Humidifying device

Abstract

To provide a humidifying device that can keep or enhance humidifying performance.SOLUTION: A humidifying device 1 comprises: a flat surface part 21 comprising a surface extending so as to incline with respect to a horizontal direction, and comprising a hydrophilic portion 211 in at least a portion of the surface; a microbubble-containing water generation part 9 for generating water containing microbubbles; a water supply part 3 for supplying the water containing the microbubbles generated by the microbubble-containing water generation part 9, to the hydrophilic portion 211 of the flat surface part 21; an air supply part 4 arranged opposite to the flat surface part 21, and for sending air so that it hits against at least a portion of a liquid film 202 formed on the hydrophilic portion 211 of the flat surface part 21 by the water supplied by the water supply part 3; and an air discharge part 6 for discharging the air having hit against at least the portion of the liquid film 202.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a humidifier, and more particularly to a humidifier that is added to a central air conditioning system in a centrally air-conditioned house or a small office, and is used primarily for heating. [Background technology]

[0002] Humidifiers include evaporation type, steam type, water spray type, ultrasonic type, etc., and humidifiers with various structures are used according to the purpose. The inventor of the humidifier according to the present disclosure proposed a humidifier in Patent Document 1 that is particularly suitable for use as an addition to a central air conditioning system in a centrally air-conditioned house or a small office.

[0003] This humidifier comprises a planar portion having a surface extending at an angle to the horizontal direction and having a hydrophilic portion on at least a portion of the surface, a water supply portion for supplying water to the hydrophilic portion of the planar portion, an air supply portion disposed opposite the planar portion and for sending out air that contacts at least a portion of a liquid film formed on the hydrophilic portion of the planar portion by water supplied by the water supply portion, and an air exhaust portion for exhausting air that has contacted at least a portion of the liquid film. This humidifier has been made with the objective of providing a humidifier that can promote water evaporation by airflow more than conventional humidifiers, and by forming a very thin and uniform liquid film on the hydrophilic portion of the planar portion, the surface area of ​​the water that comes into contact with the air is increased, and the airflow is effectively directed to this portion, allowing efficient evaporation. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-189727 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Humidifiers used in homes and other places cannot be subjected to thorough reproducibility control, as is the case with manufacturing equipment used in semiconductor factories, and therefore improvements are required to maintain or improve humidification performance.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a humidifier that is capable of maintaining or improving humidification performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The humidifying device according to the present disclosure is characterized in comprising a planar portion having a surface extending at an angle with respect to the horizontal direction and having a hydrophilic portion on at least a portion of the surface; a generation portion which generates water containing fine bubbles; a water supply portion which supplies the water containing fine bubbles generated by the generation portion to the hydrophilic portion of the planar portion; an air supply portion which is arranged opposite the planar portion and which blows out air which hits at least a portion of a liquid film formed on the hydrophilic portion of the planar portion by the water supplied by the water supply portion; and an air discharge portion which discharges air which has hit at least a portion of the liquid film. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, since it is configured as described above, it is possible to maintain or improve the humidification performance. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a humidifier according to a first embodiment, in which FIG. 1A is a front view of the humidifier, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in FIG. 1A. [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state near the surface of a liquid film in the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 3A, 3B, and 3C are diagrams showing configuration examples of the planar section according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a fine bubble water storage section in the first embodiment. [Diagram 5]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a water supply section in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating a configuration example of the air supply unit in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 7A and 7B are diagrams showing a configuration example in which a flow-regulating mesh (mesh member) is attached to a humidifier according to embodiment 1, where FIG. 7A is a front view of the humidifier and FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in FIG. 7A. [Figure 8] 8A and 8B are diagrams showing a configuration example when an airflow direction adjustment guide (blade member) is attached to the humidifier according to embodiment 1, where FIG. 8A is a front view of the humidifier and FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in FIG. 8A. [Figure 9] 9A and 9B are diagrams showing a configuration example in which a damper is attached to a humidifier according to Embodiment 1, where FIG. 9A is a front view of the humidifier and FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in FIG. 9A. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a configuration example in which a fan is attached to a humidifier according to Embodiment 1, where FIG. 10A is a front view of the humidifier and FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in FIG. 10A. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a microbubble-containing water generating section in the second embodiment. [Figure 12] 13 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the fine-bubble-containing water generating section in the second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the fine-bubble-containing water generating section in the second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 14] 14A and 14B show an example configuration of a humidifier according to embodiment 3, where FIG. 14A shows an example configuration of a water supply amount adjusting plate, and FIG. 14B shows an example configuration in which an airflow guide is attached to the water supply amount adjusting plate. [Figure 15] 15A and 15B are diagrams showing a configuration example of the gap adjusting member according to the third embodiment. [Figure 16] 16A and 16B are diagrams showing a configuration example of a humidifier according to a fourth embodiment, in which FIG. 16A is a front view of the humidifier, and FIG. 16B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in FIG. 16A. [Figure 17] 17A and 17B are diagrams showing another configuration example of a humidifier according to embodiment 4, where FIG. 17A is a front view of the humidifier, and FIG. 17B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in FIG. 17A. [Figure 18] 18A and 18B are diagrams showing a configuration example of a humidifier according to embodiment 5, in which FIG. 18A is a front view of the humidifier, and FIG. 18B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in FIG. 18A. [Figure 19] 19A and 19B are diagrams showing another configuration example of a humidifier according to embodiment 5, where FIG. 19A is a front view of the humidifier and FIG. 19B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in FIG. 19A. [Figure 20] 20A and 20B are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a humidifier according to embodiment 6, in which FIG. 20A is a front view of the humidifier, FIG. 20B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in FIG. 20A, and FIG. 20C is a top view of an airflow guide provided in the humidifier. [Figure 21] 21A and 21B are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a water supply section in embodiment 6, where FIG. 21A is a front view of the water supply section and FIG. 21B is a side view of the water supply section including part of the planar section. [Figure 22] 22A and 22B are diagrams showing another configuration example of the water supply section in the sixth embodiment. [Diagram 23] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating another example of the configuration of the air flow guide in the sixth embodiment. [Figure 24] 24A, 24B, and 24C are diagrams showing configuration examples of the planar section in the seventh embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Embodiment 1 Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a humidifier 1 according to embodiment 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 1 includes a humidifying section 2, a water supply section 3, an air supply section 4, an air inlet section 5, an air exhaust section 6, a drain section 7, a fine bubble-containing water generating section 9, and a housing 10. This humidifier 1 is added to a central air conditioning system in a centrally air-conditioned house or a small office, etc., and is used mainly for heating.

[0011] Here, the humidifier 1 evaporates a small amount of moisture and uses it for humidification. For example, most of the moisture loss in a highly airtight, insulated house is due to ventilation, except for the amount absorbed by walls at the beginning of humidification. Therefore, the humidifier 1 only needs to replenish moisture (humidify) to the amount lost through ventilation.

[0012] As an example, if the total floor area is 150 m 2 Consider ventilation in a centrally air-conditioned house with a ceiling height of 2.5 m, ventilation rate of 0.5 times / hour, and temperature and humidity conditions of 21°C and 40% RH indoors and 0°C and 50% RH outdoors. In this case, the amount of moisture lost through ventilation can be calculated to be only about 15 cc / min, even without latent heat (humidity) recovery by a total heat exchanger. Therefore, the humidifier 1 needs to evaporate 15 cc of water per minute and mix the water vapor with the heated air sent out from the air conditioner. From another perspective, this means that 15 cc of water needs to be dried (evaporated) in the humidifier 1 per minute. In other words, 15 cc of water needs to be dried (evaporated) in the humidifier 1 using heated air drawn in by bypassing the intake duct that transports the heated air sent out from the air conditioner, and the water vapor needs to be returned to the intake duct and mixed with the heated air.

[0013] Thus, if the purpose is to dry (evaporate) a small amount of water, it is effective to supply the minimum amount of water required to a member having a hydrophilic surface, for example, a member having at least a hydrophilic portion on its surface, and spread this water in as thin a liquid film as possible. For example, as shown in Fig. 2, water evaporates on the surface of this liquid film 202 to become water vapor 203, and a boundary film (water vapor concentration boundary layer) 204 is generated by the diffusion of the water vapor 203. In Fig. 2, reference numeral 201 denotes a solid with the liquid film 202 formed on its surface, and reference numeral 205 denotes an air convection layer.

[0014] The water vapor 203 in the boundary film 204 moves (diffuses) with the driving force being the pressure difference of the water vapor generated between the surface of the liquid film 202 and the air convection layer 205. For example, since the water vapor 203 on the surface of the liquid film 202 is saturated, the pressure of the water vapor 203 on the surface of the liquid film 202 becomes the saturated water vapor pressure at the surface temperature of the liquid film 202. This saturated water vapor pressure is proportional to the surface temperature of the liquid film 202, and increases as the surface temperature of the liquid film 202 increases. For example, when the surface temperature of the liquid film 202 is 20° C., the saturated water vapor pressure is 23.4 hPa, whereas when the surface temperature of the liquid film 202 is 40° C., the saturated water vapor pressure is 73.8 hPa.

[0015] On the other hand, the pressure of the water vapor 203 in the air convection layer 205 is proportional to the humidity of the air. For example, in the case of air at 21° C. and 40% RH, the pressure of the water vapor 203 in the air convection layer 205 is 10 hPa. Therefore, the higher the surface temperature of the liquid film 202, the larger the pressure difference of the water vapor generated between the surface of the liquid film 202 and the air convection layer 205, and the movement (diffusion) of the water vapor 203 is promoted. Therefore, it is important to raise the surface temperature of the liquid film 202 by the air (especially heated air) blown onto the liquid film 202, and to increase the saturated water vapor pressure of the liquid film 202.

[0016] On the other hand, the pressure difference of the water vapor causes a difference in water vapor concentration in the boundary film 204, and it can be said that the water vapor 203 moves along the gradient of the concentration. The thickness of the boundary film 204 varies depending on the surface area, shape, and the state of the air flow in contact with it, and is 1 mm to 10 mm or more. The thickness of the boundary film 204 affects the evaporation rate of water, and the thinner the boundary film 204, the greater the gradient of the water vapor concentration, so the faster the water vapor 203 is discharged from the surface of the liquid film 202 through the boundary film 204 to the air convection layer 205. In other words, the evaporation rate becomes faster. Therefore, it is important to reduce the thickness of the boundary film 204 by the air blown against the liquid film 202, and increase the gradient of the water vapor concentration in the boundary film 204 to promote evaporation.

[0017] The humidifier 1 according to the first embodiment is an invention that has been made with attention to these points. That is, the humidifier 1 according to the first embodiment forms a liquid film 202 that flows down inside the device, and by blowing air onto at least a part of this liquid film 202, the thickness of the boundary film 204 formed between the surface of the liquid film 202 and the air convection layer 205 is reduced, and the gradient of the water vapor concentration in the boundary film 204 is increased, promoting the evaporation of water by the air flow (air current).

[0018] In addition, the humidifier 1 hydrodynamically adjusts the wind speed and direction of the air blown against the liquid film 202 to reduce the thickness of the boundary film 204 and increase the gradient of the water vapor concentration, and enables the water vapor 203 released from the boundary film 204 to be quickly carried away by the air convection layer 205. The humidifier 1 also raises the surface temperature of the liquid film 202 by blowing air against the liquid film 202, thereby enabling the water vapor 203 in the boundary film 204 to move quickly. Using this principle, the humidifier 1 promotes the evaporation of water by the airflow more than ever before. A detailed configuration example of the humidifier 1 will be described below.

[0019] For ease of explanation, the upper side of the page is defined as the top, the lower side as the bottom, the left side as the front (front), the right side as the rear (back), the near side as the left, and the far side as the right, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 1A is a front view of humidifier 1, and Fig. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in Fig. 1A. The following description will be given taking as an example a case in which humidifier 1 is provided not inside a main flow path (air supply duct) that supplies conditioned air to a room, but inside a branch flow path branching off from the main flow path and in parallel with the main flow path.

[0020] The humidifying unit 2 is provided inside the housing 10, and has a flat portion 21 as shown in, for example, FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. The flat portion 21 is a member having a surface (inclined surface) that extends at an incline with respect to the horizontal direction, and is, for example, made of a flat plate member that is inclined upward at a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal direction. When the flat portion 21 is made of a flat plate member, for example, as shown in FIG. 1A, the length in the width direction (left and right direction) is formed so as to substantially match the length in the width direction of the housing 10. However, this is only an example, and the length in the width direction of the flat portion 21 can be set to an appropriate length according to the design, etc. In addition, the flat portion 21 has a hydrophilic portion 211 (see FIG. 3A) on at least a part of one surface (a surface facing the air supply unit 4). Note that a specific configuration example in the case where the flat portion 21 is made of a flat plate member will be described later. Note that the flat portion 21 may be made of a member other than the flat plate member described above, as long as it has a surface (inclined surface) that extends at an incline with respect to the horizontal direction and has a hydrophilic portion on at least a part of the surface. For example, the flat portion 21 may be formed of a member that has a triangular shape when viewed from the side (left or right), and at least a part of the inclined surface (the surface facing upward) may have a hydrophilic portion.

[0021] The microbubble-containing water generating unit 9 generates microbubbles using water supplied from a water faucet, thereby generating water containing microbubbles (hereinafter, also referred to as "microbubble-containing water"). The microbubble-containing water generated by the microbubble-containing water generating unit 9 is supplied to the water supply unit 3. A specific configuration example of the microbubble-containing water generating unit 9 will be described later.

[0022] The water supply unit 3 is provided at the upper end of the flat surface portion 21 inside the housing 10. The water supply unit 3 supplies the microbubble-containing water supplied from the microbubble-containing-water generator 9, for example, over a part or the entire width of the flat surface portion 21. As a result, a thin liquid film is formed on the hydrophilic portion 211 of the flat surface portion 21. A specific configuration example of the water supply unit 3 will be described later.

[0023] The air supply unit 4 is disposed inside the housing 10, facing the surface of the flat portion 21 having the hydrophilic portion 211. The air supply unit 4 sends out air that corresponds to at least a part of the liquid film formed on the hydrophilic portion 211 of the flat portion 21. This air is introduced from an air introduction unit 5, which will be described later. The air supply unit 4 is configured in a nozzle shape, for example, as shown in FIG. 1B. A specific configuration example of the air supply unit 4 will be described later.

[0024] The air introduction section 5 is provided on the external rear surface of the housing 10 (behind the air supply section 4). The air introduction section 5 is provided in communication with the air supply section 4, and introduces air sent from the air supply section 4 toward at least a part of the liquid film formed on the hydrophilic portion 211 of the flat section 21. For example, the air introduction section 5 is connected to a branch duct branched from an air supply duct that conveys conditioned air (particularly heated air) sent from an air conditioner. The air introduction section 5 introduces the heated air branched from the air supply duct to the branch duct into the air supply section 4. It is assumed that the temperature of the heated air introduced from the air introduction section 5 to the air supply section 4 is about 45°C, but as long as the air is warm with a temperature of about 45°C, the air introduced from the air introduction section 5 to the air supply section 4 does not necessarily have to be sent from the air conditioner. In FIG. 1B, the air introduced from the air introduction section 5 to the air supply section 4 and the air sent from the air supply section 4 are indicated by white arrows. Although the efficiency is low, it is possible to humidify the air by blowing air at room temperature.

[0025] The air exhaust unit 6 is provided on the outer upper surface of the housing 10. The air exhaust unit 6 is provided in communication with the inside of the housing 10. The air exhaust unit 6 exhausts the air that is sent out from the air supply unit 4 and hits at least a part of the liquid film formed on the hydrophilic portion 211 of the flat portion 21 to the outside of the housing 10. In Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B, the air that is sent out from the air supply unit 4 and hits at least a part of the liquid film, and the air that is exhausted from the air exhaust unit 6 to the outside of the housing 10 are indicated by gray arrows. Note that the air exhaust unit 6 may exhaust not only the air that is sent out from the air supply unit 4 and hits at least a part of the liquid film, but also the air that is sent out from the air supply unit 4 and does not hit the liquid film to the outside of the housing 10.

[0026] Drainage section 7 is provided on the lower end side of flat section 21 inside housing 10. Drainage section 7 collects water that cannot evaporate on flat section 21 and flows down flat section 21, and discharges it to the outside of housing 10. Drainage section 7 is configured to have an opening that opens toward the lower end of flat section 21, as shown in FIG. 1B, for example. Note that the water discharged from drainage section 7 may be returned to water supply section 3 and reused for water supply.

[0027] Next, examples of more detailed configurations of the planar section 21, the fine bubble-containing water generating section 9, the water supply section 3, and the air supply section 4 will be described.

[0028] (Plane part 21) The flat portion 21 is formed of a flat plate member having a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, for example, as shown in Fig. 3A. In this case, the flat portion 21 has a hydrophilic portion 211 on at least a part of one surface (the surface facing the air supply unit 4). In this hydrophilic portion 211, a thin liquid film 202 that flows down is formed by the supply of water from the water supply unit 3.

[0029] Here, "the flat surface is hydrophilic" means that the solid surface (flat surface 21) has a high affinity with water, and water that comes into contact with the solid surface spreads along the surface in the form of a thin film rather than forming droplets. A state in which the contact angle between the solid surface (flat surface 21) and water is 90° or less is generally called hydrophilic. In the humidifier 1 according to the first embodiment, a state in which the contact angle is about 20 to 30° or less, which is considered to be highly hydrophilic, is preferable, and a state in which the contact angle is about 10° or less, which is called superhydrophilic, is more preferable. The degree of hydrophilicity is selected from various perspectives, such as the inclination angle of the flat surface 21, the amount of water flowing down, the water quality, the degree of water stain adhesion, and the wind speed of the air sent out from the air supply unit 4.

[0030] In order to form the planar portion 21 in a highly hydrophilic state, there are various methods for modifying the surface, such as coating the surface of the planar portion 21 with an inorganic or organic hydrophilic material, coating with titanium oxide and UV light irradiation, plasma treatment, corona discharge, fluorine gas treatment, nanoimprinting, etc., and a highly hydrophilic surface can be formed even from a material with low hydrophilicity, such as a resin. Also, a hydrophilically treated film can be attached to the planar portion 21, or a hydrophilizing agent can be blended into the material of the planar portion 21 itself and then molded.

[0031] The material of the flat portion 21 is preferably, for example, stainless steel, which has high corrosion resistance and rigidity. However, the material of the flat portion 21 is not limited to this. The thickness of the flat plate member constituting the flat portion 21 is preferably about 0.3 to 1 mm, and when the material is stainless steel, it is more preferably about 0.5 mm.

[0032] The flat portion 21 may have a water-repellent (or hydrophobic) portion 212 in a portion other than the hydrophilic portion 211. For example, in the example of FIG. 3A, about two-thirds of the upper portion in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the flat portion 21 is composed of the hydrophilic portion 211, and about one-third of the remaining portion is composed of the water-repellent portion 212. In this way, when the supply of water from the water supply unit 3 is started from the upper side of the flat portion 21, the water is easily drained on the lower side of the flat portion 21 (the water-repellent portion 212 side), so that the adhesion of water stains and the growth of mold can be suppressed. The reference numeral 213 in FIG. 3A denotes water droplets generated in the water-repellent portion 212.

[0033] Here, "the flat surface is water repellent (or hydrophobic)" refers to a property in which the affinity between the solid surface (flat surface 21) and water is low, and water that comes into contact with the solid surface turns into droplets, and the contact angle between the solid surface (flat surface 21) and water is 90° or more, and more preferably, the contact angle is about 150° or more, which is called super-water repellency. The degree of water repellency (hydrophobicity) is selected from various perspectives, such as the inclination angle of the flat surface 21, the amount of water flowing down, the water quality, and the degree of water stain adhesion.

[0034] 3A, the lower end of the flat portion 21 may be formed in a V-shape, as shown in Fig. 3B. In this case, when the supply of water from the water supply unit 3 is started from the upper side of the flat portion 21, the water (liquid film and water droplets) on the lower side of the flat portion 21 can be collected in the center and discharged, and the water can be drained well, thereby preventing the adhesion of water stains and the growth of mold. Furthermore, the flat portion 21 is made of a flat plate member as shown in Figs. 3A and 3B, which not only simplifies the structure but also improves the ease of maintenance, such as cleaning and replacement.

[0035] 3C, the water-repellent portion 212 formed in the lower portion in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the configuration in FIG. 3A, for example, in a portion having a length of about 10 to 20 mm, may be formed in a V-shape. In this case as well, when the supply of water from the water supply unit 3 is started from the upper side of the flat portion 21, the water (liquid film and water droplets) on the lower side of the flat portion 21 can be collected in the center and discharged, and the water can be drained well, thereby suppressing the adhesion of water stains and the growth of mold.

[0036] (Microbubble-containing water generating section 9) 1, the fine bubble-containing water generating unit 9 includes a fine bubble water storage unit 91 upstream of the water supply unit 3. The fine bubble water storage unit 91 includes, for example, a fine bubble generator 92 and a storage container 93.

[0037] The fine bubble generator 92 is, for example, a cavitation type fine bubble generator. The fine bubble generator 92 is installed between a water faucet (water pipe) and a storage container 93. The fine bubble generator 92 generates fine bubbles, which are minute air bubbles, by the pressure of the water supplied from the water faucet, and produces water containing fine bubbles (hereinafter also referred to as "fine bubble water"). The fine bubble water is stored in the storage container 93.

[0038] A cavitation type fine bubble generator is a known type, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 7012482 and Japanese Patent No. 5712292. A cavitation type fine bubble generator can generate fine bubbles using only the pressure (flow rate) of ordinary household tap water, and does not require electricity. In addition, a cavitation type fine bubble generator can generate fine bubbles using only the gas contained in tap water, without the need to inject external air, and can therefore be hygienic and compact in configuration. As described above, the cavitation type fine bubble generator generates fine bubbles from gases contained in tap water, i.e., the oxygen and nitrogen that mainly make up air. The lower the water temperature, the higher the solubility of gases such as oxygen and nitrogen in water. Since more gases are contained in tap water at low water temperatures such as in winter, more fine bubbles can be generated, which is preferable for the humidifier 1 of the present disclosure.

[0039] The storage container 93 is, for example, a container capable of storing liquid, and stores the fine bubble water generated by the fine bubble generator 92. The storage container 93 is connected to the water supply unit 3 via a water supply pipe 94, and the fine bubble water stored in the storage container 93 is supplied to the water supply unit 3 via the water supply pipe 94.

[0040] A large flow rate of water is required for the fine bubble generator 92 to generate fine bubble water, but only a minute flow rate of water is required in the water supply unit 3. Therefore, the storage container 93 functions as a buffer to eliminate the difference in flow rate.

[0041] Specifically, the fine bubble generator 92 occasionally generates fine bubble water at a flow rate 100 times or more the flow rate of water supplied to the flat section 21 by the water supply section 3 (for example, 5 to 10 L / min, the capacity of a general household water supply is sufficient), and stores it in the storage container 93. The fine bubble water stored in the storage container 93 is supplied to the water supply section 3 at a flow rate of about 15 to 30 mL / min by dripping due to gravity or by a pump or the like.

[0042] The fine bubble water storage unit 91 may be equipped with a water volume (water level) control unit 95 including an upper water level sensor 95a, a lower water level sensor 95b, and an overflow drain pipe (excess water volume drain pipe) 95c, as shown in FIG. 4, for example.

[0043] The upper limit water level sensor 95a detects that the amount of fine bubble water stored in the storage container 93 has reached a predetermined upper limit. The lower limit water level sensor 95b detects that the amount of fine bubble water stored in the storage container 93 has reached a predetermined lower limit. In this case, the water amount control unit 95 can manage the amount of fine bubble water stored in the storage container 93 to be within a predetermined range (for example, between the upper limit and the lower limit) using the upper limit water level sensor 95a and the lower limit water level sensor 95b. In addition, if the amount of fine bubble water exceeds the upper limit due to some malfunction, the fine bubble water can be discharged from the overflow drain pipe 95c to prevent damage and leakage of the storage container 93. Note that the fine bubbles remain suspended in the water for several months or more without disappearing, so that performance can be maintained and stored for a long period of time.

[0044] (Water supply part 3) As shown in FIG. 5, the water supply section 3 includes a water supply pipe 31, a reservoir tank 32, an overflow chamber 33, and a water supply port .

[0045] The water supply pipe 31 is connected to the water supply pipe 94 of the micro-bubble-containing-water generator 9 via a flow rate regulator such as a flow rate regulator valve (not shown), and sends the fine bubble water (micro-bubble-containing water) supplied from the micro-bubble-containing-water generator 9 to the reservoir tank 32. A water quality regulator or the like may be provided before or after the flow rate regulator.

[0046] The reservoir tank 32 stores the fine bubble water sent from the fine bubble-containing water generator 9 via the water supply pipe 31. An overflow chamber 33 is connected to the upper end of the reservoir tank 32. When the amount of fine bubble water stored in the reservoir tank 32 exceeds the amount that the reservoir tank 32 can store, the excess fine bubble water flows into the overflow chamber 33.

[0047] A water supply port 34 is connected to the end of the overflow chamber 33 opposite the reservoir tank 32. The water supply port 34 discharges the fine bubble water that has flowed into the overflow chamber 33 in excess of the reservoir tank 32's capacity. In this way, the water supply unit 3 discharges from the water supply port 34 only the fine bubble water that has flowed into the overflow chamber 33 in excess of the reservoir tank 32's capacity. As a result, a thin liquid film 202 that flows down onto the hydrophilic portion 211 is formed on the flat surface portion 21.

[0048] The shape of the water supply port 34 is, for example, a rectangle whose widthwise length is approximately the same as that of the planar portion 21. In this case, water is supplied across the entire width of the planar portion 21. Alternatively, the shape of the water supply port 34 may be, for example, a rectangle divided into multiple parts in the widthwise direction, or a circle divided into multiple parts in the widthwise direction. Alternatively, the shape of the water supply port 34 may be appropriately selected depending on the size, shape, etc. of the liquid film 202 to be formed on the planar portion 21.

[0049] The width of the liquid film 202 formed on the hydrophilic portion 211 is designed taking into consideration the size constraints of the humidifier 1, the thickness of the liquid film 202, the amount of water supplied from the water supply unit 3, and the like, and is, for example, about 100 to 200 mm. The flow rate of the liquid film 202 is about 16.7 mm / s, for example, when the amount of water supplied from the water supply unit 3 is 15 cc / min, the width of the liquid film 202 is 150 mm, and the thickness of the liquid film 202 is 0.1 mm.

[0050] (Air supply section 4) The air supply unit 4 has a main body 40 formed in a nozzle shape, as shown in FIG. 6A, for example.

[0051] The main body 40 has an air outlet formed in a rectangular shape in front view by a plurality of faces. For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, the main body 40 has an air outlet 45 formed in a rectangular shape in front view by four faces, an upper face 41, a lower face 42, a left side face 43, and a right side face 44. The upper face 41 is composed of a first upper face 411, a second upper face 412, and a third upper face 413. The lower face 42 is composed of a first lower face 421 and a second lower face 422. The distance between the upper face 41 and the lower face 42 is gradually narrowed from the rear to the front (the air outlet 45 side). The width of the air outlet 45 is approximately the same as or longer than the width direction length of the hydrophilic portion 211 of the planar portion 21, and the height of the air outlet 45 is appropriately designed in consideration of the length in the flow direction of the liquid film.

[0052] Among the faces constituting air outlet 45, the face closest to air discharge section 6 (here, upper face 41) has a portion closer to planar section 21 (here, third upper face 413) that extends in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of planar section 21 (direction R in FIG. 6A) (direction P in FIG. 6A). Among the faces constituting air outlet 45, the face farthest from air discharge section 6 (here, lower face 42) has a portion closer to planar section 21 (here, second lower face 422) that extends in a direction parallel to the extending direction of planar section 21 (direction Q in FIG. 6A).

[0053] Here, the "direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the flat portion 21" is a concept including a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the flat portion 21 and a direction slightly shifted from the direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the flat portion 21. The "direction parallel to the extending direction of the flat portion 21" is a concept including a direction parallel to the extending direction of the flat portion 21 and a direction slightly shifted from the direction parallel to the extending direction of the flat portion 21. The range of angles allowed as a deviation from the direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the flat portion 21 can be appropriately set according to the temperature, speed, and air volume of the air discharged from the air outlet 45, or the target thickness of the liquid film 202, the temperature of the liquid film 202, and the like. Similarly, the range of angles allowed as a deviation from the direction parallel to the extending direction of the flat portion 21 can also be appropriately set according to the above-mentioned values.

[0054] The air supply unit 4 may be configured as shown in FIG. 6B. The main body 40 of the air supply unit 4 shown in FIG. 6B has an outlet 45 formed in a rectangular shape in front view by four surfaces, an upper surface 41, a lower surface 42, a left side surface 43, and a right side surface 44. The upper surface 41 is configured by a first upper surface 411 and a second upper surface 412. The lower surface 42 is configured by a first lower surface 421. Of these, the second upper surface 412 is formed in a curved shape that is curved so as to be recessed inward of the main body 40. The first lower surface 421 is formed in a curved shape that is curved so as to bulge outward of the main body 40. The distance between the upper surface 41 and the lower surface 42 is configured to gradually narrow from the rear to the front (the outlet 45 side).

[0055] Among the faces constituting air outlet 45, the face closest to air discharge section 6 (here, upper face 41) has a portion closer to flat section 21 (here, second upper face 412) that extends in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of flat section 21 (direction R in FIG. 6B) (direction P in FIG. 6B). Among the faces constituting air outlet 45, the face farthest from air discharge section 6 (here, lower face 42) has a portion closer to flat section 21 (here, first lower face 421) that extends in a direction parallel to the extending direction of flat section 21 (direction Q in FIG. 6B).

[0056] With the above-mentioned configuration, the air supply unit 4 can blow an airflow (hereinafter referred to as a collision jet) from a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the flat portion 21 and an airflow (hereinafter referred to as a Coanda airflow) from a direction parallel to the extending direction of the flat portion 21 in an accelerated state onto at least a part of the liquid film 202 formed on the hydrophilic portion 211 of the flat portion 21. The collision jet refers to an airflow that is blown from a direction perpendicular to a wall surface (such as a flat portion) and collides with the wall surface (such as a flat portion) with force. The Coanda airflow refers to an airflow that is blown with force from a direction parallel to the vicinity of a wall surface (such as a flat portion), adheres to the wall surface (such as a flat portion) due to the Coanda effect, and flows along the wall surface (such as a flat portion) while drawing in the surrounding air. The collision jet in the present invention finally mixes with the Coanda airflow to become part of the Coanda airflow and is discharged from the air discharge unit 6.

[0057] Among these, the impinging jet has the effect of pressing down from above the boundary film 204 formed between the surface of the liquid film 202 and the air convection layer 205 to thin it (see FIG. 2). The impinging jet also has the effect of applying pressure to the liquid film 202 to physically crush and thin it. In this way, in the humidifier 1, the thickness of the liquid film 202 is thinned by the impinging jet blown from the air supply unit 4 onto the liquid film 202, and the thickness of the boundary film 204 is thinned to increase the gradient of the water vapor concentration, thereby facilitating the rapid movement of the water vapor 203 in the boundary film 204 and promoting the evaporation of water.

[0058] In addition, creating an airflow state in which the thickness of the boundary film 204 is thinned by the impinging jet in this way also thins the temperature boundary layer (not shown) formed between the surface of the liquid film 202 and the air convection layer 205. As a result, the efficiency of heat transfer to the surface of the liquid film 202 by the air (impinging jet and Coanda airflow) blown from the air supply unit 4 is also improved. The heat transfer effect of the impinging jet is several to ten times that of the Coanda airflow. Therefore, the impinging jet increases the surface temperature of the liquid film 202 to increase the saturated water vapor pressure, and also facilitates the supply of evaporation heat to the liquid film 202, greatly contributing to the promotion of evaporation.

[0059] Furthermore, in the humidifier 1, by blowing a Coanda airflow from the air supply unit 4, the water vapor 203 coming out of the boundary film 204 can be quickly carried away in the downstream direction (towards the air exhaust unit 6) by the air convection layer 205.

[0060] In addition, when only the Coanda airflow is flowed, the velocity boundary layer develops toward the downstream direction (air discharge section 6 side), and the airflow speed near the liquid film 202 decreases. As a result, the boundary film 204 also thickens rapidly, leading to a decrease in the evaporation rate. In order to avoid such a problem, the humidifier 1 blows not only the Coanda airflow but also the impinging jet. That is, in the humidifier 1, the development of the velocity boundary layer (thickness) near the liquid film 202 is suppressed by pressing down from a direction close to the orthogonal direction with the impinging jet, thereby suppressing the thickness of the boundary film 204 formed between the surface of the liquid film 202 and the air convection layer 205 from increasing, while efficiently transporting the water vapor 203 released from the boundary film 204 to the air discharge section 6 side by the Coanda airflow.

[0061] The size of the outlet 45 of the air supply unit 4 may be set appropriately according to the wind speed and direction of the airflow blown out from the outlet 45, or the shape of the liquid film 202 formed on the flat surface portion 21. In the above example, the impinging jet and the Coanda airflow are blown out from the same outlet 45, but the air supply unit 4 is not limited to this, and may be provided with a separate outlet for blowing out the impinging jet and a separate outlet for blowing out the Coanda airflow.

[0062] Furthermore, the wind speed of the airflow blown out from the outlet 45 is preferably as fast as possible to increase evaporation efficiency, but it is more preferable to set it to an appropriate value in trade-off with noise or pressure loss. For example, the speed of the impinging jet is preferably about 2 to 5 m / s, and the speed of the Coanda airflow is preferably about 3 to 6 m / s, and it is preferable to make the Coanda airflow faster than the impinging jet.

[0063] In the humidifier 1, the thinner the liquid film 202 is, the easier it is for water to evaporate. However, it is necessary to increase the flow rate of the liquid film 202 flowing on the flat surface portion 21 or to widen the width of the liquid film 202 that flows down by the amount of the reduction in the thickness of the liquid film 202. In that case, there is a possibility that the supply of the required amount of water may be hindered. Therefore, there is a proper thickness for the liquid film 202. For example, the target value for the thickness of the liquid film 202 is about 0.05 to 0.1 mm, but the thickness of the liquid film 202 is preferably in the range of about 0.01 to 0.2 mm. When the liquid film 202 becomes thick, the thickness of the liquid film 202 is reduced by increasing the wind speed of the blown air or by blowing the impinging jet from a direction closer to the right angle. On the other hand, if the liquid film 202 can be reduced in thickness, the wind speed of the blown air may be low.

[0064] The air supply unit 4 may also include a straightening member for straightening the flow of air. For example, as shown in Figs. 7A and 7B, the air supply unit 4 may include a straightening mesh (mesh member) 51 as a straightening member inside the main body 40 (in Figs. 6A and 6B), more specifically, between the first upper surface 411 and the first lower surface 421. This allows the humidifier 1 to straighten the flow of air inside the main body 40, that is, to make the surface wind speed uniform.

[0065] For example, as described above, a branch duct branched from an air supply duct may be connected to the air introduction section 5 connected to the air supply section 4, and this branch duct may have a shape that is bent, for example, in an L-shape upward as shown in FIG. 7B. In this case, the air introduced from the branch duct through the air introduction section 5 to the air supply section 4 flows while bending along the bent part of the branch duct, and therefore the surface wind speed is often not uniform. Therefore, it is preferable that the humidifier 1 includes a straightening mesh 51 inside the main body section 40 of the air supply section 4 to straighten the air flow inside the main body section 40 (to make the surface wind speed uniform).

[0066] In addition to the effect of straightening the air flow inside the main body 40, the straightening mesh 51 also has the effect of generating tiny vortices in the air flow, stimulating the movement of water vapor 203 and heat within the boundary film 204, and promoting the evaporation of water.

[0067] Specifically, the rectifying mesh 51 is made of a metal mesh or a resin mesh. In this case, the metal mesh or the resin mesh preferably has an opening rate of about 40% to 60%. A plurality of the rectifying meshes 51 may be arranged at a predetermined interval in the airflow direction (front-rear direction). Even if a porous plate or a honeycomb plate (rectifying grid) is used as the rectifying member, the same effect as that of the rectifying mesh 51 can be obtained, but it is most effective and preferable to use the rectifying mesh 51 as the rectifying member.

[0068] 8A and 8B, the air supply unit 4 may include an airflow direction adjustment guide (blade member) 61 as a straightening member inside the main body 40, more specifically, between the second upper surface 412 and the third upper surface 413 and the second lower surface 422. Even in this case, the humidifier 1 can adjust the airflow direction inside the main body 40 to an optimal state to promote evaporation of water.

[0069] 9A and 9B, the air supply unit 4 may include a damper 71 inside the main body 40, more specifically, at approximately the center in the airflow direction (front-rear direction). The damper 71 adjusts the opening degree to adjust at least one of the speed and direction of the airflow discharged from the air outlet 45 of the air supply unit 4. The damper 71 also adjusts the balance of the speed and direction of the airflow above and below the damper 71 of the air outlet 45. Even in this case, the humidifier 1 can promote evaporation of water by adjusting at least one of the speed and direction of the airflow discharged from the air outlet 45, and further the balance of the speed and direction of the airflow above and below the damper 71 of the air outlet 45, that is, the balance between the impinging jet and the Coanda airflow.

[0070] 10A and 10B, the air introduction part 5 may include a fan 81 therein. The fan 81 accelerates the wind speed of the air introduced from the air introduction part 5 to the air supply part 4. This also increases the speed of the airflow blown from the air supply part 4 to the liquid film 202, accelerating the evaporation of water.

[0071] In the above, an example has been described in which the air introduction part 5 is provided on the external side surface (rear surface) of the housing 10, and the air discharge part 6 is provided on the external upper surface of the housing 10. However, conversely, the air introduction part 5 may be provided on the external upper surface of the housing 10, and the air discharge part 6 may be provided on the external side surface (rear surface) of the housing 10. However, providing the air introduction part 5 on the external side surface of the housing 10 and the air discharge part 6 on the external upper surface of the housing 10 is preferable because it leads to a reduction in size of the humidifier 1 and a reduction in pressure loss of the airflow, and because the airflow blown out from the air supply part 4 and the flow-down direction of the liquid film 202 (the flow-down direction of the water supplied by the water supply part 3) are opposite to each other, thereby improving the efficiency of heat transfer from the airflow to the surface of the liquid film 202 and the evaporation efficiency.

[0072] Also, in the above, an example has been described in which the humidifier 1 is provided in parallel to the main flow path in a branch flow path branched off from the main flow path (air supply duct) that supplies conditioned air to the room, but the humidifier 1 is not limited to this, and may be provided in the main flow path. However, providing the humidifier 1 in parallel to the main flow path in a branch flow path branched off from the main flow path is preferable because it has less impact on pressure loss (fluid resistance) in the main flow path when the device is made compact, allows greater freedom in design, and eliminates the need to stop the air conditioner during maintenance.

[0073] In this way, in the humidifier 1, fine bubble water is supplied from the water supply unit 3 to the flat surface 21. In this regard, the inventor of the humidifier 1 according to the present disclosure has discovered through extensive research that as the temperature of tap water supplied from the water supply unit 3 to the flat surface 21 decreases, the surface tension of the water increases and the wettability, that is, the tendency of the liquid film to spread thinly over the hydrophilic parts of the flat surface 21, decreases, and as a result, the humidification performance also decreases.

[0074] It is particularly important that tap water is at its lowest temperature during the cold season when humidification is most necessary, and the surface tension of the water increases, hindering the formation of a liquid film and reducing humidification performance. Based on these research results, the inventors of humidifier 1 have come to the realization that it is effective to make the water supplied from water supply section 3 contain fine bubbles. More specifically, they have come to the realization that fine bubbles are preferable as the fine bubbles.

[0075] Fine bubbles according to the ISO standard consist of microbubbles with a particle size of less than 100μm to 1μm, and ultrafine bubbles (formerly known as nanobubbles) with a particle size of less than 1μm. For example, when water contains fine bubbles (fine bubbles) with a particle size of less than 100μm, the surface tension is reduced, which can suppress and mitigate the decrease in wettability caused by the increase in surface tension due to a decrease in water temperature. Surface tension is the force that tries to make the liquid surface smaller, and is the property of water to aggregate into droplets (spheres) rather than a thin liquid film.

[0076] Several papers on cleaning effects have reported that microbubbles reduce surface tension compared to ordinary tap water. For example, Ushida et al. reported that surface tension is reduced by about 10% in "Study on the cleaning effect of nanobubble / surfactant mixture in alternating flow" Transactions of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (Series B), Vol. 77, No. 777 (2011-5). In addition, Kobayashi et al. reported that the contact angle when liquid is dropped on a solid surface is reduced by about 4 to 7 degrees in "Cleaning effect of microbubble mixture against dirt adhering to metal surfaces" Multiphase Flow, Vol. 34, No. 1 (2020).

[0077] According to "Chemistry Handbook, Basics II, compiled by the Chemical Society of Japan, Maruzen," the surface tension [dyn / cm] of water in contact with air is 72.75 at 20°C, 74.2 at 10°C, and 74.9 at 5°C, so for example when 20°C water is cooled to 10°C, the surface tension increases by approximately 2%, and when 20°C water is cooled to 5°C, the surface tension increases by approximately 3%. Therefore, if water containing fine bubbles is used in the humidifier 1, wettability can be maintained or improved, and humidification performance can also be maintained or improved.

[0078] As mentioned above, fine bubbles according to the ISO standard are composed of microbubbles with a diameter of less than 100 μm to 1 μm, and ultrafine bubbles with a diameter of less than 1 μm. Of these, microbubbles rise to the surface at a very slow speed compared to millimeter-sized bubbles, contracting due to the surface tension of the water and increasing the pressure inside the bubbles, and dissolve in water at high speed due to their large specific surface area and internal pressure, further increasing the internal pressure of the bubbles and accelerating the contraction. Then, those that do not reach the water surface dissolve in water and disappear, or those that dissolve precipitate as ultrafine bubbles. The speed at which they rise is very slow, for example, about 3 mm per minute (about 1 / 2000 of millimeter-sized bubbles) when the diameter is 10 μm, so they often change to one of the above states before reaching the water surface. When the size of ultrafine bubbles is reached, the effect of viscous forces becomes greater than that of buoyancy, so it has been confirmed that they float in water for several months or more due to Brownian motion without rising, and there are also reports that about 70% of them remain even after one year. In addition, fine bubbles are negatively charged, so they repel each other and do not aggregate or coalesce.

[0079] As already explained, a large flow rate is required to generate fine bubble water using a fine bubble generator such as a cavitation type, but the water supply unit 3 of the humidifier 1 only requires a small flow rate, so the large amount of generated fine bubble water is temporarily stored in the storage container 93, and the required amount is supplied little by little to the water supply unit 3 of the humidifier 1. Specifically, the fine bubble generator 92 occasionally generates fine bubble water at a flow rate of 100 times or more (for example, 5 to 10 L / min, the capacity of a general household water supply is sufficient) of the water flow rate supplied to the flat surface portion 21 by the water supply unit 3, and stores it in the storage container 93. The fine bubble water stored in the storage container 93 is supplied to the water supply unit 3 by gravity dripping or by a pump or the like at a flow rate of about 15 to 30 mL / min.

[0080] Therefore, as described above, since microbubbles change particle size during storage or dissolve and disappear in water, ultrafine bubbles that can maintain a stable state for a long period of time are preferable. Ultrafine bubbles do not rise to the surface due to buoyancy, and are dispersed and suspended almost uniformly in water due to Brownian motion for a long period of time, so that no matter where water is taken from in the storage container 93, there is little variation in their characteristics and they can stably contribute to reducing the surface tension of the water.

[0081] In an experiment in which a stainless steel plate with a superhydrophilic coating on its surface was placed at an inclination angle of 30° from the horizontal and water was supplied at 15 mL / min, the thickness of the liquid film formed on the surface of the stainless steel plate was only about several tens of μm. Therefore, since microbubbles of a similar size would immediately rise to the surface and disappear when they come into contact with the air, microbubbles of at least 10 μm or less, preferably ultra-fine bubbles of 1 μm or less, are preferred. A typical fine bubble generator using the cavitation method can generate about 100 million fine bubbles with a median particle size of about 100 to 200 nm per mL.

[0082] The reason why water has a surface tension about three times higher than other liquids is because the water molecules form a dynamic cluster structure by hydrogen bonding. The hydrogen and oxygen atoms in water are covalently bonded, but because there is a large difference in the electronegativity of these atoms, the shared electron pair is biased toward the oxygen atom with its larger electronegativity, causing it to become polarized. In other words, because the oxygen atom is negatively charged and the hydrogen atom is positively charged, the hydrogen atom strongly attracts the oxygen atom of the neighboring water molecule to which it is not directly bonded, with a force about one-tenth that of a covalent bond. This is called a hydrogen bond.

[0083] Although the principle by which fine bubbles reduce the surface tension compared to normal tap water has not yet been fully elucidated, it is believed that fine bubbles suppress the formation of hydrogen bonds in these dynamic clusters. Fine bubbles are negatively charged, which is believed to be due to OH- ions separated from water molecules accumulating on the bubble surface. In other words, it is believed that the number of water molecules that form dynamic clusters through hydrogen bonds is reduced, leading to a decrease in surface tension. In addition, it is believed that negatively charged fine bubbles repel oxygen atoms of water molecules and attract hydrogen atoms, which also prevents water molecules from forming dynamic cluster structures through hydrogen bonds. Since the diameter of a water molecule is about 3 nm, it is believed that ideally, ultrafine bubbles of the same size should be uniformly dispersed in large quantities in water and penetrate between water molecules, which would prevent the formation of dynamic clusters due to hydrogen bonds between water molecules and reduce surface tension. Therefore, it is more preferable to have ultrafine bubbles of as small a particle size as possible uniformly dispersed in large quantities in water than microbubbles. The particle size distribution of ultrafine bubbles generated by a typical fine bubble generator has a maximum peak at around 100 to 200 nm, and it is currently impossible to generate bubbles with a size on the level of water molecules. However, it is acceptable to select a particle size within a realistically possible range.

[0084] In addition, suppressing hydrogen bonding means that evaporation is also facilitated, which is a very favorable effect for the humidifier 1. In addition, when (fine) air bubbles are contained in the liquid, the viscosity and kinetic viscosity increase, which leads to a slower flow rate of the falling liquid film in the present disclosure, and the favorable effect of increasing the amount of evaporation due to the longer contact time between the liquid film and the air flow is obtained. In addition, by supplying fine bubble water to the flat surface portion 21 as described above, an additional effect of suppressing adhesion of scale and biofilm to the flat surface portion 21 is obtained. Since fine bubbles are negatively charged, they can capture cations such as calcium or magnesium contained in tap water, which are the cause of scale or dirt, and suppress adhesion to parts through which water flows, such as the flat surface portion 21, the water supply portion 3, or the drainage portion 7. In addition, fine bubbles have an antibacterial effect due to OH radicals, etc., and can remove or suppress biofilm.

[0085] As described above, according to the first embodiment, the humidifier 1 includes a planar section 21 having a surface extending at an angle with respect to the horizontal direction and having a hydrophilic portion 211 on at least a part of the surface, a microbubble-containing-water generating section 9 for generating water containing microbubbles, a water supply section 3 for supplying the water containing microbubbles generated by the microbubble-containing-water generating section 9 to the hydrophilic portion 211 of the planar section 21, an air supply section 4 disposed opposite the planar section 21 for sending out air that hits at least a part of the liquid film 202 formed on the hydrophilic portion 211 of the planar section 21 by the water supplied by the water supply section 3, and an air discharge section 6 for discharging the air that hits at least a part of the liquid film 202. This makes it possible for the humidifier 1 to maintain or improve its humidification performance.

[0086] In addition, the minute air bubbles are fine bubbles. This enables the humidifier 1 to maintain or improve the wettability of the flat surface portion 21.

[0087] Furthermore, the fine bubble-containing water generating section 9 includes a fine bubble water storage section 91 provided upstream of the water supply section 3, and the fine bubble water storage section 91 includes a fine bubble generator 92 that generates fine bubble water, which is water containing fine bubbles, and a storage container 93 that stores the fine bubble water generated by the fine bubble generator 92. This allows the humidifier 1 to generate fine bubble water with a compact configuration, and eliminates the difference in the flow rate of water required for generating fine bubble water in the fine bubble generator 92 and the flow rate of water required in the water supply section 3.

[0088] Furthermore, the fine bubble water storage unit 91 is equipped with a water volume control unit 95 that maintains the volume of fine bubble water stored in the storage container 93 within a predetermined range. This enables the humidifier 1 to maintain the volume of fine bubble water at an appropriate level.

[0089] Furthermore, the fine bubble generator 92 is of a cavitation type, which allows the humidifier 1 to generate fine bubbles without using electricity and with a hygienic and compact configuration.

[0090] Furthermore, the fine bubble generator 92 is installed between the water faucet and the storage container 93. This allows the humidifier 1 to generate fine bubble water with a compact configuration.

[0091] Moreover, the air supply unit 4 of the humidifier 1 has a nozzle shape. This enables the humidifier 1 to blow an accelerated airflow onto at least a part of the liquid film 202 formed on the hydrophilic portion 211 of the flat portion 21.

[0092] Furthermore, the air supply unit 4 can deliver an impinging jet that is blown onto at least a part of the flat surface portion 21, and a Coanda airflow that adheres to and flows along the flat surface portion 21. This allows the humidifier 1 to reduce the thickness of the liquid film 202 to promote evaporation of water, and quickly deliver water vapor in the direction of the air discharge unit 6.

[0093] Embodiment 2 In the first embodiment, a description has been given of the humidifier 1 including the fine-bubble-containing-water generator 9 upstream of the water supply section 3. In the second embodiment, another configuration example of the fine-bubble-containing-water generator 9 will be described.

[0094] Fig. 11 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the fine-bubble-containing-water generating section 9 in the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 2. The fine-bubble-containing-water generating section 9 in embodiment 2 shown in Fig. 11 is configured such that a circulation section 96 is added to the fine-bubble-containing-water generating section 9 in embodiment 1 shown in Fig. 4, and a fine bubble generator 92 is provided in the circulation section 96. The other configuration of the fine-bubble-containing-water generating section 9 in embodiment 2 is similar to that of the fine-bubble-containing-water generating section 9 in embodiment 1, so the same reference numerals are used and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0095] The circulation unit 96 includes a pump 96a and a circulation path 96b, as shown in Fig. 11, for example. The pump 96a takes in water supplied from a water faucet into the storage container 93 and stored therein, from the lower side in the height direction of the storage container 93, and sends it out to the circulation path 96b. The circulation path 96b is provided with a fine bubble generator 92, which generates fine bubble water by the pressure of the water taken in by the pump 96a, and sends the generated fine bubble water through the circulation path 96b into the inside of the storage container 93 from the center to the upper side in the height direction of the storage container 93. Thereafter, the intake of water by the pump 96a and the generation of fine bubble water by the fine bubble generator 92 are repeated at a predetermined timing.

[0096] Next, the effects of the humidifier 1 according to the second embodiment will be described.

[0097] For example, the simplest form of generating and storing fine bubble water is structurally to directly install the fine bubble generator 92 between the water faucet (water pipe) and the storage container 93, as described in embodiment 1. However, immersing the piping directly connected to the water supply in the water in the storage container 93 is undesirable from the viewpoint of hygiene, that is, preventing contamination due to backflow. Therefore, it is preferable to leave a certain distance or more between the water faucet and the water surface in the storage container 93.

[0098] Therefore, in the first embodiment, it goes without saying that a mechanism and consideration are required to maintain the above distance, but in addition to this, in the first embodiment, the fine bubble water generated by the fine bubble generator 92 is forcefully poured into the water stored in the storage container 93 through a space. At this time, the water pressure is suddenly released to about atmospheric pressure, and there is a concern that the particle size of the generated fine bubbles will become large, and it is also possible that the bubbles will merge due to the impact when flowing into the water stored in the storage container 93, causing the particle size to become even larger. In addition, it is also possible that when the fine bubble water flows into the water stored in the storage container 93, it will entrain air, generating large bubbles that will absorb the fine bubbles and cause them to immediately rise to the surface and disappear.

[0099] In this regard, in the second embodiment, as described above, water is first poured directly into the storage container 93 from the water faucet, and after the large bubbles rise to the surface and disappear and the accumulated water stabilizes, the accumulated water is sucked up by the pump 96a and sent to the circulation path 96b. Fine bubble water is then generated by the fine bubble generator 92 installed midway along the circulation path 96b, and the generated fine bubble water is returned to the storage container 93 for storage. As a result, although the number of parts in the second embodiment is greater than in the first embodiment, the problems in the first embodiment described above can be avoided.

[0100] Furthermore, the second embodiment can also provide the following effects. First, for the fine bubble generator 92 to function properly, a water pressure and flow rate equal to or greater than a specified value is required. If a large amount of water is used by another device connected to the same water faucet as the fine bubble generator 92, the water pressure to the fine bubble generator 92 may decrease, causing the fine bubble generator 92 to stop functioning properly.

[0101] In this regard, in embodiment 2, the fine bubble generator 92 is not directly connected to the water faucet, but is provided downstream of the pump 96a in the circulation path 96b, and the pump 96a can stably receive water pressure above a specified value, thereby eliminating the problems caused by the drop in water pressure as described above.

[0102] Furthermore, in embodiment 2, the fine bubble generator 92 is provided in the circulation section 96, more specifically, in the stage subsequent to the pump 96a in the circulation path 96b, so that it is possible to increase the concentration of fine bubbles by increasing the number of times that the fine bubble water is circulated through the pump 96a and the circulation path 96b.

[0103] Furthermore, when using a water faucet as the water supply source as in the second embodiment, there is a demand to set the water supply flow rate from the faucet as low as possible. This is to reduce the impact of water pressure on other devices connected to the same faucet as the humidifier 1 is connected to, and to reduce noise when water is poured into the storage container 93. In addition, when a separate ON / OFF solenoid valve for controlling water supply is provided, there is also a need to ensure a drainage processing capacity for surplus water in consideration of the case where this solenoid valve breaks down or the upper water level sensor 95a breaks down. Another objective is to reduce water waste.

[0104] In this regard, in embodiment 2, as described above, the water tap only needs to be used when initially pouring water into the storage container 93, and the generation and storage of fine bubble water can be achieved by the function of the circulation section 96, so that the water supply flow rate from the water tap can be set low in response to the above requirement.

[0105] Note that while microbubbles slowly rise to the surface and move upward in the height direction of the storage container 93, ultrafine bubbles do not rise to the surface and are dispersed within the storage container 93. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the fine bubble-containing water generating unit 9 may be configured as shown in Fig. 12. In the fine bubble-containing water generating unit 9 shown in Fig. 12, the order of the pump 96a and the fine bubble generator 92 in the circulation unit 96 is reversed compared to the fine bubble-containing water generating unit 9 shown in Fig. 11.

[0106] The pump 96a takes in water that has been supplied from a water faucet into the storage container 93 and stored therein, from the center to the upper side in the height direction of the storage container 93, and sends it out to a circulation path 96b. A fine bubble generator 92 is provided in the circulation path 96b, and the fine bubble generator 92 generates fine bubble water by the pressure of the water taken in by the pump 96a, and sends the generated fine bubble water through the circulation path 96b into the inside of the storage container 93 from the lower side in the height direction of the storage container 93. Thereafter, the intake of water by the pump 96a and the generation of fine bubble water by the fine bubble generator 92 are repeated at predetermined timing.

[0107] With this configuration, in the fine-bubble-containing-water generating unit 9, the pump 96a takes in water from the center to the upper side in the height direction of the storage container 93 where microbubbles are dispersed, passes the water through the fine bubble generator 92, and then sends the fine-bubble water from the lower side in the height direction of the storage container 93 where ultra-fine bubbles are dispersed into the storage container 93. In the fine-bubble-containing-water generating unit 9, the concentration of ultra-fine bubbles can be increased by circulating the fine-bubble water in this manner.

[0108] In addition, it is preferable that the water supply pipe 94 connecting the storage container 93 and the water supply section 3 be connected near the bottom of the storage container 93 in the vertical direction, as this is a configuration that increases the concentration of ultra-fine bubbles in the fine bubble water supplied to the water supply section 3.

[0109] In the second embodiment, the microbubble-containing water generator 9 may be configured as shown in Fig. 13. In the microbubble-containing water generator 9 shown in Fig. 13, a tap water storage unit 97 is added to the microbubble-containing water generator 9 shown in Fig. 11. In the microbubble-containing water generator 9 shown in Fig. 13, a pump 96a is provided at the connection that connects the tap water storage unit 97 and the fine bubble water storage unit 91, and a fine bubble generator 92 is connected to this pump 96a.

[0110] The tap water storage unit 97 includes a storage container 98 and a water volume control unit 95. A water faucet is connected to the storage container 98, and tap water poured from the water faucet is stored therein.

[0111] The water stored in the storage container 98 is taken from the lower height side of the storage container 98 by a pump 96a and sent to the fine bubble generator 92. The fine bubble generator 92 generates fine bubble water by water pressure from the pump 96a, and sends the generated fine bubble water into the storage container 93 from the lower height side of the storage container 93 of the fine bubble water storage unit 91. The fine bubble water sent to the storage container 93 is stored in the storage container 93 and supplied to the water supply unit 3 via a water supply pipe 94.

[0112] In this configuration, the fine bubble water generator 9 cannot circulate fine bubble water around one storage container, so it is difficult to increase the concentration of fine bubbles by increasing the number of circulations as described in the configuration shown in Fig. 11. However, effects other than increasing the concentration of fine bubbles can be achieved in the same way as the configuration shown in Fig. 11.

[0113] Furthermore, in this configuration, the micro-bubble-containing water generator 9 can store a certain amount of tap water for generating fine bubble water in the storage container 98, so the frequency of opening and closing the water faucet can be reduced compared to the configuration shown in Fig. 11. Also, the tap water stored in the storage container 98 is in a relatively stable state as large bubbles rise to the surface and disappear, so this stable tap water can be used to generate fine bubble water. As a result, fine bubble water can be generated efficiently.

[0114] In addition, when the fine bubble generator 92 is a cavitation type fine bubble generator 92, as described above, the fine bubble generator 92 generates fine bubbles from the gas contained in tap water, that is, the oxygen and nitrogen that mainly constitute air. The solubility of oxygen in water is about twice that of nitrogen, and the amount of gas contained in tap water is usually the largest. However, in some office buildings or condominiums, the oxygen concentration (dissolved oxygen) in tap water may be kept low by deoxidation treatment to suppress corrosion of water pipes, extend the life of the pipes, and facilitate maintenance. In that case, it is preferable to bring the tap water into contact with air in the storage container 93, 98 to redissolve the oxygen, and then pass the tap water through the fine bubble generator 92 to generate fine bubbles.

[0115] As described above, according to the second embodiment, the fine bubble-containing water generating unit 9 includes a circulation unit 96 that circulates the fine bubble water stored in the storage container 93 around the outside of the storage container 93 and returns it to the storage container 93, and the circulation unit 96 is provided with a fine bubble generator 92. In this way, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the humidifier 1 can prevent the fine bubble water from flowing forcefully into the storage container 93, and can avoid problems such as the generated fine bubbles becoming too large in particle size or disappearing quickly.

[0116] The circulation unit 96 also includes a circulation path 96b that connects two holes provided on the outer circumferential surface of the storage container 93 outside the storage container 93, and a pump 96a that is provided in the circulation path 96b and takes in the fine bubble water stored in the storage container 93 and returns it to the storage container 93, and the fine bubble generator 92 is provided after the pump 96a in the circulation direction of the fine bubble water in the circulation path 96b. This allows the humidifier 1 to increase the number of times the fine bubble water circulates, thereby increasing the concentration of fine bubbles.

[0117] The two holes provided on the outer peripheral surface of the storage container 93 are arranged along the height direction of the storage container 93, and the pump 96a is provided on the higher side in the height direction of the circulation path 96b that connects the two holes arranged along the height direction. This enables the humidifier 1 to increase the concentration of ultra-fine bubbles in the fine bubble water.

[0118] The fine bubble-containing water generating unit 9 includes a tap water storage unit 97 having a storage container 98 for storing tap water supplied from a water faucet, a connection unit connecting the tap water storage unit 97 and the fine bubble water storage unit 91, and a pump 96a provided at the connection unit for taking in tap water stored in the storage container 98 of the tap water storage unit 97. The fine bubble generator 92 is connected to the pump 96a and generates fine bubble water using the tap water taken in by the pump 96a. This prevents the fine bubble water from flowing forcefully into the storage container 93, and prevents the fine bubbles generated from becoming too large or disappearing quickly, and reduces the frequency with which the water faucet is opened and closed.

[0119] Embodiment 3 In the first embodiment, a description has been given of the humidifier 1 including the water supply section 3. In the third embodiment, a description will be given of the humidifier 1 in which the water supply section 3 further includes a water supply amount adjusting member.

[0120] Fig. 14A is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a humidifier 1 according to embodiment 3. The humidifier 1 according to embodiment 3 shown in Fig. 14A is obtained by adding a water supply amount adjusting plate 501 as a water supply amount adjusting member to the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 1 shown in Fig. 1. As the other configuration of the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 3 is similar to that of the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 1, the same reference numerals are used and the description thereof will be omitted. Note that Fig. 14A shows an enlarged view of only the peripheral portion of the water supply amount adjusting plate 501.

[0121] As shown in FIG. 14A, the water supply amount adjusting plate 501 is a plate-like member provided at a position sandwiching the water supply port 34 of the water supply unit 3 together with the flat surface 21 of the humidifying unit 2. One surface (the front surface) of the water supply amount adjusting plate 501 is fixed to the end surface of the overflow chamber 33 and the water supply port 34. The water supply amount adjusting plate 501 is also arranged so that a gap is formed between the lower end portion and the surface of the flat surface 21. By forming this gap, the water supply amount adjusting plate 501 can adjust the amount of water supplied to the flat surface 21 and adjust the thickness of the liquid film 202 and the flow rate of the water to appropriate values. The water supply amount adjusting plate 501 can also make the amount of water supplied in the width direction uniform (suppress the amount of water supplied in the width direction from becoming uneven) even when the humidifying device 1 is tilted in the width direction of the flat surface 21. The water supply amount adjusting plate 501 also plays a role in preventing the airflow sent out from the air supply unit 4 from hitting the water supply port 34, thereby preventing the water supply from being hindered or the amount of water supply from fluctuating.

[0122] The water supply amount adjusting plate 501 may be configured to be movable in the vertical direction, thereby making it possible to adjust the size of the gap formed between the lower end portion and the surface of the flat portion 21.

[0123] 14B may be attached to the other surface (rear surface) of the water supply amount adjusting plate 501. The air flow guide 502 is a member having a triangular cross section as shown in FIG 14B, for example, and one side surface is fixed to the other surface (rear surface) of the water supply amount adjusting plate 501. In this case, the other side surface of the air flow guide 502 is fixed to the inside of the upper surface of the housing 10, and the bottom surface of the air flow guide 502 is disposed so as to face the air supply unit 4 side.

[0124] The air that is sent out from the air supply unit 4 and hits at least a part of the liquid film 202 formed on the hydrophilic portion 211 of the flat portion 21 hits the bottom surface of the air flow guide 502 and changes direction toward the air discharge unit 6. In this way, the air flow guide 502 guides the flow of the air that is sent out from the air supply unit 4 and hits at least a part of the liquid film 202 so that it is directed toward the air discharge unit 6. This makes it possible for the humidifier 1 to suppress turbulence of the air flow and to smoothly exhaust the air flow from the air discharge unit 6.

[0125] In the above, an example has been shown in which the water supply amount adjusting plate 501 and the air flow guide 502 are configured as separate members, but they may be configured as an integrated unit, with the air flow guide 502 having the role of the water supply amount adjusting plate 501.

[0126] Moreover, the water supply amount adjusting plate 501 may have a gap adjusting member 503. The gap adjusting member 503 appropriately sets and maintains the shape and size of the gap formed between the lower end of the water supply amount adjusting plate 501 and the surface of the flat portion 21.

[0127] 15A, the gap adjustment member 503 is composed of a protrusion that protrudes slightly downward from the lower end of the water supply amount adjusting plate 501, and is provided so that the lower end of this protrusion abuts against the flat portion 21. One or more gap adjustment members 503 (two in FIG. 15A) are provided on a portion of the water supply amount adjusting plate 501 in the width direction.

[0128] 15B, the gap adjustment member 503 is formed by forming the lower end of the water supply amount adjusting plate 501 into a saw-like shape, and the tip of the saw-like blade is provided so as to abut against the flat portion 21. The gap adjustment member 503 is provided on at least a portion of the water supply amount adjusting plate 501 in the width direction (the entire width direction in FIG. 15B).

[0129] In the above, an example has been shown in which the water supply amount adjusting plate 501 has the gap adjusting member 503, but these may be configured as separate members. For example, the gap adjusting member 503 may be configured as a member that can be attached to the water supply amount adjusting plate 501, and the shape and size of the gap may be appropriately adjusted.

[0130] As described above, according to the third embodiment, the humidifier 1 includes water supply amount adjusting plate 501 that forms a gap between itself and flat section 21 to adjust the amount of water supplied from water supply section 3. This enables the humidifier 1 to adjust the amount of water supplied to flat section 21.

[0131] The humidifier 1 also includes a gap adjustment member 503 that adjusts the size of the gap formed between the water supply amount adjusting plate 501 and the flat portion 21. This enables the humidifier 1 to appropriately set the shape and size of the gap formed between the lower end of the water supply amount adjusting plate 501 and the surface of the flat portion 21.

[0132] Embodiment 4 In the first and second embodiments, the humidifier 1 capable of maintaining or improving the humidification performance compared to the conventional one has been described. In the fourth embodiment, the humidifier 1 capable of suppressing a decrease in the evaporation rate of water from the liquid film caused by a decrease in the temperature of the liquid film will be described.

[0133] In the humidifier 1 according to the first and second embodiments, the temperature of the liquid film 202 decreases due to the heat of vaporization when water evaporates from the liquid film 202 formed on the hydrophilic portion 211 of the flat portion 21, and this decrease in temperature of the liquid film 202 may decrease the evaporation rate of water from the liquid film 202. In the humidifier 1 according to the fourth embodiment, it is possible to suppress the decrease in the evaporation rate of water from the liquid film 202 caused by such a decrease in temperature of the liquid film 202.

[0134] Fig. 16 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a humidifier 1 according to embodiment 4. Fig. 16A is a front view of a humidifier 1 according to embodiment 3, and Fig. 16B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in Fig. 16A. Note that in embodiment 3, as in embodiment 1, the upper side of Fig. 16 is defined as the top, the lower side as the bottom, the left side as the front (front), the right side as the rear (rear), the near side as the left, and the far side as the right.

[0135] The humidifier 1 according to the fourth embodiment shown in Fig. 16 is different from the humidifier 1 according to the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1 in that the flat portion 21 is changed to a flat portion 21c and a water receiving member 1201 is added. Note that the micro-bubble-containing-water generating unit 9 is not shown in Fig. 16. The other configurations of the humidifier 1 according to the fourth embodiment are similar to those of the humidifier 1 according to the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals are used and the description thereof is omitted.

[0136] Like the flat portion 21 in the first embodiment, the flat portion 21c is a member having a surface (inclined surface) extending at an incline with respect to the horizontal direction, and is composed of a flat plate member provided, for example, inclined at a predetermined angle upward with respect to the horizontal direction. Also, like the flat portion 21 in the first embodiment, the flat portion 21c has a hydrophilic portion 211 (see FIG. 3A) on at least a part of one surface (the surface facing the air supply unit 4), and a thin liquid film 202 flowing down is formed on this hydrophilic portion 211 by the supply of water from the water supply unit 3.

[0137] On the other hand, unlike the flat portion 21 in the first embodiment, the flat portion 21c is formed so that its width (left-right) length is shorter than the width of the housing 10, as shown in Fig. 16A for example. As a result, in the humidifier 1 according to the third embodiment, a gap S of a predetermined distance is formed between both side ends in the width direction of the flat portion 21c and the inner circumferential surface of the housing 10.

[0138] In this case, in the humidifier 1 according to the fourth embodiment, air that corresponds to at least a part of the liquid film 202 formed on the hydrophilic portion 211 of the flat portion 21c is sent out from the air supply unit 4. Here, the air sent out from the air supply unit 4 flows into the space T in the housing 10 through the gap S. This space T is a space facing the surface of the interior space of the housing 10 opposite to the surface having the hydrophilic portion 211 of the flat portion 21c, i.e., the surface opposite to the surface of the flat portion 21c facing the air supply unit 4.

[0139] In the following, for ease of explanation, the surface of the planar portion 21c facing the space T, i.e., the surface opposite to the surface of the planar portion 21c facing the air supply section 4, is also referred to as the "rear surface of the planar portion 21c," and the surface of the planar portion 21c facing the air supply section 4 is also referred to as the "front surface of the planar portion 21c."

[0140] Here, when the air sent out from the air supply unit 4 is heating air, the heating air that flows into the space T from the gap S hits at least a part of the rear surface of the flat portion 21c and heats the flat portion 21c. This suppresses a decrease in temperature of the liquid film 202, which is caused by heat of vaporization when water evaporates from the liquid film 202 formed on the surface of the flat portion 21c. Therefore, in the humidifier 1 according to the third embodiment, a decrease in the evaporation rate of water from the liquid film 202, which is caused by a decrease in temperature of the liquid film 202, is suppressed.

[0141] In the above description, an example has been described in which a predetermined gap S is formed between both widthwise ends of the flat surface portion 21c and the inner peripheral surface of the housing 10. However, it is sufficient that the gap S is formed between at least one of both widthwise ends of the flat surface portion 21c and the inner peripheral surface of the housing 10. In addition, the size of the gap S may be appropriately set depending on the amount of heated air sent from the air supply unit 4 to the space T, etc.

[0142] As described in the first embodiment, the material of the flat portion 21c is preferably, for example, stainless steel, which has high corrosion resistance and rigidity, but it is more preferable to use, for example, aluminum or copper, which has high thermal conductivity.

[0143] 16B, the water receiving member 1201 is provided on the bottom of the housing 10. The water receiving member 1201 is, for example, a tray-shaped member having a bottom surface 12011 and a side surface 12012 in the width direction (left-right direction), and is a member for receiving water when the water supplied from the water supply unit 3 to the flat surface portion 21c flows down through the gap S.

[0144] 16B, the bottom surface 12011 of the water receiving member 1201 has an inclination such that the height of the front side (the side opposite to the drainage section 7) is slightly higher than the height of the rear side (the side facing the drainage section 7). This allows the water received by the water receiving member 1201 to flow along the bottom surface 12011 toward the drainage section 7, and to be smoothly drained from the drainage section 7.

[0145] Fig. 17 shows another example of the configuration of the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 4. Fig. 17A is a front view of the humidifier 1 according to another example of the configuration of embodiment 4, and Fig. 17B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in Fig. 17A.

[0146] A humidifier 1 according to another configuration example of embodiment 4 shown in FIG. 17 has a longer front-to-rear length of the housing 10 than the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 4 shown in FIG. 16, and the upward inclination angle of the planar portion 21c relative to the horizontal direction is smaller.

[0147] Furthermore, the shape of the air supply unit 4 of the humidifier 1 shown in Fig. 17 is changed compared to the humidifier 1 shown in Fig. 16. However, like the air supply unit 4 shown in Fig. 16, the air supply unit 4 shown in Fig. 17 also blows the collision jet and Coanda airflow in an accelerated state onto at least a part of the liquid film 202 formed on the hydrophilic portion 211 of the flat portion 21c.

[0148] Moreover, in the humidifier 1 shown in Fig. 17, airflow guide 502 (see Fig. 14B) is omitted and the air discharge section 6 is positioned further forward compared to the humidifier 1 shown in Fig. 16. Moreover, in the humidifier 1 shown in Fig. 17, airflow guide 1301 is added to the humidifier 1 shown in Fig. 16.

[0149] 17B, ​​for example, airflow guide 1301 is a member that connects an upper edge of the air outlet of air supply unit 4 and an edge of air exhaust unit 6 on the air supply unit 4 side. Note that in FIG. 17A, the airflow guide 1301 is not shown in order to make the air flow easier to understand.

[0150] In the humidifier 1 shown in Fig. 17, the angle of upward inclination of the flat portion 21c with respect to the horizontal direction is smaller than in the humidifier 1 shown in Fig. 16. Therefore, in the humidifier 1 shown in Fig. 17, the amount of heated air hitting the back surface of the flat portion 21c in the space T is greater than in the humidifier 1 shown in Fig. 16. As a result, in the humidifier 1 shown in Fig. 17, the heating efficiency of the flat portion 21c is improved more than in the humidifier 1 shown in Fig. 16, and a decrease in the evaporation rate of water due to a decrease in the temperature of the liquid film 202 is more efficiently suppressed.

[0151] In addition, since the humidifier 1 shown in FIG. 17 is provided with the airflow guide 1301, the air hitting the front and back surfaces of the flat portion 21c is efficiently guided to the air discharge portion 6 and smoothly discharged to the outside of the housing 10.

[0152] In the above description, an example has been described in which the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 4 is configured based on the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 1. However, the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 4 is not limited to this, and may be configured based on the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 2 or embodiment 3.

[0153] As described above, according to the fourth embodiment, the flat portion 21c is made of a flat plate member and has a hydrophilic portion 211 on at least a part of the surface facing the air supply unit 4, and the air supply unit 4 is configured to send out air that hits at least a part of the liquid film formed on the hydrophilic portion 211 of the flat portion 21c, and the air hits at least a part of the surface of the flat portion 21c opposite to the surface facing the air supply unit 4. In this way, in addition to the effects of the first to third embodiments, the humidifier 1 can suppress a decrease in the evaporation rate of water from the liquid film 202 caused by a decrease in the temperature of the liquid film 202.

[0154] According to the fourth embodiment, the humidifier 1 includes a housing 10 that houses the flat portion 21c, the water supply unit 3, and the air supply unit 4, the flat portion 21c is made of a flat plate member and has a hydrophilic portion 211 on at least a part of the surface facing the air supply unit 4, a gap S is formed between at least one end of the flat portion 21c on both sides and the inner peripheral surface of the housing 10, and the air supply unit 4 sends out air that is at least a part of the liquid film formed on the hydrophilic portion 211 of the flat portion 21c, and the air passes through the gap S and hits at least a part of the surface of the flat portion 21c opposite to the surface facing the air supply unit 4. In this way, the humidifier 1 can suppress a decrease in the evaporation rate of water from the liquid film 202 caused by a decrease in temperature of the liquid film 202, in addition to the effects of the first to third embodiments.

[0155] Embodiment 5. In the fourth embodiment, a humidifier 1 capable of suppressing a decrease in the evaporation rate of water from the liquid film caused by a decrease in the temperature of the liquid film has been described. In the fifth embodiment, a humidifier 1 capable of more efficiently suppressing a decrease in the evaporation rate of water from the liquid film caused by a decrease in the temperature of the liquid film will be described.

[0156] Fig. 18 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a humidifier 1 according to embodiment 5. Fig. 18A is a front view of the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 5, and Fig. 18B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in Fig. 18A. Note that in embodiment 5, as in embodiment 1, the upper side of Fig. 18 is defined as the top, the lower side as the bottom, the left side as the front (front), the right side as the rear (rear), the near side as the left, and the far side as the right.

[0157] The humidifier 1 according to the fifth embodiment shown in Fig. 18 has an airflow guide 1401 added to the humidifier 1 according to the fourth embodiment shown in Fig. 16. Note that the micro-bubble-containing-water generating unit 9 is not shown in Fig. 18. The other configurations of the humidifier 1 according to the fifth embodiment are similar to those of the humidifier 1 according to the fourth embodiment shown in Fig. 16, so the same reference numerals are used and the description thereof is omitted.

[0158] Airflow guide 1401 is a member for guiding airflow, which is configured of, for example, a rectangular plate-like member, and is provided inside space T. Airflow guide 1401 is attached such that, for example, as shown in Fig. 18B, one of two long sides extending in the width direction (left-right direction) is fixed to the inner circumferential surface on the front side of housing 10, and the other side faces the back surface of flat portion 21c in space T.

[0159] In this case, in the humidifier 1 according to the fifth embodiment, the heated air sent out from the air supply unit 4 also flows into the space T through the gap S, as in the fourth embodiment. Furthermore, in the humidifier 1 according to the fifth embodiment, the heated air that has flowed into the space T is guided by the airflow guide 1401 so that it hits the rear surface of the flat surface portion 21c. As a result, in the humidifier 1 according to the fifth embodiment, the heating efficiency of the flat surface portion 21c by the heated air that has flowed into the space T is improved, and the decrease in the evaporation rate of water from the liquid film 202, which is caused by a decrease in the temperature of the liquid film 202, can be more efficiently suppressed.

[0160] Fig. 19 shows another example of the configuration of the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 5. Fig. 19A is a front view of the humidifier 1 according to another example of the configuration of embodiment 5, and Fig. 19B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in Fig. 19A.

[0161] The humidifier 1 shown in FIG. 19 is configured such that an airflow guide 1501 and an airflow guide 1502 are added to the humidifier 1 according to another example configuration of the fourth embodiment shown in FIG.

[0162] Like the airflow guide 1401, the airflow guide 1501 and the airflow guide 1502 are members for guiding airflow, which are configured of, for example, a rectangular plate-like member, and are provided inside the space T.

[0163] As shown in FIG. 19B, for example, one of the two long sides extending in the width direction (left-right direction) of the airflow guide 1501 is fixed to the inner surface of the front side of the housing 10, and the other side is attached to the edge of the reservoir tank 32 (see FIG. 5).

[0164] In addition, as shown in FIG. 19B, for example, one of the two long sides extending in the width direction (left-right direction) of the airflow guide 1502 is fixed to the upper ends of the left and right side surfaces 12012 of the water receiving member 1201, and the other side is arranged to face the back surface of the flat portion 21c in the space T.

[0165] Even in this case, in the humidifier 1, the heating air flowing into the space T from the gap S is guided by the airflow guides 1501 and 1502 so that the heating air hits the rear surface of the flat portion 21c. As a result, in the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 5, the heating efficiency of the flat portion 21c by the heating air flowing into the space T is improved, and a decrease in the evaporation rate of water from the liquid film 202 caused by a decrease in the temperature of the liquid film 202 can be more efficiently suppressed.

[0166] The shapes and installation manners of the airflow guides 1401, 1501, and 1502 shown here are merely examples. The airflow guides 1401, 1501, and 1502 may be provided in the humidifier 1 in shapes and installation manners other than those described above as long as they can guide the heated air that has flowed into the space T so that it hits the rear surface of the flat portion 21c.

[0167] As described above, according to the fifth embodiment, the humidifier 1 is provided with air flow guides 1401, 1501, and 1502 that guide the flow of air sent out from the air supply unit 4 toward the opposite surface in space T that faces the surface of the flat surface 21c opposite to the surface facing the air supply unit 4, within the internal space of the housing 10. In this way, in addition to the effects of the first to fourth embodiments, the humidifier 1 improves the heating efficiency of the flat surface 21c by the heating air that has flowed into the space T, and can more efficiently suppress a decrease in the evaporation rate of water from the liquid film 202 caused by a decrease in the temperature of the liquid film 202.

[0168] Embodiment 6 In the first to fifth embodiments, a humidifier 1 including a water supply section 3 has been described. In the sixth embodiment, a humidifier 1 is described which has a simpler configuration for the water supply section 3 and can more efficiently suppress a decrease in the evaporation rate of water from the liquid film caused by a decrease in the temperature of the liquid film.

[0169] Fig. 20 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a humidifier 1 according to embodiment 6. Fig. 20A is a front view of the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 6, and Fig. 20B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in Fig. 20A. Fig. 20C is a top view of an airflow guide 1602, which will be described later.

[0170] In the humidifier 1 according to the sixth embodiment shown in FIG. 20, the water supply unit 3 is changed to a water supply unit 3e, and an airflow guide 1601 and an airflow guide 1602 are added, compared to the humidifier 1 according to the other configuration example according to the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 17. In the humidifier 1 according to the sixth embodiment shown in FIG. 20, the position of the drainage unit 7 is changed from the rear to the front, and the front-rear direction of the water receiving member 1201 is also reversed, compared to the humidifier 1 according to the other configuration example according to the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 17. Note that the microbubble-containing water generating unit 9 is not shown in FIG. 20. The other configurations of the humidifier 1 according to the sixth embodiment are the same as those of the humidifier 1 according to the other configuration example according to the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 17, and therefore the same reference numerals are used and the description thereof is omitted.

[0171] Similar to water supply unit 3 in the first embodiment, water supply unit 3e is provided at the upper end of flat portion 21c inside housing 10, and supplies water across part or all of flat portion 21c in the width direction, for example.

[0172] An example of the configuration of water supply unit 3e is shown in Fig. 21. Fig. 21A is a front view of water supply unit 3e, and Fig. 21B is a side view of water supply unit 3e including a part of flat surface portion 21c. Water supply unit 3e includes water supply pipe 31e and water supply slit 35, as shown in Fig. 21B, for example.

[0173] The water supply pipe 31e is connected to the water supply pipe 94 of the fine bubble-containing water generating section 9 via a flow control device such as a flow control valve (not shown), and sends the fine bubble water supplied from the water supply pipe 94 to the water supply slit 35.

[0174] Water supply slit 35 is configured by arranging two flat plates 35a and 35b in parallel with a small gap between them, as shown in Fig. 21B. Of the two flat plates that make up water supply slit 35, flat plate 35a, which is arranged on the upstream side (the water supply pipe 31e side), has a hole with the same shape as the cross-sectional shape of water supply pipe 31e, to which water supply pipe 31e is connected. In addition, the lower end of flat plate 35a is in contact with the surface of flat portion 21c.

[0175] On the other hand, flat plate 35b arranged on the downstream side (air supply unit 4 side) forms a gap between its lower end and the surface of flat portion 21c. As a result, in water supply unit 3e, fine bubble water supplied from water supply pipe 31e flows between two flat plates 35a, 35b constituting water supply slit 35, and is further supplied to the surface of flat portion 21c through the gap between the lower end of flat plate 35b and the surface of flat portion 21c.

[0176] In addition, in embodiment 6, the water supply section 3e can also adjust the amount of water supplied to the surface of the flat section 21c by changing the distance between the two flat plates 35a, 35b, or by changing the size of the gap formed between the lower end of the flat plate 35b located downstream and the surface of the flat section 21c.

[0177] Of the surfaces of the two flat plates 35a, 35b, the surface facing the other flat plate is preferably hydrophilic. The material of the two flat plates 35a, 35b is preferably stainless steel because of its high corrosion resistance and rigidity, but the material of the flat plates 35a, 35b is not limited to this. The distance between the two flat plates 35a, 35b is, for example, about 0.1 to 0.3 mm, and the thickness of each of the flat plates 35a, 35b is, for example, about 0.1 to 0.5 mm.

[0178] Water supply section 3e can also be configured as shown in Figures 22A and 22B, for example. Figures 22A and 22B are diagrams showing other configuration examples of water supply section 3e in embodiment 6.

[0179] For example, a water supply section 3e shown in FIGS. 22A and 22B is composed of a water supply pipe 31e′ and a water supply amount adjusting plate .

[0180] The water supply pipe 31e' has a branched T-shape as shown in, for example, FIGS. 22A and 22B, and supplies fine bubble water from openings on both sides in the width direction (left and right direction) onto the surface of the flat portion 21c.

[0181] The water supply amount adjusting plate 36 is formed of, for example, a rectangular plate-shaped member and is provided substantially perpendicular to the surface of the flat surface portion 21c as shown in Fig. 22A. Alternatively, the water supply amount adjusting plate 36 is provided substantially parallel to the surface of the flat surface portion 21c as shown in Fig. 22B.

[0182] 22A and 22B, the water supply amount adjusting plate 36 is provided with a gap between it and the surface of the flat portion 21c. Then, in the water supply unit 3e, by adjusting this gap, the amount and flow rate of fine bubble water supplied to the surface of the flat portion 21c can be adjusted. As an example, in the cases of Fig. 22A and Fig. 22B, the gap between the water supply amount adjusting plate 36 and the surface of the flat portion 21c is preferably about 0.1 to 0.3 mm.

[0183] The material of the water supply amount adjusting plate 36 is preferably stainless steel because of its high corrosion resistance and rigidity, but the material of the water supply amount adjusting plate 36 is not limited to this. The thickness of the water supply amount adjusting plate 36 is preferably about 0.1 to 0.5 mm, for example. In the case shown in Fig. 22B, of the two surfaces of the water supply amount adjusting plate 36, the surface that comes into contact with water (the surface on the flat surface portion 21c side) is preferably hydrophilic.

[0184] In the above description, the water supply amount adjusting plate 36 is formed of a rectangular plate-like member, but the water supply amount adjusting plate 36 is not limited to this, and may be formed of, for example, a cylindrical member made of metal or resin and having a diameter of about 3 to 8 mm. In this case, the water supply amount adjusting plate 36 may be provided so that the axial direction of the cylinder is approximately perpendicular to the flow direction of the fine bubble water. Even in this case, the distance between the water supply amount adjusting plate 36 and the surface of the flat portion 21c is preferably, for example, about 0.1 to 0.3 mm.

[0185] In this way, the water supply section 3e can be configured more simply in the sixth embodiment. Also, in the sixth embodiment, it is possible to more efficiently suppress a decrease in the evaporation rate of water from the liquid film caused by a decrease in the temperature of the liquid film.

[0186] For example, as described above, the humidifier 1 according to the sixth embodiment is provided with airflow guide 1601 and airflow guide 1602. Of these, airflow guide 1601 is formed of, for example, a rectangular plate-shaped member, and is attached to both sides in the width direction (left-right direction) of flat surface portion 21c on the upstream side (water supply portion 3e side) of flat surface portion 21c, as shown in Fig. 20A, for example.

[0187] As a result, in the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 6, on the upstream side of flat portion 21c, the heated air that has flowed into space T is blocked by airflow guides 1601 on both sides in the width direction of flat portion 21c, making it difficult for the heated air to be discharged from space T. Meanwhile, a gap U (see FIG. 20A) is formed above the central portion in the width direction of water supply section 3e, and the heated air that has flowed into space T is discharged from space T through this gap U.

[0188] At this time, the heated air hits the water supply pipe 31e (water supply pipe 31e') and is discharged from the space T. As a result, in the humidifier 1 according to the sixth embodiment, in addition to the flat portion 21c, the water supply pipe 31e (water supply pipe 31e') and the fine bubble water flowing inside this water supply pipe 31e (water supply pipe 31e') can each be heated. Therefore, in the humidifier 1 according to the sixth embodiment, it is possible to more efficiently suppress a decrease in the evaporation rate of water from the liquid film caused by a decrease in the temperature of the liquid film.

[0189] 20C, the airflow guide 1602 is a plate-like member formed in a substantially U-shape when viewed from above. In the airflow guide 1602, the lengths L1 and L2 in the width direction (left and right direction) of the two edges E1 and E2 constituting the opening F are substantially the same as the size of the gap S formed between the ends on both sides of the flat portion 21c and the inner circumferential surface of the housing 10.

[0190] And, the airflow guide 1602 is attached in the space T such that, as shown in FIG. 20B, its front edge is fixed to the front inner circumferential surface of the housing 10 and both side edges are fixed to both side inner circumferential surfaces of the housing 10, and the two edges E1, E2 fit into the gap S.

[0191] In the humidifier 1 according to the sixth embodiment, the heated air that has flowed into the space T is guided by this airflow guide 1602 so as to efficiently strike the rear surface of the flat surface portion 21c. In particular, in the space T, the heated air that has flowed below the airflow guide 1602 can only rise via the opening F of the airflow guide 1602, and therefore a larger amount of heated air rises from this opening F. As a result, in the humidifier 1 according to the sixth embodiment, a larger amount of heated air is guided so as to strike the rear surface of the flat surface portion 21c, improving the heating efficiency of the flat surface portion 21c and making it possible to more efficiently suppress a decrease in the evaporation rate of water from the liquid film 202 caused by a decrease in the temperature of the liquid film 202.

[0192] 23, the airflow guide 1602 may have a wall G extending upward at the end of the opening F. Even in this case, the airflow guide 1602 can efficiently guide the heating air that has flowed below the airflow guide 1602 through the opening F toward the rear surface of the flat portion 21c.

[0193] Embodiment 7 In the first to sixth embodiments, the humidifier 1 in which the planar portions 21 and 21c are configured from flat plate members has been described. In the seventh embodiment, other configuration examples of the planar portions 21 and 21c will be described.

[0194] Fig. 24 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the flat portions 21 and 21c in the seventh embodiment, and is a cross-sectional view of the flat portions 21 and 21c as viewed from the short side direction. In Fig. 24 and the following description, the flat portion 21 will be taken as an example.

[0195] For example, if the flat section 21 has a hydrophilic portion 211 on its surface, the fine bubble water supplied from the water supply section 3 flows so as to be basically adsorbed to this hydrophilic portion 211, and flows down the surface of the flat section 21 as a liquid film 202. Therefore, even if the flat section 21 is configured in a flat plate shape, for example as shown in Fig. 24A, the fine bubble water is unlikely to spill out from both sides in the width direction.

[0196] On the other hand, when the flow rate of the airflow supplied from the air supply unit 4 is high, or when the amount of fine bubble water supplied from the water supply unit 3 is large, the fine bubble water may spill out from both sides in the width direction of the planar portion 21. Therefore, for example, as shown in Fig. 24B, both sides in the width direction of the planar portion 21 may be bent at a substantially right angle to form walls, or, for example, as shown in Fig. 24C, both sides in the width direction of the planar portion 21 may be curved to form curved walls. As a result, in the seventh embodiment, even when the flow rate of the airflow supplied from the air supply unit 4 is high, or when the amount of fine bubble water supplied from the water supply unit 3 is large, the problem of fine bubble water spilling out from both sides in the width direction of the planar portion 21 can be avoided.

[0197] It should be noted that, within the scope of the present disclosure, the embodiments may be freely combined, any component of each embodiment may be modified, or any component of each embodiment may be omitted.

[0198] For example, in the first to seventh embodiments, if calcium, magnesium, silicon, etc. contained in tap water precipitate as scale when the water evaporates and adhere to the flat surface portion 21, it is preferable to suppress adhesion of scale to the flat surface portion 21 by supplying a slightly larger amount of fine bubble water from the water supply section 3 to wash it away, or by controlling the amount of fine bubble water supplied from the water supply section 3 to be increased for cleaning at specified time intervals, thereby preventing adhesion of scale to the flat surface portion 21.

[0199] In addition, in the first to seventh embodiments, it is preferable that a heat insulating material is disposed on the outer wall or inner wall of the housing 10. This allows the housing 10 in the humidifier 1 to have heat insulation properties against the outside, and prevents energy loss caused by heat inside the housing 10 escaping to the outside.

[0200] Furthermore, in the first to seventh embodiments, when the air conditioner is in the thermo-off or defrost mode, the temperature of the heated air supplied from the air conditioner is lowered, and the amount of humidification by the humidifier 1 is reduced. Therefore, in the first to seventh embodiments, the amount of humidification during normal operation other than when the air conditioner is in the thermo-off or defrost mode may be increased to compensate for the reduced amount of humidification. Alternatively, when the air conditioner is in the thermo-off or defrost mode, the amount of air supplied from the air conditioner may be increased to improve the humidification efficiency by the humidifier 1.

[0201] In addition, in the first to seventh embodiments, the generation of slime due to the proliferation of mold or bacteria can be suppressed by introducing heated air after passing through an air cleaner from air inlet section 5 and using it for humidification. In addition, in the first to seventh embodiments, in order to suppress the generation of mold or bacteria, an antibacterial water generating function such as a hypochlorous acid generating function or a silver ion generating function may be added to water supply section 3, and antibacterial water may be allowed to flow down.

[0202] Furthermore, in the first to seventh embodiments, as in the conventional example shown in Patent Document 1, a method of heating the fine bubble water supplied from the water supply section 3 or the flat sections 21 and 21c may be used in combination.

[0203] In the first to seventh embodiments, the planar portions 21 and 21c may have a hydrophilic portion 211 on the entire surface facing the air supply unit 4 in order to impart an antifouling effect to the flat plate members constituting the planar portions 21 and 21c. Similarly, the planar portions 21 and 21c may have hydrophilic portions 211 on at least a part or the entire surface of both the surface facing the air supply unit 4 and the surface opposite to the surface facing the air supply unit 4.

[0204] Moreover, in the fourth to sixth embodiments, the humidifier 1 is provided with one air supply unit 4, and when the air that hits at least a part of the front surface of the flat surface portion 21c is sent out from the air supply unit 4, the air hits at least a part of the back surface of the flat surface portion 21c. Regarding this configuration, in the fourth to sixth embodiments, the humidifier 1 may be provided with two air supply units 4, for example, one of which sends out air that hits at least a part of the front surface of the flat surface portion 21c, and the other of which sends out air that hits at least a part of the back surface of the flat surface portion 21c. Even in this case, the humidifier 1 can suppress a decrease in the evaporation rate of water from the liquid film 202 caused by a decrease in the temperature of the liquid film 202.

[0205] Moreover, in the first to seventh embodiments, the humidifier 1 has been described as being added to a central air conditioning system in a centrally air-conditioned home or a small office, etc. However, the humidifier 1 is not limited to being added to or used in combination with such a central air conditioning system or a central ventilation device. For example, the humidifier 1 may be equipped with a fan or a warm air fan, etc. integrated therein and configured to blow humidified air into a room, and used alone without being added to or used in combination with a central air conditioning system, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0206] 1 Humidifier 2 Humidification section 3, 3e Water supply section 4 Air supply section 5 Air intake section 6 Air exhaust section 7 Drainage section 9. Microbubble-containing water generating section (generating section) 10. Chassis 21, 21c flat part 31, 31e, 31e´ Water supply pipe 32 Reservoir tank 33 Overflow Chamber 34 Water inlet 35 Water supply slit 35a, 35b flat plate 36 Water supply amount adjustment plate 40 Main body 41 Top surface 42 Bottom surface 43 Left side 44 Right side 45 Outlet 51 Rectification mesh (mesh material) 61 Air flow direction adjustment guide (blade component) 71 Damper 81 Fans 91 Fine bubble water storage unit 92 Fine Bubble Generator 93 Storage Container 94 Water supply pipe 95 Water volume control section 95a Upper water level sensor 95b Lower water level sensor 95c Overflow drain pipe (excess water drain pipe) 96 Circulation section 96a Pump 96b Circulation path 97 Tap Water Storage Unit 98 Storage Container 201 Solid 202 Liquid film 203 Water Vapor 204 Seminar membrane 205 Air Convection Layer 211 Hydrophilic Part 212 Water-repellent part 213 Water drop 411 1st top surface 412 2nd top surface 413 Third top surface 421 1st bottom surface 422 2nd bottom surface 501 Water supply adjustment plate 502 Airflow Guide 503 Gap adjustment material 1201 Water receiving member 12011 Bottom 12012 Side 1301 Airflow Guide 1401 Airflow Guide 1501 Airflow Guide 1502 Airflow Guide 1601 Airflow Guide 1602 Airflow Guide E1,E2 Edge F opening G wall S Gap T space U Gap

Claims

1. A flat surface having a surface extending at an angle with respect to a horizontal direction, at least a part of the surface having a hydrophilic portion; A generating unit that generates water containing fine bubbles; A water supply unit that supplies water containing fine bubbles generated by the generating unit to a hydrophilic portion of the planar portion; an air supply unit disposed opposite the planar portion and configured to deliver air that corresponds to at least a part of a liquid film formed on a hydrophilic portion of the planar portion by the water supplied by the water supply unit; an air exhaust section that exhausts air that has hit at least a portion of the liquid film; A humidifier comprising:

2. 2. The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein the microscopic bubbles are fine bubbles.

3. The generation unit is A fine bubble water storage unit is provided upstream of the water supply unit, The fine bubble water storage unit is A fine bubble generator that generates fine bubble water, which is water containing fine bubbles; and a storage container for storing the fine bubble water generated by the fine bubble generator.

3. The humidifier according to claim 2.

4. The fine bubble water storage unit is A water volume control unit is provided to maintain the amount of fine bubble water stored in the storage container within a predetermined range.

4. The humidifier according to claim 3.

5. 5. The humidifier according to claim 3, wherein the fine bubble generator is of a cavitation type.

6. The humidifier according to claim 5, wherein the fine bubble generator is installed between a water faucet and the storage container.

7. The generation unit is The system further includes a circulation section that circulates the fine bubble water stored in the storage container around the outside of the storage container and returns the water to the storage container, and the fine bubble generator is provided in the circulation section.

6. The humidifier according to claim 5.

8. The circulation section includes: a circulation path connecting two holes provided on an outer peripheral surface of the storage container outside the storage container; a pump that is provided in the circulation path and takes in the fine bubble water stored in the storage container and returns it to the storage container; The fine bubble generator is provided downstream of the pump in the circulation direction of the fine bubble water in the circulation path.

8. The humidifier according to claim 7.

9. The two holes provided on the outer peripheral surface of the storage container are provided along a height direction of the storage container, The pump is provided on the higher side in the height direction of a circulation path connecting two holes provided along the height direction.

9. The humidifier according to claim 8.

10. The generation unit is a tap water storage unit having a storage container for storing tap water supplied from a tap; A connection part that connects the tap water storage part and the fine bubble water storage part; a pump provided at the connection section for taking in tap water stored in a storage container of the tap water storage section; The fine bubble generator is connected to the pump and generates fine bubble water using tap water taken by the pump.

4. The humidifier according to claim 3.

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