JP7776280B2 - dehumidifier - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a dehumidifier.

Various dehumidifiers have been developed to cool and dehumidify the air inside factories, gymnasiums, and other facilities to improve the environment during the summer.

One known example of such a dehumidifier is one that includes a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, condenser, expansion device, and evaporator are connected in sequence by piping, through which a refrigerant circulates, and a blower that circulates air through an air path that returns from the space to be dehumidified to the space via the evaporator and condenser (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below).

International Publication No. 2018/173120

For such dehumidifiers, there is a demand for efficient operation of the entire system. Furthermore, air-cooled systems are the mainstream for such dehumidifiers due to the need for water supply and equipment handling, but this poses a challenge as they are poor in energy efficiency. On the other hand, water-cooled systems are highly energy efficient, but consume a lot of water, which poses a challenge as they require an increased supply of makeup water.

The present invention was invented to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a dehumidifier that can operate efficiently as an entire dehumidifier system and that can reduce the amount of makeup water supplied in a water-cooled system.

The dehumidifying device of the present invention, which achieves the above-mentioned object, comprises a refrigeration cycle in which a refrigerant circulates, a dehumidifying section in which the cooling coil of the refrigeration cycle is arranged and which cools and dehumidifies air taken in by a fan, a heating section which is arranged downstream of the cooling coil of the dehumidifying section and heats the air, a condenser of the refrigeration cycle and a cooling tower connected to the dehumidifying section , a first path which connects the dehumidifying section and the cooling tower and allows drain water generated in the dehumidifying section to flow into the cooling tower , and a second path which connects the cooling tower and the condenser and moves cooling water which has been mixed with the drain water and cooled to the condenser without heat exchange .

In the dehumidifier described above, drain water generated in the dehumidification section flows into the cooling tower via the first path and is mixed with cooling water circulating through the second path. The cooling water, which has been cooled by mixing with the drain water, is then moved to the condenser via the second path. Because drain water is generally at a lower temperature than cooling water, mixing with the drain water supplies a cooler liquid to the condenser. This allows the entire dehumidifier system to operate efficiently. In addition, because drain water can be used as make-up water, the amount of make-up water supplied can be reduced in water-cooled systems.

1 is a schematic diagram showing a dehumidifying device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a dehumidifying device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a dehumidifying device according to a modified example of the second embodiment of the present invention.

First Embodiment
A dehumidifier 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted. The dimensional proportions in the drawings are exaggerated for the sake of explanation and may differ from the actual proportions.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the dehumidifier 1 according to the first embodiment.

The dehumidifier 1 according to the first embodiment can cool and dehumidify air taken in by the fan 10. The location where the dehumidifier 1 is installed is not particularly limited, but examples include factories and gymnasiums.

As shown in FIG. 1, the dehumidifier 1 according to the first embodiment comprises a fan 10, a refrigeration cycle 20 through which a refrigerant circulates, a dehumidification unit 30 that cools and dehumidifies the air taken in by the fan 10, a cooling tower 40, a first path 50 connecting the dehumidification unit 30 and the cooling tower 40, a second path 60 connecting the cooling tower 40 and the condenser 23, a third path 70 that branches off from the second path 60 and connects to the spray unit 33, and a fifth path 80 through which makeup water moves to the cooling tower 40. Each component will be described below.

As shown in Figure 1, the fan 10 is installed upstream of the air flow of the cooling coil 21 of the refrigeration cycle 20. The fan 10 takes in air from inside a factory or the like or outside air (air to be treated) and blows it toward the cooling coil 21 of the refrigeration cycle 20.

As shown in Figure 1, the refrigeration cycle 20 includes a cooling coil 21, a compressor 22, a condenser 23, an expansion valve 24, and a circulation line 25.

In the cooling coil 21, the refrigerant evaporated by the heat of the air drawn in by the fan 10 is compressed by the compressor 22. The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant is cooled and condensed in the condenser 23. The condensed refrigerant is sent to the expansion valve 24 where it expands, and the expanded refrigerant is sent to the cooling coil 21 and used to cool and dehumidify the air drawn in by the fan 10.

As shown in Figure 1, the cooling coil 21 is disposed inside the housing 31 of the dehumidifying unit 30. The compressor 22 is driven by a motor M.

The refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle 20 may be a so-called green refrigerant such as ammonia, CO _{2 or} HFO, or a fluorocarbon refrigerant, and is not particularly limited.

The dehumidifying unit 30 can cool and dehumidify the air taken in by the fan 10. As shown in Figure 1, the dehumidifying unit 30 is equipped with the cooling coil 21 of the refrigeration cycle 20. As shown in Figure 1, the dehumidifying unit 30 has a housing 31, a circulation unit 32 in which water or antifreeze circulates, and a spray unit 33.

A cooling coil 21 is disposed inside the housing 31. The housing 31 is preferably constructed with insulated walls.

The circulation section 32 has a first heat exchange section 32A located on the right side of the housing 31, a second heat exchange section 32B located on the left side of the housing 31, a pump 32C, and a circulation line 32D.

The first heat exchanger (corresponding to the heating unit) 32A heats the air cooled by the cooling coil 21, thereby supplying air at a more comfortable temperature and humidity. Specifically, the first heat exchanger 32A exchanges heat with the air cooled by the cooling coil 21, lowering the temperature of the medium (water or antifreeze) circulating within the first heat exchanger 32A. At this time, the first heat exchanger 32A warms the air cooled by the cooling coil 21, lowering the relative humidity and allowing the air to be supplied at a more comfortable temperature. The cooled medium is then transferred to the second heat exchanger 32B (corresponding to the cooling unit) 32B, where it exchanges heat with the relatively high-temperature air taken in by the fan 10, cooling the air and increasing the temperature of the medium. The heated medium is then transferred to the first heat exchanger 32A by the pump 32C. By providing the circulation section 32 in this way, the temperature of the air on the inlet side of the cooling coil 21 can be lowered, reducing the cooling load, and the temperature of the air on the outlet side of the cooling coil 21 can be raised, allowing air to be supplied at a comfortable temperature.

The spray unit 33 sprays the liquid that has traveled from the cooling tower 40 through the second path 60 and the third path 70 into the interior of the housing 31 of the dehumidifier 30. The configuration of the spray unit 33 is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of spraying water. The spray unit 33 is positioned to spray the liquid horizontally. This configuration makes it possible to effectively remove any dirt adhering to the air taken in by the fan 10. Furthermore, compared to a configuration that sprinkles water, spraying makes it possible to more effectively use the latent heat of evaporation of water, further improving the pre-cooling effect.

The cooling tower 40 cools the cooling water circulating through the second path 60. As shown in Figure 1, the cooling water circulating through the second path 60 is sprayed from the spray unit 41.

A level sensor 42 is located inside the cooling tower 40 to measure the level of the cooling water inside the cooling tower 40.

The first path 50 connects the dehumidifier 30 and the cooling tower 40. In the dehumidifier 30, drain water generated when the high-temperature, high-humidity air taken in by the fan 10 is cooled and dehumidified moves to the cooling tower 40 via the first path 50. This allows the drain water to be used as makeup water for the cooling tower 40, reducing the amount of makeup water supplied. Furthermore, by supplying relatively low-temperature drain water to the cooling tower 40, the temperature of the cooling water can be lowered, allowing low-temperature cooling water to be supplied to the condenser 23, improving the efficiency of the refrigeration cycle.

The second path 60 connects the cooling tower 40 and the condenser 23. Cooling water whose temperature has been lowered by drain water circulates through the second path 60. A pump 61 for circulating the cooling water is arranged on the second path 60.

In this way, cooling water whose temperature has been lowered by the drain water circulates through the second path 60 and is supplied to the condenser 23, thereby increasing the efficiency of the condenser 23 and reducing the load on the motor M that drives the compressor 22.

The third path 70 branches off from the second path 60 and connects to the spray unit 33. The cooling water, whose temperature has been lowered by the drain water, is sprayed from the spray unit 33 onto the air taken in by the fan 10, thereby pre-cooling the air taken in by the fan 10. This reduces the cooling load on the cooling coil 21.

When the cooling water from the cooling tower 40, whose temperature has been lowered by the drain water, is supplied to the spray section 33, bacteria (Legionella bacteria) may grow in the cooling water if the outside temperature is high in summer. Therefore, it is preferable to install an ultraviolet lamp in the third path 70 to sterilize bacteria in the cooling water, whose temperature has been lowered by the drain water.

The fifth path 80 is a path for supplying makeup water to the cooling tower 40. As shown in FIG. 1, a regulation valve 81 is disposed in the fifth path 80 to regulate the amount of makeup water supplied to the cooling tower 40.

Next, we will explain how to use the dehumidifier 1 according to the first embodiment. The temperature and humidity values described in the explanation of the usage method are examples and are not limited to these values.

The dehumidifier 1 of the first embodiment takes in air to be treated (temperature 30°C, relative humidity 75%) and supplies it to a factory, gymnasium, etc. as cooled and dehumidified air (temperature 20°C, relative humidity 70%).

First, the fan 10 takes in the air to be treated (temperature 30°C, relative humidity 75%) and blows it toward the cooling coil 21 of the refrigeration cycle 20.

The air is then pre-cooled by the water sprayed from the spray section 33 (temperature 29.8°C).

The air to be treated is then cooled (temperature 27°C, relative humidity 100%) through heat exchange with the first heat exchange section 32A, and is then further cooled and dehumidified (temperature 10°C, relative humidity 100%) in the cooling coil 21. At this time, drain water (temperature 5°C) is generated inside the dehumidification section 30 and stored in the lower part of the housing 31.

The air cooled by the cooling coil 21 is then heated in the first heat exchange section 32A (temperature 20°C, relative humidity 70%) and supplied to factories, gymnasiums, etc.

The drain water generated in the dehumidification unit 30 is sent to the cooling tower 40 via the first path 50. In the cooling tower 40, it is mixed with cooling water (temperature 31.3°C) circulating through the second path 60, and the cooling water is cooled by the drain water (temperature 31.2°C). Because the drain water is supplied to the cooling tower 40 via the first path 50 in this way, a shortage of cooling water inside the cooling tower 40 can be effectively prevented.

The cooling water cooled by the drain water then flows through the second path 60 and moves to the condenser 23 of the refrigeration cycle 20. In this way, the cooling water whose temperature has been lowered by the drain water circulates through the second path 60 and is supplied to the condenser 23, thereby increasing the efficiency of the condenser 23 and reducing the heat of condensation, thereby reducing the load on the motor M that drives the compressor 22. Furthermore, because the drain water can be used as make-up water for the cooling tower 40, the amount of make-up water supplied to the cooling tower 40 can be reduced, resulting in water conservation.

The cooling water cooled by the drain water travels to the spray unit 33 via the second path 60 and the third path 70, and is then sprayed in mist form from the spray unit 33. The cooling water, whose temperature has been lowered by the drain water, is sprayed from the spray unit 33 onto the air taken in by the fan 10, thereby pre-cooling the air taken in by the fan 10.

As described above, the dehumidifier 1 according to this embodiment includes a refrigeration cycle 20 through which a refrigerant circulates, a dehumidification unit 30 in which the cooling coil 21 of the refrigeration cycle 20 is disposed and which cools and dehumidifies air taken in by the fan 10, a first heat exchange unit 32A disposed downstream of the cooling coil of the dehumidification unit and which heats air, a cooling tower 40 connected to the condenser 23 of the refrigeration cycle 20 and the dehumidification unit 30, a first path 50 connecting the dehumidification unit 30 and the cooling tower 40, and a second path 60 connecting the cooling tower 40 and the condenser 23. With the dehumidification unit 1 configured in this manner, drain water generated in the dehumidification unit 30 flows into the cooling tower 40 via the first path 50 and is mixed with cooling water circulating through the second path 60. The cooling water, which has been cooled by mixing with the drain water, is then transferred to the condenser 23 via the second path 60. Drain water is generally at a lower temperature than cooling water, so by mixing the drain water, a lower temperature liquid is supplied to the condenser 23. This allows the entire dehumidifier 1 system to operate efficiently. In addition, because the drain water can be used as make-up water, the amount of make-up water supplied can be reduced in water-cooled systems.

The dehumidifier 1 also has a third path 70 through which drain water generated in the dehumidifier 30 moves to the spray section 33 located upstream of the dehumidifier 30. With a dehumidifier 1 configured in this way, it is possible to pre-cool the air taken in by the fan 10.

Furthermore, the third path 70 is formed so as to branch off from the second path 60. With a dehumidifier 1 configured in this manner, cooling water mixed with drain water is supplied to the spray unit 33, preventing the liquid sprayed from the spray unit 33 from running out.

In addition, the spray section 33 sprays the drain water horizontally. With a dehumidifier 1 configured in this way, any dirt adhering to the air taken in by the fan 10 can be effectively removed.

Second Embodiment
Next, the configuration of a dehumidifier 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a dehumidifier 2 according to the second embodiment. Explanations of parts common to the first embodiment will be omitted, and only features unique to the second embodiment will be described. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment described above will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the fourth path 170 branches off from the first path 50, among other things.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the dehumidifier 2 according to the second embodiment includes a fan 10, a refrigeration cycle 20 through which a refrigerant circulates, a dehumidifier 30 that cools and dehumidifies the air taken in by the fan 10, a cooling tower 40, a first path 50 connecting the dehumidifier 30 and the cooling tower 40, a second path 60 connecting the cooling tower 40 and the condenser 23, a fourth path 170 branching off from the first path 50 and connecting to the sprayer 33, a fifth path 80 through which makeup water is supplied to the cooling tower 40, and a tank 90 located at the point where the first path 50 branches off to the fourth path 170. The configurations of the fan 10, refrigeration cycle 20, dehumidifier 30, cooling tower 40, first path 50, second path 60, and fifth path 80 are the same as those of the dehumidifier 1 according to the first embodiment described above, and therefore will not be described again.

The fourth path 170 is formed so as to branch off from the first path 50. A pump 171 is disposed in the fourth path 170 to move the drain water flowing through the first path 50 to the spray section 33.

As shown in Figure 2, the tank 90 is located at the point where the fourth path 170 branches off from the first path 50. A level sensor 91 is located in the tank 90, which can monitor the water level of the drain water in the tank 90.

Next, we will explain how to use the dehumidifier 2 according to the second embodiment. Instructions for using the dehumidifier 1 according to the first embodiment will be omitted where appropriate.

Air taken in by the fan 10 is cooled and dehumidified in the cooling coil 21. At this time, drain water is generated inside the dehumidifying section 30 and stored in the lower part of the housing 31.

The drain water is then sent to the tank 90 via the first path 50. Before the tank 90 is initially filled with drain water, the drain water in the tank 90 is moved by the pump 171 to the spray unit 33 and sprayed from the spray unit 33 to pre-cool the air.

The drain water is then supplied to the cooling tower 40 through the first path 50. The subsequent method of use is the same as that of the dehumidifier 1 according to the first embodiment, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

As described above, in the dehumidifier 2 according to the second embodiment, the fourth path 170 is formed to branch off from the first path 50. With a dehumidifier 2 configured in this manner, the cold drain water is used directly for precooling without being mixed with the cooling water circulating through the second path 60, allowing for more efficient precooling of the air taken in by the fan 10.

<Modification of the second embodiment>
Next, the configuration of a dehumidifier 3 according to a modified example of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in Figure 3, the dehumidifier 3 according to a modified example of the second embodiment includes a fan 10, a refrigeration cycle 20 through which a refrigerant circulates, a dehumidification unit 30 that cools and dehumidifies the air taken in by the fan 10, a cooling tower 40, a first path 50 connecting the dehumidification unit 30 and the cooling tower 40, a second path 60 connecting the cooling tower 40 and the condenser 23, a fourth path 170 branching off from the first path 50 and connecting to the spray unit 33, a fifth path 80 through which makeup water is supplied to the cooling tower 40, a tank 90 located at the point where the first path 50 branches off to the fourth path 170, and a sixth path 100.

The configurations of the fan 10, refrigeration cycle 20, dehumidification unit 30, cooling tower 40, first path 50, second path 60, fourth path 170, fifth path 80, and tank 90 are the same as those of the dehumidification device 2 according to the second embodiment described above, and therefore will not be described again.

As shown in FIG. 3, the sixth path 100 branches off from the fifth path 80 and merges with the fourth path 170. The sixth path 100 is provided with an adjustment valve 101 for adjusting the amount of makeup water flowing through the sixth path 100.

Next, with reference to Figure 3, we will explain how to use the dehumidifier 3 according to a modified example of the second embodiment.

In the dehumidifier 3 according to the modified example of the second embodiment, when the temperature of the air to be treated is higher than the temperature of the make-up water, the adjustment valve 81 of the fifth path 80 is closed and the adjustment valve 101 of the sixth path 100 is opened, causing the make-up water to mix with the drain water flowing through the fourth path 170 and then sprayed from the spray unit 33 to pre-cool the air taken in by the fan 10.

On the other hand, if the temperature of the air to be treated is lower than the temperature of the makeup water, the adjustment valve 81 of the fifth path 80 is opened and the adjustment valve 101 of the sixth path 100 is closed, and makeup water is supplied to the cooling tower 40 via the fifth path 80.

With the dehumidifier 3 according to the modified example of the second embodiment, when the temperature of the air to be treated is higher than that of the make-up water, a large amount of low-temperature water, a mixture of make-up water and drain water, can be sprayed from the spray section 33, thereby more efficiently pre-cooling the air taken in by the fan 10.

The configurations of dehumidifiers 1, 2, and 3 have been described above through embodiments and modifications, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified in various ways within the scope of the claims.

For example, in the first embodiment described above, the dehumidifier 1 had a third path 70 through which drain water generated in the dehumidifier 30 moves to the spray section 33 located upstream of the dehumidifier 30, but it does not have to have a third path.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the drain water is sprayed horizontally in the spray section 33. However, the drain water does not have to be sprayed horizontally in the spray section.

1, 2, 3 dehumidifier,
10 fans,
20 refrigeration cycle,
21 cooling coil,
22 compressor,
23 condenser,
24 expansion valve,
30 dehumidification section,
32 Circulation Department,
33 spray section,
40 cooling tower,
50 first route,
60 second route,
70 Third Route,
80 5th Route,
90 tanks,
100 6th Route,
170 Route 4.

Claims (8)

a refrigeration cycle in which a refrigerant circulates;
a dehumidification unit in which the cooling coil of the refrigeration cycle is disposed and which cools and dehumidifies the air taken in by the fan;
a heating unit disposed downstream of the cooling coil of the dehumidifying unit and configured to heat air;
a cooling tower connected to a condenser of the refrigeration cycle and the dehumidification unit;
a first passage connecting the dehumidification unit and the cooling tower and allowing drain water generated in the dehumidification unit to flow into the cooling tower ;
a second passage connecting the cooling tower and the condenser and for transferring the cooling water cooled by mixing with the drain water to the condenser without heat exchange . Further, the device has a circulation section through which a medium, which is water or an antifreeze liquid, circulates;
2. The dehumidifier according to claim 1, wherein the circulation unit comprises: the heating unit; a cooling unit that is arranged upstream of the cooling coil of the dehumidifying unit and that cools the air; and a pump that circulates the medium. The dehumidifier of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a spray unit disposed in the air flow path between the fan and the cooling coil and configured to spray water into the air. The dehumidification device of claim 3, further comprising a third path branched from the second path and configured to transport cooling water from the cooling tower to the spray section. The dehumidification device of claim 3, further comprising a fourth path through which at least a portion of the drain water generated in the dehumidification section moves to the spray section. The dehumidifier of claim 5, wherein the fourth path is formed to branch off from the first path. a fifth passage through which makeup water is supplied to the cooling tower;
The dehumidifier according to claim 5 or 6, further comprising: a sixth path branching from the fifth path and joining the fourth path. A dehumidifier according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein water is sprayed horizontally in the spray section.