Humidity control apparatus

Abstract

A refrigerant circuit of a humidity control apparatus is provided with two adsorption heat exchangers. In the refrigerant circuit, refrigerant can circulate in reverse directions. A switching mechanism of the humidity control apparatus switches between a transfer path of the outdoor air to be supplied into a room and a transfer path of the indoor air to be exhausted to the outside the room. In a first operation of the humidity control apparatus, a direction of refrigerant circulation and a flow path of the air are changed every predetermined period. In a second operation of the humidity control apparatus, the refrigerant circuit is stopped, and the flow path of the air is changed every predetermined period.

1 . A humidity control apparatus, comprising:
 a refrigerant circuit which includes a compressor, and a first adsorption heat exchanger and a second adsorption heat exchanger each carrying an adsorbent, and which performs a first refrigeration cycle operation in which the first adsorption heat exchanger serves as a radiator and the second adsorption heat exchanger serves as an evaporator, and a second refrigeration cycle operation in which the second adsorption heat exchanger serves as a radiator and the first adsorption heat exchanger serves as an evaporator;   an air supply fan configured to supply outdoor air to an indoor space;   an exhaust fan configured to exhaust indoor air to an outdoor space; and   a switching mechanism configured to switch a flow path of the air between a first path in which the outdoor air passes through the first adsorption heat exchanger and thereafter flows into the indoor space, and the indoor air passes through the second adsorption heat exchanger and is thereafter exhausted to the outdoor space, and a second path in which the outdoor air passes through the second adsorption heat exchanger and thereafter flows into the indoor space, and the indoor air passes through the first adsorption heat exchanger and is thereafter exhausted to the outdoor space, wherein   the humidity control apparatus performs
 a first operation in which the air supply fan and the exhaust fan are actuated; the refrigerant circuit alternately performs the first refrigeration cycle operation and the second refrigeration cycle operation every predetermined period of time; and the switching mechanism alternately sets the flow path of the air to the first path and the second path in conjunction with the alternate change of the refrigeration cycle operation of the refrigerant circuit, thereby dehumidifying or humidifying the outdoor air to be supplied to the indoor space, and 
 a second operation in which the air supply fan and the exhaust fan are actuated; the compressor of the refrigerant circuit is stopped; and the switching mechanism alternately sets the flow path of the air to the first path and the second path every predetermined period of time. 
   
     
     
         2 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller which controls an operation capacity of the compressor according to a humidity control load during the first operation, wherein   the controller switches an operation of the humidity control apparatus from the first operation to the second operation if it is considered that even if the operation capacity of the compressor is set to a minimum capacity during the first operation, a humidity control capability is high relative to the humidity control load, and   the controller switches the operation of the humidity control apparatus from the second operation to the first operation if it is considered that the humidity control capability is low relative to the humidity control load during the second operation.   
     
     
         3 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the refrigerant circuit is provided with an expansion valve whose degree of opening is variable, at a location between the first adsorption heat exchanger and the second adsorption heat exchanger, and   the expansion valve is maintained in a fully open state during the second operation.   
     
     
         4 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 a time interval between switching operations of the switching mechanism during the second operation, for alternately switching the flow path of the air between the first path and the second path, is less than or equal to a time interval between switching operations of the switching mechanism during the first operation, for alternately switching the flow path of the air between the first path and the second path.   
     
     
         5 . The humidity control apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein
 the refrigerant circuit is provided with an expansion valve whose degree of opening is variable, at a location between the first adsorption heat exchanger and the second adsorption heat exchanger, and   the expansion valve is maintained in a fully open state during the second operation.