JP2007322027A - Humidifier - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a humidifier combining both of water for humidification and power for operating an air conditioning appliance and the like. <P>SOLUTION: This humidifier comprises a gasification device for separating gas hydrate into gas and water, and a water usage-type humidifier for humidifying the water discharged from the gasification device. The humidification by using this humidifier is performed by separating gas hydrate (for example, natural gas hydrate) in the gasification device into gas and water, and then humidifying the air by utilizing the separated water by a water spraying method, a vaporization method and the like, thus the air is humidified. The separated gas may be used as a fuel of a motor. The motor operated by this means can operate a heat pump including a compressor of the air conditioner, a heating appliance, a cooling appliance and the like. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a humidifier using gas hydrate.

When humidity is insufficient, static electricity is likely to be generated, and health damage is likely to occur due to drying of the skin, oral mucosa and bronchial mucosa. In order to avoid these, it is recommended to humidify the room so as to maintain a certain level of humidity. Therefore, various humidifiers are currently being developed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).
JP-A-10-082538 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-026378

However, the apparatus as described above has a problem that it is necessary to prepare water for humidification and power for operating an air conditioner or the like.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a humidifier having both power for humidification and power for operating an air conditioner and the like.

  A humidifier according to the present invention is a humidifier that humidifies air, a gasifier that separates gas hydrate into gas and water, and water that humidifies the air with water discharged from the gasifier And a use-type humidifier. Here, it is preferable that the water-use humidifier includes an injection device. The water-use humidifier includes an absorbent material made of a porous material. In addition, the humidifier includes a prime mover for driving a heat pump, and the gas discharged from the gasifier is used as fuel for operating the prime mover. The prime mover may include a gas engine for driving the heat pump. The prime mover may include a generator for driving the heat pump. The gas hydrate is preferably natural gas hydrate.

  The humidification method according to the present invention is a method for humidifying air, wherein gas hydrate is separated into gas and water, and the separated gas is used to operate a prime mover for driving a heat pump. The separated water is used for humidifying the air. The humidification method is characterized in that the air is humidified by spraying the separated water. Further, the humidification method is characterized in that the separated water is absorbed by a porous absorbent material, the absorbed water is brought into contact with air, and the air is humidified by vaporizing the water. To do. The gas hydrate is preferably natural gas hydrate.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a humidifier having both power for humidification and power for operating an air conditioner and the like.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The gas hydrate used in the following embodiments is, for example, a combustible gas hydrate that can be used as a fuel, such as natural gas hydrate, methane hydrate, ethane hydrate, propane hydrate, and butane hydrate. Preferably there is. Among them, natural gas hydrate is easy to transport and store because it emits less air pollutants and exists in a solid state under an atmospheric pressure at −20 ° C. Therefore, it is particularly preferable to use natural gas hydrate as the gas hydrate.

== Configuration of humidifier ==
(1) 1st embodiment FIG. 1: shows the block diagram of the humidification apparatus demonstrated as one Embodiment of this invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a humidifier 100 according to the present invention includes a gasifier 110, a prime mover 120, a water-use humidifier 130, a compressor 140, a heat exchanger 150, a heat exchanger 160, a pressure reducing valve 170, four-way A valve 180 and the like are provided.

  The gasifier 110 is an apparatus that separates gas hydrate into gas (combustible) and water. The separation of the gas hydrate may be performed by directly adding heat to the gas hydrate or by adding water to the gas hydrate. When the gas hydrate is separated into gas and water, pressure is generated in the gasifier 110. Therefore, it is desirable that the gasifier 110 is pressure resistant to the internal pressure.

  The water-use humidifier 130 is a device that humidifies air with water discharged from the gasifier 110. The water-use humidifier 130 may be anything as long as it can discharge the water produced by the gasifier 110 as fine water droplets against the air to be humidified, and examples thereof include a nozzle, a centrifugal type, and an ultrasonic type. It is done.

  Moreover, you may use the gas discharged | emitted from the gasifier for the fuel of the motor | power_engine 120 for operating the heat pump containing compressors, such as an air conditioner (a heating apparatus, a cooling device, etc.). Examples of the prime mover include a gas engine and a gas turbine. In addition, heat pumps including compressors such as air conditioners, heating devices, and cooling devices are provided with heat exchangers 150 and 160, a pressure reducing valve 170, a four-way valve 180, and the like so that air can be heated and cooled. It is preferable to keep it. Moreover, it is preferable to provide a drain outlet in these devices and equipment so that water does not collect inside the air conditioner, heating equipment, cooling equipment, and the like. Moreover, in order to discharge the humidified air produced inside the air conditioner, the heating device, the cooling device, etc. to the outside of these devices or devices, it is possible to provide a blower 190 in these devices or devices. preferable.

(2) Second Embodiment FIG. 2 shows a configuration diagram of a humidifier used as an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the humidifier 200 according to the present invention includes a gasifier 110, a prime mover 120, a water-use humidifier 130, a compressor 140, a heat exchanger 150, a heat exchanger 160, a pressure reducing valve 170, four-way A valve 180 and the like are provided. In addition, the humidifier 200 concerning this invention is the same structure as above-mentioned 1st embodiment except the water use type humidifier 130. FIG. Therefore, in this embodiment, only the water-use humidifier 130 will be described.

  The water-use humidifier 130 is a device that humidifies air with water discharged from the gasifier 110. The water-use humidifier 130 is preferably equipped with a device that can vaporize the water produced by the gasifier 110, and examples of such a device include an absorbent made of a porous material. It is done. Here, as an absorbent material made of a porous material, for example, a porous material made of sponge, metal (corrosion-resistant metal such as stainless steel, titanium, nickel, etc.) or ceramic (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-260447 and JP-A-2001-319664).

== How to use the humidifier ==
Next, an example of a humidification method using the humidifier according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The humidifier according to the present invention may be started when it is desired to humidify the air. The air to be humidified is not particularly limited, and may be air heated or cooled by a heat pump (such as an air conditioner, a heating device, or a cooling device) including the compressor 140.

  First, gas hydrate is put in the gasifier 110, and the gas hydrate is separated into gas and water. For example, the gas hydrate present in the gasifier 110 may be heated by a heating device or the like to be separated into gas and water, or the gas hydrate and water are put into the gasifier 110 to form a gas hydrate. The rate may be separated into gas and water.

  Next, air is humidified using the water separated by the above method using the water-use humidifier 130. Specific humidification methods include a water spray method (shown in FIG. 1) in which water separated by the gasifier 110 is sprayed into the air as fine water droplets, and the water separated by the gasifier 110 is porous. There is a vaporization method (shown in FIG. 2) in which water is absorbed by a body absorbent material and the absorbed water is brought into contact with air to vaporize the water.

  When humidifying air by the water spray method, use a nozzle, centrifugal type, ultrasonic type, etc. as the water-use humidifier 130 and open it to spray water on the air to be humidified. That's fine. At this time, the spraying method may be an ultrasonic method, a two-fluid method, or a centrifugal method. The intensity of spraying may be adjusted by opening / closing the nozzle inlet valve, the amount of water supplied to the centrifugal system, the intensity of ultrasonic waves, and the like.

  On the other hand, when humidifying the air by a vaporization method, use a sponge or a porous material made of metal (corrosion resistant metal such as stainless steel, titanium, nickel) or ceramic as the water-use humidifier 130, Water may be absorbed into this, and the absorbed water may be brought into contact with the air to vaporize the water naturally.

  The gas separated from the gasifier 110 is used as fuel for a prime mover 120 (for example, a gas engine, a generator, etc.) for operating a heat pump including a compressor such as an air conditioner, a heating device, or a cooling device. Also good. As described above, when the gas separated from the gasifier 110 is used as the fuel for the prime mover 120, it is not necessary to prepare another fuel for operating the prime mover 120. The gas that could not be used as the fuel for the prime mover 120 may be recovered and used for other purposes.

== Effect of the present invention ==
As described above, the humidifiers 100 and 200 according to the present invention include a device that can effectively use the gas and water separated from the gas hydrate, so that the water and air conditioning equipment for humidification are operated. This is useful in terms of cost and the installation space of the humidifier.

  Further, as described above, when the gas hydrate is separated into gas and water, pressure is generated in the gasifier 110. Therefore, if this pressure is used, the gasifier 110 does not have to be installed between the gasifier 110 and the prime mover 120 or between the gasifier 110 and the water-use humidifier 130. The produced gas and water can be supplied to the prime mover 120 or the water-use humidifier 130.

  Furthermore, if a gas hydrate containing less impurities is used, the humidification method of the present invention can be used in places where clean steam is required, such as hospitals, electronic devices, and factories.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the humidification apparatus 100 using the water spray system demonstrated as one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the humidification apparatus 200 using the vaporization system demonstrated as one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

100, 200 Humidifier 110 Gasifier 120 Primer 130 Water-use humidifier 140 Compressor 150 Heat exchanger 160 Heat exchanger (outdoor unit)
170 Pressure reducing valve 180 Four-way valve 190 Blower 210 Eliminator

Claims (11)

A humidifier for humidifying air,
A gasifier that separates gas hydrate into gas and water;
A water-use humidifier that humidifies the air with water discharged from the gasifier;
A humidifying device comprising:   The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein the water-use humidifier includes an injection device.   The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein the water-use humidifier includes an absorbent material made of a porous material. Equipped with a prime mover to drive the heat pump,
The humidifier according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gas discharged from the gasifier is used as fuel for operating the prime mover.   The humidifier according to claim 4, wherein the prime mover includes a gas engine for driving a heat pump.   The humidifier according to claim 4, wherein the prime mover includes a generator for driving a heat pump.   The humidifier according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the gas hydrate is a natural gas hydrate. A method for humidifying air,
Separating gas hydrate into gas and water,
The separated gas is used as a fuel for operating a prime mover for driving a heat pump,
Using the separated water to humidify the air;
A humidifying method characterized by.   The humidification method according to claim 8, wherein the air is humidified by spraying the separated water.   9. The air according to claim 8, wherein the separated water is absorbed by a porous material, the absorbed water is brought into contact with air, and the air is humidified by vaporizing the water. Humidification method. The said gas hydrate is a natural gas hydrate (natural gas hydrate), The humidification method in any one of Claims 8-10 characterized by the above-mentioned.

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