JP7455257B2 - Ozone generator and ultraviolet irradiation device - Google Patents

Description

Application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act At the 27th Fine Tech Japan held at Tokyo Big Sight on April 5, 2017, we unveiled an ozone generator.

The present invention relates to an ozone generation device and an ultraviolet irradiation device that generate ozone using ultraviolet light emitted from a light source such as an excimer lamp.

Ozone generators are known that generate ozone by irradiating ultraviolet rays with an excimer lamp or the like. Since ozone has sterilizing and sterilizing effects, the ozone generator can be configured as a deodorizer or a sterilizer.

For example, a deodorizing machine is known in which an ozonizer is placed inside a cylindrical casing and an air fan is installed below the ozonizer. When outside air is drawn into the casing by the air fan, ozone is generated inside the casing due to electrical discharge. The generated ozone is released from an outlet provided at the top of the case, thereby decomposing odor components (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2015-29795 Publication

Since ozone itself and ultraviolet rays affect the human body, it is not recommended for users to get close to the ozone generator or ultraviolet irradiation device, and it is necessary to check the operating status of the ozone generator or ultraviolet irradiation device from a certain distance. . In that case, even if an indicator or the like is provided, it is difficult to confirm whether the device is in operation or not depending on the lighting environment.

Therefore, it is required to be able to easily check the operating status of the ozone generator and the ultraviolet irradiation device even at a remote location.

An ozone generator that is an embodiment of the present invention includes an excimer lamp that emits ultraviolet rays by discharge, and a housing that houses the excimer lamp and is a casing, and the excimer lamp emits ultraviolet rays together with the ultraviolet rays. The excimer lamp emits low visible light, and when the lamp is on, visible light passes through the window formed in the housing along with ultraviolet rays, making it possible to visually confirm that the excimer lamp is on when the device is installed.

For example, an excimer lamp emits visible light in at least one of a wavelength range of 400 nm to 450 nm and a wavelength range of 500 nm to 650 nm, together with ultraviolet rays. For example, an excimer lamp emits visible light with a wavelength around 545 nm. For example, the maximum spectral intensity of visible light emitted together with ultraviolet rays from an excimer lamp is 20% or less of the spectral intensity of the ultraviolet rays. For example, an ozone generator includes a plurality of excimer lamps.

An ultraviolet irradiation device according to another aspect of the present invention includes an excimer lamp that emits ultraviolet rays by discharge, and a housing that houses the excimer lamp and is a casing, and the excimer lamp has a spectral intensity higher than that of the ultraviolet rays. The excimer lamp emits low visible light, and when the lamp is on, visible light passes through the window formed in the housing along with ultraviolet rays, making it possible to visually confirm that the excimer lamp is on when the device is installed.

For example, an excimer lamp emits visible light in at least one of a wavelength range of 400 nm to 450 nm and a wavelength range of 500 nm to 650 nm, together with ultraviolet rays. For example, an excimer lamp emits visible light with a wavelength around 545 nm. For example, the maximum spectral intensity of visible light emitted together with ultraviolet rays from an excimer lamp is 20 percent or less of the spectral intensity of the ultraviolet rays. For example, an ultraviolet irradiation device includes a plurality of excimer lamps.

An ozone generator according to another aspect of the present invention includes an excimer lamp that emits ultraviolet rays by discharge, and a housing that is a casing that houses the excimer lamp and forms an internal space that is irradiated with ultraviolet rays from the excimer lamp. When the lamp is on, the excimer lamp emits visible light along with ultraviolet rays, and a window is formed in the casing through which it can be visually confirmed that the excimer lamp is on when the device is installed. For example, a window is formed on the side surface and/or ceiling surface of the housing.

An ultraviolet irradiation device according to another aspect of the present invention includes an excimer lamp that emits ultraviolet rays by discharge, and a housing that is a casing that houses the excimer lamp and forms an internal space that is irradiated with ultraviolet rays from the excimer lamp. When the lamp is on, the excimer lamp emits visible light along with ultraviolet rays, and a window is formed in the casing through which it can be visually confirmed that the excimer lamp is on when the device is installed. For example, a window is formed on the side surface and/or ceiling surface of the housing.

An ultraviolet irradiation device according to another aspect of the present invention accommodates a plurality of excimer lamps and a plurality of excimer lamps, each of which emits ultraviolet rays with a wavelength other than 172 nm by discharge, and is irradiated with ultraviolet rays from the plurality of excimer lamps. When the lamps are on, each of the plurality of excimer lamps emits visible light along with ultraviolet rays, and in the case, when the device is installed, the plurality of excimer lamps A window is formed through which the lighting state can be visually confirmed. For example, the excimer lamp can be configured to be visible from a window when the lamp is on.

For example, a window is formed next to an operating surface provided in the housing. Further, the vertical length of the window can be made to be half or more of the vertical length of the casing. Excimer lamps are capable of emitting ultraviolet radiation by localized discharge. For example, the surface of the window forms part of the surface of the housing.

Another aspect of the present invention is a method for checking the operating state of an ozone generator, which includes an excimer lamp that emits visible light as well as ultraviolet radiation, and an internal space that accommodates the excimer lamp and is irradiated with ultraviolet rays from the excimer lamp. A method for checking the operating state of an ozone generator comprising a housing as a casing, the method comprising: forming a window in the housing so that it can be visually confirmed that the excimer lamp is lit in the installed state of the equipment; do.

A method for checking the operating state of an ultraviolet irradiation device, which is another aspect of the present invention, includes an excimer lamp that emits visible light along with ultraviolet radiation, and an internal space that accommodates the excimer lamp and is irradiated with ultraviolet rays from the excimer lamp. A method for checking the operating state of an ultraviolet irradiation device comprising a housing, which is a casing, wherein a window is formed in the housing so that it can be visually confirmed that the excimer lamp is lit when the device is installed. do.

On the other hand, the ozone generation device of the present invention includes an excimer lamp that emits ultraviolet rays by discharge, and a housing that houses the excimer lamp and partitions an internal space for irradiating ultraviolet rays for ozone generation. A window may be formed that transmits visible light emitted from the excimer lamp along with ultraviolet rays.

The "internal space" here refers to at least a portion of the space inside the device when it is divided by the casing into the outside and inside of the device, and indicates the space that generates ozone used for sterilization, deodorization, etc. . For example, in the case of a deodorizing machine, the excimer lamp may be arranged along the flow direction of ozone generated in the internal space, and the generated ozone may be released from the housing to the outside.

The position, shape, size, etc. of the window can be formed arbitrarily. For example, when visible light is emitted from the discharge generation area, the discharge generation area may be formed at a position where it can be visually recognized. Considering that visibility is improved by forming a window in accordance with the mounting state of the excimer lamp inside the housing, the window may be formed on the surface along the vertical direction of the housing. For example, in the case of a cylindrical housing in which both ends are installed along the vertical direction, it can be formed on the side surface of the housing.

Considering that the entire discharge generation area of excimer lamps arranged along the vertical direction can be viewed, the vertical length of the window should be at least half the vertical length of the casing. It is possible. When the excimer lamp is installed horizontally, the horizontal length of the window can be made equal to or more than half the horizontal length of the casing.

The window can be configured to include an optical member that reflects at least a portion of visible light from outside the casing, from the viewpoint of aesthetics when the lamp is turned off.

Excimer lamps can be configured to emit ultraviolet radiation by localized discharge. Furthermore, the excimer lamp can emit visible light, which has a lower spectral intensity than ultraviolet light, along with ultraviolet light.

The wavelength range of visible light emitted from the excimer lamp can include at least one of the wavelength ranges of 400 nm to 450 nm and 500 nm to 650 nm. For example, it is possible to emit visible light containing wavelengths around 545 nm.

On the other hand, an ultraviolet irradiation device according to another aspect of the present invention includes a casing that partitions an internal space to which an excimer lamp irradiates ultraviolet rays, and in the casing, the excimer lamp is placed at a position where local discharge generated in the excimer lamp can be visually recognized. A window can be formed that is transparent to visible light emitted from the lamp.

According to the present invention, the operating states of the ozone generator and the ultraviolet irradiation device can be reliably confirmed with a simple configuration.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an ozone generator. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of an ozone generator. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing local discharge of an excimer lamp. It is a schematic perspective view of the ozone generation device in a 2nd embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an ozone generator. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the ozone generator.

The ozone generator 100 is configured as a deodorizer here, and has a configuration in which excimer lamps 30 and 40 that irradiate ultraviolet rays are arranged inside the housing 10. The casing 10 includes a cylindrical side surface 10S and a disk-shaped ceiling surface 10U that covers the upper end of the side surface 10S, and the side surface 10S has a slit-shaped opening 10K for sucking external air in a horizontal direction. An annular opening 10T for releasing ozone is formed in the gap between the side surface 10S and the ceiling surface 10U.

Inside the housing 10, along with the excimer lamps 30 and 40, a lamp power supply unit 50 and a blower fan (axial fan) 60 are provided below the excimer lamps 30 and 40 along the central axis X of the housing 10. . The air that enters the internal space 10R in the housing 10 from the opening 10K rises toward the ceiling surface 10U by the blower fan 60.

When the excimer lamps 30 and 40 irradiate ultraviolet rays, the ultraviolet rays hit the air flowing in the internal space 10R, thereby generating ozone. The generated ozone is discharged to the outside of the apparatus from the opening 10T by the blower fan 60 (see the arrow in FIG. 2). The emitted ozone decomposes odor components that cause odor in the surroundings of the ozone generator 100.

The excimer lamps 30, 40 include quartz tubes 32, 42 made of quartz glass, and inside the quartz tubes 32, 42, inner electrodes (not shown) extending along the tube axis are arranged. The inner electrode is covered with a columnar dielectric (quartz glass) and is buried within the dielectric without being exposed to the discharge space. Outer electrodes (not shown) disposed on the outer surfaces of the quartz tubes 32, 42 are arranged along the tube axis. A power supply line (not shown) connected to the end of the inner electrode is connected to the lamp power supply section 50, and power is supplied to the excimer lamps 30 and 40 via the power supply line. A dielectric barrier discharge occurs between the inner electrode and the outer electrode, and ultraviolet light of a predetermined spectrum (for example, 172 nm) is emitted.

The excimer lamps 30 and 40 are arranged along the central axis X of the housing, and each includes covers 34 and 44 arranged on both sides thereof, and a power supply line (not shown) is provided inside the covers 34 and 44. There is. The excimer lamps 30 and 40 are arranged at rotationally symmetrical positions with respect to the central axis X of the housing, and the positions along the central axis X are also the same.

The side surface 10S is provided with an operation surface 10M having a timer switch button 20S1, an ozone concentration adjustment dial 20S2, and a power button 20S3, and two windows 10W1 and 10W2 are provided with the operation surface 10M in between. The windows 10W1 and 10W2 form a part of the side surface 10S extending to a surface of the same size on the opposite side of the operation surface 10M, have the same width in the circumferential direction, and are arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis X. ing.

The windows 10W1 and 10W2 face the excimer lamps 30 and 40, respectively, and their lengths along the central axis X (vertical direction) are longer than the quartz tubes 32 and 42 of the excimer lamps 30 and 40, respectively. Further, the horizontal (circumferential) length of the windows 10W1, 10W2 is determined to be at least half the horizontal (circumferential) length of the housing 10. The windows 10W1 and 10W2 are molded from acrylic resin here, and have light transmission characteristics that allow visible light to pass through. For example, it can have a light transmission characteristic that transmits 80% or more of visible light of 400 nm or more.

On the other hand, in consideration of suppressing the emission of ultraviolet rays to the outside of the ozone generator 100 through the windows 10W1 and 10W2, it is recommended to reduce the transmittance of light with a wavelength shorter than 400 nm (ultraviolet region). good. Note that when using excimer lamps 30 and 40 that emit strong ultraviolet rays such as 172 nm, the wavelength of 172 nm is strongly absorbed by oxygen and the emission distance becomes short, so that the ultraviolet rays do not reach the windows 10W1 and 10W2. Therefore, the material of the windows 10W1 and 10W2 is not particularly limited, and there is no need to use expensive synthetic quartz glass or the like.

Furthermore, a beam splitter (mirror glass) is formed on the inner surface of the windows 10W1 and 10W2. As a result, visible light can travel from the internal space 10R of the ozone generator 100 to the outside through the windows 10W1 and 10W2, while the visible light outside the ozone generator 100 (outside the housing 10) can travel through the windows 10W1 and 10W2. Reflects at 10W2.

The excimer lamps 30 and 40 of this embodiment generate local discharge and emit ultraviolet rays and visible light almost simultaneously. Specifically, visible light in the wavelength range of 400 nm to 800 nm is emitted along with 172 nm ultraviolet light. This will be explained below.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of local discharge of the excimer lamp 30. As an example of local discharge, when a dielectric barrier discharge is generated within the quartz tube 32 of the excimer lamp 30, a fine discharge is locally generated along the radial direction of the discharge space (fine discharge). In the local discharge, a discharge state occurs in which generation and extinction are repeated instantaneously, and ultraviolet rays of 172 nm are emitted as the discharge gas emits excimer light. The quartz tube, electrodes, discharge space pressure (filling gas pressure), frequency of applied voltage, etc. are determined to cause local discharge.

At the same time, the excimer lamps 30 and 40 emit visible light. Emission of visible light is achieved by constructing a discharge tube using quartz tubes 32, 42, etc., and appropriately adjusting the type of quartz tube, heat treatment conditions, type of discharge gas to be filled in, wavelength of emitted ultraviolet rays, etc. Ru. Furthermore, by adjusting these settings, visible light in different wavelength ranges can be emitted.

For example, the excimer lamps 30 and 40 are capable of emitting visible light in the wavelength range of 400 nm to 450 nm, and in the wavelength range of 500 nm to 650 nm, and red-violet light can be emitted by light in the blue and green to red wavelength ranges. radiated. Furthermore, the excimer lamps 30 and 40 can also emit green light having a wavelength around 545 nm. In addition, in order not to reduce the emission efficiency of ultraviolet rays, the maximum spectral intensity of visible light is suppressed to about 20% or less of the emission spectral intensity of 172 nm ultraviolet rays.

FIG. 3 is an example showing the state of local discharge, and does not limit the shape of the discharge. As shown in FIG. 3, a configuration may be adopted in which fine discharges and biased discharges DL coexist. For example, a configuration in which a flat electrode is brought into line contact with the outer circumferential surface of the quartz tubes 32 and 42 may be adopted as a configuration for generating local discharge. In this configuration, as an example of local discharge, when a dielectric barrier discharge is generated within the quartz tube 32 of the excimer lamp 30, the discharge DL is biased near an electrode (not shown) disposed along the quartz tube 32. occurs.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 10 forms an internal space 10R, which is a space where ultraviolet rays are irradiated by excimer lamps 30 and 40 to generate ozone, and also has windows 10W1 and 10W2. Visible light emitted from the excimer lamps 30 and 40 passes through the windows 10W1 and 10W2 and is irradiated to the outside of the apparatus.

As a result, the user can visually check the discharge of the excimer lamps 30 and 40, and can tell from the surroundings of the ozone generator 100 that the excimer lamps 30 and 40 are lit, that is, that the ozone generator 100 is operating. Can be viewed from a distance.

Furthermore, since the visible light emitted from the excimer lamps 30 and 40 is irradiated from the windows 10W1 and 10W2, which are on the side surface 10S of the housing 10 and have half or more of the surface area, the user can You can check the lighting status from any direction. In particular, since the windows 10W1 and 10W2 have a larger size than the quartz tubes 32 and 42, the user can visually confirm the entire discharge area of the excimer lamps 30 and 40.

Since the user can check the lighting state without approaching the ozone generator 100, the user does not have to be affected by ozone. Further, there is no need to create a structure with poor visibility and high cost, such as separately providing an indicator to indicate the lighting state.

As described above, the excimer lamps 30 and 40 can be configured to emit light in a short wavelength range corresponding to blue and in a long wavelength range from green to red. Therefore, even if the indoor lighting in which the ozone generator 100 is installed is relatively bright and visible light with a relatively low spectral intensity is emitted, the user can visually recognize the lighting state. In particular, visibility can be improved by irradiating light corresponding to green, which is visually sensitive.

Furthermore, since the excimer lamps 30 and 40 locally discharge, the contrast is high and the visibility is good. In particular, minute discharges that repeatedly appear and disappear instantaneously are easily noticeable, further increasing visibility. On the other hand, since beam splitters are formed on the inner surfaces of the windows 10W1 and 10W2, it is possible to confirm the lamp lighting state even when the lighting around the ozone generator 100 is strong. On the other hand, when the excimer lamps 30 and 40 are not lit, the excimer lamps 30 and 40 (inner space 10R) cannot be seen (hard to see) from outside the apparatus. Therefore, when the excimer lamps 30 and 40 are turned off, the aesthetic appearance of the ozone generator 100 is not impaired.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the ozone generator 100 in which the excimer lamps 30 and 40 are arranged in the cylindrical casing 10 and the blower fan 60 is provided below, the window 10W1 is provided on the side surface 10S of the casing 10. , 10W2 are provided. The excimer lamps 30 and 40 irradiate ultraviolet rays through discharge to generate ozone in the internal space 10R of the housing 10, and the visible light emitted from the excimer lamps 30 and 40 along with the ultraviolet rays passes through the windows 10W1 and 10W2. do.

Next, an ozone generator according to a second embodiment will be described using FIG. 4. In the second embodiment, the size of the window corresponds to the excimer lamp size.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the ozone generator in the second embodiment.

The ozone generator 1000 includes a housing 100 having a side surface 100S and a ceiling surface 100U, and an excimer lamp 130. On the side surface 100S, a slit-shaped opening 100K for sucking in external air is formed along the horizontal direction over the entire circumferential direction, while an annular opening 100T for ozone release is formed on the side surface 100S and the ceiling surface 100U. is formed between. Two windows 100W (only one shown in FIG. 4) are provided on the side surface 100S of the housing 100 with the operation surface 100M in between. The length of the window 100W in the axial direction (vertical direction) is more than half the length of the side surface (vertical direction) of the housing 100.

The window 100W has a circumferential width corresponding to the size of the excimer lamp 130, and is designed so that the user can check the lighting state when viewed from the direction in which the operation surface 100M of the housing 100 is viewed. 100W is formed near the operation surface 100M. By forming such a window 100W, it is also possible to confirm that the lamp is on, that is, that the ozone generator 1000 is in operation.

Regarding the arrangement of the excimer lamps in the ozone generator, they may be installed in accordance with the direction in which ozone flows. For example, the casing may be configured in a rectangular shape and the excimer lamps may be arranged along the horizontal direction. In this case, it is preferable that the circumferential length of the window is set to be at least half the circumferential length of the casing. It is also possible to provide windows on the ceiling surface other than the side surfaces, and the size and number of windows are also arbitrary. Alternatively, the number of windows may be determined according to the number of lamps. A window may be provided on the surface of the casing so that the discharge generation area can be visually recognized.

The ozone generator can be configured as a sterilizer, sterilizer, etc. other than a deodorizer, and can also be configured as an ultraviolet irradiation device. Furthermore, an excimer lamp that emits ultraviolet wavelengths other than 172 nm may be used, or a discharge lamp other than an excimer lamp that can emit visible light as well as ultraviolet rays may be used.

10 Housing 10R Internal space 10S Side 10W1 Window 10W2 Window 30 Excimer lamp 40 Excimer lamp 100 Ozone generator

Claims (10)

An excimer lamp that emits ultraviolet rays by discharge,
A housing that houses the excimer lamp and is a casing;
The excimer lamp emits visible light having a lower spectral intensity than the ultraviolet light along with the ultraviolet light,
In the lamp lighting state, visible light as well as ultraviolet rays pass through the window formed in the casing, so that it is possible to visually confirm that the excimer lamp is lighting in the device installed state ,
An ozone generation device characterized in that the window is made of a material that visibly transmits visible light having a wavelength of at least 650 nm . The excimer lamp emits visible light in at least one of a wavelength range of 400 nm to 450 nm and a wavelength range of 500 nm to 650 nm, together with ultraviolet rays,
2. The ozone generating device according to claim 1, wherein the window is made of a material having a light transmission characteristic that transmits 80% or more of visible light in a wavelength range of 400 nm or more . The ozone generating device according to claim 1, wherein the excimer lamp emits visible light having a wavelength around 545 nm. 2. The ozone generator according to claim 1, wherein the maximum spectral intensity of visible light emitted together with the ultraviolet rays from the excimer lamp is 20 percent or less of the spectral intensity of the ultraviolet rays. The ozone generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a plurality of excimer lamps. An excimer lamp that emits ultraviolet rays by discharge,
A housing that houses the excimer lamp and is a casing;
The excimer lamp emits visible light having a lower spectral intensity than the ultraviolet light along with the ultraviolet light,
In the lamp lighting state, visible light as well as ultraviolet rays pass through the window formed in the casing, so that it is possible to visually confirm that the excimer lamp is lighting in the device installed state ,
An ultraviolet irradiation device characterized in that the window is made of a material that visibly transmits visible light having a wavelength of at least 650 nm . The excimer lamp emits visible light in at least one of a wavelength range of 400 nm to 450 nm and a wavelength range of 500 nm to 650 nm, together with ultraviolet rays,
7. The ultraviolet irradiation device according to claim 6, wherein the window is made of a material having a light transmission characteristic that transmits 80% or more of visible light in a wavelength range of 400 nm or more . The ultraviolet irradiation device according to claim 6, wherein the excimer lamp emits visible light having a wavelength of around 545 nm. 7. The ultraviolet irradiation device according to claim 6, wherein the maximum spectral intensity of visible light emitted together with the ultraviolet rays from the excimer lamp is 20 percent or less of the spectral intensity of the ultraviolet rays. The ultraviolet irradiation device according to any one of claims 6 to 9, comprising a plurality of excimer lamps.

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