Device and method for manufacturing carbonated spring and carbonic water, control method for gas density applied thereto, and membrane module

• US 7,152,850 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2002
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Rayon Company Limited (Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Rayon Company Limited (Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tasaka, Hiroshi, Ooyachi, Ken, Sakakibara, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): BUSHEY, CHARLES S
• Application Number:
  US10/487,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20040238975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: 261/36.1, 261/37, 261/38, 261/42, 261/64.2, 261/64.3, 261/72.1, 261/79.2, 261/94, 261/95, 261/96, 261/100, 261/101, 261/102, 261/104, 261/121.1, 261/122.1, 261/DIG.7, 261/23.1, 366337-339
• US Class Current: 261/36.1
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 2/54 Mixing with gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2033/145 with CO2
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/02 Bathing devices for use with gas-containing liquid, or liquid in which gas is led or generated, e.g. carbon dioxide baths A61H33/6026 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/60 Components specifically designed for the therapeutic baths of groups A61H33/00 plumbing E03C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 35/30 Gas therapy for therapeutic treatment of the skin
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/305 Treatment of water, waste water or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231244 Dissolving, hollow fiber membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/232 using flow-mixing means for introducing the gases, e.g. baffles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/236 specially adapted for aerating or carbonating beverages
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/2373 for obtaining fine bubbles, i.e. bubbles with a size below 100 µm
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/23762 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/29 Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2132 Concentration, pH, pOH, p(ION) or oxygen-demand B01F35/2133 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2211 Amount of delivered fluid during a period
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 261/07 Carbonators

Abstract

Hot water (12) in a bath (11) is pumped up by a suction pump (9) and introduced into a carbon dioxide gas dissolver (7) through solution flow rate adjusting means (14) and then, poured into the bath (11). Carbon dioxide gas supplied from a carbon dioxide gas cylinder (1) is introduced into the carbon dioxide gas dissolver (7) through gas flow rate adjusting means (5). At this time, the quantity of bubbles existing in artificial carbonated spring in a take-out pipe (15) is measured with a measuring device (13), and the solution flow rate adjusting means (14), gas flow rate adjusting means (5) and the like are controlled by means of a control device (16) using a relational expression between a preliminarily set quantity of bubbles and carbon dioxide concentration to obtain a desired concentration of carbon dioxide gas in carbonated spring. Because the carbon dioxide gas flow control means (5) is provided between the carbon dioxide gas dissolver (7) and a carbon dioxide gas supply source, carbonated spring of a high concentration can be always manufactured even if the pressure of supplied carbon dioxide gas changes or the permeating performance of a membrane changes.

Claims

1. A device for manufacturing a gas dissolved solution for carbonated spring, comprising:

a carbon dioxide gas supply port;

a carbon dioxide gas dissolver which communicates with the carbon dioxide gas supply port;

a water bath;

a circulation pump for feeding water in the water bath into the carbon dioxide gas dissolver and for returning into the water bath; and

further comprising plural carbon dioxide gas supply velocity control means capable of setting carbon dioxide gas supply velocities to different levels in parallel, and gas velocity changeover means for carbon dioxide gas supply velocity.

2. The device for manufacturing a gas dissolved solution according to claim 1, wherein the gas velocity changeover means is an electromagnetic valve.

3. The device for manufacturing a gas dissolved solution according to claim 1, wherein each of the carbon dioxide gas supply velocity control means is a flow control valve.

4. The device for manufacturing a gas dissolved solution according to claim 3, wherein the flow control valve is a mass flow rate type flow control valve.

5. A method for manufacturing a gas dissolved solution for carbonated spring, wherein, when water in a water bath is circulated by a circulation pump through a carbon dioxide gas dissolver while carbon dioxide gas is supplied into the carbon dioxide gas dissolver so as to dissolve carbon dioxide gas into the water in the water bath to raise the carbon dioxide gas concentration of the water in the water bath gradually, the carbon dioxide gas supply velocity is retarded in a latter period of the carbon dioxide gas dissolving time as compared with the carbon dioxide gas supply velocity in an initial period of the gas dissolving time.

6. The method for manufacturing a gas dissolved solution according to claim 5, wherein a period of time when the carbon dioxide gas supply velocity is retarded is the same or longer than a period of time when the carbon dioxide gas supply velocity is expedited.

7. The method for manufacturing a gas dissolved solution according to claim 5, wherein the carbon dioxide gas supply velocity just before dissolving of carbon dioxide gas ends is 50% or less of the supply velocity when dissolving of carbon dioxide gas starts.

8. The method for manufacturing a gas dissolved solution according to claim 6, wherein the period of time when the carbon dioxide gas supply velocity is expedited is 10 to 50% of the carbon dioxide gas dissolving time.