JP2004313897A - Humidification device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the following problem in a conventional humidification device: temperature rise in an absorbent is slow in the moisture-desorption process, and it takes a long time to attain moisture-desorption temperature. <P>SOLUTION: The humidification device comprises an expansive metal 1 capable of heating by energization, and an absorbent layer 4 formed on the expansive metal 1. The expansive metal 1 is of a repeatedly usable type which is not energized in moisture-adsorption time and energized in moisture-desorption time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a humidity control device that removes moisture in the air by adsorption using a moisture absorbent and desorbs and regenerates the moisture adsorbed on the moisture absorbent by heating.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as a device for absorbing and desorbing moisture in the air, a desiccant is carried on the surface of a honeycomb-shaped ceramic base material, the moisture in the air is adsorbed by the desiccant, and the moisture adsorbed on the desiccant is mainly applied from outside. There is a method of heating by radiant heat or convective heat to perform desorption / regeneration (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
However, in the above-mentioned conventional one, there is a problem that the temperature rise of the hygroscopic agent is slow in the process of desorbing moisture, and it takes a long time to reach the moisture desorption temperature. In other words, in order to desorb adsorbed water and regenerate the desiccant, the base material is indirectly heated mainly by radiant heat or convection heat from the outside, and when a ceramic base material is used, the heat capacity is large. In addition, the water desorption rate was low due to the low thermal conductivity.
[0004]
Further, in order to solve the above problem, when the base material is formed into a honeycomb shape, the temperature distribution of the base material becomes non-uniform, the moisture desorption efficiency is deteriorated, or the honeycomb-shaped base material is reduced due to dust in the air. The clogging has a problem that the efficiency of desorption of water is reduced.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-9-24235
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a humidity control device that improves the efficiency of desorption of moisture.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has a substrate capable of generating heat by energization, and a hygroscopic layer formed on the surface of the substrate, deenergizing when adsorbing moisture, and energizing when desorbing moisture. A humidity control device is provided.
[0008]
According to the above means, the temperature rise is fast, the temperature distribution is uniform, and the moisture desorption efficiency can be improved.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The above-described object of the present invention can be achieved by implementing the configuration described in each claim as an embodiment. Hereinafter, the functions and effects of the configuration are described together with the configuration of each claim, and the claims are also described. The specific terms that need to be explained in the above configuration will be described in the embodiments of the present invention with a detailed explanation.
[0010]
The invention according to claim 1 has a base material capable of generating heat when energized, and a moisture absorbent layer formed on the surface of the base material, and is de-energized when adsorbing moisture and energized when desorbing moisture. In this case, the temperature rise is fast and the temperature distribution becomes uniform due to the heat generation of the base material, and a humidity control device having high moisture desorption efficiency can be obtained.
[0011]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, by using a metal as the base material, a humidity control device having high thermal conductivity, high moisture desorption efficiency, and easy shape retention can be obtained.
[0012]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, by making the base material porous, a heat control device having a small heat capacity, a rapid temperature rise, and a high moisture desorption efficiency can be obtained.
[0013]
The invention according to claim 4 can secure a necessary resistance value as a heater by using at least one of a punched metal, an expanded metal, and a wire mesh as a base material, so that the resistance value design is easy. In addition, a humidity control device having a small heat capacity, a rapid temperature rise, a uniform temperature distribution, and a high moisture desorption efficiency can be obtained.
[0014]
In the invention according to claim 5, by making the base material corrugated, the contact area with air containing moisture can be increased, and a humidity control device with high adsorption / desorption efficiency can be obtained.
[0015]
The invention according to claim 6, wherein the metal substrate is subjected to annealing treatment, thereby improving the corrosion resistance of the substrate, and by improving the adhesion with the moisture absorbent layer by the anchor effect, A highly durable humidity control device can be obtained.
[0016]
The invention according to claim 7 can provide a humidity control device having high moisture absorption / desorption performance by using at least one of zeolite, silica gel, and alumina as the moisture absorbent layer.
[0017]
The invention according to claim 8 is that the moisture absorbent layer is fixed to the substrate by using at least one of colloidal silica, water glass, and aluminum phosphate as a binder, whereby the moisture absorbent layer adheres to the substrate. The humidity control device has improved durability and is resistant to vibration and thermal expansion and contraction and has high durability. In particular, it is very useful as a dehumidifying device that is mounted on a vehicle with a lot of vibration and that dehumidifies a vehicle compartment.
[0018]
The invention according to claim 9 provides a moisture absorbent layer having an undercoat layer containing alumina as a main component formed on the surface of the substrate and a moisture absorbent provided on the surface of the undercoat layer, and Adhesion with the moisture absorbent layer is improved, and a highly durable humidity control device that is more resistant to vibration and thermal expansion and contraction can be obtained. In particular, it is very useful as a dehumidifying device that is mounted on a vehicle with a lot of vibration and that dehumidifies a vehicle compartment.
[0019]
【Example】
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0020]
(Example 1)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a humidity control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion A. FIG. 2 is a developed view of the humidity control device shown in FIG.
[0021]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an expanded metal as a base material that generates heat when energized, and has a moisture absorbent layer 4 formed on a surface thereof. Reference numerals 2 and 2a denote power supply terminals for supplying electricity to the expanded metal 1, and are attached to the expanded metal 1 by spot welding. As a material of the expanded metal 1, any of Fe-Cr-Al heat-resistant steel and Ni-Cr heat-resistant steel having large volume resistivity and excellent heat resistance, corrosion resistance, and pitting corrosion resistance is suitable. In the present embodiment, in order to match the coefficient of thermal expansion of the moisture absorbent layer 4 formed on the surface of the expanded metal 1, a heat-resistant Fe-Cr-Al-based steel (R20-5SR t 0.1 mm) having a relatively small coefficient of thermal expansion is used. (Made by Kawasaki Steel).
[0022]
Then, the above expanded metal 1 is processed into a corrugated plate shape as shown in FIG. At this time, in order to prevent the base material from being broken due to the repetitive stress, it is preferable to perform an appropriate rounding process on the peaks 1a and the valleys 1b.
[0023]
Next, the expanded metal 1 is subjected to an annealing treatment for the purpose of improving the corrosion resistance of the expanded metal 1 as a base material and improving the adhesion to the moisture absorbent layer 4 by an anchor effect. 900-1000 ° C. is appropriate as the annealing temperature. That is, when the temperature is lower than 900 ° C., the formation amount of the oxide film is insufficient, and when the temperature is higher than 1000 ° C., embrittlement due to growth of crystal grains becomes a problem. Although the annealing process in this embodiment is performed in the air, it can be performed in an inert gas atmosphere.
[0024]
The expanded metal 1 thus annealed is coated with an undercoat layer 3 mainly composed of alumina as shown in an enlarged sectional view of a portion A in FIG. The moisture absorbent 4a was provided, and the moisture absorbent layer 4 was produced.
[0025]
The moisture absorbent layer 4 is formed by stirring and mixing 100 parts by weight of zeolite, 30 parts by weight of colloidal silica, and 100 parts by weight of ion-exchanged water. The slurry is applied on the undercoat layer 3, dried at 130 ° C. for 20 minutes, and baked at 600 ° C. for 20 minutes to form the moisture absorbent layer 4. In this embodiment, zeolite is used as the hygroscopic agent 4a, but silica gel or activated alumina may be used instead.
[0026]
The operation and operation of the humidity control device configured as described above will be described below. As shown in FIG. 1, the humidity control device is arranged along the corrugated shape of the expanded metal 1 along the flow path of air indicated by three arrows sucked by a convection fan (not shown). When moisture is desorbed, the rotation of the convection fan is stopped, and when power is supplied between the power supply terminals 2 and 2a, the expanded metal 1 generates heat, and the generated heat also heats the moisture absorbent layer 4 at the same time. Then, the adsorbed moisture is desorbed from the moisture absorbent layer 4 which has reached the moisture desorption temperature. At this time, the air may be naturally naturally exhausted from the air flow path that is partially open.
[0027]
Next, when adsorbing moisture in the flowing air, the air flow path, which is partially open, is closed, the power supply terminals 2 and 2a of the humidity control device are turned off, and the convection fan is closed. To rotate. Then, the expanded metal 1 enters a non-heated state, the temperature of the moisture absorbent layer 4 decreases, and moisture in the flowing air is adsorbed by the moisture absorbent 4a. By repeating the above operation, moisture in the air is adsorbed, and the desired dehumidified air can be supplied to a predetermined location.
[0028]
In the present embodiment having the above configuration, the following effects can be expected. A hygroscopic layer 4 is formed on the surface of a substrate employing the expanded metal 1 as an example, and the expanded metal 1 is energized to directly generate heat, and the generated heat is used to heat the hygroscopic layer 4. The temperature of No. 4 rises quickly, and the time required to reach the moisture desorption temperature is extremely short.
[0029]
In other words, as in the conventional case, a desiccant is carried on the surface of the honeycomb-shaped ceramic substrate, and the moisture in the air is adsorbed to the desiccant, and the moisture adsorbed on the desiccant is indirectly indirectly radiated or convected from the outside. In this example, when the input electric energy was the same, the temperature reached the water desorption temperature at about three times the speed in comparison with the method in which the desorption regeneration was carried out by heating. In the conventional case, the time required for the temperature of the moisture absorbent layer to reach 200 ° C. was about 60 seconds at 100 W, but in this example, it was less than 20 seconds at 100 W. From the above results, the humidity control device of the present embodiment is very useful in applications where the adsorption / desorption cycle is relatively short.
[0030]
In addition, since expanded metal is used as a base material and processed into a corrugated plate, a large surface area can be ensured, but there is no risk of clogging unlike a conventional honeycomb-shaped base material, and the performance is reduced. A small and highly durable humidity control device can be obtained.
[0031]
Further, since the expanded metal is used as the heater, the resistance value can be freely set, and any electric power can be supplied to the moisture absorbent layer. That is, the resistance value can be changed by changing any of the sheet thickness, width S, length L, and step width K, LW, and SW of the expanded metal shown in FIGS. When the base material is a punched metal, the resistance value can be changed by changing any of the thickness, width S, length L, punched hole shape, and aperture ratio of the base material. Further, when the base material is a wire mesh, the resistance value can be changed by changing any of the wire diameter, width S, length L, and mesh of the base material.
[0032]
In addition, since the expanded metal 1 as the base material is annealed in an atmosphere at 900 to 1000 ° C., by forming a dense passive film of oxide on the surface, heat resistance and corrosion resistance are improved, and Due to the anchor effect, the adhesion with the undercoat layer 3 or the moisture absorbent layer 4 can be improved.
[0033]
In order to exhibit the above effects, a corrosion resistance test of the substrate and an adhesion test between the substrate and the undercoat layer were performed using the humidity control device shown in FIG. That is, the corrosion resistance test is evaluated by an acid, alkali, sodium chloride solution immersion test, and the adhesion test is performed by a thermal shock test by heating in a furnace at 600 ° C. for a certain period of time and then throwing into water. Was. As a comparative example, a base material without annealing treatment was used, and a humidity control device having the same configuration as that of the present example was used except for the above.
[0034]
As a result of immersing both samples in aqueous solutions of a liquid temperature of 25 ° C., 1% sodium chloride solution, 0.5% sulfuric acid and 0.5% sodium hydroxide, the heat-treated base material of this example was not corroded at all. On the unheated substrate, generation of rust was observed in a 1% sodium chloride solution and 0.5% sulfuric acid.
[0035]
Next, as a result of a thermal shock test, no peeling was observed in the undercoat layer in the present example using the heat-treated base material, but some peeling was observed in the case using the unheated base material. Was done.
[0036]
The moisture absorbent layer can be more firmly fixed to the base material by using an optimal binder for each moisture absorbent. In this embodiment, colloidal silica was used, but the same effect can be expected by using water glass or aluminum phosphate.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention forms a desiccant layer on the surface of a substrate, de-energizes the substrate when adsorbing moisture, and energizes when desorbing moisture. And a humidity control device having high moisture desorption efficiency can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view showing the entirety of a humidity control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention and a portion A thereof. FIG. 2 is a developed view of the humidity control device according to the first embodiment. Enlarged view of main part of humidity control device in Example 1.
1 Expanded metal (base material)
2, 2a power supply terminal 3 undercoat layer 4 desiccant layer 4a desiccant

Claims (9)

A humidity control device comprising: a base material capable of generating heat by energization; and a moisture absorbent layer formed on the surface of the base material. The humidity control device according to claim 1, wherein the heat-producable base material is formed of a metal. The humidity control device according to claim 1, wherein the heat-generating substrate is formed in a porous shape. The humidity control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heat-generating base material is at least one of a punched metal, an expanded metal, and a wire mesh. The humidity control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heat-generating substrate is formed in a corrugated shape. The humidity control device according to claim 2, wherein the heat-generating metal substrate is subjected to an annealing treatment. The humidity control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the moisture absorbent layer is made of at least one of zeolite, silica gel, and alumina. The humidity control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the moisture absorbent layer is fixed to the substrate using at least one of colloidal silica, water glass, and aluminum phosphate as a binder. The humidity control according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the moisture absorbent layer has an undercoat layer containing alumina as a main component formed on the surface of the base material and a moisture absorbent provided on the surface of the undercoat layer. device.

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