TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a humidifier without water supply, which collects
water in the air and humidifies, for example, the air fed to the inside of a room.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] As this kind of humidifier without water supply, there has been one that shown in
Fig. 3. In the humidifier without water supply, a disc-shape humidifying rotor 2 composed
of an adsorbent such as silica gel and zeolite is rotated as shown by an arrow R by
an unshown motor, so that each portion of the humidifying rotor 2 passes in sequence
a moisture absorbing area A, a humidifying area H, and a heat recovering area T. A
moisture absorbing passage 3 runs across the moisture absorbing area A, a humidifying
passage 4 runs across the humidifying area H, and a heat recovering passage 5 runs
across the heat recovering area T.
[0003] The humidifying rotor 2 performs humidification by absorbing moisture from the air
that passes the moisture absorbing passage 3 in the moisture absorbing area A, and
discharging moisture to high-temperature air in the humidifying passage 4, that is
heated by a heater 6, in the humidifying area H. The air passing the heat recovering
passage 5 recovers heat in the heat recovering area T, so that each portion of the
humidifying rotor 2 is cooled before reaching the moisture absorbing area A, which
enables the humidifying rotor 2 to sufficiently adsorb moisture in the moisture absorbing
area A and reduces a load on the heater 6.
[0004] The humidifier without water supply has an advantage of disusing water supply equipment
because the humidifying rotor 2 adsorbs moisture from the air in the moisture absorbing
passage 3 and discharging the moisture to the air in the humidifying passage 4.
[0005] As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the conventional humidifier without water supply absorbs
moisture in the moisture absorbing area A after each portion of the humidifying rotor
2 is cooled in the heat recovering area T. Because the humidifying rotor 2 has considerably
large heat capacity, the humidifying rotor 2 may go into the moisture absorbing area
A before undergoing full cooling. This decreases relative humidity of the air in the
vicinity of the surface of the humidifying rotor 2, and causes a problem that sufficient
humidification is not provided in the low-temperature and low-humid winter season
when a moisture content is discontented and humidification is most required.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a humidifier without
water supply, which enables sufficient cooling of a humidifying rotor and implements
sufficient humidification even in the low-temperature and low-humid winter season.
[0007] In order to accomplish the above object, a humidifier without water supply in the
present invention comprises:
a humidifying rotor; a moisture absorbing passage running through the humidifying
rotor; a humidifying passage running through the humidifying rotor; and heating means
for heating air in the humidifying passage, wherein the humidifying rotor absorbs
moisture from air in the moisture absorbing passage while humidifying heated air in
the humidifying passage, and further comprises:
a cooling passage for flowing cooling air for cooling a portion of the humidifying
rotor before the portion encounters the moisture absorbing passage.
[0008] In the above structured humidifier without water supply, the humidifying rotor is
sufficiently cooled by cooling air flowing in the cooling passage before it encounters
the humidifying passage. Consequently, relative humidity of the air in the vicinity
of the surface of the humidifying rotor becomes high, which enables sufficient adsorption
of moisture from the air running in the moisture absorbing passage, thereby implementing
sufficient humidification of the air in the humidifying passage.
[0009] The humidifier without water supply in one embodiment comprises a heat recovering
passage which locates upstream of the heating means in the humidifying passage and
runs through the humidifying rotor, wherein
the cooling passage is disposed in between the heat recovering passage and the
moisture absorbing passage.
[0010] In the above embodiment, the air flowing in the heat recovering passage recovers
heat, and the cooled humidifying rotor is further cooled by cooling air flowing in
the cooling passage. In this way, the humidifying rotor is cooled by the air flowing
in the heat recovering passage, and then cooled by the cooling air flowing in the
cooling passage, which enables effective cooling of the humidifying rotor. Further,
heat is recovered from the humidifying rotor to the air in the heat recovering passage
before the humidifying rotor is cooled by cooling air in the cooling passage, which
enables effective heat recovery. The humidifying rotor, therefore, enables sufficient
adsorption of moisture from the air running in the moisture absorbing passage, and
thereby implements sufficient humidification of the air in the humidifying passage.
[0011] The humidifier without water supply in one embodiment comprises a passage for leading
cooling air passed through an evaporator to the cooling passage.
[0012] According to the above embodiment, the air cooled by the evaporator travels through
the passage and the cooling passage to the humidifying rotor, and cools the humidifying
rotor. In this way, obtaining cooling air with use of an evaporator of an air conditioner
enables cooling of the humidifying rotor without increased costs and energy. The humidifying
rotor, therefore, enables sufficient adsorption of moisture from the air running through
the moisture absorbing passage, and thereby implements sufficient, humidification
of the air in the humidifying passage without increased costs and energy.
[0013] One embodiment comprises a humidifying rotor, each portion of which passes in sequence
a moisture absorbing area, a humidifying area, and a cooling area.
[0014] According to the above embodiment, the cooling area is disposed between the humidifying
area and the moisture absorbing area. Consequently, each portion of the humidifying
rotor heated in the humidifying area is sufficiently cooled by cooling air in the
cooling area before each portion reaches the moisture absorbing area. Therefore, in
each portion of the humidifying rotor, relative humidity of the air in the vicinity
of the surface becomes high, which enables sufficient adsorption of moisture from
the air in the moisture absorbing area, and implements sufficient humidification of
the air in the humidifying area.
[0015] According to one embodiment, the heat recovering area is disposed between the humidifying
area and the cooling area.
[0016] According to the above embodiment, the humidifying rotor cooled through heat recovery
in the heat recovering area is further cooled by cooling air flowing in the cooling
area. In this way, the humidifying rotor is cooled by the air flowing in the heat
recovering area and then cooled by cooling air flowing in the cooling area, which
enables effective cooling of the humidifying rotor. Further, heat is recovered from
each portion of the humidifying rotor to the air in the heat recovering area before
each portion of the humidifying rotor is cooled in the cooling area, which enables
effective heat recovery. The humidifying rotor, therefore, enables sufficient adsorption
of moisture from the air running through the moisture absorbing area, and thereby
implements sufficient humidification of the air in the humidifying area.
[0017] The humidifier without water supply in one embodiment comprises a passage for leading
cooling air passed through an evaporator to the cooling passage that runs through
the cooling area.
[0018] According to the above embodiment, the air cooled by the evaporator travels through
the passage and the cooling passage to the cooling area of the humidifying rotor,
and cools the humidifying rotor. In this way, obtaining cooling air with use of an
evaporator of an air conditioner enables cooling of the humidifying rotor without
increased costs and energy. The humidifying rotor, therefore, enables sufficient adsorption
of moisture from the air in the moisture absorbing area, and thereby implements sufficient
humidification of the air in the humidifying passage without increased costs and energy.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019]
Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing a humidifier without water supply in an embodiment
of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a plan view showing a humidifying rotor in the embodiment;
Fig. 3 is a schematic view showing a conventional humidifier without water supply;
and
Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a humidifying rotor of the conventional humidifier without
water supply.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0020] Hereinbelow, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail
with accompanied drawings.
[0021] As shown in Fig. 1, the humidifier without water supply has a disc-shape humidifying
rotor 12. The humidifying rotor 12 is composed of an adsorbent such as silica gel,
zeolite, and alumina formed, for example, in the shape of a honeycomb or a porous
multiparticle. The humidifying rotor 12 is rotated around a central axis in the direction
of an arrow R by an unshown motor. As the humidifying rotor 12 is rotated, each portion
thereof passes in sequence a moisture absorbing area A, a humidifying area H, a heat
recovering area T, and a cooling area C. The humidifying rotor 12 is housed in an
unshown casing. The inside of the casing is partitioned by unshown partition plates
so as to form a moisture absorbing passage 3 running across the moisture absorbing
area A, a humidifying passage 4 running across the humidifying area H, a heat recovering
passage 5 running across the heat recovering area T, and a cooling passage 21 running
across the cooling area C. A section of the cooling passage 21 that encounters the
humidifying rotor 12 is located between the heat recovering passage 5 and the moisture
absorbing passage 3.
[0022] The humidifying passage 4 locates downstream of the heat recovering passage 5, and
has a heater 6 as a heating means for further heating the air preheated in the heat
recovering area T.
[0023] A humidifying side fan 14 is provided in a section of the humidifying passage 4 that
is downstream from the humidifying rotor 12 for flowing the air as shown with an arrow
to feed the air humidified with moisture taken in the humidifying area H to the inside
of an unshown room.
[0024] A moisture absorbing side fan 24 is provided in a section of the moisture absorbing
passage 3 that is downstream from the humidifying rotor 12 and in a section of the
cooling passage 21 that is downstream from the humidifying rotor 12 for sucking and
flowing outside air with a temperature of, for example, 0°C as shown with an arrow.
The outside air is sucked to the moisture absorbing passage 3, and when the outside
air passes the moisture absorbing area A of the humidifying rotor 12, moisture thereof
is adsorbed by the humidifying rotor 12.
[0025] To a section of the cooling passage 21 that is upstream to the humidifying rotor
12, there is connected a passage 23 for leading cooling air with a temperature of,
for example, -3 to -5°C cooled by passing an outdoor heat exchanger 22 as the evaporator.
Therefore, the humidifying rotor 12 cooled by heat recovery in the heat recovering
area T is further cooled in the cooling area C to be in extremely low temperature.
Accordingly, even if the outside air is in low temperature of, for example, 0°C, the
humidifying rotor 12 is cooled to be in extremely low temperature of, for example,
-3 to -5°C. Therefore, even in the winter season when moisture adsorption is difficult,
relative humidity of the air in the vicinity of the surface of the humidifying rotor
12 is high, and therefore sufficient moisture adsorption is implemented in the moisture
absorbing area A.
[0026] In the above structured humidifier without water supply, the outside air sucked by
the humidifying side fan 14 to the heat recovering passage 5 is first preheated by
utilizing the heat recovered from the humidifying rotor 12 in the heat recovering
area T, and then the outside air is heated by the heater 6 in the humidifying passage
4. In this way, the air is preheated in the heat recovering area T and then heated
by the heater 6, which makes it possible to provide high-temperature heated air with
small energy. When passing the humidifying area H, the heated air is humidified with
moisture evaporated from the humidifying rotor 12, and becomes humidified air, which
is fed through the humidifying side fan 14 to the inside of an unshown room.
[0027] Since the humidifying rotor 12 is rotated in the direction of the arrow R, a portion
of the humidifying rotor 12 located in the heat recovering area T reaches the cooling
area C. Into the cooling passage 21 running across the cooling area C, there flows
from the passage 23 cooling air cooled to -3 to -5°C by passing through the outdoor
heat exchanger (evaporator) 22 of an air conditioner. This makes the humidifying rotor
12 cooled to an extremely low temperature in the cooling area C. In this way, cooling
air is obtained by heat of evaporation taken from the outside air by the outdoor heat
exchanger 22 of an air conditioner. Therefore, cooling air is obtained without increased
costs and energy. The cooling air which cooled the humidifying rotor 12 in the cooling
area C is sucked and discharged outside by the moisture absorbing side fan 24.
[0028] A portion of the humidifying rotor 12 cooled in the cooling area C then reaches the
moisture absorbing area A. Into the moisture absorbing area A, outside air with a
low temperature of approx. 0°C flows from the moisture absorbing passage 3. Since
the humidifying rotor 12 is cooled in the cooling area C with the air in extremely
low temperature of -3 to -5°C coming from the outdoor heat exchanger 22, relative
humidity of the outside air in the vicinity of the surface of the humidifying rotor
12 becomes high, enabling sufficient collection of water from the outside air even
in the winter season when the outside air is in low temperature and low humidity.
Particularly, in an area A1 in the moisture absorbing area A that is close to the
cooling area C, the humidifying rotor 12 is in the state of extremely low temperature
of -3 to -5°C, which enables sufficient collection of moisture even if the outside
air is in low temperature.
[0029] A portion of the humidifying rotor 12 that sufficiently collects moisture then reaches
the humidifying area H, where the portion fully discharges moisture to high-temperature
heated air. Thus-obtained humidified air is fed to the inside of a room through the
humidifying side fan 14.
[0030] In the above embodiment, by taking heat of evaporation out of the outside air with
the outdoor heat exchanger 22 of an air conditioner, there is obtained the cooling
air with extremely low temperature, which cools the humidifying rotor 12 to an extremely
low temperature. This enables the humidifying rotor 12 to sufficiently absorb moisture
from the air running through the moisture absorbing area A, and to implement sufficient
humidification of the air in the humidifying area H without increased costs and energy.
[0031] In the above embodiment, although the heat recovering area T and the heat recovering
passage 5 are provided, they may be omitted.
[0032] The area proportion of the moisture absorbing area A, the humidifying area H, the
heat recovering, area T, and the cooling area C is not limited to the proportion shown
in Figs. 1 and 2, and may take various values depending on the situations.
[0033] In the above embodiment, although a heater is used as a heating means, a condenser
may be used instead thereof.
[0034] As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, there
is provided a cooling passage for flowing cooling air that cools a portion of the
humidifying rotor before the portion encounters the moisture absorbing passage. This
enables sufficient cooling of the humidifying rotor before the humidifying rotor's
encountering the moisture absorbing passage. Consequently, even in the winter season
when temperature and humidity are low, relative humidity of the air in the vicinity
of the surface of the humidifying rotor becomes high, thereby enabling sufficient
adsorption of moisture from the outside air to the humidifying rotor, and implementing
sufficient humidification of the air in the humidifying passage.
[0035] In the humidifier without water supply according to one embodiment, the humidifying
rotor is cooled by the air flowing in the heat recovering passage, and then cooled
by the cooling air flowing in the cooling passage, which enables effective cooling
of the humidifying rotor. Further, heat is recovered from the humidifying rotor to
the air in the heat recovering passage before the humidifying rotor is cooled by cooling
air in the cooling passage, which enables effective heat recovery.
[0036] In the humidifier without water supply according to one embodiment, the air cooled
by the evaporator travels through the passage and the cooling passage to the humidifying
rotor, and cools the humidifying rotor, so that cooling air may be obtained for cooling
the humidifying rotor without increased costs and energy. This enables sufficient
adsorption of moisture from the air running through the moisture absorbing passage
to the humidifying rotor, and thereby implements sufficient humidification of the
air in the humidifying passage without increased costs and energy.
[0037] In the humidifier without water supply according to one embodiment, the cooling area
is disposed between the humidifying area and the moisture absorbing area. Consequently,
each portion of the humidifying rotor heated in the humidifying area is sufficiently
cooled by cooling air in the cooling area before each portion reaches the moisture
absorbing area. This enables sufficient adsorption of moisture from the air in the
moisture absorbing area to the humidifying rotor, and implements sufficient humidification
of the air in the humidifying area.
[0038] In the humidifier without water supply according to one embodiment, the humidifying
rotor cooled through heat recovery in the heat recovering area is further cooled by
cooling air flowing in the cooling area, which implements effective cooling of the
humidifying rotor. Further, heat is recovered from each portion of the humidifying
rotor to the air in the heat recovering area before each portion of the humidifying
rotor is cooled in the cooling area, which implements effective heat recovery. The
humidifying rotor, therefore, enables sufficient adsorption of moisture from the air
running through the moisture absorbing area, and thereby implements sufficient humidification
of the air in the humidifying area.
[0039] In the humidifier without water supply according to one embodiment, the air cooled
by the evaporator is led to the cooling area through the passage and the cooling passage
for cooling the humidifying rotor, which makes it possible to obtain cooling air for
cooling the humidifying rotor without increased costs and energy. The humidifying
rotor, therefore, enables sufficient adsorption of moisture from the air in the moisture
absorbing area, and thereby implements sufficient humidification of the air in the
humidifying passage without increased costs and energy.
1. A humidifier without water supply comprising:
a humidifying rotor (12); a moisture absorbing passage (3) running through the humidifying
rotor (12); a humidifying passage (4) running through the humidifying rotor (12);
and heating means (6) for heating air in the humidifying passage (4), wherein the
humidifying rotor (12) absorbs moisture from air in the moisture absorbing passage
(3) while humidifying heated air in the humidifying passage (4), and further comprising:
a cooling passage (21) for flowing cooling air for cooling a portion of the humidifying
rotor (12) before the portion encounters the moisture absorbing passage (3).
2. The humidifier without water supply as defined in Claim 1, further comprising a heat
recovering passage (5) which locates upstream of the heating means (6) in the humidifying
passage (4) and runs through the humidifying rotor (12), wherein
the cooling passage (21) is disposed in between the heat recovering passage (5)
and the moisture absorbing passage (3).
3. The humidifier without water supply as defined in Claim 1 or 2, further comprising
a passage (23) for leading cooling air passed through an evaporator (22) to the cooling
passage (3).
4. A humidifier without water supply, comprising a humidifying rotor (12), each portion
of which passes in sequence a moisture absorbing area (A), a humidifying area (H),
and a cooling area (C).
5. The humidifier without water supply as defined in Claim 4, wherein the heat recovering
area (T) is disposed between the humidifying area (H) and the cooling area (C).
6. The humidifier without water supply as defined in Claim 4 or 5, further comprising
a passage (23) for leading cooling air passed through an evaporator (22) to the cooling
passage (21) that runs through the cooling area (C).