FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
The Patents Rules, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)

1. '' FRESHWATER PRODUCING APPARATUS''.
2.
1. (A) Nuclear Engineering, Ltd.
(B) JAPAN.
(C) 3-7, Tosabori 1-Chome, Nishi-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka,
5500001 JAPAN.

The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

DESCRIPTION

TITLE OF THE INVENTION
FRESHWATER PRODUCING APPARATUS

TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001]
The present invention relates to a freshwater producing apparatus. Specifically the invention relates to an apparatus that produces freshwater from moisture in the atmosphere.

BACKGROUND ART
[0002]
For example, Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 2004-313842 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 2006-9483 (Patent Document 2) disclose apparatuses that produce the freshwater from the moisture in the atmosphere. The apparatuses disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are made by the inventors of the subject application. Each of the apparatuses includes a condensation material unit in which a hygroscopic material, such as ceramic and diatom earth, which is of a porous particulate material is packed in a casing. The apparatuses produce the freshwater by precipitating the moisture adsorbed at low temperatures of nighttime and the like.
[0003]
Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 2006-232583 (Patent Document 3) discloses porous processed stone, which is molded into an arbitrary shape by adding cement and water to a porous material such as silica, diatom earth, and fly ash, as the hygroscopic material used in the apparatuses.
[0004]
International Patent Publication No. 10-508350 (Patent Document 4) discloses a freshwater producing apparatus in which hygroscopic mediums such as cellulose fiber and silica gel are arrayed on a tray. In the apparatus of Patent Document 4, a housing in which the tray is accommodated is opened in cold nighttime, and air containing night dew is caused to pass through the housing, whereby the hygroscopic medium adsorbs the moisture in the atmosphere. The housing is closed in hot daylight, the inside of the housing is warmed up by sunlight to transpire the moisture of the hygroscopic medium, and the moisture is precipitated in a housing inner wall to obtain the freshwater.
[0005]
On the other hand, for example, Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 11-94316 (Patent Document 5), Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 2003-35434 (Patent Document 6), and Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 2005-233528 (Patent Document 7) disclose dehumidifiers (or air conditioners), in which the moisture in the atmosphere is adsorbed by a desiccant that is of the hygroscopic medium and the moisture is heated to perform dehumidification in the atmosphere. Each of the dehumidifiers includes a first ventilation path in which the atmosphere containing the moisture is taken and the moisture in the atmosphere is absorbed by the desiccant incorporated in a rotating body, and the dehumidified atmosphere is discharged, and a second ventilation path in which the atmosphere taken in from the outside is heated to deprive the moisture from the desiccant, and the atmosphere is discharged as high-humidity air. In the dehumidifiers, the dehumidification can continuously be performed by rotating the rotating body.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENT
PATENT DOCUMENTS
[0006]
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 2004-313842
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 2006-9483
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 2006-232583
Patent Document 4: International Patent Publication No. 10-508350
Patent Document 5: Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 11-94316
Patent Document 6: Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 2003-35434
Patent Document 7: Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 2005-233528

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION
[0007]
However, in the freshwater producing apparatuses disclosed in Patent Documents 1, 2, and 4, because the freshwater is obtained from the moisture in the atmosphere by utilizing a temperature difference between the daytime and the nighttime, the freshwater is obtained only in one of the period of time of the daytime and the nighttime. In the methods described in Patent Documents 1, 2, and 4, a large amount of freshwater cannot be obtained from the hygroscopic material. In the freshwater producing apparatuses of Patent Documents 1 and 2, water is sprayed in order to initiate the precipitation. Even in the case where the porous processed stone is used as described in Patent Document 3, the adsorbed moisture cannot be released from the hygroscopic material, and an adequate amount of freshwater cannot be recovered. In the method of Patent Document 2, a water-repellent treatment or hydrophilic treatment is performed to a surface of the hygroscopic material in order to promote the condensation (precipitation) in the hygroscopic material. However, an adequate amount of freshwater cannot be recovered even in the method of Patent Document 2.
[0008]
On the other hand, in the dehumidifiers described in Patent Documents 5 to 7, the freshwater can continuously be produced by cooling the atmosphere containing the large amount of moisture discharged from the second ventilation path. However, the desiccant is hardly enlarged because the desiccant is used as the rotating body. Additionally, because large output is required for a driving device that drives the rotating body as the rotating body is enlarged, freshwater production efficiency is not good to input energy. The enlarged dehumidifier is hardly carried to regions such as a desert region where a large amount of water is required.
[0009]
In view of the foregoing, an object of the invention is to provide a freshwater producing apparatus that can efficiently produce a large amount of freshwater by day and night while being easy to carry.

MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS
[0010]
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a freshwater producing apparatus includes: a chassis that forms a space, at least an upper portion of the chassis being closed; a moisture condensing body that is disposed in the chassis to include at least one ventilation path, the moisture condensing body being formed by a porous material molding; an outside air supply path that supplies outside air to an inside of the chassis from an outside of the space; an outside air discharge path that discharges the outside air supplied to the inside of the chassis to the outside of the space; and air current generating means for generating an air current in the ventilation path, the air current transpiring the moisture from the moisture condensing body.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0011]
According to the invention, the large amount of freshwater can continuously be obtained by day and night from the moisture in the atmosphere.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0012]
FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway schematic perspective view of a freshwater producing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional explanatory view of the freshwater producing apparatus.
FIGS. 3(a), 3(b), and 3(c) are sectional views illustrating a water collecting groove provided to a bottom plate of the freshwater producing apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a view illustrating an example of a block molding constituting moisture condensing body, FIG. 4(a) is a plan view of the block molding, and FIG. 4(b) is a side view of the block molding.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory view illustrating a freshwater producing principle in the freshwater producing apparatus of the first embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a view illustrating another example of the moisture condensing body, FIG. 6(a) is a plan view of a block molding constituting the moisture condensing body, FIG. 6(b) is a side view of the block molding, and FIG. 6(c) is a plan view of the moisture condensing body including the block molding.
FIG. 7 is a view illustrating still another example of the moisture condensing body, FIG. 7(a) is a plan view of a block molding constituting the moisture condensing body, FIG. 7(b) is a side view of the block molding, and FIG. 7(c) is a plan view of the moisture condensing body including the block molding.
FIGS. 8(a), 8(b), and 8(c) are views illustrating a positional relationship between an outside air ventilation path and a moisture ventilation path of the moisture condensing body.
FIG. 9 is a view illustrating a reference example of a moisture condensing body, FIG. 9(a) is a plan view of a block molding constituting the moisture condensing body, and FIG. 9(b) is a plan view of the block molding including the block molding.
FIG. 10 is a sectional explanatory view of a freshwater producing apparatus according to a modification of the first embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a sectional explanatory view of a freshwater producing apparatus according to another embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 12 is a view illustrating another example of a block molding constituting a moisture condensing body, FIG. 12(a) is a plan view of the block molding, and FIG. 12(b) is a sectional view of the block molding.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0013]
A freshwater producing apparatus of the invention includes: a chassis that forms a space, at least an upper portion of the chassis being closed; a moisture condensing body that is disposed in the chassis to include at least one ventilation path, the moisture condensing body being formed by a porous material molding; an outside air supply path that supplies outside air to an inside of the chassis from an outside of the space; an outside air discharge path that discharges the outside air supplied to the inside of the chassis to the outside of the space; and air current generating means for generating an air current in the chassis, the air current transpiring the moisture from the moisture condensing body.
[0014]
The above-described configuration forms a basic mode of the invention. The freshwater producing apparatus of the invention is characterized in that the moisture condensing body that is formed by the porous material molding to include at least one ventilation path, the air current generating means for forcedly generating the air current transpiring the moisture from the moisture condensing body, and desirably a heater that is disposed in the ventilation path formed by a through hole are used. There are some usage patterns depending on a utilization mode of the ventilation path possessed by the moisture condensing body made of the porous material and a method for using the air current generating means.
[Example 1]
[0015]
A first embodiment of the invention will be described below based on the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway schematic perspective view of a freshwater producing apparatus 1 that is of one embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the freshwater producing apparatus 1.
[0016]
A chassis 10 includes at least a roof 12 and a sidewall 13, and the chassis 10 is a housing that includes a space 11 whose upper portion is closed. In the chassis 10, the moisture released from the moisture condensing body is confined in the space 11 and the moisture is precipitated into a water droplet in inner surfaces of the roof 12 and/or sidewall 13.
[0017]
In the chassis 10, at least the sidewall 13 is made of metal, glass, or plastic. Preferably the sidewall 13 is made of a transparent plate such as glass plate, and more preferably made of the transparent plate such as reinforced plastic plate. Therefore, the sunlight warms up the inside of the chassis 10 to promote the release of the moisture condensed in the moisture condensing body. A solar panel 14 is placed in part or a whole of the surface of the roof 12. The solar panel 14 constitutes a whole or at least part of driving sources of a circulating pump 16, air current generating means (such as heater 31 and blast fan 32), an air blower 40 and the like.
[0018]
Preferably a cooling pipe 15 is provided in an outer surface and/or an inner surface of the sidewall 13. The circulating pump 16 supplies a coolant such as water to the pipe 15, and the coolant cools the sidewall 13. The pipe 15 may be provided with no clearance. However, when the outer surface of the moisture condensing body 20 is warmed up by the sunlight, the pipe 15 is provided at intervals. The cooling pipe 15 may be provided on the roof 12.
[0019]
Preferably at least one of the water-repellent treatment and the hydrophilic treatment is performed to the inner surface of the roof 12 and/or the inner surface of the sidewall 13. This is because the water adhered to the inner surfaces of the roof 12 and sidewall 13 is easily precipitated and drops as the water droplet.
[0020]
A moisture condensing body 20 is disposed in the chassis 10. The moisture condensing body 20 is disposed on a base 26 that becomes a foothold of the apace 11. Preferably a clearance having a degree in which an air current can be generated is provided between a side surface of the moisture condensing body 20 and the sidewall 13. For example, the base 26 includes a flat plate portion 27 on which the moisture condensing body 20 is placed and a seat portion 28 that supports the flat plate portion 27. The flat plate portion 27 has many openings 29 that are matched with opening positions of a ventilation path 23 included in the moisture condensing body 20. An outside air supply path 41 that supplies the outside air to the moisture condensing body 20 is connected to some of the openings 29. The seat portion 28 is formed by combining many support posts and mounted on a bottom plate 17 of the chassis 10.
[0021]
The chassis 10 includes the bottom plate 17 that collects the condensed water. The bottom plate 17 maintains the space 11, in which the moisture condensing body 20 is disposed, in a substantially sealed condition. The bottom plate 17 has an inclination toward the center from a peripheral edge thereof. Piping 19 is extracted in the center of the bottom plate 17 in order to take out the collected freshwater. The bottom plate 17 includes plural water collecting grooves 18 that are radially provided in order to enhance a water collecting property. For example, the water collecting groove 18 has a sectional shape illustrated in FIG. 3. The bottom plate 17 includes an opening 34 to which piping 33 from a blast fan 32 is connected.
[0022]
In the invention, the seal does not mean seal in a strict sense, but the word of seal is used in a sense that a large amount of moisture transpired from the moisture condensing body 20 does not fly to the outside of the space 11. Accordingly, it is not always necessary to provide the bottom plate 17, but it is only necessary that the moisture transpired from the moisture condensing body 20 in the space 11 be precipitated into the water droplet without substantially flying. Insofar as the moisture is precipitated into the water droplet without substantially flying, the bottom plate 17 is not provided, but the lower portion of the chassis 10 may be opened.
[0023]
Plural block moldings 21 are arrayed in a planar shape on the seat portion 28, and the arrays of the block moldings 21 are stacked in one or several layers, thereby forming the moisture condensing body 20. For example, each of the block moldings 21 has a rectangular solid shape as illustrated in FIG. 4, and the block molding 21 of FIG. 4 has two through holes 22 arrayed in parallel.
[0024]
The block molding 21 is molded from a porous material and is substantially identical to that of Patent Document 3. The porous material is a substance that repeatedly adsorbs and releases the moisture. Examples of the porous material include fieldstone such as limestone or obsidian, tourmaline, freestone, and volcanic stone, silica, diatom earth, kanuma-tuti, fly ash, zeolite, lime rock, clay, basalt rock, glass, metal, ceramic, polymer sorbent, coke, wood coal (for example bintyoutan), metal-silicate, and silica gel. Among others, preferably the fly ash, diatom earth, silica gel, and zeolite which have good adsorption and releasing properties are used. As used herein, examples of the metal include iron, copper, nickel, stainless steel, and aluminum alloy. Examples of the polymer sorbent include a starch sorbent, a cellulose sorbent, a polyacrylate sorbent, a polyvinyl alcohol sorbent, a polyacrylamide sorbent, a polyoxyethylene sorbent, and a sodium polyacrylate sorbent. For example, a porous material whose surface is covered with a hydrophilic material such as a compound containing a silanol group titanium dioxide and titanium dioxide and a porous material whose surface is covered with a water-repellent material such as a fluorine compound, silicone oil (organosilane polymer), and paraffin wax can also be used. As disclosed in Patent Document 3, the block molding 21 is molded into a given shape by kneading and sintering the porous material with a thickener or a binder, for example, chemical substance like cement. More specifically, slurry is formed by kneading the porous material with the binder, and water, put in a formwork, and dried and solidified with or without sintering, thereby producing the block molding 21. The kneading of the porous material and the hydrophilic material or water-repellent material may be performed.
[0025]
There is no particular limitation to a sectional shape of the through hole 22. Examples of the sectional shape include a circular cross sectional shape, a rectangular shape, and a hexagonal shape. Among others, preferably the circular shape is adopted because of an increased contact area with the outside air containing the moisture. For example, the through holes 22 are made by a formwork in which piles are provided in order to make the through holes 22, or the through holes 22 are made by drilling after the block molding 21 is molded with the formwork having no pile.
[0026]
The block moldings 21 are stacked such that the through holes 22 are continued, and a ventilation path 23 is formed in the moisture condensing body 20 so as to penetrate the moisture condensing body 20. Accordingly, when the block moldings 21 each of which has the two through holes 22 as illustrated in FIG. 4 are used, the ventilation paths 23 double the number of ventilation paths 23 arrayed in the plane are formed in the moisture condensing body 20. There is no particular limitation to the number of block moldings 21 constituting the moisture condensing body 20, and the number of block moldings 21 can appropriately be determined according to an installation environment such as a temperature and humidity of the outside air, amount of required water, a size of the chassis 10, and the like.
[0027]
The outside air supply path 41 connected to an air blower 40 that supplies the outside air is connected to some lower openings 23a of the plural ventilation paths 23. An outside air discharge path 42 that directly discharges the outside air passing through the ventilation path 23 to the outside of the chassis 10 is connected to upper openings 23b of the ventilation paths 23 to which the outside air supply path 41 is connected. The remaining ventilation paths 23 are opened to the inside of the chassis 10, and heaters 31 that are of air current generating means are disposed inside the remaining ventilation paths 23.
[0028]
The air current generating means is means for generating the bottom-to-top air current in the ventilation path 23. The heater 31 in the ventilation path 23 warms up gas in the ventilation path 23, thereby generating the bottom-to-top air current in the ventilation path 23. A blast fan 32 is disposed in the chassis 10 in order to generate the bottom-to-top air current in the ventilation path 23. The blast fan 32 moderately blows air, and not only the blast fan 32 generates the bottom-to-top air current in the ventilation path 23, but also speeds up the flow of the air current generated by the heater 31. Thus, in addition to the heater 31, the device such as the blast fan 32 can also be used as the air current generating means.
[0029]
In the freshwater producing apparatus 1 of the invention, the outside air containing the moisture is brought into contact with the moisture condensing body 20 to cause the moisture condensing body 20 to adsorb the moisture, the moisture is supplied as the moisture vapor from the moisture condensing body 20 to the inside of the chassis 10 again, and the moisture vapor is condensed as the water droplet in the inner surface of the roof 12 and/or sidewall 13 of the chassis 10. The freshwater producing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment is characterized in that some of the plural ventilation paths 23 included in the moisture condensing body 20 are used as the ventilation path 23 (hereinafter referred to as “outside air ventilation path 24”) that adsorbs the moisture and the remaining ventilation paths 23 are used as the ventilation path 23 (hereinafter referred to as “moisture ventilation path 25”) that supplies the moisture adsorbed by the moisture condensing body 20 to the chassis 10 in the form of the moisture vapor.
[0030]
When the outside air passes through the outside air ventilation path 24, the moisture condensing body 20 adsorbs the moisture in the outside air from the surface of the outside air ventilation path 24. On the other hand, because the bottom-to-top air current exists in the moisture ventilation path 25, the adsorbed moisture is transpired from the surface of the moisture ventilation path 25 to the air current flowing in the moisture ventilation path 25, and the moisture is supplied to the upper portion of the space 11 of the chassis 10. The moisture supplied to the upper portion of the space 11 is cooled and condensed in the inner surfaces of the roof 12 and sidewall 13, the condensed water droplet drops on the bottom plate 17 along the sidewall 13 or falls on the bottom plate 17 from the roof 12, and the water droplet is recovered as the freshwater. Although the principal is not established, the principal is likely attributed to the following fact.
[0031]
FIG. 5 is a view schematically explaining the principle. The moisture of the outside air is identical to the moisture in the chassis 10 before the apparatus is operated. When the roof 12 and sidewall 13 of the chassis 10 are cooled by the operation of the circulating pump 16, the moisture in the chassis 10 becomes the water droplet to decrease the moisture in the chassis 10. As a result, a moisture concentration in the moisture condensing body 20 is decreased near the surface of the moisture ventilation path 25. On the other hand, because the outside air is continuously supplied to the outside air ventilation path 24, the moisture is adsorbed from the surface of the outside air ventilation path 24, and the moisture concentration of the moisture condensing body 20 near the surface of the outside air ventilation path 24 becomes higher than that on the side of the moisture ventilation path 25. Therefore, in the moisture condensing body 20, a concentration gradient of the moisture is formed toward the moisture ventilation path 25 from the outside air ventilation path 24. As a result, the moisture moves from the side of the outside air ventilation path 24 to the side of the moisture ventilation path 25. Further, because the moisture is easily evaporated by the bottom-to-top air current on the side of the moisture ventilation path 25, it is believed that the moisture concentration becomes lower on the side of the moisture ventilation path 25 while becoming higher on the side of the outside air ventilation path 24. As a result, it is believed that the moisture in the outside air can continuously be recovered as the freshwater.
[0032]
In the apparatus of the invention, the adequate amount of freshwater can be obtained when the moisture is sufficiently evaporated from the moisture condensing body 20. Therefore, the transpiration from the moisture ventilation path 25 is promoted by generating the bottom-to-top air current in the moisture ventilation path 25 of the chassis 10. The heater 31 and the blast fan 32, which are of the air current generating means, have the function of generating the bottom-to-top air current.
[0033]
The moisture evaporation from the moisture condensing body 20 is increased as a surrounding temperature of the evaporation surface of the moisture condensing body 20 is raised. At this point, there is a method for raising the temperature of the inside of the chassis 10. Effectively the heater 31 is disposed in the moisture ventilation path 25 to raise the temperature of the inside of the moisture ventilation path 25. Obviously, because the air current is generated in the moisture ventilation path 25 by the heating of the heater 31, only the heater 31 is used as the air current generating means. However, occasionally the sufficient air current cannot be generated only by the heater 31 that is of the air current generating means. In consideration of the fact, the heater 31 and the blast fan 32 generating the bottom-to-top air current in the chassis 10 is concurrently used as the air current generating means. Preferably the surface of the moisture ventilation path 25 is colored in black, because radiation heat of the heater 31 is easily absorbed.
[0034]
It is not always necessary to dispose the heating means in the moisture ventilation path 25, but the heating means may be disposed in the chassis 10 or the piping 33 from the blast fan 32. This is because the temperature of the inside of the moisture ventilation path 25 or the surrounding temperature of the surface of the moisture condensing body 20 is raised by this heating means.
[0035]
There is no particular limitation to the numbers of outside air ventilation paths 24 and moisture ventilation paths 25, which are provided in the moisture condensing body 20, as long as the moisture moves from the outside air ventilation path 24 to the moisture ventilation path 25. For example, the number of outside air ventilation paths 24 may be identical to the number of moisture ventilation paths 25 as illustrated in FIG. 8(a), and the number of moisture ventilation paths 25 may be more than the number of outside air ventilation paths 24 as illustrated in FIG. 8(b). Additionally, as illustrated in FIG. 8(c), the number of outside air ventilation paths 24 may be more than the number of moisture ventilation paths 25.
[0036]
There is no particular limitation to the dispositions of the outside air ventilation paths 24 and moisture ventilation paths 25 as long as the outside air ventilation paths 24 and the moisture ventilation paths 25 fulfill the function. For example, the outside air ventilation paths 24 and the moisture ventilation paths 25 can be disposed into a checker board design shape as illustrated in FIG. 8(a), the outside air ventilation paths 24 and the moisture ventilation paths 25 can be disposed in parallel as illustrated in FIG. 8(b), and the outside air ventilation path 24 can be disposed around the moisture ventilation paths 25 as illustrated in FIG. 8(c).
[0037]
There is no particular limitation to the shape of the block molding 21 constituting the moisture condensing body 20. For example, the block molding 21 of FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) includes a semicircular-column notch 21a in a side surface of the molding molded into a cube or a rectangular solid. When the block moldings 21 of FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) are disposed as illustrated in FIG. 6(c), the ventilation paths 23 having a circular shape in section can be formed in the moisture condensing body 20.
[0038]
A block molding 21 of FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b) includes a notch 21b in the side surface of the molding molded into the cube or rectangular solid, and the notch 21b has a trapezoidal shape in section. When the block moldings 21 of FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b) are disposed as illustrated in FIG. 7(c), the ventilation paths 23 having a hexagonal shape in section can be formed in the moisture condensing body 20. Many flows from the outside air ventilation path 24 to the moisture ventilation path 25 can be formed when the block moldings 21 of FIGS. 6 and 7 are used. As a result, freshwater production performance is enhanced to obtain the efficient freshwater producing apparatus.
[0039]
FIG. 9(a) illustrates another block molding 21. The block molding 21 of FIG. 9(a) includes a hexagonal through hole 22 in the center of the molding molded into the hexagonal column shape. The moisture condensing body 20 can be formed by disposing the block moldings 21 of FIG. 9(a). However, in such cases, as illustrated in FIG. 6(b), there is a risk of blocking the moisture flow from the outside air ventilation path 24 to the moisture ventilation path 25 between the block moldings 21. In the freshwater producing apparatus of the invention, desirably the moisture flow from the outside air ventilation path 24 to the moisture ventilation path 25 is not blocked. From this viewpoint, for example, preferably the block moldings 21 of FIG. 6 or FIG. 7 are used. Obviously the block moldings 21 of FIG. 9(a) can be used when the moisture flow is hardly blocked by bringing the block moldings 21 into close contact with the block molding 21 as much as possible. Even in the moisture condensing body 20 of FIG. 8(a) or b(b), not only the moisture moves from the outside air ventilation path 24 to the moisture ventilation path 25 in one block molding 21, but also the moisture can move in the adjacent block moldings 21.
[0040]
As described above, preferably the moisture condensing body 20 is formed by the plural block moldings 21. In the relatively small block molding 21, there are merits that high-volume production can easily be performed, the block molding 21 is conveniently carried, and a size of the moisture condensing body 20 can freely be set. Obviously the moisture condensing body 20 in which the through hole 22 is made in the largely molded one block molding 21 can also be used.
[0041]
The freshwater generating apparatus of the first embodiment is an apparatus, in which the outside air containing the moisture is continuously supplied to the ventilation path 23 of the moisture condensing body 20, and the moisture evaporation from the surface of the moisture condensing body 20 is promoted by the air current generating means, thereby continuously obtaining the freshwater. As a result, the freshwater can continuously be produced by day and night.
[0042]
Because the sidewall 13 of the chassis 10 is made of the transparent plastic plate or the like, the temperature of inside of the chassis 10 is raised by the sunlight. As a result, the moisture transpiration also progresses from the outer surface of the moisture condensing body 20, and the concentration gradient of the moisture can be formed between the outside air ventilation path 24 and the outer surface. Accordingly, when the moisture condensing body 20 has the large area of the outer surface, it is not always necessary to provide the moisture ventilation path 25, but it is only necessary that the moisture condensing body 20 include the ventilation path 23 (outside air ventilation path 24) through which the outside air passes. In such cases, preferably the blast fan 32 is provided in the lower portion of the inside of the chassis 10, for example, on the bottom plate 17, or the heater 31 is provided to generate the upward air current in the chassis 10. FIG. 10 illustrates this mode. In the freshwater producing apparatus 1 of FIG. 10, the outside air supply path 41 that supplies the outside air is connected to the lower openings 23a of all the ventilation paths 23 of the moisture condensing body 20, and the heater 31 and the blast fan 32 are placed in the lower portion of the chassis 10. In the mode of FIG. 10, the moisture is continuously supplied from the outside air to the moisture condensing body 20, and the moisture is supplied from the surface of the moisture condensing body 20 to the inside of the chassis 10.
[Example 2]
[0043]
A freshwater producing apparatus 1 according to another embodiment of the invention will be described below. FIG. 11 is a sectional explanatory view of the freshwater producing apparatus 1.
[0044]
The freshwater producing apparatus 1 of FIG. 11 has a configuration substantially similar to that of the freshwater producing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment. However, the freshwater producing apparatus 1 of FIG. 11 differs from the freshwater producing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment in the following points. That is, the outside air supply path 41 that supplies the outside air to the inside of the chassis 10 is connected to an opening 44 of the bottom plate 17 while the outside air discharge path 42 that discharges the outside air supplied to the inside of the chassis 10 is connected to an opening 30 of the roof 12, and the freshwater producing apparatus 1 includes switching means 43 for switching between a moisture adsorption operation in which the air blower 40 that supplies the outside air to the inside of the chassis 10 is driven to cause the moisture condensing body 20 to adsorb the moisture and a moisture discharge operation in which the air current generating means is driven to cause the moisture condensing body 20 to discharge the moisture, thereby obtaining the freshwater. In the freshwater producing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, the ventilation paths 23 of the moisture condensing body 20 are separated into the two modes, that is, the outside air ventilation path 24 and the moisture ventilation path 25, and the freshwater is continuously obtained. On the other hand, in the freshwater producing apparatus 1 of the second embodiment, one ventilation path 23 is separated into the outside air ventilation path 24 and the moisture ventilation path 25, all the ventilation paths 23 included in the moisture condensing body 20 are used as the outside air ventilation path 24 in the moisture adsorption operation in which the moisture condensing body 20 is caused to adsorb the moisture, and all the ventilation paths 23 are used as the moisture ventilation path 25 in the moisture discharge operation in which the adsorbed moisture is discharged from the moisture condensing body 20, thereby intermittently obtaining the freshwater.
[0045]
The outside air supply path 41 of the freshwater producing apparatus 1 is connected to the opening 44 of the bottom plate 17, and the outside air is supplied to the space 11 of the chassis 10 by the air blower 40. The outside air discharge path 42 is connected to not the ventilation path 23 but the opening 30 of the roof 12, and then discharges the outside air supplied to the inside of the chassis 10. Each of the outside air supply path 41 and the outside air discharge path 42 has an on-off valve 45 and an on-off valve 46.
[0046]
The moisture condensing body 20 has a configuration identical to that of the first embodiment, and the heaters 31 that are of the air current generating means are disposed in all the ventilation paths 23 of the moisture condensing body 20. An on-off valve 35 is also provided in the piping 33 from the blast fan 32.
[0047]
In the moisture adsorption operation, the on-off valve 45 of the outside air supply path 41 and the on-off valve 46 of the outside air discharge path 42 are in an opened state, and the outside air is continuously supplied to the inside of the chassis 10. On the other hand, the on-off valve 35 on the side of the blast fan 32 is in a closed state, and the air current generating means is stopped. In the moisture adsorption operation, the moisture condensing body 20 adsorbs the moisture, and the ventilation path 23 of the moisture condensing body 20 has the function of extending the contact area with the outside air.
[0048]
In the moisture discharge operation, the on-off valve 35 on the side of the blast fan 32 is in the opened state, the heater 31 and blast fan 32 that are of the air current generating means are operated. The on-off valve 45 of the outside air supply path 41 and the on-off valve 46 of the outside air discharge path 42 are in the closed state, and the air blower 40 is stopped. In the moisture discharge operation, the moisture is supplied from the moisture condensing body 20 to the inside of the chassis 10, and the moisture is condensed in the upper portion of the inside of the chassis 10 and recovered as the freshwater.
[0049]
The switching means 43 switches between the moisture adsorption operation and the moisture discharge operation. The switching between the moisture adsorption operation and the moisture discharge operation may appropriately be performed. For example, the switching between the moisture adsorption operation and the moisture discharge operation is performed at a previously set time using a timer, the moisture adsorption operation is switched to the moisture discharge operation at a time a product of the humidity of the outside air and the moisture adsorption operation time reaches a constant value, and the moisture discharge operation is switched to the moisture adsorption operation at a time the amount of recovered moisture becomes a predetermined amount. An automatic operation can be performed by the above-described switching control.
[0050]
Because the freshwater producing apparatus 1 includes the air current generating means, the moisture is recovered from the moisture condensing body 20 even in the nighttime of the cold outside air temperature. Because the cooling pipe 15 is provided in the sidewall 13, the moisture can be recovered as the freshwater even in the daytime.
[0051]
In the freshwater producing apparatus 1, it is not always necessary to provide the plural ventilation paths 23, but it is only necessary that the moisture condensing body 20 include one ventilation path 23. This is because the heater 31 that is of the air current generating means can be disposed in the ventilation path 23.
[0052]
FIG. 12 illustrates a block molding 51 according to another embodiment of the invention in which the block molding 51 can be used as the moisture condensing body 20. A ventilation path 52 of the block molding 51 is a porous part having porous density lower than that of the block molding 51 in the surroundings of the ventilation path 52. That is, the density of the porous material is decreased in the portion of the ventilation path 52, and an air resistance of the portion is decreased, in other words, the portion of the ventilation path 52 has a structure in which the humidity moves easily. In order to form the ventilation path 52 having the low density, for example, there is adopted a method for making many small pinpricked through holes having diameters of 0.1 millimeter to several millimeters in the porous material molding. Alternatively, there is adopted a method in which the block molding having the through holes 22 of FIG. 4 is produced and the through holes is filled with the porous material so that the density of the through hole becomes smaller than that of the block molding. The heater 31 cannot be disposed in the ventilation path 52 when the block molding 51 is used. However, the air current is generated in the ventilation path 52 by the air current generating means disposed in the chassis 10, which allows the freshwater to be obtained.
[0053]
As described above, in the freshwater producing apparatus 1 of the invention, because the air current is generated in the chassis 10 by the air current generating means, the moisture is transpired to the inside of the chassis 10 again from the moisture condensing body 20 that adsorbs the moisture in the outside air supplied to the inside of the chassis 10, and the moisture is condensed in the inner surface of the sidewall 13 of the chassis 10 and recovered as the freshwater.
[0054]
The outside air is continuously supplied to some ventilation paths 23 using the moisture condensing body 20 including the plural ventilation paths 23, and the moisture is transpired from the remaining ventilation paths 23. Therefore, the freshwater can continuously be obtained from the outside air. The freshwater can also be obtained by the switching between the moisture adsorption operation in which the outside air is continuously supplied to the inside of the chassis 1 to cause the moisture condensing body 20 to adsorb the moisture and the moisture discharge operation in which the freshwater is recovered from the moisture adsorbed by the moisture condensing body 20. Therefore, the freshwater is obtained by day and night.
[0055]
Because the moisture condensing body 20 is formed by the block molding 21 made of the porous material, the moisture adsorption amount is increased and a degree of freedom of the size (adsorption amount) that can be produced by the block moldings 21 is high. Because the large moisture condensing body 20 can be formed by stacking the block moldings 21, the moisture condensing body 20 is easily carried.

ECXPLANATIONS OF LETTERS OR NUMERALS
[0056]
1 freshwater producing apparatus
10 chassis
11 space
13 sidewall
14 solar panel
15 cooling pipe
16 circulating pump
17 bottom plate
18 water collecting groove
19 piping through which water is taken out
20 moisture condensing body
21 block molding
21a notch
22 through hole
23 ventilation path
23a lower opening of ventilation path
23b upper opening of ventilation path
24 outside air ventilation path
25 moisture ventilation path
26 base
27 flat plate portion
28 seat portion
29 opening in flat plate portion
30 roof opening
31 heater that is of air current generating means
32 blast fan that is of air current generating means
33 piping from blast fan
40 air blower
41 outside air supply path
42 outside air discharge path
43 switching means
45 on-off valve on outside air supply path
46 on-off valve on outside air discharge path
51 block molding that is of another embodiment
52 ventilation path in which density of porous material is lower than that of surrounding porous material

We Claim:
1. A freshwater producing apparatus comprising:
a chassis that forms a space, at least an upper portion of the chassis being closed;
a moisture condensing body that is disposed in the chassis to include at least one ventilation path, the moisture condensing body being formed by a porous material molding;
an outside air supply path that supplies outside air to an inside of the chassis from an outside of the space;
an outside air discharge path that discharges the outside air supplied to the inside of the chassis to the outside of the space; and
air current generating means for generating an air current in the chassis, the air current transpiring the moisture from the moisture condensing body.

2. The freshwater producing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outside air supply path is connected to one end of each of all or some of the ventilation paths included in the moisture condensing body, and
the outside air discharge path is connected to the other end of the ventilation path to which the outside air supply path is connected.

3. The freshwater producing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising switching means for switching between a moisture adsorption operation in which the outside air is supplied to the inside of the chassis to cause the moisture condensing body to adsorb the moisture in the outside air and a moisture discharge operation in which the air current generating means is driven to discharge the moisture of the moisture condensing body.

4. The freshwater producing apparatus as in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the air current generating means generates a bottom-to-top air current in the ventilation path.

5. The freshwater producing apparatus as in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the air current generating means is air blowing means and/or heating means.

6. The freshwater producing apparatus as in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the ventilation path is a through hole.

7. The freshwater producing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the heating means is disposed in the ventilation path.
8. The freshwater producing apparatus as in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the ventilation path is formed by a porous layer having porous density lower than that of surroundings of the ventilation path.
9. The freshwater producing apparatus as in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the porous material is one or at least two of fieldstone, silica, diatom earth, kanuma-tuti, fly ash, zeolite, lime rock, clay, basalt rock, glass, metal, ceramic, a polymer sorbent, coke, wood coal, and metal-silicate.

10. The freshwater producing apparatus as in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the moisture condensing body includes many block moldings.

11. The freshwater producing apparatus as in any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising cooling means for cooling an outer surface and/or an inner surface of the chassis.

Dated this 17th day of April 2010.