WO2000034723A1 - Cooling device - Google Patents

Abstract

A cooling device simple in structure and less in energy consumption, comprising a plurality of water containers (11) which are formed of heat conductive material roughly in a tray shape and disposed in vertical direction, a water supply means supplying water to these water containers (11), and a blower supplying air to at least the water surface of the water containers (11), whereby water held in the water container (11) is promoted in evaporation by blowing air and an object to be cooled is cooled by the contact of that object to be cooled such as gas, liquid, and so forth with the water containers (11).

Description

 Description Cooling device Technical field

 The present invention relates to a cooling device that cools a fluid such as air or steam, or a device that generates heat such as an engine. Background art

 Conventionally, cooling devices (coolers) have been used to cool indoor air. This cooling device cools the indoor air by cooling a metal tube made of fins or the like made of copper using a refrigerator and bringing the metal tube into contact with room air.

 In addition, a large amount of cooling water is used in various processes such as steel mills and chemical factories. Buildings also use large amounts of water for cooling. These waters are usually circulated by pumps, cooled in cooling towers and reused. Cooling In the evening, heated water is exposed to air to partially vaporize it, and the heat of vaporization cools the water. At this time, a large amount of air is forcibly sent using a large blower to increase the cooling efficiency.

 By the way, a conventional indoor cooling device (cooler) requires an electric motor and refrigerant gas to operate a refrigerator as well as a blower for circulating indoor air. In addition, air-cooled refrigerators may be used for small ones, but water-cooled refrigerators must be used for large ones, which requires additional equipment for cooling the cooling water. Therefore, conventional cooling devices for indoor use consume large amounts of energy and have complicated structures.

Further, in the conventional cooling method using the cooling unit, as described above, a blower or the like is required to forcibly send a large amount of air. The noise of the operation of the blower etc. can be a noise, causing a dispute with neighboring residents. In addition, conventional cooling methods In this case, pipes and pumps for circulating a large amount of water are required, and a large blower for blowing is also required, so that energy consumption is large and the structure is complicated.

 That is, the conventional cooling device has a problem that the running cost is high and the structure is complicated because the energy consumption is large.

 The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a cooling device having a simple structure and low energy consumption. Disclosure of the invention

 In order to achieve the above object, a cooling device according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a water container formed of a heat conductive material in a substantially basin shape, and a plurality of water containers arranged vertically, and supplying water to the water container. A water supply means for supplying water, and a blowing means for blowing air to at least the water surface of the water container, promoting the evaporation of water held in the water container by blowing air, and bringing a cooled object into contact with the water container. The object to be cooled is cooled.

 A cooling device according to a second invention is the cooling device according to the first invention, wherein the water supply means supplies water to an uppermost water container, and a water level of the uppermost water container is equal to or higher than a predetermined height. When water overflows, water is supplied to the next water container, and water is supplied to each water container in the same manner by allowing water to fall naturally into the lower water container. Features.

 A cooling device according to a third invention is the cooling device according to the first or second invention, wherein the heat conductive substrate has a flat plate-like shape provided with a plurality of vertically arranged water containers on one side surface; A plurality of fins provided on the other side surface of the substrate, and fin air blowing means for blowing air to the fins, wherein the side provided with the water container is placed outside the room, and the side provided with the fins is placed inside the room. It is characterized by that.

 A cooling device according to a fourth invention is the cooling device according to the first, second or third invention, wherein a portion of the water container other than the air inlet / outlet is covered.

A cooling device according to a fifth aspect is the cooling device according to the first, second, or third aspect, wherein the object to be cooled is a fluid, and the flow is substantially perpendicular to a blowing direction of the blowing unit. A space through which a body passes is provided in the water container.

 A cooling device according to a sixth aspect is the cooling device according to the fifth aspect, wherein the object to be cooled is air, water, or steam.

 A cooling device according to a seventh invention is the cooling device according to the first or second invention, wherein the object to be cooled emits heat, and the plurality of water containers are connected to the object to be cooled directly or via a heat conductive material. It is characterized by being attached.

 The cooling device according to an eighth invention is the cooling device according to the seventh invention, wherein the plurality of vertically arranged water containers are horizontally arranged in two rows, and one of the water containers is arranged in the other row. It is characterized by being arranged so as to be located substantially in the middle between them.

 A cooling device according to a ninth invention is the cooling device according to the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth invention, wherein: a detecting means for detecting an ambient temperature; When the ambient temperature is within a predetermined range based on a signal from the controller, control means is provided for operating the blower and supplying water.

 The cooling device according to the tenth aspect is the cooling device according to the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, or ninth inventions, wherein A drainage amount detection unit configured to detect an amount of drained water, wherein the control unit controls the amount of water supplied from the water supply unit and the amount of air blown from the air supply unit based on a signal from the drainage amount detection unit. And

 A combined cooling device according to a eleventh aspect of the present invention includes the cooling device according to the ninth or tenth aspect and a known cooling device, wherein the control unit controls the ambient humidity within a predetermined range. It is characterized in that the cooling device of the ninth or tenth invention is operated at a certain time, and the known cooling device is operated at a time when the ambient humidity is out of a predetermined range.

A cooling device according to a first aspect of the present invention is the cooling device according to the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth or tenth inventions, wherein It is characterized in that means for lowering one or both of the humidity and the temperature of the air is provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

 FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a cooling device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

 FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the cooling device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

 FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of FIG.

 FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the water container of the first embodiment.

 FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a cooling device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

 FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of a cooling device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

 FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention.

 FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram of the third embodiment viewed from the side.

 FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view for explaining water supply to a water container according to the third embodiment. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

 (Embodiment 1)

 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a cooling device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the cooling device, FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a water container. is there. The cooling device according to the first embodiment includes an outdoor unit 10 disposed outdoors, an indoor unit 20 disposed indoors, and an aluminum plate interposed between the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20. It includes a base part 30 and a control part 40. The cooling device of the present embodiment is used by attaching the base 30 to a window or a wall of a building such that the outside 10 is located outdoors and the inside 20 is located inside the room.

The outdoor unit 10 includes a large number of water containers 11 formed in a substantially tray shape, a water tank 12 provided above the water container 11, and a float for controlling the amount of water in the water tank to a constant amount. A switch 13, a control valve 14 for adjusting the amount of water supplied from the water tank 12, a water receiver 15 for receiving water from the bottom water container and flowing it to a wastewater treatment section, and a water receiver 15 Sensor 16a for detecting the amount of water discharged by the mine, a sensor 16b for detecting the amount of minerals such as calcium, sodium, and magnesium contained in the effluent, and an outer panel covering the water container 12 17 and an outdoor blower 18. The water container 11 is made of aluminum. One side in the longitudinal direction is fixed to the base 30 and a pipe 11a is provided at the bottom. The water container 11 includes an A water container 1 1 1 and a B water container 1 12 which have the same outer shape and different mounting positions of the pipes 11a. The A water container 1 1 1 and the B water container 1 1 2 are arranged alternately in the vertical direction, and when the water containers are arranged in the vertical direction, the A water container 1 The mounting positions of the pipe 11a of 11 and the pipe 11a of the B water container 1 12 are shifted (see Figs. 4 (a) and 4 (b)). The height of the pipe 11a from the bottom of the water container 11 is about two-thirds of the height of the water container. The width w of the water container 11 is about 10 cm, the length is about 500 to 900 cm, and the mounting pitch P of the water container 11 in the vertical direction is about 5 mm. In the present embodiment, about 100 such water containers are provided. Above the water surface of each water container 11 is a flow passage for the air sent from the outdoor blower 18 (hereinafter, referred to as an air flow passage).

 The indoor section 20 includes the fin 21, an inner panel 22 covering the fin 21, and an indoor blower 23.

 The control unit 40 includes a microcomputer, and includes temperature sensors 16 c and 16 c for measuring indoor and outdoor temperatures, a humidity sensor 16 d for measuring outdoor humidity, and a sensor 16 for detecting the amount of wastewater. a and the amount of water from the control valve 14 and the blowers 18 and 2 based on the signals from the sensor 16 b that detects the amount of minerals so that the room temperature becomes the temperature set in advance by the temperature setting unit 41. 3. Control the air volume.

Next, the operation of the cooling device of the present embodiment will be described. First, water is sent from the tap water to the water tank 12 in advance. When the water level in the water tank 12 reaches the predetermined level, the water supply to the water tank 12 is temporarily stopped by the float switch. Is done. When the power of the control unit 40 is turned on in this state, the control valve 14 is opened, and the water is supplied to the water container 12 little by little. The supply amount of water at this time will be described later. When the water level in the uppermost water container becomes higher than the upper end of the pipe 11a, the water overflowing through the pipe 11a is sent to the lower water container, and the water level in this water container is further reduced to the pipe level. When the water level is higher than the upper end, water is supplied to the lower water container. In this way, sequentially, under Water is supplied to the water container of the step. Therefore, all water containers are constantly filled with water. The water supplied to each water container evaporates even as it is, taking away heat from the surroundings. However, in its natural state, it eventually saturates and the amount of water evaporation decreases significantly. For this reason, in this embodiment, the outdoor blower 18 is operated almost simultaneously with the supply of water to blow air from the lateral direction (the left side in FIG. 1) into the air flow passage of each water container 11. When water is supplied to the water containers 11 of each stage and the air is blown into the air flow passage, the evaporation of water from the water containers of each stage is promoted, and each water container is rapidly cooled by heat of vaporization. You. This cold heat is transmitted to the fins 21 in the room via the aluminum base 30. On the other hand, the indoor blower 23 is also operated almost simultaneously with the outdoor blower 18, whereby the indoor air is circulated and sent between the fins to be cooled. When the room temperature falls below a certain temperature predetermined by the temperature setting unit 41, the control unit 40 adjusts the amount of air blown by the blower and the amount of water supplied to the control valve so that the room temperature becomes a constant temperature. Control.

 On the other hand, of the water supplied to each water container, concentrated water such as non-evaporated minerals is dropped from the bottom water container to the water receiving portion 15 and finally drained to the outside . In addition, the amount of water discharged from the water receiving section 15 and the content of minerals are measured, and the amount of water supplied from the upper water tank to the uppermost water container is controlled. That is, when industrial water is used as the cooling water, minerals and the like are deposited and adhere to the water container and the like in the process of evaporating the water. However, by configuring as in the above-described embodiment, for example, when supplying 1 liter of water from a water tank per hour so that the concentration does not become so high as to precipitate minerals or the like, Adjust the water supply and air flow so that about 50 cc of water drops. In other words, the control unit 40 receives a signal from the sensor 16a that detects the amount of wastewater disposed in the water receiving unit or a sensor 16b that detects the content of minerals, and the set temperature from the temperature setting unit 41. Adjust the control valve to adjust the amount of water supply and adjust the amount of air blown by the outdoor blower based on the above.

In the present embodiment, by performing the above-described control, it is possible to prevent minerals and the like from being precipitated in the water container 11 and to perform continuous operation. This embodiment The amount of water supplied in can be sufficient as long as it can compensate for the amount evaporated in each water container and is necessary to prevent precipitation of minerals and the like. Therefore, a small amount of water is sufficient. Adjust the amount of water supplied during operation and the amount of air blown so that the amount of water finally flowing into the water receiving section is about 5 to 10% of the amount of water supplied to the top stage.

 The cooling device of the present embodiment can be used, for example, instead of a window ventilation fan. In addition, the cooling device of the present embodiment evaporates water and uses the heat of vaporization to cool the water, so that it is particularly suitable for use in dry areas.

 By the way, there is a device called a cold air fan. This cold air fan is provided with a water tray and a blower, and sends air containing evaporated water as cold air to the room as it is. Humid air is not comfortable for humans. Therefore, this fan is not very suitable for indoor use, even if it is used outdoors. Also, what is called a conventional cool fan does not exchange heat. On the other hand, the apparatus according to the present embodiment lowers the room temperature by using the heat of vaporization of water. The window ventilation fan of the present embodiment is characterized by lowering the room temperature without increasing the humidity. Therefore, the cooling by the cooling device of the present embodiment is more comfortable than the conventional cooling fan.

 According to the cooling device of the present embodiment, the cooling temperature varies depending on the external humidity condition, but can be lowered to the temperature of the wet bulb of the dry / hygrometer. That is, in the above-described embodiment, even if the temperature is set to be equal to or lower than the temperature of the wet bulb, the temperature cannot be decreased to the temperature of the wet bulb. The method of lowering the temperature to below the wet bulb temperature of the dry / hygrometer will be described later.

The amount of heat absorbed in the present embodiment is 118 O kcal if, for example, 1 liter of water is evaporated in one hour and 580 caK of 2 liters of water is evaporated. The capacity of the outdoor blower is only about 30 watts, assuming that 2 liters of water evaporates per hour. Further, since the refrigerator provided in the conventional cooler is not required, the configuration is simplified as compared with the conventional cooler. Therefore, according to the cooling device of the present embodiment, the room temperature can be reduced with a simple configuration and with a small amount of energy consumption as compared with the conventional device. Note that the present invention is not limited to the first embodiment described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist. For example, the indoor blower can be omitted if the indoor fins are provided in the vertical direction to allow natural convection. Further, the material of the water container is not limited to aluminum, but may be, for example, copper or stainless steel. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the case of the continuous control in which the water supply amount and the blown air amount are continuously changed has been described, but this control may be ONZOFF control.

By the way, in the case of the cooling device of the first embodiment, the temperature can only be reduced to the temperature of the wet bulb of the dry / hygrometer. Therefore, if the surrounding humidity is high, the temperature cannot be reduced much. Therefore, when used in an area with high humidity, for example, a multi-stage type is used as described below. This is a method in which the cooling device of the present embodiment is disposed outside a room as the first stage, and the cooling device of the present embodiment is used as a window ventilation fan as the second stage. The outdoor air itself is pre-cooled by the first-stage cooling device, and this cooled air is supplied to the outside air intake of the second-stage cooling device. By cooling the air to be used in the preceding stage in advance, the temperature can be lowered below the wet bulb temperature. Note that this multi-stage can be three or more stages. Now, when the outside air temperature is a Ru 3 5 degrees der, since the saturated water vapor pressure of about 5 7 3 mmH ₂ 0 at this time, when the humidity is 5 0%, by multiple stages, in theory However, it is possible to lower the room temperature to about 23 degrees, which is half of 286.5 mmH ₂そ の.

 Further, when the temperature of the outside air is high, the configuration of the cooling device can be modified so as to cool the taken-in outside air by using the air discharged to the outside through the air flow passage. The air that has passed through the air flow passage contains a lot of moisture, but its temperature has decreased to some extent due to the evaporation of water. The heat exchange between the air and the outside air cools the outside air and then guides the outside air to the air flow passage, so that the cooling effect is further enhanced. As a result, the room temperature can be lowered to a temperature lower than the wet bulb temperature of the dry / hygrometer, or theoretically, to a temperature near the dew point temperature of the outside air taken in.

The cooling device of the present embodiment may be used in combination with a conventional general cooling device (cooler). That is, the cooling device of the present embodiment As described above, it can be reduced to some extent depending on the temperature and humidity conditions during use, but it cannot be reduced below that. Therefore, the cooling device of the present embodiment and a general cooling device (cooler) are provided side by side, and the controller uses the cooling device until the temperature can be lowered by the cooling device of the present embodiment. To lower the temperature below the limit temperature, a general cooling device may be used. As described above, even when the cooling device of the present embodiment and a general cooling device (cooler) are provided side by side, when the humidity of the outside air is low, the ratio of the operation of the cooling device increases. Energy consumption is lower than when only a conventional cooling device is used. Further, a general cooling device (cooler) is installed in front of the cooling device of the present embodiment. First, the outside air is cooled and dehumidified by the general cooling device. You may make it flow to an air flow path. In this way, even when the humidity of the outside air is high and the wet bulb temperature of the thermometer is high, the vaporization of water in the air flow passage is promoted, and the cooling effect of the present cooling device can be further enhanced. As described above, when a general cooling device and the cooling device of the present embodiment are connected in series, when the wet bulb temperature of the thermometer is high, the cooling device of the preceding stage is operated to reduce the cooling effect of the present cooling device. When the wet bulb temperature is relatively low, the cooling device in the preceding stage may be stopped and only this cooling device may be operated. Thus, even when a general cooling device and the cooling device of the present embodiment are connected in series, the power consumption throughout the year can be significantly reduced as compared with a case where only a general cooling device is installed. it can. (Embodiment 2)

 Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a cooling device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of the cooling device.

At thermal and hydroelectric power plants, high-pressure steam is generated, which is used to turn turbines to cool low-pressure steam after use and reuse it. The cooling device of the present embodiment can be used as a device for cooling the used low-pressure steam. As shown in FIG. 5, the cooling device of the present embodiment includes a steam passage in addition to an air flow passage for blowing air, and the passages are formed so that these two fluids are orthogonal to each other. The cooling device of the present embodiment includes a water tank 12, a water container 50, a water receiver 15, a blower 18, and a controller 40. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that there is no indoor portion and no base portion, and the shape of the water container is slightly different from that of the first embodiment. The other water tanks 12, water receiving portions 15, control portions 40, and the like are the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus description thereof will be omitted.

 The water container 50 of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, is formed in a substantially tray shape, has an overflow pipe 11a at the bottom, and stores water in a recess at the top. Can be Further, unlike the first embodiment, a cavity 51 through which steam passes in a direction substantially perpendicular to the blowing direction is formed at the bottom of the water container 50 of the present embodiment. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, steam flows from the left side to the right side through a hollow portion 51 provided at the bottom of the water container 50, and air flows through an air flow passage above the water surface of the water container. Flows from the back to the front.

 Next, the operation of the cooling device according to the second embodiment will be described. Similarly to the case of the first embodiment, water is supplied to the lower water container in order from the uppermost water container, and when water is stored in each water container, air is blown by the blower 18 to the water surface of each water container. Sent. Then, as in the first embodiment, evaporation of water in the water container is promoted, and the water container 50 is rapidly cooled by heat of vaporization. This cold heat is transmitted to the low-pressure steam flowing through the cavity 51 at the bottom of the water container 50, and the steam is cooled, liquefied, and collected as water. According to the above embodiment, for example, when about 1 cc of water in the water container evaporates, if the steam is about 100 degrees, theoretically, the steam is returned to about 1 cc of water. Can be. Other functions and effects of this embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

Meanwhile, thermal power plants and nuclear power plants use high-pressure steam to run turbines. Pure water is used for this high-pressure steam to prevent corrosion inside the equipment. Therefore, the cost increases when disposable steam is used, and the used steam is cooled and returned to water for reuse. At this time, in the conventional method of cooling a turbine, the steam is cooled and liquefied into water. First, the steam is cooled with a large amount of cooling water, and the heated cooling water is cooled. It is cooled down by using, and it is lowered to almost the same temperature as the atmosphere. Therefore, the conventional method using a cooling tower is A pump or the like for circulating the amount of cooling water is required. Also, in the evening of cooling, it is necessary to send a large amount of wind with a large blower.

 In the present embodiment, as in the conventional method, cooling is performed using heat of vaporization. However, in the conventional method, a large amount of water is used, whereas in the present embodiment, the amount evaporated in each water container can be supplemented, and necessary for preventing precipitation of minerals and the like. Only the amount of water is sufficient. Therefore, in the conventional method, equipment for circulating a large amount of water is required, but in the present embodiment, equipment for supplying an extremely small amount of water is sufficient. Also, in the conventional method, the temperature of the steam is transmitted to the cooling water once instead of the high-temperature steam coming into direct contact with the water for vaporization, and the heated cooling water is cooled in a cooling tower. I have. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, since the high-temperature steam is in direct contact with the aluminum water container, the water container usually has a high temperature, and thus the water in the water container also has a high temperature. If the temperature of the water is high, the water will evaporate easily. That is, the present embodiment is more efficient because the vaporization is easier than in the conventional example. Also, compared to the first embodiment, the air volume can be reduced since the water in the water container is warmed. For example, if the water temperature reaches 100 degrees, even if the air volume is 0, the water will evaporate more and more. However, it is necessary to supply water to the water container as in the first embodiment so that the water does not evaporate and disappear. If water evaporates and minerals are deposited, the heat exchange efficiency will deteriorate, so a certain amount of water must be flushed. In this case, the amount of water to be flushed is very small compared with the case of using a cooling tower.

 Further, the cooling device of the present embodiment does not require a pump, a pipe, a large blower, and the like for circulating a large amount of water. Therefore, compared to the conventional method, the noise is small, the structure is simple, and the energy consumption is significantly reduced. In the cooling device of the present embodiment, the water and the steam in the water container are directly The recovered water can be reused as pure water without contact.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described second embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist. For example, in the above embodiment, pipes were used, but instead of pipes, water was transferred from the upper water container to the lower water container on the side of each water container. A channel for pouring water may be formed. Further, similarly to the first embodiment, the material of the water container is not limited to aluminum, but may be, for example, copper / stainless steel.

 (Embodiment 3)

 Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram viewed from the side thereof, and FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view for explaining water supply to a water container. The cooling device according to the present embodiment includes a base unit 81 attached to a device (hereinafter, also referred to as a heating element unit) 100 that generates heat, such as an engine or a large refrigerator, and a base unit 81 attached to the base unit 81. A water container 82, a blower 18 and a control unit 40 are provided.

 This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the shape of the base portion 81, the structure for supplying water to the water containers 82 of each stage, and the water containers 82 provided on both sides of the base portion 81 are provided. It is a point that is being done. The other components are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the detailed description is omitted.

 The base portion 81 of the present embodiment has a bottom portion 81a attached to the heating element portion 100, and a substrate portion 81b provided with water containers 82 on both side surfaces. 8 and 9, the water container 82 includes an A water container 821, which is provided on the left side, and a B water container 822, which is provided on the right side. The water container A and the water container B are connected in a stepwise manner around the waterway 800. When the water level of the uppermost water container of the A water container reaches a predetermined water level, the water overflowed through the water channel 800 is supplied to the uppermost water container of the B water container. Then, when the water level of the uppermost water container of the B water container reaches a predetermined water level, the overflowed water is supplied to the second water container of the A water container via the water channel 800. In this way, water is supplied to the water container A and the water container B alternately via the water channel 800 and sequentially to the lower water container.

The cooling device according to the present embodiment is mounted and used in direct contact with, for example, a water-cooled chiller used in a large-sized cooler or an engine for private power generation. Will be described. In substantially the same manner as in the first embodiment, When water is supplied to the water containers 82 and the air is blown into the air flow passages, the evaporation of the water in each water container 82 is promoted in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and each water container is rapidly heated by the heat of vaporization. Cools down. When the water container is cooled, the base body to which the water container is attached is also cooled, whereby the heating element 100 is directly cooled. Other actions and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.

 According to the above embodiment, instead of a cooling tower that circulates and uses a large amount of cooling water, it is directly attached to a device that generates heat, such as an engine or a compressor, and the device is directly cooled. be able to. Accordingly, the cooling device of the present embodiment does not require a facility for circulating and using a large amount of cooling water, as compared with a method of using a large amount of cooling water using a cooling tower, and thus has a simple configuration. Energy consumption is much lower.

 It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the third embodiment described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist, similarly to the first embodiment.

 Further, the present invention is not limited to each of the above-described first to third embodiments. For example, a water holding material such as a cloth or a sponge that can hold water well may be put in the water container of each of the above embodiments. As a result, even when a large amount of wind is sent to the water surface of the water container, it is possible to prevent the water surface from waving and the water to be splashed and scattered, and to reliably hold the water in the water container.

 As described above, according to the cooling device of the present invention, since the cooling is performed by directly using the heat of vaporization of water, the amount of water used can compensate for the amount evaporated in each water container, and the mineral water can be used. Only a small amount required to prevent the precipitation of water, etc. is sufficient, so that a cooling refrigerator, a water pump for circulation, and a large blower are not required, and as a result, the configuration is simpler than the conventional method. Thus, a cooling device that consumes less energy can be provided. Industrial applicability

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION The cooling device which concerns on this invention can cool the target to-be-cooled object efficiently with small power consumption, utilizing the heat of vaporization taken from surroundings when water evaporates. W

 14

 For example, as a ventilation fan for windows, as a device for cooling low-pressure steam after use in thermal power plants and hydroelectric power plants, or directly attached to devices that generate heat such as large water-cooled refrigerators and engines Therefore, it can be widely used in industry as a device for directly cooling the device.

Claims

The scope of the claims  1. A water container formed of a heat conductive material in a substantially tray shape and arranged in a plurality of vertical directions, water supply means for supplying water to the water container, and air blowing means for blowing air to at least the water surface of the water container. A cooling device, comprising: promoting evaporation of water held in the water container by blowing air; and cooling the object to be cooled by bringing the object to be cooled into contact with the water container.  2. The water supply means is for supplying water to the uppermost water container, and when the water level of the uppermost water container becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined height, overflows to the next water container. 2. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the water is supplied to the water containers, and the water is supplied to the respective water containers by dropping the water naturally into the lower water container in the same manner.  3. A flat thermally conductive substrate provided with a plurality of water containers vertically arranged on one side, a plurality of fins provided on the other side of the thermally conductive substrate, and 3. The cooling device according to claim 1, further comprising: a fin blowing unit that blows air, wherein a side on which the water container is provided is disposed outside a room, and a side on which the fin is provided is disposed indoors. 4.  4. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of water containers are covered except for an air inlet / outlet.  5. The object to be cooled is a fluid, and a space through which the fluid passes in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of air blowing by the air blowing means is provided in the water container. The cooling device according to 1, 2, or 3.  6. The cooling device according to claim 5, wherein the object to be cooled is air, water, or steam.  7. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the object to be cooled is a device that generates heat, and the plurality of water containers are attached to the object to be cooled directly or via a heat conductive material. . 8. The water containers arranged in the vertical direction are arranged in two rows in the horizontal direction, and each of the water containers in one row is arranged substantially in the middle between the water vessels in the other row. 8. The cooling device according to claim 7, wherein:  9. Control means for operating the blower and supplying water when the ambient temperature is within a predetermined range based on a signal from the detecting means for detecting the ambient temperature. Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. The cooling device according to 6, 7, or 8.  10. Equipped with a drainage amount detecting means for detecting an amount of water drained from a water container arranged at a lowermost stage, wherein the control means detects a water supply amount from the water supply means and the water supply amount based on a signal from the drainage amount detecting means. 10. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the amount of air blown from the air blowing means is controlled.  11. The cooling device according to claim 9 or 10 and a known cooling device, wherein the control unit is configured to control the control unit when the ambient humidity is within a predetermined range. 0. The combined cooling device, wherein the cooling device according to 0 is operated, and when the ambient humidity is outside a predetermined range, the known cooling device is operated.  12. A means for lowering one or both of humidity and temperature of air blown by the blowing means, wherein: The cooling device according to 7, 8, 9 or 10.