JP7015429B1 - Air curtain device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air curtain device for blocking, capturing, sterilizing and removing droplets by an air curtain without causing discomfort to humans in order to prevent infection by droplets of coronavirus. SOLUTION: A discharge unit 01 forming an air curtain is provided with a discharge air adjusting unit 07 for adjusting the wind speed distribution of the air discharged from the discharge port 05, and the discharge air adjusting unit 07 increases the wind speed at the center of the discharge port. , Adjust to slow down the wind speed on the outside. The air containing the droplets flows into the suction unit 02 by the suction fan 04, the inflowing droplets are attached to the filter 14 provided on the downstream side of the ultraviolet irradiation lamp 13, and the adhered droplets are sterilized by the ultraviolet irradiation lamp 13. do. [Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

The present invention relates to an air curtain device that blocks, captures, sterilizes, and removes droplets scattered by a person's cough, sneeze, or conversation, which is one of the coronavirus infection routes.

Air curtains are installed at the open entrances and exits of the building to prevent heat intrusion from the outside air and invasion of dust and insects. For example, an air curtain body equipped with a blower is installed above the entrance / exit of the building, a suction port is provided on the side surface opposite to the installation surface of the air curtain body, and the air sent by the blower from the suction port is the lower surface of the air curtain body. An air curtain is formed between the discharge port and the floor surface by blowing out from the discharge port provided in the above toward the floor surface (Patent Document 1).

In addition, as a method of sterilizing air, the ultraviolet rays of an ultraviolet lamp are often used, but in the conventional ultraviolet air sterilization method, an air suction port, a filter, an ultraviolet air sterilizer, a blower fan, etc. are used from the upstream side of the air flow. Each element is arranged in the order of the air outlet, and the air sterilized by the ultraviolet air sterilizing unit is sent out into the room (for example, Patent Document 2).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 05-106898 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-006771

However, in Patent Document 1, since strong discharged air is blown from the discharge port toward the floor, the air curtain formed while two people face each other and interact with each other has a large air volume, a high wind speed, and an air curtain air flow. However, it is not suitable for the air curtain for the purpose of the present invention because it touches the head and face and makes the air feel uncomfortable.

Further, in order to sterilize and inactivate bacteria in the air with ultraviolet rays, it is necessary to continuously irradiate the bacteria with ultraviolet rays for a certain period of time. It passes through this sterilizing part quickly without staying, and the time to receive ultraviolet rays is short, so there is a concern that a large sterilizing effect cannot be obtained.

Therefore, in the present invention, in order to prevent infection by coronavirus droplets, an air curtain device capable of blocking and capturing the droplets with an air curtain and sterilizing the captured droplets more reliably without causing discomfort to humans is provided. The purpose is to do.

The present invention relating to an air curtain device is an air curtain device for generating an air curtain in which air flows from above to below between facing persons and blocking droplets scattered by a person's cough, conversation, or the like. A discharge fan and a suction fan forming an air curtain, and a discharge air adjusting unit for adjusting the wind speed distribution of the air sent from the discharge fan and discharged from the discharge port are provided.
The discharge air adjusting unit is arranged between the discharge fan and the discharge port, and is composed of a discharge port partition plate, an air volume control plate, and a rectifying member having a honeycomb structure, and the discharge port is the discharge port partition plate. The two outer layers sandwiching the central layer are provided with the air volume control plate that reduces the amount of air passing through between the discharge fan and the discharge port. The air volume per layer of the discharged air of the outer two layers is set to be approximately ½ of the air volume of the central layer, and the honeycomb-structured rectifying member of the central layer has the same thickness in the vertical direction through which air flows. The outer two layers of the honeycomb-structured rectifying member have the same vertical thickness in which air flows as the central layer, the outer side is gradually thicker than the central side, and the flow resistance increases toward the outside. It is characterized in that the wind speeds of the two outer layers are gradually slowed down from the wind speeds of the central layer toward those facing each other .

In the air curtain device of the present invention, in order to prevent infection due to the droplets of coronavirus, it has become possible to block and capture the droplets by the air curtain without causing discomfort to humans.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows the air curtain apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the discharge part which shows the 1st Embodiment in the discharge part of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the 2nd Embodiment in the discharge part of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the suction part in embodiment of this invention. It is a wind speed distribution map of the air curtain airflow in embodiment of this invention. It is a counter table air curtain apparatus diagram in embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the mobile air curtain apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the air circulation type air curtain apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the air circulation type mobile air curtain apparatus in embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an air curtain device 101 according to the present embodiment for blocking, capturing, sterilizing, and removing droplets of a person, which is one of the sources of coronavirus infection, by the air curtain. Is.

A discharge unit 01 having a discharge fan 03 is installed in the upper part, and a suction part 02 having a suction fan 04 is installed in the lower part. The air sent by the discharge fan 03 is discharged from the discharge port 05, is sucked from the suction port 06 by the suction fan 04 in the lower suction portion 02, and faces downward from above between the discharge port 05 and the suction port 06. An air curtain AC with a white arrow through which air flows is formed. The discharge unit 01 and the suction unit 02 have a rectangular parallelepiped box shape consisting of a top surface, a bottom surface, and four side surfaces, but at least one surface has a structure that can be opened and closed.

The discharge unit 01 is provided with a discharge air adjusting unit 07 that adjusts the wind speed distribution of the air sent from the discharge fan 03 and discharged from the discharge port 05. The discharge air adjusting unit 07 is composed of a discharge port partition plate 08, an air volume adjusting plate 09, and a rectifying member 10 having a honeycomb structure. The discharge air adjusting unit 07 adjusts so that the wind speed of the central portion 30 of the discharge port in the lateral direction of the discharge portion of the air discharged from the discharge port 05 is increased and the wind speed of the outer side adjacent to the central portion 30 is decreased.

This reduces the mixing of the discharged air with the static air around it, reduces the deceleration of the discharged air speed, maintains the wind speed of the air curtain required to block the splashes scattered from the human mouth, and also maintains the wind speed of the facing person's head. It also reduces the diffusion of airflow in the air curtain, which causes discomfort due to air contact with the face and face.

The air containing the droplets flows into the suction unit 02 through the suction port 06 by the suction fan 04. The droplets that have flowed into the suction unit 02 are attached to the surface and near the surface of the filter 14 in the suction unit 02. By adhering to the filter 14, the droplets can be stopped and retained in the suction portion 02 for a short time.

The droplets attached to the filter 14 and stopped are sterilized by the ultraviolet irradiation lamp 13 which is an ultraviolet irradiation means, and the sterilized air is discharged indoors or outdoors by connecting a duct (not shown). The cross section AA in the drawing of the suction portion 02 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 described later. An easily removable service panel 25 is attached to the side surface of the suction unit 02 for the service and maintenance of the ultraviolet irradiation lamp 13 and the filter 14.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the discharge unit 01 according to the present embodiment, and the portion surrounded by the broken line is the discharge air adjusting unit 07 described above. The discharge port 05 is partitioned by a plate-shaped discharge port partition plate 08, and has a three-layer discharge port structure. Hereinafter, the central layer is referred to as main air 11, and the outer two layers are referred to as guard air 12.

An air volume adjusting plate 09a is attached to the air inlet portion of the guard air 12, and the opening area through which the air passes is about 50%. As for the air sent by the discharge fan 03, the main air 11 flows as it is, the guard air 12 is decelerated by the air volume adjusting plate 09a, and the discharge air speed of the guard air 12 becomes approximately 1/2 of the discharge air speed of the main air 11. ing.

The cross section of the rectifying member 10a of the main air 11 is a rectangular shape with a horizontal cut, and the rectifying member 10b of the guard air 12 has a diagonal cut shape of approximately 30 degrees, the long side is on the outside, and the resistance of the outside flow is increased. The guard air 12 also has a slow velocity gradient on the outside (detailed view of the discharged air adjusting unit).

As a result, the wind speed distribution of the entire discharge port becomes an approximate shape of the reverse parabola, the velocity difference between the guard air 12 and the surrounding static air becomes small, and the entrainment and mixing of the ambient air are reduced. As a result, the wind speed of the air curtain is less decelerated, and the wind speed that can block splashes can be maintained for a long time. Furthermore, by reducing the discharge speed of the guard air 12 to approximately 1/2 of that of the main air 11, the wind speed of the guard air 12 is transferred to the wind speed of the main air 11, and the wind speed of the main air 11 is about 1 before the wind speed adjustment. It can be increased by 5.5 times, improving the blocking performance of droplets.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the discharge unit 01 of the second embodiment, and in FIG. 3A, the portion surrounded by the broken line is the discharge air adjusting unit 07 described above. An air volume adjusting plate 09b is provided between the discharge fan 03 and the rectifying member 10 provided in the discharge port 05, and the air volume adjusting plate 09b has a wide opening area of the central portion 30 among the plurality of openings, and the opening area is widened toward the outside. The opening area was gradually narrowed. An example is shown in the detailed view (b) of the air volume adjusting plate.

With the air volume adjusting plate 09b, the discharge air velocity can be increased in the central portion 30 and gradually decreased in the outside, the speed difference with the surrounding static air is small, the entrainment is small, and the flow velocity and shape at the time of ejection can be maintained. Further, by slowing the flow velocity on the outer side, the wind speed in the center becomes faster than that before the wind speed adjustment, and the blocking performance of droplets can be improved.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the suction portion 02 according to the present embodiment, and is a view showing a cross section AA of the suction portion 02 of FIG. In the present invention, the suction portion 02 is provided with a function of sucking, sterilizing, and removing droplets at the same time as forming an air curtain.

The air sucked by the suction portion 02 is hardly affected by the position of the discharge port 05, and the air in the vicinity of the suction port 06 is sucked. In order to efficiently suck the droplets caught by the air curtain, the suction port 06 must be located on the streamline at the center of the air curtain, and the suction port 06 is placed vertically below the discharge port 05.

The air sucked by the suction fan 04 flows into the suction section 02 that is located above the suction section 02 and is sterilized through the suction port 06 to which a punching material for removing dust and the like is attached. An ultraviolet irradiation lamp 13 and a filter 14 are mounted in the suction portion, and a metal plate having a high ultraviolet reflectance is used for the face material forming the box of the suction portion 02. The metal plate having a high ultraviolet reflectance here is, for example, a high-purity aluminum plate having an ultraviolet reflectance of 85%.

The component of the droplets that have flowed into the suction unit 02 is water, and the droplets easily adhere to the parts and members in the suction unit 02. The filter 14 to which the most droplets adhere is attached to the downstream side of the attachment position of the ultraviolet irradiation lamp 13 in the air flow in the suction portion 02, at a position where the ultraviolet rays of the ultraviolet irradiation lamp 13 can be directly irradiated.

A non-woven fabric used for a mask or the like is used as the material of the filter 14, and the collection efficiency of droplets by the mask using this non-woven fabric is 95% or more. The filter 14 using the non-woven fabric has a high fiber density, and a large amount of droplets adhere to the surface of the filter 14 and near the surface. Due to this adhesive action, the droplets can be stopped and retained in the suction portion 02 for a short time. Further, the non-woven fabric is used in a zigzag shape to reduce the pressure loss due to the filter 14.

The ultraviolet rays of the ultraviolet irradiation lamp 13 can irradiate the face material in the suction part 02, the fan motor 22 of the suction fan, and the filter 14 at a close distance, and also reflect the metal plate as the face material forming the box of the suction part 02. Yes, it sterilizes the attached droplets in a short time (about 10 seconds) and prevents them from becoming droplet nuclei. The time expected for the droplets to evaporate and nucleate the droplets is 20 minutes.

The sterilized air in the suction portion passes through the filter 14 and is discharged indoors from the discharge port 23a. A duct connection port (not shown) may be provided in the suction portion 02, and the duct may be connected to discharge the duct to the outside. Although ultraviolet rays are harmful to the human body, they are attenuated and dissipated while passing through the filter 14 in which fibers are stacked in layers. In FIG. 4, the discharge port 23a is provided on the side wall, but if there is a space below, the discharge port 23a may be provided on the bottom surface (not shown).

FIG. 5 shows an example of the wind speed distribution of the air curtain airflow according to the implementation of the present invention. Immediately after the air discharged from the discharge port 05 in FIG. 2, the wind speed distribution is an approximation of a reverse parabola. As a result, the speed difference between the ambient static air and the guard air 12 becomes small, and the mixing with the ambient air can be suppressed to a low level, so that the wind speed and the wind speed distribution at the time of discharge are maintained for a long time.

The central wind speed, which is important for blocking splashes, is u ₀ ≈ 2.0 m / s immediately after ejection, and the wind speed in the middle of the air curtain is u ≈ 1.8 m / s, u / u ₀ ≈ 0.9. Therefore, the deceleration is reduced. The angle of diffusion associated with discomfort is suppressed to about 5 °. In the data, there are places where the line exceeds the 5 ° line, but the wind speed is almost unnoticeable to humans, and the diffusion angle is set to about 5 °.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of an air curtain device according to the present embodiment, and is a schematic cross-sectional view of the air curtain device 101a in which the present invention is adopted for the counter table 15. The front desk clerk and the customer are talking with each other through the counter table 15 at a distance of about 1 m. The discharge unit 01 described above is installed overhead, and the discharge unit 01 is provided with the discharge air adjusting unit 07 described above. In the figure, the discharge portion 01 is suspended from the ceiling, but a support column (not shown) may be erected on the counter table 15 and attached to the support column (not shown).

The counter table 15 is provided with a gap 16 at a position vertically below the discharge port 05 via a suction port 06, and the air passing through the gap 16 is sucked into the suction portion 02 attached to the lower surface of the counter table 15. It flows in through the mouth 06. The air discharged from the discharge port 05 flows as shown by a white arrow, and forms an air curtain AC between the discharge port 05 and the gap 16 of the counter table 15.

When the wind speed distribution map of FIG. 5 is applied to FIG. 6, the central wind speed immediately after ejection is u ₀ ≈ 2.0 m / s, and the central wind speed at the midpoint corresponding to the height of the human face is u ≈ 1.8 m / s. Then, u / u ₀ ≈ 0.9, and this wind speed can block the droplet 17 well. The angle θ of the diffusion of the air curtain airflow is about 5 °, and the airflow flows in front of the person, and the airflow does not touch the head or face, which does not cause discomfort. The relationship between wind speed and block performance will be described later.

The blocked droplet 17 is caught in the air curtain and flows into the suction portion 02 through the gap 16. The droplets 17 contained in the air flowing into the suction portion 02 adhere to the filter 14 in the suction portion and are sterilized by the ultraviolet irradiation lamp 13. The sterilized air passes through the filter 14 and is discharged from the discharge port 23b under the counter table 15. Further, a service panel 25 for replacing an ultraviolet irradiation lamp and a filter is attached to the suction unit 02. Further, a duct connection port (not shown) may be provided in the discharge port 23b, and the duct may be connected to discharge to the outside.

In FIG. 6, the air curtain device 101a is used in a standing posture with a person passing through the counter table 15, but the height, width, and depth of the table can be changed so that the air curtain device 101a can be used in a sitting posture, for example. It can also be used in places such as face-to-face business and eating and drinking.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of an air curtain device according to the present embodiment, and is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an air curtain device 101b in which the air curtain device is attached to a movable carriage 19. Hereinafter, the members having the same functions as the members described above will be designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The suction portion 02 is attached to the upper surface of the trolley 19 in which the casters 18 are arranged at the four corners of the lower surface, and the four columns 20 are attached to the trolley 19. A discharge portion 01 is attached to a cross beam 29 connecting the front and rear opposing columns 20, and an air curtain AC with a white arrow is formed between the discharge portion 01 and the suction portion 02. After being sterilized and removed, the air sucked into the suction unit 02 is discharged from the side so that the person who is facing and interacting with the person is not exposed to the wind (white horizontal arrow).

Pipes 20a and 20b are used for the columns 20, and the pipes 20a and 20b are divided at the middle portion, the upper pipe 20b slides in the thick pipe 20a at the lower part, and can be fixed at a desired height with a hand screw 28. The height adjustment function can be used in a low position, such as when sitting on a chair or wheelchair. The function for adjusting the height is not limited to that shown in FIG. 7, and various height adjustment functions can be used.

In FIG. 7, the number of discharge fans 03 is three, but by adding the discharge fans 03 in this way, it is possible to continuously widen the frontage of the air curtain.

FIG. 8 is a diagram of an air curtain device according to the present embodiment, and is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another air curtain device 101c in which the air of the air curtain is circulated. The air circulation fan 24 forming the air curtain is attached between the suction port 06 and the discharge port 05 with respect to the air flow. Although the fan is attached to the discharge portion 01 in FIG. 8, it may be attached to the suction portion 02. The air discharged from the discharge port 05 is discharged toward the suction port 06 of the suction unit 02 provided vertically below.

Ducts 21 for passing air are provided on the left and right outside of the air curtain, and the air sucked from the suction port 06 passes through the duct 21 from the air outlet 26 of the suction section 02 and the air flow of the discharge section 01. It enters the discharge section 01 from the inlet 27 and is discharged from the discharge port 05 by the air circulation fan 24 to form an air circulation type air curtain AC with a white downward arrow.

The metal plate having a high ultraviolet reflectance is used for the face material of the duct 21, the ultraviolet irradiation lamp 13 and the filter 14 are mounted in the duct 21, droplets are attached to the duct face material and the filter 14, and air blows the duct 21. Sterilize with ultraviolet light while passing. In the air circulation type air curtain device 101c described above, since there is no exhaust air, the turbulence of the air in the room can be reduced, and the fan of the suction unit 02 can be eliminated, the suction port 06 is lowered and the suction unit 02 is used. Can be miniaturized.

FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the air curtain device 101d of another embodiment having both air circulation type and mobile functions. The above-mentioned air circulation type air curtain device 101c is attached to the carriage 19 with casters 18, the ducts 21 are fixed to the left and right columns 20 extending upward from the carriage 19, and the cross beams 29 provided above the left and right columns 20 are fixed. The discharge unit 01 is fixed to form an air circulation type mobile air curtain device 101d.

There are many possible places to use the mobile air curtain device, such as medical sites between doctors and patients, visit sites at elderly homes and nursing care facilities, and karaoke boxes. In addition, by using multiple units of this air curtain device side by side, it is possible to use it in places where multiple people interact, and by placing it in an L-shape or U-shape, coronavirus can be used in evacuation areas, etc. You can create a safe space.

Next, the relationship between the wind speed of the air curtain and the blocking performance of droplets will be described. In order to know the wind speed of the air curtain suitable for blocking the droplets, it was investigated using the mist of an ultrasonic humidifier with a particle diameter of about 5 microns, which is close to the size of the droplets. Generally, human droplets have a particle size of about 5 microns and a flight distance of 1 m to 2 m.

ンの中心より３０ｃｍ離れた所からエアーカーテンに向かって霧を当て、ブロック性能を調べた。なお本加湿器で１ｍの高さから水平に霧を放出した場合、床に落ちるまでの飛距離は１．０ｍから１．５ｍである。

The block performance was examined by applying mist toward the air curtain from a place 30 cm away from the center of the air curtain. When the mist is discharged horizontally from a height of 1 m with this humidifier, the flight distance until it falls to the floor is 1.0 m to 1.5 m.

The central wind speeds of 0.5 m / s, 1.0 m / s, and 1.5 m / s were investigated, and when the central wind speed was 0.5 m / s, the fog passed about 50% through the air curtain and was 1.0 m. It was almost blocked at / s, and at 1.5 m / s the fog was sucked into the air curtain at almost right angles.

As a result, it was confirmed that the droplets could be blocked within the range of the wind speed experiment by this air curtain device. The wind speed of the air curtain should be slower if the droplets can be blocked so as not to disturb the indoor air, and if the wind speed is 3.0 m / s or more, the indoor air will be disturbed and noise will make you feel uncomfortable. The discharge air velocity of the present invention was changed from 1.5 m / s to 3.0 m / s.

In the present invention, a vinyl curtain used to prevent droplet infection is replaced with an air curtain, and the air curtain attempts to block, capture, sterilize, and remove droplets at the same time. In a vinyl curtain, the droplets that are blocked by the vinyl curtain and that have fallen on a table or the like will eventually evaporate water and become droplet nuclei, which will become a source of airborne infection.

It is said that the coronavirus contained in the droplets can be 99% inactivated with an irradiation distance of 30 cm and an irradiation time of 10 seconds. Therefore, in the air curtain device of the present invention, the droplets are blocked by the air curtain without causing discomfort to humans, captured, and the captured droplets are attached to and stationary on the filter, and ultraviolet rays are irradiated from a close distance to disperse the droplets. It tries to sterilize before the water evaporates and becomes droplet nuclei.

This air curtain device is premised on blocking, capturing, and sterilizing splashes that are scattered by people in dialogue, etc., but it is used as a partition with a sterilizer when there are no people, and as an indoor air sterilizer / purifier. It is also possible to do.

101 Air curtain device 01 Discharge unit 02 Suction unit 03 Discharge fan 04 Suction fan 05 Discharge port 06 Suction port 07 Discharge air adjustment unit 08 Discharge port partition plate 09 Air volume adjustment plate 10 Rectifying member 11 Main air 12 Guard air 13 Ultraviolet irradiation Lamp 14 Filter 15 Counter table 16 Void 17 Splash 18 Caster 19 Cart 20 Prop 21 Duct 22 Fan motor 23 Outlet 24 Air circulation fan 25 Service panel 26 Air outflow port 27 Air inflow port 28 Hand-cranked screw 29 Cross beam 30 Discharge port center

Claims (1)

An air curtain device that creates an air curtain that allows air to flow from above to below between people facing each other and blocks splashes that are scattered due to a person's cough or conversation, and is a discharge fan that forms the air curtain. A suction fan and a discharge air adjusting unit for adjusting the wind speed distribution of the air sent from the discharge fan and discharged from the discharge port are provided.
The discharge air adjusting unit is arranged between the discharge fan and the discharge port, and is composed of a discharge port partition plate, an air volume control plate, and a rectifying member having a honeycomb structure, and the discharge port is the discharge port partition plate. The two outer layers sandwiching the central layer are provided with the air volume control plate that reduces the amount of air passing through between the discharge fan and the discharge port. The air volume per layer of the discharged air of the outer two layers is set to be approximately ½ of the air volume of the central layer, and the honeycomb-structured rectifying member of the central layer has the same thickness in the vertical direction through which air flows. The outer two layers of the honeycomb-structured rectifying member have the same vertical thickness in which air flows as the central layer, the outer side is gradually thicker than the central side, and the flow resistance increases toward the outside. An air curtain device characterized in that the wind speeds of the two outer layers are gradually slowed down from the wind speeds of the central layer toward those facing each other .

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