Ultrasonic atomization device

Abstract

Provided is an ultrasonic atomization device equipped with a plurality of ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasonic atomization device increases the atomization efficiency of each ultrasonic transducer, thereby increasing the overall atomization volume, and adopts a simple structure to enable reduced manufacturing costs and efficient mass production. The ultrasonic atomization device comprises: a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 2 that ultrasonically vibrate a solution 1; an atomization chamber 4 having an array of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 2; an air blowing duct 7 that is inside the atomization chamber 4 and that is disposed along an arrangement direction of a plurality of liquid columns 6 generated by the ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic transducers 2; and an air blower 9 that forcibly blows a transport gas to the air blowing duct 7. The air blowing duct 7 has, in an opposing wall 7a which opposes the liquid columns 6, an ejection port 8 for spraying the transport gas to the liquid columns 6.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for atomizing a liquid by ultrasonic vibration, and particularly to an apparatus for efficiently atomizing a liquid by blowing a carrier gas such as air onto the surface of a liquid column generated by ultrasonic vibration.

Background Art

[0002] An apparatus for atomizing a liquid by ultrasonic vibration is required to have high atomization efficiency. This is because high atomization efficiency can reduce power consumption and generate a large amount of mist. Particularly, in an apparatus using a large number of ultrasonic vibrators, it is particularly important to increase the atomization efficiency of each ultrasonic vibrator. An apparatus for converting a liquid into mist by ultrasonic vibration is used in various industrial devices. In each application, the amount of mist generated is specified, and a large number of ultrasonic vibrators are used to generate a large amount of mist. It is difficult for an atomization apparatus equipped with a large number of ultrasonic vibrators to efficiently atomize a liquid into mist with all the ultrasonic vibrators. While increasing the number of mists, the amount of mist generated cannot be reliably increased in proportion to the number of ultrasonic vibrators because the amount of mist generated by each ultrasonic vibrator is not uniform.

[0003] As shown in FIG. 14, an apparatus for atomizing a liquid by ultrasonic vibration can increase the atomization efficiency by blowing a carrier gas such as air onto the surface of a liquid column 806 generated by the ultrasonic vibration of an ultrasonic vibrator 802. This ultrasonic atomization apparatus 800 improves the atomization efficiency by blowing a carrier gas onto the surface of each liquid column 806. However, the amount of the solution 801 atomized into mist by the ultrasonic vibrator 802 on the downstream side as viewed from the blowing side is significantly reduced to less than one fraction of the number of the ultrasonic vibrators 802 on the upstream side. This is because the carrier gas blown onto the surface of the liquid column 806 on the downstream side contains a high concentration of mist and the relative humidity of the carrier gas becomes high. Therefore, even if a large number of ultrasonic vibrators 802 are provided, the amount of solution corresponding to the number cannot be atomized into mist.

[0004] As shown in Figure 15, the inventors have developed an ultrasonic atomizing device 900 in which a cylindrical body 912, such as a cylindrical shape or a conical horn that tapers toward the spray nozzle 913, is placed above an ultrasonic transducer 902, near a liquid column 906 generated by ultrasonic vibrations, and a spray nozzle 913 is opened at the upper end of the cylindrical body 902. Furthermore, the cylindrical body 912 is equipped with a gas nozzle 913 that supplies a transport gas from a transport gas source to the mist sprayed from the spray nozzle 913 (see Patent Document 1). With this structure, compared to the ultrasonic atomizing device 800 shown in Figure 14, the transport gas can be used to efficiently atomize into mist using multiple ultrasonic transducers 902 while reducing the amount of transport gas. However, it is necessary to install the same number of cylindrical bodies 912 as the ultrasonic transducers 902, which has the disadvantage of a complex structure and the need for many parts. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2006 / 070839 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The present invention was developed with the aim of preventing the above-mentioned problems. One objective of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic atomizing device that is equipped with multiple ultrasonic transducers, increases the overall atomization volume by increasing the atomization efficiency of each ultrasonic transducer, and further reduces manufacturing costs by having a simple structure, thereby enabling efficient mass production. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An ultrasonic atomizing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducers that ultrasonically vibrate a solution, an atomizing chamber formed by arranging the plurality of ultrasonic transducers, an air supply duct located within the atomizing chamber and arranged along the direction of arrangement of the plurality of liquid columns generated by the ultrasonic vibrations of the ultrasonic transducers, and a blower that forcibly blows a conveyed gas into the air supply duct. The air supply duct has an outlet opening in a wall facing the liquid columns that blows the conveyed gas onto the liquid columns.

[0008] In another embodiment of the present invention, the ultrasonic atomizing apparatus includes a blower duct comprising one or more dividing plates that divide the blower duct into multiple divided ducts in multiple stages, and the dividing plates can divide and blow the conveyed gas supplied to the blower duct into their respective outlet openings.

[0009] In another embodiment of the present invention, an ultrasonic atomizing device is configured such that multiple ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a line, allowing multiple liquid columns to be arranged in a line.

[0010] In another embodiment of the present invention, an ultrasonic atomizing device is configured such that multiple ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a straight line, allowing multiple liquid columns to be arranged in a straight line.

[0011] In another embodiment of the present invention, an ultrasonic atomizing device is configured such that a plurality of ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a ring shape, and an air duct can be positioned inside the ring-shaped liquid column generated by the plurality of ultrasonic transducers.

[0012] In another embodiment of the present invention, an ultrasonic atomizing apparatus is provided in which ultrasonic transducers are arranged in multiple rows, an air duct is placed between multiple rows of liquid columns generated by the multiple rows of ultrasonic transducers, and the air duct can have ejection openings on opposing walls that blow a conveying gas onto both sides of the liquid columns.

[0013] In another embodiment of the present invention, the ultrasonic atomizing device has a blower duct positioned on one side of the liquid column generated by ultrasonic vibrations, and the blower duct can have an outlet on the opposite wall that blows a conveying gas onto the other side of the liquid column.

[0014] In another embodiment of the present invention, an ultrasonic atomizing device is provided in which air ducts are arranged on both sides of a liquid column generated by ultrasonic vibrations, and the air ducts on both sides of the liquid column can have ejection openings on opposing walls that blow a conveyed gas onto both sides of the liquid column.

[0015] In another embodiment of the present invention, the ultrasonic atomizing device can have an ejection opening positioned to blow a conveyed gas toward a liquid column generated by ultrasonic vibrations.

[0016] The ultrasonic atomization device according to another embodiment of the present invention can open the ejection opening at a position where the carrier gas is blown between adjacent liquid columns.

[0017] The ultrasonic atomization device according to another embodiment of the present invention can make the ejection opening into a slit extending in the vertical direction of the liquid column.

[0018] The ultrasonic atomization device according to another embodiment of the present invention can make the length of the slit of the ejection opening 0.5 times to 1.5 times the height of the liquid column.

[0019] The ultrasonic atomization device according to another embodiment of the present invention can make the ejection opening of the air duct have different opening areas.

[0020] The ultrasonic atomization device according to another embodiment of the present invention can make the cross-sectional area of the air duct different in the arrangement direction of the liquid columns.

Advantages of the Invention

[0021] The ultrasonic atomization device of the present invention is equipped with a plurality of ultrasonic vibrators, and the atomization efficiency of each ultrasonic vibrator is increased to increase the overall atomization amount. Furthermore, it has the characteristics of a simple structure, reduced manufacturing cost, and efficient mass production.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic horizontal cross-sectional view of an ultrasonic atomization device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of the ultrasonic atomization device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of the ultrasonic atomization device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic horizontal cross-sectional view of an ultrasonic atomization device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of the ultrasonic atomization device shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic horizontal cross-sectional view of an ultrasonic atomization device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic horizontal cross-sectional view of an ultrasonic atomizing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a schematic horizontal cross-sectional view of an ultrasonic atomizing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a schematic horizontal cross-sectional view of an ultrasonic atomizing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the ultrasonic atomizing device shown in Figure 9. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a schematic horizontal cross-sectional view of an ultrasonic atomizing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a schematic perspective view showing an example where the ejection opening is a slit. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a schematic perspective view showing an example where the ejection opening consists of multiple through holes. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a conventional ultrasonic atomizing device. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of an ultrasonic atomizing device according to a conventional example (Patent Document 1). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0023] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, terms indicating specific directions or positions (e.g., "up," "down," and other terms including these) will be used as needed. The use of these terms is for the purpose of facilitating the understanding of the invention by referring to the drawings, and the meaning of these terms does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. Also, parts with the same reference numerals appearing in multiple drawings indicate the same or equivalent parts or components. Furthermore, the embodiments shown below illustrate the technical concept of the present invention in concrete examples and do not limit the present invention to those described below. In addition, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc. of the components described below are intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the present invention unless specifically stated otherwise. Furthermore, the content described in one embodiment or example is applicable to other embodiments and examples. Also, the size and positional relationships of the components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated to clarify the explanation.

[0024] The ultrasonic atomizing device of the present invention atomizes liquids into fine nanomist using ultrasonic vibrations. Devices that atomize solutions using ultrasonic vibrations are suitable for separating and concentrating solvents or solutes such as water or alcohol from a solution, or for separating high-purity water (solvent) from a solution. For devices used in this application, it is important to increase the atomization efficiency to increase energy efficiency and to reduce the mist particle size to increase the atomization efficiency of fine mist.

[0025] Ultrasonic atomizers can improve the atomization efficiency of nanomist by blowing a carrier gas, such as air, onto the surface of a liquid column that protrudes from the liquid surface due to ultrasonic vibrations. This is because the fresh carrier gas, such as air, blown onto the surface of the liquid column blows away the mist that has been dispersed into the air from the liquid-gas interface by the energy of the ultrasonic vibrations, pulling it away from the surface of the liquid column. The mist that has been separated from the surface of the liquid column is vaporized into water vapor, and then the water vapor is liquefied to form nanomist. To increase the atomization efficiency of nanomist in this state, an environment is required in which the mist pulled away from the surface of the liquid column is vaporized into water vapor, and an environment is required in which the mist mixture gas containing the vaporized water vapor is cooled to a supersaturated state, thereby liquefying the water vapor into nanomist.

[0026] Since air is generally used as the conveying gas, the following description will detail embodiments in which air is used as the conveying gas. However, the present invention is not limited to air as the conveying gas, and any gas that can be blown onto the surface of the liquid column to improve atomization efficiency, such as nitrogen gas, can also be used.

[0027] The energy of ultrasonic vibrations separates micron-sized mist from the surface of the liquid column. An ultrasonic atomizer can convert the micron-sized mist separated from the liquid column surface into nano-mist, thereby improving the atomization efficiency of nano-mist. To achieve this, it is necessary to vaporize the micron-sized mist with air as a transport gas to form water vapor, and then liquefy the water vapor to convert it into nano-mist. This is because the mist generated when water vapor liquefies becomes nano-sized mist. The micron-sized mist separated from the surface of the liquid column is vaporized into water vapor by the transport gas sprayed onto the surface of the liquid column. This is because spraying the transport gas onto the liquid column lowers the relative humidity on the surface of the liquid column, creating an environment conducive to vaporization. The transport gas that vaporized the mist on the surface of the liquid column is cooled by the heat of vaporization of the mist, and its temperature decreases. As the temperature of the transport gas decreases, its relative humidity increases, creating a supersaturated state, which liquefies the water vapor to form nano-mist.

[0028] Nanomist is generated by vaporizing micron-sized mist, resulting in a higher concentration of easily vaporizable components. For example, when saltwater is atomized into nanomist using ultrasonic vibrations, the nanomist becomes close to pure water with a low salt concentration. Therefore, the nanomist can be collected to separate the pure water from the solution. Also, by collecting the mist as nanomist in alcohol water, the alcohol concentration can be increased. Ultrasonic atomizers are used for solution separation due to these properties, but in this application, high atomization efficiency of nanomist is required to efficiently separate the solution. Furthermore, in other applications as well, high atomization efficiency of fine mist is required for ultrasonic atomizers. [Embodiment 1]

[0029] Figures 1 to 3 show an ultrasonic atomizing device 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In these figures, Figure 1 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the schematic configuration of the ultrasonic atomizing device 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view obtained by cutting the ultrasonic atomizing device 100 shown in Figure 1 in the longitudinal direction, and Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view obtained by cutting the ultrasonic atomizing device 100 shown in Figure 1 in the short direction.

[0030] The ultrasonic atomizing apparatus 100 shown in these figures comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 2 that ultrasonically vibrate a solution 1, an atomizing chamber 4 in which the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 2 are arranged in a line, a blower duct 7 located within the atomizing chamber 4 and extending along the direction of the arrangement of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 2 arranged in a line, and a blower 9 that forcibly blows a transport gas into the blower duct 7. The contents described for the ultrasonic atomizing apparatus 100 also apply to other embodiments described later, insofar as they do not contradict each other. (Atomization chamber 4)

[0031] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the atomizing chamber 4 is supplied with a liquid to be atomized, such as water or a solution, to a constant liquid level. The liquid supplied to the atomizing chamber 4 varies depending on the application of the ultrasonic atomizer 100. For example, a solution in which a solute such as salt is dissolved in water can be used to separate the water and concentrate the brine, and the mist can be recovered to separate pure water from the solution. Furthermore, it can be used to concentrate alcohol by ultrasonically vibrating alcohol water. For example, when the liquid level of the atomizing chamber 4 drops, solution 1 is supplied to maintain the liquid level at a set value. Alternatively, although not shown, a stock tank containing solution 1 can be connected via a pump, the liquid level of the atomizing chamber 4 can be detected by a level sensor, and the operation of the pump can be controlled by the level sensor. When the liquid level of the atomizing chamber 4 drops, the pump can be operated to maintain the liquid level at a set value. (Ultrasonic transducer 2)

[0032] The atomization chamber 4 shown in Figures 2 and 3 has multiple ultrasonic transducers 2 fixed to the bottom in an upward-facing position to emit ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic transducers 2 are positioned at a certain depth that provides the best atomization efficiency. Each ultrasonic transducer 2 is connected to an ultrasonic power supply (not shown) and vibrates ultrasonically when excited by an alternating current of several tens of kHz to several MHz supplied from the ultrasonic power supply. Each ultrasonic transducer 2 is positioned at the same depth and emits ultrasonic vibrations upward, causing a liquid column 6 to protrude from the liquid surface 5. The ultrasonic transducers 2 emit ultrasonic vibrations at a narrow radiation angle, causing the liquid column 6 to protrude from the liquid surface 5. The liquid column 6 separates the liquid from its surface in the form of mist using the energy of the ultrasonic vibrations. The mist separated from the liquid column 6 is dispersed in a transport gas that is forcibly blown in, and discharged as a mist-gas mixture. Although not shown, multiple ultrasonic transducers can also be fixed to the outside of the bottom of the atomization chamber in an upward-facing position to emit ultrasonic waves.

[0033] Multiple ultrasonic transducers 2 are arranged linearly at the bottom of the atomization chamber 4. Preferably, the multiple ultrasonic transducers 2 are arranged linearly on both sides of the air duct 7, as shown in Figure 1. This ultrasonic atomizer 100 structure allows the transport gas to be blown onto two rows of liquid columns 6 with a single air duct 7, reducing the number of parts, simplifying the structure, and efficiently increasing the overall atomization volume. The ultrasonic transducers 2 ultrasonically vibrate the solution 1 upwards from the bottom, causing the liquid columns 6 to protrude from the liquid surface 5 and separating the mist from the surface of the liquid columns 6. The liquid columns 6 are blown with transport gas from the air duct 7 onto their surface to efficiently separate the mist and generate nanomist. The liquid columns 6 are arranged along the air duct 7 so that the transport gas from the air duct 7 is blown onto each of the liquid columns 6. In the ultrasonic atomizer 100 shown in Figure 1, the air supply duct 7 is positioned to extend in a straight line, and the multiple liquid columns 6 generated by the multiple ultrasonic transducers 2 are arranged in a straight line parallel to the air supply duct 7. Since the liquid columns 6 are generated above the ultrasonic transducers 2, the multiple ultrasonic transducers 2 can be positioned in a straight line parallel to the air supply duct 7, and the liquid columns 6 arranged in a straight line and the air supply duct 7 can be positioned parallel to each other.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3, a predetermined gap, for example, an air gap 11 of 3 mm to 3 cm, is provided between the liquid column 6 and the air supply duct 7 so that the conveying gas is uniformly blown onto the surface of the liquid column 6. In order to provide an air gap 11 between the liquid column 6 and the air supply duct 7, the arrangement line of the ultrasonic transducers 2, which are arranged in a line, and the side line of the air supply duct 7, which is also on a line, are parallel to each other, and the distance between them is equal to the distance of the air gap 11. However, for example, the distance between the arrangement line of the ultrasonic transducers 2 and the side line of the air supply duct 7 can be made non-parallel, such as by making the distance different on the upstream and downstream sides when viewed from the air supply side. (Air supply duct 7)

[0035] The air supply duct 7 is positioned inside the atomization chamber 4, along the direction of arrangement of the multiple liquid columns 6 generated by the ultrasonic vibrations of the ultrasonic transducer 2. The air supply duct 7 is a hollow cylindrical body, and the conveyed gas is forcibly blown into it from the blower 9. The air supply duct 7 has ejection openings 8 in the opposing wall 7a facing the liquid columns 6. The conveyed gas is blown from the blower 9 into the air supply duct 7, and the conveyed gas is blown onto the liquid columns 6 from the ejection openings 8 opened in the air supply duct 7. The ejection openings 8 are provided on the wall surface of the air supply duct 7, including the opposing wall 7a, that is, the surface facing the liquid columns 6. For example, the ultrasonic atomization device 100 in Figure 1 has ejection openings 8 in the opposing walls 7a on both sides of the air supply duct 7. In addition, the ultrasonic atomizers 300, 400, 500, and 700 shown in Figures 6 to 8 and 11, which will be described later, have ejection openings 8 on one side of the opposing wall 7a of the air supply duct 7, while the ultrasonic atomizer 600 shown in Figure 9 has ejection openings 8 on both sides and on one side of the opposing wall 7a of the air supply duct 7.

[0036] As shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 3, the air supply duct 7 has its opposing wall 7a in a nearly vertical position and has a discharge opening 8 positioned opposite the liquid column 6. The discharge opening 8 blows the conveyed gas onto the surface of the liquid column 6, which is formed by the vertical protrusion caused by ultrasonic vibration, thereby improving atomization efficiency. In the ultrasonic atomizer 100 of Figure 3, the air supply duct 7 is positioned between two rows of liquid columns 6, and the conveyed gas is blown horizontally to the liquid columns 6 from the discharge openings 8 provided on the opposing walls 7a on both sides of the air supply duct 7. As shown in the figure, the conveyed gas is blown onto the right liquid column 6 from the discharge opening 8 on the opposing wall 7a on the right side of the air supply duct 7, and the conveyed gas is blown onto the left liquid column 6 from the discharge opening 8 on the opposing wall 7a on the left side of the air supply duct 7. Although not shown, the air supply duct 7 can also be inclined so that the opposing wall 7a on which the discharge opening 8 is provided is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the atomization chamber 4. For example, the air duct 7 can be tilted so that the outlet 8 is parallel to the surface of the liquid column 6 by inclining the wall 7a facing the liquid column 6, which has an outlet 8, in a direction along the cone-shaped protruding liquid column 6, thereby equalizing the air gap 11 between the outlet 8 and the liquid column 6. In addition, the opposing wall 7a of the air duct 7 can be shaped to correspond to a predetermined air gap according to the amount and position of airflow, the height and position at which the conveyed gas is blown onto the liquid column 6, etc. The air duct 7 shown in the horizontal cross-sectional view of Figure 1 is positioned to extend in the direction of the arrangement of the liquid columns 6 (two rows in the figure) which are arranged in a straight line, and a predetermined air gap 11 is provided between the outlet 8 and the liquid column 6. As shown in Figure 1, the ultrasonic transducer 2 is preferably arranged in a straight line, so the air duct 7 is positioned to extend in a straight line. The air supply duct 7 is formed into a hollow cylindrical shape with a vertical width that allows for the opening of ejection openings 8 to blow the conveyed gas from the lower end to the upper end of the liquid column 6, and a horizontal width that allows for efficient atomization by blowing air from each ejection opening 8 to the liquid column 6. Preferably, the cross-sectional shape of the air supply duct 7 is rectangular as shown in Figure 3, but the cross-sectional shape can be a polygon such as a trapezoid or triangle, or it can be a shape without corners such as an ellipse. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the air supply duct 7 can be made a trapezoid that tapers at the bottom to equalize the air supply gap 11 with the liquid column 6 at the top and bottom.

[0037] The atomizing device 100 shown in Figures 1 to 3 is cylindrical with the same cross-sectional area for the air supply duct 7. However, although not shown, the cross-sectional area of ​​the air supply duct 7 can also differ in the direction of the arrangement of the liquid columns 6. The conveyed gas is forcibly blown from the blower 9 into the air supply duct 7, and the conveyed gas is blown onto the liquid columns 6 from the discharge opening 8 of the air supply duct 7. To accommodate the fact that the pressure at which the conveyed gas is blown onto the liquid columns 6 by the blower 9 differs between the upstream side of the air supply duct 7, which is closer to the blower 9, and the downstream side, which is further away, the cross-sectional area of ​​the air supply duct 7 on the downstream side, which is further away from the blower 9, can be reduced, for example. (Gushing opening 8)

[0038] In the ultrasonic atomizer 100 shown in Figures 1 to 3, a conveyed gas is forcibly blown from a blower 9 into a blower duct 7 and sprayed onto a liquid column 6 from a discharge opening 8 provided in the blower duct 7. The discharge opening 8 shown in the figures is positioned to spray the conveyed gas towards the liquid column 6 generated by ultrasonic vibrations. This allows the conveyed gas to be blown onto the liquid column 6, thereby increasing the atomization efficiency. Although not shown, the discharge opening 8 can also be positioned to spray the conveyed gas between adjacent liquid columns 6. For example, depending on the distance between adjacent liquid columns 6, positioning the discharge opening 8 to spray the conveyed gas between adjacent liquid columns 6 allows the conveyed gas to be sprayed onto both adjacent liquid columns 6, thereby increasing the atomization efficiency. It is also possible to provide both a discharge opening 8 positioned to spray the conveyed gas towards the liquid column 6 and a discharge opening 8 positioned to spray the conveyed gas between adjacent liquid columns 6. Furthermore, atomization efficiency can be increased by using different shapes, sizes, and numbers for the ejection openings 8 positioned to spray the conveying gas toward the liquid column 6 and the ejection openings 8 positioned to spray the conveying gas between adjacent liquid columns 6.

[0039] Figures 12 and 13 show examples of the shape and arrangement of the ejection opening 8. As shown in Figures 12A and 12B, the ejection opening 8 can be made into a slit 8a that extends vertically in the direction of the liquid column 6. This allows the ejection opening 8 to blow the conveyed gas onto the entire liquid column 6 from top to bottom, without blowing the conveyed gas onto only a portion of the liquid column 6, thereby increasing atomization efficiency. The slits 8a of the ejection opening 8 can be finely adjusted in terms of size, shape, number, width, length, and arrangement. For example, Figure 12A shows an example where the conveyed gas is blown onto the liquid column 6 from the front through a single slit 8a that extends vertically in the direction of the liquid column 6. Figure 12B shows an example where the conveyed gas is blown onto the liquid column 6 from two slits 8a arranged in a V-shape along the outer shape of the liquid column 6. Although not shown, another ejection opening 8 can be provided above the two V-shaped slits 8a, or the tops of the two V-shaped slits 8a can be connected. When the flow rate is the same, increasing the size of the ejection opening 8 slows down the flow velocity of the conveyed gas, and decreasing the size of the ejection opening 8 speeds up the flow velocity of the conveyed gas. Therefore, the flow velocity is adjusted to achieve optimal atomization efficiency by changing the size, shape, number, width, and arrangement of the slits 8a. For example, the size, number, and arrangement of the ejection opening 8 can be changed by adjusting the size, shape, number, width, and arrangement of the slits 8a according to the shape and surface condition of the liquid column 6, and according to the pressure at which the conveyed gas is blown, such as on the upstream and downstream sides of the air supply duct 7. The direction in which the conveyed gas is blown from the ejection opening 8 can also be changed not only horizontally to the liquid column 6, but also in other directions. The ejection opening 8 can blow the conveyed gas horizontally, and by devising the shape of the ejection opening 8, it can also blow the conveyed gas upward or downward diagonally. Furthermore, it is possible to blow the conveyed gas in different directions from multiple ejection openings 8.

[0040] The length of the slit 8a of the ejection opening 8 is preferably 0.5 to 1.5 times the height of the liquid column 6, and more preferably 0.7 to 1.3 times the height of the liquid column 6. The amount of conveying gas blown for efficient atomization differs depending on the actual height of the generated liquid column 6, and the optimal length of the slit 8a of the ejection opening 8 also differs. By setting a predetermined length of the slit 8a relative to the height of the liquid column 6, the conveying gas can be blown not only towards a part of the liquid column 6, such as the upper end, but also towards the entire liquid column 6, thereby achieving optimal atomization efficiency.

[0041] The air supply duct 7 can be equipped with ejection openings 8 of different opening areas. For example, the opening areas above and below the liquid column 6 can be different. Furthermore, the ejection openings 8 can be adjusted to different shapes, sizes, and arrangements depending on their position—upstream and downstream of the air supply duct 7 that blows the conveyed gas onto the surface of each liquid column 6. By adjusting the size, width, length, number, and arrangement of the slits 8a of the ejection opening 8, ejection openings 8 of different opening areas can be created. The size, number, width, and shape of the slits 8a can also be changed according to the height of the liquid column 6. In addition, by positioning the lowest part of the slits 8a of the ejection opening 8 above the liquid surface 5, it is possible to prevent the solution 1 from entering the air supply duct 7.

[0042] As shown in Figures 13A to 13C, the ejection opening 8 can also be made by arranging multiple through-holes 8b vertically. By arranging multiple through-holes 8b vertically, the conveying gas can be blown towards the entire liquid column 6, similar to the case where slits 8a extending in the vertical direction of the liquid column 6 are provided, thereby increasing atomization efficiency. The ejection opening 8 with through-holes 8b can be finer adjusted than with slits 8a, depending on the size, number, shape, and arrangement of the through-holes 8b. The through-holes 8b are not limited to circular holes, but also include elliptical shapes and slit shapes extending vertically or horizontally. Both through-holes 8b and slits 8a can be provided, or a combination of both. For example, Figure 13A shows an example where the conveying gas is blown onto the liquid column 6 from the front through multiple through holes 8b arranged in a single row in the vertical direction of the liquid column 6; Figure 13B shows an example where the conveying gas is blown onto the liquid column 6 from multiple through holes 8b arranged in a V-shape along the outer shape of the liquid column 6; and Figure 13C shows an example where the conveying gas is blown onto the liquid column 6 from multiple through holes 8b of different shapes arranged from the top to the bottom of the liquid column 6.

[0043] Similar to the case of the slit 8a, even in the case of multiple through holes 8b, the flow velocity can be adjusted by changing the size of the ejection opening 8, thereby increasing the atomization efficiency. Furthermore, even in the case of multiple through holes 8b, the air supply duct 7 can have ejection openings 8 with different opening areas. In addition, by positioning the lowest of the multiple through holes 8b of the ejection opening 8 above the liquid level 5, it is possible to prevent the solution 1 from entering the air supply duct 7. (Blower 9)

[0044] The blower 9 shown in Figure 1 forcibly blows the conveyed gas into the air duct 7, blowing the conveyed gas onto the surface of the liquid column 6 from the outlet opening 8 of the air duct 7, thereby efficiently generating nanomist from the surface of the liquid column 6. When multiple rows of air ducts 7 are provided, for example, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, multiple rows of air ducts 7 can be connected and one blower 9 can be installed, or two blowers 9 can be installed in each air duct 7, as shown in Figure 9. The airflow rate and pressure at which the blower 9 forcibly blows the conveyed gas are set to forcibly blow the conveyed gas onto the liquid column 6 generated by each ultrasonic transducer 2 in order to generate nanomist most efficiently. The blower 9 can also heat or cool the conveyed gas before blowing it. An ultrasonic atomizing device in which the blower 9 heats the conveyed gas before blowing it onto each liquid column 6 can achieve high mist atomization efficiency. An ultrasonic atomizing device that cools the transport gas and forcibly blows it into each liquid column 6 is suitable for atomizing liquids that are altered by heating. [Embodiment 2]

[0045] Figures 4 and 5 show an ultrasonic atomizing device 200 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In these figures, Figure 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of the ultrasonic atomizing device 200 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, and Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the ultrasonic atomizing device 200 shown in Figure 4, cut in the short direction.

[0046] The ultrasonic atomizer 200 shown in these figures has a blower duct 7 equipped with a dividing plate 10. The dividing plate 10 is positioned vertically to the blower duct 7 and divides the blower duct 7 into multiple rows of dividing ducts 7b. The dividing plate 10 divides the conveyed gas supplied from the blower 9 to the blower duct 7 and supplies it to the dividing ducts 7b, and then divides and blows it through each of the discharge openings 8. Other embodiments described later may also be equipped with a dividing plate 10. (Divided duct 7b, divided plate 10)

[0047] The air duct 7 shown in Figure 4 has a dividing plate 10 inside to distribute the conveyed gas evenly to each liquid column 6, and the dividing plate 10 divides the air duct 7 into multiple rows of divided ducts 7b. The dividing plate 10 shown in the figure has a cross-sectional area of ​​approximately the same for each divided duct 7b, and distributes the conveyed gas evenly to the surface of each liquid column 6. However, the divided ducts 7b can have different cross-sectional areas, for example, corresponding to the distance from the air supply side to the discharge opening. The dividing plate 10 consists of a flat portion 10a that extends in the longitudinal direction of the air duct plate that guides the conveyed gas, and a bent portion 10b connected to the tip of the flat portion 10a. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, each dividing plate 10 is arranged parallel to each other at regular intervals with the flat portion 10a in a vertical position, dividing the air duct 7 into multiple rows of divided ducts 7b. The bent section 10b is curved from the flat section 10a toward the opposing wall 7a in order to connect the discharge side of the divided duct 7b to the discharge opening 8, and its leading edge is connected to the opposing wall 7a. The leading edge of the bent section 10b is connected to the opposing wall 7a between the discharge openings 8 so that each divided duct 7b is connected to the discharge opening 8.

[0048] Each divided duct 7b is connected to a blower 9 on its inlet side and to a discharge opening 8 on its outlet side. In the atomizer 200 of Figure 4, one discharge opening 8 is connected to one divided duct 7b. This structure has the advantage of being able to equalize and blow the conveyed gas to each discharge opening 8. However, although not shown in the figure, multiple rows of divided ducts 7b can connect multiple discharge openings 8 to a single divided duct 7b. By reducing the number of dividing plates 10 and creating a simpler structure, material and manufacturing costs can also be kept low. In Figure 4, ultrasonic transducers 2 are provided on both sides of the blower duct 7 to generate liquid columns 6 on both sides, so multiple rows of divided ducts 7b are provided that are connected to discharge openings 8 provided on the opposing walls 7a on both sides of the blower duct 7. In Figure 4, the air supply duct 7 has dividing plates 10 arranged symmetrically inside the air supply duct 7, and the dividing ducts 7b are connected to the ejection openings 8 provided on the opposing walls 7a on both sides. [Embodiments 3 to 6]

[0049] Figures 6 to 11 show ultrasonic atomizers 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 according to embodiments 3 to 7 of the present invention. In these figures, Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the ultrasonic atomizer 300 according to embodiment 3, Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the ultrasonic atomizer 400 according to embodiment 4, Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the ultrasonic atomizer 500 according to embodiment 5, Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the ultrasonic atomizer 600 according to embodiment 6, Figure 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of Figure 9, and Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the ultrasonic atomizer 700 according to embodiment 7.

[0050] The ultrasonic atomizers 100 and 200 shown in Figures 1 and 4 have multiple ultrasonic transducers 2 arranged on both sides of a single air duct 7. In contrast, the ultrasonic atomizers 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 shown in Figures 6 to 11 have multiple ultrasonic transducers 2 arranged linearly in one or more rows, with air ducts 7 on one or both sides of the multiple ultrasonic transducers 2, and ejection openings 8 provided in the opposing walls 7a on one or both sides of the air duct 7 to blow the conveyed gas. Note that the combinations of the number and arrangement of air ducts 7 and multiple ultrasonic transducers 2 shown in the above figures are illustrative and not limited to these.

[0051] The ultrasonic atomizing device 300 according to Embodiment 3 shown in Figure 6 has a single air duct 7 positioned on one side (right side in Figure 6) along the direction of arrangement of a row of liquid columns 6 generated by the ultrasonic vibrations of a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 2, and a conveyed gas is blown from one side of the air duct 7 to one side of the liquid columns 6. The ultrasonic atomizing device 300 blows the conveyed gas from a discharge opening 8 provided in the one side of the air duct 7's opposing wall 7a. This ultrasonic atomizing device 300 has a simple structure that reduces costs and allows for a smaller overall width and size. The air duct 7 in Figure 6 has a dividing plate 10 inside, and multiple rows of dividing ducts 7b are provided to blow the conveyed gas to the discharge opening 8 in the opposing wall 7a on one side. However, although not shown, a simpler structure without the dividing plate 10 can be used to further reduce material and manufacturing costs. The same applies to the following embodiments.

[0052] The ultrasonic atomizing device 400 according to Embodiment 4 shown in Figure 7 blows conveyed gas to one side of the liquid columns 6 from ejection openings 8 on the opposing walls 7a on one side of each of the two air ducts 7, which are located on the outside of both sides of the two rows of liquid columns 6. The atomizing device 400 in Figure 7 has air ducts 7 along both sides of the atomizing chamber 4 and blows conveyed gas to the two rows of liquid columns 6 generated between the two sides. Each of the air ducts 7 has an ejection opening 8 on the opposing wall 7a on one side (the inner side in the figure) and blows conveyed gas to the liquid columns 6. Each air duct 7 is divided internally into multiple rows of divided ducts 7b by a dividing plate 10. Each divided duct 7b is connected to an ejection opening 8 and equalizes the conveyed gas from the blower 9 and blows it from the ejection opening 8 to the liquid columns 6. The ultrasonic atomizer 400 has a structure that blows conveyed gas from the air ducts 7 on both sides onto the two inner rows of liquid columns 6.

[0053] The ultrasonic atomizing device 500 according to Embodiment 5 shown in Figure 8 blows the conveyed gas from the ejection opening 8 of the opposing wall 7a on one side (left side in the figure) of each of the two air ducts 7, which are located on one side (right side in Figure 8) of each of the two rows of liquid columns 6. In the atomizing device 500 of Figure 8, two rows of air ducts 7 are arranged separately inside the atomizing chamber 4, and the conveyed gas is blown from each air duct 7 to the two rows of liquid columns 6. In this atomizing device 500, air ducts 7 are provided parallel to and adjacent to each row of liquid columns 6 which are arranged in a straight line, and the conveyed gas is blown from each air duct 7 to the liquid columns 6. Similar to Figures 6 and 7, the air ducts 7 have a dividing plate 10 inside and multiple rows of dividing ducts 7b inside. Each divided duct 7b evenly blows the conveyed gas to the ejection opening 8 provided on the opposing wall 7a on one side, thereby equalizing the conveyed gas and blowing it into the liquid column 6 to improve atomization efficiency.

[0054] The ultrasonic atomizer 600 according to Embodiment 6 shown in Figure 9 has three rows of ultrasonic transducers 2 arranged between two rows of air ducts 7 and on both outer sides. In the ultrasonic atomizer 600 of Figure 9, two rows of air ducts 7 are arranged in parallel, with one row of ultrasonic transducers 2 placed between the two rows of air ducts 7, and one row of ultrasonic transducers 2 also placed on each outer side of the two rows of air ducts 7. Since this ultrasonic atomizer 600 has three rows of ultrasonic transducers 2, three columns of liquid 6 are generated. The central liquid column 6a of the three columns of liquid 6 is blown with conveyed gas from the ejection openings 8 of the air ducts 7 on both sides. The liquid columns 6b on both sides are blown with conveyed gas from the ejection opening 8 of one of the air ducts 7. As shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part in Figure 10, the conveyed gas is blown from both sides toward the central liquid column 6a from ejection openings 8 provided in the air ducts 7 on both sides of the central liquid column 6a. The two rows of air ducts 7 each have ejection openings 8 on opposing walls 7a on both sides, and each ejection opening 8 is connected to the respective divided duct 7b. Since the central liquid column 6a is supplied with an equalized amount of conveyed gas from both sides, the conveyed gas is blown uniformly over a wide area of ​​the surface, enabling the generation of nanomist with higher atomization efficiency.

[0055] The ultrasonic atomizer 700 according to Embodiment 7 shown in Figure 11 has a blower duct 7 in the center of the atomization chamber 4, and multiple ultrasonic transducers 2 arranged in a ring shape around the blower duct 7. The blower duct 7 is positioned inside the liquid column generated in a ring shape by the multiple ultrasonic transducers 2. The blower duct 7 is cylindrical and extends vertically, and ejection openings 8 are provided on the opposing walls 7a of the surrounding ring-shaped curve, and the conveyed gas is ejected radially from the multiple ejection openings 8. The liquid column 6 generated by ultrasonic vibration is positioned at the location where the conveyed gas is ejected. By adjusting the radius of the cylindrical blower duct 7 that extends vertically, the spacing of the blower gap 11 and the number of multiple ultrasonic transducers 2 arranged around the blower duct 7 can be adjusted. As shown in the figure, this structure is suitable for ultrasonic atomizers with a cylindrical outer shape. However, this structure is not limited to cylindrical external shapes; for example, it can be used for polygonal external shapes such as ellipses, octagons, and hexagons, as well as squares and rectangles. In this ultrasonic atomizing device 700, the air supply duct 7 is cylindrical with an air supply duct 7 extending vertically, and the ejection openings 8 are provided on the opposing walls 7a on the outer circumference of the air supply duct 7. This allows the distance from the blower 9 to each ejection opening 8 to be approximately the same, and also realizes the feature of uniformly ejecting the conveyed gas from each ejection opening 8 provided in the air supply duct 7. Although not shown in the diagram, a dividing plate 10 can also be placed inside the air supply duct 7 to provide multiple rows of divided ducts 7b inside. [Industrial applicability]

[0056] The present invention is suitable for use in ultrasonic atomizing devices that are equipped with multiple ultrasonic transducers, increase the overall atomization volume by increasing the atomization efficiency of each ultrasonic transducer, and further reduce manufacturing costs through a simple structure, enabling efficient mass production. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900...Ultrasonic atomization device 1, 801...solution 2, 802, 902… Ultrasonic transducer 4…Atomization chamber 5…Liquid level 6, 806, 906…liquid column 6a... Central liquid column 6b...Liquid columns on both sides 7... Air duct 7a...Opposing wall 7b... Divided duct 8…Gushing opening 8a... Slit 8b...Through hole 9... Blower 10… Divided plate 10a...Plane part 10b...Bent section 11…Airflow gap 912...Cylinder 913…Spray nozzle

Claims

1. Multiple ultrasonic transducers that vibrate a solution ultrasonically, A atomizing chamber comprising a plurality of the aforementioned ultrasonic transducers arranged in a row, Inside the atomization chamber, A blower duct arranged along the direction of arrangement of multiple liquid columns generated by the ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic transducer, The aforementioned air supply duct is equipped with a blower that forcibly blows the conveyed gas, The aforementioned air supply duct, On the opposing wall facing the liquid column, It has an ejection opening for blowing a conveying gas into a liquid column, An ultrasonic atomizing device wherein the aforementioned air supply duct blows the conveyed gas without sucking it in.

2. A plurality of ultrasonic transducers that ultrasonically vibrate a solution, A atomizing chamber comprising a plurality of the aforementioned ultrasonic transducers arranged in a row, Inside the atomization chamber, A blower duct arranged along the direction of arrangement of multiple liquid columns generated by the ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic transducer, The aforementioned air supply duct is equipped with a blower that forcibly blows the conveyed gas, The aforementioned air supply duct, On the opposing wall facing the liquid column, It has an ejection opening for blowing a conveying gas into a liquid column, The aforementioned air supply duct, The aforementioned air supply duct is provided with one or more dividing plates that divide it into multiple divided ducts in multiple stages, An ultrasonic atomizing device characterized in that the dividing plate divides the conveyed gas supplied to the air duct into the respective ejection openings and blows it out.

3. An ultrasonic atomizing device according to claim 1, Multiple ultrasonic transducers are arranged along a line, An ultrasonic atomizing device characterized by having multiple liquid columns arranged in a linear fashion.

4. A plurality of ultrasonic transducers that ultrasonically vibrate a solution, A atomizing chamber comprising a plurality of the aforementioned ultrasonic transducers arranged in a row, Inside the atomization chamber, A blower duct arranged along the direction of arrangement of multiple liquid columns generated by the ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic transducer, The aforementioned air supply duct is equipped with a blower that forcibly blows the conveyed gas, The aforementioned air supply duct, On the opposing wall facing the liquid column, It has an ejection opening for blowing a conveying gas into a liquid column, Multiple ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a ring shape, The aforementioned air supply duct, An ultrasonic atomizing device characterized by being positioned inside a ring-shaped liquid column generated by multiple ultrasonic transducers.

5. A plurality of ultrasonic transducers that ultrasonically vibrate a solution, A atomizing chamber comprising a plurality of the aforementioned ultrasonic transducers arranged in a row, Inside the atomization chamber, A blower duct arranged along the direction of arrangement of multiple liquid columns generated by the ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic transducer, The aforementioned air supply duct is equipped with a blower that forcibly blows the conveyed gas, The aforementioned air supply duct, On the opposing wall facing the liquid column, It has an ejection opening for blowing a conveying gas into a liquid column, The ultrasonic transducers are arranged in multiple rows, The air duct is positioned between multiple rows of liquid columns generated by multiple rows of ultrasonic transducers. The aforementioned air supply duct, An ultrasonic atomizing device characterized by having ejection openings for blowing a conveying gas onto both sides of a liquid column provided in the opposing walls.

6. An ultrasonic atomizing device according to claim 1, The aforementioned air duct is positioned on one side of the liquid column generated by ultrasonic vibrations. The aforementioned air supply duct, An ultrasonic atomizing device characterized in that the ejection opening for blowing a conveying gas onto one side of a liquid column is provided in the opposing wall.

7. A plurality of ultrasonic transducers that ultrasonically vibrate a solution, A atomizing chamber comprising a plurality of the aforementioned ultrasonic transducers arranged in a row, Inside the atomization chamber, A blower duct arranged along the direction of arrangement of multiple liquid columns generated by the ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic transducer, The aforementioned air supply duct is equipped with a blower that forcibly blows the conveyed gas, The aforementioned air supply duct, On the opposing wall facing the liquid column, It has an ejection opening for blowing a conveying gas into a liquid column, The aforementioned air ducts are positioned on both sides of the liquid column generated by ultrasonic vibrations, The aforementioned air ducts on both sides of the liquid column An ultrasonic atomizing device characterized in that the ejection openings for blowing a conveying gas onto both sides of a liquid column are provided in the opposing walls.

8. An ultrasonic atomizing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, Multiple ejection openings, An ultrasonic atomizing device characterized by having an opening positioned to blow a conveying gas toward the same liquid column generated by ultrasonic vibrations.

9. A plurality of ultrasonic transducers that ultrasonically vibrate a solution, A atomizing chamber comprising a plurality of the aforementioned ultrasonic transducers arranged in a row, Inside the atomization chamber, A blower duct arranged along the direction of arrangement of multiple liquid columns generated by the ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic transducer, The aforementioned air supply duct is equipped with a blower that forcibly blows the conveyed gas, The aforementioned air supply duct, On the opposing wall facing the liquid column, It has an ejection opening for blowing a conveying gas into a liquid column, The ejection opening is An ultrasonic atomizing device characterized by having an opening positioned to blow a conveying gas between adjacent liquid columns.

10. A plurality of ultrasonic transducers that ultrasonically vibrate a solution, A atomizing chamber comprising a plurality of the aforementioned ultrasonic transducers arranged in a row, Inside the atomization chamber, A blower duct arranged along the direction of arrangement of multiple liquid columns generated by the ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic transducer, The aforementioned air supply duct is equipped with a blower that forcibly blows the conveyed gas, The aforementioned air supply duct, On the opposing wall facing the liquid column, It has an ejection opening for blowing a conveying gas into a liquid column, The ejection opening is An ultrasonic atomizing device characterized by slits that extend vertically in the direction of the liquid column.

11. An ultrasonic atomizing apparatus according to claim 10, The length of the slit in the ejection opening is An ultrasonic atomizing device characterized by having a height of 0.5 to 1.5 times the height of the liquid column.

12. A plurality of ultrasonic transducers that ultrasonically vibrate a solution, A atomizing chamber comprising a plurality of the aforementioned ultrasonic transducers arranged in a row, Inside the atomization chamber, A blower duct arranged along the direction of arrangement of multiple liquid columns generated by the ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic transducer, The aforementioned air supply duct is equipped with a blower that forcibly blows the conveyed gas, The aforementioned air supply duct, On the opposing wall facing the liquid column, It has an ejection opening for blowing a conveying gas into a liquid column, The aforementioned air supply duct, An ultrasonic atomizing device characterized by having ejection openings of different opening areas.

13. A plurality of ultrasonic transducers that ultrasonically vibrate a solution, A atomizing chamber comprising a plurality of the aforementioned ultrasonic transducers arranged in a row, Inside the atomization chamber, A blower duct arranged along the direction of arrangement of multiple liquid columns generated by the ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic transducer, The aforementioned air supply duct is equipped with a blower that forcibly blows the conveyed gas, The aforementioned air supply duct, On the opposing wall facing the liquid column, It has an ejection opening for blowing a conveying gas into a liquid column, An ultrasonic atomizing device characterized in that the cross-sectional area of ​​the air supply duct differs in the direction of the arrangement of the liquid columns.

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