JP7468199B2 - Evaporative heat exchanger - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to an evaporative heat exchanger, and in particular to an evaporative heat exchanger that has an air dry flow path member through which air flows and a refrigerant flow path member through which a refrigerant flows.

Conventionally, evaporative heat exchangers have been known that have an air dry passage through which air flows and a refrigerant passage through which a refrigerant flows (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

The above-mentioned Patent Document 1 describes an evaporative heat exchanger having cooling fins that form a refrigerant flow path through which the refrigerant flows, and an air cooling member that forms an air dry flow path through which air flows. In this evaporative heat exchanger, a first moist layer that holds water for cooling the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path is formed on the surface of the cooling fin, and a second moist layer that holds water for cooling the air flowing through the air dry flow path is formed on the surface of the air cooling member. In addition, in this evaporative heat exchanger, a plurality of slits are provided on the side wall of the housing that houses the cooling fins inside. The cooling fins and the air cooling members are arranged alternately by inserting the air cooling members into the plurality of slits. In the evaporative heat exchanger described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, an air wet flow path is provided between the cooling fins and the air cooling members that are arranged alternately. In this evaporative heat exchanger, the air that flows into the air dry flow path is cooled by the latent heat of vaporization of the water in the second moist layer, and then flows into the air wet flow path. The cooled air then evaporates the water in the first and second wet layers in the air wet flow path, thereby cooling the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path and the air flowing through the air dry flow path.

JP 2020-56553 A

However, in the evaporative heat exchanger described in Patent Document 1, in order to alternately arrange the different components, the cooling fins (refrigerant flow path components) and the air cooling components (air dry flow path components), it is necessary to insert the air dry flow path components one by one into multiple slits provided in the side wall of the housing. This makes the assembly work of alternately arranging the different components, the refrigerant flow path components and the air dry flow path components, a burden for the worker. Therefore, there is a demand for an evaporative heat exchanger that can reduce the burden required for assembly work.

This invention was made to solve the above problems, and one object of the invention is to provide an evaporative heat exchanger that can reduce the workload required for assembly work even when the incoming air is cooled by the latent heat of vaporization of water and the cooled air is used to cool the refrigerant and the incoming air.

In order to achieve the above object, an evaporative heat exchanger according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a refrigerant flow path block including a plurality of refrigerant flow path members arranged in a line at a predetermined interval and having a refrigerant flowing therein; a first water retention section provided on the outer surface of the refrigerant flow path member and holding water to cool the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path member; and a first air wet flow path formed between the plurality of refrigerant flow path members; and an air flow path block arranged in a line at a predetermined interval and having air flowing therein; a second water retention section provided on the outer surface of the air dry flow path member and holding water to cool the air flowing through the air dry flow path member; and a second air wet flow path formed between the plurality of air dry flow path members, and the air flow path block is arranged separately from the refrigerant flow path block, and is configured such that air flowing into the air dry flow path member of the air flow path block is cooled by the latent heat of vaporization of the water in the second water retention section, and then branches and flows into the first air wet flow path of the refrigerant flow path block and the second air wet flow path of the air flow path block.

In one aspect of the present invention, the evaporative heat exchanger includes a refrigerant flow path block including a plurality of refrigerant flow path members arranged side by side at a predetermined interval, through which a refrigerant flows, as described above. The refrigerant flow path block includes a plurality of air dry flow path members arranged side by side at a predetermined interval, through which air flows, and is provided separately from the refrigerant flow path block. This allows the refrigerant flow path block to be configured by arranging the refrigerant flow path members side by side, and the air flow path block to be configured separately from the refrigerant flow path block by arranging the air dry flow path members side by side. Therefore, compared to the case where the air dry flow path members are inserted one by one into a plurality of slits provided in the side wall of the housing to arrange the different members of the refrigerant flow path members and the air dry flow path members alternately one by one, the refrigerant flow path block and the air flow path block can be configured by arranging the same members side by side, and the assembly work can be easily performed. As a result, even when the inflowing air is cooled by the latent heat of vaporization of water and the refrigerant and the inflowing air are cooled by the cooled air, the workload required for the assembly work can be reduced.

In the evaporative heat exchanger according to the above aspect, preferably, the plurality of refrigerant flow path members include a plurality of flat tubes arranged in a line to face each other at a predetermined interval, the first air wet flow path is formed between the plurality of flat tubes, the plurality of air dry flow path members include a plurality of flat plate members arranged in a line to face each other at a predetermined interval, and the second air wet flow path is formed between the plurality of flat plate members. With this configuration, by arranging the plurality of flat tubes in a line to face each other at a predetermined interval, the first air wet flow path can be easily formed between the opposing surfaces of the flat tubes. Therefore, heat exchange can be easily performed between the refrigerant flowing inside the flat tube and the air flowing through the first air wet flow path on the opposing surfaces of the flat tubes. Similarly, by arranging the plurality of flat plate members in a line to face each other at a predetermined interval, the second air wet flow path can be easily formed between the opposing surfaces of the flat plate members. Therefore, heat exchange can be easily performed between the air flowing inside the flat plate members and the air flowing through the second air wet flow path on the opposing surfaces of the flat plate members. As a result, the first and second wet air flow paths can be easily formed while efficiently exchanging heat.

In this case, preferably, the flat plate members are stacked side by side so as to face each other at a predetermined interval, and the second air wet flow path is formed between adjacent flat plate members among the stacked flat plate members. With this configuration, the second air wet flow path is formed between adjacent flat plate members among the stacked flat plate members, so that the second air wet flow path can be formed for each flat plate member so as to be adjacent to both sides in the direction in which the flat plate members are stacked. Therefore, heat exchange can be performed on both sides of the flat plate member, so that heat exchange can be more effectively performed between the air inside the flat plate member and the air flowing through the second air wet flow path. As a result, the air inside the flat plate member can be efficiently cooled, and the heat exchange efficiency of the device can be improved.

In this case, preferably, the air flow path block further includes a plurality of spacer members that form a gap through which air can flow in the second air wet flow path, and is constructed by alternately stacking a plurality of spacer members and a plurality of flat plate members. With this configuration, the spacer members maintain the gap through which air can flow in the second air wet flow path, so that the flat plate members can be easily arranged while maintaining a predetermined gap by alternately stacking the flat plate members and the spacer members. Therefore, the second air wet flow path can be easily formed between adjacent flat plate members by the spacer members provided between the flat plate members. As a result, the burden required for the work of constructing the air flow path block can be further reduced.

In this case, preferably, the plurality of spacer members are plate-shaped folded in an accordion-like shape and configured to allow air to flow in a direction along the folded creases. With this configuration, the spacer members can be easily formed by folding the plate-shaped members in an accordion-like shape, so that the gap through which air can flow in the second air wet flow path can be easily formed. In addition, since the spacer members allow air to flow in a direction along the creases folded in an accordion-like shape, the direction of air flowing in the second air wet flow path can be easily determined. Therefore, the second air wet flow path can be easily formed by the spacer members. As a result, the workload for forming the second air wet flow path can be reduced, so that the workload required for the work of constructing the air flow path block can be more effectively reduced. In addition, since the air flow path block is formed by stacking the flat plate members and the accordion-like spacer members, the spacer members can maintain a constant gap between the plurality of flat plate members. Therefore, even if the flat plate members are relatively low-rigidity and easily deformed members, the accordion-like spacer members can prevent the flat plate members from deforming and blocking the second air wet flow path.

In the evaporative heat exchanger according to the above aspect, the refrigerant flow path block is preferably arranged adjacent to the air flow path block in the horizontal direction, and the air flowing into the air dry flow path member flows in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the refrigerant flow path block and the air flow path block are adjacent in the horizontal plane, and then flows vertically downward through the first air wet flow path and the second air wet flow path. With this configuration, unlike when the refrigerant flow path block and the air flow path block are arranged adjacent to each other in the vertical direction, the refrigerant flow path block and the air flow path block are arranged adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction, so that water can be supplied from the same height to both the first water retention part of the refrigerant flow path block and the second water retention part of the air flow path block. Therefore, water can be supplied to the first water retention part and the second water retention part by a common water supply member, so that the complexity of the device configuration can be suppressed even when the refrigerant flow path block and the air flow path block are provided separately.

In this case, preferably, the refrigerant flow path block includes a first refrigerant flow path block and a second refrigerant flow path block, and both the first refrigerant flow path block and the second refrigerant flow path block each include a refrigerant flow path member and a first air wet flow path, and the air flow path block is arranged adjacent to the first refrigerant flow path block and the second refrigerant flow path block so as to be sandwiched between them in the horizontal direction. Here, when the first refrigerant flow path block and the second refrigerant flow path block are arranged adjacent to each other and the air flow path block is arranged adjacent to either one of the first refrigerant flow path block and the second refrigerant flow path block, the distance from the air flow path block is different between the first air wet flow path of the first refrigerant flow path block and the first air wet flow path of the second refrigerant flow path, so that the flow rate of the air introduced is biased. Therefore, since there is a difference in the efficiency of heat exchange between the first refrigerant flow path block and the second refrigerant flow path block, it is considered that the cooling efficiency of the device is reduced. In contrast, in the present invention, the air flow path block is arranged adjacent to the first refrigerant flow path block and the second refrigerant flow path block so as to be sandwiched between them in the horizontal direction. With this configuration, air from the dry air flow path member of the air flow path block can be symmetrically and evenly branched into the first wet air flow paths of the first and second refrigerant flow path blocks, which are arranged on the left and right sides of the air flow path block, respectively. As a result, air can be made to flow into the first and second refrigerant flow path blocks without bias, allowing efficient heat exchange.

In the evaporative heat exchanger according to the above aspect, preferably, the evaporative heat exchanger further includes a blower fan for blowing air into the air dry flow path member, and an air guide section for guiding the air from the blower fan to the air dry flow path member. With this configuration, the air guide section can efficiently guide the air from the blower fan to the air dry flow path member of the air flow path block. Therefore, after the air flowing into the air dry flow path member is cooled, it can be efficiently branched into the first air wet flow path and the second air wet flow path. As a result, air can be efficiently circulated through the air flow path block and the refrigerant flow path block, and heat exchange in the air flow path block and the refrigerant flow path block can be efficiently performed.

According to the present invention, as described above, even when the incoming air is cooled by the latent heat of vaporization of water and the cooled air is used to cool the refrigerant and the incoming air, the workload required for assembly can be reduced.

1 is a schematic perspective view showing an evaporative heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an evaporative heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention with a housing removed; 2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining the configuration of a housing of the evaporative heat exchanger according to the present embodiment. 4 is a diagram for explaining the air flow in the evaporative heat exchanger according to the present embodiment. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an air flow path block according to the present embodiment. 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining the configuration of an air flow path block according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a coolant flow path block according to the present embodiment. 4A to 4C are diagrams illustrating the configuration of flat tubes in a refrigerant flow path block according to the present embodiment. 3A and 3B are diagrams for explaining the configuration of a coolant flow path block according to the present embodiment. 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining the configuration of an evaporative heat exchanger according to a modified example of the present embodiment.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

(Overall configuration of evaporative heat exchanger)
The configuration of an evaporative heat exchanger 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9. FIG.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the evaporative heat exchanger 100 according to this embodiment is configured as a cooling/heating device for freezing and refrigerating fresh foods and the like. The evaporative heat exchanger 100 includes a housing 1, an air flow path block 2, a refrigerant flow path block 3, a water supply unit 4, and a blower fan 5. As described below, the air flow path block 2 includes a plurality of flat plate members 20, and the refrigerant flow path block 3 includes a plurality of flat tubes 30. The flat plate members 20 are an example of an "air dry flow path member" in the claims. The flat tubes 30 are an example of a "refrigerant flow path member" in the claims.

Here, the direction in which the air flow path block 2 and the refrigerant flow path block 3 are adjacent in a horizontal plane is defined as the X direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X direction in the horizontal plane is defined as the Y direction. The direction perpendicular to the X direction and the Y direction is defined as the Z direction (vertical direction).

The housing 1 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape. The housing 1 includes a first case portion 11 that houses an air flow path block 2, two refrigerant flow path blocks 3, and a blower fan 5 inside (internal space 11a), a second case portion 12 that is attached to the Y2 direction side (rear side) of the first case portion 11, and a third case portion 13 that is attached to the Z1 direction side (upper side) of the first case portion 11.

As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the air flow path block 2 and the refrigerant flow path block 3 are arranged adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction (X direction) inside the first case part 11 (internal space 11a) of the housing 1. Specifically, the refrigerant flow path block 3 is provided separately from the air flow path block 2. The refrigerant flow path block 3 includes a first refrigerant flow path block 3a and a second refrigerant flow path block 3b. The air flow path block 2 is arranged adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction (X direction) so as to be sandwiched between the first refrigerant flow path block 3a and the second refrigerant flow path block 3b. The first refrigerant flow path block 3a and the second refrigerant flow path block 3b have the same configuration. In the following description, the first refrigerant flow path block 3a and the second refrigerant flow path block 3b will be described as the refrigerant flow path block 3 without distinction.

As shown in FIG. 3, the second case part 12 is disposed on the Y2 direction side (back side) of the first case part 11. The third case part 13 is disposed on the Z1 direction side (upward side) of the first case part 11. The internal space 11a of the first case part 11 communicates with the internal space 12a of the second case part 12 on the Y2 direction side (back side). The internal space 11a of the first case part 11 communicates with the internal space 13a of the third case part 13 on the Z1 direction side (upward side). The first case part 11 has an opening 11b at the end on the Y1 direction side (front side). The first case part 11 has an opening 11c at the end on the Z2 direction side (downward side). The internal space 11a of the first case part 11 communicates with the external space via the opening 11c at the end on the Z2 direction side (downward side).

In addition, multiple openings 11b are provided corresponding to multiple blower fans 5. In addition, the multiple openings 11b and the multiple blower fans 5 are each arranged in a line in the Z direction. The multiple blower fans 5 send air into the air dry flow path D of the air flow path block 2 described later.

In addition, in this embodiment, an air guide plate 14 that guides air (outside air) from the blower fan 5 to the flat plate member 20 of the air flow path block 2 is provided in the internal space 11a. The air guide plate 14 is a plate-shaped member and is provided above and below the blower fan 5 so as to separate the air sucked in by each of the multiple blower fans 5. The air guide plate 14 is provided along the horizontal plane (XY plane) so that the air sucked in by each of the multiple blower fans 5 does not interfere with each other. The air guide plate 14 is an example of an "air guide section" in the claims.

As shown in FIG. 3, the second case portion 12 has an internal space 12a. The internal space 12a of the second case portion 12 is connected to the external space via the air dry flow path D of the air flow path block 2, which will be described later.

3, the third case portion 13 has an internal space 13a. The internal space 13a of the third case portion 13 communicates with the internal space 12a of the second case portion 12. The internal space 13a of the third case portion 13 also communicates with the internal space 11a of the first case portion 11. Specifically, the internal space 13a of the third case portion 13 communicates with each of an air wet flow path W1 (described later) of the refrigerant flow path block 3 of the first case portion 11 and an air wet flow path W2 (described later) of the air flow path block 2 of the first case portion 11. The air wet flow path W1 is an example of a "first air wet flow path" in the claims. The air wet flow path W2 is an example of a "second air wet flow path" in the claims.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the water supply unit 4 is provided in the internal space 13a of the third case portion 13 above the air flow path block 2 and the refrigerant flow path block 3. The water supply unit 4 supplies water to the water retention portion 31 (see Fig. 8) of the air wet flow path W1 described later and the water retention portion 22 (see Fig. 6) of the air wet flow path W2 by spraying water from above. Specifically, the water supply unit 4 is supplied with water from an external water supply pipe (not shown). The water supply unit 4 has multiple holes (not shown) formed on the Z2 direction side. The water supply unit 4 supplies water to the water retention portion 31 and the water retention portion 22 by continuously spraying water from the multiple holes provided on the Z2 direction side.

In the evaporative heat exchanger 100 according to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the air (outside air) taken in by the blower fan 5 flows into the air dry flow path D of the air flow path block 2 of the first case portion 11. Then, the air (cooled air) cooled in the air dry flow path D flows into the second case portion 12. The cooled air that flows into the second case portion 12 flows upward (Z1 direction) and flows into the third case portion 13. Then, the cooled air branches from the third case portion 13 into the air wet flow path W1 of the refrigerant flow path block 3 arranged inside the first case portion 11 and the air wet flow path W2 of the air flow path block 2 provided separately from the air wet flow path W1 and flows. The air that has passed through the air wet flow path W1 and the air wet flow path W2 is discharged to the outside of the device from the opening 11c. In this way, in the evaporative heat exchanger 100, the second case portion 12 and the third case portion 13 form a duct that connects the air dry flow path D to the air wet flow path W1 and the air wet flow path W2.

In this embodiment, the air (outside air) that flows into the air dry flow path D flows along the horizontal direction (Y direction). That is, the air that flows into the air dry flow path D flows in a direction (Y2 direction) perpendicular to the direction (X direction) in which the refrigerant flow path block 3 and the air flow path block 2 are adjacent to each other in the horizontal plane, and then flows downward (Z2 direction) in the vertical direction (Z direction) through the air wet flow path W1 and the air wet flow path W2. The air wet flow path W1 is provided so as to be separated from the air dry flow path D in each of the left and right directions (X1 direction and X2 direction) when viewed from the air flow direction (Y direction) of the air dry flow path D in the horizontal plane. Therefore, the air (cooling air) from the dry air flow path D of the air flow path block 2 branches into three directions: the wet air flow path W2 of the air flow path block 2 located in the center in the X direction, and the wet air flow paths W1 of the two refrigerant flow path blocks 3 (the first refrigerant flow path block 3a and the second refrigerant flow path block 3b) located on the left and right in the X direction so as to be separated from the wet air flow path W2.

(Configuration of Air Flow Channel Block)
5 and 6, in this embodiment, the air flow path block 2 of the evaporative heat exchanger 100 includes a plurality of flat plate members 20 and a plurality of spacer members 21. The air flow path block 2 is configured by alternately stacking the flat plate members 20 and the spacer members 21 in the X direction.

In this embodiment, the flat plate members 20 are arranged side by side facing each other at a predetermined interval (constant interval). In other words, the flat plate members 20 are stacked at a predetermined interval (equally spaced). The flat plate members 20 also include an air dry flow path D through which air flows. Specifically, the flat plate members 20 have a plurality of (for example, 10) through holes 20a penetrating the flat plate member 20 in the Y direction. Each of the through holes 20a has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the Y1 direction. The through holes 20a are also arranged at substantially equal intervals in the Z direction. In the flat plate members 20, an air dry flow path D through which air (outside air) flows is formed inside the through holes 20a. That is, air (outside air) taken in by the blower fan 5 installed on the Y1 direction side (front side) flows into the through-holes 20a from the Y1 side (the inlet side of the air dry flow path D) of the flat plate members 20, and is discharged to the Y2 side (the outlet side of the air dry flow path D) of the through-holes 20a of the flat plate members 20. The flat plate members 20 are formed of a resin such as polypropylene. The flat plate members 20 may also be formed of a metal such as aluminum.

6, in the air passage block 2 according to this embodiment, the water retention portion 22 is provided on the outer surface of the flat plate member 20. Specifically, the water retention portion 22 is provided on both the surface on the X1 direction side and the surface on the X2 direction side of each of the plurality of flat plate members 20 so as to contact the entire flat plate member 20. The water retention portion 22 includes, for example, a nonwoven fabric attached to the surface of the flat plate member 20 by an adhesive. The water retention portion 22 also includes, for example, a resin fiber formed from a resin such as rayon, nylon, or acrylic. The resin fiber is bonded to the surface of the nonwoven fabric of the water retention portion 22 by electrostatic flocking. The water retention portion 22 may be formed by spraying the resin fiber together with an adhesive onto the surface of the flat plate member 20 to bond it thereto. The water retention portion 22 is an example of a "second water retention portion" in the claims.

In addition, in this embodiment, the water retention section 22 retains water that cools the air flowing through the air dry flow path D inside the flat plate member 20. The water retention section 22 retains (holds) water from the water supply section 4 on the outer surface of the flat plate member 20 by capillary action occurring in the gaps formed by the resin fibers. Then, heat is taken from the air (outside air) flowing through the air dry flow path D by the latent heat of vaporization caused by the vaporization of the water in the water retention section 22. That is, the air (outside air) that has flowed in is cooled in the air dry flow path D and is discharged as cooled air.

Spacer members 21 are arranged between each of the flat plate members 20. The spacer members 21 are plate-shaped members folded in an accordion-like shape. Specifically, the spacer members 21 have folds along the Z direction, and are folded so as to alternately repeat mountain folds and valley folds. That is, the spacer members 21 have a zigzag shape when viewed from the Z direction. The spacer members 21 are configured to allow air to flow in the direction along the folded folds (Z2 direction). The spacer members 21 are also provided between the water retention sections 22 (flat plate members 20) facing each other so as to prevent the flow of air (outside air) from the Y1 direction side toward the Y2 direction side. That is, the spacer members 21 are provided adjacent to each other over the entire flat plate member 20 in the Z direction. The spacer members 21 are made of a resin such as polypropylene, for example.

In addition, in this embodiment, an air wet flow path W2 is formed between the multiple flat plate members 20 so as to be adjacent to the air dry flow path D. Specifically, the air wet flow path W2 is formed between adjacent flat plate members 20 among the multiple flat plate members 20 stacked at a predetermined interval (constant interval). That is, the air wet flow path W2 is provided between the mutually opposing water retention parts 22 among the multiple water retention parts 22 provided on the outer surfaces of the multiple flat plate members 20 on the X1 direction side and the X2 direction side. In other words, the air wet flow path W2 is provided with water retention parts 22.

In this embodiment, the multiple spacer members 21 form gaps that allow air to flow through the air wet flow path W2. That is, the air wet flow path W2 is formed by the gap between the water retention portion 22 and the spacer member 21. Specifically, the air wet flow paths W2 are formed between the water retention portion 22 and the spacer member 21 facing the water retention portion 22 in a manner that corresponds to the zigzag shape of the spacer member 21. In addition, the air wet flow path W2 is adjacent to the air dry flow path D provided in the flat plate member 20 over its entirety in the Z direction. In addition, the multiple flat plate members 20 are arranged at approximately equal intervals with a predetermined interval between them so that the width of the air wet flow path W2 in the X direction is, for example, about 3 mm.

(Configuration of Coolant Flow Channel Block)
As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the refrigerant flow path block 3 of the evaporative heat exchanger 100 includes a plurality of flat tubes 30. The plurality of flat tubes 30 are arranged side by side so as to face each other at a predetermined interval. The plurality of flat tubes 30 have a refrigerant flow path C through which the refrigerant flows. Specifically, the flat tube 30 has a plurality of (four) through holes 30a penetrating in the Z direction. The refrigerant flows inside the through holes 30a, and the refrigerant flow path C is formed. Each of the plurality of through holes 30a has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the Z1 direction. The plurality of through holes 30a are arranged in the X direction at substantially equal intervals. The through holes 30a may have a circular shape when viewed from the Z1 direction. The plurality of flat tubes 30 are formed of a metal such as aluminum or a resin.

The refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path C is, for example, freon, water, air, ammonia, or carbon dioxide. The refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path C is continuously supplied to the flat tubes 30 from outside the device. The refrigerant cooled in the refrigerant flow path C of the flat tubes 30 is then sent to the outside of the device. Specifically, the refrigerant flow path block 3 of the evaporative heat exchanger 100 cools the high-temperature refrigerant flowing in from the refrigerant piping on the Z2 direction side by circulating it through the flat tubes 30 from the Z2 direction side to the Z1 direction side, and sends the cooled low-temperature refrigerant out of the device via the refrigerant piping on the Z1 direction side.

As shown in FIG. 8, in the refrigerant flow path block 3 according to this embodiment, a water retention section 31 is provided on the outer surface of the flat tube 30. Specifically, the water retention section 31 is provided on both the Y1-direction surface and the Y2-direction surface of each of the flat tubes 30 so as to contact the entire flat tube 30. The water retention section 31 includes resin fibers formed from a resin such as rayon, nylon, or acrylic. The resin fibers are bonded to the outer surface of the flat tube 30 by electrostatic flocking. The resin fibers may be bonded by spraying them onto the surface of the flat tube 30 together with an adhesive. The water retention section 31 is an example of a "first water retention section" in the claims.

The water retention section 31 also retains water that cools the refrigerant flowing through the flat tubes 30. The water retention section 31 retains (holds) water from the water supply section 4 on the outer surface of the flat tubes 30 due to capillary action occurring in gaps formed by the resin fibers. Heat is then removed from the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path C by the latent heat of vaporization of the water in the water retention section 31.

As shown in FIG. 9, in this embodiment, an air wet flow path W1 is formed between the flat tubes 30. The air wet flow path W1 is arranged so as to be adjacent to the refrigerant flow path C. Specifically, the air wet flow path W1 is provided between the mutually opposing water retention parts 31 among the multiple water retention parts 31 provided on the outer surfaces of the flat tubes 30 on the Y1 direction side and the Y2 direction side. In other words, the air wet flow path W1 is provided with the water retention parts 31. The air wet flow path W1 is adjacent to the refrigerant flow path C provided in the flat tube 30 over its entirety in the Z direction. In addition, the multiple flat tubes 30 are arranged at approximately equal intervals with a predetermined interval between them so that the width of the air wet flow path W1 in the Y direction is, for example, about 3 mm.

In this embodiment, both the first refrigerant flow path block 3a and the second refrigerant flow path block 3b each include a plurality of flat tubes 30. In both the first refrigerant flow path block 3a and the second refrigerant flow path block 3b, an air wet flow path W1 is formed between the plurality of flat tubes 30.

(Heat transfer in evaporative heat exchangers)
Next, the transfer of heat in the evaporative heat exchanger 100 will be described. In this embodiment, the air flowing into the air dry flow path D of the air flow path block 2 is cooled by the latent heat of vaporization of the water in the water retention section 22 of the air wet flow path W2, and then the air is branched and flows into the air wet flow path W1 of the refrigerant flow path block 3 and the air wet flow path W2 of the air flow path block 2. That is, the evaporative heat exchanger 100 is configured to allow the cooling air pre-cooled in the air dry flow path D to flow into the air wet flow paths W1 and W2, and to perform heat exchange (cooling) in the air wet flow paths W1 and W2. Here, pre-cooling refers to lowering the temperature of the air flowing into the air wet flow paths W1 and W2 to a temperature at which the water in the water retention section 22 is unlikely to take the heat of vaporization from the air flowing into the air wet flow paths W1 and W2.

The dry air flow path D is configured to allow the incoming air (outside air) to flow out as air (cooled air) at a temperature lower than the outside air. The wet air flow paths W1 and W2 are configured to allow air (cooled air) at a temperature lower than the outside air to flow out as air (hot and humid air) at a temperature higher than the temperature of the cooled air.

Pre-cooling of air in the air drying channel
The air dry flow path D is configured to cool the incoming air (air passing through the inside) by the water retention portion 22. Specifically, the water in the water retention portion 22 of the air wet flow path W2 evaporates, and heat (latent heat of vaporization) is taken from the air flowing inside the air dry flow path D via the flat plate member 20. This causes the air flowing inside the air dry flow path D to be cooled. At this time, since the air dry flow path D is not provided with a structure for retaining water, the air in the air dry flow path D is not humidified.

In the air dry flow path D, the outside air that flows in is cooled without being humidified, so the amount of water vapor in the air in the air dry flow path D is saturated at a lower temperature than when the air in the air dry flow path D is humidified. Therefore, the temperature at which the temperature drop in the air in the air dry flow path D due to the cooling of the water in the water retention section 22 balances with the temperature rise due to the condensation heat of the water vapor contained in the air in the air dry flow path D is lower than when the air in the air dry flow path D is humidified. In other words, in the air dry flow path D, the temperature at which the temperature rise due to the condensation heat of the water vapor contained in the internal air balances with the internal temperature drop due to the cooling of the water in the water retention section 22 can be made lower than when the internal air is humidified. In this way, the air dry flow path D is configured to be able to cool the air in the air dry flow path D to the dew point temperature at which the water vapor contained in the air in the air dry flow path D condenses.

In the air dry flow path D, when the air inside reaches the dew point temperature and is further cooled, the water vapor in the air inside condenses, generating condensation heat, and the air inside is heated by the amount it is cooled, because the absolute humidity inside is saturated humidity. Therefore, in the air dry flow path D, at the dew point temperature, the condensation heat of the water vapor contained in the air inside is balanced with the cooling of the inside by the water in the moisture retention section 22. Note that absolute humidity indicates the weight ratio of water vapor to 1 kg of dry air (air without moisture) in the target air.

Cooling of the refrigerant in the air wet flow path
The air wet flow paths W1 and W2 are configured to receive the air (cooled air) that has flowed out of the air dry flow path D. In the evaporative heat exchanger 100, the air (cooled air) that has flowed out of the air dry flow path D flows through the internal space 12a of the second case portion 12 (see FIG. 3) and then through the internal space 13a of the third case portion 13 (see FIG. 3), and then flows into the air wet flow paths W1 and W2.

The air wet flow paths W1 and W2 are configured so that the air passing through them is heated. The air wet flow path W1 is configured so that the air passing through the air wet flow path W1 takes heat from the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path C, which has a higher temperature than the air wet flow path W1. In the air wet flow path W1, the temperature of the air passing through the air wet flow path W1 increases by taking heat from the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path C. The air passing through the air wet flow path W1 increases in temperature and therefore the amount of saturated water vapor increases. As a result, in the air wet flow path W1, the water in the water retention section 31 is vaporized, and the air with a higher temperature is cooled and humidified by the vaporization of the water in the water retention section 31, and returns to a saturated state. In this way, in the air wet flow path W1, the air passing through the air wet flow path W1 takes heat from the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path C, while the water vapor vaporized from the water retention section 31 flows downstream. That is, the air passing through the air wet flow path W1 is heated by the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path C and humidified by the water vapor vaporized from the water retention section 31.

The air wet flow path W2 is configured so that the air passing through the air wet flow path W2 takes heat from the air (outside air) in the air dry flow path D, which has a higher temperature than the air wet flow path W2. In the air wet flow path W2, the temperature of the air passing through the air wet flow path W2 rises by taking heat from the air (outside air) flowing through the air dry flow path D. Then, the air passing through the air wet flow path W2 increases in temperature and the amount of saturated water vapor increases, similar to the air wet flow path W1. As a result, in the air wet flow path W2, evaporation begins in the water retention section 22, and the air with a raised temperature is cooled and humidified by the evaporation of the water in the water retention section 22, and returns to a saturated state. In this way, in the air wet flow path W2, the air passing through the air wet flow path W2 takes heat from the air in the air dry flow path D, while the water vapor evaporated from the water retention section 22 flows downstream. That is, the air passing through the air wet flow path W2 is heated by the air in the air dry flow path D and humidified by the water vapor evaporated from the water retention section 22.

In the air wet flow paths W1 and W2, the heated air (hot and humid air) is discharged to the external space from the opening 11c (see FIG. 3) on the Z2 side of the first case portion 11, thereby discharging heat. In addition, in the air wet flow paths W1 and W2, water that does not vaporize in the water retention portion 31 and the water retention portion 22 is also discharged to the external space from the opening 11c on the Z2 side of the first case portion 11.

[Effects of this embodiment]
In this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

In this embodiment, as described above, the refrigerant flow path block 3 includes a plurality of flat tubes 30 (refrigerant flow path members) arranged side by side at a predetermined interval and through which a refrigerant flows. The air flow path block 2 includes a plurality of flat plate members 20 (air dry flow path members) arranged side by side at a predetermined interval and through which air flows, and is provided separately from the refrigerant flow path block 3. This allows the refrigerant flow path block 3 to be configured by arranging the flat tubes 30 side by side, and the air flow path block 2 to be configured separately from the refrigerant flow path block 3 by arranging the flat plate members 20 side by side. Therefore, compared to the case where the flat plate members 20 are inserted one by one into a plurality of slits provided in the side wall portion of the housing 1 to arrange the different members, the flat tubes 30 and the flat plate members 20, one by one, in an alternating arrangement, the refrigerant flow path block 3 and the air flow path block 2 can be configured by arranging the same members side by side, and the assembly work can be easily performed. As a result, even when the inflowing air is cooled by the latent heat of vaporization of water and the refrigerant and the inflowing air are cooled by the cooled air, the workload required for the assembly work can be reduced.

In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the plurality of refrigerant flow path members include a plurality of flat tubes 30 arranged side by side to face each other at a predetermined interval, and the air wet flow path W1 (first air wet flow path) is formed between the plurality of flat tubes 30, and the plurality of air dry flow path members include a plurality of flat plate members 20 arranged side by side to face each other at a predetermined interval, and the air wet flow path W2 (second air wet flow path) is formed between the plurality of flat plate members 20. With this configuration, the plurality of flat tubes 30 are arranged side by side to face each other at a predetermined interval, and the air wet flow path W1 can be easily formed between the opposing surfaces of the flat tubes 30. Therefore, heat exchange can be easily performed between the refrigerant flowing inside the flat tubes 30 and the air flowing through the air wet flow path W1 on the opposing surfaces of the flat tubes 30. Similarly, the plurality of flat plate members 20 are arranged side by side to face each other at a predetermined interval, and the air wet flow path W2 can be easily formed between the opposing surfaces of the flat plate members 20. Therefore, heat exchange can be easily performed between the air flowing inside the flat plate members 20 and the air flowing through the air wet flow path W2 on the opposing surfaces of the flat plate members 20. As a result, heat exchange can be efficiently performed while the air wet flow path W1 and the air wet flow path W2 are easily formed.

In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the flat plate members 20 are stacked side by side so as to face each other at a predetermined interval, and the air wet flow path W2 (second air wet flow path) is formed between adjacent flat plate members 20 among the stacked flat plate members 20. With this configuration, the air wet flow path W2 is formed between adjacent flat plate members 20 among the stacked flat plate members 20, so that the air wet flow path W2 can be formed for one flat plate member 20 so as to be adjacent to both sides in the direction in which the flat plate members 20 are stacked. Therefore, heat exchange can be performed on both sides of the flat plate member 20, so that heat exchange can be more effectively performed between the air inside the flat plate member 20 and the air flowing through the air wet flow path W2. As a result, the air inside the flat plate member 20 can be efficiently cooled, and the heat exchange efficiency of the device can be improved.

In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the air flow path block 2 further includes a plurality of spacer members 21 that form a gap through which air can flow in the air wet flow path W2 (second air wet flow path), and is configured by alternately stacking a plurality of spacer members 21 and a plurality of flat plate members 20. With this configuration, the spacer members 21 maintain the gap through which air can flow in the air wet flow path W2, so that the flat plate members 20 and the spacer members 21 can be alternately stacked to easily arrange the flat plate members 20 while maintaining a predetermined gap. Therefore, the spacer members 21 provided between the flat plate members 20 can easily form the air wet flow path W2 between adjacent flat plate members 20. As a result, the burden required for the work of constructing the air flow path block 2 can be further reduced.

In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the multiple spacer members 21 are plate-shaped folded in an accordion-like shape and are configured to circulate air in a direction along the folded creases. With this configuration, the spacer members 21 can be easily formed by folding a plate-shaped member in an accordion-like shape, so that a gap through which air can flow can be easily formed in the air wet flow path W2 (second air wet flow path). In addition, since the spacer members 21 circulate air in a direction along the folds folded in an accordion-like shape, the flow direction of the air flowing in the air wet flow path W2 can be easily determined. Therefore, the air wet flow path W2 can be easily formed by the spacer members 21. As a result, the workload for forming the air wet flow path W2 can be reduced, so that the workload required for the work of constructing the air flow path block 2 can be more effectively reduced. In addition, since the air flow path block 2 is constructed by stacking the flat plate members 20 and the accordion-like spacer members 21, the spacer members 21 can maintain the intervals between the multiple flat plate members 20 at a constant size. Therefore, even if the flat plate member 20 is a member with a relatively low rigidity and is easily deformed, the bellows-shaped spacer member 21 can prevent the flat plate member 20 from deforming and blocking the air wet flow path W2.

In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the refrigerant flow path block 3 is arranged adjacent to the air flow path block 2 in the horizontal direction, and the air flowing into the flat plate member 20 (air dry flow path member) flows in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the refrigerant flow path block 3 and the air flow path block 2 are adjacent in the horizontal plane, and then flows vertically downward through the air wet flow path W1 (first air wet flow path) and the air wet flow path W2 (second air wet flow path). With this configuration, unlike the case in which the refrigerant flow path block 3 and the air flow path block 2 are arranged adjacent to each other in the vertical direction, the refrigerant flow path block 3 and the air flow path block 2 are arranged adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction, so that water can be supplied from the same height to both the water retention section 31 (first water retention section) of the refrigerant flow path block 3 and the water retention section 22 (second water retention section) of the air flow path block 2. Therefore, water can be supplied to the water retention section 31 and the water retention section 22 by a common water supply member, so that the complication of the device configuration can be suppressed even when the refrigerant flow path block 3 and the air flow path block 2 are provided separately.

In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the refrigerant flow path block 3 includes the first refrigerant flow path block 3a and the second refrigerant flow path block 3b, and both the first refrigerant flow path block 3a and the second refrigerant flow path block 3b each include a flat tube 30 (refrigerant flow path member) and an air wet flow path W1 (first air wet flow path), and the air flow path block 2 is arranged adjacent to the first refrigerant flow path block 3a and the second refrigerant flow path block 3b in the horizontal direction so as to be sandwiched between them. Here, when the first refrigerant flow path block 3a and the second refrigerant flow path block 3b are arranged adjacent to each other and the air flow path block 2 is arranged adjacent to either one of the first refrigerant flow path block 3a and the second refrigerant flow path block 3b, the distance from the air flow path block 2 is different between the first refrigerant flow path block 3a and the second refrigerant flow path block 3b. Therefore, the distance from the air dry flow path of the air flow path block 2 is different between the air wet flow path W1 of the first refrigerant flow path block 3a and the air wet flow path W1 of the second refrigerant flow path block 3b, so that the flow rate of the air flowing in is biased. Therefore, the efficiency of heat exchange between the first refrigerant passage block 3a and the second refrigerant passage block 3b may differ, and the cooling efficiency of the device may decrease. In contrast, in this embodiment, the air passage block 2 is arranged horizontally adjacent to the first refrigerant passage block 3a and the second refrigerant passage block 3b so as to be sandwiched between them. With this configuration, air from the flat plate member 20 (air dry passage member) of the air passage block 2 can be branched symmetrically to the air wet passage W1 of each of the first refrigerant passage block 3a and the second refrigerant passage block 3b arranged on the left and right of the air passage block 2, and the air wet passage W2 of the air passage block 2. As a result, air can be introduced into the first refrigerant passage block 3a and the second refrigerant passage block 3b without bias, and heat exchange can be performed efficiently.

In addition, as described above, this embodiment further includes a blower fan 5 for blowing air into the flat plate member 20 (air dry flow path member), and an air guide plate 14 (air guide section) for guiding the air from the blower fan 5 to the flat plate member 20. With this configuration, the air guide plate 14 can efficiently guide the air from the blower fan 5 to the flat plate member 20 of the air flow path block 2. Therefore, after the air flowing into the flat plate member 20 is cooled, it can be efficiently branched into the air wet flow path W1 (first air wet flow path) and the air wet flow path W2 (second air wet flow path). As a result, air can be efficiently circulated through the air flow path block 2 and the refrigerant flow path block 3, so that heat exchange in the air flow path block 2 and the refrigerant flow path block 3 can be efficiently performed.

[Modification]
It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not by the description of the embodiments above, and further includes all modifications (variations) within the meaning and scope of the claims.

For example, in the above embodiment, the air flow path block is sandwiched between the first refrigerant flow path block and the second refrigerant flow path block, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as in the modified evaporative heat exchanger 200 shown in FIG. 10, the air flow path block 202 may be disposed adjacent to one refrigerant flow path block 203.

In the above embodiment, the multiple air dry flow path members include multiple flat plate members arranged side by side facing each other at a predetermined interval, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the air dry flow path members may be composed of flat tubes, similar to the refrigerant flow path members.

In the above embodiment, the air flow path block further includes a plurality of spacer members that form a gap through which air can flow in the second air wet flow path, and is configured by alternately stacking a plurality of spacer members and a plurality of flat plate members, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the second air wet flow path may be provided between the flat plate members by fixing the flat plate members at a predetermined interval without providing spacer members.

In the above embodiment, the spacer members are plate-shaped and bent like bellows, and are configured to allow air to flow in the direction along the creases. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, multiple columnar spacer members extending in the Z direction may be arranged so as to be sandwiched between flat plate members.

In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the air flowing into the air dry flow path member flows in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the refrigerant flow path block and the air flow path block are adjacent in a horizontal plane, and then flows vertically downward through the first air wet flow path and the second air wet flow path, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the air flowing into the air dry flow path member and the air flowing through the first air wet flow path and the second air wet flow path may flow in opposite directions. Also, the direction of the air flowing through the first air wet flow path and the direction of the air flowing through the second air wet flow path may be different.

In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which an air guide plate (air guide section) was provided to guide the air from the blower fan to the air dry flow path member, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, an air guide plate may not be provided. Also, instead of an air guide plate, which is a plate-shaped member, the air from the blower fan may be guided to the air dry flow path by a frame-shaped member that is arranged to surround the blower fan.

In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which three blower fans were provided on the inlet side of the air drying flow path, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, four or more blower fans may be provided, or two or less blower fans may be provided. Also, a blower fan may be provided on the outlet side of the flow path, rather than on the inlet side.

In the above embodiment, the refrigerant flow path block is formed by flat tubes having four through holes, and the air flow path block is formed by a flat plate member having ten through holes. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the refrigerant flow path block may be formed by flat tubes having five or more or three or less through holes. The air flow path block may be formed by a flat plate member having 11 or more or nine or less through holes. Similarly, the number of flat tubes that form the refrigerant flow path block and the number of flat plate members that form the air flow path block may be any number.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the refrigerant flow path block and the air flow path block are arranged side by side in a horizontal plane when viewed from the direction in which air flows into the air dry flow path, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the refrigerant flow path block and the air flow path block may be arranged side by side in a horizontal plane when viewed from the direction in which air flows into the air dry flow path. The refrigerant flow path block and the air flow path block may also be arranged side by side in a vertical direction.

In the above embodiment, the refrigerant flow path block includes a plurality of flat tubes having a refrigerant flow path therein, and the air flow path block includes a plurality of flat plate members having an air dry flow path therein, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the refrigerant flow path block may be a fin-and-tube type heat exchanger having a refrigerant flow path. Also, the air flow path block may be composed of flat tubes having an air dry flow path.

2, 202 Air flow path block 3, 203 Coolant flow path block 3a First coolant flow path block 3b Second coolant flow path block 5 Blower fan 14 Air guide plate (air guide section)
20 Flat plate member (air dry flow path member)
21 Spacer member 22 Water retention portion (second water retention portion)
30 Flat tube (refrigerant flow path member)
31 Water retention section (first water retention section)
100, 200 Evaporative heat exchanger

Claims (8)

a refrigerant flow path block including a plurality of refrigerant flow path members arranged side by side at a predetermined interval and through which a refrigerant flows, a first water retention portion provided on an outer surface of the refrigerant flow path members and configured to retain water for cooling the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path members, and a first air wet flow path formed between the plurality of refrigerant flow path members;
the cooling system includes a plurality of air dry flow path members arranged side by side at predetermined intervals, with air flowing therethrough; a second water retention portion provided on an outer surface of the air dry flow path members, for retaining water for cooling air flowing through the air dry flow path members; and an air flow path block provided separately from the refrigerant flow path block, the second water retention portion including a second air wet flow path formed between the plurality of air dry flow path members,
an evaporative heat exchanger configured so that air flowing into the air dry flow path member of the air flow path block is cooled by the latent heat of vaporization of water in the second water retention section, and then branches off and flows into the first air wet flow path of the refrigerant flow path block and the second air wet flow path of the air flow path block. The plurality of refrigerant flow path members include a plurality of flat tubes arranged side by side so as to face each other at a predetermined interval,
The first air wet flow path is formed between the flat tubes,
The plurality of air dry flow path members include a plurality of flat plate members arranged side by side so as to face each other at a predetermined interval,
The evaporative heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the second wet air flow passage is formed between the plurality of flat plate members. The plurality of flat plate members are stacked side by side so as to face each other at a predetermined interval,
The evaporative heat exchanger according to claim 2 , wherein the second air wet flow passage is formed between adjacent ones of the plurality of stacked flat plate members. The evaporative heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the air flow path block further includes a plurality of spacer members that form gaps through which air can flow in the second air wet flow path, and is constructed by alternately stacking the plurality of spacer members and the plurality of flat plate members. The evaporative heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein the spacer members are plate-shaped and folded in an accordion-like shape, and are configured to allow air to flow in a direction along the folded creases. the refrigerant passage block is disposed adjacent to the air passage block in a horizontal direction,
An evaporative heat exchanger as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the air flowing into the air dry flow path member is configured to flow in a horizontal plane in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the refrigerant flow path block and the air flow path block are adjacent, and then flow vertically downward through the first air wet flow path and the second air wet flow path. the refrigerant flow path block includes a first refrigerant flow path block and a second refrigerant flow path block,
each of the first refrigerant flow path block and the second refrigerant flow path block includes the refrigerant flow path member and the first air wet flow path;
7. The evaporative heat exchanger according to claim 6, wherein the air passage block is disposed adjacent to the first refrigerant passage block and the second refrigerant passage block in a horizontal direction so as to be sandwiched between the first refrigerant passage block and the second refrigerant passage block. The evaporative heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a blower fan for blowing air into the air dry flow path member, and an air guide section for directing air from the blower fan to the air dry flow path member.

Images