JP3434211B2 - Nitrogen gas generator - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] [Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a nitrogen gas generator <br/>, particularly machining centers, milling machines, gear cutting machine, lathe, mounted on a polishing machine or the like Nitrogen has been modified so that low-cost nitrogen gas can be ejected to the tool.
The present invention relates to a gas generator . 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a method of cooling a tool mounted on a main shaft of a machine tool has been known in which a cutting fluid (coolant fluid) is jetted from a nozzle toward a tool edge to reduce friction at a tool tip and increase temperature. It reduces the efficiency of cutting and extends tool life. In the method for cooling a tool using the above-mentioned cutting fluid (coolant fluid), sludge treatment is required. Since the sludge contains decaying cutting fluid, it becomes difficult to treat the waste fluid. In particular, cutting fluid (coolant fluid)
Since the liquid is circulated and reused, the liquid temperature gradually rises, and this liquid temperature rise causes thermal expansion of each part of the machine, which is one of the causes of impairing processing accuracy. [0004] Therefore, recently, a cooling means for low-temperature air and a method for injecting a non-combustible gas to a processing point have been proposed. In particular, an injection method using a nonflammable gas is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-6062.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1 (1993), there is an advantage that oxidation of a processing point can be prevented and danger of ignition by oil mist can be prevented. However, when nitrogen is used as the non-combustible gas, nitrogen is gradually taken out from the cylinder filled with nitrogen and used, so that the running cost increases and the space for installing the cylinder is also required. Further, when the nitrogen consumption is large, the cylinder needs to be frequently replaced, and the machining of the work must be interrupted. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The present invention has been made in view of an increase in equipment costs and running costs and other problems in the above-described conventional nitrogen gas generator . That is, an object of the present invention is to supply a branch supply in a factory.
Unstable compressed air is used as the compressed air source, and this compressed air is
With a small compressor installed in the nitrogen gas generator, etc.
Reduces equipment costs by using compressed air under optimal conditions to reduce nitrogen gas components
And a nitrogen gas generating apparatus which can be obtained at a running cost . [0008] A nitrogen gas generator according to a first aspect of the present invention supplies compressed air obtained by compressing the atmosphere through a pipe.
Compressed air source and water for removing moisture in the compressed air
Heat the compressed air from which moisture has been removed
An electric heater and compressed air obtained by the above-described water removal and heating
Filtration to separate and extract nitrogen gas components from (dry air)
Gas of the separated or extracted nitrogen gas
Gas with on-off valve and flow meter for adjusting gas concentration
In the generator, the compressed air source is installed in a factory.
Existing in the factory to operate various air equipment
From 4 to 8 kg / cm2 from the compressed air compressor
Compressed air and the above 4 ~ 8kg / cm2
The compressed air is a small pressure booster provided in the nitrogen gas generator.
The pressure is increased to about 6 to 10 kg / cm2 with water.
Filtration element or adsorption as compressed air with minute removal and heat treatment
It is supplied to the element . According to the present invention , distribution and supply are performed by pipes in a factory.
4-8 kg / cm2 of compressed air pressure
It is the source. As a result, the compressed air source
The ning cost is 6-7 kg / cm for normal compressed air pressure.
Operation can be reduced by keeping it lower than 2. Soshi
The nitrogen gas generator is distributed and supplied through piping in the factory.
4-8 kg / cm2 of compressed air from a compressed air source
4-8 kg / cm2 of compressed air
By the pressure booster built in the raw gas generator
Increase the compressed air pressure slightly to 6-10kg / cm2
And contribute to downsizing the compressor.
Not only that, the production cost of nitrogen
Cost can be kept low. And, for example,
The pressure of the compressed air supplied from the compressed air source in the plant is extreme
The pressure booster built into the nitrogen gas generator
Since the pressure is increased to the optimum value by the presser,
Nitrogen gas generator that supplies nitrogen gas under suitable conditions at low cost
Can be provided. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a nitrogen gas generator according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4
1 shows respective embodiments of a nitrogen gas generator used for a machine tool . First, as shown in FIG. 1, the target machine to which the nitrogen gas generating apparatus of the present invention is used is a machine tool such as a machining center, a milling machine, a gear cutting machine, a lathe, a polishing machine, and the like. The present invention is applied to a tool that supplies or jets nitrogen gas to a tool edge attached to a tool. The machine tool 1 shown in FIG. 1 processes a workpiece W placed on a table T with a tool 5 attached to a lower end of a spindle 3 provided inside a spindle head 7 arranged vertically. . Such a machine tool 1 is equipped with a workpiece processing device 100 that performs workpiece processing by injecting nitrogen gas N from a nitrogen gas generator 10. [0015] First, the nitrogen gas generation instrumentation comprising a first embodiment
The device 10 will be described with reference to FIG. This nitrogen gas generator 1
Reference numeral 0 denotes an air compressor EC for compressing the atmosphere to about 4 to 8 kg / cm 2 in order to obtain a compressed air source E which compresses the surrounding atmosphere composed of 80% nitrogen and 20% oxygen as a nitrogen source. An air source E is supplied by piping all over the factory, and a compressed air source E for operating air equipment is required. The compressed air source E is dry air compressed air E1 from which moisture has been removed by a moisture removal filter F1 (1 to 3 stages) via an on-off valve V1. This compressed air E1
Is increased by 50% with the electric heater H to increase the exchange efficiency.
Compressed air E of dry air heated to a temperature around 60 ° C
2, to prevent dew condensation due to low temperature. As shown in FIG. 3, the electric heater H includes a temperature detection controller HC connected to a 100 volt AC power supply, and a voltage controller VC for controlling the voltage of the temperature detection sensor S and the electric heater H. The compressed air E2 of the heated dry air
Is press-fitted into a plurality of filter elements R connected in parallel for separating only the nitrogen gas component N from the compressed air E2.
As shown in FIG. 4, the filtering element R has a hollow fiber filter IF as a main component. When compressed air E2 of dry air is press-fitted into the hollow fiber type filter IF, heavy, high molecular weight moisture, oxygen and carbon dioxide gas cannot pass through the fiber type filter IF, and only light and low molecular weight nitrogen N is removed. You can pass. Due to the filter effect, only the nitrogen gas component N is recovered and generated. Moisture, oxygen, and carbon dioxide are released to the atmosphere. It should be noted that moisture, oxygen, carbon dioxide and the like are released to the atmosphere so that they do not stay in the thread type filter IF. The permeation speed of the hollow fiber membrane in the fiber type filter IF is “H2O, H2, He, H2S, CO2,
O2 "and" Ar, CO, Ne, CH with low permeation rate "
4 ". A throttle valve V is provided at each output side of the filter element R.
2 is connected, and a pipe P bundled together is provided with an on-off valve V
3 through a flow meter Q, a throttle valve V4, a check valve V5, etc.
It is configured so that it can be supplied to the outside. The number of the plurality of filtration elements R may be increased or decreased depending on the amount of nitrogen gas used or the gas purity, or a combination of series connection and parallel connection may be used. Further, the on-off valve V3
Gas N generated by the adjustment operation of
To adjust the flow rate of nitrogen spouting and nitrogen gas concentration
Can be. A nitrogen gas generator according to a first embodiment of the present invention
10 is configured as described above, and nitrogen gas generation is performed as follows. First, the surrounding air (nitrogen 80%, oxygen 20%) serving as a nitrogen source was set to 4 to 8 kg / cm2.
The compressed air is compressed back and forth, and the compressed air source E is a compressed air source E for supplying a pipe into the factory to operate the air equipment. The compressed air source E includes a water removal filter F
Pressure of dry air from which water has been removed by 1 (1 to 3 stages)
Compressed air E1 ungated, 50-60 ° C. at more electric heater H
Heat to the temperature before and after, and dry air compressed air E2
However, dew condensation due to low temperature is prevented. The electric heater H
Detects the temperature of the dry air E2 by the temperature detection sensor S, and controls the temperature detection control unit HC and the voltage control unit VC so that the temperature becomes about 50 to 60 ° C. The heated dry air compressed air E2
Is press-fitted into a plurality of filtration elements R for separating only the nitrogen gas component N from the compressed air E2. Filter element R
In, heavy, high molecular weight water, oxygen and carbon dioxide gas cannot pass through the thread type filter IF, but only light and low molecular weight nitrogen N can pass. Due to the above filter effect,
The action of collecting and generating only the nitrogen gas component N is executed. Moisture, oxygen, carbon dioxide and the like are released to the atmosphere. The present invention is not limited to the first embodiment. For example, a nitrogen gas generator 20 according to the second embodiment as shown in FIG. 6 may be employed. The nitrogen gas generator 20 is the same as the nitrogen gas generator 10 of the first embodiment described above, except that a pressure increasing means HP for increasing the pressure of the compressed air source E in the factory that has compressed the atmosphere to an appropriate pressure is added. As an air device used as the pressure increasing means HP, a small air compressor, a pressure increasing cylinder, or the like is applied. The pressurized pressure is about 4 to 8 kg / cm 2 and the compressed air source E in the factory is set to about 6 to 10 kg / cm 2.
Is increased to compressed air . For this reason, the atmospheric pressure at a stretch 6
Since it is sufficient to use a small air compressor or a small pressure boosting cylinder as compared with a case where the pressure is increased to about 10 kg / cm 2, equipment costs and running costs are reduced. The other components are the same as those of the nitrogen gas generator 10 of the first embodiment, and are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. The nitrogen gas generator 20 of the second embodiment
According to the compressed air source E in the plant were boosted at appropriate pressure through the pressure boosting means HP, water the increased pressure compressed air
Dry air is removed through the removal filter F1 and the electric heater H.
The compressed air E2 is supplied to the filtration element R, and only the nitrogen gas component N is separated and extracted. This nitrogen gas generator 20
According to this, when nitrogen gas N having a higher pressure than that of a compressed air source in a factory is required, nitrogen gas appropriately increased in pressure can be provided at a low cost through a simple pressure increasing means. FIG. 5 shows the characteristic performance of the nitrogen gas generators 10 and 20 according to the first and second embodiments. According to this characteristic performance diagram, nitrogen gas purity (same as nitrogen gas concentration)
To produce 99% nitrogen gas N at 10 Nm3 / h per hour, a plurality of filter elements R suitable for this are connected in parallel, and a feed air pressure of 3.0 kg / cm2 may be supplied thereto. Further, if a raw material air pressure of 6.0 kg / cm 2 is supplied, the gas purity is 99%, and 10 Nm 3 per hour.
/ H, and a nitrogen gas N at a gas pressure of 4.0 kg / cm2. As shown in FIG. 1, the nitrogen gas generator 10 includes one injection nozzle 11 serving as an injection means for nitrogen gas N in a work processing apparatus 100 on the lower end surface of the spindle head 5 of the machine tool 1. Alternatively, a plurality (one as shown) is provided, and a pipe P is connected to the check valve V5 of the nitrogen gas generator 10 from the check valve V5. Of course, instead of the injection nozzle 11, the tool 5
A nitrogen gas N may be supplied to the cutting edge 5A of the tool 5 from here. As a result, the nitrogen gas N is supplied from the nitrogen gas generator to the cutting edges of various tools for processing a workpiece in various machine tools or the atmosphere. Therefore, works W in all processing fields can be targeted,
The cutting edge 5A of the tool 5 or the atmosphere is filled with nitrogen gas N
And a work processing apparatus 100 for performing the work in a state where the work is full. According to the first and second embodiments of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. First, by using the compressed air source E in the plant obtained by compressing the air, it is supplied to the filtering element R, only because it is a nitrogen gas generator for separating and extracting nitrogen gas component, a dedicated compressor not required, Hakare to reduce the size and the running cost of the entire apparatus, low cost nitrogen gas N can be provided. Further, the compressed air source E in the factory is removed from the water.
After heating, it is supplied to the filtration element R to separate and extract only the nitrogen gas component , and is sent out via the on-off valve V3 and the flow meter Q.
Since the nitrogen gas generator, water is removed from the compressed air E in the laden plant water, a predetermined gas concentration
Thus, high-quality nitrogen gas N can be supplied at a reduced running cost. According to the second embodiment, the cost can be reduced.
The compressed air in the factory, which can be supplied, is increased to an appropriate pressure through simple pressure increasing means, and after increasing the water removal and heating , the pressure is increased.
The pressurized compressed air is supplied to the filtration element R , which separates and extracts only the nitrogen gas component and sends it through the on-off valve V3 and the flow meter Q.
High quality and high pressure
Nitrogen gas N can be supplied at low running cost
You. When the nitrogen gas N is supplied to the tip of a tool for processing a workpiece in a machine tool or the like, dry cutting can be performed.
By the dry cutting , the nitrogen gas N can be efficiently injected to the processing point of the tool based on low running cost. The nitrogen gas generator according to the present invention is not limited to the first and second embodiments. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the nitrogen gas generator 30 of known means utilizing two adsorption elements K can be employed. The nitrogen gas generator 30 is provided with two adsorption tanks K1, K2, receiving compressed air E1 generated in the factory to alternately. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, at the time of this reception, the adsorption tank K1 adsorbs "H2O, CO2, O2, etc." and sends only the nitrogen gas N to the buffer tank B. This "H
Since the function of the adsorption tank K1 adsorbing "2O, CO2, O2, etc." is paralyzed by the adsorbed substance, the reception of the compressed air E1 is interrupted at the time of paralysis, and the compression is performed from the opposite direction as shown in FIG. The air E1 'is supplied to the adsorption tank K1. "H2" adsorbed on the adsorption tank K1 by the compressed air E1 'flowing backward.
O, CO2, O2, etc. "to the outside as exhaust gas.
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8, the compressed air E1 is again received from the supply port side, and "H2O, CO2, O2" is stored in the adsorption tank K1.
2) is adsorbed and only the nitrogen gas N is passed through and sent to the buffer tank B. Also in the adsorption tank K2, "H2O, CO2, O2, etc." adsorbed on the adsorption tank K2 by the compressed air E1 'flowing backward when the compressed air E1 is sucked is discharged to the outside, and compressed again. Since the air E1 is alternately operated by shifting the phase by 180 degrees so as to receive the air E1 from the supply port side,
The nitrogen gas N is continuously supplied to the buffer tank B. As described above, the nitrogen gas generator 30 according to the third embodiment has the above-described configuration, generates nitrogen gas, and performs dry cut with nitrogen gas as follows. First, when the compressed air E1 produced in the factory is pressed into one of the two adsorption tanks K1 and K2 of the adsorption element K by operating the nitrogen gas generator 30, water, oxygen, Carbon dioxide is adsorbed by the adsorption tank K1 or K2. Then, only light and low molecular weight nitrogen can pass through, and only the nitrogen gas component N is recovered in the buffer tank B and supplied to the injection nozzle 10 as the injection means from the pipe P as the transportation means. The following is the work of the first embodiment.
The same operation as the processing device 100 is performed. According to the third embodiment of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. First, the compressed air in the factory is supplied to the adsorption element.
Supplying only low nitrogen gas components at low running cost
Separated and extracted. Then, the nitrogen gas extracted under low cost can be supplied to the tip of a tool for processing a workpiece such as a machine tool, and dry cutting can be performed . The present invention has the following effects according to the above embodiments. First, the inside of the factory obtained by compressing the atmosphere
Using compressed air, because it is a nitrogen gas generator for separating and extracting a nitrogen gas, without requiring a dedicated large compressor, reducing the size and the running cost of the entire apparatus is achieved, low cost nitrogen gas Can be provided. Further, the pressure of a compressed air source in the factory is increased through a pressure increasing means, and the increased compressed air is supplied to a filtering element or an adsorption element to separate and extract nitrogen gas components. Since the generator is a generator , when nitrogen gas having a higher pressure than the compressed air source in the factory is required, the nitrogen gas appropriately increased in pressure can be supplied at low cost through a simple pressure increasing means. Further, the compressed air in the factory is subjected to moisture removal and addition.
After the temperature , it is supplied to the excess element or the adsorption element, and the nitrogen gas component is separated and extracted, and then sent out via the on-off valve and the flow meter.
Because it is a nitrogen gas generator that water is removed from the compressed air in the laden plant moisture, high-quality nitrogen gas at a predetermined concentration can be supplied to reduce the running cost. According to the first aspect of the present invention , distribution in a factory is performed.
Low compression of 4-8 kg / cm2 distributed by pipe
Since the air pressure is used as the compressed air source, the run of the compressed air
Operation can be performed with a low ning cost. Factory pressure
4-8 kg / cm2 compressed air supplied from compressed air source
Is a compressor for increasing pressure built into the nitrogen gas generator
Gas generation as well as contributing to the miniaturization of
Reduction of equipment manufacturing costs and running costs
Can be. And even if it is supplied from a compressed air source in the factory,
Even if the pressure of the supplied compressed air is extremely low,
Optimum value by pressure booster built in
It is always optimal because the pressure is increased to 6-10 kg / cm2
The nitrogen gas under the condition can be supplied at low cost . [0040]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention, and is a front view of a machine tool provided with a work processing device . FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of the present invention and is a circuit diagram of a nitrogen gas generator. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of an electric heater in the nitrogen gas generator according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows the first embodiment of the present invention and is an explanatory diagram of a permeation speed of a hollow fiber membrane. FIG. 5 shows the first embodiment of the present invention and is a characteristic diagram of the nitrogen gas generator. FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, and a nitrogen gas generator.
It is a circuit diagram of the location. FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, in which a nitrogen gas generator is provided.
It is a circuit diagram of the location. FIG. 8 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, in which nitrogen gas is separated.
-It is an operation | movement figure of extraction . FIG. 9 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, in which
Is a graph illustrating the operation. [Description of Signs] 1 Machine tool, 10 Nitrogen gas generator 20 Nitrogen gas generator 30 Nitrogen gas generator 100 Work processing equipment E Compressed air source E1 Compressed air (dry air) E2 Compressed air (dry air) F1 Moisture removal filter H Electric heating Heater HC Temperature detection control section HP Pressure increasing means VC Voltage control section K Adsorption element IF Hollow thread type filter N Nitrogen gas Q flow meter R Filtration element S Temperature detection sensors V1, V3 Open / close valve V2, V4 Throttle valve W Work

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-7-51532 (JP, A) JP-A-9-40404 (JP, A) JP-A-1-184017 (JP, A) JP-A-3- 157117 (JP, A) JP-A-7-60621 (JP, A) WO 98/006664 (WO, A1) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) C01B 21/00-21 / 50 B23Q 11/10

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] [Claim 1] Compressed air compressed into the atmosphere is supplied by piping.
Compressed air source and moisture for removing moisture in the compressed air.
Removal filter and an electric
Heat heater and compressed air obtained by the above-mentioned moisture removal and heating
Filtration to separate and extract nitrogen gas components from (dry air)
Gas of the separated or extracted nitrogen gas
Gas with on-off valve and flow meter for adjusting gas concentration
In the generator, the compressed air source is installed in a factory.
Existing in the factory to operate various air equipment
From 4 to 8 kg / cm2 from the compressed air compressor
Compressed air and the above 4 ~ 8kg / cm2
The compressed air is a small pressure booster provided in the nitrogen gas generator.
The pressure is increased to about 6 to 10 kg / cm2 with water.
Filtration element or adsorption as compressed air with minute removal and heat treatment
A nitrogen gas generator, which is supplied to an element.