Plasma-treated liquid manufacturing method and plasma irradiation apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for producing a plasma processed liquid, the method comprising: a supply step in which a liquid to be processed is supplied to a container; a discharge step in which the liquid to be processed is discharged from the container, while supplying the liquid to be processed to the container in the supply step; and an irradiation step in which the liquid to be processed having been supplied to the container is irradiated with a plasma. With respect to this method for producing a plasma processed liquid, a plasma processed liquid is produced by means of irradiation of a plasma in the irradiation step.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , storage , , , , , , , , , , , , , An adjustment step that adjusts the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated supplied per unit time in the supply step and the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated discharged per unit time in the discharge step, so that the liquid to be treated supplied to the container is stored therein. , ,

[0005] ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for producing a plasma-treated liquid by irradiating a liquid to be treated with plasma.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a technique for irradiating a liquid to be treated supplied to a container with plasma. Further, Patent Documents 2 and 3 describe techniques for supplying a liquid by a supply device such as a pump.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003] ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ In the adjustment step, the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated supplied per unit time in the supply step is adjusted to be greater than the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated discharged per unit time in the discharge step, and further, the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated supplied per unit time in the supply step and the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated discharged per unit time in the discharge step are adjusted so that the weight of the container in which the liquid to be treated is stored is maintained. A method for producing a plasma-treated liquid is disclosed, which involves irradiating the liquid with plasma during the aforementioned irradiation step. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] In this disclosure, the liquid to be treated is supplied to a container, the liquid is discharged from the container, and the liquid supplied to the container is irradiated with plasma. This makes it possible to properly produce plasma-treated liquid. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of an atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device. [Figure 2] This is an exploded view of a plasma generator. [Figure 3] This is an exploded view of a plasma generator. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view of a plasma generator. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of an atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device. [Figure 6] This is a side view of an atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device. [Figure 7] This is a side view of an atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view of an atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device. [Figure 9] (a) is a perspective view of the irradiation block and (b) is a cross-sectional perspective view of it along line AA. [Figure 10] This is a block diagram of the control device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0009] Figure 1 shows an atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device 10 is a device for irradiating a culture medium (an example of a "liquid to be treated") with plasma under atmospheric pressure, and comprises a plasma generator 20, a cover housing 22, an opening / closing mechanism 24, a stage 26, a lifting device 28, a purge gas supply mechanism 32 (see Figure 5), a concentration detection mechanism 34, an exhaust mechanism 36, and a control device 38 (see Figure 10). The width direction of the atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device 10 is referred to as the X direction, the depth direction of the atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device 10 is referred to as the Y direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X and Y directions, i.e., the vertical direction, is referred to as the Z direction.

[0010] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the plasma generator 20 includes a cover 50, an upper block 52, a lower block 54, a pair of electrodes 56, and a nozzle block 58. The cover 50 is generally a covered rectangular tube shape, and the upper block 52 is disposed inside the cover 50. The upper block 52 is generally a rectangular parallelepiped shape and is made of ceramic. A pair of cylindrical recesses 60 are formed on the lower surface of the upper block 52.

[0011] The lower block 54 is also generally rectangular in shape and is made of ceramic. A recess 62 is formed on the upper surface of the lower block 54, and the recess 62 is composed of a pair of cylindrical recesses 66 and a connecting recess 68 that connects the pair of cylindrical recesses 66. The lower block 54 is fixed to the lower surface of the upper block 52, protruding from the lower end of the cover 50, and the cylindrical recess 60 of the upper block 52 and the cylindrical recess 66 of the lower block 54 are in communication. The cylindrical recesses 60 and 66 are approximately the same diameter. A slit 70 is formed on the bottom surface of the recess 62, which penetrates to the lower surface of the lower block 54.

[0012] Each of the pair of electrodes 56 is disposed in a cylindrical space defined by the cylindrical recess 60 of the upper block 52 and the cylindrical recess 66 of the lower block 54. Note that the outer diameter of the electrode 56 is smaller than the inner diameters of the cylindrical recesses 60 and 66. Also, the nozzle block 58 is generally flat and is fixed to the lower surface of the lower block 54. The nozzle block 58 is formed with a jet outlet 72 that communicates with the slit 70 of the lower block 54, and the jet outlet 72 penetrates the nozzle block 58 in the vertical direction.

[0013] The plasma generator 20 further includes a processing gas supply device 74 (see FIG. 10). The processing gas supply device 74 is a device that supplies a processing gas in which an active gas such as oxygen and an inert gas such as nitrogen are mixed at an arbitrary ratio, and is connected to the cylindrical space defined by the cylindrical recesses 60 and 66 and the upper part of the connecting recess 68 via a pipe (not shown). Thereby, the processing gas is supplied into the recess 62 from the gap between the electrode 56 and the cylindrical recess 66 and the upper part of the connecting recess 68.

[0014] With such a structure, the plasma generator 20 ejects plasma from the jet outlet 72 of the nozzle block 58. Specifically, the processing gas is supplied into the recess 62 by the processing gas supply device 74. At this time, in the recess 62, a voltage is applied to the pair of electrodes 56, and a current flows between the pair of electrodes 56. Thereby, a discharge occurs between the pair of electrodes 56, and the processing gas is plasmaized by the discharge. Then, the plasma is ejected from the jet outlet 72 through the slit 70.

[0015] Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the cover housing 22 includes an upper cover 76 and a lower cover 78. The upper cover 76 generally has a covered cylindrical shape, and a through hole (not shown) having a shape corresponding to the lower block 54 of the plasma generating device 20 is formed in the lid portion of the upper cover 76. Then, the cover 50 of the plasma generating device 20 is fixed in a state of standing upright on the lid portion of the upper cover 76 so as to cover the through hole. For this reason, the lower block 54 and the nozzle block 58 of the plasma generating device 20 protrude so as to extend in the Z direction toward the inside of the upper cover 76. Thereby, the plasma generated by the plasma generating device 20 is ejected in the Z direction from the ejection port 72 of the nozzle block 58 toward the inside of the upper cover 76.

[0016] Further, generally rectangular through holes (not shown) are formed in the side surface of the upper cover 76 at three equally spaced positions, and a transparent glass plate 80 is disposed so as to close the through holes. Thereby, it is possible to visually recognize the inside of the upper cover 76 through the glass plate 80.

[0017] The lower cover 78 of the cover housing 22 generally has a disc shape and is fixed to a housing (not shown) of a mounting portion on which the atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device 10 is mounted. The outer diameter of the lower cover 78 is made larger than the outer diameter of the upper cover 76, and an annular packing 82 having the same diameter as the upper cover 76 is disposed on the upper surface of the lower cover 78. Then, when the upper cover 76 is slid downward by the opening / closing mechanism 24, the upper cover 76 adheres to the packing 82, and the inside of the cover housing 22 is sealed.

[0018] More specifically, the opening / closing mechanism 24 includes a pair of slide mechanisms 86 and an air cylinder 88, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. Each slide mechanism 86 includes a support shaft 90 and a slider 92. The support shaft 90 is erected in the housing of the above-described mounting section so as to extend in the Z direction. The slider 92 is generally cylindrical in shape and is fitted onto the support shaft 90 so as to be slidable in the axial direction of the support shaft 90. The upper cover 76 is held by the slider 92 by an upper bracket 96 and a lower bracket 98. This allows the upper cover 76 to slide in the Z direction, that is, in the vertical direction.

[0019] The air cylinder 88 includes a rod 100, a piston (not shown), and a cylinder 102. The rod 100 is arranged to extend in the Z direction and is fixed to the upper cover 76 at its upper end. The piston is fixed to the lower end of the rod 100. The piston is fitted into the cylinder 102 from its upper end and moves slidably inside the cylinder 102. The cylinder 102 is fixed to the housing of the above-mentioned mounting part at its lower end, and a predetermined amount of air is sealed inside the cylinder 102.

[0020] As a result, the air cylinder 88 functions as a damper, preventing the upper cover 76 from descending rapidly. The air pressure inside the cylinder 102 is set to a pressure that can be compressed by the weight of the integrated components that slide together with the upper cover 76, namely the upper cover 76, the plasma generator 20, the slider 92, etc. In other words, when an operator releases the upper cover 76 while it is raised, the upper cover 76 descends due to its own weight. The upper cover 76 then comes into close contact with the packing 82 of the lower cover 78, and as shown in Figure 8, the inside of the cover housing 22 is sealed by the upper cover 76 and the lower cover 78.

[0021] Furthermore, the operator can raise the upper cover 76 to open the inside of the cover housing 22. A magnet 106 (see Figure 1) is fixed to the upper surface of the upper cover 76, and when the upper cover 76 is raised, the magnet 106 attaches to the housing of the above-mentioned storage unit. In this way, by attaching the magnet 106 to the housing of the above-mentioned storage unit, the state in which the upper cover 76 is raised, that is, the state in which the cover housing 22 is open, is maintained.

[0022] The stage 26 is generally disc-shaped, and the irradiation block 180 is placed on the upper surface of the stage 26. The outer diameter of the stage 26 is smaller than the outer diameter of the lower cover 78. The stage 26 is positioned on the upper surface of the lower cover 78.

[0023] The irradiation block 180 is used to store the liquid to be treated, which is supplied by the liquid supply tube 120, and to generate plasma-treated liquid by irradiating the stored liquid to be treated with plasma ejected from the plasma generator 20. The generated plasma-treated liquid is discharged from the irradiation block 180 by the drainage tube 122.

[0024] The liquid to be treated is sent to the liquid delivery tube 120 using a supply pump 190 (see Figure 10) located outside the cover housing 22, and supplied to the irradiation block 180 inside the cover housing 22. The plasma-treated liquid generated in the irradiation block 180 is then discharged from the irradiation block 180 to the drainage tube 122 using a discharge pump 192 (see Figure 10), and stored in a temporary storage bin (not shown) located outside the cover housing 22. Therefore, through holes 134 and 136 are formed on the side surface of the lower cover 78, through which the liquid delivery tube 120 and the drainage tube 122 pass, respectively.

[0025] Figure 9 shows the schematic configuration of the irradiation block 180. Figure 9(a) is a perspective view showing the overall appearance of the irradiation block 180, and Figure 9(b) is a cross-sectional perspective view along line AA in Figure 9(a). The direction from left to right is the direction in which the liquid to be treated flows.

[0026] The irradiation block 180 consists of an irradiation block body 181 formed from ceramic and generally having a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The longer side of the irradiation block 180 is the X direction, and the shorter side is the Y direction. The irradiation block body 181 has grooves 183 and storage portions 184 formed therein, with the side facing the plasma generator 20 being open when installed in the cover housing 22.

[0027] The groove 183 is U-shaped with a YZ cross-section that opens upwards. The bottom surface 183a of the groove 183 is curved. The YZ cross-section of this groove 183 is slightly narrower than the cross-sectional shape of the fluid delivery tube 120 (see Figure 1), and the flexible fluid delivery tube 120 is fixed in place by being fitted into the groove 183.

[0028] The storage section 184 stores the liquid to be treated for plasma irradiation. The storage section 184 is composed of a cylindrical recess consisting of a side surface 184a and a bottom surface 184b. The bottom surface 184b of the storage section 184 is formed to be located lower than the bottom surface 183a of the groove section 183. Furthermore, a drain hole 184c is formed in the bottom surface 184b of the storage section 184 for discharging the plasma-treated liquid generated when the liquid to be treated is irradiated with plasma from the storage section 184. The bottom surface 184b is an inclined surface that slopes downward from the side surface 184a toward the drain hole 184c. This is to achieve the function of quickly discharging the plasma-treated liquid from the storage section 184 when discharging it, and to prevent as much as possible from a state in which a portion of the plasma-treated liquid remains in the storage section 184 without being discharged.

[0029] In addition to the above configuration, the irradiation block main body 181 has a discharge section 186. The discharge section 186 is formed on the lower surface 181a of the irradiation block main body 181, protruding downward from a position including the drain hole 184c of the storage section 184. The discharge section 186 has a base portion 186a, a flange portion 186b, and a discharge locking portion 186c, and each component 186a to 186c is integrally formed with the components connected downward. Furthermore, a through hole 186d is formed in the center of the discharge section 186 in the Z direction and communicates with the drain hole 184c of the storage section 184.

[0030] On the outer circumferential surface of the discharge portion 186, the portion continuous with the lower surface 181a of the irradiation block main body portion 181 is the base portion 186a. Below the base portion 186a, the diameter of the outer circumference of the discharge locking portion 186c, which is formed with the flange portion 186b in between, is larger than the diameter of the drainage tube 122 (see Figure 1). Also, the outer diameter of the upper part 186c1 of the discharge locking portion 186c is smaller than the outer diameter of the discharge locking portion 186c. As a result, when the flexible drainage tube 122 is fitted up to the upper part 186c1, the drainage tube 122 deforms along the outer circumference of the discharge locking portion 186c, and the drainage tube 122 is fixed in place. Furthermore, the irradiation block 180 is fixed to the stage 26 by fitting the base portion 186a with the notch portion 26a (see Figure 1) of the stage 26. Thus, since it is not fixed using a fixing device, the irradiation block 180 can be easily attached to and detached from the stage 26.

[0031] As shown in Figure 7, the lifting device 28 includes a support rod 112, a rack 114, a pinion 116, and an electromagnetic motor 117 (see Figure 10). The lower cover 78 has a through hole (not shown) that penetrates vertically, and the support rod 112 is inserted through this through hole. The outer diameter of the support rod 112 is smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole, and the support rod 112 is movable vertically, i.e., in the Z direction. The lower surface of the stage 26 is fixed to the upper end of the support rod 112.

[0032] Furthermore, the rack 114 is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the portion of the support rod 112 that extends downward from the lower cover 78, so as to extend in the axial direction of the support rod 112. The pinion 116 is meshed with the rack 114 and rotates when driven by the electromagnetic motor 117. The pinion 116 is rotatably held by the housing of the above-described mounting part. With this structure, when the pinion 116 is rotated when driven by the electromagnetic motor 117, the support rod 112 moves in the Z direction, and the stage 26 moves up and down. A measuring rod 118 is erected on the upper surface of the lower cover 78 next to the stage 26. A scale is marked on the outer circumferential surface of the measuring rod 118, and the height of the stage 26 in the Z direction, that is, the amount of lifting and lowering of the stage 26, can be visually confirmed by this scale.

[0033] As shown in Figure 5, the purge gas supply mechanism 32 includes four air joints 130 (three are shown in the figure) and a purge gas supply device 132 (see Figure 10). The four air joints 130 are located at four equally spaced positions on the upper ends of the sides of the upper cover 76, and each air joint 130 opens into the interior of the upper cover 76. The purge gas supply device 132 is a device that supplies an inert gas such as nitrogen, and is connected to each air joint 130 via piping (not shown). With this structure, the purge gas supply mechanism 32 supplies an inert gas into the interior of the upper cover 76.

[0034] The concentration detection mechanism 34 includes an air joint 140, a pipe 142, and a detection sensor 144 (see Figure 10). The lower cover 78 has a through hole (not shown) that connects the upper surface and the side surface of the lower cover 78. The opening 146 on the upper surface side of the through hole of the lower cover 78 is located inside the packing 82. On the other hand, the air joint 140 is connected to the opening on the side surface side of the through hole of the lower cover 78. The detection sensor 144 is a sensor that detects oxygen concentration and is connected to the air joint 140 via the pipe 142. With this structure, the concentration detection mechanism 34 detects the oxygen concentration inside the cover housing 22 when the cover housing 22 is sealed.

[0035] As shown in Figure 1, the exhaust mechanism 36 includes an L-shaped pipe 150, a connecting pipe 152, and a main pipe 154. As shown in Figure 7, the lower cover 78 has a duct opening 160 that opens to the top and bottom surfaces. The opening of the duct opening 160 on the top side of the lower cover 78 is a tapered surface 162 whose inner diameter increases towards the top. In other words, when the cover housing 22 is sealed, the tapered surface 162 is inclined toward the inner wall surface of the upper cover 76. On the other hand, the L-shaped pipe 150 is connected to the opening of the duct opening 160 on the bottom side of the lower cover 78. The main pipe 154 is then connected to the L-shaped pipe 150 via the connecting pipe 152. The portion of the connecting pipe 152 on the L-shaped pipe 150 side is omitted. An ozone filter 166 is also installed inside the main pipe 154. The ozone filter 166 is made of activated carbon and adsorbs ozone.

[0036] As shown in Figure 10, the control device 38 comprises a controller 170 and a plurality of drive circuits 172. The plurality of drive circuits 172 are connected to the electrode 56, the processing gas supply device 74, the electromagnetic motor 117, the purge gas supply device 132, the supply pump 190, and the discharge pump 192. The controller 170 is a computer-based device equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and is connected to the plurality of drive circuits 172. As a result, the operation of the plasma generator 20, the lifting device 28, the purge gas supply mechanism 32, the supply pump 190, and the discharge pump 192 is controlled by the controller 170. The controller 170 is also connected to the detection sensor 144. As a result, the controller 170 obtains the detection result of the detection sensor 144, that is, the oxygen concentration inside the cover housing 22.

[0037] Since irradiating a culture medium with plasma activates the culture medium, the use of plasma in the medical field, such as in cancer treatment using plasma-irradiated culture medium, is expected. For this reason, plasma-irradiated culture medium is produced, but it is preferable that the culture medium is irradiated with plasma under controlled conditions. In the atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device 10, with the above configuration, the irradiation block 180 is placed on the stage 26 and the cover housing 22 is sealed, making it possible to irradiate the culture medium with plasma under predetermined conditions. The method for irradiating the culture medium with plasma under predetermined conditions will be described in detail below.

[0038] Specifically, first, the irradiation block 180 is placed on the stage 26. Next, the stage 26 is raised or lowered to an arbitrary height using the lifting device 28. This makes it possible to arbitrarily set the distance between the plasma nozzle 72 and the culture medium, which is the object to be irradiated with plasma. The height to which the stage 26 is raised or lowered can be confirmed using the scale on the measuring rod 118.

[0039] Next, the upper cover 76 is lowered to seal the cover housing 22. Then, the purge gas supply mechanism 32 supplies inert gas to the inside of the cover housing 22. At this time, the concentration detection mechanism 34 detects the oxygen concentration inside the cover housing 22. After the detected oxygen concentration falls below a preset threshold, the plasma generator 20 ejects plasma into the inside of the cover housing 22. At this time, the plasma is irradiated toward the irradiation block 180 located below the nozzle block 58 of the plasma generator 20. The supply of inert gas to the inside of the cover housing 22 continues even while the plasma is being irradiated.

[0040] Then, after the plasma generator 20 irradiates the irradiation block 180 with plasma for a predetermined time, the liquid to be treated, adjusted to a constant flow rate, is supplied to the storage section 184 of the irradiation block 180 via the liquid delivery tube 120 by the operation of the supply pump 190. In other words, the plasma generator 20 performs a warm-up operation by irradiating the storage section 184 of the irradiation block 180 with plasma for a predetermined time when there is no liquid to be treated in the storage section 184, i.e., when the storage section 184 is empty. Then, after the plasma has been irradiated towards the irradiation block 180 for a predetermined time, the liquid to be treated is supplied to the storage section 184 of the irradiation block 180 by the operation of the supply pump 190. Then, after a predetermined amount of liquid to be treated has been supplied to the storage section 184 by the supply pump 190, the operation of the supply pump 190 stops. As a result, a predetermined amount of the liquid to be treated is stored in the storage section 184 of the irradiation block 180, and the liquid stored in the storage section 184 is activated by plasma gas irradiation from the plasma generator 20. It is known that the therapeutic effect of the plasma-irradiated liquid is achieved when the liquid to be treated is irradiated with plasma gas for a predetermined time. Therefore, the liquid to be treated stored in the storage section 184 is irradiated with plasma gas for a predetermined time. In addition, the liquid to be treated undergoes natural convection within the storage section 184 due to the irradiation with plasma gas. This makes it possible to obtain a homogeneous activated plasma-treated liquid that exhibits a therapeutic effect.

[0041] In this way, by supplying an inert gas to the inside of the cover housing 22, the air inside the cover housing 22 is exhausted to the outside. At this time, the oxygen concentration inside the cover housing 22 is adjusted, thereby controlling the conditions that affect plasma irradiation. Specifically, since plasma contains active radicals, when it reacts with oxygen, it becomes ozone, which reduces the effectiveness of plasma irradiation. Therefore, by adjusting the oxygen concentration inside the cover housing 22, it is possible to investigate the effect of oxygen concentration on the effect of plasma-irradiated culture medium. Furthermore, it becomes possible to irradiate the culture medium with plasma under the same conditions. This makes it possible to efficiently produce plasma-treated liquid.

[0042] Furthermore, in the atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device 10, as described above, the distance between the plasma nozzle 72 and the culture medium can be arbitrarily set. This makes it possible to investigate the effect of irradiation distance on the effect of the plasma-irradiated culture medium, and to efficiently generate plasma-treated liquid.

[0043] Furthermore, a duct opening 160 is formed in the lower cover 78. As a result, when an inert gas is supplied into the cover housing 22, the inside of the cover housing 22 becomes positively pressurized and is naturally exhausted from inside the cover housing 22. In addition, a tapered surface 162 is formed in the duct opening 160 of the lower cover 78, with the inner diameter increasing towards the upper surface of the lower cover 78. This makes it possible to promote the exhaust of gas from inside the cover housing 22. Furthermore, an ozone filter 166 is provided in the exhaust mechanism 36. This makes it possible to prevent the exhaust of ozone to the outside even when ozone is generated by the reaction of plasma and oxygen.

[0044] After plasma irradiation of the liquid to be treated begins, and a predetermined time has elapsed, the plasma-treated liquid stored in the storage unit 184 is discharged via the drain tube 122 by the operation of the discharge pump 192. After a predetermined time has elapsed since the discharge of the plasma-treated liquid from the storage unit 184 began, it is assumed that no plasma-treated liquid remains in the storage unit 184, and the discharge of the plasma-treated liquid from the storage unit 184 is completed. Then, the liquid to be plasma-treated next is supplied to the storage unit 184 of the irradiation block 180 via the liquid supply tube 120 by the operation of the supply pump 190. The plasma treatment process, consisting of plasma irradiation of the liquid to be treated stored in the storage unit 184 for a predetermined time, drainage of the plasma-treated liquid, supply of new liquid to be treated to the irradiation block 180, plasma irradiation of the liquid to be treated, etc., is repeated until the target amount of plasma-treated liquid is generated.

[0045] In this way, the target amount of plasma-treated liquid is generated by repeating a series of processes: supplying the liquid to be treated to the irradiation block 180, irradiating the liquid stored in the storage section 184 with plasma, and draining the plasma-treated liquid. However, since the capacity of the storage section 184 of the irradiation block 180 is relatively small, the above series of processes must be repeated a considerable number of times to generate the target amount of plasma-treated liquid. Specifically, for example, if the capacity of the storage section 184 is about 10 ml and the target amount of plasma-treated liquid is 2 L, the above series of processes must be repeated 200 times. For this reason, it is difficult to generate a large amount of plasma-treated liquid using a method that generates plasma-treated liquid by repeating a series of processes: supplying the liquid to be treated, irradiating the liquid stored in the storage section 184 with plasma, and draining the plasma-treated liquid. Therefore, plasma treatment is performed in which the liquid to be treated is supplied to the storage section 184, the liquid to be treated is discharged from the storage section 184, and the liquid to be treated supplied to the storage section 184 is irradiated with plasma.

[0046] Specifically, first, while supplying the liquid to be treated to the storage unit 184, the supply rate per unit time of the supply pump 190 and the discharge rate per unit time of the discharge pump 192 are adjusted so that the liquid to be treated is stored in the storage unit 184 when the liquid to be treated is discharged from the storage unit 184. The process of adjusting the supply rate per unit time of the supply pump 190 and the discharge rate per unit time of the discharge pump 192 (hereinafter referred to as the "adjustment process") is performed in the atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device 10 before the plasma-treated liquid is generated.

[0047] In the adjustment process, a weight sensor is installed to measure the weight of the irradiation block 180, and the adjustment process is performed based on the measurement value of the weight sensor. First, if the supply rate per unit time of the supply pump 190 and the discharge rate per unit time of the discharge pump 192 are the same, it is assumed that the amount of liquid to be treated stored in the storage section 184 will not change. In other words, if only the supply pump is operated to store a predetermined amount of liquid to be treated in the storage section, and then the supply pump and the discharge pump are operated simultaneously to make the supply rate per unit time of the supply pump and the discharge rate per unit time of the discharge pump the same, it is assumed that the amount of liquid to be treated stored will be maintained at a predetermined amount. However, when supplying liquid to be treated to the storage section 184, the liquid to be treated is supplied against the weight of the liquid to be treated, and when the liquid to be treated is discharged from the storage section 184, the liquid to be treated is discharged using its own weight. Therefore, in order to make the actual supply rate per unit time of the supply pump 190 the same as the actual discharge rate per unit time of the discharge pump 192, the command value to the supply pump 190 must be greater than the command value to the discharge pump 192. Specifically, for example, if the actual supply rate per unit time and the actual discharge rate per unit time are to be 2 ml / min, the command value to the supply pump 190 must be 2.1 ml / min and the command value to the discharge pump 192 must be 1.9 ml / min. In addition, when the liquid to be treated stored in the storage unit 184 is irradiated with plasma, the liquid to be treated evaporates to a small extent. Therefore, even if the actual supply rate per unit time and the actual discharge rate per unit time are the same, the amount of liquid to be treated stored decreases due to the plasma irradiation of the liquid to be treated. Taking this into consideration, in order to make the actual supply rate per unit time greater than the actual discharge rate per unit time, the command value to the supply pump 190 must be 2.11 ml / min.

[0048] In this way, command values ​​for the supply pump 190 and the discharge pump 192 are determined, and these command values ​​are input to the supply pump 190 and the discharge pump 192. The liquid to be treated is then supplied to the storage unit 184 by the supply pump, while the liquid to be treated is discharged from the storage unit 184 by the discharge pump. At this time, the weight of the irradiation block 180 is measured by a weight sensor installed on the irradiation block 180. If the measurement value of the weight sensor does not change, the input command value is determined as the target command value (hereinafter referred to as the "target command value"). If the measurement value of the weight sensor decreases, the command value to the supply pump 190 is corrected to increase, or the command value to the discharge pump 192 is corrected to decrease. On the other hand, if the measurement value of the weight sensor increases, the command value to the supply pump 190 is corrected to decrease, or the command value to the discharge pump 192 is corrected to increase. The command values ​​are corrected until the measurement value of the weight sensor stops changing, and the command value at which the measurement value of the weight sensor stops changing is determined as the target command value. Once the target command values ​​for the supply pump 190 and the discharge pump 192 are determined, the adjustment process between the supply rate per unit time of the supply pump 190 and the discharge rate per unit time of the discharge pump 192 is completed.

[0049] Once the adjustment process is complete, the plasma treatment liquid generation process is executed. During the plasma treatment liquid generation process, the weight sensor is removed from the irradiation block 180. First, in the plasma treatment liquid generation process, as described above, the plasma generator 20 irradiates the empty irradiation block 180 with plasma for a predetermined time as a warm-up operation. Once the warm-up operation for the predetermined time is complete, the supply pump 190 is activated by inputting a target command value, and the liquid to be treated is supplied to the storage section 184 of the irradiation block 180. At this time, the plasma generator 20 continues to irradiate the irradiation block 180 with plasma. When a predetermined amount of the liquid to be treated is stored in the storage section 184, the discharge pump 192 is activated by inputting a target command value, and the liquid to be treated is discharged from the storage section 184. At this time, the amount of liquid to be treated stored in the storage section 184 does not change and is maintained at a constant amount. Then, plasma is irradiated onto the liquid to be treated stored in the storage section 184 at a constant amount. For example, if the amount of liquid to be treated stored in the storage unit 184 is 10 ml, and the actual supply rate per unit time of the supply pump 190 and the actual discharge rate per unit time of the discharge pump 192 are approximately 2 ml / min, the liquid to be treated will remain in the storage unit 184 for approximately 5 minutes. As a result, the liquid to be treated, irradiated with plasma for approximately 5 minutes, is generated as plasma-treated liquid. The plasma generator 20, supply pump 190, and discharge pump 192 then operate continuously until the target amount of plasma-treated liquid is generated. In other words, in conventional methods, the generation of small amounts of plasma-treated liquid is repeated and performed intermittently, but in the method of the present invention, plasma-treated liquid is generated continuously. This makes it possible to generate a large amount of plasma-treated liquid.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10, the controller 170 of the control device 38 includes an adjustment unit 200, a pre-irradiation unit 202, a supply unit 204, a discharge unit 206, and an irradiation unit 208. The adjustment unit 200 is a function for performing the adjustment process described above. The pre-irradiation unit 202 is a function for irradiating the empty irradiation block 180 with plasma. The supply unit 204 is a function for supplying the liquid to be treated to the storage unit 184 of the irradiation block 180. The discharge unit 206 is a function for supplying the liquid to be treated to the storage unit 184 of the irradiation block 180 and discharging the liquid to be treated from the storage unit 184. The irradiation unit 208 is a function for irradiating the liquid to be treated supplied to the storage unit 184 of the irradiation block 180 with plasma.

[0051] In the above embodiment, the atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device 10 is an example of a plasma irradiation device. The plasma generator 20 is an example of a plasma generator. The cover housing 22 is an example of a housing. The irradiation block 180 is an example of a container. The supply pump 190 is an example of a supply device. The discharge pump 192 is an example of a discharge device. Furthermore, the process performed by the adjustment unit 200 is an example of an adjustment process. The process performed by the pre-irradiation unit 202 is an example of a pre-irradiation process. The process performed by the supply unit 204 is an example of a supply process. The process performed by the discharge unit 206 is an example of a discharge process. The process performed by the irradiation unit 208 is an example of an irradiation process.

[0052] In the embodiment described above, the following effects are achieved.

[0053] In the atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device 10, the liquid to be treated is supplied to the storage unit 184, the liquid to be treated is discharged from the storage unit 184, and the liquid to be treated supplied to the storage unit 184 is irradiated with plasma. This makes it possible to continuously generate plasma-treated liquid and produce a large amount of plasma-treated liquid.

[0054] Furthermore, while supplying the liquid to be treated to the storage unit 184, the liquid to be treated is discharged from the storage unit 184, and the liquid to be treated stored in the storage unit 184 is irradiated with plasma. This makes it possible to irradiate the liquid to be treated with plasma for a predetermined time, and a homogeneous activated plasma-treated liquid that exhibits therapeutic effects can be generated.

[0055] Furthermore, the supply rate per unit time of the supply pump 190 and the discharge rate per unit time of the discharge pump 192 are adjusted so that the liquid to be treated supplied to the storage section 184 is stored. This makes it possible to properly store the liquid to be treated in the storage section 184 for a predetermined time.

[0056] Furthermore, when plasma is irradiated onto the liquid to be treated stored in the storage unit 184, a small amount of the liquid evaporates. Therefore, the amount supplied to the storage unit 184 per unit time is set to be greater than the amount discharged from the storage unit 184 per unit time. This makes it possible to appropriately store the liquid to be treated in the storage unit 184, taking into account the evaporation of the liquid to be treated.

[0057] Furthermore, the irradiation block 180, in which the liquid to be treated is stored, is located inside a sealed cover housing 22, and the liquid to be treated is supplied to the irradiation block 180, which is placed inside the sealed cover housing. The liquid to be treated is also discharged from the irradiation block 180, which is placed inside the sealed cover housing. This allows for proper plasma irradiation of the liquid to be treated stored in the irradiation block 180.

[0058] Furthermore, the irradiation block 180 is irradiated with plasma before the liquid to be treated is supplied, that is, while it is empty. This makes it possible for the plasma generator 20, after warming up, to properly irradiate the liquid to be treated with plasma.

[0059] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be implemented in various forms with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. For example, in the above embodiments, the liquid to be treated is irradiated with plasma inside a sealed cover housing 22, but the liquid to be treated may be irradiated with plasma in an open space. Also, in the above embodiments, the liquid to be treated is irradiated with plasma under atmospheric pressure, but the liquid to be treated may be irradiated with plasma under reduced pressure.

[0060] Furthermore, although a culture medium is used as the liquid to be treated in the above embodiment, it is possible to use a liquid other than a culture medium as the liquid to be treated. In addition, this disclosure can be applied not only to the medical field but also to various fields such as the industrial field. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0061] 10: Atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device (plasma irradiation device) 20: Plasma generator 22: Cover housing (housing) 180: Irradiation block (container) 190: Supply pump (supply device) 192: Discharge pump (discharge device) 200: Adjustment unit (adjustment process) 202: Pre-irradiation unit (pre-irradiation process) 204: Supply unit (supply process) 206: Discharge unit (discharge process) 208: Irradiation unit (irradiation process)

Claims

1. A supply process involves supplying the liquid to be processed to a container placed inside a sealed housing, The supply step includes supplying the liquid to be processed to the container while simultaneously discharging the liquid to be processed from the container, An adjustment step that adjusts the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated supplied per unit time in the supply step and the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated discharged per unit time in the discharge step, so that the liquid to be treated supplied to the container is stored therein. The irradiation step involves irradiating the liquid to be processed stored in the container with plasma generated by a plasma generator connected to the housing, towards the inside of the housing. Includes, In the adjustment step, the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated supplied per unit time in the supply step is adjusted to be greater than the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated discharged per unit time in the discharge step, and further, the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated supplied per unit time in the supply step and the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated discharged per unit time in the discharge step are adjusted so that the weight of the container in which the liquid to be treated is stored is maintained. A method for producing a plasma-treated liquid by irradiating it with plasma in the aforementioned irradiation step.

2. A supply step of supplying an inert gas into the housing, A detection step in which the oxygen concentration inside the housing is detected while an inert gas is supplied into the housing in the supply step, Includes, The irradiation step is, A method for producing a plasma-treated liquid according to claim 1, wherein the plasma generated by the plasma generator is irradiated onto the liquid to be treated supplied to the container when the oxygen concentration inside the housing detected in the detection step falls below a threshold value.

3. A method for producing a plasma-treated liquid according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a pre-irradiation step of irradiating the container with plasma before the liquid to be treated is supplied in the supply step.

4. A sealed housing, A supply device that supplies the liquid to be processed to a container placed inside the housing, A discharge device that supplies the liquid to be processed into the container using the supply device, while simultaneously discharging the liquid to be processed from the container, A plasma generator connected to the housing generates plasma toward the interior of the housing, thereby irradiating the liquid to be processed stored in the container with plasma, Equipped with, A plasma irradiation apparatus in which, when adjusting the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated per unit time supplied to the supply device and the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated per unit time discharged to the discharge device, the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated per unit time supplied by the supply device is adjusted to be greater than the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated per unit time discharged by the discharge device, and further, the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated per unit time supplied by the supply device and the command value for the amount of liquid to be treated per unit time discharged by the discharge device are adjusted so as to maintain the weight of the container in which the liquid to be treated is stored.

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