Snow cold heat exchange unit and portable snow cooling device

Abstract

To provide a snow cold heat exchange unit and a portable snow cooling device that are movable, can create a cooling space for cooling body temperature, and use snow as a cold heat source.SOLUTION: A snow cold heat exchange unit includes: an outside air intake pipe; a cold air blowout pipe; a diaphragm installation part; and a straightening plate that extends in a horizontal direction to prevent outside air blown out from an outside air blowout pipe from directly flowing into a cool air intake port of the cold air blowout pipe. A portable snow cooling device includes: the snow cold heat exchange unit; a blower; and a diaphragm for forming a closed space that snow enters, where the diaphragm is connected to the diaphragm installation part of the snow cold heat exchange unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a snow heat exchange unit and a portable snow cooling device. [Background technology]

[0002] Air conditioning systems that store snow that falls in winter and use the stored snow as a cold heat source for indoor cooling, etc. have been known for some time. Although such systems are often used in large facilities such as snow rooms and warehouses, temporary indoor cooling devices have also been proposed, such as those described in Patent Document 1.

[0003] In recent years, as average temperatures have risen, it has become necessary to install air-conditioned spaces to cool down body temperatures that have risen during outdoor activities during outdoor events outside of winter. However, there is a demand for cooling devices that can create air-conditioned spaces using minimal energy, rather than simply providing air-conditioned spaces. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2000-230763 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Although air conditioning devices that use snow as a cold source are excellent in terms of energy conservation, the devices used in the past to create an air-conditioned space to cool body temperature were large, and many restrictions were imposed on installation conditions. In addition, with portable snow air conditioning devices in the past, the preparations required for operation, such as filling with snow and forming ventilation holes, were complicated and time-consuming, and in order to create an air-conditioned space to cool body temperature, it was necessary to frequently fill the device with snow even during operation, resulting in insufficient cooling capacity.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a snow heat exchange unit and a portable snow air conditioning device that are portable and use snow as a cold source to create an air-conditioned space to cool body temperature. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of extensive research into a portable snow cooling device that uses snow as a cold heat source, the inventors discovered that the above-mentioned problems could be solved by providing the following configuration, leading to the completion of the present invention.

[0008] In other words, the snow cold heat exchange unit according to one aspect of the present invention is a unit used in an air conditioning device that uses snow, characterized in that it comprises an outside air intake pipe, a cold air outlet pipe, a diaphragm installation section, and a straightening plate that extends approximately horizontally to prevent outside air blown out from the outside air outlet of the outside air intake pipe from flowing directly into the cold air intake port of the cold air outlet pipe.

[0009] In this respect, it is preferable that the cold air intake is formed by a part of the outer wall of the outside air intake pipe.

[0010] In this respect, it is preferable that the direction of the flow of outside air from the outside air outlet is within a range of ±45 degrees with respect to the vertical axis.

[0011] A portable snow air conditioning device according to another aspect of the present invention comprises a snow heat exchange unit according to one aspect of the present invention, a blower, and a diaphragm that forms a closed space into which snow enters, and is characterized in that the diaphragm is connected to a diaphragm installation portion of the snow heat exchange unit.

[0012] In this respect, it is preferable to have a heat exchange section in which snow is formed as it melts into a columnar shape by the outside air blowing out from the outside air outlet, and it is preferable that the snow cold heat exchange unit descends according to the shape of the heat exchange section.

[0013] In this respect, it is preferable that the diaphragm is a flexible container, and the blower is connected to a cool air blowing pipe. Effect of the Invention

[0014] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a snow heat exchange unit and a portable snow air conditioning device that use snow as a cold source, which are mobile and can create an air-conditioned space for cooling body temperature. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a snow-based heat exchange unit according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a portable snow cooling device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] 13 is an example of an airflow simulation result in the snow cold heat exchange unit of the embodiment. [Figure 4] 13 is an example of an airflow simulation result when the outside air blowing direction is 0 degrees in the embodiment. [Diagram 5] 13 is an example of an airflow simulation result when the outside air blowing direction is 30 degrees in the embodiment. [Figure 6] 13 is an example of an airflow simulation result when the outside air blowing direction is 50 degrees in the embodiment. [Figure 7] 13 shows the results of measuring the cool air outlet temperature and the temperature inside the tent according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] 13 shows the results of measuring the cooling capacity of the present embodiment. [Figure 9] 13 shows the state of the heat exchanger after operation of this embodiment. [Figure 10] 1 is a schematic diagram of an air flow in a comparative example and a state of a heat exchanger after operation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific examples described in the following embodiments and examples.

[0017] (Snow heat exchange unit) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a snow cold heat exchange unit 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] The snow cold heat exchange unit 1 is a unit equipped with at least an outside air intake pipe 11, a cold air outlet pipe 12, a diaphragm installation section 13, and a straightening plate 14. The snow cold heat exchange unit 1 has a flow path formed therein for taking in outside air from the outside, cooling the outside air, and then discharging it again to the outside.

[0019] The members constituting the snow cold heat exchange unit 1 may be made of any material, but it is preferable that the material has a lower thermal conductivity than metal. If the material has a low thermal conductivity, it is suitable for the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in which the outside air intake pipe 11 and the cold air discharge pipe 12 are in contact with each other to form an integrated unit.

[0020] (Diaphragm installation part) The diaphragm installation section 13 is a section for connecting the diaphragm 21 for separating the space on the outside air side from the space on the cold air side. The diaphragm installation section 13 may have any form as long as it can be connected so that the space on the outside air side and the space on the cold air side can be separated by the diaphragm 21, and may, for example, include a part that sandwiches the diaphragm 21, wraps the diaphragm 21 around it, or allows the diaphragm 21 to be connected via an attachment part.

[0021] The partition between the outside air side and the cold air side of the space should be such that at least most of the gas taken in from the outside air intake pipe 11 flows into the cold air outlet pipe 12.

[0022] (straightening plate) The straightening plate 14 is preferably installed so as to prevent the outside air blown out from the outside air outlet 112 of the outside air intake pipe 11 from flowing directly into the cold air inlet 121 of the cold air outlet pipe 12. The straightening plate 14 preferably has a shape that spreads in the vicinity of the cold air inlet 121 and spreads in an approximately horizontal direction. The straightening plate 14 may spread on a plane, may spread in a convex shape, or may spread in a concave shape, and may be installed with a shape and angle that allows the gas to flow into the cold air inlet 121 after staying on the cold air side for a period of time during which the temperature of the gas is lower than that at the outside air outlet 112. The shape of the straightening plate 14 that spreads in an approximately horizontal direction is suitable for keeping the outside air on the cold air side and is suitable for preventing only the outside air outlet 112 from being buried in snow 23 due to snow melting.

[0023] (Outside air intake pipe) The outside air intake pipe 11 is a flow path that takes in outside air from the outside air side to the cold air side. Outside air flows in through an outside air inlet 111 that opens to the outside air side, and flows out through an outside air outlet 112 that opens to the cold air side. The outside air inlet 111, the outside air outlet 112, and the outside air intake pipe 11 may have any shape, but a shape that minimizes pressure loss is preferable.

[0024] A plurality of outside air intake pipes 11 may be provided within the same snow cold heat exchange unit. Similarly, a plurality of outside air intake ports 111 and outside air outlets 112 may be provided within the same unit, and the numbers of the outside air intake pipes 11, the outside air intake ports 111, and the outside air outlets 112 do not have to be the same.

[0025] Furthermore, the outside air intake pipe 11 is preferably shaped so that the flow direction of the outside air flowing out of the outside air outlet 112 is within a range of ±45 degrees with respect to the vertical axis, more preferably within a range of ±30 degrees with respect to the vertical axis, and even more preferably within a range of ±15 degrees. Such a shape is suitable for forming a heat exchange section 24, which will be described later, when the snow cold and hot heat exchange unit 1 is incorporated into the portable snow air conditioner 2.

[0026] (Cold air outlet pipe) The cold air outlet pipe 12 is a flow path that discharges cold air from the cold air side to the outside air side. Cold air flows in through a cold air inlet 121 that opens to the cold air side, and flows out through a cold air outlet 122 that opens to the outside air side. The cold air inlet 121, the cold air outlet 122, and the cold air outlet pipe 12 may have any shape, but a shape that minimizes pressure loss is preferable.

[0027] A plurality of cold air outlet pipes 12 may be provided in the same snow cold heat exchange unit. Similarly, a plurality of cold air inlets 121 and cold air outlets 122 may be provided in the same unit, and the numbers of the cold air outlet pipes 12, the cold air inlets 121, and the cold air outlets do not have to be the same.

[0028] Moreover, it is preferable that the cold air intake 121 of the cold air outlet pipe 12 is disposed at a position higher in the vertical direction than the outside air outlet 112. Such an arrangement is preferable because it extends the heat exchange time of the outside air and makes the temperature of the cold air at the cold air intake 121 lower than the temperature of the outside air at the outside air outlet 112.

[0029] Furthermore, the cold air intake 121 may be formed as a part of the outer wall of the outdoor air intake pipe 11. In this embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the gaps between the outer walls of the three outdoor air intake pipes 11 form the cold air intake 121. That is, in this embodiment, the cold air flows in from the three cold air intakes 121, is collected in one cold air outlet pipe 12, and is then blown out from one cold air outlet 122. By making a part of the outdoor air intake pipe 11 a part of the cold air intake 121, the unit can be consolidated, made compact, and made more portable. Furthermore, the labor required for installation into the portable snow cooling device 2 can be reduced, and the installation can be made easier by reducing the amount of manpower required.

[0030] (Portable snow cooling device) FIG. 2 shows a portable snow cooling device 2 according to another aspect of the present invention.

[0031] The portable snow air conditioning device 2 comprises at least the snow cold heat exchange unit 1, a blower 25, and a diaphragm 21 that forms a closed space into which snow 23 enters. In addition, the portable snow air conditioning device 2 comprises, for example, a container 22 that contains the snow 23, a portable cart that assists in moving the device, a water receiver for meltwater generated from the snow on the container, a stand for installing the blower 25, a duct that connects the blower 25 to the snow cold heat exchange unit 1, and a duct that sends cool air from the blower 25 to the air-conditioned space.

[0032] (Blower) The blower 25 is responsible for blowing gas through the flow path formed in the snow cold heat exchange unit 1, and is the only device in the portable snow air conditioning device 2 that is powered by external energy. The blower 25 may blow air toward the outside air intake pipe 11 of the snow cold heat exchange unit 1, or may blow air so as to draw it in through the cold air outlet pipe 12, but it is preferable that the blower 25 be connected to the cold air outlet pipe 12 and blow air so as to draw it in through the cold air outlet pipe 12 in order to form a heat exchange section in which the snow melts into a columnar shape. Also, by creating a negative pressure inside the diaphragm 21, the top surface of the snow 23 and the diaphragm 21 come into close contact with each other, so that the outside air sprayed onto the snow 23 is preferable for creating a heat exchange section in which the snow melts into a columnar shape.

[0033] When the blower 25 is arranged to suck in air from the cold air outlet pipe 12, the blower 25 and the cold air outlet pipe 12 may be connected by a flexible duct between the intake port of the blower 25 and the cold air outlet port 122, or the blower 25 may be directly connected to the cold air outlet pipe 12 between the cold air inlet port 121 and the cold air outlet port 122.

[0034] The maximum air volume of the blower 25 is preferably determined based on the relationship between the size of the cooling space and the pressure loss of the snow cold heat exchange unit 1.

[0035] The portable snow air conditioner 2 of this embodiment may be equipped with a power supply device for operating the blower 25. In particular, a power supply device that uses natural energy to generate electricity, such as solar power or wind power, and stores the electricity in a battery is suitable for use, as it provides a wider range of options when selecting a location to install this embodiment.

[0036] (Containment Unit) The container 22 holds the lump of snow 23 that serves as a cold heat source. There is no limitation on the material or shape of the container 22 as long as it has the strength to hold the lump of snow 23. If the diaphragm 21 described later has the strength to hold the lump of snow 23, the container 22 may also serve as the diaphragm 21.

[0037] (diaphragm) The diaphragm 21 is connected to the diaphragm installation part 13 of the snow cold heat exchange unit 1, and divides the space into an outside air side and a cold air side. Portability can be improved by configuring the diaphragm 21 to be connected to the diaphragm installation part 13. The diaphragm 21 may be any material capable of separating the space, and is preferably water-insoluble. Specifically, metal, plastic, special paper having a waterproof or water-repellent function, etc., can be used, and more specifically, the diaphragm may be a flexible container. A flexible container is preferable in that it improves the portability of the snow 23 and makes it easier to install when incorporating it into the portable snow air conditioner 2. Specifically, by using a flexible container, the snow 23 can be loaded directly into the container 22, and the process of refilling the snow can be omitted.

[0038] A lump of snow 23 enters the closed space on the cold air side created by the diaphragm 21.

[0039] The closed space referred to here does not mean a space in which the inflow and outflow of gas is completely blocked, but rather a space that is closed to the extent that the function of gas being taken in from the outside air side through the snow cold heat exchange unit 1 to the cold air side and then released back to the outside air side through the snow cold heat exchange unit 1 is fulfilled.

[0040] In other words, it is sufficient that the snow heat exchange unit 1 is closed to the extent that the amount of air taken in from the outside air side and the amount of air released to the outside air side through the snow heat exchange unit 1 are approximately equal, and the function of this embodiment can be fulfilled if approximately 70% of the amount of air released is taken in through the snow heat exchange unit 1.

[0041] (Heat exchange part) The portable snow air conditioner 2 of this embodiment has a heat exchange section 24 formed as snow 23 melts into a columnar shape by the outside air blowing out from the outside air outlet 112.

[0042] Since the outside air becomes cold by coming into contact with the snow 23 and exchanging heat, in a broad sense the entire closed space formed by the diaphragm 21 is the space in which heat exchange takes place; however, in this embodiment, the lower peripheral space of the snow cold heat exchange unit 1, which is particularly important, is designated as the heat exchange section 24.

[0043] The snow cold heat exchange unit 1 is structured so that the heat exchange section 24 can maintain a spatial shape that allows sufficient heat exchange with the gas while the snow 23 melts continuously over time. This will be described in more detail below.

[0044] It is preferable that the heat exchange section 24 is formed as most of the snow 23 melts in a columnar shape toward approximately the downward direction, in other words, toward the approximately vertical direction. For this reason, the portable snow air conditioner 2 may be provided with a structure that allows the snow heat exchange unit 1 to descend according to the shape of the heat exchange section 24. This is preferable because the snow heat exchange unit 1 descends to maintain the distance between the bottom surface of the heat exchange section 23 and the outside air outlet 112, thereby maintaining the formed state of the heat exchange section.

[0045] The structure for lowering the snow cold heat exchange unit 1 may include a mechanism for detecting the distance from the bottom surface of the heat exchange section 24 and linking it, or a mechanism for lowering it depending on time, or it may simply be a structure in which the snow cold heat exchange unit 1 descends under its own weight while being supported to prevent it from falling over.

[0046] What is important about the heat exchange section 24 is that most of the snow 23 melts vertically while the space around the lower part of the snow cold heat exchange unit 1 maintains a nearly columnar shape. For this reason, it is preferable for the sequential formation of the heat exchange section 24 that the flow direction of the outside air flowing out from the outside air outlet 112 of the snow cold heat exchange unit 1 is approximately parallel to the vertical axis.

[0047] The flow direction of the outside air flowing out from the outside air outlet 112 can be confirmed by using, for example, an airflow simulation as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 shows the results of a simulation in which the trajectory flow velocity vectors are displayed for the gas flowing through the flow passages formed in the cooling unit 1, and it can be seen that when the gas that has flowed in from the outside air intake 111 in a curved manner is blown out from the outside air outlet 112 toward the heat exchange section 24, it is almost parallel to the vertical axis regardless of the orientation of the surface of the outside air outlet 112.

[0048] In this specification, the blowing angle of gas from outside air outlet 112 is defined as the angle between the vertical axis and the average value of airflow vectors obtained by airflow simulation.

[0049] 4 and 5, when the blowing angle is 0 degrees and ±30 degrees, the outside air sufficiently hits the bottom surface of the heat exchange section 24 located at the vertically lower part of the snow cold heat exchange unit 1, and the heat exchange section 24 can be maintained in a shape close to a column. However, when the blowing angle is widened to ±50 degrees, the outside air no longer hits the bottom surface, leaving unmelted air, and the shape of the heat exchange section 24 is significantly deformed from a columnar shape. When the heat exchange section 24 takes on such a shape, the descent of the snow cold heat exchange unit 1 is hindered, the heat exchange rate of the outside air decreases, and the cooling capacity decreases.

[0050] As described above, the snow cold heat exchange unit and portable snow air conditioning device of this embodiment can provide a mobile snow air conditioning device that uses snow as a cold source to create an air-conditioned space for cooling body temperature. EXAMPLES

[0051] Here, the snow-based heat exchange unit and the portable snow-based air conditioner of the above embodiment were actually confirmed. A specific description will be given below.

[0052] (Example) The snow heat exchange unit was created using a 3D printer.

[0053] The opening of the outside air intake was a rectangle of 60 mm x 65 mm on a surface parallel to the vertical axis. Three outside air intake pipes were installed, connected from the outside air intake to a vertical duct of diameter d = 65 mm and length 250 mm so that the flow path bent 90 degrees.

[0054] The straightening vane was a circular plate with a diameter of 200 mm placed on a horizontal plane 60 mm upstream of the outermost end of the outside air outlet, with all three outside air intake pipes passing through the disk.

[0055] The cold air intake was created by combining a duct wall with a length of L = 120 mm in the direction upstream of the air flow straightening vane in a part of the outside air intake pipe. Since the spacing between the three outside air intake pipes is 39 mm, the opening of the cold air intake is a rectangle of 120 mm x 39 mm on a surface parallel to the vertical axis. A cold air outlet pipe was installed so that the flow paths of the three cold air intakes joined together toward a single cold air outlet with a diameter of 150 mm and a length of 160 mm.

[0056] A flexible container was used as the partition. The flexible container was filled with 150 to 250 kg of snow and placed on a portable cart. The snow cold and heat exchange unit was placed on top of the snow mass, and the flexible container was tied with a string to the part where the partition was installed to create a closed space.

[0057] The blower has a maximum air volume of 600m 3 / h and a maximum static pressure of 300 Pa was placed on top of the snow cold heat exchange unit, and the blower's intake port and the cold air outlet pipe of the snow cold heat exchange unit were connected with a flexible duct.

[0058] The snow heat exchange unit is supported by flexible ducts and can lower under its own weight while standing on its own.

[0059] The space to be cooled is 1.8 x 1.8 x 2.0 = 6.48 m 3 The project targeted small tents and used constant fan operation to cool the space.

[0060] When cooling a space of this size, a cooling capacity of at least about 2.2 kW is required to bring the space temperature to a level that can cool the body temperature of the human body, and the wind speed of the cold air flowing out of the cold air outlet must be about 6 m / s. In this embodiment, the maximum air volume is 600 m 3 The desired cooling capacity was achieved by using a 1000W / h blower to obtain an outlet air speed of approximately 6 m / s.

[0061] Figure 7 shows the measurement results for this example. On the day of the measurement, the weather was clear between 10:00 and 15:00, with the outside temperature ranging from 31°C to 36°C. When the portable snow cooling device described above was operated under these weather conditions, the temperature of the cold air blown out from the device's blower was maintained at 15°C to 21°C. The temperature inside the tent was 26°C to 29°C.

[0062] Figure 8 shows the results of converting the operating state of the portable snow air conditioner into cooling capacity at this time, and Figure 9 shows the state of the heat exchanger after operation. These results show that this example was able to demonstrate a cooling capacity of about 2.2 kW, which is enough to cool body temperature, by forming a columnar heat exchanger while most of the snow melted vertically due to the snow cold heat exchange unit.

[0063] (Comparative Example) As a comparative example, Fig. 10 shows the state of the heat exchanger after operation of a snow cooling device using a snow heat exchanger unit that blows outside air over the entire surface of the snow inside a flexible container. The snow directly below the center of the snow heat exchanger unit and near the frame of the snow heat exchanger unit remained unmelted. As a result, the cooling capacity of the device decreased over time, and it was not possible to maintain the required cooling capacity. [Industrial Applicability]

[0064] According to the present invention, it is possible to create an air-conditioned space for cooling body temperature with minimal energy usage even in non-snowy countries or outdoors, and is particularly suitable for use in outdoor event venues. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1 Snow heat exchange unit 11 Fresh air intake pipe 111 Fresh air intake 112 Outdoor air outlet 12 Cold air outlet pipe 121 Cold air intake 122 Cold air outlet 13 Diaphragm installation part 14 Rectifier plate 2 Portable snow cooling device 21 Diaphragm 22 Containment Unit 23 Snow (Snowflakes) 24 Heat exchange section 25 Blower

Claims

1. A unit for use in a snow cooling device, comprising: An outside air intake pipe; A cold air outlet pipe; A diaphragm installation portion; A straightening plate extending in a substantially horizontal direction is provided to prevent the outside air blown out from the outside air outlet of the outside air intake pipe from flowing directly into the cold air intake of the cold air outlet pipe. A snow-based heat exchange unit.

2. The cold air intake is formed by a part of the outer wall of the outside air intake pipe.

2. The snow-based heat exchange unit according to claim 1 .

3. The direction of the flow of outside air from the outside air outlet is within a range of ±45 degrees with respect to the vertical axis.

2. The snow-based heat exchange unit according to claim 1 .

4. A snow / cold heat exchange unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A blower and A membrane that forms a closed space for snow to enter Equipped with The diaphragm is connected to the diaphragm installation portion of the snow cold heat exchange unit. A portable snow cooling device characterized by the above.

5. The snow has a heat exchange section formed as the snow melts into a column shape by the outside air blown out from the outside air outlet.

5. The portable snow cooling device according to claim 4.

6. The snow-cold heat exchange unit descends according to the shape of the heat exchanger.

6. The portable snow cooling device according to claim 5.

7. the diaphragm is a flexible container; The blower is connected to the cool air outlet pipe.

5. The portable snow cooling device according to claim 4.

Images