Humidity control unit and humidity control system

Abstract

The humidity control unit includes: an air passage through which a first space which is a target space and a second space communicate with each other; a moisture absorber arranged in the air passage and configured to absorb moisture from air and desorb the moisture to the air; a heat source arranged in the air passage and configured to at least cool or heat the moisture absorber; an air transport mechanism configured to allow the air in the air passage to flow in reverse directions; and a controller configured to control the heat source and the air transport mechanism.

1 . A humidity control unit, comprising:
 an air passage through which a first space which is a target space and a second space communicate with each other;   a moisture absorber arranged in the air passage and configured to absorb moisture from air and desorb the moisture to the air;   a heat source arranged in the air passage and configured to at least cool or heat the moisture absorber;   an air transport mechanism configured to allow the air in the air passage to flow in reverse directions; and   a controller configured to control the heat source and the air transport mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The humidity control unit of  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller performs a first action of allowing the heat source to cool the moisture absorber and allowing the air transport mechanism to transport the air in the second space to the first space.   
     
     
         3 . The humidity control unit of  claim 2 , wherein
 the controller alternately performs
 the first action, and 
 a second action of allowing the heat source to heat the moisture absorber and allowing the air transport mechanism to transport the air in the first space to the second space. 
   
     
     
         4 . The humidity control unit of  claim 3 , wherein
 the controller stops the air transport mechanism for a predetermined period after the end of the first action and before the start of the second action.   
     
     
         5 . The humidity control unit of  claim 3 , wherein
 the controller stops the air transport mechanism for a predetermined period after the end of the second action and before the start of the first action.   
     
     
         6 . The humidity control unit of  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller performs a third action of allowing the heat source to heat the moisture absorber and allowing the air transport mechanism to transport the air in the second space to the first space.   
     
     
         7 . The humidity control unit of  claim 6 , wherein
 the controller alternately performs
 the third action, and 
 a fourth action of allowing the heat source to cool the moisture absorber and allowing the air transport mechanism to transport the air in the first space to the second space. 
   
     
     
         8 . The humidity control unit of  claim 7 , wherein
 the controller stops the air transport mechanism for a predetermined period after the end of the third action and before the start of the fourth action.   
     
     
         9 . The humidity control unit of  claim 7 , wherein
 the controller stops the air transport mechanism for a predetermined period after the end of the fourth action and before the start of the third action.   
     
     
         10 . The humidity control unit of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first space is an indoor space, and the second space is an outdoor space.   
     
     
         11 . The humidity control unit of  claim 1 , wherein
 the heat source includes a heat exchange unit in which a heating medium flows.   
     
     
         12 . The humidity control unit of  claim 11 , wherein
 the heat exchange unit includes:
 a first heat exchanger arranged closer to the first space than the moisture absorber and configured to cool and heat the air; and 
 a second heat exchanger arranged closer to the second space than the moisture absorber and configured to cool and heat the air. 
   
     
     
         13 . The humidity control unit of  claim 11 , wherein
 the heat exchange unit is an adsorption heat exchanger having an adsorbent for adsorbing and desorbing water and serving as the moisture absorber.   
     
     
         14 . The humidity control unit of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a refrigerant circuit for circulating a refrigerant as the heating medium to perform a refrigeration cycle.   
     
     
         15 . The humidity control unit of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 an outdoor unit having a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger that are connected to the refrigerant circuit.   
     
     
         16 . The humidity control unit of  claim 1 , wherein
 the air transport mechanism is a fan capable of rotating in a forward direction and a reverse direction.   
     
     
         17 . The humidity control unit of  claim 1 , wherein
 the air transport mechanism includes a first fan for sending the air to the first space and a second fan for sending the air to the second space.   
     
     
         18 . The humidity control unit of  claim 1 , wherein
 the air transport mechanism includes:
 at least one fan; and 
 a flow path switching mechanism configured to switch a flow path of the air in the air passage between a first state and a second state, and 
   the fan allows the air to flow from the second space to the first space in the air passage in the first state, and allows the air to flow from the first space to the second space in the air passage in the second state.   
     
     
         19 . The humidity control unit of  claim 1 , wherein
 a center of an opening to the first space in the air passage and a center of an opening to the second space in the air passage substantially coincide with each other in a direction of the air flowing in the air passage.   
     
     
         20 . The humidity control unit of  claim 1 , wherein
 the air passage is provided to penetrate a wall that is a partition between the first space and the second space.   
     
     
         21 . The humidity control unit of  claim 1 , wherein
 the air passage is arranged in a window or a window frame between an indoor space as the first space and an outdoor space as the second space.   
     
     
         22 . The humidity control unit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a filter arranged in the air passage to be closer to the outdoor space as the second space than the moisture absorber and the heat source,   the filter being configured such that dust adhering to the filter is removed by the air flowing from the indoor space as the first space to the outdoor space.   
     
     
         23 . A humidity control system comprising
 a plurality of humidity control units configured to control humidity of a target space, wherein   each of the plurality of humidity control units is the humidity control unit of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         24 . The humidity control system of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 an interlock control unit configured to control the plurality of humidity control units in a coordinated manner.   
     
     
         25 . The humidity control system of  claim 24 , wherein
 the plurality of humidity control units include at least one first humidity control unit and at least one second humidity control unit,   the first humidity control unit and the second humidity control unit alternately perform:
 a first action of allowing the heat source to cool the moisture absorber and allowing the air transport mechanism to transport the air in the second space to the first space; and 
 a second action of allowing the heat source to heat the moisture absorber and allowing the air transport mechanism to transport the air in the first space to the second space, and 
   the interlock control unit controls the first humidity control unit and the second humidity control unit so that the second humidity control unit performs the second action when the first humidity control unit performs the first action, and the second humidity control unit performs the first action when the first humidity control unit performs the second action.   
     
     
         26 . The humidity control system of  claim 25 , wherein
 at least one of the first humidity control unit or the second humidity control unit is configured to stop the air transport mechanism for a predetermined period between the first action and the second action, and   the interlock control unit controls the first humidity control unit and the second humidity control unit so that one of the first humidity control unit or the second humidity control unit performs the first or second action while the other of the first humidity control unit or the second humidity control unit is stopped.   
     
     
         27 . The humidity control system of  claim 25 , wherein
 the first humidity control unit and the second humidity control unit alternately perform:
 a third action of allowing the heat source to heat the moisture absorber and allowing the air transport mechanism to transport the air in the second space to the first space; and 
 a fourth action of allowing the heat source to cool the moisture absorber and allowing the air transport mechanism to transport the air in the first space to the second space, and 
   the interlock control unit controls the first humidity control unit and the second humidity control unit so that the second humidity control unit performs the fourth action when the first humidity control unit performs the third action, and the second humidity control unit performs the third action when the first humidity control unit performs the fourth action.   
     
     
         28 . The humidity control system of  claim 27 , wherein
 at least one of the first humidity control unit or the second humidity control unit is configured to stop the air transport mechanism for a predetermined period between the third action and the fourth action, and   the interlock control unit controls the first humidity control unit and the second humidity control unit so that one of the first humidity control unit or the second humidity control unit performs the third or fourth action while the other of the first humidity control unit or the second humidity control unit is stopped.   
     
     
         29 . The humidity control system of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 a first determination unit configured to determine a degree of pollution of the air in the second space, wherein   when at least a condition that the first determination unit determines that the degree of pollution of the air exceeds a predetermined value is met, the interlock control unit controls the plurality of humidity control units so that the total amount of the air supplied by the humidity control units exceeds the total amount of air discharged by the humidity control units.   
     
     
         30 . The humidity control system of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 an entry detector configured to detect the entry of the air from the second space to the first space, wherein   when at least a condition that the first determination unit determines that the degree of pollution of the air exceeds a predetermined value and a condition that the entry detector detects the entry of the air are met, the interlock control unit controls the plurality of humidity control units so that the total amount of the air supplied by the humidity control units exceeds the total amount of air discharged by the humidity control units.   
     
     
         31 . The humidity control system of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 a second determination unit configured to determine a degree of pollution of the air in the first space, wherein   when at least a condition that the second determination unit determines that the degree of pollution of the air exceeds a predetermined value is met, the interlock control unit controls the plurality of humidity control units so that the total amount of the air discharged by the humidity control units exceeds the total amount of the air supplied by the humidity control units.   
     
     
         32 . The humidity control system of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 an air volume detector configured to detect the amount of air supplied or discharged by a ventilator installed in the first space, wherein   the interlock control unit controls the plurality of humidity control units based on the amount of the air supplied or discharged detected by the air volume detector so that the total amount of the air supplied to the first space and the total amount of the air discharged from the first space become substantially identical to each other.