JPH07180924A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an air conditioner which can be operated without impairing comfortableness without insufficiency of a starting time in a multi-chamber type even when total capacity of indoor units exceeds a capacity of an outdoor unit. CONSTITUTION:The air conditioner comprises an outdoor unit A having a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, and a pressure reducing unit, a plurality of indoor units C, D, E having indoor heat exchangers, a refrigerating cycle formed by sequentially connecting parallel units of the compressors, the outdoor exchangers, the reducing unit and the indoor exchangers, and flow regulating valves 9a, 9b, 9c for controlling refrigerant input amounts to the respective indoor exchangers. When total sum of required capacities from the indoor units exceeds the capacity of the outdoor unit, an opening of the valve 9a is so controlled as to, for example, preferentially feed refrigerant flow rate of the required capacity to the indoor unit having maximum required capacity such as the unit C, and the openings of the valves 9b, 9c are so controlled as to distribute the residual refrigerant flow rate to the residual indoor units D, E.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a so-called multi-type air conditioner having a plurality of indoor units with respect to a single outdoor unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An air conditioner equipped with a generally used heat pump type refrigerating cycle includes a compressor, a four-way valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, a heating expansion valve, and a plurality of solenoid opening / closing valves (liquid side opening / closing valves) as outdoor units. Valve), a parallel circuit of a refrigerant expansion valve and a check valve, an electromagnetic opening / closing valve (gas side opening / closing valve), and the like. An indoor heat exchanger is provided for each of the plurality of indoor units.

These constituent parts are successively communicated via a refrigerant pipe to form a heat pump type refrigeration cycle. That is, the indoor units have a parallel configuration, and a predetermined refrigeration cycle is configured by switching between cooling operation and heating operation.

In particular, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-62, filed earlier by the present applicant.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 225867, in this type of multi-type air conditioner, the required capacities of the indoor units are totaled, and the capacities of the outdoor units are determined based on the totaled capacities. Then, control is performed to distribute the capacity at a ratio according to the required capacity of each indoor unit.

[0005]

In this type of air conditioner, the total required capacity of the indoor units may exceed the capacity of the outdoor unit depending on the usage conditions. At this time, in the conventional one, while increasing the compressor of the outdoor unit to the maximum operating frequency, the opening of the corresponding flow control valve is controlled so that the capacity is distributed at a ratio according to the required capacity of each indoor unit. There is.

Therefore, if each indoor unit is continuously operating before that, there is no problem, but if there is an indoor unit that is in a standing state, for example, after starting operation later, There is a problem in that the capacity is distributed to the indoor units at a ratio corresponding to the required capacity of each indoor unit, the necessary capacity is insufficient, and the rising time becomes extremely long.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to start a so-called multi-type even if the total capacity of each indoor unit exceeds the capacity of the outdoor unit. An object is to provide an air conditioner that can improve comfort without running out of time.

[0008]

To achieve the above object, an air conditioner according to the present invention comprises an outdoor unit having a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger and a pressure reducing device, and a plurality of indoor units having an indoor heat exchanger. And sequentially communicating the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, the pressure reducing device, the parallel body of the indoor heat exchangers, and the like, and to the indoor heat exchangers provided corresponding to the indoor heat exchangers. In the multi-type one in which a refrigeration cycle having a plurality of flow rate adjusting valves for controlling the refrigerant inflow amount is constituted, and the total value of the capacity of the connected indoor units is larger than the capacity of the outdoor unit, When the total value of the required capacity from the units exceeds the capacity of the outdoor unit, the indoor unit with the largest required capacity is given priority to send the refrigerant flow rate of the required capacity, and the remaining indoor units have the remaining capacity. Like it sent the coolant flow rate and distribution, characterized by comprising means for controlling the opening of the corresponding flow control valve.

The means for controlling the opening of the flow rate adjusting valve is provided with means for controlling so that the minimum amount of refrigerant is distributed even to the indoor unit having a small required capacity. Further, the means for controlling the opening of the flow rate adjusting valve is provided with means for notifying the operating state of the indoor unit controlled so that the minimum required refrigerant flow rate is distributed with a small required capacity.

[0010]

When the total required capacity of each indoor unit exceeds the capacity of the outdoor unit, the indoor unit with the largest required capacity is prioritized to send the refrigerant flow rate of the required capacity so that the corresponding flow rate control valve Control the opening.

Therefore, although the indoor unit in the startup operation state has a larger required capacity than the other indoor units that can be continuously operated, the required refrigerant flow rate can be secured as it is.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, A is an outdoor unit, B is a branch unit, and C, D, and E are indoor units.

The outdoor unit A contains a compressor 1, a four-way valve 2, an outdoor heat exchanger 3, a parallel circuit 6 of a heating expansion valve 4 and a check valve 5, a liquid tank 7, an accumulator 8 and the like.

The branch unit B has three electric flow rate adjusting valves 9a, 9b, 9c, three sets of cooling expansion valves 10a, 10b, 10c and check valves 11a, 11b.
11 c of parallel circuits 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, three gas side opening / closing valves (electromagnetic opening / closing valves) 13 a, 13 b, 13 c, etc. are accommodated.

Indoor heat exchangers 14a, 14b, 14c are housed in the indoor units C, D, E, respectively. Then, the compressor 1, the four-way valve 2, the outdoor heat exchanger 3, the parallel circuit 6 of the heating expansion valve and the check valve, the liquid tank 7, the flow rate adjusting valves 9a, 9b, 9c, the cooling expansion valve and the check valve. And parallel circuits 12a, 12b, 12c, indoor heat exchanger 1
4a, 14b, 14c and the accumulator 8 are sequentially connected via the refrigerant pipe P to form a heat pump type refrigeration cycle.

That is, the indoor units C, D, and E are arranged in parallel, and during the cooling operation, the refrigerant is guided in the direction indicated by the solid line arrow in the drawing to form a cooling cycle. The refrigerant is caused to flow in the direction of to form a heating cycle.

The compressor 1 employs a variable capacity type, and an inverter circuit 15 for supplying drive power of a predetermined operating frequency is connected to the compressor. Further, the outdoor unit A is equipped with the outdoor controller 16, the branch unit B is equipped with the multi-controller 17, and the indoor units C, D, E are equipped with indoor controllers 18a, 18b, 18c.

FIG. 2 shows a control circuit. The inverter circuit 15 is connected to the outdoor controller 16. The outdoor controller 16 is composed of a microcomputer and its peripheral circuits. The inverter circuit 15 outputs AC power having an operating frequency (and voltage) according to a command from the outdoor controller 16.

Six sets of valve drive circuits 20 to 25 are connected to the multi-controller 17 here. The multi-controller 17 is composed of a microcomputer and its peripheral circuits and supplies various control commands to the outdoor controller 16 by serial signals.

The valve drive circuits 20, 21, 22 set the opening degrees of the electric flow rate adjusting valves 9a, 9b, 9c in response to a command from the multi-controller 17, respectively. The valve drive circuits 23, 24, 25 are responsive to the command from the multi-controller 17 to open and close the gas side opening / closing valves 13a, 13
b and 13c are opened and closed.

The indoor controllers 18a, 18b, 1
The driving operation units 30, 31, 32 and the temperature sensors 40, 41, 42 are connected to 8c. The indoor controllers 18a, 18b, 18c are composed of a microcomputer and its peripheral circuits, and are adapted to supply various control commands to the multi-controller 17 by serial signals.

It should be noted that lamps 50, 51 and 52 are provided in each of the operation operating units 30, 31, and 32. These lamps 50, 51, 52 are adapted to be lit based on a lighting signal sent from the multi-controller 17 via the respective indoor controllers 18a, 18b, 18c.

However, in such a so-called multi-type air conditioner, refrigeration cycle control is performed according to the flow chart shown in FIG. That is, there is a demand for capacity in each operation unit 30, 31, 32 of each indoor unit C, D, E. The capabilities required from these are determined by the operation controllers 30, 31, 32 from the indoor controllers 18a, 18
All are integrated in the multi-controller 17 via b and 18c.

The multi-controller 17 obtains the total required capacity from the indoor units C, D, E, and compares the total required capacity Q ₀ with the maximum capacity Q ₁ of the outdoor unit A stored in advance. .

When the total value Q ₀ of the required capacities from the indoor units C, D, E is less than or equal to the set maximum capacity Q ₁ (No),
The multi-controller 17 instructs the outdoor controller 16 to obtain the operating frequency F of the compressor 1 which is adapted to the total required capacity value Q ₀ and to control the operation. At the same time, the multi-controller 17 controls the flow control valves 9a, 9b, 9c.
Control the opening of.

For example, it is assumed that the required capacity of each indoor unit C, D, E is 0 to 10 at the minimum, and the supply capacity of the outdoor unit A to the indoor unit is set to 0 to 15 at the minimum. .

Assuming that the indoor unit C has a required capacity of 1, the indoor unit D has a capacity of 3, and the indoor unit E has a capacity of 4, the total required capacity of these units is 8. Since the set maximum capacity value of the outdoor unit A is 15 or less, the operating frequency and the valve opening degree are controlled in accordance with the required capacity of each indoor unit.

On the other hand, the total value Q ₀ of the required capacities from the indoor units C, D, E is greater than or equal to the set maximum capacity Q ₁ (Yes).
At this time, the multi-controller 17 is the outdoor controller 1
6 is instructed to operate the compressor 1 at the maximum operation frequency Fmax.

At the same time, the multi-controller 17 compares the required capacities of the indoor units C, D and E and extracts the indoor unit that has issued the instruction of the maximum required capacity. Then, priority is given to the flow rate control valve connected to the indoor unit having the largest required capacity, and the control for maintaining the opening is performed to secure the refrigerant flow rate corresponding to the required capacity.

On the other hand, the opening degree of each flow rate control valve connected to the remaining indoor units is set according to the ratio of the required capacity of each indoor unit, and the control based on that is set. Therefore, the refrigerant flow rate that is the same as the required capacity is distributed to the indoor unit that has the largest required capacity, and the refrigerant flow rate that corresponds to the remaining supply capacity and the required capacity ratio is distributed to the remaining indoor units.

When the required capacity of the indoor unit C is Q _D1 , the required capacity of the indoor unit D is Q _D2 , and the required capacity of the indoor unit E is Q _D3 , and when Q _D1 > Q _D2 > Q _D3 , Supply capacity Q _S1 is Q _S1 = Q _D1 Supply capacity to indoor unit D Q _S2 is Q _S2 = (Q ₁ −Q _S1 ) × Q _D2 / (Q _D2 + Q _D3 ) Supply capacity Q to indoor unit E _S3 is given by: Q _S3 = (Q ₁ −Q _S1 ) × Q _D3 / (Q _D2 + Q _D3 ).

For example, the required capacity of the outdoor unit A,
It is assumed that the supply capacities of the indoor units C, D, and E are in the ranges described above, and the required capacity of the indoor unit C is 10, the required capacity of the indoor unit D is 5, and the required capacity of the indoor unit E is 4. The total required capacity value of these units is 19, which exceeds the maximum supply capacity value 15 set for the outdoor unit A.

Therefore, at this time, the required capacity value is substituted into the above formula to obtain the supply capacity. Here, the required capacity 10 is secured to the indoor unit C as it is. The supply capacity to the indoor unit D is about 3, the supply capacity to the indoor unit is about 2, and the total value 15 is the same as the maximum supply capacity 15 of the outdoor unit.

In the multi-type air conditioner capable of such control, the indoor unit which has been stopped until then, except for the indoor unit of the first room, is continuously operated by the other indoor units. This is advantageous when the total required capacity of the indoor units exceeds the maximum supply capacity of the outdoor unit immediately after the operation of the unit is started.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 (A), when the indoor units D and E continue to operate and the indoor unit C subsequently starts to operate and requires the maximum required capacity. , It is convenient when the total required capacity of each unit exceeds the maximum supply capacity of the outdoor unit.

That is, the required capacity is supplied to the indoor unit C, and a rapid rise is obtained.
On the other hand, in the indoor units D and E that are continuously operating, the supply capacity is significantly decreased and the room temperature is decreased, but the required capacity is decreased, that is, the difference between the room temperature and the set temperature is small. The condition does not cause any noticeable discomfort.

FIG. 6B shows the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-2.
This is a method of performing capacity distribution according to the required capacity ratio of Japanese Patent No. 25867. If the above conditions are applied as they are, the supply capacity 8 is distributed to the required capacity 10 in the indoor unit Ca, the supply capacity 4 is distributed to the required capacity 5 in the indoor unit Da, and the required capacity 4 is distributed in the indoor unit Ea. Supply capacity 3 is distributed to.

As a result, as shown in the figure, the decrease in room temperature in the indoor units Da, Ea is smaller than that in the indoor units D, E according to the distribution system of the present invention shown in FIG. On the other hand, since the supply capacity to the indoor unit Ca in the rising operation state is reduced,
The rising gradient of room temperature is gentle and a long rise time is required.

Returning to the present invention again, the multi-controller 17 controls the outdoor controller 16 so as to secure the minimum refrigerant flow rate even in the indoor unit having a small required capacity, here D and E. Therefore, basically, the air conditioning is not disabled, and no significant discomfort is given.

Further, the indoor units with limited supply capacity, here, the indoor controllers 18b in D and E,
The lamps 51 and 52 respectively provided in 18c are turned on. The users of these indoor units D and E may be confused by the sudden temperature change. At that time, the lamp 51,
Look at the lighting of 52 and understand the contents and do not misunderstand it as a failure.

Although the present invention has been described by applying the air conditioner having three sets of indoor units, the number of indoor units is not limited, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. It can be transformed into

[0042]

As described above, the air conditioner of the present invention is a so-called multi-type, and when the total required capacity from each indoor unit exceeds the capacity of the outdoor unit, the required capacity is the highest. Since the refrigerant flow rate of the required capacity is sent preferentially to the large indoor unit and the remaining indoor units are controlled to distribute and send the remaining refrigerant flow rate, the total capacity of each indoor unit exceeds the capacity of the outdoor unit. Even in the case, the rise time is not insufficient, the comfort is improved, and further energy saving is achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a refrigeration cycle of an air conditioner, showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control circuit configuration diagram of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the embodiment.

FIG. 4A is a characteristic diagram of room temperature change with respect to time in the case of adopting the capacity distribution method in the embodiment. FIG. 9B is a characteristic diagram of room temperature change with time in the case of adopting the capacity distribution method of the conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Compressor, 3 ... Outdoor heat exchanger, A ... Outdoor unit, 1
4a, 14b, 14c ... Indoor heat exchanger, C, D, E ... Indoor unit, 9a, 9b, 9c ... Flow control valve, 17 ... Multi-controller, 16 ... Outdoor controller, 50, 5
1,52 ... Lamp.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an outdoor unit having a pressure reducing device, and a plurality of indoor units having an indoor heat exchanger, wherein the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, the pressure reducing device,
In parallel with the parallel connection of each indoor heat exchanger,
A refrigeration cycle having a plurality of flow rate adjusting valves for controlling the amount of refrigerant flowing into each of the indoor heat exchangers provided corresponding to each of the indoor heat exchangers, the total value of the capacities of the connected indoor units. In a multi-type air conditioner configured to have a capacity greater than that of the outdoor unit, when the total value of the required capacity from the indoor units exceeds the capacity of the outdoor unit, priority is given to the indoor unit with the largest required capacity. Then, the required refrigerant flow rate is sent,
An air conditioner comprising means for controlling the opening of the corresponding flow rate adjusting valve so that the remaining refrigerant flow rate is distributed and sent to other indoor units. 2. A means for controlling the opening of the flow rate adjusting valve,
The air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising means for controlling so that a minimum amount of refrigerant is distributed even to an indoor unit having a small required capacity. 3. The means for controlling the opening of the flow rate adjusting valve,
The air conditioner according to claim 2, further comprising means for informing an operating state of the indoor unit that is controlled so that a minimum required refrigerant flow rate is distributed with a small required capacity.