JPH0691117A - Method for cleaning air using filter and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To supply cleaned air and to eliminate the contamination of the living space and/or working space with microorganisms by using the air cleaner. CONSTITUTION:A slime bacteria filter 3 and a filter 4 with an antibacterial polymer as the base are incorporated between a dust filter 2 and a dust filter 5 to constitute the air cleaner. The slime bacteria of single or plural kinds are cultured in a liq. culture medium in a specified manner, the propagated bacteria are separatd, the filter base is impregnated with the culture soln. contg. a lytic enzyme and/or an antibiotic, the soln. is deposited and immobilized on the base, and the slime bacteria filter 3 is obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air purifying apparatus and a purifying method, and more particularly to a living space such as a general household, an office building, a hotel, a restaurant, etc., and contamination of household articles with bacteria and fungi (houses, furniture). The present invention relates to an air purifying device and method for preventing, by using an air-conditioning filter, generation of color pollution, damage, etc.) and bad odor, as well as concentrated pollution and infection by pathogens in medical facilities such as hospitals.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Our living space and daily necessities are Aspergillus, Penicillium,
It is very common experience that we are endlessly contaminated by the very common "molds" and / or bacteria, such as Rhyzopus, Mucor or Cladosporium. It is that you are. In general, even in office buildings, hotels, other large buildings, and general homes, fresh air is introduced into the enclosed space from the outside for the purpose of air conditioning, but it is usually used to capture dust contained in the outside air. A dust filter (mesh filter) is used.

By the way, in the process of internal circulation of air through this filter, a trace amount of organic substances accumulate in the filter and are gradually concentrated. When this organic substance is used as food, "molds" and "bacteria" that produce malodorous substances abnormally breed, causing secondary pollution that the entire living space is contaminated by malodorous substances. Further, what is particularly serious in this problem is that in the air conditioning of hospitals, pathogenic bacteria are heavily propagated in the filter, and there is a strong possibility of concentrated infection, and there are actually some concrete cases.

For the purpose of controlling and sterilizing the "molds" and "bacteria" in the above cases, many specialized manufacturers (mainly air conditioner manufacturers, chemicals manufacturers, and fermentation manufacturers) have antibacterial research as the highest priority. , Anti-mold filter,
Although we are conducting research on fungicides, bactericides and their surroundings, the fact is that the definitive filters, chemicals and systems have not been completed at this time, and as the actual damage increases, every moment There is a strong demand for establishment of this type of air purification method as soon as possible.

[0005]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION As described in detail above,
An air conditioner or an air conditioning system equipped with a conventional dust removal filter (air filter), and a filter and / or a fungicide or a fungicide which imparts antibacterial and antifungal properties to these do not have a definite detrimental effect. However, the contamination of living space and / or working space by microorganisms has not been essentially eliminated. On the other hand, the present invention continues to earnestly research to improve the fatal defect of the conventional technique, and provide an innovative apparatus and method for cleaning the air in the living space and the working space by a completely new expression. With the goal.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an air purifying apparatus and method in which only a dust removing filter for removing dust in the air is installed in the natural world. 2 filters with immobilized bacteriolytic enzymes and / or antibiotics produced by myxobacteria that generally live, and filters with antibacterial polymer as the base material 2
By installing the dust removal filter in the final stage as needed,
It is an innovative air purification method based on a new idea aimed at completely removing harmful microorganisms such as molds.

That is, according to the present invention, after the dust filter,
The air purification device has a slime bacteria filter and a filter having an antibacterial polymer as a base material. Further, in the present invention, in an air purification method of a living space using a filter, the air to be purified is first passed through a dust filter, and then passed through a mucus bacteria filter and a filter having an antibacterial polymer as a base material. I decided to do it. In the air purification device, it is preferable to further provide a dust filter at the end, and the slime bacteria filter and the filter having an antibacterial polymer as a base material have a fibrous, non-woven, woven, or plate-like shape. , Can be corrugated or granular.

Next, the excellent function, function and effect of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. First, in FIG. 1, the outside air 1 is introduced into the filter installation portion A of the air purification device for the purpose of cleaning, adjustment of temperature, humidity and the like. The air containing dust and other contaminants (outside air) first reaches the normal dust filter 2 which is not specified first, and passes through the dust filter by sucking the introduced air with the blower 6, and the dust is removed in the process. To be done. Dust-removed air is a so-called antibacterial and antifungal agent in which the culture solution of mucus bacteria (separate and remove bacterial cells) in the next step is attached to a filter substrate processed into a fibrous, woven or non-woven fabric shape. Forced to pass through the sex filter 3.

The base material for immobilizing lytic enzymes and antibiotics produced by myxobacteria need not be specified as long as it is a durable base material, but usually polyurethane foam, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyacrylamide and / or various types. The photo-crosslinkable and photo-curable synthetic high molecular weight polymer is used. Next, myxobacteria that produce lytic enzymes and antibiotics that are immobilized on this substrate generally inhabit the natural world, and almost exclusively produce strong lytic enzymes and antibiotics. Therefore, it is not necessary to identify myxobacteria,
It is preferable to appropriately select from the following groups.

1) Myxococus xanthus
ccus xanthus, ATCC 25232) 2) Myxococcus fulvus,
ATCC 23093) 3) Stigmatella erecta,
ATCC 25191) 4) Cystobacter fuscus,
ATCC 25194) 5) Melittangium l
ichenicolum, ATCC 25744)

[0011] A single species and / or a plurality of these myxobacteria are mixed and inoculated into a predetermined liquid culture medium (using commercially available baker's yeast as a viable cell), 30 ° C,
Two-member culture was carried out for 5 days, and the bacterial cells were separated from the expanded bacterial solution, and a solution containing a lytic enzyme and an antibiotic was immobilized on the filter substrate. The lytic enzymes produced by myxobacteria are mainly said to be lysozyme, cellulose and protease.
It is not always clear at this stage.

[0012] On the other hand, research has progressed considerably on antibiotics produced by various myxobacteria, and as of 1988, the following antibiotics have been known. Megovalicin, angiolam A, axalamide, sol-angicin A
cin A), aurachin C (aurachin C), stigmatellin A, myxovi
rescin), myxothiazol A, myxothiazol A, corallopyronin A, myxovalargin, saframycin Mxl (R = OH) (s
aframycin Mxl), 3-formyl indole (3-form
ylindole), 5-nitroresorcinol (5-nitrores)
orcinol), pyrrolnitrin, althiomycin

Regarding the antibiotics to be immobilized on the filter substrate, rather than expecting the antibacterial effect and antifungal effect of a single type of antibiotic obtained from a single type of myxobacteria, it is possible to use a plurality of types of myxobacteria. The mixture of different kinds of antibiotics is more effective because the range of microbial strains to be lysed and sterilized is expanded. In addition, harmful microorganisms attached to the surface of so-called antibacterial and antifungal filter 3 by myxobacteria are sterilized by lytic enzymes and antibiotics, and further lysed.
As it is decomposed, the filter surface is always kept fresh,
The activity continues.

In an environment where the outside air to be air-conditioned is judged to be significantly contaminated with bacteria and fungi, the mycobacterium culture solution (separated cells) is immobilized on the dust filter 2 at the first stage. Then the effect is doubled. The air that has passed through the myxobacterial filter 3 is further processed by filtering the antibacterial and antifungal polymer itself into a fibrous, non-woven or woven fabric, or by using the above antibacterial and antifungal polymer as anion exchange fiber or organic. The filter 4 having a base material obtained by graft-polymerizing a polymer reaches the filter 4.

This antibacterial polymer is usually excellent in the ability to adsorb bacteria, and a small amount of bacteria and fungi that have passed through the slime bacteria filter 3 in a viable state can be treated under considerable wind speed conditions (10 to 10). (20m / sec) completely captures and adsorbs
The antibacterial action can sterilize the remaining bacteria and fungi. If the air to be purified is heavily contaminated with microorganisms, and if the bacterial contamination has priority over the mold contamination, reverse the installation order of the mycotic bacterial filter 3 and the antibacterial polymer filter 4. Then, it is even more effective.

As the antibacterial polymer used for the antibacterial filter, a polymer having an anion exchange group represented by a quaternary ammonium group as a functional group can be used. Anion exchange fiber is a suitable material as a filter because it is easily processed for the purpose of use of the present invention. As the anion exchange fiber, commercially available fibers can be used as well as fibers manufactured by a known technique.

For example, a polymer substance having a fiber-forming ability, such as polyester or polyolefin, and a polymer substance capable of introducing an ion-exchange group are mixed and spun, and then anion-exchange group produced by introducing an anion-exchange group. Fibers, anion exchange fibers to which an anion exchange group is attached by utilizing graft polymerization on an organic polymer substance, and the like can be used. As a typical example of these, there is a report from the Institute for Advanced Fiber Polymers. [Fiscal Polymer Materials Research Laboratories Research Presentation Material, 1991 (27-28 November 1991, Ishigaki Memorial Hall, Japan Industrial Technology Association)]

This antibacterial polymer is composed of a copolymer of a quaternary compound of chloromethylstyrene and acrylonitrile, is excellent in processability and can be effectively used for the purpose of the present invention. This polymer substance was used for the filter. The reaction formula in the case of producing a copolymer of a reaction product of chloromethylstyrene and alkyldimethylamine and acrylonitrile is as shown in Chemical formula 1.
In this reaction, lauryl dimethyl amine (C ₁₂ H ₂₅ ) was selected as the alkyl dimethyl amine.

[0019]

[Chemical 1]

The air which is sucked by the blower 6 and passed through the antibacterial polymer filter and which is almost aseptic passes through the dust filter at the final stage and is further supplied to the living space and / or the working space 8 through the blower pipe 7. Used for air conditioning purposes. The air used in the living space and / or the work space 8 is returned to the respective filters 2, 3, 4, 5 by the return air pipe 9 depending on the degree of pollution, and is repeatedly purified before use.

In a normal air purifying apparatus and method, the ratio of outside air: return air is 3: 7, which is a guideline. 10 air circulates in the whole system and 3 polluted air goes out of the system. Exhausted. Ventilation volume is 1.5 to 2.0 of living space per hour.
It is about double, and it is 30 to 5 for the density of people in the living space.
The ideal level is 0 m ³ / hr / person. Furthermore, the wind speed of the pipe where the filter is installed is 5 to 7 on the low speed side.
m / sec, 10 to 20 m / sec on the high speed side, and 20 to 50 mm / Aq as the standard pressure loss in the filter.

[0022]

The air purifying device incorporating the antibacterial and antifungal filter of the present invention is a lytic enzyme produced outside the microbial cell by myxobacteria that are extremely common in nature, as compared with the ordinary air purification method. And a filter with antibiotics attached and fixed,
This is a completely new air purifier equipped with an antibacterial polymer filter, which has antibacterial and antifungal properties and has a function of specifically adsorbing microorganisms, installed after the dust filter. The invention makes it possible to sterilize various contaminating microorganisms in the air with extremely high efficiency and economically.

The living space and / or the working space such as an office building, which we use daily, are mostly conditioned by an air purifier, but are suspended in the outside air introduced into the air purifier. Various microorganisms grow on the filter by using the usable organic substances adsorbed on the dust removal filter of the air purifier as a nutrient source, and not only become the root of the generation of malodor, but in hospitals, etc. There are cases of infection. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is an innovative and epoch-making air purification method capable of preventing the actual damage caused by bacteria and / or fungi on the aspects of life and / or industry (business), and by adopting this method. Therefore, it becomes possible to live in a clean and clean environment and work efficiently.

[0024]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Example 1 In order to clearly understand the action and effect of the present invention, the air to be cleaned was selected from an experimental building in which it can be considered that the microbiological contamination is relatively rich. The size of the wind tunnel to which each filter for the verification test is attached is 10 cm (corner) x 50 cm.
(Long) [Effective volume 5 liters] with 10 cm inside
Each filter was fixed at intervals of.

Two demonstration wind tunnels were manufactured as shown in the experimental apparatus of FIGS. 2 and 3, and the wind tunnel of FIG. 2 was assumed to be a conventional air purifying apparatus, and only the dust filter 2 was attached. On the other hand, in the wind tunnel of FIG. 3 assuming the air purifying apparatus of the present invention, each wind tunnel in which a dust filter 2, a mucobacterium filter 3 and an antibacterial polymer filter 4 are attached at 10 cm intervals is installed in one corner of the experimental building. The outside air 1 was sucked in by a blower 6 from one direction for a long time. The wind speed inside the wind tunnel was adjusted to be in the range of 8 to 10 m / sec.

A method for collecting a sample for evaluating the action and effect of long-term operation is as follows. First, the blower 6 for sucking the outside air is stopped, and then the blower 6'of the bacterial filter 10 is operated to make each The air that passed through the filter was aspirated. The amount of air sucked was 10 liters, which was twice the wind tunnel volume in order to complete the verification test. After suctioning a predetermined amount of air, the filter 10 for bacterial filtration (cellulose acetate filter, opening 0.2 μm) is taken out by aseptic operation, placed on an ordinary agar medium (plate culture) prepared in advance, and 38 ° C. After culturing for 48 hours, the number of colonies of microorganisms (general bacteria) propagated on the filter surface was counted to determine the bactericidal effect.

The characteristics of each filter used in this verification test are as follows. Dust filter 2 (1) Size 10 cm x 10 cm x 5 mm (thickness) (2) Material Polyurethane foam (3) Opening 30 holes / inch Myxobacterial filter 3 (1) Size 10 cm x 10 cm x 5 mm (thickness) ( 2) Material Polyurethane foam (3) Opening 30 holes / inch

(4) Specifications The following three types of myxobacteria were cultivated in a predetermined liquid medium at 30 ° C. for 5 days in a two-membered culture (dietary bacteria ... baker's yeast), and then the bacterial cells were separated by a bacterial filter. To do. The above-mentioned polyurethane foam was immersed in this microbial cell separation liquid for 2 hours, taken out, and naturally dried to obtain a mucobacterial filter. Strains used 1) Myxococcus xanthu
s, ATCC 25232) 2) Stigmatella erecta,
ATCC 25191) 3) Cystobacter fuscus,
(ATCC 25194)

Antibacterial Polymer Filter 4 (1) Size 10 cm × 10 cm × 3 mm (thickness) (2) Material Copolymer of reaction product of chloromethylstyrene and lauryldimethylamine and acrylonitrile (3) Opening indefinite (4) A filter obtained by pressing the fibrous-spun copolymer of the specification (2) at random to shape it into a non-woven fabric.

Experimental apparatus Exactly the same ventilation condition 8 as shown in FIGS.
Bacterial sterilization and antifungal tests were conducted for a long period (10 days, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months) by passing indoor air in the experimental building at 10 m / sec. The experimental results are shown in Table 1.

[Table 1]

As can be seen from the experimental results shown in Table 1, in the control shown in FIG. 2, molds grew on the filter and covered the entire surface of the filter at each elapsed day, so that counting was not possible twice. On the other hand, the air purifying apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG. 3 has excellent sterilization (sterilization) and antifungal effects. The experimental period was up to 3 months, but it is certain that the effect of this method will be maintained for a longer period.

[0032]

According to the present invention, as described in detail, it is an invention from a viewpoint completely different from the prior art, and has the following operational effects. (1) The conventional air purifying apparatus and method can be expected to have only the action and effect of removing dust from contaminated outside air by simply performing pretreatment with only a dust filter. In addition to this, microorganisms floating in the outside air propagate on this dust removal filter by using the organic matter concentrated in the filter as a nutrient source, and various secondary pollution occurs. On the other hand, the air purification apparatus and method according to the present invention are provided with a mucous bacteria filter and an antibacterial polymer filter subsequent to the dust filter, so that the so-called bacteriological of living space and working space (business space) can be obtained. Pollution can be completely eliminated.

(2) Further, it is possible to completely prevent the generation of offensive odors, which are mainly originated from mold metabolites, in ordinary living spaces, office buildings, hotels, restaurants and the like. (3) Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the thick contamination and the thick infection caused by the pathogenic bacteria due to the air purification device of the hospital, which is becoming a serious social problem. There is no doubt that the air purification apparatus and method based on the new technical idea of the present invention will become the mainstream of the air purification method in the future due to the above-mentioned advantages.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a purification system using an air purification device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an experimental device using a conventional purification device.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an experimental device using the purification device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Air (outside air), 2: Dust removal filter, 3: Mucus bacteria filter, 4: Antibacterial polymer filter, 5: Dust removal filter, 6, 6 ': Blower, 7: Air delivery, 8: Living space, 9: Return Qi, 10: Bacterial filter

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kunio Fujiwara 4-2-1 Motofujisawa, Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture EBARA Research Institute

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An air purification apparatus comprising a dust filter and a slime bacteria filter and a filter having an antibacterial polymer as a base material. 2. The myxobacterial filter is characterized in that a single species and / or a plurality of species of myxobacteria widely distributed in nature are liquid-cultured with a predetermined medium and a method, and then proliferating cells are separated and a lytic enzyme and The air purifying device according to claim 1, which is obtained by impregnating a filter substrate with a culture solution containing an antibiotic, or by impregnating and immobilizing the medium. 3. The mucobacterial filter and the filter having an antibacterial polymer as a base material have a fibrous base material,
The air purification apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air purification apparatus has a non-woven cloth shape, a woven cloth shape, a plate shape, a corrugated plate shape, or a granular shape. 4. A single species and / or a plurality of species of myxobacteria are liquid-cultured by a predetermined medium and method, and then the proliferating cells are separated and a culture solution containing a lytic enzyme and / or an antibiotic is used as a filter substrate. A myxobacterial filter characterized by being impregnated, or impregnated and fixed. 5. A method for purifying air in a living space using a filter, in which the air to be purified is first purified by passing through a dust filter and then through a mucus bacteria filter and a filter having an antibacterial polymer as a base material. An air purification method characterized in that 6. The order of passing the myxobacterial filter and a filter having an antibacterial polymer as a base material is determined by the quantitative and qualitative strength of contamination of air to be purified by microorganisms. Air purification method described. 7. An air purification system in which an outside air is taken in, purified by an air purification device, sent to a living space, and a part of the air from the living space is returned to the air purification device. , A slime bacteria filter and a filter having an antibacterial polymer as a base material are incorporated between the dust-removing filter and the dust-removing filter, and the air to be returned is returned before the respective filters according to the degree of pollution of the air. An air purification system characterized by being careful.