EP1319904A1

EP1319904A1 - Humidifying unit

Info

Publication number: EP1319904A1
Application number: EP01970143A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Toshihiro c/o Shiga-seisakusho KIZAWA; Takashi c/o Shiga-seisakusho TOKUI; Kouzou c/o Shiga-seisakusho YOSHINAGA
Original assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
Current assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
Priority date: 2000-09-22
Filing date: 2001-09-19
Publication date: 2003-06-18
Anticipated expiration: 2021-09-19
Also published as: EP1319904A4; JP3660962B2; KR100483109B1; KR20020054355A; ATE412857T1; WO2002025182A1; ES2313982T3; JP2002098365A; CN1395669A; CN1157573C; DE60136370D1; EP1319904B1

Abstract

There is provided a humidifying unit that is small in thickness and allows installation in any place. A humidifying rotor (12), a moisture absorption fan (13) and a humidification fan (15) are disposed flatly so as not to overlap with each other for making the humidifying unit thinner. A humidification path Z is provided with a portion (Z1) curved in an approximate U or J shape. Thus, even when the humidifying rotor (12) and the humidification fan (15) are not overlapped but disposed flatly, humidified air sent from the humidifying rotor (12) can be led to the humidification fan (15) through the portion (Z1) curved in the U or J shape. There is disposed an electrical equipment box (28) between the humidifying rotor (12) and the humidification fan (15).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a humidifying unit for collecting moisture from the air and humidifying, for example, air to be fed to inside of a room.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, a humidifying unit shown in Figs. 5 and 6 has been provided as the above type of a humidifying unit. This humidifying unit has a parallelepiped-shaped casing 1, in which there are disposed a discoid humidifying rotor 2 composed of adsorbents such as silicagel and zeolite, a moisture absorption fan 3 composed of a sirocco fan, a humidification fan 5 composed of a sirocco fan, an electric heater 6, a moisture absorption duct 7, and an electrical equipment box 8. The humidifying rotor 2, the humidification fan 5 and the electric heater 6 are stacked in a vertical direction.
In Figs. 5 and 6, when air flows through a moisture absorption path X as shown with an arrow X, first the humidifying rotor 2 absorbs moisture from outside air, and the moisture-absorbed air passes through the moisture absorption duct 7, i.e., the duct 7 of the moisture absorption path X and then is discharged from the moisture absorption fan 3, i.e., the fan 3 of the moisture absorption path X to the outside. On the other hand, when air flows through a humidification path Y as shown with an arrow Y, outside air is first pre-heated by passing through a heat recovery portion of the rotating humidifying rotor 2 and then heated further by the electric heater 6. The heated air is humidified by passing through a humidification portion containing moisture in the humidifying rotor 2, and the humidified air is sucked by the humidification fan 5, i.e., the fan 5 of the humidification path Y beneath the humidifying rotor 2 and fed to inside of a room.
In the above-described conventional humidifying unit, the humidifying rotor 2 and the humidification fan 5 are overlapped in a vertical direction, which causes a problem of larger thickness in the vertical direction. Particularly, since the humidifying unit is mounted on the outdoor unit of an air conditioner in most cases, the larger thickness in the vertical direction prevents the humidifying unit from fitting in installation space.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a humidifying unit that is small in thickness and allows installation in any place.
In order to accomplish the above object, the humidifying unit of the present invention comprises:
a humidifying rotor; a moisture absorption fan for running air in a moisture absorption path via the humidifying rotor; a humidification fan for running air in a humidification path via the humidifying rotor; and heating means for heating air in the humidification path, the humidifying rotor absorbing moisture from air in the moisture absorption path while humidifying heated air in the humidification path,
According to the above structure, the humidifying rotor, the humidification fan, and the moisture absorption fan are disposed flatly so as not to overlap with each other, which achieves smaller thickness. This eliminates restriction on installation space of the humidifying unit.
In one embodiment, the humidification path has a portion curved in an approximate U or J shape that leads humidified air sent from one face of the humidifying rotor to a face of the humidification fan on a side identical to the face of the humidifying rotor.
According to the above structure, the humidification path has a portion curved in an approximate U or J shape, which makes it possible to lead humidified air from the humidifying rotor to the humidification fan with use of the portion curved in the U or J shape even in the case where the humidifying rotor and the humidification fan are not overlapped but disposed flatly. In other words, providing the portion curved in the approximate U or J shape enables flat arrangement of the humidifying rotor and humidification fan.
In one embodiment, an electrical equipment box is disposed between the humidifying rotor and the humidification fan, or between the humidifying rotor and the moisture absorption fan.
According to the above structure, the electrical equipment box is disposed between the humidifying rotor and the humidification fan, or between the humidifying rotor and the moisture absorption fan. This enables effective use of space between the humidifying rotor and the humidification fan or the moisture absorption fan, thereby making the structure compact.
In one embodiment, an electrical equipment box is not provided, and so electrical equipment is connected to electrical equipment inside an electrical equipment box of an outside unit.
According to the above structure, the humidifying unit does not have an electrical equipment box, and so the electrical equipment box of the outside unit is shared by the humidifying unit, which simplifies the structure of the humidifying unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view showing a humidifying unit in an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the above embodiment;
Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view showing a humidifying unit in another embodiment;
Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing the humidifying unit in the above embodiment;
Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view showing a conventional humidifying unit; and
Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view showing the conventional humidifying unit.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to drawings.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the humidifying unit is provided with a discoid humidifying rotor 12 in the center of an approximately parallelepiped-shaped casing 11. The humidifying rotor 12 is composed of adsorbents such as silicagel, zeolite, and alumina formed in a honeycomb pattern or a porous multiparticle pattern. The humidifying rotor 12 is rotated by an unshown thin motor. Further in the casing 11, there are provided a moisture absorption fan 13 composed of a sirocco fan on the left side of the humidifying rotor 12, and a humidification fan 15 composed of a sirocco fan on the right side of the humidifying rotor 12. The humidifying rotor 12, the moisture absorption fan 13 and the humidification fan 15 are disposed flatly so as not to overlap with each other.
As shown in Fig. 2, on the upper side of the humidifying rotor 12, there is provided an electric heater 16 as heating means. Also, on the upper side of the humidification fan 15, there is provided an electrical equipment box 18. On the upper side of the humidifying rotor 12 and the moisture absorption fan 13, there is provided a moisture absorption duct 17 that forms part of a moisture absorption path X. In the moisture absorption path X, moisture-absorbed air flows as shown with an arrow X, while in a humidification path Z, humidified air flows as shown with an arrow Z. As shown in Fig. 2, the humidification path Z has a portion Z1 curved in an approximate U or J shape. Consequently, humidified air sent from the humidifying rotor 12 is led to the humidification fan 15 by the portion Z1 curved in the U or J shape.
In the above structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, when air flows through the moisture absorption path X as shown with an arrow X, first the humidifying rotor 12 absorbs moisture from outside air, and the moisture-absorbed air is discharged from the moisture absorption fan 13, i.e., the fan 13 of the moisture absorption path X to the outside through the moisture absorption duct 17, i.e., the duct 17 of the moisture absorption path X. On the other hand, when air flows through the humidification path Z as shown with an arrow Z, outside air is first pre-heated by passing through a heat recovery portion of the rotating humidifying rotor 12 and then heated further by the electric heater 16. The heated air is humidified by passing through a humidification portion containing moisture in the humidifying rotor 12 to become humidified air, and the humidified air is sucked into the humidification fan 15, i.e., the fan 15 of the humidification path Z through the portion Z1 curved in the approximate U or J shape and then fed from the humidification fan 15 to inside of a room.
Thus, in this embodiment, the humidifying rotor 12, the moisture absorption fan 13 and the humidification fan 15 are disposed flatly so as not to overlap with each other, which makes the humidifying unit thinner. Consequently, the height of the humidifying unit becomes smaller, thereby enabling installation of the humidifying unit in narrow space on the outdoor unit of an air conditioner.
Also, the humidification path Z is provided with a portion Z1 curved in an approximate U or J shape. Consequently, even when the humidifying rotor 12 and the humidification fan 15 are not overlapped but disposed flatly, humidified air sent from the humidifying rotor 12 can be led to the humidification fan 15 through the portion Z1 curved in the U or J shape. More particularly, providing the portion Z1 curved in the approximate U or J shape enables flat disposition of the humidifying rotor 12 and the humidification fan 15.
Fig. 3 shows another embodiment, which is different only in arrangement of an electrical equipment box 28 from the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Therefore, component members similar to those in Figs. 1 and 2 are designated by similar reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.
In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, the electrical equipment box 28 is disposed in a space between the humidifying rotor 12 and the humidification fan 15.
Disposing the electrical equipment box 28 between the humidifying rotor 12 and the humidification fan 15 enables effective use of space between the humidifying rotor 12 and the humidification fan 15, thereby making the structure compact.
Although in the above embodiment, the electrical equipment box 28 is disposed between the humidifying rotor 12 and the humidification fan 15, the electrical equipment box may be disposed between the humidifying rotor 12 and the moisture absorption fan 13.
Fig. 4 shows still another embodiment, which does not have an electrical equipment box, and so the unshown electrical equipment is connected to the electrical equipment inside an electrical equipment box of an unshown outside unit of an air conditioner.
According to the above structure, the humidifying unit does not have an electrical equipment box, and so the electrical equipment box of the outside unit is shared by the humidifying unit, which simplifies the structure of the humidifying unit.
In the above embodiments, although the electric heater is used as a means of heating, a hot water heater or a condenser may be substituted for the electric heater.
Also in the above embodiment, although the moisture absorption fan 13 and the humidification fan 15 are disposed downstream of the humidifying rotor 12, it may be disposed upstream of the humidifying rotor 12. In addition, the moisture absorption fan and the humidification fan may be other than the sirocco fan.
As is clear from the above description, in the humidifying unit of the present invention, the humidifying rotor, the humidification fan and the moisture absorption fan are disposed flatly so as not to overlap with each other, which makes the humidifying unit thinner, thereby achieving smaller installation space.
In the humidifying unit of one embodiment, the humidification path has a portion curved in an approximate U or J shape, which makes it possible to lead humidified air from the humidifying rotor to the humidification fan with use of the portion curved in the U or J shape even in the case where the humidifying rotor and the humidification fan are not overlapped but disposed flatly. In other words, providing the portion curved in the approximate U or J shape enables flat arrangement of the humidifying rotor and humidification fan.
In the humidifying unit of one embodiment, the electrical equipment box is disposed between the humidifying rotor and the humidification fan, or between the humidifying rotor and the moisture absorption fan. This enables effective use of space between the humidifying rotor and the humidification fan or the moisture absorption fan, thereby making the structure compact.
The humidifying unit of one embodiment does not have an electrical equipment box, and so the electrical equipment box of the outside unit is shared by the humidifying unit, which simplifies the structure of the humidifying unit.

Claims

A humidifying unit comprising: a humidifying rotor (12); a moisture absorption fan (13) for running air in a moisture absorption path (X) via the humidifying rotor (12); a humidification fan (15) for running air in a humidification path (Z) via the humidifying rotor (12); and heating means (16) for heating air in the humidification path (Z), the humidifying rotor (12) absorbing moisture from air in the moisture absorption path (X) while humidifying heated air in the humidification path (Z),
wherein the humidifying rotor (12), the humidification fan (15), and the moisture absorption fan (13) are disposed flatly so as not to overlap with each other.
The humidifying unit as defined in Claim 1, wherein the humidification path (Z) has a portion (Z1) curved in an approximate U or J shape that leads humidified air sent from one face of the humidifying rotor (12) to a face of the humidification fan (15) on a side identical to the face of the humidifying rotor (12).
The humidifying unit as defined in Claim 1 or 2, wherein an electrical equipment box (28) is disposed between the humidifying rotor (12) and the humidification fan (15), or between the humidifying rotor (12) and the moisture absorption fan (13).
The humidifying unit as defined in Claim 1 or 2, wherein an electrical equipment box is not provided, and so electrical equipment is connected to electrical equipment inside an electrical equipment box of an outside unit.