Photochemical reaction treatment method

Abstract

To provide a photochemical reaction treatment structure that allows the action of photochemical reaction to be efficiently exerted on a fluid.SOLUTION: A photochemical reaction treatment structure is provided in a fluid. The photochemical reaction treatment structure has a light diffusion fiber 120 having a light diffusion portion 120a that emits light laterally, and a photochemical reaction medium 210 that is provided along the lengthwise direction of the light diffusion portion 120a of the light diffusion fiber 120 and causes a photochemical reaction by light from the light diffusion portion 120a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5B

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention ,light The present invention relates to a chemical reaction processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] It is known that sterilization and the like is carried out by photochemical reactions. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that ultraviolet light is irradiated onto the inner surface of the tub of a washing machine to prevent the growth of bacteria such as mold by a photochemical reaction. Patent Document 2 discloses that the surface of an operating table is formed from a light-transmitting medium, a light diffusing fiber is provided in the passage below the medium, and light is emitted from the light diffusing fiber to sterilize the surface of the operating table by a photochemical reaction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-73989 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2020-72862 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a filter containing a photocatalyst such as titanium oxide or tungsten oxide is irradiated with light from a light source such as a lamp or LED, a photocatalytic reaction produces active oxygen, which inactivates and sterilizes viruses and other substances captured by the filter. Normally, a point light source is used for this purpose, but in order to increase the area of ​​the filter, it is necessary to arrange many point light sources vertically and horizontally.

[0005] However, in this case, the area occupied by the point light source and wiring relative to the area of ​​the filter becomes large, making it difficult to suppress the resistance to the passage of fluids such as air and water, etc. Therefore, even if the area of ​​the filter is increased, there is a problem that improvement in the processing capacity such as sterilization per unit time and unit area cannot be expected.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to Biological system Photochemical reaction process capable of efficiently causing a photochemical reaction in a photochemical reaction medium method The purpose of this project is to provide [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention is a photochemical reaction processing method in which a light diffusing fiber having a light diffusing portion that emits light laterally is arranged in seawater containing a biological photochemical reaction medium so as to have a two-dimensional or three-dimensional spread, and light is emitted from the light diffusing portion of the light diffusing fiber to cause a photochemical reaction in the biological photochemical reaction medium. The light diffusing fiber has a core, a clad, and a coating layer, and in the light diffusing portion, A and before Record D At least one of them contains dispersed light scattering material, and no electrical wiring is provided in the seawater. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, a photochemical reaction medium is provided along the length of the light diffusing portion of the light diffusing fiber, which has a small occupancy area. Biological system The photochemical reaction of the photochemical reaction medium can be efficiently caused. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a filter according to a first embodiment. [Figure 1B] 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a filter according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a light diffusing fiber. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a light diffusing fiber. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a modified example of the filter according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4A] FIG. 4 is a plan view of another modified example of the filter according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4B] FIG. 11 is a plan view of another modified example of the filter according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5A] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a photochemically reactive material according to a second embodiment. [Figure 5B] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a photochemically reactive material according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6A] FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a filter made of a photochemically reactive material according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6B] FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of another filter made of a photochemically reactive material according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The embodiments will be described in detail below.

[0012] (Embodiment 1) 1A and 1B show a filter 100 according to embodiment 1. The filter 100 is used by being provided in a fluid F, such as a gas such as air or a liquid such as water, in, for example, an air conditioner, an air purifier, a water purifier, or the like.

[0013] The filter 100 according to the first embodiment includes a filter body 110 serving as a base material, and a light diffusing fiber 120 .

[0014] The filter body 110 may be, for example, a fiber sheet such as a woven fabric, knitted fabric, or nonwoven fabric that is permeable to the fluid F (gas or liquid). The filter body 110 has a photochemical reaction medium.

[0015] Examples of the fiber material forming the filter body 110 include inorganic fibers and organic fibers. Examples of the inorganic fibers include carbon fibers, glass fibers, ceramic fibers, alumina fibers, boron fibers, and metal fibers. Examples of the metal fibers include aluminum fibers, copper fibers, brass fibers, stainless steel fibers, and steel fibers. Examples of the organic fibers include polyester fibers, acrylic fibers, polyamide fibers, polyolefin fibers, polyvinyl alcohol fibers, aramid fibers, and natural fibers. Examples of the natural fibers include cellulose-based fibers such as cotton and hemp, and wool. It is preferable that the fiber material forming the filter body 110 includes one or more of these.

[0016] Examples of photochemical reaction media include metal oxides, metal sulfides, metal nitrides, and metal phosphides. Examples of metal oxides include titanium oxide, tungsten oxide, iron oxide, tin oxide, bismuth oxide, nickel oxide, cobalt oxide, copper (I) oxide, copper (II) oxide, zinc oxide, strontium titanate, strontium niobate, and bismuth vanadate. Examples of metal sulfides include cadmium sulfide, zinc sulfide, and molybdenum sulfide. Examples of metal nitrides include gallium nitride and carbon nitride. Examples of metal phosphides include indium phosphide and gallium phosphide. Examples of photochemical reaction media include those in which these substances are doped with anions such as nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, carbon, and fluorine, and those in which these substances are doped with cations such as rhodium and chromium. The photochemical reaction medium preferably contains one or more of these, and more preferably contains tungsten oxide from the viewpoint that a photochemical reaction is easily caused by visible laser light.

[0017] The photochemical reaction medium may be mixed into the fiber material forming the filter body 110. The photochemical reaction medium may be supported on the surface of the fiber material forming the filter body 110. The photochemical reaction medium may constitute the fiber material forming the filter body 110 itself.

[0018] 2A and 2B show a light diffusing fiber 120. The light diffusing fiber 120 includes a core 121, a clad 122, and a coating layer 123. The light diffusing fiber 120 has a light diffusing portion 120a of a predetermined length in its middle portion for emitting light laterally.

[0019] In the light diffusion portion 120a, at least one of the core 121, the clad 122, and the covering layer 123 contains the light scatterers 124 dispersed therein. In the light diffusion portion 120a, as shown in FIG. 2B, it is preferable that the clad 122 contains the light scatterers 124, but the core 121 or the covering layer 123 may contain the light scatterers 124. In addition, a plurality of layers may contain the light scatterers 124, such as the core 121 and the clad 122, the clad 122 and the covering layer 123, or the core 121, the clad 122, and the covering layer 123. When a plurality of layers contain the light scatterers 124, the light scatterers 124 contained in those layers may be the same or different.

[0020] One core 121 is provided at the center of the fiber. The diameter of the core 121 is, for example, 50 μm or more and 1 mm or less. The core 121 may be provided eccentrically, or a plurality of cores 121 may be provided. The core 121 is formed of a material having a relatively high refractive index. Examples of materials for forming the core 121 include glass materials such as quartz, and organic materials such as acrylic resins and fluorine-based resins. The core 121 may be doped with a dopant that increases the refractive index, such as germanium, to adjust the refractive index.

[0021] The cladding 122 is provided so as to cover the core 121. The outer diameter of the cladding 122 is, for example, 125 μm or more and 5 mm or less. The cladding 122 is formed of a material having a relatively low refractive index. Examples of materials for forming the cladding 122 include organic materials such as silicone resins, acrylic resins, and fluorine resins, and glass materials such as quartz. The cladding 122 may be doped with a dopant that lowers the refractive index, such as fluorine, to adjust the refractive index.

[0022] When the light scattering body 124 is included in the light diffusion portion 120a, the clad 122 is preferably formed of an organic material, and more preferably formed of a silicone-based resin. The silicone-based resin clad 122 has a high affinity with the light scattering body 124. Therefore, the light scattering body 124 is uniformly dispersed in both the length direction and the thickness direction, and uniform light scattering can be obtained throughout the clad 122. Furthermore, the light scattering body 124 uniformly dispersed in the silicone-based resin clad 122 uniformly forms optical irregularities along the length direction at the boundary surface between the core 121 and the clad 122 that are structural for mode conversion of the core propagating light to the clad propagating light and that generate a refractive index difference. Therefore, the mode conversion of the core propagating light to the clad propagating light occurs uniformly along the length direction, and therefore unevenness in brightness and darkness of the side light emission along the length direction can be suppressed. Furthermore, the silicone-based resin clad 122 has high heat dissipation, so that when the light scattering body 124 is an organic material with low heat resistance, its deterioration can be suppressed. In addition, when the core 121 is made of a glass material, the cladding 122 made of a silicone resin can obtain high adhesion to the core 121. From the viewpoints of mass productivity and reproducibility, this silicone resin is preferably a thermosetting or ultraviolet curing type.

[0023] The coating layer 123 is provided so as to cover the clad 122. The outer diameter of the coating layer 123, i.e., the outer diameter of the light diffusing fiber 120, is, for example, 200 μm or more and 10 mm or less. Examples of materials for forming the coating layer 123 include light-transmitting resins such as silicone-based resins and acrylic-based resins.

[0024] Examples of the light scatterers 124 include powdered organic materials such as powdered polymethylmethacrylate resin (PMMA) and polystyrene resin (PS), powdered inorganic materials such as powdered light-transmitting ceramics (TiO2), metals (Al and Au), and quartz, and air bubbles. The light scatterers 124 preferably contain one or more of these. The average particle size of the light scatterers 124 is, for example, 1 μm or more and 10 μm or less. The average particle size of the light scatterers 124 is measured, for example, by a precision particle size distribution measuring device using the Coulter method, and air bubbles are measured by X-ray observation or various microscope observations. The content of the light scatterers 124 in each layer is, for example, 0.01% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less.

[0025] In addition, the light diffusing fiber 120 may have a support layer between the cladding 122 and the coating layer 123 so as to cover the cladding 122, and the support layer may contain light scatterers 124 dispersed therein.

[0026] The light diffusing fiber 120 can be manufactured by drawing a base material and then coating it with a resin. At this time, the part of the base material that forms the core 121 and the part that forms the cladding 122, and the resin material that forms the coating layer 123 may contain the light scatterers 124 in advance.

[0027] The light diffusing fiber 120 is attached to the filter body 110 such that the light diffusing portion 120a threads between threads or fibers in the filter body 110 and repeatedly goes back and forth in a zigzag pattern in a plan view of the filter body 110, thereby forming a two-dimensional light emitting surface in the filter body 110. This forms a photochemical reaction processing structure in which a photochemical reaction medium is provided along the length direction of the light diffusing portion 120a of the light diffusing fiber 120. Both end portions of the light diffusing fiber 120 are drawn out to the outside of the filter body 110.

[0028] The filter 100 according to the first embodiment is provided in a fluid F such as a gas such as air or a liquid such as water. In this case, a plurality of filters 100 may be stacked for use. A light source LD is connected to one end of the light diffusion fiber 120. Examples of the light source LD include a semiconductor laser and an LED. The light source LD is preferably a semiconductor laser from the viewpoint of easy connection to the light diffusion fiber 120. The wavelength of the light emitted by the light source LD is such that a photochemical reaction by the photochemical reaction medium effectively occurs, and is, for example, 300 nm or more and 900 nm or less. The output power of the light source LD is, for example, several mW to several tens of W, depending on the length of the light diffusion fiber 120 and the photochemical reaction. In addition, from the viewpoint of promoting contact of the fluid F with the filter 100, a blower or a pump for transporting the fluid F in one direction or two directions may be provided.

[0029] In the filter 100 according to the first embodiment, when light is output from the light source LD, the light is transmitted by the light diffusing fiber 120. The light diffusing fiber 120 scatters the transmitted light in the light diffusing portion 120a by the light scatterers 124 included in at least one of the core 121, the clad 122, and the coating layer 123, and emits the light to the side. The filter body 110 is irradiated with light from the light diffusing portion 120a of the light diffusing fiber 120, and the light causes a photochemical reaction medium in the filter body 110 to undergo a photochemical reaction to generate, for example, active oxygen, which exerts an action of sterilization, disinfection, disinfection, etc. on the fluid F.

[0030] According to the filter 100 of the first embodiment having the above configuration, the photochemical reaction medium is provided along the length direction of the light diffusion portion 120a of the light diffusion fiber 120 having a small occupancy area, so that the opening area through which the fluid F can pass can be secured widely, and therefore the photochemical reaction of the photochemical reaction medium can be efficiently caused. As a result, the action of the photochemical reaction on the fluid F can be efficiently exerted. In addition, since the resistance when the fluid F passes through can be kept low, a high processing capacity per unit time and unit area can be obtained. Therefore, when the filter 100 is used with a large area, a corresponding effect can be obtained. Furthermore, since the action of the photochemical reaction on the fluid F can be efficiently exerted, power saving can also be achieved.

[0031] On the other hand, in the filter 100 according to the first embodiment, the light diffusing fiber 120 that emits light for the photochemical reaction medium to undergo a photochemical reaction is attached to the filter body 110 itself that has the photochemical reaction medium, so that the device including the filter 100 can be made thin, and the filter 100 can be attached to, for example, an indoor wall panel or partition, or an outlet or intake of an existing air conditioning system. In addition, since the filter 100 can obtain high processing capacity even when it is miniaturized, it can be used, for example, in a wearable device.

[0032] In the filter 100 according to the first embodiment, the light diffusing fiber 120 is arranged and attached to the filter body 110 so as to be repeatedly folded back and forth in a zigzag manner, thereby forming a two-dimensional light emitting surface, but the present invention is not particularly limited to this. Since the thin-diameter light diffusing fiber 120 can be arranged freely, for example, as shown in Fig. 3, the light diffusing fiber 120 may be arranged and attached to the filter body 110 so as to be folded back in the thickness direction, thereby forming a three-dimensional light emitting body. As shown in Figs. 4A and 4B, a plurality of light diffusing fibers 120 may be arranged and attached to the filter body 110.

[0033] (Embodiment 2) 5A and 5B show a photochemical reaction material 200 according to embodiment 2. Note that parts having the same names as those in embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in embodiment 1.

[0034] The photochemical reaction material 200 according to the second embodiment includes a light diffusing fiber 120 having the same configuration as the filter 100 according to the first embodiment, and a photochemical reaction medium layer 210 formed of a photochemical reaction medium provided so as to cover the light diffusing fiber 120. This forms a photochemical reaction processing structure in which a photochemical reaction medium is provided along the length direction of the light diffusing portion 120a of the light diffusing fiber 120.

[0035] The photochemically reactive material 200 according to the second embodiment can be used as it is, arranged two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally. Also, the photochemically reactive material 200 according to the second embodiment can be used as a sheet-like filter attached to a substrate 220 such as a woven fabric, as shown in Fig. 6A. Furthermore, the photochemically reactive material 200 according to the second embodiment can be used as a sheet-like filter that is woven or the like, as shown in Fig. 6B.

[0036] The photochemical reaction material 200 according to the second embodiment is provided in a fluid F, such as a gas such as air or a liquid such as water. A light source LD is connected to one end of the light diffusion fiber 120. When light is output from the light source LD, the photochemical reaction material 200 according to the second embodiment transmits the light through the light diffusion fiber 120. The light diffusion fiber 120 scatters the transmitted light in the light diffusion portion 120a by the light scattering body 124 included in at least one of the core 121, the clad 122, and the coating layer 123, and emits the light to the side. The photochemical reaction medium layer 210 is irradiated with light from the light diffusion portion 120a of the light diffusion fiber 120, and the photochemical reaction medium forming the photochemical reaction medium layer 210 undergoes a photochemical reaction with the light to generate, for example, active oxygen, which exerts sterilization, disinfection, disinfection, and other effects on the fluid F.

[0037] The other configurations and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0038] (Embodiment 3) In the photochemical reaction processing method according to the third embodiment, the light diffusing fiber 120 shown in Figures 2A and B is arranged in seawater (fluid) containing a biological photochemical reaction medium such as algae and plankton, so as to have a two-dimensional or three-dimensional spread. Visible light is emitted from the light diffusing portion 120a of the light diffusing fiber 120 to cause the biological photochemical reaction medium to undergo a photochemical reaction (e.g., photosynthesis). According to the photochemical reaction processing method according to the third embodiment, it is possible to accelerate the growth of the biological photochemical reaction medium and increase the nutritional content.

[0039] Since the sea is deep and has a large area, it is difficult to sufficiently irradiate the volume obtained by multiplying the area by the depth, and it is considered that a point light source such as an LED is very inefficient. Also, since visible light is highly absorbed in seawater, it is difficult to deliver a uniform amount of light to the depths even if light is irradiated from the sea surface. However, if the light diffusing fiber 120 is used as in the photochemical reaction processing method according to the third embodiment, it is possible to irradiate light deep in the sea and over a wide area, and unlike LEDs, no electrical wiring is required, so maintenance is also very easy. [Industrial Applicability]

[0040] The present invention ,light It is useful in the technical field of chemical reaction processing methods. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 100 Filters 110 Filter body 120 Light diffusing fiber 120a Light diffusion part 121 cores 122 Clad 123 Covering layer 124 Light scatterer 200 Photochemical reaction materials 210 Photochemical reaction medium layer 220 Base material F fluid LD light source

Claims

[Claim 1] A photochemical reaction processing method comprising: arranging a light diffusing fiber having a light diffusing portion that emits light laterally in seawater containing a biological photochemical reaction medium so as to have a two-dimensional or three-dimensional spread; and emitting light from the light diffusing portion of the light diffusing fiber to cause a photochemical reaction in the biological photochemical reaction medium, The light diffusing fiber includes a core, a clad, and a coating layer, and in the light diffusing portion, at least one of the core and the clad contains a light scatterer dispersed therein; This photochemical reaction treatment method does not require the installation of electrical wiring in the seawater.

Images