JP2003083568A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Problem] To supply clean and negative ion-containing air to the indoor side as air supply, and to achieve a sufficient amount of humidification in winter, providing a comfortable indoor environment for all seasons. The purpose is to do. SOLUTION: In an air conditioner which connects an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, a water filter mechanism unit supplied with water from a water supply is provided in the outdoor unit, and outside air is passed through the water filter mechanism unit by a blowing fan. The air conditioner is configured such that the outside air is introduced into the indoor unit ventilation circuit via a connection duct connecting the indoor unit and the outdoor unit.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner having a function of introducing outside air from the outdoors to a room and a humidifying function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional example, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-717.
As shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 53-53, there has been proposed one having an air supply / exhaust ventilation function inside an indoor unit. In addition, JP-A-10-32
Japanese Patent No. 4955 proposes that a reversible blower fan is provided inside the indoor unit to provide a supply / exhaust ventilation function. However, arranging the blower fan inside the indoor unit is severely limited in size and noise, and it is not possible to obtain a satisfactory blower fan capacity. In addition, JP-A-10-26798
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8 discloses a fan in which a blower fan is arranged on a wall of a house from an indoor unit through a through hole. JP-A-11-
Japanese Patent No. 6105 proposes a mechanism in which a ventilation fan is provided inside the outdoor unit to exhaust air from the indoor unit using a ventilation duct.

Regarding the humidifying function, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-294
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 795 discloses that an outdoor unit is provided with a total heat exchange element to perform dehumidifying air supply in summer and humidifying air supply in winter.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-128681 proposes a configuration in which a humidifying unit for adsorbing moisture in the air with an adsorbent is provided inside the outdoor unit or inside the indoor unit.

[0004]

However, among the air supply / exhaust ventilation functions, the air supply function cannot be used at all when the air in the outdoor environment is severely polluted, and if used, it returns to pollute the indoor air. Therefore, it was a function with many restrictions.

Further, it has been difficult to obtain a sufficient humidifying function using an adsorbent when the outside air temperature is low and the relative humidity is low.

The present invention is to solve such a conventional problem, and as the air supply, clean air containing negative ions can be introduced to the indoor side as a supply air, and humidification in winter can be directly connected to a water supply. The purpose is to provide a sufficient amount of humidification and to provide a comfortable indoor environment all seasons.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention relates to an air conditioner in which an indoor unit and an outdoor unit are connected to each other, and a water filter mechanism section for supplying water from tap water into the outdoor unit. Is provided, and the outside air is passed through the water filter mechanism section by a blower fan, and the outside air is introduced into the room.

With the above-mentioned constitution, dust such as dust and pollen and an unpleasant odorous component are cleanly removed by the water filter as the air supply, so that fresh air supply can be provided. Negative ions can be abundantly generated in the water filter mechanism, and the negative ions generated by such a Leonard method have a long life until they are attenuated, so that they can reach the indoor space sufficiently. In addition, since humidification in winter is also performed by directly connecting the water supply, it is possible to achieve a sufficient amount of humidification even if the user is satisfied.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 is an air conditioner in which an indoor unit and an outdoor unit are connected to each other, and a water filter mechanism section is provided by supplying water from the tap water into the outdoor unit. The air conditioner is characterized in that outside air is passed through the water filter mechanism section by a blower fan and then introduced into the room.

The invention according to claim 2 is an air conditioner in which the outside air is introduced into an indoor unit blow circuit through a connecting duct connecting the indoor unit and the outdoor unit.

The third aspect of the present invention is the air conditioner in which the water filter mechanism section has a structure in which water is sprayed from a large number of nozzles.

The invention according to claim 4 is an air conditioner in which the water filter mechanism section has a cylindrical shape, and the outside air is introduced into the water filter mechanism section in a spiral direction by a blower fan.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a water storage part for collecting and circulating water after being sprayed by the water filter mechanism part in the outdoor unit, and the heating heater is provided in the water storage part. It is an air conditioner.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air conditioner in which the outside air that has passed through the water filter mechanism section is heated by a heater for heating and then introduced into the room.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a water storage part for collecting and circulating water after being sprayed by the water filter mechanism part in the outdoor unit, and the water storage part is provided with a thermoelectric element. It is an air conditioner.

[0016] The invention according to claim 8 is an air conditioner in which a bacterium growth preventing member or a bacterium growth preventing device is arranged in the water storage portion.

The invention according to claim 9 is an air conditioner in which the bacterial growth preventing member contains allyl isothiocyanate.

The invention according to claim 10 is an air conditioner in which the bacterium propagation preventing device is configured to apply a DC voltage of 0.5 to 1 V between the positive and negative electrodes.

The invention according to claim 11 is an air conditioner provided with a mechanism part for spraying water discharged from the water storage part to the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit.

[0020]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of an air conditioner. Reference numeral 1 is an indoor unit, 2 is an outdoor unit, and 3 is a pipe cover of a connecting portion connecting the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. Inside the pipe cover, the gas side copper pipe 4 and the liquid side copper pipe 5 necessary for constructing a refrigeration cycle with the separated indoor unit and outdoor unit, the air supply and humidification duct 6, and the connecting electric wire ( (Not shown) and the drain pipe 7 are the main constituent members. Reference numeral 8 is a water faucet, 9 is a water supply hose, and the water is directly supplied from the water faucet 8 to the outdoor unit.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram for explaining a portion showing the air supply and humidification functions inside the outdoor unit. In this embodiment, the components necessary for embodying the indoor air supply and humidification functions are arranged inside the main body of the outdoor unit 2. Reference numeral 10 is an air supply port, which serves as an opening for introducing outside air into the water filter mechanism section. A sirocco fan 11 blows the outside air taken in through the air supply port 10 to the water filter mechanism section. Reference numeral 12 denotes a water filter mechanism portion, which has a cylindrical drum shape and has a double pipe structure inside, and a large number of water supply nozzles 14 are arranged in the outer peripheral pipe portion 13, and the inner surface to the outer surface are provided. Water about 0.5 to 2
By spraying with a water pressure of kgf / cm2, fine water droplets of about 5 to 30 µm can be generated. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of the water filter mechanism portion as viewed from above, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of the water filter mechanism portion at line A in FIG. The air supplied from the sirocco fan 11 is once guided to the end along the outside of the water filter mechanism unit 12, and then introduced and sprayed so that the air passes through the outer peripheral pipe unit 13 while swirling in a spiral direction. Peripheral tube 1 while colliding with water droplets
When it reaches the end of No. 3, it passes through the inner peripheral pipe portion 15, returns in the opposite direction, and passes through the water filter mechanism portion 12.

At this time, dust in the air, dust such as pollen, and contaminated odorous substances are violently collided with the sprayed water and are taken into the water droplets and removed from the air. Further, the sprayed water droplets obtain sufficient energy, so that the water particles are equivalently dissociated and aligned toward the surface of the water particles by the dipole orientation, and the water particles become negative ions.
This phenomenon is generally called the Leonard effect.
As a result, fresh air that is in a purified state is created while containing a moisture content close to the saturated water vapor concentration and a large amount of negative ions. Negative ions generated by this Leonard effect take much longer to decay than those of the corona discharge type, and even if the air is blown to the indoor unit side afterwards, a considerable amount of negative ions can be retained in the air. . Further, the water for spraying used at this time is the water supplied from the water faucet 8 through the water hose 9 to the water storage section 16.
After being stored in, the electric pump 17 supplies the water from the water storage portion 16, and basically, the electric pump 17 continuously circulates the water. The sprayed water turns into water vapor and is discharged by vaporization, so it gradually decreases, and once the amount of water in the water storage section 16 reaches below a certain level, the water is temporarily removed from the water storage section 16. The water is discharged through the discharge port 18 and new water is introduced from the water faucet 8.
At this time, water is supplied from the water faucet 8, so there is no need to worry about a shortage of water supply. After the dust and odor in the air are removed by the water filter mechanism unit 12, the water storage unit 16
Since the amount of water that is collected is reduced, the water accumulated here will be in a state where pollutants are concentrated, so rather than using it as a water filter while adding water regularly It was preferable to discharge the water and introduce new water into the water storage section 16. In addition, the water storage section 16
A heater 19 for heating is provided at the bottom of the water heater, and is used for spraying the water in the water storage portion 16 in a warm state to some extent in winter.

After that, the treated air is further guided to the water droplet separating section 20. The water drop separating portion 20 has an upper portion having a cylindrical shape and a lower portion having a substantially conical shape, and the air that has flowed in in the tangential direction of the cylindrical portion descends in a spiral flow, and from the lower portion having the substantially conical shape. Exhaust port 21 arranged in the upper part of the center which is inverted and rises in the central part by a spiral flow
It is configured to be discharged from the outside. At this time, since a large centrifugal force acts on the air, even among the moisture-containing air that has passed through the water filter mechanism portion 12, large water droplet particles collide with and adhere to the outer wall of the water droplet separating portion 20 and drop downward. Become. The dropped water has a structure that joins the water storage unit 16 where the water circulating in the water filter mechanism unit 12 is stored. By further classifying the water that has passed through the water filter mechanism unit 12 in the water droplet separating unit 20, it is possible to supply small and uniform moisture, which is an aggregate of water molecules, called a water cluster, to the indoor side. Also has the effect of keeping the decay time of negative ions long. The air that has passed through the exhaust port 21 from the water droplet separation unit 20 is finally introduced into the indoor unit air blowing circuit via the air supply and humidification duct 6 while being heated to some extent by the heater 22 for heating.

The input operation to the heating heaters 19 and 22 is adjusted according to the weather condition due to seasonal changes. When supplying air with an emphasis on humidification in the cold season such as in winter, the nozzle 14 is used while heating the water to about 40 ° C. by the heater 19 for heating.
Is sprayed from. When sprayed, the temperature of the air drops due to the latent heat of vaporization of water, but if the water is heated to about 40 ° C, it is possible to create air with a saturated steam concentration of about 30 ° C.
Further, in order to prevent the dew condensation of moisture in the air blowing path to the indoor unit, the relative humidity can be lowered by heating the air by the heater 22 for heating, and the dew condensation can be prevented in the duct path. . Further, in the spring or autumn, it is not necessary to input the heating heater 19, and if only the heating heater 22 is input, the relative humidity in the duct can be reduced and dew condensation can be prevented.

By adjusting the condition of water spray from the nozzle 14 according to the condition of dust and odor contained in the outside air,
It is possible to limit the amount of moisture brought into the room, and it is also possible to provide an air supply function that suppresses moisture.

The water in the water storage section 16 is regularly replaced for the purpose of preventing the growth of germs, but it is possible to prevent the germs from growing by heating the water to about 80 ° C. with the heater 19 for heating. is there.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram for explaining a portion showing the air supply and humidification functions inside the outdoor unit. Since the structure for embodying the air supply and humidifying functions to the indoor side of this embodiment is almost the same as that of the first embodiment, the description of the overlapping detailed parts will be omitted and only the different parts will be described. In this embodiment, the water storage section 16
A fungus breeding prevention member 23 is arranged at the bottom of the to prevent the growth of miscellaneous bacteria there. In this example, allyl isothiocyanate is encapsulated for this purpose in a laminated film of laminated viscose paper. Similarly, a thermoelectric element 24 is arranged at the bottom of the water storage section 16 so that the water can be cooled. The function of air supply is necessary in the summer and rainy season, but we do not want to bring moisture into the room as much as possible. Therefore, if water is sprayed while being cooled to about 10 ° C, it is further cooled by the latent heat of vaporization of water,
Since the saturated steam temperature can be lowered considerably, it is possible to supply air without discomfort. Even when the saturated steam temperature is low, the negative ions can be supplied to the inside of the room to some extent.
It is possible to maintain at 000 cells / ml.

In the present example, an encapsulated allyl isothiocyanate having an antibacterial effect was used for the purpose of preventing the propagation of various bacteria. However, if the drug having the antibacterial property is encapsulated in the capsule and used, Can be gradually transferred to water and the antibacterial effect can be maintained for a long period of time. In addition to this, it is also possible to use a bacterial growth prevention device. Specifically, by providing positive and negative copper electrode plates in the water storage part and applying a DC voltage of 0.5 to 1 V constantly or periodically, it is possible to obtain the effect of preventing bacterial growth in water. Is. Further, providing an ultraviolet lamp in the water storage section to irradiate water is also an effective means for preventing bacterial growth.

(Embodiment 3) In this embodiment as well, the construction for embodying the air supply and humidification functions to the indoor side is substantially the same as that of the embodiment 1, so that the description of the overlapping detailed portions will be omitted and different portions will be omitted. Will be added only. FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining a portion showing the heat exchanger cooling mechanism in the outdoor unit.

In this embodiment, an electric pump 25 is disposed after the discharge port 18, and the water discharged from the water reservoir 16 through the discharge port 18 is heated by the electric pump 25 to the upper part of the outdoor heat exchanger 26. It is guided to the water spray pipe portion 27 arranged along the shape of the exchanger 26. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between the heat exchanger 26 and the water spray pipe portion 27. The water spray pipe portion 27 is located upstream of the heat exchanger 26 in the blowing circuit, and a large number of nozzles 28 are provided in the water spray pipe portion 27 so that water can be sprayed to the upper portion on the outer peripheral side of the heat exchanger 26. Has been.

As a result, during the summer cooling operation, the latent heat of vaporization of water promotes heat dissipation from the heat exchanger, and the cooling performance can be improved. If it is used in this way, not only can waste water not needed be discarded, but effective energy utilization can be achieved.

In this embodiment, the outside air is introduced into the room by using the blower circuit of the indoor unit. However, another unit is installed inside the room and the outside air is introduced into the room from the other unit.
The means does not matter.

[0034]

As is apparent from the above-described embodiments, according to the inventions of claims 1 and 2, dust such as dust, pollen and the like and unpleasant odorous components are cleanly removed by the water filter as the air supply. Can provide fresh air supply. Negative ions can also be generated in the water filter mechanism, and the negative ions generated by such a Leonard method have a long life, and can sufficiently reach the indoor space. In addition, since humidification in winter is also performed by directly connecting the water supply, it is possible to achieve a sufficient amount of humidification even if the user is satisfied.

According to the third aspect of the invention, sufficient energy can be given to the water particles by spraying water from a large number of nozzles. As a result, the water particles are equivalently dissociated and then aligned toward the surface of the water particles by the dipole orientation, and the water particles become negative ions. Also, water particles can be sufficiently reacted with air by the spraying method, and the efficiency of removing dust and odor can be improved.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, by introducing the outside air into the water filter mechanism portion in the spiral direction, centrifugal force acts on the air, and dust and odor contained in the outside air can be sufficiently eliminated.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the heater for heating is provided in the water reservoir to heat the water to a temperature necessary for humidification in winter, and the saturated steam temperature after spraying. Can be set to a sufficiently high temperature, and rapid humidification can be supported.

According to the sixth aspect of the invention, the relative humidity in the air can be reduced by heating the air with the heater for heating before the air is blown from the outdoor unit body to the duct. It is possible to prevent dew condensation in the duct before the air blown to the side reaches.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, by disposing the thermoelectric element in the water storage portion, the internal water can be cooled, and the saturated steam temperature after spraying can be sufficiently lowered. As a result, it is possible to supply air without feeling uncomfortable even in the season when it is not desirable to carry in indoor units as much as possible in summer.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, by taking sufficient antibacterial measures against the accumulated water in the water storage section, it is possible to suppress the introduction of various bacteria into the indoor side.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, by encapsulating allyl isothiocyanate, the allyl isothiocyanate is gradually transferred into water, whereby the antibacterial effect can be maintained for a long period of time.

According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to semi-permanently prevent the growth of bacteria by continuously or periodically applying a DC voltage of 0.5 to 1 V between the positive and negative electrodes. . Further, if the applied voltage is 0.5 to 1 V, it can be said that there is almost no problem considering the conductivity of water. That is, the leakage current is not so great, and the electrolysis of water is not so disturbing.

According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, the waste water after being used in the water filter is sprayed as fine water particles on the outdoor heat exchanger during the cooling operation, so that the latent heat of vaporization of the water causes the heat exchange from the heat exchanger. The heat dissipation can be promoted, the cooling efficiency can be improved, and the drainage can be effectively used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an air supply / humidification function inside the outdoor unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of the water filter mechanism unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention as seen from above.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram taken along line A of the water filter mechanism portion according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an air supply / humidification function inside an outdoor unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an outdoor unit heat exchanger cooling function according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a positional relationship between a heat exchanger and a water spray section according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Indoor unit 2 outdoor unit 6 Air supply and humidification ducts 8 taps 9 Water hose 10 Air supply port 11 Sirocco fan 12 Water filter mechanism 13 Peripheral tube 14 nozzles 15 Inner peripheral pipe 16 Water storage 18 outlet 19 Heating heater 21 Exhaust port 22 Heater for heating 23 Bacterial growth prevention member 24 thermoelectric element 26 heat exchanger 27 Water spray section 28 nozzles

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Masakatsu Iwashimizu             1006 Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric             Sangyo Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 3L051 BC04                 3L055 AA01 BB02 CA04 DA04 DA12

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. An air conditioner in which an indoor unit and an outdoor unit are connected to each other, wherein a water filter mechanism section for supplying water from a water supply is provided in the outdoor unit, and a blower fan is provided in the water filter mechanism section. The air conditioner is characterized in that the outside air is passed through and then the outside air is introduced into the room. 2. The air conditioner, wherein the outside air is introduced into an indoor unit air blowing circuit through a connecting duct connecting the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. 3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the water filter mechanism portion has a structure in which water is sprayed from a large number of nozzles. 4. The water filter mechanism section has a cylindrical shape, and the outside air is introduced into the water filter mechanism section in a spiral direction by the blower fan. The air conditioner according to any one of 3 above. 5. A water storage part for collecting and circulating water after being sprayed by the water filter mechanism part inside the outdoor unit, wherein a heating heater is provided in the water storage part. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: 6. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the outside air that has passed through the water filter mechanism is heated by a heating heater and then introduced into the room. 7. A water storage part is provided for collecting and circulating water after being sprayed by the water filter mechanism part in the outdoor unit, wherein a thermoelectric element is arranged in the water storage part. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which is characterized. 8. The air conditioner according to claim 5 or 7, wherein a member for preventing bacterial growth or a device for preventing bacterial growth is arranged in the water storage section. 9. The air conditioner according to claim 8, wherein the bacterial growth prevention member contains allyl isothiocyanate. 10. The air conditioner according to claim 8, wherein the bacteria growth preventing device is configured to apply a DC voltage of 0.5 to 1 V between the positive and negative electrodes. 11. The air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising a mechanism section for spraying water discharged from the water storage section onto the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit.