charging of the dust particles in the electrical field or ionizer,
3. Transport of the charged dust particles to the collecting electrode,
4. The adhesion of the dust particles to the collecting electrode, and
5. Removal of the dust layer from the collecting electrode.
However, it is not possible to completely separate particles in the nanometer range, so that there is a risk of contamination with respirable particles in the vicinity of such systems.
These electric dust filters are often used in exhaust gas treatment. Amines, carbon dioxide, ammonia, HCl, hydrogen sulfide and other toxic gases are thereby removed from the exhaust gas flow with the help of membranes. Since the electric dust filters cannot completely remove the finest particles, they damage the membranes and lower their separation efficiency.
For details on toxicology, reference is made to the review articles by Gunter Oberdorster, Eva Oberdorster and Jan Oberdörster, “Nanotoxicology, An Emerging Discipline Evolving from the Studies of Ultrafine Particles”, in Environmental Health Perspectives, Volume 113 (7), 2005, 823-839 and Gunter Oberdorster, Vicki Stone and Ken Donaldson, “Toxicology of nanoparticles: A historical perspective”, Nanotoxicology, March 2007; 1 (1): 2-25.
An aggregation device for separating and/or cleaning aerosols and solid particles and fibers from gases and solid particles and fibers from liquid materials by means of acoustophoresis is known from the international patent application WO 2017/153038 A2, comprising
(I) a conveying means selected from the group consisting of a conveyor belt, a liquid pressure, a liquid column and a liquid wave of the liquid material, sound waves modulated in the conveying direction, a centrifugal force, a centripetal force, a Coriolis force, gravitation, an injector, a Venturi, a diffusor, a liquid multiplier, a gas multiplier, a Dyson, a jacket turbine, a delta wing concentrator, a ring Venturi, a Magnus effect turbine, a Berwian or Berlin wind power plant, a passive and an active convection, effusion and diffusion, for receiving and/or conveying an aerosol and/or off the liquid materials in a conveying direction into the aggregating device,
(II) at least one exciter for generating an acoustic soundwave, which is intended to act on the aerosol and/or the liquid materials, and
(III) a means for separating a first material part containing condensed liquids and/or aggregated solids from the aerosol and/or from the liquid materials,
and their use for carrying out acoustiophoretic methods. An air filter, in particular, a HEPA, is connected upstream and/or downstream of the aggregating device.
The known aggregating device has a high separation rate, but there is still the risk that the separation rate or the filtration efficiency will be significantly reduced if a particularly large number of suspended matter or suspended particles with MMPS are present in the gas. No measures are disclosed as to how these MMPS particles can be filtered efficiently, i.e. to more than 99%. In addition, no measures are disclosed as to how particles with particle sizes in the range from 1 nm to 50 nm can be filtered, since these are not intercepted by ULPA or by EPA and HEPA.
A method and a device for the removal of molecules and dirt particles are known from the American patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,913, in which method and device a polluted gas flow is passed through shock waves containing moisture, whereby dirt particles and molecules are changed or grown, and can thus be separated from the gas flow. The patent also points out that the electrostatic precipitators are largely ineffective in separating particles of a particle size <2 to 3 μm.
An acoustic chamber having a cross-section of 0.5×0.5 m and a length of 2 m is known from the American patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,913, in which aerosol streams of 1000 to 2000 m3/hour flow through four plate shaped exciters with a diameter of 48 cm transmitting radiation of an energy of 300 W/exciter. The exciters are arranged in groups, along the chamber walls or alternately. Without assigned reflectors, the effective acoustic energy is about half of the emitted energy in the order of magnitude of 150. W/exciter. This means that the total energy acting on the aerosol stream is 600 W. The power level inside the chamber is greater than 160 dB. In this way, an enlargement by one order of magnitude to 1 to 10 μm is reached with frequencies of 20 kHz with aerosols with particles of 0.2 to 2 μm and concentrations 0.1 to 4 g/m3. This enlargement is crucial for the filterability through electrostatic filters since these are only effective for particle sizes >5 μm.
A device for the absorption of particles in a gas flow is known from the German patent application DE 198 46 115 A1, which comprises a resonance tube arranged in the flow field of the gas flow with a sound source for generating a standing pressure wave. The standing pressure wave intercepts the particles from the gas flow that is passed through, after which they are discharged through devices for removing the particles.
An acoustic chamber for the treatment of exhaust gases is known from the international patent application WO 92/09354. The exhaust gases flow along the chamber axis in a straight line through the chamber, in which they are exposed to an acoustic field. The chamber has a regular polygonal cross-section with 2k sides in which there are k sound sources. The axes of the sound sources include an angle of 180°/k when projected onto a cross-sectional area. The sound sources are assigned to a respective side wall. The emitted sound waves are therefore reflected several times from the walls of the chamber before they hit an inclined reflector at the end of the chamber. This creates standing waves with different frequencies that intercept the fine particles in the exhaust gas flow. The variable k is 2 or 3. Frequencies <25 kHz are used.
The present invention was therefore based on the object of proposing filter systems, with which suspended matter with an average particle size d50 of 400 pm to 500 μm can be removed from fluids, in particular from gases, especially from the air, with an effectiveness of >80%. In addition, the filter systems and the filtration methods carried out with them should be usable in numerous scientific, technical and medical fields.
Accordingly, filter systems for suspended matter with the particle size of 400 pm to ≤500 μm in flowing fluids having a volume flow of 10−2 mL/sec to 105 mL/sec has been found, the filter systems each comprising at least one device for the ≥80% reduction in the specific particle number (N/Vt) of suspended solids of a particle size from 400 pm to 50 nm and/or for the ≥80% reduction in the specific particle number (N/Vt) of suspended particles with an MPPS (most penetrating particle size)-particle sizes ≥200 nm to ≤400 nm in flowing fluids and/or in objects through which the fluids can flow and which are fixed in the fluids and are selected from the group consisting of fluid-permeable membranes, foams, nets, threads and fabrics, by way of an energy input of from 0.25 W to 1 kW by at least one standing acoustic ultrasonic field having a power level of 40 to 250 dB of standing, modulated and non-modulated ultrasonic longitudinal waves and their harmonics and/or ultrasonic transfers waves and their harmonics with a frequency of 1 kHz to 800 MHz, so that flowing fluids with suspended matter with a specific particle number (N/Vt) below the detection limit and up to <0.1% as well as with suspended solids with particle sizes from ≥50 nm to ≤200 nm and a specific particle number (N/Vt) >99%, and/or with suspended solids with particle sizes ≥400 nm to 500 μm and a specific particle number (N/Vt) >99% are obtainable, the device further comprising at least one wall-free flow area and/or at least one flow tube with a closed wall (2.1.1), which encloses or enclose at least one flow channel for flowing through at first all of the fluids and it is further course all of the treated fluids, whereby
In the following, this filter system is referred to as “filter system according to the invention”.
In addition, the filtration method was found which comprises the steps I to V:
(I) Fluids that contain suspended solids with a particle size of 400 pm to ≤500 μm are transported into and conveyed with a volume flow of 10−2 mL/sec to 105 mL/sec through at least one flow pipe and/or at least one, in particular one wall-free flow area of at least one, in particular one device with the aid of at least one, in particular one conveying device, wherein the at least one, in particular one flow tube is enclosed by a closed wall.
(II) In the flowing fluids and/or in the objects through which the fluids flow and which are fixed in the fluids, at least one, in particular, one standing acoustic ultrasonic field with the power level 40 to 250 dB and an energy input into the at least one, in particular one, flow channel of 0.25 W to 1 kW is generated by means of standing modulated and/or non-modulated ultrasonic longitudinal waves and their harmonics and/or of ultrasonic transverse waves and their harmonics, wherein
(III) The Fluids, and in the further course of the flow tube, the treated fluids are conveyed by at least one, in particular one conveying device in conveying direction into and through the at least one, in particular one flow tube and/or through the at least one, in particular one wall-free flow area, through at least one, in particular one fluid connection from the at least one, in particular one flow tube, and/or from the at least one, in particular one wall-free flow area to at least one, in particular one filter having a smallest filterable particle size of 50 nm to 1000 nm, which filter is perfused by the fluids, whereby the treated flowing fluids containing suspended matter having a particle size of from 400 pm to ≤50 nm and a specific particle number (N/Vt) ≤20%, preferably ≤10%, more preferably ≤5% and in particular ≤1%, and/or containing suspended particles having MPPS-particle sizes of ≥200 nm to ≤400 nm and a specific particle number (N/Vt) ≤20%, preferably ≤10%, more preferably ≤5% and in particular ≤1% and/or containing suspended matter having a particle size ≥400 nm to 500 μm and a specific particle number (N/Vt) ≥80%, preferably ≥90%, more preferably ≥95% and in particular ≥99% are formed.
(IV) The suspended matter is separated from the flowing fluids by the at least one, in particular one filter, whereupon the filtered fluids exiting through at least one, in particular one fluid connection with the filter having at least one, in particular one discharge device, contain suspended matter in various particle sizes and in specific particle numbers (N/Vt) below the relevant limit of detection and/or up to 0.1%, wherein N=particle number, V=volume [m3], t =time [h] and the percentages are based on the respective specific starter numbers (N/Vt) of the suspended matter.
(V) Alternatively or in addition, the said suspended matter is conveyed before and/or after the at least one filter out of the at least one, in particular one flow channel into at least one, particular one branch of the at least one, in particular one flow tube and/or the at least one, in particular one wall-free flow area with the help of ultrasonic shock waves and/or superimpositions of standing ultrasonic longitudinal waves with their harmonics conveyed further to at least one filter, in particular two filters and filtered.
In the following, the aforementioned filtration method is referred to as the “filtration method of the invention”.
Furthermore, the use of the filter systems of the invention and of the filtration method of the invention for the removal of organic, inorganic, and/or biogenic, liquid, gel-like and/or solid suspended matter of a particle size of 400 pm to ≤500 μm from liquid, gel-like and/or gaseous fluids was found, which use is designated as the “the use according to the invention”.
Last but not least, equipment and devices were found which comprise at least one filter system of the invention and are designated in the following as the “equipment and devices of the invention”.
In view of the prior art, it was surprising and not foreseeable for the person skilled in the art that the object on which the invention was based could be achieved with the aid of the filter systems of the invention, the filtration method of the invention, the use according to the invention and the equipment and devices of the invention.
It was particularly surprising that the filter systems of the invention and the filtration method of the invention could be used in so many different scientific, technical and medical fields. In addition, the filter systems of the invention and the filtration method of the invention could not only be used on an industrial or clinical scale, but also in private households or in medical practices, dental practices, analytical laboratories or chemical laboratories. They proved to be extremely efficient and were able to filter suspended matter, which could not or only very poorly be filtered by the prior art methods, from gaseous and/or liquid fluids within an efficiency of >99%, based on the respective specific starter numbers (N/Vt) of the respective suspended matter. They were therefore, ideally suited for applications in which the avoidance of health risks is very important.
In particular, suspended matter having particle size of 400 pm to 50 nm and MPPS-particles could be removed without any problems from liquid, gaseous and gel-like fluids with an efficiency of >99%.
An additional essential advantage of the filter system of the invention was that it could also be used in the micrometer range for example in labs-on-a-chip.
Additional advantages emerge from the following description.
The filter system of the invention is used for the next to complete or complete removal of suspended matter with a particle size of 400 pm to 500 μm, preferably of 1 nm to 100 μm, more preferably 1 nm to 10 μm and in particular 1 nm to 5 μm from flowing fluids of a volume flow of 10−2 mL/sec to 105 mL/sec by an energy input of 0.25 W to 1 kW by means of ultrasonic waves having a frequency of 1 kHz to 800 MHz and a power level of 40 to 250 dB.
In particular, the fluids are air, industrial gases, raw gases, medical gases, exhaust gases, water, wastewater, organic solvents, solutions, edible oils, lubricating oils, gear oils, crude oils, foodstuffs, coolants, dispersions, suspensions and emulsions.
The suspended matter is present in aerosols, suspensions and/or emulsions and/or as solids, gels, aerosols, suspensions and/or emulsions.
In particular, the suspended matter can be finely divided turbid matter, liquid waste, digestate, animal waste, liquid manure, slaughterhouse waste, excrement, kitchen waste, biowaste, radioactive and non-radioactive, organic, inorganic, organic-inorganic and/or by biogenic particles, cigarette smoke, cigar smoke, electric cigarette smoke, fiber materials, biogas plant waste, coating agents, coating residues, sludge, effluent, colors, varnishes, sealants, polymer waste, macromolecules, acidic aerosols, gas bubbles generated by cavitation in fluids, viruses and microorganisms, eggs of insects, parts of insects, fine dust generated by traffic, shipping traffic and air traffic, fire, welding, biomechanical abrasion, by leaks in systems, by restructuring measures, by wood processing, by stone processing as well as building fires, forest fires, peat fires, pipeline fires, crude oil production plants, mines, coal beds and chemical plants, by mechanical and chemical decomposition, explosions, eruptions of volcanoes, reactor accidents and sandstorms.
The filter system of the invention is intended for the filtration of suspended matter with a particle size of 400 pm to 500 μm in flowing fluids with a volume flow of 10−2 mL/sec to 105 mL/sec. The filter systems of the invention comprise at least one, in particular one device for the ≥80% reduction in the specific number of particles (N/Vt) of suspended matter with MPPS (most penetrating particle sizes) particle sizes of ≥200 nm to ≤400 nm in the flowing fluids and/or in the objects, through which the fluids can flow and which are fixed in the fluids and which are selected from the group consisting of fluid-permeable, vibrating membranes, foams, nets, threads and fabrics, the reduction being caused by an energy input of 0.25 W to 1 kW from at least one standing acoustic ultrasonic field with a power level of 40 to 250 dB of standing, modulated and non-modulated ultrasonic longitudinal waves and their harmonics and/or ultrasonic transverse waves and their harmonics of the frequency of 1 kHz to 800 MHz so that flowing fluids with suspended matter having a specific particle number (N/Vt) below the limit of detection up to <0.1%, and/or with suspended matter having a particle size of ≥50 nm to ≤200 nm and a specific particle number (N/Vt) >99% and/or with suspended matter having a particle size of ≥400 nm to 500 μm and a specific particle number (N/Vt) >99% are obtained.
The device to be used according to the invention further comprises at least one in particular one flow tube with a closed wall which encloses or encircles at least one, in particular one flow channel for the passage first of the fluids and then of the treated fluids.
The at least one, in particular one flow tube comprises (i) at least two, in particular at least three pairs of mutually associated and opposing exciters and/or exciter-receivers of ultrasonic waves and/or at least two, in particular at least three pairs of an exciter or exciter-receiver of ultrasonic waves and an opposing reflector assigned to the exciter or exciter-receiver, which exciters, exciter-receivers and/or reflectors are arranged on the outside and/or the insight and/or in the respective closed wall itself in such a way that the imaginary connecting lines between the respective pairs are at an angle of 90°, and/or comprises (ii) at least two centrally arranged exciters of ultrasonic waves for generating the at least one standing acoustic ultrasonic field.
Furthermore, there is at least one in particular one electronic device for generating, monitoring and stabilizing the at least one, in particular one standing acoustic ultrasonic field by means of at least one feedback loop.
In addition, there is at least one, in particular one conveying device for a volume flow of 10−2 mL/sec to 105 mL/sec of the fluids in and through the at least one flow pipe and/or the at least one wall-free flow area.
Last but not least, there is at least one, in particular one fluid connection of the at least one, in particular one flow tube and/or the at least one, in particular one wall-free flow area with at least one filter or with at least two filters having a smallest filterable particle size of 50 nm to 1000 nm through which the fluids can flow, after which the specific particle numbers (N/Vt) of the suspended matter in the filtered fluids exiting the filter systems are in each case below the limit of detection or up to <0.1%, wherein N=number of particles, V=volume [m3], t=[h], and the percentages given above in each case are based on the respective specific starter numbers (N/Vt) of the respected suspended matter=100%.
The standing modulated and non-modulated ultrasonic waves can be combined with ultrasonic shock waves.
Preferably, the exciters of longitudinal waves and their harmonics, preferably of compression waves and their harmonics and in particular of ultrasonic waves and their harmonics are MEMS (microelectromechanical systems), loudspeakers, vibrating membranes, piezoelectric loudspeakers, sound converters, virtual sound sources, moving coils, magnetic or static loudspeakers, ribbon, foil and jet tweeters or horn drivers, bending wave converters, plasma loudspeakers, electromagnetic loudspeakers, exciters, ultrasonic converters and phantom sound sources.
Preferably, the sound sources are sound-decoupled from their mountings and vibration-decoupled.
If at least one, in particular one wall-free flow area is used, it is surrounded by sound sources, which are preferably sound-decoupled and vibration-decoupled from their holders.
Preferably, the reflectors are selected from the group consisting of flat, concave and convex sound reflectors.
According to the invention, the objects fixed in the flow channel are selected from the group consisting of fluid-permeable vibrating membranes, foams, nets, threads and fabrics. The fixed objects can be plastic membranes, plastic fabrics, textile fabrics, gauze, glass fiber fleece, needle felt, paper filters, ceramic filters, glass filters, sintered metal filters and open pore foams. These materials can also be in the form of particles, in particular spherical particles with a particle size in the range of from 500 μm to 2 mm, with which the flow channel is filled.
Preferably, the at least one, in particular one filter with the smallest filterable particle size of 50 nm to 1000 nm is selected from the group consisting of high-performance EPA particle filters, HEPA filters, ULPA high-performance filters, medium filters, tube filters without pressure loss, pre-filters, automotive interior filters, cake filters, crossflow filters, flexible filters, rigid filters, industrial (Siebec) filters, fleeces, backwash filters, water filters, precoat filters, room filters, bed filters, magnetic filters, graphene filters, Venturi washers, gas separators, gas scrubbers, SCR catalysts and OCR catalysts, wherein the materials are selected from the group consisting of etched metals, sintered metals, metal foams, metal threads, metal wool, plastic fabrics, plastic foams, papers, cardboard, cellulose threads, cellulose fabrics, cellulose wools, lignin threads, lignin wools, lignin fabrics, natural fibers, natural wool, natural fiber fabrics, natural fiber, knitted fabrics, natural material foams, sponges, glass fibers, glass wool, glass frits, ceramic fibers, ceramic fabrics, ceramic wool, ceramic foams, boron fibers and stone fibers as well as composite materials of at least two of the aforementioned materials.
Preferably, the at least one, in particular one conveying device is selected from the group consisting of a liquid pressure, a liquid column and a liquid wave of a liquid fluid, wind, soundwaves modulated in the conveying direction, a centrifugal force, a centripetal force, a Coriolis force, gravitation, an injector, a venturi, a diffuser, a liquid multiplier, a gas multiplier, a Dyson, a fan, a jacket turbine, a delta wing concentrator, a ring venturi, a magnus effect turbine, a Berwian or Berlin wind turbine, a passive and active convection, effusion and diffusion. In particular, gas multipliers, Dysons, ventilators, liquid multipliers and ring venturis are used.
In particular, the preferred embodiment of the filter system according to the invention, at least one, in particular one device is connected to the at least one, in particular one flow pipe and/or to the at least one, in particular one wall-free flow area, with the aid of which particles having a particle size of 400 pm to 500 μm can be metered into the flow channel. In this way, this shifts the particle size distributions of the suspended solids into size ranges in which the particles can be filtered particularly effectively.
In a further embodiment of the filter system according to the invention, at least one, in particular one fluid connection is formed between the at least one, in particular one flow pipe in at least one, in particular one Venturi pipe section with a fluid-permeable wall.
The wall of the at least one, in particular one Venturi pipe section is fluid-permeable due to at least four, preferably at least five, more preferably at least ten, and in particular at least twenty openings, in particular, circular openings, which are arranged in a circle around the wall. The at least one, in particular one Venturi pipe section preferably comprises at least two, preferably at least three, more preferably at least four and in particular at least five of these, circular arrangements. In addition, an annular adjustment plate, which is inclined against the flow direction, preferably inclined at an angle of 30° to 70°, and in particular at an angle of 60°, is attached in front of each circular arrangement on the inside of the fluid-permeable wall. The annular contact plates work according to the Venturi principle and direct the suspended matter and parts of the fluids into the openings in the fluid-permeable wall to at least one, in particular one filter, which surrounds the at least one in particular one Venturi pipe section in the form of a cuff, which, in turn, is enclosed at a distance from at least one, in particular one closed wall so that at least one, in particular one collecting gap for the filtered fluid is formed. The at least one, in particular one closed wall has at least one, in particular one fluid connection with at least one, in particular one outlet device or with at least one, in particular one chimney for the discharge of the filtered fluid.
In this embodiment, the fluid emerging from the at least one, in particular one filter is collected in the at least one in particular one collecting gap and is discharged directly via at least one, in particular one outlet device and/or is fed back via at least one, in particular one recirculation and at least one, in particular one outlet opening into the fluid flowing in the at least one, in particular one extension of the at least one, in particular one flow tube. Or the filtered fluid emerging from the at least one, in particular one filter is fed directly via at least one, in particular one fluid connection into at least one, in particular one outlet opening and/or via at least one, in particular one recirculation and at least one, in particular one outlet opening into the at least one, in particular one extension into the fluid flowing in the at least one, in particular one extension of the at least one, in particular one flow tube.
In a preferred embodiment, the structure consisting of at least one, in particular one part of the at least one, in particular one part of the collecting gap with at least one part, in particular one part of the recirculation can be removed from the filter system of the invention. To this end, the joints can be fastened with circumferential flange connections with elastomeric seals and encompassing clamps. After the separation and the removal of the parts, the at least one, in particular one sleeve-shaped, used filter can be exchanged for at least one, in particular one, fresh filter.
Alternatively, the at least one, in particular one Venturi pipe section can be enclosed by at least one, in particular one outwardly closed, cuff-shaped collecting gap for collecting and supplying the fluid via at least one, in particular one collecting pipe to at least one, in particular one filter. Preferably, the at least one, in particular one filter is preferably located in a fluid-tight filter housing which has at least one, in particular one of the flange connections described above. The filter can lie on top of at least one, in particular one perforated plate, and/or be covered by at least one, in particular one perforated plate. At least one, in particular one coarse filter can also be located on the filter, which coarse filter catches any detached filter material so that it does not contaminate the filtered fluid flowing out.
In this embodiment, the filtered fluid can be returned to the at least one, in particular one extension via at least one, in particular one recirculation as described above. Or, the filtered fluid is diverted in some other way.
In a further embodiment, the clear span of the at least one, in particular one flow tube narrows steadily and/or abruptly in the flow direction so that the dead volume of the fluids that is free or essentially free of suspended matter is reduced.
In yet another embodiment, the suspended matter and the particles are diverted before and/or after the at least one, in particular one filter of the at least one, in particular one flow channel into at least one, in particular one branch of the at least one, in particular one flow pipe and/or of the at least one, in particular one, wall-free flow region with the aid of shock waves and/or superimpositions of standing longitudinal waves with their standing harmonics and then filtered by means of at least one filter.
In addition, the filter system according to the invention described above can be stored vibration-free, equipped to be airworthy, mobile and/or floatable, whereby it has suction and blowers or no suction and blowers.
The filter system according to the invention is preferably used for the filtration method according to the invention, which comprises the following method steps I to V:
(I) Fluids that contain suspended solids with a particle size of 400 pm to 500 μm are conveyed into and through at least one flow pipe and/or at least one, in particular one wall-free flow area of at least one, in particular one device with a volume flow of 10−2 mL/sec to 105 mL/sec with the aid of at least one, in particular one conveying device, wherein the at least one, in particular one flow pipe is enclosed by a closed wall.
(II) In the flowing fluids and/or in the objects through which the fluids flow and which are fixed in the fluids at least one, in particular one standing acoustic ultrasonic field with a power level of 40 dB or 250 dB and an energy input into the at least one, in particular, one flow channel of 0.25 W to 1 kW is generated, which standing acoustic ultrasonic field consists of standing, modulated and non-modulated ultrasonic longitudinal waves and their harmonics and/or ultrasonic transverse waves and their harmonics, where
(III) The fluids and, in the further course of the flow channel, the treated fluids are passed through at least one, in particular one conveying device in a conveying direction into and through the at least one, in particular, one flow pipe and/or the at least one, in particular one wall-free flow area, through at least one, in particular one fluid connection from the at least one, in particular one flow pipe and/or the at least one, in particular one wall-free area to at least one, in particular one filter having a smallest filterable particle size of 50 nm to 1000 nm and being perfused by the fluids, whereby the treated flowing fluids containing suspended matter having particle sizes of 1 nm to ≤50 nm and a specific particle number (N/Vt) ≤20%, preferably ≤ 10%, more preferably ≤5% and in particular ≤1% and/or with suspended matter having MPPS (most penetrating particle size) particle sizes ≥200 nm to ≤400 nm and a specific particle number (N/Vt) ≤20%, preferably ≤ 10%, more preferably ≤5% and in particular ≤1 as well as suspended matter having particle sizes of ≥50 nm to ≤200 nm and a specific particle size (N/Vt) of ≥80%, preferably ≥90%, more preferably ≥95% and in particular ≥99% and/or with suspended matter having particle sizes ≥400 nm to ≤ 500 μm and a specific particle number (N/Vt) ≥80%, preferably ≥90%, more preferably ≥95% and in particular ≥99% are formed by condensation, aggregation, agglomeration, compression, separation, precipitation, impact, collision, accretion and detachment, addition of particles with a particle size >400 nm to ≤500 μm and/or concentration changes of the constituents of the suspended matter.
(IV) This suspended matter is separated from the flowing fluids by at least one, in particular one filter, after which the fluids emerging from the at least one, in particular one filter with the at least one, in particular one outlet device via the at least one, in particular one fluid connection contain the suspended matter of different particle sizes in specific particle numbers (N/Vt) below the respective detection limit and/or up to 0.1%, wherein N=particle number, V=volume [m3], t=time [h], and the percentages are based on the respective specific starter numbers (N/Vt) of the respective suspended matter=100%.
(V) As an alternative or in addition, the said suspended matter is diverted, before and/or after the at least one filter out of the at least one, in particular one flow channel in at least one, in particular one branch of the at least one, in particular one flow pipe and/or of the at least one, in particular one wall-free flow area by means of ultrasonic shock waves and/or superimpositions of standing ultrasonic longitudinal waves with their standing harmonics and supplied to at least one, in particular to one additional filter and filtered.
In a further embodiment, the filtered fluids are returned to the at least one, in particular one filter system at least once, and the filtration method is repeated at least once.
The filter systems according to the invention and the filtration method according to the invention can be used with advantage in all technical, scientific and medical fields.
Thus, the filter systems according to the invention and the filtration method according to the invention can basically be used for the removal of organic, inorganic, and/or biogenic, gaseous, liquid, and/or solid suspended matter with a particle size of 400 pm to ≤500 μm and/or for the removal of other molecularly dispersed noxae from liquid, and/or gaseous fluids, and/or can be used for the chemical conversion in these fluids.
The fluids can be air, industrial gases, raw gases, medical gases, exhaust gases, water, wastewater, organic solvents, solutions, edible oils, lubricating oils, gear oils, crude oils, foods, coolants, gels, dispersions, suspensions, and/or emulsions.
The suspended matter can be finely divided turbid matter, liquid waste, digestate, animal waste, liquid manure, slaughterhouse waste, swill, excrement, kitchen waste, biowaste, radioactive and non-radioactive, organic, inorganic, organic-inorganic and/or biogenic particles, cigarette smoke, cigar smoke, electric cigarette smoke, fiber materials, biogas plant waste, surface coating agents, paint residues, sewage sludge, effluent, paints, varnishes, sealing materials, polymer waste, macromolecules, acidic aerosols, mercury vapors, gas bubbles formed by cavitation in fluids, cells, organelles, blood cells, viruses and microorganisms, prions, seeds, insect eggs, parts of insects, flour, dust, fine dust occurring in road traffic, welding, soldering, mechanical abrasion, leaks in systems, renovation work, woodworking, stone methoding and building fires, forest fires, peat fires, fires in pipelines, crude oil production plants, natural gas production plants, mines, coal seams and chemical plants, explosions, volcanic eruptions, reactor accidents and sand storms.
To name just a few examples, the filter systems according to the invention and the filtration method according to the invention can be used for the coagulation of protein, for the repression of gels, increasing the reaction rate of chemical reactions, the destruction of microorganisms, the recycling and cleaning, the drying and/or cooling of indoor air, the recycling as well as cleaning, trying, and/or cooling of air in air-conditioning systems, fume cupboards, clean rooms, and positive or negative pressure chambers, the recycling and cleaning, drying and/or cooling of air, gases and liquids for medical and veterinary use, the cleaning of cell cultures, the recycling and cleaning, drying, and/or cooling of the atmosphere in manned spacecraft, the recycling and cleaning, drying and/or cooling of the air in automobiles, trucks, buses, trains, ships, airplanes, animal barns and toilet facilities, the recycling and cleaning of exhaust gases from internal combustion engines, the cleaning of the atmosphere, the collecting of gaseous, solid and liquid terrestrial samples, the collecting of atmospheric samples up to and in the stratosphere, the collecting of gaseous, solid and liquid planetary and atmospheric samples on planets with an atmosphere, the radioactive decontamination, the extraction of liquid water from the earth atmosphere, the protection of filter membranes, water filters and gas filters from suspended matter, the dissolution and detachment of filter cakes from filters and membranes, as well as the post-cleaning of exhaust gases from electrical dust collectors, Venturi scrubbers, optical separators, gas separators, gas scrubbers, SCR catalysts, OCR catalysts and electrostats.
To name a few examples, the filter systems according to the invention can be used in and on devices for increasing the speed of chemical reactions, in and on dust curtains, in and on devices for clinical and extra-clinical intensive care and respiratory care, in lower anesthesia devices, in and on devices for the conversion of ammonia and NOx in nitrogen, in and on devices for the ventilation of clean rooms, airlocks, fume cupboards, negative and overpressure chambers, him in and on gas masks and breathing masks, in and on devices for the protection against viruses, microorganisms, insect eggs and insect parts, in and on devices to protect against smog, VOC, car exhaust fumes, dust, aerosols and combustion gases, in and on cigarettes, cigars and electric cigarettes, in and on vacuum cleaners, in and on suction systems for welding torches, laser cutters and grinding devices, in and on the exhaust systems of combustion engines, in and on devices for protection against welding spatter, welding mist, spray paint overspray and dust explosions, in and on ventilation systems of remote barns and toilet facilities, and in devices, apparatuses and systems for removing fine dust and noxious substances from chemical abrasion, from leaks in systems, during renovation work, in woodworking, in stone processing as well as in waste incineration, building fires, forest fires, peat fires, fires in pipelines, crude oil production systems, natural gas production systems, mines, coal seams and chemical plants, mechanical and chemical decomposition, explosions, volcanic eruptions, reactor accidents and sandstorms, in and on aircrafts, in and on remote-controlled robotic vehicles for collecting dust samples on earth and on other celestial objects with atmospheres and for radioactive decontamination, in and on systems for extracting water from the atmosphere, in and on systems with electrical dust collectors and electrostats, in and on electrical appliances, washing machines, tumble dryers, refrigerators, upright freezers and freezer chests, PCs, laptops, notebooks, iPads, servers, in and on plant-based air purifiers as well as in and on passively floating or powered above and underwater swimming devices for collecting micro plastics in seawater, lakes and rivers.
With the aid of the filter systems according to the invention and of the filtration method according to the invention molecularly dispersed noxae such as partially halogenated and perhalogenated organic compounds, sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen cyanide, sulfur hexafluoride and other gaseous fluorides, NOx, nitrous gases, nitrous oxide, ammonia, amines, phosphines, phosgene, pseudohalogens, halogens, halogen oxides, peroxides, peroxide radicals, radioactive compounds and nuclides, oxygen radicals and ozone can be removed.
Overall, the equipment and systems according to the invention which contain the filter systems according to the invention offer the advantages described above. As examples can be mentioned, roads, bridges, buildings, air conditioning systems, clinics, medical devices, laboratories, cleanroom laboratories, power plants, nuclear power plants, incineration plants, chemical plants, gas separation plants, nuclear engineering plans, means of transport on land, on water, in the air, in the underground and under water as well as in interiors of spacecraft, satellites and space stations.
The above list of uses, equipments and systems are exemplary and not conclusive. On the basis of the teaching according to the invention, the person skilled in the art can readily suggest further uses, equipment and systems.
In the following, the filter system 1 according to the invention, the filtration method according to the invention and their uses according to the invention are explained in more detail by way of example, with reference to the
In the
For the sake of clarity, only the components essential to the invention are shown in the following
Here and in the following, N denotes the particle number, V denotes the volume in cubic meter and t denotes the time in hours in the designation of the specific particle number N/Vt.
The percentages relating to the specific particle numbers N/Vt relate to the respective specific starter numbers N/Vt corresponding to 100%.
The filter system 1 comprised a device 2 for reducing the specific particle number N/Vt of fine dust particles 2.3.1 with particle sizes from 1 nm to 50 nm to more than 99% and for reducing the specific particle number N/Vt of fine dust particles 2.3.2 with MPPS (most penetrating particle size) ≥200 nm to ≤400 nm by more than 99% in the air, 2.2, so that air 2.2.1 resulted that contained the fine dust particles 2.3.1 and 2.3.2 with a specific particle number N/Vt of <0.1% each and dust particles 2.3.4 and 2.3.5 with the particle size of 800 nm to 300 μm with the specific particle number N/Vt >99.8.
The device 2 comprised flow tube 2.1 made of impact-resistant ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer) having a length of 20 cm and a flow channel with a clear span 2.1.4 of 4 cm with a closed wall 2.1.1 with a thickness of 5 mm. Eight pairs of opposing piezoelectric ultrasonic exciters 2.4.1 of the type MCUSD14A40S0RS from multicomp (central frequency: 40 kHz; power level: 90 dB) were glued fluid-tight into the closed wall 2.1.1 with polydimethylsiloxane adhesive, so that the imaginary connecting line between each pair corresponded to the imaginary average line of the clear span 2.1.4. The piezoelectric ultrasonic exciters 2.4.1 had a circular outline with a diameter of 1.4 mm. They were arranged in a line at a distance of 15 mm from each other. The first pair of piezoelectric ultrasonic exciters 2.4.1 was at the distance of 5 mm from the start of the flow tube, seen in the conveying direction 2.5 of the flowing fluids 2.2, the last pair of piezoelectric ultrasonic exciters had a distance of 5 mm to the end of the flow tube 2.1, seen in the conveying direction 2.5 of the flowing fluids 2.2. In the same way, eight further pairs of opposing piezoelectric ultrasonic exciters 2.4.1 were embedded into the closed wall 2.1.1 so that their imaginary connecting lines intersected with the imaginary corresponding connecting lines of the other eight pairs 2.4.1 at an angle of 90°. The knots 2.4.4 of the standing ultrasonic waves 2.4.2 that were emitted by the crosswise arranged eight pairs were thus in the center of the flow tube 2.1. All piezoelectric ultrasound emitters 2.4.1 were embedded in the closed wall 2.1.1 in such a way that they aligned with the inner side 2.1.1.2 as planar as possible so that no undesired turbulence formed in the area of the essentially particle-free dead volume 2.4.6.
The standing ultrasonic waves were generated, monitored and adjusted by feedback loops using an electronic device.
Starting at 25 mm from the beginning of the flow tube 2.1, four sampling devices for extinction particle counters (not shown) were arranged in a line at the distance of 50 mm from each other. Devices from RR Reinraum ELEKTRONIK GmbH, Wiernsheim, were used. Furthermore, a so-called Luers-lock system for connection of a gravimetric high-precision microdoser 2.8 from MCP, France, was arranged at a distance of 75 mm from the end of the flow tube. With the aid of this metering device, particles 2.3.5 with particle sizes of >400 nm to 500 μm could be fed into the flowing fluid 2.2 containing the suspended matter 2.3. The nanoparticles and/or microparticles used were particles with a surface that particularly easily absorbed and/or adsorbed and/or attached to gases and liquids as well as other nanoparticles and microparticles and thus promoted the agglomeration of the particles, which agglomeration resulted in easily filterable flowing fluid 2.2 with a very low specific particle number N/Vt of MPPS particles 2.3.2 and fine dust particles. In this way, the particle size distribution of the collective of the fine dust particles 2.3.1, 2.3.2, 2.3.3 and 2.3.4 could be shifted to higher particle sizes as a whole.
Nanoparticles and microparticles of biochar, activated carbon, single-walled and multi-wall nanotubes, nanocones, fullerenes, zeolites, phyllosilicates, especially bentonites and aerogels were tested. Of these materials, nanoparticles and microparticles of biochar proved to be the most effective with regard to the uptake of noxious substances in the adhesion. And agglomeration of fine dust particles.
The particle size of the fine dust particles 2.3 in the flowing air 2.2 to be cleaned were determined with the aid of electron microscopic recordings and dynamic light scattering QELS (quasi elastic elastic light scattering). The particle size is of the collective ranged from 3 nm to 800 nm. The particle sizes showed an asymmetrical monomodal distribution with a maximum with a specific particle number N/Vt of 2×107/m3.h at 350 nm. However, this particle size was exactly in the MPPS range of from ≥200 nm to ≤400 nm. The collective also had a specific particle number N/Vt of 2×106/m3.h at the particle size of 50 nm and a specific particle size N/Vt of 2×105/m3.h the particle size of 3 nm. This posed a particularly difficult filtration problem.
The fine dust particles 2.3 came from the abrasion of automobile tires on asphalt. Due to this, the composition was very homogeneous and included elastomer particles, carbon black particles, metal particles, filler particles, dye particles, pigment particles, smoke particles and asphalt particles. In addition, the air 2.2 contained certain molecularly dispersed noxae as are typical for car exhaust gases, such as NOx, sulfur dioxide, oxygen radicals, ozone and ammonia as determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry coupling.
The air from a busy street contaminated in this way was sucked in during rush hour by a sound-insulated high-performance fan protected by a coarse filter and blown into the flow pipe 2.1 via a pre-filter 2.1.6. The course filter prevented larger parts such as leaves, shredded paper, cigarette filters, plastic parts and/or grains of sand from entering. The pre-filter 2.6.1 caught larger particles in the millimeter range. In the flow tube 2.1, the air had a flow velocity in the flowing direction 2.5.1 of about 7 m/s.
The standing ultrasonic waves 2.4.2 generated by the piezoelectric ultrasonic exciters 2.4.1 collected the majority of the fine dust particles 2.3 in the wave nodes 2.4.4. The sound pressure caused them to agglomerate and aggregate, thus increasing their particle size. A large part of the fine dust particles 2.3.1 with the particle size of 1 nm to ≤50 nm migrated into the antinodes in the direction of the inside 2.1.1.2 of the closed wall 2.1 and accumulated on the surface of the piezoelectric ultrasonic exciters 2.4.1. When particle sizes ≥50 nm (fine dust particles 2.3.2, 2.3.3, 2.3.4) were reached, the particles were detached again by the airflow 2.2 and collected again in the wave nodes 2.4.4. As a result of these dynamic methods, the conical area of the airflow 2.2, in which the fine dust particles 2.3.2, 2.3.3 and 2.3.4 were transported in the flow direction 2.5.1 narrowed so that a dead volume 2.3.5, which was depleted or free from fine dust particle 2.3.2, 2.3.3 and 2.3.4 was formed.
With the help of a gravimetric high-precision microdoser 2.8 from MCP, France, biochar particles 2.3.4 with a particle size of from 800 nm to 100 μm having a specific particle number N/Vt of 2.5×104/m3.h were continuously metered into the center of the flow channel 2.4. They acted as anchor particles and increased the absorption and adsorption of noxious substances, and the aggregation and agglomeration of the dust particles 2.3.1, 2.3.2, 2.3.3 and 2.3.4. This resulted in a collective of particles with particle sizes 2.3.4 from 800 nm to 300 μm. The particle collective 2.3.4 had a bimodal distribution with two maxima at 1.2 μm and 150 μm and could already be removed from the airflow 2.2.1 with a medium filter 3 with an efficiency of 99.99%. For the purpose of filtration, the end of the flow tube 2.1 was provided with an external thread 2.1.7 with two turns which was used to establish the fluid connection 2.7 between the flow tube 2.1 at the opening 3.1 of the tubular filter housing 3.2 for the filter 3. The tubular filter housing 3.2 had a corresponding internal thread 3.1.1 in its opening 3.1, which encompass the external thread 2.1.7. The wall of the filter housing 3.2 also consisted of impact-resistant, scratch-resistant ABS with a thickness of 5 mm. This resulted in a clear span 3.1.2 of 50 mm. Seen in the flow direction 2.5.1, the tubular filter housing 3.2 was 100 mm long so that filter discs 3 with the thickness of 90 mm and a diameter of 50 mm could be inserted. For this purpose, the tubular filter housing 3.2 was removed from the filter system 1.
An internal thread 3.3.1 with two turns was arranged around the outlet opening 3.3 for the filtered fluid 2.2.2. The matching external thread 3.4.1 of the Venturi nozzle 3.4 was screwed into these internal thread 3.3.1. In the space in front of the narrowing of the Venturi nozzle 3.4, gas detection pumps and Drager tubes were used to examine whether noxious substances were still present in the filtered air 2.2.2. Furthermore, a particle counter from RR Reinraum ELEKTROTECHNIK GmbH, Wiernsheim, was used, to determine whether particles were still present. These measurements could also be carried out at the outlet nozzle, 3.5 of the Venturi nozzle 3.4.
The suction effect of the Venturi nozzle 3.4 supported the high-performance fan, with which the contaminated air 2.2 was sucked into the filter system.
The following filter materials were tested:
The test results showed that in all cases, the concentration of the particles in the filtered air 2.2.2 was below the detection limit. In this sense, the filtered air 2.2.2 was free of particles.
The filter system 1 could be supplied computer controlled with electricity.
Surprisingly, noxious substances such as NOx, sulfur dioxide, ozone and ammonia could no longer be detected, which was once again confirmed by gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric measurements.
The air 2.2.2 purified in this way could even be used for clean rooms.
The filter system 1 according to
The following materials were used as the permeable object 2.6:
These materials were also used in the form of particles 2.6, in particular spherical particles 2.6 with a particle size in the range of from 500 μm to 2 mm, with which the flow channel 2.4 was filled.
The flow channel 2.4 of the filter system 1 according to
The abrasion or dust caused by the intensive movements of the catalyst particles with particle sizes of 500 nm to 900 nm was caught in the filter 3 and could be reprocessed. As a result, the olefin mixture 2.2.1 did not contain any suspended solids 2.3.
It was essential for the embodiment of the filter system 1 according to the
A projecting, annular reinforcement 3.7.3 with a horizontal length of 15 mm and a thickness of 5 mm was arranged around the inlet opening 3.7.4 as a carrier for the internal thread 3.7.2 at the end of the flow pipe 2.1, viewed in the flow direction 2.5.1, so that the fluid-type abutment edge 3.7.4.1 “Venturi pipe section 2.7.1//End edge of the wall 2.1.1 of the flow pipe 2.1” was formed. This way, the pressure-loss-free Venturi pipe section 2.7.1 had also a clear span of 40 mm.
At the end of the pressure loss-free Venturi pipe section 2.7.1, as viewed in the flow direction 2.5.1, there was also arranged a protruding, annular reinforcement 3.7.5.1 of a horizontal length of 15 mm and a thickness of 5 mm around its outlet opening 3.7.5. It was used to accommodate the internal thread 3.7.5.2, into which the external thread 2.1.2.1 was screwed around the inlet opening 2.1.2.2 of the extension 2.1.2. As a result, another fluid-type abutment edge 2.1.2.3 “Edge of the wall 2.1.2.4 of the extension 2.1.2//Venturi pipe section 2.7.1 without pressure loss” was formed. Therefore, the extension 2.1.2 also had a clear span of 40 mm. It was 120 mm long and blew the filtered air 2.2.2 into a cleanroom.
The removable part 3.8 of the device for removing the cuff-shaped filter 3.6 comprised the fluid connection of the chimney 3.9 to the recirculation pipe 2.7.5. The chimney 3.9 had a clear span of 30 mm and was arranged vertically and centrally on the horizontal part 3.7.1.2. Its longitudinal axis formed an angle of 90° with the longitudinal axis of the Venturi pipe section 2.7.1 free of a pressure loss. The length of the chimney 3.9 was 40 mm, and went into a pipe bend 2.7.5.1 with a clear span of 30 mm as a part of the recirculation pipe 2.7.5 for the filtered air 2.2.2. The pipe bend 2.7.5.1 of the recirculation pipe 2.7.5 bent vertically downwards at a distance of 40 mm from the vertical part 3.7.1.1 of the wall 3.7 (vertical part 2.7.5.2), broke through the wall 2.1.2.4 of the extension 2.1.2 in a fluid-tight manner and form a further bend 2.7.5.3 into the horizontal, so that the central axis of the horizontal part 2.7.5.4 of the recirculation pipe 2.7.5 was congruent with the longitudinal axis of the extension 2.1.2. The horizontal part 2.7.5.4 had a length of 30 mm and merged into the Venturi nozzle 2.7.5.1 as an outlet opening.
The removable part 3.8 of the device was 20 cm deep and had a rectangular floor plan. It was connected to the rest of the cylindrical housing 3.7.1 with the circumferential flange connection 3.8.1 with the elastomeric seal 3.8.1.1 made of polybutadiene. The circumferential flange connection 3.8.1 was fixed in a fluid-tight manner with clamps 3.8.1.2 encompassing the flange connection 3.8.1. When the removable part 3.8 of the device was removed, the used cuff-shaped filter 3.6 could be replaced by a fresh one.
The material of the cuff-shaped filter 3.6 wrapped itself practically seamlessly around the pressure loss-free Venturi pipe section 2.7.1. This was achieved in that the abutting edges of the filter material 3.6 were designed as a pin-and-groove connection 3.6.1. The vertical sides of the cuff-shaped filter 3.6 rested firmly against the vertical parts 3.7.1.1, so that the airflow 2.2.1 had to make its way through the filter 3.6. The filter 3.6 had a thickness of 50 mm. As a result, the circumferential collecting gap 2.7.6 with a clear span of about 10 mm was formed between the surface of filter material 3.6 and the horizontal part 3.7.1.2 of the wall. The collecting gap 2.7.6 was used to collect and feed the filtered air 2.2.2 to the chimney 3.9.
The pressure loss-free Venturi pipe section 2.7.1 had a fluid-permeable wall. 2.7.2. As seen in the flow direction 2.5.1, the first ring of an outlet openings 2.7.4 encircling the fluid-permeable wall had a diameter of 3 mm and was arranged 20 mm behind the abutting edge 3.7.4.1. The outlet openings 2.7.4 were spaced about 1 mm apart so that in the circumferential ring 31 outlet openings 2.7.4 were arranged one behind the other. The next nine rings of outlet openings 2.7.4 were arranged at a distance of 10 mm from one another, as seen in the flow direction 2.5.1. In front of the first circumferential ring of outlet openings 2.7.4, as seen in the flow direction 2.5.1, a first annular, circumferential adjustment plate 2.7.3 with a width of 20 mm was arranged at an angle of 60° against the flow direction 2.5.1. The additional nine adjustment plates were attached to their base 5 mm in front of the next ring of outlet openings 2.7.4. This configuration resulted in a flow channel 2.4 with a diameter of 10 mm.
By means of the adjustment plates 2.7.3, the particles 2.3.4 in the air 2.2.1 flowing at a speed of about 60 m/sec, with a particle size of 800 nm to 300 μm and a specific particle number N/Vt >99.8% were steered into the outlet openings and intercepted by the cuff-shaped filter 3.6. The airstream 2.2.2 freed from the particles 2.3.4 was passed through the extension 2.1.2 directly into a cleanroom.
The following filter materials were tested:
The filtered air 2.2.2 which had flowed through the filter 3.6, entered the circumferential collecting gap 2.7.6, and was directed to the chimney 3.9 which was part of the recirculation pipe 2.7.5. The collected and recirculated filtered air 2.2.2 was introduced into the extension 2.1.2 as described above.
The air 2.2.2 purified in this way had a specific particle number of <0.04/m3.h.
The structure of the embodiment of the filter system 1 according to the
The filter system 1 could be supplied computer controlled with electricity.
The structure of the filter system 1 according to the
The filtered air 2.2.2 was blown into an air conditioning system via outlet opening 3.3, 3.4.
In a further embodiment, a coarse filter 3.2.3 was arranged on top of the filter 3, which caught any residues emerging from the filter 3 if necessary.
The coarse filter 3.2.3 was secured by the perforated plate 3.2.2.
The filter system 1 according to the
The flow channel 2.4 had a square cross-section. Into its two horizontal closed walls 2.1.1 and its two vertical closed walls 2.1.1, 2 pairs of associated piezoelectric ultrasonic exciters 2.4 of the MCUSD14A40S0RS type from multicomp were glued-in fluid tight with polydimethylsiloxane adhesive so that they were exactly planar with the inside 2.1.1.2 of the closed wall 2.1.1 of the flow tube 2.1.
The filter system 1 according to
The filter systems 1 according to
The filter systems 1k-1n could be controlled and supplied with power using built-in chips and power packs.
With the ventilator or the anesthesia device 5, particularly critical cases of patients could be ventilated with high-purity ear, the risk of contamination with microorganisms and allergens being effectively eliminated. Another advantage of the filter system 1 according to the Figure was that it could be combined with customary and known inline humidification units (heat and moisture exchange units, HME) and/or active humidifiers so that patients could be ventilated with humidified air at body temperature.
To solve exhaust gas problems, high-temperature-stable filter systems 1 made of stainless steel, for example with the structure shown in the
The filter systems 1a to 1j could be supplied with power individually and computer-controlled from the vehicle's, electrics and electronics.
By means of such exhaust systems 4, the engine exhaust gases 2.2 could be cleaned to such an extent that they were practically free of suspended matter 2.3 and NOx and ammonia.
The respirator protection masks 6 according to
In particular, the respiratory protection masks 6 provided an effective protection against infections with microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi and against infections with viruses.
The barn ventilation chimney 7 according to
According to the invention, frames or racks 10 similar to the
The individual filter system 1 in the frame 10 could be controlled individually electrically and electronically. For example, with low levels of ammonia-containing air 2.2, 2.3, i.e. when the cattle barn was only partially occupied, only the filter system 1 in one or two rack frames 10—for example, the rack frame 10 at the installation position 1o and/or the rack frame 10 at the installation position 1q—could be controlled and provided with electricity.
An additional advantage was that with the help of barn ventilation chimneys 7 the humidity in animal barns could be kept at a comfortable level for the animals.
In its construction, the thermally insulated barn ventilation chimney 8 according to the
The 5 m long circulating air cleaner 9 with a clear span of 1 m according to
Due to the circulating air cleaner 9, the concentration of suspended matter 2.3 and noxius substances, in particular, ammonia, in the barn could be kept permanently low. This protected the animals from infections so that they stayed healthy and grew faster. In addition, the humidity could be kept at a comfortable level for the animals.
The cylindrical rack frames 10 have already been described above in conjunction with
The rack frame 10 is preferably made of impact-resistant plastics such as ABS.
In order to be able to install the box-shaped rack frame 10 according to the
The box-shaped receiving device 11 made it possible to easily replace the rack frame 10 if necessary.
The barn roof hood 12 for animal barns and farms or in zoological gardens comprised a transparent light hood 12.1 with a centrally arranged exhaust gap 12.1.1, aluminum struts 12.2 arranged underneath with aluminum Z-purlins 12.3 and aluminum wind deflectors 12.4 with aluminum storm angles 12.5. The arrows 12.6 symbolize the airflows with their flow directions 2.5.1. This arrangement was connected with the roof material 12.7. At the installation positions 1w to 1z, appropriately dimensioned rack frames 10 with filter systems 1 according to
This was in particular a significant advantage for animal barns in zoological gardens that were located, for example, in cities.
In order to have particularly spatially variable arrangements 13 of filter systems 1 with standing and/or modulated ultrasonic waves and/or their harmonics 2.4.2, the fluid-tight two-sided arrangement 13 each provided with an exciter-receiver 2.4.1 for ultrasound (cf.
Several arrangements 13 were hung next to one another in the flow channel 2.4 at a Venturi support plate 13.5.1, so that the lower ultrasonic sources 2.4.1, as seen in the flow direction 2.5.1, emitted standing ultrasonic waves 2.4.2 between each other and that the upper ultrasonic sources 2.4.1, as seen in the flow direction 2.5.1, also emitted standing ultrasonic waves 2.4.2 between each other during the operation of the arrangement 13. Any number of further rows of arrangements 13 could be hung under this arrangement 13, which was suspended directly from the Venturi support plate 13.5, so that, as it were, a quipu configuration resulted. The bottom row of arrangements 13 could be attached to a fluid-tight grid with the lower hanging wires 13.4, so that the arrangements 13 did not change their spatial position in the flow channel 2.4 during operation.
The Venturi support plate 13.5.1 had Venturi funnel walls 13.5.2 with central fluid passages 13.5.11. The filter 3 was arranged above the Venturi support plate 13.5.1.
In this way, filter systems 1 with flow channels 2.4 of a width of 2 m and more and a height of 3 m and more could be built.
The self-sufficient, vertical water extraction system 14 comprised of vertical wooden pipe 14.1 with a length of 2 m and wall thickness of 15 mm made from two vertical halves of a pipe 14.1.1, which were fastened to one another with circumferential tongue-and-groove press-on fasteners 14.19. Each of the two vertical halves of a pipe 14.1.1 of the wooden pipe 14.1 could be provided with insulation made of, for example, cement foam (not shown). The vertical pipe 14.1 was surrounded at a distance of 100 mm by a circumferential vertical chimney wall 14.3 made of wood. The chimney wall 14.3 consisted of two vertical halves of a pipe 14.3.3, which abutted on two vertical abutting edges 14.3.2 and were also held together by tongue and groove press-on fasteners 14.19. The circumferential chimney wall 14.3 was connected to the wooden pipe 14.1 by the connecting struts 14.3.1. The connecting struts 14.3.1 had a circular outline could be removed by inserting them into the corresponding recesses in the wall of the vertical wooden tube 14.1 and in the surrounding chimney wall 14.3. On the outside of the chimney wall 14.3, a photovoltaic device 14.4, which had to abutting edges, could also be attached. With this configuration, the water extraction system 14 could be easily disassembled for maintenance. The arrangement of circumferential chimney wall 14.3 and wooden pipe 14.1 formed a circumferential chimney 14.5, in which air 2.2 flowed upwards. The lower end of the chimney wall 14.3 was expanded to form a circumferential entrance followed 14.5.1, which promoted the flow of air 2.2. The chimney 14.5 ran up to the removable protective roof 14.6, which protruded beyond the chimney wall 14.3 and thus suppressed the ingress of dust. The vertical wooden tube 14.1 reached up to 300 mm below the removable protective roof 14.6. The opening formed in this way was protected by a circumferential pre-filter 14.7.
The removable protective roof 14.6 carried a photovoltaic device 14.4 on its outer surface, which device was charged by the power pack 14.18.
The airflow 2.2, symbolized by the arrows 2, was sucked into the flow channel 2.4 and moved downwards by the horizontally arranged fan 14.11 operated by an electric motor fed by the power pack 14.18. In the flow channel 2.4, two rack frames 10 (in the instant case with a circular circumference; cf.
The water in the air 2.2 was condensed by the filter systems 1 to form water droplets 14.13 which dripped into the water collecting vessel 14.14 along the drip threads 14.12 made of polypropylene and were collected there. The water collecting vessel, 14.14 was supported on the circumferential retaining ring 14.10 with the aid of its support ring 14.15 which had circular holes. At its lowest point, the water collecting vessel 14.14 had a drainpipe 14.16 with a drain faucet 14.17 controlled by an actuator (not shown). The drain faucet 14.17 could be opened automatically with suitable electronic and mechanical actuators in order to discharge the water 14.13 into the water pipe 14.17.1 until he maximum level of the water 14.13 in the water collecting vessel 14.14 was reached, after which the drain faucet 14.17 could be closed again automatically. To control the actuator of the drain faucet 14.17, a float 14.23 rested on the surface of the water 14.13. When the water 14.13 had risen high enough, the float 14.23 touched the sensor and actuator 14.22, which opened the outlet 14.17.
The water collecting vessel 14.14 was stored on a perforated plate 14.21, the openings of which were fluidly connected to the openings of the support ring 14.15 so that the dry air 2.2.2 could flow out of the perforated plate 14.21. The arrangement with the water collecting vessel 14.14 was surrounded by an insulation 14.24 made of glass wool.
The self-sufficient vertical water extraction system 14.14 could be hung on a rod at a distance from the ground with the help of suitable holding devices. The holding devices and the rods (not shown) were designed to withstand sandstorms.
The self-sufficient vertical water extraction system 14 also supplied continuously clean drinking water in desert areas such as the Atacama Desert and the Namib Desert, in which fog forms at night due to the adjacent cold ocean currents.
The water extraction system 15, which was operated at times only by the wind (arrow W, main direction of the wind) had a length of 2 m and comprised a container 15.1 with a box-shaped cross-section measuring 1 m×1 m×1 m for the filter systems 1 according to the
The configuration is illustrated once again with the aid of
The self-sufficient, horizontal water extraction system 15 also provided continuously clean drinking water in desert areas such as the Atacama Desert and the Namib Desert, in which fog forms at night due to the adjacent cold ocean currents.
The flying machine 16 according to
The filter systems 1 could also be used as the drives.
As a source of electric energy for the filter systems 1, batteries rechargeable batteries and power packs that can be recharged by photovoltaics and thermoelectric elements (TEE) with a radioactive energy source (not shown) could be used. Furthermore, the airworthy equipped filter systems 1 could be equipped with swiveling cameras and webcams (not shown).
The airworthy equipped filter systems 1 were used to clean the atmosphere. 2.2 of suspended matter. 2.3 and noxious substances that were generated in particular in building fires, forest fires, peat fires, explosions, volcanic eruptions, reactor accidents and sandstorms. They could also be used, to collect atmospheric samples up to and in the stratosphere. Last but not least, they could be used for radioactive decontamination.
The filters 3 could be exchange after landing, after which the filters, 3 were disposed off in accordance with regulations. Or they could be mechanically beaten and/or washed and dried and then reused, whereby the material that resulted from the beating and/or washing was also disposed off in accordance with regulations.
A remote-control drone 16.2 with four propellers, each of which was driven by an angle-adjustable electric motor as a drive 16.2.2 was used as the flying machine with its own drive 16.2. The energy sources mentioned in
The great advantage of the airworthy equipped filter system 1 according to the
The remote-controlled robot vehicle 17 with the filter system 1 according to the
The robot vehicle 17 had for individually controllable balloon wheels 17.1 on individual wheel suspensions which were driven by individually controllable electrical motors 17.2. The independent wheel suspensions were movable with the platform 17.3 and were connected without vibrations with the help of hydraulic shock absorbers. On the platform 17.3 was a control device 17.4 with computer, energy source and actuators 17.6 for the telescopic rods 17.7 movable in the X-Y-Z direction with the joints 17.8 of the filter system 1 and the six-sided headlight, night vision webcam and laser arrangement 17.11 also movable in the X-Y-Z direction.
The filter system 1 had, as seen in the flow direction 2.5.1, a collecting funnel 16.3, a perforated plate 9.6, a pre-filter 15.6, a Dyson 16.4 and a device 2 with a device 2.8 with a corresponding storage vessel 2.8.1, with the help of which device 2.8 particles 2.3.4 with a particle size >400 nm to 500 μm were metered into the flow channel 2.4. The filter system 1 also had in the filter housing 3.2 the filters 3a to 3e with different separating effects from the μm range to the nanometer range arranged one behind the other in the flow direction 2.5.1. This was followed by an analyzing unit 17.10, which, depending on the version, was equipped with spectrometers, gas chromatographs, Geiger counters, particle measuring devices and mass spectrometers. The data obtained were transmitted via the flexible data lines 17.9 to the connection strip 17.9.1 on the unit 17.4 and evaluated therein by the computers.
The unit 17.4 had two arrangements 17.4.1 in the corners, each for a forward headlight, a mobile webcam and laser. Moreover, it also had two opposing arrangements 17.4.2, each with a side headlight, a laser and an extendable webcam as well as two opposing sidelights 17.4.3. Against the direction of travel, two arrangements 17.4.4 with reverse headlights, laser and extendable webcam were also installed in the corners. Last but not least, the unit 17.4 had front look-down headlight and a front extendable webcam 17.4.5 as well as a corresponding rear look-down headlight and a rear extendable webcam 17.4.6.
A flexible, extendable gripper 17.5 and the transmitter and receiver 17.12 with a parabolic antenna 17.12.1 movable in the X-Y-Z direction and a decoder and a memory 17.12.2 were also arranged on the unit 17.4.
On an electrostatic device 18 of the usual and known design with a wire electrode 18.1, spray electrodes 18.2 and a separation electrode 18.5, an electrically insulated wall 18.7, an electrically insulated pre-filter and an electrically insulated perforated plate 18.8, a filter system 1 according to
However, it was found that the dust in the nanometer range, in particular the respirable nanoparticles, escaped from the electrostatic device 18. However, they could be intercepted in the filter system 1 with 99.9% effectiveness, so that air 2.2.2 free of suspended matter 2.3 and noxious substances left the system.
Air 2.2 contaminated with suspended matter 2.3 was sucked into a 50 cm long flow tube 2.1 with a clear span of 5 cm as described in conjunction with
In the flow pipe 2.1, the air 2.2.3 passing through the superposition 2.4.2U was discharged via the outlet pipe 3.10. The air 2.2.3 had only 0.1% of the originally present particles 2.3.4.
The filter system 1 according to the
The structure of the flow tube 2.1 of the filter system 1 according to the
The filtered air 2.2.2 emerged from the exit 3.10 and contained the particles 2.3.4 in a specific particle number N/Vt below the detection limit. The fluid 2.2.4 cleaned by the shock waves 2.4.2S and exiting via the second outlet pipe 3.10 had only 0.01% of the originally present particles 2.3.4.
In a 60 cm long flow tube 2.1, six pairs of opposing sound sources 2.4.1 for transverse ultrasonic waves 2.4.2T on the one hand and reflectors 2.4.3 on the other hand were fastened one behind the other on the inside 2.1.1.2 of the closed wall 2.1.1 in the flow direction 2.5.1.
The advantage of this filter system 1 was that it was suitable for cleaning particularly polluted air 2.2; 2.3.
In a 60 cm long flow tube 2.1 with the clear span of 5 cm, twelve ultrasonic exciters 2.4.1 for transverse ultrasonic waves 2.4.2T which are arranged one behind the other, as viewed in the flow direction 2.5.1, at the distance of 4 cm each.
For reasons of weight, the fresh air tree 19 consisted essentially of anodized aluminum and had the height of 5.5 m from the surface of the ground 19.8. The largest disc 19.5.1, which was slightly inclined towards the ground 19.8 encircled the hollow support tube 19.7 (“trunk”), was colored leaf-green and had a surrounding leaf-green drip edge 19.2 and a diameter of 2 m. The additional leaf-green colored discs 19.5.1 with a circumferential leaf-green drip edge 19.2 had any desired smaller diameters.
The trunk 19.7 of the clear span of 30 cm had a dark brown paint with a bark structure and was anchored on length of 2 m in the area 19.7.1 in the ground 19.8. After trunk height of 2.5 m, the outlet area 19.5 for the clean air 2.2 was fixed with a precisely fitting plug-in fastening 19.6. The outlet area 19.5 had six discs 19.5.1 arranged one above the other, between which the cleaned air 2.2.2 emerged from vertical slots.
The filter system 1 with ultrasonic exciters 2.4.1 and standing ultrasonic waves 2.4.2 as well as with filters 3b (smallest filterable particle size, 400 nm) and 3a (smallest filterable particle size 1 μm) was fixed in an exchangeable manner on the outlet area 19.5 (the device for changing the filters is not shown). For the sake of appearance, three discs 195.1 were also arranged one above the other in the area of the filter system 1.
The intake area 19.4 for the air 2.2 with the suspended matter 2.3 was located above the filter system 1. The air 2.2; 2.3 was sucked-through vertical slots protected by mosquito nets as suction openings with the help of a fan 7.4 operated by an electric motor.
Above the intake area 19.4, a disk-shaped, leaf-green colored cover 19.1, on which a photovoltaic system 14.4 supplying a power pack 14.18 with electricity, was attached.
In order to reinforce the natural impression of the fresh air tree 19, dark brown branch structures could be painted or embossed into the discs.
The self-sufficient fresh air tree was ideally suited to be set up in busy squares and along, busy roads in order to efficiently supply the area with purified air 2.2.2.
The plant pot 20 comprised a pot 20.2 made of plastic, in which a plant 20.1 with tubers 20.1.1 and roots 20.1.2 grew in the plant soil 20.3. The part 20.2 had a root-permeable base, through which the root system 20.1.2 emerged into a cavity as the flow channel 2.4. The pot 20.2 was stored in a plastic cache pot or planter 20.5 with the aid of support pins 20.4. Thereby, the support pins 20.4.1 with a semicircular cross-section were attached to the inside of the planter 20.5, wherein the corresponding support pins 20.4.2 with a circular cross-section which were mounted on the outside of the pot 20.2 were engaged. With this arrangement, a circumferential air duct was formed between the pot 20.2 and the inside of the planter 20.5, through which air duct 20.6 contaminated air 2.2; 2.3 was sucked in. The air duct 20.6 contained several ultrasonic exciters 2.4.1, which were fastened by brackets 20.5.1 opposite to one another and between which horizontal, standing ultrasonic waves 2.4.2 with at least two wave nodes 2.4.4 were formed. The resulting fluid 2.2.1 was sucked through a biochar filter or VOC filter 20.7 and freed from volatile organic compounds. Below the biochar filter 20.7, a horizontally mounted inlet pipe 2.5.2 was located which led to a battery-operated fan as a conveyor device 2.5, which sucked-in the fluid 2.2.1 and conveyed it to filter 3 with the smallest filterable particle size of 400 nm. Behind the filter 3, the cleaned air 2.2.2 emerged through the outlet pipe into the environment.
The plant pots 20 could be varied widely in terms of their sizes, their colors and their plants 20.1 and could thus be adapted to the spatial and decorative conditions in an excellent manner. In addition, plants 20.1 could be used that were able to absorb pollutants from the air and to release larger amounts of oxygen into the environment. The overall result was a “green” cleaning of the air in the room.
The plant pot 20 according to
The plant pots 20 according to
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2018 008 259.9 | Oct 2018 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2019/000293 | 10/14/2019 | WO | 00 |
