Air purification device

Abstract

An air purification device 10A according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: an active oxygen purification unit 1A that has an ozone generation light source 12, a blower fan 13 that causes incoming air to flow as a swirling flow, and an ozone decomposition catalyst 14 that has airflow holes 141 for decomposing ozone to generate active oxygen and purifying air using the active oxygen; and an ultraviolet purification unit 2 that has a sterilization ultraviolet light generation light source 22 that generates sterilization ultraviolet light for irradiating air. The active oxygen purification unit 1A and the ultraviolet purification unit 2 are arranged in series so that an exhaust port of the upstream purification unit is connected to an intake port of the downstream sterilization unit.　This configuration makes it possible to achieve excellent air purification capacity and safety, and to purify a large amount of air efficiently.

Description

air purifier

[0001] The present invention relates to an air purification device.

[0002] In recent years, air purifiers have been attracting attention as a countermeasure against the spread of infectious diseases. Various air purification technologies based on various principles have been proposed. However, most commercially available air purifiers use particle collection filters, such as HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters, to capture particles such as bacteria. Another air purification technique involves purifying (sterilizing) bacteria by exposing them to high-concentration ozone. Most air purifiers that claim to use ozone for purification (sterilization) are actually designed to purify (sterilize) the air using this method.

[0003] "Dangers Associated with Ozone Deodorization," Takamasa Iwaki et al., Journal of the Japan Society of Veterinary Medicine 80 168-170 (2007)

[0004] Particle filters can be used to capture bacteria and other microorganisms. However, once a particle filter becomes saturated with bacteria and other microorganisms, it must be replaced in order to capture more. The captured bacteria do not lose their infectious potential, so touching a particle filter saturated with bacteria and other microorganisms with your hands when replacing it poses a safety risk as it can lead to infection.

[0005] Furthermore, methods of purifying (sterilizing) bacteria by exposing them to high-concentration ozone do not actually achieve much purification (sterilization) effect. Furthermore, ozone has adverse effects on the human body and poses safety risks. When ozone is taken into the body through the nose, it can completely oxidize the mucous membranes (Non-Patent Document 1).

[0006] Another method is to use ultraviolet light for sterilization. Although ultraviolet light has a very strong purifying (sterilizing) effect on various bacteria, it is not necessarily a universal method. Also, a device that purifies the air to be purified by putting it into a closed space has been proposed, but it is difficult to purify large amounts of air efficiently.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an air purifying device that is excellent in air purification capacity and safety, and is capable of efficiently purifying large amounts of air.

[0008] [1] An air purifier according to one aspect of the present invention is an air purifier that purifies air, comprising: an ozone generating light source disposed inside a first housing having a first air intake and a first exhaust port, and configured to irradiate air flowing in through the first air intake with ozone-generating ultraviolet light to generate ozone; a blower disposed near the ozone generating light source and configured to swirl the air flowing in through the first air intake toward the first exhaust port; and an active oxygen purifier having an ozone decomposition catalyst disposed near the first exhaust port, the ozone decomposition catalyst having a vent hole that decomposes the ozone to generate active oxygen and purify the air with the active oxygen; and an ultraviolet purifier disposed inside a second housing having a second air intake and a second exhaust port, the ultraviolet purifier having a sterilizing ultraviolet light source that generates the sterilizing ultraviolet light to irradiate the air flowing in through the second air intake and flowing in the direction of the second exhaust port. The active oxygen purifier and the ultraviolet purifier are arranged in series such that the exhaust port of the preceding purification unit is connected to the intake port of the following sterilization unit.

[0009] This air purifier purifies air using two different purification methods, namely, purification using active oxygen (active oxygen purifier) ​​and purification using ultraviolet light (ultraviolet light purifier), resulting in excellent air purification capabilities. Furthermore, since a particle collection filter that captures bacteria and the like is not used, there is no risk of infection from touching a particle collection filter that has captured bacteria and the like. Furthermore, since the device uses active oxygen generated by decomposing ozone rather than ozone itself for purification, there is little risk of ozone leaking and adversely affecting the human body. Furthermore, since the active oxygen purifier and ultraviolet light purifier purify air while it is flowing, it is possible to efficiently purify large volumes of air. Therefore, it is possible to provide an air purifier that has excellent air purification capabilities and safety, and is capable of efficiently purifying large volumes of air.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the overall configuration of an air purifying device 10A according to embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the cross-sectional configuration of an active oxygen purifying unit 1A of the air purifying device 10A according to embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the active oxygen purification principle of the air purifying device 10A according to embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the light source of the air purifying device 10A according to embodiment 1. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a modified active oxygen purifying unit 1B in embodiment 1 (plate-shaped member 161). FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a modified active oxygen purifying unit 1C in embodiment 1 (blower fan 13). FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a modified active oxygen purifying unit 1D in embodiment 1 (dividing wall 18). FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an air purifying device 10B according to embodiment 2. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an air purifying device 10C according to embodiment 3.

[0011] An air purifying device according to one embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Each drawing is a schematic diagram and does not necessarily accurately reflect the actual structure, air flow, size, length, shape, etc. Each embodiment does not limit the scope of the claims. Not all elements and combinations thereof described in each embodiment are necessarily essential to the present invention. Components that are considered to be substantially equivalent are designated by the same reference numerals across embodiments, and repeated explanations may be omitted (some explanations may be redundant). In this specification, the term "longitudinal direction" refers to the direction from the first intake port 1a to the first exhaust port 1b (or from the second intake port 2a to the second exhaust port 2b), or the direction of air flow.

[0012] 1 to 4 are diagrams shown to explain an air purifier 10A according to embodiment 1. Fig. 1 is a diagram to explain the overall configuration of the air purifier 10A, Fig. 2 is a diagram to explain a cross-sectional configuration example of an active oxygen purifying section 1A, Fig. 3 is a diagram to explain the active oxygen purification principle, and Fig. 4 is a diagram to explain a light source.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, an air purifying device 10A according to the first embodiment comprises: an active oxygen purifying unit 1A, which includes: an ozone generating light source 12 disposed inside a first housing 11 having a first air intake 1a and a first exhaust port 1b, and which irradiates air flowing in through the first air intake 1a with ozone-generating ultraviolet light to generate ozone; a blower fan 13 disposed near the ozone generating light source 12, which causes the air flowing in through the first air intake 1a to swirl and flow in the direction of the first exhaust port 1b; and an ozone decomposition catalyst 14 disposed on the side of the first exhaust port 1b, which has a vent hole 141 that decomposes ozone to generate active oxygen and purifies the air with the active oxygen; and an ultraviolet purifying unit 2, which is disposed inside a second housing 21 having a second air intake 2a and a second exhaust port 2b, and which includes a sterilizing ultraviolet light generating light source 22 that generates sterilizing ultraviolet light to irradiate the air flowing in through the second air intake 2a and flowing in the direction of the second exhaust port 2b. The active oxygen purifying unit 1A and the ultraviolet purifying unit 2 are arranged in series so that the exhaust port of the preceding purifying unit is connected to the intake port of the following sterilizing unit. In Fig. 1, the arrows on the outside of the first intake port 1a and the second exhaust port 2b indicate the direction of air flow.

[0014] Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of the cross-sectional configuration of the active oxygen purification unit 1A of the air purifying device 10A, and shows a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' of 10A shown in Fig. 1. This diagram shows an example in which a dividing wall 18 divides the internal space of the first housing 11 into a circular shape.

[0015] [Active Oxygen Purification Principle] Figure 3 is a diagram for explaining the active oxygen purification principle of the air purifier 10A according to embodiment 1. Figure 3(a) is a diagram showing the purification principle of the active oxygen purification unit 1A of the air purifier 10A, and Figure 3(b) is a diagram showing the purification principle (prior art) using a commonly used particle collection filter (HEPA filter).

[0016] In the purification principle shown in FIG. 3(b), when the air to be purified is taken in by the rotation of the blower fan 913 installed on the outlet side, coarse dust is removed by the coarse dust filter 3, and then bacteria and the like are captured by the particle collection filter 911 (HEPA filter), and odor molecules are adsorbed by the activated carbon filter 912.

[0017] With this purification principle (conventional technology), captured bacteria and the like do not necessarily die over time. Furthermore, particle collection filters (HEPA filters) and activated carbon filters 912 become saturated with bacteria and odor molecules, so they need to be replaced periodically. Furthermore, the finer the mesh of a particle collection filter (HEPA filter), the more easily it can capture smaller particles, but this also impedes airflow.

[0018] In contrast, the purification principle shown in FIG. 3( a) (Embodiment 1) is similar to that shown in FIG. 3( a) in that coarse dust is removed by the coarse dust filter 3, but differs in other respects. Specifically, a blower fan 13 is disposed near the ozone generating light source 12. When light from the ozone generating light source 12 is irradiated onto the air taken in by the blower fan 13, ozone is generated and mixed with the air. The ozone is decomposed by the ozone decomposition catalyst 14 to generate active oxygen. When the air passes through the ventilation holes 141 of the ozone decomposition catalyst 14 and is exhausted, bacteria and the like are purified by the active oxygen. Note that oxygen in the air is converted into ozone by irradiation by the ozone generating light source 12, but when it returns to its original form as oxygen by the ozone decomposition catalyst 14, it instantly decomposes organic matter and the like as active oxygen with strong oxidizing power.

[0019] This purification principle (Embodiment 1) does not purify the air by capturing bacteria, etc. There is no particle collection filter, so replacement is not necessary. Ozone is decomposed by the ozone decomposition catalyst 14, so there is no harm to the human body from ozone. Furthermore, it is mainly active oxygen (not ozone) that purifies the air, and powerful air purification by active oxygen is possible. Furthermore, since the air is purified while it is flowing, it is possible to efficiently purify large amounts of air.

[0020] [Ozone Generation Light Source 12, Germicidal Ultraviolet Radiation Generation Light Source 22] Figure 4 is a diagram for explaining the light sources of air purifier 10A. Figure 4(a) shows an example of the wavelength characteristics of ozone generation light source 12, and Figure 4(b) shows the wavelength characteristics of sterilizing ultraviolet radiation generation light source 22. Note that the wavelength scale values ​​on the horizontal axis of Figure 4(b) (at the bottom of the figure) are the same as those in Figure 4(a), and are therefore omitted.

[0021] The wavelength of light used to generate ozone by the ozone generation light source 12 is vacuum ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 10 nm to less than 200 nm. A wavelength of 160 to 190 nm is mainly used (light with a wavelength shown by a solid line). A wavelength of 180 to 190 nm is more preferable. A wavelength of 184 to 188 nm is even more preferable. Light with other wavelengths may also be included (light with a wavelength of 300 nm or more shown by a dashed line).

[0022] The wavelength of light used for germicidal UV radiation in germicidal UV radiation generating light source 22 is primarily 200 to 280 nm (light with wavelengths shown by solid lines). Wavelengths of 220 to 270 nm are more preferred. Wavelengths of 222 and 253 to 257 nm are even more preferred. Light with other wavelengths may also be included (light with wavelengths of 300 nm or more shown by dashed lines). To avoid ozone generation, light with wavelengths less than 200 nm (light with wavelengths of vacuum UV radiation described above) is excluded (for example, light with wavelengths of 160 to 190 nm circled by dashed lines).

[0023] These light sources include, for example, excimer lamps, mercury lamps (including constant pressure mercury lamps), LEDs, etc. It is also possible to obtain predetermined wavelength characteristics by utilizing the lamp tube wall material, wavelength transmission and attenuation characteristics of the tube wall and coating, the LED material, wavelength transmission and attenuation characteristics of the coating, etc.

[0024] [Ozone Decomposition Catalyst 14] The ozone decomposition catalyst 14 can efficiently decompose ozone by increasing the contact area between ozone and the catalyst and maintaining breathability that allows purified air to pass through to the first exhaust port 1b. The ozone decomposition catalyst 14 can be made of one or more of the following materials: manganese dioxide, nickel oxide, iron oxide, copper oxide, cobalt carbonate, nickel carbonate, and copper carbonate. Powders of these materials can be molded with a binder and then provided with ventilation holes 141. Alternatively, the catalyst material can be adhered to the ventilation holes 141 (or even to surfaces other than the ventilation holes 141) of a metal, ceramic, plastic, or composite of these materials. Examples of binders include inorganic powders such as silica gel, alumina gel, and zeolite, or inorganic binders made by mixing these materials.

[0025] The cross-sectional shape of the ventilation holes 141 intersecting the longitudinal direction (air flow direction) may be, for example, a circle (ellipse, perfect circle, etc.) or a polygon (triangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, etc.). The ozone decomposition catalyst 14 may have a honeycomb structure in which the ventilation holes 141 have a regular hexagonal cross section. The cross-sectional shape and area of ​​the ventilation holes 141 may be uniform from the inlet to the outlet of the ventilation holes 141, or may vary in part. Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of all the ventilation holes 141 does not have to be the same. The ozone decomposition catalyst 14 may be a compressed mesh with a catalyst fixed to the surface. In this case, the gaps in the mesh serve as the ventilation holes 141.

[0026] [Blower Fan 13] The blower fan 13 generates a swirling flow that causes air to be purified with active oxygen to flow from the first air intake port 1a into the first housing 11 (mixing it with ozone) and exhausting the air purified with active oxygen (generated by the active oxygen decomposition catalyst) from the first exhaust port 1b. For example, a blower fan 13 that generates a swirling flow by rotating a propeller-shaped member is used. The blower fan 13 is installed, for example, so that the surface that takes in air faces the first air intake port 1a and the surface that releases the swirling flow faces the first exhaust port 1b. When the blower fan 13 operates, a swirling wind is generated inside the first housing 11, blowing from the first air intake port 1a to the first exhaust port 1b.

[0027] The blower fan 13 is provided near the ozone generation light source 12. The blower fan 13 is provided near the ozone generation light source 12, on the first air intake port 1a side or the first air exhaust port 1b side of the ozone generation light source 12. When provided on the side of the first air intake port 1a, the blower fan 13 blows away ozone generated by the ozone generation light source 12 irradiating air, thereby appropriately supplying air that is a raw material for ozone. When provided on the side of the first air exhaust port 1b, the blower fan 13 sucks in ozone generated by the ozone generation light source 12 irradiating air, thereby appropriately supplying air that is a raw material for ozone.

[0028] [Auxiliary Blower Fan 132] The auxiliary blower fan 132 is an auxiliary blower fan. It is not essential. FIG. 1 shows an example in which the auxiliary blower fan 132 is installed at the second exhaust port 2b. Installing the auxiliary blower fan 132 downstream of the blower fan 13 improves the air flow throughout the air purifier 10A. When the auxiliary blower fan 132 is installed downstream of the blower fan 13, it is preferable to set the rotation speed (air volume) of the auxiliary blower fan 132 higher than the rotation speed (air volume) of the blower fan 13. The auxiliary blower fan 132 may be installed at the first intake port 1a. Alternatively, the auxiliary blower fan 132 may be installed at both the first intake port 1a and the second exhaust port 2b. Here, the first exhaust port 1b and the second intake port 2a may be located in the same place (or the same), and the first exhaust port 1b and the second intake port 2a may be located in the same (or similar) positional relationship. In a second embodiment (FIG. 8) described later, the ultraviolet purifying unit 2 is located upstream and the active oxygen purifying unit 1 is located downstream. In FIG. 8, an example in which the auxiliary blower fan 132 is provided at the second air intake port 2a is shown, but it may also be provided at the first air exhaust port 1b, or at both the first air exhaust port 1b and the second air intake port 2a.

[0029] The light shielding plate 19 shields or reduces the amount of light emitted by the ozone generation light source 12 that leaks from the first air intake port 1a to the outside of the first housing 11. For example, the light shielding plate 19 is provided between the blower fan 13 and the ozone generation light source 12.

[0030] [Reflecting member 24] It is preferable to provide a reflecting member 24 on the inner surface of second housing 21 of ultraviolet purification unit 2. This is to increase the amount of sterilizing ultraviolet light from light source 22 for generating sterilizing ultraviolet light, or to irradiate from the opposite side of light source 22 for generating sterilizing ultraviolet light. Reflecting member 24 can be provided, for example, by applying aluminum or silver paint, sputtering, or by making second housing 21 out of aluminum (processing the inner surface to reflect light), etc.

[0031] [Activated carbon filter 111, ozone sensor 112] The activated carbon filter 111 and the ozone sensor 112 are basically not required, but may be installed as an emergency measure in case a predetermined amount of ozone passes through the ozone decomposition catalyst 14. The activated carbon filter 111 and the ozone sensor 112 are provided between the ozone decomposition catalyst 14 and the first exhaust port 1b. Eliminating the activated carbon filter 111, the ozone sensor 112, or both can shorten the longitudinal length.

[0032] [Controller 5] The controller 5 is composed of a logic circuit, a microcomputer, etc. It controls the on / off and irradiation intensity of the ozone generating light source 12 and the germicidal ultraviolet light generating light source 22, and the on / off and rotation speed of the blower fan 13 (auxiliary blower fan 132). If an ozone sensor 112 is installed, it receives a sensor signal from the sensor and controls the ozone generating light source 12, blower fan 13, etc. accordingly.

[0033] [Function, etc.] In the active oxygen purification unit 1A, the air flowing in from the first air intake 1a is mixed with ozone and forms a swirling flow that flows in the direction of the first exhaust 1b, so that it flows faster in the center and slower in the periphery. Due to centrifugal force, target substances with small masses gather in the center, flow quickly through the ventilation holes 141, and are quickly decomposed by the active oxygen. Target substances with larger masses gather on the periphery, flow relatively slowly through the ventilation holes 141, and are decomposed by the active oxygen over a relatively long period of time.

[0034] For example, small-mass odor molecules, viruses, phages (bacteriophages), etc. gather in the center, flow quickly through the ventilation hole 141, and are quickly decomposed by active oxygen. Larger-mass smoke particles, bacteria, etc. gather on the periphery, flow relatively slowly through the ventilation hole 141, and are decomposed by active oxygen over a relatively long period of time. The relationship between mass and particle size is generally the same.

[0035] Ozone is decomposed by the ozone decomposition catalyst 14 into active oxygen, which disappears in a short time (for example, it disappears when passing through the ventilation hole 141), so almost no active oxygen is exhausted from the first exhaust port 1b. (Note that the lifespan of active oxygen is said to be about 1 / 10,000 seconds. Active oxygen disappears more quickly than ozone, etc.) Active oxygen purification is particularly effective at purifying particles with particle sizes of about 1 nm (odor molecules, etc.) to about 10 μm (mold, bacteria, smoke particles, etc.).

[0036] In the ultraviolet purification unit 2, air flowing in from the second air intake 2a is directed toward the second air exhaust 2b, during which time germicidal ultraviolet light is irradiated to purify the air. Germicidal ultraviolet light is effective for purifying almost everything, but is particularly effective for purifying air containing organisms such as bacteria. All organisms, including bacteria and viruses, contain DNA in their cell nuclei. When a certain amount of ultraviolet light is irradiated onto DNA, it is absorbed by the nucleic acid of the DNA, changing its chain and causing it to lose its copying function, preventing normal proliferation and causing it to die (become inactive).

[0037] However, for example, purification by active oxygen is superior to purification by particles with a diameter of about 1 nm (such as odor molecules). On the other hand, purification by germicidal ultraviolet light is superior to purification by active oxygen for particles with a diameter of about 10 μm (such as droplets). For particles with a diameter where purification by active oxygen and germicidal ultraviolet light overlap (such as viruses and phages), both methods are used in combination to provide thorough purification.

[0038] [Shape] The first housing 11 has, for example, a square (rectangle) cross section of 10 to 20 cm and a longitudinal length of 10 to 30 cm. The second housing 21 has the same cross section as the first housing 11 and a longitudinal length of 80 to 120 cm. The thickness of the ozone decomposition catalyst 14 is, for example, 10 to 30 mm, and the vent hole 141 has a circular cross section with a diameter of 0.5 to 1.5 mm.

[0039] [Coarse Dust Filter 3] In the air purifying device 10A, as shown in Fig. 1, a coarse dust filter 3 is preferably disposed at the air intake port in the stage preceding the purification units disposed in series. The coarse dust filter 3 is a filter that removes fluff, hair, dust, etc. For example, it is a wire mesh-like filter that removes dust particles with a diameter of several millimeters.

[0040] [Dividing Wall 18] As shown in FIG. 1 , the active oxygen purification unit 1A further has a dividing wall 18 that divides the space between the ozone generating light source 12 and the first exhaust port 1b, where the generated ozone and the inflowing air are mixed by a swirling flow to generate a mixed gas, into a first mixing chamber 16 and a second mixing chamber 17.

[0041] The dividing wall 18 divides the space where the mixed gas is generated into two regions, and is configured so that the longitudinal movement speed of the mixed gas moving from the second mixing chamber 17 to the ozone decomposition catalyst 14 is smaller than the longitudinal movement speed of the mixed gas moving from the first mixing chamber 16 to the ozone decomposition catalyst 14. The dividing wall 18 has through holes 181 for allowing a portion of the swirling flow to flow from the first mixing chamber 16 to the second mixing chamber 17.

[0042] To partially overlap, the dividing wall 18 is, for example, a conical partition plate extending in the longitudinal direction of the first housing 11. The dividing wall 18 is provided in the longitudinal direction of the first housing 11 so as to move away from the central axis of the longitudinal direction as it approaches the first exhaust port 1b. In other words, in the longitudinal direction of the first housing 11, the volume of the first mixing chamber 16 increases and the volume of the second mixing chamber 17 decreases as it approaches the first exhaust port 1b. The dividing wall 18 expands in a fan-shaped manner toward the downstream direction of the air flow. The shape of the dividing wall 18 may be a pyramid, including a polygonal pyramid.

[0043] The purification sections are arranged in series, with the active oxygen purification section 1A in the front stage and the ultraviolet purification section 2 in the rear stage. In the active oxygen purification section 1A, air flowing in through the first air intake 1a is purified by active oxygen and then exhausted from the first exhaust port 1b, while in the ultraviolet purification section 2, air exhausted from the first exhaust port 1b flows in through the second air intake 2a, is purified by germicidal ultraviolet light, and then exhausted from the second exhaust port 2b.

[0044] [Driving Power] The driving power (or power consumption) of ozone generating light source 12 in active oxygen purifying unit 1A may be configured to be smaller than the driving power (or power consumption) of germicidal ultraviolet light generating light source 22 in ultraviolet purifying unit 2. For example, one ozone generating lamp with a power consumption of 3 to 5 W may be used as ozone generating light source 12, and two germicidal ultraviolet light generating lamps with a power consumption of 10 to 20 W may be used as germicidal ultraviolet light generating light source 22.

[0045] For example, in ultraviolet purification unit 2, the driving power of germicidal ultraviolet light source 22 is set relatively high to purify the air with powerful germicidal ultraviolet light (e.g., ultraviolet light that penetrates droplets and purifies bacteria and the like therein). In contrast, in active oxygen purification unit 1A, ozone generation light source 12 is driven with a driving power lower than that of germicidal ultraviolet light source 22. Since active oxygen purification unit 1A primarily purifies air with active oxygen, it is sufficient to drive it with a power sufficient to generate the amount of ozone necessary for air purification with active oxygen.

[0046] [Longitudinal Length] The longitudinal length of the active oxygen purifying unit 1A may also be configured to be shorter than the longitudinal length of the ultraviolet purifying unit 2. When the active oxygen purifying unit 1A and the ultraviolet purifying unit 2 are arranged in series, the speed of the air flowing through both purifying units is approximately the same (however, this cannot be said to be completely the same. Even if there is a decrease in speed, it is considered to be approximately the same). For example, the active oxygen purifying unit 1A is configured to have a relatively short length sufficient to generate ozone, cause the air to flow in a swirling flow, and purify the air with active oxygen (note that active oxygen has a short lifespan). In contrast, the ultraviolet purifying unit 2 is configured to have a relatively long length in order to purify the air by extending the irradiation time of germicidal ultraviolet light.

[0047] [Arrangement direction of ozone generation light source 12 and sterilizing ultraviolet light source 22] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1 , ozone generation light source 12 in active oxygen purification unit 1A and sterilizing ultraviolet light source 22 in ultraviolet purification unit 2 may both be substantially linear, with ozone generation light source 12 arranged in a direction intersecting the direction from first air intake 1 a to first exhaust outlet 1 b, and sterilizing ultraviolet light source 22 arranged in a direction parallel to the direction from second air intake 2 a to second exhaust outlet 2 b.

[0048] Here, the "intersecting direction" of the ozone generation light source 12 may refer to a vertical direction (orthogonal direction, 90 degrees) or a direction (intersecting angle) of, for example, 60 degrees, 45 degrees, etc. (This intersecting angle is the smaller of the intersecting angles formed when the direction of arrangement of the ozone generation light source 12 (a substantially linear linear direction) intersects with the direction from the first air intake port 1a to the first air exhaust port 1b.) The intersecting angle is preferably 25 degrees or greater. Furthermore, the "parallel direction" of the germicidal ultraviolet light source 22 includes, in addition to a completely parallel direction, an approximately parallel direction with an intersecting angle of, for example, 5 degrees, 10 degrees, etc.

[0049] [Example of arrangement when multiple germicidal UV light sources 22 are used] Furthermore, multiple germicidal UV light sources 22 having a substantially linear shape may be used as germicidal UV light sources 22 in ultraviolet purification section 2, and these germicidal UV light sources 22 may be arranged in series with their axes (central axes) offset.

[0050] [Example of Combination of Active Oxygen Purification Unit 1A and Ultraviolet Purification Unit 2] The active oxygen purification unit 1A and the ultraviolet purification unit 2 may be configured by combining units that are separately configured, with the active oxygen purification unit 1A having a deodorizing purification capability and the ultraviolet purification unit 2 having a droplet purification capability.

[0051] For example, when constructing the air purifier 10A, the active oxygen purifier 1A and the ultraviolet purifier 2 are not initially integrated, but are constructed separately and then combined. The active oxygen purifier 1A is adjusted to exhibit deodorizing purification capabilities using active oxygen (e.g., the ability to purify odor molecules with a particle size of 1 nm is used as an index), and the ultraviolet purifier 2 is adjusted separately to exhibit droplet purification capabilities (e.g., the ability to purify droplets with a particle size of 10 μm or 15 μm is used as an index). The control unit 5 is also provided separately. The active oxygen purifier 1A and the ultraviolet purifier 2 are then fitted together.

[0052] [Modifications of the Active Oxygen Purification Unit 1A] Figures 5 to 7 are diagrams illustrating modifications (1B, 1C, and 1D) of the active oxygen purification unit 1A. Figure 5 shows an active oxygen purification unit 1B in which a plate-like member 161 is provided in the second mixing chamber 17. The plate-like member 161 is disposed inside the first housing 11, outside the dividing wall 18, or both, in the second mixing chamber 17 so that the plane of the plate intersects (e.g., is perpendicular to) the longitudinal direction. The plate-like member 161 may be louver-shaped. This makes it possible to further slow the flow of air in the second mixing chamber 17 relative to the first mixing chamber 16.

[0053] 6 shows an active oxygen purifying unit 1C in which the length L2 of the blower fan 13 is shorter than that shown in FIG. 1 and is set to the length between the diameter L1 of the inlet of the first mixing chamber 16 and the distance L3 between the opposing inner walls of the first housing 11. In this way, most of the air is sent by the blower fan 13 in the direction of the first mixing chamber 16. This makes it possible to slow the air flow in the second mixing chamber 17 relative to the air flow in the first mixing chamber 16.

[0054] 7 shows an active oxygen purification unit 1D in which the first mixing chamber 16 is not conical but cylindrical with a constant diameter in the longitudinal direction. Since the first mixing chamber 16, which is closer to the central axis (shaft) of the blower fan 13, receives a stronger or larger amount of air from the blower fan 13 than the second mixing chamber 17, which is farther from the central axis, this configuration also makes it possible to slow the air flow in the second mixing chamber 17 relative to the first mixing chamber 16.

[0055] It is also possible to slow down the air flow in the second mixing chamber 17 relative to the air flow in the first mixing chamber 16 by, for example, placing a mesh-like metal (iron, stainless steel, etc.) in the second mixing chamber 17, providing triangular or other protrusions at the four corners (in front of the ozone decomposition catalyst 14) of the first housing 11 having a quadrangular (square) cross section, processing the inner surface of the first housing 11 in the second mixing chamber 17 to have an uneven shape, or processing the outer surface of the first mixing chamber 16 in the second mixing chamber 17 to have an uneven shape, etc.

[0056] [Humidifier] The air purifying device 10A further includes a humidifier (not shown) to humidify the air near the blower fan 13 and near the first air intake 1a of the ozone decomposition catalyst 14. If the dividing wall 18 is present, the air in the first mixing chamber 16, the second mixing chamber 17, or both may be humidified. A humidifier may be installed in the first mixing chamber 16, the second mixing chamber 17, or both to humidify the air in the chamber. The involvement of moisture further promotes the decomposition of ozone. For example, it is possible to efficiently generate hydroxyl radicals, which have strong oxidizing power, using water vapor with a similar level of oxidizing power to ozone.

[0057] Effect of Embodiment 1 According to the air purifying device 10A of Embodiment 1, air is purified by two different purification methods, namely, purification by active oxygen (active oxygen purifying unit 1A) and purification by ultraviolet light (ultraviolet light purifying unit 2), thereby enabling excellent purification. While it may be difficult to meet the diverse requirements for air purification in recent years (e.g., requirements to purify bacteria with a particle size of approximately 1 μm, viruses and phages with a particle size of approximately 100 nm, as well as odors caused by small odor molecules and large droplets) using only a single purification technology, it is possible to meet a wider variety of requirements than ever before by combining the active oxygen purification technology and ultraviolet light purification.

[0058] For example, purification of particles with a diameter of about 1 nm (such as odor molecules) is primarily achieved by purification using active oxygen, while purification of particles with a diameter of about 10 μm (such as droplets) is achieved by purification using germicidal ultraviolet light. For particles with a diameter where purification using active oxygen and germicidal ultraviolet light overlap (such as bacteria with a diameter of about 1 μm, viruses and phages with a diameter of about 100 nm), thorough purification using both methods can be performed in combination, making it possible to cover everything from odor purification to droplet purification.

[0059] Furthermore, because it does not use a particle collection filter that captures bacteria, etc., there is no risk of infection from touching a particle collection filter that has captured bacteria, etc. Furthermore, since it does not use ozone itself for purification but rather active oxygen generated by decomposing ozone, there is little risk of ozone leaking and causing adverse effects on the human body. Furthermore, because the active oxygen purification unit 1A and ultraviolet light purification unit 2 purify the air while it is flowing, it is possible to efficiently purify large amounts of air.

[0060] Therefore, it is possible to provide an air purifying device 10A that is excellent in air purification capacity and safety, and is capable of efficiently purifying a large amount of air.

[0061] The air purifying device 10A according to embodiment 1 does not require replacement work like a particle collection filter, making maintenance easy. Furthermore, in purification using a particle collection filter, the particle collection filter generally does not have deodorizing capabilities, and deodorization is performed using an activated carbon filter. However, the air purifying device 10A according to embodiment 1 can deodorize using, for example, activated oxygen, so the activated carbon filter 111 is basically not required. Furthermore, the use of a particle collection filter significantly impedes the flow of air, requiring a powerful blower fan 13. However, the air purifying device 10A according to embodiment 1 purifies the air while it is flowing, so a powerful blower fan 13 may not be necessary.

[0062] Furthermore, if a coarse dust filter 3 is placed at the intake port in front of the purification units arranged in series, the purification capabilities of the active oxygen purification unit 1A and the ultraviolet purification unit 2 can be prevented from being hindered by coarse dust. For example, removing fluff and the like with the coarse dust filter 3 can prevent the ventilation holes 141 of the ozone decomposition catalyst 14 from being blocked by the fluff. This may also extend the life of these purification units.

[0063] Furthermore, when the active oxygen purification unit 1A further includes the dividing wall 18, centrifugal force generated by the swirling flow causes small particles (e.g., bacteria) to remain in the first mixing chamber 16, while larger particles (e.g., bacteria) pass through the through-holes 181 and move to the second mixing chamber 17. The speed of air flowing toward the first exhaust port 1b is slower in the second mixing chamber 17 than in the first mixing chamber 16. The speed at which air passes through the vent holes 141 (ozone decomposition catalyst 14) from the first mixing chamber 16 or the second mixing chamber 17 also corresponds to the speed within the first mixing chamber 16 or the second mixing chamber 17. Therefore, larger particles (e.g., bacteria) take longer to pass through the ozone decomposition catalyst 14 (vent holes 141) than smaller particles (e.g., bacteria), and the purification time by active oxygen is longer, enabling more appropriate purification according to the mass (type) of the particles.

[0064] Furthermore, if the purification units are arranged in series with the active oxygen purification unit 1A in the front stage and the ultraviolet purification unit 2 in the rear stage, it becomes possible to first purify particles with relatively small mass (e.g., odor-causing odor molecules) in the front-stage active oxygen purification unit 1A, and then generally purify air containing particles with relatively large mass (e.g., droplets) in the rear-stage ultraviolet purification unit 2. For example, if the purification by active oxygen in the active oxygen purification unit 1A is not sufficient to purify droplets (e.g., particles with a particle size of about 10 μm), or if further purification is desired, they can be sufficiently or further purified by germicidal ultraviolet light (ultraviolet purification unit 2).

[0065] Furthermore, if the drive power of the ozone generating light source 12 in the active oxygen purification unit 1A is configured to be smaller than the drive power of the germicidal ultraviolet light generating light source 22 in the ultraviolet purification unit 2, the active oxygen purification unit 1A will generate ozone using a relatively small amount of power sufficient to generate ozone, and purify the air with the active oxygen produced by decomposing the ozone, while the ultraviolet purification unit 2 will use a relatively large amount of power to purify the air with powerful germicidal ultraviolet light, making it possible to reduce the drive power of the entire air purification device 10A while maintaining high air purification capacity.

[0066] Furthermore, by configuring the longitudinal length of the active oxygen purifying unit 1A to be shorter than the longitudinal length of the ultraviolet purifying unit 2, it is possible to create an air purifying device 10A that has high purification capacity but is short in length. This is because the active oxygen purifying unit 1A purifies air mainly with active oxygen, so sufficient purification by active oxygen is possible even if it is short, while the ultraviolet purifying unit 2 purifies air mainly with sterilizing ultraviolet light, so by making it longer, it is possible to achieve appropriate purification by sterilizing ultraviolet light. Therefore, it is possible to provide an air purifying device 10A that combines purification by active oxygen and purification by sterilizing ultraviolet light in a balanced manner while shortening the longitudinal length of the entire device.

[0067] Furthermore, if ozone generation light source 12 in active oxygen purification unit 1A and sterilizing ultraviolet light generation light source 22 in ultraviolet purification unit 2 are both configured to be substantially linear, with ozone generation light source 12 arranged in a direction intersecting the direction from first air intake 1a to first exhaust 1b, and sterilizing ultraviolet light source 22 arranged in a direction parallel to the direction from second air intake 2a to second exhaust 2b, the "intersecting direction" arrangement prevents the generated ozone from accumulating around ozone generation light source 12, making it possible to appropriately supply air as the raw material for ozone and prevent oxygen shortages. Furthermore, the "parallel" arrangement of sterilizing ultraviolet light source 22 makes it possible to irradiate the flowing air with strong sterilizing ultraviolet light for a long period of time.

[0068] Furthermore, if multiple light sources having a substantially linear shape are used as the light sources 22 for generating germicidal ultraviolet rays in the ultraviolet purification unit 2 and the light sources 22 for generating germicidal ultraviolet rays are arranged in series with their axes shifted, the air flow will be slowed down and germicidal ultraviolet rays can be irradiated more powerfully for a longer period of time, thereby further promoting ultraviolet purification.

[0069] Furthermore, by combining the active oxygen purifying unit 1A and the ultraviolet purifying unit 2, each configured separately so that the active oxygen purifying unit 1A has deodorizing purification capabilities and the ultraviolet purifying unit 2 has droplet purification capabilities, it becomes possible to adjust and demonstrate the excellent purification capabilities of each. For example, the active oxygen purifying unit 1A can demonstrate particularly excellent deodorizing purification capabilities, and the ultraviolet purifying unit 2 can demonstrate particularly excellent droplet purification capabilities, thereby demonstrating a combined purification capability of both. Furthermore, if one of the purifying units breaks down or is damaged, the relevant unit can simply be replaced.

[0070] [Embodiment 2] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an air purifier 10B according to embodiment 2. The air purifier 10B according to embodiment 2 is basically the same as the air purifier 10A according to embodiment 1, except that, whereas in embodiment 1, the active oxygen purifier 1A is arranged in series in the front stage and the ultraviolet purifier 2 in the rear stage, in embodiment 2, the ultraviolet purifier 2 is arranged in series in the front stage and the active oxygen purifier 1A in the rear stage.

[0071] That is, in the air purifying device 10B of the second embodiment, the purifying sections are arranged in series, with the ultraviolet purifying section 2 in the front stage and the active oxygen purifying section 1A in the rear stage, and in the ultraviolet purifying section 2, air flowing in through the second air intake 2a is purified by germicidal ultraviolet light and then exhausted from the second air exhaust 2b, while in the active oxygen purifying section 1A, air exhausted from the second air exhaust 2b flows in through the first air intake 1a, is purified by active oxygen, and then exhausted from the first air exhaust 1b.

[0072] In this way, first, the entire air is purified by powerful germicidal ultraviolet light in the ultraviolet purification unit 2 in the front stage. Even if the air contains relatively large droplets, they are purified by the transmission of germicidal ultraviolet light. Then, the air is purified by active oxygen in the active oxygen purification unit 1A in the rear stage. For example, when the purification by germicidal ultraviolet light in the ultraviolet purification unit 2 is not sufficient for deodorization or other purification (purification of odor molecules, purification of bacteria of a similar size to odor molecules), or when further purification is desired, it is possible to sufficiently or further purify them with active oxygen to perform deodorization, etc. In other respects, it is the same as in embodiment 1, and in similar respects, it has the same effects as embodiment 1.

[0073] 9 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an air purifier 10C according to Embodiment 3. Air purifier 10C according to Embodiment 3 is basically the same as air purifier 10A according to Embodiment 1, but whereas the entire air purifier is configured linearly in Embodiment 1, in Embodiment 3 the length of active oxygen purifier 1A is configured to be shorter than the length of ultraviolet purifier 2C, and ultraviolet purifier 2C is configured so that the flow path of air from second air intake 2a to second air exhaust 2b bends midway, with germicidal ultraviolet light sources 22 provided before and after the bend.

[0074] As shown in Figures 9(a) to 9(d), an air purifier 10C according to the third embodiment is configured so that the length of the active oxygen purifier 1A is shorter than the length of the ultraviolet purifier 2C. The ultraviolet purifier 2C is configured so that the air flow path from the second air intake 2a to the second air exhaust 2b bends midway, and germicidal ultraviolet light sources 22 are provided before and after the ultraviolet purifier 2C. For ease of explanation, the boundary between the active oxygen purifier 1A and the ultraviolet purifier 2C is indicated by a dotted line in Figure 9.

[0075] 9(a) and 9(b) show examples in which the air flow path from the second air intake port 2a to the second air exhaust port 2b is bent 180 degrees along the way. When the first air intake port 1a and the second air exhaust port 2b are close to each other, an air intake / exhaust separating plate 125 may be provided to separate the air intake from the air exhaust, as shown in FIG. 9(a). FIG. 9(c) shows an example in which the air intake / exhaust separating plate 125 is bent at a crossing angle of 45 degrees. FIG. 9(d) shows an example in which the air intake / exhaust separating plate 125 is bent at a crossing angle of 90 degrees. The crossing angle may be any angle.

[0076] In this way, the overall length of the ultraviolet purification unit 2C (the length of the air flow, the length of the flow path irradiated with germicidal ultraviolet light) remains unchanged, so it is possible to shorten the longest dimension L10 of the air purification device 10C (the maximum length of the air purification device when measured in a straight line) without impairing the ultraviolet purification function. In other respects, this embodiment is the same as the first embodiment, and in the same respects, it has the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0077] Although one aspect of the present invention has been described above based on the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the following modifications are also possible.

[0078] (1) In the first embodiment, the system includes one active oxygen purifier 1A and one ultraviolet purifier 2. However, the system may include multiple units of either one or both of these purifiers. That is, the system may include at least one active oxygen purifier 1A and at least one ultraviolet purifier, which are arranged in series such that the exhaust port of the preceding purifier is connected to the intake port of the succeeding purifier.

[0079] In this way, for example, predetermined standard units (units with standardized purification capacity, size, etc.) can be prepared for the active oxygen purification unit 1A and the ultraviolet purification unit 2, and multiple standard units can be used to enhance the purification capacity desired depending on the conditions of the purification site. If it is desired to enhance the deodorizing capacity, the active oxygen purification unit can be configured using multiple standardized active oxygen purification units 1A, and the ultraviolet purification unit can be configured using one standard ultraviolet purification unit 2, and these can be connected in series (the same applies when it is desired to enhance the ultraviolet purification).

[0080] (2) In the first embodiment, there is only one partition wall 18, and the mixing chambers are the first mixing chamber 16 and the second mixing chamber 17 outside it. However, it is also possible to provide multiple partition walls 18 concentrically (a first partition wall, a second partition wall outside it, a third partition wall outside it, etc.), and multiple mixing chambers concentrically (a first mixing chamber 16, a second mixing chamber 17 outside it, a third mixing chamber outside it, etc.). In this way, it is possible to perform purification by active oxygen more appropriately (more precisely) according to the mass of the particles.

[0081] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D... Active oxygen purification section, 1a... First air intake port, 1b... First exhaust port, 11... First housing, 111... Activated carbon filter, 112... Ozone sensor, 12... Ozone generating light source, 13... Blower fan, 132... Auxiliary blower fan, 14... Ozone decomposition catalyst, 141... Ventilation hole, 16... First mixing chamber, 161... Plate-shaped member, 17... Second mixing chamber, 18... Dividing wall, 181... Through-hole, 19... Light-shielding plate, 2... Ultraviolet purification section, 2a... Second air intake port, 2b...second exhaust port, 21...second housing, 22...light source for generating germicidal ultraviolet rays, 24...reflecting member, 3...coarse dust filter, 5...controller, 10A, 1B, 1C...air purifier, L1...diameter of inlet of first mixing chamber, L2...diameter of blower fan, L3...distance between opposing inner walls of first housing, L10...longest dimension of air purifier, 125...intake / exhaust separating plate, 911...particle collection filter (HEPA filter), 912...activated carbon filter, 913...blower fan

Claims

1. An air purifier that purifies air, comprising: an active oxygen purifying section having an ozone generating light source provided inside a first housing having a first air intake and a first exhaust port, which irradiates air flowing in from the first air intake with the ozone generating ultraviolet light to generate ozone, a blower fan provided near the ozone generating light source and which turns the air flowing in from the first air intake into a swirling current and flows it in the direction of the first exhaust port, and an ozone decomposition catalyst provided on the side of the first exhaust port and having a vent hole that decomposes the ozone to generate active oxygen and purifies the air with the active oxygen, and an ultraviolet purifying section provided inside a second housing having a second air intake and a second exhaust port, which has a sterilizing ultraviolet light generating light source that generates the sterilizing ultraviolet light to irradiate the air flowing in from the second air intake and flowing in the direction of the second exhaust port, wherein the active oxygen purifying section and the ultraviolet purifying section are arranged in series such that the exhaust port of the purification section in a preceding stage is connected to the intake port of the sterilizing section in a succeeding stage.

2. An air purifying device according to claim 1, wherein a coarse dust filter is disposed at the air intake in the upstream stage of the purification section disposed in series.

3. An air purifier as described in claim 1, wherein the active oxygen purification section further has a dividing wall dividing a space between the ozone generating light source and the first exhaust port, in which the generated ozone and the flowing in air are mixed by the swirling flow to generate a mixed gas, into a first mixing chamber and a second mixing chamber, the dividing wall dividing the space in which the mixed gas is generated into two regions, such that the longitudinal movement speed of the mixed gas moving from the second mixing chamber to the ozone decomposition catalyst is smaller than the longitudinal movement speed of the mixed gas moving from the first mixing chamber to the ozone decomposition catalyst, and the dividing wall has a through hole for allowing a portion of the swirling flow to flow from the first mixing chamber to the second mixing chamber.

4. An air purifier as described in claim 1, wherein the purification sections are arranged in series with the active oxygen purification section in the front stage and the ultraviolet purification section in the rear stage, and wherein the active oxygen purification section is configured so that air flowing in from the first air intake port is purified by the active oxygen and exhausted from the first exhaust port, and the ultraviolet purification section is configured so that air exhausted from the first exhaust port flows in from the second air intake port, is purified by the germicidal ultraviolet light, and is exhausted from the second exhaust port.

5. An air purifier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the purification sections are arranged in series with the ultraviolet purification section in the front stage and the active oxygen purification section in the rear stage, and wherein the ultraviolet purification section is configured so that air flowing in from the second air intake port is purified by the germicidal ultraviolet light and exhausted from the second exhaust port, and the active oxygen purification section is configured so that air exhausted from the second exhaust port flows in from the first air intake port, is purified by the active oxygen, and exhausted from the first exhaust port.

6. An air purifier as claimed in claim 1, configured so that the driving power of the light source for generating ozone in the active oxygen purification section is smaller than the driving power of the light source for generating germicidal ultraviolet light in the ultraviolet purification section.

7. An air purifying device according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal length of the active oxygen purifying section is shorter than the longitudinal length of the ultraviolet purifying section.

8. An air purifier as described in claim 1, wherein the ozone generation light source in the active oxygen purification section and the germicidal UV generation light source in the ultraviolet purification section are both substantially linear in shape, the ozone generation light source is arranged in a direction intersecting the direction from the first air intake to the first exhaust outlet, and the germicidal UV generation light source is arranged in a direction parallel to the direction from the second air intake to the second exhaust outlet.

9. An air purifier according to claim 8, wherein the light sources for generating germicidal ultraviolet light in the ultraviolet purification section are a plurality of light sources for generating germicidal ultraviolet light, each having a substantially linear shape, arranged in series with its axis offset.

10. An air purifier as described in claim 7, wherein the ultraviolet purifying section is configured so that the flow path of air from the second intake port to the second exhaust port is bent midway, and the light sources for generating sterilizing ultraviolet rays are provided before and after the bent flow path, respectively.

11. An air purifying device as described in claim 1, wherein the active oxygen purification section and the ultraviolet purifying section are configured by combining separate components, with the active oxygen purification section having a deodorizing purification capability and the ultraviolet purifying section having a droplet purification capability.

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