JP2001091081A - Multi-chamber type air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a multi-chamber type air conditioner that has first and second indoor machines, and can voluntarily select an operation mode where one indoor machine performs heating operation and the other performs cooling operation. SOLUTION: A first solenoid on/off valve 20 is provided in first piping 9 for connecting a four-way valve 8 to a first indoor machine 2, and a second solenoid on/off valve 21 is provided in fourth piping 12 for connecting a second indoor machine 3 to an outside heat exchanger 4. From the part between a two-way operation valve 26 of the fourth piping 12 and a second solenoid on/off valve 19, first bypass piping 16 with a third electronic expansion valve 22 is branched for connecting to the area between a three-way operation valve 25 of the first piping 9 and the first solenoid on/off valve 20. However, from the part between a three-way operation valve 27 of third piping 10 and a second solenoid on/off valve 21, a second bypass piping 17 with a fourth electronic expansion valve is branched for connecting to the area between a two-way operation valve 24 of third piping 11 and a first expansion valve 18.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-room air conditioner, and more particularly, to a configuration of a refrigerant circuit in which one indoor unit can be operated for cooling while the other indoor unit can be operated for heating. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional multi-chamber air conditioner is constituted, for example, by a refrigerant circuit as shown in FIG.
The first indoor unit 2 having the first indoor heat exchanger 5 and the second indoor unit 3 having the second indoor heat exchanger 6 are connected. The discharge side and the suction side of the compressor 7 in the outdoor unit 30 are connected to a four-way valve 8, and the four-way valve 8 is connected to a first pipe 9 having a three-way operation valve 25 by a first pipe 9 of the first indoor unit 2. A second pipe branched from the first pipe 9 and connected to one of the indoor heat exchangers 5 is connected to one of the second indoor heat exchangers 6 of the second indoor unit 3 via the three-way operation valve 27. ing. The other of the first indoor heat exchanger 5 is a two-way operation valve 24 and a first expansion valve 1.
The other of the second indoor heat exchanger 6 is connected to the fourth pipe 12 provided with the two-way operation valve 26 and the second expansion valve 19, respectively. 11 and the fourth pipe 12 are joined by a distributor 28 to form a fifth pipe 13, which is connected to one of the outdoor heat exchangers 4, and the other of the outdoor heat exchanger 4 is connected via a sixth pipe 14. It is connected to the four-way valve 8.

The operation of the multi-room air conditioner configured as described above will be described. First, during the cooling operation, the compressor 7
The high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from is passed through the four-way valve 8,
The heat flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 4 through the seventh pipe 14 and releases heat to the outside to condense and liquefy.
Through the third pipe 11 and the fourth pipe 12, decompressed and expanded by the expansion valves 18 and 19, and heat the indoor heat exchanger 5 of the indoor unit 2 and the indoor heat of the indoor unit 3 After flowing into the exchanger 6 to evaporate and absorb the indoor heat, the compressor 7 passes through the first pipe 9 and the second pipe 10, passes through the four-way valve 8, passes through the sixth pipe 15, and returns to the compressor 7. Flows into.

During the heating operation, the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 7 passes through the four-way valve 8 and the first pipe 9
And flows into the indoor-side heat exchanger 5 of the indoor unit 2 and the indoor-side heat exchanger 6 of the indoor unit 3 via the second pipe 10,
After releasing heat into the room to condense and liquefy, the third pipe 11
And flows into the fourth pipe 12 and the expansion valves 18 and 19
And expands under reduced pressure, merges with the fifth pipe 13 and flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 4. The refrigerant evaporates and evaporates in the same outdoor heat exchanger 4 to absorb the outdoor heat, and then flows into the compressor 7 again through the seventh pipe 14, the four-way valve 8, the sixth pipe 15, and the like. I do.

However, in the above configuration, for example, the first indoor unit 2 cannot perform the cooling operation and the second indoor unit 3 cannot perform the heating operation at the same time, and the two indoor units cannot always perform the cooling operation or the cooling operation. Only the same operation mode of the heating operation can be operated, and due to the increase in indoor heat load due to the spread of OA equipment in recent years, at a low outside temperature such as winter, one indoor unit performs the heating operation and the other indoor unit performs There is a problem that it is not possible to meet needs such as performing a cooling operation.

[0006]

In view of the above problems, in the present invention, one of the indoor units performs a heating operation and the other indoor unit performs a cooling operation at a low outside temperature such as winter. It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-room air conditioner capable of arbitrarily selecting an operation mode.

[0007]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a compressor, a four-way valve and an outdoor heat exchanger are connected in series by a connection pipe, and a first heat exchanger is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger. The expansion valve and the first indoor heat exchanger of the first indoor unit, and the second expansion valve and the second indoor heat exchanger of the second indoor unit are connected to the four-way valve in parallel by a connection pipe and frozen. In the multi-room air conditioner that forms a cycle, a first solenoid on-off valve is provided in a connection pipe between the outdoor heat exchanger and the first indoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor heat exchanger and the While a second electromagnetic on-off valve is provided in a connection pipe with the second indoor heat exchanger, a connection pipe between the first electromagnetic on-off valve and the first indoor heat exchanger, the second expansion valve and the second A first bypass pipe having a third expansion valve for connecting a connection pipe with the two indoor heat exchangers is provided, and the first expansion pipe is provided. A connection pipe between a valve and the first indoor heat exchanger, and a second bypass pipe including a fourth expansion valve for connecting a connection pipe between the second electromagnetic on-off valve and the second indoor heat exchanger. The first indoor unit and the second indoor unit can be operated in different operation modes of cooling operation or heating operation.

Further, by closing the third expansion valve of the first bypass pipe and the fourth expansion valve of the second bypass pipe, the first indoor unit and the second indoor unit can be made the same. It is configured to be operable in the operation mode.

When the first indoor unit is operated for cooling and the second indoor unit is stopped, the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit flows into the second indoor unit via the first bypass pipe. By using the second indoor unit as a refrigerant receiver tank, the amount of refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is adjusted.

When the first indoor unit is operated for heating and the second indoor unit is stopped, the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit flows into the second indoor unit via the second bypass pipe. By using the second indoor unit as a refrigerant receiver tank, the amount of refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is adjusted.

Further, when the first indoor unit is operated for heating and the second indoor unit is stopped, the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is supplied to the second expansion unit by fully opening the fourth expansion valve in the state of the refrigerant liquid. By passing through the bypass pipe and flowing into the second indoor unit, the adjustment time of the amount of refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is reduced, and the rise time during the heating operation is shortened.

When the second indoor unit performs a cooling operation and the first indoor unit is stopped, the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit flows into the first indoor unit via the second bypass pipe. By using the first indoor unit as a receiver tank for the refrigerant, the amount of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is adjusted.

Further, when the second indoor unit is operated for heating and the first indoor unit is stopped, the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is caused to flow into the first indoor unit via the first bypass pipe. By using the first indoor unit as a receiver tank for the refrigerant, the amount of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is adjusted.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiments of the present invention will be described below as examples based on the attached drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a refrigerant circuit of a multi-room air conditioner according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating opening / closing and throttle control of an expansion valve and an electromagnetic on-off valve in each operation mode. As shown in FIG. 1, a first indoor unit 2 having a first indoor heat exchanger 5 and a second indoor unit 3 having a second indoor heat exchanger 6 are provided for the outdoor unit 1. It is connected. The outdoor unit 1 connects the discharge side and the suction side of the compressor 7 to a four-way valve 8, and the four-way valve 8 is connected to a first pipe 9 provided with a first solenoid on-off valve 20 and a three-way operation valve 25. A second pipe 10 connected to one of the first indoor heat exchangers 5 of the first indoor unit 2 and branched from the first pipe 9 is connected to the second indoor on-off valve 21 and the three-way operation valve 27 via a second It is connected to one of the second indoor heat exchangers 6 of the two indoor units 3. The other of the first indoor heat exchanger 5 is connected to a third pipe 11 having a two-way operation valve 24 and a first expansion valve 18, and the other of the second indoor heat exchanger 6 is a two-way heat exchanger. The third pipe 11 and the fourth pipe 12 are connected to a fourth pipe 12 having an operation valve 26 and a second expansion valve 19. The third pipe 11 and the fourth pipe 12 are joined by a distributor 28 to form a fifth pipe 13, and the outdoor heat exchange is performed. Heat exchanger 4 connected to one side of
The other is connected to the four-way valve 8 via a sixth pipe 14.

A first bypass pipe 16 having a third expansion valve 22 branches from the fourth pipe between the two-way operation valve 26 and the second expansion valve 19.
Is connected between the first solenoid on-off valve 20 and the three-way operation valve 25 of the first pipe. A second bypass pipe 17 having a fourth expansion valve 23 is provided between the three-way operation valve 27 and the second solenoid valve 21 in the second pipe.
The second bypass pipe 17 is connected between the two-way operation valve 24 and the first expansion valve 18 of the third pipe.

Next, the operation of the refrigerant circuit will be described. When the first outdoor unit 2 and the second indoor unit 3 are simultaneously operated by the cooling operation or the heating operation and in the same operation mode, as shown in the control diagram of FIG. The provided third expansion valve 22 and the fourth expansion valve 23 provided in the second bypass pipe 17 are closed, and the refrigerant flows into the first bypass pipe 16 and the second bypass pipe 17. Does not flow in, and the flow of the refrigerant in the cooling operation and the heating operation is the same as that shown in the conventional example.

Next, a case where the first indoor unit 2 performs a cooling operation and the second indoor unit 3 performs a heating operation will be described. As shown in the control diagram of FIG. 2, in this operation state, the first expansion valve 18 provided in the third pipe 11
And the electromagnetic on-off valve 21 provided in the second pipe 10 is opened, the expansion valve 22 provided in the first bypass pipe 16 is set to throttle control, and the expansion valve 22 provided in the fourth pipe is provided. The second expansion valve 19, the first solenoid on-off valve 20 provided on the first pipe, and the fourth expansion valve 23 provided on the second bypass pipe are closed.

The high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 7 passes through the four-way valve 8 and flows into the second pipe 10 as shown in FIG. 3, and the electromagnetic on-off valve 21 and the three-way operating valve 27, the heat reaches the second indoor heat exchanger 6 of the second indoor unit 3, and the second indoor heat exchanger 6 releases heat into the room to condense and liquefy. And flows into the first bypass pipe 16. The refrigerant decompressed and expanded by the throttle control of the third expansion valve 22 provided in the first bypass pipe 16 passes through the two-way operation valve 25 provided in the first pipe 9, and the first indoor unit 2 After reaching the first indoor heat exchanger 5, evaporating and absorbing the indoor heat in the first indoor heat exchanger 5, and then the two-way operation valve 24 provided in the third pipe 11. After flowing through the fifth pipe 13 to the outdoor heat exchanger 4 through the first expansion valve 18 and releasing heat outside to condense and liquefy, the refrigerant passes through the four-way valve 8 and passes through the compressor. Return to 7.

Next, the case where the first indoor unit 2 performs the heating operation and the second indoor unit 3 performs the cooling operation will be described. In this operation state, as shown in the control diagram of FIG. 2, the second expansion valve 19 provided in the fourth pipe and the first solenoid on-off valve 20 provided in the first pipe 9 are opened, The fourth expansion valve 23 provided in the second bypass pipe 10 is set to throttle control, and the third pipe 11
The first expansion valve 18 provided in the second pipe 10
The second electromagnetic on-off valve 21 provided on the first side and the third expansion valve 22 provided on the first bypass pipe are closed.

The high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 7 passes through a four-way valve 8 and flows into the first pipe 9 as shown in FIG. After reaching the first indoor heat exchanger 5 of the first indoor unit 2 via the valve 25, the first indoor heat exchanger 5 releases heat into the room to condense and liquefy, and then the two-way operation valve After passing through 24, it flows into the second bypass pipe 17. The refrigerant decompressed and expanded by the throttle control of the fourth expansion valve 23 provided in the second bypass pipe 17 flows into the second pipe 10, passes through the three-way operation valve 27, and passes through the second indoor unit 3. After reaching the second indoor heat exchanger 6 and evaporating and absorbing the indoor heat in the second indoor heat exchanger 6, the two-way operation valve 26 of the fourth pipe and the second After flowing through the fifth pipe 13 and flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger 4 through the fifth expansion valve 19 and releasing heat outside to condense and liquefy, it returns to the compressor 7 through the four-way valve 8. .

Next, a case where the first indoor unit 2 performs the cooling operation and the second indoor unit 3 is stopped will be described. In this state, the electromagnetic on-off valve 20 and the expansion valve 22 are opened, and the expansion valve 18 is set to throttle control. The expansion valve 19 and the electromagnetic on-off valve 20
And the expansion valve 23 is closed. As shown in FIG. 5, the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 7 passes through the four-way valve 8 where the switching operation has been performed, reaches the outdoor heat exchanger 4, and is discharged from the outdoor heat exchanger 4. After releasing heat to the outside to condense and liquefy, the third pipe 11 passes through the fifth pipe 5.
And is decompressed and expanded by the throttle control of the first expansion valve 18 provided in the third pipe 11, reaches the first indoor heat exchanger 5 of the first indoor unit 2, and After evaporating and evaporating in the heat exchanger 5 to absorb indoor heat, it flows into the first pipe 9. Through the two-way operation valve 25, the flow of the refrigerant is branched, and one flow passes through the four-way valve 8 via the first solenoid on-off valve 20, returns to the compressor 7 via the sixth pipe, and Flows into the first bypass pipe 16 and flows into the second indoor heat exchanger 6 of the second indoor unit 3 via the third expansion valve 22.

When one indoor unit is operated, the amount of refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit becomes excessive, which may cause a rise in the pressure of the refrigerant and a liquid return phenomenon. However, as described above, only the first indoor unit 2 is used. Performs cooling operation, the second indoor-side heat exchanger 6 of the second indoor unit 3 serves as a refrigerant receiver tank, whereby the optimal refrigerant amount in the refrigerant circuit can be adjusted. . This is the same even when the second indoor unit 3 performs the cooling operation and the first indoor unit 2 is stopped.

Next, a case where the indoor unit 2 performs a heating operation and the indoor unit 3 is stopped will be described. In this state, the electromagnetic on-off valve 20 and the expansion valve 23 are opened, and the expansion valve 18 is under throttle control. The expansion valve 19, the electromagnetic on-off valve 21, and the expansion valve 22
Is closed. As shown in FIG. 6, the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 7 passes through the four-way valve 8 and passes through the first solenoid on-off valve 20 and the three-way operation valve 25 of the first pipe 9.
Through the first indoor unit 2 to the first indoor heat exchanger 5, where the first indoor heat exchanger 5 releases heat to the outside to condense and liquefy, and then flows into the third pipe 11. I do. The flow of the refrigerant is branched via the two-way operation valve 24, and one flow passes through the expansion valve 18, passes through the fifth pipe 13, reaches the outdoor heat exchanger 4, and then the outdoor heat exchanger 4. After evaporating to absorb the outdoor heat, it returns to the compressor 7 through the four-way valve 8. The other flow flows into the second bypass pipe 17 and the fourth expansion valve 23 and the three-way operation valve 2
7 and flows into the second indoor heat exchanger 6 of the second indoor unit 3.

Since the fourth expansion valve 23 provided in the second bypass pipe 17 is opened, the refrigerant is in a liquid state and the second bypass pipe 17 and the second pipe 10
And flows into the second indoor heat exchanger 6. As a result, the excess refrigerant efficiently flows into the indoor heat exchanger 6, and the optimal amount of refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit can be obtained in a minimum time, so that the startup performance during the heating operation can be improved. .

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, one of the indoor units performs a heating operation at a low outside temperature such as winter.
The other indoor unit can perform the cooling operation, and the operation mode of the indoor unit can be arbitrarily selected, and when one of the indoor units is in the operating state and the other indoor unit is stopped, The stopped indoor unit serves as a receiver tank for the excess refrigerant amount in the refrigerant circuit, and a multi-room air conditioner that maintains a good operating state by adjusting the optimal refrigerant amount in the refrigerant circuit. It can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram of a multi-room air conditioner according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing opening / closing and throttle control of an electromagnetic on-off valve in each operation mode of the multi-room air conditioner according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a refrigerant circuit diagram of the multi-room air conditioner according to the present invention during simultaneous cooling and heating operations.

FIG. 4 is a refrigerant circuit diagram during simultaneous cooling and heating operation of the multi-room air conditioner according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a refrigerant circuit diagram when a single multi-room air conditioner according to the present invention is operated.

FIG. 6 is a refrigerant circuit diagram when one unit of the multi-room air conditioner according to the present invention is operated.

FIG. 7 is a refrigerant circuit diagram of a conventional multi-room air conditioner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 outdoor unit 2 first indoor unit 3 second indoor unit 4 outdoor heat exchanger 5 first indoor heat exchanger 6 second indoor heat exchanger 7 compressor 8 four-way valve 9 first pipe 10 second pipe 11 Third pipe 12 Fourth pipe 13 Fifth pipe 14 Seventh pipe 15 Sixth pipe 16 First bypass pipe 17 Second bypass pipe 18 First expansion valve 19 Second expansion valve 20 First electromagnetic switching valve 21 Second electromagnetic switching Valve 22 Third expansion valve 23 Fourth expansion valve 24 Two-way operation valve 25 Three-way operation valve 26 Two-way operation valve 27 Three-way operation valve

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A compressor, a four-way valve and an outdoor heat exchanger are connected in series by a connection pipe, and the first expansion valve and the first indoor heat exchanger of the first indoor unit are connected to the outdoor heat exchanger. And a second expansion valve and a second indoor heat exchanger of the second indoor unit, a multi-chamber air conditioner formed by connecting a four-way valve in parallel with a connection pipe to form a refrigeration cycle, A first electromagnetic on-off valve is provided in a connection pipe between the outdoor heat exchanger and the first indoor heat exchanger, and a second electromagnetic switch is provided in a connection pipe between the outdoor heat exchanger and the second indoor heat exchanger. While providing the on-off valve, the third connecting the connection pipe between the first electromagnetic on-off valve and the first indoor heat exchanger and the connecting pipe between the second expansion valve and the second indoor heat exchanger Providing a first bypass pipe with an expansion valve, a connection pipe between the first expansion valve and the first indoor heat exchanger, A second bypass pipe provided with a fourth expansion valve for connecting a connection pipe between the two electromagnetic on-off valves and the second indoor heat exchanger is provided, and the first indoor unit and the second indoor unit are operated in a cooling operation. Alternatively, a multi-room air conditioner characterized in that it can be operated in different operation modes of heating operation. 2. Closing the third expansion valve of the first bypass pipe and the fourth expansion valve of the second bypass pipe makes the first indoor unit and the second indoor unit the same. The multi-room air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the multi-room air conditioner can be operated in an operation mode. 3. The cooling operation of the first indoor unit, and when the second indoor unit is stopped, the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit flows into the second indoor unit via the first bypass pipe, The multi-room air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein an amount of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is adjusted by using the second indoor unit as a refrigerant receiver tank. 4. A heating operation of the first indoor unit, and when the second indoor unit is stopped, a refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit flows into the second indoor unit via the second bypass pipe, The multi-room air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein an amount of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is adjusted by using the second indoor unit as a refrigerant receiver tank. 5. When the first indoor unit is operated for heating and the second indoor unit is stopped, the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is supplied to the second expansion unit by fully opening the fourth expansion valve in the state of the refrigerant liquid. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein by flowing through a bypass pipe and flowing into the second indoor unit, a control time of a refrigerant amount in the refrigerant circuit is reduced, and a rise time in a heating operation is shortened. Item 5. A multi-room air conditioner according to Item 4. 6. The cooling operation of the second indoor unit, and when the first indoor unit is stopped, the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit flows into the first indoor unit via the second bypass pipe, The multi-room air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein an amount of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is adjusted by using the first indoor unit as a refrigerant receiver tank. 7. A heating operation of the second indoor unit, and when the first indoor unit is stopped, a refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit flows into the first indoor unit via the first bypass pipe, The multi-room air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein an amount of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is adjusted by using the first indoor unit as a refrigerant receiver tank.