Humidity controller apparatus

A humidity controller apparatus which is selectively switchable between a dehumidification operation dehumidifying a supply of air to a room, and a humidification/heating operation humidifying and heating a supply of air to the room, the humidity controller apparatus comprising:

• a first passage through which a first air stream of an outside air flows towards the inside of the room;
• a second passage through which a second air stream of a room air flows towards the outside of the room;
• a humidity control part, provided with an adsorbent which is contactable with the first and second air streams, for causing heat exchange and moisture exchange between the first and second air streams, the humidity control part being configured such that the amount of heat exchange between the first and second air streams and the amount of moisture exchange between the first and second air streams are adjustable;
• heating means for heating the second air stream which is sent to the humidity control part;
• and
• a sensible heat exchanger for effecting heat exchange between the first air stream after passage through the humidity control part and the second air stream before subjected to heating by the heating means;
• wherein the humidity control part, provided with a rotationally-driven adsorption rotor which has a surface on which is supported an adsorbent and which is disposed so as to extend over both the first passage and the second passage, is configured such that the amount of heat exchange and the amount of moisture exchange are adjusted by making changes in the rotational speed of the adsorption rotor,
• an operation for rotating the adsorption rotor while heating the second air stream is performed as a dehumidification operation in a state where the outside air to be supplied to the first air passage is higher in temperature and absolute humidity than the room air to be supplied to the second air passage, and
• an operation for rotating the adsorption rotor at a higher temperature than that during the dehumidification operation while heating the second air stream by the heating means is performed as a humidification/heating operation in a state where the outside air to be supplied to the first air passage is lower in temperature and absolute humidity than the room air to be supplied to the second air passage,
• an exhaust passage, for discharge of a portion of the second air stream after passage through the sensible heat exchanger but before subjected to heating by the heating means, is connected to the second passage.

A humidity controller apparatus which is selectively switchable between a dehumidification/cooling operation for dehumidifying and cooling a supply of air to a room, and a humidification operation for humidifying a supply of air to the room, the humidity controller apparatus comprising:

• a first passage through which a first air stream of a room air flows towards the outside of the room;
• a second passage through which a second air stream of an outside air flows towards the inside of the room;
• a humidity control part, provided with an adsorbent which is contactable with the first and second air streams, for causing heat exchange and moisture exchange between the first and second air streams, the humidity control part being configured such that the amount of heat exchange between the first and second air streams and the amount of moisture exchange between the first and second air streams are adjustable;
• and
• heating means which heats the second air stream which is sent to the humidity control part during the humidification operation, and which stops heating the second air stream during the dehumidification/cooling operation;
• wherein the humidity control part, provided with a rotationally-driven adsorption rotor which has a surface on which an adsorbent is supported and which is disposed so as to extend over both the first passage and the second passage, is configured such that the amount of heat exchange and the amount of moisture exchange are adjusted by making the changes in the rotational speed of the adsorption rotor;
• an operation for rotating the adsorption rotor while heating the second air stream is performed as humidification operation in a state where the room air to be supplied to the first air passage is higher in temperature and absolute humidity than the outside air to be supplied to the second air passage, and
• an operation for rotating the adsorption rotor at a higher temperature than that during the humidification operation while stopping heating the second air stream by the heating means is performed as a dehumidification/cooling operation in a state where the room air to be supplied to the first air passage is lower in temperature and absolute humidity than the outside air to be supplied to the second air passage.