JP7576423B2 - Ventilation systems, buildings equipped with ventilation systems - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a ventilation system and a building equipped with a ventilation system.

Heat exchange type ventilation devices are known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a ventilation system that includes a heat exchange type ventilation device and a bathroom ventilator/dryer that exhausts air from the bathroom. This heat exchange type ventilation device includes an air supply/blower section, an exhaust air supply section, and a heat exchange element. The air supply/blower section and the exhaust air supply section include fans driven by motors. This ventilation system supplies and exhausts air indoors and outdoors while exchanging heat between the air supplied to the room and the air exhausted to the outside using the heat exchange element.

JP 2020-134121 A JP 2013-194931 A

The present inventors have come to the following realization regarding a ventilation device installed in an attic space or the like of a house.
In a ventilation system installed in a ceiling space, multiple ducts are connected for air intake and exhaust, and the system is installed in a narrow space surrounded by beams. In this case, if the ducts are bent sharply to fit the shape of the surrounding space, pressure loss will increase in that area. However, the ventilation system in Patent Document 1 does not adequately address the issue of suppressing pressure loss caused by duct routing (hereinafter referred to as "routing").

This disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a ventilation device that can reduce pressure loss caused by duct installation.

In order to solve the above problems, a ventilation device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a ventilation device main body and a pair of duct connectors arranged side by side on a first side surface of the ventilation device main body and protruding from the first side surface to which a duct is connected. The central axes of the pair of duct connectors move away from each other as they move away from the first side surface.

In addition, conversions of the expressions of this disclosure between methods, devices, systems, recording media, computer programs, etc. are also valid aspects of this disclosure.

This disclosure provides a ventilation device that can reduce pressure loss caused by duct installation.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a house equipped with a ventilation device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the ventilation device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the inside of the ventilation device of FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the periphery of the duct connection portion in FIG. 2 . FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a ventilation device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a ventilation device according to a comparative example.

Below, the embodiments for carrying out the present disclosure will be described with reference to the attached drawings. In the embodiments and modified examples, the same or equivalent components and members will be given the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the dimensions of the members in each drawing will be enlarged or reduced as appropriate to facilitate understanding. Furthermore, some of the members that are not important for explaining the embodiments will be omitted in each drawing.

In addition, terms including ordinal numbers such as first and second are used to describe various components, but these terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another and do not limit the components.

[First embodiment]
A ventilation device 100 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a house 90 equipped with the ventilation device 100. In this example, the ventilation device 100 is supported from above by a hanging bolt (not shown) in the ceiling space on the first floor of the house 90, which is an example of a building. The ventilation device 100 draws in air inside the house 90 and exhausts it to the outside of the house 90 through a duct 62. The ventilation device 100 also draws in air outside the house 90 through a duct 60 and supplies the air to rooms 92 and 93 inside the house 90 through ducts 50 and 52.

The residence 90 is a residence provided as a place for residents to live private lives. The residence 90 may have a living room and a bedroom as living rooms. Although not shown, the residence 90 may also have spaces such as a toilet, a bathroom, a washroom, a kitchen, a dressing room, stairs, and a hallway.

Please refer to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is a plan view showing the ventilation device 100 according to the first embodiment. This figure shows a ventilation device unit 1, in which ducts 50, 52, 60, and 62 are attached to the ventilation device 100, installed in the attic of a house. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the inside of the ventilation device 100.

The ventilation device 100 comprises a ventilation device main body 10, a pair of duct connectors 14, 16, and a pair of duct connectors 24, 26. The ventilation device main body 10 has an air supply blower section 30, an exhaust blower section 34, indoor air intake sections 36, 37, a heat exchange section 38, and a control section 40. In FIG. 3, the air supply duct 31 is indicated by a thick solid line, and the exhaust duct 35 is indicated by a thick dashed line. The directions of air flow in the air supply duct 31 and the exhaust duct 35 are indicated by arrows.

For ease of explanation, as shown in the figure, the direction along one side of the ventilation device 100 on a plane is referred to as the X direction, the direction perpendicular to the X direction on the plane is referred to as the Y direction, and the vertical up-down direction is referred to as the Z direction. The X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are mutually perpendicular. These directions are not limited to being strictly perpendicular, but also include being nearly perpendicular. In a planar view, the longitudinal direction of the ventilation device 100 coincides with the X direction, and the lateral direction of the ventilation device 100 coincides with the Y direction. Such directional notations do not limit the usage orientation of the ventilation device 100, and the ventilation device 100 can be used in any orientation depending on the application. In the following explanation, unless otherwise specified, a planar view will be used.

The ventilation device main body 10 has a box-like shape that is approximately rectangular in plan view. The ventilation device main body 10 has a first side surface 12 and a second side surface 22. The first side surface 12 and the second side surface 22 are arranged opposite each other in the X direction. The first side surface 12 and the second side surface 22 extend along the Y-Z plane. A pair of duct connectors 14, 16 are provided on the first side surface 12 and arranged side by side in the Y direction. The pair of duct connectors 14, 16 protrude from the first side surface 12. A duct 50 is connected to the duct connector 14, and a duct 52 is connected to the duct connector 16. The pair of duct connectors 24, 26 are provided on the second side surface 22 and arranged side by side in the Y direction. The diameter D of the ducts 50, 52, 60, 62 is, for example, 100 mm.

Duct connection parts 14, 16, 24, 26 are hollow cylinders that surround a hollow portion through which air can pass. Duct connection parts 14, 16, 24, 26 are connected to a duct by inserting a duct into the tip side of the duct connection parts. The base end side of duct connection parts 14, 16 communicates with the outlet side of the air supply blower section 30 described later. The base end side of duct connection part 24 communicates with the inlet side of the air supply blower section 30. The base end side of duct connection part 26 communicates with the outlet side of the exhaust blower section 34 described later. Duct connection parts 14, 16, 24, 26 have a cylindrical hollow portion centered on central axis lines L14, L16, L24, L26. In other words, the central axes L14, L16, L24, and L26 are the center lines of the hollow portions of the duct connection portions 14, 16, 24, and 26 when the hollow portions are projected onto the XY plane.

By connecting the duct connections 14 and 16 to the outlet side of the air supply and blower 30, the air resistance of the air blown out from the air supply and blower 30 can be reduced. As a result, the noise generated when the airflow hits the inner wall of the duct is reduced, and the amount of sound leaking into the rooms 92 and 93 can be reduced.

The air supply blower 30, as shown by the air supply duct 31, introduces outdoor air through the duct connection 24 and supplies the air to the room through the duct connection parts 14 and 16. The air exhaust blower 34, as shown by the air exhaust duct 35, exhausts the indoor air sucked in from the indoor air intake parts 36 and 37 to the outside through the duct connection part 26. The heat exchanger 38 includes a heat exchange element (not shown) for exchanging heat between the air in the air supply duct 31 and the air in the exhaust duct 35. Heat exchange between the air passing through the air supply duct 31 and the air passing through the exhaust duct 35 improves heating efficiency in winter and cooling efficiency in summer. The heat exchanger 38 may exchange humidity between the air in the air supply duct 31 and the air in the exhaust duct 35. The control unit 40 controls the operation of the ventilation device 100, particularly the air supply blower 30 and the exhaust blower 34. The control unit 40 can be configured to include a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the like.

As an example, the air supply blower 30 and the air exhaust blower 34 can be configured to include fans 30f, 34f, motors 30m, 34m that rotate the fans 30f, 34f, and casings 30c, 34c that surround them.

Here, a comparative example will be described first. Figure 6 is a plan view showing a ventilation device 500 according to the comparative example, and corresponds to Figure 2. The comparative example was prototyped for comparison purposes during the development process of the ventilation device 100 of this embodiment. The ventilation device 500 differs from the ventilation device 100 of this embodiment in that the extension directions of the central axes of the duct connections 14, 16, 24, and 26 are different, but the other configurations are similar.

Here, an example will be described in which the ventilation device 500 is disposed in a rectangular space 85, which is a gap formed by two X-direction beams 71, 72 extending in the X direction and two Y-direction beams 81, 82 extending in the Y direction. The X-direction beams 71, 72 and the Y-direction beams 81, 82 are building structural members. The two X-direction beams 71, 72 are arranged in the Y direction with a gap of 1000 mm therebetween. The two Y-direction beams 81, 82 are arranged in the X direction with a gap of 1500 mm therebetween. The Y-direction beam 81 faces the first side surface 12. The Y-direction beam 82 faces the second side surface 22. The ventilation device 500 is disposed in the center of the rectangular space 85 in the X direction and the Y direction. In other words, the distance E1 from the first side surface 12 to the Y-direction beam 81 is equal to the distance E2 from the second side surface 22 to the Y-direction beam 82.

In the ventilation device 500, the central axes L14, L16 of the duct connections 14, 16 extend parallel to the X direction, and the central axes L24, L26 of the duct connections 24, 26 extend parallel to the X direction.

The ducts 50, 52, 60, and 62 are provided with multiple vents to increase the spacing between them and improve the ease of installation. In the example of FIG. 6, a first vent Vp1 that bends outward and a second vent Vp2 that bends inward are connected to each duct in that order. Since the ducts 50, 52, 60, and 62 are each wrapped in a mattress-like insulating material after installation, a predetermined gap is provided between the duct and the beam. In addition, from the viewpoint of reducing sound leaking into the room due to vibrations of the ventilation device transmitted through the duct and the beam, it is desirable for the gap between the duct and the beam to be large. Due to these constraints, the installation of the ducts 50, 52, 60, and 62 becomes cramped, and the bending radius R of the vents is set small.

For example, in the example of FIG. 6, the bending radius R of the first and second vent sections Vp1 and Vp2 is set to 200 mm. That is, the ratio R/D (200/100) of the bending radius R to the duct diameter D is 2. In this case, the airflow flowing through the ducts 50, 52, 60, and 62 hits the inner wall of the first vent section Vp1 as shown by the arrow X14 in FIG. 6, and receives a large resistance from the inner wall, increasing the airflow resistance (pressure loss). When the airflow resistance (pressure loss) increases, the load on the fans 30f and 34f increases, and the rotation speeds of the fans 30f and 34f increase. When the rotation speeds of the fans 30f and 34f increase, the vibration of the ventilator main body 10 also increases, and the vibration noise increases, which may cause discomfort to the user. In addition, when the airflow resistance (pressure loss) increases, the blowing efficiency decreases and the power consumption increases. In addition, if the bending radius R of the duct is small, the stress concentrates and the possibility of breakage increases. If the duct diameter is reduced to increase the ratio R/D, the cross-sectional area of the air passage will become smaller, and the air passage resistance (pressure loss) will ultimately increase.

Returning to FIG. 2. Taking the comparative example into consideration, the ventilation device 100 of this embodiment will be described. In the ventilation device 100, the central axes L14, L16 of the pair of duct connectors 14, 16 extend so as to move away from each other as they move away from the ventilation device main body 10. In other words, the central axes L14, L16 are inclined with respect to the X direction, and the distance between them in the Y direction increases as they move away from the ventilation device main body 10. In this case, the air resistance (pressure loss) of the ducts connected to the duct connectors 14, 16 can be reduced. In this specification, the direction in which they move away from each other as they move away from the ventilation device main body 10 is referred to as "outward", and the opposite direction is referred to as "inward".

The central axes L24, L26 of the pair of duct connectors 24, 26 extend so as to move away from each other as they move away from the ventilation device main body 10. In other words, the central axes L24, L26 are inclined with respect to the X direction, and the distance between them in the Y direction increases as they move away from the ventilation device main body 10. In this case, the airflow resistance (pressure loss) of the ducts connected to the duct connectors 24, 26 can be reduced.

In the ventilation device 100, the duct connection portion is inclined outward, so the curvature of the vent portion can be reduced in accordance with the inclination, and the bending radius of the vent portion can be increased. In the example of FIG. 2, under the same construction conditions as the comparative example, the bending radius R of the first and second vent portions Vp1 and Vp2 can be set to 300 mm, which is 1.5 times that of the comparative example. The ratio R/D (300/100) of the bending radius R to the duct diameter D is 3. In this case, as shown by the arrow X14 in FIG. 2, the airflow flowing through the ducts 50, 52, 60, and 62 hits the inner wall of the first vent portion Vp1 less frequently, so the resistance it receives from the inner wall is reduced and the airflow resistance (pressure loss) is reduced.

If the central axes L14, L16, L24, and L26 are inclined outward with respect to the X direction, the effect of reducing airflow resistance (pressure loss) can be obtained. The inclination angles θ14, θ16, θ24, and θ26 (hereinafter collectively referred to as inclination angle θ) of the central axes L14, L16, L24, and L26 with respect to the X direction are preferably in the range of 1° or more and 45° or less, more preferably in the range of 5° or more and 30° or less, and even more preferably in the range of 8° or more and 20° or less. In this embodiment, the inclination angle θ is set in the range of 10° or more and 14° or less.

The inclination angles of the central axes L14, L16 may be different from each other, but the inclination angles θ14, θ16 of the central axes L14, L16 in this embodiment are equal to each other. In other words, the central axes L14, L16 extend symmetrically in a plan view. The inclination angles of the central axes L24, L26 may be different from each other, but the inclination angles θ24, θ26 of the central axes L24, L26 in this embodiment are equal to each other. In other words, the central axes L24, L26 extend symmetrically in a plan view. In this case, the airflow resistance (pressure loss) of each duct connected to each duct connection part can be made uniform.

As described above, the ducts 50, 52, 60, 62 have the first vent section Vp1 and the second vent section Vp2. The base end side of the first vent section Vp1 is connected to the duct connection section 14, 16, 24, 26, and bends outward in a plan view. The base end side of the second vent section Vp2 is connected to the tip side of the first vent section Vp1, and bends inward in a plan view. The central axes L14, L16, L24, L26 pass through the connection section Vj between the first vent section Vp1 and the second vent section Vp2. In this case, the airflow resistance (pressure loss) can be reduced compared to when the central axes L14, L16, L24, L26 do not pass through the connection section Vj.

The configuration of the duct connections 14, 16 will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is an enlarged view showing the periphery of the duct connections 14, 16 of the ventilation device 100. This figure shows a cross section cut along a horizontal plane passing through the vertical center of the duct connections 14, 16. This description can also be applied to the duct connections 24, 26. The duct connections 14, 16 are composed of side ends 14s, 16s and connecting tubes 14j, 16j. As an example, the duct connections 14, 16 can be formed by insert molding the side ends 14s, 16s and the connecting tubes 14j, 16j.

The side ends 14s, 16s have a hollow cylindrical shape protruding from the side end wall portion 12h. The side end wall portion 12h is a wall member that constitutes the first side surface 12 of the ventilation device main body 10, and has through holes corresponding to the hollow portions of the side ends 14s, 16s. The connecting tube portions 14j, 16j are fixed to the inner circumferential surfaces of the side ends 14s, 16s. The side end wall portion 12h and the side ends 14s, 16s are integrally formed from a highly insulating material such as polystyrene foam.

The connecting tube parts 14j, 16j are generally hollow cylindrical and have flange parts 14k, 16k that protrude to the outer periphery on the base end side. The connecting tube parts 14j, 16j are thinner than the side ends 14s, 16s and can be made of, for example, a resin material. The base end side of the connecting tube parts 14j, 16j, including the flange parts 14k, 16k, is surrounded by the side ends 14s, 16s, and the tip side protrudes from the side ends 14s, 16s. As shown by arrow 50A, ducts 50, 52 are fitted and fixed to the outer periphery of the connecting tube parts 14j, 16j.
The above is a description of the first embodiment.

[Second embodiment]
A second embodiment of the present disclosure will now be described. Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a ventilation device 100a according to the second embodiment, and corresponds to Fig. 2. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the extension directions of the central axes L24, L26 of the duct connection parts 24, 26 are different, but the other configurations are similar.

In this embodiment, the second side surface 22 of the ventilation device main body 10a is provided with two second duct connection parts 24a, 26a to which other ducts 60, 62 are connected. The central axes L24a, L26a of the two second duct connection parts 24a, 26a extend parallel to the X direction.

The ventilation device main body 10a is disposed between a first beam 81 facing the first side surface 12 and a second beam 82 facing the second side surface 22. The distance E1 from the first side surface 12 to the first beam 81 is smaller than the distance E2 from the second side surface 22 to the second beam 82 (E1<E2). In other words, the ventilation device main body 10a is disposed between the first beam 81 and the second beam 82, at a position S (=E2-E1) closer to the first beam 81. In the example of FIG. 5, the distance E1 is 60 mm smaller than the distance E2.

In this way, by positioning the ventilation device main body 10a closer to the first side surface 12, the distance E2 from the second side surface 22 to the second beam 82 can be increased. The greater the distance E2, the more space there is around the first and second vent sections Vp1 and Vp2 of the ducts 60 and 62, and the bending radius R can be increased in these areas. In the example of FIG. 5, the bending radius R of the first and second vent sections Vp1 and Vp2 of the ducts 60 and 62 is 300 mm, and the ratio R/D (300/100) of the bending radius R to the duct diameter D is 3. Therefore, in the second embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, it is possible to obtain the effect of reducing airflow resistance (pressure loss).

The characteristics of the ventilation device 100a will be described. In the ventilation device 100a, the central axes L14, L16 of the pair of duct connection parts 14, 16 move away from each other as they move away from the ventilation device main body 10a, so that the bending radius R of the vent parts of the ducts 50, 52, 60, 62 can be increased. The ducts 50, 52, 60, 62 can be easily arranged even in a narrow space surrounded by beams above the ceiling. Since the air resistance (pressure loss) of the ducts can be reduced, the air blowing efficiency of the air supply blower 30 and the exhaust blower 34 can be improved and power consumption can be reduced compared to when the air resistance (pressure loss) of the ducts is large. In addition, since the vibration noise of the ventilation device main body 10a can be reduced compared to when the air resistance (pressure loss) of the ducts is large, the effect of reducing the possibility of causing discomfort to the user can be expected. In addition, for the same air volume, the fans 30f, 34f and the motors 30m, 34m can be made smaller, and the air supply blower 30 and the exhaust blower 34 can be made smaller than when the air flow resistance (pressure loss) of the duct is large. This is advantageous for making the ventilation device 100a smaller and less expensive. In addition, the smaller ventilation device 100a is expected to make the wiring of the ducts 50, 52, 60, 62 easier. Since the bending radius R of the vent portion is large, dust is less likely to accumulate in the vent portion, and the frequency of duct maintenance can be reduced.
The above is a description of the second embodiment.

An overview of one aspect of the present disclosure is as follows. A ventilation device (100) of one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a ventilation device main body (10) and a pair of duct connectors (14), (16) arranged side by side on a first side surface (12) of the ventilation device main body (10) and protruding from the first side surface (12) to which ducts (50), (52) are connected, and the central axes (L14), (L16) of the pair of duct connectors (14), (16) move away from each other as they move away from the first side surface (12).

The ventilation device main body (10) has an exhaust air blower section (30) that introduces indoor air and exhausts it to the outside, an intake air blower section (34) that introduces outdoor air and supplies it to the room, and a heat exchange section (38) that exchanges heat between the air supplied to the room and the air exhausted to the outside, and the pair of duct connections (14), (16) may be connected to the outlet side of the intake air blower section (34).

The ducts (50), (52) have a first vent portion (Vp1) that bends outward from the duct connection portion (14), (16) and a second vent portion (Vp2) that bends inward from the first vent portion (Vp1), and the central axis (L14), (L16) of the duct connection portion (14), (16) may pass through the connection portion between the first vent portion (Vp1) and the second vent portion (Vp2).

The ventilation device body (10) has a pair of second duct connection parts (24), (26) arranged side by side on a second side (22) opposite to the first side (12) and to which other ducts (60), (62) are connected, and the central axes (L24), (L26) of the pair of second duct connection parts (24), (26) may be spaced apart from each other as they move away from the second side (22).

The ventilation device body (10) has a pair of second duct connection parts (24), (26) arranged side by side on a second side (22) opposite to the first side (12) and to which other ducts (60), (62) are connected, and the central axes (L24), (L26) of the pair of second duct connection parts (24), (26) extend parallel to each other, and the ventilation device body (10) may be arranged between two building structural members (81), (82) extending adjacent to each other, close to the building structural member (81), (82) that is closer to the first side (12).

The present disclosure has been described above based on the embodiment. This embodiment is an example, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications are possible in the combination of each of the components or each processing process, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present disclosure. In the above-mentioned embodiment, content for which such design changes are possible is explained using notations such as "in the embodiment" or "in the embodiment", but this does not mean that design changes are not permitted for content that does not have such notations. Hatching in the drawings does not limit the material of the hatched parts.

The following describes the modified examples. In the drawings and description of the modified examples, the same components and members as those in the embodiment are given the same reference numerals. Explanations that overlap with the embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and the description will focus on the configurations that differ from the embodiment.

In the description of the embodiment, an example in which the ventilation device 100 is arranged along a plane in the attic has been shown, but this is not limiting. The ventilation device 100 may be arranged between walls or along a vertical surface.

In the description of the embodiment, an example in which the ventilation device 100 is disposed between two beams (building structural members) extending laterally has been shown, but this is not limiting. The ventilation device 100 may also be disposed between two building structural members extending vertically.

In the description of the embodiment, an example has been shown in which the ventilation device 100 is installed in a house, but the ventilation device 100 may also be installed in buildings other than houses, such as nurseries, medical facilities, and nursing care facilities.

These variations provide the same effects as the embodiment.

100 Ventilator, 10 Ventilator body, 12 First side, 22 Second side, 14, 16, 24, 26 Duct connection, 50, 52, 60, 62 Duct, 30 Air supply/blower section, 34 Exhaust/blower section, 38 Heat exchange section, 81, 82 Beam, L14, L16, L24, L26 Central axis.

Claims (6)

a ventilation device body having a first side surface and a second side surface arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other ;
Two duct connection parts arranged side by side on the first side surface of the ventilation device main body and protruding from the first side surface to which ducts are connected;
Equipped with
Only two of the duct connection portions are provided on the first side surface, and central axes of the two duct connection portions are spaced apart from each other as they move away from the first side surface ,
A ventilation device , wherein an inclination angle of each of the central axes with respect to a line perpendicular to the first side surface is in the range of 1° to 45° . The ventilation device main body has an exhaust air blowing section that introduces indoor air and exhausts it to the outside, an intake air blowing section that introduces outdoor air and supplies it to the room, and a heat exchange section that exchanges heat between the air supplied to the room and the air exhausted to the outside,
The ventilation device according to claim 1 , wherein the two duct connections communicate with an outlet side of the air supply/blower section. Both of the ducts have a first vent portion that bends outward from the duct connection portion and a second vent portion that bends inward from the first vent portion;
The ventilation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a central axis of the duct connection portion passes through a connection portion between the first vent portion and the second vent portion. two second duct connection portions arranged side by side on the second side surface of the ventilation device body and to which a second duct is connected;
Only two of the second duct connection parts are provided on the second side surface, and central axes of the two second duct connection parts are spaced apart from each other as they move away from the second side surface ,
4. The ventilation device according to claim 1, wherein an inclination angle of a central axis of each of the second duct connection portions with respect to a line perpendicular to the second side surface is in a range of 1° to 45°. two second duct connection portions arranged side by side on the second side surface of the ventilation device main body and to which a second duct is connected;
The central axes of the two second duct connection parts extend parallel to each other,
The ventilation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the ventilation device main body is positioned between two building structural members extending adjacent to each other, in close proximity to the building structural member of the two building structural members that is closer to the first side surface. A building equipped with a ventilation system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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