Patent Application
20200333021
The invention relates to an air conditioner. In particular the present invention relates to a split air-conditioner and to the design of the outdoor unit of a split air conditioner.
Air conditioning is a collective expression for conditioning air into a desired state. It could be heating the air during cold periods, cooling the air during warmer periods or for cleaning the air if it contains unwanted particles. However, the expression air conditioning is most often used when emphasizing cooling. As a product, air conditioners can look and be used in various ways, but they all share the same basic technology. The air-conditioner comprises a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and typically also an expansion device.
There are different types of air-conditioners. One type of air-conditioner can be referred to as a split air-conditioner. In a split air conditioner, the condenser and the evaporator are located in two different separated units that are interconnected via pipes to circulate a refrigerant from one unit to the other.
Another type of air-conditioner can be referred to a Packaged Air Conditioner. A Packaged Air Conditioner (AC) can be said to be a type of self-contained system, in which all the cooling cycle components, such as the compressor, condenser, expansion device, evaporator and control system are enclosed in a single package. Among the packaged systems, the most commonly used for residential applications are the Window-type ACs, Packaged Terminal AC's (PTAC), and also Portable AC units.
The Packaged Air Conditioner has the advantages of easy installation, relatively small footprint, flexibility for heating/cooling individual rooms and low cost.
In contrast, Split Air Conditioners comprise at least two factory-made separated assemblies, designed to be used together. In a split system, the outdoor unit is separated by some distance from the indoor one(s) by means of semi rigid pipes which contain the refrigerant (at high pressure) that produces the cooling/heating effect in the system. Among other advantages, split systems can provide high efficiency ratios in a wide range of capacities and working conditions. Additionally, in split AC systems, the compressor, outdoor heat exchanger and outdoor fan can be located further away from the inside space, rather than merely on the other side of the same unit (as in PTACs or window air conditioners), achieving lower indoor noise levels.
There is a constant desire to improve air conditioners. Hence, there exists a need for an improved air conditioner.
It is an object of the present invention—to provide an improved air-conditioner.
This object is obtained by an air conditioner as set out in the appended claims.
In accordance with the invention an outdoor unit of an air-conditioner is provided. The outdoor unit comprises a front air outlet and at least one air inlet. The outdoor unit further comprises at least one fan. The outdoor unit is configured such that the at least one air inlet is provided in the top section and or in the bottom section of the outdoor unit when the outdoor unit is installed in an operational position. The outdoor unit is further configured such that the at least one fan is configured to move air from the at least one air-inlet to the front air outlet or move air from front air outlet to the at least one air-inlet. Hereby it is achieved that the air can be moved through the outdoor unit without having to pass through the backside of the outdoor unit. This makes it possible to install the outdoor unit close to or directly on the outside wall of a building to facilitate installation.
In accordance with one embodiment, a compressor can be located in the center-back of the structure of the outdoor unit. Hereby a good weight distribution can be obtained also air can pass through the middle of the outdoor unit.
In accordance with one embodiment, a liquid-to-refrigerant heat exchanger can be located in the back side of the structure of the outdoor unit. Hereby a good weight distribution can be obtained also air can pass through the middle of the outdoor unit.
In accordance with one embodiment, an electronic and control box can be located in the back side of the structure of the outdoor unit. Hereby a good weight distribution can be obtained also air can pass through the middle of the outdoor unit.
In accordance with one embodiment, an air to refrigerant heat exchanger can be located at the front side of the structure of the outdoor unit. Hereby air can pass through the middle of the outdoor unit.
In accordance with one embodiment, a free space for air circulation between the backside of the structure of the outdoor unit and the air to refrigerant heat exchanger is provided. Hereby air can pass freely to the air to refrigerant heat exchanger.
In accordance with one embodiment, the outdoor unit comprises at least two fans. In particular two axial fans can be used. Hereby an improved airflow in the outdoor unit can be provided.
In accordance with one embodiment, a grill can be provided in the bottom section of the structure of the outdoor unit. Hereby air can be made to pass the bottom section of the outdoor unit and at the same time provide a base for the components inside the structure of the outdoor unit.
In accordance with one embodiment, the top section of the structure of the outdoor unit can be closed. Hereby the components of the outdoor unit can be made less exposed to rain and snow or similar.
The invention also extends to an air-conditioner comprising an outdoor unit as set out above.
The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. For example, like or similar components of different embodiments can be exchanged between different embodiments. For example, the outdoor unit can be a conventional outdoor unit for a split air-conditioner and not an outdoor unit as described herein. Some components can be omitted from different embodiments. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description.
As has been realized by the inventor, conventional air-conditioners of a split type are difficult and often expensive to install. Also, conventional systems require much space. It would therefore be advantageous to provide a split air-conditioner that can be easily installed and which is more compact than conventional split air-conditioners.
In
In
Further, a liquid tank 208 can be located on the top of the system. The liquid tank 208 can be connected to the circuit circulating the energy transport media. In accordance with one example the liquid tank can be connected to the suction port of the main pump 205. The tank 208 can include a level sensor 209 for controlling the amount of liquid solution circulated between the indoor unit 101 and the outdoor unit 102 needed for proper operation of the system 100. A box 210 can be provided under the indoor heat exchanger 203 for collecting any condensate that is generated on the indoor heat exchanger 203. A sensor 211 can be provided to detect the water level inside of the condensate box 210. The sensor 211 can generate a signal that can be used to control a condensate water pump 212. When activated the water pump 212 is adapted to pump water from the box 210 to outside of the indoor unit 101. In particular water can be pumped outside of the building where the indoor unit is mounted to be released on the outside. Hereby an arrangement that can pump condensate water from the indoor unit 101 to the outside is obtained.
In accordance with some embodiments the water is pumped to the outside unit 102. The pumped water can then for example be pumped through a drainage line 213 towards a spray device 214 located on the top of the outdoor air-cooled heat exchanger 215, which is connected to the compressor 216.
In use, the air conditioner 100 decreases the temperature of the energy transport media using the external packaged AC device of the outdoor unit 102. The cooling effect is produced in the compact heat exchanger 204 located in the refrigeration system of the outdoor-unit 102, allowing in turn a temperature drop of the energy transport media, which is then transported in to the indoor unit 101 via the connection system 103. Then, the energy transport media at lower temperature absorbs the thermal energy from the space to be conditioned, by using the low-pressure air-to-liquid heat exchanger 203 of the indoor unit 101. Heat is then returned from the inside unit 101 to the outside unit 102 by returning the energy transport media to the outside unit when having being heated in the indoor unit 101 that is installed in the indoor space to be conditioned.
Because the cooling capacity production is isolated to the refrigeration circuit located in the outdoor unit 102 all heavy and noisy components can be confined to the outside unit and the indoor environment can be close to free of noise. Also, there is very little space required for the indoor unit. Because the connection system 103 used to transfer heat between the indoor unit 101 system can be a low-pressure system it can use an energy transport media that is easy to handle, such as water a water based solution, or some other liquid media such as ethanol.
Thus, in accordance with some embodiments, an aqueous media can be used to transport the energy from the indoor space to be conditioned to the compact evaporator located in the external packaged device. The main pump 205 will ensure the flow of the energy transport media by pumping the aqueous media, and the external cooling unit will reject the heat generated in the process to the ambient outdoor air.
This is made possible since the external, packaged cooling system located in the outdoor unit can comprise all the standard constitutive elements in a refrigeration system, such as compressor, condenser, expansion device, evaporator and control system, and refrigerant.
In
As is seen in
Further, in accordance with some embodiments, a compact refrigerant-to liquid heat exchanger 204 can be located at the backside of the outdoor-unit. Also, the electronic and control box 250 can be located at the back-side. This makes it possible to locate an air-to-refrigerant heat exchanger 215 and a fan 230 in the remaining space of the outdoor unit allowing air to pass through the air-to-refrigerant heat exchanger 215. Air can be blown through the air-to-refrigerant heat exchanger 215 by the fan 230 from the top-section and/or the bottom section of the outdoor unit 102. The air-to-refrigerant heat exchanger 215 can thus be placed in the interior part the casing, just in front of the rest of components, with a separation between them that creates a free channel where the air can cross the air-to-refrigerant heat exchanger 215 and flow with a low restriction. In accordance with some embodiments, the fan 230 that drive the air flow can be placed on the top of the outdoor unit 102.
Since the compressor 216 is normally the heaviest component of the system, a location thereof at the center-back of the structure, ensures a balanced system with respect to the width of the unit. In a conventional air-conditioner it is often the case that the outdoor unit has a heavier side, which corresponds to the side where the compressor is located. This makes it difficult to transport and install a conventional outdoor unit.
Furthermore, the location of many of the heavy components as exemplified above at the back side of the outdoor unit will provide an outdoor unit 102 with a center of gravity located in the low center-back of the outdoor unit 102. This will provide an equilibrated and steady structure for the outdoor unit 102.
In a configuration as depicted in
The air flow path can be configured in accordance with some different alternatives. In
In accordance with the embodiment of
In some embodiments, air can enter/exit the outdoor unit 102 via the bottom section of the outdoor unit. In
In accordance with some embodiments two fans 230 can be used to provide the air flow in the outdoor unit 102. By using two fans, the air flow needed in the heat rejection process can be ensured with a more homogeneous air distribution over the whole heat transfer area of the condenser(s), allowing in turn the use a smaller condenser, due to an improved heat transfer process. In accordance with one embodiment, two fans are mounted on the top of the outdoor unit when mounted on a wall. In an alternative embodiment two fans are mounted at the bottom of the outdoor unit when mounted on a wall. In yet an alternative embodiment fans 230 are located at both the top and the bottom and air enters/exits the outdoor unit 102 both at the top section and the bottom section. In other words, air can be draw via heat the exchanger 215 to exit both at the top and the bottom section or pushed in the opposite direction. In such embodiments fans 230 can be provided both at the top section and the bottom section of the outdoor unit.
The outdoor unit as described herein can be made very compact and have relatively low weight. For example, the height can be 400 to 600 mm, the width can be 500 to 650 mm and the depth can be 280 to 330 mm. Further the weight can be less than 30 kg.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2017/082615 | 12/13/2017 | WO | 00 |
