Shower filter and manufacturing method using a porous structure manufactured by processing starfish

Abstract

The present invention relates to a shower filter manufactured using eco-friendly materials and a method for manufacturing a shower filter. The objective of the present invention is to provide a shower filter and a method for manufacturing a shower filter utilizing the porous structure of an eco-friendly starfish by manufacturing a shower filter using starfish.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a shower filter using a starfish porous structure and a method for manufacturing it, and more specifically, to a shower filter manufactured using an eco-friendly material and a method for manufacturing the shower filter. Background Technology

[0002] Generally, shower heads are devices that spray cold or hot water over a wide area, and they are widely used for household purposes, such as in bathrooms, sinks, and bathtubs, as well as for commercial purposes, such as in body showers, water pools, and water softeners.

[0003] A conventional shower head comprises a main body connected to a water supply system and equipped with a flow control valve that controls the flow rate of hot and cold water, a water supply hose through which water flows from the main body, and a shower head connected to the water supply hose that receives water and sprays it outwards.

[0004] While general raw water contains residual chlorine for disinfection that blocks harmful bacteria, the residual chlorine dissolved in the water causes a distinctive tap water odor that is repulsive to users. Furthermore, it reacts with sensitive skin to cause various skin problems and is a source of carcinogens such as trihalomethanes.

[0005] In addition, raw water may contain various harmful substances that have not been disinfected, and to address this, various shower heads equipped with a filtering function are being proposed to remove these harmful substances contained in the raw water before the water is sprayed.

[0006] The filters installed inside conventional shower heads have the problem of needing to be replaced at regular intervals, and since they must be replaced and discarded every few months, they are not eco-friendly. Prior art literature

[0007] 1. Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0066794 ("Tap water filter using natural materials" May 24, 2022.) The problem to be solved

[0008] The present invention has been devised to solve the aforementioned problems, and the objective of the present invention is to provide an eco-friendly shower filter using a starfish porous structure and a method for manufacturing the filter by producing a shower filter using starfish. means of solving the problem

[0009] The shower filter of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a filter screen formed by being inserted into a housing formed inside a shower head, formed in the shape of a cylinder or a polygonal column, and having a surface formed in a mesh structure; and a plurality of porous structures manufactured by processing a starfish skeleton and inserted into the filter screen inserted into the housing formed inside the shower head.

[0010] The method for manufacturing a shower filter according to the present invention comprises: a starfish mechanical cutting step in which a starfish skeleton is cut to a predetermined size; a chemical enzymatic decomposition step in which organic matter contained in the starfish skeleton is removed; an ultrasonic cleaning step in which the starfish skeleton, having completed the chemical enzymatic decomposition step, is washed; a vacuum drying step in which the starfish skeleton washed in the ultrasonic cleaning step is dried at a predetermined temperature to form a porous structure; and a step of inserting a plurality of porous structures manufactured by completing the vacuum drying step into a shower housing in which they are inserted into the internal space of a shower head.

[0011] In addition, the above-mentioned mechanical cutting step of the starfish is characterized by cutting the starfish skeleton so that its horizontal and vertical lengths are 1 cm to 2 cm.

[0012] In addition, the chemical enzymatic decomposition step is characterized by soaking the starfish skeleton in an NaOH solution having a concentration in the range of 1.4 to 1.6 M for 22 to 26 hours.

[0013] In addition, the chemical enzymatic decomposition step is characterized by stirring the NaOH solution containing the starfish skeleton at a speed of 140 to 150 rpm at room temperature (25℃ to 35℃).

[0014] In addition, the ultrasonic cleaning step is characterized by including a first ultrasonic cleaning step in which ultrasonic waves are radiated for 5 to 15 minutes into a container containing an ethanol solution and the starfish skeleton, and a second ultrasonic cleaning step in which ultrasonic waves are radiated for 5 to 15 minutes into a container containing distilled water and the starfish skeleton.

[0015] In addition, the vacuum drying step is characterized by the starfish skeleton being placed in a vacuum oven preheated to 60°C to 80°C and dried for 30 to 90 minutes. Effects of the invention

[0016] The shower filter using the starfish porous structure of the present invention and the manufacturing method based on the above-described configuration have the effect of being eco-friendly by manufacturing the shower filter using starfish. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shower head equipped with a shower filter according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a shower filter according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged photograph of a porous structure manufactured by a shower filter manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows the chloride ion concentration depending on whether a shower filter according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention as described above will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a shower head equipped with a shower filter according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of porous structures manufactured using the starfish of the present invention are embedded and formed within the internal space of the shower head.

[0020] When the valve connected to the shower head is opened to discharge water outside the shower head, water traveling along the water supply hose is supplied to the shower head, and water from which impurities and chloride ions have been removed passes through a filter formed by a plurality of porous structures provided inside the shower head, and is discharged outside through the nozzle of the shower head.

[0021] The porous structure is formed in a shape close to a sphere as shown in the enlarged drawing, and is formed with multiple holes formed on the surface. The porous structure manufactured using starfish contains a large amount of calcium, and since about 98% of it is formed as calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), it can remove chlorine components contained in tap water.

[0022] Thanks to their large pore structure and wide surface area, the porous structure of starfish generates internal electrostatic attraction, enabling them to effectively adsorb chloride ions and small ions. Additionally, due to the high regenerative and reproductive capabilities of starfish, porous structures utilizing starfish have the advantage of being able to be mass-produced at low cost.

[0023] A method for manufacturing the shower filter of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 2.

[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a shower filter according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the method includes a mechanical cutting step of a starfish, a chemical enzymatic decomposition step, an ultrasonic cleaning step, a vacuum drying step, and an insertion step into a shower housing.

[0025] First, a mechanical cutting step is performed to cut the starfish skeleton into pieces with a width and length of 1 cm to 2 cm. Once the starfish skeleton is cut into pieces of 1 cm to 2 cm, a chemical enzymatic decomposition step is performed to remove organic matter contained in the starfish skeleton by soaking it in an NaOH solution with a concentration ranging from 1.4 to 1.6 M for 22 to 26 hours.

[0026] At this time, instead of leaving the cut starfish skeletons undisturbed in the NaOH solution, stirring of the NaOH solution containing the starfish skeletons can be performed at room temperature (25℃~35℃) at a speed of 140~150 rpm to improve the reactivity of the porous structure, and during this process, the starfish skeletons are deformed into a spherical shape with a diameter of 0.5cm~1cm.

[0027] Once the chemical enzymatic decomposition step is completed, the ultrasonic cleaning step is performed. After pouring enough ethanol solution into a container to submerge the starfish skeleton, a first ultrasonic cleaning is performed for 5 to 15 minutes with ultrasound radiation, and after removing the ethanol solution from the container, distilled water is poured into the container to perform a second ultrasonic cleaning for another 5 to 15 minutes with ultrasound radiation.

[0028] Once the ultrasonic cleaning step is completed, a vacuum drying step is performed in which the structure is placed in a vacuum oven preheated to 60°C to 80°C and dried for 30 to 90 minutes. Finally, a step of inserting the multiple porous structures manufactured by completing the vacuum drying step into a shower housing is performed, in which they are inserted into the internal space formed in the shower head.

[0029] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged photograph of a porous structure manufactured by a shower filter manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a photograph of a porous structure manufactured by SEM analysis up to the vacuum drying step of the present invention, and it can be seen that the porous structure is clearly observed.

[0030] Element Line Mass% Atom% O K 57.92±0.35 76.32±0.46 Na K 4.31±0.07 3.95±0.07 Mg K 3.51±0.06 3.04±0.05 Ca K 31.08±0.14 16.35±0.08 Au M 3.18±0.10 0.34±0.01 Total 100.00 100.00

[0031] [Table 1] shows the composition of the starfish skeleton analyzed through EDS analysis, and it can be seen that the starfish skeleton is mainly composed of Ca.

[0032] Figure 4 illustrates the chloride ion concentration depending on whether a shower filter according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied. To verify the chlorine removal performance of a porous structure manufactured by processing a starfish skeleton, an experiment was conducted using DPD powder in powder form that turns pink when reacting with chlorine and a chlorine-based bleach.

[0033] First, when DPD powder is added to a chlorine-based bleach solution, as shown in Figure 4 (a), it can be seen that the chlorine ions in the bleach solution react with the DPD powder, causing the bleach solution to turn pink.

[0034] However, when DPD powder is mixed after passing a chlorine-based bleach solution through a porous structure, it can be seen that the color changed to a lighter pink than that of Fig. 4 (a) as shown in Fig. 4 (b) because some of the chloride ions in the bleach solution were removed by the porous structure.

[0035] As a result of quantitative measurement, the chlorine concentration of the chlorine-based bleach + DPD powder that did not pass through the porous structure was measured to be 2.74 ppm, and the chlorine concentration of the chlorine-based bleach + DPD powder that passed through the porous structure was measured to be 1.5 ppm, so it can be seen that the porous structure manufactured by processing the starfish skeleton of the present invention has the effect of removing chloride ions.

[0036] Table 2 shows the chloride ion concentration measured according to the number of times tap water was filtered. The concentration was 1.78 mg / L after 1 filtering, 0.05 mg / L after 2 filterings, and no chloride ions were detected after 3 filterings. This indicates that the porous structure can be used multiple times.

[0037] Filtering times Measurement Items Unit Result 1Time Residual Chlorine mg / L 1.78 2Times Residual Chlorine mg / L 0.05 3Times Residual Chlorine mg / L Not Detected

[0038] The technical concept of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the above-described embodiments. Not only is the scope of application diverse, but various modifications are possible at the level of a person skilled in the art without departing from the essence of the invention claimed in the claims. Accordingly, such improvements and modifications fall within the scope of protection of the present invention insofar as they are obvious to a person skilled in the art.

Claims

Claim 1 A shower filter utilizing a starfish porous structure, characterized by comprising: a filter screen formed by being inserted into a housing formed inside a shower head, formed in the shape of a cylinder or polygonal column, and having a surface formed in a mesh structure; and a plurality of porous structures manufactured by processing a starfish skeleton and inserted into the filter screen inserted into the housing formed inside the shower head. Claim 2 A method for manufacturing a shower filter using a starfish porous structure, characterized by comprising: a starfish mechanical cutting step in which the starfish skeleton is cut to a predetermined size; a chemical enzymatic decomposition step in which organic matter contained in the starfish skeleton is removed; an ultrasonic cleaning step in which the starfish skeleton, after the chemical enzymatic decomposition step is completed, is washed; a vacuum drying step in which the starfish skeleton washed in the ultrasonic cleaning step is dried at a predetermined temperature to form a porous structure; and an insertion step in which a plurality of porous structures manufactured by completing the vacuum drying step are inserted into a shower housing in which they are inserted into the internal space of a shower head. Claim 3 A method for manufacturing a shower filter using a porous starfish structure, wherein, in paragraph 2, the mechanical cutting step of the starfish is characterized by cutting the starfish skeleton so that its horizontal and vertical lengths are 1 cm to 2 cm. Claim 4 A method for manufacturing a shower filter using a starfish porous structure, wherein, in paragraph 2, the chemical enzymatic decomposition step is characterized by soaking the starfish skeleton in an NaOH solution having a concentration in the range of 1.4 to 1.6 M for 22 to 26 hours. Claim 5 A method for manufacturing a shower filter using a starfish porous structure, wherein, in claim 4, the chemical enzymatic decomposition step is characterized by stirring an NaOH solution containing a starfish skeleton at a speed of 140 to 150 rpm at room temperature (25℃ to 35℃). Claim 6 A method for manufacturing a shower filter using a starfish porous structure, wherein, in paragraph 2, the ultrasonic cleaning step comprises a first ultrasonic cleaning step in which ultrasonic waves are radiated for 5 to 15 minutes into a container containing an ethanol solution and the starfish skeleton, and a second ultrasonic cleaning step in which ultrasonic waves are radiated for 5 to 15 minutes into a container containing distilled water and the starfish skeleton. Claim 7 A method for manufacturing a shower filter using a starfish porous structure, wherein, in paragraph 2, the vacuum drying step is characterized by the starfish skeleton being placed in a vacuum oven preheated to 60℃ to 80℃ and dried for 30 to 90 minutes.

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