Dehumidifier

Abstract

The present invention provides a dehumidifying device capable of suppressing condensation on the outside of the outer resin casing placed near the heat absorber. [Solution] The dehumidifier 100 comprises a main body case 1 having an air outlet 4, and a heat absorber 10, a heat exchanger 11, a heat radiator 8, and a blower 6 are arranged in the front-to-back direction in the main body case 1. A first dehumidification path blows out the first portion of the intake air drawn into the main body case 1 from the air intake port by the action of the blower 6 through the first passage of the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11 and the heat radiator 8 to the outside of the main body case 1 from the air outlet 4. A second dehumidification path blows out the second portion of the intake air through the second passage of the heat exchanger 11 and the heat radiator 8 to the outside of the main body case 1 from the air outlet 4. A humidity sensor 50 is also provided, and a heat absorber gap 15 is provided between the front part 22 of the main body case 1 and the heat absorber 10. When the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 50 is higher than a threshold, the airflow rate of the first dehumidification path is increased to raise the temperature of the heat absorber 10.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a dehumidifying device.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a dehumidifying device that is used in a living space and reduces the humidity in the living space or the like. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a dehumidifying device including a dehumidifying section configured by a refrigeration cycle in which a compressor, a radiator, an expander, and an absorber are sequentially connected in a loop.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the device described in Patent Document 1, since the outer resin facing the radiator is cooled by the cold heat radiation of the absorber, there is a problem that condensation may occur on the outside of the outer resin when the device is placed in a high-humidity atmosphere for a long time.

[0005] This disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a dehumidifying device capable of suppressing condensation on the outside of the outer resin disposed near the absorber.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, a dehumidifier according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a main body case having an air intake and an air outlet. The air intake is located on the side of the main body case, and a heat absorber, a heat exchanger, a heat radiator, and a blower are arranged in the front-to-back direction within the main body case. The dehumidifier has a first dehumidification path through which a first portion of the intake air drawn into the main body case from the air intake by the action of the blower is blown out of the main body case from the air outlet via the heat absorber, a first passage of the heat exchanger, and a heat radiator; a second dehumidification path through which a second portion of the intake air is blown out of the main body case from the air outlet via the second passage of the heat exchanger and a heat radiator; and a humidity sensor. A gap is provided between the front of the main body case and the heat absorber, and when the humidity detected by the humidity sensor is higher than a threshold, the airflow rate of the first dehumidification path is increased to raise the temperature of the heat absorber.

[0007] Furthermore, any combination of the above components, as well as any conversion of the expressions of this disclosure between methods, apparatus, systems, recording media, computer programs, etc., are also valid forms of this disclosure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, a dehumidification device capable of suppressing condensation on the outside of the outer resin casing placed near the heat absorber can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic perspective view showing a dehumidifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the dehumidifier shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This diagram schematically shows the air passage of the dehumidifier shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This diagram schematically shows the airflow of the dehumidifier shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram showing the condensation suppression system of the dehumidifier in Figure 1. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart showing the condensation suppression system process of the dehumidifier shown in Figure 1. [Figure 7]This figure schematically illustrates the operation of the first damper in the dehumidifier shown in Figure 1. [Figure 8] This figure schematically illustrates the operation of the second damper in the dehumidifier shown in Figure 1. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of the temperature change of the heat absorber in the dehumidifier shown in Figure 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments for implementing this disclosure will be described with reference to the attached drawings. Each embodiment described below represents a preferred specific example of this disclosure. Therefore, the numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement and connection configurations of components, as well as steps (processes) and the order of steps shown in the following embodiments are examples and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Accordingly, among the components in the following embodiments, those components that are not described in the independent claims representing the highest-level concept of this disclosure will be described as arbitrary components. In addition, substantially identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals in each figure, and redundant explanations are omitted or simplified.

[0011] Furthermore, while terms including ordinal numbers such as "1st" and "2nd" are used to describe various components, these terms are used solely to distinguish one component from others, and do not limit the components themselves. When distinction is not necessary, ordinal numbers such as "1st" and "2nd" may be omitted.

[0012] [Embodiment] The schematic configuration of the dehumidifier 100 according to the embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1-4. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the dehumidifier 100 according to the embodiment. Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of the dehumidifier 100 along line AA in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the air passage 34 of the dehumidifier 100.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the dehumidifying device 100 according to the embodiment includes a dew condensation suppression system 3, which will be described later as a characteristic configuration. The dehumidifying device 100 has a box-shaped main body case 1 as an outer shell, and the main body case 1 distinguishes between the outside and the inside of the main body case 1. The main body case 1 is provided with an air suction port 2 and an air outlet 4.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 2, the dehumidifying device 100 includes an absorber 10, a heat exchanger 11, a radiator 8, and a blower 6. The absorber 10, the heat exchanger 11, the radiator 8, and the blower 6 are arranged in the main body case 1 side by side in the front-rear direction in this order. In this specification, the direction notations of the device are defined based on the direction when the dehumidifying device is installed in a state where it can operate normally. In the dehumidifying device 100, the side where the absorber 10 is arranged with respect to the radiator 8 is referred to as "front", the opposite side is referred to as "rear", and the horizontal direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction is referred to as the left-right direction.

[0015] The state viewed from the front and rear may be referred to as "front view" and "rear view", the state viewed from the left and right may be referred to as "side view", and the state viewed from above may be referred to as "plan view". Also, the air flow generated by the action of the blower 6 may be referred to as "wind", and the upstream and downstream of the air flow may be referred to as "windward" and "leeward". These notations do not limit the usage posture of the dehumidifying device 100, and the dehumidifying device 100 can be used in any posture.

[0016] In the embodiment, the main body case 1 has a front-rear width smaller than the left-right width and an up-down width larger than the left-right width. Regarding the main body case 1, the part constituting the outer surface on the front side is referred to as the "front part", the part constituting the outer surface facing the front part is referred to as the "rear part", the parts constituting the left and right outer surfaces are referred to as the "side parts", and the part constituting the upper outer surface is referred to as the "upper part". The main body case 1 including the front part can be formed of resin as an outer shell. The outer part of the front part exemplifies the outer part of the outer resin.

[0017] On the front side of the upper surface portion of the main body case 1, an operation unit 25 is provided for, for example, receiving an input from a user or displaying information about the dehumidifying device such as an operation mode or the current humidity to the user. In the front-rear direction, a heat absorber gap 15 is provided between the heat absorber 10 and the front surface portion 22, and a radiator gap 19 is provided between the radiator 8 and the heat exchanger 11.

[0018] In the embodiment, the air inlet 2 is disposed on the side surface portion 21 of the main body case 1. The air inlet 2 is a rectangular opening that sucks air from a direction perpendicular to the side surface portion 21 on the side surface portion 21 of the main body case 1, and a grid is provided. In the embodiment, the air outlet 4 is disposed on the upper rear side of the main body case 1. Above the air outlet 4, a louver 31 for changing the direction of the air blown out from the air outlet 4 is provided.

[0019] The blower 6 includes a motor 32 and a fan 33 connected to the rotating shaft of the motor 32 for sucking and exhausting air. The blower 6 has an air inlet 68 which is an opening provided on the surface facing the radiator 8. The blower 6 sucks the air that has passed through the dehumidifying unit 5 through the air inlet 68 and blows it out to the outside of the blower 6. By this, the blower 6 blows out the air outside the main body case 1 sucked from the air inlet 2 to the outside of the main body case 1 from the air outlet 4 after passing through the dehumidifying unit 5. This air passage is the air passage 34.

[0020] The air inlets 2 are provided on the two left and right side surface portions 21 of the main body case 1 respectively. In this case, the bias of the wind flowing into the heat absorber 10 is made uniform, and by flowing the wind through the entire heat absorber 10, the dew condensation region can be increased and the dehumidifying ability can be improved.

[0021] Also, as shown in FIG. 2, in the main body case 1 of the dehumidifying device 一百, an air passage 34, a blower 6, and a dehumidifying unit 5 are disposed. The air passage 34 communicates the air inlet 2 and the air outlet 4, and by the action of the blower 6, the suction air 60 is sucked into the main body case 1 from the air inlet 2 and blown out from the air outlet 4 through the air passage 34.

[0022] As shown in Figure 3, the intake air 60 is divided within the main body case 1 into a first portion 61, a second portion 62, and a third portion 63, which are parts of the intake air 60. Figure 4 is a diagram showing the flow of the first portion 61, the second portion 62, and the third portion 63 superimposed on a cross-sectional view.

[0023] In this embodiment, the air passage 34 is composed of a plurality of dehumidification paths, namely a first dehumidification path 51, a second dehumidification path 52, and a third dehumidification path 53. The airflow path of the first dehumidification path 51 is called the first air passage 71, and the airflow path of the second dehumidification path 52 is called the second air passage 72. The airflow path of the third dehumidification path 53 is called the bypass air passage 73. In other words, the air passage 34 can also be said to be composed of the first air passage 71, the second air passage 72, and the bypass air passage 73. The first air passage 71, the second air passage 72, and the bypass air passage 73 will be described later.

[0024] The dehumidification unit 5 is composed of a refrigeration cycle in which a compressor 7, a radiator 8, an expander 9, and a heat absorber 10 are connected in this order in a ring shape. For example, a substitute fluorocarbon (HFC134a) is used as the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle. The refrigerant pushed out from the compressor 7 flows from top to bottom inside the radiator 8 through the refrigerant piping 80. As a result, the temperature of the radiator 8 increases towards the top. The refrigerant pushed out from the radiator 8 is supplied to the heat absorber 10 via the expander 9. The refrigerant supplied to the heat absorber 10 flows from bottom to top inside the heat absorber 10 and flows into the compressor 7 through the refrigerant piping 83. Since the refrigeration cycle is well known, a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0025] Within the main case 1, a heat absorber 10 is provided on the air intake 2 side, which is the upstream side of the airflow in the air passage 34, and a heat radiator 8 is provided on the air outlet 4 side, which is the downstream side of the airflow in the air passage 34. A sensible heat type heat exchanger 11 is placed in the space between the heat absorber 10 and the heat radiator 8. In other words, the heat absorber 10, heat exchanger 11, and heat radiator 8 are arranged in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side of the airflow in the air passage 34.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, the heat exchanger 11 has a horizontal first passage 17 through which a first portion 61 of the intake air 60 passes, and a vertical second passage 18 through which a second portion 62 of the intake air 60 passes. The first passage 17 and the second passage 18 are independent air passage spaces. There are no limitations on the configuration or shape of the heat exchanger 11. As an example, the heat exchanger 11 is formed by laminating a plurality of resin plates (not shown), with the first passage 17 and the second passage 18 formed between them. The heat exchanger 11 is configured to exchange heat between a first portion 61 passing through the first passage 17 and a second portion 62 passing through the second passage 18. As an example, the heat exchanger 11 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0027] The first portion 61 of the intake air 60 is blown out of the main body case 1 from the air outlet 4 via the heat absorber 10, the first passage 17 of the heat exchanger 11, the heat radiator 8, and the blower 6. The flow path of this first portion 61 is the first air passage 71 mentioned above. The second portion 62 of the intake air 60 is blown out of the main body case 1 from the air outlet 4 via the second passage 18 of the heat exchanger 11, the heat radiator 8, and the blower 6. The path of this second portion 62 is the second air passage 72 mentioned above.

[0028] The first section 61 is first cooled by the heat absorber 10. At this time, condensation forms on the first section 61, generating condensed water. The condensed water drips downward and is collected in a funnel-shaped water collection section 12a located below the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11. The condensed water collected in the water collection section 12a flows into a water collection tank 12b located below the water collection section 12a. The water collection tank 12b can be easily attached to and detached from the main body case 1.

[0029] Through heat exchange, the cooled first section 61 flowing through the first section 61 lowers the temperature of the second section 62 flowing through the second passage 18. As a result, condensation occurs in the second section 62, which does not pass through the heat absorber 10, generating condensation water. The condensation water drips downward from the second passage 18, is collected in the funnel-shaped water collection section 12a, and flows into the water collection tank 12b.

[0030] In this embodiment, the heat exchanger 11 sets the airflow resistance of the second passage 18 to be greater than that of the first passage 17. As a result, the amount of the second portion 62 flowing through the second passage 18 is less than the amount of the first portion 61 flowing through the first passage.

[0031] The first part 61, which has dried after condensation, is blown out of the main case 1 through the air outlet 4. The second part 62, which has dried after condensation, is blown out of the main case 1 through the air outlet 4 via the heat exchanger 11, the heat radiator 8, and the blower 6. In this way, the dehumidifier 100 reduces the humidity of the surrounding space.

[0032] [Bypass airflow path] Next, the bypass air passage 73 will be explained. As shown in Figure 4, the bypass air passage 73 is an air passage through which the third portion 63 of the intake air 60 is blown out of the main body case 1 from the air outlet 4 via the upper part 8a of the radiator 8, without passing through the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11. In other words, the bypass air passage 73 is an air passage through which the third portion 63, which is part of the intake air 60, flows by bypassing the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11.

[0033] In this embodiment, the bypass air passage 73 is located above the vertical center of the device. The bypass air passage 73 blows out the third portion 63 of the intake air 60 from the air outlet 4 to the outside of the main body case 1 via the upper part 8a of the heat sink 8, without passing through the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11. In this case, the upper part 8a of the heat sink 8 is cooled by the third portion 63, improving the cooling capacity of the heat sink 8, thereby improving the dehumidification capacity of the dehumidifier 100 and further reducing power consumption.

[0034] The upper part 8a of the heat sink 8 refers to the portion above the vertical center of the heat sink 8. In this embodiment, the heat sink 8 protrudes above the upper end of the heat absorber 10 and the upper end of the heat exchanger 11, and this protruding portion is called the upper part 8a.

[0035] By having a bypass air passage 73, the third section 63 passes through the upper part 8a of the radiator 8 to cool the upper part 8a, and also cools the heat absorber 10 through the refrigeration cycle of the dehumidification unit 5, thereby improving the dehumidification capacity of the dehumidification device. The refrigerant, which has become hot in the compressor 7, first flows into the upper part 8a of the radiator 8, so the upper part 8a is hotter than other parts. Therefore, by the third section 63 cooling the upper part 8a, the radiator 8 can be effectively cooled. The first section 61 and the second section 62 pass through the part of the radiator 8 below the upper part 8a.

[0036] As mentioned above, the air intake port 2 is located on the side surface 21 of the main body case 1. In this case, air can flow more easily, improving the cooling capacity of the heat sink 8, which in turn improves the dehumidifying capacity of the dehumidifier 100 and reduces power consumption.

[0037] [Condensation suppression system] The condensation suppression system 3 of the dehumidifier 100 will be described with reference to Figures 5-9. Figure 5 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional block of the condensation suppression system 3. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing of the condensation suppression system 3. The dehumidifier 100 is equipped with the condensation suppression system 3 to perform a high-humidity operation mode to suppress condensation on the front surface 22.

[0038] When the dehumidifier 100 operates in a high-humidity atmosphere for a long period of time, condensation may form on the outside of the front section 22 facing the heat absorber 10. Therefore, the dehumidifier 100 in this embodiment is operated by switching between a normal operation mode and a high-humidity operation mode that suppresses condensation on the front section 22 more than in the normal operation mode.

[0039] The high humidity operation mode is an operation mode in which the temperature of the heat absorber 10 is raised by increasing the airflow rate of the first dehumidification path 51 when the humidity He detected by the humidity sensor 50 is higher than the humidity threshold H1, thereby mitigating the temperature drop of the front section 22 and suppressing condensation on the front section 22.

[0040] As shown in Figure 5, the condensation suppression system 3 includes a humidity sensor 50, a control means 46, and a suppression mechanism 40. The humidity sensor 50 is provided in the heat absorber gap 15 (see also Figure 2). The humidity sensor 50 detects the humidity of the intake air 60 and transmits the detection result to the control means 46. The control means 46 includes a determination unit 46a that compares the humidity He detected by the humidity sensor 50 with a humidity threshold H1 to determine whether or not to activate the suppression mechanism 40, and a mechanism control unit 46b that controls the suppression mechanism 40 based on the determination result of the determination unit 46a. Each functional block of the control means 46 can be implemented by hardware such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and software such as a computer program.

[0041] The suppression mechanism 40 is a mechanism that increases the airflow rate of the first dehumidification path 51 when the humidity He detected by the humidity sensor 50 is higher than the humidity threshold H1. A first example of the suppression mechanism 40 is a first damper 41 that closes the second air passage 72 in order to increase the airflow rate of the first dehumidification path 51. A second example of the suppression mechanism 40 is a second damper 42 that closes the bypass air passage 73 in order to increase the airflow rate of the first dehumidification path 51. A third example of the suppression mechanism 40 is a blower 6 that increases its rotational speed in order to increase the airflow rate of the first dehumidification path 51.

[0042] The dehumidifier 100 includes a first air passage 71, a second air passage 72, and a first damper 41 and a second damper 42 to change the airflow balance of the bypass air passage 73. The dehumidifier 100 may include both the first damper 41 and the second damper 42, or it may include only one of the first damper 41 or the second damper 42. The first damper 41 and the second damper 42 may be integrated, or a single damper may perform both functions.

[0043] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the first damper 41. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the second damper 42. The first damper 41 opens and closes the second air passage 72, as shown in Figure 7. Figure 7(A) shows the first damper 41 in the open state, and Figure 7(B) shows the first damper 41 in the closed state. When the first damper 41 closes, the airflow in the second air passage 72 decreases, and the airflow in the first air passage 71 increases.

[0044] The second damper 42 opens and closes the bypass air passage 73, as shown in Figure 8. Figure 8(A) shows the second damper 42 in the open state, and Figure 8(B) shows the second damper 42 in the closed state. When the second damper 42 closes, the airflow in the bypass air passage 73 decreases, and the airflow in the first air passage 71 increases.

[0045] Referring to Figure 6, an example of the process S110 in high humidity operation mode will be explained. Process S110 is started when the dehumidifier 100 is in normal operation. As shown in the flowchart of Figure 6, when process S110 is started, the control means 46 determines whether the humidity He detected by the humidity sensor 50 exceeds the humidity threshold H1 (step S111).

[0046] If the humidity He is below the threshold H1 (N in step S111), the process returns to the beginning of step S111 and repeats step S111. In other words, in this case, normal operation continues.

[0047] If the humidity He exceeds the threshold H1 (Y in step S111), the dehumidifier 100 is switched to high humidity operation mode (step S112).

[0048] After step S112 is performed, the suppression mechanism 40 is activated in step S113 (step S113). In this step, the control means 46 activates the suppression mechanism 40 via the mechanism control unit 46b and increases the airflow of the first dehumidification path 51.

[0049] In step S113, if the suppression mechanism 40 is the first damper 41, the control means 46 closes the second air passage 72 with the first damper 41 to reduce the airflow in the second section 62. This increases the airflow in the first section 61, i.e., the airflow in the first dehumidification path 51. As a result, the amount of heat absorbed by the heat absorber 10 increases, causing the temperature of the heat absorber 10 to rise. Consequently, the temperature of the front section 22 of the main case 1 also rises, making condensation on the front section 22 less likely.

[0050] In step S113, if the suppression mechanism 40 is the second damper 42, the control means 46 closes the bypass air passage 73 with the second damper 42 to reduce the airflow in the third section 63. This increases the airflow in the first section 61, i.e., the airflow in the first dehumidification path 51. As a result, the amount of heat absorbed by the heat absorber 10 increases, causing the temperature of the heat absorber 10 to rise. Consequently, the temperature of the front section 22 of the main body case 1 also rises, making condensation less likely to occur on the front section 22.

[0051] In step S113, if the suppression mechanism 40 is a blower 6, the control means 46 increases the rotation speed of the blower 6 to increase the airflow in the first dehumidification path 51. This increases the amount of heat absorbed by the heat absorber 10, causing the temperature of the heat absorber 10 to rise. As a result, the temperature of the front part 22 of the main body case 1 also rises, making it less likely for condensation to form on the front part 22.

[0052] Once step S113 is executed, process S110 is completed. The control means 46 may also be controlled to switch back to normal operation mode after switching to high humidity operation mode if the humidity He changes to a threshold H1 or less. Each step of process S110 is illustrative and various modifications are possible. For example, modifications can be made by adding steps, deleting steps, changing the order of steps, or separating and using some steps.

[0053] Figure 9 shows an example of the temperature change of the heat absorber 10 when the suppression mechanism 40 is activated. In this figure, the horizontal axis represents the time elapsed from the start, S1 indicates the operating state of the suppression mechanism 40, T1 indicates the temperature of the heat absorber 10, He indicates the detected humidity, and H1 indicates the humidity threshold. As shown in this figure, the suppression mechanism 40 is in a non-operating state when the detected humidity He is less than or equal to the threshold H1, and the suppression mechanism 40 is activated when the detected humidity He exceeds the threshold H1. When the suppression mechanism 40 is activated, the temperature T1 of the heat absorber 10 gradually rises and stabilizes at a constant level. In this way, when the suppression mechanism 40 is activated and the airflow rate of the first dehumidification path 51 increases, the amount of heat absorbed by the heat absorber 10 increases and the temperature T1 of the heat absorber 10 rises. This raises the temperature of the front part 22 and suppresses condensation.

[0054] The humidity threshold H1 can be preset by experiment or simulation to obtain the desired characteristics. For example, the threshold H1 may be set to 90%RH. Alternatively, the threshold H1 may be set by the user from the control unit 25.

[0055] The above is an explanation of the condensation suppression system.

[0056] It is desirable that heat is easily transferred to the front section 22 from the air flowing through the first dehumidification path 51. Therefore, in the embodiment, the dehumidifier 100 is provided with a heat shield 28 made of a material with a higher thermal conductivity than the material of the front section 22 on the inner surface of the front section 22. When the front section 22 is made of resin, copper or aluminum can be used as a material with a higher thermal conductivity than the front section 22. In the embodiment, the heat shield 28 is made of sheet-like aluminum. In the embodiment, the heat shield 28 is attached to the inner surface of the front section 22 using adhesive or double-sided tape. The size, shape, and attachment position of the heat shield 28 can be predetermined by experiment or simulation to obtain desired characteristics.

[0057] The provision of the heat shield 28 facilitates heat transfer from the air flowing through the first dehumidification path 51 to the front section 22, thereby raising the temperature of the front section 22 and suppressing condensation. The heat shield 28 may also be provided in the area of ​​the front section 22 facing the heat absorber 10. In this case, the aluminum sheet reflects the radiant heat from the heat absorber 10, making it difficult for the cold heat from the heat absorber 10 to be transferred to the front section 22, thereby suppressing the temperature drop of the front section 22.

[0058] The operation of the dehumidifier 100 configured in this way will now be explained. When the blower 6 is activated, intake air 60 is drawn into the main body case 1 from the air intake port 2 provided on the side section 21. The intake air 60 is divided into a first section 61, a second section 62, and a third section 63. The first section 61 flows into the radiator 8 through the first passage 17 of the heat absorber 10 and heat exchanger 11, cooling the radiator 8. The second section 62 flows into the radiator 8 through the second passage 18 of the heat exchanger 11, cooling the radiator 8.

[0059] The third section 63 flows into the radiator 8 through a bypass air passage 73 that bypasses the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11, cooling the radiator 8. After the radiator 8 has cooled, the first section 61, the second section 62, and the third section 63 are blown out of the main case 1 through the air outlet 4 via the blower 6.

[0060] The first portion 61 and the second portion 62 of the intake air 60 are cooled by the heat absorber 10 and heat exchanger 11 of the refrigeration cycle, causing condensation and drying. The dried first portion 61 and the second portion 62 are blown out from the air outlet 4, thereby reducing the humidity of the space around the dehumidifier 100.

[0061] The features of the dehumidifier 100 configured in this way will now be described. The dehumidifier 100 comprises a main body case 1 having an air intake port 2 and an air outlet port 4. The air intake port 2 is located on the side portion 21 of the main body case 1. A heat absorber 10, a heat exchanger 11, a heat radiator 8, and a blower 6 are arranged in the front-to-back direction within the main body case 1. The dehumidifier has a first dehumidification path 51 through which a first portion 61 of the intake air 60 drawn into the main body case 1 from the air intake port 2 by the action of the blower 6 is blown out of the main body case 1 from the air outlet port 4 via the first passage of the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11 and the heat radiator 8, a second dehumidification path 52 through which a second portion 62 of the intake air 60 is blown out of the main body case 1 from the air outlet port 4 via the second passage of the heat exchanger 11 and the heat radiator 8, and a humidity sensor 50. A gap 15 is provided between the front part 22 of the main case 1 and the heat absorber 10. When the humidity He detected by the humidity sensor 50 is higher than the threshold H1, the airflow rate of the first dehumidification path 51 is increased to raise the temperature of the heat absorber 10.

[0062] In this configuration, an increase in the airflow of the first dehumidification path 51 increases the amount of heat absorbed by the heat absorber 10, causing the temperature of the heat absorber 10 to rise. As a result, the temperature of the front part 22 of the main body case 1 also rises, making condensation less likely. In addition, some of the indoor air in the first dehumidification path 51 comes into contact with the inner surface of the front part 22 of the main body case 1, causing the temperature of that part to rise as well.

[0063] An overview of one aspect of this disclosure is as follows: (Item 1) It is equipped with a main body case (1) having an air intake port (2) and an air outlet port (4), The air intake port (2) is located on the side surface (21) of the main body case (1). The main body case (1) has a heat absorber (10), a heat exchanger (11), a heat sink (8), and a blower (6) arranged in a front-to-back direction. A first dehumidification path (51) blows out a first portion (61) of the intake air (60) drawn into the main body case (1) from the air intake port (2) by the action of the blower (6), through the heat absorber (10), the first passage of the heat exchanger (11), and the heat radiator (8) to the outside of the main body case (1) from the air outlet (4), A second dehumidification path (52) blows the second portion (62) of the intake air (60) out of the main body case (1) through the second passage of the heat exchanger (11) and the heat radiator (8) from the air outlet (4), It has a humidity sensor (50) and A heat absorber gap (15) is provided between the front part (22) of the main body case (1) and the heat absorber (10). A dehumidifying device that increases the airflow rate of the first dehumidification path (51) to raise the temperature of the heat absorber (10) when the humidity detected by the humidity sensor (50) is higher than a threshold.

[0064] (Item 2) The second portion (62) has a damper (41) that changes the airflow, The dehumidifying device according to item 1, wherein when the humidity is higher than a threshold, the airflow of the first part (61) is increased by reducing the airflow of the second part (62) with the damper (41).

[0065] (Item 3) A bypass air passage (73) is provided separately from the first dehumidification path (51) and the second dehumidification path (52), which directs a third portion (63) of the intake air (60) around the heat absorber (10) and the heat exchanger (11) and blows it out of the main body case (1) through the heat radiator (8) and the air outlet (4), and a damper (42) is provided to change the airflow rate of the bypass air passage (73). The dehumidifying device according to item 1, wherein when the humidity is higher than a threshold, the airflow of the third part (63) is reduced by the damper (42) to increase the airflow of the first part (61).

[0066] (Item 4) The dehumidification device according to item 1, wherein when the humidity is higher than a threshold, the rotation speed of the blower (6) is increased to increase the airflow rate of the first dehumidification path (51), thereby raising the temperature of the heat absorber (10).

[0067] (Item 5) The dehumidifier according to item 1, wherein a heat shielding material (28) made of a material with a higher thermal conductivity than the material of the front portion (22) is provided on the inner surface of the front portion (22).

[0068] The present disclosure has been described above based on the embodiments. These embodiments are illustrative, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible for each component or combination of processing processes, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0069] The above description shows an example where the humidity sensor 50 is placed in the heat absorber gap 15, but it is not limited to this. The humidity sensor 50 may be placed anywhere as long as it can detect the humidity of the air.

[0070] The above description shows an example in which a bypass air passage 73 is provided as a bypass air passage, but it is not limited to this. Another bypass air passage may be provided in which a portion of the intake air 60, separate from the first portion 61, second portion 62, and third portion 63, bypasses the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11 and passes through a passage that surrounds the U-shaped pipe of the refrigerant piping on the side of the radiator 8. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0071] 1 Main case, 2 Air intake, 3 Condensation suppression system, 4 Air outlet, 5 Dehumidification section, 6 Blower, 7 Compressor, 8 Heat sink, 8a Top, 9 Expander, 10 Heat absorber, 11 Heat exchanger, 12a Water collection section, 12b Water collection tank, 15 Heat absorber gap, 17 First passage, 18 Second passage, 19 Heat sink gap, 21 Side section, 22 Front section, 25 Operating section, 28 Heat shielding material, 31 Louver, 32 Motor, 33 Fan, 34 Air passage, 40 Suppression mechanism, 41 First damper, 42 Second damper, 46 Control means, 46a Determination section, 46b Mechanism control section, 50 Humidity sensor, 51 1st dehumidification path, 52 2nd dehumidification path, 53 3rd dehumidification path, 60 intake air, 61 1st section, 62 2nd section, 63 3rd section, 68 air intake, 71 1st air passage, 72 2nd air passage, 73 bypass air passage, 80, 83 refrigerant piping, 100 dehumidifier.

Claims

1. It is equipped with a main body case that has an air intake and an air outlet, The aforementioned air intake port is located on the side of the main body case. The main body case has a heat absorber, heat exchanger, heat sink, and blower arranged in a front-to-back direction. A first dehumidification path is provided which, by the action of the blower, a first portion of the intake air drawn into the main body case from the air intake port is blown out of the main body case from the air outlet via the heat absorber, the first passage of the heat exchanger, and the heat radiator. The second portion of the intake air is blown out of the main body case from the air outlet through the second passage of the heat exchanger and the heat sink via a second passage of the heat exchanger, It has a humidity sensor, A gap for the heat absorber is provided between the front part of the main body case and the heat absorber. A dehumidifying device that increases the temperature of the heat absorber by increasing the airflow rate of the first dehumidification path when the humidity detected by the humidity sensor is higher than a threshold.

2. The second part has a damper that changes the airflow, The dehumidifying device according to claim 1, wherein when the humidity is higher than a threshold, the airflow rate of the first part is increased by reducing the airflow rate of the second part with the damper.

3. A bypass air passage is provided separately from the first and second dehumidification paths, which directs a third portion of the intake air, bypassing the heat absorber and the heat exchanger, through the heat radiator, and blowing it out of the main body case from the air outlet; and a damper is provided to change the airflow rate of the bypass air passage. The dehumidifying device according to claim 1, wherein when the humidity is higher than a threshold, the airflow of the first part is increased by reducing the airflow of the third part with the damper.

4. The dehumidifying device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the heat absorber is raised by increasing the rotation speed of the blower and thereby increasing the airflow rate of the first dehumidification path when the humidity is higher than a threshold.

5. The dehumidifier according to claim 1, wherein a heat shielding material made of a material with a higher thermal conductivity than the material of the front surface is provided on the inner surface of the front surface.

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