JP2005006731A

JP2005006731A - Oxygen concentrator

Info

Publication number: JP2005006731A
Application number: JP2003171775A
Authority: JP
Inventors: Yoshinobu Kimura; 善信木村; Satoshi Imoto; 聡猪本; Shinichi Toge; 真一峠
Original assignee: Teijin Ltd
Current assignee: Teijin Ltd
Priority date: 2003-06-17
Filing date: 2003-06-17
Publication date: 2005-01-13

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an oxygen concentrator in which noise is very small in a pressure fluctuation absorption type oxygen concentrator. <P>SOLUTION: The pressure fluctuation absorption type oxygen concentrator is provided with a silencer disposed in an intake path in order to reduce the intake sound of an air supply means. For the silencer, an expansion type silencing part for introducing intake air to an expansion chamber having a prescribed volume and an extended flow path type silencing part for introducing the intake air to a extended flow path formed by being extended for a prescribed length with a sound absorbing material as a partition wall are combined. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

【０００１】
【発明の属する技術分野】
本発明は、酸素よりも窒素を優先的に吸着する吸着剤を用いた圧力変動吸着型の酸素濃縮器に関するものであり、特に慢性呼吸器疾患患者などに対して行われる酸素吸入療法に使用する医療用酸素濃縮装置に関するものである。更に詳細には、騒音を低減する消音器を有する酸素濃縮装置に関するものである。
【０００２】
【従来の技術】
近年、喘息、肺気腫症、慢性気管支炎等の呼吸器系器官の疾患に苦しむ患者が増加する傾向にあるが、その治療法として最も効果的なもののひとつに酸素吸入療法がある。かかる酸素吸入療法とは、酸素ガスあるいは酸素富化空気を患者に吸入させるものである。その供給源として、酸素濃縮装置、液体酸素、酸素ガスボンベ等が知られているが、使用時の便利さや保守管理の容易さから、在宅酸素療法には酸素濃縮装置が主流で用いられている。
【０００３】
酸素濃縮装置は、空気中の約２１％の酸素を濃縮して供給する装置であり、それには酸素を選択的に透過する膜を用いた膜式酸素濃縮装置と、窒素または酸素を優先的に吸着しうる吸着剤を用いた圧力変動吸着型酸素濃縮装置があるが、得られる酸素濃度の点から圧力変動吸着型酸素濃縮装置が主流になっている。
【０００４】
【特許文献１】
特開２００１−１２０６６２号公報
【特許文献２】
特開２００１−２７８６０３号公報
【特許文献３】
特開２００２−１５３５５８号公報
【０００５】
【発明が解決しようとする課題】
圧力変動吸着型酸素濃縮装置は、原料空気を圧縮し供給する空気供給装置と、吸着床で濃縮された酸素以外の不要な気体を排出するための排出装置を使用するため、これらの装置から発生する吸排気音が大きく、騒音の低下が望まれていた。
【０００６】
酸素濃縮装置の吸排気音低減のため、例えば特開２００１−１２０６６２号公報に記載の膨張型消音器を有する酸素濃縮器や、特開２００１−２７８６０３号公報に記載の大径管を有する酸素濃縮器が使用されているが、十分に騒音を減少させるためには大きな容積が必要になり、消音器の小型化には向いていない。膨張型消音器を小型にするためには、気体導入出部のオリフィス径を小さくする必要があるが、それに伴って高周波の気流音が新たな騒音となって発生するという問題があった。
【０００７】
上記の問題を解決する手段として、特開２００２−１５３５５８号公報に記載の構成のように騒音発生源を吸音材および／または遮音材を貼った箱体によって覆うことにより騒音を低減しているものも有るが、問題の根本的な対策にはなっていない。
【０００８】
本発明は、上記の状況に鑑みなされたものであって、圧力変動吸着型酸素濃縮装置において、騒音が極めて小さい酸素濃縮装置を提供することを目的とする。更に詳細には、原料空気供給装置および／または吸着床の不要気体排出装置から発生する吸排気が原因で発生する騒音を低減した酸素濃縮装置を提供することを目的とする。
【０００９】
【課題を解決するための手段】
本発明者は、かかる課題を解決するために鋭意検討した結果、以下の酸素濃縮器およびそれに搭載する消音器を見出した。
【００１０】
すなわち本発明は、空気中の酸素を分離し、酸素濃縮気体を生成する酸素濃縮装置において、原料空気を供給する供給管および／または排気空気を排出する排気管に所定体積を有する膨張室を有する膨張型消音部および吸音材を隔壁として所定長延伸形成された延伸流路を有する延伸流路型消音部を備えた消音器を備えることを特徴とする酸素濃縮装置を提供するものである。
【００１１】
また本発明は、かかる消音器が、該膨張型消音部が有する該膨張室を外囲するよう前記延伸流路型消音部の延伸流路を配設したことを特徴とし、特に該延伸流路型消音部が、該膨張型消音部の膨張室の外周部に、螺旋状の吸音材を設け、螺旋状延伸流路とするもの、該延伸流路型消音部が、同心円状に配置された多重の配管から構成され、該管部の外周面の一端から他端へ螺旋状に巻き付けられた吸音材料部を備え、管と管との間に螺旋状空間を構成するとともに、各空間を順次相互に連結する折り返しの連結部を備えることを特徴とする酸素濃縮装置を提供するものである。
【００１２】
また本発明は、該消音器が、該膨張型消音部が有する膨張室の内部に延伸流路型消音部の延伸流路を配設したもの、或いは該消音器が、該膨張型消音部と該延伸流路型消音部とを、吸気または排気流路に沿って直列に配設したことを特徴とする酸素濃縮装置を提供するものである。
【００１３】
また、該延伸流路型消音部が、吸音材料から構成される螺旋状部材を備え、螺旋状の延伸流路を備えることを特徴とし、該螺旋状部材が、心棒部と、心棒部の外周面の一端から他端へ螺旋状に巻き付けられた吸音材料部から構成されること、また、該延伸流路型消音部が、同心円状に配置された多重の配管から構成され、該管部の外周面の一端から他端へ螺旋状に巻き付けられた吸音材料部を備え、管と管との間に螺旋状空間を構成するとともに、各空間を順次相互に連結する折り返しの連結部を備えることを特徴とする酸素濃縮装置を提供するものである。
【００１４】
さらに、該酸素濃縮装置が、酸素よりも窒素を優先的に吸着する吸着剤を充填した少なくとも１個の吸着床と、前記吸着床に原料空気を供給して窒素を吸着させることにより酸素濃縮気体を生成するための加圧ポンプ機能および／または吸着した窒素を脱着再生する真空ポンプ機能を備えた空気供給手段を備え、該消音器が該空気供給手段への原料空気供給管および／または排気空気の排出管に備えることを特徴とする酸素濃縮装置を提供するものである。
【００１５】
さらに本発明は、所定体積を有する膨張室を有する膨張型消音部および吸音材を隔壁として所定長延伸形成された延伸流路を有する延伸流路型消音部を備えた消音器であって、該膨張型消音部が有する前記膨張室を外囲するよう前記延伸流路型消音部の延伸流路を配設したことを特徴とする消音器を提供するものであり、特に該延伸流路型消音部が、同心円状に配置された多重の配管から構成され、該管部の外周面の一端から他端へ螺旋状に巻き付けられた吸音材料部を備え、管と管との間に螺旋状空間を構成するとともに、各空間を順次相互に連結する折り返しの連結部を備えることを特徴とする消音器を提供する。
【００１６】
【発明の実施の形態】
本発明の実施の形態に係る好ましい実施例である酸素濃縮装置は、空気中の窒素を分離し高濃度酸素を供給する装置であり、例えば、酸素より窒素を選択的に吸着し得る吸着剤としてモレキュラーシーブゼオライト５Ａ、１３Ｘ、或いはリチウム系ゼオライトなどを吸着筒に充填し、空気圧縮装置によって作られた加圧空気を供給することで、酸素を取り出す圧力変動吸着型の酸素濃縮装置である。
【００１７】
圧力変動型吸着型酸素濃縮装置である本実施例の酸素濃縮装置を、図面を用いて説明する。図１は本実施例の酸素濃縮装置の構成図である。酸素よりも窒素を選択的に吸着する吸着剤３を充填した吸着筒２に、コンプレッサー５によって大気中から圧縮された加圧空気を吸気消音器１６へ供給し、吸着筒２内部を加圧状態にして窒素を吸着させ、吸着されなかった酸素を取り出す。吸着筒２より取り出された酸素は、サージタンク４に貯留した後、流量設定器１０により酸素供給流量を設定し、鼻カニューラ１２を介して使用者に供給される。
【００１８】
ここで吸着剤３は、１回の工程で吸着できる窒素の量が吸着剤３の量や種類によって決まっているため、吸着剤３に吸着される窒素の量が飽和する前に、流路切換弁９を切り換えて吸着筒２を大気開放して吸着筒２内部を減圧し、窒素を脱着させて吸着剤３を再生させる。また、流路切換弁９は、予め設定された時間によって切り換えられるように制御装置１１によって制御される。なお、一工程中の吸脱着量を増やすべく、真空ポンプを用いて、脱着工程における吸着筒２内部の圧力を真空にしても良い。なお、流路切換弁９のパージ側には排気消音器１５が設けられている。
【００１９】
コンプレッサー５は、コンプレッサー５を駆動させるためのコンプレッサー駆動モーター６を具備しており、コンプレッサー駆動モーター６は制御装置１１によって設定された回転数で回転しコンプレッサー５を回転駆動させる。コンプレッサー圧縮機構部８は、コンプレッサー駆動モーター６によって得た回転力によって空気を圧縮するものであり、その圧縮方式によって様々な種類が存在する。酸素濃縮装置１に用いられるコンプレッサー５としては、往復運動式のピストンタイプや回転式のスクロールタイプなどが一般的によく用いられているが、大気中の空気を圧縮できるものであればどのタイプを用いても構わない。
【００２０】
図２は本実施の形態の酸素濃縮装置が有する排気消音器１５の構成図である。コンプレッサー５から排気された気流は、吸気オリフィス１９から膨張室１７に導入され、膨張室長さＬの１／４波長の周波数成分が、断面積Ｓ１とＳ２の比で決定される透過損失によって騒音が低減される。なお、膨張室１７は円筒や直方体である必要はなく、膨張室１７内部または外部には、必要に応じて遮音材や吸音材を取り付けることができる。従来の膨張型消音器では排気オリフィス２０から直接排気されるが、本実施形態では延伸流路型消音部１８を通過する際に、吸気オリフィスで発生する気流音を低減させ、排気オリフィスから排出される。このように、膨張部１７内部に延伸流路型消音部１８を有することにより、消音器単体で十分な消音が可能となり、小型化が求められている医療用酸素濃縮器に特に効果的である。なお、気流方向を逆向きにすることにより、コンプレッサの吸気音にも応用することができる。
【００２１】
図３は、本実施形態の酸素濃縮装置が有する延伸流路型消音部１８の拡大図である。管内部には適当な太さの心棒２１がありその心棒の一端から他端に向かって、螺旋状にウレタンフォームやフェルト等の吸音材料２２が巻かれている。それゆえ、心棒と吸音材、管内壁との間で空間が螺旋状に形成される。気体はその螺旋状の形状を旋回しながら進み、他端に設けられた１つ、或いは複数の穴、或いは完全に開口した管端面の導出管から排出される。大きな音圧をもった空気は螺旋形状をとることによって長くなった流路を進行中、吸音材層に暴露されており、その間吸音材層に衝突した音のエネルギーが熱エネルギーに変換される割合が大きくなりより高い吸音効果が得られる。また、音の一部は螺旋に沿って移動せず、導出口に向かって直線的に進行するものもあるが、この成分は吸音材の巻き数分だけ何層にもわたって吸音材層を通過するため、大きな減音効果が得られる。
【００２２】
本実施形態の酸素濃縮装置が有する消音器は、下記するように、所定体積を有する膨張室に吸気が導入される膨張型消音部と、吸音材を隔壁として所定長延伸形成された延伸流路に吸気が導入される延伸流路型消音部とを組み合わせて構成された点に特徴を有する。
【００２３】
そして上記の構成を有する消音器を、吸着床に原料空気を供給して窒素を吸着させることにより酸素濃縮気体を生成するための空気供給手段と、吸着床から窒素をパージするために該吸着床内部の気体を吸引する真空ポンプにおいて、空気供給手段および／または真空ポンプの吸気音および／または排気音を低減するために、それぞれの吸気路中および排気路中の少なくともいずれかに配設された消音器の内の少なくとも１つとして用いた酸素濃縮装置として構成している。
【００２４】
【実施例】
［実施例１］
図４は、上記した本実施形態に係る酸素濃縮装置が有する消音器の構成図であり、吸気オリフィスφ５ｍｍ、膨張室φ３０ｍｍ、Ｌ＝２００ｍｍ、延伸流路型消音部φ１５ｍｍ、長さ１００ｍｍを膨張室内部の排気オリフィス側に取り付けている。
【００２５】
［実施例２］
図５は、同じく本実施形態に係る酸素濃縮装置が有する消音器の構成図であり、図４に図示した構成との違いは、延伸流路型消音部を吸気オリフィス側に取り付けている点である。すなわち図４、図５に図示した消音器は、膨張型消音部が有する膨張室の内部に、延伸流路型消音部の延伸流路を配設して構成されている。
【００２６】
［実施例３］
図６は、同じく本実施形態に係る酸素濃縮装置が有する消音器の構成図であり、図４および図５図示の構成との違いは、延伸流路型消音部を膨張室外部の排気オリフィス側に取り付けている点である。すなわち、図６図示の消音器は、膨張型消音部と、延伸流路型消音部とを、吸気または排気の流路に沿って直列に配設して構成されている。
【００２７】
［実施例４］
図７は、同じく本実施形態に係る酸素濃縮装置が有する消音器の構成図であり、吸気オリフィスφ５ｍｍ、膨張室φ３０ｍｍ、Ｌ＝２００ｍｍ、膨張室外殻φ４０ｍｍとの間に延伸流路型消音部を設けている。すなわち、図７図示の消音器は、膨張型消音部が有する膨張室を外囲するよう延伸流路型消音部の延伸流路を配設して構成されている。
【００２８】
［比較例１］
図８は従来技術による膨張型消音器であり、吸気オリフィスφ５ｍｍ、膨張室φ３０ｍｍ、Ｌ＝２００ｍｍとしている。
【００２９】
［各実施例と比較例における騒音低減効果の比較］
先に説明した構成を有する酸素濃縮装置において、上記した実施例１乃至４の消音器を使用した場合と、従来技術の膨張型消音器（比較例１）を使用した場合との騒音を測定した。
【００３０】
騒音測定は、暗騒音２５ｄＢ（Ａ）以下の一般洋室の環境下において、普通騒音計（ＲＩＯＮ社製、ＮＬ−０５型）を使用して測定した。その結果を表１に示す。
【００３１】
【表１】

【００３２】
上記のように、本発明の実施の形態に係る各実施例の消音器を使用することにより、消音器を何も使用しないときの音圧レベル５２ｄＢ（Ａ）から２８〜３３ｄＢ（Ａ）にまで低減することを確認した。
【００３３】
また、上記の各実施例における測定結果は、従来技術の消音器（比較例１）を使用した場合と比較して明らかに、より効果的であることを示している。
すなわち、図９から図１２に実施例１から４の１／３オクターブ分析音圧レベルの特性図、図１３に比較例１の１／３オクターブ分析音圧レベルの特性図を示す。
【００３４】
図示から容易に把握できるように、従来技術の膨張型消音器では、吸気オリフィスを気流が通過する際に発生する２５００Ｈｚ以上高周波音が３０ｄＢ（Ａ）以上で確認できるが、本発明の実施の形態に係る各実施例の消音器を使用した場合は、２５００Ｈｚ以上の高周波音は、いずれも２５ｄＢ（Ａ）となって、従来技術の膨張型消音器を使用した場合と比較して明らかに低レベルである。
【００３５】
尚、本発明の実施にあたっては種々の変形構成が可能であり、例えば、「酸素よりも窒素を優先的に吸着する吸着剤を充填した少なくとも１個の吸着床と、吸着床に原料空気を供給して窒素を吸着させることにより酸素濃縮気体を生成するための空気供給手段と、空気供給手段の吸気音を低減するために、吸気路中に配設された消音器を備えた圧力変動吸着型の酸素濃縮装置において、消音器は、所定体積を有する膨張室に前記吸気が導入される膨張型消音部と、吸音材を隔壁として所定長延伸形成された延伸流路に吸気が導入される延伸流路型消音部とを組み合わせて構成され、且つ、延伸流路型消音部は、心棒部と、心棒部と同軸且つ相互に同心状に重ねて配設されたＮ個の管部と、それぞれの管部または心棒部の外周面とそれを外囲する管部の内周面とに挟持された厚肉円筒状空間内の一端から他端へ向かってそれぞれ螺旋状に配設されたＮ個の吸音材部と、各外周面と各内周面と各吸音材部で囲まれた、同心状且つＮ重構造の螺旋空間が吸気または排気の流路となるよう気体の導入を行う導入口、螺旋空間相互を接続する接続部、および気体の排出を行う排出口と、を有することを特徴とする酸素濃縮装置」としてもよい。
【００３６】
【発明の効果】
上述の如く本発明は、空気供給装置としてのコンプレッサ吸気音および／または吸着床から濃縮された酸素以外の気体を排出する装置としての真空ポンプの排気音を、効果的に消音し、騒音の発生が極めて少ない酸素濃縮装置を提供することができる。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】本発明の実施の形態に係る酸素濃縮装置の構成図である。
【図２】図１の酸素濃縮装置が有する消音器の一実施例の断面図である。
【図３】図２の消音器の内部に使用している、延伸流路型消音部の拡大図である。
【図４】本発明の実施の形態に係る実施例１の酸素濃縮装置が有する消音器の断面図である。
【図５】本発明の実施の形態に係る実施例２の酸素濃縮装置が有する消音器の断面図である。
【図６】本発明の実施の形態に係る実施例３の酸素濃縮装置が有する消音器の断面図である。
【図７】本発明の実施の形態に係る実施例４の酸素濃縮装置が有する消音器の断面図である。
【図８】従来技術に係る酸素濃縮装置が有する膨張型消音器の断面図である。
【図９】図４の消音器を使用したときの１／３オクターブバンド音圧レベルを示す特性図である。
【図１０】図５の消音器を使用したときの１／３オクターブバンド音圧レベルを示す特性図である。
【図１１】図６の消音器を使用したときの１／３オクターブバンド音圧レベルを示す特性図である。
【図１２】図７の消音器を使用したときの１／３オクターブバンド音圧レベルを示す特性図である。
【図１３】従来技術である図８の膨張型消音器を使用したときの１／３オクターブバンド音圧レベルを示す特性図である。
【符号の説明】
１酸素濃縮装置
２吸着床
３吸着剤
４サージタンク
５コンプレッサー（空気供給手段）
６コンプレッサー駆動モーター
７冷却ファン
８コンプレッサー圧縮機構部
９流路切換弁
１０流量設定器
１１制御装置
１２鼻カニューラ
１３吸気口
１４排気口
１５排気消音器
１６吸気消音器
１７膨張室
１８延伸流路型消音部
１９吸気オリフィス
２０排気オリフィス
２１心棒
２２吸音材量[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator using an adsorbent that preferentially adsorbs nitrogen over oxygen, and is used particularly for oxygen inhalation therapy performed on patients with chronic respiratory diseases and the like. The present invention relates to a medical oxygen concentrator. More particularly, the present invention relates to an oxygen concentrator having a silencer for reducing noise.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, the number of patients suffering from respiratory organ diseases such as asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis has been increasing. One of the most effective treatment methods is oxygen inhalation therapy. Such oxygen inhalation therapy is to allow a patient to inhale oxygen gas or oxygen-enriched air. Oxygen concentrators, liquid oxygen, oxygen gas cylinders, and the like are known as supply sources, but oxygen concentrators are mainly used for home oxygen therapy because of convenience during use and ease of maintenance.
[0003]
The oxygen concentrator is a device that concentrates and supplies about 21% of oxygen in the air, and includes a membrane oxygen concentrator using a membrane that selectively permeates oxygen and nitrogen or oxygen preferentially. There is a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator using an adsorbent that can be adsorbed, but the pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator is the mainstream in terms of the obtained oxygen concentration.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-120661 [Patent Document 2]
JP 2001-278603 A [Patent Document 3]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-153558
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Pressure fluctuation adsorption-type oxygen concentrators are generated from these devices because they use an air supply device that compresses and supplies raw material air and a discharge device for discharging unnecessary gas other than oxygen concentrated in the adsorption bed. The intake / exhaust noise is large and noise reduction is desired.
[0006]
In order to reduce the intake / exhaust sound of the oxygen concentrator, for example, an oxygen concentrator having an expansion silencer described in JP-A-2001-120661, or an oxygen concentrator having a large-diameter tube described in JP-A-2001-278603. Although a device is used, a large volume is required to sufficiently reduce noise, and it is not suitable for miniaturization of a silencer. In order to reduce the size of the expansion silencer, it is necessary to reduce the diameter of the orifice of the gas introduction / extraction part. However, there is a problem that high-frequency airflow noise is generated as new noise.
[0007]
As means for solving the above problems, noise is reduced by covering a noise generating source with a box body to which a sound absorbing material and / or a sound insulating material is attached as in the configuration described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-153558. However, it is not a fundamental countermeasure for the problem.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide an oxygen concentrator with extremely low noise in a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator. More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide an oxygen concentrating device in which noise generated due to intake and exhaust generated from a raw material air supply device and / or an unnecessary gas discharge device of an adsorption bed is reduced.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
As a result of intensive studies to solve such problems, the present inventor has found the following oxygen concentrator and a silencer mounted thereon.
[0010]
That is, the present invention has an expansion chamber having a predetermined volume in a supply pipe that supplies raw air and / or an exhaust pipe that discharges exhaust air in an oxygen concentrator that separates oxygen in the air and generates oxygen-enriched gas. The present invention provides an oxygen concentrator comprising a silencer including an expansion channel type silencer having an expansion type silencer and an extension channel formed with a sound absorbing material as a partition for a predetermined length.
[0011]
Further, the present invention is characterized in that the silencer is provided with an extension channel of the extension channel type silencer so as to surround the expansion chamber of the expansion type silencer, and in particular, the extension channel. The mold silencer is provided with a spiral sound absorbing material on the outer periphery of the expansion chamber of the expansion silencer to form a spiral extension flow path, and the extension flow path type silencer is disposed concentrically. It is composed of multiple pipes, and includes a sound absorbing material part spirally wound from one end to the other end of the outer peripheral surface of the pipe part, forming a spiral space between the pipes and each space sequentially The present invention provides an oxygen concentrator provided with folded connection portions that are connected to each other.
[0012]
Further, the present invention provides the silencer in which an extension channel of the extension channel type silencer is disposed inside the expansion chamber of the expansion type silencer, or the silencer includes the expansion type silencer. It is an object of the present invention to provide an oxygen concentrating device in which the extended flow path type silencer is disposed in series along an intake or exhaust flow path.
[0013]
In addition, the extended flow path type silencer includes a spiral member made of a sound absorbing material, and includes a spiral extended flow path. The spiral member includes a mandrel part and an outer periphery of the mandrel part. It is composed of a sound-absorbing material part spirally wound from one end to the other end of the surface, and the extended flow path type muffler part is composed of multiple pipes arranged concentrically, A sound-absorbing material portion spirally wound from one end of the outer peripheral surface to the other end is provided, and a spiral space is formed between the tubes, and a folded connection portion that sequentially connects each space is provided. An oxygen concentrator characterized by the above is provided.
[0014]
Further, the oxygen concentrating device has at least one adsorbent bed filled with an adsorbent that preferentially adsorbs nitrogen over oxygen, and feeds raw air to the adsorbent bed to adsorb nitrogen to thereby concentrate the oxygen-enriched gas. An air supply means having a pressure pump function for generating gas and / or a vacuum pump function for desorbing and regenerating the adsorbed nitrogen, and the silencer is a feed air supply pipe and / or exhaust air to the air supply means An oxygen concentrator provided in the exhaust pipe is provided.
[0015]
Furthermore, the present invention is a silencer comprising an expansion-type silencer having an expansion chamber having a predetermined volume, and an extended flow-path-type silencer having an extended flow path formed by extending a predetermined length by using a sound absorbing material as a partition, The present invention provides a silencer, characterized in that an extension channel of the extension channel type silencer is disposed so as to surround the expansion chamber of the expansion type silencer, and in particular, the extension channel silencer The section is composed of multiple pipes arranged concentrically, and includes a sound absorbing material section spirally wound from one end to the other end of the outer peripheral surface of the pipe section, and a spiral space between the pipes And a silencer characterized in that it includes a folded connection portion that sequentially connects the spaces to each other.
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An oxygen concentrator which is a preferred example according to an embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus that separates nitrogen in air and supplies high-concentration oxygen. For example, as an adsorbent that can selectively adsorb nitrogen from oxygen This is a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator that takes out oxygen by filling molecular sieve zeolite 5A, 13X or lithium-based zeolite into an adsorption cylinder and supplying pressurized air produced by an air compressor.
[0017]
The oxygen concentrator of this embodiment which is a pressure fluctuation type adsorption oxygen concentrator will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of the oxygen concentrator of this embodiment. Pressurized air compressed from the atmosphere by the compressor 5 is supplied to the suction silencer 16 to the adsorption cylinder 2 filled with the adsorbent 3 that selectively adsorbs nitrogen rather than oxygen, and the inside of the adsorption cylinder 2 is pressurized. Then, nitrogen is adsorbed and oxygen that has not been adsorbed is taken out. The oxygen extracted from the adsorption cylinder 2 is stored in the surge tank 4, and then the oxygen supply flow rate is set by the flow rate setting device 10 and supplied to the user via the nasal cannula 12.
[0018]
Here, since the amount of nitrogen that can be adsorbed in one step is determined by the amount and type of the adsorbent 3, the adsorbent 3 is switched before the amount of nitrogen adsorbed on the adsorbent 3 is saturated. By switching the valve 9, the adsorption cylinder 2 is opened to the atmosphere, the inside of the adsorption cylinder 2 is depressurized, nitrogen is desorbed, and the adsorbent 3 is regenerated. Further, the flow path switching valve 9 is controlled by the control device 11 so as to be switched at a preset time. In order to increase the adsorption / desorption amount in one process, the pressure inside the adsorption cylinder 2 in the desorption process may be evacuated using a vacuum pump. An exhaust silencer 15 is provided on the purge side of the flow path switching valve 9.
[0019]
The compressor 5 includes a compressor drive motor 6 for driving the compressor 5, and the compressor drive motor 6 rotates at the rotation speed set by the control device 11 to drive the compressor 5 to rotate. The compressor compression mechanism unit 8 compresses air by the rotational force obtained by the compressor drive motor 6, and there are various types depending on the compression method. As the compressor 5 used in the oxygen concentrator 1, a reciprocating piston type or a rotary scroll type is generally used, but any type can be used as long as it can compress air in the atmosphere. You may use.
[0020]
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the exhaust silencer 15 included in the oxygen concentrator of the present embodiment. The air flow exhausted from the compressor 5 is introduced into the expansion chamber 17 from the intake orifice 19, and the frequency component of the quarter wavelength of the expansion chamber length L is caused by transmission loss determined by the ratio of the cross-sectional areas S1 and S2. Reduced. The expansion chamber 17 does not need to be a cylinder or a rectangular parallelepiped, and a sound insulating material or a sound absorbing material can be attached inside or outside the expansion chamber 17 as necessary. In the conventional expansion silencer, exhaust is directly exhausted from the exhaust orifice 20, but in the present embodiment, when passing through the extended flow path silencer 18, airflow noise generated in the intake orifice is reduced and exhausted from the exhaust orifice. The Thus, by having the extended flow path type silencer 18 in the expansion part 17, the silencer alone can sufficiently silence, and is particularly effective for a medical oxygen concentrator that is required to be downsized. . In addition, it can apply also to the intake sound of a compressor by making airflow direction reverse.
[0021]
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the extended flow path muffler 18 included in the oxygen concentrator of this embodiment. There is a mandrel 21 of an appropriate thickness inside the tube, and a sound absorbing material 22 such as urethane foam or felt is spirally wound from one end of the mandrel to the other end. Therefore, a space is spirally formed between the mandrel, the sound absorbing material, and the inner wall of the pipe. The gas advances while swirling the spiral shape, and is discharged from one or a plurality of holes provided at the other end, or a lead-out pipe on a completely open pipe end face. Air with a large sound pressure is exposed to the sound absorbing material layer while traveling through a flow path elongated by taking a spiral shape, and the ratio of the energy of the sound that collided with the sound absorbing material layer to thermal energy during that time Increases the sound absorption effect. In addition, some of the sound does not move along the spiral, but travels linearly toward the outlet, but this component is divided into many layers by the number of turns of the sound absorbing material. Since it passes, a great sound reduction effect is obtained.
[0022]
The silencer included in the oxygen concentrator of this embodiment includes an expansion-type silencer that introduces intake air into an expansion chamber having a predetermined volume, and an extended flow path that is formed to extend a predetermined length using a sound-absorbing material as a partition, as described below. It is characterized in that it is configured in combination with an extended flow path type muffler part into which intake air is introduced.
[0023]
The silencer having the above-described configuration includes an air supply means for generating oxygen-enriched gas by supplying raw air to the adsorption bed and adsorbing nitrogen, and the adsorption bed for purging nitrogen from the adsorption bed. In order to reduce the intake noise and / or exhaust noise of the air supply means and / or the vacuum pump in the vacuum pump for sucking the internal gas, the vacuum pump is disposed in at least one of the respective intake passages and exhaust passages. The oxygen concentrator is used as at least one of the silencers.
[0024]
【Example】
[Example 1]
FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a silencer included in the oxygen concentrator according to the present embodiment described above, and an intake orifice φ5 mm, an expansion chamber φ30 mm, L = 200 mm, an extended flow path type silencer φ15 mm, and a length of 100 mm It is attached to the internal exhaust orifice side.
[0025]
[Example 2]
FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a silencer included in the oxygen concentrator according to the present embodiment. The difference from the configuration illustrated in FIG. 4 is that the extended flow path type silencer is attached to the intake orifice side. is there. That is, the silencer shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is configured by disposing the extension flow path of the extension flow path type muffler inside the expansion chamber of the expansion type muffler.
[0026]
[Example 3]
FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a silencer included in the oxygen concentrator according to the present embodiment. The difference from the configurations illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 is that the extended flow path type silencer is disposed on the exhaust orifice side outside the expansion chamber. It is a point attached to. That is, the silencer shown in FIG. 6 is configured by disposing an expansion-type silencer and an extended flow path-type silencer in series along the intake or exhaust flow path.
[0027]
[Example 4]
FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a silencer included in the oxygen concentrator according to the present embodiment. An extended flow path type silencer is provided between an intake orifice φ5 mm, an expansion chamber φ30 mm, L = 200 mm, and an expansion chamber outer shell φ40 mm. Provided. That is, the silencer shown in FIG. 7 is configured by arranging the extension flow path of the extension flow path type muffler so as to surround the expansion chamber of the expansion muffler.
[0028]
[Comparative Example 1]
FIG. 8 shows an expansion-type silencer according to the prior art, in which an intake orifice φ5 mm, an expansion chamber φ30 mm, and L = 200 mm.
[0029]
[Comparison of noise reduction effect in each example and comparative example]
In the oxygen concentrator having the configuration described above, noise was measured when the silencer of Examples 1 to 4 described above was used and when the expansion silencer of the prior art (Comparative Example 1) was used. .
[0030]
The noise measurement was performed using a normal sound level meter (manufactured by RION, model NL-05) in an environment of a general Western room with a background noise of 25 dB (A) or less. The results are shown in Table 1.
[0031]
[Table 1]

[0032]
As described above, by using the silencer of each example according to the embodiment of the present invention, from the sound pressure level 52 dB (A) when no silencer is used to 28 to 33 dB (A). It was confirmed that it was reduced.
[0033]
In addition, the measurement results in each of the above examples clearly show that it is more effective than the case where the silencer of the prior art (Comparative Example 1) is used.
That is, FIG. 9 to FIG. 12 are characteristic diagrams of the 1/3 octave analysis sound pressure level of Examples 1 to 4, and FIG. 13 is a characteristic diagram of the 1/3 octave analysis sound pressure level of Comparative Example 1.
[0034]
As can be easily understood from the drawing, in the expansion silencer of the prior art, the high frequency sound of 2500 Hz or higher generated when the airflow passes through the intake orifice can be confirmed at 30 dB (A) or higher. When using the silencer of each embodiment according to the present invention, the high-frequency sound of 2500 Hz or more is 25 dB (A), which is clearly lower than the case of using the expansion silencer of the prior art. It is.
[0035]
In the implementation of the present invention, various modifications are possible. For example, “at least one adsorption bed filled with an adsorbent that preferentially adsorbs nitrogen over oxygen, and feed air to the adsorption bed. Pressure fluctuation adsorption type equipped with an air supply means for generating oxygen-enriched gas by adsorbing nitrogen and a muffler disposed in the intake passage to reduce the intake noise of the air supply means In the oxygen concentrator, the silencer includes an expansion-type silencer that introduces the intake air into an expansion chamber having a predetermined volume, and an extension in which intake air is introduced into an extension flow path that is formed to have a predetermined length by using a sound absorbing material as a partition The extending channel type silencer is composed of a mandrel part, N pipe parts arranged coaxially and concentrically with each other, respectively. The outer surface of the pipe or mandrel and the surrounding area N sound-absorbing material portions arranged spirally from one end to the other end in the thick cylindrical space sandwiched between the inner peripheral surface of the tube portion, each outer peripheral surface, and each inner peripheral surface, An inlet for introducing gas so that a concentric and N-layered spiral space surrounded by each sound absorbing material portion serves as a flow path for intake or exhaust, a connecting portion for connecting the spiral spaces, and discharge of gas It is good also as an oxygen concentration apparatus characterized by having the discharge port to perform.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention effectively silences the compressor intake sound as the air supply device and / or the exhaust sound of the vacuum pump as the device that discharges the gas other than oxygen concentrated from the adsorption bed, thereby generating noise. Therefore, it is possible to provide an oxygen concentrator with very little.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an oxygen concentrator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a silencer included in the oxygen concentrator in FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of an extended flow path type silencer used in the silencer of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a silencer included in the oxygen concentrating device of Example 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a silencer included in the oxygen concentrating device of Example 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a silencer included in the oxygen concentrating device of Example 3 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a silencer included in the oxygen concentrating device of Example 4 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an expansion silencer included in an oxygen concentrator according to the prior art.
FIG. 9 is a characteristic diagram showing a 1/3 octave band sound pressure level when the silencer of FIG. 4 is used.
10 is a characteristic diagram showing a 1/3 octave band sound pressure level when the silencer of FIG. 5 is used. FIG.
FIG. 11 is a characteristic diagram showing a 1/3 octave band sound pressure level when the silencer of FIG. 6 is used.
12 is a characteristic diagram showing a 1/3 octave band sound pressure level when the silencer of FIG. 7 is used. FIG.
13 is a characteristic diagram showing a 1/3 octave band sound pressure level when using the expansion silencer of FIG. 8 which is the prior art.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Oxygen concentrator 2 Adsorbent bed 3 Adsorbent 4 Surge tank 5 Compressor (air supply means)
6 Compressor drive motor 7 Cooling fan 8 Compressor compression mechanism 9 Flow path switching valve 10 Flow rate setting device 11 Controller 12 Nasal cannula 13 Inlet port 14 Outlet port 15 Exhaust silencer 16 Intake silencer 17 Expansion chamber 18 Stretched channel type silencer Part 19 Intake orifice 20 Exhaust orifice 21 Mandrel 22 Amount of sound absorbing material

Claims

In an oxygen concentrator for separating oxygen in air and generating oxygen-enriched gas, an expansion-type silencer having an expansion chamber having a predetermined volume in a supply pipe for supplying raw air and / or an exhaust pipe for discharging exhaust air, and An oxygen concentrating apparatus comprising a silencer including an extension channel type silencer having an extension channel formed by extending a predetermined length using a sound absorbing material as a partition wall.

2. The oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, wherein the silencer is provided with an extension channel of the extension channel type silencer so as to surround the expansion chamber of the expansion type silencer.

3. The oxygen-enriched channel according to claim 2, wherein the extended flow path type silencer is provided with a spiral sound absorbing material on the outer peripheral portion of the expansion chamber of the expansion type silencer to form a spiral extended flow path. apparatus.

The extended flow path type sound deadening portion is composed of multiple pipes arranged concentrically, and includes a sound absorbing material portion spirally wound from one end to the other end of the outer peripheral surface of the pipe portion. The oxygen concentrator according to claim 3, further comprising a folded connecting portion that forms a spiral space between the two spaces and sequentially connects the spaces to each other.

2. The oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, wherein the silencer includes an extension channel of the extension channel type silencer disposed inside an expansion chamber of the expansion silencer.

The oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, wherein the silencer has the expansion silencer and the extended flow path silencer arranged in series along an intake or exhaust flow path.

The oxygen concentrator according to any one of claims 5 and 6, wherein the extended flow path type silencer includes a spiral member made of a sound absorbing material and includes a spiral extended flow path. .

8. The oxygen concentrator according to claim 7, wherein the spiral member is composed of a mandrel part and a sound absorbing material part spirally wound from one end to the other end of the outer peripheral surface of the mandrel part.

The extended flow path type sound deadening portion is composed of multiple pipes arranged concentrically, and includes a sound absorbing material portion spirally wound from one end to the other end of the outer peripheral surface of the pipe portion. The oxygen concentrator according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising a folded connection portion that forms a spiral space between the two spaces and connects the spaces to each other sequentially.

The oxygen concentrator generates oxygen-enriched gas by adsorbing nitrogen by supplying at least one adsorbent bed filled with an adsorbent that preferentially adsorbs nitrogen over oxygen, and supplying raw air to the adsorbent bed. An air supply means having a pressure pump function and / or a vacuum pump function to desorb and regenerate the adsorbed nitrogen, and the silencer discharges the raw air supply pipe and / or exhaust air to the air supply means The oxygen concentrator according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the oxygen concentrator is provided in a tube.

A silencer comprising an expansion-type silencer having an expansion chamber having a predetermined volume and a stretched-channel-type silencer having a stretched channel formed by stretching a predetermined length using a sound absorbing material as a partition, wherein the expansion-type silencer A silencer, characterized in that an extension channel of the extension channel type silencer is disposed so as to surround the expansion chamber.

The extended flow path type sound deadening portion is composed of multiple pipes arranged concentrically, and includes a sound absorbing material portion spirally wound from one end to the other end of the outer peripheral surface of the pipe portion. The silencer according to claim 11, further comprising a folded connection portion that forms a spiral space between the spaces and connects the spaces sequentially to each other.