Toxic object reduction apparatus

Abstract

To provide means for gradually and surely reducing a toxic object by discharging fluid after reducing the toxic object to the outside while surely decomposing, inactivating and / or killing and reducing the toxic object or the like contained in the fluid while sucking the fluid by a simple structure.SOLUTION: A toxic object reduction device includes a flow path that communicates a suction portion for sucking a fluid and a discharge portion for discharging the fluid and defines a path in a polygonal shape, a reflection layer that is disposed in the flow path and extends along a direction in which the fluid flows, and reduction means that is disposed in the suction portion and / or the discharge portion and decomposes and / or inactivates and / or sterilizes an object contained in the fluid flowing down in the flow path with ultraviolet rays, and the ultraviolet rays emitted from the reduction means are reflected by the reflection layer and illuminate substantially the entire region of the flow path.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a toxic target abatement device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, electric fans have been proposed that generate ions to remove dust, deodorize, disinfect, act as an antiviral, and prevent mold, etc. (See, for example, Patent Document 1.) Such electric fans have an ion generator built into the fan motor, and ions are supplied to the fan through an ion outlet provided in the motor housing of the fan motor.

[0003] In addition, the electric fan described in Patent Document 2 has an ion generator attached to a support column below the slide pipe, and uses the flow of air generated by the blower to release ions emitted from the ion generator to the outside.

[0004] Furthermore, a fluid sterilization device that uses ultraviolet light to sterilize a fluid flowing through a flow path is known in the art. The device comprises a straight tube and a light source, and the light source is positioned at the end of the straight tube and irradiates ultraviolet light toward the inside of the straight tube, thereby sterilizing a fluid such as water flowing inside the straight tube (see, for example, Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-121579 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-272799 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-064610 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The electric fans described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 utilize airflow to release ions to the outside. However, the amount of ions generated decreases over time, making it impossible to fill a room or other space with ions. Therefore, even if toxic substances such as bacteria and viruses that are harmful to the human body are present in the space, it is difficult to achieve the effect of using ions to reliably eliminate, inactivate, or reduce the toxic substances. Consequently, airflow is created in a space where toxic substances remain. In this state, blowing air from an electric fan scatters, agitates, and disperses toxic substances such as droplets, especially viruses attached to so-called microdroplets and aerosols, which have a significantly long residence time in air, throughout the indoor space. This can lead to the problem of spreading disease and other infections.

[0007] Furthermore, the fluid sterilization device described in Patent Document 3 requires that the fluid be irradiated with a predetermined amount of ultraviolet light or more in order to sterilize it with ultraviolet light, and therefore, depending on the length and size of the straight pipe, it can be very difficult to continue irradiating the fluid with ultraviolet light until sterilization is complete.

[0008] The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems through intensive research by the inventor, and aims to provide a means for gradually and reliably eliminating toxic substances by sucking in a fluid with a simple structure, reliably decomposing, inactivating and / or killing toxic substances contained in the fluid, and discharging the fluid after the toxic substances have been eliminated to the outside. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In addition, the toxic target reduction device of the present invention comprises a flow path that connects an inlet section that sucks in a fluid with an outlet section that discharges the fluid, and has a path defined in a polygonal shape, a reflective layer that is arranged within the flow path and extends along the direction in which the fluid flows, and a reduction means that is arranged in the inlet section and / or the outlet section and that decomposes and / or inactivates and / or sterilizes targets contained in the fluid flowing down the flow path using ultraviolet light, and is characterized in that ultraviolet light irradiated from the reduction means is reflected by the reflective layer and illuminates almost the entire area of ​​the flow path.

[0010] In addition, the toxic target reduction device of the present invention is characterized in that an ultraviolet leakage suppression body that can suppress ultraviolet light leaking outside the device and allow fluid to pass through is arranged on the suction side and / or the discharge side.

[0011] In addition, the toxic target attenuation device of the present invention is characterized in that the ultraviolet ray leakage suppressor has a plurality of holes forming a honeycomb structure.

[0012] The toxic target attenuation device of the present invention is characterized in that the ultraviolet leakage suppressor has a light-shielding surface having a curved cross-sectional shape.

[0013] In addition, the toxic target reduction device of the present invention is characterized in that the ultraviolet leakage suppression body has a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface, and the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are arranged at different inclination angles from each other.

[0014] In addition, the toxic target reduction device of the present invention is characterized in that the ultraviolet leakage suppressor has a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface, and the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are spaced apart and are installed in offset positions so that the other inclined surface is on the extension line of the inclination direction of one inclined surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, a simple structure is used to suck in a fluid, reliably decomposing, inactivating and / or killing toxic substances contained in the fluid, and then discharging the fluid after the toxic substances have been eliminated toward a space in an area where the toxic substances are unlikely to be present, thereby gradually and reliably eliminating the toxic substances within the space without diffusing them. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of a toxic target reduction device of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a toxic target reduction device of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a flow path. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a flow path. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the intake section. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of a discharge unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the arrangement of ultraviolet light sources. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the arrangement of ultraviolet light sources. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating examples of arrangement of concave reflecting portions relative to an ultraviolet light source. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the direction in which ultraviolet light is reflected by a concave reflecting portion. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 shows a toxic target abatement device having another configuration. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the flow direction of a fluid and the direction of ultraviolet light in a flow channel. [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating examples of arrangement of flow generating units. [Figure 14] A diagram showing the appearance of a toxic target reduction device with another configuration. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a toxic target reduction device having another configuration. [Figure 16] FIG. [Figure 17]1A and 1B show the outer layer portion of the flow path, where FIG. 1A is a plan view and FIG. 1B is a front view. [Figure 18] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of a flow path portion. [Figure 19] 1A is a perspective view of the blower section, FIG. 1B is a side view of the blower section, and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of the blower section. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the flow direction of a fluid in an air passage. [Figure 21] 1A and 1B show a toxic target reduction device, in which (a) is a diagram showing the external appearance, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in (a). [Figure 22] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a toxic target reduction device. [Figure 23] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a blower section 70. [Figure 24] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of an ultraviolet light source. [Figure 25] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a toxic target reduction device having another configuration. [Figure 26] A diagram showing the general configuration of a toxic target reduction device having a cyclone chamber. [Figure 27] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another configuration of the blower section. [Figure 28] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a spiral flow channel. [Figure 29] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a spiral flow channel. [Figure 30] FIG. 10 shows another spiral flow path. [Figure 31] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a partial spiral flow path. [Figure 32] FIG. 10 illustrates the alignment of partial spiral channels. [Figure 33] FIG. 1 shows two connected partial spiral channels. [Figure 34] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an ultraviolet leakage suppressor. [Figure 35] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a toxic target reduction device combined with an ultraviolet leakage inhibitor. [Figure 36] 10A and 10B show another example of an ultraviolet leakage suppressor, where (a) is a plan view and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA. [Figure 37]10A and 10B show another example of an ultraviolet leakage suppressor, where (a) is a plan view and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB. [Figure 38] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing other examples of ultraviolet light leakage suppressors. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] An embodiment of the toxic target reduction device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows a schematic configuration of the toxic target reduction device 1 of the present invention. The toxic target reduction device 1 comprises an intake section 2 that draws in a fluid, an exhaust section 4 that exhausts the fluid, a flow path 6 that connects the intake section 2 and the exhaust section 4 and is defined in a non-linear manner so that the path between them is longer than a straight line, and an ultraviolet light source 8 (reduction means) that irradiates ultraviolet light on toxic targets contained in the fluid flowing down the flow path 6 to reduce (e.g., decompose, inactivate, sterilize, etc.) the targets.

[0018] The term "fluid" includes gases, liquids, and powders, and "toxic objects" refers to objects that are toxic to at least the human body and move with the fluid, including pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses, as well as harmful molecules such as formaldehyde, sulfur dioxide gas, and nitrous acid gas.

[0019] The suction section 2 is an opening, nozzle, etc. for taking in fluid from outside the device into the device, and the discharge section 4 is an opening, nozzle, etc. for discharging fluid from inside the device to the outside. The toxic target reduction device 1 flows the fluid taken in from the suction section 2 along a flow path 6 and irradiates it with ultraviolet light from an ultraviolet light source 8.

[0020] As a result, the toxic substances in the fluid are attenuated by the ultraviolet light, and as a result, the toxic substances are prevented from adversely affecting the human body through the fluid discharged from the discharge section 4.

[0021] In addition, in order to take in fluid through the suction section 2, the toxic target reduction device 1 may be configured to have a flow generating means such as a fan (not shown) disposed inside and / or outside the device 1.

[0022] FIG. 2 shows an example of a toxic target reduction device 1 of the present invention. The toxic target reduction device 1 has a housing 16, in which a flow path 6 and an ultraviolet light source 8 are arranged. The housing 16 has an intake section 2 and an exhaust section 4 spaced apart in the vertical direction. That is, the intake section 2 is formed by opening the lower outer periphery of the housing 16, and the exhaust section 4 is formed by opening the upper end face. The housing 16 and the flow path 6 may be integral or separate. It is preferable that the housing 16 be configured to surround at least the flow path 6 and be able to accommodate the ultraviolet light source 8, but the shape is not particularly limited, and it may be cylindrical, columnar, rectangular, or the like.

[0023] The flow path 6 is formed by arranging the guide plates 12a and 12b so that the fluid can flow up and down reciprocally. That is, the guide plates 12a, whose upper ends are spaced apart from the ceiling of the housing 16, and the guide plates 12b, whose lower ends are spaced apart from the bottom of the housing 16, are arranged alternately so that the fluid can flow up and down reciprocally. The flow path 6 is formed by the guide plates 12a and 12b, the inner surface of the housing 16, and a flow path defining means including a part of the ultraviolet light source 8.

[0024] The ultraviolet light source 8 is a light source that irradiates ultraviolet light, such as a germicidal lamp, an ultraviolet lamp, an ultraviolet LED, or the like, and irradiates ultraviolet light widely within the flow path 6. For example, the ultraviolet light source 8 can be arranged across the guide plates 12a and 12b.

[0025] The ultraviolet light source 8 reduces or eliminates the target toxic substance by decomposing, inactivating, disinfecting, sterilizing, sterilizing, or the like. Such ultraviolet light preferably has a wavelength of 250 to 300 nm, and more preferably set to around 250 to 270 nm. Of course, the ultraviolet light may be near ultraviolet light (UV-C) with a wavelength of less than 260 nm, far ultraviolet light (wavelength 10 to 200 nm), extreme ultraviolet light (wavelength 10 to 121 nm), or the like, as long as it can at least reduce or eliminate the toxic substance. Alternatively, near ultraviolet light (UV-A, UV-B) with a wavelength of more than 300 nm may also be used.

[0026] An ultraviolet LED (Light Emitting Diode) may be applied to the ultraviolet light source 8. Such an ultraviolet LED may, for example, be one that uses aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN). The ultraviolet LEDs may be arranged, for example, in a substantially linear fashion, or may be arranged in a vertical and / or horizontal alignment within a plane to form an ultraviolet light source.

[0027] With this configuration, the fluid sucked in from the suction unit 2 in multiple directions can be retained for a time sufficient to eliminate the toxic target, compared to when the suction unit 2 is directly connected to the discharge unit 4 in a straight line, and ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source 8 can be continuously irradiated. At this time, the fluid flows back and forth along the flow path 6, so the time the toxic target is exposed to ultraviolet light can be extended. Furthermore, due to the back and forth flow, the orientation (posture) of the toxic target relative to the ultraviolet light source 8 may change depending on the flow of the fluid, and as a result, the toxic target is exposed to ultraviolet light in various directions. In other words, even if the toxic target is hidden behind dust or dirt, ultraviolet light can be irradiated, and the toxic target can be eliminated reliably.

[0028] [Explanation of Channel 6] Although the flow path 6 has been described as being configured to allow the fluid to flow in the vertical direction, other configurations are also possible. For example, by arranging multiple guide plates 12 shown in FIG. 3(a) horizontally, air (fluid) may be caused to flow back and forth horizontally within the flow path 6. Alternatively, by arranging multiple guide plates 12 with a generally L-shaped cross section as shown in FIG. 3(b), air may be caused to flow down within the flow path while reciprocating horizontally and vertically. Alternatively, by arranging the guide plates 12 in a row at an angle from the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 3(c), air may be caused to flow down within the flow path while reciprocating in the inclined direction.

[0029] Furthermore, the flow path 6 may be formed to include a curved or serpentine portion, as long as the path connecting the suction section 2 and the discharge section 4 can be set longer than the linear distance, and the curved portion may be formed to form a spiral or vortex shape. The length of the flow path 6 may be set to, for example, an integer multiple or more of the linear distance between the suction section 2 and the discharge section 4. Furthermore, when the suction section 2 and the discharge section 4 are spaced apart in the vertical direction and the flow path moves back and forth in the vertical direction, the length of the flow path 6 may be set to approximately an odd multiple of the linear distance between the suction section 2 and the discharge section 4. Furthermore, when the suction section 2 and the discharge section 4 are close to each other in the vertical direction and the flow path moves back and forth in the vertical direction, the length of the flow path 6 may be set to approximately an even multiple of the linear distance between the suction section 2 and the discharge section 4.

[0030] The number of flow paths 6 arranged in the toxic target reduction device 1 can be set as appropriate. For example, as shown in FIG. 4(a), a pair of flow paths 6 may be arranged facing each other with an ultraviolet light source 8 in between, or as shown in FIG. 4(b), a plurality of flow paths 6 may be arranged side by side in the vertical direction. Also, a plurality of flow paths 6 may be arranged in the circumferential direction around the ultraviolet light source 8. When a plurality of flow paths 6 are provided in this manner, an intake section 2 and an exhaust section 4 can be provided for each flow path 6, and the intake sections 2 (and exhaust sections 4) may face in the same direction or in different directions.

[0031] In addition, although the position of the suction section 2 has been described as being at the lower periphery of the housing 16, the position of the suction section 2 can be set as appropriate, and for example, it may be disposed midway around the periphery of the housing 16 as shown in Fig. 5(a), or at the upper end as shown in Fig. 5(b). Furthermore, the suction section 2 may be disposed on the upper end surface as shown in Fig. 5(c), or on the lower end surface as shown in Fig. 5(d).

[0032] Furthermore, although the position of the discharge unit 4 has been described as being on the upper end surface of the housing 16, the position of the discharge unit 4 can be set as appropriate. For example, as shown in FIG. 6(a), the discharge unit 4 may be located at the lower periphery of the housing 16, below the suction unit 2, or at the upper end as shown in FIG. 6(b). The discharge unit 4 may also be located midway around the periphery of the housing 16 as shown in FIG. 6(c), or may be located on the lower end surface of the housing 16 as shown in FIG. 6(d). Therefore, the positions of the suction unit 2 and the discharge unit 4 may be set in a positional relationship opposite to that shown in FIG. 2 above, or may be set in a different positional relationship.

[0033] Furthermore, the guide plate 12 that constitutes the flow path 6 and other components that constitute the flow path 6 can be made of an ultraviolet-transmitting material or an ultraviolet-reflecting material. Examples of ultraviolet-transmitting materials include glass, quartz (SiO2), sapphire (Al2O3), amorphous fluorine-based resins such as PTFE, and acrylic resins. The ultraviolet-reflective material preferably has a diffuse transmittance of 1% / 1mm or more and 20% / 1mm or less, a total reflectance in the ultraviolet range of 60% / 1mm or more and 99.9% / 1mm or less, and the sum of the diffuse transmittance and the total reflectance in the ultraviolet range is 90% / 1mm or more. Such ultraviolet reflective materials may include at least one of silver, aluminum, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), silicone resin, quartz glass containing bubbles of 0.05 μm or more and 10 μm or less inside, partially crystallized quartz glass containing crystal grains of 0.05 μm or more and 10 μm or less inside, alumina sintered body with crystal grains of 0.05 μm or more and 10 μm or less, and mullite sintered body with crystal grains of 0.05 μm or more and 10 μm or less.

[0034] Furthermore, when silver or aluminum materials are used, a thin film that functions as a coating may be applied to the surface to prevent surface oxidation. In this case, acrylic resin, quartz glass, PTFE, etc. can be used for the thin film. Methods for forming a PTFE thin film include vapor deposition and sputtering. Similarly, the inner periphery of the housing 16 can be constructed of a UV-transmitting or UV-reflective material. Furthermore, a film made of a photocatalytic active substance may be applied to the surface of the guide plate 12 and the inner surface of the housing 16. Specifically, by generating active oxygen through UV irradiation, sterilization, antiviral properties, deodorization, air and water purification by decomposing organic chlorine compounds, formaldehyde, etc., and toxic substances can be reduced or eliminated. Examples of photocatalytic active substances include titanium oxide and tungsten oxide.

[0035] [Explanation of UV light source 8] The shape and arrangement of the ultraviolet light source 8 can be set appropriately as long as it can irradiate ultraviolet light into the flow path 6. For example, the ultraviolet light source 8 can be in the form of a substantially long fluorescent tube (cylindrical tube). Even when an ultraviolet light source 8 in the form of a fluorescent tube is used, by arranging multiple fluorescent tubes in the flow path 6 as shown in FIG. 7, it is possible to continuously irradiate the flowing fluid with ultraviolet light. Furthermore, even if an ultraviolet light source 8 like a fluorescent tube is used, it can be used as part of the flow path 6. In other words, by arranging the ultraviolet light source 8 along the flow direction, it is possible to guide the fluid and irradiate the fluid with ultraviolet light from a close distance.

[0036] 8(a), or may be disposed along the bottom as shown in FIG. 8(b), or along the top as shown in FIG. 8(b). Even with such a configuration, ultraviolet light can be irradiated over a wide area within the flow channel 6. That is, since the direction of irradiation of ultraviolet light is parallel to a predetermined direction (for example, the reciprocating direction) in the flow channel 6, the ultraviolet light is hardly blocked by the guide plate 12.

[0037] Of course, the ultraviolet light source 8 may be arranged so as to extend parallel to the reciprocating direction of the fluid near the suction part 2 as shown in Fig. 8(c), or may be arranged so as to extend parallel to the reciprocating direction of the fluid near the discharge part 4 as shown in Fig. 8(d). In this case as well, the longitudinal length of the ultraviolet light source 8 is set along the range in the height direction in which the flow path 6 is formed inside the housing 16.

[0038] However, if the ultraviolet light source 8 is placed in the position shown in Figures 8(c) and (d), the ultraviolet light will be emitted in a direction non-parallel to the reciprocating direction of the fluid, and the ultraviolet light will be blocked by the guide plate 12. Therefore, it is desirable to make the guide plate 12 from a material that is ultraviolet-transparent. As a result, the ultraviolet light can pass through the guide plate 12 and irradiate almost the entire area of ​​the flow path 6. Furthermore, the inner surface 16a of the housing 16 may be made from an ultraviolet-reflective material so that the ultraviolet light that has passed through the guide plate 12 can be reflected, thereby reflecting the ultraviolet light toward the flow path 6.

[0039] 8(a) in a plan view, and the longitudinal direction may be orthogonal to the height and width directions, but the ultraviolet light source 8 would extend in a direction orthogonal to the fluid flow in a plan view, narrowing the ultraviolet irradiation area. Therefore, the concave reflecting portion 18 is disposed opposite the flow path 6 across the ultraviolet light source 8, and substantially all of the ultraviolet light irradiated to the concave reflecting portion 18 side is reflected back to the flow path 6 side.

[0040] 9 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the concave reflector 18 relative to the ultraviolet light source 8. The concave reflector 18 has a concavely curved reflecting surface, and is arranged so that the reflecting surface faces the ultraviolet light source 8. More specifically, the concave reflector 18 is a curved mirror forming a part of an ellipse, and is arranged so that it surrounds the ultraviolet light source 8 and faces the flow path 6 with the ultraviolet light source 8 in between. The concave reflector 18 is positioned so that the focal position of the ellipse formed by the reflecting surface overlaps with the ultraviolet light source 8. Such a concave reflector 18 can reflect ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source 8 as a parallel beam.

[0041] That is, as shown in Fig. 10, by facing the concave reflecting portion 18 toward the flow path 6 across the ultraviolet light source 8, it is possible to direct ultraviolet light radially emitted from the ultraviolet light source 8, which is directed toward the outside of the flow path 6, such as the opposite side of the flow path 6, into the flow path 6. Furthermore, the reflected ultraviolet light can become a parallel beam of light that is approximately parallel to the direction in which the fluid in the flow path 6 moves back and forth. This allows ultraviolet light to reach the far side of the flow path 6 along the direction of travel from the ultraviolet light source 8. When the concave reflecting portion (ultraviolet light reflecting surface) 18 is located below the flow path 6 as shown in Fig. 10, the effective objective diameter and the like are set so that it can face approximately the entire lower end of the flow path 6.

[0042] Furthermore, in the case of an ultraviolet light source 8 such as a fluorescent lamp, ultraviolet light is emitted radially from the ultraviolet light source 8 in the all-around direction, and as a result, ultraviolet light is emitted in a direction away from the flow path 6. Therefore, a paint or the like for reflecting ultraviolet light may be applied to part of the fluorescent lamp, so that ultraviolet light directed out of the flow path 6 is forcibly directed in the direction of the flow path 6.

[0043] Next, a toxic target abatement device with another configuration will be described with reference to Figure 11. The toxic target abatement device in Figure 11 is configured with a flow path 6 that moves fluid back and forth in an up and down direction, a guide plate 12 made of an ultraviolet-transmitting material, and an inner surface of a housing 16 made of an ultraviolet-reflecting surface. In addition, an ultraviolet light source 8 is disposed so as to extend in the up and down direction along the inner surface of the housing 16 near the discharge portion 4 and to irradiate ultraviolet light in a direction that crosses the flow path 6.

[0044] Furthermore, the toxic target reduction device 1 includes a flow generating section 10 (flow generating means) that generates a flow along the flow path 6 from the suction section 2 side toward the discharge section 4 side.

[0045] The flow generating unit 10 is disposed near the suction unit 2 in the flow path 6 and has a fan structure for moving the fluid in the flow path 6. That is, the fan structure of the flow generating unit 10 has a propeller with multiple blades arranged around a rotation axis, a motor (drive source) for driving the propeller, and the like.

[0046] Here, Figure 12 is a diagram showing the direction of fluid flow and the direction of ultraviolet light within flow path 6. When flow generating unit 10 is driven, fluid from outside the device enters flow path 6 via suction unit 2. As shown by arrow a in Figure 12, the fluid moves back and forth in the vertical direction and is discharged to the outside from discharge unit 4. That is, the flow direction of the fluid is guided by guide plate 12, moves to discharge unit 4, and is discharged to the outside.

[0047] As shown by arrow V in Fig. 12, ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source 8 passes through the guide plate 12 and irradiates the inner surface 16a. That is, ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source 8 is irradiated over substantially the entire area of ​​the flow path 6. Furthermore, because the inner surface 16a reflects the ultraviolet light, the reflected ultraviolet light again irradiates the inside of the flow path 6. In particular, ultraviolet light reflected by the inner surface 16a at a position opposite the ultraviolet light source 8 heads directly toward the ultraviolet light source 8, so that ultraviolet light can be irradiated onto the fluid in the flow path 6 from both the ultraviolet light source 8 side and the inner surface 16a side.

[0048] As explained above, ultraviolet light is irradiated into the flow path 6, and the guide plate 12 of the flow path 6 is transparent to ultraviolet light, so that toxic substances in the fluid can be constantly exposed to ultraviolet light, and the toxic substances can be reliably reduced and eliminated as the fluid flows through the flow path 6 and is discharged from the discharge section 4.

[0049] Furthermore, because the flow path 6 moves back and forth in an up-and-down direction, the fluid travels through the flow path 6 for a longer time than if it moved linearly from the inlet 2 to the outlet 4, which means that the toxic substances are exposed to UV light for a longer period of time, resulting in more reliable attenuation. Furthermore, because the fluid flows back and forth downward, the toxic substances (especially microorganisms) are forced to change position when the flow direction changes, resulting in UV light being irradiated evenly from various directions. This also improves the efficiency of attenuation of toxic substances.

[0050] Furthermore, because the inner surface 16a of the housing 16 is UV-reflective, it reflects UV light irradiated from the UV light source 8 onto the flow path 6 and irradiates it back into the flow path 6. Specifically, a UV reflecting means is located at a location (inner surface 16a) opposite the UV light source 8 across the flow path 6, and reflects UV light irradiated from the UV light source 8 and passing through the flow path 6 back toward the flow path 6. The amount of UV radiation required to neutralize a toxic target can be expressed as irradiance (W / m²) × irradiation time (seconds). In the present invention, UV light is reflected by the inner surface 16a and irradiates the flow path 6. This allows UV light to be irradiated from both the UV light source 8 side and the inner surface 16a side, thereby improving the UV irradiance, i.e., the spatial density of UV light. As a result, the irradiation time required to irradiate a given amount of UV radiation onto a toxic target can be shortened, further improving the attenuation efficiency.

[0051] Any fan structure capable of moving a fluid may be applied to the flow generating unit 10. For example, an axial flow fan (propeller fan), a mixed flow fan, a centrifugal fan (multi-blade fan, sirocco fan, radial fan, plate fan, turbo fan, limit load fan, airfoil fan, etc.), a centrifugal axial flow fan, a vortex flow fan, a transverse flow fan (cross flow fan, etc.), etc. may be applied.

[0052] Furthermore, the axial flow fan that can be used in the flow generating section 10 may be a counter-rotating fan that has two propellers spaced apart in the axial direction and that rotate in opposite directions.

[0053] In addition, the position of the flow generating section 10 can be set appropriately, and for example, it may be placed near the suction section 2 within the flow path 6 shown in Figure 13(a), midway through the flow path 6 shown in Figure 13(b), or near the discharge section 4 within the flow path 6 shown in Figure 13(c), or it may be placed near the suction section 2 outside the flow path 6 shown in Figure 13(d), or near the discharge section 4 outside the flow path 6 shown in Figure 13(e).

[0054] Furthermore, the flow generating units 10 may be disposed at multiple locations within the flow path 6, such as near the suction unit 2 and near the discharge unit 4. Of course, the flow generating units 10 may be disposed at multiple locations outside the flow path 6, such as near the suction unit 2 and near the discharge unit 4, or the flow generating units 10 may be disposed both inside and outside the flow path 6.

[0055] Next, another example of a toxic target elimination device will be described with reference to Figure 14. Figure 14 is a diagram showing the appearance of toxic target elimination device 20, and Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of toxic target elimination device 20. Toxic target elimination device 20 is installed in a space where people gather, draws in exhaled breath or air as a fluid containing exhaled breath, reduces and eliminates toxic targets in the inhaled air, and then exhausts it. In addition, toxic target elimination device 20 has multiple suction sections 34, flow path sections 24, and discharge sections 36 so that it can draw in exhaled breath from multiple directions.

[0056] The toxic target reduction device 20 has a substantially cylindrical housing 22, in which a flow path 24, an ultraviolet light source 26, and a blower 28 (flow generating means) are disposed. A top section 30 is disposed at the top of the housing 22, and a bottom section 32 is disposed at the bottom. The axial direction of the housing 22 is set to be substantially parallel to the vertical direction, but the direction is not particularly limited as long as the flow path 24 is formed to be capable of retaining toxic targets, such as pathogenic microorganisms, contained in the intake air for a period of time sufficient to kill them. For example, a device that forms an air passage 40 (see FIG. 18) longer than the linear distance from the intake section 34 to the exhaust section 36 can also fulfill this role.

[0057] 16 is a front view showing the housing 22. The housing 22 is disposed with one end and the other end spaced apart in the vertical direction. The housing 22 also has a plurality of suction sections 34 at appropriate height positions on the outer periphery and an exhaust section 36 on the upper end side. Specifically, the suction sections 34 are located on the lower end side, i.e., near the lower half of the outer periphery from an appropriate intermediate position in the height direction to the lowest part. The inner surface of the housing 22 is configured to reflect ultraviolet light.

[0058] The discharge section 36 is located at the top of the outer periphery and is set so that the air discharge direction is tilted upward at an angle of 45° relative to the vertical. Furthermore, the suction section 34 and the discharge section 36 are set in the same horizontal direction, but of course, the horizontal directions of the suction section 34 and the discharge section 36 do not have to be the same, and the inclination angle of the discharge section 36 is not limited to 45°.

[0059] The positions of the suction section 34 and the exhaust section 36 may be reversed or may be arranged in a different manner, but at least in the installation position of the toxic target reduction device 20 relative to the installation space, the suction section 34 is located in a position where human exhaled breath and exhausted breath are likely to accumulate. The position and / or exhaust direction of the exhaust section 36 can be set as appropriate, for example, the position and exhaust direction of the exhaust section 36 may be set so that the exhaust is directed toward the area suctioned by the suction section 34. Furthermore, the position and exhaust direction of the exhaust section 36 may be set so that the exhaust is directed toward a location in the installation space that does not adversely affect the person inhaling breath, for example, an area where no one is present, and the exhaust direction may be adjustable.

[0060] Figure 17 shows the outer layer portion of the flow path section 24, with (a) being a plan view and (b) being a front view. Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view showing the interior of the flow path section 24. The flow path section 24 has multiple air passages 40 inside a roughly cylindrical member. The flow path section 24 also includes multiple guide plates 41, installation spaces 42, and partition plates 44 arranged radially spaced apart. The air passages 40 are arranged circumferentially to surround the installation spaces 42, and form a flow path that allows the taken-in air to flow back and forth in a direction parallel to the axial direction and remain within the toxic target reduction device 20 for a required period of time or more.

[0061] Here, the required time refers to the time required to sufficiently kill pathogenic microorganisms such as fungi and viruses attached to microdroplets and aerosols that may be contained in the inhaled air by ultraviolet irradiation, or the time required to decompose toxic molecules, etc. Of course, this time is related to the amount of air flowing down per unit time, and this amount of air can be said to be the amount of air inhaled from the suction port per unit time.

[0062] This intake volume is preferably set to be equal to or greater than the amount of air exhaled per unit time by a person. That is, since the amount of air inhaled by a person per minute is 5 to 8 liters, the intake volume is preferably set to at least 8 liters per minute. The air is irradiated with ultraviolet light while remaining in the air passage 40 for an appropriate time so that 8 liters or more per minute are sterilized by ultraviolet light irradiation of the air flowing down the air passage 40.

[0063] The guide plates 41 are annular plate-like members, and a plurality of guide plates 41 are arranged concentrically to separate the air passages 40. The guide plates 41 have openings at either the upper or lower end for allowing air to flow, and the air flows downstream (towards the discharge section 36) through the openings.

[0064] 18, substantially concentric guide plates 41 are arranged in the air passage 40 at intervals in a direction away from the axis, and the upper ends or lower ends of the guide plates 41 respectively connect the adjacent substantially concentric air passages. This causes the sucked air to be displaced back and forth in the up and down direction, and also in the radial direction, so that it flows downward toward the discharge portion 36.

[0065] In this embodiment, the installation space 42 is a space formed in the center of the flow path section 24, and the ultraviolet light source 26 is disposed therein. Therefore, the ultraviolet light source 26 is present within the air passage 40 and functions as part of the flow path. The partition plates 44 divide the air passage 40 into multiple sections along the circumferential direction. Specifically, the multiple partition plates 44 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction so as to extend radially from the axis of the flow path section 24. Therefore, the partition plates 44 define spaces along the circumferential direction of each air passage 40.

[0066] Therefore, independent air passages 40 are formed between the partition plates 44, and the air that enters each air passage 40 gradually flows radially inward while moving back and forth in the vertical direction from the radial outside of the flow path section 24, as shown by the arrows in Figure 18, and passes through the center of the flow path section 24, i.e., near the ultraviolet light source 26, and is discharged to the outside from the discharge section 36.

[0067] In addition, the partition plate 44 has one end in the axial direction of the flow path section 24 (the upper end shown in Figure 18) that is tapered and protrudes beyond the upper end of the flow path section 24, supporting the top section 30 and functioning as part of the exhaust section 36 to determine the direction in which air is exhausted.

[0068] Blower 28 has a so-called propeller-like shape, and as shown in FIG. 19 , includes a rotor 50 that rotates around the axis of housing 22, a plurality of blades 52 formed on the outer peripheral surface of rotor 50, and a drive transmission unit 54. Rotator 50 has a cylindrical shape that can surround flow path 24 within housing 22. Blades 52 are disposed between suction unit 34 and guide plate 41. As blades 52 rotate, they generate a flow of fluid from suction unit 34 toward discharge unit 36 ​​via air passage 40. Drive transmission unit 54 is formed at one end of rotor 50 and transmits drive from a motor (not shown) to rotor 50.

[0069] The amount of air drawn in through the suction unit 34 by the flow generated by the blower unit 28 is set appropriately depending on the installation environment of the toxic target reduction device 20. For example, when the device is installed in a room where people gather, such as an office, the amount of air drawn in may be set to correspond to the room capacity or the total amount of air drawn in by the number of people around the device 20. Therefore, when setting an amount of air drawn in that can draw in almost all of the exhaled air of four people, the rotation speed of the rotor 50 and the size and shape of the blades 52 are set so that the amount of air drawn in is 20 to 32 L (of course, it may be 32 L or more).

[0070] The top portion 30 has a generally conical shape, and the inclined surface or tip of the cone abuts against the partition plate 44, and is supported by the partition plate 44. As a result, the discharge portion 36 is formed on the other end side of the housing 22. That is, one end of the partition plate 44 protrudes from the state of the flow path portion 24, and the top portion 30 is supported by one end of the partition plate 44, thereby forming a gap between the top portion 30 and the discharge portion 36. Therefore, the air flowing inside the air passage 40 is exhausted from the discharge portion 36 at an angle that follows the inclined surface of the top portion 30.

[0071] The bottom 32 is removably installed to close the lower part of the housing 22, and for example, a drive motor or battery (not shown) for operating the blower 28 by removing the bottom 32 may be arranged at the bottom of the housing 22.

[0072] According to the toxic target reduction device 20, by driving the blower 28, air containing toxic targets can be taken into the air passage 40 via the intake 34. The air that flows into the air passage 40 moves back and forth up and down, gradually flowing downward toward the radial center of the flow path 24, and is discharged from the exhaust 36.

[0073] Furthermore, since multiple air passages 40 are formed, air can be taken in from multiple directions and discharged simultaneously. At this time, air taken in from one direction through the suction section 34 in a plan view is discharged in the same direction through the discharge section 36. That is, on the left side of the toxic target reduction device 20 as shown in Figure 20, air taken in through the suction section 34 facing the left side flows back and forth in an up and down direction from the outside to the inside in the radial direction, and is discharged to the left from the discharge section 36.

[0074] Similarly, on the right side of the toxic target reduction device 20, air is taken in through the suction section 34 facing right, and is caused to flow back and forth in an up and down direction from the radially outer side to the radially inner side, and is discharged to the right from the discharge section 36.

[0075] In this case, the exhaust section 36 is provided at the top of the housing 22 and is defined by the upper end of the air passage 40 closest to the axial center, i.e., the innermost layer, and the underside of the inverted cone-shaped top section 30. Therefore, the air exhausted from the exhaust section 36 is blown out radially obliquely upward.

[0076] Therefore, the air discharged diagonally upward from the discharge section 36, which is located at a position sufficiently higher than the intake section 34, which is located near the height of the respiratory organs such as the oral cavity and nasal cavity where a person's exhaled and exhausted breath tends to accumulate, can be discharged toward a position higher than the oral cavity and nasal cavity, and disturbance of the airflow in the area where the person's exhaled and exhausted breath tends to accumulate can be suppressed.

[0077] Furthermore, ultraviolet light is irradiated onto almost the entire interior of the device by the ultraviolet light source 26. That is, ultraviolet light is irradiated onto the air flowing through the air passage 40 by the ultraviolet light source 26, and the ultraviolet light passes through the guide plate 41 and spreads in the radial direction while being reflected by the inner surface of the housing 22.

[0078] Therefore, even if toxic substances contained in the air are hidden by dust or the like, ultraviolet rays can be irradiated almost evenly from all directions, making it possible to reduce and eliminate the hidden toxic substances.

[0079] As described above, the toxic target reduction device 20 can also reduce or eliminate toxic targets in the air. That is, the irradiated ultraviolet light penetrates the guide plate 41 and spreads throughout the flow path section 24, constantly irradiating toxic targets in the air flowing within the air passage 40. Therefore, toxic targets contained in the air can be substantially reduced or eliminated before reaching the discharge section 36. Furthermore, by having the suction section 34 suck in air from an area where toxic targets are likely to be present, the toxic targets contained in the sucked air can be reduced or eliminated while partially sucking in the air from the suction area, and then discharging the reduced air toward a different area from the suction area where toxic targets are unlikely to be present. This allows toxic targets present in the space to be gradually and reliably reduced without substantially stirring the air in the space.

[0080] Furthermore, the ultraviolet light that has passed through the flow path section 24 is reflected by the inner surface of the housing 22 and irradiates the inside of the flow path section 24 again, so the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated onto the toxic target in the air passage 40 increases and ultraviolet light can be irradiated from multiple directions. Furthermore, since the flowing toxic target flows back and forth in the vertical direction and is therefore oriented in an undefined direction, it is possible to evenly expose the toxic target to ultraviolet light, thereby improving the efficiency with which the toxic target is attenuated by ultraviolet light.

[0081] Furthermore, since the air passage 40 follows a reciprocating path along the axial direction, the toxic target travels a longer distance through the air passage 40, and the toxic target remains in motion for a longer period of time. This also leads to an increase in the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated onto the toxic target, thereby improving the attenuation efficiency.

[0082] Furthermore, by arranging multiple air passages 40 in the circumferential direction, it is possible to reduce and eliminate toxic targets in the vicinity of the toxic target reduction device 20. Furthermore, since air drawn in from one direction on a plane is discharged in one direction on the plane, for example, if the breath of a person infected with a virus is inhaled, air containing the breath is discharged toward the person. Therefore, in addition to inactivating viruses through the air passages 40, air containing the breath of a virus-infected person will not be directed toward anyone other than the infected person, and individuals will not feel anxious about virus infection from others, giving them a sense of security.

[0083] The orientation of the housing 22 is not limited to this, and it may be placed horizontally, that is, with the axial direction horizontal.

[0084] Although the inner surface of the housing 22 is made of an ultraviolet reflective material, the outermost layer of the flow path section 24, i.e., the guide plate 41 located at the outermost position in the radial direction, may be made of an ultraviolet reflective material. Alternatively, the surface of the guide plate 41 facing the ultraviolet light source may be made ultraviolet reflective.

[0085] Next, we will explain a toxic target reduction device 50 with a different configuration. Note that components similar to those described above will be described using the same reference numerals. Figure 21 shows the toxic target reduction device 50, with (a) showing the external appearance and (b) being a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of (a). The toxic target reduction device 50 has a roughly cylindrical housing 52, which has an intake section 60 formed directly at the lower end of its outer periphery and an exhaust section 62 formed directly at the upper end of its outer periphery. The housing 52 also has an upper opening, for inserting the ultraviolet light source 26 inside, which is closed by a top section 54.

[0086] 21(b), the interior of the housing 52 is divided into four circumferential sections by partition plates 44. That is, four air passages 40 are arranged in the circumferential direction inside the housing 52. Four ultraviolet light sources 26 are inserted into the installation space 42, and the positions of the ultraviolet light sources 26 within the installation space 42 are set so as to pair with the respective air passages 40.

[0087] In addition, in the installation space 42, the rotation axis 72 of the blower 70 (see FIG. 22) is disposed at a position that does not block the ultraviolet rays from each ultraviolet light source 26, that is, so as to coincide with the axial position of the housing 52.

[0088] 22 is a cross-sectional view showing a toxic target reduction device 50. A flow path section 64, an air blower section 70, and the like are arranged inside the housing 52. The flow path section 64 defines an air passage 66 that causes the fluid to travel back and forth in the radial direction while gradually flowing downward along the axial direction. Specifically, a plurality of plate-shaped guide plates 68 are arranged inside the housing 52 along the axial direction with their faces facing perpendicularly.

[0089] The guide plate 68 has an opening on the radially outer side or the radially inner side of the housing 52. Specifically, the guide plate 68 has an opening formed therein for connecting adjacent spaces in the axial direction partitioned by the guide plate 68. The positions of the openings are set so that the radially inner side and the radially outer side of adjacent guide plates 68 are alternately aligned.

[0090] 23 is a diagram showing the blower 70. The blower 70 has a centrifugal fan structure made up of a plurality of vertically long, plate-like blades 74 arranged in a cylindrical shape, and is disposed near the exhaust unit 62 with its rotation axis aligned with the axial direction of the housing 52. The blower 70 is fixed to one end of a rotation shaft 72 extending in the axial direction. The other end of the rotation shaft 72 is connected to a motor (not shown) or the like disposed on the bottom 32 side.

[0091] With this configuration, ultraviolet light can be directly irradiated from the ultraviolet light source 26 into the space between the guide plates 68, so that ultraviolet light can be irradiated over almost the entire air passage 66 without the need to form the guide plates out of an ultraviolet-transparent material.

[0092] Although the above-mentioned toxic target abatement device 50 has been described as having four ultraviolet light sources, the ultraviolet light sources irradiate ultraviolet light radially, and therefore ultraviolet light may be irradiated onto the rotating shaft 72. Therefore, an ultraviolet reflective surface may be provided on part of the surface (or inner surface) of the fluorescent tube of the ultraviolet light source using ultraviolet reflective paint or the like, so that all ultraviolet light that would otherwise be irradiated onto the rotating shaft 72 is directed toward the air passage. In this way, the amount of ultraviolet light in the air passage increases, and the abatement of toxic targets can be improved.

[0093] Although four ultraviolet light sources 26 and the rotating shaft 72 are arranged in the installation space 42, a single ultraviolet light source and rotating shaft 72 may be arranged. In this case, the ultraviolet light source is a fluorescent tube with a torus-shaped cross section, and the rotating shaft 72 is inserted into the central cavity. That is, as shown in FIG. 24 , a cylindrical ultraviolet light source 80 having an inner annular surface 82a and an outer annular surface 82b spaced apart in the radial direction is provided, and ultraviolet light is emitted between the inner annular surface 82a and the outer annular surface 82b. In this way, a space can be formed closer to the axis than the inner annular surface 82a, and the rotating shaft 72 can be arranged in this space.

[0094] Furthermore, although the above description has been given with reference to an example in which the blower 70 is disposed at one end of the rotating shaft 72, multiple blowers 70 may be fixed to a single rotating shaft 72. For example, as shown in FIG. 27(a), a blower 70 may be disposed at one end and at a midpoint of the rotating shaft 72, or as shown in FIG. 27(b), a drive motor M may be connected to one end (top) of the rotating shaft 72, and a blower 70 may be disposed at the other end and at a midpoint. In this way, both blowers 70 can be driven by rotating the rotating shaft 72 with a single drive motor M. Of course, a drive motor M and a rotating shaft 72 may be provided for each blower 70 (see FIG. 27(c)), or two rotating shafts 72 may be connected to a double-shaft motor, and a blower 70 may be fixed to each rotating shaft 72.

[0095] Of course, the toxic target reduction device 50 may be configured so that the rotating shaft is not inserted into the installation space 42. For example, as shown in Figure 25, the motor 90 that drives the fan structure may be disposed at a position adjacent to the blower unit 70 outside the installation space 42.

[0096] The toxic substance reduction device may be provided with a filter for collecting foreign matter. That is, when the fluid is taken in, foreign matter such as dust may be mixed in with the fluid, and the foreign matter may accumulate in the suction section or in the flow path, so a filter may be provided to capture the foreign matter. Of course, it is preferable that the filter be removable so that it can be replaced when it becomes clogged.

[0097] Furthermore, when the purpose of the filter is to capture dust in the air, possible filters include, for example, a coarse dust filter that mainly captures particles of 50 μm or larger, a medium to high efficiency filter (MEPA filter) that mainly captures particles of 25 μm or larger, a HEPA filter that captures particles of 0.3 μm, and a ULPA filter that captures particles of 0.15 μm.

[0098] Alternatively, a cyclone chamber may be provided that separates dust from the air using powder separation by a cyclone. Specifically, as shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 26, the cyclone chamber 100 has an inverted cone shape and includes a dust collection section 102 at the bottom that collects dust, and is disposed between the suction section 2 and the flow path 6. As a result, air flowing in through the suction section 2 first accumulates in a spiral shape in the cyclone chamber 100 and then flows into the flow path 6. At this time, the dust contacts the inner circumferential surface of the cyclone chamber 100, falls into the dust collection section 102, and is collected. This allows dust to be separated from the air.

[0099] Furthermore, within the cyclone chamber, an integrated and / or separate light source equivalent to an ultraviolet light source may be arranged within the cyclone chamber, etc., to irradiate ultraviolet light, or the cyclone chamber may be made of an ultraviolet-transparent material, etc., so that ultraviolet light is irradiated directly from the ultraviolet light source.

[0100] The flow path may also be configured so that the cross-sectional area of ​​each space sandwiched between the guide plates is equal. That is, the cross-sectional area of ​​each region partitioned by the guide plates provided from upstream to downstream in the flow direction of the flow path may all be equal. In this way, the flow velocity at the suction section and the flow velocity at the discharge section can be made approximately equal.

[0101] The flow path may also be configured so that the cross-sectional area of ​​each space between the guide plates decreases toward the downstream side in the flow direction. That is, the cross-sectional area of ​​each region partitioned by the guide plates may be configured to gradually decrease toward the downstream side. In this way, the flow velocity of the fluid flowing down the flow path can be configured to gradually increase, so that the fluid can be discharged from the discharge portion at a flow velocity faster than the flow velocity at the suction portion.

[0102] The flow path may also be configured so that the cross-sectional area of ​​each space between the guide plates increases toward the downstream side in the flow direction. That is, the cross-sectional area of ​​each region partitioned by the guide plates may be configured to gradually increase toward the downstream side. In this way, the flow velocity of the fluid flowing down the flow path can be configured to gradually slow down, allowing the fluid to be discharged from the discharge portion at a flow velocity slower than the flow velocity at the suction portion. Note that slowing the flow velocity can prevent the discharge of the fluid from disturbing the surrounding airflow.

[0103] The area of ​​the outlet for the fluid in the outlet section may be set larger than the area of ​​the inlet for the fluid in the suction section, which allows the flow rate in the outlet section to be slower than the flow rate in the suction section. In this way, by changing the size of the openings of the inlet in the suction section and the outlet in the outlet section, it is possible to set the suction section to perform high-speed suction and the outlet section to perform low-speed discharge.

[0104] Furthermore, by making the area of ​​the outlet for fluid in the discharge section smaller than the area of ​​the inlet for fluid in the suction section, the suction section can be set to perform low-speed suction, and the discharge section can be set to perform high-speed discharge.

[0105] The shape of the suction port in the suction unit that can suck in the fluid can be set as appropriate. For example, the suction unit can have a suction port with a widening opening so that it can suck in the fluid from a wide area. The suction unit can also have a nozzle-shaped suction port that can suck in the fluid from a single direction, or a suction port whose opening narrows along the flow direction. By providing a nozzle-shaped suction port or a suction port that narrows along the flow direction, the sucked fluid can be made to flow down the flow path as a jet.

[0106] The shape of the outlet that can discharge the fluid in the discharge unit can be set as appropriate. For example, the discharge unit can have an outlet with an opening that widens so that the fluid can be discharged over a wide area. The discharge unit can also have a nozzle shape that can discharge the fluid in a single direction, or an outlet with an opening that narrows along the flow direction.

[0107] The exhaust unit may also have continuous or intermittent exhaust ports extending in one direction, and may generate an air curtain by exhausting air as a fluid from the exhaust ports. Needless to say, the exhaust unit may also be configured to exhaust a jet stream.

[0108] Furthermore, when the toxic target reduction device of the present invention is used to take in surrounding air and inactivate or sterilize pathogenic microorganisms in the air, it can be installed in spaces where people gather or where people tend to gather in large numbers, such as offices, conference rooms, restaurants, showrooms, libraries, schools, kindergartens, nursery schools, shops, entertainment facilities (karaoke boxes, aquariums, planetariums, movie theaters, art galleries, museums, bowling alleys, etc.), and vehicles (cars, airplanes, ships, trains).

[0109] Furthermore, when used for purposes such as purifying contaminated water by taking in liquid fluids and reducing or eliminating toxic substances, the device can be installed, for example, in plants, septic tanks, pipes, and connecting parts between pipes.

[0110] The toxic target reduction device of the present invention may also be embedded in, incorporated into, or combined with a separate device. The target device may be selected as appropriate as long as at least the suction section and exhaust section are connected to the outside, and may include, for example, the roof of a vehicle, a seat back, a seat headrest, plywood, an air conditioner, a vacuum cleaner, a table, a desk, a chair, a wall, an elevator, etc. In particular, the device may be embedded in a device installed in the above-mentioned spaces where people gather or where people tend to gather in large numbers.

[0111] The housing may be made up of multiple members, and may be configured to be separable in the axial or circumferential direction, for example. The housing and the flow path portion may be integrally molded, but of course the housing and the flow path portion may also be separate bodies.

[0112] Furthermore, although the toxic substance was reduced by irradiation with ultraviolet light, it is also possible to provide a heating means for heating the inside of the flow path to a degree that can reduce the toxic substance, or an electric field generating means for generating a localized micro discharge phenomenon or for generating an electric field in the flow path by a pair of oppositely arranged positive and negative electrodes that causes the toxic substance (particularly pathogenic microorganisms) to be adsorbed to the electrodes, thereby reducing the toxic substance. Of course, instead of the ultraviolet light source, it is also possible to provide a heating means and / or an electric field generating means to reduce the toxic substance.

[0113] The housing may also be provided with a partition that is either integral with the outer periphery or that can be attached to the outer periphery. By combining the partition with the housing, it is possible to separate the space around the device in a space where people gather or where people are crowded together, and to prevent the air in which the toxic substance has been reduced from being discharged outside the separated space.

[0114] The toxic target reduction device may also include at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a human presence sensor, and a dirt sensor, and the flow generated by the flow generating means may be controlled based on the detection by the sensor. For example, the flow generating means may be operated when the sensor detects the presence of a person in the vicinity. The flow generating means may be stopped when the sensor no longer detects a person, or when a predetermined time has passed since the flow generating means began operating.

[0115] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the flow path is described as being UV-transparent, but it may also be configured to form a UV-high-order reflective flow path in which UV rays can be reflected multiple times inside. For example, a reflective layer made of a UV-reflective material may be formed on substantially the entire inner circumferential surface of a spiral or vortex-shaped flow path. This allows UV rays from the UV light source to be reflected multiple times (high-order reflection) inside the flow path, irradiating a wide area from the upstream side to the downstream side in the flow direction.

[0116] 28 is a diagram showing a spiral flow path 110, which has a suction section 112 at the outermost part of the swirl and a discharge section 114 at the center. The flow path 110 also has a fluid guide surface (ultraviolet reflective surface) 116 that defines the flow path width and has ultraviolet reflective properties. An ultraviolet light source 118 is disposed near the suction section 112 at the outermost part of the flow path 110, facing the fluid guide surface 116. In this case, the direction in which the ultraviolet light source 118 irradiates ultraviolet light is set so that ultraviolet light is irradiated on the opposing fluid guide surface 116 side and downstream in the flow direction.

[0117] 28, the X axis is set to the left-right direction and the Y axis is set to the up-down direction, the flow channel 110 has a spiral shape along a plane parallel to the XY plane. The discharge part 114 disposed in the center of the flow channel 110 is formed so as to be able to discharge the fluid in a direction perpendicular to the XY plane.

[0118] The positions of the suction section 112 and the discharge section 114 may be interchanged. That is, as shown in FIG. 29, the suction section 112 may be disposed in the center of the flow path 110, and the discharge section 114 may be disposed at the outermost part of the swirling flow path 110. The fan shape and installation position of the flow generator are not particularly limited and may be set as appropriate. For example, the flow generator may be disposed near the suction section 112 and / or the discharge section 114. Therefore, when the suction section 112 is disposed in the center of the flow path 110 as shown in FIG. 29, a centrifugal fan-like flow generator may be disposed. That is, the flow generator is disposed near the suction section 112 with its rotation axis oriented perpendicular to the XY plane. As a result, the fluid sucked in from the direction perpendicular to the XY plane flows from the suction section 112 along the flow path 110 in a spiral outward direction, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 29, to the discharge section 114.

[0119] The cross-sectional shape of the flow path is not particularly limited and can be set appropriately. The cross-sectional shape of the flow path may be, for example, a polygonal shape (triangular, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, etc.) or a circular shape (circular, elliptical, oval, etc.), but a circular shape is preferred because a better flow state can be obtained.

[0120] The reflective layer of the fluid guide surface 116 can also be formed by, for example, providing a thin film of a metal (silver, aluminum, nickel, copper, etc.) that is ultraviolet reflective on the surface of the fluid guide surface 116. Note that the reflective layer may extend continuously or intermittently on the fluid guide surface 116, as long as it is disposed on the fluid guide surface 116 so as to cover at least substantially the entire area of ​​the flow path 110.

[0121] Next, we will explain the cumulative UV irradiation energy when UV rays are reflected by a UV high-order reflection flow path, using an aluminum thin film as an example. Here, the reflectivity of UV rays by the aluminum thin film is 92.3%, which corresponds to a 7.7% decrease in the photon quantity from before reflection when UV rays are reflected by the aluminum thin film. Therefore, the remaining photon quantity (100% when the number of reflections is 0) decreases exponentially, from 92.3% when the UV rays are reflected by the aluminum thin film once, to 85.2% when the number of reflections is 2, and to 78.6% when the number of reflections is 3.

[0122] If such reflections are repeated, the remaining rate will be approximately 0.1% when the number of reflections reaches 94, and will be nearly 0% when the number of reflections reaches 95. In other words, photons remain up to the 94th reflection, and can be considered effective as cumulative ultraviolet irradiation energy.

[0123] The value of the cumulative UV irradiation energy when a flow path capable of UV reflection 95 times or more is formed using the above exponential function relationship is roughly calculated as follows: Note that in the following formula, the UV reflectivity is set to 92% (the photon reduction rate upon reflection is 8%), and the calculation is made as the cumulative UV irradiation energy when UV is reflected an infinite number of times.

number

[0124] This gives a value of 12.5 as the cumulative ultraviolet energy up to an infinite number of ultraviolet reflections (note that from the 95th reflection onwards, the remaining photon rate is nearly 0%, so the cumulative ultraviolet irradiation energy up to 94 reflections is valid). This indicates that if the ultraviolet irradiation energy per ultraviolet irradiation is 1, then the cumulative ultraviolet irradiation energy is roughly equivalent to 12.5 times that.

[0125] The above-described ultraviolet high-order reflection type flow path also allows ultraviolet light to be almost constantly irradiated onto the fluid flowing in the flow path 110, thereby increasing the amount of ultraviolet light radiated onto the toxic target and improving the attenuation efficiency. Furthermore, although the amount of photons of ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source may gradually decrease with each reflection, the ultraviolet light is reflected along the flow path, so that the toxic target can be exposed to a much higher amount of ultraviolet light (ultraviolet light with a cumulative ultraviolet light irradiation energy of up to 12.5 times greater) than if the toxic target were to pass through a point in the flow path where ultraviolet light is irradiated without reflection.

[0126] The spiral shape of the flow channel 110 may be an algebraic spiral such as an Archimedes' spiral, a parabolic spiral, a hyperbolic spiral, or a Litus as shown in Figures 28 and 29, or a logarithmic spiral (Bernoulli's spiral, equiangular spiral). The outer shape of the flow channel is not limited to a circular shape, and may be a substantially rectangular shape as shown in Figure 30, or may be a polygonal shape other than a rectangle, such as a triangle, pentagon, or hexagon, or may be an oval or ellipse.

[0127] Furthermore, when constructing a spiral flow path, a partial spiral flow path 150 shown in Fig. 31 can be applied. The partial spiral flow path 150 forms a spiral flow path equivalent to approximately one revolution and is configured to include a spiral bottom surface 152 whose axial position gradually changes with change in circumferential position, an outer peripheral surface 154 that regulates the radial flow of fluid within the partial spiral flow path 150, a support portion 160, a recess 162, an ultraviolet lamp insertion portion 164, etc.

[0128] The spiral bottom surface 152 has a spiral shape whose axial position varies along the circumferential direction. That is, as shown in Figure 31, when the axial direction is oriented vertically, one end 156 of the spiral bottom surface 152 is located higher than the other end 157. The outer circumferential surface 154 forms a surface that covers the circumferential direction of the partial spiral flow path 150.

[0129] Support portion 160 is a columnar member extending parallel to the axial direction and has a length spanning between one end portion 156 and the other end portion 157. That is, one end of support portion 160 is fixed near one end portion 156 and to the back side of spiral bottom surface 152. The other end of support portion 160 extends to approximately the same axial position as other end portion 157. Furthermore, support portion 160 may be cylindrical with a through hole along the axial direction, allowing wires, harnesses, etc. to be inserted therethrough.

[0130] The recess 162 is a depression on the spiral bottom surface 152 into which the support portion 160 can be inserted, and is formed on the spiral bottom surface 152 at a location that coincides with the axial line of the support portion 160. In other words, the recess 162 is located near one end 156 of the spiral bottom surface 152.

[0131] The support portion 160 and the recessed portion 162 are disposed at a position that is off-center of the partial spiral flow path 150. As a result, when two partial spiral flow paths 150 are connected, the partial spiral flow paths 150 can be aligned in the axial direction by aligning the tip position of the support portion 160 of one partial spiral flow path 150 with the position of the recessed portion 162 of the other partial spiral flow path 150, as shown in Figure 32 .

[0132] Although the case where such a pair of support portion 160 and recess portion 162 is provided will be described as an example, it goes without saying that multiple pairs may be provided.

[0133] The ultraviolet lamp insertion portion 164 is an opening formed in the center of the partial spiral flow path 150. In Figure 31, the opening has a roughly trilobal shape with three circles arranged around the center of the partial spiral flow path 150 when viewed parallel to the axial direction, allowing for the insertion of three fluorescent tube-shaped ultraviolet light sources. The opening formed by the ultraviolet lamp insertion portion 162 is not particularly limited and may be appropriately set depending on the shape of the ultraviolet light source, the number of ultraviolet light sources to be used, etc., and may be, for example, a circular shape, a polygonal shape, a Reuleaux polygonal shape, or a compound leaf shape (such as a bilobe or tetralobe) formed by overlapping multiple circles.

[0134] A spiral flow path with any pitch number can be formed by connecting multiple partial spiral flow paths 150 in the axial direction. Figure 33 is a perspective view showing two partial spiral flow paths 150a and 150b aligned in the axial direction, with partial spiral flow path 150b located axially above partial spiral flow path 150a.

[0135] 33, when the partial spiral flow channels 150a and 150b are connected to each other, the spiral direction and relative arrangement of the partial spiral flow channel 150b relative to the partial spiral flow channel 150a are set so that one end 156a of the spiral bottom surface 152a of one partial spiral flow channel 150a and the other end 157b of the spiral bottom surface 152b of the other partial spiral flow channel 150b are substantially continuous. This allows for the formation of a spiral flow channel with a continuous two-turn helical shape.

[0136] In this way, as multiple partial spiral channels 150 are stacked, a series of spiral shapes can be extended, and the number of spiral turns can be increased by the number of partial spiral channels 150.

[0137] Furthermore, by providing a reflective layer on the entire spiral bottom surface 152 and on the inner side of the outer peripheral surface 154, ultraviolet light can be reflected multiple times within the spiral flow path formed by connecting multiple partial spiral flow paths 150, so the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated can be increased compared to simply irradiating ultraviolet light into the flow path using an ultraviolet light source, and the efficiency of reducing and eliminating pathogenic microorganisms within the flow path can be improved.

[0138] Forming a flow path by combining such partial spiral flow paths 150 improves ease of manufacturing compared to forming a spiral flow path from a single component, and also allows for mass production. Specifically, when manufacturing a spiral flow path from a single component, the shape is complex, which limits the manufacturing method and suitable materials, such as using a 3D printer. In contrast, the partial spiral flow path 150 has a simplified shape, so there are no limitations on the manufacturing method or materials. Therefore, it can be manufactured inexpensively using materials with high ultraviolet reflectivity.

[0139] Furthermore, because the partial spiral flow channel 150 has a simpler shape than a spiral flow channel made of one member, a reflective layer that reflects ultraviolet light can be easily formed inside the partial spiral flow channel 150. Furthermore, by stacking a desired number of partial spiral flow channels in the axial direction, a spiral flow channel with a desired pitch number can be constructed, which provides ease of assembly, processing, and manufacturing. As a result, the use of the partial spiral flow channel 150 can provide a spiral flow channel with excellent mass productivity.

[0140] Furthermore, the spiral flow path is not limited to one having a constant diameter at any axial position, but may be set to a shape in which the diameter increases or decreases from one end to the other along the axial direction, or may be set to a shape in which the one end and the other end along the axial direction have the same diameter and the diameter increases or decreases midway.

[0141] In addition, an ultraviolet leakage suppressor may be provided to suppress leakage of ultraviolet light from the suction section and / or the exhaust section. The ultraviolet leakage suppressor has a structure that prevents ultraviolet light from being emitted outside the device while not interfering with the flow of fluid along the flow path.

[0142] For example, the ultraviolet light leakage suppressor 200 shown in Figure 34 may have an outer peripheral surface 202 that can be connected to the partial spiral flow path 150, and a suppression section 204 inside the outer peripheral surface 202 that has a structure that suppresses ultraviolet light from leaking outside the device while allowing fluid to pass through. The outer peripheral surface 202 has a cylindrical shape that is approximately continuous with the outer peripheral surface of the partial spiral flow path 150. The suppression section 204 has a so-called honeycomb structure that has a plurality of hexagonal holes 204a drilled in the axial direction.

[0143] 35, if the ultraviolet leakage suppressor 200 is disposed at the top of a flow path formed by combining a plurality of partial spiral flow paths 150, it becomes difficult to directly see the ultraviolet light source inserted into the ultraviolet lamp insertion portion 164 from the outside, thereby reducing the risk of accidentally seeing the ultraviolet light. Note that the shape of the holes 204a forming the honeycomb structure may be polygonal other than hexagonal, or may be porous.

[0144] The finer the holes are or the deeper the holes are in the suppression unit 204, the more difficult it becomes to directly see the ultraviolet light source. That is, the more holes 204a are formed and the deeper the holes are, the more easily ultraviolet light hits the inner wall in directions other than the direction in which the holes 204a extend, so that the radiation angle of ultraviolet light that can pass through the suppression unit 204 can be restricted, and the ultraviolet light source can be made invisible from directions other than by looking directly into the holes 204a.

[0145] Furthermore, the ultraviolet ray leakage suppressor 200 may have a suppression section 214 formed by concentrically arranging a plurality of annular light-shielding sections 216 as shown in Fig. 36(a). Fig. 36(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 36(a), in which the light-shielding sections 216 have a dogleg-shaped cross section, and the spacing between adjacent light-shielding sections 216 and other factors are set so that ultraviolet light does not pass between the light-shielding sections 216. That is, to reliably block ultraviolet light, the light-shielding sections 216 have a curved shape, and the spacing, angle, and other factors are set so that the light-shielding sections 216 overlap each other when viewed in a straight line from the inside to the outside (in a plan view).

[0146] Here, the light-shielding portion has been described as being annular, but of course it is not limited to this and may be radial or linear.

[0147] 37 shows another example of an ultraviolet leakage suppressor, where (a) is a plan view and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of (a). The ultraviolet leakage suppressor 200 may have two types of annular inclined surfaces 226a, 226b arranged in plural to form the suppression section 214. That is, the suppression section 214 may have a first inclined surface 226a arranged on the upper axial side (one side) and a second inclined surface 226b arranged on the lower axial side (the other side).

[0148] The first inclined surface 226a and the second inclined surface 226b have cross sections that are inclined with respect to the axial direction, and the inclination of the first inclined surface 226a and the second inclined surface 226b is made different.

[0149] Specifically, the first inclined surface 226a is inclined so that one side in the axial direction is inclined toward the axis, and the second inclined surface 226b is inclined so that the other side in the axial direction is inclined toward the axis. Furthermore, the first inclined surface 226a and the second inclined surface 226b are spaced apart from each other and are offset from each other in the radial direction so that the first inclined surface 226a is located on an extension of the inclination direction of the second inclined surface 226b. That is, as shown in FIG. 37(b), the first inclined surfaces 226a and the second inclined surfaces 226b are arranged alternately in the radial direction.

[0150] In addition, the distance and angle between the first inclined surfaces 226a and the second inclined surfaces 226b are set so that ultraviolet light radiated between the first inclined surfaces 226a (or between the second inclined surfaces 226b) is reliably blocked by the second inclined surfaces 226b (or the first inclined surfaces 226a).

[0151] By providing such an ultraviolet light leakage suppressor 200, ultraviolet light can be reliably blocked without impeding the flow of fluid, and as a result, the ultraviolet light source cannot be directly seen from outside the toxic substance reduction device.

[0152] Furthermore, each of the above-described UV leakage suppressors may be disposed not only at the top of the flow path but also at the bottom of the flow path. That is, as shown in Fig. 38, the UV leakage suppressor 250 may be disposed at the bottom of the flow path and above the base 260 of the device. In this case, the UV leakage suppressor 250 has a honeycomb structure and includes a plurality of holes 252 that allow fluid to pass through, and spacers 254 that provide gaps between the holes 252 and the base 260.

[0153] Of course, the UV leakage suppressor 250 may be located at the top of the device, and the fluid may be discharged or sucked in through a gap provided by the spacer 254. Furthermore, the surface of the UV leakage suppressor 250 facing the hole 252 across the spacer 254 may be a reflective surface, and the UV light that has passed through the hole 252 may be reflected by the reflective surface and guided back to the flow path. The shape of the reflective surface is not particularly limited, and may be flat, spherical, curved, or the like. In particular, if the reflective surface is a concave spherical surface, the UV light is not reflected out of the device, eliminating the risk of the UV light being seen by the naked eye. [Explanation of symbols]

[0154] 1,20,50...toxic target reduction device, 2,34...suction section, 4,36...exhaust section, 6...flow path, 8,26...ultraviolet light source, 10...flow generation section, 12,41...guide plate, 16,22...housing, 18...concave reflecting section, 24...flow path section, 28,70...blowing section, 30...top section, 32...bottom section, 40...ventilation path, 42...installation space, 44...partition plate, 50...rotating body, 52...blade, 54...drive transmission section, 72...rotating shaft.

Claims

1. a flow path that communicates an intake portion that sucks in a fluid with a discharge portion that discharges the fluid and that defines a path in a polygonal shape; a reflective layer disposed in the flow path and extending along the direction in which the fluid flows; and an attenuation means disposed in the suction section and / or the discharge section for decomposing and / or inactivating and / or sterilizing a target substance contained in the fluid flowing down through the flow path by ultraviolet light, A toxic target attenuation device characterized in that ultraviolet light irradiated from the attenuation means is reflected by the reflective layer and illuminates substantially the entire area of ​​the flow path.

2. A toxic target reduction device as described in claim 1, characterized in that an ultraviolet leakage suppression body that suppresses ultraviolet light leaking outside the device and allows fluid to pass through is arranged on the suction side and / or the discharge side.

3. The toxic target abatement device according to claim 2, wherein the ultraviolet ray leakage suppressor has a plurality of holes forming a honeycomb structure.

4. The toxic target attenuation device according to claim 2, wherein the ultraviolet leakage suppressor has a light-shielding surface having a curved cross-sectional shape.

5. the ultraviolet light leakage suppressor has a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface, The toxic target abatement device according to claim 2, wherein the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are disposed at different inclination angles.

6. the ultraviolet light leakage suppressor has a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface, The toxic target reduction device described in claim 2, characterized in that the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are spaced apart and their installation positions are offset so that the other inclined surface is on an extension of the inclination direction of one inclined surface.

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