JP2005351596A - Humidity conditioning member, air-conditioner equipped therewith and humidity conditioning member regenerating method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a humidity conditioning member having good energy efficiency in regenerating moisture absorbing materials, requiring a small space to be occupied and allowing easy adjustment of a degree of regenerating the moisture absorbing materials, and to provide an air conditioner equipped therewith and a humidity conditioning member regenerating method. <P>SOLUTION: The humidity conditioning member comprises a conductive base 11 having a number of holed portions formed inside and the moisture absorbing materials 13 supported in the holed portions. Herein, an energizing means 15 is provided rotatably around a rotational axis 14 of the base 11 for carrying a current into the base 11. A plurality of slits 21 are formed in a range from the peripheral face of the base 11 to the rotational axis 14, and a plurality of divided segments 22 formed on the base 11 by the slits 21 constitute independent current passages. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a humidity control rotor used in, for example, a desiccant type air conditioner that adjusts the humidity of indoor air, an air conditioner including the same, and a method of regenerating the humidity control rotor.

  Conventionally, an air conditioner that integrally processes temperature and humidity has been proposed. For example, when the room is cooled, the air-conditioning apparatus directly cools the sent outside air. However, when the outside air is directly cooled in this way, the water contained in the outside air reaches the dew point, resulting in water droplets. Since the energy consumed by the air conditioner is also used to lower the temperature of the moisture contained in the outside air, the efficiency is not good.

Thus, in recent years, a desiccant air conditioner has been proposed that can efficiently adjust the temperature of the outside air that has been sent in by independently processing the temperature and humidity (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). .
In this desiccant air conditioner, as shown in FIG. 7, the partition plate 101 divides the ventilation holes on the processing side and the regeneration side, and the dehumidification rotor 102 and the evacuation unit disposed upstream of the dehumidification rotor 102 on the regeneration side. The heat exchange rotor 103, the heater 104 disposed between the dehumidification rotor 102 and the sensible heat exchange rotor 103 on the regeneration side, and two blower fans 105 and 106 are configured. As the dehumidifying rotor 102, a material obtained by forming a hygroscopic material such as silica gel into a honeycomb shape is used.

Here, an air conditioning method using this desiccant air conditioner will be described.
First, on the processing side, the outside air C <b> 1 sent by the blower fan 105 is adsorbed by the moisture absorbent of the dehumidifying rotor 102. The dehumidified outside air C2 is cooled by the sensible heat exchange rotor 103 and is blown into the room as the supply air C3.
On the other hand, on the regeneration side, the exhaust C4 discharged from the room is heated by the sensible heat exchange rotor 103 by heat exchange, and further heated by the heater 104, thereby being introduced into the dehumidification rotor 102 as the overheated exhaust C5. The The dehumidification rotor 102 located on the regeneration side regenerates the moisture absorbing material by introducing the heated exhaust C5. Thereafter, the exhaust C6 that has passed through the dehumidifying rotor 102 is discharged to the outside.
JP 2003-262376 A (FIG. 1) Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-130399 (FIG. 1) JP 2000-283498 A (FIG. 1)

  However, the above conventional dehumidification rotor and its regeneration method have the following problems. That is, in the conventional dehumidification rotor, regeneration of the moisture absorbing material that has adsorbed moisture is performed by introducing air heated by a heater. Therefore, there is a problem that heat transfer is poor and the efficiency of energy used to regenerate the dehumidifying material is low. In addition, there is a problem that a wide space is required for arranging a heater for heating air, a blower fan for introducing air into the dehumidifying material, and the like. Furthermore, it is difficult to control the temperature of the dehumidifying rotor, and the moisture absorbent material may be excessively regenerated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has a good energy efficiency used for regeneration of the hygroscopic material and a small space to occupy, and a humidity control member capable of easily adjusting the degree of regeneration of the hygroscopic material, An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner including the above and a method for regenerating a humidity control member.

  The present invention employs the following configuration in order to solve the above problems. That is, the humidity control member according to the present invention is a humidity control member having a conductive substrate having a large number of holes formed therein, and a moisture absorbent material carried in the holes, It is characterized by having an energizing means for flowing current.

  Further, the method for regenerating a humidity control member according to the present invention is a method for regenerating a humidity control member having a conductive substrate having a large number of holes formed therein for supporting a moisture absorbing material, and supplying a current to the substrate. The hygroscopic material is regenerated by pouring and heating the substrate.

According to the humidity control member and the regeneration method according to the present invention, the moisture of the air introduced into the humidity control member is adsorbed by the hygroscopic material carried in a large number of holes formed inside the substrate. In addition, Joule heat is generated in the base body by applying an electric current to the base body having conductivity by the energizing means. And the moisture | moisture content adsorb | sucked with the moisture absorption material is discharge | released by this heat_generation | fever, and a humidity control member is reproduced | regenerated.
In this way, the substrate carrying the hygroscopic material is energized directly to generate Joule heat and heated directly to regenerate the hygroscopic material. Therefore, a heater for heating the substrate is provided separately, and the air heated from this heater is Introducing the hygroscopic material into the hygroscopic material improves the energy efficiency used for regenerating the hygroscopic material. Moreover, since it is not necessary to arrange a separate heater in this way, the space required for regenerating the humidity control member can be reduced. Furthermore, since it is easy to control the amount of current to be supplied to the substrate, the degree of regeneration of the moisture absorbent material can be adjusted as appropriate, and heat shock to the substrate can be prevented.

In the humidity control member according to the present invention, the base has a rotation shaft, and a plurality of slits are formed from the peripheral surface of the base toward the rotation shaft, and the base is divided into a plurality of portions by the slit. The segments preferably constitute independent current paths.
According to the humidity control member of the present invention, the plurality of segments are formed by the plurality of slits provided from the peripheral surface of the base toward the rotation axis, so that the energization means performs energization independently in each segment. The segment can be heated. Thereby, the degree of re-absorption of the hygroscopic material can be adjusted more easily.

Moreover, the air conditioner concerning this invention is equipped with the humidity control member mentioned above, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.
According to the air conditioner pertaining to the present invention, as described above, the energy efficiency when regenerating the humidity control member can be improved, and the space occupied for regenerating can be reduced. Therefore, cost can be reduced.

In the method for regenerating a humidity control member according to the present invention, it is preferable that an electric current is allowed to flow independently at each of the portions divided radially from the rotation axis of the substrate toward the peripheral surface.
According to the method for regenerating a humidity control member according to the present invention, the moisture absorbent material can be regenerated in the same manner as described above by flowing an electric current independently at each of the portions divided radially from the rotation axis of the base toward the peripheral surface. It can be done efficiently.

  According to the humidity control member, the air conditioner including the humidity control member of the present invention, and the method of regenerating the humidity control member, the substrate that supports the moisture absorbing material is directly energized by generating Joule heat to regenerate the moisture absorbing material. As a result, the energy efficiency used to regenerate the hygroscopic material is improved compared to regenerating the hygroscopic material by installing a separate heater for heating the substrate and introducing the air heated from this heater into the hygroscopic material. To do. Moreover, since it is not necessary to separately arrange a heater, a space required for regenerating the humidity control member can be reduced. Furthermore, since it is easy to control the amount of current supplied to the substrate by the current supply means, the degree of regeneration of the hygroscopic material can be adjusted as appropriate.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a humidity control member according to the present invention and an air conditioner including the same will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.
A humidity control rotor (humidity control member) 1 according to this embodiment is a humidity control rotor used in a desiccant air conditioning system 2.
As shown in FIG. 1, the desiccant air conditioning system 2 is separated into a regeneration side ventilation hole and a processing side ventilation hole by a partition plate 3, and a humidity control rotor 1 having a disk shape, and a humidity control rotor 1. The sensible heat exchange rotor 4 having a disk shape as well as the blower fan 5 that sends the outside air A1 to the humidity control rotor 1 are configured.

  The humidity control rotor 1 is disposed so as to straddle the regeneration side and the processing side. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a plurality of conductive bases 11 made of, for example, aluminum are formed inside the base 11. A hygroscopic material 13 carried in a hole (not shown) which is a honeycomb-shaped through hole, a rotating shaft 14 for rotating the base 11 around the central axis of the base 11, and an energizing means 15 for passing a current to the base 11 And.

In the base 11, slits 21 formed by a laser, a cutter, or the like from the peripheral surface toward the central axis are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and the base 11 is divided into 16 segments 22. Each slit 21 is filled with a hygroscopic material 13 that is an insulating material so that each segment 22 does not conduct.
The hygroscopic material 13 is made of, for example, zeolite and is supported on the wall surface of the hole.
The rotating shaft 14 is connected to a motor (not shown) for driving the rotating shaft 14. For example, the base 11 is rotated twice around the axis of the base 11 per minute, and each segment 22 of the humidity control rotor 1 is processed on the reproduction side. It is comprised so that it may circulate alternately with the side. Further, the surface of the rotary shaft 14 has conductivity, and is electrically connected to the inner peripheral surface of each segment 22 and connected to the ground.

  The energization means 15 includes a slip ring 25 that is electrically connected to the outside of the base body 11 and each segment 22, a power supply line 26 that connects the outer periphery of the slip ring 25 and each segment 22, and the inside of the rotating shaft 14. And an encoder (not shown) that detects the rotation angle of the base body 11 and an energization control means 27 that is provided outside the base body 11 and controls the amount of current flowing through each segment 22.

  Sixteen slip rings 25 are provided on the peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 14 so that they do not conduct each other, and each of them is fed via a feeder line 26 that is provided independently of the outer peripheral surface of the segment 22 divided into 16 parts. Connected. The feed line 26 is laid along the inside of the slit 21.

  The energization control means 27 is electrically connected to the surfaces of the slip rings 25 and the rotary shaft 14 via brushes (not shown), and is positioned on the reproduction side based on the detection result of the rotation angle of the base 11 by the encoder. The energized segment 22 is energized to control the base 11 to be heated. Here, as shown in FIG. 4, with respect to the rotation direction of the substrate 11 by the rotation shaft 14, the current amount flowing in the segment 22 as it proceeds in the rotation direction on the reproduction side without flowing the current in the segment 22 on the processing side is shown. Control is performed so as to gradually decrease.

  The sensible heat exchange rotor 4 is provided on the downstream side of the humidity control rotor 1 on the processing side, and is disposed so as to straddle the regeneration side and the processing side in the same manner as the humidity control rotor 1. Exchange cold heat and warm heat on the processing side.

Next, a dehumidifying method and a regenerating method of the humidity control rotor 1 by the desiccant air conditioning system 2 configured as described above will be described.
First, on the processing side, the outside air A <b> 1 sent from the outside by the blower fan 5 is adsorbed by the moisture absorbent 13 of the humidity control rotor 1. Then, the dehumidified outside air A2 is cooled by the sensible heat exchange rotor 4 and blown into the room as the supply air A3. Here, since the base 11 rotates around the axis of the rotary shaft 14, the segment 22 having the hygroscopic material 13 that has adsorbed moisture of the outside air on the processing side is positioned on the reproduction side partitioned by the partition plate 3. Sent out.

The energizing means 15 applies a voltage to the segment 22 located on the reproduction side according to a detection angle from an encoder provided on the rotating shaft 14, and causes a current to flow from the peripheral surface of the segment 22 toward the rotating shaft 14. The segment 22 is heated by Joule heat generated by this current, and desorbs moisture adsorbed inside the moisture absorbent 13. In this way, the humidity control rotor 1 is regenerated.
The segment 22 having the regenerated hygroscopic material 13 is positioned again on the processing side by rotating around the rotation axis 14 of the base 11. Then, moisture inside the outside air A1 sent by the blower fan 5 is adsorbed.

  Here, the energization control means 27 performs control so that the amount of current flowing through the segment 22 gradually decreases as it advances in the rotational direction. Thereby, the heating of the segment 22 is suppressed as the segment 22 approaches the processing side by the rotation around the axis of the rotary shaft 14.

As described above, according to the humidity control rotor 1, the desiccant air conditioning system 2 including the humidity control rotor 1, and the method of regenerating the humidity control rotor according to the present embodiment, the substrate 11 carrying the moisture absorbent 13 is energized to generate Joule heat directly. Compared with regenerating the hygroscopic material 13 by, for example, arranging a separate heater for heating the substrate 11 and introducing air heated from the heater into the hygroscopic material 13 because the hygroscopic material 13 is regenerated by heating. Thus, the energy efficiency used for the regeneration of the hygroscopic material 13 is improved.
Moreover, since it is not necessary to separately arrange such a heater, the space required for regenerating the moisture absorbent material 13 can be reduced. Furthermore, since only the energization control means 27 is provided and it is easy to control the amount of current energized to the substrate 11, the degree of regeneration of the hygroscopic material 13 can be adjusted as appropriate.

  Further, by forming a plurality of segments 22 by a plurality of slits 21 provided from the peripheral surface of the base body 11 toward the rotating shaft 14, the energization means 15 energizes each segment 22 independently, and the segment 22 Heating can be performed. Thereby, the hygroscopic material 13 can be regenerated more efficiently.

In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various change can be added in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of this invention.
For example, in the above embodiment, zeolite is used as the hygroscopic material. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and silica gel, activated carbon, activated alumina, and titania may be used.
In the above embodiment, a conductive metal having a honeycomb shape is used as a substrate. However, it is sufficient that a hole capable of supporting a moisture absorbent is formed, and foam metal, activated carbon, or conductive ceramics may be used. Good.
Further, in the above embodiment, the energization control means 27 is controlled so that the current amount gradually decreases as the segment 22 positioned on the regeneration side advances in the rotation direction. It may be changed as appropriate according to the situation.

Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the humidity control rotor 1 is arrange | positioned so that the air which flows through the process side may be dehumidified, as shown in FIG. 5, the humidity control rotor 1 performs the humidification of the air which flows through the process side. The desiccant air conditioning system 30 arranged as described above may be used.
The desiccant air conditioning system 30 is separated into a processing side and an adsorption side by the partition plate 3 as described above. On the processing side, the sensible heat exchange rotor 4 is arranged upstream of the humidity control rotor 1.
On the processing side, the outside air B <b> 1 sent by the blower fan 31 is heated by the sensible heat exchange rotor 4. And the water | moisture content adsorb | sucked by the moisture absorption material 13 of the humidity control rotor 1 is discharge | released by the heated external air B2 and the electricity supply means 15, and it is comprised so that it may inhale indoors as the humidified supply air B3. .
On the other hand, on the adsorption side, the exhaust B4 from the room blown by the blower fan 32 is dehumidified by the humidity control rotor 1, and the dehumidified exhaust B5 is cooled by the sensible heat exchange rotor 4. Thereafter, the exhaust gas B6 is discharged to the outside.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, current is supplied from the energization control means 27 to each segment 22 via the slip ring 25. However, as shown in FIG. The segment 22 located on the reproduction side is heated by electrically connecting the brush 36 disposed so as to be in contact with the peripheral surface of the base 11 rotating about the axis of The structure which performs may be sufficient. The brushes 36 are arranged at equal intervals on the circumferential surface on the reproduction side of the base 11.
Even with such a configuration, the amount of current flowing between each brush 36 and the rotating shaft 14 can be set as appropriate.
Here, not only the structure which connects the rotating shaft 14 with a ground but the structure which connects one of the brushes 35 with a ground may be sufficient.

  Moreover, although the case where the humidity control rotor 1 rotates around the axis of the rotating shaft 14 was shown in the above embodiment, the moisture absorbing material 13 is also regenerated by appropriately switching the current-carrying path without rotating the humidity control rotor 1. Can be made. In this case, the segment 22 to be energized is selected corresponding to the switching of the current path.

It is the schematic which shows the desiccant air conditioning system provided with the humidity control rotor in one Embodiment of this invention. The humidity control rotor in FIG. 1 is shown, (a) is a side view, (b) is a front view. It is a principal part enlarged view which shows the humidity control rotor in FIG. It is a graph which shows the energization amount with respect to the rotation angle of the base | substrate by the electricity supply control means in FIG. It is this schematic which shows the desiccant air-conditioning system which can apply the humidity control rotor other than one Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the humidity control rotor which can apply this invention except one Embodiment of this invention. It is this schematic which shows the desiccant air conditioning system provided with the conventional humidity control rotor.

Explanation of symbols

1 Humidity control rotor (humidity control member)
2, 30 Desiccant air conditioning system (air conditioner)
11 Substrate 13 Hygroscopic material 15, 35 Energizing means 21 Slit 22 Segment

Claims (5)

A humidity control member having a conductive base body in which a large number of holes are formed, and a hygroscopic material carried in the holes,
A humidity control member comprising an energizing means for passing an electric current through the substrate. The substrate has a rotation axis;
A plurality of slits are formed from the peripheral surface of the base toward the rotation axis,
The humidity control member according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of segments formed on the base by the slit constitute independent current paths.   An air conditioner comprising the humidity control member according to claim 1. A method for regenerating a humidity control member having a conductive substrate having a plurality of holes formed therein for supporting a hygroscopic material,
A method for regenerating a humidity control member, wherein a current is passed through the base and the base is heated to regenerate the hygroscopic material. 5. The method for regenerating a humidity control member according to claim 4, wherein a current is allowed to flow independently at each of the portions divided radially from the rotation axis of the substrate toward the peripheral surface.

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