Ozone generator

Abstract

An ozone generator includes a housing with a plurality of openings and containing an ultraviolet lamp and a blower. A control is remotely connected to the housing for turning the generator on and off. The ultraviolet lamp emits ultraviolet radiation. The blower moves air into contact with radiation from the ultraviolet lamp. A modular arrangement of the invention includes components for assembling an ozone generator. The arrangement includes a first generator component and a second generator component connected by a hose. Another embodiment of a modular arrangement includes a generator and a blower connected by a hose. A method for operating an ozone generator includes placing an ozone generator in an unoccupied, enclosed space; placing. a controller that is connected to the generator outside of the enclosed space; and turning on the controller.

1 . An ozone generator comprising:
 a portable housing with an air inlet and an ozone outlet, wherein the air inlet has a first diameter and the ozone outlet has a second diameter;   wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter;   a UV lamp housing having an air inlet, an ozone outlet, an inner surface and an outer surface, and a set of UV lamps for emitting UV radiation, wherein the set of UV lamps includes a plurality of individual UV lamps arranged within the UV lamp housing for applying UV radiation from the set of UV lamps to the air as the air moves through the UV lamp housing;   a blower contained within the portable housing, wherein the blower moves air into contact with the radiation from the set of UV lamps;   a set of ballasts contained within the portable housing and in electrical connection with the set of UV lamps;   a controller having a control application for execution within the controller, for controlling the operation of the ozone generator;   an input sensor connected to the controller, for sensing the concentration of the ozone exiting the ozone outlet of the portable housing and for transmitting an ozone concentration signal representative of the concentration of the ozone exiting the ozone outlet to the controller, wherein the controller and the application therein are configured to receive the ozone concentration signal and determine an output signal based on the ozone concentration signal; and,   an output device for affecting at least one of an inlet size of the air inlet, an outlet size of the ozone outlet, a blower speed of the blower, and/or a lamp intensity of at least one of the UV lamps within the UV lamp housing, wherein the controller transmits the an output signal to the output device to control the output device according to the output signal.   
     
     
         2 . The ozone generator of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a temperature input sensor for sensing the temperature proximate the set of UV lamps within the UV lamp housing for communicating a temperature signal to the controller that is representative of the temperature proximate the set of UV lamps within the UV lamp housing, wherein the controller is configured to receive the temperature signal and determine an appropriate output signal to transmit to the output device to modify the operation of the output device based on the temperature signal received from the temperature input sensor. 
 
     
     
         3 . The ozone generator of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a air speed input sensor for sensing the air speed proximate the air inlet and/or ozone outlet for communicating an air speed signal to the controller that is representative of the air speed proximate the air inlet and/or the ozone outlet, wherein the controller is configured to receive the air speed signal and determine an appropriate output signal to transmit to the output device to modify the operation of the output device based on the air speed signal received from the air speed input sensor. 
 
     
     
         4 . The ozone generator of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a air volume input sensor for sensing the air volume passing through the air inlet and/or ozone outlet over time, for communicating an air volume signal to the controller that is representative of the air volume that is passing through the air inlet and/or the ozone outlet over time, wherein the controller is configured to receive the air volume signal and determine an appropriate output signal to transmit to the output device to modify the operation of the output device based on the air volume signal received from the air volume input sensor. 
 
     
     
         5 . The ozone generator of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a humidity input sensor for sensing the humidity within the portable housing for communicating a humidity signal to the controller that is representative of the humidity within the portable housing, wherein the controller is configured to receive the humidity signal and determine an appropriate output signal to transmit to the output device to modify the operation of the output device based on the humidity signal received from the humidity input sensor. 
 
     
     
         6 . An ozone generator comprising:
 a portable housing with an air inlet and an ozone outlet, wherein the air inlet has a first diameter and the ozone outlet has a second diameter;   a UV lamp housing having an air inlet, an ozone outlet, an inner surface and an outer surface, and a set of UV lamps for emitting UV radiation, wherein the set of UV lamps includes a plurality of individual UV lamps arranged within the UV lamp housing for applying UV radiation from the set of UV lamps to the air as the air moves through the UV lamp housing;   a blower contained within the portable housing, wherein the blower moves air into contact with the radiation from the set of UV lamps;   a set of ballasts contained within the portable housing and in electrical connection with the set of UV lamps wherein each ballast comprises a thermal switch that enables the ballast to be powered off if the temperature within the UV lamp housing exceeds a predetermined threshold;   a controller having a control application for execution within the controller, for controlling the operation of the ozone generator;   an input sensor connected to the controller, for sensing the concentration of the ozone exiting the ozone outlet of the portable housing and for transmitting an ozone concentration signal representative of the concentration of the ozone exiting the ozone outlet to the controller, wherein the controller and the application therein are configured to receive the ozone concentration signal and determine an output signal based on the ozone concentration signal; and,   an output device for affecting at least one of an inlet size of the air inlet, an outlet size of the ozone outlet, a blower speed of the blower, and/or a lamp intensity of at least one of the UV lamps within the UV lamp housing, wherein the controller transmits the output signal to the output device to control the output device according to the output signal.   
     
     
         7 . The ozone generator of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a temperature input sensor for sensing the temperature proximate the set of UV lamps within the UV lamp housing for communicating a temperature signal to the controller that is representative of the temperature proximate the set of UV lamps within the UV lamp housing, wherein the controller is configured to receive the temperature signal and determine an appropriate output signal to transmit to the output device to modify the operation of the output device based on the temperature signal received from the temperature input sensor. 
 
     
     
         8 . The ozone generator of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a air speed input sensor for sensing the air speed proximate the air inlet and/or ozone outlet for communicating an air speed signal to the controller that is representative of the air speed proximate the air inlet and/or the ozone outlet, wherein the controller is configured to receive the air speed signal and determine an appropriate output signal to transmit to the output device to modify the operation of the output device based on the air speed signal received from the air speed input sensor. 
 
     
     
         9 . The ozone generator of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a air volume input sensor for sensing the air volume passing through the air inlet and/or ozone outlet over time, for communicating an air volume signal to the controller that is representative of the air volume that is passing through the air inlet and/or the ozone outlet over time, wherein the controller is configured to receive the air volume signal and determine an appropriate output signal to transmit to the output device to modify the operation of the output device based on the air volume signal received from the air volume input sensor. 
 
     
     
         10 . The ozone generator of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a humidity input sensor for sensing the humidity within the portable housing for communicating a humidity signal to the controller that is representative of the humidity within the portable housing, wherein the controller is configured to receive the humidity signal and determine an appropriate output signal to transmit to the output device to modify the operation of the output device based on the humidity signal received from the humidity input sensor. 
 
     
     
         11 . The ozone generator of  claim 6  wherein the predetermined temperature threshold is 40° C.