Evaporative humidifier

Abstract

This invention provides an evaporative humidifier that can calculate the appropriate water supply amount and perform intermittent water supply. [Solution] The evaporative humidifier includes a sensor 36 that measures the temperature and humidity of the space to be humidified, a water supply device 33 that supplies moisture to the humidification module, a blower that energizes the air and supplies air to the space to be humidified, a humidification amount calculation unit 44 that calculates the amount of humidification HFA required for the humidification module based on the airflow rate of the air supplied by the blower and the temperature and humidity measured by the sensor 36, and a water supply device control unit 45 that controls the water supply device 33 to achieve the amount of humidification HFA calculated by the humidification amount calculation unit 44 and performs intermittent water supply.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to an evaporative humidifier that provides intermittent water supply. [Background technology]

[0002] Humidifiers are widely used as devices to maintain a comfortable indoor humidity level. Humidifiers humidify air supplied to a space to be humidified, such as a room, by bringing it into contact with a humidification module containing moisture for humidification. Humidifiers are equipped with a fan, which draws in air from the space to be humidified and discharges it towards the humidification module.

[0003] During humidifier operation, the humidification module is supplied with moisture by a water supply device. The moisture supplied to the humidification module by the water supply device comes into contact with the air and humidifies it. In some cases, the water supply device may supply water to the humidification module intermittently at regular intervals, supplying a predetermined amount of water. By using intermittent water supply, water conservation can be achieved compared to continuous water supply. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-180402 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The amount of water that should be supplied to the humidification module varies depending on the air temperature and humidity, as well as the airflow rate that comes into contact with the humidifying material. Conventionally, this has been calculated based on fixed temperature and humidity conditions, such as a temperature of 23°C and relative humidity of 40%, and fixed airflow conditions, making it impossible to supply the appropriate amount of water to the humidification module from the water supply device.

[0006] If the actual water supply volume is small, there is a risk that powder in which minerals in tap water are deposited or bacteria may grow in the humidifying module. On the other hand, if the water supply volume is large, there is a risk that the water-saving effect by intermittent water supply cannot be obtained.

[0007] The present invention has been proposed to solve the problems of the prior art as described above. An object of the present invention is to provide a vaporizing humidifier capable of calculating an appropriate water supply volume and performing intermittent water supply.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] The vaporizing humidifier of the present invention is a vaporizing humidifier that performs intermittent water supply, and includes a sensor that measures the temperature and humidity of a humidification target space, a water supply device that supplies moisture to a humidifying module, a blower that gives energy to air and supplies the air to the humidification target space, a humidification amount calculation unit that calculates a required humidification amount for the humidifying module based on the air volume of the air supplied by the blower, the temperature and the humidity measured by the sensor, and a water supply device control unit that controls the water supply device so as to achieve the humidification amount calculated by the humidification amount calculation unit and performs intermittent water supply.

[0009] The water supply device may have a temperature measuring device for the moisture supplied by the water supply device, and the humidification amount calculation unit may calculate the humidification amount in consideration of the temperature of the moisture measured by the temperature measuring device.

[0010] The water supply device may have a pressure measuring device that measures the supply pressure to which the moisture is supplied, and the humidification amount calculation unit may calculate the humidification amount in consideration of the supply pressure measured by the pressure measuring device.

[0011] The vaporizing humidifier may further include an air volume detection unit that detects an air volume based on a change in the air volume generated when the air supplied from the blower passes through the humidifying module, and the humidification amount calculation unit may calculate the humidification amount based on the air volume detected by the air volume detection unit.

[0012] The water supply device has two solenoid valves arranged in series, and the water supply device control unit may perform intermittent water supply to achieve the humidification amount by staggering the opening and closing timings of the two solenoid valves and adjusting the time during which the two solenoid valves are open simultaneously. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an evaporative humidifier that can calculate an appropriate amount of water to supply and provide intermittent water. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of an evaporative humidifier. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a water supply system. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit. [Figure 4] This figure shows a table of airflow rates stored in the memory unit. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the timing of intermittent water supply control. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of intermittent water supply. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] [1. Embodiments] [1-1. Configuration of the Embodiment] An evaporative humidifier according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the evaporative humidifier 100 of this embodiment. In Figure 1, the housing 1 is shown transparent to show the internal configuration. In each drawing, thickness, dimensions, positional relationships, ratios, or shapes may be emphasized for ease of understanding, and the present invention is not limited to such emphasis.

[0016] The evaporative humidifier 100 is a device that humidifies by blowing air onto a humidifying module 32 that contains moisture, causing the moisture to evaporate and be released. In this embodiment, the evaporative humidifier 100 is installed on the ceiling of a building. That is, the humidifier body 10 of the evaporative humidifier 100 is embedded in the ceiling, and the air intake 21 and outlet 22 are attached to the ceiling surface. However, the installation location of the evaporative humidifier 100 is not limited to the ceiling; it may also be installed on the floor or on a tabletop.

[0017] As shown in Figure 1, the evaporative humidifier 100 comprises a humidifier body 10 and a control unit 4. The control unit 4 may be built into the humidifier body 10 or provided on the outside of the humidifier body 10. The humidifier body 10 comprises a housing 1, a decorative grille 2, and a humidifying device 3. The humidifying device 3 comprises a blower 31, a humidifying module 32, a water supply device 33, a drain pan 34, an electrical unit 35, and a sensor 36. The control unit 4 controls the amount of humidification of the evaporative humidifier 100 and the amount of water supplied by the water supply device 33 by controlling each component of the humidifier body 10.

[0018] (housing) Housing 1 is a box-shaped component located inside the ceiling of a building. Housing 1 houses a blower 31, a humidification module 32, a water supply device 33, a drain pan 34, an electrical unit 35, and a sensor 36. A rectangular opening is provided on the bottom surface of Housing 1. Each component is housed inside Housing 1 through this opening.

[0019] (Decorative grill) The decorative grille 2 is a rectangular decorative plate that covers an opening provided on the lower surface of the housing 1. The decorative grille 2 is approximately the same shape and size as the opening of the housing 1. The decorative grille 2 is fixed to the housing 1 so as to be openable and closable. The decorative grille 2 has an air intake port 21 and an air outlet port 22.

[0020] The air intake 21 is a roughly rectangular opening located on one end of the decorative grille 2. The air intake 21 draws air from inside the building into the housing. The air intake 21 supplies the drawn-in air to the blower 31. A filter (not shown) is provided between the air intake 21 and the blower 31 so as to cover the back of the air intake 21.

[0021] The air outlet 22 is a roughly rectangular opening located on the other end of the decorative grille 2. After the air taken in from the intake port 21 is humidified by the humidification module 32, the humidified air is supplied from the air outlet 22 to the space to be humidified.

[0022] (Blower) The blower 31 is a device that imparts kinetic energy to air and sends it out. For example, a fan can be used as the blower 31. The blower 31 is installed inside the housing 1 on the side of the intake port 21 of the decorative grille 2. The blower 31 is positioned above the intake port 21 and draws in the air taken in by the intake port 21. The intake ports of the blower 31 are the two sides perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the intake port 21. The exhaust port of the blower 31 is provided so as to face one side of the humidification module 32. The blower 31 supplies the air drawn in through the intake port 21 to one side of the humidification module 32. An intermediate spacer may be provided on the exhaust port side of the blower 31 so that the air supplied to the humidification module 32 spreads across the entire side of the humidification module 32.

[0023] (Humidification module) The humidification module 32 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped-shaped component formed by stacking multiple layers of plate-shaped humidification material with a corrugated cross-section, such as nonwoven fabric. The humidification module 32 temporarily holds the moisture supplied from the water supply device 33 and humidifies the air supplied from the blower 31 with this held moisture. That is, the air supplied from the blower 31 to one side of the humidification module 32 is humidified as it passes through the humidification module 32, and the humidified air is discharged from the other side of the humidification module 32. The humidification module 32 is detachably fixed to the drain pan 34.

[0024] (water supply device) The water supply device 33 includes a water supply header, which is located above the humidification module 32. The water supply device 33 supplies water to the humidification module 32. The water supply device 33 performs intermittent water supply, supplying water to the humidification module 32 at regular intervals. The amount of water supplied to the humidification module 32 by the water supply device 33 is controlled by the water supply device control unit 45 of the control unit 4 (see Figure 3).

[0025] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the water supply system 33. As shown in Figure 2, the water supply system 33 includes a water source 331, a pressure reducing valve 332, two solenoid valves 333 and 334, and an orifice 335. The water source 331, pressure reducing valve 332, the two solenoid valves 333 and 334, and the orifice 335 are arranged in series and connected to adjacent components by piping.

[0026] The water source 331 supplies water. The water source 331 is, for example, a water pipe, and the water supplied from the water source 331 is water flowing through the water pipe. However, the water source 331 may be configured as a tank, and water may be stored in the water source 331.

[0027] The pressure reducing valve 332 is installed downstream of the water source 331. The pressure reducing valve 332 maintains a constant pressure for the water flowing from the water pipe. There are variations in the pressure of water flowing through the water pipe. Therefore, even if only the orifice 335 is used, the water flow rate will change in accordance with the changes in water pressure. The pressure reducing valve 332 reduces the water pressure to prevent variations in water pressure, adjusts it to a constant pressure, and then discharges it downstream.

[0028] Solenoid valves 333 and 334 are located downstream of pressure reducing valve 332. The two solenoid valves 333 and 334 are installed in series, with solenoid valve 333 located downstream of pressure reducing valve 332 and solenoid valve 334 located downstream of solenoid valve 333. In other words, solenoid valve 333 is located between solenoid valve 334 and pressure reducing valve 332.

[0029] Solenoid valves 333 and 334 open and close the flow path under control by the water supply device control unit 45 of the control unit 4. By opening and closing solenoid valves 333 and 334, water is supplied or stopped. When both solenoid valves 333 and 334 are open, water is supplied to the humidification module 32. In other words, when either solenoid valve 333 or 334 is closed, water is not supplied to the humidification module 32. By adjusting the timing of opening and closing these two solenoid valves 333 and 334, intermittent water supply is performed.

[0030] The orifice 335 is a component that limits the flow rate of water. The orifice 335 has, for example, a circular hole, and the amount of water supplied is adjusted by the size of this hole. Note that the shape of the hole in the orifice 335 is not limited to a circle; it may also be a rectangle or other shape.

[0031] (Drain pan) As shown in Figure 1, the drain pan 34 is located below the humidification module 32. The drain pan 34 has a box-like shape with an open top. The dimensions of the drain pan 34 are larger than the width and depth of the humidification module 32, but lower in height. The drain pan 34 receives and stores the water flowing down from the humidification module 32.

[0032] Furthermore, the drain pan 34 is designed to receive and store leaked water even if it leaks from the water supply device 33. The drain pan 34 is also detachably fixed to the support member provided on the housing 1. A drain port is provided on the bottom surface of the drain pan 34. The bottom surface of the drain pan 34 is sloped toward the drain port. A pipe extending downwards is provided at the drain port, and a drain cap is inserted into this pipe.

[0033] (Electrical section) The electrical unit 35 is a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped component located between the air intake 21 and the blower 31. The electrical unit 35 is configured to be connectable to the connector of the sensor 36. The electrical unit 35 receives detection information detected by the sensor 36.

[0034] (sensor) Sensor 36 measures the temperature and relative humidity of the space to be humidified. Sensor 36 may be operated continuously to measure the temperature and relative humidity as they fluctuate moment by moment, or it may measure the temperature and relative humidity at predetermined intervals, such as every minute. Sensor 36 can be a module type in which the sensor body, such as a humidity sensor or a temperature sensor, is mounted on a circuit board. The measured temperature and humidity information is transmitted to the electrical unit 35 and the control unit 4.

[0035] The sensor 36 is located inside the humidifier body 10. In this embodiment, the sensor 36 is located upstream of the airflow path and is mounted on the side of the electrical unit 35, as shown in Figure 1. The sensor 36 measures the temperature and relative humidity of the air flowing in from the air intake 21 of the decorative grille 2. The sensor 36 is fixed to the electrical unit 35 by fasteners such as screws. However, the sensor 36 does not necessarily have to be located inside the humidifier body 10; it may be installed in the space to be humidified.

[0036] In this embodiment, the sensor 36 is housed in a protective cover. The protective cover has multiple slits to prevent air from accumulating inside the cover. Note that the sensor 36 does not necessarily have to be housed in a protective cover.

[0037] (Control Unit) The control unit 4 is composed of a computer and driver circuits, etc. The computer is composed of storage such as Flash Memory, RAM, CPU, etc. The control unit 4 controls various components of the evaporative humidifier 100. In particular, the control unit 4 in this embodiment calculates the amount of humidification based on temperature, humidity and airflow, and adjusts the opening and closing timing of the solenoid valves 333 and 334 to perform intermittent water supply.

[0038] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit 4. As shown in Figure 3, the control unit 4 includes a storage unit 41, a sensor detection unit 42, an airflow detection unit 43, a humidification amount calculation unit 44, and a water supply device control unit 45.

[0039] The memory unit 41 stores the control program and setting information for the evaporative humidifier 100. The memory unit 41 stores the airflow rate (m³) of the air supplied by the blower 31, as shown in the table in Figure 4. 3 The fan's control voltage ( / h) is stored in relation to the fan's control voltage. This table shows the airflow settings for each 1% increment across control voltages from 1% to 100%.

[0040] Furthermore, the memory unit 41 stores the air density AD and the applicable saturation efficiency α. In this embodiment, the memory unit 41 stores the air density AD as 1.2 kg / m³. 3 It is stored as follows. Note that the value of air density AD is calculated assuming that the density of air at 1 atmosphere and room temperature (15℃~25℃) is 1.2 (kg / m³). 3 ) will be around 1.2 (kg / m 3 ) is stored as such, but may be changed as appropriate based on the environmental conditions of the space to be humidified. Furthermore, the applicable saturation efficiency α represents the upper limit of humidification that is theoretically possible at that temperature (saturation point: relative humidity 100%) and the ratio to which humidification can be performed. The applicable saturation efficiency α should be stored as a value within the range of 0 to 1, corresponding to the humidification performance of the evaporative humidifier 100.

[0041] The sensor detection unit 42 detects the temperature and relative humidity measured by the sensor 36. The sensor detection unit 42 transmits the detected temperature and relative humidity information to the humidification amount calculation unit 44. The airflow detection unit 43 detects the current airflow based on a table stored in the storage unit 41. For example, when the control voltage is 18%, the airflow detection unit 43 determines that the airflow is 200 (m³), as shown in Figure 4. 3 The unit detects the airflow rate ( / h). The airflow detection unit 43 transmits the detected airflow information to the humidification amount calculation unit 44.

[0042] The humidification amount calculation unit 44 calculates the humidification amount. The humidification amount is the amount of water (kg / h) required to increase the humidity from the current humidity to the humidity set by the user. The humidification amount calculation unit 44 calculates the humidification amount based on the following formula (1).

[0043]

number

[0044] The humidification amount calculation unit 44 calculates the intake absolute humidity X1, the post-humidification absolute humidity X2, and the saturated absolute humidity X3 in order to calculate the humidification amount. The intake absolute humidity X1 is the absolute humidity before humidification, and is also called the pre-humidification absolute humidity. The post-humidification absolute humidity X2 is the absolute humidity after humidification of the air with the intake absolute humidity X1. The saturated absolute humidity X3 is the absolute humidity at which the relative humidity is 100% with respect to the air temperature (wet-bulb temperature) at the post-humidification absolute humidity.

[0045] The humidification amount calculation unit 44 can calculate the intake absolute humidity X1, the humidified absolute humidity X2, and the saturated absolute humidity X3 using known methods. For example, the humidification amount calculation unit 44 calculates the intake absolute humidity X1 based on the temperature and relative humidity detected by the sensor detection unit 42.

[0046] Furthermore, for example, the humidification amount calculation unit 44 calculates the wet-bulb temperature tw that is equal to the water vapor pressure of the intake absolute humidity X1, assuming a wet-bulb temperature. The humidification amount calculation unit 44 calculates using numerical analysis such as the bisection method until the wet-bulb temperature tw is equal to the water vapor pressure of the intake absolute humidity X1.

[0047] The humidification amount calculation unit 44 then determines the saturated absolute humidity X3 based on the calculated wet-bulb temperature tw. The humidification amount calculation unit 44 calculates the saturated absolute humidity X3 (≈ saturated water vapor pressure at wet-bulb temperature) when the relative humidity is 100% from the calculated wet-bulb temperature tw.

[0048] The humidification amount calculation unit 44 calculates the absolute humidity after humidification X2 by substituting the calculated saturated absolute humidity X3 into the following formula (2). [Number]

[0049] As described above, the humidification amount calculation unit 44 calculates the absolute humidity X2 and the saturated absolute humidity X3 after humidification. Then, the humidification amount calculation unit 44 substitutes the absolute humidity X2 after humidification calculated by the above formula (2) into the above formula (1) to calculate the humidification amount HFA.

[0050] The water supply device control unit 45 controls the amount of water supplied to the water supply device 33 based on the humidification amount calculated by the humidification amount calculation unit 44. The water supply device control unit 45 calculates the required water supply amount (L / min), which is the water supply amount per minute, and controls the opening and closing timings of the solenoid valves 333 and 334. By the water supply device control unit 45 controlling the opening and closing timings of the solenoid valves 333 and 334, intermittent water supply is performed.

[0051] [1-2. Control of Intermittent Water Supply] The control of intermittent water supply by the water supply device control unit 45 will be described while referring to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 shows the open and closed states of each solenoid valve 333 and 334 over time. The time t F1 , t F2 , t F3 ··· are referred to as intermittent water supply frame times, and when not particularly distinguished, they are referred to as the intermittent water supply frame time t F . Each intermittent water supply frame time t F1 , t F2 , t F3 ··· are the same time, for example, 40 seconds. The intermittent water supply frame time is stored in the storage unit 41 in advance.

[0052] Before the start of intermittent water supply, each solenoid valve 333 and 334 is in the closed state. That is, no water is being supplied to the water supply device 33. When intermittent water supply starts, the water supply device control unit 45 controls the solenoid valve 334 to change from the closed state to the open state, and the solenoid valve 334 becomes the open state, and the time t ON2 is reached. The time t ON2This is called the solenoid valve interleave ON time. Solenoid valve interleave ON time t ON2 This is the same as the intermittent water supply frame time. That is, in this embodiment, the solenoid valve interleave ON time t ON2 It takes 40 seconds.

[0053] On the other hand, the solenoid valve 333 operates at time t F1 From time t ON1 When the time obtained by subtracting t is reached, the water supply device control unit 45 controls the valves from the closed state to the open state. That is, both solenoid valves 333 and 334 are in the open state, and at time t ON1 During this time, water is supplied to the humidification module 32. ON1 This is called water supply time.

[0054] Time t from the start of intermittent water supply F1 After 40 seconds, the solenoid valve 334 is controlled from the open state to the closed state. As a result, the water supply to the humidification module 32 is stopped. At this time, the solenoid valve 333 remains in the open state. Note that the time the solenoid valve 333 was in the open state at the moment the solenoid valve 334 changed from the open state to the closed state is time t ON1 From solenoid valve interleave ON time t ON2 It switches to this.

[0055] The water supply device control unit 45 controls the time t F2 From time t ON1 When the time after subtracting t is reached, the solenoid valve 334 is controlled from the closed state to the open state. The solenoid valve 333 is in the open state (solenoid valve interleave ON time t ON2 ) Therefore, the water supply time again t ON1 During this time, water is supplied to the humidification module 32.

[0056] 80 seconds (hour t) from the start of intermittent water supply F1 and time t F2 After the time (the sum of t) has elapsed, the solenoid valve 333 is controlled from the open state to the closed state. As a result, the water supply to the water supply device 33 is stopped. F3 Similarly, solenoid valve 334 remains open for the solenoid valve interleave ON time, and solenoid valve 333 remains open for time t F3 From time tON1 When the time after subtracting the specified period is reached, the solenoid valve 334 is controlled from a closed state to an open state, thereby supplying water to the humidification module 32.

[0057] Thus, time t F1 Except for solenoid valve 334, each solenoid valve 333, 334 operates at time t ON1 and time t ON2 The total ON time t ON By staggering the timing, water is supplied only when the two solenoid valves 333 and 334 are open, thereby automatically performing intermittent water supply. That is, one intermittent water supply frame time t F In this case, one of the solenoid valves 333, 334 has an interleaving ON time t ON2 When this occurs, the other solenoid valves 333 and 334 are in a closed state or the water supply time t ON1 By controlling it to be in an open state, the water supply time t ON1 Water is supplied only at that time, and intermittent watering is performed automatically.

[0058] Next, time t ON1 Let's explain how to calculate this. First, the water supply control unit 45 calculates the required water supply amount (L / min), which is the amount of water supplied per minute, based on the following formula (3).

[0059]

number

[0060] Then, the water supply control unit 45 determines the flow rate f when the two solenoid valves 333 and 334 are open. rF Based on the flow rate (L / min) and the number of cycles (DutyCycle) of the intermittent water supply frame time, the time required to reach the required water supply amount is calculated as shown in equation (4) below. rF This is calculated from the pressure setting value of the pressure reducing valve 332 and the flow rate setting value of the orifice 335.

[0061]

number

[0062] Here, one intermittent water supply frame time t F In this case, water supply takes place at time t ON1 This is the only remaining factor. Therefore, DutyCycle can be expressed as shown in equation (5) below.

[0063]

number

[0064] Substituting equation (5) above into equation (4) above, we obtain equation (6) below.

number

[0065] Expanding equation (6) above yields equation (7) below.

number

[0066] The water supply control unit 45 calculates the time t based on the above formula (7). ON1 The water supply control unit 45 then adjusts the timing of the opening and closing states of the solenoid valves 333 and 334 to control intermittent water supply.

[0067] [1-3. Operation] Next, the operation of the intermittent water supply of the evaporative humidifier 100 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 6. When intermittent water supply is started, the sensor detection unit 42 detects the temperature and relative humidity measured by the sensor 36 (step 01). The sensor detection unit 42 transmits the detected temperature and relative humidity information to the humidification amount calculation unit 44.

[0068] The humidification amount calculation unit 44 calculates the intake absolute humidity X1 based on the received temperature and absolute humidity (step 02). The humidification amount calculation unit 44 also calculates the saturated absolute humidity X3 (step 03). Furthermore, the humidification amount calculation unit 44 calculates the humidified absolute humidity X2 (step 04). Note that calculating the humidified absolute humidity X2 is not mandatory. The airflow detection unit 43 detects the current airflow AF of the blower 31 from a table stored in the memory unit 41 (step 05). The airflow detection unit 43 transmits the detected airflow to the humidification amount calculation unit 44. Note that all values ​​calculated in steps 02 to 05 only need to be calculated before step 06. In other words, the calculation of each value in steps 02 to 05 does not need to be performed in the order of this embodiment, and may be performed simultaneously.

[0069] Then, the humidification amount calculation unit 44 uses the values ​​calculated in steps 02 to 05 to calculate the humidification amount HFA (kg / h) based on the above formula (1) (step 06). This calculates the amount of humidification required for the humidification module 32.

[0070] Once the calculation of the humidification amount HFA is complete, the water supply control unit 45 determines the required water supply amount fr, which is the amount of water supplied per minute. R This is calculated based on the above formula (3) (Step 07). Required water supply fr R Once the calculation is complete, the water supply device control unit 45 calculates time t based on the above formula (7). ON1 The water supply device control unit 45 calculates (step 08). ON1 The solenoid valves 333 and 334 are controlled based on (step 09). That is, each solenoid valve 333 and 334 controls time t ON1 At the timing when this occurs, water is supplied to the water supply device 33, and at all other times, water is not supplied to the humidification module 32, and intermittent water supply is performed automatically.

[0071] Following the above procedure, the evaporative humidifier 100 intermittently supplies water from the water supply device 33 to the humidification module 32. Note that if conditions such as temperature and relative humidity measured by the sensor 36, or the humidity (relative humidity) set by the user, change, the amount of humidification (HFA) required by the humidification module 32 also changes. Thus, if the conditions change, each step from step 01 is repeated, and intermittent water supply is performed at the newly calculated intervals.

[0072] [1-4. Effects] As described above, the evaporative humidifier 100 of this embodiment includes a sensor 36 for measuring the temperature and humidity of the space to be humidified, a water supply device 33 for supplying moisture to the humidification module 32, a blower 31 that energizes the air and supplies air to the space to be humidified, a humidification amount calculation unit 44 that calculates the amount of humidification HFA required for the humidification module 32 based on the airflow rate of the air supplied by the blower 31 and the temperature and humidity measured by the sensor, and a water supply device control unit 45 that controls the water supply device 33 so that the amount of humidification HFA is determined by the humidification amount calculation unit 44 and performs intermittent water supply.

[0073] Thus, the evaporative humidifier 100 of this embodiment calculates the humidification amount HFA based on the current airflow and the current temperature and humidity measured by the sensor 36. In other words, the humidification amount calculation unit 44 can calculate a humidification amount suitable for the temperature and humidity conditions and airflow conditions of the space to be humidified. Therefore, it is possible to calculate the appropriate amount of water supply actually needed and perform intermittent water supply.

[0074] The water supply device 33 has two solenoid valves 333 and 334, which are arranged in series. The water supply device control unit 45 performs intermittent water supply by staggering the opening and closing timing of the two solenoid valves 333 and 334. In this way, by alternately opening and closing the two solenoid valves 333 and 334, the opening and closing lifespan of the solenoid valves 333 and 334 can be distributed. As a result, the service life of the evaporative humidifier 100 is increased.

[0075] [Differentiation] (1) The water supply device 33 may have a thermometer that measures the temperature of the water supplied by the humidification module 32. The thermometer measures the temperature of the water moment by moment or at regular intervals. The thermometer is preferably placed in front of the orifice 335 of the water supply device 33, that is, between the orifice 335 and the solenoid valve 334. The humidification amount calculation unit 44 calculates the humidification amount taking into account the temperature of the water measured by the thermometer. That is, the humidification amount calculation unit 44 calculates the humidification amount based on the temperature and relative humidity measured by the sensor 36, the airflow rate, and the temperature of the water supplied from the water supply device 33 as measured by the thermometer. This makes it possible to calculate the humidification amount with greater accuracy and to perform intermittent water supply based on an appropriate water supply amount.

[0076] (2) The water supply device 33 may also have a pressure measuring instrument for measuring the supply pressure of the water supplied by the humidification module 32. The pressure measuring instrument measures the water supply pressure moment by moment or at regular intervals. The pressure measuring instrument is preferably placed downstream of the pressure reducing valve 332. The humidification amount calculation unit 44 calculates the humidification amount by also taking into account the water supply pressure measured by the pressure measuring instrument. That is, the humidification amount calculation unit 44 calculates the humidification amount based on the temperature and relative humidity measured by the sensor 36, the airflow rate, and the water supply pressure of the water supplied from the water supply device 33 measured by the pressure measuring instrument. This makes it possible to calculate the humidification amount with greater accuracy and to perform intermittent water supply based on an appropriate water supply amount.

[0077] (3) The airflow detection unit 43 may detect the airflow based on the change in airflow caused by the air passing through the humidification module 32. The air supplied from the blower 31 loses pressure and changes in airflow as it passes through the humidification module 32. Therefore, the evaporative humidifier 100 may have, for example, a differential pressure measuring device that measures the differential pressure (pressure loss) caused by the air passing through the humidification module 32. The differential pressure measuring device measures the differential pressure of the air before and after it passes through the humidification module 32. For this reason, the differential pressure measuring device is preferably placed before and after the humidification module 32, which is the airflow path. The airflow detection unit 43 calculates the airflow based on the airflow stored in the memory unit 41 and the differential pressure measured by the differential pressure measuring device. The humidification amount calculation unit 44 calculates the humidification amount based on the temperature and relative humidity measured by the sensor 36 and the airflow based on the differential pressure. Therefore, the humidification amount can be calculated with greater accuracy, and intermittent water supply can be performed based on an appropriate water supply amount.

[0078] Furthermore, the evaporative humidifier 100 may have an airflow meter instead of a differential pressure meter. The airflow meter measures the airflow rate of the air that has passed through the humidification module 32. In this case, the humidification amount calculation unit 44 only needs to calculate the humidification amount based on the airflow rate measured by the airflow meter, rather than the airflow rate stored in the memory unit 41. Even with this configuration, the humidification amount can be calculated with greater accuracy.

[0079] (4) In the above embodiment, the water supply device 33 had two solenoid valves 333 and 334, but the number of solenoid valves may be one. In this case, the water supply device control unit 45 only needs to control the opening and closing of one solenoid valve. Therefore, intermittent water supply can be performed by a simple method. In addition, the valves provided in the water supply device 33 do not have to be solenoid valves, and various valves such as proportional valves can be used.

[0080] (5) In the above embodiment, the water supply control unit 45 calculated the required water supply amount based on the above formula (3), but it may also be calculated based on the following formulas (8) or (9).

[0081]

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[0082]

number

[0083] As shown in equations (8) and (9) above, the water supply control unit 45 may calculate the required water supply amount by doubling the humidification amount or multiplying it by the flow rate multiplier. That is, it may control the system to supply more water to the humidification module 32 than the theoretically required humidification amount. If a measurement error occurs by the sensor 36, the humidification amount calculated by the humidification amount calculation unit 44 may differ from the actual required humidification amount. If the humidification amount is insufficient, mineral deposits from tap water may form, or bacteria may proliferate. To prevent this, the water supply control unit 45 controls the system to supply more water to the humidification module 32 than the calculated humidification amount. This allows for a certain water-saving effect while preventing the formation of mineral deposits from tap water and the proliferation of bacteria. In particular, it is preferable to calculate the required water supply amount based on equation (9) above. Compared to equation (8), the required water supply amount can be finely adjusted using only the flow rate multiplier FRM, minimizing wasted water and increasing the water-saving effect.

[0084] [Other embodiments] While embodiments of the present invention have been described herein, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The above embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and essence of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 100 Evaporative Humidifiers 10 Humidifier unit 1 Housing 2 Decorative Grill 21 Air intake 22 Air outlet 3 Humidifier 31 Blower 331 Water supply source 332 Pressure Reducing Valve 333 Solenoid valve 334 Solenoid valve 335 Orifice 32 Humidification Modules 33 Water supply equipment 34 Drain pan 35 Electrical System 36 sensors 4. Control Unit 41 Storage section 42 Sensor detection unit 43 Air volume detection unit 44 Humidification amount calculation section 45 Water supply system control unit

Claims

1. A vaporizing humidifier that provides intermittent water supply, A sensor that measures the temperature and humidity of the space to be humidified, A water supply device that supplies moisture to the humidification module, A blower that energizes the air and supplies the air to the space to be humidified, A humidification amount calculation unit calculates the amount of humidification required for the humidification module based on the airflow rate of the air supplied by the blower, the temperature measured by the sensor, and the humidity. A water supply device control unit controls the water supply device to achieve the humidification amount calculated by the humidification amount calculation unit and performs intermittent water supply, A vaporizing humidifier characterized by having the following features.

2. The water supply device has a temperature measuring instrument for the water supplied by the water supply device, The humidification amount calculation unit calculates the humidification amount by also taking into account the temperature of the moisture measured by the temperature measuring instrument. The evaporative humidifier according to claim 1, characterized by the following:

3. The water supply device has a pressure measuring instrument for the water supplied by the water supply device. The humidification amount calculation unit calculates the humidification amount by also taking into account the pressure of the moisture measured by the pressure measuring instrument. An evaporative humidifier according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above.

4. The system further includes an airflow detection unit that detects the airflow based on the change in airflow caused by the air supplied from the blower passing through the humidification module. The humidification amount calculation unit calculates the humidification amount based on the airflow detected by the airflow detection unit, the temperature measured by the sensor, and the humidity. An evaporative humidifier according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above.

5. The water supply device has two solenoid valves arranged in series, The water supply device control unit performs intermittent water supply to achieve the humidification amount by staggering the opening and closing timings of the two solenoid valves and adjusting the time during which the two solenoid valves are open simultaneously. An evaporative humidifier according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above.

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