Air sensing and purification systems

Abstract

Air sensing and purification systems include interconnected components that can both sense and cleanse an airborne viral load quickly and efficiently, minimizing the probability of human infection in the presence of a virus such as COVID-19. The systems can include a biosensing or viral load sensing system configured to measure an airborne viral load and probability of infection from the viral load; and an air purification device configured to effectively neutralize the virus in the adjacent space. The system also can include an alarm hub. The alarm hub can be a local server/hub that is wirelessly connected to the viral load sensing system and the air purification device; and can house strong visual and/or audible alarms to make the user aware of any breach of the social distancing protocol, and/or a high airborne viral load.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An air sensing and purification system, comprising:
 a virus detection subsystem configured to detect the presence of an airborne viral load; and   an air purification device comprising:
 a casing; 
 a fan system mounted within the casing and configured to circulate ambient air through the casing; 
 a filter mounted within the casing and configured to filter the ambient air circulated though the casing; 
 a first sensor configured to determine a characteristic of the ambient air around the system; and 
 a second sensor configured to detect the presence of two or more people proximate the system; and 
   a computing device communicatively coupled to the fan system, the first sensor, the second sensor, and the virus detection subsystem, wherein the computing device is configured to:
 calculate a minimum separation distance needed to reduce a potential for human-to-human transmission of airborne pathogens to a predetermined level, based at least in part on an input from the first sensor; 
 estimate an actual distance between the two or more people based on an input from the second sensor; and 
 activate the fan system when the estimated actual distance between the two or more people is less than the minimum separation distance and/or when the detected airborne viral load is above a threshold. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an alarm hub comprising at least one of an audible and visual warning device communicatively coupled to the computing device, wherein the computing device is configured to activate the at least one of an audible and visual warning device when the estimated actual distance between the two or more people is less than the minimum separation distance and/or when the detected airborne viral load is above the threshold. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the virus detection system comprises:
 a first volume of a liquid, the first volume having particles sampled from the airspace absorbed therein;   a second volume of the liquid;   a first and a second conductivity probe;   a first frequency generator communicatively coupled to the first conductivity probe and configured to apply a first alternating voltage to the first conductivity probe while the first conductivity probe is immersed at least in part in the first volume, the first alternating voltage causing a first alternating current to flow between the first conductivity probe and the first frequency generator; and   a second frequency generator communicatively coupled to the second conductivity probe and configured to apply a second alternating voltage to the second conductivity probe while the second conductivity probe is immersed at least in part in the second volume, the second alternating voltage causing a second alternating current to flow between the second conductivity probe and the second frequency generator;   a differential frequency detector communicatively coupled to the first and second frequency generators and configured to determine a difference between the frequencies of the first and second alternating currents; and   a computing device communicatively coupled to the differential frequency detector and configured to determine a viral load in the first volume based on the difference between the frequencies of the first and second alternating currents.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further configured to calculate the minimum separation distance needed to reduce the potential for human-to-human transmission of airborne pathogens to the predetermined level based in part on the detected airborne viral load. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the computing device is further configured to calculate the minimum separation distance needed to reduce the potential for human-to-human transmission of airborne pathogens to the predetermined level based in part on a correlation between the airborne viral load and the minimum separation distance needed to reduce the potential for human-to-human transmission of airborne pathogens to the predetermined level. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the air purification device comprises the computing device. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the alarm hub comprises the computing device. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the air purification device further comprises a third and a fourth sensor each being communicatively coupled to the computing device:   the first sensor is a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the ambient air;   the third sensor is a humidity sensor configured to sense a humidity of the ambient air;   the fourth sensor is a particulate matter sensor configured to sense a concentration of particles in the ambient air; and   the computing device is further configured to calculate the minimum separation distance based at least in part on inputs from the first, third, and fourth sensors.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an ultraviolet light mounted within the casing and communicatively coupled to the control unit, wherein: the fan system is further configured to circulate the ambient air past the ultraviolet light; the ultraviolet light is configured to illuminate the ambient air with ultraviolet radiation; and the control unit is further configured to activate the fan system when the estimated actual distance between the two or more people is less than the minimum separation distance. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a negative ion generator mounted within the casing and communicatively coupled to the control unit, wherein: the fan system is further configured to circulate the ambient air through the casing; the negative ion generator is configured to impart a negative charge to particles in the ambient air; and the computing device is further configured to activate the fan system when the estimated actual distance between the two or more people is less than the minimum separation distance. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the air purification device further comprises a corona discharge chamber in fluid communication with the negative ion generator. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the computing device is configured to continually update the minimum separation distance needed to reduce the potential for human-to-human transmission of airborne pathogens to the predetermined level based in part on the detected airborne viral load. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the ultraviolet light is configured to illuminate the ambient air with ultraviolet radiation having a wavelength of about 265 nm to about 272 nm. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fan system has an air flow rate of about 15 to about 30 cubic feet per minute. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second sensor comprises a proximity sensor group. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the proximity sensor group comprises a plurality of passive infrared sensors. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each of the passive infrared sensors has a field of view of about 140 degrees. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the proximity sensor group comprises five of the passive infrared sensors arranged in side by side about an entire outer perimeter of the proximity sensor group. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the computing device is further configured to estimate the actual distance between the two or more people based on inputs from one or more of the passive infrared sensors. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further configured to deactivate the fan system when the estimated actual distance between the two or more people is greater than the minimum separation distance. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising an application executable on a mobile computing device in communication with the alarm hub, wherein the application is configured to cause the mobile computing device to display one or more of a temperature, a relative humidity, a carbon monoxide level, and a nitrogen dioxide level as measured by the system. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the air purification device further comprises a copper mesh located within the corona discharge chamber 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the air purification device further comprises a fifth and a sixth sensor each being communicatively coupled to the control unit;   the fifth sensor is a carbon dioxide sensor configured to sense a level of carbon dioxide in the ambient air; and   the sixth sensor is a nitrogen dioxide sensor configured to sense a level of nitrogen dioxide in the ambient air.   
     
     
         22 . An air purification device, comprising:
 a casing;   a fan system mounted within the casing and configured to circulate ambient air through the casing;   a filter mounted within the casing and configured to filter the ambient air circulated though the casing;   a first sensor configured to determine a characteristic of the ambient air around the system;   a second sensor configured to detect the presence of two or more people proximate the system; and   a control unit communicatively coupled to the fan system, the first sensor, and the second sensor, wherein the control unit is configured to:
 calculate a minimum separation distance needed to reduce a potential for human-to-human transmission of airborne pathogens to a predetermined level, based at least in part on an input from the first sensor; 
 estimate an actual distance between the two or more people based on an input from the second sensor; and 
 activate the fan system when the estimated actual distance between the two or more people is less than the minimum separation distance.