JPH0739914U - Filter device for compressed air - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide a filter device for compressed air, which can effectively sterilize microorganisms in compressed air that is allowed to pass therethrough and can effectively suppress the growth of microorganisms in the filter device. A first filter means having a first filling;
A second filter means having a second packing, which is placed in communication with and disposed in the capture chamber, and directs compressed air from the inlet line through the first filter means into the capture chamber, Or, after separating the liquid fine particles from the compressed air, by guiding the liquid fine particles to the second filter means, the remaining liquid particles can be captured by the second filter means. In the filter device, as the second padding 44 of the second filter 12, a wound product of a net-like body made of fiber containing or holding an antibacterial agent is used.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

【Technical field】

 The present invention relates to a filter device for compressed air, and more particularly to a filter device for compressed air that can effectively sterilize microorganisms in compressed air and that can effectively suppress the growth of microorganisms in the filter device. is there.

[0002]

[Background technology]

 Conventionally, on the pipeline for supplying compressed air to various pneumatic equipment used in various factories, medical fields, nuclear power plants, etc., it is usual to protect those pneumatic equipment or to work with those pneumatic equipment. In order to improve the above, a filter device for compressed air is provided, and the filter device removes water and oil contained in the compressed air.

As a kind of such a compressed air filter device, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-1763, there is provided a first filter means having a predetermined first filling in the cylinder and a predetermined filter in the cylinder. A second filter means having a second packing is vertically juxtaposed on a closed and fixed volume of the capture chamber, and the first and second filter means communicate with the capture chamber. A compressed air filter device having the above structure is disclosed. In such a filter device, the compressed air is introduced into the trapping chamber through the first filter means from the introduction pipe line thereof to condense vapor or liquid fine particles present in the compressed air. Or by combining them to separate them from the compressed air, while guiding the compressed air from which the vapor or liquid fine particles are separated from the trap chamber to the compressed air delivery pipe through the second filter means. By doing so, the liquid particles remaining in the compressed air can be captured by the second filter means, and the vapor or liquid fine particles in the compressed air can be effectively reduced. .

By the way, the compressed air filter device as described above is used in the fields of medical treatment, pharmaceutical manufacturing, food manufacturing, semiconductor manufacturing, etc., that is, in the field where the presence of microorganisms is very inconvenient in terms of hygiene or quality. When used, such a filter device not only has the function of separating and removing the water and oil described above, but also has the function of removing microorganisms, antifungal action and antibacterial action against blue mold, black mold, etc. Furthermore, it is strongly required to have a deodorizing effect.

However, in the conventional filter device for compressed air, although some microorganisms are physically trapped by the filter means by the filter action of the filter device, the filter means is not provided. The microorganisms trapped there are not readily killed because they themselves do not inherently have antibacterial activity. Then, such microorganisms are scattered again by the compressed air that is continuously passed, and the compressed air containing the viable bacteria is discharged from the filter device. Thus, the bactericidal effect based on the filter action of such a filter device was not so promising.

In addition, in such a filter device for compressed air, the microorganisms that are captured by the filter means and remain in the filter means without being killed may also divide and proliferate under some conditions. Become. In such a case, the filter device becomes clogged, or the pressure loss increases, the efficiency of the filter decreases, the working environment atmosphere is contaminated during maintenance, and the microorganisms that divide and multiply grow. As a result, compared with the case where the filter device is not used, there are various problems that the compressed air is contaminated with more microorganisms.

[0007]

[Solution]

 Here, the present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and the problem to be solved is that fungi, bacteria, etc. in the compressed air to be passed through in the compressed air filter device as described above. It is an object of the present invention to provide a filter device capable of effectively sterilizing the above-mentioned microorganisms and further effectively suppressing the growth of the microorganisms in the filter device.

[0008]

[Solution]

 And in order to solve the above-mentioned subject, in this invention, the 1st filter means which has a 1st packing in a cylinder, and the 2nd filter means which has a 2nd packing in a cylinder are provided. , Is provided so as to communicate with a trap chamber of a predetermined volume and introduces compressed air from the introduction line into the trap chamber through the first filter means. By condensing or coalescing the liquid particulates and separating them from the compressed air, the compressed air from which the vapors or liquid particulates are separated is guided from the trap chamber to the second filter means. In the compressed air filter device in which the liquid particles remaining in the compressed air are captured by the second filter means, an antibacterial agent is used as the second filler of the second filter means. A filter device for compressed air, characterized in that it uses natural or regenerated fiber or winding of the mesh-like body of synthetic fiber 維製 the content or was allowed hold, it is an gist of it.

Further, in the present invention, a mist filter having a cylindrical ventilation wall portion of a porous structure having a predetermined thickness is provided on the flow path of the compressed air delivered from the second filter means, It is also characterized in that the compressed air is allowed to pass from one side of the ventilation wall to the other side so as to separate the vapor or liquid fine particles still remaining in the compressed air. Is.

[0010]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, in order to clarify the present invention more specifically, representative embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, FIG. 1 shows one specific example of a compressed air filter device having a structure according to the present invention. Such a filter device includes first and second filters 10 and 12 each having a substantially cylindrical shape, a manifold 14 located at an upper end portion of the first and second filters 10 and 12 which is one end side in the axial direction, and The box member 16 located at the lower end and the capture chamber 20 formed of the base 18 are integrally connected by a plurality of bolts 22.

More specifically, the manifold 14 is provided with a compressed air inlet 24 and a compressed air outlet 26 on both sides in the left-right direction in FIG. 1, and on the bottom side thereof. Has a first recess 28 and a second recess 30 that connect the inlet 24 and the outlet 26 to the first and second filters 10 and 12, respectively.

Further, the first filter 10 has a first winding member of a mesh made of metal fiber such as stainless fiber inside a cylindrical body 32 made of metal such as aluminum or plastic. The cylindrical body 32 is filled with the padding 34, and the pressing plate 38 having a plurality of through holes 36 is fitted to the upper and lower ends in the axial direction of the cylindrical body 32 in which the padding 34 is housed. It should be noted that the reticulated body winding material constituting the first filling 34 is not limited to the one formed by using the metal fiber such as the stainless fiber illustrated here, but may be a synthetic resin. It does not matter even if it is formed by using it.

On the other hand, the second filter 12 is formed by using a yarn made of natural or regenerated fiber or synthetic fiber inside a cylindrical tubular body 42 made of metal such as aluminum or plastic. A reticulated wound material is filled as a second padding 44, and a pressing plate 48 having a plurality of through holes 46 is provided at the upper and lower ends in the axial direction of the cylindrical body 42 accommodating the second padding 44 therein. Are fitted and configured.

Moreover, the fiber (natural fiber, regenerated fiber or synthetic fiber) forming the second filler 44 of the second filter 12 contains or holds an antibacterial agent, and as a result, The second filter 12 has antibacterial properties. More specifically, a predetermined antibacterial agent is fixed to the fibers by a known method, for example, a chemical treatment, incorporated into the fibers by kneading, impregnated with a chemical solution, etc. Is given by. The term "antibacterial agent" as used herein means various known compounds having antibacterial properties against microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria, and such antibacterial agents include silver zeolite. Inorganic antibacterial agents such as metallozeolites, various antibiotics, compounds known as other chemotherapeutic agents, etc. will be appropriately used either singly or in combination of two or more as necessary. .

As is well known, the box member 16 is provided with communication holes 50, 52 and a bolt support portion 54 on its upper wall surface, and the lower surface facing the wall surface is an opening. The opening is covered with the base 18 via the packing 56, so that the trapping chamber 20 having a sealed predetermined volume is formed. In addition, in the base 18, the multi-hole body 58 having a honeycomb structure is housed therein, with the honeycomb holes arranged vertically, and at the bottom portion, the liquid discharge port is formed by penetrating the bottom wall portion. 60 is formed and a drain 62 is attached.

The respective parts (the first and second filters 10 and 12, the manifold 14 and the capturing chamber 20) are a box in which the first and second filters 10 and 12 constitute the capturing chamber 20. On the outer surface of the wall surface of the member 16 on which the communication holes 50, 52 are provided, the members 16 are arranged in parallel in the vertical direction so as to correspond to the communication holes 50, 52, respectively. A plurality of bolts 22 extending through the manifold 14 are provided in the box member of the capture chamber 20 with the openings of the recesses 28, 30 arranged to correspond to the first and second filters 10, 12, respectively. The bolt support portions 54 provided at 16 are respectively screwed to be integrally connected. As a result, a fluid flow path through which the air supplied from the inlet 24 is sent out from the outlet 26 is formed in the filter device.

Therefore, in the filter device having such a structure, first, the compressed air supplied from the inlet 24 of the manifold 14 is introduced into the first filter 10 and the first filter 10 is introduced. Due to the adiabatic expansion action when passing through the filter 10, it is allowed to flow in the presence of the first filling 34, and the water or oil vapor or liquid fine particles contained in the compressed air are They are condensed or coalesced into droplets. Then, the droplets (liquid) that have been condensed or coalesced in the first filter 10 and adhered to the first filling material 34 form the first filling material either naturally or by the action of the circulating compressed air. As it flows through the reticulated body, it falls into the trap chamber 20.

Further, in the trap chamber 20, the liquid in the form of droplets carried on the compressed air flow is dropped onto the bottom surface of the base 18 by gravity and inertial force, and effectively separated. . Then, the dropped droplets are sent into the porous body 58 contained in the base 18, further combined with other droplets, guided to the discharge port 60, and passed through the drain 62. It is discharged to the outside.

Next, the vapor or the liquid fine particles are separated in this way, and the compressed air thus removed is introduced into the second filter 12 to pass through the second filler 44, Water and oil remaining as liquid fine particles in the compressed air are separated and removed here.

At this time, the microorganisms contained in the compressed air are also captured by the second filter 12 like the remaining liquid fine particles. That is, the compressed air is flowing at a high speed, and the microorganisms existing as fine particles in the compressed air naturally have a large inertial force, so that they are brought into contact with and trapped by the second filling material 44 which is an obstacle. Be done. The microorganisms captured here are sterilized by the antibacterial agent applied to the second filling material 44 of the second filter 12 described above. Therefore, for example, even if the microorganisms trapped here are carried to compressed air again and exit from the outlet, the microorganisms have already been killed (killed). , No hygiene or quality problems are raised.

Moreover, when passing through the first filter 10 and the trapping chamber 20, most of the liquid component in the compressed air is separated, and in the second filter 12, such compression is performed. Since the air receives a sterilizing action in a state in which the liquid contains almost no liquid, the antibacterial agent applied to or carried by the second filler 44 of the second filter 12 is wasted together with the collected liquid. The bactericidal effect of the antibacterial agent imparted to or carried by the second filling material 44 can be effectively exerted without being discharged.

Thus, the compressed air in which the liquid fine particles have been removed and the microbes have been sterilized is supplied to the delivery pipe line through the delivery port 26 of the manifold 14, so that the presence of the microbes becomes inconvenient. It can also be suitably used in the field.

Furthermore, since the microorganisms captured in the compressed air filter device have the second filter 12 having antibacterial properties, their mitotic growth is effectively suppressed. The problem that has been caused in the conventional filter device, that is, the compressed air that is passed through is contaminated by the above-mentioned microorganisms that have propagated and divided, can be solved.

Next, FIG. 2 shows another specific example of the compressed air filter device having the structure according to the present invention. Such a filter device includes a lower housing 74 that houses a first filter 70 and a second filter 72, an upper housing 78 that houses a mist filter 76, and a lower housing 74 and an upper housing 78. A partition member 84 having an inlet 80 for compressed air and an outlet 82 is arranged so as to be positioned in the middle.

More specifically, the lower housing 74 is in the shape of a bottomed cylinder having an opening in the upper portion, and the cylindrical first filter 70 is provided in the center of the upper portion of the lower housing 74. A second cylindrical filter 72, which is located outside the first filter 70 and has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the first filter by a predetermined dimension, is arranged substantially concentrically. The insides of the first and second filters 70 and 72 are filled with the first and second fillers 86 and 88 having the same structure as that of the embodiment shown in FIG. . The second filling material 88 contains or holds an antibacterial agent as in the case of the above embodiment, whereby the second filter 72 has an antibacterial property. is there. Further, a trapping chamber 90 is formed between the first and second filters 70 and 72 and the lower housing 74 as a space for storing separated water and oil, and the trapping chamber 90 is formed. The first filter 70 and the second filter 72 are communicated with each other via the.

Further, a cylindrical mist filter 76 having a predetermined thickness is provided in the upper housing 78 on the compressed air flow path sent from the second filter 72, and the second filter 72 is provided. The compressed air sent from the above is arranged so as to be guided to the sending port 82 after being passed through the mist filter 76. More specifically, the compressed air discharged from the second filter 72 is conveyed to the outer space 94 of the mist filter 76 of the upper housing 78 through the intermediate passage 92 of the partition member 84, Through the mist filter 76, it is guided to the inner space 96 of the mist filter 76. Then, the compressed air thus introduced into the inner space 96 is delivered to the delivery hole 82 through the thin-walled cylindrical collecting cylinder 98 having a predetermined length which is provided so as to be located substantially in the center of the inner space 96. It will be guided. As the mist filter 76, any known mist filter can be adopted as long as the cylindrical wall is a cylindrical body having a porous structure as a ventilation wall portion. For example, a soft or hard mist filter having fine continuous ventilation holes can be used. It is composed of a multilayer structure using urethane foam, sintered resin, glass fiber and the like. Then, when compressed air is passed from the outside to the inside through the ventilation wall portion having such a structure, the vapor or liquid fine particles remaining in the compressed air is separated from the compressed air.

Therefore, even in the filter device having such a structure, the microorganisms are trapped by the second filler 88 of the second filter 72 as in the above-mentioned embodiment, and It is sterilized by the action of the antibacterial agent applied to the second filling 88.

Furthermore, the compressed air that has been dried and sterilized by the second filter 72 is passed through the mist filter 76, and the vapor or liquid fine particles that still remain in the compressed air are further removed. Can be further removed. Also, the remaining microorganisms will be further removed here.

Although the antibacterial agent is contained or retained only in the second filling 88 here, an antibacterial agent is also added to the mist filter 76 in order to improve the sterilizing and removing ability of microorganisms. Can be given. With such a configuration, the antibacterial effect of the filter device against microorganisms in the compressed air can be further enhanced.

Further, in order to impart a deodorizing action to such a filter device, a deodorizing agent such as activated carbon is carried on the second filling material 88, or instead of or together therewith, the mist filter 76 is activated carbon or the like. It is possible to carry the deodorant of the above, and thereby to effectively deodorize the compressed air delivered from the filter device.

The representative embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not subject to any restrictions due to the description of such embodiments. In addition to the above embodiments, the present invention may be modified, modified, improved, etc. based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Should be understood,

[0033]

[Effect of device]

 As is apparent from the above description, in the compressed air filter device having the structure according to the present invention, the second filler that constitutes the second filter means does not contain the antibacterial agent. Therefore, when the compressed air is passed through the filter device, the microorganisms in the compressed air trapped in the filter device can be effectively sterilized.

Moreover, since most of the liquid in the compressed air is separated when passing through the first filter and the capture chamber, in the second filter such compressed air contains almost no liquid. If not, the antibacterial agent is exposed to the bactericidal action of the antibacterial agent, and therefore the antibacterial agent applied to or carried by the second packing of the second filter is wastedly discharged together with the captured liquid. The bactericidal effect can be effectively exhibited without being forced to do so.

Further, with the above-mentioned configuration, the fragmentation and growth of microorganisms in the filter device is favorably prevented, and various factors such as clogging of the filter due to the growth of microorganisms and pressure loss in the filter are caused. The problem of can be effectively avoided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional explanatory view showing an example of a compressed air filter device having a structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional explanatory view showing another example of a compressed air filter device having a structure according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10,70 First filter 12,72 Second filter 20,90 Capture chamber 24,80 Inlet port 26,82 Outlet port 34,86 First packing 44,88 Second packing 76 Mist filter

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A first filter means having a first packing in the cylinder and a second filter means having a second packing in the cylinder are communicated with each other in a trap chamber of a predetermined volume,
The compressed air is introduced into the trapping chamber through the first filter means from the introduction line to condense or coalesce the vapor or liquid fine particles present in the compressed air, and On the other hand, by further directing the compressed air from which the vapor or the liquid fine particles are separated to the second filter means from the trap chamber, the liquid particles remaining in the compressed air are separated into In a compressed air filter device adapted to be captured by a second filter means, as a second filling of the second filter means, a net-like mesh made of natural or regenerated fibers or synthetic fibers containing or holding an antibacterial agent. A compressed air filter device characterized by using a wound body. 2. A mist filter having a cylindrical ventilation wall portion having a predetermined thickness and having a porous structure is provided on the flow path of the compressed air delivered from the second filter means, and one side of the ventilation wall portion is provided. 2. The compressed air filter device according to claim 1, wherein vapor or liquid fine particles still remaining in the compressed air is separated by passing compressed air from the other side to the other side.