JPH05172416A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an air conditioner, the manufacturing cost of which is reduced and the control method is simplified by using a single flow rate control device to carry out simultaneous cooling operation, heating operation and cooling and heating mixed operation in a perimeter zone and an interior zone. CONSTITUTION:One party of connection piping line 14 which connects an indoor heat exchanger 13 is connected to a branch line 15, which is further connected to branch lines 10 and 11 by way of change over valves 16 and 17. The other party of connection pipeline which connects the indoor heat exchanger 13 is connected to a branch line 19, which is further connected to branch lines 20 and 23 by way of change over valves 21 and 24. This construction makes it possible to select an operating condition by means of the change over valves 16, 17, 21 and 24 and hence embody simultaneous cooling operation, heating operation and cooling and heating mixed operation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention has two outdoor units.
The present invention relates to a multi-type air conditioner having a plurality of indoor units, and particularly to an air conditioner capable of simultaneously performing perimeter air conditioning of an intelligent building and cooling and heating of an interior zone with a high internal load such as OA exhaust heat.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is a multi-type air conditioner capable of performing a cooling operation corresponding to an internal load such as OA exhaust heat in an interior zone while performing heating corresponding to an external air load in a perimeter zone in winter. .. Conventionally, this type of air conditioner has generally been configured as shown in Japanese Patent Application No. 3-192914. The configuration will be described below with reference to FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 101 denotes an outdoor unit, which has a compressor 102, a four-way valve 103, an outdoor heat exchanger 104, and a flow rate control device 105, and a connecting pipe 108 to a perimeter unit 107 having an indoor heat exchanger 106. , 109
Connected through. Branch pipe 1 in the connection pipe 108
10 is provided, and the connection pipe 112 passes through the flow rate control device 111.
Is connected to an interior unit 114 having an indoor heat exchanger 113, and the other end of the indoor heat exchanger 113 is connected via a connection pipe 115 to the four-way valve 103 and the suction pipe 1 of the compressor.
16 and 16 are branched and connected by a branch pipe 117.

In the above structure, when the perimeter zone and the interior zone are cooled at the same time, the four-way valve 10
3, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 102 passes through the discharge pipe 118, the four-way valve 103, the outdoor heat exchanger 104, and the condensed and liquefied refrigerant. After passing through the four-way valve 103 and the suction pipe 116 after being decompressed and vaporized in the indoor heat exchanger 106 in the perimeter zone, the branch pipe 11 provided in the connection pipe 108 after passing the flow rate control device 105
The refrigerant branched by 0 passes through the flow rate control device 111 and the connection pipe 112, evaporates and vaporizes in the indoor heat exchanger 113 in the interior zone, and then via the connection pipe 115, the four-way valve 103 and the suction port of the compressor 102. By connecting to a branch pipe 117 provided in a suction pipe 116 for connecting the air conditioner, the perimeter zone and the interior zone are simultaneously cooled. Further, in the winter season, when the cooling / heating mixed operation of heating the perimeter zone and cooling the interior zone is performed, the four-way valve 103 is switched as shown by the broken line in FIG. 2, and the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 102 is transferred to the perimeter zone after passing through the four-way valve 103. After passing through a certain indoor heat exchanger 106 to be condensed and liquefied, the refrigerant is decompressed by the flow rate control device 105 and evaporated and vaporized in the outdoor heat exchanger, and then the four-way valve 10
3. After passing through the suction pipe 116 and at the same time, the refrigerant branched by the branch pipe 110 is decompressed by the flow rate control device 111, passes through the connection pipe 112, and is evaporated and vaporized in the indoor heat exchanger 113 in the interior zone, By connecting to the branch pipe 117 provided in the suction pipe 116 connecting the four-way valve 103 and the suction port of the compressor 102 through the connection pipe 115, the perimeter zone is heated and the interior-cooling mixed cooling and heating operation is performed. ..

[0005]

In such a conventional air conditioner, even when the interior zone needs to be heated, for example, when the external air load in winter is large and the internal load is small,
It is impossible to heat the interior unit.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems. In addition to the conventional operating conditions, the heating of the perimeter zone and the interior zone can be simultaneously performed, and the use of one flow rate control device reduces the manufacturing cost. An object is to provide an air conditioner that can realize simplification of control.

[0007]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a compressor, a four-way valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, an outdoor unit including a flow control device, and a first indoor heat exchanger. An air conditioner in which a first indoor unit composed of the above is connected via first and second connection pipes, a first branch pipe between the outdoor heat exchanger and the flow rate control device, and the flow rate control device. A second branch pipe is provided between the device and the first indoor heat exchanger, and the first branch pipe and the second branch pipe are branched via a first switching valve and a second switching valve, respectively. A third branch pipe to be connected is provided, and one of the third branch pipe and one of the second indoor units including the second indoor heat exchanger and the like is connected through a third connection pipe, and the second The other of the indoor units is connected to a fourth branch pipe via a fourth connection pipe, and one of the fourth branch pipes is connected. The through third switching valve, the second
A sixth branch for connecting to a fifth branch pipe provided in the connection pipe of the other and connecting the other to a suction pipe connecting the four-way valve and the suction port of the compressor through a fourth switching valve. It is configured to have a tube.

[0008]

With the above-described structure, the present invention is suitable for perimeter air conditioning of intelligent buildings, etc. and air conditioning of interior zones where internal load such as OA exhaust heat is high. 1, second, third,
By combining the opening and closing of the fourth switching valve, the cooling of the perimeter zone and the perimeter zone, the simultaneous operation of the cooling of the interior zone, the heating of the perimeter zone and the perimeter zone, the simultaneous operation of the heating of the interior zone, and the heating of the perimeter zone in winter It is possible to perform a mixed operation of cooling and heating in the cooling of the interior zone.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

As shown in the figure, in the outdoor unit 1, a compressor 2, a four-way valve 3 for switching the flow paths of the refrigerant during cooling and heating, an outdoor heat exchanger 4, an outdoor heat exchanger 4 and outdoor air are provided. A blower (not shown) for heat exchange, and a flow control device, such as an electronic expansion valve 5, are provided. The first indoor unit 6 is a blower (not shown) for exchanging heat between the first indoor heat exchanger 7 and the indoor heat exchanger 7.
Etc., and is connected from the first electronic expansion valve 5 to one end of the first indoor heat exchanger 7 by the first connection pipe 8, and the other end is connected by the second connection pipe 9 to one end of the four-way valve 3. It is connected to the. A first branch pipe 10 for branching the refrigerant is provided between the outdoor heat exchanger 4 and the electronic expansion valve 5, and between the electronic expansion valve 5 and the first indoor heat exchanger 7. A second branch pipe 11 is provided. The second indoor unit 12 includes a second indoor heat exchanger 13, an indoor heat exchanger 13 and a blower (not shown) for exchanging heat with the indoor air, and the like. Third connection pipe 14 for connecting one end
Is connected to the third branch pipe 15, and one of the branch pipes 15 is connected to the first branch pipe 10 via the first switching valve 16.
The other is connected to the second branch pipe 11 via the second switching valve 17. A fourth connection pipe 18 is connected to a fourth branch pipe 19 from the other end of the second indoor heat exchanger 13, and the fourth branch pipe 19 is provided in the second connection pipe 9. It is connected to the fifth branch pipe 20 via a third switching valve 21. One of the fourth branch pipes 19 is a suction pipe 22 that connects the suction port of the compressor 2 to the four-way valve 3 in the outdoor unit 1.
It is configured to be connected to the sixth branch pipe 23 provided in the above through a fourth switching valve 24.

The driving operation will be described with the above configuration. It is now assumed that the first indoor unit 6 air-conditions the perimeter zone and the second indoor unit 12 air-conditions the interior zone. When the indoor units 6 and 12 simultaneously perform cooling, the four-way valve 3 is switched as shown by the solid line in FIG. The first switching valve 16 is closed and the second switching valve 17 is closed.
Is open. The refrigerant gas that has become high temperature and high pressure by the compressor 2 passes through the four-way valve 3 from the discharge pipe 25 as shown by the solid line arrow, enters the outdoor heat exchanger 4, and exchanges heat with the outdoor air to be condensed and liquefied. Since the first switching valve 16 is closed, all the condensed and liquefied refrigerant flows to the electronic expansion valve 5, and the electronic expansion valve 5 controls the predetermined refrigerant flow rate and simultaneously depressurizes the first connection pipe 8. Through the first indoor heat exchanger 7
Since the second switching valve 17 is open, the refrigerant is branched in the second branch pipe 11, and the second switching valve 17,
The refrigerant enters the second indoor heat exchanger 13 through the third connecting pipe 14, and the refrigerant is evaporated and vaporized in the first indoor heat exchanger 7 and the second indoor heat exchanger 13. The refrigerant that has passed through the first indoor heat exchanger 7 returns to the outdoor unit 1 through the second connection pipe 9 and is drawn into the compressor 2 through the four-way valve 3 and the suction pipe 22, while the second The refrigerant that has passed through the indoor heat exchanger 13 returns to the outdoor unit 1 through the fourth connecting pipe 18, and flows from the fourth branch pipe 19 to the third switching valve 21.
Alternatively, the fifth branch pipe 20, passing through the fourth switching valve 24,
Alternatively, the sixth branch pipe 23 merges with the above-mentioned refrigerant and is sucked into the compressor 2. In this way, cooling of the perimeter zone and the interior zone can be performed simultaneously.

Next, when the indoor units 6 and 12 simultaneously perform heating, the four-way valve 3 is switched as shown by the broken line in FIG. The first switching valve 16 and the fourth switching valve 24 are closed,
The second switching valve 17 and the third switching valve 21 are open. The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 2 passes through the four-way valve 3 and then through the second connecting pipe 9 to the first indoor heat exchanger 7, and the third switching valve 21 is open and the fourth switching valve 24. Is closed, the refrigerant is branched from the fifth branch pipe 20 in the second connection pipe 9 and the fourth branch pipe 19 and the fourth connection pipe 18 are connected.
Through the second indoor heat exchanger 13, and the refrigerant is condensed and liquefied in the first indoor heat exchanger 7 and the second indoor heat exchanger 13. The refrigerant that has passed through the first indoor heat exchanger 7 is
Return to the outdoor unit 1 by the first connection pipe 8
The refrigerant that has passed through the indoor heat exchanger 13 is the third connection pipe 1
4, the first switching valve 16 is closed and the second switching valve 17 is opened, so that the second switching valve 17 is opened from the third branch pipe 15.
Through the second branch pipe 11 in the first connecting pipe 8 and joins the above-mentioned refrigerant to flow into the electronic expansion valve 5. In the electronic expansion valve 5, the refrigerant is depressurized while being controlled to a predetermined flow rate. The refrigerant that has passed through the electronic expansion valve 5 is evaporated and vaporized by the outdoor heat exchanger 4, flows through the four-way valve 3, the sixth branch pipe 23, and the suction pipe 22, and is sucked into the compressor 2. In this way, heating of the perimeter zone and the interior zone can be performed simultaneously.

Next, in the winter season, most of the heating loads in the recent intelligent buildings are external air loads,
An air conditioning system is required to heat the perimeter zone and cool the interior zone where OA exhaust heat is high. In order to satisfy this operating condition, the four-way valve 3 is switched as shown by the broken line in FIG. The first switching valve 16 and the fourth switching valve 24 are opened, and the second switching valve 16 is opened.
The switching valve 17 and the third switching valve 21 are closed. The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 2 is
It passes through the four-way valve 3 and enters the first indoor heat exchanger 7 in the perimeter zone by the second connecting pipe 9 to be condensed and liquefied. The condensed and liquefied refrigerant passes through the first connecting pipe 8 and the second switching valve 17 is closed, so that all the refrigerant flows to the electronic expansion valve 5 and is depressurized while controlling the flow rate. The refrigerant that has passed through the electronic expansion valve 5 is diverted by the first branch pipe 10, one of which enters the outdoor heat exchanger 4 and is vaporized and evaporated, and the other of which passes through the first switching valve 16 which is in an open state. , The third connection pipe 14 enters the second indoor heat exchanger 13 in the interior zone and is also vaporized. The refrigerant vaporized in the outdoor heat exchanger 4 passes through the four-way valve 3 and flows into the suction pipe 22. The refrigerant evaporated and vaporized in the second indoor heat exchanger 13 passes through the fourth connecting pipe 18 and the third switching valve 21.
Is closed, it flows to the fourth switching valve 24, which is in the open state in the fourth branch pipe 19, merges with the above-mentioned refrigerant in the sixth branch pipe 23, and is sucked into the compressor 2. In this way, by heating in the perimeter zone and cooling in the interior zone, it becomes possible to cope with intelligent buildings with uneven loads.

In the above embodiment, the electric expansion valve 5 is used as the refrigerant flow rate control device, but a temperature type automatic expansion valve, a capillary tube or any other device capable of controlling the flow rate may be used instead. Further, as a means for switching the flow path of the refrigerant, a branch pipe 15,
Although 19 and the switching valves 16, 17, 21, and 24 are used, the flow paths may be switched by providing two three-way switching valves. Further, although two indoor units are shown for the outdoor unit in the above-described embodiment, the outdoor unit and the perimeter zone are air-conditioned like a wall-penetrating air conditioner installed in the perimeter zone of the building, such as a wall-through air conditioner. The same effect can be obtained even if the first indoor unit 6 is integrated and only the second indoor unit 12 for air conditioning the interior zone is connected by two pipes (third and fourth connection pipes).

[0015]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION By using one flow rate control device and four cut-off valves, it is impossible in the cooling of the perimeter zone and the perimeter zone, the simultaneous operation of the cooling of the interior zone, the heating of the perimeter zone and the conventional example. Simultaneous heating of perimeter zone and interior zone,
Further, a cooling / heating mixed operation capable of heating the perimeter zone and cooling the interior zone can be realized without using complicated control, and it is possible to provide an air conditioner having an effect capable of simplifying the workability and reducing the manufacturing cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a refrigeration cycle diagram of a conventional air conditioner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 outdoor unit 2 compressor 3 four-way valve 4 outdoor heat exchanger 5 flow control device (electronic expansion valve) 6 first indoor unit 7 first indoor heat exchanger 8 first connecting pipe 9 second connecting pipe 10 1st branch pipe 11 2nd branch pipe 12 2nd indoor unit 13 2nd indoor heat exchanger 14 3rd connection pipe 15 3rd branch pipe 16 1st switching valve 17 2nd switching valve 18 Fourth connection pipe 19 Fourth branch pipe 20 Fifth branch pipe 21 Third switching valve 22 Suction pipe 23 Sixth branch pipe 24 Fourth switching valve

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A compressor, a four-way valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, an outdoor unit including a flow rate control device, and a first indoor unit including a first indoor heat exchanger. In an air conditioner connected via a second connecting pipe, a first branch pipe is provided between the outdoor heat exchanger and the flow rate control device, and a second branch pipe is provided between the flow rate control device and the first indoor heat exchanger. And a third branch pipe for branching and connecting the first branch pipe and the second branch pipe via the first switching valve and the second switching valve, respectively. One of the second indoor units including the branch pipe of the second indoor heat exchanger and the second indoor heat exchanger
Connected via a connection pipe of No. 2, and the other of the second indoor units is connected to a fourth branch pipe via a fourth connection pipe,
One of the fourth branch pipes is connected to a fifth branch pipe provided in the second connection pipe via a third switching valve, and the other is connected to the fifth branch pipe via a fourth switching valve to the four-way valve. And an air conditioner provided with a sixth branch pipe for connecting to a suction pipe connecting the suction port of the compressor.