Method and apparatus for treating polluted air along auto traffic arteries

Claim 2

AIR POLLUTION TREATMENT APPARATUS DESIGNED FOR USE WITH CONVENTIONAL STORM SEWER LINES AS PART OF A SYSTEM FOR CLEANING AND RECIRCULATING AIR ALONG AUTO TRAFFIC THROUGHFARES, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A. A SYSTEM OF STROM SEWER LINES EMPLOYED AS AIR PASSAGEWAYS PARALLELING STREETS FROM WHICH POLLUTED AIR IS TO BE TREATED AND RECIRCULATED, B. SELF OPERATING WATER-RELEIF, AIR-SEAL VALUE MEANS FOR ISOLATING AND LIMITING AIR FLOW THROUGH SAID STORM SEWER PASSAGEWAYS TO THE AREA SELECTED FOR TREATMENT BY A PARTICULAR AIR TREATMENT RECIRCULATING UNIT, C. AIR INLET MEANS FROM THE STREET AND SIDEWALK AREA INTO SAID STORM SEWER PASSAGEWAYS, D. AIR DUCT MEANS FROM SAID STORM SEWER PASSAGEWAYS INTO AN AREA AIR TREATING AND RECIRCULATING UNIT, E. AN ADJUSTABLE INPUT AIR FLOW REGULATOR VENT TO ASSIST IN REDUCING FLYING DEBRIS IN THE AIR STREAM AND TO PERMIT A TEMPERATURE DROPPING REDUCTION IN AIR PRESSURE BETWEEN SAID SAID ADJUSTABLE INPUT AIR FLOW REGULATOR VENT AND THE AIR WASH APPARATUS, F. A PRELIMINARY "AIR BEATING" SHOWER BATH CHAMBER WITH ASSOCIATED PRE-WASH AND RAMP DRAIN STRUCTURE TO WASH OUT FLYING DEBRIS AND SOLID PARTICLES OF DUST AND POLLEN IN THE AIR STREAM, G. AN AREA AIR TREATING AND RECIRCULATING PLANT WITH AUTOMATIC WASHING AND PURIFYING CONTAMINATED AIR, H. MEANS FOR CHILLING OR REFRIGERATING THE WATER USED FOR THE AIR-WASH SPRAY SYSTEMS, I. OUTPUT DUCT MEANS FOR COMMUNICATING SAID TREATED WASHED AIR BACK INTO STREET AND SIDEWALK AREAS.

Claim 3

The air pollution treatment apparatus described in claim 1 with the area air treating and recirculating plant comprising: A. a first mechanical filter structure interposed at the air input entrance to said air treatment plant; B. a second air scrubber filter means constructed to spray water through the incoming columns of polluted air; C. a third air washer filter means; D. an activated charcoal filter means; E. a suction-blower means for pulling contaminated air through the selected strom sewer passageway and into and through said air treatment plant; F. motive power means to operate said suction-blower device; and G. automated control means for starting, stopping and controlling the operation of said area air treatment plant.

Claim 4

The air pollution apparatus described in claim 2 except that the first mechanical filter structure mentioned in element A of claim 2 has been replaced by a motor driven rotary input debris sweep mechanism having a plurality of concave debris trapping fins that gather debris during part of their cycle of rotation and automatically dump the gathered debris at the bottom of each fin''s cycle.

Claim 5

Air pollution treatment apparatus designed for use with conventional storm sewer lines as part of a system for cleaning and recirculating air along auto traffic thoroughfares, said apparatus comprising: A. a system of storm sewer lines employed as air passageways paralleling streets from which polluted air is to be treated and recirculated; B. self operating water-relief, air-seal valve means for isolating and limiting air flow through said storm sewer passageways to the area selected for treatment by a particular air treatment recirculating unit; C. air inlet means from the street and sidewalk area into said storm sewer passageways; D. air duct means from said storm sewer passageways into an area air treating and recirculating unit; E. an area air treating and recirculating plant having: 1 a first mechanical filter structure interposed at the air input entrance to said air treatment plant, 2 a second air scrubber filter means constructed to spray water through the incoming columns of polluted air, 3 a third air washer filter means, 4 Means of chilling or refrigerating the water used for the air wash spray step, 5 a water condensing and water removing wire screen interposed at an intermediate point after the air washer steps and before the charcoal filter means, 6 an activated charcoal filter means, 7 a suction-blower means for pulling contaminated air through the selected storm sewer passageway and into and through said air treatment plant, 8 motive power means to operate said suction-blower device, and 9 automated control means for starting, stopping and controlling the operation of said area air treatment plant; F. output duct means for communicating said treated washed air back into street and sidewalk areas.

Claim 6

Air pollution treatment apparatus designed for use with conventional storm sewer lines as part of a system for cleaning and recirculating air along auto traffic thoroughfares, said apparatus comprising: A. a system of storm sewer lines employed as air passageways paralleling streets from which polluted air is to be treated and recirculated; B. self operating water-relief, air-seal valve means for isolating and limiting air flow through said storm sewer passageways to the area selected for treatment by a particular air treatment recirculating unit; C. air inlet means from the street and sidewalk area into said storm sewer passageways; D. air duct means from said storm sewer passageways into an area air treating and recirculating unit; E. an area air treating and recirculating plant having: 1 a first mechanical filter structure interposed at the air input entrance to said air treatment plant, 2 a second air scrubber filter means constructed to spray water through the incoming columns of polluted air, 3 a third air washer filter means, 4 Means of chilling or refrigerating the water used for the air wash spray step, 5 a water condensing and water removing wire screen interposed at an intermediate point after the air washer steps and before the charcoal filter means, 6 an activated charcoal filter means, 7 a suction-blower means for pulling contaminated air through the selected storm sewer passageway and into and through said air treatment plant, 8 motive power means to operate said suction-blower device, and 9 automated control means for starting, stopping and controlling the operation of said area air treatment plant; F. output duct means for communicating said treated washed air back into street and sidewalk areas.