Air conditioner

Abstract

To provide an air conditioner capable of enhancing placement freedom when the air conditioner is placed in a prescribed location in use.SOLUTION: The air conditioner comprises: a cooling unit that uses the latent heat of water to cool air to be blown into a space to be air-conditioned; a housing that houses the cooling unit; and a tank that is disposed outside the housing to store water to be supplied to the cooling unit. The housing and the tank are connected through a water path in which the water flows.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioner.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a vaporization cooling type air conditioner that sucks indoor air, utilizes the latent heat of vaporization of water to lower the ambient temperature, and blows out the cooled air into the room (for example, Patent Document 1). The air conditioner (cooling fan) of Patent Document 1 includes a blowing means disposed in a casing, a first flow path that communicates a suction port and a first blowout port and guides the air flow generated by the blowing means to the first blowout port, a second flow path that communicates the suction port and a second blowout port and guides the air flow generated by the blowing means to the second blowout port, and a vaporization means disposed in the second flow path that cools the air flowing through the second flow path by the latent heat of vaporization of water. A heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the air flow cooled by the vaporization means in the second flow path and the air flow flowing through the first flow path is provided. In the second flow path provided with the vaporization means, on the downstream side of the vaporization means, air in which the absolute humidity has increased due to the atomized water (unevaporated sprayed water) sprayed by the vaporization means and the vaporized water (evaporated sprayed water) flows. The air with increased humidity is blown out as exhaust from the second blowout port that is the outlet of the second flow path. The air flow flowing through the first flow path cooled via the heat exchanger is blown out as supply air from the first blowout port into the conditioned space.

[0003] In the air conditioner of Patent Document 1, the air flowing through the second flow path blown by the blowing means passes through a plurality of tubes of the sensible heat exchanger, and the air flowing through the first flow path blown by the blowing means passes around the plurality of tubes, whereby heat exchange is performed between the air flowing through the second flow path and the air flowing through the first flow path.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the air conditioner of Patent Document 1, the water storage tank for storing water used in the vaporization means is provided inside the housing (casing) of the air conditioner, and water flows out to the water tray through the water injection port provided at the lower part of the water storage tank. Therefore, there is a concern that the degree of freedom in placing the air conditioner is restricted.

[0006] The invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an air conditioner capable of improving the degree of freedom in placing the air conditioner when it is placed and used at a predetermined location.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] An air conditioner according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a cooling unit that cools air blown into an air-conditioned space by the latent heat of water, a housing that houses the cooling unit, and a tank that is provided outside the housing and stores water supplied to the cooling unit. The housing and the tank are connected by a water channel through which the water flows.

[0008] In this aspect, the tank for storing water supplied to the cooling unit is provided outside the housing that houses the cooling unit, and the tank and the housing are connected by a water channel formed by, for example, a hose made of a flexible resin or a pipe made of a rigid resin. That is, the tank is configured separately from the housing corresponding to the main body of the air conditioner. Therefore, the weight of the housing (the main body of the air conditioner) can be reduced, and the degree of freedom in placing the housing at any location can be improved. Further, the housing and the tank constituting the air conditioner can be placed separately, and the degree of freedom in placing the air conditioner can be improved.

[0009] In the air conditioner according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the housing and the tank are placed on a moving body, and the part of the moving body on which the tank is placed is located below the part of the moving body on which the housing is placed.

[0010] In this aspect, when the air conditioner is placed on a moving body composed of a vehicle such as a forklift or a tractor, the housing and the tank are separated and placed on separate parts of the moving body. Since the part of the moving body where the tank is placed is located below the part of the moving body where the housing is placed, even if the unvaporized liquid water remains inside the housing, the unvaporized water can be recovered into the tank by gravity. Thereby, the amount of water remaining inside the housing can be reduced, and the hygiene level inside the housing can be improved. By placing the tank below the housing, the accessibility (tactility) to the tank can be improved, and the operation of replenishing water to the tank can be facilitated.

[0011] In the air conditioner according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the moving body is a forklift, the part of the moving body where the housing is placed is the upper part of the head guard of the forklift, and the part of the moving body where the tank is placed is the upper part of the balance weight of the forklift.

[0012] In this aspect, when placing the air conditioner on a forklift, the housing is placed on the upper part of the head guard of the forklift, and the tank is placed on the upper part of the balance weight of the forklift. The balance weight corresponds to a part with a high ratio in the weight distribution of the forklift. The tank placed on the balance weight is placed closer to the center of gravity of the forklift than the housing placed on the head guard. Thereby, the vibration accompanying the movement of the moving body or the like can be mitigated to prevent the liquid level of the tank from being agitated, and the water supply from the tank to the cooling unit can be efficiently performed.

[0013] In the air conditioner according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the housing is provided with a blow duct extending toward the peripheral space of the operator of the moving body that becomes the air-conditioned space.

[0014] In this aspect, since the blow duct provided in the housing extends toward the peripheral space of the operator of the moving body, the cooled air can be blown out into the peripheral space of the operator of the moving body through the blow duct regardless of where the housing is placed on the moving body.

[0015] In the air conditioner according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the water channel includes a supply water channel that supplies water to the cooling unit and a recovery water channel that recovers the water that did not vaporize in the cooling unit. A circulation circuit in which water circulates is formed by the tank, the supply water channel, the cooling unit, and the recovery water channel.

[0016] In this aspect, the water channel connecting the housing and the tank includes a supply water channel that supplies water to the cooling unit and a recovery water channel that recovers the water that did not vaporize in the cooling unit. A circulation circuit in which water circulates in the order of the tank, the supply water channel, the cooling unit, and the recovery water channel starting from the tank is formed. That is, by having the circulation circuit, the air conditioner can recover the water that did not vaporize in the cooling unit into the tank and supply the non-vaporized water to the cooling unit again, thereby suppressing the water consumption and reducing the number of times of replenishing water into the tank.

[0017] In the air conditioner according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the cooling unit includes a first vaporization filter for cooling the first air blown out as supply air into the air-conditioned space and a second vaporization filter for cooling the second air blown out as exhaust air to the outside of the housing after sensible heat exchange with the first air. The circulation circuit includes a branch path that branches into a water channel passing through the first vaporization filter and a water channel passing through the second vaporization filter.

[0018] In this aspect, since the air conditioner includes two vaporization filters, namely, a first vaporization filter for cooling the first air and a second vaporization filter for cooling the second air, the cooling capacity can be improved. The circulation circuit includes a branch path that branches into a water path (a first supply water path and a first recovery water path) passing through the first vaporization filter and a water path (a second supply water path and a second recovery water path) passing through the two vaporization filters, and a confluence path where the branched water path passing through the first vaporization filter and the water path passing through the two vaporization filters merge. Thereby, since a parallel path composed of the water path communicating with the first vaporization filter and the water path communicating with the second vaporization filter is configured as a part of the circulation circuit, water can be efficiently supplied to the first vaporization filter and the second vaporization filter.

[0019] In the air conditioner according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a water supply pump for conveying the water flowing in the supply water path and a recovery pump for conveying the water flowing in the recovery water path are provided.

[0020] In this aspect, since the air conditioner includes a water supply pump provided in the supply water path and a recovery pump provided in the recovery water path, even when the air conditioner is mounted on a moving body and the posture of the air conditioner changes due to the state of the road surface on which the moving body moves and the housing and the tank are tilted, the water flowing in the supply water path and the recovery water path can be reliably conveyed.

[0021] In the air conditioner according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a recovery water sensor for detecting the water flowing in the recovery water path and a controller communicably connected to the recovery water sensor, the water supply pump, and the recovery pump are provided, and the controller performs drive control of the water supply pump and the recovery pump based on a sensor value output from the recovery water sensor.

[0022] In this aspect, the air conditioner includes a controller configured by, for example, a microcomputer or the like. The controller performs drive control of the water supply pump and the recovery pump based on the sensor value output from a recovery water sensor that detects the water flowing in the recovery water passage. The amount of vaporization of the water supplied from the tank varies depending on the usage environment of the air conditioner, that is, the temperature and absolute humidity of the air sucked in by the air conditioner. The water flowing in the recovery water passage is the water remaining in a liquid state without vaporizing in the cooling unit. Therefore, by performing drive control of the water supply pump and the recovery pump based on the sensor value from the recovery water sensor, it is possible to optimize the amount of water supplied according to the usage environment of the air conditioner.

[0023] In the air conditioner according to one aspect of the present disclosure, when the sensor value output from the recovery water sensor indicates that the amount of water flowing in the recovery water passage is equal to or more than a predetermined amount, the controller stops the water supply pump.

[0024] In this aspect, the controller may stop the water supply pump when the sensor value output from the recovery water sensor indicates that the amount of water flowing in the recovery water passage is equal to or more than a predetermined amount, and further drive the water supply pump when the sensor value indicates that the amount of water flowing in the recovery water passage is less than the predetermined amount. By setting the predetermined amount to 0 [kg / s] as, for example, the mass flow rate, the controller can control the stop and drive of the water supply pump based on the presence or absence of water flowing in the recovery water passage. When there is water flowing in the recovery water passage (water is flowing in the recovery water passage), it indicates that water remains in a liquid state without vaporizing in the cooling unit. The controller can prevent excessive water supply to the cooling unit and improve the vaporization efficiency by stopping the water supply pump.

[0025] In the air conditioner according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the controller performs intermittent operation by repeating the drive and stop of the water supply pump and the recovery pump.

[0026] In this aspect, the controller can prevent excessive water supply to the cooling unit by performing intermittent operation by repeatedly driving and stopping the water supply pump and the recovery pump.

[0027] In an air conditioner according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the controller performs drive control of the water supply pump and the recovery pump by providing a predetermined delay time between the start time of driving the water supply pump and the start time of driving the recovery pump.

[0028] In this aspect, when the controller periodically performs intermittent operation by repeatedly driving and stopping the water supply pump and the recovery pump, a predetermined delay time is provided between the start time of driving the water supply pump and the start time of driving the recovery pump in the same cycle, and the water supply pump and the recovery pump are driven. That is, when the water supply pump starts driving, the recovery pump has not started driving and the recovery pump is stopped. After the water supply pump starts driving and the water supply to the cooling unit starts, for a while, the supplied water tends to be absorbed by the vaporization filters (first vaporization filter, second vaporization filter) included in the cooling unit, so there is concern that the recovery pump will run idly even if it is driven. On the other hand, by providing a predetermined delay time between the start time of driving the water supply pump and the start time of driving the recovery pump, it is possible to prevent the recovery pump from being driven unnecessarily and reduce the power consumption by the recovery pump.

[0029] In an air conditioner according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the controller performs drive control of the water supply pump and the recovery pump by making the drive time of the recovery pump longer than the drive time of the water supply pump.

[0030] In this aspect, the controller can surely recover the water staying in the cooling unit by driving the recovery pump longer than the water supply pump, reduce the amount of water remaining inside the housing, and improve the hygiene level inside the housing.

Advantages of the Invention

[0031] When placing and using an air conditioner at a predetermined location, the degree of freedom of placement can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0032]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0033] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic front view illustrating a configuration of an air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of the air conditioner 1. Note that FIG. 1 schematically shows a cross section cut along line A-A in FIG. 2 from above. The air conditioner 1 includes a box-shaped housing 11 and a tank 12 configured separately from the housing 11 (main body). For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the air conditioner 1 is placed on a moving body M such as a vehicle, and cools the surrounding space of the operator of the moving body M as a conditioned space. Alternatively, the air conditioner 1 may be placed indoors such as in a factory. The placement state (front view, perspective from above) of the air conditioner 1 shown in FIG. 1 indicates the front, rear, left, and right as the normal usage mode of the air conditioner 1. The placement state of the air conditioner 1 shown in FIG. 2 indicates the up, down, front, rear, left, and right as the normal usage mode of the air conditioner 1.

[0034] The air conditioner 1 includes a cooling unit 3 including two vaporization filters: a tank 12 for storing water, a first vaporization filter 31, and a second vaporization filter 32. The air conditioner 1 uses the heat of vaporization of the water supplied from the tank 12 by the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 to lower the ambient temperature and cool the conditioned space. For example, it is a vaporization cooling type air conditioner.

[0035] The cooling unit 3 includes the first vaporization filter 31, the second vaporization filter 32, a water supply section 33, and a drain pan 34. The water supply section 33 is provided above the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32, and supplies water to the lower first vaporization filter 31 and second vaporization filter 32. The drain pan 34 receives the water that has not vaporized in the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32. Details of the cooling unit 3 will be described later.

[0036] The air conditioner 1 further includes a sensible heat exchanger 4, which cools the first air by performing heat exchange between the second air that has passed through the second vaporization filter 32 and the first air before it passes through the first vaporization filter 31, and allows the cooled first air to pass through the first vaporization filter 31 to cool the first air in two stages. The first air is cooled in two stages by being vaporization-cooled after being cooled without increasing its humidity through sensible heat exchange, and the first air cooled in two stages is blown into the air-conditioned space as supply air (SA: Service Air). The second air is discharged to the outside of the housing 11 as exhaust air (EA: Exhaust Air).

[0037] The housing 11 of the air conditioner 1 is provided with two suction ports 5 for sucking in the air of the air-conditioned space, a first air outlet 71 for blowing out the first air that has passed through the sensible heat exchanger 4 and the first vaporization filter 31 and has been cooled in two stages into the air-conditioned space as supply air, and a second air outlet 72 for blowing out the second air that has passed through the second vaporization filter 32 and the sensible heat exchanger 4 and has undergone sensible heat exchange with the first air as exhaust air. The first air outlet 71 and the second air outlet 72 are provided on the same side surface (the left side surface in this embodiment) of the housing 11.

[0038] The air conditioner 1 is provided with a fan for conveying the first air and the second air, and the fan includes a first fan 81 for conveying the first air and a second fan 82 for conveying the second air. The shapes of the first fan 81 and the second fan 82 in FIG. 1 represent an example of the outer shell shape. The fan including the first fan 81 and the second fan 82 may be a centrifugal fan such as a sirocco fan or a propeller fan, for example. The first fan 81 is provided near the first air outlet 71, and the second fan 82 is provided near the second air outlet 72. That is, as the air flow of the air conditioner 1, when the two suction ports 5 are the most upstream ends and the first air outlet 71 and the second air outlet 72 are the most downstream ends, the first fan 81 and the second fan 82 are provided on the downstream side of the sensible heat exchanger 4 and the cooling unit 3 in the air flow direction. By providing the first fan 81 and the second fan 82 on the downstream side, these fans function as so-called suction fans and keep the inside of the air circulation path in the air conditioner 1 at a negative pressure. By keeping the inside of the air flow path at a negative pressure, a configuration is adopted that promotes the penetration (absorption) of water from the water supply section 33 to the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32. In the present embodiment, as will be described later, a configuration is adopted that promotes the dripping of water from the water supply section 33 to the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32.

[0039] The first fan 81 and the second fan 82 share a single fan motor 8 and are fastened to the respective shafts provided at both ends of the fan motor 8. A partition plate 83 is provided between the second fan 82 and the first fan 81 to partition the space where the second fan 82 is provided and the space where the first fan 81 is provided. By means of the partition plate 83, it is possible to prevent the first air conveyed by the first fan 81 and the second air conveyed by the second fan 82 from mixing.

[0040] The fan motor 8, the first fan 81, and the second fan 82 are arranged in a fan chamber partitioned by a fan casing 84. The fan chamber is partitioned by, for example, a fan casing 84 partially constituted by a heat transfer suppression member having heat insulation properties such as styrofoam. A partition plate 83 provided between the second fan 82 and the first fan 81 constitutes a part of the fan casing 84. Details regarding the fan casing 84 will be described later.

[0041] In the present embodiment, the fan motor 8 is arranged in the space on the second fan 82 side partitioned by the partition plate 83. More specifically, the partition plate 83 is provided between the fan motor 8 and the first fan 81. By providing the fan motor 8 on the second fan 82 side in this way, the second air conveyed by the second fan 82, that is, the exhaust air, can cool the fan motor 8. Therefore, the fan motor 8 can be efficiently cooled by utilizing the cold heat of the second air (exhaust air) without increasing the temperature of the first air conveyed by the first fan 81, that is, the supply air. Further, since the same effect can be exhibited if the fan motor 8 is arranged in the space on the second fan 82 side partitioned by the partition plate 83, as a modification, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the configuration related to the second fan 82 and the arrangement of the fan motor 8 are interchanged.

[0042] The air conditioner 1 is provided with a suction flow path 51, a branch flow path 52, a first flow path 61, and a second flow path 62 as air circulation paths. The branch flow path 52 branches the suction flow path 51 into the first flow path 61 and the second flow path 62. The suction flow path 51 starts from two suction ports 5 in the rearward and rightward directions and communicates with the sensible heat exchanger 4 via the branch flow path 52. The first flow path 61 is a space that communicates along the arrow representing the supply air (SA) in FIG. 1. The second flow path 62 is a space that communicates along the arrow representing the exhaust air (EA) in FIG. 1. Also, the suction flow path 51 and the branch flow path 52 are common regions before the air is distributed to the first flow path 61 and the second flow path 62. In other words, the air inside the suction flow path 51 and the branch flow path 52 is either the first air or the second air. The boundary between the suction flow path 51 and the branch flow path 52 in this embodiment will be described later.

[0043] The branch flow path 52 communicates with two inlets of the sensible heat exchanger 4. The two inlets of the sensible heat exchanger 4 include the inlet of the first path 41 of the sensible heat exchanger 4 into which the first air flows and the inlet of the second path 42 of the sensible heat exchanger 4 into which the second air flows. The inlet of the first path 41 is formed on the first inlet side opening surface 431. The inlet of the second path 42 is formed on the second inlet side opening surface 432. The first path 41 constitutes a part of the first flow path 61. The second path 42 constitutes a part of the second flow path 62. That is, downstream of the suction flow path 51 in the flow direction of the suction air flowing through the suction flow path 51, the branch flow path 52 and the sensible heat exchanger 4 are provided in this order.

[0044] The suction air flows into either the inlet of the first path 41 or the second path 42 in the sensible heat exchanger 4 in the branch flow path 52. That is, the suction air is divided into the first air flowing into the first path 41 and the second air flowing into the second path 42 in the branch flow path 52.

[0045] Between the two suction ports 5 and the two inlets of the sensible heat exchanger 4 (the inlet of the first path 41 and the inlet of the second path 42), a dust collecting filter 53 is interposed. The dust collecting filter 53 is formed of polyester or olefin-based fibers and includes a filter portion that captures dust and a lattice-shaped frame that fixes the filter portion. The dust collecting filter 53 may be formed by insert molding in which the filter portion is placed inside a resin mold and then the resin that becomes the material of the frame is poured in. The dust collecting filter 53 composed of a resin frame has flexibility and is curved so as to cover the inlets of the first path 41 and the second path 42 of the sensible heat exchanger 4 respectively. When the dust collecting filter 53 is curved, a guide portion constituted by a groove or the like into which the longitudinal edge of the dust collecting filter 53 fits may be provided on the inner surface of the housing 11.

[0046] Since the first inlet side opening surface 431 and the second inlet side opening surface 432 of the dust collecting filter 53 are provided on different end surfaces (side surfaces) of the sensible heat exchanger 4, it is curved and provided as shown in FIG. 1. Thereby, the dust collecting filter 53 can cover the first inlet side opening surface 431 and the second inlet side opening surface 432 with one sheet. By making the dust collecting filter 53 into one sheet, the labor of attaching and detaching the filter is reduced.

[0047] Sealing members 531 are provided at both ends of the dust collecting filter 53 respectively. Both ends of the dust collecting filter 53 include an end on the side of the first path 41 and an end on the side of the second path 42. The end on the side of the first path 41 is located at the contact portion between the first inlet side opening surface 431 where the inlet of the first path 41 is provided and the inner surface of the housing 11 facing the first inlet side opening surface 431. The end on the side of the second path 42 is located between the drain pan 34 described later and the inner surface of the housing 11 close to the drain pan 34. The sealing member 531 fills the gap between the inner surface of the housing 11 and the dust collecting filter 53.

[0048] Since seal members 531 are provided at both ends of the dust collection filter 53, it is possible to suppress air from flowing into the sensible heat exchanger 4 without passing through the dust collection filter 53. By providing the dust collection filter 53, it is possible to collect dust in the suction air sucked from the suction port 5 and suppress dust from adhering in the flow path through which the air in the air conditioner 1 flows.

[0049] The space between the two inlets of the sensible heat exchanger 4 (the inlet of the first path 41 and the inlet of the second path 42) and the suction port 5 is partitioned by the dust collection filter 53 into an upstream space and a downstream space in the flow direction of the first air and the second air. In other words, the dust collection filter 53 divides the space into an upstream space, which is a space surrounded by the housing 11 having the suction port 5 and the dust collection filter 53, and a downstream space, which is a space surrounded by the dust collection filter 53, the first inlet side opening surface 431, and the second inlet side opening surface 432. The upstream space corresponds to the suction flow path 51. The downstream space corresponds to the branch flow path 52. The suction flow path 51 is a path shared by the first path 41 and the second path 42 upstream of the branch flow path 52. Therefore, the two suction ports 5 can also be shared by the first path 41 and the second path 42, and the flow path resistance (pressure loss) in the suction air can be reduced by increasing the opening area of the two suction ports 5. Also, in order to reduce the flow path resistance, a configuration connecting the two suction ports may be adopted. Specifically, similar to the dust collection filter 53, the side surface of the housing 11 may be curved, and one suction port 5 may be formed on the curved side surface to widen the opening area. In this case, the volume of the upstream space can be minimized, and the influence of possible turbulent flow or the like generated in the upstream space can be minimized.

[0050] As described above, the sensible heat exchanger 4 is provided with a first path 41 through which the first air flows and a second path 42 through which the second air flows. The first path 41 constitutes a part of the first flow path 61 that communicates with the first air outlet 71. The second path 42 constitutes a part of the second flow path 62 that communicates with the second air outlet 72. The first path 41 and the second path 42 in the sensible heat exchanger 4 are constituted by a plurality of resin plates having a hollow structure, and are constituted by arranging these resin plates in parallel. By reducing the plate thickness of the resin plates, the heat transfer performance can be improved and the weight of the sensible heat exchanger 4 can be reduced. The hollow structure may be constituted by a metal plate.

[0051] The resin plate constituting the first path 41 and the resin plate constituting the second path 42 are laminated and provided so as to be perpendicular to the flow directions of the first air and the second air. Through these resin plates, sensible heat exchange between the first air and the second air is performed. The first path 41 and the second path 42 are orthogonal to each other, so that a cross flow is formed by the first air flowing through the first path 41 and the second air flowing through the second path 42.

[0052] In each of the resin plates constituting the first path 41 and the second path 42, a resin frame is provided between adjacent resin plates, and the resin frame may function as a spacer for securing the distance between these resin plates. By using the resin frame as a spacer, the weight of the sensible heat exchanger 4 can be reduced. When the spacer plays a role in regulating the flow of air inside the sensible heat exchanger 4, the flow of air inside the sensible heat exchanger 4 becomes uniform, and the area where the first air and the second air exchange heat can be increased. Inside the sensible heat exchanger 4, the flow of air may be regulated so that the first air and the second air exchange heat in a counterflow relationship in some paths by the spacer. The heat exchange efficiency of the sensible heat exchanger 4 can be improved by heat exchange in the counterflow. The thickness of the spacer for the second air may be greater than the thickness of the spacer for the first air. That is, the width of the spacer for the second air may be larger than the width of the spacer for the first air. With such a configuration, the pressure loss with respect to the second air when flowing through the sensible heat exchanger 4 can be reduced, and the air volume of the second air can be increased compared to the air volume of the first air. With such a configuration, the first air can be cooled more efficiently by the second air, and the temperature of the first air can be made colder. In the present embodiment, the sensible heat exchanger 4 is of a plate type using resin plates and the like, but is not limited thereto, and for example, it may be configured such that paths formed of cylinders such as straw shapes are arranged side by side.

[0053] On each end face (side face) of the sensible heat exchanger 4, an inlet of the first path 41, an inlet of the second path 42, an outlet of the first path 41, and an outlet of the second path 42 are provided. The end face (side face) where the inlet of the first path 41 is provided corresponds to the first inlet-side opening surface 431. The end face (side face) where the inlet of the second path 42 is provided corresponds to the second inlet-side opening surface 432. The end face (side face) where the outlet of the first path 41 is provided corresponds to the first outlet-side opening surface 441. The end face (side face) where the outlet of the second path 42 is provided corresponds to the second outlet-side opening surface 442. That is, the first path 41 is formed by stacking a plurality of spaces communicating from the first inlet-side opening surface 431 to the first outlet-side opening surface 441. Also, the second path 42 is formed by stacking a plurality of spaces communicating from the second inlet-side opening surface 432 to the second outlet-side opening surface 442.

[0054] In the flow direction of the second air, a second vaporization filter 32 is provided upstream of the second inlet-side opening surface 432. The second vaporization filter 32, which forms a rectangular shape in the front view of FIG. 1, is provided with one face facing the second inlet-side opening surface 432. In the flow direction of the first air, a first vaporization filter 31 is provided downstream of the first outlet-side opening surface 441. The first vaporization filter 31, which forms a rectangular shape in the front view of FIG. 1, is provided with one face facing the first outlet-side opening surface 441.

[0055] The second air branched in the branch flow path 52 passes through the second vaporization filter 32, is cooled by the second vaporization filter 32, and then flows into the inside of the sensible heat exchanger 4 (the second path 42) from the inlet of the second path 42 provided on the second inlet-side opening surface 432. The first air branched in the branch flow path 52 flows into the inside of the sensible heat exchanger 4 (the first path 41) from the inlet of the first path 41 provided on the first inlet-side opening surface 431.

[0056] The first air flowing through the first path 41 and the second air flowing through the second path 42 are heat-exchanged via the sensible heat exchanger 4. The second air flowing through the second path 42 is cooled by the second vaporization filter 32, and the temperature of the second air is lower than the temperature of the suction air immediately after being sucked in at the suction port 5. The temperature of the first air immediately after flowing into the inlet of the first path 41 is the same (equivalent) as the temperature of the suction air immediately after being sucked in at the suction port 5, but it is cooled by the second air flowing through the second path 42 via the sensible heat exchanger 4. Specifically, since the first air is at a higher temperature than the second air, heat is taken away from the first air by the second air. As a result, the first air and the second air are in a lower temperature state than the suction air and the air outside the housing 11.

[0057] The first air flowing out from the outlet of the first path 41 is further cooled by the first vaporization filter 31. As a result, the first air is cooled in two stages. That is, the first air is cooled by two heat sources, using the second air of the second vaporization filter 32 as an indirect heat source and the first vaporization filter 31 as a direct heat source. That is, only sensible heat is exchanged in the first stage, and total heat exchange is performed in the second stage. As a result, the wet-bulb temperature becomes lower than that in cooling by only vaporization or sensible heat exchange and cooling by sensible heat exchange from vaporization cooling. In addition, since the amount of water vaporized during total heat exchange can also be reduced, an unpleasant increase in humidity can be prevented.

[0058] The first air that flows out from the outlet of the first path 41 of the sensible heat exchanger 4 (the outlet provided on the first outlet-side opening surface 441) and passes through the first vaporization filter 31 is conveyed by the first fan 81 located downstream of the first vaporization filter 31, and is blown out as supply air (SA) into the conditioned space from the first air outlet 71. The first air outlet 71 is provided with a blowout duct 711 configured, for example, in a bellows structure, and the first air may be blown out as supply air (SA) in the blowout direction adjusted by the blowout duct 711. Thereby, the peripheral space of the operator of the moving body M can be cooled as the conditioned space. Although the first fan 81 is located downstream of the first vaporization filter 31, it is not limited thereto, and the first fan 81 may be located upstream of the first vaporization filter 31.

[0059] The second air that flows out from the outlet of the second path 42 of the sensible heat exchanger 4 (the outlet provided on the second outlet-side opening surface 442) is conveyed by the second fan 82 located downstream of the outlet of the second path 42 of the sensible heat exchanger 4, and is blown out as exhaust air (EA) to the outside of the housing 11 from the second air outlet 72.

[0060] The first air outlet 71 and the second air outlet 72 are provided on the same side surface (the left side surface in this embodiment) of the housing 11. The second air outlet 72 faces the direction of the first air outlet 71, and the exhaust air (EA) blown out from the second air outlet 72 may be blown out in the vicinity of the periphery of the blowout duct 711 attached to the first air outlet 71. More specifically, the second air outlet 72 is provided in the forward direction of the second fan 82, so that the second air sent from the second fan 82 is blown out in the left forward direction. Also, when there is a blowout duct 711, it is possible to suppress an increase in the outer surface temperature of the blowout duct 711 due to direct sunlight or lighting.

[0061] By blowing the exhaust air (EA) blown out from the second air outlet 72 in the vicinity of the periphery of the blow duct 711, the temperature of the ambient air around the blow duct 711 (ambient temperature) can be lowered, and it is possible to suppress the supply air (SA) blown out from the blow duct 711 from rising due to the air outside the housing 11 (outside air). Further, it is possible to suppress an increase in the outer surface temperature of the blow duct 711 due to direct sunlight or lighting.

[0062] The suction port 5 is provided on a side surface different from the side surface on which the first air outlet 71 and the second air outlet 72 are provided. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a short circuit phenomenon in which the air blown out from the first air outlet 71 and the second air outlet 72 is sucked from the suction port 5. However, in the air conditioner 1 of the present embodiment, there is no need to consider the ventilation efficiency, and when a short circuit phenomenon occurs on the supply air side or the exhaust air side, the air cooler than the outside air is cooled again, and the wet bulb temperature of the first air can be further lowered. The first air outlet 71, the second air outlet 72, or both the first air outlet 71 and the second air outlet 72 may be provided on the upper surface of the housing.

[0063] As shown in the drawing in the present embodiment, a door portion 111 configured to be openable and closable is provided on the side surface of the housing 11 where the two suction ports 5, the first air outlet 71, and the second air outlet 72 are not provided. The side surface on which the door portion 111 is provided is the side surface corresponding to the location where the end portion of the first vaporization filter 31 and the end portion of the second vaporization filter 32 are adjacent, and is the side surface closest to the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32. By opening the door portion 111 (bringing it to the open state), access can be made from the outside to the inside of the housing 11, and maintenance work such as replacement of the first vaporization filter 31 or the second vaporization filter 32 can be performed. The door portion 111 is preferably fixed to the housing 11 in a configuration in which one end other than the upper end is connected to the housing 11 by a hinge, and the end portion opposite to the end portion connected by the hinge of the door portion 111 is fixed to the housing 11 by an openable and closable lock mechanism. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the door portion 111 from falling off when opened, and it is easy to maintain the open state during maintenance.

[0064] When performing the maintenance work, after opening the door portion 111, the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 can be slid horizontally to be detachable, and the height of the housing 11, that is, the height of the product can be reduced. Thereby, the maintainability can be improved. The first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 are integrally molded with a resin member only on one of the side surfaces. Thereby, while improving the maintainability for the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32, it is possible to suppress the leakage of air from each element portion of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32, that is, the flow of air without passing through the element portion. The resin member integrally molded on one side surface of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 is provided with a handle portion or a gripping portion. When performing the maintenance work, the operator can easily attach and detach the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 by holding the handle portion, and the maintainability can be improved. The two vaporization filters composed of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 may be able to be pulled out in an intersecting relationship. By adopting such a configuration, commonization of parts can be achieved, and cost reduction by reducing the parts cost can be expected. Further, the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 can be taken out from a limited inspection port space according to the size of the housing 11, and the size of the housing 11, that is, the miniaturization of the product size can be achieved. Two vaporization filters consisting of a first vaporization filter 31 and a second vaporization filter 32 are provided with a holding portion for fixing these vaporization filters so that they do not move. The holding portion is in pressure contact with the door portion 111 by contacting and pressing a part of the door portion 111. With such a configuration, leakage between the first air and the second air, that is, mixing of the first air and the second air can be suppressed. Further, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of displacement of the vaporization filter due to vibration or the like. Further, when the vaporization filter is detached or attached during maintenance work or the like, it is possible to prevent the vaporization filter from being installed in an incorrect state.

[0065] On the inner surface of the door portion 111, a suppression member 112 for suppressing air from entering the first flow path 61 without passing through the first vaporization filter 31 is provided. The suppression member 112 is formed of, for example, a sealing material. By closing the door portion 111 (closed state), the suppression member 112 is sandwiched between the inner surface of the door portion 111 and the edge portion of the first vaporization filter 31 to exhibit a sealing function, and suppresses air from entering the first flow path 61 without passing through the first vaporization filter 31.

[0066] The suppression member 112 is not limited to being attached to the inner surface of the door portion 111, and the suppression member 112 may be attached to the first vaporization filter 31 or a fastening member that fastens the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32. That is, the suppression member 112 being provided on the inner surface of the door portion 111 includes not only the case where the suppression member 112 is attached to the inner surface of the door portion 111, but also the case where the suppression member 112 is attached to the first vaporization filter 31 or the like, for example.

[0067] The air conditioner 1 includes a tank 12 for storing water to be supplied to the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32. The tank 12 is configured separately from the housing 11 that houses the first vaporization filter 31, the second vaporization filter 32, etc. In the air conditioner 1, the housing 11 serving as the main body and the tank 12 configured separately are connected (communicated) by a supply water passage 91 and a recovery water passage 92. Water supplied from the tank 12 to the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 housed in the housing 11 flows through the supply water passage 91. Water that has not vaporized in the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 flows through the recovery water passage 92 and is recovered into the tank 12. The supply water passage 91 and the recovery water passage 92 are constituted by a hose made of a flexible resin or a pipe made of a rigid resin. When installed on the moving body M as in this embodiment, the tank 12 is preferably installed at the back or feet of the operator where water supply and replacement are easy. Also, the supply water passage 91 and the recovery water passage 92 are preferably tied to a pillar of the head guard or the like in order to ensure visibility for the operator and prevent leakage by getting caught during operation.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 5, the supply water passage 91 is provided with a water supply pump 913 and a supply water sensor 914. When the housing 11 and the tank 12 are placed at different locations and a height difference (lift) occurs between the housing 11 and the tank 12, water can be pumped from the lower tank 12 to the upper housing 11 by the water supply pump 913 having a water supply capacity corresponding to the lift. The supply water sensor 914 is provided, for example, inside the supply water passage 91 and outputs a sensor value (detection value) corresponding to the amount of water flowing through the supply water passage 91.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 5, the recovery water channel 92 is provided with a recovery pump 923 and a recovery water sensor 924. Even when the housing 11 and the tank 12 are placed at different locations and the housing 11 is above the tank 12, the water accumulated in the drain pan 34 can be reliably recovered by the recovery pump 923. The recovery water sensor 924 is provided, for example, inside the recovery water channel 92 and outputs a sensor value (detection value) corresponding to the amount of water flowing through the recovery water channel 92. In the present embodiment, the supply water sensor 914 and the recovery water sensor 924 are provided respectively, but either one of them may be used to achieve the same effect. Further, by detecting the torque of the water supply pump 913 or the recovery pump 923, the amount of water supplied or recovered can be estimated, and a configuration without the supply water sensor 914 and the recovery water sensor 924 may be adopted. Alternatively, the air conditioner 1 may be configured to include only the recovery water sensor 924. The recovery water sensor 924 can detect the water drained from the drain pan 34 and recovered in the tank 12. By eliminating the need for the supply water sensor 914, the number of sensors mounted on the air conditioner 1 can be reduced, and cost reduction can be achieved by reducing the component cost.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 5, the water supply pump 913, the supply water sensor 914, the recovery pump 923, and the recovery water sensor 924 are connected to a controller 130 described later. The controller 130 drives the water supply pump 913 and the recovery pump 923 based on the sensor values output from the supply water sensor 914, the recovery water sensor 924, or both sensors.

[0071] A part of the water supply channel 91 extending from the tank 12 is housed inside the housing 11 and communicates with a water supply section 33 attached above the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32. A part of the water supply channel 91 housed inside the housing 11 is provided in an upstream space (suction channel 51) partitioned by a dust collection filter 53. When the air conditioner 1 is placed on the moving body M and used outdoors, the temperature of the water in the tank 12 may be heated by direct sunlight or the like and become higher than the outside air temperature (the temperature of the suction air). Even in such a case, the water (supply water) flowing through the water supply channel 91 located in the upstream space (suction channel 51) exchanges heat with the suction air flowing through the suction channel 51, cools the water (supply water) by the suction air, and can improve the cooling efficiency in the air conditioner 1. On the outer peripheral surface of the water supply channel 91 arranged in the upstream space, for example, fins or the like may be provided to improve the heat transfer efficiency by increasing the heat transfer area when exchanging heat with the suction air. Further, as a configuration for cooling the water in the water supply channel 91, the downstream of the sensible heat exchanger 4 of the second flow path 62 may be arranged so that the water supply channel 91 passes through.

[0072] The water (supply water) flowing into the water supply section 33 is divided into a first water supply channel 911 on the side of the first vaporization filter 31 and a second water supply channel 912 on the side of the second vaporization filter 32, passes through a first water supply hole 331 provided in the water supply section 33, drips onto the first vaporization filter 31, and passes through a second water supply hole 332 and drips onto the second vaporization filter 32 (see FIG. 7). The water dripping onto the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 penetrates into the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 respectively. At this time, the water (supply water) is sequentially dripped from the first water supply hole 331 and the second water supply hole 332 because of the water pressure by the pump, the weight of the water, and the negative pressure inside the first flow path 61 and the second flow path 62.

[0073] The water that has penetrated into the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 is vaporized when the first air and the second air pass through. However, depending on the water supply amount and the relative humidity of the environment in which the air conditioner 1 is used, a part of the supplied water remains in a liquid state and flows into the drain pan 34 located below the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32. The drain pan 34 is divided into two regions, for example, a region corresponding to the first vaporization filter 31 (first drain region) and a region corresponding to the second vaporization filter 32 (second drain region). By being divided, it is possible to suppress the mixing of the first air and the second air that has flowed into the drain pan 34.

[0074] The drain pan 34 and the tank 12 are communicated with each other by a recovery water channel 92. The recovery water channel 92 includes a first recovery water channel 921 communicating with the first drain region and a second recovery water channel 922 communicating with the second drain region (see FIG. 5). After the first recovery water channel 921 and the second recovery water channel 922 merge, they communicate with the tank 12 via a recovery pump 923. The water (recovered water) that has flowed down into the drain pan 34 (first drain region and second drain region) is recovered into the tank 12 via the recovery water channel 92 (first recovery water channel 921 and second recovery water channel 922). As shown in FIG. 5, when the recovery pump 923 has two water inlets corresponding to the first recovery water channel 921 and the second recovery water channel 922, the first recovery water channel 921 and the second recovery water channel 922 may be connected to the respective water inlets of the recovery pump 923 and merged by the recovery pump 923.

[0075] The tank 12, the first vaporization filter 31, and the second vaporization filter 32 are communicated with each other by a supply water channel 91 and a recovery water channel 92. Therefore, a circulation circuit is formed through which water is recovered (returned) to the tank 12 via the tank 12, the supply water channel 91, the water supply section 33, the first vaporization filter 31, the second vaporization filter 32, the drain pan 34, and the recovery water channel 92. By means of this circulation circuit, the water that has not been vaporized by the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 can be efficiently recovered into the tank 12, the amount of water remaining inside the housing 11 can be reduced, and the hygiene level inside the housing 11 can be improved.

[0076] FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view illustrating the arrangement of the sensible heat exchanger 4. FIG. 3 omits some components such as the dust collection filter 53 and the water supply section 33. The sensible heat exchanger 4 has a rectangular shape in a front view and has, for example, the appearance of a rectangular parallelepiped. The first path 41 and the second path 42 provided in the sensible heat exchanger 4 are orthogonal to each other, and in the present embodiment, the intersection angle between the first path 41 and the second path 42 is, for example, 90°.

[0077] The sensible heat exchanger 4 includes, as end faces (side faces), a first inlet side opening face 431, a second inlet side opening face 432, a first outlet side opening face 441, and a second outlet side opening face 442, and the angle between adjacent end faces (side faces) is, for example, 90°. The first inlet side opening face 431, the second inlet side opening face 432, the first outlet side opening face 441, and the second outlet side opening face 442 are provided in this order in the circumferential direction when the sensible heat exchanger 4 is viewed from the front. That is, the first inlet side opening face 431 is adjacent to the second inlet side opening face 432, the second inlet side opening face 432 is adjacent to the first outlet side opening face 441, the first outlet side opening face 441 is adjacent to the second outlet side opening face 442, and the second outlet side opening face 442 is adjacent to the first inlet side opening face 431.

[0078] The sensible heat exchanger 4 is housed in the housing 11 such that the inner surface of the housing 11 and the end face of the sensible heat exchanger 4 facing the inner surface form an acute angle. For the following description, the angle formed by the inner surface on the front side of the housing 11 and the first outlet side opening surface 441 is defined as the angle θ. For example, the angle θ forms an acute angle greater than 10 degrees and less than 50 degrees. The lower limit value of 10 degrees of the angle θ may be determined to secure the path of the first flow path 61. Also, the upper limit value of the angle θ may be determined by the arrangement of the fan motor 8 and the electric unit 13 provided downstream of the second path 42 and the arrangement of the partition plate 83. Specifically, the angle θ may be determined such that the left end of the first outlet side opening surface 441 and the right end of the partition plate 83 are in a connectable positional relationship. Also, in order for the second air to easily flow through the fan motor 8 and the electric unit 13, a configuration is adopted in which the left end of the first outlet side opening surface 441 and the right end of the partition plate 83 are arranged in front of at least one of the rear end portions of the fan motor 8 and the electric unit 13, and it is preferable to determine the upper limit value of the angle θ. Thereby, the second air can easily flow into the fan motor 8 and the electric unit 13, and the cooling efficiency of the fan motor 8 and the electric unit 13 can be increased. The sensible heat exchanger 4 is housed in the housing 11 in a state rotated by an angle θ corresponding to the acute angle from a parallel state (posture position) in which the angle formed by the inner surface of the housing 11 and the end face of the sensible heat exchanger 4 opposing the inner surface is 0 degrees. Thereby, for example, since the housing 11 is a rectangular parallelepiped and the sensible heat exchanger 4 is a cube, the angle between the first inlet side opening surface 431 and the inner surface on the rear side of the housing 11 opposing the first inlet side opening surface 431 and the angle between the first outlet side opening surface 441 and the inner surface on the front side of the housing 11 opposing the first outlet side opening surface 441 are equal values. By housing the sensible heat exchanger 4 in the housing 11 in a state rotated at a predetermined rotation angle in this way, a large heat exchangeable area (heat exchange area) in the sensible heat exchanger 4 can be secured with respect to the size of the housing 11. Also, by setting θ in the range greater than 10 degrees and less than 50 degrees and not equal to 45 degrees, the length of the housing 11 in the front-back, left-right directions can be made smaller than when installed at 45 degrees. Thereby, since the length of the housing 11 in the front-back, left-right directions with respect to the heat exchange area can be suppressed, it can be miniaturized.Similarly, since the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 are provided along the second inlet side opening surface 432 and the first outlet side opening surface 441 of the sensible heat exchanger 4, the length of the cooling unit 3 in the left-right direction can be shortened, and the area of the door portion 111 provided for maintenance can also be reduced.

[0079] By rotating and arranging the housing 11 at an angle θ corresponding to a predetermined acute angle, the surface distance between the first outlet side opening surface 441 and the inner surface of the front side of the housing 11 facing the first outlet side opening surface 441 can be gradually increased toward the downstream side of the first air. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the surface distance gradually increases (d3 > d2 > d1) as it approaches the first air outlet 71. That is, the surface distance between the first outlet side opening surface 441 and the inner surface of the housing 11 at the most downstream side can be maximized. Thereby, the flow path resistance (pressure loss) when the first air flows out from the first outlet side opening surface 441 can be reduced. Incidentally, the surface distance between the second inlet side opening surface 432 and the inner surface of the right side of the housing 11 facing the second inlet side opening surface 432 becomes smaller as it moves away from the first outlet side opening surface 441 (k3 > k2 > k1).

[0080] The first vaporization filter 31 facing the first outlet-side opening surface 441 and the second vaporization filter 32 facing the second inlet-side opening surface 432 are fastened to a casing that covers the upper part of a drain pan 34 provided below, and are arranged in an L shape. In this case, the casing that covers the upper part of the drain pan 34 functions as a fastening member for fastening the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32. The angle (β) formed by the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 that are bent and arranged in an L shape is equal to or greater than the intersection angle (α) of the first path 41 and the second path 42, and is, for example, from 60 degrees to 120 degrees. Also, considering, for example, the case where the sensible heat exchanger 4 is diamond-shaped, when expressing the relationship between the angle (β) and the angle (α) by an equation, it is preferably about β = α ± 30 (degrees). By bending the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 in an L shape, the inner sides of the L shapes formed from the end faces of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 respectively can be arranged along the corners of the sensible heat exchanger 4. Thereby, the storability of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 can be improved, and the size of the housing 11 can be reduced. In FIG. 3, the length of the first outlet-side opening surface 441 and the first vaporization filter 31 is slightly shorter for the first vaporization filter 31 for size reduction. However, the length of the first vaporization filter 31 may be changed as appropriate. As an example, the length of the first outlet-side opening surface 441 and the first vaporization filter 31 is preferably determined so that the flow path cross-sectional areas are about the same. Thereby, the pressure loss due to the change in the flow path cross-sectional area can be reduced. Also, a wall surface (sealing member) that defines a flow path is preferably installed between the first outlet-side opening surface 441 and the first vaporization filter 31 so that the first air passing through the first outlet-side opening surface 441 passes through the first vaporization filter 31. This wall surface may be formed on the casing of the first vaporization filter 31 or on the fixing member of the sensible heat exchanger 4. The second vaporization filter 32 may also be changed as appropriate in the same manner as the first vaporization filter 31. The length of the second inlet-side opening surface 432 and the second vaporization filter 32 is slightly shorter for the second vaporization filter 32 for size reduction. However, the length of the second vaporization filter 32 may be changed as appropriate.As an example, it is preferable that the length of the second outlet side opening surface 442 and the second vaporization filter 32 is determined such that the cross-sectional area of the flow path is approximately the same. Thereby, the pressure loss due to the change in the cross-sectional area of the flow path can be reduced. Further, it is preferable that a wall surface defining a flow path is formed between the second outlet side opening surface 442 and the second vaporization filter 32 so that the second air passing through the second outlet side opening surface 442 passes through the second vaporization filter 32.

[0081] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram regarding the cooling of the electric unit 13 (substrate 131). The fan motor 8, the first fan 81, and the second fan 82 are arranged in a fan chamber partitioned by a fan casing 84, a part of which is constituted by a heat transfer suppressing member having low thermal conductivity (heat insulating property) such as styrofoam. In FIGS. 1 and 4, the fan chamber is partitioned into a first flow path 61 and a second flow path 62 by a partition plate 83 constituting a part of the fan casing 84, and the first air conveyed by the first fan 81 and the second air conveyed by the second fan 82 are prevented from mixing.

[0082] The fan motor 8 and the electric unit 13 are provided in the fan chamber on the side of the second fan 82, and the fan motor 8 and the electric unit 13 are cooled by the second air flowing out from the sensible heat exchanger 4. In FIG. 4, the details of the flow path structure of the fan chamber of the second fan 82 and the arrangement of the heat insulating material are partially omitted. As an example, various configurations such as a honeycomb structure rectifying plate for rectifying the second air and a desiccant for dehumidification can be adopted.

[0083] The electric unit 13 includes a substrate 131 on which a controller 130 for controlling the air conditioner 1 is mounted, a heat transfer promoting member 132 provided on the back surface of the mounting surface of the substrate 131, and a sealing plate 133 to which the heat transfer promoting member 132 is attached. That is, the heat transfer promoting member 132 is provided intervening between the substrate 131 and the sealing plate 133, and a laminated structure is formed by the substrate 131, the heat transfer promoting member 132, and the sealing plate 133. The heat transfer promoting member 132 is, for example, a heat transfer sheet or a heat transfer paste formed of a heat dissipation material having high thermal conductivity and insulating properties with a high filling of a high heat dissipation filler. The sealing plate 133 is a plate made of a metal having high thermal conductivity such as copper or aluminum, and may be, for example, a part of the exterior of the electric unit 13 forming a box body. On the mounting surface of the substrate 131, semiconductor chips constituting the controller 130 and electrical components such as coils and capacitors are mounted, and these electrical components etc. generate heat when current flows. That is, the substrate 131 becomes a heat source, and the heat generated in the substrate 131 is radiated from the sealing plate 133 into the internal space of the fan chamber on the side of the second fan 82 via the heat transfer promoting member 132 and the sealing plate 133 forming the laminated structure. On the surface of the sealing plate 133 on the side of the fan casing 84, for example, a part for increasing the heat dissipation area such as fins, pins, or a heat sink may be provided.

[0084] In the part of the fan casing 84 provided at the location where the electric unit 13 is disposed, a through hole 841 is formed toward the second flow path 62. The part of the fan casing 84 is constituted by, for example, a plate-shaped expanded polystyrene etc., and the through hole 841 is formed. The sealing plate 133 of the electric unit 13 seals the through hole 841 of the fan casing 84 from the side of the substrate 131.

[0085] The electric unit 13 is arranged separately from the fan chamber of the second fan 82, and since the through hole 841 of the fan casing 84 is sealed by the sealing plate 133 of the electric unit 13, the substrate 131 included in the electric unit 13 can be prevented from directly contacting the second air, and the influence of the water vapor (moisture) contained in the second air on the substrate 131 can be prevented. Moreover, heat exchange can be enabled between the substrate 131 and the second air through the sealing plate 133 exposed from the through hole 841 of the fan casing 84, and the substrate 131 can be cooled by the second air. The sealing plate 133 may be provided with heat dissipation fins or heat dissipation pins protruding from the through hole 841 of the fan casing 84 toward the inside of the fan chamber of the second fan 82. By means of the heat dissipation fins or the like protruding from one surface of the sealing plate 133, the heat transfer area with the second air in the fan chamber of the second fan 82 can be increased, and the heat transfer efficiency can be improved. Since a heat transfer promoting member 132 made of a heat dissipation material or the like is provided between the substrate 131 and the sealing plate 133, the heat transfer efficiency between the substrate 131 and the sealing plate 133 (the second air) can be improved, and the substrate 131 can be cooled more efficiently using the second air. Further, the electric unit 13 may be configured without a heat transfer suppressing member on the second flow path 62 side and may be composed of the sealing plate 133 and a heat dissipation material. Thereby, the area where heat exchange is possible between the second air and the electric unit 13 can be increased, and the cooling efficiency can also be enhanced.

[0086] A part of the fan casing 84 forming the fan chamber of the second fan 82 may be constituted by the inner surface of the housing 11 on the side where the second fan 82 is housed. By constituting a part of the fan casing 84 on the inner surface of the housing 11, the inner surface of the housing 11 can be cooled by the second air, and an increase in the temperature of the outer surface of the housing 11 due to the influence of the outside air can be alleviated. Further, by arranging the second fan 82 in close contact with the inner surface of the housing 11, the inner surface of the housing 11 may constitute one surface of the second fan 82. Thereby, the flow rate of the second air at the installation position of the second fan 82 can be increased, the inner surface of the housing 11 can be actively cooled by the second air, and an increase in the temperature of the outer surface of the housing 11 due to the influence of the outside air can be alleviated.

[0087] The fan casing 84 forming the fan chamber on the side of the first fan 81 is composed of a heat transfer suppression member with low thermal conductivity (having heat insulation properties) such as styrofoam. Thereby, the influence of the outside air on the first air passing through the fan chamber (first flow path 61) of the first fan 81 can be reduced, and the rise in the temperature of the first air can be suppressed. The outer shell of the first fan 81 may have a shape that is chamfered according to the shape of the part of the fan casing 84 communicating with the outlet of the first path 41 of the sensible heat exchanger 4.

[0088] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram regarding the water supply from the tank 12. The tank 12, the first vaporization filter 31, and the second vaporization filter 32 are communicated by a supply water channel 91 and a recovery water channel 92. A circulation circuit is formed in which water flows in the order of the tank 12, the supply water channel 91, the water supply part 33, the first vaporization filter 31, the second vaporization filter 32, the drain pan 34, and the recovery water channel 92, and the water is recovered in the tank 12.

[0089] The supply water channel 91 is connected to a water supply part 33 attached to the upper parts of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32. The water supply part 33 includes a first water supply region 991 located above the first vaporization filter 31 and a second water supply region 992 located above the second vaporization filter 32.

[0090] The water supply part 33 has a dish shape with an opening at the top, and a first supply water channel 911 and a second supply water channel 912 through which the water supplied from the tank 12 flows are formed by ribs or grooves formed on the inner surface of the dish-shaped water supply part 33. The first supply water channel 911 and the second supply water channel 912 constitute a part of the supply water channel 91. The first supply water channel 911 is included in the first water supply region 991, and the second supply water channel 912 is included in the second water supply region 992 (FIG. 7). The water flowing into the water supply part 33 is diverted by the first supply water channel 911 and the second supply water channel 912.

[0091] The water flowing through the first supply water passage 911 drips onto the first vaporization filter 31 through the first water supply hole 331 provided in the first supply water passage 911. The water flowing through the second supply water passage 912 drips onto the second vaporization filter 32 through the second water supply hole 332 provided in the second supply water passage 912. The first fan 81 is provided downstream in the flow direction of the first air from the first vaporization filter 31. Similarly, the second fan 82 is provided downstream in the flow direction of the second air from the second vaporization filter 32. Therefore, since the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 are in a negative pressure state, dripping and penetration of water into the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 can be promoted. The water (supply water) dripping onto the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 penetrates into the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 and is vaporized, and is mixed as water vapor into the first air and the second air passing through the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32. Depending on the relative humidity of the environment in which the air conditioner 1 is used and the supply amount of water, a part of the supplied water does not vaporize and flows into the drain pan 34 located below the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 in a liquid state.

[0092] The drain pan 34 is divided into two regions, for example, a region corresponding to the first vaporization filter 31 (first drain region) and a region corresponding to the second vaporization filter 32 (second drain region). The first recovery water channel 921 communicates with the first drain region, and the second recovery water channel 922 communicates with the second drain region. The first recovery water channel 921 and the second recovery water channel 922 constitute a part of the recovery water channel 92. After the first recovery water channel 921 and the second recovery water channel 922 merge, they communicate with the tank 12 via the recovery pump 923. Thus, the water that has flowed down into the drain pan 34 (the water that has not vaporized in the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32) is recovered into the tank 12 via the recovery water channel 92 (the first recovery water channel 921 and the second recovery water channel 922). In the above example, the connection point between the first drain region and the first recovery water channel 921, and the connection point between the second drain region and the second recovery water channel 922 are adjacent, or preferably, the first drain region and the second drain region are provided with the same shape and inclination so that the drainage capacity does not change even when the inclination of the moving body M changes. In another example, the drain pan 34 may not be divided into two regions of the first drain region and the second drain region, and the first recovery water channel 921 and the second recovery water channel 922 may be a single recovery water channel. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the decrease in the drainage capacity of the recovery pump 923 caused by the recovery pump 923 sucking air from either the first recovery water channel 921 or the second recovery water channel 922. That is, the water inside the air conditioner 1 can be sufficiently drained, and the generation of slime can also be suppressed.

[0093] A supply water sensor 914 is provided in the supply water channel 91, and a recovered water sensor 924 is provided in the recovery water channel 92. The supply water sensor 914 and the recovered water sensor 924 include, for example, a water wheel portion that rotates by the water flowing in the supply water channel 91 and the recovery water channel 92, and according to the rotation of the water wheel portion, a sensor value (detection value) regarding the presence or absence of water or the water volume (volumetric flow rate) flowing in the supply water channel 91 and the recovery water channel 92 is output.

[0094] The supply water sensor 914 and the recovered water sensor 924 are communicably connected to the controller 130 (circuit board 131). Based on the sensor values output from the supply water sensor 914 and the recovered water sensor 924, the controller 130 can obtain data regarding the presence or absence of water or the water volume (volumetric flow rate) flowing in the supply water channel 91 and the recovered water channel 92. The controller 130 is constituted by, for example, a microcomputer including a storage unit such as a memory and a control unit such as an MPU.

[0095] The controller 130 is further communicably connected to the water supply pump 913 and the recovered water pump 923, and performs drive control such as driving and stopping of the water supply pump 913 and the recovered water pump 923 by, for example, transmitting a drive signal. Although the controller 130 is described as obtaining data regarding the presence or absence of water flowing in the supply water channel 91 and the recovered water channel 92 based on the supply water sensor 914 and the recovered water sensor 924, it is not limited thereto. The controller 130 may obtain, for example, the current value of the motor (motor current value) included in the water supply pump 913 and the recovered water pump 923 using a shunt resistor or the like, and determine the presence or absence of water flowing in the supply water channel 91 and the recovered water channel 92 based on the motor current value or the like. When there is no water flowing in the supply water channel 91 and the recovered water channel 92, the motors of the water supply pump 913 and the recovered water pump 923 will run idle, the torque applied to the motors will decrease, and the motor current value will also decrease. Therefore, by setting a predetermined threshold value for the motor current value, when it is below the predetermined threshold value, the controller 130 can determine that there is no water flowing in the supply water channel 91 and the recovered water channel 92.

[0096] The water supply pump 913, the supply water sensor 914, the recovered water pump 923, and the recovered water sensor 924 disposed in the supply water channel 91 and the recovered water channel 92 are all housed in the housing 11. That is, only the supply water channel 91 and the recovered water channel 92 communicate with the tank 12, and electrical components such as the water supply pump 913, the supply water sensor 914, the recovered water pump 923, and the recovered water sensor 924 are not mounted. Thereby, the structure and configuration of the tank 12 can be simplified, and the mounting freedom of the tank 12 configured separately from the housing 11 can be improved.

[0097] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram regarding the driving of pumps (feed water pump 913, recovery pump 923). The controller 130 drives the feed water pump 913 and the recovery pump 923 while making the time zones for driving the feed water pump 913 and the recovery pump 923 different from each other. The controller 130 drives the feed water pump 913 and the recovery pump 923 periodically. Thereby, the feed water pump 913 and the recovery pump 923 perform intermittent operation in which the driving state and the stopped state are repeated periodically.

[0098] When the operation of the air conditioner 1 is started by the operation of the operator of the air conditioner 1, for example, the controller 130 drives the feed water pump 913 before the recovery pump 923. That is, a predetermined delay time is provided between the drive start time of the feed water pump 913 and the drive start time of the recovery pump 923. The start of the operation of the air conditioner 1 may be linked to the start of the moving body M. The delay time may be, for example, a variable time until the amount of feed water output from the feed water sensor 914 exceeds a predetermined amount. Also, the delay time may be a fixed time determined in advance.

[0099] When the controller 130 acquires, for example, from the recovery water sensor 924 a sensor value indicating that water is flowing in the recovery water passage 92, the controller 130 stops the driving of the feed water pump 913. The fact that water (recovery water) is flowing in the recovery water passage 92 indicates that the water that has not been vaporized by the first vaporization filter 31 or the second vaporization filter 32 has flowed down to the drain pan 34. Therefore, when a sensor value indicating that water is flowing in the recovery water passage 92 is output from the recovery water sensor 924, by stopping the driving of the feed water pump 913, it is possible to suppress excessive supply of water (feed water) to the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32.

[0100] When the air conditioner is placed on a moving body such as a forklift, for example, the power supply of the air conditioner main body may be turned on and off in conjunction with the turning on and off of the key switch of the forklift engine. That is, the power supply of the air conditioner may be turned on by turning on the forklift engine, and the power supply of the air conditioner may be turned off by turning off the forklift engine. After it is determined that the tank was empty during the previous operation and the power supply of the air conditioner is turned off, at the first, that is, the first water supply timing after that, the controller 130 may drive the water supply pump 913 for a longer time to supply more water than at other water supply timings to perform an initial water supply operation. By adopting such a control mode, when the tank is empty, since it is being used in a blowing state, it is possible to suppress excessive drying such as the vaporization filter drying out completely. By performing the initial water supply operation only after it is determined that the tank was empty during the previous operation, without always performing it when the power supply of the air conditioner is turned on, it is possible to suppress an increase in the driving time of the water supply pump 913 and mitigate the aging deterioration of the water supply pump 913 due to long-term driving.

[0101] When too much water is supplied to the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32, there is a concern that sensible heat exchange between the first air and the second air passing through these filters and the water will be promoted, reducing the amount of water vaporization. On the contrary, as described above, by stopping the driving of the water supply pump 913 to optimize the water supply amount, the vaporization of the water can be efficiently performed.

[0102] When the controller 130 drives the water supply pump 913 to supply water to the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32, it may perform drive control of the water supply pump 913 based on the wet-bulb temperature of the outside air measured using a thermocouple provided in contact with the surface of the second vaporization filter 32. On the surface of the second vaporization filter 32 on the upstream side of the second air, for example, a thermocouple is provided in contact, and using the thermocouple, the wet-bulb temperature and the dry-bulb temperature of the outside air can be measured. The controller 130 may derive the vaporizable amount based on the difference between the wet-bulb temperature and the dry-bulb temperature, and predict the water supply timing and supply water according to the derived vaporizable amount. By adopting such a control mode, unnecessary water supply amount can be reduced, the operating time of the water supply pump 913 or the recovery pump 923 can be decreased, and the aging deterioration due to long-time driving can be alleviated. Or, a thermocouple may be provided after the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32, and water supply may be performed only to any one of the vaporization filters where an increase in temperature is confirmed by individual monitoring. Unnecessary water supply amount can be reduced, the operating time of the water supply pump 913 or the recovery pump 923 can be decreased, and the aging deterioration due to long-time driving can be alleviated.

[0103] After the controller 130 stops driving the water supply pump 913, when the driving time of the recovery pump 923 becomes longer than the driving time of the water supply pump 913, the controller 130 stops the recovery pump 923. That is, the controller 130 controls the driving of the water supply pump 913 and the recovery pump 923 by making the driving time (P2) of the recovery pump 923 longer than the driving time (P1) of the water supply pump 913 (P1 < P2). By driving the recovery pump 923 longer than the water supply pump 913, the water staying in the drain pan 34 can be surely recovered, the amount of water remaining inside the housing 11 can be reduced, and the hygiene level inside the housing 11 can be improved.

[0104] After stopping the drive of the recovery pump 923, the controller 130 starts the drive of the water supply pump 913. By this start, the drives of the water supply pump 913 and the recovery pump 923 in the next cycle are started. Thereby, the intermittent operation by the water supply pump 913 and the recovery pump 923 is performed, and the periodic drive control by the controller 130 for the water supply pump 913 and the recovery pump 923 is continued. Regarding this control, various configurations can be adopted. As an example, the drive time (P1) of the water supply pump 913 may be configured to be executed for a predetermined time regardless of the output timing of the recovered water sensor 924. Thereby, it is possible to avoid detecting the output of the recovered water sensor 924 while sufficient water is not supplied and stopping the water supply pump 913. Specifically, it is possible to avoid the recovered water sensor 924 detecting the supply water flowing down along the surfaces of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 in the dry state and stopping the water supply pump 913 in a state where sufficient water supply cannot be performed. In particular, it is effective at the timing of the first drive of the water supply pump 913 at startup. That is, a drive time that enables sufficient water supply may be set only at the timing of the first drive of the water supply pump 913 at startup. Further, since the configuration of actively recovering water from the inside of the air conditioner 1 by the recovery pump 923 is adopted, it is also possible to realize a sufficient cooling effect and drainage effect even with a configuration of performing intermittent operation at a predetermined time set in advance.

[0105] FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a configuration of the cooling unit 3. The cooling unit 3 is housed in the housing 11 while being biased toward the side of the side surface where the suction port 5 is provided. The cooling unit 3 includes a first vaporization filter 31, a second vaporization filter 32, a water supply section 33, and a drain pan 34.

[0106] The water supply section 33 is provided above the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32, and the drain pan 34 is provided below the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32. That is, the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 are sandwiched between the water supply section 33 and the drain pan 34 in the vertical direction.

[0107] The drain pan 34 is made of, for example, resin or metal and has a dish shape with an open surface facing upward. The drain pan 34 forms an L shape in a front view and is bent. The first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 are placed in regions corresponding to the respective sides constituting the L shape. The first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 are fastened to the drain pan 34, and the drain pan 34 functions as a fastening member for fastening the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32.

[0108] The drain pan 34 is divided into two regions, for example, a region corresponding to the first vaporization filter 31 (first drain region) and a region corresponding to the second vaporization filter 32 (second drain region). The first drain region is provided with holes for communicating with the first recovery water channel 921. The second drain region is provided with holes for communicating with the second recovery water channel 922.

[0109] The first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 include rectangular filter elements, and the filter elements are formed of, for example, rayon - polyester, non - woven fabric, etc. The first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 have water absorption, and the water (supply water) supplied from the tank 12 penetrates the entire surfaces of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 (filter elements), thereby promoting the vaporization of the water.

[0110] The first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 are placed on the L - shaped drain pan 34 and are fastened to the drain pan 34, so that they are bent and arranged in an L shape. The angle between the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 configured in an L shape is, for example, from 60 degrees to 120 degrees. By bending the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 in an L shape in this way, the inside of the L shape can be directed toward the corner of the sensible heat exchanger 4 having a rectangular shape, and the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 can be arranged along the inside of the L shape at the corner. Thus, the storage property of these filters and the like can be improved, and the size of the housing 11 can be reduced.

[0111] The water supply section 33 is, for example, made of resin and has a dish shape with an opening at the top. The water supply section 33 forms an L shape in a front view, similar to the drain pan 34, and is bent. A pipe section 335 connected to the supply water passage 91 protrudes from the water supply section 33, and the water (supply water) that has passed through the pipe section 335 flows into the interior of the water supply section 33. Grooves formed by a plurality of ribs are provided on the inner surface of the dish-shaped water supply section 33, and the supply water flows along the grooves.

[0112] The water (supply water) that has passed through the pipe section 335 is branched into two by grooves, and the flow path by one groove corresponds to the first supply water passage 911, and the flow path by the other groove corresponds to the second supply water passage 912. The first supply water passage 911 communicates with the first vaporization filter 31, and the second supply water passage 912 communicates with the second vaporization filter 32. The first supply water passage 911 and the second supply water passage 912 that branch into two from the pipe section 335 connected to the supply water passage 91 extend with a certain width and then form a T-shaped shape in which the width expands along the longitudinal directions of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 respectively.

[0113] In the first supply water passage 911 and the second supply water passage 912, a plurality of first water supply holes 331 and second water supply holes 332 are provided in the upper side portion (region) of the T shape, that is, in the respective portions (regions) along the longitudinal directions of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32. The plurality of first water supply holes 331 in the first supply water passage 911 are provided on the side of the first outlet side opening surface 441 facing the first vaporization filter 31, that is, on the upstream side when the first air passes through the first vaporization filter 31. The plurality of second water supply holes 332 in the second supply water passage 912 are provided on the opposite side of the second inlet side opening surface 432 facing the second vaporization filter 32, that is, on the upstream side when the second air passes through the second vaporization filter 32.

[0114] By providing the first water supply hole 331 and the second water supply hole 332 provided in the water supply section 33 on the upstream side in the flow direction of air (the first air and the second air), the density distribution of the water that has penetrated into the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 can be biased toward the upstream side. As a result, the vaporization of water in the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 can be promoted, and the cooling efficiency can be improved. In addition, it is possible to suppress the phenomenon of liquid splashing in which the water that has penetrated into the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 flows out together with the first air and the second air in a liquid state.

[0115] A hydrophilic intervening member may be provided between the first water supply hole 331 and the first vaporization filter 31. Similarly, a hydrophilic intervening member may be provided between the second water supply hole 332 and the second vaporization filter 32. By providing the intervening member, the water supplied from the first water supply hole 331 to the first vaporization filter 31 can be supplied more uniformly, that is, dripped. Similarly, the water supplied from the second water supply hole 332 to the second vaporization filter 32 can be supplied more uniformly, that is, dripped. With such a configuration, water can be supplied efficiently with a smaller amount of water supply, so that the operating time of the water supply pump 913 and the recovery pump 923 can be reduced.

[0116] Including the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32, the cooling unit 3 is configured in an L shape. Thereby, the storability when storing the cooling unit 3 in the housing 11 can be improved, and the size of the housing 11 can be reduced.

[0117] FIG. 8 is a schematic side view illustrating a mode in which the air conditioner 1 is placed on the moving body M. The air conditioner 1 including a housing 11 in which the cooling unit 3 and the like are housed and a tank 12 for storing water supplied to the cooling unit 3 is mounted on a vehicle (moving body M) such as a forklift, for example. As the moving body M, various vehicles such as a golf cart, a small excavator, a turret, and a tricycle can be considered in addition to the forklift. In this case, by taking power from the vehicle side, the air conditioner 1 can be started simultaneously with the start of the vehicle. Also, power supply reduction can be shared with the vehicle.

[0118] The housing 11 is placed, for example, on the upper part of the top surface (head guard) of the forklift. The tank 12 is placed, for example, at a position below the place where the housing 11 is placed, such as the rear part (balance weight) of the forklift or a support column supporting the top surface (head guard). By placing the tank 12 below the housing 11, the water in the drain pan 34 housed in the housing 11 can be surely recovered into the tank 12 by using gravity (the self-weight of the water), the amount of water remaining inside the housing 11 can be reduced, and the hygiene level inside the housing 11 can be improved.

[0119] All the electrical components such as the water supply pump 913, the water supply sensor 914, the recovery pump 923, and the recovered water sensor 924 arranged in the supply water passage 91 and the recovery water passage 92 are housed in the housing 11, and these electrical components are not mounted on the tank 12. Therefore, the structure and configuration of the tank 12 can be simplified and the weight can be reduced, and the mounting freedom degree of the tank 12 can be improved when mounting the air conditioner 1 on the moving body M such as a forklift.

[0120] A blowout duct 711 capable of varying (adjusting) the blowing direction is attached to the first blowout port 71 provided in the housing 11, and the blowout duct 711 extends downward toward the top surface on which the housing 11 is placed. Therefore, the second blowout port 72 that blows out the second air (exhaust air) is positioned above the top surface, and the first air (air) can be blown out to the driver's seat of the forklift that becomes the conditioned space through the blowout duct 711, and the operator of the forklift located in the driver's seat can be efficiently cooled.

[0121] The blowing direction of the second blowout port 72 that blows out the second air (exhaust air) is in the vicinity around the blowout duct 711. Thereby, the temperature (ambient temperature) of the air around the blowout duct 711 can be lowered by the second air blown out from the second blowout port 72. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the first air (supply air) blown out from the blowout duct 711 from rising due to the outside air (the air outside the housing 11).

[0122] The tank 12 and the housing 11 (cooling unit 3) are communicated with each other by a supply water channel 91 and a recovery water channel 92. For example, the supply water channel 91 and the recovery water channel 92 constituted by a hose or the like made of a flexible resin may be arranged along the support column that supports the top surface. When arranging the supply water channel 91 and the recovery water channel 92 along the support column, for example, the supply water channel 91 and the recovery water channel 92 may be fastened to the support column by a fastening member such as a tie wrap. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the supply water channel 91 and the recovery water channel 92 from coming off from the tank 12 or the housing 11 due to the vibration generated by the running of the forklift.

[0123] The first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 have been described by taking an example in which they are provided in an L shape as shown in FIG. 3, but this is not limiting. Specifically, the first vaporization filter 31 only needs to allow the first air flowing through the first flow path 61 to pass through, and the second vaporization filter 32 only needs to allow the second air flowing through the second flow path 62 to pass through. For example, referring to FIG. 1, the first vaporization filter 31 may be formed so as to cover the first outlet side opening surface 441 in the first flow path 61 formed between the left end portion of the first outlet side opening surface 441 and the front surface of the housing 11. Similarly, the second vaporization filter 32 may be formed so as to cover the second inlet side opening surface 432 in the second flow path 62 formed between the right end portion of the second inlet side opening surface 432 and the front surface of the housing 11.

[0124] (Embodiment 2) FIG. 9 is a schematic front view illustrating a configuration of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a schematic side view illustrating a configuration of the air conditioner 1. In FIG. 10, the arrangement relationship in a state where the air conditioner 1 is viewed from the front direction is schematically shown. Note that FIG. 10 schematically shows a cross section cut along line B-B in FIG. 2 from the front direction. Similar to Embodiment 1, the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 2 includes a housing 11, a tank 12, an electric unit 13, a cooling unit 3, a sensible heat exchanger 4, a fan motor 8, a first fan 81, a second fan 82, a water supply pump 913, and a recovery pump 923, and includes a first path through which the first air (supply air) flows and a second path through which the second air (exhaust air) flows.

[0125] The cooling unit 3 of Embodiment 2 includes a first vaporization filter 31, a second vaporization filter 32, a water supply section 33, and a drain pan 34, similar to Embodiment 1. The water supply section 33 of Embodiment 2 includes a first water supply section 33A placed on the upper part of the first vaporization filter 31 and a second water supply section 33B placed on the upper part of the second vaporization filter 32. The first water supply section 33A and the second water supply section 33B are different from Embodiment 1 in that they are placed on the upper parts of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 in a separated form.

[0126] As shown in the illustration in this embodiment, the water supply pump 913 and the recovery pump 923 are provided side by side above the sensible heat exchanger 4. The water supply pump 913 is provided in the supply water passage 91 in the same manner as in the first embodiment. In the supply water passage 91, the housing 11 (main body) and the tank 12 (separate body) are in communication with each other via, for example, a stop valve (closing valve).

[0127] The recovery pump 923 and the water supply pump 913 may be placed side by side above the sensible heat exchanger 4, and the top plate of the housing 11 may be opened to enable access to these pumps. This can improve the working efficiency of inspections, replacements, etc. of the recovery pump 923 and the water supply pump 913 during maintenance of the air conditioner 1 or the like. By placing the water supply pump 913 and the recovery pump 923 side by side, there is no need to provide mounting spaces above and below respectively, and the height of the housing 11 can be reduced to miniaturize the product.

[0128] The water (supply water) pumped up from the tank 12 by the water supply pump 913 is supplied to the water supply sections 33 (the first water supply section 33A and the second water supply section 33B) via the supply water passage 91. A branch passage that branches into the first supply water passage 911 and the second supply water passage 912 is provided in the supply water passage 91 between the water supply pump 913 and the first water supply section 33A and the second water supply section 33B. The branch passage may be located above the sensible heat exchanger 4. The branched first supply water passage 911 and second supply water passage 912 are connected to the first water supply section 33A and the second water supply section 33B by the branch passage formed in the supply water passage 91. That is, the first supply water passage 911 communicates with the first water supply section 33A, and the second supply water passage 912 communicates with the second water supply section 33B.

[0129] For each of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32, the first water supply section 33A and the second water supply section 33B are separated so as to correspond individually. Then, by connecting the first supply water passage 911 and the second supply water passage 912 branched by the branch passage of the supply water passage 91 to the first water supply section 33A and the second water supply section 33B, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of bias in the amount of water (water volume) supplied to each of the first water supply section 33A and the second water supply section 33B. That is, the water (supply water) is divided at the branch passage located outside the first water supply section 33A and the second water supply section 33B. Thereby, for example, even when the air conditioner 1 mounted on the moving body M is tilted due to the behavior of the moving body M and a height difference occurs between the first water supply section 33A and the second water supply section 33B, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of uneven flow in the amount of water flowing into the first water supply section 33A and the second water supply section 33B. Therefore, even when the air conditioner 1 is mounted on the moving body M and the posture of the air conditioner 1 changes due to the state of the road surface on which the moving body M moves, it is possible to equalize the amount of water supplied to each of the first water supply section 33A and the second water supply section 33B.

[0130] The water (supply water) flowing into the first water supply section 33A through the first supply water passage 911 is dripped onto the first vaporization filter 31 through the first water supply hole 331 in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The water (supply water) flowing into the second water supply section 33B through the second supply water passage 912 is dripped onto the second vaporization filter 32 through the second water supply hole 332 in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

[0131] The recovery pump 923 is provided in the recovery water passage 92 in the same manner as in the first embodiment. In the recovery water passage 92, the housing 11 (main body) and the tank 12 (separate body) are in communication with each other through, for example, a stop valve (closing valve). The water (recovered water) flowing down to the drain pan 34 in the same manner as in the first embodiment is recovered into the tank 12 through the recovery water passage 92.

[0132] The water flowing down from the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 may be aggregated at one location in the drain pan 34, merged as a recovery water channel 92, and connected to a recovery pump 923. That is, in the drain pan 34, the first recovery water channel 921 after adding the first vaporization filter 31 and the second recovery water channel 922 after adding the second vaporization filter 32 may be aggregated (merged) at one location. By adopting such a configuration, for example, even when the air conditioner 1 is placed on a moving body and the housing 11 is tilted due to the behavior of the moving body, the water flowing down from the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 can be aggregated at one location in the drain pan 34, that is, at the communication hole communicating with the recovery water channel 92, and the water can be reliably conveyed by the recovery pump 923. That is, for example, when a plurality of communication holes are provided in the drain pan 34, there is a concern that when the housing 11 is tilted, air may be drawn by the recovery pump 923 from one of the communication holes and water cannot be drawn from the other communication hole. However, by aggregating the water flowing down from the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 at one location in the drain pan 34 and conveying it by the recovery pump 923 via the recovery water channel 92, the water can be reliably recovered into the tank 12.

[0133] FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a configuration of the cooling unit 3. The cooling unit 3 of the second embodiment includes a first vaporization filter 31, a second vaporization filter 32, a drain pan 34, and a water supply unit 33, similar to the first embodiment. The water supply unit 33 includes a separately configured first water supply unit 33A and a second water supply unit 33B.

[0134] The drain pan 34 has an L shape, and the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 are placed in the regions constituting the respective sides of the L shape. The first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 are fastened in an L shape by being placed on the drain pan 34.

[0135] On the upper part of the first vaporization filter 31, the first water supply part 33A is placed, and on the upper part of the second vaporization filter 32, the second water supply part 33B is placed. Thus, the first water supply part 33A and the second water supply part 33B are arranged to form an L shape, similar to the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32. By adopting such a configuration, the outer shell of the cooling unit 3 can be configured to be L-shaped, improving the storage property of the cooling unit 3 and enabling the housing 11 of the air conditioner 1 that houses the cooling unit 3 to be downsized.

[0136] FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the internal structure of the water supply part 33. FIG. 13 is a schematic side view illustrating one configuration of the water supply part 33. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a main part of the water supply part 33. FIG. 12 is a view of the water supply part 33 seen from above, and FIG. 13 is a central cross-sectional view (a cross-section cut along line C-C) when the water supply part 33 is seen from the side of the pipe part 335. The water supply part 33 shown in FIGS. 12 to 14 is a modified configuration of the water supply part 33 shown in FIG. 11. In the illustration of the present embodiment, based on the first water supply part 33A that constitutes the water supply part 33, the structure of the first water supply part 33A will be described. Note that the structure of the second water supply part 33B is the same as that of the first water supply part 33A.

[0137] The first water supply part 33A forms a box body with a hollow structure inside, and includes a horizontally long container part 333 into which water (supply water) flows, and a rectangular top surface part 334 that seals the container part 333 from above. The opening surface located at the upper part of the container part 333 is blocked by the top surface part 334, so that the container part 333 is sealed, and the first water supply part 33A with a hollow structure inside is formed.

[0138] The area of the top surface part 334 (the area of the top surface part 334 in a front view) is wider than the opening area of the opening surface located at the upper part of the container part 333, and the periphery of the top surface part 334 is located outside the opening edge of the container part 333. Therefore, on the lower surface of the top surface part 334, a region where the container part 333 is provided and a peripheral region that is the periphery of the region where the container part 333 is provided are formed.

[0139] In the central part of the side surface of the container part 333, a cylindrical pipe part 335 is provided, and a supply water channel 91 (first supply water channel 911) communicates with the pipe part 335. The water (supply water) flowing through the first supply water channel 911 flows into the container part 333 through the pipe part 335. That is, the pipe part 335 of the first water supply part 33A and the internal space of the container part 333 constitute a part of the first supply water channel 911. The container part 333 is provided along the longitudinal direction of the first vaporization filter 31 on which the first water supply part 33A is placed. A T-shaped water channel is formed by the container part 333 and the pipe part 335 protruding from the side surface of the container part 333. The T-shaped water channel forms a part of the first supply water channel 911.

[0140] On the bottom surface of the container part 333, a plurality (13 in the drawing) of first water supply holes 331 are provided along the longitudinal direction of the container part 333, similar to the first embodiment. That is, the first water supply holes 331 are provided along the longitudinal direction of the first vaporization filter 31 on which the first water supply part 33A is placed. As an example, the first water supply holes 331 are arranged symmetrically about the first water supply hole 331 provided at the center of the container part 333 in the longitudinal direction. By arranging the container part 333 on the upstream side of the first air passing through the first vaporization filter 31, the first water supply holes 331 provided in the container part 333 may be biased to the upstream side of the first air.

[0141] At both ends of the container part 333 in the longitudinal direction, through holes 336 are provided. The through holes 336 are provided so as to penetrate the side surface of the container part 333, and are formed above the first water supply hole 331 provided on the bottom surface. As an example, the through holes 336 are provided at the uppermost part of the container part 333. Further, the opening area of the through holes 336 is provided to be smaller than the opening area of the first water supply hole 331. Thereby, air having a specific gravity lighter than that of water can be preferentially discharged from the through holes 336. In other words, most of the supplied water is dropped from the first water supply hole 331 to the first vaporization filter 31. As an example, the side surface where the through holes 336 are provided is the side surface located on the opposite side of the side surface where the pipe part 335 is provided. The penetration direction of the through holes 336 provided through the side surface forms a 90° angle with respect to the penetration direction of the first water supply hole 331 provided on the bottom surface, that is, the penetration direction of the through holes 336 is different from the penetration direction of the first water supply hole 331.

[0142] Since there is a concern that air may stay inside the container part 333 (the first water supply part 33A) when the container part 333 is sealed by the top surface part 334, the through holes 336 are formed above the first water supply hole 331, so that the air staying above the container part 333 can be efficiently discharged. The through holes 336 are provided at both ends of the container part 333 in the longitudinal direction, and the pipe part 335 is provided at the central part of the container part 333 in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, when water flows into the container part 333 from the pipe part 335 located at the central part, the air pushed to both ends by the water can be efficiently discharged from the through holes 336. As an example, the through holes 336 may be formed with the notch part formed in the wall part of the container part 333 facing the top surface part 334. Or, a recess slightly larger than the wall surface of the container part 333 may be provided in the top surface part 334, and the through holes 336 may be formed when the container part 333 is sealed by the top surface part 334.

[0143] The lower surface of the top surface portion 334 that seals the container portion 333 from above includes the region where the container portion 333 is provided and the peripheral region that is the periphery of the region where the container portion 333 is provided. A water receiving wall 337 for receiving water flowing out (discharging) from the extraction hole 336 is provided in the peripheral region.

[0144] The water receiving wall 337 is provided so as to protrude downward from the lower surface of the top surface portion 334, that is, toward the side of the first vaporization filter 31. The water receiving wall 337 is constituted by, for example, a rib and has an L shape. By configuring the water receiving wall 337 in an L shape, the rigidity of the water receiving wall 337 can be improved. Further, by forming it in an L shape, the supply water that scatters against the water receiving wall 337 facing the extraction hole 336 can be received by the L-shaped portion and surely dripped onto the first vaporization filter 31. In the L-shaped water receiving wall 337, the wall surface corresponding to the long side of the L shape is provided so as to be perpendicular to the penetration direction of the extraction hole 336. The wall surface corresponding to the short side of the L shape is provided so as to be parallel to the penetration direction of the extraction hole 336. The L-shaped water receiving wall 337 is provided with the inside of the L shape facing the corner portion of the rectangular container portion 333 and along the corner portion.

[0145] The drain hole 336 provided through the side surface of the container portion 333 includes an inner opening end portion and an outer opening end portion of the container portion 333. The wall surface corresponding to the long side of the L-shaped water receiving wall 337 is perpendicular to the penetration direction of the drain hole 336, that is, the wall surface is provided facing the outer opening end portion of the drain hole 336. Therefore, the water flowing out (discharged) from the drain hole 336 hits the wall surface corresponding to the long side of the L-shaped water receiving wall 337, and after being received by the wall surface, it is guided downward in the protruding direction of the wall surface. Since the first vaporization filter 31 is provided below the wall surface, that is, below the first water supply portion 33A, the water guided downward is dripped onto the first vaporization filter 31. Thus, even when the volume flow rate of the water (supply water) supplied to the first water supply portion 33A is larger than the volume flow rate dripping from the first water supply hole 331 to the first vaporization filter 31, water can be drained (flowed out) from the drain hole 336. The water flowing out from the drain hole 336 can be guided downward by the water receiving wall 337 and dripped onto the first vaporization filter 31.

[0146] The wall surface corresponding to the long side of the L-shaped water receiving wall 337 is formed in a tapered shape such as a V-shape or a U-shape, for example, toward the downward protruding direction. Therefore, at the wall surface, the tip of the tapered shape corresponds to the lowermost part of the water receiving wall 337, and water can be efficiently dripped onto the first vaporization filter 31 from the tip of the tapered shape. Also, a part of the supply water hitting the water receiving wall 337 may adhere to the outer wall of the container portion 333 by rebounding. Also, a part of the supply water may travel from the drain hole 336 along the outer wall of the container portion 333. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 14, ribs extending downward may be provided on the wall surface of the container portion 333 from the drain hole 336. In the example of FIG. 14, the lowermost part of the rib is arranged in a straight line connecting a plurality of first water supply holes 331. This makes it possible to disperse the dripping position of the supply water to the first vaporization filter 31 and eliminate the bias of the supply water in the first vaporization filter 31.

[0147] The structure of the second water supply section 33B is the same as that of the first water supply section 33A. The second water supply section 33B includes a container section 333 and a top surface section 334 in the same manner as the first water supply section 33A. A pipe section 335, a second water supply hole 332, and a drain hole 336 are provided in the container section 333, and a water receiving wall 337 projects from the lower surface of the top surface section 334. By substituting the description regarding the first water supply section 33A for the description regarding the second water supply section 33B, the structure of the second water supply section 33B is described.

[0148] In the branch path of the supply water passage 91, when branching into the first supply water passage 911 and the second supply water passage 912, there may be a difference in the water supply amount per unit time to each of the first water supply part 33A and the second water supply part 33B. Specifically, the water supply amount to the first water supply part 33A may be less than the water supply amount to the second water supply part 33B. That is, the water supply amount to the first vaporization filter 31 may be less than the water supply amount to the second vaporization filter 32. In order to generate such a difference in the water supply amounts to the first water supply part 33A and the second water supply part 33B, for example, the inner diameter of the first supply water passage 911 branched at the branch path of the supply water passage 91 may be made smaller than the inner diameter of the second supply water passage 912. Or, the inner diameter of the pipe part of the first water supply part 33A to which the first supply water passage 911 is connected may be made smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe part of the second water supply part 33B to which the second supply water passage 912 is connected. Since the first air passing through the first vaporization filter 31 is cooled by the second air in the sensible heat exchanger 4, the saturated water vapor pressure (saturated water vapor amount) is decreased. On the other hand, the second air passing through the second vaporization filter 32 is the air immediately after being sucked in from the suction port 5. Therefore, the saturated water vapor pressure of the first air passing through the first vaporization filter 31 is lower than the saturated water vapor pressure of the second air passing through the second vaporization filter 32. That is, the vaporization amount of the first air in the first vaporization filter 31 per unit time becomes less than the vaporization amount of the second air in the second vaporization filter 32. In contrast, by making the water supply amount to the first vaporization filter 31 less than the water supply amount to the second vaporization filter 32, it is possible to suppress excessive water from being supplied to the first vaporization filter 31, save the integrated driving amount of the water supply pump 913, and improve the product life and reduce the power consumption.

[0149] For example, a three-way solenoid valve may be provided in the branch path of the supply water passage 91 to alternately supply water to the first vaporization filter 31 via the first water supply section 33A and to the second vaporization filter 32 via the second water supply section 33B. By adopting such a configuration, the flow rate of water pumped by the water supply pump 913 at one time can be halved, and the service life of the water supply pump 913 can be extended. Or the water supply pump 913 can be miniaturized, and the cost and size of the air conditioner 1 (the whole product) can be reduced. The three-way solenoid valve is controlled to open and close each valve by, for example, the controller 130. When controlling the three-way solenoid valve, the controller 130 may make the time for opening the valve connected to the first supply water passage 911 shorter than the time for opening the valve connected to the second supply water passage 912, so that the water supply amount to the first vaporization filter 31 is less than the water supply amount to the second vaporization filter 32.

[0150] A three-way solenoid valve that can switch between a path for collecting (draining) the water in the drain pan 34 to the tank 12 and a path for supplying water to the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 without collecting (draining) it to the tank 12 may be provided. The controller 130 drives the water supply pump 913, and after supplying water from the tank 12 until the maximum amount of water accumulates in the drain pan 34, in order to supply the water in the drain pan 34 to the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32, the water is circulated between the drain pan 34 and the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32. After circulation, when the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 are sufficiently wet, the water in the drain pan 34 is collected (drained) and returned to the tank 12. Circulating only the water accumulated in the drain pan 34 makes it easier to cool the water temperature to the wet-bulb temperature, and a water-cooling effect can also be obtained, improving the cooling performance.

[0151] (Appendix 1: The air conditioner 1 in general) The air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a housing 11 having a first air outlet 71 and a second air outlet 72, a first flow path 61 communicating with the first air outlet 71, a second flow path 62 communicating with the second air outlet 72, a sensible heat exchanger 4 that performs sensible heat exchange between the first air flowing through the first flow path 61 and the second air flowing through the second flow path 62, a first vaporization filter 31 that cools the first air by the latent heat of water, and a second vaporization filter 32 that cools the second air by the latent heat of water. The first vaporization filter 31 is provided on the downstream side of the sensible heat exchanger 4 in the flow direction of the first air, and the second vaporization filter 32 is provided on the upstream side of the sensible heat exchanger 4 in the flow direction of the second air.

[0152] In this aspect, the air conditioner 1 includes two flow paths, i.e., a first flow path 61 and a second flow path 62, and a sensible heat exchanger 4 that performs sensible heat exchange between the first air and the second air flowing through these flow paths. The air conditioner 1 further includes a first vaporization filter 31 and a second vaporization filter 32. The first air passing through the first vaporization filter 31 is cooled by the latent heat (vaporization heat) of the water penetrating the first vaporization filter 31, and the second air passing through the second vaporization filter 32 is cooled by the latent heat (vaporization heat) of the water penetrating the second vaporization filter 32. Since the second vaporization filter 32 is provided upstream of the sensible heat exchanger 4 in the flow direction of the second air, after being cooled by the vaporization heat, it flows into the sensible heat exchanger 4. The first air flowing into the sensible heat exchanger 4 exchanges heat with the second air cooled by the second vaporization filter 32 via the sensible heat exchanger 4 and is cooled. The first air flowing out of the sensible heat exchanger 4 is further cooled by the first vaporization filter 31 provided downstream of the sensible heat exchanger 4 in the flow direction of the first air, and then blown into the conditioned space as supply air (SA) from the first air outlet 71. Therefore, since the air conditioner 1 cools the first air blown into the conditioned space in two stages, the first air can be efficiently cooled, and the conditioned space can be efficiently cooled using the first air. The thus configured air conditioner 1 includes two vaporization filters, i.e., a first vaporization filter 31 and a second vaporization filter 32, in the first flow path 61 (supply air flow path) and the second flow path 62 (exhaust air flow path) which are different flow paths. By using the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 as heat and cold sources, the first air can be efficiently cooled. Since the first air blown into the conditioned space as supply air (SA) passes through the first vaporization filter 31 among the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32, the first air can be efficiently cooled while suppressing an increase in the absolute humidity of the first air. The water for generating the vaporization heat is supplied (fed) to the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32. That is, the water for generating the vaporization heat is not directly supplied to the sensible heat exchanger 4. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the remaining of water droplets in the first path 41 and the second path 42 inside the sensible heat exchanger 4.

[0153] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 are fastened in an L shape by a fastening member.

[0154] In this aspect, since the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 are fastened in an L shape by a fastening member, the storability when storing them in the housing 11 can be improved, and the size of the housing 11 can be reduced.

[0155] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the fastening member is a drain pan 34 that receives water that has not vaporized in the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32.

[0156] In this aspect, by using an L-shaped drain pan 34 provided below the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 as the fastening member, dedicated parts for fastening the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 are not required, and the size and weight of the air conditioner 1 can be reduced.

[0157] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the sensible heat exchanger 4 is housed in the housing 11 such that an acute angle is formed between an inner surface of the housing 11 and an end surface of the sensible heat exchanger 4 facing the inner surface.

[0158] In this aspect, the sensible heat exchanger is housed in the housing 11 such that an acute angle, for example, in the range of 10 degrees to 50 degrees, is formed between the inner surface of the housing 11 and the end surface of the sensible heat exchanger 4 facing the inner surface. That is, the sensible heat exchanger 4 is housed in the housing 11 in a state where it is rotated by a rotation angle corresponding to the acute angle from a state (posture position) where the inner surface of the housing 11 and the end surface of the sensible heat exchanger 4 facing the inner surface are parallel. By housing the sensible heat exchanger 4 in the housing 11 in a state rotated at a predetermined rotation angle in this way, a large heat exchangeable area (heat exchange area) in the sensible heat exchanger 4 can be ensured with respect to the size of the housing 11.

[0159] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the sensible heat exchanger 4 includes a first path 41 through which the first air flows and a second path 42 through which the second air flows. The first vaporization filter 31 covers the outlet of the first path 41, and the second vaporization filter 32 covers the inlet of the second path 42.

[0160] In this aspect, the sensible heat exchanger 4 includes a first path 41 through which the first air flows and a second path 42 through which the second air flows. Therefore, the first path 41 constitutes a part of the first flow path 61, and the second path 42 constitutes a part of the second flow path 62. Since the first vaporization filter 31 provided on the downstream side of the sensible heat exchanger 4 in the flow direction of the first air is provided so as to cover the outlet of the first path 41, the first air flowing out from the outlet of the first path 41 (flowing out from the sensible heat exchanger 4) can be efficiently cooled. That is, all of the first air flowing out from the outlet of the first path 41 passes through the first vaporization filter 31, and the first vaporization filter 31 covers the first outlet side opening surface 441 where the outlet of the first path 41 is formed. Since the second vaporization filter 32 provided on the upstream side of the sensible heat exchanger 4 in the flow direction of the second air is provided so as to cover the inlet of the second path 42, the second air flowing into the inlet of the second path 42 (flowing into the sensible heat exchanger 4) can be efficiently cooled. That is, all of the second air flowing into the inlet of the second path 42 passes through the second vaporization filter 32, and the second vaporization filter 32 covers the second inlet side opening surface 432 where the inlet of the second path 42 is formed. By adopting such a configuration, the flow rate of the air bypassing without passing through the first vaporization filter 31 or the second vaporization filter 32 can be reduced.

[0161] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, when forming a direct current in the sensible heat exchanger 4, the first path 41 and the second path 42 are provided to intersect, and the angles formed by one surface of each of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 facing the sensible heat exchanger 4 are equal to or greater than the intersection angle by the first path 41 and the second path 42.

[0162] In this aspect, the first path 41 and the second path 42 of the sensible heat exchanger 4 are provided to intersect with each other, so that a direct cross flow is formed between the first air and the second air. The angles formed from the end faces of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 facing the sensible heat exchanger 4 are equal to or greater than the intersection angle of the first path 41 and the second path 42, for example, from 60 degrees to 120 degrees. Note that the intersection angle of the first path 41 and the second path 42 of the sensible heat exchanger 4 may not be 90 degrees, but may be a diamond shape with any angle from 60 degrees to 120 degrees. In this case, the angles formed from the end faces of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 may be ±30 degrees with respect to the intersection angle. Therefore, since the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 fastened by a fastening member can be arranged with the inner sides of the L-shapes formed from the end faces of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 facing the corners of the rectangular sensible heat exchanger 4, the storage property of these filters and the like can be improved, and the size of the housing 11 can be reduced.

[0163] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the surface distance between the first outlet side opening surface 441 provided at the outlet of the first path 41 in the sensible heat exchanger 4 and the inner surface of the housing 11 facing the first outlet side opening surface 441 increases as it goes downstream of the first air.

[0164] In this aspect, the sensible heat exchanger 4 is housed in the housing 11 such that the surface distance between the first outlet side opening surface 441 of the sensible heat exchanger 4 and the inner surface of the housing 11 facing the first outlet side opening surface 441 increases as it goes downstream of the first air. Therefore, the flow path cross-sectional area of the first flow path 61 located downstream of the outlet of the first path 41 provided on the first outlet side opening surface 441 can be gradually increased toward the downstream side, and the pressure loss for the first air flowing out from the outlet of the first path 41 can be reduced.

[0165] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a suction port 5 for sucking the first air and the second air is provided in the housing 11, and a dust collecting filter 53 is provided between the suction port 5 and the sensible heat exchanger 4. The dust collecting filter 53 is curved so as to cover the inlet of the first path 41 and the inlet of the second path 42.

[0166] In this aspect, the dust collecting filter 53 provided between the suction port 5 and the sensible heat exchanger 4 is curved so as to cover the inlet of the first path 41 and the inlet of the second path 42 of the sensible heat exchanger 4. Therefore, by sharing the dust collecting filter 53 in the first flow path 61 and the second flow path 62, the number of parts in the air conditioner 1 can be reduced. Even when the inlet of the first path 41 and the inlet of the second path 42 are provided on different end faces of the sensible heat exchanger 4, by curving a single dust collecting filter 53, both the inlets of the first path 41 and the second path 42 can be covered, and it is possible to suppress dust from entering the inside of the sensible heat exchanger 4.

[0167] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, seal members 531 are provided at both ends of each of the dust collecting filters 53.

[0168] In this aspect, since seal members 531 are provided at both ends of each of the dust collecting filters 53, it is possible to suppress air from flowing into the sensible heat exchanger 4 without passing through the dust collecting filter 53.

[0169] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the space between the sensible heat exchanger 4 and the suction port 5 is partitioned by the dust collecting filter 53 into an upstream space and a downstream space in the flow direction of the first air and the second air. In the downstream space, a branch flow path 52 is formed for diverting the suction air sucked from the suction port 5 into the first air flowing through the first path 41 and the second air flowing through the second path 42.

[0170] In this aspect, the space between the sensible heat exchanger 4 and the suction port 5 is partitioned by the dust collecting filter 53 into an upstream space and a downstream space in the flow directions of the first air and the second air. A branch flow path 52 that branches into the first path 41 and the second path 42 is formed in the downstream space. Therefore, while sharing the suction port 5 and the dust collecting filter 53 in the first path 41 and the second path 42, in the downstream space on the downstream side of the dust collecting filter 53, it branches into the first path 41 through which the first air flows and the second path 42 through which the second air flows, and the branched first air and second air can be efficiently introduced into the sensible heat exchanger 4. The upstream space is a space through which the suction air before being branched into the first air and the second air flows, and corresponds to the suction flow path 51. The suction flow path 51 (upstream space) communicates with the outside of the housing 11 through the suction port 5. Since the suction flow path 51 (upstream space) is a path shared by the first path 41 and the second path 42, the suction port 5 can also be shared by the first path 41 and the second path 42, improving the degree of freedom in arranging the suction port 5 in the form of a hole in the housing 11, ensuring the strength of the housing 11, and increasing the opening area of the suction port 5 to reduce the flow path resistance (pressure loss) in the suction air.

[0171] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a supply water passage 91 for supplying water to the first vaporization filter 31 or the second vaporization filter 32 is provided in the upstream space.

[0172] In this aspect, the upstream space corresponds to the suction flow path 51 through which the suction air sucked from the suction port 5 flows, and the temperature of the suction air is equivalent to the temperature of the ambient air outside the housing 11. The water flowing in the supply water passage 91 located in the upstream space (suction flow path 51) exchanges heat with the suction air flowing in the suction flow path 51. For example, when the water temperature of the water flowing in the supply water passage 91 is higher than the temperature of the ambient air, the water can be cooled by the suction air, improving the cooling efficiency in the air conditioner 1. Fins or the like may be provided on the outer peripheral surface of the supply water passage 91 arranged in the upstream space to increase the heat transfer area when exchanging heat with the suction air, thereby improving the heat transfer efficiency.

[0173] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, in the housing 11, a door portion 111 configured to be openable and closable is provided on the side surface on the side where the first vaporization filter 31 is provided, and on the inner surface of the door portion 111, a suppressing member 112 for suppressing air from entering the first flow path 61 without passing through the first vaporization filter 31 is provided.

[0174] In this aspect, inside the side surface of the housing 11, on the side surface on the side where the first vaporization filter 31 is provided, a door portion 111 configured to be openable and closable is provided. Therefore, by opening (bringing to an open state) the door portion 111, access can be made from the outside to the inside of the housing 11 to perform maintenance work such as replacing the first vaporization filter 31 or the second vaporization filter 32. On the inner surface of the door portion 111, a suppressing member 112 for suppressing air from entering the first flow path 61 without passing through the first vaporization filter 31 is provided. Therefore, it is possible to suppress uncooled air by the first vaporization filter 31 from being mixed into the first flow path 61 on the downstream side of the first vaporization filter 31. The suppressing member 112 being provided on the inner surface of the door portion 111 means not only the case where the suppressing member 112 is attached to the inner surface of the door portion 111, but also includes, for example, the suppressing member 112 being attached to the first vaporization filter 31 or a fastening member for fastening the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32. In this case, by closing (closing state) the door portion 111, the inner surface of the door portion 111 may press the suppressing member 112 to suppress air from entering the first flow path 61 without passing through the first vaporization filter 31.

[0175] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a tank 12 provided outside the housing 11, a supply water passage 91 for supplying water in the tank 12 to the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32, and a recovery water passage 92 for recovering water that has not vaporized in the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 into the tank 12 are provided.

[0176] In this aspect, by providing the tank 12 that holds the water supplied to the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 outside the housing 11, it is not necessary to accommodate the tank 12 in the housing 11, the size of the housing 11 can be reduced, and the weight of the housing 11 can be decreased. As a result, for example, when mounting the air conditioner 1 on a moving body M such as a forklift, the housing 11 that is the main body of the air conditioner 1 and the tank 12 configured separately from the housing 11 can be placed separately, and the housing 11 and the tank 12 can be mounted according to the shape of the outer shape of the moving body M on which the air conditioner 1 is mounted. The tank 12, the first vaporization filter 31, and the second vaporization filter 32 are communicated by a supply water passage 91 and a recovery water passage 92. That is, a circulation circuit is formed through which water is recovered (returned) to the tank 12 via the tank 12, the supply water passage 91, the first vaporization filter 31, the second vaporization filter 32, and the recovery water passage 92. By means of the circulation circuit, the water that has not been vaporized by the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 can be efficiently recovered into the tank 12, and the amount of water remaining inside the housing 11 can be reduced. For the water that has penetrated into the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32, for example, after the stop button is pressed by the operator of the air conditioner 1, a waterless operation of driving the fan in a state where water is not supplied from the tank 12 may be performed to dry the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32.

[0177] (Appendix 2: Configuration of the Cooling Unit 3) The cooling unit 3 according to an aspect of the present disclosure is a cooling unit 3 used in an air conditioner 1 that cools a conditioned space, and includes a first vaporization filter 31 that cools the first air blown into the conditioned space by the latent heat of water, and a second vaporization filter 32 that cools the second air that exchanges sensible heat with the first air by the latent heat of water. The first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 are fastened in an L shape by fastening members.

[0178] In this aspect, since the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 included in the cooling unit 3 are fastened in an L shape by a fastening member, the storability can be improved, and the housing 11 of the air conditioner 1 that houses the cooling unit 3 can be downsized.

[0179] In the cooling unit 3 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the fastening member is a drain pan 34 that receives water that has not vaporized in the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32.

[0180] In this aspect, by using an L-shaped drain pan 34 provided below the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 as a fastening member, dedicated parts for fastening the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 are not required, and the air conditioner 1 can be downsized and lightened.

[0181] In the cooling unit 3 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the drain pan 34 is L-shaped, and the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 are placed in regions that form the respective sides of the L shape in the drain pan 34.

[0182] In this aspect, in the L-shaped drain pan 34, the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 are placed in regions that form the respective sides of the L shape. The drain pan 34, together with the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 placed on the drain pan 34, form an L shape when viewed from the front, so that the cooling unit 3 can also be configured in an L shape. Therefore, the storability of the cooling unit 3 can be improved, and the housing 11 of the air conditioner 1 that houses the cooling unit 3 can be downsized.

[0183] In the cooling unit 3 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a first water supply section 33A for supplying water to the first vaporization filter 31 and a second water supply section 33B for supplying water to the second vaporization filter 32 are provided. The first water supply section 33A is placed on the upper part of the first vaporization filter 31, and the second water supply section 33B is placed on the upper part of the second vaporization filter 32, whereby the first water supply section 33A and the second water supply section 33B form an L shape.

[0184] In this aspect, the cooling unit 3 includes a water supply section 33 for supplying water to the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32. The water supply section 33 includes a first water supply section 33A placed on the upper part of the first vaporization filter 31 and a second water supply section 33B placed on the upper part of the second vaporization filter 32. Since the first water supply section 33A and the second water supply section 33B placed on the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 form an L shape similar to the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32, the storage property of the cooling unit 3 can be improved, and the housing 11 of the air conditioner 1 for housing the cooling unit 3 can be downsized.

[0185] In the cooling unit 3 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a first water supply hole 331 formed in the first water supply section 33A is provided on the upstream side of the first vaporization filter 31 in the flow direction of the first air, and a second water supply hole 332 formed in the second water supply section 33B is provided on the upstream side of the second vaporization filter 32 in the flow direction of the second air.

[0186] In this aspect, the first water supply hole 331 formed in the first water supply section 33A is provided upstream of the first vaporization filter 31 in the flow direction of the first air, and the second water supply hole 332 formed in the second water supply section 33B is provided upstream of the second vaporization filter 32 in the flow direction of the second air. That is, both the first water supply hole 331 and the second water supply hole 332 are provided upstream in the respective air flow directions. Therefore, the density distribution of the water permeated into the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 can be biased upstream in the respective air flow directions, promoting the vaporization of water in the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32, and improving the cooling efficiency.

[0187] In the cooling unit 3 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, drain holes 336 for discharging air or water are formed in the first water supply section 33A and the second water supply section 33B, and the drain holes 336 are provided above the first water supply hole 331 formed in the first water supply section 33A and the second water supply hole 332 formed in the second water supply section 33B.

[0188] In this aspect, since drain holes 336 for discharging air or water are formed in the first water supply section 33A and the second water supply section 33B, for example, even when the first water supply section 33A and the second water supply section 33B are constituted by a box body having a hollow internal structure, the air in the box body can be discharged from the drain holes 336, suppressing the retention of air inside. Since the drain holes 336 are provided above the first water supply hole 331 and the second water supply hole 332, the air inside the first water supply section 33A and the second water supply section 33B can be efficiently discharged. The penetration directions of the first water supply hole 331 and the second water supply hole 332 face downward on the sides of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32, whereas the penetration direction of the drain holes 336 may be different from the penetration directions of the first water supply hole 331 and the second water supply hole 332, and the drain holes 336 may be formed to face laterally.

[0189] In the cooling unit 3 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a water receiving wall 337 for receiving water flowing out from the drain hole 336 is provided, and the water receiving wall 337 is provided so as to protrude toward the first vaporization filter 31 or the second vaporization filter 32.

[0190] In this aspect, the penetration directions of the first water supply hole 331 and the second water supply hole 332 are downward, which is the side of the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32, while the penetration direction of the drain hole 336 is different from the penetration directions of the first water supply hole 331 and the second water supply hole 332, and the drain hole 336 is formed to face laterally. That is, the drain hole 336 is provided so as to penetrate the side wall of the container portion 333 in the first water supply portion 33A and the second water supply portion 33B. Therefore, the drain hole 336 includes an opening end portion inside the container portion 333 and an opening end portion outside the container portion 333. A water receiving wall 337 is provided facing the outer opening end portion of the drain hole 336 and receiving water flowing out from the drain hole 336. Since the water receiving wall 337 is provided so as to protrude toward the first vaporization filter 31 or the second vaporization filter 32, even when water flows out together with air from the drain hole 336, the flowing out water is received by the water receiving wall 337 and drips toward the first vaporization filter 31 or the second vaporization filter 32, which is the protruding direction of the water receiving wall 337. That is, the water receiving wall 337 functions as a guide wall for guiding the water flowing out from the drain hole 336 to the first vaporization filter 31 or the second vaporization filter 32.

[0191] In the cooling unit 3 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the water receiving wall 337 has a tapered shape.

[0192] In this aspect, the water receiving wall 337 protrudes downward toward the first vaporization filter 31 or the second vaporization filter 32, which is located below the first water supply portion 33A and the second water supply portion 33B, and has a tapered shape. Therefore, the tip portion of the tapered shape corresponds to the lowermost portion of the water receiving wall 337, and water can be efficiently dripped from the tip portion of the tapered shape to the first vaporization filter 31 or the second vaporization filter 32.

[0193] An air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a cooling unit 3 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a first path 41 through which the first air flows, a second path 42 through which the second air flows, and a sensible heat exchanger 4 that performs sensible heat exchange between the first air and the second air. The first vaporization filter 31 is provided on the downstream side of the sensible heat exchanger 4 in the flow direction of the first air, and the second vaporization filter 32 is provided on the upstream side of the sensible heat exchanger 4 in the flow direction of the second air.

[0194] In this aspect, the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 provided in the cooling unit 3 are L-shaped and bent. Therefore, the inside of the L-shape can be directed toward the corner of the sensible heat exchanger 4 having, for example, a rectangular shape, and the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32 can be arranged along the inside of the corner, improving the storage performance of the cooling unit 3 and reducing the size of the housing 11 of the air conditioner 1. The first vaporization filter 31 is provided on the downstream side of the sensible heat exchanger 4 in the flow direction of the first air, and the second vaporization filter 32 is provided on the upstream side of the sensible heat exchanger 4 in the flow direction of the second air. Therefore, in the sensible heat exchanger 4, after the first air is cooled by the second air cooled by the second vaporization filter 32, the first air can be further cooled by the first vaporization filter 31 and blown into the conditioned space.

[0195] (Appendix 3: Cooling of the electric unit 13) An air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a housing 11 having a first air outlet 71 and a second air outlet 72, a first flow path 61 that communicates with the first air outlet 71 and through which first air cooled by the latent heat of water flows, a second flow path 62 that communicates with the second air outlet 72 and through which second air cooled by the latent heat of water flows, and an electric unit 13 housed in the housing 11. The electric unit 13 is provided facing the second flow path 62 and is cooled by the second air after sensible heat exchange with the first air.

[0196] In this aspect, the air conditioner 1 includes a first flow path 61 through which first air cooled by the latent heat of water flows, and a second flow path 62 through which second air cooled by the latent heat of water flows. The first air cooled using the latent heat of water (latent heat of vaporization) is blown out as supply air from the first air outlet 71 into the conditioned space. The electric unit 13 that is housed in the housing 11 of the air conditioner 1 and becomes a heat source by consuming electric power is provided facing the second flow path 62 through which the second air flows, so that the electric unit 13 can be cooled by the second air. Since the second air that cools the electric unit 13 is the second air after sensible heat exchange with the first air, the electric unit 13 can be cooled using the cooling capacity of the second air blown out (discharged) as exhaust air from the second air outlet 72. Therefore, the electric unit 13 can be efficiently cooled without affecting the first air blown out from the first air outlet 71 as supply air.

[0197] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a second fan 82 that conveys the second air in the second flow path 62 and a fan casing 84 that forms a part of the second flow path 62 and houses the second fan 82 are provided, and the fan casing 84 that houses the second fan 82 and the electric unit 13 are thermally connected.

[0198] In this aspect, by thermally connecting the fan casing 84 that houses the second fan 82 and the electric unit 13, the heat transfer efficiency between the second air flowing in the fan casing 84 and the electric unit 13 is improved, and the electric unit 13 can be efficiently cooled using the second air.

[0199] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a through hole 841 is formed in a part of the fan casing 84 facing the electric unit 13, and a part of the electric unit 13 is exposed from the through hole 841.

[0200] In this aspect, a through hole 841 is formed in the fan casing 84, and a part of the electric unit 13 is exposed through the through hole 841. Therefore, a part of the electric unit 13 exposed through the through hole 841 directly touches the second air flowing in the fan casing 84, so that the heat transfer efficiency between the second air and the electric unit 13 can be improved, and the electric unit 13 can be efficiently cooled using the second air.

[0201] In the air conditioner 1 according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the electric unit 13 includes a substrate 131, a sealing plate 133 that seals the through hole 841 from the side of the electric unit 13, and a heat transfer promoting member 132 interposed between the substrate 131 and the sealing plate 133, and a part of the sealing plate 133 is exposed from the through hole 841.

[0202] In this aspect, a part of the electric unit 13 exposed from the through hole 841 is a part of the sealing plate 133 that seals the through hole 841 from the side of the electric unit 13, and the sealing plate 133 is, for example, a part of the exterior of the electric unit 13 forming a box body. The electric unit 13 includes a substrate 131 on which electric components serving as heat sources are mounted, and a heat transfer promoting member 132 formed of a heat dissipation material having a high thermal conductivity is interposed between the substrate 131 and the sealing plate 133. Therefore, heat generated from the substrate 131 can be efficiently dissipated to the internal space of the fan casing 84 through the heat transfer promoting member 132 and the sealing plate 133.

[0203] In the air conditioner 1 according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a part of the fan casing 84 that houses the second fan 82 is constituted by the inner surface of the housing 11.

[0204] In this aspect, since a part of the fan casing 84 that houses the second fan 82 is constituted by the inner surface of the housing 11, the inner surface of the housing 11 can be cooled by the second air flowing in the fan casing 84, mitigating the rise in the temperature of the outer surface of the housing 11 due to the influence of the outside air, and suppressing the reduction in the cooling capacity of the air conditioner 1.

[0205] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a first fan 81 that conveys the first air in the first flow path 61, and a fan casing 84 that forms a part of the first flow path 61 and houses the first fan 81 are provided. The fan casing 84 that houses the first fan 81 is constituted by a heat transfer suppression member.

[0206] In this aspect, since the fan casing 84 that houses the first fan 81 is constituted by a heat transfer suppression member having a low thermal conductivity (heat insulating property) such as styrofoam, for example, the influence of the outside air temperature on the first air passing through the fan casing 84 that houses the first fan 81 can be reduced, and it is possible to suppress the temperature of the first air from rising.

[0207] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a partition plate 83 that partitions a space where the first fan 81 is provided and a space where the second fan 82 is provided is provided in the fan casing 84, and a fan motor 8 that drives the first fan 81 and the second fan 82 is disposed in the space where the second fan 82 is provided.

[0208] In this aspect, since the first fan 81 and the second fan 82 share a single fan motor 8, the number of components of the air conditioner 1 can be reduced, and weight reduction can be achieved. A partition plate 83 is provided in the fan casing 84. By the partition plate 83, the internal space of the fan casing 84 is partitioned into a space where the first fan 81 is provided (the fan chamber of the first fan 81) and a space where the second fan 82 is provided (the fan chamber of the second fan 82). The partition plate 83 is made of, for example, a resin member. Further, the partition plate 83 portion on the side of the fan chamber of the first fan 81 may be a laminated structure with a heat transfer suppression member having a low thermal conductivity, such as expanded polystyrene, attached thereto. Alternatively, the partition plate 83 may be constituted by a heat transfer suppression member such as a hollow member having an air layer inside. By the heat transfer suppression member constituting at least a part of the partition plate 83, the thermal conductivity of the partition plate 83 is reduced, and heat exchange between the first air in the fan chamber of the first fan 81 and the second air in the fan chamber of the second fan 82 is suppressed, thereby preventing the temperature of the first air from rising. Since the fan motor 8 is disposed in the space where the second fan 82 is provided, the fan motor 8 can be cooled by the second air, that is, the exhaust air. Thereby, the fan motor 8 can be efficiently cooled by utilizing the cooling heat of the second air (exhaust air) without increasing the temperature of the first air (supply air) conveyed by the first fan 81.

[0209] In the air conditioner 1 according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the first air outlet 71 and the second air outlet 72 are provided on the same side surface of the housing 11, and the second air outlet 72 faces in the direction of the first air outlet 71.

[0210] In this aspect, at the first air outlet 71 and the second air outlet 72 provided on the same side surface of the housing 11, the second air outlet 72 is provided facing the direction of the first air outlet 71. Therefore, for example, when a blow duct 711 formed of a long body is attached to the first air outlet 71, the temperature (ambient temperature) of the air around the blow duct 711 attached to the first air outlet 71 is lowered by the second air blown out as exhaust from the second air outlet 72, and it is possible to suppress the temperature of the first air (supply air) blown out from the blow duct 711 from rising due to the outside air (the air outside the housing 11).

[0211] (Appendix 4: Mobile body M, Pump control) An air conditioner 1 according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a cooling unit 3 that cools the air blown into the conditioned space by the latent heat of water, a housing 11 that houses the cooling unit 3, and a tank 12 that is provided outside the housing 11 and stores water to be supplied to the cooling unit 3. The housing 11 and the tank 12 are connected by a water passage through which the water flows.

[0212] In this aspect, the tank 12 that stores the water to be supplied to the cooling unit 3 is provided outside the housing 11 that houses the cooling unit 3, and the tank 12 and the housing 11 are connected by a water passage constituted by, for example, a hose made of a flexible resin or a pipe made of a rigid resin. That is, the tank 12 is configured as a separate body from the housing 11 corresponding to the main body of the air conditioner 1. Therefore, the weight of the housing 11 (the main body of the air conditioner 1) can be reduced, and the degree of freedom in placing the housing 11 at any location can be improved. Further, the housing 11 and the tank 12 constituting the air conditioner 1 can be placed separately, and the degree of freedom in placing the air conditioner 1 can be improved.

[0213] In the air conditioner 1 according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the housing 11 and the tank 12 are placed on a mobile body M, and the portion of the mobile body M on which the tank 12 is placed is located below the portion of the mobile body M on which the housing 11 is placed.

[0214] In this aspect, when the air conditioner 1 is placed on a moving body M composed of a vehicle such as a forklift or a tractor, the housing 11 and the tank 12 are spaced apart and placed on separate parts of the moving body M. Since the part of the moving body M where the tank 12 is placed is located below the part of the moving body M where the housing 11 is placed, even if the non-vaporized liquid water remains inside the housing 11, the non-vaporized water can be recovered into the tank 12 by gravity. Thereby, the amount of water remaining inside the housing 11 can be reduced, and the hygiene level inside the housing 11 can be improved. By placing the tank 12 below the housing 11, the accessibility (tactility) to the tank 12 can be improved, and the operation of replenishing water to the tank 12 can be facilitated.

[0215] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the moving body M is a forklift, the part of the moving body M where the housing 11 is placed is the upper part of the head guard of the forklift, and the part of the moving body M where the tank 12 is placed is the upper part of the balance weight of the forklift.

[0216] In this aspect, when placing the air conditioner 1 on a forklift, the housing 11 is placed on the upper part of the head guard of the forklift, and the tank 12 is placed on the upper part of the balance weight of the forklift. The balance weight corresponds to a part with a high proportion in the weight distribution of the forklift, and the tank 12 placed on the balance weight is placed closer to the center of gravity of the forklift than the housing 11 placed on the head guard. Thereby, the vibration accompanying the movement of the moving body M or the like can be mitigated to prevent the liquid level of the tank 12 from being agitated, and the water supply from the tank 12 to the cooling unit 3 can be efficiently performed.

[0217] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, an air outlet duct 711 extending toward the peripheral space of the operator of the moving body M that becomes the conditioned space is provided in the housing 11.

[0218] In this aspect, since the blow duct 711 provided in the housing 11 extends toward the peripheral space of the operator of the moving body M, no matter where the housing 11 is placed on the moving body M, the cooled air can be blown out into the peripheral space of the operator of the moving body M through the blow duct 711.

[0219] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the water channel includes a supply water channel 91 that supplies water to the cooling unit 3 and a recovery water channel 92 that recovers the water that has not vaporized in the cooling unit 3. A circulation circuit in which water circulates is formed by the tank 12, the supply water channel 91, the cooling unit 3, and the recovery water channel 92.

[0220] In this aspect, the water channel connecting the housing 11 and the tank 12 includes a supply water channel 91 that supplies water to the cooling unit 3 and a recovery water channel 92 that recovers the water that has not vaporized in the cooling unit 3. Starting from the tank 12, a circulation circuit is formed in which water circulates in the order of the tank 12, the supply water channel 91, the cooling unit 3, and the recovery water channel 92. That is, by having the circulation circuit, the air conditioner 1 can recover the water that has not vaporized in the cooling unit 3 into the tank 12 and supply the non-vaporized water to the cooling unit 3 again, thereby suppressing the water consumption and reducing the number of times of replenishing water into the tank 12.

[0221] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the cooling unit 3 includes a first vaporization filter 31 for cooling the first air blown out as supply air into the air-conditioned space and a second vaporization filter 32 for cooling the second air blown out as exhaust to the outside of the housing 11 after sensible heat exchange with the first air. The circulation circuit includes a branch path that branches into a water channel passing through the first vaporization filter 31 and a water channel passing through the second vaporization filter 32.

[0222] In this aspect, the air conditioner 1 includes two vaporization filters, namely, a first vaporization filter 31 for cooling the first air and a second vaporization filter 32 for cooling the second air, so that the cooling capacity can be improved. The circulation circuit includes a branch path that branches into a water path (a first supply water path 911 and a first recovery water path 921) passing through the first vaporization filter 31 and a water path (a second supply water path 912 and a second recovery water path 922) passing through the two vaporization filters, and a confluence path where the branched water path passing through the first vaporization filter 31 and the water path passing through the two vaporization filters merge. As a result, a parallel water path composed of the water path communicating with the first vaporization filter 31 and the water path communicating with the second vaporization filter 32 is configured as a part of the circulation circuit, so that water can be efficiently supplied to the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32.

[0223] In the air conditioner 1 according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a water supply pump 913 for conveying the water flowing in the supply water path 91 and a recovery pump 923 for conveying the water flowing in the recovery water path 92 are provided.

[0224] In this aspect, the air conditioner 1 includes a water supply pump 913 provided in the supply water path 91 and a recovery pump 923 provided in the recovery water path 92. Therefore, even when the air conditioner 1 is placed on the moving body M and the posture of the air conditioner 1 changes due to the state of the road surface on which the moving body M moves and the housing 11 and the tank 12 are tilted, the water flowing in the supply water path 91 and the recovery water path 92 can be reliably conveyed.

[0225] In the air conditioner 1 according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a recovery water sensor 924 for detecting the water flowing in the recovery water path 92 and a controller 130 communicably connected to the recovery water sensor 924, the water supply pump 913, and the recovery pump 923 are provided. The controller 130 performs drive control of the water supply pump 913 and the recovery pump 923 based on the sensor value output from the recovery water sensor 924.

[0226] In this aspect, the air conditioner 1 includes a controller 130 constituted by, for example, a microcomputer or the like. The controller 130 performs drive control of the water supply pump 913 and the recovery pump 923 based on the sensor value output from the recovery water sensor 924 that detects the water flowing in the recovery water channel 92. The amount of vaporization of the water supplied from the tank 12 varies depending on the usage environment of the air conditioner 1, that is, the temperature and absolute humidity of the air sucked by the air conditioner 1. The water flowing in the recovery water channel 92 is the water remaining in a liquid state without vaporizing in the cooling unit 3. Therefore, by performing drive control of the water supply pump 913 and the recovery pump 923 based on the sensor value from the recovery water sensor 924, it is possible to optimize the amount of water supplied according to the usage environment of the air conditioner 1.

[0227] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, when the sensor value output from the recovery water sensor 924 indicates that the amount of water flowing in the recovery water channel 92 is equal to or more than a predetermined amount, the controller 130 stops the water supply pump 913.

[0228] In this aspect, the controller 130 may stop the water supply pump 913 when the sensor value output from the recovery water sensor 924 indicates that the amount of water flowing in the recovery water channel 92 is equal to or more than a predetermined amount, and may drive the water supply pump 913 when the sensor value indicates that the amount of water flowing in the recovery water channel 92 is less than the predetermined amount. By setting the predetermined amount to 0 [kg / s] as the mass flow rate, for example, the controller 130 can control the stop and drive of the water supply pump 913 based on the presence or absence of water flowing in the recovery water channel 92. When there is water flowing in the recovery water channel 92 (water is flowing in the recovery water channel 92), it indicates that water remains in a liquid state without vaporizing in the cooling unit 3. By stopping the water supply pump 913, the controller 130 can prevent excessive water supply to the cooling unit 3 and improve the vaporization efficiency.

[0229] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the controller 130 performs intermittent operation by repeatedly driving and stopping the water supply pump 913 and the recovery pump 923.

[0230] In this aspect, since the controller 130 performs intermittent operation by repeatedly driving and stopping the water supply pump 913 and the recovery pump 923, it is possible to prevent excessive water supply to the cooling unit 3.

[0231] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the controller 130 provides a predetermined delay time between the start time of driving the water supply pump 913 and the start time of driving the recovery pump 923, and controls the driving of the water supply pump 913 and the recovery pump 923.

[0232] In this aspect, when the controller 130 periodically performs intermittent operation by repeatedly driving and stopping the water supply pump 913 and the recovery pump 923, a predetermined delay time is provided between the start time of driving the water supply pump 913 and the start time of driving the recovery pump 923 in the same cycle, and the water supply pump 913 and the recovery pump 923 are driven. That is, when the water supply pump 913 starts driving, the driving of the recovery pump 923 has not started and the recovery pump 923 is stopped. After the water supply pump 913 starts driving and the water supply to the cooling unit 3 starts, for a while, the supplied water tends to be absorbed by the vaporization filters (the first vaporization filter 31 and the second vaporization filter 32) included in the cooling unit 3. Therefore, there is a concern that the recovery pump 923 will run idly even if it is driven. On the other hand, by providing a predetermined delay time between the start time of driving the water supply pump 913 and the start time of driving the recovery pump 923, it is possible to prevent the unnecessary driving of the recovery pump 923 and reduce the power consumption by the recovery pump 923.

[0233] In the air conditioner 1 according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the controller 130 controls the driving of the water supply pump 913 and the recovery pump 923 by making the driving time of the recovery pump 923 longer than that of the water supply pump 913.

[0234] In this aspect, the controller 130 drives the recovery pump 923 longer than the water supply pump 913, so that the water staying in the cooling unit 3 can be surely recovered, the amount of water remaining inside the housing 11 can be reduced, and the hygiene level inside the housing 11 can be improved.

[0235] The embodiments disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the above description but by the claims, and it is intended that all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are included.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0236] 1 Air conditioner 11 Housing (main body) 111 Door part 112 Suppressing member 12 Tank (separate body) 13 Electrical unit 130 Controller 131 Substrate 132 Heat transfer promoting member 133 Sealing plate 3 Cooling unit 31 First vaporization filter 32 Second vaporization filter 33 Water supply part 33A First water supply part 33B Second water supply part 331 First water supply hole 332 Second water supply hole 333 Container part 334 Top surface part 335 Pipe part 336 Drain hole 337 Water receiving wall 34 Drain pan (connecting member) 4 Heat exchanger 41 First path 42 Second path 431 First inlet side opening surface 432 Second inlet side opening surface 441 First outlet side opening surface 442 Second outlet side opening surface 5 Suction port 51 Suction flow path (upstream space) 52 Branch flow path (downstream space) 53 Dust collecting filter 531 Sealing member 61 First flow path 62 Second flow path 71 First blowout port 711 Blowout duct 72 Second blowout port 8 Fan motor 81 First fan 82 Second fan 83 Partition plate 84 Fan casing 841 Through hole 91 Water supply channel 911 First water supply channel 912 Second water supply channel 913 Water supply pump 914 Water supply sensor 92 Water recovery channel 921 First water recovery channel 922 Second water recovery channel 923 Water recovery pump 924 Water recovery sensor 991 First water supply area 992 Second water supply area M Moving body (forklift)

Claims

1. A cooling unit that is housed in a housing and cools air blown into a space to be air-conditioned by using the latent heat of water; a tank for storing water to be supplied to the cooling unit; a supply water channel connecting the cooling unit and the tank and supplying water from the tank to the cooling unit; a recovery water channel that connects the cooling unit and the tank and recovers water that has passed through the cooling unit into the tank; a water supply pump that conveys water flowing through the supply water passage to the cooling unit; a recovery pump that conveys water flowing through the recovery water channel to the tank; a circulation circuit through which water circulates is formed by the tank, the supply water channel, the cooling unit, and the recovery water channel; a recovered water sensor for detecting water flowing in the recovery water channel; a controller communicatively connected to the recovered water sensor, the water supply pump, and the recovery pump; The controller controls the operation of the water supply pump and the recovery pump based on an output from the recovered water sensor. When a sensor value indicating that water is flowing in the recovery water channel is obtained from the recovered water sensor, the operation of the water supply pump is stopped; After the drive of the water supply pump is stopped, the recovery pump is stopped at a time when the drive time of the recovery pump becomes longer than the drive time of the water supply pump. An air conditioner characterized by:

2. The housing includes a first air outlet for supplying air to a conditioned space, a second air outlet for exhausting air, a first flow path communicating with the first air outlet and through which a first air drawn in from the outside flows to the first air outlet, and a second flow path communicating with the second air outlet and through which a second air drawn in from the outside flows to the second air outlet, The cooling unit comprises: a sensible heat exchanger including a first path constituting a part of the first flow path and through which the first air flows, and a second path constituting a part of the second flow path and through which the second air flows, exchanging sensible heat between the first air flowing through the first path and the second air flowing through the second path; a first evaporation filter arranged downstream of the sensible heat exchanger in the air flow of the first air, for cooling the first air cooled by the sensible heat exchange by evaporation of water supplied from the tank; a second evaporation filter that is disposed upstream of the air flow of the second air relative to the sensible heat exchanger and that cools the second air by evaporation of water supplied from the tank before the sensible heat exchange; The housing further includes a first fan that transports the first air to the sensible heat exchanger and the first vaporization filter in this order, and a second fan that transports the second air to the second vaporization filter and the sensible heat exchanger in this order.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1 .

3. The controller: When the sensor value output from the recovered water sensor indicates that the amount of water flowing in the recovered water passage is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, the water supply pump is stopped.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1 .

4. The controller performs intermittent operation by repeatedly driving and stopping the water supply pump and the recovery pump.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1 .

5. The controller controls the operation of the water supply pump and the recovery pump by providing a predetermined delay time between the start of operation of the water supply pump and the start of operation of the recovery pump.

5. An air conditioner according to claim 4.

6. The controller controls the operation of the supply water pump and the recovery pump by making the drive time of the recovery pump longer than the drive time of the supply water pump.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1 .

7. the supply water passage supplies water from the tank to the first vaporization filter and the second vaporization filter; A drain pan is provided below the first vaporization filter and the second vaporization filter to receive water that has not been vaporized by each of the vaporization filters, and the recovery water passage connects the drain pan and the tank.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 2.

8. The tank is provided separately from the housing.

8. An air conditioner according to claim 1, 2 or 7.

9. The cooling unit is accommodated in the housing, The housing includes: an outlet duct is provided to guide the first air cooled by the first vaporization filter to the conditioned space after the cooling by the sensible heat exchange; the housing is provided with the second air outlet that exhausts the second air that has undergone sensible heat exchange with the first air, The blowing direction of the second blowing outlet is in the vicinity of the periphery of the blowing duct.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 2.

10. The housing and the tank are mounted on a moving body.

3. An air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2.

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