JP2001324243A - Heat exchanger of air conditioner and heat pump type air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To equally distribute the flow rates of a liquefied refrigerant to a plurality of circuits in a heat exchanger of an air conditioner adapted to divert the liquefied refrigerant to the circuits for evaporation of the refrigerants. SOLUTION: A refrigerant flowing into an outdoor heat exchanger 106 is diverted to two circuits each composed of a lower heat exchanger 106a and an upper heat exchanger 106b. A flow rate adjusting valve 119 is provided between pipings 117 and 121 serving to guide the refrigerant to the lower heat exchanger 106a while a flow rate adjusting valve 120 is provided between pipings 118 and 122 each serving to guide the refrigerant to the upper heat exchanger 106b. On the lower heat exchanger 106a and the upper heat exchanger 106b temperature sensors 119a and 120b are mounted at intermediate portions of the just-mentioned heat exchangers. The flow rate adjusting valves 119, 120 are opened and closed depending upon a refrigerant evaporation state detected by the temperature sensors 119a, 120b to control the refrigerant flow rate.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat exchanger of an air conditioner configured to divide refrigerant into a plurality of circuits, and a heat pump type air conditioner using such a heat exchanger in an outdoor unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of a conventional heat pump type air conditioner having an indoor unit and an outdoor unit is shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, 1 is an indoor unit, 2 is an outdoor unit, and both units 1 and 2 are connected by a refrigerant pipe 3. The outdoor unit 2 includes a compressor 4, a blower with an electric motor 5, an outdoor heat exchanger 6, a suction grill 7, a casing 8, and the like. FIG. 3A is a front view of the conventional outdoor heat exchanger 6, and FIG. 3A is a simplified view of the connection state of the heat transfer tubes through which the refrigerant flows in the outdoor heat exchanger 6. 3 (B).

In the air conditioner shown in FIG. 2 incorporating the outdoor heat exchanger 6 shown in FIG. 3, when the outdoor heat exchanger 6 is used as an evaporator during heating, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 4 The gas is sent to the outdoor heat exchanger 6 through a path of the refrigerant pipe 3 connecting the indoor unit 1 and the outdoor unit 2, the indoor heat exchanger 16, the refrigerant pipe 3, and an expansion valve (not shown).

The flow of the refrigerant on the side of the outdoor heat exchanger 6 will be described with reference to FIG.
Into the pipe 9 of the outdoor heat exchanger 6 and the distribution pipe 10
, One enters directly into the lower heat exchanger 6a, exits the lower heat exchanger 6a, and is connected to the connector pipe 14 through the pipe 12. Another one of the refrigerant gases branched into two in the distribution pipe 10 enters the upper heat exchanger 6b from the distribution pipe 10 via the pipe 11, passes through the pipe 13 after exiting the upper heat exchanger 6b. Connector pipe 14
And sent to the compressor from the pipe 15. At this time, the refrigerant exchanges heat in the lower heat exchanger 6a and the upper heat exchanger 6b on the way, and is evaporated and sent as a gas by the wind of the outside air.

[0005] The lower heat exchanger 6a and the upper heat exchanger 6b
In order to prevent the flow rate of the refrigerant from being biased, the number of heat transfer tubes is made as equal as possible. However, it is difficult to equally distribute the flow rate in the distribution pipe 10, and the lower heat exchanger 6a and the upper heat exchanger 6b have an imbalance. There is a problem that the performance is deteriorated.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a heat exchanger of an air conditioner configured to divide a refrigerant into a plurality of circuits, thereby enabling a refrigerant flow to be equally distributed to each circuit. Another object of the present invention is to provide a heat pump type air conditioner using a heat exchanger capable of equally distributing a refrigerant flow rate to each circuit in an outdoor unit.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems in a heat exchanger of an air conditioner for diverting a refrigerant to a plurality of circuits, the present invention provides a method of forming a plurality of refrigerant channels after diverting the refrigerant to the plurality of circuits. In addition to providing a flow control means for each, a refrigerant evaporation state detection means is provided for each circuit, and a refrigerant flow rate of each circuit is determined via the flow control means according to the refrigerant evaporation state at each circuit detected by the refrigerant evaporation state detection means. An air conditioner heat exchanger configured to be controlled is provided.

[0008] According to the heat exchanger of the air conditioner of the present invention configured as described above, the evaporation state of the refrigerant flowing through each of the plurality of circuits is detected, and the flow control provided in each circuit is determined according to the state. By adjusting the means, it is possible to control so that the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through each circuit is equally distributed.

The refrigerant evaporating state detecting means used in the heat exchanger of the air conditioner according to the present invention is provided at an intermediate portion of each of the circuits where the liquid refrigerant flowing into the circuit is saturated, for example, a U vent portion in each of the circuits. , The refrigerant is in a saturated state at that position, so that it is possible to accurately detect the refrigerant evaporation state such as the refrigerant temperature in the circuit. As the refrigerant evaporating state detecting means used in the heat exchanger of the present invention, an easily available temperature sensor can be used. Also,
In the heat exchanger of the air conditioner according to the present invention, the plurality of circuits may be divided and formed in the width or length direction (the flow direction of the refrigerant) of the heat exchanger.

When the heat exchanger of the present invention configured as described above is installed in an outdoor unit to constitute a heat pump type air conditioner, the flow rate of refrigerant in the outdoor unit heat exchanger during the heating operation is equalized, and the performance is improved. And a heat pump type air conditioner with good performance.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A heat exchanger of an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a connection explanatory diagram of the heat transfer tubes corresponding to FIG. 3B in the heat exchanger according to the embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 106 denotes an outdoor heat exchanger in a heat pump type air conditioner.
a and the upper heat exchanger 106b. The lower heat exchanger 106a and the upper heat exchanger 106b are formed by dividing the circuit through which the refrigerant flows in the outdoor heat exchanger 106 in the length direction (the flow direction of the refrigerant), but in the width direction of the heat exchanger. The structure may be divided and divided into a plurality of circuits.

The lower heat exchanger 106a is on the inlet side of the liquid refrigerant during the heating operation, and has a lower end connected to a pipe 121 and an upper end connected to a pipe 112. On the other hand, at the lower end of the upper heat exchanger 106b,
22 is communicated, and the upper end thereof is connected to a pipe 113.

Reference numeral 109 denotes a pipe for guiding the refrigerant having passed through an expansion valve (not shown) during the heating operation to the lower heat exchanger 106a. This pipe 109 is branched into two pipes 117 and 118 by a connector pipe 116. You. The pipe 117 is connected to the pipe 121 via a flow control valve 119. On the other hand, the pipe 118 is connected to the pipe 122 via the flow control valve 120. Also, the lower heat exchanger 106a
112 connected to the upper end of the upper heat exchanger 106
The pipe 113 connected to the upper end of the connector pipe 11
4 and is configured to be led as one stream from the pipe 115 to the compressor.

In the refrigerant flow path of the lower heat exchanger 106a, a temperature sensor 119a as refrigerant evaporating state detecting means is provided at an intermediate portion where the refrigerant is saturated, for example, a U vent portion thereof.
The flow rate control valve 119 is opened and closed according to the refrigerant temperature detected by the temperature sensor 119a to control the flow rate of the refrigerant.

Similarly, in the refrigerant flow path of the upper heat exchanger 106b, an intermediate portion where the refrigerant is saturated, for example, the U
Temperature sensor 1 at the vent as refrigerant evaporating state detecting means
20b is attached, and the temperature sensor 120b
The flow rate control valve 120 is opened and closed according to the refrigerant temperature detected in the step (1) to control the flow rate of the refrigerant.

The outdoor heat exchanger of the heat pump type air conditioner shown in FIG. 1 has the above configuration. This outdoor heat exchanger is operated as follows when the heat pump type air conditioner is operated for heating. Operate. Refrigerant gas discharged from the compressor is guided to the indoor unit through a refrigerant pipe connecting the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, and after passing through the indoor heat exchanger, a refrigerant pipe connecting the indoor unit and the outdoor unit,
1 through an expansion valve (not shown) and into the pipe 109 of the outdoor heat exchanger 106 shown in FIG.
At 16 it branches into two.

One of the refrigerant gases branched into two by the connector pipe 116 enters the lower heat exchanger 106a from the pipe 117 through the flow control valve 119 and the pipe 121, and enters the pipe 11
2 to the connector pipe 114. The other one is from the connector pipe 116 to the pipe 118, the flow regulating valve 12
After passing through the upper heat exchanger 106b through the pipe 122 through the pipe 122, it merges with the connector pipe 114 through the pipe 113 and is sent from the pipe 115 to the indoor unit.

In the course of the flow of the refrigerant, the lower heat exchanger 1
In the upper heat exchanger 06a and the upper heat exchanger 106b, the refrigerant is evaporated by the wind of the outside air, and is sent as a low-temperature, low-pressure gas through a saturated state in which a low-temperature, low-pressure liquid state changes to a low-temperature, low-pressure gas. . During this time, the temperature sensor 119a attached to the middle heat exchanger U vent where the refrigerant is saturated in the lower heat exchanger 106a detects the temperature of the refrigerant in the lower heat exchanger 106a and controls the flow rate of the refrigerant. 1
19 is opened and closed to control the flow rate.

The temperature sensor 120b attached to the middle heat exchanger U vent where the refrigerant is saturated in the upper heat exchanger 106b is connected to the upper heat exchanger 10b.
The flow rate is controlled by opening and closing the flow control valve 120 by detecting the temperature of the refrigerant in 6b. By the above operation, the flow rates of the refrigerant flowing through the lower heat exchanger 106a and the upper heat exchanger 106b can be equally distributed.

As described above, the present invention has been specifically described based on the illustrated embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and specific structures within the scope of the present invention shown in the claims are set forth. Needless to say, various changes may be made to the configuration.

For example, in the heat exchanger according to the above-described embodiment, the flow of the refrigerant is divided into two circuits of the lower heat exchanger 106a and the upper heat exchanger 106b, but is divided into three or more circuits. Is also good. In the above-described embodiment, the flow of the refrigerant is divided in the vertical direction of the heat exchanger, but may be divided in the width direction of the heat exchanger.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to the heat exchanger of the heat pump type air conditioner. However, the present invention is not limited to the heat pump type but widely applied to the heat exchanger of the air conditioner. Applicable.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a heat exchanger of an air conditioner configured to divide a refrigerant into a plurality of circuits, a plurality of refrigerant flow paths after diverting the plurality of circuits. Are provided with a flow rate control means, and each circuit is provided with a refrigerant evaporation state detection means such as a temperature sensor, and the refrigerant evaporation state in each circuit detected by the refrigerant evaporation state detection means is used for each of the circuits via the flow rate control means. Provided is a heat exchanger for an air conditioner configured to control a refrigerant flow rate of a circuit.

According to the air conditioner heat exchanger of the present invention,
The evaporation state of the refrigerant flowing through each of the plurality of circuits is detected, and the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through each circuit is controlled so as to be equally distributed by adjusting the flow rate control means provided in each circuit according to the state. can do.

In the heat exchanger for an air conditioner according to the present invention, the refrigerant evaporating state detecting means includes an intermediate portion of each of the circuits where the liquid refrigerant flowing into the circuit is saturated.
For example, in the circuit provided at the U vent portion in each circuit, the refrigerant is saturated at that position, so that the refrigerant evaporation state such as the refrigerant temperature at the circuit can be accurately detected.

In the heat pump type air conditioner in which the heat exchanger of the present invention is installed in an outdoor unit, the flow rate of the refrigerant is equalized by the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit during the heating operation, and the heat pump type air conditioner with good performance is provided. An apparatus is provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a connection diagram of heat transfer tubes in an outdoor heat exchanger of a heat pump air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a configuration example of a conventional heat pump type air conditioner.

3A and 3B are diagrams showing a configuration of an outdoor heat exchanger of the heat pump type air conditioner of FIG. 2, in which FIG. 3A is a side view and FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 indoor unit 2 outdoor unit 3 refrigerant pipe 4 compressor 5 blower with electric motor 6 outdoor heat exchanger 7 suction grille 8 casing 9 pipe 10 minute pipe 11 pipe 12 pipe 13 pipe 14 connector pipe 15 pipe 16 indoor heat exchanger 106 outdoor Heat exchanger 106a lower heat exchanger 106b upper heat exchanger 109 pipe 111 pipe 112 pipe 113 pipe 114 connector pipe 115 pipe 116 connector pipe 117 pipe 118 pipe 119 pipe 119 flow control valve 120 flow control valve 120a temperature sensor 120b temperature sensor 121 pipe 122 Piping

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A heat exchanger of an air conditioner for diverting a refrigerant to a plurality of circuits, wherein a flow control means is provided in each of the plurality of refrigerant channels after the diverting of the plurality of circuits. Air characterized by comprising refrigerant evaporation state detection means, and controlling the refrigerant flow rate of each circuit via said flow rate control means according to the refrigerant evaporation state at each circuit detected by said refrigerant evaporation state detection means. A heat exchanger for a harmonic machine. 2. The heat exchanger for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said refrigerant evaporation state detecting means is provided at an intermediate portion of each of said circuits. 3. The heat exchanger for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said refrigerant evaporation state detecting means is provided at a U vent portion in each of said circuits. 4. The heat exchanger for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said refrigerant evaporation state detecting means is a temperature sensor. 5. The heat exchanger for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of circuits are formed by being divided in a width or length direction of the heat exchanger. vessel. 6. A heat pump type air conditioner wherein the heat exchanger according to claim 1 is installed in an outdoor unit.