JP7584667B2 - Humidification element, humidification device, ventilator and air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to a humidification element, a humidification device, a ventilation device and an air conditioner that generate humidified air.

There are several humidification methods used in humidifiers that generate humidified air, including natural evaporation, electric heating, water spray, and ultrasonic. Natural evaporation humidifiers tend to have lower running costs than other types of humidifiers. For this reason, natural evaporation humidifiers are particularly useful in places where they are operated for long periods of time.

On the other hand, natural evaporation humidifiers have the problem that impurities contained in the supply water, such as calcium, magnesium, and silica, tend to concentrate as water evaporates and accumulate as scale. When scale accumulates, it becomes difficult for water to seep into the area where the scale has formed, reducing the humidifying area and reducing humidifying performance, or the scale itself may be blown out of the humidifier by the wind. For this reason, various measures to prevent scale formation are being considered.

Patent document 1 discloses a humidifier that applies a resin coating to a scale deposition area of a moisture-permeable tube, where the amount of deposition of scale components is unevenly distributed, thereby reducing the moisture permeability of the resin-coated area and reducing the amount of water evaporation. The humidifier described in Patent document 1 covers the surface of the moisture-permeable tube with a resin coating layer, thereby suppressing the evaporation of water itself and suppressing the generation of scale.

Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a humidifying element that reduces scale generation by forming layers, in the order of an anchor layer containing a film-forming polymer and a hydrophilic layer, on the surface of a humidifying filter substrate. The humidifying element described in Patent Document 2 aims to suppress the precipitation of scale components by forming a surface in the hydrophilic layer that is almost free of small holes.

JP 2007-155201 A Patent No. 5270570

However, the moisture-permeable tube described in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that the resin coating is applied to the scale deposition area, which reduces the moisture-permeable tube's inherent humidification performance. In addition, the moisture-permeable tube described in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that although scale is less likely to form in the coated area, a new area where scale is likely to form is formed on the leeward side immediately after the coated area, which causes scale to form locally at the interface between the coated and uncoated areas.

In addition, the humidifying element described in Patent Document 2 suppresses the generation of scale nuclei and prevents the growth of scale by smoothing the surface properties of the hydrophilic layer, thus preventing the generation of scale when water is concentrated inside the humidifying body during humidifying operation. However, while this is effective during humidifying operation, when the humidifying element is completely dried after humidifying operation to ensure hygiene, all of the impurities contained in the water held in the humidifying element will precipitate as scale. For this reason, even if the surface properties of the hydrophilic layer are smoothed, there is a problem in that scale will generate on the surface of the humidifying body when it is dried. In other words, the technologies in Patent Documents 1 and 2 cannot suppress the generation of scale without reducing humidifying performance.

The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to obtain a humidifying element that can suppress the generation of scale without reducing humidifying performance.

In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the humidifying element according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of humidifying bodies arranged with gaps between them to hold water, and a water supply mechanism that supplies water to the humidifying body. The humidifying body includes a first humidifying body portion located on the windward side of the center between the windward end and the leeward end in the flow direction of air blown to the humidifying body, and a second humidifying body portion that is a portion of the humidifying body other than the first humidifying body portion and is an area that is continuously connected to the first humidifying body portion in the air flow direction. The first humidifying body portion is a large contact angle portion that has a relatively larger contact angle with water in a dry state than the second humidifying body portion. The large contact angle portion is provided over the entire width in the height direction at the windward end of the humidifying body in the air flow direction.

The present disclosure has the effect of providing a humidifying element that can suppress the generation of scale without reducing humidifying performance.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a humidifier according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a humidifying element included in a humidifying device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is an enlarged view of a humidifying element included in a humidifying device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a humidifying element included in a humidifying device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a front view of a humidifying element included in a humidifying device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a humidifying element included in a humidifying device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first modified example of a water supply mechanism included in a humidifier according to a first embodiment; FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a second modified example of the water supply mechanism included in the humidifier according to the first embodiment; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a humidifier provided in the humidifier according to the first embodiment; FIG. 10 is an enlarged image diagram of the first humidifying body and the second humidifying body in FIG. 9 . FIG. 1 is an enlarged conceptual diagram showing a humidifier according to a comparative example of the first embodiment; FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a humidifying element included in a humidifying device according to a second embodiment. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII shown in FIG. FIG. 14 is an enlarged image diagram of the first humidifying body and the second humidifying body in FIG. 13 . FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a humidifier provided in a humidifier according to a third embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a ventilation device according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an air conditioner according to a fourth embodiment.

Below, the humidifying element, humidifying device, ventilation device and air conditioner relating to the embodiments are described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a humidifier 1 according to a first embodiment. A humidifier element 2 is incorporated in the humidifier 1. The humidifier 1 has an intake port 1a for taking in air and an outlet port 1b for discharging air. A blower 5 for sending air to the humidifier element 2 and blowing out the air again is incorporated in the upstream or downstream side of the humidifier element 2. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the blower 5 is incorporated in the upstream side of the humidifier element 2. The blower 5 forms an air flow that flows in from the intake port 1a and flows out from the outlet port 1b. The air flows in the direction indicated by the white arrow in FIG. 1. Note that the blower 5 is incorporated in the upstream side of the humidifier element 2 in the first embodiment, but may be incorporated in the downstream side of the humidifier element 2.

The humidifier 1 comprises a humidifier element 2, a water supply pipe 3 connected to a water supply source such as a water supply facility (not shown) for supplying water for humidification to the humidifier element 2, a drain pipe 4 for discharging water remaining in the humidifier element 2 that has not been humidified, and a blower 5 for passing air through the humidifier element 2. The humidifier 1 also comprises a control device 6 for operating equipment such as the blower 5 and the water supply valve 3a, which is an electromagnetic valve of the water supply system, and a drain pan 7 for receiving wastewater and discharging it to the outside.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the humidification element 2 provided in the humidifier 1 according to the first embodiment. One or more humidification elements 2 are installed directly on the drain pan 7. The corners on both sides of the top structure of each humidification element 2 are held removable by guide rails or the like mounted on the partition wall and the inner front wall surface of the main body box. The partition wall, the inner front wall surface of the main body box, and the guide rails are not shown. The humidification element 2 is connected to a water supply system equipped with a water supply valve 3a that supplies and cuts off water for humidification. A drain pipe 4 is connected to the drain pan 7.

The water supply system that supplies water for humidification to the humidifying element 2 is configured as a waterway including a water supply valve 3a that adjusts the pressure and flow rate of the water supplied to the humidifying element 2, a strainer (not shown) that prevents dust from entering the water supply system, and a water supply pipe 3 for supplying water. It is preferable that all connections of the water supply system, except for the connection to the water supply source, are concentrated in the drain pan 7.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the humidifying element 2 provided in the humidifying device 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the humidifying element 2 provided in the humidifying device 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 5 is a front view of the humidifying element 2 provided in the humidifying device 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the humidifying element 2 provided in the humidifying device 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 6 shows a cross-section along the line VI-VI in Figure 5. In Figure 6, for ease of understanding, the first humidifying body part 23 of the humidifying body 20 described later is hatched, and hatching of the cross-section is omitted. Hereinafter, the width direction of the humidifying element 2 is defined as the X-axis direction, the depth direction of the humidifying element 2 is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the height direction of the humidifying element 2 is defined as the Z-axis direction.

The humidifying element 2 comprises a plurality of flat humidifying bodies 20 arranged along the X-axis direction with gaps between them. The plurality of humidifying bodies 20 are arranged with gaps between them to form a continuous air passage along the Y-axis direction. In other words, the gaps between adjacent humidifying bodies 20 form an air passage through which air can pass.

The airflow generated by the blower 5 flows through the gaps between the humidifiers 20 in the Y+ direction, which is the direction from the negative side to the positive side in the Y-axis direction. That is, in FIG. 6, the airflow flows from the left side to the right side as shown. Therefore, in FIG. 6, the left side of the humidifier 20 shown is the upwind side. Also, in FIG. 6, the right side of the humidifier 20 shown is the downwind side. That is, the blower 5 generates an airflow from the upwind side to the downwind side of the humidifier 20, and passes the air through the gaps between adjacent humidifiers 20.

As shown in Figure 6, a diffusion member 30 is in contact with the upper part of the humidifier 20. A recess 22 is formed in the center of the upper part of the humidifier 20 along the Y-axis direction, which is recessed lower than other parts of the upper part of the humidifier 20. The diffusion member 30 is disposed within the recess 22. The diffusion member 30 is disposed so as to extend along the X-axis direction, which corresponds to the direction in which the multiple humidifiers 20 are arranged, and the humidifiers 20 are in contact with one diffusion member 30 collectively.

As shown in Figure 6, above the humidifier 20 there is a water tank 12 that stores water to be supplied to the humidifier 20, and a water supply port 11 through which water from the water supply pipe 3 is poured into the water tank 12. Below the humidifier 20 there is a drainage section 13 for receiving and draining water remaining in the humidifier 20 that has not been humidified, and a drainage port 13a.

As shown in Figure 4, the humidifier 20 is housed and fixed in a casing 10 with an opening. The casing 10 is divided into two parts, casing 10a and casing 10b. The casing 10 sandwiches the humidifier 20 between the casing 10a and casing 10b, and by mating the engagement parts 15 of the casing 10a and casing 10b, the casing 10a and casing 10b are integrated to house the humidifier 20. The casing 10 only needs to be able to house the humidifier 20, and may be made of metal or metal and plastic.

Casing 10a and casing 10b each have a drain outlet 13a and an opening 10c for introducing humidified air into the humidifier 20.

The casing 10b is also provided with a water inlet 11 for supplying water to the water tank 12. That is, the water inlet 11 and the drainage section 13 are formed in the casing 10. A storage space for storing the humidifier 20 is provided inside the casing 10. The casing 10 is formed with a structural wall 14 that connects the water tank 12 as an upper structure and the drainage section 13 as a lower structure.

As shown in Figure 4, a water tank 12 is provided above the humidifier body 20 to store water to be supplied to the humidifier body 20. Water is poured into the water tank 12 from the water supply pipe 3 through the water supply inlet 11. Here, the series of structures that transfers the water supplied to the humidifying element 2 to the humidifier body 20 is called the water supply mechanism 50. In the humidifier 1 according to the first embodiment, the water supply inlet 11, the water tank 12 and the diffusion member 30 form the water supply mechanism 50.

The casing 10 is formed by a molding method such as injection molding using a thermoplastic plastic material including ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) resin, polystyrene (PS) resin, or polypropylene (PP) resin.

The portion of the casing 10 that comes into contact with the humidifier 20 is provided with a positioning protrusion 10d for regulating the position of the humidifier 20. The humidifier 20 softens when it absorbs water, and some of them deform under the weight of the water. Therefore, by regulating the position of the humidifier 20 with the outer periphery of the humidifier 20 that comes into contact with the casing 10, the dimensions of the flow path between the humidifiers 20 can be secured, allowing air to flow uniformly.

This prevents a decrease in pressure loss in the humidifying element 2 and allows the entire surface of the humidifying body 20 to be effectively used as a humidifying surface, which is expected to result in an increased amount of humidification compared to when the humidifying body 20 is distorted.

As shown in Figure 6, the water tank 12 is provided above the diffusion member 30. A plurality of water inlet holes 12a are formed in the bottom surface of the water tank 12 for dripping water onto the diffusion member 30. The water tank 12 and the diffusion member 30 are combined as an integral part and are sandwiched and held between the casing 10a and the casing 10b. A water level detection sensor 8 for detecting the water level of the water tank 12 may also be installed in the water tank 12. The water level detected by the water level detection sensor 8 may be fed back to control the opening and closing of the water supply valve 3a by the control device 6 shown in Figure 1.

The water tank 12 is made of thermoplastic plastics, including ABS resin, PS resin, and PP resin, and is formed by a molding method such as injection molding. Because the water tank 12 is made of resin material, if the surface is smooth, the contact angle with water is large, generally 90 degrees or more, and the surface is hydrophobic. Therefore, water is less likely to remain on the inner surface of the water tank 12, making it highly hygienic.

Here, hydrophobicity is defined as a contact angle of 90 degrees or more, hydrophilicity is defined as a contact angle of 40 degrees or more but less than 90 degrees, and superhydrophilicity is defined as a contact angle of less than 40 degrees. In this embodiment 1, the contact angle on the surface of the water tank 12 is set to be approximately 90 degrees or more. This makes the surface of the water tank 12 hydrophobic, which has the advantage that water is less likely to remain on the surface of the water tank 12 and the water tank 12 is more hygienic. The water tank 12 only needs to be able to store water and supply water to the humidifier 20, and there is no functional problem if it is formed from a circular or rectangular tube. The material can also be metal.

The water inlet 11 is provided at the top of the humidifying element 2, above the humidifying body 20, to supply water to the water tank 12. The shape of the water inlet 11 is made to match the water supply pipe 3, and a convex band, a so-called return structure, may be formed so that it does not easily come out, or the water inlet 11 and the water supply pipe 3 may be tied with a hose band. There are no restrictions on the position of the water inlet 11 as long as it is structured to supply water from the top of the humidifying body 20, but considering the occurrence of water leakage from the joint between the water supply pipe 3 and the water inlet 11, it is preferable to place it on the upwind side of the air flow.

By locating the water supply inlet 11 on the upwind side of the air flow, water that leaks from the joint between the water supply pipe 3 and the water supply inlet 11 is carried by the air flow and guided to the downwind side, i.e., the humidifying element 2 side, where it is absorbed by the humidifying body 20, thereby reducing the scattering of water to the downwind side of the humidifying body 20.

If the amount of water supplied is excessive relative to the amount of humidification from the surface of the humidifying body 20, the amount of water that flows from the drainage section 13 without being humidified increases, and the amount of water wasted increases. For this reason, it is preferable to provide a mechanism for throttling the amount of water in the water supply port 11 to adjust the amount of water supplied to the water tank 12. In the humidifying device 1 according to the first embodiment, the mechanism for throttling the amount of water is, for example, the orifice section 40 shown in FIG. 6. The orifice section 40 is formed by narrowing a part of the inner surface of the water supply port 11 more than other parts. When adjusting the amount of water, it is necessary to be able to supply a water amount that is greater than the maximum humidification amount of the humidifying element 2. Note that the orifice section 40 only needs to be capable of adjusting the flow rate, and there is no functional problem even if it is one that adjusts the amount of water using a metal mesh or a porous material.

The diffusion member 30 is made of a porous plate material. The diffusion member 30 is placed directly below the water inlet hole 12a. The diffusion member 30 absorbs water dripping from the water tank 12 and sends the water to the humidifier 20, so the more hydrophilic the surface of the material is, the better the permeability and the higher the flow rate of water that can pass through. In addition, since the diffusion member 30 is constantly in contact with water, it is preferable that it is made of a material that is not easily deteriorated by water.

Examples of the diffusion member 30 made of a material that is resistant to deterioration by water include woven or nonwoven fabrics made of resins such as polyester, acrylic resin, and cellulose, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin, and porous plates made of metals such as titanium, copper, and stainless steel. In order to increase the hydrophilicity of the surface of the diffusion member 30, the diffusion member 30 may be subjected to a hydrophilic treatment.

The lower end of the diffusion member 30 and the upper end of the humidifier 20 are installed with some contact. If the diffusion member 30 and the humidifier 20 are in contact, the capillary force of the humidifier 20 will allow water to flow smoothly down into the humidifier 20. Taking into account variations in the assembly of the diffusion member 30 and the humidifier 20 and the effects of vibration during transportation, the diffusion member 30 and the humidifier 20 may be connected by inserting the lower end of the diffusion member 30 and the upper end of the humidifier 20 into each other.

Figure 7 is a diagram showing a first modified example of the water supply mechanism 50 provided in the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 1. Figure 8 is a diagram showing a second modified example of the water supply mechanism 50 provided in the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 1. The configuration of the water supply mechanism 50 is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of supplying water to the humidifier 20.

The water supply mechanism 50 does not have any functional problems even if the diffusion member 30 is inserted inside the water inlet 12a and inside the humidifier 20 as shown in Figure 7. In this case, the diffusion member 30 becomes the water inlet part that injects water into the humidifier 20.

In addition, the water supply mechanism 50 may be configured such that, for example, the diffusion member 30 is extended into the water tank 12 as shown in FIG. 8, so that the diffusion member 30 sucks up the water in the water tank 12 and causes the water to flow down to the humidifier 20. The water tank 12 shown in FIG. 8 is disposed closer to the water supply port 11 than the center of the humidifier 20 in the Y-axis direction. In FIG. 8, the diffusion member 30 has a suction portion 31 inserted into the water tank 12, an extension portion 32 that extends horizontally from the upper end of the suction portion 31 toward the opposite side of the water supply port 11 in the Y-axis direction, and a flow portion 33 that extends downward from the extension end of the extension portion 32 toward the humidifier 20. The lower end of the flow portion 33 is inserted into the humidifier 20. In this case, the flow portion 33 becomes the water injection portion that injects water into the humidifier 20.

Alternatively, the water tank 12 may be formed as a watertight header portion (not shown), and water may be dripped onto the diffusion member 30 from a number of water injection holes 12a provided in the header portion.

The diffusion member 30 is provided to diffuse water dripping from the water tank 12 located above evenly in the X-axis direction. In other words, the diffusion member 30 is provided to supply water evenly to the multiple humidifiers 20 arranged in the X-axis direction. Therefore, when multiple humidifiers 20 are integrated together and water can be diffused in the X-axis direction between the multiple humidifiers 20, or when the upper portions of the humidifiers 20 are folded to bring adjacent humidifiers 20 into contact with each other, the humidifiers 20 themselves have the same water diffusion function as the diffusion member 30.

In this case, instead of the diffusion member 30 shown in Figure 7, the humidifier 20 can be inserted directly into the water inlet hole 12a, or instead of the diffusion member 30 shown in Figure 6, the humidifier 20 can be extended into the water tank 12. With this structure, the humidifier 20 itself has the same water diffusion function as the diffusion member 30. This structure is advantageous in that it allows water to flow directly from the water tank 12 to the humidifier 20 without using the diffusion member 30, making it possible to form the water supply mechanism 50 at relatively low cost.

In this case, for example, instead of the diffusion member 30 shown in Figure 7, a part of the humidifier 20 can be inserted directly into the water inlet hole 12a. Also, instead of the diffusion member 30 shown in Figure 8, a part of the humidifier 20 can be extended into the water tank 12. In these cases, the part of the humidifier 20 that injects water into the main body of the humidifier 20 becomes the water injection part. In such a structure, water can be dripped directly from the water tank 12 onto the main body of the humidifier 20 without using the diffusion member 30.

The humidifier 20 is formed of a hydrophilic porous plate material, similar to the diffusion member 30. The humidifier 20 absorbs and retains water supplied from the diffusion member 30, thereby humidifying the wind passing through the humidifier 20. For this reason, the humidifier 20 is preferably formed of a material that is not easily deteriorated by water, similar to the diffusion member 30. In addition, it is preferable that the humidifier 20 has as high hydrophilicity as possible overall. When the hydrophilicity of the humidifier 20 is high, the capillary force inside the porous material constituting the humidifier 20 becomes large, and the water absorption of the humidifier 20 becomes good. The relationship between the hydrophilicity of the capillary tube and the height of water suction by the capillary force of the capillary tube is expressed by the following formula (1).

H=(2×T×cosθ)÷(ρ×g×r)...(1)

In the above formula (1), H is the water suction height (m), T is the surface tension (N/m), θ is the contact angle (°), ρ is the density of the liquid (kg/m ³ ), g is the acceleration of gravity (m/s), and r is the radius of the capillary tube (m). From formula (1), it can be said that the higher the hydrophilicity of the capillary tube and the smaller the contact angle between the capillary tube and the liquid, the higher the water absorption of the liquid due to the capillary force of the capillary tube. From this, it can be said that the higher the hydrophilicity of the humidifier 20 and the smaller the contact angle of the humidifier 20 with water, the higher the water absorption of the humidifier 20 due to the capillary force.

If the humidifier 20 has high water absorption, the humidifier 20 can be moistened evenly when water is dropped onto the dry humidifier 20 or when the dry humidifier 20 is made to absorb water to moisten the humidifier 20. Also, when air is blown onto the moist humidifier 20, parts of the humidifier 20 that have been highly humidified begin to dry out locally. In a humidifier 20 with high water absorption, a force acts to replenish water in the dried parts of the humidifier 20, so the entire humidifier 20 can remain moist without drying out.

The surface of the humidifier 20 is provided with protrusions 21. The protrusions 21 maintain the distance between adjacent humidifiers 20. The protrusions 21 can be formed by pressing a jig against the humidifier 20 and plastically deforming the portion against which the jig is pressed. By alternately arranging two types of humidifiers 20 with different arrangement positions of the protrusions 21 on the humidifier 20, the function of maintaining a constant distance between the humidifiers 20 is obtained.

It is sufficient that the spacing between the humidifiers 20 is kept constant along the X-axis direction. The multiple humidifiers 20 may be structured such that the spacing is maintained by, for example, a comb having teeth formed at regular intervals equal to the plate thickness of the humidifiers 20 meshing with the multiple humidifiers 20. The multiple humidifiers 20 may also be structured such that the spacing is maintained by stacking humidifiers 20 formed in a wave shape in a honeycomb shape. The multiple humidifiers 20 may also be structured such that the spacing is maintained by inserting spacers between adjacent humidifiers 20.

As shown in Figure 6, the humidifier 20 has an upwind end 20a, which is the end facing the windward side in the flow direction of the air generated by the blower 5, and a downwind end, which is the end facing the opposite side to the upwind end 20a in the air flow direction. That is, the humidifier 20 has an upwind end 20a facing the windward side in the Y-axis direction in Figure 6, and a downwind end facing the opposite side to the upwind end 20a in the Y-axis direction. The flow direction of the air generated by the blower 5 is along the Y-axis direction, which corresponds to the Y+ direction.

On the surface of the humidifier 20, the air is humidified due to the difference in water vapor partial pressure between the air flowing through the humidifier 20 and the water held in the humidifier 20. The amount of humidification by the humidifier 20 in the air flow direction is greater on the upwind side and smaller on the downwind side. This is because the difference in water vapor partial pressure is greater on the upwind side and because the wind separates at the upwind end 20a of the humidifier 20, promoting humidification. Therefore, the amount of humidification at the upwind end 20a is greater than the amount of humidification at any part of the humidifier 20 other than the upwind end 20a.

Therefore, the windward end 20a is located on the side where the airflow generated by the blower 5 flows in, and is the part of the humidifier 20 where the amount of humidification is locally high. The reason why the amount of humidification is locally high at the windward end 20a of the humidifier 20 is that, as described above, there is a large difference in the water vapor partial pressure between the air flowing between the humidifiers 20 and the water held in the humidifier 20, and the airflow is turbulent at the edge of the windward end of the humidifier 20, promoting humidification. The windward end of the humidifier 20 is the windward end of the windward end 20a.

As shown in FIG. 6, the humidifier 20 has a first humidifying body portion 23 formed locally on the windward end portion 20a side in the Y-axis direction. The first humidifying body portion 23 is a weak capillary force portion, which is a region of the humidifier 20 coated with a coating 60. The weak capillary force portion is a region of the humidifier 20 coated with a coating 60 on the surface and inside, and is a region in which the capillary force is weaker than other regions of the humidifier 20. The portion of the humidifier 20 other than the weak capillary force portion, which is the first humidifying body portion 23, is called the second humidifying body portion 24. The second humidifying body portion 24 is a region of the humidifier 20 that is continuously connected to the first humidifying body portion 23.

The first humidifying body section 23 is formed on the windward end 20a side of the humidifier 20 in the Y-axis direction, i.e., on the windward side of the central position in the flow direction of the air blown into the humidifier 20. The central position is the central position between the windward end 20a and the leeward end of the humidifier 20. Therefore, the first humidifying body section 23 is formed on only a part of the humidifier 20 in the Y-axis direction.

Moreover, the first humidifying body portion 23 is formed across the entire width of the humidifier 20 in the X-axis direction. That is, the first humidifying body portion 23 is formed across the entire width of the humidifier 20 in the thickness direction. Moreover, the first humidifying body portion 23 is formed across the entire width of the humidifier 20 in the Z-axis direction. That is, the first humidifying body portion 23 is formed across the entire width of the humidifier 20 in the height direction.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the humidifier 20 provided in the humidifier 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 9 shows a cross-section along line IX-IX in Figure 6. Figure 10 is an image diagram showing an enlarged view of the first humidifier part 23 and the second humidifier part 24 in Figure 9. Figure 10 shows the case where the humidifier 20 retains water. As shown in Figure 10, the humidifier 20 is composed of a collection of multiple structures 20c. The structures 20c are elongated fibrous structures. In other words, the humidifier 20 is a porous structure in which the elongated fibrous structures 20c are connected three-dimensionally to form a plate. In the weak capillary force part, which is the first humidifier part 23, the surface of the structures 20c is coated with a coating 60.

10, in the humidifying body 20 that is retaining water, water 70 is filled in the voids other than the structure 20c and the coating 60 due to the capillary force of the structure 20c and the capillary force of the coating 60. That is, in the humidifying body 20 that is retaining water, water 70 is filled in the voids other than the structure 20c and the coating 60 within the region of the humidifying body 20 shown by the thick dotted line in FIG. 10. It is preferable that the structure 20c is subjected to a hydrophilization treatment to improve its hydrophilicity.

As shown in FIG. 10, in the first humidifying body 23, the structure 20c of the humidifying body 20 is coated with a coating 60 of a hydrophilic water-soluble polymer. That is, in the first humidifying body 23, a coating 60 of a water-soluble polymer is formed on the surface of the structure 20c. The surface of the coating 60 is hydrophilic. Furthermore, the hydrophilicity of the surface of the coating 60 is lower than that of the surface of the structure 20c. Specifically, the relationship between the contact angle of the surface of the structure 20c and the contact angle of the surface of the coating 60 is shown by the following formula (2). Therefore, the contact angle of the first humidifying body 23 with water 70 when dry is greater than 0° and less than 90°.

0°<θs<θm<90°...(2)

In the above formula (2), θs is the contact angle on the surface of the structure 20c, and θm is the contact angle on the surface of the coating 60.

From the above formula (2), the surface of the coating 60 has a contact angle θm of less than 90°, and is therefore easily wetted. On the other hand, the contact angle θm of the surface of the coating 60 is greater than the contact angle θs of the surface of the structure 20c. Therefore, the surface of the coating 60 is less easily wetted than the surface of the structure 20c. Therefore, although the first humidifying body 23 has a small contact angle and is easily wetted, it has a larger contact angle and weaker capillary force than the second humidifying body 24.

Therefore, the first humidifying body portion 23 can be said to be a region in the humidifying body 20 that has a relatively large contact angle with water 70 when dry, a region that is relatively less hydrophilic, and a region in which the capillary force is relatively weak. In other words, the first humidifying body portion 23 can be said to be a large contact angle portion that is provided upwind of the center between the upwind end portion 20a and the downwind end portion in the flow direction of the air blown into the humidifying body 20, and that has a relatively larger contact angle with water 70 when dry than the continuously connected region in the humidifying body 20. In addition, the large contact angle portion can be said to be the region in the humidifying body 20 that has the largest contact angle with water 70 when dry.

In addition, the first humidifying body portion 23 can be said to be a small hydrophilic portion that is provided upwind of the center between the upwind end 20a and the downwind end in the flow direction of the air blown into the humidifying body 20 and has relatively less hydrophilicity than the continuously connected region in the humidifying body 20. In addition, the first humidifying body portion 23 can be said to be a weak capillary force portion that is provided upwind of the center between the upwind end 20a and the downwind end in the flow direction of the air blown into the humidifying body 20 and has relatively weaker capillary force than the continuously connected region in the humidifying body 20.

In addition, the second humidifying body portion 24 can be said to be a region of the humidifying body 20 that has a relatively small contact angle with water 70 when dry, is a region that is relatively hydrophilic, and is a region that has relatively strong capillary forces.

If the contact angle of the first humidifying body 23 is too large, the first humidifying body 23 may not be sufficiently wetted, and the humidifying performance may be impaired. In other words, if the contact angle of the surface of the coating 60 is too large, the wetting may be insufficient, and the humidifying performance may be impaired. For this reason, it is necessary to design the capillary force of the first humidifying body 23 in accordance with the humidifying capacity of the humidifying device 1.

The material of the coating 60 can be a hydrophilic material that satisfies the above formula (2). In addition, the material of the coating 60 is preferably a material that is as unlikely to dissolve in water 70 as possible and is highly safe. Specifically, the material of the coating 60 can be a vinyl-based water-soluble polymer such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl methyl ether, or polyvinylpyrrolidone, a polyacrylic-based water-soluble polymer such as sodium polyacrylate, or other synthetic water-soluble polymer such as polyethylene oxide.

A polymer that is as difficult to dissolve in water 70 as possible means a water-soluble polymer that has a physical property of having a high viscosity of the aqueous solution among water-soluble polymers. If the viscosity of the aqueous solution of the water-soluble polymer that constitutes the coating 60 is low, when water 70 is supplied to the humidifier 20, the layer of the coating 60 made of the water-soluble polymer is easily peeled off from the structure 20c. Therefore, if the viscosity of the aqueous solution of the water-soluble polymer that constitutes the coating 60 is low, there is a risk that the water-soluble polymer will mix with the water 70 and flow out to the second humidifier part 24 when water 70 is supplied to the humidifier 20. In addition, if the viscosity of the aqueous solution of the water-soluble polymer that constitutes the coating 60 is low, there is a risk that the water-soluble polymer will mix with the water 70 that is supplied to the humidifier 20 and remains unhumidified and flow out of the humidifier 20 from the drain pipe 4.

On the other hand, when the viscosity of the aqueous solution of the water-soluble polymer that constitutes the coating 60 is high, when water 70 is supplied to the humidifier 20, the layer of the coating 60 made of the water-soluble polymer is less likely to peel off from the structure 20c. Therefore, when the viscosity of the aqueous solution of the water-soluble polymer that constitutes the coating 60 is high, when water 70 is supplied to the humidifier 20, the risk that the water-soluble polymer will mix with the water 70 and flow out to the second humidifier part 24 is reduced. In addition, when the viscosity of the aqueous solution of the water-soluble polymer that constitutes the coating 60 is high, the risk that the water-soluble polymer will mix with the water 70 that is supplied to the humidifier 20 and remains unhumidified and flow out of the humidifier 20 from the drain pipe 4 is reduced.

In other words, when the viscosity of the aqueous solution of the water-soluble polymer that constitutes the coating 60 is high, the advantage is that the coating 60 can be used for a long period of time.

Furthermore, a highly safe material means one that is not toxic, harmful to the human body, flammable, explosive, etc., and is chemically stable.

Among the above materials, materials suitable for the coating 60 include polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and water-soluble polysaccharides. Materials with a high molecular weight are suitable for the coating 60 because they have high viscosity and are less likely to dissolve in water. For this reason, it is preferable to use a material with as high a molecular weight as possible for the material of the coating 60. Note that since the coating 60 is formed on each of the structures 20c of the first humidifying body 23 , the boundary between the first humidifying body 23 and the second humidifying body 24 is not clearly linear, but is formed in a gradational manner.

That is, the first humidifying body 23 is coated with one or more of polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and water-soluble polysaccharides. By using the above materials for the coating 60, the coating 60 can be produced at low cost, and the effects of the first humidifying body 23 can be reliably obtained.

As a method for coating the surface of the structure 20c with the coating 60, a method of directly applying a water-soluble polymer dissolved in water to the surface of the humidifier structure 20c on which the first humidifier body part 23 is not formed, using an application tool such as a brush, can be mentioned. In addition, as another method for coating the surface of the structure 20c with the coating 60, a method of spraying a water-soluble polymer dissolved in water onto the surface of the humidifier structure 20c on which the first humidifier body part 23 is not formed can be mentioned. In addition, as another method for coating the surface of the structure 20c with the coating 60, a method of dipping a humidifier on which the first humidifier body part 23 is not formed in a tank that stores a water-soluble polymer dissolved in water can be mentioned.

Next, the scale generation suppression effect of the first humidifying body portion 23 will be explained. First, the scale generation phenomenon can be broadly divided into a first scale generation phenomenon and a second scale generation phenomenon. The first scale generation phenomenon is a scale generation phenomenon that occurs during the humidifying operation of the humidifying device 1. The second scale generation phenomenon is a scale generation phenomenon that occurs during the drying of the humidifying body 20 after the humidifying operation of the humidifying device 1. Below, the characteristics of each of the first and second scale generation phenomena and the required characteristics of the windward end portion 20a will be explained.

Scale formation in the first scale formation phenomenon occurs when, during humidification operation of the humidifier 1, at the windward end 20a where the amount of humidification is high, water 70 flowing inside the humidifier body 20 is concentrated by humidification by the humidifier body 20, generating scale nuclei that are the cores of scale 80, and the scale nuclei grow to produce scale 80. Scale formation in the first scale formation phenomenon is likely to occur when there is an insufficient water supply to the windward end 20a.

Therefore, in the case of the first scale generation phenomenon, the humidifier 1 can be designed so that water 70 is quickly supplied to the windward end 20a in response to drying of the windward end 20a, and the windward end 20a is kept constantly moist enough to prevent the formation of scale 80. One method of keeping the windward end 20a constantly moist enough to prevent the formation of scale 80 nuclei is, for example, to increase the water supply flow rate to the windward end 20a. Another method of keeping the windward end 20a constantly moist enough to prevent the formation of scale 80 nuclei is to use a material for the windward end 20a that has as small a contact angle as possible and is highly hydrophilic.

On the other hand, the second scale generation phenomenon occurs when all of the water 70 held in the humidifier 20 evaporates after the humidification operation of the humidifier 1, causing all of the scale components contained in the water 70 to precipitate as scale 80. If the humidifier 20 is constantly kept wet, bacteria will grow and cause an unpleasant odor. For this reason, from a hygienic standpoint, it is preferable to periodically dry the humidifier 20.

In other words, if the humidifying body 20 is frequently dried in order to ensure the hygiene of the humidifying body 20 and the humidifying device 1, the frequency of scale generation in the second scale generation phenomenon increases. In addition, if the frequency of drying the humidifying body 20 is reduced in order to reduce the frequency of scale generation in the second scale generation phenomenon, the risk of the hygiene of the humidifying body 20 and the humidifying device 1 deteriorating increases. Therefore, it is important to prevent the local generation and growth of scale 80 even if the humidifying body 20 is frequently dried.

Next, the behavior of the water 70 in the second scale generation phenomenon will be described. To facilitate understanding of the effect of the humidifier 20 in the first embodiment, a humidifier 90 in a comparative example will be described. Figure 11 is an enlarged conceptual diagram of the humidifier 90 in the comparative example in the first embodiment. Figure 11 is a diagram corresponding to Figure 10, but of the humidifier 90 in the comparative example. Figure 11 shows the case where the humidifier 90 retains water.

The humidifier 90 according to the comparative example has the same configuration as the humidifier 20 according to the first embodiment, except that it does not have the first humidifier section 23. The humidifier 90 according to the comparative example can be used by being attached to the humidifier 1 in place of the humidifier 20. Fig. 11 shows the state after the humidifier 1 has been operated with the humidifier 90 according to the comparative example attached to the humidifier 1 in place of the humidifier 20.

11, the position of the liquid level in the Y-axis direction of the water 70 held in the humidifier 90 immediately after drying of the humidifier 90 in the comparative example begins is position A. Position A is the position of the windward end face of the windward end 20a. As drying of the humidifier 90 progresses, the position of the liquid level in the Y-axis direction of the water 70 held in the humidifier 90 retreats to the downwind side in the Y-axis direction from position A → position B → position C → position D.

In this case, if a material with a small contact angle and high hydrophilicity is used as the material for the structure 20c of the humidifier 90 in order to reduce the generation of scale in the first scale generation phenomenon, in the drying behavior of the water 70 in the second scale generation phenomenon, the water 70 moves inside the humidifier 90 from the downwind side to the upwind side to compensate for the water 70 that has evaporated at the upwind end 20a, where the amount of humidification is large. In other words, the water 70 inside the humidifier 90 moves in the Y-axis direction toward the upwind end 20a.

For this reason, water 70 evaporates continuously at the windward end 20a of the humidifier 90. As a result, it takes time for the liquid level of the water 70 held in the humidifier 90 in the Y-axis direction to move from position A to position B, and scale 80 occurs locally at the windward end 20a, and the scale 80 grows further. Finally, large-grained scale 80 occurs locally at the windward end 20a, and the large-grained scale 80 is easily scattered by the wind blown by the blower 5.

Therefore, the following first and second characteristics are required for the windward end 20a, which has a large amount of humidification and is prone to generating scale 80. The first characteristic is that the capillary force is high enough to prevent the scale components from concentrating during the humidification operation of the humidifier 1, in response to the first scale generation phenomenon. The second characteristic is that the capillary force is low enough to prevent water 70 from being collected from other areas downwind of the windward end 20a during drying, in response to the second scale generation phenomenon.

In the humidifying body 20 according to the first embodiment, as described above, the hydrophilicity of the surface of the coating 60 is lower than that of the surface of the structure 20c, and therefore the capillary force of the first humidifying body part 23 is weaker than that of the second humidifying body part 24. As a result, in the humidifying body 20, the speed at which the liquid surface of the water 70 inside the humidifying body 20 moves from position A to position B is increased in the second scale generation phenomenon. As a result, in the humidifying body 20, the scale 80 does not grow locally at the windward end 20a, and the generation of the scale 80 is dispersed. In the humidifying body 20, the generation of the scale 80 is dispersed, thereby reducing the risk that the scale 80 that has grown into large grains at the windward end 20a will be scattered by the wind blown from the blower 5. Therefore, the humidifying body 20 is effective in reducing the risk of scale scattering due to the dispersion of the scale 80.

That is, in the humidifier 20 according to the first embodiment, a large contact angle portion is formed on the windward side of the center between the windward end 20a and the leeward end in the flow direction of the air blown to the humidifier 20, which has a relatively larger contact angle with respect to the water 70 during drying than the region that is continuously connected in the air flow direction. This reduces the force that supplies water 70 to the windward end 20a, and during the drying operation of the humidifier 1, the evaporation interface of the water 70 held in the humidifier 20 retreats to the leeward side more quickly. As a result, the scale 80 does not grow continuously on the evaporation interface of the water 70 held in the humidifier 20, so that the scale 80 does not grow locally at the windward end 20a. Therefore, in the humidifier 20, the scale 80 that has become locally large at the windward end 20a can be prevented from scattering due to the wind blown from the blower 5.

In the humidifier 20 according to the first embodiment, the first humidifier section 23 is provided at the windward end 20a where scale 80 is likely to occur. This allows the scale reduction effect of the evaporation interface of the water 70 held in the humidifier 20 receding to the downwind side during the drying operation of the humidifier 1 to be directly applied to the windward end 20a. In addition, since the amount of water 70 held at the windward end 20a of the humidifier 20 is less than that of the second humidifier section 24, which is the other area of the humidifier 20, the amount of scale 80 that occurs is reduced.

In addition, in the humidifier 20, by forming the coating 60 of the first humidifier part 23 with a water-soluble polymer, the water 70 inside the first humidifier part 23 from which the water-soluble polymer of the coating 60 has dissolved can be prevented from moving to the windward end 20a, and there is an advantage in that a dispersion effect of scale generation in the second scale generation phenomenon can be obtained. That is, in the first humidifier part 23 of the humidifier 20, when the humidifier 20 dries, the concentration of the water-soluble polymer in the coating 60 increases with the evaporation of the water 70. Then, the viscosity of the water 70 inside the first humidifier part 23 from which the water-soluble polymer has dissolved increases, thereby restricting the movement of the water 70 inside the coating 60. As a result, in the humidifier 20, the water 70 can be prevented from continuously evaporating at the windward end 20a, preventing the scale 80 from growing locally.

In addition, by forming the first humidifying body 23 from a water-soluble polymer, there is also the advantage that the effect of suppressing the formation of scale 80 in the second scale generation phenomenon can be obtained in terms of water retention. That is, the capillary force of the first humidifying body 23 is reduced due to the influence of the water-soluble polymer, so that the voids in the structure 20c are not completely filled with water 70, resulting in a localized reduction in the water retention capacity, a reduction in the scale-generating material, and a reduction in the amount of scale 80 that is generated.

It is preferable that the length in the Y-axis direction of the first humidifying body part 23 is as short as possible. It is preferable that the length in the Y-axis direction of the first humidifying body part 23 relative to the length in the Y-axis direction of the humidifying body 20 is as short as possible within the range of greater than 0% and less than or equal to 50%.

In the above, the case where the first humidifying body part 23 is formed across the entire width of the humidifier 20 in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction has been described, but the formation area of the first humidifying body part 23 is not limited to this. The first humidifying body part 23 may be formed on a part of the humidifier 20 in the X-axis direction or the Z-axis direction. In this case, the humidifying device 1 can obtain the above-mentioned effects, although the degree of effect is reduced.

In addition, the contact angle of the surface of the coating 60 of the first humidifying body 23 with water 70 during drying is greater than 0° and less than 90°, ensuring hydrophilicity. Therefore, during humidification when a sufficient amount of water is supplied to the humidifying body 20, water 70 is also supplied to the windward end 20a, so the humidifying performance of the humidifying device 1 does not deteriorate.

As described above, the humidifying element 2 and humidifying device 1 of this embodiment 1 have the effect of suppressing the local growth of scale 80, suppressing the occurrence of scale 80, and preventing the scattering of scale 80 without reducing humidifying performance.

Embodiment 2.
Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the humidifying element 2 included in the humidifying device 1 according to the second embodiment. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to Fig. 6. Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII shown in Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is an enlarged image of the first humidifying body 23 and the second humidifying body 24 in Fig. 13. Fig. 14 shows a case where the humidifying body 20 retains water. The humidifying element 2 according to the second embodiment has the same configuration as the humidifying element 2 according to the first embodiment, except for the position of the first humidifying body 23 in the humidifying body 20, and therefore the same reference numerals are used for the parts having the same configuration, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the humidifying element 2 according to the second embodiment, the first humidifying body part 23 of the humidifying body 20 is formed at a position spaced away from the windward end 20a of the humidifying body 20 to the leeward side in the Y-axis direction in Fig. 13, and the windward end 20a is made to be the second humidifying body part 24. Even in the case of the humidifying body 20 according to the second embodiment having such a configuration, the first humidifying body part 23 obstructs the flow of water 70 that tends to collect at the windward end 20a in the second scale generation phenomenon.

As a result, even in the humidifier 20 according to the second embodiment, scale 80 does not grow locally at the upwind end 20a, and the generation of scale 80 is dispersed. And, in the humidifier 20 according to the second embodiment, the generation of scale 80 is dispersed, thereby reducing the risk that scale 80 that has grown into large grains at the upwind end 20a will be scattered by the wind blown by the blower 5. Therefore, the humidifier 20 according to the second embodiment is also effective in reducing the risk of scale scattering by dispersing the scale 80.

On the other hand, the humidifier 20 according to the second embodiment does not have the first humidifier part 23 at the windward end 20a. Therefore, the humidifier 20 according to the second embodiment has less effect in terms of viscosity and water retention capacity, which is due to the first humidifier part 23 being made of a water-soluble polymer, and therefore has less scale reduction capability in response to the second scale generation phenomenon, compared to the humidifier 20 according to the first embodiment.

However, the humidifier 20 according to the second embodiment has a higher hydrophilicity at the windward end 20a than the humidifier 20 according to the first embodiment. This has the advantage that the humidifier 20 according to the second embodiment is effective when emphasis is placed on scale generation in the first scale generation phenomenon. Scale generation in the first scale generation phenomenon can be emphasized in cases where the humidifier element 2 is not frequently exposed to drying due to humidification being stopped, such as in a 24-hour humidification operation.

Embodiment 3.
Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the humidifier 20 included in the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 3. Fig. 15 is a view corresponding to Fig. 10. The humidifier 20 according to embodiment 3 has a similar configuration to the humidifier 20 according to embodiment 1 except for the structure of the first humidifier section 23, and therefore parts having similar configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

In the humidifier 20 according to the third embodiment, the structure 20c of the first humidifying body 23 is not coated with the coating 60. In the humidifier 20 according to the third embodiment, the first humidifying body 23 is formed by directly reducing the hydrophilicity of the structure 20c itself. Specifically, in the humidifier 20 according to the third embodiment, a humidifier without the first humidifying body 23 is exposed to any one of an acidic aqueous solution, an alkaline aqueous solution, and a high-temperature atmosphere, as in the humidifier 90 according to the comparative example described above, to expose the structure 20c to the environment , and the hydrophilic material of the structure 20c is partially deteriorated, thereby forming the first humidifying body 23 having a lower hydrophilicity than the second humidifying body 24. That is, in the humidifier 20 according to the third embodiment, the structure 20c is exposed to any one of an acidic aqueous solution, an alkaline aqueous solution, and a high-temperature atmosphere, and the hydrophilic material of the structure 20c is partially deteriorated, thereby forming the first humidifying body 23 having a lower hydrophilicity than the second humidifying body 24.

The humidifier 20 of embodiment 3 has the advantage that, compared to the humidifier 20 of embodiment 1 and embodiment 2 described above, the first humidifier portion 23 can be formed inexpensively because no additional material is required.

Embodiment 4.
Fig. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a ventilation device 200 according to embodiment 4. Fig. 17 is a diagram showing an example of an air conditioner 300 according to embodiment 4. The ventilation device 200 and the air conditioner 300 are equipped with the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 1 described above. By providing the humidifier 1 according to embodiment 1 in the ventilation device 200 or the air conditioner 300, scattering of scale 80 is prevented, and it is possible to obtain the ventilation device 200 or the air conditioner 300 that can exhibit stable humidification capacity over a long period of time.

As shown in FIG. 16, the ventilation device 200 takes in air from the outside OD of the house 250 into the indoor ID of the house 250. The air intake 210 of the ventilation device 200 is connected to the air intake 1a of the humidifier 1. The air from the outside OD that flows into the humidifier 1 from the air intake 1a is humidified by the humidifier 1. The humidified air from the outside OD is supplied to the indoor ID from the outlet 1b. In this way, the ventilation device 200 equipped with the humidifier 1 can humidify the air from the outside OD and supply it to the indoor ID of the house 250.

As shown in FIG. 17, the air conditioner 300 has an outdoor unit 301, an indoor unit 302, and a humidifier 1. The outdoor unit 301 is installed on the outside OD of the house 250, and the indoor unit 302 is installed on the inside ID of the house 250. The indoor unit 302 is equipped with a humidifier 1. A refrigerant is supplied from the outdoor unit 301 to a heat exchanger 303 of the indoor unit 302. The blower 304 of the indoor unit 302 takes in air from the indoor ID through an air intake 305 and sends it to the heat exchanger 303. The supply destination of the air that has passed through the heat exchanger 303 and exchanged heat is switched by a switch 306 to either the humidifier 1 or a passage 308 directly connected to an air discharge port 307. FIG. 17 shows a state where the destination of the air that has passed through the heat exchanger 303 is the humidifier 1, that is, where the air that has passed through the heat exchanger 303 is being humidified.

The air that has passed through the heat exchanger 303 flows into the intake port 1a of the humidifier 1 and is then humidified by the humidifier 1. The air that has passed through the humidifier 1 and has been humidified is discharged from the outlet 1b to the outside of the humidifier 1 and is supplied to the room ID from the air discharge port 307. When it is not necessary to humidify the air that has passed through the heat exchanger 303, the switch 306 sets the supply destination of the air that has passed through the heat exchanger 303 to the passage 308. After passing through the passage 308, the air that has passed through the heat exchanger 303 is supplied to the room ID from the air discharge port 307. In this way, the air conditioner 300 can humidify the air in the room ID and supply it to the room ID of the house 250. Furthermore, when it is not necessary to humidify the air, the air conditioner 300 can supply the air that has passed through the heat exchanger 303 to the room ID without humidifying it.

In the above explanation, an example has been described in which the ventilation device 200 and the air conditioner 300 are equipped with a humidifier 1 according to embodiment 1, but the ventilation device 200 and the air conditioner 300 may also be equipped with a humidifier 1 using a humidifier element 2 according to either embodiment 2 or embodiment 3 .

The configurations shown in the above embodiments are merely examples, and may be combined with other known technologies, or the embodiments may be combined with each other. Also, parts of the configurations may be omitted or modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1 Humidifying device, 1a Intake port, 1b Outlet port, 2 Humidifying element, 3 Water supply pipe, 3a Water supply valve, 4 Drain pipe, 5, 304 Blower, 6 Control device, 7 Drain pan, 8 Water level detection sensor, 10, 10a, 10b Casing, 10c Opening, 10d Protrusion, 11 Water supply port, 12 Water tank, 12a Water inlet hole, 13 Drain section, 13a Drain port, 14 Structural wall, 15 Engagement section, 20, 90 Humidifying body, 20a Windward end, 20c Structure, 21 Convex section, 22 Concave section, 23 First humidifying body section, 24 Second humidifying body section, 30 Diffusion member, 31 Suction section, 32 Extension section, 33 Flow section, 40 Orifice section, 50 Water supply mechanism, 60 Coating, 70 water, 80 scale, 200 ventilation device, 210, 305 air intake, 250 house, 300 air conditioner, 301 outdoor unit, 302 indoor unit, 303 heat exchanger, 306 switch, 307 air outlet, 308 passage, ID indoor, OD exterior, θm contact angle of coating surface, θs contact angle of structure surface.

Claims (8)

A plurality of humidifying bodies arranged with gaps between each other and holding water;
A water supply mechanism for supplying water to the humidifier;
Equipped with
The humidifier includes a first humidifying body portion located on the windward side of the center between the windward end portion and the leeward end portion in the flow direction of air blown to the humidifier, and a second humidifying body portion which is a portion of the humidifier other than the first humidifying body portion and which is a region continuously connected to the first humidifying body portion in the air flow direction,
the first humidifying body is a large contact angle portion having a relatively larger contact angle with water in a dry state than the second humidifying body,
the large contact angle portion is provided over the entire width in the height direction at the windward end portion of the humidifier in the air flow direction;
A humidifying element characterized by: the large contact angle portion has a largest contact angle with water in a dry state in the humidifier;
The humidification element according to claim 1 . the large contact angle portion is provided at an end portion on the windward side of the humidifier in the air flow direction;
The humidifying element according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The contact angle of the large contact angle portion with respect to water in a dry state is greater than 0° and less than 90°;
The humidifying element according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , characterized in that the large contact angle portion is coated with at least one of polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and water-soluble polysaccharides;
The humidifying element according to claim 4 . A humidifying element according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
A blower for blowing air to the humidifying element;
A humidifier comprising: Providing a humidification device according to claim 6 ;
A ventilation device comprising: Providing a humidification device according to claim 6 ;
An air conditioner characterized by the above.

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