Patent Grant
9228771
The present invention relates to an outdoor unit for an air conditioning device.
Patent Literature 1 described below discloses an upward blowing type outdoor unit that blows out the air taken into an interior from a side surface of an outdoor unit main body (casing) upward by driving a fan provided on an upper part of the outdoor unit main body. In this outdoor unit, a heat exchanger formed into a U shape in a plan view is provided so as to face three side surfaces of the substantially cubic outdoor unit main body. In an opening portion formed between one side end portion and the other side end portion of the heat exchanger, a control box (electric component unit) is arranged so as to face the remaining one side surface of the outdoor unit main body.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-156872
In this type of outdoor unit, downsizing while maintaining a heat exchange ability and an increase in the heat exchange ability without a size increase are desired. Therefore, it is thought that the heat exchanger is extended so as to face not only three side surfaces of the outdoor unit main body but four side surfaces.
However, when a range of the heat exchanger is extended, the opening portion between the one side end portion and the other side end portion of the heat exchanger is reduced, and a ratio of an arrangement space of the control box in the opening portion is increased. The opening portion is utilized not only for arranging the control box but also for performing maintenance and replacement of devices accommodated in the outdoor unit main body. Thus, when the ratio of the arrangement space of the control box in the opening portion is increased, workability of the maintenance and the like is not easily ensured. Even in a case where the range of the heat exchanger is not extended, reduction in the ratio of the arrangement space of the control box in the opening portion is effective for enhancing the workability of the maintenance and the like.
The present invention is achieved in consideration with the situation described above, and an object thereof is to provide an outdoor unit for an air conditioning device capable of reducing a ratio of an arrangement space of an electric component unit in an opening portion between one side end portion and the other side end portion of a heat exchanger as far as possible, so as to ensure workability of maintenance and the like of devices in an outdoor unit main body.
(1) An outdoor unit for an air conditioning device according to the present invention includes
an outdoor unit main body,
a heat exchanger accommodated in the outdoor unit main body,
a fan provided in an upper part of the outdoor unit main body, the fan blowing out air suctioned from side surfaces of the outdoor unit main body upward,
a ventilating member surrounding an outer circumference of the fan and forming a blow-out port of the air, and
an electric component unit accommodated in the outdoor unit main body and arranged in an opening portion between one side end portion and the other side end portion of the heat exchanger,
wherein the electric component unit is provided so as to cross over a lower end of the ventilating member in the up and down direction, and a part of the electric component unit arranged on the upper side than the lower end of the ventilating member is arranged on the horizontally outer side than the ventilating member.
In an upward blowing type outdoor unit including a fan in an upper part of an outdoor unit main body, there is often a case where a part on the horizontally outer side than a ventilating member surrounding an outer circumference of the fan hardly contributes to a flow of the air, serving as a so-called dead space. Therefore, in the outdoor unit of the present invention, by arranging a part of the electric component unit in the dead space, a ratio of an arrangement space of the electric component unit in the opening portion between the one side end portion and the other side end portion of the heat exchanger on the lower side than the ventilating member is reduced. Thereby, the opening portion can be utilized as widely as possible for a work such as maintenance and replacement of devices in the outdoor unit main body, so that workability of the work can be improved. The part of the electric component unit hardly influences the flow of the air on the upper side than the lower end of the ventilating member, so that heat exchange efficiency is not deteriorated.
(2) Preferably, the outdoor unit main body is formed into a square shape in a plan view, and the heat exchanger is provided so as to face four side surfaces of the outdoor unit main body.
In such a way, since the heat exchanger is arranged so as to face the four side surfaces of the outdoor unit main body, the outdoor unit can be compactified while maintaining a heat exchange ability, or the heat exchange ability can be increased without increasing size of the outdoor unit. Furthermore, since the ratio of the arrangement space of the electric component unit in the opening portion can be reduced as described above, the workability of the work such as the maintenance performed via the opening portion is not deteriorated.
(3) Preferably, the heat exchanger is provided so as to face the four side surfaces in a range excluding one corner portion of the outdoor unit main body, and the electric component unit is arranged in the corner portion.
The fan provided in the upper part of the outdoor unit main body is rotated while leaving a circular trajectory in a plan view, and the ventilating member surrounding the outer circumference of this fan is formed into a cylindrical shape. Therefore, in the corner portion of the outdoor unit main body formed into a square shape in a plan view on the horizontally outer side of the ventilating member, a relatively wide dead space is generated. In the present invention, by utilizing such a corner portion, an arrangement space of a part of the electric component unit, can be ensured as widely as possible in a planar range of the outdoor unit main body.
(4) Preferably, the fan is arranged in such a manner that center thereof is displaced to the side of other corner portions of the outdoor unit main body in a planar range of the outdoor unit main body.
With such a configuration, the arrangement space of the electric component unit can be more widely ensured in the one corner portion of the outdoor unit main body on the horizontally outer side of the ventilating member, and the fan can be arranged closely to a part of the heat exchanger where a circulation area of the air is large, so that the heat exchange efficiency can be improved.
(5) Preferably, a space with which the compressor is taken in and out is formed between the electric component unit and the one side end portion of the heat exchanger.
With such a configuration, the replacement and the maintenance of the heat exchanger can be easily performed.
(6) Preferably, the electric component unit is supported by a beam member arranged in the horizontal direction corresponding to one of the side surfaces of the outdoor unit main body, and the beam member has a guide rail portion for, at the time of attaching the electric component unit to a predetermined attachment point of the outdoor unit main body, guiding the electric component unit to the attachment point.
With such a configuration, the electric component unit can be promptly and readily positioned at a proper attachment point in the outdoor unit main body.
(7) Preferably, the electric component unit includes an electric component box for accommodating an electric component, and in the electric component box, a first intake port for taking the air into the electric component box is formed on the upper side than the lower end of the ventilating member, and an discharge port for discharging the air in the electric component box is formed on the lower side than the lower end of the ventilating member.
In an interior of the outdoor unit main body, in a region on the lower side than the lower end of the ventilating member, pressure becomes negative pressure by actuation of the fan. Meanwhile, in a region on the upper side than the lower end of the ventilating member and on the horizontally outer side than the ventilating member, a suctioning action of the fan is not exerted and the pressure becomes positive pressure or atmospheric pressure. Therefore, by differential pressure between both the regions, a flow of the air flowing to an interior of the electric component box from the first intake port and being discharged to an exterior of the electric component box from the discharge port is formed, so that a heat release property in the electric component box is enhanced.
(8) Preferably, a second intake port for taking the air into the electric component box is formed on the lower side than the discharge port in a lower portion of the electric component box.
Since both the discharge port and the second intake port are arranged in the region on the lower side than the lower end of the ventilating member, vicinity parts thereof are in a negative pressure state. In particular, since the vicinity part of the discharge port is closer to the fan than the vicinity part of the second intake port, the pressure is lower. Therefore, by differential pressure between both the parts, a flow of the air flowing to the interior of the electric component box from the second intake port and being discharged to the exterior of the electric component box from the discharge port is formed. As described above, a relatively strong flow of the air coming from the first intake port on the positive pressure side to the discharge port on the negative pressure side is generated in the electric component box. Thus, by this flow, the flow of the air from the second intake port to the discharge port is facilitated. Therefore, the heat release property in the electric component box can be more enhanced.
(9) Preferably, a high heat generating part is arranged in the lower portion of the electric component box.
With such a configuration, the high heat generating part can be cooled down by the air taken from the second intake port in the lower portion of the electric component box. It should be noted that as the high heat generating part, there are electric parts including a power module having a power element such as an IGBT for driving a motor of the compressor or the fan, a reactor, and the like.
(10) Preferably, an arrangement recess portion for arranging a cooling refrigerant pipe for cooling down the high heat generating part in the planar range of the electric component box is formed in the lower portion of the electric component box.
With such a configuration, the high heat generating part arranged in the lower portion of the electric component box can be effectively cooled down by a refrigerant flowing through the cooling refrigerant pipe. Since the cooling refrigerant pipe is arranged in the arrangement recess portion formed in the electric component box, the cooling refrigerant pipe does not protrude from the planar range of the electric component box, so that the electric component box including the cooling refrigerant pipe can be arranged in a small planar space.
(11) Preferably, the arrangement recess portion is formed by recessing a part of a bottom wall of the electric component box upward, and an electric wire in the electric component box is pulled out to an exterior from a bottom wall in the arrangement recess portion.
With such a configuration, the electric wire can be pulled out to the exterior without passing through the lower portion of the electric component box where the high heat generating part is arranged. Thereby, noises of the high heat generating part can be prevented from influencing the electric wire.
According to the present invention, the ratio of the arrangement space of the electric component unit in the opening portion between the one side end portion and the other side end portion of the heat exchanger can be reduced as far as possible, and the opening portion can be widely used for the work such as the maintenance of the devices in the outdoor unit main body, so that the workability of the work can be improved.
An air conditioning device 1 is for example a multiple type air conditioning device for a building in which a refrigerant circuit 10 is formed in such a manner that a plurality of indoor units 3 is connected in parallel to one or a plurality of outdoor unit 2 so as to circulate a refrigerant.
In the outdoor unit 2, a compressor 11, a four way valve 12, an outdoor heat exchanger 13, an outdoor expansion valve 14, an accumulator 20, an oil separator 21, and the like are provided. These are connected by a refrigerant pipe. In the outdoor unit 2, a fan 23 is provided. In the indoor unit 3, an indoor expansion valve 15, an indoor heat exchanger 16, and the like are provided. The four way valve 12 and the indoor heat exchanger 16 are connected by a gas side refrigerant communication tube 17a, and the outdoor expansion valve 14 and the indoor expansion valve 15 are connected by a liquid side refrigerant communication tube 17b. A gas side stop valve 18 and a liquid side stop valve 19 are provided in terminal portions of the inside refrigerant circuit of the outdoor unit 2. The gas side stop valve 18 is arranged on the side of the four way valve 12, and the liquid side stop valve 19 is arranged on the side of the outdoor expansion valve 14. The gas side refrigerant communication tube 17a is connected to the gas side stop valve 18, and the liquid side refrigerant communication tube 17b is connected to the liquid side stop valve 19.
In a case where a cooling operation is performed in the air conditioning device 1 with the above configuration, the four way valve 12 is retained in a state shown by solid lines in FIG, 1. A high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 13 via the oil separator 21 and the four way valve 12, and performs heat exchange with the outdoor air by actuation of the fan 23 so as to be condensed and liquefied. The liquefied refrigerant passes through the outdoor expansion valve 14 in a fully open state, and flows into the indoor units 3 through the liquid side refrigerant communication tube 17b. In the indoor unit 3, pressure of the refrigerant is reduced to predetermined low pressure by the indoor expansion valve 15, and further, the refrigerant performs the heat exchange with the indoor air in the indoor heat exchanger 16 so as to be evaporated. The indoor air cooled by evaporation of the refrigerant is blown out to an interior by an indoor fan (not shown) so as to cool the interior. The refrigerant evaporated and gasified in the indoor heat exchanger 16 is returned to the outdoor unit 2 through the gas side refrigerant communication tube 17a, and suctioned into the compressor 11 via the four way valve 12 and the accumulator 20.
On the other hand, in a case where a heating operation is performed, the four way valve 12 is retained in a state shown by broken lines in
The outdoor unit 2 of the present embodiment is of an upward blowing type, and includes an outdoor unit main body (casing) 5, the devices forming the refrigerant circuit 10 (refer to
The outdoor unit 2 suctions the air from side surfaces of the outdoor unit main body 5 by driving the fan 23, performs the heat exchange with the outdoor heat exchanger 13, and then blows out the air upward from the upper part of the outdoor unit main body 5.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
A bell mouth 30 is attached to the four beam members 28a to 28d. This bell mouth 30 has a ventilating guide (ventilating member) 30a surrounding an outer circumference part of the fan 23. The ventilating guide 30a is formed into a cylindrical shape along a circular rotation trajectory of the fan 23, to form a blow-out port of the air from the outdoor unit main body 5. A support base 31 (refer to
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The outdoor heat exchanger 13 is bent in a substantially square shape so as to face (correspond to) the four side surfaces in a range excluding one corner portion (left front corner portion) 5A of the outdoor unit main body 5 along the four side surfaces. Specifically, the outdoor heat exchanger 13 has a front heat exchange portion 32 along the side surface on the front side of the outdoor unit main body 5 (front surface), a right heat exchange portion 33 along the side surface on the right side, a rear heat exchange portion 34 along the side surface on the rear side (rear surface), and a left heat exchange portion 35 along the side surface on the left side. A part between the front heat exchange portion 32 and the right heat exchange portion 33, a part between the right heat exchange portion 33 and the rear heat exchange portion 34, and a part between the rear heat exchange portion 34 and the left heat exchange portion 35 are bent at substantially 90 degrees. It should be noted that the heat exchange portions 32 to 35 of the outdoor heat exchanger 13 do not necessarily face the side surfaces of the outdoor unit main body 5 in parallel but may face the side surfaces in an inclined state. In the present specification, the side surfaces of the outdoor unit main body 5 may be actual side surfaces facing the exterior regulated by for example, the upper side surface panels 25 described above, the lower side surface panels 29 to be described later, or grid shape frames or panels covering outer side surfaces of the outdoor heat exchanger 13. In a case where such side surface panels 25 and 29 or the like are not provided, the side surfaces may be regulated by imaginary surfaces formed by extending four sides of the bottom frame 26 upward straightaway.
As shown in
In the outdoor unit main body 5, the lower side surface panels 29 are respectively detachably provided between the one side end portion 32a and the support pillar 27 of the outdoor heat exchanger 13, and between this support pillar 27 and the other side end portion 35a of the outdoor heat exchanger 13 (refer to
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The electric component box 50 is provided in a range from a substantially upper end portion of the outdoor unit main body 5 to a part on the slightly lower side of an intermediate part in the up and down direction. Therefore, the electric component box 50 is arranged so as to cross over the beam members 28a to 28d and an upper end of the outdoor heat exchanger 13 in the up and down direction. The electric component box 50 is arranged so as to cross over a lower end of the cylindrical ventilating guide 30a in the bell mouth 30 in the up and down direction.
The electric component box 50 of the electric component unit 38 is attached to and supported on the support pillar 27 arranged in the corner portion 5A, the beam members 28a and 28b coupled to this support pillar 27 and the like by bolts or the like. The electric component box 50 includes an upper portion 51, an intermediate portion 52, and a lower portion 53 whose planar shapes are different from each other. The portions 51, 52 and 53 have the substantially same height.
The upper portion 51 of the electric component box 50 is a part arranged on the upper side than the beam members 28a and 28b.
In the upper portion 51 of the electric component box 50, the control board (operation board) 41 is arranged in the vicinity of the rear side of the first front surface plate 51a, and the reactor 44 is arranged in the vicinity of the front side of the first back surface plate 51b. An operation window 51a1 is formed in the first front surface plate 51a. Operation portions such as switches for performing various setting of the outdoor unit, trial operation, and the like, an LED to be lit at the abnormal time and the like are provided in the control board 41. The operation portions on the control board 41 can be operated and the LED or the like can be confirmed from this operation window 51a1. By arranging the control board 41 in the upper portion 51 of the electric component box 50, operation of the operation portions and confirmation of the LED or the like can be easily performed at a standing posture via the operation window 51a1. It should be noted that the operation window 51a1 is closed by a lid plate 51a2 capable of opening and closing. A first intake port 56 for taking the air into the electric component box 50 is formed in the first back surface plate 51b. The reactor 44 is a high heat generating part to be mainly cooled down by the air taken in from the first intake port 56.
As shown in
As shown in
It should be noted that hereinafter, the right side inclined part of the second back surface plate 52b will be called as a rear inclined portion 52b1.
The second front surface plate 52a is made of the same plate member as the first front surface plate 51a (refer to
As shown in
Inside the lower portion 53 of the electric component box 50, the drive board 42 of the compressor 11 is arranged in the vicinity of the rear side of the front inclined portion 53a1 in the third front surface plate 53a. A cooling jacket 48 is provided on a surface of the front inclined portion 53a1, and a cooling refrigerant pipe 47 brought from the refrigerant pipe of the refrigerant circuit 10 (refer to
When the electric component box 50 is attached to the outdoor unit main body 5, the inclined portion 28a1 of the beam member 28a is inserted obliquely left-rearward as shown by an arrow while being fitted to the fitting groove 60. Thereby, the inclined portion 28a1 functions as a guide rail for guiding the electric component box 50 to a predetermined attachment point. By providing such an inclined portion (guide rail portion) 28a1, the electric component box 50 can be readily and promptly positioned at a proper point.
By providing the inclined portion (guide rail portion) 28a1 in the beam member 28a, the electric component box 50 can be attached without butting with the cooling refrigerant pipe 47 (refer to
The cooling refrigerant pipe 47 is arranged in a planar range of the electric component box 50 in a plan view. That is, in the lower portion 53 of the electric component box 50, the front inclined portion 53a1 of the third front surface plate 53a is set back from the first and second front surface plates 51a and 52a. Thereby, a recess portion (arrangement recess portion) 54 in a mode where the bottom wall is recessed upward is formed in the electric component box 50. The cooling refrigerant pipe 47 is arranged in the recess portion 54 so as to be arranged in the planar range of the electric component box 50. Therefore, the cooling refrigerant pipe 47 does not protrude sideways from the electric component box 50, so that a planar arrangement space of the electric component box 50 including the cooling refrigerant pipe 47 can be reduced as far as possible.
As shown in
When the fan 23 is actuated, the external air is suctioned from the side surfaces of the outdoor unit main body 5. After the heat exchange is performed with the outdoor heat exchanger 13, the air is blown out upward. At this time, in an interior of the outdoor unit main body 5, pressure becomes negative pressure by actuation of the fan 23. In particular, since a B part shown in
As described above, the first intake port 56 is formed on the side surface of the upper portion 51 of the electric component box 50, the second intake port 58 is formed on the bottom surface of the lower portion 53, and the discharge port 57 is formed on the side surface of the intermediate portion 52. By differential pressure between the C part and the B part as described above, the air is taken into the electric component box 50 from the first intake port 56 and discharged from the discharge port 57. By this flow of the air, the devices on the upper part side of the electric component box 50 are cooled down. By differential pressure between the A part and the B part, the air is taken into the electric component box 50 from the second intake port and discharged from the discharge port 57. By this flow of the air, the devices on the lower part side of the electric component box 50 are cooled down.
The differential pressure between the A part and the B part is smaller than the differential pressure between the C part and the B part. Thus, the flow of the air from the second intake port 58 to the discharge port 57 is weaker than the flow of the air from the first intake port 56 to the discharge port 57. However, by the relatively strong flow of the air from the first intake port 56 to the discharge port 57, a flow of the air from the first intake port 56 to the discharge port 57 is caused, and inflow of the air from the second intake port 58 is facilitated. By such an action, a heat release property of the electric component box 50 can be more enhanced.
In the above embodiment, the outdoor heat exchanger 13 is arranged so as to face the four side surfaces of the outdoor unit main body 5 (refer to
However, when the outdoor heat exchanger 13 is arranged on the four side surfaces of the outdoor unit main body 5, the opening portion 36 formed between the one side end portion 32a and the other side end portion 35a of the outdoor heat exchanger 13 is reduced, and a ratio of the arrangement space of the electric component box 50 in this opening portion 36 is relatively increased. Therefore, in a case where a work such as maintenance and replacement of the devices in the outdoor unit main body 5 is performed by utilizing the remaining space of the opening portion 36, there is a possibility that workability is deteriorated.
Regarding this point, in the outdoor unit 2 of the present embodiment, the electric component box 50 is arranged so as to cross over a lower end (denoted by a reference sign H in
A region on the upper side than the lower end H of the ventilating guide 30a and on the horizontally outer side than the ventilating guide 30a hardly contributes to the flow of the air in the outdoor unit main body 5. Therefore, even when a part of the electric component box 50 is arranged in this region, the flow of the air in the outdoor unit main body 5 is hardly harmfully influenced and heat exchange efficiency is not deteriorated.
As shown in
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment but can be appropriately changed within the scope of the invention described in the claims.
For example, the present invention can be applied to an outdoor unit 2 including an outdoor heat exchanger 13 arranged in a U shape along three side surfaces of an outdoor unit main body 5. However, more effectively, the present invention is applied to the outdoor unit 2 in which the outdoor heat exchanger 13 is arranged so as to face the four side surfaces of the outdoor unit main body 5 as in the above embodiment.
Although the outdoor unit 2 of the above embodiment includes one compressor 11, two or more compressors 11 may be provided. Even in this case, the opening width W of the front opening portion 36A is such width that one compressor 11 can be taken in and out, so that a plurality of compressors 11 can be taken in and out from the front opening portion 36A one by one in order.
1: AIR CONDITIONING DEVICE
2: OUTDOOR UNIT
5: OUTDOOR UNIT MAIN BODY
11: COMPRESSOR
13: OUTDOOR HEAT EXCHANGER
23: FAN
28
a: BEAM MEMBER (ATTACHMENT MEMBER)
28
a
1: INCLINED PORTION (GUIDE RAIL PORTION)
30: BELL MOUTH
30
a: VENTILATING GUIDE (VENTILATING MEMBER)
32
a: ONE SIDE END PORTION OF HEAT EXCHANGER
35
a: OTHER SIDE END PORTION OF HEAT EXCHANGER
38: ELECTRIC COMPONENT UNIT
42: DRIVE BOARD (HIGH HEAT GENERATING PART)
50: ELECTRIC COMPONENT BOX
54: ARRANGEMENT RECESS PORTION
54
a: BOTTOM WALL
56: FIRST INTAKE PORT
57: DISCHARGE PORT
58: SECOND INTAKE PORT
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-215047 | Sep 2011 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2012/075021 | 9/28/2012 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2013/047721 | 4/4/2013 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4723419 | Kessler et al. | Feb 1988 | A |
| 20090133423 | Jang et al. | May 2009 | A1 |
| 20140047857 | Sao et al. | Feb 2014 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 684 022 | Jul 2006 | EP |
| 2000161717 | Jun 2000 | JP |
| 2004-156872 | Jun 2004 | JP |
| 2007-198684 | Aug 2007 | JP |
| 2008-128496 | Jun 2008 | JP |
| 2009-079870 | Apr 2009 | JP |
| 2011007407 | Jan 2011 | JP |
| 2011-99577 | May 2011 | JP |
| 2011-137610 | Jul 2011 | JP |
| 2011-153806 | Aug 2011 | JP |
| 2011220654 | Nov 2011 | JP |
| 2013015318 | Jan 2013 | JP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20140326437 A1 | Nov 2014 | US |
