Humidity control apparatus

Abstract

During a simple ventilation operation, in an outdoor-air conditioner ( 10 ) which is a humidity control apparatus, a first bypass damper ( 83 ) is opened to supply outdoor air to a room in unchanged form. When the outdoor temperature exceeds 35° C. during the simple ventilation operation, an operation of the outdoor-air conditioner ( 10 ) is forcibly switched to a dehumidification/ventilation operation, and then outdoor air passing through an adsorption heat exchanger ( 51, 52 ) operating as an evaporator is supplied to the room. When the outdoor temperature falls below 5° C. during the simple ventilation operation, the operation of the outdoor-air conditioner ( 10 ) is forcibly switched to a humidification/ventilation operation, and then outdoor air passing through the adsorption heat exchanger ( 51, 52 ) operating as a condenser is supplied to the room. That is, when the operation of the outdoor-air conditioner ( 10 ) is switched from the simple ventilation operation to the dehumidification/ventilation operation or the humidification/ventilation operation, a difference between the temperature of air to be supplied to the room and the room temperature is reduced as compared to that during the simple ventilation operation.

1 . A humidity control apparatus including at least humidity control means ( 50 ,  115 ,  170 ) for dehumidifying and cooling air, which enables a dehumidification/ventilation operation in which the humidity control means ( 50 ,  115 ,  170 ) dehumidifies and cools outdoor air to be supplied to a room, and a simple ventilation operation in which the humidity control means ( 50 ,  115 ,  170 ) is stopped to supply taken outdoor air to the room in unchanged form, the humidity control apparatus comprising:
 outdoor temperature detecting means ( 99 ) for detecting an outdoor temperature; and   control means ( 64 ) for forcibly switching from the simple ventilation operation to the dehumidification/ventilation operation when the outdoor temperature detected by the outdoor temperature detecting means ( 99 ) during the simple ventilation operation exceeds a predetermined maximum value.   
     
     
         2 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the control means ( 64 ) stops an outdoor-air supply to the room when the outdoor temperature detected by the outdoor temperature detecting means ( 99 ) exceeds the predetermined maximum value in the simple ventilation operation performed under circumstances in which the dehumidification/ventilation operation is prohibited.   
     
     
         3 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein
 the humidity control means ( 50 ,  115 ) includes adsorption units ( 51 ,  52 ,  111 ,  112 ) with adsorbent to be exposed to air, and dehumidifies air by adsorbing moisture in the air onto the adsorption unit ( 51 ,  52 ,  111 ,  112 ).   
     
     
         4 . A humidity control apparatus including at least humidity control means ( 50 ,  115 ,  170 ) for humidifying and heating air, which enables a humidification/ventilation operation in which the humidity control means ( 50 ,  115 ,  170 ) humidifies and heats outdoor air to be supplied to a room, and a simple ventilation operation in which the humidity control means ( 50 ,  115 ,  170 ) is stopped to supply taken outdoor air to the room in unchanged form, the humidity control apparatus comprising:
 outdoor temperature detecting means ( 99 ) for detecting an outdoor temperature; and   control means ( 64 ) for forcibly switching from the simple ventilation operation to the humidification/ventilation operation when the outdoor temperature detected by the outdoor temperature detecting means ( 99 ) during the simple ventilation operation falls below a predetermined minimum value.   
     
     
         5 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein
 the control means ( 64 ) stops an outdoor-air supply to the room when the outdoor temperature detected by the outdoor temperature detecting means ( 99 ) falls below the predetermined minimum value in the simple ventilation operation performed under circumstances in which the humidification/ventilation operation is prohibited.   
     
     
         6 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 4  or  5 , wherein
 the humidity control means ( 50 ,  115 ) includes adsorption units ( 51 ,  52 ,  111 ,  112 ) with adsorbent to be exposed to air, and humidifies air by imparting moisture desorbed from the adsorbent of the adsorption unit ( 51 ,  52 ,  111 ,  112 ), to the air.   
     
     
         7 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein
 the humidity control means includes adsorption heat exchangers ( 51 ,  52 ) with adsorbent deposited on surfaces thereof as the adsorption units, and includes a refrigerant circuit ( 50 ) in which the adsorption heat exchangers ( 51 ,  52 ) are connected to each other to perform a refrigeration cycle; and   the refrigerant circuit ( 50 ) performs an adsorption action in which the adsorbent of the adsorption heat exchanger ( 51 ,  52 ) is cooled by refrigerant to adsorb moisture in air onto the adsorption heat exchanger ( 51 ,  52 ), and a recovery action in which the adsorbent of the adsorption heat exchanger ( 51 ,  52 ) is heated by refrigerant for recovery of the adsorbent in the adsorption heat exchanger ( 51 ,  52 ).   
     
     
         8 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein
 the humidity control means adsorption heat exchangers ( 51 ,  52 ) with adsorbent deposited on surfaces thereof as the adsorption units, and includes a refrigerant circuit ( 50 ) in which the adsorption heat exchangers ( 51 ,  52 ) are connected to each other to perform a refrigeration cycle; and   the refrigerant circuit ( 50 ) performs an adsorption action in which the adsorbent of the adsorption heat exchanger ( 51 ,  52 ) is cooled by refrigerant to adsorb moisture in air onto the adsorption heat exchanger ( 51 ,  52 ), and a recovery action in which the adsorbent of the adsorption heat exchanger ( 51 ,  52 ) is heated by refrigerant for recovery of the adsorbent in the adsorption heat exchanger ( 51 ,  52 ).