JP2022082135A - Device for spraying gas containing fine droplets, and method for inactivating virus with gas containing fine droplets - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a device that can generate superheated steam in a simple structure.SOLUTION: A superheated steam generator includes a supply unit that generates mist, and a superheating unit that heats the mist to generate superheated steam and includes an outlet from which the superheated steam is discharged. The supply unit may include an ultrasonic transducer by which mist is to be generated. The superheating unit may include a coil for induction heating and a heating element to be induction-heated with the coil, and may generate superheated steam by induction heating. The heating element may be a conductive tube that is provided inside the coil and forms a flow pass of the mist.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a superheated steam generator that generates superheated steam and sprays superheated steam onto an object or a target region, and a method for treating an object or a target region using superheated steam.

Superheated steam is used in microwave ovens for heating and cooking foods, as well as in drying, heat treatment, and sintering treatments in the manufacturing process of industrial products. Superheated steam is steam that is overheated above the boiling point of water, and a device is known in which water is boiled by combustion gas to generate steam, and the steam is reheated by a superheater to generate superheated steam (patented). See Document 1).

As another method, water is heated in a heating container heated by an induction heating coil to generate steam, and the steam is distributed in a conductor forming an annular shield coil arranged at the outer peripheral portion or the upper and lower ends of the induction heating coil. A device is disclosed in which a passage is provided and steam generated in a heating container is passed through the flow passage to superheat the steam to generate superheated steam (see Patent Document 2).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-033004 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-064358

The conventional device that generates superheated steam is large and requires a large amount of electric power, so that the installation location is limited. Further, the conventional device for generating superheated steam may be able to generate a large amount of superheated steam, but there is a problem that it is not possible to precisely control the temperature and supply amount of the superheated steam. These problems hinder the development of new uses for superheated steam.

In view of such a situation, one embodiment of the present invention aims to provide an apparatus capable of generating superheated steam with a simple configuration.

The superheated steam generator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a supply unit that generates mist and a superheated unit that includes a discharge port that heats mist to generate superheated steam and discharges the superheated steam.

The superheated steam generator according to the embodiment of the present invention has a blower unit, and even if the blower of the blower unit flows into the supply unit and the superheated unit in this order and flows out from the discharge port together with the superheated steam. good.

The supply unit includes a container for storing water, and the container may be provided with an air outlet to which the air blower unit is connected and an air outlet to which the superheat unit is connected.

The superheated steam supply unit according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a tube connected to a discharge port and a mask provided at a blowout portion at the tip of the tube. Further, a buffer tank for storing superheated steam may be included between the discharge port and the outlet portion.

In the superheated steam supply unit according to the embodiment of the present invention, the superheated steam supply unit and the superheated unit may be detachably provided, and the superheated unit and the tube may be detachably provided.

In the superheated steam supply unit according to the embodiment of the present invention, the supply unit may include an ultrasonic vibrator, and mist may be generated by the ultrasonic vibrator. Further, the superheating unit may include a coil for induction heating and a heating element which is induced and heated by the coil, and may generate superheated steam by induction heating. The heating element may be a conductive tube provided inside the coil to form a mist flow path.

The method for inactivating a virus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes heating mist to generate superheated steam and exposing the virus to the superheated steam to inactivate it.

In the method of inactivating a virus according to an embodiment of the present invention, mist may be generated by an ultrasonic vibrator. The generated mist may be superheated by induction heating to generate superheated steam.

In the method for inactivating a virus according to an embodiment of the present invention, the mist may be blown into a superheated unit, and the mist may be heated by induction heating in the superheated unit to generate superheated steam and discharged from a discharge port. .. The discharged superheated steam may be flowed through a tube or a thin tube and sprayed in a mist form from the tip of the tube or the thin tube.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, by generating mist by ultrasonic waves and passing the generated mist through an induction-heated tube, superheated steam can be generated with a simple configuration. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the supply amount of superheated steam can be controlled by the amount of air blown and the input power of the ultrasonic vibrator, and the particle size of the superheated steam can be controlled by the frequency of the ultrasonic vibrator. The temperature of superheated steam can be controlled by the power of induced heating. Thereby, the superheated steam can be applied to various uses.

The block diagram of the superheated steam generator which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is shown. An example of the configuration of the superheated steam generator according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown. An example of the configuration of the supply unit in the superheated steam generator according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown. An example of the configuration of the superheated unit in the superheated steam generator according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown. An example of the cross-sectional structure of the superheated unit in the superheated steam generator according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown. An example of a tube used for a superheated steam generator according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, (A) shows a structure provided with a heater, and (B) shows a double tube structure. An example of the configuration of the superheated steam generator according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown. An example of the use of the superheated steam generator according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown, and (A) and (B) show an example of using as a medical nebulizer. An example of the use of the superheated steam generator according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown, (A) shows an example of use as a medical nebulizer, and (B) shows an example of use for disinfection and sterilization of articles. An example of a supply unit used in a superheated steam generator is shown, and (A) shows an example of using a heating wire, (B) shows an example of using a coil for induction heating, and (C) shows an example of using a gas burner as heating means. An example of a heating unit used in a superheated steam generator is shown, and (A) shows an example of using a heating wire and (B) shows an example of using a gas burner as a heating means.

Hereinafter, the contents of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings and the like. However, the present invention includes many different aspects and is not construed as being limited to the contents of the embodiments exemplified below. In order to make the explanation clearer, the drawings may schematically show the width, thickness, shape, etc. of each part as compared with the actual embodiment, but this is just an example and the content of the present invention is limited. It's not something to do. In addition, in the present specification, when a certain element described in a certain drawing and a certain element described in another drawing have the same or corresponding relationship, the same code (or the number described as the code) is used. A reference numeral (a, b, etc.) may be added later, and the repeated description may be omitted as appropriate. Further, the characters added with "first" and "second" for each element are convenient signs used to distinguish each element, and have no further meaning unless otherwise specified.

[First Embodiment]
This embodiment describes the function and configuration of the superheated steam generator according to the embodiment of the present invention, and details of each part.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a superheated steam generator 100. The superheated steam generator 100 includes a blower unit 106, a supply unit 102, a superheat unit 104, and a control unit 108. The superheated steam generator 100 has a function of generating superheated steam and continuously supplying superheated steam by operating these units in cooperation with each other.

The supply unit 102 has a function of generating fine droplets (hereinafter, also referred to as “mist” in the present specification) suspended in the air before becoming superheated steam. The mist generated in the supply unit 102 is a water particle having a particle size of about 10 μm and is a liquid. The supply unit 102 includes an ultrasonic oscillator, and can generate mist by applying ultrasonic waves to water at room temperature.

The superheating unit 104 has a function of heating the mist generated in the supply unit 102 to 100 ° C. or higher to generate superheated steam. Superheated steam refers to steam heated to a temperature above the boiling point. The superheating unit 104 generates superheated steam from minute droplets in the state of water. The superheating unit 104 includes a flow path through which mist flows and a heating means for heating the flow path. In the superheating unit 104, for example, the flow path is formed by a collection of a plurality of thin tubes, and by heating the plurality of thin tubes, the mist in contact with the tube wall is heated to generate superheated steam. The shape of the flow path is not limited to a tubular shape, and may have a configuration in which heated grills and fins are arranged in a region where mist flows. As the heating means, for example, a high frequency induction heater is used.

The blower unit 106 has a function of flowing mist from the supply unit 102 to the superheated unit 104 to form an air flow that blows out the generated superheated steam to the outside. The blower unit 106 is composed of a propeller fan, a sirocco fan, a turbo fan, and the like in order to form an air flow. The blower unit 106 may also be configured by a cylinder or compressor that supplies compressed air and a regulator that regulates the flow rate.

The superheated steam generator 100 includes a control unit 108. The control unit 108 has a function of controlling the operation of the blower unit 106, the supply unit 102, and the overheating unit 104. For example, the control unit 108 has a function of controlling the amount of air blown by the air blowing unit 106, controlling the amount of mist generated by the supply unit 102, and controlling the heating temperature of the superheating unit 104. The superheated steam generator 100 may include a temperature sensor 112 that measures the temperature of the superheated unit 104. The control unit 108 may be configured to control the operation of the blower unit 106, the supply unit 102, and the overheating unit based on the measured values of the temperature sensor 112.

In the superheated steam generator 100, a blowout unit 130 for blowing out a gas containing fine droplets cooled from the superheated steam or the superheated steam state may be provided at a position away from the superheated unit 104. In FIG. 1, the tube 126 connected to the overheating unit 104 and the blowout portion 130 at the tip of the tube 126 are shown by dotted lines. Further, a buffer tank 128 for keeping the supply amount and pressure of superheated steam constant may be provided between the superheat unit 104 and the blowout unit 130. The buffer tank 128 preferably has a heat insulating structure so that the gas containing fine droplets cooled from the stagnant superheated steam or the superheated steam state is not easily cooled.

The shape and structure of the blowout portion 130 can have a structure suitable for the intended use. For example, when spraying a gas containing superheated steam or fine droplets cooled from the state of superheated steam onto the human nose and oral cavity, the blowout portion 130 may be formed of a thin tube. Also, superheated steam or superheated steam on human hands and arms, other parts of the body, tableware, stationery, clothing, shoes, bags, other daily necessities, scalpels, shears, forceps, tweezers, and other medical equipment. In order to spray the gas containing the fine droplets cooled from the state, the blowout portion 130 has a shape like a shower head so that the gas containing the fine droplets cooled from the superheated steam or the superheated steam state spreads. It can be said that it is preferable to do so. Further, in order to spray superheated steam or a gas containing fine droplets cooled from the state of superheated steam onto the human nose and mouth, the tip of the blowout portion 130 has the shape of a mask (or shield) that covers the nose and mouth. It is preferable to do.

As described above, when a living body, daily necessities, medical equipment, etc. are exposed to a gas containing superheated steam or a gas containing fine droplets cooled from the state of superheated steam, the fine liquid cooled from the state of superheated steam or superheated steam. It is important to control the temperature of the gas containing drops. FIG. 1 shows an example in which a temperature sensor 112 is provided on both the superheated unit 104 and the blowout unit 130 in order to enable precise temperature control of a gas containing fine droplets cooled from the superheated steam or the superheated steam state. show. Precise temperature control can be performed by measuring the temperature at both the region where superheated steam is generated and the region where gas containing superheated steam or gas cooled from the superheated steam blows out. .. The temperature of the superheated steam in the blowout unit 130 or the gas containing the fine droplets cooled from the state of the superheated steam controls the heating temperature in the superheating unit 104, the supply amount of mist in the supply unit 102, and the air volume in the blower unit 106. It can be adjusted by. The control of each unit can be performed by the control unit 108 based on the measured value of the temperature sensor 112.

For example, when the temperature of the gas containing superheated steam or fine droplets cooled from the state of superheated steam in the blowout unit 130 is high (low), the heating temperature in the superheat unit 104 may be lowered (high) or the supply unit may be used. By increasing (decreasing) the amount of mist supplied in 102 or increasing (decreasing) the amount of air blown by the blower unit 106, fine droplets cooled from the state of superheated steam or superheated steam in the blowout unit 130 can be removed. The temperature of the contained gas can be lowered (raised). Further, when it is desired to increase (decrease) the supply amount while keeping the temperature of the gas containing the superheated steam or the superheated steam cooled by the superheated steam in the blowout unit 130 constant, the air volume of the blower unit 106 and the air volume of the blower unit 106 are desired. The heating temperature of the superheating unit 104 may be controlled so that one or both of the amount of mist generated in the supply unit 102 is increased (decreased) and the temperature is kept constant.

As described above, the superheated steam generator 100 according to the present embodiment has a plurality of independent control factors for the temperature and the supply amount of the gas including the fine droplets cooled from the superheated steam or the superheated steam state. It can be controlled by (parameter). Thereby, it is possible to provide a gas containing fine droplets cooled from the superheated steam or the state of the superheated steam at an appropriate temperature and amount according to the application.

By the way, superheated steam has a property of having higher heat transfer property than heated air. Heat transfer by heated air (hot air) is performed by convection heat transfer, whereas superheated steam is performed by radiant heat transfer and condensed heat transfer in addition to convection heat transfer. Therefore, heat transfer by superheated steam has higher heat transfer property than heated air (hot air). Further, the calorific value of the heated air (hot air) is 0.24 cal / g / ° C., whereas the calorific value of the superheated steam is 0.48 cal / g / ° C. Further, the emissivity (emissivity) of superheated steam is 0.22, which is higher than the emissivity of heated air (= 0). Since superheated steam has a high amount of heat and a high emissivity, a large amount of heat can be transferred to the object in a short time.

The superheated steam generator 100 according to the present embodiment can be sterilized in the process of heating the mist generated by turning water into fine droplets to make superheated steam. As a result, it is possible to perform hygiene management of the gas containing the superheated steam or the fine droplets cooled from the state of the superheated steam supplied from the blowout unit 130.

Superheated steam has the following advantages as compared with saturated steam. The superheated steam can be controlled to an arbitrary temperature under normal pressure at a temperature of 100 ° C. or higher. On the other hand, saturated steam is generated by boiling water, and the temperature of the generated steam is affected by the environment such as ambient air temperature and atmospheric pressure, so it is difficult to control the temperature. From this, superheated steam has an advantage that the temperature controllability is higher than that of saturated steam. That is, since superheated steam has a high temperature and a wide temperature range that can be adjusted, it also has an advantage that the temperature control is not easily affected by the outside air temperature and the atmospheric pressure. Further, since the temperature of the superheated steam generated in the superheated unit 104 is high, it is possible to easily control the temperature of the superheated steam or the gas containing fine droplets cooled from the superheated steam in the blowout portion 130 which is the supply port. ..

As mentioned above, superheated steam can be objects (human hands and arms, other parts of the body, or tableware, stationery, clothing, shoes, bags, other daily necessities, scalpels, scissors, forceps, tweezers, etc. It can be used for sterilizing, killing, or inactivating bacteria and viruses attached to (infecting humans). In this case, since the superheated steam can be rapidly heated, it is possible to sterilize, kill, or inactivate bacteria and viruses while minimizing the influence on the object.

In particular, in the medical field, it is considered that superheated steam should be actively utilized. Vaccination is used to prevent epidemics against infectious diseases such as influenza. However, it is said that it will take several years to develop an effective vaccine against an unknown virus, and the problem is that infectious diseases caused by the unknown virus cannot be prevented unless quarantine measures are taken until the vaccine is developed. It has become.

Meanwhile, according to an official report from the World Health Organization (WHO), the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) coronavirus, which causes serious illness in the human body, kills 10,000 units per 15 minutes by heat treatment at 56 ° C. (“First data on stability and resistance of SARS coronavirus compiled by members of WHO laboratory network”, WHO homepage <https:: //www.who.int/csr/sars/survival_2003_05_04/en/>).

However, it is doubtful that the use of warm air or water vapor can kill the coronavirus without damaging the tissues of the human body from the viewpoint of thermal efficiency. On the other hand, with laser light, local irradiation is possible in a short time, but there is a problem that the tissues of the skin and mucous membranes are also damaged at the same time.

On the other hand, superheated steam has high heat transfer properties, can be heat-treated at high temperature in a short time, and can kill or inactivate viruses while suppressing the effect on living tissues. Conceivable. In other words, when it is necessary to heat to 56 ° C or higher in order to kill or inactivate the virus, superheated steam is used to spray so that the temperature of the spray destination becomes 56 ° C or higher. The temperature of the gas containing the cooled microdroplets can be controlled from the superheated steam or the state of the superheated steam.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the configuration of the superheated steam generator 100 according to the present embodiment. The superheated steam generator 100 has a mechanism for generating mist by ultrasonic waves and heating the mist to 100 ° C. or higher by high frequency induction heating to generate superheated steam. The superheated steam generator 100 shown in FIG. 2 has a supply unit 102 and a superheated unit 104, and has a configuration in which superheated steam is supplied from the superheated unit 104 to the tube 126. Hereinafter, details of each part of the superheated steam generator 100 will be described.

FIG. 3A shows the details of the supply unit 102. The supply unit 102 includes a container 134 for storing water and an ultrasonic vibrator 136 installed in the container 134. The shape of the container 134 is arbitrary, but it has an air outlet 140 and an air outlet 141. The air outlet 140 and the air outlet 141 are provided at positions higher than the water level when the container 134 is filled with water. A blower unit 106 is provided in the blower port 140. The blower unit 106 includes a blower fan 122 and a blower fan control circuit 114. As the blower fan 122, a propeller fan, a sirocco fan, a turbo fan, or the like is used. Although not shown, the blower fan 122 may be provided with an air filter (dustproof cover) to prevent the ingress of dust and dirt. The blower fan control circuit 114 controls the on / off and rotation speed of the blower fan 122. A superheat unit is attached to the delivery port 141. The blower unit 106 and the overheating unit 104 may be directly attached to the container 134 or may be connected via a duct.

FIG. 3B shows a configuration in which a water server 143 for supplying water to the container 134 is added to the configuration of the container 134 shown in FIG. 3A to keep the water level in the container 134 constant. A water supply unit 142 is provided in the container 134, and a water server 143 is attached to the water supply unit 142. The water server 143 is provided with a check valve 144 and has a structure in which water does not normally flow out. When the water server 143 is attached to the attachment port of the water supply unit 142, the check valve 144 opens and water is supplied into the water supply unit 142. The water level of the water supply unit 142 is constant regardless of the remaining amount of water as long as the water is contained in the water server 143. The container 134 is provided with an opening connected to the water supply unit 142 on the lower side, and has a structure in which the water of the water supply unit 142 flows into the container 134. The water level of the water flowing into the container 134 is the same as the water level of the water supply unit 142. With such a structure, the water level of the container 134 is kept constant as long as water is supplied from the water supply unit 142. The water server 143 is removable and has a structure in which the check valve 144 closes when it is removed, so that even if water remains, it does not spill. According to the structure of the container 134 as shown in FIG. 3B, the water level can be kept constant at all times, so that mist can be continuously generated for a long time.

When wind (air) is sent from the blower unit 106, an airflow is generated inside the container 134 from the blower port 140 to the blower outlet 141. The mist generated inside the container 134 is sent to the air flow and supplied to the superheating unit 104 from the delivery port 141.

The ultrasonic vibrator 136 is composed of an ultrasonic vibrator 138 and an oscillation circuit 137. The ultrasonic vibrator 138 is provided so that the ultrasonic wave acts on the water stored in the container 134. The ultrasonic vibrator 136 may be one in which the ultrasonic vibrator 138 and the oscillation circuit 137 are integrated, or both may be separated. FIGS. 3A and 3B show an example in which an ultrasonic oscillator 138 and an oscillation circuit 137 are integrated and arranged in water. As the oscillation circuit 137, for example, it is preferable to use one having an oscillation frequency of 200 to 2400 kHz and having a variable output and oscillation frequency. The amount of mist generated can be controlled by increasing or decreasing the output of the oscillation circuit 137, and the average particle size of mist can be controlled by adjusting the frequency. For example, the amount of mist generated can be increased by increasing the output of the oscillation circuit 137, and the peak particle size of the mist particle size distribution can be reduced by increasing the frequency.

By using the ultrasonic vibrator 138 in the supply unit 102, mist can be immediately generated only by turning the switch on and off. In other words, it is necessary to heat water in the method of generating water vapor, but since the supply unit 102 of the present embodiment may cause ultrasonic vibration to act on water, mist can be generated at room temperature. ..

As shown in FIG. 2, the mist generated in the supply unit 102 is flowed to the overheating unit 104 by the air flow generated by the blower unit 106. The superheating unit 104 includes at least one inner tube 147 through which mist flows, and a coil 146 that induces and heats the inner tube 147 at a high frequency. The at least one inner tube 147 is preferably composed of a plurality of inner tubes 147 so that the probability that the fine particles of water as mist come into contact with the tube wall increases.

5 and 4 show details of the superheater unit 104. FIG. 5 shows the cross-sectional structure of the superheating unit 104, and FIG. 4 shows the cross-sectional structure corresponding to between AB shown in the figure. In the following description, FIGS. 5 and 4 will be referred to as appropriate.

The superheating unit 104 includes at least one inner tube 147 and a coil 146 spirally wound around the inner tube 147 along the longitudinal direction. The inner tube 147 is made of metal, and for example, a thin tube made of stainless steel is used. As the size of the inner tube 147, for example, a tube having a diameter of 10 mm to 20 mm and a length of about 100 mm to 200 mm is used. The inner tube 147 made of a conductive material has a function as a heating element and is induced and heated by a coil 146. By induction heating the inner pipe 147, the mist flowing in the pipe is heated and superheated steam is generated. In order to efficiently generate superheated steam from the mist, it is preferable that a plurality of inner tubes 147 having a small diameter are provided in a coil 146 wound in a spiral shape. As a result, the contact area of the mist can be increased in the flow path, and superheated steam can be efficiently generated. The shape of the heating element is not limited to the tubular one, and may have another shape as long as it is induced and heated by the coil 146. For example, it may have a configuration in which grills and fins that are induced and heated as heating elements are arranged in a region where mist flows.

As the coil 146, for example, a litz wire coil is used. As the litz wire, a wire having a diameter of 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm (for example, 0.14 mm) and a number of strands of about 100 to 300 (for example, 250) is used. Further, as the coil 146, a solid conductor or a hollow copper tube may be used. When a hollow copper tube is used as the coil 146, cooling water may be passed through the hollow portion.

An outer pipe 148 and a heat insulating material 149 are provided between the inner pipe 147 and the coil 146. The outer pipe 148 is provided so as to bundle the inner pipe 147 and fix the position. As the outer tube 148, for example, a ceramic tube such as alumina having a high thermal conductivity is used. By using a material having high thermal conductivity as the outer tube 148, the heat generation of the inner tube 147 can be equalized. The heat insulating material 149 covers the circumference of the outer pipe 148 and is provided to insulate the inner pipe 147. With such a configuration, the thermal efficiency of the superheated unit 104 (the ratio of superheated steam generated to the input power) can be increased.

An inner insulating member 150 is provided between the heat insulating material 149 and the coil 146 so as to surround the heat insulating material 149, and an outer insulating member 151 is provided on the outer side thereof. The inner insulating member 150 and the outer insulating member 151 are not provided in close contact with each other, but are provided apart from each other so that a flow path 159 is formed between them. A spacer 152 may be provided between the inner insulating member 150 and the outer insulating member 151 so that the flow path 159 is held over the entire circumference.

A coil 146 is spirally wound around the outside of the outer insulating member 151. A rod-shaped ferrite 153 may be provided on the outside of the coil 146 in order to suppress magnetic leakage. Further, a cooling unit 110 may be attached to the superheating unit 104, and cooling air may be blown to a flow path 159 between the inner insulating member 150 and the outer insulating member 151 by a cooling fan 124. For example, a duct 158 may be provided so that the air of the cooling fan 124 flows into the gap between the inner insulating member 150 and the outer insulating member 151 from one side in the longitudinal direction of the superheating unit 104. By setting the other side of the superheating unit 104 in the longitudinal direction as an open end, the entire spirally wound coil 146 can be air-cooled.

Although not shown, a water cooling method may be applied instead of the air cooling method as described above. That is, a tube through which cooling water flows may be passed through the gap between the inner insulating member 150 and the outer insulating member 151.

The superheating unit 104 may be provided with a suction pipe 154 on the inflow side of the inner pipe 147 and a discharge pipe 156 on the outflow side. From the viewpoint of heat resistance, it is preferable that the suction pipe 154 is provided so as not to come into contact with the inner pipe 147. The suction pipe 154 is a pipe connecting the inner pipe 147 and the supply unit 102, and the inlet side of the suction pipe 154 is attached to the delivery port 141 of the supply unit 102. The suction pipe 154 may be provided as appropriate, but by providing this, the mist can be uniformly flowed through the plurality of inner pipes 147. The discharge pipe 156 is provided on the outlet side of the inner pipe 147, so that the flow of the superheated steam to be discharged can be made uniform, and the flow velocity of the superheated steam can be adjusted by the size of the diameter of the discharge port 157. For example, by narrowing the diameter of the discharge port 157 in the discharge pipe 156, the flow velocity of the superheated steam can be increased.

FIG. 2 also shows a control unit 108 that controls the operation of the blower unit 106, the supply unit 102, and the overheating unit 104. The control unit 108 is connected to the blower fan control circuit 114, and outputs a signal for controlling the on / off and rotation speed of the blower fan 122. Further, the control unit 108 is connected to the oscillation circuit control circuit 116 and controls the output and the oscillation frequency of the oscillation circuit 137. Further, the control unit 108 is connected to the high frequency circuit 120. The high frequency circuit 120 is a circuit that supplies high frequency power to the coil 146, and is composed of, for example, a high frequency inverter. The control unit 108 outputs a signal for controlling the output power of the high frequency circuit 120. Further, the control unit 108 is connected to the cooling fan control circuit 118 of the cooling unit 110 to control the on / off of the cooling fan 124. The control unit 108 may be configured to output a signal for increasing or decreasing the amount of air blown by the cooling fan 124 to the cooling fan control circuit 118 in response to an increase or decrease in the output of the high frequency circuit 120. The control unit 108 having such a function can be configured by using a hardware resource such as a CPU (or a microcontroller) and a memory, and a software resource such as a computer program.

The control unit 108 is connected to the temperature sensor 112. FIG. 2 shows an example in which the detection unit of the temperature sensor 112 is provided at the discharge port 157 of the superheat unit 104 and the outlet unit 130 at the tip of the tube 126. Further, although not shown, when the buffer tank 128 is provided in the middle of the tube 126, the temperature sensor 112 measures the temperature of the superheated steam staying in the buffer tank 128 or the temperature of the gas containing fine droplets cooled from the state of the superheated steam. A detection unit may be provided. The detection unit uses a thermocouple, a platinum temperature measuring resistance element, or the like to measure the temperature of a gas containing fine droplets cooled from the state of superheated steam or superheated steam. The temperature sensor 112 determines the temperature of the gas containing fine droplets cooled from the state of superheated steam or superheated water vapor at the discharge port 157 of the superheated unit 104, and the state of superheated water vapor or superheated water vapor at the ejection portion 130 at the tip of the tube 126. The temperature of the gas containing the tiny droplets cooled from is measured, and the measured data is output to the control unit. The temperature sensor 112 may directly measure the temperature of the gas containing fine droplets cooled from the superheated steam or the state of the superheated steam, or the temperature of the discharge pipe 156 of the superheat unit 104 and the outlet 130. The temperature of the tube 126 may be measured and the measured value may be used as a substitute value indicating the temperature of a gas containing superheated steam or a gas containing fine droplets cooled from the state of superheated steam.

The control unit 108 operates the blower unit 106, the supply unit 102, and the superheat unit 104 according to the temperature of the superheated steam or the gas containing fine droplets cooled from the state of the superheated steam measured by the temperature sensor 112. Control. For example, when the temperature of the gas containing the superheated steam or the superheated steam cooled from the state of the superheated steam in the blowout unit 130 is set to a predetermined set temperature, the control unit 108 is a blower unit based on the measurement data of the temperature sensor 112. A signal for controlling the increase / decrease of the air volume of the 106 is output to the blower fan control circuit 114. Further, the control unit 108 outputs a signal for controlling the magnitude of the output of the oscillation circuit 137 to the oscillation circuit control circuit 116 based on the data of the temperature sensor 112. Further, the control unit 108 outputs a signal for controlling the magnitude of the high frequency power applied to the coil 146 based on the data of the temperature sensor 112 to the high frequency circuit 120.

For example, the control unit 108 applies high frequency power to the coil 146 of the superheating unit 104 when the temperature of the gas containing the superheated steam or the microdroplets cooled from the superheated steam state in the blowout unit 130 is low (high). The signal that makes the output high (low) is output to the high frequency circuit 120, the signal that makes the output of the oscillation circuit 137 of the supply unit 102 low (high) is output to the oscillation circuit control circuit 116, and the rotation of the blow fan 122 of the blow unit 106 is performed. By outputting a signal to slow down (fasten) the speed to the blower fan control circuit 114, the temperature of the superheated steam of the blowout unit 130 is adjusted. Further, the control unit 108 blows air when it is desired to increase (decrease) the supply amount while keeping the temperature of the gas containing the superheated steam or the superheated steam cooled from the state of the superheated steam in the blowout unit 130 constant. A signal for increasing (decreasing) the rotation speed of the blower fan 122 of the unit 106 is output to the blower fan control circuit 114, and the output of the oscillation circuit 137 is increased so that the amount of mist generated in the supply unit 102 increases (decreases). The (lower) signal is output to the oscillation circuit control circuit 116.

In FIG. 2, a tube 126 is connected to a superheated unit 104, and superheated steam flows through the tube 126 and is supplied from a blowout portion 130 in the state of a gas containing superheated steam or fine droplets cooled from the state of superheated steam. The mode is shown. The tube 126 is flexible and the outlet 130 can be installed in a predetermined position (arbitrary position). The portion of the blowout portion 130 may be provided with a shield (or mask) 132 so as not to dissipate the gas containing the superheated steam or the gas containing the cooled minute droplets from the state of the superheated steam. Further, although not shown, a rigid tube may be used instead of the flexible tube 126.

The superheated steam generator 100 can be separated for each unit. For example, the supply unit 102 and the superheat unit 104 can be separated at the position S1 shown in FIG. Further, the superheat unit 104 and the tube 126 can be separated at the position of S2. Further, even in the superheating unit 104, it may have a structure in which the main body portion and the discharge pipe 156 can be separated at the position of S3. In S1 to S3 shown in FIG. 2, various joint structures can be adopted. As the joint, for example, a flange type, a union type, a screw type, or a bite type joint can be used. By making each unit separable in this way, the maintainability of the superheated steam generator 100 can be improved.

The configuration of the superheated steam generator 100 shown in FIG. 2 is an example, and some of the functions shown may be omitted or integrated with other functions. For example, the oscillation circuit control circuit 116 and the oscillation circuit 137 may be functionally integrated. Further, the blower fan control circuit 114 and the blower fan 122 may be functionally integrated. Further, the control unit 108 is not limited to one, and may be functionally divided into a plurality of control units 108. For example, a control unit for controlling the supply unit 102 and the superheat unit 104 may be provided separately.

Further, the control unit 108 stops the operation of the superheated steam generator 100 (or from the state of superheated steam or superheated steam) when the temperature sensor 112 detects an abnormal temperature exceeding a set value at the discharge port 157 or the outlet 130. A safety mechanism (which stops the discharge of gas containing cooled microdroplets) may be provided.

FIG. 6A shows an example of the cross-sectional structure of the tube 126 connected to the superheating unit 104. The tube 126 shown in FIG. 6A has a structure in which the heater 161 is wound around the outside of the tube body 160. As the heater 161, a ribbon heater, a cord heater, or the like that can be wound around the tube body 160 is used. Insulation material 162 may be wound around the outside of the heater 161. According to the tube 126 having such a structure, the temperature of the superheated steam flowing in the tube body 160 can be suppressed. By providing such a tube 126, the temperature of the gas containing the superheated steam or the superheated steam cooled in the blowout portion 130 can be accurately controlled.

FIG. 6B shows a double tube type tube 126. The tube 126 has a structure in which the inner tube 164 is passed through the outer tube 165. With such a configuration, the double tube type tube 126 has two flow paths, a first flow path by the inner tube 164 and a second flow path by the space between the inner tube 164 and the outer tube 165. Is formed. The outer tube 165 is connected to the shield 132, and the blowout portion 130 of the gas containing the superheated steam or the fine droplets cooled from the superheated steam state is formed by the inner tube 164. According to such a configuration, air is supplied from the second flow path so as to surround the blowout portion 130 through which the gas containing the superheated steam or the gas containing the cooled minute droplets flows out from the superheated steam or the superheated steam state. It is possible to prevent the temperature of the surrounding region surrounding the region exposed to the gas containing fine droplets cooled from the state of superheated steam or superheated steam from rising. In other words, since it is possible to suppress the temperature rise in the peripheral region of the region exposed to the gas containing the superheated steam or the gas cooled from the superheated steam state, the superheated steam or the superheated steam was cooled. A gas containing fine droplets can be applied locally.

FIG. 6B shows an example in which air is flowed through the second flow path, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various gases can be flowed through the second flow path depending on the application. For example, oxygen gas, nitrogen gas, noble gas and the like can flow through the second flow path.

Further, although not shown, the configuration of the tube 126 shown in FIG. 6 (A) and the configuration of the tube 126 shown in FIG. 6 (B) may be appropriately combined. For example, in the tube 126 shown in FIG. 3B, a heater 161 may be provided around the inner tube 164 or the outer tube 165.

As described above, the superheated steam generator 100 according to the present embodiment has a simple configuration by using the supply unit 102 that generates mist and the superheated unit that heats mist by high frequency induction heating. Superheated steam can be generated. The superheated steam generator 100 can control the supply amount of superheated steam by the amount of air blown by the blower unit 106 and the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrator 138 of the supply unit 102, and the superheated water vapor is controlled by the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic vibrator 138. The particle size of the superheated unit 104 can be controlled, and the temperature of the superheated steam can be controlled by the electric power of the induced heating of the superheater unit 104. Thereby, the superheated steam can be applied to various uses.

[Second Embodiment]
This embodiment shows a different aspect of the superheated steam generator shown in the first embodiment. In the following description, the parts different from the first embodiment will be described.

FIG. 7 shows a superheated steam generator 100 according to the present embodiment. The superheated steam generator 100 includes a reading sensor 180 that reads information on the tube 126a. Further, the tube 126a is attached with an identifier 182 including information on the tube. The information contained in the identifier 182 includes information about the tube material, inner diameter, length, and other tubes. Information about other tubes includes connector type, serial number, current date of manufacture, manufacturer, special specifications (whether or not there is a heater, tube structure), and the like.

As the identifier 182, an identifier that can be read electromagnetically or optically is used. For example, the identifier 182 is formed by a non-contact IC tag, a two-dimensional bar code, and a one-dimensional bar code. By using a non-contact IC tag as the identifier 182, the information of the tube can be stored. Further, by using a two-dimensional bar code and a one-dimensional bar code, the information of the tube can be identified. When the identifier 182 is a two-dimensional bar code or a one-dimensional bar code, the control unit 108 accesses a database built in or in a network to acquire tube information.

The superheated steam generator 100 reads the information of the identifier 182 by the reading sensor 180 when the control unit 108 starts the device or generates the superheated steam, and controls the supply unit 102, the superheated unit 104, and the blower unit 106. Used for. That is, when the temperature, flow rate, and supply pressure of the superheated steam in the blowout portion 130 of the tube 126a are set, the drive conditions of the supply unit 102, the superheat unit 104, and the blower unit 106 are set based on the length of the tube 126a. do.

As shown in FIG. 7, when a plurality of tubes 126a to 126d having different inner diameters are provided, the user can select an appropriate tube according to usage conditions and applications. When a specific tube is selected, the superheated steam generator 100 according to the present embodiment can automatically read the information of the tube 126 and control each unit. As a result, the superheated steam generator 100 can be driven under suitable conditions according to the type of the tube 126, and the convenience of the user can be improved.

Further, the superheated steam generator 100 does not have an identifier attached to the attached tube and information cannot be read, or if an identifier is attached but is not a registered identifier, or the tube is based on the identifier information. If it is determined that the expiration date has passed, the interlock may be activated and stopped. As a result, it is possible to use only genuine tubes and prohibit the use of non-genuine products. With such a configuration, the quality of various treatments or treatments provided by the superheated steam generator 100 can be maintained.

[Third Embodiment]
This embodiment shows an example of a method for inactivating bacteria and viruses using the superheated steam generator 100 shown in the first embodiment and the second embodiment.

FIG. 8A shows an example of using the superheated steam generator 100 as a medical nebulizer. The superheated steam generator 100 heats the mist to generate superheated steam, causes the generated superheated steam to flow through the tube 126, and from the inside of the mask 167 provided in the blowout portion 130 from the state of superheated steam or superheated steam. A gas containing cooled microdroplets is sprayed into a mist. By putting the mask 167 on the nose and mouth and breathing, the user can aspirate a part of the gas containing the superheated steam or the cooled minute droplets from the state of the superheated steam. As described in the first embodiment, since the virus is sensitive to heat, it is considered that the virus can be inactivated or killed in a short time by superheated steam having high thermal efficiency. Further, FIG. 8B shows an embodiment in which a user sucks a gas containing superheated steam or a gas containing fine droplets cooled from the state of superheated steam sprayed in a mist form from the nose using the nosepiece 168. .. The nose piece 168 may be directly attached to the discharge port 157 of the superheated steam generator 100 by omitting the tube.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 8A, a tube provided with the heater 161 shown in FIG. 6A or a double tube type tube may be used as the tube 126. Further, a rigid thin tube may be used instead of the flexible tube 126. In the configuration shown in FIG. 8B, a mouthpiece (not shown) may be attached in place of the nosepiece 168.

FIG. 9A shows another example of using the superheated steam generator 100 as a medical sprayer. The superheated steam generator 100 heats mist to generate superheated steam, and the affected part (for example, nasal cavity, oral cavity, etc.) of a patient infected with a gas containing fine droplets cooled from the state of superheated steam or superheated steam is infected with a virus. ) Is locally irradiated. The superheated steam generator 100 transports the generated superheated steam to the nozzle 166 through the tube 126, and a thin nozzle in which a gas containing fine droplets cooled from the superheated steam or the superheated steam state is inserted into the nasal cavity (or oral cavity). Since the irradiation is locally directed from the tip of 166 toward the affected area, the physical burden on the patient is light. Although not shown, the nozzle 166 may be equipped with a cock for opening and closing the flow path. Further, it may have a structure in which the position of the nozzle 166 is fixed by using a thin metal tube instead of the flexible tube 126.

FIG. 9B shows an example of the superheated steam generator 100 used for disinfecting and sterilizing the article 169. The blowout portion 130 of the tube 126 is provided with a shield 132 so as to cover the target article 169 so that the gas containing superheated steam or fine droplets cooled from the state of superheated steam does not spread to the surroundings. ing. The target article 169 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include tableware, stationery, clothing, shoes, bags, other daily necessities, scalpels, scissors, forceps, tweezers, and other medical instruments. It can also be used for sterilizing food instead of articles. By using a gas containing superheated steam or fine droplets cooled from the state of superheated steam, it is possible to inactivate or kill bacteria and viruses adhering to the article. In addition, the article can be dried by using superheated steam.

In the cases shown in FIGS. 8 (A) and 8 (B), and FIGS. 9 (A) and 9 (B), in the superheated steam generator 100, the mist generated in the supply unit 102 is heated to a high temperature in the superheated unit 104. So it can be sterilized at the same time and provide clean superheated steam.

The superheated steam generator 100 according to the present embodiment can be provided as a small and portable medical device or household device by having a simple configuration as described in the first embodiment. Further, in the superheated steam generator 100 according to the present embodiment, the air volume (the amount of air blown by the blower fan 122), the amount of mist supplied (the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrator 138), and the particle size of the mist (vibration of the ultrasonic vibrator 138). Since it is possible to control the supply amount and temperature of the gas including fine droplets cooled from the state of superheated steam or superheated steam at the supply port with multiple parameters such as frequency) and mist heating temperature (power of induction coil). , Safely controlled high temperature superheated steam can be used to inactivate bacteria and viruses.

[Fourth Embodiment]
This embodiment shows an embodiment in which the configuration of the supply unit is different from that of the superheated steam generator shown in the first embodiment and the second embodiment. In the following description, the parts different from the first embodiment and the second embodiment will be described.

In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the supply unit 102 generates mist without heating by the ultrasonic vibrator 136, but in the present embodiment, the supply unit 103 generates steam by the heating means. Is shown.

FIG. 10A shows an embodiment in which a container 134 filled with water is heated by a heater 170 using a heating wire to generate steam. In the container 134, the blower unit 106 is provided in the blower port 140, and the overheating unit 104 is attached to the side of the blower outlet 141. FIG. 10B shows an embodiment in which a container 134 filled with water is heated by an induction heating coil 172. In this case, the container 134 is made of metal so as to be induced and heated. FIG. 10C shows an embodiment in which the container is heated by the gas burner 174. The container 134 may have a structure for keeping the water level constant as shown in FIG. 3 (B).

According to the configurations shown in FIGS. 10A to 10C, a large amount of water vapor can be generated. Thereby, the supply amount of superheated steam can be increased. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment and the second embodiment, and the same effects can be obtained.

[Fifth Embodiment]
This embodiment shows an embodiment in which the configuration of the superheated unit is different from that of the superheated steam generator shown in the first embodiment and the second embodiment. In the following description, the parts different from the first embodiment and the second embodiment will be described.

FIG. 11A shows a configuration in which the distribution pipe 177 is heated by the heater 176 using a heating wire as the superheating unit 105, and the mist flowing in the pipe is heated by the heat to generate superheated steam. The heater 176 is provided around the flow pipe 177 along the longitudinal direction. Insulation material 162 may be provided so as to cover the outside of the heater 176. The distribution pipe 177 is made of a heat-resistant material such as metal or ceramics. Further, the distribution pipe 177 may be configured as a single pipe as shown in the figure, or may have a configuration in which a plurality of pipes are bundled. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the distribution pipe 177 may be composed of an outer pipe and an inner pipe. According to the configuration shown in FIG. 11A, the overheating unit 105 can be formed with a relatively simple configuration in which the heater 176 is provided.

FIG. 11B shows a configuration in which a flow pipe 177 is heated by a gas burner 178, and the mist flowing in the pipe is heated by the heat to generate superheated steam. The gas burner 178 may be provided along the longitudinal direction of the flow pipe 177, and ducts 179 through which air flows may be provided before and after the gas burner 178. According to the configuration shown in FIG. 11B, the temperature of the inner tube 147 can be raised in a relatively short time to generate superheated steam.

According to the configurations shown in FIGS. 11A to 11B, superheated steam can be generated as in the case of using the induction heating method. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment and the second embodiment, and the same effects can be obtained. Further, the superheated steam generator can be configured by combining the configuration of the superheated unit 105 according to the present embodiment and the configuration of the supply unit 103 shown in the fourth embodiment.

The superheated steam generator according to an embodiment of the present invention can be provided as a medical treatment device and as a sterilization and disinfection device for home use. Further, the superheated steam generator according to the embodiment of the present invention can be used for various purposes as an industrial device.

100 ... Superheated steam generator, 102 ... Supply unit, 103 ... Supply unit, 104 ... Superheated unit, 105 ... Superheated unit, 106 ... Blower unit, 108 ... Control unit , 110 ... Cooling unit, 112 ... Temperature sensor, 114 ... Blower fan control circuit, 116 ... Oscillation circuit control circuit, 118 ... Cooling fan control circuit, 120 ... High frequency circuit, 122 ... Blower fan, 124 ... Cooling fan, 126 ... Tube, 128 ... Duct tank, 130 ... Blowout part, 132 ... Shield, 134 ... Container, 136 ... Super Sonic vibrator, 137 ... oscillation circuit, 138 ... ultrasonic transducer, 140 ... air outlet, 141 ... outlet, 142 ... water supply unit, 143 ... water server, 144. .. Check valve, 146 ... Coil, 147 ... Inner pipe, 148 ... Outer pipe, 149 ... Insulation material, 150 ... Inner insulation member, 151 ... Outer insulation member, 152 ... Spacer, 153 ... Rod-shaped ferrite, 154 ... Suction pipe, 156 ... Discharge pipe, 157 ... Discharge port, 158 ... Duct, 159 ... Flow path, 160 ... Tube body, 161 ... heater, 162 ... insulation material, 164 ... inner tube, 165 ... outer tube, 166 ... nozzle, 167 ... mask, 168 ... nosepiece, 169 ... Article, 170 ... Heater, 172 ... Inductive heating coil, 174 ... Gas burner, 175 ... Insulation material, 176 ... Heater, 177 ... Distribution pipe, 178 ... -Gas burner, 179 ... duct, 180 ... reading sensor, 182 ... identifier

Claims (17)

A supply unit that generates mist and
A superheated steam generator comprising a superheated unit including a discharge port for heating the mist to generate superheated steam and discharging the superheated steam. Has a blower unit,
The blown air from the blower unit flows into the supply unit and the superheated unit in this order, and flows out from the discharge port together with the superheated steam.
The superheated steam generator according to claim 1. The supply unit comprises a container for storing water.
The container has an air outlet to which the air blower unit is connected and an air outlet to which the superheated unit is connected.
The superheated steam generator according to claim 2. A tube connected to the discharge port of the superheat unit and
Including a mask provided at the outlet at the tip of the tube,
The superheated steam generator according to any one of claims 1 to 3. A buffer tank for storing superheated steam generated by the superheated unit is provided between the discharge port and the outlet portion.
The superheated steam generator according to claim 4. The supply unit and the overheating unit are detachably provided, and the overheating unit and the tube are detachably provided.
The superheated steam generator according to claim 4. The supply unit includes an ultrasonic transducer,
The superheated steam generator according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The supply unit includes a heater, an induction heating coil, or a gas burner to generate steam in place of the mist.
The superheated steam generator according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The heating unit includes a coil for induction heating and a heating element that is induced and heated by the coil.
The superheated steam generator according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The heating element is a conductive tube provided inside the coil and forming a flow path for the mist.
The superheated steam generator according to claim 9. The superheating unit includes a flow pipe through which the mist flows and a heater or a gas burner for heating the flow pipe.
The superheated steam generator according to any one of claims 1 to 8. It has a control unit that controls the operation of the supply unit and the overheating unit, and a reading unit that is connected to the control unit.
The superheated steam generator according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein an identifier is provided in the tube, and the reading unit reads the information of the identifier. The mist is heated to generate superheated steam, and the virus is exposed to the superheated steam or a gas containing tiny droplets cooled from the state of the superheated steam to inactivate it.
A method of inactivating a virus, which is characterized by that. The mist is generated by an ultrasonic vibrator.
The method for inactivating a virus according to claim 13. The mist is superheated by induction heating to generate the superheated steam.
The method for inactivating a virus according to claim 13 or 14. The mist is flowed through a superheating unit by blowing air, and the mist is superheated by induction heating in the superheating unit to generate the superheated steam and discharge it from a discharge port.
The method for inactivating a virus according to claim 13 or 14. 16. The 16th aspect of claim 16, wherein the discharged superheated steam is flowed through a tube or a thin tube and sprayed from the tip of the tube or the thin tube in the form of a gas containing superheated steam or fine droplets cooled from the state of the superheated steam. How to inactivate the virus.

Images