Vertical fan with ions...

[mrcaptainbob]

My wife picked up one of those spiffy vertical fans. I really like it. Oscillates, three fan speeds, a timer! and this option of Ions! Okay....well, I usually run it with the ION light lit, as it does appear to be cooler...or fresher....but different somehow. So, what does the ION feature do, and why would it be an option if it's such a nice feature? Why would it just not be a natural, included function? How does it work?

[Nestor]

Your vertical fan has an ionic air purifier built into it.

Ever notice how the old cathode ray tube style TV sets and computer monitors always had dust accumulate on the front of the cathode ray tube? That's because the electron guns at the back of the tube would shoot electrons at the phosphors coatings on the inside surface of that CRT tube and make them glow red, green or blue. And, even though the CRT tube was grounded, you still had an electrical charge on the CRT tube while it was on. Airborne dust is attracted to electrically charged surfaces like that. That's how electronic air filters work.

Your vertical fan uses high voltage electrical surfaces to charge some of the atoms (like helium and argon) and air molecules (O2, N2) and even tiny particles of dust going through it. Those "ions" are simply atoms or molecules that are missing one or more electrons, have one or more extra electrons than they should, or particles of dust that are now electrically charged. The dust in the air is attracted to those ions, causing the dust in the air to collect around those ions and those clumps either precipitate out of the air due to their increased weight, or stick to cool surfaces they come in contact with such as exterior walls and windows.

It's a feature you can turn off because air purification by ionization is controversial. Unlike air purifiers that use HEPA filters, air purification by ionization doesn't actually remove the dust from the environment. If clumps of dust particles precipitate out of the air onto your carpet, walking on that carpet puts much of that dust right back into the air. Also, one of the side effects of using high voltage to produce ions is that you also produce some ozone. And, it's that ozone that's even more controversial.

Ozone (O3), hydrogen peroxide (HOOH) and chlorine bleach (NaOCl) are all "oxidizing" bleaches because they all work the same way. They all spontaneously break down to form a much more stable compound, and spit out a lone oxygen atom in the process. Ozone breaks down to form an oxygen molecule, hydrogen peroxide breaks down to form a water molecule, and Chlorox bleach will eventually turn itself into Chlorox Salt Water given sufficient time. And, with each spontaneous degradation, a lone oxygen atom is produced.

Now, how to put this politely?
Lone oxygen atoms are the hor ny dru nken sailors of the chemical world because they're extremely reactive. Basically, they'll react with anything they come into contact with so long as that thing is inherently unstable enough to react with them, and that generally tends to be large organic molecules which will spontaneously break down into pieces on their own given sufficient time. And, coincidentally, it's also large organic molecules that are responsible for producing smells, tastes and the colour of most dyes and natural substances like the colour of our hair. Oxidizing bleaches remove smells, tastes and colour by breaking down to produce lone oxygen atoms, and those oxygen atoms reacting with large organic molecules to break those large molecules into smaller pieces. Since those pieces don't affect our sense of smell, taste buds or absorb light the way the original molecule did, the taste, smell or colour seems to "disappear" from materials we use an oxidizing bleach on. So, if you were to "bleach" a coloured cotton t-shirt to remove the color from it, the dye molecules that created the original colour are still on the fabric, but they've been broken into pieces, and those pieces don't absorb the same wavelengths of light the original dye molecules did. So, the colour has been removed from the t-shirt, even though the pieces of dye molecules are still there.

Since the lone oxygen atoms produced when we use hydrogen peroxide, bleach or ozone don't know that we only want them to react with certain molecules, and not others, they react with all large organic molecules that they come into contact with (that are unstable enough to react with them). For example, cotton is almost pure cellulose, which is a large organic molecule made by stacking sugar molecules up like bricks in a wall. If you leave some cotton fabric, or a cellulose sponge soaking in bleach over night, the oxygen atoms produced by the bleach will break the cellulose molecules into pieces as well. What you'll have will still look like cotton fabric or a sponge, but will be very weak and will tear apart very easily. That's cuz so many of the cellulose molecules in the cotton fabric or sponge have been broken to pieces.

Bleach kills "germs" and bacteria the same way; by reacting with the large organic molecules they are made of and breaking those large molecules into pieces. Nothing can survive the molecules it's made of being broken into pieces.

Since people are also made of large organic molecules, breathing in ozone is generally considered harmful to our health cuz that ozone will attack the tissues in our nose, throat and lungs.

So, that "Ions" feature on your fan can be turned off because using high voltages to produce ions will also produce some tiny amounts of ozone. That tiny amount of ozone won't harm you, but NOT giving the customer the option to turn it off would be a bad decision. Some people have fanatical views when it comes to health issues. And, no doubt someone will claim that the ozone produced by their vertical fan caused the lung cancer they're now suffering from. Making that ionic air purification a feature that can be turned off makes the fan more acceptable to a broader sector of the population, and keeps the manufacturer out of court.

[mrcaptainbob]

Ionization info...

Dang, Nestor! Who ARE you?!! That was a really great explanation. I really appreciate that kind of info. The depth of knowledge on HRF is really impressive. Thanks again, Nestor!

[Nestor]

Thanks for the thanks, Mrcaptainbob.

Heck, I just made it all up.

jk

You should also know that an ozone machine, which you can rent at many janitorial supply stores, is the biggest gun in the arsenal when it comes to getting rid of smells.

When someone who lives alone dies at home, and the body isn't discovered until the neighbors start to complain about the awful smell coming from the house, it's ozone machines that are used to remove the smell from the house (after the body is removed). Ditto if a person dies in another confined space like a car.

And, of course, the ozone gets rid of the smell by breaking up the large organic molecules in the air that are causing it.

[mrcaptainbob]

Ozone machine...

Great. Now my wife wants one for ....my bathroom. How rude!

[HayZee518]

always blaming the wife

does she read these posts? maybe she should try to reduce the amount of acid producing bacteria which contributes to your flatulence. less tomato sauce! LOL

[mrcaptainbob]

The acid test....

Hmm..not sure which forum this is tending toward...plumbing or food and recipes? That ionized fan was suggested, but she's now wondering if it comes in something largerer than the standard home version!! There were some references being made to "smells like something died in here"....
Thanks, HayZee. Never thought I could use her cooking to blame all that on! I'll let you know how that works...