SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AIR FILTRATION VIA CYCLONE SEPARATORS ENCLOSED WITHIN EXTERIOR WALLS
A system for air purification using cyclone separators mounted with wall structures is disclosed. Air entering a building is filtered by passage through a coupled array of cyclone separators mounted within concrete blocks. Each cyclone separator is composed of two components, a cyclone chamber and a coupler. The coupler contains the air inlet, air outlet, as well as baffles to induce cyclonic flow within the chambers. The cyclone chambers can be fashioned as cavities within solid concrete blocks or added as separate components to the couplers. Both the couplers and chambers can be employed within hollow construction blocks, and the couplers can be further incorporated within gaskets that fit between rows of construction blocks.
This application is a continuation of co-pending non-provisional application, reference Ser. No. 13/998,597 filed Nov. 15, 2013, entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AIR FILTRATION VIA CYCLONE SEPARATORS ENCLOSED WITHIN EXTERIOR WALLS, and claims benefit thereof. Non-provisional application Ser. No. 13/998,597 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to the design and structure of air filtration systems for buildings and architectural structures. More specifically, the invention relates to a system of interconnected cyclone separators built into exterior wall structures of buildings.
Filtration of breathing air has become important for the comfort, health, and safety of people living inside modern buildings and domestic structures. Commercial structures such as office buildings often have HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems that pull in air from outside the building, and filter it to remove harmful particulates before adding this air to the re-circulated air inside the building. These systems are expensive and use a considerable amount of energy. Most single family homes and many apartment buildings have no such air filtration system, as outside air is introduced mainly through open windows. This method of “fresh” air infusion has only a minimum of particle filtration, consisting typically of insect screens. These screens do little to block the introduction of particulates into the home. As a result the homeowner may be exposed to allergy causing dust, pollen, soot, and other harmful particulates. This contamination results in the homeowner spending many hours trying to remove (dusting, vacuuming) these particulates from inside the home. Once introduced, the smaller particulates are extremely hard to remove due to their strong attraction to surfaces. Homeowners often employ expensive filtration units placed within the home to reduce airborne particle counts, particularly if a household member has allergies, asthma, or other respiratory ailments.
While the use of modern HVAC systems could be employed in single family homes and small apartment buildings, their capital cost is prohibitive to all but the most expensive high end homes and apartments. What is needed is a more cost effective air filtration system for single family dwellings.
Cyclone separators have been employed by modern industry for many years to separate solid particulates from gasses. Typically, they require moderately high gas velocities (or pressure drops) provided by compressors or fans. Rarely, if ever, are they employed in the filtration of air for domestic dwellings, particularly single family homes. Air filtration for domestic dwellings is typically carried out by pleated “flow through” filter systems.
Trudell, in a Masters degree thesis document submitted to the graduate faculty of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, published August 2012, suggests the incorporation of single cyclone separators fashioned within solid masonry wall construction blocks. These would utilize the pressure drop created by wind pressure outside the building to force contaminated air into the cyclone separator's inlet. The reverse flow cyclonic separation would create a particulate stream leaving the bottom of the cyclone and clean air leaving the exhaust at the top, which is directed into the interior of the building.
There are a number of difficulties with the approach suggested by Trudell. The entire cyclone structure must be fabricated within the body of each solid block, which requires rather precise masonry molding techniques due to the specific geometries required by the cyclone separators. This requirement increases the cost of the construction blocks, which may be prohibitive for low cost housing or for use in third world countries. Furthermore, the use of solid molded blocks limits the use of reinforcing steel (or re-bar), commonly used within masonry walls.
These and other limitations of the prior art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the following descriptions and a study of the several figures of the drawing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide a system for air filtration including: a first cyclone separator chamber having a cylindrically shaped portion disposed above a conically shaped portion, the conically shaped portion of the first cyclone separator chamber having a first gas flow circulating within; a second cyclone separator chamber having a cylindrically shaped portion disposed above a conically shaped portion, the conically shaped portion of the second cyclone separator chamber having a second gas flow circulating within, a port fashioned within a wall of the cylindrically shaped portion of the second cyclone separator chamber; and a cyclone separator coupler disposed between the conically shaped portion of the first cyclone separator chamber and the cylindrically shaped portion of the second cyclone separator chamber, the cyclone separator coupler operative to isolate the first gas flow from the second gas flow, wherein the cyclone separator coupler has an input on a top surface for particulates leaving the bottom of the first cyclone separator chamber, an unfiltered air inlet directing air through the port of said second cyclone separator chamber, and a baffle to introduce rotary air motion within the second cyclone separator chamber.
These and other embodiments, features and advantages will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the following descriptions and a study of the several figures of the drawing.
Several example embodiments will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein like components are provided with like reference numerals. The example embodiments are intended to illustrate, but not to limit, the invention. The drawings include the following figures:
While the incorporation of cyclone separators within external walls of a dwelling has clear advantages over conventional HVAC air filtration techniques, the heretofore proposed implementation structures leave much to be desired. Casting of the complex cyclone structures within a fully enclosed masonry block proves to be difficult and expensive. Furthermore, since the individual intake and exhaust ports of each cyclone separator are isolated, control of how much air is introduced into the home is difficult without the addition of other baffle or wall structures. Embodiments of the present invention serve to significantly improve upon the basic concept, lowering costs while improving flexibility. Embodiments of the present invention allow for the incorporation of interconnected cyclone separators within a network of conventional “cinder” masonry blocks. Such a network allows for various air flow scenarios, including the feeding and exhausting of all cyclone separator units within passages fashioned within the walls themselves. If desired, a central air feed and central filtered air exhaust can be provided, allowing for flow control, insect control, and centralized feed to a conventional heating/air conditioning system.
Central to the embodiments of the present invention is a modified structure of the cyclone separator comprising a coupler and a cyclone chamber. The coupler is provided with the dirty air inlet, the clean air outlet, and the required internal baffling to induce the required directional airflows in the cyclone chamber to which the coupler is attached. The coupler further provides for connection to another cyclone chamber mounted above it, having a built in flow passage for disposing of the particle stream exiting the above mounted cyclone chamber.
While the forgoing example embodiments illustrate how costs can be reduced by combining a cyclone separator coupler with cast cavities in construction blocks, an even more cost effective solution can be obtained by utilizing standard “cinder” blocks, or construction blocks having hollow cells. The hollow cells are typically filled with grout and re-bar (reinforcing steel bar) as the wall or structure is being constructed. They save shipping costs to the construction site because they are hollow and are considerably lighter than solid blocks.
Although various embodiments have been described using specific terms and devices, such description is for illustrative purposes only. The words used are words of description rather than of limitation. It is to be understood that changes and variations may be made by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit or the scope of various inventions supported by the written disclosure and the drawings. In addition, it should be understood that aspects of various other embodiments may be interchanged either in whole or in part. It is therefore intended that the claims be interpreted in accordance with the true spirit and scope of the invention without limitation or estoppel.
Claims
1. A system for air filtration comprising:
- a first cyclone separator chamber having a cylindrically shaped portion disposed above a conically shaped portion, said conically shaped portion of said first cyclone separator chamber having a first gas flow circulating within;
- a second cyclone separator chamber having a cylindrically shaped portion disposed above a conically shaped portion, said conically shaped portion of said second cyclone separator chamber having a second gas flow circulating within, said second cyclone separator having a port fashioned within a wall of said cylindrically shaped portion; and
- a cyclone separator coupler disposed between said conically shaped portion of said first cyclone separator chamber and said cylindrically shaped portion of said second cyclone separator chamber, said cyclone separator coupler operative to isolate said first gas flow from said second gas flow,
- wherein said cyclone separator coupler has an input on a top surface for particulates leaving a bottom of said conically shaped portion of said first cyclone separator chamber, an unfiltered air inlet directing air through said port fashioned within said wall of said second cyclone separator chamber, and a baffle to introduce rotary air motion within said second cyclone separator chamber.
2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein unfiltered air entering said cyclone separator coupler is directed around an outside surface of said baffle, whereas filtered air leaving the cylindrically shaped portion of said second cyclone separator chamber is directed through a center portion of said baffle.
3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said filtered air is directed to a clean air outlet of said cyclone separator coupler.
4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein said particulates leaving said first cyclone separator chamber are directed out a chute on a side of said cyclone separator coupler.
5. The system as recited in claim 4, further comprising:
- said first cyclone separator chamber fabricated as a first empty cavity within a first solid construction block;
- said second cyclone separator chamber fabricated as a second empty cavity within a second solid construction block;
- wherein said cyclone separator coupler is disposed within a third empty cavity located above said first empty cavity of said second solid construction block, said first solid construction block disposed above said second solid construction block.
6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein particulates leaving said chute on the side of said cyclone separator coupler are directed to a disposal channel fabricated within said second solid construction block.
7. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein said unfiltered air inlet of said cyclone separator coupler is located on a first surface of said second solid construction block and said clean air outlet of said cyclone separator coupler is located on a second surface of said second solid construction block, said first surface opposing said second surface.
8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein said first and said second solid construction blocks are part of an exterior wall of a dwelling, said first surface of said second solid construction block being part of an exterior surface of said exterior wall, and said second surface of said second solid construction block being part of an interior surface of said exterior wall.
9. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein said cyclone separator coupler is disposed within a first chamber of a hollow construction block, said hollow construction block having said first hollow chamber, a second hollow chamber, and a dividing wall between said first and said second hollow chambers.
10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said unfiltered air inlet of said cyclone separator coupler is fed from said second hollow chamber of said hollow construction block.
11. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said unfiltered air inlet of said cyclone separator coupler is fed from a first duct within said second hollow chamber of said hollow construction block
12. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said clean air outlet is directed into said first hollow chamber of said hollow construction block.
13. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said clean air outlet is directed into a second duct within said first hollow chamber of said hollow construction block.
14. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein particulates leaving said chute on the side of said cyclone separator coupler are directed to a third duct within said first hollow chamber of said hollow construction block.
15. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said hollow construction block is a portion of a wall of a dwelling, said second hollow chamber forming part of a first open duct formed by hollow construction blocks situated above and below said hollow construction block.
16. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein said hollow construction block is a portion of a wall of a dwelling, said first hollow chamber forming part of a second open duct formed by hollow construction blocks situated above and below said hollow construction block.
17. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein an intake vent for air feeding said dwelling is coupled to said first open duct.
18. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein an exhaust vent for clean air into said dwelling is coupled to said second open duct.
19. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein said cyclone separator coupler is an integral part of a gasket structure, said gasket structure suitable for use with a hollow construction block, said gasket structure placing said cyclone separator coupler within a hollow chamber of said hollow construction block.
20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein said unfiltered air inlet and said clean air outlet of said cyclone separator coupler fit within the thickness of said gasket structure.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 5, 2016
Publication Date: Aug 18, 2016
Inventors: Kathleen Sofia Hajash (Brooklyn, NY), Kyleen Hoover (Chicago, IL), Kateri Vita Knapp (Garden City, NY), Natacha Schnider (San Luis Obispo, CA), Carmen Gayle Trudell (San Luis Obispo, CA)
Application Number: 14/998,717