JP6180905B2 - Water quality inspection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a water quality inspection apparatus capable of inspecting water quality.

  Usually, pure water from which impurities have been removed is used for cleaning equipment, raw materials, and products in the chemical and mechanical industries. This is because when city water (clean water) is used for cleaning, a trace amount of impurities contained in the city water remains attached to the object to be cleaned. In particular, in a semiconductor device manufacturing process, ultrapure water having a higher purity than pure water is used in order to seriously affect the quality even if a very small amount of impurities remain on the device. Here, pure water refers to water having a specific resistance value of about 1 to 10 MΩ · cm, and ultrapure water refers to water having a specific resistance value of about 10 MΩ · cm or more.

  For example, pure water is generated by passing city water through a filter, an activated carbon filter, an ion exchange resin, or a reverse osmosis membrane (see Patent Document 1). In general, in semiconductor device manufacturing factories, etc., these pure water purifiers are installed in factory facilities, and pure water of the entire factory is generated by drawing in city water, industrial water, and sometimes groundwater.・ Covered with ultrapure water.

  For this reason, city water, industrial water, groundwater, etc. supplied to the factory are regularly sampled, analyzed for their components, and water quality is inspected.

JP 2000-189760 A

  However, the city water, industrial water, and groundwater that are supplied have their impurity content changed depending on the weather conditions and other changes in the external environment of the factory. For this reason, even if the result of the increase in the components such as heavy metals that adversely affect the semiconductor device in the conventional water quality inspection by sampling, the components such as heavy metals that adversely affect the semiconductor device increased at any point in time. It was difficult to figure out. That is, in conventional water quality inspections by sampling, it is difficult to immediately grasp changes in the concentration of ions in city water, industrial water, groundwater, and the like.

  The present invention has been considered in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a water quality inspection apparatus that can automatically and continuously detect changes in the concentration of ions contained in running water.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the water quality inspection apparatus of the present invention is a water quality inspection apparatus for inspecting the water quality of water, and is arranged in an inspection branch path branched from the main water. A reverse osmosis membrane means provided, and an ion inspection means for detecting ions contained in the running water based on the presence or absence of color detection in the running water, the ion testing means comprising: a light emitting unit that emits white light; and The reverse osmosis membrane, comprising: a color sensor unit that detects a color component of contained ions by light emitted from the light emitting unit and transmitted through running water; and a display unit that displays the color component detected by the color sensor unit. The flow path of the concentrated water concentrated by the means includes a first transmission window that transmits white light, and a second transmission path that transmits white light that is formed facing the first transmission window and the flow path of the flow path. A transmissive window is formed, and the light-emitting portion passes through the first transmissive window. The white light emitted in flowing water Te, the color sensor unit is characterized by receiving light emitted from the light emitting portion via said second transmission window.

  In the water quality inspection apparatus, the flow path of the permeated water that has passed through the reverse osmosis membrane means is opposed to the third transmission window that transmits white light and the third transmission window across the flow path of the flow path. A fourth transmission window that transmits white light is formed, and the light emitting section emits white light into flowing water in the flow path of the permeated water through the third transmission window, and the color sensor The light receiving portion emits light emitted from the light emitting portion through the fourth transmission window, and the ion inspection means causes the light emitting portion and the color sensor portion to pass through the second flow path of the concentrated water. Positioning means for selectively positioning the first transmission window and the second transmission window and the third transmission window and the fourth transmission window in the flow path of the permeated water every predetermined time, It is desirable to detect the color component of the flow path of the concentrated water on the basis of the color component of the flow path of the permeated water every time.

  The water quality inspection device of the present invention concentrates the concentration of water ions several tens of times by the reverse osmosis membrane means, and detects the color component of the concentrated water with the color sensor unit, so it has a simple configuration without using a reagent. The change of the contained ion concentration can be continuously detected continuously.

  In addition, since the change in the color component of the concentrated water is inspected by the same color sensor unit using the color component of the permeated water as a reference, it is not necessary to calibrate the color sensor unit, and continuous inspection is possible.

Drawing 1 is a figure showing an example of composition of factory equipment in which a water quality inspection device concerning an embodiment is used. Drawing 2 is a figure showing the example of composition of the water quality inspection device concerning an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state in which ions of permeated water in the permeated water flow path of the water quality inspection device according to the embodiment are detected. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which ions of concentrated water in the concentrated water flow path of the water quality inspection apparatus according to the embodiment are detected. Fig.5 (a) is a figure which shows an example of the detection result of the permeated water in the permeated water flow path of the water quality inspection apparatus which concerns on embodiment, FIG.5 (b) is the concentration of the water quality inspection apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the detection result of the concentrated water in a water flow path. FIG. 6 is an example of a flowchart of the control means of the water quality inspection apparatus according to the embodiment.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Embodiments (embodiments) for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited by the contents described in the following embodiments. The constituent elements described below include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art and those that are substantially the same. Furthermore, the structures described below can be combined as appropriate. Various omissions, substitutions, or changes in the configuration can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Embodiment
A water quality inspection apparatus according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Drawing 1 is a figure showing an example of composition of factory equipment in which a water quality inspection device concerning an embodiment is used. Drawing 2 is a figure showing the example of composition of the water quality inspection device concerning an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state in which ions of permeated water in the permeated water flow path of the water quality inspection device according to the embodiment are detected. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which ions of concentrated water in the concentrated water flow path of the water quality inspection apparatus according to the embodiment are detected. Fig.5 (a) is a figure which shows an example of the detection result of the permeated water in the permeated water flow path of the water quality inspection apparatus which concerns on embodiment, FIG.5 (b) is the concentration of the water quality inspection apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the detection result of the concentrated water in a water flow path. FIG. 6 is an example of a flowchart of the control means of the water quality inspection apparatus according to the embodiment.

  The water quality inspection apparatus 1 according to the embodiment is an apparatus that detects a change in the concentration of ions such as copper ions and silver ions in clean water from which impurities have been removed (corresponding to the water in the claims). The water quality inspection apparatus 1 is installed, for example, in a factory facility 100 shown in FIG. The plant facility 100 is a facility for purifying purified water or ultrapure water supplied from a city water supply source 101 such as a water supply to various processing devices 102 such as a grinding device, a cutting device, and a polishing device. It is. Water refers to water from which foreign substances have been removed, such as tap water, industrial water, and groundwater.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the factory facility 100 includes a pure water purification apparatus 104 to which clean water is supplied from a city water supply source 101 through a supply path 103 (corresponding to a mainstream of water), and A processing apparatus 102 that uses water or ultrapure water for processing and a water quality inspection apparatus 1 are provided. The pure water purifier 104 purifies clean water into pure water or ultrapure water, and includes a purification filter and the like. The filter deposits deposits made of pure water or ultrapure water and containing ions of clean water. The filter has a preset life according to the amount of deposits that can be tolerated. The pure water purification apparatus 104 supplies purified pure water or ultrapure water to the processing apparatus 102. The processing apparatus 102 processes the workpiece such as grinding using the pure water or ultrapure water from the pure water purification apparatus 104. The workpiece to be processed by the processing apparatus 102 is a semiconductor device or the like that is required to be processed using pure water or ultrapure water. The processing apparatus 102 uses the pure water or ultrapure water from the pure water purification apparatus 104 for processing, and supplies the processing water including grinding waste generated during the processing to the pure water purification apparatus 104 again. Further, the pure water purifying apparatus 104 purifies the processing water supplied from the processing apparatus 102 again into pure water or ultrapure water and supplies the purified water to the processing apparatus 102.

  The water quality inspection apparatus 1 is for inspecting the quality of clean water, and is branched from a supply path 103 for supplying clean water from a city water supply source 101 to a pure water purification apparatus 104 as shown in FIG. Clean water is supplied through the inspection branch path 2. The inspection branch path 2 is provided with an open / close valve (not shown). As shown in FIG. 2, the water quality inspection apparatus 1 detects ions contained in the running water based on the reverse osmosis membrane means 3 disposed in the inspection branch path 2 and the presence or absence of color detection in the running water. It comprises ion inspection means 4.

  The reverse osmosis membrane means 3 includes a reverse osmosis membrane 31 (so-called RO membrane) that allows permeation of clean water. The reverse osmosis membrane means 3 separates the clean water into concentrated water in which the concentration of contained ions that could not pass through the reverse osmosis membrane 31 is concentrated and permeated water composed of clean water that has passed through the reverse osmosis membrane 31. For this reason, the concentrated water is obtained by concentrating the ion concentration of clean water, and the permeated water is obtained by removing most of the ions from the clean water. The reverse osmosis membrane means 3 preferably concentrates the ion concentration of clean water several tens of times to obtain concentrated water.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the ion inspection means 4 includes a concentrated water flow path 41 through which concentrated water flows, a permeated water flow path 42 through which permeate flows, a light emitting section 43 that emits white light, and a color sensor section. 44, positioning means 45, display unit 46, control means 47, and the like. In the present invention, white light means visible light having a wavelength of 360 nm to 830 nm and including red light, green light, and blue light. That is, the light emitting unit 43 emits visible light having a wavelength of 360 nm to 830 nm.

  The concentrated water flowing path 41 is supplied with the concentrated water concentrated by the reverse osmosis membrane means 3. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the concentrated water flowing path 41 sandwiches the first transmission window 41 a that transmits white light and the first transmission window 41 a and the concentrated water as flowing water in the flowing water path 41. And a second transmission window 41b that is formed to face each other and transmits white light. The first transmission window 41a and the second transmission window 41b are made of quartz glass having translucency. Further, the concentrated water passed through the concentrated water flow path 41 is drained to the outside.

  The permeated water passage 42 is supplied with the permeated water that has passed through the reverse osmosis membrane means 3. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the permeated water flow path 42 sandwiches the third permeation window 42 a that transmits white light and the third permeation window 42 a and the permeated water as the running water in the water flow path 42. The fourth transmission window 42b is formed so as to face each other and transmit white light. The third transmission window 42a and the fourth transmission window 42b are made of translucent quartz glass. Further, the permeated water that has passed through the permeate flow path 42 is drained to the outside.

  When the light emitting unit 43 is positioned by the positioning means 45 at a position facing the first transmission window 41a, the light emitting unit 43 emits white light into the concentrated water as flowing water in the concentrated water flowing path 41 through the first transmission window 41a. Is emitted. In addition, when the light emitting unit 43 is positioned by the positioning unit 45 at a position facing the third transmission window 42a, the light emission unit 43 is passed through the third transmission window 42a into the permeated water as flowing water in the flow path 42 of the permeated water. Emits white light.

  The color sensor unit 44 emits light from the light-emitting unit 43 and is transmitted through the concentrated water and permeated water as flowing water. It detects color components such as light. The color sensor unit 44 receives the light emitted from the light emitting unit 43 through the second transmission window 41b when the positioning unit 45 is positioned at a position for receiving the light transmitted through the second transmission window 41b. . Further, when the color sensor unit 44 is positioned by the positioning unit 45 to receive the light transmitted through the fourth transmission window 42b, the color sensor unit 44 transmits the light emitted from the light emitting unit 43 through the fourth transmission window 42b. Receive light.

  The color sensor unit 44 detects the intensity of each of R (red light), G (green light), and B (blue light) transmitted through the concentrated water and the permeated water. The color sensor unit 44 detects R (red light), G (green light), and B (blue light) intensities of light transmitted through the concentrated water and the permeated water, thereby detecting R (red light) and G Color components corresponding to the concentration of contained ions that absorb (green light) and B (blue light) are detected. The color sensor unit 44 is split by a spectroscopic unit such as a filter or a prism that splits the light transmitted through the concentrated water and the permeated water into R (red light), G (green light), and B (blue light), and the spectroscopic unit. The light receiving element is configured to detect the intensity by receiving R (red light), G (green light), and B (blue light). The color sensor unit 44 outputs the detection result to the display unit 46 and the control unit 47.

  The positioning means 45 causes the light emitting unit 43 and the color sensor unit 44 to pass through the first permeation window 41 a and the second permeation window 41 b in the concentrated water flow path 41 and the third permeation in the permeate flow path 42. The window 42a and the fourth transmission window 42b are selectively positioned every predetermined time. The positioning means 45 includes a position where the light emitting portion 43 faces the first transmission window 41a and the color sensor portion 44 faces the second transmission window 41b, and the light emission portion 43 faces the third transmission window 42a and The light emitting unit 43 and the color sensor unit 44 can be moved over a position where the color sensor unit 44 faces the fourth transmission window 42b. The positioning means 45 includes a position where the light emitting portion 43 faces the first transmission window 41a and the color sensor portion 44 faces the second transmission window 41b, and the light emission portion 43 faces the third transmission window 42a and The color sensor unit 44 switches the position facing the fourth transmission window 42b every predetermined time.

  As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the display unit 46 has color components of R (red light), G (green light), and B (blue light) detected by the color sensor unit 44, respectively. Is displayed. The display unit 46 displays the intensities of R (red light), G (green light), and B (blue light) detected by the color sensor unit 44. In the present embodiment, the display unit 46 displays the intensity of R (red light), G (green light), and B (blue light) detected by the color sensor unit 44 in 256 levels from 0 to 255. The display unit 46 indicates that the light is stronger as the number increases from 0 to 255. The display unit 46 transmits the concentrated water on the basis of the strengths of R (red light), G (green light), and B (blue light) detected by the color sensor unit 44 from the light transmitted through the permeated water. The respective intensities of R (red light), G (green light), and B (blue light) detected by the color sensor unit 44 are shown. Specifically, the display unit 46 sets the intensity of each of R (red light), G (green light), and B (blue light) detected by the color sensor unit 44 from light transmitted through the permeated water to 255, The intensity of each of R (red light), G (green light) and B (blue light) detected by the color sensor 44 from the light transmitted through the concentrated water is set to 0 when there is no light to be received. It is displayed as a number between 255. Information indicating the positions of the light emitting unit 43 and the color sensor unit 44 is input to the display unit 46 from the positioning unit 45, the control unit 47, and the like.

  The control means 47 controls each of the above-described components constituting the water quality inspection apparatus 1 to cause the water quality inspection apparatus 1 to inspect changes in the concentration of ions contained in the water. The control means 47 is mainly composed of an arithmetic processing unit constituted by, for example, a CPU, or a microprocessor (not shown) provided with a ROM, a RAM, etc., and is not shown for use when an operator registers examination content information and the like. Connected to the operating means.

  Next, a method for inspecting the quality of clean water of the water quality inspection apparatus 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the water quality inspection apparatus 1, when the operator registers the inspection content information in the control means 47 and the operator gives an instruction to start the inspection operation, the water quality inspection apparatus 1 starts the inspection operation. Then, the clean water is supplied to the reverse osmosis membrane means 3 through the inspection branch path 2, and the reverse osmosis membrane means 3 separates the clean water into permeate and concentrated water, and the permeate is passed to the permeate flow path 42. The concentrated water is supplied to the flow path 41 of the concentrated water.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 47 makes the light emitting unit 43 and the color sensor unit 44 face the positioning unit 45 so as to face the third transmission window 42 a and the fourth transmission window 42 b, so that the white light is emitted from the light emitting unit 43. Light is emitted, and the color sensor unit 44 receives the light emitted from the light emitting unit 43. The control means 47 detects the intensity of each of R (red light), G (green light) and B (blue light) transmitted through the permeated water (step ST1). Further, as shown in FIG. 5A, the display unit 46 has an intensity of R (red light), G (green light), and B (blue light) of light transmitted through the permeated water of 255. indicate.

  When the predetermined time elapses, the control unit 47 causes the light emitting unit 43 and the color sensor unit 44 to face the first transmission window 41a and the second transmission window 41b in the positioning unit 45 as shown in FIG. 43 emits white light, and the color sensor unit 44 receives light emitted from the light emitting unit 43. The control means 47 detects the intensity of each of R (red light), G (green light) and B (blue light) transmitted through the concentrated water (step ST2). Further, as shown in FIG. 5 (b), the display unit 46 indicates the intensity of each of R (red light), G (green light) and B (blue light) of the light transmitted through the concentrated water. Display is based on the intensities of R (red light), G (green light), and B (blue light) of the transmitted light.

  The control means 47 has the intensity of each of R (red light), G (green light) and B (blue light) transmitted through the permeated water, and R (red light) and G (green light) transmitted through the concentrated water. ) And B (blue light), respectively, are obtained, and it is determined whether or not the difference is larger than a predetermined value (step ST3). If it determines with the control means 47 not being larger than predetermined value (step ST3: No), it will return to step ST1. The predetermined value is preferably a value that affects the life of the filter, that is, a value at which deposits are deposited on the filter. Further, if the above-mentioned difference is not larger than the predetermined value, that is, if there are very few or no ions contained in the clean water, steps ST1 to ST3 are repeated.

  If the control means 47 determines that it is larger than the predetermined value (step ST3: Yes), it records the above-described difference value and time, and returns to step ST1 (step ST4). In this way, the control means 47, that is, the water quality inspection device 1, determines the color components of the permeated water flow path 42 (intensities of R (red light), G (green light), and B (blue light)) every predetermined time. Is used to detect the color components (R (red light), G (green light), and B (blue light) intensities) of the flow path 41 of the concentrated water.

  Further, when the control unit 47 determines that the value is larger than the predetermined value (step ST3: Yes), the display unit 46, for example, as shown in FIG. The intensity of (red light), G (green light), and B (blue light) is displayed as a number smaller than 255. In the case shown in FIG. 5B, since R (red light) is mainly absorbed by the concentrated water, the concentrated water is an ion that absorbs R (red light) such as copper ions. Is contained. If the control unit 47 determines that the difference is greater than the predetermined value (step ST3: Yes), the sampled water is separately sampled when the difference exceeds the predetermined value, and the concentration of ions contained in the water and Specify the substance name. Further, in the present invention, the control means 47 corrects the default value of the filter life of the pure water purifier 104, estimates the default value of the filter life, based on the recorded difference value and time information, The concentration of contained ions may be estimated.

  As described above, according to the water quality inspection apparatus 1 according to the embodiment, the color sensor while flowing the concentrated water obtained by concentrating the ion concentration of clean water several tens times by the reverse osmosis membrane means 3 to the flow path 41 of the concentrated water. The unit 44 receives the light from the light emitting unit 43. In this way, the water quality inspection apparatus 1 receives the light transmitted through the concentrated water obtained by concentrating the concentration of ions contained in the clean water several tens of times by the reverse osmosis membrane means 3, so that the change in the concentration of the ions contained in the clean water is detected. It can be detected immediately.

  Moreover, since the water quality inspection apparatus 1 can receive the light transmitted through the concentrated water through the flow path 41 of the concentrated water, it detects that the concentration of the contained ions has changed while the concentrated water, that is, the clean water is flowing. It is possible to automatically and continuously detect changes in the concentration of ions contained in tap water as running water.

  Furthermore, since the water quality inspection apparatus 1 receives the light transmitted through the concentrated water in which the concentration of ions contained in the water is several tens of times higher by the reverse osmosis membrane means 3, the change in the concentration of ions contained in the water is detected. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a reagent. Therefore, the water quality inspection apparatus 1 can immediately detect a change in the contained ion concentration continuously with a simple configuration.

  In addition, the water quality inspection apparatus 1 alternately receives the light transmitted through the permeated water and the light transmitted through the concentrated water every predetermined time, and the color of the concentrated water based on the color components of the permeated water. Detect ingredients. For this reason, the water quality inspection apparatus 1 does not need to adjust the signal output from the color sensor unit 44 with respect to the intensity of light received by the color sensor unit 44, that is, to calibrate the color sensor unit 44 and perform continuous inspection. Is possible. Moreover, since the color sensor unit 44 detects the color component of the concentrated water on the basis of the color component of the permeated water, the water quality inspection apparatus 1 can suppress erroneous detection when foreign matter or the like adheres to the color sensor unit 44. Furthermore, the water quality inspection apparatus 1 can also detect breakage of the reverse osmosis membrane 31 because the color sensor unit 44 detects the color component of the concentrated water based on the color component of the permeated water.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. That is, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Water quality inspection apparatus 2 Branch for test | inspection 3 Reverse osmosis membrane means 4 Ion test | inspection means 41 Flow path of concentrated water 41a First permeation window 41b Second permeation window 42 Permeate flow path 42a Third permeation window 42b First Four transmission windows 43 Light emitting part 44 Color sensor part 45 Positioning means 46 Display part 103 Supply path (main flow of water)

Claims (2)

A water quality inspection device for inspecting water quality,
The reverse osmosis membrane means disposed in the branch for inspection branched from the main flow of water, and an ion inspection means for detecting ions contained in the running water by the presence or absence of color detection in the running water,
The ion inspection means includes a light emitting unit that emits white light, a color sensor unit that detects a color component of contained ions by light emitted from the light emitting unit and transmitted through running water, and a color detected by the color sensor unit. A display unit for displaying the components,
The flow path of the concentrated water concentrated by the reverse osmosis membrane means includes a first transmission window that transmits white light and white light that is formed facing the first transmission window and the flow path of the flow path. A second transmissive window is formed,
The light-emitting unit emits white light in running water through the first transmission window, and the color sensor unit receives light emitted from the light-emitting unit through the second transmission window; Water quality inspection device characterized by The flow path of the permeated water that has passed through the reverse osmosis membrane means is formed with a third transmission window that transmits white light, and the third transmission window that is opposed to the flowing water of the flow path and transmits white light. A fourth transmission window is formed, and the light emitting section emits white light into the running water in the flow path of the permeated water through the third transmission window, and the color sensor section emits the fourth transmission window. Receiving the light emitted from the light emitting unit through the window,
The ion inspection means includes the light emitting unit and the color sensor unit, the first transmission window in the flow path of the concentrated water, the second transmission window, and a third transmission path in the flow path of the transmission water. Positioning means for selectively positioning the window and the fourth transmission window at predetermined time intervals;
2. The water quality inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the color component of the flow path of the concentrated water is detected based on the color component of the flow path of the permeated water every predetermined time.

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