JP3270509B2 - Bathtub hot water sterilization and purification equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for sterilizing and purifying bathtub water, and more particularly to an apparatus for sterilizing and purifying bathtub water.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hot water in a bath tub is forcibly circulated using a circulating pump, and dirt in the hot water is removed by a filtration device provided in a circulation path, and then activated in an activated stone tank. Has been conventionally developed.

[0003] More recently, in addition to simply removing or activating dirt in hot water, the bath has been heated by a heater so as to always maintain an appropriate temperature so that the user can take a bath at any time for 24 hours.

In this case, it is needless to say that the hot water must be kept clean, but sterilization is also required to prevent the generation of offensive odor.

Conventionally, hot water has been sterilized with chlorine in many cases using chemicals, but recently, a small-sized high-pressure discharge ozone generator, so-called ozonizer, has been developed.
Ozone sterilization using a simple device using an ozonizer is almost the case.

[0006] In ozone sterilization using an ozonizer, an air supply pipe provided with an ozonizer is connected to the vicinity of a spout of a bathtub of hot water having been subjected to cleaning treatment, and air supplied from the air supply pipe is connected. It is carried out by mixing in hot water circulated by ozonation.

[0007]

However, when ozone sterilization is performed as described above, hot water containing unreacted ozone is jetted into the bath tub, and as a result, is released to the bather from the hot water in the bath tub. As it causes the ozone to be inhaled, it can smell unpleasant odors and is harmful to health.

In order to remove the harm of ozone released from the hot water in the bathtub, unreacted ozone is recovered from the hot water before the hot water enters the bathtub, and the recovered ozone is decomposed by a decomposer to make it harmless. Ozone cannot be easily decomposed because of its moisture, and requires quite large and expensive equipment to do this completely.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and to provide a purifying apparatus having a simple bathtub hot water sterilizing and purifying apparatus which has no fear of harm caused by unreacted ozone. Aim.

[0010]

According to the present invention, hot water in a bathtub is pumped up from a suction pipe, filtered by a filtration device and subjected to a cleaning treatment such as sterilization by a sterilization device, and then returned to the bathtub from the fountain tube. In the bathtub hot water sterilizing and purifying apparatus, a gas-liquid mixer, an ultraviolet sterilizer, and a gas-liquid separator are sequentially arranged in series from the upstream side to the downstream side in the flowing direction of the hot water. An atmosphere pipe for supplying the atmosphere and a separation air pipe for supplying the air mixed in the hot water and separated and recovered by the gas-liquid separator through an ultraviolet sterilizer are connected, and the atmosphere supplied from the atmosphere pipe is used. In the case of recycling, the supply of air from the atmosphere pipe is stopped, the air is separated and collected in the gas-liquid separator, and oxygen is ozonized by irradiation of ultraviolet rays from the separated air pipe to perform gas-liquid mixing. Re-use to supply to the Of oxygen was made to exhaust to stop the re-use at the time consumed by the disinfection purifier bathtub water, characterized in that, to solve the problem.

[0011]

The present invention is constructed as described above, and the hot water disinfects the ultraviolet light itself by the ultraviolet light sterilizer and oxygen in the air mixed into the hot water by the gas-liquid mixer is ozonized by the ultraviolet light. It is effectively sterilized by the ozone sterilization effect.

Also, when air mixed in the hot water is ozonized by ultraviolet rays, unreacted ozone remains in the hot water.
Since the air containing the unreacted ozone is separated by the gas-liquid separator, the hot water jetted into the bathtub does not contain the unreacted ozone.

When a predetermined amount of air containing unreacted ozone separated by the gas-liquid separator accumulates, a supply pipe for air mixed into the hot water through the gas-liquid mixer is connected from the atmospheric pipe to the separated air intake pipe. Then, the air containing unreacted ozone accumulated in the gas-liquid separator is sucked into the hot water.

As a result, hot water is newly produced by ultraviolet sterilization and irradiation of unreacted ozone remaining in the separated air separated by the gas-liquid separator mixed in the hot water and the mixed air with ultraviolet rays. Sterilized by ozone sterilization with ozone.

Mixing the air containing unreacted ozone recovered by the gas-liquid separator into the hot water through the separation air pipe means that the separated air contains almost no oxygen which is ozonized by ultraviolet irradiation. Continue until.

Accordingly, if the gas-liquid separator is evacuated in a state in which the air separated by the gas-liquid separator hardly contains oxygen, that is, in a state in which almost no ozone is contained, the air containing no ozone can be obtained. Is exhausted, so it is harmless to exhaust to any place.

After the air separated by the gas-liquid separator is exhausted with almost no oxygen, the air is again switched from the atmosphere pipe to the atmosphere via the gas-liquid mixer.

As described above, the bathtub water is effectively sterilized by the combined use of ultraviolet rays and ozone, and the air containing the unreacted ozone mixed therein is separated into gas and liquid, so that the ozone is jetted into the bathtub. Further, since the separated air containing unreacted ozone is circulated and exhausted after being in a state containing almost no ozone, the air containing ozone can be contained without a special ozone decomposing device. There is no danger of air being exhausted to the outside.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a suction pipe connected to a bathtub (not shown), reference numeral 2 denotes a filtration device connected to the suction pipe 1 and a filter 3 mounted thereon, and reference numeral 4 denotes a circulation for forcibly circulating the hot water. The pump 5 is a heater for heating hot water to an appropriate temperature.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a gas-liquid mixer which mixes air into the circulating hot water. The gas-liquid mixer 6 is designed to reduce the flow rate of the hot water by, for example, narrowing the flow path of the hot water and increasing the flow rate of the hot water by the bench-yurie effect. A self-priming gas-liquid mixer that draws air into hot water as pressure is used.

Reference numeral 7 denotes an ultraviolet sterilizer, which is provided with an ozone tube 8 which emits ultraviolet rays having wavelengths of 184.9 nm and 253.7 nm, which is covered with a quartz glass tube 9 and is separated from the hot water flow passage 10. The ozone tube 8 is designed so that the hot water does not come into direct contact with the ozone tube 8 and is not contaminated.

The ultraviolet sterilizer 7 exhibits a sterilizing effect by the energy of the ultraviolet light itself, and has the following chemical formula 1
And the generation and decomposition reaction of ozone by ultraviolet rays of each wavelength as shown in FIGS.

[0024]

[Formula 1]

[0025]

[Formula 2]

First, when ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 184.9 nm is irradiated on oxygen in air mixed with hot water, oxygen molecules are first dissociated into two ground state oxygen atoms as shown in the above chemical formula 1. Then, in the presence of the third substance (coexisting gas), the dissociated oxygen atoms react with oxygen molecules to generate ozone, and the ozone has a sterilizing effect on hot water.

Next, when ozone is irradiated with ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 253.7 nm, as shown in the above chemical formula 2, the ozone is dissociated into oxygen molecules and oxygen atoms in the ground state, and the oxygen atoms are further dissociated into ozone. The reaction produces two oxygen molecules, whereby ozone is decomposed into harmless oxygen, and the oxygen atoms generated in this ozonolysis reaction are also active, so that they have a sterilizing and purifying action of hot water.

Reference numeral 11 denotes an activated stone tank filled with an activated stone 12 for activating the hot water.
When hot water flows through the filled activated stones 12, resistance is given to the hot water and the flow of hot water temporarily stagnates, so that it also functions as a gas-liquid separator for separating air in the hot water.

The gas-liquid separator may be any device as long as the flow of hot water is temporarily stagnant so that sufficient time can be given to separate gas mixed in the hot water. Although a dedicated device may be provided, an active tank filled with activated stone, an activated carbon tank filled with activated carbon, a treatment tank filled with other fillers, or the like may also be used.

Reference numerals 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 denote connecting pipes for connecting the above-described devices for treating hot water to one another and arranging them in series. It is a fountain pipe.

Reference numeral 19 denotes an air pipe provided with an electromagnetic valve 20 on the way to supply the air to the gas-liquid mixer 6, and reference numeral 21 denotes a gas-liquid separation air collected at an upper portion of the activated stone tank 11 as a gas-liquid separator. This is a separation air pipe provided with an electromagnetic valve 22 on the way to supply to the mixer 6.

Reference numeral 23 denotes an upper float switch 24 for detecting an upper water level A indicated by a dotted line and a lower float switch 24 for detecting a lower water level B indicated by a solid line in order to detect the state of accumulation of the separated air in the activated stone tank 11 and the state of exhaustion. Reference numeral 25 denotes a water level detector, and reference numeral 26 denotes a separation air exhaust pipe in which a solenoid valve 27 is provided in the middle of discharging the separation air.

The process of sterilizing and purifying hot water using the apparatus configured as described above is performed as follows.

The hot water in the bathtub pumped from the hot water suction pipe 1 by the operation of the circulation pump 4 is first cleaned of dirt by the filter 3 of the filtering device 2 and then heated to an appropriate temperature by the heater 5.

Thereafter, air is mixed into the hot water from the gas-liquid mixer 6. First, the solenoid valve 20 is opened and the solenoid valve 22 is opened.
And 27 are closed, and the atmosphere is supplied from the atmosphere pipe 19.

The hot water mixed with air then enters the ultraviolet sterilizer 7 and flows through the hot water passage 10 while being irradiated with ultraviolet light by the ozone lamp 8.

At this time, the hot water is sterilized by the energy of the ultraviolet light itself, and as described above, oxygen molecules in the hot water are ozonized by the ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 184.9 nm.
It is also sterilized by the ozone generated here.

Further, unreacted ozone in the hot water has a wavelength of 25.
Oxygen atoms generated when decomposed into harmless oxygen molecules by 3.7 nm ultraviolet rays perform sterilization and decomposition of inorganic substances such as iron and organic substances secreted from the human body.

As described above, the hot water is extremely effectively sterilized by the sterilizer 7 and the generated ozone is decomposed, so that the amount of unreacted ozone remaining in the hot water is small.

Finally, the hot water that has been sterilized enters an activated stone tank 11 also serving as a gas-liquid separator, is activated by the activated stones 12, and is then ejected again through a fountain pipe 13 into a bathtub.

When the hot water is activated in the activated stone tank 11, the flow of the hot water temporarily stops due to the resistance of the active stone 12, and the air mixed in the hot water during the stagnation time evaporates. Gas-liquid separation is performed, and the hot water flowing out to the fountain pipe 13 hardly contains air containing unreacted ozone.

The air separated by gas and liquid accumulates in the upper part of the activated stone tank 11 as the gas and liquid separation progresses and goes down to lower the water level, and eventually reaches the position of the lower water level B shown by the solid line.

When the water level in the activated stone tank 11 reaches the lower water level B, the lower float switch 25 of the water level detector 23 detects this, closes the solenoid valve 20, opens the solenoid valve 22, and keeps the solenoid valve 27 closed. And

When the opening / closing state of each solenoid valve becomes like this,
The supply of air to the gas-liquid mixer 6 is switched from the atmosphere pipe 19 to the separation air pipe 21 so that the separation air is mixed in the hot water,
Ultraviolet sterilizer 7 for hot water mixed with air as described above 7
Is performed.

In the treatment in which the separated air is mixed in the hot water as described above, oxygen is consumed by ozonation by ultraviolet rays,
The process is continued until the oxygen required for ozonation in the separated air is almost exhausted, and whether oxygen is not contained in the separated air is determined directly by measuring the oxygen concentration in the separated air or by the processing time previously determined by experiments. I do.

When almost no oxygen is contained in the separated air, the solenoid valve 22 is closed and the solenoid valve 27 is opened, while the solenoid valve 19 is kept closed, and the separated air is discharged.
Exhaust from 6.

When the separated air is exhausted, the activated stone tank 11
When the upper float switch 24 of the water level detector 23 detects that the air pressure in the inside has decreased and the water level has increased, and the water level has reached the upper water level A indicated by the dotted line, the electromagnetic valve 27 is closed to stop the exhaust, and the electromagnetic valve is stopped. 20 is opened and the air from the atmosphere pipe 19 is supplied to the gas-liquid mixer 6 to mix air into the hot water,
The air-mixed hot water is again processed by the ultraviolet sterilizer 7.

As described above, the solenoid valve 20 provided in the atmosphere pipe 19 and the solenoid valve 22 provided in the separation air pipe 21 are opened and closed according to the oxygen concentration in the separation air to the gas-liquid mixer 6. When the treatment is performed while switching the air supply line, harmless air containing almost no unreacted ozone can be exhausted from the activated stone tank 11 also serving as a gas-liquid separator.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The basic structure of the second embodiment is exactly the same as that of the first embodiment, and the activated stone tank 11 as a gas-liquid separator is used.
The piping method of the separation air pipe for supplying the separation air separated by gas and liquid to the gas-liquid mixer 6 is different from that of the first embodiment.

That is, in the first embodiment, the separation air pipe 21
Was directly connected to the gas-liquid mixer 6 from the activated stone tank 11, but in the second embodiment, the separation air pipe 28 is a quartz glass tube 9 that covers the activated stone tank 11 and the ozone tube 8 of the ultraviolet sterilizer 7. And a second pipe 30 provided with an electromagnetic valve 31 for connecting the lower end face of the quartz glass tube 9 and the gas-liquid mixer 6. The separated air is supplied to the gas-liquid mixer 6 through the quartz glass tube 9 of the ultraviolet sterilizer.

As a result, the separated air from the activated stone tank 11 is mixed into the hot water in a state where oxygen is ozonized by ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of 184.9 nm in the ozone pipe 8, and the mixed air is again mixed with the hot water. The ultraviolet sterilizer 7 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays to ozonize oxygen, so that the effect of ozone sterilization in addition to the ultraviolet sterilization of hot water is further enhanced.

[0053]

According to the present invention, the hot water is effectively sterilized by ultraviolet sterilization and ozone sterilization, and the ozone used for sterilization is injected into the bathtub. Since it is not mixed at all, there is no concern about harm to bathers.

Also, the air mixed in the hot water for ozone sterilization is separated from the hot water by gas-liquid separation and exhausted in a harmless state containing almost no ozone. Absent.

Furthermore, a bathtub hot water purifying apparatus capable of performing safe and effective sterilization and purification is provided simply and at low cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment,

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hot-water absorption pipe 2 Filtration device 4 Circulation pump 5 Heater 6 Gas-liquid mixer 7 Ultraviolet sterilizer 11 Activated stone tank (gas-liquid separator) 13 Hot water pipe 19 Atmospheric pipe 20 Solenoid valve 21 Separated air pipe 22 Solenoid valve 26 Separated air Exhaust pipe 27 Solenoid valve 28 Separated air pipe 31 Solenoid valve

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI C02F 1/50 531 C02F 1/50 531R 550 550H 560 560C 1/78 1/78 (58) Investigated field (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) C02F 1/72 C02F 1/50 C02F 1/32

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A bathtub hot water sterilizing and purifying apparatus in which hot water in a bathtub is pumped from a hot water suction pipe, subjected to a filtration treatment by a filtration device, a cleaning treatment such as sterilization by a sterilization device, and then spouted again from the hot water pipe into the bathtub. In, a gas-liquid mixer, an ultraviolet sterilizer, and a gas-liquid separator are sequentially arranged in series from the upstream side to the downstream side in the flowing direction of hot water, and the gas-liquid mixer has an atmosphere pipe for supplying the atmosphere. In the case of connecting to a separation air pipe for supplying the air mixed in the hot water and separated and recovered by the gas-liquid separator through an ultraviolet sterilizer, and using the air supplied from the air pipe to ozonize and reuse. To stop the supply of air from the atmosphere pipe and separate and collect air in the gas-liquid separator,
The reuse is repeated by oxidizing oxygen by irradiation of ultraviolet rays from the separation air pipe and supplying it to the gas-liquid mixer again, and when the contained oxygen is consumed, the reuse is stopped and exhausted. Bathtub hot water sterilization and purification equipment.