JP2010104433A - Oxygen enriching air introduction system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an oxygen enriching air introduction system, where the flow rate of oxygen enriching air is adjustable. <P>SOLUTION: In the oxygen enriching air introduction system, oxygen enriching air is produced by an oxygen enriching means 2 by causing negative pressures to be generated in the water flow of a pipe 6 and making it act on the oxygen enriching means 2 through an introduction pipe 1. Then, the produced oxygen enriching air is introduced into the pipe 6 from the introduction pipe 1. The system includes a flow rate adjustment means 3 to adjust the flow rate of water in the pipe 6 and at least either a sensor 4 to detect the pressure or flow rate of oxygen enriching air in the introduction pipe 1 or a sensor 5 to detect the temperature of oxygen enriching membrane 21 of oxygen enriching means 2 or its ambient temperature. The flow rate of oxygen enriching air made to enter the pipe 6 from the introduction pipe 1 is adjusted as the flow rate adjustment means 3 adjusts the flow rate of pipe 6 and changes the negative pressures taking place in the flow of pipe 6, in accordance with the pressure or flow rate of oxygen enriching air in the introduction pipe 1, or the temperature of oxygen enriching membrane 21, detected by the sensor 4, 5. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an oxygen-enriched air introduction device.

  Conventionally, oxygen-enriched air generated by an oxygen-enriching device is introduced into a pipe that circulates bathtub water in the bathtub with a pump, oxygen-enriched air is mixed into the bathtub water, and oxygen is discharged into the bathtub again. An enriched hot water supply apparatus is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In this oxygen-enriched hot water supply apparatus, a throttle portion is provided in a pipe, and oxygen-enriched air generated by the oxygen enricher is introduced into the pipe by a negative pressure generated in the throttle. In the oxygen enrichment apparatus, an oxygen enriched film is used, and oxygen is selectively permeated through the oxygen enriched film to generate oxygen enriched air. Due to the characteristics of the oxygen-enriched membrane, the permeation flow rate varies depending on the environmental temperature. Therefore, in the oxygen-enriched hot water supply apparatus, the flow rate of oxygen-enriched air introduced into the pipe line varies, and this variation is the pump of the pipe line. When the gas-liquid mixing ratio in the interior is changed and the gas ratio is high, there is a possibility that a problem such as air lock of the pump may occur. Therefore, in order to secure a desired gas flow rate, a vacuum pump is provided, the vacuum pressure by the vacuum pump is applied to the oxygen-enriched membrane, and oxygen-enriched air is excessively sucked, and all or part of it is placed in the pipe line. It is possible to introduce. That is, it is conceivable that the flow rate is set so that a desired flow rate is obtained even under the assumed worst temperature condition (low temperature condition), and excess air is discharged to others when there is too much air under high temperature conditions. However, there is a problem that the cost becomes high, for example, a vacuum pump and another path are required.
JP 2004-350932 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances as described above, and an object thereof is to provide an oxygen-enriched air introducing device capable of adjusting the flow rate of oxygen-enriched air.

  The present invention is characterized by the following in order to solve the above problems.

  First, an oxygen-enriching means that has an oxygen-enriched membrane and generates oxygen-enriched air, and an introduction pipe that introduces oxygen-enriched air generated by the oxygen-enriched means into the water pipe are provided. In an oxygen-enriched air introduction device that introduces oxygen-enriched air generated by the oxygen enrichment means from the introduction pipe into the water conduit by causing negative pressure generated in the water flow of the water pipe to act on the oxygen enrichment means from the introduction pipe. A flow rate adjusting means for adjusting the flow rate of the water pipe, which varies the negative pressure generated in the water flow of the water pipe, a sensor for detecting the pressure in the introduction pipe or the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air, and the oxygen enrichment of the oxygen enrichment means At least one of sensors for detecting the temperature of the membrane or the ambient temperature in the vicinity thereof is provided, and the pressure in the introduction pipe detected by the sensor, the flow rate of oxygen-enriched air, or the oxygen-enriched membrane At or near temperature Adjusting the flow rate of oxygen-enriched air introduced from the inlet pipe to the water pipe by changing the negative pressure generated in the water flow of the water pipe by adjusting the flow rate of the water pipe with the flow rate adjusting means according to the ambient temperature. .

  Second, in the first invention, the flow rate adjusting means is a liquid feed pump.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the flow rate adjusting means generates the negative pressure generated in the water flow in the water pipe according to the pressure in the introduction pipe or the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air or the temperature of the oxygen-enriched membrane or the ambient temperature in the vicinity thereof. It can be adjusted and adjusted within a preset range so that the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air introduced from the introduction pipe into the water pipe does not fluctuate greatly. Therefore, variation in the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air due to fluctuations in the environmental temperature is suppressed, and the oxygen-enriched air can be introduced into the water pipe at a stable flow rate. In addition, it is possible to suppress the variation in the flow rate of oxygen-enriched air without installing a vacuum pump and a separate path for discharging excess air. Is no longer necessary, and the device can be miniaturized.

  According to the second invention in which the flow rate adjusting means is a liquid feed pump, a high-pressure water flow can be generated, and oxygen-enriched air can be easily introduced into the water pipe. In addition, since fluctuations in the flow rate of oxygen-enriched air introduced into the water pipe are suppressed, fluctuations in the gas-liquid mixing ratio inside the liquid feed pump are suppressed, and the problem of air lock in the liquid feed pump is solved. The oxygen-enriched air introducing device can be driven comfortably.

  The present invention has the features as described above. The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an oxygen-enriched air introducing device for bathtubs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  A suction port 8 and a discharge port 9 are provided on the side wall of the bathtub 20, and the bathtub water W in the bathtub 20 is sucked into the suction port 8, and oxygen-enriched air is dissolved in the bathtub water W at the discharge port 9. The dissolved gas dissolved water is discharged.

  The suction port 8 and the discharge port 9 are communicated with a water pipe 6 for circulating bath water disposed outside the bathtub 20, and a liquid feed pump 31 constituting the flow rate adjusting means 3 is provided in the middle of the water pipe 6. The bath water W in the bathtub 20 is sucked from the suction port 8 by driving the liquid feed pump 31 and discharged from the discharge port 9 into the bathtub 20 through the water pipe 6.

  A gas introduction part 10 is provided in the water flow pipe 6 on the upstream side of the liquid feed pump 31, and the introduction pipe 1 is connected to the gas introduction part 10. Furthermore, an oxygen enrichment means 2 is disposed upstream of the introduction pipe 1, and oxygen-enriched air produced by the oxygen enrichment means 2 passes through the introduction pipe 1 from the gas introduction section 10. The water pipe 6 is introduced.

  The gas introduction part 10 of the water flow pipe 6 has an ejector structure, and a negative pressure is generated when the water flow generated by driving the liquid feed pump 31 passes, and this negative pressure is supplied from the introduction pipe 1 to the oxygen of the oxygen enrichment means 2. By acting on the enrichment film 21, the oxygen-enriched air generated by the oxygen enrichment means 2 is introduced from the introduction pipe 1 into the water pipe 6. The negative pressure generated in the gas introduction unit 10 varies depending on the strength of the water flow in the water pipe 6, and the stronger the water flow, the more negative pressure is generated.

  The oxygen-enriching means 2 is composed of an oxygen-enriched film 21 that separates nitrogen and oxygen and selectively permeates oxygen, and oxygen in the oxygen-enriched film 21 permeates a negative pressure lower than atmospheric pressure. By acting on the side (downstream of the oxygen-enriched film 21), oxygen is selectively taken in from the air upstream of the oxygen-enriched film 21 and air having a relatively high oxygen concentration (oxygen-enriched air) ) Is generated. In the vicinity of the oxygen-enriched film 21, air enriched with nitrogen that is difficult to permeate stays. For this reason, in this embodiment, the ventilation fan 22 which ventilates the surface of the oxygen enrichment film | membrane 21 is provided.

  This oxygen-enriched film 21 generally has the following characteristics. That is, when the negative pressure applied to the oxygen-enriched film 21 is constant, the permeate flow rate increases as the temperature of the oxygen-enriched film 21 increases, and the oxygen concentration of the air after permeating the oxygen-enriched film 21 decreases. To do. On the contrary, if the temperature is lowered, the permeation flow rate is lowered, and the oxygen concentration of the air after permeating the oxygen-enriched film 21 is increased. The supply amount of oxygen-enriched air determined by the product of the oxygen concentration of the air after permeating the oxygen-enriched membrane 21 and the permeation flow rate generally tends to increase as the temperature increases. Further, when a more negative pressure is applied to the oxygen-enriched membrane 21, the permeate flow rate is increased, the oxygen concentration of the air after permeating the oxygen-enriched membrane 21 is increased, and the supply amount of oxygen-enriched air is general. It tends to increase.

  In the present embodiment, based on such characteristics of the oxygen-enriched membrane 21, the flow rate of oxygen-enriched air introduced into the water pipe 6 is adjusted within a preset range. Specifically, the sensor 4 for detecting the pressure in the introduction pipe 1 and the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air, the sensor 5 for detecting the temperature of the oxygen-enriched film of the oxygen-enriching means and the ambient temperature in the vicinity thereof, or those Both sensors 4 and 5 are provided, and based on information such as the pressure in the introduction pipe 1 detected by the sensors 4 and 5, the flow rate of oxygen-enriched air, the temperature of the oxygen-enriched film 21, and the ambient temperature in the vicinity thereof. The flow rate of the bath water W flowing through the water pipe 6 is adjusted by changing the output voltage (pump capacity) of the liquid feed pump 31. When the flow rate of the bathtub water W flowing in the water pipe 6 is changed, the strength of the water flow is changed, and the negative pressure generated in the gas introduction unit 10 is changed as described above. If the negative pressure changes, the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air changes due to the characteristics of the oxygen-enriched membrane 21. Therefore, the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air introduced into the water pipe 6 is changed by changing the pumping capacity of the liquid feed pump 31. Adjustment can be made within a preset range.

Next, how the flow rate of oxygen-enriched air specifically changes will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the flow rate-negative pressure characteristics of oxygen-enriched air, where (a) shows the case where the pumping capacity of the liquid feed pump is constant, and (b) shows this embodiment. The case where the pumping capacity of the feed pump is variable is shown. The vertical axis represents the flow rate of oxygen-enriched air, and the horizontal axis represents negative pressure. The negative pressure shown on the horizontal axis is a larger negative pressure as it goes to the right side of the graph. The PQ characteristics of the oxygen-enriched film vary with changes in the material lot of the film and the environmental temperature, and the straight lines A and B indicate the upper and lower limits of the variation in the PQ characteristics of the oxygen-enriched film, respectively. ing. The flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air is determined by a balance point between the PQ characteristic of the oxygen-enriched film and the PQ characteristic of the liquid feed pump. For example, in FIG. 2A, the negative pressure that can be read from the horizontal axis at the point a where the straight line C indicating the PQ characteristic of the liquid feed pump intersects with the straight line A indicating the PQ characteristic of the oxygen-enriched film is oxygen-rich. The pressure acting on the chemical film is Q _U1 so that the flow rate of oxygen-enriched air at that time can be read from the vertical axis. Similarly, a negative pressure that can be read from the horizontal axis at point b where the straight line C indicating the PQ characteristic of the liquid feed pump and the straight line B indicating the PQ characteristic of the oxygen-enriched film intersect acts on the oxygen-enriched film. The pressure is Q _L1 so that the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air at that time can be read from the vertical axis. Therefore, the change in the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air when the variation in the PQ characteristic of the oxygen-enriched film is taken into consideration is in the range of Q _{L1 to} Q _U1 .

A straight line D and a straight line E in FIG. 2B indicate an upper limit value and a lower limit value of the PQ characteristics of the assumed liquid feed pump, respectively. The PQ characteristic when the pump capacity is changed by changing the output voltage of the liquid feed pump is determined by a straight line obtained by translating the straight line D or the straight line E between the upper limit value and the lower limit value. When the pumping capacity of the liquid feed pump is changed, the flow rate change can be made smaller than the range of Q _{L1 to} Q _U1 , which is the flow rate change of the oxygen-enriched air in (a). For example, at a point c where the straight line E indicating the PQ characteristic of the liquid feed pump and the straight line A indicating the PQ characteristic of the oxygen-enriched membrane intersect, the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air becomes Q _U2 , At a point d where the straight line D indicating the PQ characteristic and the straight line B indicating the PQ characteristic of the oxygen-enriched film intersect, the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air becomes _QL2 . That is, even when the variation in the PQ characteristics of the oxygen-enriched film is taken into account, the change in the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air can be in the range of Q _{L2 to} Q _U2 that is smaller than the range of Q _{L1 to} Q _U1 .

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a diaphragm type pressure sensor 41 is provided in the introduction pipe as a sensor 4 for detecting the pressure in the introduction pipe 1 and the flow rate of oxygen-enriched air. The pressure sensor 41 detects the pressure in the introduction pipe 1. If the inner diameter of the introduction pipe 1 is known, the flow rate of oxygen-enriched air in the introduction pipe 1 can be easily calculated. Instead of the pressure sensor 41, a sensor that detects the flow rate of oxygen-enriched air may be provided. Further, a thermistor 51 is installed inside the case 23 that houses the oxygen-enriched film 21 and the ventilation fan 22 as a sensor 5 that detects the temperature of the oxygen-enriched film 21 of the oxygen-enriching means 2 and the ambient temperature in the vicinity thereof. The ambient temperature in the vicinity of the oxygen-enriched film 21 is always detected. The pressure sensor 41, the thermistor 51, and the liquid feed pump 31 are connected to the control unit 30, respectively. Based on the information detected by the pressure sensor 41 and the thermistor 51 in the control unit 30, the oxygen as shown in FIG. The output voltage of the liquid feed pump 31 is changed so that the flow rate range Q _{L2 to} Q _U2 of the enriched air is adjusted, and the flow rate of the bathtub water W flowing in the water pipe 6 is adjusted. When detecting the temperature of the oxygen-enriched film 21, for example, the thermistor 51 is provided in contact with the oxygen-enriched film 21. At least one of the sensor 4 that detects the pressure in the introduction pipe 1 or the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air and the sensor 5 that detects the temperature of the oxygen-enriched film 21 of the oxygen-enriching means 2 or the ambient temperature in the vicinity thereof. One side should just be provided.

  When oxygen-enriched air is introduced into the water pipe 6, the oxygen-enriched air is mixed into the bathtub water W flowing through the water pipe 6 to generate gas-liquid mixed water. Since the gas-liquid mixed water is introduced with oxygen-enriched air at a flow rate within a preset range, the gas ratio does not become so high that an air lock occurs in the liquid feed pump 31.

  A dissolution tank 7 is disposed in the water pipe 6 between the liquid feed pump 31 and the discharge port 9, and the gas-liquid mixed water is passed through a meandering path in the dissolution tank 7 or the gas-liquid mixed water is stirred. By doing so, the oxygen-enriched air is dissolved in the bath water W to generate gas-dissolved water.

  The dissolved gas generated in the dissolution tank 7 is discharged into the bathtub 20 from the discharge port 9.

  The oxygen-enriched air introduction device having the above configuration can introduce the oxygen-enriched air into the water pipe 6 at a stable flow rate while suppressing variations in the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air due to changes in the environmental temperature. In addition, it is not necessary to install a vacuum pump and a separate path for exhausting excess air to reduce the variation in the flow rate of oxygen-enriched air, and it is not necessary to secure a space for installing the vacuum pump and another path. Therefore, it is possible to design the device as a small size.

  While the present invention has been described based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, although the case where the oxygen-enriched air introducing device of the present invention is applied to a bathtub has been described, it may be applied to a shower device or the like. When applied to a shower device, for example, a water pipe is connected to a water pipe, oxygen-enriched air is introduced into the tap water from the water pipe, and gas dissolved water is discharged from the shower head through the dissolution tank. May be.

It is a schematic block diagram of the oxygen enriched air introduction apparatus for bathtubs which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the flow volume-negative pressure characteristic of oxygen-enriched air, (a) shows the case where the pump capacity of a liquid feed pump is constant, (b) shows the case where the pump capacity of a liquid feed pump varies.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Introduction piping 2 Oxygen enrichment means 21 Oxygen enrichment film 22 Ventilation fan 23 Case 3 Flow rate adjustment means 31 Liquid feed pump 4,5 Sensor 6 Water pipe W Bath water

Claims (2)

  Oxygen-enriching means that has an oxygen-enriched membrane and generates oxygen-enriched air, and an introduction pipe that introduces oxygen-enriched air generated by this oxygen-enriched means into the water pipe, and is generated by the water flow in the water pipe Oxygen-enriched air introduction device that introduces oxygen-enriched air generated by the oxygen-enriching means from the introducing pipe into the water pipe by causing negative pressure to act on the oxygen-enriching means from the inlet pipe The flow rate adjusting means for adjusting the flow rate of the water pipe, the sensor for detecting the pressure in the introduction pipe or the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air, and the temperature of the oxygen-enriched membrane of the oxygen-enriching means or its At least one of the sensors for detecting the ambient temperature in the vicinity is provided, and the pressure in the introduction pipe or the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air detected by the sensor or the temperature of the oxygen-enriched film or the vicinity thereof is provided. Atmosphere temperature Accordingly, the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air introduced from the introduction pipe to the flow pipe is adjusted by changing the negative pressure generated in the flow of the water pipe by adjusting the flow rate of the water pipe with the flow rate adjusting means. A featured oxygen-enriched air introduction device.   2. The oxygen-enriched air introducing device according to claim 1, wherein the flow rate adjusting means is a liquid feed pump.

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