Contamination detection device, ventilation device with humidification function, humidifier, and ventilation device

Abstract

To provide a contamination detection device 60 that can detect contamination of an object 51 with a simple configuration.SOLUTION: A contamination detection device 60 comprises: a detection unit 61 including a light-emitting element 61a for emitting an infrared ray toward an object 51 and a light-receiving element 61b for receiving an infrared ray reflected from the object 51; a detection control unit 62 for controlling the detection unit 61; and a contamination determination unit 63 for determining the contamination state of the object 51 on the basis of the amount of the infrared ray received by the light-receiving element 61b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a dirt detection device that detects dirt on an object, a ventilation device with a humidifying function that includes the dirt detection device, a humidifier that includes the dirt detection device, and a ventilation device that includes the dirt detection device. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventional dirt detection device is known that calculates the degree of dirt progression based on the area of ​​a region within a specified hue range in a captured image, using an air conditioner drain pan or a tank for dehumidifying and humidifying water as the object for dirt detection (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7001921 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the conventional dirt detection device described in Patent Document 1 had the problem of needing to be equipped with a control unit that acquires captured images and calculates the degree of progress of the adhering dirt, making the detection device complex and expensive.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a dirt detection device that can detect dirt on an object with a simple configuration, a ventilation device with a humidifying function, a humidifier, and a ventilation device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The dirt detection device of the present disclosure comprises a detection unit having a light-emitting element that irradiates infrared rays toward an object and a light-receiving element that receives infrared rays reflected by the object, a detection control unit that controls the detection unit, and a dirt determination unit that determines the dirt state of the object based on the amount of infrared light received by the light-receiving element. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The dirt detection device, ventilation device with humidifying function, humidifier, and ventilation device according to the present disclosure have the advantage of being able to detect dirt on an object with a simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a heat exchange ventilation device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a humidifying section of the heat exchange ventilator according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a drain pan provided in the heat exchange ventilation device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a drain pan provided in the heat exchange ventilation device according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 5] 4 is an enlarged view of a base downstream of a humidifying element included in the heat exchange ventilator according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a humidifying element included in the heat exchange ventilator according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a contamination detection device provided in the heat exchange ventilation device according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 8] 1(a) and 1(b) are diagrams illustrating the principle of dirt detection in the dirt detection device. [Figure 9] 4 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the dirt detection device. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a humidifier according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a ventilation device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 12]4 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the dirt detection device. [Figure 13] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of a control unit included in a heat exchange ventilator according to a first embodiment, a humidifier according to a second embodiment, and a ventilation device according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing, identical or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals. Duplicate descriptions of these parts will be appropriately simplified or omitted. Furthermore, the size relationships between the components in each drawing may differ from those in reality.

[0010] Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a heat exchange ventilator 1 according to a first embodiment. In FIG. 1, a portion of the top panel and side panels, and some of the internal components are shown in a see-through manner. The heat exchange ventilator 1 is a ventilation device with a humidifying function. The heat exchange ventilator 1 is installed in the space above the ceiling, and supplies and exhausts air through a duct (not shown) to ventilate the room.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the heat exchanging ventilator 1 can be divided into three sections, namely, a total heat exchange section A, a humidifying section B, and an indoor air passage section C, according to their functions. The housing 2 is configured in a box shape with a top plate 2a, a bottom plate 2b, and four side surfaces. The interior of the housing 2 is divided by partition plates 3 into three sections: a total heat exchange section A, a humidification section B, and an indoor air duct section C. An intake air duct 15 and an exhaust air duct 16 are formed inside the housing 2.

[0012] The intake air blower 4 is installed in the intake air duct 15. When the intake air blower 4 is operating, the intake air duct 15 passes an intake air flow from the outside to the inside of the room. The intake air blower 4 is composed of an electric motor 4a, a blade member 4b that rotates when driven by the electric motor 4a, and an intake air fan casing 4c formed in a spiral shape. The intake air blower 4 is also referred to as a "blower."

[0013] The exhaust fan 5 is installed in the exhaust air duct 16. The exhaust air duct 16 passes the exhaust air flow from the inside of the room to the outside of the room when the exhaust fan 5 is operating. The exhaust fan 5 is composed of an electric motor 5a, a blade member 5b that rotates when driven by the electric motor 5a, and an exhaust fan casing 5c ​​formed in a spiral shape.

[0014] The heat exchange element 6 is located midway between the intake air duct 15 and the exhaust air duct 16, at the center of the total heat exchange section A. The heat exchange element 6 exchanges heat between the intake air flow passing through the intake air duct 15 and the exhaust air flow passing through the exhaust air duct 16. The heat exchange element 6 is made up of multiple layers of intake air passages, each with a multi-layer structure made of corrugated paperboard bonded to flat paperboard, and exhaust air passages, each with a multi-layer structure made of corrugated paperboard bonded to flat paperboard, stacked so that the directions of the intake air passages and the exhaust air passages are perpendicular to each other. The intake air flow passing through the intake air duct 15 passes through the intake air passages within the heat exchange element 6, and the exhaust air flow passing through the exhaust air duct 16 passes through the exhaust air passages within the heat exchange element 6. Therefore, in the heat exchange element 6, heat exchange occurs between the intake air flow passing through the intake air passages and the exhaust air flow passing through the exhaust air passages.

[0015] Guide rails 7 are provided on the top plate 2a and the bottom plate 2b. The heat exchange element 6 is incorporated into the housing 2 along the upper and lower guide rails 7 so that it can be inserted and removed horizontally. A maintenance cover 8 is provided on one of the sides of the housing 2 that faces the end face of the heat exchange element 6. In the following description, the side on which the maintenance cover 8 is installed is referred to as the front of the housing 2. By opening the maintenance cover 8, the housing 2 becomes capable of inserting and removing the heat exchange element 6.

[0016] The air intake port 9 and the exhaust outlet port 10 are provided on one side surface of the housing 2. The air intake port 11 and the exhaust outlet port 12 are provided on the side surface of the housing 2 opposite to the side on which the air intake port 9 and the exhaust outlet port 10 are provided. Air supply duct 15 runs from air supply inlet 9 through the air supply passage of heat exchange element 6 and air supply fan casing 4c to air supply outlet 11. Air exhaust duct 16 runs from air exhaust inlet 12 through the air exhaust passage of heat exchange element 6 and air exhaust fan casing 5c ​​to air exhaust outlet 10. Air supply duct 15 and air exhaust duct 16 are configured independently of each other so that the air supply and the air exhaust do not mix within heat exchange ventilator 1.

[0017] Control unit 13 is housed in a power supply box provided inside the front surface of housing 2. Control unit 13 controls intake air blower 4 and exhaust air blower 5. The indoor air passage section C is an air passage that sends air to the inlet of the exhaust air passage 16 of the total heat exchange section A, and is formed so as to be located rearward of the humidifying section B.

[0018] By operating the supply air blower 4, outside air OA is drawn through the duct from the supply air inlet 9 into the supply air duct 15. The outside air OA drawn into the supply air duct 15 passes through the supply air passage of the heat exchange element 6, then passes through the humidifying element 50, becoming supply air SA, which is then blown out into the room from the supply air outlet 11 via the duct.

[0019] Furthermore, by operating the exhaust fan 5, the return air RA in the room is drawn through the duct from the exhaust air inlet 12 to the exhaust air duct 16 via the indoor air duct section C. The return air RA drawn into the exhaust air duct 16 passes through the exhaust passage of the heat exchange element 6, becomes exhaust air EA, and is blown out of the room from the exhaust air outlet 10 via the duct. Here, the symbol OA stands for Outdoor Air, the symbol SA stands for Supply Air, the symbol RA stands for Return Air, and the symbol EA stands for Exhaust Air.

[0020] The heat exchange ventilator 1 recovers exhaust heat through heat exchange between the intake airflow and the exhaust airflow in the heat exchange element 6 and sends it into the room together with the intake airflow, thereby reducing the heating and cooling load in the room. In addition, since the heat exchange ventilator 1 has a humidification function, it can send air into the room with increased humidity by humidifying the air after heat exchange by passing it through the humidification element 50.

[0021] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing humidifying unit B. As shown in Fig. 2, humidifying unit B is located adjacent to the outlet of total heat exchange unit A on the supply air duct 15 side. Humidifying unit B incorporates a humidifying water supply strainer 20 that connects the external water pipe to the equipment, a solenoid valve 21 that controls the water supply pressure, and multiple humidifying elements 50 that humidify the ventilation air by passing it through. Humidifying unit B also incorporates a drain pan 30 that receives water leaking from the multiple humidifying elements 50 and solenoid valve 21, and a water detection sensor 22 that detects water accumulated in the drain pan 30.

[0022] Humidification water supply strainer 20 is arranged in humidifying section B so that its water supply port, which connects to an external water supply pipe and supplies clean water from the waterworks, protrudes from the inside to the front surface of housing 2. Solenoid valve 21 is connected to humidification water supply strainer 20 by piping 20a. One example of piping 20a is a copper pipe. A plurality of humidifying elements 50 are arranged in the center of the drain pan 30, each connected to an electromagnetic valve 21 by a water supply tube 23, and humidify the air supplied from the air supply passage by supplying moisture to the air. Each humidifying element 50 includes a plurality of flat plate-shaped humidifying bodies 51. The humidifying bodies 51 are made of a porous material having water retention and water absorption properties, and are arranged in a direction parallel to the flow direction of the outside air OA.

[0023] Eliminators 24 are disposed downstream of each of the multiple humidifying elements 50 to prevent impurities floating in the air from being supplied into the room. The water detection sensor 22 is a sensor that detects when a set amount of water has accumulated in the drain pan 30, and when it detects that the set amount of water has accumulated in the drain pan 30, it sends a signal to the solenoid valve 21, causing the solenoid valve 21 to close.

[0024] Furthermore, on the upstream side of each of the multiple humidifying elements 50, a detection unit 61 is provided facing the humidifying body 51. The detection unit 61 irradiates infrared rays toward the humidifying body 51 of each humidifying element 50 and receives infrared rays reflected by the humidifying body 51. The detection unit 61 is disposed a short distance (for example, 5 mm to 200 mm) from the humidifying body 51. Note that although only one detection unit 61 is shown in Figure 2, in reality, four detection units 61 are provided facing the humidifying body 51 of each humidifying element 50. Here, the detection unit 61 is one of the components of a dirt detection device that detects dirt on the humidifier 51. The dirt detection device will be described in detail later.

[0025] Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing drain pan 30. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing drain pan 30. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, drain pan 30 includes a bottom plate 31 and an outer peripheral wall 32 that surrounds the outer periphery of bottom plate 31. Drain pan 30 is arranged to cover the entire bottom of humidifying section B. Bases 33 and 34 on which humidifying element 50 is placed are formed by rib-like protrusions on bottom plate 31. Step portions 33a and 34a are formed on the upper surfaces of bases 33 and 34, and the steps below step portions 33a and 34a form humidifying element seating surfaces 33b and 34b.

[0026] The distance between step portion 33a and step portion 34a is the same as the width of humidifying element 50, so that humidifying element 50 placed on humidifying element seating surfaces 33b, 34b is positioned in the lateral direction and prevented from shifting sideways. Therefore, step portions 33a, 34a have a height that determines the position of humidifying element 50 and prevents lateral shifting. Furthermore, step portion 34c is provided on the upper surface of base 34, and eliminator seating surface 34d is formed between step portions 34a and 34c.

[0027] The distance between step portions 34a and 34c is the same as the width of eliminator 24, so that eliminator 24 placed on eliminator seating surface 34d is positioned in the lateral direction and prevented from shifting sideways. Therefore, step portion 34c has a height that determines the position of eliminator 24 and prevents it from shifting sideways. Drain port 35 formed in bottom plate 31 leads to drain pipe 25, which is a drainage pipe.

[0028] The portion of the bottom plate 31 sandwiched between the pedestals 33, 34 forms a drainage channel 36 that passes between the pedestals 33, 34 and guides drain water to the drain outlet 35. The drainage portion 52 of the humidifying element 50 faces the drainage channel 36. The humidifying element 50 is positioned so that the ends of the humidifying element seats 33b, 34b are located outside the end of the drainage portion 52. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the pedestal 34 downstream of the humidifying element 50. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the distance E between the end 52a of the drainage portion 52 and the end 34e of the humidifying element seat 34b is set to E>0. By positioning the end 34e of the humidifying element seat 34b outside the end 52a of the drainage portion 52, the wastewater from the humidifying element 50 is reliably discharged into the drainage channel 36 of the drain pan 30.

[0029] The portion of the drain pan 30 between the bases 33, 34 and the outer wall 32 serves as a water reservoir 37 that collects overflowing drain water when the drain water overflows from the drain pipe 25. The water detection sensor 22 detects that a set amount of water has collected in the drain pan 30 when the water level in the water reservoir 37 reaches a preset water level.

[0030] Steps 38a and 38b are provided near drain outlet 35 of drain pan 30, and drain outlet 35 is located at a lower position than water reservoir 37 and drain channel 36. Therefore, even if drain water backflows and overflows due to the influence of negative pressure, the steps 38a and 38b will stop the drain water. Therefore, drain water that overflows from drain pipe 25 is less likely to spread throughout the drain pan 30.

[0031] Drain pan 30 has a downward slope toward drain outlet 35 in water reservoir 37, humidification element seating surfaces 33b and 34b, eliminator seating surface 34d, and drain channel 36. For example, the slope is greater than 1.5°, which is the specified installation angle of 1° plus an installation variation of 0.5°. This prevents the downward slope toward drain outlet 35 from disappearing even if manufacturing variations occur in drain pan 30. In Figure 3, the downward slope toward drain outlet 35 is conveniently indicated by an arrow.

[0032] Because the drain pan 30 has slopes in the water reservoir 37, the humidification element seating surfaces 33b and 34b, the eliminator seating surface 34d, and the drainage channel 36 through which the drain water is discharged, the drain pan 30 is provided with legs 39 so that it can be placed inside the housing 2 without tilting even when placed alone. In the structure illustrated in Fig. 3, the legs 39 are provided at two locations, one on the left and one on the right side of the front side of the drain pan 30. Note that the legs may be provided at two locations, one on the left and one on the right side of the back side of the drain pan 30, or at only one location on either the left or right side.

[0033] The legs 39 provided on the drain pan 30 appear as recesses when viewed from the inside of the drain pan 30. Therefore, the recesses that form the legs 39 are surrounded by protrusions 40 in a bank-like shape to prevent water from entering the legs 39. The height of the upper surface of the protrusions 40 is set to a height that will react to the water detection sensor 22, thereby preventing water from entering the structure.

[0034] Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the humidifying element 50. As shown in Fig. 6, the humidifying element 50 includes a plurality of flat plate-shaped humidifying bodies 51, a rectangular parallelepiped casing 53, and a diffusing member 54 that supplies water to the plurality of humidifying bodies 51. The humidifying element 50 is also referred to as a "humidifier." Each humidifier 51 is made of a porous material having water retention and water absorption properties, and is arranged in a direction parallel to the flow direction of the air to be humidified. Each humidifier 51 is colored black or a color close to black.

[0035] The casing 53 includes a humidifier storage section 53a that stores multiple humidifiers 51, a water supply port 53b into which water is poured, a water storage section 53c that is provided above the humidifier 51 and stores water from the water supply port 53b, and a drainage section 52 that collects drainage water from below the multiple humidifiers 51. The diffusion member 54 is a water-absorbent sheet-like member that contacts both the water storage portion 53c of the casing 53 and the plurality of humidifiers 51, and supplies water from the water storage portion 53c to the plurality of humidifiers 51.

[0036] Each humidifier 51 has a convex surface on one side and a concave surface on the other side, thereby forming a plurality of convex portions on one side. The positions of the convex portions of adjacent humidifiers 51 among the plurality of humidifiers 51 are different so that the convex surface of one humidifier 51 does not intrude into the concave surface of another humidifier 51. Therefore, a gap equal to the height of the convex portions is secured between the humidifiers 51.

[0037] The humidifying element 50 has a water inlet 53b above a plurality of stacked humidifying bodies 51, through which water from a water supply pipe is injected into the humidifying bodies 51, and a drainage section 52 below the humidifying bodies 51 for receiving and draining water from the humidifying bodies 51. Therefore, water spreads from the water inlet 53b into the humidifying bodies 51, humidifying the air flowing through the gaps between the humidifying bodies 51, and excess water flows out from the drainage section 52 at the bottom.

[0038] According to the above structure, the drain water coming out of the humidifying element 50 flows through the drainage channel 36 that extends in a straight line above the drain pan 30 along the underside of the humidifying element 50 to the drain outlet 35, so the flow is not obstructed by obstacles and the water does not stagnate above the drain pan 30.

[0039] Furthermore, because drainage channel 36 is located below humidifying element 50 and is in a closed space covered by humidifying element 50, there is no opportunity for the drain water flowing through drainage channel 36 to come into contact with the air flow caused by the blown air. Therefore, the drain water flowing through drainage channel 36 will not be dried by the air flow. Furthermore, even if deposits accumulate in drainage channel 36 due to repeated natural evaporation, the air flow does not directly hit the deposits, so the deposits will not be blown up by the air flow caused by the blown air and flow out of the apparatus through intake air outlet 11.

[0040] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a dirt detection device 60. The dirt detection device 60 is a device that detects the presence or absence of deposits adhering to the surface of the humidifying body 51 of the humidifying element 50 based on the amount of infrared light reflected by the surface of the humidifying body 51. As shown in Fig. 7, the dirt detection device 60 includes a detection unit 61 that detects dirt on the humidifying body 51, a detection control unit 62 that controls the detection unit 61, and a dirt determination unit 63 that determines the dirt state of the humidifying body 51 based on the detection result of the detection unit 61.

[0041] The detection unit 61 includes a light-emitting element 61a that irradiates infrared rays toward the humidifier 51, a light-receiving element 61b that receives infrared rays reflected by the humidifier 51, and a substrate 61c on which the light-emitting element 61a and the light-receiving element 61b are mounted. The detection unit 61 also includes a light-shielding plate 61d that separates the light-emitting element 61a and the light-receiving element 61b, and a casing 61e that houses the light-emitting element 61a, the light-receiving element 61b, the substrate 61c, and the light-shielding plate 61d.

[0042] The light-emitting element 61a and the light-receiving element 61b are mounted on the same substrate 61c, and a light-shielding plate 61d is provided between the light-emitting element 61a and the light-receiving element 61b. The light-shielding plate 61d functions as a partition plate that separates the light-emitting element 61a and the light-receiving element 61b, so that infrared rays emitted from the light-emitting element 61a do not directly enter the light-receiving element 61b.

[0043] The detection unit 61 is disposed upstream of the intake air flow passing through the humidifier 51, facing the humidifier 51. Because the upstream side of the intake air flow is the part of the humidifier 51 to which the most deposits adhere, when deposits adhere to the humidifier 51, the amount of infrared light received by the light-receiving element 61b changes significantly. As a result, contamination of the humidifier 51 can be reliably detected.

[0044] Furthermore, the detection control unit 62 and the dirt determination unit 63 are provided in the control unit 13 housed in the power supply box. The light-emitting element 61a of the detection unit 61 and the detection control unit 62 are connected by a signal line 64a, and the light-receiving element 61b of the detection unit 61 and the dirt determination unit 63 are connected by a signal line 64b. Furthermore, the detection control unit 62 and the dirt determination unit 63 are each connected to a controller (not shown) installed in the room by a signal line (not shown).

[0045] Next, the principle of dirt detection in the dirt detection device 60 will be explained using Figures 8(a) and 8(b). Figure 8(a) is a diagram showing the detection operation of the dirt detection device 60 when the humidifying body 51 of the humidifying element 50 is not dirty. Figure 8(b) is a diagram showing the detection operation of the dirt detection device 60 when the humidifying body 51 of the humidifying element 50 is dirty.

[0046] As shown in Figure 8(a), in the initial state after starting to use the humidifying element 50, no deposits have yet formed on the humidifying body 51, and the surface of the humidifying body 51 is not yet dirty. As described above, the surface of the humidifying body 51 is colored black or a color close to black, and therefore the surface of the humidifying body 51 has a black or a color close to black. For this reason, when infrared rays are irradiated from the light-emitting element 61a toward the humidifying body 51, most of the irradiated infrared rays are absorbed by the humidifying body 51. As a result, only a small amount of infrared rays is reflected from the surface of the humidifying body 51 and enters the light-receiving element 61b, and the amount of infrared rays detected by the light-receiving element 61b is small.

[0047] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 8(b), when the humidifying element 50 is continuously used, deposits D derived from the tap water are formed on the surface of the humidifying body 51. The deposits D are calcium, magnesium, aluminum, silica, and other impurities commonly found in tap water. These deposits D all take the form of white crystals. Therefore, the surface of the humidifier 51 has the glossy white color of the deposit D. When infrared rays are irradiated from the light-emitting element 61a toward the humidifier 51, most of the irradiated infrared rays are reflected by the surface of the humidifier 51, and a large amount of the infrared rays is incident on the light-receiving element 61b. As the amount of deposit D on the surface of the humidifier 51 increases, the area of ​​the white color increases, and therefore the infrared rays are reflected more strongly. In this way, the change in color tone caused by the presence or absence of deposit D on the surface of the humidifier 51 causes a difference in the intensity of the infrared light incident on the light receiving element 61b, making it possible for the dirt detection device 60 to detect the presence or absence of deposit D on the surface of the humidifier 51.

[0048] Although the color of each humidifier 51 (more specifically, the color of each humidifier 51 on the surface of the humidifying element 50 facing the detection unit 61) has been shown to be black or a color close to black, the color is not limited to this, and since the deposit is white, the color of the surface of the humidifier 51 may be any color that differs from white. The three elements of color are "hue," "lightness," and "saturation," but the color of each humidifier 51 is not limited to "hue" or "saturation," and may be any color with a "lightness" of 5 or less in the Munsell color system. The "brightness" of the Munsell color system is expressed numerically, with perfect black (a color that does not reflect any light) being 0 and perfect white (a color that reflects all light) being 10. For example, the Munsell color system will be<URL:http: / / zokeifile.musabi.ac.jp / %E6%98%8E%E5%BA%A6 / > This is described in the literature available from

[0049] Next, the operation of the heat exchange ventilator 1 according to the first embodiment will be described. (Humidification operation of heat exchange ventilation device 1) First, we will explain the humidification operation of the heat exchange ventilator 1. As shown in Figure 1, fresh outside air OA taken in through the supply air inlet 9 flows through the supply air duct 15 by the operation of the supply air blower 4, and reaches the heat exchange element 6. In the heat exchange element 6, temperature and humidity are exchanged between the outside air OA and the return air RA from the room. The outside air OA that has undergone temperature and humidity exchange flows through the supply air duct 15 and reaches the humidifier B.

[0050] A humidifying element 50 is disposed inside the humidifying section B, and the surface of each of the multiple humidifying bodies 51 of the humidifying element 50 is sufficiently moistened with water (i.e., clean water) from the water supply pipe. When the outside air OA passes through the humidifying bodies 51 in a sufficiently moist state, the outside air OA is sufficiently humidified. As described above, the humidifying element 50 is a humidifier that employs a blown-air vaporization humidification method. In a blown-air vaporization humidifier, only the pure water (or pure water components) in the tap water is vaporized. Therefore, impurities contained in the water supplied from the water supply pipe are concentrated without being vaporized, and remain in the humidifying element 50 as operation time passes.

[0051] Some of the impurities remaining in the humidifying element 50 flow down and are discharged together with the water not used for humidification. However, at the most upstream portion where the amount of humidification is greatest, there are many remaining impurities and the amount of water flowing down is small, so a deposit D derived from the water supply forms on the surface of the humidifying element 51.

[0052] (Detection of contamination of heat exchange ventilation device 1) Next, we will explain the dirt detection operation of the heat exchanger ventilator 1. As described above, as the operation time of the heat exchanger ventilator 1 passes, deposits D are generated on the surface of the humidifier 51. In the heat exchanger ventilator 1, the dirt detection device 60 can detect the state of the deposits D.

[0053] Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing the control procedure of the soiling detection device 60. As shown in Figs. 7 and 9, the detection control unit 62 transmits a control signal to the light emitting element 61a via the signal line 64a to instruct the start of infrared radiation irradiation (step S10). The transmitted control signal reaches the light emitting element 61a, which receives the control signal. The light emitting element 61a, which has received the instruction to start radiation by the control signal, irradiates infrared radiation toward the surface of the humidifying element 51 (step S11). The irradiated infrared radiation reaches the surface of the humidifying element 51 and is reflected by the surface of the humidifying element 51.

[0054] The reflected infrared light travels toward and reaches the light receiving element 61b. The infrared light that reaches the light receiving element 61b is received by the light receiving element 61b, and the light receiving element 61b transmits data on the amount of received light to the dirt determining unit 63 via the signal line 64b (step S12). The transmitted data on the amount of received light is received by the dirt determining unit 63, and the dirt determining unit 63 compares the amount of received infrared light indicated by this data with a preset threshold value (step S13).

[0055] If the comparison in step S13 shows that the amount of infrared light received is below a preset threshold (for example, if the Munsell brightness is 5 or less), the dirt determination unit 63 determines that the surface of the humidifier 51 is not dirty and terminates the process (step S14). Furthermore, if the comparison result in step S13 shows that the amount of received infrared light is greater than a preset threshold value (for example, if the Munsell brightness value is greater than 5), the dirt determination unit 63 determines that the surface of the humidifier 51 is dirty (step S15). The dirt determination unit 63 transmits data on the determination result in step S15 to the controller (step S16). The controller receives the data on the determination result in step S15, and issues a notification urging inspection and cleaning (step S17). The notification from the controller may be displayed on a display, output as sound from a speaker, or the like.

[0056] As described above, the heat exchange ventilator 1 according to the first embodiment includes a dirt detector 60 that detects dirt on the humidifier 51 of the humidifying element 50. The dirt detector 60 determines that the surface of the humidifier 51 is dirty when the amount of infrared light received by the light-receiving element 61b is greater than a preset threshold. In this way, the heat exchange ventilator 1 can determine whether waterworks-derived deposits D have accumulated on the surface of the humidifier 51 by having the dirt detector 60 detect the amount of infrared light reflected by the surface of the humidifier 51. This prevents the indoor environment from deteriorating due to the scattering of deposits D. Furthermore, inspection and cleaning can be promoted at an appropriate frequency, reducing the burden on the manager.

[0057] The detection unit 61 is disposed upstream of the humidifier 51, facing the humidifier 51. The upstream side of the humidifier 51 (i.e., the side of the humidifier 51 facing the detection unit 61) is the part of the humidifier 51 to which the most deposits adhere, so when deposits adhere to the humidifier 51, the amount of infrared light received by the light-receiving element 61b changes significantly. As a result, contamination of the humidifier 51 can be reliably detected.

[0058] Furthermore, the surface of the humidifier 51 is colored other than white to differentiate it from the white deposits D adhering to the humidifier 51. The dirt detection device 60 detects dirt on the humidifier 51 by utilizing the fact that the amount of infrared light reflected from the surface of the humidifier 51 and received by the light-receiving element 61b varies greatly depending on whether or not deposits D are adhering to the humidifier 51. In this way, the heat exchanging ventilator 1 according to the first embodiment can detect dirt on the humidifier 51 with a simple and easy configuration using the light-emitting element 61a and the light-receiving element 61b, which reduces manufacturing costs and leads to high reliability.

[0059] In particular, if the surface of the humidifier 51 is black or has a Munsell brightness of 5 or less, it absorbs more infrared rays than the white color of the deposit D. Therefore, the difference in the amount of infrared light received by the light-receiving element 61b depending on whether or not the deposit D is attached becomes greater, and dirt on the humidifier 51 can be detected with higher accuracy.

[0060] In the above explanation, the frequency of energizing the light-emitting element 61a and the light-receiving element 61b is not specified, but since it takes time for deposits to accumulate on the surface of the humidifier, it is not necessary to operate the detection unit 61 from the start of operation of the heat exchange ventilation device 1, and it is sufficient to operate the detection unit 61 after the cumulative operating time exceeds 100 hours, for example. Furthermore, when a user operates a controller (not shown) to input an instruction to detect dirt, the detection unit 61 may be operated at the timing when the detection control unit 62 receives the instruction.

[0061] Furthermore, it is not necessary to keep the light-emitting element 61a and the light-receiving element 61b constantly energized during operation. For example, by controlling the energization so that they emit light for only 10 msec out of one minute, it is possible to achieve a longer lifespan and reduced power consumption.

[0062] Embodiment 2 10 is a diagram schematically showing a humidifier 70 according to embodiment 2. Note that parts that are the same as or equivalent to parts in embodiment 1 are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions of these parts will be omitted.

[0063] As shown in Fig. 10, humidifier 70 includes a box-shaped housing 71. One side of housing 71 is provided with an inlet 72 for drawing in air, and the other side of housing 71 is provided with an outlet 73 for blowing out air. An air passage 74 connecting inlet 72 and outlet 73 is formed inside housing 71.

[0064] Humidifier 70 also includes humidifying element 50 provided in air passage 74, a water supply pipe 75 connected to a water source (not shown) for supplying water for humidification to humidifying element 50, and a drain pipe 76 for discharging water that remains unhumidified by humidifying element 50 to the outside. Humidifier 70 also includes a blower 77 provided in air passage 74 for sending air to humidifying element 50. Air drawn in through intake port 72 by driving blower 77 is humidified by humidifying element 50, and the humidified air is blown out from outlet 73.

[0065] A detection unit 61 is provided inside the housing 71, facing the humidifying body 51 of the humidifying element 50. The detection unit 61 is arranged upstream of the humidifying element 50. A light-emitting element 61a of the detection unit 61 is connected to a detection control unit 62 via a signal line 64a. A light-receiving element 61b of the detection unit 61 is connected to a contamination determination unit 63 via a signal line 64b. The detection control unit 62 and the contamination determination unit 63 are provided in the control unit 13.

[0066] Next, the operation of the humidifier 70 according to the second embodiment will be described. When a control signal instructing the start of infrared radiation is transmitted from the detection control unit 62, the control signal reaches the light-emitting element 61a via the signal line 64a, and the light-emitting element 61a receives the control signal. Upon receiving the control signal, the light-emitting element 61a radiates infrared radiation toward the humidifier 51, and the radiated infrared radiation is reflected by the surface of the humidifier 51. The reflected infrared radiation travels toward and reaches the light-receiving element 61b. The infrared radiation that has reached the light-receiving element 61b is received by the light-receiving element 61b, which transmits data on the amount of received light to the contamination determination unit 63 via the signal line 64b. The transmitted data on the amount of received light is received by the contamination determination unit 63, which determines the state of contamination of the humidifier 51 based on the amount of received infrared radiation indicated by this data.

[0067] Specifically, when the amount of infrared light received is equal to or less than a preset threshold value (for example, when the Munsell brightness value is 5 or less), the dirt determination unit 63 determines that a deposit D has not occurred and that the surface of the humidifier 51 is not dirty. On the other hand, when the amount of infrared light received is greater than a preset threshold value (for example, when the Munsell brightness value is greater than 5), the dirt determination unit 63 determines that a deposit D has occurred and that the surface of the humidifier 51 is dirty.

[0068] If the dirt determining unit 63 determines that the surface of the humidifying element 51 is dirty, it transmits the determination result to the controller. Then, the controller that receives the determination result issues a notification urging inspection and cleaning.

[0069] As described above, the humidifier 70 according to the second embodiment includes a dirt detector 60 that detects dirt on the humidifying body 51 of the humidifying element 50. The dirt detector 60 determines that the surface of the humidifying body 51 is dirty when the amount of infrared light received by the light-receiving element 61b is greater than a preset threshold. In this way, the dirt detector 60 detects the amount of infrared light reflected by the surface of the humidifying body 51, allowing the humidifier 70 to determine whether or not waterworks-derived deposits D have accumulated on the surface of the humidifying body 51. This prevents the indoor environment from deteriorating due to the scattering of deposits D. Furthermore, inspection and cleaning can be encouraged at an appropriate frequency, reducing the burden on the manager.

[0070] The detection unit 61 is disposed upstream of the humidifier 51, facing the humidifier 51. The upstream side of the humidifier 51 (i.e., the side of the humidifier 51 facing the detection unit 61) is the part of the humidifier 51 to which the most deposits adhere, so when deposits adhere to the humidifier 51, the amount of infrared light received by the light-receiving element 61b changes significantly. As a result, contamination of the humidifier 51 can be reliably detected.

[0071] Furthermore, the surface of the humidifier 51 is made a color other than white to differentiate it from the white deposit D adhering to the humidifier 51. The dirt detection device 60 detects dirt on the humidifier 51 by utilizing the fact that the amount of infrared light reflected from the surface of the humidifier 51 and received by the light receiving element 61b varies greatly depending on whether or not deposit D is adhering to the humidifier 51. In this way, the humidifier 70 according to the second embodiment can detect dirt on the humidifier 51 with a simple and easy configuration using the light emitting element 61a and the light receiving element 61b, which reduces manufacturing costs and leads to high reliability.

[0072] In particular, if the surface of the humidifier 51 is black or has a Munsell brightness of 5 or less, it absorbs more infrared rays than the white color of the deposit D. Therefore, the difference in the amount of infrared light received by the light-receiving element 61b depending on whether or not the deposit D is attached becomes greater, and dirt on the humidifier 51 can be detected with higher accuracy.

[0073] Embodiment 3 11 is a diagram schematically illustrating a ventilation device 80 according to embodiment 3. The ventilation device 80 is a heat exchange type ventilation device. Note that parts that are the same as or equivalent to parts in embodiment 1 are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions of these parts will be omitted.

[0074] 11, the ventilation device 80 includes a box-shaped housing 81. On the side of the housing 81, there are provided an intake air inlet 82 for drawing in outside air OA, an intake air outlet 83 for supplying the outside air OA into the room as intake air SA, an exhaust air inlet 84 for drawing in return air RA, and an exhaust air outlet 85 for discharging the return air RA to the outside of the room as exhaust air EA.

[0075] Air intake inlet 82, air intake outlet 83, exhaust air intake inlet 84, and exhaust air outlet 85 are formed as duct connection flanges that are connected to a duct (not shown). Air intake inlet 82 and exhaust air outlet 85 are provided on one side surface 81a of housing 81, and each communicates with the outdoor space via a duct extending outside the room. Air intake outlet 83 and exhaust air intake inlet 84 are provided on the other side surface 81b of housing 81, and each communicates with the indoor space via a duct extending into the room.

[0076] Inside housing 81, an intake air duct 86 that connects intake air inlet 82 and intake air outlet 83, and an exhaust air duct 87 that connects exhaust air inlet 84 and exhaust air outlet 85 are formed independently of each other. That is, intake air duct 86 connects the outside of the room with the inside of the room and is an air duct for supplying outside air OA into the room as intake air SA. Furthermore, exhaust air duct 87 connects the inside of the room with the outside and is an air duct for exhausting return air RA to the outside of the room as exhaust air EA.

[0077] A rectangular parallelepiped heat exchange element 88 is provided inside the housing 81. The heat exchange element 88 is installed in the center of the housing 81, and is located midway between the intake air duct 86 and the exhaust air duct 87. The intake air duct 86 and the exhaust air duct 87 are arranged to intersect at right angles at the heat exchange element 88. This allows the heat exchange element 88 to perform total heat exchange, exchanging heat and humidity between the intake air SA flowing through the intake air duct 86 and the exhaust air EA flowing through the exhaust air duct 87.

[0078] An intake air blower 89 is provided in the intake air duct 86. When the intake air blower 89 is driven, outside air OA is drawn in through the intake air inlet 82 via a duct communicating with the outside of the room, and passes through the heat exchange element 88 as intake air SA. The intake air SA that has passed through the heat exchange element 88 reaches the intake air outlet 83, and is supplied from the intake air outlet 83 to the indoor space.

[0079] An exhaust fan 90 is provided in the exhaust air duct 87. When the exhaust fan 90 is driven, the return air RA is sucked through the exhaust air inlet 84 via a duct communicating with the indoors, and passes through the heat exchange element 88 as exhaust air EA. The exhaust air EA that has passed through the heat exchange element 88 reaches the exhaust air outlet 85 and is exhausted from the exhaust air outlet 85 to the outdoor space.

[0080] In the intake air duct 86, an air filter 91 is detachably provided at the intake air inlet of the heat exchange element 88. In the exhaust air duct 87, an air filter 92 is detachably provided at the exhaust air inlet of the heat exchange element 88. The air filters 91, 92 filter and purify the air to prevent dust and other particles from accumulating on the heat exchange element 88. In the intake air duct 86, a detector 61 is provided opposite the air filter 91. The detector 61 is located upstream of the air filter 91. Similarly, in the exhaust air duct 87, a detector 61 is provided opposite the air filter 92. The detector 61 is located upstream of the air filter 92. The light-emitting element 61a of the detection unit 61 is connected to the detection control unit 62 via a signal line 64a. The light-receiving element 61b of the detection unit 61 is connected to the dirt determination unit 63 via a signal line 64b. The detection control unit 62 and the dirt determination unit 63 are provided in the control unit 13.

[0081] Air filters 91 and 92 may be provided only in one of air supply passage 86 and air exhaust passage 87. Moreover, the supply air intake port 82 and the exhaust air intake port 84 are also referred to as "intake ports." Furthermore, the supply air outlet 83 and the exhaust air outlet 85 are also referred to as "outlets." Furthermore, the supply air duct 86 and the exhaust air duct 87 are also referred to as "air ducts." Furthermore, the supply air blower 89 and the exhaust air blower 90 are also referred to as "blowers."

[0082] Next, the operation of the ventilation device 80 according to the third embodiment will be described. 11 and 12, the detection control unit 62 transmits a control signal to the light-emitting element 61a via the signal line 64a to instruct the element to start emitting infrared rays (step S20). The transmitted control signal reaches the light-emitting element 61a, which receives the control signal. Upon receiving the instruction to start emitting infrared rays via the control signal, the light-emitting element 61a irradiates infrared rays toward the surfaces of the air filters 91 and 92 (step S21). The irradiated infrared rays reach the surfaces of the air filters 91 and 92 and are reflected by the surfaces of the air filters 91 and 92.

[0083] The reflected infrared light travels toward and reaches the light receiving element 61b. The infrared light that reaches the light receiving element 61b is received by the light receiving element 61b, and the light receiving element 61b transmits data on the amount of received light to the dirt determining unit 63 via the signal line 64b (step S22). The transmitted data on the amount of received light is received by the dirt determining unit 63, and the dirt determining unit 63 compares the amount of received infrared light indicated by this data with a preset threshold value (step S23).

[0084] The surfaces of the air filters 91 and 92 are colored black or a color close to black, and have a color tone that reflects little when irradiated with infrared rays. When the air filter 91 provided in the intake air duct 86 is used for a long period of time, dust and other particles contained in the outside air OA accumulate on the surface of the air filter 91. The type of dust and other particles contained in the outside air OA depends on the environment in which the ventilation device 80 is installed, but generally includes sand, dirt, and soot from air pollution. The Munsell value of common sand and dust is 10Y 8 / 2 (approximate value) and the value is 8. The Munsell value of common soil and dust is 7.5YR 5 / 7 (approximate value) and the value is 5. The Munsell value of common air pollution soot is 7.5YR 5 / 2 (approximate value) and the value is 5.

[0085] Similarly, when the air filter 92 provided in the exhaust air duct 87 is used for a long time, dust and other particles contained in the return air RA accumulate on the surface of the air filter 92. The dust and other particles contained in the return air RA also depend on the environment in which the ventilation device 80 is installed, but are generally oil stains, house dust, and the like. Oil stains accumulate in areas where oil is generated frequently, such as near the kitchen, and the Munsell value of typical oil stains is 7.5Y 6 / 4, with a brightness of 6. House dust also contains fibers, pieces of paper, dirt, and other particles, but the majority is fiber, which is light gray in color. In this way, the color of the dust that accumulates on the air filter 92 has a greater brightness and color difference than the surface of the air filter 92 .

[0086] Therefore, if the comparison in step S23 shows that the amount of infrared light received is below a preset threshold (for example, if the Munsell brightness is 4 or less), the dirt determination unit 63 determines that no dust or other particles have accumulated and that the surfaces of the air filters 91, 92 are not dirty, and terminates the processing (step S24). Furthermore, if the comparison result in step S23 shows that the amount of received infrared light is greater than a preset threshold (for example, if the Munsell brightness value is greater than 4), the contamination determination unit 63 determines that dust or the like has accumulated and the surfaces of the air filters 91, 92 are contaminated (step S25). The contamination determination unit 63 transmits data on the determination result in step S25 to the controller (step S26). The controller receives the data on the determination result in step S25 and issues a notification to encourage inspection and cleaning (step S27).

[0087] In this embodiment, the color of the air filters 91, 92 (more specifically, the color of the surfaces of the air filters 91, 92 facing the detection unit 61) is black or a color close to black, but the color is not limited to this. Since dust and the like are light gray, the color of the surfaces of the air filters 91, 92 only needs to have a color difference from light gray and a "brightness" of 4 or less in the Munsell color system. Furthermore, a color with a "brightness" of 2 or less in the Munsell color system is even better, and black is even better.

[0088] As described above, the ventilation device 80 according to the third embodiment includes the dirt detection device 60 that detects dirt on the air filters 91 and 92. The dirt detection device 60 determines that the surfaces of the air filters 91 and 92 are dirty when the amount of infrared light received by the light-receiving element 61b is greater than a preset threshold. In this way, the ventilation device 80 can determine whether dust or other particles have accumulated on the surfaces of the air filters 91 and 92 by having the dirt detection device 60 detect the amount of infrared light reflected by the surfaces of the air filters 91 and 92. This prevents the indoor environment from deteriorating due to the scattering of dust or other particles. Furthermore, inspection and cleaning can be encouraged at an appropriate frequency, reducing the burden on the manager.

[0089] Furthermore, the detection unit 61 is disposed upstream of the air filters 91, 92, facing the air filters 91, 92. Since the upstream side of the air filters 91, 92 (i.e., the side of the air filters 91, 92 facing the detection unit 61) is the area where dust and other particles accumulate most, when dust and other particles accumulate on the air filters 91, 92, the amount of infrared light received by the light-receiving element 61b changes significantly. As a result, dirt on the air filters 91, 92 can be reliably detected.

[0090] Furthermore, to differentiate the color of the air filters 91, 92 from the light gray dust and other particles that accumulate on the air filters 91, 92, the color of the air filters 91, 92 (more specifically, the color of the surfaces of the air filters 91, 92 that face the detection unit 61) is black or a color with a Munsell brightness of 4 or less. The dirt detection device 60 detects dirt on the air filters 91, 92 by utilizing the fact that the amount of infrared light reflected from the surfaces of the air filters 91, 92 and received by the light receiving element 61b varies greatly depending on whether or not dust and other particles have accumulated on the air filters 91, 92. In this way, the ventilation device 80 according to the third embodiment can detect dirt on the air filters 91, 92 with a simple configuration that uses the light emitting element 61a and the light receiving element 61b, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and achieving high reliability.

[0091] In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the air filters 91, 92 are colored a dark color such as black, and when the amount of infrared light received increases, it is determined that dust has accumulated, but the air filters 91, 92 do not necessarily have to be colored a dark color such as black. For example, if the color of the air filters 91, 92 (more specifically, the color of the surfaces of the air filters 91, 92 facing the detection unit 61) is white, the Munsell brightness of the air filters 91, 92 is approximately 10. On the other hand, the Munsell brightness of dust is 8 or less, so there is a color difference between the color of the air filters 91, 92 and the color of the dust. Therefore, when the amount of infrared light received decreases due to dust accumulation on the air filters 91, 92, the dirt determining unit 63 may determine that the air filters 91, 92 are dirty.

[0092] Specifically, if the comparison result in step S23 shows that the amount of received infrared light is greater than a preset threshold (for example, the Munsell brightness value is greater than 9), the process proceeds to step S24, where the contamination determination unit 63 determines that the surfaces of the air filters 91, 92 are not contaminated. If the comparison result in step S23 shows that the amount of received infrared light is equal to or less than a preset threshold (for example, the Munsell brightness value is 9 or less), the process proceeds to step S25, where the contamination determination unit 63 determines that the surfaces of the air filters 91, 92 are contaminated. By making such a determination, the contamination of the air filters 91, 92 can be reliably detected.

[0093] Furthermore, this embodiment discloses a simultaneous supply / exhaust type ventilation system that includes a heat exchange element 88 and exchanges heat and humidity between the supply air SA and the exhaust air EA using the heat exchange element 88. However, the heat exchange element 88 is not an essential component, and a simultaneous supply / exhaust type ventilation system without the heat exchange element 88 may also be used. Furthermore, the ventilation system according to this embodiment is not limited to a simultaneous supply / exhaust type ventilation system, but may also be an supply type ventilation system or an exhaust type ventilation system. The supply type ventilation system has only an supply air duct 86, and the detector 61 detects dirt on an air filter 91 provided in the supply air duct 86. The exhaust type ventilation system has only an exhaust air duct 87, and the detector 61 detects dirt on an air filter 92 provided in the exhaust air duct 87.

[0094] Fig. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of the control unit 13 included in the heat exchange ventilator 1 according to embodiment 1, the humidifier 70 according to embodiment 2, and the ventilation device 80 according to embodiment 3. Fig. 13 illustrates the hardware configuration when the functions of the control unit 13 are realized using hardware that executes a program. The control unit 13 includes a processor 100 and a memory 101.

[0095] The processor 100 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The processor 100 may be a processing device, an arithmetic unit, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). Each function of the control unit 13 is realized by the processor 100, software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. The software or firmware is written as a program and stored in the memory 101, which is an internal memory.

[0096] The memory 101 is a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory, such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a flash memory, an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), or an EEPROM (registered trademark) (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory).

[0097] The configurations described in the above embodiments are merely examples, and may be combined with other known technologies. Furthermore, parts of the configurations may be omitted or modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0098] Various aspects of the present disclosure are summarized below as appendices.

[0099] (Appendix 1) a detection unit having a light-emitting element that irradiates an infrared ray toward an object and a light-receiving element that receives the infrared ray reflected by the object; a detection control unit that controls the detection unit; a dirt determining unit that determines the dirt state of the object based on the amount of infrared light received by the light receiving element. (Appendix 2) a soiling detection device according to claim 1; a housing formed with an air intake inlet, an air intake outlet, an exhaust inlet, and an exhaust outlet, and having an air intake duct connecting the air intake inlet and the air intake outlet, and an exhaust duct connecting the exhaust inlet and the exhaust outlet formed therein; a humidifier provided in the air supply passage and configured to humidify air flowing through the air supply passage; a blower provided in the air supply duct for sending air to the humidifier, the humidifier is the object, The detection unit is a ventilation device with a humidifying function, which is provided opposite the humidifier. (Appendix 3) 3. The ventilation device with humidification function according to claim 2, wherein the detection unit is provided upstream of the humidifier. (Appendix 4) The ventilation device with humidification function described in Appendix 2 or Appendix 3, wherein the dirt determination unit determines that the humidifier is dirty when the amount of infrared light received by the light receiving element is greater than a preset threshold value. (Appendix 5) 5. The ventilation device with humidifying function according to claim 4, wherein the color of the surface of the humidifier facing the detection unit is a color other than white. (Appendix 6) 6. The ventilation device with humidifying function according to claim 5, wherein the color of the surface of the humidifier facing the detection unit is black or a color with a Munsell brightness of 5 or less. (Appendix 7) a soiling detection device according to claim 1; a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet formed therein, the air passage connecting the air inlet and the air outlet formed therein; a humidifier provided in the air passage and configured to humidify air flowing through the air passage; a blower provided in the air passage for sending air to the humidifier; the humidifier is the object, The humidifying device, wherein the detection unit is provided opposite the humidifier. (Appendix 8) 8. The humidifying device according to claim 7, wherein the detection unit is provided upstream of the humidifier. (Appendix 9) 9. The humidifier according to claim 7, wherein the contamination determination unit determines that the humidifier is contaminated when the amount of infrared light received by the light receiving element is greater than a preset threshold value. (Appendix 10) 10. The humidifier according to claim 9, wherein the surface of the humidifier facing the detection unit has a color other than white. (Appendix 11) 11. The humidifier according to claim 10, wherein the color of the surface of the humidifier facing the detection unit is black or a color with a Munsell brightness of 5 or less. (Appendix 12) a soiling detection device according to claim 1; a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet formed therein, the air passage connecting the air inlet and the air outlet formed therein; an air filter provided in the air passage for removing dust; a blower provided in the air passage and configured to blow air from the air inlet to the air outlet, the air filter is the object, The detection unit is provided opposite the air filter. (Appendix 13) 13. The ventilation device according to claim 12, wherein the detection unit is provided upstream of the air filter. (Appendix 14) The ventilation device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the contamination determination unit determines that the air filter is dirty when the amount of infrared light received by the light receiving element is greater than a preset threshold value. (Appendix 15) 15. The ventilation device according to claim 14, wherein the color of the surface of the air filter facing the detection unit is black or a color having a Munsell brightness of 4 or less. (Appendix 16) The ventilation device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the contamination determination unit determines that the air filter is dirty when the amount of infrared light received by the light receiving element is smaller than a preset threshold value. (Appendix 17) 17. The ventilation device according to claim 16, wherein the color of the air filter facing the detection unit is white. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 1 Heat exchange ventilation device (ventilation device with humidification function), 2, 71, 81 Housing, 4 Air intake blower (blower), 9 Air intake inlet, 10 Exhaust outlet, 11 Air intake outlet, 12 Exhaust intake port, 15 Air intake air duct, 16 Exhaust air duct, 50 Humidification element (humidifier), 51 Humidifier, 60 Dirt detection device, 61 Detection unit, 61a Light-emitting element, 61b Light-receiving element, 62 Detection control unit, 63 Dirt determination unit, 70 Humidifier, 72 Intake port, 73 Outlet, 74 Air duct, 77 Blower, 80 Ventilation device, 82 Air intake inlet (intake port), 83 Air intake outlet (outlet), 84 Exhaust intake port (intake port), 85 Exhaust outlet (outlet), 86 Intake air duct (air duct), 87 exhaust air duct (air duct), 89 intake air blower (blower), 90 exhaust air blower (blower).

Claims

1. a detection unit having a light-emitting element that irradiates an infrared ray toward an object and a light-receiving element that receives the infrared ray reflected by the object; a detection control unit that controls the detection unit; a dirt determining unit that determines the dirt state of the object based on the amount of infrared light received by the light receiving element.

2. The dirt detection device according to claim 1 ; a housing formed with an air intake inlet, an air intake outlet, an exhaust inlet, and an exhaust outlet, and having an air intake duct connecting the air intake inlet and the air intake outlet, and an exhaust duct connecting the exhaust inlet and the exhaust outlet formed therein; a humidifier provided in the air supply passage and configured to humidify air flowing through the air supply passage; a blower provided in the air supply duct for sending air to the humidifier, the humidifier is the object, The detection unit is a ventilation device with a humidifying function, which is provided opposite the humidifier.

3. The ventilation device with humidifying function according to claim 2 , wherein the detection unit is provided upstream of the humidifier.

4. The ventilation device with humidifying function according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the contamination determination unit determines that the humidifier is dirty when the amount of infrared light received by the light receiving element is greater than a preset threshold value.

5. The ventilation device with humidifying function according to claim 4 , wherein a surface of the humidifier facing the detection unit has a color other than white.

6. 6. The ventilation device with humidifying function according to claim 5, wherein the color of the surface of the humidifier facing the detection unit is black or a color having a Munsell brightness of 5 or less.

7. The dirt detection device according to claim 1 ; a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet formed therein, the air passage connecting the air inlet and the air outlet formed therein; a humidifier provided in the air passage and configured to humidify air flowing through the air passage; a blower provided in the air passage for sending air to the humidifier; the humidifier is the object, The humidifying device, wherein the detection unit is provided opposite the humidifier.

8. The humidifying device according to claim 7 , wherein the detection unit is provided upstream of the humidifier.

9. 9. The humidifier according to claim 7, wherein the contamination determining unit determines that the humidifier is contaminated when an amount of infrared light received by the light receiving element is greater than a preset threshold value.

10. The humidifier according to claim 9, wherein a surface of the humidifier facing the detection unit has a color other than white.

11. The humidifier according to claim 10, wherein the surface of the humidifier facing the detection unit is black or a color having a Munsell brightness of 5 or less.

12. The dirt detection device according to claim 1 ; a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet formed therein, the air passage connecting the air inlet and the air outlet formed therein; an air filter provided in the air passage for removing dust; a blower provided in the air passage and configured to blow air from the air inlet to the air outlet, the air filter is the object, The detection unit is provided opposite the air filter.

13. The ventilation device according to claim 12, wherein the detection unit is provided upstream of the air filter.

14. 14. The ventilation device according to claim 12, wherein the contamination determining unit determines that the air filter is contaminated when an amount of infrared light received by the light receiving element is greater than a preset threshold value.

15. The ventilation device according to claim 14, wherein the color of the surface of the air filter facing the detection unit is black or a color having a Munsell value of 4 or less.

16. 14. The ventilation device according to claim 12, wherein the contamination determining unit determines that the air filter is contaminated when the amount of infrared light received by the light receiving element is smaller than a preset threshold value.

17. The ventilation device according to claim 16, wherein the color of the air filter facing the detection unit is white.

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