Humidity control apparatus

Abstract

A humidity control apparatus ( 10 ) alternately performs first and second operations at predetermined switching intervals. In the first operation, a first adsorption heat exchanger ( 51 ) serves as a condenser, and a second adsorption heat exchanger ( 52 ) serves as an evaporator, thereby humidifying second air by the first adsorption heat exchanger ( 51 ), and dehumidifying first air by the second adsorption heat exchanger ( 52 ). In the second operation, the second adsorption heat exchanger ( 52 ) serves as the condenser, and the first adsorption heat exchanger ( 51 ) serves as the evaporator, thereby humidifying the second air by the second adsorption heat exchanger ( 52 ), and dehumidifying the first air by the first adsorption heat exchanger ( 51 ). The switching intervals between the first and second operations are shorter in dehumidification operation of supplying the dehumidified first air to the inside of a room than in humidification operation of supplying the humidified second air to the inside of the room.

1 . A humidity control apparatus comprising:
 first and second adsorption units ( 51 ,  52 ,  111 ,  112 ), each of which includes an adsorbent to be brought into contact with air, wherein   first operation of humidifying second air by recovering the adsorbent of the first adsorption unit ( 51 ,  111 ), and simultaneously dehumidifying first air by the second adsorption unit ( 52 ,  112 ), and second operation of recovering the adsorbent by the second adsorption unit ( 52 ,  112 ) to humidify the second air, and simultaneously dehumidifying the first air by the first adsorption unit ( 51 ,  111 ) are alternately performed at predetermined switching intervals,   dehumidification operation of supplying the dehumidified first air to the inside of a room, and humidification operation of supplying the humidified second air to the inside of the room are selectively performed, and   the switching intervals in the dehumidification operation are shorter than the switching intervals in the humidification operation.   
     
     
         2 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 outside air is admitted as the first air, and room air is admitted as the second air to supply the dehumidified first air to the inside of the room, and discharge the humidified second air outside the room in the dehumidification operation, and   the room air is admitted as the first air, and the outside air is admitted as the second air to supply the humidified second air to the inside of the room, and discharge the humidified first air in the humidification operation.   
     
     
         3 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 1  or  2 , further comprising:
 a refrigerant circuit ( 50 ) which connects a plurality of adsorption heat exchangers ( 51 ,  52 ) each carrying an adsorbent on a surface thereof, and which is capable of switching between first refrigeration cycle operation where a first adsorption heat exchanger ( 51 ) serves as a radiator, and a second adsorption heat exchanger ( 52 ) serves as an evaporator, and second refrigeration cycle operation where the second adsorption heat exchanger ( 52 ) serves as the radiator, and the first adsorption heat exchanger ( 51 ) serves as the evaporator, wherein   the refrigerant circuit ( 50 ) performs the first refrigeration cycle operation in the first operation, and performs the second refrigeration cycle operation in the second operation, and   the first adsorption heat exchanger ( 51 ) constitutes the first adsorption unit ( 51 ,  111 ), and the second adsorption heat exchanger ( 52 ) constitutes the second adsorption unit ( 52 ,  112 ).