JP2012034814A - Dehumidifying and heating apparatus and clothes dryer using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a dehumidifying and heating apparatus that detects a drainage abnormality of dehumidified water with a simple configuration and prevents an overflow of dehumidified water.SOLUTION: A dehumidifying and heating apparatus comprises: a drain pan 13 for receiving dew condensation water; a first refrigerant temperature measuring device 10 for measuring a temperature of a refrigerant with a first temperature measuring part 8 provided at a pipe 6 for connecting a compressor 2 and a radiator 3; a second refrigerant temperature measuring device 12 for measuring a condensation temperature in the radiator 3 with a second temperature measuring part 11; and a control device 9 for controlling an operation of the compressor based on temperature information measured with the first refrigerant temperature measuring device 10 and the second refrigerant temperature measuring device 12. The first temperature measuring part 8 is installed in the drain pan 13 in the gravity direction side more than an overflow line of the drain pan 13, and the operation of the compressor is stopped when the temperature measured with the first refrigerant temperature measuring device 10 becomes equal to or lower than the temperature measured with the second refrigerant temperature measuring device 12.

Description

  The present invention relates to a dehumidifying and warming device using a heat pump device and a clothes dryer for drying clothes using the same.

  Conventionally, as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, this type of dehumidifying and warming device 51 includes a heat pump device 57 including a compressor 53, a radiator 54, a heat absorber 55, and a throttle means 56 in a housing 52. ing. A temperature measuring unit 59 for measuring the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 53 is installed in a pipe 58 that connects the compressor 53 and the radiator 54. A drain pan 60 that receives dehumidified water dehumidified by the heat absorber 55 is provided below the heat absorber 55, a drain outlet 61 that drains the dehumidified water collected in the drain pan 60, and a water level sensor that detects the dehumidified water. 62 is provided.

  The operation of the heat pump device 57 is as follows. The refrigerant compressed to a high temperature and high pressure by the compressor 53 enters the radiator 54 through the pipe 58 and exchanges heat with the air blown by a blower (not shown) to heat the air. The refrigerant is cooled and liquefied. The liquefied high-pressure refrigerant enters the throttle means 56 and is depressurized to become a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant and enters the heat absorber 55. The air is cooled and dehumidified by exchanging heat with the air blown by the blower, and the refrigerant is heated to return to the compressor 53 as a vapor refrigerant.

  When the refrigerant discharge temperature of the compressor 53 exceeds a specified value, the lubricant in the compressor 53 deteriorates severely. Therefore, the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 53 is measured by the temperature measuring unit 59, and the refrigerant discharge A safety measure is taken to stop the compressor 53 when the temperature exceeds a specified value.

  Further, the dehumidified water dehumidified by the heat absorber 55 is dropped onto the drain pan 60 provided below the heat absorber 55 by gravity, and is discharged out of the dehumidifying and heating device 51 from the drain port 61. The drain pan 60 is provided with a water level sensor 62 that detects an increase in the water level of the dehumidified water accumulated in the drain pan 60 when the drain outlet 61 is clogged with foreign matter, and prevents the dehumidified water from overflowing the drain pan 60. Yes.

  On the other hand, the flow of air will be described. The air sent from the air port 63 to the dehumidifying and warming device 51 by the blower first enters the heat absorber 55 and is cooled, and the temperature of the heat absorber 55 is below the saturation temperature of the air. Then, dew condensation occurs on the surface of the heat absorber 55 and is dehumidified. Then, it enters the heat radiator 54 and is heated to become high-temperature and low-humidity air, and exits the dehumidifying and heating device 51 from the exhaust port 64.

  In recent years, from the viewpoint of energy saving, a dehumidifying and warming device using such a heat pump device is used instead of a heater in a clothes dryer (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Further, in a washing / drying machine using a heat pump device, it is considered to detect the level of dehumidified water with a thermistor (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 7-178289 A JP 2006-262924 A

  However, in the conventional configuration, since the water level sensor 62 is provided to detect the dehumidified water of the drain pan 60, a space for installing the water level sensor 62 is required, the apparatus is enlarged, and the configuration is complicated. There was a problem of becoming expensive.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a dehumidifying and warming device capable of detecting an abnormality in drainage of dehumidified water with a simple configuration and preventing the dehumidified water from overflowing. .

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, the dehumidifying and heating device of the present invention is provided in a drain pan that receives condensed water generated by heat exchange with air in a heat absorber of a heat pump device, and a pipe that connects a compressor and a radiator. A first refrigerant temperature measuring device for measuring the temperature of the refrigerant by the first temperature measuring unit, a second refrigerant temperature measuring device for measuring the condensation temperature in the radiator by the second temperature measuring unit, And a control device that controls the operation of the compressor based on temperature information measured by the first and second refrigerant temperature measuring devices, and the first temperature measuring unit is connected to the drain pan on the gravity direction side from the overflow line of the drain pan. When the temperature measured by the first refrigerant temperature measuring device becomes lower than or lower than the temperature measured by the second refrigerant temperature measuring device, the control device operates the compressor. The one in which was to stop.

  As a result, the condensed water accumulates in the drain pan due to poor drainage or the like, and the first temperature measuring unit of the first refrigerant temperature measuring device that measures the refrigerant temperature discharged from the compressor higher than the condensing temperature comes into contact with the condensed water. Since the temperature of the dew condensation water is significantly lower than the temperature of the refrigerant, the measured temperature decreases and becomes lower than the condensation temperature of the refrigerant measured by the second refrigerant temperature measuring device. Therefore, without providing a dedicated water level sensor, It is possible to detect that the drainage is abnormal, and by stopping the operation of the compressor, it is possible to stop the progress of dehumidification and prevent the overflow of condensed water.

  The dehumidifying and warming device of the present invention can detect an abnormal drainage of dehumidified water with a simple configuration, and can prevent the dehumidified water from overflowing from the drain pan by stopping the progress of dehumidification.

The top view of the dehumidification warming apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention Block diagram of the dehumidifying and heating device BB sectional view of FIG. Time chart showing the operation of the dehumidifying and heating device Time chart showing the operation of another example of the dehumidifying and warming device Time chart showing the operation of the dehumidifying and warming device in Embodiment 2 of the present invention Sectional drawing of the principal part of the clothes dryer provided with the dehumidification heating apparatus in Embodiment 3 of this invention Top view of a conventional dehumidifying and heating device Side view of the dehumidifying and heating device AA sectional view of FIG.

A first invention is a heat pump device in which a compressor, a radiator, a throttle means, and a heat absorber are connected by a pipe through which a refrigerant circulates, and flows from an air inlet to the air outlet through the heat absorber and the radiator. The temperature of the refrigerant is measured by a wind circuit, a drain pan that receives condensed water generated by heat exchange with the air at the heat absorber, and a first temperature measurement unit provided in a pipe that connects the compressor and the radiator. Temperature information measured by the first refrigerant temperature measuring device, the second refrigerant temperature measuring device that measures the condensation temperature in the radiator by a second temperature measuring unit, and the first and second refrigerant temperature measuring devices. And a control device for controlling the operation of the compressor, the first temperature measurement unit is installed in the drain pan on the gravity direction side from the overflow line of the drain pan, the control device, When the temperature measured by the first refrigerant temperature measuring device becomes lower than or lower than the temperature measured by the second refrigerant temperature measuring device, the operation of the compressor is stopped. Is accumulated in the drain pan, and when the first temperature measuring unit of the first refrigerant temperature measuring device that measures the refrigerant temperature discharged from the compressor higher than the condensing temperature comes into contact with the condensed water, the temperature of the condensed water is the temperature of the refrigerant. Since the measured temperature is lower than that of the refrigerant and is lower than the refrigerant condensation temperature measured by the second refrigerant temperature measuring device, it is possible to detect an abnormality in drainage without providing a dedicated water level sensor. The progress of dehumidification can be stopped to prevent the dehumidified water from overflowing from the drain pan.

  In particular, according to the second aspect of the present invention, when the temperature measured by the first refrigerant temperature measurement device becomes lower than or lower than the temperature measured by the second refrigerant temperature measurement device, the control device of the first invention If the rotational speed is decreased for a predetermined time and the temperature measured by the first refrigerant temperature measuring device does not rise again to the temperature measured by the second refrigerant temperature measuring device, the operation of the compressor is stopped. If the drainage of the drain pan is narrow due to accumulation of lint, for example, if the drainage of the drain pan is narrowed by accumulation of lint, etc. Rises. Therefore, by reducing the operating speed of the compressor to reduce the dehumidifying capacity and reducing the amount of condensation, the operation can be continued without overflowing the condensed water from the drain pan. Even if the operating speed of the compressor is reduced for a predetermined time, if the temperature does not rise again to the temperature measured by the second refrigerant temperature measuring device, it is determined that the drainage is completely defective, and the operation of the compressor is stopped. By doing so, overflow can be prevented.

  3rd invention is the clothes dryer which mounts the dehumidification warming apparatus of 1st or 2nd invention, and does not provide a water level sensor, but the clothes dryer which can detect waste_water | drain abnormality with a simple structure is provided. Can be provided.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
1 is a top view of a dehumidifying and warming device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the dehumidifying and warming device, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. These are time charts which show operation | movement of the dehumidification warming apparatus.

  1 to 4, a compressor 2, a radiator 3, a throttle means 4, and a heat absorber 5 and a heat pump device 7 that connects these with a pipe 6 through which a refrigerant circulates are installed in a housing 1. The compressor 2 can change the rotation speed of an inverter or the like. A pipe 6 that connects the compressor 2 and the radiator 3 is provided with a first temperature measuring unit 8 that measures the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 2, and the refrigerant measured by the first temperature measuring unit 8. Is input to the first refrigerant temperature measuring device 10 of the control device 9 that controls the operation of the compressor 2.

  Further, a second temperature measuring unit 11 that measures the condensation temperature of the refrigerant is provided in the radiator 3, and the temperature of the refrigerant measured by the second temperature measuring unit 11 is the second refrigerant of the control device 9. Input to the temperature measuring device 12.

Below the heat absorber 5, a drain pan 13 that receives the dehumidified water dehumidified by the heat absorber 5 is provided, and a drain port 14 that drains the dehumidified water collected in the drain pan 13 is provided. The pipe 6 has a part of the portion connecting the compressor 2 and the radiator 3 disposed close to the bottom of the drain pan 13, and the first temperature measuring unit 8 constituted by a thermistor overflows the dehumidified water from the drain pan 13. It is attached to the pipe 6 so that at least a part or all of it is positioned below the overflow line W set so as not to fall in the direction of gravity.

  The basic operation of the heat pump device 7 is the same as the conventional one, and the description will be simplified. The refrigerant compressed to a high temperature and high pressure by the compressor 2 passes through the pipe 6 and enters the radiator 3 through a portion where the first temperature measuring unit 8 is attached. Heat is exchanged with the air blown by a blower (not shown) in the radiator 3 to heat the air, and the refrigerant is cooled and liquefied. The liquefied high-pressure refrigerant enters the throttle means 4 and is decompressed to become a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant and enters the heat absorber 5. The heat absorber 5 exchanges heat with the air blown by the blower, and the air is cooled and dehumidified, and the refrigerant is heated to become vapor refrigerant and returns to the compressor 2.

  When the refrigerant discharge temperature of the compressor 2 exceeds a specified value, the deterioration of the lubricating oil in the compressor 2 becomes severe. Therefore, the refrigerant temperature discharged from the compressor 2 is measured by the first temperature measuring unit 8, When the refrigerant discharge temperature becomes equal to or higher than a specified value, the control device 9 stops the operation of the compressor 2.

  In the heat pump cycle, the discharge temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 2 is higher than the condensation temperature, and the discharge temperature of the refrigerant (for example, 80 ° C. to 100 ° C.) is measured by the first temperature measurement unit 8. The condensation temperature (for example, 60 ° C. to 70 ° C.) is measured by the second temperature measuring unit 11. The refrigerant discharge temperature and the condensation temperature are controlled within a predetermined range in conjunction with the operation of the compressor 2. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the refrigerant discharge temperature measured by the first temperature measurement unit 8 is within the first predetermined range, and the condensation temperature measured by the second temperature measurement unit 11 is the discharge temperature. It is controlled within a lower second predetermined range.

  On the other hand, the flow of air dehumidified and warmed by the dehumidifying and warming device will be described. First, the air sent to the dehumidifying and warming device from the air inlet 15 provided in the housing 1 by a blower (not shown) is first the heat absorber 5. Then, when the temperature of the heat absorber 5 becomes equal to or lower than the saturation temperature of the air, dew condensation occurs on the surface of the heat absorber 5 and is dehumidified. After that, the wind circuit 17 is configured to enter the heat radiator 3 and be heated to become high-temperature and low-humidity air and to exit the dehumidifying and warming device from the air outlet 16.

  By the operation of the heat pump device 7, the dehumidified water dewed by the heat absorber 3 is dropped and collected in the drain pan 13 and is discharged out of the housing 1 from the drain port 14 at the bottom. If foreign matter such as lint is contained in the air blown by the blower, it adheres to the dehumidified water condensed by the heat absorber 3 and accumulates in the drain pan 13.

  When a drainage failure such as the drainage port 14 being clogged with foreign matter such as lint occurs, the dehumidified water is not drained from the drainage port 14 and is collected in the drain pan 13. The water level rises with the dehumidified water condensed in the heat absorber 3 by the operation of the heat pump device 7. When the water level eventually exceeds the overflow line W, the dehumidified water overflows from the drain pan 13 and water leakage occurs. Since a part of the pipe 6 connecting the compressor 2 and the radiator 3 is arranged close to the bottom part in the drain pan 13, when the water level in the drain pan 13 rises, a part of the pipe 6 arranged at the bottom part Comes into contact with the dew condensation water, and before the overflow line W is exceeded, a part of the pipe 6 together with the first temperature measurement unit 8 comes into contact with the dew condensation water.

  At this time, since the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 2 is at a high temperature, the first temperature measurement unit 8 is cooled by coming into contact with the dew condensation water, so that the measurement temperature is greatly reduced, and the second refrigerant temperature measurement is performed. The temperature is lower than the refrigerant condensation temperature measured by the second temperature measurement unit 11 of the device 12. Usually, in the heat pump cycle, the refrigerant discharge temperature measured by the first refrigerant temperature measuring device 10 is higher than the refrigerant condensing temperature measured by the second refrigerant temperature measuring device 12, so that the temperature approaches or reverses. It is possible to detect that condensed water is not drained.

  FIG. 4 shows the temperature change of the refrigerant measured by the first temperature measuring unit 8 and the second temperature measuring unit 11, and section 1 is a rising process after the start of operation, and the first refrigerant temperature measuring device. Both the refrigerant discharge temperature measured at 10 and the refrigerant condensing temperature measured by the second refrigerant temperature measuring device 12 gradually increase. The section 2 is in a stable state, and the control device 9 controls the rotation speed of the compressor 2 so that the refrigerant discharge temperature measured by the first refrigerant temperature measurement device 10 falls within the set first predetermined range. Control. When the drainage abnormality of condensed water occurs during the operation, the condensed water accumulates in the drain pan 13 and the water level gradually rises.

  The section 3 is cooled when the water level in the drain pan 13 rises to W1 due to the occurrence of drainage abnormality of the condensed water, and the first temperature measuring unit 8 that measures the refrigerant discharge temperature comes into contact with the condensed water accumulated in the drain pan 13. It decreases rapidly. And if it falls to the lower limit of the 2nd temperature range set up with the condensation temperature measured with the 2nd refrigerant temperature measuring device 12, it will detect that it is drainage abnormality and will stop operation of compressor 2. Thus, the progress of dehumidification can be stopped. As a result, the dew condensation water stops in a state where the water level at which the first temperature measuring unit 8 has contacted with the dew condensation water has risen from W1 to W2 until the operation of the compressor 2 is stopped. Leakage can be prevented.

  Further, when the circulation amount of the refrigerant is large, such as when the rotation speed of the compressor 2 is large, the first temperature measurement unit 8 comes into contact with the dew condensation water, and the temperature decreases. However, the second refrigerant temperature measurement device 12 It may not be lower than the measured refrigerant condensing temperature, and it may not be possible to determine the drainage abnormality. At that time, if there is no significant change in the refrigerant condensing temperature measured by the second temperature measuring unit 11 of the second refrigerant temperature measuring device 12 and it is within the second temperature range, such as a change in the rotational speed of the compressor 2 or the like. It can be determined that it is not due to a temperature drop due to fluctuations in the heat pump cycle but due to poor drainage, and the controller 9 that controls the operation of the compressor 2 stops the operation of the compressor 2 and prevents water leakage. be able to. That is, by monitoring changes in both the refrigerant discharge temperature and the condensing temperature, it is possible to accurately detect the drainage abnormality.

  FIG. 5 shows another example of detecting a drainage abnormality. The operation of the compressor 2 is stopped when the temperature measured by the first refrigerant temperature measuring device 10 falls to the upper limit value of the predetermined range of the second refrigerant temperature measuring device 12. Thereby, the operation of the compressor 2 can be stopped when the amount of the dew condensation water (water level W2) accumulated in the drain pan 13 after the first temperature measurement unit 8 comes into contact with the dew condensation water is small. Note that the timing of detecting the drainage abnormality may be determined by the upper limit value or the lower limit value of the predetermined range of the second refrigerant temperature measuring device 12, or any of them.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 6 is a time chart showing the operation of the dehumidifying and warming device in the second embodiment of the present invention. A feature of the present embodiment is that the compressor 2 is configured to be able to vary the number of revolutions of an inverter or the like, and the control device 9 is capable of operating the compressor when there is a rapid decrease in the temperature measured by the first refrigerant temperature measuring device 10. That is, the operation speed of the compressor 2 is stopped if the operation rotational speed of 2 is decreased by a predetermined time t1 and the temperature measured by the first temperature measuring unit 8 does not increase again. The temperature rise can be determined as a lower limit value of a first predetermined range set in advance, for example. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are given, and the detailed description of the first embodiment is used.

When the drainage is not completely defective due to the above configuration, for example, in a state where the drain outlet 14 of the drain pan 13 is narrowed due to accumulation of lint or the like, the amount of condensed water is reduced and condensed water exceeding the amount of drainage is generated. And the water level rises. Accordingly, by reducing the operating speed of the compressor 2 to reduce the dehumidifying capacity and reducing the amount of condensation, the amount of condensation water rising from the water level W2 to W3 can be reduced and overflowing from the drain pan 13. Without dehumidification.

  Even if the operation speed of the compressor 2 is decreased and the operation is performed for the predetermined time t1, if the temperature measured by the first temperature measuring unit 8 does not increase, it is determined that the drainage is completely defective, and the compressor 2 The operation can be stopped to prevent overflow.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 7: is principal part sectional drawing of the clothes dryer provided with the dehumidification warming apparatus in the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The configuration of the dehumidifying and warming device is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are given, and the detailed description uses that of the first embodiment.

  The clothes dryer of the present embodiment is a laundry dryer having a washing function, and can perform washing, rinsing, dehydration, and subsequent drying. A water tank 22 for storing washing water is elastically supported in a casing 21 of the washing / drying machine, and a drum 23 is rotatably disposed in the water tank 22. The drum 23 functions as a washing tub, a dewatering tub, and a drying tub. On the front side of the drum 23, an opening 24 through which clothes such as clothes are taken in and out of the drum 23 is provided and can be opened and closed by a door 25. The rotation shaft of the drum 23 is inclined upward.

  The drum 23 is driven to rotate in the forward and reverse directions by a motor 26 attached to the back side of the water tank 22, and at the time of washing and rinsing, a predetermined amount of washing water set according to the amount of laundry loaded is supplied. The laundry in the drum 23 is agitated, and the washing action that falls in the drum 23 rotates at a speed that reaches the laundry for a predetermined time. At the time of dehydration, centrifugal force acts on the laundry and rotates at a high speed sticking to the inner peripheral side surface of the drum 23, and the wash water dehydrated from the laundry is discharged from the water tank 22 to the outside of the casing 21.

  Further, at the time of drying, the operation of stirring the laundry in the drum 23 is performed following the operation of loosening the laundry stuck to the inner peripheral side surface of the drum 23 at the time of dehydration. At this time, the drying air dehumidified and warmed by the dehumidifying and warming device is introduced into the drum 23. Dry, high-temperature drying air that has exited from the air outlet 16 of the dehumidifying and warming device is introduced into the water tank 22 from the inlet 27 provided at the upper part on the back side of the water tank 22 by the blower 29.

  A large number of holes (not shown) are provided on the inner peripheral side surface of the drum 23, and the drying air introduced into the water tank 22 from the holes enters the drum 23 and is stirred in the drum 23. Contact with objects. The drying air that has become moist after removing moisture from the laundry enters the water tank 22 through a large number of holes provided on the peripheral side surface of the drum 23, and from the outlet 28 provided at the upper part on the front side of the water tank 22. It passes through the air inlet 15 and flows through the wind circuit 17 of the dehumidifying and warming device.

  The air sent from the air inlet 15 to the dehumidifying and warming device is cooled and dehumidified by the heat absorber 5, then enters the radiator 3 and is heated to become high-temperature and low-humidity air from the air outlet 16 to the inlet 27. Led to. Thus, the drying air dehumidified and warmed by the dehumidifying and warming device enters the drum 23 from the inlet 27 and returns to the dehumidifying and warming device 30 from the outlet 28 as indicated by the arrow a. It circulates and advances the drying of the laundry in the drum 23.

  In the present embodiment, a washing / drying machine having a washing function has been described, but the same applies to a clothes drying machine that does not have a washing function and only dries clothes.

  As described above, the dehumidifying / warming device according to the present invention can detect the drainage abnormality of the dehumidified water with a simple configuration, and can prevent the dehumidified water from overflowing from the drain pan by stopping the progress of dehumidification. Therefore, it is useful as a dehumidifying and warming device and a clothes dryer.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Compressor 3 Radiator 4 Throttling means 5 Heat absorber 6 Piping 7 Heat pump apparatus 8 1st temperature measurement part 9 Control apparatus 10 1st refrigerant | coolant temperature measurement apparatus 11 2nd temperature measurement part 12 2nd refrigerant | coolant temperature measurement apparatus 13 Drain pan 15 Air inlet 16 Air outlet 17 Wind circuit

Claims (3)

A heat pump device in which a compressor, a radiator, a throttle means, and a heat absorber are connected by piping through which a refrigerant circulates; a wind circuit that flows from an air inlet through the heat absorber and the radiator to an air outlet; and the heat absorption The first refrigerant temperature measuring device which measures the temperature of the refrigerant by the drain pan which receives the dew condensation water generated by heat exchange with the air in the cooler, and the first temperature measuring unit provided in the pipe connecting the compressor and the radiator And a second refrigerant temperature measuring device for measuring the condensation temperature in the radiator by a second temperature measuring unit, and the operation of the compressor based on temperature information measured by the first and second refrigerant temperature measuring devices. And a controller for controlling the first temperature measuring unit is installed in the drain pan on the gravity direction side of the overflow line of the drain pan, and the controller is configured to control the first refrigerant temperature. Temperature measured at a constant device temperature or the more lower measured by the second refrigerant temperature measuring device, dehumidifying heating device designed to stop the operation of the compressor. When the temperature measured by the first refrigerant temperature measurement device becomes lower than or lower than the temperature measured by the second refrigerant temperature measurement device, the control device decreases the rotational speed of the compressor for a predetermined time, and the first refrigerant The dehumidifying and warming device according to claim 1, wherein if the temperature measured by the temperature measuring device does not rise again to the temperature measured by the second refrigerant temperature measuring device, the operation of the compressor is stopped. A clothes dryer equipped with the dehumidifying and warming device according to claim 1.