KR100509998B1 - Disinfecting device of containing water - Google Patents

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sterilizing apparatus for fresh water, in which the sterilization effect is kept almost constant even when the conductivity of fresh water is different, and the chlorine odor is suppressed. As a means to solve this problem, when water having a conductivity different from that of the reference water is supplied to the water tank 2, the reference voltage V1 changes in accordance with the change in the conductivity of the water of the water tank 2, The output voltage changes, the output voltage V3 of the second operation amplifier 32 changes, and the output voltage of the third operation amplifier 33 also changes. As a result, the current flowing through the fifth transistor 25 also changes, and the current i1 flowing through the electrode 4 is corrected. For this reason, the generation | occurrence | production amount of the free residual chlorine in the electrode 4 is correct | amended, and the free residual chlorine amount is maintained near the time when a reference water is supplied to a water tank, the sterilization effect of water is maintained and the chlorine smell of humidified air is suppressed.

Description

Freshwater Sterilizers {DISINFECTING DEVICE OF CONTAINING WATER}

The present invention relates to an apparatus for sterilizing fresh water for sterilizing water in a storage tank. For example, the present invention relates to a sterilizer for fresh water in a humidifier, a beverage vending machine, a washing machine, an ice maker, a cold water machine, and the like, and particularly, is vaporized by an absorber that is partially immersed in the tank to suck up the water in the tank by capillary action. The present invention relates to a sterilizing apparatus for fresh water in a humidifier or the like that supplies steam to a room with a blower.

Generally, the ultrasonic humidifier disclosed in Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 5-115818 etc. is well known. The ultrasonic humidifier supplies water to a vaporization tank having an ultrasonic vibrator, vaporizes the water with the vibrator, mixes it with air drawn from the outside, and generates humidified air to supply the room.

However, in the above-mentioned ultrasonic humidification apparatus, especially if there is contamination in a vaporization tank etc., Legionella bacteria etc. are easy to propagate, and there exists a problem by releasing them indoors. For this reason, an electrode for generating a substance having a sterilizing action is embedded in the water of the tank, and a part of the electrode is immersed in the tank, and water vaporized from the absorber that sucks up the water in the tank by capillary action is blown into the room by a blower. A humidifying device to supply is considered.

However, irrespective of the condition and the composition of the water, always sterilizing every fixed time has a problem that the water which is not sterilized is discharged into the room.

In order to solve the above problem, the present applicant embeds an electrode for generating a substance having a sterilizing action in the water of the tank, and flows a current between the electrodes, thereby generating free residual chlorine to remove the water in the tank by the chlorine. Propose a sterilization device to be sterilized.

However, in the above humidification device, since constant current flows through the electrodes regardless of the difference in electrical conductivity (hereinafter referred to as conductivity) using the constant current circuit, the difference in the conductivity of the water in the bath, for example, the humidifier Is different depending on the region where the conductivity is used (for the conductivity of tap water in Obihiro-shi, the conductivity of tap water in Sapporo is 145 µS / cm, and the conductivity of tap water in Funabashi is 240 µS / cm). The nonuniformity of the amount of residual chlorine generated becomes large. As a result, when there is little generation amount of free residual chlorine, the sterilization effect of water becomes less, and when there is much generation amount, the problem that the chlorine smell of humidified air supplied from a humidifier to a room increases.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a humidifying apparatus for fresh water in which the sterilization effect is kept substantially constant and the chlorine odor is suppressed even when the conductivity of fresh water is different.

To this end, the first invention is a sterilizing apparatus for fresh water for sterilizing water in a storage tank, wherein an electrode for generating a sterilizing substance is embedded in water in the storage tank, and the electrode between the electrodes is based on the electrical conductivity of the water in the storage tank. A control device for controlling the current is provided.

In addition, in a sterilization apparatus for fresh water for sterilizing water in a storage tank, the second invention includes embedding an electrode for generating a substance having a sterilizing action in water in the storage tank, and detecting electrical conductivity of water in the storage tank. The control device which correct | amends the electric current between the said electrodes is provided based on the above.

In addition, the third invention relates to a sterilizing apparatus for fresh water for sterilizing water in a storage tank, wherein an electrode for generating a substance having a sterilizing effect is embedded in water in the storage tank and changed according to the electrical conductivity of the water in the storage tank. An amplification circuit in which an output voltage changes based on an input voltage that changes with current between electrodes, and a correction circuit for correcting current between the electrodes is provided based on a difference in output voltage of the amplifying circuit.

The present invention relates to a sterilizing apparatus for fresh water in a humidifier, a beverage vending machine, a washing machine, an ice maker, a cold water machine, etc., but an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings as an example of a humidifier. In Fig. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a water supply tank in a humidifying apparatus having a square-shaped housing, and 2 denotes a water tank for storing water from the water supply tank 1 via a passage 3.

And although the pair of electrodes 4 mentioned later are arrange | positioned at the said water tank 2, you may arrange | position the electrode 4 to the said passage 3. In addition, a float (not shown) is provided in the drip tray 2, and when the water in the drip tank 2 reaches a predetermined level or lower, an unshown switch is operated to forcibly stop the operation.

In addition, a honeycomb-type humidifying absorber 5 is disposed in the drip tank 2 so that its end (part) is immersed in water, and the humidifying absorber 5 capillaries the water in the tank 2. Sucked up by The humidifying absorbent body 5 is made of, for example, a nonwoven fabric made of acrylic fiber, polyester resin, or the like.

Then, by the blower 6 configured by the fan and the fan motor 15 through the blower opening (not shown) opened in the base of the humidifier, from the humidifying absorber 5 It is the structure which supplies vaporized water vapor to a room.

The electrode 4 has, for example, a substrate of Ti (titanium), a film layer having two electrode plates composed of Ir (iridium), Ta (tantalum), and Pt (platinum), and a current of 40 milliamperes. In this case, a predetermined free current chlorine concentration (for example, 1 ppm) is generated to obtain sterilization and pollution prevention effect (sterilization effect).

Next, the control block diagram of FIG. 2 will be described. Reference numeral 10 denotes a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer) which collectively controls the humidification device, and therein is a CPU 11 as a control device, a random access memory (RAM) 12 for storing various data, and a program. ROM (read only memory) 13, a timer 14, and the like.

The microcomputer 10 issues a command for sterilization by the electrode 4 and a command to the fan motor 15 of the blower 6. Specifically, the former command is a period of, for example, energizing the electrode 4 for T1 + T2 time and non-energizing T3 + T4 time during the humidification operation, and controlling to repeat the energization and non-energization. Moreover, the correction circuit 16 of the amount of free residual chlorine which concerns on this invention is connected to the said microcomputer 10 via the ports P1 and P2, and the electrode 4 is connected to the correction circuit 16. As shown in FIG. And the correction circuit 16 controls the electric current which flows through the electrode 4, and correct | amends the generation amount of free residual chlorine.

In this manner control of the electrode (4) the passage (3) performed in the power application to the water in, the water is the positive 4H ⁺ + 4e by ^- + (4OH ^-) is 2H ₂ + (4OH ^-), and to the negative electrode in the 2H ₂ O + a 4H ^{+ +} O ₂ ⁺ 4e ^- as is, chlorine (with pre-added in tap water) contained at the same time the water in the anode 2Cl ^- is Cl ₂ + 2e ^- and a, in addition, the Cl ₂ Since (chlorine) is easily soluble in water, Cl ₂ + H ₂ O becomes HClO + HCl again.

Therefore, when the electrode 4 is energized, HClO (hypochlorous acid), which is free residual chlorine having a high sterilizing power, is generated.

Next, the correction circuit 16 of the amount of free residual chlorine which concerns on this invention is demonstrated based on FIG.

Reference numerals 21 to 25 denote transistors, respectively, and 26 denote terminals for detachably connecting the respective electrodes 4 between the transistors 22 and 24 (detachable when cleaning or replacing the electrodes). And 33 are first, second and third operational amplifiers constituting the amplifying circuit, respectively, R1 and R2 are resistors for determining the correction reference value (hereinafter referred to as reference value determination resistors), and R3 are resistors for current limiting, R4 and R5. Denotes a resistor for determining the current between the electrodes 4 and 4 (hereinafter referred to as a resistor for determining the current between electrodes), R6 and R7 are resistors for determining the correction amount, and the transistors 21 to 26 and the electrodes 4 and 4 ), First, second and third operation amplifiers 31, 32, 33 and resistors R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 are connected as shown in FIG. In addition, VDD1 is an applied voltage. As described above, the correction circuit 16 can be easily configured by the plurality of transistors 21 to 25, the first, second, and third operation amplifiers 31, 32, and 33, and the correction circuit 16 is provided. It is possible to simplify very much.

Hereinafter, the reference value of the correction will be described. The conductivity is almost the average of tap water in the whole country, for example, 150 μS / cm of water is used as the reference water in the sump tank 2, and the reference voltage between the transistors 24 and 25 is set to V1, the first operational amplifier 31. If the output voltage of V2 and the output voltage of the second operation amplifier are V3, and VDD1 = 20V (volts), R1 = R2, V1 = 10V, R3 = 100Ω (Ohm), R4 = 9KΩ, R5 = 1KΩ, The correction circuit operates so that V1 = V2 = V3 and the current i1 flowing in the electrode 4 becomes 10 mA (milliampere).

With the above configuration, the operation based on FIG. 3 will be described. First, when water (tap water) is put in the water supply tank 1 and assembled to a humidifier main body (not shown), water is supplied from the water supply tank 1 to the drip tank 2 through the passage 3 through the valve. The humidifying absorber 5 sucks up the water in the drip tray 2 uniformly.

Then, when the energization time to the electrode 4 is T1 + T2 and the non-energization time (interval interval time) is T3 + T4, an operation switch (not shown) is turned on to supply power to the humidifier. At the time T1 + T2, the ports P1 and P2 of the microcomputer 1 go low at the same time. For this reason, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd transistors 21, 22, 23 are turned on, and the 4th transistor 24 is also turned on, and the 1st, 2nd operation amplifier 31, 32 is turned on by this. The third operation amplifier 33 is output through the fifth transistor 25. As a result, a current flows through the electrode 4. At this time, in the case where the water in the water tank 2 is the reference water, a current of 10 mA flows as described above, for example, and free residual chlorine is generated in the water tank 2.

In addition, the operation in the case where water having high conductivity as the reference water is supplied to the water tank 2 will be described. When the ports P1 and P2 are at the low level as described above, the first, second, and third transistors 21, 22, and 23 are turned on, and the fourth transistor 24 is also turned on, and the first and second transistors are turned on. The third operation amplifier 33 is output through the two operation amplifiers 31 and 32, and the fifth transistor 25 is turned on. As a result, a current flows through the electrode 4. At this time, since the conductivity of water in the water tank 2 is large, the reference voltage V1 increases, the output voltage of the first operation amplifier 31 increases, and the output voltage V3 of the second operation amplifier 32 decreases, As a result, the output voltage of the third operation amplifier 33 also decreases.

Due to the decrease in the output voltage of the third operation amplifier, the current flowing through the fifth transistor 25 is lowered, and the current i1 flowing through the electrode 4 is lowered to 5 mA, for example. As a result, the amount of free residual chlorine generated in the electrode 4 is corrected in the direction of decreasing, and the amount of free residual chlorine approaches when the reference water is supplied to the water tank 2, and the generation of chlorine odor in humidified air is reduced. Avoided.

Next, the operation in the case where water having low conductivity as the reference water is supplied to the water tank 2 will be described. When the ports P1 and P2 are at the low level, as described above, the third operation amplifier 33 is output via the first and second operation amplifiers 31 and 32, and the fifth transistor 25 is turned on. The current flows through the electrode 4. At this time, since the conductivity of the water in the water tank 2 is small, the reference voltage V1 is lowered, the output voltage of the first operation amplifier 31 is lowered, and the output voltage V3 of the second operation amplifier 32 is increased, As a result, the output voltage of the third operation amplifier 33 also increases.

As the output voltage of the third operation amplifier increases, the current flowing through the fifth transistor 25 increases, and the current i1 flowing through the electrode 4 increases. For this reason, the amount of free residual chlorine generated in the electrode 4 is corrected to be large, and the free residual chlorine amount is maintained near the water sterilization effect when the reference water is supplied to the water tank 2.

As a result, even if the conductivity of the water supplied into the water tank 2 changes depending on, for example, the difference in the location (for example, the region) in which the humidifier is used, the current flowing through the electrode 4 is automatically corrected accordingly, The generation of free residual chlorine in the electrode 4 is corrected, and the amount of free residual chlorine keeps the sterilization effect almost constant while the reference water is supplied to the water tank 2, while suppressing the chlorine odor of the humidified air. It is possible.

As mentioned above, although the electric current which flows through the electrode 4 is controlled, the humidification operation | movement to a room becomes as follows. That is, the humidifying absorber 5 sucks up the water in the drip tank 2 and mixes the humidified air by mixing with water vapor vaporized from the absorber 5 by the blower 6 for blowing out of the humidifier. To supply.

In addition, when the electrode 4 is energized, 2Cl ⁻ becomes Cl ₂ + 2e ⁻ at the anode, and since Cl ₂ (chlorine) is easily dissolved in water, Cl ₂ + H ₂ O It becomes HClO + HCl, and HCl0 (hypochlorous acid) with great bactericidal power is generated. For this reason, the propagation of Legionella, Escherichia coli and other fungi is prevented so that the Legionella is not released into the room.

In addition, by setting the resistance R1 or R2 for the reference value determination as a variable resistor and allowing the resistance value to be arbitrarily adjusted, the reference value can also be adjusted, and as a result, the correctable range of the amount of free residual chlorine can be adjusted. It may be configured to use known means for detecting the electrical conductivity of water (fresh water) of (2).

While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, various alternatives, modifications, or variations are possible to those skilled in the art based on the above description, and various alternatives and modifications described above without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Or variations are included in the present invention.

As described above, the present invention can provide a sterilizing apparatus for fresh water which keeps the sterilization effect almost constant and suppresses chlorine odor even when the conductivity of fresh water is different.

1 is a side view of the humidifying apparatus of the present invention.

2 is a control block diagram;

3 is a correction circuit diagram of the amount of free residual chlorine.

<Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawing>

1: water tank

2: drip tank

4: electrode

5: absorbent for humidification

6: blower

10: microcomputer

11: CPU

16: correction circuit

Claims (3)

A fresh water sterilization apparatus for sterilizing water in a storage tank, comprising: embedding an electrode generating a sterilizing substance in water in the storage tank and controlling a current between the electrodes based on an electrical conductivity of water in the storage tank. A device for disposing fresh water, wherein the control device is configured to repeat energization and non-energization of the electrode at a predetermined cycle during operation. The freshwater sterilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control device has a means for detecting electrical conductivity of freshwater. In the sterilization apparatus of fresh water for sterilizing the water in the storage tank, Having an amplifying circuit which embeds an electrode which generates a bactericidal substance in water in the reservoir, and at the same time the output voltage changes based on an input voltage which is changed by the current between the electrodes which is changed by the conductivity of water in the reservoir. And a correction circuit for correcting a current between the electrodes based on a difference in the output voltage of the amplifying circuit.