JP2011097881A - Cooling device, lighting system using the same, plant raising device using the lighting system, and cooling method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cooling device efficiently cooling a heat source and effectively using waste heat after cooling, to provide a lighting system using the cooling device, to provide a plant raising device using the lighting system, and to provide a cooling method. <P>SOLUTION: This cooling device is such that a cooling unit 50 cooling a heat source such as a light source unit 30 has an inlet pipe 51 and an outlet pipe 52, the inlet pipe 51 is communicated with an outdoor intake vent 11 and an indoor intake vent 12 each intake air from the outside and inside, and the outlet pipe 52 is communicated with an outdoor exhaust vent 21 and an indoor exhaust vent 22 each exhausting air to the outside and inside. Furthermore, an intake changing valve 13 changes for intake air either the outdoor intake vent 11 or the indoor intake vent 12, and an exhaust changing valve 23 changes for exhaust air either the outdoor exhaust vent 21 or the indoor exhaust vent 22. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a lighting device that includes a cooling device for cooling a heat source, uses the cooling device, a plant growing device that uses the lighting device to grow a plant, and a cooling method.

  In recent years, the size of the food market, especially the fresh vegetable market, is increasing. On the other hand, climate change, a decrease in the agricultural working population, an aging farmer, a decrease in the food self-sufficiency rate, and fraud in production areas have become prominent, and food safety and security have become important concerns.

  Under such circumstances, expectations for so-called plant factories are increasing in order to provide pesticide-free vegetables, improve traceability of products such as vegetables, realize stable production and supply, and improve the food self-sufficiency rate. . In a conventional plant factory, for example, plants are irradiated with light from a fluorescent lamp or a high-pressure sodium lamp to grow the plant.

  On the other hand, the temperature control of the cultivation room may be difficult due to the heat generated from the light source device that irradiates the plant with light. Therefore, for example, a double structure of an inner chamber and an outer chamber is adopted, and outside air is introduced between the inner chamber and the outer chamber, and heat exchange between the air introduced through the inner chamber wall and the air in the inner chamber is performed. Thus, there is disclosed a plant cultivation room in which heat generated in the light source device can be removed by means other than an air conditioner (see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 64-24947

  However, in the plant cultivation room of patent document 1, since the air taken in from the outside of a cultivation room is only discharged | emitted outside the cultivation room, the air after heat exchange is not utilized. Therefore, it has been desired to effectively use the waste heat after heat exchange.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a cooling device capable of efficiently cooling a heat source and effectively using waste heat after cooling, an illumination device using the cooling device, An object is to provide a plant growing device and a cooling method using an illumination device.

  The cooling device according to the present invention includes a cooling unit that cools a heat source installed in a room using a medium, and the cooling unit cools the heat source according to at least an indoor or outdoor temperature. It is characterized by controlling a discharge unit for discharging the subsequent medium.

  In the present invention, the cooling unit controls the discharge unit that discharges the medium after cooling the heat source according to at least the indoor or outdoor temperature. That is, control is performed so that the discharge of a medium (for example, air, carbon dioxide, water, etc.) after cooling the heat source is switched to either indoors or outdoors. Thus, for example, depending on the situation such as outdoor temperature or indoor temperature, the medium after the heat exchange is discharged indoors or outdoors to reduce the load on the air conditioning unit (air conditioner) for adjusting the room temperature or waste heat. Can be used effectively.

  The cooling device according to the present invention is characterized in that the discharge unit includes a first switching unit that switches the cooled medium to be discharged indoors or outdoors.

  In the present invention, the first switching unit performs switching so as to discharge the cooled medium to the inside or the outside of the room. For example, if the temperature of the medium from the cooling unit is lower than room temperature, the medium can be circulated indoors, for example, to reduce the load on the air conditioner to lower the room temperature, or to increase the temperature of liquid fertilizer Can be used. In addition, when the temperature of the medium from the cooling unit is higher than room temperature, the medium can be discharged to the outside to use waste heat.

  The cooling device according to the present invention includes a first temperature sensor that detects an indoor temperature and a setting unit that sets the indoor temperature, and the first switching unit includes at least an indoor temperature that is lower than the set temperature. When the temperature is low, the cooling medium is switched to be discharged into the room.

  In this invention, the 1st temperature sensor which detects indoor temperature, and the setting part which sets indoor temperature are provided. The first switching unit switches the cooled medium to be discharged into the room at least when the room temperature is lower than the set temperature. Thereby, it can be made to change to a desired switching state quickly.

  The cooling device according to the present invention is characterized in that the cooling unit controls an intake unit that takes in the medium in accordance with indoor and outdoor temperatures.

  In the present invention, the cooling unit controls the intake unit that takes in the medium in accordance with the indoor and outdoor temperatures. Thereby, for example, according to conditions, such as outdoor temperature and indoor temperature, air of low temperature can be taken in into a cooling part, and a heat source can be cooled efficiently.

  The cooling device according to the present invention is characterized in that the intake section includes a second switching section that switches the medium to be taken in from the room or outdoors.

  In the present invention, the second switching unit switches so as to take in the medium from the room or the outdoors. Thereby, according to the outdoor temperature and indoor temperature, low temperature air can be taken in into a cooling part, and a heat source can be cooled efficiently.

  The cooling device according to the present invention includes a third temperature sensor that detects an outdoor temperature, and the second switching unit compares the indoor temperature with the outdoor temperature, and the medium from the side showing a low temperature. It is characterized by being switched to incorporate.

  In the present invention, the second switching unit compares the indoor temperature with the outdoor temperature, and performs switching so as to incorporate the medium from the side exhibiting a low temperature. For example, when the outdoor temperature is higher than the indoor temperature, switching is performed so that a medium (for example, air) is taken in from the indoor. Thereby, the indoor medium having a temperature lower than the outside air temperature can be taken into the cooling unit to efficiently cool the heat source.

  The illumination device according to the present invention includes the cooling device according to any one of the above-described inventions.

  In the present invention, by providing the cooling device, a heat source such as a light source in the illumination device can be cooled.

  The plant growing device according to the present invention is configured to irradiate a plant with light from the lighting device according to the above-described invention.

  In the present invention, the plant is irradiated with light from the lighting device. Thereby, for example, it is possible to efficiently cool a lighting device that is a heat source in a room (growth room, cultivation room) and grow a plant by effectively using waste heat after heat exchange.

  The plant growing apparatus according to the present invention is a plant growing apparatus having a plant growing facility, and is provided in a growing room, communicated with a cooling apparatus having an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, and an inlet pipe of the cooling apparatus. And a first suction port and a second suction port for sucking the medium from the growth chamber, respectively, and an outlet pipe of the cooling device, and a first discharge port and a second discharge port for discharging the medium to the outside of the growth chamber and the growth chamber, respectively. A discharge port, an intake switching unit that switches the suction to either the first suction port or the second suction port, and a discharge switching unit that switches the discharge to either the first discharge port or the second discharge port It is characterized by.

  In the present invention, for example, a cooling device that cools a heat source has an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, and the inlet pipe has a medium (for example, air, carbon dioxide, water, etc.) from the outside of the growing room and the growing room, respectively. The first suction port and the second suction port for sucking in are communicated. The outlet pipe communicates with a first discharge port and a second discharge port for discharging the medium to the outside of the growth chamber and the growth chamber, respectively. The suction switching unit switches the suction to either the first suction port or the second suction port. Further, the discharge switching unit switches the discharge to either the first discharge port or the second discharge port. Thereby, for example, according to conditions, such as outside temperature (temperature outside a growth room) and room temperature (temperature in a growth room), a low temperature medium can be taken in a cooling device and a heat source can be cooled efficiently. Moreover, according to the situation, discharge of the medium after the heat exchange can be discharged to the outside of the growing room or the growing room to reduce the load on the air conditioning unit (air conditioner) for adjusting the room temperature or to effectively use the waste heat. .

  The cooling method according to the present invention is a cooling method in which a heat source installed in a room is cooled using a medium, the step of controlling an intake section for taking in the medium in accordance with the temperature inside and outside the room, and through the medium A step of cooling the heat source, and a step of controlling a discharge unit for discharging the medium after cooling the heat source in accordance with indoor and outdoor temperatures.

  In the present invention, the intake section for taking in the medium is controlled in accordance with the indoor and outdoor temperatures. Thereby, for example, according to conditions, such as outdoor temperature and indoor temperature, a low temperature medium can be taken in into a cooling part and a heat source can be cooled efficiently. Also, depending on the situation such as outdoor temperature or indoor temperature, the medium after heat exchange is discharged indoors or outdoors to reduce the load on the air conditioning unit (air conditioner) for room temperature adjustment or use waste heat effectively Etc.

  According to the present invention, the load of an air conditioning unit (air conditioner) for room temperature adjustment is reduced or eliminated by discharging the medium after heat exchange into the room or the outside according to the situation such as the outdoor temperature or the indoor temperature. Effective use of heat can be achieved.

It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of a structure of the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a back view which shows an example of a structure of the cooling unit of this Embodiment. It is a back view which shows the other example of a structure of a cooling unit. It is a back view which shows the other example of a structure of a cooling unit. It is a flowchart which shows the switching process procedure of the intake air and exhaust_gas | exhaustion by external temperature and room temperature. It is a flowchart which shows the switching process procedure of the intake air and exhaust gas which considered exhaust gas temperature. It is a flowchart which shows the switching process procedure of the intake and exhaust considering the 1st threshold value. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the switching control of the intake air and exhaust gas which considered the fluctuation | variation of external temperature. It is a flowchart which shows the switching process procedure of the intake and exhaust considering the 2nd threshold value. It is a flowchart which shows the switching process sequence of the intake air and exhaust gas in consideration of preset temperature. It is a flowchart which shows the switching process procedure of the intake air and exhaust gas which considered exhaust gas temperature. It is a flowchart which shows the switching process procedure of the intake air and exhaust gas which considered exhaust gas temperature. It is a flowchart which shows the switching process procedure of the intake and exhaust considering the time of air conditioning.

  Hereinafter, the case where the cooling device of the present invention is used in, for example, a plant growth (cultivation) device for growing plants will be described based on the drawings showing the embodiments. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the plant cultivation apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the plant cultivation apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a cultivation room 100 having a required size. In addition, the cultivation room 100 has sufficient size and width that a person can enter and work inside.

  The cultivation room 100 is provided with a cultivation shelf (not shown) whose vertical, horizontal, and height have appropriate dimensions, and one or a plurality of stages of mounting plates are arranged horizontally, and the mounting plates are cultivated. A tray 1 containing plants is placed. In the example of FIG. 1, only one tray 1 is illustrated, but the number of trays 1 is not limited to one, and a plurality of trays 1 may be provided.

  The tray 1 is supplied with the culture medium sucked by the pump 5 from the culture medium tank 2 through the forward pipe 3, and the culture liquid supplied to the tray 1 is supplied to the culture liquid tank 2 through the return pipe 4. It is supposed to be returned. Thereby, hydroponics can be performed. A water quality purification device (not shown) for purifying the quality of the culture solution in the culture solution tank 2, a fertilizer supply device (not shown) for supplying fertilizer and the like to the culture solution, and the like can also be provided.

  An air-conditioning controller 71 as an air-conditioning unit that air-conditions the cultivation room (hereinafter referred to as “indoor”), and a carbon dioxide supply device 72 for controlling the carbon dioxide concentration in the room to a required value. Is provided. The air conditioning controller 71 is provided with an operation panel 60 as a setting unit for setting the cultivation room temperature (hereinafter referred to as “room temperature”) and humidity. Instead of the operation panel 60, a remote operation terminal such as a remote control may be used. In addition, a humidifier (not shown) etc. can also be provided in the cultivation room 100.

  By operating the operation panel 60, for example, the set temperature T is 25 ° C., the humidity is 60%, and the operation time is 12 hours in the daytime, and the set temperature T is 5 ° C., the humidity is 90%, and the operation time is 12 hours at night. The room temperature, humidity, time, etc. can be set like time. The carbon dioxide supply device 72 can set the carbon dioxide concentration inside the cultivation room 100 to, for example, 1800 ppm to 2000 ppm.

  The cooling unit 50 (cooling device) includes a cooling unit that cools heat from a heat source installed indoors, and is made of a metal having thermal conductivity, such as iron, having a length of 120 cm, a width of 60 cm, It has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with a height (thickness) of 1 cm. The cooling unit 50 is arranged with the surface having a large area (the upper surface and the lower surface that are surfaces defined by the length and the width) being horizontal. An inlet pipe 51 is connected to one end in the longitudinal direction, and an outlet pipe 52 is connected to the other end. Inside the cooling unit 50, a heat exchange member (cooling unit) such as a heat pipe is disposed, and the light source unit 30 is deprived of heat from the light source unit 30 as a heat source by a medium flowing in the cooling unit 50. 30 (especially LEDs described later) can be cooled. The medium flowing through the cooling unit 50 may be any medium that can exchange heat with the heat generated from the heat source, and a gas such as air or carbon dioxide, or a liquid such as water may be used. In this embodiment mode, description is made using air.

  The inlet pipe 51 communicates with an outdoor intake port 11 as a first intake port and an indoor intake port 12 as a second intake port via an intake switching valve 13 as an intake switching unit (second switching unit). ing. The outdoor intake port 11, the indoor intake port 12, and the intake air switching valve 13 constitute an intake portion of the cooling device. A fan 64 for flowing air at a required flow rate (for example, 4 cubic meters per minute) is interposed in the middle of the inlet pipe 51. Further, a spray unit 65 for supplying a mist-like liquid (water) to the cooling unit 50 is provided between the fan 64 and the cooling unit 50 in the inlet pipe 51. Instead of the fan 64, a blower may be used.

  The spray unit 65 can generate, for example, mist-like moisture (mist) of 40 μm or less. By providing the spray unit 65, the temperature of the air taken into the cooling unit 50 can be lowered by about 10 ° C., for example. Note that the spray unit 65 may not be provided.

  The outlet pipe 52 communicates with an outdoor exhaust port 21 as a first exhaust port and an indoor exhaust port 22 as a second exhaust port via an exhaust switching valve 23 as a discharge switching unit (first switching unit). ing. The outdoor exhaust port 21, the indoor exhaust port 22, and the exhaust gas switching valve 23 constitute a discharge unit of the cooling device. Further, the outlet pipe 52 is provided with a temperature sensor 63 as an exhaust temperature sensor for detecting the exhaust temperature T3 of the air exhausted from the cooling unit 50. The temperature sensor 63 may be provided inside the outlet pipe 52 or outside the outlet pipe 52 as long as the exhaust temperature T3 can be detected.

  The light source unit 30 is disposed on the lower surface of the cooling unit 50. The light source unit 30 includes a rectangular substrate (for example, made of aluminum, glass epoxy, etc.) smaller than the area of the lower surface of the cooling unit 50, and an LED that emits light of a required wavelength mounted on the substrate. The light source unit 30 is composed of a plurality of substrates. For example, the LED has emission peaks in the vicinity of wavelengths of 430 nm, 660 nm, and 700 nm, respectively. The wavelength of the light emission peak of the LED is not limited to the above example. Thereby, it arrange | positions so that the light emission surface of the light source unit 30 may face the direction of the plant accommodated in the tray 1. FIG.

  The substrate of the light source unit 30 is attached in close contact with the lower surface of the cooling unit 50. Thereby, the heat generated from the LED is transmitted to the cooling unit 50 through the substrate. The heat generated in the light source unit 30 is cooled by the air flowing inside the cooling unit 50, and the air heated by heat exchange is discharged through the outlet pipe 52.

  For example, when the power consumption of the LED of the light source unit 30 is 620 W and the heat generation amount is 450 W, the temperature of the exhaust gas when air at a flow rate of 40 ° C. is introduced from the inlet side of the cooling unit 50 at a rate of 4 cubic meters per minute. Can rise 5 ° C and take about 300W of heat. In addition, these numerical values are examples.

  Outside the cultivation room 100, a temperature sensor 61 for detecting a temperature outside the cultivation room (hereinafter referred to as “outside temperature”) T1 and a temperature sensor 62 for detecting the room temperature T2 inside the cultivation room 100 are provided.

  The control unit 40 can be configured by an information processing device such as a server or a personal computer, for example, and acquires the room temperature T1, the outside temperature T2, and the exhaust temperature T3 detected by the temperature sensors 61 to 63. Further, the control unit 40 acquires the set temperature T set on the operation panel 60. The controller 40 switches the intake air switching valve 13 and switches the exhaust gas switching valve 23 based on the acquired temperatures T1, T2, T3, and T. In addition, the control part 40 may be provided in the outer side of the cultivation room 100, or may be provided inside.

  Thereby, for example, since the intake unit that takes in air can be controlled in accordance with the situation (temperature) such as the outside air temperature or room temperature, the air on the side showing the lower temperature is taken into the cooling unit 50 as a heat source. The light source unit 30 can be efficiently cooled. Moreover, since the exhaust part which exhausts the air after cooling the cooling unit 50 can be controlled, such as exhausting the exhaust after heat exchange indoors or the cultivation room outside (henceforth "outdoor") according to a situation. Further, it is possible to reduce the load of the air conditioning controller 71 (air conditioning unit) for adjusting the room temperature or effectively use the waste heat.

  FIG. 2 is a back view showing an example of the configuration of the cooling unit 50 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the surface of the substrate of the light source unit 30 on which the LEDs are not mounted is adhered and fixed to the bottom plate 53 which is the lower surface of the cooling unit. In FIG. 2, a portion indicated by a dotted line is the light source unit 30. The substrate can be fixed to the bottom plate 53 with screws or the like (not shown). Further, it is possible to increase the thermal conductivity by injecting grease or the like between the substrate and the bottom plate 53.

  In addition, the structure of the cooling unit 50 is not limited to the above-mentioned example, Other structures can also be used. FIG. 3 is a back view showing another example of the configuration of the cooling unit 50. The difference from the example of FIG. 2 is that an opening 54 having a size slightly smaller than the size of the substrate is formed in the bottom plate 53. In the example of FIG. 3, the light source unit 30 has a configuration in which six substrates are arranged. The opening 54 is formed at a position corresponding to each substrate. Thereby, since the air flowing inside the cooling unit 50 directly hits the substrate, heat can be taken directly from the substrate, and the cooling efficiency can be improved. Note that the size, number, and shape of the opening 54 can be changed according to the number of substrates.

  In the case of the example in FIG. 3, the opening 54 may be sealed with an elastic seal member or the like so that cooling air does not leak to the outside. Moreover, what is necessary is just to fix the board | substrate to the baseplate 53 with a bis | screw etc. similarly to the example of FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a back view showing another example of the configuration of the cooling unit 50. The example of FIG. 4 has a configuration in which the substrate and the bottom plate 53 are shared. That is, the LED is mounted by directly patterning the bottom plate 53 of the cooling unit 50. With such a configuration, the assembly process of the cooling unit 50 and the light source unit 30 can be simplified, and the cost can be reduced.

  In any of the above-described configurations, it is desirable to cover the outside (outer periphery) of the cooling unit 50 with a heat insulating material such as urethane foam. Thereby, heat exchange efficiency can be improved.

  Next, operation | movement of the plant cultivation apparatus of this Embodiment is demonstrated. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure for switching between intake and exhaust depending on the outside air temperature and room temperature. Control part 40 detects outside temperature T1 (S11), and detects room temperature T2 in a cultivation room (S12).

  The control unit 40 determines whether or not the outside air temperature T1 is higher than the room temperature T2 (S13). When the outside air temperature T1 is higher than the room temperature T2 (YES in S13), the intake switching valve 13 and the exhaust switching valve 23 are moved from the room. (S14), and the process is terminated. As a result, indoor air having a temperature lower than the outside air temperature can be taken into the cooling unit 50 to cool the heat source efficiently.

  When the outside air temperature T1 is not higher than the room temperature T2 (NO in S13), that is, when the room temperature T2 is equal to or higher than the outside air temperature T1, the control unit 40 sets the intake air switching valve 13 and the exhaust air switching valve 23 to the intake air and the outdoor air. Switching to the exhaust to (S15), the process is terminated. Thereby, the outside air of temperature lower than room temperature can be taken in into the cooling unit 50, and a heat source can be cooled efficiently. Note that, after steps S14 and S15 are completed, the processing after step S11 may be continued.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure for switching between intake and exhaust in consideration of the exhaust temperature. The exhaust temperature is the exhaust temperature T3 of the air exhausted from the cooling unit 50. The control unit 40 detects the outside air temperature T1 (S21), and detects the room temperature T2 in the cultivation room (S22).

  The control unit 40 determines whether or not the outside air temperature T1 is higher than the room temperature T2 (S23). When the outside air temperature T1 is higher than the room temperature T2 (YES in S23), the control unit 40 detects the exhaust gas temperature T3 (S24), and the room temperature T2 Is higher than the exhaust gas temperature T3 (S25).

  When the room temperature T2 is higher than the exhaust temperature T3 (YES in S25), the control unit 40 switches the intake air switching valve 13 and the exhaust gas switching valve 23 to intake air from the room and exhaust air to the room (S26), and the process is terminated.

  When the room temperature T2 is not higher than the exhaust temperature T3 (NO in S25), the control unit 40 switches the intake air switching valve 13 to the intake air from the room, switches the exhaust gas switching valve 23 to the exhaust gas to the outside (S27), and performs the process. finish.

  When the outside air temperature T1 is not higher than the room temperature T2 (NO in S23), the control unit 40 detects the exhaust temperature T3 (S28), and determines whether the room temperature T2 is higher than the exhaust temperature T3 (S29).

  When the room temperature T2 is higher than the exhaust temperature T3 (YES in S29), the control unit 40 switches the intake air switching valve 13 to the intake air from the outside, switches the exhaust gas switching valve 23 to the exhaust air to the outside (S30), and ends the process. To do.

  When the room temperature T2 is not higher than the exhaust temperature T3 (NO in S29), the control unit 40 switches the intake air switching valve 13 and the exhaust gas switching valve 23 to the intake air from the outside and the exhaust air to the room (S31), and the process is terminated. . Note that, after steps S26, S27, S30, and S31 are completed, the processing after step S21 may be continued.

  Thus, when the outside air temperature T1 is higher than the room temperature T2 and the exhaust temperature T3 of the air exhausted from the cooling unit 50 is lower than the room temperature T2, the exhaust air is circulated in the room, for example, air conditioning to lower the room temperature. The load of the controller 71 can be reduced, or the heat of the exhausted air from the cooling unit 50 can be effectively used, for example, to increase the temperature of liquid fertilizer. In addition, when the exhaust temperature T3 of the air exhausted from the cooling unit 50 is higher than the room temperature T2, the exhaust can be exhausted outside the room to utilize waste heat. When the outside air temperature T1 is lower than the room temperature T2 and the exhaust air temperature T3 of the air exhausted from the cooling unit 50 is lower than the room temperature T2, the exhaust gas can be discharged outside to use the waste heat. Further, when the exhaust temperature T3 of the air exhausted from the cooling unit 50 is higher than the room temperature T2, the exhaust is circulated in the room to reduce the load on the air conditioning controller 71, and other waste heat is used. can do. At the same time, since the room temperature and the outside air temperature are detected, air having a lower temperature can be taken into the cooling unit 50, and the light source unit 30 can be efficiently cooled.

  In the above example, the room temperature T2 itself is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the outside air temperature T1 becomes higher than the temperature (T2-α) obtained by subtracting the predetermined first threshold value α from the room temperature T2, the control unit 40 controls to take in air from the room and exhaust it into the room. You can also The first threshold value α can be a value of about 0 to 20, for example. Due to the heat generated from the light source unit 30, the temperature inside the cultivation room 100 rises. Therefore, the intake and exhaust can be switched at the optimum temperature by subtracting such an increase in advance and setting the temperature for switching between intake and exhaust. That is, the temperature rise at room temperature due to a heat source such as the light source unit 30 can be corrected in advance. Hereinafter, a processing procedure using the first threshold value α will be described.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure for switching between intake and exhaust in consideration of the first threshold. The control unit 40 detects the outside air temperature T1 (S41), and detects the room temperature T2 in the cultivation room (S42).

  The controller 40 determines whether or not the outside air temperature T1 is higher than the temperature (T2-α) obtained by subtracting the first threshold value α from the room temperature T2 (S43), and the outside air temperature T1 is the temperature (T2-α). ) (YES in S43), the intake switching valve 13 and the exhaust switching valve 23 are switched to the intake air from the room and the exhaust gas to the room (S44), and the process is terminated. As a result, indoor air having a temperature lower than the outside air temperature can be taken into the cooling unit 50 to cool the heat source efficiently.

  When the outside air temperature T1 is not higher than the temperature (T2-α) (NO in S43), the control unit 40 switches the intake air switching valve 13 and the exhaust gas switching valve 23 to intake air from the outside and exhaust air to the outside (S45), The process ends. As a result, the temperature rise at room temperature due to the heat source such as the light source unit 30 can be corrected in advance, and the intake and exhaust can be switched at the optimum temperature.

  In addition, the outside temperature T1 may fluctuate only in the daytime or at night according to the weather. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of intake and exhaust gas switching control in consideration of fluctuations in outside air temperature. In FIG. 8, the horizontal axis is the room temperature T2, and the vertical axis is the outside air temperature T1. In FIG. 8, the lower diagonal line represents a straight line T2-α, and the upper diagonal line represents a straight line T2-α + β (where α ≧ β).

  That is, when the outside air temperature T1 is higher than the temperature (T2-α) obtained by subtracting the predetermined first threshold value α from the room temperature T2, the control unit 40 switches to intake air from the room and exhaust air into the room. When the outside air temperature T1 is lower than the temperature (T2−α + β) obtained by adding the second threshold value β smaller than the first threshold value α to the obtained temperature (T2−α), the controller 40 Switch from intake to exhaust to the outside. By making the second threshold value β smaller than the first threshold value α, for example, when the temperature of the outside air slightly fluctuates (for example, 2 ° C. to 5 ° C., etc.), the switching between the intake air and the exhaust gas is frequently performed. Chattering can be prevented, and an increase in the number of unnecessary operations of the valve can be suppressed to achieve a long life. Hereinafter, a processing procedure using the second threshold value β will be described.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an intake / exhaust switching process procedure in consideration of the second threshold. The control unit 40 detects the outside air temperature T1 (S51), and detects the room temperature T2 in the cultivation room (S52).

  The controller 40 determines whether or not the outside air temperature T1 is higher than the temperature (T2-α) obtained by subtracting the first threshold value α from the room temperature T2 (S53), and the outside air temperature T1 is the temperature (T2-α). ) (YES in S53), the intake switching valve 13 and the exhaust switching valve 23 are switched to the intake air from the room and the exhaust gas to the room (S54), and the process is terminated.

  When the outside air temperature T1 is not higher than the temperature (T2-α) (NO in S53), the control unit 40 switches the intake air switching valve 13 and the exhaust gas switching valve 23 to the intake air from the outdoor and the exhaust gas to the outdoor (S55). The control unit 40 determines whether or not the outside air temperature T1 is higher than the temperature (T2−α + β) obtained by adding the second threshold value β smaller than the first threshold value α to the temperature (T2−α) (S56). .

  When the outside air temperature T1 is higher than the temperature (T2-α + β) (YES in S56), the outside air temperature T1 lower than the temperature (T2-α) becomes higher than the temperature (T2-α) and further from the temperature (T2-α + β). The controller 40 switches the intake air switching valve 13 and the exhaust gas switching valve 23 to the intake air from the room and the exhaust gas to the room (S57), and ends the process. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the intake air switching valve 13 and the exhaust gas switching valve 23 from being frequently switched at the temperature (T2-α) as a boundary.

  When the outside air temperature T1 is not higher than the temperature (T2-α + β) (NO in S56), the control unit 40 determines that the outside air temperature T1 lower than the temperature (T2-α) is higher than the temperature (T2-α). Assuming that the temperature (T2-α + β) has not been exceeded or that the outside air temperature T1 once higher than the temperature (T2-α + β) has become lower than the temperature (T2-α + β), the intake air switching valve 13 and the exhaust gas switching valve 23 is switched to the intake from the outside and the exhaust to the outside (S58), and the process is terminated.

  In the above example, the room temperature T2 is detected and used to determine whether to switch between intake and exhaust according to the result. However, the room temperature T2 when the room temperature is set on the operation panel 60 is different from the set temperature. There is. In the following example, a method for efficiently switching between intake and exhaust even in such a situation will be described.

  That is, when the outside air temperature T1 is lower than the set temperature T set on the operation panel 60, the control unit 40 performs switching so that air is sucked from the outside and exhausted to the outside. For example, when the room temperature T2 is lower than the outside air temperature T1, when the set temperature T is set to a temperature higher than the outside air temperature T1, the room temperature T2 is initially lower than the outside air temperature T1, so that air is taken in from the room. In order to avoid this situation, the outside air temperature T1, the room temperature T2 and the set temperature T can be compared to correctly perform intake and exhaust.

  More specifically, the control unit 40 detects the set temperature T in addition to the outside air temperature T1 and the room temperature T2. Then, when T> T1> T2, the control unit 40 switches between intake and exhaust from the room until the room temperature T2 reaches the set temperature T. That is, at least when the room temperature T2 is lower than the set temperature T, it is possible to quickly shift to a desired switching state by switching to exhaust into the room.

  Conversely, when the outside air temperature T1 is higher than the set temperature T set on the operation panel 60, the control unit 40 switches to intake air from the room and exhaust air into the room. For example, when the room temperature T2 is higher than the outside air temperature T1, when the set temperature T is set to a temperature lower than the outside air temperature T1, the room temperature T2 is initially higher than the outside air temperature T1, so that air is taken in from the outside. In order to avoid this situation, the outside air temperature T1, the room temperature T2, and the set temperature T can be compared to correctly perform intake and exhaust.

  More specifically, the control unit 40 detects the set temperature T in addition to the outside air temperature T1 and the room temperature T2. Then, when T2> T1> T, the control unit 40 performs switching so that air is sucked from the outside and exhausted to the outside until the room temperature T2 becomes lower than the outside air temperature T1. Thereby, it can be made to change to a desired switching state quickly. Hereinafter, a processing procedure using the set temperature T will be described.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a procedure for switching between intake and exhaust in consideration of the set temperature. Control part 40 detects outside temperature T1 (S71), and detects room temperature T2 in a cultivation room (S72). The controller 40 determines whether or not the outside air temperature T1 is higher than the room temperature T2 (S73). If the outside air temperature T1 is higher than the room temperature T2 (YES in S73), the control unit 40 detects the set temperature T (S74).

  The control unit 40 determines whether or not the set temperature T is higher than the room temperature T2 (S75). If the set temperature T is higher than the room temperature T2 (YES in S75), the indoor air is taken into the cooling unit 50 to set the set temperature. The exhaust gas switching valve 23 is switched so that the air is exhausted indoors until T and room temperature T2 become equal (S76), and the process is terminated.

  When the set temperature T is not higher than the room temperature T2 (NO in S75), the control unit 40 takes the indoor air into the cooling unit 50 and exhausts the exhaust until the set temperature T and the room temperature T2 are equal. 23 is switched (S77), and the process is terminated.

  When the outside air temperature T1 is not higher than the room temperature T2 (NO in S73), the control unit 40 detects the set temperature T (S78). The controller 40 determines whether or not the set temperature T is higher than the room temperature T2 (S79). If the set temperature T is higher than the room temperature T2 (YES in S79), the outdoor air is taken into the cooling unit 50, and the set temperature is set. The exhaust switching valve 23 is switched so as to exhaust the room until T and room temperature T2 become equal (S80), and the process is terminated.

  When the set temperature T is not higher than the room temperature T2 (NO in S79), the control unit 40 takes the outdoor air into the cooling unit 50 and discharges it to the outside until the set temperature T and the room temperature T2 are equal. 23 is switched (S81), and the process is terminated.

  In the above example, the intake air and the exhaust are controlled by comparing the outside air temperature T1, the room temperature T2, and the set temperature T. However, the exhaust temperature T3 of the air exhausted from the cooling unit 50 is compared with the room temperature T2. By doing so, exhaust can be performed more correctly.

  That is, when the room temperature T2 is higher than the set temperature T, the controller 40 switches between exhausting indoors or exhausting outdoors according to the exhaust temperature T3. For example, when the room temperature T2 is higher than the set temperature T, the room temperature T2 is compared with the exhaust temperature T3. Moreover, if the exhaust temperature T3 is higher than the room temperature T2, it switches so that it may exhaust outside. By performing the control in this way, the room temperature T2 can be adjusted using the waste heat of the cooling unit 50 so that the room temperature T2 approaches the set temperature T, and the load on the air conditioning controller 71 can be reduced. it can. Hereinafter, a processing procedure using the exhaust temperature T3 will be described.

  FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are flowcharts showing a procedure for switching between intake and exhaust in consideration of the exhaust temperature. Control part 40 detects outside temperature T1 (S91), and detects room temperature T2 in a cultivation room (S92). The controller 40 determines whether or not the outside air temperature T1 is higher than the room temperature T2 (S93). If the outside air temperature T1 is higher than the room temperature T2 (YES in S93), the control unit 40 detects the set temperature T (S94).

  The control unit 40 determines whether or not the set temperature T is higher than the room temperature T2 (S95). If the set temperature T is higher than the room temperature T2 (YES in S95), the indoor air is taken into the cooling unit 50, and the set temperature is set. The exhaust gas switching valve 23 is switched so that the air is exhausted into the room until T and room temperature T2 are equal (S96), and the process is terminated.

  When the set temperature T is not higher than the room temperature T2 (NO in S95), the control unit 40 detects the exhaust temperature T3 (S97) and determines whether the room temperature T2 is higher than the exhaust temperature T3 (S98). When the room temperature T2 is higher than the exhaust temperature T3 (YES in S98), the control unit 40 takes the indoor air into the cooling unit 50 and discharges the indoor air until the set temperature T and the room temperature T2 are equal to each other. Is switched (S99), and the process is terminated.

  When the room temperature T2 is not higher than the exhaust temperature T3 (NO in S98), the control unit 40 switches the exhaust switching valve 23 so that the indoor air is taken into the cooling unit 50 and discharged to the outside (S100), and the process ends. To do.

  When the outside air temperature T1 is not higher than the room temperature T2 (NO in S93), the control unit 40 detects the set temperature T (S101). The controller 40 determines whether or not the set temperature T is higher than the room temperature T2 (S102). If the set temperature T is higher than the room temperature T2 (YES in S102), the outdoor air is taken into the cooling unit 50, and the set temperature is set. The exhaust switching valve 23 is switched so as to exhaust the room until T and room temperature T2 are equal (S103), and the process is terminated.

  When the set temperature T is not higher than the room temperature T2 (NO in S102), the control unit 40 detects the exhaust temperature T3 (S104), and determines whether the room temperature T2 is higher than the exhaust temperature T3 (S105). When the room temperature T2 is higher than the exhaust temperature T3 (YES in S105), the control unit 40 takes the outdoor air into the cooling unit 50 and discharges it into the room until the set temperature T and the room temperature T2 are equal. Is switched (S106), and the process is terminated.

  When the room temperature T2 is not higher than the exhaust temperature T3 (NO in S105), the control unit 40 switches the exhaust switching valve 23 so that the outdoor air is taken into the cooling unit 50 and discharged to the outside (S107), and the process ends. To do.

  In the above example, the outside air temperature T1, the room temperature T2, and the like are detected and the intake and exhaust are switched. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the switching is performed according to whether it is cooling or heating. You can also.

  That is, the control unit 40 switches to intake air from outside and exhausts to outside during cooling, and switches to intake air from the room and exhausting into the room at the time of heating. At the time of cooling, the heat source such as the light source unit 30 is discharged to the outside by taking in air from the outside and exhausting it to the outside, and the load of the air conditioning controller 71 can be reduced by taking in air for cooling from outside air. it can. That is, at the time of cooling, it is only necessary to be able to control the air heated by the cooling unit 50 by heat exchange so that the air can be discharged outside the room. Therefore, you may make it take in indoor air. Further, during heating, the load of the air conditioning controller 71 can be reduced by using waste heat by taking in indoor air and exhausting the air heated by the cooling unit 50 through heat exchange into the room. That is, at the time of heating, it is only necessary to control so that warm air exhausted from the cooling unit 50 can be exhausted into the room. Hereinafter, the processing procedure in consideration of the time of air conditioning will be described.

  FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing a procedure for switching between intake and exhaust in consideration of cooling and heating. Control part 40 detects outside temperature T1 (S111), and detects room temperature T2 in a cultivation room (S112). The controller 40 determines whether or not the outside air temperature T1 is higher than the room temperature T2 (S113). If the outside air temperature T1 is higher than the room temperature T2 (YES in S113), whether or not the setting of the air conditioning controller 71 is cooling. Is determined (S114).

  When the setting of the air conditioning controller 71 is cooling (YES in S114), the control unit 40 switches at least the exhaust gas switching valve 23 to the outside (S115) and ends the process. When the setting of the air conditioning controller 71 is not cooling (NO in S114), the control unit 40 switches at least the exhaust gas switching valve 23 to the room (S116) and ends the process.

  When the outside air temperature T1 is not higher than the room temperature T2 (NO in S113), the control unit 40 determines whether or not the setting of the air conditioning controller 71 is cooling (S117).

  When the setting of the air conditioning controller 71 is cooling (YES in S117), the control unit 40 switches the intake air switching valve 13 and the exhaust gas switching valve 23 to the outside (S118) and ends the process. When the setting of the air conditioning controller 71 is not cooling (NO in S117), the control unit 40 switches the intake air switching valve 13 and the exhaust gas switching valve 23 to the room (S119), and ends the process.

  In addition to the above-described example, if at least the room temperature T2 becomes equal to or higher than a certain temperature, control is performed so that the air is sucked from the outside and discharged to the outside. Alternatively, control may be performed so that air is taken in from the room and discharged into the room. With such a configuration, the control can be performed if at least the temperature inside or outside the room is detected. Therefore, the waste heat can be effectively used with a simpler configuration.

  As shown in the example of FIG. 1, when the spray unit 65 is provided, the control unit 40 operates the spray unit 65 when the outside air temperature T <b> 1 is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, and causes the cooling unit 50 to be atomized. Supply liquid. The predetermined temperature can be set to 30 ° C., for example. When the outside air temperature T1 is high as in summer, the cooling efficiency of the heat source such as the light source unit 30 can be improved by adding water in the form of mist to the air taken into the cooling unit 50. Further, even when the outside air temperature T1 and the room temperature T2 are both high, the light source unit 30 can be efficiently cooled.

  In the above-described embodiment, the culture solution tank 2 is provided inside the cultivation room 100, but the culture solution tank 2 may be provided outside. In this case, when the exhaust from the cooling unit 50 is taken out of the cultivation room 100, an exhaust pipe is wound around the culture medium tank 2, and the temperature of the liquid fertilizer can be raised using waste heat.

  In the above-described embodiment, the cooling unit 50 is configured to cool the light source unit 30, but is not limited thereto, and the cooling unit of the present embodiment can also cool other heat sources. .

  In addition, the concentration of carbon dioxide used for promoting plant photosynthesis must always be kept constant. That is, when outside air is mixed in the room, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the room fluctuates, which affects plant growth. Therefore, when taking outside air into the room, a detection sensor for detecting the concentration of carbon dioxide is provided in the room, and the control is preferably performed together with the carbon dioxide supply device 72 so that the value of the concentration becomes substantially constant.

  Moreover, although the cooling device of the present invention has been described as a cooling device that cools the light source unit as a heat source, the cooling device is not limited to this, and is used as a cooling device for cooling a power supply circuit of a lighting device installed indoors. Or, it may be used as a cooling device for cooling a power supply circuit of a fan for circulating indoor air.

1 tray 2 culture medium tank 11 outdoor intake (first intake, intake)
12 Indoor inlet (second inlet, intake)
13 Intake switching valve (suction switching unit, second switching unit, intake unit)
21 Outdoor exhaust (first exhaust, exhaust)
22 Indoor exhaust (second exhaust, exhaust)
23 Exhaust gas switching valve (discharge switching part, first switching part, discharge part)
30 Light source unit (heat source)
40 Control unit 50 Cooling unit (cooling device)
51 Inlet pipe 52 Outlet pipe 60 Operation panel (setting unit)
61, 62 Temperature sensor 63 Temperature sensor (exhaust temperature sensor)
64 Fan 65 Spray unit 71 Air conditioning controller (air conditioning unit)

Claims (10)

In a cooling device including a cooling unit that cools a heat source installed indoors using a medium,
The cooling part is
A cooling apparatus comprising: a discharge unit that discharges a medium after cooling the heat source in accordance with at least an indoor or outdoor temperature. The discharge part is
The cooling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first switching unit that switches the cooled medium to be discharged into the room or the room. A first temperature sensor for detecting the temperature in the room;
And a setting unit for setting the indoor temperature,
The first switching unit includes:
3. The cooling device according to claim 2, wherein at least when the indoor temperature is lower than a set temperature, the cooling medium is switched to discharge the cooled medium into the room. The cooling part is
The cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an intake section for taking in the medium is controlled in accordance with indoor and outdoor temperatures. The intake section is
The cooling device according to claim 4, further comprising a second switching unit that switches to take in the medium from inside or outside the room. A third temperature sensor for detecting the outdoor temperature;
The second switching unit includes:
6. The cooling device according to claim 5, wherein the indoor temperature and the outdoor temperature are compared, and switching is performed so that the medium is taken in from a low temperature side.   An illumination device comprising the cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.   A plant growing device configured to irradiate a plant with light from the lighting device according to claim 7. In a plant growing apparatus equipped with plant growing equipment,
A cooling device provided in the growth chamber and having an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe;
A first suction port and a second suction port that communicate with the inlet pipe of the cooling device and suck the medium from the growth chamber and the growth chamber, respectively;
A first discharge port and a second discharge port that communicate with the outlet pipe of the cooling device and discharge the medium to the outside of the growth chamber and the growth chamber, respectively;
An inhalation switching unit for switching inhalation to either the first suction port or the second suction port;
A plant switching apparatus, comprising: a discharge switching unit that switches the discharge to either the first discharge port or the second discharge port. In a cooling method for cooling a heat source installed indoors using a medium,
Controlling the intake section for taking in the medium in accordance with the indoor and outdoor temperatures;
Cooling the heat source through the medium;
And a step of controlling a discharge unit that discharges the medium after cooling the heat source according to indoor and outdoor temperatures.

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