JPH1147256A - Deodorizing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a deodorizing apparatus which enables almost complete removal of odor by supplementing a deodorizing capacity of the prior art deodorizing mechanism. SOLUTION: With the rotation of a sirocco 28, the fluidization of air is caused in a passage 6 and air sucked into the passage 6 from an air intake port 8 is changed to the air containing a very low concentration of odor components by removing dust with a dust collection filter 10 and the odor component with an activated charcoal filter 12 and a formaldehyde removing filter 14 and then, the air is sent to an ultraviolet lamp housing chamber 16. Then, a low concentration of the odor component contacts a photocatalyst with a photocatalyst filter 18 and decomposed and made harmless to be transformed into an odorless component, which is ejected into a discharge chamber 20. Thus, for example, formaldehyde is down to 0.08 ppm or less and the odorous components are almost completely removed to satisfy a WHO standard.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a deodorizing device for removing odors from air.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, some air purifiers not only remove dust in the air but also have a deodorizing ability. For example, air is sucked in from the suction port, dust is removed by a dust collection filter, odor is removed by an internal activated carbon filter, and a formaldehyde removal filter (a filter to which potassium permanganate or the like is attached, which is difficult to remove by an activated carbon filter) ), Formaldehyde was removed.

[0003]

However, such a filter by physical adsorption or chemical adsorption adsorbs efficiently when the concentration of the odor component is high, but hardly adsorbs when the concentration is low. Therefore, with such a physical adsorption filter or a chemical adsorption filter, it is not possible to completely adsorb, and the odor components that are not adsorbed are slightly discharged, or if the odor components are thin from the beginning, almost no adsorption is made. There was a problem.

For example, according to the WHO standard, the formaldehyde indoor concentration of a carcinogen is 0.08 ppm or less. However, at present, there is no deodorizing device capable of removing formaldehyde to such a low concentration. A deodorizing device that can be satisfied has been desired.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a deodorizing apparatus capable of almost completely removing odor by complementing the deodorizing ability of a conventional deodorizing mechanism.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention A deodorizing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a gas adsorbing substance (for example, a physical adsorbing substance alone or a chemical adsorbing substance alone, or a physical adsorbing substance and a chemical adsorbing substance) disposed in a flow passage. A photocatalyst filter having a photocatalyst that receives light and decomposes pollutants is disposed downstream of the gas adsorbent filter having a gas adsorbable substance (a gas adsorbable substance combined with a substance). Alternatively, a photocatalyst filter having a photocatalyst and a gas-adsorbing substance is disposed in the flow passage.

[0007] The photocatalytic filter is irradiated with light from a lamp (for example, an ultraviolet lamp). The photocatalyst is
Irrespective of the concentration of the contaminant, it exhibits the decomposing power upon receiving light, so that even if the concentration of the odor component is low, the odor component can be decomposed. For this reason, the odorous substances that cannot be completely absorbed by the gas-adsorbing substance can be decomposed and almost completely deodorized.

[0008] Examples of the physical adsorption substance used in the gas adsorption filter include activated carbon. Examples of the chemically adsorbed substance include substances that mainly adsorb formaldehyde, such as potassium permanganate. The base material of the photocatalytic filter includes an air-permeable material, on which a photocatalyst and a gas-adsorbing substance are supported. Examples of the air permeable material include a fibrous material, a porous material, a honeycomb material, a granular material, and a chip material. Note that a similar air permeable material can be used for the gas adsorptive filter.

As the photocatalyst, it is preferable to use a photocatalyst in the form of fine particles so that the photocatalyst can be easily carried by the material constituting the filter. For example, the fine particles have a diameter of 3 to 70.
nm. Examples of the photocatalyst include titanium oxide, zinc oxide, zirconium oxide and the like, and one or a combination of two or more thereof can be used as the photocatalyst. In supporting the photocatalyst on the material constituting the filter, it is preferable to perform a heat treatment in order to firmly support the photocatalyst on the surface of the material constituting the filter.

In addition, instead of directly supporting the photocatalyst on the material constituting the filter, a photocatalyst precursor which generates the photocatalyst by heating is applied to the surface of the material constituting the filter, and the filter is heated, whereby the filter is heated. A photocatalyst may be supported on the surface of the constituent material.

One method of supporting a photocatalyst on a material constituting a filter is to use a binder. Among the binders, examples of the inorganic binder include cement, gypsum, water glass, clay, bentonite, colloidal silica, slaked lime, and quicklime. Among the binders, examples of the organic binder include organic silicon (for example, a silane coupling agent, a silicon resin, and an acrylic silicon resin). One selected from these binders is used, or two or more are used in combination.

Such a binder may be used as a mixture with a photocatalyst. Alternatively, the binder may be applied to a material constituting the filter in advance, and the photocatalyst may be applied thereon to thereby form the material constituting the filter. May be carried.
The generation of the photocatalyst by the photocatalyst precursor is, for example, a titanium compound that can be thermally decomposed into titanium oxide in an oxidizing atmosphere as a photocatalyst precursor, the photocatalyst precursor itself,
It can be formed by applying the solution or its dispersion on a material constituting a filter heated to a temperature at which pyrolysis can be performed under an oxidizing atmosphere.

As such a titanium compound, an organic titanium compound can be mentioned. Examples of the organic titanium compound include tetra-iso-propoxytitanium, tetra-butoxytitanium, tetrakis (2-ethylhexyloxy) titanium, tetrastearyloxytitanium, di-iso-propoxybis (acetylacetonato) titanium,
Di-normal-butoxybis (triethanolaminate) titanium, titanium stearate, titanium-iso-propoxyoctylene glycolate, tetra-iso-propoxytitanium polymer, tetra-normal-butoxytitanium polymer, dihydroxybis (Lactate) titanium, propanedioxytitanium bis (ethylacetoacetate), oxotitanium bis (monoammonium oxalate), tri-normal-butoxytitanium monostearate, di-iso-propoxytitanium distearate, dihydroxybis (lactate) 1 selected from titanium ammonium salt and tetra-methoxytitanium
Compounds consisting of more than one species are used.

Other organic titanium compounds include:
For example, di-iso-propoxybis (acetylacetonato) titanium, tetra-normal-butoxytitanium, tetra-iso-propoxytitanium, di-normal-butoxybis (triethanolaminate) titanium, and titanium-iso- A compound consisting of one or more selected from propoxyoctylene glycolate is used.

The titanium compound includes an inorganic titanium compound. As this inorganic titanium compound,
Titanium chloride is exemplified. In the above-described heat treatment for the photocatalyst or the photocatalyst precursor, the photocatalyst or the photocatalyst precursor may be applied after the material constituting the filter is heated in advance, or the photocatalyst or the photocatalyst precursor may be applied to the surface of the material constituting the filter. Alternatively, after applying the photocatalyst precursor, the reaction may be performed by leaving at room temperature or performing a heat treatment.

The coating method includes a brush coating method, a dipping method, a spray method, a PVD (physical vapor deposition) method, and a CVD (chemical vapor deposition) method. In particular, the thermal decomposition spray method in which a photocatalyst precursor is sprayed on a material constituting a heated filter and a photocatalytic film is formed on the surface of the material constituting the filter by thermal decomposition has an excellent adhesion strength of the photocatalytic film, It is hard to peel off even if the film is thick.

When titanium oxide is used as a photocatalyst,
Titanium oxide may be used as a titania sol in which fine particles of titanium oxide are dispersed in a liquid dispersion medium. When such fine particles are used, it is easy to carry the filter on the material constituting the filter, and as described above, it is easy to fix the particle on the surface of the material constituting the filter even at a low temperature.

[0018]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a deodorizing apparatus 2 to which the above-mentioned invention is applied. This deodorizing device 2 also serves as an air purifier. A flow passage 6 is formed in the main body case 4 of the deodorizing device 2. In this flow passage 6, a dust collection filter 10, an activated carbon filter 12, a formaldehyde removal filter 14, an ultraviolet lamp storage chamber 16, a photocatalyst filter 18, and a discharge chamber 20 are arranged in this order from the air intake port 8 side. An air suction port 24 of an exhaust device 22 as an air flow mechanism is opened in the discharge chamber 20, and the sirocco fan 2 is rotated by a motor 26.
By 8, the air in the discharge chamber 20 is discharged to the outside from the discharge port 30 of the discharge device 22.

Therefore, since the discharge chamber 20 has a negative pressure, external air is sucked from the air intake port 8 and
The flow path 6 that reaches the discharge chamber 20 through the dust collection filter 10, the activated carbon filter 12, the formaldehyde removal filter 14, the ultraviolet lamp storage chamber 16, and the photocatalyst filter 18.
Flows through.

The dust collecting filter 10 is a normal filter for filtering or an electrostatic filter, and is used for pollen, mites,
Remove suspended solids and liquids, such as cigarette smoke particles and viruses. This dust collecting filter 10 may be one that has been subjected to an antibacterial treatment or a sterilization treatment. Further, a HEPA filter may be used.

The activated carbon filter 12 has activated carbon as a physical adsorbent disposed therein to mainly remove nonpolar molecules from the air. Organic solvent gases such as benzene and toluene correspond to the non-polar molecules. The shape of the activated carbon disposed in the activated carbon filter 12 may be granular, pellet, fibrous, or the like. Further, a fibrous carrier to which activated carbon particles are attached may be used.

The formaldehyde removal filter 14 is obtained by impregnating potassium permanganate as a chemically adsorbed substance to zeolite, alumina, silica gel, activated carbon or fiber. Alternatively, pellets of potassium permanganate itself may be used. Activated carbon impregnated with vitamins may also be used.

An ultraviolet lamp 32 is disposed in the ultraviolet lamp storage chamber 16 and irradiates the photocatalyst filter 18 with ultraviolet light. The photocatalyst filter 18 is obtained by supporting a photocatalyst on an air-permeable material such as a nonwoven fabric or glass fiber. As the photocatalyst, for example, titanium oxide alone, zinc oxide alone, zirconium oxide alone, or a mixture of two or three of titanium oxide, zinc oxide and zirconium oxide can be used. These photocatalysts are supported as fine particles on an air-permeable material as it is or together with a binder. The supporting method is as described in the section of “Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention”. Here, for example, the nonwoven fabric is immersed in titania sol, pulled up, air-dried, and then dried at 150 ° C. This was performed by heating and drying. The titania sol used here contains 40% by weight of fine particles of anatase type titanium oxide (particle size: 7 nm: X-ray particle size) in water.

When a switch (not shown) of the deodorizing device 2 having the above-described configuration is turned on and the motor 26 of the exhaust device 22 is driven, the sirocco fan 28 rotates and the air Causes flow. With this flow, the air sucked into the flow passage 6 from the air intake 8 is subjected to dust removal by the dust collection filter 10, and then the odor components in the air are removed by the activated carbon filter 12 and the formaldehyde removal filter 14. It becomes air containing an extremely low concentration of odor component, and exits to the ultraviolet lamp storage chamber 16. Next, it flows into the photocatalyst filter 18. here,
The low-concentration odor components come into contact with the photocatalyst, are decomposed into odorless components and are made harmless, and are discharged to the discharge chamber 20. Next, the air is exhausted from the exhaust port 30 of the exhaust device 22 to the outside. Exhaust port 3
Odor components in the air exhausted from 0 are almost completely removed.

As described above, in this embodiment, in addition to the dust collecting filter 10, the activated carbon filter 12, and the formaldehyde removing filter 14, the photocatalyst filter 18
Performs a process of chemically decomposing odor components. For this reason, the conventional dust collection filter 10 and the activated carbon filter 12
And in the air purifier using only the formaldehyde removal filter 14, for example, the removal ability of formaldehyde is 0.5 ppm compared with the final ultimate concentration,
In the deodorizing apparatus 2 of the present embodiment, the content was 0.08 ppm or less, the odor components were almost completely removed, and the WHO standard was satisfied.

In the deodorizing apparatus 2 of the present embodiment, the photocatalyst filter 18 decomposes rather than adsorbs the odor component, so that the odor component removal ability does not decrease even if it is not replaced. This is also advantageous. In addition, since the ultraviolet lamp 32 is used to activate the photocatalyst, a sterilizing effect due to ultraviolet light is also generated.

[Others] Each of the filters 10, 12, 14,
The shape of 18 may be flat, but may be pleated to reduce the pressure loss of air flow. It should be noted that the pleated shape of the dust collecting filter 10 has the effect of making it difficult for the filter to be clogged and extending its life.

Instead of the ultraviolet lamp 32, a fluorescent lamp, a black light, a germicidal lamp, a mercury lamp, a chemical light or the like can be used. In particular, those that generate ultraviolet rays are preferable for enhancing the activity of the photocatalyst. The light emission mechanism of these lamps may be a hot cathode tube system or a cold cathode tube system.

A material having a honeycomb structure may be used as the air-permeable material used for the photocatalytic filter 18. In this case, the photocatalyst is attached to the inner surface of the hole of the honeycomb structure. Since the light from the ultraviolet lamp 32 is applied to the inner surface of the hole from the opening of the hole, the odor in the air flowing through the hole can be decomposed. The honeycomb structure can be configured by bending a sheet to which fine particles of titanium oxide are attached, and attaching a plurality of the sheets. Alternatively, ceramic or the like may be formed into a honeycomb shape, and a photocatalyst may be supported in the hole.

The activated carbon filter 12 and the formaldehyde removal filter 14 are provided separately.
By mixing with activated carbon to which potassium permanganate is impregnated, an integrated filter may be formed.
If integrated, the mounting structure inside the flow passage 6 can be simplified, leading to cost reduction.

The activated carbon filter 12 or the formaldehyde removal filter 14 is
Alternatively, the photocatalyst filter 18 and the other filters 12 and 14 may be formed by including the gas adsorbing substances of both the activated carbon filter 12 and the formaldehyde removal filter 14.
And may be integrated. As a result, the mounting structure inside the flow passage 6 can be further simplified, which leads to further cost reduction. For example, activated carbon (others, zeolite, alumina, silica gel, etc.) may be contained in a material in which a photocatalyst is supported on an air-permeable material such as nonwoven fabric or glass fiber, or activated carbon impregnated with potassium permanganate (others, Zeolite, alumina, silica gel, etc.).

An electric dust collection unit may be used instead of the dust filter 10. In addition, since it is not necessary to use the dust collection filter 10 for the deodorizing effect, the deodorizing device may be omitted. As the exhaust device 22, a sirocco fan type was used. In addition, a cross flow fan,
Axial flow fans and the like can be mentioned. Further, although the exhaust device 22 is disposed at the downstream end of the flow passage 6, the exhaust device 22 may be disposed at the air intake 8 of the flow passage 6 so that external air is pressure-fed into the flow passage 6.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a deodorizing apparatus as one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 ... Deodorizing device 4 ... Main body case 6 ... Flow passage 8 ... Air intake 10 ... Dust collection filter 12 ... Activated carbon filter 14 ... Formaldehyde removal filter 16 ... Ultraviolet lamp storage room 18 ... Photocatalytic filter 20 ... Discharge chamber 22 ... Exhaust device 24 ... air inlet 26 ... motor 28 ... sirocco fan 30 ... exhaust outlet 32 ... ultraviolet lamp

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Seichi Kato 200 Terashimacho, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture Kawaga Musical Instruments Co., Ltd.

Claims (10)

[Claims] An air flow path, a gas adsorbing filter having a gas adsorbing substance disposed in the flow path, and a lamp disposed in the flow path for irradiating light for activating a photocatalyst; A photocatalyst filter having a photocatalyst that decomposes contaminants by light, disposed in a position that can be irradiated by the lamp in the flow passage; and, in the flow passage, from the gas adsorptive filter to the photocatalyst filter. An air flow mechanism that generates an air flow that passes through each filter. 2. A flow path for air, a lamp disposed in the flow path for irradiating light for activating a photocatalyst, and a light source disposed in the flow path at a position that can be irradiated by the lamp, and contaminated by light. A deodorizing device comprising: a photocatalyst filter having a photocatalyst that decomposes a substance; and a photocatalytic filter having a gas-adsorbing substance; and an air flow mechanism that generates an airflow that passes through the photocatalytic filter in the flow passage. 3. The deodorizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas adsorbing substance is a physical adsorbing substance that adsorbs odor components in the air by physical adsorption. 4. The deodorizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas adsorbing substance is a chemical adsorbing substance that adsorbs odor components in the air by chemical adsorption. 5. The gas adsorbing substance is a combination of a physical adsorbing substance that adsorbs odor components in air by physical adsorption and a chemical adsorbing substance that adsorbs odor components in air by chemical adsorption. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein
The deodorizing device described. 6. The deodorizing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the physical adsorption substance is activated carbon. 7. The deodorizing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the chemisorbing substance is a substance mainly adsorbing formaldehyde. 8. The deodorizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photocatalytic filter is made of an air-permeable material as a base material. 9. The deodorizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photocatalyst is at least one selected from titanium oxide, zinc oxide and zirconium oxide. 10. The deodorizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lamp is an ultraviolet lamp.