I was looking at one of those Ionic Breeze fans in Sharper Image and I was wondering how they work. Don't know if this belongs here are Sharky, but I thought I'd throw it out there.
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I was looking at one of those Ionic Breeze fans in Sharper Image and I was wondering how they work. Don't know if this belongs here are Sharky, but I thought I'd throw it out there.
short answer: they don't. don't buy one. :D
i'll let the others go into the science of what it actually does. :)
I know what you mean. They barely blow air. It's probably like 8CFM, but they do somehow MOVE air. I'm just wondering how.Quote:
Originally posted by Strogian
short answer: they don't. don't buy one. :D
i'll let the others go into the science of what it actually does. :)
http://www-tech.mit.edu/V123/N58/gadget_58.58f.html
figured that might be a good read.
I think these gadgets work using the principle of electrons on a charged spike will flow away from the point (into the air)- this is how lightning conductors work- they don't just earth lightening strikes- they also spray electrons into the air neutralising
+vely charged clouds (well thats what I was told at school anyway)
They draw positively charged particles through cleaning filters via electricity. The positively charged particles, molecules and atoms are drawn through by the negatively charged electrons.
talldude got it right...
dust/dirt/pollen/etc particles are postively charged.... the metal plates in the ionic breeze create a negatively charged current and basically acts as a magnet pulling in the positively charged "dirty" particles.... however thats kinda the reason why it doesnt work...
it will clean the air in like a 1 foot radius around the inoic breeze... put like a weak magnet it wont have enough charge to attract particles in an entire room for instance.
they also have things called "ionizers" that you buy at stores or online.. and they use the same principle but work differently... ionizers work by creating negatively charged ions and spitting it out into the air.. these negative ions (ozone) fly around in the air and get attached to positively charged "dirty" particles... after awhile the "dirty" particles get heavy with weight from too many ions being attched to them and simply fall to the ground.... thats how ionizers work
the 3rd and most proven method of cleaning air is the HEPA filter... basically a super efficient filter with a fan and it just circulates air and traps "dirty" particles in the HEPA filter... however you have to buy a new filter every one in a while.