JPH05270254A - Evaporator for air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To restrain generation of a bad smell and dissolve a bad condition against a person of allergic constitution by contactedly arranging aggregate of copper fiber on the surface of an evaporator with dewing water stuck thereon. CONSTITUTION:When dewing water is stuck on the surface of an evaporator 3, a copper ion is generated from copper fiber by the dewing water, and bactericidal action is performed by the copper ion. In this case, because the aggregate 6 of copper fiber is used as the generation source of copper ion, the surface area of copper is larger than a copper plate, a copper foil, or the like, and many copper ions are generated so as to improve bactericidal action. Further, the bactericidal action can be obtained in a long time only by arranging copper fiber, and hence maintenance is dispensable.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an evaporator for an air conditioner having a sterilizing action.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The surface of an evaporator of an air conditioner is in a state where microorganisms such as bacteria, mold and yeast are easily propagated.
In actual investigation, molds such as Aspergillus and Penicillium and bacteria such as Bacillus and E. Coli were detected. These microorganisms produce various metabolites due to their physiological actions, and are the main cause of the malodor of air conditioners. It also causes asthma and allergies.

Conventionally, as a sterilization technique for evaporators,
It is known that a germicidal lamp is installed (see Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-87923), antibacterial treatment of the evaporator surface, cleaning with an antibacterial agent or hot water (see JP-A-59-45213), and the like.

[0004]

However, the technique (1) can only sterilize the range where the light reaches, the technique (2) has no effect when the antibacterial agent is washed away, and the technique (2) has a large scale of equipment, and so on.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an evaporator which enables a wide range of sterilization with a continuous and simple structure.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the evaporator for an air conditioner of the present invention is characterized in that an aggregate of copper fibers is placed in contact with the surface of the evaporator to which the condensed water adheres. ..

In this case, as the aggregate of the copper fibers, for example, the copper fibers may be web-like (cobweb-like), cotton-like, net-like,
A non-woven fabric or the like is used. Further, the aggregate is provided in a portion of the evaporator other than the air flow path, and is provided in contact with at least the end plate of the evaporator.

[0008]

In the evaporator of the present invention, when the condensed water adheres to the surface of the evaporator, the condensed water produces copper ions from the copper fibers, and the copper ions have a sterilizing effect. In this case, since the aggregate of copper fibers is used as a source of copper ions, the surface area is larger than that of a simple copper plate or copper foil, a large amount of copper ions are produced, and the sterilization effect is enhanced.

[0009]

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 shows a cross section of a main part of a vehicle air conditioner in which the evaporator of the embodiment is incorporated. In the figure, 1 is a duct, 2 is a blower fan, 3 is an evaporator according to an embodiment of the present invention, 4 is an air mix door, and 5 is a heater core.

On the upper and lower end plates of the evaporator 3, copper fiber aggregates 6 formed by web-forming pure copper fibers are arranged in contact with the end plates. The size of the copper fiber in this case is about 30 ± 1
It is set to about 0 μm and is arranged so as to avoid a portion where air flows.

As described above, in the one in which the copper fiber aggregates 6 are arranged on the surface of the evaporator, the bactericidal action works according to the following principle. That is, when the air conditioner is activated, condensed water adheres to the surface of the evaporator, the water droplets reach the copper fiber, a small amount of copper ions spread on the surface of the evaporator, and the copper ion sterilizes the surface of the evaporator.

Next, the results of investigations on the sterilizing effect of copper fibers will be described.

First, the bacteria attached to the surface of the evaporator were investigated. As a result, fungi such as Aspergillus niger Penicillium citrium Alternaria alternete Staphylococcus aureus Bacillus subtilis Escherichia coli were detected.

Among these microorganisms, Escherichia coli
The sterilizing effect of the copper fiber was investigated. As a method, the number of bacteria was measured by adding copper fiber to a bacterial suspension of Escherichia coli. The result is as follows. Initial period 4 × 10 ⁴ hours After 30 minutes 20 hours −99.95% After 60 minutes 1 hour −99.99% After 90 minutes 0 hours −100% According to this survey, 99 minutes after 30 minutes of contact It was possible to sterilize more than%. As a result of a test using an actual air conditioning unit, 10 ⁵ microorganisms were detected per 1 cm ^{2 in} the initial stage, whereas it decreased to 36 cells / cm ² after 30 minutes of operation, confirming the bactericidal effect.

Next, the antibacterial action was investigated. The procedure was as follows: 100 ml of tap water containing 30 × 30 mm of copper fiber (ultra-fine copper fiber, web diameter of 30 μm web type) and those without it were prepared, left for a predetermined time, and examined for the occurrence of microorganisms. .. In the case without copper fiber, the number of bacteria was about 10 after left for 14 days, and the number of bacteria was 10 ² or more after left for 21 days, whereas the number with bacteria was not generated at all, and the antibacterial effect of copper fiber was confirmed. It was The actual confirmation contents are as follows. Dwell time (days) → 0 7 14 21 Sample 1 = with copper fibers → 0 0 0 0 Sample 2 = with copper fibers → 0 0 0 0 Sample 3 = without copper fibers → 0 0 9 525 Sample 4 = copper fibers None → 0 0 12 374 Number of bacteria (pieces / 0.100 ml)

Next, the ultrafine copper fibers were immersed in 50 ml of the microorganism suspension and allowed to stand for a predetermined time, after which the number of surviving microorganisms was measured. As a result, about 180 microorganisms existing in 0.1 ml were said to be about half in 1 hour (sterilization rate 49.5%), sterilization rate 84.9% in 3 hours, and sterilization rate 99.5% in 24 hours. Results were obtained. In other words, it was confirmed that it can be sterilized by leaving it overnight. The actual confirmation contents are as follows. A graphical representation is shown in FIG. Leaving time (hours) → 0 0.5 1 3 18 24 48 Sample 1 → 186 145 109 42 1 13 10 Sample 2 → 178 118 75 13 13 5 1 0 average → 182 131.5 92 27.5 9 1 0 kill rate → 27.7% 49.5 % 84.9% 95.0% 99.5% 100% Number of viable bacteria (cells / 0.100 ml)

From the results of each of the above investigations, the bactericidal effect of copper fibers was verified. Therefore, it greatly contributes to the sterilization of the evaporator surface.

[0018]

As described above, according to the evaporator of the present invention, the surface of the evaporator can be sterilized, so that the generation of a bad odor can be suppressed. In addition, it is possible to eliminate problems for people with allergies. Further, since the sterilizing effect for a long period of time can be obtained only by disposing the copper fiber, there is an effect that no maintenance is required.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an air conditioner incorporating an evaporator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a graph demonstrating the bactericidal effect of copper fibers.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Evaporator 6 Aggregate of copper fibers

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An evaporator for an air conditioner, characterized in that an aggregate of copper fibers is arranged in contact with the surface of an evaporator to which condensed water adheres.