JPH0810063B2 - Constant temperature and constant humidity air supply device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for supplying constant temperature and constant humidity air to a clean room, an environmental test room or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Semiconductor manufacturing, biotechnology, medicine,
In food production, medical care, and the like, fresh air that is adjusted to a constant temperature and humidity is often required. As a constant temperature and constant humidity air supply device used for such a purpose, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, by partitioning the inside of the box 101 by a partition plate 101a, from the outside air inlet 102 to the adjusted air outlet 103. A series of air flow paths are formed, and a blower 104 is attached to this outside air inlet 102 to adjust air outlet 1 from the outside air inlet.
Blow toward 03, adjacent to the outside air inlet 102,
An evaporative humidifier 105, an air cooler 107 including an evaporator of a refrigerator 106, and an electrothermal heater 108 are provided in this order from the windward side to the leeward side.

Reference numeral 109 is a temperature sensor, the output of which is input to a temperature controller 110, which controls the heater 108 so that a desired air temperature can be obtained. Similarly, 11
A humidity sensor 1 is configured to control the operation of the humidity controller 119 and the heater 105a of the humidifier 105 based on the detection signal thereof. Reference numeral 120 is a level sensor for detecting the water level provided in the humidifier, which operates the level switch 124 according to the detection signal to supply the water supply valve 122
Open and close. Reference numeral 121 is a preheating tank communicating with a humidifier and the like, and 123 is a discharge pipe of condensed water from the cooler.
(See Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-139345).

[0004] This type of device has no choice but to increase the capacity of the cooler by enlarging the size of the refrigerator in response to a request to supply air in a lower temperature range or a request to increase the air supply amount. Inevitably, the installation space and weight of the device increased. Further, the cooler is provided with means for automatically detecting defrosting by a detection sensor or the like of a frosting state for deteriorating cooling ability due to frosting on the cooling fins. When the conditions are required, the disturbance of the temperature and humidity conditions due to the response delay affects the quality of semiconductors and the like, and therefore an accurate method for detecting the frosted state is desired.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to disclose a constant temperature and constant humidity air supply device having a higher capacity than ever before without increasing the size of the device.

[0006]

The first aspect of the present invention is to provide a series of air passages connecting an air inlet and an air supply port with a humidifier, a cooler including a evaporator of a refrigerator, and a heater in this order. Prepare,
In a device that adjusts the air introduced from the air inlet to a desired constant temperature and humidity condition and supplies from the air supply port, sandwiching a cooler, the air flow path is provided on the upwind side and the downwind side of the cooler. A pair of straightening vanes are provided in a blocking state, and the proportion of the opening area by the ventilation openings provided in each of the straightening vanes is set so that one end side is large and the other end side is small or none in each straightening vane. At the same time, the constant temperature and constant humidity air supply device is characterized in that the portions having a large ratio of the opening areas of both the straightening vanes facing each other across the cooler are provided so as to be located on opposite sides.

A second aspect of the present invention is to provide an air inlet on one side of the box body and an air supply port on the upper side of the other side of the box body, and to provide an air flow path from the air inlet to the air supply port. A humidifier, a cooler installed so that the longitudinal direction of the cooling fins are upright on the bottom surface of the air flow path, and a state in which the air flow path is blocked on the upwind side and the leeward side of the cooler. A pair of standing straightening vanes are provided, and the ratio of the opening area by the ventilation openings provided in each of the pair of straightening vanes is such that in the windward straightening vane, the upper side is large and the lower side is small or none. In addition, in the leeward side rectifying plate, the lower side is large and the upper side is small or none, and a heater is provided in the ascending flow path from the lower side of the leeward side rectifying plate to the air supply port. A constant temperature and constant humidity air supply device characterized by

A third aspect of the present invention is to provide a series of air passages connecting an air inlet and an air supply port with a humidifier, a cooler composed of an evaporator of a refrigerator, and a heater in this order. In a device that adjusts the air introduced from the air inlet to a desired constant temperature and humidity condition and supplies it from the air supply port, the water level of the humidifier and the cooling fins of the cooler can be observed on one surface of the air passage. A constant temperature and constant temperature air supply device having a transparent inspection window. A detailed description will be given below based on Examples.

[0009]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment embodying the present invention. In FIG. 1, a box 1 surrounded by a heat insulating wall
The air inlet 2 is provided on the side wall surface on one side, the air supply port 3 is provided on the ceiling surface opposite to the air inlet 2, and the air blower 4 is attached to the air inlet 2 so that the inside of the box 1 is closed. Further, a series of air flow paths 5 extending from the air inlet 2 to the air supply port 3 are formed. The bottom surface of the box body 1 has a double bottom, and a bottom plate 1b is stretched below the bottom surface 1a of the air flow path 5 with a storage space 6 open.

The air flow path 5 is provided with an air flow direction plate 1c facing the air inlet 2 and directing the air flowing in from the air flow direction downward, and below the air direction plate.
Humidification dish 7a that opens slightly above the bottom surface 1a of the air flow path
Are supported by the legs 7b. Reference numeral 8 denotes an electric heater, which is operated by a signal from a humidity sensor (not shown) provided in the air supply port 3. 9 is a water supply pipe 9 on the humidifying tray 7a
Water tank for preheating that communicates via a
0a, via the electromagnetic on-off valve 10, the ultrapure water tank 1
Connected to 1. The solenoid on-off valve 10 includes a level sensor 7
The level switch (not shown) that is turned on and off based on the detection signal of c opens and closes.

Downstream of the humidifier 7 having the above-described structure, air which is parallel to the direction of air flow and which is composed of a large number of cooling fins 22 and an evaporation pipe 23 of the refrigerator 21 penetrating the fins 22 in a meandering manner. A cooler 20 is provided. The cooler 2
The cooling fin 22 of 0 has a vertically long rectangular shape, and the length in the longitudinal direction thereof is set to be substantially equal to the vertical width of the air flow path 5, and is accommodated in a state of traversing the air flow path in the vertical direction. . On the windward side of the cooler 20, a slight gap is provided between the cooler 20 and the windward straightening vane 30, and in the immediate vicinity of the downwind side of the cooler 20, the downwinding straightening vane 35 forms the air flow path 5. It is provided in a shut-off state.

As shown in FIG. 2, the windward baffle plate 30 is
Ventilation openings 31, 31, ... Composed of a large number of circular through holes are bored, and the ratio of the opening area of these ventilation openings is
The aperture ratio on the upper side is set to be much higher than that on the lower side. In addition, the leeward side current plate 35 has a ventilation opening 37 formed of a horizontally long ventilation opening 36 and a circular through hole on the lower side.
And are opened, and the ventilation openings are predominantly unevenly distributed on the lower side. Reference numeral 32 is a water passage provided by cutting out the lower end of the windward flow regulating plate 30. Further, reference numeral 25 is a drain drain port that opens to the bottom surface immediately below the cooler 20, and communicates with the outside of the device through a drain pipe 26.

Reference numeral 15 is a heater composed of an electric heater housed in the air flow path extending from the lower part of the leeward flow plate to the air supply port 3, and is provided with a temperature sensor (not shown) installed in the supply port 3. The control of the operation is the same as that of the conventional humidifier as in the case of the humidifier. Reference numeral 40 denotes an inspection window provided on the side surface of the box body, which includes a transparent window provided at a position where the water level of the humidifying tray 7a and the state of the cooling fins 22 of the cooler can be seen through.

[0014]

In the constant temperature and constant humidity air supply device having the above-described structure, the outside air entering from the air inlet 2 descends toward the humidifying tray 7a to be humidified, and then goes upward, and most of the air is removed. , Through the ventilation openings 30 in the upper part of the windward baffle plate 30, into the gap of the cooling fin row from the upper part of the cooler 20 to become a downward flow, descending this gap to reach the lower part of the cooler, While coming out of the ventilation opening 36 of the leeward side current plate 35 and ascending to the air supply port 3, it is heated to a predetermined temperature and humidity and supplied to a clean room or the like. A part of the air passing through the ventilation openings provided in the center of both of the current plates collides with the downward flow to make it turbulent, thereby further improving the heat exchange efficiency. When water is supplied to the humidifying tray due to malfunctions or malfunctions of the electromagnetic opening / closing valve 10, the water overflowing on the bottom surface 1a is discharged from the drain outlet 25 through the water inlet 32 at the lower end of the windward rectifying plate. To be done.

In the above embodiment, the ventilation openings are unevenly distributed in the upper part of the windward side rectifying plate and the lower part of the leeward side rectifying plate, so that the lowering flows between the cooling fins from top to bottom along the longitudinal direction of the cooler. A flow was generated, but this is because an upflow flow passing through the cooler from the bottom to the top is made by inverting the positions where the ventilation openings are unevenly arranged on the windward side rectifying plate and the leeward side rectifying plate. It is also possible to Further, the ventilation opening is not limited to the one in which the plate body is hollowed out, and for example, like the water passage port 32, one end side of the plate body may be cut out by a predetermined width. Further, a net-like one may be used.

[0016]

[Effect] The capacity of the constant temperature and constant humidity air supply device is mainly determined by the capacity of the cooler, but in the conventional device, the air passing through the cooler is allowed to pass through its shortest path. , The heat exchange efficiency was poor because it was installed, but in the device of the present application, the longest passage of the cooler is forcedly passed by installing the straightening vanes before and after the cooler, so the cooling capacity is improved. Can be made. Further, as in the embodiment, when the descending flow is generated, the drain condensation on the cooling fins is promoted to move downward, so that the cooling fin surface is not thickly covered with the drain. This will improve the cooling capacity.

Since the apparatus of the present application is provided with the inspection window, the state of the cooling fins can be directly visually inspected to confirm the frosting state, so that extremely high-precision constant temperature and constant humidity air with no temperature and humidity unevenness can be supplied. it can. Further, this inspection window can confirm the water supply to the humidifying tray, can prevent the water from overflowing, and can prevent the lack of water due to the accident of the solenoid valve 10 or the like. Furthermore, since the conventional humidifying tray was opened near the bottom surface of the air flow path, splashes containing dust and the like adhering to the wall surface and overflow water flowing out to the bottom surface again flowed into the humidifying tray. Although the water in the humidifying dish had been contaminated, the humidifying dish of the present application opens at a predetermined height from the bottom surface and is provided separately from the surrounding wall surface, etc.,
There is no danger of contamination, and even if water in the humidifying tray flows back to the ultrapure water tank 11 due to a failure of the electromagnetic valve 10, there is an advantage that damage is small.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the current plate 30 as viewed from the direction AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the current plate 35 as seen from the direction BB of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Box Body 2 Air Inlet 3 Air Supply Port 5 Air Flow Path 7 Humidifier 15 Heater 20 Cooler 25 Drain Drainage Port 30 Windward Rectifier Plate 35 Downward Rectifier Plate 31, 36 Venting Opening 32 Water Passage 40 Inspection Window

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A series of air flow paths connecting an air inlet and an air supply port are provided with a humidifier, a cooler composed of an evaporator of a refrigerator, and a heater in this order, and air introduced from the air inlet. In a device which adjusts to a desired constant temperature and humidity condition and supplies from the air supply port, sandwiching the cooler, and on the upwind side and the downwind side of the cooler, in a state of blocking the air flow path, a pair of A straightening vane is provided, and the proportion of the opening area by the ventilation openings provided in each of the straightening vanes is set such that one end side is large and the other end side is small or none in each straightening vane, and the cooler is sandwiched. 2. The constant temperature and constant humidity air supply device, characterized in that the portions having a large proportion of the opening area of both the current plates facing each other are provided so as to be located on opposite sides. 2. An air inlet is provided on one side of the box body, and an air supply port is provided on the upper side of the other side of the box body to form an air flow path from the air inlet to the air supply port. A humidifier, a cooler installed so that the longitudinal direction of the cooling fins are upright on the bottom surface of the cooling fin, and a pair of straightening plates installed upright on the windward side and the leeward side of the cooler so as to block the air passage. And the ratio of the opening area due to the ventilation openings provided in each of the pair of current plates,
In the leeward rectifying plate, the upper side is large and the lower side is small or there is no such, and in the leeward side rectifying plate, the lower side is large and the upper side is small or there are no leeward rectifying plates. A constant temperature and constant humidity air supply device, characterized in that a heater is provided in an ascending flow path from the lower part to the air supply port. 3. A water passage opening is formed at a joint between the windward baffle plate and the bottom surface of the air flow passage, and overflow water from the humidifier flows through the water passage and flows into a drain water outlet directly below the cooler. The constant temperature and constant humidity air supply device according to claim 2, which is configured to be capable. 4. The constant temperature and constant humidity air supply device according to claim 1, wherein a transparent inspection window through which the water level of the humidifier and the cooling fins of the cooler can be observed is provided on one surface of the air flow path. 5. A series of air passages connecting an air inlet and an air supply port are provided with a humidifier, a cooler composed of an evaporator of a refrigerator, and a heater in this order, and air introduced from the air inlet. In a device that adjusts to a desired constant temperature and constant humidity condition and supplies from the air supply port, one surface of the air passage has a transparent inspection window through which the water level of the humidifier and the cooling fins of the cooler can be observed. A constant temperature and constant temperature air supply device.