Ultraviolet light system for use in heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems

Abstract

An ultraviolet light-emitting device can be used to inactivate pathogens in air circulating through an HVAC system. The UV device can include a first and optionally a second UV light source that emits UV light at a predetermined peak wavelength that is selected to inactivate a specific pathogen. The second UV light source can emit a different predetermined peak wavelength that is selected to inactivate a different pathogen. The UV light sources can be included in a housing located within the HVAC system. Two or more housings can be placed within the same or different components of the HVAC system. The two or more housings can include UV light sources that emit the same or different peak wavelengths. An amplifier can be used to increase the intensity of the UV light emitted such that a desired percentage of a specific pathogen is inactivated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ultraviolet light-emitting device for use in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system, the device comprising:
 a first housing located within a component of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system, wherein at least a portion of the first housing is transparent;   a first ultraviolet light source located within the first housing and adjacent to the portion of the transparent housing, wherein the first ultraviolet light source emits ultraviolet light at a pre-selected peak wavelength; and   a power source for supplying power to the first ultraviolet light source.   
     
     
         2 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing has a conical shape. 
     
     
         3 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 2 , wherein a portion of the housing is opaque. 
     
     
         4 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 3 , wherein a base of the conical-shaped housing is open or is covered by a transparent lens. 
     
     
         5 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 4 , wherein the transparent lens has a convex shape, and wherein the transparent lens amplifies the ultraviolet light emitted from the first ultraviolet light source. 
     
     
         6 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing has a cylindrical shape, and wherein the housing is completely transparent. 
     
     
         7 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first ultraviolet light source is an ultraviolet lamp. 
     
     
         8 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 7 , wherein the ultraviolet lamp is an ultraviolet light-emitting diode lamp. 
     
     
         9 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first housing further comprises a second ultraviolet light source. 
     
     
         10 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 9 , wherein the first ultraviolet light source and the second ultraviolet light source emit a peak wavelength that are the same. 
     
     
         11 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 9 , wherein the first ultraviolet light source and the second ultraviolet light source emit a peak wavelength that are the different. 
     
     
         12 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the peak wavelength is in the UV-C range of 100-280 nanometers. 
     
     
         13 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second housing located within a component of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system, wherein at least a portion of the second housing is transparent;   a second ultraviolet light source located within the second housing and adjacent to the portion of the transparent housing, wherein the second ultraviolet light source emits ultraviolet light at a pre-selected peak wavelength; and   a power source for supplying power to the second ultraviolet light source.   
     
     
         14 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 13 , wherein the second housing is located within the same component of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system as the first housing. 
     
     
         15 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 13 , wherein the second housing is located within a different component of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system from the first housing. 
     
     
         16 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 13 , wherein the peak wavelength that is emitted from the first ultraviolet light source is the same as the peak wavelength that is emitted from the second ultraviolet light source. 
     
     
         17 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 13 , wherein the peak wavelength that is emitted from the first ultraviolet light source is different from the peak wavelength that is emitted from the second ultraviolet light source. 
     
     
         18 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the ultraviolet dose that is emitted from the ultraviolet light-emitting device is selected such that a desired percentage of a targeted pathogen is inactivated. 
     
     
         19 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 18 , wherein the desired percentage is greater than or equal to 70%. 
     
     
         20 . The ultraviolet light-emitting device according to  claim 18 , further comprising an amplifier that amplifies the intensity of the ultraviolet light emitted from the first ultraviolet light source.