Liquid atomization device and humidification device

Abstract

A liquid atomization device (1) comprises: a water storage unit (5) that stores water; a pumping pipe (16) that has a pumping opening (17) provided below, and is rotated to pump up water from the water storage unit (5) via the pumping opening (17) and discharge the pumped water in the centrifugal direction; a groove (45) that is provided on the inner surface of the water storage unit (5); and a drainage port (40) that is provided in the groove (45), opens toward the advancing direction of the rotating water flow generated by the rotation of the pumping pipe (16), and connects the inside and outside of the water storage unit (5).

Description

Liquid atomization device and humidification device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a liquid atomization device and a humidification device.

[0002] In recent years, the number of highly airtight houses has increased, and the relative humidity inside rooms tends to decrease when air conditioners are in heating mode. To address the dryness that accompanies the decrease in relative humidity, there is a growing demand for humidifiers. Known examples of humidifiers include centrifugal crushing humidifiers that humidify air by atomizing water in a water reservoir using centrifugal crushing and then adding the atomized water to the air (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-115918

[0004] In this way, in a liquid atomization device that is configured as a humidifying device and performs centrifugal crushing, moisture such as water droplets adhering to the inner surface of the water storage section dries, causing scale components such as calcium and magnesium contained in the water to precipitate. The precipitated scale components are pulled up into the riser pipe along with the water, but are not released outside the riser pipe. By adhering to the inner surface of the riser pipe, they prevent water from being released from inside the pipe, raising concerns that this may cause a decrease in humidification capacity.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a liquid atomization device that can maintain its humidification capacity even after long-term use, and a humidifier equipped with the liquid atomization device.

[0006] The liquid atomization device according to the present disclosure comprises a water storage section for storing water, a water lifting pipe having a water lifting opening provided below and rotating to lift water from the water storage section through the water lifting opening and release it in a centrifugal direction, a groove provided on the inner surface of the water storage section, and a drain outlet provided in the groove that opens in the direction of the rotational water flow generated by the rotation of the water lifting pipe and connects the inside and outside of the water storage section.

[0007] The humidifying device of the present disclosure includes the above-described liquid atomization device.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a liquid atomization device that can maintain its humidification capacity even after long-term use, and a humidifier equipped with the liquid atomization device.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a building equipped with a humidifying device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the humidifying device. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid micro-atomization device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as viewed from the side. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid micro-atomization device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as viewed from above. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a detailed configuration of a drain outlet according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of a liquid micro-atomization device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7(a) is a cross-sectional view of a liquid micro-atomization device according to a modified example of the present disclosure, as viewed from the side, and FIG. 7(b) is a cross-sectional view of a liquid micro-atomization device according to a modified example of the present disclosure, as viewed from the top. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid micro-atomization device according to another modified example of the present disclosure, as viewed from the side.

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments illustrate examples of a liquid atomization device and a humidification device equipped with the liquid atomization device according to the present disclosure. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, and positional relationships of the components shown in the embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. Furthermore, terms indicating relationships between elements, such as perpendicular and parallel, do not only indicate the strict meaning, but also include a range of substantial equivalence, for example, a difference of a few percent. Furthermore, each figure is not necessarily an exact illustration. Substantially identical components in each figure are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations may be omitted or simplified.

[0011] (Embodiment) First, an air conditioning system 100 including a humidifier 10 will be described.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a building 80 equipped with an air conditioning system 100 .

[0013] The air conditioning system 100 is preferably installed between floors or in the attic of the building 80. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the air conditioning system 100 is installed in the attic 82 of the building 80 and supplies air to a room 81 located below a top plate 83.

[0014] The air conditioning system 100 includes an intake air duct 101 and an exhaust air duct 102 .

[0015] The supply airflow path 101 guides air (hereinafter referred to as supply airflow) drawn in from outdoors through a duct or the like to the indoors, i.e., the living room 81 .

[0016] The exhaust airflow duct 102 guides air (hereinafter referred to as exhaust airflow) drawn in from indoors, i.e., from the living room 81 through a duct or the like, to the outdoors through the duct or the like.

[0017] The air conditioning system 100 further includes a heat exchanger 90 and a humidifier 10 .

[0018] The heat exchange unit 90 is, for example, a heat exchange type ventilation fan that exchanges heat between the air passing through the intake air duct 101 and the air passing through the exhaust air duct 102 .

[0019] The heat exchange section 90 includes a heat exchange element 95 , an air intake blower 96 , and an exhaust blower 97 .

[0020] The heat exchange element 95 is provided to efficiently exchange thermal energy between the intake airflow and the exhaust airflow. The heat exchange element 95 is configured, for example, by stacking a plurality of heat transfer materials at predetermined intervals, and the intake airflow and the exhaust airflow are alternately circulated through a plurality of spaces formed by the stacking, with each adjacent space allowing the intake airflow and the exhaust airflow to exchange thermal energy with each other.

[0021] The air supply blower 96 is a so-called blower that draws outdoor air into the room, and is configured to include, for example, a sirocco fan. The air supply blower 96 circulates the air supply from the outdoors through the heat exchange element 95 and the humidifier 10, and then blows the air into the living room 81.

[0022] The exhaust air blower 97 is a so-called blower that blows indoor air outdoors, and is configured to include, for example, a sirocco fan, etc. The exhaust air blower 97 circulates the exhaust air from indoors through the heat exchange element 95, and then blows the air outdoors.

[0023] The humidifier 10 is provided in the intake air duct 101 downstream of the heat exchanger 90. The humidifier 10 humidifies the air in the intake air duct 101 and blows it out into the room 81, thereby humidifying the room 81. The humidifier 10 humidifies the intake air by adding water atomized by the liquid atomization device 1 to the intake air flow, and details will be described later.

[0024] Next, the configuration of the humidifier 10 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the humidifier 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] The humidifier 10 includes a housing 50, an intake adapter 51, an outlet adapter 52, and a liquid atomization device 1.

[0027] The housing 50 is a box-shaped structure that holds components in its internal space, such as the blower 54 and the liquid atomization device 1.

[0028] The intake adapter 51 is cylindrical and protrudes from one surface of the housing 50, and is a part to which a duct is connected. The intake air flow before humidification flows inside the intake adapter 51.

[0029] The blowout adapter 52 is cylindrical and protrudes from the other surface of the housing 50, and is a part to which a duct is connected. The humidified intake air flows inside the blowout adapter 52.

[0030] The liquid atomizing device 1 is a main part of the humidifying device 10, and is a device that atomizes water and applies the atomized water to air, and the detailed configuration will be described later.

[0031] Next, the configuration of the liquid atomizing device 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0032] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid atomizing device 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, as viewed from the side.

[0033] The liquid atomization device 1 includes a water storage section 5 , an electric motor 14 , a water pumping pipe 16 , a drain outlet 40 , and a water stop valve 41 .

[0034] The water storage section 5 is a container for storing water and constitutes the outer shell of the liquid atomization device 1. In this embodiment, the water storage section 5 has a hollow hemispherical shape that opens vertically upward, and is formed so that the part vertically below the water lift pipe 16 is the deepest part.

[0035] The electric motor 14 is a motor for rotating the lift pipe 16, and rotates the lift pipe 16 around a rotation shaft 15 that extends vertically through the center of the electric motor 14 when viewed from above.

[0036] The top view is a viewpoint looking down from above the installed liquid atomizing device 1. Specifically, it is a viewpoint looking down on the liquid atomizing device 1 in the direction of arrow I in FIG.

[0037] The lift pipe 16 has an inverted cone-shaped hollow structure. The lift pipe 16 is connected to the electric motor 14 located above the lift pipe 16, and rotates with the rotation of the electric motor 14 to lift the water stored in the water storage section 5 and release it in the centrifugal direction.

[0038] The rotation of the rise pipe 16 forms a rotational water current R in the water stored in the water storage section 5. The rotational water current is a water current in which the water stored in the water storage section 5 moves around the rotation axis 15 of the rise pipe 16 in a top view. The direction of the rotational water current R is not particularly limited, but the direction of the rotational water current R in this embodiment is clockwise in a top view.

[0039] The lifting pipe 16 has a lifting opening 17 , a rotating plate 18 , and a through hole 19 .

[0040] The pumping opening 17 is a hole provided at the lower end of the pumping pipe 16 , and water stored in the water storage section 5 is pumped into the pumping pipe 16 through this hole.

[0041] The rotating plates 18 are provided so as to protrude outward in the circumferential direction from the outer surface of the water rise pipe 16. A plurality of rotating plates 18 are connected to the water rise pipe 16 at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. In other words, the rotating plates 18 are provided below the electric motor 14 so as to overlap each other.

[0042] The through holes 19 are a plurality of holes provided in the wall surface of the water lift pipe 16, and the water pumped into the water lift pipe 16 is discharged in the centrifugal direction as water droplets through the through holes 19.

[0043] The drain outlet 40 is an opening that connects the inside and outside of the water storage section 5, and drains the water stored in the water storage section 5 to the outside of the water storage section 5, as will be described in detail later.

[0044] The water stop valve 41 is a plate-shaped member made of, for example, an elastic material, provided at the opening of the drain outlet 40, and can switch the drain outlet 40 between an open state that allows water to pass through and a closed state that does not allow water to pass through. In other words, by opening the water stop valve 41, the water stored in the water storage section 5 is drained.

[0045] The liquid atomization device 1 further includes a first eliminator 21, a second eliminator 22, an air intake 11, an air outlet 12, and a blower 54.

[0046] The first eliminator 21 is a porous body through which air and the crushed water droplets can pass, and has the purpose of crushing the water droplets further into smaller pieces by colliding with the water droplets released in the centrifugal direction from the water lift pipe 16 and preventing the scattering of large water droplets accompanying the air flow.

[0047] The first eliminator 21 is provided at a position a certain distance away in the centrifugal direction from the outer periphery of the lifting pipe 16. This certain distance is a distance that allows the water droplets discharged through the through-holes 19 to reach the first eliminator 21.

[0048] The first eliminator 21 in this embodiment is provided to surround the riser pipe 16 in an annular shape.

[0049] The second eliminator 22 has the purpose of preventing large water droplets from scattering along with the air flow, and is a porous body through which air and crushed water droplets can pass.

[0050] The second eliminator 22 is provided on the outer periphery of the first eliminator 21 when viewed from the riser pipe 16. In other words, the second eliminator 22 is provided so as to surround the first eliminator 21 in an annular shape.

[0051] Air intake 11 is a rectangular opening provided at one end above the circumference of the top opening of water storage section 5. Air to be humidified flows through air intake 11. In this embodiment, the air to be humidified is an intake airflow sent into humidifier 10 from heat exchange section 90 (see FIG. 1 ).

[0052] The air outlet 12 is a rectangular opening provided at one end above the circumference of the water storage section 5, different from the air inlet 11. Air humidified in the liquid atomization device 1 flows through the air outlet 12.

[0053] Blower 54 is provided upstream of water storage section 5 in air supply duct 101, and is provided to blow air containing water that is released in the centrifugal direction by the rotation of water lift pipe 16 from the inside of water storage section 5 to the outside. There are no particular limitations on the type of blower 54, but in this embodiment it is a sirocco fan.

[0054] Next, the configuration of the liquid atomizing device 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0055] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid atomizing device 1 taken along the broken line AA' in FIG.

[0056] The liquid atomization device 1 further includes a water supply unit 6 , a water level detection unit 4 , a groove unit 45 , and a control unit 2 .

[0057] The water supply unit 6 supplies water to the water storage unit 5. The water is not limited to tap water or pure water, but may be an aqueous solution such as a hypochlorous acid solution. In this embodiment, tap water is used.

[0058] The water supply unit 6 includes a water supply port 61 and an electromagnetic valve 64 .

[0059] The water supply port 61 is an opening for supplying tap water from a water pipe 62 into the water storage unit 5. The location of the water supply port 61 is not particularly limited, and it may be located anywhere that allows water to be supplied to the water storage unit 5.

[0060] The solenoid valve 64 is provided on the water pipe 62 and opens and closes the water supply port 61 to adjust at least one of the amount of water supplied to the water storage section 5 through the water supply port 61 and the timing of the water supply.

[0061] The water level detection unit 4 detects the water level of the water stored in the water storage unit 5 and transmits the detection result to the control unit 2. Specifically, the water level detection unit 4 detects whether the water level in the water storage unit 5 is at its upper limit (hereinafter referred to as the full water state) or when the water level in the water storage unit 5 is at its lower limit (hereinafter referred to as the drought state), and transmits the detection result to the control unit 2. The water level detection unit 4 is a so-called water level sensor, and corresponds to, for example, a float-type sensor or a thermistor sensor. In this embodiment, a float-type sensor is used. Note that the water level detection unit 4 may be configured to detect the full water state and the drought state using independent water level sensors.

[0062] 4 is provided on the inner surface of the water storage section 5, and is a groove that is approximately U-shaped in the cross section B-B' of Figure 4, and is formed on the bottom surface of the water storage section 5 that is vertically below the pumping opening 17 in a top view, more precisely, from the deepest part of the inner surface of the water storage section 5 to the drain outlet 40. Moreover, the groove section 45 is provided so as to slope downward from the deepest part of the inner surface of the water storage section 5 to the drain outlet 40.

[0063] The groove 45 has an upstream edge 43 and a downstream edge 44 .

[0064] The upstream edge 43 is one end portion of the substantially U-shaped opening formed by the groove 45. In other words, the upstream edge 43 is the edge of the groove 45 located upstream of the rotating water flow R. The upstream edge 43 is located lower than the downstream edge 44 in a side view (see the B-B' cross section shown in the lower right of FIG. 4). Note that the side view here refers to the viewpoint when the liquid atomization device 1 is viewed in the direction of the arrow L in FIG. 4.

[0065] The downstream edge 44 is the other end of the substantially U-shaped opening formed by the groove 45. In other words, the downstream edge 44 is the edge of the groove 45 located downstream of the rotating water current R. The downstream edge 44 is provided higher than the upstream edge 43 in a side view (see the B-B' cross section shown in the lower right of Figure 4).

[0066] The control unit 2 is communicatively connected to each of the electric motor 14 (see FIG. 3 ), the water level detection unit 4, the solenoid valve 64, and the blower 54. Wired or wireless communication is acceptable as long as communication is possible. The location of the control unit 2 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to place it in a position where the water supplied to the water storage unit 5 and the atomized water do not enter. In this embodiment, the control unit 2 is located across a partition wall 68 (part of the housing 50) from the liquid atomization device 1. The control unit 2 includes a solenoid valve control unit 85, an air blowing control unit 86, and a water pumping pipe control unit 87.

[0067] The solenoid valve control unit 85 controls the opening and closing operation of the solenoid valve 64. Specifically, the solenoid valve control unit 85 controls the solenoid valve 64 so that it is open when water is being supplied and is closed when water is not being supplied.

[0068] The air blowing control unit 86 controls the operation of the air blower 54. Specifically, the air blowing control unit 86 executes a scale removal air blowing operation mode in which air is blown toward the inside of the water storage unit 5 via the air blower 54 even when water is not stored in the water storage unit 5.

[0069] The lift pipe control unit 87 controls the rotation speed of the electric motor 14, more precisely, the lift pipe 16. Specifically, as operation modes for controlling the rotation speed of the lift pipe 16, a scale removal operation mode and a scale peeling operation mode are executed.

[0070] The scale removal operation mode is an operation mode in which, prior to the start of humidification operation, the water lifting pipe 16 is rotated for a predetermined time at a rotational speed (hereinafter referred to as low-speed rotation) that forms a rotating water flow R but does not discharge water in a centrifugal direction. Note that the humidification operation refers to an operation in which the water lifting pipe 16 is rotated at a rotational speed that discharges water in a centrifugal direction. The prior to the start of humidification operation is, for example, the period during which water is supplied by the water supply unit 6.

[0071] On the other hand, the scale removal operation mode is an operation mode in which the lift pipe 16 is rotated even when there is no water stored in the water storage section 5.

[0072] The above is the explanation of the configuration of the liquid atomizing device 1 using FIG.

[0073] Next, the detailed configuration of the drain port 40 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0074] 5 is an enlarged top view of the drain outlet 40. For ease of understanding, the water stop valve 41 is not shown in FIG.

[0075] The drain outlet 40 is provided at one end of the groove portion 45 and is an opening that communicates the inside and outside of the water storage portion 5. The drain outlet 40 opens so that water can flow from above to below the reference line X, which is an extension line of the drain outlet 40 in the horizontal direction, that is, from the inside to the outside of the water storage portion 5. This direction is referred to as the opening direction.

[0076] In other words, the drain outlet 40 opens toward (opposite) the direction of travel of the rotating water flow R. Here, the direction of travel of the rotating water flow R at each point in the water storage section 5 is the tangent direction of a concentric circle centered on the rotation axis 15 when viewed from above. Specifically, when the drain outlet 40 is provided at the position shown in Figure 5, the direction of travel of the rotating water flow R at approximately the center point O (including the center point) of the drain outlet 40 is the direction indicated by the arrow of the rotating water flow R in Figure 5.

[0077] Here, the drainage surface 48 is defined. The drainage surface 48 is an imaginary surface through which the drained water passes, and has an outer shape that is the periphery of the opening of the drain outlet 40. When viewed from above the liquid atomization device 1, the drainage outlet 40 is oriented in a direction perpendicular to the drainage surface 48, i.e., an angle θ between the direction in which the reference line Y extends from the approximate center point O and the traveling direction of the rotating water flow R. １ is set so that the angle is smaller than 90 degrees.

[0078] Up to this point, we have used the example of a rotating water flow R passing through approximately the center point O of the drain outlet 40, but it is preferable that the drain outlet 40 be positioned so that at any point on the drain outlet 40, the angle between the direction perpendicular to the drain surface 48 (the direction in which the reference line Y extends) and the direction of travel of the rotating water flow R is less than 90 degrees.

[0079] In addition, a drain outlet designed to accommodate a rotating water flow R having a direction of travel along the reference line X and a rotating water flow R having a direction of travel toward the drain outlet 40 from the opposite direction to the opening direction of the drain outlet 40 does not fall under the definition of "the drain outlet 40 opens toward the direction of travel of the rotating water flow" in this application.

[0080] Next, the operation of the humidifier 10 and the effects obtained from the configuration and operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0081] Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the humidifier 10. Note that Fig. 6(a) and Fig. 6(b) correspond to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, respectively.

[0082] First, the basic operation of the humidifier 10 and the effects that can be expected from this basic operation will be described.

[0083] For example, when the humidifier 10 starts operating in response to a user operation, the electromagnetic valve 64 is opened and the water supply unit 6 supplies water to the water storage unit 5 .

[0084] When the water level 71 at which the rise pipe 16 is submerged is reached by the water supply, the rise pipe control unit 87 controls the electric motor 14, more precisely, the rotation speed of the rise pipe 16. Specifically, the rise pipe control unit 87 controls the electric motor 14 to rotate at a speed (hereinafter referred to as low-speed rotation) that causes the rise pipe 16 to form a rotating water flow but does not discharge water in a centrifugal direction, and performs a scale removal operation that maintains this speed for a predetermined time. In other words, the rise pipe control unit 87 rotates the rise pipe 16 at a low speed for a predetermined time before starting the humidification operation. Note that the predetermined time here is a time that allows scale components that are retained in the deepest part of the water storage section 5, i.e., vertically below the rise pipe 16, to be removed from vertically below the rise pipe 16, and is specifically, for example, about 15 seconds.

[0085] The above-described configuration and operation can reduce the amount of scale components remaining vertically below the water pumping pipe 16, thereby preventing the scale components from being sucked up into the water pumping pipe 16 during humidification operation. In other words, since the adhesion of scale components to the inner surface of the water pumping pipe 16 can be prevented, the humidifying capacity can be maintained even during long-term use.

[0086] Here, scale components removed from the vertically below the riser pipe 16 due to the rotation of the riser pipe 16 are collected by the groove 45. The downstream edge 44 of the groove 45 is provided higher than the upstream edge 43, thereby making it possible to prevent scale components moving within the water storage section 5 in association with the rotating water flow R from climbing over the downstream edge 44 and moving again within the water storage section 5 (see the B-B' cross section in Figure 4).

[0087] The above-described configuration and operation prevent scale components that have been removed from vertically below the lift pipe 16 from flowing back to that position again. As a result, it is possible to prevent scale components from being sucked up into the lift pipe 16, and it is possible to maintain humidifying capacity even during long-term use.

[0088] Furthermore, by opening the drain outlet 40 during the above-described scale removal operation, it is possible to discharge the scale components collected in the groove portion 45 to the outside of the water storage portion 5. Here, since the drain outlet 40 is open in the direction of travel of the rotating water flow R, it is possible to efficiently discharge the scale components by utilizing the momentum of the rotating water flow R. Note that when the drain outlet 40 is opened during the scale removal operation, it is necessary to prevent the water level from dropping due to the discharge from the drain outlet 40 and reaching a water level at which the lift pipe 16 is not flooded. For this reason, it is preferable to set the amount of water supplied to the water storage portion 5 per unit time to be greater than the amount of water discharged per unit time. For example, after the scale removal operation is completed, the stop valve 41 closes the drain outlet 40.

[0089] The above-described configuration and operation can efficiently reduce the scale components remaining in the water storage section 5, thereby preventing the scale components from being sucked up into the water pumping pipe 16. As a result, the humidifying capacity can be maintained even during long-term use.

[0090] Next, after the scale removal operation is completed, the water pumping pipe control unit 87 controls the rotation speed of the electric motor 14 to a rotation speed at which the water pumping pipe 16 releases the water pumped from the water storage unit 5 in the centrifugal direction, and the humidification operation is started. In addition, the water supply by the water supply unit 6 is stopped when the water level detection unit 4 detects that the water level in the water storage unit 5 has reached the full water level 73.

[0091] Next, after humidification operation is performed for a certain period of time, the water level in the water storage section 5 drops in accordance with the amount of humidification, reaching drought level 72. When the water level detection section 4 detects that the water level in the water storage section 5 has reached drought level 72, the drain outlet 40 is opened and drainage begins. Once drainage begins, the pumping pipe control section 87 executes a scale discharge operation that controls the pumping pipe 16 to rotate at a low speed for a predetermined period of time. Note that the predetermined period of time here is the time required for the scale components in the water storage section 5 to be sufficiently discharged from the drain outlet 40, and is, for example, 60 seconds.

[0092] With the above-described configuration and operation, scale components can be efficiently discharged from the water storage section 5 when draining water, just as with the scale removal operation performed when supplying water.As a result, scale components can be prevented from being sucked up into the inside of the pumping pipe 16, and humidification capacity can be maintained even during long-term use.

[0093] The above is the basic operation of the humidifier 10 and the effects that can be expected from this basic operation. Note that this basic operation is repeated until the operation of the humidifier 10 is terminated by, for example, a user operation.

[0094] Next, we will explain the dry operation of the humidifier 10. The humidifier 10 performs the above-mentioned basic operation a certain number of times or for a certain period of time, and then performs a dry operation in which water is not stored in the water storage section 5 for a certain period of time. This dry operation is an operation to suppress the growth of mold in the water storage section 5.

[0095] For example, when the drainage of the basic operation is completed, the drying operation is started. When the drying operation is started, the pumping pipe control unit 87 executes a scale removal operation in which the pumping pipe 16 continues to rotate during the drainage. In other words, the pumping pipe control unit 87 rotates the pumping pipe 16 even when there is no water stored in the water storage unit 5. In other words, the pumping pipe 16 is rotated in a drier state than during the humidifying operation.

[0096] With the above-described configuration and operation, scale components that have adhered or tend to adhere to the through-hole 19 of the water pumping pipe 16 and the like are easily peeled off by drying, and the scale components can also be peeled off by the force generated by the rotation of the water pumping pipe 16. As a result, the humidifying capacity can be maintained even during long-term use.

[0097] Furthermore, during the drying operation, the air blowing control unit 86 executes a scale removal air blowing operation in which air is blown toward the inside of the water storage unit 5 via the air blower 54. In other words, the air blowing control unit 86 blows air toward the inside of the water storage unit 5 via the air blower 54 even when no water is stored in the water storage unit 5.

[0098] The above-described configuration and operation promote drying of the water pumping pipe 16 and more efficiently remove scale components from the through-hole 19, etc. As a result, the humidifying capacity can be maintained even during long-term use.

[0099] The above is a description of the embodiment.

[0100] (Modifications) The present disclosure has been described above based on the embodiments. These embodiments are merely examples, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications exist for the components shown in the embodiments, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0101] Modifications of the embodiment will be described below, with the explanation of the configuration that overlaps with the embodiment and other overlapping contents omitted, and the explanation will focus on the configuration that differs from the embodiment.

[0102] First, an example of a modified example is shown in FIG.

[0103] Fig. 7(a) is a cross-sectional view of the liquid atomization device 1s used in the humidification device 10s as seen from the side, and Fig. 7(b) is a cross-sectional view of the liquid atomization device 1s as seen from above. Fig. 7(a) and Fig. 7(b) correspond to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, respectively.

[0104] This modification differs from the embodiment in that the inner surface of the water storage section 5s is provided with a partition plate 23. The partition plate 23 is a porous body that stands upright from the inner surface of the water storage section 5s, and is provided so that its leading edge in the standing direction is below the drought level 72. This is to prevent a situation in which there is no water vertically below the riser pipe 16 when the water level in the water storage section 5s is higher than the drought level 72. In other words, this is to prevent the riser pipe 16 from being unable to pump water even when the water level is higher than the drought level 72, which would result in the inability to perform humidification operation.

[0105] Furthermore, the partition plate 23 is provided so as to surround the pumping opening 17 in a top view. In other words, the partition plate 23 is provided along the outer periphery of the pumping opening 17 in a top view. Note that "along the outer periphery" here does not strictly mean that the partition plate 23 is provided only along the outer periphery of the pumping opening 17. For example, the term "along the outer periphery" also includes the case where the partition plate 23 is provided at a position several millimeters to several tens of millimeters away from the outer periphery of the pumping opening 17. In other words, it is sufficient that the partition plate 23 is provided outside the pumping opening 17 in a top view.

[0106] The above-described configuration makes it possible to prevent scale components floating in the water storage section 5s from entering the space vertically below the water lift pipe 16. As a result, it is possible to prevent scale components from being sucked up into the water lift pipe 16, and it is possible to maintain humidifying capacity even during long-term use.

[0107] Next, FIG. 8 shows another example of a modification of the embodiment.

[0108] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid atomization device 1t used in the humidification device 10t, seen from the side, and corresponds to FIG.

[0109] This modified example differs from the embodiment in that the inner surface of the water storage portion 5t is provided with a convex portion 24. The convex portion 24 is dome-shaped and protrudes vertically upward from the inner surface of the water storage portion 5t, which is vertically below the pumping opening 17. The convex portion 24 is provided so that the boundary line M between the convex portion 24 and the inner surface of the water storage portion 5t is located on the outer periphery of the pumping opening 17 in a top view. In other words, the point where the slope of the convex portion 24 begins from the inner surface of the water storage portion 5t is located on the outer periphery of the pumping opening 17.

[0110] The above-described configuration makes it possible to prevent scale components from entering vertically below the water pumping opening 17. As a result, it is possible to prevent scale components from being sucked up into the water pumping pipe 16, and it is possible to maintain humidifying capacity even during long-term use.

[0111] The present disclosure is applicable to humidifiers and the like that humidify general buildings.

[0112] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1s, 1t Liquid atomization device 2 Control unit 4 Water level detection unit 5, 5s, 5t Water storage unit 6 Water supply unit 10, 10s, 10t Humidifier 11 Air intake 12 Air outlet 14 Electric motor 15 Rotating shaft 16 Water lifting pipe 17 Water lifting opening 18 Rotating plate 19 Through hole 21 First eliminator 22 Second eliminator 23 Partition plate 24 Convex portion 40 Drain outlet 41 Stop valve 43 Upstream edge 44 Downstream edge 45 Groove portion 48 Drain surface 50 Housing 51 Air intake adapter 52 Air outlet adapter 54 Blower 61 Water supply port 62 Water pipe 64 Solenoid valve 68 Partition wall 71 Flood water level 72 Drought water level 73 Full water level 80 Building 81 Living room 82 Ceiling 83 Top plate 85 Solenoid valve control unit 86 Air supply control unit 87 Water pumping pipe control unit 90 Heat exchange unit 95 Heat exchange element 96 Air supply / air supply unit 97 Exhaust / air supply unit 100 Air conditioning system 101 Air supply duct 102 Exhaust duct I, L Arrows M Boundary line O Approximate center point R Rotating water flow X, Y Reference line θ １ angle

Claims

1. A liquid atomization device comprising: a water storage section for storing water; a lifting pipe having a lifting opening provided below and rotating to lift water from the water storage section through the lifting opening and release it in a centrifugally direction; a groove provided on the inner surface of the water storage section; and a drain outlet provided in the groove, opening in the direction of a rotating water flow generated by the rotation of the lifting pipe and communicating the inside and outside of the water storage section.

2. A liquid atomization device as described in claim 1, wherein the angle between the direction perpendicular to the drainage surface formed by the drainage outlet and the direction of travel of the rotating water current is smaller than 90 degrees when viewed from above.

3. A liquid atomization device as described in claim 1, wherein the groove portion has an upstream edge which is one edge of the groove portion located upstream of the rotating water flow generated by the rotation of the lifting pipe, and a downstream edge which is the other edge of the groove portion located downstream of the rotating water flow, and the upstream edge is positioned lower than the downstream edge in a side view.

4. The liquid atomization device according to claim 1, wherein the groove portion is provided vertically below the water pumping opening to the drain outlet when viewed from above.

5. A liquid atomization device as described in claim 1, further comprising a control unit which controls the rotation of the lifting pipe, wherein the control unit rotates the lifting pipe for a predetermined time at a rotational speed at which the rotating water flow is formed but the water is not discharged in the centrifugal direction prior to starting a humidification operation, and after the predetermined time has elapsed, performs a scale removal operation in which the lifting pipe is rotated at a rotational speed at which the water is discharged in the centrifugal direction.

6. A liquid micro-fine production device as described in claim 1, further comprising a control unit that controls the rotation of the lifting pipe, and a water supply unit that supplies water to the water storage unit, wherein the control unit performs a scale removal operation in which the lifting pipe is rotated for a predetermined time at a rotational speed that forms the rotating water flow but does not release the water in the centrifugal direction while the water supply unit supplies water to the water storage unit.

7. A liquid micro-fine generation device as described in claim 1, further comprising a control unit for controlling the rotation of the lift pipe, wherein the control unit performs a scale discharge operation for rotating the lift pipe for a predetermined time while draining water from the water storage unit at a rotational speed that forms the rotating water flow but does not release the water in the centrifugal direction.

8. The liquid atomization device according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit for controlling the rotation of the lift pipe, wherein the control unit performs a scale removal operation in which the lift pipe is rotated even when no water is stored in the water storage section.

9. A liquid atomization device as described in claim 8, further comprising a blower for blowing the air containing the water released in the centrifugally direction from the inside of the water storage section to the outside, and the control unit performs a scale removal blowing operation in which the blower blows air toward the inside of the water storage section even when no water is stored in the water storage section.

10. A liquid atomization device as described in claim 1, further comprising a partition plate erected from the inner surface of the water storage section, the partition plate being a porous body provided along the outer periphery of the water pumping opening when viewed from above.

11. A liquid atomization device as described in claim 1, wherein the water storage section has a hollow hemispherical shape that opens vertically upward, is provided vertically below the pumping opening, and has a convex portion that protrudes vertically upward from the inner surface of the water storage section.

12. A liquid atomization device according to claim 11, wherein the boundary between the convex portion and the inner surface of the water storage portion is located on the outer periphery side of the water pumping opening when viewed from above.

13. A humidifier comprising a liquid atomizing device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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