AU5139999A

AU5139999A - Heat transfer device

Info

Publication number: AU5139999A
Application number: AU51399/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Yasushi Hori; Toru Inazuka; Takashi Matuzaki; Kazuhide Mizutani; Osamu Tanaka
Original assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
Current assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
Priority date: 1995-09-08
Filing date: 1999-09-29
Publication date: 2000-01-13
Anticipated expiration: 2016-09-06
Also published as: AU721047B2

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 Daikin Industries, Ltd.

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Heat transfer device Invention Title: The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:- I i Technical Field This invention relates to a heat transfer device applicable for refrigerant circuitry of an air conditioner and so on, and particularly relates to a device for transferring heat in a manner of circulating refrigerant without the need for a drive source such as a pump.

Background Art There is conventionally known refrigerant circuitry of an air conditioner with two refrigerant circuits, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Gazette No. 62-238951. The refrigerant circuitry of this type has a primary refrigerant circuit formed such that a compressor, a first heat source-side heat exchanger, a pressure reduction mechanism and a first user-side heat exchanger are sequentially connected through refrigerant piping, and a secondary refrigerant circuit formed such that a pump, a second 15 heat source-side heat exchanger and a second user-side heat exchanger are sequentially connected through refrigerant piping. Heat exchange is made between the first user-side heat exchanger of the primary refrigerant circuit and the second heat source-side heat exchanger of the secondary refrigerant circuit. The second user-side heat exchanger is placed in a room to be air- 20 conditioned.

In the air conditioner, during the operation of cooling the room, heat is exchanged between refrigerant evaporated in the first user-side heat exchanger and refrigerant condensed in the second heat source-side heat exchanger, and the condensed refrigerant is then evaporated in the second user-side heat S. 25 exchanger to cool the room.

On the other hand, during the operation of heating the room, heat is exchanged between refrigerant condensed in the first user-side heat exchanger and refrigerant evaporated in the second heat source-side heat exchanger, and the evaporated refrigerant is then condensed in the second user-side heat 30 exchanger to heat the room.

i Thus, the piping length of the primary refrigerant circuit is reduced thereby enhancing refrigerating capacity.

In the secondary refrigerant circuit of the air conditioner abovementioned, however, the pump is required as a drive source for refrigerant circulation. This invites inconveniences such as increase in power consumption. Further, the addition of the drive source increases the number 3 of failure sites. This incurs an inconvenience of degraded reliability of the overall device.

As a device capable of eliminating the above inconveniences, there is a heat transfer device with no drive source in the secondary refrigerant circuit, commonly-called non-power heat transfer type heat transfer device, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open gazette No. 63-180022.

In such a heat transfer device, the secondary refrigerant circuit is configured such that a heater, a condenser and a hermetically sealed enclosure are sequentially connected through refrigerant piping. The hermetically sealed enclosure is placed at a higher position than the heater. Further, the heater and the hermetically sealed enclosure are connected through a pressure equalizing pipe having a shut-off valve.

In the above heat transfer device, during the operation of heating the room, the shut-off valve is first closed, gas refrigerant heated in the heater is 15 condensed in the condenser so as to be liquefied, and the liquid refrigerant is recovered to the hermetically sealed enclosure. Thereafter, the shut-off valve is opened so that the heater and the hermetically sealed enclosure is equalized in pressure through the pressure equalizing pipe. Thereby, the liquid refrigerant is returned from the hermetically sealed enclosure located at the 20 position higher than that of the heater to the heater. In a manner that such an operation is repeated, refrigerant circulates in the secondary refrigerant circuit without the need for providing a drive source such as a pump in the secondary refrigerant circuit.

9* 1. 25 Problems to be solved 9: In the above heat transfer device, however, when gas refrigerant is introduced from the condenser into the hermetically sealed enclosure, the 9: pressure in the enclosure rises so that excellent refrigerant circulation may be ~prevented. To cope with this, gas refrigerant in the condenser is required to be kept supercooled so as not to flow out of the condenser.

•Further, in the above heat transfer device, the internal structure of the *o'9hermetically sealed enclosure is improved in order to suppress rise in pressure of the hermetically sealed enclosure. However, the reliability of the effect cannot sufficiently be ensured.

Furthermore, in order to introduce liquid refrigerant into the hermetically sealed enclosure with reliability, the condenser is required to be placed at a position higher than that of the hermetically sealed enclosure. This adds many constraints to the placement of elements. Accordingly, it is difficult to apply the above device to large-scaled systems and long-piping systems.

In view of the above problems, the present invention has been made and therefore has its object of reducing constraints to the placement of elements in a non-power heat transfer type heat transfer device necessitating no drive source, thereby providing the heat transfer device with high reliability and general versatility.

Disclosure of Invention In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a heat transfer device comprising: hot heat source means for evaporating refrigerant through the 15 application of heat; cold heat source means which is connected to the hot heat source means via a gas flow pipe and a liquid flow pipe to form a closed circuit with the hot heat source means, the cold heat source means condensing refrigerant by heat radiation; 20 a plurality of user-side means connected to the gas flow pipe via a gas pipe and to the liquid flow pipe via a liquid pipe, each of the plurality of userside means being capable of independently performing an operation of 0 radiating heat and an operation of absorbing heat; gas flow selecting means for changing gas refrigerant flow between the 25 gas flow pipe and the gas pipe; liquid flow selecting means for changing liquid refrigerant flow between the liquid flow pipe and the liquid pipe; and control means for controlling the gas flow selecting means and the liquid "flow selecting means such that refrigerant flow on the user-side means is changed in accordance with an operation mode of the user-side means, wherein the cold heat source means is placed at a position higher than the hot heat source means, the control means performs: an operation of mainly radiating heat in which the heat balance among all the plurality of user-side means is in a heat radiative condition; an operation of mainly absorbing heat in which the heat balance among all the plurality of user-side means is in a heat absorptive condition; and an operation of recovering refrigerant when the amount of liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means exceeds a specified amount of storage and when the amount of liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source means becomes smaller than a specified amount of storage, the operation of mainly radiating heat performed by the control means is accomplished in a manner that: gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the heat-radiative user-side means to be condensed; the liquid refrigerant condensed in the heat-radiative user-side means is transferred to the cold heat source means by pressure difference between the heat-radiative user-side means and the cold heat source means which condenses the gas refrigerant at a temperature lower than that of the heat-radiative user-side means and transferred to the heat-absorptive user-side means by pressure difference between the heat-absorptive user-side means and the heat-radiative 15 user-side means; the gas refrigerant is evaporated in the heat-absorptive userside means; and the gas refrigerant evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means is transferred to the cold heat source means by pressure difference between the cold heat source means and the heat-absorptive user-side means caused due to refrigerant condensation in the cold heat source means, 20 the operation of mainly absorbing heat performed by the control means is accomplished in a manner that: gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the cold heat source means to push out liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means to the heat-absorptive user-side; the liquid refrigerant is evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means; the gas 25 refrigerant is condensed in the cold heat source means; the gas refrigerant *999 evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means is transferred to the cold heat source means by pressure difference between the heat-absorptive userside means and the cold heat source means caused due to drop in pressure of the cold heat source means; gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the heat-radiative user-side means to be condensed; and the "liquid refrigerant condensed in the heat-radiative user-side means is transferred to the cold heat source means by pressure difference between the heat-radiative user-side means and the cold heat source means having a condensation temperature lower than that of the heat-radiative user-side means, and the operation of recovering refrigerant performed by the control means is accomplished in a manner that: gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the cold heat source means to equalize pressures of the hot heat source means and the cold heat source means; and liquid refrigerant flows from the cold heat source means to the hot heat source means thereby recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means to the hot heat source means.

To attain the above object, in the present invention, a heat source is composed of a hot heat source means and a cold heat source means, both the heat source means are connected through a gas flow pipe and a liquid flow pipe, and the flow of refrigerant in the gas flow pipe and the liquid flow pipe with respect to user-side means is changed so that refrigerant is circulated.

Further, gas refrigerant flowing out of the user-side means is transferred to the V cold heat source means for condensation.

15 More specifically, a measure taken in the invention comprises hot heat tsource means for evaporating refrigerant through the application of heat and cold heat source means which is connected to the hot heat source means through a gas flow pipe and a liquid flow pipe to form a closed circuit with the hot heat source means and condenses refrigerant by oo* 20 heat radiation.

OS.. There is provided user-side means which is connected to the gas flow pipe through a gas pipe and to the liquid flow pipe through a liquid pipe Further, there are provided gas flow selecting means for changing gas 25 refrigerant flow between the gas flow pipe and the gas pipe and the liquid flow selecting means for changing liquid refrigerant flow between the liquid flow pipe and the liquid pipe o In addition, there is provided control means for controlling at least one of the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means (9) to change refrigerant flow with respect to the user-side means according to o- an operation mode of the user-side means Under the arrangement, the control means controls the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to change refrigerant flow with respect to the user-side means according to the operation mode of the user-side means Further, the circulation of refrigerant is made with the use of rise in pressure of refrigerant caused by the amount of heat given to the hot heat source means thereby eliminating the need for a drive source for refrigerant circulation such as a pump.

Furthermore, since the condensation of refrigerant is made in the cold heat source means gas refrigerant is liquefied with reliability and the cold heat source means is prevented from rising in its internal pressure. This achieves excellent refrigerant circulation.

Thus, in the arrangement of the invention, since refrigerant circulation for allowing the user-side means to execute a specified heat exchange is made with the use of rise in pressure caused by the amount of heat given to the hot heat source means a drive source for refrigerant circulation such as a pump can be eliminated. This reduces power consumption and failure sites, thereby obtaining the reliability of the overall device.

Further, since refrigerant condensation is made in the cold heat source means gas refrigerant can be liquefied with reliability and the cold heat source means can be prevented from rising in internal pressure. This achieves excellent refrigerant circulation. As a result, there is no need for keeping refrigerant supercooled in the user-side means so as to prevent gas refrigerant from flowing out of the user-side means as in the conventional case. This ensures a sufficient amount of heat exchange in the user-side 20 means thereby increasing heat exchange capacity.

Furthermore, since constraints to the placement of elements can be Z: reduced, this provides high reliability and general versatility.

As shown in Fig.l, the control means is preferably configured to control at least the gas flow selecting means to execute an operation of 25 radiating heat of the user-side means in a manner that gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the user-side means for condensation and liquid refrigerant condensed in the user-side means is 0000 *transferred to the cold heat source means by pressure difference between 000* the cold heat source means which condenses gas refrigerant at a temperature lower than that of the user-side means and the user-side means Under the arrangement, during the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means a pressure difference is generated between the user-side means and the cold heat source means which condenses gas refrigerant at a temperature lower than the condensation temperature of the user-side means The pressure difference causes the refrigerant condensed in the user-side means to be transferred to the cold heat source means Thereby, refrigerant is circulated so that heat radiation is made in the user-side means In this case, the cold heat source means is preferably placed at a position higher than the hot heat source means Further, the control means is preferably configured to control at least the gas flow selecting means (8) to execute an operation of recovering refrigerant when liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means exceeds a specified amount of storage, in a manner that gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the cold heat source means to equalize pressures of the hot heat source means (1) and the cold heat source means so that a flow of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means to the hot heat source means is produced thereby recovering the liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means to the hot heat source means Under the arrangement, when liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means exceeds a specified amount of storage, the liquid refrigerant is recovered to the hot heat source means Accordingly, in the arrangement of the invention, since liquid refrigerant gradually stored in the cold heat source means with the .20 operation of the user-side means can be recovered to the hot heat source means the operation of the user-side means can be maintained in an excellent condition.

Further, in this case, the gas flow selecting means preferably has a shut-off valve (EV1) provided between the cold heat source means and a 2' 25 connection point of the gas flow pipe with the gas pipe In addition, the 0 control means is preferably configured to close the shut-off valve (EV1) during the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means and open it 0' during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the gas flow selecting means This provides an increased practicality of the device.

Furthermore, in the above case, the liquid flow selecting means (9) preferably includes: a first check valve (CV1) which is provided between the hot heat source means and a connection point of the liquid flow pipe with the liquid pipe and allows only a flow toward the hot heat source means and a second check valve (CV2) which is provided in the liquid pipe and allows only a flow toward the cold heat source means Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the liquid flow selecting means This provides an increased practicality of the device.

The control means of the invention is preferably configured to control the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means (9) to execute an operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means in a manner that gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the cold heat source means to push out liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means to the user-side means the liquid refrigerant is evaporated in the user-side means while the gas refrigerant is condensed in the cold heat source means and the gas refrigerant evaporated in the user-side means is transferred to the cold heat source means by pressure difference between the user-side means and the cold heat source means (2) caused due to drop in pressure of the cold heat source means Under the arrangement, during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means gas refrigerant is supplied the hot heat source means to the cold heat source means so that liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source 20 means(3) is pushed out to the user-side means(3). Thereafter, the liquid i' refrigerant is evaporated in the user-side means and the gas refrigerant is condensed in the cold heat source means to decrease the pressure of the cold heat source means The decrease in pressure causes a pressure difference between the user-side means and the cold heat source means 25 so that the gas refrigerant evaporated in the user-side means is transferred to the cold heat source means Thereby, heat absorption is made in the user-side means In this case, the cold heat source means is preferably placed at a position higher than that of the hot heat source means In addition, the control means is preferably configured to control the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to execute an operation of recovering refrigerant when liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source means (1) becomes short of a specified amount of storage, in a manner that gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the cold heat source means to equalize pressures of the hot heat source means and the cold heat source means so that a flow of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means to the hot heat source means is produced thereby recovering the liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means to the hot heat source means Under the above arrangement, liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means is recovered to the hot heat source means when liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source means becomes short of a specified amount of storage.

Accordingly, in the above arrangement of the invention, since liquid refrigerant gradually discharged from the hot heat source means with the operation of the user-side means can be recovered from the cold heat source means refrigerant circulation can be maintained in an excellent condition.

Further, in this case, the gas flow selecting means preferably includes: a shut-off valve (EV1) provided between the hot heat source means and a connection point of the gas flow pipe with the gas pipe and a check valve (CVG) which is provided in the gas pipe and allows a flow toward the cold heat source means(2). In addition, the control means is preferably configured to open the shut-off valve (EV1) at the time of pushing out the liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means to the user-side means and during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means and close it at the time of transfer of refrigerant from the user-side means to the cold heat source means Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the gas flow selecting means This provides an 25 increased practicality of the device.

Furthermore, in the above case, the liquid flow selecting means (9) preferably includes: a shut-off valve (EV4) provided at a recovery flow side part 99.9 of the liquid flow pipe between the hot heat source means and a connection point with the liquid pipe a first check valve (CV1) which is *999 30 provided at a recovery flow side part of the liquid flow pipe and allows only 9999 a flow toward the hot heat source means and a second check valve (CV3) which is provided in the liquid pipe and allows only a flow toward the 9999 user-side means In addition, the control means is preferably configured to close the shut-off valve (EV4) during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means and open it during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the liquid flow selecting means This provides an increased practicality of the device.

The control means of the invention may be configured to selectively execute the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means and the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means Under the arrangement, both effects of the operations of radiating and absorbing heat of the user-side means can be obtained. This increases practicality.

In this case, the cold heat source means is preferably placed at a position higher than the hot heat source means Further, the control means is preferably configured to control the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to execute an operation of recovering refrigerant when liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means exceeds a specified amount of storage during the operation of radiating heat and when liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source means becomes short of a specified amount of storage during the operation of absorbing heat, in a manner that gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the cold heat source means to equalize pressures of the hot heat source means and the cold heat source means so that a flow of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means to the hot heat source means is produced thereby recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means to the hot heat ~source means Accordingly, in the arrangement of the invention, since liquid refrigerant is recovered to the hot heat source means (1),the operation of the user-side means can be maintained in an excellent condition.

Further, in this case, the gas flow selecting means preferably includes: a first shut-off valve (EV1) provided between the cold heat source means and a connection point of the gas flow pipe with the gas pipe a second shut-off valve(EV2)provided in the gas pipe(6); a connecting pipe whose one end is connected between the first shut-off valve (EV1) and the cold heat source means and whose other end is connected between the second shut-off valve (EV2) and the user-side means a third shut-off valve (EV3) provided in the connecting pipe and a check valve (CVG) which is provided in the connecting pipe (10) and allows only a flow toward the cold heat source means In addition, the control means is preferably configured to allow the first shut-off valve (EV1) to be closed during the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means and at the transfer of gas refrigerant from the user-side means to the cold heat source means during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means and to be open at the time of pushing out liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means to the user-side means (3) during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means and during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means to allow the second shut-off valve (EV2) to be open only during the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means and to allow the third shut-off valve (EV3) to be closed during the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means and to be open during the operation of absorbing heat of the userside means Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the gas flow selecting means This provides an increased practicality of the device.

Furthermore, in the above case, the liquid flow selecting means (9) preferably includes: a first shut-off valve (EV4) provided at a recovery flow side part of the liquid flow pipe between the hot heat source means and a connection point with the liquid pipe a first check valve (CV1) which is ~provided at a recovery flow side part of the liquid flow pipe and allows only a flow toward the hot heat source means and a second shut-off valve provided in the liquid pipe In addition, the control means is preferably configured to allow the shut-off valve (EV4) to be open during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means and to be closed during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means and to allow the second shut-off valve (EV5) to be open during the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means and during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side 30 means and to be closed during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant ~in the cold heat source means Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide o o: concrete organization of the liquid flow selecting means This provides an increased practicality of the device.

A plurality of the user-side means (3a-3d) are preferably provided and each of the user-side means (3a-3d) is preferably connected to the gas flow pipe and the liquid flow pipe through the gas pipe and the liquid pipe respectively in a manner capable of individual selection between an operation of radiating heat and an operation of absorbing heat.

In addition, the control means is preferably configured in a manner of controlling the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to execute en operation of mainly radiating heat in which the heat balance among all the user-side means (3a-3d) is in a heat radiative condition, in a manner that: gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means (1) to the heat-radiative user-side means for condensation and the liquid refrigerant condensed in the heat-radiative user-side means is transferred to the cold heat source means by pressure difference between the cold heat source means which condenses the gas refrigerant at a temperature lower then that of the heat-radiative user-side means and the heat radiative userside means and transferred to the heat-absorptive user-side means by pressure difference between the heat-absorptive user-side means and the heat-radiative user-side means while the gas refrigerant is concurrently evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means and the gas refrigerant evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means is transferred to the cold heat source means by pressure difference between the cold heat source means and the heat-absorptive user-side means caused due to refrigerant condensation in the cold heat source means Under the above arrangement, when the user-side means (3a-3d) individually execute the operation of radiating heat or the operation of absorbing heat and the number of user-side means (3a-3d) executing the 25 operation of radiating heat is larger, refrigerant is circulated by pressure difference between the cold heat source means and the heat-radiative userside means by pressure difference between the heat-absorptive user-side means and the heat-radiative user-side means and by pressure difference between the cold heat source means and the heat-absorptive 30 user-side means so that heat radiation or heat absorption is made in each of the user-side means (3a-3d).

In this case, the cold heat source means is preferably placed at a position higher than the hot heat source means Further, the control means is preferably configured to control the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to execute an operation of recovering refrigerant when liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means exceeds a specified amount of storage, in a manner that gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the cold heat source means to equalize pressures of the hot heat source means and the cold heat source means (2) so that a flow of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means to the hot heat source means is produced thereby recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means to the hot heat source means Accordingly, in the arrangement of the invention, since liquid refrigerant is recovered to the hot heat source means the operation of the user-side means can be maintained in an excellent condition.

In addition, the control means is preferably configured to control the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to execute an operation of mainly absorbing heat in which the heat balance among all the user-side means (3a-3d) is in a heat absorptive condition, in a manner that: gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the cold heat source means to push out liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means to the heat-absorptive user-side means the liquid refrigerant is evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means while the gas refrigerant Sis condensed in the cold heat source means and the gas refrigerant evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means is transferred to the cold heat source means by pressure difference between the heat-absorptive userside means and the cold heat source means caused due to drop in pressure of the cold heat source means(2); while gas refrigerant is concurrently supplied from the hot heat source means to the heat-radiative user-side means for condensation and the liquid refrigerant condensed in the heat- 30 radiative user-side means is transferred to the cold heat source means (2) by pressure difference between the heat-radiative user-side means and the cold heat source means having a condensation temperature lower than that of the heat-radiative user-side means Under the above arrangement, when the user-side means (3a-3d) individually execute the operation of radiating heat or the operation of absorbing heat and the number of user-side means (3a-3d) executing the operation of absorbing heat is larger, refrigerant is circulated by pressure difference between the heat-absorptive user-side means and the cold heat source means and by pressure difference between the cold heat source means and the heat-radiative user-side means so that heat radiation or heat absorption is made in each of the user-side means (3a-3d).

In this case, the cold heat source means is preferably placed at a position higher than the hot heat source means Further, the control means is preferably configured to control the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to execute an operation of recovering refrigerant when liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source means becomes short of a specified amount of storage, in a manner that gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the cold heat source means (2) to equalize pressures of the hot heat source means and the cold heat source means so that a flow of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means to the hot heat source means is produced thereby recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means to the hot heat source means Accordingly, in the arrangement of the invention, since liquid refrigerant is recovered to the hot heat source means the operation of the user-side means can be maintained in an excellent condition.

When a plurality of the user-side means (3a-3d) are provided, the control means of the invention may be configured to selectively execute the •operation of mainly radiating heat of the user-side means and the operation of mainly absorbing heat of the user-side means Under the arrangement, both effects of the operation of mainly radiating o:olo heat of the user-side means and the operation of mainly absorbing heat of the user-side means can be obtained. This increases practicality.

In this ease, the gas flow selecting means (8)preferably includes: a first shut-off valve (EV1) provided between the cold heat source means and a connection point of the gas flow pipe with the gas pipe second shut-off 30 valves (EV2-1 to EV2-4) provided in the gas pipes (6a-6d) and corresponding to the user-side means (3a-3d), respectively; a plurality of connecting pipes $eo 10d) each connected at one end thereof between the first shut-off valve (EV1) and the cold heat source means and at the other end between the corresponding second shut-off valve (EV2-1 to EV2-4) and the corresponding user-side means (3a-3d); third shut-off valves (EV3-1 to EV3-4) provided in the connecting pipes (10a-10d) and corresponding to the user-side means (3a-3d), respectively; and a check valve (CVG) which is provided in the connecting pipe (10a-lOd) and allows only a flow toward the cold heat source means In addition, the control means is preferably configured to allow: the first shut-off valve (EV1) to be closed during the operation of mainly radiating heat and at the transfer of gas refrigerant from the user-side means to the cold heat source means during the operation of mainly absorbing heat but to be open at the time of pushing out liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means to the heat-absorptive user-side means during the operation of mainly absorbing heat and during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means each of the second shut-off valves (EV2-1 to EV2-4) to be open only during the operation of radiating heat of the corresponding user-side means (3a-3d); and each of the third shut-off valves (EV3-1 to EV3-4) to be open only during the operation of absorbing heat of the corresponding user-side means (3a-3d).

Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the gas flow selecting means This provides an increased practicality of the device.

Furthermore, in the above case, the liquid flow selecting means (9) preferably includes: a first shut-off valve (EV4) provided at a recovery flow side part of the liquid flow pipe between the hot heat source means and a connection point with the liquid pipe a check valve (CVL) which is provided at a recovery flow side part of the liquid flow pipe and allows only a flow toward the hot heat source means and second shut-off valves (EV5-1 to EV5-4) provided in the liquid pipes (7a-7d) and corresponding to the userside means (3a-3d), respectively.

In addition, the control means is preferably configured to allow: the shut-off valve (EV4) to be open during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means but to be closed during the operation of mainly absorbing heat; and each of the second shut-off valves (EV5-1 to EV5-4) to be open during the operation of radiating heat and the operation of absorbing heat of the corresponding user-side means (3a-3d) but to be closed during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the liquid flow selecting means This provides an increased practicality of the device.

In the present invention, liquid receive means (22) for storing liquid refrigerant is preferably provided in parallel with the cold heat source means Further, preferably, the liquid receive means (22) is connected at one end thereof between the cold heat source means and a connection point of the gas flow pipe with the gas pipe through a branch pipe (23) and connected at the other end between the cold heat source means and a connection point of the liquid flow pipe with the liquid pipe through a branch pipe (23).

Under the above arrangement, liquid refrigerant is in the liquid receive means (22).

Accordingly, since the above arrangement of the invention prevents liquid refrigerant from being stored in the cold heat source means reduction in heat exchange can be avoided. As a result, the cold heat source means can be maintained at a high efficiency of heat exchange. This increases the efficiency of the overall device.

In this case, as shown in Fig. 19, a shut-off valve (EV11) for changing a flow of refrigerant toward the cold heat source means is preferably provided between the cold heat source means and a connection point of the gas flow pipe with the branch pipe (23).

Under the above arrangement, the shut-off valve (EV11) is closed when liquid refrigerant is discharged from the cold heat source means or the liquid receive means (22).

Accordingly, since the above arrangement of the invention prevents a 2 supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source means to the cold heat 25 source means the cold heat source means can be prevented from being unnecessarily heated. This promotes energy conservation.

.":'.Preferably, a plurality of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) are provided, are connected to the hot heat source means through the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) and the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) respectively to each form a closed circuit with the hot heat source means and are each configured to switchably serve as operating cold heat source means for executing an o operation of radiating heat in a state that gas refrigerant is stored therein and as stopping cold heat source means for stopping the operation of radiating heat in a state that liquid refrigerant is stored therein.

In addition, preferably, the gas flow selecting means is configured to change gas refrigerant flow between each of the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) and the gas pipe and the liquid flow selecting means is configured to change liquid refrigerant flow between each of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) and the liquid pipe Under the above arrangement, the connection state of each of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) with the user-side means is changed while refrigerant is circulated between the operating cold heat source means (2a, 2b) end the user-side means at all times.

Accordingly, since the above arrangement of the invention provides heat radiation or heat absorption of the user-side means at all times, the operation of radiating heat or the operation of absorbing heat can be successively executed.

When the plurality of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) are provided in the invention, as shown in Fig. 21, each of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) is preferably placed at a position higher than that of the hot heat source means and the user-side means is preferably connected to the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) and the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) through the gas pipe and the liquid pipe respectively.

In addition, the control means is preferably configured to control at least the gas flow selecting means to execute an operation of radiating heat of the user-side means in a manner that gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the stopping cold heat source means (2a) and the user-side means so that the gas refrigerant is condensed in the user-side means and the liquid refrigerant condensed in the user-side means is transferred to the operating cold heat source means (2b) by pressure difference between the operating cold heat source means (2b) which condenses the gas refrigerant at a temperature lower than that of the user-side means and the user-side means when liquid refrigerant in the operating cold heat source •means (2b) exceeds a specified amount of storage, the control means (C) changes the operating cold heat source means (2b) into the stopping cold heat source means (2b) to execute an operation of recovering refrigerant and changes the remaining stopping cold heat source means (2a) into the operating cold heat source means whereby the supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source means to the operating cold heat source means (2a) is stopped, gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the user-side means and is condensed in the user-side means thereby allowing the operation of radiating heat to be continued, and gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the stopping cold heat source means (2b) to equalize pressures of the hot heat source means and the stopping cold heat source means (2b) thereby producing a flow of liquid refrigerant from the stopping cold heat source means (2b) to the hot heat source means to recover the liquid refrigerant in the stopping cold heat source means (2b) to the hot heat source means and the control means alternately changes each of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) between the operating cold heat source means and the stopping cold heat source means thereby successively executing the operation of radiating heat.

Under the above arrangement, refrigerant is circulated between the operating cold heat source means (2a, 2b) and the user-side means during the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means so that the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means can be successively executed.

Accordingly, since the above arrangement provides a continuous operation of radiating heat of the user-side means when the device having the above arrangement is applied to an air conditioner for heating a room, heating operation can be successively executed thereby increasing comfortableness of the room.

In this case, the gas flow selecting means preferably includes shut-off valves (EV1-1, EV1-2) which are provided between the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) and connection points of the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) with the gas pipe and correspond to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b), respectively.

S"In addition, the control means is preferably configured to close each of the shut-off valves (EV1-1, EV1-2) at the transfer of gas refrigerant from the user-side means to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the shut-off valve (EV1-1, EV1-2) and open it during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the shut-off valve (EV1-1, EV1-2).

p Furthermore, in the above case, the liquid flow selecting means (9) preferably includes: first check valves (CV1-1, CV1-2) which are provided between the hot heat source means and connection points of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) with the liquid pipes (7a, 7b) and allow only flows toward the hot heat source means respectively; and second check valves (CV2-1, CV2-2) which are provided in the liquid pipes (7a, 7b) and allows only flows toward the cold heat source means respectively.

Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the liquid flow selecting means This provides an increased practicality of the device.

When the plurality of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) are provided in the invention, as shown in Fig. 23, the user-means is preferably connected to the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) and the liquid flow pipes (5a, through the gas pipe and the liquid pipe respectively.

In addition, the control means is preferably configured to control the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to execute an operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means in a manner that: gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the stopping cold heat source means (2a) to push out liquid refrigerant in the stopping cold heat source means (2a) to the user-side means the liquid refrigerant is evaporated in the user-side means while the gas refrigerant is condensed in the operating cold heat source means and the gas refrigerant evaporated in the user-side means is transferred to the operating cold heat source means (2b) by pressure difference between the user-side means and the operating cold heat source means (2b) caused due to drop in pressure of the operating cold heat source means when liquid refrigerant in the operating cold heat source means (2b) exceeds a specified amount of storage, the control means changes the operating cold heat source means (2b) and the S"remaining stopping cold heat source means (2a) into the stopping cold heat source means(2b) and the operating cold heat source means (2a) respectively, :.,":whereby the supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source means to the operating cold heat source means (2a) is stopped while gas refrigerant is *o 0* supplied from the hot heat source means to the stopping cold heat source a.e means (2b) to push out the liquid refrigerant in the stopping cold heat source 30 means (2b) to the user-side means thereby allowing the operation of "•absorbing heat to be continued; and the control means alternately changes each of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) between the operating cold heat source means and the stopping cold heat source means thereby successively executing the operation of absorbing heat.

35 Under the above arrangement, during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means refrigerant is circulated between the operating cold heat source means (2a, 2b) and the user-side means while liquid refrigerant in the stopping cold heat source means (2a, 2b) is recovered to the hot heat source means at all times, so that the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means can be successively executed.

Accordingly, since the above arrangement provides a continuous operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means when the device having the above arrangement is applied to an air conditioner for cooling a room, cooling operation can be successively executed thereby increasing comfortableness of the room.

In this case, the gas flow selecting means preferably includes: shutoff valves (EV1-1, EV1-2) provided between the hot heat source means and connection points of the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) with the gas pipes (6e, 6f) and corresponding to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b), respectively; and check valves (CVG1, CVG2) which are provided in the gas pipes (6e, 6f) and allow only flows toward the cold heat source means (2a, 2b), respectively.

In addition, the control means is preferably configured to open each of the shut-off valves (EV1-1, EV1-2) at the time of pushing out liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the shutoff valve (EV1-1, EV1-2) to the user-side means and during the operation of 20 recovering the liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the shut-off valve (EVI-1, EV1-2) and close it at the transfer of gas refrigerant from the user-side means to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the shut-off valve (EV1-1, EV1-2).

Furthermore, in the above case, the liquid flow selecting means (9) preferably includes: a shut-off valve (EV4) provided at a recovery flow side part of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) between the hot heat source means and 30 connection points with the liquid pipes (7e, 7f); first check valves (CV1-1, CV1-2) which are provided at recovery flow side parts of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) and allow only flows toward the hot heat source means respectively; and second check valves (CV3-1, CV3-2) which are provided in the liquid pipes (7e, 7f) and allow only flows toward the cold heat source means respectively.

C 22 In addition, the control means is preferably configured to close the shut-off valve (EV4) during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means and open it during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the liquid flow selecting means This provides an increased practicality of the device.

When the plurality of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) are provided, the control means may be configured to selectively execute the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means and the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means Under the arrangement, both effects of the operations of radiating and absorbing heat of the user-side means can be obtained. This increases practicality.

In this case, the control means is preferably configured to control the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to execute an operation of recovering refrigerant when liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source means becomes short of a specified amount of storage during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means in a manner that gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the operating cold heat source means to equalize pressures of the hot heat source means (1) and the cold heat source means so that a flow of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means to the hot heat source means is produced thereby recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means to the hot heat source means (1) Under the above arrangement, when the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source means becomes small, liquid refrigerant is recovered to the hot heat source means (1) ::Accordingly, in the arrangement of the invention, since liquid 30 refrigerant can be recovered while the operation of absorbing heat of the userside means is continued, this enables a continuous operation of the userside means Further, in this case, the gas flow selecting means preferably includes: first shut-off valves (EV1-1, EV1-2) which are provided between the cold heat source means and connection points of the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) with the gas pipe and correspond to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b), respectively; a second shut-off valve (EV2) provided in the gas pipe a connecting pipe (20) connected at one end thereof between the first shut-off valves (EV1-1, EV1-2) and the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) and at the other end between the second shut-off valve (EV2) and the user-side means a third shut-off valve (EV3) provided in the connecting pipe and check valves (CVG1, CVG2) which are provided in the connecting pipe (20) and allow only flows toward the cold heat source means (2a, 2b), respectively.

In addition, the control means is preferably configured to allow: each of the first shut-off valves (EV1-1, EV1-2) to be closed at the transfer of liquid refrigerant from the user-side means to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the first shut-off valve (EV1-1, EV1-2) during the operation of radiating heat and at the transfer of gas refrigerant from the user-side means (3) to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the first shut-off valve (EV1-1, EV1-2) during the operation of absorbing heat but to be open at the supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source means to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the first shut-off valve (EV1-1, EV1-2) during the operation of absorbing heat; the second shut-off valve (EV2) to be open only during the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means and the third shut-off valve (EV3) to be open only during the operation of 20 absorbing heat of the user-side means Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the gas flow selecting means This provides an increased practicality of the device.

Furthermore, in the above case, the liquid flow selecting means (9) preferably includes: a first shut-off valve (EV4) provided at a recovery flow side part of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) between the hot heat source means and connection points with the liquid pipes (7e, 7f); check valves (CV1-1, CV1-2) which are provided at recovery flow side parts of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) and allow only flows toward the hot heat source means 30 respectively; and second shut-off valves (EV6-1, EV6-2) which are provided in the liquid pipes (7e, 7f) and correspond to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b), respectively.

In addition, the control means is preferably configured to allow: the shut-off valve (EV4) to be open during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) but to be closed during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means each of the second shutoff valves (EV6-1, EV6-2) to be open at the transfer of liquid refrigerant from the user-side means to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the second shut-off valve (EV6-1, EV6-2) during the operation of radiating heat and at the time of pushing out liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the second shut-off valve (EV6-1, EV6-2) to the user-side means during the operation of absorbing heat; and each of the second shut-off valves (EV6-1, EV6-2) to be closed at the supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source means to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the second shut-off valve (EV6-1, EV6-2) during the operation of radiating heat and at the transfer of gas refrigerant from the userside means to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the second shut-off valve (EV6-1, EV6-2) during the operation of absorbing heat.

When the plurality of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) are provided, as shown in Fig. 28, a plurality of the user-side means (3a-3d) are preferably provided, each of the user-side means (3a-3d) is preferably connected to the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) and the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) through the gas pipe 20 and the liquid pipes (7e, 7f) respectively in a manner capable of individual selection between an operation of radiating heat and an operation of absorbing heat, and each of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) is preferably placed at a position higher than that of the hot heat source means (1) In addition, the control means is preferably configured to control the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to execute *an operation of mainly radiating heat in which the heat balance among all the user-side means (3a-3d) is in a heat radiative condition, in a manner that: gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the stopping cold heat source means (2a) and the heat-radiative user-side means so that the 30 gas refrigerant is condensed in the user-side means and the liquid refrigerant condensed in the heat-radiative user-side means is transferred to the operating cold heat source means (2b) by pressure difference between the operating cold heat source means (2b) which condenses the gas refrigerant at a temperature lower than that of the heat radiative user-side means and the heat-radiative user-side means and transferred to the heat-absorptive userside means by pressure difference between the heat-absorptive user-side means and the heat-radiative user-side means while the gas refrigerant is concurrently evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means and the gas refrigerant evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means is transferred to the operating cold heat source means (2b) by pressure difference between the operating cold heat source means (2b) end the heat-absorptive user-side means caused due to refrigerant condensation in the operating cold heat source means (2b).

Further, the control means is preferably configured: when liquid refrigerant in the operating cold heat source means (2b) exceeds a specified amount of storage, to change the operating cold heat source means (2b) into the stopping cold heat source means (2b) to execute an operation of recovering refrigerant and change the remaining stopping cold heat source means (2a) into the operating cold heat source means whereby the supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source means to the operating cold heat source means (2a) is stopped, gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the heat-radiative user-side means and is condensed in the heat-radiative user-side means thereby allowing the operation of mainly radiating heat to be continued, and gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the stopping cold heat source means (2b) to equalize 20 pressures of the hot heat source means and the stopping cold heat source means (2b) thereby producing a flow of liquid refrigerant from the stopping i" •.cold heat source means (2b) to the hot heat source means to recover the liquid refrigerant in the stopping cold heat source means (2b) to the hot heat S. :source means and to alternately change each of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) between the operating cold heat source means and the stopping cold heat source means thereby successively executing the operation of mainly ooo° radiating heat.

Under the above arrangement, refrigerant is circulated between each of the user-side means (3a-3d) and each of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) so 30 that heat radiation or heat absorption is executed in each of the user-side means (3a-3d).

When the plurality of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) are provided, a *plurality of the user-side means (3a-3d) are preferably provided, and each of the user-side means (3a-3d) is preferably connected to the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) and the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) through the gas pipe and the liquid 26 pipes (7e, 7f) respectively in a manner capable of individual selection between an operation of radiating heat and an operation of absorbing heat.

In addition, the control means is preferably configured to control the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to execute an operation of mainly absorbing heat in which the heat balance among all the user-side means (3a-3d) is in a heat absorptive condition, in a manner that: gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the heat-radiative user-side means and is condensed in the user-side means and the liquid refrigerant condensed in the heat-radiative user-side means is transferred to the heat-absorptive user-side means by pressure difference between the heat-radiative user-side means and the heat-absorptive user-side means (3) while gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the stopping cold heat source means (2a) to push out liquid refrigerant in the stopping cold heat source means (2a) to the heat-absorptive user-side means and the liquid refrigerant is evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means while gas refrigerant is condensed in the operating cold heat source means and the gas refrigerant evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means is transferred to the operating cold heat source means (2b) by pressure difference between the heat-absorptive user-side means and the 20 operating cold heat source means (2b) caused due to drop in pressure of the operating cold heat source means (2b).

Further, the control means is preferably configured: when liquid refrigerant in the operating cold heat source means (2b) exceeds a specified S. *amount of storage, to change the operating cold heat source means (2b) and the remaining stopping cold heat source means (2a) into the stopping cold heat source means (2b) and the operating cold heat source means (2a) respectively, whereby the supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source means to the operating cold heat source means (2a) is stopped while gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the stopping cold heat source 30 means (2b) and the heat-radiative user-side means so that the liquid refrigerant in the stopping cold heat source means (2b) is pushed out to the heat-absorptive user-side means thereby allowing the operation of mainly absorbing heat to be continued; and to alternately change each of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) between the operating cold heat source means and the stopping cold heat source means thereby successively executing the operation of mainly absorbing heat.

Under the above arrangement, refrigerant is circulated between each the user-side means (3a-3d) and each of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) so that heat radiation or heat absorption is executed in each of the user-side means (3a-3d).

In this case, each of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) is preferably placed at a position higher than that of the hot heat source means Further, the control means is preferably configured in a manner of controlling the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to execute an operation of recovering refrigerant when liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source means becomes short of a specified amount of storage, in a manner that gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the operating cold heat source means (2a, 2b) to equalize pressures of the hot heat source means and each of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) so that a flow of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) to the hot heat source means is produced thereby recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) to the hot heat source means Under the above arrangement, when the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source means becomes small, liquid refrigerant is recovered to the hot heat source means 20 Accordingly, in the arrangement of the invention, since liquid refrigerant can be recovered while the operation of mainly absorbing heat of the user-side means is continued, this enables a continuous operation of the user-side means F When the plurality of cold heat source means (2a, 2b) and a plurality of user-side means (3a-3d) are provided, the control means of the invention I. may be configured to selectively execute the operation of mainly radiating heat of the user-side means and the operation of mainly absorbing heat of the user-side means :Under the arrangement, both effects of the operation of mainly radiating 30 heat of the user-side means and the operation of mainly absorbing heat of the user-side means can be obtained. This increases practicality.

be:" In this case, the gas flow selecting means preferably includes: first i shut-off valves (EV1-1, EV1-2) which are provided between the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) and connection points of the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) with the gas pipe and correspond to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b), respectively; second shut-off valves (EV2-1 to EV2-4) provided in the gas pipes (6a-6d) and corresponding to the user-side means (3a-3d), respectively; a plurality of connecting pipes (20) which are connected at one side thereof between the first shut-off valves (EV1-1, EV1-2) and the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) respectively and connected at the other side between the second shut-off valves (EV2-1 to EV2-4) and the user-side means (3a-3d) respectively; third shut-off valves (EV3-1 to EV3-4) provided in the connecting pipes (20) and corresponding to the user-side means (3a-3d), respectively; and check valves (CVG1, CVG2) which are provided in the connecting pipes and allow only flows toward the cold heat source means (2a, 2b), respectively.

In addition, the control means is preferably configured to allow: each of the first shut-off valves (EV1-1, EV1-2) to be closed at the transfer of liquid refrigerant from the heat-radiative user-side means to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the first shut-off valve (EV1-1, EV1-2) during the operation of mainly radiating heat and at the transfer of gas refrigerant from the heat-absorptive user-side means to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the first shut-off valve (EV1-1, EV1-2) during the operation of mainly absorbing heat, but to be open at the supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source means to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the first shut-off valve (EV1-1, EV1-2); each of the 20 second shut-off valves (EV2-1 to EV2-4) to be open only during the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means corresponding to the second shut-off valve (EV2-1 to EV2-4); and each of the third shut-off valves (EV3-1 to EV3-4) to be open only during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means corresponding to the third shut-off valve (EV3-1 to EV3-4).

Furthermore, in the above case, the liquid flow selecting means (9) preferably includes: a first shut-off valve (EV4) provided at a recovery flow 30 side part of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) between the hot heat source means and connection points with the liquid pipes (7e, 7f); check valves (CV1-1, CV1-2) which are provided at recovery flow side parts of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) and allow only flows toward the hot heat source means respectively; and second shut-off valves (EV6-1, EV6-2) provided in the liquid pipes (7e, 7f) and corresponding to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b), respectively.

In addition, the control means is preferably configured to allow: the shut-off valve (EV4) to be open only during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means (2a, 2b); each of the second shut-off valves (EV6-1, EV6-2) to be open at the transfer of refrigerant from the heatradiative user-side means to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the second shut-off valve (EV6-1, EV6-2) during the operation of mainly radiating heat and at the time of pushing out liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the second shut-off valve (EV6-1, EV6-2) to the heat-absorptive user-side means and each of the second shut-off valves (EV6-1, EV6-2) to be closed at the supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source means to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the second shut-off valve (EV6-1, EV6-2) during the operation of mainly radiating heat and at the transfer of gas refrigerant from the heat-absorptive user-side means to the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) corresponding to the second shut-off valve (EV6-1, EV6-2) during the operation of mainly absorbing heat.

20 Preferably, in the present invention, a plurality of liquid receive means (25a, 25b) for storing liquid refrigerant are provided, are connected to the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) and the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) through gas pipes (26a, 26b) and liquid pipes (27a, 27b) respectively and are each configured to switchably serve as charging liquid receive means for storing liquid refrigerant from a state that the storage amount of gas refrigerant is large and as discharging liquid receive means for discharging liquid refrigerant in a state that the storage amount of liquid refrigerant is large.

In addition, preferably, the gas flow selecting means is configured to "change gas refrigerant flow between each of the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) and the corresponding gas pipe (26a, 26b) and the liquid flow selecting means is configured to change liquid refrigerant flow between each of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) and the corresponding liquid pipe (27a, 27b).

S"Under the above arrangement, the connection state of each of the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) with the user-side means is changed while refrigerant is circulated between the charging liquid receive means (25a, and the user-side means at all times.

F r1flW~77FflFTF1iflT7~ T [[FlI [Dr F Accordingly, since the above arrangement of the invention provides heat radiation or heat absorption of the user-side means at all times, the operation of radiating heat or the operation of absorbing heat can be successively executed.

When the plurality of the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) are provided in the invention, as shown in Fig. 32, each of the liquid receive means (25a, is preferably placed at a position higher than that of the hot heat source means In addition, the control means is preferably configured to control at least the gas flow selecting means to execute an operation of radiating heat of the user-side means in a manner that: gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the discharging liquid receive means (25a) and the user-side means so that the gas refrigerant is condensed in the user-side means and the liquid refrigerant condensed in the user-side means is transferred to the charging liquid receive means (25b) by pressure difference between the cold heat source means which condenses the gas refrigerant at a temperature lower than that of the user-side means and the user-side means Further, the control means is preferably configured: when liquid 20 refrigerant in the charging liquid receive means (25b) exceeds a specified amount of storage, to change the charging liquid receive means (25b) into the discharging liquid receive means (25b) to execute an operation of recovering refrigerant and change the remaining discharging liquid receive means into the charging liquid receive means (25a), whereby the supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source means to the charging liquid receive means (25a) is stopped, gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source o .means to the user-side means and is condensed in the user-side means thereby allowing the operation of radiating heat to be continued, and gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the discharging 0.00 30 liquid receive means (25b) to equalize pressures of the hot heat source means and the discharging liquid receive means (25b) thereby producing a flow of liquid refrigerant from the discharging liquid receive means (25b) to the hot .i heat source means to recover the liquid refrigerant in the discharging liquid receive means (25b) to the hot heat source means and to alternately change each of the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) between the charging liquid -f r w~ r<r receive means and the discharging liquid receive means thereby successively executing the operation of radiating heat.

Under the above arrangement, during the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means refrigerant is circulated between the charging liquid receive means (25a, 25b) and the user-side means while liquid refrigerant is recovered from the discharging liquid receive means (25 a, 25b) to the hot heat source means at all times, so that the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means can be successively executed.

In this case, the gas flow selecting means preferably includes: first shut-off valves (EV7-1, EV7-2) which are provided between the hot heat source means and connection points of the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) with the gas pipes (26a, 26b) and correspond to the liquid receive means (25a, respectively; and second shut-off valves (EV8-1, EV8-2) which are provided between the cold heat source means and connection points of the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) with the gas pipes (26a, 26b) and correspond to the liquid receive means (25a, 25b), respectively.

In addition, the control means is preferably configured to allow: each of the first shut-off valves (EV7-1, EV7-2) to be closed at the transfer of liquid :refrigerant from the user-side means to the liquid receive means (25a, corresponding to the first shut-off valve (EV7-1, EV7-2) but to be open during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant in the liquid receive means 25b) corresponding to the first shut-off valve (EV7-1, EV7-2); and each of the o.:s second shut-off valves (EV8-1, EV8-2) to be closed at the supply of gas ::O~orefrigerant from the hot heat source means to the liquid receive means 00.0 30 25b) corresponding to the second shut-off valve (EV8-1, EV8-2) but to be open 0. 0: 0.at the transfer of liquid refrigerant from the user-side means to the liquid :receive means (25a, 25b) corresponding to the second shut-off valve (EV8-1, 0 EV8-2).

Xl~lt-l-- _IX-~ Furthermore, in the above case, the liquid flow selecting means (9) preferably includes: first check valves (CVI-1, CV1-2) which are provided between the hot heat source means and connection points of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) with the liquid pipes (27a, 27b) and allow only flows toward the hot heat source means respectively; second check valves (CV2- 1, CV2-2) which are provided between the cold heat source means and connection points of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) with the liquid pipes (27a, 27b) and allow only flows toward the liquid receive means (25a, respectively; a third check valve (CV4) which is provided in the liquid pipe (7) and allows only flows toward the liquid receive means (25a, Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the liquid flow selecting means This provides an increased practicality of the device.

When the plurality of the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) are provided in the invention, as shown in Fig. 34, the control means is preferably configured to control the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to execute an operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means in a manner that: gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the discharging liquid receive means (25a) to push out liquid 20 refrigerant in the discharging liquid receive means (25a) to the user-side means the liquid refrigerant is evaporated in the user-side means while the gas refrigerant is condensed in the cold heat source means and the gas refrigerant evaporated in the user-side means is transferred to the charging liquid receive means (25b) communicated with the cold heat source means (2) by pressure difference between the user-side means and the cold heat source means caused due to drop in pressure of the cold heat source means Further, the control means is preferably configured: when liquid refrigerant in the charging liquid receive means (25b) exceeds a specified amount of storage, to change the charging liquid receive means (25b) and the remaining discharging liquid receive means (25a) into the discharging liquid receive means (25b) and the charging liquid receive means (25a) respectively, whereby the supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source means to the charging liquid receive means (25a) is stopped while gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the discharging liquid receive means to push out the liquid refrigerant in the discharging liquid receive means i I_ __ll~li~l II 33 to the user-side means thereby allowing the operation of absorbing heat to be continued; and to alternately change each of the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) between the charging liquid receive means and the discharging liquid receive means thereby successively executing the operation of absorbing heat.

Under the above arrangement, during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means refrigerant is circulated between the charging liquid receive means (25a, 25b) and the user-side means at all times so that the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means can be successively executed.

In this case, each of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) is preferably placed at a position higher than that of the hot heat source means Further, the control means is preferably configured to control the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to execute an 20 operation of recovering refrigerant when liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source means becomes short of a specified amount of storage, in a manner that gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the charging liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to equalize pressures of the hot heat 9"*source means and the charging liquid receive means (25a, 25b) so that a flow of liquid refrigerant from the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to the hot heat source means is produced thereby recovering liquid refrigerant in the o liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to the hot heat source means Under the above arrangement, when the storage amount of liquid r refrigerant in the hot heat source means becomes small, liquid refrigerant is recovered to the hot heat source means Accordingly, in the arrangement of the invention, since liquid 99 9• refrigerant can be recovered while the operation of absorbing heat of the userside means is continued, this enables a continuous operation of the userside means In this case, the gas flow selecting means preferably includes: first shut-off valves (EV7-1, EV7-2) which are provided between the hot heat source 1KTTh~KKTVTfr[FVTh~7}~TTr[H1H]1 means and connection points of the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) with the gas pipes (26a, 26b) and correspond to the liquid receive means (25a, respectively; and second shut-off valves (EV8-1, EV8-2) which are provided between the cold heat source means and the connection points of the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) with the gas pipes (26a, 26b) and correspond to the liquid receive means (25a, 25b), respectively.

In addition, the control means is preferably configured to allow: each of the first shut-off valves (EV7-1, EV7-2) to be closed at the supply of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means to the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) corresponding to the first shut-off valve (EV7-1, EV7-2) but to be open during the operation of recovering the liquid refrigerant in the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) corresponding to the first shut-off valve (EV7-1, EV7and each of the second shut-off valves (EV8-1, EV8-2) to be closed at the supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source means to the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) corresponding to the second shut-off valve (EV8-1, EV8-2) but to be open at the transfer of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means to the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) corresponding to the second shut-off valve (EV8-1, EV8-2).

Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide 20 concrete organization of the gas flow selecting means This provides an increased practicality of the device.

Furthermore, in the above case, the liquid flow selecting means (9) preferably includes: a shut-off valve (EV4) provided at a recovery flow side part of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) between the hot heat source means and connection points with the liquid pipes (27a, 27b); first check valves (CVI-1, CV1-2) which are provided at recovery flow side parts of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) respectively and each allow only a flow toward the hot heat source means and the user-side means and second check valves (CV2-1, CV2- 2) which are provided between the cold heat source means and the connection points of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) with the liquid pipes (27a, 27b) and allow only flows toward the liquid receive means (25a, S respectively.

In addition, the control means is preferably configured to open the shut-off valve (EV4) during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant in the discharging liquid receive means (25a, I _Ennrmi:i3i[I[

TFTV_

When the plurality of the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) are provided, the control means may be configured to selectively execute the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means and the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means Under the arrangement, both effects of the operations of radiating and absorbing heat of the user-side means can be obtained. This increases practicality.

In this case, the control means is preferably configured to control the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to execute an operation of recovering refrigerant when liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source means becomes short of a specified amount of storage during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means in a manner that gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the charging liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to equalize pressures of the hot heat source means and the charging liquid receive means (25a, 25b) so that a flow of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means to the hot heat source 20 means is produced thereby recovering liquid refrigerant in the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to the hot heat source means (1) Under the above arrangement, when the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source means becomes small, liquid refrigerant is :recovered to the hot heat source means Accordingly, in the arrangement of the invention, since liquid refrigerant can be recovered while the operation of absorbing heat of the userto0: 0side means is continued, this enables a continuous operation of the userside means Further, in this case, the gas flow selecting means preferably includes: first shut-off valves (EV7-1, EV7-2) which are provided between the hot heat source means and connection points of the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) with the gas pipes (26a, 26b) and correspond to the liquid receive means

S

o 25b), respectively; second shut-off valves (EV8-1, EV8-2) which are provided between the cold heat source means and the connection points of the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) with the gas pipes (26a, 26b) and correspond to the liquid receive means (25a, 25b), respectively; a third shut-off valve (EV2) provided in the gas pipe and a fourth shut-off valve (EV3) provided in a connecting pipe (20) for connecting the user-side means and the cold heat source means In addition, the control means is preferably configured to allow: the first shut-off valve (EV7-1, EV7-2) corresponding to the charging liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to be closed at the transfer of liquid refrigerant from the userside means to the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) during the operation of radiating heat and at the transfer of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means to the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) during the operation of absorbing heat; the first shut-off valve (EV7-1, EV7-2) corresponding to the discharging liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to be open during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant from the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to the hot heat source means the second shut-off valve (EV8-1, EV8-2) corresponding to the discharging liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to be closed at the supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source means to the liquid receive means (25a, 25b); the second shut-off valve (EV8-1, EV8-2) corresponding to the charging liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to be open at the transfer of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means to the liquid receive means (25a, 25b); the third shut-off valve (EV2) to be open only during 20 the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means and the fourth shutoff valve (EV3) to be open only during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the gas flow selecting means This provides an increased practicality of the device.

Furthermore, in the above case, the liquid flow selecting means (9) preferably includes: a first shut-off valve (EV4) provided at a recovery flow side part of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) between the hot heat source means and connection points with the liquid pipes (27a, 27b); first check valves (CV1-1, CV1-2) which are provided at recovery flow side parts of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) respectively and each allow only a flow toward the hot heat source means(l) and the user-side means second check valves (CV2-1, CV2-2) which are provided between the cold heat source means and connection points of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) with the liquid pipes (27a, 27b) and allow only flows toward the liquid receive means (25a, respectively; a second shut-off valve (EV9) provided in the liquid pipe and 'Iln~ II I I~ a third shut-off valve (EV10) provided in a connecting pipe (21) for connecting the user-side means with the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) through the second check valves (CV2-1, CV2-2) respectively.

In addition, the control means is preferably configured to allow: the first shut-off valve (EV4) to be open only during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant from the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to the hot heat source means the second shut-off valve (EV9) to be open only during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means and the third shut-off valve (EV10) to be open only during the operation of radiating heat of the userside means Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the liquid flow selecting means This provides an increased practicality of the device.

When the plurality of the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) are provided, as shown in Fig. 39, a plurality of the user-side means (3a-3d) are preferably provided, the user-side means (3a-3d) are preferably connected to the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) and the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) through the gas pipes (6a-6d) and the liquid pipes (7a-7d) respectively in a manner capable of individual selection between an operation of radiating heat and an operation of absorbing 20 heat, and each of the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) is preferably placed at a position higher than that of the hot heat source means In addition, the control means is preferably configured to control the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to execute an operation of mainly radiating heat in which the heat balance among all the user-side means (3a-3d) is in a heat radiative condition, in a manner that: gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the discharging liquid receive means (25a) and the heat-radiative user-side means so that the gas refrigerant is condensed in the user-side means and the liquid refrigerant condensed in the heat-radiative user-side means is transferred to oo o a 30 the charging liquid receive means (25b) by pressure difference between the cold heat source means which condenses the gas refrigerant at a •temperature lower than that of the heat-radiative user-side means and the 0. heat-radiative user-side means and transferred to the heat-absorptive userside means by pressure difference between the heat-absorptive user-side means and the heat-radiative user-side means while the gas refrigerant is concurrently evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means and the gas refrigerant evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means is transferred to the charging liquid receive means (25b) by pressure difference between the cold heat source means and the heat-absorptive user-side means caused due to refrigerant condensation in the cold heat source means Further, the control means is preferably configured: when liquid refrigerant in the charging liquid receive means (25b) exceeds a specified amount of storage, to change the charging liquid receive means (25b) into the discharging liquid receive means (25b) to execute an operation of recovering refrigerant and change the remaining discharging liquid receive means into the charging liquid receive means (25a), whereby the supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source means to the charging liquid receive means (25a) is stopped, gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the heat-radiative user-side means and is condensed in the heat-radiative user-side means thereby allowing the operation of radiating heat to be continued, and gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the discharging liquid receive means (25b) to equalize pressures of the hot heat source means and the discharging liquid receive means thereby producing a flow of liquid refrigerant from the discharging liquid receive means (25b) to the hot heat source means to recover the liquid refrigerant in the discharging liquid receive means (25b) to the hot heat source means and to alternately change each of the liquid receive means 25b) between the charging liquid receive means and the discharging liquid receive means thereby successively executing the operation of radiating heat.

Under the above arrangement, refrigerant is circulated between each of the user-side means (3a-3d) and each of the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) so that heat radiation or heat absorption is executed in each of the user-side means (3a-3d).

0When the plurality of the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) are provided, a 30 plurality of the user-side means (3a-3d) are preferably provided, the user-side means (3a-3d) are preferably connected to the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) and the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) through the gas pipes (6a-6d) and the liquid pipes (7a-7d) respectively in a manner of individual selection between an operation of radiating heat and an operation of absorbing heat, and each of the cold heat source means (2a, 2b) is preferably placed at a position higher than that of the hot heat source means

I

In addition, the control means is preferably configured to control the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to execute an operation of mainly absorbing heat in which the heat balance among all the user-side means (3a-3d) is in a heat absorptive condition, in a manner that: gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the heat-radiative user-side means and is condensed in the user-side means and the liquid refrigerant condensed in the heat-radiative user-side means is transferred to the heat-absorptive user-side means by pressure difference between the heat-radiative user-side means and the heat-absorptive user-side means (3) while gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the discharging liquid receive means (25a) to push out liquid refrigerant in the discharging liquid receive means (25a) to the heat-absorptive user-side means the liquid refrigerant is evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means while gas refrigerant is condensed in the cold heat source means and the gas refrigerant evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means is transferred to the charging liquid receive means (25b) by pressure difference between the heat-absorptive user-side means and the cold heat source means caused due to drop in pressure of the cold heat source means Further, the control means is preferably configured: when liquid 20 refrigerant in the charging liquid receive means (25b) exceeds a specified amount of storage, to change the charging liquid receive means (25b) and the remaining discharging liquid receive means (25a) into the discharging liquid ~receive means (25b) and the charging liquid receive means (25a) respectively, whereby the supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source means to the charging liquid receive means (25a) is stopped while gas refrigerant is supplied

J

from the hot heat source means to the discharging liquid receive means (25b) and the heat-radiative user-side means so that the liquid refrigerant in the discharging liquid receive means (25b) is pushed out to the heat-absorptive user-side means thereby allowing the operation of absorbing heat to be fee* 30 continued; and to alternately change each of the liquid receive means between the charging liquid receive means and the discharging liquid receive means thereby successively executing the operation of absorbing heat.

Under the above arrangement, refrigerant is circulated between each the user-side means (3a-3d) and each of the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) so that heat radiation or heat absorption is executed in each of the user-side means (3a-3d).

In this case, each of the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) is preferably placed at a position higher than that of the hot heat source means Further, the control means is preferably configured to control the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means to execute an operation of recovering refrigerant when liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source means becomes short of a specified amount of storage during the operation of mainly absorbing heat, in a manner that gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the charging liquid receive means to equalize pressures of the hot heat source means and the charging liquid receive means (25a, 25b) so that a flow of liquid refrigerant from the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to the hot heat source means is produced thereby recovering liquid refrigerant in the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to the hot heat source means Under the above arrangement, when the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source means becomes small, liquid refrigerant is recovered to the hot heat source means Accordingly, in the arrangement of the invention, since liquid refrigerant can be recovered while the operation of absorbing heat of the userside means is continued, this enables a continuous operation of the userside means When the plurality of liquid receive means (25a, 25b) and a plurality of user-side means (3a-3d) are provided, the control means of the invention may be configured to selectively execute the operation of mainly radiating heat of the user-side means and the operation of mainly absorbing heat of the 25 user-side means Under the arrangement, both effects of the operation of mainly radiating heat of the user-side means and the operation of mainly absorbing heat of the user-side means can be obtained. This increases practicality.

In this case, the gas flow selecting means preferably includes: first 30 shut-off valves (EV7-1, EV7-2) which are provided between the hot heat source means and connection points of the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) with the gas pipes (26a, 26b) and correspond to the liquid receive means (25a, respectively; second shut-off valves (EV8-1, EV8-2) which are provided between the cold heat source means and connection points of the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) with the gas pipes (26a, 26b) and correspond to the liquid receive means (25a, 25b), respectively; third shut-off valves (EV2-1 to EV2-4) 41 provided in the gas pipes (6a-6d) and corresponding to the user-side means (3a- 3d), respectively; a plurality of connecting pipes (10a-10d) which are each connected at one side thereof between the second shut-off valves (EV8-1, EV8- 2) and the cold heat source means and are connected at the other side between the third shut-off valves (EV2-1 to EV2-4) and the user-side means (3a-3d) respectively: and fourth shut-off valves (EV3-1 to EV3-4) provided in the connecting pipes (lOa-10d) and corresponding to the user-side means (3a- 3d), respectively.

In addition, the control means is preferably configured to allow: the first shut-off valve (EV7-1, EV7-2) corresponding to the charging liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to be closed at the transfer of liquid refrigerant from the heatradiative user-side means to the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) during the operation of mainly radiating heat and at the transfer of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means to the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) during the operation of mainly absorbing heat; and the first shut-off valve (EV7-1, EV7-2) corresponding to the discharging liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to be open at the supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source means to the liquid receive means (25a, Further, the control means is preferably configured to allow: the second shut-off valve (EV8-1, EV8-2) corresponding to the discharging liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to be closed at the supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source means to the liquid receive means (25a, 25b); the second shut-off valve (EV8-1, EV8-2) corresponding to the charging liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to be open at the transfer of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source means to the liquid receive means (25a, 25b); each of the third shut-off valves (EV2-1 to EV2-4) to be open only during the operation of radiating heat of the corresponding user-side means and each of the fourth shut-off valves (EV3-1 to EV3-4) to be open only during the operation of absorbing heat of the corresponding user-side means Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the gas flow selecting means This provides an increased practicality of the device.

Furthermore, in the above case, the liquid flow selecting means (9) preferably includes: a first shut-off valve (EV4) provided between the hot heat 35 source means and connection points of the liquid flow pipe with the liquid pipes (27a, 27b); first check valves (CV1-1, CV1-2) which are provided V F~VV7EHTTTT HW~[1] VTTF1 between the hot heat source means and connection points of the liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) with the liquid pipes (27a, 27b) respectively and each allow only a flow toward the hot heat source means and the user-side means (3a- 3d); second check valves (CV2-1, CV2-2) which are provided between the cold heat source means and connection points of the liquid flow pipes (5a, with the liquid pipes (27a, 27b) and allow only flows toward the liquid receive means (25a, 25b), respectively; a second shut-off valve (EV9) provided in the liquid pipe and a third shut-off valve (EV10) provided in a connecting pipe (21) for connecting the user-side means (3a-3d) with the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) through the second check valves (CV2-1, CV2-2) respectively.

In addition, the control means is preferably configured to allow: the first shut-off valve (EV4) to be open only during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant from the liquid receive means (25a, 25b) to the hot heat source means the second shut-off valve (EV9) to be open only during the operation of mainly absorbing heat of the user-side means and the third shut-off valve (EV10) to be open only during the operation of mainly radiating heat of the user-side means Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the liquid flow selecting means This provides an increased practicality of the device.

Preferably, the hot heat source means is configured to evaporate refrigerant by receiving an amount of heat from refrigerant for heat source circulating in a heat source-side refrigerant circuit and the cold heat source means is configured to condense refrigerant by losing an amount of heat to i 25 the refrigerant for heat source.

In addition, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit preferably comprises: heating heat exchange means (12) for exchanging heat with the hot heat source means to give an amount of heat for evaporating refrigerant to the hot heat source means cooling heat exchange means (15) for exchanging heat with the cold heat source means to take an amount of heat for condensing refrigerant from the cold heat source means and heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) for giving, to the refrigerant for heat source, a difference between both the heat exchange amounts of the heating heat exchange means (12) and the cooling heat exchange means (15) during 35 the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means when the heat Ffli~r 1 ~F~IF~F~V exchange amount of the heating heat exchange means (12) is larger than that of the cooling heat exchange means Under the above arrangement, during the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means when the heat exchange amount of the heating heat exchange means (12) is larger than that of the cooling heat exchange means the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) gives an amount of heat to the refrigerant for heat source by a difference between both the heat exchange amounts. The heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) thus gives an amount of heat to the refrigerant for heat source so that the amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed become equal as the whole heat source-side refrigerant circuit Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention provides an excellent circulation of refrigerant in the heat source-side refrigerant circuit and gives stability to the supply of heat amount to the hot heat source means and to the recovery of heat amount from the cold heat source means This achieves a highly efficient operating condition of the user-side means In this case, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit is preferably configured in a manner that refrigerant heating means the heating heat exchange means expansion mechanism the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) and the cooling heat exchange means (15) are connected in this order in a manner capable of circulating refrigerant.

In addition, preferably, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit (A) further comprises a bypass passage (17) which is connected at one and thereof between the expansion mechanism (13) and the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) and at the other and between the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) and the cooling heat exchange means and the bypass passage (17) is provided with a flow control valve (18) adjustable in opening for controlling a flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) according to a difference between the heat exchange amount of the heating heat exchange means (12) and that of the cooling heat exchange means Under the above arrangement, a flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) is controlled by the flow control 35 valve (18) so that an amount of heat to be given from the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) to refrigerant for heat source is controlled. As a result, the amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed become equal as the whole heat source-side refrigerant circuit Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the heat source-side refrigerant circuit This provides an increased practicality of the device.

Further, in the above case, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit is preferably configured in a manner that refrigerant heating means the heating heat exchange means expansion mechanism (18a) and the cooling heat exchange means (15) are connected in this order in a manner capable of circulating refrigerant.

In addition, preferably, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit (A) further comprises a bypass passage (17) for bypassing the cooling heat exchange means (15) and directly introducing refrigerant from the heating heat exchange means (12) into the refrigerant heating means and the bypass passage (17) is provided with the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14).

Furthermore, in this case, the bypass passage (17) is preferably connected at one end thereof between the heating heat exchange means (12) and the expansion mechanism (18a) and at the other end between the cooling heat exchange means (15) and the refrigerant heating means In addition, a flow control valve (18b) adjustable in opening for controlling a flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) according to a difference between the heat exchange amount of the heating heat exchange means (12) and that of the cooling heat exchange means and for reducing the pressure of refrigerant for heat source is preferably 25 provided between one end of the bypass passage (17) and the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14).

Under the above arrangement, a flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) is controlled by the flow control valve (18b) so that an amount of heat to be given from the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) to refrigerant for heat source is controlled. As a result, the amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed become equal as the whole heat source-side refrigerant circuit Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the heat source-side refrigerant circuit This 35 provides an increased practicality of the device.

Preferably, the hot heat source means is configured to evaporate refrigerant by receiving an amount of heat from refrigerant for heat source circulating in a heat source-side refrigerant circuit and the cold heat source means is configured to condense refrigerant by losing an amount of heat to the refrigerant for heat source.

In addition, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit preferably comprises: heating heat exchange means (12) for exchanging heat with the hot heat source means to give an amount of heat for evaporating refrigerant to the hot heat source means cooling heat exchange means (15) for exchanging heat with the cold heat source means to take an amount of heat for condensing refrigerant from the cold heat source means and heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) for taking, from the refrigerant for heat source, a difference between both the heat exchange amounts of the heating heat exchange means (12) and the cooling heat exchange means (15) during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means when the heat exchange amount of the heating heat exchange means (12) is smaller than that of the cooling heat exchange means Under the above arrangement, during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means when the heat exchange amount of the heating heat exchange means (12) is smaller than that of the cooling heat exchange means the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) takes an amount of heat from the refrigerant for heat source by a difference between both the heat exchange amounts. The heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) thus takes an amount of heat from the refrigerant for heat source so that the amount 25 of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed become equal as the whole heat source-side refrigerant circuit Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention provides an excellent circulation of refrigerant in the heat source-side refrigerant circuit and gives stability to the supply of heat amount to the hot heat source means and to the recovery of heat amount from the cold heat source means This achieves a highly efficient operating condition of the user-side means In this case, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit is preferably configured in a manner that refrigerant heating means the heating heat S. 35 exchange means the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14), ml iIFI7F1' ruv~V"- IT -7~T F expansion mechanism (13) and the cooling heat exchange means (15) are connected in this order in a manner capable of circulating refrigerant.

In addition, preferably, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit (A) further comprises: a bypass passage (17) which is connected at one end thereof between the expansion mechanism (13) and the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) and at the other end between the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) and the cooling heat exchange means and the bypass passage (17) is provided with a flow control valve (18) adjustable in opening for controlling a flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) according to a difference between the heat exchange amount of the heating heat exchange means (12) and that of the cooling heat exchange means Under the above arrangement, a flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) is controlled by the flow control valve (18) so that an amount of heat to be taken from refrigerant for heat source by the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) is controlled. As a result, the amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed become equal as the whole heat source-side refrigerant circuit Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the heat source-side refrigerant circuit This provides an increased practicality of the device.

In addition, preferably, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit (A) further comprises a bypass passage (17) for bypassing the heating heat exchange means (12) and directly introducing refrigerant from the refrigerant heating means (11) into the cooling heat exchange means and the bypass passage (17) is provided with the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14).

Furthermore, in this case, the bypass passage (17) is preferably connected at one end thereof between the expansion mechanism (18a) and the cooling heat exchange means (15) and at the other end between the refrigerant 35 heating means (11) and the heating heat exchange means In addition, a flow control valve (18b) adjustable in opening for controlling a flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) according to a difference between the heat exchange amount of the heating heat exchange means (12) and that of the cooling heat exchange means and for reducing the pressure of refrigerant for heat source is preferably provided between one end of the bypass passage (17) and the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14).

Under the above arrangement, a flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) is controlled by the flow control valve (18b) so that an amount of heat to be taken from refrigerant for heat source by the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) is controlled. As a result, the amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed become equal as the whole heat source-side refrigerant circuit Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the heat source-side refrigerant circuit This provides an increased practicality of the device.

In addition, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit preferably comprises: heating heat exchange means (12) for exchanging heat with the hot heat source means to give an amount of heat for evaporating refrigerant to the hot heat source means cooling heat exchange means (15) for S 25 exchanging heat with the cold heat source means to take an amount of heat for condensing refrigerant from the cold heat source means and heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) for giving, to the refrigerant for heat source, a difference between both the heat exchange amounts of the heating heat exchange means (12) and the cooling heat exchange means (15) during the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means when the heat exchange amount of the heating heat exchange means (12) is larger than that of the cooling heat exchange means but taking, from the refrigerant for heat source, a difference between both the heat exchange amounts of the heating heat exchange means (12) and the cooling heat exchange means (15) during 35 the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means when the heat 1 ~F~T~1 1 ~Ir~ ~i exchange amount of the heating heat exchange means (12) is smaller than that of the cooling heat exchange means Under the above arrangement, during the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means when the heat exchange amount of the heating heat exchange means (12) is larger than that of the cooling heat exchange means the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) gives an amount of heat to the refrigerant for heat source by a difference between both the heat exchange amounts, and on the other hand, during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means when the heat exchange amount of the heating heat exchange means (12) is smaller than that of the cooling heat exchange means the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) takes an amount of heat from the refrigerant for heat source by a difference between both the heat exchange amounts. In other words, the manner of heat exchange between the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) and the refrigerant for heat source is changed according to the operation mode of the user-side means so that the amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed become equal as the whole heat source-side refrigerant circuit Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention provides an excellent circulation of refrigerant in the heat source-side refrigerant circuit and gives stability to the supply of heat amount to the hot heat source means and to the recovery of heat amount from the cold heat source means This achieves a highly efficient operating condition of the user-side means S In this case, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit is preferably configured in a manner that refrigerant heating means the heating heat exchange means expansion mechanism the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) and the cooling heat exchange means (15) are connected S. in this order in a manner capable of circulating refrigerant.

In addition, preferably, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit (A) further comprises: a four-way selector valve (19) which selects, during the heating operation of the user-side means a heating operation position that allows refrigerant from the heating heat exchange means (12) to pass through the expansion mechanism the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) and the cooling heat exchange means (15) in this order and selects, during 35 the cooling operation of the user-side means a cooling operation position that allows refrigerant from the heating heat exchange means (12) to pass r ]HH through the heat exchange amount adjusting means the expansion mechanism (13) and the cooling heat exchange means (15) in this order; and a bypass passage (17) which is connected at one end thereof between the expansion mechanism (13) and the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) and at the other end between the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) and the four-way selector valve and the bypass passage (17) is provided with a flow control valve (18) adjustable in opening for controlling a flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) according to a difference between the heat exchange amount of the heating heat exchange means (12) and that of the cooling heat exchange means Under the above arrangement, a flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) is controlled by the flow control valve (18) so that an amount of heat to be given and taken between the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) and refrigerant for heat source is controlled. As a result, the amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed become equal as the whole heat source-side refrigerant circuit Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the heat source-side refrigerant circuit This provides an increased practicality of the device.

Further, in the above case, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit is preferably configured in a manner that refrigerant heating means the heating heat exchange means expansion mechanism (18c) and the cooling **heat exchange means (15) are connected in this order in a manner capable of circulating refrigerant.

In addition, preferably, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit (A) further comprises a bypass passage (17) for bypassing the cooling heat exchange means (15) during the heating operation of the user-side means to introduce refrigerant from the heating heat exchange means (12) into the refrigerant heating means (11) while bypassing the heating heat exchange *means (12) during the cooling operation of the user-side means to introduce *.***refrigerant from the refrigerant heating means (11) into the cooling heat exchange means and the bypass passage (17) is provided with the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) and a pressure reduction mechanism (18) for reducing the pressure of refrigerant during the heating operation of the user-side means Furthermore, in this case, one end of the bypass passage (17) is preferably divided into a suction branch pipe (16a) and a discharge branch pipe (16b), the suction branch pipe (16a) is connected to a suction side of the refrigerant heating means and the discharge branch pipe (16b) is connected to a discharge side of the refrigerant heating means In addition, preferably, the suction branch pipe (16a) is provided with a shut-off valve (EVI) which is open during the heating operation of the user-side means and is closed during the cooling operation thereof, and the discharge branch pipe (16b) is provided with a shut-off valve (EVO) which is closed during the heating operation of the user-side means and is open during the cooling operation thereof.

Under the above arrangement, a flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) is controlled by the flow control valve (18b) so that an amount of heat to be given and taken between the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) and refrigerant for heat source is controlled. As a result, the amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed become equal as the whole heat source-side refrigerant circuit Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the heat source-side refrigerant circuit This provides an increased practicality of the device.

Preferably, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit further comprises V. defrosting means (31) for supplying refrigerant discharged from the refrigerant heating means (11) to the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) to defrost the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) when the heat 25 exchange amount adjusting means (14) is frosted.

Ss Under the above arrangement, frost on the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) is promptly eliminated.

Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can defrost the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) with reliability in a short time.

This increases heat radiation performance of the user-side means S~ Preferably, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit further comprises defrosting means (31) for supplying refrigerant discharged from the refrigerant heating means (11) to the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) to defrost the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) when the heat 35 exchange amount adjusting means (14) is frosted, and the defrosting means (31) comprises: a hot gas pipe (32) which is connected at one end thereof to a discharge side of the refrigerant heating means (11) and at the other end to the heat exchange amount adjusting means a shut-off valve (EVD1) which is provided in the hot gas pipe (32) and is opened only under defrosting operation; a suction pipe (33) for introducing refrigerant having passed through the heat exchange amount adjusting means the expansion mechanism (13) and the heating heat exchange means (12) into a suction side of the refrigerant heating means and a shut-off valve (EVD2) which is provided in the suction pipe (33) and is opened only under defrosting operation.

Accordingly, the above arrangement of the invention can provide concrete organization of the defrosting means This provides an increased practicality of the device.

Preferably, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit further comprises defrosting means (31) for supplying refrigerant discharged from the refrigerant heating means (11) to the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) to defrost the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) when the heat exchange amount adjusting means (14) is frosted, and the defrosting means (31) comprises: a shut-off valve (EVD4) which is provided between the refrigerant heating means (11) and the heating heat exchange means (12) and is closed under defrosting operation; a connecting pipe (33) which is connected at one end thereof between the shut-off valve (EVD4) and the heating heat exchange means (12) and at the other end to a suction side of the refrigerant heating means and a shut-off valve (EVD3) which is provided in the connecting pipe (33) and is closed under defrosting operation.

The refrigerant heating means of the invention is preferably a compressor (11).

Accordingly, the arrangement of the invention can supply to refrigerant for heat source, an amount of heat to be given to the hot heat source means with reliability. This provides an increased reliability of the device.

6666 *666 i 666 jjJj7TFf1WFiF~ TT~ IH I~F T7~ Brief Description of Drawings Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the entire structure of refrigerant circuitry of a first embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 shows diagrams for illustrating refrigerant circulation in the first embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a secondary refrigerant circuit of a second embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 shows diagrams corresponding to Fig. 2 in the second embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a modification of a gas flow selecting means.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a modification of a liquid flow selecting means.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a secondary refrigerant circuit of a third embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 8 shows diagrams corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating a heating operation mode in the third embodiment.

Fig. 9 shows diagrams corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating a cooling operation mode in the third embodiment.

is a diagram showing a modification of a gas flow selecting means.

Fig. 11 is a diagram showing a modification of a liquid flow selecting means.

~Fig. 12 is a diagram showing a secondary refrigerant circuit of a fourth Se I a Oembodiment of the invention.

25 Fig. 13 shows diagrams corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating the time when all rooms are in a heated condition in the fourth embodiment.

Fig. 14 shows diagrams corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating the time S when all the rooms are in a cooled condition in the fourth embodiment.

IFig. 15 shows diagrams corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating the time when the heat balance among all the rooms requests a heating operation in the fourth embodiment.

~Fig. 16 shows diagrams corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating the time when the heat balance among all the rooms requests a cooling operation in the fourth embodiment.

S 4.

1~V~~TflT~ Tfl F TTYTWTJflE Fig. 17 shows diagrams corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating the time when the amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed are equal among all indoor heat exchangers in the fourth embodiment.

Fig. 18 is a diagram showing a secondary refrigerant circuit in a modification of the invention including a single liquid receiver.

Fig. 19 shows diagrams corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating a heating operation mode in the modification including a single liquid receiver.

Fig. 20 shows diagrams corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating a cooling operation mode in the modification including a single liquid receiver.

Fig. 21 is a diagram showing a secondary refrigerant circuit of a fifth embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 22 shows diagrams corresponding to Fig. 2 in the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 23 is a diagram showing a secondary refrigerant circuit of a sixth embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 24 shows diagrams corresponding to Fig. 2 in the sixth embodiment.

Fig. 25 is a diagram showing a secondary refrigerant circuit of a seventh embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 26 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating a heating operation mode in the seventh embodiment.

Fig. 27 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating a cooling operation mode in the seventh embodiment.

28 is a diagram showing a secondary refrigerant circuit of an eighth Seembodiment of the invention.

Fig. 29 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating the time 25 when the heat balance among all rooms requests a heating operation in the eighth embodiment.

Fig. 30 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating the time when the heat balance among all the rooms requests a cooling operation in the eighth embodiment.

Fig. 31 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating the time when the amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed are equal among all indoor heat exchangers in the eighth embodiment.

Fig. 32 is a diagram showing a secondary refrigerant circuit of a ninth embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 33 shows diagrams corresponding to Fig. 2 in the ninth embodiment.

Fig. 34 is a diagram showing a secondary refrigerant circuit of a tenth embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 35 shows diagrams corresponding to Fig. 2 in the tenth embodiment.

Fig. 36 is a diagram showing a secondary refrigerant circuit of an eleventh embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 37 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating a heating operation mode in the eleventh embodiment.

Fig. 38 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating a cooling operation mode in the eleventh embodiment.

Fig. 39 is a diagram showing a secondary refrigerant circuit of a twelfth embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 40 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating the time when the heat balance among all rooms requests a heating operation in the twelfth embodiment.

Fig. 41 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating the time when the heat balance among all the rooms requests a cooling operation in the twelfth embodiment.

Fig. 42 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 2 for illustrating the time when the amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed are equal among all indoor heat exchangers in the twelfth embodiment.

Fig. 43 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 1 in a thirteenth embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 44 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 1 in a fourteenth embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 45 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 1 in a fifteenth embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 46 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 1 in a sixteenth embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 47 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 1 for illustrating a 30 modification of the sixteenth embodiment including a defrosting circuit.

Fig. 48 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 1 in a seventeenth embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 49 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 1 for illustrating a modification of the seventeenth embodiment including a defrosting circuit.

Fig. 50 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 1 in an eighteenth embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 51 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 1 in a nineteenth embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 52 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 1 in a twentieth embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 53 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 1 in a twenty-first embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 54 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 1 in a twenty-second embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 55 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 1 in a twenty-third embodiment of the invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Below, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

The following embodiments are applications of the present invention for refrigerant circuitry of an air conditioner including two refrigerant circuits, i.e., primary and secondary refrigerant circuits. The air conditioner executes air conditioning in a room in a manner of circulating refrigerant in the secondary refrigerant circuit with the use of heat amount given from the primary refrigerant circuit to the secondary refrigerant circuit.

First Embodiment First, an embodiment of a heat transfer device is described with 0: reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

In this first embodiment, the primary and secondary circuits are configured for a heating-only air conditioner.

Fig. 1 shows refrigerant circuitry of the overall heat transfer device of this embodiment. As shown in this figure, the refrigerant circuitry executes heat exchange between refrigerant in the primary refrigerant circuit as a heat source-side refrigerant circuit and refrigerant in the secondary refrigerant circuit Below, description is made about the primary refrigerant circuit (A) and the secondary refrigerant circuit First described is the secondary refrigerant circuit for exchanging heat with a room air to heat the room.

The secondary refrigerant circuit is configured such that a hot heat source heat exchanger as a hot heat source means and a cold heat source heat exchanger as a cold heat source means are connected to each other through a gas flow pipe and a liquid flow pipe The secondary refrigerant circuit forms a closed circuit in which refrigerant circulates between the hot heat source heat exchanger and the cold heat source heat exchanger For the placement of the hot heat source heat exchanger and the cold heat source heat exchanger the cold heat source heat exchanger is placed at a position higher than that of the hot heat source heat exchanger The secondary refrigerant circuit includes an indoor heat exchanger as a user-side means which is placed in a room to be air-conditioned. The indoor heat exchanger is connected to the gas flow pipe through a gas pipe and connected to the liquid flow pipe through a liquid pipe Between the cold heat source heat exchanger and a connection point of the gas flow pipe with the gas pipe a solenoid valve (EV1) forming a gas flow selecting means is provided so as to be capable of opening and closing. The solenoid valve (EV1) are controlled, by a controller as a control means, so as to be selected between the opening and closing states.

Further, between the hot heat source heat exchanger and a connection point of the liquid flow pipe with the liquid pipe a first check valve (CV1) is provided which allows only a flow of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source heat exchanger to the hot heat source heat exchanger In the liquid pipe a second check valve (CV2) is provided which allows only a flow of liquid refrigerant from the indoor heat exchanger to the cold heat source heat exchanger Thus, a liquid flow selecting means is formed.

Next described is the primary refrigerant circuit for giving an amount of heat to the secondary refrigerant circuit This circuit is configured such that a compressor (11) as a refrigerant heating means, a heating heat exchanger (12) as a heating heat exchange 30 means for exchanging heat with the hot heat source heat exchanger an expansion valve (13) as an expansion mechanism, a heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) as a heat exchange amount adjusting means, and a cooling heat exchanger (15) as a cooling heat exchange means for exchanging heat with the cold heat source heat exchanger are connected in this order so as to be capable of circulating refrigerant through refrigerant piping A bypass passage (17) is connected at one end thereof between the expansion valve (13) and the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) and at the other end between the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) and the cooling heat exchanger The bypass passage (17) is provided with a motoroperated flow rate control valve (18) as a flow control valve adjustable in opening for controlling a flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger The motor-operated flow rate control valve (18) is controlled in its opening by the controller Next, description is made about the operation of the refrigerant circuitry configured as above-mentioned during an heating operation. Fig. 2 for description of the operation shows respective rates between the storage amount of gas refrigerant and the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in respective heat exchangers 2, 3) of the secondary refrigerant circuit During the heating operation, first, the solenoid valve (EV1) of the secondary refrigerant circuit is closed by the controller (C),while the motoroperated flow rate control valve (18) of the primary refrigerant circuit is controlled in its opening by the controller so as to control a flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) in accordance with a difference between the amount of heat exchange of the heating heat exchanger (12) with the hot heat source heat exchanger and the amount of heat exchange of the cooling heat exchanger (15) with the cold heat source heat exchanger Specifically described is the operation of refrigerant circulation in the primary refrigerant circuit and the secondary refrigerant circuit In the primary refrigerant circuit refrigerant discharged from the 25 compressor (11) is heat-exchanged, in the heating heat exchanger with the hot heat source heat exchanger to condense and is reduced in pressure in the expansion valve and a part of refrigerant is then heat-exchanged, in S: the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger with, for example, outside air to evaporate while the remaining refrigerant passes through the bypass passage 9" 30 (17) and is heat-exchanged, in the cooling heat exchanger with the cold ooo° heat source heat exchanger to evaporate. The gas refrigerant evaporated in the above manners is sucked into the compressor Such a circulation of refrigerant is repeated.

On the other hand, in the secondary refrigerant circuit the hot heat source heat exchanger receives a specified amount of heat from the heating heat exchanger (12) so that refrigerant is evaporated in the hot heat source heat exchanger and, as shown in Fig. high-pressure gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source heat exchanger to the indoor heat exchanger through the gas flow pipe and the gas pipe Gas refrigerant exchanges heat with room air in the indoor heat exchanger to condense therein so that room air is heated resulting in heating the room.

While refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is condensed at a room temperature, refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger is condensed by refrigerant in the cooling heat exchanger Therefore, the internal pressure of the indoor heat exchanger is higher than that of the cold heat source heat exchanger and the pressure difference causes liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger to be transferred to the cold heat source heat exchanger as shown in Fig. Consequently, with the heating operation, liquid refrigerant is gradually stored in the cold heat source heat exchanger Even when gas refrigerant is introduced into the cold heat source heat exchanger an amount of heat is taken from the cold heat source heat exchanger by the cooling heat exchanger Accordingly, the gas refrigerant is condensed at a relatively low temperature.

When such a heating operation is executed for a specified time so that the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger fl..

exceeds a specified amount, the heating operation is stopped and changed to an operation of recovering liquid refrigerant.

In the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant, the solenoid valve (EV1) is opened by the controller Thereby, as shown in Fig. high-pressure 25 gas refrigerant in the gas flow pipe is introduced into the cold heat source heat exchanger so that pressure is equalized between the hot heat source r heat exchanger and the cold heat source heat exchanger Since the cold heat source heat exchanger is placed at a position higher than that of the hot heat source heat exchanger as described above, this level difference 30 causes liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger to be recovered to the hot heat source heat exchanger Since the liquid pipe is provided with the second check valve (CV2), this prevents liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger from flowing into the indoor heat exchanger during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant.

The cold heat source heat exchanger is configured so as not to exchange heat with the cooling heat exchanger (15) during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant.

Further, if the hot heat source heat exchanger is configured so as not to heat refrigerant at this time, the time required for pressure equalization between the hot heat source heat exchanger and the cold heat source heat exchanger can be reduced. This allows the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant to be promptly completed thereby reducing the operating time.

The above-described heating operation and the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant are alternately conducted for continuous room heating.

In a state that the above-described heating operation is executed in the secondary refrigerant circuit refrigerant is condensed in the indoor heat exchanger Accordingly, an amount of heat given from the heating heat exchanger (12) to the hot heat source heat exchanger is larger then that taken from the cold heat source heat exchanger by the cooling heat exchanger Therefore, it is required that the amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed are equal as the overall primary refrigerant circuit for excellent refrigerant circulation in the primary refrigerant circuit To satisfy the requirement, the opening of the motor-operated flow rate control valve (18) is set such that the amount of heat absorbed in the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) becomes equal to a difference between both the heat exchange amounts described above, thereby controlling a flow rate of refrigerant in the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger In other words, 25 the opening of the motor-operated flow rate control valve (18) is set such that the sum of the amount of heat absorbed in the cooling heat exchanger (15) and -the amount of heat absorbed in the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) become equal to the amount of heat radiated in the heating heat exchanger (12).

S"30 In this manner, the heating operation of the secondary refrigerant circuit is made while an excellent refrigerant circulation in the primary refrigerant circuit is achieved.

As described above, since the heat transfer device of the first embodiment executes the operation of circulating refrigerant with the use of rise in pressure of refrigerant caused by an amount of heat given to the hot heat source heat exchanger it eliminates the need of providing a drive source such as a pump in the secondary refrigerant circuit This reduces power consumption and failure sites, thereby ensuring the reliability of the overall device.

Further, since refrigerant is condensed in the cold heat source heat exchanger gas refrigerant can be liquefied with reliability and the cold heat source heat exchanger can be prevented from raising its internal pressure, thereby achieving an excellent refrigerant circulation. This eliminates the need of keeping refrigerant supercooled in the indoor heat exchanger for preventing gas refrigerant from flowing out of the indoor heat exchanger as in the conventional case. As a result, a sufficient heat exchange amount can be obtained between refrigerant and room air. This increases heating capacity.

Furthermore, since constraints to the placement of elements can be reduced, this provides high reliability and general versatility.

The circuitry of this embodiment is not restricted to the abovementioned configuration. For example, the first and second check valves (CV1, CV2) are substituted by flow control valves, respectively.

Modifications of Secondary Refrigerant Circuit A plurality of modifications of the secondary refrigerant circuit will be described below.

In the below-mentioned modifications of the secondary refrigerant circuit description and illustrated figures for the primary refrigerant circuit are omitted. The modifications of the secondary refrigerant circuit may be each combined with a circuit similar to the primary refrigerant circuit (A) 25 described in the first embodiment or with one of modifications of the primary refrigerant circuit which are described later. Further, in the below-mentioned circuits, same names and reference numerals refer to parts having same functions.

Second Embodiment A second embodiment is a heat transfer device in which the secondary C: refrigerant circuit is configured for a cooling-only air conditioner. In this embodiment, only differences in circuit configuration from the first embodiment are described.

As shown in Fig. 3, a solenoid valve (EVi) for gas refrigerant is provided between a hot heat source heat exchanger and a connection point of a gas pl_^lllls___l_ flow pipe with a gas pipe and a check valve (CVG) is provided in the gas pipe so as to allow only a flow of gas refrigerant from an indoor heat exchanger to a cold heat source heat exchanger Thus, a gas flow selecting means is formed.

Between the hot heat source heat exchanger and a connection point of a liquid flow pipe with a liquid pipe a solenoid valve (EV4) for liquid refrigerant is provided in addition to a first check valve (CV1) as in the first embodiment.

In the liquid pipe a third check valve (CV3) corresponding to the second check valve of claim 9 of the invention is provided so as to allow only a flow of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source heat exchanger to the indoor heat exchanger Thus, a liquid flow selecting means is formed.

The solenoid valves (EV1, EV4) are each controlled by a controller Next, description is made about an cooling operation of the refrigerant circuit configured as above-described.

Prior to the start of the cooling operation, liquid refrigerant is stored in the cold heat source heat exchanger When the cooling operation is initiated in the above state, the controller first opens the solenoid valve (EV1) for gas refrigerant and closes the solenoid valve (EV4) for liquid refrigerant. In this state, as shown in Fig. high-pressure gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source heat exchanger to the cold heat source heat exchanger through the gas flow pipe When the gas refrigerant is thus supplied, the pressure of the gas refrigerant acts so that liquid refrigerant previously stored in the cold heat 25 source heat exchanger is pushed out toward the indoor heat exchanger (3) through the liquid flow pipe and the liquid pipe as shown in Fig. 4(b).

In the state shown in Figs. 4(a) and heat radiation is not made in the cold heat source heat exchanger After such an operation is continued for a specified time, the controller closes the solenoid valve (EV1) for gas refrigerant. In this state, the supply of gas refrigerant from the hot heat source heat exchanger to the cold heat source heat exchanger is stopped. Then, in a state that gas refrigerant is introduced into the cold heat source heat exchanger and liquid refrigerant is introduced into the indoor heat exchanger gas refrigerant is condensed in the cold heat source heat exchanger A drop in pressure associated with the condensation of gas refrigerant lowers the internal pressure of the cold heat source heat exchanger to a lower level than the indoor heat exchanger This pressure difference causes refrigerant evaporated in the indoor heat exchanger to be transferred to the cold heat source heat exchanger as shown in Fig. In the indoor heat exchanger heat exchange is made between refrigerant and room air thereby cooling the room air.

When such a cooling operation is executed for a specified time so that the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source heat exchanger becomes short of a specified amount, the cooling operation is stopped and changed to an operation of recovering liquid refrigerant. During the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant, both the solenoid valves (EV1, EV4) are opened by the controller Thereby, as in the case of the first embodiment, pressure is equalized between the hot heat source heat exchanger and the cold heat source heat exchanger so that liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger is recovered to the hot heat source heat exchanger Since the gas pipe is provided with the check valve (CVG) for gas refrigerant, this prevents gas refrigerant in the hot heat source heat exchanger from flowing into the indoor heat exchanger during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant.

The cold heat source heat exchanger is configured so as not to exchange heat with the cooling heat exchanger (15) during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant. The above-described cooling operation and the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant are alternately conducted for continuous room cooling.

Since the heat transfer device of the second embodiment also eliminates the need of providing a drive source such as a pump in the secondary refrigerant circuit this reduces power consumption and failure sites, thereby ensuring the reliability of the overall device.

The circuitry of this embodiment is not restricted to the above- 30 mentioned configuration. For example, the check valve (CVG) for gas refrigerant is substituted by a flow control valve.

Further, only one of the first check valve (CV1) and the check valve (CVG) for gas refrigerant may be provided.

For the gas flow selecting means as shown in Fig. 5, a four-way selector valve (FV) and a capillary tube (CT) may be provided in place of the solenoid valve (EV1) for gas refrigerant and the check valve (CVG) for gas C -I refrigerant such that the four-way selector valve (FV) selects the direction of refrigerant flow in accordance with the condition of refrigerant circulation. In detail, when liquid refrigerant is supplied from the cold heat source heat exchanger to the indoor heat exchanger the direction of refrigerant flow is selected as shown in broken lines in Fig. 5 through the four-way selector valve On the other hand, when gas refrigerant is supplied from the indoor heat exchanger to the cold heat source heat exchanger the direction of refrigerant flow is selected as shown in solid lines in Fig. through the four-way selector valve (FV).

For the configuration of the liquid flow selecting means if the first check valve (CV1) is placed between the cold heat source heat exchanger (2) and the connection point of the liquid flow pipe with the liquid pipe as shown in Fig. 6, the third check valve (CV3) can be dispensed with.

Third Embodiment An embodiment of a heat transfer device will be described next with reference to the drawings.

In this third embodiment, the secondary refrigerant circuit is configured for an air conditioner changeable between the heating operation and the cooling operation. Described in this embodiment are only differences in circuit configuration from the embodiments described so far.

As shown in Fig. 7, a first solenoid valve (EV1) is provided between a cold heat source heat exchanger and a connection point of a gas flow pipe with a gas pipe and a second solenoid valve (EV2) is provided in the gas 25 pipe A connecting pipe (10) is connected at one end thereof between the first solenoid valve (EV1) and the cold heat source heat exchanger and at the other end between the second solenoid valve (EV2) and the indoor heat exchanger In the connecting pipe there are provided a third solenoid 30 valve (EV3) and a check valve (CVG) for gas refrigerant for allowing only a flow of gas refrigerant from the indoor heat exchanger to the cold heat source heat exchanger Thus, a gas flow selecting means is formed.

S..

At a recovery flow side part of a liquid flow pipe between the hot heat source heat exchanger and a connection point with a liquid pipe a fourth solenoid valve (EV4) referred to as a first shut-off valve in claim 13 of the invention is provided. Further, at the recovery flow side part, there is

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provided a check valve (CVL) for liquid refrigerant for allowing only a flow of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source heat exchanger to the hot heat source heat exchanger In the liquid pipe there is provided a fifth motor-operated valve (EV5) referred to as a second shut-off valve in the claim 13. Thus, a liquid flow selecting means is formed. The solenoid valves (EV1, EV2, EV3, EV4) and the motor-operated valve (EV5) are each controlled to be changeable between opening and closing states by a controller Next, description is made about heating and cooling operations of the refrigerant circuit configured as above-described.

First described is the heating operation. In this heating operation, firstly, the controller closes the first solenoid valve (EV1) and the third solenoid valve (EV3) and opens the second solenoid valve (EV2), the fourth solenoid valve (EV4) and the fifth motor-operated valve In this state, as in the case of the first embodiment and shown in Fig.

gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source heat exchanger to the indoor heat exchanger for condensation so that room air is heated.

Then, as shown in Fig. the condensed liquid refrigerant is transferred to the cold heat source heat exchanger by pressure difference between the indoor heat exchanger and the cold heat source heat exchanger When the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger exceeds a specified amount, the heating operation is stopped and switched to an operation of recovering liquid refrigerant as in the first embodiment.

25 In the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant, the controller closes the second solenoid valve (EV2), the third solenoid valve (EV3) and the fifth motor-operated valve (EV5) and opens the first solenoid valve (EV1) and the *fourth solenoid valve (EV4).

*In this state, as shown in Fig. high-pressure gas refrigerant in the 30 gas flow pipe is introduced into the cold heat source heat exchanger so oo that pressure is equalized between the hot heat source heat exchanger and the cold heat source heat exchanger The level difference between both the heat exchangers 2) causes liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger to be recovered to the hot heat source heat exchanger Next described is the cooling operation with reference to Fig. 9.

In this cooling operation, firstly, the controller closes the second solenoid valve (EV2) and the fourth solenoid valve (EV4) and opens the first solenoid valve (EVi), the third solenoid valve (EV3) and the fifth motoroperated valve In this state, as in the case of the second embodiment and shown in Fig.

high-pressure gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source heat exchanger to the cold heat source heat exchanger through the gas flow pipe Thereby, as shown in Fig. liquid refrigerant previously stored in the cold heat source heat exchanger is pushed out toward the indoor heat exchanger through the liquid flow pipe and the liquid pipe After such an operation is continued for a specified time, the controller closes the first solenoid valve (EVi). Then, as shown in Fig. a pressure difference between the cold heat source heat exchanger in which refrigerant is condensed and the indoor heat exchanger in which refrigerant is evaporated, causes refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger to be transferred to the cold heat source heat exchanger through the connecting pipe When such a cooling operation is executed for a specified time so that the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source heat exchanger becomes short of a specified amount, the cooling operation is stopped and *00* *switched to the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant.

In the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant, the first solenoid valve 0* 00 (EVi) and the fourth solenoid valve (EV4) are opened by the controller Thereby, pressure is equalized between the hot heat source heat exchanger (1) •f -25 and the cold heat source heat exchanger so that liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger is recovered to the hot heat source heat exchanger The circuit of this embodiment is not restricted to the above-described 30 configuration. For example, the check valve (CVL) for liquid refrigerant and 30 the fourth solenoid valve (EV4) may be substituted by flow control valves, respectively.

v For the gas flow selecting means as shown in Fig. 10, a first solenoid i valve (EV1), a check valve (CVG) for gas refrigerant, a four-way selector valve (FV) and a capillary tube (CT) may be provided such that the four-way selector valve (FV) selects the direction of refrigerant flow in accordance with the condition of refrigerant circulation. In detail, during the heating operation, the 1 direction of refrigerant flow is selected as shown in broken lines in Fig. through the four-way selector valve On the other hand, during the cooling operation and the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source heat exchanger to the hot heat source heat exchanger the direction of refrigerant flow is selected as shown in solid lines in Fig. through the four-way selector valve (FV).

In place of the fifth motor-operated valve (EV5), as shown in Fig. 11, a part of the liquid pipe may be divided into two branch lines and the branch lines may be provided with solenoid valves (EV5', EV5") respectively and with check valves (CVL', CVL") respectively. The check valves each allow a singlebut opposite-directional flow of liquid refrigerant. In this case, during the heating operation, the solenoid valve (EV5') connected in series with the check valve (CVL') for allowing a flow of liquid refrigerant from the indoor heat exchanger to the cold heat source heat exchanger is opened. On the other hand, during the cooling operation, the solenoid valve (EV5") connected in series with the check valve (CVL") for allowing a flow of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source heat exchanger to the indoor heat exchanger (3) is opened.

Fourth Embodiment A yet further embodiment of a heat transfer device will be described next with reference to the drawings.

In this fourth embodiment, the secondary refrigerant circuit is configured for a multi-type air conditioner freely operable for cooling and "25 heating operations. The air conditioner has a plurality of indoor heat exchangers placed in a plurality of rooms individually so as to be individually selectable between the cooling and heating operations.

T:'r As shown in Fig. 12, a first solenoid valve (EV1) is provided between a cold heat source heat exchanger and a connection point of a gas flow pipe 30 with a gas pipe The gas pipe is divided into plural lines toward the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) thereby forming branch gas pipes (6a-6d) respectively. The branch gas pipes (6a-6d) are provided with second solenoid valves (EV2-1 to EV2-4) respectively.

A connecting pipe (10) is connected at one end thereof between the first solenoid valve (EV1) end the cold heat source heat exchanger and at the other ends between the second solenoid valves (EV2-1 to EV2-4) and the 67 indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) respectively. The connecting pipe (10) is divided into plural lines toward the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) thereby forming a plurality of branch connecting pipes (10a-10d) respectively. The branch connecting pipes (10a-10d) are provided with third solenoid valves (EV3-1 to EV3-4) respectively.

Further, in the connecting pipe there is provided a check valve (CVG) for gas refrigerant for allowing only a flow of gas refrigerant from the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) to the cold heat source heat exchanger Thus, a gas flow selecting means is formed.

Between the hot heat source heat exchanger and a connection point of a liquid flow pipe with a liquid pipe a fourth solenoid valve (EV4) referred to as a first shut-off valve in claim 20 of the invention is provided.

Further, the liquid flow pipe is provided with a check valve (CVL) for liquid refrigerant for allowing only a flow of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source heat exchanger to the hot heat source heat exchanger The liquid pipe is divided into plural lines toward the indoor heat exchanger (3a-3d) thereby forming a plurality of branch liquid pipes(7a-7d) respectively. The branch liquid pipes (7a-7d) are provided with fifth motoroperated valves (EV5-1 to EV5-4) referred to as second shut-off valves in claim 20 respectively.

~Next, description is made about air conditioning in each room with the *:.use of the refrigerant circuit configured as above-described.

The air conditioning modes are the following three modes: 1. The mode that all the rooms are heated, the mode that all the

S

indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) execute the operation of radiating heat; 2. The mode that all the rooms are cooled, the mode that all the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) execute the operation of absorbing heat; and S° 3. The mode that one or more rooms are heated and the other rooms are cooled, the mode that one or more heat exchangers execute the 30 operation of radiating heat and the other heat exchangers execute the operation of absorbing heat.

The mode that one or more rooms are heated and the other rooms are cooled, is further classified into the following three cases: The case that the heat balance among all the rooms requests the heating operation (For example, the case of an operation of mainly radiating heat where the number of indoor heat exchangers executing the operation of radiating heat is larger than that of the indoor heat exchangers executing the operation of absorbing heat); 3-2. The case that the heat balance among all the rooms requests the cooling operation (For example, the case of an operation of mainly absorbing heat where the number of indoor heat exchangers executing the operation of absorbing heat is larger than that of the indoor heat exchangers executing the operation of radiating heat); and 3-3. The case that the total amount of heat radiated and the total amount of heat absorbed are equal among all the rooms (For example, the case that the number of indoor heat exchangers executing the operation of radiating heat is equal to that of the indoor heat exchangers executing the operation of absorbing heat).

Each of the modes and cases will be described below.

First, the mode that all the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) execute the operation of radiating heat is described with reference to Fig. 13.

In this mode, firstly, the controller closes the first solenoid valve (EV1) and the third solenoid valves (EV3-1 to EV3-4) and opens the second solenoid valves (EV2-1 to EV2-4), the fourth solenoid valve (EV4) and the fifth motor-operated valves (EV5-1 to EV5-4).

20 In this state, as in the case of the first embodiment and shown in Fig.

13(a), gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source heat exchanger to .ooooi the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) through the branch gas pipes (6a-6d) respectively for condensation so that room air is heated. Then, as shown in Fig. 13(b), the condensed liquid refrigerant is transferred to the cold heat source heat exchanger through each of the branch liquid pipes (7a-7d) by pressure difference between each of the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) and the cold heat source heat exchanger When the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source .000heat exchanger exceeds a specified amount, the heating operation is 30 stopped and switched to an operation of recovering liquid refrigerant as in the :0 first embodiment.

too t In the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant, the controller closes the second solenoid valves (EV2-1 to EV2-4), the third solenoid valves (EV3-1 to EV3-4) and the fifth motor-operated valves (EV5-1 to EV5-4) and opens the first solenoid valve (EVI) and the fourth solenoid valve (EV4).

69 In this state, as shown in Fig. 13(c), high-pressure gas refrigerant in the gas flow pipe is introduced into the cold heat source heat exchanger so that pressure is equalized between the hot heat source heat exchanger and the cold heat source heat exchanger The level difference between both the heat exchangers 2) causes liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger to be recovered to the hot heat source heat exchanger Next, the mode that all the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) execute the operation of absorbing heat is described with reference to Fig. 14.

In this mode, firstly, the controller closes the second solenoid valves (EV2-1 to EV2-4) and the fourth solenoid valve (EV4) and opens the first solenoid valve (EV1), the third solenoid valves (EV3-1 to EV3-4) and the fifth motor-operated valves (EV5-1 to EV5-4).

In this state, as in the case of the second embodiment and shown in Fig.

14(a), high-pressure gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source heat exchanger to the cold heat source heat exchanger through the gas flow pipe Thereby, as shown in Fig. 14(b), liquid refrigerant previously stored in the cold heat source heat exchanger is introduced into the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) through the branch liquid pipes (7a-7d) respectively.

After such an operation is continued for a specified time, the controller 20 closes the first solenoid valve(EV1). Then, as shown in Fig. 14(c), respective pressure differences between the cold heat source heat exchanger in which refrigerant is condensed and the respective indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) in which refrigerant is evaporated, cause refrigerant in the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) to be transferred to the cold heat source heat 25 exchanger through the respective branch connecting pipes (10a-10d).

S When such a cooling operation is executed for a specified time so that the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source heat exchanger S" becomes short of a specified amount, the cooling operation is stopped and switched to an operation of recovering liquid refrigerant.

In the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant, the first solenoid valve (EV1) and the fourth solenoid valve (EV4) are opened by the controller "Thereby, pressure is equalized between the hot heat source heat exchanger (1) and the cold heat source heat exchanger so that liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger is recovered to the hot heat source heat exchanger Next, description is made about the case that the heat balance among all the rooms requests the heating operation, the case of the operation of mainly radiating heat where the number of indoor heat exchangers executing the operation of radiating heat is larger than that of the indoor heat exchangers executing the operation of absorbing heat, with reference to Fig. 15. Here, the case that only the right end one (3d) of four indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) in Fig. 15 executes the operation of absorbing heat and the other indoor heat exchangers (3a-3c) execute the operation of radiating heat is described as an example.

In this case, the controller closes the first solenoid valve (EV1), three third solenoid valves (EV3-1 to EV3-3) connected to the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3c) for executing the operation of radiating heat and one second solenoid valve (EV2-4) connected to the indoor heat exchanger (3d) for executing the operation of absorbing heat, while the controller opens three second solenoid valves (EV2-1 to EV2-3) connected to the indoor heat exchangers (3a- 3c) for executing the operation of radiating heat, the fourth solenoid valve (EV4), the fifth motor-operated valves (EV5-1 to EV5-4) and one third solenoid valve (EV3-4) connected to the indoor heat exchanger (3d) for executing the operation of absorbing heat.

20 In this state, as shown in Fig. 15(a), gas refrigerant from the hot heat source heat exchanger is supplied to the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3c) for executing the operation of radiating heat through the branch gas pipes (6a-6c) respectively and is condensed so that room air is heated in respective rooms thereby heating the rooms. Then, as shown in Fig. 15(b), the condensed liquid refrigerant is transferred, at a specified distribution rate, to the cold heat source heat exchanger through each of the branch liquid pipes (7a-7c) by pressure difference between each of the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3c) for executing the operation of radiating heat and the cold heat source heat exchanger and to the indoor heat exchanger (3d) for executing the operation of absorbing heat through the branch liquid pipe (7d) by pressure difference between each of the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3c) and the indoor S"heat exchanger The liquid refrigerant is evaporated in the indoor heat exchanger (3d) thereby cooling the room.

The gas refrigerant evaporated in the indoor heat exchanger (3d) is supplied to the cold heat source heat exchanger through the branch IfF~Tfli I--rr ilDU-in;_ VI- iF I H ii -ufITTBL Th 1 1 F I connecting pipe (lOd) and is condensed in the cold heat source heat exchanger When the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger exceeds a specified amount, the heating operation is stopped and switched to the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant.

In the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant, the controller closes the second solenoid valves (EV2-1 to EV2-4), the third solenoid valves (EV3-1 to EV3-4) and the fifth motor-operated valves (EV5-1 to EV5-4) and opens the first solenoid valve (EV1) and the fourth solenoid valve (EV4). In this state, as shown in Fig. 15(c), high-pressure gas refrigerant in the gas flow pipe is introduced into the cold heat source heat exchanger so that pressure is equalized between the hot heat source heat exchanger and the cold heat source heat exchanger The level difference between both the heat exchangers 2) causes liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger to be recovered to the hot heat source heat exchanger Next, description is made about the case that the heat balance among all the rooms requests the cooling operation, the case of the operation of mainly absorbing heat where the number of indoor heat exchangers executing the operation of absorbing heat is larger than that of the indoor heat 20 exchangers executing the operation of radiating heat, with reference to Fig. 16.

Here, the case that only the left end one (3a) of four indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) in Fig. 16 executes the operation of radiating heat and the other indoor heat exchangers (3b-3d) execute the operation of absorbing heat is described as an example.

25 In this case, firstly, the controller closes the second solenoid valves (EV2-1 to EV2-4), the fourth solenoid valve (EV4), the third solenoid valve (EV3-1) connected to the indoor heat exchanger (3a) for executing the operation of radiating heat and the fifth motor-operated valve (EV5-1) connected to the indoor heat exchanger (3a) for executing the operation of radiating heat, while it opens the first solenoid valve (EV1), the third solenoid valves (EV3-2 to EV3-4) connected to the indoor heat exchangers (3b-3d) for executing the operation of absorbing heat and the fifth motor-operated valves (EV5-2 to EV5-4) connected to the indoor heat exchangers (3b-3d) for executing the operation of absorbing heat.

In this state, as shown in Fig. 16(a), high-pressure gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source heat exchanger to the cold heat source _lr __7 heat exchanger through the gas flow pipe Thereby, as shown in Fig.

16(b), liquid refrigerant previously stored in the cold heat source heat exchanger is introduced into the indoor heat exchangers (3b-3d) for executing the operation of absorbing heat through the branch liquid pipes (7b- 7d) respectively. Then, the second solenoid valve (EV2-1) and the fifth solenoid valve (EV5-1) both connected to the indoor heat exchanger (3a) for executing the operation of radiating heat are opened while the first solenoid valve (EV1) is closed. Thereby, as shown in Fig. 16(C), gas refrigerant evaporated in the indoor heat exchangers (3b-3d) under the operation of absorbing heat is supplied to the cold heat source heat exchanger through the branch connecting pipes (o10b-10d) respectively and is condensed in the cold heat source heat exchanger The gas refrigerant is also supplied from the hot heat source heat exchanger to the indoor heat exchanger (3a) for executing the operation of radiating heat, is condensed in the indoor heat exchanger (3a) to heat the room, and is then transferred to the cold heat source heat exchanger (2) through the branch connecting pipe (7a).

When such air conditioning is executed for a specified time so that the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source heat exchanger (1) 20 becomes short of a specified amount, the air conditioning is stopped and switched to the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant. In the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant, the first solenoid valve (EV1) and the fourth solenoid valve (EV4) are opened by the controller Thereby, pressure is equalized between the hot heat source heat exchanger and the cold heat source heat exchanger so that liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger is recovered to the hot heat source exchanger Next, description is made about the case that the total amount of heat "radiated and the total amount of heat absorbed are equal among all the indoor heat exchangers, the case that the number of indoor heat exchangers executing the operation of absorbing heat is equal to that of the indoor heat exchangers executing the operation of radiating heat, with reference to Fig. 17.

S"Here, the case that the right-side two (3c, 3d) of four indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) in Fig. 17 execute the operation of absorbing heat and the left-side two indoor heat exchangers (3a, 3b) execute the operation of radiating heat is described as an example.

1- I In this case, the controller closes the first solenoid valve (EV1), two third solenoid valves (EV3-1, EV3-2) connected to the indoor heat exchangers (3a, 3b) for executing the operation of radiating heat and two second solenoid valves (EV2-3, EV2-4) connected to the indoor heat exchangers (3c, 3d) for executing the operation of absorbing heat, while the controller opens two second solenoid valves (EV2-1, EV2-2) connected to the indoor heat exchangers (3a, 3b) for executing the operation of radiating heat, the fourth solenoid valve (EV4), the fifth motor-operated valves (EV5-1 to EV5-4) and two third solenoid valves (EV3-3, EV3-4) connected to the indoor heat exchangers (3c, 3d) for executing the operation of absorbing heat.

In this state, as shown in Fig. 17(a), gas refrigerant from the hot heat source heat exchanger is supplied to the indoor heat exchangers (3a, 3b) for executing the operation of radiating heat through the branch gas pipes (6a, 6b) respectively and is condensed so that room air is heated in the respective rooms thereby heating the rooms. Then, as shown in Fig. 17(b), the condensed liquid refrigerant is transferred, at a specified distribution rate, to the cold heat source heat exchanger through each of the branch liquid pipes (7a, 7b) by pressure difference between each of the indoor heat exchangers (3a, 3b) for executing the operation of radiating heat and the cold heat source heat 20 exchanger and to the indoor heat exchangers (3c, 3d) for executing the operation of absorbing heat by pressure difference between the indoor heat exchangers (3a, 3b) and the indoor heat exchangers (3c, 3d). The liquid refrigerant is evaporated in the indoor heat exchangers (3c, 3d) thereby cooling the rooms.

.25 The gas refrigerant evaporated in the indoor heat exchangers (3c, 3d) is supplied to the cold heat source heat exchanger through the branch connecting pipes (10c, 10d) respectively and is condensed in the cold heat source heat exchanger When the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger exceeds a specified amount, air conditioning is stopped and S" switched to the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant. In the operation of S"recovering liquid refrigerant, the controller closes the second solenoid valves (EV2-1 to EV2-4), the third solenoid valves (EV3-1 to EV3-4) and the fifth motor-operated valves (EV5-1 to EV5-4) and opens the first solenoid valve (EV1) and the fourth solenoid valve (EV4).

7FVF1Lllllf1I ThfhfifF_.~fiHiiTFh~ In this state, as shown in Fig. 17(c), high-pressure gas refrigerant in the gas flow pipe is introduced into the cold heat source heat exchanger so that pressure is equalized between the hot heat source heat exchanger and the cold heat source heat exchanger The level difference between both the heat exchangers 2) causes liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger to be recovered to the hot heat source heat exchanger Modifications Embodiments of the invention are described next as modifications of the first to fourth embodiments described above.

Each of these modifications is configured such that the periphery of the cold heat source heat exchanger in the refrigerant circuitry is modified.

When the modification is applied to any embodiments described above, it has similar configuration. Therefore, here, description is made only about applications for the first and second embodiments.

Fig. 18 shows the case that the modification is applied to the first embodiment (heating-only device). A liquid receiver (22) as a liquid receive means capable of storing liquid refrigerant is connected at one end thereof to the gas flow pipe through a branch pipe (23) and at the other end to the 20 liquid flow pipe through a branch pipe and is connected with the cold heat source heat exchanger in rows.

Between the cold heat source heat exchanger and a connection point of the gas flow pipe with the branch pipe a solenoid valve (EV11) is provided. Between the cold heat source heat exchanger and a connection 25 point of the liquid flow pipe with the branch pipe a check valve is provided for allowing only a flow of refrigerant from the liquid flow pipe to the branch pipe Other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment.

The heating operation of the device above configured is described with 30 reference to Fig. 19.

First, the solenoid valve (EV1) is closed and the solenoid valve (EV11) is opened, so that gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source heat exchanger to the indoor heat exchanger and is condensed in the indoor heat exchanger (See Fig. The cold heat source heat exchanger for condensing refrigerant at a condensation temperature lower than that of the indoor heat exchanger and the liquid receiver (22) connected to the cold heat source heat exchanger through the solenoid valve (EV11), each have a lower pressure than the indoor heat exchanger Accordingly, the liquid refrigerant condensed in the indoor heat exchanger is introduced into the branch pipe (23) through the liquid pipe and is stored in the liquid receiver (22).

At this time, the gas refrigerant having been introduced into the liquid receiver (22) is introduced into the cold heat source heat exchanger through the solenoid valve (EV11) and is condensed in the cold heat source heat exchanger (See Fig. The condensed liquid refrigerant is recovered from the cold heat source heat exchanger to the liquid-receiver When the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the liquid receiver (22) exceeds a specified amount, the solenoid valve (EV1) is opened and the solenoid valve (EV11) is closed, thereby executing the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant as in the above-described embodiments (See Fig. 19(c)).

According to such an operation, the amount of liquid refrigerant stored in the cold heat source heat exchanger during the heating operation can be reduced and therefore a sufficient heat exchange area of the cold heat source heat exchanger can be ensured. This minimizes the cold heat source heat exchanger resulting in compaction of the overall device.

Fig. 20 shows the cooling operation in the case that the modifiation is be applied to the second embodiment (cooling-only device).

First, the solenoid valve (EV1) is opened and the solenoid valve (EVl) is closed, so that high-pressure gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source heat exchanger to the liquid receiver (22) (See Fig. so that Co..

25 liquid refrigerant previously stored in the liquid receiver (22) is introduced into the indoor heat exchanger (See Fig. Then, the solenoid valve (EV1) is closed and the solenoid valve (EV11) is opened, so that gas refrigerant is introduced into the indoor heat exchanger The gas refrigerant is reduced in pressure with the condensation of refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger is evaporated, is introduced into the cold heat o source heat exchanger by pressure difference between the indoor heat exchanger and the cold heat source heat exchanger is liquefied through the condensation in the cold heat source heat exchanger and is then recovered to the liquid receiver (22) (See Fig. 76 Also according to this operation, the amount of liquid refrigerant stored in the cold heat source heat exchanger during the cooling operation can be reduced. This minimizes the cold heat source heat exchanger Further, under the configuration of this modification, the solenoid valve (EV1) is closed when liquid refrigerant is discharged from the cold heat source heat exchanger or the liquid receiver Accordingly, gas refrigerant from the hot heat source heat exchanger can be prevented from being supplied to the cold heat source heat exchanger and therefore it is avoided that the cold heat source heat exchanger is unnecessarily heated. This promotes energy conservation.

Furthermore, the provision of the check valve (CV5) prevents liquid refrigerant in the liquid receiver (22) from flowing back to the cold heat source heat exchanger This also promotes energy conservation.

When the configuration of the modification applied to the second embodiment is applied to the device having a plurality of indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) as in the fourth embodiment, liquid receivers (22) are connected in rows with the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) respectively.

Modifications having plural cold heat source heat exchangers The following fifth to eighth embodiments of the invention each have the circuit configuration having a plurality of cold heat source heat exchangers o e (two heat exchangers in the embodiments).

Fifth Embodiment 25 The fifth embodiment has first and second cold heat source heat exchangers. In this embodiment, the secondary refrigerant circuit is configured for a heating-only air conditioner.

As shown in Fig. 21, a gas flow pipe is divided into first and second branch gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) toward the cold heat source heat exchangers.

30 The first branch gas flow pipe (4a) is connected to the first cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) and the second branch gas flow pipe (4b) is connected to the second cold heat source heat exchanger The branch gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) are each connected to a gas pipe and are provided with solenoid valves (EV1-1, EV1-2) respectively. The solenoid valves (EV1-1, EV1-2) are controlled between their opened and closed positions by a controller A liquid flow pipe is also divided into first and second branch liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) toward the cold heat source heat exchangers. The first branch liquid flow pipe (5a) is connected to the first cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) and the second branch liquid flow pipe (5b) is connected to the second cold heat source heat exchanger (2b).

Further, a liquid pipe is also divided into first and second branch liquid pipes (7e, 7f) toward the liquid flow pipe connected thereto. The first branch liquid pipe (7e) is connected to the first branch liquid flow pipe and the second branch liquid pipe (7f) is connected to the second branch liquid flow pipe Between the hot heat source heat exchanger and the connection points of the branch liquid pipes (7e, 7f) with the branch liquid flow pipes there are respectively provided first check valves (CV-1, CV1-2) which allow only a flow of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source heat exchanger to the hot heat source heat exchanger The branch liquid pipes (7e, 7f) are provided with second check valves (CV2-1, CV2-2) which allow only flows of liquid refrigerant from the indoor heat exchanger to the cold heat source heat exchangers (2a, 2b) respectively.

Next, description is made about a heating operation of the secondary 20 refrigerant circuit configured as above-described.

In this heating operation, firstly, the controller opens the solenoid valve (EV1-1) located in the first branch gas flow pipe (4a) and closes the solenoid valve (EV1-2) located in the second branch gas flow pipe (4b).

In this state, the hot heat source heat exchanger receives an amount 25 of heat from the primary refrigerant circuit to evaporate refrigerant so that, as shown in Fig. 22(a), a part of high-pressure gas refrigerant from the hot heat source heat exchanger is supplied to the first cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) through the first branch gas flow pipe (4a) and the remaining high-pressure gas refrigerant is supplied to the indoor heat exchanger (3) 30 through the gas pipe The gas refrigerant exchanges heat with room air in the indoor heat exchanger to condense therein so that the room air is heated resulting in heating the room.

Under this condition, the second cold heat source heat exchanger (2b) is an operating cold heat source heat exchanger while the first cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) is a stopping cold heat source heat exchanger. Then, as shown in Fig. 22(b), the condensed liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat 78 exchanger is transferred to the second cold heat source heat exchanger (2b) through the second branch liquid pipe (7f) by pressure difference between the indoor heat exchanger and the second cold heat source heat exchanger (2b).

Consequently, with the running of the heating operation, liquid refrigerant is gradually stored in the second cold heat source heat exchanger (2b).

On the other hand, when gas refrigerant is supplied from hot heat source heat exchanger to the first cold heat source heat exchanger liquid refrigerant in the first cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) is recovered to the hot heat source heat exchanger through the first branch liquid flow pipe When such a heating operation is executed for a specified time so that the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the second cold heat source heat exchanger (2b) exceeds a specified amount, the controller opens the solenoid valve EV1-2) located in the second branch gas flow pipe (4b) and closes the solenoid valve (EV1-1) located in the first branch gas flow pipe (4a).

Thereby, the second cold heat source heat exchanger (2b) is changed to a stopping cold heat source heat exchanger and the first cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) is changed to an operating cold heat source heat exchanger.

Of.4 Then, as shown in Fig. 22(c), a part of high-pressure gas refrigerant from the S20 hot heat source heat exchanger is supplied to the second cold heat source heat exchanger (2b) through the second branch gas flow pipe (4b) and the remaining high-pressure gas refrigerant is supplied to the indoor heat exchanger through the gas pipe The gas refrigerant exchanges heat with room air in the indoor heat exchanger to condense therein so that the 25 room air is heated resulting in heating the room.

Under this condition, as shown in Fig. 22(d), liquid refrigerant in the 4: *indoor heat exchanger is transferred to the first cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) through the first branch liquid pipe (7e) by pressure difference between the indoor heat exchanger and the first cold heat source heat exchanger Consequently, with the running of the heating operation, liquid refrigerant is gradually stored in the first cold heat source heat exchanger On the other hand, when gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source heat exchanger to the second cold heat source heat exchanger liquid refrigerant in the second cold heat source heat exchanger (2b) is recovered to the hot heat source heat exchanger through ii the second branch liquid flow pipe Such two operations are alternately executed.

Thus, under the configuration of this embodiment, two cold heat source heat exchangers (2a, 2b) are provided, refrigerant is transferred from the indoor heat exchanger to one of the cold heat source heat exchangers while liquid refrigerant is recovered from the other cold heat source heat exchanger to the hot heat source heat exchanger and the operations of these cold heat source heat exchangers (2a, 2b) are alternately executed. Accordingly, the operation of radiating heat of the indoor heat exchanger can be successively executed. In other words, the heating operation can be successively executed.

This increases comfortableness of the room.

Sixth Embodiment This sixth embodiment has first and second cold heat source heat exchangers. The secondary refrigerant circuit is configured for a cooling-only air conditioner. In this embodiment, only differences in circuit configuration from the fifth embodiment are described.

As shown in Fig. 23, a gas pipe is divided into first and second branch gas pipes (6e, 6f) toward a gas flow pipe connected thereto. The 20 first branch gas pipe (6e) is connected to a first branch gas flow pipe (4a) and the second branch gas pipe (6f) is connected to a second branch gas flow pipe The connection points between the branch gas pipes (6e, 6f) and the branch gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) are respectively located between the cold heat source heat exchangers (2a, 2b) and solenoid valves (EV1-1, EV1-2) for gas refrigerant provided in the branch gas flow pipes (4a, 4b).

Branch liquid pipes (7e, 7f) are respectively provided with third check valves (CV3-1, CV3-2) referred to as second check valves in claim 30 for allowing only flows of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source heat exchangers (2a, 2b) to the indoor heat exchanger in place of the second check valves (CV2-1, CV2-2) in the fifth embodiment.

Further, a liquid flow pipe is provided with a solenoid valve (EV4) for liquid refrigerant. The solenoid valve (EV4) for liquid refrigerant is controlled between its opened and closed positions by a controller Next, description is made about the cooling operation of the refrigerant circuit configured as above-described.

i i At the start of the cooling operation, firstly, the controller opens a solenoid valve (EV1-1) for gas refrigerant provided in the first branch gas flow pipe and closes a solenoid valve (EV1-2) for gas refrigerant provided in the second branch gas flow pipe (4b) and the solenoid valve (EV4) for liquid refrigerant.

In this state, as shown in Fig. 24(a), high-pressure gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source heat exchanger to the first cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) through the first branch gas flow pipe When the gas refrigerant is thus supplied, the pressure of the gas refrigerant acts so that liquid refrigerant previously stored in the first cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) is introduced into the indoor heat exchanger through the first branch liquid flow pipe (5a) and the first branch liquid pipe Then, liquid refrigerant exchanges heat with room air in the indoor heat exchanger to evaporate therein so that the room air is cooled resulting in cooling the room.

At this time, as shown in Fig. 24(b), the gas refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is transferred to the second cold heat source heat exchanger (2b) through the second branch gas pipe (6f) by pressure difference between the operating second cold heat source heat exchanger (2b) under the condensation 20 of refrigerant and the indoor heat exchanger under the evaporation of refrigerant.

When such an operation is executed for a specified time so that the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the first cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) becomes short of a specified amount, the controller closes the solenoid valve (EV1-1) for gas refrigerant provided in the first branch gas flow pipe (4a) and opens the solenoid valve (EV1-2) for gas refrigerant provided in the second branch gas flow pipe Thereby, the first cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) is changed to an operating cold heat source heat exchanger and the second cold heat source heat exchanger (2b) is changed to a stopping cold heat source 30 heat exchanger.

Then, as shown in Fig. 24(c), high-pressure gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source heat exchanger to the second cold heat source heat exchanger (2b) through the second branch gas flow pipe When the gas refrigerant is thus supplied, the pressure of the gas refrigerant acts so that liquid refrigerant previously stored in the second cold heat source heat exchanger (2b) is introduced into the indoor heat exchanger through the second branch liquid flow pipe (5b) and the second branch liquid pipe (7f).

Then, liquid refrigerant exchanges heat with room air in the indoor heat exchanger to evaporate therein so that the room air is cooled resulting in cooling the room.

At this time, as shown in Fig. 24(d), the gas refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is transferred to the first cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) through the first branch gas pipe (6e) by pressure difference between the first cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) and the indoor heat exchanger The above two operations of the cold heat source heat exchangers (2a, 2b) are alternately executed so that the operation of absorbing heat of the indoor heat exchanger is successively executed. In other words, the cooling operation can be successively executed.

When the cooling operation is executed for a specified time so that the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source heat exchanger (1) becomes short of a specified amount, the controller opens the solenoid valves (EV1-1, EV1-2) for gas refrigerant connected to the cold heat source heat exchangers (2a, 2b) in which liquid refrigerant is stored, and opens the solenoid valve (EV4) for liquid refrigerant. Thereby, pressure is equalized between the hot heat source heat exchanger and the cold heat source heat exchanger so that liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger is recovered to the hot heat source heat exchanger Seventh Embodiment S* A further embodiment of a heat transfer device will be described next with reference to the drawings.

~This seventh embodiment has first and second cold heat source heat exchangers and the secondary refrigerant circuit is configured for an air conditioner changeable between a heating operation and a cooling operation.

Described in this embodiment are only differences in circuit configuration 30 from the embodiments described so far.

As shown in Fig. 25, a gas flow selecting means of the secondary refrigerant circuit of this embodiment is configured such that in the :refrigerant circuit of the fifth embodiment, a second solenoid valve (EV2) is provided in the gas pipe and a gas connecting pipe (20) is provided between each of the second branch gas pipes (4a, 4b) and the gas pipe 82 More specifically, one end of the gas connecting pipe (20) is connected to a part of the gas pipe located between the second solenoid valve (EV2) and the indoor heat exchanger A part of the gas connecting pipe (20) on the other end side is divided into first and second branch gas connecting pipes (20a, 20b). The first branch gas connecting pipe (20a) is connected to the first branch gas flow pipe (4a) and the second branch gas connecting pipe (20b) is connected to the branch gas flow pipe (4b).

The gas connecting pipe (20) is provided with a third solenoid valve (EV3). The branch gas connecting pipes (20a, 20b) are provided with check valves (CVG1, CVG2) for gas refrigerant for allowing only flows of gas refrigerant from the indoor heat exchanger to the cold heat source heat exchangers (2a, 2b) respectively.

A liquid flow selecting means is configured such that in the refrigerant circuit of the sixth embodiment, the branch liquid pipes (7e, 7f) are respectively provided with sixth motor-operated valves (EV6-1, EV6-2) referred to as second shut-off valves in claim 34, in place of the third check valves (CV3-1, CV3-2).

Under such a configuration, in a heating operation of the secondary refrigerant circuit the heating operation as described in the fifth 20 embodiment is executed so that a room is successively heated. In detail, as :shown in Fig. 26, when the recovery of liquid refrigerant is executed with respect to one cold heat source heat exchanger liquid refrigerant condensed in the indoor heat exchanger is transferred to the other cold heat source heat exchanger Such operations are alternately repeated.

On the other hand, in the cooling operation, the cooling operation as described in the sixth embodiment is executed so that the room is successively cooled. In detail, as shown in Fig. 27, when liquid refrigerant is supplied from one cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) to the indoor heat exchanger gas refrigerant evaporated in the indoor heat exchanger is transferred to the 30 other cold heat source heat exchanger Such operations are alternately repeated.

haWhen the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source "heat exchanger becomes short of a specified amount with the running of the cooling operation, liquid refrigerant is recovered from the liquid flow pipe to the hot heat source heat exchanger 83 Eighth Embodiment A yet further embodiment of a heat transfer device will be described next with reference to the drawings.

In this eighth embodiment, the secondary refrigerant circuit is configured for a multi-type air conditioner freely operable for cooling and heating operations. The air conditioner has first and second cold heat source heat exchangers and four indoor heat exchangers placed in four rooms individually so as to be individually selectable between the cooling and heating operations. Described in this embodiment are only differences in circuit configuration from the fourth embodiment.

As shown in Fig. 28, a gas flow selecting means of the secondary refrigerant circuit is configured such that a gas flow pipe is divided into first and second branch gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) toward the cold heat source heat exchangers, the first branch gas flow pipe (4a) is connected to the first cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) and the second branch gas flow pipe (4b) is connected to the second cold heat source heat exchanger Further, the branch gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) are provided with first solenoid valves (EV1-1, EV1-2) respectively.

A gas connecting pipe (20) is connected at one side thereof to parts of a S 20 gas pipe located between second solenoid valves (EV2-1 to EV2-4) and indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) respectively. The gas connecting pipe (20) is *o 0* divided on the other side into first and second branch gas connecting pipes (20a, 20b). The first branch gas connecting pipe (20a) is connected to the first 000000 branch gas flow pipe (4a) and the second branch gas connecting pipe (20b) is 25 connected to the second branch gas flow pipe The branch gas connecting pipes (20a, 20b) are provided with check valves (CVG1, CVG2) for gas refrigerant respectively.

A liquid flow selecting means is configured such that a liquid flow pipe is divided into first and second branch liquid flow pipes (5a, o* 30 toward the cold heat source heat exchangers, the first branch liquid flow pipe 0000 is connected to the first cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) and the second branch liquid flow pipe (5b) is connected to the second cold heat source heat exchanger Further, a liquid pipe is divided into first and second branch liquid pipes (7e, 7f) toward the liquid flow pipe connected thereto. The first branch liquid pipe (7e) is connected to the first branch liquid flow pipe (5a) and the second branch liquid pipe (7f) is connected to the second branch liquid flow pipe Between the hot heat source heat exchanger and connection points of the branch liquid pipes (7e, 7f) with the branch liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b), first check valves (CV1-1, CV1-2) are respectively provided for allowing only flows of liquid refrigerant from the cold heat source heat exchangers (2a, 2b) to the hot heat source heat exchanger The branch liquid pipes (7e, 7f) are provided with sixth motor-operated valves (EV6-1, EV6-2) referred to as third shut-off valves in claim 40 respectively. Other structures are the same as in the fourth embodiment (See Fig. 12).

Under such a configuration, at the time of air conditioning of the secondary refrigerant circuit the direction of refrigerant flow is changed in accordance with the operation mode of each of the indoor heat exchangers (3a- 3d) described in the fourth embodiment and recovery and supply of liquid refrigerant with respect to each of the cold heat source heat exchangers (2a, 2b) are alternately changed, so that the operation of each of the indoor heat exchanges (3a-3d) is successively executed.

More specifically, the case of the operation of mainly radiating heat in which the heat balance among all rooms requests the heating operation is as 20 shown in Fig. 29. When recovery of liquid refrigerant from the stopping cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) to the hot heat source heat exchanger is made, liquid refrigerant is supplied from the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3c) under the operation of radiating heat to the operating cold heat source heat exchanger (2b) while gas refrigerant is transferred from the indoor heat exchanger (3d) under the operation of absorbing heat to the cold heat source heat exchanger Such an operation is repeated alternately between the cold heat source heat exchangers.

The case of the operation of mainly absorbing heat in which the heat balance among all the rooms requests the cooling operation is as shown in Fig.

30 30. When gas refrigerant is transferred from the indoor heat exchangers (3b- 3d) under the operation of absorbing heat to the operating cold heat source heat exchanger liquid refrigerant is recovered from the stopping cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) to the hot heat source heat exchanger while liquid refrigerant is supplied from the cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) to the indoor heat exchangers (3b-3d) under the operation of absorbing heat.

Such an operation is repeated alternately between the cold heat source heat exchangers.

The case that the total amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed are equal among all the indoor heat exchangers is as shown in Fig.

31. When recovery of liquid refrigerant from the stopping cold heat source heat exchanger (2a) to the hot heat source heat exchanger is made, liquid refrigerant is supplied from the indoor heat exchangers (3a, 3b) under the operation of radiating heat to the indoor heat exchangers (3c, 3d) under the operation of absorbing heat and gas refrigerant evaporated in the indoor heat exchangers (3c, 3d) is transferred to the operating cold heat source heat exchanger Such an operation is repeated alternately between the cold heat source heat exchangers.

Since the operations in the case that all the indoor heat exchangers (3a- 3d) execute the operation of radiating heat and in the case that all the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) execute the operation of absorbing heat are the same as in the operations described in the seventh embodiment, description is omitted.

Modifications having plural liquid receivers 20 The following ninth to twelfth embodiments of the invention are modifications for implementing continuous air conditioning and each have a circuit configuration having a plurality of liquid receivers (two liquid receivers in the embodiments) capable of storing liquid refrigerant.

Ninth Embodiment The ninth embodiment has first and second liquid receivers. In this embodiment, the secondary refrigerant circuit is configured for a heating-only air conditioner.

As shown in Fig. 32, a part of a gas flow pipe is into first and second 30 branch gas flow pipes (4a, 4b). The first branch gas flow pipe (4a) is connected to a first liquid receiver (25a) through a first gas pipe (26a) and the second S:branch gas flow pipe (4b) is connected to a second liquid receiver through a second gas pipe (26b).

Between the hot heat source heat exchanger and the connection points of the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) with the gas pipes (26a, 26b), there are respectively provided seventh solenoid valves (EV7-1, EV7-2) referred to as

F-

first shut-off valves in claim 43 of the invention. Between the cold heat source heat exchanger and the connection points of the gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) with the gas pipes (26a, 26b), there are respectively provided eighth solenoid valves (EV8-1, EV8-2) referred to as second shut-off valves in claim 43 of the invention.

A part of a liquid flow pipe is divided into first and second branch liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b). The first branch liquid flow pipe (5a) is connected to the first liquid receiver (25a) through a first liquid pipe (27a) and the second branch liquid flow pipe (5b) is connected to the second liquid receiver (52b) through a second liquid pipe (27b). Between the hot heat source heat exchanger and the connection points of the liquid pipes (27a, 27b) with the branch liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b), there are respectively provided first check valves (CV1-1, CV1-2) which allow only flows of liquid refrigerant from the liquid receivers (25a, 25b) to the hot heat source heat exchanger Between the cold heat source heat exchanger and the connection points of the liquid pipes (27a, 27b) with the branch liquid flow pipes (5a, there are respectively provided second check valves (CV2-1, CV2-2) which allow only flows of liquid refrigerant from the indoor heat exchanger and the cold heat source heat exchangers to the liquid receivers (25a, S 20 Further, a liquid pipe is provided with a fourth check valve (CV4) which allows only a flow of liquid refrigerant from the indoor heat exchanger to the liquid receivers (25a, Next, description is made about a heating operation of the secondary refrigerant circuit configured as above-described.

In this heating operation, firstly, the controller opens the seventh solenoid valve (EV7-1) located in the first branch gas flow pipe(4a) and the S"eighth solenoid valve (EV8-2) located in the second branch gas flow pipe (4b), and closes the seventh solenoid valve (EV7-2) located in the second branch gas S"flow pipe (4b) and the eighth solenoid valve (EV8-1) located in the first branch gas flow pipe (4a).

In this state, the hot heat source heat exchanger receives an amount of heat from the primary refrigerant circuit to evaporate refrigerant so that, as shown in Fig. 33(a), a part of high-pressure gas refrigerant from the hot heat source heat exchanger is supplied to the discharging first liquid receiver (25a) through the first branch gas flow pipe (4a) and the first gas pipe (26a), and the remaining high-pressure gas refrigerant is supplied to the indoor heat exchanger through the gas pipe The gas refrigerant exchanges heat with room air in the indoor heat exchanger to condense therein so that the room air is heated resulting in heating the room.

Under this condition, as shown in Fig. 33(b), the liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is transferred to the charging liquid receiver through the second branch liquid flow pipe (5b) by pressure difference between the indoor heat exchanger and the second liquid receiver Consequently, with the running of the heating operation, liquid refrigerant is gradually stored in the second liquid receiver (25b). On the other hand, when gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source heat exchanger to the first liquid receiver (25a), liquid refrigerant in the first liquid receiver (25a) is recovered to the hot heat source heat exchanger through the first liquid pipe (27a) and the first branch liquid flow pipe When such a heating operation is executed for a specified time so that the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the second liquid receiver exceeds a specified amount, the controller opens the seventh solenoid valve (EV7-2) in the second branch gas flow pipe (4b) and the eighth solenoid valve (EV8-1) in the first branch gas flow pipe and closes the seventh solenoid valve (EV7-1) in the first branch gas flow pipe (4a) and the eighth 20 solenoid valve (EV8-2) in the second branch gas flow pipe Thereby, the *second liquid receiver (25b) is changed to a discharging liquid receiver and the first liquid receiver (25a) is changed to a charging liquid receiver.

Then, as shown in Fig. 33(c), a part of high-pressure gas refrigerant from the hot heat source heat exchanger is supplied to the second liquid receiver (25b) through the second branch gas flow pipe (4b) and the remaining highpressure gas refrigerant is supplied to the indoor heat exchanger through the gas pipe The gas refrigerant exchanges heat with the room air in the indoor heat exchanger to condense therein so that the room air is heated 1* resulting in heating the room.

30 Under this condition, as shown in Fig. 33(d), liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is transferred to the first liquid receiver through the first branch liquid flow pipe (5a) by pressure difference between 66. the gas pipe and the liquid pipe Consequently, with the running of the heating operation, liquid refrigerant is gradually stored in the first liquid receiver r 88 On the other hand, when gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source heat exchanger to the second liquid receiver (25b), liquid refrigerant in the second liquid receiver (25b) is recovered to the hot heat source heat exchanger through the second branch liquid flow pipe Such two operations are alternately executed.

Thus, under the configuration of this embodiment, two liquid receivers 25b) are provided, refrigerant is transferred from the indoor heat exchanger to one of the liquid receivers while liquid refrigerant is recovered from the other liquid receiver to the hot heat source heat exchanger and the operations of these liquid receivers (25a, 25b) are alternately executed. Accordingly, the operation of radiating heat of the indoor heat exchanger can be successively executed. In other words, the heating operation can be successively executed. This increases comfortableness of the room.

Tenth Embodiment This tenth embodiment has first and second liquid receivers. The secondary refrigerant circuit is configured for a cooling-only air conditioner.

In this embodiment, only differences in circuit configuration from the ninth embodiment are described.

As shown in Fig. 34, a connection point of a gas pipe with a gas flow pipe is located between a cold heat source heat exchanger and an eighth solenoid valve (EV8-2) provided in a second branch gas flow pipe (4b).

A connection point of a liquid pipe with a liquid flow pipe is located between a hot heat source heat exchanger and a first check valve (CV1-2) provided in a second branch liquid flow pipe Further, the liquid flow pipe is provided with a fourth solenoid valve (EV4). In this embodiment, the liquid pipe is provided with no fourth check valve (CV4).

Other structures are the same as in the ninth embodiment.

30 Next, description is made about a cooling operation of the refrigerant ~circuit configured as above-described.

At the start of the cooling operation, firstly, the controller opens the seventh solenoid valve (EV7-1) provided in the first branch gas flow pipe (4a) and the eighth solenoid valve (EV8-2) provided in the second branch gas flow pipe and closes the seventh solenoid valve (EV7-2) provided in the

I

;I I It I 89 second branch gas flow pipe (4b) and the eighth solenoid valve (EV8-1) provided in the first branch gas flow pipe (4a).

In this state, as shown in Fig. 35(a), high-pressure gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source heat exchanger to the discharging first liquid receiver (25a) through the first branch gas flow pipe When the gas refrigerant is thus supplied, the pressure of the gas refrigerant acts so that liquid refrigerant previously stored in the first liquid receiver (25a) is introduced into the indoor heat exchanger through the first branch liquid flow pipe (5a) and the liquid pipe Then, liquid refrigerant exchanges heat with room air in the indoor heat exchanger to evaporate therein so that the room air is cooled resulting in cooling the room.

At this time, as shown in Fig. 35(b), the gas refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is transferred to the cold heat source heat exchanger through the gas pipe by pressure difference between the cold heat source heat exchanger under the condensation of refrigerant and the indoor heat exchanger under the evaporation of refrigerant. Then, the gas refrigerant is condensed to liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger The liquid refrigerant is transferred to the charging second liquid receiver through the second branch liquid flow pipe When such an operation is continued for a specified time so that the •storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the first liquid receiver (25a) becomes o••°•short of a specified amount, the controller opens the seventh solenoid valve (EV7-2) provided in the second branch gas flow pipe (4b) and the eighth 2 solenoid valve (EV8-1) provided in the first branch gas flow pipe (4a) and closes the seventh solenoid valve (EV7-1) provided in the first branch gas flow pipe (4a) and the eighth solenoid valve (EV8-2) provided in the second branch gas flow pipe Thereby, the second liquid receiver (25b) is charged to a discharging liquid receiver and the first liquid receiver (25a) is changed to a charging liquid receiver.

Then, as shown in Fig. 35(c), high-pressure gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source heat exchanger to the second liquid receiver through the second branch gas flow pipe When the gas refrigerant is thus supplied, the pressure of the gas refrigerant acts so that liquid refrigerant previously stored in the second liquid receiver (25b) is introduced into the indoor heat exchanger through the second branch liquid flow pipe (5b) and the liquid pipe Then, liquid refrigerant exchanges heat with the room air in the indoor heat exchanger to evaporate therein so that the room air is cooled resulting in cooling the room.

At this time, as shown in Fig. 35(d), the gas refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is transferred to the cold heat source heat exchanger through the gas pipe by pressure difference between the cold heat source heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger Thereafter, the gas refrigerant is condensed to liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger The liquid refrigerant is transferred to the first liquid receiver through the first branch liquid flow pipe The above operations of the liquid receivers (25a, 25b) are alternately executed so that the operation of absorbing heat of the indoor heat exchanger is successively executed. In other words, the cooling operation can be successively executed.

When the cooling operation is executed for a specified time so that the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source heat exchanger (1) becomes short of a specified amount, the controller opens the seventh solenoid valves (EV7-1, EV7-2) connected to the liquid receivers (25a, 25b) in which liquid refrigerant is stored, and opens the fourth solenoid valve (EV4).

Thereby, pressure is equalized between the hot heat source heat exchanger (1) and the cold heat source heat exchanger so that liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger is recovered to the hot heat source heat exchanger •Eleventh Embodiment S 25 An eleventh embodiment of a heat transfer device will be described next with reference to the drawings.

S"In this eleventh embodiment, first and second liquid receivers are provided and the secondary refrigerant circuit is configured for an air conditioner changeable between a heating operation and a cooling operation.

30 Described in this embodiment are only differences in circuit configuration from the embodiments described so far.

As shown in Fig. 36, a gas flow selecting means of the secondary refrigerant circuit of this eleventh embodiment is configured such that in the refrigerant circuit of the ninth embodiment, a second solenoid valve (EV2) referred to as a third shut-off valve in claim 51 is provided in the gas pipe (6) and a gas connecting pipe (20) is provided between each of the branch gas pipes (4a, 4b) and the gas pipe More specifically, one end of the gas connecting pipe (20) is connected to a part of the gas pipe located between the second solenoid valve (EV2) and the indoor heat exchanger The other end of the gas connecting pipe is connected to a part of the second branch gas flow pipe (4b) located between the eighth solenoid valve (EV8-2) and the cold heat source heat exchanger Further, the gas connecting pipe (20) is provided with a third solenoid valve (EV3) referred to as a fourth shut-off valve in claim 51.

A liquid flow selecting means is configured such that in addition to the refrigerant circuit of the tenth embodiment, the liquid pipe is provided with a ninth solenoid valve (EV9) and a liquid connecting pipe (21) is provided between each of the branch liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) and the liquid pipe In detail, the liquid connecting pipe (21) is connected at one end thereof to a part of the liquid pipe located between the ninth solenoid valve (EV9) and the indoor heat exchanger and is connected at the other end to a part of the second branch liquid flow pipe (5b) located between the second solenoid valve (EV2-2) and the cold heat source heat exchanger The liquid connecting pipe (21) is provided with a tenth solenoid valve Under such a configuration, in a heating operation of the secondary refrigerant circuit the heating operation as described in the ninth embodiment is executed so that a room is successively heated. In detail, as shown in Fig. 37, when recovery of liquid refrigerant is executed with respect to the discharging liquid receiver (25a), liquid refrigerant condensed in the indoor heat exchanger is transferred to the charging liquid receiver Such an operation is alternately repeated between both the liquid receivers (25a, On the other hand, in a cooling operation, the cooling operation as described in the tenth embodiment is executed so that the room is successively 30 cooled. In detail, as shown in Fig. 38, when liquid refrigerant is supplied from the discharging liquid receiver (25a) to the indoor heat exchanger the liquid refrigerant is evaporated to gas refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger the gas refrigerant is condensed to liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger and the liquid refrigerant is transferred to the charging liquid receiver (25b). Such an operation is alternately repeated between both the liquid receivers (25a, 25b). Further, when the storage amount of liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source heat exchanger becomes short of a specified amount with the running of the cooling operation, liquid refrigerant is recovered to the hot heat source heat exchanger through the liquid flow pipe Twelfth Embodiment A twelfth embodiment of a heat transfer device will be described next with reference to the drawings.

In this twelfth embodiment, the secondary refrigerant circuit is configured for a multi-type air conditioner freely operable for cooling and heating operations. The air conditioner has first and second liquid receivers and four indoor heat exchangers placed in four rooms individually so as to be individually selectable between the cooling and heating operations. Described in this embodiment are only differences in circuit configuration from the fourth embodiment.

As shown in Fig. 39, a gas flow selecting means of the secondary refrigerant circuit is configured such that a part of a gas flow pipe is divided into first and second branch gas flow pipes (4a, 4b), the first branch gas flow pipe (4a) is connected to a first liquid receiver (25a) through a first gas pipe (26a) and the second branch gas flow pipe (4b) is connected to a second liquid receiver (25b) through a second gas pipe (26b).

Further, between a hot heat source heat exchanger and connection points of the branch gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) with the gas pipes (26a, 26b), seventh solenoid valves (EV7-1, EV7-2) are provided respectively. Between a cold heat source heat exchanger and the connection points of the branch gas flow pipes (4a, 4b) with the gas pipes (26a, 26b), eighth valves (EV8-1, EV8are provided respectively.

A part of a liquid flow pipe is divided into firstand second branch liquid flow pipes (5a, fib), the first branch liquid flow pipe (5a) is connected to 30 the first liquid receiver (25a) through a first liquid pipe (27a) and the second branch liquid flow pipe (5b) is connected to the second liquid receiver through a second liquid pipe (27b).

Between the hot heat source heat exchanger and connection points of the branch liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) the liquid pipes (27a, 27b), first check valves (CV1-1, CV-2) for allowing only flows of liquid refrigerant from the liquid receivers (25a, 25b) to the hot heat source heat exchanger are provided respectively. Between the cold heat source heat exchanger and the connection points of the branch liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) with the liquid pipes (27a, 27b), second check valves (CV2-1, CV2-2) for allowing only flows of liquid refrigerant from indoor heat exchanges (3a-3d) and the cold heat source heat exchanger to the liquid receivers (25a, 25b) are provided respectively.

Further, the liquid pipe is provided with a ninth solenoid valve (EV9) and a liquid connecting pipe (21) is provided between each of the branch liquid flow pipes (5a, 5b) and the liquid pipe In detail, the liquid connecting pipe (21) is connected at one end thereof to a part of the liquid pipe located between the ninth solenoid valve (EV9) and the indoor heat exchanges (3a-3d) and is connected at the other end to a part of the second branch liquid flow pipe (5b) located between the second check valve (CV2-2) and the cold heat source heat exchanger The liquid connecting pipe (21) is provided with a tenth solenoid valve (EV10). Other structures are the same as in the fourth embodiment (See Fig.

12).

Under such a configuration, at the time of air conditioning of the secondary refrigerant circuit the direction of refrigerant flow is changed in accordance with the operation mode of each of the indoor heat exchangers (3a- 3d) described in the fourth embodiment and recovery and supply of liquid refrigerant with respect to each of the liquid receivers (25a, 25b) are alternately changed, so that the operation of each of the indoor heat exchanges (3a-3d) is successively executed.

"Vg:i More specifically, the case of the operation of mainly radiating heat in 25 which the heat balance among all rooms requests the heating operation is as shown in Fig. 40. When recovery of liquid refrigerant from the discharging liquid receiver (25a) to the hot heat source heat exchanger is made, liquid refrigerant is supplied from the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3c) under the operation of radiating heat to the charging liquid receiver (25b). Such an S 30 operation is repeated alternately between both the liquid receivers.

The case of the operation of mainly absorbing heat in the heat balance among all the rooms requests the cooling operation is as shown in Fig. 41.

When gas refrigerant evaporated in the indoor heat exchangers (3b-3d) under the operation of absorbing heat is condensed to liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source heat exchanger and is transferred to the discharging liquid receiver (25b), liquid refrigerant is recovered from the charging liquid receiver to the hot heat source heat exchanger while liquid refrigerant is supplied from the charging liquid receiver (25a) to the indoor heat exchangers (3b-3d) under the operation of absorbing heat. Such an operation is repeated alternately between both the liquid receivers.

The case that the total amount of heat radiated and the total amount of heat absorbed are equal among all the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) is as shown in Fig. 42. When recovery of liquid refrigerant from the discharging liquid receiver (25a) to the hot heat source heat exchanger is made, liquid refrigerant is supplied from the indoor heat exchangers (3a, 3b) under the operation of radiating heat to the indoor heat exchangers (3c, 3d) under the operation of absorbing heat and gas refrigerant evaporated in the indoor heat exchangers (3c, 3d) is transferred to the charging liquid receiver (25b). Such an operation is repeated alternately between both the liquid receivers.

Since the operations in the case that all the indoor heat exchangers (3a- 3d) execute the operation of radiating heat and in the case that all the indoor heat exchangers (3a-3d) execute the operation of absorbing heat are the same as in the operations described in the eleventh embodiment, description is omitted.

Modifications of primary refrigerant circuit Description has been made so far about the secondary refrigerant circuits The following description will be made about plural modifications of the primary refrigerant circuit combinable with the abovedescribed secondary refrigerant circuits 25 In the below-described modifications of the primary refrigerant circuit description about the secondary refrigerant circuit is omitted. Further, in the below-described circuits, same names and reference numerals refer to parts having same functions.

30 Thirteenth Embodiment *This thirteenth embodiment is a modification of the primary refrigerant circuit applied to a heating-only air conditioner.

As shown in Fig. 43, in this primary refrigerant circuit a compressor a heating heat exchanger (12) capable of exchanging heat with a hot heat source heat exchanger a first motor-operated valve (18a) as an expansion mechanism, and a cooling heat exchanger (15) for exchanging heat with a cold r..

heat source heat exchanger are connected in this order so as to be capable of circulating refrigerant through refrigerant piping Thereby, a main refrigerant circulating passage (30) is formed.

A bypass passage (17) is connected at one end thereof the motoroperated valve (18a) and the heating heat exchanger (12) and at the other end between the compressor (11) and the cooling heat exchanger The bypass passage (17) is provided with a heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) and a second motor-operated valve (18b) as a flow control valve adjustable in opening for controlling a flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger The motor-operated valves (18a, 18b) are each controlled in its opening by an unshown controller.

Under such a configuration, during the refrigerant circulation in the primary refrigerant circuit the motor-operated valves (18a, 18b) are each controlled in its opening in accordance with a difference between an amount of heat given from the heating heat exchanger (12) to the hot heat source heat exchanger and an amount of heat taken from the cold heat source heat exchanger to the cooling heat exchanger Refrigerant discharged from the compressor (11) is heat exchanged in the heating heat exchanger with the hot heat source heat exchanger to condense to liquid refrigerant. In accordance with respective openings of the motor-operated valves (18a, 18b), a part of the liquid refrigerant introduced 0*0* from the heating heat exchanger (12) is introduced into the main circulating .0 06 passage (on the first motor-operated valve (18a) side) while the remaining 25 liquid refrigerant is introduced into the bypass passage (on the second motor- Se 25 operated valve (18b) side).

The liquid refrigerant introduced into the main passage (30) is reduced in pressure in the first motor-operated valve (18a), and is heat-exchanged, in the cooling heat exchanger with the cold heat source heat exchanger (2) S. bto evaporate. On the other hand, the liquid refrigerant introduced into the 30 bypass passage (17) is reduced in pressure in the second motor-operated valve (18b), and is heat-exchanged, in the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger with, for example, outside air to evaporate. The gas refrigerant evaporated in the above manners is sucked into the compressor Such a circulation of refrigerant is repeated.

Under such a circulation of refrigerant, when the opening of the motoroperated flow rate control valve (18) is set such that the amount of heat 96 absorbed in the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) becomes equal to a difference between the heat exchange amounts described above, the amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed can become equal as the overall primary refrigerant circuit This achieves excellent refrigerant circulation in the primary refrigerant circuit Fourteenth Embodiment This fourteenth embodiment is a modification of the primary refrigerant circuit applied to a cooling-only air conditioner. Described in this embodiment are only differences from the primary refrigerant circuit (A) described in the first embodiment.

As shown in Fig. 44, the primary refrigerant circuit configured such that an expansion valve (13) is provided between a heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) and a cooling heat exchanger (15) and a bypass passage (17) is connected at one end thereof between the expansion valve (13) and the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) and at the other end between a heating heat exchanger (12) and the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger In other words, the primary refrigerant circuit is configured such that gas refrigerant is heat-exchanged, in the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger 20 with, for example, outside air to condense.

Under such a configuration, when the opening of the motor-operated .6 flow rate control valve (18) is set such that the amount of heat radiated in the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) becomes equal to a difference between an amount of heat given from the heating heat exchanger (12) to the hot heat source heat exchanger and an amount of heat taken from the cold heat source heat exchanger to the cooling heat exchanger the amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed can become equal as the overall primary refrigerant circuit This achieves excellent refrigerant circulation in the primary refrigerant circuit Fifteenth Embodiment This fifteenth embodiment is a modification of the primary refrigerant circuit applied to a cooling-only air conditioner. Described in this embodiment are only differences from the primary refrigerant circuit (A) described in the thirteenth embodiment.

As shown in Fig. 45, the primary refrigerant circuit is configured such that a bypass passage (17) is connected at one end thereof between a first motor-operated valve (18a) as an expansion mechanism and a cooling heat exchanger (15) and at the other end to the discharge side of a compressor (11), between the compressor (11) and a heating heat exchanger In other words, the primary refrigerant circuit is configured such that gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor (11) is distributed between the heating heat exchanger (12) and the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14).

Under such a configuration, when the openings of the motor-operated valves (18a, 18b) are set respectively such that-the amount of heat radiated in the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) becomes equal to a difference between an amount of heat given from the heating heat exchanger (12) to the hot heat source heat exchanger and an amount of heat taken from the cold heat source heat exchanger to the cooling heat exchanger the amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed can become equal as the overall primary refrigerant circuit This achieves excellent refrigerant circulation in the primary refrigerant circuit 20 Sixteenth Embodiment This sixteenth embodiment is a modification of the primary refrigerant circuit applied to an air conditioner changeable between cooling and heating operations. Described in this embodiment are only differences from the primary refrigerant circuit described in the first embodiment.

As shown in Fig. 46, the primary refrigerant circuit includes a fourway selector valve (19) selectable between a first position capable of introducing liquid refrigerant from a heating heat exchanger (12) to a heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) and a bypass passage (17) through an expansion valve (13) and a second position capable of introducing the S 30 liquid refrigerant to the expansion valve (13) through the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) and the bypass passage Other structures are the same as in the first embodiment.

S"Under such a configuration, during the heating operation (during the operation of radiating heat of an indoor heat exchanger the four-way selector valve (19) selects the first position shown in broken lines in Fig. 46 so that refrigerant absorbs heat in the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) to evaporate. The amount of heat absorbed is controlled by an motor-operated flow rate control valve (18).

On the other hand, during the cooling operation (during the operation of absorbing heat of the indoor heat exchanger the four-way selector valve (19) selects the second position shown in solid lines in Fig. 46 so that refrigerant radiates heat in the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) to condense. The amount of heat radiated is controlled by the motor-operated flow rate control valve Such operations allow the amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed to become equal as the overall primary refrigerant circuit during either operation. This achieves excellent refrigerant circulation in the primary refrigerant circuit Fig. 47 shows a modification of the sixteenth embodiment. As shown in the figure, the modification includes a defrosting circuit (31) as defrosting means for defrosting the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) when the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) is frosted during the heating operation.

More specifically, a hot gas pipe (32) is connected at one end thereof between the compressor (11) and the heating heat exchanger (12) (to the discharge side of the compressor (11) and at the other end between the heat 20 amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) and the four-way selector valve In the vicinities of both ends of the hot gas pipe first solenoid valves (EVD1, o.

EVD1) for defrosting are provided respectively.

Further, a refrigerant recovery pipe (33) is connected at one end thereof between the heating heat exchanger (12) and one end of the hot gas pipe (32) and is connected at the other end between a cooling heat exchanger (15) and the compressor (11) (to the discharge side of the compressor The Srefrigerant recovery pipe (33) is provided with a second solenoid valve (EDV2) for defrosting.

S"On the discharge side of the compressor a third solenoid valve (EDV3) for defrosting is provided between a connection point of the refrigerant piping (16) with the hot gas pipe (32) and a connection point of the refrigerant piping (16) with the refrigerant recovery pipe On the suction side of the compressor a third solenoid valve (EDV3) for defrosting is provided between a connection point of the refrigerant piping (16) with the refrigerant recovery pipe (33) and the cooling heat exchanger 99 Under such a configuration, when the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) is frosted, the four-way selector valve (19) is changed to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 47, the third solenoid valves (EDV3, EDV3) for defrosting are closed and the first solenoid valves (EDV1, EDV1) for defrosting and the second solenoid valve (EDV2) for defrosting are opened.

Thereby, hot refrigerant discharged from the compressor (11) is introduced into the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) through the hot gas pipe (32) thereby defrosting the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14).

Thereafter, the refrigerant is recovered to the compressor (11) through the expansion valve the four-way selector valve the heating heat exchanger (12) and the refrigerant recovery pipe Accordingly, frost on the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) can be promptly eliminated. This increases air conditioning performance.

Further, such a defrosting circuit (31) can be applied to the first and thirteenth embodiments as well as the air conditioner changeable between the heating and cooling operations as in this embodiment.

Seventeenth Embodiment This seventeenth embodiment is a modification of the primary S. 20 refrigerant circuit applied to an air conditioner changeable between cooling and heating operations. Described in this embodiment are only differences from the primary refrigerant circuit described in the thirteenth S• embodiment (See Fig. 43).

As shown in Fig. 48, the primary refrigerant circuit is configured such that a third motor-operated valve (18c) is provided on the discharge side of the heating heat exchanger a bypass passage (17) between a compressor 00 and a heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) is divided into a suction side branch pipe (17a) and a discharge side branch pipe (17b), the suction side branch pipe (17a) is connected to the suction side of the compressor (11) and the discharge side branch pipe (17b) is connected to the discharge side of the compressor (11).

The suction side branch pipe (17a) is provided with a suction side solenoid valve (EVI) which is opened during the heating operation and is closed during the cooling operation. The discharge side branch pipe (17b) is provided with a discharge side solenoid valve (EVO) which is closed during

N

the heating operation and is opened during the cooling operation. Other structures are the same as in the thirteenth embodiment.

Under such a configuration, during the heating operation (during the operation of radiating heat of an indoor heat exchanger the suction side solenoid valve (EVI) is opened and the discharge side solenoid valve (EVO) is closed so that refrigerant absorbs heat in the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) to evaporate. The amount of heat absorbed is controlled by motor-operated valves (18a, 18b).

On the other hand, during the cooling operation (during the operation of absorbing heat of the indoor heat exchanger the suction side solenoid valve (EVI) is closed and the discharge side solenoid valve (EVO) is opened so that refrigerant radiates heat in the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) to condense. The amount of heat radiated is controlled by the motor-operated valves (18a, 18b). Such operations allow the amount of heat radiated and the amount of heat absorbed to become equal as the overall primary refrigerant circuit during either operation. This achieves excellent refrigerant circulation in the primary refrigerant circuit Fig. 49 shows a modification of the seventeenth embodiment. As shown in the figure, the modification includes a defrosting circuit (31) for defrosting the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) when the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) is frosted during the heating operation. More specifically, Sa refrigerant recovery pipe (33) is connected at one end thereof between the compressor (11) and the heating heat exchanger (12) (to the discharge side of the compressor and is connected at the other end between the compressor (11) and a cooling heat exchanger (15) (to the suction side of the compressor The refrigerant recovery pipe (33) is provided with a third solenoid valve (EDV3) for defrosting.

On the discharge side of the compressor a fourth solenoid valve (EDV4) for defrosting is provided between the compressor (11) and a connection point of the refrigerant piping (16) with the refrigerant recovery pipe (33).

g *Under such a configuration, when the heat amount heat exchanger (14) is frosted, the suction side solenoid valve (EVI) and the fourth solenoid valve (EVD4) for defrosting are closed, and the discharge side solenoid valve (EVO) and the third solenoid valve (EVD3) for defrosting are opened.

Thereby, hot refrigerant discharged from the compressor (11) is introduced into the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) through the discharge side branch pipe (17b) thereby defrosting the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger Thereafter, the refrigerant is recovered to the compressor (11) through the second and third expansion valves (18b, 18c), the heating heat exchanger (12) and the refrigerant recovery pipe Accordingly, frost on the heat amount adjusting heat exchanger (14) can be promptly eliminated. This increases air conditioning performance.

Further, such a defrosting circuit (31) can be applied to the circuit of the thirteenth embodiments as well as the air conditioner selectively operable between the heating and cooling operations as in this embodiment.

The configuration of the above-mentioned primary refrigerant circuits can be applied to the ninth to twelfth embodiments including a plurality of liquid receivers (25a, Modifications having plural cold heat source heat exchangers In the following eighteenth to twenty-third embodiments of the invention, the primary refrigerant circuit configurations in the cases that the secondary refrigerant circuits each have a plurality of cold heat source heat exchangers (two heat exchangers in the embodiments) are shown.

Eighteenth Embodiment that As shown in Fig. 50, this eighteenth embodiment has the configuration that the secondary refrigerant circuit of the first embodiment includes two cold heat source heat exchangers (2a, 2b). As a primary refrigerant circuit same configuration as in the first embodiment (See Fig. 1) is employed.

In such a configuration, the primary refrigerant circuit is configured such that cooling heat exchangers (15a, 15b) are provided in correspondence with the cold heat source heat exchangers (2a, 2b), refrigerant piping (16) is divided into branch pipes (16a, 16b) in correspondence with the cooling heat ,exchangers (15a, 15b) and the branch pipes (16a, 16b) are provided with motoro• operated valves (EVA, EVB) for controlling flow rates of refrigerant toward the cooling heat exchangers (15a, 15b) respectively.

The configuration of the secondary refrigerant circuit is the same as in the fifth embodiment (See Fig. 21).

Nineteenth Embodiment As shown in Fig. 51, this nineteenth embodiment has the configuration that the secondary refrigerant circuit of the first embodiment includes two cold heat source heat exchangers (2a, 2b). As a primary refrigerant circuit same configuration as in the thirteenth embodiment (See Fig. 43) is employed.

In such a configuration, the primary refrigerant circuit is configured such that branch pipes (16a, 16b) of refrigerant piping (16) are provided with second motor-operated valves (18a-1, 18a-2) for controlling flow rates of refrigerant toward cooling heat exchangers (15a, 15b) respectively. Also in this embodiment, the configuration of the secondary refrigerant circuit is the same as in the fifth embodiment (See Fig. 21).

Twentieth Embodiment As shown in Fig. 52, this twentieth embodiment has the configuration that the secondary refrigerant circuit of fourteenth embodiment (See Fig.

44) includes two cold heat source heat exchangers (2a, 2b).

In such a configuration, a primary refrigerant circuit is configured such that branch pipes (16a, 16b) of refrigerant piping (16) are provided with expansion valves (13a, 13b) for controlling flow rates of refrigerant toward 20 cooling heat exchangers (15a, 15b) respectively. The configuration of the S" secondary refrigerant circuit is the same as in the sixth embodiment (See Fig. 23).

o I "Twenty-first Embodiment As shown in Fig. 53, this twenty-first embodiment has the configuration that the secondary refrigerant circuit of the fifteenth embodiment (See Fig.

*go9* includes two cold heat source heat exchangers (2a, 2b).

In such a configuration, a primary refrigerant circuit is configured such that branch pipes (16a, 16b) of refrigerant piping (16) are provided with motor-operated valves (18d-1, 18d-2) for controlling flow rates of refrigerant toward cooling heat exchangers (15a, 15b) respectively. Also in this 99 embodiment, the configuration of the secondary refrigerant circuit is the same as in the sixth embodiment (See Fig. 23).

Twenty-second Embodiment As shown in Fig. 54, this twenty-second embodiment has the configuration that the secondary refrigerant circuit of the sixteenth embodiment (See Fig. 46) includes two cold heat-source heat exchangers (2a, 2b).

In such a configuration, a primary refrigerant circuit is configured such that branch pipes (16a, 16b) of refrigerant piping (16) are provided with expansion valves (18d-1, 18d-2) composed of motor-operated valves for controlling flow rates of refrigerant toward cooling heat exchangers (15a, respectively. The configuration of the secondary refrigerant circuit is the same as in the seventh embodiment (See Fig. Twenty-third Embodiment As shown in Fig. 55, this twenty-third embodiment has the configuration that the secondary refrigerant circuit of the seventeenth embodiment (See Fig. 48) includes two cold heat source heat exchangers (2a, 2b).

In such a configuration, a primary refrigerant circuit is configured such that branch pipes (16a, 16b) are provided with motor-operated valves (18a-1, 18a-2) for controlling flow rates of refrigerant toward cooling heat exchangers (15a, 15b) respectively. Also in this embodiment, the 0 20 configuration of the secondary refrigerant circuit is the same as in the seventh embodiment (See Fig. Other Embodiments The above embodiments describe the cases that the present invention is applied to refrigerant circuitry of air conditioners for air-conditioning one or more rooms. However, this invention is not restricted to these cases and can be applied to various kinds of refrigerating machines such as refrigerant circuitry for refrigerator.

The above-described embodiments are each configured such that the hot o 30 heat source heat exchanger of the refrigerant circuit receives heat from refrigerant circulating in the primary refrigerant circuit and the cold heat source heat exchanger of the secondary refrigerant circuit gives heat to refrigerant circulating in the primary refrigerant circuit The heat transfer devices according to claims 1 to 58 of the invention are not limited to the above configuration, and may be configured such that a heater is disposed in the hot heat source heat exchanger of the secondary refrigerant circuit (B) 104 so as to evaporate refrigerant through the application of heat from the heater or the cold heat source heat exchanger exchanges heat with outside air.

In this invention, an absorption refrigerating machine may be provided in place of the compressor (11) of the primary refrigerant circuit Industrial Applicability As described so far, a heat transfer device of this invention is suitable for a non-power heat transfer type device necessitating no drive source and particularly useful in refrigerant circuitry for air conditioner.

V.

4

*PG,

Claims

1. A heat transfer device comprising: hot heat source means for evaporating refrigerant through the application of heat; cold heat source means which is connected to the hot heat source means via a gas flow pipe and a liquid flow pipe to f orm a closed circuit with the hot heat source means the cold heat source means condensing refrigerant by heat radiation; a plurality of user-side means connected to the gas flow pipe via a gas pipe and to the liquid flow pipe via a liquid pipe each of the plurality of user-side means being capable of independently performing an operation of radiating heat and an operation of absorbing heat; gas flow selecting means for refrigerant flow between the gas flow pipe pipe changing gas and the gas Go liquid flow selecting means for changing liquid refrigerant flow between the liquid flow pipe and the liquid pipe and control means for controlling the gas flow selecting means and the liquid flow selecting means such that refrigerant flow on the user-side means is changed in accordance with an operation mode of the user-side means I where in the cold heat source means is placed at a position higher than the hot heat source means I I the control means .performs: an operation of mainly radiating heat in which the heat balance among all the plurality of user-side means is in a heat radiative 106 condition; an operation of mainly absorbing heat in which the heat balance among all the plurality of user-side means is in a heat absorptive condition; and an operation of recovering refrigerant when the amount of liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means exceeds a specified amount of storage and when the amount of liquid refrigerant in the hot heat source means becomes smaller than a specified amount of storage, ,0 the operation of mainly radiating heat performed by the control means is accomplished in a manner that: gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the heat-radiative user-side means to be condensed; the liquid refrigerant condensed in the heat-radiative user-side means is transferred to the cold heat source means by pressure difference between the heat-radiative user-side .means and the cold heat source means which condenses the gas refrigerant at a temperature lower than that of the *heat-radiative user-side means and transf erred to the heat-absorptive user-side means by pressure difference between the heat-absorptive user-side means and the heat- radiative user-side means ;the gas refrigerant is evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means ;and the gas refrigerant evaporated in the heat absorptive user- side means is transferred to the cold heat source means by pressure difference between the cold heat source means *and the heat-absorptive user-side means caused due to 0: refrigerant condensation in the cold heat source means the operation of mainly absorbing heat performed by the control means Iis accomplished in a manner that: gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the cold heat source means to push out liquid refrigerant 107 in the cold heat source means to the heat-absorptive user-side means the liquid refrigerant is evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means the gas refrigerant is condensed in the cold heat source means the gas Srefrigerant evaporated in the heat-absorptive user-side means is transferred to the cold heat source means by pressure difference between the heat-absorptive user-side means and the cold heat source means caused due to drop in pressure of the cold heat source means gas /o refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the heat-radiative user-side means to be condensed; and the liquid refrigerant condensed in the heat-radiative user- side means is transferred to the cold heat source means by pressure difference between the heat-radiative user- /S side means and the cold heat source means having a condensation temperature lower than that of the heat radiative user-side means and the operation of recovering refrigerant performed by the oeeee control means is accomplished in a manner that: gas refrigerant is supplied from the hot heat source means to the cold heat source means to equalize pressures of the hot heat source means and the cold heat source means and liquid refrigerant flows from the cold heat source means a to the hot heat source means thereby recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means to the hot heat source means

2. The heat transfer device according to claim i, 3g wherein the gas flow selecting means includes: a first shut-off valve provided between the 108 cold heat source means and a connection point of the gas flow pipe with the gas pipe second shut-off valves provided in the gas pipes and corresponding to the plurality of user-side means respectively; a plurality of connecting pipes each having one end connected between the first shut-off valve and the cold heat source means and having the other end connected between the /o corresponding second shut-off valve and the corresponding user-side means third shut-off valves provided in the connecting pipes and corresponding to the plurality of user-side means respectively; and a check valve which is provided in the connecting pipes and allows only a flow toward the cold heat source means and the control means closes the first shut-off valve during the operation of mainly radiating heat and at the time of transfer of gas refrigerant from the user-side o. means to the cold heat source means during the operation of mainly absorbing heat, while opens the first shut-off valve at the time of pushing out liquid 9 refrigerant from the cold heat source means to the heat- absorptive user-side means during the operation of mainly *absorbing heat and during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means 3o the control means opens each of the second shut-off valves only during the operation of radiating heat of the corresponding user-side means 109 and the control means opens each of the third shut-off valves only during the operation of absorbing heat of the corresponding user-side means

3. wherein The heat transfer device according to claim 1, c r r r r da E C the liquid flow selecting means includes: a first shut-off valve provided at a recovery flow side portion of the liquid flow pipe between the hot heat source means and a connection point of the liquid flow pipe with the liquid pipe a check valve which is provided at a recovery flow side portion of the liquid flow pipe and allows only a flow toward the hot heat source means and second shut-off valves provided in the liquid pipes and corresponding to the plurality of user-side means respectively, the control means opens the first shut-off valve during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means while closes the first shut-off valve during the operation of mainly absorbing heat, and the control means opens each of the second shut-off valves during the operation of radiating heat and the operation of absorbing heat of the corresponding cc3 31 110 user-side means while closes each of the second shut-off valves during the operation of recovering liquid refrigerant in the cold heat source means

4. The heat transfer device according to any of claims 1-3, further comprising liquid receive means for storing liquid refrigerant, the liquid receive means being provided in parallel with the cold heat source means wherein one end of the liquid receive means is connected via a branch pipe between the cold heat source means S and a connection point of the gas flow pipe with the gas pipe and oo the other end of the liquid receive means is connected via a branch pipe between the cold heat source means and a connection point of the liquid flow pipe with the liquid pipe The heat transfer device according to claim 4, further comprising a shut-off valve for changing a flow of refrigerant toward the cold heat source means the shut- off valve being provided between the cold heat source *e means and a connection point of the gas flow pipe with the branch pipe

6. The heat transfer device according to any of claims 1-3, wherein 111 the hot heat source means evaporates refrigerant by receiving an amount of heat from refrigerant for a heat source circulating in a heat source-side refrigerant circuit the cold heat source means condenses refrigerant by losing an amount of heat to the refrigerant for heat source, and the comprises: heat source-side refrigerant circuit heating heat exchange means for exchanging heat with the hot heat source means to give an amount of heat for evaporating refrigerant to the hot heat source means cooling heat exchange means for exchanging heat with the cold heat source means to take an :....amount of heat for condensing refrigerant from the cold heat source means and heat exchange amount adjusting means for giving, to the refrigerant for heat source, a difference between both the heat exchange amounts of the heating heat exchange means and the cooling heat exchange means during the operation of radiating heat of the user-side means when the heat exchange amount of the heating S" heat exchange means is larger than that of the cooling heat exchange means while taking, from the refrigerant for heat source, a difference Sbetween both the heat exchange amounts of the heating heat exchange means and the cooling heat exchange means during the operation of absorbing heat of the user-side means when the heat exchange amount of the heating heat exchange means is smaller than that of the cooling heat exchange means The heat transfer device according to claim 6, 7. wherein the heat source-side refrigerant circuit is formed of refrigerant heating means the heating heat exchange means I expansion mechanism I the heat exchange amount adjusting means and the cooling heat exchange means which are connected in this order so as to allow refrigerant to circulate therein, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit comprises: further *~2S~ a four-way selector valve which selects, during the heating operation of the user-side means Ia heating operation position that allows refrigerant from the heating heat exchange means to pass through the expansion mechanism -I the heat exchange amount adjusting means -and the cooling heat exchange means in this order, the four-way valve selector selecting, during the cooling operation of the user-side means I a cooling operation position that allows refrigerant from the heating heat exchange amount adjusting means the expansion mechanism and the cooling heat exchange means in this order; and a bypass passage having one end connected between the expansion mechanism and the heat exchange amount adjusting means and having the 113 other end connected between the heat exchange amount adjusting means and the four-way selector valve and Sthe bypass passage is provided with a flow control valve adjustable in opening for controlling a flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange amount adjusting means according to a difference between the heat exchange amount of the heating heat exchange means /O and that of the cooling heat exchange means

8. The heat transfer device according to claim 12, wherein the heat source-side refrigerant circuit is formed of refrigerant heating means the heating heat exchange means expansion mechanism and the cooling heat Sexchange means which are connected in this order so as to allow refrigerant to circulate therein, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit further comprises a bypass passage for bypassing the cooling heat exchange means during the heating operation of the user-side means to introduce refrigerant from the heating heat exchange means into the refrigerant heating means while bypassing the heating heat exchange means during the cooling operation of the user-side means to introduce refrigerant from the refrigerant heating means into the cooling heat exchange means 3V the heat exchange amount adjusting means is provided in the bypass passage and the bypass passage is provided with a pressure reduction mechanism for reducing the pressure of refrigerant during the heating operation of the user-side means

9. The heat transfer device according to claim 14, wherein one end of the bypass passage is divided into a suction branch pipe and a discharge branch pipe to0 the suction branch pipe is connected to a suction side of the refrigerant heating means and the discharge branch pipe is connected to a discharge side of the refrigerant heating means the suction branch pipe is provided with a shut- valve which Is opened during the heating operation *of the user-side means and is closed during the cooling operation thereof, and the discharge branch pipe is provided with a shut- off valve which is closed during the heating operation of the user-side means and is opened during the cooling operation thereof. The heat transfer device according to claim 6, wherein the heat source-side refrigerant circuit further comprises defrosting means for supplying refrigerant 3p discharged from the refrigerant heating means to the heat exchange amount adjusting means to defrost the heat exchange amount adjusting means when the heat exchange 1~1 1 amount adjusting means is frosted.

11. The heat transfer device according to claim 7, wherein the heat source-side refrigerant circuit further comprises defrosting means for supplying refrigerant discharged from the refrigerant heating means to the heat exchange amount adjusting means to defrost the heat /o exchange amount adjusting means when the heat exchange amount adjusting means is frosted, and the defrosting means comprises: a hot gas pipe having one end connected to a discharge side of the refrigerant heating means and having the other end connected to the heat exchange amount adjusting means a shut-off valve which is provided in the hot gas pipe and is opened only during defrosting operation; a suction pipe for introducing refrigerant having passed through the heat exchange amount adjusting means the expansion mechanism and the heating heat exchange means into a suction side of the refrigerant heating means and a shut-off valve which is provided in the suction pipe and is opened only during defrosting operation.

12. wherein The heat transfer device according to claim 8, the heat source-side refrigerant circuit further comprises defrosting means for supplying refrigerant discharged from the refrigerant heating means to the heat exchange amount adjusting means to defrost the heat exchange amount adjusting means when the heat exchange amount adjusting means is frosted, and the defrosting means comprises: a shut-off valve which is provided between /0 the refrigerant heating means and the heating heat exchange means and is closed during defrosting operation; a connecting pipe having one end connected between the shut-off valve and the heating heat exchange means and having the other end connected to a suction side of the refrigerant heating means and a shut-off valve which is provided in the *r connecting pipe and is closed during defrosting operation. a. 0

13. The heat transfer device according to claim 6, wherein the refrigerant heating means is a compressor DATED this twenty-ninth day of September 1999 Daikin Industries, Ltd. Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: F B RICE CO