Gas solution manufacturing equipment

Abstract

To provide a gas dissolution liquid production apparatus where the concentration of a gas dissolution liquid is increased and stabilized.SOLUTION: A gas dissolution liquid production apparatus comprises: at least one gas dissolution liquid generation part where a gas supplied from a gas supply part is dissolved in a liquid supplied from a liquid supply part and a gas dissolution liquid is generated; a gas-liquid separation tank where the gas dissolution liquid flown out from the gas dissolution liquid generation part is received and the gas dissolution liquid after separating an excess gas is flown out; and a control unit controlling each part of the gas dissolution liquid production apparatus. The gas dissolution liquid generation part has: a first nozzle dissolving the gas in the liquid; a second nozzle being connected to the first nozzle in parallel and dissolving the gas in the liquid; and a T-shaped pipe where the gas dissolution liquid flown out from the first nozzle and the gas dissolution liquid flown out from the second nozzle are bumped to each other to make a turbulent flow and then flown out.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gas-dissolved liquid manufacturing apparatus that dissolves a gas in a liquid to manufacture a gas-dissolved liquid. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, product cleaning in semiconductor device factories and factories manufacturing electronic components such as liquid crystal displays has become increasingly sophisticated as manufacturing processes become more complex and circuit patterns become finer. For example, special liquids (called cleaning solutions) made by dissolving high-purity gases or high-purity gases and chemicals in functional water (such as ultrapure water) are used to remove fine particles, metals, organic matter, and other substances adhering to silicon wafers. Ozone water, made by dissolving ozone gas in pure water, is used as functional water. Ozone water is also used to clean the pipes of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. High-concentration ozone water is also effective in removing resist.

[0003] Ozone water production devices use nozzles or ejectors to dissolve ozone gas in pure water (see, for example, Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3). Patent Document 1 focuses on the fact that there is an optimal flow rate (optimal flow rate) for the nozzle that optimizes the ozone dissolution efficiency (the efficiency of dissolving ozone in water). Multiple nozzles with different optimal flow rates are arranged on a flow path, and ozone gas is supplied to one of the nozzles based on the flow rate of pure water flowing through the flow path. This addresses the problem that if the flow rate of pure water supplied to the nozzle deviates from the optimal flow rate, the ozone dissolution efficiency decreases, requiring more ozone gas to produce ozone water of the desired concentration. If the flow rate of pure water is excessively lower than the optimal flow rate, the concentration of ozone water produced by the nozzle becomes unstable. In the device of Patent Document 3, an extended passage section is provided in the connecting passage connecting the ejector and the ozone water tank, promoting the dissolution of ozone gas in the extended passage section and improving the ozone gas concentration of the ozone water. In the device of Patent Document 4, ozone water is circulated between a storage tank and an ozone mixer, and in the ozone mixer, ozone water and ozone gas are mixed using a Venturi tube, and the ozone water is passed through an expanded diameter section of a pipe in which stepped blocks are arranged, thereby increasing the ozone concentration of the ozone water (Patent Document 4). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-141813 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-127861 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-119835 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-330050 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the configuration of Patent Document 1, the concentration of ozone water is improved by selecting a nozzle that supplies ozone gas according to the flow rate of pure water, but there is room for further improvement in dissolution efficiency. Furthermore, when multiple parallel lines are provided, nozzles with different optimal flow rates must be provided for each line, which may increase the number of nozzles. In the configuration of Patent Document 3, an expanded passage section must be provided in the communication passage, which may complicate the piping structure or increase the installation space for the piping. The configuration of Patent Document 4 also has similar problems due to the provision of an expanded diameter section in the piping.

[0006] One of the objects of the present invention is to improve gas dissolution efficiency with a simple configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for producing a gas-dissolved liquid by dissolving a gas in a liquid, the apparatus comprising: a gas supply unit that supplies the gas that is a raw material for the gas-dissolved liquid; a liquid supply unit that supplies the liquid that is the raw material for the gas-dissolved liquid; at least one gas-dissolved liquid production unit that dissolves the gas supplied from the gas supply unit in the liquid supplied from the liquid supply unit to produce a gas-dissolved liquid; a gas-liquid separation tank that receives the gas-dissolved liquid output from the gas-dissolved liquid production unit and outputs the gas-dissolved liquid after separating excess gas; and a control device that controls each unit of the gas-dissolved liquid production apparatus, wherein the gas-dissolved liquid production unit has: a first nozzle that dissolves the gas in the liquid; a second nozzle connected in parallel to the first nozzle that dissolves the gas in the liquid; and a T-shaped pipe that merges the gas-dissolved liquid output from the first nozzle and the gas-dissolved liquid output from the second nozzle, causing them to collide with each other to generate turbulence, and then outputs the resulting mixture. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 shows the configuration of an ozone water production apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] The configuration of an ozone water production device having multiple ozone water generation units. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of a fluid in a T-shaped pipe. [Figure 4] Measurement example of ozone water concentration. [Figure 5] 1 shows the configuration of an ozone water production device according to a comparative example. [Figure 6] 10 is an example of a flowchart for controlling the temperature inside the enclosure. [Figure 7] An example of a flowchart for controlling the number of high-voltage power supply units (discharge cells) in operation. [Figure 8] An example of a flowchart for monitoring ozone gas concentration. [Figure 9] A variation of the T-pipe. [Figure 10A] Another variation of T-piping. [Figure 10B] Another variation of T-piping. [Figure 11] Yet another variation of the T-pipe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in the following embodiments and modifications of the embodiments, the same or corresponding components may be designated by the same reference numerals, and their description may be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the features shown in each embodiment may be applied to other embodiments as long as they are not mutually inconsistent. Furthermore, the drawings are diagrammatically illustrated to facilitate understanding of the features of the embodiments and modifications, and the dimensional ratios of each component may not necessarily be the same as those in reality.

[0010] FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an ozone water production apparatus 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the ozone water production apparatus 100 according to this embodiment includes discharge cells 131 and 132 as an ozone gas supply unit that supplies ozone gas, which is a raw material for ozone water; a pump 102 as a pure water supply unit that supplies pure water (e.g., DIW), which is a raw material for ozone water; nozzles 111 and 112 as an ozone water production unit (also referred to as an ozone water production line) that dissolves ozone gas in the supplied pure water to produce ozone water; and a gas-liquid separation tank 124 that separates excess gas from the ozone water. These components are housed in a housing 101. Note that all or part of these components may be located outside the housing 101 or may be housed in a housing separate from the housing 101.

[0011] Discharge cells 131 and 132 are ozone gas production devices that use a discharge method, and receive power (voltage) from high-voltage power supply unit 141, and generate ozone gas by introducing oxygen, which is a raw material for ozone gas, between electrodes to which high voltage is applied. Discharge cells 131 and 132 are introduced with oxygen gas, which is a raw material for ozone gas, as well as carbon dioxide gas, which suppresses decomposition of the generated ozone, and nitrogen gas, which improves the ozone concentration. The ozone gas generated in discharge cells 131 and 132 The gas is supplied to the nozzles 111 and 112 through a gas line 130. In the following description, oxygen gas, carbon dioxide gas, and nitrogen gas may be simply referred to as oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen.

[0012] The pump 102 pressurizes pure water introduced from a liquid supply source (pure water supply source, not shown) external to the ozone water production apparatus 100 and supplies the pressurized pure water to the input ports of the nozzles 111 and 112. A flow meter 108 is provided upstream or downstream of the pump 102 to measure the flow rate of the pure water supplied to the nozzles 111 and 112 (ozone water generation section) and output the measured value to the control device 150. The control device 150 controls the pump 102 to control the flow rate of the pure water based on the flow rate of the pure water detected by the flow meter 108. If the pure water supply flow rate is not detected in the ozone water production apparatus 100, the flow meter 108 may be omitted. In the example of FIG. 1 , the pump 102 constitutes the pure water supply section. However, if pressurized pure water is supplied from outside the ozone water production apparatus 100 and the pump 102 is omitted, some or all of the piping connected to the input ports of the nozzles 111 and 112 can be defined as the pure water supply section.

[0013] Nozzles 111 and 112, which function as ozone water generators (ozone water generation lines), have the function of dissolving gas in supplied liquid. Nozzles 111 and 112 take in liquid and gas and generate a vortex of the liquid within the nozzles, thereby mixing the liquid and gas and dissolving the gas. For example, nozzles 111 and 112 may be those described in Patent Document 1 or those utilizing the Venturi effect (aspirators or ejectors) described in Patent Documents 2 to 4. Nozzle 121, described below, does not introduce gas but may have a similar structure to nozzles 111 and 112. Nozzles 111 and 112 and nozzle 121 (described below) each have a flow rate (optimal flow rate) that optimizes ozone dissolution efficiency (efficiency of dissolving ozone in water). In this embodiment, the optimal flow rates for nozzles 111 and 112 are assumed to be equal. In this example, the optimal flow rates for nozzles 111 and 112 are 5 L / min. The output ports of the nozzles 111 and 112 are connected to two ends of a T-shaped pipe (T-joint) 104, respectively, and the remaining end of the T-shaped pipe is connected to the input port of another nozzle 121. In other words, the output (downstream) sides of the nozzles 111 and 112 are connected to the nozzle 121 via the T-shaped pipe 104. The pure water (ozonated water) into which ozone gas is dissolved by the nozzles 111 and 112 contains undissolved ozone gas, and the ozonated water and undissolved ozone gas become turbulent and agitated in the T-shaped pipe 104, thereby further dissolving the ozone gas in the ozonated water (described later). The T-shaped pipe 104 can be a pipe having any cross-sectional shape, such as a circle, an ellipse, or a polygon. Furthermore, in the nozzle 121 downstream of the T-shaped pipe 104, the ozonated water becomes even more turbulent and agitated, thereby further dissolving the ozone gas in the ozonated water. The optimum flow rate of nozzle 121 is preferably set to be equal to or greater than the sum of the optimum flow rates of nozzle 111 and nozzle 112. This reduces the pressure loss of the ozonated water in nozzle 121, allowing more ozone gas to be dissolved in the ozonated water in nozzle 121. In this example, the optimum flow rate of nozzle 121 is set to 20 L / min.

[0014] The output of the nozzle 121 is connected to a gas-liquid separation tank 124 via a flow control valve 123. The flow control valve 123 is controlled by a control device 150 to control the flow rate of the ozone water supplied to the gas-liquid separation tank 124. In the gas-liquid separation tank 124, excess gas is separated from the ozone water stored therein and exhausted from the gas-liquid separation tank 124 via a valve (not shown) as indicated by arrow 127. The excess gas is rendered harmless by a catalyst or the like and its pressure is adjusted before being exhausted to the outside. The gas-liquid separation tank 124 is connected to an output pipe 125, and the ozone water from which the excess gas has been separated is output from the ozone water production apparatus 100 via the output pipe 125 and supplied to a point of use. A concentration meter 126 for detecting the ozone concentration of the ozone water is disposed in the output pipe 125. The detected value of the concentration meter 126 is supplied to the control device 150.

[0015] The ozone water production device 100 further includes an air conditioner 10 as a temperature control device. 9. The air conditioner (air conditioner) 109 can be any configuration that supplies temperature-controlled air, such as a device having a heat exchanger located inside the housing and a heat exchanger located outside the housing, a cooler that uses the heat of evaporation of water, or any other configuration. The air conditioner 109 controls the temperature inside the housing 101 based on the temperature detected by the temperature detector 110 so that it matches or approaches the temperature around the housing 101 (hereinafter referred to as the ambient temperature). The output of the temperature detector 110 is supplied to the control device 150. The control device 150 controls the air conditioner 109 based on the value detected by the temperature detector 110. The ambient temperature around the housing 101 may be a temperature detected by a temperature detector (not shown) outside the housing 101, or if it is known that the ambient temperature around the housing 101 is controlled to a predetermined temperature, a known predetermined temperature may be used.

[0016] FIG. 2 shows the configuration of an ozone water production apparatus 100 equipped with multiple ozone water generators. While FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a configuration in which ozone water is generated using a single ozone water generation line 103 (one set of nozzles 111, 112, and 121), as shown in FIG. 2, ozone water may also be generated using two ozone water generation lines 103A and 103B (two sets of nozzles 111, 112, and 121). For ease of explanation, in FIG. 2, the nozzles in each system are distinguished by adding "A" and "B" to the reference numerals of the nozzles. Also, in FIG. 2, discharge cells 131 and 132, high-voltage source 141, and concentration meter 142 are provided for each system, and the configuration of each group is distinguished by adding "A" and "B" to the reference numerals of the discharge cells 131 and 132, high-voltage source 141, and concentration meter 142 corresponding to the system. By providing two ozone water production lines, it is possible to increase the amount of ozone water output from the ozone water production apparatus 100. Although Fig. 2 illustrates a case where the ozone production apparatus 100 is equipped with two ozone water production lines, three or more ozone water production lines may be provided depending on the amount of ozone water output required of the ozone water production apparatus 100.

[0017] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of fluid in the T-shaped pipe 104. The T-shaped pipe 104 includes pipe sections 104-1, 104-2, and 104-3. The pipe section 104-1 is connected to the output of the nozzle 111 directly or via another pipe. The pipe section 104-2 is connected to the output of the nozzle 112 directly or via another pipe. The pipe section 104-3 is connected to the input of the nozzle 121 directly or via another pipe. The input-side pipe sections 104-1 and 104-2 form an angle of approximately 90° with respect to the output-side pipe section 104-3. In this configuration, the ozonated water from the nozzle 111, indicated by arrow 106-1, and the ozonated water from the nozzle 112, indicated by arrow 106-2, collide at a confluence 105 of the pipe sections 104-1 and 104-2, generating a turbulent flow 107. The ozonated water is then output toward the nozzle 121 as indicated by arrow 106. The turbulence 107 generated by the collision of the ozonated water from the nozzles 111 and 112 agitates the ozonated water and the undissolved ozone gas in the ozonated water, causing more ozone gas to dissolve in the ozonated water. This further increases the concentration of the ozonated water, which is then supplied to the downstream nozzle 121.

[0018] FIG. 4 shows an example of measuring the concentration of ozone water generated by the ozone water production apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment and an ozone water production apparatus 100A according to a comparative example. For this measurement, the ozone water production apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, which has two ozone water production lines 103A and 103B as shown in FIG. 2, was used. FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the ozone water production apparatus 100A according to the comparative example. As shown in FIG. 5, the ozone water production apparatus 100A according to the comparative example has a configuration in which two ozone water production lines are provided, in which a nozzle 111 (optimal flow rate of 5 L / min) and a nozzle 121 (optimal flow rate of 20 L / min) are connected in series. In other words, only the nozzle 111 is connected to the input (upstream) side of the nozzle 121, which is different from the configuration of the present embodiment in which the nozzles 111 and 121 (each with an optimal flow rate of 5 L / min) are connected in parallel to the input side of the nozzle 121 (optimal flow rate of 20 L / min). The ozone water production apparatus of this embodiment and the comparative example differ only in this respect, and the other configurations are the same. The results of producing ozone water using these two ozone water production apparatuses are shown in the graph in Figure 4.

[0019] In FIG. 4, the horizontal axis represents the flow rate of oxygen gas supplied to the discharge cells 131, 132 (ozone gas production device), and the vertical axis represents the ozone concentration of the ozone water output from the gas-liquid separation tank 124. The measured values ​​of the concentration of ozone water produced by the ozone water production device 100A of the comparative example are indicated by triangles, and the measured values ​​of the concentration of ozone water produced by the ozone water production device 100 of this embodiment are indicated by circles. As is clear from the graph, for the same supply flow rate of oxygen gas, the concentration of ozone water produced by the device of this embodiment is higher than that of the comparative example. Furthermore, it can be seen that the difference in ozone concentration becomes greater as the supply flow rate of oxygen gas increases, and the ozone concentration of ozone water produced by the device 100 of this embodiment is significantly higher than that of the comparative example. This is because the comparative example is configured such that nozzles 111 and 121 are arranged in series in each system, whereas in this embodiment, ,ofNozzle 112 is arranged in parallel to nozzle 111, and after ozone gas is dissolved in pure water by nozzles 111 and 112, the ozone water from nozzles 111 and 112 is caused to collide with each other in T-shaped pipe 104, generating turbulence 107 and stirring, which is thought to enable undissolved ozone gas in the ozone water to be further dissolved in the ozone water.

[0020] In the measurement example shown in Figure 4, an apparatus equipped with two ozone water generation lines was examined, but it is expected that similar results will be obtained for apparatus equipped with one or three or more ozone water generation lines.

[0021] The ozone water producing apparatus 100 according to this embodiment can further have one or more of the following functions. (1) In the ozone water production apparatus 100, the control device 150 controls the air conditioner 109 based on the temperature inside the housing 101 detected by the temperature detector 110, thereby controlling the temperature inside the housing 101 so that it matches (approaches) the temperature around the housing 101 (ambient temperature). The ambient temperature may be detected by a temperature detector (not shown) and acquired by the control device 150. Alternatively, when the apparatus is used in an environment where the ambient temperature is controlled to a constant temperature, a preset value for the ambient temperature may be input into the control device 150 in advance. By controlling the temperature inside the housing 101 so that it matches or approaches the ambient temperature around the housing 101, the solubility of ozone, which is temperature-dependent, can be stabilized. As a result, the concentration of the generated ozone water can be stabilized. Ozone gas has the property of decomposing more rapidly as the ambient temperature (temperature inside the housing 101) increases. As the ambient temperature increases, the ozone concentration in the ozone water decreases due to the decomposition of the ozone gas. Therefore, by controlling the temperature inside the housing 101 to match (approach) the ambient temperature using the air conditioner 109, the decomposition of the ozone gas is suppressed and the concentration of the ozone water is stabilized. Note that the temperature inside the housing may be controlled to a temperature lower than the ambient temperature.

[0022] FIG. 6 is an example of a flowchart for controlling the temperature inside the housing. In step S10, the housing ambient temperature (temperature around the housing 101) is detected by a temperature detector installed outside the housing 101, or a pre-stored housing ambient temperature is read from memory to acquire the housing ambient temperature. Then, a target temperature range (upper limit value, lower limit value) is set based on the acquired housing ambient temperature. The target temperature range is a temperature range with a margin for the target temperature based on the acquired housing ambient temperature. Note that instead of a target temperature range, the housing temperature may be controlled to match or approach the target temperature (ambient temperature). Also, in step S10, the temperature inside the housing 101 is acquired from the temperature detector 110.

[0023] In step S11, it is determined whether the temperature inside the housing is higher than the upper limit of the target temperature range based on the ambient temperature. If the temperature inside the housing is higher than the upper limit of the target temperature range based on the ambient temperature, the process proceeds to step S12, where the set temperature of air conditioner 109 is lowered, and the process returns to step S10 and repeats the above steps. On the other hand, if the temperature inside the housing is equal to or lower than the upper limit of the target temperature range based on the ambient temperature, the process proceeds to step S13.

[0024] In step S13, it is determined whether the temperature inside the housing is lower than the lower limit of the target temperature range based on the ambient temperature. If the temperature inside the housing is lower than the lower limit of the target temperature range based on the ambient temperature, the process proceeds to step S14, where the set temperature of air conditioner 109 is increased, and then the process returns to step S10 and the above steps are repeated. On the other hand, if the temperature inside the housing is equal to or higher than the lower limit of the target temperature range based on the ambient temperature, the process returns to step S10 and the above steps are repeated.

[0025] When the pre-stored ambient temperature of the housing is read from the memory, the ambient temperature of the housing may be read from the memory in step S10 at the start of control, and acquisition of the ambient temperature of the housing may be omitted from the second and subsequent times in step S10.

[0026] (2) In the ozone water production apparatus 100 according to this embodiment, when multiple high-voltage power supply units 141 are provided, the number of operating high-voltage power supply units 141 (the output of the ozone gas production apparatus, the amount of ozone gas produced) can be increased or decreased depending on the target concentration of ozone water. For example, the number of operating high-voltage power supply units 141 is determined depending on the target concentration of ozone water, and the determined number of operating high-voltage power supply units 141 is operated. The control device 150 may acquire the target concentration and automatically determine the number of operating high-voltage power supply units 141. In this way, when the target concentration of ozone water is low, the number of operating high-voltage power supply units 141 can be reduced, thereby reducing power consumption in the high-voltage power supply units. Furthermore, the control device 150 can control the number of operating high-voltage power supply units 141 (the output of the ozone gas production apparatus, the amount of ozone gas produced) based on the ozone concentration of ozone water detected by the concentration meter 126. 2, if the target value of the ozone concentration of the ozone water is low and the ozone concentration (detected value) detected by the concentration meter 126 is higher than the target concentration, one of the high-voltage power supply units 141 is stopped, and the discharge cells 131, 132 that receive voltage from the stopped high-voltage power supply unit 141 are stopped. On the other hand, if the ozone concentration (detected value) becomes lower than the target concentration, the stopped high-voltage power supply unit 141 and the discharge cells 131, 132 are restarted. By adjusting the number of operating high-voltage power supply units (discharge cells) based on the concentration of the output ozone water, the power consumption of the high-voltage power supply unit 141 can be reduced, thereby achieving energy conservation. Note that if there are three or more high-voltage power supply units 141, two or more of the multiple high-voltage power supply units may be stopped or restarted.

[0027] FIG. 7 is an example of a flowchart for controlling the number of operating high-voltage power supply units (discharge cells). In step S20, a target concentration range (upper limit value, lower limit value) is set based on the target ozone water concentration of the ozone water output from the ozone water production apparatus 100. The target ozone water concentration may be a concentration determined by the specifications of the apparatus, or may be received from the user. The target concentration range is a concentration range with a margin for the target concentration. Note that instead of setting a target concentration range, the concentration of the ozone water may be controlled to match or approach the target concentration. Also, in step S20, the ozone concentration of the ozone water output from the ozone water production apparatus 100 is obtained from the concentration meter 126.

[0028] In step S21, it is determined whether the concentration of ozone water is higher than the upper limit of the target concentration range. If the concentration of ozone water is higher than the upper limit of the target concentration range, the process proceeds to step S22, where the number of operating high-voltage power supply units (discharge cells) is reduced, and then the process returns to step S20 and repeats the above steps. On the other hand, if the concentration of ozone water is equal to or lower than the upper limit of the target concentration range, the process proceeds to step S23.

[0029] In step S23, it is determined whether the concentration of ozone water is lower than the lower limit of the target concentration range. If the concentration of ozone water is lower than the lower limit of the target concentration range, the process proceeds to step S24, where the number of operating high-voltage power supply units (discharge cells) is increased, and the process returns to step S20 and repeats the above steps. On the other hand, if the concentration of ozone water is equal to or higher than the lower limit of the target concentration range, the process returns to step S20 and repeats the above steps.

[0030] In step S20 from the second time onwards, the setting of the target concentration range / target concentration may be omitted.

[0031] (3) In the ozone water production apparatus 100 according to this embodiment, the control device 150 detects the ozone gas concentration using the concentration meter 142. If the ozone gas concentration is outside the predetermined range, the control device 150 adjusts the output voltage of the high-voltage power supply unit 141 to bring the ozone gas concentration within the predetermined range. The ozone gas output from the discharge cells 131 and 132 serving as the ozone gas production apparatus may contain unreacted oxygen gas, a raw material for ozone gas, and may also contain additive gases (carbon dioxide and nitrogen) for suppressing decomposition and improving concentration. Therefore, the ozone gas concentration refers to the proportion of ozone gas contained in the gas output from the discharge cells 131 and 132. The predetermined range of ozone gas concentration is defined as a range between a predetermined lower limit and a predetermined upper limit. This control allows for the detection of an abnormality in the ozone gas concentration before the abnormality in the ozone water concentration is detected based on the concentration meter 126. As a result, abnormalities in the ozone water production apparatus 100 can be detected early. If an abnormality in the ozone gas concentration is detected, an alarm may be output using light, sound, an image, etc. This function can be said to be a safety function that monitors the ozone gas concentration and ensures the safety of the ozone water production device 100.

[0032] FIG. 8 is an example of a flowchart for monitoring ozone gas concentration. In step S30, a target concentration range (upper limit value, lower limit value) is set based on the target ozone concentration of ozone gas output from the discharge cells. The target ozone gas concentration may be a concentration determined by the specifications of the device, or may be received from the user. The target concentration range is a concentration range with a margin for the target concentration. Note that instead of setting the target concentration range, the ozone gas concentration may be controlled to match or approach the target concentration. Also, in step S30, the ozone concentration of ozone gas output from discharge cells 131 and 132 is obtained from concentration meter 142 (142A, 142B).

[0033] In step S31, it is determined whether the ozone gas concentration is higher than the upper limit of the target concentration range. If the ozone gas concentration is higher than the upper limit of the target concentration range, the process proceeds to step S32, where the output voltage of the high-voltage power supply unit is reduced and an alarm is output. After that, the process may return to step S30 and repeat the above process. If there are multiple ozone gas production devices (lines), the output voltage of only the high-voltage power supply unit of the ozone gas production device (line) whose ozone gas concentration is higher than the upper limit is reduced. For example, in the configuration of FIG. 2, if only the ozone gas concentration measured by concentration meter 142A is higher than the upper limit, the output voltage of the corresponding high-voltage power supply unit 141A is reduced. On the other hand, if the ozone gas concentration is equal to or lower than the upper limit of the target concentration range, the process proceeds to step S33.

[0034] In step S33, it is determined whether the ozone gas concentration is lower than the lower limit of the target concentration range. If the ozone gas concentration is lower than the lower limit of the target concentration range, the process proceeds to step S34, where the output voltage of the high-voltage power supply unit is increased and an alarm is output. Thereafter, the process may return to step S30 and repeat the above process. If there are multiple ozone gas production devices (lines), the output voltage of only the high-voltage power supply unit of the ozone gas production device (line) where the ozone gas concentration is lower than the lower limit is increased. For example, in the configuration of FIG. 2, if only the ozone gas concentration measured by concentration meter 142A is lower than the lower limit, the output voltage of the corresponding high-voltage power supply unit 141A is increased. On the other hand, if the ozone gas concentration is equal to or higher than the lower limit of the target concentration range, the process returns to step S30 and repeats the above steps.

[0035] In step S20 from the second time onwards, the setting of the target concentration range / target concentration may be omitted.

[0036] (Other embodiments) (1) FIG. 9 shows a modified example of a T-shaped pipe. As shown in the figure, one or more obstacles 160 that collide with the flow of ozone water may be placed at a confluence 105 where pipe sections 104-1, 104-2, and 104-3 of a T-shaped pipe 104 converge. The obstacle 160 is preferably placed opposite the pipe section 104-3 and symmetrically with respect to the pipe sections 104-1 and 104-2. The obstacle 160 may also be placed in a shape symmetrical with respect to the pipe sections 104-1 and 104-2. The obstacle 160 may be placed continuously or discretely over a certain length in the circumferential direction on the inner wall of the T-shaped pipe 104. The obstacle 160 may have a sloped shape as shown in FIG. 9 or a stepped sloped shape.

[0037] With this configuration, the ozonated water from the nozzles 111 and 112 collide with each other and also with the obstacle 160, thereby generating a more complex turbulent flow and further promoting the mixing of the ozonated water with the undissolved ozone gas in the ozonated water. This further promotes the dissolution of the gas into the liquid, and further improves the concentration of the gas-dissolved liquid. Note that the diameter of the pipe at the confluence of the T-shaped pipe 104 may be adjusted so that the obstacle 160 does not cause excessive pressure loss for the ozonated water.

[0038] (2) FIGS. 10A and 10B show other modified examples of the T-shaped pipe. In the example of FIG. 10A, a roughened surface portion 161A is provided on the inner wall surface of the confluence 105 of the T-shaped pipe 104. In the example of FIG. 10B, an uneven portion 161B is provided on the inner wall surface of the confluence 105 of the T-shaped pipe 104. This generates an agitated state in the water flow portion where the ozone water that has flowed into the T-shaped pipe 104 comes into contact with the inner wall surface, making the turbulence in the confluence 105 more complex and promoting the dissolution of the ozone gas. Note that the roughened surface portion 161A or the uneven portion 161B may be provided on the entire inner wall surface of the confluence 105 of the T-shaped pipe 104. Alternatively, the roughened surface portion 161A and the uneven portion 161B may be provided in combination.

[0039] (3) Figure 11 shows another modified example of a T-shaped pipe. The axes of two pipe sections 104-1 and 104-2 on the input side of a T-shaped pipe 104 and the axis of a pipe section 104-3 on the output side are aligned. 、 The T-shaped pipe 104 may be configured so that the angle θ is less than 90°. With this configuration, the flow of the gas-dissolved liquid in the two pipe sections 104-1 and 104-2 on the input side of the T-shaped pipe 104 has a component that flows back relative to the pipe section on the output side, making the turbulence at the confluence more complex, further promoting the dissolution of gas into the liquid and further improving the concentration of the gas-dissolved liquid.

[0040] (4) One or more of the configurations of FIG. 9, FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B, and FIG. 11 may be combined.

[0041] According to the present embodiment described above, at least the following advantageous effects are achieved. By dissolving ozone gas in pure water using two nozzles connected in parallel and causing the ozonated water from the two nozzles to collide with each other in a T-shaped pipe to generate turbulence, the dissolution of ozone gas into the ozonated water can be promoted, and the ozone concentration of the ozonated water can be improved. This is because the turbulence agitates the ozonated water, allowing undissolved ozone gas contained in the ozonated water to be further dissolved in the ozonated water.

[0042] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, by controlling the temperature inside the housing 101 of the ozone water production device 100 to match or approach the ambient temperature of the housing 101, it is possible to suppress temperature changes inside the housing 101, stabilize the solubility of ozone gas, and stabilize the concentration of ozone water.

[0043] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the target concentration is low, the number of operating high-voltage power supply units can be reduced, thereby achieving energy conservation.

[0044] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the ozone gas concentration falls outside a predetermined range, the output voltage of the high-voltage power supply unit is controlled to keep the ozone gas concentration within the predetermined range. By detecting an abnormality in the ozone gas concentration before detecting an abnormality in the ozone water concentration, it is possible to detect an abnormality in the ozone water production apparatus earlier and to control the high-voltage power supply unit to return the ozone gas concentration to the normal range.

[0045] The present invention can also be described in the following aspects. According to the first aspect, there is provided an apparatus for producing a gas-dissolved liquid by dissolving a gas in a liquid, the apparatus comprising: a gas supply unit for supplying the gas that is a raw material for the gas-dissolved liquid; a liquid supply unit for supplying the liquid that is a raw material for the gas-dissolved liquid; at least one gas-dissolved liquid production unit for dissolving the gas supplied from the gas supply unit in the liquid supplied from the liquid supply unit to produce a gas-dissolved liquid; a gas-liquid separation tank for receiving the gas-dissolved liquid output from the gas-dissolved liquid production unit and outputting the gas-dissolved liquid after separating excess gas; and a control device for controlling each unit of the gas-dissolved liquid production apparatus, wherein the gas-dissolved liquid production unit: The gas-dissolved liquid manufacturing apparatus includes a first nozzle for dissolving the gas in the liquid; a second nozzle connected in parallel to the first nozzle for dissolving the gas in the liquid; and a T-shaped pipe through which the gas-dissolved liquid output from the first nozzle and the gas-dissolved liquid output from the second nozzle are merged and collided with each other to generate turbulence before being output. The gas supply unit may include a pipe for supplying a gas serving as a raw material for the gas-dissolved liquid from a supply source external to the gas-dissolved liquid manufacturing apparatus, and / or a manufacturing unit for producing the gas serving as a raw material for the gas-dissolved liquid. The liquid supply unit may be a pipe for supplying a liquid serving as a raw material for the gas-dissolved liquid from a supply source external to the gas-dissolved liquid manufacturing apparatus. The first and second nozzles generate a vortex in the liquid within the nozzle, thereby mixing the liquid and the gas and dissolving the gas. The T-shaped pipe may be a hand-held T-pipe or another T-shaped pipe.

[0046] According to this embodiment, the gas-dissolved liquid in which gas is dissolved in liquid from the first and second nozzles is caused to collide with each other in the T-shaped pipe, generating a turbulent flow, which can promote the dissolution of gas into the liquid and improve the concentration of the gas-dissolved liquid.

[0047] According to form 2, in the gas dissolved liquid manufacturing apparatus of form 1, the gas dissolved liquid generation unit further includes a third nozzle that generates turbulence in the gas dissolved liquid output from the T-shaped pipe, thereby improving the solubility of the gas in the liquid.

[0048] According to this embodiment, the third nozzle further dissolves gas in the gas-dissolved liquid whose concentration has been increased in the T-shaped pipe, thereby increasing the concentration of the gas-dissolved liquid.

[0049] According to a third aspect, in the gas solution producing apparatus of the first or second aspect, the first nozzle and the second nozzle have the same optimum flow rate.

[0050] According to this aspect, the liquid is caused to flow through the first and second nozzles at equal optimum flow rates, and the gas can be efficiently dissolved in the liquid in the first and second nozzles.

[0051] According to form 4, in the gas solution manufacturing apparatus of form 2, the first nozzle and the second nozzle have equal optimal flow rates, and the third nozzle has an optimal flow rate that is equal to or greater than the sum of the optimal flow rates of the first nozzle and the second nozzle.

[0052] According to this embodiment, the liquid is passed through the first and second nozzles at equal flow rates. The gas can be efficiently dissolved in the liquid in the nozzle, and the gas can be efficiently dissolved in the liquid while reducing pressure loss in the third nozzle.

[0053] According to a fifth aspect, in the gas dissolved liquid manufacturing apparatus of any one of the first to fourth aspects, a housing that houses the gas supply unit, the liquid supply unit, the gas dissolved liquid production unit, and a gas-liquid separation tank; The apparatus further includes a temperature control device that controls the temperature inside the housing, and the control device controls the temperature inside the housing so that it approaches the ambient temperature of the housing.

[0054] According to this embodiment, when the efficiency of gas generation and / or gas dissolution depends on temperature, the temperature inside the housing can be stabilized by bringing the temperature inside the housing closer to the ambient temperature of the housing, thereby stabilizing the gas generation and / or gas dissolution and stabilizing the concentration of the gas-dissolved liquid.

[0055] According to a sixth aspect, in the gas solution manufacturing apparatus of the fifth aspect, the temperature control device has an air conditioner that supplies temperature-adjusted air into the housing. The air conditioner can be a device having a heat exchanger disposed inside the housing and a heat exchanger disposed outside the housing, a cooler that uses the heat of evaporation of water, or any other configuration that supplies temperature-adjusted air.

[0056] According to this aspect, the temperature inside the housing can be adjusted with a simple configuration by using an air conditioner.

[0057] According to form 7, the gas dissolved liquid manufacturing apparatus of any one of forms 1 to 6 further comprises a first concentration meter that detects the concentration of the gas dissolved liquid output from the gas-liquid separation tank, and the control device controls the output of the gas supply unit based on the concentration of the gas dissolved liquid detected by the first concentration meter.

[0058] According to this embodiment, the amount of gas supplied can be controlled to a level sufficient for a desired concentration based on the concentration of the gas solution being produced. This allows the concentration of the gas solution to be stabilized and gas consumption to be reduced. Furthermore, when gas is produced in the gas supply unit, adjusting the amount of gas produced based on the concentration of the gas solution being produced can contribute to energy savings.

[0059] According to form 8, in the gas solution manufacturing apparatus of form 7, the gas supply unit has a plurality of gas manufacturing units that manufacture the gas from other gases that are raw materials for the gas, and the control device adjusts the number of operating gas manufacturing units based on the concentration of the gas solution detected by the first concentration meter.

[0060] According to this aspect, the number of operating gas production units can be adjusted based on the concentration of the gas solution that is produced, thereby achieving energy conservation.

[0061] According to a ninth aspect, in the gas solution manufacturing apparatus of any one of the first to eighth aspects, the gas supply unit has a gas manufacturing unit that manufactures the gas from another gas that is a raw material of the gas, and the gas solution manufacturing apparatus further comprises: a high-voltage power supply that supplies power to the gas manufacturing unit; The gas supply device further includes a second concentration meter that detects the concentration of the gas output from the gas production unit, and the control device adjusts the output voltage of the high-voltage power supply based on the concentration of the gas detected by the second concentration meter.

[0062] According to this aspect, an abnormality in the gas production unit, such as a gas concentration falling outside a predetermined range, is detected, and the output voltage of the high voltage source is adjusted to supply gas with a gas concentration within the predetermined range. For example, when producing ozone gas from oxygen, If the amount of oxygen, etc. (gases other than ozone gas) contained in the output fluid increases and the concentration of ozone gas decreases, or conversely, if the concentration of ozone gas becomes too high, the output voltage of the high-voltage power supply that supplies power to the production unit can be adjusted to adjust the concentration of ozone gas within a specified range.

[0063] According to a tenth aspect, in the gas solution manufacturing apparatus of any one of the first to ninth aspects, the T-shaped pipe has a roughened portion and / or an uneven portion provided on a wall surface thereof.

[0064] According to this configuration, an agitated state occurs in the water flow portion where the ozone water flowing into the T-shaped pipe comes into contact with the inner wall surface, making the turbulence at the confluence more complex, further promoting the dissolution of gas into the liquid and further improving the concentration of the gas-dissolved liquid.

[0065] According to form 11, in the gas dissolved liquid manufacturing apparatus of any of forms 1 to 10, the T-shaped pipe further comprises one or more obstacles provided at the confluence of the T-shaped pipe and configured to collide with the flow of the gas dissolved liquid output from the first and second nozzles.

[0066] According to this embodiment, the obstacle in the T-shaped pipe can further complicate the turbulence caused by the joining of the gas-dissolved liquid from the first and second nozzles, further promoting the mixing of the ozone water and undissolved ozone gas, thereby further promoting the dissolution of the gas into the liquid and further improving the concentration of the gas-dissolved liquid.

[0067] According to the twelfth aspect, in the gas solution manufacturing apparatus of any one of the first to eleventh aspects, the axes of the two pipe sections on the input side of the T-shaped pipe and the axis of the pipe section on the output side form an angle of less than 90°.

[0068] According to this configuration, the flow of gas-dissolved liquid in the two piping sections on the input side of the T-shaped piping has a component that flows back relative to the piping section on the output side, making the turbulence at the confluence more complex, further promoting the dissolution of gas into the liquid and further improving the concentration of the gas-dissolved liquid.

[0069] According to a thirteenth aspect, there is provided a method for producing a gas-dissolved liquid by dissolving a gas in a liquid, the gas-dissolved liquid output from a first nozzle and a second nozzle connected in parallel to each other and dissolving the gas in the liquid is joined in a T-shaped pipe, the first nozzle and the second nozzle collide with each other to generate a turbulent flow, and then the gas-dissolved liquid is output.

[0070] According to this embodiment, the gas-dissolved liquid in which gas is dissolved in liquid from the first and second nozzles is caused to collide with each other in the T-shaped pipe, generating a turbulent flow, which can promote the dissolution of gas into the liquid and improve the concentration of the gas-dissolved liquid.

[0071] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above-described embodiments are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof. Furthermore, any combination of the embodiments and modifications is possible within the scope of solving at least part of the above-described problems or achieving at least part of the effects, and any combination or omission of the components described in the claims and specification is possible. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 100, 100A Ozone Water Generator 101 Case 102 Pump 103 Ozone water generation section (ozone water generation line) 104 T-pipe 105 Confluence (Confluence) 107 Turbulence 108 Flow meter 109 Air Conditioner 110 Temperature detector 111 Nozzle 112 nozzle 160 Obstacles 161A Rough surface area 161B Uneven part 121 nozzle 123 Flow Control Valve 124 Gas-liquid separation tank 125 Output piping 126 Densitometer 130 Gas Line 131 Discharge cell 132 discharge cells 141 High-voltage power supply 142 Densitometer 150 control device

Claims

1. A gas-dissolved liquid manufacturing apparatus for dissolving a gas in a liquid to produce a gas-dissolved liquid, a gas supply unit that supplies the gas that is a raw material for the gas solution; a liquid supply unit that supplies the liquid that is a raw material for the gas solution; at least one gas-dissolved liquid generator that dissolves the gas supplied from the gas supply unit in the liquid supplied from the liquid supply unit to generate a gas-dissolved liquid; a gas-liquid separation tank that receives the gas-dissolved liquid output from the gas-dissolved liquid production unit and outputs the gas-dissolved liquid after separating excess gas; Equipped with The gas solution generating unit includes: a first nozzle for dissolving the gas in the liquid; a second nozzle connected in parallel to the first nozzle and configured to dissolve the gas in the liquid; a T-shaped pipe that merges the gas-dissolved liquid output from the first nozzle and the gas-dissolved liquid output from the second nozzle, causes them to collide with each other to generate turbulence and agitate, and improves the solubility of the gas in the gas-dissolved liquid before outputting the liquid; a third nozzle disposed downstream of the T-shaped pipe for generating turbulence in the gas-dissolved liquid output from the T-shaped pipe to stir the gas and improve the solubility of the gas in the gas-dissolved liquid.

2. In the gas solution manufacturing apparatus described in claim 1, a gas-dissolved liquid manufacturing apparatus, wherein the first nozzle, the second nozzle, and the third nozzle each have an optimal flow rate that is a flow rate that optimizes the efficiency of dissolving the gas in the liquid, the first nozzle and the second nozzle have equal optimal flow rates, and the third nozzle has an optimal flow rate that is equal to or greater than the sum of the optimal flow rate of the first nozzle and the optimal flow rate of the second nozzle.

3. In the gas solution manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, a housing that accommodates the gas supply unit, the liquid supply unit, the gas-dissolved liquid production unit, and a gas-liquid separation tank; a temperature control device for controlling the temperature inside the housing; a control device that controls the temperature adjustment device; Further provided with The control device controls the temperature adjustment device so that the temperature approaches the ambient temperature of the housing.

4. In the gas solution manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3, The temperature control device has an air conditioner that supplies temperature-adjusted air into the housing, and is a gas solution manufacturing device.

5. In the gas solution manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, a first concentration meter for detecting the concentration of the gas-dissolved liquid output from the gas-liquid separation tank; The gas solution manufacturing apparatus further comprises a control device for controlling an output of the gas supply unit based on the concentration of the gas solution detected by the first concentration meter.

6. In the gas solution manufacturing apparatus according to claim 5, The gas supply unit a plurality of gas production units for producing the gas from other gases that are raw materials for the gas; The control device adjusts the number of operating gas production units based on the concentration of the gas solution detected by the first concentration meter.

7. In the gas solution manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 6, the gas supply unit has a gas production unit that produces the gas from another gas that is a raw material of the gas, The gas solution manufacturing apparatus includes: a high voltage power supply that supplies power to the gas production unit; a second concentration meter that detects the concentration of the gas output from the gas production unit; Further provided with The control device further adjusts the output voltage of the high-voltage power supply based on the concentration of the gas detected by the second concentration meter.

8. In the gas solution manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The gas solution manufacturing device has a roughened portion and / or an uneven portion provided on the wall surface of the T-shaped pipe.

9. In the gas solution manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, The gas dissolved liquid manufacturing apparatus further comprises one or more obstacles provided at the confluence of the T-shaped pipe and configured to collide with the flow of the gas dissolved liquid output from the first and second nozzles.

10. In the gas solution manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, The axis of the two pipe sections on the input side of the T-shaped pipe and the axis of the pipe section on the output side form an angle of less than 90°.

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