Water sprinkler system and water sprinkler method

Abstract

To effectively utilize a humidifier of an air conditioner, to lighten an air-conditioning load in summer efficiently although constitution is simple, to achieve energy saving and peak cutting of electric power supply in summer, and to take effective high-temperature measures even for electric facilities etc., installed outdoors.SOLUTION: Outside air is taken into an outdoor unit 100 through rotation of a fan 120 from an air intake 102 through a duct 104, and the air is supplied to an air conditioner in a room from an air intake port 108 through a duct 106. In summer, a manual valve 140 is switched to the side of a sprinkler 150, and when outside temperature rises above a set value of a temperature controller 141, a solenoid valve 132 is opened with a sprinkling / humidification changeover switch 134, and water is supplied to the sprinkler 150 from a feed water pipe 130 through the manual vale 140. Consequently, water is sprinkled by the sprinkler 150 over the outdoor unit 100, ducts 104, 106 to cool them.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a water sprinkler device for sprinkling water on air conditioning equipment, substation equipment, power storage equipment, solar power generation equipment, etc., installed outdoors. reference and improvements to watering methods. [Background technology]

[0002] Outdoor installation equipment, such as the outdoor unit of an air conditioner, is often installed on the roof of a building, but the air conditioner and duct cold water piping installed outdoors are exposed to direct sunlight, which creates an additional air conditioning load on extremely hot days under the blazing sun when the air conditioning load is large. As one method for saving energy for such air conditioners, a method of sprinkling water or sprinkling water has been proposed. For example, the following Patent Document 1 discloses a drain water sprinkling device and an air conditioner that aim to achieve energy conservation with a compact and simple configuration. This device is equipped with a water volume adjustment unit into which drain water of an air conditioner indoor unit is introduced, and a sprinkling pipe that is arranged on a heat exchanger of an air conditioner outdoor unit and connected to the water volume adjustment unit, and drain water is sprinkled from the sprinkling pipe to the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit. The following Patent Document 2 also discloses an air conditioner that similarly sprinkles drain water on the outer surface of the outdoor unit. The following Patent Document 3 discloses an auxiliary cooling device for an outdoor unit that aims to efficiently obtain a cooling effect due to the latent heat of evaporation in heat dissipation from the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit relative to the amount of water sprinkled. The auxiliary cooling device is equipped with a moisture retaining member and a nozzle, and the nozzle sprinkles water on the moisture retaining member, and the moisture retaining member keeps the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit wet. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2009-150564 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2005-114200 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2007-240107 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the background art described in the above Patent Documents 1 and 2, when there is no drain water or when there is only a small amount of drain water, a good cooling effect cannot be obtained. Also, in the background art described in Patent Document 3, it is necessary to separately provide an auxiliary cooling device, which has problems such as a complex device configuration and the need for power for auxiliary cooling.

[0005] On the other hand, air conditioning equipment may be equipped with a humidifier for humidifying the air in winter. The humidifier attached to the air conditioning equipment is a device that increases the humidity of the fluid air by spraying or evaporating clean water inside the air conditioning equipment, but it is only used for humidification for a few months in winter, so it is convenient if it can be effectively used during the cooling season.

[0006] In addition, electrical equipment such as substation equipment, power storage equipment, and solar power generation equipment may be installed outdoors, and measures must be taken to protect these electrical equipment from the high summer temperatures caused by recent weather changes. For example, The installation conditions for outdoor power receiving and transforming equipment are, for example, an ambient temperature of -20℃ to +40℃ and a 24-hour average temperature of +35℃ or less, and high temperatures can cause a decrease in the allowable current value of the cable. In this sense, it is advantageous to spray water on the outer casing when the ambient temperature is 40℃ or more. b. The lifespan of the storage battery will be shortened by the rise in the surrounding temperature. Therefore, in order to protect the storage battery, it is advantageous to spray water on the outer casing when the surrounding temperature exceeds a predetermined set value. c) The power generation efficiency of solar power generation equipment decreases when the temperature exceeds a certain level. Therefore, in order to operate solar power generation equipment efficiently, it is advantageous to spray water on the outer casing when the ambient temperature exceeds a predetermined set value.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and its object is to effectively utilize the humidifier of an air conditioner, and to efficiently reduce the air conditioning load in the summer while using a simple configuration, thereby realizing energy savings and peak cutting of power supply in the summer. Another object is to provide an effective high temperature countermeasure for various types of equipment installed outdoors. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The water sprinkler device of the present invention is Outdoor air conditioning units or air conditioners installed outdoors A humidifier to humidify the air The humidifier is used to spray water. A water sprinkler device, comprising: water for humidification supplied to the humidifier; The upper part of the outdoor air conditioner or air conditioner The device is characterized by being equipped with a sprinkler that sprinkles water onto the

[0009] According to one of the main forms: The water is sprayed on the upper part of the duct on the outside air intake side and the duct on the outside air supply side of the outside air conditioning unit or air conditioner. It is characterized by: or, Outdoor installations or the exterior of buildings The water is sprayed on According to another aspect, the present invention is characterized in that a switching means is provided for switching whether the humidification water is supplied to the humidifier or the sprinkler. According to yet another aspect, the switching means supplies the humidification water to the sprinkler when the outside air temperature rises above a set value.

[0010] The water sprinkling method of the present invention is a water sprinkling method for sprinkling water using the water sprinkler device, and when the outside air temperature rises above a set value, The switching means is switched to supply water for humidification to the sprinkler, and water is sprinkled on the upper part of the outdoor air conditioner or the air conditioner. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, The upper part of an outdoor air conditioner or an air conditioner, the upper part of the duct on the outdoor air intake side and the duct on the outdoor air supply side of the outdoor air conditioner or an air conditioner, andBy spraying the humidification water supplied to the humidifier of the air conditioning unit onto outdoor equipment installed outdoors or the outside of a building, it is possible to effectively utilize the humidifier in the summer, and despite the simple configuration, it is possible to efficiently reduce the air conditioning load in the summer, thereby saving energy and cutting peak power supply in the summer, and furthermore, it is possible to implement effective high temperature countermeasures for outdoor equipment. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the configuration of a sprinkler device according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (A) shows a manual switching type embodiment 1, and (B) shows an automatic switching type embodiment 2. [Diagram 2] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the configuration of a sprinkler device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the installation of a sprinkler in the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the configuration of a sprinkler device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] The best mode for carrying out the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to examples. EXAMPLES

[0014] First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1(A). FIG. 1(A) shows the configuration of an air conditioner to which the present invention is applied. This embodiment is an example in which a valve is manually switched. In the figure, an outdoor air conditioner 100 installed outdoors takes in outside air from an intake port 102 through a duct 104, sends it out from an air outlet 108 through a duct 106, and is supplied to an indoor air conditioner (not shown) through a duct (not shown). The outdoor air conditioner 100 is provided with a humidifier 110, and the air humidified by the humidifier 110 is sent to the air outlet 108 by a fan 120.

[0015] Water for humidification is supplied to the humidifier 110 from a water supply pipe (water supply equipment) 130 via a solenoid valve 132 and a manual valve 140. The solenoid valve 132 is switched by a water sprinkling / humidification changeover switch 134. The water sprinkling / humidification changeover switch 134 is capable of switching between water sprinkling control by a temperature regulator 141 installed in the duct 104 and humidification control by a humidity regulator 142 installed inside or indoors. Also, based on a signal from a fan-linked contact 144, an interlock control is performed so that the solenoid valve 132 is closed while the air conditioner is stopped.

[0016] The manual valve 140 is connected to a sprinkler 150. The sprinklers 150 are provided to be able to sprinkle water on the upper part of the outdoor air conditioning unit 100, the upper part of the duct 104 on the outdoor air intake side, and the upper part of the duct 106 on the outdoor air supply side. The manual valve 140 is manually switched by an operator so that the water in the water supply pipe 130 is supplied to the humidifier 110 in winter and to the sprinkler 150 in summer.

[0017] Next, the overall operation of this embodiment will be described. In the outdoor air-conditioning unit 100, outside air is taken in from the intake port 102 through the duct 104 by the rotation of the fan 120, and this air is supplied to the indoor air conditioner from the air outlet 108 via the duct 106. In this case, the temperature of the outside air is controlled by the temperature regulator 141 in the duct 104, and the humidity of the air supplied to the room is controlled by the humidity regulator 142. The same applies even if the temperature regulator 141 and the humidity regulator 142 are configured by a temperature detector, a humidity detector, and a control operation instruction regulator.

[0018] Here, during heating operation in winter, the manual valve 140 is switched to the humidifier 110 side. Then, when the air conditioner is operated and the fan-linked contact 144 is turned ON, the fan 120 rotates, the interlock is released, and control of the solenoid valve 132 becomes possible. In this state, when the indoor humidity falls below the value set in the humidity regulator 142, the solenoid valve 132 is "opened," and water is supplied to the humidifier 110 from the water supply pipe 130 through the manual valve 140, as shown by the arrow F1. This also causes the air taken in by the outdoor air-conditioning unit 100 to be humidified by the humidifier 110 and supplied to the air conditioner in the room.

[0019] On the other hand, during cooling operation in summer, the manual valve 140 is switched to the sprinkler 150 side. Then, when the air conditioner is operated and the fan interlocking contact 144 is turned ON, the fan 120 rotates, the interlock is released, and similarly, the solenoid valve 132 can be controlled. In this state, when the outdoor air temperature rises above the value set in the temperature regulator 141, the solenoid valve 132 is "opened", and water is supplied from the water supply pipe 130 through the manual valve 140 to the sprinkler 150 as shown by the arrow F2. As a result, the outdoor air conditioning unit 100 and the ducts 104 and 106 are sprayed with water by the sprinkler 150, and are cooled. The supply of water to the sprinkler 150 may be performed by direct pressure of the piping in the water supply pipe 130, or by providing a pump in the water supply pipe 130.

[0020] As described above, according to this embodiment, the sprinkler 150 is provided on the outdoor air conditioner 100 and the duct 104, which are air conditioners placed outdoors under the blazing sun, and water for humidification is sprinkled when the outdoor temperature rises in summer, so that the outdoor air conditioner 100 and the duct 104 can be cooled and lowered in temperature by removing the latent heat caused by the evaporation of the sprinkled water. This reduces the air conditioning load caused by direct sunlight that was previously handled by the air conditioner, and achieves energy conservation and peak cutting of power supply in summer. In addition, by using the humidification pipes that are not used in summer, there is no need to install new water supply pipes, making it possible to reduce initial equipment costs. EXAMPLES

[0021] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1(B). The same reference numerals will be used for components that are the same as or correspond to those in the above-mentioned embodiment. The above-mentioned embodiment is a manual switching type, but this embodiment is an example of an automatic switching type. In the figure, the humidification water supply pipe 130 is piped to a humidification solenoid valve 160 and a sprinkling solenoid valve 162. The humidification solenoid valve 160 is piped to the humidifier 110, and the sprinkling solenoid valve 162 is piped to the sprinkler 150.

[0022] The temperature regulator 141 described above is connected to the water sprinkler solenoid valve 162, the auxiliary relay 164, and the fan interlocking contact 144, and the humidity regulator 142 is connected to the auxiliary relay 164, which is connected to the water sprinkler / humidifier changeover switch 134 and the humidifier solenoid valve 160. When the water sprinkler / humidifier changeover switch 134 is on the water sprinkler side, the water sprinkler solenoid valve 162 connected to the temperature regulator 141 becomes controllable, and the humidifier solenoid valve 160 is always "closed." On the other hand, when the water sprinkler / humidifier changeover switch 134 is on the humidifier side, the humidifier solenoid valve 160 connected to the humidity regulator 142 becomes controllable, and the water sprinkler solenoid valve 162 is always "closed."

[0023] In winter, when the air conditioner is operated and the fan interlocking contact 144 is turned ON, the fan 120 rotates, the interlock is released, and control of the solenoid valve 160 becomes possible. In this state, when the indoor humidity falls below the value set in the humidity regulator 142, the humidification solenoid valve 160 is "opened" and the watering solenoid valve 162 is always "closed", so that water is supplied to the humidifier 110 from the water supply pipe 130 as shown by the arrow F1, and the air taken in by the outdoor air conditioner 100 is humidified by the humidifier 110 and supplied to the air conditioner inside the room.

[0024] On the other hand, in summer, when the air conditioner is operated and the fan interlocking contact 144 is turned ON, the fan 120 rotates, the interlock is released, and control of the solenoid valve 162 becomes possible. In this state, when the outside air temperature rises above the value set in the temperature regulator 141, the sprinkler solenoid valve 162 is "opened" and the humidifier solenoid valve 160 is always "closed", so that water is supplied from the water supply pipe 130 to the sprinkler 150 as shown by the arrow F2, and the outdoor air-conditioning unit 100 and the ducts 104, 106 are sprinkled by the sprinkler 150 and cooled.

[0025] As described above, in this embodiment, water for the humidifier is sprayed when the outside air temperature rises in the summer, so that the outdoor air-conditioning unit 100 and ducts 104, 106 can be cooled by removing latent heat through the evaporation of the sprayed water, thereby lowering the temperature. EXAMPLES

[0026] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. This embodiment is an example of a case where an air conditioning system is configured with an outdoor air conditioning unit installed on the roof of a building and air conditioners installed indoors on each floor. Fig. 2 shows the overall configuration of the air conditioning system, and Fig. 3 shows an example of the installation in a building. In these figures, an outdoor air conditioning unit 200 is installed on the roof of the building, and air conditioners 300 are installed indoors on the first and second floors, respectively.

[0027] The outdoor air-conditioning unit 200 takes in outside air from an air intake 202 through a duct 204, and supplies the air to the air conditioners 300 on each floor through a duct 220. The outdoor air-conditioning unit 200 includes a cooling coil 210, a heating / cooling coil 212, a humidifier 214, and a fan 216. The duct 204, the outdoor air-conditioning unit 200, and the duct 220 are provided with a sprinkler 230. Water for humidification by the humidifier 214 is supplied to the sprinkler 230 in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment.

[0028] The duct 220 on the air supply side of the outdoor air conditioning unit 200 is connected to the duct 304 on the air intake side of the air conditioner 300 on each floor. The air conditioner 300 is equipped with a cooling coil 310, a heating and cooling coil 312, a humidifier 314, and a fan 316, and air is sent to each floor from an air supply port 322 through a duct 320, and returned from a return air port 332 through a duct 330. In addition, an air intake port 340 is provided on each floor, and is connected to the suction side of a fan 350 through a duct 342. In addition, the discharge side of the fan 350 is connected to an exhaust port 354 through a duct 352. As a result, when the fan 350 is driven, air on each floor is taken in through the air intake port 340 and exhausted to the outside of the building through the exhaust port 354. The fan 350 is also installed on the roof.

[0029] Furthermore, sprinklers 360 are provided on the walls or windows of the building on each floor, and in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment, water for humidification is supplied to the humidifiers 314 of the air conditioners 300 on each floor.

[0030] According to this embodiment, as in the above embodiment, the water for humidification supplied to the humidifier 214 in winter is supplied to the sprinkler 230 in the hot summer months, and the outdoor air-conditioning unit 200 and the ducts 204, 220 are cooled by being sprinkled with water. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the water for humidification supplied to the humidifier 314 in winter is supplied to the sprinkler 360 in the hot summer months, and the exterior walls of the building are also cooled satisfactorily. EXAMPLES

[0031] Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4. In this embodiment, an air conditioner 400 is installed on the roof of a building, and a supply air VAV (Variable Air Volume, variable air volume control device) 500 and a return air VAV 510 are provided on each floor. The air conditioner 400 takes in outside air from an intake port 402 through a duct 404, and supplies air to the supply air VAV 500 on each floor through a duct 420. The air conditioner 400 includes a cooling coil 410, a heating and cooling coil 412, a humidifier 414, and a fan 416. An exhaust fan 524 is provided in an exhaust duct 522, and the exhaust fan 524 is piped to an exhaust port 532 via a duct 530. A sprinkler 430 is provided in the duct 404, the main body of the air conditioner 400, the duct 420, and the duct 522. Water for humidification by the humidifier 414 is supplied to the water sprinkler 430 in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment.

[0032] In this example, too, sprinklers 430 are provided on air conditioners 400 and ducts 404, 420, and 522 to sprinkle water for the humidifier when the outside temperature rises in summer. This makes it possible to cool air conditioners 400 and ducts 404, 420, and 522 placed outdoors under the blazing sun by removing latent heat through the evaporation of the sprayed water, thereby lowering the temperature.

[0033] Other Examples The present invention is not limited to the above-described examples, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the following modifications are also included. (1) In the first embodiment, water is sprinkled when the outdoor temperature is equal to or higher than the set value in the temperature regulator 141 during cooling operation, but water may also be sprinkled when the outdoor air temperature or the surface temperature of the outdoor air-conditioning unit 100 or the duct 104 is equal to or higher than the set value during or immediately before cooling operation. Also, not only the outdoor air temperature but also the outdoor humidity may be taken into consideration. When the humidity is high, the cooling effect of sprinkling water is considered to be low, so water sprinkling is stopped when the humidity reaches a certain value or higher or during rainfall. (2) In the above embodiment, water is sprinkled on the air conditioning equipment installed on the roof of the building, but water may be sprinkled on the outer casing of air conditioning equipment and other various equipment other than the roof. Water may be sprinkled not only on the walls and windows of the building, but also on the roof, balcony, and terrace. Mist may be sprayed on the eaves. (3) In addition, the water used for humidification in an air conditioner, either indoors or outdoors, may be used for the water spraying. For example, a,When using a humidifier for an outdoor air conditioner installed outdoors to spray water on the outdoor air conditioner and its surroundings, b. When using a humidifier for an indoor outdoor air conditioner to spray water on walls and windows, c. When using a humidifier for an outdoor air conditioner to spray water on the air conditioner and its surroundings, d. When using an indoor air conditioner humidifier to spray water on walls and windows, Various aspects are possible, such as the above. (4) In the above embodiment, the humidifiers of the air conditioners installed on each floor of the building were used to spray water on the walls and windows of each floor. However, for example, it is also possible to use a humidifier installed on an upper floor to spray water on the walls and windows of a lower floor. (5) Water may be sprayed onto cooling water pipes or cold water pipes installed outdoors. (6) In the above embodiment, the outdoor temperature fluctuations in summer and winter in Japan were assumed. However, in the Southern Hemisphere, the temperature fluctuations in summer and winter have the opposite relationship. (7) In the above embodiment, water was sprayed on the exterior of air conditioning equipment and buildings installed outdoors or indoors. However, water may also be sprayed on the outer casings of electrical equipment such as substation equipment, power storage equipment, and solar power generation equipment installed outdoors, as well as various other outdoor equipment, as a measure against high temperatures in the summer. [Industrial Applicability]

[0034] According to the present invention, The upper part of an outdoor air conditioner or an air conditioner, the upper part of the duct on the outdoor air intake side and the duct on the outdoor air supply side of the outdoor air conditioner or an air conditioner, andHumidification water supplied to the humidifier of the air conditioning unit is sprayed on targets such as air conditioning equipment, electrical equipment, and the outside of buildings installed outdoors, which makes effective use of the humidifier in the summer and, despite its simple configuration, efficiently reduces the air conditioning load in the summer, thereby saving energy and cutting peak power supply in the summer.It is also possible to implement effective high temperature countermeasures for outdoor equipment, making it ideal for various air conditioning units with humidifiers. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 100: Outside control machine 102: Air intake 104, 106: Duct 108: Air outlet 110: Humidifier 120: Fan 130: Water supply pipe 132: Solenoid valve 134: Watering / humidification switch 140: Manual valve 141: Temperature controller 142: Humidity controller 144: Fan-linked contact 150: Water sprinkler 160: Humidification solenoid valve 162: Watering solenoid valve 164: Auxiliary relay 200: Outside control machine 202: Air intake 204,220:Duct 210: Cooling coil 212: Heating and cooling coil 214: Humidifier 216: Fan 230: Water sprinkler 300:Air conditioner 304: Duct 310: Cooling coil 312: Heating and cooling coil 314: Humidifier 316: Fan 320: Duct 322: Air outlet 330: Duct 332:Return air port 340: Air intake 342: Duct 350: Fan 352: Duct 354: Exhaust port 360: Water sprinkler 400:Air conditioner 402: Air intake 404, 420, 522: Duct 410: Cooling coil 412: Heating and cooling coil 414: Humidifier 416: Fan 430: Water sprinkler 524: Exhaust fan 530: Duct 532: Exhaust vent 500: Supply air VAV 510: Return air VAV

Claims

1. A water sprinkler device comprising an outdoor air conditioning unit or an air conditioner installed outdoors, the outdoor air conditioning unit having a humidifier for humidifying air, and the humidifier being used to sprinkle water, A sprinkler system comprising a sprinkler that sprinkles humidification water supplied to the humidifier onto an upper portion of the outdoor air conditioning unit or air conditioner.

2. A sprinkler system as described in claim 1, characterized in that the sprinkler system is arranged to sprinkle water on the upper part of the duct on the outside air intake side and the duct on the outside air supply side of the outdoor air conditioning unit or air conditioner.

3. 3. The water sprinkler system according to claim 1, wherein the water sprinkler system sprinkles water onto an outdoor installation or an exterior of a building installed outdoors.

4. 4. The sprinkler device according to claim 1, further comprising a switching means for switching whether the water for humidification is supplied to the humidifier or the sprinkler.

5. 5. The sprinkler system according to claim 4, wherein the switching means supplies water for humidification to the sprinkler when the temperature of the outside air rises above a set value.

6. A watering method for performing watering using the watering device according to claim 4 or 5, A sprinkling method characterized by switching the switching means to supply water for humidification to the sprinkler when the outside air temperature rises above a set value, and sprinkling water onto the upper part of the outdoor air conditioning unit or air conditioner.

Images