JP7713655B2 - Air conditioners - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to an air conditioner.

As described in Patent Document 1, there has been known an air conditioner that is composed of an indoor unit that is placed in the room to be conditioned and an outdoor unit that is placed outside the room. This air conditioner is configured to supply humidified outdoor air or dehumidified outdoor air from the outdoor unit to the indoor unit. Specifically, the absorbent rotates, and outdoor air heated by a heater passes through a part of the absorbent, and unheated outdoor air passes through the remaining part of the absorbent. Either the outdoor air heated by the heater (humidified outdoor air) or the unheated outdoor air (dehumidified outdoor air) is supplied to the indoor unit, and the other is discharged to the outside.

JP 2003-314858 A

In the case of the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1, the absorbent rotates. As a result, a clearance exists between the outer peripheral surface of the absorbent and the opposing member that faces that outer peripheral surface. If a portion of the outdoor air heated by the heater bypasses the absorbent via the clearance, the amount of humidification of the outdoor air supplied to the indoor unit decreases. As a result, the efficiency of humidification in the room decreases.

Therefore, the objective of this disclosure is to prevent outdoor air from bypassing the absorbent material in an air conditioner in which outdoor air is humidified by passing through a rotating absorbent material and then supplied to an indoor unit.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to one aspect of the present invention,
An air conditioner having an indoor unit and an outdoor unit,
The outdoor unit,
A heater for heating outdoor air;
a disk-shaped absorbent material having a first end surface and a second end surface, through which the outdoor air heated by the heater passes from the first end surface to the second end surface;
an absorbent holder that rotates and includes a cylindrical portion that holds an outer peripheral surface of the absorbent;
an opposing member that faces an outer circumferential surface of the absorbent holder;
a fan that generates a flow of outdoor air passing through the absorbent material;
a labyrinth seal member that forms a labyrinth flow path between an outer circumferential surface of the absorbent holder and the opposing member,
The absorbent holder includes an expanded diameter portion,
An air conditioner is provided in which the labyrinth seal member has an end face that forms a radial flow path extending at least in the radial direction of the absorbent material between the expanded diameter portion of the absorbent material holder and the end face as part of the labyrinth flow path.

According to the present disclosure, in an air conditioner in which outdoor air is humidified by passing through a rotating absorbent material and then supplied to an indoor unit, it is possible to prevent the outdoor air from bypassing the absorbent material.

1 is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. Schematic diagram of the ventilation system Schematic diagram of the ventilation system during ventilation operation Schematic diagram of the ventilation system during humidification operation Schematic diagram of the ventilation system during dehumidification operation A perspective view of an outdoor unit of an air conditioner. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ventilation device with the cover removed; Top view of the ventilator with the lid removed Exploded perspective view with the cover removed Schematic cross-sectional view of a ventilation device A perspective view of a heater unit Bottom view of heater unit Exploded perspective view of the heater unit FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the heater unit taken along line AA in FIG. 12 . FIG. 2 is a top view of a portion of the housing of the ventilation device showing the second space; 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of an absorbent material perpendicular to a radial direction of the absorbent material; 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of an absorbent material perpendicular to a radial direction of the absorbent material in a ventilation device of a comparative example; 1A-1D are schematic cross-sectional views of a portion of an absorbent material in a ventilation device according to a different embodiment, the cross-sectional view being perpendicular to the radial direction of the absorbent material; FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an absorbent holder showing a labyrinth channel formed on the outside of the absorbent holder; FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of components around a first fan; 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an air inlet of a housing in a ventilation device according to a different embodiment; FIG. 2 is a top view of a portion of a housing of a ventilation device showing a second space in a ventilation device according to a different embodiment; Cross-sectional view showing the damper device connected to the room FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a damper device connected to the outside of a room; FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a ventilation device showing the flow of outdoor air flowing out of a damper device. FIG. 2 is a front view of the outdoor unit, showing the inside of the main body of the outdoor unit; FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an indoor heat exchanger and a nozzle provided in an indoor unit. Side view of the indoor unit showing the internal structure Exploded perspective view of the nozzle FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a nozzle separated into two parts. Cross section of the nozzle

An air conditioner according to one aspect of the present invention is an air conditioner having an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, the outdoor unit comprising a heater for heating outdoor air, a disk-shaped absorbent material having a first end face and a second end face, through which outdoor air heated by the heater passes from the first end face to the second end face, an absorbent material holder having a cylindrical part for holding the outer circumferential surface of the absorbent material and rotating, an opposing member facing the outer circumferential surface of the absorbent material holder, a fan for generating a flow of outdoor air passing through the absorbent material, and a labyrinth seal member forming a labyrinth flow path between the outer circumferential surface of the absorbent material holder and the opposing member, the absorbent material holder including an expanded diameter portion, and the labyrinth seal member having an end face forming a radial flow path extending at least in the radial direction of the absorbent material between the expanded diameter portion of the absorbent material holder as a part of the labyrinth flow path.

According to this aspect, in an air conditioner in which outdoor air is humidified by passing through a rotating absorbent material and then supplied to an indoor unit, it is possible to prevent the outdoor air from bypassing the absorbent material.

For example, the absorber holder may include, as the enlarged diameter portion, an external tooth and a flange provided on an end face of the external tooth that is far from the first end face, and the end face of the labyrinth seal member may form the radial flow path between the flange.

For example, the end face of the labyrinth seal member may be provided with a protrusion that protrudes toward the flange of the absorbent holder.

For example, the opposing member may be provided with a rib extending in the radial direction so as to face the second end surface of the absorbing member at a distance.

For example, a protrusion that protrudes toward the second end surface of the absorbent material may be provided at the tip of the rib of the opposing member.

One embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner 10 according to this embodiment has an indoor unit 20 arranged in the room Rin to be air-conditioned, and an outdoor unit 30 arranged in the outdoor Rout.

The indoor unit 20 is provided with an indoor heat exchanger 22 that exchanges heat with the indoor air A1, and a fan 24 that draws the indoor air A1 into the indoor unit 20 and blows the indoor air A1 after heat exchange with the indoor heat exchanger 22 into the room Rin.

The outdoor unit 30 is provided with an outdoor heat exchanger 32 that exchanges heat with the outdoor air A2, and a fan 34 that draws the outdoor air A2 into the outdoor unit 30 and blows the outdoor air A2 after heat exchange with the outdoor heat exchanger 32 out to the outdoor Rout. The outdoor unit 30 is also provided with a compressor 36, an expansion valve 38, and a four-way valve 40 that execute a refrigeration cycle with the indoor heat exchanger 22 and the outdoor heat exchanger 32.

The indoor heat exchanger 22, the outdoor heat exchanger 32, the compressor 36, the expansion valve 38, and the four-way valve 40 are each connected by a refrigerant pipe through which the refrigerant flows. In cooling operation and dehumidification operation (weak cooling operation), the air conditioner 10 executes a refrigeration cycle in which the refrigerant flows from the compressor 36 through the four-way valve 40, the outdoor heat exchanger 32, the expansion valve 38, and the indoor heat exchanger 22 in that order, and then returns to the compressor 36. In heating operation, the air conditioner 10 executes a refrigeration cycle in which the refrigerant flows from the compressor 36 through the four-way valve 40, the indoor heat exchanger 22, the expansion valve 38, and the outdoor heat exchanger 32 in that order, and then returns to the compressor 36.

In addition to air conditioning operation using the refrigeration cycle, the air conditioner 10 also performs air conditioning operation that introduces outdoor air A3 into the room Rin. To achieve this, the air conditioner 10 has a ventilation device 50. The ventilation device 50 is provided in the outdoor unit 30.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the ventilation system.

As shown in FIG. 2, the ventilation device 50 has an absorbent material 52 inside through which the outdoor air A3 and A4 pass.

The absorbent material 52 is a member through which air can pass and which collects moisture from the air passing through it or which gives moisture to the air passing through it. In this embodiment, the absorbent material 52 is disk-shaped and rotates around a rotation center line C1 that passes through its center. The absorbent material 52 is driven to rotate by a motor 54.

The absorbent 52 is preferably a polymeric adsorbent that adsorbs moisture in the air. The polymeric adsorbent is, for example, composed of cross-linked sodium polyacrylate. Compared to adsorbents such as silica gel and zeolite, the polymeric adsorbent absorbs a greater amount of moisture per volume, can desorb the moisture it holds at a low heating temperature, and can hold the moisture for a long period of time.

Inside the ventilation device 50, a first flow path P1 and a second flow path P2 are provided through which the outdoor air A3 and A4 flow, respectively, passing through the absorbent material 52. The first flow path P1 and the second flow path P2 pass through the absorbent material 52 at different positions.

The first flow path P1 is a flow path through which outdoor air A3 flows toward the indoor unit 20. The outdoor air A3 flowing through the first flow path P1 is supplied to the indoor unit 20 via the ventilation duct 56.

In this embodiment, the first flow path P1 includes multiple tributary paths P1a and P1b upstream of the absorbent material 52. In this specification, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" are used with respect to the air flow.

The multiple tributary channels P1a, P2a join upstream of the absorbent material 52. The multiple tributary channels P1a, P1b are each provided with a first and second heater 58, 60 that heats the outdoor air A3.

The first and second heaters 58, 60 may be heaters with the same heating capacity or heaters with different heating capacities. In addition, the first and second heaters 58, 60 are preferably PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heaters, which increase electrical resistance when current flows and the temperature rises, i.e., can suppress excessive increases in heating temperature. In the case of heaters using nichrome wire or carbon fiber, the heating temperature (surface temperature) continues to rise when current continues to flow, so that temperature needs to be monitored. In the case of a PTC heater, the heater itself adjusts the heating temperature within a certain temperature range, so there is no need to monitor the heating temperature.

The first flow path P1 is provided with a first fan 62 that generates a flow of outdoor air A3 toward the indoor unit 20. In this embodiment, the first fan 62 is disposed downstream of the absorbent material 52. When the first fan 62 is operated, the outdoor air A3 flows from the outdoor Rout into the first flow path P1 and passes through the absorbent material 52.

The first flow path P1 is provided with a damper device 64 that distributes the outdoor air A3 flowing through the first flow path P1 to the room Rin (i.e., the indoor unit 20) or the outdoor Rout. In this embodiment, the damper device 64 is disposed downstream of the first fan 62. The outdoor air A3 distributed to the indoor unit 20 by the damper device 64 enters the indoor unit 20 via the ventilation duct 56 and is blown out to the room Rin by the fan 24.

The second flow path P2 is a flow path through which the outdoor air A4 flows. Unlike the outdoor air A3 flowing through the first flow path P1, the outdoor air A4 flowing through the second flow path P2 does not flow toward the indoor unit 20. The outdoor air A4 flowing through the second flow path P2 passes through the absorbent material 52 and then flows out to the outdoor Rout.

A second fan 66 that generates a flow of outdoor air A4 is provided in the first flow path P1. In this embodiment, the second fan 66 is disposed downstream of the absorbent material 52. When the second fan 66 is operated, the outdoor air A4 flows from the outdoor Rout into the second flow path P2, passes through the absorbent material 52, and flows out to the outdoor Rout.

The ventilation device 50 selectively performs ventilation operation, humidification operation, and dehumidification operation by selectively using the absorbent material 52 (motor 54), the first heater 58, the second heater 60, the first fan 62, the damper device 64, and the second fan 66.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the ventilation device during ventilation operation.

The ventilation operation is an air conditioning operation in which the outdoor air A3 is supplied directly to the room Rin (i.e., the indoor unit 20) via the ventilation duct 56. As shown in FIG. 3, during the ventilation operation, the motor 54 continues to rotate the absorbent material 52. The first heater 58 and the second heater 60 are in the OFF state and do not heat the outdoor air A3. The first fan 62 is in the ON state, so that the outdoor air A3 flows in the first flow path P1. The damper device 64 distributes the outdoor air A3 in the first flow path P1 to the indoor unit 20. The second fan 66 is in the OFF state, so that no flow of the outdoor air A4 is generated in the second flow path P2.

According to this type of ventilation operation, the outdoor air A3 flows into the first flow path P1 and passes through the absorbent 52 without being heated by the first and second heaters 58, 60. The outdoor air A3 that has passed through the absorbent 52 is distributed to the indoor unit 20 by the damper device 64. The outdoor air A3 that has passed through the damper device 64 and reached the indoor unit 20 via the ventilation duct 56 is blown out into the room Rin by the fan 24. According to this type of ventilation operation, the outdoor air A3 is supplied as is to the room Rin, and the room Rin is ventilated.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the ventilation device during humidification operation.

The humidification operation is an air conditioning operation that humidifies the outdoor air A3 and supplies the humidified outdoor air A3 to the room Rin (i.e., the indoor unit 20). As shown in FIG. 4, during the humidification operation, the motor 54 continues to rotate the absorbent material 52. The first heater 58 and the second heater 60 are ON and heat the outdoor air A3. The first fan 62 is ON and causes the outdoor air A3 to flow through the first flow path P1. The damper device 64 distributes the outdoor air A3 in the first flow path P1 to the indoor unit 20. The second fan 66 is ON and causes the outdoor air A4 to flow through the second flow path P2.

According to this humidification operation, the outdoor air A3 flows into the first flow path P1, is heated by the first and second heaters 58, 60, and passes through the absorbent 52. At this time, the heated outdoor air A3 can remove a larger amount of moisture from the absorbent 52 than when it is not heated. As a result, the outdoor air A3 carries a large amount of moisture. The outdoor air A3 that passes through the absorbent 52 and carries a large amount of moisture is distributed to the indoor unit 20 by the damper device 64. The outdoor air A3 that passes through the damper device 64 and reaches the indoor unit 20 via the ventilation duct 56 is blown out by the fan 24 into the room Rin. According to this humidification operation, the outdoor air A3 that carries a large amount of moisture is supplied to the room Rin, and the room Rin is humidified.

In addition, by turning off either the first heater 58 or the second heater 60, the amount of moisture that the outdoor air A3 removes from the absorbent material 52 may be reduced, i.e., a weak humidification operation in which the amount of humidification of the indoor air Rin is reduced may be performed.

The moisture capacity of the absorbent 52 decreases as the heated outdoor air A3 removes moisture, i.e., the absorbent 52 dries out. When the absorbent 52 dries out, the outdoor air A3 flowing through the first flow path P1 cannot remove moisture from the absorbent 52. To deal with this, the absorbent 52 removes moisture from the outdoor air A4 flowing through the second flow path P2. This keeps the moisture capacity of the absorbent 52 almost constant, allowing the humidification operation to continue.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the ventilation system during dehumidification operation.

The dehumidification operation is an air conditioning operation that dehumidifies the outdoor air A3 and supplies the dehumidified outdoor air A3 to the room Rin (i.e., the indoor unit 20). As shown in FIG. 5, in the dehumidification operation, the adsorption operation and the regeneration operation are performed alternately.

The adsorption operation is an operation in which moisture carried in the outdoor air A3 is adsorbed by the absorbent 52, thereby dehumidifying the outdoor air A3. As shown in FIG. 5, during the adsorption operation, the motor 54 continues to rotate the absorbent 52. The first heater 58 and the second heater 60 are in the OFF state and do not heat the outdoor air A3. The first fan 62 is in the ON state, so that the outdoor air A3 flows in the first flow path P1. The damper device 64 distributes the outdoor air A3 in the first flow path P1 to the indoor unit 20. The second fan 66 is in the OFF state, so that no flow of the outdoor air A4 is generated in the second flow path P2.

During this adsorption operation, the outdoor air A3 flows into the first flow path P1 and passes through the absorbent 52 without being heated by the first and second heaters 58, 60. At this time, the moisture carried by the outdoor air A3 is adsorbed by the absorbent 52. This reduces the amount of moisture carried by the outdoor air A3, i.e., the outdoor air A3 is dried. The outdoor air A3 that has passed through the absorbent 52 and is dried is distributed to the indoor unit 20 by the damper device 64. The outdoor air A3 that has passed through the damper device 64 and reached the indoor unit 20 via the ventilation duct 56 is blown out by the fan 24 into the room Rin. Through this adsorption operation, the dried outdoor air A3 is supplied to the room Rin, and the room Rin is dehumidified.

As the adsorption operation continues, the amount of water held by the absorbent 52 continues to increase, and as a result, the adsorption capacity of the absorbent 52 for the moisture held in the outdoor air A3 decreases. In order to recover the adsorption capacity, a regeneration operation is performed to regenerate the absorbent 52.

During regeneration operation, the motor 54 continues to rotate the absorbent material 52. The first heater 58 and the second heater 60 are ON and heat the outdoor air A3. The first fan 62 is ON and causes the outdoor air A3 to flow through the first flow path P1. The damper device 64 distributes the outdoor air A3 in the first flow path P1 to the outdoor Rout instead of the indoor unit 20. The second fan 66 is OFF and causes no flow of outdoor air A4 to occur in the second flow path P2.

According to such regeneration operation, the outdoor air A3 flows into the first flow path P1, is heated by the first and second heaters 58, 60, and passes through the absorbent 52. At this time, the heated outdoor air A3 removes a large amount of moisture from the absorbent 52. As a result, a large amount of moisture is carried by the outdoor air A3. At the same time, the water retention capacity of the absorbent 52 decreases, that is, the absorbent 52 dries and its adsorption capacity is regenerated. The outdoor air A3 that passes through the absorbent 52 and carries a large amount of moisture is distributed to the outdoor Rout by the damper device 64 and discharged to the outdoor Rout. As a result, during regeneration operation in the dehumidification operation, the outdoor air A3 carrying a large amount of moisture due to the regeneration of the absorbent 52 is not supplied to the room Rin.

By alternating between adsorption and regeneration operations in this manner, the adsorption capacity of the absorbent 52 is maintained, and dehumidification operation can be performed continuously.

The above-mentioned air conditioning operations using the refrigeration cycle (cooling operation, dehumidification operation (weak cooling operation), heating operation) and the air conditioning operations using the ventilation device 50 (ventilation operation, humidification operation, dehumidification operation) can be performed separately or simultaneously. For example, by performing the dehumidification operation using the refrigeration cycle and the dehumidification operation using the ventilation device 50 simultaneously, it is possible to dehumidify the room Rin while maintaining the room temperature constant.

The air conditioning operation performed by the air conditioner 10 is selected by the user. For example, when the user performs a selection operation on the remote controller 70 shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner 10 performs the air conditioning operation corresponding to that operation.

So far, we have given a brief overview of the configuration and operation of the air conditioner 10 according to this embodiment. From here on, we will explain further features of the air conditioner 10 according to this embodiment.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner 10. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the ventilation device with the lid removed. Figure 8 is a top view of the ventilation device with the lid removed. Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of the ventilation device with the lid removed. And Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the ventilation device. Note that the X-Y-Z Cartesian coordinate system shown in the drawings is intended to facilitate understanding of the embodiment, and does not limit the embodiment. The X-axis direction indicates the front-rear direction of the outdoor unit 30, the Y-axis direction indicates the left-right direction, and the Z-axis direction indicates the height direction.

As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, the ventilation device 50 is provided on the top of the outdoor unit 30. Specifically, the ventilation device 50 is provided on the housing 100 of the main body of the outdoor unit 30, which houses the outdoor heat exchanger 32, the fan 34, the compressor 36, the expansion valve 38, and the four-way valve 40.

As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the ventilation device 50 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape that is elongated in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the outdoor unit 30, and comprises a box-shaped housing 102 that is open at the top, and a lid 104 that is attached to the top of the housing 102. Components of the ventilation device 50, such as the absorbent material 52, are stored inside the housing 102. Note that Figures 7 and 8 show the ventilation device 50 with the lid 104 removed.

As shown in Figures 7 to 9, in this embodiment, the absorbent material 52 is disposed in the center of the ventilation device 50 in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction). Components related to the first flow path P1 are disposed on one longitudinal side (right side) of the absorbent material 52, and components related to the second flow path P2 are disposed on the other longitudinal side (left side).

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10, multiple spaces S1 to S4 are essentially formed within the housing 102 of the ventilation device 50.

The first space S1 is the space into which the outside air A3 first flows. The first space S1 is essentially formed in the right and upper parts of the housing 102.

The second space S2 is a space that is connected to the first space S1 via the absorbent material 52, and is a space into which the outdoor air A3 in the first space S1 flows through the absorbent material 52. The second space S2 is substantially formed in the right and lower parts of the housing 102.

The third space S3 is the space into which the outside air A4 first flows. The third space S3 is essentially formed in the left and lower parts of the housing 102.

The fourth space S4 is a space that is connected to the third space S3 via the absorbent material 52, and is a space into which the outdoor air A4 in the third space S3 flows through the absorbent material 52. The fourth space S4 is substantially formed in the left and upper parts of the housing 102.

The third and fourth spaces S3, S4 are independent of the first and second spaces S1, S2 (i.e., they are sealed) so that the outdoor air A3 inside the first and second spaces S1, S2 does not move into the third and fourth spaces S3, S4, and conversely, the outdoor air A4 inside the third and fourth spaces S3, S4 does not move into the first and second spaces S1, S2.

First, we will explain the components of the ventilation device 50 related to the second flow path P2, which has a simple configuration.

In the present embodiment, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, in relation to the second flow path P2 through which the outdoor air A4 flows, the housing 102 of the ventilation device 50 is provided with a first intake port 102a, a second intake port 102b, and an exhaust port 102c. The first intake port 102a is formed in the center of the front wall 102d of the housing 102 in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction). The second intake port 102b is formed in the center of the rear wall 102e of the housing 102 in the left-right direction. The exhaust port 102c is formed on the left side of the front wall 102d.

When the second fan 66 is operated, the outside air A4 flows into the third space S3 in the housing 102 through the first air intake 102a and the second air intake 102b. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, the outside air A4 flows into the third space S3 between the bottom plate 102f of the housing 102 and the second end surface 52b of the absorbent material 52.

The outdoor air A4 in the third space S3 flows into the absorbent 52 through the second end surface 52b, and flows out of the absorbent 52 into the fourth space S4 through the first end surface 52a. The outdoor air A4 that passes through the absorbent 52 and flows into the fourth space S4 is sucked into the second fan 66. In the present embodiment, the second fan 66 is a sirocco fan, and is composed of an impeller 66a arranged in the fan chamber F1 and rotating around a rotation center line extending in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), and a motor 66b that rotates the impeller 66a. The outdoor air A4 is sucked into the fan chamber F1 by the rotation of the impeller 66a, and is discharged to the outside Rout through the exhaust port 102c that communicates with the fan chamber F1. The fan chamber F1 is defined by the housing 102 and a partition plate 106 that separates the third space S3 from the fourth space S4. The partition plate 106 has an air intake port 106a that communicates with the fan chamber F1 and through which the outside air A4 passes.

Next, we will explain the components of the ventilation device 50 related to the first flow path P1.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the housing 102 of the ventilation device 50 is provided with a third intake port 102g and a fourth intake port 102h in association with the first flow path P1 through which the outdoor air A3 flows. The third intake port 102g is formed in the right wall 102i of the housing 102. The fourth intake port 102h is formed on the right side of the rear wall 102e of the housing 102.

When the first fan 62 is activated, the outside air A3 flows into the first space S1 in the housing 102 through the third air intake 102g and the fourth air intake 102h. The outside air A3 that flows into the first space S1 passes through the first and second heaters 58, 60 and heads above the first end surface 52a of the absorbent 52.

In this embodiment, the first and second heaters 58, 60 are incorporated into a heater unit 110 that is located in the center of the ventilation device 50.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the heater unit. Figure 12 is a bottom view of the heater unit. Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view of the heater unit. And Figure 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the heater unit taken along line A-A in Figure 12.

As shown in Figures 11 to 14, the heater unit 110 includes a heater base member 112 that holds the first and second heaters 58, 60. The heater base member 112 includes a substantially triangular heater mounting portion 112a on which the first and second heaters 58, 60 are mounted, and a cylindrical absorbent material housing portion 112b that rotatably houses the absorbent material 52. Note that the heater mounting portion 112a and the absorbent material housing portion 112b of the heater base member 112 can also be configured as separate components.

The first and second heaters 58, 60 are arranged in a V-shape on the heater mounting portion 112a of the heater base member 112. The outdoor air A3 (i.e., the tributary channels P1a, P2b) that have passed through the first heater 58 and the second heater 60 join on the first end surface 52a of the absorbent 52 housed in the absorbent housing portion 112b of the heater base member 112 (i.e., the tributary channels P1a, P1b join the main channel P1c of the first channel P1). The first and second heaters 58, 60 are fin heaters equipped with multiple heating fins that transfer heat to the outdoor air A3 flowing through the tributary channels P1a, P2a.

In this embodiment, the ventilation device 50 includes an absorbent holder 114 that holds a disk-shaped absorbent 52 having a first end surface 52a and a second end surface 52b. The absorbent holder 114 includes a cylindrical portion 114a that holds the outer peripheral surface 52c of the absorbent 52, a hub portion 114b that is rotatably supported by a support shaft 102j that is erected on the bottom plate 102f of the housing 102 of the ventilation device 50 (see FIG. 10), and a plurality of spoke portions 114c that connect the cylindrical portion 114a and the hub portion 114b. The plurality of spoke portions 114c support the second end surface 52b of the absorbent 52.

The absorbent holder 114, which holds the absorbent 52, is housed in the absorbent housing 112b of the heater base member 112. The center of the absorbent housing 112b of the heater base member 112 is provided with an engagement portion 112c that engages with the support shaft 102j of the housing 102 that penetrates the hub portion 114b of the absorbent holder 114. The heater base member 112 is provided with a plurality of beam portions 112d that connect the cylindrical absorbent housing 112b to the engagement portion 112c located in the center thereof.

As shown in FIG. 9, the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 114a of the absorbent holder 114 is formed with external teeth 114d that engage with a pinion gear 116 attached to the motor 54. The motor 54 rotates the absorbent 52 via the absorbent holder 114.

13, the heater unit 110 also includes a first cover member 118 and a second cover member 120 that cover a portion of the first end surface 52a of the absorbent 52 through which the outdoor air A3 passes, the first heater 58, and the second heater 60. The first cover member 118 and the second cover member 120 are supported by the heater mounting portion 112a and the multiple beam portions 112d of the heater base member 112. As a result, the first cover member 118 covers the first and second heaters 58, 60, and also covers the portion of the first end surface 52a of the absorbent 52 that is surrounded by the heater mounting portion 112a and the beam portion 112d when viewed from above (in the Z-axis direction). The second cover member 120 covers such a first cover member 118 with a gap provided between the first cover member 118 and the second cover member 120. In this embodiment, the first cover member 118 is made of a resin material, and the second cover member 120 is made of a metal material. With this first cover member 118 and the second cover member 120, the outside air A3 that has passed through the first heater 58 and the second heater 60, respectively, passes through the first end surface 52a of the absorbent 52 that is covered by the first cover member 118 and the second cover member 120.

As shown in FIG. 14, the first heater 58 and the second heater 60 are placed on the heater placement portion 112a so that the direction in which the outside air A3 passes is horizontal (X-axis direction). The first cover member 118 covers the upper part of the first heater 58 and the second heater 60 so that the outside air A3 can pass through the first heater 58 and the second heater 60 horizontally.

The second cover member 120 comprises a top plate portion 120a that covers the first cover member 118, and a wall portion 120b that extends downward from the outer periphery of the top plate portion 120a. The top plate portion 120a faces the first cover member 118 at a distance in the height direction (Z-axis direction). The wall portion 120b faces the first heater 58 and the second heater 60 at a distance in the horizontal direction.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, an undercover member 122 is attached to the lower part of the heater mounting portion 112a of the heater base member 112. The undercover member 122 includes a bottom plate portion 122a attached to the heater mounting portion 112a, and a wall portion 122b extending from the bottom plate portion 122a in the height direction (Z-axis direction). The wall portion 122b extends between the first heater 58 and the second heater 60 and the wall portion 120b of the second cover member 120.

According to such second cover member 120 and undercover member 122, the outdoor air A3 flows upward through the gap between the wall portion 120b of the second cover member 120 and the wall portion 122b of the undercover member 122. Next, the outdoor air A3 passes over the wall portion 122b of the undercover member 122 and flows horizontally (X-axis direction) above the bottom plate portion 122a, and then reaches the first heater 58 and the second heater 60. Due to such a flow of the outdoor air A3 (i.e., the branch flow paths P1a, P1b), dust and other foreign matter accompanying the outdoor air A3 is removed by gravity before the outdoor air A3 reaches the first heater 58 and the second heater 60. The distance D of the gap between the wall portion 120b of the second cover member 120 and the wall portion 122b of the undercover member 122 is set to a size that insects and other living things cannot enter, for example, 8 mm or less. This prevents organisms from entering the first heater 58 and the second heater 60.

As shown in FIG. 14, outside air A3 flows through the gap between the first cover member 118 and the top plate portion 120a of the second cover member 120. That is, the gap between the first cover member 118 and the second cover member 120 functions as a communication path P1d that connects the upstream portion of the branch flow path P1a relative to the first heater 58 and the upstream portion of the branch flow path P1b relative to the second heater 60. In the case of this embodiment, the flow path length from the first heater 58 to the first fan 62 is short, and the flow path length from the second heater 60 to the first fan 62 is short. Therefore, the flow velocity of the outside air A3 at the first heater 58 is faster than the flow velocity at the second heater 60. As a result, as shown in FIG. 14, a portion of the outdoor air A3 flowing through the portion of the branch passage P1b upstream of the second heater 60 flows through the communication passage P1d into the branch passage P1a, and then passes through the first heater 58.

The reason for providing such a communication path P1d is to effectively utilize the exhaust heat H of the first heater 58 and the second heater 60. Specifically, most of the heat generated by the first heater 58 and the second heater 60 is used to heat the outdoor air A3 passing through them. However, some of the generated heat is not transferred to the outdoor air A3 passing through the first heater 58 and the second heater 60, but is transferred to the surroundings of the first heater 58 and the second heater 60, particularly to the upper part of the first heater 58 and the second heater 60.

In this embodiment, the exhaust heat H of the first heater 58 and the second heater 60 is transferred to the outdoor air A3 flowing through the communication path P1d. The outdoor air A3 heated by the exhaust heat H passes through the first heater 58 or the second heater 60, and then through the absorbent 52. In this way, the outdoor air A3 flowing through the communication path P1d recovers the exhaust heat H of the first heater 58 and the second heater 60, thereby improving the heating efficiency of the outdoor air A3 by the first and second heaters 58, 60. As a result, the amount of humidification of the outdoor air A3 (the amount of moisture taken from the absorbent 52) increases, and the efficiency of the humidification operation (humidification efficiency of the room Rin) or the efficiency of the regeneration operation in the dehumidification operation (regeneration efficiency of the absorbent 52) improves.

The communication path P1d for recovering exhaust heat is not limited to being provided above the first heater 58 and the second heater 60, but may also be provided below. The communication path P1d may pass through the vicinity of the first heater 58 and the second heater 60, i.e., the area where the exhaust heat of the first heater 58 and the second heater 60 is transmitted.

The outdoor air A3 heated by at least one of the first heater 58 and the second heater 60 passes downward through the absorbent material 52 from the first end surface 52a to the second end surface 52b, as shown in FIG. 10, and enters the second space S2.

Figure 15 is a top view of a portion of the ventilator housing showing the second space.

As shown in FIG. 15, an annular wall 102k extending in the height direction (Z-axis direction) is formed on the bottom plate 102f of the housing 102. A partition plate 124 is disposed on the top of the annular wall 102k to separate the first space S1 from the second space S2 (see FIG. 10). The annular wall 102k and the partition plate 124 of the housing 102 define the second space S2. A seal unit (described later) is attached to the portion 102l of the annular wall 102k located below the absorbent 52 to seal between the annular wall 102k and the absorbent 52.

Figure 16 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of the absorber perpendicular to the radial direction of the absorber.

As shown in FIG. 16, the ventilation device 50 is provided with a plurality of first seal units 126 for the first end surface 52a of the absorbent 52 and a plurality of second seal units 128 for the second end surface 52b of the absorbent 52. In this embodiment, the first seal units 126 are provided on a plurality of beam portions 112d of the heater base member 112 that face the first end surface 52a of the absorbent 52. The second seal units 128 are provided on a portion 102l of the annular wall portion 102k of the housing 102 that faces the second end surface 52b of the absorbent 52.

The first seal units 126 each include a seal member 126a that contacts the first end surface 52a of the absorbent 52 in the height direction (Z-axis direction), and a seal holder 126b that holds the seal member 126a and is attached to the heater base member 112. The seal member 126a extends substantially in the radial direction of the disk-shaped absorbent 52 and contacts the first end surface 52a of the absorbent 52. In the present embodiment, the seal member 126a is a brush. Note that the seal member 126a is not limited to a brush, as long as it can slide against the first end surface 52a of the rotating absorbent 52. The seal member 126a may be, for example, an elastic member such as silicone rubber that has flexibility.

Such a first seal unit 126 prevents the outside air A3 flowing through the first flow path P1, specifically, a portion of the outside air A3 flowing through the first cover member 118, from entering the second flow path P2 (i.e., the fourth space S4). Conversely, the outside air A4 flowing through the second flow path P2 is also prevented from entering the first flow path P1.

The second seal units 128 each include a seal member 128a that contacts the second end surface 52b of the absorbent 52 in the height direction (Z-axis direction), and a seal holder 128b that holds the seal member 128a and is attached to the housing 102. The seal member 128a extends substantially in the radial direction of the disk-shaped absorbent 52, extends parallel to the seal member 126a of the first seal unit 126, and contacts the second end surface 52b of the absorbent 52. In the present embodiment, the seal member 128a is a brush. Note that the seal member 128a is not limited to a brush as long as it can slide against the second end surface 52b of the rotating absorbent 52. The seal member 128a may be, for example, an elastic member such as silicone rubber that has flexibility. The seal member 128a may be different from or the same as the seal member 126a of the first seal unit 126.

This second seal unit 128 prevents the outside air A3 flowing through the first flow path P1, specifically, a portion of the outside air A3 flowing into the second space S2 from the second end surface 52b of the absorbent 52, from entering the second flow path P2 (i.e., the third space S3). Conversely, the outside air A4 flowing through the second flow path P2 is also prevented from entering the first flow path P1.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, multiple spoke portions 114c of the absorbent holder 114 are present on the second end surface 52b of the absorbent 52 with which the second seal unit 128 (its seal member 128a) comes into contact. Therefore, while the absorbent holder 114 is rotating, the seal member 128a must ride over the multiple spoke portions 114c.

At this time, when the entire seal member 128a passes over the spoke portion 114c at the same time, the rotational resistance of the absorbent holder 114 increases at that time. As a result, a torque load is intermittently applied to the motor 54 that rotates the absorbent holder 114.

Therefore, the spoke parts 114c extend so that the entire seal member 128a does not go over the spoke parts 114c at the same time. Specifically, the seal member 128a extends substantially in the radial direction of the absorbent 52, and the spoke parts 114c do not extend substantially in the radial direction of the absorbent 52. As a result, for example, when the end of the seal member 128a on the center side of the absorbent 52 is located on the spoke parts 114c, the outer end of the seal member 128a is not located on the spoke parts 114c. Due to this difference in the extending direction, the seal member 128a does not go over the spoke parts 114c as a whole at the same time, but goes over the spoke parts 114c one by one. As a result, the load on the motor 54 is reduced.

As shown in FIG. 16, the beam portion 112d of the heater base member 112 on which the first seal unit 126 is provided is provided with an impact plate 112e extending in a direction away from the first seal unit 126. The impact plate 112e extends above the portion of the first end surface 52a of the absorbent 52 from which the outside air A4 flows out. As a result, the outside air A4 that has passed through the absorbent 52 near the first seal unit 126 impacts the impact plate 112e. This "impact plate" will be described using a comparative example.

Figure 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of the absorbent material perpendicular to the radial direction of the absorbent material in a ventilation device of a comparative example.

As shown in the comparative example of FIG. 17, if there is no impingement plate 112e that protrudes into the second flow path P2 away from the first seal unit 126, a portion of the outside air A3 that passes through the first heater 58 and the second heater 60 and before flowing into the absorbent 52 may enter the second flow path P2. Specifically, a portion of the outside air A3 may pass between the seal member 126a and the absorbent 52 and enter the second flow path P2.

This passage of the outdoor air A3 between the seal member 126a and the absorbent 52 occurs due to the ventilation resistance of the absorbent 52, i.e., the pressure loss caused by passing through the absorbent 52. Specifically, the pressure in the portion of the first flow path P1 upstream of the absorbent 52 (i.e., space S5) is the pressure before the pressure loss occurs due to the absorbent 52, while the pressure in the portion of the second flow path P2 downstream of the absorbent 52 (i.e., the fourth space S4) is the pressure after the pressure loss occurs by passing through the absorbent 52. In other words, the pressure in space S5 is relatively higher than the pressure in space S4 by the amount that does not pass through the absorbent 52. The difference between these two pressures can cause the outdoor air A3 to pass between the seal member 126a and the absorbent 52. As a result, the outside air A3 heated by the first heater 58 and the second heater 60 at a relatively high pressure can enter the second flow path P2 at a relatively low pressure through the gap between the seal member 126a and the absorbent material 52.

When part of the heated, high-temperature outdoor air A3 enters the second flow path P2 without passing through the absorbent 52, the amount of moisture that the outdoor air A3 removes from the absorbent 52 decreases, i.e., the efficiency of the humidification operation (humidification efficiency of the room Rin) decreases. To address this issue, in the case of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 16, there is an impact plate 112e that protrudes from the first seal unit 126 into the second flow path P2.

As shown in FIG. 16, the outside air A4 flowing near the first seal unit 126 flows out from the first end surface 52a of the absorbent 52 and then collides with the collision plate 112e. This creates a turbulent high-pressure region AP between the first end surface 52a of the absorbent 52 and the collision plate 112e. This high-pressure region AP reduces the pressure difference on both sides of the seal member 126a. As a result, the intrusion of the outside air A3 between the seal member 126a and the absorbent 52 into the second flow path P2 is suppressed.

In this embodiment, the tip of the collision plate 112e (the end farthest from the first seal unit 126) is provided with a throttle wall 112f extending toward the first end surface 52a of the absorbent 52. This forms a nearly closed space surrounded by the seal member 126a, the collision plate 112e, the first end surface 52a of the absorbent 52, and the throttle wall 112f, and generates a high pressure region AP with a higher pressure within the space. As a result, compared to the case where the throttle wall 112f is not present, the intrusion of the outside air A3 into the second flow path P2 through the gap between the seal member 126a and the absorbent 52 is more suppressed.

As shown in FIG. 16, the seal member 126a of the first seal unit 126 and the seal member 128a of the second seal unit 128 are in contact with the absorbent 52 in a direction perpendicular to the first end face 52a and the second end face 52b of the absorbent 52. However, the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to this.

Figure 18 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of an absorbent material perpendicular to the radial direction of the absorbent material in a ventilation device according to a different embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 18, in a ventilation device according to a different embodiment, the seal members 126a, 128a contact the absorbent 52 while being inclined with respect to the first end face 52a and the second end face 52b, respectively. Specifically, the seal members 126a, 128a are held by the seal holders 226b, 228b while being inclined so as to approach the absorbent 52 from the upstream side to the downstream side of the rotation direction DR of the absorbent 52. In this case, the sliding resistance between the seal members 126a, 128a and the absorbent 52 is lower than in the embodiment shown in FIG. 16, and the load on the motor 54 is reduced.

When the rotation direction of the absorbent 52 is changed, the seal members 126a and 128a may each be held by the seal holder so as to be swingable about a rotation center line extending in the radial direction of the absorbent 52.

The rotation speeds of the first fan 62 and the second fan 66 may also be adjusted so that the outdoor air A3 or the outdoor air A4 does not pass between the seal member 126a of the first seal unit 126 and the first end surface 52a of the absorbent 52, and between the seal member 128a of the second seal unit 128 and the second end surface 52b of the absorbent 52. For example, when the rotation speed of the first fan 62 or the second fan 66 increases, the pressure in the first flow path P1 or the second flow path P2 decreases. Conversely, when the rotation speed decreases, the pressure increases.

For example, when at least one of the first heater 58 and the second heater 60 is ON, the rotation speed of the first fan 62 can be increased to reduce the pressure in the first flow path P1 and/or the rotation speed of the second fan 66 can be decreased to increase the pressure in the second flow path P2, thereby further suppressing the passage of heated outdoor air A3 between the seal member 126a of the first seal unit 126 and the absorbent material 52.

In addition to the first seal unit 126 and the second seal unit 128, the ventilation device 50 is equipped with a labyrinth seal member 130 as a seal for the absorbent material 52, as shown in FIG. 13.

Figure 19 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an absorbent holder showing the labyrinth flow path formed on the outside of the absorbent holder.

19, the absorbent holder 114 rotates, so that the outer circumferential surface of its cylindrical portion 114a faces the absorbent storage portion 112b of the heater base member 112 and the partition plate 124 at a distance. Therefore, a part of the outdoor air A3 that should pass through the absorbent 52 can flow outside the cylindrical portion 114a and bypass the absorbent 52. When the outdoor air A3 is heated by at least one of the first heater 58 and the second heater 60, if such a bypass occurs, the amount of moisture that the outdoor air A3 takes from the absorbent 52 decreases, that is, the efficiency of the humidification operation (humidification efficiency of the room Rin) or the efficiency of the regeneration operation in the dehumidification operation (regeneration efficiency of the absorbent 52) decreases. Therefore, in the case of this embodiment, the labyrinth seal member 130 forms a labyrinth flow path PL between the absorbent holder 114 and the member facing it (the heater base member 112 and the partition plate 124). A labyrinth flow path is a flow path that has a high flow resistance due to the flow path shape that changes the flow direction of the fluid multiple times.

The labyrinth seal member 130 has an end face 130a that forms a radial flow path PLa extending in the radial direction (Y-axis direction) of the absorbent 52 as part of the labyrinth flow path PL. Specifically, in the case of this embodiment, the absorbent holder 114 has external teeth 114d on the outer circumferential surface of its cylindrical portion 114a. The absorbent holder 114 also has an annular flange 114e provided on the end face of the external teeth 114d on the side farther from the first end face 52a of the absorbent 52. The end face 130a of the labyrinth seal member 130 forms a radial flow path PLa between itself and the flange 114e.

The labyrinth flow path PL including such radial flow paths PLa makes it difficult for the outdoor air A3 to flow around the outside of the cylindrical portion 114a and bypass the absorbent 52, and instead passes through the absorbent 52. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the efficiency of the humidification operation (humidification efficiency of the room Rin) or the efficiency of the regeneration operation during the dehumidification operation (regeneration efficiency of the absorbent 52) caused by the outdoor air A3 bypassing the absorbent 52.

In addition, in this embodiment, the end surface 130a of the labyrinth seal member 130 is provided with a protrusion 130b that protrudes toward the flange 114e of the absorbent holder 114. This further increases the flow resistance of the labyrinth flow path PL.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the partition plate 124 is provided with a rib 124a extending in the radial direction (Y-axis direction) of the absorbent 52 so as to face the second end face 52b of the absorbent 52 with a gap therebetween. This rib 124a makes it difficult for the outside air A3 to flow out of the labyrinth flow path PL, and as a result, the flow path resistance of the labyrinth flow path PL is further increased.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, a protrusion 124b that protrudes toward the second end surface 52b of the absorbent 52 is provided at the tip of the rib 124a of the partition plate 124. This protrusion 124b makes it difficult for the outside air A3 to flow out of the labyrinth flow path PL, and as a result, the flow path resistance of the labyrinth flow path PL is further increased.

The labyrinth flow path PL may be formed over the entire outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 114a of the absorbent holder 114, or may not be formed over the entire surface. The main purpose of the labyrinth flow path PL is to suppress bypass of the absorbent 52 by the outdoor air A3 heated by at least one of the first heater 58 and the second heater 60 so that most of the outdoor air A3 passes through the absorbent 52. Therefore, it is sufficient that the labyrinth flow path PL is present at least on the outside of the portion of the cylindrical portion 114a of the absorbent holder 114 corresponding to the portion of the absorbent 52 through which the heated outdoor air A3 passes. When the labyrinth flow path PL is formed over the entire outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 114a, bypass of the absorbent 52 can also be suppressed for the outdoor air A4 passing through the absorbent 52 from the second end face 52b to the first end face 52a.

In this embodiment, the end face 130a of the labyrinth seal member 130 forms a radial flow passage PLa between the end face 130a and the flange 114e of the absorber holder 114. The part of the absorber holder 114 that cooperates with the end face 130a of the labyrinth seal member 130 to form the radial flow passage PLa is not limited to the flange 114e. If the absorber holder 114 has an expanded diameter portion that protrudes radially outward, the end face 130a of the labyrinth seal member 130 will have a radial flow passage PLa between the end face 130a and the expanded diameter portion.
It is possible to form a radial flow path PLa. The flange 114e obstructs the outside air A3 flowing between the teeth of the external teeth 114d, and this also increases the flow path resistance of the labyrinth flow path PL.

The outdoor air A3 that passes through the absorbent material 52 flows into the second space S2.

Figure 20 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the components around the first fan.

As shown in FIG. 20, the outdoor air A3 flowing through the first flow path P1, specifically, flowing into the second space S2, is drawn into the first fan 62. In this embodiment, the first fan 62 is a sirocco fan, and is composed of an impeller 62a arranged in the fan chamber F2 and rotating around a rotation center line extending in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), and a motor 62b that rotates the impeller 62a. The outdoor air A3 is drawn into the fan chamber F2 by the rotation in the impeller 66a. The fan chamber F1 is defined by an annular wall 124c provided on the partition plate 124 and a fan cover member 132 attached to the annular wall 124c. The partition plate 124 is formed with an air intake port 124d that communicates with the fan chamber F2 and through which the outdoor air A3 passes.

In this embodiment, the motor 62b of the first fan 62 is provided on the fan cover member 132 and is covered by the motor cover member 134. That is, the motor 62b is stored in the motor chamber M1 defined by the fan cover member 132 and the motor cover member 134.

In this embodiment, the fan cover member 132 and the motor cover member 134 are configured so that outside air A3 flows into the motor chamber M1.

Specifically, when the first fan 62 rotates, the outside air A3 flows into the first space S1 through the third air intake 102g and the fourth air intake 102h, as shown in Figures 8 and 9. A portion of the outside air A3 that flows into the space S1 passes directly through the first heater 58 and the second heater 60. The remainder flows into the motor chamber M1, cools the motor 62b, and flows out of the motor chamber M1, and then passes through the first heater 58 and the second heater 60, as shown in Figure 20.

To ensure that the outside air A3 entering the motor chamber M1 flows locally in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), the fan cover member 132 and the motor cover member 134 are each provided with multiple obstacle walls 132a, 134a extending in the vertical direction. These obstacle walls 132a, 134b allow the outside air A3 to flow in the vertical direction, and foreign matter entrained in the outside air A3 is removed by gravity. As a result, the intrusion of foreign matter into the motor chamber M1 is suppressed.

Furthermore, the fourth air intake 102h, which is connected to the first space S1, is provided with multiple bars 102m that prevent foreign objects from entering. Furthermore, an inclined surface 102o that is higher on the first space S1 side is formed on the upper surface 102n of at least one of the bars 102m. This inclined surface 102o prevents rainwater falling diagonally downward from entering the first space S1. Similar bars 102m are also provided on the first air intake 102a, the second air intake 102b, and the third air intake 102g.

Note that means for preventing rainwater from entering are not limited to the inclined surface 102o.

Figure 21 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an air intake of a housing in a ventilation device according to a different embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 21, in a ventilation device according to a different embodiment, a fourth air intake 202h of a housing 202 is provided with a plurality of bars 202m. Each of the bars 202m is provided with a hanging portion 202p that extends toward the other bars 202m located below. Such hanging portions 202p can also prevent rainwater from entering the first space S1.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 10 and 15, an orifice member 136 is provided in the portion of the first flow path P1 between the absorbent material 52 and the air intake port 124d, i.e., in the second space S2. The orifice member 136 is an obstacle for locally reducing the flow path cross-sectional area in the portion of the first flow path P1 between the absorbent material 52 and the air intake port 124d. By providing the orifice member 136, the temperature distribution in the second space S2 is made more uniform than when the orifice member 136 is not provided.

To be more specific, outside air A3 that has passed through the first heater 58 and outside air A3 that has passed through the second heater 60 flow in the second space S2 while mixing. When both the first heater 58 and the second heater 60 are ON and when both are OFF, the temperature distribution in the second space S2 is substantially uniform.

On the other hand, the temperature distribution when only the first heater 58 is ON and the temperature distribution when only the second heater 60 is ON are not uniform and are significantly different from each other. Specifically, the outdoor air A3 that has passed through the first heater 58 arranged on the rear side of the heating device 50 flows through the rear part of the second space S2, and the outdoor air A3 that has passed through the second heater 60 arranged on the front side flows through the front part of the second space S2. The outdoor air A3 flowing through the second space S2 starts to swirl near the air intake 124d of the first fan 62, and in this state flows into the fan chamber F2 through the air intake 124d. At this time, for example, when only the rear first heater 58 is ON, the outdoor air A3 with a high temperature flows through the rear part of the second space S2, and the outdoor air A3 with a low temperature (not heated) flows through the front part. In this state, when the outdoor air A3 swirls near the air intake 124d, the detection accuracy of the temperature sensor 138 that measures the temperature of the outdoor air A3 in the second space S2 decreases. Note that the temperature sensor 138 is provided on the partition plate 124 as shown in FIG. 9.

As shown in FIG. 15, the orifice member 136 is disposed upstream of the temperature sensor 138 in the portion of the first flow path P1 (second space S2) from the first and second heaters 58, 60 to the air intake port 124d. The orifice member 136 is also disposed so as to cross the second space S2. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, the outdoor air A3 that has passed through the first heater 58 and the outdoor air A3 that has passed through the second heater 60 pass through a narrow gap between the orifice member 136 and the partition plate 124 toward the air intake port 124d. The outdoor air A3 that has passed through the first heater 58 and the outdoor air A3 that has passed through the second heater 60 are appropriately mixed by the gap and the vortex caused by the separation flow that occurs after passing through the gap. As a result, the temperature distribution when only the first heater 58 is ON and the temperature distribution when only the second heater 60 is ON are approximately equal around the temperature sensor 138 located downstream of the orifice member 136. As a secondary effect, the orifice member 136 also has the effect of reducing the noise level generated by the first fan 62 and leaking outside the room.

The orifice member 136 can also have other shapes.

Figure 22 is a top view of a portion of the housing of a ventilation device showing the second space in a ventilation device according to a different embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 22, in a ventilation device according to a different embodiment, the orifice member 236 is not provided so as to cross the second space S2, but is provided only on the front side of the ventilation device. In this case, the outdoor air A3 that has passed through the first heater 58 and the outdoor air A4 that has passed through the second heater 60 flow so as to bypass the orifice member 236 when viewed from above (viewed in the Z-axis direction). When bypassing, the outdoor air A3 that has passed through the first heater 58 and the outdoor air A3 that has passed through the second heater 60 are appropriately mixed together. In this case, the outdoor air A3 flows slowly near the temperature sensor 138, and the measurement environment of the temperature sensor 138 is stable.

As shown in FIG. 20, the outdoor air A3 that flows from the second space S2 into the fan chamber F1 of the first fan 62 is sent to the damper device 64 by the rotation of the impeller 62a.

Figure 23A is a cross-sectional view showing the damper device connected to the indoors. Also, Figure 23B is a cross-sectional view showing the damper device connected to the outdoors.

23A and 23B, and also as shown in FIG. 9, in this embodiment, the damper device 64 includes a part of the partition plate 124 and a part of the fan cover member 132 as components of its housing. The damper device 64 also includes an inlet 64a through which the outdoor air A3 flows in, a first outlet 64b that communicates with the indoor unit 20 and through which the outdoor air A3 flows out, a second outlet 64c that communicates with the outside and through which the outdoor air A3 flows out, and a closing door 64d that selectively closes one of the first outlet 64b and the second outlet 64c. The damper device 64 also includes a power source (not shown) such as a motor that rotates the closing door 64e around a rotation center line extending in the height direction (Z-axis direction) and is controlled by the control device of the air conditioner 10.

The inlet 64a of the damper device 64 is connected to the fan chamber F2 of the first fan 62. As a result, the outside air A3 that passes through the first heater 58, the second heater 60, and the absorbent material 52 and is blown out from the impeller 62a of the first fan 62 flows into the damper device 64 through the inlet 64a.

The first outlet 64b of the damper device 64 is connected to the ventilation duct 56. This allows the first outlet 64b to communicate with the interior of the indoor unit 20 via the ventilation duct 56. As a result, the outdoor air A3 that has passed through the inlet 64a flows into the indoor unit 20. In this embodiment, the first outlet 64b opens to the right.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the opening direction of the first outlet 64b of the damper device 64 is to the right, and the opening direction of the inlet 64a is the opposite, to the left. Therefore, the outdoor air A3 that flows into the inlet 64a flows out from the first outlet 64b without changing its flow direction. Therefore, the outdoor air A3 can flow into the ventilation duct 56 without slowing down while maintaining the blowing speed of the first fan 62.

The second outlet 64c of the damper device 64 is indirectly, not directly, connected to the outside of the room. Specifically, the second outlet 64c opens in an isolated chamber S6 provided in the housing 102, facing horizontally, particularly toward the rear wall 102e. The isolated chamber S6 is defined by the housing 102 and the fan cover member 132, and is independent of the other spaces S1 to S4. Therefore, the outside air A3 flowing out from the second outlet 64c flows into the isolated chamber S6.

The bottom plate 102f of the housing 102 that defines the isolated chamber S6 is provided with a connection port 102q that communicates with the inside of the housing 100 of the main body of the outdoor unit 30.

Figure 24 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the ventilation device showing the flow of outdoor air flowing out of the damper device. Also, Figure 25 is a front view of the outdoor unit showing the schematic inside of the outdoor unit body.

As shown in FIG. 24, the outdoor air A3 flowing out rearward from the second outlet 64c of the damper device 64 changes its flow direction downward within the isolation chamber S6 and passes through the connection port 102q provided on the bottom plate 102f of the housing 102.

As shown in FIG. 25, the outdoor air A3 that passes through the connection port 102q of the bottom plate 102f of the housing 102 flows into the housing 100 of the main body of the outdoor unit 30.

In this embodiment, the inside of the main body housing 100 is roughly divided into a heat exchange chamber R1 that houses the outdoor heat exchanger 32, the fan 34, etc., and a machine chamber R2 that houses the compressor 36, the four-way valve 40, the control board, etc. Outdoor air A3 flows into the machine chamber R2.

The reason why the outdoor air A3 flowing out from the second outlet 64c of the damper device 64 is discharged to the outside Rout through the housing 100 of the main body of the outdoor unit 30 will be explained below.

As shown in FIG. 23B, when the outside air A3 flows out of the second outlet 64c, it collides with the closing door 64d and changes its flow direction substantially by 90 degrees. At this time, turbulence is generated within the damper device 64, which results in noise.

If an exhaust port with multiple bars is provided in the rear wall 102e of the housing 102 facing the second outlet 64c, noise caused by turbulence will leak to the outside Rout through the exhaust port. In addition, the operating sound of the closing door 64e will also leak to the outside Rout through the exhaust port. Furthermore, the bars may generate wind noise.

As in this embodiment, when the outside air A3 flowing out from the second outlet 64c flows into the housing 100 through the isolated chamber S6, noise caused by turbulence and the operation sound of the closing door 64e are prevented from leaking to the outside Rout. In other words, the internal space of the housing 100 functions as a "muffler" that reduces the level of noise that is generated when the outside air A3 flows through the damper device 64 and leaks to the outside Rout.

In particular, when the outdoor air A3 flows into the machine room R2, the level of noise leaking to the outdoor Rout can be further reduced. The machine room R2 is a substantially sealed space, and is connected to the outdoor Rout via a gap large enough to allow heat generated by the compressor 36 and other components stored therein to flow out to the outdoor Rout. On the other hand, the heat exchange room R1 is connected to the outdoor Rout via an intake port through which the outdoor air A2 drawn in by the fan 34 passes, and an exhaust port through which the outdoor air A2 flows out after heat exchange. Therefore, the level of noise leaking to the outdoor Rout can be reduced by the outdoor air A3 flowing out of the second outlet 64c of the damper device 64 into the machine room R2, compared to the case where the outdoor air A3 flows into the heat exchange room R1.

In this way, the damper device 64 discharges the outdoor air A3 to the outside Aout through the space within the housing 100 of the outdoor unit 30 body, thereby reducing the noise level generated by the outdoor unit 30.

In addition, a duct connecting the second outlet 64c and the connection port 102q may be provided in the housing 102 so that the outdoor air A3 flows smoothly from the second outlet 64c of the damper device 64 toward the connection port 102q communicating with the housing 100, i.e., so that turbulence does not occur between them and cause noise.

The damper device 64 may be configured so that the second outlet 64c faces downward so that the second outlet 64c faces the connection port 102q in the isolation chamber S6. Furthermore, the damper device 64 may be configured so that the second outlet 64c of the damper device 64 is directly connected to the connection port 102q.

The outdoor air A3 flowing out from the first outlet 64b of the damper device 64 flows into the indoor unit 20 via the ventilation duct 56.

Figure 26 is a perspective view showing the indoor heat exchanger and nozzles provided in the indoor unit. Also, Figure 27 is a side view of the indoor unit showing the internal structure. Note that the U-V-W orthogonal coordinate system shown in the figure is intended to facilitate understanding of the embodiment, and does not limit the embodiment. The U-axis direction indicates the left-right direction of the indoor unit 20, the V-axis direction indicates the front-rear direction, and the W-axis direction indicates the height direction.

As shown in FIG. 26, the indoor unit 20 includes an indoor heat exchanger 22 and a nozzle 140. The nozzle 140 includes a connection portion 140a that connects to the ventilation duct 56, and an outlet 140b that blows out the outdoor air A3 supplied from the ventilation duct 56.

As shown in FIG. 27, the nozzle 140 is provided in the housing 142 of the indoor unit 20 so as to blow out the outdoor air A3 supplied from the ventilation device 50 through the ventilation duct 56 into the housing 142 of the indoor unit 20. Specifically, the nozzle 140 is arranged in the indoor unit 20 so that the blown outdoor air A3 passes through a dry region in the indoor unit 20 and heads toward the fan 24. The fan 24 is, for example, a cross-flow fan. The "dry region" referred to here is a region that is drier than other regions. Such a "dry region" can be identified experimentally or by simulation.

In this embodiment, the direction in which the nozzle 140 blows the outdoor air A3 is oriented so that the outdoor air A3 blown out from the outlet 140b passes through the dry portion DP of the indoor heat exchanger 22, which serves as the "dry area" within the indoor unit 20.

To be more specific, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 27, when viewed in the direction of extension of the rotation center line of the fan 24 (when viewed in the U-axis direction), the indoor heat exchanger 22 is provided in the housing 142 of the indoor unit 20 so as to partially surround the fan 24 (in the present embodiment, so as to surround the fan 24 except for the lower part). The indoor heat exchanger 22 is also composed of a first part 22a located behind the fan 24 and a second part 22b located in front of the fan 24. The refrigerant supplied from the compressor 36 flows through the indoor heat exchanger 22. In the present embodiment, when the air conditioner 10 is in cooling operation or weak cooling operation (dehumidification operation), when viewed in the direction of extension of the rotation center line of the fan 24, the refrigerant flows from the upper part to the lower part of the first part 22a, and then flows from the lower part to the upper part of the second part 22b. That is, the refrigerant flows in the indoor heat exchanger 22 in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 27.

As a result of this flow of refrigerant, a dry portion DP is generated in the upper portion of the second portion 22a of the indoor heat exchanger 22. The dry portion DP is located downstream in the direction of refrigerant flow in the indoor heat exchanger 22. Because the temperature of the refrigerant increases while it flows through other portions of the indoor heat exchanger 22, condensation is less likely to occur in the dry portion DP than in other portions (less condensed water adheres).

In addition, in the present embodiment, the dry portion DP of the indoor heat exchanger 22 is a portion away from the drain pans 144, 146 provided below the indoor heat exchanger 22, so there is little condensed water adhering to it. In other words, since the condensed water flows downward on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger 22 toward the drain pans 144, 146, there is little condensed water in the dry portion DP located at the top of the indoor heat exchanger 22.

The reason why the outdoor air A3 blown out from the nozzle 140 passes through the dry area in the indoor unit 20 (in this embodiment, the dry part DP of the indoor heat exchanger 22) and heads toward the fan 24 will be explained below.

The air conditioner 10 is configured to be able to simultaneously perform dehumidification operation using the refrigeration cycle (weak cooling operation) and dehumidification operation using the ventilation device 50 as one operating mode.

In dehumidification operation using the refrigeration cycle, when the fan 24 rotates, indoor air A1 is taken into the housing 142 of the indoor unit 20 through the air intake 142a provided at the top of the housing 142 and passes through the indoor heat exchanger 22. At this time, the indoor air A1 is cooled by the indoor heat exchanger 22 and moisture is removed from the indoor air A1, causing it to dry. The removed moisture condenses on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger 22. The dried indoor air A1 is blown out by the fan 24 through the air outlet 142b into the room Rin.

During dehumidification operation by the ventilation device 50 (see FIG. 5), outdoor air A3 that has been heated during adsorption operation in the dehumidification operation is supplied from the ventilation device 50 to the nozzle 140. The outdoor air A3 is blown out from the nozzle 140 and is drawn by the fan 24 to pass through the dry portion DP of the indoor heat exchanger 22. At this time, the outdoor air A3 passes through the dry portion DP, i.e., does not pass through other parts of the indoor heat exchanger 22 where a lot of condensed water adheres, so a dry state is maintained. The outdoor air A3 that has passed through the indoor heat exchanger 22 while being maintained in a dry state is blown out by the fan 24 through the air outlet 142b into the room Rin.

By simultaneously performing dehumidification operation (weak cooling operation) using this type of refrigeration cycle and dehumidification operation using the ventilation device 50, it is possible to dehumidify the room Rin without significantly lowering the room temperature.

If the outdoor air A3 blown out from the nozzle 140 passes through other parts of the indoor heat exchanger 22 other than the drying part DP, the outdoor air A3 is humidified by the evaporation of condensed water. Since the humidified outdoor air A3 is blown out into the room Rin, that is, some of the moisture that was originally present in the room Rin returns to the room Rin, the dehumidification efficiency of the room Rin decreases.

The air conditioner 10 is also configured to be able to simultaneously perform dehumidification operation (weak cooling operation) using the refrigeration cycle and ventilation operation using the ventilation device 50 as one operating mode.

In this case, unhumidified outdoor air A3 is supplied to the nozzle 140 from the ventilation device 50. The outdoor air A3 blown out from the nozzle 140 passes through the dry portion DP of the indoor heat exchanger 22. In this case, the indoor Rin can be ventilated without returning some of the condensed water that has adhered to the indoor heat exchanger 22 during the dehumidification operation back to the indoor Rin.

In addition, the nozzle 140 may blow at least a portion of the outdoor air A3 toward the space between the indoor heat exchanger 22 and the fan 24 as a "dry area" within the indoor unit 20.

In this embodiment, the nozzle 140 is configured to be non-destructively divisible into multiple pieces.

Figure 28 is an exploded perspective view of the nozzle. Figure 29 is a perspective view showing the nozzle separated into two pieces. And Figure 30 is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle.

As shown in FIG. 28, the nozzle 140 is composed of four parts 148 to 154. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 29, in this embodiment, the nozzle 140 is configured to be separable into a rear part 140c having a connection part 140a and a front part 140d having an outlet 140b. The rear part 140c has a connection port 140e for connecting to the front part 140d, and the tip part 140f of the front part 140d is removably inserted into the connection port 140e.

As shown in FIG. 29, in this embodiment, the rear portion 140c is attached to a base member 156 of the indoor unit 20, and the front portion 140d is attached to a filter frame 158. The base member 156 functions as a bracket when installing the indoor unit 20 on a wall surface, and holds the components of the indoor unit 20, such as the indoor heat exchanger 22 and the fan 24. The filter frame 158 is a member that holds a filter (not shown) through which the indoor air A1 flows toward the indoor heat exchanger 22, and is configured to be removable from the base member 156. When the filter frame 158 is removed from the base member 156, the front portion 140d of the nozzle 140 is separated from the rear portion 140c.

As shown in FIG. 30, when the tip 140f of the front part 140d is inserted into the connection port 140e of the rear part 140c of the nozzle 140, the inner circumferential surface 140g of the rear part 140c and the inner circumferential surface 140h of the front part 140d are connected so that they are continuous and without any steps. This reduces the pressure loss of the outdoor air A3 flowing from the rear part 140c to the front part 140d.

As shown in FIG. 28, the rear portion 140c of the nozzle 140 is configured to be separable into two parts 148, 150 along its internal flow path. The front portion 140d is also configured to be separable into two parts 152, 154 along its internal flow path. The parts 148, 150 are configured to be able to be joined together, for example, by snap engagement, without using fixing parts such as screws. Similarly, the parts 152, 154 are also configured to be able to be joined together without using fixing parts.

As shown in FIG. 30, in this embodiment, the rear portion 140c of the nozzle 140 is provided with a contraction section 140i that reduces the cross-sectional area of the flow path compared to other locations. This allows the noise from the outdoor unit 30 to be reflected, reducing the level of noise transmitted into the indoor unit 20.

Nozzle 140 configured in this way can easily check and clean its interior. In other words, nozzle 140 can be divided into four parts 148-154, and each part can be checked and cleaned.

According to this embodiment, in an air conditioner in which outdoor air is humidified by passing through a rotating absorbent material and then supplied to an indoor unit, it is possible to prevent the outdoor air from bypassing the absorbent material.

The present invention has been described above using the above-mentioned embodiments, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments.

For example, in the case of the embodiment described above, as shown in FIG. 19, the absorbent holder 114 is not in contact with the opposing member (the absorbent storage section 112b of the heater base member 112 and the partition plate 124) in order to rotate smoothly. However, the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to this. As long as the absorbent holder 114 is rotatable, a portion of the absorbent holder 114 may slide against the opposing member.

That is, in a broad sense, the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes an outdoor unit having a heater for heating outdoor air, a disk-shaped absorbent material having a first end face and a second end face, through which outdoor air heated by the heater passes from the first end face to the second end face, an absorbent material holder having a cylindrical part for holding the outer circumferential surface of the absorbent material and rotating, an opposing member facing the outer circumferential surface of the absorbent material holder, a fan for generating a flow of outdoor air passing through the absorbent material, and a labyrinth seal member forming a labyrinth flow path between the outer circumferential surface of the absorbent material holder and the opposing member, the absorbent material holder including an expanded diameter portion, and the labyrinth seal member having an end face forming a radial flow path extending at least in the radial direction of the absorbent material between the expanded diameter portion of the absorbent material holder as a part of the labyrinth flow path.

This disclosure is applicable to any air conditioner that has an indoor unit and an outdoor unit.

52 Absorbing material 112 Opposing member (heater base member)
114 Absorbing material holder 114a Cylindrical portion 114e Expanded diameter portion (flange)
124 opposing member (partition plate 124)
130 Labyrinth seal member 130a End surface PL Labyrinth flow path PLa Radial flow path

Claims (3)

An air conditioner having an indoor unit and an outdoor unit,
The outdoor unit,
A heater for heating outdoor air;
a disk-shaped absorbent material having a first end surface and a second end surface, through which the outdoor air heated by the heater passes from the first end surface to the second end surface;
an absorbent holder that rotates and includes a cylindrical portion that holds an outer circumferential surface of the absorbent;
an opposing member that faces an outer circumferential surface of the absorbent holder;
a fan that generates a flow of outdoor air passing through the absorbent material;
a labyrinth seal member that forms a labyrinth flow path between an outer circumferential surface of the absorbent holder and the opposing member,
The absorbent holder includes an expanded diameter portion,
The labyrinth seal member has an end surface that forms a radial flow passage extending at least in a radial direction of the absorbent material between the end surface and the expanded diameter portion of the absorbent material holder as a part of the labyrinth flow passage ,
The opposing member includes a rib extending in the radial direction so as to face the second end surface of the absorbent material at a distance, and a protrusion portion provided at a tip of the rib and protruding toward the second end surface of the absorbent material,
An air conditioner , wherein an inner edge of the protrusion portion of the opposing member is positioned more inward than an inner edge of the second end face side portion of the absorbent material holder .
the absorber holder includes, as the expanded diameter portion, an external tooth and a flange provided on an end surface of the external tooth farther from the first end surface,
The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the end surface of the labyrinth seal member forms the radial flow path between the end surface and the flange.
The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein the end face of the labyrinth seal member is provided with a protrusion that protrudes toward the flange of the absorbent holder.