Dehumidifier

Abstract

To provide a dehumidifier suppressing dew condensation on a water collection part and a tank.SOLUTION: A dehumidifier 100 includes a body case 1 having a suction port and a blowout port. The body case 1 includes: a dehumidifying part configured by a refrigeration cycle where a compressor 7, a radiator, an expander and a heat sink are sequentially and annularly connected; a blowing part acting to a refrigeration cycle; a water collection part 12 collecting dew condensation water dropping from the dehumidifying part; and a tank 13 storing the dew condensation water collected in the water collection part 12. The body case 1 includes a tank case 14 partitioning a tank space part 1a where the tank 13 is housed and a compressor space part 1b where the compressor 7 is housed. The tank case 14 supports the water collection part 12 and has an air hole 26.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a dehumidifier. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known a dehumidifier that is used in a living space to reduce humidity in the living space, etc. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a dehumidifier that includes a dehumidifying mechanism configured with a refrigeration cycle in which a compressor, a condenser, an expander, and an evaporator are connected in a ring shape, a water tray that receives water dripping from the evaporator, a drain tank, and a drain pipe that is provided to drain the water from the water tray. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-349575 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The device described in Patent Document 1 can prevent water accumulated in the water tray or drain pipe from splashing out of the drain tank when the drain tank is attached, but there is room for improvement in terms of suppressing condensation in the water tray and drain tank.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a dehumidifier that can suppress condensation in the water collection section and the tank. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, a dehumidifier according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a main body case having an inlet and an outlet. The main body case includes a dehumidifying unit configured with a refrigeration cycle in which a compressor, a radiator, an expander, and a heat sink are sequentially connected in a ring shape, a blower unit that acts on the refrigeration cycle, a water collection unit that collects condensation water dripping from the dehumidifying unit, and a tank that stores the condensation water collected in the water collection unit. The main body case has a tank case that separates a tank space that houses the tank from a compressor space that houses the compressor, and the tank case supports the water collection unit and has air vents.

[0007] Any combination of the above components, and conversion of the present disclosure into a method, device, system, recording medium, computer program, etc., are also valid aspects of the present disclosure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, a dehumidifying device capable of suppressing condensation in the water collection section and the tank can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a dehumidifying device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the dehumidifier of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing the dehumidifier of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 2 is a perspective view showing the dehumidifier of FIG. 1 with the main body case removed. FIG. [Figure 5] 2 is a front view schematically showing the positional relationship between the refrigerant pipes of the compressor and the tank case of the dehumidifier of FIG. 1. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Each of the examples described below represents a preferred specific example of the present disclosure. Therefore, the numerical values, shapes, materials, components, the arrangement and connection of the components, steps (processes), and the order of steps shown in the following examples are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Therefore, among the components in the following examples, components that are not recited in the independent claims that represent the highest concept of the present disclosure will be described as optional components. Furthermore, in each figure, substantially identical components are assigned the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted or simplified.

[0011] Furthermore, terms including ordinal numbers such as first and second are used to describe various components, but these terms are used only to distinguish one component from another and do not limit the components.

[0012] [Example] A schematic configuration of a dehumidifier 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5. Fig. 1 is a perspective view that schematically shows the dehumidifier 100 according to the embodiment. Fig. 2 is a plan view that schematically shows the dehumidifier 100. This view is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front view that schematically shows the dehumidifier 100. Fig. 4 is a perspective view that shows the dehumidifier 100 with the main body case 1 removed.

[0013] 1, a dehumidifier 100 according to this embodiment has a box-shaped main body case 1 as an outer shell, which distinguishes the outside from the inside of the main body case 1. The main body case 1 is provided with an intake port 2 and an outlet port 4.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 2, the dehumidifier 100 includes a refrigeration cycle 3, a blower 6, and a control unit (not shown). The refrigeration cycle 3 is formed by sequentially connecting a compressor 7, a radiator 8, an expander 9, and a heat absorber 10 in a circular arrangement. The refrigeration cycle 3 desirably uses a refrigerant that has low ozone depletion potential and global warming potential and is readily available for mass production. Therefore, as an example, the refrigeration cycle 3 uses a flammable refrigerant with a global warming potential of 10 or less. The control unit includes an electronic circuit that controls the refrigeration cycle 3 and the blower 6.

[0015] In the main body case 1, the heat absorber 10, the heat radiator 8, and the air blower 6 are arranged in this order in the front-to-back direction. In this specification, the directions of the device are defined as the directions when the dehumidifier is installed in a state where it can normally operate. In the dehumidifier 100, the side on which the heat absorber 10 is arranged relative to the heat radiator 8 is referred to as the "front," the opposite side is referred to as the "rear," and the horizontal direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction is referred to as the left-to-right direction.

[0016] A view from the front and back is sometimes referred to as a "front view" or "rear view," a view from the left and right is sometimes referred to as a "side view," and a view from above is sometimes referred to as a "plan view." The air flow generated by the action of the blower 6 is sometimes referred to as "wind," and the upstream and downstream of the air flow are sometimes referred to as "upwind" and "downwind." These notations do not limit the position in which the dehumidifier 100 is used, and the dehumidifier 100 can be used in any position.

[0017] In the embodiment, the front-to-back width of the main body case 1 is smaller than the left-to-right width, and the top-to-bottom width is larger than the left-to-right width. With respect to the main body case 1, the part that forms the front outer surface is referred to as the "front surface," the part that forms the outer surface opposite the front surface is referred to as the "rear surface," the parts that form the left and right outer surfaces are referred to as the "side surfaces," and the part that forms the upper outer surface is referred to as the "top surface."

[0018] An operation unit 25 is provided on the front top surface of the main body case 1 for receiving input from the user and displaying information about the dehumidifier such as the operation mode and current humidity to the user.

[0019] In the embodiment, the air inlet 2 is arranged on the front surface 22 of the main body case 1. The air inlet 2 is a rectangular opening in the front surface 22 of the main body case 1 that draws in air from a direction perpendicular to the front surface 22, and is provided with a lattice. In the embodiment, the air outlet 4 is arranged on the upper rear side of the main body case 1. Above the air outlet 4, a louver 31 is provided that changes the direction of the air blown out from the air outlet 4.

[0020] Blower 6 includes a motor (not shown) and a fan (not shown) that is rotated by the motor to draw in and exhaust air. Blower 6 has an intake port 67, which is an opening for drawing in air, and an outlet port 68, which is an opening for sending out the air drawn in through intake port 67. Intake port 67 may be located on the surface facing radiator 8. Outlet port 68 opens upward.

[0021] The blower 6 acts mainly on the radiator 8 and the heat absorber 10 of the refrigeration cycle 3. Hereinafter, the radiator 8 and the heat absorber 10 are referred to as the dehumidifier 5. Specifically, the blower 6 draws in air that has passed through the dehumidifier 5 of the refrigeration cycle 3 through the intake port 67 and blows it out of the blower 6 through the outlet port 68. In this way, the blower 6 blows the air outside the main body case 1 that has been drawn in through the intake port 2, passes through the dehumidifier 5, and then blows it out of the main body case 1 through the outlet port 4. This air passage is referred to as the air passage 34. The air passage 34 connects the intake port 2 and the outlet port 4, and by the action of the blower 6, intake air 60 is drawn into the main body case 1 through the intake port 2, passes through the air passage 34, and is blown out of the outlet port 4.

[0022] In the embodiment, air passage 34 includes first air passage 35 through which air sucked from air inlet 2 by blower 6 flows to air outlet 4 via heat absorber 10. Air passage 34 may include another air passage in addition to first air passage 35.

[0023] In this embodiment, the compressor 7 has a cylindrical shape that is circular in top view and rectangular in side view, and extends vertically. The compressor 7 has a top surface 7a and a cylindrical side surface 7b.

[0024] The flow of refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle 3 will be described. The refrigerant pushed out from the compressor 7 is supplied to an upper end 87 of a heat transfer tube 85 of the radiator 8 through a discharge refrigerant pipe 81, and flows from top to bottom through the heat transfer tube 85 of the radiator 8. The refrigerant pushed out from the lower end of the heat transfer tube 85 of the radiator 8 is supplied to the expander 9. The refrigerant pushed out from the expander 9 is supplied to the lower end of a heat transfer tube 86 of the heat absorber 10. The refrigerant supplied to the heat absorber 10 flows from bottom to top through the heat transfer tube 86 of the heat absorber 10. The refrigerant pushed out from an upper end 88 of the heat transfer tube 86 of the heat absorber 10 flows into the compressor 7 through a suction refrigerant pipe 84. The refrigeration cycle 3 is well known, so a detailed description will be omitted. The heat absorber 10 and the radiator 8 are arranged in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side of the air flow in the first air passage 35.

[0025] The dehumidifying operation of the dehumidifier 100 will now be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , intake air 60 passes through the heat absorber 10, the radiator 8, and the blower 6 and is then blown out of the main body case 1 through the outlet 4. During this process, the intake air 60 is cooled by the heat absorber 10, and moisture in the intake air 60 condenses to produce condensed water W1. The condensed water W1 drips below the heat absorber 10 and is collected in a funnel-shaped water collection section 12 located below the heat absorber 10. The water collection section 12 is a tray that receives the condensed water W1. The condensed water W1 collected in the water collection section 12 flows through a drain section leading from the water collection section 12 to a tank 13, and then flows into the tank 13 located below the water collection section 12 and is stored therein. The tank 13 is a hollow box that encloses a rectangular parallelepiped space. The tank 13 can be easily attached and detached from the main body case 1. In the example of FIG. 3, the tank 13 is configured to be able to slide leftward from the main body case 1.

[0026] The dried intake air 60 after condensation is blown out of the main body case 1 from the air outlet 4. By blowing out the dry air, the dehumidifier 100 reduces the humidity in the surrounding space.

[0027] The configuration of the embodiment will be further described. As shown in Fig. 3, the water collection section 12 is disposed directly below the heat absorber 10, and therefore the water collection section 12 is cooled by the heat absorber 10. When the temperature of the water collection section 12 drops, the ambient temperature also drops, causing condensation to form on the water collection section 12 and the tank 13. When condensation occurs on the tank 13, the condensed water may adhere to live parts of the compressor 7, possibly causing a malfunction.

[0028] 3 and 4, in this embodiment, the main body case 1 has a tank case 14 that separates a tank space 1a in which the tank 13 is housed from a compressor space 1b in which the compressor 7 is housed. By having the tank case 14, it is possible to reduce the possibility that condensation water in the tank 13 will adhere to live parts of the compressor 7.

[0029] In the embodiment, the tank case 14 is a hollow box that surrounds the rectangular parallelepiped tank space 1a. The tank case 14 has a ceiling 15 that extends front-to-rear and left-to-right, a side wall 16 that extends downward from the right end of the ceiling 15, a front wall 17 that extends downward from the front end of the ceiling 15, a rear wall 18 that extends downward from the rear end of the ceiling 15, and a bottom wall 19 that extends leftward from the lower end of the side wall 16. The bottom wall 19 may form part of the underside of the main body case 1. The left side of the tank case 14 is open to allow the tank 13 to be inserted and removed.

[0030] It is desirable to minimize condensation in the tank 13. Therefore, in this embodiment, the tank case 14 has an air vent 26. By providing the tank case 14 with the air vent 26, the air in the compressor space 1b, which has been heated on the side surface 7b of the compressor 7, can actively come into contact with the air in the tank case 14 through the air vent 26. As a result, the temperature of the air in the tank case 14 increases, and condensation in the tank 13 can be suppressed.

[0031] It is desirable to minimize condensation in the tank 13. Therefore, in this embodiment, the vent hole 26 is arranged in the lower part of the tank case 14. In this case, since low-temperature air has the tendency to accumulate at the bottom, the low-temperature air in the tank case 14 tends to accumulate at the bottom, and the low-temperature air accumulated at the bottom comes into contact with the high-temperature air in the compressor space 1b through the vent hole 26 arranged at the bottom, thereby efficiently exchanging heat between the air in both spaces and increasing the effect of raising the temperature of the air in the tank case 14.

[0032] In this specification, the lower part of the tank case 14 refers to the part below the vertical bisector of the tank case 14. In the embodiment, the air vent 26 is arranged in the lowest of the four regions obtained by dividing the tank case 14 into four equal parts vertically.

[0033] It is desirable that there is little condensation in the water collection portion 12. Therefore, in the embodiment, the tank case 14 supports the water collection portion 12. In the embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, the tank case 14 supports the water collection portion 12 on a ceiling portion 15, and the water collection portion 12 is in contact with the ceiling portion 15 of the tank case 14. When the air in the compressor space portion 1b comes into contact with the air in the tank case 14 through the air vents 26, the temperature of the tank case 14 rises, and the temperature of the water collection portion 12 supported by the tank case 14 also rises, thereby suppressing condensation in the water collection portion 12.

[0034] It is desirable to further reduce condensation in the tank 13. Therefore, in this embodiment, the vent hole 26 is provided in the opposing surface 16a of the tank case 14 that faces the side surface 7b of the compressor 7. By providing the vent hole 26 in the opposing surface 16a, the high-temperature air near the side surface 7b of the compressor 7 comes into contact with the air inside the tank case 14 before it cools down, so the temperature inside the tank case 14 can be further increased. In this embodiment, the side wall portion 16 of the tank case 14 faces the side surface 7b of the compressor 7, and the vent hole 26 is provided in the opposing surface 16a of the side wall portion 16 that faces the compressor 7.

[0035] The shape and number of the ventilation holes 26 can be set by experiment or simulation so as to obtain a desired effect of raising the temperature of the air inside the tank case 14. In this embodiment, the tank case 14 has two rectangular ventilation holes 26, each 5 mm to 20 mm in length and 10 mm to 30 mm in width. The two ventilation holes 26 are arranged spaced apart from each other in the front and back.

[0036] The positional relationship between the refrigerant piping of the compressor 7 and the tank case 14 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a diagram schematically showing the positional relationship between the refrigerant piping of the compressor 7 and the tank case 14. In the compressor space portion 1b, a discharge refrigerant piping 81 through which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 7 flows, and a suction refrigerant piping 84 through which the refrigerant sucked into the compressor 7 flows are arranged.

[0037] In the embodiment, the discharge refrigerant pipe 81 extends upward from the top surface 7a of the compressor 7, bends left near the underside of the water collecting section 12, bends downward near the side wall 16 of the tank case 14, bends right at a position lower than the compressor 7, and bends upward near the side surface 21 of the main body case 1. The suction refrigerant pipe 84 extends right from the side surface 7b of the compressor 7 and bends upward near the side surface 21 of the main body case 1.

[0038] The discharge refrigerant pipe 81 is hotter than the surrounding area because high-temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor 7 flows through it. The suction refrigerant pipe 84 is colder than the surrounding area because low-temperature refrigerant flows through it. Therefore, in the embodiment, the shortest distance D1 from the discharge refrigerant pipe 81 to the tank case 14 is shorter than the shortest distance D2 from the suction refrigerant pipe 84 to the tank case 14. In this case, the distance from the high-temperature discharge refrigerant pipe 81 to the tank case 14 is shorter than the distance from the low-temperature suction refrigerant pipe 84 to the tank case 14. Therefore, compared to the case where the shortest distance D1 is longer than the shortest distance D2, the heat from the discharge refrigerant pipe 81 warms the tank case 14, and condensation in the tank 13 inside the tank case 14 can be suppressed. In the embodiment, the shortest distances D1 and D2 are horizontal distances.

[0039] It is conceivable that the discharge refrigerant pipe 81, which has a higher temperature than the surrounding area, warms the water collection section 12. Therefore, in the embodiment, the shortest distance D3 from the discharge refrigerant pipe 81 to the water collection section 12 is shorter than the shortest distance D4 from the top surface 7a of the compressor 7 to the water collection section 12. In this case, since the distance from the high-temperature discharge refrigerant pipe 81 to the water collection section 12 is short, the heat from the discharge refrigerant pipe 81 can warm the water collection section 12, thereby suppressing condensation in the water collection section 12. In the embodiment, the shortest distance D3 and the shortest distance D4 are distances in the vertical direction.

[0040] From the viewpoint of heating the water collection portion 12, the shortest distance D3 is more preferably 55% or less of the shortest distance D4, and even more preferably 40% or less of the shortest distance D4. Note that if the discharge refrigerant pipe 81 comes into contact with the water collection portion 12, vibrations may be transmitted, which may cause noise, and therefore the shortest distance D3 may be set to 30% or more of the shortest distance D4.

[0041] The features of the dehumidifier 100 of this embodiment configured as described above will be described. The dehumidifier 100 includes a main body case 1 having an inlet 2 and an outlet 4. Inside the main body case 1 are a dehumidifying section 5 configured with a refrigeration cycle 3 in which a compressor 7, a radiator 8, an expander 9, and a heat absorber 10 are connected in a circular pattern, a blower section 6 that acts on the refrigeration cycle 3, a water collection section 12 that collects condensation water dripping from the dehumidifying section 5, and a tank 13 that stores the condensation water collected in the water collection section 12. The main body case 1 includes a tank case 14 that separates a tank space 1a in which the tank 13 is housed from a compressor space 1b in which the compressor 7 is housed. The tank case 14 supports the water collection section 12 and has an air vent 26.

[0042] According to this configuration, the air in the compressor space 1b, which has been heated at the side surface 7b of the compressor 7, actively comes into contact with the air in the tank case 14 through the ventilation holes 26, thereby raising the temperature of the air in the tank case 14 and suppressing condensation in the tank 13. In addition, the temperature of the water collecting section 12 supported by the tank case 14 is also raised, thereby suppressing condensation in the water collecting section 12.

[0043] An outline of one aspect of the present disclosure is as follows. [Item 1] The air conditioner comprises a main body case (1) having an inlet (2) and an outlet (4), Inside the main body case (1), a dehumidifying section (5) configured by a refrigeration cycle (3) in which a compressor (7), a radiator (8), an expander (9), and a heat absorber (10) are connected in a circular arrangement; a blower (6) acting on the refrigeration cycle (3); a water collecting section (12) that collects condensation water dripping from the dehumidifying section (5); a tank (13) for storing the condensation water collected in the water collecting section (12); The main body case (1) has a tank case (14) that separates a tank space (1a) in which a tank (13) is accommodated from a compressor space (1b) in which a compressor (7) is accommodated. The tank case (14) supports the water collecting portion (12) and has a vent hole (26).

[0044] [Item 2] Item 1. The dehumidification device (100) according to item 1, wherein the vent (26) is disposed in a lower portion of the tank case (14).

[0045] [Item 3] Item 1. The dehumidifier (100) according to item 1, wherein the vent (26) is provided on a surface (16a) of the tank case (14) facing the side surface (7b) of the compressor (7).

[0046] [Item 4] The compressor space (1b) is provided with a discharge refrigerant pipe (81) through which refrigerant discharged from the compressor (7) flows, and a suction refrigerant pipe (84) through which refrigerant sucked into the compressor (7) flows. Item 1. The dehumidifier (100) according to item 1, wherein the shortest distance from the discharge refrigerant pipe (81) to the tank case (14) is shorter than the shortest distance from the suction refrigerant pipe (84) to the tank case (14).

[0047] [Item 5] A discharge refrigerant pipe (81) through which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (7) flows is arranged in the compressor space (1b). Item 1. The dehumidifier (100) according to item 1, wherein the shortest distance from the discharge refrigerant pipe (81) to the water collecting part (12) is shorter than the shortest distance from the top surface (7a) of the compressor (7) to the water collecting part (12).

[0048] The present disclosure has been described above based on examples. These examples are merely illustrative, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible in the combination of each component or each treatment process, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0049] In the description of the embodiment, an example has been shown in which the water collecting section 12 is separate from the tank case 14, but this is not limiting. The water collecting section 12 may be formed integrally with the tank case 14. For example, the bottom surface of the water collecting section 12 may also serve as the ceiling surface of the tank case 14.

[0050] In the description of the embodiment, the compressor 7 has a cylindrical side surface 7b, but is not limited to this. For example, the side surface 7b of the compressor 7 may have a polygonal prism shape such as a square prism.

[0051] In the description of the embodiment, the refrigeration cycle 3 uses a flammable refrigerant with a global warming potential of 10 or less, but is not limited to this. The refrigeration cycle 3 may use a refrigerant different from the above refrigerant.

[0052] In the description of the embodiment, an example in which the suction port 2 is provided on the front surface 22 of the main body case 1 has been shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. The suction port 2 may also be provided on the side surface 21 of the main body case 1. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 main body case, 1a tank space portion, 1b compressor space portion, 2 intake port, 3 refrigeration cycle, 4 outlet port, 5 dehumidification portion, 6 blower portion, 7 compressor, 7a top surface, 7b side surface, 8 radiator, 9 expander, 10 heat absorber, 12 water collection portion, 13 tank, 14 tank case, 15 ceiling portion, 16 side wall portion, 16a opposing surface, 17 front wall portion, 18 rear wall portion, 19 bottom wall portion, 21 side portion, 22 front portion, 25 operation portion, 26 ventilation hole, 31 louver, 34 air passage, 35 first air duct, 60 intake air, 67 intake port, 68 discharge port, 81 discharge refrigerant piping 84 suction refrigerant piping, 85, 86 heat transfer tubes, 87, 88 upper end portion, 100 dehumidifier.

Claims

1. a main body case having an intake port and an exhaust port; The main body case contains: a dehumidifying unit configured by a refrigeration cycle in which a compressor, a radiator, an expander, and a heat absorber are sequentially connected in a circular fashion; a blower section acting on the refrigeration cycle; a water collection section that collects condensation water dripping from the dehumidification section; a tank for storing the condensation water collected in the water collecting section, the main body case has a tank case that separates a tank space portion in which the tank is accommodated and a compressor space portion in which the compressor is accommodated, The tank case supports the water collecting portion and has an air vent.

2. The dehumidifier according to claim 1 , wherein the vent hole is disposed in a lower portion of the tank case.

3. The dehumidifier according to claim 1 , wherein the vent hole is provided on a surface of the tank case that faces a side surface of the compressor.

4. The compressor space includes a discharge refrigerant pipe through which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows, and a suction refrigerant pipe through which the refrigerant drawn into the compressor flows. The dehumidifier according to claim 1 , wherein the shortest distance from the discharge refrigerant pipe to the tank case is shorter than the shortest distance from the suction refrigerant pipe to the tank case.

5. a discharge refrigerant pipe through which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows is disposed in the compressor space; The dehumidifier according to claim 1 , wherein the shortest distance from the discharge refrigerant pipe to the water collection section is shorter than the shortest distance from a top surface of the compressor to the water collection section.

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