Dehumidifying apparatus and dehumidifying system

Abstract

A dehumidifying apparatus includes a tubular vortex-effect generating portion, a gas inflow portion generating a swirling flow of a gas inside the vortex-effect generating portion by allowing a gas to be dehumidified to flow into the vortex-effect generating portion, a dew-condensation generating portion arranged at a place where a gas reduced in temperature flows in gases separated into a swirling flow reduced in temperature to be lower than a dew point of the gas and a swirling flow increased in temperature inside the vortex-effect generating portion, and generating dew condensation on a surface thereof, a moisture collecting portion collecting condensed moisture and a gas outflow portion provided at an end portion on a downstream side of the vortex-effect generating portion, from which the gas flowing from the gas inflow portion flows out.

1 . A dehumidifying apparatus comprising:
 a tubular vortex-effect generating portion;   a gas inflow portion that allows a gas to flow into the vortex-effect generating portion to thereby generate a swirling flow of the gas inside the vortex-effect generating portion, the swirling flow of the gas inside the vortex-effect generating portion being separated into a lower temperature swirling flow that is lower than a dew point of the gas and a higher temperature swirling flow;   a dew-condensation generating portion arranged at a location inside the vortex-effect generating portion where the lower temperature swirling flow flows to generate dew condensation on a surface thereof;   a moisture collecting portion collecting condensed moisture; and   a gas outflow portion provided at an end portion on a downstream side of the vortex-effect generating portion on an opposite side of an upstream side where the gas inflow portion is provided, from which the gas flowing in from the gas inflow portion flows out,   wherein the gas enters through the gas inflow portion by being pressure-fed from the upstream side of the vortex-effect generating portion, or by being sucked in the upstream side from the downstream side of the vortex-effect generating portion.   
     
     
         2 . The dehumidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the vortex-effect generating portion has an annular shape in cross section,   the gas inflow portion generates the swirling flow of the gas inside the vortex-effect generating portion by allowing the gas into the vortex-effect generating portion from a tangential direction of an inner wall of the vortex-effect generating portion,   the dew-condensation generating portion is arranged at a position of a central axis of the vortex-effect generating portion or a position in a vicinity of the central axis, and   the gas outflow portion is arranged on the end portion on the downstream side of the vortex-effect generating portion.   
     
     
         3 . The dehumidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the gas inflow portion allows the gas to flow into the vortex-effect generating portion from a side surface of the vortex-effect generating portion.   
     
     
         4 . The dehumidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the gas inflow portion allows the gas to flow into the vortex-effect generating portion from an end surface on the upstream side of the vortex-effect generating portion.   
     
     
         5 . The dehumidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a plurality of gas inflow portions are arranged around a central axis of the vortex-effect generating portion at equal angular intervals.   
     
     
         6 . The dehumidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the vortex-effect generating portion has a shape in which areas of cross sections perpendicular to a central axis of a pipe in which the gas flows are reduced from the upstream side toward the downstream side.   
     
     
         7 . The dehumidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the vortex-effect generating portion comprises a tubular first vortex-effect generating portion with an annular shape in cross section, and a tubular second vortex-effect generating portion with an annular shape in cross section connected so that a pipe of the second vortex-effect generating portion in which the gas flows communicates with an end portion on a downstream side of a pipe of the first vortex-effect generating portion,   wherein an area of a cross section perpendicular to a central axis of the pipe of the second vortex-effect generating portion is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the pipe of the first vortex-effect generating portion,   wherein the gas inflow portion allows the gas to flow into the first vortex-effect generating portion from an upstream side of the first vortex-effect generating portion,   wherein the dew-condensation generating portion is arranged at a place where the lower temperature swirling flow of gas flows in at least one of the first and second vortex-effect generating portions, and   wherein the gas outflow portion is provided at an end portion on a downstream side of the second vortex-effect generating portion.   
     
     
         8 . The dehumidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the dew-condensation generating portion has a columnar or cylindrical shape arranged along a central axis of the vortex-effect generating portion.   
     
     
         9 . The dehumidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the dew-condensation generating portion has at least one structure of concave portions and convex portions on a surface thereof.   
     
     
         10 . The dehumidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the dew-condensation generating portion has a structure with one or more of a concave portion and a convex portion wound around the surface of the dew-condensation generating portion in a same direction as the lower temperature swirling flow of the gas flowing in a vicinity of the surface of the dew-condensation generating portion.   
     
     
         11 . The dehumidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the dew-condensation generating portion has a hydrophilic portion on at least part of the surface thereof.   
     
     
         12 . The dehumidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the moisture collecting portion collects moisture blown off from the dew-condensation generating portion by the swirling flow of the gas and by gravity.   
     
     
         13 . The dehumidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the moisture collecting portion collects moisture generated by condensation on the dew-condensation generating portion by the swirling flow of the gas and by gravity before being blown off from the dew-condensation generating portion.   
     
     
         15 . The dehumidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, when the vortex-effect generating portion, the gas inflow portion, the dew-condensation generating portion, the moisture collecting portion, and the gas outflow portion are regarded as one unit, a plurality of units are cascade connected so that a gas outflow portion of a previous-stage unit is connected to a gas inflow portion of a next-stage unit.   
     
     
         16 . A dehumidifying system comprising:
 the dehumidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 ;   a pump mechanism sucking a dehumidified gas from the gas outflow portion of the dehumidifying apparatus; and   a connecting flow path connecting between the gas outflow portion of the dehumidifying apparatus and the pump mechanism.   
     
     
         17 . A dehumidifying system comprising:
 the dehumidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 ;   a pump mechanism pressure feeding a gas to be dehumidified to the gas inflow portion of the dehumidifying apparatus; and   a connecting flow path connecting between the pump mechanism and the gas inflow portion of the dehumidifying apparatus.