Liquid treatment device and liquid treatment method

Abstract

To supply safe liquid over a long period.SOLUTION: A liquid treatment apparatus includes a water filter group 15 and an ozone generator 52. The water filter group 15 permeates and filters water W0 pumped from a bottom tank 13, and thereby purifies and outputs the water. The ozone generator 52 is arranged at a front stage (flow channel of water W0 just before filter surface with which water first entering into water filter Fb comes in contact) of the water filter group 15, and sterilizes and purifies the water W0 by ozone generated in the water W0 flowing in the flow channel.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid treatment device and a liquid treatment method. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, there have been technologies for producing drinking water using water obtained by cooling air or input raw water (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2008-519189 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the technology of Patent Document 1, despite being equipped with a high-performance filter, liquids such as drinking water deteriorate over time (evolving unpleasant odors and foreign matter), and the current situation is that it is not possible to supply safe liquids over the long term.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to make it possible to supply safe liquid for a long period of time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a liquid treatment device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a permeation purification means for passing a liquid to be purified through the permeation purification means and outputting the purified liquid; a pre-stage purification means arranged in a stage preceding the permeation purification means and purifying the liquid of the purification object by a predetermined method; Equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, safe liquid can be supplied for a long period of time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a liquid treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention and a processing flow. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the external configuration of a portion of the liquid treatment device in FIG. 1 into which liquid is directly input from outside the device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the mechanism of water purification on the piping (flow path) of the liquid treatment device of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the problem of water purification using a general high-performance filter and a mechanism for solving the problem, in order to explain the mechanism of water purification in the liquid treatment device of FIG. [Figure 5] 2 is a diagram showing details of the water purification process in the top tank of the liquid treatment device of FIG. 1. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a liquid treatment device according to one embodiment of the present invention and an example of the processing flow. In FIG. 1, except for those marked with symbols such as arrow Y and air A, the directions of the arrows indicate the directions in which water W and liquid L flow. Furthermore, in this specification, expressions indicating "above," such as "upper" and "upward," refer to directions away from the installation surface of the liquid treatment device 1 (the direction of arrow Y in FIG. 1). Furthermore, expressions indicating "below," such as "lower" and "directly below," refer to directions approaching the installation surface of the liquid treatment device 1.

[0010] (Basic configuration) A liquid treatment device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention generates water W by cooling and condensing air A taken in from the outside, and can produce drinking water by subjecting the generated water W to multiple purification processes. Furthermore, the liquid treatment device 1 can also produce drinking water by subjecting liquid L taken in from the outside to a number of purification processes.

[0011] (Specific configuration) Liquid treatment device 1 is configured to include an air filter 11, a water generation unit 12, a bottom tank 13, multiple pumps 14a to 14c, a water filter group 15, a top tank 16, multiple SOL valves 17a to 17c, a spout 18, sterilization units 19, 133, 163, a hot tank 20, a liquid input unit 31, a pressure switch 32, ozone generators 51 to 53, a nanobubble generator 60, and internal piping (flow paths) connecting each of them. The vertical positions of these components, from the air filter 11 to the pressure switch 32, are as shown in Figure 1. Specifically, for example, the bottom tank 13 is located at the bottom, above which the water generating section 12 and hot tank 20 are located in that order, and above that, i.e., at the top, the top tank 16 is located.

[0012] Air filter 11 is a filter that filters air A taken into liquid treatment device 1 from the outside. Air fan 122 is a blower with multiple blades, and takes in air A from outside liquid treatment device 1 through multiple openings provided in the housing. Relatively large foreign matter such as dust and dirt contained in air A is removed by filtering air A through air filter 11.

[0013] The water generating unit 12 generates water WJ from air A filtered by the air filter 11. Here, foreign matter is removed from the raw water, but dissolved fine particles and the like are not removed. Here, there is no particular limitation on the specific method by which the water generating unit 12 generates the water WJ from the air A. In this embodiment, the air A input into the liquid treatment device 1 through the air filter 11 by the air fan 122 is cooled by the water generator 121 to condense the air, thereby generating the water WJ. The water generator 121 is connected to a heat pump (not shown), which compresses the air in the cylinder, cools the temperature rise caused by the compression with outside air, and then returns the air to normal pressure while passing it through the air path, which is a serpentine pipe that winds up and down, thereby cooling the air path. Air A taken in by air fan 122 is cooled by coming into contact with the outside of this cooled air path, and condensation occurs on the surface of the air path. Because the air path meanders up and down, condensation occurs on the entire surface of the air path, but water droplets accumulate along the surface of the air path at the bottom of the air path. The surfaces of the air paths join just above the opening 131 of the bottom tank 13, which will be described later, and the water droplets that condense on the surfaces flow along the joining flow to the opening 131 of the bottom tank 13 and turn into drops. The drops then gather together to become water WJ and fall into the bottom tank 13.

[0014] The air A taken in by the air fan 122 travels through a closed path from the opening through the air filter 11 and the water generator 121 to be discharged, and the wind speed within the path is what is called a gentle breeze. If a large amount of outside air is introduced into the interior, the amount of water vapor inside also increases, but if the amount of air introduced into the closed path is increased, the wind speed inside increases. If the wind speed inside is too fast, water droplets will be blown away as they fall, increasing the probability that they will not fall into the bottom tank 13. As a result, when water droplets are collected by re-condensing them, they may be discarded before being sufficiently cooled, or the amount of water evaporation due to the blown air may increase. For this reason, it is preferable to keep the wind speed within the above-mentioned range.

[0015] Bottom tank 13 is a tank for storing water W0 as the object to be purified, and is disposed at the lowest part of liquid treatment device 1, directly below water production unit 12. Bottom tank 13 is provided with opening 131, float switch 132, purification means within the storage means (sterilization unit 133, ozone generator 51, water filter Fa), and inlet / outlet 134. The bottom tank 13 stores at least one of the water WJ generated by the water generating unit 12 and a liquid L, such as tap water, input by control of the SOL valve 17c and the pressure switch 32 as water WO. The ozone generator 51 is disposed in a position where ozone can be added to the water WO in the bottom tank 13. Typically, it is disposed on the inner wall of the bottom tank, in a position where it is normally submerged. Alternatively, the ozone generator may be disposed in an opening at the top of the bottom tank 13 so that ozone can be added to the water WJ dripping from the water generator 121. In this case, the dripping water WJ may be received by a funnel, and the ozone generator may be disposed at the bottom of the funnel so that ozone is added as the dripped water WJ passes through. Submerging the ozone generator inside the bottom tank 13 ensures reliable operation and allows it to operate continuously while the bottom tank 13 is filled with water WO. On the other hand, if an ozone generator 51 is installed at the bottom end of the funnel, ozone is added to the dripping water WJ, and some of the ozone will diffuse into the air in the bottom tank 13, which can be expected to purify the air as well.

[0016] The opening 131 is an opening provided in the upper part of the bottom tank 13. Drops (water WJ) falling from the water generating part 12 pass through the opening 131 and are stored in the bottom tank 13.

[0017] The float switch 132 is a measuring device provided inside the bottom tank 13 for measuring the depth of the stored water W0. When the depth of the water W0 exceeds a preset value that is a predetermined amount less than the total capacity of the bottom tank 13, for example, 80% of the total capacity of the bottom tank 13, a capacity limit signal is output. While the signal is being output, at least one of the air fan 122 and the water generator 121 is stopped, thereby preventing water from overflowing from the bottom tank 13. In this embodiment, the air fan 122 is stopped in response to the capacity limit signal, but the water generator 121 is not stopped. This is because once the water generator 121 is stopped, it takes time for it to cool down again so that condensation can occur. That is, when the air fan 122 is stopped, no new high-humidity outside air (air A) is introduced, so the rate at which new water W is produced can be significantly reduced without stopping the water generator 121. Furthermore, even if the water generator 121 is stopped, condensation from the taken-in air A will progress until the temperature returns to normal from the cooled state, so it is preferable to stop the production of water at a preset value that is less than the total capacity of the bottom tank 13.

[0018] The sterilization unit 133 and the ozone generator 51 sterilize the water W0 stored in the bottom tank 13. In this embodiment, the sterilization unit 133 is a UV (UltraViolet) sterilization unit that sterilizes by irradiating ultraviolet rays, and the provided UV (ultraviolet) lamp sterilizes the water W0. The UV lamp sterilizes by irradiating ultraviolet rays of a predetermined wavelength (for example, ultraviolet rays in the UVC (wavelength 200-280 nm) region, such as 275 nm), and is therefore effective in killing fungi, but targets that should be removed, such as fine particles, germs, and bacteria mixed in the water W0, are not completely removed by this UV sterilization alone.

[0019] For this reason, in this embodiment, an ozone generator 51 is arranged in the bottom tank 13, separate from the sterilization unit 133, as a purification means for purifying the object to be purified that purifies the water W0 stored in the bottom tank 13. The ozone generator 51 purifies the water W0 stored in the bottom tank 13. Specifically, the ozone generator 51 generates ozone in the water in the tank to produce ozone water, which sterilizes bacteria, germs (germs), impurities, etc. contained in the water W0. As a result, bacteria and germs (germs) are killed upstream of the filter group 15, and the filter group 15 is supplied with sterilizing water W0, making it possible to keep the filter group 15 clean, even down to the fine structure inside. The ozone generator 51 has a diamond electrode. The diamond electrode is an electrode that generates ozone. By passing electricity through this diamond electrode and bringing it into contact with water, the generated ozone can be dissolved in the water. Unlike other electrodes such as platinum electrodes, diamond electrodes do not emit harmful substances, so they can generate ozone suitable for purifying water for drinking. Furthermore, even if ozone is dissolved in water, it desorbs within about 30 minutes, so it does not harm the human body. The ozone generator 51 using diamond electrodes consumes low power and can generate ozone even with a power supply of about 1 W. Therefore, in the event of a disaster, it can be operated sufficiently with a smartphone battery or a solar battery, and the water filter group 15 can be kept clean even in an emergency when electricity is lost. This allows the liquid treatment device 1 to operate as a drinking water supply when power infrastructure or the like is lost.

[0020] Furthermore, while the water filter group 15 described below removes fine particles, including bacteria, water W0 may remain in the bottom tank 13 for a certain period of time or longer. Therefore, it is important to prevent bacteria from multiplying during this period. The water filter group 15 removes impurities by filtering them when water is dropped into the bottom tank 13, but the filtered residue remains inside the filter group 15. The inventors have experimentally determined that if bacteria remain in this residue, bacteria filtered out by the filter group 15 may multiply on the spot, resulting in a decrease in filter function and even filter destruction. In this embodiment, bacteria are sterilized upstream of the filter group 15, making such problems less likely to occur. Furthermore, because the water W0 itself, which is the target of filtration, is given a sterilizing effect by adding ozone, the interior of the filter group 15 can be continuously purified each time the water W0 passes through the filter group 15. This extends the life of the filters constituting the water filter group 15. It is desirable that the ultraviolet light from the UV lamp be irradiated inside the bottom tank 13 so as to avoid creating shadows as much as possible. In this embodiment, the UV lamp is installed inside the bottom tank 13, near the bottom surface, and at a position away from the float switch 132. The float switch 132 is installed by being suspended from the ceiling of the bottom tank 13. For this reason, it is desirable to install the UV lamp in a position that minimizes the shadow of the float switch 132.

[0021] The inlet / outlet 134 is an opening for outputting the water W0 stored in the bottom tank 13 toward the top tank 16. The inlet / outlet 134 is also an opening for inputting the liquid L input from a liquid input portion 31, which will be described later with reference to FIG. 2, into the bottom tank 13.

[0022] The water filter Fa (fixed filter) is a filter that filters the water W0 output from the bottom tank 13 by passing it through. The water filter Fa also filters the liquid L input from a liquid input unit 31 (described later) and then drips (inputs) it into the bottom tank 13. In other words, the liquid L from outside the device is filtered by the water filter Fa and then stored in the bottom tank 13.

[0023] Pumps 14a to 14c are pumps that generate the flows of water L, W0, and W inside liquid treatment device 1, respectively. The pump 14a outputs the water W0 from the top tank 16, passes the water W0 through the water filter group 15, and inputs the liquid L (tap water or the like) to be purified into the bottom tank 13. Specifically, the pump 14a is a pump for pumping the water W0 stored in the bottom tank 13 up to the top tank 16, which will be described later. Specifically, the pump 14a sucks up the water W0 to be purified stored in the bottom tank 13 through the water filter Fa, passes it through a water filter group 15, which will be described later, and then inputs it into the top tank 16. In other words, the pumping, which requires a strong force, and the passing of the water through the water filter group 15 are achieved by the same pump (pump 14a). Therefore, it is desirable to use pump 14a with a larger total head than the other pumps 14b and 14c. Also, since there is little need to pump water at a speed faster than the speed at which the water generator 121 generates water W through condensation, the discharge rate of pump 14a may be the same as or lower than the other pumps 14b and 14c. Furthermore, since the water W0 must be filtered to a high degree of purity by passing it through the water filter group 15, the pump 14a is required to operate continuously for a long period of time. For this reason, the pump 14a is preferably one that has higher power efficiency than the pumps 14b and 14c. In other words, the pump 14a can pump a large amount of water per unit of power, is quiet, and produces little operating noise.

[0024] The pump 14b is a pump for outputting water W from a top tank 16 (to be described later) to a spout 18 (to be described later) or for returning the water W to the top tank 16 again. Specifically, when SOL valve 17a opens, pump 14b starts operating in conjunction with this. When pump 14b starts operating, water W is output from top tank 16, sterilized by sterilization unit 19, and then becomes ready to be output from spout 18. When SOL valve 17a closes, pump 14b stops operating in conjunction with this.

[0025] Here, in this liquid treatment device 1, a circulation path R (see FIG. 3) is formed for returning a part of the water W stored in the top tank 16 to the top tank 16 via the ozone generator 53. Specifically, the pump 14b operates when a predetermined time has elapsed since the SOL valve 17a was last opened and closed, and returns the water W in the piping to the top tank 16 via the circulation path R including the ozone generator 53. This prevents the water W that has accumulated in the piping from being output from the spout 18 at a temperature that has been changed by the ambient temperature. For example, when a user attempts to output cold water from the spout 18 during the hot summer months, it is possible to prevent the water W that has accumulated in the piping and has become warmed from being output. The pump 14c is a pump for outputting water W from a hot tank 20 (described later) and sending it to a spout 18 (described later). Pumps 14b and 14c are operated when a user obtains drinking water W, so the discharge volume is more important than the total head. Also, because the time for obtaining water W is limited, pumps 14b and 14c can be inexpensive pumps that generate more heat than pump 14a. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between pumps 14a to 14c, they will be collectively referred to as "pump 14."

[0026] The water filter group 15 is a permeation / purification means that purifies and outputs water W by passing it through and filtering it. The water filter group 15 is configured so that a plurality of filters are stacked one on top of the other. Here, the filter configuration of the water filter group 15 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the water filter group 15 is composed of five water filters Fb to Ff. Specifically, water filters Fb to Fd are prefilters made of carbon filters, water filter Fe is a main filter made of an RO filter (reverse osmosis membrane filter), and water filter Ff is a mineral-adding filter made of a PCR filter. While the pore diameter of activated carbon filters used in typical water purifiers is approximately 1 micrometer, the diameter of RO filters is approximately 0.0001 micrometers, allowing water to pass through ultrafine pores for filtration. Therefore, for example, when raw water is passed through an RO filter, harmful substances and impurities are removed and only water molecules are output.

[0027] The three pre-filters (water filters Fb to Fd) in the water filter group 15 adsorb and remove substances on the order of 0.1 micrometers in size, such as organic substances like trihalomethanes. The main filter, water filter Fe (RO filter), has ultra-fine pores measuring 0.0001 micrometers, and removes viruses and most airborne radioactive substances, such as radioactive cesium and radioactive iodine, which are several nanometers in size. Because the main filter passes through ultra-fine pores, it is prone to clogging. Therefore, passing water through multiple pre-filters can extend the effective life of the main filter. Water that passes through the main filter is purified to a level that can be called almost pure water, but humans do not perceive pure water as tasty. The mineral-adding filter Ff (water filter Ff) supplements the nearly pure water with minerals beneficial to the human body.

[0028] In the piping from the bottom tank 13 to the water filter group 15, the ozone generator 52, the nanobubble generator 60, and the water filter group 15 are arranged in this order along the direction in which the water W0 flows. In this embodiment, the ozone generator 52 is disposed upstream of the water filter group 15, including, for example, the water contact surface of the water filter Fb (first filter) of the water filter group 15 and the upstream water piping. The ozone generator 52 purifies the water W0 by a predetermined method of generating ozone (for example, ozone sterilization). Specifically, the ozone generator 52 is a upstream purification means that purifies the water to be purified by a predetermined method, for example, sterilization using ozone released into the water. The water W output from the bottom tank 13 is sterilized and purified in the ozone generator 52 and the nanobubble generator 60 in that order, and is further filtered in the water filters Fb to Ff in that order.

[0029] The nanobubble generator 60 is a bubble generator that purifies the water to be purified by generating ultra-fine bubbles with diameters smaller than microbubbles. In this example, the bubble generator used was a nanobubble generator 60 that generates nanobubbles (ultrafine bubbles). Here, nanobubbles are bubbles with a diameter of less than 1000 nm (= 1 μm), which do not float in water but remain in water for long periods of time, such as several months, while undergoing irregular movement known as Brownian motion. Nanobubbles have a stronger cleaning power than microbubbles and have bactericidal and antibacterial properties. Ultrafine bubbles generate active oxygen the moment they condense and collapse. Active oxygen is non-remaining and does not produce harmful substances such as trihalomethanes, making it a safe sterilization method. Using ozone as the gas injected into the nanobubble generator 60 can further improve sterilization performance. In terms of cleaning water and biofilms, the bubble generator may generate fine bubbles (microbubbles) in addition to ultrafine bubbles, and any means capable of generating at least microbubbles by a predetermined method will suffice.

[0030] Top tank 16 is a tank for storing and cooling water W that has passed through water filter group 15. Top tank 16 is disposed at the top of liquid treatment device 1. The top tank 16 is provided with a cooling section 161, a float switch 162, a sterilizing section 163, a water temperature sensor 164, water inlets 165 and 166, and water outlets 167 to 169. The top tank 16 stores the water W output from the water filter group 15, and is divided into a layer 16a (first layer) of the stored water W and a layer 16b (second layer) of air. The ozone generator 53 and the circulation path R are a sterilizing air inflow means that generates ozone Z (air having sterilizing power) and flows into the air layer 16b of the top tank 16. During circulation, the ozone generator 53 also serves as a return water purification means that purifies the return water.

[0031] The cooling unit 161 cools the water W in the top tank 16. Here, the specific method by which the cooling unit 161 cools the water W is not particularly limited, but as an example, cooling is performed using a Peltier element or the like.

[0032] The float switch 162 is a measuring instrument provided inside the top tank 16 for measuring the depth of the stored water W.

[0033] The top tank 16 is equipped with glass coated with titanium dioxide and a sterilization unit 163. The sterilization unit 163 is a purifying means within the storage means that sterilizes the water W stored in the top tank 16, and is equipped with a UV lamp that has a sterilizing effect. The UV lamp uses an LED (Light Emitting Diode) that emits ultraviolet light of a predetermined wavelength, such as in the UVC region. That is, the sterilization unit 163 sterilizes the inside of the top tank 16 with the UV lamp, similar to the sterilization unit 133 described above. The water W introduced into the top tank 16 is UV sterilized in the bottom tank 13 and then filtered through the water filter group 15. Moreover, since the water inside is cold, the rate at which bacteria grow is not high. However, in this embodiment, additional sterilization is performed by irradiating the inside of the top tank 16 with ultraviolet light. The capacity of the top tank 16 is determined by calculating the amount of water used by the user in a day. In this embodiment, water is generated by condensation in the water generator 121, so there is an upper limit to the generation rate. Therefore, it is desirable to continue generating water even at times when the frequency of use by users is low, such as at night, so that the total amount used by users per day equals the total amount generated. Furthermore, it is not desirable to store water W in the bottom tank 13 and the top tank 16 in an amount that significantly exceeds the amount used by the user. This is because it is preferable to be able to provide fresh water even if multiple sterilization processes have been performed. Therefore, in this embodiment, assuming use in a household with four family members, the capacity of the top tank 16 is set to, for example, ____ x 4 = ____ liters.

[0034] The water temperature sensor 164 is a sensor that measures the temperature of the water W stored in the top tank 16.

[0035] The water inlet 165 is provided on the top of the top tank 16 and is an inlet for inputting the water W filtered by the water filter group 15 into the top tank 16.

[0036] The water inlet 166 is provided on the top of the top tank 16 and is an inlet for inputting water W discharged from a water outlet 167 (described later) back into the top tank 16.

[0037] The water outlet 167 is provided at the bottom of the top tank 16, and is an opening for discharging water W that has been sufficiently cooled in the top tank 16 toward the spout 18 or the water inlet 166 described below. The circulation path R is a flow path consisting of piping to which the water outlet 167, pump 14b, sterilization section 19, SOL valve 17a, ozone generator 53, water inlet 166, etc. are connected, and the water W remaining in the piping between these sections is returned together with a portion of the water W stored in the top tank 16.

[0038] The water outlet 168 is an outlet provided at the top of the top tank 16. The water outlet 168 is an outlet for discharging water W that has not yet been sufficiently cooled in the top tank 16 toward the hot tank 20, which will be described later.

[0039] The water outlet 169 is an outlet provided at the bottom of the top tank 16. The water outlet 169 is an outlet for discharging the water W that has been sufficiently cooled in the top tank 16 toward the hot tank 20, which will be described later.

[0040] The SOL valves 17a to 17c are solenoid valves whose opening and closing is controlled by passing a current through an electromagnet (solenoid). SOL valve 17a is provided between pump 14b and spout 18, which will be described later, and when SOL valve 17a opens, pump 14b starts operating in conjunction with this. Then, water W is output from top tank 16, sterilized by sterilization unit 19, and becomes ready to be output from spout 18. When SOL valve 17a closes, pump 14b stops operating in conjunction with this. The SOL valve 17b is provided between the pump 14c and the spout 18 described later. When the SOL valve 17b opens, the pump 14c starts operating in conjunction with this, and when the SOL valve 17b closes, the pump 14c stops operating in conjunction with this. The SOL valve 17c will be described later with reference to FIG. In the following description, when there is no need to distinguish between the SOL valves 17a to 17c, they will be collectively referred to as "SOL valves 17."

[0041] Spout 18 is a faucet for outputting water W cooled in top tank 16 and water W heated in hot tank 20 (described later) as drinking water from liquid treatment device 1 to the outside. Spout 18 is equipped with an electromagnetic or mechanical user switch or cock (not shown), and when the user operates this, either SOL valve 17a or 17b opens, and either corresponding pump 14b or 14c operates.

[0042] The sterilization unit 19 sterilizes the water W cooled in the top tank 16 and output. Here, the specific method by which the sterilization unit 19 sterilizes the water W is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, a UV (ultraviolet) lamp provided in the sterilization unit 19 sterilizes the water W. The sterilization unit 19 is provided immediately before the SOL valve 17a in the cold water flow path, and irradiates ultraviolet rays toward the inside of the cold water flow path. Because a sterilization unit 163 that irradiates ultraviolet rays into the tank is provided inside the top tank 16, it can be considered that the sterilization unit 19 is not necessary in the flow path. However, in this embodiment, in consideration of the possibility that cold water may remain in the cold water flow path for a certain period of time after the SOL valve 17a is closed, the sterilization unit 19 is provided to further enhance safety. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when a certain time has elapsed since the spout 18 was closed, the pump 14b is operated while the SOL valve 17a is still closed. This causes the cold water stagnating inside the flow path to return to the top tank 16 through the water inlet 166. This is because cold water stagnating in the sterilization unit 19 and the SOL valve 17a may become contaminated with bacteria over a long period of time, so the water is returned to the top tank 16 equipped with the sterilization unit 163 and the ozone generator 53 to be sterilized again. Note that the cold water stagnating between the water outlet 167 and the pump 14b is finally sterilized in the sterilization unit 19 before use.

[0043] The hot tank 20 is a tank for storing and heating the water W output from the top tank 16. The hot tank 20 is provided with a heating section 201, water inlets 202 and 203, and water outlets 204 and 205. The heating unit 201 heats the water W in the hot tank 20. The specific method by which the heating unit 201 heats the water W is not particularly limited, and for example, heating may be performed using an electric heating wire. The water inlet 202 is provided at the top of the hot tank 20 and is an inlet for inputting the water W discharged from the water outlet 168 of the top tank 16 into the hot tank 20. Here, since the water outlet 168 is an inlet provided at the top of the top tank 16, it outputs relatively warm water W that has not yet been cooled by the cooling section 161. Therefore, the water W input from the water inlet 202 can be heated efficiently in a short time. The water inlet 203 is provided at the bottom of the hot tank 20 and is an inlet for inputting the water W discharged from the water outlet 169 of the top tank 16 into the hot tank 20. The water outlet 204 is provided at the top of the hot tank 20 and is an outlet for discharging the water W that has been sufficiently heated in the hot tank 20 toward the spout 18. Water outlet 205 is a water draining port provided at the bottom of hot tank 20. Water W output from water outlet 205 is output to the outside of liquid treatment device 1 via water draining section 41.

[0044] Here, no ultraviolet ray sterilization unit is provided inside the hot tank 20, and the water W output from the water outlet 204 toward the spout 18 is not returned to the top tank 16. Furthermore, no sterilization unit is provided immediately before the SOL valve 17b. This is because the hot tank 20 stores sufficiently heated hot water, and the heating unit 201 functions as a sterilization unit that replaces UV irradiation. Furthermore, the small amount of hot water remaining in the flow path is originally sterilized. When a user opens the spout 18 to use hot water, a sufficiently larger amount of sufficiently heated hot water is added to the very small amount of remaining water. Even if bacteria have developed in the remaining water, the added hot water sterilizes it. Therefore, even if the UV irradiation and return mechanisms are reduced, performance is not effectively reduced, and productivity is further improved.

[0045] Next, referring to Figure 2, in the liquid treatment device 1 of the embodiment, a method will be described in which, in addition to purifying water WJ generated from air A to produce drinking water, liquid L from outside the device is purified and output as drinking water.

[0046] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the external configuration of a portion of the liquid treatment device shown in FIG. 1 into which liquid is directly input from outside the device. 2 indicates the upward direction of the liquid treatment device 1, and indicates the same direction as the arrow Y in FIG. 1, which also indicates the upward direction of the liquid treatment device 1.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid treatment device 1 can input the liquid L using two methods. Specifically, as a first technique (first method) for inputting liquid L into liquid treatment device 1, liquid L can be input from liquid input section 31. Liquid input section 31 is a water inlet for inputting liquid L into liquid treatment device 1 from outside in an emergency, etc. Note that while FIG. 2 depicts liquid input section 31 in a closed state, liquid L can be input from outside (for example, waterworks) by opening liquid input section 31 and connecting a hose or pipe (not shown).

[0048] When the liquid L is input from the liquid input portion 31, if the water pressure of the liquid L input from the liquid input portion 31 reaches or exceeds a certain level, the pressure switch 32 detects this. When the pressure switch 32 detects that the water pressure is above a certain level, the SOL valve 17c is opened and the liquid L from the liquid input portion 31 is input into the bottom tank 13. The liquid L input into the bottom tank 13 is stored in a mixed state with the water WJ generated by the water generator 12. Here, the mixture of water WJ and liquid L stored in bottom tank 13 is a different substance from water W, but is treated the same as water WO as a target for treatment in liquid treatment device 1. That is, when the mixture of water WJ and liquid L is output from bottom tank 13, it becomes a target for treatment in steps S1 to S8, which will be described later, and can be output as drinking water from spout 18. For this reason, hereinafter, for the sake of convenience, the water stored in bottom tank 13 will also be described as a target for treatment or water WO.

[0049] In addition, the liquid L input from the liquid input section 31 can be input directly to the water filter group 15 by the pump 14a without being input to the bottom tank 13 while water pressure exceeding a predetermined threshold is applied.

[0050] 1, the inlet / outlet 134, which serves as a water inlet for inputting liquid L into bottom tank 13, is the same as the inlet / outlet 134, which serves as a water outlet for outputting water WO from bottom tank 13. For this reason, in liquid treatment device 1, the following input / output control is performed for the liquid to be treated (for example, at least one of water WJ generated in water generation unit 12 and liquid L input from liquid input unit 31). That is, when the float switch 132 detects that the water level in the bottom tank 13 has exceeded a predetermined threshold (80% of the capacity of the bottom tank 13 in this embodiment), the SOL valve 17c is controlled to be forcibly closed regardless of the operation of the pressure switch 32. Then, the pump 14a described above controls the sucking up of the water WO, the permeation through the water filter group 15, and the input to the top tank 16. That is, by controlling the pump 14a and the SOL valve 17c to operate mutually exclusively, it is possible to prevent the water WO or the liquid L from flowing in an unintended direction. Specifically, the pump 14a does not operate when the water level in the bottom tank 13 does not reach a predetermined threshold and the SOL valve 17c is open because the water pressure of the liquid L exceeds the predetermined threshold. On the other hand, the pump 14a operates when the water level in the bottom tank 13 exceeds the predetermined threshold and the SOL valve 17c is closed because the water pressure of the liquid L does not reach the predetermined threshold. In this first method, the liquid L taken in from outside the device is assumed to be water that has been purified to a certain level or higher, such as tap water or mineral water in a PET bottle (see FIG. 3). This is because, when introducing the liquid L into the bottom tank 13, the inlet / outlet 134 is used, and the liquid must be passed through the filter Fa in the reverse direction. Because the liquid L passes through the filter Fa in the reverse direction, if the liquid L contains impurities, they will be left outside the filter Fa and will need to be filtered by a higher-performance prefilter in the subsequent stage. In this embodiment, the pressure switch 32 is provided, so the flow path will not open unless a certain level of water pressure is applied. Therefore, even if a user connects a hose to the liquid input section and tries to inject river water, unpurified water will not be poured into the bottom tank 13.

[0051] Next, as a second technique (second method) for inputting the liquid L into the liquid treatment device 1, the liquid L can be input (pouring) directly into the bottom tank 13. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, a user (not shown) pulls out bottom tank 13 until opening 131 is exposed to the outside of liquid treatment device 1, and pours liquid L through opening 131. This allows the liquid L to be manually input into the bottom tank 13 even when sufficient water pressure cannot be ensured for the liquid L from the liquid input portion 31, thereby improving convenience for the user.

[0052] Here, the liquid L input into the liquid treatment device 1 in the second method is not particularly limited, and may be tap water, a liquid containing water as a component, or a mixture of a liquid and a solid. For example, it may be rainwater, river water, or water stored in a specified tank (bucket, container, etc.). Note that rainwater, river water, etc. may contain large impurities, and such liquid L is preferably input through the opening 131 of the bottom tank 13 rather than through the liquid input portion 31. In this case, large impurities are removed by the water filter Fa when the water is discharged from the bottom tank 13. Of course, using river water or similar will cause the filters to become clogged, shortening the usable life of the water. This second method is an emergency measure used when purified water is unavailable, such as in the event of a disaster, and the amount of water generated by condensation is insufficient.

[0053] According to the liquid treatment device 1 of this embodiment, during normal times, clean drinking water is provided by condensing moisture in the air using the first method, while in emergencies such as disasters, liquids that are not suitable for drinking can be purified using the second method and provided as drinking water.

[0054] In addition, in emergencies such as natural disasters, large amounts of water may not be available or the sanitation may be relatively poor, and there may be cases where it is necessary to purify liquid that is not suitable for pouring into the bottom tank 13, where relatively clean water is stored. In this case, it is possible to input water from a plastic bottle or the like directly to the upstream of the pump 14a without putting it into the bottom tank 13. For this reason, a water inlet valve (not shown) and a valve (not shown) that prevents backflow to the stage before the water inlet valve (towards the bottom tank 13) when water is introduced are provided upstream (immediately before) the pump 14a. In an emergency, the valve can be closed, a plastic bottle filled with water can be connected to the water inlet tap, and the water from the plastic bottle can be sucked up by the pump 14a and stored in the top tank 16 through the ozone generator 52 and the water filter group 15. A plug shaped to fit into the drinking spout of the plastic bottle can be provided as the water inlet tap, and pumped well water, river water, etc. can be poured into a plastic bottle with a hole in the bottom and then fed into the device from the drinking spout side via the water inlet tap.

[0055] Next, the process flow in the liquid treatment device 1 of the embodiment and the mechanism of water purification on the piping (flow path) will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the mechanism of water purification on the piping (flow path) of the liquid treatment device 1 of FIG. In step S1, air filter 11 filters air A taken into liquid treatment device 1 from the outside to remove foreign matter. In step S2, the water generating unit 12 generates water WJ such as drops or droplets by condensation from the air A filtered by the air filter 11 in step S1. In step S3, the water WJ, which is the combined water of the drops and droplets generated in the water generating unit 12, is dropped into the bottom tank 13 and stored as the water W0 to be purified. In step S4, the bottom tank 13 performs a first purification step in which the sterilization unit 133 irradiates the inside of the tank with ultraviolet light to sterilize the water W0 to be purified. At the same time, a second purification step is performed in which the ozone generator 51 generates ozone in the water W0 in the tank to sterilize it. In step S4, the pump 14a sucks up the water W0 stored in the bottom tank 13 and inputs it into the water filter group 15 through the ozone generator 52 and the nanobubble generator 60. In this case, before step S5 (transmission purification step for performing the fifth purification), the ozone generator 52 passes the water W0 through the ozone generator 52, thereby purifying the water W0 by sterilization with the ozone generated by the ozone generator 52 (third purification). Specifically, the ozone generator 52 generates ozone in the piping (pipeline) to chemically kill bacteria, germs, impurities, etc. that adhere to the filter surface of the first water filter Fb and that are floating in the vicinity, thereby purifying the water W0. At the same time, biofilms and the like that adhere to the inner walls of the piping are also removed. Here, chemical sterilization refers to the process in which active oxygen, which is generated when dissolved ozone in water is split, oxidizes and destroys the cell walls and membranes of bacteria, causing the cytoplasm to leak out and kill them. Furthermore, the nanobubble generator 60 generates microbubbles in the water W0 flowing in the pipe (pipe) to purify (fourth purification) the water (subject to purification) flowing in the pipe (pipe). Specifically, the nanobubble generator 60 generates nanobubbles in the water in the piping that has passed through the ozone generator 52, and the irregular movement of the fine bubbles physically destroys bacteria, germs (germs), impurities, etc. that are attached to the filter surface of the water filter Fb or floating nearby, thereby purifying the water (object to be purified). During this process, biofilms and the like that are attached to the inner walls of the piping are also removed. In step S5, the water that has passed through the ozone generator 52 and the nanobubble generator 60 is passed through the water filter group 15, and purified water is output from the water filter group 15. That is, the water filter group 15 performs a fifth purification by passing and filtering the input water. Specifically, the water input to the water filter group 15 is purified by passing through the first pre-filter, water filter Fb, in the water filter group 15, and then undergoes a fifth purification by passing through the front-stage water filters Fc and Fd and the middle-stage RO filter (water filter Fe), etc. Then, minerals are added to the water by the rear-stage mineral-adding filter, water filter Ff, before the water is input to the top tank 16. In step S6, the top tank 16 stores and cools the water W that has passed through the water filter group 15, and performs a sixth purification by sterilizing the water W in the tank by irradiating the inside of the tank with ultraviolet light using the sterilization section 163. In step S7, the hot tank 20 stores the water W output from the top tank 16 and heats it with the heating unit 201, that is, performs a seventh purification (cleaning by heating) that is different from the sixth purification. In step S8, the water W (cold water) stored in the top tank 16 is subjected to an eighth purification by ultraviolet irradiation by the sterilization section 163, and a ninth purification by ozone sterilization is performed by circulating the water W (cold water) periodically (at predetermined intervals or predetermined timing) through a predetermined circulation flow path R including the ozone generator 53. When hot water or cold water is taken out from the liquid treatment device 1, the pumps 14b and 14c are operated to output the water W from the top tank 16 and the hot tank 20, respectively. By the operation of pumps 14b and 14c, water W output from top tank 16 and hot tank 20 is output from spout 18 in accordance with the opening and closing of SOL valves 17a and 17b.

[0056] Next, with reference to FIG. 4, a purification mechanism in the upstream stage of the water filter Fb in the liquid treatment device 1 of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the problem of water purification using a general high-performance filter and a mechanism for solving the problem, in order to explain the mechanism of water purification in the liquid treatment device 1 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 4(A), in water purification using a typical high-performance filter, input water is filtered by passing through a water filter Fb in the direction of the arrow and is output to the downstream pipe T. However, because there is no sterilizing effect in the piping upstream of the water filter Fb, on the filter surface (the water entry surface), or within the filter itself, bacteria D, germs V, impurities F, and other contaminants trapped on the filter surface begin to accumulate and multiply over time, becoming a source of bacterial growth. This results in the destruction of the filter, and a biofilm also forms on the inner wall of the downstream piping T. According to the inventor's experiments, even if sterilization is performed upstream of the filter using methods such as UV light irradiation, biofilm formation occurs at the filter outlet after long-term operation. In this case, no abnormalities were found in the filter to the naked eye, but it is presumed that the internal microstructure was destroyed by bacterial growth, allowing some bacteria to pass through the filter. In contrast, in the liquid treatment device 1 of the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4(B), an ozone generator 52 is disposed upstream of the water filter Fb, and water containing ozone Z (ozonated water) is input to the water filter Fb through the piping upstream of the water filter Fb via the ozone generator 52, passes through the interior of the water filter Fb, is filtered, and is output. The ozonated water is not only sterilized itself, but also has a purifying effect that sterilizes surrounding components that it comes into contact with, so that the interior of the water filter Fb is also purified as it passes through it. In this way, it is important that the water in the bottom tank 13 upstream of the water filter Fb not only be sterilized but also have a sterilizing effect. At this time, bacteria D, germs (bacteria) V, impurities F, etc. that have accumulated (stagnated) on the surface of the water filter Fb are sterilized and purified by the ozone water, and the inside of the filter is also sterilized and purified as it passes through the water filter Fb, and biofilms that have formed in the piping in the subsequent stages are also destroyed and removed. Furthermore, when the ozone generator 52 is used from the beginning, bacteria D, germs (bacteria) V, impurities F, etc. are not present in the piping or water filter Fb to begin with, so bacteria D, germs (bacteria), etc. do not inhabit the piping or filter, and the inside of the piping is always maintained in a clean state. Note that, by using the ozone generator 52 and the nanobubble generator 60 together as in this embodiment, the sterilization and purification effects are further improved, and the inside of the piping is continuously maintained in a clean state.

[0057] Next, with reference to FIG. 5, the water purification process in the top tank of the liquid treatment device 1 of this embodiment will be described in detail. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing details of the water purification process in the top tank of the liquid treatment device of FIG. Here, the details of step S8 in the operation (processing flow) of the liquid processing device 1 will be described. In step S8, the ninth purification step using ozone sterilization is performed while circulating the water W0 (cold water) through the circulation flow path R. 1 to the water filter group 15, the purified water W (indicated by the arrow in the figure) obtained as a result of the water passing through the water filter group 15 is stored in the top tank 16. The water W stored in the top tank 16 will deteriorate if left as is.

[0058] The mechanism by which water W deteriorates will be explained below. Unless the top tank 16 is full, it is divided into a layer 16a of stored water (first water layer) and a layer 16b of air (second air layer). Even if the top tank 16 is full, when water W is dispensed from the top tank 16, an amount of air flows into the tank. In this way, an air layer 16b is formed inside the top tank 16. Even if an air filter or the like is placed in front of the top tank 16, bacteria and germs will enter the top tank 16 along with the air. When bacteria and the like flow into the air layer 16b along with new air and come into contact with the water W, bacteria will begin to grow in the water W. In order to prevent bacterial growth in the top tank 16, measures such as cooling the tank, circulating the water in the tank, and UV sterilization are taken, but because new air flows in every time water W is used, the above methods cannot completely prevent bacterial growth, and bacteria may grow in the top tank 16 and piping (flow path), and the water may deteriorate, resulting in unpleasant odors and foreign matter.

[0059] Therefore, the liquid treatment device 1 of the embodiment has an ozone generator 53 arranged on the circulation path R for the air layer 16b in the top tank 16, as shown in Figure 5, and has a sterilizing air inflow step in which the ozone generator 53 generates ozone Z (air with sterilizing power) when circulating water W, and the ozone Z flows (recirculates) into the top tank 16 as water containing ozone Z. In the liquid treatment device 1 of the embodiment, in order to prevent the generation and proliferation of bacteria in the air layer 16b, the air layer 16b is filled with air having a sterilizing effect, so that even if bacteria are introduced by new air inflow, sterilization is carried out at the stage of the air layer 16b. Specifically, when returning water W to the top tank 16, an ozone generator 53 is connected to the piping of the circulation path R, and water W containing ozone generated by the ozone generator 53 (ozone water) is returned (input) to the top tank 16 through the piping, and the ozone water is sprayed into the top tank 16. The mist of ozone water sprayed into the top tank 16 fills the air layer 16b with ozone at, for example, about 0.1 to 0.5 ppm, so that even if bacteria flow in with newly flowing air, the air layer 16b can be sterilized with the air containing ozone. In addition, in the liquid treatment device 1 of the embodiment, a sterilization unit 163 and glass coated with titanium dioxide are arranged inside the top tank 16, and the sterilization unit 163 sterilizes the air inside the tank using photocatalytic action with an LED UV lamp. In addition, in the liquid treatment device 1 of the embodiment, a sterilization section 19 is arranged in the piping between the top tank 16 and the spout 18 (faucet), and by sterilizing the water W stagnating in the piping between the top tank 16 and the spout 18 (faucet) using a UV lamp (light), the water in most of the flow path from the water inlet to the outlet is purified, making it possible to supply safe water (liquid) for a long period of time.

[0060] As described above, according to the liquid treatment device 1 of the embodiment, bacteria and germs are sterilized at the air layer 16b stage in the top tank 16, thereby preventing bacteria and the like from entering the water layer 16a. As a complement, a sterilization section 163 equipped with a UV lamp is provided in the water layer 16a, and UV sterilization is performed, which has a synergistic effect with air containing ozone, thereby improving the accuracy of sterilization.

[0061] As described above, the liquid treatment device 1 of the embodiment can generate droplets (water droplets) from air A, combine them to generate water WJ, purify the water WJ using multiple purification means, and output it as drinking water, and in addition to this effect as a water purifier, it can also achieve the following effects.

[0062] 1) By arranging the ozone generator 52 and the nanobubble generator 60 at the water input surface of the first water filter Fb in the water filter group 15, i.e., in the stage before the filter, the water with dissolved ozone or the water with nanobubbles mixed in itself can be endowed with sterilizing properties, so that bacteria and germs (germs) that are blocked on the surface of the first water filter Fb can be sterilized, and impurities can be decomposed and eliminated, preventing damage to the filter by bacteria. By protecting the first water filter Fb in the pipe (flow path) through which the water W0 to be purified flows from bacteria and the like, it is possible to prevent the subsequent water filters Fb to Ff from being damaged. This allows the original filtering technology of the water filter group 15 to be properly utilized, and also sterilizes the piping (flow path tubes) before and after it, preventing the occurrence of biofilms and significantly improving the safety of the water.

[0063] 2) An ozone generator 51 is installed in the bottom tank 13 that stores water W0 obtained from outside the device (liquid L such as water WJ generated from air A or tap water supplied from outside the device), and ozone is generated in the bottom tank 13, thereby generating ozone water in the bottom tank 13.Therefore, while the water W0 is being stored in the bottom tank 13, bacteria and germs (germs) contained in the water W0 can be sterilized and the water can be purified.

[0064] 3) By placing the nanobubble generator 60 in the piping (water flow path) from the bottom tank 13 to the water filter group 15, the water flowing through the piping itself has sterilizing properties, so that bacteria and germs (germs) contained in the water W0 in the piping are sterilized, and the water can be purified at the upstream stage of the water filter group 15. In this embodiment, the ozone generator 52 and the nanobubble generator 60 are separate devices, and are arranged in the following order in the piping: ozone generator 52, nanobubble generator 60, and water filter group 15. By installing the nanobubble generator 60 between the ozone generator 52 and the water filter Fe in this manner and combining ozone with nanobubbles (microbubbles), the residence time of ozone in water can be extended. Alternatively, the ozone generator 52 may also function as the microbubble generator 60. In other words, one device may have both the ozone generation function and the microbubble generation function.

[0065] Liquid treatment device 1 of the embodiment is configured so that half of the water from water filter Fe (RO filter) of water filter group 15 is returned to bottom tank 13. In this liquid treatment device 1, water is ozonated in ozone generator 52 located upstream of water filter group 15, and the ozonated water (ozonated water) is returned to bottom tank 13. When the ozone water is returned to the bottom tank 13, the ozone water drips into the bottom tank 13, and at this time the air in the bottom tank 13 is purified by the ozone. Therefore, in an apparatus having a function of circulating water such as this liquid treatment apparatus 1, the combination of a water filter Fe (RO filter) and an ozone generator 52 is particularly suitable.

[0066] Furthermore, in the liquid treatment device 1 of the embodiment, the ozone generator 51 may be submerged in the water in the bottom tank 13 or may be disposed in the piping (water flow path). However, by disposing the ozone generator 52 in the piping between the bottom tank 13 and the water filter Fb, it is possible to supply water with a large amount of residual ozone to the water filter group 15 including the water filter Fb. Therefore, it is most preferable to dispose the ozone generator 52 immediately before the water filter Fb (the first water filter Fb). Note that it is preferable to keep the ozone concentration in the water at 0.1 ppm or less.

[0067] Here, a comparison between the liquid treatment device 1 of the embodiment and other filter sterilization techniques will be described. Other filter sterilization techniques include heat sterilization and alcohol disinfection of the filter. Heat sterilization of the filter is not preferable because it accelerates thermal deterioration of the filter and requires frequent replacement. Furthermore, alcohol disinfection requires a considerable amount of alcohol to penetrate the inside of the filter, which has a complex structure, and the alcohol must be completely removed after sterilization in order to make the water drinkable. In contrast, the liquid treatment device 1 using the ozone generators 51 to 53 and the nanobubble generator 60 as in this embodiment is preferable because it does not damage the water filter group 15, does not require consumables, and can be operated with low power consumption. Another method is to use hypochlorous acid, but although this method has sterilizing properties, it affects the taste (flavor) and is therefore not suitable for drinking. Also, consumables are required to maintain the concentration of hypochlorous acid, which increases costs.

[0068] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and modifications, improvements, etc. within the scope that can achieve the object of the present invention are included in the present invention.

[0069] For example, the configuration of the liquid treatment device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 is merely an example and is not particularly limited. In other words, it is sufficient that the liquid treatment device 1 has the function of being able to execute the entire series of processes described above, and the configuration to realize this function is not particularly limited to the examples shown in Figures 1 to 5. In the liquid treatment device 1 of this embodiment, the pump 14a that sucks water from the bottom tank 13 works in conjunction with the ozone generator 52. Specifically, operating power is supplied to the diamond electrode (electrode for generating ozone) of the ozone generator 52 at the same time as power is supplied to the pump 14a that pumps the water W0 stored in the bottom tank 13 into the filter. This means that the ozone generator 52 always operates in flowing water, and water does not stagnate, making it possible to cool the diamond electrode that generates heat during operation.

[0070] In the above embodiment, an example in which the ozone generator 51 is housed in the bottom tank 13 has been described, but the ozone generator 51 may be housed in the top tank 16 as necessary. That is, an ozone generator 51 may be housed in each of the bottom tank 13, which stores the water W0 to be input to the water filter group 15, and the top tank 16, which stores the water W output from the water filter group 15, and the water stored in each tank may be purified by ozone sterilization (predetermined method).

[0071] In summary, the water treatment device to which the present invention is applied is sufficient if it has the following configuration, and can take on a variety of different embodiments. That is, in a liquid treatment device to which the present invention is applied (for example, the liquid treatment device 1 in FIG. 1 ), (1) a permeation and purification means (e.g., the water filter group 15 in FIG. 1) that passes through a liquid to be purified (e.g., water W0 pumped by the pump 14a in FIG. 1) and outputs the purified liquid; a pre-stage purification means (e.g., an ozone generator 52 in FIG. 1) that is arranged in a stage preceding the permeation purification means (e.g., the water filter group 15 in FIG. 1) (e.g., the water contact surface of the first filter (e.g., the water filter Fb in FIG. 1) of the water filter group 15 and the water piping preceding it), and that purifies the liquid (e.g., the water in FIG. 1) to be purified by a predetermined method (e.g., sterilization by ozone released into the water, etc.); Equipped with. As a result, in the stage preceding the permeation purification means (for example, the water filter group 15 in Figure 1), the pre-stage purification means (for example, the ozone generator 52 in Figure 1) purifies the liquid to be purified (for example, the water in Figure 1) using a predetermined method (for example, sterilization using ozone released into the water, etc.), so that bacteria D, germs (germs) V, impurities F, etc. that have been blocked and accumulated on the permeation purification means (the surface of the water filter Fb) are sterilized and purified by the ozone water, and the inside of the permeation purification means is also sterilized and purified as it passes through, and layers of dirt (biofilms, etc.) that have formed on the piping in the subsequent stages are also destroyed and removed. Furthermore, if a pre-stage purification means (for example, the ozone generator 52 in FIG. 1) is used in this device from the beginning, bacteria D, germs (bacteria) V, impurities F, etc. are not present in the piping or water filter Fb to begin with, so bacteria D and germs (bacteria) will no longer inhabit the piping or water filter, and the inside of the piping will always be kept clean. Note that by using, for example, the ozone generator 52 and nanobubble generator 60 together as the pre-stage purification means, the sterilization and purification effects are further improved, and the inside of the piping can be continuously maintained in a clean state.

[0072] (2) In a liquid treatment device to which the present invention is applied (for example, the liquid treatment device 1 shown in FIG. 1), The predetermined method is a method for imparting a sterilizing effect to the liquid to be purified.

[0073] (3) In a liquid treatment device to which the present invention is applied (for example, the liquid treatment device 1 of FIG. 1), The pre-stage purification means (e.g., the ozone generator 52 in FIG. 1) includes an ozone generator (e.g., the ozone generator 52 in FIG. 1) that purifies the liquid (e.g., water in FIG. 1) by a method of generating ozone (e.g., ozone sterilization, etc.) as the predetermined method. It is possible.

[0074] (4) In a liquid treatment device to which the present invention is applied (for example, the liquid treatment device 1 of FIG. 1), The pre-stage purification means further includes a microbubble generator (e.g., the nanobubble generator 60 in FIG. 1) that purifies the liquid (e.g., water in FIG. 1) of the purification target by a method of generating microbubbles as the predetermined method. It is possible.

[0075] (5) In a liquid treatment device to which the present invention is applied (for example, the liquid treatment device 1 of FIG. 1), The apparatus has a single device (e.g., the ozone & microbubble generator in FIG. 1) that combines the microbubble generator (e.g., the nanobubble generator 60 in FIG. 1) and an ozone generator (e.g., the ozone generator 52 in FIG. 1) that purifies the liquid (e.g., water in FIG. 1) by a predetermined method of generating ozone (e.g., ozone sterilization, etc.), It is possible.

[0076] (6) In a liquid treatment device to which the present invention is applied (for example, the liquid treatment device 1 of FIG. 1), The microbubble generator (e.g., the nanobubble generator 60 in FIG. 1) and an ozone generator (e.g., the ozone generator 52 in FIG. 1) that purifies the liquid (e.g., water in FIG. 1) by a predetermined method of generating ozone (e.g., ozone sterilization) are separate and independent devices, and the ozone generator (e.g., the ozone generator 52 in FIG. 1), the microbubble generator (e.g., the nanobubble generator 60 in FIG. 1), and the permeation purification means (e.g., the water filter group 15 in FIG. 1) are arranged in this order with respect to the direction in which the liquid (e.g., water in FIG. 1) flows. It is possible.

[0077] (7) In a liquid treatment device to which the present invention is applied (for example, the liquid treatment device 1 of FIG. 1), The permeation purification means (for example, the water filter group 15 in FIG. 1) One or more pre-filters (e.g., water filters Fb-Fd and Ff in FIG. 1) and one or more reverse osmosis membrane filters (e.g., water filter Fe in FIG. 1), It is possible.

[0078] (8) In a liquid treatment device to which the present invention is applied (for example, the liquid treatment device 1 of FIG. 1), The permeation purification means (for example, the water filter group 15 in FIG. 1) The system includes a front-stage pre-filter (e.g., water filters Fb to Fd in FIG. 1), a middle-stage reverse osmosis membrane filter (e.g., water filter Fe in FIG. 1), and a rear-stage pre-filter (e.g., water filter Ff in FIG. 1), It is possible.

[0079] (9) In a liquid treatment device to which the present invention is applied (for example, the liquid treatment device 1 of FIG. 1), A part of the output of the reverse osmosis membrane filter (e.g., the water filter Fe in FIG. 1) is returned to a location (e.g., the bottom tank 13 in FIG. 1) before the pre-stage purification means (e.g., the ozone generator 52 in FIG. 1) and added again to the liquid to be purified (e.g., the water in FIG. 1); It is possible.

[0080] (10) In a liquid treatment device to which the present invention is applied (for example, the liquid treatment device 1 of FIG. 1), an input control means (e.g., the SOL valve 17c and the pressure switch 32 in FIG. 1) for controlling the input of a liquid (e.g., the liquid L in FIG. 1); a liquid generating means (for example, the water generating unit 12 in FIG. 1) for generating a drinkable liquid (for example, the water WJ in FIG. 1) from moisture contained in air (for example, the air A in FIG. 1); a first storage means (e.g., bottom tank 13 in FIG. 1) that is disposed directly below the liquid generating means (e.g., SOL valve 17c and pressure switch 32 in FIG. 1) and stores at least one of the liquid (e.g., water WJ in FIG. 1) that has dropped from the liquid generating means (e.g., water generating unit 12 in FIG. 1) and the liquid (e.g., liquid L such as tap water in FIG. 1) that has been input under the control of the input control means (e.g., SOL valve 17c and pressure switch 32 in FIG. 1) as the liquid to be purified (e.g., water W0 in FIG. 1); a second storage means (for example, the top tank 16 in FIG. 1) for storing the liquid (for example, the water W in FIG. 1) output from the permeation purification means (for example, the water filter group 15 in FIG. 1); a pump (e.g., pump 14a in FIG. 1) that outputs the liquid to be purified (e.g., water W0 in FIG. 1) from the first storage means (e.g., bottom tank 13 in FIG. 1), that transmits the liquid (e.g., water W0 in FIG. 1) through the permeation purification means (e.g., water filter group 15 in FIG. 1) (that inputs water W0 pumped up from the bottom tank 13), and that inputs (introduces) the liquid (e.g., water W in FIG. 1) into the second storage means (e.g., top tank 16 side in FIG. 1); Furthermore, The pre-cleaning means (e.g., ozone generator 52 in FIG. 1) is disposed between the pump (e.g., pump 14a in FIG. 1) and the permeate clarification means (e.g., water filter group 15 in FIG. 1). It can be done like this.

[0081] (11) In a liquid treatment device to which the present invention is applied (for example, the liquid treatment device 1 of FIG. 1), The pump (e.g., pump 14a in FIG. 1) and the pre-cleaning means (e.g., ozone generator 52 in FIG. 1) are operated in conjunction with each other. It is possible.

[0082] (12) The liquid treatment method to which the present invention is applied is a permeation purification step of passing a liquid to be purified (e.g., water W0 in FIG. 1) through a permeation purification means (e.g., the water filter group 15 in FIG. 1) and outputting the purified liquid from the permeation purification means (e.g., the water filter group 15 in FIG. 1); a pre-stage purification step in which, prior to the permeation purification step, the liquid to be purified (e.g., water WO in FIG. 1) is passed through a pre-stage purification means (e.g., ozone generator 52 in FIG. 1) that purifies the liquid (e.g., water WO in FIG. 1) by a predetermined method (e.g., ozone sterilization), thereby purifying the liquid (e.g., water WO in FIG. 1) by the predetermined method (e.g., ozone sterilization, etc.); Including, It is possible. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1 liquid treatment device, 11 air filter, 12 water generation section, 13 bottom tank, 14, 14a, 14b, 14c pump, 15 water filter group, 16 top tank, 17, 17a, 17b, 17c SOL valve, 18 spout, 19 sterilization section, 20 hot tank, 31 liquid input section, 32 pressure switch, 41 water drain section, 51 to 53 ozone generator, 60 nanobubble generator, 121 water generator, 122 air fan, 131 opening, 132 float switch Chi, 133... Sterilization section, 134... Inlet / outlet, 161... Cooling section, 162... Float switch, 163... Sterilization section, 164... Water temperature sensor, 165, 166... ​​Water inlet, 167, 168, 169... Water outlet, 201... Heating section, 202, 203... Water inlet, 204, 205... Water outlet, A... Air, D... Bacteria, F... Impurities, Fa, Fb, Fc, Fd, Fe, Ff... Water filter, L... Liquid (tap water, etc.), S... Each step, V... Germ (bacteria), W... Purified water, W0... Water to be purified, Y... Arrow, Z... Ozone

Claims

1. a storage means for storing the liquid to be purified; a permeation / purification means including a reverse osmosis membrane filter, which allows the liquid to pass through the object to be purified, supplied from the storage means, and outputs the purified liquid; a pre-stage purification means that is disposed downstream of the storage means and upstream of the permeation purification means, purifying the liquid of the object to be purified by a predetermined method that imparts a sterilizing effect to the liquid of the object to be purified, and sterilizing the permeation purification means when the purified liquid is passed through the permeation purification means; Equipped with the pre-stage purification means includes an ozone generator that purifies the liquid by a method of generating ozone using a diamond electrode as the predetermined method, A part of the output of the reverse osmosis membrane filter is returned by being dropped into the storage means through the air in the storage means, and is then added again to the object to be purified. Liquid handling equipment.

2. The pre-stage purification means further includes a microbubble generator that purifies the liquid by generating microbubbles as the predetermined method. The liquid treatment device of claim 1 .

3. The pre-purification means includes a single device that combines the microbubble generator and the ozone generator. The liquid treatment device of claim 2 .

4. The pre-stage purification means includes the microbubble generator and the ozone generator as separate and independent devices, The ozone generator, the microbubble generator, and the permeation purification means are arranged in this order. The liquid treatment device of claim 2 .

5. The permeation purification means is One or more pre-filters and one or more of the reverse osmosis membrane filters. The liquid treatment device of claim 1 .

6. The permeation purification means is The system includes a pre-filter in the front stage, the reverse osmosis membrane filter in the middle stage, and an additional filter in the rear stage. The liquid treatment device of claim 1 .

7. an input control means for controlling the input of liquid; a liquid generating means for generating liquid from moisture contained in the air; the storage means being a first storage means disposed directly below the liquid generating means and configured to store at least one of the liquid dropped from the liquid generating means and the liquid input under the control of the input control means as the object to be purified; a second storage means for storing the liquid output from the permeation purification means; a pump that outputs the object to be purified from the first storage means, transmits the object to be purified through the permeation purification means, and inputs the liquid into the second storage means; Furthermore, The pre-cleaning means is disposed between the pump and the permeate clarification means. The liquid treatment device of claim 1 .

8. The pump and the pre-stage purification means are operated in conjunction with each other. The liquid treatment device of claim 7 .

9. a permeation purification step in which the liquid to be purified, which is supplied from a storage means for storing the liquid, is passed through a permeation purification means including a reverse osmosis membrane filter, and the purified liquid is output from the permeation purification means; a pre-stage purification step in which, before the permeation purification step, the object to be purified is passed through a pre-stage purification means that purifies the liquid of the object to be purified by a predetermined method, the pre-stage purification means including an ozone generator that purifies the liquid by a method of generating ozone using a diamond electrode as a predetermined method for imparting sterilizing action to the liquid of the object to be purified, thereby purifying the object to be purified by the predetermined method, and sterilizing the permeation purification means when the purified liquid is passed through the permeation purification means; a reflux step in which a portion of the output of the reverse osmosis membrane filter is returned by dropping it into the storage means through the air in the storage means and then added back to the object to be purified; A liquid treatment method comprising:

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