JPH0692859B2 - Heat pump system - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a heat pump system, and more particularly to a heat pump system having an air conditioning function for cooling and heating and a hot water supply function.

(Prior Art) As a conventional example of a heat pump system having an air conditioning function and a hot water supply function, for example, JP-A-62-261873 can be cited. This heat pump system includes an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, and a hot water supply heat exchanger, and performs heating operation by circulating refrigerant discharged from the compressor from the indoor heat exchanger to the outdoor heat exchanger, The outdoor heat exchanger or the indoor heat exchanger is circulated to perform the cooling operation, while the refrigerant discharged from the compressor is circulated from the hot water heat exchanger to the outdoor heat exchanger to perform the hot water supply operation. Further, the hot water supply operation using the cooling exhaust heat is performed by circulating the hot water supply heat exchanger to the indoor heat exchanger.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the heat pump system described above, when the heating operation request and the hot water supply operation request occur at the same time and the capacity of the compressor is insufficient, air conditioning comfort of the occupant is ensured. In order to do so, it is general to give priority to the heating operation. Therefore, in the season when the heating operation is frequently performed, it is not possible to secure a sufficient hot water supply operation time within the air-conditioning usage time, which frequently causes an operation pattern in which the hot water supply operation is performed at midnight. The noise caused by the operation of the aircraft and the outdoor fan causes a significant discomfort to the occupants, especially the occupants immediately after going to bed.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object thereof is to reduce noise during a hot water supply independent operation performed in a specific time zone such as midnight and ensure the comfort of use. The purpose is to provide a heat pump system.

(Means for Solving the Problems) Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, the heat pump system of the present invention includes a compressor 1 having a variable compression capacity, an outdoor heat exchanger 10 provided with an outdoor fan 29, and an air conditioner. Air conditioner operation command signal output means 39 for providing a heat exchanger 19 for hot water supply and a heat exchanger 23 for hot water supply in the refrigerant circulation path and for outputting an air conditioner operation command signal.
A heat pump system including: a hot water supply operation command signal output means 47 for outputting a hot water supply operation command signal; and an operation control means 34 for controlling the operation capacity of the compressor 1 according to a load. In the case where only the hot water supply operation command signal is output in the specific time zone and the time zone grasping means 45 for grasping that it is lower than the capacity corresponding to the load, and the capacity becomes substantially constant. It is characterized by having a specific time zone operation control means 35 for controlling the operating capacity of the compressor 1 and the blowing capacity of the outdoor fan 29.

(Operation) According to the heat pump system described above, when the hot water supply single operation is performed in a specific time zone such as midnight, the compressor 1 and the outdoor fan 29 are operated at a lower capacity than the operating state according to the normal load. Therefore, noise resulting from the operation of the compressor 1, the outdoor fan 29, etc. is reduced. In addition, in the hot water supply operation state as described above, it is seldom necessary to perform high-performance operation and complete boiling within a short time, so even if the hot water supply operation time is longer than before, a particularly large obstacle occurs. Absent.

(Example) Next, a specific example of the heat pump system of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, FIG. 2 shows a refrigerant circuit diagram. As shown in the figure, this system includes an outdoor unit X, indoor units A to D,
It has a hot water supply unit Y. Outdoor unit X
Has a compressor 1, and a discharge pipe 2 and a suction pipe 3 of the compressor 1 are connected to a four-way switching valve 4, respectively. The compressor 1 has an inverter 5 for controlling its rotation speed, that is, its compression capacity, and the discharge pipe 2 is provided with a first solenoid valve 6 and the suction pipe 3 is provided.
An accumulator 7 is provided in each of the above. A first gas pipe 8 and a second gas pipe 9 are connected to the four-way switching valve 4, the first gas pipe 8 is connected to an outdoor heat exchanger 10, and the second gas pipe 9 is also connected. Is connected to a header 11, and a gas shutoff valve 12 is provided on the way. A first liquid pipe 13 is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger 10. The first liquid pipe 13 is connected to a liquid receiver 14, and a first expansion valve 15 is provided in the middle thereof. Has been done. An outdoor fan 29 is attached to the outdoor heat exchanger 10. A second liquid pipe 16 is connected to the liquid receiver 14, and the second liquid pipe 16 is provided with a liquid shutoff valve 17 in the middle of the second liquid pipe 16. Between the second liquid pipe 16 and a plurality of (four in the case of the figure) branched refrigerant pipes 18 ,.
Are connected in parallel with each other, and each branch refrigerant pipe 18 ...
The indoor heat exchangers 19 ... 19 (only one is shown) and the second expansion valves 20 ... Although each indoor unit A to D is shown only for one indoor unit A, it is composed of the indoor heat exchangers 19 and 19 and the indoor fans 21 and 21.

On the other hand, the discharge pipe 2 of the compressor 1 further includes a third gas pipe.
22 is connected, and a hot water supply heat exchanger 23 is connected to the third gas pipe 22, and the hot water supply heat exchanger 23 is further connected to the liquid receiver 14 by a third liquid pipe 24. ing. Third above
The gas pipe 22 is provided with a second electromagnetic valve 25, and the third liquid pipe 24 is provided with a capillary tube 26 and a check valve 27. 28 is a hot water storage tank.

And in the heat pump system, the heating operation is
The first electromagnetic valve 6 is opened, the second electromagnetic valve 25 is closed, and the refrigerant from the compressor 1 is passed through the four-way switching valve 4 and the second gas pipe 9 in each indoor heat exchanger 19. Condensate with, then the second liquid pipe 1
6. Evaporate in the indoor heat exchanger 10 via the first liquid pipe 13, and then from the first gas pipe 8 and the four-way switching valve 4 to the compressor 1
It is done by sending it back to. The superheat control of the evaporated refrigerant in this case is performed by the first expansion valve 15 and the second expansion valve 20.
・ At 20, the amount of refrigerant distributed to each indoor heat exchanger 19 ・ ・ 19 is controlled. On the other hand, when performing the cooling operation, the four-way switching valve 4 is switched, and the first electromagnetic valve 6 is opened and the second electromagnetic valve 25 is closed in the same manner as described above to operate the compressor 1. Then, the refrigerant is condensed in the outdoor heat exchanger 10 via the four-way switching valve 4 and the first gas pipe 8, and then the first liquid pipe 13 and the second liquid pipe 16 are condensed.
After being evaporated in each of the indoor heat exchangers 19 ... 19 via the second gas pipe 9 and the four-way switching valve 4, the flow returns to the compressor 1. In this case, the first expansion valve 15 is fully opened, and the second expansion valves 20 ... 20 control the degree of superheat of the evaporated refrigerant.

During hot water supply operation, the first solenoid valve 6 is closed and the second solenoid valve 25
Is opened to operate the compressor 1. Then the refrigerant
Condensed in the hot water supply heat exchanger 23 via the third gas pipe 22, and then in the outdoor heat exchanger 10 via the third liquid pipe 24, the liquid receiver 14, and the first liquid pipe 13. Evaporate and then the first gas pipe 8,
The flow returns to the compressor 1 via the four-way switching valve 4.
In this case, the second expansion valves 20 ... 20 are fully closed, and the first expansion valve 15 controls the degree of superheat of the evaporated refrigerant. For simultaneous operation of heating and hot water supply, open the first and second solenoid valves 6 and 25,
This can be performed by a refrigerant circuit in which the refrigerant is condensed in both the indoor heat exchanger 19 and the hot water supply heat exchanger 23 and evaporated in the outdoor heat exchanger 10.

Further, in the above system, the simultaneous operation of cooling and hot water supply, that is, the operation for collecting the cooling exhaust heat in the hot water storage tank 28, is the first operation.
The electromagnetic valve 6 is closed, the second electromagnetic valve 25 is opened, and the first expansion valve 15 is fully closed to operate the compressor 1. Then, the refrigerant is the third
Condensed in the heat exchanger 23 for hot water supply via the gas pipe 22,
Each indoor heat exchanger through the liquid pipe 24, the liquid receiver 14 and the second liquid pipe 16.
19 ... Evaporates in 19 and is then returned to the compressor 1 via the second gas pipe 9 and the four-way switching valve 4. In this case, the degree of superheat of the evaporated refrigerant is controlled in each of the second expansion valves 20.

Next, the operation control system of the heat pump system will be described based on FIG. 3, but in the following, each operation mode of heating and hot water supply will be mainly described. First, the outdoor unit X has an outdoor control device 30, an inverter control device 31, an outdoor fan control device 32, and a valve control device 33. The inverter control device 31 receives a command from the operation control unit 34 as an operation control means provided in the outdoor control device 30 to adjust the frequency of the inverter 5, that is, the compressor 1 to the capacity according to the air conditioning load and the hot water supply load. An outdoor fan control device for controlling compression capacity
32 is an outdoor fan 29 according to the frequency of the inverter 5
For controlling the driving speed of the. In response to a command from the outdoor control device 30, the valve control device 33 receives the first and second solenoid valves 6 and 25, the four-way switching valve 4, the first and second expansion valves 15 and 20 shown in FIG. .. Controlling the operation of 20 to switch between operation modes such as heating, cooling, hot water supply, and cooling hot water supply. Further, the outdoor control device 30 has a specific time zone operation control unit 35 as a specific time zone operation control means, and this function will be described later.

On the other hand, although only one indoor unit A to D is shown in the figure, an indoor control device connected to the outdoor control device 30.
The indoor control device 36 includes a heating operation switch 37 and an indoor thermostat 38. That is, when the heating operation switch 37 is turned on and the indoor temperature becomes equal to or lower than the set temperature and the indoor thermostat 38 operates, a heating operation command signal can be output to the outdoor control device 30. Thus, the heating operation switch 37 and the indoor thermostat 38 constitute an air conditioning operation command signal output means 39 during heating.

Further, the hot water supply unit Y has a hot water supply control device 40 connected to the outdoor control device 30, and the hot water supply control device 40 has a hot water temperature for detecting the hot water temperature in the hot water storage tank 28. A thermo 41 and a remote control box 42 arranged in a kitchen or the like are connected to each other. The remote control box 42 is
Hot water supply operation switch 43, hot water temperature setting unit 44, clock function unit 45
And a boiling time designation unit 46. When the hot water supply operation command signal output means 47 is configured by the hot water supply operation switch 43 and the hot water temperature thermostat 41, when the hot water temperature becomes equal to or lower than the set temperature in the state where the hot water supply operation switch 43 is turned on. The hot water supply operation command signal can be output. Further, the timepiece function unit 45 serves as a time zone grasping means, and the time measured by the timepiece function unit 45 is stored in the remote control box 42 or the outdoor control device 30 in advance. In the case of a time zone, for example, midnight (10:00 to 2:00 am, or 10:00 to 6:00 am), a signal indicating the midnight time zone is output to the outdoor control device.
It has a function to output to 30. Further, the boiling time designation unit 46 is for designating the boiling time of hot water, but this is because the usage pattern of hot water in normal life is almost constant This is to specify the time in advance and perform the hot water supply operation efficiently according to this time.

Next, the operating state of the heat pump system will be described. First, in the case other than midnight, the independent operating state of heating and hot water supply, for example, in the daytime will be described. in this case,
In response to the output of the heating operation command signal or the hot water supply operation command signal, the valve control device 33 appropriately switches the refrigerant circulation system path for heating,
Each operation of hot water supply is performed, and the operation control unit 34 and the outdoor fan control device 32 control the frequency of the inverter 5 and the drive speed of the outdoor fan 29 according to the heating load and the hot water supply load.
It should be noted that the heating load can be grasped as, for example, the number of operating indoor units A ... Or the sum of the temperature differences between the set temperature in the operating indoor units A.
The hot water supply load can be grasped as a temperature difference between the set hot water temperature and the detected hot water temperature.

When the heating operation command signal and the hot water supply operation command signal are output at the same time, it is a rule that the heating operation and the hot water supply operation are simultaneously performed, but when the capacity of the compressor 1 is insufficient. The heating operation is preferentially performed because it is necessary to secure the air conditioning comfort preferentially and there is often a time margin until the boiling time. If such an operation pattern continues in the winter season when the heating frequency is high, it often happens that the hot water supply operation is forced to be performed at midnight when the heating operation is completed.

In the case of this embodiment, when the operating time is midnight, the clock function unit 45 outputs an output to that effect to the outdoor control device 30, and in the outdoor control device 30, the specific time zone operation control unit 35 is the outdoor fan control device. 32 and the inverter control device 31,
The outdoor fan 29 is driven at a low speed, and the operation control for driving the compressor 1 at a low frequency is performed. That is, with respect to the hot water supply load at that time, a constant operating state considerably lower than the drive frequency of the compressor 1 and the drive speed of the outdoor fan 29 required in the normal hot water supply operating state, that is, the drive frequency with low operating noise. And, the operation is continued at the driving speed. In this case, the rotation noise and vibration noise of the outdoor fan 29 make a large contribution to the noise generation, so that the outdoor fan 29 is driven at the lowest speed possible, and a refrigerant circulation amount commensurate with the air volume at that time can be obtained. It is preferable to select the compressor drive frequency, but if the drive speed of the outdoor fan 29 is reduced too much, vibration will occur in the drive system of the outdoor fan 29, the casing (not shown) of the outdoor unit X, etc. Since noise may be generated, the driving speed of the outdoor fan 29 is determined taking these points into consideration.

As described above, in the above heat pump system, the compressor 1 and the outdoor fan are used during the hot water supply independent operation at midnight.
Since 29 is driven in a low-capacity state, it is possible to reduce noise generated at midnight, and thus it is possible to reduce discomfort caused by noise that has been conventionally generated. In addition, in the hot water supply operation state at midnight as described above, in most cases there is a sufficient time by the boiling time, and in most cases when it is necessary to complete the boiling within a short time with a large capacity. Since it does not exist, there is almost no adverse effect due to the hot water supply operation time being longer than before.

In the heat pump system, when the heating operation command signal is output during the hot water supply independent operation in a time zone other than midnight and during the hot water supply independent operation at midnight, the normal operation control is performed by the operation control unit 34. That is, the operation control is performed with the ability according to the load.

Although one embodiment of the heat pump system of the present invention has been described above, the heat pump system of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be implemented. For example, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which a heat exchanger for heating a bathtub is additionally provided in the refrigerant circuit shown in FIG. 2 and exhaust heat of the bathtub hot water is recovered in the hot water storage tank 28 at midnight. In this case, at midnight, the compressor 1 may be driven at a low frequency similarly to the above, while the operation control may be performed so as to stop the outdoor fan 29.

(Effects of the Invention) In the heat pump system of the present invention, since the compressor and the outdoor fan are driven in a low-capacity state during a hot water supply single operation at midnight, noise generated at midnight can be reduced, and therefore, the conventional art has not occurred. It is possible to cause discomfort due to noise. Even if such a low-capacity operation is performed, in many cases, the hot water supply operation time can be sufficiently secured, so that there is no particular problem in use.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional system diagram of an example of a heat pump system of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a refrigerant circuit diagram thereof, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system thereof. 1 ... Compressor, 10 ... Outdoor heat exchanger, 19 ... Indoor heat exchanger (air conditioner heat exchanger), 23 ... Hot water supply heat exchanger, 34 ...
Operation control section (operation control means), 35 ... Specific time zone operation control section (specific time zone operation control means), 39 ... Air conditioning operation command signal output means, 45 ... Clock function section (time zone grasping means),
47 …… Means for outputting hot water supply operation command signals.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-49-30818 (JP, A) JP-A-52-153271 (JP, A) JP-A-61-1967 (JP, A) JP-A-62- 288454 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A compressor (1) with variable compression capacity, an outdoor heat exchanger (10) provided with an outdoor fan (29), an air conditioning heat exchanger (19), and a hot water supply heat exchanger ( 23) in the refrigerant circulation path, and further, an air conditioning operation command signal output means (39) for outputting an air conditioning operation command signal, a hot water supply operation command signal output means (47) for outputting a hot water supply operation command signal, and a load. Operation control means (34) for controlling the operation capacity of the compressor (1) accordingly
A heat pump system having a time zone grasping means (45) for grasping that it is a specific time zone such as midnight
When only the hot water supply operation command signal is output during the specific time period, the operation capacity of the compressor (1) and the outdoor fan are lower than the capacity corresponding to the load, and have a substantially constant capacity. A heat pump system comprising: a specific time zone operation control means (35) for controlling the blowing capacity of (29).