JP2001021413A - Ultraviolet ray illuminance meter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a nondirectional ultraviolet ray illuminance meter. SOLUTION: This ultraviolet ray illuminance meter is provided with a wavelength converting element 9 containing fluorescent material and converting ultraviolet rays into a visible ray, and a visible light receiving part 7 having a visible light receiving element receiving a visible light and generating an electric signal. When the wavelength converting element 9 is formed in a stick type, the wavelength converting element 9 as a receiving element of ultraviolet rays can receive ultraviolet rays on the whole circumferential surface.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an ultraviolet illuminometer, and more particularly, to an ultraviolet illuminometer using a fluorescent material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional ultraviolet illuminometer, a silicon photodiode, a photoelectric tube, or the like is used as an ultraviolet sensor, that is, an ultraviolet light receiving element.

[0003]

A silicon photodiode or a photoelectric tube used as an ultraviolet light receiving element of a conventional ultraviolet illuminometer has a light receiving surface at an end of a cylindrical light receiving element. The light receiving angle is narrow. That is, since the conventional ultraviolet illuminometer has directivity, in order to obtain accurate ultraviolet illuminance, it is necessary to install a light receiving element such that ultraviolet light is incident on the light receiving surface of the ultraviolet light receiving element almost vertically. There is. Therefore, the mounting position of the light receiving portion of the UV illuminometer is limited in order to mount the light receiving element so that the UV light is incident on the light receiving surface almost vertically, or the design of the device in which the UV illuminometer is installed is limited. In some cases.

In order to cope with such a problem, there is a case where an ultraviolet illuminometer is used in which ultraviolet rays are reflected by a mirror or the like so that the ultraviolet rays enter the light receiving surface of the ultraviolet light receiving element almost perpendicularly. However, when a mirror is used, the number of component parts of the apparatus increases, and again, the mounting position of the mirror is limited, or the design of the apparatus in which the UV illuminometer is installed may be limited. Is unchanged.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide an omni-directional UV illuminometer.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An ultraviolet illuminometer according to the present invention comprises a wavelength conversion element which contains a fluorescent material and converts ultraviolet light into visible light, and a visible light receiving element which receives visible light and generates an electric signal. The above object is achieved by providing the wavelength conversion element in a rod shape.

In other words, with this configuration, since the wavelength conversion element serving as the ultraviolet light receiving element is rod-shaped, all the circumferential surfaces of the wavelength conversion element become light receiving surfaces, and the light receiving angle becomes 360 degrees. , Can be omnidirectional.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of an ultraviolet illuminometer to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ultraviolet illuminometer to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an ultraviolet processing apparatus including the ultraviolet illuminometer of the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ultraviolet illuminometer 1 of the present embodiment includes an ultraviolet light receiving section 3, a transmitting section 5, and a visible light receiving section 7.
It is composed of The ultraviolet light receiving unit 3 serving as an ultraviolet sensor includes a rod-shaped wavelength conversion element 9, a cylindrical protection tube 11 in which the wavelength conversion element 9 is coaxially inserted, and both ends of the protection tube 11. 1 that supports the wavelength conversion element 9 and keeps the inside of the protective tube 11 in a sealed state.
3, 15, and the like. The protection tube 11 has a diameter of 6
It is a tube having a light transmittance of 10 mm to 10 mm, for example, a tube made of quartz glass or a Teflon resin.

The wavelength conversion element 9 is formed by mixing one or a plurality of fluorescent materials with quartz glass having a diameter of 1 mm and a length of 30 to 60 mm, or a synthetic resin such as acrylic or polycarbonate to form a rod-shaped fluorescent material. It is a fiber rod. The fluorescent material included in the wavelength conversion element 9 converts ultraviolet light from an ultraviolet lamp into visible light, for example, a transition metal phosphor, a rare earth phosphor, an aromatic compound, a tungstate, and the like. It can be appropriately selected from various fluorescent materials such as naphthalene, anthracene, magnesium tungstate, zinc sulfide, and yttrium compound. In this embodiment, the wavelength of the ultraviolet lamp for killing microorganisms is 254 nm, and the detection wavelength of the light receiving element (not shown) provided in the visible light receiving portion 7 is 500 to
Since the wavelength is around 550 nm, ultraviolet light of 220 to 296 nm is emitted at 460 to 640 nm and a peak wavelength of 525 nm.
For example, zinc silicate, which converts visible light, is used as a fluorescent material. The wavelength conversion element 9 may be formed such that a layer in which a fluorescent material is mixed is formed on the surface layer of a silica glass or synthetic resin fiber rod in which no fluorescent material is mixed. May be coated with a fluorescent material.

The cap 13 attached to the free end of the ultraviolet ray receiving section 3 is made of an elastic columnar synthetic resin having ultraviolet resistance and is formed to have a diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the protective tube 11. A concave portion having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the wavelength conversion element 9 is formed at the center of the surface located inside the protection tube 11, and one end of the wavelength conversion element 9 is inserted therein. The cap 15 mounted on the other end side of the ultraviolet ray receiving section 3 is made of a synthetic resin having a columnar UV resistance like the cap 13 and has a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the protective tube 11. In the end face located outside the protection tube 11, a concave portion is formed at the center portion to be fitted with the connection end 19 of the connector 17 of the transmission unit 5. A through hole having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the wavelength conversion element 9 is formed coaxially with the recess at the bottom of the recess, and the other end of the wavelength conversion element 9 extends to the bottom of the recess. Has been inserted.

The transmitting section 5 includes an optical fiber 21 made of transparent glass or synthetic resin, a protective tube 23 into which the optical fiber 21 is inserted and protecting the optical fiber 21, and connectors 17, 2 provided at both ends of the protective tube 23.
5 and the like. The protective tube 23 is a metal tube or a synthetic resin tube of stainless steel or the like having a flexible spiral structure having ultraviolet resistance and anticorrosion properties. The protective tube 23 protects the optical fiber 21 and receives the ultraviolet light receiving unit 3 and visible light receiving light. It can be bent in accordance with the arrangement of the part 7 and the like. The connector 17 is formed of a metal such as stainless steel or a synthetic resin having ultraviolet resistance and corrosion resistance or a synthetic resin in a substantially tubular shape, and has an optical fiber 21 inserted therein and opposite to the side to which the protective tube 23 is connected. The connection end 19 is formed at the end on the side as described above. By inserting the connection end 19 into the cap 15 and fitting the same, the optical fiber 21 and the wavelength conversion element 9 come into contact with each other and are optically connected. Connector 25
Is made of a metal such as stainless steel or a synthetic resin having ultraviolet resistance and anticorrosion properties in a substantially tubular shape, like the connector 17, and an optical fiber 21 is inserted therein and a protective tube 23 is connected thereto. A connection end (not shown) is formed at the end opposite to the side where the connection is made. The connection end is inserted into a connector (not shown) corresponding to the connection end provided on the visible light receiving section 7 and connected to the optical fiber 21 so as to be installed in the visible light receiving section 7. A visible light receiving element (not shown), such as a visible light silicon photodiode or a photoelectric tube, is optically connected.

As described above, the visible light receiving section 7 includes a visible light receiving element (not shown), an amplification circuit (not shown) for amplifying an electric signal generated by the visible light receiving element, and a visible light receiving section 7. Power cable 27 for supplying power to the
The control unit includes an output cable 29 for outputting an electric signal to a control unit (not shown) for monitoring the illuminance of the ultraviolet lamp and a display (not shown) for displaying the illuminance of the ultraviolet lamp. ing.

Here, as an example of installation of the ultraviolet illuminance meter 1,
The case where the apparatus is installed in the ultraviolet ray processing apparatus 30 for killing microorganisms in water and oxidizing organic substances will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, in the ultraviolet treatment device 30, an ultraviolet irradiation module 35 is installed in an ultraviolet treatment tank 33 that forms an open channel through which the water 31 flows. As described above, the ultraviolet irradiation module 35 is formed of an ultraviolet lamp 37 having a peak wavelength at 254 nm and a corrosion-resistant material, for example, a metal such as stainless steel or aluminum or a resin, and supports the four ultraviolet lamps 37. It is composed of a frame 39 and the like. The frame 39 includes a horizontal frame 39a longer than the ultraviolet lamp 37, and vertical frames 39b and 39c fixed vertically to both ends of the horizontal frame 39a. Vertical frame 39b
And 39c are respectively provided with four sets of sockets 41 and 43 for holding both ends of the ultraviolet lamp 37, respectively.

Therefore, in the ultraviolet irradiation module 35, four ultraviolet lamps 37 are installed in parallel in a vertical direction, that is, in a row in a shelf shape. UV module 35
Is the direction 4 of the flow of the water to be treated 31 in the ultraviolet treatment tank 33.
5, racks 47 provided on the upstream side and the downstream side
It is installed in a state where both end portions of the horizontal frame 39a are hooked and hung, and as shown in FIG. The water level in the ultraviolet treatment tank 33 is maintained such that the upper surface of the uppermost ultraviolet lamp 17 is submerged. In the ultraviolet light receiving unit 3 of the ultraviolet illuminometer 1, the extending direction of the ultraviolet lamp 37 and the light receiving surface of the ultraviolet light receiving unit 3, that is, the extending direction of the protection tube 11 are parallel between the plurality of ultraviolet lamps 37. The visible light converter 7 is installed on the downstream end of the horizontal frame 39 a constituting the frame 39 of one ultraviolet irradiation module 35.

The operation of the ultraviolet illuminometer 1 having such a configuration and the features of the present invention will be described. The output intensity of the ultraviolet lamp 37, that is, the illuminance, decreases with the elapse of the lighting time, that is, with time. Therefore, the illuminance of the ultraviolet lamp 37 is monitored by the ultraviolet illuminometer 1 in order to keep the ability to kill microorganisms and the ability to oxidize organic substances of the ultraviolet treatment apparatus 30 at or above a required level.

Ultraviolet light having a peak wavelength of 254 nm emitted from the ultraviolet lamp 37 passes through the protective tube 11 of the ultraviolet light receiving section 3 and enters the wavelength conversion element 9. Wavelength conversion element 9
Emits visible light having a wavelength of 460 to 640 nm and a peak wavelength of 525 nm according to the illuminance of the received ultraviolet light, which emits light when the fluorescent material contained therein is excited by ultraviolet light. The visible light generated by the wavelength conversion element 9 enters the optical fiber 21 of the transmitting unit 5 and is transmitted to the visible light receiving unit 7 through the optical fiber 21 of the transmitting unit 5. The visible light transmitted to the visible light receiving section 7 is output by a visible light receiving element (not shown) as an electric signal corresponding to the illuminance of visible light, that is, the illuminance of ultraviolet light. The visible light receiving unit 7 of the present embodiment outputs a current of 4 to 20 mA as an electric signal according to the illuminance of the ultraviolet lamp 37. The ultraviolet processing apparatus 30 includes a plurality of ultraviolet lamps 37. The ultraviolet light receiving unit 3 of the ultraviolet illuminometer 1 according to the present embodiment includes a 360-degree light receiving surface formed of all the circumferential surfaces of the wavelength conversion element 9. Since the surface receives ultraviolet light, the total ultraviolet illuminance of the plurality of ultraviolet lamps 37 at the arbitrary position where the ultraviolet light receiving unit 3 is installed, that is, the total ultraviolet illuminance of the plurality of ultraviolet lamps 37 is measured. Become.

As described above, the ultraviolet illuminometer 1 of the present embodiment
Since the rod-shaped wavelength conversion element 9 is used, the entire circumferential surface of the wavelength conversion element 9 becomes an ultraviolet light receiving surface and the light receiving angle becomes 360 degrees, so that it is possible to make it non-directional.

Further, in a running water type ultraviolet treatment apparatus such as an ultraviolet treatment apparatus 30 for killing microorganisms in the flowing treated water 31 and oxidizing organic substances, etc., a plurality of ultraviolet rays are used as operation management indicators. It is important to measure the total illuminance of the ultraviolet light emitted from the lamp 37. However, in the conventional ultraviolet illuminometer, it is necessary to make the ultraviolet light incident on the light receiving surface of the ultraviolet light receiving element almost perpendicularly. An ultraviolet light receiving element must be installed in the device, and the total illuminance of ultraviolet light cannot be measured. However, in the ultraviolet illuminometer 1 of the present embodiment, since all the circumferential surfaces of the wavelength conversion element 9 are ultraviolet light receiving surfaces and are non-directional, FIG.
As shown in (b), the total illuminance of the ultraviolet rays emitted from the plurality of ultraviolet lamps 37 installed in the ultraviolet processing device 30 can be measured.

In an ultraviolet treatment apparatus for treating water to be treated, which contains a large amount of microorganisms and organic substances, microorganisms and the like adhere to the surface of the ultraviolet lamp or the surface of a light transmission tube that covers and protects the ultraviolet lamp. In order to reduce dirt and ultraviolet illuminance, a cleaning mechanism including a wiper for removing microorganisms and the like attached to the surface of the ultraviolet lamp or the surface of the light transmitting tube is provided. In an ultraviolet processing apparatus provided with such a cleaning mechanism, since an arm for driving a wiper of the cleaning mechanism is disposed between the ultraviolet lamps, there is a limitation on an installation location of an ultraviolet light receiving unit of the ultraviolet illuminometer. . However, in the ultraviolet illuminometer 1 of the present embodiment, the ultraviolet light receiving unit 3 can be reduced in size to, for example, about 6 mm in diameter and about 30 mm in length, and all the circumferential surfaces of the wavelength conversion element 9 are formed. Since the ultraviolet light receiving surface is used, restrictions on the installation location of the ultraviolet light receiving unit 3 of the ultraviolet illuminometer 1 can be reduced. Further, since the ultraviolet light receiving section 3 of the ultraviolet illuminometer 1 of the present embodiment can be miniaturized, when the ultraviolet light receiving section 3 is installed in a flowing water type ultraviolet processing apparatus such as the ultraviolet processing apparatus 30, The effect on the flow can be reduced.

By the way, ultraviolet photons have higher energy than visible light, and therefore, in the conventional ultraviolet illuminometer, deterioration of the photocathode such as a silicon photodiode or a photoelectric tube, electrodes, etc. The element deteriorates quickly. For this reason, it is necessary to calibrate or replace the light receiving element in a shorter cycle than in the visible light illuminometer. In order to cope with such a problem, there is a case where a shutter is provided on the light receiving surface of the light receiving element, and an ultraviolet illuminometer that opens the shutter and measures the illuminance only when the ultraviolet illuminance is measured is used. However, it is not suitable for continuous measurement of the ultraviolet illuminance, and even in the case of periodic measurement, it takes time and effort to open and close the shutter for each measurement, which is not preferable.

However, in the ultraviolet illuminometer 1 of the present embodiment, the wavelength conversion element 9 of the ultraviolet light receiving section 3 does not have a photocathode or an electrode, and the fluorescent material can be used semi-permanently. Deterioration due to photons is unlikely to occur. Furthermore, even if the visible light receiving element of the visible light receiving unit 7 is formed of a silicon photodiode or a photoelectric tube, the visible light receiving element 7 receives visible light whose photon energy is lower than that of ultraviolet light. Life is longer than that. Therefore, the service life of the ultraviolet illuminometer can be improved.

An example of actual comparison of the life of the conventional UV illuminometer and the UV illuminometer 1 of the present embodiment is shown below.
The ultraviolet light receiving element deteriorated in 000 hours, and it was necessary to recalibrate the ultraviolet light receiving element. In contrast, the ultraviolet illuminometer 1 of the present embodiment has a cumulative exposure time of about 25
It could be used for up to 000 hours.

In this embodiment, the optical fiber 21
The transmission unit 5 is provided, but the transmission unit 5 may not be provided when the ultraviolet light receiving unit 3 and the visible light receiving unit 7 can be installed adjacent to each other. Further, in the present embodiment, the ultraviolet ray receiving section 3 includes the protective tube 11. However, the protective tube 11 is not provided in applications in which corrosion, damage, surface contamination, and the like of the wavelength conversion element 9 are unlikely to occur. Is also good.

Further, in the present embodiment, an example is described in which the ultraviolet illuminometer 1 of the present embodiment is installed in the ultraviolet processing apparatus 30 for killing microorganisms in the water to be treated 31 and oxidizing organic substances. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Various applications and various configurations such as a process for killing microorganisms adhering to a gas or an article, an ultraviolet exposure process in a semiconductor manufacturing process, a photocatalytic process using an ultraviolet light source, and the like. Can be used for measurement of ultraviolet illuminance by an apparatus having an ultraviolet lamp.

[0026]

According to the present invention, the ultraviolet illuminometer can be made non-directional.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment of an ultraviolet illuminometer to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an ultraviolet processing apparatus including an ultraviolet illuminometer to which the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ultraviolet illuminometer 3 Ultraviolet light receiving part 5 Transmitting part 7 Visible light receiving part 9 Wavelength conversion part 11 Protective tube 13, 15 Cap 21 Optical fiber

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Masaki Yoshikawa 5-2-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Chiyoda Corporation (72) Inventor Ken Noguchi 5-2-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Chiyoda F-term in Kohan Co., Ltd. (reference) 2G065 AA03 AA17 AB04 AB05 AB11 AB27 BA09 BA17 BA29 BB02 BB03 BB21 CA23 CA29 DA01 5F088 BA20 BB06 JA20 LA05

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A wavelength conversion element that includes a fluorescent material and converts ultraviolet light into visible light, and a visible light receiving element that receives the visible light and generates an electric signal, wherein the wavelength conversion element is formed in a rod shape. Become a UV illuminometer.