JPS60596Y2 - air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a simple air conditioner that can reliably control power saving operation using a simple control mechanism.

Air conditioners (heat pump type air conditioners) that perform heating operation in winter using a compression refrigeration cycle have a problem with the heat exchange capacity of the heat source side decreasing during severe cold, resulting in a lack of heating capacity. In order to compensate for the lack of capacity, an auxiliary electric heater is attached to the indoor unit.

By the way, in order to perform heating operation that can improve energy efficiency, it is preferable to mainly operate the heat pump and use the auxiliary electric heater only when the capacity is insufficient. Off-driving is the most common.

In performing such electric heater on/off control, conventionally, a temperature regulator for detecting room temperature is used as a control command element, and the electric heater is energized when the room temperature is low and is turned off when the room temperature is high.

However, in order to achieve effective power-saving operation using the conventional method described above, it is necessary to use a temperature controller with a small differential, which has a small width between the on-→off turning point and the off-→on turning point. Not only is it expensive and lacks versatility, but it is also undesirable because it causes practical problems such as frequent starting and stopping due to the small differential and hunting. Ta.

The present invention provides a new air conditioner that eliminates the various deficiencies of the conventional devices, enables reliable power-saving operation, and further improves its effectiveness by using general-purpose, inexpensive control members. In particular, when the high-pressure force in the refrigeration circuit exceeds a set value during heat pump heating operation, the high-pressure control valve causes the refrigerant to flow sideways from the high-pressure line to the low-pressure line. It is characterized by a configuration in which the auxiliary electric heater is forcibly shut off by the operation of a temperature detector that detects the temperature of the refrigerant.

The present invention will be further explained below based on specific examples shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a piping system diagram of a separate heat pump air conditioner according to an example of the air conditioner of the present invention, in which an outdoor unit A and an indoor unit B are connected through a gas pipe P and a liquid pipe P2.

The outdoor unit A includes a compressor 1, a four-way switching valve 2, an outdoor coil 3, a strainer 4, a pressure reducer 5, a dryer 6, and an accumulator 7 as refrigeration circuit equipment, and an outdoor fan 8.
is attached to the outdoor coil 3.

On the other hand, the indoor unit B has an indoor coil 9 as a refrigeration circuit device, and has an auxiliary electric heater 10 such as a fluorocarbon heater and an indoor fan 11 attached to the indoor coil 9.

During heating operation, the refrigerant flows as indicated by the solid line arrow, and the outdoor coil 3 functions as an evaporator, and the indoor coil 9 functions as a condenser, while during cooling operation, the refrigerant flows as indicated by the broken line arrow. Thus, the outdoor coil 3 functions as a condenser, and the indoor coil 9 functions as an evaporator.

The outdoor unit A further includes a high pressure control valve 13 as shown in the figure.
A bypass pipe 12 is provided in the refrigeration circuit.

The bypass pipe 12 is a side path connected between the high pressure line and the low pressure line, and in the illustrated example, the discharge pipe P connects the discharge port of the compressor 1 and the inflow port of the four-way switching valve 2.
3 and a gas pipe P4 that connects the gas side end of the outdoor coil 3, which serves as an evaporator during heating, and the switching port of the four-way switching valve 2.

On the other hand, the high pressure control valve 13 is interposed in the bypass pipe 12 with an inflow port facing the discharge pipe P3 and an outflow port facing the gas pipe P4, and the pressure of the inflow port is set to a predetermined value, for example 23. 5kg/al! - The valve is formed so that it opens when it exceeds G.

Although the specific structure of the high-pressure control valve 13 is not shown, it is formed so that the fluid pressure at the inflow port acts as a back pressure on a spring provided to act in the direction of closing the valve body, and the spring is properly adjusted. By setting the elastic force to a suitable elastic force, it is possible to open and close the opening/closing operation at a pressure of <23.5 kg/cm*G as described above.

Therefore, the bypass pipe 12 further includes a temperature sensor 1.
4 is attached for heat exchange, and even a simple detector with relatively rough response accuracy, such as a bimetal type, can be used as the temperature detector 14, and there are no restrictions on where it can be installed. There is no particular requirement, and either the inlet side pipe or the outlet side pipe may be sufficient for the purpose, but it is more suitable if it is provided on the outlet side pipe since the temperature change is large.

The temperature sensor 14 is used as a control element for the electric heater 9, and by forming a simple electric circuit such as connecting the electric heater 9 and the temperature sensor 14 in series and connecting between the two poles of the power source, the electric heater 9 can be controlled. The heater 9 can be turned on and off.

To illustrate the operating characteristics of this temperature detector 14, in the case of a bimetallic switch, the off-operation temperature point is set to 49'C;
If the ON operation temperature point is set to 3TC, the desired function can be fully exhibited, and the feature is that a simple and inexpensive general-purpose thermostat can be applied.

Next, to explain the operation of the air conditioner having the above configuration, when the outside air temperature is low during heating operation, the evaporation temperature and evaporation pressure of the outdoor coil 3 decrease, so the refrigerant gas temperature and pressure in the discharge pipe P3 are both low. , therefore high pressure control valve 1
3 is closed, the temperature sensor 14 is turned on, and the electric heater 10 is energized to perform heating operation.

In this way, the electric heater 10 compensates for the lack of heating capacity due to the heating cycle, allowing for a comfortable heating operation.

On the other hand, when the outside air temperature rises or an overload condition occurs due to a rise in indoor temperature, the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant gas flowing through the discharge pipe P3 will cause the operating pressure of the high pressure control valve 13 and the temperature sensor 14 to turn off. The operating temperature points are exceeded, so the bypass pipe 12 is opened and the high-pressure gas refrigerant flows, and at the same time the temperature sensor 14 is turned off and the ζ electric heater 10 is de-energized.

The operating state when the high-pressure control valve 13 opens is an overload state for the refrigeration cycle, and it is sufficient to reduce the heating capacity, so by de-energizing the electric heater 10, air is Energy efficiency ratio of harmonizer (E,
E, R) can be increased, and by bypassing a portion of the discharged refrigerant gas from the discharge port of the compressor 1 to the suction port, the compressor input can be reduced and power can be effectively saved.

In addition, in the air conditioner shown in the figure, in the case of cooling operation, the bypass pipe 12 is bypassed with respect to the discharge line, so it goes without saying that it does not have any influence on the cooling cycle. Moreover, since the electric heater 10 is naturally disconnected from the power supply, the above-mentioned function during heating is not performed, and stable cooling operation is performed.

The present invention has the structure and operation as described above, and is used in an air conditioner that is equipped with an electric heater 10 as an auxiliary heat source and that uses a compression refrigeration cycle to perform a heating action for indoor heating using an indoor coil 9. A bypass pipe 12 is connected between the high-pressure line and the low-pressure line via a bypass pipe 13 to form a side passage, and the high-pressure control valve 13 is configured to open when the high-pressure force of the refrigeration circuit exceeds a predetermined value. At the same time, a temperature sensor 14 is attached to the bypass pipe 12, so that a signal from the temperature sensor 14 when superheated gas flows through the bypass pipe 12 causes a forced power outage of the electric heater 10. Therefore, when it is necessary to reduce the heating capacity due to overload, the temperature detector 14 detects the temperature of the bypass pipe 12, which has a large temperature change range, and operates reliably, so that the electric heater 10 is controlled to start and stop. If done correctly, the energy efficiency ratio can be increased and the compressor input can be reduced by bypassing a portion of the high-pressure refrigerant, thus facilitating effective power savings.

Furthermore, since the temperature sensor 14 only needs to be of a type that can handle large temperature changes, an inexpensive general-purpose product such as a bimetal type is sufficient, and it can be controlled without causing undesirable operating phenomena such as hunting. The air conditioner has excellent performance, and as described above, the present invention is an air conditioner that provides various practical effects.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a piping system diagram according to an example of the air conditioner of the present invention. 9...Indoor coil, 10...Electric heater, 12...Bypass pipe, 13...
High pressure control valve 14...Temperature detector.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In an air conditioner that is equipped with an electric heater 10 as an auxiliary heat source and uses a compression refrigeration cycle to perform a heating action for heating using an indoor coil 9, a bypass pipe 12 having a high pressure control valve 13 is connected to a high pressure line and a low pressure line. The high pressure control valve 13 is configured to open when the high pressure force of the refrigeration circuit exceeds a predetermined value, and a temperature sensor 14 is attached to the bypass pipe 12. An air conditioner characterized in that a signal from the temperature detector 14 when superheated gas flows through the bypass pipe 12 is used to forcibly shut off the electric heater 10.