JPH0332902Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to the structure of a device for preventing drain freezing of an air-cooled heat pump air conditioner.

(Prior art) In the heat pump unit of a packaged air conditioner, if frost forms on the outdoor coil during heating operation at low outside temperatures, the heating capacity decreases, so defrosting with hot gas is performed each time. This frost mechanism is known from Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 46-37058.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) As mentioned above, when frost occurs, hot gas is circulated through the outdoor coil to melt the frost.
The heat exchange capacity of the outdoor coil can be regenerated, but in this case, the melted frost does not all become drain, but instead becomes drain and ice blocks that fall into the drain storage area such as the drain pan below. Since there is a risk that the ice block may refreeze in the drain storage section after falling, the known technique disclosed in the above publication disposes a drain heater in the drain storage section to melt the ice block. .

However, even if the drain is melted by the drain heater, when the ambient temperature is low, the problem often arises that the drain refreezes inside the drain hose connected to the drain reservoir, making it impossible to drain the drain and causing the drain to overflow. However, there were disadvantages such as local accumulation of ice within the drain reservoir.

The present invention has been developed in response to such conventional problems, and in particular, by adding a structure in which a part of the refrigerant piping, which becomes high-pressure during heating, is inserted into the inside of the drain discharge pipe, it is possible to create a drain storage area. The purpose of preventing ice blocks from remaining and refreezing in the refrigerator was to stabilize refrigeration operation and maintain high capacity.

(Means for solving the problem) Therefore, the present invention aims at refrigerant piping 9 which is at high pressure during heating.
In an air-cooled heat pump air conditioner, a part of the water is guided into a drain storage section 5 provided below the outdoor coil 3, and inserted into a drain discharge pipe 6 connected to the drain storage section 5. It is characterized by having possessed.

(Function) Since the present invention has a configuration in which the drain in the drain storage section 5 and the drain in the drain discharge pipe 6 are heated, the ice blocks that have fallen from the outdoor coil 3 are melted and the entire amount is discharged as drain. It is possible to reliably prevent the accumulation of ice blocks and refreezing of the drain.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a ceiling-suspended outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to an example of the present invention, in which a compressor 2, an outdoor coil 3, and an outdoor fan are housed in an oblong casing 1 with a reduced height. It stores 4.

The outdoor coil 3 is disposed upright directly inward facing the air intake port provided in the casing 1, and the outdoor coil 3 is installed in a drain storage part attached to the bottom plate of the casing 1, such as a drain pan 5. The drain pan 5 is erected directly above the drain pan 5 so as to be slightly lifted from the bottom of the drain pan, so that the drain falling from the outdoor coil 3 is received by the drain pan 5.

In addition, a drain outlet pipe 6 is connected to the drain outlet opening of the drain pan 5 facing the lowest position of the bottom, and this drain outlet pipe 6 is connected to the drain outlet of the casing 1.
The drawers are hanging outside.

A piping system diagram of an air conditioner consisting of an outdoor unit and an indoor unit having the above-mentioned structure is shown in FIG. 2. 11. The indoor coil 8 to which the indoor fan 14 is attached is connected by refrigerant piping in the order shown to form a reversible refrigeration cycle, which includes a heating cycle with the refrigerant flowing in the direction of the solid arrow, and a heating cycle with the refrigerant flowing in the direction of the solid arrow. The operation is performed by switching between cooling and defrosting cycles using directional refrigerant flow.

In the refrigeration cycle, among the refrigerant pipes 9 for connecting the indoor coil 8 and the pressure reducer 10, that is, among the pipes that become high-pressure liquid pipes during heating,
A part of the refrigerant pipe 9 (hereinafter referred to as the outdoor liquid pipe) extending from the heating pressure reducer 10 to the connecting pipe connection joint 12 on the outdoor unit side is connected to the drain pan 5 as shown in FIG. At the same time, it is inserted into a drain discharge pipe 6 made of a hose, and is pulled out from the discharge pipe 6 by a certain length, and is used as a heating member to prevent the drain from freezing.

In this case, the shutoff valve 11 interposed in the outdoor liquid pipe 9 is fixed to a suitable support member so as to float above the bottom of the drain pan 5, and can be easily opened and closed. At the same time, when operating in the cooling cycle, the drain pan 5 catches frost that drips from the valve body to prevent it from leaking to the outside.

Note that the joint 1 attached to one end of the outdoor liquid pipe 9
2 uses a joint that is a combination of a union pipe joint and a flare nut.

Therefore, when the outdoor side liquid pipe 9 is inserted into the drain discharge pipe 6 and the end side having the joint 12 is pulled out, as shown in FIG.
At the same time, the upper end of the dew-proof tube 15 is tightly attached to the outdoor liquid pipe 9 with a clamp material to prevent condensate from entering. The pipe 9 is curved into a U-shape to form a trap part, and this structure prevents drain from flowing down inside the drain discharge pipe 6 and wetting the outdoor liquid pipe 9. In addition, the surface of the refrigerant pipe 15 extending toward the indoor side along the surface of the dew prevention cylinder 15 is not wetted, and it is possible to reliably prevent drain from entering the indoor side.

In addition, as shown in FIG.
is connected to the lower end of the drain discharge pipe 6, and the outdoor liquid pipe 9 is bent slightly into a U-shaped trap shape within this joint 13, and then the outdoor liquid pipe 9 is inserted through the opening that opens to the side. Pull-out is also a preferred end treatment means.

As described above, by guiding the outdoor liquid pipe 9 into the drain pan 5 and inserting this outdoor liquid pipe 9 into the drain discharge pipe 6, the outdoor temperature decreases during heating operation and the outdoor coil 3 When frosting occurs, the four-way switching valve 7 is operated to switch from the heating cycle to the cooling cycle and enter defrosting operation.

As the hot gas flows into the outdoor coil 3, the frost and ice blocks adhering to the coil 3 are melted at the contact portions and fall into the drain pan 5 as drain or ice blocks.

When the heating operation is resumed after defrosting, the temperature inside the drain pan 5 has risen due to the heating effect of the high-pressure liquid refrigerant that has passed through the outdoor coil 3 through the outdoor liquid pipe 9, so that the water drops. The temperature of the drain increases, and the ice cubes are melted and drained to the outside through the drain discharge pipe 6.

In this case, the inside of the drain discharge pipe 6 is also heated by the high-pressure liquid refrigerant flowing through the outdoor liquid pipe 9, so even if ice blocks flow in, all of them will melt and there will be no problem such as ice clogging. There is no inconvenience caused when the drain refreezes.

In this way, all of the frost becomes drain and is smoothly discharged from the drain pan 5 and drain discharge pipe 6, and the problem of clogging caused by refreezing of the drain is solved.

(Effects of the invention) As is clear from the above explanation, the invention has the following effects:
As a result of the drain storage part 5, the drain in the drain storage part 5, and the drain discharge pipe 6 being heated by the high-pressure refrigerant flowing into a part of the refrigerant pipe 9, the drain does not freeze even when the outside temperature is low. Prevented.

In addition, a relatively large amount of drain that flows down into the drain storage section 5 and melts due to defrosting can be reliably discharged through the drain discharge pipe 6, so that the drain does not refreeze and grow into large ice blocks. This eliminates inconveniences such as pipe clogging.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an outdoor unit according to an example of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a refrigeration circuit diagram, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the outdoor coil portion in FIG. 1, and FIG.
Figures A and B are structural diagrams around the drain discharge pipe of the drain reservoir in the outdoor unit according to the present invention. 3... Outdoor coil, 5... Drain reservoir, 6
...Drain discharge pipe, 9...Refrigerant piping.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A part of the refrigerant pipe 9, which is at high pressure during heating, is guided into a drain reservoir 5 provided below the outdoor coil 3, and is inserted into a drain discharge pipe 6 connected to the drain reservoir 5. An air-cooled heat pump air conditioner characterized by: