Fine bubble forming device and water flow pipe unit

Abstract

To provide a fine bubble forming apparatus capable of increasing the generation amount of fine bubbles.SOLUTION: A fine bubble forming device according to the present invention includes a substantially cylindrical casing in which an inflow channel and an outflow channel are continuously formed, a swirling flow forming plate having a plurality of inclined holes and attached to an inlet of the inflow channel, and an obstacle member disposed in the inflow channel and configured to intentionally disturb a water flow passing through the swirling flow forming plate, wherein the outflow channel includes a throttle channel having a small inner diameter in an intermediate region between the inlet and an outlet of the outflow channel.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for forming fine bubbles in a water flow that flows through a water pipe that supplies, for example, cold or hot water. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, technology that generates so-called "fine bubbles" (microscopic bubbles) in water has been attracting attention as a technology that can improve the water purification and cleaning effects of water. These "fine bubbles" are known to be classified into two types: "microbubbles" (ultra-fine bubbles) with a diameter of 1 μm or more but less than 100 μm, and "ultra-fine bubbles" (ultra-fine bubbles) with a diameter of less than 1 μm.

[0003] Among such "fine bubbles," known techniques for generating "ultrafine bubbles" with small diameters in water include the "high-speed swirling flow method" and "pressure dissolution method," which generate "ultrafine bubbles" from "ultrafine bubbles" in water, and the "surfactant-added micropore method" and "cavitation method," which generate "ultrafine bubbles" directly in a water flow.

[0004] As an example of an application of the technology for generating the above-mentioned "fine bubbles," for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a microbubble generator for a faucet, which is an insert that has a flow path inside through which liquid discharged from a faucet passes and generates microbubbles from gas dissolved in the liquid, and has an external thread portion on its outer periphery that screws into a thread portion inside the spout of the faucet, and a space is provided upstream of the insert, and a tornado plate with an eccentric hole that swirls the liquid and increases the flow rate is placed in that space. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6579547 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In addition to the above-mentioned application examples, in recent years, bubble water containing a large amount of fine bubbles has begun to be used in the fields of agriculture and fisheries, as well as in the beauty industry, such as in shower heads for ordinary households, taking advantage of its high cleaning ability. In this context, there is a demand for smaller diameter fine bubbles and an increase in their generation, with the aim of further improving performance.

[0007] The present invention has been made based on the above background, and has an object to provide a fine bubble generating device that can increase the amount of fine bubbles generated. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, one representative aspect of the present invention is a fine-bubble generating device comprising: a substantially cylindrical housing having an inlet flow path and an outlet flow path formed continuously therein; a swirl flow-forming plate having a plurality of inclined holes and attached to the inlet of the inlet flow path; and an obstruction member disposed in the inlet flow path to intentionally disturb the water flow that has passed through the swirl flow-forming plate, wherein the outlet flow path is configured to include a throttle flow path with a small inner diameter in an intermediate region between the inlet and outlet.

[0009] Another representative aspect of the present invention is a water pipe unit comprising an inlet-side connecting member to which a water flow is supplied, a micro-bubble generating device that generates micro-bubbles in the water flow, and an outlet-side connecting member that discharges the water flow with micro-bubbles formed therein, wherein the micro-bubble generating device comprises a substantially cylindrical housing having an inlet flow path and an outlet flow path formed continuously therein, a swirl flow-forming plate having a plurality of inclined holes and attached to the inlet of the inlet flow path, and an obstruction member that is disposed within the inlet flow path and intentionally disturbs the water flow that has passed through the swirl flow-forming plate, and the outlet flow path is configured so that a throttle flow path with a small inner diameter is formed in the intermediate region between the inlet and outlet.

[0010] According to the present invention having these configurations, the water flow that has passed through the swirl flow forming plate is further intentionally disturbed by the obstruction member, and then the water flow undergoes cavitation treatment in the outflow flow path after that, thereby further increasing the amount of fine bubbles generated. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of a fine bubble forming device according to a first embodiment, which is a typical example of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of a flow path in the housing shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an outline of the swirl flow forming plate shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of the obstacle member shown in FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of the operation of generating fine bubbles using the fine bubble generating device according to Example 1. FIG. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are an external view and a partial cross-sectional view showing an outline of a water pipe unit according to a second embodiment, which is another representative example of the present invention. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are an external view and a partial cross-sectional view showing an outline of a water pipe unit according to a modified example of the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, a typical example of the fine bubble generating device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0013] Example 1 Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of a fine-bubble generating device according to Example 1, which is a representative example of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of a flow path in the housing shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a schematic view showing an outline of the swirl flow forming plate shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing an outline of the obstacle member shown in Fig. 1.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, as an example, the fine bubble forming device 100 according to Example 1 includes a substantially cylindrical housing 110 in which an inflow channel 112 and an outflow channel 114 are continuously formed, a swirling flow forming plate 120 having a plurality of inclined holes and attached to the inlet of the inflow channel 112, and an obstacle member 130 disposed inside the inflow channel 112 to intentionally disrupt the water flow passing through the swirling flow forming plate 120.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, as an example, the housing 110 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape from a material such as metal or hard plastic, and an inflow channel 112 to which the swirling flow forming plate 120 is attached is formed on one end side where the water flow flows in. On the other end side where the water flow is ejected, an outflow channel 114 is formed continuously with the inflow channel 112 and is defined by an inlet OP in and an outlet OP out And in the outflow channel 114, a throttle channel RP is formed in the intermediate region between the inlet OP in and the outlet OP out

[0016] The inflow channel 112 has a receiving portion 112a to which the swirling flow forming plate 120 is attached formed in a ring shape on the water flow inflow side, and is connected to the inlet OP in of the outflow channel 114 on the water flow outflow side. At this time, the inner diameter D of the inflow channel 112 is set such that D ≧ D2 with respect to the opening diameter D2 of the inlet OP in of the outflow channel 114.

[0017] The outflow channel 114, as an example, includes a reduced diameter channel RC whose inner diameter gradually decreases from the inlet OP in side toward the throttle channel RP, and an expanded diameter channel EC whose inner diameter gradually increases from the throttle channel RP toward the outlet OP out side. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, in the outflow channel 114, the inner diameter D2 in the throttle channel RP described above is the smallest, and it is preferable that the relationship of "D2 < D3 < D1" holds between the inner diameter D1 at the inlet OP in and the inner diameter D3 at the outlet OP out .

[0018] 3, the swirl flow forming plate 120 is, for example, configured with a substantially disk-shaped main body 122 having a plurality of inclined holes 124 formed on a substantially circular circumference, and a stepped portion 126 formed on the outer periphery of the main body 122. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the stepped portion 126 of the swirl flow forming plate 120 is formed to fit into a receiving portion 112a formed in the inflow flow path 112 of the housing 110, so that the swirl flow forming plate 120 is attached without any gaps to the inflow side of the inflow flow path 112 of the housing 110. The swirl flow forming plate 120 is formed, for example, like the housing 110, from a material such as metal or hard plastic.

[0019] In the example shown in Fig. 3, four inclined holes 124 are formed at equal intervals in the main body 122 of the swirl flow forming plate 120 between the upper surface 122a and the lower surface 122b, with the opening positions of the holes offset in the direction of arrow A1. As a result, when water flows into the bottom side of the swirl flow forming plate 120, the water flow that passes through the multiple inclined holes 124 formed in the main body 122 is ejected in the inclined direction of these inclined holes 124, resulting in a swirling flow that flows downstream. Note that Fig. 3 illustrates an example in which four inclined holes 124 are formed at equal intervals on a substantially circular circumference, but the number of inclined holes 124 may be selected appropriately depending on the overall size and the properties of the flowing water flow WF.

[0020] 4, the obstruction member 130 is, for example, composed of a base member 132 formed in a shape that allows it to contact the inner surface of the inflow flow path 112 of the housing 110, and a plurality of fin members 134 arranged on the base member 132. Such obstruction member 130 intentionally disrupts the swirling flow guided from the swirling flow forming plate 120 on the downstream side, thereby further increasing the efficiency of generating fine bubbles in the downstream outflow flow path 114. Note that, like the other members, the obstruction member 130 is formed from a material such as metal or hard plastic.

[0021] As an example, the height and width of the base member 132 are determined by taking into consideration a balance between maximizing the amount of water flowing through the inflow channel 112 and maximizing the number of fin members 134 that intentionally disrupt the water flow. The length of the base member 132 in the direction of the water flow is selected appropriately by conducting experiments in advance to generate microscopic bubbles. The base member 132 may be configured to have a non-slip function based on a so-called "key and key groove" relationship between the base member 132 and the inner surface of the inflow channel 112 of the housing 110.

[0022] As one example, the multiple fin members 134 have a shape that tapers from the base member 132 to the tip. The height of the fin members 134 is also set within an appropriate range so as to maximize the amount of water flow WF flowing through the inflow channel 112 while at the same time disrupting the flow of the water flow in a more complex manner.

[0023] 4 shows an example in which the multiple fin members 134 are arranged in three rows along the direction of the water flow, but any number of rows can be used in consideration of the efficiency of disrupting the flow. Also, while FIG. 4 shows the fin members 134 arranged in rows aligned along the flow, they may be arranged randomly as long as the purpose of the fin members 134 is to intentionally disrupt the water flow.

[0024] The micro-bubble-generating device 100 according to the present invention employs a so-called "cavitation method" as a technology for generating micro-bubbles, in which gas dissolved in liquid is generated as "ultra-fine bubbles" by the "cavitation phenomenon." This "cavitation method" does not require any additional flow paths or pipes for taking in gas such as air, which is the raw material for micro-bubbles, between the time the water flow flows in from the inlet flow path 112 and the time it is ejected from the outlet flow path 114. This simplifies the structure of the micro-bubble-generating device 100 and makes it possible to reduce the overall size.

[0025] Hereinafter, the operation of spraying the bubbly water flow BF containing fine bubbles using the fine bubble generating device 100 according to the first embodiment will be described.

[0026] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of the operation of generating fine bubbles using the fine bubble generating device according to the first embodiment.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 5, when a water flow WF having a predetermined water pressure flows in from the inlet side (the lower surface 122b side) of the swirl flow forming plate 120 of the fine bubble generating device 100, the water flow WF passes through the multiple inclined holes 124 of the swirl flow forming plate 120, and a swirl flow WF is generated in the inlet flow path 112. s At this time, since the swirl flow forming plate 120 is attached to the housing 110 without any gaps, the water flow WF flows downstream only through the inclined holes 124 of the swirl flow forming plate 120, and as a result, the swirl flow of the water flow WF that has passed through the swirl flow forming plate 120 is in a state where it is more pressurized than when it flowed in.

[0028] Next, swirling flow WF s The flow is guided by an obstacle member 130 disposed in the inlet flow passage 112 and is intentionally disturbed by a plurality of fin members 134 to form a stirring flow WF d The inlet OP of the outlet flow path 114 in By intentionally disrupting the swirling flow in the inlet flow channel 112 with the obstruction member 130, the ability to form fine bubbles in the outlet flow channel 114 can be improved.

[0029] Next, the stirring flow WF d is gradually compressed while passing through the reduced diameter flow path RC of the outlet flow path 114, and becomes a compressed flow WF c Then, the pressure is suddenly reduced while passing through the narrowed flow path RP and the enlarged flow path EC. r By going through these stages, countless minute bubbles are formed inside the water flow WF flowing in the outflow passage 114 due to the above-mentioned "cavitation phenomenon," and are sprayed out as a bubble water flow BF.

[0030] With the above-mentioned configuration, the micro-bubble generating device according to the present invention has a structure in which the water flow that has passed through the swirl flow generating plate is intentionally disturbed by the obstacle member, and the subsequent flow is subjected to cavitation treatment in the outflow flow path, thereby increasing the amount of micro-bubbles generated.For example, when the micro-bubbles contained in the bubbly water flow generated by the micro-bubble generating device according to the present invention were measured with a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer, it was confirmed that approximately 700 million ultra-fine bubbles were dispersed per ml (milliliter).

[0031] <Example 2> 1 to 5 according to the first embodiment of the present invention can be applied to, for example, a handheld water-discharging nozzle for general household use, a water supply mechanism in the agricultural, fisheries or industrial fields, etc. Below, as a second embodiment, a configuration example will be described in which the fine-bubble-generating device 100 according to the first embodiment is applied to a water pipe unit that can be incorporated into a general water supply mechanism.

[0032] Fig. 6 is an external view and a partial cross-sectional view showing an outline of a water pipe unit according to Example 2, which is another representative example of the present invention. Fig. 7 is an external view and a partial cross-sectional view showing an outline of a water pipe unit according to a modified example of Example 2. In Example 2, components that can be the same as or in common with Example 1 shown in Figs. 1 to 5 are assigned the same reference numerals, and repeated description of these components will be omitted.

[0033] As shown in Figure 6(a), the water pipe unit 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a substantially tubular main body member 10 into which the micro-bubble generating device 100 illustrated in the first embodiment is inserted, an inlet side connecting member 20 that connects the main body member 10 to an inlet pipe 2 to which a water flow is supplied, and an outlet side connecting member 30 that connects the main body member 10 to an outlet pipe 3 that discharges the water flow in which micro-bubbles have been formed.

[0034] 6(b), the main body member 10 is formed of the same or similar material as the inlet pipe 2 and the outlet pipe 3, and is preferably configured so that its inner diameter is the same as those of the inlet pipe 2 and the outlet pipe 3. In addition, a protrusion 12 is formed on the inner surface of the main body member 10, which functions as a positioning stopper when the micro-bubble generating device 100 is inserted.

[0035] As an example, the inlet side connecting member 20 and the outlet side connecting member 30 are configured as annular members made of the same or similar material as the main body member 10. The inner surfaces of the inlet side connecting member 20 and the outlet side connecting member 30 are formed with threads for threaded connection with the outer peripheries of the inlet pipe 2 and the outlet pipe 3 near their connection ends.

[0036] 6 illustrates a configuration in which the inlet-side connecting member 20 and the outlet-side connecting member 30 are fixed to the outer periphery of the main body member 10 near the ends thereof and are screwed to the inlet pipe 2 and the outlet pipe 3, but they may also be configured as separate members each having threads formed thereon for screwing to the main body member 10. Furthermore, if the inlet pipe 2 or the outlet pipe 3 is made of a rubber hose or the like, the inlet-side connecting member 20 or the outlet-side connecting member 30 may be configured as a hose joint.

[0037] As shown in Figure 6, in the water pipe unit 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, when a water flow WF is supplied from the flow path C1 inside the inlet pipe 2, the water flow WF passes through the swirl flow forming plate 120 of the micro-bubble generating device 100 arranged inside the main body member 10 and flows into the inlet flow path 112 as a swirling flow, and is intentionally disturbed by the obstacle member 130 arranged inside the inlet flow path 112 to flow into the outlet flow path 114 as an agitated flow.

[0038] Thereafter, when the agitated flow passes through the outlet flow path 114 including the throttle flow path RP, countless tiny bubbles are formed inside due to the "cavitation phenomenon" described above, and are discharged into the flow path C2 of the outlet pipe 3 as a bubble water flow BF.

[0039] Furthermore, the water pipe unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention may be configured so as to additionally provide an intake mechanism for taking in air or gas into the fine-bubble-generating device 100. For example, as shown in Fig. 7(a), a gas supply source 40 is connected via a supply pipe 42 to a main body member 10 in which the fine-bubble-generating device 100 is disposed.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 7(b), the supply pipe 42 is connected to a communication flow path 116 formed in the housing 110 of the fine-bubble-forming device 100, and one end of the communication flow path 116 opens toward the outlet flow path 114. As a result, the compressed flow WF c The amount of fine bubbles contained in the bubbly water flow BF can be further increased by additionally supplying gas from the gas flow GF supplied from the outside.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 7(b), the communication flow path 116 is preferably disposed so as to open near the downstream side of the throttle flow path RP of the outflow flow path 114. c When the gas flows through the throttle flow path RP, a negative pressure is generated near the opening of the communication flow path 116, so that the gas flow GF supplied from the outside can be taken in more quickly and in larger quantities.

[0042] The gas supplied from the external gas supply source 40 is not limited to air, and any gas such as hydrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or fluorine can be used depending on the application or purpose. When air is taken in from the outside, one end of the supply pipe 42 may simply be open to the atmosphere, instead of the gas supply source 40. Furthermore, the liquid flowing through the water pipe unit 1 according to the second embodiment may be not only water or hot water, but also hydrogen water in which hydrogen is dissolved, organic solvents, and the like.

[0043] With the above-described configuration, the water pipe unit according to the second embodiment can apply the bubbly water flow obtained by the fine-bubble generating device according to the first embodiment to handheld water-discharging nozzles for general households, water supply mechanisms in the agricultural, fishery, or industrial fields, etc.

[0044] The description of the above-described embodiment is merely an example of the fine bubble generating device or water pipe unit according to the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to each embodiment. Furthermore, a person skilled in the art can make various modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and these modifications are not excluded from the scope of the present invention.

[0045] For example, the housing 110 of the micro-bubble generating device 100 is configured as a single, integrally molded member, but instead of being integrally molded, it may be configured to be formed by joining two parts cut along a plane passing through the central axis of the housing 110. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 1 Water pipe unit 10 Main body member 20 Inlet side connecting member 30 Outlet side connecting member 100 Microbubble forming device 110 Case 112 Inlet channel 114 Outlet Channel 116 Connecting flow path 120 Swirling flow forming plate 122 Main body 124 Slanted hole 126 Step 130 Obstacles 132 Base member 134 Fin member BF Bubble Water Flow EC enlarged diameter channel RC reduced diameter channel RP throttle channel WF water flow

Claims

1. A fine-bubble generating device comprising: a substantially cylindrical housing having an inlet flow path and an outlet flow path formed continuously therein; a swirl flow-forming plate having a plurality of inclined holes and attached to an inlet of the inlet flow path; and an obstacle member disposed in the inlet flow path to intentionally disturb a water flow that has passed through the swirl flow-forming plate, The outlet flow path includes a throttle flow path with a small inner diameter in an intermediate region between the inlet and outlet of the outlet flow path. Microbubble forming device.

2. The obstruction member is composed of a base member formed to contact the inner surface of the inlet flow channel and a plurality of fin members standing upright from the base member. The fine bubble generating device according to claim 1.

3. The housing is constructed as a single, integrally molded member. The fine bubble generating device according to claim 1.

4. A water pipe unit comprising an inlet-side connecting member to which a water flow is supplied, a microbubble generating device for generating microbubbles in the water flow, and an outlet-side connecting member for discharging the water flow in which the microbubbles have been formed, The fine bubble generating device includes a substantially cylindrical housing having an inlet flow path and an outlet flow path formed continuously therein, a swirl flow forming plate having a plurality of inclined holes and attached to an inlet of the inlet flow path, and an obstacle member disposed in the inlet flow path to intentionally disturb the water flow that has passed through the swirl flow forming plate, The outlet flow path has a throttle flow path with a small inner diameter formed in an intermediate region between the inlet and outlet. Water pipe unit.

5. The obstruction member is composed of a base member formed to contact the inner surface of the inlet flow channel and a plurality of fin members standing upright from the base member. The water pipe unit according to claim 4.

6. The housing is constructed as a single, integrally molded member. The water pipe unit according to claim 4.

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