JP7154712B2 - Laboratory pressure controller - Google Patents

Description

The present invention has an environmental test chamber capable of forming a predetermined temperature environment, and a test chamber pressure control device capable of controlling the pressure in the environmental test chamber when testing a device under test placed in the environmental test chamber. Regarding.

Conventionally, load tests are sometimes conducted on test objects such as internal combustion engines, vehicles equipped with such engines, and prime movers, assuming use in various pressure environments such as low-pressure environments such as highlands as well as flatlands. A laboratory pressure control system is utilized for such tests. The test chamber pressure control device consists of an environmental test room where the device under test can be installed, an air conditioner capable of adjusting the air temperature in the environmental test room to create a predetermined temperature environment in the environmental test room, and a An external air supply duct for supplying external air, an exhaust gas exhaust duct for discharging air containing exhaust gas in the environmental test chamber to the outside, and a pressure adjustment means for adjusting the pressure in the environmental test chamber. , and a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure in the environmental test chamber (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the case of Patent Document 1, the pressure adjusting means is a decompression blower for sucking the exhaust gas and room air discharged from the test object in the environmental test chamber into the main ventilation pipe, that is, the exhaust gas exhaust duct. And, in addition to the vent pipe for discharging the exhaust gas discharged from the test object, it is composed of a pressure regulating valve for adjusting the amount of indoor air sucked into the exhaust gas exhaust duct (that is, the amount of air discharged) . This test chamber pressure control device controls the operation of the decompression blower and the pressure regulating valve according to the pressure in the environmental test chamber detected by the pressure sensor, and adjusts the amount of air discharged from the environmental test chamber. A desired pressure environment can be formed in the test chamber.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-68578

However, in the above-described test chamber pressure control device, the pressure in the environmental test chamber is adjusted by discharging the air in the environmental test chamber whose temperature has been adjusted by the air conditioner. Therefore, when the environmental test chamber is set to an air condition that realizes a low-temperature environment, for example, the air conditioner circulates the air inside the environmental test chamber and the external air necessary for testing the device under test (e.g., intake air from the device under test). The temperature of the external air used to regulate the pressure in the environmental test chamber will also be controlled. Therefore, of the temperature-controlled air, the outside air used for pressure regulation is wasted, and the air conditioning load of the air conditioner increases accordingly, and it is not possible to cope with the high air conditioning load. It becomes necessary to prepare a relatively large (high performance) air conditioner, which may be disadvantageous in terms of costs such as running costs. In particular, air conditioners that create a low-temperature environment in the environmental test room must dehumidify a large amount of normal-temperature air due to the low dew point temperature of the room's low-temperature air, which requires a huge amount of refrigeration energy and desiccant hygroscopic material regeneration. Energy is required. In addition, if the air conditioning load is high, it is inevitable that energy will be consumed accordingly, and there is a risk that sufficiently good results cannot be obtained in terms of energy saving performance and environmental performance (CO ₂ emissions, etc.).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a test chamber pressure control device that can exhibit excellent energy-saving performance and environmental performance, and that can suppress costs. be.

Each means suitable for solving the above object will be described below by itemizing. It should be noted that actions and effects peculiar to the corresponding means will be added as necessary.

Means 1. An air conditioner that can adjust the temperature of the air in the room installed,
An environment test room in which the device under test is installed and in which a predetermined temperature environment can be formed by the air conditioner installed inside,
A test chamber pressure control device capable of controlling the pressure in the environmental test chamber when testing the device under test after installing the device under test in the environmental test chamber,
a first passage indirectly connected to the air conditioner, the first passage having an outlet located in the environmental test chamber and capable of supplying external air emitted from the outlet to the air conditioner; an external air supply duct that branches into a second passage different from the passage, through which external air supplied from the outside into the environmental test chamber passes;
a dehumidifier disposed upstream of the branching portion of the first passage and the second passage in the external air supply duct for dehumidifying external air supplied from the outside into the environmental test chamber;
a room pressure regulating container arranged in the environmental test chamber, connected to the second passage, and having an internal space;
an exhaust duct connected to the room pressure regulating container and for discharging air in the room pressure regulating container to the outside;
air supply means for supplying air through the first passage to the air conditioner side and applying dynamic pressure to the air so as to supply the air through the second passage into the chamber pressure adjusting container;
exhaust means for exhausting the air in the room pressure adjusting container to the outside through the exhaust duct;
Air supply amount adjusting means for adjusting the amount of air supplied to the room pressure adjusting container through the second passage, and air discharge amount from the room pressure adjusting container through the exhaust duct. At least one of the exhaust volume adjusting means for adjusting, and a pressure adjusting means capable of adjusting the pressure in the environmental test chamber,
The room pressure regulating container has an opening that communicates with the indoor space of the environmental test chamber, and the internal space of the room pressure regulating container and the indoor space of the environmental test chamber are isolated except for the opening. A laboratory pressure control device, characterized in that it is configured to:

It should be noted that ``the interior space of the chamber pressure regulating container and the interior space of the environmental test chamber are isolated except for the opening'' means, in other words, ``the interior space of the chamber pressure regulating container The opening is the only place where the internal space communicates directly with the indoor space of the environmental test chamber (without going through the first passage or the second passage).” Also, the "air supply amount adjusting means" can be configured by an air supply fan with a variable flow rate, a flow rate control valve, or the like. In this case, the air supply fan may also serve as the "air supply means". Furthermore, the "exhaust amount adjusting means" can be configured by an exhaust fan with a variable flow rate, a flow rate adjusting valve, or the like. In this case, the exhaust fan may also serve as the "exhaust means".

According to the above means 1, the air supplied from the outside into the environmental test chamber (the air passing through the external air supply duct) is divided into the first passage and the second passage. Air passing through the first passage is discharged into the environmental test chamber and then supplied to the air conditioner side by the air supply means, and air passing through the second passage is supplied into the chamber pressure adjusting container. The temperature of the air supplied to the air conditioner side is adjusted by the air conditioner. Thereby, a predetermined temperature environment is formed in the environmental test chamber. On the other hand, the air supplied into the room pressure adjusting container through the second passage is discharged to the outside through the exhaust duct by the exhaust means. The pressure in the chamber pressure adjusting container is adjusted by adjusting the amount of air supplied through the second passage and/or the amount of air discharged through the exhaust duct by the pressure adjusting means. The pressure change that occurs at this time is immediately propagated into the environmental test chamber through the opening provided in the chamber pressure control container, so the pressure in the environmental test chamber quickly changes to the pressure in the chamber pressure control container. become uniform (equal). Therefore, it is possible to adjust the pressure in the environmental test chamber only by adjusting the external air supply amount and exhaust amount in the chamber pressure adjusting container.

Furthermore, according to the above means 1, the air (former air) supplied to the environmental test chamber (air conditioner side) through the first passage and the room pressure adjusting container through the second passage The air (the latter air) is dehumidified by a common dehumidifier when the set temperature in the environmental test chamber is set to a low temperature. Therefore, although the dehumidification energy is consumed, the absolute humidity of both airs can be more reliably made almost equal before the energy for temperature control of the air dried at normal temperature is consumed. In addition, since the former air is temperature-controlled by the air conditioner, while the latter air is not particularly temperature-controlled, a sufficient temperature difference can be generated between the two airs. Therefore, in general, the air in the environmental test chamber and the air in the chamber pressure control container have the property that it is difficult for the air with the same absolute humidity but the temperature difference to become uniform (hard to mix) immediately after mixing. It is possible to create a state in which it is difficult for the air to become uniform (difficult to mix). As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the temperature-controlled air in the environmental test chamber from being mixed with the air in the room pressure control container.

Since the temperature-controlled air can be prevented from being mixed with the air in the room pressure regulating container, the air discharged from the room pressure regulating container basically passes through the second passage to the room pressure regulating container. It can be the air supplied into the container, ie the air that has not been specially tempered. This eliminates wasteful discharge of temperature-controlled air for pressure control, which does not require any temperature-controlled air. It is almost unnecessary to adjust the temperature of the air used for adjusting the pressure in the room. As a result, the air conditioning load on the air conditioner can be greatly reduced, and excellent energy saving performance and environmental performance can be exhibited. Furthermore, by reducing the air conditioning load, it is possible to use a relatively small air conditioner (not so high performance), so that running costs and other costs can be effectively suppressed.

Also, the air conditioner adjusts the temperature of the air dehumidified by the dehumidifier. Since the outside air that is not dehumidified usually contains a large amount of moisture, if the air conditioner installed in the room cools and dehumidifies the air in the environmental test chamber, and the air cools the interior of the room, the external air supply duct A large amount of water brought in by the air flowing in from the first passage of is repeatedly condensed and frozen in the room, causing frost and freezing to occur and grow, making it impossible to form a low temperature and prescribed humidity environment. Even if the first passage and the air conditioner are connected by a duct or the like, there is a risk that the air conditioning load on the air conditioner will increase when adjusting the temperature of the air, making it impossible to sufficiently reduce costs. . In this respect, according to the above means 1, since the temperature of the dehumidified air is adjusted, the air conditioning load can be reduced more effectively, and the cost reduction effect can be further enhanced.

Furthermore, according to the above means 1, since the air supplied to the environmental test chamber (air conditioner side) and the room pressure adjusting container is dehumidified by the dehumidifier, when the environmental test chamber is set to a low temperature environment, It is possible to more reliably prevent the occurrence of dew condensation in the environmental test chamber and the room pressure control container. In addition, it is not necessary to cover the air conditioner with a heat insulating material in order to prevent dew condensation on the low temperature surface where heat is transferred from the cooling part built into the air conditioner, and it has excellent rust prevention performance as a constituent material of the air conditioner. Eliminates the need to use special materials. Therefore, cost reduction can be achieved more effectively.

Means 2. The test chamber pressure control device according to means 1, wherein the opening is provided in the lower portion of the chamber pressure adjusting container and opens downward.

According to the above means 2, when the environment test chamber is set to a low temperature environment, the air in the room pressure control container becomes hotter than the surrounding air in the environment test chamber, and the temperature rises from the upper side of the room pressure control container. Since the air tends to rise in a stratified layer, it becomes difficult to leak from the lower opening, and it is possible to more effectively prevent the temperature-controlled air in the environmental test chamber from being mixed with the air in the room pressure control container. As a result, the air conditioning load on the air conditioner can be further reduced, and more advantageous effects in terms of energy saving performance, environmental performance, and cost can be obtained.

Means 3. The pressure adjusting means includes both the air supply amount adjusting means and the exhaust amount adjusting means,
pressure sensing means for sensing pressure within the environmental test chamber;
and pressure control means capable of controlling the pressure in the chamber pressure adjusting container by controlling the air supply amount adjusting means and the exhaust amount adjusting means based on the pressure detected by the pressure detecting means. The test chamber pressure control device according to the means 1 or 2.

According to the above means 3, since the pressure adjusting means includes not only one of the air supply amount adjusting means and the exhaust amount adjusting means but both of them, the pressure in the room pressure adjusting container can be quickly adjusted. , and thus the pressure in the environmental test chamber, can be quickly adjusted. In addition, since the pressure control means can control the pressure in the room pressure adjusting container based on the pressure in the environmental test chamber, the pressure in the environmental test chamber can be automatically changed to a desired pressure or maintained at a desired pressure. It becomes possible to easily

1 is a side sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a test chamber pressure control device according to one embodiment; FIG.

An embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. The test chamber pressure control device 1 includes an environmental test chamber 2, an air conditioner 3, an external air supply duct 4, a dehumidifier 5, an indoor gas discharge section 6, a chamber pressure adjusting container 7, an exhaust duct 8, and a pressure as pressure adjusting means. It has an adjustment section 9, a pressure sensor 10 as pressure detection means, and a pressure control section 11 as pressure control means.

The environmental test chamber 2 has an indoor space defined by a plurality of walls provided with heat insulating materials, etc. A vehicle 21 as a test object is installed in the indoor space. The vehicle 21 has an engine (internal combustion engine), not shown, which emits exhaust gas during its operation. Further, the environmental test chamber 2 is provided with doors, shutters, and the like (not shown) for entry and exit of workers and the loading and unloading of vehicles 21 .

The air conditioner 3 is installed in the environmental test chamber 2, and is for forming a predetermined temperature environment in the environmental test chamber 2 by adjusting the temperature of the air in the environmental test chamber 2. . The air conditioner 3 is, for example, an electric heater for heating the air, a heating coil for flowing a heat medium in a tube, a cooler such as a brine coil or a direct expansion coil for cooling the air, and the air in the environmental test chamber 2. It has a first pressurized ventilation fan for sucking in and a second pressurized ventilation fan for blowing temperature-controlled air to the outside (not shown). The blower for conveying the air in the air conditioner 3 may not be divided into the first pressure ventilation fan and the second pressure ventilation fan, but may be combined into one unit if the static pressure can be secured by a different type such as a sirocco fan. In this embodiment, the air conditioner 3 is capable of adjusting at least the temperature of the air to a low temperature (for example, about −40° C. to about 15° C.). A low-temperature environment (for example, a temperature environment of 0° C. or less) can be formed in the test chamber 2 . Further, the air conditioner 3 in this embodiment is not covered with a heat insulating material or the like for preventing dew condensation, and furthermore, a special material having excellent antirust performance is not used as a constituent material.

In addition, the air conditioner 3 is connected to one end of a temperature-controlled supply air duct 13 for sending temperature-controlled air (eg, cooled air in this embodiment) to the vehicle 21 side. Further, in front of the opening on the other end side of the temperature control supply air duct 13, an air velocity forming blowing fan 14 is provided according to the vehicle speed. The air temperature-controlled by the air conditioner 3 is supplied through the temperature-controlled supply air duct 13 by the operation of the airflow velocity forming blow-out fan 14 according to the vehicle speed, and the ambient indoor air is sucked in together to the vehicle. It blows out towards 21. In the case where the engine itself is the test object and the airflow matching the vehicle speed is not required, the air whose temperature is adjusted by the air conditioner 3 may be simply discharged into the environmental test chamber 2.

The external air supply duct 4 communicates the inside of the environmental test chamber 2 with the outside, and constitutes a flow path through which air supplied from the outside into the environmental test chamber 2 passes. The external air supply duct 4 includes a common passage 43 and branched first passages 41 and second passages 42 that are connected to the most downstream portion of the common passage 43 .

The dehumidifier 5 is arranged outside the environmental test chamber 2 in correspondence with the common passage 43 upstream of the branched portion to the first passage 41 and the second passage 42, and enters the environmental test chamber 2 from the outside. and dehumidify the supplied external air. The external air dehumidified by the dehumidifier 5 branches and flows into each of the first passage 41 and the second passage 42 . In this embodiment, the dew point temperature of the air dehumidified by the dehumidifier 5 is the same as the dew point temperature of the air under the indoor temperature and humidity conditions set for the test so that the temperature is adjusted by the air conditioner 3. .

The first passageway 41 has at its end an outlet 41 a located within the environmental test chamber 2 . At the discharge port 41a, the air introduced from the outside into the external air supply duct 4 by the operation of the air supply fan 91a, which will be described later, passes through the dehumidifier 5, and the dehumidified air that has passed through the first passage 41 is discharged into the environmental test chamber 2. released to The released dehumidified air is sucked and supplied to the air conditioner 3 together with the air in the environmental test chamber 2 by the blower built in the air conditioner 3 . That is, the first passage 41 is indirectly connected to the air conditioner 3 .

The end of the second passage 42 is connected to the upper portion of the room pressure adjusting container 7 (an upper surface portion 71 described later). Dehumidified air introduced from the outside is supplied into the room pressure adjusting container 7 through the second passage 42 by the operation of the air supply fan 91a, which will be described later.

The indoor gas exhaust unit 6 exhausts exhaust gas emitted from (the engine of) a vehicle 21, which is a test object in the environmental test chamber 2, and unnecessary gas in the room such as ambient air for cooling the exhaust gas to the outside. It is for discharge. The indoor gas discharge unit 6 includes an indoor gas discharge pipe 61 and an indoor gas discharge fan 62 .

The indoor gas discharge pipe 61 communicates the inside and outside of the environmental test chamber 2 and constitutes a flow path through which the gas passes. At the end of the chamber gas discharge pipe 61, there is an intake for taking in the exhaust gas and the air in the environmental test chamber 2 as dilution air for diluting the exhaust gas and preventing the exhaust gas from overflowing through an indirect connection. An inlet 61a is provided.

The indoor gas discharge fan 62 is a fan for sending out the gas from the environment test chamber 2 to the outside. Due to the operation of the indoor gas discharge fan 62, the exhaust gas and air are taken into the indoor gas discharge pipe 61 and mixed, and the exhaust gas diluted with the air to a sufficiently low temperature (for example, about 350° C. or less) is discharged to the outside. is discharged to By diluting the exhaust gas and keeping it at a low temperature, damage to the indoor gas discharge fan 62 and the like can be prevented.

The chamber pressure adjusting container 7 is a box-shaped body having an internal space, and is arranged in the environmental test chamber 2 at a position separated from the floor surface of the environmental test chamber 2 . In this embodiment, the chamber pressure adjusting container 7 has an upper wall portion 71, a lower wall portion 72, and four side wall portions 73 positioned between the upper and lower wall portions 71 and 72, and has a rectangular parallelepiped (box-like) shape. has the appearance of

Further, the room pressure adjusting container 7 has an opening 7 a that communicates between its own internal space and the internal space of the environmental test chamber 2 . The opening 7a of the present embodiment is provided in the lower portion (lower wall portion 72) of the chamber pressure adjusting container 7, and is composed of one circular or polygonal hole that opens downward. In addition, in order to prevent the air in the room pressure adjusting container 7 from flowing out to the air conditioner 3 side as the air conditioner 3 operates, the opening portion 7a is arranged in the room pressure adjusting container 7 other than the portion positioned on the air conditioner 3 side. is preferably formed at the site of

Further, the internal space of the room pressure adjusting container 7 is isolated from the internal space of the environmental test chamber 2 except for the opening 7a. In other words, the opening 7a is the only portion where the internal space of the chamber pressure adjusting container 7 communicates directly with the internal space of the environmental test chamber 2 (without going through the first passage 41 or the second passage 42). ing.

The exhaust duct 8 connects the inside of the room pressure adjusting container 7 to the outside, and constitutes a flow path for air discharged from the inside of the room pressure adjusting container 7 to the outside. The exhaust duct 8 is connected to the room pressure adjusting container 7 (side wall portion 73 in this embodiment).

The pressure control unit 9 is for controlling the pressure inside the chamber pressure control container 7 and the environment test chamber 2 . The pressure adjusting section 9 includes an air supply amount adjusting section 91 as air supply amount adjusting means and an exhaust amount adjusting section 92 as exhaust amount adjusting means. The pressure in the room pressure adjusting container 7 is immediately propagated into the environment test chamber 2 through the opening 7a. Therefore, the pressure in the environmental test chamber 2 quickly becomes uniform (equals) with the pressure in the chamber pressure adjusting container 7 .

The air supply amount adjusting section 91 is for adjusting the pressure in the environmental test chamber 2 while adjusting the amount of air supplied to the room pressure adjusting container 7 through the second passage 42 . The air supply amount adjustment unit 91 includes an air supply fan 91a, a first flow control valve 91b, and a second flow control valve 91c. The air supply fan 91a is provided corresponding to the common path 43, and by increasing or decreasing its own operating speed by means of, for example, an inverter for varying the rotation speed of the fan motor, the air supply fan 91a is operated downstream (first path 41 and second path). The flow rate of the air sent to the second passage 42 side) can be changed. The first flow control valve 91 b is provided corresponding to the first passage 41 and is capable of adjusting the degree of opening of the first passage 41 . The second flow control valve 91c is provided corresponding to the second passage 42 and can adjust the degree of opening of the second passage 42 . In the present embodiment, the operation of the air supply fan 91 a sends air through the first passage 41 toward the air conditioner 3 and through the second passage 42 into the room pressure adjusting container 7 . Therefore, the air supply fan 91a corresponds to air supply means.

The exhaust amount adjusting section 92 is for adjusting the amount of air discharged from the room pressure adjusting container 7 through the exhaust duct 8 to the outside. The exhaust amount adjusting section 92 includes an exhaust fan 92a. The exhaust fan 92a is provided corresponding to the exhaust duct 8, and the air sent to the downstream side (outside) is increased or decreased by increasing or decreasing its own operating speed, for example, by an inverter for varying the rotational speed of the fan motor. It is configured so that the flow rate can be changed. In this embodiment, the air in the room pressure adjusting container 7 is sent out through the exhaust duct 8 by the operation of the exhaust fan 92a. In this embodiment, the exhaust fan 92a corresponds to the exhaust means.

The pressure sensor 10 has at least a pressure detection part installed in the environmental test chamber 2 and detects the pressure in the environmental test chamber 2 . The pressure sensor 10 converts the actual pressure measurement value detected in the environmental test chamber 2 into an electrical signal and transmits the electrical signal to the pressure control unit 11 .

The pressure control unit 11 is configured by a computer system including, for example, a CPU, a ROM and a RAM that store various information. The pressure control unit 11 calculates an output signal based on the deviation between the detected pressure actual measurement signal by the pressure sensor 10 and the pressure setting value set in the pressure control unit 11, and the pressure control unit 9 (air supply fan 91a, first flow rate By outputting a control signal to each operation device of the control valve 91b, the second flow control valve 91c, and the exhaust fan 92a) and controlling them, the pressure in the room pressure adjusting container 7 is controlled. In this embodiment, the pressure control unit 11 controls the amount of air supplied to the room pressure adjusting container 7 through the second passage 42 and the amount of air from the room pressure adjusting container 7 through the exhaust duct 8 to the outside. By adjusting the balance with the discharge amount, the pressure in the room pressure adjusting container 7 and, by extension, the pressure in the environmental test chamber 2 are controlled.

In some cases, the pressure control unit 11 can also control the operation of the indoor gas discharge fan 62 . In this embodiment, the pressure control unit 11 adjusts the set value and the first passage 41 according to the set value that can be selected in multiple stages for the flow rate of the gas discharged to the outside through the indoor gas discharge pipe 61. The indoor gas is set to approximately the same amount as the set value of the flow rate of the air supplied into the environmental test chamber 2 (more specifically, the flow rate when converted to the standard state is approximately the same amount) It controls the operation of the discharge fan 62, the air supply fan 91a, and the like. Of course, the flow rate of the indoor gas discharge fan 62 may be constant.

In the test chamber pressure control device 1 configured as described above, due to the air volume difference between the supply of air into the environment test chamber 2 through the first passage 41 and the discharge of gas by the indoor gas discharge unit 6, When the intake air amount and the exhaust gas emission amount of the vehicle 21 including the engine are constant, there is a certain degree of pressure difference between the inside of the environmental test chamber 2 and the outside. That is, when the amount of gas discharged from the indoor gas discharge unit 6 is large and the amount of air supplied to the environmental test chamber 2 through the first passage 41 is small, a pressure field lower than the atmospheric pressure outside can be formed. The pressure fluctuation in the environmental test chamber 2 due to the transitional change in the intake air amount of the vehicle 21 and the exhaust gas amount after combustion due to the change in the operating state of the vehicle 21, which is the test object, is controlled by the pressure control unit 11. By controlling the operation of the pressure control unit 9 , the pressure in the room pressure control container 7 is adjusted, and the adjusted pressure is propagated into the environment test chamber 2 . For example, by the pressure control unit 11, the opening degree change due to immediate response such as the first flow control valve 91b and the second flow control valve 91c with quick response, and the air volume change of the exhaust fan 92a that performs dedicated operation in response to the pressure change By controlling the pressure regulating section 9 so that the pressure in the chamber 7 for regulating the room pressure becomes relatively low, the pressure inside the environmental test chamber 2, which is increasing transiently, is immediately reduced to a relatively low level. can do. On the other hand, the pressure control unit 11 changes the opening degree of the first flow control valve 91b and the second flow control valve 91c, which respond quickly, due to immediate response, and changes the air volume of the exhaust fan 92a, which operates exclusively in response to pressure changes. By controlling the pressure regulating part 9 so that the pressure in the chamber 7 for regulating the room pressure becomes relatively high, the pressure inside the environmental test chamber 2, which is transiently decreasing, is immediately made relatively high. be able to.

As described in detail above, according to the present embodiment, the pressure control unit 9 adjusts the amount of air supplied through the second passage 42 and the amount of air discharged through the exhaust duct 8, whereby the room pressure The pressure in the regulating vessel 7 can be regulated. Since the change in pressure generated at this time is immediately propagated into the environmental test chamber 2 through the opening 7a, the pressure in the environmental test chamber 2 quickly becomes equal to the pressure in the chamber pressure adjusting container 7. becomes (equals). Therefore, the pressure in the environmental test chamber 2 can be adjusted only by positively adjusting the pressure in the chamber pressure adjusting container 7 with the two flow control valves 91b and 91c and the exhaust fan 92a.

Furthermore, the air (former air) supplied into the environment test chamber 2 (on the air conditioner 3 side) through the first passage 41 and the air supplied into the room pressure adjusting container 7 through the second passage 42 (The latter air) is dehumidified by the common dehumidifier 5 respectively. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably make the absolute humidity of both air substantially equal. In addition, since the former air is temperature-controlled by the air conditioner 3 while the latter air is not particularly temperature-controlled, a sufficient temperature difference can be generated between the two airs. For this reason, air in the environment test chamber 2 and the air in the room pressure control container 7 generally have the property that air having almost the same absolute humidity but different temperatures is difficult to be uniform (difficult to mix). It is possible to create a state in which it is difficult for the mixture to become uniform (difficult to mix). As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the temperature-controlled air in the environmental test chamber 2 from being mixed with the air in the room pressure control container 7 .

Since the temperature-controlled air can be prevented from being mixed with the air in the room pressure control container 7, the air discharged from the room pressure control container 7 is basically treated as air whose temperature is not particularly controlled. can do. As a result, the air that has been temperature-controlled for pressure adjustment can be prevented from being wastefully discharged. Little to no temperature conditioning of the air is required. As a result, the air conditioning load on the air conditioner 3 can be significantly reduced, and excellent energy saving performance and environmental performance can be exhibited. Furthermore, by reducing the air conditioning load, a relatively small (not high performance) air conditioner 3 will suffice, and costs such as running costs can be effectively suppressed.

Also, the air conditioner 3 adjusts the temperature of the air dehumidified by the dehumidifier 5 . Therefore, compared with the case of adjusting the temperature of the outside air that is not dehumidified, it is possible to more effectively reduce the air conditioning load and further enhance the effect of reducing costs.

Furthermore, since the air supplied to the environment test chamber 2 (on the side of the air conditioner 3) and the room pressure adjusting container 7 is dehumidified by the dehumidifier 5, the environment test chamber 2 is kept in a low temperature environment as in the present embodiment. In this case, the occurrence of dew condensation in the environmental test chamber 2 and the room pressure adjusting container 7 can be more reliably prevented. In addition, as the air conditioner 3, it is possible to use an air conditioner that is not covered with a heat insulating material for preventing dew condensation and that does not use a special material with excellent rust prevention performance as a constituent material. Therefore, cost reduction can be achieved more effectively.

In addition, since the dew point temperature of the air dehumidified by the dehumidifier 5 is lower than the temperature of the air temperature-controlled by the air conditioner 3, condensation occurs in the environmental test chamber 2 and the room pressure control container 7. can be suppressed more reliably.

Furthermore, by configuring the opening 7a so as to open downward at the lower portion of the chamber pressure adjusting container 7, when the inside of the environmental test chamber 2 is a low-temperature environment as in the present embodiment, the inside of the environmental test chamber 2 It is possible to more effectively prevent the temperature-controlled air from mixing with the air in the room pressure control container 7 . As a result, the air conditioning load on the air conditioner 3 can be further reduced, and more advantageous effects in terms of energy saving performance, environmental performance, and cost can be obtained.

In addition, since the pressure control unit 9 includes not only one of the air supply amount control unit 91 and the exhaust amount control unit 92 but also both of them, the pressure in the room pressure control container 7 can be adjusted quickly. , and thus the pressure in the environmental test chamber 2 can be quickly adjusted. In addition, since the pressure control unit 11 can control the pressure in the room pressure adjusting container 7 based on the pressure in the environmental test chamber 2, the pressure in the environmental test chamber 2 can be automatically changed to a desired pressure. It becomes possible to easily maintain a desired pressure.

In addition, it is not limited to the description content of the said embodiment, For example, you may implement as follows. Of course, other applications and modifications not exemplified below are naturally possible.

(a) In the above embodiment, the room pressure adjusting container 7 is configured to have a rectangular parallelepiped appearance, but the shape of the room pressure adjusting container 7 is not limited to this. Therefore, for example, the external shape of the chamber pressure adjusting container 7 may be cylindrical, conical, prismatic, spherical, or frustoconical.

(b) In the above-described embodiment, the opening 7a is formed by one downwardly opening circular hole provided in the lower wall portion 72 of the room pressure adjusting container 7, but the opening is an opening. Regarding the arrangement position, shape, and number of 7a, the propagation of the pressure in the room pressure adjusting container 7 to the inside of the environmental test chamber 2 and the mixing of the air in the environmental test chamber 2 with the air in the room pressure adjusting container 7 As long as the suppression is sufficiently possible, it can be changed as appropriate. Therefore, for example, the opening 7a may be provided in the side wall portion 73 of the chamber pressure adjusting container 7 (for example, the lower side portion of the side wall portion 73). Further, the opening 7a may be triangular, rectangular, polygonal, or elliptical, or may be provided in plurality.

(c) In the above embodiment, the pressure control unit 9 includes an air supply amount control unit 91 and a discharge amount control unit 92. , and the amount of air discharged from the room pressure adjusting container 7 through the exhaust duct 8 can be adjusted. On the other hand, only one of the amount of air supplied to the room pressure adjusting container 7 through the second passage 42 and the amount of air discharged from the room pressure adjusting container 7 through the exhaust duct 8 is selected. The pressure adjuster 9 may be configured to be adjustable. That is, the pressure control unit 9 may include only one of the air supply amount control unit 91 and the exhaust amount control unit 92 .

(d) In the above embodiment, the air supply amount adjustment unit 91 includes the air supply fan 91a, the first flow control valve 91b, and the second flow control valve 91c. As long as the amount of air supplied to the container 7 can be adjusted, the configuration of the air supply amount adjusting section 91 may be changed as appropriate. Therefore, for example, the air supply amount adjusting unit 91 may be composed of only the air supply fan 91a, or may be composed of one of the first flow control valve 91b and the second flow control valve 91c and the air supply fan 91a. You may Also, the air supply amount adjusting unit 91 may include a fan provided corresponding to the second passage 42 .

(e) The air supply fan 91a in the above embodiment is configured to be able to change the flow rate of the air sent to the downstream side (first passage 41 and second passage 42 side). , and may be configured to send a certain amount of air to the downstream side. In this case, the air supply amount adjusting unit 91 includes at least the first flow control valve 91b as an essential component. In addition, the exhaust amount adjusting unit 92 can be configured by an exhaust fan 92a with a variable flow rate.

(f) In the above embodiment, the air supply means is configured by the air supply fan 91a provided in the common passage 43. You may comprise an air supply means. That is, the air supply means may have a configuration in which one for sending air through the first passage 41 and one for sending air through the second passage 42 are separate. In this case, an air supply fan provided in the second passage 42 may be used to adjust the amount of air supplied to the room pressure adjusting container 7 through the second passage 42 . That is, the air supply fan provided in the second passage 42 may be a component of the air supply amount adjusting section 91 .

(g) In the above-described embodiment, the exhaust amount adjusting section 92 is composed of the exhaust fan 92a, but it is possible to adjust the amount of air discharged from the room pressure adjusting container 7 through the exhaust duct 8 to the outside. As long as the configuration of the exhaust amount adjusting section 92 may be changed as appropriate. Therefore, for example, the exhaust amount adjusting unit 92 may be configured by an exhaust fan 92 a and a flow control valve capable of adjusting the cross-sectional area (flow path resistance) of the exhaust duct 8 .

(h) The exhaust fan 92a in the above embodiment is configured to be able to change the flow rate of the air sent to the downstream side (outside). It may be configured to deliver a constant flow rate of air. In this case, the exhaust amount adjusting section 92 can be configured by a flow control valve capable of adjusting the cross-sectional area (flow path resistance) of the exhaust duct 8 .

(i) In the above embodiment, the vehicle 21 is exemplified as the device under test, but the device under test is not limited to this. Therefore, the device under test may be, for example, an engine alone or a prime mover.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Test chamber pressure control apparatus, 2... Environmental test room, 3... Air conditioner, 4... External air supply duct, 5... Dehumidifier, 7... Room pressure adjusting container, 7a... Opening, 8... Exhaust duct, 9 10 Pressure sensor (pressure detection means) 11 Pressure control part (pressure control means) 21 Vehicle (test object) 41 First passage 41a Discharge port , 42... Second passage 91... Air supply amount adjusting section (air supply amount adjusting means) 92... Displacement amount adjusting section (discharge amount adjusting means) 91a... Air supply fan (air supply means) 92a... Exhaust fan (exhaust means).

Claims (3)

An air conditioner that can adjust the temperature of the air in the room installed,
An environment test room in which the device under test is installed and in which a predetermined temperature environment can be formed by the air conditioner installed inside,
A test chamber pressure control device capable of controlling the pressure in the environmental test chamber when testing the device under test after installing the device under test in the environmental test chamber,
a first passage indirectly connected to the air conditioner, the first passage having an outlet located in the environmental test chamber and capable of supplying external air emitted from the outlet to the air conditioner; an external air supply duct that branches into a second passage different from the passage, through which external air supplied from the outside into the environmental test chamber passes;
a dehumidifier disposed upstream of the branching portion of the first passage and the second passage in the external air supply duct for dehumidifying external air supplied from the outside into the environmental test chamber;
a room pressure regulating container arranged in the environmental test chamber, connected to the second passage, and having an internal space;
an exhaust duct connected to the room pressure regulating container and for discharging air in the room pressure regulating container to the outside;
air supply means for supplying air through the first passage to the air conditioner side and applying dynamic pressure to the air so as to supply the air through the second passage into the chamber pressure adjusting container;
exhaust means for exhausting the air in the room pressure adjusting container to the outside through the exhaust duct;
Air supply amount adjusting means for adjusting the amount of air supplied to the room pressure adjusting container through the second passage, and air discharge amount from the room pressure adjusting container through the exhaust duct. At least one of the exhaust volume adjusting means for adjusting, and a pressure adjusting means capable of adjusting the pressure in the environmental test chamber,
The room pressure regulating container has an opening that communicates with the indoor space of the environmental test chamber, and the internal space of the room pressure regulating container and the indoor space of the environmental test chamber are isolated except for the opening. A laboratory pressure control device, characterized in that it is configured to: 2. A test chamber pressure control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said opening is provided in a lower portion of said chamber pressure adjusting container and opens downward. The pressure adjusting means includes both the air supply amount adjusting means and the exhaust amount adjusting means,
pressure sensing means for sensing pressure within the environmental test chamber;
and pressure control means capable of controlling the pressure in the chamber pressure adjusting container by controlling the air supply amount adjusting means and the exhaust amount adjusting means based on the pressure detected by the pressure detecting means. The test chamber pressure control device according to claim 1 or 2.

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