JP5949844B2 - Heat exchanger and humidifier - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a heat exchanger and a humidifier that adjust the temperature of indoor air.

  2. Description of the Related Art A heat exchanger represented by an air conditioner (also referred to as an air conditioner, hereinafter abbreviated as “air conditioner”) is widely used in homes and companies, and regulates the indoor temperature. A general air conditioner is composed of an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, and heat transfer generated by circulating a heat transfer medium (refrigerant) between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit and condensing or evaporating the heat transfer medium. By using the latent heat of the medium, it becomes a heater or a cooler.

  For example, when an air conditioner is used as a cooling device, the outdoor unit includes a condenser that condenses the heat transfer medium, and the indoor unit includes an evaporator that evaporates the heat transfer medium. The outdoor unit releases heat of condensation and the indoor unit absorbs heat of vaporization. Thereby, the indoor heat and the heat of the outside air can be exchanged to cool the room.

  In order to efficiently use an air conditioner as a cooling device, it is necessary to improve the cooling capacity per unit of power consumption (coefficient of performance (COP)). As one of means for improving COP, a method of reducing the work of the pump (compressor) by increasing the heat radiation efficiency of the condenser, that is, cooling the condenser is most effective. Therefore, although the condenser of the air conditioner is cooled by a water cooling type or an air cooling type, an air cooling type is often adopted except for a large-sized commercial condenser. In the air cooling system, a method of cooling the heat transfer medium is generally provided by providing fins in a pipe that circulates the heat transfer medium, and providing a ventilation portion for circulating air between the fins.

  In addition, as a technique for cooling the condenser more efficiently, a technique is proposed in which tap water is sprayed on the fins and heat dissipation efficiency is improved by using the heat of vaporization of tap water attached to the fins (for example, Patent Documents). 1).

  In recent years, air conditioners are required not only to adjust temperature but also to adjust humidity in order to perform comfortable air conditioning. The conventional air conditioner was also equipped with a function to dehumidify by taking advantage of its operating principle (in principle, the room air tends to dry in both heating and cooling), but it is also required to actively humidify it. It has been. Humidifiers can be roughly classified into vaporizing humidifiers, steam humidifiers, and water spray humidifiers.

  The vaporization type humidifier performs humidification by evaporating normal temperature water, and is generally configured to evaporate sensible heat of warmed air instead of latent heat of water. For this reason, when water evaporates and cools to the dew point temperature, it becomes impossible to humidify. Therefore, it is necessary to raise the air temperature by 10 ° C or more from room temperature or increase the air circulation amount, and the amount of water to be vaporized is difficult to control. There is a problem. In addition, since the humidifying ability is low, there is a problem that the device is likely to be large.

  There are several types of vaporizing humidifiers, and one of them is a capillary type that supplies water (pumps water) to the filter using the capillary phenomenon. For example, Patent Document 2 describes a configuration in which the lower end of a honeycomb-shaped filler is immersed in a water tank to supply water, and blown and vaporized by a blower. For the filter, a filler formed of a nonwoven fabric made of a resin such as rayon is used. Filters have various shapes, and a honeycomb plate, a cylinder, or a plurality of complex corrugated plates are often used.

  The steam humidifier is a method of humidifying using steam, for example, steam generated by a boiler is sprayed on a heat exchanger. Since the steam humidifier uses boiling steam, it is easy to control the amount of humidification. On the other hand, since it is saturated steam, there is a problem that if it is not mixed well with air, condensation is likely to occur and saturation efficiency is difficult to increase.

  The water spray type humidifier is a method of humidifying by discharging water at normal temperature into fine water droplets. For example, water droplets of several tens of microns (micro order) or less are generated and ejected by spraying or ultrasonic waves. The water spray type is easier to control the humidification amount than the vaporization type. However, since what is contained in water is released as it is, hardness components such as calcium and magnesium are deposited around it, and miscellaneous bacteria propagated in the water are also scattered. For this reason, it is difficult to use in clean rooms and food facilities, and it is used in places where air cleanliness is not required, or a pure water device or a sterilizer is used in combination.

  In addition, both the steam humidifier and the water spray humidifier are susceptible to condensation due to the density of water vapor if there is no volume, so a large duct and eliminator (water droplet separator) for mixing with air is required. There is a problem that the area occupied by the equipment increases.

JP 2000-018771 A JP 2003-074916 A

  From the recent trend of energy saving, it is necessary to further improve the COP of a heat exchanger represented by an air conditioner. Moreover, in order to improve the comfort of living space, control of humidity has become important, but it is also necessary to reduce power and improve humidification capacity at the same time.

  However, even if water is sprayed onto the fins of the condenser as described in Patent Document 1, a large amount of water must be continuously poured because water flows down immediately. For this reason, the consumption of water and the pump work for flowing water are large, which hinders the reduction of energy consumption. Further, in the configuration of spraying on the condenser, when the droplets are enlarged and sprayed, the water film of the condenser becomes thick, heat transferability is deteriorated, and most of the water flows before evaporating, resulting in a lot of waste. On the other hand, if the droplets are made small and sprayed, they are scattered and do not contribute to heat transfer in the condenser. In addition, there is a problem in that it is scattered around and damages surrounding equipment, and the aesthetic appearance is impaired.

  In heat pumps that use an evaporative condenser (evaporator) that sprays water on the fins of the condenser, a corrosion protection film with excellent durability is applied to the heat exchanger surface. There was a problem that the film was eroded by the solid content, and electrolytic corrosion of the heat exchanger occurred from the peeled portion.

  In addition, as described above, the humidification amount can be easily controlled in the case of the water spray method when humidifying, but it is difficult to use because of the precipitation of hardness components and the release of bacteria in the vicinity. The steam type is difficult to adopt because the air that is released becomes hot and it is difficult to increase the saturation efficiency.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a heat exchanger and a humidifier that can efficiently cool the condenser to improve the coefficient of performance and can increase the control range of the humidifying capacity in the vaporizing humidification. Yes.

In order to solve the above problems, a typical configuration of the present invention is a heat exchanger that circulates a heat transfer medium and exchanges outdoor heat and indoor heat, and vaporizes and absorbs heat from the heat transfer medium. A compressor that compresses the heat transfer medium, a condenser that dissipates and liquefies the compressed heat transfer medium, and a plurality of sheets installed in parallel with one or both of the condenser and the evaporator It has a wet layer formed by electrostatic flocking on the outer surface of the plate-like fins, and a water supply unit that intermittently supplies water to the wet layer, and the interval between the fins is 1 mm to 3 mm, and is wetted by the water supply unit A thin film of water is formed in the wet layer by supplying water intermittently to the layer.

  With the above configuration, since a thin film of water is formed on the wet layer, the heat transfer coefficient of the condenser or evaporator covered with the wet layer can be improved. Therefore, in the case of the condenser, it is possible to increase the condensation efficiency of the heat transfer medium circulating inside the condenser. In the case of an evaporator, the water adsorbed from the outside air forms a uniform thin film, so that it is difficult to freeze and the defrosting interval can be widened.

  Moreover, you may provide the water supply part which supplies water to a wet layer, and the ventilation part which distribute | circulates air to a wet layer and promotes vaporization of the water which the wet layer absorbed.

  By actively supplying water to the wet layer, a thin film of water can be reliably formed on the wet layer. By forming a thin film in this way, a high temperature gradient is formed in the water film and a high heat flux is obtained, so that the evaporation rate can be increased. Note that the highest heat flux can be obtained immediately before the water thin film is dried. Moreover, since the vaporization rate of the water supplied to the wet layer increases due to the provision of the aeration part, the vaporization endothermic efficiency of the condenser increases.

  Therefore, when a wet layer is provided in the condenser of the indoor unit, the humidifying ability can be increased. In particular, since the water is a very thin thin film, fluctuations in the temperature of the heat exchanger have a large effect on the temperature gradient, so that it is possible to increase the control range of the humidifying capacity.

  In addition, when a wet layer is provided in the condenser of the outdoor unit, the condenser can be cooled by the heat of vaporization of water, and the condensation efficiency of the heat transfer medium circulating in the condenser can be increased. Become. Therefore, the condenser can be cooled easily and inexpensively, and the heat transfer medium can be condensed.

  Furthermore, the timer which measures time is provided and a water supply part may supply water intermittently based on the time which the timer measured. Since the wet layer retains water, intermittent water supply is sufficient, and an appropriate effect can be obtained without continuing to flow a large amount of water. Further, by widening the water supply interval, it is possible to make the timing when the wet layer dries, and to prevent the generation of bacteria and mold. Further, the humidification amount can be controlled by the water supply interval.

  The wetting layer may electrostatically flock the fibers to the adhesive applied to the condenser or evaporator. This makes it possible to easily form a wet layer with high water retention. Further, the implanted fibers can be removed with an alkaline solvent such as caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), and the condenser or the evaporator can be recycled. Moreover, the effect which a flocking part prevents erosion is also acquired.

  The layer thickness of the adhesive is preferably 20 μm or less. Thereby, it is possible to prevent a decrease in heat transfer efficiency due to the provision of the wet layer.

  The fiber may be mixed with a photocatalytic material or silver powder. Moreover, you may provide the ultraviolet irradiation part which irradiates a wet layer with an ultraviolet-ray. By these, generation | occurrence | production of microbe and mold | fungi can be prevented.

  You may provide the washing | cleaning part which sprays a descaling agent on a wet layer and wash | cleans. Thereby, the function fall of a wet layer can be prevented.

  The wetting layer is provided on a part of the outer surface of the condenser or the evaporator, and further, the air sent from the ventilation part is divided into the part provided with the wetting layer and the part not provided with the wetting layer of the condenser or the evaporator. A partition wall that is divided and guided may be provided.

  Thereby, a humidification function can be provided as needed, suppressing the fall of air-conditioning efficiency. Although the pressure loss varies depending on the presence or absence of the wet layer, it is possible to ventilate any region by providing a partition wall.

Another representative configuration of the present invention is a humidifier having a heat exchanger that circulates a heat transfer medium to exchange outdoor heat and indoor heat, and vaporizes and absorbs heat from the heat transfer medium. A compressor that compresses the heat transfer medium, a condenser that dissipates and liquefies the compressed heat transfer medium, and a plurality of sheets installed in parallel with one or both of the condenser and the evaporator It has a wet layer formed by electrostatic flocking on the outer surface of the plate-like fins, and a water supply unit that intermittently supplies water to the wet layer, and the interval between the fins is 1 mm to 3 mm, and is wetted by the water supply unit A thin film of water is formed in the wet layer by supplying water intermittently to the layer.

  According to the above configuration, the water can be humidified by forming a thin film in the wet layer and allowing air to flow through the wet layer. By forming a thin film in this way, a high temperature gradient is formed in the water film and a high heat flux is obtained, so that the evaporation rate, that is, the humidifying ability can be increased. Similarly, since the water is a very thin thin film, the fluctuation of the heating unit as a heat source greatly affects the temperature gradient, so that the control range of the humidifying capacity can be increased.

  The components based on the technical idea of the heat exchanger described above and the description thereof can also be applied to the humidifier.

  As described above, according to the heat exchanger or humidifier of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently cool the condenser and improve the coefficient of performance, and to increase the control range of the humidifying capacity in the vaporizing humidification. Become.

It is the schematic for demonstrating the air conditioner as an example of the heat exchanger and humidifier concerning 1st Embodiment. It is a figure explaining schematic structure of an indoor unit. It is a figure explaining a wetting layer and a coil. It is a figure explaining the other example of a wet layer. It is a figure which shows the structure of the vaporization type humidifier using the filler as a comparative example. It is a figure which compares the saturation efficiency of an Example and a comparative example. It is a figure which shows the tube general heat transfer rate of an Example and a comparative example. It is a figure which compares the heat exchange performance of an Example and a comparative example. It is a figure which compares the controllability of the saturation efficiency of an Example and a comparative example. It is a figure explaining the pressure loss at the time of washing | cleaning of an Example and a comparative example, and relative humidity. It is a figure which shows the effectiveness by the combination of antibacterial and antifungal measures, and common fungi and mold. It is a figure which shows the example which provided the wet layer only in a part of fin. It is the schematic explaining the air conditioner as an example of the heat exchanger concerning 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the structure of an outdoor heat exchanger. It is a PH diagram explaining an experimental result at the time of cooling operation. It is a figure explaining the mode of the defrost driving | operation in the case where the wet layer is provided and the case where it does not provide.

(First embodiment)
1st Embodiment of the heat exchanger and humidifier concerning this invention is described. Here, in order to facilitate understanding, an air conditioner will be described as a heat exchanger having a humidifying function. The dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values shown in the following embodiments are merely examples for facilitating the understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. Further, in the present specification and drawings, constituent elements having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

(Air conditioner 100)
FIG. 1 is a schematic view for explaining an air conditioner (air conditioner; hereinafter simply referred to as “air conditioner 100”) as an example of a heat exchanger and a humidifier according to the first embodiment. The air conditioner 100 functions as cooling or heating, and includes an indoor unit 110, an outdoor unit 200, and a refrigerant pipe 102. In the air conditioner 100, the refrigerant pipe 102 is connected to the indoor unit 110 and the outdoor unit 200.

  The refrigerant pipe 102 has a pipe shape and encloses a heat transfer medium (refrigerant) therein. The heat transfer medium circulates between the indoor unit 110 and the outdoor unit 200 as indicated by arrows in FIG. When functioning the air conditioner 100 as a heating device, the heat transfer medium is circulated in the opposite direction to that when the air conditioner 100 is functioned as a cooling device. This embodiment demonstrates the case where the air conditioner 100 is mainly operated as a heating apparatus.

  The indoor unit 110 includes a fin 120 and a coil 122 that function as a condenser during heating (an evaporator during cooling), a water spray unit 124 as an example of a water supply unit, a fan 128 as an example of a ventilation unit, and ultraviolet irradiation. And a cleaning unit 136 (see FIG. 2). A water tray 130 is disposed below the fin 120 to receive water that has dropped from the fin 120. A drain pipe 132 is connected to the water tray 130, and the received water is drained without accumulating.

  The outdoor unit 200 includes an outdoor heat exchanger 212 (an evaporator during heating and a condenser during cooling), a fan 214, and a compressor 216. In the outdoor heat exchanger 212, the liquid refrigerant is evaporated and vaporized to absorb heat. The fan 214 uses the outside air to promote heat absorption of the refrigerant (releases cold heat to the outside air). The compressor 216 compresses the refrigerant into a high-temperature and high-pressure gas.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a schematic configuration of the indoor unit 110, and FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the wet layer 140 and the coil 122.

  The fins 120 are a plurality of plate-like members erected in parallel. Specifically, it can be configured as a fin coil that is integrally connected (welded) to the coil 122. The fin 120 functions as a heat radiating plate if it is made of a refrigerant circulating in the coil 122, but when viewed from the fin 120, heat is supplied from the coil 122 in order to warm water contained in the surface of the fin 120.

  The fin 120 is an aluminum plate having a thickness of 0.5 mm in this embodiment. The interval between the fins 120 can be 1 mm to 3 mm, and more preferably about 2 mm. This is because if the gap between the fins is narrower than 1 mm, the pressure loss increases and the power of the fan 128 must be increased. In addition, if the gap between the fins is larger than 3 mm, the contact area between the wet layer and the air decreases, and the desired humidification performance cannot be obtained.

  The coil 122 is a pipe that circulates the refrigerant, and is connected to the refrigerant pipe 102 to circulate the refrigerant with the outdoor unit 200. The coil 122 is joined (welded) to the fin 120 and transfers heat of the refrigerant to the fin 120. The refrigerant, which is a high-temperature and high-pressure gas, dissipates heat by the fins 120 and condenses into a liquid.

  The coil 122 repeatedly penetrates the fin 120, and the cross-sectional arrangement of the coil 122 with respect to the fin 120 is staggered as shown in FIG. 3B. Thereby, the heat transfer efficiency from the coil 122 to the fin 120 can be enhanced without obstructing the air flow.

  In addition, when it is going to comprise a humidifier without using a heat pump, it can replace with a refrigerant | coolant in the coil 122, and can flow a thermal fluid (hot water and oil), or it can replace with the coil 122 and can use an electric heater. is there. Further, a current may be passed through the entire fin 120 to cause the fin 120 itself to generate heat.

  The fan 128 promotes the heat dissipation of the refrigerant by causing air to flow between the fins 120 by generating an air flow and promoting the vaporization of the water absorbed by the wet layer 140.

  The wetting layer 140 is provided by flocking the surface of the fin 120 as shown in the partially enlarged view of FIG. Specifically, the wetting layer 140 can be configured by, for example, electrostatic flocking of fibers on the fin 120 coated with an adhesive.

  The water sprinkling unit 124 supplies water to the wet layer 140 by spraying water 126 from above the fins 120. A water supply valve 124 a is provided in the supply pipe of the sprinkler 124, and the water 126 is supplied and stopped under the control of the controller 150. The controller 150 intermittently supplies water based on the time measured by the timer 152 that measures time (for example, every 1 to 2 minutes). Since the wet layer 140 holds the water 126, intermittent water supply is sufficient, and an appropriate effect can be obtained without continuing to flow a large amount of water. Further, by widening the water supply interval, it is possible to make a timing for drying the wet layer 140, and to prevent the generation of bacteria and mold. Moreover, the whole humidification amount can be adjusted by adjusting the interval (timer interval) of intermittent water supply.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the wetting layer 140 is constituted by fibers 142 planted irregularly. Thereby, the wet layer 140 can permeate and diffuse the water 126 supplied from the water sprinkling part 124 using the capillary phenomenon. As shown in FIG. 3A, the supplied water 126 forms a thin film called meniscus (liquid bridge) between the fibers 142.

  As the fiber 142, a synthetic resin mainly composed of rayon, nylon, or acrylic can be preferably used. Acrylic is particularly preferable because of its good hydrophilicity and high diffusibility. This is because when the hydrophilicity is high, the solid-liquid contact angle becomes small and the meniscus portion increases. As will be described later, the fiber 142 may be mixed with a photocatalytic material or an antibacterial and fungicidal agent (Bincho charcoal, silver powder, etc.). Furthermore, the ultraviolet irradiation unit 134 irradiates the wet layer 140 with ultraviolet rays, thereby preventing the growth of bacteria. Furthermore, by using a synthetic resin used for clothing, it is possible to sterilize mold and yeast using a bleaching agent such as hypochlorous acid.

  The cleaning unit 136 sprays the scale removing agent to clean the scale attached to the fins 120. By using a material such as rayon for the fiber 142, a general air-conditioning cleaner or neutral scale remover can be used, and cleaning is easy. Even if the scale was not removed, a thin film of water 126 was formed in the same manner, and the performance was hardly deteriorated. However, it is preferable to periodically remove the scale because the pressure loss increases when the scale accumulates so as to cause clogging between the fins 120. A cleaning valve 136 a is provided in the supply pipe of the cleaning unit 136, and the scale remover is supplied and stopped under the control of the control unit 150.

  In addition, if the fiber 142 is flocked with an adhesive, the planted fiber 142 uses an alkaline solvent such as caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) or aluminum fin, and if it corrodes with an acrylic solvent, it is removed with lacquer thinner. can do. Accordingly, when the fibers 142 become clogged due to use and become clogged, the fins 120 are replaced, but the wet layer 140 can be removed and replanted. By reusing the fins 120 in this way, it is possible to reduce running costs and effectively use resources.

  The length of the fiber 142 is preferably 0.5 mm to 2 mm, and most preferably about 1 mm. In addition, when the fiber 142 of about 1 mm is used, the layer thickness of a wet layer will be about 0.5 mm. This is because if the fiber 142 is shorter than 0.5 mm, the diffusibility due to the capillary phenomenon is lowered. Further, if the fiber 142 is longer than 2 mm, the water film contained in the fiber 142 becomes thick, and a desired humidification performance as described later cannot be obtained.

  The layer thickness of the adhesive is preferably 20 μm or less. Thereby, a decrease in electrothermal efficiency due to the provision of the wet layer 140 can be prevented. Note that when the adhesive is thinned, the adhesive force to the fibers 142 is reduced. However, by performing heat treatment after electrostatically flocking the fibers 142, the adhesive can be reliably fixed even if the adhesive is as thin as 20 μm or less.

  The fiber 142 may contain metal or carbon or both. As a result, the thermal conductivity is improved, so that the heat held by the fins 120 and the heat of the outside air can be efficiently exchanged.

  The wetting layer 140 is not limited to fiber flocking, it is sufficient if a capillary phenomenon is obtained, a belt-like cloth or non-woven fabric is wound, a foamed resin layer is formed, or a porous ceramic is applied to the outer surface of the fin 120. It may be formed by sintering.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining another example of the wet layer 140. In particular, FIG. 4 (a) uses a nonwoven fabric, FIG. 4 (b) uses a cloth, and FIG. 4 (c) uses a foamed resin for the wet layer 140. Each case is shown. In FIG. 4, water is indicated by diagonal lines. As shown in FIG. 4, it is possible to form a thin film by diffusing water using a capillary phenomenon even with a nonwoven fabric, cloth, and foamed resin. Accordingly, non-woven fabrics, cloths and foamed resins can be suitably used as the wet layer 140.

  According to the above configuration, when water is supplied from the sprinkling portion 124 to the wet layer 140, water penetrates and diffuses into the wet layer 140 formed by flocking using capillary action, and air is supplied to the wet layer 140. Humidification can be performed by making it circulate. Although water is intermittently supplied, while the water is discharged from the sprinkling portion 124, the wet layer 140 contains excessive water, so that a thin film is hardly formed. However, by performing intermittent water supply, when the water supply is stopped, excess water quickly drops, and an extremely thin thin film is formed on the wet layer 140 (see FIG. 3A).

  Therefore, the water film can be drastically reduced as compared with the case where water is constantly supplied. By forming an extremely thin thin film in this way, a high temperature gradient is formed in the water film and a high heat flux is obtained. Therefore, vaporization is facilitated, and the evaporation rate, that is, the humidifying ability can be increased. In addition, the highest heat flux is obtained just before the water thin film dries, so by setting the water supply interval so that water is supplied just before it dries, the time average heat flux is increased and the humidification capacity is further increased. I can do it. Similarly, since the water is a very thin thin film, the temperature near the heat transfer surface of the water film changes almost in proportion to the heat source temperature, so the change width of the temperature gradient in the water film can be increased and the humidification capacity can be controlled. The width can be increased.

  In addition, according to the above configuration, there is no water that stays for a long period of time, and the retained water amount of the wet layer 140 is small. Therefore, if the supply water is stopped, the fins 120 and the wet layer 140 are easily dried. Therefore, the generation | occurrence | production risk degree of microbe can be reduced dramatically and generation | occurrence | production of an odor can be prevented.

  Moreover, since the wet layer 140 by flocking has high diffusibility, it can be spread over the whole if a small amount of water is supplied. Although the water supply utilization rate in the case of always supplying water is 30 to 70%, according to the configuration of the present embodiment, almost 100% can be used. For this reason, even if the water to be supplied is subjected to a water softening treatment for removing the hardness component in advance, the amount of treatment is small, so that an increase in cost can be prevented.

[Example 1]
An evaluation experiment was conducted using the heat exchanger having the above-described configuration as an example and a vaporizing humidifier using a filler as a comparative example. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a vaporizing humidifier using a filler as a comparative example, and the same parts as those described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  In the vaporizing humidifier 800 as a comparative example shown in FIG. 5, the fin 810 is not provided with the wet layer 140, and the watering part 124 is not provided. The fin 810 is provided with a coil 122 passing therethrough, and heat is supplied from the refrigerant. A filler 820 made of a non-woven corrugated sheet is disposed on the downstream side of the fins 810, and water is dripped from a water supply pipe 830 disposed above the filler 820 so that water is constantly supplied. Therefore, in the vaporizing humidifier 800, the airflow generated by the fan 128 is warmed in the fins 810 and water is vaporized in the filler 820.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram comparing the saturation efficiencies of the example and the comparative example. The saturation efficiency is an index indicating how much air can be humidified, and is represented by (exit humidity−inlet humidity) / wet bulb humidity−inlet humidity) × 100 (%) before and after humidification. When measured for 90 minutes in both the comparative example and the example, as shown in FIG. 6, a saturation efficiency of 85% was obtained in the example and almost zero in the comparative example (note that the experimental value of the saturation efficiency of the comparative example is Although it is -4, it is considered to be a measurement error because it never becomes a negative value in principle). The pressure loss at this time was 10 Pa higher in the example, but it can be seen that extremely high saturation efficiency was obtained with a small pressure loss difference.

  On the other hand, when the same amount of heat, the same wind speed, and the same saturation efficiency can be obtained in the same experiment, the fin 120 of the example has a space (depth) reduced by 75% compared to the fin 810 of the comparative example, and pressure loss Down 18%. Thus, since extremely high saturation efficiency can be obtained, the size of the fin 120 can be reduced, and the apparatus can be reduced in size and thickness.

  Considering why a high saturation efficiency can be obtained even with a low pressure loss, the first step can be omitted as compared with the vaporization type humidifier of the comparative example, so that the pressure loss is low. However, since the efficiency of vaporization is higher than that, a thin heat exchanger is sufficient, and the pressure loss is considered to be low.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the overall heat transfer coefficient outside the tube of the example and the comparative example. As shown in the figure, the overall heat transfer coefficient calculated at the dry bulb temperature is 1818 (W / m2K) in the example and 681 (W / m2K) in the comparative example, which is about three times higher. Recognize. This is presumably because the sprayed water is thinly stretched by the wet layer 140 and the temperature gradient in the water is large because heat is supplied from the inside of the fin 120.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram comparing the heat exchange performance of the example and the comparative example. The coefficient of performance (COP) is also called an operation coefficient and is an index indicating energy efficiency. COP can be calculated as operating capacity (kW) / power consumption (kW), but here it is calculated as evaporation temperature / (evaporation temperature-condensation temperature) (theoretical COP based on Carnot cycle).

  As shown in FIG. 8, in the embodiment, in addition to sensible heat, latent heat due to humidification is output. For this reason, the heating amount 1.5 times that of the comparative example is output. On the other hand, since the power consumption is 1.1 times, the COP increases by 1, and it can be seen that high efficiency can be achieved.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram comparing the controllability of the humidifying ability of the example and the comparative example. As shown in FIG. 9, in the comparative example, when the refrigerant temperature is changed from 30 ° C. to 40 ° C., the relative humidity is 82.2% to 86.5% (variation width 4%), and the saturation efficiency is 86% to It changed only in the range of 91%. On the other hand, in the examples, when the refrigerant temperature was changed from 20 ° C. to 30 ° C., the relative humidity was 74% to 89% (change width 14%), and the saturation efficiency was changed from 75% to 94%. From this, it can be seen that the control range of the humidifying capacity can be increased according to the refrigerant temperature (the temperature of the coil 130 as the heating unit).

  As described above, in the heat exchanger (humidifier) according to this embodiment, the fan power and installation space are reduced by increasing the humidification capacity in the vaporization type, the efficiency of the heat source is improved, and the humidification capacity is further improved. The control width can be increased.

  Moreover, compared with the vaporization type humidifier using a filler, since the amount of retained water is very small, it can be easily dried even at the time of stoppage, and propagation of germs can be prevented. Further, since the wet layer 140 is integrated with the coil 122 as a heating unit, it can be heated to a high temperature, and sterilization is possible by heating to about 60 ° C.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the pressure loss and relative humidity during cleaning of the example and the comparative example. The pressure loss is the difference in static pressure before and after the filter, and the relative humidity is water vapor partial pressure / saturated water vapor pressure. In the example, the fin 120 was washed, and in the comparative example, an experiment was performed in which a large amount of water was applied to the filler 820 (at about 1500 seconds).

  Then, in the structure of the comparative example, a film of water was stretched in the gap between the fillers during cleaning, and an increase in pressure loss was observed as can be seen from FIG. On the other hand, in the examples, no increase in pressure loss was observed. This is presumably due to the fact that since the fin 120 has a vertical plate shape, the washing water falls immediately and no water film is stretched between the fins 120. In addition, since the water vaporized by the wet layer 140 on the surface of the fin 120 is retained, the gap between the fins 120 can be made relatively wide, so that a water film can be avoided.

  In addition, as can be seen from FIG. 10B, in the example, the humidification amount (relative humidity on the outlet side) is reduced during cleaning, but the decrease is about 1 minute, and the humidification amount is immediately after the end of cleaning. Has recovered. This is also because the cleaning water falls immediately because the fin 120 has a vertical plate shape. On the other hand, in the comparative example, the time to recover after the humidification amount is reduced is about twice as long. This is considered to be the time required to raise the water temperature decreased by washing because the amount of water retained in the comparative example is twice or more that in the example.

[Example 2]
Next, experiments conducted for preventing the growth of mold and fungi will be described. This is because mold and fungi cause odor when they are propagated and may cause discomfort to the user. As already described, in this embodiment, the photocatalyst material, Bincho charcoal or silver powder is mixed in the fibers 142 of the wet layer 140, the wet layer is irradiated with ultraviolet rays by the ultraviolet irradiation unit 134, or the fins 120 are dried. This prevents the growth of mold and fungi.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the effectiveness of the combination of the above-mentioned antibacterial and antifungal measures and general fungi and fungi. Titanium oxide was used as the photocatalytic material. Bincho charcoal or silver powder was used as a fungicide and fungicide. As the ultraviolet irradiation unit 134, a black light that outputs ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 365 nm was used. The shorter the wavelength, the higher the energy of the ultraviolet light. However, since the fiber 142 is damaged by the ultraviolet light having a wavelength of about 250 nm, the wavelength is preferably 360 nm or more.

  Referring to FIG. 11, effective bacteria and molds are different for each countermeasure. It can be seen that ultraviolet light (black light) and a photocatalytic material (titanium oxide) are effective during continuous use in a wet state. However, at this time, effectiveness against red yeast was not recognized. Although red yeast is vulnerable to drying, it is found that inclusion of a silver component during dry sterilization is effective against most fungi and fungi. Therefore, it can be said that mixing the photocatalyst material and the silver component into the fiber 142 and irradiating with ultraviolet rays is the most effective antibacterial and antifungal measure.

  In the above configuration, the wet layer 140 is provided on the entire fin 120. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the wet layer 140 may be provided on only a part of the fin 120. This is because the heat conduction efficiency of the wet layer 140 decreases when it is dried, and when the air conditioner 100 is used for both cooling and heating, it may cause a decrease in efficiency.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example in which the wet layer 140 is provided only on a part of the fin 120. In the configuration shown in FIG. 12A, the wet layer 140 is provided on about half of the outer surface of the fin 120. And the partition 138 which divides | segments the air sent out from the fan 128 into the part with which the wet layer 140 was provided, and the part with which it is not provided is provided. Although the pressure loss varies depending on the presence or absence of the wet layer 140, the provision of the partition wall 138 allows the air to be ventilated in the same manner.

  FIG. 12B is a diagram for explaining the saturation efficiency when the wetting layer 140 is provided in about half of the fins 120. As a result of the experiment, when the wetting layer 140 was provided on the entire fin 120 as shown in FIG. 6, a saturation efficiency of 85% was obtained, as shown in FIG. When the area of the wet layer 140 was halved, a saturation efficiency of 48% could be obtained. That is, it can be seen that more than half of the saturation efficiency was obtained in terms of area ratio. In this way, it is possible to provide a humidification function as necessary while suppressing a decrease in the cooling and heating efficiency.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, 2nd Embodiment of the heat exchanger and humidifier concerning this invention is described. The same parts as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

  FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating an air conditioner 300 as an example of a heat exchanger according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an outdoor heat exchanger 212. Like the air conditioner 100, the air conditioner 300 also functions as a cooling device or a heating device.

  In the air conditioner 300, since the indoor unit 110 is the same as the air conditioner 100, the description thereof is omitted. And as shown in FIG. 14, the outdoor heat exchanger 212 of the outdoor unit 200 is comprised from the fin 220 and the coil 222 in this embodiment. Similar to the fin 120 described in the first embodiment, the wet layer 140 is provided on the fin 220. In the outdoor unit 200, a water sprinkling unit 218 as an example of a water supply unit is provided in the outdoor heat exchanger 212.

  When the air conditioner 300 is used as a cooling device, the outdoor heat exchanger 212 radiates heat as a condenser. Therefore, water is sprinkled from the sprinkler 218 to the outdoor heat exchanger 212 and water is supplied to the wet layer 140.

  An evaluation experiment at the time of cooling operation was performed using the heat exchanger having the above configuration as an example and a vaporizing humidifier using a filler as a comparative example (having the same configuration as FIG. 5). FIG. 15 is a PH diagram illustrating the experimental results during the cooling operation.

  As a result of the experiment, the heat transfer medium at 55 ° C. could be cooled to 35 ° C. in the comparative example at an outside air temperature of 28 ° C. and humidity of 60%, but in the example, the heat transfer medium could be sub-cooled to 30 ° C. It was. If this is explained with reference to the PH diagram of FIG. 15 (a), the comparative example could only cool to the point B on the right side of the saturated liquid line in the PH diagram, but in the example, the point on the left side of the saturated liquid line. It was supercooled to A. This is considered to be due to forced cooling by the heat of vaporization.

  Since supercooling is possible in this way, the refrigerant condensing temperature can be lowered as shown by the wavy line in FIG. As a result, the compression ratio of the compressor 216 can be reduced, and the pump work can be reduced, so that dramatic improvement in efficiency can be achieved.

  When the air conditioner 300 is used as a heating device, the outdoor heat exchanger 212 absorbs heat as an evaporator. Here, water is not sprayed from the water sprinkling unit 218, but since the temperature is lower than the outside air temperature, moisture in the air is condensed and the wet layer 140 contains moisture. Thus, in the air conditioner, moisture adheres to the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit 200 during the heating operation in winter, and this freezes (frosts), resulting in a decrease in heat exchange efficiency. Therefore, conventionally, when the frost is formed, a defrosting operation is performed in which the refrigerant is reversed to defrost.

  Experiments on the heating operation in winter were conducted using the heat exchanger having the above configuration as an example and a configuration in which the outdoor heat exchanger 212 was not provided with a wet layer as a comparative example. FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining the state of the defrosting operation when the wet layer 140 is provided and when it is not provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 16 (a) and 16 (b), the refrigerant evaporation temperature during the heating operation was 0 ° C. in the example, whereas it was 2.5 ° C. in the comparative example. Moreover, the temperature at the time of frost generation was -5 degreeC with respect to the Example, while the comparative example was 2.5 degreeC. In the comparative example, the defrosting operation occurred every 30 minutes, whereas in the example, the frequency was every hour. Furthermore, the time taken from the start of the defrosting operation to the return to the heating operation was about the same.

  From the above, the example in which the wet layer 140 is provided in the outdoor heat exchanger 212 operates at a refrigerant temperature lower than that of the comparative example and requires refrigeration to −5 ° C. because frost is generated. You can see that Considering this result, when water adsorbed from the outside air adheres between the fibers of the wet layer 140, it is considered that icing is difficult to form a uniform thin film. On the other hand, in the comparative example, the water droplets adhering to the surface of the fin 220 are likely to freeze because the end portions thereof are extremely thin, and the entire water droplets freeze early, and frost formation is considered to occur early.

  Thus, by providing the wet layer 140 in the outdoor heat exchanger 212, the refrigerant temperature can be lowered and the defrosting interval can be widened. Therefore, since the temperature difference between the outside air and the refrigerant can be widened, the heat exchange efficiency can be improved and the interruption time of the heating operation due to defrosting can be drastically reduced.

  Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the claims, and these are naturally within the technical scope of the present invention. Understood.

  For example, the wet layer 140 in the indoor unit 110 has been described in the first embodiment, and the wet layer 140 in the outdoor unit 200 has been described in the second embodiment. However, the heat exchangers of both the indoor unit 110 and the outdoor unit 200 are described. The wet layer 140 may be provided in the (condenser or evaporator), and the above-described effects can be obtained.

  The present invention can be used as a heat exchanger and a humidifier for adjusting the temperature of indoor air.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Air-conditioner 102 ... Refrigerant piping 110 ... Indoor unit 120 ... Fin 122 ... Coil 124 ... Sprinkling part 124a ... Water supply valve 126 ... Water 128 ... Fan 130 ... Water tray 132 ... Drain pipe 134 ... Ultraviolet irradiation part 136 ... Cleaning part 136a ... Washing valve 138 ... partition 140 ... wet layer 142 ... fiber 150 ... control unit 152 ... timer 200 ... outdoor unit 212 ... outdoor heat exchanger 214 ... fan 216 ... compressor 218 ... sprinkling part 220 ... fin 222 ... coil 300 ... air conditioner 800 ... Vaporizing humidifier 810 ... Fin 820 ... Filler 830 ... Water supply pipe

Claims (2)

A heat exchanger of a heat pump that circulates a heat transfer medium to exchange outdoor heat and indoor heat,
An evaporator for vaporizing and absorbing the heat transfer medium;
A compressor for compressing the heat transfer medium;
A condenser that radiates and liquefies the compressed heat transfer medium;
A wetting layer formed by electrostatic flocking on the outer surface of a plurality of vertical plate-like fins erected in parallel with either or both of the condenser and the evaporator;
A water supply unit for intermittently supplying water to the wet layer,
The interval between the fins is 1 mm to 3 mm,
The flocked fiber is a synthetic resin mainly composed of rayon or acrylic,
The length of the flocked fiber is 0.5 mm to 1 mm,
A heat exchanger, wherein a water thin film is formed on the wet layer by intermittently supplying water to the wet layer by the water supply unit. A humidifier equipped with a heat exchanger of a heat pump that circulates a heat transfer medium to exchange outdoor heat and indoor heat,
An evaporator for vaporizing and absorbing the heat transfer medium;
A compressor for compressing the heat transfer medium;
A condenser that radiates and liquefies the compressed heat transfer medium;
A wetting layer formed by electrostatic flocking on the outer surface of a plurality of vertical plate-like fins erected in parallel with either or both of the condenser and the evaporator;
A water supply unit for intermittently supplying water to the wet layer,
The interval between the fins is 1 mm to 3 mm,
The flocked fiber is a synthetic resin mainly composed of rayon or acrylic,
The length of the flocked fiber is 0.5 mm to 1 mm,
A humidifier, wherein a water thin film is formed on the wet layer by intermittently supplying water to the wet layer by the water supply unit.

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