JPS6457031A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the occurrence of breakage due to freezing of an outdoor heat exchanger and to reduce the generation of running noise, by a method wherein a part of a coolant delivered from a compressor is introduced to the lower part of the outdoor heat exchanger, and a branch pipe closed at the tip is disposed. CONSTITUTION:In an outdoor unit 2, a suction port 14 of a compressor 9 is connected to a discharge port 15 of an outdoor heat exchanger 11 through a coolant 16, a discharge port 17 of the outdoor heat exchanger 11 to a connection pipe 18, connected to a discharge pipe 8, through a coolant pipe 19, and a delivery port 20 of the compressor 9 to a connection pipe 21, connected to a suction pipe 7, through a coolant pipe 22. The coolant pipe 16 is connected to the coolant pipe 22 through a 4-way valve 10 to shift the direction of the flow of a coolant. A capillary 12 is situated in the coolant pipe 19, to which a coolant pipe 24, bypassing the capillary 12 and having an expansion valve 13, is connected. A branch pipe 25 is connected to the coolant pipe 22 along a bottom 11a of the outdoor heat exchanger 11, and the coolant pipe 25 muffles noise, propagated in the coolant pipe 22, by closing the tip of the branch pipe. Since, during coolant cycle operation, the outdoor heat exchanger 11 is always warmed by means of radiant heat from the branch pipe 25 connected to the coolant pipe 22, breakage due to freezing can be prevented from occurring.