A new approach based on the augmented particle sink effect to remove indoor airborne particulate matter: Experimental study

Abstract

Traditional indoor air cleaning technologies are mostly equipped with fans and auxiliary components in addition to the core purification unit, and consequently use more energy in the building environment. To energy-efficiently improve indoor air quality, this paper presents a new approach to remove indoor airborne particulate matter. The approach couples the negative pressure effect over the point sink zone by considering the electrohydrodynamic flow generated in a high-voltage gas discharge process to augment the particle sink effect. This facilitates indoor airborne particulate matter to be collected and removed more quickly. We evaluated the influencing factors on the particulate matter removal proportion by laboratory scale experiments: the applied voltage, interelectrode distance, and porosity and shape of the collecting electrode, and compared the particulate matter control performance and energy efficiency of this approach with those of the existing studies. Results showed that the 30 %–40 % porosity of the collecting electrode and stronger electric field intensity had a clearer removal proportion of particulate matter. Moreover, the energy efficiency for 1–2.5 μm particulate matter of this approach (12.7 (m3/h)/W) was 2.3–7.9 times higher than that of the commercially available conventional air cleaners (1.6–5.6 (m3/h)/W). Compared to conventional particle sink purification technique, this approach could save at least 50 % of the sink running time to achieve a better particulate matter removal effect, and shorten approximately 50 % of the 1–2.5 μm particulate matter reverse mass transfer time. This study provides an important reference basis for improving indoor air quality and the creation of a more sustainable society.