JPH10176839A - Electric dehumidifier - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate an inconvenience that the dehumidifying efficiency in the winter season is lowered when that in the summer season is raised and an operation with high dehumidifying efficiency can be always achieved within a wide range of room temperature in an electric dehumidifier having a refrigerating cycle system mounted to dehumidify indoor air. SOLUTION: A refrigerating cycle system comprises a cooler 7 with large fin pitches 7a to hardly clog fins with frost sticking to the cooler at low temperature, which is provided on the front part of an inlet side and a cooler 8 with small fin pitches 8a to increase a dehumidifying efficiency in the summer season, which is provided in series on the back part thereof. In the summer season, the temperature of passing air is greatly lowered by the back cooler 8 so that a high dehumidifying efficiency can be obtained. In the winter season, the fins are prevented from being clogged with frost by the front cooler 7 with the large fin pitches.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dehumidifier for dehumidifying intake air using a refrigeration cycle, and more particularly to a dehumidifier having a defrosting operation function when a cooling device included in the refrigeration cycle is frosted at a low temperature. It relates to an electric dehumidifier.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an electric dehumidifier using a refrigeration cycle has been widely used for dehumidifying indoor air. This refrigeration cycle cools and dehumidifies the intake air by a cooling device provided in an air passage that flows from an intake port to an outlet provided in a dehumidifier main body, and a condenser disposed downstream of the cooling device. The air is reheated to blow dry air, and by repeating this cycle, indoor air is dehumidified.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a conventional electric dehumidifier. As shown in FIG. 1, in the conventional electric dehumidifier, the indoor air is sucked from the inlet 2 and dehumidified from the outlet 3 by the operation of a blower 5 provided in a cabinet 1 constituting the electric dehumidifier main body. It blows out the air.

[0004] In this case, the air sucked from the suction port 2 through the filter 4 disposed facing the suction port 2 is first cooled by a cooling device (hereinafter referred to as a cooler) 6 comprising a single cooler. And the water vapor contained in the intake air is removed. This water vapor becomes condensed water on the surface of the cooler 6, is collected in the dew receiving tray 10, and is further stored in the drainage tank 12 through the drain port 11. And cooler 6
The air once cooled and dehumidified is reheated in the condenser 9 and then blown out from the blowout port 3. In addition, 13 is a float, 14 is a water-full lever, and 15 is a water-full switch, which cooperate to prevent overflow of condensed water from the drainage tank 12.

FIG. 7 shows a refrigeration cycle of the conventional electric dehumidifier. In the refrigerant circuit A constituting the refrigeration cycle, first, the refrigerant which has been compressed by the compressor 16 and has become a high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous state is liquefied in the condenser 9 to become a high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant. At this time, the heat released from the refrigerant is used to warm the air blown by the blower 5 when the air passes between the fins 9 a provided on the condenser 9.

Next, the high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant flowing out of the condenser 9 is depressurized by the capillary tube 18 after the moisture contained therein is removed by the dryer 17 to become a normal-temperature low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. The gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant at normal temperature and low pressure is supplied to a cooler 6 provided downstream of the capillary tube 18.
And becomes a low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant. At this time, since the refrigerant absorbs heat from the surroundings, the intake air sucked by the blower 5 is cooled when passing between the fins 6a provided to the cooler 6, as shown in an enlarged manner in FIG. Further, when the refrigerant that has flowed off from the cooler 6 passes through the accumulator 19, a liquid component accumulates therein, and only a gas component remains in the compressor 1.
6 and compressed again.

The above is the operation of the conventional electric dehumidifier during the normal operation of the refrigeration cycle. When the temperature of the intake air drops to about 15 ° C. or less, the surface temperature of the cooler 6 becomes 0 ° C. or less. And the water vapor in the intake air becomes frost and adheres to the fins 6 a of the cooler 6. When the amount of the frost increases and the fins of the cooler 6 are clogged, the amount of dehumidification decreases.

Therefore, in this conventional electric dehumidifier,
When it is determined that the amount of frost adhering to the fins 6a of the cooler 6 has increased, the solenoid valve 20 is opened to form a refrigerant path B indicated by a dashed arrow in FIG. The supply is performed to perform the defrosting operation.

[0009]

In the above-mentioned conventional electric dehumidifier, the cooling device 6 is used to improve the dehumidifying capacity.
Of high density. Specifically, the pitch of the fins 6a of the cooler 6 is reduced to increase the number thereof. However, in cold weather such as winter, the higher the humidity of the intake air, the more frost adheres to the front end of the fin 6a. Therefore, shortly after operation, the front of the cooler 6 begins to be covered with frost shortly after operation. As a result, the indoor air cannot be sucked. Therefore, the frequency of the defrosting operation performed to recover the intake of the indoor air is inevitably increased, and the cooler 6 is once warmed every time the defrosting operation is performed. Had the problem of being bad.

That is, as described above, the smaller the fin pitch of the cooler 6 in order to improve the dehumidifying ability, the lower the dehumidifying efficiency in winter when the surface temperature of the cooler 6 becomes 0 ° C. or less, for the above reason. Gets worse. However, if the fin pitch of the cooler 6 is increased, excellent dehumidifying performance cannot be exhibited in summer. After all, according to the conventional configuration, it is technically difficult to improve the dehumidification efficiency in both summer and winter.

As a measure for remedying the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, the present applicant has previously disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 5-225265 the temperature sensor that detects the frost formation temperature of a cooler during a dehumidifying operation, and a humidity sensor. By detecting the humidity of the intake air at that time, the amount of frost of the cooler can be determined, and in determining the amount of frost, the time from the detection of the frost temperature to the start of defrosting Is changed according to the humidity, thereby eliminating waste due to the defrosting operation, and dehumidifying the dehumidifier, and proposed a dehumidifier capable of performing the defrost, but in this case, the control system needs to be devised. In addition, since the structural improvement of the cooling device itself is not intended, there is naturally a limit as a measure for improving the dehumidifying efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in order to solve such problems, and in an electric dehumidifier equipped with a refrigeration cycle for dehumidifying indoor air, the dehumidifying efficiency is always maintained in a wide temperature range in the room. It is intended to enable high driving.

[0013]

According to the present invention, there is provided a refrigeration cycle unit including a cooling device provided in a portion of a dehumidifier main body through which intake air passes. An electric dehumidifier configured to cool air by a cooling device of the refrigeration cycle unit and condense water vapor contained in the intake air to perform dehumidification. A first cooler and a second cooler independently provided from the first cooler and disposed downstream of the first cooler; and a refrigerant of the first and second coolers. The flow path is formed by piping in series.

In the case where the cooling device is composed of only one cooler as in the prior art, the pitch of the fins constituting the cooler is fixed to a single value, so that the refrigerating capacity of the cooler is constant and the cooling capacity is reduced. Cannot be variable. According to the above configuration, the cooling device is composed of two independent coolers, the first cooler and the second cooler, and therefore can have different refrigeration capacities. As a result, it becomes possible to realize a refrigeration cycle system having a highly accurate system balance for exhibiting the maximum dehumidifying efficiency by matching with the capacity of the compressor.

In the above configuration, the first and second coolers usually have a number of fins arranged at a constant pitch in a direction intersecting the intake air flow. 2 In the summer when the cooler is in a temperature zone where frost does not adhere to 0 ° C. or more by forming it larger than that of the 2 cooler, the fin pitch is reduced and the heat exchange area is increased. The temperature of the passing air is lower than that of the air passing through the first cooler. This serves to increase the condensation rate of water vapor contained in the intake air, so that a highly efficient dehumidifying action can be obtained.

On the other hand, in winter, when the temperature of the cooler becomes 0 ° C. or less and fins are frosted, the fin pitch of the first cooler is increased. Does not become frost and the fins are not clogged in a short time. In this case, frost also forms on the fins of the second cooler having a reduced fin pitch, but since the air passing through the second cooler is air after passing through the first cooler, the degree of drying has already been increased. Therefore, the amount of frost is small. Therefore, since most of the water vapor in the air is removed as frost by the first cooler, the fins are not clogged in a short time.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of an electric dehumidifier to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition,
Components common to the conventional electric dehumidifier shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 are denoted by the same reference numerals. 1 and 2 show an electric dehumidifier according to the present embodiment, and FIG.
Indicates a cross section. In these figures,
1 is a cabinet constituting the electric dehumidifier body,
A suction port 2 is formed on the front side, and an air outlet 3 is formed on the rear side upper part. A dustproof filter 4 is detachably attached to the suction port 2.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a blower, which is provided in the cabinet 1 at a position facing the rear of the suction port 2 and facing the lower part of the outlet 3. Between the blower 5 and the suction port 2, a pre-cooler 7 as a first cooler, a post-cooler 8 as a second cooler, and a condenser 9 sequentially constituting a cooling device 6 sequentially from the suction port 2 face each other. It is arranged in such a state. The configuration and operation of the pre-cooler 7 and the post-cooler 8 will be described later in detail.

A dew tray 10 is provided below the front and rear coolers 6 and 7. This dew tray 10 has a drain port 1 at the bottom.
1 and the dew tray 1
A drain tank 12 is installed below the drain port of the zero. The drainage tank 12 is removably mounted in the cabinet 1, and can be disposed of when it becomes full to discard the accumulated water.

The drain tank 12 is provided with a float 13 that moves up and down in response to the level of the accumulated water. Full water switch 15
Is turned ON / OFF. Then, when the drain tank 12 is full, the full switch 15 is turned on to stop the operation of the refrigeration cycle, so that the condensed water is generated no more and does not overflow from the drain tank 12.

In the cabinet 1, in addition to the cooling device 6 and the condenser 9, a compressor 16, a dryer 17, a capillary tube 18, an accumulator 19 (see FIG. 3), and a solenoid valve 20 are provided. These devices are connected by a plurality of piping systems, thereby forming a refrigeration cycle unit.

The compressor 16 compresses the refrigerant, and is provided at a lower rear portion of the cabinet 1. Dryer 1
In particular, immediately after the piping of the refrigeration cycle unit is completed, 7 is provided to prevent the water contained in the refrigerant from being adsorbed to prevent the piping from corroding and from being clogged with water due to freezing of the water. Further, the capillary tube 18 is made of a thin copper tube, and causes a pressure drop by a refrigerant flowing through the narrow tube.

The accumulator 19 stores the liquid component in the gas-liquid mixed refrigerant that has passed through the cooling device 6, and stores only the gas component in the compressor 1.
6, the provision of the accumulator 19 has the advantage that mechanical damage to the compressor 16 can be avoided since the refrigerant liquid does not enter the compressor 16.

When the solenoid valve 20 is opened, the compressor 16 of the refrigerant circuit A (see FIG. 3) composed of a refrigeration cycle unit is opened.
And a cooling device defrosting refrigerant path B for short-circuiting between the cooling device 6 and the cooling device 6. Reference numeral 20 denotes a thermistor for detecting the surface temperature of the cooling device 6, which is attached between the front and rear coolers 7 and 8.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. When the electric dehumidifier of the present embodiment starts operating in a state where the electric dehumidifier is installed indoors, the operation of the blower 5 sucks room air from the inlet 2 through the filter 4 and blows out dehumidified air from the outlet 3. In this case, the air sucked from the suction port 2 is first cooled by the cooling device 6 including the front and rear coolers 7 and 8, and the water vapor contained in the suction air is removed. This water vapor becomes condensed water on the surfaces of the front and rear coolers 7 and 8 and is collected in the dew tray 10.
From the drain tank 12. Then, the air once cooled and dehumidified by the front and rear coolers 7 and 8 is
After being reheated by the condenser 9, the air is blown out from the outlet 3 as impression air.

FIG. 3 shows a circuit configuration of the refrigeration cycle described above. The refrigerant circulating through the refrigeration cycle is first compressed by the compressor 16 to become a high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous state, sent to the condenser 9 through the pipe, and liquefied in the condenser 9 to become a high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant. . At this time, the heat released from the refrigerant is used to warm the air blown by the blower 5 when the air passes between the many fins 9 a provided to the condenser 9.

Next, the high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant flowing out of the condenser 9 is removed by a drier 17 to remove the water contained in the refrigerant.
When the refrigerant passes through 8, the refrigerant is decompressed and becomes a normal-temperature low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. The room-temperature low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant is supplied to the post-cooler 8 and the pre-cooler 7 that are disposed downstream of the capillary tube 18.
, Vaporizes when passing through in order, and becomes a low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant. At this time, since the refrigerant absorbs heat from the surroundings, the blower 5
Is cooled when passing between the fins 7a and 8a provided to the front and rear coolers 7 and 8. When the refrigerant flowing out of the front and rear coolers 7 and 8 passes through the accumulator 19, the liquid component accumulates in the accumulator 19, and only the gas component is sent to the compressor 16 and compressed again.

In the electric dehumidifier of the present embodiment configured and operated as described above, the cooling device 6 is composed of two front and rear coolers 7 and 8. That is, in the conventional electric dehumidifier, the cooling device is configured by only one cooler, but in the present embodiment, the pre-cooler 7 and the pre-cooler 7 are configured independently of the pre-cooler 7 and The cooling device is configured by piping the refrigerant flow path in series with the cooler 8 disposed downstream of the suction unit 7 with respect to the suction.

The fins 7a, 8a provided in the front and rear coolers 7, 8 are all formed of a metal plate having excellent corrosion resistance, such as aluminum, and the fins 7a, 8a serve as intake air flow. Are arranged at a constant pitch in a direction intersecting with the vertical direction. However, as shown in an enlarged manner in FIG. 2, the fin pitch of the front cooler 7 is set to be larger than that of the rear cooler 8.

Returning to FIG. 3, the refrigerant which has become a high-temperature and high-pressure liquid state in the condenser 9 as described above is supplied to the capillary tube 1.
The refrigerant is decompressed at 8 to become a normal-temperature low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant, and then supplied to the post-cooler 8, and further from the outlet thereof to the pre-cooler
It is piped to flow. In this case, since the refrigerant flowing through the front and rear coolers 7 and 8 evaporates while passing through the piping of the front and rear coolers 7 and 8, the fins 7a and 8a are cooled, and the intake air flows between the fins 7a and 8a. When passing,
The dehumidifying action is performed.

When the dehumidifying operation is performed in summer when the cooler is in a temperature zone where frost does not adhere to 0 ° C. or more, the fin pitch is reduced to increase the heat exchange area, and then the cooler 8 is cooled.
The temperature of the air passing through the pre-cooler 7 is larger than that of the air passing through the pre-cooler 7, thereby increasing the condensation rate of the water vapor contained in the intake air, so that a highly efficient dehumidifying action can be obtained.

On the other hand, in winter, when the temperature of the cooler becomes 0 ° C. or less and frost forms on the fins, the fin pitch of the pre-cooler 7 is increased, so that the water vapor in the intake air becomes frost. Thus, the fins are not clogged in a short time. In this case, frost is formed on the fins of the cooler 8 after reducing the fin pitch, but the air passing through the post-cooler 8 is the air after passing through the pre-cooler 7 and the degree of drying has already been increased. The amount of frost is small. Therefore, since most of the water vapor in the air is removed as frost by the pre-cooler 7, the fins are not clogged in a short time.

FIG. 4 shows the dehumidifying capacity of the electric dehumidifier according to the present embodiment and a conventional electric dehumidifier in comparison. As is clear from this figure, the performance curve of the electric dehumidifier of the present embodiment shown by the dashed line has an improved dehumidification capability over the entire temperature range as compared with the performance curve of the conventional electric dehumidifier shown by the solid line. It can be seen that the improvement of the dehumidifying ability is remarkable especially in the low temperature range where the indoor temperature is 15 ° C. or lower.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. That is, in the case of a single cooler as in the related art, since the pitch of the fins constituting the cooler is fixed at a single value, the refrigerating capacity of the cooler is constant and the capacity cannot be changed. On the other hand, according to the first aspect, since the cooling device is constituted by two independent coolers before and after the first cooler and the second cooler, it is possible to have different refrigerating capacities. . That is, since the capacity variable width is increased by the combination of different refrigeration capacities, a refrigeration cycle system having a highly accurate system balance for exhibiting the maximum dehumidifying efficiency by matching with the compression function power can be realized.

According to the second aspect, since the fin pitch of the front-side first cooler / pre-cooler is increased, the water vapor in the intake air becomes frost even in winter, unlike the conventional case, and immediately, The fins do not clog. on the other hand,
Although frost also forms on the fins of the second cooler on the rear side where the fin pitch is reduced, the air passing through the second cooler is air after passing through the first cooler, and the degree of drying has already been increased. Therefore, the amount of frost is small. Therefore, since most of the water vapor in the air is removed as frost by the first cooler, it is possible to reliably prevent the fins from being clogged in a short time, thereby maximizing the dehumidifying efficiency in winter. Driving becomes possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an electric dehumidifier according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing the refrigeration cycle.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a comparison between the dehumidifying ability of the present embodiment and a conventional example.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an example of a conventional electric dehumidifier.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional plan view of the same.

FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram showing the refrigeration cycle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cabinet 2 Inlet 3 Outlet 4 Filter 5 Blower 6 Cooler 6a Fin 7 Precooler 7a Fin 8 Postcooler 8a Fin 9 Condenser 10 Dew tray 11 Drain port 12 Drain tank 13 Float 14 Fill lever 15 Fill switch 15 Compressor 17 Dryer 18 Capillary tube 19 Accumulator 20 Solenoid valve 21 Thermistor

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A refrigeration cycle unit including a cooling device provided in a portion of a dehumidifier main body through which intake air passes, wherein air taken into the dehumidifier main body is cooled by a cooling device of the refrigeration cycle unit. In the electric dehumidifier configured to perform dehumidification by condensing water vapor contained in the intake air, the cooling device is configured independently of the first cooler and the first cooler. And a second cooler disposed downstream of the first cooler on the suction side, and the refrigerant flow paths of the first and second coolers are piped in series. Dehumidifier. 2. The first and second coolers have a large number of fins arranged at a constant pitch in a direction intersecting the intake air flow, and the fin pitch of the first cooler is equal to that of the second cooler. The electric dehumidifier according to claim 1, wherein the electric dehumidifier is formed larger than the fin pitch.