Air filter and filter element for air filter

Abstract

To provide an air filter which can recover CO2 without adding a device in a compressed air pressure circuit.SOLUTION: An air filter disposed in a compressed air pressure circuit includes: a body; a filter element attached to the body; and a bowl which shields the filter element from outside air. The body has: an inflow port into which air flows; and an outflow port from which air flows. The filter element is a cylindrical body and includes, between an inner wall and an outer wall, an element for removing impurities in air and a CO2 adsorption part which adsorbs CO2. The invention adopts means for causing compressed air flowing from the inflow port to pass through the element and the CO2 adsorption part in the filter element and be sent out from the outflow port.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air filter and a filter element for an air filter, and more particularly to a technology for recovering CO2 within an air filter. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in order to capture CO2 in a compressed air circuit, it was necessary to install additional equipment such as a CO2 capture tank, which was difficult to achieve in a limited space. Therefore, there has been a demand for a configuration in a compressed air pressure circuit that can capture CO2 without using a device dedicated to CO2 capture.

[0003] Various techniques have been proposed to address these problems. For example, a technique for recovering CO2 in a compressed air circuit (see Patent Document 1) was proposed by the applicant and is known as a publicly known technique. More specifically, by arranging a CO2 capture device at the final stage of the compressed air pressure circuit, the operating efficiency of the CO2 capture device can be improved and the CO2 content in the compressed air that is ultimately released into the atmosphere can be reduced. However, because a CO2 capture device must be added to the facility, if the facility has limited space, it is not possible to install the device, and the above problem has not yet been resolved. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-100353 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an air filter that can recover CO2 without adding any additional device to a compressed air pressure circuit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an air filter arranged in a compressed air pressure circuit, which comprises a body, a filter element attached to the body, and a bowl that isolates the filter element from the outside air, the body having an inlet for air to flow in and an outlet for air to flow out, the filter element being tubular and having, between its inner and outer walls, an element for removing impurities in the air and a CO2 adsorption section for adsorbing CO2, and the compressed air that enters through the inlet passes through the element and the CO2 adsorption section inside the filter element before being discharged from the outlet.

[0007] The present invention also employs a means in which the CO2 adsorption portion is made of any one of an amine compound, ceramics, zeolite, and activated carbon.

[0008] Furthermore, in the present invention, the CO2 adsorption section is made up of a plurality of layers, each of which is made up of an amine compound, ceramics, zeolite, or activated carbon, and the components of each layer are different.

[0009] Furthermore, the present invention employs a means in which the CO2 adsorption portion is in the form of a sheet and is disposed on the outside or inside of the element.

[0010] Furthermore, the present invention employs a means in which the CO2 adsorption portion is bellows-shaped.

[0011] Furthermore, the present invention employs a means in which the CO2 adsorption portion is impregnated in the element.

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention employs a means in which the compressed air entering from the inlet passes through the element and the CO2 adsorption section in that order.

[0013] Furthermore, the present invention provides a filter element for an air filter to be arranged in a compressed air pressure circuit, which is a cylindrical body having an element that removes impurities from the air and a CO2 adsorption section that adsorbs CO2 between an inner wall and an outer wall, and employs a means for sending compressed air that has entered the filter element through the element and the CO2 adsorption section within the filter element. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The air filter and air filter element according to the present invention enable CO2 recovery in a compressed air circuit without adding any additional equipment, and also contribute to improving the global environment without changing the equipment configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall view showing an embodiment of an air filter according to the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a filter element according to the present invention. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the flow of air in the air filter according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of a filter element according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of an air filter according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The greatest feature of the air filter according to the present invention is that it can recover CO2 without using any additional device in the compressed air circuit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an air filter and a filter element for an air filter according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0017] The overall configuration and the configuration of each part of the air filter and air filter element shown below are not limited to the examples described below, but can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention, i.e., within the scope of shapes, dimensions, structures, etc. that can achieve the same functional effects.

[0018] The present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is an overall view showing an embodiment of an air filter according to the present invention, where (a) is an overall front view and top view, (b) is a BB cross-sectional view, and (c) is an exploded cross-sectional view. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a filter element in an air filter according to the present invention, where (a) is an AA cross-sectional view of an IN-OUT type, (b) is a BB partial cross-sectional view, (c) is an AA cross-sectional view of an OUT-IN type, and (d) is a BB partial cross-sectional view. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views illustrating the flow of air in the air filter according to the present invention, where (a) is a BB cross-section of an IN-OUT type and (b) is a BB cross-section of an OUT-IN type. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of a filter element in an air filter according to the present invention, where (a) is a schematic diagram of an IN-OUT type filter element, (b) is a schematic diagram of an OUT-IN type filter element, and (c) is a schematic diagram of a filter element impregnated with a CO2 adsorption portion. FIG. 5 shows the air filter according to the present invention. Example 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views showing the CO2 adsorption section in a two-layer configuration, and FIG. 1B shows the CO2 adsorption section in a bellows configuration.

[0019] The air filter 1 is an air filter for a compressed air pressure circuit that is disposed in a compressed air pressure circuit, and removes impurities from the compressed air discharged by an air compressor, and also recovers CO2. The air filter 1 is composed of a body 10, a filter element 30, and a bowl 20. In the compressed air pressure circuit, compressed air passes through an inlet 11 of the body 10, an element 32 of the filter element 30, and is discharged from an outlet 12 of the body 10.

[0020] There are two ways of making air flow into the filter element 30: the structure shown in FIG. 3(a) and the structure shown in FIG. 3(b). The structure shown in Figure 3(a) is called an IN-OUT type. Air flows in from an inlet 11, passes from the inner wall side to the outer wall side of an element 32, and is sent out from the side of the element 32 to an outlet 12. The structure shown in Figure 3(b) is called an OUT-IN type. Air flows in from the inlet 11, passes from the outer wall side to the inner wall side of the element 32, and is sent out from the center of the element 32 to the outlet 12. Figure 1 is drawn along the IN-OUT type.

[0021] The body 10 is the part where the air filter 1 is connected to a compressed air pressure circuit. The body 10 has an inlet 11 which is the inlet of the air flow path of the air filter 1, an outlet 12 which is the outlet, a filter element mounting portion 13, and a bowl mounting portion 14. The filter element mounting portion 13 is a portion where the body 10 and the filter element 30 are attached, and the connection is made by screwing or fitting. In the IN-OUT type, the inlet 11 of the body 10 is connected to the filter element 30, and in the OUT-IN type, the outlet 12 of the body 10 is connected to the filter element 30. The bowl attachment portion 14 is a portion that connects the body 10 and the bowl 20, and the connection is achieved by screwing, fitting, or the like. In both the filter element mounting portion 13 and the bowl mounting portion 14, an O-ring or the like may be used to increase the degree of adhesion at the connecting portions.

[0022] The filter element 30 is a part that removes impurities and adsorbs CO2. The filter element 30 is a cylindrical body and is composed of an element 32 , a CO 2 adsorption portion 33 , an outer mesh 31 , an inner mesh 36 , and a frame portion 37 . Between the inner and outer walls of the filter element 30, there are an element 32 that removes impurities from the air and a CO2 adsorption section 33 that adsorbs CO2.

[0023] The element 32 removes impurities from the compressed air by adsorbing the impurities as the compressed air passes through it. The element 32 is bellows-shaped to increase the surface area of ​​the element 32 and improve the efficiency of impurity removal. Compressed air entering through the inlet 11 of the body 10 passes through the element 32 and the CO2 adsorption section 33 in the filter element 30 and is discharged from the outlet 12. The impurities are dust, moisture, oil, odor, or bacteria. The element 32 adsorbs the target impurities by changing the mesh size and the material that comes into contact with air depending on the type of impurity.

[0024] The CO2 adsorption section 33 adsorbs and collects CO2 in the compressed air by the compressed air passing through or coming into contact with it. It is in the form of a cylindrical sheet, and is arranged so as to be in close contact with the outer mesh 31 or the inner mesh 36. In other words, it is arranged on the outside or inside of the element 32. The sheet material is suitably a nonwoven fabric or the like. The CO2 adsorption section 33 contains an amine compound, ceramics, zeolite, activated carbon, or the like that adsorbs CO2.

[0025] The outer mesh 31 and inner mesh are used to hold the element 32 and the CO2 adsorption section 33 inside the filter element 30. They are breathable, allowing air to pass through the element 32 and the CO2 adsorption section 33. The frame portion 37 constitutes an end portion of the filter element 30. The frame portion 37 and the filter element mounting portion 13 of the body 10 are connected, and the body 10 and the filter element 30 are fixed together.

[0026] The bowl 20 is connected to the body 10, separates the filter element 30 from the outside air, and forms part of the flow path. The bowl 20 is a hollow cylindrical body that is open at the top and closed at the bottom. The bowl 20 is connected to the bowl mounting portion 14 of the body 10. A drain outlet 21 is provided on the bottom surface of the bowl 20. The drain outlet 21 is a discharge port for discharging drain that has flowed into the air filter 1 or drain that has been generated inside, and although not shown, is connected to a manual valve or drain trap.

[0027] The structure and material of the element 32 vary depending on the type of impurities removed by the air filter 1. The pre-filter removes, for example, dust and moisture of approximately 3 um or larger. The super pre-filter removes, for example, dust, oil, and moisture of approximately 0.1 um or larger. The micro-mist filter removes dust, oil, and moisture of approximately 0.01 um. The activated carbon filter removes dust, oil, and odors of approximately 0.01 um. The sterilizing filter removes bacteria and fine particles with an LRV of 8 or greater. Each of these filters has a predetermined pressure loss. If the pressure loss increases due to the inclusion of the CO2 adsorption section 33, the performance of the filter will be reduced.

[0028] If the pressure loss is not affected whether the CO2 adsorption section 33 is placed before or after the air flow relative to the element 32, there is no need to adjust the positional relationship between the element 32 and the CO2 adsorption section 33. However, since CO2 is smaller than other impurities, it is conceivable that the efficiency of CO2 adsorption can be improved by narrowing the portion of the CO2 adsorption section 33 through which air passes. Therefore, if the CO2 adsorption section 33 is placed in front of the element 32, the impurities that should be adsorbed by the element 32 will be captured by the CO2 adsorption section 33, causing the CO2 adsorption section 33 to become clogged with impurities, and the element 32 will not be able to perform its intended function.

[0029] 2(a), 2(b) and 4(a), in the case of the IN-OUT type, the CO2 adsorption section 33 is arranged so as to be in contact with the outer mesh 31. Therefore, air passing through the filter element 30 from the inside to the outside passes through the element 32, and then passes through the sheet-like CO2 adsorption section 33 impregnated with a CO2 adsorbent. In the case of the OUT-IN type, as shown in Figures 2(c), (d) and 4(b), the CO2 adsorption section 33 is arranged so as to be in contact with the inner mesh 36. Therefore, air passing through the filter element 30 from the outside to the inside passes through the element 32, and then passes through the sheet-like CO2 adsorption section 33 impregnated with a CO2 adsorbent. With this configuration, CO2 can be captured without deteriorating the performance of the filter element 30.

[0030] Furthermore, if the CO2 adsorption section 33 has a structure that does not affect pressure loss and does not cause clogging, the order of the element 32 and the CO2 adsorption section 33 does not necessarily have to be that of the element 32 and the CO2 adsorption section 33. For example, if the CO2 adsorption section 33 has a gap structure that allows it to capture only a portion of the compressed air and the other compressed air to reach the element 32 without passing through the CO2 adsorption section 33, and this does not affect the pressure loss, there are no restrictions on the position of the element 32 or the CO2 adsorption section 33, and the CO2 adsorption section 33 may be placed both inside and outside the element 32.

[0031] An example of use of this embodiment will be described. In the compressed air circuit, various air filters 1 are arranged to remove specific impurities. By disposing the air filter 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to adsorb CO2 in the compressed air in the compressed air pressure circuit without attaching any other device. The filter element 30 of the air filter 1 is replaced periodically, and the CO2 adsorption section 33 inside the filter element 30 is also replaced at the same time. Therefore, every time the filter element 30 is replaced, the CO2 adsorption section 33 is automatically renewed, allowing CO2 capture to continue without any additional work. The CO2 adsorption section 33 in the used filter element 30 is appropriately treated at a recycling plant or the like through a service or the like, and the adsorbed CO2 is recovered.

[0032] In this way, CO2 can be captured from the atmosphere simply by using the air filter 1 in the compressed air pressure circuit as usual. Therefore, since no energy is required to capture CO2, the CO2 generated by the electricity used to operate the compressed air pressure circuit is captured, making the device carbon-neutral. Therefore, this device can meet current needs, where the impact of CO2 on the natural environment is becoming a problem.

[0033] Furthermore, the filter element 30 of this embodiment can be attached to an existing air filter 1 by adjusting the filter element 30 to a conventional shape. In this case, CO2 recovery can be performed efficiently by simply changing the filter element 30 of the air filter 1 without changing the equipment.

[0034] CO2 adsorption section 33 Example This will be explained with reference to FIG. The CO2 adsorption unit 33 may be made of an amine compound, ceramics, zeolite, activated carbon, or the like. However, instead of using only one type of material, multiple materials may be used. A configuration is adopted. FIG. 5(a) shows a case where the CO2 adsorption section 33 is made up of layers of adsorbent materials made of a plurality of materials. For example, in the case of a configuration consisting of two layers, a first adsorption layer 34 and a second adsorption layer 35, the first adsorption layer 34 is made of an amine compound, and the second adsorption layer 35 is made of zeolite. The CO2 in the compressed air is first adsorbed by the amine compound in the first adsorption layer 34, and then adsorbed onto the surface of the zeolite in the second adsorption layer 35. Through multiple processes, CO2 can be adsorbed and an effective adsorption action can be achieved. In this way, the CO2 adsorption section 33 is made up of multiple layers, each composed of an amine compound, ceramics, zeolite, and activated carbon, and by making the components of each layer different, more effective adsorption is possible than with a single layer.

[0035] In order to increase the adsorption efficiency of the CO2 adsorption section 33, it may be possible to form it in a bellows shape as shown in FIG. 5(b). By making it bellows-shaped, the surface area of ​​the CO2 adsorption portion 33 can be increased, and more CO2 can be adsorbed.

[0036] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4(c), it is also possible to impregnate the element 32 with the CO2 adsorption portion 33, and to integrate the element 32 and the CO2 adsorption portion 33. With this configuration, the element 32 is not pressed by the sheet-like CO2 adsorption portion 33, and the shape of the element 32 can be kept as originally designed. Furthermore, since the element 32 and the CO2 adsorption section 33 are integrated, one filter element 30 can be used without any problems whether it is an OUT-IN type or an IN-OUT type, and the filter element 30 can be standardized.

[0037] In this way, the air filter and the filter element for an air filter according to the present invention enable CO2 recovery in a compressed air circuit without adding any additional equipment, thereby contributing to improving the global environment without changing the equipment configuration.

[0038] Furthermore, by incorporating the CO2 adsorption section into the structure of an existing filter element, compatibility with the existing filter element can be maintained. Therefore, a filter element containing a CO2 adsorption section can be attached to an existing air filter, making it possible to capture CO2 without changing the equipment.

[0039] Furthermore, by configuring the CO2 adsorption section with multiple layers and using different components for each layer, the CO2 recovery efficiency can be improved.

[0040] Furthermore, by making the CO2 adsorption part sheet-shaped, it can be made extremely compact, so it does not take up space within the filter element. This makes it possible to capture CO2 while maintaining the performance of various filter elements. [Industrial Applicability]

[0041] The present invention is not limited to a specific field as an air filter capable of recovering CO2, but can be used in compressed air pressure circuits in all fields. Therefore, it is believed that the "air filter filter element for air filters" according to the present invention has great industrial applicability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1 air filter 10 Body 11 Inlet 12 Outlet 13 Filter element mounting part 14 Bowl mounting part 20 Bowls 21 Drain outlet 30 filter element 31 outer mesh 32 Elements 33 CO2 adsorption section 34 First adsorption layer 35 Second adsorption layer 36 Inner mesh 37 Frame

Claims

1. An air filter disposed in a compressed air pressure circuit, The filter comprises a body, a filter element attached to the body, and a bowl that isolates the filter element from the outside air. The body has an inlet through which air flows in and an outlet through which air flows out, The filter element is a cylindrical body, and has an element for removing impurities in the air and a CO2 adsorption part for adsorbing CO2 between an inner wall made of an inner mesh and an outer wall made of an outer mesh, The CO2 adsorption unit is in a sheet shape and is arranged in contact with the outer mesh or the inner mesh, The CO2 adsorption section is composed of multiple layers, each of which is made of an amine compound, ceramics, zeolite, or activated carbon, and the components of each layer are different. An air filter characterized in that compressed air entering from the inlet passes through the element and the CO2 adsorption section within the filter element and is discharged from the outlet.

2. 2. The air filter according to claim 1, wherein the CO2 adsorption portion is bellows-shaped.

3. 2. The air filter according to claim 1, wherein the CO2 adsorption portion is impregnated in the element.

4. 4. The air filter according to claim 1, wherein the compressed air entering through the inlet passes through the element and then the CO2 adsorption section.

5. A filter element for an air filter disposed in a compressed air pressure circuit, It is a cylindrical body, The device has an element for removing impurities from the air and a CO2 adsorption section for adsorbing CO2 between an inner wall made of an inner mesh and an outer wall made of an outer mesh, The CO2 adsorption unit is in a sheet shape and is arranged in contact with the outer mesh or the inner mesh, The CO2 adsorption section is composed of multiple layers, each of which is made of an amine compound, ceramics, zeolite, or activated carbon, and the components of each layer are different. A filter element for an air filter, characterized in that compressed air that has entered the filter element is sent out through the element and the CO2 adsorption section within the filter element.

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