JPH09264559A - Heat storage/cold storage type cool/warm air apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce thermal expansion and contraction of a thermoelectric cooling element due to on/off operation of current by providing a current controlling means for allowing smaller current to flow after a stop of air supply by a blowing means than that at the time of blowing. SOLUTION: A blower fan 6 is continuously rotated and current of a Peltier element 1 is controlled to a stationary current until the time when a detection signal of detecting an occupant leaving a toilet is inputted to a control circuit 3 from a human body sensor, and these are continued until an elapse of a certain period of time after the stop of the blower fan 6. After the elapse of the time, current of the Peltier element 1 is controlled in a waiting state to a current smaller than the stationary current.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cold storage heat storage type cold / hot air device using a thermoelectric cooling element, and more particularly to a cold storage heat storage type cold / hot air device capable of effectively performing heating / cooling in a toilet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a cold air system using a compressor for compressing a refrigerant gas as a cold air system for performing local cooling only in the vicinity of a place where a worker is present in a hot work place or the like. When the local cold air device using this compressor is used in a kitchen or a toilet at home, the noise or weight of the compressor motor becomes a problem. Then, as shown in FIG.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-256736 discloses a cold-air device which is a compact and lightweight cool storage heat storage type hot and cold air device using a Peltier element which is a thermoelectric cooling element and a heat exchanger.

The cold air apparatus of FIG. 5 includes a Peltier element 1 which is a thermoelectric cooling element, a DC power source 2, a heat exchange apparatus 7 in which a heat storage medium 7a for storing heat is enclosed in a closed space, a blower motor 6a and a blower. The fan 6 is provided, the heat exchange device 7 is provided in the blower circuit, and the heat absorption surface 1a of the Peltier element 1 is provided at a position where heat can be exchanged with the heat storage medium 7a. In this cool air device, when a direct current flows through the Peltier element 1 by the direct current power source 2, the heat radiating surface 1b radiates heat and the heat absorbing surface 1
a is cooled, and cold heat is stored in the heat storage medium 7a. Then, when the cold storage is completed, the blower motor 6a and the blower fan 6 ventilate the heat exchange device 7 to blow out cool air.

[0004]

By the way, in the cold air apparatus which is a regenerative heat storage type cold / hot air apparatus using the Peltier element which is the thermoelectric cooling element, the Peltier element is generally expensive. It is composed less.
Further, the current to the Peltier element is controlled to be opened / closed by a temperature sensor so that the temperature of the heat storage medium 7a is set to a predetermined temperature by a separately provided temperature adjusting means.
Therefore, in a local cool air device in which the amount of heat accumulated by energizing the Peltier element is small, the Peltier element frequently repeats energization and de-energization due to spontaneous emission of heat during standby after the end of heat storage. As a result, since the Peltier device 1 is repeatedly heated and cooled, the pn junction, which is a junction between different semiconductors, undergoes unnecessary mechanical expansion and contraction, resulting in a problem that the life is shortened. .

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to effectively cool and store heat by a Peltier element, which is a thermoelectric cooling element, so that the rising time of cold air or warm air is increased. It has excellent characteristics,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cold storage heat storage type cold / hot air device having an improved mechanical life.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a regenerative heat storage type cold / hot air apparatus according to claim 1 comprises a thermoelectric cooling element, and a current control means for controlling a current supplied to the thermoelectric cooling element. In the cold storage heat storage type cold / hot air device including a cold storage heat storage block provided so as to be absorbed by the thermoelectric cooling element, and a heat exchanger having a blower that absorbs heat by the cold storage heat storage block and blows air to the outside, the current The control means is configured to supply a smaller amount of current than when the air is blown after the air blowing of the air blowing means is stopped. As a result, the thermoelectric cooling element is continuously energized with a small amount of current during standby after the air flow is stopped.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a regenerative heat storage type cold / hot air system in which the current control means supplies a current larger than that after a predetermined time elapses until a predetermined time elapses after the air supply is stopped. There is. As a result, the cold storage heat storage block stores the cold storage heat with a larger current than after the predetermined time has elapsed until the predetermined time has elapsed after the air supply was stopped.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a regenerative heat storage type cold / hot air device in which the current control means according to the second aspect has temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the heat exchanger. It will be controlled according to the temperature. As a result, the cold storage heat storage block is controlled by the temperature detection means and stores cold storage heat until a predetermined time elapses after the ventilation is stopped.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a cold storage heat storage type cold / hot air device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, and a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. To do.

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is an explanatory view for explaining the structure of a local cold air device which is a cold storage heat storage type cold / hot air device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the blowing means of the apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a timing chart of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, where (a) is a current flowing through the Peltier element, (b) is the temperature of the heat exchanger,
(C) is the output of the blower fan.

This local cold air device sucks indoor air in a small room such as a toilet and cools it by a Peltier element which is a thermoelectric cooling element to blow cold air. The Peltier element 1 and the Peltier element 1 The power source 2 and the control circuit 3 corresponding to the current control means for controlling the current flowing to the device, the cold storage block 4 corresponding to the cold storage heat storage block provided so as to be absorbed by the Peltier device 1, and the heat of the Peltier device 1 are released. The heat radiating block 5, a blower fan 6 corresponding to a blower, a heat exchange coil 7 and a heat radiating fin 8 that form a heat exchanger that absorbs heat by the cool storage block 4, and an outer shell 9. The heat exchange coil 7 and the heat radiation block 5 have pumps P1 and P2 controlled by the control circuit 3, respectively.

In the Peltier device 1, an n-type semiconductor and a p-type semiconductor, which are already known per se, are arranged in parallel, and current is applied in a predetermined direction between the n-type semiconductor and the p-type semiconductor to generate heat or cool the outer surface. As shown in FIG. 1, 1a facing the cold storage block 4 is a cooling surface, and 1b facing the heat radiating block 5 is a heating surface. The current of the Peltier element 1 is controlled by the control circuit 3 described later, the heat of the cool storage block 4 is absorbed through the cooling surface 1a, and the absorbed heat is released to the outside from the heat generating surface 1b through the heat radiating block 5. .

The power source 2 is for supplying a DC power source to the Peltier element 1, and outputs DC power to the Peltier element 1 while converting the input of the AC power source into DC and controlling the current value to be conducted by the control circuit 3. To do.

The control circuit 3 is for controlling the current of the Peltier device 1 and is constituted by including a microprocessor, for example. The control circuit 3 has a timer function for controlling the power supply 2 and controlling the current to the Peltier device 1 by a program of a microprocessor, for example. Further, the control circuit 3 includes pumps P1 and P1 installed in a heat exchange coil 7 and a heat radiation block 5 described later.
It also controls the drive of No. 2.

The cold storage block 4 is for storing the amount of heat cooled by the Peltier element 1, that is, cold heat.
A heat storage medium 7a described later is filled in the container, and one surface is in contact with the cooling surface 1a of the Peltier element 1. In this cold storage block 4, one end and the other end of a heat exchange coil 7 which will be described later are directly connected, and the cold heat accumulated in the heat storage medium 7a is transferred to the heat exchange coil 7.
Is released to the outside through The local cold air device of the present invention is
By accumulating cold heat in the cold storage block 4, a rise time characteristic of blowout of cold air in a short time after the start of air blowing by the air blowing fan 6 described later is realized.

The heat radiating block 5 serves to assist the cold heat accumulation operation of the cold storage block 4 by releasing the hot heat generated by the Peltier element 1 when the cold storage block 4 is cooled to the outside. Water 5a in the low tank T provided in the toilet is filled in the container,
One surface is in contact with the heat generating surface 1b of the Peltier device 1. In this heat dissipation block 5, one end of each of circulation pipes C and C having a pump P2 is directly connected to one of them, and the water in the raw tank is circulated by the pump P2, so that the heat generated on the heating surface 1b is locally cooled by the cold air. Discharge from inside the device to water in raw tank.

The blower fan 6 forms a blower circuit inside the local cold blower, but is not limited thereto. In this embodiment, it is a sirocco fan having an elongated shape as shown in FIG. Has been formed. The blower fan 6 is arranged so as to face the discharge port 9a provided in the outer shell 9, and the start / stop of rotation is controlled by the control circuit 3. The blower fan 6 rotates to blow air from the inside of the local cooling device to the outside, so that the air in the room is sucked from the suction port 9b provided in the outer shell 9 and is discharged to the outside from the discharge port 9a. The circuit WC is formed. The blower circuit WC is formed via a heat exchange coil 7 and a radiation fin 8 provided integrally with the heat exchange coil 7 which will be described later. Then, the indoor air is cooled by the cold heat stored in the cold storage block 4 and is discharged to the outside.

The heat exchange coil 7 performs heat exchange to absorb heat from the outside by releasing the cold heat accumulated in the cold storage block 4 to the outside, and is made of an aluminum material having a large heat transfer coefficient to have a predetermined length. A plurality of straight pipes having the above are connected by a bending body having a predetermined curvature, and are formed to have a spiral shape or the like. The heat exchange coil 7 has a heat storage medium 7a for heat exchange such as oil having a large heat capacity therein, a pump P1 for circulating the heat storage medium 7a is installed at a predetermined position, and a heat radiating fin 8 which will be described later is installed in the heat exchange coil 7. The plurality of straight tube portions are fitted and inserted into the holes and arranged in the blower circuit WC.

The radiating fins 8 are for facilitating the release of cold heat from the surface of the heat exchange coil 7 to the outside. As shown in FIG. 2, a large number of transparent members for fitting and inserting the heat exchange coil 7 are inserted. It is formed by a large number of plate materials having holes, for example, made of an aluminum material. In the heat radiation fins 8, the heat of the heat exchange coils 7 is exchanged by the cold heat conducted from the heat exchange coils 7 to the heat radiation fins 8 being radiated to the outside by the circulation of air in the air blowing circuit WC by the air blowing fan 6. Assist.

The outer shell 9 accommodates each member of the above-mentioned local cool air device, and has the above-mentioned discharge port 9a and suction port 9b.
And a circulation pipe C for circulating the water in the low tank of the toilet, and an installation port for installing C, and are made of a synthetic resin material or the like. Discharge port 9a and suction port 9
b is installed so that the indoor air sucked from the suction port 9b by the rotation of the blower fan 6 passes through the entire surface of the heat exchange coil 7 and is discharged from the discharge port 9a to form a blowing circuit WC.

Next, the operation of inhaling indoor air to cool and generate cold air in a small space such as a toilet by the above-described local cold air device will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG. In this local cold air device, the other end of each of the circulation pipes C, C is arranged inside the low tank T of the toilet, and the discharge port 9a is appropriately installed so as to face the user's face. Further, the control circuit 3 is connected to a human body detection sensor that detects the temperature of the human body surface and detects that a user has entered the toilet, for example, and the detection output outputs the fan 6 for automatically rotating from the toilet. The rotation automatically stops when there are no users.

First, when the AC power source of the power source 2 is input, the control circuit 3 controls the power source 2 so that the Peltier element 1 is supplied with the steady current I1, and the water in the low tank T is circulated by the pump P2. Heat dissipation block 5 via C
The heat storage medium 7a inside the cold storage block 4 is circulated via the heat exchange coil 7 by the pump P1 to accumulate the amount of heat cooled by the Peltier element 1, that is, cold heat. While a predetermined amount of cold heat is being accumulated in this initial stage, the current I of the Peltier device 1 is energized at the value of I1. Then, after the time T1 after the lapse of a predetermined period, the current I of the Peltier device 1 is set to the standby state and the current I is I.
I2 is controlled to be smaller than 1 and is energized. This standby current I2 compensates for a thermal loss due to the release of cold heat from the heat exchange coil 7 in a state where the blower fan 6 is not rotating, and the Peltier element 1 turns on the current.
The purpose is to reduce thermal expansion and contraction due to off.

Then, at time T2 when a detection signal indicating that the user has entered the toilet is input to the control circuit 3 from the human body detection sensor connected to the local cool air unit, the control circuit 3 sends the blower fan 6 to the control circuit 3. Is activated and the current I of the Peltier device 1 is controlled from I2 to I1. Then, the fan 6 for blower is continuously rotated and the current I of the Peltier element 1 is kept until the time T3 when the detection signal for detecting the exit from the toilet by the user is input from the human body detection sensor to the control circuit 3. It is energized by being controlled by the steady-state current I1, and continues until time T4 when a predetermined time TD elapses after the blower fan 6 is stopped. After time T4, the current I of the Peltier device 1 is controlled to be I2 smaller than the steady current I1 and energized in the standby state.

According to the local cold air device described above, the Peltier element 1 is continuously energized with a small amount of current during the standby state after the air flow is stopped, so that thermal loss due to the release of cold heat is generated. By being compensated for, the rise time characteristic of the blowing of the cold air due to the rotation of the blower fan 6 becomes shorter, and the Peltier element 1 has less thermal expansion and contraction due to the turning on and off of the current, thus improving the life. Becomes Further, the cool storage block 4 stores the cool heat by a larger current than that after the predetermined time elapses until the predetermined time TD after the ventilation stop elapses.
Even when the cold air is blown out for a short period of time, the rise time characteristic becomes short.

[Second Embodiment] FIGS. 4A and 4B are timing charts of a local cooling air system according to a second embodiment. FIG. 4A is a current flowing through a Peltier element, and FIG. 4B is a heat exchanger. , (C) is the output of the blower fan.

This local cold air device is different from that of the first embodiment only in the control method of the control circuit 3 for controlling the current of the Peltier element 1, and the constituent members are the same as those of the first embodiment. It is almost the same as the one.

As shown in FIG. 1, the control circuit 3 of this one has a temperature detecting sensor 31 corresponding to the temperature detecting means, and the current value of the power source 2 is controlled by the input of the temperature detecting sensor 31 to control the Peltier. The current of the element 1 is controlled. Although not limited thereto, the temperature detection sensor 31 is composed of a thermistor element in this embodiment. The temperature detection sensor 31 may be various ones such as a semiconductor temperature sensor other than the thermistor element. The temperature detection sensor 31 is adhered to the surface of the heat exchange coil 7 of this one with an adhesive or the like, and the temperature of the heat storage medium 7a is detected by the control circuit 3.

In the local chiller device described above, when the AC power source of the power source 2 is input, the control circuit 3 first causes the power source 2 to energize the Peltier element 1 with I1 as in the first embodiment. And the water in the low tank T is circulated through the circulation pipes C, C by the pump P2.
The heat storage medium 7a inside the cold storage block 4 is circulated via the heat exchange coil 7 by the pump P1 to accumulate the amount of heat cooled by the Peltier element 1, that is, cold heat. The process of accumulating a predetermined amount of cold heat in the initial stage is grasped by the control circuit 3 as a detection signal from the temperature detection sensor 31, and the Peltier element 1 is detected.
Current I of I1 is substantially the same as the temperature of the heat storage medium 7a until the surface temperature θ of the heat exchange coil 7 decreases to θ3.
Is energized at the value of. After the time T1 when the surface temperature θ of the heat exchange coil 7 reaches θ3, the current I of the Peltier element 1 is controlled to a value smaller than the steady current I1 by the detection signal of the temperature detection sensor 31 and is energized. When the surface temperature θ of the heat exchange coil 7 reaches θ2, T
After the time point 2, the current I of the Peltier device 1 is controlled to be I2 smaller than I1 and is energized in the standby state, as in the first embodiment.

Then, at time T3 when a detection signal indicating that the user has entered the toilet is input to the control circuit 3 from the human body detection sensor connected to this local cool air device, the control circuit 3 causes the fan 6 to blow air. Is activated and the current I of the Peltier device 1 is controlled from I2 to I1. Then, the fan 6 for blower is continuously rotated and the current I of the Peltier element 1 is kept until the time T4 when the detection signal for detecting the exit from the toilet by the user is input from the human body detection sensor to the control circuit 3. Surface temperature θ of the heat exchange coil 7 after being energized under the control of I1 and the fan 6 for blowing has stopped
Continues until the time point T5 when θ reaches θ3. And T
After the point of time 5 until T6 when the surface temperature θ of the heat exchange coil 7 reaches θ2, the current I of the Peltier element 1 is equal to the above T.
Similarly to the period from 1 to T2, the detection signal from the temperature detection sensor 31 is controlled to a value smaller than I1 and electricity is supplied.

According to the local cool air device described above, the cold storage block 4 is controlled by the temperature detecting means to store cold until a predetermined time elapses after the ventilation is stopped. Therefore, the ambient temperature or the circulation of water in the low tank is circulated. By accumulating in accordance with the variation of the heat radiation condition due to, the rise time characteristic of the blowing of cold air becomes short even if the ambient temperature changes.

[0031]

According to the regenerative heat storage type cold / hot air system of the first aspect of the present invention, the thermoelectric cooling element is continuously energized with a small amount of current during standby after the air supply is stopped. Thermal expansion and contraction due to on / off is reduced, and the life is improved.

In addition to the effect of the cold storage heat storage type cold / hot air device according to claim 2, the cool storage heat storage block is larger than a predetermined time after a predetermined time has elapsed after the air supply is stopped. Since the cold storage heat is stored by the electric current, the rise time characteristic becomes short even when the blowing of the cold air is repeated for a short time.

In addition to the effect of the second aspect, the cold-storage heat storage block is controlled by the temperature detecting means until a predetermined time elapses after the ventilation is stopped. Since the cold storage heat is stored, even if the ambient temperature changes, the rise time characteristic of the blowing of the cold air becomes short.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of a first embodiment of a local cold wind device that is a cold storage heat storage type cold / hot air device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an air blowing circuit of the device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a timing chart of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, in which (a) is a conduction current of a Peltier element, (b) is a temperature of a heat exchanger, and (c) is an output of a blower fan.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a timing chart of the local cool air apparatus according to the second embodiment, in which (a) is a current flowing through a Peltier element, (b) is a temperature of a heat exchanger, and (c) is a blower fan. Is the output.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Peltier element (thermoelectric cooling element) 2 Power supply (current control means) 3 Control circuit (current control means) 4 Cooling block (cooling heat storage block) 6 Blower fan (blowering means) 7 Heat exchange coil (heat exchanger) 8 Heat dissipation Fin (heat exchanger)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A thermoelectric cooling element, a current control means for controlling a current supplied to the thermoelectric cooling element, a cold storage heat storage block provided so as to absorb heat by the thermoelectric cooling element, and an external heat absorption by the cold storage heat storage block and an external device. In a cold storage heat storage type cold / hot air device including a heat exchanger having a blowing unit that blows air to the cold storage heat storage device, the current control unit supplies a smaller current than when blowing air after the blowing of the blowing unit is stopped. Type cold and hot air device. 2. The regenerative heat storage type cold / hot air apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the current control means supplies a current larger than that after a predetermined time elapses until a predetermined time elapses after the air supply is stopped. 3. The current control means has a temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the heat exchanger, and controls the current according to the temperature of the heat exchanger. Regenerative heat storage type cold / hot air device.