Method for removing microorganisms from room air conditioners

Abstract

To provide a microorganism removal method of an air conditioner capable of making a spray liquid reach every corner of an indoor unit of the air conditioner having an air inlet in a top face to remove such microbes as mold or germs without disassembling the air conditioner, while hardly imparting an adverse effect to an enclosure or an electrical section of the air conditioner.SOLUTION: In a microorganism removal method of a room air-conditioner, a spray liquid is sprayed from an atomizer 100 toward an air inlet 210 at a top face of an indoor unit 200. In the microorganism removal method, the spray liquid includes 5 to 75 mass% chemical agent having a microorganism removal effect, and 25 to 95 mass% water. The atomizer 100 is configured to spray the spray liquid such that an average particle diameter of the spray liquid is 3.0 to 10.0 μm at a location 15 cm away from a center of an ejection part along an ejection direction of the atomizer. An amount of the sprayed spray liquid is 300 to 3800 g / m3 per volume of the indoor unit 200.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for removing microorganisms from a room air conditioner, and more particularly to a method for removing microorganisms from an indoor unit of a wall-mounted room air conditioner (hereinafter sometimes referred to as an "air conditioner") that is primarily used for home use. [Background technology]

[0002] The indoor unit of an air conditioner is prone to collecting dust and mold because it is often in a humid state. Therefore, when the air conditioner is started or running, it blows out moldy odors and dust, which can be unpleasant. There is a need to remove mold and bacteria from inside the indoor unit, but the internal structure of the indoor unit is complex, so only those with the necessary skills can disassemble it, making it difficult for consumers to remove mold and bacteria from every nook and cranny inside the air conditioner themselves. A method of more simply removing mold, bacteria, and the like from inside an air conditioner is known in which a spray liquid having a microorganism removing effect is sprayed.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a device that cleans the inside of an air conditioner while minimizing disassembly of parts by inserting a spray nozzle equipped with a device for observing the inside into the air conditioner and spraying a spray liquid. Patent Document 2 discloses an aerosol product for use in air conditioners as a spray for cleaning or spraying antifungal agents, which has improved rebound of the spray liquid and has improved quick-drying properties. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-291609 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2009-155438 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the methods in Patent Documents 1 and 2 both require the worker to remove a flap or open the front panel to spray the chemicals, and the chemicals are only effective in the areas where the worker sprays them, so they cannot remove mold and bacteria from every corner of the air conditioner's interior. Furthermore, depending on how the liquid is sprayed, there is the problem that the sprayed liquid may not enter the drain installed under the heat exchange fins, but drips down from the air conditioner flap and soils the room.

[0006] In addition, air conditioners have plastic housings to reduce weight, which can easily crack if chemicals are left on them for a long time. On the other hand, because air conditioners are electrical appliances, it is necessary to prevent chemicals from getting into the electrical components. For these reasons, care must be taken when spraying the liquid to ensure that it does not adversely affect air conditioners.

[0007] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention has an object to provide a method for removing microorganisms from a room air conditioner, which can remove microorganisms such as mold and bacteria by allowing a spray liquid to reach every corner of an indoor unit of an air conditioner having an air intake on its top surface without disassembling the air conditioner, and which is less likely to adversely affect the casing and electrical components of the air conditioner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following configuration. [1] A method for removing microorganisms, comprising spraying a spray liquid from a sprayer having a spray portion disposed above an air intake on an upper surface of an indoor unit of a room air conditioner, The spray liquid contains 5 to 75% by mass of a drug having a microbial removal effect and 25 to 95% by mass of water, The sprayer sprays the spray liquid so that the average particle diameter of the spray liquid at a point 15 cm away from the center of the spray part along the spray direction of the sprayer is 3.0 to 10.0 μm, The amount of the spray liquid per volume of the indoor unit is 300 to 3800 g / m 3 A method for removing microorganisms from a room air conditioner. [2] The method for removing microorganisms from a room air conditioner described in [1], wherein the agent is water-soluble. [3] The method for removing microorganisms from a room air conditioner described in [1] or [2], wherein the agent is at least one selected from the group consisting of disinfectants, antibacterial agents, fungicides, and antifungal agents. [4] The method for removing microorganisms from a room air conditioner described in any one of [1] to [3], wherein the sprayer is installed so that the spraying portion is located on a side away from the electrical equipment housing of the indoor unit. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the method for removing microorganisms from a room air conditioner of the present invention, the spray liquid can reach every corner of the indoor unit of an air conditioner that has an air intake on its top surface without disassembling the air conditioner, thereby removing microorganisms such as mold and bacteria, and is less likely to have an adverse effect on the casing and electrical components of the air conditioner. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an air conditioning system for carrying out the microbial removal method for an air conditioner of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a sprayer used in the present invention, as viewed obliquely from the front side. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an example of a sprayer used in the present invention, as viewed obliquely from the rear side. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a microorganism removal method for an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the placement of test pieces used for evaluation in the examples of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The microorganism removal method for a room air conditioner of the present invention is a method for removing microorganisms, in which a spray liquid is sprayed from a sprayer having a spray portion disposed above the air intake toward the air intake on the top surface of the indoor unit of the air conditioner. In the present invention, "removal of microorganisms" means any one of reducing the number of microorganisms, preventing the proliferation of microorganisms, and killing microorganisms, or a combination of these.

[0012] <Spray liquid> The spray liquid used in the method for removing microorganisms from a room air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present invention contains a chemical agent having a microorganism removing effect and water.

[0013] The agent having a microorganism removing effect is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of a germicide, an antibacterial agent, a fungicide, and an antifungal agent. A disinfectant is a drug that acts to reduce the number of bacteria. An antibacterial agent is a drug that acts to prevent the growth of bacteria. A mold remover is a drug that acts to reduce the amount of mold. An antifungal agent is a drug that acts to prevent the growth of mold. It is also preferable that the agent having a microorganism removing effect is capable of reducing or preventing the proliferation of both bacteria and fungi. The agent having a microbial eliminating effect may be a bactericide or a disinfectant.

[0014] Examples of agents having a microbial removal effect include glycols, glycol ethers, alcohols, phenols, carboxylic acids, quaternary ammonium salts, acyclic aldehydes, natural products, chlorine-based compounds, metal complexes, and aqueous solutions of ionized metals.

[0015] The glycols are compounds represented by the following general formula (A1). H.O.R. 1 -OH ... (A1) In formula (A1), R 1 R is a divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms. 1 The number of carbon atoms is preferably 2 to 9, and more preferably 2 to 4.

[0016] Specific examples of glycols include ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, trans-2-butene-1,4-diol, 2-butyne-1,4-diol, 2,5-hexanediol, 2-methyl-1,3-pentanediol, 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol, 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-butanediol, 2,4-heptanediol, 2,2-diethyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol, 2-ethyl-2-butyl-1,3-propanediol, isoprene glycol, trimethylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentene, Examples of the hexanediol include 1,6-hexanediol, 1,7-heptanediol, 1,8-octanediol, 1,9-nonanediol, 1,10-decanediol, 1,11-undecanediol, 1,12-dodecanediol, 1,13-tridecanediol, 1,14-tetradecanediol, 1,15-pentadecanediol, 1,16-hexadecanediol, 1,17-heptadecanediol, 1,18-octadecanediol, 1,19-nonadecanediol, 1,20-icosanediol, 1,2-octanediol, 1,2-decanediol, 1,2-dodecanediol, 1,2-tetradecanediol, 1,2-hexadecanediol, and 1,2-octadecanediol.

[0017] Among these, since the vapor pressure is in an appropriate range, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, and trans-2-butene-1,4-diol are preferred, and propylene glycol is more preferred.

[0018] The glycol ethers are compounds represented by the following general formula (A2). R 2 O-(R 3 O) m -H ... (A2) In formula (A2), R 2represents a hydrocarbon group having one or more carbon atoms, and R 3 represents an alkylene group having 2 or more carbon atoms, and m is an integer of 1 or more. R 2 The number of carbon atoms in R is preferably 1 to 11, and more preferably 6 to 11. 3 The number of carbon atoms is preferably 2 to 5, and more preferably 2 to 3.

[0019] Specific examples of glycol ethers include propylene glycol monohexyl ether, propylene glycol monoheptyl ether, propylene glycol monooctyl ether, propylene glycol monooctyl ether, propylene glycol mono-2-ethylhexyl ether, dipropylene glycol mono-2-ethylhexyl ether, propylene glycol monononyl ether, dipropylene glycol monononyl ether, propylene glycol monodecyl ether, dipropylene glycol monodecyl ether, propylene glycol monoisodecyl ether, dipropylene glycol monoisodecyl ether, propylene glycol monoundecyl ether, and dipropylene glycol. monoundecyl ether, diethylene glycol monohexyl ether, diethylene glycol monoheptyl ether, ethylene glycol monooctyl ether, diethylene glycol monooctyl ether, ethylene glycol mono-2-ethylhexyl ether, diethylene glycol mono-2-ethylhexyl ether, ethylene glycol monononyl ether, diethylene glycol monononyl ether, ethylene glycol monodecyl ether, diethylene glycol monodecyl ether, ethylene glycol monoisodecyl ether, diethylene glycol monoisodecyl ether, ethylene glycol monoundecyl ether, and diethylene glycol monoundecyl ether.

[0020] Among these, from the viewpoint of the microbial removal effect, propylene glycol monohexyl ether, propylene glycol monooctyl ether, dipropylene glycol mono-2-ethylhexyl ether, diethylene glycol monohexyl ether, diethylene glycol monooctyl ether, and ethylene glycol mono-2-ethylhexyl ether are more preferable.

[0021] The alcohols are compounds represented by the following general formula (A3). R 4 -OH...(A3) In formula (A3), R 4 R represents a hydrocarbon group. A part of the hydrocarbon group may be substituted with an oxygen atom. 4 The carbon number of is preferably 1 to 10, and more preferably 1 to 6.

[0022] Specific examples of alcohols include methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, butyl alcohol, isobutyl alcohol, and 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol. Among these, 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol is preferred since it has a vapor pressure in an appropriate range and has little odor problem.

[0023] Phenols are compounds that have one hydroxyl group on the benzene ring. Specific examples of phenols include 3-methyl-4-isopropylmethylphenol, 2-isopropyl-5-methylphenol, 4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol, 5-isopropyl-2-methylphenol, orthophenylphenol, 4-chlorophenol, 4-chloro-3-methylphenol, and 4-chloro-3,5-dimethylphenol.

[0024] The carboxylic acid is a compound represented by the following general formula (A4). R 5 -COOR 6 …(A4) In formula (A4), R 5 R represents a hydrocarbon group. 5The number of carbon atoms in R is preferably 1 to 8, and more preferably 1 to 3. 6 represents hydrogen, sodium, potassium, or calcium. Specific examples of carboxylic acids include propanoic acid, sodium propanoate, calcium propanoate, octanoic acid, sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, and calcium sorbate.

[0025] Examples of the quaternary ammonium salt include benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, didecyldimethylammonium chloride, and dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride.

[0026] Acyclic aldehydes are compounds that do not have a ring structure in the molecule and have an aldehyde group. Specific examples of acyclic aldehydes include citral, citronellal, hydroxycitronellal, octyl aldehyde, nonyl aldehyde, decyl aldehyde, undecyl aldehyde, trimethylhexyl aldehyde, trans-2-hexanal, 2,6-nonadienal, and cis-4-decenal.

[0027] Examples of natural products include chitosan, rosmarinic acid, epigallocatechin 3-gallate hydrate (catechin), allyl isothiocyanate, cinnamaldehyde, and hinokitiol. Examples of chlorine-based compounds include hypochlorous acid water and hypochlorous acid water (manufactured by Acenet Co., Ltd., hypochlorous acid water MA-T, which can be generated on demand). Examples of metal complexes and ionized aqueous solutions of metals include those of silver, zinc, titanium, and copper.

[0028] Among these, solvents are preferred because they are less likely to affect the indoor unit or cause indoor contamination, and alcohols, glycols, and glycol ethers are more preferred. When the agent having a microbial removal effect is a solvent, it is preferably water-soluble. Water-soluble means that 10 g or more (1 mass %) dissolves transparently in 1 L of water at 25° C. When the agent is water-soluble, the agent becomes uniform and the solvent can be sprayed evenly.

[0029] When the agent having a microorganism removing effect is a solvent, it is preferable that the vapor pressure (20°C) is 0.5 to 8000 Pa so that it volatilizes over time after being sprayed onto the target surface and exerts the microorganism removing effect before volatilization. The vapor pressure (20°C) is more preferably 5 to 1000 Pa, and even more preferably 5 to 100 Pa.

[0030] By having a vapor pressure (20°C) of 0.5 Pa or more, the target surface dries easily and is less likely to become sticky. Also, by having a vapor pressure (20°C) of 8000 Pa or less, it is possible to prevent the drug from evaporating before reaching the target surface, making it easier to adhere a sufficient amount of drug to the target surface. Also, it is easy to ensure that the time from adhesion to evaporation of the drug on the target surface is sufficient to achieve the microbial removal effect.

[0031] The agent having a microbial removal effect may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds. The content of the agent having a microbial removal effect in the spray liquid is 5 to 75% by mass, preferably 20 to 45% by mass, and more preferably 25 to 40% by mass. When the content of the agent is equal to or greater than the lower limit, a sufficient microbial removal effect can be obtained. When the content of the agent is equal to or less than the upper limit, the agent can volatilize quickly after adhering to the target area for microbial removal, and the agent can exert its inherent microbial removal effect.

[0032] Water is mixed with the agent having a microbial removal effect to form the spray liquid. By using water, the viscosity of the spray liquid can be adjusted and the sprayability can be improved. In addition, the volatilization time of the agent having a microbial removal effect can be adjusted when the agent adheres to the target object. As the water, ultrapure water, ion-exchanged water, distilled water, or tap water can be used.

[0033] The water content in the spray liquid is from 25 to 95% by mass, preferably from 40 to 95% by mass, and more preferably from 55 to 80% by mass. By making the water content equal to or higher than the lower limit, the agent can be sufficiently dissolved, and the viscosity can be prevented from becoming too high. If the viscosity does not easily become high, it is easy to ensure good sprayability from the sprayer. In addition, if the viscosity does not easily become high, the agent can volatilize quickly after adhering to the target area for microbial removal, and the agent can exert its inherent microbial removal effect. By keeping the water content at or below the upper limit, a sufficient amount of the agent can be contained in the spray liquid, so that a sufficient microbial removal effect can be obtained.

[0034] The total content of the drug and water in the spray liquid is preferably 30 to 100% by mass, more preferably 60 to 99.99% by mass, and even more preferably 80 to 99.99% by mass. By ensuring that the total content of the agent and water in the spray liquid is equal to or greater than the lower limit, the agent can volatilize quickly after adhering to the target area for microbial removal, thereby enabling the agent to exert its inherent microbial removal effect. By making the total content of the drug and water in the spray liquid less than 100% by mass, other optional components can be added as necessary.

[0035] The spray liquid may contain other components within the range that does not impair the effects of the present invention. Examples of other components include deodorants, deodorants, fragrances, and antiviral agents. When other components are contained, it is preferable that the other components are also water-soluble. The vapor pressure (20°C) of the other components is appropriately selected depending on the purpose of the components. For example, the vapor pressure of a component (e.g., a fragrance) that is desired to be dispersed indoors by passing through an air conditioner is preferably high.

[0036] <Air conditioning system> A microorganism removal method for a room air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present invention is carried out, for example, in an air conditioning system as shown in Fig. 1. The air conditioning system in Fig. 1 is composed of an indoor unit 200 and a sprayer 100 attached to the indoor unit 200.

[0037] The indoor unit 200 is a wall-mounted indoor unit of an air conditioner that is primarily used for home use. An air intake 210 is provided on a top surface 203 of the indoor unit 200. The sprayer 100 is attached to the left side surface 201 of the indoor unit 200 so that the spray hole 33 (where the spray part is located) is located above the air intake port 210.

[0038] An electrical equipment housing section 250 for housing the electrical equipment is provided on the right side surface 202 of the indoor unit 200, and the spray hole 33 of the sprayer 100 is located above the air intake 210, away from the electrical equipment housing section 250. The front surface 205 of the indoor unit 200, including the electrical component housing section 250, is covered with a front panel 240.

[0039] The underside 204 of the indoor unit 200 is a slightly high inclined surface on the side of the front surface 205. An air outlet 230 is formed in the underside 204, and a flap 231 that covers the air outlet 230 in an openable and closable manner is provided. A filter is usually provided at the air intake 210, and the filter is installed at the same height as the top surface of the indoor unit 200 or from a height slightly lower than the top surface to the inside of the front panel 240 (excluding the electrical equipment housing section 250).

[0040] The lattice size of the filter of the air intake 210 is preferably 5 μm to 5 mm, and more preferably 10 μm to 5 mm. The lattice size means the length of one side of the lattice formed by the filter fiber, or the size of the filter hole having the same area as the lattice. Filters are installed to prevent dust and other particles floating in the room from entering the air conditioner unit along with the air, and generally a coarse dust filter, pre-filter, or some type of medium- to high-performance filter is often used.

[0041] The width of the air intake 210 as viewed from the front is preferably 35 to 85 cm, and more preferably 40 to 75 cm. When the width of the air intake 210 as viewed from the front is equal to or greater than the preferable lower limit, it is easy to prevent the mist of the sprayed liquid sprayed from the sprayer 100 from diffusing beyond the range of the air intake 210 to parts of the indoor unit 200 other than the air intake 210. If the width of the air intake 210 as viewed from the front is equal to or less than the preferred upper limit, the mist of the spray liquid sprayed from the sprayer 100 can be easily diffused throughout the air intake 210.

[0042] The depth of the air intake 210 (the width when viewed from the spray direction of the sprayer 100) is preferably 10 to 35 cm, and more preferably 12 to 32 cm. If the depth of the air intake 210 is equal to or greater than the preferable lower limit, it is easy to prevent the mist of the spray liquid sprayed from the sprayer 100 from diffusing beyond the range of the air intake 210 to parts of the indoor unit 200 other than the air intake 210. If the depth of the air intake 210 is equal to or less than the preferred upper limit, the mist of the spray liquid sprayed from the sprayer 100 can be easily diffused throughout the air intake 210 .

[0043] The sprayer 100 may be disposed on either the left or right side as viewed from the front of the indoor unit 200, but is preferably disposed on the surface away from the electrical equipment housing 250 (the left side surface 201 in FIG. 1). This makes it easier to prevent the mist from entering the electrical equipment inside the electrical equipment housing 250. The sprayer 100 is preferably disposed so that the nozzle hole 33 is located at the center of the air intake 210 in the depth direction.

[0044] Moreover, the horizontal distance (corresponding to d in FIG. 4) between the center of the ejection portion of ejection hole 33 of sprayer 100 and the center in the depth direction of air intake 210 is preferably 0 to 5 cm, and more preferably 0 to 3 cm. If the horizontal distance between the center of the spray part and the air intake 210 is equal to or greater than the preferable lower limit, the mist of the sprayed liquid can be easily diffused to the side of the air intake 210 closer to the sprayer 100. If the horizontal distance between the center of the spray portion and the air intake 210 is less than or equal to a preferable upper limit, it is easy to prevent the mist of the spray liquid sprayed from the sprayer 100 from diffusing into the indoor unit 200 in front of the air intake 210 or into the room.

[0045] Furthermore, the vertical distance (corresponding to H in FIG. 4) between the center of the spray portion of the spray hole 33 of the sprayer 100 and the upper surface 203 of the indoor unit 200 is preferably 20 to 150 mm, more preferably 30 to 150 mm, and even more preferably 30 to 100 mm. If the vertical distance between the center of the spray part and the upper surface 203 is equal to or greater than the preferable lower limit, it is easy to avoid a situation in which mist with too much force passes through a part of the filter in a concentrated manner, causing a liquid puddle on the filter.

[0046] When the vertical distance between the center of the spray portion and the upper surface 203 is equal to or less than a preferable upper limit value, it is easy to prevent the mist of the spray liquid sprayed from the sprayer 100 from diffusing beyond the range of the air intake 210 to parts of the indoor unit 200 other than the air intake 210.

[0047] The spray angle in the vertical direction by the sprayer 100 is preferably 90° or less, more preferably 70 to 90°, further preferably 75 to 90°, and particularly preferably 80 to 90°. In this specification, the spray angle in the vertical direction refers to the angle (corresponding to θ in FIG. 4) of the scattering direction of the mist sprayed from the center of the spraying part immediately after spraying, relative to the vertical downward direction.

[0048] That is, a vertical spray angle of 90° means that the mist sprayed from the center of the nozzle flies horizontally immediately after spraying, a vertical spray angle greater than 0° and less than 90° means that the mist sprayed from the center of the nozzle flies diagonally downward immediately after spraying, and a vertical spray angle greater than 90° and less than 180° means that the mist sprayed from the center of the nozzle flies diagonally upward immediately after spraying.

[0049] If the vertical spray angle is 90° or less, it is possible to prevent the very light mist of the spray liquid from diffusing beyond the range of the air intake 210 to parts of the indoor unit 200 other than the air intake 210, making it difficult for the mist to reach the inside of the indoor unit 200.

[0050] By setting the vertical spray angle to be equal to or greater than the preferable lower limit, the mist of the spray liquid sprayed from the sprayer 100 can be easily diffused throughout the air intake 210. This makes it possible to prevent a large amount of mist from passing through a narrow area of ​​the air intake 210, which makes it easy to prevent the filter of the air intake 210 from becoming clogged or the mist that has aggregated on the filter from dripping. FIG. 1 shows an example in which the spray direction from the spray holes 33 is parallel to the top surface of the indoor unit 200 (spray angle of 90° in the vertical direction).

[0051] The horizontal spray angle of the sprayer is preferably 0 to ±15°, more preferably 0 to ±10°, and most preferably 0°. In this specification, the horizontal spray angle refers to the angle of the scattering direction of the mist sprayed from the center of the spray part immediately after spraying, relative to the width direction as viewed from the front of the air intake 210 (the angle of the central axis).

[0052] The horizontal spray angle range of the sprayer is preferably ±0 to 15°, and more preferably ±0 to 10°. In this specification, the horizontal spray angle range refers to the angle range of the scattering direction of the mist sprayed from the entire spray part immediately after spraying, relative to the width direction as viewed from the front of the air intake 210.

[0053] If the horizontal spray angle range is equal to or greater than the preferable lower limit, the mist of the spray liquid sprayed from the sprayer 100 is likely to spread over the entire air intake 210 and fall. If the horizontal spray angle range is equal to or less than the preferred upper limit, it is easy to prevent the mist of the spray liquid sprayed from the sprayer from falling beyond the range of the air intake 210 onto parts of the indoor unit 200 other than the air intake 210, or from falling directly into the room.

[0054] [Sprayer] 2 and 3 show an embodiment of an ultrasonic sprayer as an example of the sprayer 100. In FIG. The sprayer 100 in Figures 2 and 3 comprises a tank 1, an absorbent wick unit 2, a nozzle unit 5, an ultrasonic oscillator 8, and a front case 10 and a rear case 50 for arranging or housing these components and a battery 60 in predetermined positions.

[0055] The tank 1 contains the spray liquid and has a tank water supply port 1a at the top, so that the spray liquid can be supplied into the tank 1 from the tank water supply port 1a. By spraying the spray liquid into the indoor unit 200, it is possible to deliver the medicine contained in the spray liquid inside the indoor unit 200 and keep it clean.

[0056] The liquid absorbent wick unit 2 is composed of a rod-shaped liquid absorbent wick 3 and a retaining tube 4 that surrounds the circumferential surface of the liquid absorbent wick 3 and supports the liquid absorbent wick 3. The jetting outlet unit 5 is composed of a circular jetting part 6 having a large number of holes formed therein and a ring-shaped ultrasonic vibrator 7 that surrounds the periphery of the jetting part 6. The jetting part 6 and the ultrasonic vibrator 7 are integrally molded.

[0057] The liquid absorbent wick 3 has a first end 3a inserted into the tank 1. A jet portion 6 of the jet unit 5 is attached to a second end 3b. The liquid absorbent wick 3 is bent midway, and when attached to the indoor unit 200, the first end 3a extends along a substantially vertical line toward the bottom of the tank 1, and the second end 3b extends horizontally. The second end 3b may also be arranged to extend obliquely downward.

[0058] The diameter of the liquid absorbent wick 3 is preferably from 5 to 17 mm, and more preferably from 8 to 12 mm. When the diameter of the liquid absorbent wick 3 is equal to or greater than the preferable lower limit, a sufficient amount of spray can be easily ensured. By setting the diameter of the liquid absorbent wick 3 to be equal to or less than the preferred upper limit, it is easy to prevent the formation of liquid pools on the surface of the spraying part 6 due to an excessive spray amount.

[0059] The liquid absorbent wick 3 is a wick material that absorbs the liquid agent by capillary action. Examples of materials for the liquid absorbent wick 3 include materials typically used for liquid absorbent wicks, such as sponge, felt, cotton, and porous materials.

[0060] The retaining cylinder 4 is a cylindrical body that surrounds the circumferential surface of the rod-shaped liquid absorbent wick 3, and one end of the retaining cylinder 4 is inserted into the tank 1 together with the liquid absorbent wick 3. In addition, the ejection part 6 of the ejection port unit 5 is attached to the other end of the retaining cylinder 4. The retaining tube 4 is also bent so as to maintain a predetermined position of the bent liquid absorbent wick 3. When attached to the indoor unit 200, one end side of the retaining tube 4 extends along a substantially vertical line toward the bottom of the tank 1 together with the liquid absorbent wick 3, and the other end side extends horizontally.

[0061] A plurality of liquid passage holes 4a through which the spray liquid can pass are provided in the portion of the holding tube 4 that is immersed in the spray liquid. A lid portion 4b that fits with the tank water supply port 1a is formed on one end side of the bent portion of the holding tube 4. Also, an attachment portion 4c that fits with the spout unit 5 is formed on the other end side. The attachment portion 4c is adapted to be fixed to the inside of the front case 10. There are no particular limitations on the material of the retaining tube 4 as long as it has the strength to support the liquid-absorbent wick 3, but it is preferably made of resin because it is easy to mold and lightweight.

[0062] A large number of fine holes are formed in the ejection part 6 of the ejection port unit 5. The spray liquid ejected from the liquid absorbent wick 3 passes through the fine holes formed in the ejection part 6 by vibrations caused by the ultrasonic vibrator 7, and is ejected as a fine mist. There is no particular limitation on the method for forming a large number of fine holes, and examples of the method include forming a net-like shape or forming a large number of fine holes in a flat plate using a laser. Among these, the method of forming fine holes in a flat plate is preferred because the spray amount can be easily adjusted by adjusting the size and number of the fine holes.

[0063] The overall diameter of the spouting part 6 is preferably equal to the diameter of the liquid absorbent wick 3 . The diameter of the micropores present in the ejection part 6 is preferably 3 to 10 μm, and more preferably 3 to 6 μm. By making the diameter of the micropores equal to or larger than the preferable lower limit, it is easy to prevent the mist particles from becoming too small and therefore light, which reduces the efficiency of taking in the mist into the air conditioner. By making the diameter of the micropores equal to or less than the preferable upper limit, it is easy to prevent the mist particles from becoming too large, wetting and clogging the air conditioner filter, and thus reducing the deliverability. The number of pores in the ejection part 6 is preferably 300 to 4,000, and more preferably 500 to 2,500. By setting the number of pores to be equal to or greater than the preferable lower limit, a sufficient amount of mist can be sprayed. By keeping the number of pores at or below the preferred upper limit, deterioration of the jetting portion due to overload during vibration can be avoided.

[0064] The ejection portion 6 and the ultrasonic vibrator 7 are integrally molded to form the ejection port unit 5 having a substantially flat plate shape as a whole. The nozzle unit 5 is configured to be sandwiched and fixed between the attachment portion 4c and the front case 10 when the holding cylinder 4 is attached to the inside of the front case 10 by the attachment portion 4c.

[0065] An ultrasonic oscillator 8 (board) is connected to the ultrasonic vibrator 7, and when the ultrasonic oscillator 8 is driven by power supplied from a battery 60, the ultrasonic vibrator 7 vibrates together with the ejection part 6. The ultrasonic oscillator 8 is fixed to the inside of the front case 10, in the vicinity of where the retaining tube 4 of the front case 10 is fixed.

[0066] It is preferable that the ultrasonic oscillator 8 be one that has a vibration frequency that is used in general-purpose products such as humidifiers that are powered by USB, since such a vibration frequency is readily available. From the standpoints of function, manufacturing, versatility, and cost of the sprayer, the vibration frequency is preferably 90 to 120 kHz, and more preferably 100 to 120 kHz. By setting the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic oscillator 8 to be equal to or greater than the preferable lower limit, the particle diameter of the mist of the spray liquid is unlikely to become excessively large, and the spray liquid can be easily sprayed to every corner inside the indoor unit 200. By setting the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic oscillator 8 to a value equal to or lower than the preferred upper limit, the ultrasonic oscillator 8 is easily available at a reasonable price.

[0067] The front case 10 is made up of a front case main body 20, a front surface 30, and a connecting portion 40 connecting the front case main body 20 and the front surface 30. The front case body 20 is an intaglio plate with raised left and right edges when viewed from below, and as shown in FIG. 3, when viewed from the back, it is approximately inverted L-shaped with a cutout at the lower right portion. A tank fitting portion 21 stands upright along this cutout lower right portion. The tank fitting portion 21 is approximately inverted L-shaped as shown in FIG. 3, and the tank 1 is adapted to fit into this portion. In addition, a locking recess 22 is provided in the tank fitting portion 21, and when the tank 1 is fitted into the tank fitting portion 21, the lid portion 4b of the retaining tube 4 fitted into the tank water supply port 1a of the tank 1 is adapted to be locked into the locking recess 22. In the front case main body 20, a battery housing section 23 is defined between the left periphery when viewed from below and the tank fitting section 21. A battery opening 24 is provided above the battery housing section 23, and a battery lid 61 is attached to the battery opening 24 so as to be able to be opened and closed freely.

[0068] The front part 30 is composed of a front plate 31 and a cylindrical part 32 extending horizontally from the periphery of the front plate 31. The front plate 31 is formed with an ejection hole 33, and the mounting part 4c of the retaining cylinder 4 is attached to the inside of the front plate 31 so that the ejection part 6 is located at the ejection hole 33 part. The connecting portion 40 is gently bent at an angle of approximately 90 degrees, and connects the front case main body portion 20 and the front portion 30 together.

[0069] The rear case 50 is composed of a rear case main body portion 51 and a rear case bent portion 52 . The rear case main body 51 is shaped to overlap the front case main body 20 in a plan view, and is adapted to fit with the front case main body 20. In addition, the rear case bending portion 52 is gently bent at an angle of approximately 90 degrees, and covers the rear side of the connecting portion 40 to connect the rear case main body portion 51 and the tubular portion 32 of the front portion 30.

[0070] The sprayer 100 preferably includes a timer that generates a timing signal to automatically control the on / off of the spray, a start switch that starts the timer, and a control unit that controls the on / off of the spray according to the timing signal from the timer. By performing intermittent operation of the spray using such a program, it becomes easier to spray every corner inside the indoor unit 200, and dirt inside the room can be further suppressed.

[0071] When the sprayer 100 is attached to the indoor unit 200, the first end 3a of the liquid absorbent wick 3 faces the bottom of the tank 1, and the second end 3b of the liquid absorbent wick 3 faces horizontally or diagonally downward. Fig. 1 shows an example in which the first end 3a of the liquid absorbent wick 3 extends vertically and the second end 3b of the liquid absorbent wick 3 faces horizontally, i.e., faces in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the indoor unit 200.

[0072] The sprayer 100 sprays the spray liquid by supplying power from a battery 60 to an ultrasonic oscillator 8 and vibrating an ultrasonic vibrator 7. Specifically, the spray liquid that is sucked up from the tank 1 by the liquid absorbent wick 3 and reaches the second end 3b is turned into mist by the energy of the vibration and sprayed from the spray part 6.

[0073] The sprayer 100 described above using Figures 2 and 3 is merely an example, and in addition to an ultrasonic sprayer, an appropriate sprayer such as a compressor type sprayer or a fumigation type sprayer can be used in an air conditioning system for implementing the microbial removal method for an air conditioner of the present invention. In addition, when the sprayer 100 is an ultrasonic sprayer, it is not limited to the specific structure shown in Figures 2 and 3 above.

[0074] <Spraying method> In the microorganism removal method of the present invention, the spray liquid is sprayed toward the indoor unit so that the average particle diameter of the spray liquid at a point 15 cm away from the center of the spray part of the sprayer along the spray direction of the sprayer is 3.0 to 10.0 μm. The average particle size in the above-mentioned portion is preferably 3.0 to 8.0 μm, more preferably 3.5 to 7.0 μm.

[0075] By having the average particle size at the above-mentioned portion be 3.0 μm or more, the drug will not volatilize before being delivered to the target surface, and the drug can be adhered to the target surface to exert its microbial removal effect. In addition, by making the average particle size 3.0 μm or more, it is possible to prevent the agent from penetrating into the electrical equipment housing and adhering to the electrical equipment.

[0076] In addition, because the average particle size in the above-mentioned area is 10.0 μm or less, the agent is easily volatilized after adhering to the target surface, and the agent's inherent microbial removal effect is easily exhibited. In addition, the agent is less likely to contaminate the air conditioner or the room. In addition, because the agent does not remain on the target surface for a long time, it is less likely to have adverse effects such as causing cracks on the plastic housing of the air conditioner. The average particle size at the above-mentioned location can be adjusted, for example, by the hole size of the ejection part (for example, ejection part 6 in FIG. 3) provided in the ejection hole 33.

[0077] The average particle size was measured using a Malvern laser diffraction type spray particle analyzer (Spraytec 2000 SPT5942, manufactured by the Malvern Division of Spectris). The sprayer was placed so that the center of the spray nozzle was 15 cm away from the detector (the distance along the spray nozzle direction) and sprayed for 3 seconds to obtain the volumetric 50% diameter (D V50 ) is calculated.

[0078] In addition, the average particle diameter when the center of the sprayer's nozzle is 15 cm away from the detector is specified because the particle diameter of the sprayed liquid gradually changes depending on the distance from the nozzle, and so a value that uniquely represents the particle diameter on and inside the indoor unit is required. In addition, since the indoor unit is usually installed at a certain distance from the ceiling, the distance from the center of the spray nozzle to the air intake is also practically within a certain range.

[0079] In the microorganism removal method of the present invention, the amount of the spray liquid is set to 300 to 3800 g / m per volume of the indoor unit. 3 The spray amount is 600 to 3700 g / m 3 is preferable, and 700 to 1200 g / m 3 More preferably, the spray amount is 500 g / m 3 This allows the agent to reach every corner of the air conditioner, providing sufficient microbial removal effects. The spray volume is 3800 g / m 3 By satisfying the above condition, the agent is easily volatilized after adhering to the target surface, ensuring the microbial removal effect while preventing contamination of the air conditioner and the room. The spray amount (g / m 3 ) is the mass of the liquid to be sprayed (g), and the volume of the indoor unit (external dimensions height x width x depth) (m 3 ) is the value divided by

[0080] When spraying, the air conditioner may be in operation or stopped, but it is preferable that it is stopped. In this embodiment, the spray liquid is sprayed from above into the air intake 210 of the indoor unit 200, so that the mist of the spray liquid can reach the inside of the indoor unit 200 by its own weight even if the blower fan inside the indoor unit is not running. Furthermore, if the air conditioner is stopped, the mist of the sprayed liquid can remain inside the indoor unit 200 for a sufficient period of time, making it easier for the sprayed liquid to exert its deodorizing, anti-mold, and other effects. EXAMPLES

[0081] In Examples 1 to 21 and Comparative Examples 1 to 7, sprayer 110 was positioned so that the spray portion was located above the left side surface 201 of indoor unit 200, as shown in FIG. 4, and various blends of spray liquid were sprayed using various sprayers at various spray rates toward the air intakes of the indoor units of various air conditioners, according to the descriptions in Tables 1 to 3. The effectiveness of the spray in removing microorganisms and the impact on the air conditioner's casing and electrical components were evaluated. The results are shown in Tables 1 to 3.

[0082] <Spray liquid> The spray liquid of each example was prepared by stirring and mixing the following components in the ratios shown in Tables 1 to 3. Note that the blank spaces in the spray liquid ratios in Table 1 mean that the component was not included. Propylene glycol: Cosmetic propylene glycol manufactured by ADEKA Corporation. Ethylene glycol: Kanto Chemical Co., Ltd., ethylene glycol (Deer Grade 1). 3-Methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol: Solfit (registered trademark), manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd.

[0083] <Sprayer> The nebulizers used in each example and their usage methods are as follows: For the ultrasonic nebulizer, one of the spray parts 1 to 8 shown in Table 4 was used according to the descriptions in Tables 1 to 3.

[0084] [Ultrasonic sprayer] The liquid-absorbing wick of a Jisu Technology humidifier (product name: SWEETDONUT) was cut diagonally in the center, reconnected at an angle, and the bottom end was immersed in a container filled with the spray liquid. The liquid-absorbing wick used was made of polyester, with a diameter of 10 mm and a length (total length) of 205 mm. All of the ejection parts 1 to 8 are made of a circular stainless steel (SUS304) flat plate with an outer diameter of 8 mm, with a mesh having fine holes with the number of holes shown in Table 4 and the diameter shown in Table 4, and a ring-shaped ultrasonic transducer with an outer diameter of 16 mm (vibration frequency 100 kHz, driving power supply 5 V) attached to the outer periphery of the mesh.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 4, the ultrasonic sprayer (sprayer 110 in FIG. 4) was installed on the left side surface 201 of the indoor unit 200 so that the height H from the top surface 203 of the indoor unit 200 to the center of the spray part was 30 mm, the spray angle θ with respect to the vertical direction was 90°, and the horizontal distance d from the center of the spray part to the left end of the air intake 210 (the horizontal distance between the center of the spray part and the air intake 210) was 0 mm.

[0086] [Compressor type sprayer] An inhaler manufactured by Omron Corporation (product name: Compressor type nebulizer NE-C28). The container of the inhaler was filled with the spray liquid, and the inhaler was installed on the left side surface 201 of the indoor unit 200 so that the height H from the top surface 203 of the indoor unit 200 to the center of the spray part was 30 mm, the spray angle θ with respect to the vertical direction was 90°, and the horizontal distance d from the center of the spray part to the left end of the air intake 210 was 0 mm.

[0087] [Fumigation sprayer] Calcium oxide (Yoshizawa Lime Industry Co., Ltd., product name: CAg, rotary kiln fired product (produced by Kudzu), bulk density 0.80 g / cm) was used as a heating agent in the heating part of the tin can (diameter 52 mm x height 67 mm) used in "Look Plus Bath Anti-Mold Smoke Agent" manufactured by Lion Corporation. 3 The spray liquid was contained in the inner unit, and the unit was placed on the left side surface 201 of the indoor unit 200 with the spray part tilted diagonally upward.

[0088] Specifically, it was installed on the left side surface 201 of the indoor unit 200 so that the height H from the top surface 203 of the indoor unit 200 to the center of the spray part was 50 mm, the spray angle θ with respect to the vertical direction (the direction perpendicular to the spray hole was the spray direction) was 120°, and the horizontal distance d from the center of the spray part to the left end of the air intake 210 was 0 mm.

[0089] [Hand sprayer] A spray bottle manufactured by Cainz Co., Ltd. (product name: High-performance Spray Micro Mist 350 ml). The bottle was filled with the spray liquid, and the trigger was operated from above the left side surface 201 of the indoor unit 200 so that the height H from the top surface 203 of the indoor unit 200 to the center of the spray part was 30 mm, the spray angle θ with respect to the vertical direction was 90°, and the horizontal distance d from the center of the spray part to the left end of the air intake 210 was 0 mm.

[0090] <Indoor unit> The indoor units used in each example are as follows. Note that the dimensions of the indoor units are external dimensions.

[0091] [Indoor unit A] Indoor unit of DAIKIN room air conditioner (F22UTES-W7). Indoor unit height (mm): 285 Indoor unit width (mm): 770 Indoor unit depth (mm): 233 Indoor unit volume (m 3 ):0.0511 Air intake width (mm): 430 Air intake depth (mm): 145

[0092] [Indoor unit B] Indoor unit of a Panasonic room air conditioner (CS-X560D2). Indoor unit height (mm): 295 Indoor unit width (mm): 799 Indoor unit depth (mm): 385 Indoor unit volume (m 3 ):0.0907 Air intake width (mm): 620 Air intake depth (mm): 280

[0093] [Indoor unit C] Corona room air conditioner (RC-V4020R indoor unit. Indoor unit height (mm): 260 Indoor unit width (mm): 798 Indoor unit depth (mm): 167 Indoor unit volume (m 3 ):0.0346 Air intake width (mm): 630 Air intake depth (mm): 85

[0094] <Evaluation method> [Microorganism removal effect] (Preparation of test plastic plates) Cladosporium cladosporioides HMC1064 (bathroom isolate) was cultured on a potato dextrose agar (Difco) slant medium at 25°C for 10 days and diluted with a sterile 0.05% Tween 80 (Kanto Chemical) solution for approximately 10 min. 6 A spore solution containing spores of CFU / mL was prepared. Then, 0.1 mL of the spore solution was inoculated onto a plastic plate (polypropylene plate, 25 mm x 25 mm) and dried at room temperature for 4 hours to fix the spores (thin film, the number of bacteria on the plate was about 10 6 CFU).

[0095] (Method for measuring disinfection activity value) In an enclosed space of 6 tatami mats with temperature and humidity controlled to 21°C and 60%, three test plastic plates were attached to the inside of the air outlet 230 on the right side facing the front (installation location A in Figure 5), below the crossflow fan of the indoor unit.

[0096] In addition, for the sake of convenience in explaining the installation location, FIG. 5 shows a state in which the front panel 240 and the flap 231 are removed, but the evaluation itself was carried out in a state in which the front panel 240 and the flap 231 were left in place. The spray liquid was sprayed toward the air intake 210 according to the conditions of each example shown in Tables 1-3.

[0097] After spraying, the 6 tatami sealed space was ventilated for 24 hours, and three test plastic plates were collected. 10 mL of GPLP liquid medium (Nihon Seiyaku) was added to the collected test plastic plates to wash out the bacteria, and the liquid was smeared and inoculated onto potato dextrose agar medium (Sankyo Chemicals). After culturing for 5 days at 25°C, the number of colonies was counted, the number of live bacteria was calculated, and the average was calculated.

[0098] As a control, bacteria were collected from three test plastic plates that had been stored for 24 hours at a room temperature of 21°C and a relative humidity of 60% after preparation, smeared on potato dextrose agar medium, and the number of colonies was counted after culturing at 25°C for five days, and the viable bacterial count was calculated and averaged. The viable bacterial count was converted to common logarithm (log), and the average sterilization activity value was calculated by subtracting the average viable bacterial count (common logarithm) after treatment from the average viable bacterial count (common logarithm) of the untreated test plastic plates, and the microbial removal effect was evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria.

[0099] (Evaluation Criteria) ◎◎◎: Average disinfecting activity value is 3.0 or higher. ◎◎: Average disinfecting activity value is 2.5 or more and less than 3.0. ◎: Average disinfecting activity value is 2.0 or more and less than 2.5. ○: Average disinfecting activity value is 1.5 or more and less than 2.0. △: Average disinfecting activity value is 1.0 or more and less than 1.5. ×: Average disinfecting activity value is less than 1.0.

[0100] [Filter resistance to getting wet] In the method for measuring the sterilization activity value, when the work of spraying the spray liquid toward the air intake 210 was completed, the filter 220 at the air intake 210 was observed, and the filter's resistance to wetting was evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria.

[0101] (Evaluation Criteria) ○○: No water droplets at all. ○: A small amount of water droplets are attached. ×: Water droplets are clearly present and are at a level that will not dry naturally.

[0102] [Impact on air conditioners] In an enclosed space of 6 tatami mats with temperature and humidity controlled to room temperature of 21°C and relative humidity of 60%, one ABS test piece was attached to the center of the air intake 210 of the indoor unit (installation location B in Fig. 5 ). In addition, one SUS test piece was attached to the inside of the electrical equipment housing 250 of the indoor unit (installation location C in Fig. 5 ).

[0103] In addition, for the sake of convenience in explaining the installation location, FIG. 5 shows a state in which the front panel 240 and the flap 231 are removed, but the evaluation itself was carried out in a state in which the front panel 240 and the flap 231 were left in place. The spray liquid was sprayed toward the air intake 210 according to the conditions of each example shown in Tables 1 to 3, and then the task of ventilating an enclosed space of 6 tatami mats for 3 hours was repeated 520 times (equivalent to 10 years of use). Then, each test piece was collected and the impact on the air conditioner was evaluated according to the evaluation criteria below.

[0104] (Impact on the material above the air conditioner) ○: The ABS test piece did not discolor. ×: Discoloration of the ABS test piece occurred.

[0105] (Impact on air conditioner electrical components) ○: The SUS test piece did not discolor. ×: Discoloration of the SUS test piece occurred.

[0106] [Table 1]

[0107] [Table 2]

[0108] [Table 3]

[0109] [Average particle size] The average particle diameters listed in Tables 1 to 3 were measured using a Malvern Laser Diffraction Spray Particle Analyzer (trade name: Spraytec), which was installed so that the center of the spray nozzle was 15 cm away from the detector (the distance along the spray nozzle direction), and the spray was sprayed for 3 seconds. The volume-based 50% diameter (D V50 The measurement was carried out three times, and the average value is shown in Tables 1 to 3 as the average particle size (μm).

[0110] The average particle size when the ultrasonic atomizer was used is shown in Table 4 for each of the ejection parts 1 to 8. The average particle size was 4.8 μm when a compressor type sprayer was used, 4.8 μm when a fumigation type sprayer was used, and 42.5 μm when a hand spray type sprayer was used.

[0111] [Table 4]

[0112] As shown in Tables 1 and 2, in all of the examples, a high microbial removal effect was obtained at installation location A, which was the furthest from the sprayer 110. This confirmed that the microbial removal method of the present invention allows the spray liquid to reach every corner inside the indoor unit, achieving a sufficient microbial removal effect.

[0113] In addition, in all of the examples, the filter was not easily wetted, and no effect was observed on the material of the upper part of the air conditioner. Furthermore, no effect was observed on the electrical equipment of the air conditioner. From this, it was confirmed that although the sprayed liquid reached every corner of the parts inside the air conditioner that needed to remove microorganisms, the sprayed liquid was prevented from penetrating into the electrical equipment housing 250, and no adverse effect was observed on the electrical equipment inside the electrical equipment housing 250.

[0114] In contrast, as shown in Table 3, Comparative Example 1, in which the amount of the chemical in the spray liquid was small, had almost no microbial removal effect. Also, Comparative Example 2, in which the amount of the chemical was too large, not only had almost no microbial removal effect, but also had a detrimental effect on the material above the air conditioner. Moreover, Comparative Example 3, in which the particle size was too small, not only was almost completely ineffective at removing microorganisms, but also had a detrimental effect on the electrical equipment inside the electrical equipment housing 250. Comparative Examples 4 and 5, in which the particle size was too large, not only was almost completely ineffective at removing microorganisms, but the filter was easily wetted, and an effect on the material above the air conditioner was observed.

[0115] In addition, Comparative Example 6, in which the amount of spray per unit volume of the indoor unit was small, hardly achieved any microbial removal effect.In addition, Comparative Example 7, in which the amount of spray per unit volume of the indoor unit was too large, not only hardly achieved any microbial removal effect, but also the filter was easily wetted, and an effect on the material of the upper part of the air conditioner and an adverse effect on the electrical equipment in the electrical equipment housing 250 were observed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0116] 1 Tank 2 Absorbent core unit 3 Liquid absorption core 4 Holding tube 5. Spout unit 6 Spout part 7 Ultrasonic transducer 8 Ultrasonic Oscillator 60 batteries 100 sprayer 110 Sprayer 200 indoor unit 210 Air Intake 220 Filter 230 Air Outlet 231 Flap 240 Front Panel 250 Electrical equipment compartment

Claims

1. A microorganism removal method for spraying a spray liquid from a sprayer having a spray portion disposed above an air intake on an upper surface of an indoor unit of a room air conditioner, comprising: The spray liquid contains 5 to 75% by mass of a drug having a microbial removal effect and 25 to 95% by mass of water, the sprayer sprays the spray liquid so that the average particle diameter of the spray liquid at a point 15 cm away from the center of the spray part along the spray direction of the sprayer is 3.0 to 10.0 μm; The amount of the spray liquid per volume of the indoor unit is 300 to 3800 g / m ３ A method for removing microorganisms from a room air conditioner.

2. The method for removing microorganisms from a room air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the agent is water-soluble.

3. 3. The method for removing microorganisms from a room air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the agent is at least one selected from the group consisting of a germicide, an antibacterial agent, a fungicide, and an antifungal agent.

4. The method for removing microorganisms from a room air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sprayer is installed so that the spraying portion is located on a side away from an electrical equipment housing portion of the indoor unit.

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