APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR IRRADIATING AIR IN AN AIR CIRCULATION SYSTEM OF A VEHICLE

An apparatus for irradiating air flow in a vehicle includes a filter unit configured to couple to a recirculating-air conduit connected to a manifold of an air circulation system, the filter unit having an inlet end, and a filter disposed in the inlet end of the filter unit, including an outer High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) media. The apparatus further includes a plurality of ultraviolet light transmissive strands that each have distal ends disposed in a spaced apart manner in an interface region between the outer HEPA media filter and an inner activated carbon filter or HEPA filter, and proximal ends connectable to an ultraviolet light emitting source such that ultraviolet light is transmitted by the transmissive strands into the interface region. The transmissive strands are configured to receive emitted ultraviolet light that is substantially between 222 nm and 265 nm for irradiating air passing through the filter.