Abstract: In the field of immersion lithography, it is known to provide a liquid between an optical exposure system and a wafer carrying layers of photosensitive material to be irradiated with a pattern by the optical exposure system. However, bubbles are known to form or exist in the liquid, sometimes close to a surface of the wafer resulting in scattering of light emitted from the optical exposure system. The scattering causes the pattern recorded in the layers of photosensitive material to be corrupted, resulting in defective wafers. Therefore, the present invention provides a bubble displacement apparatus comprising a drive signal generator for driving a force generator arranged to generate a force in response to a drive signal generated by the drive signal generator. The force generated urges the bubble away from the surface.

Abstract: A variety of transportable air treatment system improvements are described. In one aspect of the invention, the system is designed to significantly reduce the noise generated during operation. In another aspect, an easily removable cooling unit is provided. In still another aspect, an air treatment unit (as for example a plasma reactor) is provided that is arranged to filter the air stream, inactivate biological organisms and/or reduce or eliminate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are carried in the air stream. The air treatment unit may take the form of a plurality of stacked trays. In yet another aspect of the invention, the air treatment system further includes a duct unit that directs air from the air treatment unit to the treated air outlet. The duct unit is operable to clamp the stacked trays to help seal the stacked trays.

Abstract: An air treatment assembly for treating air passing through an air duct comprises a frame defining an interior space and having an inlet opening providing access to the interior space, an air treatment medium sized to be inserted into the interior space through the inlet opening, and a keyed connection between the frame and the air treatment medium to control the engagement of the air treatment medium with the frame. The air treatment assembly also comprises a frame defining an interior space, an air treatment medium sized to be received within the interior space, and an air quality module integrated with the frame.

Abstract: A filter for internal combustion engine air intake comprised of a synthetic fiber media uniquely enhanced with an electrostatic charge. The media described in this application is a low restriction synthetic fiber media enhanced with an electrostatic charge applied to the media fibers to greatly improve efficiency and dust holding capacity. This charge is so effective that unlike other mechanical filters the initial efficiency of this media is as high, or higher than its efficiency after use. The applied charge will either attract particles of an opposite charge that might otherwise pass through the media or in cases of particles with similar charges an induced dipole is formed to attract those particles. The claims of this patent will not be for the method of enhancing this media but for its use and configuration for use in engine intake air filtration.

Abstract: A method is provided which can efficiently remove conidia and microbe or the like of a phytopathogen from air and does not cause generation of ozone originated from discharge or so, thereby preventing occurrence of a plant disease without damaging a plant. There are also provided a flying organism removing apparatus and a plant protecting apparatus which can adequately capture flyable organisms, such as spores of a phytopathogen and/or small vermin, by applying an electrostatic field to the flyable organisms. An electrostatic field generated by dielectric polarization is applied to flyable organisms.

Abstract: A combustion system having improved mercury collection. The system includes a combustion chamber for burning a fuel containing mercury, whereby burning produces a flue gas stream containing mercury and a device for removing mercury from the flue gas stream. The device includes a thermopolymer substrate; and a mercury-receptor attached to the substrate. In one embodiment, the system may further include a collector downstream of the device for collecting the mercury attached to the thermopolymer. The inventions further include alternative methods of mercury removal and preparation of the polymer substrate.

Abstract: There is provided a composite membrane, which may include an electronically conductive asymmetric porous support and an electro-polymerized selective layer. There is also provided a composite membrane for water application(s), which may include an electronically conductive porous support and an electro-polymerized selective layer. Moreover, there is provided a composite membrane for gas application(s), which may include an electronically conductive asymmetric porous support and an electro-polymerized selective layer. There is also provided a membrane system which may include at least one composite membrane which may include an electronically conductive asymmetric porous support and an electro-polymerized selective layer. In addition there is provided a method for the preparation of a composite membrane.

Abstract: An illuminating air purifier is disclosed. In an embodiment, the illuminating air purifier includes an air ionizer, a back plate, and a light.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for organic particulate filtration. An organic particulate filtration system is implemented within a fossil fuel power plant combustion system. The filtration system comprises a gas flow, in which gas are entrained particulates. The filtration system has a collection hopper located proximate a precipitator collection area. Within the collection hopper, a particulate baffle is provided in a downward-angled orientation. The particulate baffle is enabled to trap particulate, such as organic particulate, in the collection hopper, thereby preventing particulate re-entrainment in the gas flow.

Abstract: A method for air purification from dust comprising electrically charging dust by means of air ionization; and collecting the charged dust by means of an electric field force, performed in a common airflow while changing the direction of the airflow at least once by an angle of more than 135°.

Abstract: An electret filter media that includes a thermoplastic resin and a compound of the formula Y2-A(R1)n—Y1, where A is benzene, naphthalene or anthracene, Y1 and Y2 are each independently R2-R3, R2 is an ester linking group or an amide linking group, R3 is an alkyl group having from 10 to 22 carbon atoms, R1 is R2-R3 where R2 and R3 are each independently as defined above, and when A is benzene, n is from 0 to 4, when A is naphthalene, n is from 0 to 6, and when A is anthracene, n is from 0 to 8.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for separating froth into liquid and gas components. One apparatus includes a container that is configured to hold froth therein and change at least a portion of the froth into substantially separate liquid and gas portions when an electrostatic charge is discharged through at least a portion of the froth between at least two electrodes at least partially arranged within the container.

Abstract: An air/oil separator for use in a gas turbine engine comprises a labyrinth path having an air/oil inlet, air outlet and oil outlet, means for creating an electrical field within the labyrinth path and means for crating a suction action at the oil outlet to draw liquid oil from the labyrinth path and for delivering the liquid oil under pressure to a pressurized source of oil in the engine.

Abstract: An emission treatment system includes a first separation device that is operable to introduce one or more sorbents into an exhaust stream having emission products. The sorbent captures the emission products such that the exhaust stream includes sorbent with captured emission products. A second separation device located downstream from the first separation device receives the exhaust stream and utilizes an electrostatic potential to separate the sorbent with captured emission products from the exhaust stream into a discharge stream to produce a clean stream.

Abstract: An air filtration system includable in and for HVAC equipment includes one or more intense field dielectric filter units and a field charging unit retained in a support structure or cabinet by a removable door which includes control circuitry and contactors engageable with corresponding contact members on a filter unit and the field charging unit for supplying high voltage DC potential to the respective units. Each filter unit includes a filter core comprising a stacked array of filter elements formed of dielectric sheets interconnected by elongated spaced apart ribs forming flow passages. The field charging unit and the filter units are removable from the support or cabinet for cleaning or replacement by opening or removing the door. An interlock switch and a field shorting mechanism are actuated during servicing or replacement of the system components.

Abstract: A flotage trapping device comprises at least one plus electrode and at least one minus electrode. The plus electrode and minus electrode are alternately disposed. The electrodes trap the flotage floating in the air. Another flotage trapping device comprises at least one electrode of a single polarity and a space ion generating device for generating ions of polarity opposite to that of the electrode so as to form an ion space around or adjacent said electrode. A flotage repelling device comprises at least one electrode of a single polarity, and a space ion generating device for generating ions of the same polarity as that of the electrode so as to form an ion space around or adjacent of the electrode.

Abstract: A linear trap which allows for charge separation and ion mobility separation in a speedy manner, and enables measurement with high duty cycle. A mass spectrometer comprises an ion source, an ion trap for trapping ions ionized by the ion source, an ion trap controller for controlling a voltage on an electrode included in the ion trap, and a detector for detecting the ions ejected from the ion trap. The ion trap controller includes a table for each mass-to-charge ratio, the table containing a frequency of the voltage used for charge separation, and a gain of the voltage for ejecting a first ion with a first charge outside the ion trap, and retaining in the ion trap a second group of ions with a second charge that is lower than that of the first charge. The ion trap controller controls the voltage based on the mass-to-charge ratio set. The mass spectrometer has significantly improved sensitivity, as compared to the prior art.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved electrostatic filter and filter media for filtering contaminants, such as particulates and vapor phase contaminants, from a confined environment such as electronic or optical devices susceptible to contamination (e.g. computer disk drives) by providing an improved performance recirculation filter.

Abstract: A method of forming a modular collecting electrode for an electrostatic precipitator, including forming a plurality of horizontal collecting electrode sections, each section having vertical planar portions separated by vertical tubular portions, and wherein the method includes inserting interconnecting support elements into the tubular portions of adjacent collector electrode sections and compressing the interconnected electrode sections to form a rigid modular assembly. In one preferred embodiment, the method includes applying stiffening members across the ends of the planar portions of adjacent electrode sections for transmitting rapping forces through the assembled sections.

Abstract: An air purifying data processing system includes a chassis, a planar, a microprocessor and an air purifier. The air purifier produces purified air that is exhausted exterior to the chassis to improve the air quality in the vicinity of the chassis. The air purifier produces an air flow that is preferably in proximity to the microprocessor to facilitate dissipation of heat generated by the microprocessor. The air purifier may be oriented to direct the air flow through an opening in a first face of the chassis. The air purifier may include a high voltage unit to create an electrical discharge within the air purifier. The high voltage unit preferably produces a voltage greater of 8000 V or at an output point of the high voltage unit. The air purifier includes a grounded and electrically conductive grid in the vicinity of the high voltage unit output point.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating and converting exhaust particulates from a stream of exhaust gas, especially a diesel engine, into gaseous substances, in which the exhaust gas is guided through a honeycomb filter (6) made from a porous ceramic material whose axially extending channels (1, 2) are open merely at one face side of the filter and are closed off at the respective other face side, and a voltage is applied to electrodes (3, 4) extending parallel to the channels (1, 2) of the honeycomb filter (6). The closure of the channels (1, 2) at the face side is made in such a way that the channels (1, 2) each extending at the same normal distance from one of the electrodes (3, 4) are either all open or all closed off at their face side (9). The channels (1, 2) are mutually offset in a brickwork-like way.

Abstract: The invention describes a multi-layer filter structure and the use of a multi-layer filter structure for the dust removal from gases, wherein a coarse dust filter layer, a fine dust filter layer, and a support layer are disposed behind one another in the direction from the inflow side to the outflow side, and which is designed such that the fiber diameter distribution within the coarse dust filter layer and fine dust filter layer has a gradient, and that the fiber diameters of the coarse dust filter layer and fine dust filter layer continually decrease from the inflow side to the outflow side. This multi-layer filter structure may be used in a filter cassette for industrial dust removal, as well as in a stationary or mobile home dust cleaning device.

Abstract: A bow-reduced precipitator collector plate assembly and an appertaining method include a precipitator collector plate that contacts a spring-like stiffening element configured to be attached to a fixed anchor or an adjacent anchoring collector plate. The stiffening element is configured to apply a force in a direction normal to a primary plane, which is generally co-linear but opposite in direction of a direction of bowing, of the precipitator collecting plate.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting fluid levels in an oil and gas well environment and transmitting a signal to a remote site when sensing that the level has reached a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A lighting equipment for purifying air, includes an anion generator generating anions to purify air; a housing including an electric power source supplying an electric power, an amplifier amplifying the electric power from the electric power source, and an emitting aperture member having a plurality of holes for exhausting the generated anions therethrough; and at least one illumination unit engaged with the housing.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for monitoring and suppressing arcing between a first electrode and a second electrode of an electro-kinetic system. A current (or voltage) associated with the electro-kinetic system is monitored in order to adjust a first count and a second count. Each time a monitored value reaches a threshold, the first count is incremented. Each time the first count reaches a first count threshold, the electro-kinetic system is temporarily shut down for a predetermined period, the second count is incremented, and the first count is re-initialized. The electro-kinetic system restarts after the predetermined period. When the second count reaches a second count threshold, the electro-kinetic system is shut-down until a reset condition is satisfied.

Abstract: The basis of the pollen cleaning method is that the contaminated pollen (6) is sucked by airflow carrying the pollen to the conical part (16) of the separator (3) made of insulating material where pure pollen particles fall through the separator onto the filter (2) while the impurities rotate in electrostatic field generated by separator (3) friction. The device used for implementation of this method consists of a suction unit (1) with a filter (2). To the filter is led the separator outlet (3). In the area of the greatest separator diameter, the outlet of the suction line of a variable diameter is tangentially connected to the separator (3) including a suction part (5) for contaminated pollen (6) suction.

Abstract: An electrostatic precipitator includes several dividable supporting rods, which are passed through corresponding big holes, and tightly fitted in corresponding small holes of metallic boards so as to support the metallic boards equidistantly spaced apart in position. Each supporting rod is made of several connectable parts, each of which has an insertion end portion, and a hollow holding end portion. Each supporting rod is assembled by means of joining insertion end portions to adjacent hollow holding end portions, and is apart from the edges of corresponding big holes of the metallic boards. Thus, the metallic boards are firmly held in position by means of tops of hollow holding end portions of those connectable parts that are joined to small through holes thereof.

Abstract: An air purifier is constructed to include a conduit housing a high voltage circuit board and a high voltage generator in a rear section thereof and at least one high voltage electrode and a number of ground electrodes in a front section thereof, the high voltage electrode and ground electrodes functioning as an ionizer as well as an electrostatic precipitator, trapping and removing contaminants from the air when receiving a high voltage output from the high voltage generator, so that air flowing by the high voltage electrode gets ionized and, floating contaminant particles are then combined with air ions, which are drawn to the ground electrodes and get trapped and neutralized by the ground electrodes.

Abstract: An electrical type grid electrostatic collector/separator removes particles from an air stream. The apparatus includes multiple parallel grids that act as the porous material, enclosed in a sealed compartment so that the entrained air flows parallel and between one or more centrally located grids. A direct current high voltage field is established between the grids with the polarities alternating between facing grids. Finer particles may be temporally collected on plate or grid assemblies that are located out of the airflow. When non-conductive particles are present, external methods of pre-charging by corona discharge are preferably used. When non-conductive particles are present, both internal and external methods of pre-charging by corona discharge are used with the external method being preferred.

Abstract: A battery (16) drives an electric motor (17) which in turn drives a fan (18). A circuit board (20) controls the operation of the motor and fan to maintain the flow rate. Air is drawn through an inlet (22) and out through a vent (24). Foam discs (32) and (34) may extract particles from the air and an electrostatic filter may attract aerosols in the air.

Abstract: There is disclosed an electrostatically charged filter material comprising a blend of polyester fibers and electrostatically chargeable fibers of at least one other kind.

Abstract: A local cleaning system which uses a charged air shower unit for forming a shield curtain by means of an ion wind, and a local exhaust device for exhausting the air containing dirt and dust settled down on the floor by the ion wind to construct a clean shielded space with no need for a dedicated partition wall. With this local cleaning system, the charged air shower unit provides negative charges for gas molecules, and dirt and dust, floating microorganisms, odor constituents, and other foreign matters, for electrically neutralizing them, and leads the gas molecules and foreign matters which have lost the charges and which Brownian motion is suppressed, by means of the ion wind for effectively sucking them into the local exhaust device or air cleaner. Because a charged air curtain comprising an invisible ion wind provides a shield plane, a clean shielded space can be constructed with no need for a dedicated partition wall.

Abstract: An air cleaner comprising an electron generator (12-13) that includes a pointed head (12), a collector element (14) and an electric circuit (13) included in the electronic generator (12-13) for generating a negative potential on the pointed head (12) and a positive potential on the collector element (14). The pointed head (12) is mounted at the free end (111) of a cylinder (11) comprised of electrically non-conductive (insulating) material. The cylinder (11) includes the electric circuit (13) at one end whereas its remaining end (112) enters the collector element (14), which is cylindrical and comprised of electrically conductive material.

Abstract: Electret filter media comprising a nonwoven web of thermoplastic nonconductive microfibers having trapped charge, said charge provided by (1) subjecting the nonwoven web to a corona treatment, followed by (2) impingement of jets of water or a stream of water droplets on the web at a pressure sufficient to provide the web with filtration enhancing electret charge and (3) drying the web. This electret filter media may be used in a respiratory mask to provide extraordinarily good filtration properties.

Abstract: An electret filter media includes an additive or mixtures thereof that enhance the charge stability of the media. The filter media achieves acceptable alpha values for a range of filtration challenges without significant decay in alpha values over time. Preferred charge additives include fatty acid amides, oleophobic fluorochemical surfactants, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing contaminants from gas streams. A first step involves selecting a contaminant to be removed from a gas stream and determining a characteristic ionizing energy value required to selectively ionize the selected contaminant with minimal effect on other contaminants in the gas stream. A second step involves applying the characteristic ionizing energy value to the gas stream and selectively ionizing the selected contaminant. A third step involves capturing the selected contaminant after ionization.

Abstract: An air purifier has a simply manufactured and assembled ionizer, which increases the charging efficiency for dust particles through maximally increased discharge spaces and prevents electrical accidents. The air purifier includes an ionizer and a collector. The ionizer includes two ground electrode units and at least one discharge electrode, the two ground electrode units each having one or more electrodes, each formed in a hollow semi-cylindrical shape, the two ground electrode units being joined to face each other, the at least one discharge electrode being placed in spaces formed between the hollow semi-cylindrically shaped electrodes of the joined ground electrode units, thus charging dust particles passing through the spaces between the hollow semi-cylindrically shaped electrodes. The collector is electrically charged with a polarity opposite to a polarity of the charged dust particles.

Abstract: An air purifier has a simply manufactured and assembled ionizer, which improves the charging efficiency for dust particles using multi-directional discharge and prevents electrical accidents. The air purifier includes an ionizer and a collector. The ionizer includes a first electrode and at least two second electrodes, the first electrode having at least two hollow, semi-cylindrically shaped electrodes, the at least two electrodes being connected successively and in parallel so that the first electrode has a corrugated shape, and the at least two second electrodes are positioned at inner spaces defined by the hollow semi-cylindrically shaped electrodes, respectively. The collector is electrically charged with a polarity opposite to a polarity of charged dust particles.

Abstract: A dust filter bag having a highly porous backing material ply and a method for producing the dust filter bag. The dust filter bag includes at least one filter material ply and at least one backing material ply, the backing material ply possessing an air permeability of at least 900 l/m2 x s, a burst strength of at least 70 kPa, a rupture strength longitudinally better than 10 and transversely better than 3 N, a flexural rigidity longitudinally better than 0.5 cN cm2 and transversely better than 0.25 cN cm2, a basis weight of 30-80 g/m2 and a droplet sink-in time of less than 10 minimum. The dust filter bag can be produced by the following steps: mixing fibers including cellulose fibers and fusible fibers into a homogenous fiber mix, processing the fiber mix into a fiber web by wet laying, drying the fiber web, curing the dried fiber web by thermofusion into a backing material ply, processing the backing material ply with a filter material ply into a raw bag, and finishing the raw bag into a dust filter bag.

Abstract: An electrical type grid electrostatic collector/separator removes particles from an air stream. The apparatus includes multiple parallel grids that act as the porous material, enclosed in a sealed compartment so that the entrained air flows parallel and between one or more centrally located grids. A direct current high voltage field is established between the grids with the polarities alternating between facing grids. The system is preferably used for conductive and semi-conductive materials because of the ease at which the particles can receive an induced charge. The charged particles are separated and collected when they are attracted toward the relatively open wire or woven grids and pass laterally through and onto the next attracting grid until they are out of the air stream and generally fall by gravity to the collection vessel. When non-conductive particles are present, external methods of pre-charging by corona discharge are preferably used.

Abstract: Particles in a fluid flow are concentrated by a combination of electrical charging and focussing and passage through a virtual impact concentrator. The fluid is passed through an electrical charging section and an electrical focussing section and then to a virtual impact concentrator. The majority of charged particles in a selected size range are collected through a minor discharge passage extending axially from the virtual impact concentrator. The invention is particularly suitable for sampling engine exhaust gases and ambient aerosols.

Abstract: An electro-kinetic electro-static air conditioner includes a mechanism to clean the wire-like electrodes in the first electrode array. A length of flexible MYLAR type sheet material projects from the base of the second electrode array towards and beyond the first electrode array. The distal end of each sheet includes a slit that engages a corresponding wire-like electrode. As a user moves the second electrode array up or down within the conditioner housing, friction between slit edges and the wire-like electrode cleans the electrode surface. The sheet material maybe biasedly pivotably attached to the base of the second electrode array, and may be urged away from and parallel to the wire-like electrodes when the conditioner is in use. Another embodiment includes a bead-like member having a through opening or channel, through which the wire-like electrode passes.

Abstract: A collecting device for collecting suspended particles includes a mobility analysis device; a collecting container connected to an outlet of the mobility analysis device; a discharge electrode disposed inside the collecting container for charging the particles inside the collecting container by generating single polar ions; and a collecting electrode for collecting the charged particles inside the collecting container by an electric potential difference relative to the discharge electrode. In the mobility analysis device, the particles are charged and guided into a flow path. An electric field is created in the flow path, and the particles are guided into the path perpendicular to the electric field. Since a mobility of a particle in an electric field depends on a size of the particle, the particles guided in the path are separated according to the electric field, thereby obtaining particles with sizes in a specific range.

Abstract: An electret is described that includes a surface modified polymeric article having surface fluorination produced by fluorinating the polymeric article.

Abstract: An electrostatically charged filter material including a blend of polypropylene fibres and one selected from the group consisting of: halogen free acrylic fibres; polyvinyl chloride fibers or a mixture of halogen free acrylic fibres and polyvinyl chloride fibres.

Abstract: A vehicle brake assembly includes a brake rubbing interface operative to slow a vehicle when activated. The interface produces airborne brake dust particles when activated. A dust collector plate is positioned in close proximity to the brake rubbing interface to collect the brake dust. A charging circuit is operative to generate an electrostatic charge so that the brake dust is attracted to the charged collector plate.

Abstract: The electron beam is irradiated from the center part to the outer direction in the irradiation duct. Then required electron range is decreased and the required beam energy is decreased. The electron beam introduction window is formed as a thin curved surface and made of Al alloy or SiC ceramics, then the energy absorption is decreased, a large beam current is available and X-ray shield become very small sized and very simple. By dividing the acceleration voltage into a positive and negative voltage, the absolute value of the applied voltage is decreased, then the reliability for the insulator is increased and the acceleration voltage can be obtained without mechanical movement.

Abstract: An electret is described that includes a surface modified polymeric article having surface fluorination produced by fluorinating the polymeric article.

Abstract: Apparatus and a process are described, wherein furnace flue gas, containing moisture, is expanded through a pressure drop sufficient to cause saturation of the gas. The resulting condensation of water increases the mass of particles, making them easier to separate from the gas. Acid components of the flue gas may be similarly rendered more easily separable. These wetted particles are then separated and removed from the flue gas. The cleaned flue gas is then compressed backup to chimney pressure for discharge. A flue gas cleaner of this invention thus renders particle forming fuels, such as low cost coal, more readily useable, while meeting appropriate particle emissions requirements.