JP2002333193A - Air conditioner and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air conditioner which enables the indoor temperature to reach a set temperature in a short time even in the case of having started up its operation as a humidifying heating operation. SOLUTION: The air conditioner, which is constituted to be capable of humidifying operation, being equipped with a refrigerant heat exchanger, a hot water heat exchanger, and a vaporizing humidifier, is equipped with a control means which performs nonhumidifying heating operation, using the refrigerant heat exchanger 23 and the hot water heat exchanger 24 and shifts the nonhumidifying heating operation to the humidifying heating operation after reaching to the set temperature in the case of starting its operation with humidifying heating operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner provided with a refrigerant heat exchanger, a hot water heat exchanger, and a vaporizing humidifier, and a control method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, there is known an air conditioner which includes a refrigerant heat exchanger, a hot water heat exchanger, and a vaporizing humidifier so as to be capable of humidifying and heating operation. In this type, when the operation of the air conditioner is started by the heating operation, the heating operation is performed using the refrigerant heat exchanger and the hot water heat exchanger, and at the same time, the evaporative humidifier is used from the start. It is common to perform a humidification operation (hereinafter, referred to as a humidification heating operation).

[0003]

However, in the conventional configuration, since the humidifying operation is performed using the evaporative humidifier from the start of the humidifying and heating operation, the rising ability of the dry bulb is reduced, and the set temperature is reduced. There is a problem that the rise time before reaching increases.

[0004] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner that can make the room temperature reach the set temperature within a short time even when the operation of the air conditioner is started by the humidifying and heating operation. To provide.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
Equipped with a refrigerant heat exchanger, a hot water heat exchanger, and a vaporizing humidifier,
In an air conditioner configured to enable humidification and heating operation,
When starting the operation in the humidifying and heating operation, the control unit performs the non-humidifying and heating operation using the refrigerant heat exchanger and the hot water heat exchanger, and shifts from the non-humidifying and heating operation to the humidifying and heating operation after reaching the set temperature. It is characterized by having.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, means for supplying high-temperature hot water to the hot-water heat exchanger during the non-humidifying and heating operation is provided.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling an air conditioner including a refrigerant heat exchanger, a hot water heat exchanger, and a vaporizing humidifier, wherein the humidification and heating operation is enabled. When starting up, the non-humidifying and heating operation is performed using the refrigerant heat exchanger and the hot water heat exchanger, and after reaching the set temperature, the operation is shifted from the non-humidifying and heating operation to the humidifying and heating operation.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, high-temperature hot water is supplied to the hot-water heat exchanger during the non-humidifying and heating operation.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of an air conditioner according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, an air conditioner 10
Has an outdoor unit 11, an indoor unit 12, and a hot water supply unit 13. An outdoor refrigerant pipe 14 of the outdoor unit 11 and an indoor refrigerant pipe 15 of the indoor unit 12 are connected via connection pipes 16 and 17. . The outdoor unit 11 is disposed outdoors, a compressor 18 is disposed in the outdoor refrigerant pipe 14, an accumulator 19 is connected to a suction side of the compressor 18 in the outdoor refrigerant pipe 14, and a four-way valve 20 is connected to a discharge side. Have been.

The four-way valve 20 is switched as shown by a solid line during a cooling operation, and is switched as shown by a dotted line during a heating operation.

A control device (not shown) activates the compressor 18 of the outdoor unit 11 when a cooling operation is selected and commanded by a remote controller (not shown). As a result, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 18 flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 21 through the four-way valve 20 as indicated by the solid arrow, and the refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger 21 passes through the electric expansion valve 22. Flows into the indoor unit 12 through the connection pipe 17. And the indoor refrigerant heat exchanger 23,
The fluid flows in the order of the connection pipe 16 and the four-way valve 20 and returns to the compressor 18 via the accumulator 19. Thus, the indoor refrigerant heat exchanger 23 functions as an evaporator, and the indoor air introduced into the indoor unit 12 is cooled by the indoor refrigerant heat exchanger 23 to cool the room.

When a heating operation is selected and commanded by a remote controller or the like, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 18 is supplied to the four-way valve 20 as indicated by the dotted arrow.
And flows into the indoor unit 12 through the connection pipe 16. Then, the indoor refrigerant heat exchanger 23, the connection pipe 17,
The refrigerant flowing in the order of the electric expansion valve 22 flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 21, flows out of the outdoor heat exchanger 21, passes through the four-way valve 20, and is returned to the compressor 18 through the accumulator 19. Thus, the indoor refrigerant heat exchanger 23 functions as a condenser, and the indoor air introduced into the indoor unit 12 is heated by the indoor refrigerant heat exchanger 23 to heat the room.

In this embodiment, in addition to the indoor refrigerant heat exchanger 23, the indoor hot water heat exchanger 2
4 is provided.

An indoor heat exchanger 25 is constituted by the indoor refrigerant heat exchanger 23 and the indoor hot water heat exchanger 24.
In the indoor unit 12, a blower (cross flow fan) 26 that blows indoor air to the indoor heat exchanger 25 is disposed near the indoor heat exchanger 25 (FIG. 2).
reference).

The hot water supply unit 13 has a heat source unit 27, which heats water supplied from a heat source unit water supply pipe 28 to produce hot water. The hot water can be discharged from a faucet (not shown) to the outside, and can be circulated between the indoor hot water heat exchanger 24 of the indoor unit 12 and the heat source device 27.

That is, the heat source unit 27 and the indoor hot water heat exchanger 2
4 is connected by a hot water outgoing pipe 29 for sending hot water from the heat source unit 27 to the indoor hot water heat exchanger 24, and a hot water return pipe 30 for returning hot water from the indoor hot water heat exchanger 24 to the heat source unit 27.

A variable flow rate valve 31 for adjusting the flow rate of the hot water flowing through the hot water outflow pipe 29 is provided in the hot water outflow pipe 29. By supplying hot water from the heat source device 27 to the indoor hot water heat exchanger 24, the indoor air passing through the indoor hot water heat exchanger 24 is heated by heat exchange.

When a heating operation is selected and commanded by a remote controller (not shown) or the like, as described above, the refrigerant from the compressor 18 is guided to the indoor refrigerant heat exchanger 23, and the indoor refrigerant heat exchange is performed. The heater 23 is condensed to heat the room, and the variable flow valve 31 connected to the hot water outflow pipe 29 is opened to circulate the hot water from the heat source unit 27 with the indoor hot water heat exchanger 24. The indoor hot water heat exchanger 24 heats the indoor air guided into the indoor unit 12 by the cross flow fan 26 to heat the room.

Here, in the control device, in the above-described cooling operation or heating operation, the room temperature detected by the room temperature sensor 32 installed in the indoor unit 12 substantially matches the set temperature set by the remote controller or the like. Thus, the cooling operation or the heating operation is controlled.

As shown in FIG. 2, the indoor unit 12 is mounted on a wall or the like of a room. This indoor unit 12
The rear casing 35 mainly covers the rear side, and the front casing 36 mainly covers the front side. The rear casing 35 and the front casing 36 constitute a casing, and the indoor refrigerant heat exchanger 23, the indoor hot water heat exchanger 24, and the cross flow fan 26 are housed in a space surrounded by the casing. Air suction ports 37A, 37B and 37C are formed in the front casing 36,
The front casing 36 is configured to be detachable or openable from the rear casing 35. An air outlet 38 is formed between the rear casing 35 and the front casing 36.

The indoor refrigerant heat exchanger 23 is divided into three heat exchange sections 23A, 23B and 23C. The front space A formed inside the casing includes a first heat exchange section 2.
3A, the upper surface side space B is provided with second and third heat exchange portions 23B and 23C in a C shape in the figure, and the primary side of the third heat exchange portion 23C is provided with indoor hot water heat exchange. The vessels 24 are arranged one above the other. And these heat exchangers 23, 2
The cross flow fan 26 is disposed inside the fourth fan 4.

The first heat exchange section 23A and the second heat exchange section 23B
Is received by the front drain receiver 41, and the drain of the third heat exchange unit 23C and the indoor hot water heat exchanger 24 is received by the rear drain receiver 43.

The back drain receiver 43 communicates with the front drain receiver 41 through a drain channel (not shown) having a downward slope.

Further, a gap is formed between the second and third heat exchange portions 23B and 23C arranged in a C shape in FIG. 2, and the air sucked by the cross flow fan 26 is formed in the gap. A vaporizing humidifier 45 is inserted and arranged along the flow direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the vaporizing humidifier 45 includes a case 46 extending over the entire width of the second heat exchanging portion 23B, and a humidifying filter 47 detachably inserted into the case 46. Be composed.

The case 46 includes the second and third heat exchange units 2.
3B, 23C are provided with flanges (gap seal portions) 51, 52 which are locked to the upper edges. The flanges 51, 52 are made of, for example, a soft resin. The gap between 23B and 23C is hermetically sealed. Therefore, there is no air leakage from the gap between the second and third heat exchange units 23B and 23C.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a dome-shaped head 46A is formed in the case 46, and a water injection pipe 46B is provided in the dome-shaped head 46A. As shown in FIG. 4, the water injection pipe 46 </ b> B
A humidification water supply pipe 40 (FIG. 1) for guiding a part of the water supply supplied to the heat source unit 27 is connected, and a heat valve 44 is connected to the humidification water supply pipe 40.

The humidification water supply pipe 40 is at least one of a hot water outflow pipe 29 for sending hot water from the heat source unit 27 to the hot water heat exchanger 24 and a hot water return pipe 30 for returning hot water from the hot water heat exchanger 24 to the heat source unit 27. It is desirable to be arranged in contact with the.

The hot water from the water injection pipe 46B collides with the inner wall of the dome-shaped head 46A, and then flows out along the dome-shaped humid filter 47B.
Is dropped. The hot water dropped here is supplied to the heat exchanger 2
The warm air passing through 3 and 24 is humidified, and the residual water (drain) is received by the residual water receiving portion 46C. This residual water receiving portion 46
The residual water collected in C is passed through the residual water channel 46D.
Collected in the back drain receiver 43 of the third heat exchange unit 23C,
From here, it is collected in the front drain receiver 41 via a drainage channel (not shown) having a downward slope.

As is clear from FIG. 4, the residual water channels 46D are formed at both ends of the case 46 so as not to protrude into the air channel.

The humidifying filter 47 is housed in a filter holder 48, and a handle 48A is formed in the filter holder 48. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, when the front casing 36 is opened, the humidifying filter 47 faces the front surface of the casing so that the filter holder 48 can be taken out.

The humidifying filter 47 is made of a material that easily contains moisture, such as a sponge. When the air passes through the humidification filter 47, the water in the humidification filter 47 is naturally evaporated, and the air blown out from the air outlet 38 into the room is humidified. This humidification is mainly performed during the heating operation of the air conditioner 10.

The humidification water supply pipe 40 for supplying water to the humidification filter 47 is, as shown in FIG.
8, which guides clean water before being supplied to the heat source unit water supply pipe 28 to the humidification filter 47. Further, the humidification water supply pipe 40 is connected to the humidification water supply pipe 40.
A thermal valve 44 for adjusting the flow rate of the water flowing in the inside is provided. The amount of water supplied to the humidifying filter 47 is controlled by adjusting the opening of the thermal valve 44.

The control unit (not shown) opens the thermal valve 44 when the humidification and heating operation is selected and commanded by a remote controller (not shown). Thermal valve 4
After the valve opening operation of the valve 4 is performed, the opening and closing of the thermal valve 44 are alternately repeated. However, while the valve opening command is being output, a predetermined amount of water is supplied to a drainage passage (not shown). If water flows out, this water is discarded as drain.

When the operation of the present air conditioner is started by the humidifying and heating operation, first, the above-described heating operation by non-humidification using the indoor refrigerant heat exchanger 23 and the indoor hot water heat exchanger 24 is performed by a control device (not shown). After the room temperature reaches the set temperature, the heating valve is opened while the heating operation is continued, and the non-humidification heating operation is shifted to the humidification heating operation using the evaporative humidifier 45. Let it.

In this case, until the room temperature reaches the set temperature, the room hot water heat exchanger 24 has a considerably high temperature (for example, 8
(0 ° C.). That is, a command is sent from the control device of the air conditioner to the control means of the heat source unit 27 to increase the output of the heat source unit 27 to generate high-temperature hot water, which is supplied to the variable flow rate valve 31 Circulates with the indoor hot water heat exchanger 24 through the

In this embodiment, the heating operation without humidification is performed using the indoor refrigerant heat exchanger 23 and the indoor hot water heat exchanger 24 until the room temperature reaches the set temperature.
The indoor dry-bulb temperature can be quickly raised, and after the room temperature reaches the set temperature, the operation is switched to the humidifying and heating operation using the vaporizing humidifier 45, so that the indoor wet-bulb temperature can be increased. And create a comfortable environment.

FIG. 5 shows a control result according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 6 shows a conventional control result. By the way,
In the control of FIG. 6, when the humidification heating operation is selected, the heating operation with humidification is executed from the beginning of the operation startup.

As is apparent from the comparison between the figures, when the control according to the present embodiment is performed, the rise time until the set temperature is reached is reduced by 5 to 22 minutes to 17 minutes, for example, as compared with the conventional control. Can be shortened by about a minute.

In this embodiment, it is possible to increase the temperature of the hot water supplied to the indoor hot water heat exchanger 24 when the humidifying and heating operation is started. According to this, the indoor dry-bulb temperature can be raised in a very short time, and then the indoor wet-bulb temperature can be raised by switching to the humidifying and heating operation using the vaporizing humidifier 45. Can be set more comfortably in winter.

Although the present invention has been described based on the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this.

For example, a gap is formed between the first heat exchange section 23A and the second heat exchange section 23B, and the evaporative humidifier 4 is formed there.
5 may be inserted and arranged.

Although the humidification water supply pipe 40 has been described as being in contact with both the hot water outgoing pipe 29 and the hot water return pipe 30, it may be in contact with either one of the hot water outgoing pipe 29 and the hot water return pipe 30. . In the air conditioner 10, the hot water supply unit 13 has been described as being installed separately from the outdoor unit 11, but may be arranged inside the outdoor unit 11. Further, the thermal valve 44 may be a normal control valve whose opening is adjusted by the control device.

[0045]

According to the present invention, as compared with the conventional control, it is possible to shorten the rise time until the temperature reaches the set temperature during the humidifying and heating operation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of an air conditioner according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an indoor unit of the air conditioner of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an indoor unit of the air-conditioning apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a heat exchanger and a humidifier.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a control result according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a conventional control result.

[Description of Signs] 10 Air conditioner 11 Outdoor unit 13 Hot water supply unit 23 Indoor refrigerant heat exchanger 23A, 23B, 23C Heat exchange unit 24 Indoor hot water heat exchanger 45 Vaporization humidifier

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 3L055 AA01 BA01 DA20 3L060 AA05 CC02 CC06 DD02 EE23 3L092 AA02 AA03 BA16 DA01 EA15 FA21

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An air conditioner comprising a refrigerant heat exchanger, a hot water heat exchanger, and a vaporizing humidifier and configured to be capable of humidifying and heating operation, when the operation is started in humidifying and heating operation.
Air conditioning characterized by comprising control means for performing a non-humidifying heating operation using a refrigerant heat exchanger and a hot water heat exchanger, and after reaching a set temperature, shifting from the non-humidifying heating operation to the humidifying heating operation. apparatus. 2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising means for supplying high-temperature hot water to the hot-water heat exchanger during the non-humidifying and heating operation. 3. A method for controlling an air conditioner that includes a refrigerant heat exchanger, a hot water heat exchanger, and a vaporizing humidifier and enables a humidifying and heating operation. A method for controlling an air conditioner, wherein a non-humidifying heating operation is performed using a heat exchanger and a hot water heat exchanger, and after reaching a set temperature, a transition from the non-humidifying heating operation to the humidifying heating operation is performed. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein high-temperature hot water is supplied to the hot-water heat exchanger during the non-humidifying and heating operation.