JP5156987B2 - Heating method and device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention uses propylene glycol, which is extremely harmful to the human body and has a high specific heat, as a heating medium, for example, when growing crops or the like in a planting space such as a plastic house, or in a water tank. The present invention relates to a heating method and a heating apparatus that can maintain a temperature environment suitable for culturing fish and shellfish.

When cultivating various crops, flowers, etc. in a greenhouse, the temperature in the greenhouse is greater than that of being exposed to the outside air, but the temperature is still above 20-30 ° C in the daytime. Even if there is, there is an extreme temperature drop at night, so it is not uncommon to see frost columns at dawn.
Therefore, the air and soil inside the greenhouse are filled with a heat medium heated by a heating mechanism such as solar heat and boiler in the daytime and circulated in the circulation pipe, so that the temperature of the air and soil can be circulated. It has been practiced to create a good growing environment by warming the plant according to the planted plant or changing the air temperature environment appropriately according to the planting.
For general plant growth, it is important to manage the temperature of the air in which the stems and leaves extend, and the temperature of the soil where the roots are buried, but for plants that do not require soil, such as aquatic plants, etc. In place of soil temperature, water temperature management is important, and for plants that require both soil and water, such as paddy rice, temperature management of both soil and water may be important.

In addition to the above-mentioned plastic house, the facility for planting is laid so that the film is spread over the ground surface with a slight gap according to the ecology of the plant to be planted (such as height). There is also known a planting facility that is created on the rooftop of a building or the like with respect to a method or a plastic greenhouse standing on the ground for agriculture.
Furthermore, in recent years, attempts to form planting environments in buildings and industrially produce crops are also known.
In any planting environment, when heating the air, soil, or water circulating in the planting facility with a heating mechanism such as solar heat or a boiler during the day, water is generally used as a heat medium (heat medium). In some cases, a circulation pipe is filled and circulated in a planting space such as a greenhouse, and a control adjustment mechanism is provided to manage the temperature at a predetermined temperature.

  On the other hand, when fish and shellfish are cultivated in an aquarium or when aquatic animals are bred at facilities such as aquariums, it is important to manage the water temperature and temperature in the aquarium. Are reared.

However, as described above, water is used as a heating medium for warming air, soil, and water from the viewpoint of safety when leaking out. There is a possibility of rupture, and there is room for improvement in the heat exchange efficiency of warm water heated by solar heat or a heating mechanism.
In particular, when a heating mechanism such as a boiler is used, it has been desired to maintain a planting environment efficiently and inexpensively as the boiler fuel rises.
Therefore, the present inventors effectively use propylene glycol, which is extremely harmful to the human body and has a high specific heat, as a heating medium, for example, when growing crops or the like in a planting space such as a greenhouse, or in a water tank. The purpose of the present invention is to propose a heating method and a heating apparatus capable of maintaining a suitable temperature environment when fish, shellfish, etc. are cultivated inside.

Propylene glycol (1,2-propanediol) is a petrochemical liquid that has less harmful substances and is gentle on the earth compared to general ethylene glycol. It has already been used for wiping baby's butt, medical disinfectant, and shampoo. It is used for various refrigerants and cooling water for various facilities because of its high specific heat.
The present invention effectively uses propylene glycol, which is extremely harmful to the human body and has a high specific heat, as a heating medium, and further adds glycerin to form a heating medium. By circulating a heat medium consisting of 7% propylene glycol and 7% or less glycerin with respect to the propylene glycol, a heated substance selected from any one of soil, water, and air in contact with the circulation pipe is obtained. The present invention relates to a heating method characterized by heating.

When the material to be warmed is soil or water, the purpose is to increase the temperature of the soil or the temperature of the water, or to prevent a decrease in the temperature.
For example, when planting various crops in a greenhouse or the like, water, 20 to 40% by weight of propylene glycol is added to a circulation pipe disposed in the soil for planting or the growing water for planting. And planting by heating the soil for planting or planting water for cultivation by filling and circulating a heat medium composed of 7% or less of glycerin with respect to the propylene glycol. Become a method.
For example, when fish such as fish and shellfish are cultivated in an aquarium, water, 20 to 40% by weight of propylene glycol, and 7% or less glycerin with respect to the propylene glycol are added to a circulation pipe disposed in the water in the aquarium. By filling and circulating the heat medium, the aquaculture method is characterized by warming the water in the aquarium and culturing fish and shellfish.

When the material to be warmed is air, the objective is to warm the ambient temperature or prevent the temperature from decreasing.
For example, in planting in the greenhouse, in the aquarium, or in aquaculture, it is not necessary to warm only the soil temperature and water temperature, and warming the ambient temperature is important for planting and aquaculture. In addition, not only soil and water, but also a suitable environment can be obtained by appropriately heating a planting space or an aquaculture space.

  As described above, the warming substance to be warmed may be only one of soil, water, and air, or any two or all three. What is necessary is just to select according to a kind and characteristic, and what is necessary is just to select according to the kind and characteristic, such as fish and shellfish to cultivate.

  Furthermore, the present invention relates to a circulation pipe disposed in a heated material selected from any one of soil, water, and air, water charged in the circulation pipe, 20 to 40% by weight of propylene glycol, and The present invention also proposes a heating apparatus comprising a heat medium made of glycerin of 3 to 7% with respect to the propylene glycol and a circulation mechanism (pump) for circulating the heat medium.

In the present invention, since propylene glycol having a specific heat higher than that of water alone is blended, the heat exchange efficiency is high, and the thermal environment can be maintained efficiently and inexpensively. Furthermore, since an appropriate amount of glycerin is blended, it is considered that the affinity of the entire heating medium solution is increased and the heat exchange efficiency is further increased.
Therefore, in the method using the solar radiant heat during the day, the heat medium warmed during the day can be heated by the circulation pipe at night, and the soil temperature can be prevented from decreasing for a longer time. In the method of heating using various heating mechanisms such as a boiler, the fuel cost to be used can be reduced.
In addition, since propylene glycol and glycerin have been used as antifreeze solutions particularly in cold weather, they serve to prevent freezing, and also have anti-rust and anti-fungal effects on metal circulation pipes.

  Furthermore, the heating device of the present invention is composed of a circulation pipe, a heat medium, and a circulation mechanism, and can basically use a conventional heating device as it is, so that it has extremely high practical value.

  Therefore, the heating method and the heating device of the present invention are expected to be used very much, for example, when growing crops or the like in a planting space such as a greenhouse or when cultivating fish or shellfish in an aquarium. In terms of the efficient use of heat, the social significance is extremely high, and the significance of environmental measures such as global warming and resource conservation is also extremely high.

  The heating method of the present invention is used in a circulation pipe that heats soil or water when cultivating plants inside a planting space such as a greenhouse or when cultivating fish or the like inside an aquaculture space such as an aquarium. Water, 20 to 40% by weight of propylene glycol, and a heat medium comprising 7% or less of glycerin with respect to the propylene glycol. It is an effective use of propylene glycol, which has very low harmfulness to water and high specific heat, as a heating medium.

  As described above, propylene glycol (1,2-propanediol) is a petrochemical liquid that is less harmful to the earth and friendly to the earth, has low toxicity to living organisms at low doses, and is tasteless and odorless. It is used as a lubricant, an emulsifier, an antifreeze, an intermediate material for plastics, a solvent, and the like. In addition to the above, because of its high moisturizing and antifungal properties, it can be used in a wide range of medicines and cosmetics, quality improvers such as noodles and rice balls, and the above-mentioned baby wipes. It is used in preparations as a solubilizing agent for drugs, internal medicines and external medicines.

  Glycerin (1,2,3-propanetriol) is often contained as an impurity or a compound in the propylene glycol product, has a molecular structure similar to that of propylene glycol, and has almost no toxicity. For this reason, they are used as pharmaceuticals (eye drops, brain pressure-lowering drugs, enemas, suppositories, ointments, etc.) or in the food field, and are also widely used as cosmetics (creams, lotions, etc.) as moisturizers. In addition to the above, toiletries, monoglycerides, capsules, alkyd resins, polyurethane, cellophane, film, toothpaste, mouthwash, ink, fragrance, tobacco, tobacco filters, gunpowder, antifreeze, soap, fiber, paper, solvent It is used in various fields such as condensers. Furthermore, it is used also as a resin raw material and a fat and oil raw material.

Then, by adding appropriate amounts of these propylene glycol and glycerin to water and filling the circulation pipe for circulation, the propylene glycol and glycerin can be used as a heat medium excellent in heat exchange efficiency.
When the proportion of propylene glycol is less than 20% by weight, the effect of addition (improvement of heat exchange effect) is not sufficiently exhibited, and when it is more than 40% by weight, no further improvement in effect is observed, economically. Is rather useless.
Moreover, when the ratio of glycerin is more than 7% with respect to the propylene glycol, no further improvement in the effect is recognized, and this is rather wasteful economically.

  The warm heat in the present invention mainly assumes a mild region that maintains the environment for growing animals and plants, and as a method of giving heat to the heat medium, the radiant heat of the sun during the day and the exhaust heat of various combustion engines are used. The heat medium may be accumulated using heat and the heated heat medium may be circulated at night or the like, or the heat medium may be circulated while being heated by a heating mechanism such as a boiler.

The circulation pipe is not particularly limited in its material, but may be a well-known material that is normally used, and its length and shape are not limited in any way. A known circulation pipe may be used.
In addition, the method of arranging this circulation pipe, etc., as appropriate depending on various conditions such as the thermal substance (soil, water, air) to be warmed and the application (type of plant to be cultivated, type of fish, etc.) Select and use.
In short, the present invention can be used without changing the conventional system or method as it is, except for changing the components of the heat medium,

  The heating method and the heating device of the present invention may be provided with another device or mechanism. Especially when applied to planting, if it is necessary to irradiate sunlight and perform photosynthesis, the sunlight is appropriately timed. It is also necessary to apply light irradiation with LEDs, fluorescent lamps, silica bulbs, halogen lamps, mercury lamps, metal halide lamps, etc. instead of sunlight, and facilities and environments where solar irradiation is not particularly expected Or indispensable in the climate.

[Example 1]
A heating medium solution of Example 1 was prepared by mixing 70% by weight of water, 30% by weight of propylene glycol, and 5% of glycerin with respect to the propylene glycol.
The same amount of water (100% by weight) was prepared as a heat medium for the comparative example.
The heat medium solution (Example 1) and water (comparative example) are heated in the same manner by exposing them to solar radiant heat during the day for 10 hours, and two circulation pipes A arranged in the soil in the greenhouse. , B was filled, and circulation started at 6pm in the evening.
As a result, the temperature of the soil in which the heat medium of Example 1 was circulated was about 8 ° C. even at midnight, and was about 6 ° C. even at 6 am.
The temperature of the soil in which the heat medium (water) of the comparative example was circulated was 4 ° C. or less in the middle of the night, and part of the soil started to freeze.
On the other day, the two circulation pipes A and B are replaced and similarly heated by being exposed to the radiant heat of the sun during the day for 8 hours, and filled with the heat medium solution (Example 1) and water (Comparative Example). The circulation started at 6:00 in the evening.
As a result, the soil in which the heat medium of Example 1 was circulated was about 9 ° C. even at midnight, and about 7 ° C. even at 6 am.
The soil in which the heat medium (water) of the comparative example was circulated was 3 ° C. or less at midnight, and part of the soil started to freeze.

[Example 2]
A heat medium solution of Example 2 was prepared by mixing 80% by weight of water, 20% by weight of propylene glycol, and 5% of glycerin with respect to the propylene glycol.
The same amount of water (100% by weight) was prepared as a heat medium for the comparative example.
The heat medium solution (Example 2) and water (Comparative Example) were heated in the same manner by being exposed to the sun's radiant heat for 9 hours, and two circulation pipes C arranged in the soil in the greenhouse. , D was charged respectively, and circulation started at 6 o'clock in the evening.
As a result, the temperature of the soil in which the heat medium of Example 2 was circulated was about 9 ° C. even at midnight, and was about 6 ° C. even at 6 am. However, a part of the surface layer was frozen.
The temperature of the soil in which the heat medium (water) of the comparative example was circulated was 3 ° C. or less at midnight, and part of the soil began to freeze.
On the other day, the two circulation pipes C and D are replaced and similarly heated by being exposed to the radiant heat of the sun during the day for 8 hours, and filled with the heat medium solution (Example 2) and water (Comparative Example). The circulation started at 6:00 in the evening.
As a result, the soil in which the heat medium of Example 2 was circulated was about 8 ° C. even at midnight, and about 5 ° C. even at 6 am. However, a part of the surface layer was frozen.
The soil in which the heat medium (water) of the comparative example was circulated was 4 ° C. or lower at midnight, and part of the soil started to freeze.

[Example 3]
A heat medium solution of Example 3 was prepared by mixing 60% by weight of water, 40% by weight of propylene glycol, and 5% of glycerin with respect to the propylene glycol.
The same amount of water (100% by weight) was prepared as a heat medium for the comparative example.
The heat medium solution (Example 3) and the water (Comparative Example) were heated in the same manner by being exposed to the radiant heat of the sun for 8 hours, and two circulation pipes E arranged in the soil in the greenhouse. , F were filled, and circulation started at 6 o'clock in the evening.
As a result, the temperature of the soil in which the heat medium of Example 3 was circulated was about 8 ° C. even at midnight, and was about 6 ° C. even at 6 am.
The temperature of the soil in which the heat medium (water) of the comparative example was circulated was about 6 ° C. at midnight and about 4 ° C. at 6 o'clock at dawn.
On the other day, the two circulation pipes E and F are exchanged and similarly heated by being exposed to the radiant heat of the sun during the day for 8 hours, and filled with the heat medium solution (Example 3) and water (Comparative Example). The circulation started at 6:00 in the evening.
As a result, the soil in which the heat medium of Example 3 was circulated was about 9 ° C. even at midnight, and about 6 ° C. even at 6 am.
The soil in which the heat medium (water) of the comparative example was circulated was about 5 ° C. at midnight and about 4 ° C. at 6 o'clock at dawn.

Claims (2)

  By circulating a heat medium comprising water, 20 to 40% by weight of propylene glycol, and 7% or less of glycerin with respect to the propylene glycol in the circulation pipe, any of soil, water, and air in contact with the circulation pipe A heating method characterized by heating a material to be heated selected from any one of the above.   A circulation pipe arranged in a warm material selected from any one of soil, water, and air; water to be filled in the circulation pipe; A heating apparatus comprising: a heat medium composed of -7% glycerin; and a circulation mechanism (pump) for circulating the heat medium.