JPH1119449A - Air quality activation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the cost and miniaturize the device, while oxygen-rich air is stably generated by an air quality activation device provided with an adsorbent enabling to adsorb and desorb nitrogen. SOLUTION: This air quality activation device generates the oxygen-rich air by forcibly feeding air to the adsorbent 54 enabling to adsorb and desorb the nitrogen, and is provided with at least two adsorption tanks 21, 22 respectively sealed the adsorbents 54, an air pump 13 for forcibly feeding sucked air to respective adsorption tanks 21, 22, an flow path control means for alternately switching respective adsorption tanks 21, 22 to an adosoption process or a desorption process by switching a flow path of the air discharged from the air pump 13, and also making one of adsorption tanks 22, 21 to the desorption process in the case that either one of the adsorption tanks 21, 22 is made to the adsorption process, and a permeable membrane type conc. oxygen generator 66 for generating the oxygen-rich air with a gas separation membrane 69 for preventing a pass of the nitrogen in air and allowing a pass of the oxygen. The flow path control means feeds the oxygen-rich air generated by the permeable membrane type conc. oxygen generator 66 to the adsorption tanks 21, 22 during the desorption process.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air quality activating device for producing oxygen-enriched air by adsorbing nitrogen in air with an adsorbent.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, air purifiers for removing dust in the air and smoke particles of cigarettes have been provided in living rooms and offices of ordinary households or in rooms such as cars. A device has been developed in which oxygen in the air is concentrated to generate oxygen-enriched air to activate indoor air quality.

[0003] In this case, as a means for enriching oxygen, for example, air is circulated through a gas separation membrane, and the nitrogen in the air is prevented from passing through the membrane by this membrane. A method of increasing the oxygen concentration, or a method of enclosing an adsorbent such as zeolite in an adsorption tank, passing air into the adsorption tank and adsorbing nitrogen with the adsorbent to increase the oxygen concentration in the air exiting the adsorption tank. However, in the former case, there is a problem in the ability to activate air in a normal room, so that the latter oxygen enrichment method using an adsorbent is usually used.

[0004] Such an adsorbent adsorbs nitrogen by a pressure swing adsorption method (PSA method) that selectively captures nitrogen gas molecules in the air by utilizing a polar moment. After the nitrogen adsorption for a certain period of time, it is necessary to desorb the adsorbed nitrogen from the adsorbent.

[0005]

In this case, conventionally, a method of separating nitrogen from the adsorbent by applying a negative pressure to the inside of the adsorption tank has been adopted. However, in such a method, exhaust gas is forcibly exhausted from the adsorption tank. This requires a vacuum pump to be used, which increases the size of the apparatus and increases the cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional technical problem, and is intended to stabilize oxygen-enriched air by using an air quality activation device having an adsorbent capable of adsorbing and desorbing nitrogen. It is an object of the present invention to reduce costs and reduce the size of a device while generating data.

[0007]

The air quality activating device of the present invention generates oxygen-enriched air by pumping air to an adsorbent capable of adsorbing and desorbing nitrogen, and converts the oxygen-enriched air to the adsorbent. It is intended to supply and desorb nitrogen, at least two adsorption tanks each containing an adsorbent, an air pump for pumping sucked air to each adsorption tank, and discharging from this air pump. By switching the air flow path, each adsorption tank is alternately switched between an adsorption step and a desorption step, and when one of the adsorption tanks is used as the adsorption step, the other adsorption tank is used as a desorption step. Control means, comprising a permeable membrane-type concentrated oxygen generator that prevents the passage of nitrogen in the air and generates oxygen-enriched air by a gas separation membrane that allows the passage of oxygen, and the flow path control means includes: With a permeable membrane type concentrated oxygen generator The made oxygen-enriched air, and supplies to the adsorption vessel during the desorption stroke.

According to the present invention, at least two adsorption tanks each containing an adsorbent are provided, the air sucked by the air pump is pumped to each adsorption tank, and the air is discharged from the air pump by the flow path control means. By switching the air flow path, each adsorption tank is alternately switched between an adsorption step and a desorption step, and when one of the adsorption tanks is set to the adsorption step, the other adsorption tank is set to the desorption step. With this configuration, it is possible to alternately and simultaneously perform adsorption and desorption in each adsorption tank, thereby realizing continuous generation of oxygen-enriched air.

In addition, a permeable membrane type concentrated oxygen generator for preventing the passage of nitrogen in the air and generating oxygen-enriched air by a gas separation membrane permitting the passage of oxygen is provided. Since the oxygen-enriched air generated by the membrane-type concentrated oxygen generator is supplied to the adsorption tank during the desorption process, the oxygen partial pressure increases in the adsorption tank during the desorption process, and the adsorbent becomes Nitrogen is desorbed smoothly. This makes it possible to desorb nitrogen from the adsorbent without using a conventional vacuum pump, so that cost reduction and downsizing of the apparatus can be realized.

[0010] In particular, since the oxygen-enriched air generated in the adsorption tank during the adsorption step is not used for desorption in the adsorption tank during the desorption step, there is no hindrance to the production efficiency of the oxygen-enriched air. is there.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air quality activating device 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an oxygen-enriched air generating unit 1 of the air quality activating device 1.
2 and FIG. 3 are block diagrams of an electric circuit of the air quality activating device 1, respectively.

The air quality activating device 1 of the present invention is, for example, installed in a living room of a general household, and is configured by incorporating each device in a main body case 2 having a size that can be easily carried. A slit-shaped air suction port 3 is formed on the front surface of the main body case 2, and an air cleaning filter 4 made of a HEPA filter is mounted inside the air suction port 3. A dust sensor 6 is provided outside the air cleaning filter 4, and a blower 7 is mounted further inside the air cleaning filter 4.

The blower 7 sucks air from the air suction port 3 and removes dust and smoke particles by an air cleaning filter 4. Then, the air blower 7 is formed on the front surface of the main body case 2 above the air suction port 3. It blows out from the exit 8.

Further, an electrical box 9 is provided on the upper rear side of the main body case 2 and a negative ion generator 11 is provided on the front side thereof. The negative ion generator 11 adds negative ions to the air discharged from the blower 7 and blown out from the air outlet 8.

The oxygen-enriched air generator 12 according to the present invention is further housed in the main body case 2. The oxygen-enriched air generator 12 includes an air pump 13, a suction tank 14, a cooling coil 16, five-way valves 17, 18, 6,
3, adsorption tanks 21, 22, buffer tank 24, silencers 31, 32, blower 33, mask 34, permeable membrane type concentrated oxygen generator 66, and the like.

The suction tank 14 is an air pump 1
3 is connected to the suction side, and the silencer 3
1 is connected to the inlet of the suction tank 14 and disposed inside the air purification filter 4. The cooling coil 16 is connected to the discharge side of the air pump 13 and the outlet of the cooling coil 16 is connected to the first port 1 of the five-way valve 17.
The pipe is connected to 7A.

The second port 17B of the five-way valve 17 is connected to the air inlet 21A at the lower end of the adsorption tank 21 by a pipe 36, and the third port 17C is connected to the air inlet 22A at the lower end of the adsorption tank 22 by a pipe 37. It is connected. The fourth port 17D and the fifth port 17E of the five-way valve 17 are both connected to the second port 18B of the five-way valve 18 by a three-way pipe 38.

The five-way valve 17 is driven by an electromagnetic coil, and in an ON state, as shown by a solid line in FIG.
7A is communicated with the second port 17B, and the fifth port 17E is communicated with the third port 17C. Also, OFF
In the state, the first port 17A is connected to the third port as shown by the broken line in FIG.
The flow path is switched so as to communicate with the port 17C and communicate the second port 17B with the fourth port 17D.

The third port 18C of the five-way valve 18 is connected via a pipe 39 to the oxygen-enriched air outlet 2 at the upper end of the adsorption tank 22.
It communicates with a pipe 41 connected to 2B. Further, the fifth port 18E of the five-way valve 18 is connected through a pipe 42 to a pipe 43 connected to the oxygen-enriched air outlet 21B at the upper end of the adsorption tank 21.

The five-way valve 18 is driven by an electromagnetic coil, and in the ON state, as shown by a solid line in FIG.
Is connected to the fifth port 18E, and in the OFF state, the third port 18C is switched to the first port 18A as shown by a broken line. The first port 18A is sealed, and the second port 18B and the fourth port 18D are always in communication. A pipe 40 is connected to the fourth port 18D, and the pipe 40 is connected to the silencer 32 via the buffer tank 24 and the check valve 28 in this order. The check valve 28 has the silencer 32 direction as the forward direction.

The pipe 43 is connected to the second port 63B of the five-way valve 63 via the dust / bacteria filter 62, and the pipe 41 is connected to the third port 63C of the five-way valve 63 via the dust / bacteria filter 61. It is connected. The permeable membrane type concentrated oxygen generator 66 is connected to a first port 63A of the five-way valve 63 via a pipe 68 and a dryer 64.

The permeable membrane type concentrated oxygen generator 66 includes a gas separation membrane 69 for preventing the transmission of nitrogen gas and allowing the transmission of oxygen gas, and an air pump 66P for supplying indoor air to the gas separation membrane 69 under pressure. Have. Then, when the air pump 66P is operated and the room air is supplied to the gas separation membrane 69, the oxygen gas permeates the gas separation membrane 69 and the passage of the nitrogen gas is prevented. Air is supplied to the pipe 68.

The fourth port 63D and the fifth port 63E of the five-way valve 63 are both connected to a pipe 67, and the pipe 67 is connected to a flexible hose 49 via a needle valve 48. The mask 34 is attached to the end of the hose 49, and the hose 49 and the mask 3 are attached.
4 is stored in a storage section 51 on the upper surface of the main body case 34 so as to be freely delivered. Reference numeral 52 denotes a lid that closes the storage unit 51 so that it can be opened and closed.

The five-way valve 63 is driven by an electromagnetic coil, and in the ON state, as shown by a solid line in FIG.
To the fourth port 63D, and the third port 63
C is communicated with the first port 63A. In the OFF state, the flow path is switched so that the second port 63B communicates with the first port 63A and the third port 63C communicates with the fifth port 63E as shown by a broken line in FIG.

Here, the adsorption tanks 21 and 22 are made of metal or hard rigid resin and have a vertically long cylindrical shape with a hollow inside (length 400 mm to 500 mm, diameter 80 mm to 85 mm).
And a moisture absorbent 53 (35)
0 g), and adsorbent 54 (1 kg)
Is enclosed.

The desiccant 53 is, for example, granular activated alumina having a diameter of 2 mm to 3 mm, and has a height of 30 mm below it.
A space is formed in a range of about mm. This moisture absorbent 53
4 absorbs moisture in the room air flowing in from the air inlet 21A or 22A as shown on the left side of FIG.

The adsorbent 54 is also a granular zeolite, for example, of approximately the same size, and the moisture absorbent 53 and the adsorbent 54 are separated by a gas-permeable member. In addition, adsorbent 5
A space is formed on the upper side of 4 in a range of about 30 mm in height.

Here, the zeolite constituting the adsorbent 54 is supplied to the air inlet 21A or 22A as shown on the left side of FIG.
Indoor air at 1.2 to 1.5 kg / square centimeter gauge pressure from A (moisture absorbent 53 removes moisture)
Is pressure-fed, nitrogen molecules, carbon monoxide molecules and carbon dioxide molecules in the room air are selectively adsorbed using the polar moment (pressure swing adsorption method (PSA)).
Law)). Hereinafter, this is referred to as an adsorption process. This allows
Oxygen-enriched air having an oxygen concentration of 35% to 40% comes out from the oxygen-enriched air outlet 21B or 22B at the upper end.

When the oxygen-enriched air flows into the adsorption tank 21 or 22 from the oxygen-enriched air outlet 21B or 22B at a gauge pressure of 0 kg / square centimeter as shown on the right side of FIG. The pressure rises sharply. In this state, the adsorbent 54 releases the nitrogen molecules, carbon monoxide molecules, and carbon dioxide molecules adsorbed in the adsorption process. Hereinafter, this is referred to as a desorption process. Thereby, nitrogen is supplied from the lower air inlet 21A or 22A.
The air enriched with carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide flows out. At this time, moisture is also released from the moisture absorbent 53.

Next, in FIG. 3, reference numeral 56 denotes a control device comprising a general-purpose microcomputer, which is housed in the electrical box 9. The operation switch 57 and the output of the dust sensor 6 are input to the control device 56. The output of the control device 56 includes the air pump 1
3M, the motors 7M and 33M of the blowers 7 and 33, the negative ion generator 11, the five-way valve 17,
8, 63 and the air pump 66P are connected respectively.

Next, the operation of the oxygen-enriched air generator 12 of the air quality activating device 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG. When the operation switch 57 is operated, the control device 56 starts the operation of the air quality activation device 1. The control device 56 drives the motor 13M of the air pump 13 and the air pump 66P of the permeable membrane type concentrated oxygen generator 66, and also drives the motors 7M and 33M of the blowers 7 and 33. After turning on the five-way valves 17 and 63 and turning on the five-way valve 18 for one second, the OF
F.

When the air pump 13 is operated, the room air that has passed through the air purification filter 4 is sucked from the silencer 31 through the suction tank 14 to the air pump 13. In addition, the suction amount is made uniform by the suction tank 14. Then, the sucked room air is discharged from the air pump 13 to the cooling coil 16. The air is blown from the blower 33 to the cooling coil 16, and the room air flowing into the cooling coil 16 is cooled while passing through the cooling coil 16 and then enters the first port 17 </ b> A of the five-way valve 17.

The room air that has entered the first port 17A of the five-way valve 17 flows out of the second port 17B and is fed into the adsorption tank 21 through the pipe 36 from the air inlet 21A at the lower end of the adsorption tank 21. The pressure in the adsorption tank 21 at this time is the above-described gauge pressure of 1.2 to 1.5 kg / cm 2. The indoor air that has entered the adsorption tank 21 is subjected to moisture removal by the moisture absorbent 53 as described above, and then nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide are adsorbed by the adsorbent 54 to become oxygen-enriched air and become the upper end. From the oxygen-enriched air outlet 21B (adsorption process).

At this time (after a lapse of one second from the start of operation), the oxygen-enriched air that has flowed out of the adsorption tank 21 flows in the direction of the pipe 67 because the second port 63B of the five-way valve 63 is connected to the fourth port 63D. Heading, needle valve 48, hose 49
Out of the mask 34 via The user uses this mask 3
By applying 4 to the mouth, oxygen-enriched air can be sucked.

The mask 34 is controlled by the needle valve 48.
The discharge amount from is equalized.

On the other hand, since the third port 63C of the five-way valve 63 is connected to the first port 63A, the oxygen-enriched air generated by the permeable membrane type concentrated oxygen generator 66 as described above passes through the pipe 41. It flows into the adsorption tank 22 from the outlet 22B. When the oxygen-enriched air flows into the adsorption tank 22, the internal oxygen partial pressure increases as described above, so that the adsorbent 54 releases the adsorbed nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide as described above (desorption). Process). The internal pressure at this time is 0 kg / cm 2.

Then, the pipe 3 is connected through the air inlet 22A at the lower end.
7, the third port 17C of the five-way valve 17, the fifth port 17E, the piping 38, the second port 18B of the five-way valve 18,
The gas is discharged from the silencer 32 through the fourth port 18D, the pipe 40, the buffer tank 24, and the check valve 28.

The controller 51 turns off the five-way valve 17 and the five-way valve 63 and turns on the five-way valve 18 for one second at the same time, 20 seconds after the start of operation. This five-way valve 18
Is turned on, the third port 18C and the fifth port 18E communicate with each other, so that the adsorption tank 21 that has been the adsorption step and the adsorption tank 22 that has been the desorption step have
The pipes 42 and 39 communicate with each other.

Accordingly, the pressure in the adsorption tank 21 and the pressure in the adsorption tank 22 are made uniform in this one second, so that the subsequent adsorption tank 22
The internal pressure and the pressure in the adsorption tank 21 can be smoothly increased, and the noise generated in each of the adsorption tanks 21 and 22 when the pressure in the adsorption step is rapidly reduced to the pressure in the desorption step can be reduced. Also, the five-way valve 17 is turned off, and the first
Since the port 17A communicates with the third port 17C, the room air that has flowed out of the cooling coil is pumped into the adsorption tank 22 through the pipe 37 from the air inlet 22A at the lower end.

Then, as described above, oxygen-enriched air is generated in the adsorption tank 22 (adsorption process), flows out from the outlet 22B at the upper end to the pipe 41, and flows toward the five-way valve 63. At this time, the third port 63C of the five-way valve 63 is connected to the fifth port 63E.
, The oxygen-enriched air generated in the adsorption tank 22 flows toward the pipe 67, and similarly flows out of the mask 34 via the needle valve 48 and the hose 49.

Since the second port 63B of the five-way valve 63 is connected to the first port 63A, the oxygen-enriched air generated by the permeable membrane type concentrated oxygen generator 66 as described above passes through the pipe 43 and exits. It flows into the adsorption tank 21 from 21B. When the oxygen-enriched air flows into the adsorption tank 21, the internal oxygen partial pressure increases as described above, so that the adsorbent 54 releases the adsorbed nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide as described above (desorption). Process). The internal pressure at this time is 0 kg / cm 2.

Then, the pipe 3 is connected to the lower air inlet 21A.
6, the second port 17B of the five-way valve 17, the fourth port 17D, the piping 38, the second port 18B of the five-way valve 18,
The gas is discharged from the silencer 32 through the fourth port 18D, the pipe 40, the buffer tank 24, and the check valve 28 in the same manner as described above.

When the five-way valve 17 is switched, the pressure in the adsorption tank during the adsorption process is applied not only to the adsorption tank during the desorption process but also to the pipe 40.
Since the pressure rise is alleviated by the presence of 4, the generation of noise in the path from the pipe 40 to the silencer 32 is also suppressed.

Thereafter, the control device 56 repeats this. That is, after 20 seconds, the five-way valve 17 is turned on again, and the five-way valve 18 is turned on for only one second.

As described above, according to the present invention, the adsorption tank 21 and the adsorption tank 22 each containing the adsorbent 54 are provided, and the air sucked by the air pump 13 is sent to the adsorption tanks 21 and 22 by pressure, and the five-way valve is provided. By switching the flow path of the air discharged from the air pump 13 at 17 and 18, each of the adsorption tanks 21 and 22 is alternately switched between the adsorption step and the desorption step, and when the adsorption tank 21 is in the adsorption step, the adsorption is performed. Since the tank 22 is configured as a desorption step, and the adsorption tank 22 is configured as an adsorption step when the adsorption tank 21 is in a desorption step,
In each of the adsorption tanks 21 and 22, adsorption and desorption are alternately and simultaneously performed, so that continuous generation of oxygen-enriched air can be realized.

Further, a five-way valve 63 is provided with a permeable membrane type concentrated oxygen generator 66 for preventing the passage of nitrogen in the air and generating oxygen-enriched air by a gas separation membrane allowing the passage of oxygen.
Is designed to supply the oxygen-enriched air generated by the permeable membrane type concentrated oxygen generator 66 to the adsorption tanks 21 and 22 during the desorption process,
In 2, the partial pressure of oxygen increases, and the adsorbent smoothly desorbs nitrogen. This makes it possible to desorb nitrogen from the adsorbent 54 without using a conventional vacuum pump, so that cost reduction and downsizing of the apparatus can be realized.

In particular, the oxygen-enriched air generated in the adsorption tanks 21 and 22 during the adsorption step is subjected to the adsorption tanks 22 and 2 during the desorption step.
Since it is not used for desorption in 1, the production efficiency of oxygen-enriched air is not affected at all.

In the embodiment, two adsorption tanks 21 and 22 are used. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
The adsorption step and the desorption step may be sequentially performed.

[0049]

According to the present invention, as described in detail above, at least two adsorption tanks each containing an adsorbent are provided,
By pumping the air sucked by the air pump to each adsorption tank and switching the flow path of the air discharged from the air pump by the flow path control means, each adsorption tank is alternately switched between the adsorption step and the desorption step, In addition, when one of the adsorption tanks is used for the adsorption step, the other adsorption tanks are configured to be used for the desorption step, so that the adsorption and desorption are performed alternately and simultaneously in each adsorption tank, so that a continuous oxygen rich operation is performed. It is possible to realize the generation of the formation air.

Further, a permeable membrane type concentrated oxygen generator for preventing oxygen from passing through the air and generating oxygen-enriched air by a gas separation membrane allowing the passage of oxygen is provided. Since the oxygen-enriched air generated by the membrane-type concentrated oxygen generator is supplied to the adsorption tank during the desorption process, the oxygen partial pressure increases in the adsorption tank during the desorption process, and the adsorbent becomes Nitrogen is desorbed smoothly. This makes it possible to desorb nitrogen from the adsorbent without using a conventional vacuum pump, so that cost reduction and downsizing of the apparatus can be realized.

In particular, since the oxygen-enriched air generated in the adsorption tank during the adsorption step is not used for desorption in the adsorption tank during the desorption step, the production efficiency of the oxygen-enriched air is not affected at all. is there.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air quality activating device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an oxygen-enriched air generation unit of the air quality activation device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an electric circuit of the air quality activating device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the adsorption and desorption of nitrogen molecules in an adsorption tank.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart for explaining the operation of the five-way valve of the air quality activation device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Air quality activation device 4 Air cleaning filter 13 Air pump 17, 18, 63 Five-way valve 21, 22 Adsorption tank 34 Mask 54 Adsorbent 56 Control device 66 Permeation membrane type concentrated oxygen generator 69 Gas separation membrane

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Toshio Nakayama 2-5-1-5 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An air quality activation device for generating oxygen-enriched air by pumping air to an adsorbent capable of adsorbing and desorbing nitrogen and supplying the oxygen-enriched air to the adsorbent to desorb nitrogen. In the above, at least two adsorption tanks respectively filled with the adsorbent, an air pump for pumping the sucked air to each of the adsorption tanks, by switching the flow path of the air discharged from the air pump, In addition to alternately switching each of the adsorption tanks to an adsorption step and a desorption step, and when any one of the adsorption tanks is used as the adsorption step, a flow path control means for setting another adsorption tank to the desorption step; and A permeable membrane-type concentrated oxygen generator that generates oxygen-enriched air by a gas separation membrane that blocks passage and allows the passage of oxygen. Oxygen generated Of air, air quality active device and supplying to the adsorption vessel during the desorption stroke.