WO2019039446A1

WO2019039446A1 - Water generating device

Info

Publication number: WO2019039446A1
Application number: PCT/JP2018/030747
Authority: WO
Inventors: 水谷　慎吾
Original assignee: 水谷　慎吾
Priority date: 2017-08-22
Filing date: 2018-08-21
Publication date: 2019-02-28

Abstract

A water generating device 1 has: a first air path 11 and a second air path 12 to each of which air is fed; a heater 20 for heating air A11 fed to the first air path 11; a desiccant rotor 30 disposed downstream of the first air path 11 and the second air path 12 and rotationally driven so as to absorb moisture in air A22 fed from the second air path 12 and release the moisture that has been absorbed into air A12 fed from the first air path 11; a condenser 60 for compressing air A13 fed from the first air path 11 and passing through the desiccant rotor 20; and a condenser 60 for extracting moisture from air A14 that has been compressed by the condenser 60.

Description

Water generator

The present invention relates to a water generator that generates water from air.

An apparatus is known which takes out moisture in the atmosphere and uses it for water supply to plants and the like. In Patent Document 1 listed below, a fan disposed inside a box having an air intake, a plurality of heat dissipation plates vertically disposed at an upper portion of the fan, and both ends of the heat dissipation plate An automatic watering device is described having a cooling element provided at In this automatic water supply device, the water droplets generated by the cooling element are stored in the water storage tank (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-153716).

In the automatic water supply device described in Patent Document 1 described above, the moisture in the air is taken out by causing the air fed from the fan to touch the surface of the cooling element. Therefore, there is a problem that the ability to generate water is likely to be reduced in an environment where the humidity is low.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a water generating apparatus in which the water generation capacity is less likely to decrease even in a low humidity environment.

A water generating apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a first air passage and a second air passage to which air is fed, a heater for heating air sent to the first air passage, a first air passage and A desiccant rotor disposed on the downstream side of the second air passage and adapted to absorb the moisture of the air delivered from the second air passage and release the absorbed moisture to the air delivered from the first air passage. And a condenser for extracting moisture from the air delivered from the first air passage and passing through the desiccant rotor.

According to this configuration, the air is sent from the second air path to the desiccant rotor, and the moisture contained in the air is absorbed by the desiccant rotor. Further, the air fed into the first air passage is heated by the heater and is sent out to the desiccant rotor. As the desiccant rotor is driven to rotate, the heated air strikes the portion of the desiccant rotor where moisture is absorbed, and the moisture absorbed by the desiccant rotor is released to the air. As a result, the humidity of the air delivered from the first air passage and passing through the desiccant rotor becomes high. Since water is taken out from this high-humidity air by the condenser, even in a low-humidity environment, the water generation capacity is less likely to decrease.

Preferably, the water generating device may comprise a compression pump for compressing the air delivered from the first air passage and passed through the desiccant rotor. The condenser may remove moisture from the air compressed by the compression pump.

According to this configuration, the air delivered from the first air passage and passing through the desiccant rotor is compressed in the compression pump, and water is taken out from the compressed air by the condenser. Therefore, even in a low humidity environment, it is difficult to reduce the water generation capacity.

Preferably, the desiccant rotor may have two end faces perpendicular to the axis of rotation by the rotational drive. The first and second air channels may deliver air to different areas of one end face of the desiccant rotor.

According to this configuration, since the air is sent out from the first air passage and the second air passage to the same end face of the desiccant rotor, the air is sent out from the first air passage and the second air passage to the different end faces of the desiccant rotor Compared to the above, it is difficult for the desiccant air to absorb the moisture and dry the air back to the first air passage. As a result, it is easy to suppress a decrease in the water generation capacity due to the return of the dried air to the first air passage.

Preferably, the water generating device may comprise at least one first blower feeding air upstream of the first air passage and at least one second blower feeding air upstream of the second blower. The first air passage and the second air passage may extend in a direction perpendicular to the end face of the desiccant rotor, respectively.

According to this configuration, since the first air passage and the second air passage extend in the directions perpendicular to the end face of the desiccant rotor, the air flow easily contacts the end face of the desiccant rotor perpendicularly. As a result, absorption of water from the air delivered from the second air passage and release of water to the air delivered from the first air passage are more likely to occur.

Preferably, one end face of the desiccant rotor may include a first region facing the first air passage and a second region facing the second air passage, and the area of the second region relative to the first region May be large.

According to this configuration, the area of the second region facing the second air passage is larger than the first region facing the first air passage, so the amount of moisture absorbed by the desiccant rotor becomes large. As a result, even in a low humidity environment, the humidity of the air sent from the first air passage and having passed through the desiccant rotor does not easily decrease.

Preferably, the first air passage may be located vertically above the second air passage.

According to this configuration, since the air heated by the heater in the first air passage is less likely to flow to the second air passage side, the temperature of the air flowing in the second air passage is less likely to be affected by the heater.

Preferably, the water generating device includes a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of air sent out from the first air passage and passing through the desiccant rotor, and a heater so that the average value of the temperatures detected by the temperature sensor approaches a predetermined temperature. And a control circuit that controls the heat generation of the

According to this configuration, the average value of the temperature of the air delivered from the first air passage and passing through the desiccant rotor can be easily maintained at a predetermined temperature.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a water generating apparatus, comprising: a first case forming a first air passage and a second air passage to which air is respectively fed;
A heater for heating the air fed into the first air passage;
While being disposed on the downstream side of the first air passage and the second air passage, the moisture of the air sent out from the second air passage is absorbed, and the absorbed water is released to the air sent out from the first air passage A desiccant rotor, which is driven to rotate
A second case forming an exhaust chamber into which air having a higher humidity is introduced, which has been sent from the first air passage to the desiccant rotor and passed therethrough;
A compression pump that sucks and compresses air from the exhaust chamber;
The compressor includes a condenser which directly receives compressed air and takes out water;
The desiccant rotor has two end faces perpendicular to the axis of rotation by the rotational drive,
The first air passage and the second air passage send air in mutually opposite directions to different areas of the end face different from each other,
The one end face of the desiccant rotor includes a first region facing the first air passage and a second region facing the second air passage,
The area of the second area is larger than that of the first area,

According to this configuration, the air is sent from the second air path to the desiccant rotor, and the moisture contained in the air is absorbed by the desiccant rotor. Further, the air fed into the first air passage is heated by the heater and is sent out to the desiccant rotor. As the desiccant rotor is driven to rotate, the heated air strikes the portion of the desiccant rotor where moisture is absorbed, and the moisture absorbed by the desiccant rotor is released to the air. As a result, the humidity of the air delivered from the first air passage and passing through the desiccant rotor becomes high. Since water is taken out from this high-humidity air by the condenser, even in a low-humidity environment, the water generation capacity is less likely to decrease.
In addition, a barrier such as an air curtain can be formed in the rotation space of the shaft 1 of the desiccant rotor, and it becomes difficult for the desiccant rotor to absorb air and dry air from flowing back to the first air passage. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in water generation capacity due to the return of the dried air to the first air passage.

Preferably, the condenser includes a plurality of fins arranged to be in contact with the compressed air, and a pipe through which a refrigerant flows and contacts the fins.

Preferably, the second housing is fixed to the first air passage side of the first housing.

Preferably, the first air includes at least one first blower feeding air upstream of the first air passage, and at least one second blower feeding air upstream of the second air passage, the first air The passage and the second air passage extend in the direction perpendicular to the end face.

Preferably, the first air passage is located vertically above the second air passage.

Preferably, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the exhaust chamber, and a control circuit for controlling the heat generation of the heater such that the average value of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor approaches a predetermined temperature.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a water generation device in which the water generation capacity is less likely to decrease even in a low humidity environment.

It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of the water generating apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows arrangement | positioning of the ventilation path and fan with respect to a desiccant rotor. FIG. 2A shows the arrangement of the blower viewed in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the desiccant rotor. FIG. 2B is a diagram in which the first region facing the first air passage and the second region facing the second air passage are hatched in the end face of the desiccant rotor. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of a condenser. FIG. 3A is a view from a direction parallel to the plane of the fin, and FIG. 3B is a view from an oblique direction to the plane of the fin. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of the water generation apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

First Embodiment
The water generator according to the first embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1: is a figure which shows an example of a structure of the water generator 1 which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. In the present specification, three directions orthogonal to one another are denoted as “X”, “Y”, and “Z”, respectively. Also, directions opposite to each other included in the X direction are described as “X1” and “X2”, directions opposite to each other included in the Y direction are described as “Y1” and “Y2”, and those included in the Z direction The directions in the opposite direction are denoted as "Z1" and "Z2". FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the water generator 1 cut along the YZ plane and viewed from the X1 side in the X2 direction. The Z1 direction represents an upward direction with respect to the vertical direction, and the Z2 direction represents a downward direction with respect to the vertical direction.

The water generator 1 according to the first embodiment is a device that generates water from air. In the example of FIG. 1, the water generator 1 includes a first air passage 11 and a second air passage 12 to which air is fed, and a heater 20 that heats the air A11 sent to the first air passage 11. Desiccant rotor 30 disposed on the downstream side of air passage 11 and second air passage 12, rotary drive mechanism 100 for rotationally driving desiccant rotor 30, and air that has been delivered from first air passage 11 and passed through desiccant rotor 30. And a condenser 60 for taking out water from A13.

In the water generator 1 shown in FIG. 1, the air A22 is sent out from the second air passage 12 to the desiccant rotor 30, and the moisture contained in the air A22 is absorbed by the desiccant rotor 30. Further, the air A11 fed into the first air passage 11 is heated by the heater 20, and the heated air A12 is sent out to the desiccant rotor 30. The desiccant rotor 30 is driven to rotate so as to absorb the moisture of the air A22 delivered from the second air passage 12 and release the absorbed moisture to the air A12 delivered from the first air passage 11. With this rotation, the air A12 heated by the heater 20 hits the portion of the desiccant rotor 30 where the water is absorbed, and the water absorbed by the desiccant rotor 30 is released to the air A12. Due to the release of the moisture from the desiccant rotor 30, the humidity of the air A13 which is sent out from the first air passage 11 and passes through the desiccant rotor 30 becomes high. The high humidity air A13 is fed into the condenser 60 to be cooled, and the moisture contained in the air is taken out.

The desiccant rotor 30 reversibly absorbs moisture from the air and releases moisture to the air with a desiccant such as silica gel, zeolite, or diatomaceous earth. In the example of FIG. 1, the desiccant rotor 30 has a generally cylindrical (drum) shape, and is formed by processing a sheet material (fibrous sheet, resin sheet, etc.) carrying a desiccant. For example, the desiccant rotor 30 has a large number of holes that allow air to flow, and absorbs and humidifies the air by acting between the air flowing through the holes and the desiccant. The desiccant of the desiccant rotor 30 has a hygroscopic action on relatively low temperature air (e.g., air at normal temperature) and a humidifying action on relatively high temperature air (e.g., high temperature air as compared to normal temperature).

The water generator 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a first housing 10 in which a first air passage 11 and a second air passage 12 are formed. The desiccant rotor 30 is rotatably accommodated in the first housing 10. The axis of rotation of the desiccant rotor 30 by the rotational drive mechanism 100 is in the Y direction. The upstream side of the first air passage 11 and the second air passage 12 is the Y1 side, and the downstream side is the Y2 side. The desiccant rotor 30 is located on the downstream side (Y2 side) of the first air passage 11 and the second air passage 12.

In the example of FIG. 1, the first air passage 11 is located on the upper side (Z1 side) in the vertical direction with respect to the second air passage 12. As a result, the air A12 heated by the heater 20 in the first air passage 11 does not easily flow to the second air passage 12 below, so the temperature of the air A22 flowing in the second air passage 12 is affected by the heater 20. It becomes difficult.

In the example of FIG. 1, the desiccant rotor 30 has two end faces 31 and 32 perpendicular to the axis of rotation by the rotational drive mechanism 100 (parallel to the XZ plane). The first air passage 11 and the second air passage 12 send air (A11, A12) to different areas of the same end face 31 of the desiccant rotor 30. As shown in FIG. 1, the air A23 which has been dried by absorbing moisture by the desiccant rotor 30 is exhausted from the end face 32 of the desiccant rotor 30 to the Y2 side, and from the upstream side (Y1 side) of the first air passage 11. is seperated. Therefore, the dried air A23 discharged from the end face 32 of the desiccant rotor 30 is less likely to be returned to the upstream side (Y1 side) of the first air passage 11 and the second air passage 12 as air A11 and A21.

FIG. 2A is a view showing the arrangement of the fans (F11 to F13, F21 to F23) viewed from the direction (Y direction) parallel to the axis of rotation of the desiccant rotor 30. FIG. In FIG. 2A, in order to show the arrangement of the blower with respect to the desiccant rotor 30, the illustration of the first housing 10 and other components is omitted. In the example of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2A, the water generating apparatus 1 sends first air blowers F11, F12 and F13 that feed air A11 to the upstream side of the first air passage 11, and air A21 at the upstream side of the second air passage 12. It has the 2nd fan F21, F22, F23 to feed.

The first air passage 11 and the second air passage 12 extend in the direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the end face 31 of the desiccant rotor 30, as shown in FIG. As a result, the air (A12, A21) flowing to the first air passage 11 and the second air passage 12 by the blowers (F11 to F13, F21 to F23) easily collides perpendicularly with the end face 31 of the desiccant rotor 30.

FIG. 2B is a diagram in which the first region 311 facing the first air passage 11 and the second region 312 facing the second air passage 12 at the end face 31 of the desiccant rotor 30 are hatched. In the example of FIG. 2B, the end face 31 of the desiccant rotor 30 is generally divided into a first area 311 and a second area 312, and the area of the second area 312 is larger than that of the first area 311. The area of the first region 311 is about 40% (for example, within the range of 25% to 45%) of the entire area of the end face 31 facing the first air passage 11 and the second air passage 12; The area of 312 is about 60% (for example, in the range of 55% to 70%). Since the area of the second region 312 facing the second air passage 12 is larger than that of the first region 311 facing the first air passage 11, the amount of moisture absorbed by the desiccant rotor 30 is large. As a result, even in an environment where the humidity is low, the humidity of the air A13 which is sent out from the first air passage 11 and passed through the desiccant rotor 30 does not easily decrease.

In FIG. 2A, the heater 20 is a rod-shaped heating element, and is formed of, for example, an infrared lamp or a heating wire. The heater 20 is fixed to the first housing 10 in a posture in which the longitudinal direction is substantially parallel to the X direction. As shown in FIG. 2A, the first fans F11 to F13 are arranged side by side in the X direction so as to overlap the heater 20 as viewed from the Y direction. As a result, the air A11 fed from the first blowers F11 to F13 to the first air passage 11 is easily heated by the heater 20.

In the example of FIG. 1, the water generation device 1 has an exhaust chamber 41 into which the air A13 which is sent out from the first air passage 11 and passed through the desiccant rotor 30 is discharged. The water generating apparatus 1 has a second case 40 fixed to the Y2 side of the first case 10, and an exhaust chamber 41 is formed inside the second case 40. The first housing 10 and the second housing 40 may be separate parts as shown in FIG. 1 or may be different parts of the same part.

In the example of FIG. 1, the rotary drive mechanism 100 includes a shaft 101 fixed to the desiccant rotor 30, and

bearings

102 and 103 for rotatably supporting the shaft 101 with respect to the first housing 10 and the second housing 40. , A motor 104, and gears 105 and 106 as a power transmission mechanism for transmitting the power of the motor 104 to the shaft 101. The shaft 101 is disposed along the axis of rotation of the desiccant rotor 30. The bearing 102 supports the shaft 101 at the end on the Y1 side of the first housing 10. The bearing 103 supports the shaft 101 with a fixing member 42 fixed to the end of the second housing 40 on the Y2 side. The motor 104 is located closer to the Z2 side than the shaft 101 and is fixed by the fixing member 42. The gear 105 is fixed to the rotating shaft of the motor 104, and the gear 106 is fixed to the shaft 101. As the gear 105 and the gear 106 mesh and rotate, the power of the motor 104 is transmitted to the shaft 101 and the desiccant rotor 30 rotates. The rotary drive mechanism 100 rotates the desiccant rotor 30 at a relatively slow speed of, for example, one rotation in 2 to 3 minutes.

In the example of FIG. 1, the water generating device 1 has a compression pump 50 that compresses the air A13 which is sent out from the first air passage 11 and passed through the desiccant rotor 30. The compression pump 50 sucks and compresses the air A13 from the exhaust chamber 41. The condenser 60 removes moisture from the air A14 compressed by the compression pump 50. When the pressure of the air A14 increases due to compression, the amount of saturated water vapor of the air A14 decreases, so that the water content is easily extracted from the air A14 in the condenser 60.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of the condenser 60. FIG. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the condenser 60 has a plurality of fins 61 arranged to be in contact with the air A14, and a pipe 62 through which a refrigerant such as water flows. The fins 61 are thin plates made of a material (such as aluminum) having a high thermal conductivity. A plurality of fins 61 are arranged in parallel, and air A 14 flows between the fins 61. FIG. 3A is a view from a direction parallel to the plane of the fins 61, and FIG. 3B is a view from an oblique direction to the plane of the fins 61. As shown in FIG. The pipe 62 is arranged to be in contact with each of the plurality of fins 61. For example, the pipe 62 meanders so as to vertically penetrate each of the plurality of fins 61 a plurality of times. In the example of FIGS. 3A and 3B, the condenser 60 has two pipes 62.

When the plurality of fins 61 in contact with the pipe 62 through which the refrigerant (such as water) flows touches the air A14, the heat of the air 14A is taken away, and the water contained in the air A14 is extracted. The dried air A15 after the water is removed is discharged to the outside of the water generator 1.

In the example of FIG. 1, the water generator 1 has a temperature sensor 70 and a control circuit 80. The temperature sensor 70 detects the temperature (the temperature of the air A13 in the exhaust chamber 41) of the air A13 which is sent out from the first air passage 11 and passed through the desiccant rotor 30. The control circuit 80 calculates an average value (for example, weighted average or moving average) of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 70, and generates heat from the heater 20 so that the calculated average value approaches a predetermined temperature (for example, 50.degree. C.). Control. The control circuit 80, for example, an analog-digital converter that converts the detection result of the temperature sensor 70 into a digital value, and a processing circuit (a computer, a dedicated hardware circuit, etc.) that receives the digital value and executes predetermined processing. )including. As a result, even when the environmental temperature changes variously, the temperature of the air A13 can be easily maintained at a predetermined temperature at which a good water generation capacity can be obtained.

As described above, according to the water generating apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, the moisture of the air A 22 sent out from the second air passage 12 to the desiccant rotor 30 is absorbed by the desiccant rotor 30, while the desiccant The water absorbed by the rotor 30 is heated by the heater 20 and discharged to the air A12 sent out from the first air passage 11. Thus, the air A13 delivered from the first air passage 11 and having passed through the desiccant rotor 30 has a higher humidity than the air A11 before being delivered to the first air passage 11. Water is taken out of the high humidity air A13 by the condenser 60. Therefore, compared with the method of removing the moisture by directly contacting the air which has not been treated with the cooling element or the like as it is, it is possible to make it difficult to reduce the water generation ability even in an environment with low humidity.

According to the water generating apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, the air A13 delivered from the first air passage 11 and having passed through the desiccant rotor 30 is compressed by the compression pump 50, and the compressed air A14 is condensed in the condenser 60. The water of air A14 is taken out. Since the amount of saturated water vapor of the air A14 is reduced by the compression, the water generation capacity can be enhanced as compared with the case where the compression is not performed. In addition, even in a low humidity environment, it is possible to make it difficult to reduce the water generation capacity.

According to the water generating apparatus 1 in the first embodiment, the first air passage 11 and the second air are formed on one end surface 31 of the two

end surfaces

31 and 32 of the desiccant rotor 30 perpendicular to the axis of rotation. Air A12 and A22 are discharged from the passage 12. The air A23 which has been absorbed with moisture by the desiccant rotor 30 and dried is exhausted from the end face 32 of the desiccant rotor 30 to the Y2 side. Therefore, compared with the case where air is sent out from the first air passage 11 and the second air passage 12 to different end faces of the desiccant rotor 30, air dried by absorbing moisture by the desiccant rotor 30 flows back to the first air passage 11. It becomes difficult to do. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the water generation capacity due to the return of the dried air to the first air passage 11.

According to the water generating apparatus 1 in the first embodiment, the first air passage 11 and the second air passage 12 extend in the direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the end face 31 of the desiccant rotor 30 respectively. Thus, the air (A12, A21) flowing to the first air passage 11 and the second air passage 12 by the blowers (F11 to F13, F21 to F23) easily collides perpendicularly with the end face 31 of the desiccant rotor 30, and the end face It becomes easy to pass through the desiccant rotor 30 uniformly from 31 to the end face 32. Therefore, the moisture contained in the air A22 is easily absorbed by the desiccant rotor 30, and the moisture is easily released from the desiccant rotor 30 to the air A12, and it becomes easy to improve the water generation capacity.

According to the water generator 1 of the first embodiment, the end face 31 of the desiccant rotor 30 includes a first area 311 facing the first air passage 11 and a second area 312 facing the second air passage 12. And the area of the second region 312 is larger than that of the first region 311. As a result, the total amount of water absorbed by the desiccant rotor 30 is increased, so that the humidity of the air A13 sent out from the first air passage 11 and passed through the desiccant rotor 30 is less likely to decrease even in a low humidity environment. It is possible to suppress the decline in the ability to

According to the water generating apparatus 1 in the first embodiment, the first air passage 11 is located above (Z 1 side) in the vertical direction with respect to the second air passage 12. The air A12 heated by the heater 20 does not easily flow to the lower side of the second air passage 12, and the temperature of the air A22 flowing through the second air passage 12 is less affected by the heater 20. As a result, the temperature rise of the air A 22 due to the influence of the heater 20 is suppressed, so that the decrease in the moisture absorption capacity of the desiccant rotor 30 can be suppressed.

According to the water generating apparatus 1 in the first embodiment, the heat generation of the heater 20 is controlled such that the average value of the temperature of the air A13 detected by the temperature sensor 70 approaches a predetermined temperature. As a result, the temperature of the air A13 can be maintained at a predetermined temperature at which a good water generation capacity can be obtained, so that the water generation capacity can be kept in a good state even when the environmental temperature changes variously. it can.

Second Embodiment
The water generator according to the second embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4: is a figure which shows an example of a structure of the water generation apparatus 101 which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

The water generator 101 according to the second embodiment is a device that generates water from air. In the example of FIG. 4, the water generating apparatus 101 includes a first air passage 11 and a second air passage 12 to which air is fed, and a heater 20 that heats the air A11 sent to the first air passage 11. Desiccant rotor 30 disposed on the downstream side of air passage 11 and second air passage 12, rotary drive mechanism 100 for rotationally driving desiccant rotor 30, and air that has been delivered from first air passage 11 and passed through desiccant rotor 30. And a condenser 60 for taking out water from A13.

In the water generator 101 shown in FIG. 4, the air A22 is sent out from the second air passage 12 to the desiccant rotor 30, and the moisture contained in the air A22 is absorbed by the desiccant rotor 30. Further, the air A11 fed into the first air passage 11 is heated by the heater 20, and the heated air A12 is sent out to the desiccant rotor 30. The desiccant rotor 30 is driven to rotate so as to absorb the moisture of the air A22 delivered from the second air passage 12 and release the absorbed moisture to the air A12 delivered from the first air passage 11. With this rotation, the air A12 heated by the heater 20 hits the portion of the desiccant rotor 30 where the water is absorbed, and the water absorbed by the desiccant rotor 30 is released to the air A12. Due to the release of the moisture from the desiccant rotor 30, the humidity of the air A13 which is sent out from the first air passage 11 and passes through the desiccant rotor 30 becomes high. The high humidity air A13 is fed into the condenser 60 to be cooled, and the moisture contained in the air is taken out.

The desiccant rotor 30 reversibly absorbs moisture from the air and releases moisture to the air with a desiccant such as silica gel, zeolite, or diatomaceous earth. In the example of FIG. 4, the desiccant rotor 30 has a generally cylindrical (drum) shape, and is formed by processing a sheet material (fiber sheet, resin sheet, etc.) carrying a desiccant. For example, the desiccant rotor 30 has a large number of holes that allow air to flow, and absorbs and humidifies the air by acting between the air flowing through the holes and the desiccant. The desiccant of the desiccant rotor 30 has a hygroscopic action on relatively low temperature air (e.g., air at normal temperature) and a humidifying action on relatively high temperature air (e.g., high temperature air as compared to normal temperature).

The water generating apparatus 101 shown in FIG. 4 has a first housing 18 in which the first air passage 11 is formed, and a second housing 10 in which the second air passage 12 is formed. In addition, on the opposite side (downstream side) of the first housing 18 of the desiccant rotor 30, a third housing 40 in which an exhaust chamber 41 is formed is provided.
The desiccant rotor 30 is rotatably accommodated in the first housing 18 and the second housing 10. The axis of rotation of the desiccant rotor 30 by the rotational drive mechanism 100 is in the Y direction. The upstream side of the first air passage 11 is the Y2 side, and the upstream side of the second air passage 12 is the Y1 side.

In the example of FIG. 4, the first air passage 11 and the exhaust chamber 41 are located above (Z 1 side) in the vertical direction with respect to the second air passage 12. As a result, the air A12 heated by the heater 20 in the first air passage 11 does not easily flow to the second air passage 12 below, so the temperature of the air A22 flowing in the second air passage 12 is affected by the heater 20. It becomes difficult.

In the example of FIG. 4, the desiccant rotor 30 has two end faces 31 and 32 perpendicular to the axis of rotation by the rotary drive mechanism 100 (parallel to the XZ plane). The first air passage 11 and the second air passage 12 send air (A11, A12) to different areas of different end faces 31, 32 of the desiccant rotor 30. As shown in FIG. 4, the air A23 which has been dried by absorbing moisture by the desiccant rotor 30 is exhausted from the end face 32 of the desiccant rotor 30 to the Y2 side, and from the upstream side (Y1 side) of the first air passage 11 is seperated. Accordingly, the dried air A23 discharged from the lower region of the end face 32 of the desiccant rotor 30 is less likely to be returned to the first air passage 11 and the second air passage 12 as air A11 and A21.

The structures shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B are the same as in this embodiment.

The first air passage 11 and the second air passage 12 extend in the direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the end face 31 of the desiccant rotor 30, as shown in FIG. Thereby, the air (A12, A21) flowing to the first air passage 11 and the second air passage 12 by the blowers (F11 to F13, F21 to F23) can easily hit perpendicularly to the end faces 32, 31 of the desiccant rotor 30 .

The first housing 18, the second housing 10, and the third housing 40 may be separate parts as shown in FIG. 4 or may be different parts of the same part.

In the example of FIG. 4, the rotary drive mechanism 100 includes a shaft 101 fixed to the desiccant rotor 30, and

bearings

102 and 103 for rotatably supporting the shaft 101 with respect to the first housing 18 and the second housing 10. , A motor 104, and gears 105 and 106 as a power transmission mechanism for transmitting the power of the motor 104 to the shaft 101. The shaft 101 is disposed along the axis of rotation of the desiccant rotor 30. The bearing 102 supports the shaft 101 at the end on the Y1 side of the second housing 10. The bearing 103 supports the shaft 101 with a fixing member 42 fixed to the end on the Y2 side of the first housing 18. The motor 104 is located closer to the Z2 side than the shaft 101 and is fixed by the fixing member 42. The gear 105 is fixed to the rotating shaft of the motor 104, and the gear 106 is fixed to the shaft 101. As the gear 105 and the gear 106 mesh and rotate, the power of the motor 104 is transmitted to the shaft 101 and the desiccant rotor 30 rotates. The rotary drive mechanism 100 rotates the desiccant rotor 30 at a relatively slow speed of, for example, one rotation in 2 to 3 minutes.

In the example of FIG. 4, the water generating apparatus 101 has a compression pump 50 that compresses the air A13 which is sent out from the first air passage 11 and passed through the desiccant rotor 30. The compression pump 50 sucks and compresses the air A13 from the exhaust chamber 41. The condenser 60 removes moisture from the air A14 compressed by the compression pump 50. When the pressure of the air A14 increases due to compression, the amount of saturated water vapor of the air A14 decreases, so that the water content is easily extracted from the air A14 in the condenser 60.

The structures shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B are the same in this embodiment.

When the plurality of fins 61 in contact with the pipe 62 through which the refrigerant (such as water) flows touches the air A14, the heat of the air 14A is taken away, and the water contained in the air A14 is extracted. The dried air A15 after the water is removed is discharged to the outside of the water generator 101.

In the example of FIG. 4, the water generator 101 has a temperature sensor 70 and a control circuit 80. The temperature sensor 70 detects the temperature (the temperature of the air A13 in the exhaust chamber 41) of the air A13 which is sent out from the first air passage 11 and passed through the desiccant rotor 30. The control circuit 80 calculates an average value (for example, weighted average or moving average) of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 70, and generates heat from the heater 20 so that the calculated average value approaches a predetermined temperature (for example, 50.degree. C.). Control. The control circuit 80, for example, an analog-digital converter that converts the detection result of the temperature sensor 70 into a digital value, and a processing circuit (a computer, a dedicated hardware circuit, etc.) that receives the digital value and executes predetermined processing. )including. As a result, even when the environmental temperature changes variously, the temperature of the air A13 can be easily maintained at a predetermined temperature at which a good water generation capacity can be obtained.

As described above, according to the water generation apparatus 101 according to the second embodiment, the moisture of the air A 22 sent out to the desiccant rotor 30 from the second air passage 12 is absorbed by the desiccant rotor 30, while the desiccant The water absorbed by the rotor 30 is heated by the heater 20 and discharged to the air A12 sent out from the first air passage 11. Thus, the air A13 delivered from the first air passage 11 and having passed through the desiccant rotor 30 has a higher humidity than the air A11 before being delivered to the first air passage 11. Water is taken out of the high humidity air A13 by the condenser 60. Therefore, compared with the method of removing the moisture by directly contacting the air which has not been treated with the cooling element or the like as it is, it is possible to make it difficult to reduce the water generation ability even in an environment with low humidity.

According to the water generating apparatus 101 according to the second embodiment, the air A13 delivered from the first air passage 11 and having passed through the desiccant rotor 30 is compressed by the compression pump 50, and the compressed air A14 is condensed in the condenser 60. The water of air A14 is taken out. Since the amount of saturated water vapor of the air A14 is reduced by the compression, the water generation capacity can be enhanced as compared with the case where the compression is not performed. In addition, even in a low humidity environment, it is possible to make it difficult to reduce the water generation capacity.

According to the water generating apparatus 101 of the second embodiment, the air A12 is supplied from the first air passage 11 to one of the two

end surfaces

31 and 32 of the desiccant rotor 30 perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The air A22 is sent out from the second air passage 12 to the other end face 31 of the air.
As a result, a barrier such as an air curtain can be formed in the rotational space of the shaft 101 of the desiccant rotor 30, and the air absorbed by the desiccant rotor 30 and dried becomes difficult to flow back to the first air passage 11. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the water generation capacity due to the return of the dried air to the first air passage 11.

According to the water generating apparatus 101 of the second embodiment, the first air passage 11 and the second air passage 12 extend in the direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the end face 31 of the desiccant rotor 30 respectively. Thus, the air (A12, A21) flowing to the first air passage 11 and the second air passage 12 by the blowers (F11 to F13, F21 to F23) can easily come into contact perpendicularly with the end faces 32, 31 of the desiccant rotor 30. The desiccant rotor 30 can easily pass uniformly from one end face to the other end face. Therefore, the moisture contained in the air A22 is easily absorbed by the desiccant rotor 30, and the moisture is easily released from the desiccant rotor 30 to the air A12, and it becomes easy to improve the water generation capacity.

According to the water generating apparatus 101 of the second embodiment, the end face 31 (32) of the desiccant rotor 30 includes the first region 311 facing the first air passage 11 and the second region facing the second air passage 12 A second region 312 is included, and the area of the second region 312 is larger than that of the first region 311. As a result, the total amount of water absorbed by the desiccant rotor 30 is increased, so that the humidity of the air A13 sent out from the first air passage 11 and passed through the desiccant rotor 30 is less likely to decrease even in a low humidity environment. It is possible to suppress the decline in the ability to

According to the water generating apparatus 101 in the second embodiment, since the first air passage 11 is located above (Z 1 side) in the vertical direction with respect to the second air passage 12, in the first air passage 11 The air A12 heated by the heater 20 does not easily flow to the lower side of the second air passage 12, and the temperature of the air A22 flowing through the second air passage 12 is less affected by the heater 20. As a result, the temperature rise of the air A 22 due to the influence of the heater 20 is suppressed, so that the decrease in the moisture absorption capacity of the desiccant rotor 30 can be suppressed.

According to the water generating apparatus 101 according to the second embodiment, the heat generation of the heater 20 is controlled such that the average value of the temperature of the air A13 detected by the temperature sensor 70 approaches a predetermined temperature. As a result, the temperature of the air A13 can be maintained at a predetermined temperature at which a good water generation capacity can be obtained, so that the water generation capacity can be kept in a good state even when the environmental temperature changes variously. it can.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but includes various variations.

For example, in the embodiment described above, the desiccant rotor 30 is rotationally driven by rotating the shaft 101 fixed to the desiccant rotor 30, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. In another embodiment of the present invention, for example, the motive power of rotation may be transmitted to the desiccant rotor via a belt, a rotor, a gear or the like in contact with the outer periphery of the desiccant rotor.

In the embodiment described above, the air A14 compressed by the compression pump 50 is fed into the condenser 60, but the present invention is not limited to this example. In another embodiment of the present invention, the air A13 delivered from the first air passage 11 and having passed through the desiccant rotor 30 may be delivered to the condenser 60 as it is.

In the embodiment described above, a blower is provided in each of the first air passage 11 and the second air passage 12, but in another embodiment of the present invention, the first air passage 11 and the second air are provided by a common blower. Air may be pumped into each of the passages 12.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 101 ... Water generation apparatus, 10 ... 1st housing | casing, 11 ... 1st air path, 12 ... 2nd air path, 20 ... Heater, 30 ... Desiccant rotor, 31, 32 ... End surface, 311 ... 1st area | region, 312: second area, 40: second housing, 41: exhaust chamber, 50: compression pump, 60: condenser, 61: fin, 62: piping, 70: temperature sensor, 80: control circuit, 100: rotational drive Mechanism, 101 ... shaft, 102, 103 ... bearing, 104 ... motor, 105, 106 ... gear, F11 to F13 ... first blower, F21 to F23 ... second blower

Claims

First and second air passages to which air is respectively fed;
A heater for heating the air fed into the first air passage;
While being disposed on the downstream side of the first air passage and the second air passage, the moisture of the air sent out from the second air passage is absorbed, and the absorbed water is released to the air sent out from the first air passage A desiccant rotor, which is driven to rotate
A condenser for extracting moisture from the air delivered from the first air passage and passing through the desiccant rotor;
Water generator.
A compression pump for compressing the air delivered from the first air passage and passing through the desiccant rotor;
The condenser removes moisture from the air compressed by the compression pump,
The water generator according to claim 1.
The desiccant rotor has two end faces perpendicular to the axis of rotation by the rotational drive,
The first air passage and the second air passage deliver air to different areas of one of the end faces,
The water generator according to claim 1 or 2.
At least one first fan for feeding air upstream of the first air passage;
And at least one second fan for feeding air upstream of the second fan;
The first air passage and the second air passage extend in directions perpendicular to the end face, respectively.
The water generator according to claim 3.
The one end face of the desiccant rotor includes a first region facing the first air passage and a second region facing the second air passage,
The area of the second area is larger than that of the first area,
The water generator according to claim 3 or 4.
The first air passage is located vertically above the second air passage,
The water generator according to any one of claims 3 to 5.
A temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the air delivered from the first air passage and passing through the desiccant rotor;
A control circuit for controlling heat generation of the heater such that an average value of temperatures detected by the temperature sensor approaches a predetermined temperature;
The water generator according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
A first housing forming a first air passage and a second air passage, respectively, to which air is fed;
A heater for heating the air fed into the first air passage;
While being disposed on the downstream side of the first air passage and the second air passage, the moisture of the air sent out from the second air passage is absorbed, and the absorbed water is released to the air sent out from the first air passage A desiccant rotor, which is driven to rotate
A second case forming an exhaust chamber into which air having a higher humidity is introduced, which has been sent from the first air passage to the desiccant rotor and passed therethrough;
A compression pump that sucks and compresses air from the exhaust chamber;
The compressor includes a condenser which directly receives compressed air and takes out water;
The desiccant rotor has two end faces perpendicular to the axis of rotation by the rotational drive,
The first air passage and the second air passage send air in mutually opposite directions to different areas of the end face different from each other,
The one end face of the desiccant rotor includes a first region facing the first air passage and a second region facing the second air passage,
The area of the second area is larger than that of the first area,
Water generator.
The condenser is
A plurality of fins arranged to contact the compressed air;
Piping in which the refrigerant flows and contacts the fins;
The water generating device according to claim 8, comprising
The water generating device according to claim 8, wherein the second housing is fixed to the first air passage side of the first housing.
At least one first fan for feeding air upstream of the first air passage;
And at least one second fan for feeding air upstream of the second air passage,
The first air passage and the second air passage extend in directions perpendicular to the end face, respectively.
The water generator according to any one of claims 8 to 10.
The first air passage is located vertically above the second air passage,
A water generator according to any of claims 8-11.
A temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the exhaust chamber;
A control circuit for controlling heat generation of the heater such that an average value of temperatures detected by the temperature sensor approaches a predetermined temperature;
The water generator according to any one of claims 8 to 12.