US 11,833,527 B2
Apparatus for capturing bioaerosols
Jeong Hoon Byeon, Gyeongsan-si (KR); Jung Ho Hwang, Seoul (KR); Hyeong Rae Kim, Seoul (KR); and Sang Gwon An, Uijeongbu-si (KR)
Assigned to Research Cooperation Foundation of Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan-si (KR); and INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION, YONSEI UNIVERSITY, Seoul (KR)
Filed by Research Cooperation Foundation of Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan-si (KR); and INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION, YONSEI UNIVERSITY, Seoul (KR)
Filed on Feb. 26, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/186,260.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2020-0161015 (KR), filed on Nov. 26, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0161272 A1, May 26, 2022
Int. Cl. B03C 3/013 (2006.01); B03C 3/16 (2006.01); B03C 3/38 (2006.01); B03C 3/53 (2006.01); B01D 47/02 (2006.01)
CPC B03C 3/013 (2013.01) [B01D 47/027 (2013.01); B03C 3/16 (2013.01); B03C 3/38 (2013.01); B03C 3/53 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for capturing bioaerosols, comprising:
a sprayer configured to spray a buffer solution for protecting aerosol particles in a form of droplets; and
a capturer into which air comprising the aerosol particles and the droplets are introduced, wherein the aerosol particles are captured into a capture solution,
wherein discharge members provided with a plurality of nanostructures are provided on a surface of the capturer to charge the aerosol particles,
wherein the capturer comprises:
a capture tube where the air and the droplets are introduced and discharged, wherein the discharge members are configured to apply discharge electrodes toward an inside of the capture tube so that the aerosol particles are charged and thus captured in the capture solution; and
a concentration member configured to concentrate the aerosol particles captured in the capture solution, wherein the nanostructures are provided on a surface of each of the discharge members,
wherein each of the discharge members comprises at least one of a tip with discharge pins facing an inside of the capture tube and a discharge wire having a wire shape,
wherein the capture tube extends in a longitudinal direction and is provided with an inlet and an outlet facing each other, the air and the droplets being introduced into the inlet and discharged from the outlet,
wherein the capture tube is further provided with an inlet passage and an outlet passage formed between the inlet and the outlet such that the capture solution is introduced into the inlet passage and discharged from the outlet passage, and the outlet passage is provided with the concentration member, and
wherein the concentration member includes a magnet detachably installed on an outer surface of the outlet passage,
wherein the outlet passage has a funnel shape,
wherein bead particles introduced into the outlet passage interfere with a magnetic force of the magnet and are coated on an inner surface of the outlet passage by the interference with the magnetic force of the magnet, and
wherein the aerosol particles introduced into the outlet passage are bonded to the bead articles in the outlet passage.