Ozone supply device, ozone supply system, and ozone supply method

Abstract

One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide an ozone supply device capable of stably supplying ozone even when a required ozone supply amount fluctuates.　The present invention pertains to an ozone supply device (100) comprising: an ozone generator (1) that generates ozone; an adsorption / desorption tower (2) that adsorbs and desorbs the ozone generated by the ozone generator (1); a supply amount acquisition unit (3) that acquires a required ozone supply amount required by a supply target to which ozone is supplied; and an operation control unit (4) that controls an adsorption operation in which a certain adsorption amount of ozone is adsorbed onto the adsorption / desorption tower (2) and a desorption operation in which a desorption amount of ozone, based on the required ozone supply amount, in the ozone adsorbed by the adsorption / desorption tower (2) is desorbed.

Description

Ozone supply device, ozone supply system, and ozone supply method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an ozone supplying device, an ozone supplying system, and an ozone supplying method.

[0002] Ozone generated by an ozone generator is a powerful oxidizing agent and is used in a wide range of fields, including water environment purification and semiconductor cleaning. Because the required ozone supply amount varies from moment to moment in some of these fields, ozone supply technologies have been considered in which ozone is temporarily adsorbed in an adsorption / desorption tower, and the required amount of ozone is desorbed from the adsorption / desorption tower and supplied to a supply target. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an ozone supply device that receives an amount of concentrated ozone to be supplied to a supply target at a receiving unit, adsorbs ozone in an adsorption / desorption tower according to the received amount of concentrated ozone, desorbs the ozone adsorbed in the adsorption / desorption tower from the adsorption / desorption tower, and supplies the concentrated ozone to the supply target.

[0003] Patent No. 6607337

[0004] However, when ozone is adsorbed from an ozone generator into an adsorption / desorption tower, and the adsorbed ozone is desorbed and supplied to a target, supplying ozone from the ozone generator to the adsorption / desorption tower in a required amount results in an unstable ozone supply from the ozone generator, which changes the state of ozone adsorption in the adsorption / desorption tower and changes the trend of the ozone concentration of the desorbed ozone versus desorption time, resulting in a problem of being unable to stably supply ozone to the target.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an ozone supplying device that can stably supply ozone even when the required ozone supply amount fluctuates, and also to provide an ozone supplying system and an ozone supplying method.

[0006] The ozone supply device according to the present disclosure includes an ozone generator that generates ozone, an adsorption / desorption tower that adsorbs and desorbs the ozone generated by the ozone generator, a supply amount acquisition unit that acquires a required ozone supply amount required by a supply target to which ozone is to be supplied, and an operation control unit that controls an adsorption operation that causes the adsorption / desorption tower to adsorb a certain amount of adsorbed ozone, and a desorption operation that desorbs an amount of desorbed ozone from the ozone adsorbed in the adsorption / desorption tower that is based on the required ozone supply amount.

[0007] Furthermore, the ozone supply system according to the present disclosure is an ozone supply system including a plurality of ozone supply devices according to the present disclosure, and selects at least one of the plurality of ozone supply devices, opens an ozone supply circuit that supplies ozone from the selected ozone supply device to a supply target, calculates a requested ozone supply amount to be distributed to the selected ozone supply device based on the requested ozone supply amount requested by the supply target, and transmits the calculated requested ozone supply amount to be distributed to the ozone supply device as the requested ozone supply amount to the supply amount acquisition unit.

[0008] The ozone supply method according to the present disclosure also includes the steps of acquiring a required ozone supply amount required by a supply target to which ozone is to be supplied, generating ozone, adsorbing and desorbing the generated ozone, and keeping the amount of adsorbed ozone to be adsorbed constant and changing the amount of desorbed ozone to be desorbed based on the required ozone supply amount.

[0009] According to the present disclosure, ozone can be supplied stably even when there is a fluctuation in the required ozone supply amount required by the supply target.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ozone supplying apparatus according to embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram explaining an adsorption operation and a desorption operation according to embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ozone supplying apparatus according to embodiment 2. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram explaining an adsorption operation and a desorption operation according to embodiment 2. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of operation control according to embodiment 2. FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ozone supplying apparatus according to embodiment 3. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of operation control according to embodiment 3. FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ozone supplying apparatus according to embodiment 4. FIG. 9 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ozone supplying system according to embodiment 5. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing flow executed by an ozone supplying apparatus according to embodiment 6. FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a processing circuit that realizes each function of the ozone supplying apparatus according to embodiment 6.

[0011] The following description of the embodiments will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals are used to designate the same contents and corresponding parts, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0012] Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an ozone supplying apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1. For example, the ozone supplying apparatus 100 is connected to a facility 20 to which ozone is to be supplied. The ozone supplying apparatus 100 includes an ozone generator 1 and an adsorption / desorption tower 2. The ozone generated by the ozone generator 1 is adsorbed in the adsorption / desorption tower 2. The ozone generator 1 generates ozone O3 using oxygen O2 as the main raw material, and transfers the ozone-containing gas O2 + O3 to the adsorption / desorption tower 2 via an adsorption circuit. Here, ozone O3 and the ozone-containing gas O2 + O3 are collectively referred to as ozone. Of the ozone-containing gas O2 + O3 transferred to the adsorption / desorption tower 2, ozone is selectively adsorbed, and mainly O2 is released to the outside via an adsorption breakthrough circuit. The ozone is pushed out of the adsorption / desorption tower 2 by, for example, a purge gas and transferred to the desorption circuit. The desorption circuit is provided with a flow meter 12, a flow control valve 13, and a suction means 14 such as a pump, and the amount of ozone supplied to the equipment 20 is controlled by the operation control unit 4 and the like.

[0013] The ozone supply device 100 includes an ozone generator 1 that generates ozone, an adsorption / desorption tower 2 that adsorbs and desorbs the ozone generated by the ozone generator 1, a supply amount acquisition unit 3 that acquires a required ozone supply amount required by a supply target to which ozone is to be supplied, and an operation control unit 4 that controls an adsorption operation to adsorb a certain amount of adsorbed ozone in the adsorption / desorption tower 2 and a desorption operation to desorb an amount of ozone adsorbed in the adsorption / desorption tower 2 based on the required ozone supply amount. Upon receiving information such as an ozone supply request and the required ozone supply amount from the equipment 20, the supply amount acquisition unit 3 notifies the operation control unit 4 of the reception. For example, if the equipment 20 is a water purification system or the like and the required ozone supply amount fluctuates widely due to environmental changes, increasing the amount of ozone adsorbed in the adsorption / desorption tower 2 in response to the fluctuations in the required ozone supply amount will prevent the ozone generator 1 from keeping up with the fluctuations and will result in poor responsiveness. Therefore, the operation control unit 4 controls the amount of ozone adsorbed in the adsorption / desorption tower 2 to be constant, and changes the amount of ozone desorbed from the adsorption / desorption tower 2 based on the required ozone supply amount.

[0014] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the adsorption and desorption operations, showing the difference between the desorption operations performed when the required ozone supply rate per hour from the equipment 20 is high and low. For example, the operation control unit 4 controls the amount of desorbed ozone based on the duration of the desorption operation. That is, whether the required ozone supply rate per hour is high or low, the operation of adsorbing ozone in the adsorption / desorption tower 2 remains unchanged, adsorbing a constant amount of ozone. The duration of the desorption operation is then controlled to change based on the required ozone supply rate per hour. Therefore, the cycle time differs depending on whether the required ozone supply rate from the equipment 20 is low or high. This allows the ozone adsorption state in the adsorption / desorption tower 2 to be maintained at approximately the same level. This prevents changes in the adsorption state due to fluctuations in the required ozone supply rate caused by the characteristics of the equipment, such as the ozone generator 1 and the adsorption / desorption tower 2, and ensures a stable supply of adsorbed ozone for desorption and supply. Furthermore, because the desorption process is started in the same adsorption state, a stable ozone concentration can be supplied for desorption. Furthermore, if the remaining amount of adsorbed ozone is kept at the same level before the next adsorption operation, the adsorption concentration of ozone will not fluctuate, which is preferable. The next adsorption operation may be performed after the adsorbed ozone has been completely desorbed.

[0015] Furthermore, it is preferable to stably generate ozone using the ozone generator 1, adsorb the ozone in the adsorption / desorption tower 2 using rated operation that can ensure the maximum amount of adsorbed ozone, and control the amount of desorbed ozone based on the required ozone supply rate. Here, rated operation refers to operation under conditions that allow the ozone supply device 100 to stably output the maximum performance under specified conditions. However, this does not necessarily have to be maximum output and can be set as appropriate. Rated operating conditions vary depending on the capacity of the device and include operating conditions that can achieve, for example, 70% to 100% of the maximum output for each device. Rated operating conditions can be set for each device depending on the capacity of the ozone generator 1 and the adsorption / desorption tower 2 used. Furthermore, if the required ozone supply rate is low, there may be excess adsorbed ozone. However, the excess adsorbed ozone can be stored or released from the adsorption breakthrough circuit. The required ozone supply rate does not exceed the amount of adsorbed ozone and can be set when a request is received from the facility 20.

[0016] Thus, the system includes an ozone generator 1 that generates ozone, an adsorption / desorption tower 2 that adsorbs and desorbs the ozone generated by the ozone generator 1, a supply amount acquisition unit 3 that acquires the required ozone supply amount required by the supply target to which ozone is to be supplied, and an operation control unit 4 that controls an adsorption operation to adsorb a constant amount of adsorbed ozone in the adsorption / desorption tower 2 and a desorption operation to desorb an amount of desorbed ozone from the ozone adsorbed in the adsorption / desorption tower 2 based on the required ozone supply amount. This allows the required ozone supply amount to be transferred to the supply target without changing the amount of ozone adsorbed in the adsorption / desorption tower 2, thereby enabling a stable supply of ozone even when the required ozone supply amount required by the supply target fluctuates. Furthermore, by controlling the amount of desorbed ozone based on the duration of the desorption operation, the adsorption state of ozone in the adsorption / desorption tower 2 can be maintained at a substantially constant level. Because there is no change in the adsorption state due to equipment characteristics associated with fluctuations in the required ozone supply amount, a sufficient amount of adsorbed ozone can be desorbed and supplied. Furthermore, by having the adsorption / desorption tower 2 adsorb the ozone supply amount during rated operation, a sufficient amount of desorbed ozone can be ensured, and ozone can be supplied stably even when there are large fluctuations in the required ozone supply amount from the supply target. Furthermore, when rated operation is used, the adsorption operation is performed under the same adsorption partial pressure conditions as during rated operation, while the desorption operation is performed to match the required ozone supply amount from the equipment 20, so the adsorption state of ozone in the adsorption / desorption tower 2 is less likely to change.

[0017] Embodiment 2. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an ozone supplying device 100 according to embodiment 2. The ozone supplying device 100 according to embodiment 2 differs from embodiment 1 in that it has a plurality of adsorption / desorption towers 2 and controls adsorption and desorption using the plurality of adsorption / desorption towers 2. The rest is the same as embodiment 1.

[0018] 3 shows an example using two adsorption / desorption towers 2. This ozone supply device 100 includes multiple adsorption / desorption towers 2 and a circuit switch 5 that switches between a first adsorption / desorption tower 21 and a second adsorption / desorption tower 22 among the multiple adsorption / desorption towers 2. The operation control unit 4 performs a first control operation in which the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 performs an adsorption operation and the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 controls a desorption operation based on a required ozone supply amount, and performs a second control operation in which the circuit is switched by the circuit switch 5 to perform an adsorption operation in the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 and controls a desorption operation based on the required ozone supply amount in the first adsorption / desorption tower 21, alternately repeating the first control and the second control. The number of multiple adsorption / desorption towers 2 is not limited to two, and four may be provided, with two first adsorption / desorption towers 21 and two second adsorption / desorption towers 22, or more may be provided.

[0019] FIG. 4 shows an example of repeated adsorption and desorption operations by the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 and the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 when the required ozone supply rate per hour is high and when the required ozone supply rate per hour is low, as in FIG. 2 . It is assumed that the amount of ozone adsorbed for desorption is sufficient. For example, when the required ozone supply rate per hour is halved, the desorption time is doubled. Then, for example, a pause is provided to adjust the time, and the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 and the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 are switched by the circuit switch 5. This control allows one tower to perform a desorption operation while the other tower performs an adsorption operation, thereby enabling continuous repetition of the adsorption and desorption operations. In the example shown in FIG. 4 , the adsorption and desorption operations can be repeated using a repetition unit time of twice the cycle time for the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 and the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 combined. That is, for example, while the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 performs an adsorption operation, the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 performs a desorption operation, and the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 desorbs the adsorbed ozone in the next cycle. In the cycle in which the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 performs a desorption operation, the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 performs an adsorption operation. During the combined repetition unit time of the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 and the second adsorption / desorption tower 22, both an adsorption operation and a desorption operation can be performed. Furthermore, by using even more adsorption / desorption towers 2, the amount of ozone supply that the facility 20 can request can be increased.

[0020] Furthermore, the operation control unit 4 controls the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 to perform an adsorption operation to adsorb the ozone supply amount during rated operation, and the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 to perform a first control to perform a desorption operation for a desorption time based on the ratio of the required ozone supply amount to the ozone supply amount during rated operation, and the circuit switch 5 switches the circuit so that the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 performs an adsorption operation to adsorb the ozone supply amount during rated operation, and the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 performs a second control to perform a desorption operation for a desorption time based on the ratio of the required ozone supply amount to the ozone supply amount during rated operation, and by alternately repeating the first control and the second control, it is possible to ensure a sufficient amount of adsorbed ozone that can be supplied by the adsorption operation to the facility 20. As described in Embodiment 1, rated operation does not necessarily have to be a condition for exerting maximum output and can be set appropriately.

[0021] Furthermore, the relationship between the ozone supply amount during rated operation, the required ozone supply amount during operation control, and the cycle time will be described using Figure 5. While Figure 5 shows examples of each value, because each value is treated as a variable, differences such as adsorption amount and desorption amount are not represented on the vertical axis, but time such as cycle time is represented on the horizontal axis. The operation control unit 4 defines the time constituting one cycle as the rated operation cycle time for adsorption and desorption during rated operation, a calculation cycle time calculated based on the ozone supply amount during rated operation, and the required ozone supply amount, and controls the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 and the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 to adsorb a certain amount of ozone and to supply the required amount of ozone to the supply target through the desorption operation.

[0022] For example, when the cycle time during rated operation is CTr, the ozone supply amount during rated operation is Sr, and the required ozone supply amount is Sn, the operation control unit 4 calculates CTc as the calculation cycle time using the following equation (1):

[0023]

[0024] Based on the calculated cycle time CTc, during operation within the cycle, the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 performs adsorption operation with the adsorption time Ta set to Ta=CTr, and the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 performs desorption operation with the desorption time Td set to Td=CTc. In the next cycle, the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 performs adsorption operation with the adsorption time Ta=CTr, and the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 performs desorption operation with the desorption time Td=CTc, and the above-mentioned control is repeated thereafter. Here, the ozone supply amount Sr during rated operation is the ozone supply amount based on the amount of ozone adsorbed during rated operation.

[0025] 5 , if the cycle time CTr during rated operation is 2 hours, the ozone supply rate Sr during rated operation is 15 g / h, and the required ozone supply rate Sn requested by the equipment 20 is 5 g / h, the ratio of the required ozone supply rate Sn to the ozone supply rate Sr during rated operation is 33%, the adsorption operation Ta is set to 2 hours, the same as during rated operation, and the desorption time Td is set to 2 / 0.33, or 6 hours, with the operation of the ozone generator 1 being stopped for 4 hours after the end of the adsorption operation. Furthermore, by switching between the adsorption operation and the desorption operation using the circuit switch 5, adsorption and desorption can be repeated.

[0026] By configuring the ozone supply device 100 in this manner, the adsorption operation is performed under rated operation conditions, and the desorption operation is performed to supply ozone in accordance with the amount of ozone required by the equipment 20, so that the state of ozone adsorption in the adsorption / desorption tower 2 does not change. Therefore, a stable supply of ozone that meets the requirements of the equipment 20 is possible.

[0027] In addition, the operation control unit 4 suspends the supply of ozone from the ozone generator 1 during the calculation cycle time when the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 or the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 is not performing adsorption operation, thereby reducing the load on the ozone supply device 100 and allowing a stable supply of ozone to continue.

[0028] In this way, the system includes multiple adsorption / desorption towers 2 and a circuit switch 5 that switches between the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 and the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 among the multiple adsorption / desorption towers 2. The first adsorption / desorption tower 21 performs adsorption, and the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 performs desorption based on the required ozone supply amount. The circuit switch 5 switches between these two controls, allowing the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 to perform adsorption, and the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 to perform desorption based on the required ozone supply amount. By alternately repeating the first and second controls, the adsorption and desorption operations can be continuously repeated, ensuring a stable supply of ozone even when the required ozone supply amount required by the supply target fluctuates. Using more adsorption / desorption towers 2 increases the ozone supply amount required by the facility 20. Furthermore, by allowing the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 and the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 to adsorb the amount of ozone adsorbed during rated operation, a sufficient amount of ozone can be desorbed, ensuring a stable supply of ozone even when the required ozone supply amount required by the supply target fluctuates significantly. By calculating the calculation cycle time based on the rated operation cycle time for performing the adsorption and desorption operations during rated operation, the ozone supply amount during rated operation, and the required ozone supply amount, and setting it as one cycle, it is possible to cause the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 and the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 to adsorb a certain amount of ozone and supply the required amount of ozone to the equipment 20 that is the supply target. Furthermore, the repeated operation reduces energy loss during start-up and shutdown.

[0029] Embodiment 3. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an ozone supplying device 100 according to embodiment 3. The ozone supplying device 100 according to embodiment 3 differs from embodiment 1 or 2 in that it includes a storage section 7 that stores ozone desorbed from the adsorption / desorption tower 2. The other configurations are the same as those of embodiment 1 or 2.

[0030] 6 includes a storage unit 7 that stores ozone desorbed from the adsorption / desorption tower 2, and the operation control unit 4 performs control such that the amount of ozone adsorbed by the adsorption operation is constant and all or part of the amount of ozone desorbed by the desorption operation is stored in the storage unit 7. For example, the operation control unit 4 performs control such that ozone is stored in the storage unit 7 by the desorption operation of the adsorption / desorption tower 2, the desorption operation is stopped, and a supply operation is performed to transfer the desorbed ozone from the storage unit 7 to a supply target based on a required ozone supply amount.

[0031] Alternatively, while desorption is performed in the adsorption / desorption tower 2, the desorbed ozone may be transferred from the storage unit 7 to the supply target. An example of adsorption and desorption operations using the storage unit 7 will be described with reference to FIG. 7 . While FIG. 7 shows examples of numerical values, differences in adsorption amount, desorption amount, supply amount, etc. are not represented on the vertical axis, and the description will be given by representing time, such as cycle time, on the horizontal axis, since the numerical values ​​are treated as variables. The ozone supply device 100, as in the second embodiment, includes multiple adsorption / desorption towers 2 and a circuit switch 5 that switches between the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 and the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 among the multiple adsorption / desorption towers 2. The operation control unit 4 performs a first control operation in which the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 performs an adsorption operation and the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 controls a desorption operation based on a required ozone supply amount. The circuit switch 5 switches the circuit to perform an adsorption operation in the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 and a second control operation in which the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 controls a desorption operation based on a required ozone supply amount. The first control and the second control are alternately repeated. Then, assuming that the cycle time during rated operation is CTr, the ozone supply amount during rated operation is Sr, and the required ozone supply amount is Sn, the calculated cycle time CTc is calculated using the following formula (2):

[0032]

[0033] During the calculation cycle time CTc, a supply operation is performed to supply desorbed ozone from the storage unit 7 to the supply target. The first adsorption / desorption tower 21 performs an adsorption operation with the adsorption time Ta set to Ta = CTr, and the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 performs a desorption operation with the desorption time Td set to Td = CTr. That is, while the desorption operation time Td is set to Td = Ta / (Sn / Sr) in the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 in the third embodiment, the desorption time Td is not lengthened, and the time for supplying desorbed ozone from the storage unit 7 is lengthened. By controlling using the storage unit 7 in this manner, the desorbed ozone stored in the storage unit 7 can be used.

[0034] Furthermore, by suspending the supply of ozone from the ozone generator 1 to the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 and the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 during the calculation cycle time CTc, except for the adsorption time Ta by the first adsorption / desorption tower 21 that performs the adsorption operation and the desorption time Td by the second adsorption / desorption tower 22 that performs the desorption operation, it is possible to continue a stable supply of ozone while reducing the load on the ozone supply device 100.

[0035] In this way, by controlling the desorption operation to store all or a portion of the desorbed ozone amount in the storage unit 7, for example, surplus desorbed ozone can be stored during times when the required ozone supply amount is low, allowing for continuous supply according to the required ozone supply amount while maintaining the adsorption / desorption operation at the same rated operation. Furthermore, since desorbed ozone can be supplied from the storage unit 7 even when the desorption operation in the adsorption / desorption tower 2 is stopped, ozone can be supplied stably even when the required ozone supply amount required by the supply target fluctuates. Furthermore, by supplying desorbed ozone from the storage unit 7 while the desorption operation in the adsorption / desorption tower 2 is being performed, the amount of ozone supplied to the equipment 20 can be increased. While FIG. 6 shows an example in which two adsorption / desorption towers 2 are provided, only one adsorption / desorption tower 2 may be provided. More adsorption / desorption towers 2 may also be provided.

[0036] Embodiment 4. In Embodiment 4, a modification of the ozone supplying apparatus 100 shown in Embodiments 1 to 3 will be described. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the ozone supplying apparatus according to Embodiment 4. As shown in FIG. 8, the operation control unit 4 may adjust at least one of the flow rate of the raw material gas introduced into the ozone generator 1 and the discharge power of the ozone generator 1 to maintain a constant ozone concentration of the ozone adsorbed in the adsorption / desorption tower 2. By performing an adsorption operation to adsorb a constant amount of ozone in the adsorption / desorption tower 2, the adsorption state of ozone in the adsorption / desorption tower 2 can be stabilized. Furthermore, by suppressing changes in the ozone concentration due to the adsorption and desorption operations, the ozone supply to the equipment 20 can be further stabilized. For example, the ozone concentration can be controlled by measuring the amount of oxygen, which is the raw material gas introduced into the ozone generator 1, with the flow meter 12 and controlling the flow regulating valve 13 with the operation control unit 4. Alternatively, the discharge power may be adjusted by the power supply unit of the ozone generator 1. In this way, even if the required ozone supply amount from the equipment 20 fluctuates, the adsorption operation is performed at the same adsorption partial pressure as during rated operation, while the desorption operation is performed to supply ozone according to the required ozone supply amount from the equipment 20, thereby stabilizing the ozone adsorption state in the adsorption / desorption tower 2. Therefore, a stable ozone supply that meets the request from the equipment 20 is possible.

[0037] 9 , a bypass circuit 6 is provided that supplies ozone generated by the ozone generator 1 to a supply target without passing through the adsorption / desorption tower 2, and the operation control unit 4 may perform control to switch to the bypass circuit 6 when the required ozone supply amount relative to the ozone supply amount during rated operation falls below a preset reference value. When the required ozone supply amount relative to the ozone supply amount during rated operation falls below the reference value, for example, the operating cost required to perform the adsorption / desorption operation exceeds the operating cost required for direct supply from the ozone generator 1, so the operating cost can be reduced by directly supplying ozone generated by the ozone generator 1 to the facility 20. A message may be sent to the facility 20 when a request from the facility 20 is received.

[0038] In this way, by using the bypass circuit 6 to supply ozone directly from the ozone generator 1 to the equipment 20, the operating costs of the ozone supply device 100 can be reduced.

[0039] 10 is a schematic diagram of an ozone supply system 1000 according to a fifth embodiment. The ozone supply system 1000 according to the fifth embodiment differs from the first to fourth embodiments in that ozone is supplied to the facility 20 that is the supply target using the ozone supply device 100 shown in the first to fourth embodiments. The other configurations are the same as those of the first to fourth embodiments.

[0040] The ozone supply system 1000 shown in Fig. 10 includes a plurality of ozone supply devices 100. At least one of the plurality of ozone supply devices 100 is selected, and the ozone supply circuits 8, 81 that supply ozone from the selected ozone supply device 100 to the supply target are opened. The system also calculates a requested ozone supply amount to be distributed to the selected ozone supply device 100 based on the amount of ozone requested by the supply target, and transmits the calculated requested ozone supply amount to be distributed as the requested ozone supply amount to the ozone supply device 100 to the supply amount acquisition unit 3. When two or more ozone supply devices 100 are selected, the system calculates a requested ozone supply amount to be distributed to each of the selected ozone supply devices 100, and transmits the calculated requested ozone supply amount to be distributed as the requested ozone supply amount to each ozone supply device 100 to the supply amount acquisition unit 3.

[0041] For example, when a requested ozone supply amount is transmitted from the equipment 20 to be supplied, the request receiving unit 30 of the ozone supply system 1000 receives the request and transmits it to the control unit 40. The control unit 40 selects at least one from the plurality of ozone supply devices 100. For example, if two operable ozone supply devices 100 are selected, the control unit 40 calculates the requested ozone supply amount to be distributed to each of them, referring to the supply capacity of the ozone supply devices 100, and determines whether to distribute 0.5 each, or 0.6 and 0.4, assuming that the total requested ozone supply amount is 1. The control unit 40 then transmits the requested ozone supply amount to be distributed to the supply amount obtaining unit 3 of each ozone supply device 100. Each ozone supply device 100 receives the transmitted requested ozone supply amount as the requested ozone supply amount, and the operation control unit 4 of each ozone supply device 100 controls the operation described in the first to fourth embodiments. Furthermore, for example, when the required ozone supply amount is small, one of the multiple ozone supply devices 100 may be selected and ozone may be supplied only from the selected ozone supply device 100. In this case, the requested ozone supply amount may be calculated by distributing the entire requested ozone supply amount. Furthermore, the control unit 40 of the ozone supply system 1000 opens a valve 112 provided in an ozone supply circuit connecting the ozone supply port of the equipment 20 to the desorption circuit of each ozone supply device 100. In the example of FIG. 10 , the control unit 40 also opens a valve 113 that supplies raw material gas to the ozone generator 1. The operation control unit 4 of each ozone supply device 100 may open the valve 113 after receiving a supply command. The control unit 40 may also change the distribution ratio in real time, or may increase or decrease the number of ozone supply devices 100 based on the required ozone supply amount.

[0042] In the ozone supply system 1000 configured as described above, when a target requires a large amount of ozone, the supply can be accommodated by increasing the number of ozone supply devices 100. When the supply capacities of the multiple ozone supply devices 100 are different, the distribution ratio can be determined according to the supply capacities. In this way, ozone can be supplied stably even when the required ozone supply amount required by the target fluctuates widely.

[0043] Sixth Embodiment An ozone supply method will be described. Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a process flow executed by the ozone supply device 100. First, a required ozone supply amount required by a supply target to which ozone is to be supplied is obtained (step S101). Ozone is then generated (step S102). The generated ozone is then adsorbed and desorbed (step S103). The amount of adsorbed ozone is kept constant, and the amount of desorbed ozone is changed based on the required ozone supply amount (step S104).

[0044] In this way, the required ozone supply amount required by the supply target to which ozone is to be supplied is obtained, ozone is generated, the generated ozone is adsorbed and desorbed, the amount of adsorbed ozone to be adsorbed is kept constant, and the amount of desorbed ozone to be desorbed is changed based on the required ozone supply amount.This means that the adsorption state of ozone in the adsorption / desorption tower 2 at the start of desorption does not change, and ozone can be supplied stably even if the required ozone supply amount required by the supply target fluctuates.

[0045] Each function of the ozone supplying device 100 is realized by a processing circuit. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a processing circuit that realizes each function of the ozone supplying device 100. The ozone supplying device 100 includes a processor 90, a storage device 91, a communication I / F (interface) 92, and the like. The processor 90 may be, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The storage device 91 transmits and receives data to and from the processor 90 and stores the data. Communication paths are used for sending request data from the equipment 20 to the supply amount acquisition unit 3 of the ozone supplying device 100, communication from the supply amount acquisition unit 3 to the operation control unit 4, communication with the circuit switch 5, flow rate adjustment valve 13, and the like, performed by the operation control unit 4 for operation control, communication from the equipment 20 to the request reception unit 30 of the ozone supplying system 1000, communication from the request reception unit 30 to the control unit 40, and communication for the control unit 40 to control the valves 112 and 113. The communication paths may be wireless or wired. The operation control unit 4 may be located within the ozone supplying device 100, or may be remotely operated from a remote location. Similarly, the control unit 40 may be located near the ozone supplying device 100, or may be remotely operated from a remote location. Communication between these units is performed via a communication I / F 92. Calculations and judgments performed by the operation control unit 4, control unit 40, etc. are executed by a processor 90. The acquired measurement data, arithmetic expressions, etc. are stored in a storage device 91.

[0046] The processor 90 and the storage device 91 may be shared by one or more. The processor 90 may include, for example, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an integrated circuit (IC), a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other logic circuits, as well as various signal processing circuits. Multiple processors 90, of the same type or different types, may be provided, so that each process is shared and executed by multiple arithmetic processing devices.

[0047] The multiple storage devices 91 include, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) configured to allow data to be read from and written to the processor 90, a ROM (Read Only Memory) configured to allow data to be read from the processor 90, a hard disk, etc.

[0048] Each function of the ozone supplying device 100 is realized by the processor 90 executing software or programs stored in the storage device 91 and working in cooperation with the hardware. Setting data to be set in the ozone supplying device 100 may be stored in the storage device 91 as part of the software or program, or may be input by the user. A non-transitory recording medium 911 on which an ozone supplying program 912 is recorded may be distributed and installed in the storage device 91 of the ozone supplying device 100.

[0049] In the first to sixth embodiments, the amount of adsorbed ozone is constant. However, a required ozone supply amount memory 91 may be provided to store the historical required ozone supply amount of the equipment 20 relative to time. The operation control unit 4 may set different values ​​for the adsorbed ozone amount for time periods when the required ozone supply amount is equal to or greater than a set supply amount and time periods when it is less than the set supply amount, based on the historical required ozone supply amount, and control the adsorption / desorption tower 2 to perform adsorption operation to adsorb a constant amount of adsorbed ozone. For example, if the equipment 20 is a water purification system, the required ozone supply amount increases during the day and decreases during the night. Therefore, by setting a constant amount of adsorbed ozone for each time period, it is possible to reduce excess ozone when the required ozone supply amount is low. For example, a set supply amount is set, and the adsorbed ozone amount is changed when the required ozone supply amount is equal to or greater than the set supply amount. Multiple adsorbed ozone amounts may also be set in stages. In this way, energy loss can be reduced while maintaining a constant amount of adsorbed ozone. The set supply amount may be stored in the storage device 91 within the ozone supply device 100, or may be input by the user.

[0050] Although various exemplary embodiments are described in this disclosure, the various features, aspects, and functions described in one or more embodiments are not limited to the application of a particular embodiment, but may be applied to the embodiments alone or in various combinations. Therefore, countless variations not illustrated are anticipated within the scope of the technology disclosed herein. For example, this includes cases where at least one component is modified, added, or omitted, or where at least one component is extracted and combined with components of another embodiment.

[0051] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ozone generator, 2 Adsorption / desorption tower, 3 Supply amount acquisition unit, 4 Operation control unit, 5 Circuit switch, 6 Bypass circuit, 7 Storage unit, 8, 81 Ozone supply circuit, 12 Flow meter, 13 Flow rate adjustment valve, 14 Suction means, 20 Equipment, 21 First adsorption / desorption tower, 22 Second adsorption / desorption tower, 30 Request reception unit, 40 Control unit, 100 Ozone supply device, 112, 113 Valve, 1000 Ozone supply system

Claims

1. An ozone supply device comprising: an ozone generator that generates ozone; an adsorption / desorption tower that adsorbs and desorbs the ozone generated by the ozone generator; a supply amount acquisition unit that acquires a required ozone supply amount required by a supply target to which ozone is to be supplied; and an operation control unit that controls an adsorption operation to adsorb a certain amount of adsorbed ozone into the adsorption / desorption tower, and a desorption operation to desorb an amount of desorbed ozone from the ozone adsorbed in the adsorption / desorption tower that is based on the required ozone supply amount.

2. The ozone supplying device according to claim 1, wherein the operation control section controls the amount of ozone to be desorbed based on the duration of the desorption operation.

3. The ozone supply device according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a plurality of the adsorption / desorption towers and a circuit switcher for switching between a first adsorption / desorption tower and a second adsorption / desorption tower among the plurality of adsorption / desorption towers, wherein the operation control unit performs a first control for performing the adsorption operation in the first adsorption / desorption tower and controlling the desorption operation in the second adsorption / desorption tower based on the required ozone supply amount, switches circuits using the circuit switcher, performs a second control for performing the adsorption operation in the second adsorption / desorption tower and controlling the desorption operation in the first adsorption / desorption tower based on the required ozone supply amount, and performs control for alternately repeating the first control and the second control.

4. The ozone supply device described in claim 3, wherein the operation control unit performs the first control in which the first adsorption / desorption tower performs the adsorption operation to adsorb the ozone supply amount during rated operation, the second adsorption / desorption tower performs the first control in which the second adsorption / desorption tower performs the desorption operation for a desorption time based on the ratio between the required ozone supply amount and the ozone supply amount during rated operation, switches circuits using the circuit switcher, and the second adsorption / desorption tower performs the adsorption operation to adsorb the ozone supply amount during rated operation, and the first adsorption / desorption tower performs the second control in which the first adsorption / desorption tower performs the desorption operation for a desorption time based on the ratio between the required ozone supply amount and the ozone supply amount during rated operation, and performs control in which the first control and the second control are alternately repeated.

5. The ozone supply device according to claim 4, wherein the operation control unit sets the cycle time for performing the adsorption operation and the desorption operation in the first control or the second control to a calculated cycle time calculated based on the rated operation cycle time for performing the adsorption operation and the desorption operation during the rated operation, the ozone supply amount during the rated operation, and the required ozone supply amount, and controls the first adsorption / desorption tower and the second adsorption / desorption tower to adsorb a certain amount of adsorbed ozone and to supply the required amount of ozone to the supply target through the desorption operation during a combined repetition unit time for the first adsorption / desorption tower and the second adsorption / desorption tower.

6. The operation control unit calculates a calculation cycle time CTc using the following formula (1), where CTr is the cycle time during rated operation, Sr is the ozone supply amount during rated operation, and Sn is the required ozone supply amount:

6. The ozone supply device according to claim 5, wherein during a calculation cycle time CTc, the first adsorption / desorption tower performs the adsorption operation with an adsorption time Ta set to Ta=CTr, and the second adsorption / desorption tower performs the desorption operation with a desorption time Td set to Td=CTc, and the second adsorption / desorption tower performs the adsorption operation with the adsorption time Ta=CTr, and the first adsorption / desorption tower performs the desorption operation with the desorption time Td=CTc.

7. An ozone supply device as described in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the operation control unit suspends the supply of ozone from the ozone generator during the time during which the adsorption operation by the first adsorption / desorption tower or the second adsorption / desorption tower is not performed during the calculation cycle time.

8. An ozone supply device as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a storage section for storing ozone desorbed from the adsorption / desorption tower, wherein the operation control section controls the amount of ozone adsorbed by the adsorption operation to be constant, and stores all or part of the amount of ozone desorbed by the desorption operation in the storage section.

9. The ozone supply device described in claim 8, wherein the operation control unit stops the desorption operation in the adsorption / desorption tower and performs a supply operation to transfer desorbed ozone from the storage unit to the supply target based on the required ozone supply amount.

10. The system includes a plurality of adsorption / desorption towers and a circuit switch for switching between a first adsorption / desorption tower and a second adsorption / desorption tower among the plurality of adsorption / desorption towers, wherein the operation control unit performs the adsorption operation in the first adsorption / desorption tower and performs a first control for controlling the desorption operation in the second adsorption / desorption tower based on the required ozone supply amount, switches circuits using the circuit switch, performs the adsorption operation in the second adsorption / desorption tower and performs a second control for controlling the desorption operation in the first adsorption / desorption tower based on the required ozone supply amount, and alternately repeats the first control and the second control, and calculates a calculation cycle time CTc using the following formula (2) where CTr is the cycle time during rated operation, Sr is the ozone supply amount during rated operation, and Sn is the required ozone supply amount, 9. The ozone supply device according to claim 8, wherein the desorption operation is performed to supply desorbed ozone from the storage unit to the supply target during the calculation cycle time CTc, and the first adsorption / desorption tower performs the adsorption operation with an adsorption time Ta set to Ta=CTr, and the second adsorption / desorption tower performs the desorption operation with a desorption time Td set to Td=CTr.

11. The ozone supply device described in claim 10, wherein the operation control unit suspends the supply of ozone from the ozone generator during the time during which the adsorption operation by the first adsorption / desorption tower or the second adsorption / desorption tower is not performed during the calculation cycle time.

12. An ozone supply device as described in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the operation control unit adjusts at least one of the flow rate of the raw material gas introduced into the ozone generator and the discharge power of the ozone generator to control the ozone concentration of the ozone adsorbed in the adsorption / desorption tower to be constant.

13. An ozone supply device as described in any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising a bypass circuit that supplies ozone generated by the ozone generator to the supply target without passing through the adsorption / desorption tower, and wherein the operation control unit switches to the bypass circuit when the required ozone supply amount relative to the ozone supply amount during rated operation falls below a preset reference value.

14. An ozone supply device as described in any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising a required ozone supply amount memory unit that stores past required ozone supply amounts for the time period to be supplied, wherein the operation control unit sets the adsorbed ozone amount to different values ​​between time periods when the required ozone supply amount is equal to or greater than a set supply amount and time periods when it is less than the set supply amount based on the past required ozone supply amount, and performs the adsorption operation to adsorb a constant amount of adsorbed ozone in the adsorption / desorption tower.

15. An ozone supply system comprising a plurality of ozone supply devices according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the ozone supply system selects at least one of the plurality of ozone supply devices, opens an ozone supply circuit that supplies ozone from the selected ozone supply device to the supply target, calculates a requested ozone supply amount to be distributed to the selected ozone supply device based on the requested ozone supply amount requested by the supply target, and transmits the calculated requested ozone supply amount to the supply amount acquisition unit as the requested ozone supply amount to the ozone supply device.

16. An ozone supply method comprising the steps of: acquiring a required ozone supply amount required by a supply target to which ozone is to be supplied; generating ozone; adsorbing and desorbing the generated ozone; and changing the amount of desorbed ozone to be desorbed based on the required ozone supply amount while keeping the amount of adsorbed ozone to be adsorbed constant.

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