JP2007263455A - Air conditioner and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively utilize a refrigerant/water heat exchanger in the case of performing air-conditioning cooling operation, and to improve a coefficient of performance (COP) during air-conditioning cooling operation. <P>SOLUTION: In the air conditioner, a compressor 18, an exterior heat exchanger 21, the refrigerant/water heat exchanger 12 and an interior heat exchanger 14 are connected by a refrigerant pipe, thereby performing cooling and heating operation. In the air conditioner, a water cooling means 13 for circulating cold water to cool the refrigerant during cooling operation, and a radiating means 15 for receiving hot water heated by the refrigerant and radiating heat during heating operation are selectively operably connected to the water side pipe of the refrigerant/water heat exchanger 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly, to an air conditioner including a refrigerant / water heat exchanger and a control method thereof.

Conventionally, a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a refrigerant / water heat exchanger, and an indoor heat exchanger are connected by a refrigerant pipe to enable a cooling / heating operation, and a water side pipe of the refrigerant / water heat exchanger. An air conditioning apparatus with a floor heating system in which a floor heating panel is connected to the floor has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This type of multi-function machine is easily and inexpensively provided as compared with a case where air conditioning heating and floor heating are constructed by separate systems.
JP 2004-108717 A

  However, according to the air conditioner with a floor heating system of Patent Document 1, the function of the refrigerant / water heat exchanger that operates during floor heating is stopped when performing air conditioning cooling operation. Is not used effectively.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems of the prior art and to effectively use the refrigerant / water heat exchanger when performing air-conditioning cooling operation, and to perform a coefficient of performance (COP) during this air-conditioning cooling operation. It is to provide an air conditioner and a control method thereof.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the air conditioner of the present invention connects a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a refrigerant / water heat exchanger, and an indoor heat exchanger through a refrigerant pipe, thereby enabling an air conditioning operation. In the above-described air conditioner, water cooling means for circulating the cold water through the refrigerant / water heat exchanger during cooling operation to cool the refrigerant in the water side pipe of the refrigerant / water heat exchanger, and the refrigerant / water heat exchanger during heating operation. A heat radiating means for receiving and radiating warm water heated by the refrigerant of the water heat exchanger is selectively connected to be operable.

  In the above configuration, it is a further feature that cold water and hot water are circulated by a single water circulation pump, and the outdoor heat exchanger and the refrigerant / water heat exchanger are arranged upstream of the refrigerant / water heat exchanger during heating operation. It is characterized by being connected in series so as to be located on the side.

  The control method of the air conditioner according to the present invention includes a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a refrigerant / water heat exchanger, and an indoor heat exchanger that are connected by a refrigerant pipe to enable air conditioning operation. In the control method of the harmony device, the cooling water is circulated through the water-side piping of the refrigerant / water heat exchanger in the cooling / cooling operation to cool the cooling water, and the water flowing in the water piping is heated by the cooling during the heating operation. The heat is radiated by the heat radiating means.

According to the above configuration, when the heating operation is set, the indoor heat exchanger performs indoor heating, and the hot water heated by the refrigerant / water heat exchanger dissipates heat, for example, by the hot water air conditioning unit to perform indoor floor heating. . When the cooling operation is set, the refrigerant cooled by the outdoor heat exchanger is passed through the coolant / water heat exchanger that passes the chilled water radiated by the water cooling means, and the cooling water is passed through. Enhanced.
In the present invention, the refrigerant / water heat exchanger can be used in both the heating operation and the cooling operation, and the water circulation pump can be shared.

  According to the present invention, the water-side piping of the refrigerant / water heat exchanger is provided with water cooling means for cooling the cold water that circulates cold water during cooling operation to cool the refrigerant, and hot water heated by the refrigerant during heating operation. Since the heat radiating means that receives and radiates heat is selectively connected so as to be able to operate, the COP at the time of cooling is improved by the amount that the refrigerant is supercooled during the cooling operation. Further, during heating operation, it is possible to use both air conditioning heating and heating by means of heat radiation.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a piping system circuit diagram during heating of an engine-driven air conditioner according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a piping system circuit diagram at the time of cooling.
As shown in FIG. 1, the engine-driven air conditioner 10 includes an outdoor unit 11 installed outdoors, a refrigerant / water heat exchanger 12, a water cooling means 13 such as a cooling tower (cooling tower), and the like. And an indoor heat exchanger 14 and a hot water air-conditioning unit 15 as heat radiating means, and a control means 16.

The outdoor unit 11 includes an engine 17 that generates a driving force by burning fuel such as gas, a compressor 18 that is driven by the engine 17, an accumulator 19 that performs gas-liquid separation of the refrigerant, and a circulation direction of the refrigerant. The four-way valve 20 to be switched, an outdoor heat exchanger 21 that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the outside air, and a fan 22 that blows air toward the outdoor heat exchanger 21 are housed. The refrigerant / water heat exchanger 12 may be stored in the outdoor unit 11.
In the outdoor unit 11, the outdoor refrigerant pipe P <b> 1 is between the gas outlet of the accumulator 19 and the gas inlet of the compressor 18, between the gas outlet of the compressor 18 and the a port of the four-way valve 20, and the liquid inlet of the accumulator 19. The b port of the four-way valve 20 and the d port of the four-way valve 20 and one pipe connection port 21a of the outdoor heat exchanger 21 are connected to each other.

The end of the outdoor refrigerant pipe P1 on the outdoor heat exchanger 21 side is connected to one refrigerant pipe connection port of the refrigerant / water heat exchanger 12, and the outdoor refrigerant pipe P1 is connected to the other refrigerant / water heat exchanger 12 side. It extends from the refrigerant pipe connection port to the front of the expansion valve 23 and becomes the indoor refrigerant pipe P2.
This indoor refrigerant pipe P2 connects the expansion valve 23, connects the expansion valve 23 and one refrigerant pipe connection port of the indoor heat exchanger 14, and further from the other refrigerant pipe connection port of the indoor heat exchanger 14. The outdoor refrigerant pipe P1 extends toward the four-way valve 20, and the outdoor refrigerant pipe P1 connects the c port of the four-way valve 20.

  The indoor heat exchanger 14 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and room air, and includes a fan 25 that blows air toward the indoor heat exchanger 14.

  The refrigerant / water heat exchanger 12 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and water, and includes a heat exchanger using a heat exchange coil, a plate heat exchanger, and the like. The pipe part ahead of the common pipe extending from the water outlet and the water inlet of the water pipe coil of the refrigerant / water heat exchanger 12 includes a water side pipe (hot water pipe) 26 and a water side pipe (cold water pipe) 28 in parallel. The hot water pipe 26 is provided with a first electric valve 29 and a second electric valve 30 on the upstream side and the downstream side of the hot water air conditioning unit 15. The cooling water pipe 28 is provided with a water cooling means 13 such as a cooling tower, a third motor-operated valve 31 and a fourth motor-operated valve 32 on the upstream side and the downstream side of the water cooling means 13, and refrigerant / water A water circulation pump 24 is disposed in a hot water pipe 26, a cold water pipe 27, and a common pipe portion connected to the water outlet of the water pipe coil of the heat exchanger 12.

The control device 16 is installed in the outdoor unit 11, and includes a gas engine 17 (that is, a compressor 18), a four-way valve 20, an outdoor fan 22, an expansion valve 23, an indoor fan 25, a first electric valve 29, and a second valve in the outdoor unit 11. The motorized valve 30, the third motorized valve 31, and the fourth motorized valve 32 are controlled.
The control device 16 sets the air conditioner 10 to the heating operation or the cooling operation by switching the four-way valve 18.

Next, the operation during the heating operation will be described with reference to FIG.
For the setting of the heating operation, the control device 16 closes the third motor-operated valve 31 and the fourth motor-operated valve 32, opens the first motor-operated valve 29 and the second motor-operated valve 30, and operates the water circulation pump 24. The fans 22 and 25 are driven, the open state of the expansion valve 23 is controlled, and the gas engine 17 is driven by switching the four-way valve 18 to the heating side.

The refrigerant flows as indicated by arrows in FIG. That is, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 18 from the accumulator 19 passes through the four-way valve 18, the indoor heat exchanger 14 that functions as a condenser, the expansion valve 23, the refrigerant / water heat exchanger 12, and the outdoor that functions as an evaporator. The heat exchanger 21 is passed in order and returns to the accumulator 19 via the four-way valve 18.
Therefore, the indoor heat exchanger 14 functions as a condenser and performs indoor heating by dissipating the condensation heat in cooperation with the fan 25.
Here, the refrigerant / water heat exchanger 12 gives the heat of the liquid refrigerant to the water flowing through the water coil, whereby the hot water flowing through the hot water pipe 26 dissipates heat in the hot water air conditioning unit 15 and is indoor floor. Heat up. The outdoor heat exchanger 21 functions as an evaporator and takes the latent heat of vaporization into the refrigerant from outside air in cooperation with the fan 22.

Next, the operation during the cooling operation will be described with reference to FIG.
For the setting of the cooling operation, the control device 16 closes the first electric valve 29 and the second electric valve 30, opens the third electric valve 31 and the fourth electric valve 32, and operates the water circulation pump 24. The fans 22 and 25 are driven, the open state of the expansion valve 23 is controlled, and the gas engine 17 is driven by switching the four-way valve 18 to the cooling side.

  The refrigerant flows as indicated by arrows in FIG. That is, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 18 from the accumulator 19 passes through the four-way valve 18, the outdoor heat exchanger 21 that functions as a condenser, the refrigerant / water heat exchanger 12, the expansion valve 23, and the room that functions as an evaporator. The heat exchanger 14 is passed through in order and returns to the accumulator 19 via the four-way valve 18.

The outdoor heat exchanger 21 functions as a condenser and radiates the heat of condensation of the refrigerant to the outside air in cooperation with the fan 22. The refrigerant / water heat exchanger 12 gives the heat of condensation of the refrigerant to the water flowing through the water coil, so that the water flowing through the cold water pipe 27 dissipates heat by the water cooling means 13 such as a cooling tower, and the refrigerant / Return to the water heat exchanger 12.
The indoor heat exchanger 14 functions as an evaporator, takes the latent heat of evaporation from indoor air, and the fan 25 blows cold air into the room to cool the room.
And the control apparatus 16 controls the valve opening degree of the expansion valve 23, and performs the temperature adjustment at the time of the indoor air_conditioning | cooling by the indoor heat exchanger 14. FIG.

  Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the water-side piping of the refrigerant / water heat exchanger 12 circulates cold water during the cooling operation to cool the refrigerant by cooling the cold water and cools the cold water during the heating operation. Since the hot water air conditioning unit 15 that receives the heated hot water and dissipates heat is selectively connected, the coefficient of performance (COP) during cooling is improved by the amount that the refrigerant is supercooled during cooling operation. Can be made. Further, during heating operation, it is possible to use both air conditioning heating and heating by means of heat radiation.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention has been explained in full detail with reference to drawings, this invention is not limited to said embodiment, The various design change of the range which does not deviate from a summary is included.
For example, it can be applied to a heat pump apparatus using an electric motor instead of the engine 17 that drives the compressor 18. Moreover, although the refrigerant | coolant / water heat exchanger 12 and the outdoor heat exchanger 21 are connected in series, it is not limited to this, What connected them in parallel may be used. The water cooling means 13 that is selectively connected to the refrigerant / water heat exchanger 12 may be, for example, an ice heat storage tank or the like in addition to the cooling tower. Moreover, the heat radiation means 15 selectively connected to the refrigerant / water heat exchanger 12 is not limited to floor heating, and may be a fan coil unit. Although one indoor heat exchanger 14 is connected, a plurality of indoor heat exchangers 14 may be connected.

It is a piping system circuit diagram at the time of heating operation of the air harmony device concerning the present invention. It is a piping system circuit diagram at the time of air conditioning operation of the air harmony device concerning the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

10 Engine Driven Air Conditioner 12 Refrigerant / Water Heat Exchanger 13 Water Cooling Means 14 Indoor Heat Exchanger 15 Hot Water Air Conditioning Unit (Heat Dissipation Means)
17 Engine 18 Compressor 20 Four-way valve 21 Outdoor heat exchanger

Claims (4)

In an air conditioner in which a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a refrigerant / water heat exchanger, and an indoor heat exchanger are connected by a refrigerant pipe to enable an air conditioning operation,
Water cooling means for circulating cold water through the refrigerant / water heat exchanger during cooling operation to cool the refrigerant in the water side pipe of the refrigerant / water heat exchanger, and refrigerant of the refrigerant / water heat exchanger during heating operation An air conditioner characterized in that a heat radiating means for receiving and dissipating heat by receiving hot water heated by the air is selectively operatively connected.   The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the cold water and the hot water are circulated by a single water circulation pump.   3. The outdoor heat exchanger and the refrigerant / water heat exchanger are connected in series so that the refrigerant / water heat exchanger is located on the upstream side during heating operation. Air conditioner. In a control method for an air conditioner in which a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a refrigerant / water heat exchanger, and an indoor heat exchanger are connected by a refrigerant pipe to enable an air conditioning operation, the refrigerant / water Cooling water generated by the water cooling means is circulated in the water side piping of the heat exchanger to cool the refrigerant, and during heating operation, the water flowing in the water piping is heated by the refrigerant and the heat is radiated by the heat radiating means. A control method for an air conditioner.

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