JP4324051B2 - Electrostatic atomizer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrostatic atomizer for electrostatically atomizing water into nano-sizes.

  For example, Patent Document 1 is known as an electrostatic atomizer. In the conventional example shown in this Patent Document 1, the transport unit is composed of a porous body, the water in the water reservoir is transported by a capillary phenomenon in the transport unit composed of the porous body, and the transported water is It is designed to be atomized electrostatically.

FIG. 6 shows a principle diagram of electrostatic atomization. In the figure, 1 is a water reservoir for storing water, 2 is a transport unit made of a porous material, 3 is a counter electrode, 4 is a water application electrode, and 5 is a water mark. A voltage application unit that applies a high voltage between the supply electrode 4 and the counter electrode 3. By applying a high voltage between the water application electrode 4 and the counter electrode 3 by the voltage application unit 5, the upper end of the transport unit 2 The water W transported to the surface is electrostatically atomized to generate mist M. Here, as water W used for electrostatic atomization, for example, tap water, electrolyzed water, pH-adjusted water, mineral water, water containing useful components such as vitamin C / amino acid, aroma oil and fragrance Water containing deodorant and other materials is used. When water containing mineral components such as Ca and Mg is used in the water W, water is pulled up to the tip of the transport section 2 made of a porous material by capillary action, and a voltage is applied to the transport section 2 In addition, since the potential difference is large between the lower end portion and the tip end portion (upper end portion) of the transport unit 2, the water W in the transport unit is electrolyzed and pH separation occurs, and CO ₂ in the air dissolves in water in the alkaline part. It reacts with the carbonate ions formed in this way, and deposits and adheres as CaCO ₃ , MgCO ₃ or the like to the tip of the transport unit 2 to clog the porous body constituting the transport unit 2 (in FIG. 6, reference numeral 20 denotes CaCO ₃ or MgCO ₃ And the like shows a scale that is deposited on the front end portion of the transport unit 2). When the porous body is clogged in this way, the water transportation due to the capillary phenomenon is hindered, and the electrostatic atomization is difficult to occur, and the electrostatic atomization cannot be stably performed for a long period of time. There has been a need to perform maintenance to remove adhered and clogged CaCO ₃ , MgCO ₃ , or the like, or to perform maintenance to replace the transport unit 2.
Japanese Patent No. 3260150

  The present invention has been invented in view of the above-described conventional problems, and can prevent cations such as Ca and Mg contained in water from being precipitated as a salt, and can be stable without maintenance over a long period of time. Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrostatic atomizer capable of electrostatic atomization.

In order to solve the above problems, an electrostatic atomizer according to the present invention is opposed to a water reservoir 1, a transport unit 2 that transports water from the water reservoir 1, and a transport direction of the transport unit 2. The water application electrode 4 that can apply voltage to the water W in the path from the water reservoir 1 to the counter electrode 3 side tip of the transport unit 2, the water application electrode 4, and the counter electrode 3. In the electrostatic atomizer 6 having the voltage application unit 5 for applying a high voltage between the two, the transport unit 2 for transporting water from the water reservoir 1 is a solid acid of titanium oxide, mullite, or cordierite. It is made of a porous ceramic material, and is characterized in that it has conductivity by adding a conductive material composed of a single metal of niobium, palladium, platinum or a metal oxide thereof. is there.

Thus, the transport unit 2 that transports water from the water reservoir 1 is made of a porous ceramic made of a solid acid of titanium oxide, mullite, or cordierite, and is made of any one of niobium, palladium, and platinum. When a conductive material made of a single substance or these metal oxides is added to have conductivity, when carrying out electrostatic atomization by applying a voltage, in the transport unit 2 made of porous ceramic Water that is transported in the transport unit 2 made of porous ceramic without causing electrolysis does not undergo pH separation. In addition, the transport unit 2 is any one of titanium oxide, mullite, and cordierite. since the solid acid consisting of porous ceramic as a material, titanium oxide, mullite, when water contacts the porous ceramic and the material of any of the solid acids cordierite, and release hydrogen ions of water Carbonate ions becomes bicarbonate becomes acidic, Ca, cations such as Mg becomes difficult to precipitate as a salt. In addition, since the transport unit 2 is made of a porous ceramic made of any solid acid of titanium oxide, mullite, or cordierite, the water in the capillary of the porous ceramic is acidic and no voltage is applied. However, it becomes difficult for cations such as Ca and Mg contained in water to precipitate as salts. Thereby, both when the voltage is applied and when the voltage is not applied, cations such as Ca and Mg are not deposited as salts and adhere to the porous ceramic so as to be clogged.

In the present invention, as described above, the transport unit that transports water from the water reservoir is made of a porous ceramic made of any solid acid of titanium oxide, mullite, and cordierite, and is made of niobium, palladium, or platinum. Do not apply a voltage even when applying a voltage and conducting electrostatic atomization because it has conductivity by adding any metal alone or a conductive material made of these metal oxides. Even when electrostatic atomization is not performed, cations such as Ca and Mg contained in water can be prevented from depositing as a salt, and electrostatic atomization can be performed stably without maintenance over a long period of time. There is an advantage.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

  1 and 2 are a sectional view and a plan view of the electrostatic atomizer 6 of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electrostatic atomizer 6 includes a water reservoir 1 made of a water tank containing water, and a plurality of lower ends immersed in water W placed in the water reservoir 1. It is held by a rod-shaped or strip-shaped transport unit 2 made of a porous ceramic, a water application electrode 4 for holding the transport unit 2 and applying a voltage to the water W, and a holding unit 8 made of an insulator. In addition, a voltage application for applying a high voltage between the counter electrode 3 provided with a counter portion facing the tip of the plurality of rod-shaped or belt-shaped transport units 2 and the water application electrode 4 and the counter electrode 3 The counter electrode 3 and the water application electrode 4 are both formed of a synthetic resin mixed with a conductive material such as carbon or a metal such as SUS.

The conveyance part 2 is comprised with the rod-shaped or strip | belt-shaped porous ceramic, and the upper end of the conveyance part 2 is the needle-shaped atomization part 11 which became sharp. In the present invention, the porous ceramic constituting the transport unit 2 uses a solid acid as a main material, and the solid acid used is, for example , any one of titanium oxide, mullite, and cordierite. Incidentally, the acid strength (pKa) is -11.35 for titanium oxide, -11.99 for mullite, and -11.99 for cordierite. A ceramic raw material in which a solid material, which is the main raw material, is mixed with a conductive material such as a single metal of Nb, Pd, or Pt or a metal oxide thereof (Nb ₂ O ₅ , Pb ₂ O ₅ , PtO, etc.) It forms a porous ceramic in the form of a rod or strip. Here, the mixing ratio of the solid acid and the conductive material is 90 to 99% by weight of the solid acid and 10 to 1% by weight of the conductive material when the mixture of both is 100 parts by weight. The formed porous ceramic preferably has a porosity of 10 to 70%, a particle size of 0.1 to 500 μm, and a cross-sectional shape of the tip of the needle-like atomizing portion 11 at the upper end of φ2 mm or less.

  A plurality of the rod-like or belt-like transport units 2 are arranged, and the plurality of transport units 2 are centered on the center of the water application electrode 4 attached to the upper opening of the water tank constituting the water reservoir 1. Are arranged at equal intervals on the concentric circles, the upper part of each transport part 2 protrudes upward from the water application electrode 4, and the lower part protrudes downward from the water application electrode 4 and is placed in the water reservoir 1. It comes in contact with water W.

  A cylindrical skirt 9 protrudes downward from the water application electrode 4 attached to the upper opening of the water reservoir 1 and surrounds the outside of the plurality of transport units 2, and its lower end is Located below the lower end of the transport unit 2, the lower end opening is covered with a grid-like protective cover 10. The skirt 9 in the water application electrode is adapted to protect the transport unit 2 together with the protective cover 1 at the same time as applying a high voltage to the water by contacting with water contained in the water reservoir 1.

  The lower part of the cylindrical holding part 8 made of an insulator is attached to the upper part of the water reservoir 1, and the counter electrode 3 is disposed so as to close the upper end opening of the holding part 8. It arrange | positions so that the front-end | tip (namely, upper end part of the conveyance part 2) of the conveyance direction of the part 2 may be opposed. An opening 12 is provided in the center of the counter electrode 3, and the edge of the opening 12 has a needle-like atomization section 11 at the upper end of the plurality of transport sections 2 when viewed from above as shown in FIG. 2. Is formed by smoothly connecting a plurality of arcs R having the same diameter. The counter electrode 3 is grounded, the voltage application unit 5 is connected to the water application electrode 4 to apply a high voltage, and the transport unit 2 formed of porous ceramic is put in the water reservoir 1 by capillary action. When the water W is being sucked up, the needle-like atomization part 11 at the upper end of the transport part 2 functions as a substantial electrode on the water application electrode 4 side, and at the same time, the arc R of the counter electrode 3 functions as a substantial electrode. To do. As the voltage application part 5, what can give the electric field strength of 500 V / mm or more, for example, 700-1200 V / mm is preferable.

  Here, in the present invention, the water reservoir 1 contains tap water, electrolyzed water, pH adjusted water, mineral water, water containing vitamin C / amino acid and other useful ingredients, aroma oil, fragrance and deodorant. These waters are supposed to contain mineral components such as Ca and Mg.

  The water stored in the water reservoir 1 is transported to the needle atomizing section 11 side at the upper end by a capillary phenomenon in the transport section 2 made of porous ceramic.

  When a high voltage is applied between the water application electrode 4 and the counter electrode 3 by the voltage application unit 5, the needle-like atomization unit 11 at the upper end of the transport unit 2 made of porous ceramic becomes a substantial electrode, and the needle Electrostatic atomization is performed in which the water W that has reached the atomized portion 11 undergoes Rayleigh splitting due to a high voltage to generate mist of ions having a nanometer size particle diameter (for example, 10 to 30 nanometers). Since the nano-sized mist generated in this way is a nano-sized mist with active species (hydroxy radicals, superoxide, etc.), by releasing this into the room, only deodorizing the indoor air Therefore, it is possible to remove the odor adhering to the indoor wall surface.

  The deodorization reaction formula of the active species contained in odor and nano-size mist is shown below.

Ammonia 2NH ₃ +6 ・ OH → N ₂ + 6H ₂ O
Acetaldehyde CH ₃ CHO + 6 ・ OH + O ₂ → 2CO ₂ + 5H ₂ O
Acetic acid CH ₃ COOH + 4 ・ OH + O ₂ → 2CO ₂ + 4H ₂ O
Methane gas CH ₄ +4 ・ OH → CO ₂ + 4H ₂ O
Carbon monoxide CO + 2 ・ OH → CO ₂ + H ₂ O
Nitric oxide 2NO + 4 ・ OH → N ₂ + 2O ₂ + 2H ₂ O
Formaldehyde HCHO + 4 ・ OH → CO ₂ + 3H ₂ O
In the above deodorization reaction formula, .OH represents a hydroxy radical.

  In addition, nano-sized atomized ions have a very small particle size, so they float in the air for a long time (about 10 minutes) and are highly diffusive. It stays in the air for a long time and spreads over a wide range compared to those sprayed by the spray method (if sprayed, the particle size is a few μm, the space floating time is short and the diffusivity is low), The deodorizing effect can be exhibited over a wide range for a long time.

  In addition, when water contains useful ingredients such as vitamin C and amino acids, or water containing aroma oils, fragrances and deodorants, these useful ingredients, sedative ingredients, fragrance ingredients and deodorant ingredients are nano-sized. In the charged state with electrification in size, it is released into the air as described above and floats in the air for a long time. Can be supplied over.

As described above, a high voltage is applied between the water application electrode 4 and the counter electrode 3, and the water W that has reached the needle-like atomization unit 11 is electrostatically atomized into nano-sized mist by the high voltage. However, when a high voltage is applied between the water application electrode 4 and the counter electrode 3 as described above, in the present invention, as described above, the porous ceramic serving as the transport unit 2 is any one of Nb, Pd, and Pt . As described above, a high voltage is applied as described above because a conductive material such as a single metal or a metal oxide thereof (Nb ₂ O ₅ , Pb ₂ O ₅ , PtO, etc.) is added. When electrostatic atomization is performed, electrolysis does not occur in the transport section 2 made of porous ceramic, and water transported in the transport section 2 made of porous ceramic does not undergo pH separation It is. As a result, the water transported in the transport unit 2 made of porous ceramic does not exhibit alkalinity, and cations such as Ca and Mg contained in the water react with CO ₂ in the air to cause CaCO ₃ and MgCO _3. As a result, it is possible to prevent the deposit from adhering to the transport unit 2 and causing clogging. Furthermore, in addition to the effect of suppressing precipitation as CaCO ₃ , MgCO _3, etc., because the porous ceramic has conductivity and water does not separate at the time of voltage application, the transport unit 2 is made of titanium oxide, mullite, cordierite. since any of the solid acid consisting of porous ceramic as the material of titanium oxide, mullite, the water in the porous ceramic to the material either of the solid acid cordierite contacts, of the porous ceramic in the capillary Water becomes acidic, and it becomes even more difficult for cations such as Ca and Mg contained in the water to precipitate as salts. Moreover, since the transport unit 2 is made of a porous ceramic made of a solid acid of titanium oxide, mullite, or cordierite even when the voltage is not applied, water in the capillary tube of the porous ceramic is used. Becomes acidic and cations such as Ca and Mg do not precipitate as a salt, so that it is possible to save the trouble of throwing away the water remaining in the water reservoir 1 every time the operation of electrostatic atomization is completed, and the usability is improved. At the same time, even when not in use, the deposit adheres to the porous ceramic and is not clogged, resulting in a decrease in water transport efficiency. Water is transported by a capillary phenomenon and transported to the upper end of the transport unit 2 so that electrostatic atomization can be stably performed.

  In FIG. 3 (a), as in the present invention, the transport unit 2 is composed of a porous ceramic made of a solid acid, and the porous ceramic has conductivity. The potential difference between the lower end and the upper end of the porous ceramic is small (substantially equipotential), the water in the porous ceramic constituting the transport unit 2 is not pH-separated, and a solid acid is used as a material. Therefore, a schematic diagram showing that the water in the porous ceramic becomes acidic is shown.

  In FIG. 3 (b), in the case where the transport unit 2 is composed of a porous ceramic having no conductivity, the transport unit 2 is configured when a high voltage is applied between the water application electrode 4 and the counter electrode 3. A schematic diagram showing that the water in the porous ceramic constituting the transport unit 2 is electrolyzed and pH-separated because the potential difference between the lower end and the upper end of the porous ceramic is large is shown.

By the way, the state of existence of CO ₂ in water is as shown in Chemical Formula 1 below.

そして、アルカリ性の水又は中性の水においては、水中のＣａ^２＋と上記した化１に示すＣＯ_３ ^２−とが反応し、下記の化２の反応式のように反応してＣａＣＯ_３が析出する。

In alkaline water or neutral water, Ca ²⁺ in water reacts with CO ₃ ²⁻ shown in Chemical Formula 1 above, and reacts as shown in the following chemical formula 2 to precipitate CaCO _3. To do.

一方、酸性の水においては、水中のＣａ^２＋と上記した化１に示すＨ_２ＣＯ_３は反応せず、Ｃａ^２＋として存在するので、ＣａＣＯ_３の析出はない。

On the other hand, in acidic water, Ca ²⁺ in water and H ₂ CO ₃ shown in Chemical ^Formula 1 do not react and exist as Ca ²⁺ , so there is no precipitation of CaCO ₃ .

In the above chemical formulas 1 and 2, the presence or absence of precipitation of CaCO ₃ in the case of alkaline water or neutral water and acidic water has been described by taking the cation of Ca in water as an example. in case of water of water or neutral water and acid also, similarly to precipitate the MgCO ₃ in an alkaline water or neutral water, no precipitation MgCO ₃ in acidic water.

  4 and 5 show an air cleaner 13 provided with the electrostatic atomizer 6 having the above-described configuration. FIG. 4 is a schematic front view of the air cleaner 13, and FIG. 5 is a schematic side sectional view of the air cleaner 13. The air cleaner 13 includes a main body case 14 in which an air purifying unit 18 including a pre-filter unit 15, a dust removing / deodorizing filter unit 16 and a fan unit 17, and the electrostatic atomizer 6 having the above-described configuration. is there. The main body case 14 is formed with an air passage having one end as an inlet and the other end as an outlet. From the upstream side of the air passage, the prefilter portion 15, the dust removing / deodorizing filter portion 16, the fan portion 17, An electroatomizer 6 is arranged. The arrows in FIG. 5 indicate the flow of the wind, but the air that has entered from the entrance of the air passage is purified by the air purifier 18, and the purified air passes through the electrostatic atomizer 6 to Indoor dust or the like does not adhere to the portion to which the voltage of the electroatomizer 6 is applied, and electrostatic atomization is hardly caused due to the adhesion of dust.

  Nano-size mist, which is a mist of nanometer-size particle diameter generated by electrostatic atomization, is originally highly diffusive because of its very small particle size, but purified air rides on the air flow blown by fan unit 13 Because it spreads, it becomes even more diffusive, and because it spreads on the flow of purified air, nano-sized mist does not immediately come into contact with dirty air, but diffuses on purified air far away For this reason, the deodorizing function for the odor components in the indoor air and the deposits on the indoor wall surface due to the active species possessed by the nano-size mist can work effectively and deodorize over a wide range. The deodorizing function of the electrostatic atomizer can be more effectively realized.

It is sectional drawing of the electrostatic atomizer of this invention. It is a top view of an electrostatic atomizer same as the above. (A) is a porous ceramic made of a solid acid-based porous ceramic, and the porous ceramic has conductivity, and the porous ceramic has a small potential difference between the lower end and the upper end of the porous ceramic. It is a schematic diagram which shows that the water in the inside becomes acidic by a solid acid without pH separation, and (b) is a structure in which a transport part is constituted by a porous ceramic having no conductivity, a water application electrode, a counter electrode, It is a schematic diagram which shows that the water in a porous ceramic is electrolyzed and pH-separated by the electric potential difference of the lower end part and upper end part of a porous ceramic when a high voltage is applied between. It is a schematic front view of the air cleaner provided with the electrostatic atomizer of this invention. It is a schematic sectional side view of an air cleaner same as the above. Is an explanatory view illustrating that like CaCO ₃ or MgCO ₃ is deposited adhering to the tip portion of the transport unit in the conventional example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Water sump part 2 Conveyance part 3 Counter electrode 4 Water application electrode 5 Voltage application part 6 Electrostatic atomizer

Claims (1)

A water reservoir, a transport unit that transports water from the water reservoir, a counter electrode that is disposed to face the transport direction of the transport unit, and a water reservoir that reaches the tip of the transport unit on the counter electrode side In an electrostatic atomizer having a water application electrode capable of applying a voltage to water in the path, and a voltage application unit for applying a high voltage between the water application electrode and the counter electrode , transporting water from the water reservoir The part is made of a porous ceramic made of any solid acid of titanium oxide, mullite, cordierite, and a conductive material made of any of niobium, palladium, platinum, or these metal oxides is added. the electrostatic atomization apparatus characterized in that it has a been a conductive are.

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