JP2019184170A - Humidification controller - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a batch type desiccant humidification controller having a simple configuration with less restriction on an installation location.SOLUTION: A humidification controller comprises first and second tanks having an adsorbent and a heat exchange member, a duct group that switches an air flow passage using a four-way damper, and a pipe group that switches a fluid flow passage. The humidification controller is configured to, in each of a dehumidification operation mode and a humidification operation mode, cause the first and second tanks to switch functions between dehumidification or humidification and regeneration operation, according to the switching of the air flow passage and the fluid flow passage.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a humidity control apparatus.

  Conventionally, a desiccant humidity control apparatus that adjusts the humidity of air using an adsorbent is known. The desiccant humidity control device performs dehumidification by adsorbing moisture in the air to the adsorbent during the dehumidifying operation, and heats and supplies the moisture contained in the adsorbent to the room during the humidifying operation.

Patent Document 1 discloses a batch type desiccant humidity control apparatus including two adsorbents. This apparatus includes two systems of refrigerant circuits including a heat exchanger carrying an adsorbent. And humidity control can be performed alternately by two systems by switching the flow of refrigerant and the flow of air every predetermined time. Humidity adjustment and regeneration can be performed in parallel by regenerating the adsorbent in the other system while one system is performing humidity control.
Patent Document 2 also discloses a humidity control apparatus that includes two adsorption units and switches functions alternately at predetermined time intervals.

In desiccant humidity control devices, there are attempts to save energy by utilizing solar heat and exhaust heat. For example, the humidity control apparatus described in Patent Document 3 includes a tank in which a liquid is stored as a heat storage tank. Then, the adsorbent is regenerated using the liquid inside the tank that has been warmed by being condensed by the solar panel.
Moreover, the humidity control apparatus described in Patent Document 4 includes a hot water heat exchanger for heating the air for regeneration, and includes hot water supplied from a heat source such as exhaust heat of the fuel cell, and air for regeneration. Heat exchange between. Then, air heated by the hot water heat exchanger is introduced into the adsorbent, and moisture is desorbed from the adsorbent.

JP 2004-353887 A JP, 2006-023884, A JP 2006-038177 A JP 2005-172272 A

  In order to switch the air flow path of the batch type desiccant humidity control apparatus every predetermined time, an electrically driven damper may be used. For example, the device of Patent Document 1 uses a damper for switching the opening between two states of open / closed. However, in this apparatus, each heat exchange chamber has four openings, and providing a damper in each opening may increase the size of the apparatus and increase the cost.

  Moreover, in patent document 2, the air flow path of a humidity control apparatus is switched using the coaxial 2 damper. However, in this structure, the humidity control device needs to have a predetermined internal structure, and it is necessary to install two dampers coaxially, which places restrictions on the structure of the device.

On the other hand, in a desiccant air conditioning system that desorbs moisture from the adsorbent using solar heat, etc., hot water produced using a solar collector or the like in the daytime is used as a heat storage tank in order to operate the device even after sunset. Save on. However, since water of about 60 ° C. is required to desorb moisture from the adsorbent, a large heat storage tank that is insulated so that heat does not escape is necessary, and the installation location of the apparatus may be restricted. .

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a batch-type desiccant humidity control apparatus that is simple and has few restrictions on installation locations.

The present invention comprises a first tank and a second tank, each having an adsorbent and a heat exchange member that exchanges heat between the fluid passing through the adsorbent and the adsorbent,
A duct group that switches the air flow path according to control using a four-way damper,
In the dehumidifying operation mode, the first air drawn from the first air introduction section is supplied to one of the first tank and the second tank, and the adsorbent of the one tank And the second air drawn from the second air introduction portion is supplied to the other tank that is not the one tank, and the second tank Forming a second air flow path that is dehumidified by the adsorbent and then supplied into the room,
In the humidifying operation mode, the first air drawn from the first air introduction section is supplied to one of the first tank and the second tank, and the one of the one tank A third air flow path supplied to the room after being humidified by moisture contained in the adsorbent; a fourth air flow path through which air circulates in a circulation path including the other tank that is not the one tank; Forming a duct group; and
A group of pipes that switch fluid flow paths in accordance with control using a valve,
In the dehumidifying operation mode, cold water from a cold water source is supplied to the heat exchange member of the other tank included in the second air flow channel, and hot water from a hot water source Forming a second fluid flow path that is supplied to the heat exchange member of the one tank included in the first air flow path,
In the humidification operation mode, hot water from the hot water source is supplied to the heat exchange member of the one tank included in the third air flow path and is also included in the fourth air flow path. A group of pipes forming a third fluid flow path as supplied to the adsorbent of the other tank;
A humidity control device is provided.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to efficiently switch the air flow path using the four-way damper both when dehumidifying and humidifying the desiccant humidity control apparatus that performs batch operation. For this reason, restrictions on the installation location of the apparatus can be reduced, and manufacturing costs and operation costs can be reduced.

The humidity control apparatus includes a control unit, and in the dehumidifying operation mode, switches between the first tank and the second tank included in the first air flow path every day, In the humidification operation mode, it may be switched every day whether the first tank or the second tank is included in the third air flow path. The control unit may also switch the humidity control apparatus between the dehumidifying operation mode and the humidifying operation mode.
According to this configuration, since the control unit switches the operation mode every day, stable dehumidification and regeneration can be performed even when natural energy that fluctuates during the day is used as a heat source.

The humidity control apparatus may have a configuration in which the warm water is supplied to the adsorbent by spraying in the third fluid flow path. Thereby, moisture can be reliably contained in the adsorbent in the humidifying operation mode.
Moreover, you may employ | adopt the structure which draws in the said 1st air with which the said 1st air introduction part was warmed by the solar panel. In addition, the hot water source may supply water heated by a fuel cell or water heated by solar energy. Moreover, you may employ | adopt the structure which the said cold water source supplies the cooling water by well water or heat pump cold heat. With these configurations, building energy saving can be realized.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the batch type desiccant humidity control apparatus of a structure with few restrictions of an installation place can be provided.

The figure explaining the air flow path at the time of dehumidification driving | operation in the humidity control apparatus of this invention. The figure explaining the air flow path at the time of humidification driving | operation in the humidity control apparatus of this invention. The figure explaining the cold / hot water flow path at the time of a dehumidification driving | operation in the humidity control apparatus of this invention. The figure explaining the cold / hot water flow path at the time of humidification driving | operation in the humidity control apparatus of this invention. The figure explaining the state at the time of dehumidification driving | operation of the humidity control layer of the humidity control apparatus of this invention. The figure explaining the state at the time of humidification driving | operation of the humidity control layer of the humidity control apparatus of this invention. The figure explaining the cold / hot water flow path at the time of dehumidification driving | operation in the humidity control apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. The figure explaining the cold / hot water flow path at the time of humidification driving | operation in the humidity control apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. The figure explaining the air flow path at the time of dehumidification driving | operation in the humidity control apparatus of a comparative example. The figure explaining the air flow path at the time of humidification driving | operation in the humidity control apparatus of a comparative example.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the constituent blocks described below and their relative arrangements should be appropriately changed according to various conditions of the system to which the invention is applied, and the scope of the present invention is limited to the following description. It is not a thing.

  The present invention can be preferably applied to a humidity control device and a humidity control system, a building including them, and a control method thereof. The present invention can also be regarded as a program that operates using the computing resources of the information processing apparatus and causes the information processing apparatus to execute each step of each control method, and a computer-readable storage medium storing such a program. It is done. The storage medium may be a non-transitory storage medium.

[First Embodiment]
<Configuration>
The schematic structure regarding the humidity control apparatus 1 of this invention is demonstrated. The humidity control apparatus 1 includes a first tank 100 and a second layer 200 as two adsorption tanks for realizing batch type desiccant dehumidification / humidification. During the dehumidifying operation, the adsorbent is regenerated in the other tank while dehumidifying with the adsorbent in one tank. During the humidification operation, moisture is adsorbed in the adsorbent in the other tank while moisture is desorbed from the adsorbent in one tank.

  The humidity control apparatus 1 switches between dehumidification and humidification in the operation mode (first switching process), air channel switching (second switching process), and cold / hot water channel switching (third switching process). ) Is provided (not shown). The second and third switching processes are performed to interchange the functions of the two adsorption tanks. The control unit performs switching control by transmitting a control signal to each block in accordance with a program or an instruction input by a user. As the control unit, an information processing apparatus including a calculation resource such as a CPU or a memory is suitable. However, the user may directly control each block and perform various switching controls.

The switching of the operation mode by the control unit may be performed at a predetermined date and time scheduled in advance. For example, the humidity control apparatus 1 operates in a dehumidifying operation mode in summer and in a humidifying operation mode in winter. The switching of the air flow path and the cold / hot water flow path by the control unit is preferably performed at a predetermined time interval scheduled in advance. For example, in the case of using natural energy such as sunlight that fluctuates on a daily basis as a hot water source or a cold water source, the air channel and the cold / hot water channel may be switched every day.
Or a control part may control the component (for example, a pump, a spray part, a fan, etc.) regarding a switching process according to the measured value of environmental sensors, such as a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor. For example, regarding the circulation of cold / hot water, the supply of hot water by the hot water pump may be stopped when the water temperature falls below a certain threshold value, and the supply of cold water by the cold water pump may be stopped when the water temperature falls below a certain threshold value. Further, regarding the spraying of water during humidification, when the relative humidity in the tank exceeds a certain threshold, it may be determined that the regeneration process has been completed and the spraying may be stopped. As for blower control during air circulation, the “constant air volume mode” and the “CO ₂ concentration control mode” may be switched by a switch from the central monitoring or an indoor wall switch. Here, the CO ₂ concentration control mode is a mode in which energy is saved by reducing the air volume of the air supply blower so that the required ventilation air volume is obtained based on the measured indoor CO ₂ concentration.

(Configuration related to air flow path)
The structure regarding the air flow path of the humidity control apparatus 1 is demonstrated using FIG. 1 (A) and (B). The humidity control apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes ducts 301 to 312, blowers 331 and 332, check dampers 351 to 354, four-way dampers 401 to 403, a first outside air introduction unit 501 (PVOA introduction unit), and an SA sending unit. 502, a second outside air introduction unit 503, an EA sending unit 504, and a solar panel 600.

  In the figure, arrows attached to the check valves indicate the direction of air flow. Moreover, the line shown in the circle | round | yen of each four-way damper shows the combination at the time of dividing the four connected ducts into two sets by two. For example, the four-way damper 401 in FIG. 1A combines ducts 301 and 307 and ducts 302 and 304, respectively. Also, the ducts shown in white are air supply paths, and the ducts shown in black lines are exhaust / circulation paths. The ducts 301 to 312 are collectively referred to as a duct group.

  The material of each member such as each duct, blower, four-way damper, check damper, introduction part and delivery part is not particularly limited, and any member such as a member used in a general air conditioner may be used. Good. The size, strength, and performance of each member may be arbitrarily determined according to the required dehumidifying performance, the structure of the building where the humidity control device 1 is installed, and the like.

The first outside air introduction unit 501 draws outside air into the humidity controller from outside. In the present embodiment, the first outside air introduction unit 501 introduces outside air (PVOA) warmed by the solar panel 600. A solar heat collecting panel may be used instead of the solar panel. However, solar panels have the advantage that they can generate electricity in addition to collecting heat. The second outside air introduction unit 503 draws outside air into the humidity control apparatus separately from the first outside air introduction unit 501. The SA sending unit 502 sends the air whose humidity has been adjusted inside the humidity control apparatus into the room as supply air (Supply Air). The EA sending unit 504 sends exhaust (Exhaust Air) from the humidity control apparatus to the outside of the room. The air passes through the inside of each duct and each adsorption tank from when it is introduced into the humidity control apparatus until it is sent out indoors or outdoors. When the air moves, the moving direction is defined by each check damper and each blower, and the flow path is defined by each four-way damper.
In this embodiment, the target to be drawn into the humidity controller is “outside air”. However, the present invention can also be applied to an apparatus for adjusting the humidity of air other than outside air, for example, indoor circulating air. In that case, the “first outside air introduction portion” and the “second outside air introduction portion” may be read as “first air introduction portion” and “second air introduction portion”, respectively.

(Air flow path during dehumidification)
The air flow path during dehumidification will be described by taking the case of FIG. 1A as an example. Here, the 1st tank 100 dehumidifies air with an adsorbent, and the 2nd tank 200 removes the water | moisture content of an adsorbent, and it reproduces | regenerates. When the control unit switches the connection state of the four-way dampers 401 and 403 and the humidity control apparatus shifts to the state shown in FIG. 1B, the second tank 200 becomes the dehumidifying side, and the first tank 100 On the playback side.

  Dehumidification side: The outside air OA drawn from the second outside air introduction unit 503 is introduced into the first tank 100 through the ducts 309, 304, and 302. The first tank 100 removes moisture in the air using an adsorbent. The air with reduced humidity is supplied into the room from the SA sending unit 502 via the ducts 303, 311, and 312.

  Regeneration side: The outside air PVOA drawn from the first outside air introduction unit 501 is introduced into the second tank 200 via the ducts 301 and 307. The second tank 200 desorbs moisture from the adsorbent using the introduced air. Thereafter, the air is exhausted from the EA delivery unit 504 to the outside of the room via the ducts 308, 306, 305, and 310.

(Air flow path during humidification)
The air flow path during humidification will be described by taking the case of FIG. 2A as an example. Here, the first tank 100 humidifies the air, and the second tank 200 replenishes the adsorbent with water and regenerates it. When the control unit switches the connection state of the four-way dampers 401 and 403 and the humidity control apparatus shifts to the state of FIG. 2B, the second tank 200 becomes the humidification side, and the first tank 100 On the playback side.

  Humidification side: The outside air PVOA drawn from the first outside air introduction part 501 is introduced into the first layer 100 via the ducts 301 and 302. The 1st tank 100 raises the humidity of air with the water | moisture content which adsorption agent hold | maintains. Thereafter, the air is supplied into the room from the SA sending unit 502 via the ducts 303, 311, and 312.

  Regeneration side: On the regeneration side, circulating air circulates in a predetermined path. That is, the air derived from the second tank 200 returns to the second tank 200 again via the ducts 308, 306, 305, 304, and 307. As will be described later, moisture is supplied to the adsorbent by spraying water inside the second tank.

In summary, in the dehumidifying operation mode shown in FIG. 1, the duct group is configured so that the PVOA (first outside air) drawn from the first outside air introduction unit is the first tank or the second tank according to the control by the damper or the like. A first air flow path that is supplied to one of the tanks (one tank) and exhausted after regeneration of the adsorbent, and an OA (second outside air) drawn from the second outside air introduction unit ) Is supplied to the other tank (the other tank) and dehumidified, and then the second air flow path is supplied to the room.
Further, in the humidifying operation mode shown in FIG. 2, the duct group is configured such that the PVOA (first outside air) drawn from the first outside air introduction unit is the first tank or the second tank according to the control by the damper or the like. In a circulation path including a third air channel that is supplied to one of the tanks (one tank) and receives the moisture from the adsorbent and then supplied to the room, and the other tank (the other tank) And a fourth air flow path through which air circulates.

(Configuration for cold / hot water flow path)
The structure regarding the cold / hot water flow path of the humidity control apparatus 1 is demonstrated using FIG. 3 (A) and (B).
The humidity control apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes a cold water source 700, a cold water pump 710, a hot water source 750, a hot water pump 760, four-way valves 801 and 802, pipes 851 to 858, and a first spray unit for the first tank 100. A pipe 142 and a second spray section pipe 242 for the second tank 200 are provided. Note that whether cold water or hot water passes through the pipe depends on the control state of the four-way valve, and therefore, fluids including cold water and hot water are collectively referred to as cold / hot water. The pipes 851 to 858 and the spray pipes are collectively referred to as a pipe group.

  In the figure, the triangle attached to the pump indicates the direction of water flow. Moreover, the line shown in the circle of each four-way valve shows the combination when dividing the four connected pipes into two sets of two. For example, the four-way valve 801 in FIG. 3A combines pipes 851 and 857 and pipes 855 and 853, respectively. Moreover, the piping shown with white is a cold water path | route, and the piping shown with the black line is a hot water path | route. Whether cold water or hot water passes through each pipe changes according to switching of the control unit. The material of each member such as each pipe, pump, four-way valve, hot / cold water source is not particularly limited, and any member such as a member used in a general air conditioner may be used. The size, strength, and performance of each member may be arbitrarily determined according to the required dehumidifying performance, the structure of the building where the humidity control device 1 is installed, and the like.

  As cold water supplied by the cold water source 700, for example, well water, cooling water by heat pump cooling, cold water in a cooling tower, vaporized and cooled cold water, or the like can be used. By cooling the adsorbent with cold water, it is possible to recover the ability to adsorb moisture that has decreased due to a rise in temperature due to the generation of heat of adsorption. As the warm water supplied by the warm water source 750, for example, water warmed by using exhaust heat from a power generation device (for example, a fuel cell or a cogeneration system) or water warmed by solar energy can be used. Note that the terms “cold water” and “hot water” do not strictly define the temperature of the fluid. The temperature of the cold / hot water varies depending on the desired dehumidifying / humidifying performance and restrictions on the apparatus configuration, but typically the cold water is about 15 ° C. and the hot water is about 60 ° C. However, when natural energy is used as a heat source or a cold source, a certain amount of fluctuation can be tolerated. The water after being introduced into the adsorption tank from the cold / hot water source and used for dehumidification / humidification by heat exchange may be circulated and reused.

(Cooled and hot water flow path during dehumidification)
The cold / hot water flow path at the time of dehumidification will be described by taking the case of FIG. 3A as an example. Here, the 1st tank 100 dehumidifies air with an adsorbent, and the 2nd tank 200 removes the water | moisture content of an adsorbent, and it reproduces | regenerates. When the controller switches the air paths of the four-way valves 801 and 802 and the humidity control apparatus shifts to the state shown in FIG. 3B, the second tank 200 becomes the dehumidifying side, and the first tank 100 On the playback side.

  Dehumidification side: The cold water sent from the cold water source 700 is introduced into the first tank 100 via the pipes 858 and 852. The 1st tank 100 dehumidifies air using cold water. Thereafter, the cold water sent out from the first tank 100 returns to the cold water source 700 via the pipes 851 and 857.

  Regeneration side: The hot water sent from the hot water source 750 is introduced into the second tank 200 via the pipes 854 and 856. The second tank 200 regenerates the adsorbent using hot water. Thereafter, the hot water sent out from the second tank 200 returns to the hot water source 750 via the pipes 855 and 853.

(Cooled and hot water flow path when humidifying)
The cold / hot water flow path at the time of humidification will be described taking the case of FIG. 4 (A) as an example. Here, the first tank 100 humidifies the air with moisture contained in the adsorbent, and the second tank 200 supplies moisture to the adsorbent and regenerates it. It should be noted that the control unit uses the water paths of the four-way valves 801 and 802 and the valves 141 and 2.
When the humidity control apparatus shifts to the state shown in FIG. 4B by switching the open / close state of 41, the second tank 200 becomes the humidifying side and the first tank 100 becomes the regeneration side.

  Humidification side: The hot water sent from the hot water source 750 is introduced into the first tank 100 via the pipes 854 and 852. The 1st tank 100 humidifies air using warm water. Thereafter, the hot water sent out from the first tank 100 returns to the hot water source 750 via the pipes 851 and 853.

  Regeneration side: At the same time, the warm water sent from the warm water source 750 is introduced into the second tank 200 via the pipe 242 because the valve 241 is open. Inside the second tank, warm water is sprayed onto the adsorbent. Here, cold water is not particularly utilized. Further, the method for supplying hot water to the adsorbent is not limited to spraying. Further, cold water or water vapor may be sprayed instead of hot water or together with hot water.

In summary, in the dehumidifying operation mode shown in FIG. 3, the pipe group is a tank on the side where the cold water from the cold water source is dehumidifying out of the first tank and the second tank according to control by a valve or the like ( A first fluid channel that is supplied to one tank), and a second fluid channel that is supplied to the tank (the other tank) on the side where hot water from the hot water source is being regenerated. , Form.
In the humidification operation mode shown in FIG. 4, the pipe group supplies hot water from the hot water source to the humidifying tank of the first tank or the second tank, according to control by a valve or the like. At the same time, a third fluid flow path is formed so as to be sprayed onto the adsorbent of the tank on the non-humidified side. It should be noted that moisture may be sprayed on the tank on the humidifying side to further increase the humidifying ability.

(Adsorption tank configuration)
The internal structure of the 1st tank 100 and the 2nd tank 200 is demonstrated using FIG. 5 (A) and (B). The first tank 100 includes an adsorbent 110, a holding member 115, an internal pipe 122, and a heat exchange member 124. An air flow 130 is formed inside the first tank 100 so as to cross the holding member 115 and the adsorbent 110. The second tank 200 includes an adsorbent 210, a holding member 215, an internal pipe 222, and a heat exchange member 224. An air flow 230 is formed inside the second tank 200 so as to cross the holding member 215 and the adsorbent 210.

  Each adsorption tank is formed in a highly airtight manner in order to prevent outflow and inflow of air in portions other than the duct. Preferably, an airtight housing and a seal member for closing the piping gap are provided. Moreover, the material which reduces the heat exchange by radiation with the adsorption tank exterior is preferable. The adsorbent adsorbs moisture in the air according to the temperature and humidity of the contacting air, the temperature of the fluid supplied by the heat exchange member, and the like, and conversely releases moisture into the air. As the adsorbent, various desiccant materials can be used. For example, granular silica gel or zeolite, which is common as a desiccant, is suitable. Each holding member has a strength and a shape for stably holding the adsorbent, and has a gap that allows air flow to smoothly pass therethrough. For example, a tray-like holding member having a net disposed on the bottom surface can be used. The adsorbent may be sealed in a breathable bag or container, and the holding member may support the bag or container.

Each heat exchange member is a member such as a conduit arranged to contact the adsorbent. The cold / hot water introduced into the adsorption tank exchanges heat with the adsorbent when passing through the heat exchange member. In addition, in order to enlarge the contact area of cold / hot water and an adsorbent, it is good to utilize the piping formed in the shape of a coil, or branched piping as a heat exchange member.
In any case, when selecting the material and holding method of the adsorbent, and the shape and material of the holding member, the contact area between the adsorbent and the air flow, or the contact area between the adsorbent and cold / hot water should be increased. To. Thereby, the dehumidifying / humidifying capacity and the adsorbent regeneration capacity can be improved. Moreover, what is necessary is just to determine according to the dehumidification capability calculated | required about the volume inside adsorption tank, and the quantity of adsorption agent.

(Dehumidifying operation mode)
FIG. 5A shows a state in which the first adsorption tank 100 supplies dehumidified air during the dehumidifying operation. The outside air OA introduced into the tank is deprived of moisture when passing through the adsorbent 110, and is supplied to the outside of the tank as supply air SA. The cold water passing through the heat exchange member 124 exchanges heat with the adsorbent 110 that has generated heat of adsorption due to moisture adsorption.

  FIG. 5B shows a state in which the second adsorption tank 200 performs a regeneration process during the dehumidifying operation. When the outside air PVOA heated by solar thermal energy is introduced into the tank and passes through the adsorbent 210, moisture is deprived from the adsorbent 210. Further, the temperature of the adsorbent 210 cooled by the desorption of water is increased by the hot water passing through the heat exchange member 224. From the viewpoint of energy saving, it is preferable to warm the outside air with natural energy such as solar heat.

(Humidified operation mode)
FIG. 6A shows a state in which humidified air is supplied to the first adsorption tank 100 during the humidifying operation. In this figure, the adsorbent 110 contains an amount of moisture necessary to achieve a desired humidity. The warm external air PVOA is introduced into the tank and passes through the adsorbent 110, thereby increasing the humidity of the air. The humidified air is supplied to the outside of the tank as an air supply SA. Further, the temperature of the adsorbent 110 is increased by the hot water passing through the heat exchange member 124.

  FIG. 6B shows a state in which the second adsorption tank 200 performs a regeneration process during the humidifying operation. In the figure, the second adsorption tank 200 includes a spraying unit 240 for spraying hot water supplied from a hot water source 750 via a pipe 242 under the control of a valve 241. Although not shown, the first adsorption tank 100 also includes the same spraying unit. When the spray unit 240 sprays warm water, a necessary amount of moisture is supplied to the adsorbent 210. The hot water supplied to the adsorbent and the hot water supplied to the heat exchange member may be supplied from the same hot water source or may be supplied separately. Further, a method other than spraying may be used for supplying water to the adsorbent. Preferably, the contamination is prevented from entering by circulating hot water in a closed path.

(Preferred control)
As described above, solar heat energy can be used to warm the air, well water can be used as a cold water source, and hot water using the exhaust heat of the fuel cell can be used as a hot water source. As a result, it is possible to save energy in the building and contribute to the realization of ZEB (Zero Energy Building). Here, since solar heat and well water are naturally derived, the fluctuation cycle of temperature energy is in many cases a day. Therefore, preferably, the control unit switches functions between the first adsorption tank 100 and the second adsorption tank 200 every day. In other words, the adsorbent is regenerated over a day by switching the use and regeneration of the adsorbent in a daily cycle. As a result, since the energy fluctuation per day as described above can be absorbed, a large heat storage tank is not required, and the mechanism of the humidity control apparatus can be simplified. For this purpose, an amount of adsorbent capable of adjusting the humidity for one day is arranged in each moisture absorption tank.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, a four-way damper is used to switch the air flow path. As a result, batch switching can be executed with a small number of dampers without restricting the structure of the apparatus as compared with the case of using the configuration as in Patent Document 1. Therefore, restrictions on the installation location of the apparatus are reduced, and installation in an inconspicuous location such as under the floor becomes possible. Furthermore, the manufacturing cost of the apparatus and the power consumption when the apparatus is operating can be reduced.

(Comparative example)
Here, with reference to FIG. 9, the structure of the conventional humidity control apparatus and switching of an air flow path are demonstrated. FIGS. 9A and 9B show air flow paths in the dehumidifying operation mode in the conventional configuration. The same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. Reference numerals 910 to 912 are switching members for switching the flow path between an open state and a closed state, respectively. In the figure, a thick solid line is an exhaust path through which the drawn PVOA passes, and is related to moisture desorption from the adsorbent. The hollow line is an air supply path through which the drawn OA passes, and dehumidification by the adsorbent is performed. A thin solid line indicates a path closed by each switching member. Then, when the control unit changes the state of the switching member in a predetermined period (for example, a one-day cycle), the dehumidifying side adsorption tank and the regeneration side adsorption tank are switched, and batch-type processing is realized.

  FIGS. 10A and 10B show air flow paths in the humidifying operation mode in the conventional configuration. Similarly to FIG. 9, the controller changes the state of each switching member, so that the humidifying side adsorption tank that raises the humidity of the air and the adsorption tank that regenerates the adsorbent by spraying warm water are added to the day. Replace every time.

  As can be seen from FIGS. 9 and 10, a total of twelve switching members are required to realize the replacement of the adsorption tank with the conventional configuration. On the other hand, according to the humidity control apparatus of the present embodiment, the adsorption tank can be replaced using three four-way dampers.

{Second Embodiment}
Hereinafter, the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description will be simplified. FIG. 7 shows the cold / hot water flow path in the dehumidifying operation mode of the present embodiment. In FIG. 7A, the first tank 100 is the dehumidifying side and the second tank 200 is the regeneration side. In FIG. 7B, the second tank 200 is the dehumidifying side, and the first tank 100 is the regeneration side. The humidity control apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes three-way valves 821 to 824. A control part switches the connection state of piping for cold / hot water by changing the state of these valves. As a result, the function of each adsorption tank can be changed.

  FIG. 8 shows the cold / hot water flow path in the humidifying operation mode. In FIG. 8A, the first tank 100 humidifies the air, and the second tank 200 adsorbs moisture to the adsorbent by hot water spray. In FIG. 8B, the second tank 200 is the humidifying side and the first tank 100 is the adsorption side. As described above, the batch processing of the desiccant humidity control apparatus can be suitably executed by appropriately switching the flow path of the cold / hot water by the configuration of the present embodiment.

  In the said embodiment, although the humidity control apparatus was equipped with two humidity control tanks, this invention is not limited to this. By providing the humidity control apparatus with three or more humidity control tanks, it is possible to regenerate the adsorbent over time or increase the ease of maintenance even when the natural energy fluctuation is large.

  100: first tank, 110: adsorbent, 124: heat exchange member, 200: second tank, 210: adsorbent, 224: heat exchange member, 301 to 312: duct, 401 to 403: four-way damper, 501: 1st outside air introduction part, 503: 2nd outside air introduction part, 142,242: Piping for spray parts, 851-858: Piping, 700: Cold water source, 800: Hot water source

Claims (9)

A first tank and a second tank, each having an adsorbent and a heat exchange member that exchanges heat between the fluid passing through the adsorbent and the adsorbent;
A duct group that switches the air flow path according to control using a four-way damper,
In the dehumidifying operation mode, the first air drawn from the first air introduction section is supplied to one of the first tank and the second tank, and the adsorbent of the one tank And the second air drawn from the second air introduction portion is supplied to the other tank that is not the one tank, and the second tank Forming a second air flow path that is supplied to the room after being dehumidified by the adsorbent,
In the humidifying operation mode, the first air drawn from the first air introduction section is supplied to one of the first tank and the second tank, and the one of the one tank A third air flow path supplied to the room after being humidified by moisture contained in the adsorbent; a fourth air flow path through which air circulates in a circulation path including the other tank that is not the one tank; Forming a duct group; and
A group of pipes that switch fluid flow paths in accordance with control using a valve,
In the dehumidifying operation mode, cold water from a cold water source is supplied to the heat exchange member of the other tank included in the second air flow channel, and hot water from a hot water source Forming a second fluid flow path that is supplied to the heat exchange member of the one tank included in the first air flow path,
In the humidification operation mode, hot water from the hot water source is supplied to the heat exchange member of the one tank included in the third air flow path and is also included in the fourth air flow path. A pipe group that forms a third fluid flow path for supplying moisture to the adsorbent of the other tank;
A humidity control apparatus comprising: In the dehumidifying operation mode, which one of the first tank and the second tank is included in the first air flow path is switched every day, and in the humidifying operation mode, the first tank The humidity control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit that switches which of the second tanks is included in the third air flow path every day. The said control part switches the said humidity control apparatus between the said dehumidification operation mode and the said humidification operation mode, The humidity control apparatus of Claim 2 characterized by the above-mentioned. 4. The humidity control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the third fluid flow path, the moisture is supplied to the adsorbent by spraying the hot water. 5. The humidity control apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first air introduction unit draws in outside air warmed by a solar panel. The humidity control apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the hot water source supplies exhaust heat from the power generation apparatus or water heated by solar energy. The humidity control apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the cold water source supplies well water or cooling water by heat pump cold heat. The humidity control apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the valve that switches the fluid flow path of the piping group is a four-way valve or a three-way valve. The said 1st tank and the said 2nd tank are airtightly formed, and have the housing | casing by which the said adsorption agent and the said heat exchange member are arrange | positioned inside, The any one of Claim 1 thru | or 8 characterized by the above-mentioned. The humidity control device according to item.

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