JP2001091086A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent an abrupt stop of an air conditioner due to abnormal high pressure at heating operation. SOLUTION: When heating by sending a refrigerator R-134a evaporated by heating by an outdoor unit 10 installed on a roof or the like of a building to indoor units 20 installed at the respective floors, and when the refrigerator R-134a in the heat operating unit of the unit 1 is heated excessively and the pressure of the refrigerator gas R-134a measured by a pressure sensor 18B exceeds a prescribed value such as, for example 1.8 MPa, a controller 50 for opening an on/off valve 14 to rapidly lower the pressure to move the refrigerant liquid R-134a in the unit 11 to a receiver tank 12 is provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner capable of heating operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An absorption refrigerating machine is used as an outdoor unit to cool or heat a heat operation fluid by utilizing cold or warm heat generated by the outdoor unit, and circulates and supplies the heat operation fluid to the indoor unit. There is an air conditioner that performs cooling and heating.

[0003]

In the above air conditioner, the pressure in the heat operation fluid circulation path becomes abnormal during the heating operation in which the heat operation fluid heated by the outdoor unit is circulated and supplied to the indoor unit to warm the indoor air. Since the equipment may suddenly stop due to high pressure abnormalities, it is necessary to avoid an abnormal increase in pressure in the heat operated fluid circuit before the equipment suddenly stops due to high pressure abnormalities. Had to be a challenge.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the present invention is directed to a heat treatment fluid absorbed by an outdoor unit through a circulation path formed between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit. Heat exchange with the indoor air in the indoor unit to heat the indoor air, and heat exchange with the indoor air in the indoor unit to return the radiated heat operation fluid to the outdoor unit. A thermal operation fluid storage unit installed at a position distant from the thermal operation unit of the outdoor unit that absorbs fluid, and a passage provided with an on-off valve and connecting the thermal operation fluid storage unit and the circulation path are provided. An air conditioner having a first configuration;

In the air conditioner of the first configuration, the pressure of the heat operation fluid absorbed by the outdoor unit is detected, and when the pressure exceeds a predetermined pressure, the heat operation fluid storage portion and the circulation path are connected. An air conditioner having a second configuration in which control means for opening the on-off valve of the passage is provided;

[0006] In the air conditioner of the first configuration, the opening / closing valve of the passage connecting the thermal operation fluid storage portion and the circulation path is a third pressure relief valve that automatically opens when a predetermined pressure is exceeded. A configuration air conditioner;

In the air conditioners of the first to third configurations,
An air conditioner having a fourth configuration, wherein the heat-operating fluid is a fluid that evaporates by heat absorption heat exchange and condenses by heat radiation heat exchange;

In the air conditioner of the first or second configuration, a fluid that evaporates by heat absorption heat exchange and condenses by heat radiation heat exchange is used as the heat operation fluid, and the air conditioner is placed between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit. The heat-operated fluid radiated and condensed by the outdoor unit through the switchable circulation path formed is sent to the indoor unit, and the indoor unit exchanges heat with the indoor air to cool the indoor air. A cooling operation that returns the heat-operated fluid evaporated by heat exchange to the outdoor unit can be performed, and a receiver tank that stores the heat-operated fluid condensed by radiating heat in the outdoor unit and a heat-operated fluid of the liquid stored in the receiver tank An air conditioner having a fifth configuration in which a pump for feeding to the indoor unit is provided, and the receiver tank is diverted to the heat operation fluid storage unit;

In the air conditioner of any one of the first to fifth constructions, an outdoor refrigerator may use an absorption refrigerator.
And an air conditioner having the above configuration.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
It will be described based on. The air conditioner capable of cooling and heating shown in FIG. 1 is an outdoor unit 10 installed on the roof of a building, for example.
And a plurality of indoor units 20 dispersedly installed on each floor, and a pumping pump unit 30 installed in the lowest part such as a basement and operated at the time of heating, and these can be connected to perform a phase change at the time of circulation. Heat-manipulating fluid, such as R-134 refrigerant
It comprises a piping group 40 for circulating a and a controller 50 for controlling these devices.

In the figure, solid arrows indicate the direction of the flow of the refrigerant during the heating operation, broken lines indicate the directions of the flow of the refrigerant during the cooling operation, and the thick lines indicate the flow direction of the refrigerant liquid, and the thin lines indicate the direction of the refrigerant liquid. The flow direction of steam is shown.

The outdoor unit 10 heats and evaporates the refrigerant R-134a returned from the indoor unit 20 through the pipe group 40, or cools and condenses the refrigerant R-134a.
1, a receiver tank 12, a pump 13, and the like.

The heat operating unit 11 is disclosed in, for example,
No. 318189 discloses a lower body of the absorption refrigerator and the like, which is driven by using heat generated by a burner or the like (not shown) to remove a wall of a heat transfer tube provided in an evaporator (not shown). The gas R-134a, which is obtained by heating and evaporating the refrigerant R-134a, is supplied to the gas pipe 41. Supply can be selected as appropriate.

On-off valves 14 and 15 are provided on the portion of the liquid downcomer pipe 42 connecting the thermal operation unit 11 and the receiver tank 12 and on the discharge side of the pump 13. And the gas pipe 41 are connected via an equalizing pipe 17 provided with an on-off valve 16 on the way.

The receiver tank 12 is provided with liquid level sensors 12A and 12B at upper and lower positions, and the liquid level of the liquid R-134a stored in the tank is measured by the liquid level sensor 12A.
Is higher than the mounting position of the liquid level sensor 12B, or is located between the liquid level sensors 12A and 12B.

Further, a temperature sensor 18A and a pressure sensor 18B are provided on the side of the heat operation section 11 of the gas pipe 41,
The temperature and pressure of R-134a of the gas absorbed and vaporized by the thermal operation unit 11 and flowing into the gas pipe 41 can be detected. Further, a temperature sensor 19 is provided on the heat operation unit 11 side of the liquid downcomer 42 so that the temperature of the liquid R-134a of the liquid that has been radiated and condensed by the heat operation unit 11 and flowed out to the liquid downcomer 42 can be detected. Has also become.

The indoor unit 20 is provided with a heat exchanger 21 for exchanging heat of the refrigerant R-134a with indoor air sent by a blower (not shown), an expansion valve 22, and the like. The side provided with the valve 22 is connected to a liquid horizontal pipe 43 connected to a liquid downcomer pipe 42, and the opposite side is connected to a gas pipe 41.

The temperature sensors 23 and 2 are provided at a portion facing the entrance and exit of the heat exchanger 21 and at a substantially intermediate portion of the heat exchanger 21.
4 and 25 are provided, and R-1 of the refrigerant flowing in the pipe is provided.
The temperature of 34a can be detected.

The liquid pumping unit 30 comprises a receiver tank 31 and a pump 32 provided downstream thereof, and is connected to the lower ends of a liquid descending pipe 42 and a liquid rising pipe 44 as shown in the figure. That is, the lower end of the liquid downcomer pipe 42 is connected to the suction side of the pump 32 via the receiver tank 31, and the lower end of the liquid ascending pipe 44 whose upper end is connected to the thermal operation unit 11 is connected to the discharge side of the pump 32. It is connected to.

The receiver tank 31 is provided with liquid level sensors 31A and 31B at upper and lower positions, and the liquid level of the liquid R-134a stored in the tank is measured by the liquid level sensor 31A.
Is higher than the mounting position of the liquid level sensor 31B, or is located between the liquid level sensors 31A and 31B.

The controller 50 is configured so that a switching instruction of the cooling / heating operation can be performed by a button switch or the like provided on a panel surface (not shown). Then, for example, when the cooling operation is instructed, the refrigerant R-134a to be cooled by the heat operating unit 11 of the outdoor unit 10 becomes a liquid of a predetermined low temperature, for example, 7 ° C., and flows out to the liquid downcomer pipe 42. The controller 50 has a necessary control program for the control.

That is, when the cooling operation is instructed, the on-off valves 14, 15, 16 are opened, and the cooling of the refrigerant in the heat operating section 11 to the R-134a is performed by the temperature sensor 1
9 is controlled so that the temperature of R-134a of the refrigerant measured by 9 becomes a predetermined 7 ° C.

The liquid R-13 of the liquid cooled to a predetermined temperature in the thermal operation unit 11 and condensed and flowing out to the liquid downcomer 42
4a flows into the receiver tank 12 by its own weight (specifically, the specific gravity difference between the liquid and the gas), and starts the operation of the pump 13 when the liquid level sensor 12B installed on the upper side detects the R-134a of the liquid. The liquid R-134a is supplied to the indoor units 20 dispersedly installed on each floor via the liquid downcomer pipe 42 and the liquid horizontal pipe 43, and the liquid level sensor 12 installed at the lower side is provided.
When the A stops detecting the liquid R-134a, the pump 13
Is controlled to stop the operation.

The degree of opening of the expansion valve 22 of each indoor unit 20 is determined, for example, by the refrigerant R-134a detected by the temperature sensors 24 and 25.
Is controlled by the controller 50 so as to be a predetermined temperature difference, for example, 3 ° C., and the R of the liquid flowing into the heat exchanger 21 through the expansion valve 22 whose opening degree is controlled in this way is -134a removes heat from high-temperature room air supplied by a blower (not shown) and evaporates to perform a cooling operation.

Then, the gas R-134a evaporated by the cooling action is returned via the gas pipe 41 to the outdoor unit 10 in which the pressure is reduced due to the condensation of the R-134a.

When a heating operation is instructed, the controller 50 changes the gas R-134a of the refrigerant to be heated by the heat operating section 11 of the outdoor unit 10 into a gas of a predetermined high temperature, for example, 55 ° C. A necessary control program for starting the pump 32 of the pumping pump unit 30 and returning the R-134a of the liquid stored in the receiver tank 31 to the outdoor unit 10 so as to allow the liquid to flow out to the outdoor unit 10 is also provided.

That is, when the heating operation is instructed, the on-off valves 14, 15, and 16 are closed, and the heating of the refrigerant to R-134a in the heat operating section 11 is performed by the temperature sensor 1
Control is performed so that the temperature of R-134a measured by 8A becomes a predetermined 55 ° C.

The R-134 of the gas heated by the thermal operation unit 11 of the outdoor unit 10 and evaporated to flow out to the gas pipe 41.
a is supplied to each indoor unit 20.

In each of the indoor units 20, the low-temperature indoor air supplied by a blower (not shown) is supplied with gaseous R-
134a is radiated and condensed via a heat transfer tube wall (not shown) of the heat exchanger 21 and performs a heating action mainly by the condensed heat of R-134a.

The R-134a of the liquid condensed by the heating action flows into the receiver tank 31 of the liquid pump unit 30 and is pumped by the outdoor unit 1.
The circulation of the refrigerant R-134a, which returns to zero, occurs, and the heating operation is continued.

The pump 32 of the pumping unit 30 is controlled by the controller 50 so that the liquid level sensor 3
When 1B detects liquid R-134a, it starts operation,
The liquid level sensor 31A installed on the lower side is a liquid R-134.
When a is no longer detected, the operation is controlled to stop.

At the time of this heating operation, the refrigerant R-134a is excessively heated in the thermal operation unit 11 of the indoor unit 10, and the gas R-134a measured by the pressure sensor 18B.
When the pressure a exceeds a predetermined value, for example, 1.8 MPa, the controller 50 opens the on-off valve 14 and moves the liquid R-134a in the thermal operation unit 11 to the receiver tank 12.

Therefore, since the pressure in the pipe group 40 is rapidly reduced, there is no inconvenience that the apparatus suddenly stops due to abnormal high pressure.

Since the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

For example, when the pressure of the gas R-134a measured by the pressure sensor 18B exceeds a predetermined value, the controller 50 does not open the on-off valve 14, but instead opens the pressure equalizing pipe 17.
May be opened, or both of the on-off valves 14 and 16 may be opened.

In addition, the pump 13 may not be provided, and the refrigerant may be circulated by utilizing the difference in specific gravity between the liquid R-134a and the gas during the cooling operation.

In an air conditioner that does not include the pump 13 and is used only for heating operation, the receiver tank 12
Such a heat-operated fluid storage container may be connected to the gas pipe 41 or the liquid rise pipe 44 via a pressure relief valve that automatically opens when a predetermined pressure is exceeded.

The controller 50 is installed in the outdoor unit 10 and controls the outdoor unit 10.
And an indoor unit controller that is installed in a control room and controls the indoor unit 20, and a system controller that is installed in a management room or the like and communicates with the outdoor unit controller and the indoor unit controller to control the entire unit. You can also.

The fluid circulated between the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 includes R-40 in addition to R-134a.
Other phase changeable materials such as 7c, R-404A, R-410c, and the like which do not change during circulation such as water may be used.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the pressure of the heat operation fluid to be heated by the outdoor unit during the heating operation exceeds a predetermined value, the heat operation fluid is connected to the circulation path of the heat operation fluid via the valve. Since the valve is opened to allow the thermal operation fluid to flow into the thermal operation fluid storage portion, an abnormal increase in pressure is prevented, thereby preventing the device from suddenly stopping due to a high pressure abnormality.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 outdoor unit 11 thermal operation unit 12 receiver tank 12A, 12B liquid level sensor 13 pump 14, 15, 16 opening / closing valve 17 equalizing tube 18A temperature sensor 18B pressure sensor 19 temperature sensor 20 indoor unit 21 heat exchanger 22 expansion valve 23, 24 , 25 Temperature sensor 30 Pumping pump unit 31 Receiver tank 31A, 31B Liquid level sensor 32 Pump 40 Piping group 41 Gas pipe 42 Liquid down pipe 43 Liquid horizontal pipe 44 Liquid up pipe 50 Controller

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Tsuyoshi Kamimura 2-5-5 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka F-term in Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (Reference) 3L093 AA05 DD10 EE17 GG01 HH19 JJ04 MM06

Claims (6)

[Claims] An indoor unit heats the indoor air by transmitting heat-operated fluid absorbed by the outdoor unit to the indoor unit through a circulation path formed between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit, and exchanging heat with the indoor air at the indoor unit. In addition to the above, in a heating-operable air conditioner that returns a heat operation fluid radiated by exchanging heat with the indoor air to the outdoor unit in the indoor unit,
A heat operation fluid storage unit installed at a position distant from the heat operation unit of the outdoor unit that absorbs the heat operation fluid, and a passage that includes an on-off valve and connects the heat operation fluid storage unit and the circulation path. Air conditioner characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. A control means for detecting a pressure of a heat operation fluid absorbed by an outdoor unit and opening an on-off valve of a passage connecting the heat operation fluid storage portion and the circulation path when the pressure exceeds a predetermined pressure. The air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the on-off valve of the passage connecting the heat-operated fluid storage section and the circulation path is a pressure relief valve that automatically opens when a predetermined pressure is exceeded. apparatus. 4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the heat operation fluid is a fluid that evaporates by heat absorption heat exchange and condenses by heat radiation heat exchange. 5. A fluid which evaporates by heat absorption heat exchange and condenses by heat radiation heat exchange is used as the heat operation fluid, and the air conditioner is connected via a switchable circulation path formed between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit. The heat operation fluid condensed by the heat radiated by the outdoor unit is sent to the indoor unit, and the indoor unit exchanges heat with the indoor air to cool the indoor air. An air conditioner capable of cooling operation to be returned to the outdoor unit, comprising a receiver tank for storing the heat operation fluid condensed by radiating heat in the outdoor unit, and a pump for sending the heat operation fluid of the liquid stored in the receiver tank to the indoor unit. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the receiver tank is diverted to the heat operation fluid storage unit. 6. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein an absorption refrigerator is used as the outdoor unit.