JP2004195461A - Water cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a water cleaner which can be used even in a shaded place from sunlight etc., and can be formed in a compact structure applicable even in a small place etc., and consumes little electricity. <P>SOLUTION: The water cleaner comprises a substrate 1 carrying a photocatalyst 2 made of a titanium dioxide thin film, having a photocatalytic reaction surface contacting with water and made of a material inactive to a photocatalytic action caused by irradiating the carried photocatalyst 2 from backside thereof and a light emitting diode 3 disposed so as to irradiate the photocatalyst 2 and mainly radiating ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 360-400 nm. The photocatalyst 2 made of the titanium dioxide thin film carried on the substrate 1 can be activated by the ultraviolet light radiated by the light emitting diode 3 to cause a photocatalytic reaction such as degradation of organic substances. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a water purification device utilizing a photocatalytic reaction by a photocatalyst comprising a thin film of titanium dioxide, and is specifically applicable to deodorization, sterilization (antibacterial), antifouling, and purification of water such as drinking water. The present invention relates to an application device of photo-catalitic devices.

In recent years, attention has been drawn to photocatalysis by fine particles of an optical semiconductor typified by titanium dioxide TiO ₂ , particularly to its strong oxidation catalysis.

  This photocatalysis is generally considered as follows. That is, when a particulate material having photoconductivity, such as titanium dioxide, is irradiated with light having a band-cap energy or more (in the case of titanium dioxide, light having a wavelength of 400 nm or less, ie, ultraviolet light), electrons in the valence band are photoexcited. In the conduction band, free electrons are generated in the conduction band, and particles (holes) having a positive charge are generated in the valence band. These holes and electrons move inside the semiconductor particle and recombine and disappear with the passage of time.However, outside the particle, air or water, or a vacancy with lower energy than those of the hole or electron, is formed. When a compound or an ion exists, those holes and electrons move through the particle surface. That is, the holes transferred to the surface of the semiconductor particles directly oxidize the contacting compound or ion, or generate a hydroxyl radical which is one of active oxygen. The reduction reaction by electrons with respect to this oxidation reaction is mainly reduction of oxygen, and oxidizing oxygen species to which electrons are added is generated. Thus, the optical semiconductor fine particles form an oxidizing active surface when irradiated with light, and act as a catalyst for the decomposition of organic compounds and the like. ("Quarterly Chemistry Review" Catalytic Chemistry Involving Light ", No. 23, 1994)

  Among such optical semiconductors, titanium dioxide has a particularly high oxidation catalytic action by the optical semiconductor fine particles. Titanium dioxide is also excellent in stability and safety. Therefore, various applications have already been known in which this fine powder of titanium dioxide is supported as a thin film on a substrate surface to form a photocatalyst, and its high oxidizing power upon irradiation with ultraviolet rays is used for decomposing organic compounds and the like.

  The best known example of its application is the cracking of crude oil spilled at sea. On the surface of the hollow glass beads, a photocatalyst composed of the above-mentioned titanium dioxide thin film is supported by coating. Then, the glass beads are sprayed on the sea from which the crude oil has flowed out. As a result, crude oil adheres to the surface of the glass beads, and the attached crude oil is decomposed by activating the photocatalyst by ultraviolet rays in sunlight and exerting a strong oxidation catalytic action. Although this was actually done on a trial basis with water in a petri dish, it has been reported that crude oil can be completely decomposed in about two weeks or one month under sunlight.

  Recently, its application has also been attempted to deodorize or deodorize indoor air, sterilize (antibacterial), and decompose dirt such as cigarette tar and oil film. Specifically, in these examples, a photocatalyst made of a thin film of titanium dioxide is formed on the surface of a window glass, a glass tube of a fluorescent lamp, or a tile, and natural light or ultraviolet light included in the light of the fluorescent lamp is used. Activates the photocatalyst and decomposes odorous compounds such as mercaptan or organic substances such as tobacco tar, or kills microorganisms such as bacteria or suppresses their proliferation by the oxidation catalytic reaction of the photocatalyst. It is. The actual effect of this is also confirmed, and window glass for automobiles and high-rise buildings, or tiles for sanitary use has already been put into practical use.

  Further, as an example that has recently been put into practical use, a photocatalyst comprising a thin film of titanium dioxide formed on the surface of a glass container such as a glass is also known. According to this, the photocatalyst is also activated by the weak ultraviolet light contained in the light of the fluorescent lamp, so that the chlorine odor contained in tap water is removed, and an organic halogen compound, particularly trihalomethane, a carcinogen, is removed. Can be disassembled. In addition, the photocatalyst also has an effect of making water clusters (aggregates of molecules) fine, and has an effect of producing delicious water.

  Other applications have not yet been put to practical use, but include purification of wastewater such as industrial wastewater, detoxification or decomposition of air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, and death and removal of cancer cells as medical applications. It is. In these examples of wastewater treatment, a photocatalyst comprising a thin film of titanium dioxide is supported on a substrate having a large surface area such as honeycomb or ceramic wool, and a strong sunlight or a strong ultraviolet fluorescent lamp (black light) is used as a light source. Is used.

  In a photocatalyst comprising a titanium dioxide thin film, it is known that the smaller the particle size of the titanium dioxide forming the thin film, the higher the photocatalytic action due to the “quantum size effect” and the like. Therefore, the thin film is generally formed as a transparent thin film having a thickness of 0.3 μm or less, preferably 0.2 μm or less by a method such as applying a titanium dioxide colloid to the substrate surface and baking the thin film. It is formed as a multilayered thin film.

As described above, the photocatalyst composed of a thin film of titanium dioxide (TiO ₂ ) has a high oxidation catalytic action when irradiated with ultraviolet rays, and can decompose organic compounds and the like. Therefore, by supporting this photocatalyst on an appropriate substrate surface, as described above, it can be effectively used for deodorization or deodorization of air, sterilization, antifouling of tobacco tar, etc., or purification of water. .

  However, the problem here is that ultraviolet light is required to activate the photocatalyst formed of the titanium dioxide thin film and thereby cause a catalytic reaction such as decomposition of an organic compound or the like. Conventionally, as the ultraviolet light source, ultraviolet light included in natural light of the sun or light of a fluorescent lamp is mainly used. However, utilizing such light has an advantage that a new light source is not required, but the application place of a catalytic reaction system using the photocatalyst is naturally limited. That is, a photocatalyst cannot be applied to a place where the light does not hit or does not hit the light sufficiently, and a substrate supporting the photocatalyst is used for a window glass or a fluorescent lamp capable of sufficiently receiving the light. Limited exclusively to covers, or glass cups, etc., that can be placed under their light. Further, although a certain time is required to completely decompose the organic compound or the like by the photocatalytic reaction of the photocatalyst, the photocatalytic reaction cannot be caused at night or when the light is turned off.

  Therefore, an ultraviolet fluorescent lamp (black light) can be used as an ultraviolet light source for causing a catalytic reaction by a photocatalyst, and an ultraviolet fluorescent lamp has been actually used in the past, particularly for tests and the like. However, such an ultraviolet fluorescent lamp requires a relatively large space and place to install it, and cannot be installed in a narrow space or the like. Also, its power consumption is quite high when used all day. Therefore, even in the case of the ultraviolet fluorescent lamp, the specific application place and the like are limited in consideration of the fact that the ultraviolet light emitted by the ultraviolet fluorescent lamp contains a lot of far ultraviolet rays harmful to the human body.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and aims to expand the use of a photocatalyst formed of a thin film of titanium dioxide that can exhibit excellent effects such as deodorization, and is also applicable to a place where sunlight does not hit. It is another object of the present invention to provide a water purification device that can be formed into a compact structure that can be applied to a narrow place or the like and that consumes less power.

  The water purification apparatus according to claim 1, which carries a photocatalyst made of a thin film of titanium dioxide, has a photocatalytic reaction surface that comes into contact with water, and is a material inert to photocatalysis that irradiates the supported photocatalyst from the back side. And a light emitting diode which is arranged so as to be able to irradiate the photocatalyst and mainly emits ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 360 to 400 nm.

  The substrate according to claim 1 of the water purification apparatus according to claim 2 is made of a transparent glass material.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the water purifying apparatus, the light emitting diode according to the first or second aspect is formed of a gallium nitride (GaN) based optical semiconductor having a pn junction.

   According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a water purification device, wherein the base according to any one of the first to third aspects is a drinking water container.

  The light emitting diode according to any one of claims 1 to 4 of the photocatalyst device according to claim 5 does not substantially emit ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 320 nm or less.

  The water purifying apparatus according to claim 1 carries a photocatalyst formed of a thin film of titanium dioxide, has a substrate having a photocatalytic reaction surface, and is arranged so as to be able to irradiate the photocatalyst, and emits light mainly emitting ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 360 to 400 nm. And a diode.

  Therefore, since a light emitting diode that emits ultraviolet light is provided, even in a place where illumination light such as sunlight or a fluorescent lamp does not shine, a photocatalyst consisting of a thin film of titanium dioxide supported on a substrate is activated by the ultraviolet light emitted by the light emitting diode. And a photocatalytic reaction such as decomposition of an organic compound can be caused. In addition, since the light emitting diode is a very small light emitting element and has a low operating voltage, light can be emitted from a dry battery or a simple power generation means. Therefore, since the light emitting diode does not require much space for installation, it can be easily applied to every place including a narrow place and the like, and the whole apparatus combined with the base supporting the photocatalyst has a compact structure. Can be formed. Further, according to the light-emitting diode, ultraviolet rays for activating the photocatalyst can be efficiently emitted in a relatively narrow spectrum, and the number of the ultraviolet rays can be adjusted according to the amount required for the photocatalytic reaction by adjusting the number or the like. UV radiation can be emitted. Therefore, a device with low power consumption can be formed.

  Therefore, the water purifying apparatus of claim 1 can effectively utilize air or water purification by a photocatalyst or a photocatalytic reaction such as antibacterial (sterilization) for various specific uses.

  Further, in the water purifying apparatus according to the second aspect, since the substrate according to the first aspect is formed of a transparent glass material, the ultraviolet ray having a wavelength of 360 to 400 nm from a light emitting diode can be irradiated with high efficiency. If necessary, the front and back surfaces or the entire surface can be used, and furthermore, the light transmittance of the laminated structure can be ensured.

   In the water purifying apparatus according to the third aspect, since the light emitting diode of the first aspect is a pn-junction gallium nitride (GaN) based optical semiconductor crystal, it has a bad effect on a human body or the like. A light emitting diode that emits a small amount of ultraviolet light can be made harmless to the human body.

  Further, in the water purifying apparatus according to claim 4, since the base is a drinking water container, in addition to the effect according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the water purifying apparatus is suitable for use. It can be in the form.

  Furthermore, since the photocatalyst device according to claim 5 does not substantially emit ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 320 nm or less, in addition to the effects described in any one of claims 1 to 4, the photocatalyst device also has an effect on the human body. It is safe because it does not emit harmful wavelengths of far ultraviolet rays.

  In the present invention, since the light-emitting diode mainly radiating light (ultraviolet light) having a wavelength of 360 to 400 nm is provided, the titanium dioxide carried on the substrate by the ultraviolet light radiated from the light-emitting diode even in a place not exposed to sunlight or the like. Activates the photocatalyst consisting of a thin film of, and can cause a photocatalytic reaction such as decomposition of an organic compound. Further, the light-emitting diode is a very small light-emitting element and has a low operating voltage, so that light can be emitted from a dry battery or the like. Therefore, since the light emitting diode does not require much space for installation, it can be easily applied to any place including a narrow place and the like, and the entire photocatalyst device combined with the base supporting the photocatalyst is compact. Can be formed into a structure. Further, according to the light-emitting diode, ultraviolet rays for activating the photocatalyst can be efficiently emitted in a relatively narrow spectrum, and the number of the ultraviolet rays can be adjusted according to the amount required for the photocatalytic reaction by adjusting the number or the like. UV radiation can be emitted. Therefore, a water purifying device with low power consumption can be formed.

  The water purification device of the present invention using such a light emitting diode can be embodied as a large-sized photocatalyst device such as a wastewater purification device. However, the water purification device should be formed in a particularly compact structure as described above. In addition, since a light-emitting diode that does not contain far ultraviolet rays harmful to the human body can be used, it can be particularly suitably applied to applications in daily life such as deodorization, sterilization, antifouling, or purification of drinking water. Examples of such an application include a water purifier in which a substrate supporting a photocatalyst is formed so as to be capable of contacting water, such as a hot water pot, a jug, a coaster, a tap water purifier, a flow water purifier, and an ornamental fish tank. Internal water purification device, and the like.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to illustrative examples.

[First explanation case]
FIGS. 1 to 3 show a deodorizer for explaining the principle of the water purification apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing the principal part of the deodorizer in principle, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. FIG. 2 corresponds to a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a deodorizer indicated generally by 10 is basically composed of a substrate 1 having a photocatalytic reaction surface, a photocatalyst 2 comprising a thin film of titanium dioxide carried on the surface of the substrate 1, and a photocatalyst 2 And a light emitting diode 3 mainly radiating light (ultraviolet light) having a wavelength of 360 to 400 nm, and is formed as a photocatalytic device capable of performing a photocatalytic reaction. That is, titanium dioxide generally absorbs light (electromagnetic waves) having a wavelength of about 420 nm or less, that is, ultraviolet rays, and particularly has an absorption spectrum peak for light having a wavelength of 380 to 390 nm (theoretical theory). Value is 388 nm). Therefore, the photocatalyst 2 formed of the titanium dioxide thin film is activated by the ultraviolet light emitted from the light emitting diode 3, and forms a photocatalytic reaction surface having strong oxidizing power as described above. Then, by the oxidation catalytic action of this photocatalyst, organic compounds contained in the air that comes into contact with it, for example, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur-containing organic compounds represented by mercaptan, trimethylamine, nitrogen-containing compounds represented by propylamine, Odor components such as hydrocarbon compounds typified by toluene and xylene, aldehydes such as acetaldehyde, butyric acid, and valeric acid, and carboxylic acids are oxidized, air is purified, and deodorized.

  Here, the base 1, the photocatalyst 2, and the light-emitting diode 3, which are basic elements forming such a photocatalyst device, will be described.

<Base>
The substrate 1 supports the photocatalyst 2 and provides a photocatalytic reaction surface that can be brought into contact with the medium to be treated (air in this case). Therefore, the substrate 1 may have any shape as long as it can secure a sufficiently large surface area for the photocatalytic reaction. In this case, the substrate 1 is formed in a plate shape. It can be formed in any shape such as a sphere, a column, a tube, or a fiber. In order to obtain a wider photocatalytic reaction surface, the surface may be further formed with irregularities or a rough surface.

  The substrate 1 can be made of any material such as plastic, ceramics, metal, or glass, as long as the material is inert to the photocatalytic action of the photocatalyst, particularly the oxidation catalytic action. However, a metal material is not preferable because it is easily oxidized in the presence of moisture, and a plastic material is not preferable because it is decomposed for a long time by its oxidizing action. Therefore, as a material for forming the base 1, ceramic or glass, which is a chemically stable material, is preferable. Therefore, the substrate 1 may be a laminate having these ceramics or glass as a surface layer.

  Further, the base 1 is preferably formed from a transparent material. Then, by forming the base material 1 from a transparent material, light such as ultraviolet light can be transmitted, and the photocatalyst 2 can be irradiated from the back side. Specifically, in the present description example, the base 1 is formed of a transparent glass material, and the photocatalyst 2 formed of a thin film of titanium dioxide is formed on both surfaces. Therefore, the ultraviolet light emitted from the light emitting diode 3 irradiates and activates the photocatalyst 2 carried on one surface of the base 1, but at least a part of the light passes through the photocatalyst 2 and is activated. It hits the photocatalyst 2 carried on the other surface of 1 and is similarly activated. Thus, even when the substrate 1 is interposed between the photocatalyst 2 and the light emitting diode 3, the photocatalyst 2 is effectively activated by forming the substrate 1 from a light-transmissive transparent material such as glass. be able to. As the glass material, quartz glass, high silica glass or borosilicate glass is preferable in terms of strength and the like, but ordinary soda-lime glass or the like can be suitably used.

<photocatalyst>
The photocatalyst 2 supported on the substrate 1 is formed of a thin film of titanium dioxide (TiO2), which is an optical semiconductor, specifically, a coating of fine particles thereof. Various types of optical semiconductors that cause a similar photocatalytic reaction, such as zinc oxide (ZnO), cadmium sulfide (CdS), zinc sulfide (ZnS), and strontium titanate, are known. When dissolved in water, they become zinc ions and dissolve in water. On the other hand, titanium dioxide has high photocatalytic reactivity, is chemically stable, has a long-lasting reaction (permanent), and is completely harmless to the human body. It is already known that the titanium dioxide particles forming the photocatalyst 2 need to be sufficiently small due to the "quantum size effect" or the like in order to cause a photocatalytic reaction. Therefore, the titanium dioxide thin film is generally formed as a transparent thin film having a thickness of 0.3 μm or less, preferably 0.2 μm or less, or a thin film obtained by multilayering such a thin film (for example, a transparent thin film having a thickness of about 0.7 μm). Thin film). In addition, such a thin film generally exhibits a light iris.

  Such a titanium dioxide thin film can be formed on the surface of a substrate as a carrier by various known methods. The most common method is a method in which a titanium dioxide colloid (sol) is thinly applied to the surface of a substrate, or is deposited by electrophoresis, and then calcined. According to this method, a sufficiently small thin film of titanium dioxide fine particles can be obtained, and a thin film firmly adhered to a substrate such as glass can be formed. Further, a thin film can also be formed by a vacuum deposition method or a chemical deposition method (gas phase growth method) by a gas phase reaction. In addition, "pearl raster", which has been used for a long time to impart pearly luster to ceramics for crafts such as Buddhist tools, can also be used as appropriate. This is a solution of a titanium resin soap, which is applied and baked at about 600 ° C. to form a transparent thin film of titanium dioxide.

<Light emitting diode>
The light emitting diode (LED) 3 for irradiating the photocatalyst 2 with ultraviolet rays to activate the photocatalyst 2 is of a type such as a stem type or a lead frame type. This is a small light-emitting element including, as main parts, a chip 3a that emits light, and a molded lens 3b that seals the chip 3a and gives directivity to the emitted light. The mold lens 3b is made of a light-transmissive transparent material, and is generally made of an epoxy resin or the like. Such a light emitting diode 3 generally emits red, green, or blue light, and is used for displaying a pilot lamp, an indicator, or displaying numbers or characters. However, in the present example, the light emitting diode 3 mainly emits light (electromagnetic wave) having a wavelength of 360 to 400 nm, that is, ultraviolet light.

  Here, it is preferable that the light emitting diode 3 emits only light within a spectrum range of a wavelength of 360 to 400 nm in terms of luminous efficiency and power consumption. However, in practice, the light emitted by the light emitting diode, unlike the case of a semiconductor laser, generally has a spectral range of at least 50 nm, so that it is difficult to obtain a light emitting diode that emits only light having a wavelength of 360 to 400 nm. is there. Therefore, as the light emitting diode 3 used here, any light emitting diode can be used as long as it emits light (electromagnetic wave) sufficiently containing ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 360 to 400 nm.

  However, it is preferable that the light emitting diode 3 does not emit ultraviolet rays harmful to the human body, that is, far ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of 320 nm or less. Further, more preferable are light emitting diodes which do not emit not only such far ultraviolet rays but also ultraviolet rays which cause sunburn (B rank ultraviolet rays), that is, substantially do not emit ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of 350 nm or less. . According to such a light emitting diode 3, a photocatalyst device that is completely harmless to the human body can be formed, and can be safely used for daily life. However, even such harmful ultraviolet rays can be at least partially absorbed by the photocatalyst 2.

  On the other hand, light having a wavelength of 400 nm or more, which is visible light, is harmless to the human body. Therefore, a light-emitting diode that emits light containing such visible light can be used without any problem. Further, by using such a light emitting diode 3, it is possible to easily confirm that the light emitting diode 3 is operating, and further, when the visible light is a vivid color, it is used as illumination or display. The effect of can be obtained. However, even when light with a wavelength of 400 nm or less (ultraviolet light), light up to about 380 nm exhibits a faint blue (dark purple), so that even when the light emitting diode 3 emits only light with a wavelength of 400 nm or less. The light is not completely black light, but is generally visible.

  The light emitting diode 3 that mainly emits ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 360 to 400 nm is already commercially available, but a gallium nitride (GaN) -based or silicon carbide It can be generally manufactured using a semiconductor material such as SiC), zinc sulfide (ZnS), and selenium sulfide (SeS). However, among these semiconductor materials, a gallium nitride (GaN) -based semiconductor material can provide a light emitting diode having the highest light emission efficiency.

  The light emitting diodes 3 can be provided in an arbitrary number that can sufficiently activate the photocatalyst 2 in an arrangement where the photocatalyst 2 carried on the base 1 can be irradiated. In this case, the light emitting diode 3 to be specifically used may have any shape. For example, a surface mounting type light emitting diode in which the molded lens 3b is formed in a flat plate shape may be appropriately used. it can. When a plurality of light emitting diodes 3 are required, the required number of chips 3a may be sealed with a single mold lens 3b to form the light emitting diodes. Since the light emitting diode 3 is a small element and does not require a large space for installation, even if a large number of light emitting diodes are provided, they can be easily installed in any place.

  Since the light emitting diode 3 can be operated at a low voltage and consumes less power, a storage battery such as a dry battery or a rechargeable battery can be used as a power source for the light emitting diode 3. Therefore, the light emitting diode 3 can emit light even in a place where there is no power supply wiring, and a photocatalytic reaction can be caused. Alternatively, a household AC power supply can be used. In this case, for example, half-wave rectification is simply performed using a silicon diode, or two light emitting diodes may be connected in opposite directions to each other, so that the power source can be easily used. Further, the power supply circuit can be provided with a switch, a timer, and the like, whereby unnecessary operation of the light emitting diode 3 can be eliminated, and power consumption can be reduced.

  Then, the deodorizer 10 of the present description example is specifically formed as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 using the base 1, the photocatalyst 2, and the light emitting diode 3 as basic elements. 2 and 3, the substrate 1 supporting the photocatalyst 2 in FIG. 1 is shown as a photocatalytic reaction substrate 11. Therefore, the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 is composed of the substrate 1 and the photocatalyst 2 made of a thin film of titanium dioxide supported on the surface.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the deodorizer 10 of the present description is formed so as to be used in a state of being placed indoors or in a refrigerator or the like, has a slightly vertically long box-like shape, and has a base. The main body includes a portion 12, a rectangular tubular side frame portion 13 mounted on the pedestal portion 12, and a top plate portion 14 for closing an upper portion of the side frame portion 13. The photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 is housed inside the main body formed by these components, and is held so as not to rattle. The light emitting diode 3 is attached to the top plate 14 so that the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 can be irradiated.

  Here, the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 is a substrate 1 in which glass plates are assembled in a cross-girder shape, and has a photocatalyst 2 formed of a titanium dioxide thin film carried on the entire surface thereof. A glass plate formed by coating titanium dioxide fine particles and forming a thin film of titanium dioxide is adhered with an inorganic adhesive (silicate system) and assembled. Therefore, the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 can be brought into interfacial contact with air in a wider area than when it is simply formed as a single flat plate. The photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 is provided with a large number of openings (round holes) 11a for flowing air.

  On the other hand, the pedestal portion 12 forming the main body, the side frame portion 13 and the top plate portion 14 are formed of a suitably colored plastic material. The pedestal section 12 can store not only a pedestal for enabling the deodorizer 10 to be mounted on a flat surface but also a dry battery (or a rechargeable battery) k as a power supply for causing the light emitting diode 3 to emit light. Is formed. Therefore, by storing the dry battery k in the pedestal portion 12, the deodorizer 10 can be stably mounted in a standing state. The side frame portion 13 is for protecting the easily breakable photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 made of a glass material and for holding the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 so as not to rattle, and is formed in a cylindrical shape so as to surround the periphery thereof. It is formed with sufficient strength. The side frame 13 has a number of openings (elongated holes) 13a formed around the entire periphery thereof to allow air to flow in and out of the interior. Further, a top plate portion 14 is bonded and attached to the upper end of the side frame portion 13, and three light emitting diodes 3 in this example are directed to the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 on the top plate portion 14. Installed. In the present example, the side frame portion 13 is adapted to be fitted and attached to the pedestal portion 12, whereby the side frame portion 13 and the top plate portion 14 together with the photocatalytic reaction base 11 are separated from the pedestal portion 12. By removing it, it is possible to clean dust and the like accumulated inside the deodorizer 10. In addition, the inner surface of the accommodation space of the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 formed by these, that is, the upper surface of the pedestal portion 12, the inner surface of the side frame portion 13, and the lower surface of the top plate portion 14 are coated with a metallic coating or the like. Is formed. Therefore, the ultraviolet rays emitted from the light emitting diodes 3 and impinging on their surfaces are reflected without being absorbed, and are effectively used for activating the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 (photocatalyst 2).

  In this example, a dry battery k housed in the pedestal 12 is used as a power source for the light emitting diode 3. Therefore, the conductive wire 15 is buried in the side frame portion 13 and wired so that the current of the dry battery k is guided to the light emitting diode 3 via an appropriate connector. The top panel 14 is provided with an electric switch 16 so that the power can be turned off when not in use.

  As described above, the deodorizer 10 according to the present description includes the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11, that is, the substrate 1 supporting the photocatalyst 2 formed of a thin film of titanium dioxide and the light emitting diode 3 which mainly emits ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 360 to 400 nm. Basically, in addition to this, a main body for holding the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 in contact with air and arranging the light emitting diode 3 so as to be able to irradiate the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11, that is, a base portion 12 and a side. It is formed to have a main body composed of a frame 13 and a top plate 14.

  Therefore, in particular, since the light-emitting diode 3 is a small light-emitting element, the deodorizer 10 can be formed as a small one. For example, the deodorizer 10 is formed to have the same size as a deodorizer using activated carbon used in a refrigerator or the like. be able to. In addition, since the power consumption is small, it can be used for a long time even with the dry battery k. Therefore, the deodorizer 10 of the present description example using a photocatalyst can be used even in a place where natural light or light of a fluorescent lamp does not reach, or in a narrow place, and can be used in an automobile or a normal room, a refrigerator, a rocker, It can be used in any places such as clogs, toilets, closets, etc. Further, since the photocatalytic action of the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 is not lost as long as the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 is not damaged, if a general household power supply is used as the power supply for the light emitting diode 3, the deodorizer 10 requiring almost no maintenance is required. It can be.

  By the way, the deodorizer 10 of the present description example is formed as a general-purpose deodorizer that can be placed on a flat surface. However, when the place of use or the like is specified, the deodorizer 10 is set accordingly. Various modifications or changes can be made. For example, when used by being mounted on a wall or the like, the pedestal portion 12 of the deodorizer 10 of the present description example can be formed as a wall mounting portion, and the light emitting diode 3 can be mounted on the wall mounting portion. In this case, by holding the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 on the wall mounting portion, the side frame portion 13 and at least the top plate portion 14 can be omitted.

  When used in a place exposed to sunlight, such as in the interior of a car, the top plate 14 and at least the side frame 13 can be formed from a transparent material. Accordingly, in the daytime, sunlight hits the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 (photocatalyst 2) and activates the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11. Therefore, a photocatalytic reaction can be caused without causing the light emitting diode 3 to emit light. Therefore, since the light emitting diode 3 only needs to be operated when necessary at night, the power consumption can be reduced. In this case, if the photocatalyst 2 is supported on the surface of the side frame portion 13 formed from the transparent material, the photocatalytic reaction can be further enhanced.

[Second explanation example]
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a deodorizing device (air purification device) of a second illustrative example, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of FIG.

  The deodorizer 10 of the first explanation example of FIGS. 2 and 3 deodorizes the air by utilizing the natural convection of air, whereas the deodorization device of this explanation example is attached to a duct of an air conditioner or the like. However, it is formed so that a large amount of air can be processed. In the present example, instead of the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 having a glass plate as the substrate in the first example, a glass fiber having a diameter of about 100 μm as a substrate and a photocatalyst supported on the surface is used. are doing.

  That is, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the deodorizing device of the present description, which is generally denoted by reference numeral 20, is used by being incorporated in a duct d of an air conditioner, and includes a photocatalytic reaction substrate 21 in a filter shape. I have. As shown in FIG. 1, the photocatalytic reaction substrate 21 is composed of a substrate 1 made of a light-transmitting glass fiber and a photocatalyst 2 made of a titanium dioxide thin film carried on the entire surface thereof. It is a set. Alternatively, a photocatalyst 2 formed of a thin film of titanium dioxide may be supported on the entire surface of the transparent glass tube. For this reason, the photocatalytic reaction substrate 21 has a wide photocatalytic reaction surface that can be brought into contact with air, and the ultraviolet rays from the light emitting diode 3 reach deep places and can effectively act on the air that flows in a large amount. it can.

  The photocatalytic substrate 21 is housed at a suitable density between a pair of net-like end plates 23 in a cylindrical transparent holding body 22 made of glass. Further, an annular frame 24 made of a plastic material is provided so as to surround the periphery of the holding body 22, and an appropriate number of light emitting diodes 3 are arranged and mounted on the annular frame 24 in an annular manner. These light emitting diodes 3 are connected to an appropriate power supply by wiring (not shown). In addition, it is preferable to form a reflection surface for reflecting light on the inner peripheral surface of the annular frame 24, and a photocatalyst can be appropriately carried on the inner peripheral surface of the glass holder 22.

  The operation of the deodorizing device 20 of the present description example thus formed is the same as that of the first description example. That is, when the light emitting diode 3 is operated, the ultraviolet light emitted from the light emitting diode 3 passes through the transparent holding member 22 and strikes the photocatalytic reaction substrate 21 to activate the photocatalyst 2. In this case, since the photocatalytic reaction substrate 21 is made of a transparent glass fiber as the substrate 1, the ultraviolet rays sequentially pass through the photocatalytic reaction substrate 21 until the ultraviolet rays are finally absorbed by the photocatalyst 2 and spread over the entirety. The photocatalyst 2 thus activated decomposes odor components contained in the air and deodorizes it by the photocatalytic action, particularly the oxidation catalytic action. In this way, the air sent by the fan or the like (not shown) and passing through the duct d is deodorized by the deodorizing device 20 of the present description.

  The oxidation catalytic action of the photocatalyst 2 acts not only on decomposition of odor components but also on oxidative decomposition of organic components such as cigarette tar. Therefore, such organic components contained in the air are also adsorbed by the photocatalytic reaction substrate 21 and then decomposed. Furthermore, the activated photocatalyst 2 also has a bactericidal power due to its oxidation catalytic action. Therefore, bacteria such as mold contained in the air die when they come into contact with the activated photocatalyst 2. Therefore, the deodorizing device 20 of the present description example has a function as an air purifying device because it has not only deodorizing but also a decomposing and removing action of cigarette smoke components and a sterilizing action.

  As described above, the deodorizing device (air purification device) 20 of the present description example carries the photocatalytic reaction substrate 21 that can be brought into contact with air, that is, the photocatalyst 2 formed of a thin film of titanium dioxide, as in the first description example. It basically includes a substrate 1 and a light emitting diode 3 that mainly emits ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 360 to 400 nm. In particular, as the photocatalytic reaction substrate 21, a substrate having glass fiber as the substrate 1 is formed in a filter shape. They are used collectively. Therefore, a wide photocatalytic reaction surface that can be brought into contact with air can be provided, so that a large amount of air can be deodorized (purified). Since the light emitting diode 3 which is a small light emitting element is used as an ultraviolet light source for activating the photocatalytic reaction substrate 21 (photocatalyst 2), the whole apparatus can be formed compact. Therefore, the deodorizing device (air purification device) 20 of the present description example can be easily incorporated and used in various air conditioners such as automobiles.

[Third explanation example]
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a deodorizing (deodorizing) device of a third illustrative example. FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view showing the surface of the photocatalytic reaction substrate.

  This explanation example is embodied as a deodorizing (deodorizing) device for an ashtray installed on a dashboard of an automobile. The photocatalytic reaction substrate and the light emitting diode 3 are provided, and the photocatalytic reaction substrate is most simply formed so that it can be arranged in such a narrow space.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the deodorizing apparatus of the present description shown at 30 includes a photocatalytic reaction substrate 31 formed by supporting a photocatalyst 2 made of a thin film of titanium dioxide on the surface of a substrate 1, and an appropriate number of light emitting diodes 3. , And a substrate 32 on which these light emitting diodes 3 are mounted. The deodorizing device 30 is provided in an ashtray installed on a dashboard 33 of an automobile, that is, an ashtray including an ashtray container 34 that can be moved in and out and a storage recess 35 that can store the same, in the upper side of the storage recess 35. It is provided in.

  Here, the substrate 1 of the photocatalytic reaction substrate 31 is formed in a cover shape (dish shape) covering the light emitting diode 3 attached to the substrate 32 by a glass plate which is a transparent material. The outer surface of the cover-shaped substrate 1, that is, the surface facing the ashtray container 34, is coated with titanium dioxide, and the thin-film photocatalyst 2 is carried thereon. Therefore, when the light emitting diode 3 is illuminated by an appropriate power source, for example, a car battery, the ultraviolet rays pass through the base 1 and activate the photocatalyst 2 carried on the outer surface thereof. Thereby, the tobacco smoke containing nicotine and tar filled in the space formed by the ashtray container 34 and the storage recess 35 comes into contact with the activated photocatalyst 2 and is oxidatively decomposed. Since such an ashtray may not be used, for example, a switch means and a timer means which are activated when the ashtray container 34 is put in and out are provided so that the light emitting diode 3 is activated only when necessary. Is preferable.

  As described above, the deodorizing device 30 of the present description example includes the cover-shaped photocatalytic reaction substrate 31 which is the substrate 1 supporting the photocatalyst 2 formed of a thin film of titanium dioxide, and the wavelength 360 provided in the photocatalytic reaction substrate 31. The light emitting diode 3 mainly emits ultraviolet light of about 400 nm, and can deodorize the inside of an ashtray of an automobile, which is a place where a bad odor is generated. And since such a deodorizing device 30 can be formed very compactly, not only the ashtray installed on the dashboard of the car, but also other types of ashtrays such as openable and closed ashtrays installed on the seats of the car and the like. The present invention can be similarly applied to various storage-type ashtrays. Further, since such a deodorizing device 30 has a structure in which the light emitting diode 3 is protected, the deodorizing device 30 can be applied to an inner wall surface of a refrigerator, a dish dryer, a clothes dryer, and the like to deodorize the inside. Further, the present invention can be applied to deodorization in a garbage container such as a toilet bowl or garbage, and in this case, the deodorizing device 30 can be provided on the back side of the lid. As a more specific application, the present invention can also be applied to deodorization in shoes. In this case, the deodorizing device 30 including the substrate 32 is formed into a shape that can be inserted into the shoes.

  By the way, in the case of the deodorizing device 30 as in the present example, the photocatalytic reaction substrate 31 is formed in a simple plate-like shape, and the photocatalyst 2 is formed only on one surface thereof. Therefore, the surface area where a photocatalytic reaction is possible tends to be relatively small. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the surface of the substrate 1 on which the photocatalyst 2 is formed is preferably roughened or roughened so as to obtain a photocatalytic reaction surface having a larger area. Thereby, even when the base 1 has a simple plate-like shape, it is possible to secure a sufficiently large surface area for the photocatalytic reaction. Note that such unevenness or rough surface can be formed by, for example, mechanical processing. Further, it can be similarly formed by a method of fusing glass powder to the surface of the substrate 1.

(First embodiment)
In the examples described so far, photocatalysis by a photocatalyst is applied to oxidative decomposition of organic compounds such as odor components contained in air. However, the photocatalytic action of the photocatalyst can also be applied to the decomposition and removal of harmful substances such as trihalomethane contained in water such as drinking water, or odor components such as odor of mold and mold.

  FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a drinking water purifying apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Note that, in the figure, the same reference numerals are used for the same or corresponding portions as those in the description examples so far.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the drinking water purifying apparatus of the present embodiment, which is indicated as a whole by 40, comprises a combination of a pot 41 and a pot receiving stand 42. The pot 41 includes a drinking water container 43 as a base formed of a transparent glass material, a lid 44 and a handle 45 provided as needed, and an inner surface of the drinking water container 43 A photocatalyst 2 composed of a thin film of titanium dioxide is formed on a substantially entire surface by coating and carried. The pot receiver 42 includes a pot receiver 46 formed of a transparent resin material such as an acrylic resin, and a base 47 that can be placed on a flat surface such as a table. Is mounted with an appropriate number of light emitting diodes 3. These light emitting diodes 3 are operated by an appropriate DC power supply. The technical details of the photocatalyst 2 and the light emitting diode 3 are the same as in the case of the description example, and the light emitting diode 3 mainly emits ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 360 to 400 nm.

  The operation of the drinking water purification device 40 formed in this way is substantially the same as that of FIG. 1 except that the medium that comes into contact with the photocatalyst 2 supported on the surface of the base is not water but water. Is the same. That is, when the light emitting diode 3 is operated, the ultraviolet light emitted from the light emitting diode 3 passes through the transparent pot receiving portion 46, further passes through the bottom of the drinking water container 43 made of a transparent glass material, and is carried on the inner surface thereof. The activated photocatalyst 2 is activated. Then, by the catalytic action of the activated photocatalyst 2, particularly the high oxidation catalytic action, halogen compounds or various organic compounds dissolved in water are decomposed. In this way, the photocatalytic reaction of the photocatalyst 2 can decompose harmful substances such as trihalomethane, caustic odor or musty odor-causing substances (for example, 2-methylisoborneol) and the like contained in the drinking water. Drinking water can be purified. In addition, the activated photocatalyst 2 also has an action of subdividing water clusters (aggregates of water molecules) into small pieces. Therefore, the drinking water in the pot 41 is not only purified, but also formed as mellow, delicious and healthy water.

  As described above, the drinking water purification device 40 of the present embodiment is provided with the photocatalyst reaction substrate supporting the photocatalyst 2 made of the titanium dioxide thin film that can be brought into contact with the drinking water to be treated, and the photocatalyst 2 can be irradiated with the photocatalyst. And a light emitting diode 3 mainly emitting ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 360 to 400 nm, as a basic element. Specifically, the photocatalytic reaction substrate is made of a transparent glass having a photocatalyst 2 supported on the inner surface. It is formed as a drinking water container 43 (pot 41), and the light emitting diode 3 is attached to a pot receiving stand 42 that receives the drinking water container 43. Therefore, it is already known that the photocatalyst 2 is supported on the inner surface of a glass drinking water container such as a glass and the photocatalyst 2 is activated by natural light or illumination light of a fluorescent lamp. In the example, since the light emitting diode 3 that emits ultraviolet light is provided, drinking water can be effectively purified even in a place where such natural light or illumination light is not sufficient.

  Further, since the light-emitting diode 3 is a very small light-emitting element, the pot receiver 42 on which the light-emitting diode 3 is mounted so as to be able to irradiate the photocatalyst 2 can be formed as a thin and compact one. In the present embodiment, the pot receiving table 42 is formed from the pot receiving section 46 and the base section 47. However, if the light-emitting diode 3 is directly insert-molded into the pot receiving section 46, the base 4 can be used. The base portion 47 becomes unnecessary, and the pot receiving base 42 can be formed to have a smaller thickness and a thickness similar to that of a normal coaster.

  Further, since the light emitting diode 3 can be operated with a small voltage and consumes little power, a dry battery or a rechargeable battery can be used as a power source. Therefore, by incorporating a dry battery or a rechargeable battery into the pot receiving base 42, the pot receiving base 42 that can be used at any place can be formed although the thickness is increased accordingly.

  By the way, the drinking water purification device 40 of the present embodiment is formed as a combination of the pot 41 and the pot receiver 42, but the pot receiver 42 may be integrated with the pot 41 as appropriate. is there. Further, such a pot receiving stand 42 can be installed on a pot storage shelf of a refrigerator, for example. Thus, the drinking water in the pot 41 can be purified while being cooled. Further, in the drinking water purification apparatus 40 of the present embodiment, the light emitting diode 3 is arranged at the bottom of the pot 41 by forming the pot receiving stand 42. The outer periphery of the pot 41 or the lid 44 may be used. However, in view of the fact that the potable water put in the pot 41 may be small, it is most preferable to arrange the light emitting diodes 3 on the bottom side of the pot 41 in order to more effectively purify the potable water. However, when ultraviolet rays cannot be radiated from the outside, such as a heat retaining pot, the light emitting diode 3 is disposed inside the lid portion of the pot or inside the container.

(Second embodiment)
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a drinking water purification device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a photocatalytic reaction substrate used in the method.

  The drinking water purifying apparatus of the second embodiment is specifically applied to a hot water pot (water kettle). In the hot water pot, the drinking water container is made of a metal such as stainless steel or a material subjected to a fluororesin processing, and it is difficult to firmly support the photocatalyst on the surface thereof. A photocatalytic substrate composed of a supported substrate is formed separately from the container itself.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 9, the drinking water purification device (hot water pot) of the present embodiment, which is generally denoted by 50, includes a photocatalytic reaction substrate 51. This photocatalytic reaction substrate 51 is the same as the photocatalytic reaction substrate 11 of the first embodiment. The photocatalyst 2 composed of a titanium dioxide thin film is supported on the entire surface of the substrate 1 composed of a strong glass plate by coating. It is a thing. More specifically, the photocatalytic reaction substrate 51 is formed in a disk shape according to the shape of a container 52 for accommodating drinking water, as shown in FIG. 10, and an opening 51a (circular hole) for flowing water. And a short columnar leg 51b. Accordingly, since the photocatalytic reaction substrate 51 is disposed so as to be slightly separated from the bottom surface of the container 52 by the legs 51b, the drinking water in the container 52 passes through the opening 51a of the photocatalytic reaction substrate 51 and passes therethrough. It can be made to flow well also on the lower surface side.

  The hot water pot itself includes, in addition to the drinking water container 52, a flow path 53 for guiding the drinking water to the outside, a main body 55 including an electric heating device 54 for heating the drinking water, and an air pump 56. It is formed from the opening / closing lid 57 so that the drinking water in the container 52 can be taken out by the pushing operation of the air pump 56. The light emitting diode 3 for irradiating the photocatalytic reaction substrate 51 (photocatalyst 2) with ultraviolet rays to activate the ultraviolet light is provided in the opening / closing lid 57. Specifically, an appropriate number of light emitting diodes 3 are mounted downward, preferably on the back side of the opening / closing lid 57, preferably together with a transparent cover for protecting the light emitting diodes 3. As the power source, for example, a home AC power source that is a power source of the electric heating device 54 that is half-wave rectified can be used.

  As described above, the drinking water purification device 50 of the present embodiment is specifically applied to a hot water pot, and a photocatalytic reaction substrate 51 disposed in a drinking water container 52 so as to be able to contact drinking water, that is, A substrate 1 supporting a photocatalyst 2 made of a thin film of titanium dioxide and a light emitting device which is attached to the opening / closing lid 57 and mainly emits ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 360 to 400 nm, which is arranged to be able to irradiate the photocatalytic reaction substrate 51 (photocatalyst 2). And a diode 3. Therefore, when the light emitting diode 3 is operated, the ultraviolet light emitted from the light emitting diode 3 penetrates the drinking water and strikes the photocatalytic reaction substrate 51 to activate it. Therefore, as in the case of the first embodiment, organic components and the like in the drinking water can be decomposed and purified, and the clusters of water can be subdivided to form delicious and healthy drinking water. can do.

  Further, since the light emitting diode 3 is a very small light emitting element, it can be easily disposed in a narrow place such as the lower surface of the open / close lid 57 of the hot water pot. Therefore, the drinking water purification device 50 of the present embodiment can be applied to a small-sized hot water pot, and can also be applied to a heat retaining pot and the like.

  By the way, the shape of the photocatalytic reaction substrate 51 (substrate 1) can be variously deformed, and may be not only a plate shape but also a rod shape, a cylindrical shape, or a shape combining these as long as it is not easily damaged. it can. Further, it may be shaped like a hollow or shell-like glass ball. In this case, the specific gravity is appropriately adjusted, or the hollow interior is formed so as to communicate with the outside by an opening. If the photocatalytic reaction substrate 51 is formed in such a spherical shape, it can be used as a general-purpose photocatalytic reaction substrate 51, and by adjusting the number of photocatalytic reaction substrates 51, a photocatalytic reaction of a desired strength can be easily performed. Obtainable. In addition, since such a spherical photocatalytic reaction substrate 51 has good appearance, it can be suitably used for purifying water in an aquarium such as an ornamental fish.

  Further, with respect to the shape of the photocatalytic reaction substrate 51 (substrate 1) and the arrangement of the light-emitting diodes 3, the technique described in the above-described example in which only the medium to be processed is different can be applied. For example, the structure including the photocatalytic reaction substrate 31 and the light emitting diode 3 in the third example of description in FIG. 6 can be applied to the inner wall surface of the drinking water container 52 of the hot water pot as in this embodiment. Can achieve the same effect.

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing a tap water purifying apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the tap water purification device of the present embodiment, which is generally designated by reference numeral 60, is attached to a tap faucet g for purifying tap water. Here, as in the case of the photocatalytic reaction substrate 21 of the second illustrative example of FIGS. 4 and 5, a photocatalytic reaction substrate 61 in which the photocatalyst 2 is supported on the surface of the glass fiber substrate 1 in a filter shape. Is used to purify a large amount of continuously flowing water.

  Specifically, the tap water purification device 60 of the present embodiment includes a main body 62 that forms a flow path of tap water, and is attached to a distal end of a tap faucet g by a clamp 63. Inside the main body 62, a flow dividing tube 64 made of glass, which is a transparent material, is disposed, and as shown by an arrow in the figure, water from a tap faucet g is divided by the flow dividing tube 64 into an annular shape. To flow upward, and then flow downward from the upper end of the flow dividing cylinder 64 through the inside thereof. In addition, an appropriate number of light emitting diodes 3 are disposed above the flow dividing tube 64 via a cover 65 made of a glass plate, similarly to the previous embodiments. Further, in this embodiment, a dry battery k (or a rechargeable battery) is used as a power source for causing the light emitting diode 3 to emit light, and is stored above the dry battery k. The dry cell k and the light emitting diode 3 are connected via a water pressure or water flow detecting switch (not shown) so that the light emitting diode 3 is activated only when tap water is discharged.

  In addition, the above-mentioned filter-shaped photocatalytic reaction substrate 61 is provided below the flow dividing tube 64 and the cover 65 in the flow path in the main body 62 both around the dividing flow tube 64 (annular chamber) and inside. Filled with sides supported by mesh plates 66 and 67. However, the degree of filling of the photocatalytic reaction substrate 61 is not very dense, and the fibers are relatively coarsely filled to the extent that the fibers are not moved by the water flow. Therefore, when the light-emitting diode 3 is activated, the ultraviolet light emitted from the light-emitting diode 3 passes through the cover 65 and further passes through the transparent branch tube 64, so that the entirety of the photocatalytic reaction base 61 filled in the main body 62. Prevail and revitalize it. In addition, the photocatalyst 2 can be further carried on the inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the flow dividing cylinder 64 and the lower surface of the cover 65 that come into contact with tap water, if necessary.

  The tap water purification device 60 of the present embodiment is formed as described above, and includes a photocatalytic reaction substrate 61 disposed in the flow path of tap water, that is, a glass fiber substrate carrying the photocatalyst 2 formed of a thin film of titanium dioxide. 1 (a filter-like assembly) and a light emitting diode 3 that is arranged so as to be able to irradiate the photocatalytic reaction substrate 61 (photocatalyst 2) and that mainly emits ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 360 to 400 nm. The operation is the same as that of the first and second embodiments, and the photocatalytic reaction substrate 61 (photocatalyst 2) activated by the ultraviolet light emitted from the light emitting diode 3 emits the organic compound in the tap water in contact with the photocatalytic substrate 61. Decompose and purify it. At the same time, water clusters (aggregates of water molecules) are subdivided to form delicious and healthy water. In this case, since the photocatalytic reaction substrate 61 has a wide photocatalytic reaction surface that can be contacted with tap water, a large amount of tap water that can flow can be effectively treated.

  Moreover, according to the tap water purification device 60 of the present embodiment, the use of the light emitting diode 3 as the ultraviolet light source makes it possible to make the tap water purification device very compact. In addition, since titanium dioxide is a chemically stable compound, its photocatalytic reaction does not decrease or disappear and is almost permanently maintained. For this reason, almost no maintenance that is indispensable for a similar tap water purification device using activated carbon or the like is required.

  In addition, since the purification device including the photocatalytic reaction substrate 61 and the light emitting diode 3 as in this embodiment can be formed particularly compact, it is combined with an appropriate water circulation device to form an aquarium for an ornamental fish or the like. It can be applied as a water purification device. According to this, the water in the water tank can be kept clean at all times.

  In the above-described embodiments, all the substrates (photocatalytic reaction substrates) are formed so as not to be deformed, or are used in a state where they are not deformed. It can also be formed as a woven fabric. Then, such a substrate can be used as a base fabric for forming, for example, an antibacterial mat for wiping feet by supporting the photocatalytic reaction substrate 21 on the substrate.

  Further, all of the above embodiments relate to daily life, and are embodied as particularly small devices. However, the device of the present invention is not limited to these examples. The present invention can also be embodied as a large-sized device that can be used, and further can be embodied as a device for treating combustion air of an internal combustion engine or a device for treating exhaust gas thereof.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing principally a main part of a deodorizer of a first explanatory example. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the entire deodorizer of the first illustrative example with a part cut away, and the cut surface is taken along the line BB in FIG. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a deodorizing device (air purification device) according to a second illustrative example. FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a deodorizing (deodorizing) device (an ashtray device of an automobile) according to a third illustrative example. FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view showing the surface of the photocatalytic reaction substrate of FIG. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a drinking water purification device (a combination of a pot and a pot receiver) of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a sectional view schematically showing a drinking water purification device (hot water pot) according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the photocatalytic reaction substrate of FIG. FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing a tap water purifying apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of reference numerals

1 substrate 2 photocatalyst (titanium dioxide thin film)
3 light emitting diode 10,20,30 Air purification device (deodorization device)
40, 50, 60 Drinking water (tap water) purification device 11, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61 Photocatalytic reaction substrate

Claims (5)

Supporting a photocatalyst consisting of a thin film of titanium dioxide, having a photocatalytic reaction surface in contact with water, a substrate made of a material inert to photocatalysis to irradiate the supported photocatalyst from the back side,
A water purification device, comprising: a light emitting diode that is arranged to be capable of irradiating the photocatalyst and mainly emits ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 360 to 400 nm. The water purification device according to claim 1, wherein the base is made of a transparent glass material. 3. The water purification device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting diode is made of a gallium nitride (GaN) -based optical semiconductor crystal having a pn junction. 4. The water purification device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the base is a drinking water container. The photocatalyst device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting diode does not substantially emit ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 320 nm or less.

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