Foul air eliminator

Abstract

A converter for transforming malodorous components of foul air comprises a porous layer having an oxidizing agent and an aqueous solution of a promoter. The promoter is preferably a water-soluble ethylene oxide or propylene oxide adduct. The layer is typically used in a gas-handling system to eliminate the foul air from a toilet or a bedpan. The layer can be used alone or with a second layer of activated charcoal A Lewis acid and/or a Lewis base can be also used with the converter.

1 . A foul air converter comprising: 
 a. a first porous support further comprising one or more promoters adsorbed thereon, and    b. one or more oxidizing agents in an amount sufficient to effectively react with hydrogen sulfide or mercaptans in air passing through the converter,    wherein the oxidizing agent is in contact with the promoter, and wherein the promoter is provided in an amount effective to accelerate the reaction between the oxidizing agent and the hydrogen sulfide or mercaptans    
     
     
         2 . The converter of  claim 1  wherein the one or more promoters comprise a surfactant having an inverse cloud point.  
     
     
         3 . The converter of  claim 3  wherein the surfactant comprises an ethylene-oxide oligomer or a propylene-oxide oligomer.  
     
     
         4 . The converter of  claim 3  wherein the surfactant has a single hydroxyl group.  
     
     
         5 . The converter of  claim 3  wherein the surfactant is non-ionic.  
     
     
         6 . The converter of  claim 1  further comprising a hydro-sulfur labile compound in an amount sufficient to effectively react with hydrogen sulfide or mercaptans in air passing through the converter.  
     
     
         7 . The converter of  claim 1  further comprising one or more Lewis acid compounds or one or more Lewis base compounds in contact with the promoter, wherein the Lewis acid or Lewis base compound is present in an amount sufficient to effectively react with malodorous compounds in air passing through the converter.  
     
     
         8 . The converter of  claim 7  further comprising: 
 a. a second porous support comprising one or more promoters adsorbed thereon, and    b. one or more Lewis acid compounds in an amount sufficient to effectively react with malodorous amines in air passing through the converter or one or more Lewis base compounds in an amount sufficient to effectively react with malodorous carboxylic acids in air passing through the converter,    wherein the Lewis acid compound or Lewis base compound is in contact with the promoter and wherein the promoter is provided in an amount effective to accelerate the reaction between the Lewis acid compound or Lewis base compound and the malodorous carboxylic acids or amines.    
     
     
         9 . The converter of  claim 1  wherein the first porous layer is sufficiently porous to allow an air stream delivered by a gas handler to pass through the converter at a rate of 0.1 SCFM or higher.  
     
     
         10 . The converter of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the ratio of the weight of the one or more oxidizing agents to the weight of the one or more promoters is at least 1 to 178.5.  
     
     
         11 . The converter of  claim 11  wherein the ratio of the weight of the one or more oxidizing agents to the weight of the one or more promoters is at least 1 to 125.  
     
     
         12 . The converter of  claim 11  wherein the ratio of the weight of the one or more oxidizing agents to the weight of the one or more promoters is at least 1 to 1.785.  
     
     
         13 . The converter of  claim 11  wherein the ratio of the weight of the one or more oxidizing agents to the weight of the one or more promoters is at least 1 to 1.25.  
     
     
         14 . The converter of  claim 11  wherein the ratio of the weight of the one or more oxidizing agents to the weight of the one or more promoters is at least approximately 1:1.  
     
     
         15 . A foul air converter comprising: 
 a. a first porous support further comprising one or more promoters adsorbed thereon, and    b. one or more hydro-sulfur labile compounds in an amount sufficient to effectively react with hydrogen sulfide or mercaptans in air passing through the converter,    wherein the hydro-sulfur labile compound is in contact with the promoter, and wherein the promoter is provided in an amount effective to accelerate the reaction between the oxidizing agent and the hydrogen sulfide or mercaptans    
     
     
         16 . The converter of  claim 15  wherein the one or more promoters comprises a surfactant having an inverse cloud point.  
     
     
         17 . The converter of  claim 15  or  16  wherein the ratio of the weight of the one or more hydro-sulfur labile compounds to the weight of the one or more promoters is at least 1 to 17.85.  
     
     
         18 . The converter of  claim 15  or  16  wherein the ratio of the weight of the one or more hydro-sulfur labile compounds to the weight of the one or more promoters is at least 1 to 12.5.  
     
     
         19 . A foul air converter comprising: 
 a. a first porous support further comprising one or more promoters adsorbed thereon, and    b. one or more Lewis base compounds in an amount sufficient to effectively react with malodorous carboxylic acids in air passing through the converter,    wherein the Lewis base compound is in contact with the promoter, and wherein the promoter is provided in an amount effective to accelerate the reaction between the oxidizing agent and the malodorous carboxylic acids.    
     
     
         20 . The converter of  claim 19  wherein the one or more promoters is a surfactant having an inverse cloud point.  
     
     
         21 . The converter of  claim 19  or  20  wherein the ratio of the weight of the one or more Lewis base compounds to the weight of the one or more promoters is at least about 16:21.  
     
     
         22 . The converter of  claim 19  or  20  wherein the ratio of the weight of the one or more Lewis base compounds to the weight of the one or more promoters is at least approximately 1:1.  
     
     
         23 . The converter of  claim 19  or  20  further comprising: 
 a. a second porous support comprising one or more promoters adsorbed thereon, and    b. one or more Lewis acid compounds in an amount sufficient to effectively react with malodorous amines in air passing through the converter or one or more Lewis base compounds in an amount sufficient to effectively react with malodorous carboxylic acids in air passing through the converter,    wherein the Lewis acid compound or Lewis base compound is in contact with the promoter and wherein the promoter is provided in an amount effective to accelerate the reaction between the Lewis acid compound or Lewis base compound and the malodorous carboxylic acids or amines.    
     
     
         24 . A foul air converter comprising: 
 a. a first porous support further comprising one or more promoters adsorbed thereon, and    b. one or more Lewis acid compounds in an amount sufficient to effectively react with malodorous amines in air passing through the converter,    wherein the Lewis acid compound is in contact with the promoter, and wherein the promoter is provided in an amount effective to accelerate the reaction between the oxidizing agent and the malodorous amines.    
     
     
         25 . The converter of  claim 23  wherein the ratio of the weight of the one or more Lewis acid compounds to the weight of the one or more promoters is at least about 2.25:1.