JPH04240500A - Steamer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steamer, which is a simple portable device that uses combustion heat as a heat source to generate steam, and is used to remove wrinkles from clothing such as suits.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Electric heating is the mainstream in conventional steamers. This is simple and easy to use in many cases, but it is extremely inconvenient in places where power supply is difficult to obtain. In this respect, a steamer that uses combustion is highly portable and convenient. As a conventional example using combustion, stoves in which fuel gas packed in a liquefied gas cylinder is combusted with a flame in a burner are in widespread use. Used for outdoor cooking, soldering in plumbing work, etc. Furthermore, there is a pocket warmer that uses a platinum catalyst as a portable device that uses catalytic combustion. This product brings benzine into contact with a catalyst to cause a catalytic reaction, and is placed inside clothing to provide warmth.

0003

[Problem to be solved by the invention] Conventionally used devices that use flame combustion have large flames that can directly heat objects, or the temperature of the combustion flame is usually 12
It is capable of rapidly heating objects at high temperatures from 00°C to 1800°C. Despite these advantages, it had the disadvantage of high flame temperature and a high risk of fire. In order to avoid this danger, it may be possible to form a combustion chamber inside the device and cause the combustion to occur within the device, but this would make the device bulky and would be impractical from a practical standpoint.

On the other hand, in conventional devices using catalytic combustion, since the catalyst enables combustion at a low temperature, it has been possible to create safe devices. However, when a large amount of combustion is generated, the catalyst becomes too high and suffers thermal deterioration, so it has been possible to produce only devices with extremely low calorific value.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve these problems, the present invention has the following configuration. A frame body containing a fuel gas cylinder and a water tank, an opening/closing valve for the cylinder, a mixing part for the fuel gas and air, and a metal hot plate provided downstream of the mixing part in the frame body; A passage hole for the gas mixed in the mixing part provided inside the hot plate, a combustion part formed of a porous catalyst layer that is in close contact with an upstream inner wall surface of the passage hole, and a hot plate downstream of the passage hole. It is characterized in that it has an exhaust heat recovery part whose inner wall is made of metal, an evaporation part for water in the water tank provided in another part of the heat plate, and a discharge hole for the water vapor.

[0006]

[Operation] In the above structure, the reaction in the passage hole is almost completed at the catalyst layer of the combustion section, and the exhaust gas is discharged through the downstream side of the passage hole where there is no catalyst layer. The reason why a large amount of heat can be generated in such an operation is that the temperature of the catalyst layer is kept below the allowable temperature. When the mixture is supplied, the amount of reaction in the catalyst layer increases and the temperature becomes high. However, because the heat plate removes the reaction heat of the catalyst through the thin catalyst layer, the temperature does not rise. Furthermore, gas reacts violently upstream of the passage hole, but as it goes downstream, exhaust gas increases and fuel concentration decreases, so the reaction gradually ends. When the reaction is finished, the temperature of the exhaust gas is still high. Therefore, after the reaction is completed, the hot plate must receive the heat retained in the exhaust gas rather than the reaction heat. A catalyst layer downstream of the passage hole is not necessary because it inhibits heat transfer of exhaust heat. In other words, the hot plate is heated by direct heat conduction from the catalyst layer upstream where the catalyst layer becomes high temperature, and the hot plate is heated by heat transfer between the exhaust gas and the metal wall inside the passage hole in the downstream where the reaction has finished, that is, in the exhaust heat recovery section. . Water is poured into such a hot plate to generate steam, which can be used to iron clothes. Since the hot plate is cooled by the latent heat of water, the temperature of the catalyst is difficult to rise, and high-temperature deterioration of the catalyst can be prevented even with a large combustion amount.

In addition, in order to further increase the amount of combustion, a catalyst body is provided downstream of the passage hole, and the exhaust gas containing unburned gas that has not been reacted in the catalyst layer upstream of the passage hole is transferred to the downstream catalyst body. Reacts on the surface. Since the catalyst body is almost separated from the hot plate, it is difficult to be cooled even downstream, and the reaction activation temperature is sufficiently maintained, and the surface generates heat from unburned gas and becomes high temperature. That is, the inner wall surface of the downstream passage hole receives the heat of the upstream exhaust gas through convection heat transfer, and receives the heat generated by the unburned components as radiation from the high temperature surface of the catalyst. Therefore, the downstream heat exchange efficiency is extremely high, and even with a large combustion amount, the device does not become large.

[0008]

[Embodiment] Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention (Figure 2
BB'). Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view (A-A' in Figure 1).
). In FIG. 1, 1 is a liquefied gas cylinder such as propane or butane. A valve 3 is provided between the cylinder 1 and the nozzle 2. Air is drawn into the mixing chamber 4 by the gas flow blown out from the nozzle 2 and mixed uniformly. An aluminum hot plate 5 is provided downstream of the mixing chamber 4. The hot plate 5 is provided with five air-fuel mixture passage holes 6. The mixed gas enters the passage holes 6 evenly.

In FIG. 2, a catalyst layer 7 is provided upstream of the passage hole 6.
is formed. The catalyst layer 7 is made by bonding a fiber mat of metal oxide such as alumina or silica with colloidal metal oxide or water glass, and then attaching gamma alumina to the surface of the fiber to increase the surface area. Formed by supporting a noble metal catalyst. In order to increase adhesive strength, it is also preferable to sandblast or form a ceramic spray coating on the aluminum bonding surface. Alternatively, it may be mechanically pushed apart using a spring plate to make it adhere to the wall. Such a catalyst layer 7 is formed upstream of the passage hole 6, but the inner wall of the hot plate 5 is exposed downstream. A catalyst layer 7 is also formed on the inner wall of the mixing chamber 4, and this catalyst layer 7 is substantially continuous with the catalyst layers 7 of the five passage holes 6. An electric heater 8 heated by a dry battery is provided adjacent to the catalyst layer 7 of the mixing chamber 4. The evaporation chamber 9 above the hot plate 5 and the water tank 10 are connected by a pipe 11, and the pipe 11 is provided with a valve 12. The evaporation chamber 9 of the hot plate 5 and the injection holes 14 at the bottom of the frame 13 communicate through a steam path 15. Further, a clothes brush 16 is provided around the frame 13.

The operating state of such a configuration will be described below. The heater 8 is heated by the dry battery, and the temperature of the catalyst layer 7 further increases. 5 where the catalyst layer 7 is at the activation temperature of the catalyst.
When heated to 00° C., valve 3 opens and gas is supplied from nozzle 1. This timing may be determined by providing a thermometer such as a bimetal in the mixing chamber 4 and opening and closing the valve 3 by this operation, or by counting the time and manually opening the valve 3 by the user. The mixture starts to react in the preheated catalyst layer 7 of the mixing chamber 4. The reaction surface becomes hot and gradually spreads throughout the mixing chamber 4, and a reaction begins in the catalyst layer 7 of the downstream passage hole 6. The reaction in the passage hole 6 is almost completed at the upstream catalyst layer 7, and the exhaust gas is discharged through the downstream side of the passage hole 6 where there is no catalyst layer 7. Catalytic combustion in the catalyst layer 7 is also called flameless combustion because there is no flame and the reaction occurs on the surface of the catalyst.

[0011] The reason why a large amount of heat can be generated in such an operation is that the temperature of the catalyst layer 7 is 500% higher than the activation temperature.
This is because the temperature is maintained at 900°C or higher, which is the heat-resistant temperature. When a large amount of air-fuel mixture is supplied, the amount of reaction in the catalyst layer 7 becomes large and the temperature becomes high. However, since the hot plate 5 removes the reaction heat of the catalyst through the thin catalyst layer 7, the temperature does not rise. Moreover, if the catalyst layer 7 is too thin, the temperature of the catalyst will be supercooled by the hot plate 5 and the reaction will stop. This catalyst temperature mainly depends on the amount of combustion per unit area and the thickness of the catalyst layer 7.

[0012] The fibrous porous material is made of aluminum
As a result of an experiment by adhering it to the passage hole 6 of the hot plate 5 adjusted to 20°C, it was found that even with the adhesive method with the lowest degree of adhesion, if the thickness is 1 mm or less, the amount of heat conduction is large and the temperature of the catalyst layer 7 becomes low, making it difficult to continue combustion. . Further, even in the state of the best adhesion, if the thickness is 3 mm or more, the catalyst layer 7 becomes adiabatic, and a part of the surface of the catalyst layer 7 becomes too hot, causing problems in terms of heat resistance.

Upstream of the passage hole 6, the gas reacts violently, but as it goes downstream, the exhaust gas increases and the fuel concentration decreases, so the reaction gradually ends. When the reaction is completed, the temperature of the exhaust gas is as high as 500°C or higher. Therefore, after the reaction is completed, the hot plate 5 must receive the heat retained in the exhaust gas rather than the reaction heat. Therefore, the catalyst layer 7 is not necessary downstream of the passage hole 6 because it inhibits heat transfer of exhaust heat. That is, the hot plate 5 is heated by direct heat conduction from the catalyst layer 7 upstream where the catalyst layer 7 reaches a high temperature, and the hot plate 5 is heated by heat transfer between the exhaust gas and the inner wall surface of the passage hole 6 downstream where the reaction is completed. .

Aluminum can be used at a maximum temperature of about 350°C due to its heat resistance, but a temperature of 100°C or higher is required to generate steam. Such temperature adjustment is possible by opening and closing the valve 3 according to the signal from the temperature detection section 17.

Water is supplied from a water tank 10 to the evaporation chamber 9 above the heated hot plate 5, and the evaporated water vapor is transferred to the frame 13.
It is injected from the injection hole 14 at the bottom of the. Since the hot plate 5 is cooled by the latent heat of water, the temperature of the catalyst layer 7 is difficult to rise, and high-temperature deterioration of the catalyst can be prevented even with a large combustion amount. The fibers of the clothes are softened by the water vapor and are stretched at the bottom of the frame 13, eliminating wrinkles.

It is also possible to use the hot plate 5 as the bottom of the frame 13 and press the hot plate 5 directly against clothing to make a steam iron for removing wrinkles.

Next, different embodiments will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. In order to further increase the amount of combustion in the state of the first embodiment described above, the opening degree of the valve 3 is increased. This increases the flow rate of gas passing through the passage hole 6. As a result, the amount of fuel gas that cannot be reacted in the catalyst layer 7 increases. Furthermore, the heat exchange efficiency also decreases in the downstream exhaust heat recovery section. Therefore, both the catalyst layer 7 and the downstream exhaust heat recovery section must be lengthened in proportion to the flow velocity. Therefore, the combustion amount can be increased without increasing the length of the passage hole 6, and the heat exchange efficiency can be prevented from decreasing.

A catalyst body 18 is provided downstream of the passage hole 6, and this catalyst body 18 is opposite to the catalyst layer 7 upstream.
The exhaust gas passes between the catalyst body 18 and the inner wall surface of the hot plate 5. The catalyst body 18 is partially supported by a support body 19 that is separate from the hot plate 5 but does not impede the flow. The effects of such means are as follows. Exhaust gas containing unburned gas that has not been reacted in the catalyst layer 7 upstream of the passage hole 6 reacts on the surface of the catalyst body 18 downstream. Since the catalyst body 18 is almost separated from the hot plate 5, it is not easily cooled even downstream and maintains the reaction activation temperature, and the surface thereof generates heat due to unburned gas and becomes high temperature. That is, the inner wall surface of the downstream passage hole 6 receives the heat of the upstream exhaust gas by convection heat transfer, and also receives the heat generated by unburned components as radiation from the high temperature surface of the catalyst body 18. Therefore, the downstream heat exchange efficiency is high and the device does not become large even with a large combustion amount.

Furthermore, if the cross-sectional area of the flow path formed by the hot plate 5 and the catalyst body 18 downstream of the passage hole 6 is smaller than the flow path formed by the catalyst layer 7 upstream of the passage hole 6, The radiation of No. 18 is easily transmitted to the hot plate, and the heat transfer of the exhaust gas is also improved. The downstream gas temperature is lower and the flow rate is smaller than the upstream, so there is less resistance to passage, so the resistance does not increase.

Furthermore, if an infrared absorbing coating, for example a ceramic coating having a thickness of about 10 to 50 μm, is formed on the downstream inner wall surface heated by this radiation, the radiant heat transfer is further improved. Moreover, the support body 19 may protrude from the inner wall surface. In this case, since the protrusions play the role of fins, recovery of exhaust heat is further promoted, and the heat of the catalyst body 18 can also be recovered by thermal conduction through the protrusions, resulting in higher efficiency.

[0021] In the above embodiment, the aluminum hot plate 5
, the mixing chamber 4 is divided into appropriate blocks to facilitate manufacturing. Alternatively, by adding a re-combustion catalyst downstream of the outlet of the passage hole 6 and adding a function to purify the CO emitted when the air ratio falls below the equivalence point, it is possible to improve safety and efficiency. Makes a good compact steamer.

[0022]

According to the present invention as described above, it is possible to react a large amount of fuel gas in an extremely small hot plate without producing a flame. Therefore, it can be applied to cordless steamers, making it possible to create small and safe steamers with high thermal efficiency.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a steamer according to an embodiment of the present invention (cross-sectional view taken along line BB' in FIG. 2);

[Figure 2] Horizontal cross-sectional view of the same steamer (cross-sectional view along line A-A' in Figure 1)

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line BB' in FIG. 4) showing the structure of a steamer according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 4] is a horizontal sectional view (A-A' plane sectional view in Figure 3)

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Cylinder 4 Mixing chamber 5　Hot plate 6 Passing hole 7 Catalyst layer 9 Evaporation chamber 18 Catalyst body

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A frame body containing a fuel gas cylinder and a water tank, an opening/closing valve for the cylinder, a mixing part for the fuel gas and air, and a metal member provided downstream of the mixing part within the frame body. a heating plate, a passage hole for the gas mixed in the mixing part provided inside the heating plate, a combustion part formed of a porous catalyst layer that is in close contact with an upstream inner wall surface of the passage hole, an exhaust heat recovery section in which a hot plate metal downstream of the hole forms an inner wall;
an evaporation part for water in the water tank provided in another part of the hot plate;
A steamer having the water vapor discharge hole. 2. A catalyst body is inserted into a passage hole of a hot plate, the catalyst body facing an inner wall surface of the exhaust heat recovery part of the passage hole, and between the catalyst body and the inner wall surface of the hot plate. The steamer according to claim 1, further comprising a gas passage section.