Air conditioner

Abstract

The air conditioner comprises a first air duct and a second air duct which are isolated from each other, the first air duct is used for cooling air in a target adjusting environment, and the second air duct is provided with an air inlet communicating with the external space; the first heat exchange structure is thermally coupled with the first air duct and the second air duct, and at least one part of heat of the first air duct is transmitted to the second air duct through the first heat exchange structure; the drying structure is arranged in the second air duct, the drying structure is closer to the air inlet than the first heat exchange structure, and the drying structure is used for drying gas entering the second air duct; the humidifying structure is arranged in the second air duct and used for increasing the humidity of gas flowing through the evaporation section of the second air duct so that the dry-bulb temperature of the gas in the evaporation section can be reduced to the wet-bulb temperature, and the wet-bulb temperature of the gas in the evaporation section is lower than the wet-bulb temperature of the gas at the air inlet; the evaporation section is a section where the second air channel is thermally coupled with the first heat exchange structure. According to the technical scheme, the refrigeration effect of the air conditioner can be optimized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of refrigeration equipment, and in particular to an air conditioner. Background Art

[0002] Evaporative cooling technology is a process of cooling through heat and moisture exchange between water and air, that is, the air and water convert their own sensible heat into latent heat of water. According to the contact mode between the output medium and the working medium, it can be divided into direct evaporative cooling and indirect evaporative cooling. Direct evaporative cooling air conditioners are adiabatically humidified and then directly sent to the conditioned space. Indirect evaporative cooling air conditioner units are divided into dry channels and wet channels. The working medium flows through the wet channel, the water in the wet channel evaporates and absorbs heat, the air is adiabatically humidified, and the output medium (air) flows through the dry channel and isohumidified and then sent to the conditioned space.

[0003] Compared with conventional air conditioning technology, evaporative cooling technology has higher energy efficiency and lower energy consumption. Therefore, evaporative cooling technology is usually suitable for spaces with large sensible heat but low moisture dissipation, such as data centers, foundries, power plants, etc. But at the same time, the temperature of the cold air it produces is relatively high, and it has no dehumidification ability, so it usually needs to be set up in conjunction with mechanical refrigeration. In addition, evaporative cooling is cooling through the absorption of heat by the evaporation of water. The theoretical minimum temperature of cold water or cold air that can be produced is the wet-bulb temperature of the ambient air. Therefore, evaporative cooling technology can only have a good cooling effect in areas such as Xinjiang and Gansu where outdoor humidity is low and the difference between dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperatures is large. Summary of the invention

[0004] The technical problem solved by the present invention is how to optimize the refrigeration effect of the air conditioner.

[0005] To solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention provides an air conditioner, comprising: a first air duct and a second air duct isolated from each other, the first air duct being used to cool the gas in a target conditioning environment, and the second air duct having an air inlet connected to an external space; a first heat exchange structure being thermally coupled to the first air duct and the second air duct, respectively, and at least a portion of the heat in the first air duct being transferred to the second air duct through the first heat exchange structure; a drying structure being arranged in the second air duct, the drying structure being closer to the air inlet than the first heat exchange structure, and the drying structure being used to dry the gas entering the second air duct; a humidifying structure being arranged in the second air duct, the humidifying structure being used to increase the humidity of the gas flowing through an evaporation section of the second air duct, so as to reduce the dry-bulb temperature of the gas in the evaporation section to the wet-bulb temperature, the wet-bulb temperature of the gas in the evaporation section being lower than the wet-bulb temperature of the gas at the air inlet, and the evaporation section being a section where the second air duct is thermally coupled to the first heat exchange structure.

[0006] Optionally, the first heat exchange structure includes a first channel and a second channel isolated from each other, wherein the first channel forms a part of the first air duct, the second channel forms the evaporation section of the second air duct, and the humidification structure is used to increase the humidity of the gas in the second channel.

[0007] Optionally, the second air duct further includes an exhaust port connected to an external space, and the first heat exchange structure is closer to the exhaust port than to the air inlet.

[0008] Optionally, the drying structure includes: a first spraying device, used for spraying a hygroscopic solution onto the gas entering the second air duct.

[0009] Optionally, the drying structure also includes: an infusion tube connected to the first spray device, the infusion tube is used to transfer the hygroscopic solution to the first spray device; a liquid collecting tank, used to collect the hygroscopic solution sprayed by the first spray device, the infusion tube connects the liquid collecting tank and the first spray device; a first pump, used to drive the hygroscopic solution to flow from the liquid collecting tank to the first spray device.

[0010] Optionally, the drying structure further includes: a filler portion, disposed between the first spray device and the liquid collecting tank, the filler portion being used to slow down a speed at which the moisture absorbing solution falls into the liquid collecting tank.

[0011] Optionally, the humidification structure includes: a second spraying device, used for spraying water to the gas in the evaporation section.

[0012] Optionally, the humidification structure also includes: a water pipe connected to the second spray device, the water pipe is used to supply water to the second spray device; a water collecting tank, used to receive water sprayed by the second spray device, the water pipe connects the water collecting tank and the second spray device; a second pump, driving water to flow from the water collecting tank to the second spray device.

[0013] Optionally, the drying structure includes a first spraying device, which is used to spray a hygroscopic solution onto the gas entering the second air duct. A partial section of the water pipe is wound to form a coil structure, and the coil structure is arranged on the side of the first spraying device facing the gravity direction to utilize the water flowing through the coil structure to absorb the heat of the hygroscopic solution.

[0014] Optionally, the drying structure includes a first spray device and an infusion pipe for conveying hygroscopic solution to the first spray device, and the air conditioner also includes: a second heat exchange structure, which is thermally coupled with the water pipe and the infusion pipe respectively, and at least a portion of the heat of the infusion pipe is transferred to the water pipe through the second heat exchange structure.

[0015] Optionally, the first air duct has a return air port and an air supply port, and both the return air port and the air supply port are connected to the target conditioning environment.

[0016] Optionally, the air conditioner further includes: at least one fan unit, disposed in the first air duct and / or the second air duct, and the at least one fan unit is used to drive the flow of gas in the first air duct and / or the second air duct.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of the embodiment of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] According to the technical solution of the present application, a mutually isolated first air duct and a second air duct are arranged inside the air conditioner. The first air duct is responsible for cooling the gas in the target conditioning environment, while the second air duct is connected to the external space as an auxiliary channel for heat exchange. A first heat exchange structure is arranged between the first air duct and the second air duct to realize effective heat transfer, so that the heat in the first air duct can be taken away by the gas in the second air duct, thereby enhancing the refrigeration efficiency. Furthermore, the present invention arranges a drying structure near the air inlet of the second air duct. The drying structure can effectively dry the gas entering the second air duct, reduce the wet-bulb temperature of the gas, and avoid the problem of affecting the heat exchange efficiency due to excessive gas humidity. At the same time, a humidification structure is arranged in the evaporation section of the second air duct, that is, the section thermally coupled with the first heat exchange structure. By increasing the humidity of the gas in this area, the dry-bulb temperature of the gas is reduced to a lower wet-bulb temperature than the gas at the air inlet, thereby improving the effect of evaporative cooling. Therefore, compared with the prior art that directly inputs the gas from the external environment into the first heat exchange structure when realizing refrigeration, the present invention first dehumidifies the fresh air (i.e., the gas from the external environment) through the drying structure to reduce its humidity. Subsequently, in the humidifying structure, the dehumidified gas is humidified. Since the humidity of the gas is lower after drying, its wet-bulb temperature will also be lower accordingly. This treatment method of dehumidifying first and then humidifying allows the gas to have a lower wet-bulb temperature when entering the first heat exchange structure, and the gas can reach a lower dry-bulb temperature during the humidification process, thereby being able to more effectively utilize the evaporative cooling principle and achieve a better refrigeration effect.

[0019] Furthermore, the air conditioner provided in this embodiment is preferably suitable for places with high cooling requirements such as data centers and computer rooms, which is conducive to better meeting the strong cooling requirements of such places. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a variation of the structure shown;

[0022] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of another variation of the structure shown;

[0023] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the first heat exchange structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] As mentioned in the background technology, the main drawback of existing air conditioners that can be used in data centers is that the temperature of the cold air they produce is relatively high and the cooling efficiency is low. At the same time, the cooling effect of this technology is limited by environmental conditions, especially in areas with high outdoor humidity, its cooling efficiency will be affected.

[0025] In order to solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention provides an air conditioner, including a first air duct and a second air duct isolated from each other, the first air duct being used to cool the gas in the target conditioning environment, and the second air duct having an air inlet connected to the external space; a first heat exchange structure being thermally coupled to the first air duct and the second air duct, respectively, and at least a portion of the heat in the first air duct being transferred to the second air duct through the first heat exchange structure; a drying structure being arranged in the second air duct, the drying structure being closer to the air inlet than the first heat exchange structure, and the drying structure being used to dry the gas entering the second air duct; a humidifying structure being arranged in the second air duct, the humidifying structure being used to increase the humidity of the gas flowing through the evaporation section of the second air duct so as to reduce the dry-bulb temperature of the gas in the evaporation section to the wet-bulb temperature, the wet-bulb temperature of the gas in the evaporation section being lower than the wet-bulb temperature of the gas at the air inlet, and the evaporation section being the section where the second air duct is thermally coupled to the first heat exchange structure.

[0026] According to the technical solution of the present application, a mutually isolated first air duct and a second air duct are arranged inside the air conditioner. The first air duct is responsible for cooling the gas in the target conditioning environment, while the second air duct is connected to the external space as an auxiliary channel for heat exchange. A first heat exchange structure is arranged between the first air duct and the second air duct to realize effective heat transfer, so that the heat in the first air duct can be taken away by the gas in the second air duct, thereby enhancing the refrigeration efficiency. Furthermore, the present invention arranges a drying structure near the air inlet of the second air duct. The drying structure can effectively dry the gas entering the second air duct, reduce the wet-bulb temperature of the gas, and avoid the problem of affecting the heat exchange efficiency due to excessive gas humidity. At the same time, a humidification structure is arranged in the evaporation section of the second air duct, that is, the section thermally coupled with the first heat exchange structure. By increasing the humidity of the gas in this area, the dry-bulb temperature of the gas is reduced to a lower wet-bulb temperature than the gas at the air inlet, thereby improving the effect of evaporative cooling. Therefore, compared with the prior art that directly inputs the gas from the external environment into the first heat exchange structure when realizing refrigeration, the present invention first dehumidifies the fresh air (i.e., the gas from the external environment) through the drying structure to reduce its humidity. Subsequently, in the humidifying structure, the dehumidified gas is humidified. Since the humidity of the gas is lower after drying, its wet-bulb temperature will also be lower accordingly. This treatment method of dehumidifying first and then humidifying allows the gas to have a lower wet-bulb temperature when entering the first heat exchange structure, and the gas can reach a lower dry-bulb temperature during the humidification process, thereby being able to more effectively utilize the evaporative cooling principle and achieve a better refrigeration effect.

[0027] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and beneficial effects of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of an air conditioner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] refer to Figure 1 The air conditioner 100 may include a first air duct 1 and a second air duct 2 isolated from each other. The first air duct 1 is used to cool the gas (ie, air) in the target conditioning environment, and the second air duct 2 has an air inlet 21 connected to the external space.

[0030] In some embodiments, the target conditioning environment may be, for example, a data center. Data centers usually contain a large number of IT (Information Technology) equipment, such as servers, storage devices, and network devices, which generate a large amount of heat during operation. Due to the dense equipment and large heat dissipation inside the data center, the heat load per unit area is much higher than that of a general office area. In terms of temperature, the data center needs to be maintained within a relatively stable range to ensure the normal operation and extend the service life of IT equipment. Excessive temperature may cause equipment to overheat, affect performance and stability, and even cause failures. Generally speaking, the ideal operating temperature of a data center is between 75 degrees Fahrenheit °F (about 24 degrees Celsius °C) and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (about 29 degrees C). Due to the high heat load characteristics of the data center, air conditioning equipment needs to have the characteristics of large cooling capacity, small enthalpy difference, large air volume, and large air-to-cooling ratio to meet the heat dissipation needs of the data center.

[0031] Furthermore, the external space may refer to, for example, an external environment space of a data center. Due to the high heat generation characteristics of a data center, the temperature of the external space is usually lower than the temperature of the target conditioning environment.

[0032] Furthermore, the first air duct 1 is connected to the target conditioning environment. The hot air in the target conditioning environment circulates into the first air duct 1 to be cooled, and then returns to the target conditioning environment to continuously cool the target conditioning environment.

[0033] Furthermore, the first heat exchange structure 3 is thermally coupled to the first air duct 1 and the second air duct 2 respectively, and at least a portion of heat in the first air duct 1 is transferred to the second air duct 2 through the first heat exchange structure 3 .

[0034] Specifically, the second air duct 2 is connected to the external space. After the gas in the external space enters the second air duct 2 from the air inlet 21, it can be cooled to a temperature below the external space temperature, and then absorbs the heat in the first air duct 1 through the first heat exchange structure 3, and finally discharges the second air duct 2 to transfer the heat to the external space. Thus, the first heat exchange structure 3 is thermally coupled with the first air duct 1 and the second air duct 2 respectively, so that the heat in the first air duct 1 can be transferred to the second air duct 2, and finally transferred to the external space, thereby helping to improve the overall energy efficiency of the air conditioner 100.

[0035] Furthermore, a drying structure 4 may be further provided in the second air duct 2 . The drying structure 4 is closer to the air inlet 21 than the first heat exchange structure 3 . The drying structure 4 is used for drying the gas entering the second air duct 2 .

[0036] Furthermore, a humidifying structure 5 is also provided in the second air duct 2, and the humidifying structure 5 is used to increase the humidity of the gas flowing through the evaporation section 22 of the second air duct 2, so as to reduce the dry-bulb temperature of the gas in the evaporation section 22 to the wet-bulb temperature, and the wet-bulb temperature of the gas in the evaporation section 22 is lower than the wet-bulb temperature of the gas at the air inlet 21, and the evaporation section 22 is the section where the second air duct 2 is thermally coupled with the first heat exchange structure 3.

[0037] In principle, the difference between dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperatures reflects the relationship between the water vapor content (i.e., humidity) in the air and the air cooling capacity. The wet-bulb temperature is the temperature to which the air drops due to the evaporation of water when it passes through a wet surface (such as a wet cloth). It reflects the lowest temperature that the air can reach at a given humidity. The dry-bulb temperature is the actual temperature of the air. When the humidity of the gas in the second air duct 2 is high, its wet-bulb temperature is also relatively high. This is because there is more water vapor in high-humidity gas, and in high-humidity gas, the water vapor content is close to saturation, which means that there is limited space for water evaporation and further evaporation will be more difficult.

[0038] In the evaporative cooling process of the air conditioner 100 provided in this embodiment, when the gas passes through the evaporation section 22 (the section thermally coupled to the first heat exchange structure 3), the water evaporates and absorbs heat, thereby reducing the temperature of the gas. Since the drying structure 4 reduces the humidity of the gas (i.e., reduces the wet bulb temperature), the gas can reach a lower temperature when the water vapor in the gas reaches a saturated state due to water evaporation. This is because the water vapor content in low-humidity air is less, and more heat needs to be absorbed during evaporation, so the gas temperature can be more easily reduced to a lower level.

[0039] In addition, lowering humidity can also increase the efficiency of the evaporative cooling process. Under high humidity conditions, the evaporation rate will be limited because the water vapor in the air is close to saturation. Reducing humidity can increase the space in the air for water to evaporate, increase the evaporation rate, and thus speed up the cooling process.

[0040] In some embodiments, in combination Figure 1 and Figure 4 The first heat exchange structure 3 may include a first channel 31 and a second channel 32 isolated from each other, wherein the first channel 31 forms a part of the first air duct 1, the second channel 32 forms the evaporation section 22 of the second air duct 2, and the humidification structure 5 is used to increase the humidity of the gas in the second channel 32.

[0041] Specifically, the first heat exchange structure 3 can be, for example, an air-to-air heat exchanger (also called an air-to-air heat exchanger). An air-to-air heat exchanger is a device used to transfer heat between two independent air flows without allowing the two air flows to directly mix. In air conditioning systems or cooling systems in data centers, air-to-air heat exchangers are often used to recover or transfer heat to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption.

[0042] Combination Figures 1 to 4 , the first channel 31 and the second channel 32 of the first heat exchange structure 3 are connected to the first air duct 1 and the second air duct 2 respectively. The first air duct 1 usually carries hot air from the target conditioning environment (such as a data center), while the second air duct 2 carries fresh air or preliminarily treated air from the external environment. When the hot air in the first air duct 1 flows through the first channel 31, it transfers heat with the gas in the second channel 32 (the air treated by the humidification structure 5) through the heat exchange surface. Since the first channel 31 and the second channel 32 are isolated from each other, there is no mixing between the two airflows, but heat can be effectively transferred from one airflow to another.

[0043] In some embodiments, there may be more than one first channel 31 and more than one second channel 32 , thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the first heat exchange structure 3 .

[0044] Further, in the second channel 32, the humidification structure 5 increases the humidity of the gas. Through the humidification process, the gas in the second channel 32 can absorb moisture, thereby increasing its latent heat and reducing its dry bulb temperature. This helps to improve the evaporative cooling effect in the evaporation section 22. When the humidified gas exchanges heat with the hot air in the first channel 31, the water in the evaporation section 22 will further evaporate and absorb heat, thereby reducing the temperature of the gas in the second air duct 2. At the same time, the hot air in the first air duct 1 will also cool down due to the release of heat, and can then be reintroduced into the target conditioning environment to provide a cooling effect.

[0045] In some embodiments, the second air duct 2 may further include an air outlet 23 connected to the external space, and the first heat exchange structure 3 is closer to the air outlet 23 than the air inlet 21. In this scenario, the evaporation section 22 is also located in the section of the second air duct 2 close to the air outlet 23. Thus, there is a space for gas flow between the drying structure 4 and the evaporation section 22, which avoids mutual influence between the drying structure 4 and the humidification structure 5 and reduces the refrigeration efficiency.

[0046] In some embodiments, the drying structure 4 may include a first spraying device 41 for spraying a moisture absorbing solution onto the gas entering the second air duct 2 .

[0047] In some embodiments, the hygroscopic solution may be selected from: lithium chloride solution, lithium bromide solution, calcium chloride solution, etc. In practical applications, the concentration of the hygroscopic solution may be specifically adjusted according to the humidity of the air in the external environment.

[0048] Continue to refer Figure 1 In some embodiments, the drying structure 4 may further include: a liquid infusion pipe 42 connected to the first spray device 41, the liquid infusion pipe 42 is used to transmit the hygroscopic solution to the first spray device 41; a liquid collecting tank 43, used to collect the hygroscopic solution sprayed by the first spray device 41, the liquid infusion pipe 42 connects the liquid collecting tank 43 and the first spray device 41; a first pump 44, used to drive the hygroscopic solution from the liquid collecting tank 43 to flow to the first spray device 41. Thus, in the drying structure 4, the liquid infusion pipe 42, the liquid collecting tank 43 and the first pump 44 together constitute a complete hygroscopic solution circulation system. When the first pump 44 is started, it will extract the hygroscopic solution in the liquid collecting tank 43 and transport it to the first spray device 41 through the liquid infusion pipe 42. There, the solution is sprayed into the gas entering the second air duct 2 to reduce its humidity. The sprayed hygroscopic solution drips into the liquid collecting tank 43, waiting for the next cycle.

[0049] Further, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 The drying structure 4 further includes: a filling portion 45, which is disposed between the first spraying device 41 and the liquid collecting tank 43, and the filling portion 45 is used to slow down the speed at which the moisture absorbing solution falls into the liquid collecting tank 43.

[0050] In some embodiments, the filler portion 45 may be formed by laying multiple layers of filler materials, such as plastic mesh, metal mesh, ceramic ring, etc., to slow down the falling speed of the solution. Thus, the hygroscopic solution can be more evenly distributed on the filler portion 45, increasing the contact area and time between the solution and the gas, thereby improving the dehumidification efficiency.

[0051] In some embodiments, reference Figures 1 to 3 The humidifying structure 5 may include: a second spraying device 51 for spraying water to the gas in the evaporation section 22. Thus, the dry gas passing through the drying structure 4 will promote the evaporation rate of water in the evaporation section 22, thereby producing a lower temperature.

[0052] In some embodiments, the water sprayed by the second spray device 51 may be cooling water, that is, the temperature of the water may be much lower than the temperature in the target conditioning environment, thereby being able to absorb more heat to enhance the cooling effect of the air conditioner 100 .

[0053] In some embodiments, the humidification structure 5 may also include: a water pipe 52, connected to the second spray device 51, and used to supply water to the second spray device 51; a water collecting tank 53, used to receive water sprayed by the second spray device 51, and the water pipe 52 connects the water collecting tank 53 and the second spray device 51; a second pump 54, driving water to flow from the water collecting tank 53 to the second spray device 51.

[0054] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 , a portion of the water delivery pipe 52 is wound to form a coil structure, and the coil structure is arranged on the side of the first spray device 41 facing the gravity direction to absorb the heat of the hygroscopic solution by using the water flowing through the coil structure. Therefore, the water in the water collecting tank 53 can also be used to absorb the heat of the hygroscopic solution to reduce the temperature of the hygroscopic solution, thereby reducing the solubility of the solute in the hygroscopic solution, so that the same amount of solute can absorb and fix more water.

[0055] In some embodiments, reference Figure 1 and Figure 3 The air conditioner 100 may further include: a second heat exchange structure 6, which is thermally coupled to the water pipe 52 and the liquid pipe 42, respectively, and at least a portion of the heat of the liquid pipe 42 is transferred to the water pipe 52 through the second heat exchange structure 6. The second heat exchange structure 6 may be, for example, a plate heat exchanger, and the hygroscopic solution in the liquid collecting tank 43 and the water in the water collecting tank 53 flow through the plate heat exchanger, respectively, and exchange heat in different channels of the plate heat exchanger, and the hygroscopic solution is cooled by absorbing heat.

[0056] In some embodiments, the first air duct 1 has a return air port 11 and a supply air port 12 , and both the return air port 11 and the supply air port 12 are connected to the target conditioning environment.

[0057] Furthermore, the air conditioner may further include: at least one fan unit 7, which is disposed in the first air duct 1 and / or the second air duct 2, and the at least one fan unit 7 is used to drive the gas flow in the first air duct 1 and / or the second air duct 2. Thus, the cooling efficiency of the air conditioner 100 can be further improved.

[0058] From the above, the technical solution of the present application is adopted, and a mutually isolated first air duct 1 and a second air duct 2 are set inside the air conditioner 100. The first air duct 1 is responsible for cooling the gas in the target conditioning environment, and the second air duct 2 is connected to the external space as an auxiliary channel for heat exchange. A first heat exchange structure 3 is set between the first air duct 1 and the second air duct 2 to achieve effective heat transfer, so that the heat in the first air duct 1 can be taken away by the gas in the second air duct 2, thereby enhancing the refrigeration efficiency. Furthermore, the present invention sets a drying structure 4 near the air inlet 21 of the second air duct 2. The drying structure 4 can effectively dry the gas entering the second air duct 2, reduce the wet bulb temperature of the gas, and avoid the problem of affecting the heat exchange efficiency due to excessive gas humidity. At the same time, a humidification structure 5 is set in the evaporation section 22 of the second air duct 2, that is, the section thermally coupled with the first heat exchange structure 3, so that the dry bulb temperature of the gas is reduced to a lower wet bulb temperature than the gas at the air inlet by increasing the humidity of the gas in this area, thereby improving the effect of evaporative cooling. Therefore, compared with the fresh air from the external environment directly entering the first heat exchange structure 3, the present invention first dehumidifies the gas through the drying structure 4 to reduce its humidity. Subsequently, in the humidifying structure 5, the dehumidified gas is humidified. Since the humidity of the gas is lower after drying, its wet-bulb temperature will also be correspondingly lower. This treatment method of dehumidifying first and then humidifying allows the gas to have a lower wet-bulb temperature when entering the first heat exchange structure 3, and the gas can reach a lower dry-bulb temperature during the humidification process, so that the evaporative cooling principle can be more effectively utilized to achieve a better refrigeration effect.

[0059] It should be understood that the term "and / or" herein is merely an association relationship describing associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist, for example, A and / or B, which may represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " herein indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. As used herein, unless otherwise expressly stated, the term "or" covers all possible combinations unless it is not feasible. For example, if a component is stated to include A or B, then unless otherwise expressly stated or not feasible, the component may include A, or B, or A and B. As a second example, if a component is stated to include A, B, or C, then unless otherwise expressly stated or not feasible, the component may include A, or B, or C, or A and B, or A and C, or B and C, or A and B and C. The "multiple" appearing in the embodiments of the present application refers to two or more.

[0060] The relational terms appearing in the embodiments of the present application, such as first, second, etc., are only used to distinguish an entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. In addition, the words "include", "have" and "comprise" and other similar forms are intended to be equivalent in meaning, and are open-ended, and one or more items behind any of these words are not meant to be an exhaustive list of such one or more items, or mean to be limited to one or more items listed. In the accompanying drawings and the specification, exemplary embodiments have been disclosed. However, many changes and modifications can be made to these embodiments. Therefore, although specific terms have been adopted, they are only used in a general and descriptive sense, not for the purpose of limitation.

[0061] Although the present invention is disclosed as above, the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the scope defined by the claims.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that: include: A first air duct and a second air duct isolated from each other, wherein the first air duct is used to cool the gas in the target conditioning environment, and the second air duct has an air inlet connected to the external space; a first heat exchange structure, thermally coupled to the first air duct and the second air duct respectively, wherein at least a portion of heat from the first air duct is transferred to the second air duct through the first heat exchange structure; a drying structure, disposed in the second air duct, the drying structure being closer to the air inlet than the first heat exchange structure, and the drying structure being used to dry the gas entering the second air duct; A humidifying structure is arranged in the second air duct, and the humidifying structure is used to increase the humidity of the gas flowing through the evaporation section of the second air duct so as to reduce the dry-bulb temperature of the gas in the evaporation section to the wet-bulb temperature. The wet-bulb temperature of the gas in the evaporation section is lower than the wet-bulb temperature of the gas at the air inlet. The evaporation section is the section where the second air duct is thermally coupled to the first heat exchange structure.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first heat exchange structure includes a first channel and a second channel isolated from each other, wherein the first channel forms a part of the first air duct, the second channel forms the evaporation section of the second air duct, and the humidification structure is used to increase the humidity of the gas in the second channel.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second air duct also includes an air outlet connected to an external space, and the first heat exchange structure is closer to the air outlet than to the air inlet.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drying structure comprises: The first spraying device is used to spray a moisture absorbing solution onto the gas entering the second air duct.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 4, characterized in that: The drying structure further comprises: an infusion tube connected to the first spray device, the infusion tube being used to transmit the hygroscopic solution to the first spray device; A liquid collecting tank, used for collecting the moisture absorbing solution sprayed by the first spraying device, wherein the liquid infusion tube is connected with the liquid collecting tank and the first spraying device; The first pump is used to drive the moisture absorbing solution to flow from the liquid collecting tank to the first spraying device.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 5, characterized in that: The drying structure further comprises: A filler part is arranged between the first spray device and the liquid collecting tank, and the filler part is used to slow down the speed at which the moisture absorbing solution falls into the liquid collecting tank.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The humidification structure comprises: The second spraying device is used for spraying water to the gas in the evaporation section.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 7, characterized in that: The humidification structure also includes: a water pipe connected to the second spray device, the water pipe being used to supply water to the second spray device; A water collecting tank, used to receive water sprayed by the second spraying device, and the water delivery pipe connects the water collecting tank and the second spraying device; The second pump drives water to flow from the water collecting tank to the second spraying device.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 8, characterized in that: The drying structure includes a first spray device, which is used to spray a hygroscopic solution onto the gas entering the second air duct. Part of the water pipe is wound to form a coil structure, and the coil structure is arranged on the side of the first spray device facing the gravity direction to utilize the water flowing through the coil structure to absorb the heat of the hygroscopic solution.

10. The air conditioner according to claim 8, characterized in that: The drying structure includes a first spray device and a liquid infusion tube for delivering a moisture absorbing solution to the first spray device, and the air conditioner also includes: The second heat exchange structure is thermally coupled to the water pipe and the liquid pipe respectively, and at least a portion of the heat of the liquid pipe is transferred to the water pipe through the second heat exchange structure.

11. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first air duct has a return air port and an air supply port, and both the return air port and the air supply port are connected to the target conditioning environment.

12. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: At least one fan unit is disposed in the first air duct and / or the second air duct, and the at least one fan unit is used to drive the gas flow in the first air duct and / or the second air duct.

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