Air conditioner

Abstract

To provide an air conditioner having higher availability.SOLUTION: An air conditioner 1 includes: a heat exchanger 22 including heat exchange flow passages 221, 222 in which air and water flow; water supply bodies 26 that supply water from upper sides of the heat exchange flow passages; and a drain pan for receiving water that has been supplied from the water supply bodies and has passed through the heat exchange flow passages. A meniscus suppression structure for defining discharge ends through which the water that has flowed in the heat exchange flow passages passes when discharged to outside of the heat exchanger, the discharge ends having difference vertically, is formed in a lower part of the heat exchange flow passage.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioner. [Background technology]

[0002] Evaporative cooling air conditioners are known that draw in indoor air, use the heat of vaporization of water to lower the ambient temperature, and then blow the cooled air out into the room, as shown in Patent Document 1, for example. In the air conditioner of Patent Document 1, air flowing through the second flow path passes through multiple tubes in the sensible heat exchanger, and air flowing through the first flow path passes around the multiple tubes. As a result, heat is exchanged between the air flowing through the second flow path and the air flowing through the first flow path. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-092338 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the air conditioner of Patent Document 1 does not take into consideration the point of providing an air conditioner with higher usability.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an air conditioner that is more useful. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An air conditioner according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a heat exchanger including a heat exchange flow path through which air and water flow, a water supply body that supplies water from above the heat exchange flow path, and a drain pan that receives water supplied from the water supply body and passed through the heat exchange flow path, and at the bottom of the heat exchange flow path, a meniscus suppression structure is formed that defines a discharge end through which water that has flowed through the heat exchange flow path passes when being discharged outside the heat exchanger, and that has a difference in the vertical direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] It is possible to provide a highly useful air conditioner. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view showing an example of the configuration of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment (a configuration in which the ridge line is inclined). [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the air conditioner. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the attachment and detachment of each part in the external appearance of the air conditioner. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a meniscus suppression structure formed below the heat exchanger. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing a meniscus suppression structure formed below the heat exchanger. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic side view showing a meniscus suppression structure formed below a heat exchanger according to a second embodiment (an embodiment in which the ridge lines are not on the same horizontal plane). [Figure 7] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional side view showing a meniscus suppression structure formed below a heat exchanger according to a third embodiment (a configuration in which the ridge lines are uneven). FIG. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing a comparison between adjacent plate members with and without a step; [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a schematic side view showing a meniscus suppression structure formed below a heat exchanger according to a fourth embodiment (a configuration in which a spacer protrudes). [Figure 10]FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a meniscus suppression structure formed in a contact member (having an inclined ridge line) arranged below a heat exchanger according to a fifth embodiment (contact member). [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a meniscus suppression structure formed by a contact member (with uneven ridgelines) arranged below a heat exchanger. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of an air conditioner 1 according to embodiment 1. The air conditioner 1 has a box-shaped main body 11, and is placed on the floor of the space to be air-conditioned, such as a factory, using casters provided on the bottom of the main body 11. The main body 11 includes a housing that forms the outer shell of the air conditioner 1, and various components, which will be described later, are housed within the main body 11. The placed state of the air conditioner 1 shown in FIG. 1 is shown from above, below, left, and right as a normal usage mode of the air conditioner 1. Note that FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a cross section taken along line AA in FIG. 2, from the left side of FIG. 2.

[0010] The air conditioner 1 includes a tank 7 consisting of a first tank 71 and a second tank 72 for storing water, an evaporative filter 21, and a cooling unit 2 including a heat exchanger 22. The evaporative filter 21 uses the heat of vaporization of water supplied from the second tank 72 to lower the ambient temperature and cool the space to be air-conditioned, and is, for example, an evaporative cooling air conditioner 1. Furthermore, the air conditioner 1 uses the sensible heat and heat of vaporization of the water supplied from the second tank 72 to lower the ambient temperature and cool the space to be air-conditioned, using the heat exchanger 22. In other words, the heat exchanger 22 functions as a sensible heat exchanger that exchanges sensible heat between a first heat exchange passage 221 through which exhaust air flows and a second heat exchange passage 222 through which supply air flows.

[0011] The main body 11 of the air conditioner 1 is provided with an inlet 3 that draws in air from the space to be conditioned, and an air supply outlet 51 that blows out, as supply air, air that has passed through a cooling unit 2 including a heat exchanger 22 and an evaporative filter 21 and been cooled by the cooling unit 2 into the space to be conditioned. The main body 11 of the air conditioner 1 is further provided with an exhaust outlet 43 that blows out, as exhaust air, air that has passed through the heat exchanger 22 and exchanged sensible heat with the water and supply air.

[0012] The supply air outlet 51 and the exhaust air outlet 43 are provided on the top surface 100 of the main body 11. The air conditioner 1 is equipped with fans for transporting supply air and exhaust air, and the fans include an exhaust fan 61 that transports exhaust air and a supply air fan 62 that transports supply air. A cylindrical duct may be arranged in the supply air outlet 51.

[0013] The intake fan 62 and the exhaust fan 61 may be, for example, centrifugal fans such as sirocco fans or propeller fans. The intake fan 62 is provided near the intake air outlet 51, and the exhaust fan 61 is provided near the exhaust air outlet 43. That is, if the air flow in the air conditioner 1 is such that the intake port 3 is the most upstream end and the intake air outlet 51 and the exhaust air outlet 43 are the most downstream ends, the intake air fan 62 and the exhaust fan 61 are provided downstream in the air flow direction. By providing the intake air fan 62 and the exhaust fan 61 downstream, these fans function as so-called suction fans and can maintain negative pressure within the air distribution paths in the air conditioner 1, i.e., the exhaust air flow path 4 and the intake air flow path 5. The exhaust air flow path 4 corresponds to the first flow path through which exhaust air flows. The intake air flow path 5 corresponds to the second flow path through which intake air flows.

[0014] The heat exchanger 22 includes a first heat exchange flow path 221 through which air flows, and a second heat exchange flow path 222 through which air flows that undergoes sensible heat exchange with the air flowing through the first heat exchange flow path 221, and functions as a sensible heat exchanger. The main body 11 of the air conditioner 1 has an exhaust flow path 4 that communicates with the first heat exchange flow path 221.

[0015] The supply air fan 62 and the exhaust air fan 61 share a single fan motor 6, and are connected to shafts provided at both ends of the fan motor 6. For example, a partition plate is provided between the supply air fan 62 and the exhaust air fan 61. This partition plate can reliably prevent the supply air transported by the supply air fan 62 and the exhaust air transported by the exhaust fan 61 from mixing. The volumetric flow rate of air transported per unit time by the supply air fan 62 may be greater than the volumetric flow rate of air transported per unit time by the exhaust fan 61. By making the volumetric flow rate of the supply air fan 62 greater than the volumetric flow rate of the exhaust fan 61, the air conditioning capacity can be improved.

[0016] The fan motor 6 is located on the exhaust fan 61 side. Therefore, the partition plate is provided between the fan motor 6 and the supply air fan 62. By providing the fan motor 6 on the exhaust fan 61 side in this way, the fan motor 6 can be cooled by the exhaust air transported by the exhaust fan 61. Therefore, the fan motor 6 can be efficiently cooled by using the cold heat from the exhaust air without raising the temperature of the supply air transported by the supply air fan 62.

[0017] The air conditioner 1 is provided with an intake passage 32, an air supply passage 5, and an exhaust passage 4 as air circulation paths. The intake passage 32 starts at the air intake port 3 and is connected to the heat exchanger 22 and a drain pan 91 located below the heat exchanger 22. That is, after the intake passage 32 passes through the dust collection filter 31 arranged to cover the air intake port 3, it branches into an exhaust passage 4 that communicates with the first heat exchange passage 221 of the heat exchanger 22, and an air supply passage 5 that communicates with the drain pan 91. The branching points correspond to the starting points of the exhaust passage 4 and the air supply passage 5.

[0018] The first heat exchange flow path 221 and the second heat exchange flow path 222 in the heat exchanger 22 are configured by alternately stacking multiple membrane members and spacers. Adjacent spacers in the stacking direction are arranged with their longitudinal directions rotated by 90 degrees relative to each other, and adjacent spacers separated by the same membrane member intersect with each other, so that the first heat exchange flow path 221 and the second heat exchange flow path 222 are perpendicular to each other, and a cross flow is formed between the supply air flowing through the second heat exchange flow path 222 and the exhaust air flowing through the first heat exchange flow path 221.

[0019] Sensible heat exchange occurs between the supply air flowing through the air supply path and the exhaust air flowing through the exhaust path through each of the stacked membrane members. The stacking direction of these stacked membrane members is perpendicular to the respective path directions of the air supply path and the exhaust path. That is, in this embodiment, the path direction of the air supply path is from left to right, and the path direction of the exhaust path is from bottom to top, whereas the stacking direction is the front-to-back direction, which is perpendicular to both the left-right and top-to-bottom directions.

[0020] The first heat exchange passage 221 through which the exhaust air flows constitutes a part of the exhaust passage 4 that is connected to the exhaust air outlet 43. The second heat exchange passage 222 through which the supply air flows constitutes a part of the supply air passage 5 that is connected to the supply air outlet 51. The second heat exchange passage 222 through which the supply air flows connects the heat exchangers 22 in the left-right direction, i.e., horizontal direction, and the first heat exchange passage 221 through which the exhaust air flows connects the heat exchangers 22 in the up-down direction, i.e., vertical direction. In this way, the second heat exchange passage 222 and the first heat exchange passage 221 are perpendicular to each other.

[0021] The intake air that has passed through the intake passage 32 flows into the second heat exchange passage 222 of the heat exchanger 22 and, after passing through the drain pan 91, into the first heat exchange passage 221 of the heat exchanger 22. As a result, the intake air that has passed through the intake passage 32 is divided into supply air that flows into the second heat exchange passage 222 and exhaust air that flows into the first heat exchange passage 221. In other words, the second heat exchange passage 222 and the first heat exchange passage 221 provided in the heat exchanger 22 form a flow dividing mechanism that divides the intake air.

[0022] A dust collection filter 31 is provided between the air inlet 3 and the inlets of the first heat exchange flow path 221 and the second heat exchange flow path 222. The dust collection filter 31 may be configured as one unit with the cover 111 that is detachably attached to the main body 11. By providing the dust collection filter 31, dust in the intake air sucked in from the air inlet 3 can be trapped, and adhesion of dust to the circulation path through which the air flows inside the air conditioner 1 can be suppressed.

[0023] A drain pan 91 is provided below the inlet of the first heat exchange passage 221 in the heat exchanger 22. The exhaust gas that has passed through the drain pan 91 flows into the heat exchanger 22 from the inlet of the first heat exchange passage 221. Therefore, the exhaust passage 4 includes a space between the drain pan 91 and the inlet of the first heat exchange passage 221.

[0024] The exhaust air that flows into the heat exchanger 22 from the inlet of the first heat exchange flow path 221 flows out to the outside of the heat exchanger 22 from the outlet of the first heat exchange flow path 221. The outlet of the first heat exchange flow path 221 is formed in the upper part of the heat exchanger 22. An exhaust fan 61 for transporting the exhaust air is disposed above the outlet of the first heat exchange flow path 221 formed in the upper part of the heat exchanger 22. The exhaust air transported by the exhaust fan 61 is blown out from the exhaust outlet 43.

[0025] The second heat exchange passage 222 is provided linearly in a region where a cross flow with the first heat exchange passage 221 is formed. That is, the outlet where the second heat exchange passage 222 terminates is provided on the side surface of the heat exchanger 22 opposite to the side surface where the inlet of the second heat exchange passage 222 is provided. In the illustrated example, the second heat exchange passage 222 is provided linearly from the front surface to the rear surface of the heat exchanger 22.

[0026] In the flow direction of the supply air, an evaporation filter 21 is provided at the end of the second heat exchange passage 222 of the heat exchanger 22, i.e., downstream of the outlet of the second heat exchange passage 222. The evaporation filter 21 is provided in the supply air passage 5, between the heat exchanger 22 and the supply air fan 62.

[0027] The evaporative filter 21 is provided with one surface of the rectangular filter element facing the side surface of the heat exchanger 22 on which the outlet of the second heat exchange flow path 222 is provided. The intake air flow path 5 from the evaporative filter 21 to the intake air outlet 51 extends upward from the evaporative filter 21. An intake air fan 62 for transporting the intake air is disposed downstream of the intake air flow path 5 from the evaporative filter 21 to the intake air outlet 51. The intake air fan 62 is provided above the evaporative filter 21. The intake air transported by the intake air fan 62 is blown out from the intake air outlet 51 into the space to be air-conditioned.

[0028] As described above, the air conditioner 1 includes the tank 7 that stores water to be supplied to the evaporative filter 21 and the heat exchanger 22, and the tank 7 includes a first tank 71 and a second tank 72. The first tank 71 is, for example, a rectangular box, and is disposed below the evaporative filter 21 and the drain pan 91. The main body 11 of the air conditioner 1 may be equipped with two first tanks 71.

[0029] The second tank 72 is, for example, in the form of a rectangular box, and is disposed below the first tank 71. The capacity of the second tank 72 may be smaller than the capacity of the first tank 71. The first tank 71 functions as a main tank that stores water poured from a water supply or the like. The second tank 72 functions as a sub-tank that stores water supplied from the first tank 71 when the first tank 71 and the second tank 72 are installed inside the main body 11 of the air conditioner 1. The water stored in the second tank 72 is supplied to the heat exchanger 22 and the evaporative filter 21 included in the cooling unit 2.

[0030] The second tank 72 stores the recovered water via a recovery water channel 9 for recovering water remaining in the cooling unit 2. The second tank 72 and a drain pan 91 are connected via the recovery water channel 9. The evaporation filter 21 and the heat exchanger 22 are disposed above the drain pan 91. The drain pan 91 recovers water that has been supplied from the second tank 72 to the evaporation filter 21 and the first heat exchange flow path 221 of the heat exchanger 22 and remains in a liquid state without being evaporated.

[0031] A second tank-side shut-off valve is disposed in the second tank 72, and a main body-side shut-off valve is disposed in the main body 11; these second tank-side shut-off valve and main body-side shut-off valve are both opened when joined together. The second tank 72 and the pump are connected via a supply water passage 8, and the second tank-side shut-off valve and main body-side shut-off valve are disposed in the supply water passage 8 between the second tank 72 and the pump. The pump may be disposed at the bottom of the supply water passage 8 or in the supply water passage 8. By driving the pump, water in the second tank 72 is transported via the supply water passage 8.

[0032] The pump is connected to a controller, such as a microcomputer, via a communication line, and is driven or stopped based on a control signal output from the controller. The controller may be disposed as a control board inside the exhaust flow path 4 located above the main body 11. Alternatively, the controller may be configured as a microcomputer mounted on a power supply board.

[0033] The pump, the vaporization filter 21, and the heat exchanger 22 are connected to each other via a supply water passage 8. Therefore, the second tank 72, the vaporization filter 21, and the heat exchanger 22 are connected to each other via the pump and the supply water passage 8. The supply water passage 8 branches into multiple paths near the vaporization filter 21 and the heat exchanger 22. In this embodiment, the supply water passage 8 branches into four paths, and one of the branches connects to the vaporization filter water supply section 211 of the vaporization filter 21. Of the four branched supply water passages 8, three of them connect to three water supply bodies 26 located above the outlet of the first heat exchange flow path 221 of the heat exchanger 22. Each of the three water supply bodies 26 functions as a sensible heat exchanger water supply section that supplies water to the first heat exchange flow path 221 of the heat exchanger 22. A connection between the supply water passage 8 and the water supply body 26 functions as a water supply end 25. That is, in the supply water channel 8, the tip end portion on the side of the water supply body 26 corresponds to the water supply end portion 25.

[0034] The water supplied from the water supply passage 8 is temporarily held by the water supply section 211 for the vaporization filter provided at the top of the vaporization filter 21, drips onto the vaporization filter 21 from holes provided in the water supply section 211 for the vaporization filter, and permeates into the vaporization filter 21. The water supplied from the water supply passage 8 drips into the inside of the first heat exchange flow path 221 of the heat exchanger 22 via the water supply body 26 provided at the top of the heat exchanger 22.

[0035] A pump provided in the supply water passage 8 transports water from the second tank 72 to the evaporative filter 21 and the heat exchanger 22, and the water that does not evaporate in the evaporative filter 21 and the heat exchanger 22 and remains in liquid form is temporarily collected in the drain pan 91 by gravity, and is returned from the drain pan 91 to the second tank 72 via the recovery water passage 9. In other words, a water circulation water passage is formed by the second tank 72, the supply water passage 8, the cooling unit 2, and the recovery water passage 9. When the amount of water stored in the second tank 72 falls below a predetermined value, water is supplied from the first tank 71 to the second tank 72.

[0036] The first tank 71 is disposed above the second tank 72 with the water supply tube portion provided on the bottom surface facing downward. The first tank 71 may be provided detachably with respect to the main body 11, for example, and may be stored inside the main body 11 after being removed from the main body 11 and refilled with tap water or the like. The volume of the first tank 71 is larger than the volume of the second tank 72. In this embodiment, two first tanks 71 are provided, and the total volume of the two first tanks 71 is larger than the volume of the second tank 72. The number of first tanks 71 is not limited to two, and may be one or three or more.

[0037] Water supplied from the second tank 72 drips through the water supply body 26 provided above the heat exchanger 22 into the first heat exchange passage 221 through which the exhaust gas flows. That is, the first heat exchange passage 221 is a mixture of exhaust gas flowing from bottom to top and water dripping from the water supply body 26 and flowing from top to bottom. The water stored in the second tank 72 is water recovered from the evaporative filter 21 and is cooled by the heat of vaporization. Therefore, the temperature of the water supplied from the second tank 72 is lower than the temperature of the exhaust gas immediately after it flows into the first heat exchange passage 221. The exhaust gas exchanges sensible heat with the water dripping from the water supply body 26, i.e., is cooled by the water. Each exhaust path 231 constituting the first heat exchange passage 221 is composed of a plate member 232 having a nonwoven fabric attached to its surface and functioning as a membrane member. The water dripping from the water supply body 26 adheres to the nonwoven fabric, increasing the surface area of ​​the water in contact with the exhaust gas. As a result, some of the water dripping from the water supply body 26 evaporates, and the heat of evaporation also further cools the exhaust gas.

[0038] The exhaust air flowing through the first heat exchange passage 221 of the heat exchanger 22 and the supply air flowing through the second heat exchange passage 222 cross each other, and sensible heat is exchanged between the supply air and the exhaust air. As described above, the exhaust air flowing through the first heat exchange passage 221 is cooled by water supplied from the second tank 72, and the supply air is cooled by the exhaust air cooled by the water supplied from the second tank 72. Furthermore, the supply air may be cooled by the sensible heat or latent heat of vaporization of water attached to a membrane member that forms the exhaust path 231 constituting the first heat exchange passage 221, using the membrane member as a heat transfer member.

[0039] The supply air that has passed through the outlet of the second heat exchange flow path 222 of the heat exchanger 22 flows into the supply air flow path 5 that runs from the heat exchanger 22 to the supply air outlet 51. In the supply air flow path 5, an evaporation filter 21 is provided downstream of the heat exchanger 22, and the supply air passes through the evaporation filter 21.

[0040] Water supplied from the second tank 72 drips onto the vaporization filter 21 via the vaporization filter water supply section 211 provided above the vaporization filter 21. Because the air intake flow path 5 is maintained at a negative pressure, the water supplied from the second tank 72 is sucked into the vaporization filter 21 through holes provided in the bottom surface of the vaporization filter water supply section 211 and permeates into the vaporization filter 21. The water that permeates the vaporization filter 21 is promoted by the supply air passing through the vaporization filter 21, and vaporizes, that is, evaporates into water vapor, which is then contained in the supply air. The heat of evaporation cools the supply air, lowering its temperature. The cooled supply air is blown out by the supply air fan 62 from the supply air outlet 51 into the space to be air-conditioned.

[0041] With this configuration, the supply air blown into the conditioned space can be cooled in two stages, including primary cooling by the heat exchanger 22 and secondary cooling by the evaporative filter 21. Therefore, the temperature of the supply air can be further reduced compared to, for example, a direct evaporation method that uses only the evaporative filter 21.

[0042] The exhaust air that flows into the first heat exchange flow path 221 of the heat exchanger 22 is mixed with water supplied by dripping from the water supply body 26, and is transported toward the outlet of the first heat exchange flow path 221 located above the heat exchanger 22. Because the first heat exchange flow path 221 extends from below to above the heat exchanger 22, the exhaust air mixed with the water supplied from the water supply body 26 flows from below to above the heat exchanger 22. The water supply bodies 26 are elongated and arranged in parallel in the short direction. The exhaust air that has passed through the outlet of the first heat exchange flow path 221 passes between the water supply bodies 26 arranged in parallel in this manner, reaches the exhaust fan 61, and is then blown out from the exhaust outlet 43.

[0043] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the exterior of the air conditioner 1. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the attachment and detachment of each component in the exterior of the air conditioner 1. The main body 11 of the air conditioner 1 is rectangular parallelepiped-shaped and has an upper surface 100, a lower surface 105, and side surfaces. The side surfaces include a first side surface 101, a second side surface 102, a third side surface 103, and a fourth side surface 104 located on the front, rear, left, and right sides. In this embodiment, the first side surface 101 corresponds to the front surface. The second side surface 102 corresponds to the right surface. The third side surface 103 corresponds to the rear surface. The fourth side surface 104 corresponds to the left surface.

[0044] An intake air outlet 51 to which a duct is attached, and an exhaust air outlet 43 are formed on the top surface 100. A removable opening 112 is formed on a first side surface 101, which corresponds to the front surface, and a cover 111 is detachably attached to cover the removable opening 112. A dust collection filter 31 is disposed integrally with the cover 111. A lever that is operated when removing the heat exchanger case 24 from the main body 11 is disposed above the removable opening 112. A passage 113 is formed below the removable opening 112 on the first side surface 101, through which the first tank 71 and the second tank 72 are stored. A first tank housing section that houses the first tank 71 and a second tank housing section that houses the second tank 72 are formed at the back of the opening.

[0045] By removing the cover 111 from the main body 11, the heat exchanger 22 housed in the heat exchange case 24 is exposed through the detachable opening 112 so as to be visible from outside the main body 11. A gripping portion 241 is formed on the heat exchange case 24, and the heat exchange case 24 can be pulled out from the main body 11 by gripping the gripping portion 241.

[0046] The first tank 71 and the second tank 72 are configured to be able to be pulled out from the main body 11, similar to the heat exchanger case 24. That is, the first side surface 101 of the main body 11 is formed with an attachment / detachment opening 112 used when attaching / detaching the heat exchanger case 24, and a passage opening 113 used when attaching / detaching the first tank 71 and the second tank 72. By forming both the attachment / detachment opening 112 and the passage opening 113 on the first side surface 101, which is the front surface of the main body 11, in this way, it is possible to improve the ease of operation by an operator.

[0047] Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the meniscus suppression structure 27 formed below the heat exchanger 22. Fig. 5 is a schematic side view showing the meniscus suppression structure 27 formed below the heat exchanger 22. The meniscus suppression structure 27 is formed below the heat exchanger 22, i.e., below the inlet of the first heat exchange flow path 221 of the heat exchanger 22. The meniscus suppression structure 27 is formed by extending downward the lower end portion of a plate member 232 that constitutes the first heat exchange flow path 221, and the lower end portion of the plate member 232 that extends downward forms ridge lines at multiple discharge ends 271 of the meniscus suppression structure 27.

[0048] When water that has flowed through the first heat exchange flow path 221 is discharged to the outside of the heat exchanger 22, it passes through the discharge end 271 of the meniscus suppression structure 27. The meniscus suppression structure 27 has a plurality of discharge ends 271, and the plurality of discharge ends 271 have different positions in the vertical direction. In other words, the meniscus suppression structure 27 is a structure that defines the discharge ends 271 that have different positions in the vertical direction. In this way, the plate member 232 that constitutes the first heat exchange flow path 221 includes the meniscus suppression structure 27.

[0049] The heat exchanger 22 is composed of a first heat exchange flow path 221 and a second heat exchange flow path 222 that are perpendicular to each other. The first heat exchange flow path 221 includes a plurality of exhaust paths 231, and the second heat exchange flow path 222 includes a plurality of supply paths. The first heat exchange flow path 221 and the second heat exchange flow path 222 are composed of a plurality of alternately stacked plate members 232 and spacers 234. The plate member 232 may be composed of a film member with a nonwoven fabric attached to its surface. Adjacent spacers 234 in the stacking direction are arranged with their longitudinal directions rotated 90 degrees relative to each other. As adjacent spacers 234 intersect with each other via the same plate member 232, the first heat exchange flow path 221 and the second heat exchange flow path 222 are perpendicular to each other, and a cross flow is formed between the supply air flowing through the second heat exchange flow path 222 and the exhaust air flowing through the first heat exchange flow path 221. The heat exchanger 22 configured in this manner may be, for example, a sensible heat exchanger described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-113426.

[0050] The ridge of the meniscus suppression structure 27 formed by the lower end of the downwardly extending plate member 232 has a predetermined inclination angle with respect to the horizontal direction, which is perpendicular to the vertical direction along the direction of gravity, i.e., the horizontal line. In this embodiment, the downward protrusion length of the lower end of the plate member 232 is configured to increase from the front to the rear of the heat exchanger 22. Alternatively, the downward protrusion length of the lower end of the plate member 232 may be configured to increase from the rear to the front of the heat exchanger 22.

[0051] Water dripping from the water supply body 26 into the first heat exchange flow path 221 of the heat exchanger 22 flows in the direction of gravity, i.e., the vertical direction, and therefore the flow path direction of the first heat exchange flow path 221 is parallel to the vertical direction. Furthermore, a line perpendicular to the flow path direction of the first heat exchange flow path 221 extending vertically and a ridgeline formed by the discharge end 271 of the meniscus suppression structure 27, which is formed by the lower end of the plate member 232 extending downward, are inclined at an angle of, for example, about 10°. Alternatively, the inclination angle, i.e., the angle between the ridgeline formed by the discharge end 271 of the meniscus suppression structure 27 and the horizontal, may be set between 3° and 60°, for example.

[0052] The plurality of plate members 232 that constitute the first heat exchange flow path 221 are stacked in the left-right direction of the air conditioner 1, and the lower ends of all of the stacked plate members 232 may protrude downward to form an inclination angle, thereby forming a ridge line in the meniscus suppression structure 27. Alternatively, of the plurality of stacked plate members 232, the lower ends of every other plate member 232 may protrude downward to form an inclination angle, thereby forming a ridge line in the meniscus suppression structure 27.

[0053] By using the meniscus suppression structure 27, which includes a ridgeline with an inclination angle, at the lower end of the downwardly extending plate member 232, water that reaches the meniscus suppression structure 27 located at the bottom of the first heat exchange passage 221 can be collected at the bottom of the ridgeline, along the inclination angle of the ridgeline formed at the discharge end 271, which is the lower end of the meniscus suppression structure 27. The water that has collected at the bottom of the ridgeline drips under its own weight and is collected in the drain pan 91. This makes it possible to efficiently suppress the generation of a meniscus at the lower opening of the first heat exchange passage 221.

[0054] (Embodiment 2) 6 is a schematic side view showing a meniscus suppression structure 27 formed below a heat exchanger 22 according to a second embodiment (an embodiment in which the ridgelines are not on the same horizontal plane). The meniscus suppression structure 27 is formed below the heat exchanger 22, i.e., below the inlet of the first heat exchange flow path 221 of the heat exchanger 22. The meniscus suppression structure 27 is formed by extending downward the lower ends of the plate members 232 that constitute the first heat exchange flow path 221, and in addition, among the plurality of stacked plate members 232, the shapes of the lower ends of adjacent plate members 232 are made different. By making the shapes of the lower ends of adjacent plate members 232, i.e., the downward protrusion lengths, different, a ridgeline is formed by the discharge ends 271 of the meniscus suppression structure 27.

[0055] In the plate members 232 adjacent in the left-right direction of the heat exchanger 22, the ridge line formed by the discharge ends 271 of the meniscus suppression structures 27 formed by the lower ends of these adjacent plate members 232 has a predetermined inclination angle with respect to the horizontal line, as in the first embodiment. Furthermore, in one of the plate members 232, the downward protrusion length of the lower end of the plate member 232 is configured to increase from the front to the rear of the heat exchanger 22. In the other plate member 232, the downward protrusion length of the lower end of the plate member 232 is configured to increase from the rear to the front of the heat exchanger 22. In this case, in each of the stacked plate members 232, the downward protrusion length of the lower end of the plate members 232 that are even-numbered in the stacking order may be configured to increase from the front to the rear of the heat exchanger 22, and the downward protrusion length of the lower end of the plate members 232 that are odd-numbered may be configured to increase from the rear to the front of the heat exchanger 22.

[0056] As a result, the ridge line of the meniscus suppression structure 27 formed by the lower end of one plate member 232 and the ridge line of the meniscus suppression structure 27 formed by the lower end of the other plate member 232 intersect when viewed from the left and right. By making the shapes of the lower ends of adjacent plate members 232 different in this way, it is possible to achieve a configuration in which the multiple ridge lines formed at the lower ends of the meniscus suppression structure 27 are not located on the same horizontal plane. In other words, by making the lower ends of adjacent plate members 232 not located on the same horizontal plane, it is possible to efficiently suppress the generation of a meniscus at the lower end of the plate member 232, i.e., at the opening below the first heat exchange passage 221.

[0057] (Embodiment 3) 7 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing a meniscus suppression structure 27 formed below a heat exchanger 22 according to embodiment 3 (a configuration in which the ridge lines are uneven). The plurality of plate members 232 constituting the first heat exchange flow path 221 are stacked in the left-right direction when the heat exchanger 22 is housed in the air conditioner 1, and the number of exhaust paths 231 is determined according to the stacking.

[0058] In the stacked plate members 232, the protruding lengths of the lower ends of two adjacent plate members 232 are different. With regard to the protruding lengths, in terms of the distance relationship to the drain pan 91 arranged below the heat exchanger 22, the distance from the lower end of one plate member 232 to the drain pan 91 is different from the distance from the lower end of the other plate member 232 to the drain pan 91. With this configuration, the two adjacent plate members 232 are staggered in the vertical direction and include an upper plate member 232 and a lower plate member 232. The two plate members 232 staggered in the vertical direction can form a meniscus suppression structure 27 that defines a discharge end 271 that is different in the vertical direction.

[0059] When two adjacent plate members 232 are configured to be staggered, only one of the plate members 232 may be made to protrude from the region corresponding to the second heat exchange flow path 222 through which the supply air flows, and the other plate member 232 may not protrude downward and may be fitted within the region corresponding to the second heat exchange flow path 222 through which the supply air flows. In this case, among the stacked plate members 232, the plate members 232 that are even-numbered in the stacking order may be made to protrude downward, and the plate members 232 that are odd-numbered may not protrude.

[0060] FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a comparison between adjacent plate members 232 with and without a step. In the illustration of this embodiment, the lower end portions of two adjacent plate members 232 are shown on the left and right. The plate member 232 on the right has a configuration in this embodiment where the protruding length of the lower end portion is different. The plate member 232 on the left is shown as a reference for comparison, and has a configuration where the protruding length of the lower end portion is the same.

[0061] The upward force (F) due to surface tension on the water accumulating at the lower end of the adjacent plate member 232 is calculated as follows: twice the contact length (L) on one side multiplied by the surface tension (γ) at the contact surface with water, which is the inner surface of the plate member 232, and the cosine (cos Θ) of the contact angle (Θ): F = 2L × γ · cos Θ. Furthermore, the condition for retaining a droplet of a given weight (M) is that the upward force (F) due to surface tension must be greater than the weight (M) multiplied by the acceleration of gravity (g): F > M × g.

[0062] At this time, when the protruding length of the lower end of the plate member 232 shown for reference on the left side is in the same form, that is, without a step, it is assumed that the conditions for holding the droplet are satisfied, and thus, the generation of a meniscus is a concern at the lower end of the plate member 232. On the other hand, when the protruding length of the lower end of the plate member 232 shown on the right side is different, that is, when there is a step, at the lower end of the adjacent plate member 232, by providing a step in the vertical direction, the component force of the force (M×g) applied to the upper plate member 232 exceeds the upward force (F) due to the surface tension on one side, and thus, the lower plate member 232 alone cannot support it. Therefore, as a result, the value obtained by multiplying the weight (M) of the droplet by the gravitational acceleration (g) exceeds the upward force (F) due to the surface tension (F<M×g), and the water will drip, and the generation of a meniscus can be suppressed.

[0063] (Embodiment 4) FIG. 9 is a schematic side view showing a meniscus suppression structure 27 formed below the heat exchanger 22 according to Embodiment 4 (a form in which the spacer 234 protrudes). The first heat exchange flow path 221 is formed by a plurality of laminated plate members 232, and a spacer 234 for maintaining the separation distance between the plate members 232 is disposed between two adjacent plate members 232. Between two adjacent plate members 232, for example, three spacers 234 are interposed and disposed, and these three spacers 234 are disposed at the center and both ends of the plate member 232, respectively. As a result, two exhaust paths 231 are formed between two adjacent plate members 232.

[0064] In this embodiment, the lower end of the spacer 234 disposed at the center of the plate member 232 protrudes downward from the plate member 232, thereby forming a ridge line by the discharge end 271 of the meniscus suppression structure 27. That is, the meniscus suppression structure 27 is formed by the lower end of the plate member 232, the protruding portion of the spacer 234 protruding downward from the plate member 232, and the lower end that is the lowest part of the protruding portion. In this case, one or more vertical grooves may be formed downward, i.e., along the vertical direction, on the side surface of the protruding portion of the spacer 234 protruding downward from the plate member 232.

[0065] Although the lower end of the spacer 234 arranged in the center of the plate member 232 protrudes downward from the plate member 232 in the above description, the present invention is not limited to this, and the lower end of the spacer 234 arranged at either end of the plate member 232 may protrude downward from the plate member 232 to form a ridge line formed by the discharge end 271 of the meniscus suppression structure 27. In this way, the ridge line formed by the discharge end 271 of the meniscus suppression structure 27 is formed by the lower end of the plate member 232 and one end of the spacer 234 protruding downward from the lower end, and by guiding water that has reached the lower end of the plate member 232 along the ridge line, it is possible to guide the water to one end of the spacer 234 protruding downward and drip downward from the one end of the spacer 234.

[0066] (Embodiment 5) 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a meniscus suppression structure 27 formed by a contact member 270 (having an inclined ridgeline) disposed below the heat exchanger 22 according to the fifth embodiment (contact member 270). The contact member 270, which contacts the lower part of the first heat exchange passage 221, is disposed below the first heat exchange passage 221, i.e., directly below the lower opening of the first heat exchange passage 221. The contact member 270 constitutes the meniscus suppression structure 27, and the lower end of the contact member 270 forms a ridgeline defined by the discharge end 271 of the meniscus suppression structure 27. The contact member 270 constituting the meniscus suppression structure 27 may be formed, for example, at a portion below the heat exchanger case 24 that houses the heat exchanger 22, or as a portion of the internal structure of the main body 11 that corresponds to the heat exchanger case 24 when the heat exchanger case 24 is installed inside the main body 11.

[0067] The contact members 270 constituting the meniscus suppression structure 27 may include contact plates corresponding to the plate members 232 constituting the first heat exchange flow path 221. In this case, the upper ends of the contact plates contact the lower ends of the plate members 232. In addition, the lower ends of the contact plates have a predetermined inclination angle with respect to a line perpendicular to the vertical direction, i.e., the horizontal line, similar to the lower ends of the plate members 232 in the first embodiment, and form the ridge line of the discharge end 271 of the meniscus suppression structure 27.

[0068] In this way, by arranging the contact member 270 constituting the meniscus suppression structure 27 in contact with the lower end of the plate member 232 constituting the first heat exchange passage 221, water that has passed through the first heat exchange passage 221 can be guided from the plate member 232 to the contact plate of the contact member 270 and drip downward using the lower end of the contact member 270, i.e., the ridge line of the meniscus suppression structure 27 having an inclination angle. This makes it possible to efficiently suppress the generation of a meniscus at the lower opening of the first heat exchange passage 221.

[0069] 11 is a schematic perspective view showing the meniscus suppression structure 27 formed by a contact member 270 (with staggered ridgelines) disposed below the heat exchanger 22. In this embodiment, the contact member 270 disposed below the first heat exchange flow path 221 includes a plurality of contact plates, and the contact plates may be disposed alternately with respect to the stacked plate members 232. That is, the upper end of the contact plate of the contact member 270 contacts the lower end of the plate member 232. In this manner, of two adjacent plate members 232, the contact member 270 contacts one plate member 232 and the contact member 270 does not contact the other plate member 232. By combining the plate members 232 and the contact members 270, it is possible to form the discharge end 271 of the meniscus suppression structure 27 having portions with different lengths in the vertical direction.

[0070] The ridge line formed by the discharge end 271 of the meniscus suppression structure 27 is formed by a ridge line formed by the lower end of the plate member 232 that does not contact the contact member 270, and a ridge line formed by the lower end of the contact member 270 whose upper end contacts the lower end of the plate member 232, and these ridge lines are not located on the same horizontal plane, as in the third embodiment. Therefore, two adjacent plate members 232 can be made to have a difference in level in the vertical direction depending on whether or not the contact member 270 is arranged, and the generation of a meniscus at the lower opening of the first heat exchange passage 221 can be efficiently suppressed.

[0071] In this embodiment, a water supply body 26 is disposed above a heat exchanger 22 having a heat exchange flow path, and supplies water by dripping it into the heat exchange flow path. The water supplied from the water supply body 26 enters the heat exchange flow path from above and mixes with the exhaust gas flowing from below the heat exchange flow path, where a portion of the water vaporizes. The unvaporized water reaches the lower portion of the heat exchange flow path in liquid form, passes through the heat exchange flow path, and is collected in a drain pan 91 disposed below the heat exchange flow path. If the opening below the heat exchange flow path is relatively narrow, some of the liquid water that reaches the lower portion of the heat exchange flow path adheres to the lower opening of the heat exchange flow path, i.e., the exhaust gas inlet of the heat exchange flow path, without dripping into the drain pan 91, and forms a meniscus that blocks the lower opening (exhaust gas inlet). In response to this, a meniscus suppression structure 27 having an outlet end 271 with different lengths in the vertical direction is formed at the lower portion of the heat exchange flow path of the air conditioner 1. The discharge ends 271 with different vertical lengths are formed by multiple plate portions constituting the heat exchange flow path. The different vertical lengths may be determined by the shape of a single plate portion, or by the shape of two adjacent plate portions. Alternatively, the discharge ends 271 with different vertical lengths may be separate portions that contact the plate portions. The discharge ends 271 with different vertical lengths form a ridgeline in the meniscus suppression structure 27 that suppresses water accumulation. The ridgeline of the discharge end 271 included in the meniscus suppression structure 27 prevents the destruction or creation of a meniscus, allowing water that has passed through the heat exchange flow path to efficiently drip into the drain pan 91. In other words, by directing water along the ridgeline of the discharge end 271 of the meniscus suppression structure 27, a bias is created in the accumulation of water at the opening located at the bottom of the heat exchange flow path. This allows the water to flow down by its own weight before forming a meniscus across the entire width of the opening, thereby ensuring the opening of the heat exchange flow path.In this way, when air conditioner 1 is in a normal installation state, by arranging water supply body 26, heat exchange flow path of heat exchanger 22, meniscus suppression structure 27, and drain pan 91 in this order from top to bottom, water supplied from water supply body 26 to the heat exchange flow path of heat exchanger 22 can drip into drain pan 91 without generating a meniscus at the lower opening of the heat exchange flow path. This prevents the lower opening of the heat exchange flow path, i.e., the exhaust gas inlet in the heat exchange flow path, from being blocked by water, ensuring a sufficient flow path cross-sectional area, suppressing an increase in ventilation resistance when the exhaust gas flows, and ensuring the heat exchange efficiency of heat exchanger 22.

[0072] In this embodiment, multiple ridges are formed at the lower end of the meniscus suppression structure 27. Each of these multiple ridges may be formed by the lower ends of multiple stacked plate members 232 that form the heat exchange flow path. In normal use, with the air conditioner 1 placed on a horizontal surface such as a floor, the flow path direction of the heat exchange flow path is vertical, i.e., parallel to the direction of gravity. Water dripping from the water supply body 26 flows downward through the heat exchange flow path due to gravity. At this time, at least some of the multiple ridges formed at the lower end of the meniscus suppression structure 27 are inclined, for example, by approximately 10° relative to a line perpendicular to the flow path direction of the heat exchange flow path, i.e., the horizontal line. A predetermined inclination angle is formed between any of the ridges and the line perpendicular to the flow path direction of the heat exchange flow path. The inclination angle may be set, for example, between 3° and 60°. By providing some of the ridges with an inclination angle, the multiple ridges formed at the lower end of the meniscus suppression structure 27 are configured so that they are not located on the same horizontal plane. Alternatively, all of the ridges formed at the lower end of the meniscus suppression structure 27 may have an inclination angle. Since the ridges of the meniscus suppression structure 27 have a predetermined inclination angle relative to a perpendicular line perpendicular to the vertical direction, i.e., the horizontal line, water reaching the meniscus suppression structure 27 located at the lower part of the heat exchange flow path is collected at the lowermost part of the ridge along the inclination angle of the ridge formed at the lower end of the meniscus suppression structure 27. When the weight of the water collected at the lowermost part of the ridge exceeds the surface tension between the water and the meniscus suppression structure 27, the water collected at the lowermost part of the ridge drips from the meniscus suppression structure 27 and is collected in a drain pan 91 located below the meniscus suppression structure 27. This relatively simple structure, in which the ridges formed at the lower end of the meniscus suppression structure 27 are inclined at a predetermined inclination angle relative to a perpendicular line perpendicular to the vertical direction, i.e., the horizontal line, can suppress the generation of a meniscus at the lower opening of the heat exchange flow path and ensure the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger 22.

[0073] In this embodiment, the heat exchange flow path is formed by a plurality of stacked plate members 232, and the lower ends of the plate members 232 form the ridge line of the meniscus suppression structure 27. That is, the plurality of plate members 232 constituting the heat exchange flow path include the meniscus suppression structure 27. Among the plurality of stacked plate members 232, the shapes of the lower ends of two adjacent plate members 232 may be different. For example, the ridge line formed by the lower end of one plate member 232 and the ridge line formed by the lower end of the other plate member 232 may intersect in a side view from the stacking direction. That is, the ridge line formed by the lower end of one plate member 232 may be inclined upward, and the ridge line formed by the lower end of the other plate member 232 may be inclined downward. Alternatively, among two adjacent plate members 232, only the ridge line formed by the lower end of one of the plate members 232 may be inclined. By making the shapes of the lower ends of two adjacent plate members 232 different in this way, an inclination angle can be formed by two adjacent ridge lines in the meniscus suppression structure 27, and water that reaches the lower ends of the two adjacent plate members 232 can be guided along the ridge lines having an inclination angle, thereby suppressing the generation of a meniscus at the lower opening of the heat exchange flow path.

[0074] In this embodiment, among the plurality of plate members 232 forming the heat exchange flow path, the distances between the drain pan 91 and the lower ends of two adjacent plate members 232 are different, i.e., the downward protrusion lengths of the lower ends of two adjacent plate members 232 are different. By creating a difference between the downward protrusion length of one plate member 232 and the downward protrusion length of the other plate member 232 among two adjacent plate members 232 in this way, it is possible to configure the heights of the ridge lines formed by the lower ends of one plate member 232 and the ridge lines formed by the lower ends of the other plate member 232 to be staggered. As a result, the weight of water accumulated at the lower ends of the two adjacent plate members 232 cannot be supported by the lower end of the plate member 232 located below, i.e., the lower-stage side, alone, forming the staggered configuration, and the water can drip off. In this way, with a relatively simple structure in which the distance between the lower end of one plate member 232 and the drain pan 91 is different from the distance between the lower end of the other plate member 232 and the drain pan 91, the occurrence of a meniscus at the lower opening of the heat exchange flow path can be suppressed.

[0075] In this embodiment, a spacer 234 is disposed between two adjacent plate members 232 of the plurality of plate members 232 that form the heat exchange flow path, maintaining a distance between the plate members 232. The spacer 234 is, for example, configured as an elongated body having a rectangular cross-sectional shape. One end of the elongated spacer 234 protrudes from below the heat exchange flow path, and this protruding end of the spacer 234, together with the lower end of the plate member 232, forms the discharge end 271 of the meniscus suppression structure 27. In this case, a vertical groove for guiding water may be formed downward on the side surface of the spacer 234. As a result, the ridge line of the meniscus suppression structure 27 is formed by the lower end of the plate member 232 and one end of the spacer 234 protruding downward from the lower end. Therefore, by aligning the ridge line, water that reaches the lower end of the plate member 232 can be guided to one end of the spacer 234 protruding downward and drip downward from one end of the spacer 234. In this way, with a relatively simple structure in which one end of the spacer 234 protrudes from below the heat exchange flow path, it is possible to prevent the generation of a meniscus at the opening below the heat exchange flow path.

[0076] In this embodiment, a contact member 270 configured separately from the heat exchanger 22 is disposed in the lower portion of the heat exchange flow path, i.e., between the heat exchanger 22 and the drain pan 91. The contact member 270 is disposed in contact with the lower portion of the heat exchange flow path and functions as the meniscus suppression structure 27. The contact member 270 includes a plurality of stacked contact plates, and the upper ends of these contact plates contact the lower ends of the plurality of plate members 232 that form the first heat exchange flow. The lower ends of the plurality of contact plates included in the contact member 270 form the ridgeline of the meniscus suppression structure 27 and may be formed, for example, at a predetermined inclination angle with respect to the horizontal line. Alternatively, the lower ends of the plurality of contact plates included in the contact member 270 may be configured to have different downward protrusion lengths between adjacent contact plates, resulting in staggered heights, thereby forming the ridgeline of the meniscus suppression structure 27. In this staggered configuration, the multiple contact plates included in the contact member 270 may be arranged alternately with respect to the multiple stacked plate members 232. By forming the meniscus suppression structure 27 in the contact member 270, which is separate from the heat exchanger 22, it is possible to suppress the generation of a meniscus at the lower opening of the heat exchange flow path. Furthermore, since the meniscus suppression structure 27 formed by the contact member 270 forms part of the heat exchanger case 24 that houses the heat exchanger 22 or the main body 11 in which the heat exchanger case 24 is installed, it is not necessary to form the meniscus suppression structure 27 in the heat exchanger 22.

[0077] In this embodiment, the inner surface of the heat exchange flow path is made of a wettable material. That is, the inner surfaces of the plurality of plate members 232 that make up the heat exchange flow path are made of a wettable material. When forming the heat exchange flow path, the inner surfaces of the stacked plurality of plate members 232 are the surfaces that come into contact with the air flowing through the heat exchange flow path. A wettable material, such as a water-absorbent nonwoven fabric, may be attached to the inner surface of the plate member 232. In this case, the plate member 232 functions as a membrane member. By forming the inner surface of the heat exchange flow path from a wettable material such as a nonwoven fabric, it is possible to absorb and retain water from the water supply body 26, increasing the contact time with the air flowing through the heat exchange flow path and promoting water evaporation, thereby improving the cooling capacity of the air.

[0078] In this embodiment, the heat exchange passage is a first heat exchange passage 221 through which exhaust air flows, and the heat exchanger 22 includes the first heat exchange passage 221 and a second heat exchange passage 222 through which supply air flows. The heat exchanger 22 functions as a sensible heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the exhaust air flowing through the first heat exchange passage 221 and the supply air flowing through the second heat exchange passage 222, and the air conditioner 1 including the heat exchanger 22 is an indirect evaporative cooling type air conditioner 1. In this way, even in an indirect evaporative cooling type air conditioner 1, the meniscus suppression structure 27 having a ridgeline that suppresses water accumulation can be applied to suppress the generation of a meniscus at the lower opening of the first heat exchange passage 221, suppress an increase in ventilation resistance of the first heat exchange passage 221 through which exhaust air flows, and ensure the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger 22.

[0079] Multiple claims may be combined with each other regardless of the form of reference. Multiple dependent claims may be included in the claims, depending on multiple claims. Multiple dependent claims may be included in a multiple dependent claim. If multiple dependent claims are not included in a multiple dependent claim, this does not limit the number of multiple dependent claims that are included in a multiple dependent claim.

[0080] The embodiments disclosed herein are to be considered as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above meaning, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1 Air conditioner 11 Main unit (casing) 100 Top 101 1st side (front) 102 Second side (right side) 103 Third side (back) 104 4th side (left side) 105 Bottom surface 111 Cover 112 Detachable opening 113 Passage gate 2 Cooling Unit 21 Evaporative filter 211 Water supply section for evaporation filter 22 Heat exchanger (sensible heat exchanger) 221 First heat exchange channel 222 Second heat exchange channel 231 Exhaust Path 232 Plate members 234 Spacer 24 Heat exchanger case 241 Gripping part 25 Water supply end 26 Water supply body (water supply section for sensible heat exchanger) 27 Meniscus suppression structure 270 Contact member 271 Discharge end 3 Intake port 31 Dust collection filter 32 Suction passage 4 Exhaust passage (first passage) 43 Exhaust outlet 5. Air supply channel (second channel) 51 Air supply outlet 6 Fan motor 61 Exhaust fan 62 Air supply fan 7. Tank 71 First Tank 72 Second Tank 8 Supply waterway 9. Recovery Channel 91 Drain pan

Claims

1. a heat exchanger including a heat exchange passage through which air and water flow; a water supply body that supplies water from above the heat exchange flow path; a drain pan for receiving water supplied from the water supply body and passed through the heat exchange flow path; A meniscus suppression structure is formed at the bottom of the heat exchange flow path, which is a discharge end through which water that has flowed through the heat exchange flow path passes when being discharged to the outside of the heat exchanger, and which defines a discharge end that has a difference in the up and down direction. Air conditioner.

2. At least some of the ridge lines formed by the plurality of discharge ends at the lower end of the meniscus suppression structure are inclined with respect to the horizontal line. The air conditioner according to claim 1.

3. the heat exchange passage is formed by a plurality of plate members stacked in a stacking direction, a lower end of the plate member forms a ridge line with the discharge end of the meniscus suppression structure; By making the shapes of the lower ends of the two adjacent plate members different, an inclination angle is formed by the two adjacent ridge lines in the meniscus suppression structure. The air conditioner according to claim 1.

4. In the stacked plate members, a ridge line of the discharge end defined by the lower end of one plate member intersects with a ridge line of the discharge end defined by the lower end of the other plate member when viewed from the side in the stacking direction. The air conditioner according to claim 3.

5. In the plurality of stacked plate members, only the ridge line of the discharge end formed by the lower end of any one of the plate members is inclined with respect to the horizontal line. The air conditioner according to claim 3.

6. the heat exchange passage is formed by a plurality of stacked plate members, The discharge end of the meniscus suppression structure is formed by making the distance between the lower end of one plate member and the drain pan different from the distance between the lower end of the other plate member and the drain pan in two adjacent plate members. The air conditioner according to claim 1.

7. the heat exchange passage is formed by a plurality of stacked plate members, a spacer is disposed between two adjacent plate members to maintain a separation distance between the plate members; The spacer projects from below the heat exchange passage to form the discharge end of the meniscus suppression structure. The air conditioner according to claim 1.

8. the meniscus suppression structure is configured as a contact member that is disposed in contact with a lower portion of the heat exchange flow path and is separate from the heat exchanger, The meniscus suppression structure formed by the contact member forms a part of a heat exchanger case that houses the heat exchanger or a main body in which the heat exchanger case is installed. The air conditioner according to claim 1.

9. The inner surface of the heat exchange passage is made of a wettable material. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

10. the heat exchange passage is a first heat exchange passage through which exhaust gas flows, The heat exchanger comprises: a second heat exchange flow path through which the supply air flows; Heat is exchanged between the exhaust air flowing through the heat exchange passage and the supply air flowing through the second heat exchange passage. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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