Long-life filter device

Abstract

To protect critical infrastructure from the adverse effects of volcanic ashfall, a natural phenomenon in Japan, we aim to provide a long-life filter system that can be used even during prolonged volcanic ashfall, and to meet the demand for proposals for volcanic ash filter systems. This system will protect major facilities and equipment from atmospheric volcanic ash or fine dust, ensure business continuity in emergencies, and protect defense facilities of national security agencies. The goal is to provide a long-life atmospheric dust filter system that blocks volcanic ash and atmospheric dust, allowing essential equipment such as cooling systems for critical machinery and facilities to always function normally. [Solution] A filter device in which a substantially corrugated filter material is attached to the filter surface, characterized in that the filter material is made of a material that prevents deformation of the attached shape of the filter material by air passing through the filter surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a long-life filter device that can perform capture work without replacing the filter for a long time in capture work such as dust and volcanic ash.

Background Art

[0002] The applicant of the present case has invented a plurality of filter devices capable of removing dust, volcanic ash, etc. and obtained patents. The present invention is a filter device with a longer life that is even more excellent based on the patents obtained by the inventor of the present case, that is, a filter device that can be deformed and held in an optimal shape of the filter medium and automatically vibrates.

[0003] In order to reliably protect important social infrastructure from the adverse effects of volcanic ash in volcanic eruptions, a natural phenomenon in Japan, there has been a demand in recent years for a powerful long-life volcanic ash filter device that does not require replacement of the filter medium even during long-term volcanic ash fall.

[0004] Providing a long-life filter device is also essential for protecting major facilities, equipment, and machinery from volcanic ash or fine dust in the atmosphere, ensuring the continuation of BCP operations in the event of an emergency, and protecting the defense facilities of national security agencies.

[0005] And the development of a long-life filter device, that is, a long-life fully automatic filter device, which blocks volcanic ash and atmospheric dust and enables basic devices such as cooling of important equipment and facilities to always function normally, is an urgent issue.

[0006] The facilities targeted by the above requests are diverse, ranging from nuclear power plants, electricity plants, telecommunications facilities, and data centers to air conditioning and cooling facilities and precision machinery facilities for national security facilities, as well as airports, railways, important facilities of local governments, hospitals, fire departments, and police agencies. Furthermore, in countries and regions abroad with many deserts, dust is already negatively affecting the aforementioned equipment, and the need for the fully automated dust removal system is considered to be high internationally. In particular, given the rapid progress of desertification in modern times, it is judged to be an invention that will be necessary in the future.

[0007] In other words, as mentioned above, desertification is progressing rapidly on a global scale, and protection from dust hazards and volcanic eruptions is absolutely essential for security facilities, power plants, data centers, national government facilities, airports, ports, police and fire department public infrastructure facilities, factory and corporate building air conditioning systems, and general building air conditioning systems.

[0008] Furthermore, from the perspective of national security levels, it is becoming necessary to rank the level of protection at each stage, from important national facilities, companies, and factories to buildings and ordinary homes, and to build a system that can respond to the needs of each stage according to its rank. Here, if we hypothesize the following ranking for infrastructure protection targets in various organizations, S1 can be assigned to the national security sector, A1 to various important national institutions and the Cabinet Secretariat Crisis Management Headquarters, B1 to local government security headquarters and various important infrastructure facilities, and C1 to private companies, general buildings, and residential facilities. The present invention enables the construction of a fully automated dust removal system suitable for this rank.

[0009] Furthermore, the long-life filter device of the present invention, which can perform fully automated control for dust and ash fall protection measures in times of emergency, is particularly valuable. This is because it simplifies the time and effort required for maintenance by workers, and also reduces the time and effort required for subsequent maintenance to maintain its functionality. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-176130 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] This invention was conceived in view of the aforementioned conventional problems and requests. For example, in order to protect critical infrastructure from the adverse effects of ashfall from volcanic eruptions, a natural phenomenon in Japan, this invention aims to provide a filter device that blocks volcanic ash and air dust, enabling essential equipment such as cooling systems for critical machinery and facilities to always function normally. This is achieved by providing a filter device that blocks volcanic ash and air dust, thereby protecting major facilities and equipment from volcanic ash or fine dust in the atmosphere, ensuring business continuity in times of emergency (BCP), and protecting defense facilities of national security agencies. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The present invention A filter device having a filter surface in which a plurality of filter media guide pins are erected alternately within the filter surface, and the filter media is attached in a substantially corrugated manner by passing alternately between the plurality of guide pins erected alternately, When air passes through the filter material, a rod-shaped member is used to maintain the width of the convex, protruding wave portion of the filter material on the air-blowing side, and the width of the recessed groove portion sandwiched between the convex wave portions. This member is attached to the air-blowing side of the filter material. When the filter material to which the adhesive shape-retaining member is attached vibrates when air passes through it, the opposing sides of the filter material in the recessed groove vibrate, and this vibration prevents dust contained in the air from adhering to the sides of the filter material, thereby extending the lifespan of the filter device. It is characterized by the following: or The aforementioned adhesive shape-retaining member is formed by a single rod-shaped member attached across both ends of the attached filter material. It is characterized by the following: or The aforementioned shape-retaining members are attached to multiple locations on the attached filter material at intervals in the vertical direction. It is characterized by the following: or The attached shape-retaining member is formed to have rigidity that allows the convex wave shape of the filter material to be maintained when air passes through it. It is characterized by the following: or The aforementioned adhesive shape-retaining member is formed of a rod-shaped member that is substantially semicircular along the convexly protruding wave portion, which maintains the width of the convexly protruding wave portion in the filter material on the air-blowing side when air passes through it. It is characterized by the following: or The aforementioned shape-retaining member is attached to the attached filter material by selecting the location of the filter material where dust is expected to adhere when air passes through it. It is characterized by the following: or The aforementioned shape-retaining attachment member can be retrofitted to an existing filter device on which a substantially corrugated filter material is attached. It is characterized by the following:

Advantages of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, for example, in order to protect important social infrastructure from the adverse effects of volcanic ash fall in volcanic eruptions, which are natural phenomena in Japan, a long-life filter device, that is, a long-life volcanic ash filter device is proposed. In addition, it protects major facility equipment from volcanic ash or fine particulate dust in the atmosphere, aims to continue BCP operations in case of emergencies, and also protects the defense facilities of national security agencies. It is a filter device, that is, a filter device with a variable filter medium shape, which blocks volcanic ash and atmospheric dust so that basic devices such as cooling of important equipment and facilities can always function normally. It can respond to the problem that it is necessary to develop such a filter device. The target facilities include, in addition to air-conditioning cooling facilities and precision machinery facilities of nuclear power, power, communication, data centers, and national security facilities, airports, railways, important facilities of local governments, hospitals, fire departments, police agencies, etc. Furthermore, in countries and regions with many deserts abroad, there are already countries and regions where various equipment has been affected by dust. The need for the long-life filter device is considered to be widespread internationally. In particular, for the modern era when desertification is rapidly progressing, it is judged to be an invention necessary in the future. Also, from the perspective of the national security level, it is possible to rank the protection status at each stage from important national facilities, enterprises, factories to buildings and ordinary households, and provide a long-life filter device that can respond to the needs at each rank according to the required needs at each stage, showing excellent effects.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] [Figure 1]This is a schematic diagram (1) illustrating the configuration of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram (2) illustrating the configuration of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram (1) illustrating the operation of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram (2) illustrating the operation of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] The present invention will be described below based on the embodiments shown in the figures. The inventor of this case has researched and developed methods for attaching the filter media 5 to various filter devices that he has already invented and patented, and has invented a long-life filter device 1 with the aim of extending the lifespan of the filter media 5.

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention allows for the retrofitting of the deformation-holding member 7, etc., to filter devices already manufactured and sold by the inventor based on patents already obtained, such as the filter device manufactured and sold under the name "Nanpu," thereby upgrading it into a long-life filter device.

[0017] Conventionally, when air 11 passes over the filter surface of a filter device, the shape of the filter material 5, which is attached to the filter surface in a roughly corrugated shape, changes due to the air pressure. This change in shape can cause the filter material 5 to be crushed, for example, and this crushing of the filter material shape results in a reduction in the effective surface area when the filter material 5 captures dust and volcanic ash.

[0018] Furthermore, the reduction in the effective surface area of ​​the filter material 5 for capturing dust and volcanic ash ultimately led to an increase in pressure loss in the filter device and clogging of the filter material 5 attached to the filter surface, resulting in the failure of the filter device to function.

[0019] The present invention was conceived with the aim of improving the design structure of the filter media 5 to suppress the increase in pressure loss of the filter device 1, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, the filter device 1 has, for example, a frame 3 that is roughly rectangular in shape. This frame 3 is formed by framing a pair of horizontal frame members 2a and a pair of vertical frame members 2b having a predetermined width, and has an opening 6 that passes through to the front and back surfaces. Note that the shape of the frame 3 is not limited to a roughly rectangular shape.

[0021] Here, the material of the horizontal frame member 2a and the vertical frame member 2b is not limited in any way, but they may be made of lightweight, rust-resistant metal materials such as aluminum, or recycled materials such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) chips that are suitable for recycling may be used.

[0022] Furthermore, within the opening 6 of the frame 3, a plurality of filter media guide pins 4 are erected in two rows facing the width direction of the pair of horizontal frame members 2a, with spacing between them and running parallel to the vertical direction in the longitudinal direction of the pair of horizontal frame members 2a. Here, the plurality of filter media guide pins 4 erected in two rows facing the width direction of the horizontal frame members 2a are arranged and mounted alternately such that the filter media guide pins 4 of the second row, for example, erected on the downstream side of the passing air, are positioned approximately midway between the plurality of filter media guide pins 4 of the first row, for example, erected on the upstream side of the passing air (see Figure 2). However, the erection positions of the filter media guide pins 4 are not limited to being arranged alternately.

[0023] Here, the material or shape of the filter media guide pin 4 is not limited in any way, but a long, thin, and elastic round rod-shaped member is preferred, for example, a synthetic resin member or a light, soft, and rust-resistant metal member is preferred. Furthermore, it may also be made of paper.

[0024] Next, reference numeral 5 indicates a filter material attached to the opening 6. The filter material 5 is generally formed from a flexible sheet-like material constructed by weaving synthetic fiber members into a mesh. However, the material of the filter material 5 is not limited in any way. It may be a resin material, a metal material, a carbon fiber material, or a paper material.

[0025] As an example of the filter material 5, it is composed of monofilaments made of a fiber-forming thermoplastic polymer with a fineness of 5 to 60 dtex, and these monofilaments are arranged as warp and weft threads, with a mesh count of, for example, 80 μm.

[0026] Furthermore, there are no limitations whatsoever on the thickness of the filter media 5, or the size of the mesh.

[0027] Furthermore, the filter material 5 according to the present invention can be made of highly durable materials such as various metals, alloys such as SUS, titanium, and zinc, or carbon fiber. In addition, many different filter materials 5 with varying thicknesses, ranging from 0.1 microns to tens or hundreds of microns, can be selected and constructed. The inventors' experiments have confirmed that the vibration interval and vibration amplitude of the filter material 5, as described later, differ depending on such differences in material or material thickness.

[0028] Therefore, by taking into account the proportion, type, size, and weight of dust and volcanic ash present at the site, we can provide a long-life filter device 1 in which the filter material 5 vibrates optimally for the conditions at the site.

[0029] As will be described later, the filter material 5 is used that has a surface area that is, for example, three times or more larger than the surface area of ​​the opening 6.

[0030] Regarding the installation of the filter media 5, it is common for both ends of the filter media 5 to be fixed to the vertical frame member 2b.

[0031] Furthermore, there are no limitations on the method of attachment, but it is usually done by using an adhesive or similar material.

[0032] After one end of the filter media 5 is fixed in place, it is attached in an alternating, or wavy, pattern along the two rows of filter media guide pins 4 mentioned earlier. Finally, it is attached in a continuous wave pattern as shown in Figure 1.

[0033] However, in the present invention, the filter material 5 is not required to be attached in a continuous waveform across the entire surface of the filter. It is also acceptable for the filter material 5 to be attached in a waveform across only a portion of the filter surface.

[0034] Typically, a filter material 5 with a surface area approximately 3.5 times or more than the surface area of ​​the opening 6 is used, but it is not limited to this.

[0035] To further increase the surface area of ​​the filter media 5, one could consider making the horizontal frame member 2a and the vertical frame member 2b wider, and increasing the spacing between the two rows of filter media guide pins 4 attached to the horizontal frame member 2a in the front-to-back direction. This would increase the width of the alternating waves of the filter media 5, which are arranged in an alternating wave pattern, thereby greatly expanding the surface area of ​​the filter media 5 in the lateral direction.

[0036] By the way, when attaching the filter media 5, it is not necessary to attach it with strong tension along the filter media guide pins 4. That is, it is acceptable to attach it loosely with some slack, for example, with just enough tension so that when the air 11 passes through the filter media 5, it is acceptable for the filter media 5 to vibrate slightly as the air 11 passes through it.

[0037] In Figures 1 and 2, reference numeral 7 indicates a shape-retaining member that maintains the attached shape of the filter material 5 even when air 11 passes through it.

[0038] The adhesive shape-retaining member 7 is preferably made of a relatively rigid member so that it can be deformed into shapes such as a roughly semicircular arch or a U-shaped wave, or flexibly molded into a wave shape to match customer orders.

[0039] Figures 1 and 2 show various embodiments of the adhesive shape-retaining member 7. The adhesive shape-retaining member 7 shown in Figure 1 is formed to be elongated so as to be attached across the vertical frame members 2a on both sides, and it may also be made up of a single piece of material.

[0040] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the attached shape-retaining member 7 may be a short member that is attached to the back side of the peak 9 of the wave portion 8 of the filter material 5 to which the air 11 is blown, and is configured to be approximately semicircular arch-shaped.

[0041] Furthermore, by constructing the shape-retaining member 7 with the aforementioned short members, it is possible to selectively attach it to the top 9 of the wave-like section 8 where dust and volcanic ash tend to adhere, as shown in Figure 2. The criteria for this selection are expected to depend on the weight relative to the size of the dust and volcanic ash. For example, dust and volcanic ash that are large in diameter and heavy will be captured by the lower filter material. Therefore, more of the shape-retaining member 7 will be attached to the lower part.

[0042] and, Applicable The adhesive shape-retaining member 7 is made of a material that can maintain its shape unless the deformed shape is forcibly deformed.

[0043] Therefore, it is possible to change the shape of the wave section 8 to any shape, such as a polygon, a fan, a cone, a drum, or a roughly semicircular arch, and to maintain the deformed waveform shape.

[0044] Furthermore, by attaching a roughly semicircular shape-retaining member 7 to the back side (or front side) of the peak 9 of the wave portion 8 in the filter material 5 through which the air 11 passes, the corrugated shape of the filter material 5 can be maintained in a roughly semicircular arch shape even before the air 11 is blown onto it.

[0045] Here, we will explain the case where the shape-retaining member 7 is attached in a manner similar to a semicircular arch, for example, when the shape of the filter material at the top 9 of the wave portion 8 in the filter material 5 is made into a roughly semicircular arch.

[0046] First, among the multiple filter guide pins 4 erected between a pair of vertical frame members 2b, a shape-retaining member 7, for example, formed in a roughly semicircular arch shape, is attached between the filter guide pin 4 located on the back side of the peak 9 of the wave portion 8 on the surface side of the filter material 5 to which the air 11 is blown, and the back surface of the filter material 5 that is in contact with the filter guide pin 4 (see Figure 2).

[0047] Furthermore, multiple shape-retaining members 7 can be attached to the filter device 1 at intervals in the vertical direction.

[0048] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the long adhesive shape-retaining member 7 is configured in three layers with a gap between them vertically.

[0049] In this way, by attaching the adhesive shape-retaining members 7 in multiple stages, the adhesive shape of the filter material 5 can be uniformly adjusted and maintained across the entire surface of the filter.

[0050] Next, Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the adhesive shape-retaining member 7. As shown in Figure 2, the adhesive shape-retaining member 7 of this embodiment is formed from a short, roughly semicircular arch-shaped member so that it can be easily attached to the back side of the top 9 of the wave portion 8 in the filter material 5. In other words, it does not have to be formed from a single long member that spans between a pair of vertical frame members 2b, but can be formed from a short, roughly semicircular arch-shaped member.

[0051] If the adhesive shape-retaining member 7 is formed from such a short, roughly semi-circular arch-shaped member, it has the advantage of allowing the user to freely select where to attach it to the filter material 5. In particular, if there are differences in the areas where dust and volcanic ash are blown onto the filter device 1 due to differences in regional eruption conditions, the user can check the situation and then select which part of the filter surface to attach the adhesive shape-retaining member 7 to.

[0052] Furthermore, if the adhesive shape-retaining member 7 is formed from the short member, it is conceivable to form mounting portions that can be easily attached to the filter guide pins 4 located on the back side of the tops 9 of the wave portions 8 in the filter material 5, for example, recesses into which the outer shape of the filter guide pin 4 fits, and to configure the member so that the recesses can be easily fitted onto the filter guide pins 4.

[0053] Next, the adhesive shape-retaining member 7 can be any member attached to the back side of the convex wave portion 8 on the air-blowing side of the filter material 5 in the filter device 1, and its cross-sectional shape is not limited in any way. Furthermore, as described above, it can also be configured to be attached to the front side of the filter material 5.

[0054] The cross-sectional shape of the adhesive shape-retaining member 7 may be a round bar with a circular or elliptical shape, or it may be a square bar with a triangular or polygonal cross-sectional shape. However, it is preferable to form it into a cross-sectional shape that does not obstruct the passage of air, that is, a cross-sectional shape that does not hinder the passage of air as much as possible, for example, a round bar with a circular cross-section.

[0055] Furthermore, there are no limitations on the material of the adhesive shape-retaining member 7, but it is necessary that the material can be easily deformed into a wave shape, for example, a roughly semi-circular arch shape, and that the deformation does not return to its original state unless forcibly reshaped. In other words, it is preferable that the material can be easily bent by force, maintain the bend after the bend has been changed, and allow the bend to be corrected again by force. Examples include flexible metal members, synthetic resin members, carbon fiber members, wood products, bamboo products, and paper products that can be bent.

[0056] Next, there are no restrictions on the thickness of the adhesive shape-retaining member 7. For example, any thickness that can be deformed into a roughly semi-circular arch shape and that can maintain that deformed shape after deformation is acceptable. In particular, by selecting the thickness of the adhesive shape-retaining member 7 according to the amount and type of volcanic ash at the site of the eruption, and using an adhesive shape-retaining member 7 of a thickness appropriate to the eruption conditions at the site, an optimal long-life filter device 1 can be provided.

[0057] Furthermore, as briefly explained earlier, it is preferable to install multiple layers of these adhesive shape-retaining members 7 in the vertical direction of the filter device 1 at predetermined intervals. By attaching multiple layers of substantially linear adhesive shape-retaining members 7 in the vertical direction at predetermined intervals, the entire surface of the filter material 5 is brought into close contact with the multiple layers of adhesive shape-retaining members 7 by the air pressure generated when the air 11 passes through the air passage surface of the filter material, thereby uniformly forming the wave shape set by the adhesive shape-retaining members 7 across the entire surface of the filter material 5.

[0058] Here, the number of multiple stages installed is not limited, but if the filter device 1 is configured in a vertical shape, the number of stages installed will likely be larger.

[0059] For volcanic ash filter filtration using the present invention, in order to provide a filter device 1 with appropriate pressure loss airflow characteristics quality in response to customer requirements, the adhesive shape-retaining member 7 used in the present invention is designed to have a structure with multiple stages that can be selected to achieve the most appropriate cost performance as a long-life filter device 1.

[0060] For example, the filter device 1 can be expanded vertically from its vertical center position in increments of two or more stages, allowing for the selection of the number of stages that maximize efficiency at the lowest cost. Furthermore, the mounting position of the filter media guide pins 4 can be adjusted according to customer requests, and can also be adjusted to match the device layout and equipment layout.

[0061] Furthermore, the adhesive shape-retaining member 7 does not have to be the rod-shaped member described above. It may also be a surface-shaped member, such as a mesh-like member, formed in a substantially semicircular shape on the back side of the top 9 of the wave portion 8 in the filter material 5 through which the air 11 passes, and extending in the vertical direction.

[0062] Furthermore, with respect to the filter material 5 itself, at least the peaks 9 of the wave portion 8 on the side of the filter material 5 that the air 11 will collide with may be formed into a roughly semicircular arch shape, and this semicircular arch shape may be made of a material with sufficient rigidity so that it does not narrow even under the wind pressure of the air 11. In this case, the filter material 5 itself will have the function of an attached shape-retaining member 7 added to it. If at least the peaks 9 of the wave portion 8 are made of a material with sufficient rigidity so that it does not narrow even under the wind pressure of the air 11, the semicircular arch shape will not narrow even under the wind pressure of the air 11, and the sides of the filter material 5 will vibrate as the air passes through, allowing dust such as volcanic ash contained in the air 11 to be shaken off.

[0063] Next, the usage conditions of the present invention will be described. The filter device 1 of the present invention can be installed, for example, at the air intake of an air conditioning system, as a measure against volcanic ash.

[0064] When the air 11 taken into the filter device 1 passes through the filter material 5, if dust or volcanic ash is mixed in the passing air 11, the dust or volcanic ash is captured on the mesh-like filter surface to which the filter material 5 is attached.

[0065] Here, as the air 11 passes through the corrugated filter material 5, as shown in Figure 3, the air 11 flows, for example, from the top 9 of the roughly semicircular arch-shaped corrugated section 8 of the filter material 5 along both sides 10 of the corrugated section 8. Conventionally, dust and volcanic ash mixed in the air 11 were mainly captured by sticking to both sides 10 of the corrugated section 8.

[0066] However, when dust and volcanic ash adhered to the filter media 5, the pressure loss rate of the filter media 5 eventually increased, and it became necessary to replace it with a new filter media 5.

[0067] Therefore, in this invention, the attached shape-retaining member 7 is attached to the back side of the filter material 5 through which the air 11 passes, as shown in Figure 3, in an attempt to solve the conventional problems.

[0068] When the adhesive shape-retaining member 7 is attached as shown in Figure 3, the sides 10 of the convex wave portion 8, the top 9 of the convex wave portion 8, and the convex wave portion 8 itself vibrate as the air 11 passes through the filter material 5 on the air-blowing side. The vibration of the sides 10, the top 9 of the convex wave portion 8, and the convex wave portion itself is then transmitted to the adhesive shape-retaining member 7, which also vibrates in the same way.

[0069] Due to the vibration of both sides 10, the top 9 of the convex wave section 8, and the convex wave section body itself, as well as the vibration of the attached shape-retaining member 7, dust and volcanic ash do not adhere to the filter material 5 but fall downward from both sides 10, the top 9 of the convex wave section 8, and the convex wave section 8 body itself.

[0070] Here, we will explain why both sides 10 of each wave portion 8 in the filter material 5, the top 9 of the convex wave portion 8, and the convex wave portion itself vibrate when air passes through the filter material 5.

[0071] The flow velocity of the air 11 passing along the surface of both sides 10 of each wave section 8 differs between the vicinity of the sides 10 and the area further away from the sides 10. The flow velocity of the air 11 passing further away from the sides 10 of each wave section 8 is overwhelmingly faster. Due to this difference in flow velocity, as shown by Bernoulli's theorem, a lift force acts on the surface of both sides 10 of each wave section 8, causing it to expand outwards. This lift force then interacts with the action of the subsequent Karman vortex 12.

[0072] In other words, when air 11 flows between the side surfaces 10, Karman vortices 12 are generated between the two side surfaces 10 of each wave section 8.

[0073] Here, a Karman vortex refers to a phenomenon where vortices are generated alternately and regularly at regular intervals from both sides of a column standing in a flow. At the beginning of this century, the American applied mechanics scientist Dr. Karman theoretically explained this phenomenon and named it the "Karman vortex."

[0074] Based on the inventors' experimental results, it was confirmed that the filter device 1 of the present invention generates vibrations on both sides 10 of each convex wave section 8, the top 9 of the wave section 8, and the wave section 8 itself due to the action of the Karman vortex 12.

[0075] The inventors have confirmed that the Karman vortex 12, along with the lifting force based on Bernoulli's theorem, causes both sides 10 of each wave section 8, the top 9 of the convex wave section 8, and the convex wave section itself to vibrate significantly.

[0076] Here, we will explain the operation of the Karman vortex 12 based on Figure 4. For example, when the flow velocity of air 11 flowing toward a cylinder placed in a flow is added to the cylinder, three types of vibration phenomena occur as shown in Figure 4.

[0077] Here, the cylinder is considered to correspond to the convex wave portion 8 of the filter material 5, which is formed into a roughly semicircular arch shape by the attached shape-retaining member 7.

[0078] As shown in Figure 4(a), first, multiple symmetrical vortices are generated behind the cylinder. These multiple symmetrical vortices then cause vibrations in the direction of air flow 11 behind the cylinder. However, these vibrations are not very large, and because they are vibrations 13 in the direction of air flow 11, they are not strong enough to shake dust or volcanic ash off the filter material 5.

[0079] Next, as shown in Figure 4(b), as the flow of air 11 continues and its velocity increases, alternating Karman vortices 12 are generated behind the cylinder, and these alternating Karman vortices 12 generate vibrations 14 in a direction approximately perpendicular to the flow of air 11. The vibrations 13 and 14 combine to produce vibrations in the filter material 5 that are not strong enough to shake off a large amount of dust or volcanic ash.

[0080] However, if the velocity of the air 11 is further accelerated, a large number of alternating Karman vortices 12 are generated, which increases the oscillation 14 in a direction approximately perpendicular to the flow of the air 11 (see Figure 4(c)).

[0081] The vibrations 14 in a direction perpendicular to the airflow 11 caused by the alternating Karman vortices 12 result in a large amount of dust and volcanic ash being shaken off from the filter material 5.

[0082] Furthermore, the inventors of this invention have also made an invention that accelerates the flow of air 11 such that alternating vortex Karman vortices 12, as shown in Figure 4(c), are generated on both sides 10 of each wave section 8, the top 9 of the convex wave section 8, and the convex wave section body itself.

[0083] The function of the Karman vortex in Figure 4 will be explained by applying it to Figure 3. As can be seen from Figure 3, the filter material 5 is laid in a corrugated shape, but the waveform does not have a uniform wave width. The width of the convex wave portion 8 on the side where the air 11 is blown is formed to be wide and large. That is, the top 9 side of each convex wave portion 8 is formed to be a roughly semicircular arch-shaped convex portion.

[0084] Consequently, the width of the recessed groove portion sandwiched between each wave portion 8, which is formed to form a roughly semicircular arch-shaped convex portion, inevitably becomes narrower, as shown in Figure 3.

[0085] Consequently, the flow velocity of the air 11 passing through this narrow groove is inevitably accelerated. Therefore, even without accelerating the flow velocity of the air 11 itself, the flow velocity of the air 11 will be accelerated in the aforementioned narrow, recessed groove.

[0086] Thus, in the narrow, wave-shaped groove section shown in Figure 3, many Karman vortices 12 are generated, consisting of alternating vortices that vibrate both sides 10 of the convex wave section 8 of the filter material 5, the top 9 of the convex wave section 8, and the convex wave section itself.

[0087] Incidentally, in conventional filter devices, one of the reasons why dust and volcanic ash adhere to the attached filter media 5 is that the dust and volcanic ash get stuck in the mesh openings of the filter media 5.

[0088] Dust particles and volcanic ash, slightly smaller than the opening width of the aforementioned mesh, often became lodged in it. Then, other dust particles and volcanic ash would adhere to the area around these lodged particles.

[0089] However, in the present invention, the aforementioned piercing phenomenon is less likely to occur. That is, the attached filter material 5 is constantly vibrating and moving due to the Karman vortex 12 as described above. Therefore, unlike a stationary filter material 5, dust and volcanic ash are less likely to pierce the mesh openings. In experiments conducted by the inventors, the piercing phenomenon hardly occurred at the mesh openings of the vibrating filter material 5 in the present invention.

[0090] In the filter device 1 of the present invention, volcanic ash and other particles captured by the filter material 5 may temporarily adhere to the filter surface, but as described above, the filter material 5 itself vibrates due to the passage of air. This vibration 14 causes the dust and volcanic ash to fall. Furthermore, in the present invention, the material of the filter material 5 is such that volcanic ash does not easily adhere to it, which further contributes to the automatic downward fall of the ash.

[0091] In other words, the filter device 1 of the present invention can also be called an automatic cleaning filter device, and its performance has been greatly improved.

[0092] As described above, in the present invention, as shown in Figure 3, the aforementioned adhesive shape-retaining member 7 is attached to the back side of the filter material 5 to accommodate the air 11 passing over the surface side of the filter material 5 to which the air 11 is attached, that is, over the top 9 side of the wave portion 8 of the filter material 5.

[0093] As the air 11 passes through the filter material 5, the air pressure from the air 11 passing over the back surface of the top 9 of the wave portion 8 of the filter material 5 causes the filter material 5 to adhere tightly to the adhesive shape-retaining member 7. As a result, the shape of the filter material 5 is maintained in the shape set by the adhesive shape-retaining member 7, for example, a roughly semicircular arch shape. Then, Karman vortices 12 are generated, causing both sides 10 of the wave portion 8 to vibrate.

[0094] Conventionally, dust such as volcanic ash would clog the openings of the filter media 5, and this clogging would increase the air pressure of the air 11 passing through the filter device 1, causing the gap between the left and right sides of the wave surface of the filter media 5 attached to the filter surface to narrow inward. For example, when the air 11 passed over the top 9 of the roughly semicircular arch-shaped wave section 8, the wave shape would deform into a pointed shape such as a V-shape, and the left and right sides of the filter media 5 would further narrow inward, thereby reducing the filtration area and filtration volume of the filter media 5. As a result, the volcanic ash processing capacity of the filter device 1 decreased, the pressure loss increased, and ultimately the filter device 1 became unusable.

[0095] However, the present invention solves the above problems, and by using the attached shape-retaining member 7, the corrugated shape of the filter material 5 can be reliably maintained, and as a result the filter material 5 vibrates on its own, thereby providing a filter device 1 with a long lifespan.

[0096] Now, let's consider the shape of the filter media 5. Conventionally, as mentioned above, the shape of the filter media when the filter device 1 is stationary and not operating differs from the shape of the filter media when it is in operation and dynamic, with air 11 passing through the filter media 5 on the filter surface of the filter device 1. In other words, we explained that the filter media 5 becomes compressed due to the air pressure of the air 11.

[0097] However, in the present invention, even when the attached filter material 5 is subjected to wind pressure in an operational state, its attached shape does not deform. This is because the attached filter material 5 in the operational state adheres closely to the attached shape-retaining member 7, and the surface area of ​​the filter material 5 is configured to conform to the shape of the attached shape-retaining member 7.

[0098] This can be said to fully utilize the characteristic that the filter material 5 according to the present invention is a flexible filter material 5 formed in a sheet shape, for example, with polyester monofilament.

[0099] As described above, when air 11 passes over the filter surface of the filter device 1 and air pressure is applied to the attached filter material 5, the attached shape of the filter material 5 becomes as set by the attached shape holding member 7, and thus it can be said that the effective surface area is maximized. Furthermore, this effect of the present invention is achieved by using a flexible material for the filter material 5, such as a sheet-like polyester monofilament.

[0100] However, the material of the filter media 5, its thickness, and the size of the mesh openings are not limited at all. Any flexible material that fits the attached shape-retaining member 7 is acceptable. Therefore, even if the material of the filter media 5 is changed to carbon fiber, various resin fibers, various chemical fibers, or natural fiber materials such as carbon fiber, cotton, Japanese paper, or raw silk, all of these fall within the scope of the rights of the present invention.

[0101] The main features of the present invention are described below. 1. The filter device of the present invention can also be washed and regenerated. A filter device for volcanic ash, which maintains the performance of a previously patented volcanic ash filter device (collection rate of 97%), and is also composed of a low-pressure-drop filter device with a filter material 5 made of special polyester monofilament, can be easily cleaned and immediately washed with ordinary tap water. Furthermore, it dries very quickly, within 2 to 3 hours after draining the water. It also boasts a 10-year track record of durability and can be used without problems even in salty environments near the sea.

[0102] 2. The adhesive shape-retaining member 7 of the present invention is a special filter media shape-deforming component that can be shaped into a substantially semicircular arch, U-shape, polygon, or other shape according to customer orders, allowing the filter media shape to be changed even at the client's site. In other words, it maintains flexibility so that the air passage cross-sectional shape of the adhesive filter media 5 can be changed according to the client's needs, such as the air pressure loss value and durability time required at the client's site for air conditioning equipment, cooling equipment, emergency generators, and other various infrastructure facilities.

[0103] 3. The filter material 5 of the filter device 1 according to the present invention is, for example, formed in the shape of a sheet of flexible polyester monofilament. By combining it with a flexible adhesive shape-retaining member 7, for example, when the air conditioner fan starts operating, the dynamic air pressure received from the front of the air conditioner fan causes the monofilament sheet-shaped filter material 5 to adhere closely to the adhesive shape-retaining member 7, thereby configuring the filter material to maintain an optimal filtration area.

[0104] 4. A feature of the filter device 1 according to the present invention is that ash and dust collide with the surface of the filter material 5 of the filter device 1 together with the air 11 and are repelled forward. However, after a certain amount of operating time has elapsed for the filter device 1 of the present invention, ash and dust particles that are captured on the surface of the filter material 5 will also be generated. In that case, the pressure loss of the filter device 1 will also increase, but due to external factors such as the filter device 1 itself and the environment in which it is installed, the filter material 5 can regenerate itself while the filter device 1 is operating or stationary due to vibrations of the filter material 5 caused by the passage of air 11, vibrations of the fan duct, and other external vibrations. Here, self-regeneration refers to the process where volcanic ash and dust accumulated on the surface of the filter material 5 fall due to their own weight, cleaning the filter material 5 and restoring the pressure loss of the filter device 1. As mentioned above, self-regeneration in a natural state is called natural self-regeneration. In addition, there is a method of self-regeneration using a so-called forced force, which is called arbitrary self-regeneration. These self-regeneration functions enable the regeneration of pressure loss in the filter device 1 without shutting down infrastructure such as air conditioners. In other words, Karman vortices 12 are generated to vibrate the filter material 5, thereby improving the self-regeneration capacity.

[0105] 5. The adhesive shape-retaining member 7 of the present invention is composed of, for example, a rod-shaped, thin thread-like member made of various materials, and is highly flexible, durable to a certain degree of wind pressure and wind speed, and is also rust and corrosion resistant and heat resistant, so can be used in harsh environments, and is also structured to withstand the external factors of water washing when cleaning and regenerating the filter device 1.

[0106] 6. The combination of the filter material 5 and the attached shape-retaining member 7 of the invention provides great flexibility in generating the uneven wave shape of the filter material in the volcanic ash and dust collection area of ​​the filter device 1, allowing for the creation of a wide variety of shapes. For example, shapes such as a roughly semicircular arch, U-shape, polygon, pyramidal, lantern-shaped, and round can be generated. This change in filter media shape is achieved by a combination of a flexible filter media 5 made of polyester monofilament material and a flexible adhesive shape-retaining member 7. At the same time, wind speeds of 2.5 to 4.5 meters per second generate a frontal air dynamic pressure on the filter device 1, and this air dynamic pressure causes the shape of the uneven parts of the filter media 5 to become the optimal filtration area, which is a factor in reducing the pressure loss of the filter device 1.

[0107] 7. The filter device 1 of the present invention is configured to respond appropriately to volcanic eruptions, and is excellent in corrosion resistance and flame retardancy, eliminating the risk of fire spreading due to fires, making it safe to use. The outer frame of the filter device 1 is made of metal, so it has a long lifespan. In addition, it can be washed with water once every few years and reused for a long period of time, depending on the operating conditions of the facility in which it is installed, thereby reducing running costs.

[0108] 8. The filter media attached to conventional filter devices is typically V-shaped or a gently sharp U-shaped. However, when air dynamic pressure is applied, for example, by operating an air conditioning fan, the shape of the attached filter media changes from a V-shape or U-shape to a sharply pointed shape. This shape occurs when volcanic ash or other materials clog the filter media. Naturally, the filter media eliminates the passage for air 11, resulting in increased pressure loss in the filter device 1 and a decrease in air transport rate. This would eventually lead to the filter device 1 reaching its operational limit. Mr. Koga, the filter device 1 of the present invention has solved all of the above problems.

[0109] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. This invention allows for the retrofitting of a deformation-holding member 7 to a filter device already manufactured and sold by the present inventor, such as a filter device named "Nanpu" (South Wind), for which the inventor has obtained a patent.

[0110] For example, the aforementioned "South Wind" has already been installed in many facilities. However, in this invention, even with existing filter devices that have already been installed and are in use, the filter media 5 attached to them... Adhesive shape-retaining member This made it possible to install the 7.

[0111] The installation status will be described below. For the filter device that is already installed, on the back side of the filter media 5 through which the air 11 passes Adhesive shape-retaining member This is where part 7 will be attached.

[0112] As can be seen from the diagram, in the existing filter device, the filter media 5 is already attached in a roughly corrugated shape. Therefore, the roughly linear shape Adhesive shape-retaining member 7 is installed in a nearly horizontal direction between the two vertical frame members 2b of the filter device.

[0113] Applicable Adhesive shape-retaining member 7 will be installed in multiple layers in the vertical direction.

[0114] At this time, Adhesive shape-retaining member 7 can be connected to the filter media guide pin 4 at the top 9 portion of each wave section 8 of the filter media 5 using a connecting member such as a fastener. Adhesive shape-retaining member Alternatively, a recessed fitting portion may be formed in part 7, and this fitting portion may be fitted onto the filter media guide pin 4 for attachment. [Industrial applicability]

[0115] The filter device 1 of the present invention, in which the filter media 5 vibrates automatically, can be used even when mounted on a moving vehicle or the like.

[0116] In other words, by mounting a filter device 1 in which the filter material 5 of the present invention is automatically vibrated on a mobile transport device such as a vehicle, and by enabling air 11 from, for example, a suction duct to be blown onto the filter device 1, a simple, powerful, and effective filter device 1 for dealing with volcanic ash can be constructed.

[0117] Therefore, even if the stationary volcanic ash filter device 1 is insufficient for the number of filters at the site, there is an advantage in being able to quickly and easily deploy the long-life filter device 1 in which the filter media 5 automatically vibrates. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0118] 1. Filter device 2a Horizontal frame member 2b Vertical frame member 3 Frame 4. Filter media guide pins 5 Filter media 6 openings 7. Adhesive shape-retaining member 8 Wave part 9 Top 10 Side view 11 Air 12 Karman vortex 13. Vibration in the direction corresponding to the airflow 14. Vibration in a direction perpendicular to the airflow

Claims

1. A filter device having a filter surface in which a plurality of filter media guide pins are erected alternately within the filter surface, and filter media is attached in a substantially corrugated manner by passing alternately between the plurality of guide pins erected alternately, When air passes through the filter material, a rod-shaped member is used to maintain the width of the convex, protruding wave portion of the filter material on the air-blowing side, and the width of the recessed groove portion sandwiched between the convex wave portions. This member is attached to the air-blowing side of the filter material. When the filter material to which the adhesive shape-retaining member is attached vibrates when air passes through it, the opposing sides of the filter material in the recessed groove vibrate, and this vibration prevents dust contained in the air from adhering to the sides of the filter material, thereby extending the lifespan of the filter device. A long-life filter device characterized by the following features.

2. The attached shape-retaining member is formed of a single rod-shaped member attached across both ends of the attached filter material, The long-life filter device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a long-life filter device.

3. The attached shape-retaining member is attached to multiple locations on the attached filter material at intervals in the vertical direction, The long-life filter device according to claim 2, characterized by its features.

4. The attached shape-retaining member is formed to have rigidity that can maintain the convex wave shape of the filter material when air passes through it. A long-life filter device as described in claim 1.

5. The attached shape-retaining member is formed of a rod-shaped member that is substantially semicircular along the convexly protruding wave portion, which can maintain the width of the convexly protruding wave portion in the filter material on the air-blowing side when air passes through it. The long-life filter device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a long-life filter device.

6. The attached shape-retaining member is attached to the attached filter material by selecting the location of the filter material where dust is expected to adhere when air passes through it. The long-life filter device according to claim 5, characterized in that it is a long-life filter device.

7. The attached shape-retaining member can be retrofitted to an existing filter device on which a substantially corrugated filter material is attached. The long-life filter device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a long-life filter device.

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