System for injecting beneficial micro-organisms into an indoor environment

Abstract

The invention pertains to a system for injecting beneficial micro-organisms into an indoor environment, the system comprising: a container ( 1 ) configured to contain a mix of micro-organisms; a nebulizer ( 9 ) arranged to spray an amount of said mix of micro-organisms into a ventilation channel of said indoor environment; a pump ( 4 ) arranged to transport said amount of said mix of micro-organisms to be nebulized from said container ( 1 ) to said nebulizer ( 9 ); a flow meter ( 6 ) arranged to measure the flow of said amount of said mix of micro-organisms; and a controller ( 8 ), operatively connected to said flow meter ( 6 ) and said pump ( 4 ), said controller ( 8 ) being configured to control at least said pump ( 4 ) in function of at least measurements of said flow meter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for injecting beneficial micro-organisms into an indoor environment, the system comprising:
 a container configured to contain a mix of micro-organisms;   a nebulizer arranged to spray an amount of said mix of micro-organisms into a ventilation channel of said indoor environment;   a pump arranged to transport said amount of said mix of micro-organisms to be nebulized from said container to said nebulizer;   a flow meter arranged to measure the flow of said amount of said mix of micro-organisms; and   a controller, operatively connected to said flow meter and said pump, said controller being configured to control at least said pump in function of at least measurements of said flow meter.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said container is formed as a bag, attached to circuitry of said system by means of a releasable coupler. 
     
     
         3 .- 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said controller comprises a network interface, said controller being configured to provide operational parameters to an external receiver via said network interface. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein said operational parameters comprise one or more of viscosity, temperature, volume, velocity, pressure build-up, nebulizing activity, air flow, air quality, air temperature and humidity. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a housing enclosing at least said pump ( 4 ), said flow meter ( 6 ), and said controller ( 8 ). 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said nebulizer comprises a nozzle configured to inject at an angle between 30° and 60° relative to a main direction of air flow inside said ventilation channel; wherein said ventilation channel comprises a substantially horizontal air duct, and wherein said nozzle is arranged at or near a bottom wall of said substantially horizontal air duct. 
     
     
         12 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said mix of micro-organisms comprises one or more of Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukaryota. 
     
     
         15 .- 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A method for injecting beneficial micro-organisms into an indoor environment, the method comprising:
 providing a container containing a mix of micro-organisms;   having a nebulizer spray an amount of said mix of micro-organisms into a ventilation channel of said indoor environment;   providing a pump to transport said amount of said mix of micro-organisms to be nebulized from said container to said nebulizer;   providing a flow meter to measure the flow of said amount of said mix of micro-organisms; and   providing a controller, operatively connected to said flow meter and said pump, said controller controlling at least said pump in function of at least measurements of said flow meter.   
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein said container is formed as a bag, attached to circuitry leading to said pump by means of a releasable coupler. 
     
     
         35 .- 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein said controller comprises a network interface, said controller ( 8 ) being configured to provide operational parameters to an external receiver via said network interface. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein said operational parameters comprise one or more of viscosity, temperature, volume, velocity, pressure build-up, nebulizing activity, air flow, air quality, air temperature and humidity. 
     
     
         41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 33 , further comprising a housing enclosing at least said pump, said flow meter, and said controller. 
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein said nebulizer comprises a nozzle configured to inject at an angle between 30° and 60° relative to a main direction of air flow inside said ventilation channel; wherein said ventilation channel comprises a substantially horizontal air duct, and wherein said nozzle is arranged at or near a bottom wall of said substantially horizontal air duct. 
     
     
         44 .- 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein said mix of micro-organisms comprises one or more of Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukaryota. 
     
     
         47 .- 48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . A filter unit for removing particles from a gas flow, the filter unit comprising
 a second housing having an entrance and an exit for said gas flow, wherein said second housing is part of a ventilation channel of an indoor environment; and   a plurality of tubes;   
       wherein said plurality of tubes comprises at least a first series of tubes, 
       wherein a tube of said first series is disposed in said second housing substantially parallel with respect to other tubes of said first series and wherein said first series is disposed substantially perpendicularly to the gas flow through said second housing; 
       wherein said plurality of tubes further comprises at least a second series of tubes, 
       wherein said second series is disposed in said second housing downstream with respect to said first series and wherein a tube of said second series is disposed substantially parallel with respect to other tubes of said second and said first series; 
       wherein each tube of said plurality of tubes has a cross section having a major axis and a minor axis, wherein said major axis is substantially parallel with said gas flow through said second housing. 
     
     
         50 . The filter unit according to  claim 49 , wherein said cross section of a tube of said plurality of tubes is one of elliptical, airfoil or rounded rectangle. 
     
     
         51 . The filter unit according to  claim 49 , wherein the distance between the centers of a tube of said first series and a tube of said second series, measured along the gas flow, is less than the length of the major axis of said tubes. 
     
     
         52 . The filter unit according to  claim 49 , wherein said gas is air and said particles relate to airborne particles comprising at least one of: airborne pathogens, pollen, mould spores, allergens, bacteria, dust particles, smog or soot particles. 
     
     
         53 .- 56 . (canceled) 
     
     
         57 . The filter unit according to  claim 49 , further comprising at least one of
 a second container for containing a virucidal, bactericidal and/or fungicidal composition;   a second nebulizer for spraying an amount of said composition into said second housing;   a second pump for transporting said amount of said composition to be nebulized from said second container to said second nebulizer;   a second flow meter for measuring the flow of said amount of said composition; and   a second controller, operatively connected to said second flow meter ( 204 ) and said second pump, said second controller being configured to control at least said second pump in function of at least measurements of said second flow meter.   
     
     
         58 . The filter unit according to  claim 57 , wherein said second nebulizer comprises at least one second nozzle configured to inject at an angle between 30° and 60° relative to a main direction of said gas flow inside said second housing, wherein said ventilation channel comprising said second housing comprises a substantially horizontal air duct, and wherein said at least one second nozzle is arranged at or near a bottom wall of said substantially horizontal air duct or second housing. 
     
     
         59 .- 62 . (canceled)