JP2001054558A - Air cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to rapidly and efficiently clean air by providing a deodorizing section with a second ionizing section for imparting an electric field to a photocatalyst in a position adjacent to the deodorizing section to increase the decomposability of the photocatalyst. SOLUTION: The air from which dust, etc., are removed by passing a dust collecting section 9 flows into the deodorizing section 10 and adsorbs to the deodorizing section 10. The photocatalyst is deposited in the deodorizing section 10. The photopcatalyst activated by irradiation with UV rays, etc., from a light source 11 cracks the trimethylamine, etc., which are the odorous components in the air adsorbed in the deodorizing section 10 to make the air odorless. Also, the second ionizing section 12 for imparting the electric field to the photocatalyst is disposed near the deodorizing section 10 and is so formed that the electric discharge is generated by impressing high voltage between alternately disposed ionizing wires and flat planar counter electrodes. The electric field is formed in the periphery of the second ionizing section by the electric discharge, by which the deodorizing section 10 carrying the catalyst is exposed into the electric field. The photocatalyst is made to further accelerate the cracking effect and to exhibit higher deodorization capability by applying the electric field thereto.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in an air purifier for removing dust and purifying indoor air by decomposing odor components and the like using a photocatalyst.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional air purifier will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 1, 1 is a housing of an air purifier, 2 is a suction port provided on the front surface of the housing 1 to take in indoor air, 3
Is an outlet provided on the upper surface of the housing 1 and for sending purified air into the room.

[0003] The inside of the air purifier is configured as shown in FIG. 7, and a pre-filter 50 for collecting relatively large debris in the air, and small dust and the like passing through the pre-filter 50 are removed. An ionization unit 51 for charging and a dust collection unit 52 for adsorbing and removing the charged dust are provided. Reference numeral 53 denotes a deodorizing section supporting the photocatalyst, and reference numeral 54 denotes a light source for irradiating the photocatalyst with ultraviolet rays.

[0004] A photocatalyst refers to a substance that is activated by light energy and has a sterilizing and deodorizing function. For example, a photocatalyst represented by titanium oxide or the like is exposed to ultraviolet light. It is activated and decomposes odorous components such as trimethylamine by its catalytic action to make it odorless and sterilizes microorganisms. Also, unlike an adsorbent such as activated carbon, the photocatalyst decomposes odor components on the photocatalyst surface, so its deodorizing ability is not lost even after long-term use, and there is an advantage that it is not necessary to replace the deodorizing part. .

Therefore, in the above-described air purifier, dust in the room air taken into the housing 1 from the suction port 2 is removed by the pre-filter 50 and the dust collecting section 52, and further, odorous components and the like are removed by the deodorizing section. After being decomposed and sterilized by the 53 photocatalysts to be cleaned, they are sent out from the outlet 3.

[0006]

However, in the conventional air purifier using a photocatalyst, it takes more time to treat odor components and the like existing in the air than in the case of using an adsorbent such as activated carbon. In addition, since it takes time to decompose odor components in the air, there is a problem in that low-molecular harmful substances such as acetaldehyde and formaldehyde are easily generated at the time of decomposition, and there is an even higher deodorizing / sterilizing effect. An air purifier was desired.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an air purifier capable of efficiently purifying air in a short time by enhancing the photocatalytic decomposition ability in view of the above situation.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a blower for taking air containing dust into a housing, a first ionizer for charging the dust, and a charged ionizer. A dust collector that collects the dust, a deodorizing unit that carries a photocatalyst that decomposes odor components and the like in the air, and an air purifier that has a light source that irradiates the photocatalyst with ultraviolet light, is adjacent to the deodorizing unit. The present invention relates to an air cleaner, further comprising a second ionization section for providing an electric field to the photocatalyst at a position.

The air collecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dust collecting section is of an electric dust collecting type, and the second ionizing section is provided between the dust collecting section and the deodorizing section. It relates to a purifier.

[0010]

According to this structure, when the second ionization section discharges, an electric field is formed around the second ionization section, and the photocatalyst provided at a position adjacent to the second ionization section is formed. An electric field will be applied. The photocatalyst exhibits an even higher decomposition ability when an electric field is applied, so that odor components and the like can be effectively decomposed in a short time.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

(Embodiment 1) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, in FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a housing of an air purifier, 2 denotes a suction port provided on a front surface of the housing 1 to take in room air, and 3 denotes a suction air provided on an upper surface of the housing 1. An outlet to send indoors,
Reference numeral 4 denotes a blower including a motor 5 and a sirocco fan 6. 7 is a pre-filter for collecting relatively large refuse, 8 is a first ionization unit for charging small dust and the like passing through the pre-filter 7, and 9 is a dust collection unit as a removing means for removing the charged dust. Reference numeral 10 denotes a deodorizing section supporting a photocatalyst, 11 denotes a light source for irradiating the photocatalyst with ultraviolet light,
Reference numeral 12 denotes a second ionization unit for applying an electric field to the photocatalyst, which is disposed at a position adjacent to the deodorization unit 10.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a positional relationship between the second ionization section 12, the deodorization section 10, and the light source 11. In this embodiment, a deodorizing section 10 is provided downstream of the second ionizing section 12.
And the light source 11 is provided downstream thereof. However, in order to effectively apply the electric field generated in the second ionization section 12 to the photocatalyst, the second ionization section 12 and the deodorization section 1 are required.
Since 0 may be any adjacent position, the deodorizing section 10 may be provided upstream. Further, the light source 11 is not particularly limited in its installation location as long as it is a position for activating the photocatalyst.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 3. The second ionization section 12 has a structure in which ionization lines 13 and plate-like counter electrodes 14 are alternately arranged. As described above, in order to promote the activation of the photocatalyst by applying an electric field, it is desirable to perform a positive discharge in the second ionization unit 12, so that the ionization line 13 serving as the discharge electrode becomes an anode. Voltage is being applied. The deodorizing section 10 is a filter supporting a photocatalyst, and is generally formed of a honeycomb body, a nonwoven fabric, or the like.

In the air purifier having the above-described structure, when the operation is started, the blower 4 is first rotated, and the rotation starts to cause the air in the room containing dust, odor components, and the like to flow from the suction port 2. Relatively large debris in the air is first collected by the pre-filter 7, and small dust that has passed through the pre-filter 7 flows into the first ionization section 8, and passes through the first ionization section 8. It is charged by the high-voltage discharge and travels to the dust collecting section 9. Then, it is adsorbed and removed by the dust collecting section 9.

The air from which dust and the like have been removed after passing through the dust collecting section 9 flows into the deodorizing section 10 and is adsorbed by the deodorizing section 10. The deodorizing section 10 carries a photocatalyst, and the photocatalyst activated by irradiation with ultraviolet light or the like from the light source 11 decomposes and deodorizes trimethylamine and the like, which are odor components in the air adsorbed on the deodorizing section 10. .

A second ionizing section 12 for applying an electric field to the photocatalyst is provided near the deodorizing section 10, and is provided between the alternately arranged ionizing lines 13 and the flat counter electrode 14. Is applied with a high voltage to cause a discharge. Due to this discharge, an electric field is formed around the second ionization section, and the deodorizing section 10 supporting the catalyst is exposed to the electric field. That is, even in the same ionization section, the first ionization section 8 is provided for the purpose of charging dust, whereas the second ionization section 12 is provided for applying an electric field to the photocatalyst.

The photocatalyst is further decomposed by the application of an electric field, and exhibits a high deodorizing ability. FIG. 5 is a graph comparing the deodorizing efficiency of acetaldehyde, one of the odor components, between the air purifier of the present invention and the conventional air purifier. In this experiment, one cigarette was burned in one cubic meter box, and then deodorized by each air purifier. Each hour, a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (G
The acetaldehyde concentration was measured by CMS). As can be seen from this graph, the air purifier of the present invention has a significantly higher deodorizing efficiency than the conventional one.

(Embodiment 2) Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the inside of the air purifier, in which a first ionization section 8 is provided downstream of the prefilter 7 and a dust collection section 15 is provided downstream thereof. The dust collecting section 15 is of an electric dust collecting type, and has a configuration in which repelling electrodes 16 as anodes and collecting electrodes 17 as cathodes are alternately arranged. Downstream of the dust collecting unit 15, the second ionizing unit 12, the deodorizing unit 10, the light source 11
Are arranged in order.

In the above-described electric dust-collecting type air cleaner, dust is charged positively when passing through the first ionization section 8. Then, a repulsive force is generated between the positive electrode and the repelling electrode 16, while an attractive force acts between the negative electrode and the collecting electrode 17. Accordingly, the dust is accelerated toward the collecting electrode 17 by the repulsive force generated between the dust and the repelling electrode 16 and is absorbed by the collecting electrode 17 to be removed.

The air from which the dust has been removed goes to the deodorizing section 10 next. A second ionizing section 12 is provided between the dust collecting section 15 and the deodorizing section 10.
2 discharges, an electric field is formed around the second ionization unit 12, and the electric field is applied to the photocatalyst supported on the deodorization unit 10 provided on the downstream side. As described in the first embodiment, the decomposition of the photocatalyst is further promoted by the application of an electric field, and the photocatalyst exhibits a high deodorizing ability.

[0023]

As described above, in the air purifier of the present invention, the second ionizing section is provided at a position adjacent to the deodorizing section supporting the photocatalyst, and the electric discharge of the second ionizing section causes the photocatalyst to generate an electric field. It was configured to be exposed inside. The photocatalyst is further activated by the application of an electric field, and can effectively decompose harmful substances such as acetaldehyde and formaldehyde which are generated when decomposing odorous components.
It is possible to obtain an air purifier having a significantly higher deodorizing / sterilizing effect than before.

Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, an air purifier which is more practical and can easily realize the present apparatus which reliably exerts the above-mentioned functions and effects is provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of the present invention and a conventional air purifier.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory sectional view of a main part of the air purifier of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the air purifier of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the deodorizing effect of the air purifier of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the air purifier of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing conventional air cleaning.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Case 4 Blower 8 1st ionization part 9 Dust collection part 10 Deodorization part 11 Light source 12 2nd ionization part

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 4C080 AA07 AA10 BB02 BB05 CC02 CC09 HH05 JJ03 KK08 LL10 MM02 QQ01 QQ17 4D054 AA11 BA02 EA08 EA11 EA27 EA30

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A blower for taking air containing dust into a housing, a first ionization unit for charging the dust, a dust collection unit for collecting the charged dust, and a smell in the air. An air purifier having a deodorizing section supporting a photocatalyst for decomposing components and the like, and a light source for irradiating the photocatalyst with ultraviolet light, comprising a second ionizing section for applying an electric field to the photocatalyst at a position adjacent to the deodorizing section. An air purifier characterized in that: 2. The air according to claim 1, wherein the dust collecting section is of an electric dust collecting type, and the second ionizing section is provided between the dust collecting section and a deodorizing section. Cleaner.