KR100575225B1 - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an air conditioner capable of drying laundry.

An air conditioner according to the present invention includes a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a first outdoor heat exchanger for allowing the refrigerant to heat exchange with outdoor air, and a second heat exchanger for receiving heat from the first outdoor heat exchanger during cooling operation. An outdoor heat exchanger, a first indoor heat exchanger for allowing the refrigerant to exchange heat with indoor air, a second indoor heat exchanger for receiving refrigerant from the first indoor heat exchanger during cooling operation, and allowing the refrigerant to exchange heat with the indoor air, and a first indoor heat exchange The expansion valve for reducing and expanding the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant pipe disposed between the air conditioner and the second indoor heat exchanger and the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant pipe disposed between the first outdoor heat exchanger and the second outdoor heat exchanger. And a refrigerant that is disposed in the refrigerant pipe between the first expansion heat exchanger and the first indoor heat exchanger and the second outdoor heat exchanger. Including the main expansion valve to expand, there is an effect that the laundry can be dried quickly even when the indoor space is not cooled.

Description

Air Conditioner {AIR CONDITIONER}

1 is a view showing a refrigerant flow in the air conditioner according to the present invention the cooling operation.

2 is a view showing a refrigerant flow during the heating operation of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

3 is a view illustrating a refrigerant flow when the air conditioner according to the present invention dehumidifies only the space in which the outdoor unit is installed.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

10: indoor unit 11: first indoor heat exchanger

12: second indoor heat exchanger 13: indoor blowing fan

14: indoor expansion valve 20: outdoor unit

21 compressor 22 first outdoor heat exchanger

23: second outdoor heat exchanger 24: outdoor blowing fan

25: Four-way valve 26: Main expansion valve

27: outdoor expansion valve 28: bypass refrigerant pipe

29: bypass valve

The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly, to an air conditioner capable of drying laundry.

In general, an air conditioner includes a compressor for compressing a refrigerant at a high temperature and high pressure, an indoor heat exchanger disposed indoors, an outdoor heat exchanger disposed outdoors, an expansion valve for decompressing and expanding the refrigerant, and a refrigerant disposed at the discharge side of the compressor for indoor heat exchange. It is provided with a four-way valve to switch the cooling and heating by guiding to any one of the air conditioner and the outdoor heat exchanger, it is a device for cooling and heating by allowing the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant is guided to any one of the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger by the four-way valve.

In recent years, such an air conditioner can be used to dry laundry. That is, by placing the outdoor unit of the air conditioner in the space to dry the laundry, such as the balcony of the apartment so that the laundry is heated by the heat emitted from the outdoor unit when the indoor space is cooled to allow the laundry to dry rapidly.

However, such a conventional air conditioner cannot generate heat in the outdoor unit without performing cooling of the indoor space due to its operation characteristics, and thus, there is a problem that it cannot be used for drying laundry when it is not necessary to cool the indoor space such as winter. .

The present invention is to solve such a problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioner that can be used for drying laundry even if the cooling of the indoor space is unnecessary.

The air conditioner according to the present invention for achieving this object, a compressor for compressing the refrigerant, a first outdoor heat exchanger for allowing the refrigerant to exchange heat with the outdoor air, and receives the refrigerant from the first outdoor heat exchanger during the cooling operation again A second outdoor heat exchanger for exchanging heat with outdoor air, a first indoor heat exchanger for exchanging refrigerant with indoor air, and a refrigerant for receiving heat from the first indoor heat exchanger during cooling operation so that the refrigerant exchanges heat with indoor air again. An indoor expansion valve disposed at a refrigerant pipe between the first indoor heat exchanger and the second indoor heat exchanger to expand and expand the refrigerant passing therethrough; and between the first outdoor heat exchanger and the second outdoor heat exchanger. An outdoor expansion valve disposed in the refrigerant pipe to selectively expand and reduce the refrigerant passing therethrough; the first indoor heat exchanger and the second expansion valve; It is characterized in that it comprises a main expansion valve disposed in the refrigerant pipe between the outdoor heat exchanger and selectively expands the refrigerant passing through.

In addition, the outdoor expansion valve dehumidifies the general operation mode to allow the refrigerant moving from the first outdoor heat exchanger to the second outdoor heat exchanger as it is, and dehumidify the space in which the first outdoor heat exchanger and the second outdoor heat exchanger are installed. In order to perform the outdoor dehumidification operation mode that the refrigerant from the first outdoor heat exchanger to the second outdoor heat exchanger is expanded under reduced pressure and then transferred to the second outdoor heat exchanger.

In addition, the indoor expansion valve is a general operation mode for allowing the refrigerant moving from the first indoor heat exchanger to the second indoor heat exchanger as it is, and the space in which the first indoor heat exchanger and the second indoor heat exchanger is installed. In order to dehumidify, a dehumidifying operation mode is performed in which a refrigerant moving from the first indoor heat exchanger to the second indoor heat exchanger is expanded under reduced pressure and then transferred to the second indoor heat exchanger.

The main expansion valve may include a general operation mode in which the refrigerant moving from the second outdoor heat exchanger to the first indoor heat exchanger is expanded under reduced pressure, and the refrigerant moving from the second outdoor heat exchanger to the first indoor heat exchanger is intact. Characterized in that the indoor dehumidification operation mode to be delivered to the first indoor heat exchanger.

In addition, the discharge side of the compressor is provided with a four-way valve for guiding the refrigerant discharged from the compressor to any one of the first outdoor heat exchanger and the second indoor heat exchanger to switch the cooling operation and heating operation. do.

In addition, between the second outdoor heat exchanger and the main expansion valve, the bypass refrigerant pipe for guiding the refrigerant discharged from the second outdoor heat exchanger to the suction side of the compressor, and disposed in the middle of the bypass refrigerant pipe And a bypass valve for opening the bypass refrigerant pipe when the first outdoor heat exchanger and the second outdoor heat exchanger are dehumidified.

In addition, the main expansion valve, the outdoor expansion valve, and the indoor expansion valve is characterized in that it comprises a variable expansion valve capable of adjusting the amount of the refrigerant to be expanded under reduced pressure.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail.

An air conditioner according to the present invention is a device for cooling or heating an indoor space by cooling or heating indoor air including a refrigeration cycle component, which is installed outdoors with an indoor unit 10 installed indoors as shown in FIG. 1. The outdoor unit 20 is separated, and the indoor unit 10 and the outdoor unit 20 are connected through a refrigerant pipe so that the refrigerant can be transferred to each other.

The indoor unit 10 includes a first indoor heat exchanger 11 that exchanges heat with indoor air, and a second indoor heat exchange that receives the refrigerant discharged from the first indoor heat exchanger 11 during cooling operation to exchange heat with the indoor air again. Indoor air circulates in the indoor unit 10 by rotating the fan 12 and generating a blowing force so that the first indoor heat exchanger 11 and the second indoor heat exchanger 12 exchange heat with the indoor air. The fan 13 is provided. At this time, the first indoor heat exchanger 11 and the second indoor heat exchanger 12 are connected in series through a refrigerant pipe, and the indoor air exchanged with the second indoor heat exchanger 12 again exchanges the first indoor heat exchanger ( 11) are arranged in order on the air discharge side of the indoor blower fan 13 so as to exchange heat with them.

In addition, an indoor expansion valve 14 is disposed in the refrigerant pipe connecting between the first indoor heat exchanger 11 and the second indoor heat exchanger 12. In this embodiment, the indoor expansion valve 14 is expanded under reduced pressure. It is composed of a variable expansion valve that can adjust the amount of refrigerant, so that the refrigerant flowing from one side of the first indoor heat exchanger 11 and the second indoor heat exchanger 12 to the other side passes through as it is without decompression expansion. It is possible to selectively perform any one of the operation mode and the indoor dehumidification operation mode to be delivered after expanding under reduced pressure.

The outdoor unit 20 rotates with a compressor 21 for compressing a refrigerant at a high temperature and high pressure, a first outdoor heat exchanger 22 and a second outdoor heat exchanger 23 that exchange heat with outdoor air, and generates a blowing force. Air is circulated in the outdoor unit 20, and the outdoor blower fan 24 for allowing heat exchange with the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 and the second outdoor heat exchanger 23, and the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 21, the first Four-way valve 25 for guiding to either side of the outdoor heat exchanger 22 or the second indoor heat exchanger 12 so that the cooling operation and the heating operation are switched, and the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 and the first one. A main expansion valve 26 disposed in a refrigerant pipe connecting the indoor heat exchanger 11 to expand and decompress a refrigerant moving from one side of the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 and the first indoor heat exchanger 11 to the other side under reduced pressure; Is provided. At this time, in the outdoor unit 20, the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 and the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 are connected in series through a refrigerant pipe, and the outdoor air that has exchanged heat with the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 again. In order to be able to exchange heat with the 1st outdoor heat exchanger 22, it is arrange | positioned at the air discharge side of the outdoor blower fan 24 in order.

The main expansion valve 26 is composed of a variable expansion valve that can adjust the amount of the refrigerant to be reduced in pressure expansion to reduce the refrigerant moving from one side of the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 and the first indoor heat exchanger 11 to the other side In the general operation mode which causes expansion and when the indoor space needs to be dehumidified, the refrigerant moving from the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 to the first indoor heat exchanger 11 is not expanded under reduced pressure. 11) It is possible to selectively perform any one of the indoor dehumidification operation mode to be delivered to.

In addition, in the outdoor unit, an outdoor expansion valve 27 is disposed in a refrigerant pipe connecting between the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 and the second outdoor heat exchanger 23. It is composed of a variable expansion valve that can adjust the amount of the refrigerant to be expanded, so that the refrigerant flowing from one side of the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 and the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 to the other side passes as it is without decompression expansion. It can be carried out by switching between the normal operation mode and the outdoor dehumidification operation mode to be delivered after expanding under reduced pressure.

In addition, when the air conditioner according to the present invention performs only dehumidification of the space in which the outdoor unit 20 is installed, the outdoor unit 20 performs a second outdoor heat exchange to prevent refrigerant from flowing into the indoor unit 10 to perform cooling and heating. A bypass refrigerant pipe 28 connected to the refrigerant pipe between the gas 23 and the main expansion valve 26 to guide the refrigerant discharged from the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 to the suction side of the compressor 21. In the middle of the bypass refrigerant pipe 28, a bypass valve 29 is provided to open the bypass refrigerant pipe 28 when dehumidification is performed only in the space where the outdoor unit 20 is installed.

The following describes the operation and effect of the air conditioner according to the present invention configured as described above.

First, referring to the case where the air conditioner according to the present invention performs the cooling operation, the four-way valve 25 guides the refrigerant to the first outdoor heat exchanger 22, and the outdoor expansion valve 27 and the indoor expansion valve 14. ) And the main expansion valve 26 performs a normal operation mode, the bypass valve 29 closes the bypass refrigerant pipe (28).

Therefore, the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 21 is guided to the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 by the four-way valve 25 to connect the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 and the second outdoor heat exchanger 23. It passes through and releases heat to heat the space where the outdoor unit 20 is installed. Therefore, when the temperature of the space in which the outdoor unit 20 is installed rises and the laundry is placed in the space in which the outdoor unit 20 is installed, the laundry dries quickly. Subsequently, the refrigerant is expanded under reduced pressure by the main expansion valve 26 and then transferred to the first indoor heat exchanger 11 to sequentially pass heat through the first indoor heat exchanger 11 and the second indoor heat exchanger 12. Absorbs to cool indoor space. That is, when the air conditioner according to the present invention performs the cooling operation, the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 and the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 serve as a condenser and the first indoor heat exchanger 11 and the second The indoor heat exchanger 12 serves as an evaporator.

Next, when the air conditioner according to the present invention performs dehumidification of the space in which the outdoor unit 20 is installed together with the cooling operation, the four-way valve 25 guides the refrigerant to the first outdoor heat exchanger 22. The expansion valve 27 performs an outdoor dehumidification operation mode, the indoor expansion valve 14 and the main expansion valve 26 perform a normal operation mode, and the bypass valve 29 opens the bypass refrigerant pipe 28. To close.

Therefore, the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 21 is guided to the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 by the four-way valve 25 to release heat from the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 and then cooled. It is transmitted to the expansion valve 27 and expanded under reduced pressure by the outdoor expansion valve 27 and then transferred to the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 to absorb heat from the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 and the outdoor unit 20 is By condensing moisture contained in the air of the installed space to be discharged to the condensed water, the humidity of the space in which the outdoor unit 20 is installed is lowered. Therefore, since the humidity of the space in which the outdoor unit 20 is installed with the laundry is lowered, when the laundry is placed in the space, the moisture contained in the laundry can be easily evaporated, and the laundry is dried quickly. Subsequently, the refrigerant is expanded under reduced pressure by the main expansion valve 26, and then transferred to the first indoor heat exchanger 11 and the second indoor heat exchanger, and thus the first indoor heat exchanger 11 and the second indoor heat exchanger 12. Heat exchange with indoor air and absorb heat to perform cooling of indoor space. That is, when the air conditioner according to the present invention performs dehumidification of the space in which the outdoor unit 20 is installed together with the cooling operation, the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 functions as a condenser and the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 The first indoor heat exchanger 11 and the second indoor heat exchanger 12 serve as evaporators.

Next, when the air conditioner according to the present invention dehumidifies the indoor space, the four-way valve 25 guides the refrigerant to the first outdoor heat exchanger 22, and the outdoor expansion valve 27 performs the general operation mode. The indoor expansion valve 14 and the main expansion valve 26 perform an indoor dehumidification operation mode, and the bypass valve 29 closes the bypass refrigerant pipe 28.

Therefore, the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 21 is guided to the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 by the four-way valve 25 to connect the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 and the second outdoor heat exchanger 23. It passes through and releases heat to heat the space where the outdoor unit 20 is installed. Subsequently, the refrigerant passes through the main expansion valve 26. Since the main expansion valve 26 performs an indoor dehumidification operation mode, the refrigerant is not expanded under reduced pressure and is delivered to the first indoor heat exchanger 11 as it is. Heat dissipation occurs in the heat exchanger (11), passes through the indoor expansion valve (14), expands under reduced pressure, and is then passed to the first indoor heat exchanger (11) to exchange heat with indoor air to absorb heat, which is contained in the indoor air. Moisture is released to condensate to lower the humidity in the room. That is, when the air conditioner according to the present invention dehumidifies the indoor space, the first outdoor heat exchanger 22, the second outdoor heat exchanger 23, and the first indoor heat exchanger 11 serve as condensers. 2 indoor heat exchanger 12 serves as an evaporator.

At this time, since the indoor air cooled by the second indoor heat exchanger 12 passes through the first indoor heat exchanger 11 and is heated again, the temperature change of the indoor space hardly occurs. Therefore, when the outdoor blower fan 24 which causes the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 and the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 to exchange heat with the outdoor air is stopped, the refrigerant is exchanged with the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 and the second outdoor heat exchanger. Since not enough cooling in the machine 23, the amount of heat transferred to the first indoor heat exchanger 11 while maintaining a high temperature increases in the first indoor heat exchanger 11, so that the dehumidification of the indoor space The heating of the indoor space is carried out simultaneously.

Next, when the air conditioner according to the present invention performs the heating operation, as shown in FIG. 2, the four-way valve 25 guides the refrigerant to the second indoor heat exchanger 12, and the outdoor expansion valve ( 27) and the indoor expansion valve 14 performs the normal operation mode, the bypass valve 29 closes the bypass refrigerant pipe 28.

Therefore, the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 21 is guided to the second indoor heat exchanger 12 by the four-way valve 25 to connect the second indoor heat exchanger 12 and the first indoor heat exchanger 11. It passes through and releases heat to heat the indoor space. Subsequently, the refrigerant is expanded under reduced pressure by the main expansion valve 26 and then transferred to the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 to sequentially pass heat through the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 and the first outdoor heat exchanger 22. It is absorbed and heated. That is, when the air conditioner according to the present invention performs the heating operation, the first indoor heat exchanger 11 and the second indoor heat exchanger 12 serve as a condenser and the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 and the second. The outdoor heat exchanger 23 serves as an evaporator.

Next, when the air conditioner according to the present invention dehumidifies only the space in which the outdoor unit 20 is installed, the four-way valve 25 guides the refrigerant to the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 as shown in FIG. 3. The outdoor expansion valve 27 performs the outdoor dehumidification operation mode, and the bypass valve 29 opens the bypass refrigerant pipe 28.

Therefore, the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 21 is guided to the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 by the four-way valve 25 to release heat from the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 and then cooled. It is delivered to the expansion valve 27 and expanded under reduced pressure by the outdoor expansion valve 27 and then transferred to the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 to absorb heat from the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 and the outdoor unit 20 is installed. By condensing the moisture contained in the air of the space to be discharged to the condensed water to reduce the humidity of the space in which the outdoor unit 20 is installed. Therefore, since the humidity of the space in which the outdoor unit 20 is installed is lowered, when the laundry is stacked in such a space, the moisture contained in the laundry can be easily evaporated, and the laundry is dried quickly. That is, the first outdoor heat exchanger 22 serves as a condenser, the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 serves as an evaporator, and the refrigerant discharged from the second outdoor heat exchanger 23 is opened. Since it is directly sucked into the compressor through the pass refrigerant pipe 28, it is not delivered to the indoor unit 10, so that cooling or heating of the indoor space is not performed.

 As described above in detail, the air conditioner according to the present invention can lower the humidity of the space in which the outdoor unit is installed, not only when the indoor space is cooled or heated, but also when the indoor space is not cooled. Even if the cooling is not performed there is an effect that can dry the laundry quickly.

Claims (7)

A compressor for compressing the refrigerant, a first outdoor heat exchanger for allowing the refrigerant to exchange heat with the outdoor air, a second outdoor heat exchanger for receiving the refrigerant from the first outdoor heat exchanger during the cooling operation and for exchanging heat with the outdoor air again, A first indoor heat exchanger configured to exchange heat with indoor air, a second indoor heat exchanger receiving refrigerant from the first indoor heat exchanger during cooling operation, and allowing the refrigerant to exchange heat with the indoor air again; the first indoor heat exchanger and the second An indoor expansion valve for decompressively expanding a refrigerant passing through the indoor heat exchanger and a refrigerant passing through the refrigerant pipe disposed between the first outdoor heat exchanger and the second outdoor heat exchanger and selectively expanding the refrigerant passing therethrough; A refrigerant passing through the outdoor expansion valve and the refrigerant pipe disposed between the first indoor heat exchanger and the second outdoor heat exchanger is selected. An air conditioner comprising a main expansion valve for selectively expanding under reduced pressure. The method of claim 1, The outdoor expansion valve is a general operation mode for allowing the refrigerant moving from the first outdoor heat exchanger to the second outdoor heat exchanger as it is, and to dehumidify the space in which the first outdoor heat exchanger and the second outdoor heat exchanger are installed. And an outdoor dehumidification operation mode in which the refrigerant moving from the first outdoor heat exchanger to the second outdoor heat exchanger is expanded under reduced pressure and then transferred to the second outdoor heat exchanger. The method of claim 1, The indoor expansion valve is a general operation mode for allowing the refrigerant moving from the first indoor heat exchanger to the second indoor heat exchanger as it is, and to dehumidify the space in which the first indoor heat exchanger and the second indoor heat exchanger are installed. And an indoor dehumidification operation mode in which the refrigerant moving from the first indoor heat exchanger to the second indoor heat exchanger is expanded under reduced pressure and then transferred to the second indoor heat exchanger. The method of claim 3, wherein The main expansion valve has a general operation mode for depressurizing and expanding the refrigerant moving from the second outdoor heat exchanger to the first indoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant moving from the second outdoor heat exchanger to the first indoor heat exchanger as it is. 1 is an air conditioner, characterized in that to perform an indoor dehumidification operation mode to be delivered to the indoor heat exchanger. The method of claim 1, The four-way valve is provided on the discharge side of the compressor to guide the refrigerant discharged from the compressor to any one of the first outdoor heat exchanger and the second indoor heat exchanger so that cooling operation and heating operation are switched. Conditioner. The method of claim 1, A bypass refrigerant pipe guiding the refrigerant discharged from the second outdoor heat exchanger to the suction side of the compressor between the second outdoor heat exchanger and the main expansion valve, and disposed in the middle of the bypass refrigerant pipe, And a bypass valve for opening the bypass refrigerant pipe when the heat exchanger and the second outdoor heat exchanger are dehumidified. The method of claim 1, And the main expansion valve, the outdoor expansion valve, and the indoor expansion valve include a variable expansion valve capable of adjusting the amount of refrigerant decompressed.

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