Dehumidifier

Abstract

To provide a dehumidifier capable of determining whether or not the dehumidification efficiency is reduced. [Solution] The device comprises a main body case having an intake port for drawing in air from a predetermined space and an outlet port for blowing air into the predetermined space; a blower unit that guides air from the intake port to the outlet port; a dehumidifier unit that dehumidifies the air drawn in from the intake port; a storage tank that stores the water dehumidified by the dehumidifier unit inside the main body case; a water volume acquisition unit that acquires the amount of water stored in the storage tank; a humidity acquisition unit that acquires the humidity of the predetermined space; and a determination unit that determines a decrease in the dehumidification performance by the dehumidifier unit based on the humidity of the predetermined space and the change in the amount of water stored in the storage tank. This solves the above problem.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a dehumidifying device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a dehumidifier (dehumidifying device) that stores moisture recovered from the air by a heat exchanger in a drain tank (storage tank) provided inside the main body is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a dehumidifying device that dew - condenses moisture in the air by a heat exchanger to dehumidify a predetermined space, if the dehumidifying operation is continued in a state where the humidity of the predetermined space is high, the dehumidifying operation will be performed with a large amount of water dew - condensed on the heat exchanger, and there is a possibility that the dehumidifying efficiency will decrease. It is difficult for a user to determine whether the dehumidifying efficiency has decreased.

[0005] Therefore, the present disclosure solves the above problems and aims to provide a dehumidifying device capable of determining whether the dehumidifying efficiency has decreased.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, a dehumidifier according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a main body case having an intake port for drawing in air from a predetermined space and an outlet port for blowing air into a predetermined space; a blower unit for guiding air from the intake port to the outlet port; a dehumidifier unit for dehumidifying the air drawn in from the intake port; a storage tank for storing the water dehumidified by the dehumidifier unit inside the main body case; a water volume acquisition unit for acquiring the amount of water stored in the storage tank; a humidity acquisition unit for acquiring the humidity of a predetermined space; and a determination unit for determining a decrease in the dehumidification performance by the dehumidifier unit based on the humidity of the predetermined space and the change in the amount of water stored in the storage tank.

[0007] Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, a dehumidifier according to another embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a main body case having an intake port for drawing in air from a predetermined space and an outlet port for blowing air into a predetermined space; a blower unit for guiding air from the intake port to the outlet port; a dehumidifier unit that dehumidifies the air drawn in from the intake port using a refrigeration cycle in which a compressor, a heat sink, an expander, and a heat absorber are connected in that order; a storage tank for storing the water dehumidified by the dehumidifier unit inside the main body case; a water volume acquisition unit for acquiring the amount of water stored in the storage tank; a heat absorber temperature acquisition unit for acquiring the heat absorber temperature, which is the temperature of the heat absorber in the refrigeration cycle; and a determination unit for determining a decrease in the dehumidification performance by the dehumidifier unit based on the heat absorber temperature and the change in the amount of water stored in the storage tank. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a dehumidifier capable of determining whether or not the dehumidification efficiency is reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a dehumidifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a side cross-sectional view of a dehumidifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a schematic functional block diagram of a dehumidifier according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. [Figure 4]This flowchart shows the control details of the dehumidifier according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a schematic functional block diagram of a dehumidifier according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] This flowchart shows the control details of the dehumidifier according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments shown below are illustrative examples to embody the technical concept of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these. In particular, the materials, shapes, components, arrangement of components, and relative arrangement described in the embodiments are examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to them alone. In addition, in each drawing, substantially identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted or simplified. In addition, the dimensions of the components in each drawing are shown enlarged or reduced as appropriate to facilitate understanding. In addition, some components that are not important for explaining the embodiments are omitted in each drawing.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) First, an embodiment of the dehumidifying device described herein will be explained. The dehumidifying device is installed in a predetermined space and dehumidifies the air present in that space. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the dehumidifying device. Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the dehumidifying device.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the dehumidifier includes a main body case 1.

[0013] The main unit case 1 is a box-shaped container equipped with an intake port 2 and an outlet port 3.

[0014] The intake port 2 is, for example, provided on the back of the main body case 1, and is a grid-like opening for drawing air from a predetermined space outside the main body case 1 into the main body case 1.

[0015] The air outlet 3 is an openable and closable opening for blowing out the air sucked into the main body case 1 from the suction port 2 into a predetermined space outside the main body case 1. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the air outlet 3 is in an open state.

[0016] The main body case 1 includes a dehumidifying unit 4, a blowing unit 5, a control unit 6, a humidity measuring unit 7, an operation unit 8, a storage tank 14, and a water amount detecting unit 15.

[0017] The dehumidifying unit 4 dehumidifies the air sucked from the suction port 2. The dehumidifying unit 4 includes a refrigeration cycle in which a compressor 10, a radiator 13, an expander 12, and an absorber 11 are connected in a circular manner in this order by a refrigerant pipe to circulate the refrigerant. Note that the refrigerant is a heat medium used to transfer heat in the refrigeration cycle. The refrigerant pipe is a pipe that connects the compressor 10, the radiator 13, the expander 12, and the absorber 11 in a circular manner and conveys the refrigerant. The refrigerant pipe is made of metal.

[0018]

[0019]

[0020]

[0021] The compressor 10 is a device that compresses the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant in the refrigerant pipe and raises the temperature by increasing the pressure. Inside the compressor 10, for example, a DC motor is provided. The DC motor is a motor mounted to rotate a compression mechanism that compresses the refrigerant inside the compressor 10. That is, by starting and rotating the DC motor, the compressor 10 is started and the operation of the compressor 10 is started.

[0019] The radiator 13 is provided in the air passage 9 and releases heat from the refrigerant that has become high-temperature and high-pressure by the compressor 10 to the air inside the main body case 1. At that time, the refrigerant is condensed and liquefied under high pressure. That is, the air is heated up and the refrigerant is cooled down.

[0020] The expander 12 is a device that decompresses the high-pressure refrigerant liquefied by the radiator 13 into a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid.

[0021] The heat absorber 11 is installed on the air passage 9 and absorbs heat from the air drawn in from the intake port 2 using the refrigerant, which has been cooled to low temperature and pressure by the expander 12. At this time, the refrigerant evaporates and vaporizes under low pressure. In other words, the air drawn in from the intake port 2 is cooled and the refrigerant is heated. The cooled air drawn in from the intake port 2 falls below the dew point temperature, and condensation occurs around the heat absorber 11. Specifically, condensation occurs on the refrigerant piping of the heat absorber 11. This condensation reduces the amount of moisture in the air drawn in from the intake port 2, and the air after passing through the heat absorber 11 becomes low-humidity air. In other words, the heat absorber 11 has the dehumidifying function of the dehumidification unit 4. Whether or not dehumidification by the dehumidification unit 4 is performed is controlled by the control unit 6. The heat absorber 11 is also equipped with a heat absorber temperature sensor 16.

[0022] The heat absorber temperature sensor 16 measures the heat absorber temperature, which is the temperature of the heat absorber 11 in the refrigeration cycle. The heat absorber temperature sensor 16 may also measure the temperature of the refrigerant passing through the heat absorber 11 in the refrigeration cycle as the heat absorber temperature. The heat absorber temperature sensor 16 is attached directly to, for example, the refrigerant piping that constitutes the heat absorber 11, and measures the heat absorber temperature. More specifically, it is preferable that the heat absorber temperature sensor 16 detects the temperature upstream of the heat absorber 11 in the refrigeration cycle as the heat absorber temperature. The heat absorber temperature sensor 16 is provided on the upstream refrigerant piping of the heat absorber 11 in the refrigeration cycle. The heat absorber temperature sensor 16 is a sensor that measures the temperature of the suction side of the heat absorber 11, that is, the refrigerant suction part of the heat absorber 11 that draws in the refrigerant that has been depressurized in the expander 12, and mainly thermistors or platinum resistors are used. In other words, the heat absorber temperature sensor 16 can be described as a sensor that measures the temperature of the heat absorber 11 before it absorbs heat from the air drawn in through the intake port 2, or the temperature of the refrigerant before it absorbs heat from the air drawn in through the intake port 2, as the heat absorber temperature.

[0023] The blower unit 5 is composed of, for example, a sirocco fan and a motor, and guides air from the intake port 2 to the outlet port 3. The sirocco fan rotates under the power of the motor. The motor is controlled by the control unit 6, which will be described later, and as the sirocco fan rotates, the air from outside the main body case 1 that is drawn in by the sirocco fan passes through the intake port 2, the dehumidifier unit 4, and the blower unit 5, and is blown out of the main body case 1 from the outlet port 3. In other words, an air passage 9 is formed inside the main body case 1 that connects the intake port 2 and the outlet port 3, and as the sirocco fan rotates, an airflow is generated, and this airflow connects the intake port 2 and the outlet port 3.

[0024] Specifically, the air from outside the main case 1, drawn in by the sirocco fan, passes through the intake port 2, the heat absorber 11, and the blower 5, and is then blown out of the main case 1 from the outlet 3. A heat radiator 13 may also be provided between the heat absorber 11 and the blower 5 in the air passage 9. In other words, the air from outside the main case 1, drawn in by the sirocco fan, may pass through the intake port 2, the heat absorber 11, the heat radiator 13, and the blower 5, and be blown out of the main case 1 from the outlet 3. This allows the air, cooled by the heat absorber 11, to be heated by the heat radiator 13. This prevents the release of cold air into a predetermined space. That is, it prevents a decrease in the temperature of the predetermined space, and prevents user discomfort caused by cold air hitting users in that space.

[0025] The control unit 6 controls the dehumidifier, but details will be described later.

[0026] The humidity measurement unit 7 measures the humidity of a predetermined space. In this embodiment, the humidity measurement unit 7 is equipped with a humidity sensor for measuring humidity. In this embodiment, as an example, the humidity measurement unit 7 is provided on the top surface of the main body case 1. The humidity of the predetermined space measured by the humidity measurement unit 7 is sent to the control unit 6 by wired communication or wireless communication. The humidity measurement unit 7 may be provided within the predetermined space, for example, on a wall surface within the predetermined space. Furthermore, the dehumidifier does not necessarily have a hygrometer side unit, and the humidity of the predetermined space measured by a hygrometer side unit that is not provided by the dehumidifier may be sent to the control unit 6 of the dehumidifier by wired communication or wireless communication.

[0027] The control unit 8 receives input from the user. The control unit 8 is composed of, for example, multiple physical switches, which are switched by the user. The physical switches are operated by the user when they want to start operation, change the operating state, stop operation, etc. The control unit 6 can understand the user's input by acquiring the switching status of the physical switches. The control unit 8 may be configured with other components, such as a touch panel, instead of physical switches.

[0028] The storage tank 14 has a roughly box-like shape with an open top and is structured to store water. The storage tank 14 is located at the bottom of the main body case 1 and can be attached to and detached from the main body case 1 by sliding it horizontally. The storage tank 14 stores the water that has been dehumidified by the dehumidification unit 4 inside the main body case 1. Specifically, air drawn in from the intake port 2 is cooled by the heat absorber 11, and condensation occurs around the heat absorber 11. The water produced by the condensation drips vertically downwards. The storage tank 14 stores the dripped water.

[0029] The water level detection unit 15 detects the amount of water in the storage tank 14. The water level detection unit 15 is composed of, for example, a weight sensor and is installed at the bottom of the storage tank 14. The water level detection unit 15 detects the amount of water in the storage tank 14 and transmits it to the control unit 6. Alternatively, the water level detection unit 15 may be composed of an electrostatic water level sensor capable of detecting the amount of water by a change in capacitance, or it may be composed of a combination of multiple floats.

[0030] Next, the functions of the control unit 6 will be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a schematic functional block diagram of the control unit 6 and its surroundings according to Embodiment 1.

[0031] The control unit 6 includes an operation determination unit 20, a water volume acquisition unit 21, a humidity acquisition unit 22, a change amount calculation unit 23, a count unit 24, a determination unit 25, a storage unit 26, a fan control unit 27, and a dehumidification control unit 28.

[0032] The operation determination unit 20 receives operation information from the user via the control unit 8. When the operation determination unit 20 receives operation information to start operation from the control unit 8, it determines that the user wants to start dehumidification operation, and when it receives operation information to end operation from the control unit 8, it determines that the user wants to end dehumidification operation. The operation determination unit 20 also determines that dehumidification operation is in progress from the time it determines that the user wants to start dehumidification operation until it determines that the user wants to end dehumidification operation. When the operation determination unit 20 determines that the user wants to start dehumidification operation, the control unit 6 starts dehumidification operation. Specifically, the control unit 6 starts dehumidifying the air in a predetermined space by operating the air blower unit 5 and the dehumidification unit 4.

[0033] The water volume acquisition unit 21 acquires the amount of water in the storage tank 14 detected by the water volume detection unit 15. The water volume acquisition unit 21 stores the acquired water volume information in the storage unit 26. The storage unit 26 is a so-called memory, and in this embodiment it is a non-volatile memory.

[0034] The humidity acquisition unit 22 acquires the humidity of a predetermined space. In this embodiment, the humidity acquisition unit 22 acquires the humidity of the predetermined space measured by the humidity measurement unit 7. The humidity acquisition unit 22 may also acquire the humidity of the predetermined space by communicating with a humidity measurement unit that does not have a dehumidifying device. The humidity acquisition unit 22 can acquire the humidity of the predetermined space periodically. Periodically means, for example, every minute. The period can be set arbitrarily. The humidity acquisition unit 22 stores the acquired humidity in the storage unit 26.

[0035] The counting unit 24 counts time. The counting unit 24 starts counting at a predetermined timing and continues counting until it receives a reset instruction from the control unit 6 for the counted time. Details regarding the timing of the count reset by the counting unit 24 will be described later.

[0036] The change amount calculation unit 23 calculates the change in the amount of water stored in the storage tank 14. Specifically, first, the change amount calculation unit 23 causes the water amount acquisition unit 21 to acquire the first water amount, which is the amount of water stored in the storage tank 14 at a predetermined timing, the first timing, during the dehumidification operation.

[0037] The first timing is the timing when the counting unit 24 starts counting. More specifically, the first timing is the timing when the humidity acquired by the humidity acquisition unit 22 becomes higher than the first humidity, which will be described later. The first timing can also be said to be the first time that the humidity acquired by the humidity acquisition unit 22 becomes higher than the first humidity. The first humidity will be described later.

[0038] Next, the change amount calculation unit 23, if the humidity acquired by the humidity acquisition unit 22 remains higher than the first humidity for a first hour from the first timing, causes the water amount acquisition unit 21 to acquire the second water amount, which is the amount of water stored in the storage tank 14 after the first hour has elapsed.

[0039] The first humidity is a value used to determine a decrease in dehumidification performance and can be set arbitrarily. The first humidity is, for example, 60%, but may be other. However, since the first humidity is used to determine a decrease in dehumidification performance, it is preferably relatively high, and preferably 50% or higher. The first humidity is stored in the memory unit 26. The first humidity may be determined in advance by experimentation or the like. For example, the first humidity may be determined by performing control to determine a decrease in dehumidification performance at multiple first humidity values ​​in advance by experimentation or the like, and the first humidity value that allows for appropriate determination of the decrease in dehumidification performance may be stored in the memory unit 26. The first humidity may also be a value used to determine whether the humidity of a predetermined space is a high-humidity environment, and its value is, for example, 60%, but may be other.

[0040] The first time is a value used to determine the decrease in dehumidification performance and can be set arbitrarily. The first time is, for example, 30 minutes, but it may be anything else. The first time is stored in the memory unit 26. The first time may be determined in advance by experiments or other means. For example, the first time may be determined by performing control to determine the decrease in dehumidification performance using multiple values ​​of the first time in advance by experiments or other means, and the value of the first humidity time that allows for appropriate determination of the decrease in dehumidification performance may be stored in the memory unit 26.

[0041] The first hour may be the time required to increase the amount of water in the storage tank 14 to a predetermined amount or more through dehumidification, and the time required to increase the amount of water in the storage tank 14 to a predetermined amount or more may be measured in advance through experiments or other means and set arbitrarily.

[0042] The change amount calculation unit 23 obtains the first and second water volumes and then calculates the water volume change amount, which is the difference between the second and first water volumes. In this way, the change amount calculation unit 23 calculates the increase in the water volume of the storage tank 14 from the first timing until the first hour has elapsed.

[0043] The determination unit 25 determines a decrease in the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4 based on the humidity of a predetermined space and the change in the amount of water stored in the storage tank 14. Specifically, the determination unit 25 determines that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4 has decreased if the humidity acquired by the humidity acquisition unit 22 remains higher than the first humidity for a first hour from the first timing, and the amount of change in water volume, which is the difference between the second water volume and the first water volume, is less than the water volume change threshold.

[0044] The water volume change threshold is a value used to determine the state of the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4, and can be determined in advance through experiments or other means. For example, the amount of water volume change when the humidity is higher than the first humidity when the dehumidification performance has not deteriorated may be measured, and the measured amount of water volume change may be set as the water volume change threshold. Alternatively, the amount of water volume change when the humidity is higher than the first humidity when the dehumidification performance has not deteriorated may be measured, and the minimum value of the measured amount of water volume change may be set as the water volume change threshold.

[0045] Here, we will explain why the above assessment can be used to determine that the dehumidification efficiency has decreased.

[0046] First, let's explain the humidity of the designated space. When a dehumidifier continues dehumidifying, there are two possibilities: the humidity of the designated space may decrease due to the dehumidification operation, or it may not decrease. If the humidity of the designated space decreases due to the dehumidification operation, the amount of water condensed by the heat absorber 11 decreases as the amount of moisture contained in the air of the designated space decreases, so a decrease in dehumidification efficiency due to condensation is unlikely. On the other hand, if the humidity of the designated space does not decrease, for example, if high-humidity outside air is continuously supplied to the designated space, or if the amount of moisture contained in the air of the designated space exceeds the dehumidification capacity of the dehumidifier, the amount of water condensed by the heat absorber 11 will not decrease in a short time, and a large amount of moisture will continue to adhere to the heat absorber 11, which is a heat exchanger. In other words, when the dehumidifier continues dehumidifying at a humidity level higher than the first humidity level (a high humidity state) of the designated space, a large amount of condensed water will continuously adhere to the heat absorber 11. When the amount of moisture adhering to the heat absorber 11 is large, the dehumidification efficiency of the heat absorber 11 may decrease. In other words, if the humidity in a given space remains higher than the first humidity level, the dehumidification efficiency may be decreasing.

[0047] If the humidity in a given space remains higher than the first humidity level, and the dehumidification efficiency has not decreased, the amount of condensed water will not change significantly, and the amount of water in the storage tank 14 will continue to increase at a constant rate. In other words, the amount of change in water volume will remain above the water volume change threshold. On the other hand, if the dehumidification efficiency has decreased, the amount of condensed water will decrease, and therefore the rate at which the amount of water in the storage tank 14 increases will also decrease. In other words, the amount of change in water volume will be smaller than the water volume change threshold. Therefore, if the humidity in a given space remains higher than the first humidity level for one hour, and the amount of change in water volume is less than the water volume change threshold, it can be determined that the dehumidification efficiency has decreased. This concludes the explanation.

[0048] The airflow control unit 27 controls the operation of the airflow unit 5. The airflow control unit 27 controls the airflow of the airflow unit 5 to the airflow setting that the user has set via the operation unit 8. In addition, the control unit 27 controls the airflow of the airflow unit 5 when the determination unit 25 determines that the dehumidification performance (dehumidification efficiency) has decreased. Further details will be described later.

[0049] The dehumidification control unit 28 controls the operation of the dehumidification unit 4. The dehumidification control unit 28 starts or stops the dehumidification unit 4 in accordance with the operating state set by the user via the operation unit 8. Furthermore, if the determination unit 25 determines that the dehumidification performance has deteriorated, it performs control to improve the dehumidification performance. Details will be described later.

[0050] Here, each functional block of the control unit 6 can be implemented as hardware, such as a computer's CPU (Central Processing Unit), or as a computer program, and as software, but in this context, it is a functional block that is realized through the coordination of these components. Therefore, these functional blocks can be realized in various forms through combinations of hardware and software.

[0051] Next, the control performed by the control unit 6 will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 4. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the control performed by the control unit 6 according to Embodiment 1. In the flowchart, numbers are assigned starting with the letter S. For example, S1 indicates a processing step. However, the magnitude of the numerical value indicating a processing step is not related to the processing order.

[0052] When the operation determination unit 20 determines that it wants to start dehumidification operation, the control unit 6 starts dehumidification operation. Specifically, the airflow control unit 27 starts airflow from the airflow unit 5, and the dehumidification control unit 28 operates the dehumidification unit 4 (starts the refrigeration cycle), thereby starting the dehumidification of the air in the predetermined space.

[0053] Subsequently, the humidity acquisition unit 22 begins acquiring the current humidity in the predetermined space. The humidity acquisition unit 22 periodically acquires humidity after the start of humidity acquisition (S1).

[0054] Next, the determination unit 25 determines whether the acquired current humidity is higher than the first humidity (S2). If the current humidity is less than or equal to the first humidity, the determination unit 25 repeats the determination until it determines that the current humidity is higher than the first humidity (No. in S2 → S2).

[0055] If the determination unit 25 determines that the current humidity is higher than the first humidity, the counting unit 24 starts counting (S2 Yes → S3).

[0056] Then, when the counting unit 24 starts counting, the water volume acquisition unit 21 acquires the first water volume (S4). This makes it possible to determine the water volume at the moment when the humidity of a predetermined space becomes higher than the first humidity.

[0057] Next, the determination unit 25 determines whether the current humidity is higher than the first humidity (S5). If the determination unit 25 determines that the current humidity is less than or equal to the first humidity, the control unit 6 causes the count unit 24 to reset the count value (S5 → S12). After the count value is reset, the process returns to step S1 and is executed again from step S1 (S12 → S1).

[0058] If the determination unit 25 determines that the current humidity is higher than the first humidity, it determines whether the current count time by the count unit 24 is 1 hour or longer (S5: Yes → S6).

[0059] If it is determined that the current count time is not equal to or greater than 1 hour, the process returns to step S5 (No. in S6 → S5). In other words, the counting unit 24 continues counting until 1 hour has elapsed, provided that the humidity in the predetermined space remains higher than the 1st humidity. This allows it to determine whether or not the humidity in the predetermined space remains higher than the 1st humidity for 1 hour.

[0060] If the determination unit 25 determines that the count time is 1 hour or longer, the water volume acquisition unit 21 acquires the second water volume (S6 Yes → S7). This makes it possible to determine the water volume at the time after the first hour has elapsed, when the humidity in a predetermined space has remained higher than the first humidity for 1 hour.

[0061] The change amount calculation unit 23 calculates the change in the amount of water stored in the storage tank 14. The determination unit 25 determines whether the change in water volume is less than the water volume change threshold (S8). If the determination unit 25 determines that the change in water volume is greater than or equal to the water volume change threshold, the count unit 24 resets the count value (No. in S8 → S12). Furthermore, after the count value is reset, the process proceeds to step S1. The process returns, and step S1 is executed again (S12 → S1). The determination unit 25 determines that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4 has not decreased if the amount of water change is greater than or equal to the water change threshold. Therefore, the control to recover the decrease in dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4, which is performed from step S9 onward, is not carried out. Thus, it can be determined that the dehumidification efficiency of the dehumidification unit 4 is not in a state of decreased performance.

[0062] The determination unit 25 determines that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4 has deteriorated if the amount of water change is less than the water change threshold (Yes in S8). The control unit 6 then performs control to restore the deteriorated dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4. Specifically, the dehumidification control unit 28 stops the dehumidification unit 4 (S9). In other words, if the determination unit 25 determines that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4 has deteriorated, the dehumidification control unit 28 stops the dehumidification by the dehumidification unit 4. This reduces the amount of moisture adhering to the heat absorber 11 and restores (improves) the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4.

[0063] At this time, the airflow control unit 27 does not stop the airflow from the airflow unit 5. In other words, it stops the dehumidification unit 4 (stops the refrigeration cycle) while continuing to blow air with the airflow unit 5. The airflow from the airflow unit 5 reduces the amount of moisture adhering to the heat absorber 11 of the dehumidification unit 4. In other words, it starts control to improve the condition where there is a large amount of moisture adhering to the heat absorber 11 by promoting the vaporization of the moisture adhering to the heat absorber 11. By reducing the amount of moisture adhering to the heat absorber 11, the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4 can be restored.

[0064] In step S9, the airflow control unit 27 may change the airflow rate of the airflow unit 5. For example, the airflow control unit 27 may set the airflow rate of the airflow unit 5 to the maximum possible airflow rate. This further accelerates the reduction of the amount of moisture adhering to the heat absorber 11. In other words, it shortens the time required to reduce the amount of moisture adhering to the heat absorber 11. That is, the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4 can be restored sooner. Thus, if the determination unit 25 determines that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4 has deteriorated, the airflow control unit 27 may control the airflow rate of the airflow unit 5 to the maximum possible airflow rate.

[0065] In step S9, the airflow control unit 27 may set the airflow rate of the airflow unit 5 to more than half of the maximum airflow rate. This further promotes the reduction of the amount of moisture adhering to the heat absorber 11. Thus, if the determination unit 25 determines that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4 has decreased, the airflow control unit 27 may control the airflow rate of the airflow unit 5 to more than half of the maximum airflow rate that can be set. However, in order to minimize the time required to reduce the amount of moisture adhering to the heat absorber 11, it is preferable to set the airflow rate of the airflow unit 5 to the maximum airflow rate that can be set. However, setting it to the maximum airflow rate may increase user discomfort, so the airflow rate of the airflow unit 5 may be set to more than half of the maximum airflow rate. Increased user discomfort may include increased discomfort due to increased noise associated with the operation of the airflow unit 5 at the maximum airflow rate, increased discomfort due to the maximum airflow rate directly hitting the user, etc.

[0066] In step S9, the airflow control unit 27 may stop the airflow from the airflow unit 5. This allows for energy savings and reduces the amount of moisture adhering to the heat absorber 11.

[0067] Next, the determination unit 25 determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the dehumidification unit 4 stopped (S10). Here, the predetermined time is the time required for the dehumidification performance to recover. In other words, it is the time required for the moisture adhering to the heat absorber 11 to be removed. The predetermined time can be set by measuring the time required for the dehumidification performance to recover in advance through experiments or other means. If the airflow rate of the blower unit 5 is controlled in step S9, the predetermined time should be set to a time corresponding to the controlled airflow rate.

[0068] If the determination unit 25 determines that a predetermined time has not elapsed, the operation determination unit 20 checks whether the user has determined that they wish to end the dehumidification operation (No in S10 → S11). If the operation determination unit 20 determines that the user wishes to end the dehumidification operation, the dehumidifier ends the dehumidification operation and terminates control (Yes in S11).

[0069] If the operation determination unit 20 has not determined that the user wants to end the dehumidification operation, the process returns to step S10, and the determination unit 25 determines again whether the predetermined time has elapsed (No. in S11 → S10). In other words, the processes in steps S10 and S11 are repeated until the predetermined time has elapsed or the user has determined that they want to end the dehumidification operation.

[0070] In step S10, if the determination unit 25 determines that a predetermined time has elapsed since the dehumidification unit 4 stopped, the dehumidification control unit 28 restarts dehumidification by the dehumidification unit 4 (Yes in S10 → S13). In other words, it determines that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4 has recovered after the predetermined time has elapsed, and restarts dehumidification by the dehumidification unit 4. This allows for efficient dehumidification of the predetermined space while recovering the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4. Thus, the dehumidification control unit 28 restarts dehumidification by the dehumidification unit 4 after a predetermined time has elapsed since dehumidification was stopped by the dehumidification unit 4.

[0071] If the airflow control unit 27 changes the airflow rate of the air blower unit 5 in step S9, the airflow control unit 27 returns the airflow rate to its previous level in step S13. In other words, if the airflow rate of the air blower unit 5 has been changed to the maximum settable airflow rate, the airflow control unit 27 returns the airflow rate of the air blower unit 5 to the set airflow rate at the time it was determined that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4 had deteriorated, after a predetermined time has elapsed since setting the airflow rate of the air blower unit 5 to the maximum settable airflow rate.

[0072] Furthermore, if the airflow rate from the air blower unit 5 is changed to more than half of the maximum settable airflow rate, the air blower control unit 27 will, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the airflow rate from the air blower unit 5 was changed to more than half of the maximum settable airflow rate, return the airflow rate from the air blower unit 5 to the set airflow rate at the time when it was determined that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4 had deteriorated. This allows the unit to operate with the airflow setting for normal dehumidification conditions. It also helps to suppress the occurrence of discomfort for the user.

[0073] Subsequently, the counting unit 24 resets the count (S13 → S12). After the count is reset, the process returns to step S1 (S12 → S1). Based on the above, it is possible to appropriately determine whether or not the dehumidification efficiency of the heat exchanger has decreased. Furthermore, if the dehumidification efficiency has decreased, it is possible to improve it. In other words, it is possible to operate the heat exchanger for a long period of time in a state of good dehumidification efficiency.

[0074] Furthermore, if dehumidification operation is continued when the dehumidification efficiency has decreased, for example, the energy required to obtain the same amount of dehumidification will increase. However, since the decrease in dehumidification efficiency can be improved by this disclosure, the amount of dehumidification can be secured with low power consumption.

[0075] Although the present disclosure has been described above based on Embodiment 1, it can be easily inferred that the present disclosure is not limited in any way to Embodiment 1, and that various improvements and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0076] (Embodiment 2) Embodiment 2 relates to the control of a dehumidifier, similar to Embodiment 1. Embodiment 2 will be described primarily for the differences from Embodiment 1. The internal configuration of the dehumidifier in Embodiment 2 is almost the same as that of the dehumidifier in Embodiment 1, but it is equipped with a control unit 6A instead of a control unit 6.

[0077] Referring to Figure 5, the functions of the control unit 6A according to Embodiment 2 will be described. Figure 5 is a schematic functional block diagram of the control unit 6A and its surroundings according to Embodiment 2.

[0078] The control unit 6A includes an operation determination unit 20, a water volume acquisition unit 21, a heat absorber temperature acquisition unit 30, a change amount calculation unit 32, a count unit 24, a determination unit 31, a storage unit 26, a fan control unit 27, and a dehumidification control unit 28.

[0079] The operation determination unit 20, water volume acquisition unit 21, air blowing control unit 27, and dehumidification control unit 28 are the same as in Embodiment 1, so their description is omitted.

[0080] The heat absorber temperature acquisition unit 30 acquires the heat absorber temperature, which is the temperature of the heat absorber 11 in the refrigeration cycle. In this embodiment, the heat absorber temperature acquisition unit 30 acquires the heat absorber temperature measured by the heat absorber temperature sensor 16. The heat absorber temperature acquisition unit 30 can acquire the heat absorber temperature periodically. Periodically means, for example, every minute, and the periodic interval can be set arbitrarily. The heat absorber temperature acquisition unit 30 stores the acquired heat absorber temperature in the storage unit 26. Alternatively, the heat absorber temperature acquisition unit 30 may acquire the temperature upstream of the heat absorber in the refrigeration cycle as the heat absorber temperature.

[0081] The counting unit 24 counts time. The counting unit 24 starts counting at a predetermined timing and continues counting until it receives a reset instruction from the control unit 6A for the counted time. Details regarding the timing of the count reset by the counting unit 24 will be described later.

[0082] The change amount calculation unit 32 calculates the change in the amount of water stored in the storage tank 14. Specifically, first, the change amount calculation unit 32 causes the water amount acquisition unit 21 to acquire the first water amount, which is the amount of water stored in the storage tank 14 at a predetermined timing during dehumidification operation.

[0083] The first timing is the timing when the counting unit 24 starts counting. More specifically, the first timing is the timing when the heat absorber temperature acquired by the heat absorber temperature acquisition unit 30 becomes lower than the first temperature described later. The first timing can also be said to be the first timing when the heat absorber temperature acquired by the heat absorber temperature acquisition unit 30 becomes lower than the first temperature described later. The first temperature will be described later.

[0084] Next, the change amount calculation unit 32, if the state in which the heat absorber temperature acquired by the heat absorber temperature acquisition unit 30 remains lower than the first temperature for a first time from the first timing, causes the water volume acquisition unit 21 to acquire the second water volume, which is the amount of water stored in the storage tank 14 after the first time has elapsed.

[0085] The first temperature is a value used to determine a decrease in dehumidification performance and can be set arbitrarily. The first temperature is, for example, 10°C, but may be anything else. The first temperature is stored in the memory unit 26. The first temperature may be determined in advance by experiments or other means. For example, the first temperature may be determined by performing control to determine a decrease in dehumidification performance at multiple first temperature values ​​obtained through experiments or other means, and the first temperature value that allows for appropriate determination of the decrease in dehumidification performance may be stored in the memory unit 26. The first temperature may also be a temperature used to determine whether or not normal dehumidification is possible in the dehumidification unit 4 during dehumidification operation. The heat absorber temperature when normal dehumidification is performed in the heat absorber 11 may be measured in advance by experiments or other means, and the measured heat absorber temperature may be set as the first temperature. Alternatively, the heat absorber temperature when normal dehumidification is performed in the heat absorber 11 may be measured in advance by experiments, and the minimum value of the measured heat absorber temperature may be set as the first temperature.

[0086] The first time is a value used to determine the decrease in dehumidification performance and can be set arbitrarily. The first time is, for example, 30 minutes, but it may be anything else. The first time is stored in the memory unit 26. The first time may be determined in advance by experiments or other means. For example, the first time may be determined by performing control to determine the decrease in dehumidification performance using multiple values ​​of the first time in advance by experiments or other means, and the value of the first humidity time that allows for appropriate determination of the decrease in dehumidification performance may be stored in the memory unit 26.

[0087] The first hour may be the time required to increase the amount of water in the storage tank 14 to a predetermined amount or more through dehumidification, and the time required to increase the amount of water in the storage tank 14 to a predetermined amount or more may be measured in advance through experiments or other means and set arbitrarily.

[0088] The change amount calculation unit 32 obtains the first and second water volumes and then calculates the water volume change amount, which is the difference between the second and first water volumes. In this way, the change amount calculation unit 32 calculates the increase in the water volume of the storage tank 14 from the first timing until the first hour has elapsed.

[0089] The determination unit 31 determines that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4 has decreased based on the heat absorber temperature and the change in the amount of water stored in the storage tank 14. Specifically, the determination unit 31 determines that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4 has decreased if the heat absorber temperature acquired by the heat absorber temperature acquisition unit 30 remains lower than the first temperature for a first time from the first timing, and the amount of change in water volume, which is the difference between the second water volume and the first water volume, is less than the water volume change threshold.

[0090] The water volume change threshold is a value used to determine the state of the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4, and can be determined in advance through experiments or other means. For example, the amount of water volume change may be measured when the heat absorber temperature is lower than the first temperature while the dehumidification performance has not deteriorated, and the measured amount of water volume change may be set as the water volume change threshold. Alternatively, the amount of water volume change may be measured when the heat absorber temperature is lower than the first temperature while the dehumidification performance has not deteriorated, and the minimum value of the measured amount of water volume change may be set as the water volume change threshold.

[0091] Here, we will explain why the above determination can be made that the dehumidification efficiency (dehumidification performance) has decreased.

[0092] When the heat absorber temperature is lower than the first temperature, the dehumidification unit 4 can determine that the heat absorber temperature is suitable for normal dehumidification operation. In other words, the amount of water in the storage tank 14 is expected to increase at a constant rate. However, if the dehumidification efficiency is reduced, even if the heat absorber temperature is suitable for normal dehumidification operation, the amount of condensed water may decrease, and the change in water volume may become smaller. This can occur due to factors such as a large amount of condensed water continuously adhering to the heat absorber 11. In other words, when there is a large amount of moisture adhering to the heat absorber 11, the dehumidification efficiency of the heat absorber 11 may decrease.

[0093] If the dehumidification efficiency is not reduced, the amount of condensed water will not change significantly, and the amount of water in the storage tank 14 will continue to increase at a constant rate. In other words, the amount of change in water volume will remain above the water volume change threshold. On the other hand, if the dehumidification efficiency is reduced, the amount of condensed water will decrease, and therefore the rate at which the amount of water in the storage tank 14 increases will also decrease. In other words, the amount of change in water volume will be smaller than the water volume change threshold. Therefore, if the heat absorber temperature remains below the first temperature for the first hour and the amount of change in water volume is less than the water volume change threshold, it can be determined that the dehumidification efficiency is reduced. This concludes the explanation.

[0094] Each functional block of the control unit 6A can also be realized in various ways by combining hardware and software, similar to the first embodiment.

[0095] Next, the control performed by the control unit 6A will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 6. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the control performed by the control unit 6A according to Embodiment 2. In the flowchart, numbers are assigned starting with the letter S. For example, S1 indicates a processing step. However, the magnitude of the numerical value indicating a processing step is not related to the processing order.

[0096] When the operation determination unit 20 determines that it wants to start dehumidification operation, the control unit 6A starts dehumidification operation. Specifically, the airflow control unit 27 starts airflow from the airflow unit 5, and the dehumidification control unit 28 operates the dehumidification unit 4 (starts the refrigeration cycle), thereby starting the dehumidification of the air in the predetermined space.

[0097] Subsequently, the heat absorber temperature acquisition unit 30 begins acquiring the current heat absorber temperature. After the start of heat absorber temperature acquisition, the heat absorber temperature acquisition unit 30 periodically acquires the heat absorber temperature (S21).

[0098] Next, the determination unit 31 determines whether the acquired current heat absorber temperature is lower than the first temperature (S22). If the current heat absorber temperature is equal to or higher than the first temperature, the determination unit 31 repeats the determination until it determines that the current heat absorber temperature is lower than the first temperature (S22 No. → S22).

[0099] If the determination unit 31 determines that the current heat absorber temperature is lower than the first temperature, the counting unit 24 starts counting (Yes in S22 → S23).

[0100] Then, when the counting unit 24 starts counting, the water volume acquisition unit 21 acquires the first water volume (S24). This makes it possible to determine the water volume at the moment when the heat absorber temperature is lower than the first temperature.

[0101] Next, the determination unit 31 determines whether the current heat absorber temperature is lower than the first temperature (S25). If the determination unit 31 determines that the current heat absorber temperature is equal to or greater than the first temperature, the control unit 6A causes the count unit 24 to reset the count value (No. in S25 → S32). After the count value is reset, the process returns to step S21 and is executed again from step S21 (S32 → S21).

[0102] If the determination unit 31 determines that the current heat absorber temperature is lower than the first temperature, it determines whether the current count time by the count unit 24 is equal to or greater than the first hour (Yes in S25 → S26).

[0103] If it is determined that the current count time is not equal to or equal to 1 hour, the process returns to step S25 (No. in S26 → S25). In other words, the counting unit 24 continues counting until 1 hour has elapsed, provided that the heat absorber temperature remains below the first temperature. This allows it to determine whether or not the heat absorber temperature has remained below the first temperature for 1 hour.

[0104] If the determination unit 31 determines that the count time is 1 hour or longer, the water volume acquisition unit 21 acquires the second water volume (Yes in S26 → S27). This makes it possible to determine the water volume at the time after the first hour has elapsed, when the heat absorber temperature has remained lower than the first temperature for 1 hour.

[0105] The change amount calculation unit 32 calculates the change in the amount of water stored in the storage tank 14. The determination unit 31 determines whether the change in water volume is less than the water volume change threshold (S28). If the determination unit 31 determines that the change in water volume is greater than or equal to the water volume change threshold, the count unit 24 resets the count value (No. in S28 → S32). Furthermore, after resetting the count value, the process returns to step S21 and executes step S21 again (S32 → S21). If the change in water volume is greater than or equal to the water volume change threshold, the determination unit 31 determines that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4 has not decreased. Therefore, the control to restore the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4, which is performed from step S29 onward, is not implemented. Thus, it can be determined that the dehumidification efficiency of the dehumidification unit 4 is not in a state of decreased performance.

[0106] The determination unit 31 determines that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4 has deteriorated if the amount of change in water volume is less than the water volume change threshold (Yes in S28). Then, the control unit 6A performs control to restore the deteriorated dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit 4 (S29).

[0107] From here on, steps S29 to S33 are the same as steps S9 to S13 in Embodiment 1, so their explanation will be omitted.

[0108] Based on the above, it is possible to appropriately determine whether or not the dehumidification efficiency of the heat exchanger has decreased. Furthermore, if the dehumidification efficiency has decreased, it is possible to improve it. In other words, it is possible to operate the heat exchanger for a long period of time in a state of good dehumidification efficiency.

[0109] Furthermore, if dehumidification operation is continued when the dehumidification efficiency has decreased, for example, the energy required to obtain the same amount of dehumidification will increase. However, since the decrease in dehumidification efficiency can be improved by this disclosure, the amount of dehumidification can be secured with low power consumption.

[0110] Although the present disclosure has been described above based on Embodiment 2, it is easy to infer that the present disclosure is not limited in any way to Embodiment 2, and that various improvements and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. For example, Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 may be combined to determine whether or not the dehumidification efficiency is reduced.

[0111] (Summary of Disclosure) The dehumidifying device according to this disclosure comprises a main body case having an intake port for drawing in air from a predetermined space and an outlet port for blowing air into a predetermined space; a blower unit for guiding air from the intake port to the outlet port; a dehumidifying unit for dehumidifying the air drawn in from the intake port; a storage tank for storing the water dehumidified by the dehumidifying unit inside the main body case; a water volume acquisition unit for acquiring the amount of water stored in the storage tank; a humidity acquisition unit for acquiring the temperature of a predetermined space; and a determination unit for determining a decrease in the dehumidifying performance by the dehumidifying unit based on the humidity of the predetermined space and the change in the amount of water stored in the storage tank.

[0112] This allows you to determine whether or not the dehumidification efficiency is decreasing.

[0113] Furthermore, if the humidity acquired by the humidity acquisition unit remains higher than the first humidity for one hour from the first timing, the determination unit may determine that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit has deteriorated if the difference between the second water volume (the amount of water stored in the storage tank after one hour) and the first water volume (the amount of water stored in the storage tank at the first timing) is less than the water volume change threshold.

[0114] This allows for accurate determination of whether or not dehumidification efficiency is decreasing based on the humidity level and water volume changes in a given space.

[0115] The dehumidifier according to this disclosure comprises a main body case having an intake port for drawing in air from a predetermined space and an outlet for blowing air into a predetermined space; a blower for guiding air from the intake port to the outlet; a dehumidifier unit that dehumidifies the air drawn in from the intake port using a refrigeration cycle in which a compressor, a heat sink, an expander, and a heat absorber are connected in that order; a storage tank for storing the water dehumidified by the dehumidifier unit inside the main body case; a water volume acquisition unit for acquiring the amount of water stored in the storage tank; a heat absorber temperature acquisition unit for acquiring the heat absorber temperature, which is the temperature of the heat absorber in the refrigeration cycle; and a determination unit for determining a decrease in the dehumidification performance by the dehumidifier unit based on the heat absorber temperature and the change in the amount of water stored in the storage tank.

[0116] This allows you to determine whether or not the dehumidification efficiency is decreasing.

[0117] Furthermore, the determination unit determines that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit has deteriorated if the heat absorber temperature acquired by the heat absorber temperature acquisition unit remains lower than the first temperature for one hour from the first timing, and the difference between the second water volume (the amount of water stored in the storage tank after one hour) and the first water volume (the amount of water stored in the storage tank at the first timing) is less than the water volume change threshold.

[0118] This allows for an accurate determination of whether or not the dehumidification efficiency is decreasing, based on the temperature state of the heat absorber and the change in water volume.

[0119] Furthermore, the system may include a dehumidification control unit that stops dehumidification by the dehumidification unit if the determination unit determines that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit has deteriorated.

[0120] This allows for the removal of moisture generated in the dehumidification section due to condensation, thereby improving dehumidification efficiency.

[0121] Furthermore, the dehumidification control unit may restart dehumidification by the dehumidification unit after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since stopping dehumidification by the dehumidification unit.

[0122] This allows the system to automatically return to its original operating state without requiring any user intervention, improving user convenience. Furthermore, it enables more efficient dehumidification with improved dehumidification efficiency.

[0123] Furthermore, if the determination unit determines that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit has deteriorated, the system may also include a blower control unit that controls the amount of air blown by the blower unit to the maximum settable amount.

[0124] This allows for faster improvement in dehumidification efficiency.

[0125] Furthermore, the airflow control unit may, after a predetermined time has elapsed since setting the airflow rate of the airflow unit to the maximum possible rate, return the airflow rate of the airflow unit to the rate at which it was determined that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit had deteriorated.

[0126] This allows the unit to automatically return to its original operating state without requiring any user intervention, improving user convenience. Furthermore, it enables efficient dehumidification at the desired level.

[0127] Furthermore, if the determination unit determines that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit has deteriorated, the system includes a fan control unit that controls the airflow rate of the fan unit to at least half of the maximum settable airflow rate. The fan control unit may, after a predetermined time has elapsed since setting the airflow rate of the fan unit to at least half of the maximum settable airflow rate, return the airflow rate of the fan unit to the set airflow rate at the time when it was determined that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit had deteriorated.

[0128] This allows for a faster improvement in dehumidification efficiency.

[0129] Alternatively, the heat absorber temperature acquisition unit may acquire the temperature upstream of the heat absorber in the refrigeration cycle as the heat absorber temperature.

[0130] This allows us to obtain the temperature of the air drawn in from a predetermined space before it is heated by the heat absorber as the heat absorber temperature, thereby suppressing variations in heat absorber temperature caused by differences in the temperature of the air being heated. Therefore, it is possible to accurately determine whether or not the dehumidification efficiency is decreasing. [Industrial applicability]

[0131] This disclosure is useful for a dehumidifier that stores moisture recovered from the air in a storage tank. [Explanation of symbols]

[0132] 1. Main unit case 2. Inlet 3 Air outlet 4 Dehumidification section 5. Air blower 6 Control Unit 6A Control Unit 7. Humidity Measurement Unit 8 Control section 9 Wind path 10 Compressor 11 Heat sink 12. Expander 13 Heat sink 14 Storage tanks 15 Water volume detection unit 16. Heat absorber temperature sensor 20 Operation determination unit 21 Water quantity acquisition part 22 Humidity acquisition section 23 Change Amount Calculation Unit 24 Count section 25 Judgment section 26 Memory section 27 Airflow Control Unit 28 Dehumidification Control Unit 30 Heat absorber temperature acquisition section 31 Judgment section 32 Change Amount Calculation Unit

Claims

1. A main body case having an intake port for drawing in air from a predetermined space and an outlet port for blowing air into the predetermined space, A blower unit that guides air from the intake port to the outlet port, A dehumidifying unit that dehumidifies the air drawn in from the aforementioned intake port, A storage tank for storing the water removed by the dehumidification unit inside the main body case, A water volume acquisition unit that acquires the amount of water stored in the aforementioned storage tank, A humidity acquisition unit that acquires the humidity of the predetermined space, A determination unit that determines a decrease in the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit based on the humidity of the predetermined space and the change in the amount of water stored in the storage tank, A dehumidifier equipped with the following features.

2. The determination unit, The dehumidifying device according to claim 1, wherein if the humidity acquired by the humidity acquisition unit remains higher than the first humidity for a first time from the first timing, and the amount of change in water volume, which is the difference between the amount of water stored in the storage tank after the first time has elapsed (the second water volume) and the amount of water stored in the storage tank at the first timing (the first water volume), is less than a water volume change threshold, it is determined that the dehumidifying performance of the dehumidifying unit has decreased.

3. A main body case having an intake port for drawing in air from a predetermined space and an outlet port for blowing air into the predetermined space, A blower unit that guides air from the intake port to the outlet port, A dehumidifying unit that dehumidifies the air drawn in from the intake port using a refrigeration cycle in which a compressor, heat sink, expander, and heat absorber are connected in that order, A storage tank for storing the water removed by the dehumidification unit inside the main body case, A water volume acquisition unit that acquires the amount of water stored in the aforementioned storage tank, A heat absorber temperature acquisition unit acquires the heat absorber temperature, which is the temperature of the heat absorber in the refrigeration cycle, A determination unit that determines a decrease in the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit based on the temperature of the heat absorber and the change in the amount of water stored in the storage tank, A dehumidifier equipped with the following features.

4. The determination unit, The dehumidifying device according to claim 3, wherein if the heat absorber temperature obtained by the heat absorber temperature acquisition unit remains lower than the first temperature for a first time from the first timing, and the amount of change in water volume, which is the difference between the amount of water stored in the storage tank after the first time has elapsed and the amount of water stored in the storage tank at the first timing, is less than the amount of change in water volume threshold, it is determined that the dehumidifying performance of the dehumidifying unit has deteriorated.

5. The dehumidifying device according to claim 1 or 3, further comprising a dehumidification control unit that stops dehumidification by the dehumidification unit when the determination unit determines that the dehumidification performance of the dehumidification unit has deteriorated.

6. The dehumidification control unit is The dehumidifying device according to claim 5, wherein dehumidification by the dehumidifying unit is stopped and then resumed after a predetermined time has elapsed.

7. The dehumidifying device according to claim 5, further comprising a blower control unit that controls the amount of air blower to the settable maximum amount of air blower when the determination unit determines that the dehumidifying performance of the dehumidifying unit has deteriorated.

8. The aforementioned air blowing control unit, The dehumidifying device according to claim 7, wherein after a predetermined time has elapsed since the amount of air blown by the air blower was set to the maximum settable amount, the amount of air blown by the air blower is returned to the set air volume at the time when it was determined that the dehumidifying performance of the dehumidifying unit had deteriorated.

9. The dehumidifying device according to claim 5, further comprising a blower control unit that, when the determination unit determines that the dehumidifying performance of the dehumidifying unit has deteriorated, controls the amount of air blown by the blower unit to an amount of air that is at least half of the settable maximum airflow.

10. The aforementioned air blowing control unit, The dehumidifying device according to claim 9, wherein after a predetermined time has elapsed since the amount of air blown by the air blower was set to half or more of the maximum settable airflow, the amount of air blown by the air blower is returned to the set airflow at the time when it was determined that the dehumidifying performance of the dehumidifying unit had deteriorated.

11. The heat absorber temperature acquisition unit is, The dehumidifier according to claim 3, wherein the temperature upstream of the heat absorber in the refrigeration cycle is obtained as the heat absorber temperature.

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