Temperature and humidity control apparatus and temperature and humidity prediction apparatus used therefor

Claim 2

A temperature and humidity control apparatus comprising: (a) input means for inputting a setting humidity and a setting temperature; (b) a cooling dehumidifier composed of a heat exchanger; (c) a cooling dehumidifier control section for determining a flow rate of a low temperature fluid in the cooling dehumidifier according to the setting humidity, and for controlling the cooling dehumidifier according to the flow rate of the low temperature fluid; (d) predicting means for predicting an amount of temperature change caused by operation of the cooling dehumidifier; (e) a heater; and (f) a heater control section for determining a flow rate of a high temperature fluid in the heater, according to the setting temperature and the amount of temperature change predicted by the predicting means, to compensate for the amount of temperature change predicted by the predicting means, and for controlling the heater according to the flow rate of the high temperature fluid.

Claim 3

The temperature and humidity control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cooling dehumidifier control section determines the flow rate of the low temperature fluid in the cooling dehumidifier, according to a model with respect to temperature and humidity of air at an inlet of the cooling dehumidifier, temperature of the low temperature fluid in the cooling dehumidifier, temperature and humidity of air at an outlet of the cooling dehumidifier, and the flow rate of the low temperature fluid in the cooling dehumidifier.

Claim 4

The temperature and humidity control apparatus of claim 2, wherein the model expresses responses into which temperature and humidity of the air at the inlet of the cooling dehumidifier, temperature of the low temperature fluid at the inlet of the cooling dehumidifier, and temperature and humidity of the air at the outlet of the cooling dehumidifier with respect to the flow rate of the low temperature fluid in the cooling dehumidifier are incorporated.

Claim 5

The temperature and humidity control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predicting means predicts the amount of temperature change caused by the operation of the cooling of dehumidifier, according to a model with respect to temperature and humidity of air at an inlet of cooling dehumidifier, temperature of the low temperature fluid, temperature and humidity of air at an outlet of the cooling dehumidifier, and the flow rate of the low temperature fluid in the cooling dehumidifier.

Claim 6

The temperature and humidity control apparatus of claim 4, wherein the model expresses responses into which temperature and humidity of the air at the inlet of the cooling dehumidifier, and temperature and humidity of the air at the outlet of the cooling dehumidifier with respect to the flow rate of the low temperature fluid in the cooling dehumidifier are incorporated.

Claim 7

The temperature and humidity control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heater control section determines the flow rate of the high temperature fluid in the heater according to a model with respect to temperature and humidity of air at an inlet of the cooling dehumidifier, temperature of the high temperature fluid at an inlet of the heater, temperature and humidity of air at an outlet of the heater and a flow rate of the high temperature fluid in the heater.

Claim 8

The temperature and humidity control apparatus of claim 6, wherein the model expresses responses into which temperature and humidity of the air at the inlet of the cooling dehumidifier, temperature of the high temperature fluid at the inlet of the heater, and temperature and humidity of the air at the outlet of the heater with respect to the flow rate of the high temperature fluid in the heater are incorprated.

Claim 9

The temperature and humidity control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cooling dehumidifier has a plurality of cells formed by dividing the cooling dehumidifier in a flow direction of a fluid, each of the plurality of cells including an air portion, a low temperature fluid portion, and a heat transfer tube portion provided between the air portion and the low temperature fluid portion and wherein the apparatus further comprises: (g) calculation means for calculating temperature and humidity of air, and temperature of the low temperature fluid at an inlet of the cooling dehumidifier, and for calculating a response of temperature and humidity of the air at an outlet of the cooling dehumidifier with respect to a flow rate of the low temperature fluid in the cooling dehumidifier, on the basis of heat balance and material balance of each of the plurality of cells, wherein a ratio S hf indicated in the following equation is used as a ratio of a heater amount used for a change in temperature and humidity, when air having temperature and humidity at the inlet of the cooling dehumidifier is changed to a saturating point of steam having temperature in a position adjacent to the inlet for the low temperature fluid, S hf =a sensible heat/{the sensible heat+a latent heat}, and wherein the cooling dehumidifier control section controls the cooling dehumidifier so as to realize the setting humidity.

Claim 10

The temperature and humidity control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cooling dehumidifier has a plurality of cells formed by dividing the cooling dehumidifier in a flow direction of a fluid, each of the plurality of cells including an air portion, a low temperature fluid portion, and a heat transfer tube portion provided between the air portion and the low temperature fluid portion and wherein the apparatus further comprises: (g) calculation means for calculating temperature and humidity of air, and temperature of the low temperature fluid at an inlet of the cooling dehumidifier, and for calculating a response of temperature and humidity of the air at an outlet of the cooling dehumidifier with respect to a flow rate of the low temperature fluid in the cooling dehumidifier, on the basis of heat balance and material balance of each of the plurality of cells, wherein a coefficient of heat transfer in a wet condition of the heat transfer tube portion is corrected by a rate S hf indicated in the following equation, when air having temperature and humidity at the inlet of the cooling dehumidifier is changed to a saturating point of steam having temperature in a position adjacent to the inlet for the low temperature fluid, S hf =a sensible heat/{the sensible heat+a latent heat}, and wherein the cooling dehumidifier control section controls the cooling dehumidifier so as to realize the setting humidity.