WO2011118402A1

WO2011118402A1 - Ion generation device

Info

Publication number: WO2011118402A1
Application number: PCT/JP2011/055622
Authority: WO
Inventors: 昌治町; 純平大江; 幸康浅野; 洋須田; 泰浩小村
Original assignee: パナソニック電工株式会社
Priority date: 2010-03-26
Filing date: 2011-03-10
Publication date: 2011-09-29
Also published as: JP2011204644A

Abstract

Disclosed is an ion generation device (4) comprising a discharge electrode (2) with a discharge part (1), and a voltage application part (3) which applies high voltage to the discharge electrode (2). In this device, the discharge area (5) which emits discharge in accordance with the application of high voltage is equipped with an ultraviolet ray irradiation part (6) which irradiates same with ultraviolet rays. Thus, ozone is changed in the generation part into a functional ingredient such as a hydroxy radical, and the concentration of functional ingredient can be increased.

Description

Ion generator

The present invention relates to an ion generator that generates ions.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an air ion generator that releases positive, negative, or positive / negative ions by applying a high voltage to a discharge electrode is known. There is also known an electrostatic atomizer that generates charged fine particle water by supplying water to a discharge electrode and applying a high voltage to the water. Hereinafter, the air ion generator and the electrostatic atomizer are collectively referred to as an ion generator.

In these ion generators, a high voltage is applied in the air, oxygen radicals are generated from oxygen molecules with the discharge, and react with water to generate functional components such as hydroxy radicals (OH.). The It is known that functional components such as hydroxy radicals have deodorization, sterilization, inactivation of allergen substances, and the like.

By the way, ozone is generated when oxygen radicals generated by discharging with an ion generator combine with oxygen molecules in the air. This ozone, when absorbed by a person at a predetermined concentration, affects the respiratory system.

Therefore, for example, in the conventional example shown in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-183480 (hereinafter referred to as “Document 1”), an ozone decomposition catalyst is disposed in the direction opposite to the discharge electrode across the counter electrode, Applying airflow to ozone that has diffused through the opening of the counter electrode and securing it in the ozone securing part, and irradiating the ozone securing part with ultraviolet rays eliminates ozone and suppresses the influence on the respiratory system I am doing so.

By the way, recently, expectations for air purification have increased due to social concerns about influenza. Accordingly, the ion generator is also increasing the concentration of functional components generated during the generation of ions and charged fine particle water, such as hydroxy radicals.

However, in the conventional example shown in Document 1, the ozone generated in the discharge region passes through the opening of the counter electrode and is diffused outside the discharge region. Since it is ensured by flowing, there is a possibility that some of the diffused ozone is not secured in the securing part and is released into the target space.

Also, when the amount of ions generated is increased, the amount of hydroxy radicals generated is increased, but the amount of ozone generated is also increased, and the amount of ozone released into the space to be released without being secured in the securing portion is also increased.

Thus, in Reference 1, although ozone can be suppressed, ozone is extinguished by applying ultraviolet rays to the securing portion, so it is not necessarily optimal from the viewpoint of increasing the concentration of hydroxy radicals.

The present invention has been invented in view of the problems of the above-described conventional example, and provides an ion generator capable of increasing the concentration of a functional component by changing ozone to a functional component such as a hydroxyl radical at a generation portion. It is an issue.

The present invention relates to an ion generator comprising a discharge electrode having a discharge portion and a voltage application portion for applying a high voltage to the discharge electrode, and ultraviolet rays are applied to a discharge region where discharge is generated when the high voltage is applied. An ultraviolet irradiation unit for irradiation is provided.

It is preferable that the ultraviolet irradiation unit irradiates the discharge unit with ultraviolet rays.

In addition, water supply means for supplying water to the discharge electrode may be provided, and the voltage application unit may generate charged fine particle water by electrostatic atomization by applying a high voltage to the water supplied to the discharge electrode. preferable.

It is also preferable to provide a water vapor supply means for supplying water vapor to the discharge area.

The wavelength of the irradiated ultraviolet light is preferably 310 nm or less.

Here, the wavelength of the irradiated ultraviolet light is more preferably 254 nm or less.

Further, it is preferable that the ultraviolet irradiation section is an ArF excimer laser.

Further, it is preferable that the ultraviolet irradiation unit irradiates both ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of 254 nm and ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of 185 nm as the ultraviolet rays to be irradiated.

Further, it is preferable that an ultraviolet preventing means is disposed around the discharge region so as to form an emission opening for emitting the generated ions.

In the present invention, since an ultraviolet irradiation unit that irradiates ultraviolet rays is provided in a discharge region that is generated when a high voltage is applied, ozone is generated at the same time as ions are generated. Can be generated as hydroxy radicals. Thereby, in addition to functional components, such as a hydroxyl radical produced | generated at the time of ion generation, a hydroxy radical is produced | generated by decomposition | disassembly of ozone, and the density | concentration of a functional component can be made high.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in further detail. Other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood with reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.
It is a schematic block diagram of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram of other embodiment same as the above. It is a schematic block diagram of other embodiment same as the above. It is a schematic block diagram of other embodiment same as the above.

As the ion generator 4 of the present invention, an electrostatic atomizer 4a that generates charged fine particle water by supplying water to the discharge electrode 2 and applying a high voltage to the water, positive and negative, or positive and negative There is an air ion generation device 4b that emits any one of the ions.

1 and 2 show an example of an electrostatic atomizer 4a as the ion generator 4, and FIGS. 3 and 4 show an example of an air ion generator 4b as the ion generator 4.

First, the electrostatic atomizer 4a will be described as an example with reference to FIGS.

The electrostatic atomizer 4a electrostatically applies a high voltage to the discharge electrode 2, water supply means 7 for supplying water to the discharge part 1 at the tip of the discharge electrode 2, and water supplied to the discharge electrode 2. A voltage application unit 3 for generating charged fine particle water by atomization is provided.

The water supply means 7 for supplying water to the discharge unit 1 supplies the water stored in the water reservoir using capillary action, supplies water by pressurization, or flows down or drops using gravity. Thus, water is supplied to the discharge unit 1 by generating water by cooling the moisture in the air by cooling means such as the Peltier unit 7a.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an example using a cooling means such as the Peltier unit 7a is shown.

Moreover, in embodiment shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, it is the water supply means 7 in the half of one side which divided the inside of the main body case 8 made into the substantially cylindrical shape which has insulation, with the partition in the main body case 8. The Peltier unit 7 a is housed, and the other half of the body case 8 is an electrostatic atomizing chamber 9.

In the Peltier unit 7a, a pair of Peltier circuit boards are opposed to each other so that their circuits face each other, and many rows of thermoelectric elements are sandwiched between the two Peltier circuit boards, and adjacent thermoelectric elements are connected by circuits on both sides. Electrically connected. When the thermoelectric element is energized through the Peltier input lead wire, the heat is transferred from one Peltier circuit board side to the other Peltier circuit board side.

The cooling unit 10 is connected to the outside of the Peltier circuit board on one side. Moreover, the heat radiating part 11 is connected to the outside of the Peltier circuit board on the other side, and in the embodiment, an example of a heat radiating fin is shown as the heat radiating part 11.

The rear end portion of the discharge electrode 2 is connected to the cooling unit 10 side of the Peltier unit 7a, and the discharge electrode 2 is inserted into a partition provided in the main body case 8 and protrudes into the electrostatic atomization chamber 9.

An annular counter electrode 12 is provided at the front end opening of the cylindrical body case 8.

Note that the counter electrode 12 is not an essential requirement, and may be on the far side. In addition to the housing in which the electrostatic atomizer 4a is stored, a charge removal plate may be opposed.

The main body case 8 is provided with an ultraviolet irradiation unit 6 for irradiating the discharge region 5 which discharges when a high voltage is applied to the discharge unit 1 at the tip of the discharge electrode 2.

As the ultraviolet irradiation unit 6, for example, a mercury lamp, an ultraviolet irradiation LED, an ArF excimer laser, or the like can be used.

The main body case 8 is covered with ultraviolet ray preventing means 14 for preventing ultraviolet rays from coming out. The ultraviolet ray preventing means 14 is constituted by an ultraviolet ray cut sheet, and is arranged around the discharge region so as to form a discharge opening for discharging generated ions. As a result, the ion generating device 4 is provided with a discharge opening 15 for discharging the charged fine particle water into the discharge space facing the central hole of the counter electrode 12. In the example of FIG. 1, the ultraviolet prevention means 14 is arranged around the discharge region so as to form only the emission opening, and the heat radiating portion 11 is disposed on the heat radiation side of the Peltier unit 7 a via a part of the ultraviolet prevention means 14. Is arranged. As shown in the example of FIG. 1, if the heat radiating unit 11 functions as the ultraviolet ray preventing unit 14, the ultraviolet ray preventing unit 14 does not need to have a portion provided between the heat radiating side of the Peltier unit 7 a and the heat radiating unit 11. .

When the electrostatic atomizer 4a is operated, the Peltier unit 7a is energized to cool the cooling unit 10, and the cooling unit 10 is cooled to cool the discharge electrode 2, thereby condensing moisture in the air and discharging electrode. Water (condensation water) is supplied to the discharge part 1 at the front end of 2. By applying a high voltage to the water supplied to the discharge unit 1 in a state where water is supplied to the discharge unit 1 in this way, the water level of the water supplied to the discharge unit 1 by the high voltage is locally increased. A conical swell (tailor cone) is formed. When the tailor cone is formed, electric charges are concentrated on the tip of the tailor cone and the electric field strength in this portion is increased, and the tailor cone is further grown. When the tailor cone grows like this and the charge concentrates on the tip of the tailor cone and the density of the charge becomes high, the water at the tip of the tailor cone has a large energy (repulsive force of the charge that has become dense). receive. In this way, when the water at the tip of the tailor cone receives a large amount of energy, a large amount of charged nanometer-sized charged fine particle water that is negatively charged by repeating splitting and scattering (Rayleigh splitting) exceeding the surface tension is generated.

Thus, the nanometer-sized charged fine particle water generated by electrostatic atomization of the water supplied to the discharge unit 1 contains radicals such as hydroxy radicals. Further, as already described, ozone is generated simultaneously with the generation of nanometer-sized charged fine particle water during discharge.

When the water supplied to the tip of the discharge unit 1 is electrostatically atomized by Rayleigh splitting to generate ozone together with the charged fine particle water, the discharge region 5 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays by the ultraviolet irradiation unit 6.

In irradiating the discharge region 5 with ultraviolet rays, it is preferable to irradiate the discharge portion 1 at the tip of the discharge electrode 2 with ultraviolet rays.

The energization of the Peltier unit 7a, the application of a high voltage to the discharge electrode 2, and the irradiation of ultraviolet rays by the ultraviolet irradiation unit 6 are controlled by the control unit.

When the discharge region 5 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, ozone generated together with the charged fine particle water by electrostatic atomization is decomposed to generate hydroxy radicals.

The decomposition of ozone by irradiation with ultraviolet rays can be expressed by the following chemical formula 1.
(Chemical formula 1)
O ₃ + hμ (λ <310 nm) → [O] + O ₂
[O] + H ₂ O → 2HO ·
In this way, if the wavelength of the irradiated ultraviolet light is smaller than or equal to 310 nm, ozone is generated at the same time when the charged fine particle water is generated, but the discharge region 5 in the electrostatic atomizing chamber 9 is irradiated with the ultraviolet light. Therefore, before the generated ozone diffuses out of the discharge region 5, it can be concentrated and decomposed simultaneously with the generation in the ozone generation region. Therefore, the decomposition effect of ozone is improved, it is possible to suppress the release of ozone into the space to be released, reduce the ozone odor, and suppress the adverse effects of ozone on the human body.

Simultaneously with the generation of ozone at the ozone generation source, ozone is decomposed by ultraviolet rays as shown in the above chemical formula 1 to generate hydroxy radicals. In addition to the active ingredient, hydroxy radicals generated by decomposing ozone are added to increase the amount of the active ingredient produced. Therefore, effects such as deodorization, sterilization, and inactivation of allergen substances in the release target space are further improved.

Desirably, the ultraviolet ray to be irradiated is an ultraviolet ray having a wavelength of 254 nm or less. In particular, when an ultraviolet ray having a wavelength of 254 nm is irradiated, ozone can be decomposed to generate hydroxy radicals most effectively. Thus, in these examples, the wavelength of ultraviolet rays to be irradiated is 310 nm or less, or desirably 254 nm or less. Here, the wavelength of ultraviolet rays is of course 10 nm or more.

Here, the discharge region 5 may be irradiated with both ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 254 nm and ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 185 nm.

UV light with a wavelength of 185 nm generates ozone when it acts on air (oxygen). For this reason, as described above, not only ozone generated by discharge but also ozone generated by irradiating ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of 185 nm to air (oxygen) is added, and the amount of ozone generated as a whole increases.

And, by generating ozone radicals by decomposing ozone having an increased generation amount by irradiation with ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of 254 nm as described above, a larger amount of hydroxy radicals can be generated.

In this case, it is preferable to simultaneously irradiate the discharge region 5 with both ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 254 nm and ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 185 nm, but alternately irradiating ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 185 nm and ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 254 nm alternately in a short time. You may make it do.

As is clear from Chemical Formula 1 above, water molecules (H 2 O) are required to decompose ozone by ultraviolet irradiation to generate hydroxy radicals. However, in the electrostatic atomizer 4a, when the discharge region 5 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, charged fine particle water is generated in the discharge region 5, so that the amount of moisture contained in the air in the discharge region is large, and the generation source Since the Taylor cone formed in a certain discharge part 1 is water, ultraviolet rays are applied to ozone in the presence of water, and the effect of generating hydroxy radicals is improved.

In particular, when the discharge region 1 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays when the discharge region 5 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, the portion of the discharge portion 1 where the Taylor cone is formed is directly irradiated with ultraviolet rays, so that water exists. Hydroxyl radicals can be generated reliably by irradiating ozone generated in the environment with ultraviolet rays.

In addition, when an ultraviolet ray is irradiated using an ArF excimer laser, high energy can be given, and ozone can be decomposed more efficiently to generate a hydroxy radical. The wavelength of the ArF excimer laser is preferably 193 nm.

In FIG. 2, a water vapor supply means 13 for supplying water vapor to the discharge region 5 is provided. As the water vapor supply means 13, a conventionally known water vapor generation technique such as heating water with a heater to generate water vapor can be employed.

In this way, when water vapor is supplied to the discharge region 5, ozone is decomposed by ultraviolet irradiation in an environment where a larger amount of water molecules exist, so that oxygen atoms decomposed from ozone by ultraviolet light are combined with water molecules in the water vapor. The probability of bonding increases, and a larger amount of hydroxy radicals can be generated.

In the above embodiment, the ion generator 4 is described as an example of the electrostatic atomizer 4a. However, FIGS. 3 and 4 show an example of the ion generator 4 being an air ion generator 4b.

In this embodiment, by applying a high voltage to the discharge electrode 2 of the air ion generator 4b, negative or positive ions are generated, or by switching the applied voltage between positive and negative alternately, Ions are generated alternately. Ozone is generated at the same time as such ions are generated, but since the discharge region 5 is directly irradiated with ultraviolet rays, before the generated ozone diffuses, it decomposes at the generation source of ozone to generate hydroxy radicals. To do. Therefore, in addition to an active ingredient such as a hydroxy radical generated when ions are generated by discharge, a hydroxy radical generated by decomposing ozone is added to increase the amount of the active ingredient generated.

In the air ion generator 4b, water molecules necessary for decomposing ozone by ultraviolet irradiation to generate hydroxy radicals are obtained from the air, but as shown in FIG. When the supply means 13 is provided, oxygen atoms decomposed from ozone by ultraviolet rays can combine with water molecules in water vapor to generate a large amount of hydroxyl radicals in an environment where a large amount of water molecules exist.

While the invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, various modifications and variations can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, ie, the claims.

Claims

In an ion generator comprising a discharge electrode having a discharge portion and a voltage application portion for applying a high voltage to the discharge electrode, ultraviolet irradiation for irradiating ultraviolet rays to a discharge region where discharge is generated when the high voltage is applied An ion generator characterized by providing a portion.
The ion generator according to claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet irradiation unit irradiates the discharge unit with ultraviolet rays.
The water supply means which supplies water to the said discharge electrode, The said voltage application part applies a high voltage to the water supplied to the said discharge electrode, and produces | generates charged fine particle water by electrostatic atomization. The ion generator according to claim 2.
The ion generator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising water vapor supply means for supplying water vapor to the discharge region.
The ion generator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a wavelength of the irradiated ultraviolet ray is 310 nm or less.
The ion generator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a wavelength of the irradiated ultraviolet ray is 254 nm or less.
The ion generator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the ultraviolet irradiation unit is an ArF excimer laser.
The ion generator according to claim 6, wherein the ultraviolet irradiation unit irradiates both ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of 254 nm and ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of 185 nm as the ultraviolet rays to be irradiated.
9. The ion generator according to claim 1, wherein an ultraviolet preventing means is disposed around the discharge region so as to form an emission opening for emitting the generated ions. .