EP4671631A1

EP4671631A1 - OUTDOOR AIR CONDITIONING UNIT

Info

Publication number: EP4671631A1
Application number: EP24760290.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kenji OIE
Original assignee: Fujitsu General Ltd
Current assignee: Fujitsu General Ltd
Priority date: 2023-02-24
Filing date: 2024-02-19
Publication date: 2025-12-31
Also published as: JP7663100B2; WO2024176991A1; JP2024120358A

Abstract

[Object] To provide soundproofing measures while preventing a housing from becoming larger.

[Solving Means] An outdoor unit for an air conditioner is an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, including: a housing; and a heat exchanger, a fan, and a compressor provided inside the housing. The inside of the housing is divided by a partition plate into a heat exchange chamber in which the heat exchanger and the fan are disposed, and a machine chamber in which the compressor is disposed. The housing includes a top plate, a bottom plate opposed to the top plate, and a side plate provided between the top plate and the bottom plate. The side plate includes a machine chamber side plate disposed on a side of the machine chamber, and a heat exchange chamber side plate disposed on a side of the heat exchange chamber, and the machine chamber side plate has a plate thickness greater than a plate thickness of the heat exchange chamber side plate.

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an outdoor unit for an air conditioner.

Background Art

It has been known that, in outdoor units for air conditioners, soundproofing measures to prevent sounds from the compressor (vibration sounds, refrigerant discharge sounds, and the like) from leaking to the outside are implemented. As a soundproofing measure, for example, there is a technology for absorbing sound by wrapping a sound absorbing material around the compressor or placing a sound absorbing material on the inner wall of the machine chamber in which the compressor is housed (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). Alternatively, as another soundproofing measure, there is a technology for insulating sound by surrounding the compressor in the machine chamber with a metal box (see, for example, Patent Literature 2).

Citation List

Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2019-100658
Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2012-063114

Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

In the technology using only the sound absorbing material in the compressor as a soundproofing measure for outdoor units for air conditioners, for example, low-frequency noise with a frequency of 1 kHz or less cannot be reduced. Such low-frequency noise can be reduced by a soundproofing material made of a material with high density such as metal. However, for example, if a metal box covering the compressor is placed in the machine chamber in order to reduce low-frequency noise, the outdoor unit will have a double-layered housing. In the case where a box covering the compressor is provided in the housing, it is necessary to place devices, pipes, and the like other than the compressor to avoid this box. For this reason, the outdoor unit becomes larger. Further, there is also a possibility that providing a metal box increases the production man-hours and parts costs, and increases the production cost of the outdoor unit.
In view of the circumstances as described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an outdoor unit for an air conditioner capable of providing soundproofing measures while preventing a housing from becoming larger.

Solution to Problem

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention is an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, including: a housing; and a heat exchanger, a fan, and a compressor provided inside the housing.
The inside of the housing is divided by a partition plate into a heat exchange chamber in which the heat exchanger and the fan are disposed, and a machine chamber in which the compressor is disposed.
The housing includes a top plate, a bottom plate opposed to the top plate, and a side plate provided between the top plate and the bottom plate.
The side plate includes a machine chamber side plate disposed on a side of the machine chamber, and a heat exchange chamber side plate disposed on a side of the heat exchange chamber, and the machine chamber side plate has a plate thickness greater than a plate thickness of the heat exchange chamber side plate.
With such an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the housing is prevented from becoming larger, enabling soundproofing measures.
In the outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the heat exchange chamber may be surrounded by the heat exchange chamber side plate and the partition plate, and the machine chamber may be surrounded by the machine chamber side plate and the partition plate.
With such an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the housing is prevented from becoming larger, enabling further soundproofing measures.
In the outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the partition plate may have a plate thickness greater than the plate thickness of the heat exchange chamber side plate.
With such an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the housing is prevented from becoming larger, enabling further soundproofing measures.
In the outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the machine chamber side plate may include a first side plate and a second side plate forming a corner portion of the housing and further include a third side plate provided between the first side plate and the second side plate, and the fifth side plate may have a plate thickness greater than the plate thickness of the heat exchange chamber side plate.
With such an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the housing is prevented from becoming larger, enabling further soundproofing measures.
In the outdoor unit for an air conditioner, at least part of the compressor may be surrounded by a first soundproofing material.
With such an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the housing is prevented from becoming larger, enabling further soundproofing measures.
In the outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the first soundproofing material may include at least one of a sound absorbing member or a sound insulating member.
With such an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the housing is prevented from becoming larger, enabling further soundproofing measures.
In the outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the first soundproofing material may include a sound absorbing member and a sound insulating member, and the sound insulating member may have a structure sandwiched between the sound absorbing member.
With such an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the housing is prevented from becoming larger, enabling further soundproofing measures.
In the outdoor unit for an air conditioner, a second soundproofing material may be disposed on at least part of an inner wall surface of the machine chamber.
With such an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the housing is prevented from becoming larger, enabling further soundproofing measures.
In the outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the second soundproofing material may include at least one of a sound absorbing member or a sound insulating member.
With such an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the housing is prevented from becoming larger, enabling further soundproofing measures.
In the outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the second soundproofing material disposed on the inner wall surface of the machine chamber may include an sound absorbing member and a sound insulating member, the sound insulating member may be disposed on a side of the inner wall surface, and the sound absorbing member may be disposed facing the machine chamber.
With such an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, the housing is prevented from becoming larger, enabling further soundproofing measures.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided an outdoor unit for an air conditioner capable of providing soundproofing measures while preventing a housing from becoming larger.

Brief Description of Drawings

[Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a heat pump cycle device according to this embodiment.
[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of an outdoor unit for a heat pump cycle device.
[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of the outdoor unit for a heat pump cycle device.
[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a partition plate disposed inside a housing and respective panels forming the housing of the outdoor unit, which are disassembled.
[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the outdoor unit for a heat pump cycle device.
[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a schematic top view of the outdoor unit for a heat pump cycle device.
[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a graph showing an example of frequency properties of a sound absorbing material.
[Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is a schematic top view showing a modified example of a machine chamber of the outdoor unit.
[Fig. 9] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a cross-sectional structure of a soundproofing material.

Mode(s) for Carrying Out the Invention

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, XYZ axis coordinates are introduced in some cases. Further, the same members or members having the same function will be denoted by the same reference symbols in some cases, and the description will be omitted as appropriate in some cases after describing the members. Further, numerical values shown below are examples and the present invention is not limited to these examples.

In this embodiment, a heat pump cycle device is exemplified as an air conditioner. Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a heat pump cycle device according to this embodiment. As an example, Fig. 1 shows a heat pump hot water heating device as an air conditioner. As shown in Fig. 1, a heat pump cycle device 1 includes an outdoor unit 10 and an indoor unit 90.
The outdoor unit 10 of the heat pump cycle device 1 includes a compressor 110, a four-way valve 120, a water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130, a water pump (circulation pump) 140, an expansion valve 150, an outdoor heat exchanger 160, an accumulator 170, an outside temperature sensor 180, a blower 190, and a control unit 300. In the outdoor unit 10, the compressor 110, the four-way valve 120, the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130, the expansion valve 150, the outdoor heat exchanger 160, and the accumulator 170 are connected in order by a refrigerant pipe 19, thereby forming a refrigerant circuit 1c in the heat pump cycle device 1. Note that the blower 190 includes a propeller fan and a motor that drives the propeller fan.
The indoor unit 90 of the heat pump cycle device 1 includes an indoor unit 900. In the indoor unit 90, the indoor unit 900, the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130, and the water pump 140 are connected in series by a water pipe 95, thereby forming a hot water circuit 1h in the heat pump cycle device 1.

The respective devices forming the refrigerant circuit 1c will be described in more detail.
The compressor 110 is driven by a motor (not shown) whose rotation speed is controlled by an inverter. The compressor 110 is a variable capacity compressor whose operating capacity can be varied. The compressor 110 compresses the sucked low-pressure gas refrigerant and supplies a high-pressure gas refrigerant. The four-way valve 120 is a flow path switching valve for switching the refrigerant circulation direction in the refrigerant circuit 1c. The water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130 is, for example, a plate-type heat exchanger. The water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130 functions as a user-side heat exchanger, exchanging heat between the refrigerant that flows through the refrigerant pipe 19 and flows into the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130 and water that flows through the water pipe 95 and flows into the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130.
The expansion valve 150 is an electronic expansion valve in which the degree of opening of the valve is controlled by pulse control of a stepping motor. The expansion valve 150 reduces the pressure (expands) the liquid refrigerant passing through the expansion valve 150. The outdoor heat exchanger 160 is, for example, a fin-tube heat exchanger. The outdoor heat exchanger 160 functions as a heat source side heat exchanger, exchanging heat between the refrigerant that flows through the refrigerant pipe 19 and flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 160 and the outside air taken in by the rotation of the blower 190. The accumulator 170 separates the refrigerant flowed in from the four-way valve 120 into a gas refrigerant and a liquid refrigerant, and only the gas refrigerant is sucked into the compressor 110.
The blower 190 is disposed, inside a housing 101, in the vicinity of the outdoor heat exchanger 160 disposed inside the housing 101. The blower 190 takes in outside air from a suction port (described below) of the outdoor unit 10 into the outdoor unit 10, and releases, from an air outlet (described below) to the outside of the outdoor unit 10, the outside air that has exchanged heat with the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 160.
The outside temperature sensor 180 is provided in the vicinity of the outdoor heat exchanger 160, facing the outside of the housing 101. The outside temperature sensor 180 detects the temperature of the outside air taken into the outdoor unit 10 by the rotation of the blower 190.

In the outdoor unit 10, in addition to the refrigerant pipe 19, the water pipe 95 is connected to the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130. The indoor unit 900 and the water pump 140 are sequentially connected to the water pipe 95. The water pump 140 is driven by a motor with a fixed rotation speed or a motor with a variable rotation speed. As a result, in the hot water circuit 1h, water circulates in the direction indicated by a solid arrow. The indoor unit 900 is, for example, a terminal for heating the room, such as a floor heating device and a radiator. That is, the water circulating through the hot water circuit 1h dissipates heat in the indoor unit 900, thereby heating the air-conditioned space in which the indoor unit 90 is installed.

The control unit 300 includes a CPU that performs calculation and transmits information, a storage unit that stores various programs relating to the operation control of the heat pump cycle device 1, a request (such as a set temperature) regarding the operation set by a user in the indoor unit 900, a set temperature set by the indoor unit 900, values detected by various sensors provided in the refrigerant circuit 1c or the hot water circuit 1h, and the like, a sensor input unit that inputs detection values of various sensors provided in the refrigerant circuit 1c or the hot water circuit 1h, a reception unit that receives a signal transmitted from a remote control (not shown) for operating the indoor unit 90, and the like. The CPU, the storage unit, the sensor input unit, the reception unit, and the like are mounted on, for example, a circuit board (circuit board). The control unit 300 controls the compressor 110, the four-way valve 120, the water pump 140, the expansion valve 150, and the like on the basis of the values detected by various sensors or various requests regarding the operation.
Further, the outdoor unit 10 is divided into a heat exchange chamber 10H and a machine chamber 10M by a partition plate 20 (Fig. 3). In the outdoor unit 10, the outdoor heat exchanger 160 and the blower 190 are disposed in the heat exchange chamber 10H of the outdoor unit 10. The compressor 110, the four-way valve 120, the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130, the water pump 140, the expansion valve 150, and the accumulator 170 are disposed in the machine chamber 10M of the outdoor unit 10 (not shown in Fig. 3).
As shown in Fig. 3, the outside temperature sensor 180 is disposed in the vicinity of the outdoor heat exchanger 160 on the side opposite to the blower 190. For example, the outside temperature sensor 180 is disposed to be adjacent to a side portion 101be of a rear portion 101ba, which forms part of the opening edge of a suction port 103 through which outside air is blown into the outdoor unit 10 by the blower 190, behind the outdoor heat exchanger 160. The control unit 300 may be disposed in the heat exchange chamber 10H of the outdoor unit 10 or in the machine chamber 10M. Further, the control unit 300 may be disposed across the machine chamber 10M and the heat exchange chamber 10H. Fig. 1 shows an example in which the control unit 300 is disposed across the machine chamber 10M and the heat exchange chamber 10H.

The operation of the heat pump cycle device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 1.

When the heat pump cycle device 1 performs a heating operation, the four-way valve 120 is operated to set the refrigerant circuit 1c to a heating cycle. When the compressor 110 is driven in this state, the refrigerant flows through the refrigerant circuit 1c in the direction indicated by the solid arrow. The refrigerant supplied from the compressor 110 flows through the refrigerant pipe 19 and flows into the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130 via the four-way valve 120.
The refrigerant that has flowed into the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130 exchanges heat with the water that has circulated through the hot water circuit 1h and flowed into the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130, and is condensed. The refrigerant flowing out from the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130 to the refrigerant pipe 19 is reduced in pressure when passing through the expansion valve 150 and flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 160.
The refrigerant that has flowed into the outdoor heat exchanger 160 exchanges heat with outside air and evaporates. The refrigerant flowing out from the outdoor heat exchanger 160 to the refrigerant pipe 19 is sucked into the compressor 110 via the four-way valve 120 and the accumulator 170 and is compressed again.
Meanwhile, in the hot water circuit 1h, the water pump 140 is driven to cause water to flow through the hot water circuit 1h in the direction indicated by the solid arrow. The water that has flowed through the water pipe 95 and flowed into the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130 exchanges heat with the refrigerant and is heated by the refrigerant, thereby becoming hot water. This hot water flows into the indoor unit 900. The hot water flows through the indoor unit 900, thereby heating the room in which the indoor unit 900 is installed.

When the heat pump cycle device 1 performs the heating operation, frost forms on the outdoor heat exchanger 160 that functions as an evaporator. In this case, the outdoor unit 10 is capable of performing a defrosting operation of the outdoor heat exchanger 160.
For example, when the heat pump cycle device 1 performs the defrosting operation, the four-way valve 120 is operated to switch the flow direction of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 1c such that the outdoor heat exchanger 160 functions as a condenser. That is, the refrigerant circuit 1c is set to a cooling cycle. When the compressor 110 is driven in this state, the refrigerant flows through the refrigerant circuit 1c in the direction indicated by a broken arrow. The refrigerant supplied from the compressor 110 flows through the refrigerant pipe 19 and flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 160 via the four-way valve 120. At this time, the blower 190 is stopped.
The refrigerant that has flowed into the outdoor heat exchanger 160 melts the frost that has formed on the outdoor heat exchanger 160 by the heat of the refrigerant. The refrigerant flowing out from the outdoor heat exchanger 160 to the refrigerant pipe 19 passes through the expansion valve 150 in which the degree of opening is full, flows into the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130, exchanges heat with the water that has circulated through the hot water circuit 1h and flowed into the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130, and evaporates. The refrigerant flowing out from the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130 to the refrigerant pipe 19 is sucked into the compressor 110 via the four-way valve 120 and the accumulator 170 and is compressed again.
Further, the outdoor unit 10 can be applied to not only the heating operation but also the cooling operation. When the outdoor unit 10 is applied to a heat pump hot-and-cold water air conditioner, the above cooling cycle is applied. In this case, the cold refrigerant that has released heat in the outdoor heat exchanger 160 flows into the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130, and exchanges heat with the water in the hot water circuit 1h flowing through the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130, thereby turning the water in the hot water circuit 1h into cool water. As a result, the cool water flows through the indoor unit 900, and the cool water circulating the hot water circuit 1h absorbs heat in the indoor unit 900, thereby cooling the air-conditioned space in which the indoor unit 90 is installed.

Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 are each a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of an outdoor unit for a heat pump cycle device. Fig. 2 shows the outdoor unit as viewed obliquely from the front, and Fig. 3 shows the outdoor unit as viewed obliquely from the rear. Note that in Fig. 3, a top plate 101u forming part of the housing of the outdoor unit is omitted. Further, Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a partition plate disposed inside a housing and respective panels forming the housing of the outdoor unit, which are disassembled.
In Figs. 2 and 3, the Z-axis direction is the up-and-down direction in the outdoor unit 10, the X-axis direction is the right-and-left direction in the outdoor unit 10, and the Y-axis direction is the front-and-rear direction (depth direction) in the outdoor unit 10. Further, in this embodiment, the side of the top plate 101u of the housing 101 is referred to as the upper surface side or above, the side of a bottom plate 101d of the housing 101 is referred to as the bottom surface side or below, the side of a front panel 101f of the housing 101 is referred to as the front side or front, and the side of a rear panel 101b of the housing 101 is referred to as the rear side or rear. Further, when viewed from the front of the housing 101, the surface connected to the front surface and the rear surface on the right side of the housing 101 is referred to as the right side surface of the housing 101, and the surface connected to the front surface and the rear surface on the left side of the housing 101 is referred to as the left side surface of the housing 101.
The housing 101 has, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped shape in which the length in the right-and-left direction is greater than the length in the front-and-rear direction. The housing 101 is formed of, for example, a steel plate, and includes the top plate 101u, the bottom plate 101d opposed to the top plate 101u in the Z-axis direction, and side plates provided between the top plate 101u and the bottom plate 101d. The side plates include the front panel 101f, a right side panel 101r (first side plate), a left side panel 1011, the rear panel 101b (second side plate), and a service panel 101s (third side plate).
In the housing 101, the front panel 101f is bent in an L-shape when the housing 101 is viewed from above, and includes a front portion 101fa and a left side portion 101fb. The front panel 101f forms the corner portion on the left side of the front surface of the housing 101. The front portion 101fa of the front panel 101f is aligned with the blower 190 in the Y-axis direction, and forms part of the front surface of the housing 101. The left side portion 101fb of the front panel 101f is connected to the front portion 101fa, and forms part of the left side surface of the housing 101. The length of the front portion 101fa in the X-axis direction is greater than the length of the left side portion 101fb in the Y-axis direction.
In the housing 101, the right side panel 101r is bent in an L-shape when the housing 101 is viewed from above, and includes a front portion 101ra and a right side portion 101rb. The right side panel 101r forms the corner portion on the right side of the front surface of the housing 101. The front portion 101ra of the right side panel 101r is aligned with the front panel 101f in the X-axis direction, and forms part of the front surface of the housing 101. The right side portion 101rb is connected to the front portion 101ra, and forms part of the right side surface of the housing 101. The length of the front portion 101ra in the X-axis direction is greater than the length of the right side portion 101rb in the Y-axis direction.
In the housing 101, the left side panel 101l is bent in an L-shape when the housing 101 is viewed from above, and includes a left side portion 101la and a rear portion 101lb. The left side panel 101l forms the corner portion on the left side of the rear surface of the housing 101. The left side portion 101la of the left side panel 101l is aligned with the left side portion 101fb of the front panel 101f in the Y-axis direction. The left side portion 101la forms part of the left side surface of the housing 101. The rear portion 101lb of the left side panel 101l is connected to the left side portion 101la, and forms part of the rear surface of the housing 101. The length of the left side portion 101la in the Y-axis direction is greater than the length of the rear portion 101lb in the X-axis direction.
In the housing 101, the rear panel 101b is bent in an L-shape when the housing 101 is viewed from above, and includes the rear portion 101ba and a right side portion 101bb. The rear panel 101b forms the corner portion on the right side of the rear surface of the housing 101. The rear portion 101ba of the rear panel 101b is aligned with the rear portion 101lb of the left side panel 101l in the X-axis direction. The right side portion 101bb of the rear panel 101b is aligned with the right side portion 101rb of the right side panel 101r in the Y-axis direction. The rear portion 101ba of the rear panel 101b forms part of the rear surface of the housing 101. The right side portion 101bb of the rear panel 101b is connected to the rear portion 101ba, and forms part of the right side surface of the housing 101. The length of the rear portion 101ba in the X-axis direction is greater than the length of the right side portion 101bb in the Y-axis direction.
The top plate 101u and the bottom plate 101d are opposed to each other in the Z-axis direction. The front portion 101fa of the front panel 101f and the rear portion 101lb of the left side panel 101l are opposed to each other in the Y-axis direction. The front portion 101ra of the right side panel 101r and the rear portion 101ba of the rear panel 101b are opposed to each other in the Y-axis direction. The left side portion 101fb of the front panel 101f and the right side portion 101rb of the right side panel 101r are opposed to each other in the X-axis direction. The left side portion 101la of the left side panel 101l and the right side portion 101bb of the rear panel 101b are opposed to each other in the X-axis direction.
In the housing 101, the service panel 101s is disposed between the right side portion 101rb of the right side panel 101r and the right side portion 101bb of the rear panel 101b. The service panel 101s is attachable/detachable to/from the housing 101 for the placement, connection, maintenance, and the like of the parts in the housing 101. This embodiment also includes a structure in which the service panel 101s is omitted and the right side portion 101rb of the right side panel 101r and the right side portion 101bb of the rear panel 101b are connected.
The front panel 101f includes an air outlet 102 that is an air outlet of the outdoor unit 10 opened in a circle according to the outer shape of the propeller of the blower 190, and a bell mouth 101fm that extends from the air outlet 102 toward the inside of the housing 101 in a trumpet shape. The air outlet 102 is covered by a net-like fan guard 101g provided in front of the front panel 101f. The fan guard 101g is bent in an L-shape when the housing 101 is viewed from above, and is disposed along the front portion 101fa and the left side portion 101fb of the front panel 101f.
As shown in Fig. 3, on the rear side of the housing 101, the region between the rear portion 101ba of the rear panel 101b and the rear portion 101lb of the left side panel 101l is the suction port 103 of the outdoor unit 10. The suction port 103 has a rectangular opening edge. An end portion 101be of the rear portion 101ba on the side of the suction port 103 forms one side portion of the opening edge of the suction port 103 in the circumferential direction. Further, an end portion 101le of the rear portion 101lb on the side of the suction port 103 forms another side portion of the opening edge of the suction port 103 in the circumferential direction. The outdoor heat exchanger 160 is exposed at the suction port 103 of the housing 101. A protective net 101z that protects the outdoor heat exchanger 160 from direct impact on the outdoor heat exchanger 160 is provided in the rear of the outdoor heat exchanger 160. The protective net 101z is formed of an iron material.
The suction port 103 is provided with the outside temperature sensor 180 that detects the temperature of the outside air to be sucked into the suction port 103. The outside temperature sensor 180 is disposed to face the outside of the housing 101. for example, the outside temperature sensor 180 is disposed to be adjacent to the end portion (side portion 101be) on the right side of the suction port 103 by being fixed to the rear portion 101ba of the rear panel 101b. The outside temperature sensor 180 is disposed at a position slightly higher than half the height of the suction port 103 in the up-and-down direction (height: height from the ground surface of the outdoor unit 10 or height from the bottom plate 101b). Further, the outside temperature sensor 180 is provided to the suction port 103 so as to be adjacent to an end portion 20e of the partition plate 20 disposed inside the housing 101 with the outdoor heat exchanger 160 sandwiched therebetween, for example. Specifically, the outside temperature sensor 180 is disposed to be adjacent to one side portion (side portion 101be) in the circumferential direction of the opening edge that forms the opening edge of the suction port 103 (Fig. 3). The signal detected by the outside temperature sensor 180 is transmitted to, for example, a control board (not shown) disposed in the machine chamber 10M.
The inside of the housing 101 of the outdoor unit 10 is divided by the partition plate 20 into the heat exchange chamber 10H on the left side when viewed from the front and the machine chamber 10M on the right side (Fig. 3, Fig. 4). The heat exchange chamber 10H is surrounded by the top plate 101u, the bottom plate 101d, the front panel 101f, the left side panel 101l, and the partition plate 20. The inside of the heat exchange chamber 10H communicates with the outside of the housing 101 by the air outlet 102 and the suction port 103. The machine chamber 10M is surrounded by the top plate 101u, the bottom plate 101d, the right side panel 101r, the rear panel 101b, the service panel 101s, and the partition plate 20.
In this embodiment, the front panel 101f and the left side panel 101l are disposed on the side of the heat exchange chamber 10H, and thus, the front panel 101f and the left side panel 101l will be collectively referred to as a heat exchange chamber side plate. Further, the right side panel 101r, the rear panel 101b, and the service panel 101s are disposed on the side of the machine chamber 10M, and thus, the right side panel 101r, the rear panel 101b, and the service panel 101s will be collectively referred to as a machine chamber side plate. Therefore, the side plates disposed between the top plate 101u and the bottom plate 101d include the machine chamber side plate and the heat exchange chamber side plate. That is, when the housing 101 is viewed from above, the heat exchange chamber 10H is surrounded by the heat exchange chamber side plate and the partition plate 20, and the machine chamber 10M is surrounded by the machine chamber side plate and the partition plate 20.
Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the outdoor unit for a heat pump cycle device. Fig. 5 shows the outdoor unit 10 as viewed obliquely from the front above, with the top plate 101u, the right side panel 101r, and the service panel 101s detached from the housing 101. Fig. 6 is a schematic top view of the outdoor unit for a heat pump cycle device. Fig. 6 shows the state in which the top plate 101u is detached from the housing 101.
For example, the outdoor heat exchanger 160 and the blower 190 are disposed in the heat exchange chamber 10H. The outdoor heat exchanger 160 is fixed to the bottom plate 101d. The outdoor heat exchanger 160 is formed in an L-shape when viewed from above the housing 101. For example, the outdoor heat exchanger 160 includes a first heat exchange unit 160a that extends in the right-and-left direction, a second heat exchange unit 160b that extends in the front-and-rear direction, and a third heat exchange unit 160c that is curved and connects the first heat exchange unit 160a and the second heat exchange unit 160b.
The blower 190 is disposed to face the first heat exchange unit 160a of the outdoor heat exchanger 160 in the front-and-rear direction and in proximity to the air outlet 102. As the blower 190 rotates, outside air flows into the heat exchange chamber 10H from the suction port 103, this outside air passes through the outdoor heat exchanger 160, and the outside air and the refrigerant flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger 160 exchange heat. The outside air that has passed through the outdoor heat exchanger 160 is discharged from the heat exchange chamber 10H via the air outlet 102 by the rotation of the blower 190.
Parts constituting the refrigerant circuit 1c, such as the compressor 110, the four-way valve 120, the expansion valve 150, and the accumulator 170, are disposed in the machine chamber 10M. These parts are connected by the refrigerant pipe 19. The compressor 110 and the accumulator 170 are fixed to the bottom plate 101d. Further, parts constituting the hot water circuit 1h, such as the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130 and the water pump 140, are disposed in the machine chamber 10M. These parts are connected by the water pipe 95. Further, the rear portion 101ba of the rear panel 101b is provided with an inflow port 91 through which the water from the indoor unit 900 flows into the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130, and an outflow port 92 through which the water flows out from the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 130 to the indoor unit 900. The water pipe 95 is connected to the inflow port 91 and the inflow port 92.
The partition plate 20 includes a first portion 21 and a second portion 22 and is fixed to the bottom plate 101d. The partition plate 20 is provided with a bent portion 25 between the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 such that the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 intersect with each other. The partition plate 20 includes the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 with the bent portion 25 sandwiched therebetween. The first portion 21 is disposed along the direction intersecting the front-and-rear direction. The second portion 22 is disposed along the front-and-rear direction. The angle between the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 is an obtuse angle. The first portion 21 is disposed closer to the outdoor heat exchanger 160 than the second portion 22. The angle between the first portion 21 and the outdoor heat exchanger 160 is an acute angle. Part of the space of the heat exchange chamber 10H is formed between the first portion 21 and the outdoor heat exchanger 160. The width of the first portion 21 in the above intersecting direction is narrower than the width of the second portion 22 in the front-and-rear direction.

In order to soundproof the outdoor unit for an air conditioner, it is effective to take soundproofing measures for the compressor, which is the loudest of the parts disposed in the outdoor unit 10. For example, a sound absorbing material is wrapped around the compressor housed in the machine chamber or a sound absorbing material is disposed on the inner wall of the machine chamber. Here, the sound absorbing material is, for example, a material that absorbs the vibration energy of sound and converts the vibration energy of sound into thermal energy, thereby reducing sound. Examples of the sound absorbing material include low-density materials such as a fiber like glass wool, wood, and a porous material. Using the sound absorbing material eliminates the necessity to surround the compressor with a metal box. Further, if the sound absorbing material has flexibility, it is possible to provide soundproofing measures by surrounding the compressor so as to be along the outer shape of the compressor.
However, the sound absorbing material has frequency properties for absorbing sound. For example, while sound with a frequency of higher than 1 kHz is absorbed, low-frequency sound with a frequency of 1 kHz or less passes through the sound absorbing material in some cases. For example, Fig. 7 is a graph showing an example of measurement of frequency properties of the volume of noise emitted from the outdoor unit. In Fig. 7, the volume (unit: dB/white bar) in the case of the compressor alone(without a sound absorbing material and the like), the volume (dB/light black bar) in the case of surrounding the compressor with a sound absorbing material, and the volume (dB/dot bar) in the case of surrounding the compressor with a sound absorbing material and housing these in the housing are shown.
Referring to Fig. 7, it can be seen that at frequencies higher than 1 kHz, the volume is reduced in the case of surrounding the compressor with the sound absorbing material as compared with that in the case of the compressor alone. In contrast, at frequencies of 1 kHz or less, the volume is not so reduced as compared with that in the case of the compressor alone even in the case of surrounding the compressor with the sound absorbing material, the volume is larger depending on the frequency, and it can be seen that the low-frequency sound with a frequency of 1 kHz or less cannot be sufficiently blocked by the sound absorbing material only. Meanwhile, it can be seen that in the case of surrounding the compressor with the sound absorbing material and the housing, the volume is reduced over the entire frequency range. In this way, the low-frequency sound with a frequency of 1 kHz or less cannot be reduced with the sound absorbing material in some cases.
For example, there is a technology for surrounding the compressor with a sound insulating material formed of a material with high-density such as metal in order to reduce the low-frequency sound with a frequency of 1 kHz or less. For example, by surrounding the compressor with metal having a box shape, the noise emitted from the compressor is greatly attenuated when passing through the box, thereby reducing the noise level. Note that in the case of using a sound insulating material formed of a material with high density, the thicker it is, the greater the sound insulating effect.
However, when a metal box is disposed in the machine chamber, the housing will have a double structure, and it is necessary to place parts, pipes, and the like other than the compressor to avoid this box, which will result in a larger outdoor unit. Further, providing the box increases the production man-hours and parts costs, and increases the price of the outdoor unit.
This embodiment provides an outdoor unit for an air conditioner that does not leak sound with a frequency of higher than 1 kHz and sound with a frequency of 1 kHz or less to the outside of a machine chamber (outside a housing) Without disposing a box in the machine chamber of the outdoor unit.
For example, in this embodiment, the machine chamber side plate (the right side panel 101r and the rear panel 101b) is formed of a metal plate material l(e.g., a steel plate such as a hot-dip galvanized steel plate). Further, the heat exchange chamber side plate (the front panel 101f and the left side panel 101l) is also formed of a metal plate material(e.g., a steel plate such as a hot-dip galvanized steel plate). Then, the machine chamber side plate is formed to have a plate thickness greater than the plate thickness of the heat exchange chamber side plate. For example, the right side panel 101r and the rear panel 101b constituting the machine chamber side plate have a plate thickness of 0.9 mm or more, and the front panel 101f and the left side panel 101l forming the heat exchange chamber side plate have a plate thickness of 0.8 mm or less.
With such an outdoor unit 10, since the machine chamber side plate is formed to have a large plate thickness (in this embodiment, 1.2 mm), when the compressor disposed in the machine chamber 10M emits sound, the sound emitted from the compressor is blocked by the machine chamber side plate, thereby achieving the sound insulating effect (effect of attenuating the sound radiated from the inside of the machine chamber 10M to the outside by the side plate). This allows the noise emitted from the machine chamber 10M to be reduced without disposing a box covering the compressor 110 in the machine chamber 10M.
Meanwhile, when viewed from the heat exchange chamber side, the compressor 110 is doubly covered by the heat exchange chamber side plate and the partition plate 20. Therefore, the sound radiated from the heat exchange chamber 10H to the outside is attenuated by the heat exchange chamber side plate and the partition plate 20. For this reason, when setting the plate thickness of the heat exchange chamber side plate, it is unnecessary to consider sound insulation, and it is possible to set the plate thickness taking into consideration the strength of the sound on the heat exchange chamber side. In this way, it is unnecessary to dispose a box in the machine chamber 10M, and thus, the housing 101 is prevented from becoming larger, the degree of freedom in disposing parts in the machine chamber 10M is improved, and the outdoor unit can be made inexpensive. Note that in this Example, the machine chamber side plate is formed of a metal plate material (e.g., an iron plate), and the plate thickness is set to 1.2 mm. This increases the acoustic transmission loss (reduction in the energy of transmitted sound to incident sound) of the noise with 1 kHz or less.
Further, in this embodiment, in addition to forming the machine chamber side plate to have a plate thickness greater than the plate thickness of the heat exchange chamber side plate, the partition plate 20 may be formed to have a plate thickness greater than the plate thickness of the heat exchange chamber side plate. With such an outdoor unit 10, the partition plate 20 reduces the energy of transmitted sound transmitted from the machine chamber to the heat exchange chamber 10H. Therefore, the sound radiated from the heat exchange chamber 10H to the outside is further attenuated.
Further, in this embodiment, part of the machine chamber side plate is the service panel 10 and this service panel 101s is formed to have a plate thickness greater than the plate thickness of the heat exchange chamber side plate. For example, the plate thickness of the service panel 101s is set to 1.2 mm. With such an outdoor unit 10, maintenance work on the machine chamber 10M can be performed easily because the service panel 101s can be detached during the maintenance work, and the sound radiated from the machine chamber 10M to the outside is attenuated by the service panel 10, thereby reducing the noise emitted from the machine chamber 10M.
Fig. 8 is a schematic top view showing a modified example of a machine chamber of the outdoor unit.
As shown in Fig. 8, at least part of the compressor 110 may be surrounded by a soundproofing material 41 (first soundproofing material). Fig. 8 shows an example in which a side surface 110w of the compressor 110 is surrounded by the soundproofing material 41. Further, at least part of an inner wall surface 10w of the machine chamber 10M may be provided with a soundproofing material 42 (second soundproofing material). Fig. 8 shows an example in which the soundproofing material 42 is disposed the partition plate 10, the right side panel 101r, the service panel 101s, and the rear panel 101b, on the side of the machine chamber 10M.
The soundproofing material 41 includes at least one of a sound absorbing member or a sound insulating member. For example, the soundproofing material 41 may be formed of a single layer of sound absorbing material or a single layer of sound insulating material. As the sound absorbing member, for example, felt is applied. As the sound insulating member, for example, a material that is denser and harder than the sound absorbing member, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), is applied. In this way, by surrounding the compressor 110 with the soundproofing material 41, the sound emitted by the compressor 110 can be reduced. By forming the soundproofing material 41 using only the sound absorbing material, high-frequency sound (sound higher than 1 kHz) is absorbed, and thus, the sound transmitted through the sound absorbing material (energy of transmitted sound) can be reduced. By forming the soundproofing material 41 using only the sound insulating material, low-frequency sound (sound of 1 kHz or less) is blocked, and thus, the sound transmitted through the sound insulating material (energy of transmitted sound) can be reduced.
Further, the soundproofing material 41 may have a multilayer structure of a sound absorbing member and a sound insulating member. When the soundproofing material 41 has a multilayer structure, high-frequency sound and low-frequency sound transmitted through the soundproofing material 41 can be reduced.
Further, the soundproofing material 41 may have a multilayer structure in which a sound insulating member 41a is sandwiched between a sound absorbing member 41b, as in this embodiment. For example, as shown in Part (a) of Fig. 9, the soundproofing material 41 has a structure in which the sound insulating member 41a is sandwiched between the sound absorbing member 41b. The sound insulating member 41a and the sound absorbing member 41b sandwiching the sound insulating member 41a do not necessarily need to include only one sheet and may include two or more sheets. In such a soundproofing material 41, the sound absorbing member 41b is disposed on the front surface and the back surface of the soundproofing material 41. The sound absorbing member 41b is a material that is softer and has lower density than the sound insulating material 41a. For this reason, even if the sound absorbing member 41b hits the compressor 110 or a part other than the compressor 110 (e.g., the partition plate 20 or the accumulator 170 adjacent to the compressor 110) due to vibration of the compressor 110, a contact sound is less likely to occur because the sound absorbing member 41b absorbs the impact. The sound absorbing member 41b reduces the generation of sound.
The soundproofing material 42 includes at least one of a sound absorbing member or a sound insulating member. For example, the soundproofing material 42 may be formed of a single layer of sound absorbing material or a single layer of sound insulating material. By disposing such a soundproofing material 42 on the inner surface of the machine chamber 10M, it is possible to reduce the sound radiated from the machine chamber 10M to the outside. By forming the soundproofing material 42 using only the sound absorbing material, it is possible to reduce high-frequency sound. By forming the soundproofing material 42 using only the sound insulating material, it is possible to reduce low-frequency sound.
Further, the soundproofing material 42 may have a multilayer structure of a sound absorbing material and a sound insulating material. When the soundproofing material 41 has a multilayer structure, high-frequency sound and low-frequency sound are attenuated when passing through the sound insulating material.
Further, as shown in Part (b) of Fig. 9, the soundproofing material 42 according to this embodiment has a multilayer structure in which a sound insulating member 42a and a sound absorbing member 42b are stacked, the sound insulating member 42a is disposed on the inner wall surface of the housing 101, e.g., on the side of the machine chamber side inner wall surface 10w of the partition plate 20, and the sound absorbing member 42b is disposed to face the machine chamber 10M. The sound insulating member 42a and the sound absorbing member 42b do not necessarily need to include only one sheet and may include two or more sheets. In such a soundproofing material 42, since the sound absorbing member 42b is disposed to face the machine chamber 10M, for example, even if the compressor 110 vibrates or the vibration of the compressor 110 is transmitted to cause the pipe to vibrate and hit the inner wall surface of the machine chamber 10M, the contact sound is reduced by the sound absorbing material because the surface of the soundproofing material 42 is formed of an sound absorbing member (e.g., felt).
Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments and various modifications can be made. For example, a heat pump hot water heating device has been described as an example of a heat pump cycle device, the present invention is not limited thereto, and this device can also be applied to a heat pump cycle device such as a heat pump hot water supply device and a heat pump hot-and-cold water air conditioner. The respective embodiments are not limited to the independent embodiments and can be combined with each other if technically possible.

Reference Signs List

1 heat pump cycle device
1h hot water circuit
1c refrigerant circuit
10H heat exchange chamber
10M machine chamber
10w inner wall surface
19 refrigerant pipe
20 partition plate
21 first portion
22 second portion
25 bent portion
41, 42 soundproofing material
41a, 42a sound insulating material
41b, 42b sound absorbing material
90 indoor unit
91 inflow port
92 outflow port
95 water pipe
101 housing
101u top plate
101d bottom plate
101f front panel
101fa front portion
101fb left side portion
101r right side panel
101ra front portion
101rb right side portion
101b rear panel
101ba rear portion
101bb right side portion
101l left side panel
101la left side portion
101lb rear portion
101s service panel
101g fan guard
101z protective net
101fm bell mouth
102 air outlet
103 suction port
110 compressor
120 four-way valve
130 water-refrigerant heat exchanger
140 water pump
150 expansion valve
160 outdoor heat exchanger
160a first heat exchange unit
160b second heat exchange unit
160c third heat exchange unit
170 accumulator
180 outside temperature sensor
190 blower
300 control unit
900 indoor unit

Claims

An outdoor unit for an air conditioner, comprising:
a housing; and

a heat exchanger, a fan, and a compressor provided inside the housing,

the inside of the housing being divided by a partition plate into a heat exchange chamber in which the heat exchanger and the fan are disposed, and a machine chamber in which the compressor is disposed,

the housing including a top plate, a bottom plate opposed to the top plate, and a side plate provided between the top plate and the bottom plate,

the side plate including a machine chamber side plate disposed on a side of the machine chamber, and a heat exchange chamber side plate disposed on a side of the heat exchange chamber, and the machine chamber side plate has a plate thickness greater than a plate thickness of the heat exchange chamber side plate.
The outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein
the heat exchange chamber is surrounded by the heat exchange chamber side plate and the partition plate, and

the machine chamber is surrounded by the machine chamber side plate and the partition plate.
The outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein
the partition plate has a plate thickness greater than the plate thickness of the heat exchange chamber side plate.
The outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein
the machine chamber side plate includes a first side plate and a second side plate forming a corner portion of the housing and further includes a third side plate provided between the first side plate and the second side plate, and

the fifth side plate has a plate thickness greater than the plate thickness of the heat exchange chamber side plate.
The outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein
at least part of the compressor is surrounded by a first soundproofing material.
The outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein
the first soundproofing material includes at least one of a sound absorbing member or a sound insulating member.
The outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein
the first soundproofing material includes a sound absorbing member and a sound insulating member, and the sound insulating member has a structure sandwiched between the sound absorbing member.
The outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 1 or 5, wherein
a second soundproofing material is disposed on at least part of an inner wall surface of the machine chamber.
The outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 8, wherein
the second soundproofing material includes at least one of a sound absorbing member or a sound insulating member.
The outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 9, wherein
the second soundproofing material disposed on the inner wall surface of the machine chamber includes a sound absorbing member and a sound insulating member, the sound insulating member is disposed on a side of the inner wall surface, and the sound absorbing member is disposed facing the machine chamber.