JPH0953896A - Method for suppressing bacteria in cooling tower - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress proliferation of bacteria in a cooling tower by providing a far-infrared ray radiating article to radiate the far-infrared ray of the prescribed wavelength in the middle of a circulating passage of cooling water or a water feeding passage of supply water which is the refrigerant for heat exchange to be cooled in the cooling tower. SOLUTION: A far-infrared ray radiating article 3a which is formed of ceramic in a columnar shape with the mixture of carbide and metallic oxide and radiates the far-infrared ray of the wavelength of 6-15μm is provided in a water activation device 3 provided in the middle of a water supply tube. A coil 3b which is a far-infrared ray absorbing member whose absorbance and the emission ratio of the far-infrared ray is improved by baking the stainless steel, is provided with the far-infrared ray radiating substance 3a coiled around its outer circumference and fitted to a fitting plate 3c. When the supply water passes through the water activation device 3, it is brought into contact with the far-infrared ray radiating substance 3a, and the cluster condition of water is changed into the activated condition. The cooling water is activated by introducing the activated supply water into the cooling water to greatly suppress generation and proliferation of bacteria.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cooling tower for cooling cooling water used as a refrigerant of a heat exchanger of an air conditioner with air, and a method for suppressing the generation and growth of bacteria generated therein. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, cooling water which is circulated and used as a refrigerant for a heat exchanger of an air conditioner is sprinkled in a cooling tower (cooling tower) installed on a roof and brought into contact with a forced air flow to be used as a refrigerant. Cooling down. Since the cooling water contacts the forced air flow inside the cooling tower and part of the cooling water is released to the atmosphere and decreases, the makeup water is automatically replenished when the level of the cooling water stored in the cooling tower falls. There is. The temperature of the cooling water circulated and returned in this cooling tower is 3
There is about 7 ° C, and this is cooled by a cooling tower to about 32 ° C. This cooling tower is located on the rooftop, and has a temperature of 30 to 40 ° C during the summer sunshine, a temperature suitable for bacterial growth, and bacteria such as Legionella spp. Proliferate and are released into the atmosphere along with the forced air flow. However, it contaminates other cooling towers and enters the building / house to cause Pontiac fever in a wide range of febrile diseases such as Legionella pneumonia and influenza,
It has become a big environmental pollution problem.

[0003]

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art, to significantly suppress the generation and growth of bacteria in a cooling tower, and at a low equipment cost and running. It is to provide a method for suppressing bacteria in a cooling tower that does not require cost.

[0004]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The structure of the present invention which has solved the above problems is as follows: 1) Inside a circulation passage of cooling water which is a refrigerant for heat exchange cooled in a cooling tower or a water supply passage of its makeup water. , 6-15
A far-infrared radiator that emits far-infrared rays with a wavelength of μm is provided, and the cooling water or makeup water is brought into contact with the far-infrared radiator to suppress the growth of bacteria that are generated and multiply in the cooling tower. 2) The method for suppressing bacteria in the cooling tower according to 1), wherein the far-infrared absorbing member that absorbs and emits the far-infrared rays well is arranged on the outer periphery of the far-infrared radiator. 3) A coil made of stainless steel is used as the far infrared ray absorbing member, and the coil is wound around the outer periphery of each of a plurality of columnar far infrared ray radiators and fixed to a mounting plate through which the far infrared ray radiators can pass. The cooling tower according to the above 2), wherein the mounting plate to which infrared radiation is adhered is arranged in the waterway of a circulation path or a water supply path so as to be separated by a predetermined distance to form a plurality of baffles, and far infrared rays are well irradiated to the cooling water. To control bacteria inside 4) the 1) to 3) in either bacterial suppression method for cooling tower according provided with far-infrared emitting substance in the water supply path of the makeup water. The far-infrared radiation emitted by the far-infrared radiator preferably has a wavelength band of 6 μm and 12 μm because it activates water well.

[0005]

In the present invention, the cooling water is cooled in the cooling tower, sent by the pump to the heat exchanger of the air conditioner as a refrigerant, exchanges heat to be heated and then returned to the cooling tower, cooled and circulated. To be done. If the cooling water decreases, makeup water is supplied from the water supply channel. By providing far-infrared radiation in the water supply channel of this cooling water or its makeup water, and by contacting the cooling water or makeup water with the far-infrared radiation, water absorbs far-infrared rays and is activated and bacteria such as Legionella bacteria It was possible to strongly suppress the occurrence and proliferation of the. As a result, no bacteria are detected or 1,000 CFU / 100, as compared with the case where the far infrared radiation is not contacted.
The number of bacteria present was extremely low, which was less than the required observation range of ml or less. In addition, scale slime,
Puncture (corrosion) was removed and the life of the water pipe was extended.
If a far-infrared absorbing member that absorbs and emits far-infrared rays well is arranged around the far-infrared radiator, far-infrared rays emitted from the far-infrared radiator are well absorbed and released, and far-infrared rays are efficiently absorbed by water. Can be irradiated. In particular, using a coil made by firing stainless steel as a far infrared absorbing member,
With this coil, the far-infrared radiator is attached to the mounting plate that serves as a water-permeable obstruction plate in the middle of the water supply channel.In addition to efficient irradiation of far-infrared radiation, columnar far-infrared radiator can be easily attached to the mounting plate. Moreover, the mounting plate acts as a baffle to make the water flow turbulent and reduce the flow velocity so that the far infrared rays can be radiated uniformly for a long time. If far infrared radiation is provided in the water supply channel for makeup water, dirt, dust, sand, etc. will enter less, so
The waterway is not clogged and maintenance is almost unnecessary.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The far-infrared radiation product of the present invention may be in the shape of a rod, a sphere, a plate or a lump, and its material is an oxide such as cordierite, lambrite, petalite or aluminum titanate. , Non-oxides such as silicon carbide and silicon nitride. As natural stones, rocks such as Akaishi and Fluorite can be used, and 6 to 15 μm without giving heat energy from the outside.
It is a substance that emits far infrared rays of the wavelength 6,12
It is preferable to strongly radiate a wavelength band of μm. Desirably, by wrapping a coil-shaped metal wire around the outer periphery of the far-infrared radiation product, far-infrared irradiation can be further enhanced.
This far-infrared radiation may be provided in the cooling water circulation channel or in any of the replenishment channels, but it should be provided in a replenishment channel without dirt, dirt, dirt, etc. in the water. No maintenance is required and it is desirable.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a far infrared radiator made of a ceramic formed in a column shape is provided in the middle of a water supply channel for the cooling water of the cooling tower, and a coil made of stainless steel is wound around the far infrared radiator. An example in which a plurality of disc-shaped mounting plates with openings for water passage holes are mounted, and a plurality of mounting plates in this state are mounted in a widened pipe provided in the middle of the make-up water channel to form a water pump. Is. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a cooling water circulation path of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a water activator of the embodiment, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a far infrared ray of the embodiment. It is a perspective view of a radiator. In the figure, 1 is a cooling tower, 1a is a sprinkler pipe, 1b is in contact with an air flow, and a cooling core is provided by dividing a large number of vertical water channels, and 1c takes in outside air to generate a forced air flow in the core. Fan 1d is make-up water pipe 1e
Is a float valve that opens and closes the outlet of the makeup water pipe, 1f
Is the float of the float valve, 1g is drain pipe, 1
Reference numeral h is a cooling tower casing, 1i is an air inlet opening in the cooling tower casing, 1j is an outlet for discharging air by the fan 1c, and 1l is a cooling water reservoir. 2 is a circulation channel for cooling water, 3 is a water heater provided in the middle of the makeup water pipe 1d,
3a is a far-infrared ray that radiates far-infrared rays having a wavelength of 6 to 14 μm with a length of 1 to 2 cm and a columnar ceramic molded by mixing clay, silica stone, silicon carbide, carbide containing silicon nitride, and metal oxide. Infrared radiator 3b is a coil which is a far infrared absorbing member in which the absorption rate and the emission rate of far infrared rays are increased by firing stainless steel, and the far infrared radiator 3a is wound around the outer periphery and attached to the mounting plate 3c. There is. 3c is a disc mounting plate made of metal, 3d is a water passage hole of the mounting plate, 3e is a widened stainless pipe which is a casing of the water-activating device 3, 4
Is a pump, 5 is a heat exchanger for an air conditioner, 6 is a water tank for makeup water, and 7 is a roof floor wall of the building.

In this embodiment, the cooling water of about 30 ° C. stored in the cooling water storage section 1e of the cooling tower 1 is sent to the heat exchanger 5 of the air conditioner by the pump 4 through the circulating water passage 2. , The heat is exchanged and the temperature rises by about 5 ° C., and the sprinkler pipe 1 in the cooling tower 1
It is sent to a, is sprinkled from the sprinkling pipe 1a, passes through the core 1b, and is stored in the cooling water storage section 1l below. When passing through the core 1b, air is sucked by the fan 1c from the air intake 1i of the cooling tower casing 1h, passes through the core 1b, and is discharged from the discharge port 1j. Therefore, in the core 1b, the cooling water is cooled by coming into contact with the air flow of the outside air, the temperature of the cooling water is lowered by about 5 ° C., and the cooling water is stored in the cooling water storage section 11 and
It is sent to the circulating water channel 2. A part of this cooling water is discharged to the atmosphere from the discharge port 1j in the state of evaporation / water droplets and decreases. When the water level in the cooling water reservoir 1l drops below a predetermined level, the float 1f lowers and the float valve 1e operates to supply the water in the makeup water pipe 1d into the cooling water reservoir 1l to maintain the predetermined level. ing. When this makeup water passes through the inside of the water purifier 3, it touches the far-infrared radiation 3a inside the water activater 3, the makeup water receives far infrared rays, the water cluster state changes, and the water becomes active. This active state is enhanced more effectively by the coil 3b. When this activated makeup water entered the cooling water, the cooling water was activated, and the generation and growth of bacteria could be greatly suppressed. In the water activating device 3, makeup water is supplied by a plurality of mounting plates 3c and columnar far-infrared radiators 3a.
And the flow is disturbed while being disturbed by the coil 3b,
Staying long in the space inside the pipe 3e where the far infrared radiation 3a is generated while generating a vortex / band flow, receiving far infrared radiation from the far infrared radiation 3a and the coil 3b, and absorbing it.
The activity of makeup water is increased. When the makeup water is not supplied, the infrared rays are sufficiently activated in the pipe 3e.
Also, since the water activating device 3 is in the makeup water pipe 1d and not in the cooling water circulation channel 2, dust, dirt, dirt, and dirt entering the cooling tower
There is no rust, and dirt, dust, earth and sand do not adhere and settle, and maintenance is almost unnecessary. In addition, the activated water often peeled off the water channel, core 1b, rust, redness, and attachments.

A comparative test demonstrates the effect of suppressing the generation and growth of Legionella spp. Generated in the cooling tower by using the water activation device 3 of this embodiment. Comparative test At the start of comparison, there are 10 cooling towers for air-conditioning installed on the roof, and an embodiment in which the water activator 3 shown in the drawing is attached to the makeup water channel, and a conventional case in which the water activator 3 is not attached. The state of generation and proliferation of Legionella spp. Was measured by dividing into A group that was chemically washed, B group that was not chemically washed, and C group that was cleaned once a month with the chemical water washing device 3 attached. The results are shown in Table 1 below. The cooling towers Nos. 5, 6, and 7 are provided with cooling towers in the vicinity of which the conventional water activating device 3 is not attached, and are easily affected by the cooling towers.

[0010]

[Table 1]

As can be seen from the table of the results, in the group A, which was chemically washed and sterilized, in the case of the example in which the water heater 3 was attached, the generation of Legionella spp. Detected, or not detected even after 1 month has passed 50
The state was 0 CFU / 100 ml or less. On the other hand, in the case where the water activating device 3 is not attached, it is 1 after 2 months have passed.
It is in the range of caution when it is over 10,000 CFU / 100 ml. In this group A, the activity of the water activating device 3 to suppress the generation and growth of Legionella spp. Is remarkable. Similarly,
In Group B, which is not sterilized, the one with the water activator 3 remains in the undetectable state or the observation required range even after 2 months, whereas the one without the water activator 3 has 10
The urgent treatment range is 10,000 CFU / 100 ml or more, and even in this group B, the inhibitory effect on the generation / proliferation of Legionella spp. Furthermore, in Group C, which has undergone chemical cleaning and monthly cleaning,
In the case where the water activating device 3 was attached, it was not detected or was in a desirable range. As described above, from the test of this example, it is found that the generation and growth of Legionella spp. In the cooling tower are significantly suppressed by the water activator 3, and are in the undetectable or desirable range and the observation required range. .

[0012]

As described above, according to the present invention, the generation and growth of Legionella spp. Which grow and multiply in the cooling tower and are emitted to the atmosphere by the fan and pollute the surrounding environment are greatly suppressed. It can be set to a hygienic level below the non-detection or observation-needed range. Moreover, since it is only necessary to add a simple arrangement of the far-infrared radiation object, the equipment cost can be reduced and the running cost can be eliminated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a cooling water circulation path according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a water activating device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a far-infrared radiation product of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Cooling Tower 2 Circulating Water Channel 3 Activator 3a Far Infrared Radiant 3b Coil 3c Mounting Plate 3d Water Passage Hole 3e Pipe 4 Pump 5 Heat Exchanger 6 Water Tank

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A cooling water circulation passage cooled by a cooling tower, which is a coolant for heat exchange, or a water supply passage for the makeup water, inside the cooling water circulation passage,
Suppressing the growth of bacteria that are generated and proliferate in the cooling tower by providing a far-infrared radiator that emits far-infrared rays having a wavelength of 6 to 15 μm and bringing the cooling water or makeup water into contact with the far-infrared radiator. A method for suppressing bacteria in a cooling tower, comprising: 2. The method for suppressing bacteria in a cooling tower according to claim 1, wherein the far-infrared absorbing member that absorbs and emits the far-infrared rays well is arranged around the far-infrared radiation product. 3. A far-infrared absorbing member is made of a coil obtained by baking stainless steel, and the coil is wound around an outer periphery of each of a plurality of columnar far-infrared radiators and fixed to a mounting plate through which the far-infrared radiators can pass. The far infrared rays are well radiated to the cooling water by arranging the mounting plate to which the far infrared radiation is adhered so as to be a baffle plate by separating the mounting plate by a predetermined distance in the middle of the water channel of the circulation path or the water supply path. Method for controlling bacteria in the cooling tower of. 4. The method for suppressing bacteria in a cooling tower according to claim 1, wherein the far-infrared radiation product is provided in a water supply channel for makeup water.