US-12624851-B2 - Ultraviolet air purifying system and method

Abstract

A method includes receiving, by at least one processor, realtime data associated with airflow in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system from at least one sensor device, comparing, by the at least one processor, the realtime data from the at least one sensor device with a particular value for each sensor, operating, by the at least one processor, at least one ultraviolet C (UV-C) lamp device in the HVAC system, purifying air in the HVAC system using the at least one UV-C lamp device while confirming, by the at least one processor, that the realtime data from the at least one sensor device is within a particular threshold of each particular value for each sensor, and supplying clean, disinfected air to the airflow in the HVAC system.

Inventors

• Michael A VIGGIANI-NUNES

Assignees

• VIGGIANI AND ASSOCIATES

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20230810

Claims (10)

1. 1 . A method comprising: receiving, by at least one processor, realtime data associated with airflow in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system from at least one sensor device; comparing, by the at least one processor, the realtime data from the at least one sensor device with a particular value for each sensor device; operating, by the at least one processor, at least one ultraviolet C (UV-C) lamp device in the HVAC system; purifying air in the HVAC system using the at least one UV-C lamp device while confirming, by the at least one processor, that the realtime data from the at least one sensor device is within a particular threshold of each particular value for each sensor device, wherein the at least one UV-C lamp device is operated based on an equation associated with UVGI removal rate comprising RR=1−e -klmEt , wherein RR is equal to removal rate, k is a UV rate constant in m 2 /J, I m is mean irradiance, and E t is exposure time in seconds; and supplying clean, disinfected air to the airflow in the HVAC system.
2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor device comprises an anemometer, a CO 2 sensor device, a UV-C sensor device, a temperature sensor device, a humidity sensor device, and a pressure sensor device.
3. 3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a request for the realtime data from a computing device and transmitting the realtime data to the computing device.
4. 4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising transmitting the realtime data to be displayed in a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display of the computing device.
5. 5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the at least one processor, a request to control at least one component in the HVAC system from a computing device.
6. 6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the realtime data to a computing device using the BACnet protocol.
7. 7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one UV-C lamp device is operated based on an equation associated with dimensions of duct and exposure time comprising E t =Vol/Q=WHL/Q, wherein Vol is equal to volume of a UV chamber in m 3 , Q is equal to airflow in m 3 /s, W is equal to width in meters, H is equal to height in meters, and L is equal to length in meters.
8. 8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the UV rate constant comprises 0.377.
9. 9 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one computing device cause the at least one computing device to perform operations, the operations comprising: receiving realtime data associated with airflow in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system from at least one sensor device; comparing the realtime data from the at least one sensor device with a particular value for each sensor device; operating at least one ultraviolet C (UV-C) lamp device in the HVAC system; purifying air in the HVAC system using the at least one UV-C lamp device while confirming that the realtime data from the at least one sensor device is within a particular threshold of each particular value for each sensor device, wherein the at least one UV-C lamp device is operated based on an equation associated with UVGI removal rate comprising RR=1−e -klmEt , wherein RR is equal to removal rate, k is a UV rate constant in m 2 /J, I m is mean irradiance, and Et is exposure time in seconds; and supplying clean, disinfected air to the airflow in the HVAC system.
10. 10 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the at least one sensor device comprises an anemometer, a CO 2 sensor device, a UV-C sensor device, a temperature sensor device, a humidity sensor device, and a pressure sensor device.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is related to and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Patent Application No. 63/397,678, filed Aug. 12, 2022, entitled “Ultraviolet Air Purifying System and Method,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND Viruses and bacteria can be easily spread in certain environments such as commercial office buildings, schools, hospitals, retail stores, supermarkets, or industrial facilities such as warehouses or factories. Viruses and bacteria can be spread through the air in the office or other facilities which can cause the spread of airborne diseases. Closed occupied spaces such as offices may have poor and outdated air ventilation systems. Conventional heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems may focus on air changes and filtration to clean the air. This simply does not provide a sufficient solution. It is with these issues in mind, among others, that various aspects of the disclosure were conceived. SUMMARY According to one aspect, an ultraviolet air purifying system and method is provided for disinfecting and purifying air in buildings such as commercial office buildings, schools, hospitals, retail stores, supermarkets, or industrial facilities such as warehouses or factories, among other locations. In one example, a method may include receiving, by at least one processor, realtime data associated with airflow in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system from at least one sensor device, comparing, by the at least one processor, the realtime data from the at least one sensor device with a particular value for each sensor, operating, by the at least one processor, at least one ultraviolet C (UV-C) lamp device in the HVAC system, purifying air in the HVAC system using the at least one UV-C lamp device while confirming, by the at least one processor, that the realtime data from the at least one sensor device is within a particular threshold of each particular value for each sensor, and supplying clean, disinfected air to the airflow in the HVAC system. In another example, a system may include at least one sensor device and at least one processor to receive realtime data associated with airflow in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system from the at least one sensor device, compare the realtime data from the at least one sensor device with a particular value for each sensor, operate at least one UV-C lamp device in the HVAC system, purify air in the HVAC system using the at least one UV-C lamp device while confirming that the realtime data from the at least one sensor device is within a particular threshold of each particular value for each sensor, and supply clean, disinfected air to the airflow in the HVAC system. In another example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may have instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one computing device cause the at least one computing device to perform operations, the operations including receiving realtime data associated with airflow in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system from at least one sensor device, comparing the realtime data from the at least one sensor device with a particular value for each sensor, operating at least one UV-C lamp device in the HVAC system, purifying air in the HVAC system using the at least one UV-C lamp device while confirming that the realtime data from the at least one sensor device is within a particular threshold of each particular value for each sensor, and supplying clean, disinfected air to the airflow in the HVAC system. These and other aspects, features, and benefits of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed written description of the preferred embodiments and aspects taken in conjunction with the following drawings, although variations and modifications thereto may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments and/or aspects of the disclosure and, together with the written description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like elements of an embodiment, and wherein: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an ultraviolet air purifying system according to an example of the instant disclosure. FIG. 2 is another block diagram of the ultraviolet air purifying system according to an example of the instant disclosure. FIG. 3 is another diagram of aspects of the ultraviolet air purifying system according to an example of the instant disclosure. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the ultraviolet air purifying system in a building according to an example of the instant disclosure. FIG. 5 is another view of the ultraviolet air purifying system associated with a heating,