JPH10132334A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To ensure cooling in an air conditioner in which a phase changeable fluid is circulated between an outdoor machine and an indoor machine utilizing a specific gravity difference between the fluid and gas by eliminating even an overheated state of the fluid. SOLUTION: A thermal load is particularly large in an arbitrary indoor machine 4 installed lower than the outdoor machine 1, and it indicates over a predetermined time an overheated state where temperate of R-134a evaporated and discharged from a heat exchanger 5 becomes higher than a predetermined temperature, and when the travel of the flow rate adjusting valve 8 controlled based upon temperature detected by temperature sensors 10, 11 becomes already 100% and hence the valve is prevented from being opened more, and the outdoor machine 1 is controlled so as to indicate the temperature of R-134a condensed and discharged from a heat exchanger 2 of the outdoor machine 1 to be 7 deg.C for example, the outdoor machine 1 is constructed to indicate 5 deg.C for example as the foregoing temperature.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly to an air conditioner, in which a phase changeable fluid is mainly separated between an outdoor unit and a plurality of indoor units disposed below the outdoor unit. The present invention relates to a device configured to be circulated using and configured to be able to cool in each indoor unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an air conditioner which does not require a power for conveying a phase-changeable fluid, that is, a fluid whose state changes between a liquid and a gas by taking in and out latent heat, is shown in FIG. 3, for example. There is such a device. In this device, an outdoor unit 1 functioning as a condenser is installed at a high position in a building, and the outdoor unit 1 and an indoor unit 4 installed in a room to be air-conditioned at a lower position are installed. The liquid exchanger 6 is connected to the heat exchanger 5 by a liquid transport pipe 6 and a gas transport pipe 7, and the liquid radiated and condensed by the outdoor unit 1 is transferred to the heat exchanger 5 of the indoor unit 4 via the liquid transport pipe 6 by its own weight. On the other hand, the heat exchanger 5 of the indoor unit 4 exchanges heat with the high-temperature indoor air to absorb and evaporate the gas, and the gas transfer pipe 7 is connected to the outdoor unit 1 where the fluid is condensed to a low pressure. Circulates by allowing it to recirculate through Transport power, such as a pump is not required,
There is an advantage that running costs can be suppressed. Reference numeral 8 denotes a flow control valve.

[0003]

However, in this type of air conditioner, only the weight of the fluid that radiates heat in the outdoor unit and condenses and accumulates in the liquid transfer pipe is the power for supplying the fluid to the indoor unit. Therefore, there is a limit to the speed at which the fluid flows into the indoor unit, and when the cooling load is large, the fluid is overheated in the indoor unit, and the cooling operation tends to be insufficient. There was a problem, and the solution of this point was an issue.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the present invention converts a phase-changeable fluid into a liquid phase between an outdoor unit and a plurality of indoor units installed below the outdoor unit. A device configured to circulate mainly by utilizing a specific gravity difference from a gas phase and to be capable of cooling in each indoor unit, wherein the temperature of the fluid that evaporates and is discharged from the indoor unit during a cooling operation over a predetermined time period An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner in which a control means for reducing a set discharge temperature of the fluid condensed and discharged from the outdoor unit when the temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature is provided in the outdoor unit.

[0005]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In addition, in order to facilitate understanding, in these figures, parts having the same functions as those described in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of an air conditioner according to the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes an outdoor unit that can generate cold heat, for example, an absorption refrigerator. Installed in a machine room or the like on the rooftop, for example, through a heat exchanger 2 piped inside an evaporator, a phase-changeable fluid sealed in a closed circuit 3, for example, easily evaporates when the pressure drops even at a low temperature. And heat transfer with R-134a.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a heat exchanger of the indoor unit 4 installed in each room of the building. The outdoor unit 1 and the heat exchangers 5 of the plurality of indoor units 4 are connected to the liquid supply pipe 6 and the gas The closed circuit 3 is formed by piping and connection by a reflux pipe 7 and a flow control valve 8.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a blower for blowing indoor air to the heat exchanger 5 to recirculate the indoor air, and 10 and 11 denote R.
R-1 of the heat exchanger 5 for detecting the temperature of -134a
The temperature difference between the temperature sensor 10 on the inlet side and the temperature sensor 11 on the outlet side increases as the air conditioning load increases, and the temperature difference decreases as the air conditioning load decreases.

The outdoor unit 1 has an outdoor controller 12.
The indoor unit 4 is provided with an indoor control device 13. The indoor control device 13 can convert the current opening degree of the flow control valve 8 and the temperature information detected by the temperature sensors 10 and 11 into a communication signal, and convert the communication signal received from the outside into a required control signal. A signal converter (not shown) capable of conversion is built in, and the outdoor control device 12 and the indoor control device 13 are connected by a communication line 14.
The control signal output by the controller is received by the indoor control device 13 so that the opening of the flow control valve 8 is controlled. Also,
A remote controller 15 communicable with the indoor control device 13 and capable of starting / stopping cooling, selecting the intensity of ventilation, setting a temperature, and the like is provided for each indoor unit 4.

First, the circulation cycle of R-134a enclosed in the closed circuit 3 will be described. Since the R-134a is cooled via the tube wall of the heat exchanger 2 by the cold generated in the outdoor unit 1, the R-134a is condensed and the liquid supply pipe 6 on the downstream side is condensed.
In each heat exchanger 5 through the flow control valve 8 of the indoor unit 4.
Supplied to

On the other hand, in each heat exchanger 5, a blower 9
R-134a evaporates by taking heat from the room air because the room air having a high temperature is forcibly supplied by
Performs a cooling action.

Then, R-134a is cooled and condensed.
Circulation naturally occurs, such as reflux through the gas reflux pipe 7 to the heat exchanger 2 of the outdoor unit 1 which is liquefied and has a low pressure.

However, in the heat exchanger 5 of the indoor unit 4 installed on the lower floor, the total weight of the R-134a radiated and condensed by the heat exchanger 2 of the outdoor unit 1 and accumulated in the liquid transfer pipe 6 is stored. R-134a is likely to be supplied because it acts as an inflow pressure, but the heat exchanger 5 of the indoor unit 4 installed on the higher floor has only the weight of R-134a accumulated in the liquid transfer pipe 6 above this part. Acts as the inflow pressure, so that the heat exchanger 5 of the indoor unit 4 installed on the higher floor is less likely to be supplied with R-134a,
The cooling effect tends to be insufficient.

Therefore, the fact that the temperature information detected by the temperature sensors 10 and 11 is the same means that the flow rate adjusting valve 8
If the same control signal is output and the opening degree is controlled, an appropriate amount of R-134a corresponding to the cooling load cannot be supplied, so the outdoor control device 12 differs depending on the floor where the indoor unit 4 is installed. Control signal, that is, a predetermined control program for opening the flow control valve 8 more widely as the indoor unit 4 is installed on the upper floor, for example, in the case of an air conditioner in which the indoor unit 4 is divided into ten floors and installed. Is, for example, the correction coefficient of the indoor unit 4 installed on the lowest floor is 1, and a value obtained by adding 0.1 to 1 each time the floor rises is set as the correction coefficient of that floor,
First, based on the temperature information detected by the temperature sensors 10 and 11, the opening of the flow control valve 8 at the time of no correction is obtained by a general formula,
Further, a required correction coefficient is added to the opening to determine the opening of the flow control valve 8 that is actually output to the indoor unit 4. It is configured to adjust the degree.

For this reason, when the outdoor controller 12 receives the temperature information detected by the temperature sensors 10 and 11 from the indoor controller 13 via the communication line 14, the outdoor controller 12 transmits the temperature information from the indoor unit 4 on which floor. First, it is checked whether the signal is a corrected signal, the correction coefficient is obtained, the opening degree of the flow control valve 8 is calculated by a predetermined program in consideration of the correction coefficient thus obtained, and a required control signal is transmitted. The output is output to the corresponding indoor control device 13 via the line 14, and the opening of the flow control valve 8 is adjusted to the opening corresponding to the installation floor, so that each indoor unit 4 performs air conditioning corresponding to the air conditioning load. .

The air-conditioning load of an arbitrary indoor unit 4 is particularly large, and the temperature of R-134a evaporated and discharged from the heat exchanger 5 is maintained at a predetermined temperature, for example, 12 minutes, for 5 minutes. Indicates an overheat condition higher than ℃
When the opening degree of the flow control valve 8 controlled based on the temperature information detected by the temperature sensors 10 and 11 has already become 100% and the valve cannot be opened any more, the heat exchanger 2 of the outdoor unit 1 R-134a that condenses and discharges
In other words, when the temperature sensor 16 provided at the liquid outlet of the R-134a of the heat exchanger 2 controls the outdoor unit 1 to indicate, for example, 7 ° C., The outdoor unit 1 is configured as shown in FIG.

More specifically, when the outdoor unit 1 is formed of, for example, an absorption refrigerator and the heat exchanger 2 is installed inside the evaporator, the outdoor unit 1 is controlled based on a control signal output from the outdoor control unit 12. The amount of heat input to the regenerator of the type refrigerator is increased to increase the amount of refrigerant circulated, and the amount of refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator is increased. The temperature of the R-134a is lowered by a predetermined temperature.

Note that the air conditioner of the present invention may have a configuration in which a receiver tank 17 and an electric pump 18 are installed as shown by a broken line in FIG.

With this configuration, the transport force of the electric pump 18 is added to the difference in specific gravity between the liquid and the gas of the R-134a, so that the R-134a is easily supplied to the heat exchanger 5 of the indoor unit 4. Therefore, the R-134a is unlikely to be overheated in the heat exchanger 5, and the correction coefficient for determining the opening degree of the flow control valve 8 can be reduced, and the flow control valve 8 having a small capacity as a whole can be used. An air conditioner can be configured. In addition, a part of the indoor unit 4 can be installed on the same floor as the outdoor unit 1.

A cooling / heating switching valve (opening / closing valve) 19, a receiver tank 20, and a heating electric pump 21 are connected as shown in FIG. 2 to open and close the cooling / heating switching valve 19 while generating cold heat in the outdoor unit 1. When valved, the same R-134 as described above
a, the cooling operation can be performed, and the cooling / heating switching valve 19 is closed while generating heat in the outdoor unit 1, and when the heating electric pump 21 is operated, the closed circuit 3 is generated by the heat generated in the outdoor unit 1. R-134a is heated and evaporated through the tube wall of the heat exchanger 2 and supplied to the heat exchangers 5 of the indoor units 4 via the gas recirculation pipes 7.
R-134a radiates heat to the low-temperature room air forcibly supplied by the blower 9 and condenses and liquefies.
It performs heating action during liquefaction, and furthermore, condensed R-13
4a passes through the flow control valve 8 and passes through the receiver tank 20.
It is also possible to configure an air conditioner capable of cooling / heating by making it possible to circulate the R-134a, which is returned to the heat exchanger 2 of the outdoor unit 1 by the transfer force of the electric heating pump 21.

As an absorption refrigerator capable of supplying cold or warm heat from the heat exchanger 2 connected to the evaporator, for example, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-318189 is disclosed. Can be used.

In an air conditioner using an absorption chiller / heater capable of selectively supplying cold and hot heat to the outdoor unit 1 as described above, a heating load in an arbitrary indoor unit 4 during a heating operation is special. The temperature of the R-134a condensed and discharged in the heat exchanger 5 is increased for a predetermined time, for example, 5
A supercooled state lower than a predetermined temperature, for example, 10 ° C., is displayed over a period of one minute, and the opening degree of the flow control valve 8 controlled based on the temperature information detected by the temperature sensors 10 and 11 has already reached 100%. When it is no longer possible to open the R, the R that evaporates and is discharged from the heat exchanger 2 of the outdoor unit 1
-134a temperature, that is, R-134a of heat exchanger 2
Temperature sensor 16a provided at the gas outlet of
In the case where the outdoor unit 1 is controlled so as to indicate ° C, the outdoor unit 1 may be configured so that the temperature sensor 16a indicates, for example, 55 ° C.

More specifically, based on a control signal output from the outdoor controller 12, the amount of heat input to the regenerator of the absorption refrigerator constituting the outdoor unit 1 is increased to increase the circulation amount of the refrigerant. By increasing the amount of refrigerant to be condensed, R-1 which is heated and evaporated by the heat exchanger 2 and discharged from the outdoor unit 1
The temperature of 34a can be raised by a predetermined temperature.

The temperature sensors 10 and 11 are installed so as to detect a change in the temperature of the room air blown to the heat exchanger 5, and the temperature sensors 10 and 11 are replaced with the R at the entrance and exit of the heat exchanger 5. A pressure sensor is installed so that the pressure difference of −134a can be detected, and the pressure sensor is output to the outdoor control device 12 as an air conditioning load.
When a pressure sensor is installed so that the outlet pressure of R-134a can be detected instead of 6.16a, and the temperature sensor 10 indicates the overheated state of R-134a during the cooling operation,
When the pressure output from the pressure sensor installed in place of the temperature sensor 16 decreases to a predetermined pressure and the temperature sensor 10 indicates the supercooled state of R-134a during the heating operation, the pressure sensor installed in place of the temperature sensor 16a The outdoor unit 1 may be configured so that the pressure output from the outdoor unit rises to a predetermined pressure.

The phase-changeable fluid sealed in the closed circuit 3 includes R-407a, R-407c and R-134a in addition to R-134a.
-404A, R-410c, etc., which can transfer heat by latent heat may be used.

[0026]

As described above, the air conditioner of the present invention condenses from the outdoor unit when the temperature of the fluid evaporated and discharged from the indoor unit during the cooling operation is higher than the predetermined temperature for a predetermined time. Even if the fluid is overheated in the indoor unit and the cooling operation is insufficient, the overheated state of the fluid is eliminated after a predetermined time because the set discharge temperature of the fluid to be discharged is lowered. To return to normal cooling operation.

Further, as shown in the embodiment, in an air conditioner using an absorption type chiller / heater capable of burning gas or oil to generate cold or warm heat as an outdoor unit, electric power for cooling is not used. Since the power is not used except for the power consumed for control, it is effective in the peak power cut at the time of midsummer when the amount of power generation becomes maximum throughout the year.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an embodiment configured to enable cooling / heating.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 outdoor unit 2 heat exchanger 3 closed circuit 4 indoor unit 5 heat exchanger 6 liquid supply pipe 7 gas supply pipe 8 flow control valve 9 blower 10.11 temperature sensor 12 outdoor control device 13 indoor control device 14 communication line 15 remote control 16・ 16a Temperature sensor 17 Receiver tank 18 Electric pump 19 Cooling / heating switching valve 20 Receiver tank 21 Electric pump for heating

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A phase changeable fluid is circulated between an outdoor unit and a plurality of indoor units installed below the indoor unit by mainly utilizing a difference in specific gravity between a liquid phase and a gas phase. An apparatus configured to be capable of cooling in the machine, wherein when the temperature of the fluid evaporated and discharged from the indoor unit during the cooling operation is higher than a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time, the fluid condensed and discharged from the outdoor unit is discharged. An air conditioner wherein a control means for lowering a set discharge temperature is provided in an outdoor unit.