JP7081460B2 - Small air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a small air conditioner.

In recent years, development of a small air conditioner mounted on a vehicle or personal mobility (hereinafter referred to as a vehicle or the like) has been promoted. The small air conditioner is a device in which the components of the refrigeration cycle are housed in an air conditioner case. The small air conditioner is installed under the seat of a vehicle, for example, and is used to blow out air conditioning air from the side surface of the seat to improve the comfort of the occupant. The small air conditioner may be used together with the vehicle air conditioner arranged inside the instrument panel of the vehicle.

By the way, in general, in a vehicle air conditioner, condensed water (that is, drain water) generated by an evaporator is discharged to the outside of the air conditioner case. Patent Document 1 describes a configuration for discharging condensed water to the outside of an air conditioning case and treating it in a vehicle air conditioner. Specifically, this vehicle air conditioner connects a container placed under the evaporator constituting the refrigeration cycle, another container placed near the condenser in the engine room, and these containers to each other. It is equipped with a pipe and a pump installed in the middle of the pipe. Then, this vehicle air conditioner receives the condensed water generated by the evaporator in the container under the evaporator, sends the condensed water to the container in the engine room by the drive of the pump, and sends the condensed water from the container toward the condenser. Condensed water is treated by spraying.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-40732

In a small air conditioner, when discharging condensed water to the outside of the air conditioning case for treatment, it is conceivable to provide a drain port under the air conditioning case and connect a drain hose to the drain port to discharge the condensed water to the outside of the vehicle. Be done.

However, the small air conditioner may be installed under the seat of the vehicle as described above. Generally, the space under the seat of the vehicle is small, and the seat of the vehicle is configured to be movable in the front-rear direction. Therefore, if a drain port or a drain hose is provided in the small air conditioner, the size of the small air conditioner becomes large and it becomes difficult to install the small air conditioner under the seat, and it may be difficult to handle the drain hose under the seat. As described above, in the small air conditioner, if the condensed water is configured to be discharged to the outside of the air conditioner case, the vehicle mountability may be deteriorated.

Further, in a small air conditioner, a blower may be arranged on the downstream side of the air flow of the condenser and the evaporator in the air conditioning case. In that case, since the pressure inside the air conditioning case becomes negative due to the drive of the blower, even if a drain port is installed in the air conditioning case, it becomes difficult to drain the condensed water from the drain port.

In view of the above points, it is an object of the present invention to provide a small air-conditioning device capable of treating condensed water generated by an evaporator in an air-conditioning case without increasing the size of the body.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is
In a small air conditioner in which the components of the refrigeration cycle are housed in the air conditioner case (10).
A compressor (2) that sucks in refrigerant, compresses it, and discharges it.
A condenser (3) that condenses the refrigerant by heat exchange between the refrigerant discharged from the compressor and air, and
A decompression mechanism (4) that depressurizes and expands the refrigerant flowing out of the condenser,
An evaporator (5) that discharges the refrigerant evaporated by heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing out of the decompression mechanism and air to the compressor, and
The blower side blower (7) that blows the air that has passed through the condenser or evaporator into the air-conditioned space, and
An exhaust side blower (8) that discharges air that has passed through a condenser or evaporator, and
It houses the components of the refrigeration cycle, including a compressor, condenser, decompression mechanism and evaporator, and has a cold air chamber (40) through which cold air passes through the evaporator and a hot air chamber (50) through which hot air passes through the condenser. With an air conditioning case,
A water supply unit (9, 91, 92, 93) provided at the bottom (41, 51) or a boundary of the cold air chamber and the hot air chamber to send the condensed water generated by the evaporator from the cold air chamber to the hot air chamber. Be prepared. The water supply unit is a wick (91) or a porous body (92) provided across the cold air chamber and the hot air chamber. The wick or porous body is provided over the bottom of the cold air chamber (41) and the bottom of the hot air chamber (51), and is located at the bottom of the hot air chamber from the area of the portion arranged at the bottom of the cold air chamber. It is said that the area of the part to be arranged is larger.

According to this, the condensed water generated by the evaporator is sent from the cold air chamber to the hot air chamber by the water supply unit, and is evaporated by the hot air flowing through the hot air chamber. Since this water supply unit is provided at the bottom or boundary of the cold air chamber and the hot air chamber, the space for providing the water supply unit in the air conditioning case can be reduced, and interference between other components and the water supply unit can be prevented. can. Therefore, this small air-conditioning device can treat condensed water in the air-conditioning case without increasing the size of the body. Further, unlike Patent Document 1, this small air-conditioning device does not require the installation of a drain port for discharging condensed water from the air-conditioning case and the handling of the drain hose, so that the mountability on a vehicle or the like is improved. be able to.

The reference numerals in parentheses attached to each component or the like indicate an example of the correspondence between the component or the like and the specific component or the like described in the embodiment described later.

It is sectional drawing of the small air-conditioning apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment, the state which removed the upper cover and the blower. It is sectional drawing which includes the blower side blower in line II-II of FIG. 1, and shows the state which the differential pressure valve is closed. It is sectional drawing which includes the exhaust side blower in the line III-III of FIG. 1, and shows the state which the differential pressure valve is closed. In the cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2, it shows a state in which the differential pressure valve is open. It is a block diagram which shows the control system of the small air-conditioning apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the control process performed by the control device of the small air-conditioning apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the small air-conditioning apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the small air-conditioning apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the small air-conditioning apparatus which concerns on 4th Embodiment. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the control process performed by the control device of the small air-conditioning apparatus which concerns on 5th Embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each of the following embodiments, the same or equal parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

(First Embodiment)
The first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The small air-conditioning device 1 of the present embodiment is installed under the seat of a vehicle or personal mobility (hereinafter referred to as a vehicle or the like), and is used to blow air-conditioning air from the side surface of the seat or the like to enhance the comfort of the occupant. It is a thing. In the following description, when the terms upper, lower, left, and right are used, those terms are used for convenience of explanation, and the position and orientation when the small air conditioner 1 is mounted on a vehicle or the like are used. It is not limited.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, in the small air conditioner 1, the air conditioner case 10 includes components 2 to 6 of the refrigeration cycle, an outlet side blower 7, an exhaust side blower 8, a differential pressure valve 9 as a water supply unit, and the like. It was housed in.

In the refrigeration cycle, a compressor 2, a condenser 3, a decompression mechanism 4, an evaporator 5, an accumulator 6 and the like are connected by pipes to form a steam compression type refrigerator. As the refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle, for example, an HFC-based refrigerant (for example, R134a) or an HFO-based refrigerant (for example, R1234yf) is used. As the refrigerant, a natural refrigerant (for example, carbon dioxide) or the like may be used.

In the following description, among the refrigerants that circulate in the refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant that flows from the discharge port 22 of the compressor 2 to the decompression mechanism 4 via the condenser 3 is called a high-pressure refrigerant, and the refrigerant 5 is referred to from the outlet of the decompression mechanism 4. The refrigerant flowing to the suction port 21 of the compressor 2 via the above may be referred to as a low pressure refrigerant.

The compressor 2 compresses the refrigerant sucked from the suction port 21 and discharges it from the discharge port 22. The compressor 2 is an electric compressor in which a compression mechanism is driven by an electric motor. As the compression mechanism, for example, a rotary type such as a scroll type or a vane type is used. As the compression mechanism, a reciprocating type such as a row type or a swash plate type may be used. The rotation speed of the electric motor is controlled by a control signal transmitted from the control device 30 shown in FIG. Therefore, the control device 30 controls the rotation speed of the electric motor, so that the refrigerant discharge capacity of the compressor 2 is changed.

The refrigerant inlet of the condenser 3 is connected to the pipe from which the high-pressure refrigerant is discharged from the compressor 2. The condenser 3 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 2 and the air passing through the condenser 3. The refrigerant flowing through the condenser 3 dissipates heat to the air passing through the condenser 3 and condenses. The air passing through the condenser 3 absorbs heat from the refrigerant flowing through the condenser 3 and becomes warm air.

A decompression mechanism 4 is provided in the middle of the pipe connecting the condenser 3 and the evaporator 5. The decompression mechanism 4 decompresses and expands the refrigerant flowing out of the capacitor 3, and uses various throttle resistances such as a fixed throttle such as an orifice or a capillary tube, a temperature expansion valve, or an electrically controlled expansion valve. Can be done.

The evaporator 5 provided on the downstream side of the decompression mechanism 4 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the low-temperature low-pressure refrigerant flowing out of the decompression mechanism 4 and becoming a gas-liquid two-phase and the air passing through the evaporator 5. .. The refrigerant flowing through the evaporator 5 absorbs heat from the air passing through the evaporator 5 and evaporates. The air passing through the evaporator 5 dissipates heat to the refrigerant flowing through the evaporator 5 and becomes cold air.

An accumulator 6 is provided on the downstream side of the evaporator 5. The accumulator 6 separates the gas and liquid of the refrigerant flowing out from the evaporator 5, stores the surplus refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle, and supplies the gas phase refrigerant to the suction port 21 of the compressor 2.

The condenser 3 described above is arranged on one side of the air conditioning case 10 (for example, the right side in FIG. 1), and the evaporator 5 is arranged on the other side of the air conditioning case 10 (for example, the left side in FIG. 1). Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, both the condenser 3 and the evaporator 5 are provided at positions separated from the bottom 19 of the air conditioning case 10 by a predetermined distance. That is, a space is provided between the bottom 19 of the air conditioning case 10 and the condenser 3. Further, a space is also provided between the bottom 19 of the air conditioning case 10 and the evaporator 5.

A blower side blower 7 and an exhaust side blower 8 are provided between the condenser 3 and the evaporator 5. The blower side blower 7 is a blower for blowing out the air that has passed through the condenser 3 or the evaporator 5 into the vehicle interior, which is the space to be air-conditioned. A blowout duct (not shown) is connected to the downstream side of the blowout side blower 7. The cold air or hot air (that is, air-conditioned air) generated in the air-conditioning case 10 by driving the blower-side blower 7 is blown into the vehicle interior from the side surface of the seat or the like through the air-conditioning duct. Specifically, the cold or hot air is blown toward or near the occupant seated in the seat.

On the other hand, the exhaust side blower 8 is a blower for discharging the air that has passed through the condenser 3 or the evaporator 5. An exhaust duct (not shown) is connected to the downstream side of the exhaust side blower 8. By driving the exhaust side blower 8, the exhaust generated in the air conditioning case 10 is discharged to a place that does not directly hit the occupant or outside the vehicle interior through the exhaust duct.

Both the blower side blower 7 and the exhaust side blower 8 are provided on the downstream side of the air flow of the condenser 3 or the evaporator 5. That is, both the blower side blower 7 and the exhaust side blower 8 are provided so as to suck in the air passing through the condenser 3 or the evaporator 5. The blower side blower 7 and the exhaust side blower 8 are composed of an impeller and an electric motor for rotating the impeller. As the blower side blower 7 and the exhaust side blower 8, various forms such as an axial flow type, a centrifugal type, and a once-through type can be used. The rotation speed of each of the blower side blower 7 and the exhaust side blower 8 is controlled by a control signal transmitted from the control device 30 shown in FIG. Therefore, the control device 30 controls the rotation speed of the blower side blower 7, so that the amount of air blown by the blower side blower 7 is changed. Further, the control device 30 controls the rotation speed of the exhaust side blower 8, so that the amount of air blown by the exhaust side blower 8 is changed.

The air conditioning case 10 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The shape of the air conditioning case 10 is not limited to this, and may be any shape according to the mounting space for a vehicle or the like. The air-conditioning case 10 serves as a blower side blower 7, an exhaust side blower 8, and a water supply unit together with the components 2 to 6 of the refrigeration cycle including the compressor 2, the condenser 3, the decompression mechanism 4, the evaporator 5, and the accumulator 6 described above. It houses the differential pressure valve 9 and the like. The air conditioning case 10 has a plurality of walls for partitioning the compressor 2, the condenser 3, the evaporator 5, the blower side blower 7, and the exhaust side blower 8, respectively.

In the following description, the wall provided between the blower side blower 7 and the exhaust side blower 8 and the condenser 3 is referred to as a first wall 11. The wall provided between the blower side blower 7 and the exhaust side blower 8 and the evaporator 5 is referred to as a second wall 12. The wall provided between the blower side blower 7 and the exhaust side blower 8 is referred to as a third wall 13. The first wall 11, the second wall 12, and the third wall 13 are all provided at positions separated from the bottom 19 of the air conditioning case 10 by a predetermined distance. That is, a space is provided between the first wall 11, the second wall 12, and the third wall 13 and the bottom 19 of the air conditioning case 10.
Further, the wall provided between the compressor 2 and the accumulator 6 and the condenser 3, the blower side blower 7 and the evaporator 5 is referred to as a fourth wall 14. The fourth wall 14 is connected to the bottom 19 of the air conditioning case 10.

The wall provided parallel to the bottom 19 of the air conditioning case 10 on the air suction side of the blower side blower 7 (that is, the bottom 19 side of the air conditioning case 10) is referred to as a fifth wall 15. The fifth wall 15 is provided with a hole 151 corresponding to the outer diameter of the impeller of the blower side blower 7.
The wall provided parallel to the bottom 19 of the air conditioning case 10 on the air suction side of the exhaust side blower 8 (that is, the bottom 19 side of the air conditioning case 10) is referred to as a sixth wall 16. The sixth wall 16 is provided with a hole 161 corresponding to the outer diameter of the impeller of the exhaust side blower 8. The blower side blower 7 and the fifth wall 15 may be integrally formed, and the exhaust side blower 8 and the sixth wall 16 may be integrally formed.

A partition wall 17 for attaching a differential pressure valve 9, which will be described later, is provided between the blower side blower 7 and the exhaust side blower 8 and the bottom 19 of the air conditioning case 10. The partition wall 17 is provided at the lower part of the third wall 13 and extends in a direction in which the blower side blower 7 and the exhaust side blower 8 are arranged side by side. Further, the partition wall 17, the first wall 11 and the second wall 12 are provided substantially in parallel. A differential pressure valve 9, which will be described later, is attached to the partition wall 17. The partition wall 17, together with the differential pressure valve 9, is a space through which cold air passes through the evaporator 5 (hereinafter referred to as a cold air chamber 40) and a space through which the hot air passes through the condenser 3 (hereinafter referred to as a hot air chamber 50). It is the one that separates and.

A blowout door 60 is provided between the bottom portion 19 of the air conditioning case 10 and the blowout side blower 7. The blowout door 60 can block an area of approximately half of the space below the blowout side blower 7. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the blow-out door 60 closes a substantially half area on the condenser 3 side and opens a substantially half area on the evaporator 5 side in the space under the blow-out side blower 7. It shows the state. The blowing door 60 is driven by a door actuator 70 and is provided so as to straddle the first wall 11, the partition wall 17, and the second wall 12 so as to be able to reciprocate between them. Specifically, the rack 61 provided on the surface of the blow-out door 60 on the blow-out side blower 7 side meshes with a pinion (not shown). The door actuator 70 rotates and drives the pinion, so that the blowout door 60 moves.

An exhaust door 80 is provided between the bottom 19 of the air conditioning case 10 and the exhaust side blower 8. The exhaust door 80 can block an area of approximately half of the space below the exhaust side blower 8. In FIGS. 1 and 3, the exhaust door 80 opens a substantially half area on the condenser 3 side while blocking a substantially half area on the evaporator 5 side in the space under the exhaust side blower 8. It shows the state. The exhaust door 80 is also driven by the door actuator 70 and is provided so as to straddle the first wall 11, the partition wall 17, and the second wall 12 so as to be able to reciprocate between them. Specifically, the rack 81 provided on the surface of the exhaust door 80 on the exhaust side blower 8 side also meshes with a pinion (not shown). The door actuator 70 rotates and drives the pinion, so that the exhaust door 80 moves.

A differential pressure valve 9 as a water feeding unit is provided between the partition wall 17 and the bottom 19 of the air conditioning case 10. The differential pressure valve 9 is formed of, for example, a rubber plate, a resin plate, a metal plate, or the like. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the differential pressure valve 9 has an upper end portion supported and fixed to the partition wall 17, and a lower end portion is in contact with the bottom portion 19 of the air conditioning case 10. The differential pressure valve 9 is provided so that the lower end thereof faces the warm air chamber 50 side. In this state, the differential pressure valve 9 and the partition wall 17 partition the space below the evaporator 5 and the space below the capacitor 3. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the differential pressure valve 9 is configured such that the lower end portion is displaceable above the warm air chamber 50 away from the bottom portion 19 of the air conditioning case 10.

In the air conditioning case 10, the space partitioned by the lower surface of the evaporator 5, the inner wall of the air conditioning case 10, the exhaust door 80, the partition wall 17, and the differential pressure valve 9 is called a cold air chamber 40. The cold air that has passed through the evaporator 5 flows through the cold air chamber 40. On the other hand, in the air conditioning case 10, the space partitioned by the lower surface of the condenser 3, the inner wall of the air conditioning case 10, the blowing door 60, the partition wall 17, and the differential pressure valve 9 is called a hot air chamber 50. Hot air that has passed through the condenser 3 flows through the hot air chamber 50. That is, the air conditioning case 10 has a cold air chamber 40 and a hot air chamber 50.

The differential pressure valve 9 described above is provided at the boundary between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50, and is configured to open and close according to the pressure difference between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50. Specifically, the differential pressure valve 9 is configured to close when the pressure in the cold air chamber 40 is lower than the pressure in the hot air chamber 50. 2 and 3 show a state in which the differential pressure valve 9 is closed. In this state, the end of the differential pressure valve 9 on the opposite side of the partition wall 17 is in contact with the bottom 19 of the air conditioning case 10. Therefore, when the differential pressure valve 9 is closed, the flow of wind and water is cut off between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50.

On the other hand, the differential pressure valve 9 is configured to open when the pressure of the hot air chamber 50 is lower than the pressure of the cold air chamber 40. FIG. 4 shows a state in which the differential pressure valve 9 is open. In this state, the end of the differential pressure valve 9 on the opposite side of the partition wall 17 is separated from the bottom 19 of the air conditioning case 10.
The differential pressure valve 9 is opened when the pressure in the hot air chamber 50 is lower than the pressure in the cold air chamber 40 and the differential pressure between the hot air chamber 50 and the cold air chamber 40 is larger than a preset predetermined value. It may be configured as follows. The predetermined value is appropriately set by an experiment or the like.

The drive of the compressor 2, the blower side blower 7, the exhaust side blower 8, the door actuator 70, and the like included in the small air conditioner 1 is controlled by the control device 30 shown in FIG. The control device 30 includes a processor that performs control processing and arithmetic processing, a microcomputer that includes a storage unit such as a ROM and a RAM that stores programs and data, and peripheral circuits thereof. The storage unit of the control device 30 is composed of a non-transitional substantive storage medium. The control device 30 performs various control processes and arithmetic processes based on the program stored in the storage unit, and controls the operation of each device connected to the output port. The control device 30 may be provided inside the air conditioning case 10 or may be provided at a place away from the air conditioning case 10.

In the above-described configuration, FIGS. 1 to 3 show a state in which the small air conditioner 1 cools the vehicle interior.
When the small air conditioner 1 cools the interior of the vehicle, the control device 30 drives the door actuator 70, and the blowout door 60 is approximately half of the space under the blowout side blower 7 on the condenser 3 side. The area is closed and about half of the area on the evaporator 5 side is opened. Further, the control device 30 drives the door actuator 70, and the exhaust door 80 closes a region of about half of the space under the exhaust side blower 8 on the evaporator 5 side, and about half of the condenser 3 side. The area of is open. Then, the control device 30 drives the compressor 2 of the refrigeration cycle, the blower side blower 7, and the exhaust side blower 8. Then, as shown by the arrow CA in FIG. 2, the cold air that has passed through the evaporator 5 is sucked into the blower side blower 7 through the opening 62 formed by the blowout door 60, and is sucked into the seat through the blowout duct (not shown). It is blown toward or near the seated occupant. At that time, as shown by the arrow HA in FIG. 3, the warm air that has passed through the condenser 3 is sucked into the exhaust side blower 8 through the opening 82 formed by the exhaust door 80, and an exhaust duct (not shown) is formed. It is discharged to a place that does not directly hit the occupants or outside the vehicle interior.

When the refrigeration cycle is activated, the water vapor contained in the air that has passed through the evaporator 5 may be condensed to generate condensed water. As shown by the broken line CW in FIGS. 2 and 3, the condensed water generated by the evaporator 5 collects in the bottom 41 of the cold air chamber 40. The control device 30 keeps the pressure in the cold air chamber 40 lower than the pressure in the hot air chamber 50 during normal operation, thereby closing the differential pressure valve 9. Then, the control device 30 controls to increase the air volume of the hot air chamber 50 or decrease the air volume of the cold air chamber 40 when the condensed water of the cold air chamber 40 exceeds a predetermined amount. The pressure of 50 is made lower than the pressure of the cold air chamber 40. As a result, the differential pressure valve 9 is opened, and the condensed water collected in the cold air chamber 40 is sent to the hot air chamber 50. That is, the differential pressure valve 9 functions as a delivery unit that sends the condensed water generated by the evaporator 5 from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50. The condensed water sent from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50 is evaporated by the hot air that has passed through the condenser 3 in the hot air chamber 50. The water vapor evaporated from the condensed water is sucked into the exhaust side blower 8 and discharged to a place not directly hitting the occupant or outside the vehicle interior through an exhaust duct (not shown).

The differential pressure valve 9 is opened when the pressure in the hot air chamber 50 is lower than the pressure in the cold air chamber 40 and the differential pressure between the hot air chamber 50 and the cold air chamber 40 is larger than a preset predetermined value. When configured as such, the control device 30 performs the following control. That is, the control device 30 keeps the pressure of the cold air chamber 40 lower than the pressure of the hot air chamber 50 during normal operation, so that the differential pressure valve 9 is closed. Further, in the control device 30, even if the pressure of the cold air chamber 40 is higher than the pressure of the hot air chamber 50 during normal operation, the differential pressure between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50 is larger than a preset predetermined value. By keeping the pressure within a small range, the differential pressure valve 9 can be closed. On the other hand, the control device 30 controls to increase the air volume of the hot air chamber 50 or decrease the air volume of the cold air chamber 40 when the condensed water of the cold air chamber 40 exceeds a predetermined amount. The pressure of 50 is made lower than the pressure of the cold air chamber 40, and the differential pressure between the hot air chamber 50 and the cold air chamber 40 is made larger than a preset predetermined value. As a result, the differential pressure valve 9 is opened, and the condensed water collected in the cold air chamber 40 is sent to the hot air chamber 50.

When the small air conditioner 1 heats the interior of the vehicle, the blowout door 60 and the exhaust door 80 are moved to the left and right sides opposite to each other in the state shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. Although the illustration of the state is omitted, the control device 30 drives the door actuator 70, and the blowout door 60 closes a region of about half of the space under the blowout side blower 7 on the evaporator 5 side. It is assumed that approximately half of the area on the capacitor 3 side is open. Further, the control device 30 drives the door actuator 70, and the exhaust door 80 closes a region of about half of the space under the exhaust side blower 8 on the condenser 3 side, and is about half on the evaporator 5 side. The area of is open. Then, the control device 30 drives the compressor 2 of the refrigeration cycle, the blower side blower 7, and the exhaust side blower 8. Then, the warm air that has passed through the condenser 3 is sucked into the blower side blower 7 through the opening formed by the blowout door 60, and is blown into the vehicle interior through a blowout duct (not shown). Specifically, the warm air is blown toward or near the occupant seated in the seat. At that time, the cold air that has passed through the evaporator 5 is sucked into the exhaust side blower 8 through the opening formed by the exhaust door 80, and is not directly hit by the occupant through an exhaust duct (not shown) or outside the vehicle interior. Is discharged to.

Next, the control process performed by the control device 30 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In this description, it is assumed that the small air conditioner 1 cools the interior of the vehicle.

First, in step S10, the control device 30 determines whether or not it is necessary to send the condensed water collected in the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50. This determination is made based on whether or not the amount of condensed water in the cold air chamber 40 exceeds a predetermined amount. The predetermined amount is, for example, an experiment such as a range in which condensed water does not leak from the air conditioning case 10, a range in which the electronic devices in the air conditioning case 10 are not exposed to water, or a range in which the condensed water does not affect the air conditioning wind. Is set as appropriate.

The amount of condensed water collected in the cold air chamber 40 is calculated from the temperature, humidity, and air volume of the wind passing through the evaporator 5 and the temperature of the evaporator 5. The temperature and humidity of the wind passing through the evaporator 5 can be detected by, for example, a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor installed in the vehicle. Alternatively, the temperature and humidity of the wind passing through the evaporator 5 are estimated from the information on the temperature and humidity outside the vehicle obtained from the server outside the vehicle or the cloud and the operating state of the air conditioner for the vehicle inside the instrument panel. You may. The amount of air passing through the evaporator 5 can be calculated from the duty ratio of energization to the blower side blower 7 at the time of cooling. The temperature of the evaporator 5 may be detected from the output of the temperature sensor installed in the evaporator 5, or may be calculated from the capacity of the refrigeration cycle device such as the rotation speed of the compressor 2.

Alternatively, as another method, the amount of condensed water collected in the cold air chamber 40 is detected based on the signal output from the water sensor to the control device 30 when the water sensor is provided in the air conditioning case 10. May be good.

When the control device 30 determines in step S10 that it is not necessary to send the condensed water accumulated in the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50, the process is temporarily terminated. Then, after the lapse of a predetermined time, the control device 30 repeatedly executes the process from step S10 again.

On the other hand, if the control device 30 determines in step S10 that it is necessary to send the condensed water accumulated in the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50, the process proceeds to step S20.
In step S20, the control device 30 controls to increase the air volume of the blower on the side that allows the air to pass through the condenser 3 (hereinafter, referred to as the blower on the condenser 3 side). That is, during cooling, control is performed to increase the air volume of the exhaust side blower 8. Then, the control device 30 advances the process to step S30.

Next, in step S30, the control device 30 determines whether or not the differential pressure between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50 is sufficient to open the differential pressure valve 9. The differential pressure between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50 can be calculated from the air volume of the blower side blower 7 and the air volume of the exhaust side blower 8. In the memory of the control device 30, the relationship between the air volumes of the two blowers 7 and 8 and the differential pressure between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50 may be stored as a map. If the control device 30 determines in step S30 that the differential pressure between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50 is sufficient to open the differential pressure valve 9, the process proceeds to step S50.

On the other hand, if the control device 30 determines in step S30 that the differential pressure between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50 has not reached a sufficient differential pressure for opening the differential pressure valve 9, the process is stepped. Proceed to S40.
In step S40, the control device 30 controls to reduce the air volume of the blower on the side that allows the wind to pass through the evaporator 5 (hereinafter, referred to as the blower on the evaporator 5 side). That is, during cooling, control is performed to reduce the air volume of the blower side blower 7. Then, the control device 30 advances the process to step S50.

In step S50, the control device 30 determines whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the differential pressure valve 9 was opened. This predetermined time is set to the time required for the condensed water collected in the cold air chamber 40 to be sent to the hot air chamber 50. In step S50, the control device 30 advances the process to step S60 after the lapse of a predetermined time.
In step S60, the control device 30 returns the air volume of the exhaust side blower 8 and the air volume of the blow side blower 7 to the original state. Then, the control device 30 ends the process once, and after a predetermined time elapses, repeats the process from step S10.

The small air conditioner 1 of the first embodiment described above has the following effects.
(1) In the first embodiment, a differential pressure valve 9 as a water supply unit is provided at the boundary between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50, and the condensed water generated by the evaporator 5 is transferred from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50. It is configured to send. As a result, the condensed water generated by the evaporator 5 is sent from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50 by the differential pressure valve 9, and is evaporated by the hot air flowing through the hot air chamber 50. Since the differential pressure valve 9 is provided at the boundary between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50, the space for providing the differential pressure valve 9 in the air conditioning case 10 can be reduced, and the differential pressure valve 9 can be combined with other components. Interference can be prevented. Therefore, the small air-conditioning device 1 can treat the condensed water in the air-conditioning case 10 without increasing the size of the body. Further, unlike the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, this small air-conditioning device 1 does not require the installation of a drain port for discharging condensed water from the air-conditioning case 10 and the handling of the drain hose, so that the physique becomes large. It is possible to improve the mountability on a vehicle or the like without any problem.

(2) In the first embodiment, the differential pressure valve 9 is closed when the pressure in the cold air chamber 40 is lower than the pressure in the hot air chamber 50, and when the pressure in the hot air chamber 50 is lower than the pressure in the cold air chamber 40. It is configured to open the valve. As a result, the differential pressure valve 9 can be closed during normal operation of the small air conditioner 1 to block the flow of air and water between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50. Then, if the air volume of the hot air chamber 50 is increased or the air volume of the cold air chamber 40 is decreased as needed, such as when the condensed water of the cold air chamber 40 exceeds a predetermined amount, the pressure of the hot air chamber 50 is increased. The pressure becomes lower than the pressure of the cold air chamber 40, and the differential pressure valve 9 opens. Therefore, this small air conditioner 1 cuts off the flow of air and water between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50 during normal operation, and allows condensed water from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50 as needed. Can be sent to.
The differential pressure valve 9 is opened when the pressure in the hot air chamber 50 is lower than the pressure in the cold air chamber 40 and the differential pressure between the hot air chamber 50 and the cold air chamber 40 is larger than a preset predetermined value. It may be configured as follows.

(3) In the first embodiment, the control device 30 controls to increase the air volume of the hot air chamber 50 or decrease the air volume of the cold air chamber 40 when the condensed water in the cold air chamber 40 exceeds a predetermined amount. conduct. As a result, the control device 30 can open the differential pressure valve 9 when the condensed water in the cold air chamber 40 exceeds a predetermined amount, and send the condensed water from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the condensed water from leaking from the air conditioning case 10.

(Second Embodiment)
The second embodiment will be described. The second embodiment is a modification of the configuration of the water supply unit with respect to the first embodiment, and the other parts are the same as those of the first embodiment. Therefore, only the parts different from the first embodiment will be described.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the second embodiment, the water supply unit is configured by the wick 91. The wick 91 can be made of, for example, a metal mesh, a bundle of a plurality of metal wires, a metal having a plurality of thin tubes, or the like. The wick 91 is provided over the bottom 41 of the cold air chamber 40 and the bottom 51 of the hot air chamber 50. The wick 91 has a function of sending condensed water from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50 due to the surface tension of the condensed water and the capillary phenomenon. Further, the wick 91 has a function of preventing the flow of air between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50. A partition wall 17 for partitioning the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50 is provided in the upper part of the wick 91.

The area of the portion of the wick 91 arranged at the bottom 51 of the hot air chamber 50 is larger than the area of the portion arranged at the bottom 41 of the cold air chamber 40. The reason for reducing the area on the cold air chamber 40 side is to reduce the amount of water held on the cold air chamber 40 side, to send water to the hot air chamber 50 side early in the initial stage, and to retain the water as it is after the operation is completed. This is to reduce the amount. The reason why the area on the hot air chamber 50 side is made larger is to increase the area to increase the amount of evaporation and to secure the total amount of water retention. By combining these technical ideas, the area of the wick 91 is larger on the hot air chamber 50 side than on the cold air chamber 40 side. Therefore, the condensed water can be reliably treated in the air conditioning case 10.

Further, in the second embodiment, the inclined surface 42 is provided on the bottom 41 of the cold air chamber 40. The inclined surface 42 is configured to become higher in the direction of gravity as the distance from the water feeding portion increases. As a result, the condensed water at the bottom 41 of the cold air chamber 40 flows through the inclined surface 42 and is collected at the wick 91. The condensed water collected in the wick 91 is sent from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50 by the wick 91, and is evaporated by the hot air flowing through the hot air chamber 50. Therefore, the small air-conditioning device 1 can prevent the condensed water from leaking from the air-conditioning case 10 by reliably treating the condensed water in the air-conditioning case 10.

Also in the second embodiment, the control device 30 controls to increase the air volume of the hot air chamber 50 or decrease the air volume of the cold air chamber 40 when the condensed water in the cold air chamber 40 exceeds a predetermined amount. You may go. As a result, the control device 30 lowers the pressure of the hot air chamber 50 from the pressure of the cold air chamber 40 to increase the negative pressure of the hot air chamber 50, so that the condensed water is sent from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50. The amount of water can be increased.

In the second embodiment described above, the wick 91 as a water supply unit is provided over the bottom portion 41 of the cold air chamber 40 and the bottom portion 51 of the hot air chamber 50. As a result, the condensed water generated by the evaporator 5 is constantly sent from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50 by the wick 91, and is evaporated by the hot air flowing through the hot air chamber 50. The wick 91 is provided over the bottom 41 of the cold air chamber 40 and the bottom 51 of the hot air chamber 50. The wick 91 itself does not require a mechanical mechanism because it uses capillary force, and its physique becomes smaller. Therefore, the space for providing the wick 91 in the air conditioning case 10 can be reduced, and interference between other components and the wick 91 can be prevented. Therefore, the small air conditioner 1 can be mounted on a vehicle or the like without increasing the size of the body.

Further, in the second embodiment, by configuring the water supply unit with the wick 91, it is possible to constantly supply condensed water from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50 by surface tension and capillarity. That is, it is not necessary to control the blowers 7 and 8 for supplying water from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50. Further, the air flow between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50 is always cut off. Therefore, the small air conditioner 1 can send condensed water from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50 with a simple structure without increasing the size of the body.

(Third Embodiment)
A third embodiment will be described. The third embodiment is also a modification of the configuration of the water supply unit with respect to the first embodiment and the like, and the other parts are the same as those of the first embodiment and the like. Therefore, only the parts different from the first embodiment and the like will be described. do.

As shown in FIG. 8, in the third embodiment, the water supply portion is composed of the porous body 92. The porous body 92 can be made of, for example, a porous metal, a porous ceramic, a sintered metal, or the like. The porous body 92 is provided over the bottom portion 41 of the cold air chamber 40 and the bottom portion 51 of the hot air chamber 50. The porous body 92 has a function of sending condensed water from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50 due to surface tension and capillarity. That is, the porous body 92 itself does not require a mechanical mechanism because it uses the capillary force, and its physique becomes smaller. Further, the porous body 92 has a function of preventing the flow of air between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50. A partition wall 17 for partitioning the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50 is provided on the upper portion of the porous body 92.

In the third embodiment as well, as in the second embodiment, the porous body 92 is located at the bottom 51 of the warm air chamber 50 rather than the area of the portion arranged at the bottom 41 of the cold air chamber 40. It is said that the area of is larger. Further, also in the third embodiment, as in the second embodiment, the inclined surface 42 is provided on the bottom 41 of the cold air chamber 40.

Also in the third embodiment described above, by forming the water supply portion with the porous body 92, the same action and effect as those in the first and second embodiments can be obtained.

(Fourth Embodiment)
A fourth embodiment will be described. The fourth embodiment is also a modification of the configuration of the water supply unit with respect to the first embodiment and the like, and the other parts are the same as those of the first embodiment and the like. Therefore, only the parts different from the first embodiment and the like will be described. do.

As shown in FIG. 9, in the fourth embodiment, the water supply unit is composed of a semipermeable membrane 93 capable of allowing water molecules to permeate. The semipermeable membrane 93 is provided between the bottom portion 19 of the air conditioning case 10 and the partition wall 17 at the boundary between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50. In the fourth embodiment, the aqueous solution IW having an ion concentration higher than that of water is stored in the warm air chamber 50 so as to be in contact with the semipermeable membrane 93. Therefore, the semipermeable membrane 93 has a function of sending condensed water from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50 by osmotic pressure. Further, the semipermeable membrane 93 has a function of preventing the flow of air between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50.
Also in the fourth embodiment, as in the second and third embodiments, the inclined surface 42 is provided on the bottom 41 of the cold air chamber 40.

In the fourth embodiment described above, by configuring the water feeding portion with the semipermeable membrane 93, it is possible to constantly send condensed water from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50 by osmotic pressure. That is, it is not necessary to control the blowers 7 and 8 for supplying water from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50. Further, the air flow between the cold air chamber 40 and the hot air chamber 50 is always cut off. Therefore, the fourth embodiment can also exhibit the same effects as those of the first to third embodiments.

(Fifth Embodiment)
A fifth embodiment will be described. In the fifth embodiment, with respect to the first to fourth embodiments described above, the condensed water evaporates in the hot air chamber 50 after or while the condensed water is sent from the cold air chamber 40 to the hot air chamber 50. It controls to promote.

The control process performed by the control device 30 of the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In this description, it is assumed that the small air conditioner 1 cools the interior of the vehicle.

The processes in steps S10 to S60 are the same as the processes described in the first embodiment. In the fifth embodiment, the control device 30 advances the process to step S70 after step S60.

In step S70, the control device 30 calculates the amount of condensed water generated. The amount of condensed water generated is calculated from the temperature, humidity, and air volume of the wind passing through the evaporator 5 and the temperature of the evaporator 5, as in step S10. The control device 30 may use the result calculated in step S10.

Next, in step S80, the control device 30 calculates the evaporable amount of the condensed water in the warm air chamber 50. The evaporable amount of the condensed water is calculated by the temperature, humidity, and air volume of the air passing through the condenser 3 and flowing through the warm air chamber 50. The temperature and humidity of the wind passing through the condenser 3 and flowing through the warm air chamber 50 can be calculated from the temperature and humidity of the wind before passing through the condenser 3, the temperature of the condenser 3, and the air volume passing through the condenser 3. The temperature of the condenser 3 may be detected from the output of the temperature sensor installed in the condenser 3, or may be calculated from the capacity of the refrigeration cycle device such as the rotation speed of the compressor 2. The amount of air passing through the condenser 3 can be calculated from the duty ratio of energization to the exhaust side blower 8 at the time of cooling.

Subsequently, in step S90, the control device 30 promotes evaporation of condensed water based on the amount of condensed water generated in the evaporator 5 calculated in step S70 and the evaporable amount of condensed water in the warm air chamber 50 calculated in step S80. Determines if is required. At that time, the control device 30 determines whether or not it is necessary to promote evaporation of the condensed water based on whether or not the amount of condensed water accumulated in the air conditioning case 10 exceeds a predetermined amount. That is, when the amount of condensed water accumulated in the air conditioning case 10 exceeds a predetermined amount, the control device 30 determines that it is necessary to promote evaporation of the condensed water. The predetermined amount is, for example, an experiment such as a range in which condensed water does not leak from the air conditioning case 10, a range in which the electronic devices in the air conditioning case 10 are not exposed to water, or a range in which the condensed water does not affect the air conditioning wind. Is set as appropriate.

Alternatively, as another method, when a water sensor is provided in the air conditioning case 10, the amount of condensed water accumulated in the air conditioning case 10 is detected based on a signal output from the water sensor to the control device 30. May be good.

When the control device 30 determines in step S90 that it is not necessary to promote the evaporation of the condensed water, the control device 30 temporarily ends the process. Then, after the lapse of a predetermined time, the control device 30 repeatedly executes the process from step S10 again.

On the other hand, if the control device 30 determines in step S90 that it is necessary to promote the evaporation of the condensed water accumulated in the air conditioning case 10, the process proceeds to step S100.
In step S100, the control device 30 controls to increase the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant. As the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant increases, the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the capacitor 3 also increases accordingly. As a result, the temperature of the air flowing through the warm air chamber 50 rises, and the evaporation of the condensed water is promoted.

The following controls (A) to (E) can be considered as controls for increasing the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant.
(A) Control is performed to reduce the air volume of the blower on the condenser 3 side. That is, the air volume of the exhaust side blower 8 is reduced during cooling. When the air volume passing through the condenser 3 is reduced, the heat dissipation capacity on the air side passing through the condenser 3 decreases, so that the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant flowing through the condenser 3 rises until it is balanced with the capacity on the refrigerant side to compensate for it.

(B) Control is performed to increase the rotation speed of the compressor 2. Increasing the rotation speed of the compressor 2 increases the flow rate of the refrigerant. Then, since the capacity on the refrigerant side increases, the pressure of the low-pressure refrigerant decreases in order to secure the endothermic capacity of the evaporator 5, and the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant increases in order to secure the heat dissipation capacity of the condenser 3.

(C) When an electric expansion valve is used for the pressure reducing mechanism 4, the valve opening of the expansion valve is controlled to be narrowed (that is, the flow path area is reduced). When the valve opening of the expansion valve is reduced, the pressure of the low-pressure refrigerant decreases and the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant increases accordingly.

(D) Control is performed to increase the air volume of the blower on the evaporator 5 side. That is, the air volume of the blower side blower 7 is increased during cooling. Increasing the amount of air passing through the evaporator 5 increases the cooling capacity on the air side passing through the evaporator 5. The pressure on the low-pressure refrigerant side also rises to match that, and the balance point changes so that the refrigerant flow rate increases. Further, the increase in the flow rate of the refrigerant requires a large amount of heat to be dissipated by the capacitor 3, and the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant corresponding to the refrigerant temperature rises to balance.

(E) Control is performed to reduce the front area of the capacitor 3. When a shutter (not shown) is provided on the front surface of the condenser 3, closing the shutter reduces the amount of air passing through the condenser 3. Then, since the heat dissipation capacity on the air side passing through the condenser 3 decreases, the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant flowing through the condenser 3 rises until it is balanced with the capacity on the refrigerant side to compensate for it.

In step S100, the control device 30 can increase the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant and promote the evaporation of the condensed water by executing at least one of the above-mentioned controls (A) to (E).
In step S100, the control device 30 controls the combination of (A), (B), (C), and (E) described above, so that the condensed water does not affect the comfort of the occupant. It is possible to promote evaporation more. This will be described in detail below.

When the above-mentioned controls (A) and (E) are performed, the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant increases and the pressure of the low-pressure refrigerant also increases. On the other hand, when the above-mentioned controls (B) and (C) are performed, the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant increases and the pressure of the low-pressure refrigerant decreases.
Therefore, the control device 30 controls at least one of (A) and (E), and controls at least one of (B) and (C). Specifically, the control device 30 performs at least one of a control of reducing the air volume of the blower on the condenser 3 side and a control of reducing the front area of the condenser 3, and a control of increasing the rotation speed of the compressor 2. At least one of the controls for reducing the valve opening degree of the pressure reducing mechanism 4 is performed. As a result, it is possible to suppress the change in the pressure of the low-pressure refrigerant and to increase the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant. Therefore, it is possible to further promote the evaporation of condensed water without changing the temperature and air volume blown out to the occupant during cooling, that is, without affecting the comfort of the occupant.

Subsequently, in step S110, the control device 30 determines whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the control for increasing the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant was started. This predetermined time is set to the time required for the condensed water accumulated in the air conditioning case 10 to evaporate. In step S110, the control device 30 advances the process to step S120 after the lapse of a predetermined time.
In step S120, the control device 30 controls to return the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant to the original state. Then, the control device 30 ends the process once, and after a predetermined time elapses, repeats the process from step S10.

In the fifth embodiment described above, the control device 30 executes control to increase the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant when the amount of condensed water in the air-conditioning case 10 exceeds a predetermined amount. When the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant is increased, the temperature of the high-pressure refrigerant flowing through the condenser 3 rises, and the temperature of the wind passing through the condenser 3 and flowing through the warm air chamber 50 rises. Therefore, the amount of evaporated water in the warm air chamber 50 increases, so that the condensed water can be reliably treated in the apparatus. Therefore, the small air conditioner 1 can prevent the condensed water from leaking from the air conditioner case 10 without increasing the size of the air conditioner case 10.

Further, in the fifth embodiment, the control device 30 controls at least one of (A) and (E) described above as a control for further increasing the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant, and also controls (B) and (C). It is also possible to control at least one of them. By such control, it is possible to suppress the change in the pressure of the low-pressure refrigerant and to increase the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant. Therefore, it is possible to further promote the evaporation of the condensed water without changing the temperature and air volume blown out to the occupant during cooling, that is, without affecting the comfort of the occupant.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately modified within the scope of the claims. Further, the above embodiments are not unrelated to each other, and can be appropriately combined unless the combination is clearly impossible. Further, in each of the above embodiments, it goes without saying that the elements constituting the embodiment are not necessarily essential except when it is clearly stated that they are essential or when they are clearly considered to be essential in principle. stomach. Further, in each of the above embodiments, when numerical values such as the number, numerical values, quantities, and ranges of the constituent elements of the embodiment are mentioned, when it is clearly stated that they are particularly essential, and when it is clearly limited to a specific number in principle. It is not limited to the specific number except when it is done. Further, in each of the above embodiments, when the shape, positional relationship, etc. of the constituent elements are referred to, the shape, the shape, etc. It is not limited to the positional relationship.

(1) In the above first embodiment, the differential pressure valve 9 as the water supply unit has been described as being composed of, for example, a rubber plate, but the present invention is not limited to this. The differential pressure valve 9 as the water supply unit may be, for example, a mechanical valve member having a valve seat, a valve body and a spring.

(2) In the above embodiment, the condenser 3 is arranged on the right side and the evaporator 5 is arranged on the left side of the air conditioning case 10 when viewed from above with reference to FIG. 1, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the condenser 3 may be arranged on the left side and the evaporator 5 may be arranged on the right side when the air conditioning case 10 is viewed from above. In that case, it is preferable that the compressor 2 has the suction port 21 on the right side (that is, closer to the evaporator 5) and the discharge port 22 on the left side (that is, closer to the condenser 3).

(3) In the above embodiment, the blower side blower 7 is arranged near the center of the air conditioning case 10 with reference to FIG. 1, and the exhaust side blower 8 is opposite to the compressor 2 with respect to the blower side blower 7. Was placed, but it is not limited to this. That is, the exhaust side blower 8 may be arranged near the center of the air conditioning case 10, and the blow side blower 7 may be arranged on the side opposite to the compressor 2 with the exhaust side blower 8 interposed therebetween.

The control device 30 and the method thereof according to the present invention are a dedicated computer provided by configuring a processor and a memory programmed to execute one or a plurality of functions embodied by a computer program. May be realized by. Alternatively, the control device 30 and the method thereof according to the present invention may be realized by a dedicated computer provided by configuring a processor with one or more dedicated hardware logic circuits. Alternatively, the control device 30 and its method according to the present invention is a combination of a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions and a processor configured by one or more hardware logic circuits. It may be realized by one or more dedicated computers configured by. Further, the computer program may be stored in a computer-readable non-transitional tangible recording medium as an instruction executed by the computer.

(summary)
According to the first aspect shown in part or all of the above embodiments, the small air conditioner in which the components of the refrigeration cycle are housed in the air conditioner case is a compressor, a condenser, a decompression mechanism, an evaporator, and a blower. It is equipped with a side blower, an exhaust side blower, an air conditioning case, and a water supply unit. The compressor sucks in the refrigerant, compresses it, and discharges it. The condenser condenses the refrigerant by heat exchange between the refrigerant discharged from the compressor and air. The decompression mechanism decompresses and expands the refrigerant flowing out of the capacitor. The evaporator discharges the refrigerant evaporated by heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing out from the decompression mechanism and air to the compressor. The blower blower blows the air that has passed through the condenser or evaporator into the air-conditioned space. The exhaust side blower exhausts the air that has passed through the condenser or evaporator. The air conditioning case houses the components of the refrigeration cycle, including a compressor, condenser, decompression mechanism and evaporator, and has a cold air chamber through which cold air passes through the evaporator and a hot air chamber through which hot air passes through the condenser. The water supply unit is provided at the bottom or boundary of the cold air chamber and the hot air chamber, and sends the condensed water generated by the evaporator from the cold air chamber to the hot air chamber.

According to the second aspect, both the blower side blower and the exhaust side blower are arranged on the downstream side of the air flow of the condenser or the evaporator. The water supply section is provided at the boundary between the cold air chamber and the hot air chamber, and closes when the pressure in the cold air chamber is lower than the pressure in the hot air chamber, and opens when the pressure in the hot air chamber is lower than the pressure in the cold air chamber. It is a differential pressure valve configured to valve.

According to this, when the small air conditioner is normally operated, the differential pressure valve is closed to block the flow of air and water between the cold air chamber and the hot air chamber. Then, when the condensed water in the cold air chamber exceeds a predetermined amount, the pressure in the hot air chamber can be made lower than the pressure in the cold air chamber to open the differential pressure valve, if necessary. Since both the blower side blower and the exhaust side blower are located on the downstream side of the air flow of the condenser or evaporator, the air volume in the hot air chamber is increased in order to make the pressure in the hot air chamber lower than the pressure in the cold air chamber. Alternatively, the drive of the blower may be controlled so as to reduce the air volume in the cold air chamber. Therefore, this small air conditioner improves air conditioning efficiency by blocking the flow of air and water between the cold air chamber and the hot air chamber during normal operation, and condensed water from the cold air chamber to the hot air chamber as needed. By sending water to the air conditioning case, it is possible to prevent condensed water from leaking from the air conditioning case.
The differential pressure valve is configured to open when the pressure in the hot air chamber is lower than the pressure in the cold air chamber and the differential pressure between the hot air chamber and the cold air chamber is larger than a preset predetermined value. May be good. In that case, the differential pressure valve closes when the pressure in the hot air chamber is higher than the pressure in the cold air chamber. Further, the differential pressure valve is closed even when the pressure in the hot air chamber is lower than the pressure in the cold air chamber and the differential pressure between the hot air chamber and the cold air chamber is smaller than a preset predetermined value. Such a configuration is also included in the configuration described from the second viewpoint.

According to the third aspect, the water supply unit is a wick or a porous body provided across the cold air chamber and the hot air chamber.
According to this, by forming the water feeding portion with a wick or a porous body, it is possible to constantly send condensed water from the cold air chamber to the hot air chamber by capillarity. That is, it is not necessary to control a blower or the like to send water from the cold air chamber to the hot air chamber. In addition, the air flow between the cold air chamber and the hot air chamber is always cut off. Therefore, this small air conditioner can send condensed water from the cold air chamber to the hot air chamber with a simple structure without increasing the size of the body.

According to the fourth aspect, the wick or the porous body is provided over the bottom of the cold air chamber and the bottom of the hot air chamber.
According to this, the wick itself does not require a mechanical mechanism because it uses the capillary force, and the physique becomes smaller. Therefore, the space for providing the wick or the porous body in the air conditioning case can be reduced, and the wick or the porous body can be prevented from interfering with other components. Therefore, this small air conditioner can prevent the physique from becoming large.

According to the fifth aspect, the wick or the porous body has a larger area of the portion arranged at the bottom of the warm air chamber than the area of the portion arranged at the bottom of the cold air chamber.
According to this, reducing the area on the cold air chamber side reduces the amount of water held on the cold air chamber side, sends water to the hot air chamber side early in the initial stage, and retains water as it is after the operation is completed. This is to reduce the amount of water. The reason for increasing the area on the hot air chamber side is to increase the area to increase the amount of evaporation and to secure the total amount of water retention. By combining these technical ideas, the area of the wick or the porous body is larger on the hot air chamber side than on the cold air chamber side. Therefore, the condensed water can be reliably treated in the air conditioning case 10.

According to the sixth aspect, the small air conditioner is a control device that controls to increase the air volume in the hot air chamber or decrease the air volume in the cold air chamber when the condensed water in the cold air chamber exceeds a predetermined amount. Be prepared.

According to this, when the water supply unit is composed of a differential pressure valve, the control device opens the differential pressure valve as necessary, such as when the condensed water in the cold air chamber exceeds a predetermined amount, and warms the condensed water from the cold air chamber. Water can be sent to the air chamber. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the condensed water from leaking from the air conditioning case.
In addition, when the water supply unit is composed of a wick or a porous body, the control device lowers the pressure in the hot air chamber from the pressure in the cold air chamber to increase the negative pressure in the hot air chamber, thereby increasing the negative pressure from the cold air chamber to the hot air chamber. The amount of condensed water sent to can be increased.

According to the seventh aspect, the water supply portion is a semipermeable membrane provided at the boundary between the cold air chamber and the hot air chamber and capable of allowing water molecules to permeate. Then, an aqueous solution having an ion concentration higher than that of water is stored in the warm air chamber so as to be in contact with the semipermeable membrane.

According to this, by forming the water feeding portion with a semipermeable membrane, it is possible to constantly send condensed water from the cold air chamber to the hot air chamber by osmotic pressure. That is, it is not necessary to control a blower or the like to send water from the cold air chamber to the hot air chamber. In addition, the air flow between the cold air chamber and the hot air chamber is always cut off. Therefore, this small air conditioner can send condensed water from the cold air chamber to the hot air chamber with a simple structure without increasing the size of the body.

According to the eighth aspect, the small air conditioner is provided at the bottom of the cold air chamber and includes an inclined surface configured to increase upward in the direction of gravity as the distance from the water supply portion increases.

According to this, the condensed water in the cold air chamber flows through the inclined surface and is collected in the water supply section. The condensed water is sent from the cold air chamber to the hot air chamber by the water supply unit, and is evaporated by the hot air flowing through the hot air chamber. Therefore, this small air-conditioning device can prevent the condensed water from leaking from the air-conditioning case by reliably treating the condensed water in the air-conditioning case.

1 Small air conditioner 2 Compressor 3 Condenser 4 Decompression mechanism 5 Evaporator 7 Blow side blower 8 Exhaust side blower 10 Air conditioner case 40 Cold air chamber 50 Hot air chamber 9, 91, 92, 93 Water supply unit

Claims (3)

In a small air conditioner in which the components of the refrigeration cycle are housed in the air conditioner case (10).
A compressor (2) that sucks in refrigerant, compresses it, and discharges it.
A condenser (3) that condenses the refrigerant by heat exchange between the refrigerant discharged from the compressor and air, and
A decompression mechanism (4) that depressurizes and expands the refrigerant flowing out of the capacitor, and
An evaporator (5) that causes the refrigerant evaporated by heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing out of the decompression mechanism and air to flow out to the compressor.
The blower side blower (7) that blows the air that has passed through the condenser or the evaporator into the air-conditioned space, and
An exhaust side blower (8) that discharges air that has passed through the condenser or the evaporator, and
A cold air chamber (40) containing the compressor, the condenser, the decompression mechanism, and the components of the refrigeration cycle including the evaporator, and the cold air passing through the evaporator flows, and the temperature at which the hot air passing through the condenser flows. An air conditioning case with an air chamber (50) and
A water supply unit (9, 91, 92, which is provided at the bottom (41, 51) or a boundary between the cold air chamber and the hot air chamber and sends condensed water generated by the evaporator from the cold air chamber to the hot air chamber. 93) and
The water supply unit is a wick (91) or a porous body (92) provided over the cold air chamber and the hot air chamber.
The wick or the porous body is provided over the bottom portion (41) of the cold air chamber and the bottom portion (51) of the hot air chamber, and the temperature is larger than the area of a portion arranged at the bottom of the cold air chamber. A small air conditioner that is said to have a larger area at the bottom of the air chamber . The first aspect of the present invention comprises a control device (30) that controls to increase the air volume of the hot air chamber or decrease the air volume of the cold air chamber when the condensed water in the cold air chamber exceeds a predetermined amount. Small air conditioner. The small air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2 , further comprising an inclined surface (42) provided at the bottom of the cold air chamber and configured to increase upward in the direction of gravity as the distance from the water supply portion increases.

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