Abstract: A sanitizing hand dryer comprises a dryer housing having an inlet air channel and an outlet air channel. A blower draws air into the dryer housing through the inlet air channel, and directs the air out of the dryer housing through the outlet air channel A sanitizing system sanitizes the air within the inlet air channel and the air within the outlet air channel, wherein the sanitizing system within the inlet air channel includes at least one of a first air filter, a first ozone generator, a first sanitizing light source, a first photocatalytic oxidation system, a first ion generator, and a first electrostatic precipitator. The sanitizing system within the outlet air channel includes at least one of a second air filter, a second ozone generator, a second sanitizing light source, a second photocatalytic oxidation system, a second ion generator, and a second electrostatic precipitator.

Abstract: A forced air hand dryer includes a communication device that communicatively couples to a computing entity in provide data regarding the use of the hand dryer, and/or to set an operating configuration of the hand dryer.

Abstract: After washing, the hands are dried rapidly and comfortably by using a shaped high speed flow of heated air. The air flows in a direction controlled by an air outlet shaped to retain much of the exiting forceful air flow and temperature at a distance where the hands are dried. The air entrainment is controlled so that the properties of the air flow are not diluted by the air entrainment to a point where the drying performance is degraded. The forceful air flow blows off most of the loose water on the hands. The forceful air flow also reduces the stagnation boundary layers in the hands so that the evaporation removal of the remaining film of water is improved. These result in reduced drying time and comfort during and after drying.

Abstract: A wall-mounted hand dryer provides a heated pulsating or modulating air stream to break down a boundary layer of moisture on a user's hands to reduce the drying time. The hand dryer accomplishes this by quickly generating a heated air stream at a maximum temperature that is tolerable to the user, increasing the air stream velocity and turbulence to blow off loose water droplets and break down the boundary layer disposed on the user's hands. The hand dryer includes a blower, heater, a modulator and/or a turbulator for blowing heated air through an air duct. The modulator and turbulator break up the laminar flow of the air stream to provide a modulating or pulsating turbulent flow of air to retard the formation of the boundary layer and dry the hands quickly. The hand dryer further includes an infrared heating source for heating the surface of a user's hands to replace the heat lost as a result of the evaporation of the water from the user's hands.