Humidity control apparatus

Abstract

A dividing member ( 25 ) divides an inside of a storage tank ( 41 ) into a humidification region ( 31 ) and a supply region ( 32 ), and a space above the supply region ( 32 ) is covered with a covering member ( 26 ). In water, the dividing member ( 25 ) defines a communication path ( 33 ) through which the supply region ( 32 ) and the humidification region ( 31 ) communicate with each other. Active species generated in an electrical discharge unit ( 51 ) are supplied to the supply region ( 32 ) to purify the water. A release of the supplied active species to outside is reduced by the dividing member ( 25 ) and the covering member ( 26 ), and the water in the supply region ( 32 ), which is purified by the active species flows into the humidification region ( 31 ) through the communication path ( 33 ).

1 . A humidity control apparatus including a storage tank ( 41 ) for storing water, and a humidification mechanism ( 43 ) for humidifying air by imparting the water in the storage tank ( 41 ) to air, comprising:
 an electrical discharge unit ( 51 ) configured to generate electrical discharge to generate active species;   a dividing member ( 25 ) which divides an inside of the storage tank ( 41 ) into a humidification region ( 31 ) where the humidification mechanism ( 43 ) is arranged to impart the water to air, and a supply region ( 32 ) to which the active species generated in the electrical discharge unit ( 51 ) are supplied to purify the water, so that the humidification region ( 31 ) and the supply region ( 32 ) are arranged along a horizontal direction; and which defines a communication path ( 33 ) in the water, through which the water purified in the supply region ( 32 ) flows into the humidification region ( 31 ); and   a covering member ( 26 ) configured to cover a space above the supply region ( 32 ) of the storage tank ( 41 ).   
     
     
         2 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the active species generated in the electrical discharge unit ( 51 ) are supplied to a space above a water surface of the water stored in the supply region ( 32 ) of the storage tank ( 41 ), which is covered with the covering member ( 26 ).   
     
     
         3 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a gas-liquid mixing mechanism ( 66 ) for mixing air containing the active species supplied to the supply region ( 32 ) with the water stored in the supply region ( 32 ).   
     
     
         4 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an air blowing mechanism ( 64 ) for sending air to the electrical discharge unit ( 51 ) to supply air containing the active species to the supply region ( 32 ) of the storage tank ( 41 ).   
     
     
         5 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein
 the covering member ( 26 ) includes an exhaust port ( 34 ) through which air is exhausted, which contains the active species supplied to the supply region ( 32 ), and accumulated in the space above the water surface of the water stored in the supply region ( 32 ); and   the covering member ( 26 ) further includes an air circulation path ( 65 ) in which air containing the accumulated active species circulates back to the air blowing mechanism ( 64 ) through the exhaust port ( 34 ).   
     
     
         6 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the covering member ( 26 ) includes an exhaust port ( 34 ) through which air is exhausted, which contains the active species supplied to the supply region ( 32 ), and accumulated in the space above the water surface of the water stored in the supply region ( 32 ); and   the covering member ( 26 ) further includes an ozone decomposition catalyst ( 37 ) for decomposing an ozone component contained in the active species, which is arranged on the exhaust port ( 34 ).   
     
     
         7 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a mixing mechanism ( 35 ) for mixing the water in the storage tank ( 41 ) to forcibly send the water of the supply region ( 32 ) to the humidification region ( 31 ) through the communication path ( 33 ).   
     
     
         8 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 an electrical discharge process is intermittently performed by the electrical discharge unit ( 51 ).   
     
     
         9 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein
 an air blowing process is intermittently performed by the air blowing mechanism ( 64 ).