JPH0518104B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a drying device for drying a photosensitive material after washing with water in a photosensitive material processing device such as an automatic film developing device, and more specifically, This invention relates to a drying device that circulates wind.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, in a photosensitive material processing device such as an automatic film developing device, a photosensitive material is immersed in a processing liquid in a processing tank such as a developing tank or a fixing tank, and then the photosensitive material is washed with water in a washing tank. Many things like this are known. In many cases, the photosensitive material washed with water as described above is dried by a drying device provided within the photosensitive material processing apparatus and then discharged from the apparatus. Various drying devices for drying photosensitive materials in photosensitive material processing equipment have been known in the past, and a drying device that circulates drying air heated by a heater has also been proposed for the purpose of energy saving. ing.

However, when the drying air is circulated as described above, the humidity of the drying air gradually increases due to the moisture taken into the drying air each time the photosensitive material is dried, and as a result, it becomes impossible to sufficiently dry the photosensitive material. become.

Therefore, it is conceivable to install a dehumidifier in the dry air circulation system and circulate and use the dry air while dehumidifying the air, but this would require a large amount of new energy to operate the dehumidifier.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and provides a drying device for a photosensitive material processing device that can be used for circulation while keeping the drying air at a low humidity and consumes less energy. The purpose is to

(Structure of the Invention) The drying air device of the photosensitive material processing apparatus of the present invention includes a drying air circulation system that is formed by a drying air circulation path and a blowing means and that circulates drying air by passing it near the washing tank. A drying section is provided into which the photosensitive material after washing is carried in, a heater for heating the dry air is provided in the drying air circulation system, and a dehumidifier is provided in the drying air circulation system from the drying section to the heater, It is installed in the drying air circulation system from the drying section to the dehumidifier so as to directly protrude from the washing tank, and it dehumidifies the drying air passing through this circulation system and transfers the heat of the drying air to the washing tank. It is equipped with a heat exchanger that radiates heat to the washing water.

(Function) The humidity of the drying air is maintained low by the dehumidifier in the drying air circulation system, but the drying air flowing into this dehumidifier from the drying section is cooled in advance by the action of the heat exchanger and dehumidified to some extent. This reduces the load on the dehumidifier. Furthermore, the heat radiated to the washing tank is effectively used to raise the temperature of the washing liquid, which normally needs to be kept at a certain high temperature.

(Embodiments) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

The figure shows a photosensitive material processing apparatus equipped with a drying device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The present photosensitive material processing apparatus 1 is, for example, an automatic developing apparatus for sheet-like film, and a sheet-like film 3 inserted from a film insertion section 2 is sent to a film receiving box 5 by a large number of drive rollers 4a and 4b. However, during the process, it is sequentially immersed in a developing tank 6, a fixing tank 7, and a washing tank 8, and is subjected to development, fixing, and washing processes.

The film 3 discharged from the washing tank 8 is subjected to moisture adhering to the film surface in a squeeze section 9, and then dried in a drying section 10 before being sent to the film receiving box 5. . This drying section 10 includes a blower 11 and a heater 1.
2 is interposed in a part of the dry air circulation passage 13. The drying air circulated in the direction of the arrow in the figure by the blower 11 is heated to, for example, about 50 to 55°C by the heater 12 in the circulation passage 13a leading from the blower 11 to the drying section 10.
Air blows out from 0a into the drying section 10 to dry the film 3, and returns to the blower 11 via the circulation path 13b.

Circulation passage 13 from drying section 10 to blower 11
A dehumidifier 14 is interposed in b, and the dry air that has taken in moisture in the drying section 10 is dehumidified by the dehumidifier 14 to a humidity of about 30%, for example. Therefore, it is basically possible to recirculate the entire amount of drying air.
Since high-temperature drying air is not discharged outside the machine, energy consumption for heating the drying air can be kept low. The moisture collected in the dehumidifier 14 is discharged to the outside through piping 15, and the dehumidified dry air is sent to the dehumidifier 1 by a heater 14a built in the dehumidifier 14.
It is heated to about the temperature before being supplied to 4.

A heat exchanger 16 is provided in the circulation passage 13b leading from the drying section 10 to the dehumidifier 14, which radiates the heat of the drying air in the passage 13b to the washing water in the washing tank 8. The drying air is cooled by this heat exchanger 16, and a certain amount of moisture is transferred to the circulation passage 13b.
Condensation occurs inside the machine, and the moisture is discharged to the outside of the machine through a pipe 17 communicating with the pipe 15. Since the dry air is cooled and dehumidified before entering the dehumidifier 14 in this way, the load on the dehumidifier 14 is reduced and its operating energy consumption is reduced. Also, the heat exchanger 16
is disposed in the circulation passage 13b passing near the washing tank 8 so as to project directly from the washing tank 8, so that the heat of the drying air can be directly transferred to the washing water, thereby improving heat transfer. In addition to being efficient, there is no need for piping to lead the washing water to the heat exchanger, and the device structure can be simplified. Of course, the load on the dehumidifier 14 is also reduced by simply lowering the temperature of the drying air using the heat exchanger 16 without causing dew condensation in the circulation passage 13b. The temperature in the washing tank 8 is normally set at 20°C to enhance the washing effect.
However, in this device, the temperature inside the washing tank 8 is increased by the heat radiated from the drying air as described above, and a heating means for the washing tank 8 is not required. The temperatures of the developing tank 6 and fixing tank 7 are also maintained at a certain high temperature by heating means (not shown) to promote the reaction. If necessary, such a heating means may also be provided for the washing tank 8 and used in combination with the heat exchanger 16, but even in that case, the energy consumption of this heating means can be small.

For example, a fresh air intake port may be provided between the blower 11 and the heater 12 to partially introduce fresh air into the circulation passages 13a and 13b. As disclosed in the publication, it is preferable to perform heat exchange between the discharged dry air and newly introduced fresh air to reduce the loss of dry air heating energy.

Although one embodiment of the present invention used in an apparatus for developing a sheet film 3 has been described above, the drying apparatus of the present invention can perform other processes other than developing, and can also process roll films, roll photographic paper, etc. Of course, it can also be used for photosensitive material processing equipment.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained in detail above, the drying device in the photosensitive material processing apparatus of the present invention can recycle the drying air, so the energy consumption for heating the drying air is small, and the drying device is equipped with a heat exchanger for pre-cooling the drying air. Because of this effect, the operating energy consumption of the dehumidifier is also reduced, resulting in the effect of significantly reducing the operating cost of the photosensitive material processing apparatus. Furthermore, in the apparatus of the present invention, the heat exchanger is disposed in the drying air circulation system that passes near the washing tank so as to protrude directly from the washing tank, so that the heat of the drying air is directly transferred to the washing water. In addition to being able to transfer heat efficiently,
There is no need for piping to lead the washing water to the heat exchanger, and the device structure can be simplified.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figure is a schematic diagram showing a photosensitive material processing apparatus equipped with an apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1... Photosensitive material processing device, 3... Film, 6
...Developer tank, 7...Fixer tank, 8...Washing tank, 10
... Drying section, 11 ... Air blower, 12 ... Heater,
13...Dry air circulation passage, 14...Dehumidifier, 16
……Heat exchanger.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a photosensitive material processing apparatus having a photosensitive material processing tank such as a developing tank and a washing tank for washing the photosensitive material passed through the processing tank, a drying section into which the washed photosensitive material is carried, and the drying section a drying air circulation system that circulates drying air through the vicinity of the washing tank; a heater disposed within the drying air circulation system; and a drying air circulation system disposed within the drying air circulation system extending from the drying section to the heater. A dehumidifier and a dehumidifier are installed in a dry air circulation system extending from the drying section to the dehumidifier in a state that directly protrudes from the washing tank, and dehumidifies the dry air passing through the circulation system, and removes the heat of the dry air. and a heat exchanger for dissipating heat to the washing water in the washing tank.