Water supply units and systems for dust collectors

Abstract

To provide a water supply unit for a dust collector which suppresses a rise of internal pressure upon water pouring of wet down by using simple means without increasing a pressure resistance of housing more than necessary, and reliably prevents exposure.SOLUTION: A water supply unit 200 includes: a water supply pipe 31 which supplies washing water W; and a pressure adjusting pipe 32 which adjusts a pressure so that the pressure in a housing 10 does not exceed a predetermined value when making dust adhesion surface in the housing 10 into a wet state by supplying washing water W from the water supply pipe 31 into the housing 10. A first pipe body 32a of the pressure adjusting pipe 32 is branched from the middle of the water supply pipe 31 and is extended upward to a predetermined position m higher than a dust collector 100. A height H of the first pipe body 32a is selected to such a height that pressure when the inside of the housing 10 is full of water to which a water head due to washing water W in the pipe body is added becomes an allowable limit value or smaller.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a water supply unit and a water supply system used when replacing a filter built into a dust collecting device. [Background technology]

[0002] A dust collector generally includes a housing, a filter housed in the housing, an inlet pipe for introducing a fluid to be filtered into the housing, and an exhaust pipe for exhausting the fluid filtered by the filter. Dust contained in the fluid introduced through the inlet pipe is captured by the filtering material of the filter, and the fluid from which the dust has been removed is exhausted from the exhaust pipe as a clean fluid.

[0003] The filters of dust collectors become clogged with repeated dust collection and therefore need to be replaced periodically. Furthermore, after removing the used filter, the inside of the housing, which has become contaminated with dust, must be cleaned. During these tasks, workers must be extremely careful to avoid exposure to dust that has adhered to the filter or the inside of the housing. Highly pharmacologically active substances, such as raw materials for pharmaceuticals and agricultural chemicals, can have strong medicinal effects on the human body or be toxic in small amounts, so careful handling is required in workplaces where these substances are handled.

[0004] One of the exposure control methods is the traditional BIBO (Bag-in, Bag-out) method. This involves replacing filters through a plastic bag, preventing the used filter from being exposed to the open space and preventing the inside of the housing from communicating with the outside, thereby preventing exposure from scattering dust. However, with this BIBO method, removing and inserting the filter through a plastic bag is not only inefficient, but also poses the risk of workers being exposed to the used filter due to a work error.

[0005] One known solution to this problem is the wet-down method, in which the filter and the inside of the housing are moistened with cleaning water before the filter is replaced. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method in which cleaning water is sprayed from a nozzle into the inside of the housing containing the filter to moisten the filter, and then the used filter is removed and replaced with a new one. This method moistens the inside of the housing and the removed used filter, thereby preventing the dispersion of dust particles. However, even when cleaning water is sprayed, there is no guarantee that the cleaning water will be uniformly distributed over the entire filter. If dust remains in unmoistened areas, the remaining dust may disperse when the filter is removed, potentially causing exposure. Therefore, to thoroughly prevent exposure, filter replacement using the BIBO method is required even after wet-down.

[0006] Meanwhile, Patent Document 2 discloses a wet-down method in which cleaning water is poured into a housing with a filter stored in it, the filter is completely submerged in water, and the cleaning water is then drained. Patent Document 3 discloses a Wet Open Change (registered trademark) method in which, after such a wet-down process, the housing is removed to expose the filter to the open air, and the used filter is replaced with a new filter in this open state.

[0007] By using the techniques described in Patent Documents 2 and 3, the inside of the housing and the filter are submerged in water, so that the entire dust-adhering surface is moistened without leakage, preventing dust from scattering when the filter is removed from the housing, and effectively preventing exposure.

[0008] Figure 181 shows a schematic diagram of such a wet-down procedure. (a) is a schematic diagram of a dust collector 1. The dust collector 1 includes a housing 10, a filter F housed in the housing 10, an inlet pipe 12 for introducing the fluid to be filtered into the housing 10, an exhaust pipe 16 for exhausting the fluid filtered by the filter F, a water supply pipe 17 for supplying cleaning water into the housing 10 during wet-down, an air vent 18 for venting air from inside the housing 10 when cleaning water is injected into the housing 10, and an air filter Z housed in the air vent 18.

[0009] When wet-downing the dust collector 1, Figure 18 As shown in (b), cleaning water W (for example, tap water) is poured into the housing 10 from a water supply source (not shown) through a water supply pipe 17. As the cleaning water W is poured in, the air in the internal space of the housing 10 is pushed out through the air filter Z of the air vent portion 18. As a result, the internal pressure of the housing 10 is kept approximately constant. Then, Figure 18 As shown in (c), when the internal space of the housing 10 is filled with cleaning water W, the water supply from the water supply pipe 17 is stopped. At this time, the filter F is completely submerged in water, and the entire dust-adhering surface (inner surface) of the filter F is wet. In addition, since the cleaning water W has reached the air filter Z, the dust-adhering surface (lower surface) of the air filter Z is also wet. Thereafter, Figure 18 As shown in (d), the bottom of the housing 10 is opened and the cleaning water W inside the housing 10 is drained. Note that the drained water at this time contains dust particles that have adhered to the filter F and air filter Z, so in practice this drained water is sent to a tank or the like through a drain pipe (not shown) to prevent it from leaking outside.

[0010] In the wet-down process described above, the internal space of the housing 10 is filled with water ( Figure 18 The fact that the tank has reached the state (c) can be confirmed visually, for example, through a confirmation window (not shown) provided in the air vent section 18. However, this confirmation process is cumbersome because it is done manually, and there is also the risk of forgetting to check or mistakenly thinking that the tank is not full when it is.

[0011] In such a case, water continues to be supplied from the water supply pipe 17, and the pressure on the air filter Z increases. More specifically, the air filter Z is made up of a fine-mesh filter equivalent to a HEPA filter (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter) to prevent dust from leaking to the outside, so the filtration resistance (water filtration resistance) when filtering the cleaning water W is greater than the filtration resistance (airflow resistance) when passing air. Moreover, the cleaning water W at this time contains dust particles that had been adhering to the filter F, etc., so the filtration resistance of the air filter Z against the cleaning water W becomes an extremely large value. For example, Figure 18 When filtering air as in (b), the air resistance of the air filter Z is about several kPa, but when filtering cleaning water W containing dust, the water filtration resistance increases sharply to about 50 to 100 kPa.

[0012] When the filtering resistance of the air filter Z increases, the pressure exerted by the cleaning water W on the air filter Z increases, and the internal pressure of the housing 10 also increases accordingly. Therefore, if the mechanical strength of the housing 10 is low or the sealing performance of the housing 10 is insufficient, the housing 10 may deform, or Figure 19 As shown above, dust-containing cleaning water W may leak from the housing 10, resulting in potential exposure. Therefore, a dust collecting device 1 that performs wet-down processing must be designed to withstand the increase in filtering resistance that occurs after the water surface reaches the filter surface (bottom surface) of the air filter Z. While a device that satisfies such requirements offers sufficient pressure resistance and sealing performance, it sacrifices ease of disassembly and cleaning, lightweight body, and is also expensive. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0013] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-10795 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. WO2018 / 235686 [Patent Document 3] International Publication WO2019 / 244745 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0014] The object of the present invention is to suppress the increase in internal pressure of the housing when wet-down water is poured in by a simple means, without increasing the pressure resistance strength of the housing more than necessary, thereby ensuring prevention of exposure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] The water supply unit according to the present invention comprises a water supply pipe for supplying cleaning water to a dust collector having a housing in which a filter is housed, and a pressure adjusting means for adjusting the pressure inside the housing so that it does not exceed a certain value when cleaning water is supplied from the water supply pipe into the housing to moisten the dust-adhered surface inside the housing. The pressure adjusting means branches off from the water supply pipe midway and extends upward to a predetermined position higher than the dust collector. No. 1 It has a tubular body. The height of this first pipe is selected so that the pressure inside the housing when full of water, to which the head pressure of the flush water inside the first pipe is added, is equal to or less than the allowable limit value. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, by providing a simple pressure adjustment means consisting only of a pipe, it is possible to suppress an increase in the internal pressure of the housing due to the injection of wash water during wet-down. Furthermore, even if the head pressure of the wash water flowing into the pipe increases the pressure inside the housing, this increase can be limited by selecting an appropriate height for the pipe. Therefore, there is no risk of the housing being deformed, even if the mechanical strength or sealing performance of the housing is not increased more than necessary. Furthermore, there is no risk of wash water leaking due to an increase in internal pressure, so exposure can be reliably prevented. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a water supply system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the dust collecting device. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are front, side, and rear views of a water supply device. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining the principle of a first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining the principle of a first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining the principle of a first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining the principle of a first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the action of hydraulic head pressure. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a wet-down procedure in a dust collector. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a wet-down procedure in a dust collector. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a wet-down procedure in a dust collector. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a wet-down procedure in a dust collector. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining the principle of a second embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining the principle of a third embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of a dust collecting device. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a general procedure for wet down. [Figure 19] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a problem with wet down. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to designate the same or corresponding parts.

[0019] Fig. 1 shows a water supply system A according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The water supply system A is composed of a dust collector 100 and a water supply unit 200. The dust collector 100 comprises a main body 1 and a support base 2 that supports the main body 1. The main body 1 comprises a housing 10 that houses a filter F shown in Fig. 2 described below, an inlet pipe 12 that introduces a dust-laden airflow to be filtered into the housing 10, and an exhaust pipe 16 that exhausts the clean airflow filtered by the filter F.

[0020] The housing 10 is provided with an inverted cone-shaped hopper 11 at its bottom. The aforementioned inlet pipe 12 and outlet pipe 13 are connected to this hopper 11. The outlet pipe 13 is provided for discharging the cleaning water stored in the housing 10 and the granular filter medium 43 (FIG. 2) that constitutes the filter F. The inlet pipe 12 is provided with a valve V1 and a valve lever 24 that operates the opening and closing of this valve V1. The exhaust pipe 16 is also provided with a valve V2 shown in FIG. 2 and a valve lever 23 that operates the opening and closing of this valve V2. A large diameter pipe 14 is provided on the outside of the outlet pipe 13. A collection bag is attached to this large diameter pipe 14 to prevent exposure when the granular filter medium 43 in the housing 10 is discharged.

[0021] The upper part of housing 10 is provided with an injection pipe 17 that injects flushing water sent from water supply unit 200 into housing 10, an air vent section 18 that removes air from housing 10 as flushing water is injected, a communication pipe 19 that connects housing 10 with air vent section 18, and an injection pipe 20 into which granular filter media 43 (Fig. 2) is introduced. Injection pipe 17 has an injection port 21 at its tip. An exhaust port 22 is provided above air vent section 18.

[0022] The support stand 2 includes a base 25, four legs 26 that support the base 25, and four casters 27 provided at the bottom end of each leg 26. The base 25 has an opening in the center (not shown), and the hopper 11 fits into this opening, thereby supporting the main body 1 of the dust collecting device 100 on the support stand 2. Furthermore, the casters 27 provided on the support stand 2 make it possible to easily transport the dust collecting device 100 to any location.

[0023] The water supply unit 200 includes a water supply pipe 31 for supplying cleaning water from a water source (not shown) to the dust collecting device 100, a pressure adjustment pipe 32 constituting a pressure adjustment means (described later), a frame 33 supporting the water supply pipe 31 and the pressure adjustment pipe 32, plates 34 and 35 attached to the frame 33, bifurcated legs 36 supporting the frame 33, and four casters 37 attached to the bottom ends of the legs 36. The casters 37 also enable the water supply unit 200 to be easily transported to any location. Details of the water supply pipe 31 and the pressure adjustment pipe 32 will be explained again with reference to FIG. 3.

[0024] 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the dust collecting device 100. A filter F is housed inside the housing 10 of the main body 1. This filter F is composed of an inner cylinder 41 and an outer cylinder 42 arranged concentrically, and granular filter medium 43 filled in the space between them. The granular filter medium 43 is filled from the above-mentioned space to the hopper 11. Details of this granular filter medium 43 are described in the aforementioned Patent Document 2.

[0025] An opening 44 is provided inside the filter F to which the end of the inlet pipe 12 shown in Fig. 1 is connected. The dust-laden airflow X introduced from the inlet pipe 12 flows into the primary space P inside the filter F, passes through gaps in the granular filter medium 43 of the filter F, and then flows out into the secondary space S outside the filter F. During this process, dust contained in the dust-laden airflow X is captured by the granular filter medium 43, and the airflow that flows out into the secondary space S becomes a clean airflow Y and is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 16. Because the primary space P is a space through which the dust-laden airflow flows, the inner surface of the filter F facing the primary space P becomes the dust-adhering surface.

[0026] An air filter Z is housed inside the air vent portion 18. This air filter Z is a filter that removes dust particles contained in the air when the air inside the housing 10 is pushed out through the exhaust port 22 by the injection of cleaning water, Figure 19 As explained in the previous section, it is made up of a fine filter equivalent to a HEPA filter. The granular filter material 43 is introduced into the introduction pipe 20, which is provided so as to communicate with the space between the inner tube 41 and the outer tube 42.

[0027] Next, details of water supply unit 200 will be described with reference to Figure 3. In Figure 3, (a) shows a front view of water supply unit 200, (b) shows a right side view of water supply unit 200, and (c) shows a rear view of water supply unit 200. As described above, water supply unit 200 is provided with water supply pipe 31 and pressure adjustment pipe 32. Pressure adjustment pipe 32 is provided by branching off from the middle of water supply pipe 31 (see branch point K).

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), water supply pipe 31 has water supply port 31f at one end. This water supply port 31f is connected to a water supply source (e.g., a water faucet) not shown via a hose or the like. Cleaning water (e.g., tap water) supplied from the water supply source flows into water supply port 31f, then flows along the path indicated by the thick arrow (a → b → c → d) and is discharged from discharge port 31g provided at the other end of water supply pipe 31. This discharge port 31g is connected to inlet 21 (FIG. 1) of dust collecting device 100 via a hose or the like, so that the discharged cleaning water flows from inlet 21 through inlet pipe 17 (FIG. 1) and into the interior of housing 10. The wet-down process using cleaning water will be described in detail later (FIGS. 9 to 12).

[0029] Next, the pressure adjusting pipe 32, which is a feature of the present invention, will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

[0030] Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of the water supply system A shown in Fig. 1 in order to explain the principle of the present invention. Therefore, the dust collecting device 100, the water supply pipe 31, and the pressure adjusting pipe 32 are depicted in a simplified manner. Furthermore, Fig. 4 shows only the main elements that make up the water supply system A.

[0031] In FIG. 4, a water supply pipe 31 is connected to the housing 10 of the dust collecting device 100, and a pressure adjustment pipe 32 is provided in communication with the water supply pipe 31. Specifically, the pressure adjustment pipe 32 is composed of a first pipe 32a that branches off midway from the water supply pipe 31 and extends upward, a second pipe 32b that communicates with the first pipe 32a, extends downward, and has an open tip, and a third pipe 32c that communicates with the upper part of the first pipe 32a, extends horizontally, and communicates with the upper part of the second pipe 32b. In this embodiment, the water supply pipe 31 and the pressure adjustment pipe 32 are each made of a steel pipe. The pressure adjustment pipe 32 is an example of the "pressure adjustment means" in the present invention.

[0032] The first pipe body 32a of the pressure adjusting pipe 32 extends upward to a predetermined position m that is higher than the dust collecting device 100. The height of this first pipe body 32a is designated as H. The reference position for the height H is the rising position of the cleaning water in the air vent section 18 provided in the housing 10, i.e., the lower end position n of the air filter Z provided in the air vent section 18. Therefore, the height H of the first pipe body 32a is expressed as H=mn. Note that m and n are, for example, the distances from the installation surface (floor) of the dust collecting device 100.

[0033] As shown in Figure 5, when flush water W is poured into housing 10 through water supply pipe 31, air in the internal space of housing 10 is pushed out through air filter Z in air vent section 18. As a result, the internal pressure of housing 10 is kept approximately constant. Also, some of the flush water W passing through water supply pipe 31 flows into first pipe 32a of pressure adjustment pipe 32, but because the flowing-in flush water W does not reach third pipe 32c, flush water W does not flow out from second pipe 32b.

[0034] As the level of flush water W inside the housing 10 rises, the housing 10 eventually becomes full of water, and as water supply continues, the flush water W flows into the air vent section 18 and comes into contact with the air filter Z, as shown in Figure 6. From this point on, the filtering resistance of the air filter Z increases rapidly, the pressure inside the housing 10 increases, and the level of flush water W inside the first pipe body 32a of the pressure adjustment pipe 32 rises further.

[0035] For more information, Figure 18As explained in [2], the filtering resistance of the air filter Z to the flush water W flowing into the air vent section 18 is greater than the airflow resistance. Furthermore, because the flush water W also contains dust, the filtering resistance of the air filter Z increases dramatically. Therefore, if the flush water W continues to be supplied, the internal pressure of the housing 10 increases, making it impossible to inject all of the flush water W passing through the water supply pipe 31 into the housing 10. As a result, the amount of flush water W flowing into the first pipe 32a increases, and the level of the flush water W in the first pipe 32a rises further. At this time, the pressure applied to the bottom surface (position n) of the air filter Z becomes equal to the head pressure corresponding to the height of the flush water W in the first pipe 32a. The head pressure is the pressure exerted by still water at a certain height on the bottom surface (unit: Pa [Pascal]). This head pressure also acts inside the housing 10, and the pressure inside the housing 10 increases by the amount of the head pressure.

[0036] More specifically, as shown in Figure 8, water pressure Q due to the gravity of the flush water W is inherently generated in each part within the housing 10. This water pressure Q depends on the water depth, and becomes larger as the water depth increases. Meanwhile, at position n, i.e., the underside of the air filter Z, a head pressure R corresponding to the height of the flush water W in the first tubular body 32a is applied. This head pressure R on the underside of the filter acts evenly on each part within the housing 10 according to Pascal's principle. Therefore, the pressure acting on each part within the housing 10 is the sum of the water pressure Q corresponding to the water depth and the head pressure R corresponding to the height of the flush water W in the first tubular body 32a.

[0037] After the level of flush water W in first pipe 32a rises further and reaches height H, as shown in Fig. 7, flush water W flows through third pipe 32c into second pipe 32b and is drained from the lower end opening of second pipe 32b. At this time, the head pressure of flush water W in first pipe 32a is a head pressure equivalent to height H, and if height H is, for example, 1 meter, the head pressure is approximately 10 kPa. Here, the height of flush water W does not exceed H, so the maximum value Rh of head pressure R (head pressure equivalent to height H) shown in Fig. 8 is 10 kPa or less (Rh≦10 kPa). In other words, the internal pressure of housing 10 is kept within the range obtained by adding a head pressure of 10 kPa to the original water pressure Q.

[0038] Therefore, even if a head pressure Rh equivalent to the height H is added to the pressure inside the housing 10, by selecting an appropriate value for the height H so that the pressure (Q+Rh) when the housing 10 is full of water is below the allowable limit, the pressure inside the housing 10 when full of water can be kept within a range that does not exceed the allowable limit.

[0039] Thus, according to the first embodiment, simply providing a simple means, namely, the pressure adjusting pipe 32, which is made up of only a pipe, can suppress an increase in internal pressure in the housing 10 due to the injection of flush water W. Furthermore, even if the pressure inside the housing 10 increases due to the addition of head pressure R from the flush water W in the first pipe 32a, this increase is limited by the height H of the first pipe 32a and does not exceed the head pressure Rh (maximum value) corresponding to the height H. For this reason, it is sufficient for the housing 10 to have a structure that can withstand a pressure increase of about 10 kPa, which is significantly lower than the water filtration resistance of the air filter Z, which is 50 to 100 kPa, as described above. Therefore, there is no risk of deformation of the housing 10 even if the housing 10 is not made with an unnecessarily strong pressure-resistant structure to increase its mechanical strength or sealing performance. Furthermore, there is no risk of flush water W leaking due to an increase in internal pressure during wet-down, so exposure can be adequately prevented with a normal pressure-resistant structure.

[0040] Furthermore, unlike a robust pressure-resistant structure, the ease of disassembly and cleaning is not compromised, making it easy to maintain and preventing the main body from becoming heavy. Furthermore, since the pressure adjustment means has no mechanical moving parts, there is no need to worry about wear or damage, and no replacement of parts is required. Furthermore, since it uses only physical force (head pressure) without relying on electrical control, it is extremely reliable, and since it does not require a power source, explosion-proof measures are also unnecessary.

[0041] In the water supply unit 200 of the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3(c), the pressure adjustment pipe 32 (first pipe body 32a in FIG. 4) extends downward from a branch point K where it branches off from the water supply pipe 31, and then extends upward to a predetermined position m in FIG. 4. The U-shaped curved portion of the pressure adjustment pipe 32 below the branch point K forms a water seal section J. The flushing water stored in this water seal section J can prevent contaminated air in the housing 10 from leaking into the atmosphere through the first pipe body 32a.

[0042] 9 to 12 show the wet down procedure in the dust collecting device 100. The wet down procedure is as follows: Figure 18 This is basically the same as in the case of

[0043] As shown in Figure 9, when cleaning water W is injected into the housing 10 from the injection pipe 17 in Figure 1, the cleaning water W flows into the internal space (primary space P) of the filter F. At this time, valve V2 of the exhaust pipe 16 and valve V1 (Figure 1) of the inlet pipe 12 are both closed. The flowing-in cleaning water W passes through the filter F and flows into the secondary space S, and also flows into the hopper 11, reaching the ceiling of the housing 10 as shown in Figure 10. Thereafter, the cleaning water W rises inside the communicating pipe 19 and reaches the position of the underside of the air filter Z as shown in Figure 11. This causes the housing 10 to become filled with water.

[0044] In the past, this full-water state was visually confirmed through a confirmation window (not shown), and water supply was stopped when it was confirmed to be full, but in the present invention, there is no need to directly visually confirm the full-water state. This is because, once flush water W reaches air filter Z as shown in Figure 11, the flush water W passes from first pipe 32a through third pipe 32c and is then drained from the lower end opening of second pipe 32b, as explained in Figure 7. In other words, by confirming this drainage, it is possible to know that housing 10 is full of water.

[0045] After it is confirmed that the hopper is full, the water supply is stopped, a valve (not shown) provided below the hopper 11 is opened, and the flush water W in the housing 10 is drained through the discharge pipe 13, as shown in FIG. Figure 18 As explained in the above, the cleaning water W contains dust particles, so the cleaning water W to be discharged is sent to a tank or the like through a drain pipe to prevent leakage to the outside.

[0046] This completes the wet-down process. The entire filter F, which was submerged in water, is now wetted by the wet-down process, so dust does not scatter when the granular filter medium 43 is discharged from the discharge pipe 13, preventing exposure. Furthermore, even if, for example, the dry granular filter medium 43 is safely discharged using a method such as that described in JP 2021-171746 A, cleaning water is supplied from the water supply unit 200 into the housing 10 to clean the inside of the housing 10, so dust does not scatter from within the wet housing 10, preventing exposure.

[0047] In the above-described embodiment, the height H of the first tube 32a may be freely adjustable. For example, the first tube 32a may be composed of two tubes, one of which is slidable relative to the other. Alternatively, the first tube 32a may be made of a flexible material, thereby allowing the height H to be freely adjusted. The second tube 32b and the third tube 32c may also be made of a similarly flexible material.

[0048] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the first pipe 32a may be transparent. In this case, the liquid level of the flush water W that has flowed into the first pipe 32a can be visually confirmed, making it easy to grasp the pressure state inside the housing 10. The second pipe 32b and the third pipe 32c may also be transparent.

[0049] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, if the pipe diameter of first pipe 32a is smaller than the pipe diameter of water supply pipe 31, resistance to flush water W flowing into first pipe 32a increases, hindering the drainage of flush water W from second pipe 32b. There is also a risk that contaminated flush water W may be drawn out of housing 10 due to siphoning. Therefore, it is preferable that the pipe diameter of first pipe 32a is equal to or larger than the pipe diameter of water supply pipe 31. This allows flush water W to be drained smoothly and prevents contaminated water from flowing back out of housing 10. It is also preferable that the pipe diameters of second pipe 32b and third pipe 32c are equal to or larger than the pipe diameter of water supply pipe 31.

[0050] FIG. 13 shows a water supply system B according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In this water supply system B, the dust collecting device 100 is the same as in the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted (see below). Third embodiment The same applies to the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the water supply device 300 is different from that in the first embodiment.

[0051] The water supply device 300 includes a water supply pipe 31, a communication pipe 61, and a relief valve 62. The communication pipe 61 branches off midway through the water supply pipe 31 and is connected to the relief valve 62. The communication pipe 61 and the relief valve 62 are an example of the "pressure adjusting means" of the present invention.

[0052] As shown in Figure 14, when flush water W is poured into housing 10 through water supply pipe 31 and water supply is continued after housing 10 is filled with water, the flush water W comes into contact with air filter Z in air vent section 18, just as in the first embodiment. From this point on, flush water W passing through water supply pipe 31 flows into communicating pipe 61, and relief valve 62 opens in accordance with the pressure of the flush water W. As a result, the flush water W that has flowed into communicating pipe 61 is drained from the opening of relief valve 62, and the pressure inside housing 10 is regulated by the pressure setting of relief valve 62.

[0053] Figure 15 shows a water supply system C according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The water supply device 400 according to the third embodiment comprises a water supply pipe 31 and a pressure reducing valve 71 provided midway along the water supply pipe 31. The pressure reducing valve 71 is an example of the "pressure adjusting means" according to the present invention.

[0054] In the third embodiment, when flush water W is injected into the housing 10 through the water supply pipe 31, the pressure of the flush water W is kept below a certain value by the pressure reducing valve 71, which acts as a regulator. For this reason, as shown in Figure 16, even after the flush water W comes into contact with the air filter Z of the air vent section 18, the pressure inside the housing 10 is regulated by the pressure set value of the pressure reducing valve 71.

[0059] Figure 17 1 shows another example of a dust collecting device to which the present invention is applied. Figure 17 , dust collecting device 50 includes housing 51, filter F, inlet pipe 52, exhaust pipe 53, and injection pipe 54. Filter F is, for example, a cylindrical HEPA filter equipped with pleated filter material U, but may also be a rectangular HEPA filter equipped with folded filter material. Dust-laden airflow X introduced through inlet pipe 12 flows from primary space P of filter F through filter material U into secondary space S, and becomes clean airflow Y, which is exhausted from exhaust pipe 53.

[0060] The injection pipe 54 is connected to the discharge port 31g (FIG. 3) of the water supply unit 200 described above by a hose or the like. When wet-down is performed, cleaning water is injected through the injection pipe 54 to fill the primary space P of the HEPA filter F with the cleaning water, and then the cleaning water is drained through the inlet pipe 52. Even when such a dust collector 50 is used, the various pressure adjustment means described above can be added to the water supply unit 200 and the injection pipe 54.

[0061] In addition to the above-described embodiment, the present invention can employ various other embodiments as follows.

[0062] 4, the pressure adjustment tube 32 is shown as an example of the pressure adjustment means, which is composed of the first tube 32a, the second tube 32b, and the third tube 32c, but the second tube 32b and the third tube 32c may be omitted and the pressure adjustment tube may be composed of only the first tube 32a. Alternatively, the second tube 32b may be omitted and the pressure adjustment tube may be composed of the first tube 32a and the third tube 32c.

[0063] 1 shows an example in which the dust collecting device 100 includes a main body 1 and a support base 2, but the dust collecting device 100 may be composed of only the main body 1. Also, in FIG. 1, only the dust collecting device 100 is mounted on the support base 2, but the dust collecting device 100 may be mounted next to other devices.

[0064] When wet-down of the dust collecting apparatus 100 is performed using the water supply unit 200, wet-down may be performed only on the filter F, or only for cleaning the inside of the housing 10. Wet-down may also be performed on both the filter F and the housing 10. In other words, the water supply unit 200 may be used to wet the dust-adhered surfaces inside the housing 10. Furthermore, the cleaning water W used in wet-down is not limited to water, but may also be warm water, an organic solvent, an acid or alkaline solution, or the like.

[0065] In the water supply system of the present invention, a pressure adjustment means may be provided on the water supply unit 200 side, or on the dust collecting device 100 side. For example, a water supply pipe (not shown) extending upward may be provided in the housing 10 of the dust collecting device 100, and a water supply tank (not shown) may be provided at the upper end of this water supply pipe, so that the liquid level of the cleaning water in the water supply tank is at position m shown in FIG. 4.

[0066] In Figure 3(c), an example is shown in which a water sealing section J consisting of a U-shaped curved section is provided in pressure adjustment pipe 32, but the water sealing section may also be provided in a water supply path including water supply pipe 31. For example, a U-shaped curved section may be provided in the water supply path between injection port 21 of injection pipe 17 shown in Figure 1 and branch point K in Figure 3(c), and this section may be used as the water sealing section. Furthermore, the water sealing section is not limited to a U-shaped curved section, and may also be a J-shaped or W-shaped curved section.

[0067] The present invention is not limited to dust collectors equipped with filters containing granular filter material 43 or HEPA filters, but can also be applied to systems that supply water to dust collectors equipped with ULPA filters (Ultra Low Penetration Air Filters) or bag-shaped bag filters. [Industrial Applicability]

[0068] The present invention is particularly useful in places where it is necessary to take every possible measure to prevent exposure, such as pharmaceutical factories and agricultural chemical factories that handle highly pharmacologically active substances. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 10. Housing 31 Water supply pipe 32 Pressure adjustment pipe 32a First pipe 32b Second body 32c Third body 62 Relief valve 71 Pressure reducing valve 81 Valve 82 Pressure Sensor 83 Control circuit 91 Valve 92 Level Sensor 93 Control circuit 100 Dust collector 200 Water Supply Unit A~E Water supply system F Filter H Height of first pipe J Water sealing section K Branch point m Predetermined position n Air filter bottom position Q Water pressure in the housing R head pressure W Cleaning water Z Air Filter

Claims

1. A water supply unit for a dust collector that supplies cleaning water to the dust collector having a housing in which a filter is housed, a water supply pipe for supplying the cleaning water; a pressure adjusting means for adjusting the pressure inside the housing so as not to exceed a certain value when cleaning water is supplied from the water supply pipe into the housing to wet the dust-adhered surface inside the housing, the pressure adjusting means has a first pipe branching off from the water supply pipe midway and extending upward to a predetermined position higher than the dust collecting device, A water supply unit characterized in that the height of the first pipe body is selected to be such that the pressure inside the housing when full of water, when combined with the head pressure of the cleaning water inside the first pipe body, is below the allowable limit value.

2. 2. The water supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the reference position for the height of the first pipe is the lower end position of an air filter provided in an air vent portion provided in the housing.

3. 3. The water supply unit according to claim 1, further comprising a second pipe that is connected to the first pipe, extends downward, and has an open tip.

4. The water supply unit according to claim 3, further comprising a third pipe extending horizontally in communication with an upper portion of the first pipe and in communication with an upper portion of the second pipe.

5. 5. The water supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the height of the first pipe is adjustable.

6. 6. The water supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the first pipe is flexible.

7. 7. The water supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the first pipe is transparent.

8. 8. The water supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the first pipe body is equal to or greater than the diameter of the water supply pipe.

9. the first pipe extends downward from a branching point where it branches off from the water supply pipe, and then extends upward to the predetermined position; A water supply unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the curved portion of the first pipe body below the branching point forms a water sealing portion that prevents contaminated air in the housing from leaking into the atmosphere through the first pipe body.

10. A water supply unit for a dust collector that supplies cleaning water to the dust collector having a housing in which a filter is housed, a water supply pipe for supplying the cleaning water; a pressure adjusting means for adjusting the pressure inside the housing so as not to exceed a certain value when cleaning water is supplied from the water supply pipe into the housing to wet the dust-adhered surface inside the housing, The pressure adjusting means has a relief valve or a pressure reducing valve provided midway along the water supply pipe, A water supply unit, characterized in that the pressure inside the housing is regulated by a pressure setting value of the relief valve or the pressure reducing valve.

11. a dust collecting device having a housing in which a filter is housed; a water supply unit having a water supply pipe for supplying cleaning water to the dust collecting device; A water supply system comprising: a pressure adjusting means for adjusting the pressure inside the housing so that it does not exceed a certain value when cleaning water is supplied from the water supply pipe into the housing to wet the dust-adhered surface inside the housing, the pressure adjusting means has a first pipe branching off from the water supply pipe midway and extending upward to a predetermined position higher than the dust collecting device, A water supply system characterized in that the height of the first pipe is selected to be such that the pressure inside the housing when full of water, when combined with the head pressure of the cleaning water inside the first pipe, is below the allowable limit value.

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