Vacuum Cleaning Equipment

Abstract

To provide a vacuum cleaning device capable of more smoothly adjusting the temperature of cleaning liquid stored in a distiller. [Solution] The vacuum cleaning device (1) includes a cleaning chamber (110), a distiller (120) having an evaporation section (121) and a condensation section (122), a hot water tank (130), and a heat source unit (140). The cleaning chamber cleans the workpiece (2) inside under reduced pressure with cleaning liquid supplied from a cleaning liquid tank (111). The evaporation section is container-shaped and stores contaminated cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning chamber and evaporates the stored contaminated liquid. The condensation section is integrally formed with the evaporation section so as to be connected to the opening of the evaporation section's cylinder, and condenses the vapor of the cleaning liquid components contained in the contaminated liquid generated by the evaporation section to regenerate the cleaning liquid. The hot water tank stores hot water with at least a portion of the outer surface of the evaporation section immersed in the hot water. The heat source unit adjusts the temperature of the hot water stored in the hot water tank.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaning device equipped with a cleaning chamber for cleaning a workpiece under reduced pressure. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Vacuum cleaning devices equipped with a cleaning chamber for cleaning a workpiece under reduced pressure have been known.

[0003] In this regard, Patent Document 1 discloses a cleaning apparatus that includes a cleaning tank that degreases and cleans objects with stored cleaning agent, a distillation device that distills the contaminated cleaning agent, an oil concentration measuring means, and a distillation device control means that controls the distillation device. The distillation device control means of the cleaning apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 controls the distillation device based on the measurement result of the oil concentration contained in the contaminated cleaning agent measured by the oil concentration measuring means. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-32561 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, Patent Document 1 does not describe the specific configuration of the heater for heating the cleaning agent (cleaning liquid) stored in the distiller. One example of a heating means is a device configuration in which a pipe through which high-temperature grease flows is laid along the outer surface of the bottom of the distiller, thereby performing both the function of circulating a heat medium and the function of heating. However, with this device configuration, the piping structure can cause uneven heat transfer, the temperature can become unstable during the cleaning liquid flow process, or the temperature of the grease can easily change due to the relatively low specific heat of the grease. In other words, with this device configuration, there is a problem in that if the temperature of the cleaning liquid stored in the distiller cannot be appropriately adjusted, the efficiency of distillation of the cleaning liquid can decrease.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its object is to provide a vacuum cleaning device that can more smoothly adjust the temperature of the cleaning liquid stored in the distiller. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the vacuum cleaning device of the present invention comprises: a cleaning chamber in which workpieces are cleaned under reduced pressure using cleaning liquid supplied from a cleaning liquid tank; a container-shaped evaporator section for storing polluted liquid of the cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning chamber and evaporating the stored polluted liquid; a distiller having a condenser section integrally formed with the evaporator section so as to be connected to the opening of a tube of the evaporator section and for condensing vapor of components of the cleaning liquid contained in the polluted liquid generated by the evaporator section to regenerate the cleaning liquid; a hot water tank in which at least a portion of the outer surface of the evaporator section is immersed and which stores hot water; and a heat source machine for adjusting the temperature of the hot water stored in the hot water tank.

[0008] In addition, the vacuum cleaning device of the present invention further includes a first temperature measurement unit that measures the temperature of the hot water stored in the hot water tank, and a control device that controls the temperature adjustment operation of the heat source machine based on the measurement result of the first temperature measurement unit.

[0009] In addition, the vacuum cleaning device of the present invention further includes an auxiliary heater that is provided in the hot water tank and heats the hot water stored in the hot water tank, and the control device controls the execution and stop of heating of the hot water by the auxiliary heater based on the measurement result of the first temperature measurement unit.

[0010] In addition, the vacuum cleaning device of the present invention further includes a heating plate connected to a flow path provided within the evaporation section and heating the evaporation section, and a second temperature measuring unit that measures the temperature of the hot water before and after passing through the heating plate, wherein the heat source machine adjusts the temperature of the hot water flowing through the flow path of the heating plate, and the control device controls the temperature adjustment operation of the heat source machine based on the measurement results of the first temperature measuring unit and the second temperature measuring unit.

[0011] In addition, the vacuum cleaning device of the present invention is configured so that the condensing section is a heat exchanger that condenses the steam using a cooling member having a flow path through which cooling water flows, and further includes a third temperature measuring section that measures the temperature of the cooling water after passing through the condensing section, and the control device calculates a distillation rate that indicates the speed at which distillation of the waste liquid by the distiller progresses from the measurement result of the third temperature measuring section, and controls the operation of discharging the waste liquid remaining after distillation from the distiller to the outside, the operation of discharging the waste liquid from the cleaning chamber to the distiller, and the operation of adjusting the temperature of the heat source machine based on the calculated distillation rate.

[0012] In addition, the vacuum cleaning device of the present invention further includes a regenerated liquid tank that stores the cleaning liquid regenerated by the condenser, and a liquid volume measuring unit that measures the volume of the cleaning liquid stored in the regenerated liquid tank, and the control device uses the rate of increase in the volume of the cleaning liquid measured by the liquid volume measuring unit to calculate the distillation rate.

[0013] In the vacuum cleaning apparatus of the present invention, the control device calculates the distillation rate using a distillation model, which is a simulation model that receives the measurement result of the third temperature measurement unit as an input and outputs the distillation rate.

[0014] In addition, the vacuum cleaning device of the present invention further includes a vacuum pump connected to the distiller via a valve and a pressure measuring unit that measures the pressure inside the distiller, and the control device adjusts the pressure inside the distiller by controlling the opening and closing of the valve and the vacuum pump based on the measurement results of the pressure measuring unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, the vacuum cleaning device can more smoothly adjust the temperature of the cleaning liquid stored in the distiller. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a vacuum cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a specific configuration of the vacuum cleaning device shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a partial cross section of an example of a specific configuration of the distiller and hot water tank shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the control device illustrated in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] 3 is an example of a flowchart showing a series of process steps performed by the vacuum cleaning device shown in FIG. 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "the present embodiment") will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. To facilitate understanding of the description, the same components and steps in each drawing will be assigned the same reference numerals as much as possible, and redundant description will be omitted. Furthermore, the term "part" may be replaced with other terms such as unit, module, device, or element.

[0018] <Overall structure> 1 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the overall configuration of a vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. The vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 is mainly composed of, for example, an operating unit 10 and a control device 20. The operating unit 10 is a group of units that perform a series of operations in the vacuum cleaning apparatus 1, such as degreasing and cleaning the workpiece 2 using a cleaning liquid under reduced pressure, and distilling and regenerating the cleaning liquid contaminated with dirt caused by the cleaning. The operating unit 10 is mainly composed of, for example, a cleaning chamber 110, a cleaning liquid tank 111, a distiller 120, a hot water tank 130, a heat source machine 140, a cooling unit 180, a waste liquid tank T1, and a regenerated liquid tank T2.

[0019] The cleaning chamber 110 cleans the workpiece 2 accommodated therein under reduced pressure using cleaning liquid supplied from a cleaning liquid tank 111. The reduced pressure state is a state where the pressure is lower than atmospheric pressure, and includes a vacuum state. The cleaning liquid is supplied to the cleaning chamber 110 from the cleaning liquid tank 111 via a valve or the like. The cleaning chamber 110 cleans the workpiece 2 by supplying the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid tank 111 into the cleaning chamber 110 using a shower or the like provided in the cleaning chamber 110. The cleaning chamber 110 discharges the cleaning liquid used to clean the workpiece 2 into a waste liquid tank T1 via a valve or the like. The cleaning chamber 110 also receives a supply of cleaning liquid from a regenerated liquid tank T2 via a valve or the like. The cleaning chamber 110 also discharges the cleaning liquid remaining in the cleaning chamber into the cleaning liquid tank 111 via a valve or the like.

[0020] The cleaning liquid tank 111 stores a cleaning liquid for cleaning the workpiece 2. The cleaning liquid tank 111 is supplied with the cleaning liquid from the cleaning chamber 110 via a valve or the like. The cleaning liquid tank 111 also supplies the cleaning liquid to the cleaning chamber 110 via a valve or the like.

[0021] The waste liquid tank T1 is a tank that stores contaminated cleaning liquid used to clean the workpiece 2. The contaminated cleaning liquid is supplied to the waste liquid tank T1 from the cleaning chamber 110. The waste liquid tank T1 discharges the stored waste liquid to the evaporation section 121 of the distiller 120 via a valve or the like.

[0022] The distiller 120 regenerates the cleaning liquid by distilling the waste liquid, which is contaminated cleaning liquid supplied from the waste liquid tank T1. Specifically, the distiller 120 performs distillation by evaporating the waste liquid using heat provided by the hot water tank 130 and then condensing the vapor of the cleaning liquid components contained in the waste liquid. The distiller 120 also discharges the regenerated cleaning liquid into the regenerated liquid tank T2 via a valve or the like. The distiller 120 is mainly composed of an evaporation section 121 and a condensation section 122.

[0023] Evaporation section 121 stores wastewater discharged from cleaning chamber 110 via wastewater tank T1, and evaporates the stored wastewater using heat provided by hot water tank 130. Evaporation section 121 is formed in a container shape and is provided at the bottom of distiller 120. Evaporation section 121 is connected to hot water tank 130 so that at least a portion of its outer surface is immersed in hot water tank 130.

[0024] The condenser 122 condenses the vapor of the cleaning liquid components contained in the waste liquid generated by the evaporator 121 to regenerate the cleaning liquid. The condenser 122 is integrally formed with the evaporator 121 so as to be connected to the opening of the cylinder of the evaporator 121, and is provided at the top of the distiller 120. The condenser 122 is also provided with a cooling member inside having a flow path through which cooling water flows, and cools and condenses the vapor of the cleaning liquid components contained in the waste liquid by exchanging heat with the cooling member. The condenser 122 then discharges the cleaning liquid regenerated by condensation into the regenerated liquid tank T2 via a valve or the like.

[0025] The hot water tank 130 is a tank that stores hot water for adjusting the temperature inside the evaporation unit 121. The hot water tank 130 is connected to the evaporation unit 121 so that at least a portion of the outer surface of the evaporation unit 121 is immersed in the hot water tank 130. Specifically, the hot water tank 130 is connected to the evaporation unit 121 so that the bottom of the container-shaped evaporation unit 121 is located inside the tank of the hot water tank 130 and so that the hot water tank 130 covers the outer surface of the bottom of the evaporation unit 121. The hot water tank 130 adjusts the temperature inside the evaporation unit 121 by conducting heat from the stored hot water to the outer surface of the distiller 120. The hot water tank 130 also stores hot water supplied from the heat source device 140 and sends the stored hot water to the heat source device 140. In this way, the hot water tank 130 maintains the temperature inside the hot water tank 130 by circulating hot water between the hot water tank 130 and the heat source device 140.

[0026] The heat source machine 140 is, for example, a heat pump type heat source unit, and adjusts the temperature of hot water stored in the hot water tank 130. The heat source machine 140 heats the hot water sent out from the hot water tank 130 so that the hot water circulates between the heat source machine 140 and the hot water tank 130, and sends the heated hot water back to the hot water tank 130. The temperature of the hot water is adjusted to, for example, 75°C to 80°C, and is adjusted so as not to exceed at least 90°C. The heat source machine 140 heats the hot water to a temperature in accordance with the control of the control device 20.

[0027] The cooling unit 180 circulates cooling water between the condenser 122 and the cooling unit 180 via a cooling member, for example, and cools the inside of the condenser 122 with the cooling water. The cooling unit 180 cools the cooling water sent out from the condenser 122 and sends the cooled cooling water back to the condenser 122. The cooling unit 180 cools the cooling water to a temperature controlled by the control device 20. The cooling member is, for example, a metal pipe formed so that the cooling water flows through it, and is provided so that the cooling water passes from the cooling unit 180 through the condenser 122 and returns to the cooling unit 180.

[0028] The regenerated liquid tank T2 is a tank that stores the cleaning liquid regenerated by the condenser 122. The regenerated liquid tank T2 discharges the stored cleaning liquid into the cleaning chamber 110 or the cleaning liquid tank 111 via a valve or the like.

[0029] The control device 20 controls the operation of the operating unit 10 to degrease and wash the workpiece 2. Specifically, the control device 20 controls the operation of the operating unit 10 by controlling the operation of valves provided in various locations on the operating unit 10, the heat source machine 140, the cooling unit 180, a vacuum pump (not shown in FIG. 1), and the like. The control device 20 also calculates various parameters for the operating unit 10 to perform the operation of degreasing and washing the workpiece 2. The control device 20 also acquires various pieces of information transmitted from the operating unit 10. The control device 20 uses the various pieces of information acquired from the operating unit 10 when calculating the various parameters.

[0030] The control device 20 mainly includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 21, a memory 22, a storage device 23, a communication device 24, and an input / output device 25. The CPU 21 functions as various functional means by executing predetermined programs stored in the memory 22 or the storage device 23. The memory 22 temporarily stores predetermined programs and data required for the CPU 21 to execute the predetermined programs. The storage device 23 stores various programs and information required for the CPU 21 to execute processes, as well as information on processing results. The communication device 24 communicates with external devices. The input / output device 25 accepts operations from an operator of the vacuum cleaning device 1 and outputs screen display, audio, and the like to the operator. The control device 20 can be realized using an information processing device such as a dedicated or general-purpose computer, and may be composed of a single information processing device or multiple information processing devices.

[0031] In this embodiment, control device 20 calculates various parameters for determining the details of the operation control of operation unit 10 and controls the operation of operation unit 10 in an integrated manner, but this is not limited to this. Control device 20 may, for example, calculate the various parameters for the operation control of operation unit 10 and control the operation of operation unit 10 using different information processing devices. Specifically, control device 20 may calculate the various parameters using a personal computer or the like, and the determined conditions may be transmitted from the personal computer to a dedicated control panel for actually operating operation unit 10.

[0032] The above has outlined the overall configuration of the vacuum cleaning apparatus 1. Next, an example of a specific configuration of the vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a specific configuration of the vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, the vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 further includes an auxiliary heater 131, a heating plate 132, a heat exchanger 150, condensers 151 and 152, an aftercooler 153, vacuum pumps 161 and 162, and mist traps 171 and 172 in addition to the components described above. The vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 also includes pumps P1 to P3, a drum D, tanks T3 to T5, valves A0 to A8, B0 to 13, and C1 to C3, temperature measurement units TH1 to TH5, a pressure measurement unit VG, flow rate measurement units S1 to S4, and a liquid volume measurement unit LS.

[0033] First, the valves and each measurement unit will be described. Valves A0 to A8 are provided at various locations within the flow path through which gas flows in operating unit 10, and adjust the flow of gas within the flow path by opening and closing. Valves B0 to B13 are provided at various locations within the flow path through which cleaning liquid flows in operating unit 10, and adjust the flow of cleaning liquid within the flow path by opening and closing. Valves C1 to C3 are provided at various locations within the flow path through which hot water delivered by heat source unit 140 flows, and adjust the flow of hot water within the flow path by opening and closing.

[0034] The flow rate measuring units S1 to S4 are, for example, flow rate sensors, and measure the flow rate of hot water or cooling water flowing through the flow path. The flow rate measuring units S1 to S4 are provided at various locations within the flow path through which the cleaning liquid flows. The flow rate measuring units S1 to S4 transmit the measurement results to the control device 20. The flow rate measuring unit S1 is provided in the flow path on the outlet side of the pump P3 and measures the flow rate of hot water flowing through the flow path. The flow rate measuring unit S2 is provided in the flow path on the inlet side of the heating plate 132 and measures the flow rate of hot water before passing through the heating plate 132. The flow rate measuring unit S3 is provided in the flow path on the outlet side of the pump P2 and measures the flow rate of hot water returning to the heat source device 140. The flow rate measuring unit S4 is provided in the flow path on the inlet side of the cooling member 123 and measures the flow rate of cooling water before passing through the condenser 122 of the distiller 120.

[0035] The pressure measurement unit VG is, for example, a vacuum gauge, and is provided inside the distiller 120. The pressure measurement unit VG measures the pressure of the gas inside the distiller 120. The pressure measurement unit VG transmits the measured pressure value to the control device 20.

[0036] The temperature measurement units TH1 to TH5 are, for example, thermocouples, and measure the temperature of the hot water or the cooling water. The temperature measurement units TH1 to TH5 transmit the temperature measurement results to the control device 20. The temperature measurement unit TH1 is provided inside the evaporation unit 121 and measures the temperature of the wastewater stored in the evaporation unit 121. The temperature measurement unit TH2 is a pair of thermocouples provided one on the inlet side and one on the outlet side of the flow path of the hot water passing through the heating plate 132. The temperature measurement unit TH2 measures the temperature of the hot water before passing through the heating plate 132 and the temperature of the hot water after passing through the heating plate 132. The temperature measurement unit TH3 is a pair of thermocouples provided one on the inlet side and one on the outlet side of the flow path of the cooling water passing through the condenser unit 122. The temperature measurement unit TH3 measures the temperature of the cooling water before passing through the cooling member 123 of the condenser unit 122 and the temperature of the cooling water after passing through the cooling member 123 of the condenser unit 122. The temperature measurement unit TH4 measures the temperature of the hot water immediately after it is sent out from the heat source unit 140. The temperature measurement unit TH5 is a pair of thermocouples provided one on the inlet side and one on the outlet side of the flow path of the hot water passing through the heat exchanger 150. The temperature measurement unit TH5 measures the temperature of the hot water before it passes through the heat exchanger 150 and the temperature of the hot water after it passes through the heat exchanger 150.

[0037] The liquid volume measuring unit LS is a radar-type liquid level sensor that measures the volume of the cleaning liquid stored in the regenerated liquid tank T2. The liquid volume measuring unit LS is provided, for example, on the upper surface of the inside of the regenerated liquid tank T2, and emits radar toward the bottom side of the regenerated liquid tank T2. The liquid volume measuring unit LS receives reflected light that is reflected from the liquid surface of the cleaning liquid stored in the regenerated liquid tank T2. In response to the received light, the liquid volume measuring unit LS calculates the distance from the radar outlet to the liquid surface of the cleaning liquid, and measures the volume of the cleaning liquid from the calculation result.

[0038] Next, the flow of cleaning liquid and components related to the flow of cleaning liquid will be described. The cleaning liquid tank 111 discharges the stored cleaning liquid into the cleaning chamber 110 via valve B2. The cleaning liquid tank 111 also discharges the stored cleaning liquid into the cleaning chamber 110 via a path that passes through valve B5, pump P1, heat exchanger 150, and valve B1 in this order. The cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning chamber 110 is fed into the cleaning liquid tank 111 via tank T4 and valve B3 in this order. The cleaning liquid tank 111 circulates the stored cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid tank 111 via valve B5, pump P1, heat exchanger 150, and valve B0 in this order, returning the stored cleaning liquid to the cleaning liquid tank 111, thereby raising the temperature of the stored cleaning liquid.

[0039] As described above, the cleaning liquid is sent to the cleaning chamber 110 from the cleaning liquid tank 111 via the valve B2. The cleaning liquid is also sent to the cleaning chamber 110 from the heat exchanger 150 via the valve B1. The cleaning chamber 110 passes the waste liquid of the cleaning liquid used to clean the workpiece 2 through the tank T4 and the valve B4 in this order, and then discharges it into the waste liquid tank T1.

[0040] The heat exchanger 150 is a component that exchanges heat between the cleaning liquid and the hot water, and a pipe through which the cleaning liquid flows and a pipe through which the hot water flows are provided close to each other. The pipes through which the cleaning liquid flows and the hot water flow are made of a material with high thermal conductivity. The heat exchanger 150 transfers heat from the hot water to the cleaning liquid through the pipes, thereby raising the temperature of the cleaning liquid. The heat exchanger 150 raises the temperature of the cleaning liquid delivered from the pump P1 and then discharges it into the cleaning liquid tank 111 via the valve B0. The heat exchanger 150 also raises the temperature of the cleaning liquid delivered from the pump P1 and then discharges it into the cleaning chamber 110 via the valve B1.

[0041] Pump P1 is a liquid pump and is provided in the flow path through which the cleaning liquid flows. Pump P1 sends the cleaning liquid to heat exchanger 150 at a predetermined flow rate, pressure, and flow velocity. Cleaning liquid is sent to pump P1 from cleaning liquid tank 111 via valve B5.

[0042] The waste liquid tank T1 is a tank that stores waste liquid of the cleaning liquid after cleaning the workpiece 2 and is discharged from the cleaning chamber 110. The waste liquid tank T1 discharges the stored waste liquid to the evaporation section 121 of the distiller 120 via a valve B6.

[0043] The distiller 120 sprays the waste liquid discharged from the waste liquid tank T1 using a shower provided inside and stores it in the evaporation section 121. The distiller 120 evaporates the waste liquid using the evaporation section 121. The distiller 120 condenses the vapor of the cleaning liquid components contained in the waste liquid using a cooling member 123 passing through the inside of the condenser section 122. The distiller 120 pours the condensed and regenerated cleaning liquid into a flow path on the side and discharges it from the flow path into the regenerated liquid tank T2 via valve B9. The distiller 120 also has a discharge hole at the bottom of the evaporation section 121. The distiller 120 discharges the waste liquid remaining at the bottom of the evaporation section 121 after distillation from the discharge hole via valve B7 to tank T3.

[0044] Tank T3 is a waste liquid tank that temporarily stores waste cleaning liquid. Waste liquid is sent to tank T3 from distiller 120 via valve B7. Tank T3 also discharges the stored waste liquid into drum D via valve B9.

[0045] Drum D is a drum for storing waste liquid, and stores waste cleaning liquid. Waste liquid is sent to drum D from tank T3 via valve B9.

[0046] The regenerated liquid tank T2 stores the cleaning liquid regenerated and discharged by the distiller 120. The regenerated liquid tank T2 also stores the cleaning liquid discharged from the condenser 151 (described later) via the valve B10. As described above, the regenerated liquid tank T2 discharges the stored cleaning liquid to the cleaning chamber 110 via the valve B8, pump P1, heat exchanger 150, and valve B1 in this order. The regenerated liquid tank T2 also discharges the stored cleaning liquid to the cleaning liquid tank 111 via the valve B8, pump P1, heat exchanger 150, and valve B0 in this order.

[0047] Next, we will explain the circulation of hot water sent out from the heat source machine 140 and the components related to the circulation of hot water. The heat source machine 140 heats hot water under the control of the control device 20 and discharges the heated hot water into the hot water tank 130. In addition, hot water is sent to the heat source machine 140 from the hot water tank 130 via a pump P2.

[0048] The auxiliary heater 131 is a heater provided in the hot water tank 130, and heats the hot water in the hot water tank 130. The auxiliary heater 131 performs an operation of starting and stopping heating under the control of the control device 20.

[0049] The hot water tank 130 maintains the temperature of the stored hot water by using hot water sent from the heat source unit 140. The hot water tank 130 also releases hot water that overflows due to an increase in volume caused by temperature changes or the like into tank T5. The hot water tank 130 also heats the stored hot water using an auxiliary heater 131. The hot water tank 130 circulates the stored hot water by passing it through pump P3 and valve C2 and returning it to the hot water tank 130. The hot water tank 130 also circulates the stored hot water by passing it through pump P3, valve C1, and heat exchanger 150 in this order and returning it to the hot water tank 130. The hot water tank 130 also circulates the stored hot water by passing it through pump P3, valve C3, and heating plate 132 in this order and returning it to the hot water tank 130. The hot water tank 130 also discharges the stored hot water to the heat source unit 140 via a pump P2.

[0050] Pump P2 is a liquid pump and is provided in the flow path between hot water tank 130 and heat source device 140. Hot water is pumped into pump P2 from hot water tank 130. Pump P2 sends the hot water pumped from hot water tank 130 to heat source device 140 so that the flow rate, pressure, and flow velocity of the hot water are in accordance with the control of control device 20.

[0051] The pump P3 is a liquid pump and is provided in the flow path between the hot water tank 130 and the valves C1 to C3. The pump P3 receives hot water from the hot water tank 130. The pump P3 sends the hot water to the valves C1 to C3 at a flow rate, pressure, and flow velocity controlled by the control device 20.

[0052] 1 except for the flow rate measurement unit S4 and the temperature measurement unit TH3, so the description thereof will be omitted. Next, elements related to the flow of gas will be described. The cleaning liquid tank 111 exhausts gas inside the cleaning liquid tank 111 to the mist trap 171 via the valve A2.

[0053] Nitrogen gas is supplied to the cleaning chamber 110 from a gas tank (not shown) via a valve A1. The cleaning chamber 110 also exhausts the gas inside the cleaning chamber 110 to the outside of the vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 via a valve A0. The cleaning chamber 110 also exhausts the gas inside the cleaning chamber 110 to a mist trap 171 via a valve A3. The cleaning chamber 110 also exhausts the gas inside the cleaning chamber 110 to a condenser 151 via a valve A4.

[0054] The distiller 120 exhausts the gas remaining after the steam generated by evaporation in the evaporator 121 is condensed in the condenser 122 to the condenser 151 via the valve A5.

[0055] The condenser 151 is, for example, a capacitor, and condenses the fed gas by cooling to liquefy it. Gas containing cleaning liquid vapor is fed to the condenser 151 from the cleaning chamber 110 via valve A4. Also, gas containing cleaning liquid component vapor is fed to the condenser 151 from the distiller 120 via valve A5. The condenser 151 condenses the fed cleaning liquid component vapor to regenerate the cleaning liquid. The condenser 151 discharges the regenerated cleaning liquid through condensation to the regenerated liquid tank T2 via valve B10. Also, the condenser 151 exhausts the gas remaining after condensation to the vacuum pump 161 via valve A6.

[0056] The vacuum pump 161 is a pump for gas, and exhausts the gas to a pressure controlled by the control device 20. The vacuum pump 161 sucks gas from the condenser 151 via the valve A6. The vacuum pump 161 exhausts the sucked gas to the condenser 152.

[0057] The condenser 152 is, for example, a capacitor, and condenses the fed gas by cooling to liquefy it. The condenser 152 receives gas containing vapor of the cleaning liquid components from the vacuum pump 161. The condenser 152 also receives gas from the tank T3 via the valve A8. The condenser 152 condenses the vapor of the fed cleaning liquid components to regenerate the cleaning liquid. The condenser 152 discharges the regenerated cleaning liquid through the condensation to the cleaning liquid tank 111 via the valve B11 and the heat exchanger 150. The condenser 152 also discharges the gas remaining after condensation to the vacuum pump 162.

[0058] The vacuum pump 162 is a pump for gas, and exhausts the gas to a pressure controlled by the control device 20. The vacuum pump 162 sucks gas from the condenser 152. The vacuum pump 162 exhausts the sucked gas to the aftercooler 153.

[0059] The aftercooler 153 is a component for recovering cleaning liquid components contained in the exhaust gas of the vacuum cleaning device 1. The aftercooler 153 regenerates cleaning liquid components from the gas fed therein by condensing them through cooling. The aftercooler 153 discharges the regenerated cleaning liquid into the cleaning liquid tank 111 via the valve B12 and the heat exchanger 150. The aftercooler 153 also recovers oil contained in the gas remaining after the regeneration of the cleaning liquid using the mist trap 172.

[0060] The mist traps 171 and 172 collect excess oil and mist while coagulating the cleaning liquid from the gas exhausted to the outside of the vacuum cleaning apparatus 1. Gas is sent to the mist trap 171 from the cleaning chamber 110 via valve A3. Gas is also sent to the mist trap 171 from the cleaning liquid tank 111 via valve A2. The mist trap 171 discharges the coagulated cleaning liquid to the aftercooler 153 via valve A7.

[0061] An example of a specific configuration of the vacuum cleaning device 1 has been described above. Next, the structure of the distiller 120 will be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of an example of a specific configuration of the distiller 120 and hot water tank 130 shown in Figure 2. Figure 3 shows a cross-section of the distiller 120 and hot water tank 130 as viewed from the front side. The cutting line of the cross-section in Figure 3 is a virtual line (not shown) that extends horizontally when the distiller 120 is viewed from above. Note that in Figure 3, the exhaust port, inlet, various measuring units, etc. are not shown and are omitted.

[0062] As described above, the distiller 120 includes the evaporator 121 and the condenser 122. As shown in FIG. 3, the evaporator 121 is a container-shaped container with an open top. The evaporator 121 evaporates the stored dirty cleaning liquid and sends the vapor of the cleaning liquid components to the condenser 122. The evaporator 121 is connected to the hot water tank 130 so that at least a portion of the outer surface of the bottom is immersed in the hot water tank 130. Specifically, the evaporator 121 has a portion of the outer surface of the bottom covered by the hot water tank 130 so that the bottom is located inside the hot water tank 130. The evaporator 121 also has a discharge hole 1212 at its bottom. The discharge hole 1212 is connected to a flow path that runs from the bottom side through the hot water tank 130 and leads to the valve B7. The evaporator 121 also has a sprayer 1213 inside. The spray unit 1213 is connected to a flow path 1211 through which the cleaning liquid flows, and stores the cleaning liquid inside the evaporation unit 121 by spraying the cleaning liquid sent from the flow path 1211 toward the bottom surface inside the evaporation unit 121. The flow path 1211 is provided so as to penetrate the outer wall of the evaporation unit 121 from the outside, enter the evaporation unit 121, and connect to the spray unit 1213. The cleaning liquid is sent to the flow path 1211 from the waste liquid tank T1 via a valve B6. The evaporation unit 121 has an upper opening whose periphery is covered by the outer wall of the condensation unit 122 so that the upper opening is located inside the condensation unit 122.

[0063] Furthermore, multiple heating plates 132 are provided inside the evaporation section 121. The multiple heating plates 132 are heat dissipation plates made of a metal or the like with high thermal conductivity, and are arranged in parallel in a horizontal direction relative to the bottom surface. The heating plates 132 heat the interior of the evaporation section 121 by dissipating heat conducted from the hot water flow path 1321. Furthermore, the evaporation section 121 is provided with a hot water flow path 1321 inside, penetrating the multiple heating plates 132. Specifically, in FIG. 3 , the hot water flow path 1321 is provided so as to penetrate into the evaporation section 121 from the rear side, pass through the multiple heating plates 132, and then penetrate the rear side again to reach the outside of the evaporation section 121. The hot water flow path 1321 is formed as a pipe made of a metal or the like with high thermal conductivity, and conducts the heat of the hot water to the heating plates 132. The arrangement of the heating plates 132 and the flow paths 1321 in the evaporation section 121 is merely an example, and any arrangement is possible as long as the flow paths 1321 reach the inside of the evaporation section 121 from outside the evaporation section 121, pass through the heating plates 132, and return to the outside of the evaporation section 121. Although four heating plates 132 are provided in the evaporation section 121 in Fig. 3, the number is not limited to this, and any number of heating plates may be provided as long as they can be accommodated within the evaporation section 121 and the evaporation section 121 can have a volume sufficient to store the cleaning liquid.

[0064] The condenser 122 is a container with an open center on the bottom side that is provided to cover the upper opening of the evaporator 121. As described above, the condenser 122 condenses the vapor of the cleaning liquid components rising from the evaporator 121. The condenser 122 has a cooling member 123 provided therein that surrounds the upper opening of the evaporator 121. Specifically, the cooling member 123 penetrates into the condenser 122 from the side of the condenser 122, spirals around the upper opening of the evaporator 121, and then penetrates the side of the condenser 122 to reach the outside of the condenser 122. The cooling member 123 is a tube made of a metal or the like with high thermal conductivity, and cooling water flows through the inside of the cooling member 123. The cooling member 123 exchanges heat with the inside of the condenser 122 to cool and condense the vapor of the cleaning liquid components in the condenser 122, thereby regenerating the cleaning liquid. The condenser 122 is formed as a spiral flow path on the bottom side and outside the upper opening of the evaporator 121. The spiral flow path functions as a receptacle and flow path for the cleaning liquid regenerated by the cooling member 123. Specifically, the spiral flow path is connected to a flow path provided with a valve B9 outside the condenser 122 after going around the upper opening of the evaporator 121. The spiral flow path discharges the regenerated cleaning liquid into the regenerated liquid tank T2 via the valve B9.

[0065] As described above, the hot water tank 130 is a tank that stores hot water delivered from the heat source device 140 and adjusts the temperature inside the evaporation unit 121 using the stored hot water. The hot water tank 130 is connected such that the bottom of the evaporation unit 121 is recessed into the upper surface. The hot water tank 130 covers the bottom of the evaporation unit 121 of the distiller 120 and heats the evaporation unit 121 using the stored hot water. The hot water tank 130 is also provided with an auxiliary heater 131 inside, and the stored hot water is also heated by the auxiliary heater 131. The hot water tank 130 is also connected to flow paths 1301 to 1306. The flow path 1301 is a flow path for sending hot water from the heat source device 140 to the hot water tank 130. The flow path 1302 is a flow path for sending hot water from the hot water tank 130 to the heat source device 140 via pump P2. Flow path 1303 is a flow path for circulating hot water between tank T5. Flow path 1304 is a flow path for sending hot water to pump P3. Flow path 1305 is a flow path for sending hot water that has passed through heating plate 132 back into hot water tank 130. Flow path 1306 is a flow path for sending hot water that has passed through heat exchanger 150 back into hot water tank 130.

[0066] <Functional configuration> The specific configuration of the distiller 120 has been described above. Next, the functional configuration of the control device 20 in the vacuum cleaning device 1 will be described. Figure 4 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the control device 20 shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 2, the main functional components of the control device 20 include, for example, a memory unit 290, an acquisition unit 210, a calculation unit 220, and an operation control unit 230. Functional means other than the memory unit 290 are realized by the CPU 21 executing programs stored in the storage device 23 or the like.

[0067] The storage unit 290 stores measurement data 291, a distillation model 292, and a control program 293. The storage unit 290 further stores various values and information that the control device 20 needs to store in advance.

[0068] The measurement data 291 is data related to the measurement results transmitted from each measurement unit of the operating unit 10. Specifically, the measurement data 291 includes the temperature measurement results by the temperature measurement units TH1 to TH5, the flow rate measurement results by the flow rate measurement units S1 to S4, the gas pressure measurement results by the pressure measurement unit VG, and the liquid volume measurement results of the cleaning liquid in the regenerating liquid tank T2 by the liquid volume measurement unit LS.

[0069] The distillation model 292 is a database that indicates the correspondence between the measurement results of each measurement unit of the operating unit 10 and the progress of distillation. The distillation model 292 is, for example, a relational expression that associates the measurement results of the cooling water temperature by the temperature measurement unit TH3 with the progress of distillation. The measurement results of the cooling water temperature by the temperature measurement unit TH3 are, for example, a temperature difference indicating the difference between the measured temperature of the cooling water after passing through the cooling element 123 and the measured temperature of the cooling water before passing through the cooling element 123. The progress of distillation is expressed, for example, as a percentage, with 100 being the value when distillation is completely completed. The relationship between the measurement results of the cooling water temperature and the progress of distillation will now be explained. When distilling the cleaning liquid, the distiller 120 regenerates the cleaning liquid by condensing the vapor of the cleaning liquid components with the cooling water in the condenser 122. As a result, the temperature of the cooling water that passes through the condenser 122 rises by the amount of energy used to cool the cleaning liquid. In other words, the progress of distillation is related to the temperature of the cooling water.

[0070] A specific example of the distillation model 292 is given below. The distillation model 292 is, for example, a relational expression that correlates the delay time from the start of distillation until the temperature difference, which is the measurement result, begins to increase, with the progress of distillation. The distillation model 292 may also be, for example, a relational expression that correlates the increase in the temperature difference per unit time during distillation with a distillation rate, which indicates the rate at which distillation progresses. Here, the distillation rate is an index that indicates the rate at which distillation progresses when the contaminated cleaning liquid is distilled by the distiller 120. The distillation rate is indicated, for example, by the increase per hour in the volume of the regenerated cleaning liquid stored in the regenerated liquid tank T2. When the distillation model 292 indicates the relationship between the measurement result and the distillation rate, the distillation rate is multiplied by a predetermined unit time to calculate the progress of distillation.

[0071] Furthermore, the distillation model 292 may be, for example, a simulation model capable of reinforcement learning formed by a neural network. Reinforcement learning is realized, for example, by AI (Artificial Intelligence). The distillation model 292 receives measurement results from temperature measurement units TH1 to TH5, flow rate measurement units S1 to S4, liquid volume measurement unit LS, pressure measurement unit VG, etc., and outputs the progress of distillation, distillation rate, etc. The distillation model 292 outputs predicted values of the progress of distillation and distillation rate in response to the measurement results of each measurement unit.

[0072] The control program 293 is a program for operating each component of the vacuum cleaning apparatus 1. Specifically, the control program 293 is a program for controlling the operations of the vacuum pumps 161 and 162, the heat source unit 140, the auxiliary heater 131, the pumps P1 to P3, and the valves A0 to A8, B0 to 13, and C1 to C3.

[0073] The acquisition unit 210 acquires measurement results from each measurement unit in the operation unit 10. Specifically, the acquisition unit 210 acquires measurement results of the hot water temperature and the cooling water temperature from the temperature measurement units TH1 to TH5. The acquisition unit 210 also acquires measurement results of the hot water flow rate and the cooling water flow rate from the flow rate measurement units S1 to S4. The acquisition unit 210 also acquires measurement results of the pressure of the gas in the distiller 120 from the pressure measurement unit VG. The acquisition unit 210 also acquires measurement results of the liquid volume of the cleaning liquid in the regeneration liquid tank T2 from the liquid volume measurement unit LS.

[0074] The calculation unit 220 calculates the progress of distillation of the waste cleaning liquid. In calculating the progress of distillation of the waste liquid, the calculation unit 220 also calculates a distillation rate that indicates the rate at which distillation of the waste liquid is progressing. Specifically, the calculation unit 220 references the measurement results of the temperature measurement unit TH3 acquired by the acquisition unit 210 and a distillation model 292 stored in the storage unit 290. The calculation unit 220 calculates the distillation rate associated with the measurement results of the temperature measurement unit TH3 in the distillation model 292 as the calculation result. Next, the calculation unit 220 calculates the progress of distillation of the waste liquid by multiplying the calculated distillation rate by a predetermined time, such as the period at which the acquisition unit 210 acquires the measurement results.

[0075] If the distillation model 292 directly specifies the correspondence between the measurement results and the progress of distillation, the calculation unit 220 may use the progress of distillation associated with the measurement results of the temperature measurement unit TH3 as the calculation result. If the distillation model 292 is a simulation model formed by a neural network, the calculation unit 220 may input the measurement results of each measurement unit defined as an input to the distillation model 292. The calculation unit 220 may use the predicted value of the distillation rate or the predicted value of the progress of distillation output by the simulation of the distillation model 292 as the calculation result.

[0076] The operation control unit 230 operates each component of the vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 in accordance with the control program 293. Specifically, the operation control unit 230 acquires measurement results of the hot water temperatures in the hot water tank 130, the flow path immediately after being discharged from the heat source unit 140, the flow paths before and after the heating plate 132, and the flow paths before and after the heat exchanger 150 from the temperature measurement units TH1, TH2, TH4, and TH5. The operation control unit 230 controls the start and stop of the hot water heating by the heat source unit 140 and the auxiliary heater 131 during distillation using the acquired temperature measurement results and the control program 293. Furthermore, the operation control unit 230 controls the operation of the vacuum pumps 161 and 162 and the associated valves to adjust the pressure in the distiller 120 using the measurement results of the pressure measurement unit VG acquired by the acquisition unit 210 and the control program 293. The operation control unit 230 also acquires the calculation results of the progress of the wastewater distillation by the calculation unit 220. The operation control unit 230 controls the operation of the components controlled by the control program 293 based on the acquired progress of distillation of the wastewater and the control program 293. Through operation control, the operation control unit 230 controls the operation of discharging wastewater remaining after distillation from the distiller 120 to the outside (drum D), the operation of discharging wastewater from the cleaning chamber 110 to the distiller 120, and the operation of adjusting the temperature of hot water by the heat source unit 140 and the auxiliary heater 131. For example, if the progress of distillation is slow, the operation control unit 230 temporarily suspends the discharge of wastewater from the cleaning chamber 110 or continues the evaporation operation of the wastewater by the evaporator 121 for longer than usual. Furthermore, for example, if the progress of distillation is progressing, the operation control unit 230 speeds up the discharge operation of the wastewater from the cleaning chamber 110 or shortens the evaporation operation of the wastewater by the evaporator 121 for longer than usual.

[0077] <Flow of operations> The above describes the functional configuration of the control device 20. Next, a detailed description will be given of the flow of a series of processes in the vacuum cleaning device 1. Figure 5 is an example of a flowchart showing the flow of a series of processes in the vacuum cleaning device 1 shown in Figure 1.

[0078] (Step SP10) The vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 acquires, via the acquiring unit 210, the temperatures of the hot water at each point in the flow path that flows through the heat source unit 140, the hot water tank 130, and the heating plate 132 from the temperature measuring units TH1, TH2, TH4, and TH5 as measurement results. Then, the process proceeds to step SP12.

[0079] (Step SP12) The vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 causes the acquiring unit 210 to acquire, from the temperature measuring unit TH3, the temperatures of the cooling water before and after passing through the condenser unit 122 as measurement results. Then, the process proceeds to step SP14.

[0080] (Step SP14) The vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 acquires the measurement result of the amount of cleaning liquid in the regenerated liquid tank T2 from the liquid amount measuring unit LS by the acquiring unit 210. Then, the process proceeds to step SP16.

[0081] (Step SP16) The vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 acquires the measurement result regarding the pressure of the gas inside the distiller 120 from the pressure measurement unit VG by the acquisition unit 210. Then, the process proceeds to the process of step SP18. Then, the process proceeds to the process of step SP18.

[0082] (Step SP18) The vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 calculates the progress of distillation of the contaminated cleaning liquid by the calculation unit 220. Specifically, as described with reference to FIG. 4, the vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 uses the calculation unit 220 to refer to the measurement results used to calculate the distillation rate from the measurement results of each measurement unit acquired in the processing of steps SP10 to SP16. The vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 calculates the progress of distillation by substituting the measurement results into the distillation model 292 stored in the storage unit 290 by the calculation unit 220. Note that the vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 may also calculate the distillation rate by substituting the measurement results into the distillation model 292 stored in the storage unit 290 by the calculation unit 220, and then calculate the progress of distillation from the distillation rate. Then, the processing proceeds to the processing of step SP20.

[0083] (Step SP20) The vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 distills the contaminated cleaning liquid by controlling the operation of each part of the operating unit 10 according to the progress of distillation calculated by the calculation unit 220 and the control program 293 using the operation control unit 230. Specifically, as described with reference to FIG. 4, the operation control unit 230 speeds up or slows down the operations related to the distillation according to the progress of distillation of the contaminated cleaning liquid. Then, the process proceeds to step SP22.

[0084] (Step SP22) The vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 determines whether or not all of the contaminated cleaning liquid has been distilled from the measurement result of the liquid volume measurement unit LS by the operation control unit 230. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step SP10. On the other hand, if the determination is positive, the series of processes shown in FIG. 5 ends.

[0085] <Effects> As described above, in this embodiment, the vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 includes the cleaning chamber 110, the distiller 120, the hot water tank 130, and the heat source unit 140. The evaporator 121 of the distiller 120 is formed in a container shape to store the contaminated cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning chamber 110 and evaporate the stored contaminated liquid. The condenser 122 of the distiller 120 is formed integrally with the evaporator 121 so as to be connected to the opening of the tube of the evaporator 121, and condenses the vapor of the cleaning liquid components contained in the contaminated liquid to regenerate the cleaning liquid. The hot water tank 130 stores the hot water sent from the heat source unit 140 with at least a portion of the outer surface of the evaporator 121 immersed in the hot water. Therefore, the vacuum cleaning device 1 adjusts the temperature of the evaporator 121 using the hot water tank 130, which stores hot water with a higher specific heat (e.g., 4.2 kJ / kg·K) than conventional heat transfer oils (e.g., 2.3 kJ / kg·K), making it easier to maintain the temperature inside the distiller 120. Furthermore, the vacuum cleaning device 1 also easily maintains the temperature inside the distiller 120 because the evaporator 121 of the distiller 120 is immersed in the hot water tank 130. Because the temperature inside the distiller 120 is easily maintained, sudden temperature changes are suppressed, making it easier to adjust the temperature of the cleaning liquid stored in the distiller 120. Furthermore, because the vacuum cleaning device 1 uses hot water instead of heat transfer oil, which requires periodic replacement, running costs can be reduced. Furthermore, because the vacuum cleaning device 1 uses hot water, which is more environmentally friendly than heat transfer oil, it reduces the burden on the global environment.

[0086] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vacuum cleaning device 1 includes a temperature measurement unit TH1 (first temperature measurement unit) that measures the temperature of the hot water stored in the hot water tank 130, and a control device 20 that controls the operation of the heat source device 140 based on the measurement results of the temperature measurement unit TH1. Therefore, the vacuum cleaning device 1 controls the heat source device 140 based on the measurement results of the temperature of the hot water, which has a higher specific heat capacity than heat transfer oil and is therefore easier to maintain its temperature, so that the temperature inside the distiller 120 is more likely to be stable and the evaporator 121 can evaporate the cleaning liquid with high efficiency. Specifically, the vacuum cleaning device 1 can shorten the distillation time, reduce power consumption associated with distillation, and prevent the solidification of polluted liquid residue inside the distiller 120 due to overheating.

[0087] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vacuum cleaning device 1 further includes an auxiliary heater 131 in the hot water tank 130 that heats the hot water in the hot water tank 130. Therefore, the vacuum cleaning device 1 adjusts the temperature of the hot water in the hot water tank 130 not only by the heat source device 140 but also by the auxiliary heater 131, so that the temperature in the hot water tank 130 can be adjusted with higher accuracy and the temperature of the cleaning liquid stored in the distiller 120 can be adjusted more smoothly.

[0088] Moreover, in this embodiment, the vacuum cleaning device 1 further includes a heating plate 132 for heating the evaporation section 121 in the distiller 120, and a temperature measurement unit TH2 (second temperature measurement unit) for measuring the temperature of the hot water before and after passing through the heating plate 132. Therefore, the vacuum cleaning device 1 heats the dirty cleaning liquid in the distiller 120 not only by the hot water tank 130 but also by the heating plate 132, so that the temperature of the cleaning liquid stored in the distiller 120 can be adjusted more smoothly.

[0089] This embodiment also includes a temperature measurement unit TH3 (third temperature measurement unit) that measures the temperature of the cooling water after it has passed through the condenser 122 of the distiller 120. The control device 20 calculates the distillation rate from the measurement result of the temperature measurement unit TH3 and controls a series of operations related to the distillation based on the calculated distillation rate. Therefore, the vacuum cleaning device 1 determines the state related to the distillation from the measurement result of the cooling water temperature and controls the operations related to the distillation, so that the distiller 120 can distill the dirty cleaning liquid with even higher efficiency. Specifically, the vacuum cleaning device 1 can reduce the power consumption consumed by distillation and shorten the distillation time.

[0090] In this embodiment, the vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 further includes a regenerated liquid tank T2 and a liquid volume measuring unit LS that measures the volume of the cleaning liquid stored in the regenerated liquid tank T2. The control device 20 uses the rate of increase in the volume of the cleaning liquid in the regenerated liquid tank T2 to calculate the distillation rate. Therefore, the vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 calculates the rate of progress of distillation from the rate of increase in the volume of the liquid, so that the state of progress of distillation can be determined with high accuracy, and the distiller 120 can distill the contaminated cleaning liquid with even higher efficiency.

[0091] In this embodiment, the control device 20 of the vacuum cleaning device 1 calculates the distillation rate using a distillation model 292 that inputs the measurement result of the temperature measurement unit TH3 and outputs the distillation rate. Therefore, since the vacuum cleaning device 1 calculates the distillation rate using a simulation model, the state of progress of distillation can be determined with higher accuracy, and the distiller 120 can distill the dirty cleaning liquid with higher efficiency.

[0092] This embodiment also includes a vacuum pump 161 connected to the distiller 120 and a pressure measurement unit VG that measures the pressure inside the distiller 120. The control device 20 also adjusts the pressure inside the distiller 120 based on the measurement results of the pressure measurement unit VG. Therefore, the vacuum cleaning device 1 can adjust the pressure inside the distiller 120 to an appropriate state, allowing the distiller 120 to distill the polluted cleaning liquid with even higher efficiency.

[0093] <Modification> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. In other words, variations on the above-described embodiments, made by a person skilled in the art, are also included within the scope of the present invention as long as they incorporate the features of the present invention. Furthermore, the elements of the above-described embodiments and the modifications described below can be combined to the extent technically possible, and such combinations are also included within the scope of the present invention as long as they incorporate the features of the present invention. Alternatively, the execution or order of execution of each step in the flowchart may be changed as long as no technical contradictions arise.

[0094] For example, in this embodiment, the vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 calculates the progress and distillation rate of the distillation using the calculation unit 220 based on the measurement result of the cooling water temperature by the temperature measurement unit TH3, but this is not limited thereto. The vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 may also be provided with a water volume sensor that measures the amount of cooling water on the outlet side of the condenser 122 in the cooling water flow path. Furthermore, the vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 may acquire the measurement result of the water volume sensor using the acquisition unit 210 and calculate the progress and distillation rate of the distillation based on the acquired measurement result of the water volume sensor. Specifically, the control device 20 may determine whether the measurement result of the water volume sensor during distillation is within a predetermined range including predetermined upper and lower limits. If the determination is affirmative, the control device 20 may determine that the distillation is progressing, and if the determination is negative, the control device 20 may determine that the distillation has stopped. Furthermore, the control device 20 may reflect the progress and stop status of the distillation in the distillation operation. According to this configuration, the vacuum cleaning device 1 can determine the state of distillation from the measurement results of the cooling water volume and reflect this in the distillation operation, thereby enabling the state of distillation progress to be obtained more efficiently and enabling the distiller 120 to distill the dirty cleaning liquid even more efficiently.

[0095] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the temperature measurement units TH2, TH3, and TH5 are provided in pairs on the inlet side and outlet side of the object through which the fluid passes, but this is not limited to this. The temperature measurement units TH2, TH3, and TH5 may be provided on only one of the inlet side and outlet side of the object through which the fluid passes. In this case, the control device 20 uses the temperature before or after the object passes, rather than the temperature difference before and after the object passes, in the calculations by the calculation unit 220 and the operation control by the operation control unit 230. With this configuration, the vacuum cleaning device 1 can install fewer measurement units, thereby reducing the cost of the measurement units and simplifying control.

[0096] In this embodiment, the evaporator 121 is formed in a vessel-like, cup-like shape as shown in FIG. 3 , but is not limited thereto. The evaporator 121 may have any shape as long as at least a portion of its bottom outer surface is immersed in the hot water tank 130 and the shape allows the vapor of cleaning liquid components contained in the contaminated cleaning liquid to flow toward the condenser 122. The evaporator 121 may be formed, for example, in a flask-like shape with a wider bottom than the top, or conically in a conical shape with a narrower bottom than the top. The evaporator 121 may also be formed as a vessel with a tube connected to its top for delivering vapor to the condenser 122. The evaporator 121 may also be a vessel that is open at the top and has a bottom with many irregularities. According to this configuration, the evaporator 121 of the vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 may have various shapes. Therefore, by adopting a distiller 120 having an evaporator 121 of an appropriate shape, the efficiency of heating the hot water in the hot water tank 130 and the space efficiency of the entire vacuum cleaning apparatus 1 can be improved. [Explanation of symbols]

[0097] 1...vacuum cleaning device, 2...workpiece, 20...control device, 110...cleaning chamber, 111...cleaning liquid tank, 120...distiller, 121...evaporation section, 122...condensation section, 123...cooling member, 130...hot water tank, 131...auxiliary heater, 132...heating plate, 140...heat source machine, 161...vacuum pump, A5 to A6...valves, LS...liquid volume measurement section, T2...regenerated liquid tank, TH1...first temperature measurement section, TH2...second temperature measurement section, TH3...third temperature measurement section, VG...pressure measurement section

Claims

1. a cleaning chamber in which the workpiece is cleaned under reduced pressure using a cleaning liquid supplied from a cleaning liquid tank; a distiller having a container-shaped evaporator for storing polluted liquid of the cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning chamber and evaporating the stored polluted liquid, and a condenser formed integrally with the evaporator so as to be connected to an opening of the evaporator, and for condensing vapor of components of the cleaning liquid contained in the polluted liquid generated by the evaporator to regenerate the cleaning liquid; a hot water tank that stores hot water with at least a portion of the outer surface of the evaporation unit immersed therein; a heat source machine that adjusts the temperature of the hot water stored in the hot water tank; A vacuum cleaning device comprising:

2. a first temperature measuring unit that measures the temperature of the hot water stored in the hot water tank and the temperature of the wastewater stored in the evaporator; A control device that controls the temperature adjustment operation of the heat source machine based on the measurement result of the first temperature measurement unit; The vacuum cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

3. The hot water supply system further includes an auxiliary heater provided in the hot water tank for heating the hot water stored in the hot water tank, The control device controls the execution and stop of heating of the hot water by the auxiliary heater based on the measurement result of the first temperature measurement unit.

3. The vacuum cleaning device according to claim 2.

4. a heating plate connected to a flow path provided in the evaporation unit and configured to heat the evaporation unit; A second temperature measuring unit that measures the temperature of the hot water before and after passing through the heating plate, The heat source unit adjusts the temperature of the hot water flowing through the flow path of the heating plate, The control device controls the temperature adjustment operation of the heat source machine based on the measurement results of the first temperature measurement unit and the second temperature measurement unit.

3. The vacuum cleaning device according to claim 2.

5. the condenser is a heat exchanger that condenses the steam using a cooling member having a flow path through which cooling water flows, a third temperature measuring unit that measures the temperature of the cooling water after passing through the condenser unit; The control device calculates a distillation rate indicating the rate at which the waste liquid is being distilled by the distiller from the measurement result of the third temperature measurement unit, and controls the operation of discharging the waste liquid remaining after distillation from the distiller to the outside, the operation of discharging the waste liquid from the cleaning chamber to the distiller, and the operation of adjusting the temperature of the heat source machine based on the calculated distillation rate.

3. The vacuum cleaning device according to claim 2.

6. a regenerated liquid tank that stores the cleaning liquid regenerated by the condenser; a liquid volume measuring unit for measuring the volume of the cleaning liquid stored in the regenerated liquid tank, the control device uses the increasing rate of the volume of the cleaning liquid measured by the liquid volume measuring unit to calculate the distillation rate.

6. The vacuum cleaning device according to claim 5.

7. the control device calculates the distillation rate using a distillation model, which is a simulation model that receives the measurement result of the third temperature measurement unit as an input and outputs the distillation rate.

6. The vacuum cleaning device according to claim 5.

8. a vacuum pump connected to the distiller via a valve; A pressure measuring unit that measures the pressure inside the distiller, The control device adjusts the pressure in the distiller by controlling the opening and closing of the valve and the vacuum pump based on the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit.

8. The vacuum cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein the vacuum cleaning device is a vacuum cleaning device.

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