JPH0556292U - Pressure adjustment water purification device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To provide a water purification device that stably maintains a certain amount of purified water outflow during the intended use period. A water purifier having a raw water purifying and filtering section for purifying raw water in which a porous water purification material made of at least a thermoplastic synthetic resin is provided, a raw water flow path switching valve section for switching a raw water outlet, and A pressure adjusting water purifying apparatus comprising a communication part that connects the raw water purification filtration part and the raw water flow path switching valve part to allow raw water to flow through the raw water purification filtration part, and a decompression means is disposed in the communication part.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial application]

 The present invention communicates with a water purifier outlet of a raw water flow passage switching valve through a raw water flow passage switching valve that switches outflow of raw water such as introduced tap water, and a communication part through which the raw water flows, and at the same time, it is thermoplastic. The present invention relates to a water purifier comprising a water purifier having a raw water purifying / filtering section in which a synthetic resin porous water purifying material is installed, and more specifically, a pressure regulating water purifier capable of supplying purified water with a stable amount of water for a long period of time. Regarding

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 In recent years, turbidity in tap water and pollution by various organic and inorganic substances such as iron rust have become a big problem, and small water purification devices that can be easily attached to taps have become widely used in homes, offices, restaurants, etc. There is. These widely used compact water purifiers are generally replaceable cartridge type that consist of a filter section that has a purification function of raw water as a switching valve that switches the flow path of tap water to be introduced (hereinafter simply referred to as raw water). A water purifier is usually used by being directly attached to a water faucet in a form deployed together with a connecting mechanism. The outflow of raw water or purified water can be divided by operating the switching valve.

The switching valve is configured to be switchable between a raw water purifier supply passage to a water purifier for purifying raw water and a raw water outflow passage through which raw water flows out as it is. In addition, raw water outflow passages are often used that can be switched to either straight outflow or shower outflow as needed. The cartridge-type water purifier that is installed in the switching valve together with the connection mechanism contains, for example, a water purification material such as activated carbon or a porous hollow fiber membrane, and is contained in the raw water by circulating the raw water through the water purification material. It has a mechanism to purify raw water by discharging various pollutants that are adsorbed, filtered, etc., and then discharged.

As the water purification material incorporated in the water purifier, a porous body made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin such as polypropylene, for example, a porous flat membrane or a porous membrane such as a hollow fiber membrane is used. In general, the outflow rate of purified water depends on the membrane surface area of the porous membrane, the porosity of the micropores (membrane porosity), and the water pressure on the membrane surface. Therefore, the water purification life of the water purification material, that is, the porous membrane depends on the membrane surface area and the membrane porosity. Further, in the case of a porous membrane such as a hollow fiber membrane as the water purification material, fine particles of the contaminants such as the above-mentioned turbid substances and iron rust gradually come into the inside of the fine pores of the porous membrane during a long period of use. It is necessary to replace the water purification material because it accumulates or blocks micropores, the porosity of the membrane gradually decreases, the outflow of purified water decreases, and eventually the water purifier becomes unusable. .. In this case, usually, the cartridge type water purifier containing the water purification material is replaced.

When the porosity of the fine pores of the porous membrane of the water purification material is increased, the life of the porous membrane is extended, but on the other hand, the pressure resistance of the porous membrane is reduced, so that the tap water pressure is high. In some cases, the porous membrane cannot withstand high water pressure, and the porous membrane is ruptured or crushed, and the micropores of the porous membrane are plastically deformed or clogged, resulting in water purification of the water purifier. There is a possibility that inconvenience such as deterioration of the functionalization may occur. Therefore, the porosity of the porous membrane used as the water purifying material of the water purifier is usually set to about 60 to 80% in consideration of the pressure resistance and securing a predetermined outflow of purified water.

[0006]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, even in the conventional water purifier in which the water purifier containing the water purification material with the porosity set in consideration of the normal use conditions is installed in the switching valve via the connection mechanism as described above, it is planned to be used as prescribed. Recently, it has been widely reported that the outflow of purified water is sharply reduced in the short period before the period.

Further, in the conventional water purifier, a relief valve is provided immediately before the inlet of the water purifier in the connecting mechanism portion that connects the water purifier having a porous membrane as a water purifying material and the switching valve. There are also many. When the high pressure raw water is temporarily supplied, this relief valve releases high pressure water by operating the relief valve and adjusts the water pressure to protect the performance of the porous membrane in the water purifier. When the water purification function of the porous membrane in the water purifier gradually decreases due to the accumulation of pollutants as described above and the water pressure (membrane surface pressure) applied to the surface of the porous membrane increases above a predetermined level. By activating the relief valve, a warning was given to the decline in the water purification function of the porous membrane of the water purification material in the water purification device, and it was to detect the replacement time of the cartridge type water purification device.

However, in the water purifier equipped with the above-mentioned relief valve, in addition to the reduction of the outflow amount of the purified water in a short period after the start of use of the water purifier, the porous membrane is further contaminated with a pollutant. It was also reported that the relief valve was activated before the blockage occurred and wasteful discharge of raw water frequently occurred. As described above, due to the sudden decrease in the outflow of purified water and the operation of the relief valve within a short period after the start of use of the water purifier, it is considered that the water purifier does not meet the planned period of use and the water purification performance declines. , Unreliable, was a problem.

Therefore, as a result of investigating the clarification of the phenomenon of the sudden decrease in the outflow rate of purified water that occurs within a short period after the start of the water purification device, the inventors have confirmed that the cause is as follows. That is, (1) In particular, in recent years, the tap water pressure has generally improved, and the number of areas and places where tap water is supplied at a water pressure of 4 kgf / cm ² or higher has increased. There is also a place where the water pressure is raised to supply tap water to each household, and the increase in the membrane surface pressure on the surface of the porous membrane of the water purification material of the water purification device is increasing sharply than before. It is in. In order to meet the situation of increasing tap water with high water pressure like this, it is expected that the outflow of purified water will decrease, and the purification function of the water purification device with a built-in porous membrane will suddenly decline in a short period of time. Was confirmed.

(2) In a water purifier, a porous membrane such as a hollow fiber membrane made of the above-mentioned thermoplastic synthetic resin is used as a water purifying material for a filtration part, and raw water is filtered from the outside of the porous membrane. In the constructed water purifier, when high-pressure raw water is supplied, the membrane surface pressure on the surface of the porous membrane rises significantly and the entire porous membrane is compressed, even though there is no blockage due to contaminants. It was confirmed that the micropore structure of the porous membrane was compressed and deformed, the membrane area and porosity decreased, the amount of purified water decreased, and the membrane collapsed when the raw water pressure was extremely high.

(3) When using a conventional water purification apparatus having a filtration part in which a porous membrane made of thermoplastic synthetic resin is installed, air remains in the porous membrane of the water purification material at the start of use. However, when high-pressure raw water is supplied in such a state, a so-called hammer effect pressure is applied to the porous membrane, the porous membrane is significantly compressed, and the micropore structure of the porous membrane is deformed or collapsed. However, it was confirmed that the surface area and porosity of the porous membrane of the water purification material decreased because the water was not recovered, and the outflow amount of the water purification decreased. Next, the inventors considered the cause of the above-mentioned elucidation of the decrease in the amount of purified water within a short period after the start of use, and then, immediately after the start of use, without impairing the function of the conventional water purifier at all. As a result of diligent studies on how to prevent the reduction of the outflow of purified water, we completed the present invention, which is a highly reliable water purification device that can stably supply purified water at a predetermined outflow over a long period of time.

[0012]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 According to the present invention, at least a porous water purifying material made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin is provided in the water purifier having a raw water purifying and filtering section for purifying raw water, a raw water flow path switching valve section for switching a raw water outlet, And a pressure connecting the raw water purifying / filtering section and the raw water flow path switching valve section for communicating raw water to the raw water purifying / filtering section, and a pressure reducing means arranged in the communicating section. A conditioning water purification device is provided.

[0013]

[Action]

 The present invention is a water purifier comprising a water purifier configured as described above and connected to a raw water flow path switching valve section through a communication section, wherein the water purifier has a porous water purifying material inside. It has a filtering part for purifying water, and a decompression means is arranged in a flow channel of a communicating part for supplying raw water to the filtering part. In the water purification apparatus of the present invention, by arranging the above-mentioned pressure reducing means, for example, an orifice, etc., the membrane surface pressure of the porous membrane of the water purification material can be adjusted to a predetermined value even when high-pressure raw water is supplied. It is possible that the porous water purification material made of thermoplastic synthetic resin installed inside the water purifier loses its water purification function like the above-mentioned conventional water purification device within a short time after the use of the water purification device. Instead, the purified water can be stably discharged for a long period of time until the expiration date when the purified water function originally possessed by the purified water functions.

[0014]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional explanatory view showing an embodiment of the water purifying device of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the raw water flow path switching valve section 1 and a raw water purification filtration section 3 installed inside a removable cartridge type water purifier 30 communicate with each other so that raw water flows from the switching valve section 1 to the filtration section 3. The pressure adjusting and purifying device is communicated by the section 2, and the communication section 2 is provided with a passage 22 constituting a pressure reducing means. Further, a spring type relief valve 26 is installed in the communication section 2. In the water purifier of FIG. 1, the state in which the water purifier outlet 14 of the raw water flow path switching valve 1 is opened and connected to the outlet 14 and the communication portion 2 and the raw water purifying and filtering portion 3 of the water purifier 30 is shown. There is. The arrows in the figure show the flows of raw water and purified water.

In general, the water purification material installed in the raw water purification and filtration section of the water purifier of the water purification apparatus of the present invention is a heat treatment material such as a porous flat membrane, a hollow fiber membrane, etc. A porous film made of a flexible synthetic resin can be used. Further, as the water purification material, the porous membrane made of the thermoplastic synthetic resin and activated carbon can be used in combination, and a filter such as a wire mesh can be installed. In the raw water purifying and filtering section 3 of the water purifier 30 of the water purifying apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the water purifying material including the porous membrane 32 made of the thermoplastic synthetic resin and the activated carbon 33 is internally provided, and the water purifying is performed. A pretreatment filter 39 is arranged upstream of the materials 32 and 33.

In the water purifier of FIG. 1, the raw water flow path switching valve unit 1 is attached to the tap by a tap faucet fitting 16 through a packing P, and raw water is introduced from a raw water inlet 15. Further, the switching valve portion 1 is connected to the valve rod 4, and the raw water switching valves 6 and 7, the valve main body 5 in which the raw water outlet switching pressing valve 8 is arranged, and the valve handle 4 are interlocked with the valve rod 4. A spiral cam 9 that moves back and forth is provided. Furthermore, in the switching valve unit 1, a raw water inlet 11 for introducing raw water introduced from the raw water inlet 15 into the valve, a raw water straight outlet 12 for straight outflow of the raw water, and a raw water shower outlet 13 for outflowing the raw water by shower. , And a water purifier outlet 14 for discharging raw water toward the water purifier.

In FIG. 1, the communication unit 2 includes a raw water flow passage 21 connected to the water purifier outlet 14, a communication chamber 23 continuous through the raw water flow passage 21 and the passage 22, and a raw water above the communication chamber 23. The raw water inlet / outlet 24 is fed to the raw water purification / filtering unit 3 of 30. In FIG. 1, the passage 22 constitutes a substantial pressure reducing means. That is, the passage 22 from the raw water flow passage 21 to the communication chamber 23 has a small inner diameter, for example, 3 mmφ, which is smaller than the inner diameter of the raw water flow passage 21, for example, about 6 mmφ. And a decompression means for adjusting the water pressure to the membrane surface pressure of the porous membrane 32 of the water purification material provided inside the water purifier 30 of the water purification device is arranged. There is. Further, in the water purification apparatus of the present invention, the decompression means arranged for adjusting the water pressure of the raw water is not limited to the passage 22 and the communication chamber 2 in which the relief valve is installed is provided in the communication section 2. Prior to flowing into the communication chamber 23, that is, in an upstream portion of the communication chamber 23, the raw water flow passage 21 or the passage 22 can be disposed at any position.

In FIG. 1, the communication section 2 is provided with a purified water outlet 25 of purified water which passes through the center of the circulation chamber 23 and flows out from the raw water purifying and filtering section of the water purifier 30. Further, a spring type pressure relief valve 26 is provided in the communication chamber 23 downstream of the passage 22 constituting the pressure reducing means, and a discharge port 27 for discharging raw water when the relief valve 26 is operated is provided. .. The relief valve 26 arranged downstream of the passage 22 is provided when the water pressure of the raw water flowing into the communication chamber becomes higher than the set pressure, for example, when the raw water pressure suddenly rises or the water purifier 30 is Activated when the water pressure is high due to a decrease in the water purification function of the porous membrane 32 made of thermoplastic synthetic resin of the installed water purification material and a part of the high water pressure is discharged from the discharge port 27. Then, the water pressure in the communication chamber 2 is maintained at a predetermined level. As a result, it is possible to maintain the fine pore structure of the porous membrane 32 of the filtration unit 3 when the water pressure rises temporarily and to detect a decrease in the water purification function of the water purification material. Therefore, in the water purifying device of the present invention in which the pressure reducing means is arranged in the communication part 2, when the relief valve 26 operates continuously, it informs the replacement time of the cartridge type water purifier 30.

As the decompression means of the present invention, the raw water flow passage can be simply narrowed to have the effect of an orifice as described above, but other decompression means include, for example, an orifice, a flow controller, a pressure adjusting valve, etc. Known depressurizing means can be mentioned. In particular, it is preferable to dispose an orifice or a similar one having an orifice function for narrowing the flow passage as described above for the sake of easy mounting.

The decompression rate in the decompression means of the present invention is not particularly limited. Generally, most typical household water purification systems have an output of about 0.5 to 7 liters / minute, preferably 1 to 6 liters / minute. In these water purifiers for the outflow amount of purified water, the pressure reduction rate is preferably such that the initial water pressure at the tap is reduced to about 10 to 80%, particularly 20 to 60%. For example, when the flow rate of the raw water supplied to the porous water purifying material of the water purifier is 3 liters / minute, the depressurizing means is 0.3 to ² kgf / cm ² , preferably 0.5 to 1.5 kgf. A material capable of giving a pressure loss of / cm ² is preferable. For such an orifice, the inner diameter of the opening is about 1. The thickness is 5 to 4.5 mm, preferably 1.8 to 4.0 mm. For example, in FIG. 1, the inner diameter of the raw water flow passage 21 of the communication portion 2 that flows through the raw water purification / filtering portion 3 of the water purifier 30 is usually about 5 mm to 10 mm, preferably 5.5 to 8 mm. When arranging an orifice as a pressure reducing means in such a raw water flow passage 21, it is preferably about 1/10 to 3/5, preferably about 1/5 to 1 with respect to the cross-sectional area of the inner diameter of the flow passage. The use of an orifice having an opening with an area of / 2 is preferable because a necessary flow rate of purified water can be suitably secured.

In the water purification treatment in the raw water purifying and filtering section 3 as described above, the raw water supplied from the communication chamber 23 of the communication section 2 flows to the porous membrane 32 after passing through the activated carbon layer 33, The water pressure (membrane surface pressure) reaching the porous membrane is generally reduced by the pressure reducing means arranged in the water purification apparatus of the present invention, and the raw water flow path of the switching valve section and the communication section, the pretreatment flow path are also treated. The pressure is also reduced by the pressure loss that occurs when passing through the filter, activated carbon layer, and the like. Therefore, the decompression means of the present invention can select the decompression rate in consideration of the pressure loss due to the activated carbon or the like. In the water purification device of the present invention, for example, when the flow rate of raw water is about 3 liters / minute, the surface pressure of the surface of the porous membrane provided in the raw water purification and filtration section, that is, the initial water pressure of the raw water of the tap. Is reduced by adding the pressure loss of the activated carbon and the pressure reduction by the pressure reducing means, and the membrane surface pressure is 0.2 to 2.8 kgf / cm ² , preferably 0.3 to 2.5 kgf / cm 2. ² , and more preferably in the range of 0.5 to 2.0 kgf / cm ² , it is possible to secure the outflow rate of the ordinary purified water of the above-mentioned household water purifier.

In FIG. 1, a removable cartridge-type water purifier 30 has a double annular structure in which an inner cylinder 31 is arranged substantially concentrically in a cylindrical container. A water purification material 32 of a hollow fiber membrane (yarn bundle) made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin, for example, a polypropylene porous membrane is provided inside the double ring inner ring, and activated carbon 33 is filled inside the outer ring. Has been done. The inside of the inner ring and the inside of the outer ring are connected by a water passage 34 formed in the upper portion of the inner cylinder 31. In addition, the activated carbon is supported by a support body 35 such as a perforated plate which is disposed in the lower part of the outer ring and through which raw water can flow, and which holds a filter such as a wire mesh disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the water passage hole 34. The body 36 prevents entry into the inner cylinder.

Further, the cartridge type water purifier 30 configured as described above has the purified water outlet 37 at the lower part of the inner cylinder and the purified water outlet 25 penetrating the communication chamber 23 of the communication part 2 and the outer ring. The raw water flow passage 38 arranged at the lowest part of the inner space and the raw water inlet 24 at the upper part of the communication chamber 23 of the communication part 2 are fitted into the communication part 2 so as to fit with each other. As described above, the water purifier 30 is provided with the pretreatment filter 39 such as a wire mesh on the downstream side of the raw water distribution passage 38. In the water purifier of the present invention thus constructed, the cartridge type water purifier 30 is attachable / detachable, and when the water purifier 30 is removed, the narrow passage 22 of the decompression means arranged in the communication chamber 23 is from above. It is observable, and has an advantage that the water purifier 30 can be removed to easily remove the plugged substance when the passage 22 of the decompression means is blocked by a solid substance mixed in the raw water.

The water purification apparatus of the present invention is configured as described above, and the water pressure of the raw water that is supplied to the filtration section of the water purifier is not the same as the water pressure from the tap, but the raw water flows toward the filtration section. At the communication part connected to the outlet of the switching valve part that sends out, the raw water pressure is adjusted by arranging a pressure reducing means in the raw water channel flowing to the filtration part, and the membrane surface pressure of the porous membrane of the water purification material is adjusted to a predetermined It can be adjusted, and the purified water can be stably discharged at a predetermined outflow amount from the start of use to the time when the desired purification function of the water purification material declines.

Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 A water purifier which is exactly the same as the water purifier of FIG. 1 except that the water purifier (Example 1) shown in FIG. 1 and the passage 22 (pressure reducing means) having an orifice structure are not arranged. (Comparative Example 1) was installed with a water faucet. Further, the set pressure of the relief valve 26 provided in each water purifier was set to 2 kgf / cm ² . The tap water with a water pressure of 3 kgf / cm ² is continuously circulated to each water purifier installed as described above, and the relationship between the filtered flow rate and the purified water amount (total filtered water amount) and the water purifier 30 are installed internally. The relationship between the membrane surface pressure of the hollow fiber membrane (pressure at the portion X in FIG. 1) and the purified water amount (total filtered water amount) was measured. The results are shown in Fig. 2.

As is clear from FIG. 2, the water purifier of the present invention in which the decompression means 22 is arranged has a total filtered water amount of 3800 liters until the outflow amount of 2 liters / minute or more necessary for the outflow of the purified water is maintained. Is increasing. Moreover, it is 1.7 times as large as 2200 liters of the conventional water purifying apparatus in which the pressure reducing means 22 is not arranged. Further, in the water purifier of Comparative Example 1, when the total filtered water amount exceeded about 1200 liters, the relief valve 26 actuated, and the raw water started to flow out from the discharge port 27. On the other hand, in the water purifier of Example 1 in which the decompression means is arranged, until the total amount of filtered water exceeds 3500 to 3600 liters, the relief valve does not operate, the raw water does not flow out from the outlet 27, and the purified water is stable. Could be spilled.

Example 2 and Comparative Example 2 In the water purifier of FIG. 1, similarly to Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, the arrangement effect of the pressure reducing means on the discharge flow rate of the relief valve was measured by changing the water pressure. . The relief valve set pressure was 2 kgf / cm ² . The results are shown in Fig. 3. It is clear from FIG. 3 that the amount of water discharged by the relief valve operation is small and the economic effect is high by installing the pressure reducing means of the orifice.

[0028]

[Effect of the device]

 The present invention uses the outflow amount of the purified water by adjusting the circulating water pressure to the water purifier by arranging a decompression device in the raw water flow passage to the water purifier in which the water purification material of the water purifier is installed. From the beginning to the time when the water purification material is replaced, it can be maintained at about the same level, and a highly reliable water purification device is provided. Also, when a relief valve that operates at a predetermined set pressure is installed, its operation can be suppressed to the necessary minimum, and it is possible to detect the functional deterioration of the water purification material in the water purifier by the operation. Is also highly reliable.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional explanatory view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the relationship between the filtration flow rate and the purified water amount (total filtered water amount) and the relationship between the membrane surface pressure of the filled hollow fiber membrane and the purified water amount (total filtered water amount) in the examples and comparative examples of the present invention. Figure

FIG. 3 is a relationship diagram showing the relationship between the water pressure and the amount of water released from the relief valve in Examples and Comparative Examples of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Switching unit 2 Communication unit 3
Water purifier 4 Valve rod 5 Valve body 6,
7 Raw water switching valve 8 Raw water outlet switching push valve 9 Spiral cam 10 Switching handle 11 Raw water outlet 12 Raw water straight outlet 13 Raw water shower outlet 14 Water purifier outlet 15 Raw water inlet 16 Water tap fitting 21 Raw water flow passage 22 Passage (pressure reduction) Means) 23 Communication chamber 24 Raw water inlet 25, 37 Purified water outlet 26 Relief valve 27 Discharge port 30 Water purifier 31 Inner cylinder 32 Porous membrane (hollow fiber membrane) 33 Activated carbon 34 Water passage 35 Support 36 Retainer 38 Raw water Distribution passage 39 Pretreatment filter

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A water purifier having a raw water purifying and filtering section for purifying raw water in which at least a porous water purifying material made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin is provided, a raw water flow path switching valve section for switching a raw water outlet, and A pressure-adjusted purified water which is composed of a communication part which communicates the raw water purification / filtering part and the raw water flow path switching valve part to circulate raw water to the raw water purification / filtering part, and in which a pressure reducing means is arranged in the communication part. apparatus. 2. The pressure regulating water purifier according to claim 1, wherein a relief valve is installed in the communication section, downstream of the pressure reducing means.