JP2022075983A - Artificial weather room and snowfall test method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an artificial weather room enabling a snowfall test to be smoothly conducted.

SOLUTION: An artificial weather room used for conducting an environmental test under a snowfall environment comprises: a test room with a test space to place a test object formed therein; a snowfall section which enables the test space to have artificial snow; an air-conditioning section which adjusts a temperature of air-conditioning air circulated in the test room; an air-conditioning room where the air-conditioning section and an air-conditioned space separated from the test space are arranged therein; and an anterior air-conditioning room where an air-conditioning anterior space, which is separated from the test space and the air-conditioning space and provided with the air-conditioning air flowing thereinto from the test space before being sucked into the air-conditioning space, is arranged therein. First suction ports to suck the air-conditioning air from the test space to the air-conditioning anterior space are arranged on both sides of a second suction port to suck the air-conditioning air from the air-conditioning anterior space to the air-conditioning space.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

COPYRIGHT: (C)2022,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to an artificial weather room and a snowfall test method.

Conventionally, an artificial meteorological room used for an environmental test for evaluating the reliability of the quality, performance, etc. of various products and parts under various meteorological environments such as solar radiation, rainfall, snowfall, and atmospheric pressure is known. As one of such artificial weather rooms, as described in Patent Document 1, there is an artificial snowmaking device capable of artificially reproducing a snowfall environment.

The artificial snowfall device described in Patent Document 1 is composed of a snowfall chamber, an evaporator that cools the indoor air taken in from the snowfall chamber, a fan that circulates the cooled low-temperature air, and water and compressed air. It has a bifluid nozzle that sprays water droplets. According to this device, the minute water droplets sprayed from the two-fluid nozzle become minute ice blocks, and artificial snow can be discharged into the snowfall chamber.

Japanese Patent No. 2632129

In the artificial snowmaking device described in Patent Document 1, the air in the snowmaking chamber is sucked into the air conditioner from the suction port provided in the lower part of the snowfall chamber. At this time, artificial snow in the snowfall room may be sucked into the air conditioner by the air flow. In this case, frosting occurs in the evaporator, and it becomes necessary to frequently perform the defrosting operation, which may make it difficult to smoothly carry out the snowfall test.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an artificial weather room capable of smoothly performing a snowfall test and a snowfall test method performed using the artificial weather room. be.

The artificial meteorological room according to one aspect of the present invention is for conducting an environmental test in a snowfall environment. This artificial weather room includes a test room in which a test space in which a test object is placed is formed, a snowfall part that causes snow to fall in the test space, and an air-conditioning part that adjusts the temperature of air-conditioned air circulating in the test room. An air-conditioned room in which the air-conditioned unit is arranged and an air-conditioned space isolated from the test space is formed, and the air-conditioned room is separated from the test space and the air-conditioned space and flows through the test space before being sucked into the air-conditioned space. It is provided with an air-conditioned front room in which a space before air-conditioning through which the air-conditioned air flows is formed. The pre-air-conditioned room isolates the pre-air-conditioned space from the test space so as to reduce the influence of the wind velocity of the air-conditioned air on the pre-air-conditioned space, and the pre-air-conditioned air flows through the pre-air-conditioned space. The flow path area of the air-conditioned air is defined so that the wind speed of the air-conditioned air becomes smaller than the wind speed of the air-conditioned air passing through the suction port for sucking the air-conditioned air from the pre-air-conditioned space to the air-conditioned space.

According to this artificial weather room, the influence of the wind speed of the air-conditioned air from the test space to the pre-air-conditioned space is reduced by isolating the pre-air-conditioned space from the test space, and the wind speed of the air-conditioned air flowing through the pre-air-conditioned space is air-conditioned. It can be made smaller than when it is sucked into the space. Therefore, the artificial snow carried from the test space to the space before air conditioning can be dropped before being sucked into the air conditioning space. As a result, the artificial snow carried to the air-conditioned space by the air flow of the air-conditioned air can be reduced, and the artificial snow can be suppressed from being sucked into the air-conditioned unit, so that the occurrence of frost in the air-conditioned unit can be suppressed. Therefore, the frequency of defrosting operation can be reduced, and the snowfall test can be smoothly performed.

In the artificial weather room, the air-conditioned air flow path having a flow path area in which the air-conditioned air flows at a wind speed equal to or lower than the natural convection may be formed in the pre-air conditioning space. The flow path may have the flow path area in which the conditioned air flows at a wind speed of 0.1 m / s or more and 0.3 m / s or less.

According to this configuration, the wind speed of the conditioned air in the pre-air-conditioned space is reduced to a wind speed of natural convection or less (preferably a wind speed of 0.1 m / s or more and 0.3 m / s or less), so that the air is carried to the pre-air-conditioned space. Artificial snow can be dropped more reliably before it is sucked into the air-conditioned space.

The artificial weather room may further include a guide plate that guides the air-conditioned air so that the air-conditioned air meanders and flows in the space before air conditioning.

According to this configuration, it is possible to secure a longer distance from the air-conditioned air to the suction port to the air-conditioned space in the pre-air-conditioned space, so that artificial snow can be dropped more reliably in the pre-air-conditioned space. ..

The snowfall test method according to another aspect of the present invention is a method of conducting an environmental test in a snowfall environment using the artificial weather room, the step of arranging the test object in the test space, and the air conditioning. It has a step of evaluating the test object in a state of simulating a snowfall environment in the test space by adjusting the temperature of the test space by the unit and causing the test space to snow by the snowfall unit. ing. In the step of evaluating the test object, the air-conditioned air whose temperature has been adjusted by the air-conditioned unit is circulated in the order of the air-conditioned space, the test space, the pre-air-conditioned space, and the air-conditioned space, and the pre-air-conditioned space. The conditioned air flows at a wind speed smaller than that of the test space.

According to this method, by lowering the wind speed of the air-conditioned air in the pre-air-conditioned space than in the test space, the artificial snow carried from the test space to the pre-air-conditioned space can be dropped before being sucked into the air-conditioned space. As a result, the artificial snow carried to the air-conditioned space by the air flow of the air-conditioned air can be reduced, and the artificial snow can be suppressed from being sucked into the air-conditioned unit, so that the occurrence of frost in the air-conditioned unit can be suppressed. Therefore, the frequency of defrosting operation can be reduced, and the snowfall test can be smoothly performed.

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an artificial weather room capable of smoothly performing a snowfall test and a snowfall test method performed using the artificial weather room.

It is a perspective view which shows typically the structure of the artificial weather room which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the cross section of the artificial weather room along the line segment II-II in FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows typically the cross section of the artificial weather room along the line segment III-III in FIG. 1. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the structure of the artificial weather room which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the structure of the artificial weather room which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the structure of the artificial weather room which concerns on other embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, the artificial weather room according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
<Artificial weather room>
First, the configuration of the artificial weather room 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. It should be noted that FIGS. 1 to 3 show only the main components in the artificial weather room 1, and the artificial weather room 1 may include other components not shown in these figures.

The artificial weather room 1 is for performing an environmental test (snowfall test) in a snowfall environment, and mainly includes a test room 10, a snowfall unit 20, an air conditioning room 30, and an air conditioning unit 40. .. In the following description, each of the "vertical direction", "front-back direction", and "left-right direction" of the artificial weather room 1 shall be in accordance with the directions shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

The test chamber 10 is a housing in which a test space S1 in which a test object (not shown) to be tested for snowfall is arranged is formed. As shown in FIG. 1, the test chamber 10 has, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the bottom wall 11 on which the object to be tested is installed, the front wall 12 rising upward from each side of the bottom wall 11, and the rear wall. 13. It has a right side wall 14, a left side wall 15, and a ceiling wall 16 that faces the bottom wall 11 in the vertical direction. Each of the above walls has a rectangular shape in a plan view and is composed of a heat insulating wall. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the front wall 12 is provided with an entrance 12A into the test chamber 10 (test space S1), and the entrance 12A can be opened and closed by the door 12B. The type of the test object is not particularly limited, but is, for example, an automobile or the like.

The snowfall unit 20 causes snow to fall in the test space S1. The snowfall unit 20 includes a nozzle 22 that supplies water 100 (snowfall water) for forming the artificial snow 101 to the test space S1, and a snowmaking device 21 that supplies the artificial snow 101 to the test space S1. Alternatively, it is composed of both a nozzle 22 and a snow making device 21. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, in the present embodiment, the snowfall unit 20 drops a nozzle 22 for spraying water 100 onto the test space S1 and a snow making device for dropping a pre-made artificial snow 101 into the test space S1. The case of having both of 21 will be described. In this case, the snowfall unit 20 can supply at least one of the water 100 and the artificial snow 101 to the test space S1. Specifically, the snowfall unit 20 may operate so as to stop the fall of the artificial snow 101 from the snow making device 21 and spray the water 100 from the nozzle 22 or spray the water 100 from the nozzle 22. May be stopped and operated to drop the artificial snow 101 from the snow making device 21, or water 100 may be sprayed from the nozzle 22 and the artificial snow 101 may be dropped from the snow making device 21. good. As will be described later, in the present embodiment, the temperature of the test space S1 is adjusted to below the freezing point (for example, −30 ° C.) by the air conditioning unit 40. Therefore, the water 100 sprayed from the nozzle 22 freezes in the test space S1 to form the artificial snow 101.

The nozzle 22 is, for example, a two-fluid nozzle, and sprays water 100 atomized by compressed air toward the test space S1. Although not shown, the nozzle 22 includes a water 100 supply system (a tank for storing the water 100, a pump for pumping the water 100, a pipe for guiding the water 100 to the nozzle 22, etc.) and a compressed air supply system (compressed air). An air compressor that generates air, a pipe that guides compressed air to the nozzle 22, etc.) are provided. The nozzle 22 is not limited to the two-fluid nozzle, and may be a one-fluid nozzle.

As shown in FIG. 3, the nozzle 22 is installed on the ceiling wall 16 with the spray port of the water 100 facing downward. Although only one nozzle 22 is shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of nozzles 22 may be provided depending on the size of the test space S1 and the like. The snow making device 21 has a drop port 21A for dropping the artificial snow 101 into the test space S1, and is installed on the ceiling wall 16 along with the nozzle 22.

The air-conditioning chamber 30 is a housing in which an air-conditioning space S2 in which the air-conditioning unit 40 is arranged is formed. As shown in FIG. 3, the air-conditioned space S2 is located behind the test space S1 and is isolated from the test space S1 by the rear wall 13. On the rear wall 13, a suction port 13A (second suction port) for sucking the conditioned air A1 into the air-conditioned space S2 and an outlet 13B for blowing the conditioned air A1 from the air-conditioned space S2 to the test space S1 are respectively. It is provided. The suction port 13A is provided at the lower part of the rear wall 13, and the air outlet 13B is provided at the upper part of the rear wall 13. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the suction port 13A and the outlet 13B have, for example, a rectangular shape, but the shape thereof is not particularly limited.

As shown in FIG. 1, the air-conditioning chamber 30 has, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and extends vertically over the entire length of the rear wall 13 at the center in the left-right direction of the rear wall 13 of the test chamber 10. More specifically, the air-conditioning chamber 30 has a pair of side walls 31 that are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction and extend rearward from the rear wall 13, and an upper wall 32 that connects the upper ends of the pair of side walls 31 to each other. It has a lower wall 33 that connects the lower ends of the side walls 31 and a rear wall 34 that connects the rear ends of the pair of side walls 31.

The air-conditioning unit 40 adjusts the temperature of the air-conditioned air A1 circulating in the test chamber 10 (test space S1), and has a refrigerator 41 and a blower 42 as shown in FIG. .. The refrigerator 41 is a device that performs a steam compression refrigeration cycle, and includes a refrigerant circuit 43 in which a refrigerant circulates, a cooler 44 (evaporator) arranged in the refrigerant circuit 43, a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve. have.

As shown in FIG. 3, the cooler 44 is arranged above the suction port 13A in the air conditioning space S2. The conditioned air A1 sucked into the conditioned space S2 is cooled by exchanging heat with the refrigerant in the cooler 44. Further, the refrigerant evaporated by heat exchange with the conditioned air A1 is compressed by the compressor, condensed in the condenser, depressurized by the expansion valve, and then flows into the cooler 44 again.

The blower 42 is a fan that sends the conditioned air A1 from the conditioned space S2 toward the test space S1. As shown in FIG. 3, the blower 42 is located above the cooler 44 (leeward side of the cooler 44) in the air conditioning space S2 and is arranged facing the air outlet 13B.

According to the air-conditioning unit 40, the air-conditioned air A1 can be sucked into the air-conditioned space S2 by the suction pressure of the blower 42, the air-conditioned air A1 can be cooled by the cooler 44, and then blown out to the test space S1 by the blower 42. Thereby, the temperature of the test space S1 can be adjusted below the freezing point. The wind speed of the conditioned air A1 in the test space S1 is affected by the wind speed of the conditioned air A1 blown out by the blower 42.

The artificial weather room 1 is isolated from the test space S1 and the air-conditioned space S2, and the air-conditioned space S3 in which the air-conditioned air A1 flows after flowing through the test space S1 and before being sucked into the air-conditioned space S2 is formed inside. It has an anterior chamber 50. The air-conditioned front chamber 50 isolates the pre-air-conditioned space S3 from the test space S1 so as to reduce the influence of the wind speed of the air-conditioned air A1 from the test space S1 to the pre-air-conditioned space S3. As described above, the wind speed of the conditioned air A1 in the test space S1 is affected by the wind speed of the conditioned air A1 blown out from the blower 42, but the influence is reduced (mitigated) in the pre-air-conditioned space S3. Therefore, in the space S3 before air conditioning, the wind speed of the air conditioning air A1 is smaller than that in the test space S1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the air-conditioning front chamber 50 in the present embodiment is provided so as to extend in the left-right direction on the rear lower side in the test chamber 10. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the air-conditioning front chamber 50 includes a first plate 51 extending horizontally from the inner surface of the rear wall 13 (a portion below the center in the vertical direction) toward the front. It has a second plate 52 that extends downward from the front end of the first plate 51 and is connected to the inner surface (floor surface) of the bottom wall 11. The second plate 52 is formed at a substantially right angle to the first plate 51.

The air-conditioning front space S3 is isolated from the test space S1 by the first plate 51 and the second plate 52, and is isolated from the air-conditioning space S2 by the rear wall 13. The pre-air conditioning space S3 is located on the downstream side of the test space S1 in the circulation direction of the air-conditioned air A1 and is located on the upstream side of the air-conditioning space S2 in the circulation direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the first plate 51 is a rectangular plate having a width in the left-right direction substantially the same as that in the test chamber 10 and a width in the front-rear direction smaller than that in the test chamber 10. Further, the second plate 52 is a rectangular plate having a width in the left-right direction substantially the same as that in the test chamber 10 and a width in the vertical direction smaller than that in the test chamber 10.

The second plate 52 is provided with a suction port 52A (first suction port) for sucking the conditioned air A1 from the test space S1 to the space before air conditioning S3. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of first suction ports 52A in the present embodiment face the rear wall 13 in the front-rear direction and are separated in the left-right direction (two in the present embodiment). ) It is provided. The pair of first suction ports 52A are provided on both sides of the second suction port 13A in the left-right direction with the second suction port 13A for sucking the air-conditioned air A1 from the air-conditioned space S3 into the air-conditioned space S2. There is. As shown in FIG. 2, each first suction port 52A is provided at a position deviated from the second suction port 13A in the left-right direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the left-right distance from one first suction port 52A to the second suction port 13A is the same as the left-right distance from the other first suction port 52A to the second suction port 13A. It may be, but it is not limited to this, and both distances may be different from each other. It is preferable that the first suction port 52A is provided at a distance as much as possible from the second suction port 13A in the left-right direction. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the first suction port 52A has, for example, a rectangular shape, but the shape thereof is not particularly limited.

As described above, in the artificial weather room 1 according to the present embodiment, by providing the first suction ports 52A on both sides in the left-right direction with respect to the second suction port 13A, the artificial snow 101 in the test space S1 becomes the air-conditioned air A1. It is possible to suppress the air flow from being carried to the air-conditioned space S2. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the air-conditioned air A1 that has flowed into the pre-air-conditioned space S3 through the first suction port 52A flows around from both sides of the second suction port 13A in the pre-air-conditioned space S3, and then is second. It flows into the air-conditioned space S2 from the suction port 13A. Therefore, it is possible to secure a long distance from the air-conditioned air A1 to the second suction port 13A in the space S3 before air conditioning. Therefore, even when the artificial snow 101 in the test space S1 is carried to the pre-air-conditioned space S3 by the air flow of the air-conditioned air A1, the artificial snow 101 can be dropped on the floor surface before reaching the second suction port 13A. .. As a result, the amount of artificial snow 101 carried to the air-conditioned space S2 by the air flow of the air-conditioned air A1 is reduced, and the artificial snow 101 can be suppressed from adhering to the cooler 44. Can be suppressed. Therefore, the frequency of defrosting operation of the refrigerator 41 can be reduced, and the snowfall test can be smoothly performed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the test space S1 from rising due to the stop of the air conditioning unit 40 every time the defrosting operation is performed. Further, when a roll-shaped filter is provided in the second suction port 13A and the artificial snow 101 adhering to the snow 101 is scraped off while rotating, the filter may be clogged or the air volume of the conditioned air A1 may decrease. According to the artificial weather room 1 according to the above, such a situation can be avoided.

Further, by providing the first suction ports 52A apart from each other in the left-right direction as described above, it is possible to improve the temperature distribution in the test space S1. That is, when the first suction port 52A is provided only in the center in the left-right direction like the second suction port 13A and the outlet 13B, the conditioned air A1 flows unevenly toward the center in the left-right direction in the test space S1. It may end up. On the other hand, according to the artificial weather room 1 according to the present embodiment, the conditioned air A1 blown out from the outlet 13B to the test space S1 flows downward so as to be distributed to the left and right. Therefore, the temperature can be adjusted below the freezing point over a wide range of the test space S1, and the freezing defect of the water 100 sprayed from the nozzle 22 can be prevented. Therefore, the snowfall distribution in the test space S1 is improved.

Further, in the air-conditioned front chamber 50, the flow path area of the air-conditioned air A1 is defined so that the wind speed of the air-conditioned air A1 flowing through the pre-air-conditioned space S3 is smaller than the wind speed of the air-conditioned air A1 passing through the second suction port 13A. ing. Specifically, in the space S3 before air conditioning, a flow path of the air conditioning air A1 having a flow path area in which the air conditioning air A1 flows at a wind speed of natural convection (0.5 m / s) or less is formed. For example, the flow path has a flow path area in which the conditioned air A1 flows at a wind speed of 0.1 m / s or more and 0.3 m / s or less. This "flow path area" means the area of the cross section perpendicular to the flow direction of the conditioned air A1. Further, the flow path area is larger than the opening area of the second suction port 13A.

In this way, by isolating the pre-air conditioning space S3 from the test space S1 and defining the flow path area in the pre-air conditioning space S3, the wind speed of the air-conditioned air A1 in the pre-air conditioning space S3 can be reduced. That is, the conditioned air A1 blown out by the blower 42 (FIG. 3) descends toward the first suction port 52A at a wind speed higher than the wind speed of natural convection in the test space S1 and flows into the pre-air conditioning space S3. In the pre-air conditioning space S3, the air-conditioned air A1 is not affected by the wind speed of the air-conditioned air A1 in the test space S1 and has a wind speed of 0.1 m / s or more and 0.3 m / s or less. Flows in a lowered state.

As a result, the residence time of the air-conditioned air A1 in the pre-air-conditioned space S3 becomes long, and the artificial snow 101 carried to the pre-air-conditioned space S3 can be more reliably dropped before the air-conditioned room 30. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent the artificial snow 101 from adhering to the cooler 44. The wind speed v (m / s) of the conditioned air A1 depends on the air volume V0 (m ³ / s) of the conditioned air A1 defined by the capacity of the blower 42 and the flow path area A (m ² ) of the conditioned air A1. , V = V0 / A. Therefore, the flow path area of the air-conditioned air A1 in the pre-air-conditioning space S3 is set to a wind speed of natural convection or less (preferably 0.1 m / s or more and 0.3 m / s or less) according to the capacity of the blower 42. Can be set as appropriate.

Further, the opening area of the first suction port 52A is larger than the opening area of the second suction port 13A. As a result, the wind speed of the air-conditioned air A1 decreases when flowing from the test space S1 into the pre-air-conditioned space S3, and the wind speed of the air-conditioned air A1 further decreases in the pre-air-conditioned space S3, so that the artificial snow 101 can be dropped more reliably. Will be possible.

The artificial weather room 1 is provided with a guide plate 60 that guides the air-conditioned air A1 so that the air-conditioned air A1 meanders and flows in the space S3 before air conditioning. As shown in FIG. 3, the guide plate 60 faces the first suction port 52A and the second suction port 13A in the front-rear direction and is located between the first suction port 52A and the second suction port 13A. In the space S3 before air conditioning, it rises upward from the bottom wall 11. The guide plate 60 divides the space S3 before air conditioning into a space in front of the guide plate 60 and a space behind the guide plate 60.

Further, there is a gap between the upper end of the guide plate 60 and the first plate 51 through which the conditioned air A1 can flow. That is, the width of the guide plate 60 in the vertical direction is smaller than that of the second plate 52, and as shown in FIG. 1, the guide plate 60 is provided over the entire left-right direction in the pre-air conditioning space S3.

By providing the guide plate 60, the conditioned air A1 sucked from the first suction port 52A rises along the front surface of the guide plate 60, then reverses the flow direction at the upper end of the guide plate 60, and then the guide plate. It descends along the rear surface of 60. Then, the conditioned air A1 that has passed over the guide plate 60 flows toward the center in the left-right direction, and is sucked into the conditioned space S2 from the second suction port 13A. As described above, since the conditioned air A1 meanders and flows in the vertical direction in the space S3 before the conditioned air, the distance from the conditioned air A1 to the second suction port 13A is longer than in the case where the guide plate 60 is not provided. Can be secured longer.

As shown in FIG. 3, the artificial weather room 1 includes a heating unit 70 (heater) installed below the space S3 before air conditioning. As a result, the artificial snow 101 that has fallen on the floor surface in the space S3 before air conditioning can be melted by the heat of the heater. In the present embodiment, the front heating unit 71 located in front of the guide plate 60 and the rear heating unit 72 located behind the guide plate 60 are provided, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the front side is not limited thereto. Either one of the heating unit 71 and the rear heating unit 72 may be omitted. Further, since the heating unit 70 is not an essential component in the artificial weather room of the present invention, both the front heating unit 71 and the rear heating unit 72 may be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bottom wall 11 is provided with a drainage port 11A for draining water generated when the artificial snow 101 is melted by the heating unit 70. More specifically, the drainage port 11A is provided at a position between the second plate 52 and the guide plate 60 in the front-rear direction and a position between the guide plate 60 and the rear wall 13 in the front-rear direction, respectively. Moreover, the drainage pipes 81 and 82 are connected. Each drainage pipe 81, 82 is provided with U-shaped pipe portions 81A, 82A for water sealing. These U-shaped pipe portions 81A and 82A are provided at positions where the water collected in the U-shaped pipe portions 81A and 82A does not freeze, and the air flows into the pre-air conditioning space S3 through the drainage pipes 81 and 82. prevent. The artificial snow 101 naturally melts on the floor surface even if the heating unit 70 is not provided, and the melted water is discharged through the drain port 11A.

<Snowfall test method>
Next, a method of performing an environmental test in a snowfall environment (snowfall test method) using the artificial weather room 1 will be described.

First, a step of arranging the test object in the test space S1 is performed. In this step, a test object such as an automobile is put into the test space S1 from the entrance 12A (FIG. 2) of the test chamber 10.

Next, a step of evaluating the test object is performed in the test space S1 in a state of simulating the snowfall environment. Specifically, the snowfall environment is simulated as follows.

First, the temperature of the test space S1 is adjusted by the air conditioning unit 40 (FIG. 3). That is, the refrigerator 41 and the blower 42 are operated respectively, and the air-conditioned air A1 whose temperature is adjusted by the cooler 44 is circulated in the order of the air-conditioned space S2, the test space S1, the pre-air-conditioned space S3, and the air-conditioned space S2. More specifically, the conditioned air A1 descends toward the first suction port 52A in the test space S1, spirals vertically along the guide plate 60 in the pre-air conditioning space S3, and then flows to the second suction port. It flows so as to wrap around from both sides of 13A, and then is sucked into the air conditioning space S2 from the second suction port 13A. By circulating the conditioned air A1 in the artificial weather room 1 in this way, the temperature of the test space S1 is adjusted.

Further, the air-conditioned air A1 is circulated in this way, and at least one of the snowfall water 100 and the artificial snow 101 is supplied to the test space S1 by the snowfall unit 20. Specifically, at least one of spraying water 100 from the nozzle 22 to the test space S1 and dropping the artificial snow 101 from the snow making device 21 into the test space S1 is performed. Here, when spraying water 100, the test space S1 is controlled to a temperature below the freezing point. As a result, the water 100 freezes in the test space S1 below the freezing point to form the artificial snow 101. In this way, the snowfall environment can be simulated in the test space S1. Then, various performances, qualities, etc. of the test object placed in the snowfall environment are evaluated.

In this snowfall test method (step for evaluating the test object), the conditioned air A1 flows in the pre-air-conditioned space S3 at a wind speed smaller than that of the test space S1. Specifically, in the test space S1, the conditioned air A1 flows at a wind speed higher than the wind speed of the natural convection, while in the pre-air conditioning space S3, the wind speed is equal to or less than the wind speed of the natural convection (preferably 0.1 m / s or more 0). Air-conditioned air A1 flows at (3 m / s or less). By doing so, the artificial snow 101 carried from the test space S1 to the air-conditioned space S3 by the air flow of the air-conditioned air A1 can be dropped onto the floor surface in front of the air-conditioned space S2. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the artificial snow 101 from being sucked into the air conditioning space S2 and suppress the occurrence of frost in the cooler 44.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, the artificial weather room 1A according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The artificial weather room 1A according to the second embodiment basically has the same configuration as the artificial weather room 1 according to the first embodiment and has the same effect, but is carried out at the position of the first suction port 52A. It is different from the artificial weather room 1 according to the first form. Hereinafter, only the differences from the first embodiment will be described.

FIG. 4 schematically shows a cross section of the artificial weather chamber 1A at the position corresponding to FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 4, in the artificial weather room 1A according to the second embodiment, the first suction port 52A is provided at a position facing each of the right side wall 14 and the left side wall 15. More specifically, the second plate 52 is provided on the first plate portion 52B extending in the left-right direction along the rear wall 13, the second plate portion 52C extending in the front-rear direction along the right side wall 14, and the left side wall 15. It has a third plate portion 52D extending in the front-rear direction along the same. The front end of the second plate portion 52C is connected to the front wall 12, and the rear end is connected to the right end of the first plate portion 52B. Further, the front end of the third plate portion 52D is connected to the front wall 12, and the rear end is connected to the left end of the first plate portion 52B.

As a result, the pre-air conditioning space S3 in the present embodiment is provided along each of the right side wall 14, the left side wall 15, and the rear wall 13 in the test chamber 10 (a U-shape that opens forward). The first suction port 52A is provided at a portion of the second plate portion 52C and the third plate portion 52D in front of the center in the front-rear direction, respectively.

In the artificial weather room 1A according to the second embodiment, the conditioned air A1 flows in the pre-air-conditioned space S3 as follows. That is, the conditioned air A1 sucked from the first suction port 52A flows backward in the front-rear direction in the space between the right side wall 14 and the second plate portion 52C, and the left side wall 15 and the third plate portion 52D. It flows backward in the front-back direction in the space between them. Then, the conditioned air A1 changes the flow direction at the rear corner and flows inward in the left-right direction toward the second suction port 13A. According to this configuration, the distance through which the air-conditioned air A1 flows can be secured longer in the air-conditioned space S3, so that the artificial snow 101 can be more reliably suppressed from being sucked into the air-conditioned space S2.

(Other embodiments)
Here, other embodiments of the present invention will be described.

In the first and second embodiments, the case where two first suction ports 52A are provided has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and three or more first suction ports 52A may be provided.

In the first embodiment, the case where the snowfall unit 20 has both the snow making device 21 and the nozzle 22 has been described, but either one of the snow making device 21 and the nozzle 22 may be omitted.

In the first embodiment, the case where only one guide plate 60 is provided has been described, but a plurality of guide plates 60 may be provided. As an example, the guide plates extending upward from the bottom wall 11 and the guide plates extending downward from the first plate 51 may be alternately arranged in the front-rear direction. Further, the guide plate 60 is not an essential component in the artificial weather room of the present invention, and may be omitted.

In the first embodiment, the case where the air-conditioned air A1 flows in the space S3 before air conditioning at a wind speed equal to or lower than the wind speed of natural convection has been described, but the air-conditioned air A1 may flow at a wind speed higher than the wind speed of natural convection. However, as described above, the effect of dropping the artificial snow 101 is enhanced by setting the wind speed to be equal to or lower than that of natural convection.

In the first embodiment, the case where the air-conditioned unit 40 has the refrigerator 41 and the blower 42 has been described, but the air-conditioned air A1 may further have a heater for heating the air-conditioned air A1. In this case, the heater is arranged on either the windward side or the leeward side of the cooler 44 in the air conditioning space S2.

In the first and second embodiments, the case where the first suction port 52A is provided on both sides of the second suction port 13A with the second suction port 13A interposed therebetween has been described. It can also be applied to the form shown in FIG. In the artificial weather room 1B shown in FIG. 5, one first suction port 52A is provided on the left side of the second suction port 13A, and in the artificial weather room 1C shown in FIG. 6, one first suction port 52A is in the front-rear direction. Is provided in the center in the left-right direction so as to face the second suction port 13A. Also in the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6, the pre-air conditioning space S3 is isolated from the test space S1, and the wind speed of the air-conditioned air A1 flowing through the pre-air conditioning space S3 passes through the second suction port 13A. Since the flow path area is defined so as to be smaller than the above, the effect of suppressing the suction of the artificial snow 101 into the air-conditioned space S2 can be obtained as in the first and second embodiments. In these cases, the effect of providing the guide plate 60 is greater. Further, also in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the opening area of the first suction port 52A (the flow path area of the air conditioning air A1 in the first suction port 52A) is the same as that of the first suction port 13A. It is preferably larger than the opening area (the flow path area of the air conditioning air A1 in the second suction port 13A). As a result, when the air-conditioned air A1 flows from the test space S1 to the air-conditioned space S3, the wind speed of the air-conditioned air A1 decreases, and the wind speed of the air-conditioned air A1 further decreases in the air-conditioned space S3, so that the wind speed of the air-conditioned air A1 further decreases from the second suction port 13A. It is possible to drop the artificial snow 101 more reliably in front of the air. Further, as a modification of FIG. 5, a plurality of first suction ports 52A may be provided on the left side of the second suction port 13A, and one or a plurality of first suction ports 13A may be provided on the right side of the second suction port 13A. The suction port 52A may be provided.

In the first embodiment, the case where the test space S1 is adjusted to the temperature below the freezing point has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the snowfall portion 20 is composed of only the snow-making device 21, or when the snow-falling portion 20 is composed of the snow-making device 21 and the nozzle 22 and only the snow-making device 21 is operated, the test space S1 is 0. It may be adjusted to a temperature of ° C. or higher. Even in this case, it is possible to reproduce the snowfall environment in the test space S1.

It should be understood that the embodiments disclosed this time are exemplary in all respects and are not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown by the scope of claims rather than the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of claims.

1,1A, 1B, 1C Artificial weather room 10 Test room 13A Suction port (second suction port)
20 Snowfall part 30 Air-conditioning room 40 Air-conditioning part 50 Air-conditioning front room 52A Suction port (first suction port)
60 Guide plate 100 Water 101 Artificial snow A1 Air-conditioned air S1 Test space S2 Air-conditioned space S3 Space before air-conditioning

Claims (5)

An artificial weather room for conducting environmental tests in a snowy environment.
A test room in which a test space for arranging the test object is formed, and
The snowfall part that causes snow to fall in the test space,
An conditioned unit that adjusts the temperature of the conditioned air circulating in the test chamber,
An air-conditioned room in which the air-conditioned unit is arranged and an air-conditioned space isolated from the test space is formed.
It is provided with an air-conditioned pre-chamber in which a pre-air-conditioned space is formed, which is isolated from the test space and the air-conditioned space and in which the air-conditioned air flows after flowing through the test space and before being sucked into the air-conditioned space.
The pre-air-conditioned room isolates the pre-air-conditioned space from the test space so as to reduce the influence of the wind velocity of the air-conditioned air on the pre-air-conditioned space, and the pre-air-conditioned air flows through the pre-air-conditioned space. The flow path area of the air-conditioned air is defined so that the wind speed of the air-conditioned air becomes smaller than the wind speed of the air-conditioned air passing through the suction port for sucking the air-conditioned air from the pre-air-conditioned space to the air-conditioned space. Meteorological room. The artificial weather room according to claim 1, wherein a flow path of the air-conditioned air having a flow path area in which the air-conditioned air flows at a wind speed equal to or lower than natural convection is formed in the space before air conditioning. The artificial weather room according to claim 2, wherein the flow path has the flow path area in which the conditioned air flows at a wind speed of 0.1 m / s or more and 0.3 m / s or less. The artificial weather room according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a guide plate for guiding the air-conditioned air so that the air-conditioned air meanders and flows in the space before air conditioning. A method of conducting an environmental test in a snowfall environment using the artificial weather room according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
The step of arranging the test object in the test space and
A step of evaluating the test object in a state of simulating a snowfall environment in the test space by adjusting the temperature of the test space by the air-conditioning unit and causing snow to fall in the test space by the snowfall unit. Have and
In the step of evaluating the test object, the air-conditioned air whose temperature has been adjusted by the air-conditioned unit is circulated in the order of the air-conditioned space, the test space, the pre-air-conditioned space, and the air-conditioned space, and the pre-air-conditioned space. A snowfall test method in which the conditioned air flows at a wind speed smaller than that of the test space.

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