JPH0454866B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Industrial Application Field> The present invention uses a plurality of heat exchangers as condensers or evaporators depending on the day, so that atmospheric heat, solar heat, geothermal heat, waste heat, etc. The present invention relates to a composite heat pump device that is capable of effectively utilizing various heat sources simultaneously and in parallel, and also enables concurrent and effective utilization in various forms on the heat utilization side.

<Conventional technology> Conventionally, freezing and refrigeration equipment using heat pump equipment has been widely used, but it is expensive to use heat pump equipment for food storage equipment only, so it is not suitable for commercial use. Currently, it is only used for.

On the other hand, in recent years, as part of measures to improve livability,
Air-conditioning, heating, and hot water systems are becoming more widespread, and with this trend, research and development is progressing on total systems that incorporate multifunctional heat pump devices.

In other words, air conditioning, multi-room simultaneous cropping, addition of hot water supply function,
Efforts are being made to use multiple heat sources (in addition to air heat sources, use ground water, solar heat collected hot water, or recovered waste heat as heat sources) and multi-use heat sources (absorbing heat from multiple heat sources at the same time).

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> By the way, when trying to add the function of a heating device to the above-mentioned freezing/refrigerating device or to make the heat pump device multi-functional such as air conditioning and hot water supply, it is necessary to Although it is necessary to install a large number of four-way valves, on-off valves, etc., for example, when using multiple heat exchangers with the same function (condenser or evaporator), the heat exchange capacity of each heat exchanger is limited. This method had drawbacks such as the inability to arbitrarily control the

The present invention was developed in view of the conventional situation, and when only a pair of heat exchangers are used at the same time, it is sufficient to install only one expansion valve. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a composite heat pump device that makes it possible to perform multiple heat cycle operations by simultaneously using multiple heat exchangers with the same function while adjusting the heat exchange capacity of each individual heat exchanger by installing multiple valves. shall be.

<Means for Solving the Problems> For this reason, the present invention has three or more branches in the middle of the discharge side refrigerant passage of the compressor, a first on-off valve, a heat exchanger, and a reverse refrigerant passage that allows forward flow of the refrigerant. A first refrigerant branch path that gathers at one place again via a stop valve, and a first on-off valve of each heat exchanger that branches off into three or more from the gathering part again and connects to the first on-off valve of each heat exchanger via a second on-off valve. a second connecting the two sides connected to each other or the two sides connecting the check valves to each other;
The refrigerant branch path branches from the side opposite to the connection side of the second refrigerant branch path of each heat exchanger, and after converging at one place via a third on-off valve, enters the suction side refrigerant path of the compressor. interposed in either the third refrigerant branch, the passage portion to which the check valve of each of the first refrigerant branch is connected, each second refrigerant branch, or a gathering part connecting these to each other. The structure includes a refrigerant expansion means.

<Operation> With this configuration, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows from the discharge side refrigerant passage into the first refrigerant branch passage in which the first on-off valve is opened, and the refrigerant passes through the heat exchanger functioning as a condenser and the reverse refrigerant passage. After passing through the stop valve and the expansion means, the refrigerant flows into the second refrigerant branch with the second on-off valve opened, and after passing through the heat exchanger that functions as an evaporator, the refrigerant flows into the third refrigerant branch which is in the open state. The refrigerant is returned to the compressor via the suction side refrigerant passage.

A plurality of patterns of refrigerant passages can be obtained by controlling the on-off valve.

<Example> Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the first embodiment, a discharge side refrigerant passage 2 of a compressor 1 for compressing refrigerant is shown.
The refrigerant branch path 3 branches into three directions along the way.
Connected to 4 and 5. These refrigerant branch paths 3, 4,
5 are respectively provided with first on-off valves a ₁ , b ₁ , c ₁ ,
Heat exchangers A, B, and C are connected to each tip. The other ends of the heat exchangers A, B, and C are connected to refrigerant branch passages 6, 7, and 8, respectively, and these other ends are gathered at one place again. check valves 9 and 1 each allowing refrigerant flow toward the gathering point;
0,11 are interposed.

An expansion valve 13 as an expansion means is interposed in one communication path 12 connecting the gathering point and a branch point of a second refrigerant branch path to be described later.

Here, the first on-off valves a ₁ , b ₁ , c ₁ and the refrigerant branch paths 3 , 4 , 5 heat exchangers A, B,
C, constitutes the refrigerant branch paths 6, 7, 8 and the first refrigerant branch path in which check valves 9, 10, 11 are interposed, and
The communication path 12 constitutes a gathering section where the first refrigerant branch paths gather.

A refrigerant branch path 3 branching into three directions from the other end of the communication path 12 and downstream of the first on-off valves a ₁ , b ₁ , and c _{1 ,} respectively;
Refrigerant branch passages 14, 15, 16 connected to the refrigerant branch passages 14, 15, 16 are provided.
are provided with second on-off valves a ₂ , b ₂ , c ₂ . The refrigerant branch paths 14, 15, and 16 are branched from the gathering part of the first refrigerant branch path, and the first on-off valves a ₁ , b ₁ , and c ₁ of each heat exchanger A, B, and C are connected to each other. A second refrigerant branch path is formed that connects the two sides (A ₁ , B ₁ , C ₁ shown in the figure).

In addition, refrigerant branch paths 14 of heat exchangers A, B, and C,
15, 16 (that is, the connection side of the second refrigerant branch; A ₁ , B ₁ , C ₁ shown in the drawing)
A ₂ , B ₂ , C ₂ ), and the third on-off valve a ₃ , b ₃ ,
Refrigerant branch passages 17, 18, and 19 with _c3 interposed therein are provided, and these refrigerant branch passages 17, 18, and 19 are gathered at one place and connected to the suction side refrigerant passage 20 of the compressor 1. That is, the refrigerant branch paths 17, 18, and 19 constitute a third refrigerant branch path. Suction side refrigerant passage 2
0, an accumulator 21 is installed.

Here, as shown in FIG.
3, heat exchangers C are respectively disposed outside to absorb or radiate heat from the outside world. In addition, 24
is a unit including a compressor 1, an expansion valve 13, etc.

Let me explain how this works.

(1) While operating the freezing/green room 22,
When operating the cold/hot storage room 23 for refrigeration (cooling), open the on-off valves a ₂ , a ₃ , b ₂ , b ₃ , c ₁ and close the on-off valves a ₁ , b ₁ , c ₂ , c ₃ . .

The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1 flows from the discharge side refrigerant passage 2 into the refrigerant branch ₅ in which the first on-off valve c1 is opened, passes through the heat exchanger C, and then flows through the refrigerant branch 8. It flows into the passage 12.

Here, after passing through the expansion valve 13, the refrigerant flows into the refrigerant branch passages 14 and 15, passes through the heat exchangers A and B, respectively, and then flows into the suction side refrigerant passage 20 from the refrigerant branch passages 17 and 18. It is returned to the compressor 1 via the mulrator 21.

In such a refrigerant circuit, the heat exchangers A and B function as evaporators (coolers), and perform endothermic cooling in the refrigerant/green room 22 and cold/green room 23, respectively, to perform freezing and refrigeration. Heat is radiated to the outside from the heat exchanger C, which functions as a condenser (radiator).

(2) When freezing or warming (warming), open/close valves a ₂ , a ₃ , b ₁ , c ₂ , c ₃ and close valves a ₁ , b ₂ , b ₃ , c ₁ . .

The refrigerant discharged from the condenser 1 passes through the refrigerant branch 4, the heat exchanger B, the expansion valve 13, the refrigerant branches 14 and 16, the heat exchangers A and C, the refrigerant branches 17 and 19, and the suction. The refrigerant is returned to the compressor 1 through the side refrigerant passage 20.

Here, heat exchangers A and C function as evaporators, and heat exchanger B functions as a condenser, so
At the same time as freezing, not only the waste heat from the freezing but also the heat absorbed from the outside by the heat exchanger C is cooled and
Powerful warming can be performed by dissipating heat within the greenhouse chamber 23.

(3) When both the freezing/green room and cold/hot storage room are used as a greenhouse, open/close valves a ₁ , b ₁ , c ₂ , c ₃ and open/close valves a ₂ , a ₃ , b ₂ , Let b ₃ and c ₁ be closed.

The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1 is transferred to refrigerant branch paths 3 and 4.
After passing through heat exchangers A and B, the expansion valve 13 leads to the refrigerant branch 16, and then to the heat exchanger C and the refrigerant branch 1.
9, the refrigerant is returned to the compressor 1 through the suction side refrigerant passage 20.

Here, heat exchanger C functions as an evaporator and absorbs heat from the outside, and heat is released from heat exchangers A and B that function as condensers, so that both the refrigerant/warm room 22 and the cold/warm room 23 Functions as a greenhouse.

In this way, in this embodiment, the freezing/refrigerating device can be used as a warming device by switching the on-off valve, and moreover, it is possible to combine powerful warming with freezing and make the entire space a hot storage room. You can also make choices.

FIG. 3 shows a modification of the refrigerant circuit shown in FIG. 1, in which the same components are given the same reference numerals. That is, in this case, the second refrigerant branch path 1
4', 15', 16' and third refrigerant branch 17', 1
8' and 19' are connected to the opposite sides of the heat exchangers A, B, and C in the refrigerant flow direction from the first embodiment, respectively. In other words, the second refrigerant branch paths 14', 15', 1
6' is the check valve 8 of each heat exchanger A, B, C;
9 and 10 are connected to each other (A ₂ , B ₂ , C ₂ shown)
is connected to the third refrigerant branch 17', 1
8' and 19' are connected to the opposite side (A ₁ , B ₁ , C ₁ shown in the figure). In this case as well, the only difference from the first embodiment is that the directions of heat exchangers A, B, and C when functioning as an evaporator are opposite to those when functioning as a condenser (same direction in the first embodiment). , the functions are the same.

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 3,
Although one expansion valve 13 is interposed in the communication passage 12 which is a gathering part connecting the first refrigerant branch and the second refrigerant branch, the check valve 8 of each first refrigerant branch,
9 and 10, that is, each refrigerant branch passage 6, 7, and 8, or each second refrigerant branch passage, that is, the refrigerant branch passage 14, 15, in FIG. 16. In Fig. 3, refrigerant branch path 1
4', 15', and 16' may each be provided with an expansion valve. In this case, by adjusting the opening degree of each expansion valve through which the refrigerant flows, the freezing/warming room and the cold/warming room can be opened. The cooling and heating capacity of the room can be adjusted individually.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show an embodiment of a combined heat pump device applied to an air conditioning and hot water supply system.

Compressor 31, discharge side refrigerant passage 32, four refrigerant branch paths 33-36 and first on-off valves _d1 - _g1 interposed therein, heat exchangers D-G, refrigerant branch paths 37-
40, check valves 41 to 44, expansion valves 45 to 48, communication passage 49, and refrigerant branch passage 50 interposed therein.
~53 and the second on-off valve d ₂ installed therein ~
g ₂ , refrigerant branch passages 54 to 57 and third on-off valves d ₃ to _{g 3} interposed therein, a suction side refrigerant passage 58 and an accumulator 59 interposed therein. . In addition, in this embodiment, the refrigerant branch path 3
3 to 40 constitute a first refrigerant branch passage, refrigerant branch passages 50 to 53 constitute a second refrigerant branch passage, and a communication passage 49 connects the first refrigerant branch passage and the second refrigerant branch passage. The refrigerant branch paths 54 to 57 constitute a third refrigerant branch path. Further, the connection sides of the heat exchangers D, E, F, and G to the second refrigerant branch are shown as D ₁ , E ₁ , F ₁ , and G ₁ , and the connection sides of the heat exchangers D, E, F, and G to the third refrigerant branch are shown as The connection side of E, F, G is
Illustrated as D ₂ , E ₂ , F ₂ , and G ₂ .

That is, the circuit is basically the same as the first embodiment, but it includes one heat exchanger and one heat exchanger that circulates the heat exchanger.
refrigerant branch system is added, and expansion valves 45 to 48 are added.
are provided in each of the refrigerant branch paths 50 to 53, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 5, the heat exchanger D is located in the lower part of the hot water tank 61, and the heat exchanger E is located in the bathtub 62.
The heat exchanger F is disposed within the indoor heat exchange unit 63, and the heat exchanger G is disposed within the outdoor heat exchange unit 64.

Let me explain how this works.

(1) Indoor air conditioning, hot water tank 61 and bathtub 62 during summer
When heating is performed at the same time, open and close valves d ₁ , e ₁ , f ₂ , f ₃ , g ₂ , and g ₃ and close valves d ₂ , d ₃ , e ₂ , e ₃ , f ₁ , and g ₁ . shall be.

The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 31 is transferred to the refrigerant branch path 3
3, 34, passes through the heat exchangers D, E, flows into the refrigerant branch paths 37, 38, and enters the expansion valve 4.
5, 46, the refrigerant flows through the communication path 49 into the refrigerant branch paths 52, 53, passes through the heat exchangers F, G, and then flows from the refrigerant branches 56, 57 through the suction side refrigerant path 58 to the compressor. Returned to 31.

At this time, the heat exchangers D and E in the hot water storage tank 61 and the bathtub 62 function as condensers, and the heat exchangers F and G in the indoor heat exchange unit 63 and the outdoor heat exchange unit 64 function as evaporators. It will function as

Therefore, the heat exchanger F absorbs heat while cooling the room, and at the same time, the heat exchanger G absorbs heat from the outdoor atmosphere, solar heat, geothermal heat, etc. Hot water tank 6
1 and the bathtub 62 are heated.

(2) When heating the hot water storage tank 61 and bathtub 62 and heating the room at the same time in winter, the on-off valves d ₁ , e ₁ , f ₁ , g ₂ , g ₃ and the on-off valves d ₂ , d ₃ , e ₂ , e ₃ , f ₂ , f ₃ , and g ₁ are closed.

The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 31 is transferred to the refrigerant branch path 3
3, 34, 35 and heat exchangers D, E, F.
After passing through, the refrigerant flows into the refrigerant branch passage 53 via the expansion valves 45, 46, and 47, passes through the heat exchanger G, and is returned to the compressor 31 via the refrigerant branch passage 57 and the suction side refrigerant passage 58.

Therefore, the heat exchanger G that functions as an evaporator absorbs outdoor heat, and this heat is radiated from the heat exchangers D, E, and F that function as condensers.
Heating of the hot water tank 61 and bathtub 62 and room heating are performed simultaneously.

(3) When heating the bathtub 62 and heating the room at the same time using the hot water in the hot water storage tank 61 as a heat source, open the on-off valves d ₂ , d ₃ , e ₁ , f ₁ and open the on-off valves d ₁ , e ₂ , e ₃ , f ₂ , f ₃ , g ₁ , g ₂ , and g ₃ are closed.

The discharged refrigerant flows into the refrigerant branch passages 34 and 35, passes through the heat exchangers E and F, and the expansion valves 46 and 47, flows into the refrigerant branch passage 50, passes through the heat exchanger D, and then enters the refrigerant branch passage 54. , and is returned to the compressor 31 via the suction side refrigerant passage 58.

Therefore, heat is absorbed from the hot water tank 61 by the heat exchanger D functioning as an evaporator, and heat is radiated from the heat exchangers E and F functioning as condensers.
The bathtub 62 is heated and the room is heated at the same time.

(4) In winter, when heating the hot water tank 61 and heating the room at the same time using the waste heat of the hot water after bathing in the bathtub 62 as a heat source, open the on-off valves d ₁ , e ₂ , e ₃ , f _1. Let d ₂ , d ₃ , e ₁ , f ₂ , f ₃ , g ₁ , g ₂ , and g ₃ be closed.

The discharged refrigerant flows into the refrigerant branch paths 33 and 35, passes through the heat exchangers D and F, and the expansion valve 4547, then flows into the refrigerant branch path 51, passes through the heat exchanger E, and then flows into the refrigerant branch path 55, Suction side refrigerant passage 5
8 and is returned to the compressor 31.

Therefore, the heat exchanger E, which functions as an evaporator, absorbs heat from the waste hot water in the bathtub 62, and heat is radiated from the heat exchangers D, E, which function as condensers, thereby heating the hot water tank 61 and heating the room. will be held.

As listed above, in this embodiment as well, a wide variety of functions can be obtained by switching the opening and closing of the on-off valve, and the opening degree of the expansion valve provided for each refrigerant branch can be adjusted by electric power, etc. By doing so, it is possible to variably control the heat exchange capacity of each heat exchanger by changing the flow rate of refrigerant flowing through each heat exchanger.

For example, when the room temperature is 20° C. and the hot water temperature in the hot water tank 61 is 40° C., the heating capacity of the hot water tank 61 can be made higher than the indoor heating capacity.

Note that when the specifications and operating conditions of the two heat exchangers are matched, the heat exchanger with a larger difference ΔT between the refrigerant temperature and the ambient temperature has a larger heat radiation (or heat absorption) ability.

However, if only one heat exchanger is used as an evaporator and a condenser in one heat cycle operation, it is sufficient to provide only one expansion valve in the communication path 49, as in the first embodiment. Even in this case, the heat exchange capacity can be variably controlled by adjusting the opening degree of the expansion valve.

FIG. 6 shows a modification of FIG. 4, in which the first refrigerant branches 33 to 40 are the same, but the heat exchanger D for the second refrigerant branches 50' to 53',
The connection sides of E, F, and G are shown as D ₂ , E ₂ , F ₂ , and G ₂ , and the connection sides of heat exchangers D, E, F, and G with respect to the third refrigerant branch paths 54' to 57' are as shown in the figure. Shown D ₁ , E ₁ , F ₁ ,
It is _G1 . In other words, they are connected on opposite sides to those shown in FIG. The communication path 49 constitutes a collecting section, and the other configurations and functions are the same, so a description thereof will be omitted.

In addition, by increasing the number of heat exchangers, it is possible to simultaneously utilize multiple heat absorption sources such as atmospheric heat, solar heat, and geothermal heat. If a heat exchanger A' separate from the heat exchanger A disposed in the lower part of the tank 61 is arranged in the upper part of the hot water tank 61, stratified storage of hot water and cold water in the hot water tank 61 becomes possible.

In addition, when indoor heat exchangers are installed in the north and south rooms, when the outside air is low in winter and the temperature in the south room is rising due to sunlight, some of that heat is transferred to the north room. Heat can also be radiated by a heat exchanger in the living room and used effectively to heat the north living room. still,
In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, expansion valves 45 to 48 are installed downstream of the heat exchanger in each of the first refrigerant branches, that is, in the refrigerant branches 37 to 40, respectively. However, each of the second refrigerant branch paths 50 to 5
3, 50' to 53', or one piece may be installed in the communication path 49, which is the gathering part.

As is clear from the above explanation, according to this system, three or more heat exchangers can be used as condensers or evaporators depending on the purpose, for example, waste heat from the bathtub 62, solar heat, geothermal heat, etc. It can be used as a heat absorption source for a raw heat source, or as a heat radiation source for a usage medium such as an air-conditioning device.As a result, an optimal raw heat source can be selected as needed, and heat can be used effectively.

<Effects of the Invention> As explained above, according to the present invention, three or more heat exchangers can be used as a condenser or an evaporator depending on the purpose, and a freezing/refrigeration device can be switched to a heating device. It can be used as a source of heat absorption from various raw heat sources such as atmospheric heat, solar heat, geothermal heat, waste heat, etc., or as a heat radiation source to the usage medium. The heat exchanger can be used as a condenser or an evaporator by simply switching and controlling each on-off valve, and is highly operable.

Furthermore, by providing a plurality of expansion means corresponding to each heat exchanger, the heat exchange capacity of each heat exchanger can be adjusted, and various other features are provided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the same embodiment, Fig. 3 is a refrigerant circuit diagram showing a second embodiment, and Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the same embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the same embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a refrigerant circuit diagram showing the fourth embodiment. 1...Compressor, 2...Discharge side refrigerant passage, 3, 4, 5
... Refrigerant branch path (first), 6, 7, 8... Refrigerant branch path (first), 9, 10, 11... Check valve, 12... Communication path (junction), 13... Expansion valve, 14, 14 ',15,1
5', 16, 16'... Refrigerant branch path (second), 17,
17', 18, 18', 19, 19'... Refrigerant branch path (third), 20... Suction side refrigerant passage, a ₁ , b ₁ , c ₁ ... First on-off valve, a ₂ , b ₂ , c ₂ ...Second on-off valve, a ₃ ,
b ₃ , c ₃ ... third on-off valve, A, B, C ... heat exchanger,
31... Compressor, 32... Discharge side refrigerant passage, 33, 3
4, 35, 36... Refrigerant branch path (first), 37, 3
8, 39, 40... Refrigerant branch path (first), 41, 4
2, 43, 44...Check valve, 45, 46, 47, 4
8... Expansion valve, 49... Communication path, 50, 50', 51,
51', 52, 52', 53, 53'... Refrigerant branch path (second), 54, 54', 55, 55', 56, 5
6', 57, 57'...refrigerant branch path (third), 58...
Suction side refrigerant passage, d ₁ , e ₁ , f ₁ , g ₁ ... first on-off valve, d ₂ , e ₂ , f ₂ , g ₂ ... second on-off valve, d ₃ , e ₃ , f ₃ ,
g ₃ ...Third on-off valve, D, E, F, G...Heat exchanger.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first refrigerant branch that branches into three or more parts from the middle of the refrigerant passage on the discharge side of the compressor and returns to one place via a first on-off valve, a heat exchanger, and a check valve that allows forward flow of refrigerant. The first on-off valve of each heat exchanger is connected to the first on-off valve of each heat exchanger or the check valves are connected to each other through a second on-off valve that branches out from the gathering part into three or more again. A second refrigerant branch path that branches out from the side opposite to the connection side of the second refrigerant branch path of each heat exchanger and gathers at one place via a third on-off valve, and then connects to the suction side of the compressor. A third refrigerant branch leading to the refrigerant passage, a passage portion of each first refrigerant branch to which the check valve is connected, each second refrigerant branch, or a gathering part connecting these to each other. A composite heat pump device comprising an interposed refrigerant expansion means.