JP2011237146A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air conditioner wherein such a problem is solved that air and water mix in a cycle due to imperfect piping connection and insufficient vacuum suction.SOLUTION: An outdoor unit 100 includes a three-way valve 11, a compressor 1 that is a compression unit, an outdoor heat exchanger 2 that is an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve 3 for decompressing and expanding a refrigerant, a shut-off valve 4, a gas bottle 5 having an adsorbent 6 that adsorbs oxygen and water, and a two-way valve 7. A nitrogen gas is enclosed in an indoor unit 101 and a carbon dioxide for air displacement is enclosed in the gas bottle 5. The gas for air displacement is used for secure installation operation, and a highly reliable device is provided by removing the oxygen and water in the cycle after the installation.

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conditioner that performs refrigerant heating by forming a refrigeration and heat pump cycle using a refrigerant, and particularly in an apparatus that constitutes a cycle by connecting an indoor unit and an outdoor unit with a connection pipe, the refrigerant is released into the atmosphere. It is possible to provide a technology for improving reliability by suppressing oxygen and moisture during the cycle.

  In the separation type air conditioner, the refrigerant is normally sealed in the outdoor unit in advance, and the indoor unit and the outdoor unit are connected by a connection pipe, and then the refrigerant is opened to the connection pipe and the indoor unit for installation. .

  Conventionally, as a method of exhausting the air in the cycle at the time of installation, a method using a vacuum pump or a liquid-side connection valve (two-way valve) of the outdoor unit is opened to remove a part of the enclosed refrigerant. Open the connection pipe and indoor unit, immediately close the two-way valve again, open the charge valve of the connection valve (three-way valve) with a charge valve on the gas side, and release the internal air together with the refrigerant There was a method of performing the operation a few times and finally fully opening the two-way valve and the three-way valve. At this time, the leak check of the pipe connection part was performed using the pressure when a part of the refrigerant was released.

  Eventually, when the release of refrigerant into the atmosphere became a problem from the viewpoint of protecting the ozone layer, the internal air discharge method by vacuuming became common. Further, there is a method in which the air on the indoor unit side is replaced with carbon dioxide, and the refrigerant is released after adsorbing and collecting the carbon dioxide in a positive pressure state (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  On the other hand, with regard to refrigerants, the idea of alternative chlorofluorocarbons has progressed to prevent global warming in addition to protecting the ozone layer. Natural refrigerants and refrigerants such as hydrofluoroolefins having a double bond between carbon and carbon Is attracting attention. Hydrofluoroolefins are particularly attracting attention as alternative refrigerants for R134a, and studies on practical application to automotive air conditioners are being promoted. Its warming potential (100 years) is 4, which is very small compared to 1,300 for R134a and 1730 for R410A used in air conditioners and the like. This characteristic that the warming coefficient is small is attributed to the fact that there is a double bond between carbon and it is easy to decompose.

Japanese Patent No. 3154986

  Needless to say, with respect to installation of the conventional air conditioner, the method of replacing the air in the indoor unit and the connecting pipe with the refrigerant is not acceptable from the viewpoint of environmental protection.

  In the internal air discharging method by evacuation, the leakage check is performed after evacuation is completed and a part or all of the refrigerant is released. If the connection is not normal or the evacuation is inadequate, air can enter the cycle. If air enters during the cycle, oxygen and moisture can adversely affect the reliability of the device. When the refrigerant is R410A, ester oil is often used as the refrigerator oil. At this time, the oil may be hydrolyzed to produce metal soap, which may lead to clogging or compressor failure.

  When the refrigerant is a hydrofluoroolefin, the refrigerant is decomposed by oxygen or moisture, and the reactive organism may adversely affect the metal material or organic material, leading to failure. Also, in the method of substituting with carbon dioxide and adsorbing and collecting carbon dioxide in a positive pressure state and then releasing the refrigerant, a carbon dioxide gas cylinder for carbon dioxide substitution and pressurization and an adsorption cylinder are prepared. There is a need.

  The present invention solves these problems, and provides a highly reliable device that can reliably connect an indoor unit and an outdoor unit without requiring preparation.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, the air conditioner of the present invention has a low reactivity with a working refrigerant, and a substance that becomes a gas at normal temperature and pressure is applied to the working refrigerant in an outdoor unit or an indoor unit at the manufacturing stage. Is characterized by being sealed and sealed. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent air from entering the indoor unit at the packing stage, or to replace and discharge the internal air when the indoor unit and the outdoor unit are connected to each other with the enclosed substance.

  In the air conditioner of the present invention, the container filled with the enclosed substance is disposed in a portion where the liquid ratio of the working refrigerant of the outdoor unit or the indoor unit is high, and the indoor unit and the outdoor unit are arranged. The internal air at the time of connection is replaced and discharged by the enclosed substance. Thereby, especially harmful oxygen and moisture can be discharged in a short time by setting the inside of the pipe to a positive pressure with the encapsulated substance and discharging the pipe from the narrow side to the thick side. Further, in the replacement discharge process, the inside of the pipe is set to a positive pressure by the enclosed substance, and a leak check can be performed at this stage. Thereby, the malfunction of a connection state can be confirmed before opening the said working refrigerant.

  The air conditioner of the present invention includes an adsorbent that adsorbs oxygen and water inside the container. Thereby, even after installation is completed and the apparatus is used, oxygen and water in the refrigerant can be removed.

  The air conditioner of the present invention can prevent air from entering the indoor unit and can discharge harmful oxygen and moisture inside the pipe in a short time. Further, the air conditioner of the present invention can be checked for connection before releasing the refrigerant, and can be installed with high reliability. In addition, the air conditioner of the present invention can provide a highly reliable device even after installation by providing a harmful oxygen or moisture adsorbent in the container of the enclosed substance.

The block diagram of the air conditioner in Embodiment 1 of this invention

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, a substance that is low in reactivity with a working refrigerant and becomes a gas at normal temperature and normal pressure is enclosed in an outdoor unit or an indoor unit separately from the working refrigerant in a manufacturing stage. Is. Thereby, if the said enclosure substance is enclosed with the said whole indoor unit in a packing stage, it can prevent that the said indoor unit air penetrate | invades. If the indoor unit or the outdoor unit is provided with a container filled with the encapsulating substance, the internal air when connected can be replaced and discharged by the encapsulating substance. Therefore, air can be prevented from entering and highly reliable installation can be performed.

According to a second invention, in the first invention, the container filled with the encapsulating substance is disposed in a portion of the outdoor unit or the indoor unit where the liquid ratio of the working refrigerant is high, and the indoor unit and the outdoor unit The internal air at the time of connection is replaced and discharged by the enclosed substance. Accordingly, particularly harmful oxygen and moisture can be discharged in a shorter time by setting the inside of the pipe to a positive pressure with the enclosed substance and discharging the pipe from the thin pipe diameter toward the thick pipe. Further, in the replacement discharge process, the inside of the pipe is set to a positive pressure by the enclosed substance, and a leak check can be performed at this stage. Therefore, the work can be performed promptly and reliably.

  According to a third invention, in the second invention, an adsorbent that adsorbs oxygen and water is included in the container. Thereby, even after installation is completed and the apparatus is used, oxygen and water in the refrigerant can be removed. Therefore, a highly reliable device can be realized after installation.

  According to a fourth invention, in the third invention, the working refrigerant flows in the container. Thereby, oxygen and water in the working refrigerant are easily adsorbed by the adsorbent inside the container. Therefore, the reliability of the apparatus is improved after installation.

  According to a fifth invention, in the first to fourth inventions, a hydrofluoroolefin having a double bond between carbon and carbon as a component of the working refrigerant is provided. Thereby, the warming potential of the working refrigerant can be reduced while ensuring reliability. Therefore, it is possible to provide an air conditioner with a low environmental load.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner according to the first embodiment configures an apparatus by connecting an outdoor unit 100 and an indoor unit 101 with a connection pipe, that is, a connection liquid pipe 13 and a connection gas pipe 14. .

  The outdoor unit 100 includes a three-way valve 11, a compressor 1 that is a compression unit, an outdoor heat exchanger 2 that is an outdoor heat exchange unit, an expansion valve 3 that decompresses and expands refrigerant, a shutoff valve 4, a gas container 5, and a two-way valve. 7 is provided, and the refrigerant flows in the order described above. The indoor unit 101 includes a liquid side joint 8, an indoor heat exchanger 9 as indoor heat exchange means, and a gas side joint 10. The connection liquid pipe 13 connects the two-way valve 7 and the liquid side joint 8, and the connection gas pipe 14 connects the gas side joint 10 and the three-way valve 11.

  The three-way valve 11 is provided with a charge valve 12 for charging the refrigerant or evacuating. Further, an iron-based adsorbent that adsorbs oxygen and an adsorbent 6 such as zeolite that adsorbs water are provided inside the gas container 5. Here, the outdoor unit 100 and the indoor unit 101 are provided with a blower for passing air through a normal heat exchanger, but are omitted for convenience. Although there are various types of working refrigerants, R410A and the like are common in the air conditioner as shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 1, the refrigerant is compressed to a high pressure by the compressor 1, dissipates heat by the outdoor heat exchanger 2, condenses, and then absorbs heat by the indoor heat exchanger 9 and evaporates while being decompressed and expanded by the expansion valve 3. Return. That is, the air conditioner of FIG. 1 is a device dedicated to cooling.

In the manufacturing stage, the refrigerant is sealed in the space from the three-way valve 11 of the outdoor unit to the compressor 1 and the shut-off valve 4, and the working refrigerant is placed in the space from the shut-off valve 4 to the gas container 5 and the two-way valve 7. Is low in reactivity, and an encapsulated substance that becomes a gas at normal temperature and pressure is encapsulated in the production stage. The indoor unit 101 is also filled with an enclosed substance, and the liquid side joint 8 and the gas side joint 10 are covered. As specific encapsulating substances, carbon dioxide gas, nitrogen gas and the like are inexpensive and desirable from the viewpoint of environmental load. In the air conditioner of FIG. 1, the gas container 5 uses carbon dioxide gas that can take a large amount even with a small capacity, and the indoor unit 101 uses nitrogen gas.

  At the time of installation, the outdoor unit 100 and the indoor unit 101 are connected by the connecting liquid pipe 13 and the connecting gas pipe 14. The indoor unit 101 is filled with nitrogen gas, and immediately enters the air even when the lid is opened. Since it is not replaced, the intrusion of oxygen and moisture can be reduced.

  When the connection is completed, the two-way valve 7 is opened and the carbon dioxide gas in the gas container 5 is introduced to the indoor unit side. At this time, if the charge valve 12 is opened only at the beginning, air can be discharged efficiently. When the introduction of the carbon dioxide gas is finished, the connection liquid pipe 13 and the connection gas pipe 14 and the indoor unit 101 are in a pressurized state, and if a leak check of the connection portion is performed, the leak check can be performed before the refrigerant is introduced. As a result, it is possible to prevent the refrigerant from leaking due to incomplete connection, or air from entering the pipe during evacuation.

  When the leak check is completed, carbon dioxide gas is discharged from the charge valve 12 and vacuuming is performed. Since oxygen and moisture have already been released, there is no problem even if evacuation is completed in a relatively short time. When the evacuation is completed, the charge valve 12 is closed, the shutoff valve 4 and the three-way valve 11 are opened, and the installation work is completed.

  An adsorbent 6 is provided inside the gas container 5 and can be removed even if oxygen or moisture remains or is generated from internal materials during use. Further, since the refrigerant is configured to pass through the gas container 5, if oxygen or water is present in the refrigerant, it is removed immediately. Since the gas container 5 is arranged on the liquid side, it is possible to prevent the adsorbed oxygen and water from separating without becoming relatively high in temperature.

  Recently, from the viewpoint of reducing the environmental load, attention has been focused on refrigerants having a small global warming potential. A typical example is a hydrofluoroolefin having a double bond between carbons, but on the other hand, it is very easy to decompose, and oxygen and water contamination accelerates the decomposition of the refrigerant, which is undesirable such as hydrogen fluoride. An anti-product may also occur. In the air conditioner of FIG. 1, as described above, it is possible to achieve high reliability against the mixing of oxygen and water, both during installation and during operation after installation, so that a refrigerant such as hydrofluoroolefin can be used without any problem. be able to. Therefore, an air conditioner with less environmental load can be realized.

  As described above, the air conditioner according to the present invention has a low reactivity with a working refrigerant and separates a substance that becomes a gas at room temperature and normal pressure from the working refrigerant into an outdoor unit or an indoor unit at the manufacturing stage. High reliability can be achieved for both oxygen and water contamination during and after installation. As a result, a refrigerant that is easily decomposed, such as a hydrofluoroolefin having a double bond between carbon and carbon, can be used, and the environment is excellent.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the air conditioner, and can be widely applied to a separate type showcase, a refrigerator, a heat pump type water heater, and the like, and brings about an effect.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Outdoor unit 101 Indoor unit 1 Compressor 2 Outdoor heat exchanger 3 Expansion valve 4 Shut-off valve 5 Gas container 6 Adsorbent 7 Two-way valve 8 Liquid side joint 9 Indoor heat exchanger 10 Gas side joint 11 Three-way valve 12 Charge valve 13 Connection liquid piping 14 Connection gas piping

Claims (5)

An air conditioner that constitutes a refrigeration cycle or a heat pump cycle by connecting a compression means for compressing a working refrigerant, an outdoor unit having an outdoor heat exchange means, and an indoor unit having an indoor heat exchange means by a connecting pipe. The air is characterized in that a substance that is low in reactivity with the working refrigerant and becomes a gas at normal temperature and normal pressure is sealed in the outdoor unit or the indoor unit separately from the working refrigerant in a manufacturing stage. Harmony machine. A container filled with the encapsulating substance is disposed in the outdoor unit or a portion of the indoor unit where the liquid ratio of the working refrigerant is high, and the internal air when the indoor unit and the outdoor unit are connected is enclosed. 2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioner is replaced and discharged by a substance. The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein an adsorbent that adsorbs oxygen and water is contained inside the container. The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the working refrigerant is configured to flow through the container during operation. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the refrigerant has, as a component, a hydrofluoroolefin having a double bond between carbon and carbon.

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