EP0188630A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Air conditioning apparatus
Assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
•
Filing: 1984-12-21
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2004-12-21
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a multi-room type air-conditioning apparatus comprising an outdoor unit A which has a compressor 1, a supply side heat exchanger 3 and a 4-way valve 2 with high and low pressure change-over ports, a plurality of indoor units B each of which has a consumer side heat exchanger 8 and a fan 9 attached thereto, and a plurality of connection pipes C which connect each of said indoor units B for providing cooling and heating by switching of said 4-way valve 2. The apparatus has a liquid refrigerant line main 4 connected to the supply side heat exchanger 3 with a plurality of liquid line branches 5 branching out of said main 4 and connected to said connection pipes C, a gaseous refrigerant line main 6 connected to a high or low pressure changeover port, a plurality of gas line branches 7 branching out of said main 6 and connected to said connection pipes C, and motorized valves EV,-EV 3 mounted in each of said liquid line branches 5 with continuously variably valve opening control. Superheat control TH 1 -TH 3 , TH. for low pressure gaseous refrigerant is provided at the consumer side heat exchanger outlets during cooling operations of the operating indoor units B by controlling the valve opening of said motorized valve EV,-EV,, and supercool control for TH 4 -TH 6 , THe high pressure liquid refrigerant at the consumer side heat exchanger outlets during heating operations of the operating indoor units. Also included are valve control means for fully closing during cooling operations, motorized valves EV,-EV, connected in the liquid line branches of nonoperating indoor units B, fan control means formed and arranged for switching off the fans 9 of non-operating indoor units B, and residual flow valve control means formed and arranged for closing down to a small opening motorized valves EV,-EV 3 in liquid line branches connected to nonoperating indoor units B.
Inventors
- 👤 Takayuki Daikin Industries Ltd. Sugimoto
- 👤 Yoshiyuki Daikin Industries Ltd. Okuzawa
- 👤 Nobuo Daikin Industries Ldt. Suzuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 09:37
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24F; F24F3/00; F24F3/06; F24F3/065; F24F1/00; F24F1/0007; F24F1/0071; F24F11/00; F24F11/62; F24F11/63; F24F11/70; F24F11/80; F24F11/83; F24F11/84; F24F11/88; F25; F25B; F25B13/00; F25B41/00; F25B41/30; F25B41/31; F25B41/34; F25B41/35; F24F11/30; F24F2110/00; F24F2110/10; F24F2140/00; F24F2221/00; F24F2221/54; F25B2313/00; F25B2313/023; F25B2313/027; F25B2313/02741; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B30/00; Y02B30/70
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
360 words
A multi-room type air-conditioning apparatus comprising an outdoor unit (A) which has a compressor (1), a supply-side heat exchanger (3) and a 4-way valve (2) with high and low pressure change-over ports, a plurality of indoor units (B) each of which has a consumer-side heat exchanger (8) and a fan (9) attached thereto, and a plurality of connection pipes (C) which connect each of said indoor units (B) with said outdoor unit (A), and is capable of providing cooling and heating by switching of said 4-way valve (2), said apparatus having a liquid refrigerant line main (4) connected to said supply-side heat exchanger (3) for conducting liquid refrigerant, a plurality of liquid line branches (5) branching out of said liquid line main (4) and connected to said connection pipes (C), a gaseous refrigerant line main (6) connected to a high or low pressure change-over port for conducting gaseous refrigerant, a plurality of gas line branches (7) branching out of said gas line main (6) and connected to said connection pipes (C), motorized valves (EV 1 -EV 3 ) mounted in each of said liquid line branches (5) with continuously variably valve opening control between fully closed and fully open positions, a superheat control means (TH 1 -TH 3 , TH e ) for low pressure gaseous refrigerant at the consumer-side heat exchanger (8) outletsduring cooling operations of the operating indoor units (B) by controlling the valve opening of said motorized valves (EV 1 -EV 3 ), a super-cool control means (TH 4 -TH 6 , TH c )for high pressure liquid refrigerant at the consumer-side heat exchanger (8) outlet during heating operations of the operating indoor unit, a valve control means formed and arranged for fully closing during cooling operations, motorized valves (EV 1 -EV 3 ) connected in the liquid line branches (5) of non-operating indoor units (B), fan control means formed and arranged for switching off the fans (9) of non-operating indoor units (B) and residual flow valve control means formed and arranged for closing down to a small opening, the motorized valves (EV,-EV 3 ) in the liquid line branches (S) connected to non- operating indoor units(B).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
360 words
A multi-room type air-conditioning apparatus comprising an outdoor unit (A) which has a compressor (1), a supply-side heat exchanger (3) and a 4-way valve (2) with high and low pressure change-over ports, a plurality of indoor units (B) each of which has a consumer-side heat exchanger (8) and a fan (9) attached thereto, and a plurality of connection pipes (C) which connect each of said indoor units (B) with said outdoor unit (A), and is capable of providing cooling and heating by switching of said 4-way valve (2), said apparatus having a liquid refrigerant line main (4) connected to said supply-side heat exchanger (3) for conducting liquid refrigerant, a plurality of liquid line branches (5) branching out of said liquid line main (4) and connected to said connection pipes (C), a gaseous refrigerant line main (6) connected to a high or low pressure change-over port for conducting gaseous refrigerant, a plurality of gas line branches (7) branching out of said gas line main (6) and connected to said connection pipes (C), motorized valves (EV 1 -EV 3 ) mounted in each of said liquid line branches (5) with continuously variably valve opening control between fully closed and fully open positions, a superheat control means (TH 1 -TH 3 , TH e ) for low pressure gaseous refrigerant at the consumer-side heat exchanger (8) outletsduring cooling operations of the operating indoor units (B) by controlling the valve opening of said motorized valves (EV 1 -EV 3 ), a super-cool control means (TH 4 -TH 6 , TH c )for high pressure liquid refrigerant at the consumer-side heat exchanger (8) outlet during heating operations of the operating indoor unit, a valve control means formed and arranged for fully closing during cooling operations, motorized valves (EV 1 -EV 3 ) connected in the liquid line branches (5) of non-operating indoor units (B), fan control means formed and arranged for switching off the fans (9) of non-operating indoor units (B) and residual flow valve control means formed and arranged for closing down to a small opening, the motorized valves (EV,-EV 3 ) in the liquid line branches (S) connected to non- operating indoor units(B).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus according to claiml, which includes an operation status sensing means (32) for sensing operation or non-operation of each indoor unit and determining the number of indoor units (B) operating at any given time.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, which includes an operation mode sensing means (33) for sensing whether the system is in cooling mode or in heating mode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 which includes valve control means (30) for controlling the motorized valves EV 1 -EV 3 ) mounted in the liquid line branches connected to the operating indoor units (B) to a predetermined opening, in response to the output of said operation sensing means (32) and in accordance with the number of indoor units (B) operating.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
247 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 which includes a liquid refrigerant temperature sensing means (TH 4 -TH 6 ) for sensing high pressure liquid refrigerant temperature at the consumer-side heat exchanger (8) outlets of the indoor units(B) during heating operations; valve control means (30) for opening at the start of heating, said motorized valves (EV l -EV 3 ) mounted in the liquid line branches (5) connected to the operating indoor units (B) to a predetermined opening size for a predetermined period of time in accorance with the output of the operation status sensing means (32) and in accordance with the number of the indoor units (B) operating; processing means (30) for calculating the mean temperature of the liquid refrigerant temperatures (T 4 -T 6 ) at the consumer-side heat exchanger(8) outlets of the operating indoor units(B) during heating operations, in accordance with the output of said liquid temperature sensing means (TH 4 -TH 6 ); first comparator means for comparing the output of said liquid refrigerant temperature sensing means with the mean temperature (Tm) of said liquid refrigerant temperatures (T4-T6); and valve control means for controlling, in accordance with the output of said first comparator means (30), the motorized valves (EV 1 -EV 3 ) mounted in the liquid line branches connected to the operating indoor units (B) so as to bring the liquid refrigerant temperature at the consumer-side heat exvhangers (8) during heating operations of the operating indoor units (B) close to said mean temperature (Tm).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
111 words
Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein are provided: a second comparator means (30) for comparing the output of said liquid refrigerant temperature sensing means (TH 4 -TH 6 ) for the non-operating indoor units (B) during heating operations with said mean temperature (Tm); and modulator means (30) for modulating, when the liquid refrigerant temperature (T 4 -T 6 ) at the consumer-side heat exchanger (8) outlets during heating operations of the non- operating indoor units (B) is lower than said mean temperature (Tm), said motorized valve (EV 1 -EV 3 ) mounted in the liquid line branches (5) connected to said non- operating indoor units (B) in the direction of opening.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
176 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, which includes a temperature sensing means (T l -T 3 )sensing low pressure gaseous refrigerant temperature (T l -T 3 ) at said consumer-side heat exchanger (8) outlets during cooling operations of the operating indoor unit (B); valve control means (30) for controlling, at the start of cooling operations, the motorized valves (EV 1 -EV 3 ) mounted in said liquid line branches (5) connected to the operating indoor indoor units (B) so as to open to a predetermined opening for a predetermined period of time in accordance with the output of said gaseous refrigerant temperature sensing means (TH 1 -TH 3 ); and valve control means (30) for controlling superheat of low pressure gaseous refrigerant at the consumer-side heat exchanger (8) outlet of the operating, indoor units (B) by modulating the motorized valves . (EV 1 -EV 3 ) mounted in the liquid line branches (5) connected to the operating indoor units (B), in accordance with the output of said gaseous refrigerant temperature sensing means (TH 1 -TH 3 ).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
99 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, which includes valve control means (30 ) for controlling, in accordance with the outputs of said operation mode sensing means (33 ) and said operation status sensing means ( 32 ), the motorized valves (EV l -EV 3 ) mounted in said liquid line branches (5) connected to the non-operating indoor units (B) so as to completely close during cooling operations and to open slightly'so as to admit a limited refrigerant flow which can condense in the consumer-side heat exchanger (8) of the non-operating indoor units (B) by natural radiation therefrom, during heating operations.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
123 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, which includes a super- heat sensing means comprising first temperature sensors (TH 1 -TH 3 ) for sensing low pressure gaseous refrigerant temperature (T 1 -T 3 ) at the consumer-side heat exchanger (8) outlets during cooling operations of the operating indoor units (B) and a second temperature sensor (TH e ) for sensing the saturation temperature (T ) of said low pressure gaseous refrigerant; and a superheat control means (30) for controlling superheat of low pressure gaseous refrigerant at the consumer-side heat exchanger (8) outlets during cooling operations of the operating indoor units (B) by modulating the opening of the motorized valves (EV l -EV 3 ) in accordance with the output of said superheat sensing means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
116 words
Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said first temperature sensing means consists of a first sensing circuit (16) connected between the liquid line main (4) of the outdoor unit (A) and the suction side (18) of the compressor (1), with a pressure reducing device (17) mounted inbetween and the second temperature sensor (TH ) which is provided between the suction side of the pressure reducing device (17) of the first sensing circuit and the suction side (18) of said compressor (1) for sensing the saturation temperature (T ) of low pressure gaseous refrigerant and said first temperature sensors (TH l -TH 3 ) are mounted in the gas line branches (7) of the outdoor unit (A).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
119 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, which includes super-cooling sensing means comprising a third temperature sensing means (TH 4 -TH 6 ) for sensing high pressure liquid refrigerant temperature (T 4 -T 6 ) at the consumer-side heat exchanger (8) outlets of the indoor units (B) during heating operations and second temperature sensing means (TH ) for sensing the saturation temperature (T) of said high pressure liquid refrigerant; and valve control means (30) for controlling super-cooling of high pressure liquid refrigerant at the consumer-side heat exchanger (8) outlets of the operating indoor units (B) during heating operations by modulating the valve openings of said motorized valves(EV 1 -EV 2 ), in accordance with the output of said super-cooling sensing means
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
121 words
Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the second temperature sensing means consists of a second sensing circuit (20) having a detector heat exchanger (21) and a pressure reducing device (22) and provided between the discharge pipe (18) connecting the compressor (1) with the 4-way valve (2) and the suction pipe (19) connecting the compressor (1) with said 4-way valve (2) and a fourth temperature sensor (TH ) provided between said detector heat exchanger (21) of the second sensing circuit (20) and said pressure reducing device (22) for sensing saturation temperature (T ) of liquid refrigerant passing through said detector heat exchanger (21) and said third temperature sensors (THI-TH3) are mounted in the liquid line branches (5) of the outdoor unit (A).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
66 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, which includes means for sensing superheat of low pressure gaseous refrigerant at the supply-side heat exchanger outlet during heating operations; a superheat control valve mounted in the liquid line main (4) for controlling opening thereof in accordance with the output of said superheat sensing means: and a liquid receiver mounted between the liquid line branching point and said superheat control valve.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, which includes a super-cooling control valve mounted in the liquid line main (4) for controlling super-cooling of high pressure liquid refrigerant at the supply-side heat exchanger (3) outlet during cooling operations; valve control means for controlling the opening of said sub-cool controlling valve in cooling; and a liquid receiver mounted between the liquid line branching point and said sub-cool controlling valve.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
63 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 and 5 to 8 which includes a second motorized valve (EV 4 ) mounted in the liquid line main (4) for controlling refrigerant super- cooling at the supply-side heat exchanger (3) outlet during heating operations and a liquid receiver (10) mounted between said second motorized valve (EV 4 ) and the liquid line branching point.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.