Charging element having odor and gas absorbing properties for an electrostatic air filter

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As shown in FIG.
1, a traditional style electrostatic air filter of the charged media type is provided with an electrostatic charging element 10 in accordance with the invention.
The charging element 10, as with all charging elements in accordance with the invention hereinafter referred to in relation to the drawings, is preferably an open celled plastic foam impregnated with a fine particle charcoal.
One commerically available product of this type is Polysorb* currently manufactured by Columbus Metals Company.
The air filter shown in FIG.
1 includes a two part outer frame 12 which is hinged along one longitudinal edge, a pair of outer charging screens 14, a pair of dielectric filter pads 16 disposed between the central charging element 10 and the outer charging screens 14, a power supply 18 which converts low voltage, low amperage current to high voltage (6,000 volts), low amperage current for electrifying the charging element 10 via an electrode 20.
The charging element 10 must be periodically replaced as it eventually becomes clogged with filtrates.
In order to accommodate the replacement of the charging element 10, a plastic channel 11 hinged to the frame member 12 frictionally engages the inner edge of the charging element 10, permitting it to be slidably removed for replacement.
FIGS.
2 and 3 illustrate a disposable air filter cartridge provided with a charging element in accordance with the invention.
The cartridge is constructed having an outer frame 22, a charging screen 24, a corrugated fiberglass filter pad 26 and an odour and gas absorbing charging element 28.
The cartridge is powered via an electrode 30 having a negative pole connected to one charging element and a positive pole connected to the other element.
The simplest of disposable air filter cartridges is shown in FIG.
4.
This air filter cartridge comprises an odour and gas absorbing charging element 32 and a dielectric filter pad 34.
The use of this disposable cartridge will be described below in more detail