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EP-4171175-B1 - HYBRID POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES FOR EXCIMER LAMPS

EP4171175B1EP 4171175 B1EP4171175 B1EP 4171175B1EP-4171175-B1

Inventors

  • LEE, YONGDUK
  • Pearson, Matthew Robert

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20221004

Claims (8)

  1. A sanitization apparatus (200) comprising: an excimer lamp (210); and a power converter (201) comprising a printed circuit board (700), a wide band gap device (214) and a planar inductor (216) embedded in the printed circuit board (700), wherein the wide band gap device (214) is selectively switchable between a first mode wherein the inductor (216) is configured to be electrically charged and a second mode wherein the inductor (216) is configured to be electrically discharged to the excimer lamp (210); and wherein: the excimer lamp (210) is configured to emit Far-UVC light; the inductor (216) is connected across the excimer lamp (210); in the first mode, a polarity of the inductor (216) is in a first direction; and in the second mode, the polarity of the inductor (216) is in a second direction, opposite the first direction; and the printed circuit board (700) comprises a first layer comprising the inductor (216) and a second layer comprising the wide band gap device (214), wherein the wide band gap device (214) is embedded in the printed circuit board (700).
  2. The sanitization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wide band gap device (214) comprises a transistor.
  3. The sanitization apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the wide band gap device (214) is in an ON state in the first mode and the wide band gap device (214) is in an OFF state in the second mode.
  4. The sanitization apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising a DC power supply configured to charge the inductor (216) when the wide band gap device (214) is in the first mode.
  5. A method of powering an excimer lamp (210), comprising: switching a wide band gap device (214) from an OFF state to an ON state, wherein the wide band gap device (214) is in the ON state in a first mode; charging a planar inductor (216); switching the wide band gap device (214) from the ON state to the OFF state, wherein the wide band gap device (214) is in the OFF state in a second mode; and discharging the inductor (216) to the excimer lamp (210), wherein: the excimer lamp (210) is configured to emit Far-UVC light; the inductor (216) is connected across the excimer lamp (210); in the first mode, a polarity of the inductor (216) is in a first direction; and in the second mode, the polarity of the inductor (216) is in a second direction, opposite the first direction; a printed circuit board (700) of a power converter comprises a first layer comprising the planar inductor (216) and a second layer comprising the wide band gap device (214), wherein the planar inductor (216) is embedded in the printed circuit board (700) and wherein the wide band gap device (214) is embedded in the printed circuit board (700).
  6. The method of claim 5, wherein charging the inductor (216) is performed in response to the wide band gap device (214) switching from the OFF state to the ON state.
  7. The method of claim 5 or 6, further comprising receiving a direct current voltage from a power source by the wide band gap device (214).
  8. The method of claim 5, 6 or 7, further comprising generating a pulse output voltage waveform in response to the inductor (216) discharging to the excimer lamp (210).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to sanitization systems and methods and, more particularly, to power supply systems and methods for ultraviolet (UV) light sanitization systems. BACKGROUND The recent novel-coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) outbreak has negatively impacted the safety and health of many people. Pathogens can be transmitted via direct airborne transmission between users or via indirect contact transmission from different users occupying the same space at different times. For example, lingering pathogens may remain on contact surfaces of an aircraft cabin to be spread to passengers and/or crew members on a subsequent flight. The safety of passengers and crew members may be improved by performing disinfecting treatments to surfaces, such as seats, ceiling/wall panels, handles, and lavatory surfaces, etc., to mitigate the presence of pathogens on such surfaces. However, conventional disinfection procedures between flights may take time and may thus adversely affect the operating efficiency of the aircraft (increased interval time between flights), and the effectiveness and quality of such conventional treatments are often difficult to verify/track. Diop, M. A. (2018) Alimentation sans transformateur pour dispositif de décharge à barrière diélectrique (DBD) [Doctoral thesis, University of Toulouse] (Available at: https://theses.hal.science/tel-01902468) discloses the development of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) transformerless power supply. Diop, M. A., et al (2020). "10kV SiC MOSFET Evaluation for Dielectric Barrier Discharge Transfomerless Power Supply", Plasma, vol. 3, no. 3 discloses the design and implementation of an electric converter presented and validated with experiments carried out on UV excimer Dielectric Barrier Discharge lamps. Lefranc, P., et al. (2015). "Optimisation and characterization of a planar transformer with a high voltage ratio and high output voltage for plasma reactors", IET POWER ELECTRONICS, UK, vol.8, no. 6 discloses a study of a new design of a planar transformer for dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). Rueda, V., et al (2018). "Optimum transformer turns ratio for the power supply of dielectric barrier discharge lamps", IET POWER ELECTRONICS, UK, vol.11, no. 1 discloses a study focused on studying a resonant current converter for the electrical supply of dielectric barrier discharge devices. EP 2 389 047 B1 discloses an arrangement that has a primary circuit formed by a connection for positive and negative poles of a voltage source, an inductor and a high side switch with an anti-parallel diode between the inductor and the connection for the poles. A secondary circuit is formed by the inductor, a connection for a dielectric-barrier discharge lamp and a low side switch with an anti-parallel diode between the connection for the capacitive load and a side of the inductor. The side of the inductor is connected with the former switch. A diode is arranged at the secondary circuit. The switches are formed as MOSFETS and insulated gate bipolar transistors. A method for operating a capacitive load by a switching arrangement is also disclosed. US 2021/283282 A1 discloses a method of destroying pathogens disposed upon an epidermis including providing a hand held device including a grip and a lamp, transmitting far-UVC light via the lamp, and filtering the transmitted far-UVC light to attenuate portions of transmitted UVC light that have a wavelength known to cause damage to an epidermis of a human. The epidermis is scanned by tracing the hand held device over a localized area of the epidermis thereby illuminating the localized area with the filtered far-UVC light. The filtered far-UVC light destroys pathogens disposed upon the epidermis while not causing adverse biological damage to the epidermis. SUMMARY According to an aspect, a sanitization apparatus as recited in claim 1 is disclosed. In various embodiments, the wide band gap device comprises a transistor. In various embodiments, the wide band gap device is in an ON state in the first mode and the wide band gap device is in an OFF state in the second mode. In various embodiments, the sanitization apparatus further comprises a DC power supply configured to charge the inductor when the wide band gap device is in the first mode. According to an aspect, a method of powering an excimer lamp as recited in claim 5 is disclosed. In various embodiments, charging the inductor is performed in response to the wide band gap device switching from the OFF state to the ON state. In various embodiments, the method further comprises receiving a direct current voltage from a power source by the wide band gap device. In various embodiments, the method further comprises generating a pulse output voltage waveform in response to the inductor discharging to the excimer lamp. The foregoing features and elements as well as the operation of the disclosed embodiments will become more apparent in light of the following description