Patent Application
20190093931
The present disclosure relates to a refrigerant flow path switching device, and an air conditioner.
A so-called multi air conditioner has been known, in which an indoor device is provided for each room and cooling and heating can be performed at the same time independently for the indoor devices. This air conditioner is used at a building, a commercial facility, and the like. for example. In the multi air conditioner, a refrigerant flow direction is controlled for each indoor device, and cooling and heating in each indoor device are changeable.
In the multi air conditioner, a refrigerant flow path switch configured to switch the direction of a refrigerant flow to each indoor device is provided between an outdoor device and each of the multiple indoor devices. Two types of refrigerant flow path switches including an assembly type that multiple indoor devices are connected to a single refrigerant flow path switch and an independent type that a single refrigerant flow path switch is provided for each indoor device have been known as the refrigerant flow path switch.
Of these devices, the former assembly-type refrigerant flow path switch is specifically connected to a high/low pressure gas pipe and a low pressure gas pipe connected to the outdoor device, a gas pipe connected to each indoor device, and a liquid pipe connected to each indoor device as an assembly different from the gas pipe. Moreover, electric valves are provided in the middle of the high/low pressure gas pipe and the low pressure gas pipe. Opening/closing of these valves is controlled, so that the refrigerant flow direction in each indoor device can be controlled.
The refrigerant flow path switch is mainly placed in a ceiling, and the inside of the device needs to be thermally insulated to prevent leakage of condensation water from the device through the ceiling. Thus, a structure is preferable, in which the inside of the device is filled with a heat insulating material such as a foaming agent to enhance heat insulating properties and prevent dew condensation.
However, in the assembly-type refrigerant flow path switch, when a common space in a housing is provided, the internal space is large. Thus, even when an attempt is made to form the heat insulating material by injection of a liquid foaming agent into the housing, the foaming agent is solidified before spreading across the entirety of the inside of the housing, and cavities might be formed in the housing. With the cavities in the housing, dew condensation might occur on pipe surfaces at these portions, and water droplets might drop from the housing.
For solving such a problem, in, e.g., a refrigerant flow path switch of Japanese Patent No. 5282666, divider plates are arranged in a space in a casing in which multiple refrigerant pipe assemblies are arranged, and divide the space in the casing for each refrigerant pipe assembly. Moreover, each refrigerant pipe assembly is filled with a foaming agent for reduction of dew condensation.
A refrigerant flow path switch according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is arranged between an outdoor device and each of multiple indoor devices to control a refrigerant flow, the refrigerant flow path switch includes a housing; a refrigerant flow path switching circuit assembly arranged in the housing and having multiple refrigerant flow path switching circuits, each refrigerant flow path switching circuit including a high/low pressure gas pipe, a low pressure gas pipe, a high/low pressure electric valve provided at the high/low pressure gas pipe, and a low pressure electric valve provided at the low pressure gas pipe; a liquid pipe assembly arranged in the housing and having multiple liquid pipes connected to the multiple indoor devices; and a first divider plate provided between adjacent ones of the refrigerant flow path switching circuits in the housing and configured to divide an internal space of the housing, wherein a space divided by the first divider plate is in a substantially cubic shape, and the divided space is filled with a foaming agent.
In the following detailed description, for purpose of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing.
However, in the refrigerant flow path switch described in Japanese Patent No. 5282666, the divider plates divide the space for each refrigerant pipe assembly to form spaces. This leads to an increase in the number of divider plates and greater housing dimensions in addition to a weight increase, an increase in the number of times of foam charging, and a cost increase. Moreover, in the refrigerant flow path switch described in Japanese Patent No. 5282666, foam charging is performed for each refrigerant pipe assembly to fill an entire area in the casing. This leads to a greater amount of charged foaming agent.
Thus, the present disclosure is intended to provide a refrigerant flow path switch configured so that the inside of a housing can be filled with a foaming agent without clearances and the number of times of foam charging and a charging amount can be reduced and an air conditioner. Moreover, the present disclosure is further intended to provide a refrigerant flow path switch configured so that a foaming agent charging amount can be reduced while occurrence of dew condensation is reduced and an air conditioner.
For accomplishing the above-described objectives, a refrigerant flow path switch according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a refrigerant flow path switch arranged between an outdoor device and each of multiple indoor devices to control a refrigerant flow. The refrigerant flow path switch includes a housing; a refrigerant flow path switching circuit assembly arranged in the housing and having multiple refrigerant flow path switching circuits, each refrigerant flow path switching circuit including a high/low pressure gas pipe, a low pressure gas pipe, a high/low pressure electric valve provided at the high/low pressure gas pipe, and a low pressure electric valve provided at the low pressure gas pipe; a liquid pipe assembly arranged in the housing and having multiple liquid pipes connected to the multiple indoor devices; and a first divider plate provided between adjacent ones of the refrigerant flow path switching circuits in the housing and configured to divide an internal space of the housing. A space divided by the first divider plate is in a substantially cubic shape, and the divided space is filled with a foaming agent.
Moreover, a refrigerant flow path switch according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a refrigerant flow path switch arranged between an outdoor device and each of multiple indoor devices to control a refrigerant flow. The refrigerant flow path switch includes a housing including a first region and a second region; a refrigerant flow path switching circuit assembly arranged in the first region and having multiple refrigerant flow path switching circuits, each refrigerant flow path switching circuit including a high/low pressure gas pipe, a low pressure gas pipe, a high/low pressure electric valve provided at the high/low pressure gas pipe, and a low pressure electric valve provided at the low pressure gas pipe; a liquid pipe assembly arranged in the second region and having multiple liquid pipes connected to the multiple indoor devices; a divider plate configured to separate the first region and the second region; and a heat insulating member provided in the first region.
According to the present embodiment, a refrigerant flow path switch configured so that the inside of a housing can be filled with a foaming agent without clearances and the number of times of foam charging and a charging amount can be reduced and an air conditioner can be provided. Moreover, according to the present embodiment, a refrigerant flow path switch configured so that a foaming agent charging amount can be reduced while occurrence of dew condensation is reduced and an air conditioner can be provided.
Hereinafter, an embodiment (the present embodiment) of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that each figure is schematic, and for the sake of easy grasping of the present embodiment, some of members might be omitted or simplified as necessary without departing from the gist of the present embodiment or might be visualized for illustrating an internal structure.
The air conditioner 100 is a simultaneous cooling-heating type multi air conditioner configured so that cooling and heating can be simultaneously performed for each indoor device 3.
The air conditioner 100 includes the refrigerant flow path switch 1, an outdoor device 2, the multiple indoor devices 3 (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d), a first high/low pressure gas pipe 4, a first low pressure gas pipe 5, a first liquid pipe 6, first gas pipes 7 (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d), and second liquid pipes 8 (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d). The first high/low pressure gas pipe 4, the first low pressure gas pipe 5, and the first liquid pipe 6 connect the refrigerant flow path switch 1 and the outdoor device 2. The first gas pipes 7 connect the refrigerant flow path switch 1 and the multiple indoor devices 3. The second liquid pipes 8 connect the outdoor device 2 and the multiple indoor devices 3.
The first high/low pressure gas pipe 4 is also called a discharge gas pipe, and the first low pressure gas pipe 5 is also called a suction gas pipe. Moreover, the refrigerant flow path switch 1 and the outdoor device 2 are connected to each other via three pipes of the first high/low pressure gas pipe 4, the first low pressure gas pipe 5, and the first liquid pipe 6, and therefore, the air conditioner 100 is a so-called three-pipe air conditioner.
Although not shown in the figure, the outdoor device 2 includes a compressor configured to compress refrigerant to be supplied to the refrigerant flow path switch 1, two outdoor heat exchangers (a condenser and an evaporator) configured to exchange heat between outdoor air and refrigerant, an outdoor expansion valve configured to expand refrigerant before or after (varies according to cooling-centered or heating-centered operation) heat exchange in the outdoor heat exchanger, and a four-way valve configured to switch a refrigerant flow path according to the cooling-centered or heating-centered operation. Note that the first high/low pressure gas pipe 4 is configured switchable to a high pressure gas pipe or a low pressure gas pipe in the outdoor device 2 according to a four-way valve switching direction. The first low pressure gas pipe 5 is connected to a suction side of the compressor. The first liquid pipe 6 is connected to an expansion valve side of the outdoor heat exchanger (the condenser) of the outdoor device 2.
Further, although not shown in the figure, the indoor device 3 includes an indoor heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between indoor air and refrigerant, and an indoor expansion valve configured to expand refrigerant before or after (varies according to an operation mode of the indoor device) heat exchange in the indoor heat exchanger.
These components are connected to each other via the pipes, and refrigerant flows in the pipes. In this manner, a refrigeration cycle is formed between the outdoor device 2 and each indoor device 3. Specifically, in the refrigerant flow path switch 1 arranged between the outdoor device 2 and each indoor device 3, a flow direction of refrigerant to be supplied from the outdoor device 2 to the indoor device 3 is controlled, so that cooling and heating can be performed at the same time independently for the indoor devices 3.
Next, the refrigerant flow path switch 1 will be described.
As illustrated in
In the refrigerant flow path switch 1 connected to the indoor devices 3 performing heating operation, it is controlled such that the high/low pressure electric valve 11 is opened to allow a flow in the second high/low pressure gas pipe 9 and the second gas pipe 13 and the low pressure electric valve 12 is closed to inhibit a flow in the second low pressure gas pipe 10 and the second gas pipe 13. Then, a flow from the second gas pipe 13 to the indoor devices 3 via the first gas pipes 7 is allowed. This refrigerant circuit of the refrigerant flow path switch 1 is taken as a refrigerant flow path switching circuit 14.
The refrigerant circuit diagram of the refrigerant flow path switching circuit 14 illustrated in
Next, the assembly-type refrigerant flow path switch 1 will be described based on
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The refrigerant flow path switching circuit assembly 15 is arranged in the first region X, and the liquid pipe assembly 16 is arranged in the second region Y.
The refrigerant flow path switching circuit assembly 15 includes a high/low pressure common gas pipe 27, a low pressure common gas pipe 28, and multiple refrigerant flow path switching circuits 14 (14a). As described above, the refrigerant flow path switching circuit 14 includes the second high/low pressure gas pipe 9, the second low pressure gas pipe 10, the high/low pressure electric valve 11 (11a), the low pressure electric valve 12 (12a), and the second gas pipe 13. The high/low pressure common gas pipe 27 extends along the longitudinal direction of the housing 30, and is connected to the second high/low pressure gas pipe 9 of each refrigerant flow path switching circuit 14. The low pressure common gas pipe 28 extends along the longitudinal direction of the housing 30, and is connected to the second low pressure gas pipe 10 of each refrigerant flow path switching circuit 14. The second gas pipe 13 of each refrigerant flow path switching circuit 14 extends along the lateral direction of the housing 30, and is connected to the first gas pipes 7. In
As illustrated in
In the space A, at least part of the second high/low pressure gas pipe 9, at least part of the second low pressure gas pipe 10, the high/low pressure electric valve 11, the low pressure electric valve 12, and at least part of the second gas pipe 13 are positioned at an upper portion of the space A, and the heights of the first divider plates 18 and the second divider plate 17 are set lower than that of the upper portion of the space A. Moreover, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
The liquid pipe assembly 16 includes a common liquid pipe 16a and the multiple second liquid pipes 8 (8a), and is positioned below the second gas pipe 13. The common liquid pipe 16a extends along the longitudinal direction of the housing 30. Each second liquid pipe 8 is connected to the common liquid pipe 16a, and extends along the lateral direction of the housing 30. The multiple second liquid pipes 8 of the liquid pipe assembly 16 are not connected to the refrigerant flow path switching circuits 14 of the refrigerant flow path switching circuit assembly 15. That is, the refrigerant flow path switching circuit assembly 15 and the liquid pipe assembly 16 are configured independently of each other.
As illustrated in
The second liquid pipes 8 have a high pipe temperature, and therefore, there are less concerns on dew condensation. For reduction of a foam charging amount and shortening of a foam charging time, foam charging is not performed. Note that although the foaming agent is not charged, the periphery of the second liquid pipes 8 may be covered with a heat insulating member (e.g., EPT and polyethylene). Thus, in
Each first divider plate 18 (18a, 18b) is provided between adjacent ones of the refrigerant flow path switching circuits 14, thereby forming the spaces A. In a case where no first divider plates 18 are provided, the space in the housing 30 is large. For this reason, the foaming agent is solidified before spreading across the entire space, leading to cavities in the housing 30. This leads to foaming failure. When the first divider plate 18 is, for all of the refrigerant flow path switching circuits 14, provided in each portion between adjacent ones of the refrigerant flow path switching circuits 14, the space is small, and an area targeted for foam charging is also small. For this reason, the foaming agent can be charged into every corner of the space. However, the number of first divider plates 18 is great. This leads to a greater number of first divider plates 18, a greater weight, and a higher cost. Further, foam charging needs to be performed for each refrigerant flow path switching circuit 14. This leads to a longer foam charging time and lower workability.
On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the refrigerant flow path switching circuit assembly 15 is divided for every multiple (four) refrigerant flow path switching circuits 14 by the first divider plates 18. In this manner, the spaces A formed by such division are in the substantially cubic shape, and are filled with the foaming agent. Since the substantially cubic spaces A are formed as described above, the foaming agent uniformly expands each side, so that the inside of the spaces A can be filled without clearances. Thus, the number of first divider plates 18 can be reduced, and the number of times of foam charging and the charging amount can be reduced while charging failure is reduced. The upper view of the refrigerant flow path switch 1 of
Moreover, as illustrated in
Thus, a proper amount of liquid foaming agent is dripped in the space A, so that the amount of foaming agent leaking to adjacent spaces A can be, without the need for completely separating the spaces A, reduced while the foaming agent can be charged into every corner of the space A. With this configuration, it is not necessary to completely separate the spaces A adjacent to each other by the first divider plates 18, and therefore, an increase in the number of divider plates and a cost increase can be suppressed without the need for increasing divider plates from an upper direction. Note that the heat insulating materials 26 are bonded to the cutouts 18c of the first divider plates 18, and therefore, leakage of the foaming agent to adjacent spaces A is reduced.
The inside of the housing 30 is divided into the first region X and the second region Y by the second divider plate 17, and only the first region X is filled with the foaming agent 21 as the heat insulating member. Thus, the amount of foaming agent to be charged can be reduced. Consequently, the low-cost refrigerant flow path switch 1 can be provided, and therefore, the cost of the air conditioner 100 can be reduced.
Note that the present embodiment is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Those skilled in the art can make various additions, changes, and the like within the scope of the present embodiment.
In the above-described embodiment, the refrigerant flow path switching circuit assembly 15 is divided for every four refrigerant flow path switching circuits 14 by the first divider plates 18 to form the substantially cubic spaces A. However, the number of refrigerant flow path switching circuits 14 is not limited to four, but may be any number as long as the substantially cubic spaces can be formed.
The foregoing detailed description has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the subject matter described herein to the precise form disclosed. Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims appended hereto.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-087900 | Apr 2017 | JP | national |
| 2017-087903 | Apr 2017 | JP | national |
This application is a continuation application of International Application No. PCT/JP2018/014740, filed on Apr. 6, 2018, which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-087900 filed on Apr. 27, 2017, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-087903 filed on Apr. 27, 2017.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/JP2018/014740 | Apr 2018 | US |
| Child | 16200889 | US |
