April 22, 1952 H. F.

FRUTH 2,593,869
AIR PURIFICATION DEVICE
Filed July 15, 1948

Inventor
Atal Federica Futh
Ay:
414ee, 2. A-44, a 22.
2-1 ratif.
Patented Apr. 22, 1952 2,593,869

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

Hal Frederick Fruth, Skokie, Eli.
Application July 15, 1948, Serial No. 38,882
3 Claims. (C), 183-7)
1. 2
The present invention relates to air purifiers is applied to the electrodes 4. Tests have shown
and more particularly to means for ionizing air that the degree of ionization attainable in this
borne particles preparatory to precipitating them manner using moderate voltages is Small and
on charged collector plates. that a very elaborate arrangement of precipita
It is an object of the present invention to pro tor plates is necessary in order to insure that a
wide improved means for charging Suspended high percentage of the suspended foreign mat
dust and the like by the action of an electrode ter is removed from the air before it is again dis
containing a material capable of emitting charged into the air-conditioned chamber.
charged particles into the air stream. It is a In accordance with the present invention, the
more detailed object to provide an improved elec O degree of ionization is greatly increased by an
trode construction to facilitate the emission and improved physical construction of the ionizing
acceleration of ions enabling precipitation. Of or negatively charged electrodes 4 and by in
pollen and other microscopic dispersions as well cluding therein certain ionizing substances ca
as large particles of dust and the like, Still an pable of emitting charged particles, primarily
other object is to provide an ionizer which is 5 electrons.
simple and inexpensive and Sufficiently durable As shown, each electrode 4 comprises a string
to Withstand rough usage in domestic and indus like body 28, having frayed strands 29 of con
trial air conditioning applications. ducting Wire or the like projecting from the Sur
Other objects and advantages of the invention face of the body in closely spaced relation to each
will be apparent from the following detailed de 20 other. The electrode body 28 is formed from
Scription taken in connection with the accom thermally non-conducting material and in this
panying drawings, in which: instance constitutes a frayed strand of Woven or
Figure 1 is a schematic view showing an air spun yarn composed of glass or textile fibers. A
duct and collector plates and illustrating the layer of conducting material is deposited on the
manner in which ionizing electrodes are aSS0 25 surfaces of the electrode body and the projecting
ciated therewith. strands 29. This surface layer may, for example,
Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view showing on an consist of an electrically deposited or chemically
enlarged scale the detailed structure of an elec reduced layer of aluminum, magnesium, or zinc.
trode fabricated in accordance With the inven If desired, however, and without departing
tion. 30 from the invention one or more of the following
Fig. 3 shows a transverse section of the elec metals may be employed in the formation of this
trode of Fig. 2 together with an adjacent elec coating layer: berylliurn, calcium, zinc, Strontium,
trode of opposite polarity. cadmium, and barium, all from group II of the
While the invention is susceptible of various periodic classification. Caesium from group III
modifications and alternative constructions and 35 and thorium from group IV may also be success
uses, I have shown in the drawings and will fully used. The metals need not be in their me
herein describe in detail. One embodiment of the tallic State since the characteristic low Work
invention. It is to be understood, however, that function may also be obtained using the metals
I do not intend to limit the invention by Such in the form of compounds Such as the oxide
disclosure, but aim to cover all modifications and 40 formed in situ.
alternative constructions and uses falling Within When potential is applied between a negative
the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed electrode 4 and an adjacent positive electrode
in the appended claims. or rod 5, an electrostatic field is set up. The
Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a dia positive rod 5 is preferably smoothly rounded
grammatic view showing an air duct 0, a set of 45 and consequently most of the potential drop Oc
oppositely charged collector plates ff, and ioniz curs in the vicinity of the sharp points of the
ing electrodes indicated generally at 2. Conven frayed strands 29. Due to the resulting high
tionally, alternate ones of such electrodes are gradient, electrons are freed from the points of
connected in sets 4, 5 to a source of high po the strands and are rapidly accelerated in the
tential so that the resulting brush or corona dis 50 direction of the adjacent electrode 5. Because
charge causes suspended particles in the imme of the large number and speed of the electrons,
diate vicinity of the electrodes to become ionized efficient ionization is produced causing effective
and therefore attracted to the charged collec precipitation of particles over a wide range of
tor plates. In this instance a positive charge is sizes. By using an emitting electrode of the
applied to the electrodes 5 and a negative charge 55 above type it is possible to employ voltages much
 2,593,869
3 4.
lower than conventionally required without sac What is claimed is:
rificing precipitation efficiency. Thus the prod 1. A precipitating device for ionizing air-borne
uction of ozone may be kept within reasonable particles including, in combination, two ionizing
bounds and the disagreeable physiological effects electrodes disposed in Spaced relation to each
associated therewith completely eliminated. other, one of said electrodes comprising an elon
The coated projecting strands 29 of the elec gated body formed from interlaced fine strands of
trodes 4 are poor thermal conductors, Thus, yarn having high electrical and heat insulating
by proper spacing of the electrodes 4, 5, the properties, said body being of Sufficient Strength
flow of current may be adjusted so as to cause to be self-supporting between its ends, the Sur
heating to take place at the tips of the projecting O face of said body being frayed so as to present a
Strands. The latter is apparently due to posi large number of closely spaced OutWardly ex
tive ion bombardment as well as electron flow. tending projections of said fine strands of yarn,
This has been found to greatly increase the fa and a fine coating of electron emissive metallic
cility with which the electrons are emitted and material on the Surface of Said body and On Said
increases the total number of electrons available 5 projecting strands of yarn, the Strand projections
even at noderate ionizing Voltages. While a thus coated having Substantial length but being
number of different alloys may be employed hav of Small transverse cross Section, Said coated
ing the desired emissive properties as mentioned strands having both good heat insulating proper
above, it is preferable to select one having at the ties and good electrical conducting properties,
same time a high resistance to continued oxidas 20 the ends of said projections presenting minute
tion and not Subject to appreciable loSS as a re electron emitting points which become heated to
Sult of cathode. Sputtering. Alloys having the high-temperatures when said device is in Opera
Wear characteristics of intagnesium-aluminum tion.
alloy are preferred because of the thin self-pro 2. A precipitating device for ionizing air-borne
tecting oxide coating forried on the Surface. 25 particles comprising, in combination, two ioniz
Although the invention has been described as ing electrodes disposed in spaced relation to each
particularly suited for use with direct current, it other, one of said electrodes comprising an elon
Willi be understood that alliterinating current is gated body of heat insulating material, a plural
also Suitable, each electrode being fabricated ity of fine strands of material including at least
similarly to the electrodes and serving as a 30 One component of Substance having g000 elec
Cathode for half the tine. tron-emitting qualities, Said Strands having
To further increase the electron enission of closely Spaced relation to each other and project
the electrodes 4, a conductive coating is used ing outWardly in Irandon directions from the Sur
containing radioactive naterial. The latter may face of Said insulating body to present a large
consist of a dispersion of radium, polonium, ura 35 number of minute electron emitting points dis
nium, or the like, but preferably less expensive posed on the ends of relatively long but thin
materials are used Which have been made arti Supporting members having Very Small trans
ficially radioactive by boilbardment. Examples verse CrOSS Sections.
of Such materials are the following radioisotopes 3. A deVice as Set forth in claim 2 in Which Said
and compounds containing then: Strontium 90, 40 electron-emissive. Substance of Said Strands con
carbon 14, chlorine 36, technitium 99. These Stitutes radioactive material.
have Sufficient emission of electrons (beta, radia HAL FREDERCK FRUTH.
tion) to give increased ionization and have a REFERENCES CEO
half-life of at least tWenty-five years. Due to
the substantial absence of gamma radiation 45 The following references are of record in the
there is no danger that harmful radioactivity will file of this patent:
be imparted to the air. UNITED STATES PATENTS
In the foregoing discussion the efficiency of the Number Nane Date
present electrode construction and arrange 617,618 Thwaite ----------- Jan. 10, 1899
ment has been discussed particularly as regards
the charging of larger air-borne particles pre 945,917 Cottrell ------------ Jan. 11, 1910
paratory to their collection by the collector 1,067,974 Cottrell ----------- July 22, 1913
plates. Studies have shown that the arrange 1,357,201 Nesbit ------------- Oct. 26, 1920
ment disclosed herein possesses practical advan 1,399,422 Chubb ------------ Dec. 6, 1921
tages not to be found in prior art ionizing devices. 1,409,901 Anderson ---------- Mar. 21, 1922
55 2,231,330 Gove -------------- Feb. 11, 1941
I have found, for example, that the arrangement
is particularly effective for removing particles of FOREIGN PATENTS
extremely Small size, for example, Such as pollen Ninber Country Date
grains, bacteria, and filtrable viruses. As a re 338,796 Great Britain ------ Nov. 27, 1930
sult, the precipitator including the present ion 0 816,463 France ----------- May 3, 1937
izer is extremely Valuable to hay fever Sufferers 425,273 Germany ---------- Feb. 16, 1926
and for germicidal purposes in hospitals, labora 442,644 Germany ---------- Apr. 2, 1927
tories and the like. 507,914 Germany ---------- Sept. 22, 1930