Abstract: A refrigerator is disclosed wherein an ion generator is arranged in a cold air duct which supplies cold air to a storage compartment, and a desired portion of the cold air duct is treated for anti-static. The ions from the ion generator are used for the purpose of sterilization and deodorization and are effectively discharged into the storage compartment. The anti-static-treatment of the cold air duct prevents the ions generated from the ion generator from being lost due to static in the cold air duct. The anti-static treatment is carried out by coating polyethylene on a portion of the cold air duct. The cold air duct includes a plurality of uniformly spaced cold air outlets, whereby the ions generated from the ion generator are uniformly distributed into the overall portion of the storage compartment through the cold air outlets.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a chilled air duct and a sterilizer duct independently installed in the vertical direction to uniformly emit active hydrogen and negative ions for sterilization and deodorization into an entire space of a compartment. The sterilizer duct is vertically installed in the compartment in parallel relation to the chilled air duct and an MPI generator for the sterilization and deodorization is installed in an end thereof. In the first embodiment of the present invention, the sterilizer duct is coupled with a blower duct in which a blower fan for blowing air into the sterilizer duct, and the blower duct may be coupled with a rotation duct connected to a driving motor installed in a housing. In the second embodiment, the sterilizer duct and the chilled air duct have a single entrance and two exits and may be coupled with respective exits of a distribution duct in which a damper is installed.

Abstract: A sterilizing method and apparatus in which neutral atoms and anions are coupled to produce a sterilizing substance which is, in turn, used to remove an object to be removed by sterilization. The sterilizing apparatus includes a cation generator and an anion generator, which are separate from each other. Also disclosed as an air cleaning method and apparatus using the sterilizing method and apparatus.

Abstract: An ion generator, which generates cations and anions respectively through cation and anion generating units independently installed so as to prevent the extermination of the cations and anions due to reaction therebetween just after the generation of the cations and anions, thereby being capable of generating a large quantity of the cations and anions. The ion generator for sterilization includes a rectifying device and first and second ion generating units. The rectifying device rectifies a half wave of the alternating current power into a half-wave alternating current power having a positive polarity (+) and a half-wave alternating current power having a negative polarity (?). The first ion generating unit is operated by the half-wave alternating current power having the positive polarity (+), and generates cations. The second ion generating unit is operated by the half-wave alternating current power having the negative polarity (?), and generates anions.

Abstract: A ceramic electrode structure designed to have an enhanced construction, wherein an induction electrode has an area larger than that of a discharge electrode. A high square pulse voltage is applied to the enhanced ceramic electrode structure, thereby increasing an efficiency of ion generation and effectively restricting generation of ozone.