JP2005282197A - Water sampling equipment and water sampling method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technology which can enhance water intake efficiency when water is obtained by condensing vapor in the atmosphere. <P>SOLUTION: This water sampling equipment (1), which obtains the water (30) by condensing the vapor included in the air, comprises: a compressor (10) which compresses a refrigerant; a condenser (12) which condenses the refrigerant compressed by the compressor; a vaporizer (14) which internally vaporizes the refrigerant condensed by the condenser, so as to cool the air coming into contact with the outside and condense the vapor included in the air; and a duct (16) which constitutes a channel for guiding the air, including the vapor, to the periphery of the vaporizer from the outside. In the water sampling equipment (1), the duct and the vaporizer are relatively arranged so that the air after being cooled by coming into contact with the vaporizer can be recovered and applied to the outside of the duct, and so that the air including the vapor and passing through the inside of the duct can be precooled. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a water sampling technique for obtaining water by condensing water vapor in the atmosphere.

  There is a known water sampling device that uses the refrigeration cycle to condense water vapor in the atmosphere to obtain water, and ensure drinking water etc. in dry areas where it is difficult to take water by rain or surface water, such as desert areas. It is expected as one of the means to do. A conventional example of such a water sampling apparatus is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-2002-371598 (Patent Document 1). The water sampling device (fresh water producing device) described in Patent Document 1 is led to an evaporator (heat-absorbing part) in a refrigeration cycle, collects cold air after cooling and condensing water vapor, and collects the collected cold air. Water intake efficiency is improved by cooling the condenser that condenses the refrigerant.

JP 2002-371598 A

  In the water sampling apparatus as described above, further improvement in water intake efficiency is expected, and a technology for realizing this is desired.

  Then, an object of this invention is to provide the technique which enables the improvement of water intake efficiency in the case of obtaining water by condensing the water vapor | steam in air | atmosphere.

  The first aspect of the present invention is a water sampling device for condensing water vapor contained in air to obtain water, cooling means for cooling the air and condensing water vapor contained in the air, and from the outside A duct that constitutes a flow path that guides the air containing the water vapor to the periphery of the cooling means, and an intake means that is arranged between the duct and the outside world and sends the air containing the water vapor into the duct; The air after being cooled in contact with the cooling means is collected, applied to the outside (outside) of the duct, and the air containing the water vapor passing through the inside (inside) of the duct is precooled Thus, the water sampling apparatus is characterized in that the duct and the cooling means are relatively disposed.

  According to such a configuration, when air containing water vapor passes through the duct, it is cooled to some extent from the outside of the duct (precooled), so that it is necessary to condense (condense) the air containing water vapor in the condenser. Sensible heat can be reduced. Thereby, it becomes possible to improve the water intake efficiency in the water sampling apparatus.

  The cooling means described above includes a compressor that compresses the refrigerant, a condenser that cools and condenses the refrigerant compressed by the compressor, and externally vaporizes the refrigerant condensed by the condenser. And an evaporator that generates cold heat, and is configured to condense the water vapor contained in the air by bringing the air containing the water vapor into contact with the outside of the evaporator and cooling it. .

  By utilizing a refrigeration cycle including a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator, the cooling means according to the present invention can be easily realized. In particular, by adopting such a configuration, it is possible to easily realize the water sampling device according to the present invention by diverting an existing device such as a dehumidifier including a refrigeration cycle.

  The cooling means described above includes a cooling element (Peltier element) using the Peltier effect, and a heat exchange medium to which the cold generated by the cooling element is transmitted, and the water vapor is supplied to the outside of the heat exchange medium. It is also preferable that the water vapor contained in the air is condensed by bringing the air in contact therewith into cooling.

  By using the Peltier element, the cooling means can be configured more compactly.

  In addition, it is preferable to further include an exhaust unit that discharges air cooled in contact with the cooling unit described above through the periphery of the duct to the outside.

  Thereby, the cooling air obtained through the cooling means can efficiently flow to the periphery of the duct, and the water intake efficiency can be further increased.

  In addition, the container further includes a container that surrounds the periphery of the above-described duct and is substantially isolated from the outside, and after the air cooled in contact with the cooling means is introduced from one opening of the container and applied to the outside of the duct, the other More preferably, it is configured to discharge from the opening.

  As a result, only the cooling air that has passed through the cooling means can be preferentially flowed around the duct, so that the efficiency of pre-cooling through the duct is improved and the water intake efficiency can be further increased.

  Moreover, it is preferable that the container mentioned above consists of a heat insulating member.

  As a result, the periphery of the duct can be thermally blocked from the outside, and the effect of pre-cooling via the duct can be further improved.

  Moreover, it is preferable that the duct mentioned above is formed with the metal material or the material with a high heat transfer rate equivalent to this.

  Thereby, it becomes possible to further improve the effect of pre-cooling via the duct.

  Further, it is also preferable to use a duct having an uneven surface, such as a bellows-like duct.

  Thereby, since the surface area which contributes to heat exchange increases, the precooling effect improves further.

  The second aspect of the present invention is a water sampling method for obtaining water by condensing water vapor contained in air, the first step of taking in the air containing the water vapor through a duct from the outside, and a heat exchange medium. A second process of cooling, a third process of cooling the air containing the water vapor in contact with the heat exchange medium, and condensing the water vapor; and recovering the air after cooling in the third process. And a fourth process of precooling the air containing the water vapor passing through the inside (inside) of the duct against the outside (outside) of the duct, and repeating the first to fourth processes. A water collection method characterized in that the water is obtained. That is, this invention grasps | ascertains the content concerning the invention of the said 1st aspect as method invention.

  According to such a method, when the air containing water vapor passes through the duct, it is cooled to some extent from the outside of the duct (precooled), so that it is necessary to condense (condense) the air containing water vapor in the condenser. Sensible heat can be reduced. Thereby, it becomes possible to improve the water intake efficiency at the time of water sampling.

  The second process described above is preferably performed by compressing the refrigerant, cooling and condensing the compressed refrigerant, and then evaporating the condensed refrigerant inside the heat exchange medium. That is, it is preferable to generate cold using a refrigeration cycle.

  The second process described above is also preferably performed by generating cold by a cooling element using the Peltier effect and transferring the cold to the heat exchange medium.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the basic structure of a water sampling apparatus to which the present invention is applied. The water sampling apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 uses a refrigeration cycle to condense water vapor contained in the air to obtain water, and includes a compressor 10, a condenser 12, an evaporator 14, and a duct 16. It is configured. A refrigeration cycle is configured including the compressor 10, the condenser 12, and the evaporator 14.

  The compressor (compressor) 10 compresses the refrigerant into a high-temperature and high-pressure semi-liquid state. As the refrigerant, for example, an aqueous ammonia solution (ammonia gas) is used.

  The condenser (condenser) 12 cools and condenses the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 10 to liquefy it. The refrigerant that has passed through the aggregator 12 becomes a low-temperature and high-pressure liquid, is converted into a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid through a decompression means such as an expansion valve and a capillary tube, and is introduced into the evaporator 14. The condenser 12 has, for example, a winding pipe, passes a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant through the pipe, and cools the pipe by cooling the pipe from the outside. You may comprise the condenser 12 including the air blower which blows toward the said pipe.

  The evaporator 14 evaporates the refrigerant that has been condensed by the condenser 12 and converted into a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid via the decompression means, and generates cold. Specifically, the evaporator 14 has a heat exchange medium composed of a winding pipe or a large number of fins, and absorbs heat of vaporization from the outside of the heat exchange medium to vaporize the refrigerant inside. At this time, the air that contacts the outside of the heat exchange medium is cooled, and water vapor contained in the air is condensed. Thereby, the water 30 is obtained as illustrated. The refrigerant that has passed through the evaporator 14 is returned to the compressor 10 described above.

  The duct 16 is a cylindrical member that constitutes a flow path that guides air containing water vapor from the outside to the periphery of the evaporator 14. The duct 16 is cooled to a certain degree by the air after contacting the evaporator 14 and the air containing water vapor passing through the inside (inside) of the duct 16 being cooled to the outside (outside) of the duct 16. The relative arrangement with respect to the evaporator 14 is set so as to be precooled. Moreover, it is preferable that the duct 16 is formed with the material excellent in thermal conductivity, such as a metal (for example, aluminum etc.). Further, it is more preferable that the surface of the duct 16 is uneven so as to increase its surface area. These increase the efficiency of heat exchange through the duct 16.

  The intake means 22 is disposed between one end of the duct 16 on the air intake side and the outside world, and has a function of sending air into the duct 16 from the outside world. By providing such an intake means 22, it is possible to perform a control to increase the intake amount into the duct 16 as necessary in accordance with external conditions (such as temperature and humidity). For example, it is possible to control such that the intake air amount is reduced at high temperatures and the intake air amount is increased at low temperatures. This makes it possible to avoid waste of energy (electric power, etc.) required for water intake and improve water intake efficiency.

  The basic configuration of the water sampling apparatus 1 according to the present invention is as described above. However, as shown in the drawing, it is more preferable to include components such as the exhaust means 18 and 24 and the container 20.

  The exhaust means (fan) 18 contacts the evaporator 14 and exhausts the cooled air toward the periphery of the duct 16. Thereby, the cooling air that has passed through the evaporator 14 passes through the periphery of the duct 16 and is then discharged to the outside. The exhaust means 24 exhausts the air in the container 20 to the outside.

  The container 20 surrounds the periphery of the duct 16 and is substantially isolated from the outside. Although the container 20 is shown in a sectional view in FIG. 1, the container 20 is actually configured such that the duct 16 is entirely surrounded and separated from the outside world. One end of the duct 16 on the air suction side passes through the container 20 and comes into contact with the outside. The air cooled in contact with the evaporator 14 is introduced from one opening of the container 20, hits the outside of the duct 16 disposed in the container 20, and is discharged from the other opening. With such a configuration, only the cooling air that has passed through the evaporator 14 can be more efficiently applied to the duct 16, and the precooling effect can be enhanced. Further, by using the exhaust means 18 and the container 20 in combination, an action of stirring the cooling air in the container 20 by the exhaust means 18 can be obtained, and the effect of enhancing the precooling effect can be expected by this action. The container 20 is more preferably formed of a heat insulating member such as a polystyrene foam plate. Thereby, the pre-cooling effect is further enhanced.

  The water sampling apparatus 1 of this embodiment has such a configuration, and next, an operation procedure during water sampling will be described.

  Air containing water vapor is taken from the outside through the duct 16 and guided to the periphery of the heat exchange medium (first process). Further, in parallel with the first process, the heat exchange medium is cooled (second process). In this example, the compressor 10 compresses the refrigerant, the condenser 12 cools and condenses the compressed refrigerant, and then the condensed refrigerant is vaporized inside the evaporator 14 to thereby evaporate the condensed refrigerant. The outside is cooled, and the outside of the evaporator 14 serves as a heat exchange medium.

  The air containing water vapor is cooled by contacting the outside of the evaporator 14, and the water vapor is condensed (third process). Next, the air that has been cooled in the third process is collected and hits the outside of the duct 16, and the air containing water vapor that passes through the inside of the duct 16 is pre-cooled (fourth process). By repeating the above first to fourth processes, water is obtained from water vapor contained in the air.

  Thus, according to the water sampling apparatus 1 of this embodiment, when the air containing water vapor | steam passes through the inside of the duct 16, it cools to some extent from the outside of the duct 16 (it precools), Therefore The air containing water vapor | steam The sensible heat required for condensing the water in the condenser can be reduced. Thereby, it becomes possible to aim at the improvement of the water intake efficiency in the water sampling apparatus using a refrigerating cycle.

  Next, a more specific embodiment of the water sampling apparatus constructed by applying the present invention will be described.

<First embodiment>
Drawing 2 is a figure explaining the composition of the water sampling device of the 1st example. Moreover, FIG.3 and FIG.4 is a perspective view explaining the specific structural example of the water sampling apparatus 1a of 1st Example. In FIG. 3, in order to explain the inside of the container 20, the structure of the water sampling apparatus 1a in the state which removed the upper surface of the container 20 is shown.

  The water sampling apparatus 1a of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 uses a general dehumidifier 100 as a refrigeration cycle including the compressor 10, the condenser 12, and the evaporator 14 described above, and is low in production cost. It is characterized in that it is aimed at reduction. That is, the dehumidifier 100 normally includes the compressor 10, the condenser 12, and the evaporator 14 that constitute the refrigeration cycle, and also includes an exhaust unit 18 that discharges the cooled air in contact with the evaporator 14, and the evaporator 14. The water sampling device 1a according to the present invention can be easily configured by diverting such a dehumidifier 100, since the water collector obtained by condensing the water 30 obtained by the condensation is also provided. Become.

  As shown in FIG. 3 and the like, the intake port of the dehumidifier 100 is sealed, one end of the duct 16 is connected, and external air (air containing water vapor) is introduced from the other end side of the duct 16. In this example, two ducts 16 are used. The duct 16 is installed in the heat insulating container 20, and the other end penetrates the container 20 and is exposed to the outside. An intake means (fan) 22 is provided on the other end side of the duct 16. And the relative arrangement | positioning of the dehumidifier 100 and the duct 16 is set so that the whole dehumidifier 100 may be installed in the container 20, and the cooling air exhausted from the exhaust means 18 may hit the duct 16. FIG. More specifically, the dehumidifier 100 and the duct 16 are relatively arranged so that the cool air discharged from the outlet of the dehumidifier 100 hits the duct 16 in the container 20. Further, exhaust means 24 is also provided on the upper surface of the container 20 (see FIG. 4) so that the cooling air after being applied to the duct 16 in the container 20 is discharged to the outside.

Using the water sampling apparatus 1a configured as described above, water was sampled under the following conditions. A foamed polystyrene box with a plate thickness of 30 mm was used as the heat-insulating container 20, and two aluminum bellows pipes (diameter 75 mm, length 4.3 m) were used as the duct 16. In addition, the dehumidifier 100 is commercially available with the characteristics of a single-phase power source of 100 volts, a cold air capacity of 0.98 kilowatts, power consumption of 370 watts, an air volume of 3.4 m ³ / min, and a dehumidifier of 11 liters / day. A dehumidifier was used. The characteristics of the dehumidifier described above are those when the power supply is 50 Hz, the cold air characteristic is a value at room temperature air condition 30 ° C. DB and a relative humidity of over 70%, and the dehumidification characteristic is room temperature air condition 27 ° C. DB and relative humidity. The value at 60%. The intake / exhaust amounts of the intake means 22 and the exhaust means 24 were appropriately adjusted and set so as to increase the water intake efficiency.

  A water sampling experiment was conducted around July 2002 in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, using the water sampling apparatus 1a having the above-described conditions, and an average of 0.49-0 for a power consumption of 370 watt hours. .54kg / hour water was taken. Compared to the amount of water intake when only the dehumidifier 100 is operated without using the duct 16 or the like, an average amount of water intake of about 1.7 times was obtained. That is, it was confirmed that the sensible heat can be greatly reduced by precooling the air taken in from the outside through the duct 16 and the water intake efficiency is improved.

<Second embodiment>
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the water sampling apparatus according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing the external appearance of the water sampling apparatus 1b. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the internal structure of the water sampling apparatus 1b, and partially shows a cross-sectional view in the horizontal direction. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the internal structure of the water sampling apparatus 1b, and partially shows a cross-sectional view in the vertical direction.

  The water sampling apparatus 1b of the Example shown in FIGS. 5-8 diverts a general portable refrigerator (cooler box) 200 as a refrigeration cycle including the compressor 10, the condenser 12, and the evaporator 14 described above. As a result, the manufacturing cost is reduced. That is, the cooler box 200 normally includes the compressor 10, the condenser 12, and the evaporator 14 that constitute the refrigeration cycle. Therefore, by using the cooler box 200, portable water sampling with excellent portability is provided. The device 1b can be easily configured.

  As shown in each drawing, the other end 16 b of the duct 16 passes through the opening / closing lid of the cooler box 200 and is exposed to the outside, and the other part is accommodated in the cooler box 200. More specifically, a heat insulating container 20 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 201 of the cooler box 200, and the duct 16 penetrates the container 20 and is exposed to the outside of the cooler box 200. Further, the duct 16 meanders in the container 20, and one end 16 a penetrates the container 20. And the air which passed through the inside of the duct 16 is guide | induced to the clearance gap between the container 20 and the accommodating part 201 of the cooler box 200. FIG. Water vapor is obtained when water vapor contained in the air guided to the housing part 201 of the cooler box 200 contacts the housing part 201 and condenses. The obtained water is taken out to the outside through the water intake 26 provided penetrating from the bottom part of the cooler box 200 to the accommodating part 201.

  The air cooled through the gap between the container 20 and the accommodating portion 201 of the cooler box 200 is introduced into the container 20 from one opening 20a of the container 20, and after hitting the outside of the duct 16, the other opening 20b. Discharged from. Exhaust means 24 is provided between the other opening 20b and the outside to promote exhaust. Further, a gap is formed in the accommodating portion 201 of the cooler box 200 so as to form an air flow path so that cooling air discharged from one end 16a of the duct 16 and air introduced from the opening 20a of the container 20 are separated. A member 28 is provided.

  Using the water sampling apparatus 1b configured as described above, water was sampled under the following conditions. A foamed polystyrene box having a plate thickness of 25 mm and an internal volume of 5 liters (14.5 cm × 12.5 cm × 27.8 cm) is used as the heat insulating container 20, and an aluminum bellows pipe (diameter 40 mm, length 1.1 m) is used as the duct 16. ) Was used. Further, as the cooler box 200, a commercially available cooler box having the characteristics of a power source of 12 volts DC, power consumption of 47 watts, and an internal volume of 12.5 liters (34.8 cm × 19.0 cm × 19.0 cm) was used. Although there is no accurate data on cooling capacity (refrigeration capacity), the coefficient of performance (ratio of refrigeration capacity to power consumption) in a general portable refrigerator is about 1.2. The cooler box 200 used has a power consumption of 47 watts, so it is believed to have a cooling capacity of at least 50 watts or slightly higher. Moreover, the exhaust means 24 used the thing of the exhaust capability of about 80NL (normal liter) / min. During actual operation, a slight load is applied due to the influence of the duct 16 resistance in the duct 16 and the like, so the exhaust capacity is considered to be about 60 NL / min.

  A water sampling experiment was conducted around July 2002 in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, using the water sampling apparatus 1b under the conditions described above. When air with a temperature of around 26 ° C. and a humidity of around 35% was inhaled, an average of 14 g / hour of water intake was achieved with respect to the power consumption of 47 watt hours. When the regression analysis was performed from the experimental results at this time and the water intake amount under other humidity conditions was obtained, it was predicted that the water intake amount of about 20 to 40 g / hour was obtained when the relative humidity reached 40 to 60%. . This amount of water intake can be further increased by adjusting and optimizing the structure of the device.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the content of embodiment mentioned above and an Example, A various deformation | transformation implementation is possible within the range of the summary of this invention.

  For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, the water sampling device is configured by diverting a commercially available dehumidifier or cooler box, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this. By optimizing the design according to the contents of the present invention, it is possible to realize a water sampling apparatus with further excellent water intake efficiency.

  In the above description, the cooling means using the refrigeration cycle is adopted, but the cooling means is not limited to this, and various other forms are conceivable. For example, the cooling means can be configured using a Peltier element (electronic cooling element).

  FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the structure of the water sampling apparatus when a Peltier element is used. The water sampling apparatus 1c shown in FIG. 9 includes a Peltier element 50, a heat radiation fin (heat exchange medium) 52 thermally connected to the Peltier element 50, and a low-temperature side fin (heat) thermally connected to the Peltier element 50. The cooling means comprising the exchange medium) 54 is used. The other constituent elements are the same as those in the water sampling apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 described above, and are given the same reference numerals. Cold heat generated by energizing the Peltier element 50 is transmitted to the fins 54, and the fins 54 are cooled. The fins 54 are disposed in the container 20, and air containing water vapor supplied through the duct 16 is cooled by contacting the outside of the fins 54, and water vapor is condensed to obtain water 30. When a Peltier element is used as the cooling means as in this example, there is an advantage that the cooling means can be easily made compact.

It is a figure explaining the basic structure of the water sampling apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is a figure explaining the structure of the water sampling apparatus of a 1st Example. It is a perspective view explaining the specific structural example of the water sampling apparatus of a 1st Example. It is a perspective view explaining the specific structural example of the water sampling apparatus of a 1st Example. It is a figure explaining the structure of the water sampling apparatus of a 2nd Example. It is a perspective view which shows roughly the external appearance of the water sampling apparatus of a 2nd Example. It is a figure explaining the internal structure of the water sampling apparatus of a 2nd Example. It is a figure explaining the internal structure of the water sampling apparatus of a 2nd Example. It is a figure explaining the structure of the water sampling apparatus in the case of utilizing a Peltier device.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Water sampling apparatus, 10 ... Compressor, 12 ... Condenser, 14 ... Evaporator, 16 ... Duct, 18 ... Exhaust means, 20 ... Container, 22 ... Intake means

Claims (10)

A water sampling device for obtaining water by condensing water vapor contained in air,
Cooling means for cooling the air and condensing water vapor contained in the air;
A duct constituting a flow path for guiding the air containing the water vapor from the outside to the periphery of the cooling means;
An air intake means disposed between the duct and the outside world for sending the air containing the water vapor into the duct;
Recovering the air after being cooled by contact with the cooling means, applying it to the outside of the duct, and precooling the air containing the water vapor passing through the inside of the duct and the duct A water sampling apparatus in which the cooling means is relatively disposed. The cooling means is
A compressor for compressing the refrigerant;
A condenser that cools and condenses the refrigerant compressed by the compressor;
An evaporator that generates cold heat to the outside by vaporizing the refrigerant condensed by the condenser inside;
The water sampling device according to claim 1, wherein the water vapor contained in the air is condensed by bringing the air containing the water vapor into contact with the outside of the evaporator and cooling the air. The cooling means is
A cooling element using the Peltier effect;
A heat exchange medium to which the cold generated by the cooling element is transmitted;
The water sampling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the water vapor contained in the air is condensed by bringing the air containing the water vapor into contact with the outside of the heat exchange medium and cooling the air.   The water sampling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an exhaust unit that discharges the air cooled in contact with the cooling unit to the outside through the periphery of the duct. A container that surrounds the periphery of the duct and is substantially isolated from the outside world;
The water sampling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air cooled in contact with the cooling means is introduced from one opening of the container, applied to the outside of the duct, and then discharged from the other opening.   The water sampling apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the container is made of a heat insulating member.   The water sampling device according to claim 1, wherein the duct is formed of a metal material. A water collection method for obtaining water by condensing water vapor contained in air,
A first process for taking in the air containing the water vapor from the outside through a duct;
A second process of cooling the heat exchange medium;
A third process in which the air containing the water vapor is cooled by contacting the air with the heat exchange medium, and the water vapor is condensed;
A fourth step of precooling the air containing the water vapor passing through the inside of the duct by collecting the air after being cooled in the third step and applying it to the outside of the duct;
Including
A water sampling method for obtaining the water by repeating the first to fourth steps.   The sampling according to claim 8, wherein the second step is performed by compressing the refrigerant, cooling and condensing the compressed refrigerant, and then evaporating the condensed refrigerant inside the heat exchange medium. Water way. The water sampling method according to claim 8, wherein the second process is performed by generating cold by a cooling element using a Peltier effect and transmitting the cold to the heat exchange medium.

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