JP2014031993A - Air shower room for nanomaterial handling facility and nanomaterial handling facility - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a worker who engages in manufacturing or handling a nanomaterial from being put at a risk for health problem (a nano risk), when handling the nanomaterial in a nanomaterial handling facility having a nanomaterial handling room, an air shower room, an anterior chamber and a general room, by keeping nanoparticles from entering the anterior room.SOLUTION: An air shower room 11 of a nanomaterial handling facility comprises: a jet fan to blow nanoparticles attached to work clothing of a worker who finishes working in a nanomaterial handling room 2; a glove suction device which is connected to a primary side of the jet fan and sucks the nanoparticles attached to gloves while storing the gloves worn by the worker; a laminar flow fan which generates a downward laminar flow; and a filter to collect the nanoparticles flowing downward by the laminar flow.

Description

  The present invention relates to an air shower room for nanomaterial handling facilities and a nanomaterial handling facility.

  For example, nanomaterials such as fullerenes, zeolites, and carbon nanotubes are used for home appliances, electrical and electronic products, paints, inks, and the like, and are already commonly used for catalysts, liquid crystals, and the like. By using nanomaterials, it is highly possible to obtain new materials with superior properties not found in conventional materials, so in the future, in addition to the above uses, for example, application to medical products and cosmetics, It is expected that research and development and production of nanomaterials will be strongly promoted.

  However, investigations and research on the effects of nanomaterials on human health have just started and have not been fully elucidated. For this reason, it is extremely important to take measures to reduce the risk (nanorisk) of health problems for workers engaged in the manufacture and handling of nanomaterials.

  FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of a conventional handling facility 1 for nanomaterials. The nanomaterial handling facility 1 includes a nanomaterial handling room 2, an air shower room 3, a front room 4, and a general room 5. With reference to the figure, a general operation when the worker leaves the work area 2b constituted by the handling room 2 in which the nanomaterial manufacturing apparatus 2a is arranged will be described. In addition, the arrow in FIG. 3 shows a worker's movement.

  An operator first blows the whole body (work clothes, gloves, mask, etc.) by jet air in the air shower chamber 3 when entering the air shower chamber 3 from the work area 2b. The worker leaves the front chamber 4 immediately after the whole body blow is finished, and discards the work clothes, gloves, and mask in a dust box (not shown) in the front chamber 4. Thereafter, the worker moves to the general room 5 and changes clothes.

  Many inventions for suppressing scattering of nanoparticles at the time of handling such nanomaterials have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). In any of these inventions, nanomaterials attached to work clothes, gloves, masks and the like worn by workers are removed by a jet stream.

JP 2004-69204 A JP 2002-59097 A JP-A-11-51432

As described above, when nanoparticles are handled in the work area 2b, the nanoparticles adhere to work clothes and gloves. However, according to the examination results of the present inventors, the worker leaves the work area 2b and performs an air shower. Even if it passes through the chamber 3, many of the nanoparticles adhered to the gloves worn by the operator cannot be removed. In addition, the nanoparticles may be reattached to clothes worn by the operator or brought into the front chamber 4 due to the scattering of the nanoparticles inside the air shower chamber 3.
Furthermore, by bringing a mask or gloves that may have nanoparticles attached to the front chamber 4, the nanoparticles adhered to the mask or gloves are scattered when changing in the front chamber 4, and the operator inhales them. There is also danger.

As a result of intensive studies in order to solve the above problems, the present inventors, as shown in FIGS.
(A) When the worker leaves the work area 2b, the glove suction unit that enters the air shower chamber 11 and blows off the nanoparticles adhered to the work clothes by the jet fan 12 and is connected to the primary side of the jet fan 12 Inhaling nanoparticles adhering to the glove by 17 and removing by the main filter 16;
(B) The jet fan 12 is stopped after a certain period of time, and the nanoparticles suspended in the air shower chamber 3 by the laminar flow fan 13 from the upper part are passed through the prefilter 14 at the lower part of the grating and passed through the main filter 16. Removing,
(C) Discard the mask and gloves in a trash can 21 with a lid in the air shower chamber 3, and (D) After the processing described in the above items A to C is completed, an operator enters the front chamber 4. Thus, it was found that the amount of nanoparticles brought into the anterior chamber 4 can be suppressed, and the present invention was completed.

The present invention is as listed below, as illustrated in FIGS.
(1) a jet fan 12 for blowing off nanoparticles adhering to work clothes worn by a worker 0 who has worked in the nanomaterial handling room 2,
A glove suction unit 17 connected to the primary side of the jet fan 12 and containing a glove worn by the worker 0 and sucking nanoparticles adhering to the glove;
A laminar flow fan 13 that forms a laminar flow from above to below;
The air shower room 11 for nanomaterial handling facilities characterized by comprising.

(2) a first main filter 16a for removing nanoparticles sucked by the glove suction part 17,
The nanomaterial handling facility air described in (1), comprising: a prefilter 14 that captures dust flowing downward by the laminar flow; and a second main filter 16b that removes the sucked nanoparticles. Shower room 11.

  (3) The nanomaterial handling described in (1) or (2), characterized in that it comprises a jet towel 17a for peeling off nanoparticles adhering to the glove housed in the glove suction part 17. Facility air shower room 11.

  (4) An air shower for nanomaterial handling facilities described in any one of items (1) to (3), comprising a rectifying device 19 for adjusting an air flow on an outlet side of the laminar flow fan. Chamber 11.

  (5) Further, any one of items (1) to (4) is provided with a trash can 21 with a lid for discarding one or more of work clothes, masks and gloves worn by the worker 0. The air shower room 11 for nanomaterial handling facilities described in the paragraph.

(6) Handling room 2 where workers handle nanomaterials,
The air shower room 11 for nanomaterial handling facilities described in any one of the paragraphs (1) to (5) for removing nanoparticles adhering to the worker while being connected to the handling chamber 2;
A front chamber 4 connected to the air shower chamber 11 and for discarding one or more of work clothes, gloves and a mask worn by the operator used in the handling chamber 2;
A nanomaterial handling facility 10 comprising a general chamber 5 connected to the anterior chamber.

  According to the present invention, when nanomaterials are handled in a nanomaterial handling facility having a nanomaterial handling room, an air shower room, an anterior room, and a general room, the introduction of nanoparticles into the anterior room is suppressed. As a result, it is possible to reduce the risk (nanorisk) of health hazards for workers engaged in the manufacture and handling of nanomaterials.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a nanomaterial handling facility including an air shower chamber for a nanomaterial handling facility according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the entire structure of the air shower room for nanomaterial handling facilities according to the present invention in a partially omitted state. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of a conventional handling facility for nanomaterials.

The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory view schematically showing a nanomaterial handling facility 10 including an air shower chamber 11 for a nanomaterial handling facility according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the entire configuration of the air shower chamber 11 for nanomaterial handling facilities according to the present invention in a partially omitted state. In the following description, the same parts as those in FIG. 3 described above with reference to FIGS.

  The nanomaterial handling facility air shower chamber 11 includes a jet fan 12, a main filter 16, a laminar flow fan 13, a prefilter 14, a glove suction unit 17, and a rectifying device 19.

  The jet fan 12 is disposed inside an air jet nozzle panel 11a that forms a part of the inner wall of the air shower chamber 11 for nanomaterial handling facilities. In the air jet nozzle panel 11a, a large number of air jet nozzles 15 for ejecting air in the horizontal direction (thick arrow direction in FIG. 2) are arranged.

  By starting the jet fan 12, clean air is ejected from the air jet nozzle 15 in the horizontal direction inside the air shower chamber 11 for the nanomaterial handling facility. Thereby, in the air shower chamber 11 for nanomaterial handling facilities, the nanoparticles adhered to the work clothes worn by the worker 0 who performed the work in the nanomaterial handling chamber 2 are blown off.

  A glove suction part 17 is disposed inside the nanomaterial handling facility air shower chamber 11. The glove suction part 17 is provided with an insertion hole 17a having a size capable of accommodating the wrist part of the worker 0 wearing gloves and a jet towel 17b.

  The jet towel 17b is arranged on the upper part of the glove suction part 17 in order to more efficiently separate the nanoparticles from the glove, and is operated first before the jet fan 12 is started. The insertion hole 17a is connected to the jet fan 12 via a primary side of the first main filter 16a by appropriate means 18 (shown in a simplified manner in FIG. 2) such as a duct. While the jet fan 12 is activated, when the wrist of the worker 0 wearing the gloves is inserted into the insertion hole 17a, the nanoparticles separated from the glove by the jet towel 17b are sucked by the jet fan 12, It is removed by the main filter 16a.

  As described above, the jet fan 12 sucks the nanoparticles separated from the glove by sucking air from the glove sucking unit 17 that accommodates the glove worn by the worker 0.

  The jet fan 12 has only to have the above functions and need not be limited to a specific type of jet fan, but as a general-purpose product, SDOA 18-08-2750 manufactured by Topre is exemplified.

  The laminar flow fan 13 is a fan that is disposed on the ceiling of the air shower chamber 11 for nanomaterial handling facilities and forms a laminar flow from the upper side to the lower side in the air shower chamber 11 for nanomaterial handling facilities described later. .

  On the outlet side of the laminar flow fan 13, a rectifying device 19 that arranges an air current in a laminar flow on the outlet side is disposed. Further, a pre-filter 14 is disposed below the floor grating of the air shower chamber 11 for nanomaterial handling facility, and dust on the floor surface is removed. Furthermore, air that has passed through appropriate means 20 (for example, simplified in FIG. 2) such as a duct, captures nanoparticles by the main filter 16b. The main filters 16a and 16b are not limited to a specific type of filter. For example, a Nitta HEPA filter 3502-62 is exemplified.

  The laminar flow fan 13 only needs to have the above functions, and a clean laminar flow from the upper side to the lower side is formed inside the air shower chamber 11 for the nanomaterial handling facility. Although it is not necessary to limit to a specific type of laminar flow fan, as a general-purpose product, FY-28CFT2 manufactured by Panasonic is exemplified.

  The air shower room 11 for nanomaterial handling facilities has a trash can 21 with a lid for discarding one or more of work clothes, masks and gloves worn by an operator in order to reliably capture nanoparticles. It is preferable to provide.

  The air shower chamber 11 for nanomaterial handling facilities other than the above may be the same as a conventional air shower chamber known as this type of air shower chamber, and is obvious to those skilled in the art. Further explanation regarding the chamber 11 is omitted.

  The nanomaterial handling facility 10 according to the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is used to remove nanoparticles adhering to the worker 0 while being connected to the handling chamber 2 where the worker 0 handles the nanomaterial and the handling chamber 2. Dispose of one or more types of work clothes, gloves and masks worn by workers used in the handling room 2 and connected to the air shower room 11 for handling nanomaterials and the air shower room 11 for handling nanomaterials And a general room 5 connected to the front room 4.

  Next, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a description will be given of the operation when the worker leaves the work area 2 b configured by the handling room 2 in which the nanomaterial manufacturing apparatus 2 a is arranged. In addition, the arrow in FIG. 1 shows the movement of the worker 0.

  The worker 0 first enters the nanomaterial handling facility air shower room 11 from the work area 2b and starts the jet fan 12 to blow the whole body (work clothes, gloves, mask, etc.) by the jet air.

  Next, in the air shower chamber 11 for nanomaterial handling facilities, the operator inserts up to the wrist wearing gloves into the insertion hole 17a of the glove suction part 17 connected to the jet fan 12, and the operator 0 wears it. The nanoparticles adhered to the glove and separated from the glove by the jet towel 17b are sucked and removed.

  Thereafter, in the air shower chamber 11 for the nanomaterial handling facility, the jet fan 12 is stopped and the laminar flow fan 13 is activated to form a laminar flow from the upper side to the lower side in the air shower chamber 11 for the nanomaterial handling facility. Then, nanoparticles flowing downward by the laminar flow are captured by the main filter 16.

  Thus, according to the present invention, the nanoparticles adhered to the gloves of the worker 0 are removed without being scattered in the air shower chamber 11 for the nanomaterial handling facility, and the removed nanoparticles are removed from the main filter 16a and the main filter 16a. It is reliably removed by 16b.

  Further, according to the present invention, the nanoparticles scattered in the air shower chamber 11 for nanomaterial handling facilities by the laminar flow fan 13 are pushed out downward in the room and reliably removed by the main filter 16b. Reattachment of nanoparticles in the air shower chamber 11 and bringing into the front chamber 4 can be prevented.

  Next, the worker 0 discards one or more kinds of work clothes, masks and gloves to be worn in the trash can 21 with a lid, and closes the lid.

  According to the present invention, the glove from which many of the nanoparticles adhered by the main filters 16a and 16b have already been removed is discarded in the trash bin 21 with a lid arranged in the air shower chamber 11 for nanomaterial handling facilities. The possibility that nanoparticles are scattered in the front chamber 4 can be reduced.

Thereafter, the worker enters the front room 4 and changes into clothes before entering the general room 5.
Thus, according to the present invention, the nanomaterial is handled in the nanomaterial handling facility 10 having the nanomaterial handling chamber 2, the air shower chamber 11 for the nanomaterial handling facility, the front chamber 4, and the general chamber 5. When handling, the introduction of nanoparticles into the anterior chamber 4 can be suppressed, thereby reducing the risk of health hazards for workers engaged in the manufacture and handling of nanomaterials. .

0 Worker 1 Conventional nanomaterial handling facility 2 Handling room 2a Nanomaterial manufacturing device 2b Work area 3 Air shower room 4 Front room 5 General room 10 Nanomaterial handling facility 11 Nanomaterial handling facility air shower room 11a Air jet Nozzle panel 12 Jet fan 13 Laminar flow fan 14 Pre-filter 15 Air jet nozzle 16 Main filter 16a First main filter 16b Second main filter 17 Gloves suction part 17a Insertion hole 17b Jet towel 18 Duct or other appropriate means 19 Rectifier 20 Appropriate means such as ducts 21 Trash with lid

Claims (6)

A jet fan for blowing away nanoparticles attached to work clothes worn by workers who have worked in the nanomaterial handling room;
A glove suction part connected to the primary side of the jet fan, containing a glove worn by the operator, and sucking nanoparticles adhering to the glove;
A laminar flow fan that forms a laminar flow from above to below;
An air shower room for a nanomaterial handling facility. A first main filter for removing nanoparticles sucked by the glove suction part;
The air shower room for a nanomaterial handling facility according to claim 1, further comprising: a pre-filter that captures dust flowing downward by the laminar flow; and a second main filter that removes the sucked nanoparticles.   The air shower room for nanomaterial handling facilities according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a jet towel for peeling off nanoparticles adhering to the glove housed in the glove suction section.   The air shower room for nanomaterial handling facilities according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a rectifying device for adjusting an air flow on an outlet side of the laminar flow fan.   The nano of any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a trash can with a lid for discarding one or more of work clothes, a mask, and gloves worn by the worker. Air shower room for material handling facilities. A handling room where workers handle nanomaterials,
An air shower room for a nanomaterial handling facility according to any one of claims 1 to 5 for removing nanoparticles adhering to the worker while being connected to the handling room,
A front chamber for disposing of one or more of work clothes, gloves and masks that are connected to the air shower room and worn by the operator used in the handling room;
A facility for handling nanomaterials, comprising a general room connected to the front room.

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