JPH09152230A - Condenser with photocatalyst function and refrigerator using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to suppress the contamination by the decomposition organic matter such as adhered oil and to maintain the excellent heat exchanging performance for a long period by incorporating photocatalyst function in the surface of an essential member such as heat exchanging coil and fins for constituting a condenser. SOLUTION: The condenser 2 for condensing to liquefy refrigerant in the refrigerator comprises a heat exchanging coil 5 in which refrigerant flows, and fins 6 formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. In this case, the coil 5 and fins 6 are coated on the surfaces with a composition obtained by mixing photocatalyst (TiO2 ) with silicone paint which is scarcely decomposed by the photocatalyst (TiO2 ). Thus, if an organic matter such as oil or dust from a kitchen is adhered to the surfaces of the coil 5 and fins 6, the photocatalyst is activated by the light from a light source such as a fluorescent light and the matter adhered to the surface is decomposed, thereby suppressing the contamination. As a result, the heat exchanging performance is maintained excellently, thereby making it possible to stably operate for a long period.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a condenser having a photocatalytic function and a refrigerating apparatus using the same for commercial use, household use, etc. More specifically, the surface of a main member constituting the condenser By giving the light medium function to
A condenser that decomposes organic substances such as oil that adheres to control pollution, maintain heat exchange performance, and enable stable operation over a long period of time, and also suppress foul odor caused by this dirt. And a refrigerating apparatus using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, commercial and domestic refrigerators having a refrigeration cycle using a combination of a refrigerant and refrigerator oil have reached high quality levels such as reliability and durability. However, in the above refrigerator, a condenser is usually disposed outside the refrigerator, and the refrigerant flowing in the heat exchange coil of the condenser is air-cooled to condense and liquefy the refrigerant. When organic substances such as oil and dust generated from kitchen equipment such as kitchen adhere to the surfaces of the main members such as fins, the heat exchange rate is deteriorated and the refrigerating capacity is deteriorated. To ameliorate this problem, it has been necessary in the past to frequently clean the condenser.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to decompose organic substances such as oil adhered to suppress pollution and maintain heat exchange performance to enable stable operation for a long period of time. It is an object of the present invention to provide a condenser and a refrigerating apparatus using the same that can suppress a bad odor caused by this dirt.

[0004]

Means for Solving the Problems As a result of intensive studies to solve the above-mentioned problems, the inventors of the present invention have described above by providing the surface of main members such as heat exchange coils and fins constituting a condenser with a photocatalytic function. The inventors have found that the problem can be solved and have completed the present invention.

The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a condenser characterized in that the surfaces of main members such as heat exchange coils and fins constituting a condenser for condensing and liquefying a fluid have a photocatalytic function. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a condenser for condensing and liquefying the refrigerant, a capillary tube for adjusting the pressure of the refrigerant, an evaporator for evaporating the liquefied refrigerant, and a refrigerant for evaporation and vaporization are discharged to the condenser. In a refrigerating apparatus including a compressor, etc., a refrigerating apparatus characterized in that a surface of a main member such as a heat exchange coil and fins constituting the condenser provided outside the refrigerating apparatus has a photocatalytic function. It is a device.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the condenser according to the first aspect or the second aspect is provided with a light source for irradiating the surface having the photocatalytic function with light.
It is the described refrigeration apparatus.

The invention according to claim 4 of the present invention is characterized in that the surface is formed by a composition in which a photocatalyst is mixed with a material which is not easily decomposed by the photocatalyst, or the surface of the condenser according to claim 1. 2 or the refrigerating apparatus according to claim 3.

The invention according to claim 5 of the present invention is characterized in that the surface is coated with a composition in which a photocatalyst is mixed with a material which is not easily decomposed by the photocatalyst, or the condenser according to claim 1. 2 or the refrigerating apparatus according to claim 3.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the refrigerating apparatus according to the fourth or fifth aspect, the material is an inorganic material such as ceramic or glass, a silicon resin or paint, a fluorine resin or paint, or the like. It is characterized in that it is selected from the group consisting of organic materials.

In the present invention, the photocatalytic function is given to the surface of the main members such as the heat exchange coil and the fins which constitute the condenser for condensing and liquefying the fluid such as the refrigerant, so that the oil adhered to these surfaces can be obtained. It can decompose organic substances and suppress pollution. And the bad smell resulting from this dirt can be suppressed. The surface having a photocatalytic function has an antibacterial effect. When the amount of light on the surface having a photocatalytic function is small, a suitable auxiliary light source such as a fluorescent lamp may be provided to irradiate the surface with light.

The location of the auxiliary light source is not particularly limited as long as the light of the auxiliary light source is sufficiently irradiated on the surface having the photocatalytic function. As a specific example of arranging this auxiliary light source, a single light source or a plurality of light sources are provided in the vicinity of the outside of the condenser so that the light of the auxiliary light source is sufficiently uniformly irradiated on the surface having a photocatalytic function. In addition, examples of providing a single light source or a plurality of light sources inside the condenser so that the light of the auxiliary light source irradiates the surface having a photocatalytic function sufficiently uniformly, or a combination thereof are given. it can.

The refrigerating apparatus of the present invention, which comprises a condenser having a photocatalytic function on the surface of a main member such as a heat exchange coil or a fin constituting a condenser for condensing and liquefying a refrigerant, is a heat exchanger coil or fin. Contamination can be suppressed by decomposing organic substances such as oil adhering to the surface. And the bad smell resulting from this dirt can be suppressed. The surface having a photocatalytic function has an antibacterial effect. When the amount of light on the surface having a photocatalytic function is small, a suitable auxiliary light source such as a fluorescent lamp may be provided to irradiate the surface with light.

As an example of a method of imparting a photocatalytic function to the surface, a method of forming the surface by molding or using a composition in which a photocatalyst is mixed with a material which is not easily decomposed by the photocatalyst, or by laminating is used. is there.

Another example of the method of imparting a photocatalytic function to the surface is a method of coating the surface with a composition in which the photocatalyst is mixed with a material which is not easily decomposed by the photocatalyst.

Specific examples of the above-mentioned materials which are not easily decomposed by the photocatalyst include inorganic materials such as ceramics and glass, silicon resins or paints, and organic materials such as fluorine resins or paints. If an organic material other than a silicon-based or fluorine-based resin or paint is used, it is easily decomposed by the photocatalyst.

In the present invention, the mechanism of decomposition of organic matter such as oil is not clear, but the photocatalyst is activated by receiving light energy of the corresponding wavelength, and the organic matter is decomposed by the photochemical reaction, and finally, It is considered to be harmless substances such as carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) and hydrogen (H ₂ ).

The photocatalyst used in the present invention accelerates its catalytic reaction by irradiation with light, and the kind thereof is not limited, but for example, titanium oxide (TiO 2).
₂ ), iron oxide (Fe ₂ O ₃ ), tungsten oxide (WO
₃ ), tin oxide (SnO ₂ ), bismuth oxide (Bi ₂ O)
₃ ), nickel oxide (NiO), copper oxide (Cu ₂ O),
Zinc oxide (ZnO), strontium titanate (SrT
iO ₃ ), silicon oxide (SiO ₂ ), molybdenum sulfide (MoS ₂ ), indium phosphide (InP), gallium phosphide (GaP), indium lead (InPb), and other n-type and P-type semiconductors, or even higher activity In order to make the semiconductor, platinum (Pt), rhodium (Ru), niobium (N
b), copper (Cu), tin (Sn), ruthenium oxide (R
Examples thereof include solid photocatalysts of semiconductors carrying a metal or metal oxide such as uO ₂ ) and nickel oxide (NiO), ruthenium (Ru) complexes such as ruthenium bipyridyl complexes, and molecular photocatalysts such as porphyrins and chlorophyll. In the present invention, one or more of these photocatalysts can be used.

As a method for preparing the photocatalyst, in the case of a solid photocatalyst, commercially available other metals are baked at high temperature, electrolytic oxidation, chemical vapor deposition, vacuum vapor deposition, coating, coprecipitation, evaporation of metal halides and the like. There are oxidation methods and the like.

The light energy of the light irradiation used has the ability to excite the photocatalyst to decompose organic substances such as oil as described above, and has the wavelength corresponding to the excitation of the photocatalyst. It is desirable to irradiate light having a visible wavelength or an ultraviolet wavelength. Examples of the light energy source include a natural light source of sunlight, light emitted from a mercury lamp, light generated from a filament lamp such as a halogen lamp, short arc cannon light, and an artificial light source such as a laser beam.

Examples of the above-mentioned light irradiation method include a method of irradiating the surface having a photocatalytic function from the outside. Further, in order to increase the intensity of light, it may be condensed by a Fresnel lens, a glass lens or the like, and light energy may be transported by an optical fiber.

[0022]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The contents of the present invention will be described more specifically below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, but the present invention is not limited to these contents. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an example of the refrigerating apparatus of the present invention including a condenser, a compressor and the like. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an example of the condenser of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a refrigerating apparatus, which is a condenser 2 for condensing and liquefying a refrigerant, a capillary tube for adjusting the pressure of a refrigerant (not shown), an evaporator for evaporating a liquefied refrigerant (not shown), and a vaporized and evaporated refrigerant. A compressor 3 for discharging to the condenser 2 is provided. 7 is a condenser 2
A light source for irradiating light on the surface of the main member of the refrigerating machine as necessary, 4 is an openable and closable door provided on the front surface of the refrigerating apparatus 1.

In FIG. 2, 5 is a heat exchange coil through which a refrigerant flows, and 6 is a fin made of aluminum, aluminum alloy or the like. Arrows indicate the flow of the refrigerant. On the surface of the heat exchange coil 5 and the fins 6 composition containing a photocatalyst (TiO ₂₎ in degraded hard silicon based coating by photocatalytic (TiO ₂₎ is coated.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, when the refrigerating apparatus 1 is operated, organic substances such as oil and dust coming from the kitchen adhere to the surfaces of the heat exchange coil 5 and the fins 6, and these surfaces have a photocatalytic function. Since the photocatalyst is activated by the light from the light source 7 such as a fluorescent lamp, the organic substances attached to the surface are decomposed and the pollution is suppressed, and the foul odor caused by this dirt can be suppressed. It is no longer necessary to clean vessel 2 frequently.

[0026]

The condenser and the refrigerating apparatus using the same according to the present invention decompose organic substances such as oil adhering to the surface of the main member of the condenser to suppress pollution and maintain heat exchange performance for a long period of time. Since it can be operated stably over a period of time and the bad odor caused by this dirt can be suppressed, it is not necessary to clean the condenser frequently.

In order to provide the surface with a photocatalytic function, a method of forming the surface by molding or laminating a composition in which a photocatalyst is mixed with a material that is not easily decomposed by the photocatalyst, or a method of forming the surface, or the photocatalyst is used. There is a method of coating the surface with a composition in which a photocatalyst is mixed with a material which is hard to be decomposed by the method, and the photocatalytic function can be easily imparted to the surface by these methods.

Examples of the material which is not easily decomposed by the photocatalyst include inorganic materials such as ceramics and glass, silicon-based resins or paints, organic materials such as fluorine-based resins or paints, and silicon-based or fluorine-based resins or paints. If an organic material other than the above is used, it is easily decomposed by the photocatalyst.

The condenser of the present invention and the refrigerating apparatus using the same are economical because they have a simple structure, and are highly effective, so that they have high industrial utility value.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a refrigerating apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a condenser of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Refrigerator 2 Condenser 3 Compressor 4 Door 5 Heat exchange coil 6 Fin 7 Light source

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A condenser characterized in that a surface of a main member such as a heat exchange coil or a fin constituting a condenser for condensing and liquefying a fluid has a photocatalytic function. 2. A refrigeration including a condenser for condensing and liquefying a refrigerant, a capillary tube for adjusting the pressure of the refrigerant, an evaporator for evaporating the liquefied refrigerant, and a compressor for compressing the evaporated and evaporated refrigerant and discharging it to the condenser. In the apparatus, a refrigeration apparatus having a photocatalytic function on a surface of a main member such as a heat exchange coil and a fin constituting the condenser provided outside the refrigeration apparatus. 3. The condenser according to claim 1 or the refrigerating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a light source for irradiating light is provided on the surface having a photocatalytic function. 4. The condenser according to claim 1, wherein the surface is formed by a composition in which a photocatalyst is mixed with a material which is not easily decomposed by the photocatalyst.
Alternatively, the refrigerating apparatus according to claim 3. 5. The condenser according to claim 1, wherein the surface is coated with a composition containing a photocatalyst in a material which is not easily decomposed by the photocatalyst, or the refrigeration according to claim 2 or 3. apparatus. 6. The material according to claim 4, wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of an inorganic material such as ceramics and glass, a silicon-based resin or paint, an organic material such as a fluorine-based resin or paint. The refrigeration system according to claim 5.