TWI842522B - Dehumidifier - Google Patents

Abstract

A dehumidifier is used to solve the problem of poor dehumidification effect of conventional dehumidifiers. The dehumidifier includes a casing with an air inlet part and an air outlet part, a heat exchange module located in the casing, a preheating module, and a fan located in the casing. The heat exchange module has an evaporator, a condenser and a compressor connected by pipelines, the evaporator and the condenser are located between the air inlet and the air outlet. The preheating module is located between the air inlet part and the evaporator, and is used to increase the temperature of the air flowing into the casing from the air inlet part. The fan is used to guide the airflow through the air inlet part, the preheating module, the evaporator, the condenser and the air outlet part in sequence.

Description

Dehumidifier

The present invention relates to a household appliance, in particular a dehumidifier capable of reducing ambient humidity.

The conventional dehumidifier uses refrigerant compression to cool the surface of the evaporator, and guides the humid air through the low-temperature evaporator to condense the moisture in the air into water droplets, achieving the dehumidification effect of water vapor separation, and then blows out the dehumidified air.

However, when a conventional dehumidifier is in operation, the evaporator temperature is sometimes too low and frost forms on the surface. This not only affects the function of the evaporator itself, but also reduces the air temperature at the air inlet, causing the dew point temperature to drop. This requires the evaporator to increase its power to cool the air below the dew point and condense into water droplets, thus affecting the overall dehumidification efficiency and increasing energy consumption.

In view of this, the known dehumidifiers still need to be improved.

In order to solve the above problems, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a dehumidifier that can prevent frost on the evaporator surface and increase the air temperature and dew point temperature at the air inlet.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a dehumidifier that can recycle waste heat from the operation of the condenser.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a dehumidifier that is easy to manufacture and assemble.

The directions or similar terms described in the present invention, such as "front", "rear", "left", "right", "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", "side", etc., are mainly for reference to the directions of the attached drawings. Each direction or similar terms are only used to assist in the description and understanding of the various embodiments of the present invention, and are not used to limit the present invention.

The quantifiers "one" or "a" used in the components and parts described in the present invention are only for the convenience of use and to provide a general meaning of the scope of the present invention; they should be interpreted in the present invention as including one or at least one, and the single concept also includes the plural case, unless it is obvious that it means otherwise.

The similar terms such as "combination", "assembly" or "assembly" mentioned in the present invention mainly include the connection that can be separated without damaging the components, or the connection that makes the components inseparable, which can be selected by those with ordinary knowledge in the field according to the materials of the components to be connected or the assembly requirements.

The dehumidifier of the present invention comprises: a casing having an air inlet and an air outlet; a heat exchange module located in the casing, having an evaporator, a condenser and a compressor connected by pipelines, the evaporator and the condenser being located between the air inlet and the air outlet; a preheating module located between the air inlet and the evaporator, for raising the temperature of the air flowing from the air inlet into the casing, the preheating module The heat module has a plurality of fins, at least one heat pipe thermally connects the plurality of fins and the condenser, one end of the heat pipe penetrates and connects the plurality of fins, the other end of the heat pipe penetrates the rear end of the condenser, and the two ends of the heat pipe pass through the top of the evaporator; and a fan, located in the housing, is used to guide the airflow to pass through the air inlet, the preheating module, the evaporator, the condenser and the air outlet in sequence.

Accordingly, the dehumidifier of the present invention can preheat the humid air introduced into the housing by the preheating module before passing through the evaporator to increase its dew point temperature, thereby increasing the amount of water that can be condensed when the humid air passes through the evaporator, that is, improving the condensation efficiency; furthermore, the preheating module arranged adjacent to the evaporator can also effectively prevent the evaporator from frosting on the surface, ensuring that the evaporator can fully exert its condensation function without increasing the power. Therefore, the dehumidifier of the present invention can achieve the effects of improving the heat transfer efficiency, dehumidification efficiency, preventing the condensed water droplets from wetting the heat pipe and reducing the temperature of the heat pipe, and avoiding the situation where the temperature of the several fins is insufficient.

The fins can be overlapped in a U-shape and form an air duct between any two adjacent fins. In this way, the left and right sides of each air duct can be closed to ensure that the air can flow from the air duct between the fins to the evaporator without being dispersed from the left and right sides of the fins, which has the effect of centralized air guidance and improving the efficiency of preheating humid air.

The plurality of fins can be overlapped longitudinally and can be positioned in a frame set, and the frame set can be connected to the outer frame of the evaporator by a plurality of connecting pieces. In this way, the assembly convenience of the preheating module is improved.

The preheating module may have at least one heater combined with an outer frame, and the outer frame may be combined with the evaporator or the inside of the housing. In this way, the preheating module may have a simple structure and ensure that the preheating module reaches the expected working temperature, which has the effects of improving dehumidification efficiency, reducing manufacturing costs, and improving assembly, repair, and maintenance convenience.

The heater can be an electric heating wire or an electric heating tube. In this way, the heater can be easily obtained, repaired, maintained or replaced, which has the effect of reducing manufacturing costs and improving the convenience of assembly, repair and maintenance.

The preheating module may have two protective nets combined with the outer frame, and the heater may be located between the two protective nets. In this way, the two protective nets can protect the heater from being deformed and damaged by collision during disassembly, and the heater will not directly contact other components when heating, which has the effect of reducing the probability of damage to the preheating module and improving the safety of the overall dehumidifier.

The dehumidifier may also include a drainage assembly having a water collection pan covering the bottom of the evaporator and the preheating module. This has the effect of improving the convenience of collecting condensed water.

1: Chassis

11: Wind entry

12: Air outlet

2: Hot exchange module

21: Evaporator

22: Condenser

23: Compressor

3: Preheating module

31: Fins

32: Heat pipe

33: Frame assembly

34: Connector

4: Fan

5: Drainage components

51: Drain pan

52: Water outlet

53: Water collecting tank

6: Preheating module

61: Heater

61a: Heating wire

61b: Electric heating tube

62: Frame

63: Protection net

W: Air duct

[Figure 1] An exploded perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 2] A side cross-sectional view of the assembly of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 3] An exploded view of the preheating module, evaporator and condenser of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 4] A partial enlarged view of area A in Figure 3.

[Figure 5] Schematic diagram of dehumidification of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 6] An exploded view of the preheating module, evaporator and condenser of the second embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 7] An exploded view of the preheating module, evaporator and condenser of the third embodiment of the present invention.

In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the following specifically cites the preferred embodiments of the present invention and provides a detailed description in conjunction with the attached drawings; in addition, the same symbols in different drawings are considered the same and their descriptions will be omitted.

Please refer to Figures 1 and 2, which are the first embodiment of the dehumidifier of the present invention, and include a casing 1, and a heat exchange module 2, a preheating module 3 and a fan 4 located in the casing 1.

The interior of the housing 1 is hollow to accommodate the heat exchange module 2, the preheating module 3, the fan 4 and other components. The appearance of the housing 1 is not limited, and it can be changed according to different functional or styling requirements by those with ordinary knowledge in the field. The housing 1 has an air inlet 11 and an air outlet 12, and the air inlet 11 and the air outlet 12 are connected to the inside and outside of the housing 1; in this embodiment, for example but not limited to, the air inlet 11 and the air outlet 12 can be respectively selected to be arranged on the front side and the top of the housing 1.

The heat exchange module 2 is located in the housing 1, and has an evaporator 21, a condenser 22 and a compressor 23 connected by pipelines. Specifically, the evaporator 21 and the condenser 22 are connected by a liquid delivery pipe, and the compressor 23 is connected to the evaporator 21 and the condenser 22 by a gas delivery pipe; the compressor 23 is used to compress the refrigerant so that the refrigerant can undergo phase change and circulate continuously in the compressor 23, the condenser 22 and the evaporator 21, so that the evaporator 21 is at a relatively low temperature, while the condenser 22 is at a relatively high temperature. The evaporator 21 and the condenser 22 are located between the air inlet 11 and the air outlet 12, and the location of the compressor 23 is not limited, but is preferably located in the lower half of the casing 1 to lower the center of gravity of the entire dehumidifier, making it difficult for the dehumidifier to overturn.

The preheating module 3 is located between the air inlet 11 and the evaporator 21, and is used to increase the temperature of the air flowing into the housing 1 from the air inlet 11. The heating mechanism of the preheating module 3 may include heating and heating by recycling waste heat, or heating and heating by itself, or both of the above. The present invention will be described by examples in the subsequent embodiments.

Please refer to FIGS. 2 and 3 , in this embodiment, the heating mechanism of the preheating module 3 is to recycle the waste heat generated when the condenser 22 is in operation. Specifically, the preheating module 3 may have a plurality of fins 31, and at least one heat pipe 32 may thermally connect the plurality of fins 31 and the condenser 22 to transfer the heat energy of the condenser 22 to the plurality of fins 31. For example, each of the fins 31 may extend horizontally or obliquely, and the plurality of fins 31 may be spaced apart longitudinally; the number of the heat pipes 32 may be two, and each of the heat pipes 32 may be generally U-shaped, so that one end of the two heat pipes 32 longitudinally penetrates and connects the plurality of fins 31, and the other end of the two heat pipes 32 longitudinally penetrates the rear end of the condenser 22 (the side farther from the evaporator 21). In this way, the high-temperature waste heat energy generated when the condenser 22 is in operation can be more efficiently transferred to the plurality of fins 31 through the two heat pipes 32, so that the temperature of the plurality of fins 31 rises and becomes warm, and can help the condenser 22 dissipate heat to maintain a suitable working temperature. Each heat pipe 32 is preferably in an inverted U shape, so that the two ends of each heat pipe 32 can pass through the top of the evaporator 21, thereby preventing the water droplets condensed by the evaporator 21 from wetting the heat pipe 32 and lowering the temperature of the heat pipe 32, causing the several fins 31 to be insufficiently heated.

In addition, please refer to Figures 3 and 4. In this embodiment, each fin 31 may be roughly U-shaped, so that the fins 31 can be directly overlapped, and an air duct W can be formed between any two adjacent fins 31, and the left and right sides of each air duct W are closed; in this way, it can be ensured that air can flow from the air duct W between the fins 31 to the evaporator 21, and will not be dispersed from the left and right sides of the fins 31.

On the other hand, the preheating module 3 of this embodiment may also have a frame 33 and a plurality of connecting pieces 34. The plurality of fins 31 may be longitudinally overlapped and positioned on the frame 33. The frame 33 may be connected to the outer frame of the evaporator 21 by the connecting pieces 34. The connecting pieces 34 may be connected to the frame 33 and the evaporator 21 by means of locking, bonding or welding, etc., and the present invention is not limited thereto.

Please refer to Figures 1 and 2 again. The fan 4 is located in the housing 1 and can be located between the air inlet 11 and the air outlet 12 to guide the airflow to pass through the air inlet 11, the preheating module 3, the evaporator 21, the condenser 22 and the air outlet 12 in sequence. In this embodiment, since a blower-type fan 4 is selected, the fan 4 can be set at the rear end of the condenser 22, and axially opposite to the air inlet 11 and radially opposite to the air outlet 12. In this way, when the fan 4 is in operation, it can guide the air to flow from the air inlet 11 into the interior of the housing 1, and after flowing through the plurality of fins 31, the evaporator 21 and the condenser 22, it is discharged from the air outlet 12 to the outside of the housing 1.

In addition, the dehumidifier may also have a drainage assembly 5. The drainage assembly 5 of this embodiment may have a water collecting pan 51 located in the housing 1 and below the evaporator 21 and the preheating module 3. The range of the water collecting pan 51 may cover the bottom of the evaporator 21 and the preheating module 3. The lower part of the water collecting pan 51 has a water outlet 52, and the water outlet 52 may be directly connected to a water collecting tank 53, or connected to the water collecting tank 53 by a pipeline; the water collecting tank 53 is preferably detachably combined with the housing 1, so that the user can remove the water in the water collecting tank 53.

Please refer to Figures 2 and 5. When the dehumidifier of this embodiment is used, the fan 4 can be used to introduce external humid air into the housing 1, and the humid air can be heated by heat exchange with the fins 31 when passing through the preheating module 3, so as to increase the water content in the air and increase the dew point temperature. In this way, when the heated humid air subsequently passes through the low-temperature evaporator 21, it can be easily cooled to a temperature below the dew point temperature, and more condensed water is precipitated to effectively reduce the air humidity, and the condensed water will drip into the water collecting pan 51 under the action of gravity, and flow into the water collecting tank 53 for collection. On the other hand, the low-temperature air passing through the evaporator 21 can be continuously guided by the fan 4 and heated up when passing through the condenser 22, and finally discharged from the air outlet 12 of the housing 1.

Please refer to Figures 6 and 7, which are the second embodiment of the dehumidifier of the present invention. This embodiment is roughly the same as the first embodiment mentioned above. The main difference is that this embodiment chooses to change the heating mechanism of the preheating module 6 to one that heats up by itself.

In detail, the preheating module 6 of this embodiment can have at least one heater 61, and the heater 61 can be, for example, the electric heating wire 61a shown in FIG. 6, or the electric heating tube 61b shown in FIG. 7, or other types of heating elements, etc., and the present invention is not limited. Among them, the preheating module 6 preferably has an outer frame 62, so that the heater 61 can be combined and positioned, and it is convenient to combine and position with the evaporator 21 or other parts in the casing 1; in this embodiment, two protective nets 63 can also be combined with the outer frame 62, and the heater 61 is located between the two protective nets 63 to protect the heater 61 from being easily deformed and damaged by collision during disassembly, and the heater 61 will not directly contact other parts when heating, which can improve the safety of the overall dehumidifier.

In summary, the dehumidifier of the present invention can preheat the humid air introduced into the casing before passing through the evaporator through the preheating module to increase its dew point temperature, thereby increasing the amount of water that can be condensed when the humid air passes through the evaporator, that is, improving the condensation efficiency; furthermore, the preheating module arranged adjacent to the evaporator can also effectively prevent the evaporator from frosting on the surface, ensuring that the evaporator can fully exert its condensation function without increasing the power of the operation, so the dehumidifier of the present invention can achieve the effect of improving the dehumidification efficiency. On the other hand, recycling the waste heat from the operation of the condenser to heat the preheating module can further achieve the effect of energy saving.

Although the present invention has been disclosed using the above preferred embodiments, they are not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the above embodiments within the spirit and scope of the present invention. These changes and modifications are still within the technical scope protected by the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention includes all changes within the meaning and equivalent scope recorded in the attached patent application scope. In addition, when the above several embodiments can be combined, the present invention includes any combination of implementations.

1: Chassis

11: Wind entry

12: Air outlet

2: Hot exchange module

21: Evaporator

22: Condenser

23: Compressor

3: Preheating module

31: Fins

32: Heat pipe

4: Fan

5: Drainage components

51: Drain pan

53: Water collecting tank

Claims (7)

A dehumidifier comprises: a casing having an air inlet and an air outlet; a heat exchange module located in the casing, having an evaporator, a condenser and a compressor connected by pipelines, the evaporator and the condenser being located between the air inlet and the air outlet; a preheating module located between the air inlet and the evaporator, for raising the temperature of air flowing from the air inlet into the casing, the preheating module The module has a plurality of fins, at least one heat pipe thermally connects the plurality of fins and the condenser, one end of the heat pipe penetrates and connects the plurality of fins, the other end of the heat pipe penetrates the rear end of the condenser, and the two ends of the heat pipe pass through the top of the evaporator; and a fan, located in the housing, is used to guide the airflow to pass through the air inlet, the preheating module, the evaporator, the condenser and the air outlet in sequence. As in the dehumidifier of claim 1, the plurality of fins are each in a U-shape and overlapped, and an air duct is formed between any two adjacent fins. As in claim 1, the dehumidifier, wherein the plurality of fins are longitudinally overlapped and positioned in a frame, and the frame is connected to the outer frame of the evaporator by a plurality of connecting pieces. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the preheating module has at least one heater combined with an outer frame, and the outer frame is combined with the evaporator or the inside of the casing. As in claim 4, the dehumidifier, wherein the heater is an electric heating wire or an electric heating tube. As in claim 4, the dehumidifier, wherein the preheating module has two protective nets combined with the outer frame, and the heater is located between the two protective nets. The dehumidifier of any one of claims 1 to 6 further comprises a drainage assembly having a water collection pan covering the bottom of the evaporator and the preheating module.