In this article we learn how to build a simple room ionizer circuit for getting a clean, pollution free environment right inside our home.
Introduction
Have you ever thought or wondered why atmosphere over hill stations and other similar places which are far away from modern cities give you a feeling of freshness and good health?
The answer is simple, the air in such places are free from pollutants and harmful chemicals like smoke and gases.
WARNING: THE CIRCUIT EXPLAINED IN THIS ARTICLE IS NOT ISOLATED FROM MAINS AC, AND IS THEREFORE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO TOUCH IN OPEN AND UNCOVERED CONDITION. NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO SAFEGUARD FROM AN ELECTRIC SHOCK IS STRICTLY RECOMMENDED. ALTHOUGH THE WORKING OF THE CIRCUIT IS TESTED, THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF THIS IONIZER CIRCUIT HAVE NOT BEEN VERIFIED BY THE AUTHOR. IF YOU ARE BUILDING THIS PROJECT, YOU AGREE THAT YOU ARE BUILDING IT AT YOUR OWN RISK.
A Must for City Like Delhi
Delhi, the capital of India is today severely struggling with air pollution crises. The issue has become so serious that it has been entitled as the highest priority among all the other ongoing health issues, and has reached an emergency level.
Although tough efforts are being implemented, still it seems the conditions isn't improving a bit, in fact the situation is getting even grimmer by the day.
A cheap solution like the proposed room air ionizer seems to be a very handy tool which can not only help control Delhi pollution, but also provide individual houses with reasonably pure air. This equipment can be used in houses, as well as in cars for the intended remedy.
Well, if you are settled in one of those cities which is engulfed with bad air and if you have compromised with the situations, here's your chance to get rid of the situation through the circuit explained below:
What is an Air Ionizer - How it Works
An air ionizer or as some may refer it as a room ionizer is basically a device or electronic circuit which is designed for generating voltage at the level of kilo-volts for implementing the said ionizing effects. So what's ionizing after all?
The high voltage that's generated from an ionizer is actually tuned for generating a negative voltage, at around minus 4 kV. This high negative voltage is allowed to get terminated over an open ended sharp conductor tip or point that's sharply carved.
When the voltage reaches at this sharp point, it tends to continue its forward motion and gets shot or released into the air in the form of negatively charged ions.
Once in the air these ions become free to move around and start getting dispersed across the room or the premise, as more and more ions are released from the air ionizer device.
Now as these ions roam freely in the air it comes across and starts colliding with the already present pollutants like dust particles, smoke/gas particles etc in the air.
As per the rules all particles and all materials present around should be positively charged, so what happens, the oppositely charged ions starts collecting these pollutants from the air by attracting them toward them (opposites attract), just as a magnet bar would do to iron pins.
The pollutants in the air slowly find themselves pulled and firmly stuck over these ions until each of the ions become so much pollutant laden and heavy that they start crashing on the ground or if they find a wall nearby they start gathering on it.
In this way the air in the course of time becomes absolutely clean and free from all impurities.
Circuit Operation
The circuit is quite simple and can be built even by a layman, having just basic knowledge of electronics.
The circuit is fundamentally based on Cockroft-Walton Ladder Network, The concept makes use of a network of many diodes and capacitors arranged in such a way that the applied voltage to it gradually becomes stepped up to very high levels, in the order of around 10kV,
However a 10kV range is not suitable for the discussed ionizing effects, in fact at this level the effect might produce opposite results.
If we go by calculations the present design would also generate around -10kV, spoiling the intended cause, however practically it is found to be dropping to about -4kV.
This reduction happens due to radiation losses, because in the course of its stepping up, the voltage tends to spark through emissions across the PCB until finally the resultant voltage at the output tip of the device reaches only up to around -4kV which is by God's grace the exact level for achieving the ionizing effect.
Circuit Diagram
The entire circuit may be built over a general purpose board, by soldering the shown number of capacitors and diodes exactly in the way they are arranged in the diagram.
Following the diagram pattern would make the making easier to assemble and would produce guaranteed results without faults.
After the circuit is assembled, check the entire board for any wring connections, this is important because the circuit is very critical with its polarities, a single wrongly connected diode would make the results zero.
After proper confirmation, the soldered side should be thoroughly cleaned with thinner so that no residual flux stays deposited causing loss of voltage and reduction in the desired effects.
The end which is terminated for releasing the ions must be needle shaped, preferably a small pin or needle can be used there for enabling perfect prorogation of the ions.
After all the above precautions are complete, it's time to power the unit. Be extremely careful, as the entire circuit is connected directly with mains AC and can be life threatening if touched in the powered position.
Verifying the Working of the Circuit
Once the circuit and if hopefully everything is rightly done with the assembly, you would hear a "hissing" noise near the tip of the releasing pin point. The area near the tip of the pin would give you a cooler sensation like a cool breeze flowing out.
The point would also produce a fish like smell.....all the above indications would confirm that the unit is working right and you are already breathing fresh air around your nose and heading toward a healthy life.
THE ABOVE CIRCUIT WAS SUCCESSFULLY BUILT AND TESTED BY ONE OF THE KEEN FOLLOWERS OF THIS BLOG, MR. ALI ADNAN.
THE FOLLOWING BEAUTIFUL PICTURES WERE SENT BY HIM.
Prototype Pictures
The above room ionizer circuit was also successfully built and implemented by one of the dedicated readers of this blog "Ersa". The following tested working prototype images were sent by Ersa for our viewing pleasure.
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