KR101610383B1 - Indoor unit of Water circulation system associated with refrigerant cycle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an indoor unit of a water circulation system linked to a refrigerant cycle including a drain assembly positioned outside the indoor unit body. Therefore, in the present invention, the damage due to the condensed water generated in the indoor unit body can be minimized, and the drain assembly can be selectively used and easily replaced.

Refrigerant cycle, water circulation system, indoor unit, drain assembly

Description

{Indoor unit of water circulation system associated with refrigerator cycle}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an indoor unit of a water circulation system that performs hot water supply and cooling and heating functions in conjunction with a refrigerant cycle.

Conventionally, heating and cooling of the room is performed by an air conditioner using a refrigerant cycle, and hot water is supplied by a boiler having a separate heating source.

More specifically, the air conditioner includes an outdoor unit installed outdoors and an indoor unit installed in the room. The outdoor unit is provided with a compressor for compressing the refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the refrigerant and outdoor air, and a decompression device for expanding the refrigerant. The indoor unit is provided with an indoor heat exchanger for heat exchange between the refrigerant and the room air. At this time, any one of the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger functions as a condenser and the other operates as an evaporator, and the compressor, outdoor heat exchanger, decompressor, and indoor heat exchanger perform a refrigerant cycle.

The boiler generates heat by using oil, gas or electricity, and supplies hot water by heating water or performs floor heating.

The present invention is to provide an indoor unit of a water circulation system linked to a refrigerant cycle that can minimize the damage caused by condensed water.

The present invention is to provide an indoor unit of a water circulation system linked to a refrigerant cycle in which selective use and replacement of components can be simplified.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not intended to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Other objects, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, It will be possible.

As described above, the indoor unit of the water circulation system linked to the refrigerant cycle according to the present invention includes: a body having a space formed therein; A water-refrigerant heat exchanger provided in the main body and performing heat exchange between water and refrigerant; An outdoor unit including a compressor for compressing the refrigerant and an outdoor heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the refrigerant and outdoor air; a refrigerant pipe connecting the water refrigerant heat exchanger; A water pipe connecting at least one of an indoor cooling and heating unit for indoor cooling and heating and a hot water supply unit for supplying hot water, and the water refrigerant heat exchanger; And a drain assembly located outside the main body and collecting condensed water generated in at least one of the water-refrigerant heat exchanger, the refrigerant pipe, and the water pipe.

As described above, according to the indoor unit of the water circulation system interlocked with the refrigerant cycle according to the present invention, the condensed water generated in the indoor unit body can be collected in the drain assembly, so that the phenomenon that the condensed water leaks in an unintended direction by the user is minimized . Therefore, there is an advantage that damage such as a user's burning due to the condensed water or damage to an object adjacent to the indoor unit can be minimized.

Further, since the drain assembly is located outside the indoor unit body, the drain assembly can be selectively or more easily combined or separated according to the user's needs. In addition, when the drain assembly is damaged, the operation of replacing the drain assembly can be further simplified.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, a water circulation system linked to a refrigerant cycle according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a water circulation system linked with a refrigerant cycle according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a water circulation system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a heat pump in which a refrigerant cycle is performed, and an indoor heat transfer unit in which water for heat exchange with the refrigerant flows for hot water supply and cooling / do.

Specifically, the heat pump includes a compressor 21 for compressing the refrigerant to a high temperature and a high pressure, a four-way valve 22 for regulating the flow direction of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 21, A water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31 in which high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant having passed through the valve 22 is heat-exchanged with water flowing along a water pipe of the indoor heat-transfer portion, and a water-refrigerant heat exchanger An expansion part 24 for allowing the refrigerant that has passed through to expand at a low temperature and a low pressure and an outdoor heat exchanger 23 for allowing refrigerant having passed through the expansion part 24 to exchange heat with outdoor air. The compressor 21, the four-way valve 22, the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31, the expansion unit 24, and the outdoor heat exchanger 23 are connected by a refrigerant pipe 25 to constitute a refrigerant cycle closed circuit .

On the other hand, the water circulation system (1) comprises an outdoor unit (2) including a refrigerant cycle, an indoor unit (3) for exchanging heat between the refrigerant and the water that is changed in phase along the refrigerant cycle, A hot water supply part 4 connected to the indoor unit 3 for the indoor unit 3 and a water pipe connected to the indoor unit 3 for cooling and heating the room, .

Here, the compressor 21, the four-way valve 22, the expansion unit 24, and the outdoor heat exchanger 23 included in the heat pump are installed in the outdoor unit 2 located outdoors. When the outdoor unit 2 is operated in the cooling mode, the outdoor heat exchanger 23 performs the function of the evaporator. When the outdoor unit 2 operates in the heating mode, the outdoor heat exchanger 23 performs the function of the condenser.

Further, the water-refrigerant heat exchanger (31) included in the heat pump is installed in the indoor unit (3) located in the room. In addition, the indoor unit 3 is provided with a water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31 and a flow switch installed in a water pipe extending to the outlet side of the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31, An expansion tank 33 branched from the flow switch 32 at a position spaced apart from the flow direction of the water and a water pipe 33 extending from the outlet side of the water refrigerant heat exchanger 31, And a water pump 36 provided at any point of the water pipe at the outlet side of the water collecting tank 34 is connected to the water collecting tank 34 Respectively.

More specifically, the water-refrigerant heat exchanger (31) exchanges heat between refrigerant flowing along the refrigerant cycle closed circuit and water flowing along the water pipe, and for example, a plate heat exchanger is applicable. In the water-refrigerant heat exchanger (31), a flow path is formed in which the refrigerant and the water independently flow and can exchange heat with each other.

In this case, when the system 1 is operated in the hot water supply mode or the heating mode, the water refrigerant heat exchanger 31 performs heat exchange between the high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant that has passed through the compressor 21, ≪ / RTI > Conversely, when the system 1 is operated in the cooling mode, heat is transferred from the water flowing along the water pipe to the refrigerant passing through the expansion part 24 in the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31. That is, when the system 1 is operated in the hot water supply mode or the heating mode, the water flowing into the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31 flows through the hot water supply unit 4 and the cooling / And is in a state of being cooled. Conversely, when the system 1 is operated in the cooling mode, the water flowing into the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31 is in a state of being absorbed and heated by the process of passing through the cooling / heating unit 5.

In addition, the expansion tank 33 performs a buffering function of absorbing the water when the volume of the heated water is expanded to an appropriate level or higher while passing through the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31.

The water collecting tank (34) is a container for collecting water that has passed through the water-refrigerant heat exchanger (31). An auxiliary heater 35 is installed in the water collecting tank 34 to selectively operate when the amount of heat absorbed through the defrosting operation process or the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31 is less than a required heat quantity.

An air vent 343 is formed on the upper side of the collecting tank 34 so that the superheated air existing in the collecting tank 34 is discharged. A pressure gauge 341 and a relief valve 342 are provided on either side of the water collecting tank 35 so that the pressure inside the water collecting tank 35 can be appropriately adjusted. For example, when the water pressure inside the water collecting tank 35 displayed through the pressure gauge 341 is excessively high, the relief valve 342 is opened so that the pressure in the tank can be appropriately adjusted.

The water pump 36 pumps the water discharged through the water pipe extending from the outlet side of the water collecting tank 34 to be supplied to the hot water supply unit 4 and the cooling and heating unit 5.

On the other hand, the indoor heat transfer part includes the hot water supply part 4 and the cold / hot water half part 5.

First, the hot water supply unit 4 is a part for warming up and supplying water required for a work such as washing or washing dishes. In detail, a three-way valve 60 for controlling the flow of water is provided at any point spaced apart from the water pump 36 in the water flow direction. The three-way valve 60 is a direction switching valve for allowing water pumped by the water pump 36 to flow into the hot water supply unit 4 or the cooling / heating unit 5. The hot water pipe 48 extending to the hot water supply unit and the cooling / heating pipe 53 extending to the cooling / heating unit 5 are connected to the outlet of the three-way valve 60, respectively. The water pumped by the water pump 36 selectively flows to either the hot water pipe 48 or the cooling / heating pipe 53 under the control of the three-way valve 60.

The hot water supply unit 4 includes a hot water tank 41 for storing water supplied from outside and heating the stored water and an auxiliary heater 42 provided inside the hot water tank 41. Further, an auxiliary heat source for supplying heat to the hot water tank 41 may be further added depending on the installation mode. As a possible auxiliary heat source, a heat storage tank 43 using solar heat is possible. A water inlet 411 for introducing cold water and a water outlet 412 for discharging heated water are provided on one side of the hot water supply unit 4.

Part of the hot water piping extending from the three-way valve 60 is drawn into the hot water tank 41 to heat the water stored in the hot water tank 41. That is, heat is transferred from the hot water flowing along the inside of the hot water pipe 48 to the water stored in the hot water tank 41. In a specific case, the auxiliary heater 42 and the auxiliary heat source may operate to further supply additional heat. For example, it can operate when water needs to be warmed up in a short time, such as when the user needs a lot of hot water to bathe.

According to the embodiment, the water outlet 412 may be connected to a hot water discharge device such as a shower 45 or a household appliance such as a humidifier 46. When the solar heat storage tank 43 is used as the auxiliary heat source, the heat storage pipe 47 extending from the heat storage tank 43 may be inserted into the hot water tank 41. An auxiliary pump 44 for controlling the flow rate in the heat storage pipe closed circuit is mounted on the heat storage pipe 47 and a direction switching valve VA for controlling the flow direction of the water in the heat storage pipe 47 is mounted .

It is to be noted that the auxiliary heat source structure such as the heat storage unit using the solar heat described above is not limited to the illustrated embodiment but can be mounted in different locations with various shapes.

The cooling / heating unit 5 includes a floor cooling / heating unit 51 formed by partially embedding the cooling / heating pipe 53 in the floor of the room, And an air cooling / heating unit 52 connected in parallel with the air conditioning unit 51.

In detail, the floor heating / heating unit 51 may be embedded in meander lines on the floor of the room as shown in the figure. The air cooling / heating unit 52 may be a fan coil unit or a radiator. A part of the air cooling / heating pipe 54 branched from the cooling / heating pipe 53 is provided in the air cooling / heating unit 52 as a heat exchange unit. A flow switching valve 55 or 56 such as a three-way valve is provided at a branch point of the air cooling / heating pipe 54 so that the refrigerant flowing along the cooling / It can be divided into the cooling / heating section 52 and flowed to either side.

The end of the hot water piping 48 extending from the three-way valve 60 is joined at a point where it is spaced apart from the outlet end of the air cooling / heating pipe 54 in the direction of water flow. Therefore, in the hot water supply mode, the refrigerant flowing along the hot water supply pipe (48) is reintroduced into the cooling / heating pipe (53) and then flows into the water refrigerant heat exchanger (31).

Here, a check valve (V) is installed at a point where the reverse flow shut-off is required, such as a point where the hot water pipe (48) is combined with the cooling / heating pipe (53), so that back flow of water can be prevented. In the same manner, it is also possible to provide a check valve at the outlet end of the air cooling / heating pipe 54 and at the outlet end of the bottom cooling / heating unit 51, respectively, in addition to the way in which the flow path switching valve 56 is installed.

Hereinafter, the structure of an indoor unit of a water circulation system linked to a refrigerant cycle according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a water circulation system interlocked with a refrigerant cycle according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an internal state of an embodiment of a water circulation system interlocked with a refrigerant cycle according to the present invention.

2 and 3, the indoor unit 3 includes an indoor unit main body 3 in which components such as the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31, the water collecting tank 34, the expansion tank 33, the water pump 36, And a drain assembly 7 for collecting and guiding condensed water generated from various components installed in the indoor unit body 30. [

A space is formed in the indoor unit body 30 to provide the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31, the water collecting tank 34, the expansion tank 33, and the water pump 36. The water-refrigerant heat exchanger (31) is located at the center of the indoor unit body (30), the water collecting tank (34) is located at one side of the water-refrigerant heat exchanger (31) Is located above the water-refrigerant heat exchanger (31), and the water pump (36) is located below the water collecting tank (34). The water refrigerant heat exchanger 31, the water collecting tank 34, the expansion tank 33 and the water pump 36 are connected to the water pipe 61.

The flow switch 32 is installed on one side of the water pipe 61 connecting the water refrigerant heat exchanger 31 and the water collecting tank 34. The air vent 343 is installed at the upper end of the water collecting tank 34 and the pressure gauge 341 and the relief valve 342 are installed at the end of the pipe extending from one side of the water collecting tank 34 do.

On the other hand, the water refrigerant heat exchanger (31) is connected to a refrigerant pipe (25) for flowing the refrigerant between the water-refrigerant heat exchanger (31) and the outdoor unit (2). That is, the refrigerant piping 25 connects the outdoor unit 2 including the compressor 2 (see FIG. 1) and the outdoor heat exchanger 23 (see FIG. 1) and the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31 do. The refrigerant pipe (25) includes an inlet-side refrigerant pipe (251) for guiding the refrigerant flowing toward the water-refrigerant heat exchanger (31), a refrigerant pipe for guiding the refrigerant discharged from the water- And a discharge side refrigerant pipe 252. The inlet-side refrigerant pipe 251 extends from the upper end of the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31 to the lower side of the indoor unit body 30. The discharge-side refrigerant pipe 252 extends downward from the lower end of the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31 to the indoor unit body 30. That is, the inlet-side refrigerant pipe 251 and the outlet-side refrigerant pipe 252 extend through the bottom surface of the indoor unit body 30 and extend downwardly from the indoor unit body 30.

The water pipe 61 includes an inlet water pipe 611 for guiding the water flowing into the water refrigerant heat exchanger 31 and an outlet water pipe 611 discharged from the water refrigerant heat exchanger 31, And a discharge side water pipe 612 for guiding the water having passed through the water pump 36 and the water pump 36 to the hot water supply unit 4 and the cooling and heating unit 5. The inlet-side water pipe 611 extends from the lower end of the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31 to the lower side of the indoor unit body 30. The discharge side water pipe 612 extends from the upper end of the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31 to the lower side of the indoor unit body 30. That is, both the inflow water pipe 611 and the discharge water pipe 612 extend through the bottom surface of the indoor unit body 30 and extend downwardly from the indoor unit body 30.

The drain assembly 7 is positioned below the indoor unit body 30 to guide condensate generated in the indoor unit body 30 to be collected and discharged smoothly. At this time, the drain assembly 7 surrounds the lower end of the indoor unit body 30 so as to effectively collect the condensed water generated from the indoor unit body 30. On the other hand, the indoor unit body 30 is included in the projection of the drain assembly 7 in the vertical direction.

In addition, the drain assembly 7 surrounds at least a part of the refrigerant pipe 25 and the water pipe 61 located outside the indoor unit body 30. On the other hand, the refrigerant pipe 25 and the water pipe 61 pass through the bottom surface of the indoor unit body 30 and the drain assembly 7.

Hereinafter, a drain assembly according to an embodiment of a water circulation system linked to a refrigerant cycle according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a first drain unit of a water circulation system linked to a refrigerant cycle according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a drain assembly of a water circulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. to be.

4 and 5, the drain assembly 7 includes a drain portion 71 for collecting condensed water, and a heat insulating cover portion 75 for shielding the drain portion 71. As shown in FIG. The drain portion 71 corresponds to a portion where the condensed water generated in the indoor unit body 30 is collected in the space between the indoor unit body 30 and the drain assembly 7. The heat insulating cover part 75 is formed to surround the outer surface of the drain part 71 for heat insulation inside and outside the drain assembly 7.

On the other hand, the drain assembly 7 includes a first drain unit 78 positioned in front of the refrigerant pipe 25 and the water pipe 61, and a second drain unit 78 located in front of the refrigerant pipe 25 and the water pipe 61 And a second drain unit 79 located behind the second drain unit 79. The first drain unit 78 surrounds the first half of each of the refrigerant pipe 25 and the water pipe 61 and the second drain unit 79 surrounds the refrigerant pipe 25 and the water pipe 61 ) To wrap the second half of each. That is, the first drain unit 78 and the second drain unit 79 are bounded by virtual lines connecting the refrigerant pipe 25 and the water pipe 61.

The first drain unit 78 includes a first drain part 72 for collecting the condensed water and a first heat insulating cover part 76 surrounding the first drain part 72. The second drain unit 79 includes a second drain portion 73 for collecting the condensed water and a second heat insulating cover portion 77 surrounding the second drain portion 73.

On the other hand, the drain assembly 7 includes two bottom surfaces having different heights. More specifically, the drain assembly 7 includes a first bottom surface 711 corresponding to the refrigerant pipe 25 and a second bottom surface 712 corresponding to the water pipe 61. At this time, the first bottom surface 711 is located higher than the second bottom surface 712. That is, in the internal space of the drain assembly 7, the internal space corresponding to the water pipe 61 is wider than the internal space corresponding to the refrigerant pipe 25.

The connecting portion connecting the water pipe 61 is generally larger than the connecting portion connecting the refrigerant pipe 25 so that the internal space corresponding to the water pipe 61 is larger than the internal space corresponding to the refrigerant pipe 25 The connecting portion of the water pipe 61 and the connecting portion of the refrigerant pipe 25 can all be accommodated in the drain assembly 7. The overall volume of the drain assembly 7 can be reduced as compared with the case where the drain assembly 7 is formed to fit the inner space height enough to accommodate the connection portion of the water pipe 61 as a whole have. Therefore, the installation space for installing the drain assembly 7 can be minimized.

The first drain portion 72, the first heat insulating cover portion 76, the second drain portion 73 and the second heat insulating cover portion 77 are formed by two bottom surfaces 711, 712, 751, .

The drain assembly 7 is formed with a refrigerant pipe hole 741 and a water pipe hole 742 through which the refrigerant pipe 25 and the water pipe 61 pass. The refrigerant pipe hole 741 and the water pipe hole 742 are formed by coupling the first drain unit 78 and the second drain unit 79.

More specifically, pipe cover portions 753, 754, 755 and 756 surrounding the refrigerant pipe 25 or the water pipe 61 are formed in the first and second heat insulating cover portions 76 and 77, respectively. The pipe cover portions 753, 754, 755 and 756 include refrigerant pipe cover portions 753 and 754 surrounding the refrigerant pipe 25 and water pipe cover portions 755 and 756 surrounding the water pipe 61. The refrigerant pipe cover portions 753 and 754 include first refrigerant pipe cover portions 753 and 754 surrounding the inflow refrigerant pipe 251 and second refrigerant pipe cover portions 753 and 754 surrounding the discharge side refrigerant pipe 252 ). The water pipe cover parts 755 and 756 include first water pipe cover parts 755 and 756 surrounding the inflow water pipe 611 and a second water pipe cover part 752 surrounding the discharge water pipe 612. [ (755, 756).

The refrigerant pipe cover parts 753 and 754 extend upward from the first bottom surface 751 of the heat insulating cover part 75 corresponding to the refrigerant pipe 25. The water pipe cover portions 755 and 756 extend upward from the second bottom surface 752 of the heat insulating cover portion 75 corresponding to the water pipe 61.

The first drain portion 72 and the second drain portion 73 are formed with pipe receiving portions 713, 714, 715 and 716 for receiving the refrigerant pipe 25 and the water pipe 61, respectively. The pipe receiving portions 713, 714, 715 and 716 include refrigerant pipe receiving portions 713 and 714 for receiving the refrigerant pipe 25 and water pipe receiving portions 715 and 716 for receiving the water pipe 61. The refrigerant pipe accommodating portions 713 and 714 include a first refrigerant pipe accommodating portion 713 accommodating the inflow refrigerant pipe 251 and a second refrigerant pipe accommodating portion 714 accommodating the discharge side refrigerant pipe 252 ). The water pipe accommodating portions 715 and 716 include a first water pipe accommodating portion 715 accommodating the inflow water pipe 611 and a second water pipe accommodating portion 715 accommodating the discharge side water pipe 612, (716).

At this time, the refrigerant pipe receiving portions 713 and 714 extend upward from the first bottom surface 711 of the drain portion 71 corresponding to the refrigerant pipe 25. The water pipe receiving portions 715 and 716 extend upward from the second bottom surface 712 of the drain portion 71 corresponding to the water pipe 61.

The refrigerant pipe cover portions 753 and 754, the water pipe cover portions 755 and 756, the refrigerant pipe accommodating portions 713 and 714 and the water pipe accommodating portions 715 and 716 are formed such that the drain assembly 7 is coupled to the indoor unit body 30 It is a matter of course that the refrigerant pipe 25 and the water pipe 61 extending through the bottom surface of the indoor unit body 30 and passing through the refrigerant pipe 25 and the water pipe 61 pass through.

The refrigerant pipe cover portions 753 and 754 of the first heat insulating cover portion 76 and the refrigerant pipe cover portions 753 and 754 of the second heat insulating cover portion 77 are combined to form the refrigerant pipe hole 741 . The refrigerant pipe receiving portions 713 and 714 of the first drain portion 72 and the refrigerant pipe receiving portions 713 and 714 of the second drain portion 73 are coupled to each other, And encloses the refrigerant pipe cover portions 753 and 754. That is, the refrigerant pipe cover portions 753 and 754 and the refrigerant pipe receiving portions 713 and 714 are positioned sequentially outward of the refrigerant pipe 25, as viewed from the refrigerant pipe 25.

The water pipe cover portion (not shown) of the first heat insulating cover portion 76 and the water pipe cover portions 755 and 756 of the second heat insulating cover portion 77 are engaged with each other, . The water pipe receiving portions 715 and 716 of the first drain portion 72 and the water pipe receiving portions 715 and 716 of the second drain portion 73 are coupled to each other, And encloses the water pipe cover portions 755 and 756. That is, the water pipe cover portions 755 and 756 and the water pipe receiving portions 715 and 716 are sequentially positioned on the outside of the water pipe 61 when viewed from the water pipe 61. At this time, the water pipe cover portion of the first heat insulating cover portion 76 and the water pipe receiving portion of the first drain portion 72 are not directly visible in FIG. 5, but the water pipe cover portion of the second heat insulating cover portion 77 And is formed so as to correspond to the water pipe accommodating portions 715 and 716 of the water pipe cover portions 755 and 756 and the second drain portion 73, respectively.

On the other hand, when viewed from the inside of the drain assembly 7, the refrigerant pipe receiving portions 713 and 714 and the refrigerant pipe cover portions 753 and 754 are sequentially positioned from the inside of the drain assembly 7. The water pipe receiving portions 715 and 716 and the water pipe cover portions 755 and 756 are positioned sequentially from the inside of the drain assembly 7 as viewed from the inside of the drain assembly 7.

The refrigerant pipe cover portions 753 and 754 and the water pipe cover portions 755 and 756 are formed higher than the refrigerant pipe receiving portions 713 and 714 and the water pipe receiving portions 715 and 716. Accordingly, the condensed water collected in the refrigerant pipe cover portions 753 and 754 and the water pipe cover portions 755 and 756 flows along the refrigerant pipe receiving portions 713 and 714 and the water pipe receiving portions 715 and 716, To the bottom surface of the base 71. That is, there is an advantage that the condensed water collected in the refrigerant pipe cover portions 753 and 754 and the water pipe cover portions 755 and 756 is not accumulated and can be discharged smoothly.

The drain assembly 7 is provided with a condensed water discharge port 743 through which the condensed water collected in the drain assembly 7 is discharged to the outside of the drain assembly 7. The condensed water discharge port 743 is located at the lowermost end of the drain assembly 7. Accordingly, the condensed water collected in the drain assembly 7 flows toward the condensed water discharge port 743, which is naturally located at the lowermost end due to its own weight. That is, there is an advantage that the condensed water collected in the drain assembly 7 can be discharged more smoothly.

In the present embodiment, the condensed water discharge port 743 is integrally formed with the second drain portion 73. However, the condensed water discharge port 743 may be provided in the first drain portion 72 or may be formed separately from the drain portion 71. A storage unit for collecting condensed water may be provided at an end of the condensed water discharge port 743, or a pipe for guiding the condensed water to the outside can be connected.

Hereinafter, the flow of the condensed water in the indoor unit of the water circulation system interlocked with the refrigerant cycle according to the present invention will be described in detail.

First, when the system 1 is operated in the cooling mode, water flowing in the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31 is relatively low in temperature as compared with room air. The refrigerant flowing through the water-refrigerant heat exchanger (31) is required to absorb heat from the water flowing through the water-refrigerant heat exchanger (31). Therefore, It is at low temperature. As a result, when the system 1 is operated in the cooling mode, the water and the refrigerant flowing through the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31 are relatively low in temperature as compared with the room air. Therefore, condensed water is generated on the outer surface of the water-refrigerant heat exchanger (31).

The water and the refrigerant flow through the water collecting tank 34, the expansion tank 33, the water pump 36, the water pipe 61, and the refrigerant pipe 25 provided in the indoor unit 3 Condensed water is also generated in the water collecting tank 34, the expansion tank 33, the water pump 36, the water pipe 61, and the refrigerant pipe 25.

The condensed water generated in at least one of the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 31, the water collecting tank 34, the expansion tank 33, the water pump 36, the water pipe 61, and the refrigerant pipe 25, . The water refrigerant heat exchanger 31, the water collecting tank 34, the expansion tank 33, the water pump 36, the water pipe 61 and the refrigerant pipe 25 are all installed inside the indoor unit body 30 The condensed water flows to the bottom surface of the indoor unit body 30.

Then, the air flows to the outside of the indoor unit body (30) through a gap existing on the bottom surface of the indoor unit body (30). Since the drain assembly 7 surrounding the lower end of the indoor unit main body 30 is located below the indoor unit main body 30 at this time, (7).

More specifically, the condensed water flowing out of the indoor unit main body (30) is collected on the bottom surface of the drain portion (71). The condensed water collected on the bottom surface of the drain portion 71 flows in the direction of the condensed water discharge port 743 located at the lowermost end of the drain assembly 7 due to its own weight.

At this time, some of the condensed water flowing outside the indoor unit body 30 may be collected in the pipe cover portions 753, 754, 755, and 756 surrounding the refrigerant pipe 25 and the water pipe 61. Particularly, condensed water may be generated in the refrigerant pipe 25 and the water pipe 61 located between the bottom surface of the indoor unit body 30 and the drain assembly 7. In this case, the refrigerant pipe 25 And most of the condensed water generated in the water pipe 61 is collected by the pipe cover parts 753, 754, 755, and 756.

Since the pipe accommodating portions 713, 714, 715 and 716 surrounding the pipe cover portions 753, 754, 755 and 756 are positioned lower, the condensed water collected in the pipe cover portions 753, 754, 755 and 756 is naturally accumulated along the pipe accommodating portions 713, 714, And flows toward the bottom surface of the drain portion 71 as shown in FIG. The condensed water on the drain bottom flows in the direction of the condensed water discharge port 743.

The condensed water may be discharged through the condensed water discharge port 743 to a separate storage unit or outdoors.

The first drain portion 72, the second drain portion 73, the first heat insulating cover portion 76 and the second heat insulating cover portion 77 are coupled in various ways such as a hook type . Also, the coupling method of the drain assembly 7 and the indoor unit main body 30 may be combined in various ways, for example, a screw connection method.

According to the system 1, all the condensed water generated in the indoor unit body 30 can be collected or discharged smoothly. This is because the drain assembly 7 surrounds the lower end portion of the indoor unit main body 30 so that all the condensed water generated in the indoor unit main body 30 and flowing downward is collected in the drain assembly 7. [ Therefore, there is an advantage that damage such as discomfort of the user caused by the condensed water, damage of adjacent objects, and the like can be minimized.

Since the drain assembly 7 is located outside the indoor unit body 30, the drain assembly 7 can be selectively used. For example, when the system 1 is operated in the hot-water supply mode and the heating mode, the possibility of generating condensed water in the indoor unit main body 30 is low, You can use it in the removed state. The drain assembly 7 may be connected to the indoor unit main body 30 in order to collect or discharge water temporarily leaking when water leaks from the indoor unit body 30. [ ) May be used.

In addition, since the drain assembly 7 is located outside the indoor unit body 30 when the drain assembly 7 is damaged, the operation of replacing the drain assembly 7 can be simplified have.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many other modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings and the scope of the present invention should be construed on the basis of the appended claims will be.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a water circulation system linked to a refrigerant cycle according to the present invention; Fig.

2 is an external perspective view of an embodiment of a water circulation system linked to a refrigerant cycle according to the present invention.

3 is a perspective view showing an inner appearance of an embodiment of a water circulation system linked to a refrigerant cycle according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a first drain unit of an embodiment of a water circulation system interlocked with a refrigerant cycle according to the present invention. FIG.

5 is an exploded perspective view of a drain assembly of an embodiment of a water circulation system linked to a refrigerant cycle according to the present invention.

Claims (17)

A body having a space formed therein; A water-refrigerant heat exchanger provided in the main body and performing heat exchange between water and refrigerant; An outdoor unit including a compressor for compressing the refrigerant and an outdoor heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the refrigerant and outdoor air; a refrigerant pipe connecting the water refrigerant heat exchanger; A water pipe connecting at least one of an indoor cooling and heating unit for indoor cooling and heating and a hot water supply unit for supplying hot water, and the water refrigerant heat exchanger; And And a drain assembly located outside the main body and collecting condensed water generated in at least one of the water-refrigerant heat exchanger, the refrigerant pipe, and the water pipe, Wherein the drain assembly surrounds at least a part of the refrigerant pipe and the water pipe extending from the main body. The method according to claim 1, Wherein the drain assembly surrounds the lower end of the main body. The method according to claim 1, Wherein the refrigerant pipe and the water pipe extend downwardly through the bottom surface of the main body. The method according to claim 1, Wherein the main body is contained in the projection of the drain assembly in a vertical direction. The method according to claim 1, Wherein the drain assembly includes a condensed water discharge port for discharging the condensed water collected in the drain assembly to the outside of the drain assembly. 6. The method of claim 5, And the condensed water discharge port is located at the lowermost end of the drain assembly. The method according to claim 1, Wherein the drain assembly is formed with a refrigerant pipe hole and a water pipe hole through which the refrigerant pipe and the water pipe pass through, respectively. The method according to claim 1, The drain assembly includes: A drain for collecting the condensed water; And And a heat insulating cover portion for shielding the drain portion. 9. The method of claim 8, Wherein the drain portion and the heat insulating cover portion are formed of two layers. 9. The method of claim 8, A pipe cover portion extending upward from a bottom surface of the heat insulating cover portion so as to surround the refrigerant pipe or the water pipe; And And a pipe accommodating portion extending upward from a bottom surface of the drain portion so as to surround the pipe cover portion. 11. The method of claim 10, And the pipe cover portion extends higher than the pipe receiving portion. The method according to claim 1, Wherein the refrigerant pipe and the water pipe pass through the bottom surface and the drain assembly of the main body. 13. The method of claim 12, Wherein the drain assembly includes a first bottom surface through which the refrigerant pipe passes, and a second bottom surface through which the water pipe passes, And the height of the first bottom surface is different from the height of the second bottom surface. 13. The method of claim 12, The drain assembly includes: And a first drain unit and a second drain unit which are bounded by imaginary lines connecting the water pipe and the refrigerant pipe. 15. The method of claim 14, Wherein the first drain unit includes a first drain portion for collecting the condensed water and a first heat insulating cover portion surrounding the first drain portion, Wherein the second drain unit includes a second drain portion for collecting the condensed water and a second heat insulating cover portion surrounding the second drain portion. The method according to claim 1, An expansion tank provided in the main body and buffering a volume change of water; A collecting tank provided inside the main body for storing water; And Further comprising at least one of a water pump installed inside the main body and a water pump for forcedly flowing water. 17. The method of claim 16, Wherein the drain assembly collects condensed water generated in at least one of the expansion tank, the water collecting tank, and the water pump.

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