Title of Invention: ROOF TYPE HIGH-SPEED TUNNEL AIR

CLEANING SYSTEM

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to an air cleaning system which cleans air inside a tunnel, and more particular, to a high-speed/high efficient air cleaning system which collects dust or tiny dust included in polluted air by a dust collecting cell using an electrostatic precipitating principle and is installed inside a tunnel to clean efficiently polluted air at a high speed without influencing the flow of air inside a tunnel. Background Art

[2] Due to advances in tunnel building technology, a tunnel is becoming longer in length, and as a tunnel is becoming longer in length, it becomes more difficult to circulate air inside a tunnel, and thus air pollution inside a tunnel becomes a severe problem.

[3] In particular, the inside of a tunnel is lower in air density than the outside, and a convection phenomenon does not occur normally, so that air pollution inside a tunnel is severe.

[4] Therefore, density of dust or tiny dust inside a tunnel is higher than the outside.

[5] Typically, air pollution inside a tunnel is so severe that a maximum level of impurities such as tiny dust (PMlO), carbon dioxide, and volatile organic chemicals is five times higher than a reference value. In particular, in the case of tiny dust (PMlO), about 139 detected, which is much higher than other noxious substances.

[6] Tiny dust means dust having an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10/M and causes a serious problem to a human body when continuously breathing them.

[7] Also, severe air pollution and impurities inside a tunnel make it difficult for drivers to secure a visual field and to keep a safe following distance, leading to the high incidence of accidents and causing respiratory illness to a driver's respiratory organ.

[8] If air inside a tunnel is not cleaned, polluted air inside a tunnel is exhausted to the outside "as is" and induces severe air pollution in a residential district around a tunnel or pollutes crops or soil, resulting in huge damage.

[9] For the foregoing reasons, an air cleaning system which cleans air inside a tunnel has to be installed inside a tunnel.

[10] As representative convention tunnel air cleaning systems, there are a vertical shaft type tunnel air cleansing system shown in FIG. 1, a bypass type tunnel air cleaning system shown in FIG. 2, and a built-in type tunnel air cleaning system shown in FIG. 3. The conventional tunnel air cleaning systems have the following problems. [11] The vertical shaft type tunnel air cleansing system shown in FIG. 1 has an advantage of being capable of constructing a high-capacity dust collecting device 1-2 but has a problem in that it has to be constructed together when a tunnel is constructed and thus it cannot be applied to a tunnel which is already completed or located at a place adjacent to a residential quarter like the center of the city. That is, the vertical shaft type tunnel air cleansing system shown in FIG. 1 cannot be applied to a tunnel installed in the center of the city, and cannot be additionally installed to a completed tunnel since a vertical shaft 1-1 has to be formed. There is also a problem in that a system construction cost is high.

[12] The bypass type tunnel air cleaning system shown in FIG. 2 has an advantage of being capable of constructing a high capacity dust collecting device 2-2 but has a problem in that since a bypass structure 2- 1 has to be constructed together when a tunnel is constructed like the vertical shaft type tunnel air cleansing system 2, it cannot be applied to a tunnels which is already completed, and a system construction cost is high.

[13] As described above, the vertical shaft type tunnel air cleansing system shown in FIG.

1 and the bypass type tunnel air cleaning system shown in FIG. 2 have a problem in that it cannot be installed in a tunnel which is already completed. On the contrary, the built-in type tunnel air cleaning system shown in FIG. 3 can be installed a tunnel which is already completed by resolving the problems of the vertical shaft type tunnel air cleaning system and the bypass type tunnel air cleaning system, but has a problem in that a capacity is low due to a spatial limitation and thus a plurality of small-capacity dust collecting devices have to be installed as shown in FIG. 3, whereby a construction cost of the air cleaning system is high.

[14] In particular, the built-in type tunnel air cleaning system 3 has to process polluted air at a high speed of equal to or more than 30m/s at minimum in order not to influence the flow of air inside a tunnel, but a conventional electrostatic precipitating means is difficult to collect dusts at a high speed of equal to or more than 30m/s, and thus dust collecting efficiency is lowered, and air inside a tunnel is not cleaned to a desired level. Typically, whenever a critical air flowing speed of a conventional electrostatic precipitating means is exceeded by lm/s, dust collecting efficiency is lowered by about 5% to 10%.

[15] This is because since an electrostatic precipitating means uses a wire method or a saw method, when gas flows at a high speed, a reacting structure area size is small, and thus there is a limitation to electrically charging polluted dusts or particles.

[16] Also, as a dust collector which sucks particles, an alternate plate and a stainless plate are used, but since they have a flat plate form, there is a limitation to collecting and storing polluted particles, and an electrostatic induced voltage is not generated with a uniform distribution, which is an inefficient voltage use, leading to high power consumption.

[17] That is, the built-in type tunnel air cleaning system 3 disturbs the flow of air inside a tunnel, and is high in installation cost, inefficient, and relatively high in maintenance fee.

[18] In particular, the built-in type tunnel air cleaning system 3 has also a problem in that a smoke exhaust direction has to be opposite to an air flowing direction when a fire occurs, but a dust collecting device disturbs the flow of air and serves as an element for disturbing a smoke removing function. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[19] It is an object of the present invention to provide a tunnel air cleaning system which can be installed even in a tunnel which is already completed.

[20] It is another object of the present invention to provide a high speed/high efficient tunnel air cleaning system which can process polluted air at a high speed and with high efficiency without disturbing the flow of air inside a tunnel.

[21] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a tunnel air cleaning system in which the construction cost and maintenance fee are low.

[22] It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a tunnel air cleaning system which has a structure capable of performing a smoke removing function when a fire occurs.

Solution to Problem

[23] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a roof type highspeed tunnel air cleaning system which is installed in an upper inner space of a tunnel, including: a housing which has a predetermined shape to be installed in an upper inner space of a tunnel and includes a front portion and a back portion; a damper unit which opens or closes the front portion of the housing; a dust collecting block which collects tiny dusts contained in air flowing in through the damper unit and includes a plurality of dust collecting cells which each includes a honeycomb-type dust collecting tube and a protruding type discharge electrode, wherein the honeycomb-type dust collecting tube has a hexagonal prism shape and is electrically grounded, and the protruding type discharge electrode is made of a metal plate which is relatively longer than the honeycomb type dust collecting tube, has protruding portions on both sides thereof, is electrically connected to a high voltage supplier, and is disposed at a center of the honeycomb type dust collecting tube; a dust collecting block cleaning unit which is installed ahead of or behind the dust collecting unit and jets high-pressure water toward the dust collecting cell to remove tiny dusts collected to an inner surface of the dust collecting cell and clean the dust collecting block; a jet fan unit which includes at least one jet fan installed in the back portion of the housing, provides sucking force and supplies air inside the housing which is cleaned through the dust collecting block into the tunnel; and a controller which controls operation of the damper unit, the dust collecting block, the dust collecting block cleaning unit, and the jet fan unit.

[24] The housing further comprises an air movement guide which is installed between the dust collecting block and the jet fan unit to smoothly move cleaned air.

[25] The damper unit further comprises an air flowing-in guide which guides polluted air inside the tunnel to be smoothly flowed in.

[26] The dust collecting block cleaning unit includes: a water jet unit which has a horizontal pole shape having a similar length to a width of the dust collecting block, includes a plurality of jet nozzles which are disposed toward the dust collecting block at a predetermined interval, is supplied with high-pressure water from a high-pressure pump and jets high-pressure water; a movement unit which moves the water jet unit up or down by a height of the dust collecting block; the high-pressure pump which supplies high-pressure water to the water jet unit; a water supply tank which is connected to a water supply tube, stores cleaning water and supplies water to the high- pressure pump; and a water drainage unit which drains waste water generated after cleaning the dust collecting block to the outside of the housing.

[27] The jet fan unit comprises a plurality of jet fans which are disposed in the back portion of the housing in parallel.

[28] The controller is installed outside the housing and remotely controls operation of the damper unit, the dust collecting block, the dust collecting cleaning unit, and the jet fan unit.

[29] The honeycomb type dust collecting tube is a corrugated type dust collecting tube of a corrugated shape which is made of an aluminum-based material and includes a plurality of grooves formed on an inner surface thereof in a longitudinal direction in order to increase a dust collecting area.

[30] The protruding type discharge electrode has a twisted structure for providing centrifugal force to a collecting target.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

[31] The tunnel air cleaning system of the present invention can be installed in an upper space of a tunnel and thus can be installed even in a tunnel which is already completed. The tunnel air cleaning system of the present invention can be also additionally installed to a system with a low air cleaning performance to thereby improve an air cleaning performance.

[32] Since the high speed/high efficient air cleaning system can be realized, a system con- struction cost and a maintenance fee can be reduced. [33] Also, the tunnel air cleaning system of the present invention can perform both a dust collecting function and a smoke removing function when a first occurs. [34] In addition, the tunnel air cleaning system of the present invention has effects of preventing pollution of a district surrounding a tunnel and respiratory illness to a driver's respiratory organ. Furthermore, a driver's visual field inside a tunnel can be secured since density of tiny dusts is reduced.

Brief Description of Drawings [35] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a conventional vertical shaft type tunnel air cleaning system;

[36] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a conventional bypass type tunnel air cleaning system;

[37] FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a conventional built-in type tunnel air cleaning system;

[38] FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a basic concept of a roof type high-speed tunnel air cleaning system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [39] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a configuration of a roof type high-speed tunnel air cleaning system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [40] FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a housing of a roof type high-speed tunnel air cleaning system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [41] FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a dust collecting block of a roof type high-speed tunnel air cleaning system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [42] FIG. 8 is a view illustrating a twist discharge electrode and a corrugated type dust collecting tube of a roof type high-speed tunnel air cleaning system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[43] FIG. 9 is a view illustrating a dust collecting block cleaning unit of a roof type highspeed tunnel air cleaning system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and [44] FIG. 10 is a view illustrating a jet fan unit of a roof type high-speed tunnel air cleaning system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [45] *Description of Major Symbol in the above Figures*

[46] 10 : Housing 20 : Damper unit

[47] 30 : Dust collecting unit 40 : Dust collecting block cleaning unit

[48] 50 : Jet fan unit 60 : Controller

[49] 101 : Front portion 102 : Back portion

[50] 103 : Side portion 104 : Air movement guide

[51] 201 : Blocking plate 202 : Air flowing-in guide

[52] 301 : Honeycomb type Dust collecting tube

[53] 302 : Protruding type discharge electrode [54] 303 : Dust collecting cell 304 : Twist discharge electrode

[55] 304 : Corrugated type dust collecting tube

[56] 306 : Groove 307 : Collecting target

[57] 401 : Water jet unit 402 : Movement unit

[58] 403 : High-pressure pump 404 : Water supply tank

[59] 405 : Water supply tube 406 : Water drainage unit

[60] 501 : Jet fan

Mode for the Invention

[61] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. However, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various types. Therefore, the present exemplary embodiments are provided for complete disclosure of the present invention and to fully inform the scope of the present invention to those ordinarily skilled in the art.

[62] According to a roof type high-speed tunnel air cleaning system of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4, a high-speed/high-efficient dust collecting device 6 is installed in an upper inner space of a tunnel 4. The dust collecting device 6 sucks and cleans polluted air 7 inside the tunnel at a high speed and then exhausts cleaned air 8 into the tunnel 4. Therefore, the roof type high-speed tunnel air cleaning system of the present invention has an excellent dust collecting performance even at a high speed and does not disturb the flow of air inside the tunnel.

[63] The roof type high-speed tunnel air cleaning system of the present invention can clean a large amount of air at a high speed of equal to or more than 30m/s through a high-speed/high-efficient dust collecting block without disturbing the flow of air inside the tunnel. Accordingly, the roof type high-speed tunnel air cleaning system of the present invention has a more excellent air cleaning performance than the conventional built-in type tunnel air cleaning system.

[64] The roof type high-speed tunnel air cleaning system according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

[65] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a configuration of a roof type high-speed tunnel air cleaning system according to the present invention, FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a housing of the roof type high-speed tunnel air cleaning system according to the present invention, FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a dust collecting block of the roof type highspeed tunnel air cleaning system according to the present invention, FIG. 8 is a view illustrating a twist discharge electrode and a corrugated type dust collecting tube of the roof type high-speed tunnel air cleaning system according to the present invention, FIG. 9 is a view illustrating a dust collecting block cleaning unit of the roof type high- speed tunnel air cleaning system according to the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a view illustrating a jet fan unit of the roof type high-speed tunnel air cleaning system according to the present invention. [66] Referring to FIGs. 5 to 7, the roof type high-speed tunnel air cleaning system according to the present invention includes a housing 10, a damper unit 20, a dust collecting block 30, a dust collecting block cleaning unit 40, a jet fan unit 50, and a controller 60. [67] The housing 10 has a predetermined shape shown in FIG. 6 to be installed in an upper inner space 5 of the tunnel 4. The housing 10 includes a front portion 101 into which polluted air flows and a back portion 102 through which cleaned air is exhausted. [68] Referring to FIG. 6, a side portion 103 is shut tightly. The damper unit 20 is installed in the front portion 102, and the remaining portions of the front portion 101 are shut tightly. The jet fan unit 50 is installed in the back portion 102, and the remaining portions of the back portion 102 are shut tightly. [69] Polluted air 7 inside the tunnel 4 is flowed into the housing 10 through the damper unit 20 and is exhausted through the jet fan unit 50. [70] The housing 10 further include an air movement guide 104 which is installed between the dust collecting block 30 and the jet fan unit 50 as shown in FIG. 5. [71] The air movement guide 104 guides cleaned air which has passed through the dust collecting block 30 so that cleaned air can be smoothly directed to the jet fan unit 50 and be exhausted into the tunnel 4. [72] The damper unit 20 is installed in the front portion 101 of the housing 10 and serves to open or close the front portion 101. The damper unit 20 is opened to direct polluted air 7 inside the tunnel 4 toward the dust collecting block 30 during an air cleaning operation. The damper unit 20 is closed to prevent cleaning water from being dispersed during a cleaning operation in which the dust collecting block 30 is cleaned by operation of the dust collecting block cleaning unit 40. [73] The damper unit 20 can include, but is not limited to, a plurality of blocking plates

201 as shown in FIG. 5, and can be implemented with various structures for opening/ closing the front portion 101 of the housing 10. [74] The damper unit 20 preferably further includes air flowing-in guides 202 which are installed at both sides so that polluted air can be smoothly flowed into the damper unit

20 as shown in FIG. 5. [75] The air flowing-in guide 202 can be designed in various forms and preferably has a form which connects the tunnel inside and the housing 10 to form a path into which polluted air flows. [76] The dust collecting block 30 is disposed next to the damper unit 20 and has a con- figuration which collects tiny dusts contained in polluted air flowing in through the damper unit 20 using an electrostatic precipitating principle and substantially cleans polluted air.

[77] The electrostatic precipitating principle is used in a typical electrostatic precipitating device using an electrostatic precipitating method, and according to the electrostatic precipitating principle, dusts, particles or moisture particles as collecting targets are electrically charged, and charged particles or dusts are collected by Coulomb's force (electrostatic force) generated in a dust collecting electrode direction.

[78] When an electrostatic precipitating device using the electrostatic precipitating principle typically generates an electric field using a high voltage applied to a discharge electrode, charges are generated in an area surrounding the discharge electrode and are moved due to a corona discharge which is a phenomenon in which a portion having a stronger electric field has conductivity due to a high voltage applied between two electrodes, so that dusts or particles are electrically charged. Electrically charged dusts or particles are collected by Coulomb's force generated in a dust collecting electrode direction within the electric field.

[79] The dust collecting block 30 using the electrostatic precipitating principle is an assembly in which dust collecting cells 303 which each include a honeycomb-type dust collecting tube 30 and a protruding type discharge electrode 302 are assembled as shown in FIG. 7. The honeycomb-type dust collecting tube 30 has a hexagonal prism shape and is electrically grounded. The protruding type discharge electrode 302 is made of a metal plate which is relatively longer in length than the honeycomb type dust collecting tube 301 and has protruding portions on both sides thereof, and is electrically connected to a high voltage supplier. The dust collecting cell 303 is configured such that the protruding type discharge electrode 302 is inserted into the honeycomb type dust collecting tube 301 to be disposed at a center of the honeycomb type dust collecting tube 301.

[80] Since the dust collecting cell 303 has a structure in which the protruding type discharge electrode 302 is inserted into the honeycomb type dust collecting tube 301 to be disposed at a center of the honeycomb type dust collecting tube 301, electrical charging occurs in the whole section of the dust collecting tube 301. Accordingly, since the electrically charged section is relatively increased, a dust collecting performance and efficiency are relatively increased, and dusts can be collected at a high speed of equal to or more than 30 m/s.

[81] Tiny dusts are electrically charged in the whole section of the dust collecting cell 303 by charges supplied from the protruding type discharge electrode 302 connected to a high voltage supplier of equal to or more than 1 IKV and collected or accumulated on the inner wall of the honeycomb type dust collecting tube 301 which is electrically grounded.

[82] As the honeycomb type dust collecting tube 301, used is a corrugated type dust collecting tube 305 of a corrugated shape which is made of an aluminum-based material and includes a plurality of grooves 306 which are formed on an inner surface in a longitudinal direction in order to increase a dust collecting area as shown in FIG. 8.

[83] Since a plurality of grooves 306 are formed on the inner surface of the honeycomb type dust collecting tube 301 as shown in FIG. 8, a dust collecting area of the corrugated type dust collecting tube 305 is increased. Accordingly, since the dust collecting area is increased, a dust collecting performance and efficiency are increased.

[84] The protruding type discharge electrode 302 has a twisted structure in which it is twisted centering on a longitudinal axis as shown in FIG. 8. Air passing through the dust collecting cell 303 is rotated to cause a vortex, whereby dusts are more smoothly collected by centrifugal force generated as a charged collecting target 307 is rotated.

[85] The twist discharge electrode 304 having the twisted structure has a predetermined width enough to provide flowing air to rotating force and thus cause a vertex.

[86] Preferably, a width of the discharge electrode 304 is a third (1/3) to a second (1/2) of a diameter of the corrugated type dust collecting tube 305, and a height of the protruding portion is a tenth (1/10) to an eighth (1/8) of a diameter of the corrugated type dust collecting tube 305.

[87] Here, the number of times that the twist discharge electrode 304 is twisted is preferably one time (a 306 degree), but the twist discharge electrode 304 can be twisted twice or three times according to a need.

[88] The dust collecting block cleaning unit 40 includes a water jet unit 401, a movement unit 402, a high-pressure pump 403, a water supply tank 404, and a water drainage unit 406 as shown in FIG. 9.

[89] The water jet unit 402 can be installed ahead of or behind the dust collecting block

30 and is preferably installed both ahead of and behind the dust collecting blocks 30 as shown in FIG. 9. The water jet unit 401 has a horizontal pole shape having a similar length to a width of the dust collecting block 30, and includes a plurality of jet nozzles (not shown) which are disposed toward the dust collecting block 30 at a predetermined interval. The water jet unit 401 is supplied with high-pressure water from the high- pressure pump 403 and jets high-pressure water into the dust collecting cell of the dust collecting block 30. Therefore, tiny dusts collected inside the dust collecting cell are removed by the jetted high-pressure water.

[90] The water jet unit 401 is coupled to the movement unit 402 which moves up and down by a height of the dust collecting block 30 and cleans the dust collecting block 30 while moving up and down as shown in FIG. 9. [91] The movement unit 402 is driven by a motor and has a structure which can move the water jet unit 401. The movement unit 401 is not limited to a particular configuration or structure and can have various forms capable of moving the water jet unit 401 up and down.

[92] The high-pressure pump 403 is disposed between the water jet unit 401 and the water supply tank 404, supplied with cleaning water from the water supply tank 404 and supplies cleaning water to the water jet unit 401 at a high pressure.

[93] The water supply tank 404 is connected to an external water supply tube 405 and is preferably installed inside the housing 10.

[94] The water drainage unit 406 drains waste water generated after cleaning the dust collecting block 30 to the outside of the housing 10. The water drainage unit 406 is not limited to a particular structure and can have various structures capable of draining waste water to the outside of the housing 10.

[95] Even though not shown in FIG. 9, a purifying unit for storing and purifying drained waste water can be installed to an end portion of the water drainage unit 406. In this case, waste water can be purified by the purifying unit and used as cleaning water again.

[96] The dust collecting block cleaning unit 40 helps continuously maintain a performance of the tunnel air cleaning system and increase a lifespan of the dust collecting block 30, thereby reducing a maintenance fee of the tunnel air cleaning system.

[97] The jet fan unit 50 is configured by installing a jet fan in the back portion 102 of the housing 10, provides sucking force and exhausts air inside the housing which is cleaned through the dust collecting block to the tunnel 4.

[98] As shown in FIG. 10, a plurality of jet fans 501 which rotate at a high speed are installed in the back portion 102 of the housing 10 in parallel, and thus air cleaned through the dust collecting block can be exhausted into the tunnel 4 at a high speed, and sucking force for sucking polluted air inside the tunnel 4 into the housing 10 is provided.

[99] In particular, as shown in FIG. 5, the dust collecting block 30 and the jet fan unit 50 are disposed in a line, so that air flowing in through the damper unit 20 from the tunnel can be supplied into the tunnel 10 again through the dust collecting block 30 and the jet fan unit 50 without changing a direction of air, whereby dusts can be collected at a high speed without disturbing the flow of air inside the tunnel 4.

[100] Through the above-described structure, polluted substances or tiny dusts of equal to or less than 10/M contained in air can be collected even at an air flowing speed of 30m/s.

[101] In particular, since the dust collecting block 30 having the honeycomb type dust collecting tubes and the jet fan unit 50 are disposed in a line, polluted air can be cleaned without changing a direction of air, and since the dust collecting block 30 does not disturb the flow of air even though the jet fan unit 50 reversely rotates in order to reverse a smoke exhausting direction when a fire occurs, a smoke removing function can be smoothly performed.

[102] Therefore, the tunnel air cleaning system of the present invention has an advantage of being capable of performing both a dust collecting function and a smoke removing function when a first occurs.

[103] The controller 60 is preferably installed apart from the housing so that an operator can controls the tunnel air cleaning system as shown in FIG. 5. The controller 60 can control operation of the damper unit 20, the dust collecting block 30, the dust collecting block cleaning unit 40, and the jet fan unit 50 automatically by a predetermined program or manually by an operator's manipulation.

[104] As the controller 60, a controller which has a common configuration for controlling a system and can control operation of the damper unit 20, the dust collecting block 30, the dust collecting block cleaning unit 40, and the jet fan unit 50 according to a need can be used. The controller 60 can be installed inside the tunnel or in a control room for managing the tunnel.