Abstract:
The present invention is to provide an air cleaning method and device that realize sufficient purification of polluted air, high-efficiency removal of germs or the like from polluted air, and has a relatively simplified structure.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to methods and devices for cleaning air to purify indoor air polluted by dust, germs, and the like. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     At present, indoor air in houses, hospitals, buildings, and the like, has been increasingly polluted. Pollutants include dust, molds, ticks, pollens, and various pathogenic germs including influenza viruses, tuberculosis bacteria, methicillin-resistant  Staphylococcus aureus  (MRSA) as nosocomial infectious bacteria,  Legionella  bacteria, coronaviruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) viruses, noroviruses, campylobacter, O-157 as food-poisoning germs, and the like. These various kinds of pollutants including floating fungus and airborne infectious germs are suspended in indoor space or attached to indoor wall surfaces, ceilings, furniture, and the like, to thereby deteriorate indoor environments and exert enormous harmful effects on human bodies. 
     There is suggested an air cleaning device for purifying indoor air polluted by the foregoing pollutants (hereinafter, referred to as “polluted air”) that includes: a wind tunnel with an air inlet and an air outlet vertically arranged; a fan which takes polluted air into the wind tunnel from the air inlet and discharges the same from the air outlet; a nozzle which scatters liquid pressurized by a pump to an entire air path of the wind tunnel; and a collection tank for collecting the liquid, in which the polluted air taken by the fan into the wind tunnel contacts the liquid scattered from the nozzle, whereby the polluted air is purified (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). 
     In addition, there is suggested another air cleaning device in which pumped-up water is reflected on a mushroom-shaped reflector and turned into a spray of water, and polluted air taken in by an intake fan from an upper entry of a housing contacts the spray of water spreading over the housing, whereby the polluted air is purified (for example, refer to Patent Document 2). 
     Further, there is suggested another air cleaning device that includes: a housing retaining cleaning water; an air blower which is arranged above the cleaning water to blow polluted air downward from a fan; and a guide which extends from an lower end of the air blower into the cleaning water, increases in diameter downward, has a rib as a spiral projection therein, and is fixed to a rotation shaft of the air blower so as to rotate together with the fan, in which the polluted air blown downward by the fan contacts the cleaning water transferred upward by the rotation of the guide, whereby the polluted air is purified (for example, refer to Patent Document 3). 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     
         
         Patent Document 1: JP-A No. 7-17324 
         Patent Document 2: EP Application Public-disclosure No. 1506805 specification 
         Patent Document 3: JP-A No. 2008-520424 
       
    
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     The air cleaning device described in Patent Document 1 requires a pump and a nozzle, which leads to increase of manufacturing costs. In addition, the air cleaning device of Patent Document 1 is configured to let polluted air contact the surface of water drops scattered from a nozzle, but the time of contact between the liquid and the polluted air is comparatively short. This results in insufficient purification of the polluted air which may reduce the efficiency of removing germs and the like. 
     The air cleaning device described in Patent Document 2 requires a pump and a reflector, which leads to increase of manufacturing costs. In addition, the air cleaning device of Patent Document 2 is configured to let polluted air contact the surface of water mist spreading into a housing, but the time of contact between the liquid and the polluted air is comparatively short. This results in insufficient purification of the polluted air which may reduce the efficiency of removing germs and the like. 
     The air cleaning device described in Patent Document 3 is configured to have a guide extended from the lower end of an air blower into cleaning water and fixed to a rotation shaft of the air blower so as to rotate together with the rotation shaft. This requires a large-capacity motor for rotating the air blower fan and the guide, and complicates a support structure of the rotation shaft, which leads to increase in consumption of energy such as electric power and manufacturing costs. 
     In addition, even if the air cleaning device of Patent Document 3 is configured in such a manner that the guide extended into the cleaning water and increased in diameter downward does not rotate but the air blower fan rotates alone, the lower opening of the guide for blowing the polluted air is positioned in the cleaning water, which requires a large capacity air blower due to a high resistance of the cleaning water. This also brings about increase in consumption of energy such as electric power and manufacturing costs. 
     In light of the foregoing circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an air cleaning method and device that realize sufficient purification of polluted air, high-efficiency removal of germs and the like from polluted air, a relatively simplified structure, and suppression of increase in manufacturing costs. 
     Solution to Problem 
     To solve the foregoing issue, an air cleaning method of the present invention includes: pressurizing by an air blower air taken into a container main body containing a liquid as sterilizing fluid, deodorant fluid, or water; blowing the air pressurized by the air blower into a cylindrical body which has upper and lower openings and extends in a vertical direction, from the upper opening, the lower opening being an air blowing port separated from a surface of the liquid; blowing out of the lower opening, the air blown from the upper opening into the cylindrical body and rotating and descending in a spiral manner, so as to collide with the liquid, plunging the air into a bottom of a liquid containing part for containing the liquid in the container main body, and agitating and mixing the air and the liquid; and raising the air agitated and mixed with the liquid on an outside of the cylindrical body, and discharging the same to an outside of the container main body. 
     According to this configuration, the air taken into the container main body is pressurized by the air blower, and rotates and descends in a spiral manner by rotation of blades of the air blower and contact with the inner wall surface of the cylindrical body, and is blown out of the lower opening as an air blowing port toward the liquid surface, and collides with the liquid and plunges into the bottom of the liquid containing part (container bottom), and is agitated and mixed with an approximately total amount of the liquid as if the air is washed by the liquid. Therefore, the air taken into the container main body is allowed to contact the liquid with efficiency. 
     Accordingly, it is possible to remove pollutants such as dust, dirt, molds, ticks, pollens, and the like, in an efficient manner. In addition, if the liquid is sterilizing fluid, it is also possible to kill and remove pollutants such as viruses, germs, and the like, in an efficient manner. If the liquid is deodorant fluid, it is possible to eliminate bad odors of cigarette, formalin, and the like, in an efficient manner. If the liquid is water, it is possible to remove dust from construction sites, plants, and the like, in an efficient manner. 
     In addition, the thus configured air cleaning device does not require a pump or a nozzle as described in Patent Document 1 or a pump or a reflector as described in Patent Document 2. Further, this air cleaning device is not configured to rotate a guide fixed to the rotation shaft of the air blower and extended into the cleaning water as in Patent Document 3, and therefore the cylindrical body positioned under the air blower is not driven and the lower opening of the cylindrical body as an air blowing port is separated from the surface of the liquid. This does not require a large-capacity air blower or motor or a complicated structure, which makes it possible to suppress increase in consumption of energy such as electric power and manufacturing costs. 
     To solve the foregoing issue, an air cleaning method of the present invention includes: pressurizing by an air blower air taken into a container main body containing a liquid as sterilizing fluid, deodorant fluid, or water; blowing the air pressurized by the air blower into a cylindrical body which has upper and lower openings and extends in a vertical direction, from the upper opening, the lower opening being an air blowing port separated from a surface of the liquid; pumping up and pressurizing the liquid, and ejecting the liquid upward from the nozzle so as to collide with a reflector separated inward from the cylindrical body; contacting the air blown from the upper opening into the cylindrical body and rotating and descending in a spiral manner with the liquid colliding with and scattered by the reflector; causing a mixture of the air falling from the cylindrical body and the scattered liquid to collide with a puddle of liquid in the container main body, plunging the mixture into a bottom of a liquid containing part for containing the liquid in the container main body, and agitating and mixing the air with the liquid; and raising the air agitated and mixed with the liquid on an outside of the cylindrical body and discharging the same to an outside of the container main body. 
     According to this configuration, the air taken into the container main body is pressurized by the air blower, and rotates and descends in a spiral manner by rotation of the blades of the air blower and contact with the inner wall surface of the cylindrical body, and the liquid as a jet flow ejected from the nozzle is scattered by collision with the reflector separated inward from the cylindrical body, and the air rotating and descending in a spiral manner and the liquid colliding with and scattered by the reflector are brought into contact within the cylindrical body, and a mixture of the air and the liquid sharply falls in a bubble state. 
     The bubbled mixture collides with the liquid contained in the lower part of the container, and penetrates through the puddle of liquid and plunges into the bottom of the liquid containing part (container bottom). Accordingly, the entire liquid puddle is also strongly agitated and mixed in a spiral manner so as to bubble, swell, and increase in volume, as if the air is washed by the liquid. Therefore, the air taken into the container main body is allowed to contact the liquid with extremely high efficiency. 
     Accordingly, it is possible to remove pollutants such as dust, dirt, molds, ticks, pollens, and the like, in a highly efficient manner. In addition, if the liquid is sterilizing fluid, it is also possible to kill and remove pollutants such as viruses, germs, and the like, in a highly efficient manner. If the liquid is deodorant fluid, it is possible to eliminate bad odors of cigarette, formalin, and the like, in a highly efficient manner. If the liquid is water, it is possible to remove dust from construction sites, plants, and the like, in a highly efficient manner. 
     Besides, if the air taken in from the air inlet is hot wind, for example, the hot wind can be cooled down by airborne droplets of the liquid colliding with and reflected on the reflector and scattered in various directions. In addition, since the liquid as a jet flow collides from below with the reflector heated by transfer of forced convection heat from the hot wind, the hot wind can be cooled down via the reflector by high-efficiency colliding jet cooling. Accordingly, in any of cases where the liquid is sterilizing fluid or deodorant fluid or water, this configuration is suited for cooling hot air in working sites or the like at high temperatures. 
     Moreover, differently from the configuration described in Patent Document 3 with rotation of the guide fixed to the rotation shaft of the air blower and extended in the cleaning water, in this configuration, the cylindrical body arranged under the air blower is not driven and the lower opening of the cylindrical body as an air blowing port is separated from the surface of the liquid, which eliminates the need for a large-capacity air blower or motor and prevents a structure from being complicated. This makes it possible to suppress increase in consumption of energy such as electrical power and manufacturing costs. 
     In this arrangement, it is preferred to raise the air agitated and mixed with the liquid on the outside of the cylindrical body and remove the liquid from the air in the middle of a flow path for discharging the air to the outside of the container main body. 
     According to this configuration, the air agitated and mixed with the liquid is raised and cleared of the liquid before being discharged to the outside of the container main body. This makes it possible to suppress a content of the liquid in the discharged air and reduce decrease in amount of the liquid in the container main body, thereby to realize longer time intervals between tasks of refilling the liquid. 
     To solve the foregoing issue, an air cleaning device in the present invention includes: a container main body which contains a liquid as sterilizing fluid, deodorant fluid, or water; a cylindrical body which has upper and lower openings and extends in a vertical direction, which is arranged within the container main body such that the lower opening is separated from a surface of the liquid; an air blower which is arranged above the cylindrical body within the container main body, and pressurizes the air taken in from the air inlet of the container main body, and blows the same from the upper opening as an air blowing port into the cylindrical body; and an air outlet which is formed on an outside of the cylindrical body of the container main body, wherein the air blown by the air blower from the upper opening into the cylindrical body, rotates and descends in a spiral manner and is blown out from the lower opening as an air blowing port, and collides with the liquid and plunges into a bottom of a liquid containing part for containing the liquid in the container main body, and is agitated and mixed with the liquid, and 
     the air agitated and mixed with the liquid is raised on the outside of the cylindrical body and is discharged from the air outlet. 
     According to this configuration, the air taken in from the air inlet is pressurized by the air blower, and rotates and descends in a spiral manner by rotation of blades of the air blower and contact with the inner wall surface of the cylindrical body, and is blown out of the lower opening as an air blowing port toward the liquid surface, and collides with the liquid and plunges into the bottom of the liquid containing part (container bottom), and is agitated and mixed with an approximately total amount of the liquid as if the air is washed by the liquid. Therefore, the air taken in from the air inlet is allowed to contact the liquid with efficiency. 
     Accordingly, it is possible to remove pollutants such as dust, dirt, molds, ticks, pollens, and the like, in an efficient manner. In addition, if the liquid is sterilizing fluid, it is also possible to kill and remove pollutants such as viruses, germs, and the like, in an efficient manner. If the liquid is deodorant fluid, it is possible to eliminate bad odors of cigarette, formalin, and the like, in an efficient manner. If the liquid is water, it is possible to remove dust from construction sites, plants, and the like, in an efficient manner. 
     In addition, the thus configured air cleaning device does not require a pump or a nozzle as described in Patent Document 1 or a pump or a reflector as described in Patent Document 2. Further, this air cleaning device is not configured to rotate a guide fixed to the rotation shaft of the air blower and extended into the cleaning water as in Patent Document 3, and therefore the cylindrical body positioned under the air blower is not driven and the lower opening of the cylindrical body as an air blowing port is separated from the surface of the liquid. This does not require a large-capacity air blower or motor or a complicated structure, which makes it possible to suppress increase in consumption of energy such as electric power and manufacturing costs. 
     In this arrangement, a bar-like body is preferably provided so as to stand on the bottom of the liquid containing part and extend toward an approximate center of the cylindrical body. 
     According to this configuration, the bar-like body brings about a smaller passage section of the air blown out of the cylindrical body and colliding with the liquid. This increases a pressure of the air rotating and descending in a spiral manner, thereby to facilitate the agitation and mixture of the air and the liquid. 
     Therefore, the air taken in from the air inlet can contact the liquid with higher efficiency. 
     In addition, baffles are preferably provided so as to project from the bottom or side of the liquid containing part. 
     According to this configuration, the agitation and mixture of the air spirally rotating and descending and the liquid can be facilitated by the agitation facilitating effect of the baffles. This allows the air taken in from the air inlet to contact the liquid with higher efficiency. 
     Further, an agitator is preferably arranged on the bottom of the liquid containing part. 
     According to this configuration, the agitation and mixture of the air spirally rotating and descending and the liquid can be facilitated by the agitation facilitating effect of the agitator. This allows the air taken in from the air inlet to contact the liquid with higher efficiency. 
     To solve the foregoing issue, an air cleaning device in the present invention includes: a container main body which contains a liquid as sterilizing fluid, deodorant fluid, or water; a cylindrical body which has upper and lower openings and extends in a vertical direction, which is arranged within the container main body such that the lower opening is separated from a surface of the liquid; an air blower which is arranged above the cylindrical body within the container main body, and pressurizes the air taken in from the air inlet of the container main body, and blows the same from the upper opening as an air blowing port into the cylindrical body; a pump which pumps up and pressurizes the liquid; a nozzle which is upwardly attached to a discharging port of the pump; a reflector which is provided above the nozzle, and is separated inward from the cylindrical body, and collides with the liquid as a jet flow ejected from the nozzle and reflects the same; and an air outlet which is formed on an outside of the cylindrical body of the container main body, wherein 
     the air blown by the air blower from the upper opening into the cylindrical body, rotates and descends in a spiral manner, and contacts the liquid colliding with and scattered by the reflector, and a mixture of the air falling from the lower opening as an air blowing port and the scattered liquid collides with a puddle of liquid in the container main body and plunges into a bottom of a liquid containing part for containing the liquid in the container main body, and is agitated and mixed with the liquid, and the air agitated and mixed with the liquid is raised on the outside of the cylindrical body and discharged from the air outlet. 
     According to this configuration, the air taken into the container main body is pressurized by the air blower, and rotates and descends in a spiral manner by rotation of the blades of the air blower and contact with the inner wall surface of the cylindrical body, and the liquid as a jet flow ejected from the nozzle is scattered by collision with the reflector separated inward from the cylindrical body, and the air rotating and descending in a spiral manner and the liquid colliding with and scattered by the reflector are brought into contact within the cylindrical body, and a mixture of the air and the liquid sharply falls in a bubble state. 
     The bubbled mixture collides with the liquid contained in the lower part of the container, and penetrates through the puddle of liquid and plunges into the bottom of the liquid containing part (container bottom). Accordingly, the entire liquid puddle is also strongly agitated and mixed in a spiral manner so as to bubble, swell, and increase in volume, as if the air is washed by the liquid. Therefore, the air taken into the container main body is allowed to contact the liquid with extremely high efficiency. 
     Accordingly, it is possible to remove pollutants such as dust, dirt, molds, ticks, pollens, and the like, in a highly efficient manner. In addition, if the liquid is sterilizing fluid, it is also possible to kill and remove pollutants such as viruses, germs, and the like, in a highly efficient manner. If the liquid is deodorant fluid, it is possible to eliminate bad odors of cigarette, formalin, and the like, in a highly efficient manner. If the liquid is water, it is possible to remove dust from construction sites, plants, and the like, in a highly efficient manner. 
     Besides, if the air taken in from the air inlet is hot wind, for example, the hot wind can be cooled down by airborne droplets of the liquid colliding with and reflected on the reflector and scattered in various directions. In addition, since the liquid as a jet flow collides from below with the reflector heated by transfer of forced convection heat from the hot wind, the hot wind can be cooled down via the reflector by high-efficiency colliding jet cooling. Accordingly, in any of cases where the liquid is sterilizing fluid or deodorant fluid or water, this configuration is suited for cooling hot air in working sites or the like at high temperatures. 
     Moreover, differently from the configuration described in Patent Document 3 with rotation of the guide fixed to the rotation shaft of the air blower and extended in the cleaning water, in this configuration, the cylindrical body arranged under the air blower is not driven and the lower opening of the cylindrical body as an air blowing port is separated from the surface of the liquid, which eliminates the need for a large-capacity air blower or motor and prevents a structure from being complicated. This makes it possible to suppress increase in consumption of energy such as electrical power and manufacturing costs. 
     In this arrangement, a guide body is preferably provided within the cylindrical body under the reflector so as to receive the liquid colliding with and reflecting on the reflector, and guide the same outward. 
     According this configuration, a part of the liquid scattered by collision with the upper guide body, further collides with the lower guide body, and is guided outward and scatters by the lower guide body. Accordingly, airborne droplets of the scattered liquid are guided into a mixing space inside the cylindrical body. This increases the density of airborne droplets of the liquid within the mixing space, which allows the air taken in from the outside to contact the liquid with higher efficiency. 
     Further, a liquid removing means is preferably provided in the middle of a flow path for raising the air agitated and mixed with the liquid on the outside of the cylindrical body and discharging the same from the air outlet. 
     According to this configuration, the air agitated and mixed with the liquid is raised and cleared of the liquid by a liquid removing means before being discharged to the outside of the container main body. This makes it possible to suppress a content of the liquid in the discharged air and reduce decrease in amount of the liquid in the container main body, thereby to realize longer time intervals between tasks of refilling the liquid. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     As in the foregoing, according to the air cleaning method and device in the present invention, the air taken into the container main body and pressurized by the air blower, is blown from the upper opening into the cylindrical body with the lower opening (blowing port) separated from the surface of the liquid, so as to rotate and descend in a spiral manner, and the air is strongly blown out of the lower opening as a blowing port toward the liquid surface, or a mixture formed by contacting the air spirally rotating and descending within the cylindrical body with the liquid colliding with and scattered by the reflector, is strongly blown out of the lower opening toward the liquid surface, such that the mixture collides with the liquid puddle and plunges into the bottom of the liquid containing part, whereby the air taken into the container main body is agitated and mixed with the liquid. This allows the air to contact the liquid with efficiency, thereby achieving sufficient purification of the polluted air. Accordingly, these method and device provide significant advantages of removing efficiently germs and the like from the polluted air, simplifying the structure, and suppressing increase of manufacturing costs. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an air cleaning device in an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the same; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a configuration in which a bar-like body is provided so as to stand on a bottom of a liquid containing part of a container main body; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a configuration in which baffles are provided so as to project from the bottom of the liquid containing part of the container main body; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a configuration in which an agitator is arranged on the bottom of the liquid containing part of the container main body; and 
         FIG. 6  is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a configuration in which air spirally rotating and descending within a cylindrical body and liquid scattered by collision with a reflector, are contacted and mixed together. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     The perspective view in  FIG. 1  shows an embodiment with an air cleaning device  1  for indoor use, for example, domestic use, which is brought into an operational state by inserting a power plug  22  at a leading end of a power cord  21  into a socket not shown and then turning on a switch  23 . 
     When the air cleaning device  1  is in the operational state, polluted air PA is taken in from air inlets  5 ,  5 , . . . formed at an upper part of a side surface of a container main body  2 . The polluted air PA contacts sterilizing fluid, deodorant fluid, or water, contained in the container main body  2 , and then is discharged as clean air CA with no unpleasant odor, from air outlets  6 ,  6 , . . . . 
     In this arrangement, since downwardly-inclined louvers  7 ,  7 , . . . are provided at upper edge portions of the air outlets  6 ,  6 , . . . , the clean air CA is discharged downward from the air outlets  6 ,  6 , . . . , thereby to suppress suction of the clean air CA from the air inlets  5 ,  5 , . . . . 
     As shown in the partial longitudinal sectional view of  FIG. 2 , the air cleaning device  1  in the embodiment of the present invention includes: the container main body  2  that contains liquid A as sterilizer, deodorizer, or water in a liquid container  2 A; a cylindrical body  3  with upper and lower openings  3 A and  3 B that is arranged within the container main body  2  and extends in a vertical direction such that the lower opening  3 B is separated from a surface of the liquid A; an air blower  4  that is arranged above the cylindrical body  3  within the container main body  2 , pressurizes the polluted air PA taken in from the air inlets  5 ,  5 , . . . of the container main body  2 , and blows the same into the cylindrical body  3  from the upper opening  3 A as an air blowing port; and the air outlets  6 ,  6 , . . . formed on an outside of the cylindrical body  3  of the container main body  2 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the container main body  2  of the air cleaning device  1  is an approximately circular cylinder in appearance, and is configured in such a manner that a liquid container  2 A which serves as a liquid containing part for containing the liquid A and has the louvers  7 ,  7 , . . . on a side surface of an upper part thereof and the air outlets  6 ,  6 , . . . as long holes extending in a circumferential direction under these louvers  7 ,  7 , . . . , is connected by a connecting member  2 C to an air blower assembly  2 B which has the air inlets  5 ,  5 , . . . as a large number of round holes on the side surface thereof. 
     In addition, the cylindrical body  3  extending in a vertical direction and having the upper and lower openings  3 A and  3 B, is arranged above the liquid A and under the air blower  4  within the container main body  2 , such that the lower opening  3 B as an air blowing port is separated from the liquid A. Arranged on an outside of the cylindrical body  3  are upper and lower metal draining meshes  8  and  9  as liquid removing means. 
     The liquid removing means may not be metal draining meshes but may be filters, impellers, cyclone centrifugal separators, or the like. 
     The polluted air PA taken in from the air inlets  5 ,  5 , . . . is pressurized by the air blower  4  and blown from the upper opening  3 A into the cylindrical body  3 . The polluted air PA then rotates and descends in a spiral manner by rotation of blades of the air blower  4  and contact with an inner wall surface of the cylindrical body  3 , and is blown out of the lower opening  3 B as an air blowing port toward the liquid surface so as to collide with the liquid A, and plunges into a container bottom (a bottom of the liquid container  2 A), and then is agitated and mixed with the liquid A. The clean air CA having been agitated and mixed with the liquid A is raised on the outside of the cylindrical body  3 , and then is discharged from the air outlets  6 ,  6 , . . . . 
     Arranging a whorl-like grill or the like under the blades of the air blower  4  can provide a stronger spiral rotating force. 
     In this arrangement, the degree of agitation and mixture of the polluted air PA and the liquid A depends on specification data such as air volume and air pressure at the air blower  4 , shape and length in a vertical direction of the cylindrical body  3 , and amount (depth) of the liquid A. For example, if the cylindrical body  3  is too short in a vertical direction, the polluted air PA does not descend in a spiral manner or descends in a weaken spiral manner, and if the cylindrical body  3  is too long in a vertical direction, larger friction loss is generated to lower the air pressure. In either case, there is a tendency that the polluted air PA and the liquid A are agitated and mixed to a lowered degree. 
     Therefore, according to the specifications of air purifying performance and the like required for the air cleaning device  1 , the foregoing specification data is determined by experiment or simulation or the like, such that the polluted air PA pressurized by the air blower  4  and blown into the cylindrical body  3  rotates and descends in a spiral manner so as to collide with the liquid A, and plunges into the container bottom, and then is agitated and mixed to a desired degree. 
     For reference, Tables 1 to 3 show results of testing at which mixing states of the air and the liquid are observed with a distance set at 20 mm between the lower opening  3 B as an air blowing port and the surface of the liquid A, using an AC fan produced by Sanyo Denki Co., Ltd. (model no. 109S075UL) as the air blower  4 . 
     It can be understood from the test results in Table 1 with variations in shape of the cylindrical body  3 , that a circular cylindrical body with the upper and lower openings  3 A and  3 B identical in diameter produces a more favorable mixing state than a cylindrical body with the upper and lower openings  3 A and  3 B decreased or increased in diameter downward. It can be understood from the test results in Table 2 with variations in length of the cylindrical body  3 , that the mixing state becomes more weakened with increase of length in the cylindrical body  3 . It can be understood from the test results in Table 3 with variations in liquid amount and liquid depth, that the mixing state becomes more weakened with increase of liquid amount and liquid depth. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 Diameter of upper 
                 115 mm 
                 115 mm 
                 115 mm 
               
               
                 opening 3A 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Diameter of lower 
                 115 mm 
                  90 mm 
                 130 mm 
               
               
                 opening 3B 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Length of cylindrical 
                 230 mm 
                 230 mm 
                 230 mm 
               
               
                 body 3 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Distance between 
                  20 mm 
                  20 mm 
                  20 mm 
               
               
                 lower opening 3B 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 and liquid surface 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Mixing state 
                 Liquid rotates 
                 Decreased amount of 
                 Preferred amount of air 
               
               
                   
                 favorably in 
                 air is blown into 
                 is blown into liquid, but 
               
               
                   
                 agitation and 
                 liquid. Mixing 
                 pressure of air blown into 
               
               
                   
                 mixing. Mixing 
                 state is slightly 
                 liquid is low. Mixing state 
               
               
                   
                 state is favorable. 
                 insufficient. 
                 is slightly insufficient. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 Diameter of upper 
                 115 mm 
                 115 min 
                 115 mm 
               
               
                 opening 3A 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Diameter of lower 
                 115 mm 
                 115 mm 
                 115 mm 
               
               
                 opening 3B 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Length of cylindrical body 3 
                 115 mm 
                 230 mm 
                 345 mm 
               
               
                 Distance between 
                  20 mm 
                  20 mm 
                  20 mm 
               
               
                 lower opening 3B and 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 liquid surface 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Mixing state 
                 Liquid swells 
                 Liquid rotates 
                 Pressure of air blown 
               
               
                   
                 vigorously 
                 favorably in 
                 into liquid is low, and 
               
               
                   
                 in agitating and 
                 agitation and 
                 agitation and mixing are 
               
               
                   
                 mixing. Mixing 
                 mixing. Mixing 
                 weakened. Mixing 
               
               
                   
                 state is extremely 
                 state is favorable. 
                 state is slightly 
               
               
                   
                 favorable. 
                   
                 insufficient. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 3 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 Diameter of upper 
                 115 mm 
                 115 mm 
                 115 mm 
               
               
                 opening 3A 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Diameter of lower 
                 115 mm 
                 115 mm 
                 115 mm 
               
               
                 opening 3B 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Length of cylindrical body 3 
                 230 mm 
                 230 mm 
                 230 mm 
               
               
                 Distance between lower 
                  20 mm 
                  20 mm 
                  20 mm 
               
               
                 opening 3B and liquid 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 surface 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Liquid amount and 
                 600 ml, 50 mm 
                 400 ml, 30 mm 
                 200 ml, 20 mm 
               
               
                 liquid depth 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Mixing state 
                 Liquid does not rotate 
                 Liquid rotates, 
                 Liquid is mixed  
               
               
                   
                 vigorously, and is mixed 
                 well bubbles, 
                 vigorously and 
               
               
                   
                 only by its upper  
                 and spatters 
                 bubbles entirely. 
               
               
                   
                 portion of about 1 to  
                 around. 
                 Mixing state  
               
               
                   
                 2 cm. Mixing state is  
                 Mixing state is 
                 is extremely 
               
               
                   
                 slightly insufficient. 
                 favorable. 
                 favorable. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     According to the foregoing configuration of the air cleaning device  1 , the polluted air PA taken in from the air inlets  5 ,  5 , . . . is pressurized by the air blower  4  so as to rotate and descend in a spiral manner, and is blown from the lower opening  3 B as an air blowing port toward the liquid surface, and collides with the liquid A and plunges into the container bottom, and then is agitated and mixed with an approximately total amount of the liquid A, as if the air is washed by the liquid. Therefore, the polluted air PA taken in from the air inlets  5 ,  5 , is allowed to contact the liquid A with efficiency. 
     Accordingly, it is possible to remove pollutants such as dust, dirt, molds, ticks, pollens, and the like, in an efficient manner. In addition, if the liquid A is sterilizing fluid, it is also possible to kill and remove pollutants such as viruses, germs, and the like, in an efficient manner. If the liquid A is deodorant fluid, it is possible to eliminate bad odors of cigarette, formalin, and the like, in an efficient manner. If the liquid A is water, it is possible to remove dust from construction sites, plants, and the like, in an efficient manner. 
     In addition, the thus configured air cleaning device does not require a pump or a nozzle as described in Patent Document 1 or a pump or a reflector as described in Patent Document 2. Further, differently from the configuration described in Patent Document 3 with rotation of the guide fixed to the rotation shaft of the air blower and extended in the cleaning water, in this configuration, the cylindrical body  3  arranged under the air blower is not driven and the lower opening  3 B of the cylindrical body  3  as an air blowing port is separated from the surface of the liquid A, which eliminates the need for a large-capacity air blower or motor and prevents a structure from being complicated. This makes it possible to suppress increase in consumption of energy such as electrical power and manufacturing costs. 
     In addition, upper and lower metal draining meshes  8  and  9  as liquid removing means are arranged in the middle of a flow path in which the clean air CA having been purified by being agitated and mixed with the liquid A is raised on the outside of the cylindrical body  3  and is discharged from the air outlets  6 ,  6 , . . . . Accordingly, the clean air CA is cleared of the liquid by the liquid removing means before being discharged from the air outlets  6 ,  6 , . . . . 
     This makes it possible to suppress a content of the liquid in the discharged clean air CA and reduce decrease in amount of the liquid A in the container main body  2 , thereby to realize longer time intervals between tasks of refilling the liquid A. 
     In this arrangement, as shown by a partial longitudinal sectional view of  FIG. 3 , a bar-like body  10  is provided so as to stand on the bottom of the liquid container  2 A as a liquid containing part for containing the liquid A and extend toward an approximate center of the cylindrical body  3 , thereby to decrease by the bar-like body  10  a passage section of the polluted air PA blown from the cylindrical body  3  and colliding with the liquid A. Accordingly, the polluted air PA rotating and descending in a spiral manner has an increased pressure to facilitate agitation and mixing of the polluted air PA and the liquid A, which allows the polluted air PA taken in from the air inlets  5 ,  5 , . . . to contact the liquid A with higher efficiency. 
     In addition, as shown in the partial longitudinal sectional view of  FIG. 4 , baffles  11  may be provided so as to project from the bottom of the liquid container  2 A. According to this configuration, agitation and mixing of the polluted air PA spirally rotating and descending and the liquid A are facilitated by the agitation facilitating effect of the baffles  11 , which allows the polluted air PA taken in from the air inlets  5 ,  5 , . . . to contact the liquid A with higher efficiency. 
     The baffles  11  may be provided so as to project from portions of the side parts of the liquid container  2 A immersed in the liquid A. 
     Further, as shown in the partial longitudinal sectional view of  FIG. 5 , an agitator  12  formed by a motor  13  and agitating blades  14  may be arranged on the bottom of the liquid container  2 A. According to this configuration, agitation and mixing of the polluted air PA spirally rotating and descending and the liquid A are facilitated by the agitation facilitating effect of the agitator  12 . This allows the polluted air PA taken in from the air inlets  5 ,  5 , . . . to contact the liquid A with higher efficiency. 
     Moreover, as shown in the partial longitudinal sectional view of  FIG. 6 , the air cleaning device may be configured in such a manner that: the liquid A is pumped up and pressurized, and is ejected upward from a nozzle  17  so as to collide with the reflector  18 ; the polluted air PA blown from the upper opening  3 A into the cylindrical body  3  so as to rotate and descend in a spiral manner, contacts the liquid A colliding with and scattered by the reflector  18 , in an internal mixing space B within the cylindrical body  3 ; a mixture of the polluted air PA falling from the cylindrical body  3  and the scattered liquid A, collides with a puddle of liquid in the container main body  2  and plunges into the bottom of the liquid container  2 A such that the polluted air PA is agitated and mixed with the liquid A; and the clean air CA having been agitated and mixed with the liquid A is raised on the outside of the cylindrical body  3  and discharged outside the container main body  2 . 
     Specifically, the air cleaning device  1  shown in  FIG. 6  has a pump  15  for pumping up and pressurizing the liquid A sucked and fixed by suction cups  15 A,  15 A, . . . to the liquid container  2 A at a center of an upper surface of the bottom plate. The pump  15  has a discharge opening to which the upwardly directed nozzle  17  is attached directly or via a pipe  16  extending in a vertical direction. Accordingly, the liquid A is ejected as an upward jet flow from the nozzle  17 . 
     In addition, arranged above the nozzle  17  is the bowl-shaped reflector  18  opened downward and separated inward from the cylindrical body  3 , which collides with the liquid A ejected upward from the nozzle  17 . Arranged under the reflector  18  is a bowl-shaped guide body  19  opened downward and separated inward from the cylindrical body  3 , which receives the liquid A colliding with and reflected on the reflector  18 , and guides the same outward. 
     In the configuration of  FIG. 6 , the guide body  19  is attached to an upper end of the pipe  16  and the reflector  18  is fixed above the guide body  19  using bar-like support members  20 ,  20 , . . . extending in a vertical direction. Alternatively, the reflector  18  may be supported by the cylindrical body  3  using bar-like support members extending in a horizontal direction, for example. 
     In addition, the reflector  18  and the guide body  19  under the same may not be formed in a bowl-like, downwardly-opened shape, but may be formed in the shape of a hemisphere, a partial hemisphere, a paraboloid, an umbrella, a flat plane, or the like, or may be formed in three dimensions, not two dimensions. 
     Further, the guide body  19  is not an essential component, and the reflector  18  may be singly provided. 
     According to the configuration of the air cleaning device  1  shown in  FIG. 6 , the polluted air PA taken into the container main body  2  is pressurized by the air blower  4 , and rotates and descends in a spiral manner by rotation of the blades of the air blower  4  and contact with the inner wall surface of the cylindrical body  3 , and the liquid A as a jet flow ejected from the nozzle  17  is scattered by collision with the reflector  18  separated inward from the cylindrical body  3 , and the polluted air PA spirally rotating and descending and the liquid A colliding with and scattered by the reflector  18  are brought into contact within the cylindrical body  3 , and a mixture of the polluted air PA and the liquid A sharply falls in a bubble state. 
     The bubbled mixture collides with the liquid A contained in the lower part of the container  2 , and penetrates through the puddle of liquid and plunges into the bottom of the liquid containing part  2 A (container bottom). Accordingly, the entire liquid puddle is also strongly agitated and mixed in a spiral manner so as to bubble, swell, and increase in volume, as if the polluted air PA is washed by the liquid A. Therefore, the polluted air PA taken into the container main body  2  is allowed to contact the liquid A with extremely high efficiency. 
     Accordingly, it is possible to remove pollutants such as dust, dirt, molds, ticks, pollens, and the like, in a highly efficient manner. In addition, if the liquid A is sterilizing fluid, it is also possible to kill and remove pollutants such as viruses, germs, and the like, in a highly efficient manner. If the liquid A is deodorant fluid, it is possible to eliminate bad odors of cigarette, formalin, and the like, in a highly efficient manner. If the liquid A is water, it is possible to remove dust from construction sites, plants, and the like, in a highly efficient manner. 
     Besides, if the polluted air PA taken in from the air inlets  5 ,  5 , . . . is hot wind, for example, the hot wind can be cooled down by airborne droplets of the liquid A colliding with and reflected on the reflector  18  and scattered in various directions. In addition, since the liquid A as a jet flow collides from below with the reflector  18  heated by transfer of forced convection heat from the hot wind, the hot wind can be cooled down via the reflector  18  by high-efficiency colliding jet cooling. Accordingly, in any of cases where the liquid A is sterilizing fluid or deodorant fluid or water, this configuration is suited for cooling hot air in working sites or the like at high temperatures. 
     Considering these cooling characteristics, the reflector  18  is preferably formed by metal with high thermal conductivity, such as copper or aluminum. 
     Moreover, differently from the configuration described in Patent Document 3 with rotation of the guide fixed to the rotation shaft of the air blower and extended in the cleaning water, in this configuration, the cylindrical body  3  arranged under the air blower  4  is not driven and the lower opening  3 B of the cylindrical body  3  as an air blowing port is separated from the surface of the liquid A, which eliminates the need for a large-capacity air blower or motor and prevents a structure from being complicated. This makes it possible to suppress increase in consumption of energy such as electrical power and manufacturing costs. 
     Further, when the guide body  19  is provided to receive the liquid A colliding with and reflected from the reflector  18  and guide the same outward, a part of the liquid A scattered by collision with the upper reflector  18 , further collides with the lower guide body  19 , and is guided outward and scattered by the guide body  19 . Accordingly, airborne droplets of the thus scattered liquid A are guided into the mixing space B inside the cylindrical body  3 . This increases the density of the airborne droplets of the liquid within the mixing space B, which allows the polluted air PA taken in from the outside to contact the liquid A with higher efficiency. 
     The air cleaning device  1  described above has one air blower  4  arranged above the cylindrical body  3 . Alternatively, a plurality of air blowers may be arranged above the cylindrical body  3 . For example, two, three, four, or more air blowers may be arranged in parallel in a horizontal direction (in a horizontal plane). 
     In addition, the air cleaning device  1  described above includes the container main body  2  that is an approximately circular cylinder in appearance. However, the appearance of the container main body  2  is not limited to an approximately circular cylinder but the container main body  2  may be formed in any other shape such as a polygonal column. 
     Further, the shapes of the air inlets  5 ,  5 , . . . and the air outlets  6 ,  6 , . . . are not limited to those in this embodiment, but these air inlets and outlets may be provided as round holes, slits, long holes, with any appropriate size. 
     Moreover, the air inlets may be formed in a top plate as an upper surface of the air blower assembly  2 B (container main body  2 ) or may be used in conjunction with the air inlets  5 ,  5 , . . . in the side surface of the air blower assembly  2 B. 
     In addition, the connecting member  2 C may be eliminated between the liquid container  2 A and the air blower assembly  2 B. The range of vertical division of the container main body  2  and the division structure of the same are not limited to those in this embodiment. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Reference Signs List 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 A 
                 Liquid (sterilizing fluid, deodorant fluid, or water) 
               
               
                   
                 B 
                 Mixing space 
               
               
                   
                 CA 
                 Clean air 
               
               
                   
                 PA 
                 Polluted air 
               
               
                   
                 1 
                 Air cleaning device 
               
               
                   
                 2 
                 Container main body 
               
               
                   
                 2A 
                 Liquid container (liquid containing part) 
               
               
                   
                 2B 
                 Air blower assembly 
               
               
                   
                 2C 
                 Connecting member 
               
               
                   
                 3 
                 Cylindrical body 
               
               
                   
                 3A 
                 Upper opening (air blowing port) 
               
               
                   
                 3B 
                 Lower opening (air discharging port) 
               
               
                   
                 4 
                 Air blower 
               
               
                   
                 5 
                 Air inlet 
               
               
                   
                 6 
                 Air outlet 
               
               
                   
                 7 
                 Louver 
               
               
                   
                 8, 9 
                 Metal mesh (liquid removing means) 
               
               
                   
                 10 
                 Bar-like body 
               
               
                   
                 11 
                 Baffle 
               
               
                   
                 12 
                 Agitator 
               
               
                   
                 13 
                 Motor 
               
               
                   
                 14 
                 Agitating blade 
               
               
                   
                 15 
                 Pump 
               
               
                   
                 15A 
                 Suction cup 
               
               
                   
                 16 
                 Pipe 
               
               
                   
                 17 
                 Nozzle 
               
               
                   
                 18 
                 Reflector 
               
               
                   
                 19 
                 Guide body 
               
               
                   
                 20  
                 Support member 
               
               
                   
                 21  
                 Power cord 
               
               
                   
                 22  
                 Power plug 
               
               
                   
                 23  
                 Switch