Patent attributes
A method and apparatus for generating positive and negative ions, the method comprising: generating ac high voltage; providing different polarity of the high-voltage to at least one pair of ionizing electrodes mounted in separate conducting cages located adjacent to each other, each of the cages provided with an opening opposite the electrode; balancing ion currents emitted by each of the electrodes by providing a balancing unit, output from the ac high voltage being via the balancing unit to the electrodes, each electrode provided with different polarity; and generating an external electric field by using the ion current from each electrode across to the cage in which the electrode is mounted, passing through an element for producing a voltage drop, whereby some of the ions generated from the electrodes escape outside the cages due to the presence of electric field between the cages.