JP5368759B2 - Charged particulate water supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make larger the ratio of the amount of generation of charged fine water droplets to the amount of air by an air blower than the ratio with conventional constitutions. <P>SOLUTION: An electrostatic atomization device 2 feeds water to an atomization electrode 21 from a water feed means and generates charged fine water droplets by applying a high voltage between the atomization electrode 21 and an opposite electrode 22. The air blower 3 feeds the charged fine water droplets generated by the electrostatic atomization device 2. The opposite electrode 22 is connected to a discharged-current detecting part 6 detecting discharged current, and a control part 4 increases or decreased the amount of air of the air blower 3 according to the increase or decrease of the discharged current detected by the discharged-current detecting part 6. Thus, the amount of air increases or decreases according to the amount of ozone generated and the ozone is diluted so that the concentration of the ozone may keep a reference value or less. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a charged fine particle water supply device that sends out charged fine particle water generated by an electrostatic atomizer by a blower.

  Conventionally, an electrostatic atomizer that generates charged fine particle water that is nanometer-sized mist by supplying water from the water supply means to the atomization electrode and applying a high voltage to the atomization electrode, and charged fine particle water There is provided a charged fine particle water supply device provided with a blowing device for feeding out the water. By providing the blower, the charged fine particle water can be distributed to every corner of the space where the charged fine particle water is required.

  In the electrostatic atomizer, ozone may be generated together with the charged fine particle water by causing discharge at the atomization electrode as the charged fine particle water is generated. Ozone is generated when the amount of water supplied from the water supply means is insufficient. At this time, the carrier for carrying the charge is not sufficient for the charged fine particle water alone, and ozone becomes the carrier for carrying the charge. is there. Therefore, in this kind of charged fine particle water supply device, it is required to limit the ozone concentration to a specified value or less.

  As a technique for limiting the ozone concentration to a specified value or less, the ozone concentration is monitored, and a limit value based on the above specified value is set for the ozone concentration. When the ozone concentration reaches the limit value, The generation of charged fine particle water can be stopped by stopping the application of high voltage to the atomizing electrode, or the proportion of time during which the high voltage is applied to the atomizing electrode can be reduced. Conceivable.

Further, in the configuration in which the air volume of the air blowing means can be changed in a plurality of stages, a configuration in which the magnitude of the discharge current is changed in accordance with the air volume in order to limit the ozone concentration to a specified value or less (Patent Document). 1). In the configuration described in Patent Document 1, when the air volume is small, the discharge current is reduced to suppress the amount of ozone generated. As a result, the amount of ozone generated with respect to the air volume is reduced, thereby reducing the ozone concentration to a specified value or less. Allowing you to keep on.
JP 2006-247478 A

  By the way, in the electrostatic atomizer, as described above, if the amount of water supplied from the water supply means is insufficient, ozone is likely to be generated, and the amount of water supplied is not constant. It fluctuates with progress. That is, if the air volume of the air blower is constant, the ozone concentration varies with time. In other words, in order to limit the ozone concentration to below the specified value, the amount of ozone generated should be taken into account and the air volume should be set with a margin based on the maximum amount of ozone generated. is necessary. For this reason, the air volume becomes larger than necessary with respect to the generation amount of the charged fine particle water, and as a result, there arises a problem that a large noise is generated due to the operation sound of the blower.

  In other words, since the ratio of the discharge current to the set air volume must be reduced, the amount of charged particulate water generated relative to the air volume is limited, and the deodorization / allergen expected as an effect of charged particulate water Various problems such as inactivation of the skin and moisturizing the skin and hair are also reduced. The same applies to the case where the ozone concentration is monitored and the application of the high voltage to the atomizing electrode is stopped, or the time ratio during which the high voltage is applied to the atomizing electrode is reduced.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned reasons, and the object of the present invention is to make it possible to make the ratio of the amount of charged fine particle water generated relative to the air volume of the blower larger than in the conventional configuration, and to generate charged fine particle water. An object of the present invention is to provide a charged fine particle water supply device that makes it possible to reduce the concentration of ozone with respect to the amount, and also contributes to a reduction in operating noise of the blower.

The present invention provides an electrostatic atomizer for generating charged fine particle water by supplying water from the water supply means to the atomization electrode and applying a high voltage to the atomization electrode, a blower device for sending out the charged fine particle water, A discharge current detection unit that detects a discharge current according to the amount of charged fine particle water generated; and a control unit that controls the air volume of the blower; the control unit receives the detection result of the discharge current detection unit and so that the concentration of the estimated ozone amount of ozone generated during the production is kept below a specified value, the discharge current detection unit according to the detection value control Ru increase the air volume is large enough feed air device of the discharge current and wherein and the child that is responsible for.

  Moreover, it is desirable that the control unit be configured to control the air volume of the air blower by changing a ratio of a time during which the air blower is energized and a time during which the air blower is not energized.

  Further, the blower device includes a blower blade and a drive source that rotationally drives the blower blade, and the control unit can switch the number of rotations of the drive source in a plurality of stages, and when the number of rotations is switched. It is desirable to gradually shift the rotational speed as time elapses.

  According to the configuration of the present invention, since the discharge current is monitored and the air volume of the blower is increased / decreased along with the increase / decrease of the discharge current, the fluctuation of the amount of ozone generated due to the fluctuation of the water supply amount is monitored by the discharge current. Therefore, it is not necessary to set the air volume in anticipation of fluctuations in the amount of ozone generated, and the air volume relative to the amount of charged fine particle water generated can be reduced. That is, it leads to reduction of the operation sound of the blower with respect to the generation amount of charged fine particle water. In addition, since the ratio of the amount of charged fine particle water generated to the air volume of the blower can be increased, it is possible to reduce the concentration of ozone with respect to the amount of charged fine particle water generated, and the charged fine particles while reducing the concentration of ozone. It is possible to increase the concentration of water and enhance the effect expected of charged fine particle water.

  Moreover, if the structure which changes the ratio of the electricity supply time in changing the air volume of an air blower is employ | adopted, there exists an advantage that control of the air volume of an air blower can be performed with a simple structure.

  Furthermore, in the configuration in which the air volume of the blower is made variable by switching the rotational speed of the drive source in a plurality of stages, and the rotational speed is gradually shifted with the passage of time when the air volume is switched, the change in the wind noise due to the air blowing blades It becomes difficult for the user to notice and the sound is substantially reduced.

  In the present embodiment, the charged fine particle water supply device installed in the vehicle interior is illustrated, but the use of the present invention for purposes other than the application used in the vehicle interior is not limited.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the charged fine particle water supply device includes an electrostatic atomizer 2 that generates charged fine particle water. The electrostatic atomizer 2 is accommodated in the housing 1 as shown in FIG. The housing 1 accommodates therein a blower 3 (see FIG. 1) for sending out charged fine particle water, and discharges the charged fine particle water from a blower opening 1a opened on the wall surface.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the electrostatic atomizer 2 includes an atomizing electrode 21 having a tip portion (upper end portion in the drawing) made thinner than the central portion and a tip portion of the atomizing electrode 21 made of an insulating material. A cylindrical body 23, a counter electrode 22 disposed in a front end opening (upper end opening in the figure) of the cylindrical body 23 so as to face the atomizing electrode 21, a Peltier module 5 that cools the atomizing electrode 21, and a Peltier A radiation fin 7 thermally coupled to the module 5 is provided, and the output voltage of the power supply circuit E is applied to the atomizing electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22. The power supply circuit E applies a voltage that is relatively high to the counter electrode 22 to the atomizing electrode 21. In a general configuration, the atomizing electrode 21 has a negative potential with respect to the counter electrode 22.

  In the wall of the cylindrical body 23, an inflow opening 23a through which the wind from the blower 3 flows is opened. The counter electrode 22 is formed in a ring shape having a through hole 22a through which the wind that has flowed into the cylindrical body 23 flows out. The cylindrical body 23 is disposed inside the housing 1 at a position where the wind that has flowed out of the through hole 22a is discharged from the blower opening 1a.

  The blower 3 includes a blower blade (not shown) and a motor (not shown) as a drive source for rotationally driving the blower blade, and inside the casing 23 inside the casing 1 through the inflow opening 23a. So that the wind flows into the

  As shown in FIG. 1, the discharge current detector 6 is connected to the counter electrode 22, and the discharge current detector 6 detects a discharge current flowing between the atomizing electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22. The discharge current detected by the discharge current detection unit 6 is input to the control unit 4 that controls the air volume of the blower 3. In the control unit 4, the blower according to the discharge current that is the detection result of the discharge current detection unit 6. 3 is controlled. The control of the air volume of the blower 3 with respect to the increase and decrease of the discharge current in the control unit 4 will be described later.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. When a voltage is applied to the Peltier module 5 to cool the atomizing electrode 21, water is condensed on the surface of the atomizing electrode 21. Further, since a high voltage is applied between the atomizing electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22 by the power supply circuit E, the water droplets attached to the atomizing electrode 21 move to the tip of the atomizing electrode 21. That is, the atomizing electrode 21 and the Peltier module 5 form water supply means.

  The water that has moved to the tip of the atomizing electrode 21 is separated from the atomizing electrode 21 by the strong electric field generated around the tip of the atomizing electrode 21 and is split to generate charged fine particle water in the cylindrical body 23. Let The charged fine particle water generated in the cylindrical body 23 is discharged out of the housing 1 from the blower opening 1a by the wind flowing into the cylindrical body 23.

  By the way, when a high voltage is applied between the atomizing electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22, a large amount of charged fine particle water is generated if the supply amount of water is in an appropriate range, but the supply amount of water is too small. In some cases, charged particulate water alone cannot carry charge, and ozone is generated by discharge. Since ozone is generated in a larger amount as the discharge current is larger, the control unit 4 can estimate the amount of ozone generated by detecting the discharge current. In the present embodiment, the control unit 4 performs control to increase the air volume of the blower 3 as the detection value of the discharge current by the discharge current detection unit 6 increases, and increases the rate of dilution of ozone, so that the ozone concentration is less than the specified value. So that it can be kept.

  Since the air blower 3 uses the motor as a drive source as described above, the power supply current to the motor is intermittently interrupted at a sufficiently high frequency compared to the rotation speed of the motor, and the energization time and the non-energization time The structure which adjusts the rotation speed of the motor by adjusting the ratio of is adopted. For example, if the motor is a DC motor, a switching element is inserted between the motor and the on / off time ratio of the switching element to adjust the rotation speed of the motor, and the air volume of the blower 3 is adjusted. Adjust.

The example of control of the air blower 3 by the control part 4 is shown below. In this embodiment, the structure which switches the rotation speed of a motor in multiple steps (3 steps) is employ | adopted. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, three stages of 5000 rpm, 6000 rpm, and 9000 rpm can be selected as the motor rotation speed. Moreover, when the ventilation port 1a provided in the housing | casing 1 is formed in the circular shape with a diameter of 16 mm, and the rotation speed of a motor is 5000 rpm, 6000 rpm, and 9000 rpm, the air volume in the ventilation port 1a is about 0.6 m, respectively. ³ / h, about 0.8 m ³ / h, and about 1.2 m ³ / h.

Here, as a reference value in the control unit 4, the rotational speed of the motor is 5000 rpm when the discharge current is 3 μA, 6000 rpm when the discharge current is 6 μA, and 9000 rpm when the discharge current is 9 μA, and the maximum value of the air volume of the blower 3 is 9000 rpm. It has become. That is, the discharge current of the electrostatic atomizer 2 does not exceed 9 μA (in this case, since it is an abnormal state such as when the atomizing electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22 are short-circuited, other protections are provided). The function operates), when the discharge current is 0 to 3 μA, the rotational speed is 5000 rpm, the rotational speed is 6000 rpm when it exceeds 3 μA and 6 μA or less, and the rotational speed is 9000 rpm when it exceeds 6 μA and 9 μA or less. Control the air volume.

  Alternatively, the control unit 4 adds hysteresis to the relationship between the discharge current and the rotational speed of the blower 3, and when the discharge current increases and exceeds 3 μA, the rotational speed is changed from 5000 rpm to 6000 rpm, and the discharge current decreases. Then, even if it falls below 3 μA, it may be controlled to maintain 6000 rpm and return to 5000 rpm when 0 μA is reached. In this case, when the discharge current rises and exceeds 6 μA, the rotation speed is changed from 6000 rpm to 9000 rpm, and then the discharge current decreases and drops below 6 μA and maintains 9000 rpm. When it becomes, it may be made to return to 6000 rpm.

  Note that the air volume may be changed continuously instead of stepwise. For example, when the discharge current is less than 3 μA and when it exceeds 9 μA, the blower 3 is stopped. When the discharge current is in the range of 3 to 6 μA, the rotation speed is interpolated between 5000 to 6000 rpm, and the discharge current is 6 to 9 μA. The rotation number may be interpolated between 6000 and 9000 rpm.

  In changing the air volume of the blower 3 in a stepwise manner, when switching the rotation speed, it is desirable to gradually change the rotation speed from the original rotation speed to the rotation speed that shifts with time. This control can prevent the rotational speed from changing suddenly, and by smoothly changing the rotational speed, it becomes difficult for the user to notice the change in the wind noise caused by the blower blades, and it is substantially silenced. become.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the ozone concentration is kept below a specified value by increasing or decreasing the air volume of the blower 3 in accordance with the discharge current. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the air volume is determined, the amount of ozone generated It is possible to reduce the amount of air flow in preparation for the fluctuation of the air flow, and when the generation amount of charged fine particle water is the same as that of the conventional configuration, the rotational speed of the motor used for the blower 3 is reduced. As a result, the operation sound of the blower 3 (wind noise of the blower blades) can be reduced. In addition, since the ratio of the amount of charged particulate water generated to the air volume of the blower increases, it becomes possible to reduce the concentration of ozone with respect to the amount of charged particulate water generated, and the concentration of charged particulate water while reducing the concentration of ozone. It is possible to increase the effect expected of charged fine particle water. That is, in the passenger compartment, effects such as deodorization, suppression of virus / mold / bacteria growth, inactivation of allergens, and moisture retention of passengers' skin and hair can be expected.

It is a block diagram which shows embodiment. It is an external appearance perspective view same as the above. It is a schematic block diagram of the electrostatic atomizer used for the same as the above. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing same as the above.

Explanation of symbols

2 Electrostatic atomizer 3 Blower 4 Controller 6 Discharge current detector 21 Atomizing electrode

Claims (3)

An electrostatic atomizer for supplying charged fine particle water by supplying water from the water supply means to the atomizing electrode and applying a high voltage to the atomizing electrode, a blower for sending charged fine particle water, and charged fine particle water A discharge current detection unit that detects a discharge current according to the generated amount; and a control unit that controls the air volume of the blower. The control unit receives the detection result of the discharge current detection unit and generates charged particulate water. and this concentration of ozone amount was estimated ozone produced is performed as kept below the specified value, the control Ru increases the air volume of the detected value is larger as feed air device of the discharge current due to the discharge current detection unit A charged fine particle water supply device.   The charged fine particle water supply device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the air volume of the air blower by changing a ratio of a time during which the air blower is energized and a time during which the air blower is not energized.   The blower device includes a blower blade and a drive source that rotationally drives the blower blade, and the control unit can switch the number of rotations of the drive source in a plurality of stages, and the time elapses when the number of rotations is switched. The charged fine particle water supply device according to claim 1, wherein the rotational speed is gradually shifted along with the charging.

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