Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to minimize ozone production while increasing the production of an active species. The plasma generating device (100) comprises: a pair of electrodes (21, 22) in which dielectric films (21a, 21b) are disposed on at least one opposing face; voltage application means (4) for applying a pulse voltage across the electrodes (21, 22) to bring about a plasma discharger; and fluid circulation holes (21b, 22b) that are disposed in locations corresponding to the electrodes (21, 22), respectively, and that are configured to pass entirely therethrough. The plasma generating device is also configured such that a fluid passing through the fluid circulation holes (21b, 22b) comes into contact with the plasma, generating ions or radicals, wherein the voltage applying means (4) varies the peak value and/or the pulse width of the pulse voltage applied across the electrodes (21, 22).

Abstract: A method to manufacture a carbon fiber electrode comprises synthesizing polyamic acid (PAA) as a polyimide (PI) precursor from pryomellitic dian hydride (PMDA) and oxydianiline (ODA) as monomers and triethylamine (TEA) as a catalyst, adding dimethylformamide (DMF) to the polyamic acid (PAA) solution to prepare a spinning solution and subjecting the spinning solution to electrostatic spinning at a high voltage to obtain a PAA nanofiber paper, converting the PAA nanofiber paper into a polyimide (PI) nanofiber paper by heating, and converting the polyimide (PI) nanofiber paper into a carbon nanofiber (CNF) paper by heating under an Ar atmosphere. Also, the method to manufacture a polyimide carbon nanofiber electrode and/or a carbon nanotube composite electrode may utilize carbon nanofibers having diameters that are lessened by optimizing electrostatic spinning in order to improve spinnability.

Abstract: The sterilizing effect of particle irradiation on microorganisms for the sterilizing treatment thereof can be evaluated. The evaluation can be done by supplying microorganisms in the space inside a container (8), allowing particles (7) for the sterilizing treatment of microorganisms to irradiate the microorganisms, sampling the microorganisms by a sampling means (6) after the irradiation of the particles (7) and measuring the sampled microorganisms. The microorganisms as the subject for the sterilizing treatment can be a combination of one or more members selected from the group consisting of bacteria, mycete, viruses and allergens. As the particles, for example, positive ions, negative ions, and gases of positive ions and negative ions in mixture, charged particles such as ? rays and ? rays, various plasma gas particles, particles such as ozone and radical particles, and particles of chemical agent can be used.

Abstract: An ion generating device generates O2?(H2O)n (where n is a natural number) as negative ions and H+(H2O)m (where m is a natural number) as positive ions, and discharges those ions into the air so that airborne germs are killed through an oxidation reaction by hydrogen peroxide H2O2 or radical hydroxyl OH generated through as an active species a chemical reaction between the negative and positive ions. Satisfactory sterilization is achieved when the negative and positive ions are generated in such a way that the concentrations of the negative and positive ions are both 10,000 ion/cc at a distance of 10 cm from the point at which they are generated.

Abstract: A deionization apparatus for regenerating electrodes using vibration and a method of controlling the same. The deionization apparatus includes electrodes to which ions contained in a fluid are absorbed, and a piezoelectric element to separate the ions absorbed to the electrodes by vibration. Since the ions absorbed to the electrodes are separated using mechanical energy generated by the piezoelectric element, it may be possible to more rapidly perform regeneration of the electrodes.

Abstract: When the electrically driven fan (14) of a vacuum cleaner is driven, air containing dust is drawn into the cleaner main body (1) through a hose (7) connected to a hose socket (8) and is exhausted into the outside of the cleaner main body (1) through an exhaust port (1b) via first and second suction passageways (10, 13). Disposed outside the first suction passageway (10) is an ion generator (23), it being arranged that plus and minus ions generated in the ion generator (23) are fed to the air stream flowing in the first suction passageway (10). Since the plus and minus ions kill floating germs in the air stream, the exhaust can be purified.

Abstract: The present invention obtains both the feature of deodorizing by means of active species and the feature of killing floating and attached bacteria by releasing the active species to the exterior of a device. The present invention is provided with a pair of electrodes (21, 22), electrode (21) being arranged with the dielectric film (21a) on the surface facing electrode (22) and electrode (22) being arranged with dielectric film (22a) on the surface facing electrode (21), wherein plasma is discharged when a predetermined voltage is applied between the electrodes (21, 22). The present invention is configured in a manner such that a fluid through-hole (21b, 22b) is disposed on and through each electrode (21, 22) on a corresponding location, and is characterized in that at least a portion of the outline of the corresponding fluid through-holes (21b, 22b) are positioned at a different position from one another when viewing from face plate direction of the electrodes.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to minimize ozone production while increasing the production of an active species. The plasma generating device (100) comprises: a pair of electrodes (21, 22) in which dielectric films (21a, 21b) are disposed on at least one opposing face; voltage application means (4) for applying a pulse voltage across the electrodes (21, 22) to bring about a plasma discharger; and fluid circulation holes (21b, 22b) that are disposed in locations corresponding to the electrodes (21, 22), respectively, and that are configured to pass entirely therethrough. The plasma generating device is also configured such that a fluid passing through the fluid circulation holes (21b, 22b) comes into contact with the plasma, generating ions or radicals, wherein the voltage applying means (4) varies the peak value and/or the pulse width of the pulse voltage applied across the electrodes (21, 22).

Abstract: An electrode module capable of improving productivity by integrally bonding a current collector and a pair of electrodes using a protective film. The current collector receives power from an external power supply, and the pair of electrodes receives power from the current collector. The current collector and electrodes are integrally bonded by thermocompression using a protective film.

Abstract: A method of evaluating performance of an activation gas deactivating an antigenic substance including the steps of causing the antigenic substance and the activation gas to react with each other, to obtain a processed antigenic substance, and causing an antibody against the antigenic substance with the processed antigenic substance to measure binding activity of the processed antigenic substance with the antibody is provided, whereby an evaluation method that can accurately and easily evaluate performance of an activation gas deactivating an antigenic substance is provided.

Abstract: A capacitive deionization apparatus, wherein a spacing distance between electrodes of cells is uniformly maintained and a flow in the cells is optimized to improve efficiency of the deionization apparatus and contact resistance between a carbon material and a collector is reduce to improve electrical conductivity, is disclosed. The capacitive deionization apparatus which includes a plurality of electrode modules, each having a collector and electrodes disposed on upper and lower surfaces of the collector to electrically and chemically remove ions from liquid, includes a plurality of plates made of a stiff material are alternately stacked with the electrode modules such that the electrode modules are spaced at specific intervals, wherein the collector and the electrodes are pressed by a pair of adjacent plates among the plurality of plates to maintain a contact therebetween.

Abstract: An ion generating device generates O2?(H2O)n (where n is a natural number) as negative ions and H+(H2O)m (where m is a natural number) as positive ions, and discharges those ions into the air so that airborne germs are killed through an oxidation reaction by hydrogen peroxide H2O2 or radical hydroxyl OH generated through as an active species a chemical reaction between the negative and positive ions. Satisfactory sterilization is achieved when the negative and positive ions are generated in such a way that the concentrations of the negative and positive ions are both 10,000 ion/cc at a distance of 10 cm from the point at which they are generated.

Abstract: The sterilizing effect of particle irradiation on microorganisms for the sterilizing treatment thereof can be evaluated. The evaluation can be done by supplying microorganisms in the space inside a container (8), allowing particles (7) for the sterilizing treatment of microorganisms to irradiate the microorganisms, sampling the microorganisms by a sampling means (6) after the irradiation of the particles (7) and measuring the sampled microorganisms. The microorganisms as the subject for the sterilizing treatment can be a combination of one or more members selected from the group consisting of bacteria, mycete, viruses and allergens. As the particles, for example, positive ions, negative ions, and gases of positive ions and negative ions in mixture, charged particles such as a rays and ? rays, various plasma gas particles, particles such as ozone and radical particles, and particles of chemical agent can be used.

Abstract: Disclosed are a food heat-exchange device capable of rapidly freezing food stored in a refrigerator or thawing frozen food in the refrigerator, and a refrigerator having the same. The refrigerator includes a body in which a storage compartment is defined, and the food heat-exchange device is mounted in the storage compartment, to enable thawing or rapid-freezing of food. The food heat-exchange device includes a heat-exchange plate, which is provided at a surface thereof with a contact portion to come into contact with food and at the other surface thereof with a pin to facilitate heat-exchange.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of deactivating an antigenic substance by causing positive and negative ions to act on the antigenic substance, and the positive and negative ions are caused to act in an atmosphere in which each of positive ion concentration and negative ion concentration is at least about 50,000/cm3, and more preferably, at least about 100,000/cm3.

Abstract: A washing machine having a water softening device which improves the solubility of a detergent and a water softening performance concurrently. The washing machine includes a tub; a water supply device for supplying water to the tub; a detergent supply device for supplying a detergent to the tub; and a water softening device for softening the water. The water softening device is disposed such that the water supplied from the water supply device can be mixed with the detergent supplied from the detergent supply device and then the water mixed with the detergent can be supplied to the water softening device.

Abstract: An ion generating device generates O2?(H2O)n (where n is a natural number) as negative ions and H+(H2O)m (where m is a natural number) as positive ions, and discharges those ions into the air so that airborne germs are killed through an oxidation reaction by hydrogen peroxide H2O2 or radical hydroxyl OH generated through as an active species a chemical reaction between the negative and positive ions. Satisfactory sterilization is achieved when the negative and positive ions are generated in such a way that the concentrations of the negative and positive ions are both 10,000 ion/cc at a distance of 10 cm from the point at which they are generated.

Abstract: A deionization apparatus for regenerating electrodes using vibration and a method of controlling the same. The deionization apparatus includes electrodes to which ions contained in a fluid are absorbed, and a piezoelectric element to separate the ions absorbed to the electrodes by vibration. Since the ions absorbed to the electrodes are separated using mechanical energy generated by the piezoelectric element, it may be possible to more rapidly perform regeneration of the electrodes.

Abstract: An ion generating device generates O2?(H2O)n (where n is a natural number) as negative ions and H+(H2O)m (where m is a natural number) as positive ions, and discharges those ions into the air so that airborne germs are killed through an oxidation reaction by hydrogen peroxide H2O2 or radical hydroxyl OH generated through as an active species a chemical reaction between the negative and positive ions. Satisfactory sterilization is achieved when the negative and positive ions are generated in such a way that the concentrations of the negative and positive ions are both 10,000 ion/cc at a distance of 10 cm from the point at which they are generated.

Abstract: Disclosed are a food heat-exchange device capable of rapidly freezing food stored in a refrigerator or thawing frozen food in the refrigerator, and a refrigerator having the same. The refrigerator includes a body in which a storage compartment is defined, and the food heat-exchange device is mounted in the storage compartment, to enable thawing or rapid-freezing of food. The food heat-exchange device includes a heat-exchange plate, which is provided at a surface thereof with a contact portion to come into contact with food and at the other surface thereof with a pin to facilitate heat-exchange.