WIRE ELECTRODE CLEANING IN IONIZING BLOWERS

摘要

Methods and apparatus for cleaning contaminant byproducts off of ionizing wire electrodes in ionizing blowers are disclosed. Disclosed apparatus include a housing with a gas-flow channel, an stationary ionizing wire, and a rotatable frame with supports for resiliently supporting the stationary ionizing wire within the channel. The ionizing wire produces charge carriers and has a surface that develops a layer of contaminant byproducts when an ionizing signal is applied thereto. The frame is rotatably mounted such that the supports clean the layer of contaminant byproducts off of the surface of the ionizing wire when the frame is rotated, by physical and/or by electrical means. Disclosed methods include providing an ionizing signal to the ionizing wire to thereby produce charge carriers and rotating the frame relative to the housing to thereby clean contaminant byproducts off of the ionizing wire.

主权项

1. A gas ionization apparatus for converting a non-ionized gas stream flowing in a downstream direction into an ionized gas stream, the apparatus comprising:
a housing with an inlet, an outlet, and a channel therebetween through which at least one of the ionized gas stream and the non-ionized gas stream flows; at least one ionizing wire electrode at least partially disposed within and stationary relative to the channel, the ionizing wire producing charge carriers in response to the provision of an ionizing signal thereto to thereby convert the non-ionized gas stream into the ionized gas stream, the ionizing wire having a surface that develops a layer of contaminant byproducts in response to the provision of the ionizing signal; and a frame at least partially disposed within the channel such that at least one of the ionized gas stream and the non-ionized gas stream flows therethrough, the frame having plural support elements for supporting the at least one ionizing wire in a configuration that is at least generally perpendicular to the non-ionized gas stream, the frame being mounted such that the support elements clean the layer of contaminant byproducts off of the surface of the ionizing wire during rotation of the frame.