High-Aspect Ratio Multicurvature Separation Device and Hybrid Type Air Cleaner Using the Same

Abstract

An inertial separator comprises,a main duct having a first half (H1) with high aspect ratio and positive curvature and a latter half (H2) with larger average curvature and an opened outside wall;a boundary layer suction part (H3) formed on a side of the opened outside wall of the latter half (H2);a curved duct (H4c) of a final collection part succeeding the boundary layer suction part(H3), having a larger mean curvature and a smaller radial channel width than the latter half (H2) of the main duct, with an opened outside wall;and a collection chamber part formed on a side of the opened outside wall of the curved duct (H4c) of the final collection part.A hybrid air cleaner combines the said inertial separator with an air filter, removably having an allergen suction means sucking an allergen from hair, bedding and so on, and a separated blowing mouth whereby a suspended allergen is transported during a patient's sleep.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention relates generally to an apparatus that collects airborne particles and particles adhering to objects, and in particular, relates to an inertial separator and a hybrid air cleaner that comprises the inertial separator and an air filter, removably having an allergen suction means.BACKGROUND ART[0002]The increase of atopy and allergic disease is a global tendency, and 30 to 50[%] of the whole population are estimated to be atopic (non-patent ref. 1 which is listed hereinafter). The atopy indicates the condition wherein IgE is inclined to be generated against foreign antigens and Type I allergy is inclined to be caused. The typical diseases of Type I allergy are allergic rhinitis, allergic bronchial asthma and allergic conjunctivitis, which are caused by airborne particles containing antigen. As such airborne particles, house dust whose important constituent is dust mites is mentioned in a perennial case, and pollen mentioned in a seasonal case...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The solution achieves low pressure loss and high collection efficiency, effectively removing dust mite allergens and pollen, reducing the load on the air filter and preventing re-scattering, while providing strong suction power for allergen removal during sleep.

Problems solved by technology

Furthermore, the proportion of the complicated cases of perennial allergic rhinitis and pollinosis is large.

However, it is hard to get into the habit of cleaning bedding with the vacuum cleaner of a floor movable type or a stick type.

The vacuum cleaner of a handy type, which integrally has a motor and a paper dust pack, is too heavy to be easily handled.

Furthermore, although the dust mite allergen exists mainly inside bedding, cushions and others, rather than on the surface of these, yet it hasn't been achieved to remove the inner allergen effectively with the existing vacuum cleaner.

In this case, dust sucked from bedding is too heavy as the load of an air filter, so it is necessary to install a pre-collector which can collect comparatively large particles in front of the air filter.

Although the collection efficiency of them is high, yet pressure loss is large.

Furthermore, a high-velocity swirling flow at the exit of the apparatus is extremely turbulent, which is not preferable for the input of a backward air filter.

Therefore, when the cyclone or the multiclone is used as a pre-collector in front of the air filter, the suction power of the allergen suction means becomes weak.

Furthermore, a household air cleaner is generally equipped with a fan whose wind flow rate is large and static pressure is low, so in a case where a flow to deal with by the allergen suction means ranges, the cyclone becomes unable to deal with a large flow.

Although the curved duct has the advantage that pressure loss is small, yet its collection efficiency is not good owing to the flow turbulence caused by centrifugal force.

Furthermore, even if the duct is provided with a collection chamber at the output portal, particles separated from a flow tend to re-scatter, because a collection mouth is wide.

Conversely, the former is larger than the latter, that is y1U1□y2U2, the turbulence goes toward increase, with the result that the flow becomes unstable.

It is difficult to predict the occurrence of Görtler vorticies.

When particles are separated from the air flow by the curved rectangular duct with high aspect ratio, a flow turbulence over the concave wall of a duct like FIG. 46(a) is large, so a particle separation efficiency is not good.

In addition, prominent blades themselves disturb the current.

Further, in this apparatus, even if it is equipped with not plural collection mouths but a single narrow collection mouth, collection efficiency is low.

Further, even if it is equipped with a single wide collection mouth, collection efficiency is not good because of the re-scattering of collected dust.

The above is the major problem wherein particles are inertially collected from the air with the duct.

Furthermore, the conventional inertial dust collector with the duct has a problem wherein a particle with large inertia and unfixed form tends to escape.

When the renewable filter is applied, collected dust is accumulated according to the use with the result that the suction power of the allergen suction means falls.

Further, it has the problem of quickening the degradation of a deodorizing filter because the flow passes through the collected dust.

In addition, it has a non-sanitary aspect where unwanted bacteria breed according to the temperature and humidity after water washing.

Furthermore, when particles with a diameter smaller than 20 [μm] are collected by a wire mesh of stainless steel, pressure loss gets large.

Pressure loss gets large when the twill dutch wire mesh is used.

Pollen which re-scatters apart from hair passes near the eyes and the respiratory organs, easily inducing allergic symptoms.

Further, pollen that has invaded indoors and deposited on a sofa, bedding and so on, re-scatters from them during their use, inducing allergic symptoms.

It is desirable to remove such pollen effectively, but the method or the apparatus is not presented.

Although a conventional air cleaner circulates and purifies the air of a whole room, yet to remove the allergen suspending near the respiratory organs, which is most important for the patient of perennial allergic rhinitis, is not sufficiently done.

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