Ventilator - ventilator

An electrical appliance that is attached to the walls, windows, or ceilings of a house and rotates blades directly connected to a motor to exhaust indoor air to the outside. In addition to exhausting air, it also deodorizes, prevents dust, and prevents moisture, and regulates temperature. There are various types to suit the location and purpose of use, including general-purpose types for kitchens, living rooms, and offices, types for mounting on glass windows, types with dedicated range hoods for kitchens, moisture-resistant types for bathrooms, deodorizing fans for toilets and darkrooms, industrial types for factories and warehouses, and pressurized ventilation fans. There are also shutters to protect against rain and wind, fully automatic types that open in conjunction with the motor, linked types where the motor rotates when the shutter opens, automatic types where the shutter opens due to the wind pressure of the blades, and fixed shutter types. When installing, it is necessary to take into consideration the relative positions of the vent and the fan, the direction and strength of the wind outside, etc.

In addition to exhaust fans, there are also intake fans that take in fresh outdoor air, and fans called air-conditioning fans that exchange heat between the indoor air and the outdoor air, bringing in fresh outdoor air as close to room temperature as possible, thereby minimizing the thermal energy lost during ventilation.

There are also models of fans called wind fans that can be attached to windows in bedrooms or living rooms to blow air and provide a cool feeling by taking advantage of the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors, as well as air circulators that circulate air indoors.

[Yoshiki Hashimoto]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

家屋の壁、窓、天井などに取り付け、モーターに直結した羽根を回転させて室内の空気を戸外に排出させる電気器具。排気と同時に、室内の脱臭、防塵(ぼうじん)、防湿、温度調節の働きもする。用いられる場所や用途に適合するように種々の品種があり、台所・居間・事務室などに用いられる一般用、ガラス窓取付け用、調理場などのレンジ専用フード付き、浴室などの耐湿型、便所・暗室などの脱臭扇、工場・倉庫などの産業用や、有圧換気扇などがある。雨、風を防ぐためのシャッターも、モーターと連動して開く全自動式、シャッターが開くと連動してモーターが回転する連動式、羽根の風圧でシャッターが開く自動式、固定シャッター式などがある。取付けには、換気口と換気扇の関連位置、戸外の風向きとその強さなどを考慮する必要がある。

　なお換気扇には、排気ばかりでなく、戸外の新鮮な空気を取り入れる吸気扇や、室内の空気と戸外の空気の間で熱交換を行い、戸外の新鮮な空気をできるだけ室温に近づけて取り入れ、換気のために失う熱エネルギーをできるだけ少なくした空調換気扇とよばれるものもある。

　また、寝室や居間の窓に取り付けて送風を行い、室内外の温度差を利用して涼感を得る機能をもつウィンドファンや、室内の空気を循環させる機能をもつエアサーキュレーターという機種などもある。

［橋本芳樹］

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