Fluid sterilization device

Abstract

To provide a fluid sterilization device, in which ultraviolet light leakage from a sterilization chamber body composed of a plurality of members, is suppressed.SOLUTION: A fluid sterilization device comprises: a sterilization chamber body 10 having a sterilization chamber 60 whose wall surface is formed in a recessed spherical shape, in which a light source opening 14, a chamber inlet 12 for allowing fluid to flow into the sterilization chamber 60, and a chamber outlet 13 for allowing fluid to flow out from the sterilization chamber 60 are formed to open to the sterilization chamber; and a light source part 20 configured to block the light source opening 14 and emit ultraviolet light into the sterilization chamber from the light source opening 14. The sterilization chamber body 10 comprises a plurality of body constituent members 10A and 10B, which are divided into at least two, and further comprises a sealing member 40 formed of rubber containing carbon, and formed in a ring shape, which is disposed between boundary surfaces 10Aa and 10Ba of the plurality of body constituent members 10A and 10B, thereby sealing the boundary surfaces 10Aa and 10Ba of the plurality of body constituent members 10A and 10B.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fluid sterilization device.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a sterilization device that sterilizes and inactivates bacteria and viruses in running water by irradiating ultraviolet light. A mercury lamp is widely used as a light source. Since the mercury lamp uses mercury, it has a problem of strong toxicity and a large environmental load. In addition, there is also a problem that the sterilization device becomes large when using a mercury lamp. Therefore, the replacement from a mercury lamp to an ultraviolet LED is in progress.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a sterilization device that can sterilize by irradiating ultraviolet light to a fluid. Further, the sterilization device has a sterilization chamber main body having a sterilization chamber that flows a fluid and irradiates ultraviolet light, and the sterilization chamber is formed in a concave spherical shape, and the sterilization chamber main body is configured by a plurality of members. Since the sterilization chamber is formed in a concave spherical shape, it is necessary to configure the sterilization chamber main body by a plurality of members from the viewpoint of processing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, when the sterilization chamber main body is composed of a plurality of members, a gap is generated between the members, and there is a possibility that ultraviolet light leaks from the gap.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of such a background, and an object thereof is to provide a fluid sterilization device in which leakage of ultraviolet light from a sterilization chamber main body composed of a plurality of members is suppressed.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a sterilization chamber body having a sterilization chamber with a concave spherical wall surface, and a light source opening, a chamber inlet for allowing a fluid to flow into the sterilization chamber, and a chamber outlet for allowing the fluid to flow out of the sterilization chamber are formed so as to open into the sterilization chamber; a light source unit configured to close the light source opening and emit ultraviolet light from the light source opening into the sterilization chamber; the sterilization chamber body includes a plurality of main body constituent members divided into at least two; Furthermore, it is a fluid sterilization device including a sealing member formed of a carbon-containing rubber, formed in a ring shape, disposed between boundary surfaces of the plurality of main body constituent members, and sealing the boundary surfaces of the plurality of main body constituent members.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] In the above aspect, a ring-shaped sealing member formed of a carbon-containing rubber is provided so as to be sandwiched between the boundary surfaces of the plurality of main body constituent members. Therefore, even if ultraviolet light enters the gap between the main body constituent members, the sealing member can prevent the transmission of ultraviolet light, and leakage of ultraviolet light to the outside of the sterilization chamber body can be prevented.

[0009] As described above, according to the above aspect, it is possible to provide a fluid sterilization device in which leakage of ultraviolet light from a sterilization chamber body composed of a plurality of members is suppressed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Figure 8

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] The fluid sterilization device includes a sterilization chamber having a wall surface formed in a concave spherical shape, and a sterilization chamber body formed such that a light source opening, a chamber inlet for flowing a fluid into the sterilization chamber, and a chamber outlet for flowing the fluid out of the sterilization chamber open to the sterilization chamber, and a light source unit configured to block the light source opening and emit ultraviolet light from the light source opening into the sterilization chamber. The sterilization chamber body includes a plurality of main body constituent members divided into at least two, and further includes a sealing member formed of a rubber containing carbon, formed in a ring shape, disposed between the boundary surfaces of the plurality of main body constituent members, and sealing the boundary surfaces of the plurality of main body constituent members.

[0012] In the fluid sterilization device, the sealing member may contain 1 to 50% by mass of carbon when the sealing member is 100% by mass. The sealing member can sufficiently reduce the transmission of ultraviolet light.

[0013] In the fluid sterilization device, the sealing member may be formed of a fluororubber or fluoroelastomer containing carbon. The durability against ultraviolet light can be enhanced.

[0014] In a fluid sterilization device, the sterilization chamber body constitutes one of a plurality of body components, and includes a first body component having a wall surface formed in a semi-concave spherical shape, and a second body component that constitutes one of the plurality of body components, has a wall surface formed in a semi-concave spherical shape, and is disposed opposite to the first body component. A light source opening may be formed in the first body component, and a chamber inlet and a chamber outlet may be formed in the second body component. The sterilization chamber body can be configured more simply.

[0015] In a fluid sterilization device, the sealing member may be disposed at a position where the ultraviolet light emitted from the light source opening is not directly irradiated. The life of the sealing member can be improved.

[0016] In a fluid sterilization device, a ring-shaped concave groove may be formed on the opposing surface of the first body component and the second body component in at least one of the first body component and the second body component, and the sealing member may be fitted into the concave groove. The positioning of the sealing member can be facilitated.

[0017] In a fluid sterilization device, the central axis of the light source opening may be perpendicular to the interface between the first body component and the second body component. The leakage of ultraviolet light from the interface between the first body component and the second body component can be further suppressed.

[0018] In a fluid sterilization device, further provided is a housing that is disposed to cover the outer surface of the sterilization chamber body, has a housing supply port through which fluid is supplied, and forms an outer region facing the outer surface of the sterilization chamber body, where the fluid supplied from the housing supply port is configured to flow to the chamber inlet. The sealing member may partition the sterilization chamber and the outer region. Leakage of fluid between the sterilization chamber and the outer region can be prevented.

[0019] In a fluid sterilization device, the housing has a housing discharge port that communicates with the chamber outlet and discharges the fluid sterilized in the sterilization chamber. Further, it may be provided with a second sealing member formed of fluororubber or fluoroelastomer, formed in a ring shape, sandwiched between the boundary surfaces of the chamber outlet and the housing discharge port, and sealing the boundary surface between the chamber outlet and the housing discharge port. It is possible to prevent leakage of fluid between the sterilization chamber and the outer region through the connection portion between the chamber outlet and the housing discharge port.

[0020] (Embodiment 1) 1. Basic configuration of the fluid sterilization device 1 The basic configuration of the fluid sterilization device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the fluid sterilization device 1 mainly includes a sterilization chamber main body 10 having a sterilization chamber 60, a light source unit 20 that emits ultraviolet light into the sterilization chamber 60, and a housing 30 that houses the sterilization chamber main body 10 and the light source unit 20.

[0021] A space is formed between the sterilization chamber main body 10 and the housing 30. Since the space is located outside the sterilization chamber main body 10, this space will be referred to as the outer region 70. Further, the fluid sterilization device 1 has a first sealing member 40 and a second sealing member 50. However, the first sealing member 40 and the second sealing member 50 will be described later.

[0022] The fluid sterilization device 1 is a device that allows fluid to flow into the sterilization chamber 60 from the outside through the outer region 70 and irradiates the fluid in the sterilization chamber 60 with ultraviolet light from the light source unit 20 to sterilize the fluid. The fluid to be sterilized may be a gas or a liquid, and may be a mixture of gas and liquid, a mixture of gas and powdery solid, etc., as long as it has fluidity. In the case of a liquid, for example, water, oil, alcohol, a solution using these as solvents, etc.

[0023] The sterilization chamber main body 10 has a sterilization chamber 60 inside. The sterilization chamber 60 is a space for irradiating the flowing fluid with ultraviolet light emitted from the light source unit 20. The wall surface of the sterilization chamber 60 is formed in a concave spherical shape. By making the sterilization chamber 60 in a concave spherical shape, the ultraviolet light can be efficiently reflected by the concave spherical surface, and the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in the sterilization chamber 60 can be increased, so that the sterilization efficiency of the fluid can be improved.

[0024] The sterilization chamber main body 10 uses a material with a high reflectivity of ultraviolet light. The sterilization chamber main body 10 is, for example, entirely formed of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). By using PTFE, the reflectivity of ultraviolet light can be increased, and the improvement of sterilization efficiency can be achieved. Any material with a high reflectivity to the ultraviolet light from the light source unit 20 may be used other than PTFE. In particular, the material of the sterilization chamber main body 10 is preferably a material with a reflectivity of 80% or more, preferably 90% or more, more preferably 95% or more to the ultraviolet light from the light source unit 20. Also, the sterilization chamber main body 10 may be formed such that only the surface layer constituting the concave spherical surface is made of a material with a reflectivity of 80% or more to ultraviolet light, such as PTFE or aluminum.

[0025] A light source opening 14 is formed in the sterilization chamber main body 10 so as to open into the sterilization chamber 60. The light source opening 14 is an opening for allowing the ultraviolet light emitted from the light source unit 20 to enter the sterilization chamber 60.

[0026] A chamber inlet 12 is further formed in the sterilization chamber main body 10 so as to open into the sterilization chamber 60. The chamber inlet 12 conducts the sterilization chamber 60 and the outer region 70. The chamber inlet 12 is an inlet for allowing fluid to flow from the outer region 70 into the sterilization chamber 60.

[0027] A chamber outlet 13 is further formed in the sterilization chamber main body 10 so as to open into the sterilization chamber 60. The chamber outlet 13 conducts the sterilization chamber 60 and the outside. The chamber outlet 13 is an outlet for allowing fluid to flow out from the sterilization chamber 60 to the outside.

[0028] The light source unit 20 is arranged to close the light source opening 14. The light source unit 20 is configured to emit ultraviolet light from the light source opening 14 into the sterilization chamber 60. The portion of the light source unit 20 that is exposed at the light source opening 14, that is, the emission surface 20A of the light source unit 20 from which the ultraviolet light is emitted, forms part of the wall surface of the sterilization chamber 60. Therefore, the fluid in the sterilization chamber 60 comes into contact with the emission surface 20A of the light source unit 20. Accordingly, the light source unit 20 is cooled by the fluid in the sterilization chamber 60. As a result, the luminous efficiency of the light source unit 20 can be increased.

[0029] The housing 30 is provided so as to enclose the sterilization chamber main body 10 and the light source unit 20. That is, the housing 30 is arranged to cover the sterilization chamber main body 10 and the light source unit 20. Specifically, the inner surface of the housing 30 faces the outer surface of the sterilization chamber main body 10. Also, the inner surface of the housing 30 faces the outer surface of the light source unit 20. That is, the inner surface of the housing 30 faces the outer back surface 20B and the outer peripheral surface 20C that constitute the outer surface of the light source unit 20.

[0030] Then, an outer region 70 is formed by the gap between the inner surface of the housing 30 and the outer surface of the sterilization chamber main body 10, and the gap between the inner surface of the housing 30 and the outer surface of the light source unit 20. A part of the outer region 70 is a region that faces the inner surface of the housing 30 and also faces the outer surface of the sterilization chamber main body 10. Another part of the outer region 70 is a region that faces the inner surface of the housing 30 and also faces the outer surface of the light source unit 20.

[0031] A housing supply port 31A through which fluid is supplied is formed in the housing 30. The housing supply port 31A communicates with the outer region 70. That is, the fluid supplied from the housing supply port 31A passes through the outer region 70 and flows into the sterilization chamber 60 from the chamber inlet 12.

[0032] Furthermore, a housing discharge port 32A for discharging fluid is formed in the housing 30. The housing discharge port 32A communicates with the chamber outlet 13 of the sterilization chamber main body 10. Therefore, the fluid sterilized in the sterilization chamber 60 is discharged to the outside from the housing discharge port 32A via the chamber outlet 13.

[0033] 2. Flow path of the fluid in the fluid sterilization device 1 The flow path of the fluid in the fluid sterilization device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the fluid is supplied from the housing supply port 31A to the outer region 70.

[0034] First, the fluid supplied from the housing supply port 31A flows into the gap between the inner surface of the housing 30 and the outer back surface 20B of the light source unit 20 in the outer region 70. At this time, the fluid contacts the outer back surface 20B of the light source unit 20 and cools the light source unit 20. Subsequently, the fluid flows into the gap between the inner surface of the housing 30 and the outer peripheral surface 20C of the light source unit 20 in the outer region 70. At this time, the fluid contacts the outer peripheral surface 20C of the light source unit 20 and cools the light source unit 20. Subsequently, the fluid flows into the gap between the inner surface of the housing 30 and the outer surface of the sterilization chamber main body 10 in the outer region 70.

[0035] In this way, the fluid supplied from the housing supply port 31A first contacts the outer back surface 20B and the outer peripheral surface 20C which are the outer surfaces of the light source unit 20. Therefore, the light source unit 20 is efficiently cooled by the fluid supplied from the housing supply port 31A. As a result, the luminous efficiency of the light source unit 20 can be increased.

[0036] Subsequently, the fluid in the outer region 70 flows into the sterilization chamber 60 from the chamber inlet 12 of the sterilization chamber main body 10. The fluid that has flowed into the sterilization chamber 60 proceeds toward the chamber outlet 13 while maintaining a spiral flow. The fluid flows from the chamber outlet 13 to the housing discharge port 32A and is discharged to the outside.

[0037] Here, since the sterilization chamber 60 has a concave spherical wall surface, the fluid in the sterilization chamber 60 forms a spiral flow. Further, the chamber inlet 12 and the chamber outlet 13 are configured such that the direction of the central axis of the spiral flow changes as the spiral flow generated along the concave spherical wall surface in the sterilization chamber 60 by the fluid flowing in from the chamber inlet 12 proceeds from near the chamber inlet 12 to the chamber outlet 13.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 2, the central axis direction of the spiral flow in the sterilization chamber 60 is configured to change from the chamber inlet 12 toward the chamber outlet 13. Due to the positional relationship between the chamber inlet 12 and the chamber outlet 13, the central axis direction of the spiral flow of the fluid flowing into the sterilization chamber 60 is configured to change so as to approach the direction of the central axis L3 of the chamber outlet 13.

[0039] In this embodiment, since the central axis direction of the spiral flow generated immediately after flowing in from the chamber inlet 12 has an angle with respect to the direction of the central axis L3 of the chamber outlet 13, the central axis direction of the spiral flow changes. In particular, since the angle formed by the central axis direction of the spiral flow and the direction of the central axis L3 of the chamber outlet 13 has a large angle (an angle close to 90°), the angle by which the central axis direction of the spiral flow changes becomes large. By being configured in this way, in the sterilization chamber 60, the stagnant portion of the fluid can be eliminated and the flow can be made good. In particular, the flow of the fluid in the vicinity of the chamber outlet 13 can be made good.

[0040] In this way, in the sterilization chamber 60, the fluid flowing in from the chamber inlet 12 can be suppressed from immediately heading toward the chamber outlet 13, and a spiral flow can be effectively generated. Since the spiral flow can be maintained throughout the sterilization chamber 60, the flow path of the fluid in the sterilization chamber 60 can be lengthened. As a result, a desired integrated exposure amount by the ultraviolet light from the light source unit 20 can be ensured, and a desired sterilization performance can be ensured. Furthermore, the pressure loss can be reduced, and the sterilization efficiency can be increased.

[0041] Also, since the spiral flow can be maintained in the sterilization chamber 60, the pressure loss of the fluid in the sterilization chamber 60 can be reduced. From this also, the sterilization efficiency can be increased.

[0042] 3. Components of the Sterilization Chamber Body 10 The components of the sterilization chamber body 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. The sterilization chamber body 10 includes a plurality of main body components divided into at least two. As an example, the case where the sterilization chamber body 10 is composed of two main body components will be given.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 3, the sterilization chamber main body 10 is divided into two parts: a first main body component 10A and a second main body component 10B.

[0044] The first main body component 10A and the second main body component 10B are configured such that the sterilization chamber 60 is divided into two hemispherical shapes. That is, the first main body component 10A constitutes one of the plurality of main body components that make up the sterilization chamber main body 10, and its wall surface is formed in a semi-concave spherical shape. The second main body component 10B constitutes one of the plurality of main body components that make up the sterilization chamber main body 10, and its wall surface is formed in a semi-concave spherical shape. The second main body component 10B is arranged opposite to the first main body component 10A.

[0045] In the first main body component 10A and the second main body component 10B, ring-shaped boundary surfaces 10Aa and 10Ba appear as the dividing surfaces, respectively. By combining the ring-shaped boundary surface 10Aa of the first main body component 10A and the ring-shaped boundary surface 10Ba of the second main body component 10B, the sterilization chamber 60 appears inside.

[0046] The diameter of the concave spherical surface of the sterilization chamber main body 10 is D. The diameter of the opening of the sterilization chamber 60 at the dividing surface between the first main body component 10A and the second main body component 10B coincides with D. By dividing the sterilization chamber main body 10 in this way, the production of the sterilization chamber main body 10 can be facilitated.

[0047] A light source opening 14 is formed in the first main body component 10A. The plane P including the light source opening 14 is configured to be parallel to the boundary surfaces 10Aa and 10Ba. That is, the central axis L1 of the light source opening 14 is perpendicular to the boundary surfaces 10Aa and 10Ba. Therefore, the light source opening 14 is formed at the position farthest from the boundary surfaces 10Aa and 10Ba in the first main body component 10A. The edge line of the light source opening 14 is, for example, a circle. Therefore, the light source opening 14 is located in the same plane. The diameter of the edge line of the light source opening 14 is d.

[0048] The ratio D / d of the diameter D of the sterilization chamber 60 to the diameter d of the light source opening 14 is set, for example, in the range of 1.8 to 2.2. In this case, when centered on the center point O1 of the sterilization chamber 60, the opening angle θ1 of the light source opening 14 formed in the first main body component 10A is approximately 60°. As a similar standard, the sum of the angles θ2 and θ3 of the portion forming the concave spherical shape of the first main body component 10A is the remaining 120° (60° each). With this configuration, the fluid flowing in from the chamber inlet 12 surely hits the concave spherical wall surface, and a spiral flow can be effectively generated. As a result, the pressure loss can be reduced and the sterilization efficiency can be increased.

[0049] The second main body component 10B is formed with a chamber inlet 12 and a chamber outlet 13. The central axis L2 of the chamber inlet 12 is offset from the center point O1 of the sterilization chamber 60. The central axis L2 of the chamber inlet 12 is formed parallel to the central axis L1 of the light source opening 14. However, if the central axis L2 of the chamber inlet 12 is offset from the center point O1, the central axis L2 of the chamber inlet 12 and the central axis L1 of the light source opening 14 may also have an intersecting positional relationship or a twisted positional relationship.

[0050] The chamber inlet 12 has, for example, a cylindrical inner peripheral surface. The inner diameter of the chamber inlet 12 is di. Since the central axis L2 of the chamber inlet 12 is offset from the center point O1 of the sterilization chamber 60, the edge line of the opening on the sterilization chamber 60 side in the chamber inlet 12 has a shape approximated to an oval.

[0051] The chamber inlet 12 is arranged such that the opening on the sterilization chamber 60 side in the chamber inlet 12 faces the surface on the sterilization chamber 60 side of the plane P including the light source opening 14. In Fig. 3(b), the opening on the sterilization chamber 60 side in the chamber inlet 12 faces downward, and the surface on the sterilization chamber 60 side of the plane including the light source opening 14 faces upward.

[0052] The central axis L3 of the chamber outlet 13 is offset from the center point O1 of the sterilization chamber 60. The central axis L3 of the chamber outlet 13 is formed parallel to the central axis L2 of the chamber inlet 12. Therefore, the central axis L3 of the chamber outlet 13 is also formed parallel to the central axis L1 of the light source opening 14. However, if the central axis L3 of the chamber outlet 13 is offset from the center point O1, the central axis L3 of the chamber outlet 13 and the central axis L2 of the chamber inlet 12 may have an intersecting positional relationship or a twisted positional relationship. Also, the central axis L3 of the chamber outlet 13 and the central axis L1 of the light source opening 14 may have an intersecting positional relationship or a twisted positional relationship.

[0053] The chamber outlet 13 has, for example, a cylindrical inner peripheral surface. The inner diameter of the chamber outlet 13 is do. Since the central axis L3 of the chamber outlet 13 is offset from the center point O1 of the sterilization chamber 60, the edge line of the opening on the sterilization chamber 60 side in the chamber outlet 13 has a shape approximating an oval.

[0054] The chamber outlet 13 is arranged such that the opening on the sterilization chamber 60 side in the chamber outlet 13 faces the surface on the sterilization chamber 60 side of the plane P including the light source opening 14. In Fig. 3(b), the opening on the sterilization chamber 60 side in the chamber outlet 13 faces downward, and the surface on the sterilization chamber 60 side of the plane including the light source opening 14 faces upward.

[0055] As described above, the central axis L1 of the light source opening 14 is orthogonal to the boundary surfaces 10Aa, 10Ba. In this case, the entire surfaces of the boundary surfaces 10Aa, 10Ba become the surfaces having the maximum angle with respect to the central axis L1 of the light source opening 14. Therefore, the amount of ultraviolet light entering the boundary surfaces 10Aa, 10Ba can be reduced, and thus the leakage of ultraviolet light through the boundary surfaces 10Aa, 10Ba can be reduced.

[0056] 4. Positional Relationship of Each Opening 12, 13, 14 of the Sterilization Chamber Body 10 The positional relationship of each opening 12, 13, 14 of the sterilization chamber body 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Specifically, the positional relationship of the chamber inlet 12, the chamber outlet 13, and the light source opening 14 will be described.

[0057] As described above, the central axis L1 of the light source opening 14, the central axis L2 of the chamber inlet 12, and the central axis L3 of the chamber outlet 13 are, for example, parallel. And the edge line of the light source opening 14, the cross-sectional shape of the inner peripheral surface of the chamber inlet 12, and the cross-sectional shape of the inner peripheral surface of the chamber outlet 13 are each circular.

[0058] The chamber inlet 12 is arranged such that the opening of the chamber inlet 12 faces the surface on the sterilization chamber 60 side in the plane P including the light source opening 14. When viewed from the direction of the central axis L1 of the light source opening 14, at least a part of the opening of the chamber inlet 12 is arranged so as not to overlap the light source opening 14. In the present embodiment, when viewed from the direction of the central axis L1 of the light source opening 14, another part of the opening of the chamber inlet 12 is arranged so as to overlap the light source opening 14. That is, the position of the chamber inlet 12 is set such that only at least a part of it is outside the light source opening 14 when viewed from the direction shown in FIG. 4.

[0059] As described above, when viewed from the direction of the central axis L1 of the light source opening 14, at least a part of the opening of the chamber inlet 12 is arranged so as not to overlap the light source opening 14. The central axis L1 of the light source opening 14 and the central axis L2 of the chamber inlet 12 are parallel. That is, when viewed from the direction of the central axis L2 of the chamber inlet 12, at least a part of the opening of the chamber inlet 12 is also arranged so as not to overlap the light source opening 14.

[0060] Therefore, all of the fluid flowing in from the chamber inlet 12 does not all proceed toward the light source opening, and at least a part of the flowing-in fluid hits the concave spherical wall surface of the sterilization chamber 60. In this way, by having at least a part of the flowing-in fluid hit the concave spherical wall surface, a spiral flow can be generated in the sterilization chamber. And by generating a spiral flow immediately after flowing into the sterilization chamber 60, the spiral flow can be maintained in all regions of the concave spherical sterilization chamber 60. Therefore, a desired integrated irradiation dose can be ensured, and a desired sterilization performance can be ensured.

[0061] In addition to the above configuration, when viewed from the direction of the central axis L1 of the light source opening 14, all of the openings of the chamber inlet 12 may be arranged so as not to overlap the light source opening 14. That is, when viewed from the direction of the central axis L2 of the chamber inlet 12, all of the openings of the chamber inlet 12 may be arranged so as not to overlap the light source opening 14. In this case, a spiral flow can be effectively generated in the sterilization chamber 60. By generating a stronger spiral flow immediately after flowing into the sterilization chamber 60, the spiral flow can be maintained in all regions of the concave spherical sterilization chamber 60.

[0062] The chamber outlet 13 is arranged such that the opening of the chamber outlet 13 faces the surface on the sterilization chamber 60 side of the plane P including the light source opening 14. When viewed from the direction of the central axis L1 of the light source opening 14, at least a part of the opening of the chamber outlet 13 is arranged so as not to overlap the light source opening 14. In the present embodiment, when viewed from the direction of the central axis L1 of the light source opening 14, another part of the opening of the chamber outlet 13 is arranged so as to overlap the light source opening 14. That is, also for the chamber outlet 13, when viewed from the direction shown in FIG. 4, its position is set such that only at least a part of it is outside the light source opening 14.

[0063] As described above, when viewed from the direction of the central axis L1 of the light source opening 14, at least a part of the opening of the chamber outlet 13 is arranged so as not to overlap the light source opening 14. The central axis L1 of the light source opening 14 and the central axis L3 of the chamber outlet 13 are parallel. That is, when viewed from the direction of the central axis L3 of the chamber outlet 13, at least a part of the opening of the chamber outlet 13 is also arranged so as not to overlap the light source opening 14.

[0064] Therefore, at least a part of the fluid flowing toward the chamber outlet 13 flows toward the chamber outlet 13 while hitting the concave spherical wall surface in the sterilization chamber 60. The fluid flowing toward the chamber outlet 13 can be in a state of maintaining a spiral flow. As a result, the fluid flowing from the chamber inlet 12 to the chamber outlet 13 can maintain a spiral flow throughout. Since the spiral flow can be maintained in the sterilization chamber 60, the pressure loss of the fluid in the sterilization chamber 60 can be reduced, and the sterilization efficiency can be increased. Therefore, a desired integrated exposure dose can be ensured, and a desired sterilization performance can be ensured.

[0065] In addition to the above configuration, when viewed from the direction of the central axis L1 of the light source opening 14, all of the openings of the chamber outlet 13 may be arranged so as not to overlap the light source opening 14. That is, when viewed from the direction of the central axis L3 of the chamber outlet 13, all of the openings of the chamber outlet 13 may be arranged so as not to overlap the light source opening 14. In this case, a strong spiral flow can be maintained in the fluid flowing toward the chamber outlet 13.

[0066] Also, the inner diameter of the chamber outlet 13 is formed larger than the inner diameter of the chamber inlet 12. By reducing the inner diameter of the chamber inlet 12, the flow velocity flowing into the sterilization chamber 60 can be increased, and a spiral flow can be effectively generated. Furthermore, by increasing the inner diameter of the chamber outlet 13, the fluid flowing out can be made to flow out while maintaining a spiral flow. Therefore, the pressure loss in the vicinity of the chamber outlet 13 can be reduced, and the sterilization efficiency can be increased.

[0067] In addition, when viewed from the direction shown in FIG. 4, the ratio of the area outside the light source opening 14 in the area of the chamber inlet 12 and the chamber outlet 13 is preferably 50% or more, and more preferably the larger the ratio is. This makes it easier to form a spiral flow. Note that this area ratio needs to be set according to the diameter D of the sterilization chamber 60, the inner diameter di of the chamber inlet 12, and the inner diameter do of the chamber outlet 13.

[0068] 5. Configuration of the boundary surfaces 10Aa, 10Ba and the first seal member 40 The boundary surface 10Aa of the first main body component 10A, the boundary surface 10Ba of the second main body component, and the first seal member 40 will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

[0069] The boundary surface 10Aa of the first main body component 10A is formed in a ring shape. A ring-shaped concave groove 15 is formed in the boundary surface 10Aa. This concave groove 15 is provided to fit the ring-shaped first seal member 40 and fix the position of the first seal member 40 at the boundary surface 10Aa. The cross-sectional shape of the concave groove 15 can be arbitrary as long as it can fit the first seal member 40, such as a rectangle, V-shape, circle, etc.

[0070] The first seal member 40 is formed of fluororubber or fluoroelastomer. Both materials are elastic materials that are resistant to deterioration by ultraviolet light and have a high reflectivity of ultraviolet light. The first seal member 40 is exemplified by a ring shape with a circular cross-section, but can have an arbitrary cross-sectional shape.

[0071] The first seal member 40 is fitted into the concave groove 15. By fitting the first seal member 40 into the concave groove 15, the first seal member 40 at the boundary surface 10Aa of the first main body component 10A can be fixed and stabilized, and positioned. Also, by fitting the first seal member 40 into the concave groove 15, the exposed area of the first seal member 40 can be reduced so that ultraviolet light is not directly irradiated onto the first seal member 40. Therefore, the lifespan of the first seal member 40 can be improved.

[0072] As shown in Fig. 3(b), in the fluid sterilization device 1, the boundary surface 10Aa of the first main body component 10A and the boundary surface 10Ba of the second main body component 10B are arranged to face each other. And the sterilization chamber main body 10 is arranged to be pressed by the housing 30 inside the housing 30 in the vertical direction of Fig. 3(b). By this pressing, the first seal member 40 is in close contact with the boundary surface 10Aa of the first main body component 10A and the boundary surface 10Ba of the second main body component 10B over the entire circumference in the circumferential direction. In this way, the first seal member 40 partitions the sterilization chamber 60 and the outer region 70.

[0073] In this state, the boundary surface 10Aa of the first main body component 10A and the boundary surface 10Ba of the second main body component 10B are in a state of being in close contact or having a slight gap. In this way, the sterilization chamber 60 is constituted by the semi-concave spherical surface of the first main body component 10A and the semi-concave spherical surface of the second main body component 10B, and the sterilization chamber main body 10 is constituted.

[0074] With the above configuration, even if fluid infiltrates from the sterilization chamber 60 into the boundary surfaces 10Aa and 10Ba between the first main body component 10A and the second main body component 10B, the fluid does not flow outside this by the first seal member 40. That is, the boundary surfaces 10Aa and 10Ba between the first main body component 10A and the second main body component 10B are sealed by the first seal member 40, and leakage of fluid between the sterilization chamber 60 and the outer region 70 can be prevented.

[0075] Depending on the dimensional accuracy and surface roughness of the boundary surfaces 10Aa and 10Ba, there may be a case where they are in contact in a part in the circumferential direction and separated in the remaining part in the circumferential direction. Even in these cases, the first seal member 40 is in close contact with the boundary surface 10Ba of the second main body component 10B over the entire circumference. Therefore, the same effect as above is exhibited.

[0076] Further, since the first sealing member 40 is made of fluororubber or fluoroelastomer, even if ultraviolet light from the light source unit 20 enters the interface surfaces 10Aa and 10Ba between the first main body component 10A and the second main body component 10B, the ultraviolet light can be reflected by the first sealing member 40. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the leakage of ultraviolet light from the interface surfaces 10Aa and 10Ba between the first main body component 10A and the second main body component 10B to the outside of the sterilization chamber main body 10.

[0077] Also, since the first sealing member 40 is fitted into the concave groove 15, the ultraviolet light from the light source opening 14 is not directly irradiated. Therefore, the life of the first sealing member 40 can be improved.

[0078] In this embodiment, the sterilization chamber main body 10 is composed of two components, the first main body component 10A and the second main body component 10B, but it may be composed of three or more main body components. Also in that case, by arranging the first sealing member 40 at the interface with each main body component, it is possible to prevent the leakage of fluid between the sterilization chamber 60 and the outer region 70 and prevent the leakage of ultraviolet light to the outside of the sterilization chamber main body 10.

[0079] Also, in this embodiment, the concave groove 15 is provided in the first main body component 10A, but it may be provided in the second main body component 10B, or may be provided in both.

[0080] 6. Configuration of the light source unit 20 The configuration of the light source unit 20 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the light source unit 20. The light source unit 20 is arranged so as to close the light source opening 14 of the sterilization chamber main body 10. Also, the ultraviolet light emitting side of the light source unit 20 is arranged to face the sterilization chamber 60 side. The ultraviolet light emitted from the light source unit 20 enters the sterilization chamber 60 through the light source opening 14.

[0081] The light source unit 20 includes a mounting substrate 21, a light emitting element 22, a window member 23, a light source housing 24, and a gasket 25. The shape of the entire light source unit 20 is, for example, disk-shaped. However, the shape of the light source unit 20 can be any shape.

[0082] The mounting substrate 21 is a substrate having a mounting surface. A wiring pattern is formed on the mounting substrate 21. A wiring 80 for supplying power is connected to the back surface of the mounting substrate 21.

[0083] The light emitting element 22 is an element that emits ultraviolet light. For example, the light emitting element 22 uses a group III nitride semiconductor, and the emission wavelength is 200 to 280 nm. Since the emission wavelength is in the UVC region, the fluid can be efficiently sterilized. The light emitting element 22 may be directly mounted on the mounting surface of the mounting substrate 21, or a packaged LED package may be mounted on the mounting surface of the mounting substrate 21. The LED package is a unit in which the light emitting element 22 is arranged in a housing and sealed with a glass plate or a lens. Also, various elements (for example, a Zener diode) necessary for driving and protecting the light emitting element 22 are mounted on the mounting surface of the mounting substrate 21.

[0084] The window member 23 is a circular glass plate and is disposed on the gasket 25. The window member 23 is made of quartz. Other materials than quartz may be used as long as they are materials that transmit ultraviolet light. For example, sapphire or the like may be used. Also, the window member 23 is not limited to a plate shape and may be a lens shape, for example, a TIR lens, a fly-eye lens, a Fresnel lens, or the like.

[0085] The light source housing 24 is provided so as to cover other parts so as not to cover at least the vicinity of the center of the window member 23. The light source housing 24 is provided so as to continuously cover, for example, the back surface and side surfaces of the mounting substrate 21 and the side surfaces of the window member 23. The light source housing 24 may be composed of one member or a plurality of members.

[0086] The light source housing 24 is formed of a material with high heat dissipation. For example, the light source housing 24 is formed of a metal such as SUS or Al, or a resin material with high heat dissipation. Since the light source housing 24 of the light source unit 20 comes into contact with the fluid, the light source unit 20 can be efficiently cooled.

[0087] The gasket 25 is formed in a ring shape and is disposed on the mounting substrate 21 along the vicinity of the end portion. The light emitting element 22 and various elements are located inside the gasket 25. The height of the gasket 25 is set higher than that of the light emitting element 22 and various elements. The gasket 25 is made of an elastic material resistant to ultraviolet light. It may be made of the same material as the first sealing member 40.

[0088] The gasket 25 is elastically deformed and is in close contact with the mounting substrate 21, the window member 23, and the light source housing 24. Thereby, the internal space surrounded by the light source housing 24, the window member 23, and the gasket 25 is sealed so that the fluid does not leak into the internal space. Therefore, the fluid can be prevented from entering the region where the light emitting element 22 and various elements are disposed. Note that the gasket 25 may be in close contact with only the mounting substrate 21 and the window member 23, or may be in close contact with only the window member 23 and the light source housing 24.

[0089] Here, the outer surface of the light source unit 20 has an emission surface 20A that emits ultraviolet light, an outer back surface 20B located on the back surface of the emission surface, and an outer peripheral surface 20C. The emission surface 20A is located corresponding to the light source opening 14 and is constituted by a portion of the window member 23 that is not covered by the light source housing 24. That is, the emission surface 20A is constituted by the surface of the window member 23. The outer back surface 20B is constituted by a portion on the back surface side of the light source housing 24. The outer peripheral surface 20C is constituted by a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the light source housing 24.

[0090] 7. Configuration of the housing 30 and the second sealing member 50 The configuration of the housing 30 and the second seal member 50 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 6, and 7. As described above, the housing 30 is provided so as to enclose the sterilization chamber main body 10 and the light source unit 20. The housing 30 includes a first housing member 31 and a second housing member 32. The division position between the first housing member 31 and the second housing member 32 can be arbitrarily set. Also, the housing 30 may be constituted by one member, or may be constituted by three or more members. Note that the joint portion between the first housing member 31 and the second housing member 32 has a seal structure (not shown).

[0091] The first housing member 31 is configured to cover a part of the outer surface of the sterilization chamber main body 10 and the outer surface of the light source unit 20. Therefore, a part of the outer region 70 is formed between the inner surface of the first housing member 31 and the outer surfaces of the sterilization chamber main body 10 and the light source unit 20.

[0092] A housing supply port 31A is formed in the first housing member 31. The housing supply port 31A is formed in a cylindrical shape, for example, a cylindrical shape or a polygonal cylindrical shape. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the housing supply port 31A is arranged so as to face the outer back surface 20B of the light source unit 20. When viewed from the central axis direction of the housing supply port 31A, at least a part of the opening of the housing supply port 31A is set to face the outer back surface of the light source unit 20. Thereby, the fluid flowing into the outer region 70 from the housing supply port 31A can directly hit the light source unit 20, and the cooling efficiency of the light source unit 20 can be improved.

[0093] In particular, when viewed from the central axis direction of the housing supply port 31A, it is preferable that the entire opening of the housing supply port 31A is set to face the outer back surface 20B of the light source unit 20. The cooling efficiency of the light source unit 20 can be further improved.

[0094] Furthermore, the first housing member 31 is provided with an opening 31B through which a wiring 80 connecting the light source unit 20 and the outside passes. The opening 31B is, for example, cylindrical, and one end of the cylinder is in contact with the outer back surface 20B of the light source unit 20. Then, by passing the wiring 80 through the inside of the cylinder of the opening 31B, the connection part between the light source unit 20 and the wiring 80 and the wiring 80 are prevented from coming into contact with the fluid.

[0095] The second housing member 32 is configured to cover the remaining part of the outer surface of the sterilization chamber main body 10. A part of the outer region 70 is formed between the inner surface of the second housing member 32 and the outer surface of the sterilization chamber main body 10.

[0096] The second housing member 32 is formed with a housing discharge port 32A. The housing discharge port 32A is connected to the chamber outlet 13 of the sterilization chamber main body 10. The connection structure between the chamber outlet 13 of the sterilization chamber main body 10 and the housing discharge port 32A of the housing 30 will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 7, the housing discharge port 32A has a cylindrical portion 32Aa protruding toward the chamber outlet 13, and is connected to the chamber outlet 13 by fitting the cylindrical portion 32Aa into the chamber outlet 13. Further, in the chamber outlet 13, the region on the housing discharge port 32A side has a larger inner diameter than the other regions, and the inner diameter approximately matches the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 32Aa.

[0098] Due to this difference in inner diameter, a stepped portion 13A is formed in the chamber outlet 13. A ring-shaped second seal member 50 is disposed on the stepped portion 13A. The second seal member 50 is formed of the same material as the first seal member 40. That is, the second seal member 50 is formed of fluororubber or fluoroelastomer.

[0099] The second seal member 50 is formed in a ring shape. The second seal member 50 is disposed between the boundary surfaces of the chamber outlet 13 and the housing outlet 32A. The second seal member 50 is elastically deformed by the pressing force from the housing 30 and is in close contact with both the stepped portion 13A of the chamber outlet 13 and the tip of the cylindrical portion 32Aa of the housing outlet 32A. With such a structure, the second seal member 50 seals the boundary surface between the chamber outlet 13 and the housing outlet 32A. Therefore, the second seal member 50 prevents the leakage of fluid between the chamber outlet 13 and the outer region 70 through the boundary surface between the chamber outlet 13 and the housing outlet 32A.

[0100] 8. Water flow simulation The sterilization chamber 60 in this embodiment was modeled and water flow simulation was performed. As shown in FIG. 8, it can be seen from the water flow simulation results that a spiral flow is formed in the sterilization chamber 60.

[0101] Also, when the flow rate of water flowing through the sterilization chamber 60 per unit time is 8 L / sec, the time from when the water flows in from the chamber inlet 12 until it flows out from the chamber outlet 13, that is, the residence time in the sterilization chamber 60, was 0.14 sec. The sterilization performance of the outflowed water was very high, and it was confirmed that the sterilization or inactivation of the target bacteria and viruses was 90% or more.

[0102] From the above, it is preferable that the sterilization chamber main body 10 is configured such that when the flow rate of the fluid flowing through the sterilization chamber 60 per unit time is 0.5 to 50 L / sec, the residence time of the fluid in the sterilization chamber 60 is 0.02 to 2 sec. Thereby, a desired integrated exposure dose can be ensured, and a desired sterilization performance can be ensured.

[0103] (Embodiment 2) The fluid sterilization device in Embodiment 2 is obtained by replacing the first seal member 40 in Embodiment 1 with rubber containing carbon. Other configurations are the same as those in Embodiment 1.

[0104] Rubber containing carbon can efficiently absorb ultraviolet light due to the mixed carbon. Therefore, the transmittance of ultraviolet light can be sufficiently reduced. Thus, even if ultraviolet light from the light source unit 20 enters the interfaces 10Aa and 10Ba between the first main body component 10A and the second main body component 10B, the first sealing member 40, which is rubber containing carbon, can prevent the transmission of ultraviolet light, and prevent the leakage of ultraviolet light to the outside of the sterilization chamber main body 10. In addition, since carbon can absorb ultraviolet light, deterioration of the base rubber due to ultraviolet light can be suppressed.

[0105] As the base rubber in the rubber containing carbon, any material can be used. For example, in addition to the fluororubber and fluoroelastomer mentioned in Embodiment 1, acrylic rubber, silicone rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, nitrile rubber, etc. can be used. In particular, it is preferable to use fluororubber or fluoroelastomer as in Embodiment 1. This is because it is resistant to deterioration by ultraviolet light and has a high reflectance of ultraviolet light.

[0106] The carbon mixed with the rubber is carbon black, carbon fiber, graphite, carbon nanotube, etc. From an industrial perspective, carbon black is particularly preferable. Also, a plurality of these carbon types may be mixed.

[0107] Assuming the total mass of the rubber containing carbon (that is, the total of the mass of the base rubber and the mass of the mixed carbon) is 100% by mass, the mass ratio of carbon is preferably 1% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less. By setting such a ratio, carbon can be uniformly dispersed in the rubber, and the transmission of ultraviolet light can be sufficiently reduced. In addition, deterioration of the base rubber due to ultraviolet light can be suppressed by the absorption of ultraviolet light by carbon. More preferably, it is 5% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, and even more preferably 10% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less.

[0108] The rubber containing carbon preferably has the material of the base rubber, the carbon content, the type of carbon, the thickness, etc. set so that the transmittance with respect to the ultraviolet light from the light source unit 20 is 20% or less. A more preferable transmittance is 10% or less, and even more preferably 5% or less.

[0109] Regarding the second seal member 50, it may also be a rubber containing carbon. It is possible to prevent ultraviolet light from leaking from the connection part between the chamber outlet 13 and the housing outlet 32A.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0110] 10: Sterilization chamber main body 10A: First main body component 10B: Second main body component 10Aa, 10Ba: Interface 12: Chamber inlet 13: Chamber outlet 14: Light source opening 15: Concave groove 20: Light source unit 30: Housing 31A: Housing supply port 32A: Housing outlet 40: First seal member 50: Second seal member 60: Sterilization chamber 70: Outer region 80: Wiring

Claims

1. A sterilization chamber having a wall surface formed in a concave spherical shape, a sterilization chamber body formed such that a light source opening, a chamber inlet for allowing a fluid to flow into the sterilization chamber, and a chamber outlet for allowing the fluid to flow out of the sterilization chamber open into the sterilization chamber, and a light source unit configured to block the light source opening and emit ultraviolet light from the light source opening into the sterilization chamber, wherein the sterilization chamber body includes a plurality of main body constituent members divided into at least two parts, and further includes a sealing member formed of a rubber containing carbon, formed in a ring shape, disposed between boundary surfaces of the plurality of main body constituent members, and sealing the boundary surfaces of the plurality of main body constituent members. A fluid sterilization device.

2. The fluid sterilization device according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member contains 1 to 50% by mass of carbon when the sealing member is 100% by mass.

3. The fluid sterilization device according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member is formed of a fluororubber or fluoroelastomer containing carbon.

4. The sterilization chamber body includes a first main body constituent member that constitutes one of the plurality of main body constituent members and has a wall surface formed in a semi-concave spherical shape, and a second main body constituent member that constitutes one of the plurality of main body constituent members, has a wall surface formed in a semi-concave spherical shape, and is disposed opposite to the first main body constituent member, wherein the light source opening is formed in the first main body constituent member, and the chamber inlet and the chamber outlet are formed in the second main body constituent member. The fluid sterilization device according to claim 1.

5. The fluid sterilization device according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member is disposed at a position where the ultraviolet light emitted from the light source opening is not directly irradiated.

6. A ring-shaped concave groove is formed on at least one of the first main body constituent member and the second main body constituent member on a facing surface between the first main body constituent member and the second main body constituent member, and the sealing member is fitted into the concave groove. The fluid sterilization device according to claim 4.

7. The fluid sterilization device according to claim 4 or 6, wherein a central axis of the light source opening is perpendicular to a boundary surface between the first main body constituent member and the second main body constituent member.

8. Furthermore, a housing is provided which is arranged to cover the outer surface of the sterilization chamber main body, has a housing supply port through which the fluid is supplied, and forms an outer region facing the outer surface of the sterilization chamber main body, the outer region being configured such that the fluid supplied from the housing supply port flows to the chamber inlet. The fluid sterilization device according to claim 1, wherein the seal member partitions the sterilization chamber and the outer region.

9. The housing communicates with the chamber outlet and has a housing discharge port formed therein for discharging the fluid sterilized in the sterilization chamber. Furthermore, the fluid sterilization device according to claim 8 includes a second seal member formed of fluororubber or fluoroelastomer, formed in a ring shape, disposed between the boundary surfaces of the chamber outlet and the housing discharge port, and sealing the boundary surfaces of the chamber outlet and the housing discharge port.

Images