HK1237022B - Dehumidifying device - Google Patents

Description

Dehumidification device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a dehumidification device for use in living spaces and the like.

Background Art

Dehumidifiers are now available to reduce humidity in living spaces and increase comfort.

An example of a conventional dehumidifier includes a main body shell, a dehumidifying unit disposed within the main body shell, and a fan configured to blow air from the air outlet to the outside of the main body shell after passing through the dehumidifying unit and sucked from the air intake port.

The dehumidifier comprises a refrigeration cycle comprising a compressor, a radiator, an expander, and a heat absorber connected in sequence in a loop. A portion of the air drawn into the main housing through the air intake by the fan is blown out of the main housing through the heat absorber, a first passage of the heat exchanger, and the radiator through the air outlet. The remaining portion of the air drawn into the main housing through the air intake by the fan is blown out of the main housing through the second passage of the heat exchanger and the radiator through the air outlet (e.g., Patent Document 1).

The above-mentioned conventional dehumidifier causes part of the air sucked into the main body shell from the air inlet by the fan to cool and condense in the heat absorber, and then blown out of the main body shell from the air outlet through the first passage of the heat exchanger and the radiator.

In addition, in the conventional dehumidifier, the other part of the air sucked from the air intake port by the fan passes through the second passage of the heat exchanger and is blown out of the main body casing from the air outlet via the radiator.

That is, the indoor air passing through the second passage of the heat exchanger is cooled by the air flowing from the heat absorber to the first passage of the heat exchanger, where condensation occurs.

However, there is a problem that the indoor air passing through the second passage of the heat exchanger is blown out of the main body casing from the air outlet in a state where dew condensation is insufficient.

In other words, even though the air flowing into the first path of the heat exchanger has condensed in the heat absorber, even if cooled by the heat absorber, it is not as cold as the heat absorber. Therefore, even if the air flowing into the second path is cooled using the air flowing into the first path, it may not be able to cool enough to cause condensation in the air flowing into the second path. In this case, the air passing through the second path is released into the room in an undehumidified state, resulting in a low dehumidification effect.

Prior art literature

Patent Literature

Patent Document 1: A microfilm of the specification sheet attached at the beginning of the application form in the application for Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 56-20628

Summary of the Invention

Therefore, the present invention provides a dehumidification device with improved dehumidification effect.

A dehumidifier according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a main body casing having an air intake port and an air outlet; a dehumidifier unit that dehumidifies the air within the main body casing using a refrigeration cycle comprising a compressor, a radiator, an expander, and a heat absorber connected in sequence; and a fan that passes air from outside the main body casing, drawn in through the air intake port, through the dehumidifier unit, and then blows it out of the main body casing through the air outlet. The dehumidifier unit also includes a heat exchanger having a first passage and a second passage independent of the first passage, and exchanging heat between air flowing in the first passage and air flowing in the second passage. The dehumidifier unit also includes a first dehumidification path that allows a portion of the air drawn into the main body casing through the air intake port by the fan to pass through the heat absorber, the first passage of the heat exchanger, and the radiator, and then blow it out of the main body casing through the air outlet. The dehumidifier unit also includes a second dehumidification path that allows the remaining portion of the air drawn into the main body casing through the air intake port by the fan to pass through the second passage of the heat exchanger and the radiator, and then blow it out of the main body casing through the air outlet. Furthermore, the heat exchanger is configured such that the amount of air flowing through the second passage of the heat exchanger is smaller than the amount of air flowing through the first passage of the heat exchanger.

According to the above features, the air flowing through the first passage of the heat exchanger can fully condense the air flowing through the second passage. In other words, condensation can also be generated in the heat exchanger portion, thereby improving the dehumidification effect as a whole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG1 is a perspective view of a dehumidification device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG1 .

FIG3 is an exploded perspective view of the heat exchanger of the dehumidification device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG4 is a cross-sectional view of a dehumidification device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG5 is a control block diagram of a dehumidification device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG6 is a diagram illustrating an operating state of a dehumidifier according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG7 is an operation flow chart of the dehumidification device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG8 is a cross-sectional view of a dehumidification device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG9 is a cross-sectional view of a dehumidifier according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following describes embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are merely examples of specific embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. Throughout the drawings, identical components are denoted by identical reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted. Furthermore, in each drawing, detailed descriptions of components not directly related to the present invention are omitted.

(First embodiment)

As shown in Figure 1, the dehumidifier 50 of this embodiment has a box-shaped main body casing 1 as its outer shell, which is divided into the outside and the inside of the main body casing 1. An air intake port 2 is arranged at the upper portion of the back side of the main body casing 1, and an air intake port 3 is arranged below the air intake port 2. An air outlet 4 is arranged on the front side of the main body casing 1, opposite the back side. An operating unit 25 is arranged at the top of the main body casing 1.

The air intake port 2 and the air intake port 3 are provided on a rectangular plane for taking in air from a direction perpendicular to the back surface.

A louver 31 for changing the direction of air blown out from the air outlet 4 is provided above the air outlet 4 .

The operation unit 25 receives input from the user and displays information on the dehumidification device, such as the operation mode and the current humidity, to the user.

As shown in FIG. 2 , an air passage 34 , a fan 6 , and a dehumidifying unit 5 are provided in a main body casing 1 of the dehumidifying device 50 .

The air passage 34 connects the air intake port 2 and the air intake port 3 with the air outlet 4. In the present embodiment, the air passage 34 is composed of two dehumidification paths, namely, a first dehumidification path and a second dehumidification path, which will be described in detail later.

The blower 6 includes a motor 32 and a fan 33 connected to the rotating shaft of the motor 32 to draw in and out air. The blower 6 draws air from outside the main body casing 1 through the air intake ports 2 and 3, passes through the dehumidifier 5, and then blows it out of the main body casing 1 through the air outlet 4. The air passage is the air passage 34.

The dehumidifier 5 is composed of a refrigeration cycle in which a compressor 7, a radiator 8, an expander 9, and a heat absorber 10 are connected in this order in a loop. The refrigeration cycle uses, for example, a freon substitute (HFC134a) as a refrigerant.

Furthermore, within the main body housing 1, a heat absorber 10 is provided on the air inlet 2 and air inlet 3 sides (upstream in the air flow direction) of the air passage 34. Furthermore, a radiator 8 is provided on the air outlet 4 side (downstream in the air flow direction) of the air passage 34.

A space is provided between the heat absorber 10 and the radiator 8 , and a sensible heat exchanger 11 is arranged in the space.

That is, in the main body shell 1, a heat absorber 10 is provided on the air inlet 2 and air inlet 3 side of the air passage 34 communicating from the air inlet 2 and air inlet 3 to the air outlet 4, followed by a heat exchanger 11 and then a radiator 8.

Furthermore, a funnel-shaped water collection portion 12a is provided in the main body casing 1 below the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11. Furthermore, a water collection tank 12b is detachably disposed below the water collection portion 12a.

That is, in the dehumidifier 50 , condensation occurs in the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11 , and condensed water generated by the condensation is collected by the water collecting portion 12 a and flows into the water collecting tank 12 b .

Next, the detailed structure of the heat exchanger 11 will be described using Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the heat exchanger 11 is constructed by alternately stacking a plurality of synthetic resin plates 13 forming longitudinal air paths and synthetic resin plates 14 forming transverse air paths.

Furthermore, on the front surface of the synthetic resin plate 13 forming the longitudinal air duct, a plurality of ribs 15 extending in the longitudinal direction are formed at predetermined intervals and are integrally formed with the plate 13. One surface of the rib 15 is in close contact with the back surface of the adjacent plate 14, thereby forming a longitudinal air duct 13a, or second passage, by the front surface of the plate 13, the ribs 15, and the back surface of the plate 14.

Similarly, on the front surface of the synthetic resin plate 14 forming the lateral airflow path, a plurality of ribs 16 extending in the transverse direction are formed at predetermined intervals and are integrally formed with the plate 14. One surface of the rib 16 is in close contact with the back surface of the adjacent plate 13, thereby forming a lateral airflow path 14a, i.e., a first passage, by the front surface of the plate 14, the ribs 16, and the back surface of the plate 13.

The longitudinal air passage 13a and the transverse air passage 14a have independent air passage spaces, that is, no air flows back and forth.

Furthermore, the heat exchanger 11 constructed in the above manner is in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. However, the rectangular parallelepiped shape does not necessarily require all faces to be strictly rectangular, and all adjacent faces do not need to intersect perpendicularly. In other words, the rectangular parallelepiped shape can be a hexahedron at first glance.

In heat exchanger 11, openings 17 for the first passage are formed on the opposing long sides of the rectangular parallelepiped. Furthermore, openings 18 for the second passage are formed on the opposing short sides of the rectangular parallelepiped. In other words, the air passage of the second passage is longer than the air passage of the first passage.

The opening 17 has an upstream opening 17 a on the heat absorber 10 side and a downstream opening 17 b on the radiator 8 side.

The opening 18 has an upstream opening 18a on the air intake port 2 side, and a downstream opening 18b on the water collecting portion 12a side (vertically downward).

Next, the operation of the dehumidifier will be described using FIG. 2 .

Air X is drawn into the main body casing 1 through the air intake port 3 by driving the fan 6. The air X passes through the heat absorber 10, the upstream opening 17a of the heat exchanger 11, the first lateral passage, the downstream opening 17b, the radiator 8, and the fan 6, and is then blown out of the main body casing 1 through the air outlet 4. The path of this air X is the first dehumidification path described above. Furthermore, the air X is the air drawn in through the air intake port 3, that is, the portion of the air drawn in through the air intake port 3.

The air X flowing along this path is first cooled by the heat absorber 10, causing condensation. As shown in FIG2 , the condensed water drips downward, is collected by the funnel-shaped water collecting portion 12a, and flows into the water collecting tank 12b.

Furthermore, since the dry air X after condensation is blown out of the main body casing 1 from the air outlet 4 , it is possible to reduce the humidity in the room, for example.

On the other hand, air Y is sucked into the main body shell 1 from the air intake port 2 by driving the fan 6. The air Y passes through the second longitudinal passage from the upstream opening 18a of the heat exchanger 11, and is blown out of the main body shell 1 from the air outlet 4 via the downstream opening 18b, the radiator 8, and the fan 6. The path of this air Y is the above-mentioned second dehumidification path. In addition, the air Y is the air sucked in from the air intake port 2 among the air intake ports 2 and the air intake ports 3, that is, the other part of the air that can be defined as the sucked-in air. In addition, in this embodiment, the total amount of air sucked into the dehumidification device 50 is obtained by adding the two airs, namely, a part of the air and the other part of the air.

3 , the heat exchanger 11 has a first horizontal passage (the passage for air X) and a second vertical passage (the passage for air Y) formed in a cross-sectional structure. Therefore, the air flowing through the first passage (air X) and the air flowing through the second passage (air Y) can exchange heat.

As described above, the air X flowing through the first horizontal path of the heat exchanger 11 is cooled by passing through the heat absorber 10. Therefore, the heat exchanger 11 can lower the temperature of the air Y flowing through the second path, which does not pass through the heat absorber 10, through heat exchange. Taking advantage of this, the heat exchanger 11 is used to cause condensation in the air Y flowing through the second path.

In order to generate condensation, in the present embodiment, the amount of air Y flowing through the second passage of the heat exchanger 11 is smaller than the amount of air X flowing through the first passage of the heat exchanger 11 .

Specifically, the heat exchanger 11 makes the ventilation resistance of the second passage (the passage for the air Y) larger than the ventilation resistance of the first passage (the passage for the air X).

Specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG2 , heat exchanger 11 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. Furthermore, openings 17 for the first passage are formed on the opposing long sides, as shown in FIG3 , and openings 18 for the second passage are formed on the opposing short sides. By making the opening area of openings 17 on the long sides larger than the opening area of openings 18 on the short sides, the air resistance in the second passage is made greater than that in the first passage, from the perspective of the air flow toward blower 6.

Furthermore, since the ventilation resistance of the second passage (passage for air Y) of the heat exchanger 11 is made greater than the ventilation resistance of the first passage (passage for air X), less air Y flows through the second passage than air X flows through the first passage.

Therefore, the cooled air X flowing through the first passage sufficiently cools the air Y which is smaller than the air X flowing through the second passage, and condensation can be generated.

As a result, condensed water is also generated in the air Y flowing through the second passage, as shown in Fig. 2. The condensed water then drips downward from the second passage, is collected by the funnel-shaped water collecting portion 12a, and flows into the water collecting tank 12b.

The dried air Y after condensation is blown out of the main body casing 1 from the air outlet 4 via the downstream opening 18b of the heat exchanger 11, the radiator 8, and the fan 6. This can reduce the indoor humidity, for example.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2 , the downstream opening portion 18 b of the heat exchanger 11 is an inclined surface inclined toward the radiator 8 .

That is, the downstream opening 18 b is tilted toward the radiator 8 that is next in line, so that the air Y flows smoothly toward the radiator 8 .

Furthermore, the inclined surface guides the condensed water dripping from the second passage further toward the downwardly tapering tip 54 at the downstream opening 18b. The condensed water guided to the tip 54 mixes with other condensed water, increasing its weight. This promotes the dripping of condensed water and allows it to drain away more effectively, preventing water droplets from accumulating and causing air resistance.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, by adopting the above-described configuration, the flow rate ratio of the air X to the air Y is set to 26 to 18.

Specifically, the amount of air flowing through the second passage (the passage for air Y) of heat exchanger 11 is reduced compared to the amount of air flowing through the first passage (the passage for air X) of heat exchanger 11. This allows sufficient condensation to form in the air flowing through the second passage (the passage for air B), even if the temperature of the air flowing through the first passage (the passage for air X) of heat exchanger 11 is slightly higher than that of heat absorber 10. As a result, condensation can be partially formed in heat exchanger 11, improving the overall dehumidification effect.

Furthermore, by providing the opening 17 for the first passage on the opposite long sides, the passage length of the second passage is made longer than that of the first passage. This prolongs the cooling time of the air Y flowing in the second passage by the air X, thereby improving the dehumidification efficiency.

(Second embodiment)

Next, a dehumidification device according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG4 , FIG5 , FIG6 , and FIG7 .

The dehumidifier 51 of the present embodiment is characterized in that the dehumidifier 50 of the first embodiment is provided with an air flow regulator that increases or decreases the amount of air flowing through the second passage of the heat exchanger 11 .

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 , the air flow rate adjustment unit is composed of an opening and closing unit 19 that opens and closes the second passage of the heat exchanger 11 and a driving unit 20 that drives the opening and closing unit 19 .

Opening/closing section 19 is a flat plate disposed between air intake 2 and upstream opening 18a of the second passage, with an area encompassing upstream opening 18a. Opening/closing section 19 is rotatably supported about a drive section 20, which is provided at the end of upstream opening 18a opposite to air intake 2. This rotation opens and closes upstream opening 18a of heat exchanger 11, i.e., the second passage.

The opening and closing portion 19 is located so as to cover the upstream opening 18a when closed, that is, to restrict the flow of air into the heat exchanger 11. Furthermore, when open, the opening and closing portion 19 is configured such that the short side near the air intake port 2 is lifted upward with the drive portion 20 as the rotation axis, thereby allowing air to flow into the upstream opening 18a.

The drive unit 20 functions as a rotation axis of the opening and closing unit 19 and rotatably supports the opening and closing unit 19 near the upper end of the radiator 8. The drive unit 20 corresponds to, for example, a motor and a gear rotationally driven by the motor.

5 , the driving unit 20 is connected to the control unit 21 together with the fan 6 and the compressor 7 .

Furthermore, the control unit 21 is connected to a first temperature sensor 22 for detecting the temperature of air entering the air intake port 3 shown in FIG. 4 , a second temperature sensor 23 for detecting the temperature of the heat absorber 10 , a memory 24 , and an operation unit 25 .

The operation unit 25 includes: a physical switch provided on the upper outer surface of the main body casing 1 for the user to instruct the dehumidifier 51 to change the operation mode or select a function; and a display panel for displaying information about the dehumidifier to the user.

The control unit 21 is a microcomputer, for example, that controls the operation of the dehumidifier 51 by reading and executing an operating program from a memory 24 storing the operating program. The control unit 21 receives temperature signals from, for example, the first temperature sensor 22 and the second temperature sensor 23, and based on these signals, controls the operation of the fan 6, compressor 7, drive unit 20, and the like. The following describes in detail the various processes performed by the control unit 21.

Next, the processing of the control unit 21 based on the temperature signals from each temperature sensor will be described.

When the dehumidifier 51 is started, if the temperature (t1) of the air entering the air intake port 3 detected by the first temperature sensor 22 is higher than the first set temperature (te, for example, 18°C), the control unit 21 performs the action shown in "normal temperature" in Figure 6.

That is, the fan 6 and the compressor 7 are in the ON state, i.e., driven, and the opening and closing unit 19 is opened as shown in Figure 4. By opening, the opening and closing unit 19 opens the upstream opening 18a, enabling the above-mentioned dehumidification operation (steps S1 and S2 in Figure 7).

When the temperature (t1) of the air entering the air intake port 3 detected by the first temperature sensor 22 is lower than the first set temperature (te, for example, 18°C), the control unit 21 performs the operation shown in "Low Temperature" in FIG. 6 .

That is, the fan 6 and the compressor 7 are driven, and the opening and closing section 19 is closed by the driving section 20. By closing, the opening and closing section 19 closes the upstream opening 18a, and the dehumidification operation is performed in this state (steps S2 and S3 in FIG. 7 ).

In this state, air X drawn from the air inlet 3 by the fan 6 is first cooled by the heat absorber 10, where condensation occurs. The condensed water produced by the condensation drips downward, is collected by the funnel-shaped water collecting portion 12a, and flows into the water collecting tank 12b.

Furthermore, the dried air X after condensation occurs is blown out of the main body casing 1 from the air outlet 4 via the upstream opening 17a of the heat exchanger 11, the first lateral passage, the downstream opening 17b, the radiator 8, and the fan 6. This can, for example, reduce the humidity in the room.

However, below the set temperature, that is, in a low temperature state, frosting is likely to occur in the heat absorber 10. In this case, the ventilation resistance of the heat absorber 10 increases, so the balance of air resistance in the first and second paths changes. That is, the air volume of air X decreases, and the air volume of air Y increases. Moreover, the air volume in the heat absorber 10 decreases, thereby further promoting frost formation. Therefore, under this low temperature condition, the opening and closing part 19 is closed. That is, by closing the second dehumidification path, even if the fan 6 is driven, the air Y does not flow into the second path of the heat exchanger 11. In this way, the suction force of the fan 6 can be fully utilized for the suction of the first path, and the air volume passing through the heat absorber 10 can be increased. As a result, even when frost begins to form, the air flowing in the heat absorber 10 can be increased, that is, the promotion of frost formation can be suppressed, and the dehumidification operation for removing frost can be continued.

In this state, when the initial operating time (TS), for example, 25 minutes has passed (step S4 in FIG. 7 ), a determination is made as to whether the second temperature sensor 23 (ts) detecting the temperature of the heat absorber 10 portion is below the second set temperature (t0, for example, 0.5° C.) The initial operating time (TS) is the time from the start of the operation indicated by the "low temperature" setting described above.

When the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 23 (ts) is lower than the second set temperature (t0, for example, 0.5°C), the control unit 21 performs the operation shown in "Anti-Icing" in FIG. 6 (steps S5 and S6 in FIG. 7 ).

In this state, frost is spreading on the surface of the heat absorber 10 due to continued operation at a low temperature, so the control unit 21 executes an anti-icing operation for eliminating the frost.

During the anti-icing operation, the control unit 21 stops the compressor 7 and drives the fan 6 while the opening and closing unit 19 is closed (step S6 in FIG. 7 ).

During the anti-icing operation, the air X sucked in by the fan 6 from the air inlet 3 is blown to the heat absorber 10 to remove frost on the surface of the heat absorber 10. The anti-icing operation lasts for 10 minutes (Td: anti-icing cumulative time).

After the anti-icing cumulative time (Td) has elapsed, the control unit 21 obtains the temperature of the second temperature sensor 23 (ts), which detects the temperature of the heat absorber 10. The control unit 21 terminates the anti-icing operation (steps S7 and S9 in FIG7 ) when the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 23 (ts) reaches or exceeds a second set temperature (t0, e.g., 0.5° C.) (steps S8 and S9 in FIG7 ), or when the set time Td (e.g., 10 minutes) has elapsed.

As described above, simply by adjusting the air volume using the air flow control unit as shown in the "Low Temperature" operation, it is possible to suppress the progression of frost formation and perform dehumidification while removing frost. In other words, even when frost forms, dehumidification can be continued while removing frost, achieving effective dehumidification.

(Third embodiment)

Next, a dehumidification device according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 8 .

The dehumidifier 52 of this embodiment is characterized by, as shown in Figure 8 , providing a third dehumidification path for air Z in addition to the first dehumidification path for air X and the second dehumidification path for air Y in the first embodiment. Air Z is another portion of the air drawn in through the air intake port 2 or 3. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the total amount of air drawn into the dehumidifier 52 is calculated by adding together the portion of air, the other portion of air, and the other portion of air. In other words, the other portion of air can be the portion of the total amount of air drawn into the dehumidifier 52 excluding the portion of air and the other portion of air.

The other part of the air (air Z) sucked by the blower 6 from the air inlet 2 or 3 passes through the upper portion 8 a of the radiator 8 and is blown out of the main body casing 1 from the air outlet 4 without passing through the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11 .

The path through which the air Z passes, that is, the path through which the air Z is blown out of the main body casing 1 from the air outlet 4 via only the radiator 8 without passing through the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11 , is a third dehumidification path.

Here, radiator 8 protrudes vertically upward from the upper ends of heat absorber 10 and heat exchanger 11. This protruding portion corresponds to upper portion 8a and can be a portion of radiator 8 located above the height center of radiator 8. Furthermore, "vertically upward" refers to the position above when dehumidifier 52 is in a normal operating state.

In the present embodiment, the air Z passes through the upper portion 8a of the radiator 8. The air X and the air Y pass through other portions of the radiator 8 located below the upper portion 8a of the radiator 8 through which the air Z passes.

The air Z flowing through such a path cools the upper portion 8a of the radiator 8. Therefore, the radiator 8 is cooled, and as a result, the heat absorber 10 is cooled, and the dehumidification capacity of the dehumidifier 52 can be improved.

Specifically, the refrigerant, which has reached a high temperature in the compressor 7, initially flows into the upper portion 8a of the radiator 8. Specifically, the temperature of the upper portion 8a of the radiator 8 is higher than that of the rest of the radiator 8. Since the higher-temperature upper portion 8a of the radiator 8 is cooled by the air Z, the radiator 8 can be effectively cooled. As a result, the radiator 8 is cooled, and the heat absorber 10 is cooled, thereby improving the dehumidification capacity of the dehumidifier 52.

In addition, since the refrigerant that has become high temperature due to the compressor 7 is gasified, the upper portion 8a of the radiator 8 is usually connected to the compressor 7. Then, through the cooling of the radiator 8, the refrigerant is liquefied and moves vertically downward. Therefore, in this embodiment, the air Z passes through the upper portion 8a, thereby improving the cooling effect of the radiator 8. However, the structure is not limited to the upper portion 8a being connected to the compressor 7. In this case, the air Z can be passed through the vicinity of the connection portion on the compressor 7 side of the connection portion on the compressor 7 side and the connection portion on the expander 9 side of the radiator 8. The temperature of the connection portion on the compressor 7 side is higher than the temperature of the connection portion on the expander 9 side, so the third dehumidification path is formed to pass through the connection portion on the compressor 7 side of the radiator 8, thereby allowing the air Z to effectively cool the radiator 8.

Furthermore, by adding air Z, the total air volume (the volume of air X+air Y+air Z) can be increased.

Furthermore, since the air Z cools the upper portion 8 a of the radiator 8 , the temperature of the air Z when it is blown out of the main body casing 1 through the air outlet 4 increases compared to when it is sucked in through the air intake port 2 or 3 .

As a result of the above, air having a higher temperature, lower humidity, and a larger total volume is blown out of the main body casing 1 from the air outlet 4 , compared with the configuration of the first embodiment.

Therefore, when clothes are dried in a living space or the like using a dehumidifier, the drying effect can be improved.

Furthermore, the amount of air Y flowing through the second passage of the heat exchanger 11 is smaller than the amount of air X flowing through the first passage of the heat exchanger 11 .

In the present embodiment, the amount of air Z is preferably smaller than the amount of air Y flowing through the second passage of the heat exchanger 11. Specifically, the ventilation resistance of air Z is preferably greater than the ventilation resistance of air Y.

According to this configuration, since the amounts of the air X and the air Y that contribute to dehumidification can be sufficiently ensured, the dehumidification capacity of the dehumidifier can be more effectively improved.

(Fourth embodiment)

Next, a dehumidification device according to a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 9 .

The dehumidifier 53 of this embodiment is characterized in that, as shown in FIG. 9 , in the heat exchanger 11 having the structure shown in the first embodiment, the upstream opening 18 a of the second passage is formed as an inclined surface 55 inclined toward the air intake port 2 .

In the present embodiment, a circuit board 61 serving as a control unit for controlling the operation of the dehumidifier 53 is provided above the heat exchanger 11 in the main body casing 1. The circuit board 61 is disposed close to the heat exchanger 11.

Air Y drawn into the main body casing 1 through the air intake port 2 by the fan 6 passes through the gap formed between the circuit board 61 and the heat exchanger 11 and flows into the heat exchanger 11 from the upstream opening 18a of the second passage. It then passes through the radiator 8 and the fan 6 and is blown out of the main body casing 1 from the air outlet 4. Meanwhile, air X drawn into the main body casing 1 through the air intake port 3 by the fan 6 passes through the heat absorber 10 and flows into the heat exchanger 11 from the upstream opening 17a of the first passage. It then flows out from the downstream opening 17b and is blown out of the main body casing 1 from the air outlet 4 through the radiator 8 and the fan 6. At this time, heat exchange occurs between air X and air Y in the heat exchanger 11, causing condensation in the second passage.

Here, among the air Y passing through the second passage, the air passing through the portion close to the radiator 8 has a small cooling effect by the heat exchanger 11, and thus condensation is less likely to occur.

That is, the air used to cool the air passing through the second passage is the air passing through the first passage. Furthermore, the air X flowing through the first passage flows into the heat exchanger 11 from the upstream opening 17a located on the heat absorber 10 side and flows out from the downstream opening 17b located on the radiator 8 side. Thus, the air passing through the second passage near the heat absorber 10 is first cooled, and then the air passing through the second passage near the radiator 8 is cooled.

Therefore, the air X flowing through the first path first exchanges heat with the air passing through the second path near the heat absorber 10, thereby being heated. While this heated air is being heated, the air in the second path near the radiator 8 is cooled. As a result, the temperature difference with the air passing through the second path near the radiator 8 decreases, slowing the heat exchange rate. Due to the slow heat exchange rate, the air is less likely to be cooled, making it less likely for condensation to form in the second path.

Furthermore, the direction of the air Y taken in from the air intake port 2 changes suddenly when it flows into the second passage of the heat exchanger 11 , so that a deviation in the air volume occurs in the second passage.

Specifically, the air Y drawn in through the air intake 2 on the back of the main body housing 1 flows horizontally. However, the upstream opening 18a of the second passage opens vertically (vertically upward), causing the air flow to make a sharp turn. At this point, inertia deflects the flow of air Y, causing more air to flow into the portion of the second passage near the radiator 8, on the outside of the turn. Furthermore, since more air flows into the portion of the second passage near the radiator 8, this air is cooled to its dew point, causing condensation to form, requiring more cooling heat. However, as described above, the air passing through the portion of the second passage near the radiator 8 is less likely to be cooled, making condensation less likely to form.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the upstream opening 18a of the heat exchanger 11 is formed as an inclined surface 55 inclined toward the air intake port 2, thereby facilitating cooling of the air passing through the second passage near the radiator 8. This will be described in detail below.

The length of the downstream opening 17b of the first passage in the longitudinal direction is extended in the direction of the upper portion 8a of the radiator 8. The height after extension can be located at a position higher than the downstream end of the heat absorber 10 (the upper end of the heat absorber 10 in FIG9 ). As a result, the upstream opening 18a is inclined toward the air intake port 2. As a result, the passage length of the portion of the second passage close to the radiator becomes longer, and the time it takes to pass through the heat exchanger 11 can be increased. As a result, even if the temperature difference is small and the heat exchange speed is slow, heat exchange can be performed for a longer time, so as a result, the heat exchange amount can be increased. Since the heat exchange amount can be increased, the cooling amount of the air flowing in the portion of the second passage close to the radiator 8 is increased, and the formation of condensation can be increased.

Furthermore, by extending the longitudinal length of the downstream opening 17b of the first passage and tilting the upstream opening 18a toward the air intake port 2, the air Y is more likely to flow into the portion of the second passage near the heat absorber 10, thereby alleviating the air volume deviation. That is, the passage length of the second passage from the heat absorber 10 to the radiator 8 increases, and the ventilation pressure loss increases, making it difficult for air Y to flow into the portion near the radiator 8. In any case, it is easier to flow into the portion near the heat absorber 10, so the air volume deviation in the second passage is alleviated. By alleviating the air volume deviation, the amount of air flowing in the portion of the second passage near the radiator 8 decreases, and the amount of cooling heat required to cool to the dew point temperature decreases. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the amount of condensation generated by the air flowing in the portion of the second passage near the radiator 8.

As described above, the generation of condensation by the air flowing through the portion of the second passage of the heat exchanger 11 close to the radiator 8 can be further increased, and the dehumidification performance can be further improved.

(Variation)

Furthermore, the four aforementioned embodiments illustrate a configuration in which the air intake is divided into two. However, in this embodiment, the air flow distribution between the various passages utilizes the air resistance of each passage. This approach eliminates the need for a two-part air intake; a single air intake can achieve the same effect.

Furthermore, when the amount of air passing through each passage is distributed using the opening area of the air intake port instead of using air resistance, a plurality of air intake ports corresponding to the respective air amounts may be provided.

Furthermore, while the control unit is not described in the first and third embodiments, the control unit described in the second embodiment may be provided in the first and third embodiments. In this case, the control unit operates the dehumidifier by sending control commands to the compressor and fan. Of course, the control unit described in the second embodiment may be incorporated into the control unit described in the fourth embodiment.

The above four embodiments can be implemented simultaneously within a range without contradiction. For example, a configuration of providing a dehumidification device provided with an air flow control unit and a third dehumidification path corresponds to this.

Industrial applicability

The present invention can also generate condensation in the heat exchanger portion, and is therefore extremely useful as a dehumidification device with a high dehumidification effect.

Description of Reference Numerals

1 Main body shell

2, 3 Air intake

4 Air outlet

5 Dehumidification unit

6 Fan

7 Compressor

8 Radiator

8a upper part

9 Expander

10 Heat sink

11 Heat exchanger

12a Water catchment

12b Water collection tank

13, 14 plate body

13a Longitudinal air passage (second passage)

14a Horizontal air passage (1st passage)

15, 16 ribs

17, 18 openings

17a, 18a Upstream opening

17b, 18b Downstream opening

19 Opening and closing part

20 Drive unit

21 Control Unit

22 1st temperature sensor

23 2nd temperature sensor

24 Memory

25 Operation Department

31 louver

32 Electric Motor

33 Fan

34 Air passage

50, 51, 52, 53 Dehumidification devices.

Claims (14)

1. A dehumidification device, characterized in that it comprises: The main body shell has an air intake and an air outlet; A dehumidification section that uses a refrigeration cycle consisting of a compressor, radiator, expander and absorber connected in sequence to dehumidify the air inside the main body shell; A fan that draws air from outside the main body shell through the air inlet, passes it through the dehumidifier, and then blows it out of the main body shell through the air outlet. A heat exchanger having a first passage and a second passage independent of the first passage, and allowing air flowing in the first passage to exchange heat with air flowing in the second passage; A portion of the air drawn into the main body housing by the fan from the air intake is blown out of the main body housing through the heat absorber, the first passage of the heat exchanger, and the first dehumidification path from the air outlet to the outside of the main body housing via the radiator; and The remaining portion of the air drawn into the main body housing by the fan from the air intake is blown out of the main body housing through the second passage of the heat exchanger and the second dehumidification path from the air outlet of the radiator. The heat exchanger is a cuboid shape with an opening for a first passage on one of its opposite long sides and an opening for a second passage on one of its opposite short sides. By making the opening area of the first passage larger than the opening area of the second passage, the air resistance of the second passage is greater than that of the first passage. The configuration is such that the amount of air flowing in the second passage of the heat exchanger is less than the amount of air flowing in the first passage of the heat exchanger. 2. The dehumidification device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In the heat exchanger, the first passage intersects with the second passage. 3. The dehumidification device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The downstream opening of the second passage is an inclined surface that slopes toward the heat sink side. 4. The dehumidification device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The upstream opening of the second passage is an inclined surface that slopes toward the air intake side. 5. The dehumidification device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The heat absorber is installed on the air intake side of the air passage from the air intake to the air outlet, followed by the heat exchanger, and then the radiator. 6. The dehumidification device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: A water collection section is provided below the heat absorber and the heat exchanger inside the main shell. 7. The dehumidification device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: An airflow regulating unit is provided to increase or decrease the airflow in the second passage. 8. The dehumidification device as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The airflow regulating unit consists of an opening/closing part for opening and closing the second passage and a driving part for driving the opening/closing part. 9. The dehumidification device as described in claim 8, characterized in that: The opening and closing part is disposed between the air intake and the second passage. 10. The dehumidification device as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that it comprises: The drive unit; The fan; The compressor; A first temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the air entering the air intake; and The control unit uses the drive unit to close the opening and closing unit when the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor is below the first set temperature. 11. The dehumidification device as described in claim 10, characterized in that: Includes a second temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the heat absorber. When the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor is below the first set temperature, the control unit drives the fan and the compressor while the second passage of the heat exchanger is closed by the opening and closing unit. When the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is below the second set temperature, the fan is driven and the compressor is stopped while the second passage of the heat exchanger is closed by the opening and closing part. 12. The dehumidification device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: This includes a third dehumidification path that allows a portion of the air drawn into the main body housing by the fan from the air inlet to be blown out of the main body housing via the radiator from the air outlet, bypassing the heat absorber and the heat exchanger. 13. The dehumidification device as described in claim 12, characterized in that: The third dehumidification path passes through the connection on the compressor side of the radiator. 14. The dehumidification device as described in claim 12, characterized in that: The amount of air flowing in the third dehumidification path is less than the amount of air flowing in the second path.