JP2012196650A - Sterilization system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sterilization system which can improve sterilization efficiency compared to the prior art and which can elongate life.SOLUTION: The sterilization system is formed by including a pair of electrodes 3, a polarity reversing section 4 that is connected to the electrodes 3 and formed to be able to reverse the polarities of the electrodes 3, and a sterilization section 7 that is formed to be porous of an antibacterial substance 5 and a conductive substance 6 selected from an antibacterial metal and an antibacterial metal compound, and by keeping one of the electrodes 3 installed away from the sterilization section 7, and the other of the electrodes 3 connected to the sterilization section 7. Water is made to pass through the sterilization section 7 from one side of the electrodes 3 to flow to the other side of the electrodes 3, and the sterilization section 7 is made to carry positive charges by the polarity reversing section 4, thereby sterilizing the water with the sterilization section 7.

Description

  The present invention relates to a sterilizer used to sterilize bacteria in water.

  Conventionally, in sterilizing bacteria in water, for example, a method is known in which cuprous oxide or the like is added to treated water after treatment with activated sludge and sterilized, and the treated water is recovered as reused water. (Patent Document 1).

  In addition, as a sterilization device, a device provided with treated water circulation means, bacteria collection means, bacteria adsorption means, and sterilization means is also known (Patent Document 2).

  Furthermore, a water disinfection device having a non-conductive bactericidal member containing a bactericidal component and a conductive electric field forming member for forming an electric field in water is also known (Patent Document 3).

JP-A-2-290291 JP-A-9-94573 JP 2008-43889 A

  However, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, since cuprous oxide or the like is simply added to the treated water, there is a problem that cuprous oxide or the like is oxidized in a short period of time and loses sterilizing ability. is there.

  Moreover, in the invention described in Patent Document 2, sterilization is performed by injecting hypochlorous acid into the bacteria collection means from the tank of the sterilization means, so that there is a problem that harmful trihalomethane or the like is generated. .

  Moreover, although the bactericidal member which consists of organic materials containing a copper ion etc. is used in the invention described in patent document 3, there exists a problem that this bactericidal member is also easy to oxidize.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides a sterilizer capable of improving the sterilization efficiency of water as compared to the prior art, obtaining treated water that is safe for drinking, and extending the lifetime. It is intended to do.

  A sterilization apparatus according to the present invention includes a pair of electrodes, a polarity reversing portion connected to the electrodes and formed to be able to reverse the polarity of the electrodes, an antibacterial substance selected from an antibacterial metal and an antibacterial metal compound, and A sterilizing part formed in a porous shape with a conductive substance, one of the electrodes is disposed away from the sterilizing part, the other of the electrodes is connected to the sterilizing part, and water is added to the sterilizing part. Sterilizing the water by the sterilization unit by passing the sterilization unit from one side of the electrode and flowing to the other side of the electrode, and positively charging the sterilization unit by the polarity reversal unit. It is a feature.

  In the sterilizer, it is preferable that the sterilizing unit is formed by mixing particles of the antibacterial substance and those selected from particles, fibers, and rods of the conductive substance.

  In the sterilization apparatus, the antibacterial substance particles are preferably supported on the carrier using a carrier selected from particles, fibers and rods of the conductive substance.

  In the sterilizing apparatus, the sterilizing part is preferably formed by filling a conductive water-permeable container formed of the conductive substance with particles of the antibacterial substance.

  In the sterilization apparatus, the sterilization unit is preferably formed by filling a porous container with particles of the antibacterial substance and installing the conductive substance as the other electrode at the filling portion.

  According to the present invention, by positively charging the sterilization part, it becomes easier to electrically adsorb and retain bacteria that are often negatively charged, improving the sterilization efficiency of water than before, Treated water that is safe for drinking can be obtained, and when the sterilizer is not in use, the polarity of the electrode is reversed to negatively charge the sterilizer, thereby keeping the antibacterial substance in a reducing atmosphere and suppressing oxidation It is possible to extend the life of the sterilizer.

It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows an example of the sterilizer which concerns on this invention. (A) is a schematic sectional drawing which shows an example of a sterilization part, (b) is a schematic sectional drawing which shows another example of a sterilization part. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows another example of the sterilizer which concerns on this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows another example of the sterilizer which concerns on this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a sterilizing apparatus according to the present invention. This sterilizing apparatus includes a pair of electrodes 3 composed of an anode 1 and a cathode 2 and a polarity reversing unit 4 electrically connected to these electrodes 3. And a sterilization part 7 formed in a porous shape with the antibacterial substance 5 and the conductive substance 6. In addition, the power supply 10 for applying a voltage between a pair of electrodes 3 may be incorporated in the sterilizer, or may be installed outside the sterilizer.

  Here, the sterilization unit 7 is provided so as to partition the inside of the sterilization tank 11 formed in a cylindrical shape with an insulating material into an upstream chamber 12 and a downstream chamber 13. In the sterilization tank 11, an inflow pipe 14 for allowing water before being sterilized (treated water) to flow into the upstream chamber 12, and water after being sterilized (treated water) for causing the downstream chamber 13 to flow out. An outflow pipe 15 is provided. In addition, since water does not touch outside air from the inflow pipe 14 to the outflow pipe 15, what is shown in FIG.1 and FIG.3 (after-mentioned) is a sealed sterilizer.

  And the sterilization part 7 is formed in the porous shape so that water may flow through the inside from one side (upstream side) to the other side (downstream side). Such a sterilizing part 7 can be formed by uniformly mixing and bringing the particles of the antibacterial substance 5 and the particles of the conductive substance 6 selected from the particles, fibers and rods into close proximity. The conductive substance 6 may be a plate-like object.

  For example, FIG. 2A shows the sterilization part 7 formed by mixing particles of the antibacterial substance 5 and particles of the conductive substance 6. Here, as the antibacterial substance 5, a substance selected from an antibacterial metal and an antibacterial metal compound is used. Specifically, it is preferable to use silver, zinc, copper, cobalt, nickel or the like as the antibacterial metal. Antibacterial metal compounds include antibacterial metal salts such as silver nitrate, silver thiosulfate, zinc chloride and copper sulfate, antibacterial metal oxides such as copper oxide, and antibacterial metal alloys such as brass. Is preferably used. Further, it is also preferable to use a material in which these antibacterial metals or antibacterial metal compounds are supported on the surface of a porous material such as zeolite. Moreover, it is preferable that the average particle diameter of the particle | grains of the antibacterial substance 5 is 1 nm-100 micrometers, and it is more preferable that they are 10 nm-10 micrometers. If the average particle diameter of the particles of the antibacterial substance 5 is 1 nm or more, even if the particles fall off from the sterilization section 7, the particles can be easily separated and removed, and the downstream of the sterilization apparatus. Even when a filter medium (not shown) is installed in the filter, clogging of the filter medium can be suppressed. On the contrary, if the average particle diameter of the antibacterial substance 5 particles is 100 μm or less, the specific surface area of the antibacterial substance 5 is increased, and the antibacterial performance can be increased. In addition, as the particles of the conductive substance 6, tin oxide particles, antimony / tin oxide (ATO) particles, indium / tin oxide (ITO) particles, aluminum-doped zinc oxide particles, gallium-doped zinc oxide particles, particulate stainless steel It is preferable to use particulate metals and alloys such as, particles obtained by performing metal plating on the particle surface, carbon particles, and the like. Further, the average particle diameter of the particles of the conductive material 6 is preferably 10 nm to 10 mm, and more preferably 1 μm to 5 mm. If the average particle diameter of the particles of the conductive material 6 is 10 nm or more, even if the particles fall off from the sterilization unit 7, the particles can be easily separated and removed, and the downstream of the sterilization apparatus. Even when a filter medium (not shown) is installed in the filter, clogging of the filter medium can be suppressed. On the contrary, if the average particle diameter of the particles of the conductive material 6 is 10 mm or less, these particles can be easily brought into contact with each other, and the conductivity of the entire sterilization part 7 can be ensured. Moreover, these things are mixed so that the particle | grains of the electroconductive substance 6 may become preferably 10-10000 mass parts, more preferably 100-1000 mass parts with respect to 100 mass parts of the antimicrobial substance 5 particles. If the particle | grains of the electroconductive substance 6 are 10 mass parts or more, it will become easy to contact these particles and the electroconductivity of the whole sterilization part 7 can be ensured. On the contrary, if the particle | grains of the electroconductive substance 6 are 10000 mass parts or less, the antibacterial performance of the sterilization part 7 is securable. The average particle diameter can be measured by a laser diffraction / scattering method.

  Moreover, FIG.2 (b) shows the sterilization part 7 formed by mixing the particle | grains of the antibacterial substance 5, and the fiber or rod-shaped object of the electroconductive substance 6. FIG. Here, as the antibacterial substance 5, one selected from an antibacterial metal and an antibacterial metal compound is used as described above. In this case, the average particle diameter of the antibacterial substance 5 particles is preferably the same as described above. Further, as the fiber or rod-like material of the conductive material 6, it is preferable to use a fibrous metal and alloy such as fibrous stainless steel, a mesh-like metal and alloy such as mesh-like stainless steel, a rod-like metal and alloy such as rod-like stainless steel, or the like. . The average diameter of the fibers or rods of the conductive material 6 is preferably 1 μm to 10 mm, and more preferably 10 μm to 1 mm. When the average diameter of the fibers or rods of the conductive material 6 is 1 μm or more, it is difficult to physically tear. Conversely, if the average diameter of the fibers or rods of the conductive material 6 is 10 mm or less, a gap through which water flows can be secured inside the sterilizing unit 7. Moreover, these things are mixed so that the fiber or rod-like material of the conductive substance 6 is preferably 1 to 10000 parts by mass, more preferably 10 to 1000 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the particles of the antibacterial substance 5. . If the fiber or rod-like material of the conductive material 6 is 1 part by mass or more, the particles can be easily brought into contact with each other, and the conductivity of the entire sterilization unit 7 can be ensured. On the contrary, if the fiber or rod-like material of the conductive material 6 is 10000 parts by mass or less, the antibacterial performance of the sterilizing unit 7 can be ensured. The average diameter can be obtained as an average value of the measurement results obtained by measuring the diameter of the fibers or rods of the predetermined number of conductive substances 6 with an optical microscope or an electron microscope.

  And although the antibacterial substance 5 has the effect | action which disinfects bacteria, the contact area of the antibacterial substance 5 and bacteria is fully ensured by using a particulate thing like FIG. It is something that can be done. Moreover, the sterilization part 7 can be easily formed into a porous shape by entanglement of the particles of the antibacterial substance 5 and the particles of the conductive substance 6, the fiber and the rod-like material. Water can flow inside.

  In addition, it is preferable to use a carrier selected from particles, fibers and rods of the conductive material 6 and to carry the particles of the antibacterial material 5 on the carrier. Thus, when the particles of the antibacterial substance 5 are supported on the carrier, the particles of the antibacterial substance 5 can be prevented from flowing down from the carrier during the sterilization treatment.

  For example, the above-mentioned supporting is performed by mixing particles of the antibacterial substance 5 and particles selected from the conductive substance 6 particles, fibers, and rods, and this mixture is preferably 100 to 1000 ° C., more preferably 200 to 200 ° C. This can be done by heating to 500 ° C. If the heating temperature is 100 ° C. or higher, the antibacterial substance 5 particles can be firmly supported on the conductive substance 6 particles, fibers and rods. On the other hand, if the heating temperature is 1000 ° C. or less, the antibacterial substance 5 and the conductive substance 6 can be prevented from being altered, or the antibacterial performance and conductivity can be prevented from being lost by melting. It can be done.

  Moreover, said carrying | supporting can also be performed as follows. First, 1 to 10 parts by mass of tetraethoxysilane, 0.1 to 10 parts by mass of ion-exchanged water, 0.01 to 1 part by mass of nitric acid having a concentration of 0.01 to 1 mol / l, and 10 to 100 parts by mass of ethanol. A solution containing a partially hydrolyzed polycondensation product of tetraethoxysilane is obtained by mixing in a reaction vessel and stirring to react for 1 to 100 hours. Next, 0.1 to 10 parts by mass of copper oxide (II) as the antibacterial substance 5 is added to 10 to 100 parts by mass of the solution containing the partially hydrolyzed polycondensation product of tetraethoxysilane, and the mixture is stirred for 1 to 100 minutes. By doing so, a coating liquid is obtained. Then, a stainless steel mesh (for example, made of SUS304, wire diameter 0.01 to 1 mm, mesh 0.01 to 10 mm, 2 to 1000 mesh), which is the conductive material 6, is immersed in the coating solution for 1 to 100 seconds to provide an extra coating. After removing the liquid and coating, the conductive substance 6 carrying the antibacterial substance 5 can be formed by heating and drying and curing at 100 to 500 ° C. for 1 minute to 10 hours. This can be used as the sterilizing unit 7.

  In addition, one of the electrodes 3 is provided in the inflow pipe 14 in the case shown in FIG. 1, but if the electrode 3 is installed away from the sterilization unit 7, the electrode 3 is disposed in the upstream chamber 12 of the sterilization tank 11. One may be provided. The other of the electrodes 3 is provided on the surface of the sterilization unit 7 on the downstream chamber 13 side and is electrically connected to the sterilization unit 7, but is electrically insulated from the sterilization tank 11. Further, the other electrode 3 is formed in a porous shape so that water flows from the sterilizing section 7 to the downstream chamber 13. The polarity reversing unit 4 is formed so as to be able to reverse the polarity of the electrode 3 by providing a switch 20 or the like. Therefore, by switching the switch 20, one of the electrodes 3 can be the cathode 2 and the other can be the anode 1, or one of the electrodes 3 can be the anode 1 and the other can be the cathode 2.

  When water is sterilized using the sterilization apparatus formed as described above, first, water is supplied from one side (upstream side) of the electrode 3, that is, from the inflow pipe 14 to the upstream chamber 12 of the sterilization tank 11. Then, after passing through the inside of the sterilization unit 7 and flowing to the other side (downstream side) of the electrode 3, the sterilization tank 11 is made to flow out from the downstream chamber 13 to the outflow pipe 15. In this way, simultaneously with the flow of water, the polarity reversal unit 4 uses one of the electrodes 3 as the cathode 2 and the other as the anode 1, and the sterilization unit 7 electrically connected to the anode 1 is positively charged (plus charge). Then, the water flowing inside the sterilizing unit 7 can be sterilized by the antibacterial substance 5 of the sterilizing unit 7. In this way, by positively charging the sterilization unit 7, it becomes easier to electrically adsorb and retain bacteria that are often negatively charged (minus charge), and the sterilization efficiency of water is higher than in the past. It is possible to improve and obtain safe treated water for drinking. In addition, by reversing the polarity of the electrode 3 when the sterilizer is not used, one of the electrodes 3 is the anode 1 and the other is the cathode 2, and the sterilization unit 7 electrically connected to the cathode 2 is negatively charged, The antibacterial substance 5 can be kept in a reducing atmosphere, oxidation can be suppressed, and the life of the sterilizer can be extended.

  FIG. 3 shows another example of the sterilizing apparatus according to the present invention, but the description of the configuration and effects common to those shown in FIG. 1 will be omitted, and different configurations and effects will be described.

  That is, the sterilization part 7 shown in FIG. 3 is formed by filling the conductive water-permeable container 8 with at least particles of the antibacterial substance 5. Here, the conductive water container 8 is formed of the conductive material 6 and is formed by providing water holes (not shown) on the bottom surface and side surfaces. For example, a stainless steel mesh formed in a cage shape can be used as the conductive water-permeable container 8. As described above, it is preferable to use a metal such as stainless steel, an alloy, or the like as the conductive substance 6 forming the conductive water container 8. In addition to the particles of the antibacterial substance 5, the conductive water container 8 may be filled with a substance selected from particles of the conductive substance 6, fibers and rods. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the conductive water container 8 is filled with the particles of the antibacterial substance 5 and the particles of the conductive substance 6 that are selected from the particles, fibers, and rods and mixed together. May be. And the sterilization part 7 is being fixed inside the sterilization tank 11 by interposing O-ring 16 between the outer periphery of the electroconductive water flow container 8 and the inner periphery of the sterilization tank 11. Thereby, it can suppress that the sterilization part 7 vibrates during use of a sterilizer. Further, the inside of the sterilization tank 11 is partitioned into an upstream chamber 12 and a downstream chamber 13 by an O-ring 16. For this reason, the water in the upstream chamber inevitably flows into the downstream chamber 13 after passing through the inside of the sterilizing unit 7, and can be prevented from flowing while avoiding the sterilizing unit 7. The means for fixing the sterilization unit 7 inside the sterilization tank 11 and the means for partitioning the sterilization tank 11 into the upstream chamber 12 and the downstream chamber 13 are not limited to the O-ring 16.

  Further, since the other electrode 3 is formed of the conductive water container 8 of the sterilization unit 7, the conductive water container 8 is electrically insulated from one of the electrodes 3. Further, a connector 17 is provided on the outer surface of the conductive water container 8 so that an electric wire 23 such as a cable from the polarity reversing unit 4 can be inserted and removed.

  As described above, according to the sterilization apparatus shown in FIG. 3, the sterilization unit 7 is only fixed to the sterilization tank 11 by the O-ring 16, so if the electric wire 23 is removed from the connector 17, the sterilization unit 7 is used as a cartridge. It can be easily exchanged and can improve maintainability. Although not shown in the drawings, when an existing water treatment apparatus is formed by providing a filter medium in the pipe, the sterilizing section 7 as described above is replaced with an O-ring 16 or the like instead of the filter medium. An existing water treatment apparatus can be easily made into a sterilization apparatus by retrofitting the pipe and appropriately installing the electrode 3 and the polarity reversing unit 4.

  FIG. 4 shows another example of the sterilizer according to the present invention, but the description of the configuration and effects common to those shown in FIG. 1 will be omitted, and different configurations and effects will be described.

  That is, the sterilization part 7 shown in FIG. 4 is formed by filling the porous container 9 with at least particles of the antibacterial substance 5 and installing the conductive substance 6 as the other electrode 3 at this filling location. Here, the porous container 9 also serves as the sterilization tank 11.

  The porous container 9 is provided with an opening 18 and a bottom 19 and is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape. As shown in FIG. 4, when the porous container 9 is used with the opening 18 and the bottom 19 directed upward and downward, at least the bottom 19 may be porous. In this case, the inflow pipe 14 is provided above the opening 18 and the outflow pipe 15 is provided below the bottom 19, and water flows from the inflow pipe 14 through the opening 18 into the porous container 9. Then, it flows out from the bottom portion 19 to the outflow pipe 15. Thus, when water flows into the porous container 9 from the inflow pipe 14 or when it flows out from the porous container 9 to the outflow pipe 15, the water shown in FIG. 4 is an open sterilizer. . Moreover, the porous container 9 may be formed of any of the insulating material and the conductive substance 6. In addition to the particles of the antibacterial substance 5, the porous container 9 may be filled with particles selected from particles of the conductive substance 6, fibers and rods. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the porous container 9 is filled with the particles of the antibacterial substance 5 and the particles of the conductive substance 6 that are selected from the particles, fibers, and rod-like materials evenly mixed together. May be.

  The other of the electrodes 3 is formed of a conductive material 6 and is formed by providing one or a plurality of base portions 22 with a rod-like or plate-like insertion portion 21. The base 22 is electrically connected to the polarity reversal unit 4. And the electroconductive substance 6 can be installed as the other of the electrode 3 by inserting the insertion part 21 in the location with which the particle | grains of the antimicrobial substance 5 of the porous container 9 were filled. Conversely, by pulling out the insertion portion 21, the porous container 9 and the other of the electrodes 3 can be separated.

  As described above, according to the sterilization apparatus shown in FIG. 4, the sterilization unit 7 is formed so as to be separable into the porous container 9 filled with particles of the antibacterial substance 5 and the other of the electrodes 3. The quality container 9 can be easily replaced as a cartridge, and the maintainability can be improved. Although not shown, when an existing water treatment apparatus is formed using a container filled with a filter medium in the middle of a pipe, the sterilizing unit 7 as described above is retrofitted instead of this container. And the existing water treatment apparatus can be easily made into a sterilization apparatus by installing the electrode 3 and the polarity inversion part 4 suitably.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Electrode 4 Polarity inversion part 5 Antibacterial substance 6 Conductive substance 7 Sterilization part 8 Conductive water flow container 9 Porous container

Claims (5)

  It is porous with a pair of electrodes, a polarity reversal part connected to the electrodes and formed so that the polarity of the electrodes can be reversed, an antibacterial substance selected from antibacterial metals and antibacterial metal compounds, and a conductive substance. A sterilization part formed, and one of the electrodes is disposed away from the sterilization part, the other of the electrodes is connected to the sterilization part, and water is sterilized from one side of the electrode. The sterilizing apparatus is characterized in that the water is sterilized by the sterilizing part by passing the part through the other side of the electrode and charging the sterilizing part positively by the polarity inversion part.   2. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sterilizing unit is formed by mixing particles of the antibacterial substance and those selected from particles, fibers, and rods of the conductive substance. .   3. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the antibacterial substance particles are supported on the carrier by using a carrier selected from particles, fibers and rods of the conductive substance.   2. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sterilizing unit is formed by filling a conductive water container formed of the conductive substance with particles of the antibacterial substance.   2. The sterilization part is formed by filling a porous container with particles of the antibacterial substance, and the conductive substance is installed as the other electrode at the filling portion. Sterilization equipment.

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