Glass material for carrying a photocatalyst, filter device using the same and light irradiating method

• US 6,468,428 B1
• Filed: 10/27/1997
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hoya-Schott Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hoya Corporation
• Inventors: Maeda, Nobuhiro, Watanabe, Itaru, Ogawa, Shin-ichi, Hachitani, Yoichi, Nishii, Yoshikazu, Higashida, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Edna
• Application Number:
  US08/930,536
• Time in Patent Office: 1,821 Days
• Field of Search: 204/157.15, 204/157.3, 204/158.2, 502/5, 502/522, 502/439, 422/4, 422/310, 422/312, 501/32, 501/55, 501/69, 501/73, 501/904, 501/905, 501/35, 501/37, 501/60, 501/62, 501/63, 501/64, 501/58, 501/59, 501/61, 501/65, 501/66, 501/67, 501/74, 501/75, 501/76, 501/77, 501/78, 501/72, 555/14, 555/12, 555/23, 210/497.3, 210/500.26, 210/509, 210/504
• US Class Current: 210/497.3
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/802 Photocatalytic
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/88 Handling or mounting catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/885 Devices in general for catalytic purification of waste gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/94 by catalytic processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/39 Photocatalytic properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/58 Fabrics or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 13/00 Fibre or filament compositions manufacture of fibres or filaments C03B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 25/1061 Inorganic coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 25/42 Coatings containing inorganic materials
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 3/083 containing aluminium oxide or an iron compound
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2086 Activating the catalyst by light, photo-catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0001 specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/04 formed by bundles of fibres G02B6/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A photocatalyst is carried on a surface of a light guiding body for guiding light needed to activate the photocatalyst in such a manner the light guided by the light guiding body irradiates directly from the surface of the light guiding body the photocatalyst.

Claims

1. A photocatalyst filter comprising:

a bundle of a plurality of elongate light guiding filter body members;

each of said body members comprising a fiber of light transmissive material which serves as a light guiding path and transmits light therethrough necessary for activating a photocatalyst, each of said fibers having a plurality of protrusions distributed along the length thereof, to form between the fibers in the bundle a plurality of passages which enable a fluid to be passed therethrough while filtering any contaminants therefrom, and a layer of said photocatalyst formed on a surface of each of said fibers and said protrusions, wherein rays of said light which are introduced incident upon a longitudinal end surface of said fibers leak out into said layer of photocatalyst, while said rays of light propagate through said fibers, so as to directly irradiate said layer of photocatalyst.

2. A photocatalyst filter according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of fibers comprise glass fibers.

3. A photocatalyst filter according to claim 1 wherein said light transmissive material comprises:

SiO₂—

30 to 80 weight %

Al₂O₃—

1 to 35 weight %

B₂O₃—

0 to 30 weight %

a combined content of MgO, CaO, SrO, BaO and ZnO of 0 to 65 weight %

a combined content of Li₂O, Na₂O, K₂O, of 0 to 10 weight %

the combined content of said MgO, said CaO, said SrO, said BaO, said ZnO, said Li₂O, said Na₂O, said K₂O and said Cs₂O being 0.1 to 65 weight %.

4. A photocatalyst filter according to claim 1, wherein said light guiding filter body members have a transmittivity of at least about 75% of light in a wavelength sufficient for activating said photocatalyst layer in a thickness of 10 mm.

5. A photocatalyst filter according to claim 1, wherein said photocatalyst layer has a refractive index higher than that of said light guiding filter body members.

6. A photocatalyst filter according to claim 1, wherein said protrusions have a diameter of 0.3 to 100 μ

m and said fibers have gaps within the range of 0.3 to 100 μ

m therebetween.

7. A photocatalyst filter according to claim 1, wherein said bundle of filter body members further comprises a heating means for heating fluid to be filtered through the passages, and for heating said light guiding filter body members to a predetermined temperature.

8. A photocatalyst filter according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of fibers are bundled together to terminate at one end and to form an opening at the other end to receive particles to be filtered.

9. A photocatalyst filter according to claim 8, wherein said opening is adapted to receive exhaust gases containing particles from an engine.

10. A photocatalyst filter according to claim 1:

wherein said photocatalyst filter further incorporates a light source for introducing said light into said light guiding filter body members.

11. A photocatalyst filter according to claim 1 comprising a gas processing device.

13. A photocatalyst filter according to claim 1 wherein said light transmissive material comprises a glass fiber material selected form the group consisting of a low-alkali silicate glass, an alumino-silicate glass, a boro-silicate glass and a non-alkali glass;

said material containing 30 to 80% by weight of SiO₂ and 0 to 10% by weight of an alkali component.

12. A photocatalyst filter according to 1 comprising a device for processing gas and filtering particles therefrom.