Air-conditioning device

Abstract

To allow a stable operation for a long period of time while sufficiently cooling a switchboard without allowing an entry of foreign substance into a housing.SOLUTION: An air-conditioning device includes:a fan 22; a freezing cycle having a cooling part 26 with evaporators 26a, 26b for cooling air and adjusting a temperature and humidity, a condenser 24a for condensing a coolant, and a compressor 23 for pressure-feeding the coolant; a switchboard 27 having a power source 27a for supplying power to the fan 22 and the compressor 23; and a housing 10 for storing the fan 22, the cooling part 26, the compressor 23, and the switchboard 27. The housing 10 is configured to form a lower storage part Sa in which an air inlet Hi is provided and the fan 22 and the compressor 23 are stored, and an upper storage part Sb in which an air outlet Ho is provided and partitioned with respect to the lower storage part Sa, and the evaporators 26a, 26b and the switchboard 27 are stored. An air supply port Hs is provided on an air guide path L for supplying a part of air that has passed through the cooling part 26 into the upper storage part Sb.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioner configured to be able to adjust at least one of temperature and humidity by cooling air to be adjusted using an evaporator. [Background technology]

[0002] As an example of this type of air conditioning device, the following patent document discloses an invention for an outdoor air treatment machine configured to adjust the temperature and humidity of outside air and supply it indoors. This outdoor air treatment machine includes a heat pump unit and a boiler unit, both of which are integrated. Furthermore, this outdoor air treatment machine houses the components of each of the above units in a metal casing divided into three sections: a lower casing, a middle casing, and an upper casing (hereinafter referred to as the "lower casing section," "middle casing," and "upper casing").

[0003] Specifically, the lower storage compartment houses the boiler and hot water tank of the boiler unit, and the compressor of the heat pump unit. The middle storage compartment houses the condenser (reheater) and evaporator of the heat pump unit, two heat transfer water coils that heat air with heat transfer water (hot water) supplied from the hot water tank of the boiler unit, and a humidifier. It also has an opening (hereinafter also referred to as an "inlet") on one of the left and right sides for introducing outside air, and an opening (hereinafter also referred to as an "exhaust port") on the other of the left and right sides for exhausting (supplying to the room, etc.) temperature- and humidity-adjusted air. The upper storage compartment houses the condenser and exhaust fan (condenser fan) of the heat pump unit, and also has openings (hereinafter also referred to as an "opening") on the left and right sides for introducing outside air, and an opening (hereinafter also referred to as an "opening") on the top (top) for exhausting air whose temperature has increased due to heat exchange with the condenser.

[0004] In this case, in this outside air treatment machine, outside air (air) moving from an inlet opening in the middle accommodation section toward an exhaust outlet passes through one heat transfer water coil, evaporator, condenser, humidifier, and the other heat transfer water coil in that order, and these components are accommodated in the middle accommodation section in a horizontally arranged state. As a result, in this outside air treatment machine, by appropriately adjusting the degree of cooling and dehumidification by the evaporator, humidification by the humidifier, and heating by both heat transfer water coils and the condenser, it is possible to arbitrarily adjust the temperature and humidity of the air introduced from the exhaust outlet and exhaust (supply) it into the room from the exhaust outlet. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-109494 A (pages 3-7, figures 1-4) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the outside air processing device disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document has the following problems to be solved.

[0007] Specifically, as described above, the above-mentioned outdoor air treatment machine employs a configuration in which air introduced from an inlet passes through one heat transfer water coil, an evaporator, a condenser, a humidifier, and the other heat transfer water coil in this order toward the exhaust port, and the temperature and humidity of the air are adjusted by cooling and dehumidifying by the evaporator, humidifying by the humidifier, and heating by both heat transfer water coils and the condenser. Note that the heating of air by both heat transfer water coils in the above-mentioned outdoor air treatment machine is not directly related to the invention of the air conditioner of the present application, so hereinafter, explanations of the configuration and operation of the boiler unit (the presence of both heat transfer water coils, the heating of air by both heat transfer water coils, etc.) will be omitted.

[0008] In this case, this type of air conditioner employs a configuration in which the rotation speed of the electric motors (motors) in the compressor and blower is changed to change the amount of refrigerant pumped and the amount of air supplied. A power supply unit that supplies power to these motors is housed in a housing (casing) along with the various components of the refrigeration cycle. As explained in paragraph

[0031] and subsequent paragraphs of the above-mentioned patent document, this type of air conditioner also includes a control unit that controls the operation of each unit to regulate temperature and humidity. In this case, the power supply unit includes heat-generating components such as an inverter, and its temperature rises to very high temperatures when power is supplied. Furthermore, recent air conditioners require the air conditioner to continuously adjust the degree of temperature and humidity regulation in response to changes in the operating environment and fluctuations in the load on the target, which increases the load on the control unit and increases the amount of heat generated. Therefore, when the air conditioner is operating, the control unit, which is located in the power supply unit and the distribution board, also rises to very high temperatures.

[0009] This type of air conditioner is often installed outdoors. When installed outdoors, the inside of the casing becomes extremely hot due to heat generated by the power distribution board (power supply unit and control unit) and sunlight. Therefore, during the summer, when sunlight is strong and the sunshine duration is long, the power supply unit may become excessively hot, reducing the efficiency of power supply to each component, and the control unit may become excessively hot, making it difficult to properly control the unit. While some systems use a fan to circulate air within the casing to cool the power distribution board, it is difficult to adequately cool the power distribution board even if the air is heated by heat generated not only by the power distribution board but also by the compressor motor in the refrigeration cycle and the fan motor that blows the air to be conditioned. Furthermore, when a system is used to cool the power distribution board by introducing outside air into the casing, foreign matter such as moisture and dust may enter the casing along with the outside air, potentially causing malfunctions of each component.

[0010] The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems to be solved, and its main purpose is to provide an air conditioning unit that can sufficiently cool a distribution board and continue stable operation for a long period of time without allowing foreign matter to enter the housing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, the air conditioning device according to claim 1 comprises a blower that compresses and sends air to be adjusted in at least one of temperature and humidity, a cooling unit having an evaporator that is arranged to allow the air compressed by the blower to pass through and that cools the air to adjust at least one of the temperature and humidity, a refrigeration cycle having a condenser that condenses refrigerant to be supplied to the evaporator and a compressor that compresses and sends the refrigerant, and a power distribution panel that has a power supply unit that supplies power to the blower and the compressor, and a cooling unit that houses at least the blower, the evaporator, the compressor, and the power distribution panel. and a housing, the housing being configured to be able to form a lower housing section in which an air inlet is provided and in which at least the blower and the compressor are housed, and an upper housing section in which an air exhaust port is provided and which is disposed above the lower housing section and separated from the lower housing section and in which at least the evaporator and the distribution board are housed, and an air supply section is disposed in an air guide path that guides the air compressed by the blower to the exhaust port and supplies a portion of the air that has passed through the evaporator into the upper housing section.

[0012] The air conditioner of claim 2 is the air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the air supply section is provided with a guide pipe that guides a portion of the air that has passed through the evaporator from the air guide duct to the vicinity of the distribution board.

[0013] The air conditioning device of claim 3 is the air conditioning device of claim 1, wherein the inlet is opened to a side surface of the lower storage section and the exhaust port is opened to a side surface of the upper storage section, the blower is composed of a centrifugal fan and is housed in the lower storage section so as to be able to exhaust the air drawn in from the inlet upward, the air guide path has a first guide section that guides the air exhausted from the blower diagonally upward with respect to the inlet surface of the air in the evaporator, and a second guide section that guides the air that has passed through the evaporator towards the exhaust port on the side, and is configured so that the direction of travel of the air from the inlet to the blower and the direction of travel of the air from the evaporator to the exhaust port are the same in a plan view.

[0014] The air conditioning device of claim 4 is the air conditioning device of claim 1, which has a condenser that condenses at least a portion of the refrigerant supplied to the evaporator, and is equipped with a heating section that is arranged downstream of the evaporator in the air guide path and is configured to be able to heat the air by heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air in the condenser. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The air conditioning device described in claim 1 comprises a housing capable of housing at least a blower, an evaporator, a compressor, and a distribution board, and the housing is provided with an air inlet and is configured to form a lower housing section in which at least the blower and compressor are housed, and an upper housing section in which an air exhaust port is provided and which is located above the lower housing section and separated from the lower housing section, and in which at least the evaporator and distribution board are housed, and an air supply section is arranged in an air guide path that guides air compressed by the blower to the exhaust port, and supplies a portion of the air that has passed through the evaporator into the upper housing section.

[0016] Therefore, according to the air conditioning device of claim 1, the distribution board is cooled by low-temperature air cooled by the cooling unit (evaporator), which reliably prevents the temperature of the distribution board from rising, compared to, for example, a configuration in which a cooling fan is attached to the distribution board and the air is circulated within the upper housing. This allows for stable power supply from the distribution board to the components of the air conditioning device, and also prevents malfunctions caused by abnormal heating, ensuring stable operation. Furthermore, because the air supplied from the air supply unit creates positive pressure within the upper housing in which the distribution board is housed, it is possible to prevent air in the lower housing, which has become heated due to heat generated by the compressor or blower, from entering the upper housing. This reliably prevents the temperature of the distribution board from rising due to heat generated by the compressor or blower.

[0017] In the air conditioner of claim 2, the air intake section is provided with a guide pipe that guides a portion of the air that has passed through the evaporator from the air guide duct to the vicinity of the switchboard. Therefore, according to the air conditioner of claim 2, the low-temperature air that is supplied to the upper housing section from the air guide duct is not heated by components other than the switchboard (for example, the housing), and is guided by the guide piping while maintaining a low temperature to the vicinity of the switchboard, thereby making it possible to cool the switchboard more effectively.

[0018] In the air conditioning device described in claim 3, the inlet is opened on a side surface of the lower storage section, and the exhaust port is opened on a side surface of the upper storage section, the blower is composed of a centrifugal fan and is housed in the lower storage section so that the air drawn in from the inlet can be exhausted upward, the air guide path has a first guide section that guides the air exhausted from the blower diagonally upward with respect to the air inlet surface of the evaporator, and a second guide section that guides the air that has passed through the evaporator towards the exhaust port on the side, and is configured so that the direction of travel of the air from the inlet to the blower and the direction of travel of the air from the evaporator to the exhaust port are the same in a plan view.

[0019] Therefore, according to the air conditioner of claim 3, since the blower is disposed in the lower housing, it is possible to avoid an unstable state in which a heavy motor is present in the upper housing, and since the cooling unit is disposed in the upper housing, it is possible to sufficiently reduce the area required for installation of the air conditioner compared to a configuration in which the cooling unit is disposed in the lower housing together with the blower, and it is possible to drain the moisture (condensed water: drain water) separated from the air by cooling in the cooling unit by allowing it to flow down by its own weight without requiring a drain pump or the like to drain it out of the housing. Furthermore, it is possible to move air smoothly from the inlet to the outlet compared to a configuration in which the air intake and exhaust directions are reversed, for example.

[0020] The air conditioner described in claim 4 has a condenser that condenses at least a portion of the refrigerant supplied to the evaporator, and a heating unit disposed downstream of the evaporator in the air guide duct and configured to heat the air by heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air in the condenser. Therefore, the air conditioner described in claim 4 can prevent air cooled in the cooling unit from being supplied to the target, thereby preventing condensation around the intake air duct and excessively low temperatures (room temperatures) of the target. Furthermore, by heating the air using heat radiation from the condenser, the temperature of the air supplied to the target can be increased more efficiently and at lower cost than, for example, a configuration with a heating unit that heats the air using an electric heater. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an outside air processing air conditioner 1. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the air conditioner body 2 in the outside air processing air conditioner 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the internal structure of the air conditioner main body 2. [Figure 4] 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the configuration of a cooling section 26 in an air conditioner main body 2. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] Hereinafter, an embodiment of an air conditioner will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] First, the configuration of the outside air processing air conditioner 1 will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] The outdoor air processing air conditioner 1 shown in Figure 1 is an example of an "air conditioning device" and is installed outdoors, such as on the ground, a balcony, or a roof, and is configured to adjust the temperature and humidity of outdoor air (air: an example of "air to be adjusted") and supply it to a room, which is an example of a "supply target." This outdoor air processing air conditioner 1, as an example, comprises an air conditioner main body 2 and a condenser unit 3 configured separately from the air conditioner main body 2 and connected to the air conditioner main body 2.

[0025] The air conditioner main body 2, together with the condenser unit 3, constitutes the outdoor air processing air conditioner 1, and is also a device that constitutes an "air conditioning device" on its own, and is equipped with a filter 21, a blower 22, a compressor 23, a heating section 24, expansion valves 25a, 25b, a cooling section 26, a distribution board 27, etc., and as shown in Figures 2 and 3, these are housed in a housing 10 to form a unit.

[0026] The housing 10 corresponds to a "housing" and, as an example, is formed from a metal plate in the shape of a vertically elongated rectangular parallelepiped, with its interior divided into two housing sections: a lower housing section Sa (an example of a "lower housing section") and an upper housing section Sb (an example of an "upper housing section"). The lower housing section Sa is provided with an inlet Hi (an example of an "inlet") for introducing air to be conditioned and a unidirectional exhaust port Hv (a one-way vent) for discharging air from the lower housing section Sa (excluding air in the air guide channel L, described below). The upper housing section Sb is provided with an exhaust port Ho (an example of an "exhaust port") for discharging air whose temperature and humidity have been conditioned. In this case, in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, the inlet Hi is provided on one side of the housing 10, the exhaust port Ho is formed on the side opposite the side on which the inlet Hi is provided, and the exhaust port Hv is provided on the bottom surface of the housing 10.

[0027] Furthermore, a communication hole Hb that allows air to move from the upper storage section Sb to the lower storage section Sa is opened in the partition wall (the portion that constitutes the top plate of the lower storage section Sa and the bottom plate of the upper storage section Sb) that separates the lower storage section Sa and the upper storage section Sb. Furthermore, an air guide path L (an example of an "air guide path") that guides air from the inlet port Hi toward the exhaust port Ho is provided within the housing 10. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, an air intake port Hs (a hole which constitutes the "air intake section" together with the guide piping Gp described later) is opened downstream of the cooling section 26 in the air guide duct L to supply part of the air cooled by heat exchange with the refrigerant in the cooling section 26 into the upper accommodation section Sb (to exhaust air from inside the air guide duct L to the outside of the air guide duct L within the upper accommodation section Sb), as will be described later. However, with the exception of this air intake port Hs, the entire air guide duct L provided in the air conditioner main body 2 from the inlet Hi to the exhaust port Ho is isolated from its surroundings (outside the air guide duct L in the lower accommodation section Sa and the upper accommodation section Sb).

[0028] Furthermore, in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, the lower accommodation section Sa and upper accommodation section Sb are isolated and sealed from the outside of the housing 10, excluding the above-mentioned inlet Hi and exhaust ports Ho and Hv. This prevents foreign matter from entering the housing 10 (areas in the lower accommodation section Sa and upper accommodation section Sb other than the air guide passage L) in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example. Furthermore, in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, a hood F with an opening facing downward is attached to the inlet Hi to prevent rainwater, snow, fallen leaves, and the like from entering the air guide passage L.

[0029] The filter 21 is a filtering device for preventing the intrusion of foreign matter into the air duct L (the suction of rainwater, snow, fallen leaves, insects, animals, dust, and the like into the air duct L), and is attached to the housing 10 so as to close the inlet Hi. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 3, the air conditioner main body 2 of this example has, as an example, two types of filters arranged in this order along the air passage direction: a liquid droplet removal filter 21a (eliminator) for preventing the intrusion of rainwater, snow, fallen leaves, insects, animals, and the like, and a dust removal filter 21b (a nonwoven fabric filter, as an example) for preventing the intrusion of small dust particles and water droplets that have passed through the liquid droplet removal filter 21a.

[0030] Blower 22 is an example of a "blower that compresses and sends air to be conditioned," and as shown in Fig. 3, is configured as a centrifugal electric fan (an example of a "centrifugal fan") having impeller 22a rotated by motor 22b, and is disposed in air guide duct L between filter 21 and cooling section 26. In this case, in air conditioner main body 2 of this example, inlet Hi is present in the axial direction of the rotation shaft of impeller 22a (shaft of motor 22b), and blower 22 is installed in housing 10 so that the exhaust port of blower 22 faces upward, thereby adopting a configuration in which air taken into blower 22 via inlet Hi is exhausted upward from blower 22.

[0031] The compressor 23 pressure-feeds the refrigerant to a condenser 24a in the heating section 24 described below and a condenser 31 (see FIG. 1) in the condenser unit 3. The heating section 24 is an example of a "heating section" and includes a condenser 24a, which is an example of a "condenser," and is disposed downstream of the cooling section 26 in the air guide passage L (a guide passage G2 described below). As described below, the heating section 24 (condenser 24a) condenses a portion of the refrigerant supplied to each of the evaporators 26a1-26a4, 26b1-26b4 of the cooling section 26 by heat exchange with the air in the air guide passage L, and heats (reheats) the air cooled in the cooling section 26. The expansion valves 25a, 25b are, for example, electronic expansion valves and discharge a required amount of refrigerant to the cooling section 26.

[0032] Cooling unit 26 is an example of a "cooling unit" and is configured to be able to adjust the temperature and humidity by cooling the air to be adjusted. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 4, cooling unit 26 includes evaporators 26a1 to 26a4 (N=4 first evaporators: hereinafter, also referred to as "evaporator 26a" when not distinguished) and evaporators 26b1 to 26b4 (M=4 first evaporators: hereinafter, also referred to as "evaporator 26b" when not distinguished) arranged in air guide channel L to allow air compressed and sent by blower 22 to pass through, and drain pans 26p arranged below each of evaporators 26a and 26b.

[0033] The evaporators 26a are arranged vertically in an upright position such that the air inlet surface (in this example, the left surface of each evaporator 26a) intersects with the direction of air flow in the air guide passage L (the direction of arrow A2 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) and the refrigerant inlet Pi is positioned higher than the refrigerant outlet Po. The evaporators 26b are arranged vertically in an upright position such that the air inlet surface (in this example, the left surface of each evaporator 26b) intersects with the direction of air flow in the air guide passage L (the direction of arrow A1 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) and the refrigerant inlet Pi is positioned higher than the refrigerant outlet Po. Note that the phrase "an evaporator arranged vertically" refers to a state in which the air inlet surface of the evaporator is at an angle of 45° to 135° with respect to the horizontal.

[0034] In this case, in the cooling section 26 of the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, each evaporator 26b is arranged upstream in the air flow direction within the air guide duct L, and each evaporator 26a is arranged downstream in the air flow direction. Also, in the cooling section 26 of this example, the refrigerant piping is connected so that the refrigerant that has passed through any one of the evaporators 26a can be passed through any one of the evaporators 26b, and the refrigerant that has passed through any other one of the evaporators 26a can be passed through any other one of the evaporators 26b.

[0035] Furthermore, in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, the evaporators 26a and 26b are arranged so that the refrigerant inlet Pi of any of the evaporators 26b is not located higher than the refrigerant outlet Po of any of the evaporators 26a, and the refrigerant inlet Pi of any of the other evaporators 26b is not located higher than the refrigerant outlet Po of any of the other evaporators 26a. Specifically, in the cooling section 26 of the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, the evaporators 26a, 26b are arranged so that the refrigerant inlet Pi of evaporator 26b1 and the refrigerant outlet Po of evaporator 26a1 are at the same height, the refrigerant inlet Pi of evaporator 26b2 and the refrigerant outlet Po of evaporator 26a2 are at the same height, the refrigerant inlet Pi of evaporator 26b3 and the refrigerant outlet Po of evaporator 26a3 are at the same height, and the refrigerant inlet Pi of evaporator 26b4 and the refrigerant outlet Po of evaporator 26a4 are at the same height.

[0036] 1, the switchboard 27 is an example of a "switchboard" and includes a power supply unit 27a (an example of a "power supply unit") that supplies power to the blower 22, the compressor 23, the expansion valves 25a, 25b, etc., and a control unit 27b that performs overall control of each unit of the air conditioner main body 2. In this case, the switchboard 27 is housed in the upper housing unit Sb in the housing 10, as will be described later, to prevent the switchboard 27 from being submerged in water and breaking down in the event of a natural disaster such as a flood. In reality, indicators that notify the operating status of each unit and an operation unit with operation switches for setting operating conditions are provided on the air conditioner main body 2, but illustrations and detailed description of these are omitted.

[0037] 3, in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, the filter 21, the blower 22, the compressor 23, and the expansion valves 25a, 25b are housed in a lower housing portion Sa of the housing 10, and the heating portion 24, the cooling portion 26, and the switchboard 27 are housed in an upper housing portion Sb of the housing 10. Furthermore, in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, a configuration is adopted in which, when air introduced from the inlet Hi is moved through the air guide duct L toward the exhaust port Ho as shown by arrows A1 and A2, the air passes through the filter 21 (the liquid droplet removal filter 21a and the dust removal filter 21b), the blower 22, the cooling portion 26 (the evaporators 26b, 26a), and the heating portion 24 (the condenser 24a) in this order.

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, the air guide passage L is configured to include a guide portion G1 (an example of a "first guide portion") that guides the air exhausted from the blower 22 diagonally upward with respect to the air inlet surface of the cooling section 26 (each evaporator 26b), and a guide portion G2 (an example of a "second guide portion") that guides the air that has passed through the cooling section 26 toward the lateral exhaust port Ho. Furthermore, in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, in which the inlet port Hi is opened on one side surface of the housing 10 and the exhaust port Ho is formed on the side surface opposite to the side surface on which the inlet port Hi is opened, the traveling direction of the air from the inlet port Hi to the blower 22 and the traveling direction of the air from the cooling section 26 (each evaporator 26a, 26b) to the exhaust port Ho are the same in a side view and also in a plan view.

[0039] 1, the condenser unit 3 includes a condenser 31 that condenses a portion of the refrigerant supplied to the evaporators 26a1-26a4, 26b1-26b4 of the cooling section 26, similar to the condenser 24a of the heating section 24 in the air conditioner main body 2, and is connected to the air conditioner main body 2 via a refrigerant piping. In this case, in the outside air processing air conditioner 1 of this example, the compressor 23, the condenser 24a of the heating section 24, the expansion valves 25a, 25b, and the evaporators 26a, 26b of the cooling section 26 in the air conditioner main body 2, and the condenser 31 in the condenser unit 3 work together to form a "refrigeration cycle." Furthermore, although not shown and not described in detail, a flow rate adjustment valve is provided between the compressor 23 and the condensers 24a, 31 to adjust the ratio (flow rate ratio) of the amount of refrigerant flowing into the condenser 24a to the amount of refrigerant flowing into the condenser 31 in accordance with the amount of heat required to heat (reheat) the air in the heating section 24.

[0040] Next, the adjustment of air temperature and humidity (hereinafter simply referred to as "air conditioning") by the outside air processing air conditioner 1 will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] During air conditioning using the outside air processing air conditioner 1, the compressor 23 starts to pump the refrigerant, and the blower 22 starts to pump the air. At this time, the high-temperature, high-pressure vaporized refrigerant pumped by the compressor 23 is condensed in the condenser 24a of the heating section 24 by heat exchange with the air in the air guide duct L, and is also condensed in the condenser 31 of the condenser unit 3 by heat exchange with the outside air. The liquefied refrigerant condensed in the condenser 24a passes through the expansion valve 25a and is discharged into each evaporator 26a of the cooling section 26, and the liquefied refrigerant condensed in the condenser 31 passes through the expansion valve 25b and is discharged into each evaporator 26a of the cooling section 26.

[0042] Furthermore, the refrigerant that has passed through the expansion valves 25a, 25b and been discharged into each evaporator 26a is vaporized by heat exchange with the surrounding air (air in the air guide duct L) while passing through each evaporator 26a and evaporator 26b in sequence, and is then drawn into the compressor 23. In the outdoor air processing air conditioner 1 of this example, the openings of the expansion valves 25a, 25b are adjusted by the control unit 27b in accordance with the amount of refrigerant to be supplied to the heating unit 24 (the amount of refrigerant required to heat the air in the heating unit 24) and the amount of refrigerant to be supplied to the cooling unit 26 (the amount of refrigerant required to cool the air in the cooling unit 26). However, to facilitate understanding of the basic operation of the outdoor air processing air conditioner 1, a description of the adjustment of the openings of the expansion valves 25a, 25b will be omitted.

[0043] Furthermore, as the blower 22 starts operating, the air between the blower 22 and the filter 21 in the air guide duct L is sucked into the blower 22, and new air (outside air) is introduced into the air guide duct L from the inlet Hi and passed through the filter 21. In this case, in the outside air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2) of this example, as described above, the hood F is attached to the inlet Hi with its opening facing downward, so that rainwater, snow, fallen leaves, and the like are suitably prevented from entering the air guide duct L from the inlet Hi. Even if rainwater, snow, fallen leaves, and the like are sucked into the air guide duct L from the lower opening of the hood F toward the inlet Hi, these foreign matters are separated from the air by the droplet removal filter 21a of the filter 21. Therefore, the rainwater, snow, fallen leaves, and other foreign matters are prevented from entering the air guide duct L together with the air, and clogging of the dust removal filter 21b arranged downstream is also prevented. Furthermore, even if small dust particles or water droplets pass through the droplet removal filter 21a along with the air, such foreign matter is separated from the air by the dust removal filter 21b, making it possible to supply clean air that is free of foreign matter to the target.

[0044] In this case, in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, as described above, the blower 22 is installed in the lower accommodation portion Sa so that the inlet Hi is located in the axial direction of the rotation axis of the impeller 22a (the shaft of the motor 22b). Therefore, although air can be smoothly drawn from the inlet Hi toward the blower 22, the operating noise of the blower 22 (wind noise accompanying the rotation of the impeller 22a and the operating noise of the motor 22b; hereinafter simply referred to as "noise") is likely to leak out of the housing 10 from the inlet Hi. However, in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, as described above, the hood F with its opening facing downward is attached to the inlet Hi, so it is possible to sufficiently reduce the volume (sound pressure level) of noise emitted from the blower 22 from the inlet Hi.

[0045] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 3, the hood F employed in the air conditioner body 2 of this example includes an inclined portion Fa that guides air supplied from below the hood F to the inlet Hi, and a hanging portion Fb provided at the tip (lower end) of the inclined portion Fa. The hood F is attached to the inlet Hi in such a manner that the upper end of the inclined portion Fa is positioned at approximately the same height as the upper end of the inlet Hi, and the lower end of the hanging portion Fb is positioned at approximately the same height as the lower end of the inlet Hi, such that in a side view (when viewed from the left side in Fig. 3), the entire inlet Hi is covered by the inclined portion Fa and the hanging portion Fb. As a result, in the air conditioner body 2 of this example, noise emitted from the inlet Hi is less likely to travel in a straight line toward the side of the housing 10.

[0046] In this case, by extending the inclined portion Fa of the hood F downward, the extended inclined portion Fa can cover the entire inlet Hi in a side view, even if the hanging portion Fb is not present. However, in a configuration without the hanging portion Fb, noise emitted laterally from the inlet Hi is reflected diagonally downward by the inclined portion Fa, and some of this reflected sound (sound reflected at a lower portion of the inclined portion Fa) may be reflected at a portion of the housing 10 below the inlet Hi and travel toward the side of the housing 10. In contrast, in the hood F of this example, in which the hanging portion Fb is provided at the tip (lower end) of the inclined portion Fa, the reflected sound reflected at the hanging portion Fb travels back from the inlet Hi toward the inside of the housing 10 (lower accommodation portion Sa) like the majority of the reflected sound reflected at the inclined portion Fa, and therefore the volume of the noise traveling toward the side of the housing 10 is sufficiently reduced.

[0047] Furthermore, the hood F of this example has a sound-absorbing material such as a foam resin sheet or a rubber sheet attached to its inner surface (not shown). This makes it possible to sufficiently reduce the volume of noise emitted from the inlet Hi and reflected by the inner surface of the hood F. In addition to the presence of the hood F as described above, the air conditioner main body 2 of this example has the inlet Hi opening in the lower housing section Sa of the housing 10. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the inlet Hi opens in a higher position, such as the upper housing section Sb, the noise is emitted from a lower position, making it more difficult for the noise to reach farther. As a result, the air conditioner main body 2 of this example effectively prevents unpleasant noise with a high sound pressure level from reaching people around the housing 10.

[0048] Meanwhile, the air that has been passed through filter 21 and sucked into blower 22 as described above is exhausted upward from the exhaust port of blower 22 and is guided to cooling unit 26 by guide portion G1 in air guide channel L. Therefore, unlike a configuration in which cooling unit 26 is disposed to the side or below blower 22, that is, a configuration in which air pressurized by blower 22 toward cooling unit 26 is moved to the side or downward, even if, for example, atomized moisture is sucked from inlet Hi, passes through droplet removal filter 21a, reaches dust removal filter 21b, and condenses into droplets in dust removal filter 21b, such droplets are less likely to reach cooling unit 26 together with the air.

[0049] The air guided to the cooling unit 26 is cooled by heat exchange with the refrigerant inside each evaporator 26b as it passes through, and then further cooled by heat exchange with the refrigerant inside each evaporator 26a as it passes through. During this process, as the relative humidity increases due to the drop in temperature, moisture in the air condenses and separates from the air, and the separated moisture drips from each evaporator 26b, 26a into the drain pan 26p as condensed water. As a result, the humidity (absolute humidity) of the air after passing through each evaporator 26b, 26a is reduced (process of adjusting the humidity of the "air to be adjusted": hereinafter, "process of reducing humidity" is also referred to as "dehumidification").

[0050] In this case, in the outdoor air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2) of this example, as described above, N = 4 evaporators 26a1 to 26a4 are arranged side by side in the air guide duct L, and M = 4 evaporators 26b1 to 26b4 are arranged side by side in the air guide duct L, thereby configuring the cooling section 26. For this reason, in the outdoor air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2) of this example, the length of the refrigerant flow path from the refrigerant inlet Pi to the refrigerant outlet Po in each evaporator 26a is sufficiently short compared to the length of the refrigerant flow path from the refrigerant inlet to the refrigerant outlet in one large evaporator (hereinafter, this evaporator will also be referred to as "evaporator 26ax") formed by adding up the capacity of the four evaporators 26a. Therefore, since the difference between the heat absorption capacity near the refrigerant inlet Pi and the heat absorption capacity near the refrigerant outlet Po in each evaporator 26a is sufficiently smaller than the difference between the heat absorption capacity near the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet in the evaporator 26ax, it is possible to sufficiently cool the air passing through each evaporator 26a as a whole. This makes it possible to preferably avoid a situation in which the air passing through each evaporator 26a contains air that is insufficiently cooled (dehumidified).

[0051] Similarly, the length of the refrigerant flow path from the refrigerant inlet Pi to the refrigerant outlet Po in each evaporator 26b is sufficiently shorter than the length of the refrigerant flow path from the refrigerant inlet to the refrigerant outlet in a single large evaporator (hereinafter, this evaporator will also be referred to as "evaporator 26bx") formed by adding up the capacities of the four evaporators 26b. Therefore, the difference between the heat absorption capacity near the refrigerant inlet Pi and the heat absorption capacity near the refrigerant outlet Po in each evaporator 26b is sufficiently smaller than the difference between the heat absorption capacity near the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet in the evaporator 26bx. Therefore, it is possible to sufficiently cool the air passing through each evaporator 26b as a whole. This makes it possible to preferably avoid a situation in which the air passing through each evaporator 26b contains air that is insufficiently cooled (dehumidified).

[0052] Furthermore, in the outdoor air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2) of this example, as described above, the refrigerant that has passed through each evaporator 26a passes through each evaporator 26b, and each evaporator 26a is arranged at a downstream position in the air guide duct L, and each evaporator 26b is arranged at an upstream position in the air guide duct L, so that the air compressed and transported by the blower 22 passes through each evaporator 26b and each evaporator 26a in this order. As a result, the air compressed by the blower 22 is cooled by heat exchange with the refrigerant inside the evaporator when it passes through one of the evaporators 26b, and is further cooled by heat exchange with the refrigerant inside the evaporator when it passes through one of the evaporators 26a.Therefore, compared to a configuration that does not have each evaporator 26b and has only each evaporator 26a (a ``cooling section'' in which heat exchange occurs once when the air compressed by the blower 22 passes through one of the evaporators 26a), the time for heat exchange between the air and the refrigerant is longer, making it possible to sufficiently cool the air to be conditioned.

[0053] In addition, in the cooling section 26 of this example, in which the refrigerant discharged from the expansion valves 25a, 25b is passed through each evaporator 26a and then through each evaporator 26b, the heat absorption capacity of each evaporator 26a, through which the refrigerant immediately after being discharged from the expansion valves 25a, 25b (refrigerant that has not undergone heat exchange with air) is passed, is higher than the heat absorption capacity of each evaporator 26b, through which the refrigerant that has undergone heat exchange with air in each evaporator 26a is passed. Therefore, when, as in the cooling section 26 in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, the evaporators 26a with high heat absorption efficiency are arranged in the downstream portion of the air guide duct L and the evaporators 26b with low heat absorption capacity are arranged in the upstream portion of the air guide duct L (when an arrangement is adopted in which the air and the refrigerant flow countercurrently along the air guide duct L), and when, instead of the configuration of the cooling section 26 in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, the evaporators 26a with high heat absorption efficiency are arranged in the upstream portion of the air guide duct L and the evaporators 26b with low heat absorption capacity are arranged in the downstream portion of the air guide duct L (when an arrangement is adopted in which the air and the refrigerant flow parallel to the air guide duct L), the countercurrent arrangement results in a higher heat exchange rate between the air and the refrigerant in the cooling section 26 as a whole, and the air to be conditioned can be cooled suitably, and as a result, the humidity (absolute humidity) can also be sufficiently reduced.

[0054] Furthermore, in the outdoor air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2) of this example, as described above, the evaporators 26a, 26b are arranged so that the refrigerant inlet Pi of evaporator 26b1 and the refrigerant outlet Po of evaporator 26a1 are at the same height, the refrigerant inlet Pi of evaporator 26b2 and the refrigerant outlet Po of evaporator 26a2 are at the same height, the refrigerant inlet Pi of evaporator 26b3 and the refrigerant outlet Po of evaporator 26a3 are at the same height, and the refrigerant inlet Pi of evaporator 26b4 and the refrigerant outlet Po of evaporator 26a4 are at the same height. Therefore, in the cooling section 26 of this example, when the lubricating oil to be circulated within the refrigeration cycle together with the refrigerant is caused to flow from each evaporator 26a to each evaporator 26b, there is no need for movement against gravity, so the lubricating oil discharged from the refrigerant discharge port Po of evaporator 26a1 can flow smoothly toward the refrigerant inlet Pi of evaporator 26b1, the lubricating oil discharged from the refrigerant discharge port Po of evaporator 26a2 can flow smoothly toward the refrigerant inlet Pi of evaporator 26b2, the lubricating oil discharged from the refrigerant discharge port Po of evaporator 26a3 can flow smoothly toward the refrigerant inlet Pi of evaporator 26b3, and the lubricating oil discharged from the refrigerant discharge port Po of evaporator 26a4 can flow smoothly toward the refrigerant inlet Pi of evaporator 26b4.

[0055] As a result, in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, it is possible to prevent the lubricating oil that should be discharged from each evaporator 26a from accumulating within the evaporator 26a, thereby avoiding an increase in passage resistance due to the accumulation of lubricating oil and avoiding a situation in which an insufficient amount of lubricating oil circulates in the "refrigeration cycle" and causes burnout of the compressor 23. Furthermore, since an increase in passage resistance is avoided, a sufficient amount of refrigerant can be reliably flowed into each evaporator 26b, and it is possible to suitably cool the air by heat exchange with the refrigerant not only in each evaporator 26a but also in each evaporator 26b.

[0056] Instead of arranging the evaporators 26a, 26b in the cooling unit 26 of this embodiment, the evaporators 26a, 26b can also be arranged so that the refrigerant inlet Pi of evaporator 26b1 is located below the refrigerant outlet Po of evaporator 26a1, the refrigerant inlet Pi of evaporator 26b2 is located below the refrigerant outlet Po of evaporator 26a2, the refrigerant inlet Pi of evaporator 26b3 is located below the refrigerant outlet Po of evaporator 26a3, and the refrigerant inlet Pi of evaporator 26b4 is located below the refrigerant outlet Po of evaporator 26a4 (not shown). Even in such a configuration, the lubricating oil does not need to move against gravity when flowing from each evaporator 26a to each evaporator 26b, so the lubricating oil can move smoothly from each evaporator 26a to each evaporator 26b, similar to the cooling unit 26 of this embodiment.

[0057] On the other hand, the cooling of air by the cooling unit 26 as described above is primarily for temperature adjustment purposes, such as dehumidification. Therefore, the temperature of the air passing through the cooling unit 26 is lowered to a temperature even lower than the temperature at which the relative humidity becomes 100%. If the low-temperature air passing through the cooling unit 26 were directly supplied to the target (room), condensation would form around the intake air duct and the room temperature of the target room would be excessively lowered. Therefore, the outdoor air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner body 2) of this example employs a configuration in which the low-temperature air dehumidified by passing through the cooling unit 26 is heated by the heating unit 24 disposed in the guide portion G2 of the air guide passage L, thereby preventing condensation in the intake air duct and excessive lowering of the room temperature of the target room. This allows air to be supplied to the room without condensation in the intake air duct or excessive lowering of the room temperature of the target room.

[0058] Furthermore, the outdoor air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2) of this example employs a configuration in which a portion of the air that has passed through the cooling section 26 is supplied from the air intake port Hs into the upper accommodation section Sb (outside the air guide duct L) to cool the distribution board 27 housed in the upper accommodation section Sb. In this case, as described above, in an air conditioner main body 2 installed outdoors, the inside of the housing 10 becomes extremely hot due to the heat generated by the distribution board 27 and the sunlight. For this reason, in the summer when the sunlight is strong and the hours of sunlight are long, the power supply section 27a may become excessively hot, reducing the efficiency of power supply to each section, or the control section 27b may become excessively hot, making it difficult to control it properly.

[0059] Meanwhile, in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, a portion of the low-temperature air cooled by the cooling unit 26 as described above is supplied from the air intake port Hs into the upper accommodation unit Sb, and this low-temperature air cools the switchboard 27 (power supply unit 27a and control unit 27b). In this case, in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, as shown in FIG. 3 , one end of a guide pipe Gp, which is an example of a "guide pipe," is connected to the air intake port Hs, and the other end of the guide pipe Gp is ​​installed so as to be located near the switchboard 27 (power supply unit 27a and control unit 27b). As a result, a portion of the low-temperature air cooled in the cooling unit 26 is supplied from the air intake port Hs, which opens at a portion downstream of the cooling unit 26 in the air guide channel L (i.e., near the exhaust port Ho), to a portion near the switchboard 27, which is located at a portion in the upper accommodation unit Sb opposite the opening of the exhaust port Ho, and this low-temperature air cools the switchboard 27. As a result, excessive price increases for the distribution board 27 are avoided, and power can be efficiently supplied to each part from the power supply unit 27a even in the summer, and each part can be stably controlled by the control unit 27b.

[0060] Furthermore, the air supplied from the air supply port Hs through the guide pipe Gp into the upper accommodation section Sb, which cools the switchboard 27, flows into the lower accommodation section Sa through the communication hole Hb. As described above, the lower accommodation section Sa accommodates the compressor 23, the blower 22, and other components. When the outside air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2) is operating, the heat generated by these components causes the temperature inside the lower accommodation section Sa to rise. If the air in the lower accommodation section Sa attempts to move upward due to the temperature rise and enters the upper accommodation section Sb through the communication hole Hb, the high-temperature air entering from the lower accommodation section Sa may impede the cooling of the switchboard 27 by the low-temperature air from the guide pipe Gp. However, in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, the air is supplied to the upper accommodation section Sb through the guide pipe Gp as described above, creating a positive pressure inside the upper accommodation section Sb. This effectively prevents the high-temperature air in the lower accommodation portion Sa from entering the upper accommodation portion Sb via the communication holes Hb or the like.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 3 , in the air conditioner main body 2 of this example, the aforementioned communication hole Hb, which allows air to move from the upper storage section Sb to the lower storage section Sa, opens above the compressor 23. In this case, the air flowing into the lower storage section Sa through the communication hole Hb has a temperature increased by cooling the switchboard 27, but is still at a temperature sufficiently lower than that of the compressor 23 and the motor 22b of the blower 22 housed in the lower storage section Sa. Therefore, the low-temperature air flowing from the upper storage section Sb into the lower storage section Sa through the communication hole Hb effectively cools the compressor 23 and the motor 22b, allowing these components to continue operating stably. The air, now heated after cooling the compressor 23 and the motor 22b, is then exhausted from the lower storage section Sa to the outside of the housing 10 through the exhaust port Hv. As mentioned above, this exhaust port Hv is configured as a one-way exhaust port (1-way vent), so when the air conditioner main body 2 is not operating, it is possible to prevent insects and other insects from entering the lower storage section Sa through this exhaust port Hv.

[0062] Furthermore, in the outdoor air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2) of this example, as described above, the drain pan 26p, into which the moisture (condensation water) separated from the air by cooling by the cooling unit 26 drips, is housed together with the evaporators 26a, 26b in the upper housing unit Sb. Therefore, without the need for a drain pump or the like to drain the moisture stored in the drain pan 26p outside the housing 10, the moisture in the drain pan 26p can be drained outside the housing 10 by allowing it to flow down naturally.

[0063] Furthermore, the outdoor air processing air conditioner 1 of this example employs a configuration in which the necessary amount of refrigerant is condensed by a condenser 31 disposed in a condenser unit 3 configured separately from the air conditioner main body 2, excluding the amount of refrigerant required to heat (reheat) the air cooled by the cooling section 26 to the desired temperature. Therefore, the installation locations of the air conditioner main body 2 and the condenser unit 3 can be selected freely within restrictions such as the piping length of the refrigerant piping connecting the air conditioner main body 2 and the condenser unit 3. This significantly improves the degree of freedom in selecting the installation location of the outdoor air processing air conditioner 1 compared to an "air conditioner" (not shown) in which the components of the air conditioner main body 2 and the component of the condenser unit 3 (condenser 31) are housed in a single housing.

[0064] In this way, this outdoor air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2) has a housing 10 that can accommodate at least the blower 22, the evaporators 26a, 26b (cooling section 26), the compressor 23, and the distribution board 27, and the housing 10 is provided with an air inlet Hi and is configured to be able to form a lower accommodation section Sa that accommodates at least the blower 22 and the compressor 23, and an upper accommodation section Sb that is provided with an air exhaust port Ho and is located above the lower accommodation section Sa, separated from the lower accommodation section Sa, and accommodates at least the evaporators 26a, 26b (cooling section 26) and the distribution board 27, and an air intake port Hs is provided in the air guide duct L that guides the air compressed by the blower 22 to the exhaust port Ho, and supplies part of the air that has passed through the evaporators 26a, 26b (cooling section 26) into the upper accommodation section Sb.

[0065] Therefore, in this outside-air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2), the distribution board 27 is cooled by low-temperature air cooled by the cooling unit 26 (evaporators 26a, 26b). This reliably prevents the temperature of the distribution board 27 from rising, compared to a configuration in which, for example, a cooling fan is attached to the distribution board 27 and the distribution board 27 is cooled by circulating air within the upper housing section Sb. This allows for stable power supply from the distribution board 27 to the components of the outside-air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2). Furthermore, it also prevents malfunctions due to abnormal heating, ensuring stable operation. Furthermore, because the air supplied from the air inlet Hs creates positive pressure within the upper housing section Sb housing the distribution board 27, it is possible to prevent air in the lower housing section Sa, which has risen in temperature due to heat generated by the compressor 23, blower 22, etc., from entering the upper housing section Sb. This reliably prevents the temperature of the distribution board 27 from rising due to heat generated by the compressor 23, blower 22, etc.

[0066] Furthermore, in this outside air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2), the "air supply section" is equipped with a guide pipe Gp that guides some of the air that has passed through each of the evaporators 26a, 26b from the air guide duct L to the vicinity of the switchboard 27. Therefore, with this outside air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2), the low-temperature air that is supplied to the upper accommodation section Sb from the air intake port Hs of the air guide duct L is not heated by components other than the switchboard 27 (for example, the housing 10), and is guided by the guide pipe Gp to the vicinity of the switchboard 27 while maintaining its low temperature, thereby enabling the switchboard 27 to be cooled even more effectively.

[0067] Furthermore, in this outdoor air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2), the inlet Hi opens on a side surface of the lower accommodation section Sa, and the exhaust port Ho opens on a side surface of the upper accommodation section Sb, the blower 22 is composed of a centrifugal fan and is housed in the lower accommodation section Sa so as to be able to exhaust air drawn in from the inlet Hi upward, the air guide passage L is provided with a guide section G1 that guides the air exhausted from the blower 22 obliquely upward with respect to the air inlet surface of the evaporators 26a, 26b (cooling section 26), and a guide section G2 that guides the air that has passed through the evaporators 26a, 26b (cooling section 26) towards the exhaust port Ho on the side, and is configured so that the direction of travel of the air from the inlet Hi to the blower 22 and the direction of travel of the air from the evaporators 26a, 26b (cooling section 26) to the exhaust port Ho are the same in a plan view.

[0068] Therefore, with this outside-air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2), by disposing the blower 22 in the lower housing section Sa, it is possible to avoid an unstable state in which the heavy motor 22b is located in the upper housing section Sb, and by disposing the cooling section 26 in the upper housing section Sb, it is possible to sufficiently reduce the area required for installation of the outside-air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2) compared to a configuration in which the cooling section 26 is located in the lower housing section Sa together with the blower 22, and it is possible to drain the moisture (condensed water: drain water) separated from the air by cooling in the cooling section 26 by allowing it to flow down under its own weight without requiring a drain pump or the like to drain it out of the housing 10. Furthermore, compared to a configuration in which the air intake and exhaust directions are reversed, for example, it is possible to smoothly move air from the inlet port Hi to the exhaust port Ho.

[0069] Furthermore, this outside air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2) is equipped with a blower 22 that compresses and sends air to be adjusted for at least one of temperature and humidity (both in this example), and a cooling unit 26 that is arranged to allow the air compressed by the blower 22 to pass through and cools the air to adjust at least one of temperature and humidity, and the cooling unit 26 is arranged in an air guide duct L that guides the air compressed by the blower 22 to the exhaust port Ho. The system includes N (N is a natural number of 2 or more: in this example, N=4) first evaporators 26a arranged in a downstream position, and M (M is a natural number of 2 or more: in this example, M=4) second evaporators 26b arranged in an upstream position in the air guide passage L, and each evaporator 26a is arranged vertically in a state where the air introduction surface intersects with the air flow direction in the air guide passage L and the refrigerant introduction port Pi is located above the refrigerant discharge port Po. The evaporators 26b are arranged vertically in an upright position such that the air inlet surface intersects with the direction of air movement in the air guide passage L and the refrigerant inlet Pi is positioned higher than the refrigerant outlet Po, and refrigerant piping is connected so that the refrigerant that has passed through any one of the evaporators 26a can be passed through any one of the evaporators 26b, and so that the refrigerant that has passed through any other one of the evaporators 26a can be passed through any other one of the evaporators 26b, and the evaporators 26a, 26b are arranged so that the refrigerant inlet Pi of any one of the evaporators 26b is not positioned higher than the refrigerant outlet Po of any one of the evaporators 26a, and so that the refrigerant inlet Pi of any one of the other evaporators 26b is not positioned higher than the refrigerant outlet Po of any one of the other evaporators 26a.

[0070] Therefore, with this outside-air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2), the air compressed by the blower 22 is passed through one of the evaporators 26b and then one of the evaporators 26a, which lengthens the time for heat exchange between the air and the refrigerant and allows the air to be sufficiently cooled compared to a configuration with a "cooling unit" configured to pass the air through the "evaporator" only once. Also, by arranging N=4 evaporators 26a side by side and M=4 evaporators 26b side by side, the length of the refrigerant flow path in the "first evaporator" and "second evaporator" can be sufficiently shortened compared to a configuration with one large "first evaporator (the aforementioned evaporator 26ax)" or a configuration with one large "second evaporator (the aforementioned evaporator 26bx)." This makes it possible to sufficiently reduce the difference in heat absorption power between the vicinity of the "refrigerant inlet" in the "first evaporator" and the vicinity of the "refrigerant outlet" (in this example, the difference between the heat absorption power near the refrigerant inlet Pi in the evaporator 26a and the heat absorption power near the refrigerant outlet Po), and also makes it possible to sufficiently reduce the difference in heat absorption power between the vicinity of the "refrigerant inlet" in the "second evaporator" and the vicinity of the "refrigerant outlet" (in this example, the difference between the heat absorption power near the refrigerant inlet Pi in the evaporator 26b and the heat absorption power near the refrigerant outlet Po). This prevents air with insufficient temperature and humidity adjustment from being contained in the air that has passed through the cooling unit 26 due to the air having passed through a portion with excessively small heat absorption power, and makes it possible to suitably adjust the temperature and humidity of the air to be adjusted. Furthermore, by adopting a configuration in which the refrigerant that has passed through the evaporator 26a disposed downstream in the airflow direction within the air guide passage L is passed through the evaporator 26b disposed upstream in the airflow direction within the air guide passage L, the air flow and the refrigerant flow in the air guide passage L can be made to flow countercurrently, and therefore the air cooling efficiency by the cooling unit 26 can be sufficiently improved compared to a configuration in which the evaporator 26a is disposed upstream and the evaporator 26b is disposed downstream (a configuration in which the air flow and the refrigerant flow parallel to each other within the air guide passage L). This makes it possible to more suitably adjust the temperature and humidity of the air to be adjusted.

[0071] In addition, in this outdoor air treatment air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2), a heating unit 24 is provided on the downstream side of the cooling unit 26 in the air duct L to heat the air cooled by the cooling unit 26. The heating unit 24 includes a condenser 24a that condenses at least a part of the refrigerant supplied to each evaporator 26a, 26b (cooling unit 26), and is configured to heat the air by heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air in the condenser 24a. Therefore, according to this outdoor air treatment air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2), it is possible to avoid a situation where air that has become excessively low in temperature due to cooling in the cooling unit 26 is supplied to the supply target (room), thereby preferably avoiding condensation occurring around the air duct for supply air or the temperature (room temperature) of the supply target becoming excessively low. Further, by heating the air by the heat dissipation from the condenser 24a, for example, compared with a configuration having a "heating unit" that heats the air by an electric heater, the air supplied to the supply target can be efficiently and cost-effectively increased in temperature.

[0072] Note that the configuration of the "air conditioner" is not limited to the example of the configuration of the above-described outdoor air treatment air conditioner 1.

[0073] For example, an example having a cooling unit 26 with N = 4 evaporators 26a1 to 26a4 (first evaporators) and M = 4 evaporators 26b1 to 26b4 (second evaporators) has been described. However, the number N of the "first evaporators" and the number M of the "second evaporators" are not limited to "4", and can be "2", "3", and "any plurality of 5 or more". In this case, it is not limited to a configuration in which the number (N) of the "first evaporators" and the number (M) of the "second evaporators" are the same. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the refrigerant is branched after passing through any one of the "first evaporators" and flows into a plurality of "second evaporators" (example of N < M), or a configuration in which the refrigerant is combined after passing through any plurality of the "first evaporators" and flows into any one of the "second evaporators" (example of N > M). Even when these configurations are adopted, by using a plurality of "first evaporators" and "second evaporators" respectively, the same effects as the configuration having the above-described "cooling unit 26" can be achieved.

[0074] Furthermore, an example has been described in which an air intake port Hs is provided between the cooling unit 26 and the heating unit 24, and the air intake port Hs is provided to supply part of the air cooled and dehumidified by the cooling unit 26 into the upper storage unit Sb. However, instead of such an air intake port Hs (or in addition to the air intake port Hs), a configuration can also be adopted in which part of the air heated (reheated) by the heating unit 24 is supplied into the upper storage unit Sb.

[0075] In addition, although the configuration of the outside air processing air conditioner 1 (air conditioner main body 2) that adjusts both temperature and humidity (relative humidity) has been described as an example, the configuration of the present invention can also be applied to an "air conditioner" whose purpose is only to adjust temperature (an air conditioner that does not intend to separate moisture during cooling in the "cooling unit"), or an "air conditioner" whose purpose is only to adjust humidity (an air conditioner that does not care about the temperature of the air after dehumidification by cooling in the "cooling unit"). In this case, in an "air conditioner" whose purpose is only to adjust humidity, a configuration that does not include a "heating unit" can be adopted for an "air conditioner" that is used in an environment where condensation in the intake air duct or a drop in the temperature of the target air is not a problem, as described above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1. Outdoor air processing air conditioner 2 Air conditioner unit 3 Condenser unit 10. Cabinet 21 Filters 21a Droplet removal filter 21b Dust removal filter 22 Blower 22a impeller 22b Motor 23 Compressor 24 Heating section 24a,31 Condenser 25a, 25b Expansion valve 26 Cooling section 26a1~26a4, 26b1~26b4 Evaporator 26p Drain pan 27 Switchboard 27a Power supply section 27b Control section F フード Fa inclined part Fb hanging part Inside the G1 case Inside the G2 case Gp case piping Hb communicating pores Hi Import Ho Paishukou Hs air inlet Hv exhaust port L air guide Pi refrigerant inlet Po refrigerant outlet Sa Lower Storage Sb upper storage unit

Claims

1. a blower that pressurizes and sends air that is to be adjusted in at least one of temperature and humidity; a refrigeration cycle including a cooling unit having an evaporator arranged to allow the air pressure-fed by the blower to pass therethrough and cooling the air to adjust at least one of the above, a condenser that condenses a refrigerant to be supplied to the evaporator, and a compressor that pressure-fed the refrigerant; a power distribution board having a power supply unit that supplies power to the blower and the compressor; An air conditioning device comprising a housing that houses at least the blower, the evaporator, the compressor, and the switchboard, the housing is configured to be able to form a lower housing section in which the air inlet is provided and in which at least the blower and the compressor are housed, and an upper housing section in which the air exhaust port is provided and which is disposed above the lower housing section and separated from the lower housing section, in which at least the evaporator and the distribution board are housed, An air conditioning device in which an air intake section is arranged in an air guide duct that guides the air pressurized by the blower to the exhaust port, and which supplies a portion of the air that has passed through the evaporator into the upper storage section.

2. 2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air supply section includes a guide pipe for guiding a portion of the air that has passed through the evaporator from the air guide passage to a position near the switchboard.

3. the inlet is opened on a side surface of the lower accommodating portion, and the exhaust port is opened on a side surface of the upper accommodating portion, the blower is configured as a centrifugal fan and is accommodated in the lower accommodation portion so as to be able to exhaust the air drawn in through the inlet upward; the air guide passage includes a first guide portion that guides the air exhausted from the blower obliquely upward with respect to an inlet surface of the air in the evaporator, and a second guide portion that guides the air that has passed through the evaporator toward the exhaust port on the side, 2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the air is arranged so that the direction of travel of the air from the inlet to the blower and the direction of travel of the air from the evaporator to the exhaust port are the same in a plan view.

4. 2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising: a condenser that condenses at least a portion of the refrigerant supplied to the evaporator; and a heating section that is disposed downstream of the evaporator in the air guide passage and is configured to heat the air by heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air in the condenser.

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