Air conditioner and method for controlling of air conditioner

Abstract

An air conditioner includes first and second air passages, first and desiccant devices, a system heat source, a heat supplier, a system heat source temperature sensor, an airflow controller and a controller. The first and second air passages are communicable with a space to be air conditioned. The first desiccant device disposing in the first air passage has a first desiccant material. The second desiccant device disposed in the second air passage has a second desiccant material whose temperature for regeneration is higher than the temperature for regeneration of the first desiccant material. The heat supplier supplies heat generated by the system heat source to the first desiccant device for regenerating the first desiccant material. The airflow controller regulates airflow in the first and second air passages. The controller controls the airflow controller based on the temperature of the system heat source detected by the system heat source temperature sensor.

1 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a first air passage having a first inlet and a first outlet communicable with a space to be air conditioned;   a first desiccant device having a first desiccant material, the first desiccant device disposed in the first air passage;   a second air passage having a second inlet and a second outlet communicable with the space;   a second desiccant device having a second desiccant material whose temperature for regeneration is higher than the temperature for regeneration of the first desiccant material, the second desiccant device disposed in the second air passage;   a system heat source;   a heat supplier supplying heat generated by the system heat source to the first desiccant device for regenerating the first desiccant material;   a system heat source temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the system heat source;   an airflow controller regulating airflow in the first air passage and the second air passage; and   a controller controlling the airflow controller based on the temperature of the system heat source detected by the system heat source temperature sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , further comprising an air temperature sensor measuring the temperature of the air flowing to the first desiccant device in the first air passage or the temperature of the air flowing to the second desiccant device in the second air passage, wherein the controller controls the airflow controller based on the signals from the system heat source temperature sensor and the air temperature sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller controls the airflow controller such that air is allowed to flow through the second air passage if the temperature of the air is higher than a first threshold value which represents most amount of a dehumidifying load to dehumidify the air by the first desiccant device or the temperature of the system heat source is lower than a second threshold value which is the lowermost temperature required for regenerating the first desiccant material, and no air is allowed to flow through the second air passage if the temperature of the air is lower than the first threshold value and the temperature of the system heat source is higher than the second threshold value. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 3 , wherein allowing the air to flow through the second air passage is determined by a linear function of a differential between the temperature of the air and the first threshold value, and the second threshold value which is a constant. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 3 , wherein the controller controls the airflow controller such that no air is allowed to flow through the first air passage and the second air passage if the temperature of the air is higher than a third threshold value which is higher than the first threshold value and is the lowermost temperature required for regenerating the second desiccant material. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , further comprising a space air temperature sensor measuring the temperature of the air in the space, wherein the space air temperature sensor is used in determining which of the first desiccant device and the second desiccant device is operated. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , further comprising a humidity sensor measuring the humidity of the air in the space, wherein the humidity sensor is used in determining whether or not dehumidification of air in the space is needed. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the second air passage is branched from the first air passage, the first inlet and second inlet or the first outlet and the second outlet is common to each other, and the first air passage and the second air passage including the first desiccant device and the second desiccant device are arranged parallel to each other, wherein the airflow controller includes a first valve disposed in the first air passage and a second valve disposed in the second air passage, wherein the controller controls airflow in the first air passage and the second air passage by controlling the operation of the first valve and the second valve. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , the system heat source includes a second desiccant device which generates reaction heat during dehumidification, and the heat supplier includes a reaction heat supplier supplying the reaction heat to the first desiccant device. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner according to  claim 9 , wherein the reaction heat supplier includes a heat pipe which is thermally connected to the second air passage where the dehumidified air by the second desiccant device flows. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the space is an interior of a vehicle, and the system heat source is a device radiating waste heat during the device operation on the vehicle except for an internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner according to  claim 11 , wherein the air conditioner is used for the vehicle having a battery charged by external power during a stop state of the vehicle and the air conditioner further includes a heater operated to generate heat by the external power for regenerating the second desiccant material. 
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the first desiccant material contains at least one of mesoporous silica and silica gel, and the second desiccant material contains zeolite. 
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the first desiccant material is simultaneously regeneratable during the dehumidification of air, and the second desiccant material is regenerated during a time other than the time of the dehumidification of air. 
     
     
         15 . A method of controlling an air conditioner, the air conditioner including:
 a first desiccant device having a first desiccant material;   a second desiccant device having a second desiccant material whose temperature for regeneration is higher than the temperature for regeneration of the first desiccant material; and   a system heat source,   the method comprising the steps of:   performing dehumidification of air by at least one of the first desiccant device and the second desiccant device based on temperature of the air to be dehumidified and temperature of the system heat source,   regenerating of the first desiccant material simultaneously during the dehumidification of the air by the first desiccant device,   regenerating the second desiccant material during a time other than when the dehumidification of the air is performed by the second desiccant device; and   supplying the dehumidified air to a space to be air conditioned.