JP2004125323A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air conditioner capable of feeding generally uniform air and promoting heat transfer in an ice heat storage tank with a simple structure. <P>SOLUTION: This air conditioner comprises the ice heat storage tank performing ice heat storage by evaporating refrigerant in a coil for ice-making and performing ice heat storage utilization by condensing the refrigerant in the coil to dissolve the ice on the periphery of the coil. A plurality of bottom members 111 are disposed at the bottom part of the ice heat storage tank parallel with each other in the lateral direction, an air feed means 95 is installed on at least one bottom member 111A, and a support member 93 having an air storage part 92 storing the air supplied through the air feed means 95 is bridged across the bottom members 111 and 111A. An air supply hole 98 allowing air to be led to the periphery of the coil in communication with the air storage part 92 is formed in the support member 93. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an air conditioner having an ice heat storage tank.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, a heat source side unit having a compressor and a heat source side heat exchanger, an ice heat storage unit having a coil disposed in a submerged state in an ice heat storage tank, and a use side unit having a use side heat exchanger. 2. Description of the Related Art There is known an air conditioner having the same (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
In this type, the ice heat storage operation is performed by evaporating the refrigerant in the coil to make ice, and the ice heat storage operation is performed by condensing the refrigerant in the coil to melt ice around the coil. Do.
[0004]
By the way, conventionally, in order to promote heat transfer in the ice heat storage tank, a pipe for supplying air is provided at the bottom of the ice heat storage tank.
[0005]
During the operation of utilizing ice heat, the air is guided through the pipe into an annular water column formed around the coil by the above-mentioned ice melting, and a rising water flow is formed in the water column to accelerate the ice melting speed.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-46434 A
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional configuration, in addition to providing the air supply pipe at the bottom of the ice heat storage tank, a support member for fixing the lower portion of the coil is provided, which makes assembly of the ice heat storage tank difficult. There's a problem.
[0008]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional technology, to achieve a uniform air supply with a simple configuration, and to promote heat transfer in an ice heat storage tank. It is to provide a device.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, ice heat is stored by evaporating the refrigerant in the coil to make ice, and ice storage is performed by condensing the refrigerant in the coil to melt ice around the coil. In an air conditioner having an ice heat storage tank, a plurality of bottom members are arranged side by side at the bottom of the ice heat storage tank, air supply means is provided on at least one bottom member, and the air supply means is provided on the bottom member. A support member having an air storage portion for storing the air supplied through the support member, and an air supply hole communicating with the air storage portion and allowing air to be introduced around the coil is formed in the support member. It is assumed that.
[0010]
The invention according to claim 2 includes a heat source side unit provided with a compressor and a heat source side heat exchanger, an ice heat storage unit in which a coil is disposed in a submerged state in an ice heat storage tank, and a use side heat exchanger. And ice storage by evaporating the refrigerant in the coil to make ice, and condensing the refrigerant in the coil to defrost the ice around the coil, thereby utilizing the ice heat storage. In the air conditioner, a plurality of bottom members are arranged side by side at the bottom of the ice heat storage tank, air supply means is provided on at least one bottom member, and the air supply means is supplied on the bottom member through the air supply means. A support member having an air storage portion for storing air is bridged, and an air supply hole is formed in the support member so as to communicate with the air storage portion and allow air to be introduced around the coil. is there.
[0011]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, a lower portion of the coil extends into a lower space of the support member.
[0012]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, the bottom member having the air supply means and the support member are box-shaped members each having an open lower surface, and the coil is supported. It is characterized by being fixed to the side wall of the member.
[0013]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect, a partition member for dividing an air storing portion is provided inside the support member.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0015]
FIG. 1 shows an air conditioner including an ice heat storage unit to which an embodiment of an air conditioner including a heat storage unit according to the present invention is applied, and is a pipeline diagram during an ice making operation. FIG. 2 is a pipeline diagram during the cooling operation in the embodiment of FIG.
[0016]
The air conditioner 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a heat source side unit 11, an ice heat storage unit 12 as a heat storage unit, and a use side unit 13. The refrigerant pipes 15A and 15B connecting the refrigerant pipes 14 of the heat source side unit 11 and the refrigerant pipes 30, 31 and 32 arranged in parallel of the use side unit 13 are connected by refrigerant pipes 16 and 17 of the ice heat storage unit 12. You. The refrigerant pipe 15A is connected to the refrigerant pipe 16, and the refrigerant pipe 15B is connected to the refrigerant pipe 17.
[0017]
In the heat source side unit 11, variable capacity compressors 18A, 18B, 18C are arranged in parallel in a refrigerant pipe 14, and an accumulator 19 is provided on a suction side of the compressors 18A, 18B, 18C, and a four-way valve is provided on a discharge side. The heat source side heat exchanger 21, the electric expansion valve 22, and the receiver tank 23 are sequentially connected to the four-way valve 20 via the refrigerant pipe 14.
[0018]
In the use-side unit 13, use-side heat exchangers 24, 25, and 26 are disposed in the refrigerant pipes 30, 31, and 32, respectively, and the use-side heat exchangers 24, 25, and 26 in the refrigerant pipes 30, 31, and 32, respectively. Electric expansion valves 27, 28, and 29 are provided in the vicinity. The degree of opening of these electric expansion valves 27, 28, 29 is adjusted according to the air conditioning load.
[0019]
The ice heat storage unit 12 includes an ice heat storage tank 36 as a heat storage tank accommodating a coil 35, and a receiver tank 37, an electric expansion valve 38, and a first electric opening / closing valve 41 in the refrigerant pipe 16 are connected to the heat source side unit 11 side. From the user side unit 13 to the user side unit 13. One end of a coil 35 is connected to the refrigerant pipe 16 between the electric expansion valve 38 and the first electric opening / closing valve 41 via a connection pipe 39. The other end of the coil 35 is connected to the refrigerant pipe 17 of the ice heat storage unit 12 via a connection pipe 40, and a second electric open / close valve 42 is provided on the connection pipe 40. Further, one end of a connection pipe 44 having a third electric opening / closing valve 43 is connected to the refrigerant pipe 16 between the receiver tank 37 and the electric expansion valve 38. The other end of the connection pipe 44 is connected between the second electric on-off valve 42 and the coil 35 in the connection pipe 40.
[0020]
The ice heat storage tank 36 is filled with water as a secondary medium, and the coil 35 is disposed in a submerged state. During the ice making operation as the heat storage operation of the air-conditioning apparatus 10, the liquid refrigerant as the primary medium from the heat source side heat exchanger 21 flows into the coil 35 and evaporates, whereby ice adheres to the outer periphery of the coil 35. The ice is stored with cold heat. During the thawing / cooling operation as the heat dissipation operation of the air conditioner 10, the liquid refrigerant from the heat source side heat exchanger 21 flows into the coil 35 in a full state, and this liquid refrigerant removes ice adhering to the outer periphery of the coil 35. It melts and becomes supercooled by the heat radiation of the cold stored in the ice.
[0021]
[A] Ice making operation (Fig. 1)
The ice making operation of the air-conditioning apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 is performed, for example, by storing the liquid refrigerant from the heat source-side heat exchanger 21 in the heat source-side unit 11 in ice heat during a time period when the electricity rate is low from 10:00 at night to 8:00 in the next morning. In this operation, the ice is supplied to the coil 35 in the ice heat storage tank 36 of the unit 12 to form ice in the ice heat storage tank 36.
[0022]
In this case, in the ice heat storage unit 12, the first electric open / close valve 41 and the third electric open / close valve 43 are closed, and the electric expansion valve 38 and the second electric open / close valve 42 are opened. Further, the electric expansion valves 27, 28 and 29 of the use side unit 13 are closed. In this state, when the compressors 18A, 18B, 18C of the heat source side unit 11 are started, the gas refrigerant discharged from these compressors 18A, 18B, 18C is condensed in the heat source side heat exchanger 21, and The pressure is reduced through the electric expansion valve 22 and the electric expansion valve 38 of the ice heat storage unit 12 and flows into the coil 35 in the ice heat storage tank 36. The refrigerant that has flowed into the coil 35 is evaporated and forms with ice attached to the outer periphery of the coil 35. Thereafter, the gas refrigerant in the coil 35 reaches the four-way valve 20 via the connection pipe 40, the second electric open / close valve 42 and the refrigerant pipe 17, and is returned to the compressors 18A, 18B, 18C via the accumulator 19.
[0023]
Ice is formed in the ice heat storage tank 36 by the ice making operation, and the cold stored in the ice is used for the next ice melting and cooling operation.
[0024]
[B] Thaw cooling operation (Fig. 2)
The thawing and cooling operation of the air conditioner 10 shown in FIG. 2 is performed, for example, in the daytime when the temperature rises, by using the liquid refrigerant from the heat source side heat exchanger 21 in the heat source side unit 11 and the ice in the ice heat storage unit 12. It is supplied to the coil 35 in the heat storage tank 36 to be in a supercooled state, and the supercooled liquid refrigerant is supplied to the use-side heat exchangers 24, 25, 26 of the use-side unit 13 for execution.
[0025]
In this case, in the ice heat storage unit 12, the second electric open / close valve 42 is closed, the first electric open / close valve 41 and the third electric open / close valve 43 are opened, and the opening degree of the electric expansion valve 38 will be described later. It is adjusted as follows. Further, the electric expansion valves 27, 28 and 29 of the use side unit 13 are opened.
[0026]
In this state, when the compressors 18A, 18B, 18C of the heat source side unit 11 are started, the gas refrigerant discharged from these compressors 18A, 18B, 18C is condensed in the heat source side heat exchanger 21, and The refrigerant flows into the coil 35 in the ice heat storage tank 36 via the electric expansion valve 22, the refrigerant pipe 16 of the ice heat storage unit 12, the connection pipe 44, and the third electric open / close valve 43. The liquid refrigerant that has flowed into the coil 35 flows in the coil 35 in a full state, defrosts the ice attached to the outer periphery of the coil 35, and enters a supercooled state due to the cold stored in the ice. Thereafter, the liquid refrigerant in the supercooled state in the coil 35 is used through the connection pipe 39, the first electric opening / closing valve 41 and the refrigerant pipe 16, the refrigerant pipe 15A of the use side unit 13, and the electric expansion valves 27, 28, 29. The heat flows into the side heat exchangers 24, 25, 26, respectively, and is evaporated by each of the use side heat exchangers 24, 25, 26 to cool the room.
[0027]
Thereafter, the gas refrigerant passes through the refrigerant pipes 30, 31, 32 and the refrigerant pipe 15B, passes through the refrigerant pipe 17 of the ice heat storage unit 12, passes through the four-way valve 20 and the accumulator 19, and then returns to the compressors 18A, 18B, 18C. .
[0028]
Therefore, during this ice melting and cooling operation, the cooling medium stored in the ice in the ice heat storage tank 36 in the ice making operation described above is used, and the liquid refrigerant is supercooled in the coil 35 of the ice heat storage tank 36 to use the heat on the use side. Since the supply to the exchanges 24, 25, 26, the efficiency of the cooling operation in the use side heat exchangers 24, 25, 26 can be improved.
[0029]
In the above-described ice melting and cooling operation, in the ice heat storage unit 12, the liquid refrigerant temperature E1 flowing from the coil 35 to the refrigerant pipe 16 on the first electric on-off valve 41 side via the connection pipe 39 is changed by the use-side unit 13. When the temperature is lower than the liquid refrigerant temperature E2 in the use-side heat exchangers 24, 25, and 26, the opening degree of the electric expansion valve 38 is adjusted, and the liquid refrigerant supercooled by the coil 35 in the ice heat storage tank 36 is removed. The liquid refrigerant from the heat source side heat exchanger 21 and the electric expansion valve 22 are merged, and the merged liquid refrigerant is supplied to the use side heat exchangers 24, 25, 26. In such a de-ice cooling operation, since the liquid refrigerant from the heat source side heat exchanger 21 and the electric expansion valve 22 has a higher temperature than the liquid refrigerant supercooled in the coil 35, the use side heat exchanger 24 , 25, and 26 to raise the temperature of the liquid refrigerant to optimize the indoor cooling operation by the use-side heat exchangers 24, 25, and 26.
[0030]
"C" Normal cooling operation (Fig. 2)
The normal cooling operation in the air-conditioning apparatus 10 illustrated in FIG. 2 is a cooling operation that is performed without using the cold heat stored in the ice in the ice heat storage tank 36 in the ice heat storage unit 12, and includes the second electric on-off valve 42 and The third electric on-off valve 43 is closed, and the electric expansion valve 38 and the first electric on-off valve 41 are opened. Further, the electric expansion valves 27, 28 and 29 in the use side unit 13 are opened.
[0031]
In this state, when the compressors 18A, 18B, 18C of the heat source side unit 11 are started, the gas refrigerant discharged from these compressors 18A, 18B, 18C is condensed in the heat source side heat exchanger 21, and It passes through the electric expansion valve 22 and the refrigerant pipe 16 of the ice heat storage unit 12, the electric expansion valve 38, and the first electric opening / closing valve 41, passes through the refrigerant pipe 15 </ b> A of the user side unit 13 and the electric expansion valves 27, 28, 29, and uses the heat on the usage side. After flowing into the heat exchangers 24, 25, and 26, evaporating and cooling the room by each of the use-side heat exchangers 24, 25, and 26, the refrigerant flows through the refrigerant pipe 15B and passes through the refrigerant pipe 17 of the ice heat storage unit 12. After passing through the four-way valve 20 and the accumulator 19, it is returned to the compressors 18A, 18B, 18C.
[0032]
[D] Structure of Ice Heat Storage Tank 36 According to the Present Embodiment FIG. 3 shows a part of the internal structure of the ice heat storage tank 36. The ice heat storage tank 36 is filled with water, and the meandering coil 35 (FIG. 1) is provided with its upper end 35A protruding above the water surface. In the ice making operation, ice heat is stored by evaporating the refrigerant in the coil 35 to make ice, and in the ice melting operation, the refrigerant is condensed in the coil 35 to deice the ice around the coil 35 to store the ice heat. Make use. During this thawing, as shown in FIG. 5, the ice 100 around the coil 35 is thawed, and an annular water column 91 is formed around the coil 35 due to the thawing.
[0033]
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of bottom members 111 are arranged side by side at the bottom of the ice heat storage tank 36, and at least one of the bottom members 111A is provided with air supply means (pipe) 95. Is provided.
[0034]
A plurality of support members 93 having an air storage portion 92 for storing the air supplied through the pipe 95 are laid on the bottom members 111 and 111A so as to be substantially orthogonal to the bottom members 111. I have.
[0035]
The bottom members 111 and 111A and the support member 93 are box-shaped members each having an open lower surface, and when air is supplied through the pipe 95, first, air is stored inside one bottom member 111A, Next, air is uniformly distributed and stored in the air storage portions 92 of all the support members 93 through the through holes 113 formed on the upper surface of the bottom member 111A.
[0036]
A straight pipe portion 35B of the meandering coil 35 is fixed to a side wall 96 of the support member 93 by using a fixing tool 97, and a curved pipe portion (lower portion) 35C of the coil 35 extends into a lower space 94 of the support member 93. Is out. An air supply hole 98 made of a fine hole is formed in the vicinity of the fixing member 97, and the air supply hole 98 is formed so as to communicate with the air reservoir 92 and to introduce air around the straight pipe portion 35 </ b> B of the coil 35. ing.
[0037]
In the present embodiment, during the ice making operation described above, ice 100 is made around the coil 35 as shown in FIG. In this case, since the upper end 35A of the coil 35 projects above the water surface, ice is not formed around the upper end 35A.
[0038]
Next, when the above-described thawing operation is performed, first, as shown in FIG. 5, the ice around the coil 35 is thawed, and an annular water column 91 is formed around the coil 35 by this thawing. Further, due to the thawing, an air supply hole 98 formed in the side wall 96 of the support member 93 communicates with the water column 91, and an air bubble 101 is supplied into the water column 91 as shown in FIG. When the bubbles 101 are supplied to the water column 91, the bubbles 101 rise in the water column 91 and are exhausted to the outside from the vicinity of the upper end 35A of the coil 35 projecting above the water surface. According to this, since a rising water flow is generated in the water column 91, the heat conductivity is improved, and the ice melting speed is accelerated.
[0039]
In the present embodiment, the following effects (1) to (5) are obtained.
[0040]
{Circle around (1)} Since the support member 93 also functions as a so-called air supply pipe and a support member for fixing the lower portion 35C of the coil 35, the piping structure is simplified, the cost is reduced, and the ice heat storage tank 36 is easily assembled. become.
[0041]
(2) When the air is supplied through the pipe 95, the air is first stored inside the one bottom member 111A, and then the air is stored in all the support members 93 through the through holes 113 formed on the upper surface of the bottom member 111A. Since the air is supplied to the portion 92, the air is uniformly stored in all the support members 93.
[0042]
{Circle around (3)} Since the coil 35 does not intersect with the air storing portion 92 as in the related art, a sealing function is not required, and uniform air is removed.
[0043]
{Circle around (4)} Since the coil 35 is fixed to the side wall 96 of the support member 93, the ice around the side wall is melted by the temperature of the coil 35 during the deicing operation, and the air supply hole 98 communicates with the water column 91. . Therefore, unlike the related art, there is no need to provide a new ice melting means for communication, and the piping structure is simplified.
[0044]
(5) Even if the size of the ice heat storage tank 36 is different, it is possible to cope with it by combining a plurality of the support members 93 and the like, so that the support members 93 can be shared.
[0045]
FIG. 6 shows another embodiment.
[0046]
According to this, a partition body 103 is provided inside the support member 93 and extends in the short direction to divide the air storage portion 92 into a plurality.
[0047]
The height H1 of the partition body 103 is formed lower than the height H2 of the support member 93. When the support member 93 is installed in the ice heat storage tank 36, even if the support member 93 is installed at an angle. The amount of air stored in each of the chambers A to C is kept constant by the height H1 of the partition body 103.
[0048]
Therefore, in each of the chambers A to C, there is no extreme difference in the appearance of the bubbles 101, and substantially uniform air removal is possible.
[0049]
As described above, the present invention has been described based on the above embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the support member is configured as a box-shaped member having an open lower surface, but is not limited thereto, and it goes without saying that various forms may be applied without departing from the gist of the present invention. Absent.
[0050]
【The invention's effect】
In the present invention, since the supporting member also serves as a so-called air supply pipe and a supporting member for fixing the coil, the piping structure is simplified, the cost is reduced, and the assembly of the ice heat storage tank is facilitated.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an air conditioner including an ice heat storage unit to which an embodiment of an air conditioner including a heat storage unit according to the present invention is applied, and is a pipeline diagram during an ice making operation.
FIG. 2 is a pipeline diagram during a cooling operation in the embodiment of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an ice heat storage tank.
FIG. 4 is a sectional perspective view of an ice heat storage tank.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing ice around a coil.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a support member showing another embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 10 air conditioner 11 heat source side unit 12 ice heat storage unit 13 user side unit 21 heat source side heat exchanger 24 user side heat exchanger 35 coil 36 ice heat storage tank 91 water column 92 air storage part 93 support member 94 lower space 95 pipe (air Supply means)
96 Side wall 97 Fixing tool 98 Air supply holes 111, 111A Bottom member

Claims (5)

An air conditioner equipped with an ice heat storage tank that performs ice heat storage by evaporating a refrigerant in a coil to make ice, and condensing the refrigerant in the coil to melt ice around the coil to use the ice heat. In the device,
A plurality of bottom members are arranged side by side at the bottom of the ice heat storage tank,
Providing air supply means on at least one bottom member,
A support member having an air storage section for storing air supplied through the air supply means is stretched over the bottom member,
An air conditioner, wherein an air supply hole is formed in the support member so as to communicate with the air storage section so that air can be introduced around the coil. A heat source side unit having a compressor and a heat source side heat exchanger, an ice heat storage unit having a coil disposed in a submerged state in an ice heat storage tank, and a use side unit having a use side heat exchanger. ,
In the air conditioner performing ice heat storage by evaporating the refrigerant in the coil and making ice to perform ice heat storage, and condensing the refrigerant in the coil to melt ice around the coil to use ice heat storage.
A plurality of bottom members are arranged side by side at the bottom of the ice heat storage tank,
Providing air supply means on at least one bottom member,
A support member having an air storage section for storing air supplied through the air supply means is stretched over the bottom member,
An air conditioner, wherein an air supply hole is formed in the support member so as to communicate with the air storage section so that air can be introduced around the coil. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein a lower portion of the coil extends into a lower space of the support member. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bottom member having the air supply means and the support member are box-shaped members each having an open lower surface, and the coil is fixed to a side wall of the support member. The air conditioner as described in the above. The air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein a partition body for dividing the air storage portion is provided inside the support member.

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