JP4841377B2 - Dryer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a dryer that includes a storage chamber for storing a material to be dried and that performs drying of the material to be dried in the storage chamber.

  Conventionally, a clothes dryer is composed of a compressor, a radiator, a pressure reducing device, and a heat absorber, and uses a heat pump composed of a refrigerant circuit capable of circulating a heat exchange medium, and is covered with high-temperature air heated by the radiator. There has been developed a method of drying a dried product, and condensing the moisture evaporated from the dried product in a heat absorber.

  However, the heat pump used in the conventional clothes dryer has a problem that the rise of drying is delayed because heat generated from the compressor is exchanged with the outside air.

Therefore, there has been proposed one in which the compressor is disposed between the heat absorber and the radiator in the air circulation path in order to improve the drying startability without exchanging heat from the compressor with the outside air. (Patent Document 1). In such a configuration, the heat generated from the compressor housing can be effectively used for drying air heating.
JP 2005-224492 A

  However, in such a dryer, if the air is circulated in the order of the heat absorber, the compressor, and the radiator, the air dehumidified and cooled by the heat absorber can be heated by the compressor and the radiator. The refrigerant temperature becomes high. That is, since the temperature of the refrigerant before being depressurized by the decompression device is increased, there is a problem that the cooling capacity of the heat absorber is lowered and the dehumidifying capacity of the dry air is lowered.

Further, Patent Document 1 also proposes a dryer in which a compressor is disposed on the downstream side of a radiator in a circulation path. In the case of such a configuration, air is circulated in the order of the heat absorber, the heat radiator, and the compressor. That is, since the air heated by the radiator passes around the compressor, the temperature of the compressor housing rises more than necessary, and as a result, the compressor may be broken. In particular, when a refrigerant that reaches a supercritical pressure, such as CO ₂ , is used, there is a problem that the compressor is likely to fail.

  The present invention is intended to solve such a conventional problem, and can effectively improve the drying start-up property by effectively using the heat generated from the compressor housing for heating the drying air, and By keeping the refrigerant temperature at the radiator outlet low, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the dehumidifying capacity of the drying air, and it is possible to prevent the compressor from being damaged by suppressing an excessive temperature rise in the compressor housing. An object is to provide a dryer that can be prevented.

  The invention of claim 1 includes a storage chamber for storing a material to be dried, and a drying machine for performing a drying operation of the material to be dried in the storage chamber, comprising a compressor, a radiator, a decompression device, and a heat absorber. A refrigerant circuit formed by sequentially connecting pipes in an annular manner, and air after heat exchange with the heat absorber by a blower means, a first branch air path in which the heat radiator is disposed, and a first in which the compressor is disposed. The air branched into the second branch air path and heat exchanged with the radiator in the first branch air path and the air heat exchanged with the compressor in the second branch air path are placed in the housing chamber. An air path is provided for discharging the air that has passed through the storage chamber and exchanging heat with the heat absorber again.

  According to the present invention, the heat generated from the compressor housing can be effectively used for heating the drying air, so that the rising property of drying can be improved and the refrigerant temperature at the radiator outlet can be kept low. Therefore, the fall of the dehumidification capability of the drying air by a heat absorber can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the excessive temperature rise of a compressor housing | casing can be suppressed, it can prevent that a compressor breaks down.

  According to a second aspect of the invention, in the first aspect of the invention, when the drying operation is finished, the temperature of the air at the outlet of the first branch air path and the temperature of the air at the outlet of the second branch air path So that the air after heat exchange with the heat absorber is diverted into the first branch air path and the second branch air path.

  In the drying operation, the speed at which the material to be dried dries is high in the initial stage of drying, but a long time is required for the final stage of drying until the material to be dried dries to a certain extent. However, by adopting the configuration as in the invention of claim 2, the temperature of the air introduced into the storage chamber can be increased when the drying operation is finished. As a result, the drying operation, particularly the final stage of drying, can be performed efficiently, so that the drying operation time can be shortened.

  According to a third aspect of the invention, in the first aspect of the invention, when the drying operation is finished, the air that has passed through the first branch air path and the air that has passed through the second branch air path are combined. The air after heat exchange with the heat absorber is divided into the first branch air path and the second branch air path so that the temperature becomes maximum.

  By adopting such a configuration, the temperature of the air introduced into the storage chamber can be maximized when the drying operation is finished. As a result, the drying operation, particularly the final stage of drying, can be performed efficiently, so that the drying operation time can be shortened.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first to third aspects of the present invention, the diversion in which the ratio of the flow rate of the air flowing through the first branch air path and the flow rate of the air flowing through the second branch air path is variable. A ratio variable means is provided.

  By adopting such a configuration, in order to efficiently dry and shorten the drying operation time, the flow rate of air flowing through the first branch air path and the flow rate of air flowing through the second branch air path Control can be performed so that the ratio is optimal. Further, when the ratio of the diversion ratio of the air flowing through the first branch air path where the radiator is arranged and the second branch air path where the compressor is arranged is varied during the drying operation, for example, the drying Optimum control according to the situation can be performed in the first half of the operation and in the second half of the drying operation.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect of the invention, the diversion ratio varying means is an open / close damper disposed upstream or downstream of the radiator and the compressor.

  By adopting such a configuration, in order to efficiently dry and shorten the drying operation time, the flow rate of air flowing through the first branch air path and the flow rate of air flowing through the second branch air path The ratio can be finely controlled.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, the diversion ratio varying means is an air flow rate adjusting mechanism disposed upstream or downstream of the compressor in the second branch air path. It is what.

  By adopting such a configuration, in order to efficiently dry and shorten the drying operation time, the flow rate of air flowing through the first branch air path and the flow rate of air flowing through the second branch air path The ratio can be finely controlled.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the fourth to sixth aspects of the invention, the temperature of the air at the outlet of the first branch air path is substantially equal to the temperature of the air at the outlet of the second branch air path. In addition, the diversion ratio variable means is controlled.

  According to the present invention, the temperature of the air introduced into the storage chamber can be controlled to be high. As a result, the drying efficiency can be improved, and the drying operation time can be shortened.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth to sixth aspects of the invention, the temperature of the air where the air that has passed through the first branch air path and the air that has passed through the second branch air path has merged is maximized. In addition, the diversion ratio variable means is controlled.

  According to the present invention, the temperature of the air introduced into the storage chamber can be controlled so as to be maximum. As a result, the drying efficiency can be improved, and the drying operation time can be shortened.

  The invention of claim 9 is the invention of claims 4 to 8, wherein the refrigerant temperature at the location discharged from the compressor, the case surface temperature of the compressor, or the refrigerant pressure at the location discharged from the compressor. The diversion ratio variable means is controlled so as to be equal to or less than a predetermined value.

  According to the present invention, by controlling the temperature of the refrigerant at the portion discharged from the compressor to be a predetermined value or less, the case surface temperature of the compressor is prevented from becoming too high, and the compressor is protected. It can be carried out. Further, by controlling the temperature of the refrigerant at the portion discharged from the compressor to be a predetermined value or less, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the oil and to prevent the compressor from being damaged due to the deterioration of the oil. In addition, by controlling the pressure of the refrigerant at the location discharged from the compressor to be a predetermined value or less, the required pressure resistance can be kept low, so the degree of freedom in the pressure resistance design of the compressor is increased. Can do.

  According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the first to ninth aspects of the invention, when the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, air is prevented from flowing through the second branch air path at the start of operation of the refrigerant circuit. It is characterized by this.

  Here, the predetermined temperature means a temperature at which liquid compression of the refrigerant occurs.

  At the start of operation of the heat pump, the air temperature at the outlet of the heat absorber becomes lower than the case temperature (room temperature) of the compressor. When low-temperature air is applied to the compressor by flowing such low-temperature air through the second branch air path at the start of operation of the heat pump, it takes a long time to increase the temperature when the compressor starts up. However, according to the present invention, when the operation of the heat pump is started, the ambient temperature of the compressor, and hence the case temperature of the compressor, is increased by preventing air from flowing through the second branch air path in which the compressor is disposed. Since the startability of the drying operation can be improved, the drying operation time can be shortened. Furthermore, since the case temperature of the compressor rises, the probability of occurrence of liquid compression of the refrigerant can be kept low, so that the reliability of the compressor can be improved.

  The invention according to claim 11 is the invention according to claim 10, wherein the case surface temperature of the compressor or the temperature of the air at the outlet of the heat absorber is a predetermined temperature at which liquid compression of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant circuit does not occur. When it becomes above, it is made to flow an air through the said 2nd branch air path, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  According to the present invention, when the compressor case surface temperature or the temperature of the air at the outlet of the heat absorber becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature at which refrigerant liquid compression does not occur, according to the operating frequency of the compressor. The air can be applied to the compressor by flowing air through the second branch air path. Thereby, the liquid compression of a refrigerant | coolant can be prevented more reliably.

  According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the tenth or eleventh aspect, when the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, at the start of operation of the refrigerant circuit, the operation of the compressor is started at a lower operation frequency than during steady operation. Then, the operating frequency of the compressor is raised to a steady operating frequency.

  When the outside air temperature is low, if the operating frequency of the compressor is increased at the start of operation of the refrigerant circuit, liquid compression of the refrigerant is likely to occur. However, according to the present invention, such liquid compression can be prevented. That is, by operating the compressor at an operation frequency lower than that during steady operation at the start of operation of the refrigerant circuit, it is possible to reliably increase the case surface temperature of the compressor while preventing liquid compression of the refrigerant. Furthermore, if the compressor case surface temperature rises, liquid compression of the refrigerant can be prevented more reliably, so that the compressor operating frequency can be increased, and if the operating frequency is increased, the case surface temperature is more likely to rise. In particular, the rising performance of air heating can be improved.

  A dryer according to the present invention includes a storage chamber for storing a material to be dried, and performs a drying operation of the material to be dried in the storage chamber. The dryer includes a compressor, a radiator, a decompression device, and a heat absorber. A refrigerant circuit formed by sequentially connecting pipes in an annular manner, and air after heat exchange with the heat absorber by a blower means, a first branch air path in which the heat radiator is disposed, and a first in which the compressor is disposed. The air branched into the second branch air path and heat exchanged with the radiator in the first branch air path and the air heat exchanged with the compressor in the second branch air path are placed in the housing chamber. An air path is provided for discharging the air that has passed through the storage chamber and exchanging heat with the heat absorber again.

  According to the present invention, the heat generated from the compressor housing can be effectively used for heating the drying air, so that the rising property of drying can be improved and the refrigerant temperature at the radiator outlet can be kept low. Therefore, the fall of the dehumidification capability of the drying air by a heat absorber can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the excessive temperature rise of a compressor housing | casing can be suppressed, it can suppress that the temperature of the air for drying of a radiator exit becomes high too much.

  Further, since the air path is divided into the first branch air path where the radiator is arranged and the second branch air path where the compressor is arranged, the flow rate of the air flowing through each is divided during the drying operation. By making it variable, it is possible to perform optimum control according to the drying situation, for example, the first half of the drying operation and the second half of the drying operation.

  In order to solve the conventional technical problems as described above, the present invention can improve the drying start-up property by effectively using the heat generated from the compressor housing for heating the drying air, In addition, the temperature of the drying air at the radiator outlet is suppressed by suppressing the decrease in the dehumidifying capacity of the drying air by keeping the refrigerant temperature at the radiator outlet low, and further suppressing the excessive temperature rise of the compressor housing. Provided is a dryer that can prevent the temperature from becoming too high. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a flow of refrigerant and a flow of drying air in a washing / drying machine W that executes a washing operation and a drying operation after the completion of the washing operation as an embodiment of a dryer to which the present invention is applied. FIG. FIG. 3 is an external configuration diagram of the dryer W, and FIG. 3 is an internal configuration diagram. The washing / drying machine W of this embodiment is used for washing and drying a laundry such as clothes (this laundry becomes a material to be dried in a drying operation).

  First, the configuration of the refrigerant circuit of the washing / drying machine W and the air path for circulating the drying air will be described.

  Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, a washing and drying machine W includes a storage chamber 7 for storing an object to be dried, a two-stage compression compressor 11 (hereinafter referred to as a compressor 11) having an internal intermediate pressure as a compressor, and heat dissipation. A gas cooler 12 serving as a vacuum vessel, a capillary tube 14 serving as a pressure reducing device, and an evaporator 15 serving as a heat absorber are connected in an annular manner, a refrigerant circuit 10 using carbon dioxide as a refrigerant, and an air circulation through which the air in the storage chamber 7 circulates. A path 20 and a blower fan 16 as a blowing means for circulating the air are provided.

  Furthermore, a partition member 92B that separates the space between the compressor 11 and the gas cooler 12 is disposed in the air circulation path 20. By this partition member 92B, a first branch air path 21 in which the gas cooler 12 is arranged and a second branch air path 22 in which the compressor 11 is arranged are formed. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the first branch air path 21 and the second branch air path 22 communicate with the air inlet and outlet through the opening 23a and the opening 23b, respectively. is doing.

  In the present invention, the drying air means the air in the air circulation path 20, that is, the air in the first branch air path 21, the second branch air path 22, the first branch air path 21, and the second branch. It means the air from the outlet of each air path 22 to the storage chamber inlet 24, the air from the storage chamber outlet 25 to the first and second branch paths 21, 22 or the air in the storage chamber 7. .

  In FIGS. 1 and 3, a thick arrow represents the direction in which the drying air flows. Moreover, in FIG. 1, the thin arrow represents the direction through which the refrigerant flows.

  Further, in the present embodiment, an open / close damper 30 is installed in the air circulation path 20 so that the flow rate of the air flowing through the evaporator 15 to the second branch air path 22 can be adjusted by opening and closing the opening 23a. Has been. By controlling the opening degree of the open / close damper 30, the resistance to the air flowing through the second branch air path 22 can be adjusted, and the amount of air flowing through the second branch air path 22 can be adjusted. . The opening / closing damper 30 is controlled by a motor or a solenoid controlled by a control device 40 described later. The open / close damper 30 is an example of a diversion ratio varying unit that varies the ratio between the flow rate of air flowing through the first branch air path 21 and the flow rate of air flowing through the second branch air path 22.

  The air passing through the storage chamber 7 is cooled and dehumidified by heat exchange with the evaporator 15. And the air flowed to the 1st branch air path 21 heat-exchanges with the gas cooler 12, is heated, and flows into the opening part 23b direction. The air that has flowed to the second branch air path 22 exchanges heat with the compressor 11, is heated, and flows in the direction of the opening 23 b. Thereafter, the air that has passed through the second branch air path 22 exits the opening 23 b and merges with the air that has passed through the first branch air path 21. This merged air is introduced into the storage chamber 7 and contributes to the drying of the object to be dried in the storage chamber 7. Thereafter, the air introduced into the storage chamber 7 exchanges heat with the evaporator 15 again. Thus, air circulates in the air circulation path 20.

  The washer / dryer W according to the present embodiment detects a temperature of the case surface of the compressor 11 as a means for detecting the state of the compressor 11, and detects the temperature of the refrigerant at a position discharged from the compressor 11. A refrigerant temperature sensor 52 for detecting the refrigerant pressure, and a refrigerant pressure sensor 53 for detecting the refrigerant pressure at the position discharged from the compressor 11.

  On the other hand, at other locations of the refrigerant circuit 10, a refrigerant temperature sensor 54 for detecting the temperature of the refrigerant at the outlet position of the gas cooler 12, and a refrigerant temperature for detecting the refrigerant temperature before decompression at a position before the capillary tube 14. A sensor 55 is provided.

  Further, in the air circulation path 20, an air temperature sensor 56 for detecting the temperature of air after heat exchange with the gas cooler 12 between the gas cooler 12 and the opening 23 b in the first branch air path 21. Is provided. Similarly, an air temperature sensor 57 for detecting the temperature of the air after heat exchange with the compressor 11 is provided in the second branch air path 22. Further, in the air circulation path 20, the position before being introduced into the storage chamber 7 after the air having passed through the first branch air path 21 and the air having passed through the second branch air path 22 merged, that is, the storage An air temperature sensor 58 for detecting the air temperature is provided at the chamber inlet 24.

  The outputs of the temperature sensor 51, the refrigerant temperature sensor 52, the refrigerant pressure sensor 53, the refrigerant temperature sensors 54 and 55, and the air temperature sensors 56, 57 and 58 are connected to the control device 40 which will be described later.

  Here, operation | movement of the refrigerant circuit 10 of the dryer of this invention is demonstrated, referring the ph diagram (Mollier diagram) of FIG. If the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 is in a steady state, it is located at a point a in the graph shown in FIG. 4 and is sent to the gas cooler 12. Then, it is cooled by air in the gas cooler 12 (point b) and sent to the capillary tube 14.

  On the other hand, the air that has passed through the gas cooler 12 is heated and merges with the air that has passed through the compressor 11 and is used for drying the object to be dried in the storage chamber 7 (FIG. 1). That is, the air heated by the gas cooler 12 and the compressor 11 enters the storage chamber 7, deprives moisture from the material to be dried, and is discharged from the storage chamber 7.

The refrigerant (point c) decompressed by the capillary tube 14 is sent to the evaporator 15, takes heat from the air discharged from the storage chamber 7 (point d), and returns to the compressor 11 (point e≈point). d).
On the other hand, the air deprived of heat in the evaporator 15 cannot retain moisture exceeding the saturated water vapor amount as water vapor, and is dehumidified by condensation in the evaporator 15.

  The air dehumidified by the evaporator 15 is sent again to the gas cooler 12 or the compressor 11 by the blower fan 16. In the present invention, the first branch air path 21 in which the gas cooler 12 is disposed and the second branch air path 22 in which the compressor 11 is disposed are formed in the air circulation path 20 through which the air circulates, thereby evaporating. The air that has passed through the vessel 15 is diverted into the first branch air path 21 and the second branch air path 22. Therefore, air can also be applied to the compressor 11 in a separate air path from the gas cooler 12.

  When the compressor is arranged between the evaporator and the gas cooler in the circulating air path as in the prior art, and the air flows in the order of the evaporator, the compressor, and the gas cooler, the refrigerant temperature at the gas cooler outlet becomes high. That is, the point b in FIG. 4 is at the position b ′ and the point c is at the position c ′, and the cooling capacity and thus the dehumidifying capacity of the evaporator is reduced. On the other hand, as in the present invention, when air is also flowed to the compressor in a separate air path in parallel with the gas cooler, the cooling capacity and thus the dehumidifying capacity of the evaporator is reduced as in the prior art. There is no such thing. That is, in FIG. 4, in the present invention, between ab and cd are larger than between ab ′ and c′-d of the prior art, so that a more efficient refrigeration cycle can be realized. It becomes possible.

  In addition, the air before entering the storage chamber 7 can be heated by the compressor 11 and the compressor 11 can be air-cooled. Thereby, the waste heat of the compressor 11 can also be used for heating the air, and the compressor 11 can be prevented from becoming abnormal in high temperature. Furthermore, since the refrigerant temperature at the outlet of the gas cooler 12 can be kept low, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the dehumidifying ability of the drying air by the evaporator 15. Therefore, the durability of the compressor 11 can be improved, and an energy-saving dryer that can shorten the drying time can be realized. Furthermore, as described above, since the compressor 11 can be prevented from becoming abnormally high in temperature, the temperature of the drying air at the outlet of the gas cooler 12 can be prevented from becoming too high and damaging the object to be dried. .

  By the way, the opening / closing damper 30 of the washing / drying machine W of this embodiment is connected to the control device 40 described above, and the operation of the opening / closing damper 30 can be controlled by the control device 40. And the resistance with respect to the air which flows into the 2nd branch air path 22 can be adjusted with the opening degree of the opening-and-closing damper 30, and the quantity which flows air into the 2nd branch air path 22 can be adjusted.

  In other words, the control device 40 controls the opening degree of the opening / closing damper 30 of the washing / drying machine W to control the flow rate of the air flowing through the first branch air path 21 and the flow rate of the air flowing through the second branch air path 22. It is a control means for controlling the ratio (diversion ratio).

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the temperature sensor 51, the refrigerant temperature sensor 52, the refrigerant pressure sensor 53, the refrigerant temperature sensors 54 and 55, and the air temperature sensors 56, 57, and 58 described above are provided on the input side of the control device 40. It is connected.

  On the other hand, an open / close damper 30 is connected to the output side of the control device 40. The control device 40 controls the opening degree of the open / close damper 30 based on the air temperature detected by the air temperature sensor 58. More specifically, the opening temperature of the open / close damper 30, that is, the above-described air diversion ratio, is the temperature of the air where the air passing through the first branch air path 21 and the air passing through the second branch air path 22 merge. Is controlled to be maximum.

  By performing such control, the temperature of the air introduced into the storage chamber can be maximized. Therefore, since the object to be dried can be dried with high-temperature air, the drying operation can be performed efficiently. In particular, since the final drying that requires a long time can be efficiently performed, the drying time can be shortened.

  Further, the control device 40 may control the opening degree of the open / close damper 30 based on the air temperature detected by the air temperature sensor 56 and the air temperature sensor 57. Specifically, the opening degree of the open / close damper 30, that is, the above-described air diversion ratio was heated by heat exchange with the temperature of the air at the outlet of the first branch air path 21, that is, the gas cooler 12. You may control so that the temperature of air and the temperature of the air in the exit of the 2nd branch air path 22, ie, the temperature of the air heated by heat-exchange with the compressor 11, may become substantially equivalent.

  Next, the overall configuration of the washing / drying machine W to which the present invention is applied will be described.

  With reference to FIG. 2, an opening / closing door 3 as a lid for delivering the laundry to be washed out from the storage chamber 7 is attached to the front central portion of the main body 1 forming the outer shell. An operation panel (not shown) on which various switches and a display unit are arranged is provided on the upper side or the upper side.

  Referring to FIG. 3, a cylindrical resin outer tub drum 2 capable of storing water is provided in the main body 1, and the outer tub drum 2 is disposed with its cylindrical shaft slightly inclined from the horizontal direction. ing. A cylindrical stainless steel inner tub drum 5 serving as a washing tub and a dewatering tub is provided inside the outer tub drum 2. The inside of the inner tub drum 5 serves as a storage chamber (functioning as a drying chamber in the drying operation) 7 for storing the laundry, which is also arranged in a direction in which the axis of the cylinder is slightly inclined from the horizontal direction. At the same time, this shaft is connected to the shaft of a drive motor (not shown) mounted on the back side wall (the right front side in FIG. 3) of the outer drum 2, and the inner drum 5 is connected to the shaft. The tank drum 5 is rotatably held in the outer tank drum 2.

  Further, since the outer tub drum 2 is vibrated and displaced by the rotation of the inner tub drum 5, the base tub 4 located on the bottom surface of the main body 1 is disposed through a suspension (not shown) having a vibration absorbing function for reducing vibration and noise. It is fixed to. That is, the rotating inner tank drum 5 is mounted on the base 4 via the outer tank drum 2 and the suspension.

  In addition, a large number of through holes (not shown) through which air and water can flow are formed in the entire peripheral wall of the inner tank drum 5.

  The drive motor described above is a motor for rotating the inner tub drum 5 around the axis in a direction slightly inclined from the horizontal direction in the washing operation and the drying operation after the washing operation is completed. This drive motor is attached to one end of the shaft (the back side wall of the outer tub drum 2 on the right front side in FIG. 3) and is controlled by a control device (not shown) at a lower speed in the drying operation than in the washing operation. The drum 5 is controlled to rotate.

  Further, the duct member 67 described later and the inside of the inner tank drum 5 are communicated with each other through a side surface (the right front side in FIG. 3) including the shaft of the outer tank drum 2.

  A water supply passage (not shown) serving as a water supply means for supplying water into the inner tank drum 5 is provided in the upper portion of the main body 1, and one end of the water supply passage is connected to a water supply source such as tap water through a water supply valve. It is connected. The water supply valve is controlled to be opened and closed by the control device. Further, the other end of the water supply passage is connected to the inside of the outer tub drum 2 and communicates with the inside, and when the water supply valve is opened by the control device, the inner tub drum 5 provided in the outer tub drum 2 is opened. Water (tap water) is supplied to the storage chamber 10 from a water supply source.

  Further, a drainage passage (not shown) as a drainage means for draining the water in the storage chamber 7 in the inner tank drum 5 is provided at the lower part of the main body 1, and one end of the drainage passage is connected to the control device. It communicates with the bottom of the outer tub drum 2 through a drain valve that is controlled to open and close. Further, the other end of the drainage passage is led out of the washing / drying machine W and reaches a drainage groove or the like.

  On the other hand, the washing / drying machine W is provided with a duct box 61 below the outer tub drum 2. In the main body 1, the inner tank drum 5 crosses the duct box 61 through a duct member 68 connected from the inner tank drum 5 to the front side surface (the back side in FIG. 3) of the inner tank drum 5, and through the duct member 67. The above-described air circulation path 20 is configured by a path extending to the rear side wall 5 (right front side in FIG. 3). The duct box 61 is a hermetically sealed box (the entire space through which the air in the duct box 61 passes is defined as an air passage 69), but the upper surface member is not shown in FIG. It is described as follows. One end of the duct member 67 is connected and fixed to the outer tank drum 2 so as to communicate with the inside of the inner tank drum 5 (the storage chamber 7) on the side of one end of the rotating shaft of the inner tank drum 5 (right front side in FIG. 3). The other end is connected and fixed to an outlet 69B of an air passage 69 formed in the duct box 61. Further, one end of the duct member 68 is connected and fixed to the front side surface (the back side in FIG. 3) of the outer tub drum 2 so as to communicate with the inner tub drum 5 (the storage chamber 7) in the outer tub drum 2. The other end is connected and fixed to an inlet 69 </ b> A of an air passage 69 formed in the duct box 61. Both duct members 67 and 68 constituting the air circulation path 20 are made of metal or heat-resistant synthetic resin.

  Further, the inside of the duct box 61 is partitioned into three spaces of an air path 26, a first branch air path 21, and a second branch air path 22 by heat insulating partition members 92 </ b> A and 92 </ b> B. That is, the air path 26 is a space (left side in FIG. 3) defined by the partition member 92A in the duct box 61 and the outer wall of the duct box. Moreover, the 1st branch air path 21 is one space (FIG. 3 right back side) divided by the partition member 92A, the partition member 92B, and the duct box outer wall. Furthermore, the second branch air path 22 is a space (right front side in FIG. 3) defined by the partition member 92B and the outer wall of the duct box.

  An inlet 69A of the air passage 69 is located in the air passage 26, and an outlet 69B of the air passage 69 is located in the first branch air passage 21. In FIG. 3, the air flows from the air path 26 to the first branch air path 21, which connects the air path 26 partitioned by the partition member 92 </ b> A and the first branch air path 21 to the partition member 92 </ b> A. A blower fan 16 is installed. The partition member 92 </ b> B is formed with an opening 23 a and an opening 23 b that connect the first branch air path 21 and the second branch air path 22. As a result, in the duct box 61, the air sucked into the air path 26 from the inlet 69A enters the first branch air path 21 via the blower fan 16, and the path discharged from the outlet 69B and the first A series of air passages 69 are formed from the branch air passage 21 through the opening 23a and into the second branch air passage 22 and through the opening 23b into the first branch air passage 21 and discharged from the outlet 69B. Composed.

  The evaporator 15 is installed in the air passage 26, and the blower fan 16 is installed on the opposite side of the inlet 69A of the air passage 69, that is, on the partition member 92A across the evaporator 15. Yes. The blower fan 16 is installed such that the suction port is on the evaporator 15 side and the discharge port is on the first branch air path 21 side.

  A gas cooler 12 is installed in the first branch air passage 21, and an outlet 69 </ b> B of the air passage 69 is provided on the opposite side of the partition member 92 </ b> A where the blower fan 16 is provided across the gas cooler 12. Is provided. The first branch air path 21 communicates with the second branch air path 22 via an opening 23a and an opening 23b provided in the partition member 92B.

  A compressor 11 is installed in the second branch air path 22. The compressor 11 is installed so that the air discharged from the blower fan 16 passes through the compressor 11 through the opening 23a and flows into the first branch air path 21 through the opening 23b.

  Further, an opening / closing damper 30 is installed on the outer wall of the duct box in the vicinity of the opening 23 a in the second branch air path 22. By opening the open / close damper 30, air can flow through the second branch air path 22, and when it is completely closed, air can be prevented from flowing into the second branch air path 22.

  With this configuration, the air after circulating in the storage chamber 7 by the operation of the blower fan 16 and drying the laundry is passed through the duct member 68 of the air circulation path 20 and the air path 26 in the duct box 61 from the inlet 69A. After being dehumidified after being cooled by exchanging heat with the evaporator 15, the air is sucked into the blower fan 16 and discharged to the first branch air path 21 in the duct box 61. The air discharged to the first branch air passage 21 is heated by exchanging heat with the gas cooler 12, then exits from the outlet 69 </ b> B and is discharged into the accommodation chamber 7 through the duct member 67. Part of the air discharged to the first branch air path 21 flows into the second branch air path 22 through the opening 23a, passes around the compressor 11, and passes through the opening 23b. After being discharged to the first branch air passage 21, the air flows out from the outlet 69 </ b> B and is discharged into the accommodation chamber 7 through the duct member 67.

  The opening / closing damper 30 is controlled to open / close and open by the control device 40. That is, the controller 40 detects the case surface temperature of the compressor 11 detected by the temperature sensor 51 (not shown in FIG. 3) and the compressor 11 detected by the refrigerant temperature sensor 52 (not shown in FIG. 3). Based on the refrigerant temperature at the discharged position and the refrigerant pressure at the position discharged from the compressor 11 detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor 53 (not shown in FIG. 3), the opening / closing and opening degree of the open / close damper 30 is determined. Control.

  Thereby, the resistance with respect to the air which is going to flow into the 2nd branch air path 22 from the opening part 23a can be adjusted. When the opening degree of the open / close damper 30 is small, the resistance increases, so the flow rate of air flowing from the opening 23a to the second branch air path 22 decreases. On the contrary, when the opening degree of the opening / closing damper 30 is large, the resistance becomes small, and the flow rate of the air flowing from the opening 23b to the second branch air path 22 becomes large. In this manner, the amount of air flowing into the second branch air path 22 from the opening 23a can be adjusted. That is, the ratio of the flow rate of air flowing through the first branch air path 21 and the flow rate of air flowing through the second branch air path 22 can be adjusted.

A predetermined amount of carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) is sealed as a refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 10, and the high pressure side of the refrigerant circuit 10 becomes a supercritical pressure.

  The above-described control device is a control means for controlling the washing / drying machine W. Operation of a drive motor (not shown), opening / closing of a water supply valve in a water supply passage, opening / closing of a drain valve in a drainage passage, operation of the compressor 11, blower fan 16 air volumes are controlled. The control device also controls the temperature of the drying air that has passed through the gas cooler 12 so that the laundry accommodated in the inner tub drum 5 is not discolored and damaged.

  Next, the operation of the washing / drying machine W will be described with the above configuration. When a predetermined amount of detergent corresponding to the amount of laundry and the amount of the laundry to be washed is put into the storage chamber 7 in the inner tub drum 5, and the power switch and the start switch among the operation switches described above are operated, the control is performed. The device starts washing operation. And a control apparatus opens the water supply valve of the water supply channel | path which is not shown in figure, and opens a water supply channel | path. Thereby, water is supplied from the water supply source into the storage chamber 7 of the inner tank drum 5 in the outer tank drum 2. In this washing operation, the opening / closing damper 30 is fully closed by the control device 40. At this time, the drain valve of the drain passage is closed by the control device.

  When a predetermined amount of water accumulates in the storage chamber 7 in the inner tank drum 5, the control device closes the water supply valve and closes the water supply passage. Thereby, the supply of water from the water supply source is stopped.

  Next, the drive motor formed on the side surface of the main body 1 is energized and activated by the control device to rotate the shaft, whereby the inner tank drum 5 attached to the shaft starts to rotate in the outer tank drum 2, The washing process of the washing operation is started.

  When a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the washing process, the drive motor is stopped by the control device, the drainage valve of the drainage passage is opened, and the water in the storage chamber 7 of the inner tub drum 5 (that is, in the outer tub drum 2) ( Washing water) is discharged.

  When the water in the storage chamber 7 of the inner tub drum 5 is discharged, the control device operates the drive motor again to dehydrate the laundry. After performing this dehydration for a predetermined time, the control device closes the drain valve of the drain passage.

  Next, the control device shifts to the rinsing process, and opens the water supply valve of the water supply passage to open the water supply passage. Thereby, water is again supplied from the water supply source to the storage chamber 7 in the inner tank drum 5. When a predetermined amount of water is supplied to the storage chamber 7 in the inner tank drum 5, the control device closes the water supply valve and closes the water supply passage. Thereby, the supply of water from the water supply source is stopped.

  Then, after rinsing by repeating the rotation operation of the drive motor for a predetermined time, the control device stops the drive motor, opens the drain valve of the drain passage, and discharges the rinse water in the storage chamber 7 to the drain passage. When the rinsing water in the storage chamber 7 is discharged, the control device operates the drive motor again to rotate the inner tub drum 5 as described above, and shifts to a dehydration process in which the laundry is dehydrated.

  After performing this dehydration process for a predetermined time, the control device closes the drain valve. Further, the control device starts the compressor 11 and starts the operation of the blower fan 16. Then, the inner drum 5 is rotated by the drive motor to shift to the drying operation.

  In this drying operation, the high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant compressed and discharged by the compressor 11 radiates heat by the gas cooler 12 and then reaches the capillary tube 14. The refrigerant is not condensed so far, and the high pressure side of the refrigerant circuit 10 is at a supercritical pressure. The refrigerant reaching the capillary tube 14 is depressurized there, liquefied in the process, and then flows into the evaporator 15 where it absorbs heat from the surroundings and evaporates. The refrigerant discharged from the evaporator 15 repeats circulation that is sucked into the compressor 11.

  On the other hand, the drying air heated by the heat radiation of the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant in the gas cooler 12 and also heated by the case surface of the compressor 11 is heated to the air circulation path 20 by the blower fan 16 via the outlet 69B. It is discharged from the duct member 67 into the accommodation chamber 7.

  The drying air discharged into the storage chamber 7 warms the material to be dried stored in the inner tank drum 5 (the storage chamber 7), evaporates the moisture, and dries the material to be dried. Air containing moisture by drying the material to be dried flows out of the inner drum 5 from the through hole (not shown) through the storage chamber 7 and enters the duct member 68 of the air circulation path 20.

  The air that has passed through the duct member 68 is sucked into the air passage 69 in the duct box 61 from the inlet 69 </ b> A, and is introduced into the evaporator 15 provided in the air passage 26 in the air passage 69 and passes therethrough.

  Moisture contained in the air from the storage chamber 7 (water evaporated from the material to be dried) condenses on the surface of the evaporator 15 in the process of passing through the evaporator 15 and falls into a drain tank (not shown) as water droplets. To do. The dropped water droplets are discharged from the drainage passage to an external drainage groove or the like via a drain pipe (not shown) provided at the lower part of the drain tank.

  After the moisture is removed by the evaporator 15 and dried, the air is sucked into the blower fan 16 and then discharged toward the first branch air path 21 and the second branch air path 22. A part of the air passing through the blower fan 16 flows into the gas cooler 12 in the first branch air passage 21 and is heated. In parallel with this, the remainder of the air that has passed through the blower fan 16 passes around the compressor 11 in the second branch air path 22 via the opening 23a. At this time, the air cooled by the evaporator 15 and sucked into and discharged from the blower fan 16 is allowed to pass through the periphery of the compressor 11, whereby the air can be heat exchanged with the compressor 11. That is, the air can be heated by the compressor 11 heated by the operation, and at the same time, the compressor 11 can be cooled. Thereafter, the air heated by the compressor 11 flows into the first branch air path 21 through the opening 23b.

  Then, the air heated by the gas cooler 12 and the air heated by the compressor 11 merge in the first branch air passage 21, and then exit from the outlet 69B of the air passage 69 and enter the duct member 67. Similarly, circulation is repeated in which the material is discharged into the storage chamber 7 in the inner tank drum 5 to remove moisture from the material to be dried in the inner tank drum 5 and dry it.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, when the drying operation is started, the control device 40 controls the opening degree of the open / close damper 30 based on the air temperature detected by the air temperature sensor 58. More specifically, the opening temperature of the open / close damper 30, that is, the above-described air diversion ratio, is the temperature of the air where the air passing through the first branch air path 21 and the air passing through the second branch air path 22 merge. Is controlled to be maximum.

  Here, the control of the open / close damper 30 as the diversion ratio varying means in the dryer of the present embodiment will be described below.

  A method for controlling the opening degree of the opening / closing damper 30 based on the air temperature detected by the air temperature sensor 58 as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, when the control device 40 is started at the start of FIG. 5, for example, the air temperature at the accommodation chamber outlet 25 is detected, and the operation of the heat pump is terminated by determining whether or not the temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. It is determined whether or not to perform (step S1 in FIG. 5). If it is determined that the operation of the heat pump should be terminated, the operation of the heat pump is terminated and the drying operation is terminated. On the other hand, when it is determined that the operation of the heat pump should be continued, the control device 40 proceeds to step S2 and waits for a predetermined time set in advance.

  Next, in step S3, the control device 40 detects the air temperature detected by the air temperature sensor 58, that is, the air that has passed through the first branch air path 21 and the air that has passed through the second branch air path 22. The temperature Tn of the merged air is detected.

  Further, in step S4, the control device 40 determines whether or not the air temperature Tn is higher than the previously acquired air temperature Tn-1. Here, if Tn is higher than Tn-1, the process proceeds to step S5 in FIG.

  In step S5, the opening degree of the opening / closing damper 30 is adjusted in the same direction as the opening degree adjustment of the opening / closing damper 30 performed last time. That is, when the previous opening / closing damper 30 was adjusted in the opening direction, the one-step opening / closing damper 30 is further opened, and when the previous opening / closing damper 30 was adjusted in the closing direction, the one-step opening / closing damper 30 is further closed. Then, the process proceeds to step S7.

  On the other hand, if Tn is not greater than Tn−1 in step S4, the process proceeds to step S6 in FIG. In step S6, the opening degree of the opening / closing damper 30 is adjusted in a direction opposite to the opening degree adjusting direction of the opening / closing damper 30 performed last time. That is, if the opening / closing damper 30 was adjusted in the previous opening direction, the one-step opening / closing damper 30 is closed this time, and if the previous opening / closing damper 30 was adjusted in the closing direction, the one-step opening / closing damper is adjusted this time. Open 30. Then, the process proceeds to step S7.

  Next, in step S7, the control device 40 stores the current air temperature Tn as the previous air temperature Tn-1, and proceeds to step S8.

  In step S8, the control device 40 stores the current adjustment direction of the opening / closing damper 30 performed in step S5 or step S6 as the previous opening adjustment direction of the opening / closing damper 30. And it returns to A of FIG.

  Thus, when the current air temperature Tn is higher than the previous air temperature Tn−1, the opening / closing damper 30 is adjusted in the same direction as the previous time, and when not, the opening / closing damper 30 is reversed from the previous time. By adjusting the opening degree in the direction of, the air temperature Tn approaches the maximum value. That is, when the current air temperature Tn is higher than the previous air temperature Tn-1, the air temperature has increased from Tn-1 to Tn by the previous opening adjustment, and therefore the same direction as the previous opening adjustment direction. By adjusting the opening degree, the air temperature Tn is controlled to be higher. On the other hand, if the current air temperature Tn is not higher than the previous air temperature Tn-1, the air temperature has decreased from Tn-1 to Tn by the previous opening adjustment, so the previous opening adjustment direction is By adjusting the opening degree in the reverse direction, the air temperature Tn is controlled to increase. Therefore, the air temperature Tn approaches the maximum value by repeating the above-described control. That is, by performing this control, the opening degree of the open / close damper 30, that is, the diversion ratio is controlled so that the air temperature Tn becomes a maximum value.

  By performing this control, it is possible to improve the drying efficiency of the object to be dried, in particular, the drying efficiency at the final stage of drying. Therefore, the object to be dried can be dried with energy saving by shortening the drying operation time.

  Next, another embodiment of the dryer to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In the present embodiment, the control device 40 controls the opening degree of the open / close damper 30 based on the air temperature detected by the air temperature sensor 56 and the air temperature sensor 57. Specifically, the opening degree of the open / close damper 30, that is, the above-described air diversion ratio, is defined as the air temperature at the outlet of the first branch air path 21 and the air temperature at the outlet of the second branch air path 22. Are controlled to be substantially the same. Except for such a control method of the open / close damper 30, the present embodiment is the same as the first embodiment.

  Since the process from the start to step S2 is the same as that in the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted, and step S3 and subsequent steps will be described.

  Next, in step S3, the control device 40 detects the air temperature detected by the air temperature sensor 56, the air temperature detected by the air temperature sensor 57, that is, at the outlet of the first branch air path 21. The air temperature T1 and the air temperature T2 at the outlet of the second branch air path 22 are detected. That is, the temperature T1 of air heated by heat exchange with the gas cooler 12 and the temperature T2 of air heated by heat exchange with the compressor 11 are detected.

  Further, in step S4, the control device 40 determines whether or not the air temperature T1 is higher than the air temperature T2. Here, if T1 is higher than T2, the process proceeds to step S5.

  In step S5, the opening degree of the open / close damper 30 is adjusted in the direction in which the open / close damper 30 is closed. That is, the one-step opening / closing damper 30 is closed. And it returns to B of FIG.

  On the other hand, if T1 is not higher than T2 in step S4, the process proceeds to step S6. In step S6, the opening degree of the open / close damper 30 is adjusted in the direction in which the open / close damper 30 is opened. That is, the one-step opening / closing damper is closed and the previous opening / closing damper 30 is closed. And it returns to B of FIG.

  As described above, when the air temperature T1 is higher than the air temperature T2, the opening degree is adjusted in the direction in which the opening / closing damper 30 is closed; otherwise, the opening degree is adjusted in the direction in which the opening / closing damper 30 is opened. T1 and air temperature T2 approach each other and eventually become substantially equal. Here, “substantially equivalent” means that the difference between the air temperature T1 and the air temperature T2 is within 10 ° C.

  That is, when the air temperature T1 is higher than the air temperature T2, the temperature T1 of the air heated by the gas cooler 12 in the first branch air path 21 is changed by the compressor 11 in the second branch air path 22. It means that the temperature of the heated air is higher than T2. Therefore, by adjusting the opening degree in the closing direction of the open / close damper 30, the flow rate of air flowing through the second branch air path 22 is reduced, and the amount of air exchanged with the compressor 11 is reduced. At the same time, the flow rate of the air flowing through the first branch air passage 21 increases, and the amount of air exchanged with the gas cooler 12 increases.

  Therefore, the amount of air that exchanges heat with the compressor 11 decreases, and the amount of air that exchanges heat with the gas cooler 12 increases. Therefore, when there is no change in the heating capacities of the compressor 11 and the gas cooler 12, the second branch air The air temperature T2 at the outlet of the path 22 increases, and conversely, the air temperature T1 at the outlet of the first branch air path 21 decreases. Therefore, T1 and T2 are close to each other.

  On the other hand, when the air temperature T1 is not higher than the air temperature T2, the control opposite to the above-described control is performed, so the air temperature T2 at the outlet of the second branch air path 22 decreases, and the first branch air path The air temperature T1 at the outlet 21 increases. Accordingly, in this case, T1 and T2 are close to each other.

  Therefore, by repeatedly performing the control described above, T1 and T2 approach each other and eventually become substantially equal. Therefore, by performing this control, it is possible to control the opening degree of the open / close damper 30, that is, the diversion ratio so that the air temperature T1 and the air temperature T2 are substantially equal.

  By performing this control, it is possible to improve the drying efficiency of the object to be dried, in particular, the drying efficiency at the final stage of drying. Therefore, the object to be dried can be dried with energy saving by shortening the drying operation time.

  Next, another embodiment of the dryer to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In the present embodiment, the control device 40 determines the opening degree of the opening / closing damper 30 with respect to the case surface temperature of the compressor 11 detected by the temperature sensor 51, the refrigerant temperature detected by the refrigerant temperature sensor 52, or the refrigerant pressure sensor 53. Control based on the pressure detected at. Specifically, the opening degree of the open / close damper 30, and hence the air diversion ratio, is a value indicating the state of the compressor 11, that is, the temperature of the case surface of the compressor 11, the temperature of the refrigerant at the location discharged from the compressor 11, or Control is performed so that the pressure of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 is equal to or lower than the protection temperature or the protection pressure, respectively. Here, the protection temperature and the protection pressure mean an upper limit temperature and pressure at which the compressor 11 or the refrigerant circuit 10 does not fail. Except for such a control method of the open / close damper 30, the present embodiment is the same as the first and second embodiments.

  The steps from the start to step S2 are the same as those in the first embodiment and the second embodiment described above, and thus the description thereof will be omitted, and steps after step S3 will be described.

  Next, in step S <b> 3, the control device 40 detects the case surface temperature Tc of the compressor 11 detected by the air temperature sensor 51.

  Furthermore, in step S4, the control device 40 determines whether or not the air temperature Tc is higher than a preset protection value (protection temperature). Here, the protection value is a predetermined temperature value at which the heat pump can be operated with high reliability without causing a failure in the refrigerant circuit 10 including the compressor 11. And when Tc is below a protection value, it transfers to step S5.

  In step S5, the opening degree of the open / close damper 30 is adjusted in the direction in which the open / close damper 30 is closed. That is, the one-step opening / closing damper 30 is closed. And it returns to C of FIG.

  On the other hand, if Tc is not less than or equal to the protection value in step S4, the process proceeds to step S6. In step S6, the opening degree of the open / close damper 30 is adjusted in the direction in which the open / close damper 30 is opened. That is, the one-step opening / closing damper 30 is opened. And it returns to C of FIG.

  As described above, when the case surface temperature Tc of the compressor 11 is equal to or lower than the protection value, the opening degree is adjusted in the direction in which the opening / closing damper 30 is closed, and in other cases, the opening degree is adjusted in the direction in which the opening / closing damper 30 is opened. Thus, the case surface temperature Tc gradually approaches the protection value within a range that is equal to or less than the predetermined protection value that has been set.

  That is, when the case surface temperature Tc is equal to or lower than the protection value, it means that the heat pump can be continuously operated with high reliability as described above. Therefore, by adjusting the opening degree in the closing direction of the open / close damper 30, the flow rate of air flowing through the second branch air path 22 is reduced, and the amount of air exchanged with the compressor 11 is reduced.

  Therefore, the amount of air exchanged with the compressor 11 is reduced, and the air cooling effect on the compressor 11 by the flowing air is reduced. Therefore, the case surface temperature Tc of the compressor 11 increases.

  On the other hand, when the case surface temperature Tc is not equal to or lower than the protection value, the control opposite to the above-described control is performed, so that Tc falls.

  Therefore, by repeatedly performing the control described above, Tc approaches the protection value within a range equal to or less than the protection value. Therefore, the compressor 11 can be operated at a case surface temperature Tc as high as possible within the condition that the heat pump can be operated with high reliability without causing a failure in the refrigerant circuit 10 including the compressor 11. That is, the compressor 11 can be operated so as to have as high a drying capacity as possible.

  In this way, by performing this control, the drying efficiency of the object to be dried, in particular, the drying efficiency in the final stage of drying can be improved. Therefore, the object to be dried is dried with energy saving by shortening the drying operation time. be able to. In addition, the case surface temperature of the compressor 11 can be prevented from becoming too high, and the compressor 11 can be protected.

  In the above description using the flowchart of FIG. 7, the method in which the control device 40 controls the opening degree of the open / close damper 30 based on the case surface temperature of the compressor 11 detected by the temperature sensor 51 has been described. It is not limited to this. Control is performed so that another value indicating the state of the compressor 11, for example, the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 detected by the refrigerant temperature sensor 52 is equal to or lower than a preset protection value (protection temperature). May be. Further, the refrigerant pressure at the location discharged from the compressor 11 detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor 53 may be controlled to be equal to or lower than a protection value (protection pressure). That is, in the flowchart of FIG. 7, the case surface temperature in step S3 may be replaced with the refrigerant discharge temperature from the compressor or the refrigerant discharge pressure from the compressor. In these cases, the protection value is a predetermined temperature value or pressure value at which the heat pump can be operated with high reliability without causing a failure in the refrigerant circuit 10 including the compressor 11.

  In the present embodiment, the control when the opening / closing damper 30 is capable of finely adjusting the opening degree by one step has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, for example, in the case of ON / OFF binary control as the opening / closing damper 30, the same control is performed up to step S4 in the flowchart of FIG. 7 (however, the opening / closing damper 30 is closed), and the surface of the case in step S4. When the temperature Tc is equal to or lower than the protection value, the open / close damper 30 is kept closed in step S5, and when Tc is not equal to or lower than the protection value, the open / close damper 30 is opened for a predetermined time in step S6. The control of closing may be performed.

  Next, another embodiment of the dryer to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the time chart of FIG.

  In the present embodiment, when the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature, the control device 40 opens and closes the open / close damper 30 between Step S1 and Step S2 in the respective controls in Embodiments 1 to 3 described above. To control. The configuration of the washing / drying machine according to the present embodiment is the same as that of the first to third embodiments except for the matters specifically described below.

  The washing / drying machine according to the present embodiment includes an outside air temperature sensor that detects the outside air temperature in the main body 1, and the output of the outside air temperature sensor is connected to the control device 40. When the drying operation is started and the heat pump operation is started, the outside air temperature is below a predetermined temperature, specifically, below the temperature at which liquid refrigerant is sucked into the compressor 11 by operation of the compressor 11 and liquid compression of the refrigerant occurs. In some cases, as shown in the time chart of FIG. 8, the control device 40 fully closes the open / close damper 30 when the compressor 11 starts operation. And after predetermined time progress, it transfers to after step S2 in Example 1 thru | or 3. That is, the open / close damper 30 is opened. Here, after the case surface temperature of the compressor 11 detected by the temperature sensor 51 becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, the process may proceed to step S2 and subsequent steps in the first to third embodiments.

  In order to shorten the drying operation time and dry the object to be dried with energy saving, it is necessary to raise the temperature of the drying air as quickly as possible. For that purpose, it is necessary to start up the compressor 11 faster or to start heating the air using the heat generated by the compressor 11 by passing the drying air around the compressor 11 as described above. is there.

  However, when the outside air temperature is low, specifically, below the temperature at which liquid compression occurs in the refrigerant by the operation of the compressor 11, the case surface temperature of the compressor 11 is also low, and liquid compression of the refrigerant is likely to occur. In such a case, it is necessary to give priority to speeding up the start of the compressor 11, that is, speeding up the temperature rise of the compressor 11, rather than passing the drying air around the compressor 11.

  By performing the control as shown in the time chart of FIG. 8, it is possible to prevent air from passing around the compressor 11 until the case surface temperature of the compressor 11 becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature. In addition, after the opening / closing damper 30 is opened, the temperature rise of the drying air can be accelerated. Therefore, as described above, the object to be dried can be dried with energy saving by shortening the drying operation time.

  Next, another embodiment of the dryer to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the time chart of FIG. The configuration of the washing / drying machine according to the present embodiment is the same as that of the first to third embodiments except for the matters specifically described below.

  In the present embodiment, when the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature, the control device 40 performs the operation frequency of the compressor 11 between step S1 and step S2 in each control in the first to third embodiments described above. And controlling the opening / closing of the opening / closing damper 30.

  The washer / dryer according to the present embodiment is provided with an outside air temperature sensor that detects the outside air temperature as in Embodiment 4, and the output of the outside air temperature sensor is connected to the control device 40. In this embodiment, when the drying operation is started and the operation of the heat pump is started, the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, specifically, the temperature at which liquid compression of the refrigerant due to the operation of the compressor 11 occurs. As shown in the time chart of FIG. 9A, the control device 40 first starts the operation of the compressor 11 at an operation frequency lower than that during steady operation. At the start of operation of the compressor 11, the open / close damper 30 is fully closed. Then, the compressor 11 is operated at the operation frequency for a predetermined time, and then the compressor 11 is operated in a steady state by raising the operation frequency to the operation frequency during the steady operation. And it transfers to after step S2 in Example 1 thru | or 3. That is, the open / close damper 30 is opened.

  Here, after the case surface temperature of the compressor 11 detected by the temperature sensor 51 becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, the operating frequency of the compressor 11 may be raised to the operating frequency during steady operation. Further, after raising the operating frequency of the compressor 11 to the operating frequency at the time of steady operation, the case surface temperature of the compressor 11 detected by the temperature sensor 51 becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature. You may transfer after step S2.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9D, the compressor 11 may be started to operate at a lower operating frequency than during steady operation, the operating frequency may be gradually increased, and then the steady operating frequency may be set.

  Further, the timing after the step S2 in the first to third embodiments, that is, the timing for opening the opening / closing damper 30 is that the operation frequency of the compressor 11 is the operation frequency at the steady state as shown in FIG. 9B. At the same time, as shown in FIG. 9 (c), it may be at a lower operating frequency than during regular operation.

  Thus, when the outside air temperature is low, when the compressor 11 is started to operate suddenly at a high operating frequency, liquid compression of the refrigerant may occur.

  However, by performing the control as shown in the time chart of FIG. 9, in addition to the effect of the fourth embodiment, it is possible to more effectively suppress the occurrence of liquid compression of the refrigerant. By operating the compressor 11 at a lower operating frequency than during steady operation, the case surface temperature of the compressor 11 can be more reliably increased without causing refrigerant liquid compression. Furthermore, if the case surface temperature of the compressor 11 rises, the operating frequency can be increased while suppressing liquid compression of the refrigerant, and the case surface temperature of the compressor 11 is likely to rise. Therefore, the heat rising performance of the compressor 11 can be improved at an accelerated rate.

  As described above in detail, the drying air after heat exchange with the evaporator 15 is transferred to the first branch air path 21 where the gas cooler 12 is disposed and the second branch air path 22 where the compressor 11 is disposed. The compressor 11 is configured to discharge the air that has been diverted and exchanged heat with the gas cooler 12 in the first branch air passage 21 and the air that has exchanged heat with the compressor 11 in the second branch air passage 22 into the storage chamber 7. Since the heat generated from the casing can be effectively used for heating the drying air, the rising temperature of drying can be improved and the refrigerant temperature at the outlet of the gas cooler 12 can be kept low. A decrease in the dehumidifying ability of air can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the excessive temperature rise of the compressor 11 housing | casing can be suppressed, it can suppress that the temperature of the air for drying of the gas cooler 12 exit becomes high too much.

  Further, since the air path is divided into the first branch air path 21 in which the gas cooler 12 is arranged and the second branch air path 22 in which the compressor 11 is arranged, the flow rate of the air flowing through each is divided into the drying operation. By variably controlling the inside, it is possible to perform optimal control according to the situation in the drying situation, for example, the first half of the drying operation and the second half of the drying operation.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the gas cooler is used as the diversion ratio variable means for changing the ratio between the flow rate of the air flowing through the first branch air path 21 and the flow rate of the air flowing through the second branch air path 22. 12 and the open / close damper 30 disposed on the upstream side of the compressor 11 has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Instead of the opening / closing damper 30, for example, an air flow rate adjusting mechanism may be arranged in the second branch air path 22 upstream or downstream of the compressor 11. As the air flow rate adjusting mechanism, for example, a conductance variable valve or the like can be used. The flow dividing ratio can be adjusted by arranging a conductance variable valve at the position of the opening 23 a of the above embodiment and adjusting the opening of the conductance variable valve by the control device 40.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the open / close damper 30 as the diversion ratio variable means is provided and the diversion ratio is adjusted during the drying operation. However, the diversion ratio variable means may not be provided. In this case, when the drying operation is finished, the temperature of the drying air at the outlet of the first branch air path 21 and the temperature of the drying air at the outlet of the second branch air path 22 are substantially equal. In addition, the washing / drying machine W may be manufactured by adjusting the opening 23a or the opening 23b in advance. Similarly, when the drying operation is finished, the temperature of the air obtained by joining the drying air that has passed through the first branch air path 21 and the drying air that has passed through the second branch air path 22 is maximized. The washing / drying machine W may be manufactured by adjusting the opening 23a or the opening 23b in advance.

  In each of the above embodiments, the present invention is applied to a washing / drying machine having washing and drying functions, but it goes without saying that the drying machine may have only a single drying function.

It is a figure which shows the refrigerant | coolant and the flow of air of the washing-drying machine of the Example of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the external structure of the washing-drying machine of the Example of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the internal structure of the washing-drying machine of FIG. FIG. 2 is a Mollier diagram of a refrigerant circuit during a drying operation of the washing and drying machine of FIG. 1. It is a flowchart of the diversion ratio control in the drying operation of Example 1 of the present invention. It is a flowchart of the diversion ratio control in the drying operation of Example 2 of the present invention. It is a flowchart of the diversion ratio control in the drying operation of Example 3 of the present invention. It is a control flow figure (time chart) showing control in time series of dry operation of Example 4 of the present invention. It is a control flow (time chart) showing the control during the drying operation of Example 5 of the present invention in time series.

Explanation of symbols

W Washer / Dryer 1 Main body 2 Outer tub drum 3 Open / close door 4 Base 5 Inner tub drum 7 Storage chamber 10 Refrigerant circuit 11 Compressor 12 Gas cooler 14 Capillary tube 15 Evaporator 16 Blower fan 20 Air circulation path 21 First branch air path 22 Second branch air path 23a, 23b Opening 24 Storage chamber inlet 25 Storage chamber outlet 26 Air path 30 Opening / closing damper 40 Controller 51 Temperature sensors 52, 54, 55 Refrigerant temperature sensor 53 Refrigerant pressure sensors 56, 57, 58 Air temperature Sensor 61 Duct box 67 Discharge-side duct member 68 Suction-side duct member 69 Air passage 69A Inlet 69B Outlet 92A, 92B Partition member

Claims (12)

A drier that includes a storage chamber that stores a material to be dried, and that performs a drying operation of the material to be dried in the storage chamber,
A refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a radiator, a decompression device, and a heat absorber are sequentially connected in a pipe; and
The air after heat exchange with the heat absorber is diverted to a first branch air path in which the radiator is arranged and a second branch air path in which the compressor is arranged by the blowing means, and the first The air exchanged with the radiator in the branch air path and the air heat exchanged with the compressor in the second branch air path are discharged into the storage chamber, and the air that has passed through the storage chamber is discharged again. An air path for heat exchange with the heat sink;
With a dryer.   When the drying operation is finished, the heat absorber and the heat are heated so that the temperature of the air at the outlet of the first branch air path is substantially equal to the temperature of the air at the outlet of the second branch air path. The dryer according to claim 1, wherein the air after the exchange is diverted to the first branch air path and the second branch air path.   When the drying operation is finished, the heat absorber and the heat are heated so that the temperature of the air that the air that has passed through the first branch air path and the air that has passed through the second branch air path merges becomes a maximum. The dryer according to claim 1, wherein the air after the exchange is diverted to the first branch air path and the second branch air path.   The diversion ratio variable means for varying the ratio between the flow rate of air flowing through the first branch air path and the flow rate of air flowing through the second branch air path is provided. The dryer described.   5. The dryer according to claim 4, wherein the diversion ratio variable means is an open / close damper disposed upstream or downstream of the radiator and the compressor.   5. The dryer according to claim 4, wherein the diversion ratio varying means is an air flow rate adjusting mechanism disposed upstream or downstream of the compressor in the second branch air path.   The diversion ratio variable means is controlled so that the temperature of the air at the outlet of the first branch air path is substantially equal to the temperature of the air at the outlet of the second branch air path. Item 7. A dryer according to items 4 to 6.   The diversion ratio variable means is controlled so that the temperature of the air where the air passing through the first branch air path and the air passing through the second branch air path merge becomes maximum. Item 7. A dryer according to items 4 to 6.   The diversion ratio variable means is controlled so that the refrigerant temperature at the location discharged from the compressor, the case surface temperature of the compressor, or the refrigerant pressure at the location discharged from the compressor is below a predetermined value. The dryer according to any one of claims 4 to 8.   The dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein when the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, air is not allowed to flow through the second branch air path at the start of operation of the refrigerant circuit.   The second branched air path when the case surface temperature of the compressor or the temperature of the air at the outlet of the heat absorber is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature that does not cause liquid compression of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant circuit. The dryer according to claim 10, wherein air is allowed to flow through the dryer.   When the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, at the start of operation of the refrigerant circuit, the operation of the compressor is started at an operation frequency lower than that at the time of steady operation, and then the operation frequency of the compressor is increased to the steady operation frequency. The dryer according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that

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