JPS63278521A - Gas purifying equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To control pressure in a closed vessel without using external gas by storing a purified gas in a storage tank at the downstream side of a gas circulating pipe having a gas purifying mechanism, and transmitting the purified gas under pressure to the storage tank or the closed vessel after completion of purification. CONSTITUTION:Gas in the glove box 11 is flowed in the circulating pipe 2, and is purified passing through a deoxidation column 4 and a dehydration column 6, then is returned into the box 11. At that time, the purified gas is stored in the tank 13. At the time of inserting hands into the gloves of the box 11, the gas in the box 11 is transmitted under pressure into the tank 13 by a motor 14 through the pipes 19 and 17, hence the interior of the box 11 is decompressed. Moreover, at the time of pulling out the hands, the gas in the tank 13 is transmitted under pressure into the tank 11 by the motor 14 through the pipes 6 and 21, hence it is pressurized.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a gas purification apparatus suitable for purifying gas filled in a closed container such as a glove box.

Revised degree 4 In recent years, when conducting research on substances that do not like flammability or oxidation, it has become common practice to manipulate samples in a so-called glove box. This glove box consists of a box body made of stainless steel or the like with an observation window and a pair of operating gloves attached to it.After filling the box body with inert gas, insert your hand into the gloves. This is used to manipulate the sample inside the main body.

In this case, when filling the box body with inert gas, a vacuum pump connected to the glove box creates a vacuum inside the box body, and then inert gas is introduced into the box from a cylinder. In order to remove oxygen and moisture contained in this inert gas, a gas purification device is connected to the box body, and the gas inside the box is purified by this device.

Conventionally, as the above-mentioned gas purification apparatus, one having the configuration shown in FIG. 3 is known. That is, in FIG. 8, 1 is the main body of the box-shaped device, 2 is a circulation pipe installed in the main body 1, 3 is a check valve installed in the inflow part of this pipe 2, and 4 is installed in the pipe 2. 5 is a first cooling tower, 6 is a dehydration group, 7 is a second cooling tower, 8 is a circulation pump, 9 is a gas flow meter, 10 is an outlet section interposed in the outlet part of the pipe 3 It is an electromagnetic valve.

Note that the deoxidizing group 4 and the dehydrating group 6 are filled with a deoxidizing catalyst and a dehydrating catalyst, respectively.

When purifying the inert gas filled in the glove box using the above device, as shown in FIG.
Connect to 1. Then, while opening the electromagnetic valve 10,
By operating the circulation pump 8, the gas in the box 11 is sequentially passed through the check valve 3 to the deoxidizing group 4 and the dehydrating group 6, during which time oxygen and moisture in the gas are removed to purify the gas. , box 11 through electromagnetic valve 10
The purified gas is returned and circulated within the tank.

Note that the electromagnetic valve 10 is closed after the purification is completed.

■ tries to do so.

After the above-mentioned refining operation is completed, the glove box 1
The work is performed by inserting a hand into the first glove, but the glove will not open unless the pressure inside the box is slightly reduced when the first hand is inserted, making it extremely difficult to insert the hand.

For this reason, conventionally, when inserting a hand, a part of the purified gas inside the box is dissipated to the outside, the pressure inside the box is slightly reduced, the hand is inserted, and then the missing amount of inert gas is introduced from the cylinder. However, at this time, unrefined gas from the cylinder enters the box 11, which reduces the degree of purification of the gas inside the box and wastes inert gas, resulting in an uneconomical situation.

In addition, when removing your hands from the gloves after finishing work, it is difficult to remove your hands unless the inside of the box is slightly pressurized, so inert gas is introduced from a cylinder into the box and the inside of the box is slightly pressurized. Although they cut corners, unrefined gas still flows into the box at this time, further reducing the purity of the gas and wasting inert gas.

The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and when used in conjunction with a closed container such as a glove box, the present invention purifies the gas in the closed container and then transfers unpurified gas from an external cylinder etc. into the closed container. An object of the present invention is to provide a gas purification device that can adjust the pressure inside a container without introducing gas into the gas.

□ In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is equipped with a gas circulation pipe equipped with a circulation pump and a gas purification mechanism, and both ends of the circulation pipe are sealed with gas to be purified. The gas in the sealed container is connected to each container, and the gas in the sealed container is flowed through the circulation pipe by the operation of the circulation pump, and after being purified through the gas purification mechanism, the purified gas is returned to the sealed container for circulation. In the gas purification device, a storage tank is interposed on the downstream side of the gas purification mechanism of the gas circulation pipe, and the gas in the sealed container is forced to be sent to the storage tank, and the gas in the storage tank is forced to be sent to the sealed container. A means is provided to store the purified gas in the storage tank during gas purification, and after the purification of the gas in the sealed container is completed, the pressure of the gas in the sealed container is increased by force-feeding the purified gas to the storage tank or the sealed container using the pressure feeding means. It is designed to adjust.

By having the above-described configuration, the gas purification apparatus of the present invention can reduce the pressure inside the closed container by force-feeding the purified gas inside the closed container into the storage tank using the pressure-feeding means,
Furthermore, the inside of the closed container can be pressurized by force-feeding the purified gas in the storage tank into the closed container. Therefore 1
According to this device, the pressure inside the closed container can be adjusted by pressure-feeding purified gas between the storage tank and the closed container without introducing unpurified gas from a cylinder into the closed container.

This prevents the degree of purification of the gas in the container from decreasing and the gas in the cylinder from being wasted.

Next, the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to Examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following Examples).

It's the end of the world FIG. 1 shows a gas purification apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the same components as those in the device shown in FIG. 3 are given the same reference numerals and their explanations will be omitted.

In this device, a first electromagnetic valve 1 is located downstream of the oxygen deoxidizing group 4 and the dehydrating group 6 (gas purification mechanism) of the circulation pipe 2.
2 is interposed, and a storage tank 13 is further interposed downstream thereof. Further, a pressure regulating pump 14 operated by a foot switch (not shown) is disposed inside the main body 1, and a second electromagnetic valve 15 is interposed between the inflow portion of the pump 14 and the storage tank 13. The outflow portion of the pump 14 and the storage tank 13 are connected by a second communication pipe 17. Further, one end of an inflow pipe 19 in which a third electromagnetic valve 18 is interposed is connected to the first communication pipe 16, and an outflow pipe 2 in which a fourth electromagnetic valve 20 is interposed is connected to the second communication vibe 17.
One end of 1 is connected. Note that the first part of the circulation pipe 2
One end of a bypass pipe 23 in which a fifth electromagnetic valve 22 is interposed is connected to the upstream side of the ffi magnetic valve 12 .

When purifying the inert gas in the glove box using the above gas purification device, as shown in Fig. 1, the box 11
Both ends of the circulation pipe 2 and the other ends of the inflow pipe 19, the outflow pipe 21, and the bypass vibe 23 are connected to.

When purifying the gas in the box 11, the first electromagnetic valve 12 and the outlet electromagnetic valve 10 are opened, and
2. Close the third, fourth, and fifth electromagnetic valves 15, 18, 20, and 22, and the gas in the box 11 flows into the circulation pipe 2 by the operation of the motor 8, and passes through the oxygen removal group 4 and dehydration group 6 to the outlet electromagnetic The purified gas is circulated back into the box 11 from the valve 10.

During this time, purified gas is stored in the tank 13.

In addition, when reducing the pressure inside the box 11 when inserting a hand into the glove of the box 11, the foot switch is operated to close the valves 10, 12, 15, 20, and 22, open the valve 18, and operate the motor 14. let As a result, the gas inside the box is sucked and the inflow pipe 19 and motor 1 are
4. It passes sequentially through the second communication vibrator 17 and is fed under pressure into the tank 13, and the inside of the box 11 is depressurized.

Furthermore, when pressurizing the inside of the box 11 when removing one's hand from the glove, the valves 10, 12, 1 can be turned on by operating the foot switch.
8.22 is closed, valve 15.20 is opened, and motor 14 is operated. As a result, the gas in the tank 13 is sucked and forced into the box 11 through the first communication pipe 16, the pump 14, and the outflow pipe 21 in order, and the inside of the box 11 is pressurized.

Note that even if the inside of the box 11 is pressurized or depressurized by the above operation, by opening the valve 22 and operating the pump 8, the gas inside the box 11 is circulated by flowing from the circulation pipe 2 to the bypass vibe 23. By doing so, it is possible to purify the gas inside the box 11.

Fig. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 2, parts having the same configuration as those in Figs. Omitted.

In this device, a circulation pump 8 is disposed upstream of the deoxidizing group 4 of the circulation pipe 2, and a sixth electromagnetic valve 24 is interposed between the check valve 3 of the pipe 2 and the pump 8. equipped. Further, a seventh electromagnetic valve 25 and an eighth electromagnetic valve 26 are interposed on the upstream and downstream sides of the storage tank 13 of the circulation pipe 2, respectively, and upstream of the seventh electromagnetic valve 25 of the circulation pipe 2, One end of a branch pipe 28 in which a ninth electromagnetic valve 27 is interposed is connected, and the other end of the branch pipe 28 is connected downstream of the eighth electromagnetic valve 26. Further, one end of a communication pipe 30 in which a tenth electromagnetic valve 29 is interposed is connected to the storage tank 13, and the other end of this communication pipe 30 is connected to the sixth electromagnetic valve 24 of the circulation pipe 2 and the pump 8. are connected between.

Note that this device does not have an outlet electromagnetic valve, and the flow meter 9 is interposed at the outlet of the circulation pipe 2.

When using the above device, both ends of the circulation pipe 2 are connected to the glove box 11 as shown in FIG. And when purifying gas, a foot switch (not shown)
By opening the valves 24, 25° 26, closing the valves 27, 29, and operating the pump 8,
Gas is deoxidized by 4 deoxidizing groups and 6 dehydrating groups. The purified gas is passed through the storage tank 13 and returned to the box 11 for circulation, and during this time the purified gas is stored in the tank 13.

Also, when reducing the pressure inside the box 11 (such as when inserting a hand)
, operate the foot switch to open the valves 24 and 25, close the valves 26, 27, and 28, and operate the pump 8. As a result, the gas in the box 11 is forced into the tank 13 through the circulation pipe 2, and the pressure inside the box 11 is reduced.

Furthermore, when pressurizing the inside of the box 11 (such as when removing a hand), open the valves 27 and 29 by operating the foot switch,
The pump 8 is operated with the valves 24, 25, and 26 closed. As a result, the gas in the tank 13 enters the circulation pipe 2 through the communication pipe 30, passes through the deoxidizing group 4 and the dehydrating group 6, and is sent under pressure into the box 11 via the branch pipe 28, and the inside of the box 11 is heated. be pressured.

Therefore, according to the gas purification apparatuses of Examples 1 and 2, the inert gas inside the glove box 11 can be purified satisfactorily, and when the hand is inserted into or taken out from the glove box 11,
Even when reducing or pressurizing the inside of the box 11, there is no need to introduce unpurified inert gas from an external cylinder into the box 11. It is something that cannot be wasted.

In this case, there is no particular limit to the capacity of the storage tank 13, and it can be set to various capacities depending on the size of the glove part of the glove box 11, the capacity of the pump, etc., but is usually 10 to 60.
It is preferable to set it to about 1.

In the first embodiment, a pressure regulating pump 14 is provided in addition to the wI ring water pump 8, and the first and second communication pipes 16, 17, and the inflow pipe 19. The pressure feeding means was constructed by arranging the outflow pipe 21, and in the second embodiment, only the circulation pump 8 was used as the pump, and the pressure feeding means was constructed by arranging the one-branch pipe 28 and the communication pipe 3o. However, the pressure feeding means is not limited to these, and may have other suitable configurations. Furthermore, the gas purification mechanism is not limited to the oxygen-depleting group and the dehydrating group, and other configurations may be modified in various ways without departing from the gist of the present invention.

As explained above, the gas purification device according to the present invention, after purifying the gas in the hermetic container, reduces the pressure of the gas in the hermetic container without introducing gas into the hermetic container from the outside. can be adjusted. Therefore, when the device of the present invention is used to purify inert gas in a glove box, 1. When the inside of the box is depressurized when the hand is inserted into the glove, or when the inside of the box is pressurized when the hand is removed from the glove, the gas is removed from the cylinder. There is no need to introduce unpurified gas into the box, and therefore, the degree of purification of the gas in the box does not decrease, and the gas in the cylinder is not wasted. It is particularly effectively used for gas purification.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional gas purification apparatus. 1... Device body, 2... Circulation pipe, 4...
Deoxygenation group, 6...Dehydration group, 8...Circulation pump,
13...Storage tank.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A gas circulation pipe equipped with a circulation pump and a gas purification mechanism is provided, and both ends of the circulation pipe are connected to a closed container filled with the gas to be purified, and the inside of the closed container is heated by the operation of the circulation pump. In the gas purification device, the gas is passed through the circulation pipe, purified through the gas purification mechanism, and then returned and circulated to the airtight container. In addition to interposing a storage tank, a pressure-feeding means is provided to force-feed the gas in the sealed container to the storage tank and to force-feed the gas in the storage tank to the sealed container, so that purified gas is stored in the storage tank during gas purification. . A gas purification device, characterized in that, after the purification of the gas in the hermetic container is completed, the pressure of the gas in the hermetic container is adjusted by force-feeding the purified gas to the storage tank or the hermetic container using the pressure feeding means.