JPH03105139A - Humidifier - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To control humidification by a method wherein a plurality of humidifiers, each provided with a heating element, and a controller for the ON-OFF control of the heating elements, each of which is a self-temperature- controlling type heating element or the like and contained in each humidifier, are provided and the number of the self-temperature-controlling type heating elements which are turned on is changed to suit the humidification requirement. CONSTITUTION:There are provided a plurality of humidifiers 10 each of which consists of a material 1 with voids and being porous which is capable of retaining water and permeable to water vapor and with which a self- temperature-controlling type heating element is incorporated. When switches 11A-11C of a controller 11, for respective humidifiers 10A-10C, are all electrically open, all of the self-temperature-controlling type heating elements are OFF and the effect of the humidifiers is reduced to a minimum. By the control of the switches 11A-11C of the controller 11 further, one or two or all the three of the self-temperature-controlling type heating elements in the humidifiers 10A-10C can be turned on. Thus the effect of the humidification can be controlled in four grades.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a humidifier that increases humidity by supplying moisture to dry indoor air.

[Conventional technology]

Recently, living spaces have become increasingly insulated and classified from the viewpoint of energy conservation, and a higher level of air conditioning is required. Elements of air conditioning include temperature control, humidity control, control of harmful air components, etc. Regarding temperature control, various satisfactory heating and cooling methods have been put into practical use. However, with regard to humidity control and control of harmful components, no device has yet been proposed that is fully satisfactory.

In particular, humidifiers that control humidity include natural evaporation type, electric heating type, water spray type, and ultrasonic type, but natural evaporation type has a small humidifying capacity and electric heating type has the disadvantage of high running cost. However, the water spray type has problems in that it has poor humidification efficiency and is bulky. Furthermore, the ultrasonic type requires a lot of maintenance and has drawbacks such as the scattering of fine powder of calcium carbonate.

Of these methods, the natural evaporation humidifier has the lowest initial cost and running cost, and is the most practical as it does not scatter fine powder of calcium carbonate. For this purpose, configurations as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 have been conventionally adopted.

In Fig. 3, (1) is, for example, published in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-17133.
This is a hollow porous member disclosed in Publication No. 7, which is a bag-shaped sheet member mainly composed of a porous sheet of hydrophobic polymer, and is designed to allow water vapor to pass inside and outside the bag. is being used. Specifically, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride,
A sheet made of synthetic resin such as polyvinidene chloride, polycarbonate, polyester, or fluororesin that blocks the passage of water and allows the passage of water vapor, and a breathable sheet made of woven fabric such as vegetable fiber or chemical fiber. It is constructed by overlapping cloth.

In addition, since the holes in the sheet and the breathable cloth would be closed if they were fully joined together, they are point-joined to the partial rudder at intervals of, for example, about 5 to 10 fi to facilitate the passage of water vapor. (2) is a water supply port for supplying water into the bag of the hollow porous member, and (3) is a spacing member housed inside the hollow porous member, which is connected to both sides and the center of the hollow porous member. A cylindrical part (3A) extending in the longitudinal direction of the hollow porous member and a thin plate part (3B) connecting each cylindrical part.
The cylindrical part (3A) ensures sufficient space within the hollow porous member, and the thin plate part (3A)
3B) and the hollow porous member. The spacing member is made of highly flexible vinyl chloride resin, silicone resin, or the like, and is manufactured by extrusion molding.

(0 is a self-temperature-controlling heating element housed in a hollow porous member together with the spacing member, and the surface is electrically insulated. This self-temperature-controlling heating element (4) has a conductive filler. It is dispersed in a matrix material and has a positive temperature coefficient of resistance.As the conductive filler, fine fibers of carbon and metal are used, but in order to ensure a high positive temperature coefficient of resistance, Carbon black is suitable for this.Also, in order to control the self-temperature control function, a low melting point organic compound is added as a third component, and low molecular weight polyethylene wax is preferably used for this. The manufacturing method is to add 20% to polyolefin.
~30 weight percent carbon black and optionally 10 to 30 percent low molecular weight polyolefin wax.
After the composition containing 2a% weight is homogenized using a Banbury mixer or the like, it is extruded using a T-die to form a self-temperature-controlling heating element composition on a sheet, which is then cut into strips of a predetermined width. be. (5) is a copper foil electrode fixed to both ends of the heating element composition in the width direction by heat fusion;
(6) is a lead wire connected to this ft pole, which is led out from an appropriate location of the hollow porous member (1) and connected to a power source (not shown).

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a spiral type humidifier αO, in which the hollow porous member (1) shown in FIG. A water supply pipe (8) connected to the water supply port (2) and a water tank (9) for supplying evaporated water through the water supply pipe are provided above the water supply pipe (8).

By heating the water in the hollow porous member with the self-temperature-controlled heating element (4) in this manner, the humidifying capacity can be significantly increased.

In the figure, arrow (A) indicates the water supply direction, (B) indicates the air introduction direction, and (C) indicates the air outflow direction.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Conventional humidifiers are constructed as described above, and the humidifying capacity changes significantly depending on whether the self-temperature-controlled heating element installed in the hollow porous member is turned on or off. There was a problem.

The present invention was made to solve this problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a humidifier that can finely control the humidifying capacity in three or more stages.

[Means to solve the problem]

The humidifier according to the present invention is provided with a plurality of humidifiers each incorporating a self-temperature-controlled heating element in a hollow porous member capable of retaining water and allowing water vapor to pass through. The heating element is equipped with a controller that controls ON/OFF of a heating element such as a heating element.

[Effect]

In this invention, a plurality of humidifiers incorporating self-temperature-controlling heating elements are provided in a hollow porous member, and the number of self-temperature-controlling heating elements to be turned on is appropriately changed according to the required humidification amount. This makes it possible to control humidification.

〔Example〕

Figure 1 shows a humidifier combination showing an embodiment of this invention.
Hollow porous member with built-in self-temperature-controlled heating element (0)
1) is a perspective view of three humidifiers (IOA) (IOB) {10C) in which W layers are formed in a spiral shape through a separator (7). Figure 2 shows these three humidifiers (IOA) (10
B) It is a diagram showing a controller αυ that controls (IOC). In these figures, the self-temperature-controlled heating element 0
) is connected to the power supply via the controller Qυ. The controller Ql) has switches (IIA) (IIB) for independently turning ON/OFF the self-temperature-controlled heating elements (4) in each of the three humidifiers (IOA), (IOB, and IOC). (IIC) is provided.

Humidifier combined in this way (1oA) (10B) (1
oc), the switch (IIA) (I
When IB) (IIC) are all electrically opened, all self-temperature control cutting heating elements <<0 are turned off, and the number of humidifying claws is the least. Furthermore, the controller (11) (7) 7.4'7chi (
IIA) (IIB) (IIC) to operate the humidifier (I
By turning on one, two, and three (all) of the self-temperature-controlled heating elements (4) in the OA) (IOB) (IOC), the amount of humidification can be controlled in four stages.

In addition, in the above explanation, an example was given in which the spacing member (3) and the self-temperature control type heating element (4) were configured separately and each was housed in a hollow porous member circle, but the self-temperature control type A similar effect can be expected even if the heating element also serves as the spacing member.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained below, this invention includes a plurality of humidifiers each equipped with a heating element such as a self-temperature-controlled heating element in a hollow porous member circle capable of retaining water and allowing water vapor to pass through. Since a controller is installed to turn ON/OFF heating elements such as self-temperature-controlled heating elements, the amount of humidification can be adjusted by appropriately changing the number of times the self-temperature-controlled heating elements are turned on in response to the required amount of humidification. can be controlled.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of humidifiers in which hollow porous members are stacked in a spiral shape, showing one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a control circuit for controlling the plurality of humidifiers; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a hollow porous member of a conventional humidifier, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a humidifier in which conventional hollow porous members are stacked in a spiral shape. In the figure, (1) is a hollow porous member, (2) is a water supply port, (3) is a spacing member, (0 is a heating element, α0 is a humidifier,
αυ is the controller. In each figure, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A hollow porous member in which a sheet member mainly made of a porous sheet of hydrophobic polymer is formed into a bag shape, and a water supply port is provided on one side of the bag, and inside the hollow porous member. and a heating element such as a self-temperature-controlled heating element that heats the water in the hollow porous member, and a spacing member that is housed in the water supply port and forms a waterway, and supplies water into the hollow porous member from the water supply port. In a humidifier, the air is made to flow through the outer surface of the hollow porous member so that water vapor that has passed through the hollow porous member is included in the air,
A plurality of the above humidifiers are provided, and heating elements such as the above self-temperature-controlled heating element in each humidifier are turned on and off.
A humidifier characterized by being provided with a controller for F control. (2) The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein the spacing member is formed of a heating element such as a self-temperature-controlled heating element, so that the spacing member and the heating element are integrated.