Coating drying method and device therefor

Abstract

Air is taken out from a drying oven 1 for drying a coating film of a work piece 2, and the air is cooled such that each of at least part of moisture and at least part of a VOC which are contained in the air is condensed to be removed from the air. The air after the cooling is heated, and is returned into the drying oven 1. A heat pump 3 whose heat absorption source is the air taken out from the drying oven 1 and whose heat radiation source is the air after the cooling is provided. By using the heat pump 3, cooling and heating of the air are performed.

Claims

1. A coating drying method for conveying a coated work piece into a drying oven and drying a coating film of the work piece in the drying oven, the method comprising: taking out air from the drying oven, and cooling the air such that each of at least part of moisture and at least part of a volatile organic compound (VOC) which are contained in the air is condensed to be removed from the air; heating the air after the cooling, and returning the heated air into the drying oven, and a heat pump whose heat absorption source is the air taken out from the drying oven and whose heat radiation source is the air after the cooling is provided, and by using the heat pump, the cooling of the air and the heating of the air are performed, the work piece is mounted on a conveyance hanger, and is conveyed into the drying oven, and in the cooling of the air, the moisture contained in the air taken out from the drying oven is condensed to be removed from the air such that a dew-point temperature of the air inside the drying oven becomes equal to or less than a surface temperature of the hanger to be conveyed into the drying oven.

2. The coating drying method of claim 1, wherein the heat pump includes a plurality of the heat pumps, and by using the plurality of heat pumps, the cooling of the air and the heating of the air are performed in a stepwise manner.

3. The coating drying method of claim 2, wherein as the plurality of heat pumps, a first heat pump whose refrigerant is CO2, and a second heat pump whose refrigerant is a chlorofluorocarbon medium are provided, and the cooling of the air is performed in the stepwise manner first by the first heat pump and next by the second heat pump, and the heating of the air is performed in the stepwise manner first by the second heat pump and next by the first heat pump.

4. The coating drying method of claim 1, wherein the air taken out from the drying oven is preliminarily cooled before the cooling by the heat pump.

5. The coating drying method of claim 1, wherein the air heated by the heat pump is further heated, and is returned into the drying oven.

6. A coating drying device for drying a coating film of a coated work piece, comprising: a drying oven into which the work piece is conveyed; a cooler into which air from the drying oven is conducted, and which cools the air such that at least part of moisture and at least part of a volatile organic compound (VOC) which are contained in the air are condensed to be removed; a heater into which the air after the cooling by the cooler is conducted, and which heats the air; a circulation path which circulates the air inside the drying oven so as to pass from the cooler through the heater and to be returned into the drying oven; and a heat pump which connects the cooler and the heater together, the heat pump supplying cold heat, cooling the air, to the cooler by heat exchange, and which supplies hot heat, heating the air, to the heater by heat exchange, wherein the work piece is mounted on a conveyance hanger, and is conveyed into the drying oven, and the cooler condenses the moisture contained in the air taken out from the drying oven to be removed from the air such that a dew-point temperature of the air inside the drying oven becomes equal to or less than a surface temperature of the hanger to be conveyed into the drying oven.

7. The coating drying device of claim 6, wherein a plurality of sets are provided in the circulation path so as to cause the cooling of the air and the heating of the air to be performed in a stepwise manner, each of the plurality of sets being formed by connecting the cooler and the heater together by the heat pump.

8. The coating drying device of claim 7, comprising, as the plurality of sets, a first set configured as a first heat pump whose refrigerant is CO2 and a second set configured as a second heat pump whose refrigerant is a chlorofluorocarbon medium, wherein both of the first and second sets are provided in the circulation path so as to cause the cooling of the air to be performed in the stepwise manner first by the first heat pump and next by the second heat pump and to cause the heating of the air to be performed in the stepwise manner first by the second heat pump and next by the first heat pump.

9. The coating drying device of claim 6, comprising an anterior cooler provided in the circulation path, cooling the air taken out from the drying oven, and then, conducting the air into the cooler.

10. The coating drying device of claim 6, comprising a posterior heater provided in the circulation path, further heating the air after the heating, and returning the heated air into the drying oven.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a coating drying device according to a first embodiment.

(2) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a drying oven, a work piece, and a conveyance hanger in the coating drying device.

(3) FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a cooling and heating system of a coating drying device according to a second embodiment.

(4) FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a cooling and heating system of a coating drying device according to a third embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(5) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description of the preferred embodiments is only an example in nature, and is not intended to limit the scope, applications, or use of the present invention.

First Embodiment

(6) In a coating drying device shown in FIG. 1, a reference number 1 indicates a drying oven into which a coated work piece 2 is conveyed. Outside the drying oven 1, a heat pump 3 for cooling air taken out from the drying oven 1 and thereafter, heating the air; a posterior heater 4 for heating the air heated by the heat pump 3; and a circulation fan 5 are provided. The drying oven 1, the heat pump 3, the posterior heater 4, and the circulation fan 5 are connected by a circulation path 6 which circulates the air taken out from the drying oven 1 through the heat pump 3, the posterior heater 4, and the circulation fan 5 in this order and returns the air into the drying oven 1.

(7) The heat pump 3 is of a vapor compression type which circulates a refrigerant through a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator in this order with CO.sub.2 used as the refrigerant. The evaporator of the heat pump 3 constitutes a cooler for cooling the air taken out from the drying oven 1 by heat exchange so as to allow at least part of moisture and at least part of a VOC which are contained in the air to be condensed and removed. In addition, the condenser of the heat pump 3 constitutes a heater for heating the air cooled by the above-mentioned evaporator by heat exchange. In other words, the heat pump 3 is a heat pump whose heat absorption source is the air taken out from the drying oven 1 and whose heat radiation source is the above-mentioned air after the cooling.

(8) As the posterior heater 4, a gas burner is used, and a gas fuel and outside air are supplied to the posterior heater 4. This posterior heater 4 is utilized in accordance with the necessity of, e.g., early temperature rising of air inside the drying oven 1 upon starting operation, and adjustment of a temperature inside the drying oven 1.

(9) The work piece 2 in the present example is an automobile body, is mounted on a hanger 10 which is a hanger type conveyance apparatus (overhead conveyer) shown in FIG. 2, and is conveyed into the drying oven 1.

(10) The hanger type conveyance apparatus includes guide rails 11 which extend along a coating line and a front and rear trolley 13 which engages with the guide rails 11 by rollers 12 and moves along the guide rails 11, and the hanger 10 is suspended on the trolley 13. The hanger 10 includes a front and rear gate-shaped frame 15, for supporting the work piece 2 from both sides thereof, which is suspended on the trolley 13 via a C-neck 14. On lower end portions of the gate-shaped frame 15, work piece receivers 16 are provided.

(11) On inner side walls 17 of the drying oven 1, which face each other, nozzle boxes 18 which blow out hot air supplied from the circulation path 6 toward the work piece 2 mounted on the hanger 10 are provided. On upper portions of the inner side walls 17, air suction ports 19 open, the air suction ports 19 discharging air inside the drying oven 1 to the circulation path. On a wall of the drying oven 1, a heat insulating material 8 is provided.

(12) In the above-described configuration, the coated work piece 2 is mounted on the hanger 10 and is conveyed into the drying oven 1. In the drying oven 1, while the work piece 2 is being conveyed, drying of a coating film of the work piece 2 is performed. The air inside the drying oven 1 is conducted from the air suction ports 19 to the evaporator (cooler) of the heat pump 3 by operation of the circulation fan 5 and is cooled by the evaporator.

(13) Thus, part of moisture contained in the air taken out from the drying oven 1 condenses. Concurrently, the VOC contained in the air and tar components generated by, e.g., oxidative decomposition of coating components also partly condense. A condensate liquid produced by cooling of this air is stored in a tank 7. The VOC is collected from this condensate liquid in the tank 7, and is reused.

(14) The air after the cooling, whose moisture, VOC, and the like are removed, is conducted to the condenser (heater) of the heat pump 3, and is heated by the condenser. The air heated by the condenser is further heated by the posterior heater 4 as needed, and is returned from the nozzle boxes 18 of the drying oven 1 to the inside of the drying oven 1. In other words, the hot air is blown out into the drying oven 1.

(15) As described above, the air taken out from the drying oven 1 is cooled by the heat pump 3, thereby removing not only part of the moisture contained in the air but also part of the VOC. Therefore, the coating drying device does not have to be provided with exhaust equipment for taking out the air inside the drying oven 1 and combusting, and removing, the VOC by a catalyst combustion apparatus.

(16) In this way, the air from which the moisture has been removed and whose humidity has become low, i.e., the dried hot air is supplied to the drying oven 1. Therefore, in the drying oven 1, evaporation rates of the moisture and the VOC from the coating film of the work piece 2 become high, thereby making it possible to quickly dry the coating film and to enhance quality. In addition, the dried hot air is supplied to the drying oven 1, thereby lowering a dew-point temperature of the air in the drying oven 1 and avoiding dew condensation onto the hanger 10. This can avoid quality degradation of the coating film, caused by dropping of dew condensation water to the work piece 2.

Second Embodiment

(17) FIG. 3 shows a principal part of a coating drying device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 3 shows only a part of a circulation path 6. Though illustration is omitted, as in the first embodiment, the coating drying device includes a drying oven and a circulation fan.

(18) The coating drying device is employed for flash-off. In the circulation path 6 thereof, sequentially from an upstream side toward a downstream side, a first anterior cooler 21, a second anterior cooler 22, a cooler 24 included in a heat pump 23 whose refrigerant is CO.sub.2 as in the first embodiment, an anterior heater 25, a heater 26 included in the heat pump 23, and an posterior heater 4 similar to that in the first embodiment are arranged. Accordingly, air taken out from the drying oven 1 is circulated sequentially through the coolers 21, 22, and 24 and the heaters 25, 26, and 4, and is returned into the drying oven 1.

(19) The first anterior cooler 21 and the anterior heater 25 are to perform cooling and heating by heat exchange of the refrigerant and air, respectively, and are configured to circulate the refrigerant between the first anterior cooler 21 and the anterior heater 25. The second anterior cooler 22 cools air sent from the first anterior cooler 21 by heat exchange with cold water obtained in a cooling tower 27.

(20) Cold water cooled by an evaporator 28 of the heat pump 23 is supplied to a cold water tank 29. The cooler 24 cools air sent from the second anterior cooler 22 by heat exchange with cold water sent from the cold water tank 29 by a water feed pump (not shown). In addition, a condenser of the heat pump 23 constitutes the heater 26. The cooler 24 is provided with a tank 7 for storing a condensate liquid produced by cooling of air.

(21) In the above-described configuration, the air taken out from the drying oven is cooled in a stepwise manner by the first anterior cooler 21, the second anterior cooler 22 and the cooler 24 included in the heat pump 23.

(22) In other words, the air taken out from the drying oven is cooled by the first anterior cooler 21 by using cold heat of the air cooled by the cooler 24. For example, when a temperature of the air taken out from the drying oven is 80° C., that air is cooled by the first anterior cooler 21 such that the temperature reaches approximately 60° C. The air cooled by the first anterior cooler 21 is further cooled by the second anterior cooler 22 by cold water obtained in the cooling tower 27 such that the temperature reaches, for example, approximately 40° C.

(23) The air cooled by the second anterior cooler 22 is cooled by the cooler 24 included in the heat pump 23 such that the temperature reaches, for example, approximately 20° C. at which moisture contained in the air, a VOC, and tar components condense. Part of the moisture contained in the air is condensed and removed by this cooling, thereby lowering a weight absolute humidity of the air, for example, such that 22 g/kg of the weight absolute humidity of the air upon being taken out from the drying oven reaches approximately 15 g/kg.

(24) The air cooled by the cooler 24 is heated by the anterior heater 25, the heater 26 included in the heat pump 23, and the posterior heater 4 in a stepwise manner. In other words, the air is heated by the anterior heater 25 such that a temperature thereof reaches approximately 40° C., the air is heated by the heater 26 such that the temperature reaches approximately 80° C., the air is heated by the posterior heater 4 such that the temperature reaches approximately 100° C., and is returned into the drying oven. Since the absolute humidity of this air returned into the drying oven is lowered to approximately 15 g/kg by the previous cooling and agglomeration, dried hot air is supplied to the drying oven.

(25) When a surface temperature of a hanger conveyed into the drying oven is approximately 27° C. to 28° C., upon supplying the air having the absolute humidity of approximately 15 g/kg to the drying oven, a dew-point temperature of the air in the drying oven becomes lower than the surface temperature of the hanger. Thus, dew condensation onto the hanger (dropping of dew condensation water onto a coating film) can be avoided.

(26) In addition, according to the present embodiment, the first anterior cooler 21 and anterior heater 25 are installed and the heat exchange is performed between the air taken out from the drying oven, which has the high temperature, and the air which has passed through the cooler 24, which has the low temperature, thereby enhancing a thermal efficiency. In addition, driving energy of the heat pump 23 serves to heat the circulating air and the second anterior cooler 22 performs the cooling using the cooling tower 27, thereby facilitating the cooling of the air such that the temperature reaches a desired temperature.

Third Embodiment

(27) FIG. 4 shows a principal part of a coating drying device according to a third embodiment. Although FIG. 4 shows only part of a circulation path 6, as in the first embodiment, the coating drying device includes a drying oven and a circulation fan.

(28) The present embodiment is characterized in that in addition to a heat pump (hereinafter, referred to as a “first heat pump”) 23 whose refrigerant is CO.sub.2 as in the second embodiment, a second heat pump 31 whose refrigerant is a chlorofluorocarbon medium is used for cooling and heating of air. Other configurations are substantially the same as those of the second embodiment.

(29) In other words, in the circulation path 6, a cooler (hereinafter, referred to as a “first cooler”) 24 included in a first heat pump 23 whose refrigerant is the CO.sub.2, a second cooler 32 and a second heater 33 which are included in a second heat pump 31 are arranged. Just like the first heat pump 23, the second heat pump 31 is of a vapor compression type which circulates a chlorofluorocarbon medium through a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator in this order.

(30) As in the case of the first heat pump 23, cold water cooled by the evaporator of the second heat pump 31 is supplied to a cold water tank, and the second cooler 32 cools the air sent from the first cooler 24 by heat exchange with the cold water in the cold water tank. Note that the cold water tank and a water feed pump are not shown in the drawings. On the other hand, the condenser of the second heat pump 31 constitutes the second heater 33. In addition, a condensate liquid drain is extended from each of the first cooler 24 and the second cooler 32 to the tank 7.

(31) In short, the present embodiment includes a first set configured as the first heat pump 23 which includes the first cooler 24 and a heater (hereinafter, referred to as a “first heater”) 26 and whose refrigerant is the CO.sub.2, and a second set configured as the second heat pump 31 which includes the second cooler 32 and the second heater 33 and whose refrigerant is the chlorofluorocarbon medium.

(32) Accordingly, the air taken out from the drying oven passes through anterior coolers 21 and 22 and thereafter, the air flows through the first cooler 24 of the first heat pump 23, the second cooler 32 of the second heat pump 31, the second heater 33 of the second heat pump 31, and the first heater 26 of the first heat pump 23 in this order.

(33) This embodiment utilizes the first heat pump 23 whose refrigerant is the CO.sub.2 suited for heat absorption and radiation on a high temperature side, and the second heat pump 31 whose refrigerant is the chlorofluorocarbon medium suited for heat absorption and radiation on a low temperature side, thereby efficiently performing the cooling and the heating of the air.

(34) <Others>

(35) The above-described first and second embodiments are employed to perform the flash-off of the coating film. However, the present invention is also applicable to drying for baking the coating film.

(36) In addition, the present invention is not limited to the drying of the coating film of the automobile body, and is also applicable to drying of coating films of other coated articles.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(37) 1 Drying Oven

(38) 10 Work Piece

(39) 3 Heat Pump (Cooler, Heater)

(40) 4 Posterior Heater

(41) 6 Circulation Path

(42) 7 Tank

(43) 10 Hanger

(44) 21 Anterior Cooler

(45) 22 Anterior Cooler

(46) 23 Heat Pump (First Heat Pump whose Refrigerant is CO.sub.2)

(47) 24 Cooler (First Cooler)

(48) 26 Heater (First Heater)

(49) 31 Second Heat Pump (whose Refrigerant is Chlorofluorocarbon Medium)

(50) 32 Second Cooler

(51) 33 Second Heater