JP2009039560A - Air disinfection apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air disinfection apparatus, disinfecting the air. <P>SOLUTION: Electrolytic water is supplied to a gas-liquid contact tower body (a body) 100, the electrolytic water is dripped on a gas-liquid contact accelerating member in the gas-liquid contact tower body 100 to thereby disinfect the air introduced into the gas-liquid contact tower body 100, and the disinfected air is introduced into a room. Further the electrolytic water is stored below the gas-liquid contact tower 100, and again introduced to the gas-liquid contact member through a passage and a sprinkler. A circulating pump is disposed in the passage. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an air sterilization apparatus, and more particularly to an air sterilization apparatus capable of removing airborne microbial viruses and the like.

In general, for the purpose of removing airborne microbial viruses, etc., a sterilization device has been proposed in which electrolyzed water mist is diffused in the air and this electrolyzed water mist is brought into direct contact with airborne microorganisms to inactivate viruses and the like. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-181358

However, in the sterilization apparatus described above, it is effective in a use environment where fine particulate electrolyzed water mist easily reaches, that is, in a use environment where electrolyzed water mist is difficult to reach while being effective in a relatively small space, that is, a large space. For example, there is a problem that it is difficult to exert its effect in kindergartens, elementary / middle / high schools, nursing care insurance facilities, hospitals, and the like.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an air sterilization apparatus capable of eliminating the problems of the conventional techniques described above and capable of sterilizing indoor air such as a large space.

  In the present invention, a gas-liquid contact facilitating member and a sprinkler located above the main body are housed in the main body, and air is guided to the main body so as to flow from the main body into the room through the gas-liquid contact facilitating member. In the air sterilization apparatus, water dropped from the sprinkler to the gas-liquid contact promoting member is electrolyzed water.

  In the present invention, the electrolyzed water is supplied to the main body, the air introduced into the main body is sterilized by the electrolyzed water, and the sterilized air is guided into the room, so that the sterilized air is blown away. Air sterilization can be achieved efficiently.

  Furthermore, the electrolyzed water dropped from the gas-liquid contact promoting member may be stored below the main body and dropped again onto the gas-liquid contact promoting member via the watering device.

  The electrolyzed water may flow down from top to bottom along the gas-liquid contact promoting member, and the air guided to the main body may flow from bottom to top along the gas-liquid contact promoting member. .

    An electrode may be disposed in a flow path in which the electrolyzed water dropped from the gas-liquid contact promoting member is dropped again on the gas-liquid contact promoting member, and hypochlorous acid may be generated by energization of the electrode.

    A circulation pump is disposed in the flow path downstream and / or upstream of the electrode.

  The air that flows out from the main body and is led into the room is led into the room through an air passage that flows out from the upper part of the main body and is bent at a substantially right angle.

  According to the present invention, since the sterilized air is returned to the room using the main body, the sterilized air can be blown far away from the large space. Sterilization is achieved efficiently.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an air sterilization apparatus according to this embodiment.
The air sterilization apparatus includes a gas-liquid contact tower C, and the gas-liquid contact tower C includes a main body (hereinafter referred to as “gas-liquid contact tower main body 100”). In this gas-liquid contact tower body 100, a plurality of plate-like gas-liquid contact facilitating members 301, 302, 303... Made of a ceramic material are arranged in combination in a block shape with intervals in the vertical direction. Is done.

  A watering device 32 is disposed above the gas-liquid contact promoting members 301, 302, 303, and the watering device 32 is connected to a supply means 105 for supplying electrolyzed water. 106 is a circulation means for circulating the electrolyzed water sprayed from the water sprinkler 32 to the supply means 105. The supply means 105 includes a saturated saline tank 61, a first pump 62, a saline tank 63, an electrolytic bath 64, a second pump 65, and a concentration adjusting bath 66 in this order from the upstream side. The Saturated saline is stored in the saturated saline tank 61, and this saturated saline is pumped into the saline tank 63 by the first pump 62.

  The saline tank 63 is appropriately supplied with tap water from a tap water storage tank (or water pipe) 67, and the saline concentration in the tank is adjusted to, for example, a 2 to 3% concentration. This saline solution is supplied to the electrolytic cell 64. The electrolytic cell 64 accommodates a pair of electrodes 71 composed of a cathode electrode and an anode electrode, and when the electrode 71 is energized, the saline solution is electrolyzed and electrolyzed water containing active oxygen species (0.5%). ~ 1%) is produced. Reference numeral 72 denotes an electrode control device. Here, the reactive oxygen species are oxygen molecules having an oxidation activity higher than that of normal oxygen and related substances, and so-called narrow definition such as superoxide anion, singlet oxygen, hydroxyl radical, or hydrogen peroxide. These active oxygens include so-called broadly active oxygens such as ozone and hypohalogen acids. This reactive oxygen species has a function of destroying and eliminating (removing) the surface protein (spike) of the virus essential for infection when, for example, influenza virus enters the air. And the receptor (receptor) necessary for the virus to infect, and the infection is thereby blocked. As a result of a joint test with the Institute for Hygiene and Environment, it was found that 99% or more of the influenza virus can be removed when the air in which the influenza virus has entered is brought into contact with electrolyzed water.

The pair of electrodes 71 are, for example, electrode plates in which the base is made of Ti (titanium) and the coating layer is made of Ir (iridium) or Pt (platinum). The current value applied to the electrodes 71 is 20 mA (current density). A predetermined free residual chlorine concentration (for example, 1 mg (milligram) / l (liter)) is generated as milliampere / cm ² (square centimeter). When the saline is energized by the electrode 71, the cathode electrode:
4H ⁺ + 4e ⁻ + (4OH ⁻ ) → 2H ₂ + (4OH ⁻ )
And the anode electrode
2H ₂ O → 4H ⁺ + O ₂ + 4e ⁻
As soon as the reaction of
Chlorine ions contained in water (pre-added to tap water)
2Cl ⁻ → Cl ₂ + 2e ⁻
In addition, this Cl ₂ reacts with water,
Cl ₂ + H ₂ O → HClO + HCl
It becomes.

  This electrolyzed water is pumped out by the second pump 65 and sent to the concentration adjusting tank 66. A chlorine sensor (not shown) is disposed in the concentration adjustment tank 66, water is supplied from the tap water storage tank 67 according to the output of the chlorine sensor, and the inside of the tank 66 is adjusted to a concentration of 10 to 1000 ppm. It is supplied to the sprinkler 32.

  The electrolyzed water sprayed from the water sprinkler 32 contacts the surface of the evaporative auxiliary heat exchanger 30 (electrolyzed water contact portion), flows downward, and is stored in the lower part of the gas-liquid contact tower body 100. Here, the circulation means 106 described above is connected. The circulation means 106 includes a filter 73 and a third pump 74, and the electrolyzed water stored in the lower part of the gas-liquid contact tower body 100 is circulated to the electrolytic cell 64 (supply means) by the third pump 74.

  Indoor return air is introduced into the gas-liquid contact tower main body 100 via the intake portion 101, and the air is returned to the room again via the exhaust portion 102. The intake section 101 includes an intake duct 44, a pre-filter 45 and a blower 46 are disposed in the intake duct 44, and the exhaust section (introducing means) 102 includes an exhaust duct 47, and the exhaust duct 47 A mist trap 48 is disposed on the side.

  In this configuration, when the electrode 71 is energized, HClO (hypochlorous acid) having a high sterilizing power is generated, and this hypochlorous acid passes through the sprinkler 32 and is a gas-liquid contact promoting member (electrolyzed water contact portion). 301, 302, 303... The electrolyzed water from the water sprinkler 32 flows down from the top to the bottom along the plate (gas-liquid contact promoting member) between the gas-liquid contact promoting members 301, 302, 303. The air is blown by the blower 46 and circulates along the plate from the bottom to the top.

Thereby, the virus which floats in the air which passes here can be inactivated, and various bacteria can be prevented from breeding on the surface of the gas-liquid contact promoting member.
Further, when passing through here, the odor is also deodorized because it reacts with hypochlorous acid in the electrolytic water, is ionized and dissolved, and is removed from the air. Here, the sterilized and deodorized air is blown by the blower 46 and is passed through an air passage (hereinafter, referred to as “exhaust duct 47”) bent substantially at a right angle, for example, in many arenas and dome. It is returned to the large space where people gather.
In this configuration, the cooling tower-shaped gas-liquid contact tower C is used to return the sterilized air to the room, so that the sterilized air can be blown far away from the large space. Air sterilization can be achieved efficiently.

In the gas-liquid contact tower C, the indoor return air taken in by the blower 46 is brought into contact with the water dripped from the upper sprinkler 32. Therefore, the air taken into the gas-liquid contact tower contains water vapor in which a part of the water is evaporated, and becomes high-temperature and high-humidity air and reaches the exhaust section 102.
If left unattended, condensation occurs in the process of cooling hot and humid air in the atmosphere, resulting in a large amount of fog and white smoke. In this configuration, since the mist trap 48 is disposed in the exhaust duct 47, the mist in the air is removed. Therefore, condensation does not occur in the cooling process, and generation of white smoke is suppressed.

The gas-liquid contact promoting members 301, 302, 303,... Are made of a ceramic material so that the scale is difficult to adhere.
If the scale still adheres, the plurality of plate-like gas-liquid contact promoting members 301, 302, 303,... Are arranged in a block form, so that the gas-liquid contact promoting members are replaced in units of blocks. Alternatively, maintenance can be facilitated by removing the scale after removal.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment. In this embodiment, the gas-liquid contact tower C is configured in combination with a cooling / heating device. This air conditioner is composed of an outdoor unit a, an indoor unit b, and a gas-liquid contact tower (cooling tower unit) C.
11 is a compressor, 12 is a four-way valve, 13 is a heat source side heat exchanger, 13a is a blower, 14 is a cooling decompressor, 15 is a heating decompressor, and 16 is a reverse that closes the cooling decompressor 14 during heating. A check valve, 17 is a check valve for closing the heating pressure reducing device 15 during cooling, and 18 is a first auxiliary heat exchanger, which are connected in an annular shape to form a heat source side refrigerant cycle. Reference numeral 19 denotes a second auxiliary heat exchanger, which is integrally formed so as to exchange heat with the first auxiliary heat exchanger 18. Reference numeral 20 denotes a refrigerant transfer device having reversible characteristics in which the refrigerant outflow direction is opposite between cooling and heating. These are stored in the outdoor unit a.

  In the indoor unit b, the use side heat exchanger 23 is accommodated, and the second auxiliary heat exchanger 19 is connected to the use side heat exchanger 23 via connection pipes 41 and 42 in an annular shape. A side refrigerant cycle is formed.

In the gas-liquid contact tower main body 100 of the gas-liquid contact tower C, an evaporative auxiliary heat exchanger 30 that dissipates the heat of the use-side refrigerant cycle is disposed.
The evaporative auxiliary heat exchanger 30 includes a plurality of plate-type heat exchangers, which are arranged in a block shape, for example, and can be exchanged and regenerated for each block. The evaporative auxiliary heat exchanger 30 is provided in series with the second auxiliary heat exchanger 19 and cools the refrigerant with the latent heat of evaporation of water, and serves as an electrolyzed water contact portion as will be described later. Reference numerals 34 a and 34 b denote three-way flow valves that adjust the refrigerant flow of the use-side refrigerant cycle to the evaporative auxiliary heat exchanger 30.

  Indoor return air is introduced into the gas-liquid contact tower main body 100 via the intake portion 101, and the air is returned to the room again via the exhaust portion 102. The intake section 101 includes an intake duct 44, and a prefilter 45 and a blower 46 are disposed in the intake duct 44. The exhaust part (introducing means) 102 includes an exhaust duct 47, and a mist trap 48 is disposed in the exhaust duct 47.

In the gas-liquid contact tower C, the indoor return air taken in by the blower 46 is brought into contact with the water dropped from the upper sprinkler 32, and the latent heat generated when the water evaporates is used to evaporate the auxiliary heat exchanger 30. Cool down. Therefore, the air taken into the gas-liquid contact tower contains water vapor in which a part of the water is evaporated, and becomes high-temperature and high-humidity air and reaches the exhaust section 102.
If left unattended, condensation occurs in the process of cooling hot and humid air in the atmosphere, resulting in a large amount of fog and white smoke. In this configuration, since the mist trap 48 is disposed in the exhaust duct 47, the mist in the air is removed. Therefore, condensation does not occur in the cooling process, and generation of white smoke is suppressed.

  The supply means 105 for supplying the electrolyzed water to the sprinkler 32 and the circulation means 106 for circulating the electrolyzed water to the supply means 105 have the same configuration as in the above embodiment, and therefore the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Description is omitted.

  In this configuration, when the electrode 71 is energized, HClO (hypochlorous acid) having a high sterilizing power is generated, and the hypochlorous acid passes through the sprinkler 32 to the surface of the evaporative auxiliary heat exchanger 30 (electrolyzed water contact). Part). Therefore, it is possible to prevent germs from growing on the surface of the evaporative auxiliary heat exchanger 30 and to inactivate viruses floating in the air passing therethrough. Moreover, when passing through here, the odor also reacts with hypochlorous acid in the electrolyzed water, and is ionized and dissolved to be removed from the air and deodorized.

  The electrolyzed water sprayed from the water sprinkler 32 contacts the surface of the evaporative auxiliary heat exchanger 30 (electrolyzed water contact portion), flows downward, and is stored in the lower part of the gas-liquid contact tower body 100. Here, the circulation means 106 is connected.

Next, the operation of the air conditioner will be described.
During normal cooling operation when the outside air temperature is high, the refrigerant cycle is indicated by a solid arrow in the figure, and in the heat source side refrigerant cycle, the high-temperature and high-pressure gas from the compressor 11 passes through the four-way valve 12 and is radiated by the heat source side heat exchanger 13. Then, it is condensed and liquefied, reduced in pressure by the cooling expansion valve 14 through the check valve 16, evaporated in the first auxiliary heat exchanger 18, passed through the four-way valve 12, and circulated to the compressor 11.

  At this time, the second auxiliary heat exchanger 19 and the first auxiliary heat exchanger 18 of the use side refrigerant cycle exchange heat, the gas refrigerant of the use side refrigerant cycle is cooled and liquefied, and sent to the refrigerant transfer device 20, This refrigerant transfer device 20 is sent to the use-side heat exchanger 23 through the connection pipe, is cooled and evaporates with heat, is gasified, and circulates to the second auxiliary heat exchanger 19 through the connection pipe.

Further, during cooling operation when the outside air temperature is low (for example, 0 degrees), the opening degree of the three-way flow valves 34a and 34b is adjusted as necessary along with the operation of the use side refrigerant cycle, and the evaporative auxiliary heat exchanger 30 is supplied. To control the refrigerant flow.
At the same time, the first, second, and third pumps 62, 65, and 74 are operated to drive the supply unit 105 and the circulation unit 106, and circulate and spray electrolytic water to the evaporative auxiliary heat exchanger 30 through the sprinkler 32. Then, cooling is performed with the latent heat of evaporation of the electrolyzed water, and a cycle is formed in which the liquefied refrigerant is circulated to the use side heat exchanger 23 by the refrigerant transfer device 20 and cooled.

  At this time, if the cooling capacity is insufficient, the heat source side refrigerant cycle is operated with an appropriate capacity, the refrigerant adjusted by the three-way flow valve 34a is cooled by the second auxiliary heat exchanger 19, and the three-way flow valve 34b is used. Merge and send to the refrigerant transport device 20 to cool.

During the heating operation, the refrigerant cycle is indicated by the broken-line arrows in the figure. In the refrigerant cycle on the heat source side, the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant from the compressor 11 is sent from the four-way valve 12 to the first auxiliary heat exchanger 18 and dissipates heat to condense and liquefy. Then, the pressure is reduced by the heating pressure reducing device 15 from the check valve 17, the heat absorption is performed by the heat source side heat exchanger 13, and the heat is circulated to the compressor 11 through the four-way valve 12. At this time, the second auxiliary heat exchanger 19 and the first auxiliary heat exchanger 18 of the use side refrigerant cycle exchange heat, and the liquid refrigerant in the use side refrigerant cycle is heated and gasified, and then to the use side heat exchanger 23. It is sent, heated to be liquefied, and sent to the refrigerant transfer device 20 to circulate to the second auxiliary heat exchanger 19.
The above is one example of the air conditioning apparatus, and is not limited to this, and the configuration of the air conditioning apparatus may be any.

  In this embodiment, the electrolyzed water is circulated and sprayed to the evaporative auxiliary heat exchanger 30 of the gas-liquid contact tower by the mechanism for supplying the electrolyzed water, indoor return air is circulated therein, and the air sterilized with the electrolyzed water is removed. In order to return to the room, sterilized air can be removed even in a large space where a large number of people called arenas or domes gather, such as kindergartens, elementary, junior and senior high schools, nursing care insurance facilities, hospitals, etc. It is possible to fly far away in a large space, and air sterilization in the large space is efficiently achieved.

As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated based on one Embodiment, this invention is not limited to this. For example, ozone (O ₃ ) or hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂ ) may be generated as the active oxygen species. In this case, when a platinum tantalum electrode is used as an electrode, active oxygen species can be stably generated with high efficiency by electrolysis from water having a small ion species.
At this time, in the anode electrode,
2H ₂ O → 4H ⁺ + O ₂ + 4e ⁻
At the same time as
3H ₂ O → O ₃ + 6H ⁺ + 6e ⁻
2H ₂ O → O ₃ + 4H ⁺ + 4e ⁻
This reaction occurs and ozone (O ₃ ) is generated. In the cathode electrode,
4H ⁺ + 4e ⁻ + (4OH ⁻ ) → 2H ₂ + (4OH ⁻ )
O ₂ ⁻ + e ⁻ + 2H ⁺ → H ₂ O ₂
As in, O ₂ by the electrode reaction ^- O which is produced ₂ ^- and solution H ⁺ and are bonded in the hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂₎ is generated.

In this construction, by supplying current to the electrodes, a large ozone sterilizing power (O ₃₎ and hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂₎ is generated, these ozone (O ₃₎ and hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂₎ Electrolyzed water containing can be made. The concentration of ozone or hydrogen peroxide in the electrolyzed water is adjusted to a concentration that inactivates the target virus, and the target virus is suspended in the air by passing the air through the site to which the electrolyzed water of this concentration is supplied. Etc. can be inactivated. Further, when the odor passes through the gas-liquid contact tower, it reacts with ozone or hydrogen peroxide, and is ionized and dissolved to be removed from the air and deodorized.

When scale is deposited on the electrode (cathode) by electrolyzing tap water, the electrical conductivity is lowered, and continuous electrolysis becomes difficult.
In this case, it is effective to reverse the polarity of the electrode (switch between positive and negative of the electrode). By electrolysis using the cathode electrode as the anode electrode, the scale deposited on the cathode electrode can be removed. In this polarity reversal control, for example, it may be reversed periodically using a timer, or may be reversed irregularly, such as reversed every time the operation is started. Further, an increase in electrolytic resistance (decrease in electrolysis current or increase in electrolysis voltage) may be detected, and the polarity may be reversed based on this result.

In the above embodiment, the water supply system using the tap water storage tank 67 is used. However, instead of the tap water storage tank 67, for example, a water pipe supply system that directly connects city water by connecting a water pipe may be used. Not too long.
Further, the above configuration is not limited to a cooling tower (gas-liquid contact tower), and can be applied to a so-called heating tower using a brine mixed with antifreeze liquid, for example. Nor.

It is a circuit block diagram which shows one Embodiment of this invention. It is a circuit block diagram which shows another embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

30 Evaporative Auxiliary Heat Exchanger 32 Sprinkler 44 Intake Duct 46 Blower 47 Exhaust Duct (Air Path Bent at Right Angle)
48 Mist Trap 61 Saturated Saline Tank 62 First Pump 63 Saline Tank 64 Electrolyzer 65 Second Pump 66 Concentration Adjusting Tank 71 Electrode 100 Gas-Liquid Contact Tower Body (Main Body)
101 Intake part 102 Exhaust part (introducing means)
105 Supply means 106 Circulation means 301, 302, 303 ... Gas-liquid contact promoting member (electrolyzed water contact portion)

Claims (6)

  An air sterilization apparatus in which a gas-liquid contact facilitating member and a sprinkler located above the main body are housed in the main body, and air is guided to the main body and flows from the main body into the room through the gas-liquid contact facilitating member. The air sterilizer is characterized in that water dropped from the water sprinkler to the gas-liquid contact promoting member is electrolyzed water.   2. The sterilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyzed water dropped from the gas-liquid contact promoting member is stored below the main body and dropped again onto the gas-liquid contact promoting member via the watering device. An air sterilizer characterized by.   2. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyzed water flows down from the top to the bottom along the gas-liquid contact facilitating member, and the air guided to the main body falls along the gas-liquid contact facilitating member. An air sterilizer that flows upward from the top.   3. The sterilization apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an electrode is disposed in a flow path in which the electrolyzed water dropped from the gas-liquid contact promoting member is dropped again on the gas-liquid contact promoting member. An air sterilization apparatus characterized by generating odors.   5. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a circulation pump is disposed in the flow path on the downstream side and / or upstream side of the electrode.   The sterilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air that flows out from the main body and is led into the room is led into the room through an air passage that flows out from the upper part of the main body and is then bent at a substantially right angle. Air sterilization device.