Water ion generator

Abstract

The invention provides a water ion generator. The water ion generator comprises a semiconductor cooler; the dielectric barrier discharge plasma generator covers the cold end face of the semiconductor cooler, the dielectric barrier discharge plasma generator comprises a discharge upper polar plate, a discharge lower polar plate and a dielectric layer between the discharge upper electrode and the discharge lower electrode, the discharge upper polar plate is a patterned electrode, and the discharge lower polar plate is a patterned electrode. The dielectric layer is exposed and is used for collecting condensed water condensed on the cold end surface and exciting the condensed water into water ions. Due to the adoption of the plane structure design, the discharge area is greatly increased, and a traditional point-shaped area of needle tip discharge is changed into a large-area plane area, so that the positive and negative ion generation efficiency is remarkably improved. Meanwhile, the condensation area of the plane structure is far larger than that of the needle point structure, more condensate water can be collected, and the generation amount of water ions is further increased.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of MEMS, and particularly to a water ion generator. Background Art

[0002] As a new type of air purification and treatment technology, the water ion technology has received extensive attention in recent years. Traditional water ion generators mainly adopt the needle-point discharge method, generating corona discharge at the needle tip through high voltage, ionizing the surrounding air and combining it with water molecules to form water ions. However, this technology has many defects:

[0003] Low ion generation efficiency: The needle-point discharge belongs to the local discharge mode, with a small discharge area, resulting in limited generation of positive and negative ions, and it is difficult to meet the requirements of large-scale air purification or high-efficiency water treatment.

[0004] Insufficient condensate collection: The condensate area of the needle-point structure is small, and only a small amount of condensate can be collected, which limits the generation amount of water ions, especially the performance significantly decreases in low-humidity environments.

[0005] Complex manufacturing process: The needle-point discharge structure has extremely high requirements for electrode precision. During the manufacturing process, the shape and spacing of the needle tips need to be precisely controlled, with high process difficulty, high production cost, and low yield.

[0006] Poor stability: The needle tips are prone to performance degradation due to contamination or wear, requiring frequent maintenance and replacement, and having a short service life.

[0007] High ozone generation amount: Excessive ozone is easily generated during the high-voltage needle-point discharge process, and ozone is a harmful gas that has adverse effects on human health and the environment.

[0008] Therefore, a new type of water ion generator is needed, which can overcome the above defects, improve the water ion generation efficiency and stability, while reducing the manufacturing cost and ozone generation amount. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a water ion generator based on planar dielectric barrier discharge, which can significantly improve the water ion generation efficiency, simplify the manufacturing process, reduce the cost, and reduce the ozone generation amount to meet wider application requirements.

[0010] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a water ion generator, comprising: a semiconductor refrigerator; a dielectric barrier discharge plasma generator covering the cold end face of the semiconductor refrigerator, the dielectric barrier discharge plasma generator including a discharge upper electrode plate, a discharge lower electrode plate, and a dielectric layer between the discharge upper and lower electrodes, the discharge upper electrode plate being a patterned electrode to expose the dielectric layer for collecting the condensate condensed on the cold end face and exciting it into water ions.

[0011] Optionally, the thermoelectric cooler includes: a thermoelectric element including a P-type semiconductor element and an N-type semiconductor element, or a metal material selected from bismuth telluride, aluminum, nickel, or an alloy thereof; a refrigerating upper electrode at the cold end and a refrigerating lower electrode at the hot end for connecting the thermoelectric element to allow a driving current to flow into the thermoelectric element to drive the thermoelectric element to work; a cold end face provided on the surface of the refrigerating upper electrode for collecting condensed water. The thermoelectric element includes a plurality of P-type semiconductor elements and N-type semiconductor elements forming a thermopile with series-connected PN junctions. The thermoelectric cooler further includes a heat sink provided on the hot end surface of the refrigerating lower electrode. The materials of the refrigerating upper electrode at the cold end and the refrigerating lower electrode at the hot end are metal, silver paste, or solder. The thermoelectric cooler further includes a support layer provided on the hot end surface of the refrigerating lower electrode, and the material of the support layer is ceramic or silicon wafer.

[0012] Optionally, the material of the dielectric layer is a hydrophilic ceramic or a hydrophilic polymer material. The dielectric layer is an organic dielectric, and its materials include polyimide or parylene. The dielectric layer is an inorganic dielectric, and its materials include ceramic, silicon oxide, or silicon nitride.

[0013] When the thermoelectric cooler works, the temperature of the cold end face decreases, and moisture in the surrounding air condenses on the cold end face to form condensed water. This condensed water diffuses through the hydrophilic dielectric layer and covers the exposed area on the surface of the dielectric layer. At the same time, a high voltage is applied between the discharge upper electrode plate and the discharge lower electrode plate, and a uniform dielectric barrier discharge plasma is formed under the barrier of the dielectric layer. The high-energy electrons and ions generated during the discharge process interact with the condensed water, exciting and ionizing the water molecules to form water ions rich in hydroxyl radicals (·OH), superoxide anions (O2 - ), hydrogen ions (H + ), hydrogen peroxide (HO), and other active components. Due to the planar structure design, the discharge area is greatly increased, changing from the dot-like area of traditional needle tip discharge to a large-area planar area, which significantly improves the generation efficiency of positive and negative ions. At the same time, the condensation area of the planar structure is also much larger than that of the needle tip structure, capable of collecting more condensed water and further enhancing the generation amount of water ions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Acc Figure 1 The figure shows a schematic structural diagram of the water ion generator according to a specific embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0015] The following will describe in detail the specific embodiments of the water ion generator provided by the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0016] Acc Figure 1The following is a schematic structural diagram of the water ion generator according to a specific embodiment of the present invention, including: a semiconductor refrigerator 10; a dielectric barrier discharge plasma generator 20, covering the cold end face 14 of the semiconductor refrigerator. The dielectric barrier discharge plasma generator includes a discharge upper electrode plate 21, a discharge lower electrode plate 22, and a dielectric layer 23 between the discharge upper and lower electrodes. The discharge upper electrode plate 21 is a patterned electrode to expose the dielectric layer 23 for collecting the condensed water condensed on the cold end face and exciting it into water ions.

[0017] After the semiconductor refrigerator 10 is powered on, the temperature of the cold end face 14 drops rapidly. When it is lower than the air dew point temperature, the water vapor in the air condenses into liquid water on the cold end face and the surface of the exposed dielectric layer 23. The hydrophilic dielectric layer material can make the condensed water spread quickly to form a uniform water film. A driving current is applied between the discharge upper electrode plate 21 and the lower electrode plate 22. Under the blocking of the dielectric layer 23, a uniform dielectric barrier discharge is formed between the electrodes. The high-energy electrons generated by the discharge collide with the water film, exciting and ionizing the water molecules to generate water ions rich in active components such as hydroxyl radicals (·OH), superoxide anions (O2 - ), hydrogen ions (H + ), hydrogen peroxide (HO), etc.

[0018] The dielectric barrier discharge plasma generator 20 adopts a plate structure. Compared with the case where the electric field is highly concentrated in a very small area with the tip as the center and the discharge is in a dot shape. And the discharge upper electrode plate of the dielectric barrier discharge plasma generator is a patterned electrode, which forms a large-area planar structure with the discharge lower electrode plate and the dielectric layer. The larger discharge area makes the electric field distribution more uniform, can excite more water molecules, and generate a denser and more uniformly distributed plasma.

[0019] Furthermore, the dielectric layer 23 of the dielectric barrier discharge is a hydrophilic material, such as hydrophilic ceramics, polyimide, or parylene, etc., which can make the condensed water collected on the cold end face of the semiconductor refrigerator spread quickly to form a uniform water film. The large-area water film is in full contact with the discharge area, increasing the chance of water molecules being excited into water ions.

[0020] And the production of the tip discharge electrode requires precise processing of a sharp tip shape, with extremely high requirements for processing accuracy, often requiring special equipment and complex processes, high cost and low production efficiency. The production of the upper and lower electrode plates of the dielectric barrier discharge is relatively simple. The patterned electrode of the discharge upper electrode plate can be manufactured by conventional microfabrication processes such as photolithography, etching, and screen printing. The discharge lower electrode plate is an ordinary flat plate, with low processing difficulty. These processes are widely used in fields such as semiconductor manufacturing, printed circuit board production, and ceramic substrates, with mature technologies and are easy to achieve large-scale production.

[0021] In addition, the above structure is a planar stacking structure. Compared with the traditional complex structure, its electrode production does not require high-precision processing, and the patterned electrode can be produced through conventional processes. During assembly, the planar components are easy to position and fit, reducing the difficulty of alignment. The entire production process is simplified, reducing production steps and time, thereby greatly reducing the process difficulty and significantly improving manufacturing efficiency.

[0022] The material of the dielectric layer 23 can be hydrophilic ceramic or hydrophilic polymer material.

[0023] The dielectric layer 23 can be made of hydrophilic ceramics. Hydrophilic ceramics have excellent hydrophilicity, which means that they can quickly and massively absorb and retain condensed water. Moreover, the ceramic material itself has good insulation properties, which can effectively block the current, prevent the short circuit between the upper discharge plate and the lower discharge plate, and ensure the stable dielectric barrier discharge process.

[0024] The dielectric layer 23 can use a hydrophilic polymer material as the dielectric layer material. Polyimide is a high-performance polymer material that not only has good hydrophilicity, but also has excellent mechanical properties and high temperature resistance. Its molecular structure contains polar groups, which give polyimide the ability to interact with water molecules, enabling it to effectively adsorb condensed water. Parylene is another commonly used organic dielectric material that has extremely low water absorption and excellent moisture resistance. In some humidity-sensitive application scenarios, the moisture-proof properties of parylene can play an important role. In a high humidity environment, parylene can prevent excessive moisture from invading the dielectric layer, avoiding electrical performance degradation or material damage caused by moisture accumulation.

[0025] The dielectric layer 23 may be made of inorganic dielectrics. Ceramics in inorganic dielectric materials, in addition to being hydrophilic and insulating, also have high hardness and wear resistance. Silicon oxide is a common inorganic dielectric material that has good insulating properties and chemical stability. The insulating properties of silicon oxide enable it to effectively block current during discharge and prevent short circuits between electrodes. Silicon nitride also has excellent properties. It has high thermal conductivity and can effectively conduct heat during discharge to avoid equipment failures caused by local overheating.

[0026] The semiconductor refrigerator 10 is a thermoelectric conversion device based on the Peltier effect. In this specific embodiment, the semiconductor refrigerator 10 is arranged on the surface of the support layer 17, and includes a cold end cooling upper electrode 11, a hot end cooling lower electrode 12: a thermoelectric element 13, a cold end surface 14, and a heat sink 15.

[0027] The thermoelectric element 13 is composed of alternately arranged P-type semiconductor elements 131 and N-type semiconductor elements 132, forming a series-connected PN junction thermopile. The thermoelectric element 13 includes P-type semiconductor elements, N-type semiconductor elements, or a metal material selected from one or more of bismuth telluride, aluminum, nickel, or an alloy thereof. The preferred material is bismuth telluride (BiTe) and its alloys, which have high thermoelectric conversion efficiency. When direct current passes through, heat is absorbed at one end where the current direction is from the N-type to the P-type (cold end), and heat is released at the other end (hot end).

[0028] The cold-end refrigeration upper electrode 11 is located on top of the thermoelectric element and is made of highly thermally conductive metal such as copper or aluminum, or a ceramic material such as aluminum nitride. Its surface is flat to promote uniform distribution of condensed water. The hot-end refrigeration lower electrode 12 is located at the bottom of the thermoelectric element and is connected to the radiator. The material selection is similar to that of the cold-end electrode, but both thermal conductivity and structural strength need to be considered. In this specific embodiment, the materials of the refrigeration upper electrode at the cold end and the refrigeration lower electrode at the hot end are metal, silver paste, or solder.

[0029] The cold end face 14 is the upper surface of the refrigeration upper electrode 11. When the semiconductor refrigerator operates, the temperature of the cold end face rapidly drops below the dew point, causing the moisture in the air to condense into liquid water, providing a water source for subsequent plasma excitation.

[0030] The support layer 17 is arranged on the hot end surface of the refrigeration lower electrode 12, and the material of the support layer 17 is a heat dissipation material such as ceramic or silicon wafer.

[0031] The radiator 15 is an optional component and is installed on the surface of the hot-end refrigeration lower electrode 12. This specific embodiment includes a support layer 17, which is further arranged below the support layer 17. Usually, an aluminum alloy fin structure or heat pipe heat dissipation technology is adopted, and heat is dissipated to the environment through forced convection or natural heat dissipation to ensure that the hot end temperature of the semiconductor refrigerator is maintained within a reasonable range and improve the refrigeration efficiency.

[0032] The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the principle of the present invention, several improvements and refinements can still be made, and these improvements and refinements should also be regarded as the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A water ion generator, characterized in that: include: Semiconductor refrigerator; A dielectric barrier discharge plasma generator is covered on the cold end surface of the semiconductor refrigerator. The dielectric barrier discharge plasma generator includes a discharge upper electrode plate, a discharge lower electrode plate, and a dielectric layer between the discharge upper and lower electrodes. The discharge upper electrode plate is a patterned electrode to expose the dielectric layer for collecting condensed water condensed on the cold end surface and exciting it into water ions.

2. The water ion generator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The semiconductor refrigerator comprises: The thermoelectric element includes a P-type semiconductor element and an N-type semiconductor element, or a metal material, wherein the metal material is selected from bismuth telluride, aluminum, nickel or an alloy thereof; The cooling upper electrode at the cold end and the cooling lower electrode at the hot end are used to connect the thermoelectric element so that the driving current flows into the thermoelectric element to drive the thermoelectric element to work; The cold end surface is arranged on the surface of the refrigeration upper electrode and is used to collect condensed water.

3. The water ion generator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The thermoelectric element comprises a thermoelectric pile including a plurality of P-type semiconductor elements and an N-type semiconductor element forming a series PN junction.

4. The water ion generator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The semiconductor refrigerator also includes a radiator, which is arranged on the hot end surface of the cooling lower electrode.

5. The water ion generator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The materials of the cooling upper electrode at the cold end and the cooling lower electrode at the hot end are metal, silver paste or solder.

6. The water ion generator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The semiconductor refrigerator also includes a support layer, which is arranged on the hot end surface of the cooling lower electrode, and the material of the support layer is ceramic or silicon wafer.

7. The water ion generator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The dielectric layer material is hydrophilic ceramic or hydrophilic polymer material.

8. The water ion generator according to claim 7, characterized in that: The dielectric layer is an organic dielectric, and its material includes polyimide or parylene.

9. The water ion generator according to claim 7, characterized in that: The dielectric layer is an inorganic dielectric, and its material includes ceramic, silicon oxide or silicon nitride.

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