Liquid Amplifier

Abstract

To provide a liquid amplification device which can smoothen flow of a liquid in a pipe and stabilize a flow rate and a flow speed.SOLUTION: A liquid amplification device 10 is provided at a pipe 100 in which a liquid circulates, assists flow of the liquid, and includes: an annular device body 1 centered on a center axis O; a liquid passage 2 which penetrates through the device body 1 in an axial direction and in which the liquid flows; and an air passage 3 which jets air from an inner periphery part of the device body 1 to the liquid passage 2. The air passage 3 has an air jet slit 33 which is disposed at the inner periphery part of the device body 1, forms an annular shape extending around the center axis O, and is open to the downstream side in the axial direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid amplification device. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, there are known amplification devices that amplify the flow rate of air flowing inside a pipe or transport a workpiece inside a pipe by vacuum flow (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-60006 [Patent Document 2] US Patent Application Publication No. 2003 / 0115709 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In this type of amplifier, there has been a demand for an amplifier that can assist the flow of liquid inside the tube. Specifically, there has been a demand for an amplifier that can smooth the flow of liquid inside the tube and stabilize the flow rate and flow velocity.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid amplification device that can smooth the flow of liquid inside a pipe and stabilize the flow rate and flow velocity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a liquid amplification device that is provided in a pipe through which a liquid flows and assists the flow of the liquid, the liquid amplification device comprising: an annular device main body centered on a central axis; a liquid flow path that penetrates the device main body in the axial direction and through which the liquid flows; and an air flow path that injects air from an inner circumferential part of the device main body into the liquid flow path, the air flow path being disposed on the inner circumferential part and forming an annular shape extending around the central axis and having an air injection slit that opens toward the downstream side in the axial direction, the device main body having an annular main body part centered on the central axis and a tubular part that is inserted into the main body part, the air injection slit being disposed in a gap between the inner circumferential surface of the main body part and the outer circumferential surface of the tubular part, the main body part being in the shape of a plate that extends in a direction perpendicular to the central axis, and the tubular part having a portion that fits into the inner circumferential surface of the main body part. The liquid flow path has a spiral flow path whose circumferential position changes as it moves in the axial direction, and the cross section of the spiral flow path perpendicular to the central axis is substantially fan-shaped, and a plurality of the spiral flow paths are provided at intervals from each other in the circumferential direction. .

[0007] This liquid amplifier is installed, for example, in a pipe through which a liquid, such as industrial water, flows. The liquid amplifier of the present invention injects air in a circular pattern from an air injection slit in the air flow path toward the downstream side in the axial direction into the liquid in the liquid flow path. This assists the liquid to flow smoothly and stably through the pipe, stabilizing the flow rate and flow velocity of the liquid. According to the present invention, by stably amplifying the flow of the liquid, problems such as the liquid slowing down and stagnating midway through the pipe, or the occurrence of turbulence or backflow, can be suppressed.

[0008] Specifically, in the present invention, a thin, high-speed air curtain, known as an air knife, is supplied from the air injection slit into the liquid. The injected air and the liquid containing the air flow along the inner periphery of the device body and the inner periphery of the pipe due to the Coanda effect, allowing the liquid to be smoothly sent downstream of the liquid amplification device. Furthermore, the air injection slit injects fine air in a circular pattern on the inner periphery of the device body, i.e., over the entire 360° circumference around the central axis, so the above-mentioned effects can be obtained over a wide range across the entire circumferential area.

[0009] Furthermore, the fine air (bubbles) injected into the liquid from the air injection slits contain microbubbles. The microbubbles in the liquid have the function of removing deposits that have adhered to the inner walls of pipes and suppressing the adhesion of new deposits. Therefore, a cleaning effect can be obtained throughout the entire liquid distribution system, including the pipes through which the liquid flows. This effect also stabilizes the flow of the liquid and reduces the frequency of maintenance, etc. Furthermore, according to the present invention, air is injected into the liquid from the air injection slit at a high flow rate but at a low flow rate, thereby making it possible to efficiently generate microbubbles while keeping the amount of air supplied to the liquid low.

[0010] Furthermore, because the air injection slits inject air in the direction of the liquid flow, i.e., downstream, they also prevent the liquid from flowing back into the air injection slits, thereby preventing deposits from adhering to the air injection slits and maintaining the functionality of the air injection slits as described above.

[0011] The liquid amplifier of the present invention has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture, and can be produced at low cost. Furthermore, the external dimensions of the liquid amplifier, particularly the axial dimensions, can be easily reduced, making it easy to make it compact, so it does not require a large installation space when installed in the middle of a pipe. This increases the degree of freedom in designing the pipe as a whole. Furthermore, the liquid amplifier of the present invention can easily be installed in the middle of an existing pipe, making it highly versatile.

[0012] As described above, the liquid amplifying device of the present invention can smooth the flow of liquid inside the pipe and stabilize the flow rate and flow velocity.

[0015] In the liquid amplification device, the device main body has an annular main body part centered on the central axis and a cylindrical part inserted into the main body part, and the air injection slit is disposed in the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the main body part and the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical part. do.

[0016] In this case, the slit width (thickness) of the air ejection slit can be adjusted by appropriately adjusting the gap between the inner circumferential surface of the main body and the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion by replacing or additionally machining components. This makes it easy to fine-tune the size of the slit width of the air ejection slit and to uniform the slit width accurately over the entire circumferential direction. Therefore, the above-described effects of the present invention can be achieved more stably. In the above liquid amplifying device, the liquid flow path has a spiral flow path whose circumferential position changes along the axial direction. In this case, a spiral swirling flow is generated as the liquid passes through the spiral flow path, and this swirling flow flows in a spiral pattern inside the pipe downstream of the liquid amplifier. This makes it easier for the liquid to reach parts of the pipe far from the liquid amplifier, allowing the liquid inside the pipe to flow more smoothly. In addition, microbubbles are more likely to be distributed stably even to parts of the pipe far from the liquid amplifier, improving the cleaning effect throughout the entire liquid distribution system. In the above liquid amplifying device, it is preferable that an end surface of the cylindrical portion facing downstream in the axial direction contacts an end surface of the main body portion facing upstream in the axial direction.

[0019] In the above liquid amplifying device, it is preferable that the air injection slit opens in a portion of the liquid flow path that is located downstream in the axial direction from the spiral flow path.

[0020] In this case, the air injection slit opens into the liquid flow path downstream of the spiral flow path in the axial direction, so the air injected from the air injection slit and the liquid containing the air tend to flow more stably along the inner periphery of the device body and the inner periphery of the pipe due to the Coanda effect. In other words, the effects of the spiral flow path and the air injection slit are synergistically effective, making the effects even more exceptional. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the liquid amplification device of one aspect of the present invention, the flow of liquid inside the pipe can be made smooth, and the flow rate and flow velocity can be stabilized. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a liquid amplification device of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the II-II cross section of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a liquid amplification device of the second embodiment. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a rear view showing the liquid amplification device of the second embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the VV cross section of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] First Embodiment A liquid amplification device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid amplifier 10 of this embodiment is provided in a pipe 100 through which a liquid flows, and assists the flow of the liquid inside the pipe 100. Specifically, the liquid amplifier 10 is provided midway through the pipe (piping) 100 through which service water flows, for example, in a can manufacturing factory, and forms part of the pipe 100. The liquid flowing through the pipe 100 is, for example, an alkaline slaked lime solution. The liquid amplifier 10 amplifies the flow of the liquid inside the pipe 100. The liquid amplifier 10 of this embodiment is a type of piping member (joint member).

[0024] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the liquid amplification device 10 comprises an annular device body 1 centered on a central axis O, a liquid flow path 2 through which liquid flows, an air flow path 3 through which air is injected into the liquid flow path 2, and a check valve (non-return valve) 4. The liquid flows through the liquid flow path 2 from one end to the other end in the direction along the central axis O of the device body 1.

[0025] In this embodiment, the direction in which the central axis O of the device body 1 extends is called the axial direction. The axial direction corresponds to the Z-axis direction shown in each figure. Within the axial direction, the direction in which the liquid flows is called the downstream axial side (+Z side) or simply the downstream side. The downstream axial side is the direction from one end of the device body 1 in the axial direction to the other end. Within the axial direction, the direction opposite to the direction in which the liquid flows is called the upstream axial side (-Z side) or simply the upstream side. The upstream axial side is the direction from the other end of the device body 1 in the axial direction to one end. The direction perpendicular to the central axis O is called the radial direction. Within the radial direction, the direction approaching the central axis O is called the radially inner direction, and the direction away from the central axis O is called the radially outer direction. The direction of rotation around the central axis O is called the circumferential direction.

[0026] Although not particularly shown, in this embodiment, the liquid amplification device 10 is provided in the pipe 100 with the downstream side in the axial direction facing upward in the vertical direction. This makes it easier for microbubbles to flow downstream of the liquid amplification device 10 together with air (air bubbles).

[0027] The device body 1 is made of a synthetic resin such as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW). The device body 1 is plate-shaped and extends in a direction perpendicular to the central axis O, and in this embodiment, is an annular plate-shaped. The axial dimension (plate thickness) of the device body 1 is, for example, 30 mm or less, and in this embodiment, it is 25 mm.

[0028] The device main body 1 has an annular main body portion 11 centered on a central axis O, and a cylindrical portion 12 inserted into the main body portion 11. The main body 11 has a plate shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the central axis O, and in this embodiment has an annular plate shape. A pair of plate surfaces facing the axial direction of the main body 11 are each flat and extend in a direction perpendicular to the central axis O.

[0029] The main body 11 has a large-diameter inner peripheral portion 11a, a medium-diameter inner peripheral portion 11b, a small-diameter inner peripheral portion 11c, and a fastening hole 11d. The large-diameter inner peripheral portion 11a is disposed at the upstream end of the inner peripheral surface of the main body portion 11. The large-diameter inner peripheral portion 11a has an annular shape extending in the circumferential direction and faces radially inward. In the vertical cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 2, the large-diameter inner peripheral portion 11a extends along the axial direction.

[0030] The medium-diameter inner peripheral portion 11b is disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the main body 11 downstream of the large-diameter inner peripheral portion 11a. The medium-diameter inner peripheral portion 11b is annular and extends in the circumferential direction, facing radially inward. The medium-diameter inner peripheral portion 11b has a smaller inner diameter than the large-diameter inner peripheral portion 11a. In the vertical cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 2, the medium-diameter inner peripheral portion 11b extends along the axial direction.

[0031] The small diameter inner peripheral portion 11c is arranged on the inner peripheral surface of the main body portion 11 downstream of the medium diameter inner peripheral portion 11b. The small diameter inner peripheral portion 11c is arranged at the downstream end of the inner peripheral surface of the main body portion 11. The small diameter inner peripheral portion 11c is annular and extends circumferentially, facing radially inward. The small diameter inner peripheral portion 11c has the smallest inner diameter dimension of all the inner peripheral surfaces of the main body portion 11. In the vertical cross-sectional view shown in Figure 2, the small diameter inner peripheral portion 11c extends along the axial direction.

[0032] The small-diameter inner peripheral portion 11c has a portion located downstream of the downstream end of the cylindrical portion 12. In the illustrated example, approximately half of the axial region of the small-diameter inner peripheral portion 11c including the downstream end, i.e., the downstream portion, protrudes and extends downstream in the axial direction beyond the cylindrical portion 12.

[0033] The downstream portion of the small-diameter inner circumferential portion 11c guides the air injected from the air injection slits 33 (described later) toward the downstream side in the axial direction by the Coanda effect. For this reason, the small-diameter inner circumferential portion 11c may also be referred to as the air guide portion 11c. Additionally, the upstream portion of the small-diameter inner peripheral portion 11c constitutes one of a pair of opposing slit inner walls spaced apart in the radial direction, which define an air injection slit 33, which will be described later.

[0034] The fastening holes 11d penetrate the main body 11 in the axial direction. As shown in Fig. 1, a plurality of fastening holes 11d are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, four fastening holes 11d are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. A bolt member or the like (not shown) is inserted into the fastening holes 11d.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid amplification device 10 is fastened to pipe flanges 101, etc., arranged on both sides of the axial direction of the liquid amplification device 10, by bolt members, etc., inserted into the fastening holes 11d, and fixed to the pipe 100. Although not particularly shown, seal members such as disc-shaped packings are interposed between a pair of plate surfaces facing the axial direction of the device body 1 and the pair of pipe flanges 101 or the like.

[0036] The tubular portion 12 has a cylindrical shape centered on the central axis O, and in this embodiment, is a multi-stage cylindrical shape. The tubular portion 12 has a portion that fits into the inner circumferential surface of the main body portion 11 and a portion that faces the inner circumferential surface of the main body portion 11 with a radial gap. More specifically, an upstream end of the outer circumferential surface of the tubular portion 12 in the axial direction fits into the inner circumferential surface of the main body portion 11. Furthermore, a downstream end of the outer circumferential surface of the tubular portion 12 in the axial direction faces the inner circumferential surface of the main body portion 11 with a radial gap.

[0037] The end face of the tubular portion 12 facing the upstream side in the axial direction is flat and extends in a direction perpendicular to the central axis O. The end face of the tubular portion 12 facing the upstream side in the axial direction is disposed flush with the plate surface of the main body portion 11 facing the upstream side in the axial direction, i.e., they are at the same axial position. The end face of the tubular portion 12 facing the downstream side in the axial direction is flat and extends in a direction perpendicular to the central axis O. The end face of the tubular portion 12 facing the downstream side in the axial direction is located upstream of the plate surface of the main body portion 11 facing the downstream side in the axial direction.

[0038] The cylindrical portion 12 has a large diameter outer peripheral portion 12a, a medium diameter outer peripheral portion 12b, a small diameter outer peripheral portion 12c, an upstream inner peripheral portion 12d, a downstream inner peripheral portion 12e, and a middle inner peripheral portion 12f. The large-diameter outer peripheral portion 12a is disposed at the upstream end of the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 12. The large-diameter outer peripheral portion 12a is annular and extends in the circumferential direction, facing radially outward. In the vertical cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 2, the large-diameter outer peripheral portion 12a extends along the axial direction. The large-diameter outer peripheral portion 12a contacts the large-diameter inner peripheral portion 11a.

[0039] The medium-diameter outer peripheral portion 12b is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion 12 downstream of the large-diameter outer peripheral portion 12a. The medium-diameter outer peripheral portion 12b is annular and extends circumferentially, facing radially outward. The medium-diameter outer peripheral portion 12b has a smaller outer diameter than the large-diameter outer peripheral portion 12a. In the vertical cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 2, the medium-diameter outer peripheral portion 12b extends along the axial direction. The medium-diameter outer peripheral portion 12b contacts the upstream end of the medium-diameter inner peripheral portion 11b.

[0040] In this embodiment, the cylindrical portion 12 is positioned radially relative to the main body portion 11 by the engagement between the large-diameter outer peripheral portion 12a and the large-diameter inner peripheral portion 11a and the engagement between the medium-diameter outer peripheral portion 12b and the medium-diameter inner peripheral portion 11b. However, this is not limiting, and the cylindrical portion 12 and the main body portion 11 may be positioned radially by only one of the engagement between the large-diameter outer peripheral portion 12a and the large-diameter inner peripheral portion 11a and the engagement between the medium-diameter outer peripheral portion 12b and the medium-diameter inner peripheral portion 11b.

[0041] The end face of the cylindrical portion 12, which is disposed between the large-diameter outer peripheral portion 12a and the medium-diameter outer peripheral portion 12b and faces the downstream side in the axial direction, comes into contact with the end face of the cylindrical portion 12, which is disposed between the large-diameter inner peripheral portion 11a and the medium-diameter inner peripheral portion 11b and faces the upstream side in the axial direction. This restricts the cylindrical portion 12 from moving downstream in the axial direction relative to the main body portion 11. The cylindrical portion 12 is also positioned axially relative to the main body portion 11.

[0042] The small diameter outer peripheral portion 12c is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion 12 downstream of the medium diameter outer peripheral portion 12b. The small diameter outer peripheral portion 12c is arranged at least on the downstream end of the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion 12. In the illustrated example, the small diameter outer peripheral portion 12c is arranged in approximately half of the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion 12, including the downstream end, i.e., the downstream portion. The small diameter outer peripheral portion 12c has an annular shape extending in the circumferential direction and faces radially outward. The small diameter outer peripheral portion 12c has a smaller outer diameter dimension than the medium diameter outer peripheral portion 12b. In this embodiment, the small diameter outer peripheral portion 12c has the smallest outer diameter dimension among the outer peripheral surfaces of the tubular portion 12. In the vertical cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 2, the small diameter outer peripheral portion 12c extends along the axial direction.

[0043] An upstream portion of the small diameter outer peripheral portion 12c is disposed radially inwardly and spaced apart from a downstream portion of the medium diameter inner peripheral portion 11b. The downstream portion of the small-diameter outer peripheral portion 12c faces the upstream portion of the small-diameter inner peripheral portion 11c with a radial gap between them. The downstream portion of the small-diameter outer peripheral portion 12c also constitutes the other of a pair of opposing slit inner walls with a radial gap between them that define the air injection slit 33 (described later).

[0044] The upstream inner peripheral portion 12d is disposed at least at the upstream end of the inner peripheral surface of the tubular portion 12. The upstream inner peripheral portion 12d is annular and extends in the circumferential direction, facing radially inward. The upstream inner peripheral portion 12d has a tapered surface that tapers radially inward as it extends axially downstream.

[0045] The downstream inner peripheral portion 12e is disposed at the downstream end of the inner peripheral surface of the tubular portion 12. The downstream inner peripheral portion 12e is annular and extends in the circumferential direction, facing radially inward. The downstream inner peripheral portion 12e has a tapered surface that extends radially outward as it extends axially downstream. The downstream inner circumferential portion 12e guides the air to draw in the liquid when air is injected downstream from the air injection slits 33, which will be described later. For this reason, the downstream inner circumferential portion 12e can also be referred to as a liquid drawing guide portion 12e.

[0046] The intermediate inner peripheral portion 12f is disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 12 between the upstream inner peripheral portion 12d and the downstream inner peripheral portion 12e in the axial direction. The intermediate inner peripheral portion 12f has an annular shape extending in the circumferential direction and faces radially inward. In the vertical cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 2, the intermediate inner peripheral portion 12f extends along the axial direction. In this embodiment, the axial dimension of the downstream inner circumferential portion 12e, the axial dimension of the intermediate inner circumferential portion 12f, and the axial dimension of the upstream inner circumferential portion 12d are increased in this order.

[0047] The liquid flow path 2 is provided so as to penetrate the device body 1 in the axial direction. The liquid flow path 2 is arranged radially inside the device body 1 and is located on the central axis O. In this embodiment, the liquid flow path 2 is in the form of a circular hole that extends in the axial direction with the central axis O as its center. Liquid flows inside the liquid flow path 2. The liquid flow path 2 has a narrowing diameter flow path 2a, an expanding diameter flow path 2b, a small diameter straight flow path 2c, and a large diameter straight flow path 2d.

[0048] The reduced diameter flow path 2a is disposed at the upstream end of the liquid flow path 2. The reduced diameter flow path 2a is located radially inside the upstream inner circumferential portion 12d of the tubular portion 12. The diameter of the reduced diameter flow path 2a decreases toward the downstream side in the axial direction. That is, the diameter of the reduced diameter flow path 2a decreases toward the downstream side in the axial direction.

[0049] The expanded diameter flow path 2b is disposed downstream of the reduced diameter flow path 2a in the liquid flow path 2. The expanded diameter flow path 2b is located radially inside the downstream inner circumferential portion 12e of the cylindrical portion 12. The expanded diameter flow path 2b has a diameter that increases toward the downstream side in the axial direction. That is, the expanded diameter flow path 2b increases in diameter toward the downstream side in the axial direction.

[0050] The small-diameter straight flow path 2c is disposed between the reduced-diameter flow path 2a and the expanded-diameter flow path 2b in the axial direction of the liquid flow path 2. The small-diameter straight flow path 2c is located radially inside the intermediate inner peripheral portion 12f of the cylindrical portion 12. The small-diameter straight flow path 2c is the portion of the liquid flow path 2 with the smallest diameter. The small-diameter straight flow path 2c extends linearly along the axial direction. The small-diameter straight flow path 2c has a constant diameter along the axial direction.

[0051] The large diameter straight flow path 2d is arranged downstream of the expanded diameter flow path 2b in the liquid flow path 2. The large diameter straight flow path 2d is arranged at the downstream end of the liquid flow path 2. The large diameter straight flow path 2d is located radially inside the downstream part of the small diameter inner circumferential part 11c of the main body 11. The large diameter straight flow path 2d is the part of the liquid flow path 2 with the largest diameter. The large diameter straight flow path 2d extends linearly along the axial direction. The large diameter straight flow path 2d has a substantially constant diameter along the axial direction.

[0052] The air flow path 3 injects air supplied to the inside of the device body 1 from an air supply source (not shown) outside the device body 1 through a check valve 4 from the inner periphery of the device body 1 into the liquid flow path 2 . The air flow path 3 has an air introduction hole 31 , an air supply path 32 , and an air injection slit 33 .

[0053] The air introduction hole 31 penetrates the main body 11 in the radial direction. The radially outer end of the air introduction hole 31 opens to the outer peripheral surface of the main body 11. The radially inner end of the air introduction hole 31 opens to the inner peripheral surface of the main body 11. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the radially inner end of the air introduction hole 31 opens to the medium-diameter inner peripheral portion 11b.

[0054] The air supply passage 32 is disposed between the main body portion 11 and the cylindrical portion 12 in the radial direction. The air supply passage 32 is an annular flow path centered on the central axis O. The air supply passage 32 is connected to the radially inner end of the air introduction hole 31 and communicates with the air introduction hole 31. The air supply passage 32 is an annular chamber (space) defined by an end face disposed between the medium-diameter inner peripheral portion 11b and the small-diameter inner peripheral portion 11c and facing the upstream side in the axial direction, the medium-diameter inner peripheral portion 11b, an end face disposed between the medium-diameter outer peripheral portion 12b and the small-diameter outer peripheral portion 12c and facing the downstream side in the axial direction, and the small-diameter outer peripheral portion 12c.

[0055] The air injection slit 33 is disposed on the inner periphery of the device main body 1. The air injection slit 33 is located between the main body 11 and the cylindrical portion 12 in the radial direction. The air injection slit 33 has an annular shape extending around the central axis O and opens toward the downstream side in the axial direction. The air injection slit 33 is a cylindrical flow path extending in the axial direction with the central axis O as the center. The air injection slit 33 is a cylindrical gap (space) defined in the radial direction between the small-diameter inner periphery 11c and the small-diameter outer periphery 12c. More specifically, the air injection slit 33 is disposed between the upstream portion of the small-diameter inner periphery 11c and the downstream end of the small-diameter outer periphery 12c. In other words, the air injection slit 33 is disposed in the gap between the inner periphery of the main body 11 and the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 12.

[0056] The air injection slit 33 is disposed downstream in the axial direction of the air supply path 32. The upstream end of the air injection slit 33 in the axial direction is connected to the air supply path 32. The downstream end of the air injection slit 33 in the axial direction opens into the liquid flow path 2 toward the downstream side in the axial direction. Specifically, the air injection slit 33 opens toward the large diameter straight flow path 2d. The air injection slit 33 opens toward the downstream side in the axial direction over the entire 360° circumference around the central axis O.

[0057] The radial dimension of the air injection slit 33, i.e., the slit width dimension (thickness dimension) S, is 0.1 mm or less. Preferably, the slit width dimension S of the air injection slit 33 is 0.05 mm or less, and more preferably, 0.03 mm or less. Furthermore, it is preferable that the slit width dimension S is, for example, 0.01 mm or more.

[0058] In this embodiment, the check valve 4 is provided in the main body 11 of the apparatus main body 1. The check valve 4 is fixed to the air inlet hole 31 by screwing or the like. The check valve 4 allows the flow of air from an air supply source (not shown) toward the air inlet hole 31, and blocks the flow of air and liquid from the air inlet hole 31 toward the air supply source.

[0059] Although not shown, the air supply source is connected to the check valve 4 via piping, tubing, etc. The air supply source is, for example, an air compressor, etc. The air supply source supplies compressed air to the check valve 4.

[0060] The liquid amplification device 10 of the present embodiment described above injects air in a circular pattern from the air injection slits 33 of the air flow path 3 into the liquid in the liquid flow path 2 toward the downstream side in the axial direction. This assists the liquid to flow smoothly and stably within the pipe 100, stabilizing the flow rate and flow velocity of the liquid. According to this embodiment, the flow of the liquid is stably amplified, thereby preventing problems such as the liquid slowing down and stagnating midway through the pipe 100, or the occurrence of turbulence or backflow.

[0061] More specifically, in this embodiment, a thin, high-speed air curtain, known as an air knife or the like, is supplied into the liquid from the air injection slit 33. The air injected in this manner and the liquid containing the air flow along the inner periphery of the device main body 1 and the inner periphery of the pipe 100 due to the Coanda effect, allowing the liquid to be smoothly sent downstream of the liquid amplification device 10. Furthermore, the air injection slit 33 injects fine air in a circular pattern around the inner periphery of the device body 1, i.e., over the entire 360° circumference around the central axis O, so that the above-mentioned effects can be obtained over a wide range across the entire circumferential area.

[0062] Furthermore, the fine air (air bubbles) injected into the liquid from the air injection slits 33 include microbubbles. The microbubbles in the liquid have the function of removing deposits adhering to the inner wall of the pipe 100 and the function of suppressing the adhesion of new deposits. Therefore, a cleaning effect can be obtained over the entire liquid flow system, including the pipe 100 through which the liquid flows, and this effect also stabilizes the flow of the liquid and reduces the frequency of maintenance, etc. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, air is injected into the liquid from the air injection slits 33 at a high flow rate but at a low flow rate, thereby making it possible to efficiently generate microbubbles while keeping the amount of air supplied to the liquid low.

[0063] Furthermore, the air injection slits 33 inject air in the direction of the liquid flow, i.e., downstream, and therefore also suppress backflow of liquid into the air injection slits 33. This prevents deposits from adhering to the inside of the air injection slits 33, and the above-described function of the air injection slits 33 is well maintained.

[0064] The liquid amplifier 10 of this embodiment has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture, and can be produced at low cost. Furthermore, the external dimensions of the liquid amplifier 10, particularly the axial dimensions, can be easily kept small, making it easy to make it compact, so a large installation space is not required when installing it midway through the pipe 100. This increases the degree of freedom in the design of the pipe 100 as a whole. Furthermore, the liquid amplifier 10 of this embodiment can easily be installed midway through an existing pipe 100, making it highly versatile.

[0065] As described above, according to the liquid amplification device 10 of this embodiment, the flow of the liquid inside the pipe 100 can be made smooth, and the flow rate and flow velocity can be stabilized.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the device main body 1 is plate-shaped, the liquid amplification device 10 can be made more compact in the axial direction. For example, it is easy to fix this device main body 1 with a clamping bolt member or the like to a connection portion such as between a pair of pipe flanges 101 in the middle of the pipe 100, making it easier to install the liquid amplification device 10.

[0067] In this embodiment, the device body 1 has a main body portion 11 and a cylindrical portion 12 , and the air injection slit 33 is disposed in the gap between the inner circumferential surface of the main body portion 11 and the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 12 . In this case, the slit width dimension (thickness dimension) of the air injection slit 33 can be adjusted by appropriately adjusting the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the main body portion 11 and the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion 12 by replacing components, performing additional processing, etc. This makes it easy to fine-tune the slit width of the air injection slit 33 and to accurately equalize the slit width over the entire circumferential direction. Therefore, the above-described effects of this embodiment are more stably achieved.

[0068] Second Embodiment Next, a liquid amplification device 40 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 5. In this embodiment, the same components as those in the previous embodiment are given the same names and symbols, and their description may be omitted. Note that in Figure 5, the pipe 100 and pipe flange 101 are not shown.

[0069] 3 and 4, in this embodiment, a predetermined direction in the circumferential direction about the central axis O is referred to as one circumferential side θ1, and the direction opposite to the predetermined direction is referred to as the other circumferential side θ2. In this embodiment, when viewing the device body 1 from the downstream side in the axial direction as shown in FIG. 4, the one circumferential side θ1 is the clockwise direction centered on the central axis O, and the other circumferential side θ2 is the counterclockwise direction centered on the central axis O.

[0070] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, in this embodiment, the tubular portion 12 has a divided plate portion 12g that protrudes radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the tubular portion 12. The divided plate portion 12g is arranged so as to divide (sever) a circular hole-shaped space located radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the tubular portion 12 in the circumferential direction. The divided plate portion 12g extends radially, with a pair of plate surfaces facing the circumferential direction. In the illustrated example, the upstream end of the divided plate portion 12g in the axial direction is tapered so that the plate thickness becomes thinner toward the upstream side. Furthermore, the downstream end of the divided plate portion 12g in the axial direction is tapered so that the plate thickness becomes thinner toward the downstream side.

[0071] The divided plate portion 12g has a pair of stepped wall portions 12h. The pair of stepped wall portions 12h are arranged on a pair of plate surfaces facing the circumferential direction of the divided plate portion 12g. The stepped wall portions 12h are stepped wall portions whose circumferential position changes stepwise as they extend in the axial direction. Specifically, in this embodiment, the stepped wall portions 12h extend in a stepped manner toward one circumferential side θ1 as they extend downstream in the axial direction. More specifically, the stepped wall portion 12h has a plurality of first flat portions oriented in the circumferential direction and extending radially, and a plurality of second flat portions oriented in the axial direction and extending radially. The stepped wall portion 12h has a staircase shape with the first flat portions and the second flat portions alternately arranged in the axial direction.

[0072] A plurality of divided plate portions 12g are provided lined up in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, three divided plate portions 12g are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The divided plate portions 12g are connected to each other at their radially inner ends. Therefore, when viewed in the axial direction, the plurality of divided plate portions 12g extend radially around the central axis O.

[0073] In this embodiment, the liquid flow path 2 has a spiral flow path 2e. The spiral flow path 2e is arranged radially inward of the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 12. The spiral flow path 2e is arranged upstream of the large-diameter straight flow path 2d within the liquid flow path 2. The circumferential position of the spiral flow path 2e around the central axis O changes as it moves axially. Specifically, the spiral flow path 2e has a spiral shape that extends toward one circumferential side θ1 as it moves axially downstream. In this embodiment, the spiral flow path 2e is a stepped spiral flow path whose circumferential position changes in stages as it moves axially. The spiral flow path 2e is defined by the plate surfaces of a pair of circumferentially adjacent dividing plate portions 12g and the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 12. The cross section of the spiral flow path 2e perpendicular to the central axis O is approximately fan-shaped. The spiral flow path 2e has a portion defined by a stepped wall portion 12h.

[0074] A plurality of spiral channels 2e are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction. That is, a plurality of spiral channels 2e are provided lined up in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, three spiral channels 2e are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0075] 5, the air injection slit 33 opens in a portion of the liquid flow path 2 that is located downstream in the axial direction of the spiral flow path 2e. In this embodiment, the air injection slit 33 opens downstream into the large-diameter straight flow path 2d of the liquid flow path 2.

[0076] According to the liquid amplifying device 40 of this embodiment described above, the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

[0077] In this embodiment, the liquid flow path 2 has a spiral flow path 2e. In this case, a spiral swirling flow is generated by the liquid passing through the spiral flow path 2e, and this swirling flow flows inside the pipe 100 downstream of the liquid amplifier 40 while swirling in a spiral. This makes it easier for the liquid to reach parts of the pipe 100 that are far away from the liquid amplifier 40, allowing the liquid inside the pipe 100 to flow more smoothly. In addition, microbubbles are more likely to stably reach parts of the pipe 100 that are far away from the liquid amplifier 40, and the cleaning effect can be improved throughout the entire liquid distribution system.

[0078] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the air injection slit 33 opens into the liquid flow path 2 downstream in the axial direction from the spiral flow path 2e, so that the air injected from the air injection slit 33 and the liquid containing the air tend to flow more stably along the inner periphery of the device body 1 and the inner periphery of the pipe 100 due to the Coanda effect. In other words, the effects of the spiral flow path 2e and the air injection slit 33 are synergistically effective, resulting in an even more exceptional effect.

[0079] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the configuration can be changed within the scope of the present invention, as described below.

[0080] In the second embodiment described above, as shown in Fig. 4, an example was given in which, when viewed from the downstream side in the axial direction of the device body 1, one circumferential side θ1 is a clockwise direction around the central axis O and the other circumferential side θ2 is a counterclockwise direction around the central axis O, but this is not limiting. That is, when viewed from the downstream side in the axial direction of the device body 1, one circumferential side θ1 may be a counterclockwise direction around the central axis O and the other circumferential side θ2 may be a clockwise direction around the central axis O. In this case, the twist direction of the spiral flow path 2e around the central axis O is opposite to that in the second embodiment described above.

[0081] The present invention may be combined with the various configurations described in the above-described embodiments and modifications, and may also include additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications within the scope of the present invention, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but is limited only by the claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0082] The liquid amplification device of the present invention can smooth the flow of liquid inside the pipe and stabilize the flow rate and flow velocity, and therefore has industrial applicability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1...device body, 2...liquid flow path, 2e...spiral flow path, 3...air flow path, 10, 40...liquid amplification device, 11...main body portion, 12...tubular portion, 33...air injection slit, 100...pipe, O...central axis

Claims

1. A liquid amplification device that is provided in a pipe through which a liquid flows and assists the flow of the liquid, an annular device body centered on a central axis; a liquid flow path that passes through the device body in the axial direction and through which a liquid flows; an air flow path that injects air from an inner circumferential portion of the device body into the liquid flow path, the air flow path is disposed in the inner peripheral portion, has an annular shape extending around the central axis, and has an air injection slit that opens toward a downstream side in the axial direction, The device body includes: an annular main body portion centered on the central axis; a cylindrical portion inserted into the main body portion, the air injection slit is disposed in a gap between an inner circumferential surface of the main body portion and an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion, the main body portion has a plate shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the central axis, the cylindrical portion has a portion that fits into an inner circumferential surface of the main body portion, the liquid flow path has a spiral flow path whose circumferential position changes along the axial direction, The spiral flow path has a cross section perpendicular to the central axis that is substantially fan-shaped, The spiral flow path is provided in plurality at intervals in the circumferential direction. Liquid amplifier.

2. an end surface of the cylindrical portion facing the downstream side in the axial direction contacts an end surface of the main body portion facing the upstream side in the axial direction; The liquid amplification device according to claim 1 .

3. the air injection slit opens in a portion of the liquid flow path that is located downstream in the axial direction from the spiral flow path.

3. A liquid amplification device according to claim 1 or 2.

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