air conditioner

Abstract

Provided is an air conditioner, which can be implemented at low cost in an indoor unit equipped with a plurality of heat exchangers, and only one temperature sensor is required to be arranged in any indoor heat exchanger. Different refrigerant amounts are set to flow to a first heat exchanger (14A) and a second heat exchanger (14B) according to the difference in the amount of air passing therethrough, and a temperature sensor (26a) is arranged in the second heat exchanger (14B), so that the first heat exchanger (14A) and the second heat exchanger (14B) function as condensers and are heated to a given temperature to perform heating and sterilization of the first heat exchanger (14A) and the second heat exchanger (14B).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an indoor unit of an air conditioner. Background Art

[0002] When the air conditioner is in cooling operation, moisture in the air in the indoor unit condenses on the fins of the indoor heat exchanger, so the area around the indoor heat exchanger becomes highly humid, so dust easily adheres to the indoor heat exchanger. If dust continues to adhere to the indoor heat exchanger, there is a problem of bacteria (including mold) breeding and generating bad odor.

[0003] In addition, among air conditioners, there are ceiling-embedded air conditioners (hereinafter referred to as ceiling-embedded air conditioners) in which an outdoor unit installed outdoors is connected to an indoor unit installed in the air-conditioned room through a refrigerant piping, and the indoor unit is installed on the inner side of the ceiling. However, in recent years, it is desired to increase the heat exchange capacity of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner.

[0004] As a ceiling-mounted air conditioner for increasing heat exchange capacity, Figure 4 Patent document 1 shown in the figure discloses an indoor unit of a ceiling embedded air conditioner 100A, which has an air outlet 14b arranged on the front side and an air intake 14a arranged on the back side, and comprises: a first heat exchanger 20A arranged near the front side as an indoor heat exchanger; a second heat exchanger 20B arranged near the back side as an indoor heat exchanger; a sirocco fan 30 arranged between the first heat exchanger 20A and the second heat exchanger 20B; and a fan 30 arranged at the lower side of the first heat exchanger 20A and the second heat exchanger 20B to collect air attached to the first heat exchanger 20A and the second heat exchanger 20B. The heat exchanger 20A and the second heat exchanger 20B are provided with a drain pan 40 for condensed water; and a blow-out guide 50 connecting the blow-out ventilation passage 33b with the air blow-out port 14b to guide the air blown out from the blow-out ventilation passage 33b of the Sirocco fan 30 to the air blow-out port 14b; a first space S1 with an open air intake port 14a is formed between the second heat exchanger 20B and the back panel 12; a third space S3 is formed between the first heat exchanger 20A and the front panel 11; and a second space S2 connected to the first space S1 and the third space S3 is formed between the drain pan 40 and the bottom panel 14.

[0005] As in the air conditioner disclosed in patent document 1, in the case of an indoor unit having a structure with multiple heat exchangers, since the first heat exchanger 20A, the second heat exchanger 20B, and the Sirocco fan 30 must be accommodated in the limited space of the frame 10, the distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 14a via the second space S2 and the third space S3 to the first heat exchanger 20A is not the same as the distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 14a via the first space S1 to the second heat exchanger 20B. The distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 14a via the second space S2 and the third space S3 to the first heat exchanger 20A is longer than the distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 14a via the first space S1 to the second heat exchanger 20B.

[0006] Prior Art Literature

[0007] Patent Literature

[0008] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-203629 Summary of the invention

[0009] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0010] In the air conditioner disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 14a through the second space S2 and the third space S3 to the first heat exchanger 20A is longer than the distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 14a through the first space S1 to the second heat exchanger 20B, the ventilation resistance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 14a through the second space S2 and the third space S3 to the first heat exchanger 20A is greater than the ventilation resistance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 14a through the first space S1 to the second heat exchanger 20B, so the amount of air passing through the first heat exchanger 20A is less than the amount of air passing through the second heat exchanger 20B. As a result, the temperature of the refrigerant flowing in the first heat exchanger 20A is higher than the temperature of the refrigerant flowing in the second heat exchanger 20B, so it is necessary to provide temperature sensors required for controlling the air-conditioned room to a given temperature in the first heat exchanger 20A and the second heat exchanger 20B, respectively, which has the problem of increasing manufacturing cost and complicating control.

[0011] In addition, as a unit for purifying the inside of the indoor unit, there are well-known purification units such as ion generating devices, but there is still the following problem: even in the indoor unit described in Patent Document 1 equipped with multiple indoor heat exchangers, using an ion generating device may not be able to fully sterilize the multiple indoor heat exchangers.

[0012] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an air conditioner, which comprises: an outdoor unit, which has a compressor and a four-way valve; and an indoor unit, which includes multiple indoor heat exchangers, an indoor unit fan and a temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, and is connected to the outdoor unit. The air conditioner controls at least the compressor, the indoor unit fan and the four-way valve in such a way that the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger becomes a given temperature so that the multiple indoor heat exchangers function as evaporators in the case of cooling and function as condensers in the case of heating, thereby regulating the temperature of the room where the indoor unit is installed. The air conditioner can be implemented at a low cost and can suppress the imbalance of sterilization of each of the multiple indoor heat exchangers.

[0013] Means for solving problems

[0014] One embodiment of the present invention is an air conditioner comprising: an outdoor unit having a compressor and a four-way valve; and an indoor unit including a plurality of indoor heat exchangers, an indoor unit fan, and a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the indoor heat exchangers, and is connected to the outdoor unit, wherein the air conditioner controls at least the compressor, the indoor unit fan, and the four-way valve in such a way that the temperature of the indoor heat exchangers becomes a given temperature so that the plurality of indoor heat exchangers function as evaporators in the case of cooling and function as condensers in the case of heating, thereby adjusting the temperature of a room in which the indoor unit is installed, wherein the indoor unit is controlled according to the temperature of the indoor heat exchangers. The air flow of the fan passes through a difference between the amount of air passing through one of the indoor heat exchangers and the amount of air passing through other of the indoor heat exchangers, and different amounts of refrigerant are set to flow to one of the indoor heat exchangers and the other indoor heat exchangers according to the difference in the amount of air, and the temperature detection unit is set in any one of the multiple indoor heat exchangers to make the multiple indoor heat exchangers function as condensers, thereby heating and sterilizing the multiple indoor heat exchangers by heating the condensed water attached to the indoor heat exchangers to a given temperature when the multiple indoor heat exchangers function as evaporators.

[0015] Effects of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, since there is a difference between the amount of air passing through one indoor heat exchanger and the amount of air passing through other indoor heat exchangers, different amounts of refrigerant are set to flow to one indoor heat exchanger and other indoor heat exchangers according to the difference, and a temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger is provided in any one of the multiple indoor heat exchangers. Therefore, an air conditioner can be provided which can be implemented at a low cost and can suppress the imbalance of sterilization of each of the multiple indoor heat exchangers. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 This is a refrigeration circuit diagram of an air conditioner.

[0018] Figure 2 This is an enlarged view of the indoor heat exchanger in the refrigeration circuit diagram.

[0019] Figure 3 It is a cross-sectional view of the indoor unit.

[0020] Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view of an indoor unit of a conventional ceiling-mounted air conditioner. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings. As an embodiment, an air conditioning device in which an indoor unit is connected to an outdoor unit, two indoor heat exchangers are arranged in the indoor unit, and cooling and heating operations can be performed is described as an example. In addition, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the main purpose of the present invention.

[0022] Example

[0023] Figure 1 The structure of a refrigeration circuit of an air conditioner 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown. The air conditioner 11 includes an indoor unit 12 and an outdoor unit 13. The indoor unit 12 is, for example, installed in an indoor space in a building. In addition, the indoor unit 12 can be installed in a space equivalent to the indoor space. An indoor heat exchanger 14 as a heat exchanger is assembled in the indoor unit 12. A compressor 15, an outdoor heat exchanger 16, an expansion valve 17, and a four-way valve 18 are assembled in the outdoor unit 13. The indoor heat exchanger 14, the compressor 15, the outdoor heat exchanger 16, the expansion valve 17, and the four-way valve 18 form a refrigeration circuit 19. The outdoor unit 13 only needs to be installed outdoors where heat exchange with outdoor air can be performed.

[0024] The refrigeration circuit 19 includes a first circulation path 21. The first circulation path 21 connects the first port 18a and the second port 18b of the four-way valve 18 to each other. The compressor 15 is provided in the first circulation path 21. The suction pipe 15a of the compressor 15 is connected to the first port 18a of the four-way valve 18 via the refrigerant piping. The gas refrigerant is supplied to the suction pipe 15a of the compressor 15 from the first port 18a. The compressor 15 compresses the low-pressure gas refrigerant to a given pressure. The discharge pipe 15b of the compressor 15 is connected to the second port 18b of the four-way valve 18 via the refrigerant piping. The gas refrigerant is supplied from the discharge pipe 15b of the compressor 15 to the second port 18b of the four-way valve 18. The refrigerant piping may be, for example, a copper pipe.

[0025] In addition, although the four-way valve 18 is used as a flow path switching valve, a plurality of electromagnetic valves may be combined instead of the four-way valve 18 .

[0026] The refrigeration circuit 19 further includes a second circulation path 22. The second circulation path 22 connects the third port 18c and the fourth port 18d of the four-way valve 18 to each other. In the second circulation path 22, the outdoor heat exchanger 16, the expansion valve 17, and the indoor heat exchanger 14 are assembled in order from the third port 18c side. The outdoor heat exchanger 16 exchanges heat energy between the refrigerant passing therethrough and the surrounding air. The indoor heat exchanger 14 exchanges heat energy between the refrigerant passing therethrough and the surrounding air.

[0027] In addition, Figure 1 In FIG. 1 , the indoor heat exchanger 14 is shown as one unit, but as shown in FIG. Figure 2 As will be described later in the description of the indoor heat exchanger 14, the indoor heat exchanger 14 is composed of two first heat exchangers 14A and second heat exchangers 14B.

[0028] The outdoor unit 13 is equipped with an air supply fan 23. The air supply fan 23 ventilates the outdoor heat exchanger 16. The air supply fan 23 generates airflow according to the rotation of the impeller, for example. Under the action of the air supply fan 23, the airflow passes through the outdoor heat exchanger 16. The outdoor air passes through the outdoor heat exchanger 16 and exchanges heat with the refrigerant. The airflow of cold air or warm air after the heat exchange is blown out from the outdoor unit 13. The flow rate of the passing airflow is adjusted according to the rotation speed of the impeller.

[0029] A Sirocco fan 24 as an indoor fan is assembled in the indoor unit 12. The Sirocco fan 24 ventilates the indoor heat exchanger 14. The Sirocco fan 24 generates airflow according to the rotation of the impeller. Under the action of the Sirocco fan 24, indoor air is sucked into the indoor unit 12. The indoor air passes through the indoor heat exchanger 14 and exchanges heat with the refrigerant. The airflow of cold air or warm air after the heat exchange is blown out of the indoor unit 12. The flow rate of the passing airflow is adjusted according to the rotation speed of the impeller.

[0030] When the refrigeration operation is performed in the refrigeration circuit 19, the four-way valve 18 connects the second port 18b and the third port 18c to each other and connects the first port 18a and the fourth port 18d to each other. Therefore, a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant is supplied from the discharge pipe 15b of the compressor 15 to the outdoor heat exchanger 16. The refrigerant flows through the outdoor heat exchanger 16, the expansion valve 17, and the indoor heat exchanger 14 in sequence. Heat is dissipated from the refrigerant to the outside air in the outdoor heat exchanger 16. The refrigerant is decompressed to a low pressure in the expansion valve 17. The decompressed refrigerant absorbs heat from the surrounding air in the indoor heat exchanger 14. Cold air is generated. The cold air is blown into the indoor space by the air supply fan 24.

[0031] When the heating operation is performed in the refrigeration circuit 19, the four-way valve 18 connects the second port 18b and the fourth port 18d to each other and connects the first port 18a and the third port 18c to each other. A high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant is supplied from the compressor 15 to the indoor heat exchanger 14. The refrigerant circulates in the indoor heat exchanger 14, the expansion valve 17 and the outdoor heat exchanger 16 in sequence. Heat is dissipated from the refrigerant to the surrounding air in the indoor heat exchanger 14. Warm air is generated. The warm air is blown into the indoor space by the Sirocco fan 24. The refrigerant is decompressed to a low pressure in the expansion valve 17. The decompressed refrigerant absorbs heat from the surrounding air in the outdoor heat exchanger 16. Thereafter, the refrigerant returns to the compressor 15. In addition, the maximum temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 14 during the heating operation is 53°C.

[0032] The air conditioner 11 includes a temperature sensor 26a and a humidity sensor 26b. The temperature sensor 26a is connected to the indoor heat exchanger 14. The temperature sensor 26a measures the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 14. The temperature sensor 26a outputs a temperature signal including temperature information of the measured temperature. The humidity sensor 26b is provided in the indoor unit 12. The humidity sensor 26b measures the relative humidity in the indoor unit 12. The humidity sensor 26b outputs a humidity signal including humidity information of the measured humidity.

[0033] The air conditioner 11 is provided with a control unit 27. The control unit 27 is formed on a control board (not shown) assembled in the outdoor unit 13, for example. The control unit 27 is electrically connected to the four-way valve 18, the expansion valve 17 and the compressor 15 in the outdoor unit 13 through a separate signal line. Similarly, the control unit 27 is electrically connected to the drive motor of the sirocco fan 24 in the indoor unit 12, the temperature sensor 26a and the humidity sensor 26b through a separate signal line. The control unit 27 controls the operation of the four-way valve 18, the expansion valve 17 and the compressor 15 in the outdoor unit 13 and the sirocco fan 24 in the indoor unit 12 based on the temperature signal from the temperature sensor 26a and the humidity signal from the humidity sensor 26b. As a result of such control, the cooling operation, heating operation and heating sterilization operation of the air conditioner 11 are realized as described later. The control unit 27 can control the operation of the sirocco fan 24 in the cooling operation and the heating operation based on the operation signal input from the remote controller to the indoor unit 12, and change the air volume of the cooling air and the heating air.

[0034] Figure 3 The cross section of the indoor unit 12 according to one embodiment is schematically shown. The indoor unit 12 is an indoor unit of a ceiling-embedded air conditioner and is installed on the inner side of the indoor ceiling 100. The indoor unit 12 is entirely surrounded by a frame 30. The frame 30 includes a front panel 31, a back panel 32, a top panel 33, a bottom panel 36 having an air inlet 34 and an air outlet 35, and a bottom panel 37 provided at the bottom of the frame 30. Figure 3The left side panel not shown in the figure and the left side panel provided on the paper surface Figure 3 The box-shaped right side panel (not shown) near the front side of the paper plane is arranged, the air intake port 34 is arranged on the back panel 32 side, and the air outlet 35 is arranged on the front panel 31 side relative to the air intake port 34. The lower surface of the bottom panel 36 is exposed to the room, so the design (not shown) required as a decorative panel is implemented on its lower surface.

[0035] A first flat plate-shaped heat exchanger 14A is mounted on the front panel 31 side of the lower surface 33a of the top panel 33 in a posture perpendicular to the top panel 33. In addition, a second flat plate-shaped heat exchanger 14B is mounted on the back panel 32 side of the lower surface 33a of the top panel 33 in a posture perpendicular to the top panel 33. A sirocco fan 24 is disposed between the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B.

[0036] The Sirocco fan 24 comprises: a fan motor 41; an impeller 42 fixed to a rotating shaft 41a of the fan motor 41; and a fan casing 43 having a suction port (not shown) formed on a side surface thereof and connected to the impeller 42, and having a blowing ventilation passage 45 formed on a lower surface thereof and opposite to the outer peripheral surface of the impeller 42.

[0037] A drain pan 40 for collecting condensed water generated in the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B is disposed below the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B.

[0038] Inside the frame 30, a first space S1 that functions as a ventilation passage is formed between the second heat exchanger 14B and the back panel 32, and an air inlet 34 is directly opened in the first space S1. In addition, a second space S2 that functions as a ventilation passage is also formed between the first heat exchanger 14A and the front panel 31, and a third space S3 that functions as a ventilation passage and is connected to the first space S1 and the second space S2 is also formed between the drain pan 40 and the bottom panel 36.

[0039] The air inlet 34 is arranged on the back panel 32 side of the bottom panel 36, and the air outlet 35 is arranged on the front panel 31 side of the air inlet 34 of the bottom panel 36. Therefore, the distance of the ventilation passage from the air inlet 34 via the third space S3 and the second space S2 to the first heat exchanger 14A is longer than the distance of the ventilation passage from the air inlet 34 via the first space S1 to the second heat exchanger 14B by the amount corresponding to the third space S3.

[0040] Since the distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the air outlet 35 where the first heat exchanger 14A is configured is longer than the distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the air outlet 35 where the second heat exchanger 14B is configured, the ventilation resistance of the ventilation passage where the first heat exchanger 14A is configured is greater than the ventilation resistance of the ventilation passage where the second heat exchanger 14B is configured.

[0041] The blow-out ventilation passage 45 of the sirocco fan 24 is connected to the upper opening 51 of the blow-out guide 50 inserted into the air outlet 35 of the bottom panel 36. The blow-out guide 50 is formed in a shape in which the air guide passage S4 between the upper opening 51 and the lower opening 52 is bent to the front of the lower direction, and the opening surface 52a of the lower opening 52 is arranged toward the front of the lower surface of the front panel 31. In addition, the blow-out guide 50 passes through the blow-out opening 53 of the drain pan 40 and the air outlet 35 of the bottom panel 36, and the lower opening 52 of the blow-out guide 50 becomes a substantial air outlet. The air intake port 34 of the bottom panel 36 is provided between the air outlet 35 and the back panel 32.

[0042] When the fan motor 41 of the Sirocco fan 24 rotates, the indoor unit 12 not only draws air from the air inlet 34 through the first space S1 between the second heat exchanger 14B and the back panel 12 into the second heat exchanger 14B, but also draws air into the first heat exchanger 14A through the third space S3 between the bottom panel 36 and the drain pan 40 and the second space S2 between the front panel 31 and the first heat exchanger 14A. In addition, the air drawn into the Sirocco fan 24 after heat exchange with the refrigerant in the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B is blown out from the blow-out ventilation passage 45 of the fan housing 43 to the lower front of the front panel 31 through the air guide passage S4 of the blow-out guide 50.

[0043] The air sucked into the frame 30 from the air intake port 34 by the action of the Sirocco fan 24 flows separately toward the first heat exchanger 14A side and the second heat exchanger 14B side. However, since the distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the first heat exchanger 14A is longer than the distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the second heat exchanger 14B, due to the influence of ventilation resistance, the amount of air sucked into the first heat exchanger 14A is less than the amount of air sucked into the second heat exchanger 14B.

[0044] Next, use Figure 2 , the structure of the indoor heat exchanger 14 of this embodiment is schematically shown.

[0045] In the refrigeration circuit 19, the indoor heat exchanger 14 has the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B connected in parallel between the four-way valve 18 and the expansion valve 17, and is connected to the refrigerant pipe from the expansion valve 17 via the distributor 60, and is connected to the refrigerant pipe from the four-way valve 18 via the header 61. The distributor 60 has a function of branching the refrigerant flowing from the expansion valve 17 to the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B, or a function of merging the refrigerant flowing from the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B and flowing to the expansion valve 17. The header 61 has a function of merging the refrigerant flowing from the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B and flowing to the four-way valve 18, or a function of branching the refrigerant flowing from the four-way valve 18 to the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B.

[0046] Each of the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B has passages as pipes through which a plurality of refrigerants flow. In the present embodiment, the first heat exchanger 14A has three passages 14A1 and the second heat exchanger 14B has five passages 14B1.

[0047] Therefore, the amount of refrigerant flowing through the first heat exchanger 14A and the amount of refrigerant flowing through the second heat exchanger 14B are different, and the amount of refrigerant flowing through the second heat exchanger 14B is larger than the amount of refrigerant flowing through the first heat exchanger 14A.

[0048] The number of passages 14A1 of the first heat exchanger 14A and the number of passages 14B1 of the second heat exchanger 14B are determined according to the difference between the amount of air sucked into the first heat exchanger 14A and the amount of air sucked into the second heat exchanger 14B through the Sirocco fan 24. In the present embodiment, since the amount of air sucked into the first heat exchanger 14A is less than the amount of air sucked into the second heat exchanger 14B, the number of passages 14A1 of the first heat exchanger 14A is less than the number of passages 14B1 of the second heat exchanger 14B.

[0049] Therefore, even if two indoor heat exchangers 14 are provided as in the present embodiment in order to increase the heat exchange capacity, when the amount of air flowing in the first heat exchanger 14A and the amount of air flowing in the second heat exchanger 14B are different, the imbalance between the temperature of the refrigerant flowing in the first heat exchanger 14A and the temperature of the refrigerant flowing in the second heat exchanger 14B can be improved by determining the number of passages 14A1 constituting the first heat exchanger 14A and the number of passages 14B1 constituting the second heat exchanger 14B according to the difference in the amount of air flowing.

[0050] Thus, when the heat exchangers 14A and 14B are sterilized by heating, the temperatures of the heat exchangers 14A and 14B can both be set to a predetermined temperature (for example, 55° C.).

[0051] In addition, in the present embodiment, the distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the first heat exchanger 14A is longer than the distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the second heat exchanger 14B. Therefore, the ventilation resistance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the first heat exchanger 14A is greater than the ventilation resistance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the second heat exchanger 14B. However, the ventilation resistance is affected not only by the length of the ventilation passage, but also by the cross-sectional area of ​​the ventilation passage, the shape of the interior of the ventilation passage, the friction coefficient of the internal surface of the ventilation passage, etc.

[0052] Therefore, for example, even if the distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the first heat exchanger 14A is the same as the distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the second heat exchanger 14B, when the cross-sectional area of ​​the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the first heat exchanger 14A is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the ventilation passage from the intake port 34 to the second heat exchanger 14B, the ventilation resistance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the first heat exchanger 14A is greater than the ventilation resistance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the second heat exchanger 14B. Therefore, by setting the number of passages 14A1 of the first heat exchanger 14A to be smaller than the number of passages 14B1 of the second heat exchanger 14B, the imbalance between the temperature of the refrigerant flowing in the first heat exchanger 14A and the temperature of the refrigerant flowing in the second heat exchanger 14B can be suppressed.

[0053] That is, the number of passages 14A1 constituting the first heat exchanger 14A and the number of passages 14B1 constituting the second heat exchanger 14B can be determined based on the ventilation resistance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the first heat exchanger 14A and the ventilation resistance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the second heat exchanger 14B.

[0054] In addition, when determining the number of passages 14A1 constituting the first heat exchanger 14A and the number of passages 14B1 constituting the second heat exchanger 14B, the ventilation resistance of the ventilation passage from each indoor heat exchanger 14A, 14B to the air outlet 35 will also affect the amount of air sucked into each indoor heat exchanger 14A, 14B respectively. Therefore, it is necessary to include the ventilation passage from each indoor heat exchanger 14A, 14B to the air outlet 35 and take the ventilation resistance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the air outlet 35 into consideration.

[0055] The indoor heat exchanger 14 is composed of two units, namely a first heat exchanger 14A and a second heat exchanger 14B, but the temperature sensor 26a for measuring the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 14 and the humidity sensor 26b for measuring the humidity of the indoor heat exchanger 14 do not need to be installed on each of the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B, and can be installed on either the first heat exchanger 14A or the second heat exchanger 14B. This is because, in the present embodiment, although the distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the first heat exchanger 14A is different from the distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the second heat exchanger 14B, the number of passages 14A1 constituting the first heat exchanger 14A and the number of passages 14B1 constituting the second heat exchanger 14B are determined accordingly, so it is difficult for the temperature of the refrigerant flowing in the first heat exchanger 14A and the temperature of the refrigerant flowing in the second heat exchanger 14B to become unbalanced, and therefore it is not necessary to install the temperature sensor 26a on each of the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B.

[0056] In this embodiment, if Figure 3 As shown, the temperature sensor 26a and the humidity sensor 26b are arranged on the surface and the lower side of the first space S1 side of the second heat exchanger 14B. Since the air inlet 34 is directly opened in the first space S1, if the temperature sensor 26a is arranged on the surface and the lower side of the first space S1 side of the second heat exchanger 14B, when the temperature sensor 26a and the humidity sensor 26b are maintained and inspected, they can be easily inspected from the air inlet 34.

[0057] The air conditioner 11 of the present embodiment performs the following heating and sterilization operation: by making the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B function as condensers and controlling the rotation speed of the Sirocco fan 24, the temperature of the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B is set to a temperature in a temperature band different from that of the heating operation, so as to heat the condensed water attached to the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B due to the cooling operation causing the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B to function as evaporators.

[0058] The heating and sterilization operation is performed as follows: the Sirocco fan 24 is driven at a speed lower than that in the heating operation without the purpose of regulating the indoor temperature, so that the temperature of the refrigerant flowing in the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B is heated to a temperature range different from that in the heating operation, for example, 55 to 59°C, thereby heating the condensed water generated on the surfaces of the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B without evaporating, thereby sterilizing the bacteria and mold in the condensed water by wet heat.

[0059] In the case of heating operation, the rotation speed of the Sirocco fan 24 is, for example, about 500 rpm to 1000 rpm, but in the case of heating and sterilization operation, the rotation speed of the Sirocco fan 24 is about 200 rpm. By making the rotation speed of the Sirocco fan 24 lower than that in the case of heating operation, the pressure of the high-pressure side refrigerant can be increased, and the temperature of the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B can be maintained at 55°C to 59°C.

[0060] The air conditioner 11 of this embodiment performs heating and sterilization of the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B by making the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B function as condensers, heating the condensed water attached to the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B when the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B function as evaporators at a temperature range different from that of the heating operation, i.e., 55 to 59°C. Therefore, sterilization can be performed at a low cost without providing a dedicated device, and sterilization can be performed even when the interior of the indoor unit 12 is in a high humidity state.

[0061] In addition, even when the distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the first heat exchanger 14A is different from the distance of the ventilation passage from the air intake port 34 to the second heat exchanger 14B, the number of passages 14A1 constituting the first heat exchanger 14A and the number of passages 14B1 constituting the second heat exchanger 14B are determined accordingly. Therefore, even in the state of heating and sterilization operation, the imbalance between the temperature of the refrigerant flowing in the first heat exchanger 14A and the temperature of the refrigerant flowing in the second heat exchanger 14B can be suppressed, thereby suppressing the imbalance of sterilization between the first heat exchanger 14A and the second heat exchanger 14B.

[0062] Although the above description has been made with reference to a limited number of embodiments, the scope of rights is not limited thereto, and modifications of the embodiments based on the above disclosure are obvious to those skilled in the art.

[0063] Explanation of symbols

[0064] 11…air conditioner, 13…outdoor unit, 12…indoor unit, 14…indoor heat exchanger, 14A…first heat exchanger, 14B…second heat exchanger, 14A1, 14B1…passage, 24…Sirocco fan, 26a…temperature sensor, 33…frame, 34…air intake port, 35…air outlet port, 40…drain pan, S1…first space, S2…second space, S3…third space, S4…wind guide passage, 45…blow-out ventilation passage.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that: The air conditioner comprises: a refrigeration circuit in which a compressor, a four-way valve, a plurality of indoor heat exchangers, and an expansion valve are connected for refrigerant circulation; an outdoor unit having the compressor and the four-way valve; and an indoor unit, which comprises a plurality of the indoor heat exchangers, an indoor unit fan, and a temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and being arranged on any one of the plurality of indoor heat exchangers, and is connected to the outdoor unit. The air conditioner controls at least the compressor, the indoor unit fan, and the four-way valve in such a way that the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger becomes a given temperature so that the plurality of indoor heat exchangers function as evaporators in the case of cooling and function as condensers in the case of heating, thereby adjusting the temperature of the room in which the indoor unit is arranged. The indoor unit comprises: The frame has an air intake port and an air outlet, and a plurality of ventilation channels are connected in parallel between the air intake port and the air outlet; at least one indoor heat exchanger is disposed in each ventilation channel of the plurality of ventilation channels; and The indoor unit fan guides the air sucked from the air intake port to the air outlet via the plurality of ventilation passages. According to the air supply of the indoor unit fan, the amount of air passing through one of the indoor heat exchangers differs from the amount of air passing through the other indoor heat exchangers due to ventilation resistance, and the amount of refrigerant flowing through one of the indoor heat exchangers arranged in a ventilation passage having a larger ventilation resistance and a smaller air amount than the other ventilation passages is set to be less than the amount of refrigerant flowing through the other indoor heat exchangers arranged in the other ventilation passages. The plurality of indoor heat exchangers are made to function as condensers, and condensed water adhering to the indoor heat exchangers when the plurality of indoor heat exchangers function as evaporators is heated to a predetermined temperature to perform heating and sterilization of the plurality of indoor heat exchangers.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frame is a box-shaped body having a front panel, a back panel, a top panel, a bottom panel, a left panel and a right panel. The bottom panel has the air outlet arranged on the front panel side and the air inlet arranged on the back panel side. The plurality of indoor heat exchangers include a first heat exchanger installed in the frame near the front panel as one of the indoor heat exchangers, and a second heat exchanger installed near the back panel as the other indoor heat exchanger. The indoor fan has a blow-out ventilation passage, and the indoor fan is arranged between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. The air conditioner comprises: a drain pan, disposed at the lower side of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, to collect condensed water attached to the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger; and a blow-out guide connecting the blow-out ventilation passage and the air blow-out port to guide the air blown out from the blow-out ventilation passage of the indoor unit fan to the air blow-out port, A first space having the air inlet opened therein is formed between the second heat exchanger and the back panel, a second space is formed between the first heat exchanger and the front panel, and a third space connecting the first space and the second space is formed between the drain pan and the bottom panel. The first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are arranged so that ventilation resistance of a ventilation passage from the air intake port through the third space and the second space to the first heat exchanger is greater than ventilation resistance of a ventilation passage from the air intake port through the first space to the second heat exchanger.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that: The temperature detection unit is disposed on the lower side of the second heat exchanger and on the first space side.

4. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: A plurality of the indoor heat exchangers are connected in parallel in the refrigeration circuit.

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