JP4407415B2 - Electrostatic atomizer and air cleaner equipped with electrostatic atomizer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electrostatic atomizer for electrostatically atomizing water into a nanometer size and an air cleaner equipped with the electrostatic atomizer.

  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. 5 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 unit 2 made of a porous body by capillarity, and CO ₂ in the air becomes water W. It reacts with carbonate ions formed by dissolution and precipitates 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. 5, reference numeral 20 denotes CaCO ₃ or MgCO _{3). 3} shows a scale that is deposited and adheres to the tip 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, etc., or to replace the transport unit 2.

Moreover, although the air cleaner provided with the electrostatic atomizer is known by patent document 2, as for the air cleaner shown by this patent document 2, indoor polluted air passes an electrostatic atomizer. Thus, indoor air is purified, and dust or the like in the room adheres to the portion to which the voltage of the electrostatic atomizer is applied, and stable electrostatic atomization cannot be performed. There has been a problem that maintenance is required to remove dust and the like adhering to the portion to which the voltage of the converter is applied. Moreover, the one disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a problem that only contaminated air taken into the air purifier can be purified.
Japanese Patent No. 3260150 JP-A-53-141167

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. An object of the present invention is to provide an electrostatic atomizer capable of generating nanometer-size mist by electrostatic atomization. In addition, dust or the like is attached to a portion to which the voltage of the electrostatic atomizer is applied. The nanometer-size mist generated by the electrostatic atomizer is diffused over a wide range by the purified air flow, and has a deodorizing function for odor components in indoor air and deposits on indoor walls. An object of the present invention is to provide an air cleaner that can be effectively used and deodorized over a wide range.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an electrostatic atomizer according to the present invention includes a water reservoir portion 1 and a needle-like shape at the upper end by capillarity that causes water in the water reservoir portion 1 to be placed in the water reservoir portion 1. A transport unit 2 transported to the atomization unit 11, a counter electrode 3 disposed so as to face the needle-shaped atomization unit 11 at the upper end of the transport unit 2, and a needle-like shape at the tip of the transport unit 2 from the water reservoir 1 An electrostatic atomizer 6 having a water application electrode 4 capable of applying a voltage to water in a path to the atomization unit 11 and a voltage application unit 5 for applying a high voltage between the water application electrode 4 and the counter electrode 3. , The transport unit 2 is made of a porous ceramic made of a solid acid of either titanium oxide or cordierite, and water reaching the needle-like atomization unit 11 undergoes Rayleigh splitting due to high voltage, resulting in a nanometer size. This is characterized in that the mist is generated .

In this way, the lower part is placed in the water reservoir 1 and the transport part 2 that transports the water in the water reservoir 1 to the needle-like atomization part 11 at the upper end by capillary action is either titanium oxide or cordierite. Since it is made of a porous ceramic made of a solid acid, water contacts the porous ceramic made of any solid acid of titanium oxide or cordierite, so that any solid acid of titanium oxide or cordierite can be made. Water in the porous ceramic capillary tube as a material releases hydrogen ions and becomes acidic, and carbon dioxide gas becomes hydrogen carbonate. In an acidic atmosphere, cations such as Ca and Mg contained in the water are converted into CO _{2 in} the air. It reacts with and precipitates as CaCO ₃ , MgCO _3, etc., and adheres to the needle-like atomization section 11 at the tip of the transport section 2 made of a porous ceramic made of a solid acid of either titanium oxide or cordierite. In particular, even when water is left in the water reservoir 1 in which the lower part of the transport unit 1 is placed when not in use when no voltage is applied, it is transported by the transport unit 2 by capillary action. In the acicular atomization unit 11 at the tip of the transport unit 2 , cations such as Ca and Mg contained in the water react with CO ₂ in the air and precipitate as a salt, which is either titanium oxide or cordierite. It does not adhere to the needle-like atomization part 11 at the tip of the conveying part 2 made of a porous ceramic made of a solid acid and clog . This eliminates the trouble of throwing away the water remaining in the water reservoir 1 every time the operation of electrostatic atomization is completed, improves the usability, and stably generates nanometer-sized mist over a long period of time. Atomization is possible. In addition, since the water reaching the needle-like atomization part causes Rayleigh splitting due to high voltage and generates nanometer-size mist, the generated nanometer-size mist has active species and is highly diffusive, and has a deodorizing function. There is.

  The air cleaner of the present invention is characterized in that the electrostatic atomizer 6 having the above-described configuration is arranged on the downstream side of the filter 15 and the fan 17.

With such a configuration, the air purified by the filter 15 passes through the electrostatic atomizer 6 and the nanometer-size mist generated by the electrostatic atomizer 6 rides on the purified air flow. It can be discharged into the room, so that the dust in the room does not adhere to the portion to which the voltage of the electrostatic atomizer 6 is applied, and cations such as Ca and Mg contained in the water are present. Combined with the effect of preventing clogging of the porous ceramic by reacting with CO ₂ in the air and depositing as a salt, discharge atomization can be stably performed for a long period of time, and electrostatic atomization The nanometer-size mist, which is the mist of the nanometer-size particle diameter generated in the above, is originally highly diffusive, but the diffusibility is further improved because the purified air spreads on the air flow blown by the fan 13. And also purified Nanometer-sized mist does not immediately come into contact with dirty air and spreads on purified air far away because it spreads on the flow of generated air.For this reason, nanometer-sized mist has The deodorizing function of the above-mentioned electrostatic atomizer can be achieved by effectively using the deodorizing function for the odor components in the indoor air and the deposits on the indoor wall surface due to the active species. It can be demonstrated more effectively.

In the electrostatic atomizer of the present invention, as described above, the transport unit that has the lower part placed in the water reservoir and transports the water in the water reservoir to the needle-like atomizer at the upper end by capillary action is made of titanium oxide or cord. Since it is composed of a porous ceramic made of any solid acid of light, it can prevent cations such as Ca and Mg contained in water from precipitating as a salt. Even if water is stored in the part, the cation such as Ca, Mg, etc. contained in the water conveyed by the capillary action by the conveying part reacts with CO ₂ in the air and precipitates as a salt, so that it is porous. There is an advantage that the electrostatic atomization can be stably performed without maintenance for a long period of time without adhering to and clogging the needle-like atomization section at the tip of the conveying section made of ceramic. In addition, water that reaches the needle-like atomization part causes Rayleigh splitting due to high voltage and generates nanometer-size mist, so the generated nanometer-size mist has active species and is highly diffusive, and has a deodorizing function. There is.

In addition, an air cleaner equipped with the electrostatic atomizer of the present invention can discharge nanometer-sized mist generated in the electrostatic atomizer into a room on a purified air flow. Porous ceramics in which indoor dust or the like does not adhere to the portion to which the voltage is applied, and cations such as Ca and Mg contained in water react with CO ₂ in the air and precipitate as a salt. Combined with the anti-clogging effect, discharge atomization can be performed stably for a long period of time, and nanometer-size mist generated by electrostatic atomization is originally highly diffusible, but purified air The diffusivity is further improved by spreading on the air flow blown by the fan, and the nanometer-sized mist does not immediately come into contact with dirty air because it spreads on the purified air flow. Up to purified air For this purpose, 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 nanometer-size mist is effectively utilized for a wide range. The deodorizing function of the electrostatic atomizer can be exhibited more effectively.

  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 by the rod-shaped or strip | belt-shaped porous ceramic, and the upper end of the conveyance part 2 becomes the needle-like atomization part 11 with the point. In this invention, the porous ceramic which comprises this conveyance part 2 is formed using the solid acid as a material, As a solid acid used, a titanium oxide or a cordierite can be mentioned, for example. Incidentally, the acid strength (pKa) is -11.35 for titanium oxide and -11.99 for cordierite. 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 2 mm or less.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of the rod-shaped or belt-shaped transport units 2 are arranged, and the plurality of transport units 2 are attached to the upper opening of the water tank constituting the water reservoir 1. It is arrange | positioned at equal intervals on the concentric circle centering on the center of the water application electrode 4, the upper part of each conveyance part 2 protrudes upwards rather than the water application electrode 4, and the lower part protrudes below from the water application electrode 4, and the said It comes into contact with the water W put in the water reservoir 1.

  As shown in FIG. 1, 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. In addition, the lower end thereof is positioned below the lower end of the transport unit 2, and a lattice-shaped protective cover 10 is covered on the lower end opening. 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). Thus the nanometer size mist has been generated by active species (hydroxy radical, superoxide, etc.) for a mist of nanometer size having, if this is to be released into the room, only deodorization of indoor air Therefore, it is possible to remove the odor adhering to the indoor wall surface.

The following shows the deodorization reaction formula of the active species contained in the odor and nanometer mist.

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, since nanometer-sized atomized ions have a very small particle size of nanometer size , 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 nanometers. Released in the air as described above in a charged state with a charge in size, floats in the air for a long time, and in addition to the above-mentioned deodorizing effect, useful components, sedative components, aroma components and deodorant components for a long time Can be supplied over.

In the electrostatic atomizer 6 as described above, in the present invention, as described above, the transport unit 2 whose tip is the needle-shaped atomization unit 11 is made of a solid acid of either titanium oxide or cordierite. Since water is in contact with the porous ceramic made of either solid oxide of titanium oxide or cordierite, the water in the capillary becomes acidic and is contained in water in an acidic atmosphere. The cation such as Ca and Mg does not react with CO _{2 in} the air and precipitate as CaCO ₃ , MgCO ₃ or the like. Therefore, CaCO ₃ , MgCO ₃ or the like precipitates and titanium oxide or cordierite. The clogging is not caused by adhering to the needle-like atomization section 11 at the tip of the transport section 2 made of a porous ceramic made of any solid acid. In particular, even if the water reservoir 2 is left in a state where the electrostatic atomizer 6 is not used, the water in the capillary tube of the porous ceramic is acidic. Cations such as Ca and Mg contained are not deposited as a salt. Thus, since the tip needle-like part 11 of the conveyance part 2 made of a porous ceramic made of a solid acid of either titanium oxide or cordierite is not clogged, the operation of electrostatic atomization ends. From the porous ceramic made of solid acid of either titanium oxide or cordierite stably for a long period of time, saving the trouble of throwing away the water remaining in the water reservoir 1 every time and improving usability. Water is transported through the transport unit 2 by capillary action and transported to the needle-like atomization unit 11 at the tip of the transport unit 2, and electrostatic atomization can be stably performed.

  The following chemical formula 1 shows a reaction formula in which water is acidic when it comes into contact with a porous ceramic made of a solid acid, and titanium oxide as an example of the solid acid.

また、ＣＯ_２の水中における存在状態は下記の化２に示す通りである。

Further, the presence state of CO ₂ in water is as shown in Chemical Formula 2 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２に示すＣＯ_３ ^２−とが反応し、下記の化３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 2 above, and reacts as shown in Chemical Formula 3 below 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 2 and ₃ , 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 Ca cation in water as an example. in the case of water or neutral water and acidic water is also a similar manner to precipitation MgCO ₃ in water alkaline or neutral, not precipitated MgCO ₃ in acidic water.

  3 and 4 show an air cleaner 13 provided with the electrostatic atomizer 6 having the above-described configuration. FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the air cleaner 13, and FIG. 4 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 purifier 18 including a filter 15 (prefilter 15a, dust removing / deodorizing filter 15b) and a fan 17 and the electrostatic atomizer 6 having the above-described configuration are provided. It is. The main body case 14 is formed with an air passage having one end as an inlet and the other end as an outlet. The prefilter 15a, the dust removing / deodorizing filter 15b, the fan 17, the electrostatic atomization are sequentially arranged from the upstream side of the air passage. A device 6 is arranged. The arrows in FIG. 4 indicate the flow of the wind. 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.

Nanometer-size mist, which is a mist of nanometer-size particle diameter generated by electrostatic atomization, is originally highly diffusible because of its extremely small particle size, but the purified air rides on the air flow blown by fan 13. Because it spreads, it becomes even more diffusive, and because it spreads on the flow of purified air, nanometer-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 nanometer mist can work effectively and can be deodorized 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. 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.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Water sump part 2 Conveyance part 3 Counter electrode 4 Water application electrode 5 Voltage application part 6 Electrostatic atomizer 14 Filter 17 Fan

Claims (2)

The water reservoir, the lower part is placed in the water reservoir, and the water in the water reservoir is transported to the needle-shaped atomizing section at the upper end by capillary action, and is opposed to the needle-shaped atomizing section at the tip of the conveying section. A counter electrode arranged to be, a water application electrode capable of applying a voltage to the water in the path from the water reservoir to the needle-shaped atomization unit at the tip of the transport unit, and applying a high voltage to the water application electrode In the electrostatic atomizer having a voltage application unit, the transport unit is composed of a porous ceramic made of a solid acid of either titanium oxide or cordierite, and water reaching the needle atomization unit has a high voltage. An electrostatic atomizer characterized by causing Rayleigh splitting to generate nanometer mist . An air cleaner provided with an electrostatic atomizer, wherein the electrostatic atomizer according to claim 1 is disposed downstream of a filter and a fan.

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