JP2009233106A - Deodorizing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a deodorizing apparatus which has a ratio of the width to thickness of a structure supporting an electrode discharge part prevents abrasion powder by discharge abrasion from being attached to the discharge part and an electrode from being damaged by sparking, and allows a stable discharge. <P>SOLUTION: The deodorizing apparatus includes an air blower, a means to generate ozone and ultraviolet lights by a high-voltage discharge located in a blast channel where the air is sent by the air blower, and a photocatalyst module to degrade an odor component or toxic substance in the air by a photocatalysis with the ultraviolet lights generated by the high-voltage discharge. The ratio of the width (w) to thickness (t) of a mechanism (6b) supporting the discharge part (6d) of the electrode (6) to discharge the high voltage in the high-voltage discharge means is represented as follows: w/t>1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a deodorizing apparatus for deodorizing by decomposing odor components and harmful substances contained in the air.

  In recent years, the demand for air quality improvement in living spaces is increasing due to the progress of airtightness of houses and steady outdoor air pollution. Among the air qualities, there is a growing need for reducing the odor of tobacco smoke, metabolic odor in nursing care environments, etc., or removing harmful gas components typified by VOC (volatile organic substances) generated from building materials.

  In response to these demands, many methods have been employed in the past to deodorize with an adsorbent typified by activated carbon, or to react odor components with other drug components to change odor quality and reduce odor.

  Among the prior arts, the deodorization by the adsorbent and the removal of harmful gas components are limited in the amount of adsorption, so replacement of the deodorization filter is indispensable for long-term use. In addition, even during the lifetime of the deodorizing filter, there is a problem of odor generation due to the adsorbed odor component being released again at the end of the lifetime.

  On the other hand, regarding the method of reducing the odor by reacting the odor component with other drug components and reducing the odor quality, it is difficult to replace the absorbed drug due to the consumption of the drug component or the release when releasing the drug component to the odor environment There was a difficulty in controlling the amount.

  In addition, in order to decompose and remove harmful gas components such as formaldehyde, a catalytic reaction with a high oxidation-reduction potential is required, but oxidative decomposition with ozone does not lead to complete decomposition, but stops at the intermediate decomposition product stage. Therefore, it has been difficult to completely detoxify.

  Moreover, it is possible to completely decompose the harmful gas component by irradiating a photocatalyst typified by titanium oxide with ultraviolet rays. Conventionally, however, a fluorescent tube lamp is used as an ultraviolet light source, and the lamp life is shortened. In addition to being short, it needs to be replaced, and since the mercury is contained in the tube, it was not preferable from the viewpoint of the environmental impact when the product was discarded.

In order to solve these problems, ozone and ultraviolet rays are generated by high-voltage discharge, and the photocatalyst module activated by the ultraviolet rays decomposes odorous components and harmful substances contained in the air, resulting in high-voltage discharge. There has been proposed a deodorizing apparatus in which ozone generated by the means is decomposed by an ozone decomposing means (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-339839 A

  However, the method of exciting the photocatalyst by electric discharge described in Patent Document 1 has many excellent physical properties such as high deodorizing ability, long life, and hardly deteriorated performance. Since corona discharge is performed, when fine dust enters the discharge field, sparks are generated and the electrodes are damaged by the energy. In severe sparks, the electrodes are partially melted and lost.

  To solve this phenomenon, it is possible to take measures by increasing the thickness of the electrode. However, if the electrode thickness is increased, the oxide of the electrode material due to electrode wear caused by normal corona discharge is released into the air. In other words, there is a problem that it remains in the discharge part at the tip of the electrode.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and depending on the ratio of the width dimension and thickness of the structure part that supports the discharge part of the electrode, the wear powder due to discharge wear adheres to the discharge part, and by sparks. An object of the present invention is to provide a deodorizing apparatus that can suppress both damages of the electrode and can obtain a stable discharge.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a deodorizing apparatus of the present invention includes a fan for blowing air, a means for generating ozone and ultraviolet rays by a high-voltage discharge disposed in a blowing path where air is blown by the fan, and the high voltage And a photocatalyst module that decomposes odorous components and harmful substances contained in the air by photocatalytic action by ultraviolet rays generated by the discharge means, and discharge of the electrode that discharges a high voltage by the high voltage discharge means. The relation between the width dimension and the thickness of the structure part supporting the part is set to width dimension / thickness> 1.

  According to the configuration of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the abrasion powder due to discharge wear from adhering to the discharge part, and to suppress the electrode from being damaged by sparks due to foreign matter intrusion or the like.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a deodorizing device (1) attached to a range hood or the like in a kitchen in a home, and is arranged in an air passage (2) provided in a target area where deodorization is performed. This deodorization apparatus (1) includes a photocatalyst module (3) and an ozone decomposition catalyst (4), and adsorbs and deodorizes odor molecules and organic substances contained in the air flowing through the air passage (2). is there.

  In the photocatalyst module (3), two photocatalyst filters (5) in which photocatalyst particles represented by titanium oxide are fixed are adjacent to the surface of a substrate made of an inorganic material such as glass or ceramics. Between 5a and 5b, a discharge electrode (6) is erected, and counter electrodes (7a) and (7b) comprising mesh electrodes are provided on the windward and leeward sides of the photocatalytic filters (5a) and (5b). It is configured by arranging each.

  The photocatalyst filters (5) in the photocatalyst module (3) are not necessarily provided adjacent to each other, but when there are relatively few odor components and harmful substances, the counter electrode (7) is provided before and after one photocatalyst filter. And a discharge electrode (6) may be provided.

  (8) is a power supply device for applying a DC high voltage between the discharge electrode (6) and each counter electrode (7a) (7b) by a high voltage generator (9) such as a transformer, With this configuration, the discharge electrode (6) and the counter electrodes (7a) and (7b) function as a discharge means for generating ultraviolet rays, and discharge occurs between both electrodes to generate ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of 380 nm or less. Further, (10) is a fan, and the fan (10) is arranged on the leeward side in the air passage (2) to promote air circulation and promote deodorization. The fan (10) A dust collection filter may be arranged on the windward side of the.

  The deodorizing device (1) is configured to supply a high voltage between the discharge electrode (6) and each counter electrode (7a) (7b) from the high voltage generating unit (9) by energizing the power supply device (8). The photocatalyst filter (5a) (5b) is activated by irradiating the photocatalyst filter (5a) (5b) in the meantime, and the photocatalyst is activated by the strong oxidizing action of hydroxyl radicals (free radicals). Decomposes by decomposing bonds of odorous gas components and organic compounds adsorbed on the surface and deodorizing them by deodorizing or reducing odor. In addition, the cell membrane is embrittled and antibacterial, and it is photocatalyst by oxidative decomposition. The filter (5a) (5b) suppresses the growth of microorganisms, particularly aerobic bacteria on the surface, and decomposes dirt.

  Further, when the discharge electrode (6) and the counter electrode (7) are discharged, ozone is generated together with ultraviolet rays. Therefore, the photocatalyst module (3) has a function of decomposing organic substances by generation of active oxygen due to ultraviolet rays, and ozone. It also functions as a generating means, and the odor component can be oxidatively decomposed and deodorized by mixing and reacting with the generated ozone with the air containing the odor component.

  On the leeward side of the photocatalyst module (3), the ozone decomposition catalyst (4) made of a honeycomb-shaped sintered body mainly composed of manganese dioxide is provided at a predetermined distance, and does not react with odorous substances. The excess ozone flowing down is decomposed as it is. Note that the ozone generating means is not limited to the photocatalyst module (3), but may be a combination of a creeping discharge electrode and a high voltage transformer or an electrolytic system.

  As described above, damage to the discharge electrode (6) due to spark is caused by destruction of insulation by air due to mixing of conductive foreign matters, etc., and the energy of spark discharge is very large. Therefore, the discharge part and even the structure part become a high temperature, and this is a phenomenon that oxidizes the material. This phenomenon sometimes melts the electrode material itself, and depending on the electrode structure, the electrode may be partially lost.To prevent this, the cross-sectional area that receives the spark discharge is reduced. It is effective to increase and prevent the electrode portion from being lost even if it is partially damaged.

  In order to increase the cross-sectional area of the discharge electrode (6), there are a method of increasing the width dimension of the structure part and a method of increasing the thickness, but the discharge energy penetrates in the thickness direction only by increasing the width dimension, Since there is no effect of preventing the electrode discharge part from being destroyed and the width is widened, the air passage is narrowed. Therefore, the performance as the deodorizing device (1) is affected, so increasing the thickness is effective. .

  However, by increasing the thickness and increasing the heat transfer three-dimensionally, a change appears in the phenomenon that the electrode is worn by discharge. The worn electrode material becomes a gas that is released into the air and becomes oxide, but due to increased heat transfer, the worn electrode material is not released into the air and becomes oxide on the electrode. A phenomenon that is presumed to occur occurs.

  As a result of this phenomenon, oxide is deposited on the discharge portion of the electrode and has an electric resistance. Therefore, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, which shows a change in the amount of ozone generated from the deodorizing apparatus (1) corresponding to the change, over time, although the electric discharge is consumed, the actual discharge action is hindered and reduced. As a result, the deodorizing and decomposing performance of the photocatalyst module (3) by the photocatalyst also decreases.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a plan view of the discharge electrode (6) is formed by etching the inner surface side of a thin plate metal (6a) such as copper, stainless steel, tungsten, etc., having a rectangular shape and a thickness of 0.3 mm. A structural part is formed by a grid (6b) having a wire shape with a dimension (w) of 1.0 mm and a thickness (t) of 0.3 mm. As shown in detail in FIG. A point-like discharge part (6d) protruding in the vertical direction of the horizontal plane from the central part of each side of the square hole (6c) is provided, and is shaped to be easily discharged by the point-like discharge part (6d). ing.

  On the other hand, the counter electrodes (7a) and (7b), although not particularly shown, etch a thin plate such as stainless steel in the same manner as the discharge electrode (6) in order to pass air flowing through the air passage (2) and to pass electricity. Thus, the mesh electrode is easy to manufacture and has an advantage that the cost is low.

  FIG. 6 shows oxide adhesion when the width (w) and thickness (t) of the lattice (6b), which is the structure of the discharge electrode (6), are changed to five types as shown in materials 1-5. The results of experiments on the presence or absence of damage and the state of damage during sparking are shown. As can be understood from this result, the presence or absence of oxide due to discharge depends on the thickness (t) of the electrode. In the case of deposition, oxide deposition was not observed when the thickness was as thin as 0.3 mm and 0.1 mm as in Samples 2, 4 and 5.

  On the other hand, even if oxide deposition is not recognized at 0.1 mm thickness or 0.3 mm thickness, if the width dimension (w) is 0.3 mm as shown in Documents 3 and 4, there is a problem that electrode fusing occurs during sparking. However, as shown in Document 2, in the structure where the electrode thickness (t) is 0.3 mm and the width (w) of the grating (6b) is 0.5 mm, there is no oxide deposition and damage during sparking. In addition, the discharge part was deformed, but electrode fusing did not occur. In addition, in the structure of Sample 5 where the electrode thickness (t) is 0.3 mm and the width (w) of the lattice (6b) is 1.0 mm, there is no oxide deposition and the electrode is blown out for damage during sparking. Does not occur, and good results are obtained. That is, when the electrode thickness was 0.3 mm or less and the width of the structure portion was 0.5 mm or more, the grid (6b) was not melted and a good determination result was obtained as the discharge electrode (6).

  For these reasons, in the electrode (6) for discharging a high voltage by the high-voltage discharge means, the width and thickness of the structure (6b) that can suppress oxide deposition and prevent electrode fusing during sparking. Is a combination in which the width dimension of the structure portion is larger than or equal to the thickness dimension, that is, a relation of width dimension (w) / thickness (t)> 1, and in particular, the thickness dimension is It was 0.3 mm or less, and the width dimension was 0.5-1.0 mm.

  Therefore, by setting the cross-sectional shape of the lattice (6b), which is a structural part supporting the discharge part (6d) of the electrode, to the relationship between the width dimension (w) and the thickness (t), the wear powder due to the discharge wear is oxidized. It is possible to suppress both problems such as oxide deposition that adheres to the discharge part (6d) as an object and damage such as fusing of the lattice (6b) that is a structure part of the electrode due to sparks due to intrusion of foreign matter, etc. The discharge phenomenon can be obtained.

  The present invention is configured as described above. However, the installation location of the deodorization apparatus (1) is not limited to the home living space such as the kitchen described above, and a garbage collection place placed in a public place, The present invention can also be applied to a deodorizer provided in a ventilation path so as to deodorize an internal storage space of a smoke eliminator in an office or a domestic air conditioner or refrigerator.

It is the schematic of the deodorizing apparatus which shows one Embodiment of this invention. It is a graph which shows the time-dependent change of the power consumption at the time of discharge of the deodorizing apparatus of FIG. It is a graph which shows the time-dependent change of the ozone generation amount of the deodorizing apparatus corresponding to FIG. It is a top view of the discharge electrode in FIG. It is a detailed perspective view of the discharge part of FIG. It is an experimental result showing the oxide adhesion by an electrode structure, and the damage state at the time of a spark.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Deodorizing device 2 Air path 3 Photocatalyst module 4 Ozone decomposition catalyst 5a, 5b Photocatalyst filter 6 Discharge electrode 6a Thin plate metal 6b Grid 6c Square hole 6d Discharge part 7a, 7b Counter electrode 8 Power supply device 9 High voltage generating part 10 Fan 11 Spacer member

Claims (3)

  A fan for blowing air, a means for generating ozone and ultraviolet rays by high voltage discharge arranged in a blowing path where air is blown by the fan, and a photocatalytic action by the ultraviolet rays generated by the high voltage discharging means in the air A photocatalyst module that decomposes odorous components and harmful substances contained therein, and the relationship between the width dimension and thickness of the structure part that supports the discharge part of the electrode that discharges a high voltage by the high-voltage discharge means. A deodorizing apparatus characterized in that width dimension / thickness> 1.   The deodorizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a metal member having a thickness of 0.3 mm or less is processed as a discharge electrode for applying a high voltage.   2. A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a voltage is transmitted to the discharge part of the discharge electrode and the width of the structure part supporting the structure of the discharge part is 0.5 mm or more.

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