JPH0658578A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To level room cooling demand power by interposing a pump for circulating refrigerant to a liquid feed tube for connecting a cold storage unit to an indoor heat exchanger. CONSTITUTION:A cold storage operation for circulating refrigerant to a cold storage circuit in which a compressor 1, an outdoor heat exchanger 3, a cold storage throttling unit 5 and a heat storage unit 13 are connected is conducted in a time zone in which room cooling is not required. Thus, the refrigerant is heat exchanged with cooling medium sealed in the unit 13 in the step of circulating it in the circuit. A cold radiating operation for circulating the refrigerant to a cold radiating circuit in which the unit 13, a pump 15 and an indoor heat exchanger 6 are connected is conducted in a time zone in which room cooling load becomes highest. Thus, after the refrigerant cools the air in the room in the exchanger 6 to conduct room cooling in the step of circulating it in the cold radiating circuit to be evaporated, it is cooled by low temperature cooling medium of the unit 13 to become liquid refrigerant. In this manner, room cooling demand power is shifted to midnight to reduce power consumption of an air conditioner in the zone in which the room cooling load is high.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art One example of a conventional air conditioner will be described with reference to FIG.

A compressor 1, a four-way switching valve 2 for switching between cooling operation and heating operation, an outdoor heat exchanger 3, an air conditioning throttle device such as an expansion valve 5, and an indoor heat exchanger 6 are connected in this order by a refrigerant pipe 9. ing.

During cooling operation, the four-way switching valve 2 is switched as shown by the solid line. Then, the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas discharged from the compressor 1 enters the outdoor heat exchanger 3 through the four-way switching valve 2 and is condensed and liquefied by exchanging heat with the outside air sent by the fan 4 to lower the temperature. It becomes a high-pressure liquid refrigerant.
This liquid refrigerant enters the expansion valve 5, is throttled here to undergo adiabatic expansion, and then enters the indoor heat exchanger 6. Here, the air in the room sent from the fan 7 is cooled and cooled to evaporate and become a low-temperature low-pressure refrigerant gas.

Next, this refrigerant gas is sucked into the compressor 1 via the four-way switching valve 2 and the accumulator 8 and is again compressed therein.

During the heating operation, when the four-way switching valve 2 is switched as shown by the broken line, the refrigerant gas discharged from the compressor 1 causes the four-way switching valve 2, the indoor heat exchanger 6, the expansion valve 5, and the outdoor heat exchanger 3 to flow. , The four-way switching valve 2 and the compressor 1 are circulated in this order. Then, in the process of flowing through the indoor heat exchanger 6, the indoor air is heated and heated.

[0007]

In the above-mentioned conventional air conditioner, the power consumption is increased, especially in the summer daytime when the cooling load is high, so that the power supply capacity is tight, and the cooling demand power is leveled. Measures to achieve this have been requested.

[0008]

The present invention takes the following means in order to solve the above problems.

(1) In an air conditioner in which a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an air conditioning expansion device, and an indoor heat exchanger are sequentially connected, the air conditioning expansion device and the indoor heat exchanger are connected in parallel. The bypass pipe connected to the cooling storage device is provided with the expansion device for regenerator and the regenerator in which the cooling medium is sealed, and the pump for circulating the refrigerant in the liquid delivery pipe connecting the regenerator and the indoor heat exchanger. I dressed up. (2) In an air conditioner in which a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an air conditioning expansion device, and an indoor heat exchanger are sequentially connected, a bypass connected in parallel to the air conditioning expansion device and the indoor heat exchanger. A cold storage throttle device and a regenerator in which a cooling medium is sealed are provided in the pipe, and a pump for circulating a refrigerant is provided in a liquid delivery pipe connecting the regenerator and the indoor heat exchanger, and, The air conditioning throttle device is provided with a throttle device whose throttle degree is changed according to the refrigerant gas state at the outlet of the indoor heat exchanger. (3) In an air conditioner in which a compressor, a four-way switching valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, an air conditioning expansion device, and an indoor heat exchanger are sequentially connected, in parallel with the air conditioning expansion device and the indoor heat exchanger. A cooling storage expansion device and a regenerator in which a cooling medium is enclosed are installed in a connected bypass pipe, and a pump for circulating a refrigerant is installed in a liquid delivery pipe connecting the regenerator and the indoor heat exchanger. A first opening / closing valve, a receiver, and a second connecting pipe connected to between the outdoor heat exchanger and the air conditioning expansion device and between the indoor heat exchanger and the four-way switching valve. And the on-off valve of.

[0010]

(1) In the invention of the above-mentioned 1, in a cool storage circuit in which a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a cool storage expansion device, and a cool storage device are connected to each other during a period such as midnight in summer when cooling is unnecessary. A cold storage operation in which a refrigerant is circulated is performed. This allows
The refrigerant cools it by exchanging heat with the cooling medium enclosed in the regenerator in the process of circulating through the regenerator circuit.

Then, during the time period when the cooling load is highest, the cooling operation is performed in which the refrigerant is circulated in the cooling circuit formed by connecting the regenerator, the pump and the indoor heat exchanger. As a result, the refrigerant is evaporated and vaporized by cooling and cooling the indoor air in the indoor heat exchanger in the process of circulating through the cooling circuit, and then cooled by the low-temperature cooling medium of the regenerator to become a liquid refrigerant.

In this way, the cooling demand power is leveled. (2) In the second aspect of the invention, for example, a cooling operation in which a refrigerant is circulated in a cooling circuit in which a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an air conditioning expansion device, and an indoor heat exchanger are connected during a time period when the cooling load is low. And the parallel operation of the cold storage operation in which the refrigerant is circulated in the cold storage circuit formed by connecting the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, the cold storage expansion device, and the cold storage. At this time, in the process of circulating the refrigerant through the cooling circuit, the degree of throttling of the air conditioning expansion device is adjusted according to the refrigerant gas state at the outlet of the indoor heat exchanger, and is sent to the indoor heat exchanger in an appropriate amount. The air is cooled and cooled, and the surplus amount is cooled by exchanging heat with the cooling medium enclosed in the regenerator in the process of circulating through the regenerator circuit.

Then, during the time period when the cooling load is highest, the cooling operation is performed in which the refrigerant is circulated in the cooling circuit formed by connecting the regenerator, the pump and the indoor heat exchanger. As a result, the refrigerant is evaporated and vaporized by cooling and cooling the indoor air in the indoor heat exchanger in the process of circulating the cooling circuit, and then cooled by the low-temperature cooling medium of the regenerator to become a liquid refrigerant.

In this way, the cooling demand power is leveled. (3) In the third aspect of the invention, for example, during a time period when cooling is not required, a cold storage operation in which a refrigerant is circulated in a cold storage circuit formed by connecting a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a cold storage expansion device, and a cold storage is performed. To do. As a result, the refrigerant cools it by exchanging heat with the cooling medium enclosed in the regenerator in the process of circulating through the regenerator circuit.

Then, during the time period when the cooling load is the highest, the cooling operation is performed in which the refrigerant is circulated in the cooling circuit formed by connecting the regenerator, the pump and the indoor heat exchanger. As a result, in the process of circulating the cooling medium through the cooling circuit, the refrigerant is evaporated and vaporized by cooling and cooling the indoor air in the indoor heat exchanger, and then cooled by the low-temperature cooling medium of the regenerator to become a liquid refrigerant.

In the case of cooling operation and cold storage operation,
The first opening / closing valve is opened, the receiver is connected to the refrigerant pipe between the outdoor heat exchanger and the air conditioning expansion device via the communication pipe, and the second opening / closing valve is opened in the heating operation and the cooling operation. The receiver is connected to the refrigerant pipe between the indoor heat exchanger and the four-way switching valve by opening the communication pipe. As a result, when the required amount of refrigerant circulating in the circuit during the cooling operation and the cold storage operation and the heating operation and the cooling operation is excessive, the refrigerant flows into the receiver, and when it is insufficient, the refrigerant flows out from the receiver. As a result, fluctuations in the required refrigerant amount can be absorbed.

In this way, the cooling demand power is leveled.

[0018]

Embodiments (1) An embodiment of the invention of claim 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

The parts described in the conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted, and the parts relating to the present invention will be mainly described.

A bypass pipe 11 is connected in parallel to the air conditioning expansion device (air conditioning expansion valve) 5 and the indoor heat exchanger 6.
A switching valve 17, a cold storage expansion device (cooling expansion valve) 12, a regenerator 13, and a switching valve 18 are sequentially provided in the bypass pipe 11.

The regenerator 13 is composed of a shell-and-tube type heat exchanger or the like, a refrigerant flows through the heat transfer tube 13a, and a cooling medium such as water is enclosed in the shell 13b.

One end a of the liquid feeding pipe 14 is connected between the expansion valve 12 for cold storage and the regenerator 13, and the other end b is the bypass pipe 11.
Is connected between the connection point c on the outdoor heat exchanger 3 side and the air conditioning expansion valve 5. A pump 15 for circulating a liquid refrigerant is interposed in the liquid supply pipe 14.

Further, a switching valve 16 is provided in a pipe between a connection point c of the bypass pipe 11 on the outdoor heat exchanger 3 side and a connection point b of the liquid feeding pipe 14 on the air conditioning expansion valve 5 side. A bypass valve 19 is provided on the air conditioning expansion valve 5.

In the above, during a time zone such as midnight when cooling is unnecessary, a cold storage operation is performed in which the refrigerant is circulated in the cold storage circuit. That is, the switching valves 17 and 18 are opened and the switching valve 16 is closed to drive the compressor 1. Then, the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas discharged from the compressor 1 enters the outdoor heat exchanger 3 through the four-way switching valve 2 and exchanges heat with the outside air to be condensed and liquefied into a liquid refrigerant. This liquid refrigerant is bypass pipe 1
1 enters the expansion valve 12 for cold storage via the flow switching valve 17, and is adiabatically expanded by being throttled here. Next, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the cooling medium in the shell 13b in the process of flowing through the regenerator 13 to be evaporated and vaporized into a low-temperature low-pressure refrigerant gas, and returns to the compressor 1 via the four-way switching valve 2. In this way, the cooling medium of the regenerator 13 is stored in the low temperature state.

During the time period when the cooling load is the highest, the cooling operation in which the refrigerant is circulated in the cooling circuit is performed. That is, the switching valves 16 and 17 are closed, the switching valve 18 and the bypass valve 1
9 is opened and the pump 15 is driven. Then regenerator 13
The refrigerant in the inside is sucked by the pump 15, passes through the bypass valve 19 provided in the pipe bypassing the air conditioning expansion valve 5, and then enters the indoor heat exchanger 6, where the indoor air is cooled and cooled. By doing so, it vaporizes and becomes a refrigerant gas. Then, the refrigerant gas returns to the regenerator 13 via the switching valve 18,
In the process of flowing through this, it becomes a liquid refrigerant cooled by a low temperature cooling medium and circulates in the cooling circuit.

As described above, in the time zone such as midnight when cooling is not required, the cold storage operation is performed to store the cold in the cooling medium of the regenerator 13. Further, in the time zone when the cooling load is the highest, cooling can be performed by performing a cooling operation using the energy stored in the regenerator 13.

In this way, the power demand is leveled. (2) An embodiment of the invention of claim 2 will be described with reference to FIG.

The parts described above are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

A temperature sensitive tube 26 is provided on the refrigerant outlet side during the cooling operation of the indoor heat exchanger 6. As the air-conditioning expansion valve 5a, a thermal expansion valve 5a is used which adjusts the amount of refrigerant liquid to be fed to the indoor heat exchanger 6 in accordance with the degree of superheat of the refrigerant gas detected by the temperature sensing cylinder 26.

In the above, during a period of low cooling load such as midnight, the cooling operation and the cold storage operation of circulating the refrigerant in the cold storage circuit are performed in parallel. That is, the switching valves 16, 17,
18 is opened and the compressor 1 is driven. Then, the compressor 1
The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas discharged from the above enters the outdoor heat exchanger 3 through the four-way switching valve 2 and exchanges heat with the outside air to be condensed and liquefied into a liquid refrigerant. A part of this liquid refrigerant enters the thermal expansion valve 5a, is adiabatically expanded by being throttled here, and is then evaporated and vaporized by cooling and cooling the indoor air in the process of flowing through the indoor heat exchanger 6. It becomes gas. Here, the opening degree of the thermal expansion valve 5a is adjusted according to the degree of superheat detected by the temperature sensitive tube 26. Then, since an appropriate amount of refrigerant is sent to the indoor heat exchanger 6, the cooling function is sufficiently exerted.

On the other hand, the surplus amount of the liquid refrigerant condensed in the outdoor heat exchanger 3 passes through the bypass pipe 11 and the switching valve 17 and enters the cold storage expansion valve 12 where it is throttled and adiabatically expanded. Next, while the refrigerant flows through the regenerator 13, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the cooling medium in the shell 13b to be evaporated and vaporized. Then, the refrigerant gas evaporated in the indoor heat exchanger 6 joins and returns to the compressor 1 via the four-way switching valve 2.

In this way, the inside of the room is sufficiently cooled and the cooling medium in the regenerator 13 is stored in a low temperature state.

During the time period when the cooling load is the highest, the cooling operation in which the refrigerant is circulated in the cooling circuit is performed. That is, the switching valves 16 and 17 are closed and the switching valve 18 is opened to drive the pump 15. Then, the liquid refrigerant in the regenerator 13 is sucked by the pump 15, passes through the bypass valve 19 provided in the pipe bypassing the thermal expansion valve 5a, and then enters the indoor heat exchanger 6. Here, the room air is cooled and cooled to be evaporated and vaporized into a refrigerant gas. Then, the refrigerant gas flows through the bypass pipe 11, passes through the switching valve 18, and the regenerator 1
Returning to 3, the liquid is cooled by the low-temperature cooling medium in the process of flowing therethrough to become a liquid refrigerant and circulates in the cooling circuit.

As described above, the cooling operation and the cold storage operation are performed in parallel during a time zone such as midnight when the cooling load is low. Then, after introducing an appropriate amount of refrigerant to the indoor heat exchanger 6 and sufficiently exerting the cooling function, an excess amount of refrigerant is stored in the regenerator 13.
And then store it in a cooling medium.

During the time when the cooling load is the highest, cooling can be performed by performing a cooling operation using the energy stored in the regenerator 13.

In this way, electric power is leveled. (3) An embodiment of the invention of claim 3 will be described with reference to FIG.

The parts described in (1) above are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted, and the parts relating to the present invention will be mainly described.

Between the outdoor heat exchanger 3 and the air-conditioning expansion valve 5,
That is, between the outdoor heat exchanger 3 and the switching valve 16, and
A communication pipe 21 is provided between the indoor heat exchanger 6 and the four-way switching valve 2, that is, between the switching valve 18 of the bypass pipe 11 and the regenerator 13. The communication pipe 21 is sequentially connected to the first opening / closing valve 2
3, the receiver 20, and the second opening / closing valve 24 are interposed. Further, a switching valve 25 is interposed between the end a of the liquid supply pipe 14 and the pump 15.

In the above, in the cooling operation and the cold storage operation, the opening / closing valve 23 is opened and the opening / closing valve 24 is closed, and the receiver 20 is connected via the opening / closing valve 23 between the outdoor heat exchanger 3 and the expansion valve 5 for air conditioning. It communicates with the refrigerant pipe 9.

In the heating operation and the cooling operation, the on-off valve 23 is closed and the on-off valve 24 is opened, and the receiver 20 is connected to the refrigerant between the indoor heat exchanger 6 and the four-way switching valve 2 via the on-off valve. It communicates with the pipe 9.

Then, for example, in the case of the cooling operation, the required amount of the liquid refrigerant that has exited the outdoor heat exchanger 3 flows to the air conditioning expansion valve 5 and the surplus amount passes through the on-off valve 23 to the inside of the receiver 20. Flows into and is stored here.

In the cooling operation, when the amount of the refrigerant required to circulate in the cooling operation circuit is insufficient, the insufficient refrigerant flows out from the receiver 20 and passes through the on-off valve 24 to store cold. It flows to the vessel 13.

In this way, the receiver 20 can absorb fluctuations in the required amount of refrigerant circulating in the cooling circuit or the cooling circuit.

Even in another operation mode, that is, in the cold storage operation and the heating operation, when the required refrigerant amount circulating in each circuit is excessive, as in the case of the cooling operation described above, the refrigerant is received by the receiver. 20 and can absorb the fluctuation of the required refrigerant amount.

As described above, the electric power is leveled.

[0046]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, the cool storage expansion device, and the cool storage device are provided during the time period when cooling is required. A cool storage operation in which a refrigerant is circulated in a connected cool storage circuit is performed to store cool in a cooling medium enclosed in a cool storage unit.

In the time zone when the cooling load is the highest, cooling can be performed by performing the cooling operation in which the refrigerant is circulated in the cooling circuit formed by connecting the regenerator, the pump and the indoor heat exchanger.

In this way, it is possible to shift the power demand for cooling to midnight to reduce the power consumption of the air conditioner during a time period when the cooling load is high, and to level the power demand for cooling. (2) As described above, according to the invention of claim 2, during the time period when the cooling load is low, the cooling operation is connected to the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, the cool storage expansion device, and the cool storage device. By performing parallel operation with the cold storage operation in which the refrigerant is circulated in the cold storage circuit, the appropriate amount of refrigerant is guided to the indoor heat exchanger, and the cooling function is sufficiently exhibited. During this period, the excess amount of refrigerant is guided to the regenerator and stored in the cooling medium.

In the time zone when the cooling load is the highest, cooling can be performed by performing the cooling operation in which the refrigerant is circulated in the cooling circuit formed by connecting the regenerator, the pump and the indoor heat exchanger.

In this way, the demand power of the refrigerant can be shifted to the middle of the night to reduce the power consumption of the air conditioner during the period when the cooling load is high, and the demand power of the cooling can be leveled. (3) According to the invention of claim 3, during the time period when cooling is unnecessary, the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, the cold storage expansion device,
A cold storage operation in which a refrigerant is circulated in a cold storage circuit formed by connecting the cold storage device and the cold storage device is performed, and the cold medium stored in the cold storage device stores cold.

In the time zone when the cooling load is the highest, cooling can be performed by performing the cooling operation in which the refrigerant is circulated in the cooling circuit in which the regenerator, the circulation means and the indoor heat exchanger are connected. .

Further, in the cooling operation and the cold storage operation, the on-off valve is opened / closed and the receiver is connected to the refrigerant pipe between the outdoor heat exchanger and the air conditioning expansion device via the first on-off valve.

In the heating operation and the cooling operation, the receiver is connected to the refrigerant pipe between the indoor heat exchanger and the four-way switching valve via the second opening / closing valve.

As a result, when the required refrigerant amount circulating in the circuit is excessive, the refrigerant flows into the receiver, and when the required refrigerant amount is insufficient, the refrigerant flows out from the receiver and the fluctuation of the required refrigerant amount is absorbed. The amount of refrigerant in the circuit can be kept in equilibrium.

As a result, the power demand for cooling can be shifted to midnight to reduce the power consumption of the air conditioner during the time period when the cooling load is high, and the power demand for the refrigerant can be leveled.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration system diagram of an embodiment of the invention of claim 1;

FIG. 2 is a structural system diagram of an embodiment of the invention of claim 2;

FIG. 3 is a structural system diagram of an embodiment of the invention of claim 3;

FIG. 4 is a configuration system diagram of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Compressor 3 Outdoor heat exchanger 5,5a Temperature expansion valve 6 Indoor heat exchanger 11 Bypass pipe 12 Expansion valve for cold storage 13 Regenerator 13a Heat transfer pipe 13b Shell 14 Liquid transfer pipe 15 Pump 20 Receiver 21 Communication pipe 23 First Open / close valve 24 Second open / close valve 26 Temperature sensing cylinder

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An air conditioner in which a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an air conditioning throttle device, and an indoor heat exchanger are sequentially connected, and the air conditioner throttle device and the indoor heat exchanger are connected in parallel. The bypass pipe is provided with an expansion device for regenerator and a regenerator in which a cooling medium is sealed, and a pump for circulating a refrigerant is provided in a liquid delivery pipe connecting the regenerator and the indoor heat exchanger. An air conditioner characterized by becoming. 2. An air conditioner in which a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an air conditioning expansion device, and an indoor heat exchanger are sequentially connected, and the air conditioning expansion device and the indoor heat exchanger are connected in parallel. A bypass pipe is provided with a regenerator for regenerator and a regenerator in which a cooling medium is sealed, and a pump for circulating a refrigerant is provided in a liquid delivery pipe connecting the regenerator and the indoor heat exchanger, An air conditioner comprising: the air conditioner throttle device, and a throttle device whose throttle degree is changed according to the refrigerant gas state at the outlet of the indoor heat exchanger. 3. An air conditioner in which a compressor, a four-way switching valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, an air conditioning expansion device, and an indoor heat exchanger are sequentially connected, wherein the air conditioning expansion device and the indoor heat exchanger are connected to each other. A bypass pipe connected in parallel is provided with a cool storage expansion device and a regenerator in which a cooling medium is sealed, and a pump that circulates refrigerant through a liquid delivery pipe that connects the regenerator and the indoor heat exchanger. A first opening / closing valve, a receiver, and a communication pipe, which is interposed and is connected between the outdoor heat exchanger and the air conditioning expansion device and between the indoor heat exchanger and the four-way switching valve, and An air conditioner comprising a second on-off valve and a second on-off valve interposed in sequence.