Simple Room Ionizer Circuit

One device that helps purify the air you breathe inside, is a room ionizer.

It produces ions which are little electrical particles.

These ions stick to airborne particles such as smoke, dust and other unwanted substances.

The ionizer uses a special electrical trick to create these ions.

Similar for applying intense pressure to one side of a balloon it produces a significant imbalance in electrical pressure.

A component known as a Cockcroft Walton ladder is often used for this purpose.

Circuit Working:

Parts List:

With a high voltage configuration that often uses a Cockcroft Walton ladder network a room ionizer circuit works by producing a significant potential difference (voltage) between electrodes.

Ions are generated in the air by the corona discharge that this voltage causes.

After connecting to dust or allergies in the air these ions give them a charge.

The air is thus purified and possibly made better by the charged particles attraction to surfaces with opposing charges.

The operation of the circuits:

The main part of the room ionizer circuit in this do-it-yourself circuit which is an usual Cockcroft Walton ladder network.

The main purpose of this design is to increase the mains voltage to about 10 kV.

The basic concept is that during each mains cycle two sets of capacitors exchange charges in cycles which slowly increasing the voltage throughout the chain as a result of rectifiers work.

The design of an effective room ionizer is the main objective.

logically each capacitor should maintain a voltage equal to the peak-to-peak mains voltage when they are all fully charged.

However issues like leakage and corona discharge severely limit actual performance making it impossible to reach the maximum voltage output.

Surprisingly the room ionizer circuit produces a little amount of ionizing current that lowers the output voltage to about 4 kV which is the ideal output for an air ionizer.

Lower voltages are enough to achieve efficient air ionization whereas beyond this voltage a ozone formation often takes place in place of ionization.

However the voltage output gets greatly reduced with only a touch to the emitter point.

Precautionary measures:

Even though the circuit shows a high output resistance individual capacitors do not, hence alertness is important.

Care is necessary while testing circuits.

There is a chance of accidental shocks while handling the PCBs again since capacitors hold their charge for a while after the ionizer is disconnected from the mains AC.

Although a healthy person is usually not at much risk from these shocks people who have pacemakers or heart problems should not take any chances.

Touch the ionizing spot with the mains plug for a few seconds to release the ionizer.

The ionizer circuit gets safely discharged by passing the mains plug along the PCBs diode terminals.

Formula:

The nominal DC output voltage Vdc in the Walton Cockroft Voltage Multipliers circuit is calculated by multiplying the peak input voltage Vmax by the number of steps.

As a result the circuit above may achieve a maximum voltage of Vdc = 3 * 2 * Vmax.

here,

• The constant value of direct current voltage is represented by the symbol Vdc.
• Number three perhaps refers to a part of the modification process.
• As a result this value is multiplied by a factor of three (1.56 * 2 = 3.12) and its inverse (1/0.637 = 1.56) is afterwards calculated.
• Multiplying two by two could be an extra estimation way of adjusting for additional circuit errors or voltage losses.

Here are some more accurate ways to calculate Vdc:

Full wave rectifier consists of perfect components:

The voltage drop across diodes is calculated as Vmax * 0.637 * Vdc deducting the diode voltage loss while taking the 0.637 factor into account.

For a half wave rectifier the diode voltage drop is Vdc = Vmax * 0.637.

Keep in mind that these are the best case situation for estimations.

Other factors may affect the Vdc value in actual circuits.

How to Build:

Following are the steps for building a Simple Room Ionizer Circuit:

Build the circuit:

• Build a Cockcroft Walton ladder network design on the circuit board.
• For help consult a schematic diagram.
• Select the resistor, capacitor and diode values according to the design and the necessary output voltage.

Assemble the circuit board:

• Place the components on the circuit board according to the circuit diagram.
• Before soldering the components onto the board make sure all the connections are secure.

Connect the High Voltage Components:

• High voltage resistors and transistors should be connected to the circuit.
• These components are necessary to control and regulate the high voltage.

Source of Power:

• Connect the circuit to the power source.
• A power source should be able to produce the voltage required for the Cockcroft Walton ladder network.

Safety precautions:

• When working with the circuit wear protective gear such gloves and safety glasses.
• To stop accidental shocks make sure the circuit is properly insulated.

Testing:

• Turn the circuit on and keep an eye on the output voltage.
• Make use of a multimeter that can measure high voltages or a high voltage probe.

Modifications:

• If necessary modify the circuit to produce the required output voltage.
• When making changes be cautious and keep a close eye on the circuit.

Safety Measures to Take While Using:

• After the room ionizer circuit is functioning correctly use and maintain it according to safety instructions.
• Once disconnecting the circuit from the power source handle it carefully since capacitors might hold onto their charge.

Conclusion:

While ionizers can reduce some airborne pollutants but their impact will differ and possible side effects like ozone must be taken into account while using this simple room ionizer circuit.

People with specific medical issues should use ionizers with care and it is important to get advice from manufacturers or experts on how to use them properly.

Reference:

Air ioniser