JP4624130B2 - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conditioner that cools and heats a room, and more particularly, to an air conditioner that incorporates a humidifier and can perform humidification.

  Conventionally, a vaporizing humidifier has been incorporated into an indoor unit body of a ceiling-embedded air conditioner installed on a ceiling in a room, and water vapor (humidity) vaporized by the humidifier has been formed in the indoor unit body. There is known an air conditioner that is supplied to a ventilation path of conditioned air so that air conditioning and humidification of a conditioned room can be performed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In addition, in an air conditioner in which a humidifier is incorporated in an indoor unit so that air conditioning and humidification can be performed, an air conditioner that can drain excess humidified water from the humidifier through a drain port of a drain pan is also known (for example, , See Patent Document 2).
JP 2001-324180 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-74915

  However, in the air conditioner having the above-described conventional configuration, there is a concern that microorganisms such as bacteria and mold may propagate in the humidifying portion of the humidifier, and the humidifier itself, the indoor unit main body, and the indoor environment of the conditioned room It was very difficult to keep it hygienic.

  In addition, in this type of air conditioner indoor unit, bacteria or other substances may be added to the drain pan that stores the condensed water (hereinafter referred to as drain water) of the indoor heat exchanger, the drain hose that discharges the drain water to the outside, and the like. Microorganisms such as molds are propagated, and the propagation of these microorganisms often forms an accumulation film in the drain water drainage path, which may cause clogging of piping. Therefore, conventionally, a drug film forming process using a drug such as an antibacterial agent or a fungicide is performed on the inner surface of the drain pan which is in contact with the drain water. However, in such a chemical treatment, there has been a problem that the antibacterial / antifungal effect gradually diminishes due to deterioration of the treatment surface such as drug elution and adhesion of dirt due to long-term use.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances. When a humidifier is incorporated in an indoor unit body, not only the incorporated humidifier but also a drain water drainage path in the indoor unit is extended over a long period of time. The goal is to be able to keep it hygienic in a stable state.

The present invention according to claim 1 includes an indoor unit body installed in a room and including a blower, an indoor side heat exchanger, and a drain pan for receiving drain water from the indoor side heat exchanger. In an air conditioner configured to incorporate a humidifier and supply moisture generated in the humidifier of the humidifier to a conditioned air ventilation path formed in the indoor unit main body to perform humidification and air conditioning.
The humidifier is supplied with tap water through a water supply pipe and electrolyzes the supplied tap water to generate electrolyzed water, a humidifier, and the electrolyzed water generator. The electrolyzed water supply conduit for guiding the generated electrolyzed water to the humidifying unit, the electrolyzed water drain conduit for guiding the electrolyzed water supplied to the humidifying unit to the drain pan, and the electrolyzed water from the electrolyzed water generating unit are the humidified A bypass pipe branched from the middle of the electrolyzed water supply pipe so as to be guided to the drain pan for sterilization by bypassing the part ,
A flow path switching mechanism for switching the flow path of the electrolyzed water from the electrolyzed water generating section to the humidifying section side or the bypass pipe side is provided at a branch portion in the middle of the electrolyzed water supply pipe line .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, an electric flow control valve for controlling the amount of water supplied to the electrolyzed water generator is provided in the middle of the water supply pipe. Features .

In this invention of Claim 3, in the invention of Claim 2, it was set as the structure which made the front-end | tip exit part of the said electrolyzed water drain pipe line face the position away from the drain water discharge part of the said drain pan. Features.

  According to the present invention, when humidification is unnecessary, such as in summer, the electrolyzed water generated in the electrolyzed water generating unit can be guided to the drain pan by bypassing the humidifying unit. Even when humidification is not required, the air conditioning system can maintain the drainage drainage path hygienically, maintain the indoor units hygienically and maintain the indoor environment well throughout the season. Can provide.

  When a humidifier is incorporated into the indoor unit body of an air conditioner, the drainage drainage path in the indoor unit as well as the built-in humidifier itself can be kept hygienic in a stable state over a long period of time. An indoor unit main body that is installed indoors and includes a blower, an indoor heat exchanger, and a drain pan that receives drain water from the indoor heat exchanger, and is equipped with a humidifier. In the air conditioner configured to supply moisture to the conditioned air ventilation path formed in the indoor unit body so as to perform humidification and air conditioning, the humidifier The tap water is supplied through a water supply pipe and the electrolyzed water generation unit that electrolyzes the supplied tap water to generate electrolyzed water, the humidification unit, and the electrolyzed water generation unit An electrolytic water supply pipe for guiding the the electrolytic water to the humidifier, and the electrolytic water supplied to the humidifying unit realized by providing an electrolytic water drain line leading to the drain pan.

  In addition, for the above purpose, an indoor unit body that is installed indoors and has a blower, an indoor heat exchanger, and a drain pan that receives drain water from the indoor heat exchanger is incorporated, and a humidifier is incorporated in the indoor unit body. In the air conditioner configured to supply the humidity generated in the humidification unit of the humidifier to the ventilation path of the conditioned air formed in the indoor unit main body so as to perform humidification and air conditioning, the humidifier is The tap water is supplied through the water supply pipe and the electrolyzed water generation unit that electrolyzes the supplied tap water to generate the electrolyzed water, the humidification unit, and the electrolyzed water generated by the electrolyzed water generation unit The electrolyzed water supply pipe for guiding the electrolyzed water supplied to the humidifying section, the electrolyzed water drain pipe for guiding the electrolyzed water supplied to the humidifying section to the drain pan, and the electrolyzed water from the electrolyzed water generating section bypass the humidifying section. As led by the drain pan It was achieved by providing a bypass line which is branched from the middle of the electrolytic water supply pipe.

  Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a vertical side view of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention installed in a room, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the air conditioner according to the first embodiment of the present invention. is there.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an indoor unit of a ceiling-embedded four-direction blow-out type air conditioner. The indoor unit 1 includes a box-shaped indoor unit body 1A made of sheet metal, and the indoor unit body 1A includes a plurality of indoor unit bodies 1A. It is suspended in the back space of the ceiling 3 of the room to be conditioned by the suspension bolt 2 of the book.

  1 A of said indoor unit main bodies are open | released in the lower surface side, and when embedded in the ceiling 3, the open surface of the lower surface side opposes a to-be-conditioned room. The indoor unit body 1 includes a blower 5 including a motor 5A and a blower fan 5B, and an indoor heat exchanger bent into a polygonal shape (pentagonal shape) disposed on the outer periphery of the blower 5. 6 and a drain pan 7 which is arranged below the indoor heat exchanger 6 and receives drain water from the indoor heat exchanger 6 is built in. A central opening 7A of the drain pan 7 has a bell. A mouse 8 is provided.

  A rectangular decorative panel 11 is attached to the lower surface side of the indoor unit main body 1A. The decorative panel 11 has a rectangular central suction port 9 and four edge portions of the suction port 9. Four horizontally long outlets 10 and 10 having four directions of the conditioned air blowing direction are formed. Further, a filter 12 that prevents intrusion of dust or the like is detachably mounted inside the central suction port 9. A conditioned air ventilation path X extending from the central suction port 9 to the blowout ports 10 and 10 is formed inside the indoor unit main body 1A.

  A polygonal drain water receiving groove portion 7 </ b> B into which the lower end portion of the indoor heat exchanger 6 is inserted is continuously formed on the upper surface portion of the drain pan 7. Then, the drain water stored in the drain water receiving groove portion 7B is detected from the suction port P1 (drain water discharge portion) as shown in FIG. 2 by detecting a water level above a predetermined level by a water level sensor (not shown). The water is pumped up and drained to the outside through the drain hose H.

  The indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner is connected to an outdoor unit (all not shown) including a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a four-way switching valve, an outdoor fan, and the like through a refrigerant pipe. A refrigeration cycle that circulates is formed. The indoor unit 1 is operated in various operation modes such as a cooling operation, a heating operation, a dehumidifying operation, or an automatic operation by the built-in indoor unit control device S1.

  The indoor unit control device S1 transmits / receives various operation signals to / from an outdoor unit control device (both not shown) via a communication line, and various types of signals from the remote controller R via the communication line or wirelessly. Operation signals and various operation signals can be received.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the remote controller R includes various operation switches for air conditioning operation by the air conditioner, and a humidification operation on / off switch KS and an electrolyzed water supply operation for operation of the humidifier 13 described later. And a display unit Y for performing various operation displays, set temperature displays, room temperature displays, time displays, alarm displays, and the like.

  Here, for example, when the heating operation is started, the high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant flows through the indoor heat exchanger 6 of the indoor unit 1, and the indoor heat exchanger 6 acts as a condenser. By driving, the room air flowed through the ventilation path X in the order of the central suction port 9, the filter 12, the blower fan 5 </ b> B, the indoor side heat exchanger 6, and the air outlet 10, and was heated by the heat exchange in the indoor side heat exchanger 6. The conditioned air is blown out from the outlet 10 into the conditioned room and heating is performed.

  By the way, during the cooling operation or the dehumidifying operation, a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant flows into the indoor heat exchanger 6 along with the refrigerant flow switching operation by a four-way switching valve (not shown). The inner heat exchanger 6 acts as an evaporator, and as described above, the conditioned air flows through the ventilation path X, and the cooling operation and the dehumidifying operation are performed.

  During the cooling operation or the dehumidifying operation described above, the indoor heat exchanger 6 acts as an evaporator and absorbs heat, so that moisture in the indoor air is condensed and condensed on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger 6. , Drain water is generated. The drain water flows along the surface of the indoor heat exchanger 6 and flows down to the drain water receiving groove 7B of the drain pan 7 and is stored.

  The drain water stored in the drain water receiving groove portion 7B is pumped up from the suction port P1 (drain water discharge portion) of the drain pump P and drained to the outside through the drain hose H in the same manner as described above.

  Next, an air conditioner in which the humidifier 13 which is a feature of the present invention is incorporated in the outdoor unit 1 described above will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner of the present invention is configured so that the humidified air from the humidifier 13 is released to the ventilation path X on the leeward side of the indoor heat exchanger 6 in the outdoor unit main body 1A. The humidifier 13 is incorporated in the outdoor unit main body 1A.

  That is, a through hole 14 having a size and a shape into which the exterior body 13A of the humidifying device 13 can be inserted is formed at an appropriate position on the peripheral side wall of the outdoor unit main body 1A. In a state of being penetrated, the exterior body 13A is fixedly attached to the peripheral side wall of the indoor unit body 1A.

  The humidifier 13 will be further described in detail with reference to FIG. The humidifier 13 includes a decompression valve 17, an electric flow control valve 18, an electrolyzed water generation unit 19, a flow path switching valve 22, in a rectangular box-shaped exterior body 13 A in which a discharge port 15 and an intake port 16 are formed. This is a schematic configuration that accommodates a humidifying unit 20, a humidifying blower 21, a humidifying device controller S2, and the like.

  The electrolyzed water generating unit 19 includes a tank 23 and a pair of electrodes 24 and 24 for electrolyzing water stored in the tank 23. The tank 23 of the electrolyzed water generating unit 19 includes a base portion. Is connected to the city water supply, and tap water is supplied through a water supply line 25 in which the pressure reducing valve 17 and an electric flow control valve 18 composed of an electromagnetic on-off valve are provided in that order.

  The pressure reducing valve 17 reduces the pressure of tap water to a desired constant pressure. The electric flow control valve 18 adjusts the amount of water supply by starting and stopping the water supply to the electrolyzed water generating unit 19 and changing the ratio of the open time per fixed time (for example, 20 minutes). The humidifier controller S2 controls the driving of the humidifying blower 21, the opening / closing control of the electric flow control valve 18, the energization control of the electrodes 24, 24 of the electrolyzed water generating unit 19, and the flow path of the flow path switching valve 22. The switching control is executed.

  The humidifying unit 20 includes a humidifying water tank 20A and a vaporizing filter 20B installed by immersing the lower part in water (electrolyzed water) in the humidifying water tank 20A. In the vaporizing filter 20B, the electrolyzed water generated in the electrolyzed water generating unit 19 is passed through the upstream electrolyzed water supply pipe 27A, the flow path switching valve 22, and the downstream electrolyzed water supply pipe 27B. Supplied to be scattered from.

  28 is an electrolyzed water drain pipe having a base end connected to the upper part of the side wall of the humidified water tank 20A, and a leading outlet 28A of the electrolyzed water drain pipe 28 is connected to a suction port P1 (drain) of the drain pump P. It faces the drain water receiving groove 7B so as to be located on the opposite side of the drain pan 7 farthest from the water discharge portion.

  Reference numeral 27C denotes a bypass pipe, and one end of the bypass pipe 27C is branched between the upstream electrolysis water supply pipe 27A and the downstream electrolysis water supply pipe 27B, and the tip side thereof is the humidification pipe. The electrolysis water drain pipe 28 is joined in the middle so that the part 20 is bypassed and guided directly to the drain pan 7.

  And the branch part of the bypass pipe line 27C, that is, the intermediate branch part between the upstream part electrolyzed water supply pipe line 27A and the downstream part electrolyzed water supply pipe line 27B, the electrolyzed water from the electrolyzed water generating part 19 is provided. The above-described flow path switching valve (flow path switching mechanism) 22 for switching the flow path to the humidifying unit 20 side or the bypass pipe line 27C side is provided.

  The flow path switching valve 22 humidifies the flow path of the electrolyzed water in the upstream electrolyzed water supply pipe 27A during the humidifying operation of the humidifying apparatus 13 in which a humidifying operation start signal is input to the humidifier controller S2. On the other hand, the downstream electrolyzed water supply pipe 27B side which becomes the part 20 side, while the non-humidifying operation of the humidifier 13 in which the start signal of the electrolyzed water supply operation is inputted to the humidifier controller S2 Switching operation is performed so that the flow path of the electrolyzed water in the electrolyzed water supply pipe line 27A is switched to the bypass pipe line 27C side.

  The humidifying blower 21 is driven when a humidifying operation start signal is input to the humidifying device controller S2. And the electrolyzed water which permeate | transmitted the said filter 20B for vaporization is forcedly vaporized with the wind which passes the filter 20B for vaporization with the drive of the said air blower 21 for humidification, and turns into water vapor | steam.

  The water vapor of the electrolyzed water vaporized by the vaporizing filter 20B and the wind from the humidifying blower 21 are sent as humidified air to the ventilation path X in the outdoor unit main body 1A through the discharge port 15 for humidification. It works.

  The electric flow control valve 18 is controlled to open and close when a humidification operation on / off signal and an electrolytic water supply operation on / off signal are input to the humidifier controller S2.

  Further, the humidifier controller S2 is connected to the indoor unit controller S1 via a communication line, and a humidification operation on / off signal and an electrolytic water supply operation on / off signal from the remote controller R are transmitted to the indoor unit. It is configured to be input via the control device S1.

  Next, the electrolyzed water generating unit 19 will be described in more detail. The pair of electrodes 24, 24 for electrolyzing tap water stored in the tank 23 has, for example, a base of Ti (titanium) and a film layer of Ir (iridium). ), Ta (tantalum), and Pt (platinum). The energizing current applied to the electrode 24 is about 40 milliamperes, and a predetermined free residual chlorine concentration (for example, 1 ppm) is generated to achieve the sterilization action. It generates electrolyzed water. Moreover, it is desirable to switch the polarity of the energization to the electrode 24 at a predetermined cycle in consideration of the durability improvement of the electrode 24.

  Specifically, for example, during the humidification operation, the electrode 24 is energized for 50 seconds, de-energized for 130 seconds, and the energization and de-energization are repeated in a cycle of switching the polarity and energizing for 50 seconds. Thus, when the humidifier controller S2 controls the energization of the electrode 24, the water stored in the tank 23 becomes 4H ++ 4e− (4OH−) at the anode becomes 2H2 + (4OH−), and becomes the cathode. Then, 2H2O + becomes 4H + O24e-, and chlorine contained in the tap water at the same time becomes 2Cl- becomes Cl2 + 2e- at the anode, and since Cl2 (chlorine) is easily soluble in water, Cl2 + H2O further becomes HClO + HCl. become.

  Therefore, by controlling the energization of the electrode 24, HClO (hypochlorous acid) excellent in sterilizing power is generated, and the electrolyzed water containing this HClO (hypochlorous acid) at an appropriate concentration is stored in the tank 23. It will be generated and stored inside.

  Thus, the electrolyzed water containing HClO (hypochlorous acid) excellent in sterilization action produced in the electrolyzed water production unit 19 at an appropriate concentration is the humidifier 13 as shown by the solid line arrow in FIG. During the humidifying operation, the upstream electrolyzed water supply line 27A, the flow path switching valve 22 and the downstream electrolyzed water are supplied from the tank 23 by the water pressure of the tap water supplied to the tank 23 by the opening operation of the electric flow control valve 18. It flows to the humidifying unit 20 side via the supply pipe 27B, is scattered and supplied to the vaporizing filter 20B of the humidifying unit 20, and is forcibly vaporized by the wind from the humidifying blower 21 to perform a humidifying action. 20B and the humidification water tank 20A are sterilized.

  Here, the humidifier controller S2 controls the electric flow control valve 18 so that the amount of water supplied to the electrolyzed water generation unit 19 by the electric flow control valve 18 is equal to or greater than the vaporization capability of the vaporization filter 20B. Open / close control. Therefore, a part of the electrolyzed water supplied to the humidification part 20 overflows the humidification water tank 20A.

  The overflowed electrolyzed water is drained into the drain water receiving groove portion 7B of the drain pan 7 through the electrolyzed water drain pipe 28 and stored in the drain pan 7, so that the drain pan 7 is sterilized and drained. It is pumped out by the pump P, and the drain hose H is sterilized.

  By the way, when the air conditioner performs the cooling operation or the dehumidifying operation, the humidifying operation of the humidifying device 13 is not necessary. However, during the cooling operation or the dehumidifying operation, the indoor heat exchanger 6 acts as an evaporator. Therefore, a large amount of drain water is generated, and the temperature of the interior of the indoor unit 1 rises with the stop of the air conditioning operation, so that bacteria, mold, etc. easily grow in the drain water in the drain pan 7.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the electrolytic water generated by the electrolytic water generating unit 19 is supplied to the drain water drainage path without performing the humidifying operation of the humidifying device 13 during the cooling operation or the dehumidifying operation of the air conditioner. In order to do this, the remote controller R is provided with an on / off switch DS for the electrolyzed water supply operation.

  Next, the operation when the on / off switch DS is turned on in the electrolyzed water supply operation will be described. When the ON signal of the ON / OFF switch DS is input to the humidifier controller S2 via the indoor unit controller S1, the humidifier controller S2 stops energizing the humidifier blower 21. In this state, the opening / closing control of the electric flow control valve 18 and the energization control of the electrode 24 of the electrolyzed water generation unit 19 are performed, and the flow path switching control of the flow path switching valve 22 is performed.

  Therefore, the electrolyzed water generated by the electrolyzed water generating unit 19 and having excellent sterilizing action is tap water supplied to the tank 23 by the opening operation of the electric flow control valve 18, as indicated by the broken line arrow in FIG. The water flows from the tank 23 to the electrolyzed water drain line 28 via the upstream electrolyzed water supply line 27A, the flow path switching valve 22 and the bypass pipe line 27C. It drains into the drain water receiving groove 7A of the drain pan 7, is stored in the drain pan 7, and performs the sterilizing action of the drain pan 7, and is pumped out by the drain pump P to perform the sterilizing action of the drain hose H. is there.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawing of FIG. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an air conditioner according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. That is, the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the drain water stored in the drain water receiving groove portion 7B of the drain pan 7 does not use the drain pump as in the first embodiment. It is a point drained to the outside through the drain hose H from the drain water drain port 30 (drain water discharge part) provided in the one end part. Also in the second embodiment, the distal end outlet portion 28A of the electrolyzed water drain pipe 28 having the base end connected to the upper portion of the side wall of the humidified water tank 20A is the most from the drain water drain port 30 (drain water discharge portion). It faces the drain water receiving groove 7B so as to be located on the opposite side of the separated drain pan 7.

  By doing so, the electrolyzed water overflowed from the humidified water tank 20 </ b> A flows out to the drain pan 7 at the maximum distance from the drain water drain port 30. Therefore, the electrolyzed water having excellent sterilization properties contacts a wide area of the drain pan, and the drain water drainage path in the indoor unit 1 can be sterilized efficiently over a wide area.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, various alternatives, modifications, and variations can be made by those skilled in the art based on the above description. For example, the indoor unit of an air conditioner is not limited to a ceiling-embedded type of a four-way blowing type, but may be a two-way blowing type or a one-way blowing type. It may be a wall-mounted indoor unit. Further, the humidifying device is not limited to a vaporizing type in which the vaporizing section includes a vaporizing filter, and may be an atomizing type in which humidified water is atomized to perform a humidifying action. The present invention includes the above-described various alternatives, modifications, and variations without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

It is a vertical side view of the state which installed the air conditioning apparatus of 1st Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating an air conditioning apparatus similarly. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the air conditioning apparatus which concerns on 2nd Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Indoor unit 1A Indoor unit main body 5 Blower 6 Indoor side heat exchanger 7 Drain pan 9 Suction port 10 Outlet 13 Humidifier 18 Electric flow control valve 19 Electrolyzed water production | generation part 20 Humidification part 20A Humidification water tank 20B Vaporization filter 21 Humidification fan 22 Channel switching valve (channel switching mechanism)
23 Electrolyzed water generating tank 24 Electrode 25 Water supply line 27 A Upstream electrolytic water supply line (electrolyzed water supply line)
27B Downstream electrolyzed water supply line (electrolyzed water supply line)
27C Bypass line 28 Electrolyzed water drain line 28A End outlet S1 Indoor unit controller S2 Humidifier controller R Remote controller X Ventilation path

Claims (3)

It is installed indoors and includes an indoor unit main body with a built-in blower, an indoor heat exchanger and a drain pan that receives drain water from the indoor heat exchanger. The humidifier is incorporated in the indoor unit main body, and the humidifier In the air conditioner configured to perform humidification and air conditioning by supplying moisture generated in the section to the ventilation path of the conditioned air formed in the indoor unit body,
The humidifier is supplied with tap water through a water supply pipe and electrolyzed the supplied tap water to generate electrolyzed water, a humidifier, and the electrolyzed water generator. The electrolyzed water supply conduit for guiding the generated electrolyzed water to the humidifying unit, the electrolyzed water drain conduit for guiding the electrolyzed water supplied to the humidifying unit to the drain pan, and the electrolyzed water from the electrolyzed water generating unit are the humidified A bypass pipe branched from the middle of the electrolyzed water supply pipe so as to be guided to the drain pan for sterilization by bypassing the part ,
An air conditioner characterized in that a flow path switching mechanism for switching the flow path of the electrolyzed water from the electrolyzed water generating section to the humidifying section side or the bypass pipe side is provided at a branch part in the middle of the electrolyzed water supply pipe line apparatus. The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein an electric flow rate control valve for controlling a water supply amount to the electrolyzed water generation unit is provided in the middle of the water supply pipe line . The air conditioner according to claim 2 , wherein a front-end outlet portion of the electrolyzed water drain pipe is configured to face a position away from a drain water discharge portion of the drain pan .

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