Toxin reduction / elimination device

Abstract

This toxin elimination device comprises: a first circulation port that allows a fluid to flow inside and outside thereof; a second circulation port that allows the fluid to flow inside and outside thereof; a reduction / elimination means that discharges waves (ultraviolet rays) that decompose and / or inactivate and / or sterilize a toxin contained in the fluid; a cylindrical part that forms a flow path for connecting the first circulation port to the second circulation port, and that has a reflection surface that repeatedly reflects the waves at a higher order on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical part; and a flow delivery mechanism that allows the fluid to pass through the flow path. The flow delivery mechanism is configured to be able to switch the flow direction of the fluid.

Description

Toxic target reduction device

[0001] The present invention relates to a toxic target abatement device.

[0002] Conventionally, air purifiers that purify indoor air have been known. These air purifiers suck in air and pollutants such as odorants, dust, pollen, bacteria, viruses, and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) through an intake port and collect them using a filter or the like (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Air purifiers equipped with a filter and an electrostatic atomizer have also been proposed. These air purifiers draw in airborne dust, smoke, pollen, bacteria, mold, allergens, viruses, and the like through an intake port, and also release charged water droplets containing nanocolloid particles from the electrostatic atomizer, which are then expelled from an exhaust port along with purified air by a blower fan. The charged water droplets are released near the intake port, charging and coarsening the dust, smoke, pollen, bacteria, mold, allergens, viruses, and the like, making them easier to capture using a filter (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0003] JP 2018-175113 A JP 2011-226744 A

[0004] The air purifier described in Patent Document 1, mentioned above, sucks in air from below and blows it upward, thereby returning it. This blown-out air agitates the indoor air while detecting the concentration of pollutants in the air. That is, if pollutants remain within a predetermined area, the air purifier operates to scatter, agitate, and disperse the pollutants throughout the indoor space. Furthermore, because viruses, among pollutants, are extremely small compared to pollen and bacteria, even high-performance filters such as HEPA filters are unable to capture even tens of percent of viruses. In such cases, viruses that were not captured are circulated throughout the indoor space by the return air blown out by the air purifier, which in turn scatters, agitates, and disperses the viruses throughout the indoor space, potentially contributing to the spread of disease. Furthermore, the air purifier described in Patent Document 2 also agitates the indoor air with purified air discharged from the exhaust port, which also scatters, agitates, and disperses viruses remaining in the room, potentially contributing to the spread of disease.

[0005] The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems and was made through intensive research by the inventor, and aims to provide a means with a simple structure that can suck in a fluid and reliably decompose, inactivate and / or kill and reduce toxic substances contained in the fluid, without diffusing the toxic substances within the space in which they remain, and that can reliably reduce the toxic substances.

[0006] The toxic target reduction device of the present invention comprises a first flow port capable of circulating a fluid in and out, a second flow port capable of circulating the fluid in and out, a reduction means for emitting a wave (ultraviolet light) that decomposes and / or inactivates and / or sterilizes a toxic target contained in the fluid, a tubular portion that forms a flow path connecting the first flow port and the second flow port and has a reflective surface on its inner surface that repeatedly reflects the wave to a high degree, and a flow-transfer mechanism that passes a fluid through the flow path, wherein the flow-transfer mechanism is configured to be able to switch the flow direction of the fluid.

[0007] The poison target reduction device of the present invention is also characterized in that the flow mechanism has a motor that rotates the fan in both forward and reverse directions.

[0008] In addition, the toxic target reducing device of the present invention is characterized in that the fan has blades with a symmetrical shape.

[0009] The toxic target reduction device of the present invention is also characterized in that the flow sending mechanism has a pair of impellers, and the pair of impellers can generate flows in different directions from each other.

[0010] The poison target reduction device of the present invention is characterized in that a pair of the impellers are arranged on either side of the cylindrical portion.

[0011] Furthermore, the toxic target reduction device of the present invention is characterized in that one of the impellers is arranged near the first flow port, and the rotation direction of the one impeller is set so that the downstream side of the generated flow is on the side of the first flow port, and the other impeller is arranged near the second flow port, and the rotation direction of the other impeller is set so that the downstream side of the generated flow is on the side of the second flow port.

[0012] The poison target reduction device of the present invention is characterized in that a pair of the impellers are adjacent to each other and facing in opposite directions, and are disposed at one end side or the other end side of the cylindrical portion.

[0013] According to the present invention, a simple structure can be used to suck in a fluid while reliably decomposing, inactivating, and / or killing toxic substances contained in the fluid, thereby reducing and eliminating the toxic substances, without diffusing the toxic substances within the space, and the suction and discharge direction of the fluid can be switched at any time.

[0014] 1 is a perspective view showing a toxic target elimination device of a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a front view showing a toxic target elimination device of a first embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the cross-sectional shape of a blade; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a toxic target elimination device 1 of a second embodiment; FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of impeller arrangement;

[0015] An embodiment of the toxic target attenuation device of the present invention will be described below. The toxic target attenuation device includes a first flow port through which a fluid can flow inside and outside, a second flow port through which the fluid can flow inside and outside, attenuation means for emitting a wave (ultraviolet light) that decomposes and / or inactivates and / or sterilizes a toxic target contained in the fluid, and a tubular portion that forms a flow path connecting the first flow port and the second flow port and has a reflective surface on its inner circumferential surface that repeatedly and highly reflects the wave. A flow transmission mechanism is also provided to pass the fluid through the flow path, and the flow transmission mechanism is configured to be able to switch the flow direction.

[0016] In this context, the term "fluid" refers to a concept that includes gases, liquids, and powders, and toxic objects may include pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses, as well as harmful molecules such as formaldehyde, sulfur dioxide gas, nitrous acid gas, and odorous components, and are objects that are toxic to at least the human body and move with the fluid.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a toxic target elimination device 1, and FIG. 2 shows the first embodiment of the toxic target elimination device 1, with (A) being a front view and (B) being an A-A cross-sectional view. The toxic target elimination device 1 comprises an upright, generally cylindrical housing 2. A first opening 4 (first flow port) is provided on the top end surface of the housing 2, allowing fluid to flow inside and outside, and a second opening 6 (second flow port) is provided on the circumferential surface of the housing 2, allowing fluid to flow inside and outside. Inside the housing 2, there are arranged a generally cylindrical tubular section 8 having a circumferential inner surface, an ultraviolet ray emitting section 10 as a means for elimination of toxic targets, a flow control mechanism for circulating the fluid, and the like.

[0018] One of the first opening 4 and the second opening 6 functions as an inlet for allowing external fluid to flow into the device, and the other as an outlet for discharging fluid that has passed through the device. A filter (not shown) may be provided near each opening 4, 6. Examples of filters include a coarse dust filter that primarily captures particles 50 μm or larger, a medium- to high-performance air filter (MEPA filter) that primarily captures particles 25 μm or larger, a HEPA filter that captures particles 0.3 μm, and an ULPA filter that captures particles 0.15 μm. Of course, the number and location of the filters can be determined as appropriate.

[0019] The first opening 4 has a structure that prevents ultraviolet light from an ultraviolet light source (described later) from leaking outside the toxic target elimination device 1. Specifically, it has an expanded body 20 arranged in the center in a plan view, an enclosing portion 30 that encloses the outer peripheral surface of the expanded body 20, and the like, and a space through which a fluid can pass is formed between the expanded body 20 and the enclosing portion 30.

[0020] The expandable body 20 has a shape that varies in outer diameter along the axial direction, such as a substantially pot shape or a substantially bell shape. That is, the expandable body 20 has an expanded diameter portion 22 whose diameter is the largest in the middle portion in the axial direction.

[0021] The surrounding portion 30 has a generally annular cross section and an inner diameter that varies along the axial direction. The surrounding portion 30 has a narrowed portion 32 near the opening, and an enlarged inner diameter portion 34 at an inner circumferential location radially opposite the enlarged diameter portion 20.

[0022] The narrowed portion 32 has an inner diameter equal to or smaller than the outer diameter of the expanded diameter portion 22 and larger than the outer diameter of the tip of the expanded body 20. The inner diameter of the expanded inner diameter portion 34 is set so as to have a predetermined gap relative to the expanded diameter portion 22. Therefore, the inner diameter of the surrounding portion 30 is set so as to have a gap of a predetermined size or larger between it and the expanded body 20 so as not to interfere with the flow of fluid passing through the first opening 4. The position of the narrowed portion 32 is not limited to the vicinity of the open end, and can be set appropriately as long as it does not interfere with the flow of fluid. The gap between the expanded body 20 and the surrounding portion 30 configured in this manner becomes a flow path through which the fluid can pass.

[0023] The second openings 6 are provided on the outer periphery of the housing 2 in a plurality of positions within the lower half of the height direction of the housing 2. For example, if the housing 2 is cylindrical with a substantially rectangular cross section, the second openings 6 are provided on each surface forming the rectangle. The total area of ​​the plurality of second openings 6 is preferably set to be equal to or greater than the area of ​​the first opening 4, and more preferably set to be sufficiently larger than, for example, twice or more than the area of ​​the first opening 4. For example, if the outer periphery of the housing 2 is rectangular, the area of ​​the second openings 6 on each surface is set to be greater than one-quarter of the area of ​​the first opening 4, preferably equal to or greater than the same, so that the total area is set to be at least twice the area of ​​the first opening 4. The second openings 6 may be arranged at substantially equal intervals along the circumferential direction, or may be a single opening.

[0024] The tubular portion 8 has a hollow, generally cylindrical shape with both ends open, and has an ultraviolet-reflecting surface over substantially the entire inner circumferential surface. The space defined by the inner periphery of the tubular portion 8 functions as a flow path that can guide the flow of fluid. Therefore, fluid that flows in from either the first opening 4 or the second opening 6 passes through the tubular portion 8. The tubular portion 8 may be generally cylindrical, but is not limited to this, and may have a cross-sectional shape that is polygonal (triangular, rectangular, pentagonal, etc.), elliptical, oval, figure of constant width (Reuleaux polygon), etc.

[0025] The cylindrical portion 8 has an ultraviolet reflective surface over substantially the entire inner circumferential surface. This inner circumferential surface may be made of, for example, an ultraviolet reflective material (e.g., aluminum, etc.), or may be formed by providing a thin film of a metal (e.g., silver, aluminum, nickel, copper, etc.) on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 8. Alternatively, the inner circumferential surface may be formed by attaching an ultraviolet reflective material to the surface of an appropriate base material by vapor deposition, sputtering, or the like.

[0026] Furthermore, when silver or aluminum is used for the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 8, a protective film that functions as a coating may be applied to the surface to prevent oxidation of the surface. In this case, the protective film may be made of a material that does not reduce reflectance, such as acrylic resin, quartz glass, or PTFE. Note that methods for forming a protective film using PTFE include vapor deposition and sputtering.

[0027] Alternatively, a reflective layer that reflects ultraviolet light may be provided on the inside of the cylindrical portion 8. The reflective layer may be made of, for example, one or a combination of high refractive index materials selected from the group consisting of zirconium oxide (zirconia), tantalum pentoxide, titanium oxide, hafnium oxide (hafnia), yttrium oxide, zinc oxide, niobium pentoxide, chromium oxide, and aluminum oxide.

[0028] The method for forming the reflective layer is not particularly limited, and may be any suitable method, such as physical vapor deposition (PVD) methods such as vacuum deposition, ion plating, and sputtering, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods such as thermal CVD and plasma CVD, powder coating, solvent coating, printing, electroplating, electroless plating, electrodeposition coating, and water-based coating. For coating, an ultraviolet-reflective paint (e.g., a paint containing particulate silica (SiO), alumina (AlO), etc.) may be used.

[0029] The reflective layer can also be constructed by layering multiple materials with different refractive indices. In this case, each layer may be made of the same material, different materials, or alternately stacked. For example, the reflective layer may be formed by stacking thin metal films, thin alloy films mainly composed of metal, or oxide films (aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, etc.). The thickness of each film layer is set, for example, to an integer multiple of 1 / 4 the wavelength of the ultraviolet light (i.e., an odd or even multiple of 1 / 4 the wavelength). Specifically, if the wavelength of the main ultraviolet light to be reflected is set to 253.7 (nm), the thickness of one layer can be set to 63.4 (nm), 126.8 (nm), 190.3 (nm), etc. Of course, the thickness of each film layer can be set appropriately, and may be a so-called thick film with a thickness of about several tens of μm, a so-called thin film with a thickness of about several μm, or a so-called ultra-thin film with a thickness of less than a few nm. In forming the multilayer film, the surface of the base material may be previously made mirror-finished, and layers having different refractive indices and / or dielectric constants may be alternately formed.

[0030] Furthermore, a region with a film made of a photocatalytically active material may be formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 8. That is, by generating an active surface by irradiating it with ultraviolet light, sterilization, antiviral effect, deodorization, purification of fluids by decomposing organic chlorine compounds, formaldehyde, etc., and reduction of toxic substances may be performed. Examples of photocatalytically active materials include titanium oxide and tungsten oxide.

[0031] The ultraviolet radiating unit 10 is, for example, a germicidal lamp, an ultraviolet lamp, an ultraviolet LED, or the like, and is arranged so as to irradiate ultraviolet rays onto substantially the entire interior space of the cylindrical portion 8. The shape of the ultraviolet radiating unit 10 may be set as appropriate, for example, a straight tube shape, a U-shaped tube shape, a spiral shape, a spherical shape, a balloon shape, or the like. A plurality of ultraviolet radiating units 10 may be arranged, and the arrangement locations and number of units may be set as appropriate as long as they are able to irradiate ultraviolet rays onto the fluid flowing through the interior space of the cylindrical portion 8.

[0032] The ultraviolet rays emitted from the ultraviolet emitting unit 10 are highly reflected (repeatedly and continuously multiple times) by the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 8. As a result, an ultraviolet region with high density and high dose of ultraviolet rays is formed. In this ultraviolet region, the dose of ultraviolet rays can be amplified several tens of times or more compared to the ultraviolet rays directly irradiated from the ultraviolet emitting unit 10.

[0033] Furthermore, light-shielding portions 40 such as filters that block ultraviolet rays can be disposed at or near both ends of the cylindrical portion 8. The light-shielding portions 40 have a structure that prevents the ultraviolet rays emitted from the ultraviolet emitting portion 10 from leaking out of the cylindrical portion 8 and allows the fluid to pass through reliably. The light-shielding portions 40 can be, for example, a structure (honeycomb core) formed by arranging polygonal three-dimensional figures such as squares and hexagons without any gaps.

[0034] The airflow mechanism is a so-called propeller-like member and can be configured with a fan 12, a motor for driving the fan 12, and the like. The fan 12 is disposed below the cylindrical portion 8. The fan 12 is configured to be rotatable in both forward and reverse directions. That is, the fan 12 is configured so that it can be rotated in both forward and reverse directions by the driving force of the motor.

[0035] By making the blades 12a of the fan 12 approximately symmetrical between the upstream and downstream sides, the airflow, static pressure, and generated sound pressure can be made equal regardless of whether the fan is rotating forward or backward. Figure 3 shows an example of the cross-sectional shape of the blade 12a. The shape of the blade 12a may be approximately point-symmetric about the midpoint O of the line segment connecting the leading edge and the trailing edge, as shown in Figure 3(A), or symmetric about the dotted line, as shown in Figure 3(B). Other examples of blades 12a having a cross-sectional shape with point symmetry include a shape with both ends bent from a substantially linear center, as shown in Figure 3(C). Furthermore, the blades 12a may have both ends bent in a curved manner from a substantially linear center, as shown in Figure 3(D). The shape of both ends and the bending angle are not particularly limited and can be set as appropriate.

[0036] Here, the forward rotation direction of the fan 12 is a rotation direction that generates a flow in which the fluid taken in from above the device 1 through the first opening 4 flows downward and is discharged from the second opening 6. The reverse rotation direction is a rotation direction that generates a flow in which the fluid taken in from below the device 1 through the second opening 6 flows upward and is discharged from the first opening 4. The rotation direction of the fan 12 can be set by an operating unit such as a selector switch or an operation display panel (not shown). That is, an operating unit is provided in the housing 2, and a control means (not shown) controls the direction of fluid flow by the flow-discharge mechanism based on input via the operating unit.

[0037] The toxic target reduction device 1 causes a fluid to flow using a flow mechanism, and also radiates ultraviolet rays inside the cylindrical portion 8 using the ultraviolet radiation unit 10. Specifically, when the fan 12 is driven to rotate in the forward direction, the fluid is sucked in from the outside through the first opening 4 and caused to flow toward the cylindrical portion 8. The flowing fluid passes through the cylindrical portion 8 while descending, and is discharged from the second opening 6.

[0038] At this time, a high-density, high-dose ultraviolet region is created inside the cylindrical portion 8. That is, because the ultraviolet radiation unit 10 radiates ultraviolet rays inside the cylindrical portion 8, the ultraviolet rays are repeatedly reflected by the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 8, resulting in an increase in the dose of ultraviolet rays, and a high-density, high-dose ultraviolet region is formed.

[0039] Toxic substances in the fluid passing through the cylindrical portion 8 pass through the ultraviolet region and are exposed to a high dose of ultraviolet light, resulting in their attenuation. After the toxic substances have been attenuated, the fluid is discharged to the outside through the second opening 6. Since multiple second openings 6 are provided, the fluid is discharged in multiple directions. Also, as described above, the total area of ​​the openings 6 is larger than the area of ​​the first openings 4, so the blow-out speed of the discharged fluid is reduced. By discharging the fluid at a reduced blow-out speed, it is possible to prevent dust from being stirred up around the second openings 6 and to prevent the diffusion of untreated fluid containing toxic substances that may be present around the device 1.

[0040] When the rotation direction of the fan 12 is set to the reverse direction using the operation unit, the above-mentioned fluid flow direction is reversed. That is, fluid is sucked in from the outside through the second opening 6 at the bottom of the device 1 and made to flow toward the cylindrical portion 8. The flowing fluid passes upward inside the cylindrical portion 8 and is discharged from the first opening 4. Toxic substances in the fluid are exposed to high doses of ultraviolet light in the cylindrical portion 8 and are eliminated in the same manner as above.

[0041] In this way, when the direction of fluid flow is reversed, it is possible to suck in and eliminate toxic substances that have accumulated in the lower part of the device 1. The fluid from which the toxic substances have been eliminated is discharged to the upper part of the device 1 through the first opening 4. Because the fluid is discharged upward from the first opening 4, it is possible to prevent the discharged fluid from dispersing untreated fluid and the like that has accumulated around the lower part of the device 1.

[0042] The toxic target reduction device 1 can be installed and used indoors. For example, in a room where toxic targets are retained at the top of the toxic target reduction device 1 or at a height above it, the fan 12 is rotated forward. This allows the ambient air (and toxic targets) above the device 1 to be preferentially sucked in through the upward-opening first opening 4. Furthermore, in an environment where toxic targets are retained near the floor of the room, the fan 12 is rotated backward when the toxic target reduction device 1 is used. This allows the ambient air (and toxic targets) below the device 1 to be preferentially sucked in through the second opening 6.

[0043] When the fan 12 is rotated in the forward direction, the second opening 6, which serves as an air outlet, is located below the first opening 4 and discharges air approximately evenly in all directions. Furthermore, because the second opening 6 discharges air in each direction at a weak wind speed (blowing speed), the discharged air hardly causes convection in the room. This prevents toxic substances contained in human breath from being dispersed by the discharged air. However, the closer the second opening 6 is to the first opening 4, the more likely it is that the air discharged from the second opening 6 will be sucked into the suction section 4. Therefore, it is desirable to separate the opening 6 from the first opening 4 in the vertical direction. Furthermore, it is desirable to direct the air from the second opening 6 horizontally or downward, although this is not a particular limitation.

[0044] As described above, the toxic target reduction device 1 of the present invention creates a high-dose ultraviolet region within the tubular portion 8, which is the fluid flow path, and is therefore able to reduce or eliminate toxic targets that flow down with the fluid within the tubular portion 8. Furthermore, because the total area of ​​the second opening 6 is larger than that of the first opening 4, the fluid is discharged at a blowing speed that is slower than the suction speed of the fluid sucked into the first opening 4. This suppresses the forced flow of fluid caused by exhaust and can prevent toxic targets floating in the space from being dispersed.

[0045] Furthermore, when the rotation of the fan 12 is reversed, the first opening 4, which serves as a fluid outlet, has the inflatable body 20 and the surrounding portion 30. Therefore, the fluid passes between the inflatable body 20 and the surrounding portion 30 and is discharged to the outside. With this configuration, the fluid can be discharged at a reduced blowout speed. Furthermore, because the first opening 4 discharges the fluid upward, it is possible to prevent the fluid within the suction area by the second opening 6 from being diffused.

[0046] As described above, the toxic target elimination device 1 switches the rotation direction of the fan 12 depending on the area where the toxic target is present, thereby efficiently eliminating the toxic target while discharging the fluid without disturbing the area. That is, while sucking in fluid from an area where the toxic target is likely to be present, it reliably eliminates the toxic target contained in the fluid, and then discharges the fluid after the toxic target has been eliminated toward an area different from the suction area where the toxic target is less likely to be present. This allows toxic targets present in a space to be gradually and reliably eliminated without substantially stirring the fluid in the space. In this way, the toxic target elimination device 1 absorbs fluid while sufficiently inactivating and / or killing fungi, viruses, etc. attached to microdroplets, aerosols, etc., with ultraviolet light, and reliably decomposing toxic molecules with ultraviolet light, thereby gradually and reliably eliminating toxic targets remaining in the space without diffusing them.

[0047] Next, we will explain the toxic target elimination device 50 according to the second embodiment. The toxic target elimination device 50 differs from the toxic target elimination device 1 according to the first embodiment in that it has a forward / reverse flow fan 60 including a pair of impellers as a flow mechanism, and is configured to be able to switch which of the pair of impellers to drive. Note that components similar to those according to the first embodiment above will be given the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

[0048] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a toxic target reduction device 50 according to a second embodiment, in which a forward / reverse flow fan 60 of the second embodiment includes two impellers 60a and 60b, a drive mechanism for driving the impellers 60a and 60b to rotate, etc. The impeller 60a is disposed between the first opening 4 and the cylindrical portion 8, and the impeller 60b is disposed between the second opening 6 and the cylindrical portion 8.

[0049] The impellers 60a and 60b are arranged axially so that their rotation axes overlap and are oriented in opposite directions. Therefore, the impellers 60a and 60b generate flow directions opposite to each other when rotated. Specifically, the impellers are oriented in such a way that a flow can be generated in which the openings nearby serve as outlets. That is, when the impeller 60a is rotated, it generates a flow in which the fluid taken in from the bottom of the device 1 through the second opening 6 flows upward and is discharged from the first opening 4. When the impeller 60b is rotated, it generates a flow in which the fluid taken in from the top of the device 1 through the first opening 4 flows downward and is discharged from the second opening 6.

[0050] The forward / backflow fan 60 is connected to a control means (not shown) and is configured so that its drive can be controlled in response to input from an operating unit, etc. That is, the direction of flow can be set using the operating unit to determine which of the impellers 60a and 60b is to be rotated. Here, the forward flow direction of the fluid is defined as the direction from the first opening 4 to the second opening 6, which is the direction of flow generated by rotating the impeller 60b. The reverse flow direction of the fluid is defined as the direction from the second opening 6 to the first opening 4, which is the direction of flow generated by rotating the impeller 60a.

[0051] According to the toxic target reduction device 50, when toxic targets are accumulated above the device 50 in a room, the impeller 60b is rotated to generate a forward flow. That is, air is drawn in from the outside through the first opening 4 and flows toward the cylindrical portion 8, causing it to descend within the cylindrical portion 8. At this time, a high-density, high-dose ultraviolet region is created within the cylindrical portion 8, so that toxic targets in the air are exposed to the high-dose ultraviolet and are reduced. After the toxic targets have been reduced, the air is discharged to the outside through the second opening 6.

[0052] Furthermore, if toxic substances are accumulated in the lower part of the device 1, the impeller 60a is driven to rotate to generate a flow in the reverse direction. That is, air is drawn in from the outside through the second opening 6 at the bottom of the device 1 and made to flow toward the cylindrical portion 8. The air that has flowed into the cylindrical portion 8 rises, passes through the cylindrical portion 8, and is discharged from the first opening 4. The toxic substances in the air are exposed to a high dose of ultraviolet light in the cylindrical portion 8 in the same manner as above, and are eliminated.

[0053] The second embodiment of the toxic target elimination device 50 is not limited to a configuration in which the impellers 60a and 60b are spaced apart, but may be arranged adjacent to each other in the axial direction. For example, as shown in Figure 5(A), the impellers 60a and 60b may be arranged adjacent to each other in this order near the first opening 4, or as shown in Figure 5(B), the impellers 60b and 60a may be arranged adjacent to each other in this order near the second opening 6.

[0054] Furthermore, when the toxic target reduction device of the present invention is used to take in surrounding air and inactivate or sterilize pathogenic microorganisms in the air, it can be installed in spaces where people gather or where people tend to gather in large numbers, such as offices, conference rooms, restaurants, showrooms, libraries, schools, kindergartens, nursery schools, shops, entertainment facilities (karaoke boxes, aquariums, planetariums, movie theaters, art galleries, museums, bowling alleys, etc.), and vehicles (cars, airplanes, ships, trains).

[0055] The toxic substance reduction device of the present invention can also be made small enough to be held in one hand or hung from the neck via a strap. When using such a compact device, the direction of the airflow can be set so that treated air with reduced toxic substances is discharged toward the user's mouth, face, and surrounding areas when the user is healthy, thereby preventing the user from inhaling toxic substances. Furthermore, when the user is in a state of health where toxic substances may be exhaled, such as due to a viral infection, the direction of the airflow can be set so that the air is drawn into the user's mouth, face, and surrounding areas, preventing the user from scattering toxic substances around the user.

[0056] The toxic target reduction device may also include at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a human presence sensor, and a dirt sensor, and the flow generated by the flow generating means may be controlled based on the detection by the sensor. For example, the flow generating means may be operated when the sensor detects the presence of a person in the vicinity. The flow generating means may be stopped when the sensor no longer detects a person, or when a predetermined time has passed since the flow generating means began operating.

[0057] Furthermore, although the ultraviolet radiation unit 10 has been used as an example of a mitigation means, a radiation unit that emits waves such as sound waves, radio waves, microwaves, infrared rays, visible light, ultraviolet rays, X-rays and / or gamma rays may also be used as long as it can mitigate the toxic target.

[0058] Furthermore, sensors such as a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a human presence sensor, a dirt sensor, and a particle counter may be provided, and flow control by the fan 12 or the forward / reverse flow fan 60 and ultraviolet radiation by the ultraviolet radiation unit 10 may be controlled based on detection by the sensors. For example, the control may start operation or switch the airflow direction when a human presence sensor detects a human presence, or may stop operation or switch the airflow direction when a human presence is no longer detected or when a predetermined time has passed since the human presence sensor stopped detecting a human presence. Alternatively, the control may be configured to stop operation when the number of particles counted by the particle counter falls below a certain level.

[0059] In the second embodiment, the two impellers 60a, 60b are arranged spaced apart in the axial direction, but the relative positions of the two impellers 60a, 60b are not limited to this and they may be arranged close to each other. However, if they are arranged close to the openings 4, 6 that serve as inlets and outlets for the fluid and a flow is generated with the opening closer to the drive side as the outlet, a flow can be generated effectively even with an impeller having low static pressure. Furthermore, the two impellers are not limited to having the same shape and may have different shapes.

[0060] 1, 50...toxic target reduction device, 2...housing, 4...first opening, 6...second opening, 8...cylindrical portion, 10...ultraviolet radiation portion, 12...fan, 12a...blade, 60...forward and reverse flow fan, 60a, 60b...impeller.

Claims

1. A toxic substance reduction device comprising: a first flow port capable of circulating a fluid in and out; a second flow port capable of circulating the fluid in and out; a reduction means for emitting waves (ultraviolet rays) that decompose and / or inactivate and / or sterilize toxic substances contained in the fluid; a tubular portion that forms a flow path connecting the first flow port and the second flow port and has a reflective surface on its inner surface that repeatedly reflects the waves to a high degree; and a flow-transfer mechanism that passes a fluid through the flow path, wherein the flow-transfer mechanism is configured to be able to switch the flow direction of the fluid.

2. The poison target abatement device according to claim 1, characterized in that the flow mechanism has a motor that rotates the fan in both forward and reverse directions.

3. The poison target abatement device according to claim 2, wherein the fan has blades with a symmetrical shape.

4. The toxic target reduction device according to claim 1, characterized in that the flow mechanism has a pair of impellers, and the pair of impellers can generate flows in different directions.

5. A toxic target reduction device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that a pair of said impellers are arranged on either side of said cylindrical portion.

6. A toxic target reduction device as described in claim 4, characterized in that one of the impellers is arranged near the first flow port, and the rotation direction of the one impeller is set so that the downstream side of the generated flow is on the side of the first flow port, and the other impeller is arranged near the second flow port, and the rotation direction of the other impeller is set so that the downstream side of the generated flow is on the side of the second flow port.

7. A toxic target reduction device as described in claim 4, characterized in that a pair of the impellers are adjacent to each other and facing in opposite directions, and are arranged at one end or the other end of the cylindrical portion.

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