Indoor unit and heating and ventilation system

Abstract

The utility model discloses an indoor unit and a heating and ventilation system. The indoor unit comprises a shell, a heat exchanger and a refrigerant sensor. The shell defines an air duct, the heat exchanger is arranged in the air duct and comprises a side plate and a heat exchange pipeline, the side plate and the shell define a detection space, and the heat exchange pipeline penetrates through the side plate and is partially located in the detection space; the refrigerant sensor is arranged in the detection space so as to at least detect leaked refrigerants of the part, located in the detection space, of the heat exchanger pipeline. According to the technical scheme, at least the leaked refrigerant of the part, located in the detection space, of the heat exchange pipeline can be detected, and the safety of the indoor unit can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) technology, and particularly to an indoor unit and an HVAC system. Background Art

[0002] Currently, some HVAC devices, such as air conditioner indoor units, adjust the indoor temperature environment through circulating refrigerant and heat exchangers.

[0003] In related technologies, some parts of the relevant refrigerant pipelines of air conditioner indoor units are prone to refrigerant leakage, and some refrigerants have flammable and explosive characteristics, thus posing a safety hazard. Summary of the Utility Model

[0004] Embodiments of this application provide an indoor unit and an HVAC system that can improve the safety of the indoor unit.

[0005] In a first aspect, the indoor unit proposed in this application includes:

[0006] A housing that defines an air duct;

[0007] A heat exchanger disposed in the air duct, including side plates and heat exchange pipelines. The side plates and the housing define a detection space, and the heat exchange pipelines pass through the side plates and partially extend into the detection space; and

[0008] A refrigerant sensor disposed in the detection space to detect at least the refrigerant leaked from the part of the heat exchanger pipeline located in the detection hole member.

[0009] In one embodiment, the heat exchanger includes at least two side plates. At least two side plates respectively define a pipe end chamber and an outlet pipe chamber with the housing. The detection space includes the pipe end chamber and the outlet pipe chamber. The heat exchange pipeline has a bent pipe section and an outlet pipe section connected to each other. The bent pipe section is located in the pipe end chamber, and the outlet pipe section is located in the outlet pipe chamber;

[0010] The pipe end chamber and the outlet pipe chamber are communicated, and at least one of the pipe end chamber and the outlet pipe chamber is provided with the refrigerant sensor.

[0011] In one embodiment, it further includes a first connecting pipe that defines a first connecting channel, and the first connecting channel communicates the pipe end chamber and the outlet pipe chamber.

[0012] In one embodiment, along the air flow direction of the air duct, the first connecting pipe is located downstream of the heat exchanger.

[0013] In one embodiment, the pipe end chamber and the outlet pipe chamber are respectively located on opposite sides of the air duct, and the extending direction of the first connecting pipe forms an angle with the extending direction of the air duct.

[0014] In one embodiment, the housing includes an air duct housing and a sealed side housing. The air duct housing defines at least part of the side walls of the air duct. The sealed side housing is connected to the air duct housing and is located on one side of the air duct.

[0015] At least two of the side plates include a first side plate that connects to the sealed side housing and defines the pipe end chamber.

[0016] In one embodiment, at least two of the side plates further include a second side plate that is spaced apart from the first side plate, and a receiving groove is defined between the second side plate and the inner side wall of the air duct housing away from the first side plate.

[0017] The housing further includes a water receiving tray. The water receiving tray includes a main water receiving tray and a sub-water receiving tray. The main water receiving tray is connected to the air duct housing and defines the air duct with the air duct housing. The sub-water receiving tray is connected to one side of the main water receiving tray and covers the notch of the receiving groove to define the outlet pipe chamber.

[0018] In one embodiment, an overpipe opening is provided on one side of the housing. One end of the heat exchange pipeline passes through the overpipe opening and extends out of the housing to form a connection head for connecting to an external pipeline.

[0019] The indoor unit further includes a shielding cover. The shielding cover is provided on the outer side of the housing and has a shielding cavity communicating with the detection space. The connection head is located in the shielding cavity.

[0020] In one embodiment, a second connecting pipe is further included. The second connecting pipe is connected to the housing and defines a second connecting channel that communicates the detection space and the shielding cavity.

[0021] In one embodiment, the detection space includes an outlet pipe chamber. An outlet pipe section is provided on one side of the heat exchange pipeline close to the overpipe opening. The outlet pipe section is located in the outlet pipe chamber, and one end of the outlet pipe section passes through the overpipe opening and extends out of the housing to form the connection head. The shielding cavity communicates with the outlet pipe chamber.

[0022] In one embodiment, the refrigerant sensor is disposed in the outlet pipe chamber.

[0023] And / or, the refrigerant sensor is disposed close to the bottom of the housing.

[0024] In one embodiment, the housing includes a housing main body and a pipe pressing plate detachably connected to the housing main body. The pipe pressing plate is spaced apart from the second side plate and forms part of the side wall of the outlet pipe chamber.

[0025] The housing main body and the pipe pressing plate cooperate to define the outlet pipe orifice, and the shielding cover is connected to the housing main body and shields at least a part of the pipe pressing plate.

[0026] In one embodiment, the refrigerant sensor is disposed on a side of the pipe pressing plate facing the heat exchanger main body.

[0027] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, which includes an outdoor unit and the indoor unit as described in any one of the above, and the outdoor unit is connected to the indoor unit through a pipeline.

[0028] In the embodiment of the present application, a detection space is arranged in the indoor unit, and a refrigerant sensor is arranged in the detection space to detect the leaked refrigerant in the detection space, which is convenient for timely response and timely treatment, and is beneficial to eliminating potential safety hazards. The detection space is arranged near the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes side plates and heat exchange pipelines. The heat exchange pipelines penetrate through the side plates, and the side plates and the housing define the detection space. A part of the heat exchange pipelines is located in the detection space. By defining the detection space by the side plates and the housing, targeted protection is carried out on the part of the heat exchange pipelines passing through the side plates. Not only can the leaked refrigerant of this part of the heat exchange pipelines be quickly detected, but it is also more conducive to the quick response of subsequent treatment, and can also prevent the refrigerant from flowing into the air duct to a certain extent, thereby effectively controlling the range of refrigerant leakage and improving the safety of the indoor unit. Description of the Drawings

[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the following drawings are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings.

[0030] Figure 1 Schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the indoor unit of the present application;

[0031] Figure 2 For Figure 1 exploded structural diagram of the indoor unit in

[0032] Figure 3 For Figure 1 bottom structural diagram of the indoor unit after removing the water receiving tray;

[0033] Figure 4 Partial structural diagram of another embodiment of the indoor unit of the present application;

[0034] Figure 5 Partial bottom structural diagram of still another embodiment of the indoor unit of the present application;

[0035] Figure 6 For Figure 2 the enlarged structural schematic diagram at position A in

[0036] Figure 7 the installation schematic diagram of the piping pressing plate of the present application;

[0037] Figure 8 the partial three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the indoor unit of the present application.

[0038] Explanation of the reference numerals in the drawings:

[0039] 100, indoor unit; 100a, detection space;

[0040] 10, housing; 10a, air duct; 10b, pipe outlet chamber; 10c, air inlet; 10d, air outlet; 11, air duct housing; 111, cover housing; 111a, pipe passing opening; 1111, housing main body; 1111a, first notch; 1113, piping pressing plate; 1113a, second notch; 113, volute; 13, water receiving tray; 131, main water receiving tray; 133, auxiliary water receiving tray; 15, sealed side housing; 15a, pipe end chamber; 151, side housing main body; 153, connecting portion; 30, heat exchanger; 31, first side plate; 33, second side plate; 35, heat exchange pipeline; 351, elbow section; 353, pipe outlet section; 355, connector; 50, shielding cover; 50a, shielding chamber; 60, first connecting pipe; 70, second connecting pipe; 80, refrigerant sensor; 90, fan;

[0041] 200, external pipeline.

[0042] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of the present application will be further described with reference to the embodiments and the accompanying drawings. Specific embodiments

[0043] To make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present application clearer, the following will further describe the embodiments of the present application in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] When the following description relates to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present application. On the contrary, they are merely examples of devices and methods that are consistent with some aspects of the present application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0045] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to specific circumstances. In addition, in the description of the present application, unless otherwise specified, "a plurality of" means two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0046] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which this application belongs. The terms used in the description of this specification are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application. The term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0047] An embodiment of the present application provides a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The HVAC system includes an outdoor unit and an indoor unit 100. The outdoor unit and the indoor unit 100 are connected by pipelines, and a working medium for heat exchange, such as refrigerant, circulates between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit 100 through pipes.

[0048] The indoor unit 100 can be installed at positions such as the indoor ceiling or wall for adjusting the indoor temperature environment. It can be in the form of a duct machine or a ceiling machine, etc., and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this. Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , in some embodiments, the indoor unit 100 is in the form of a ceiling machine and includes a housing 10, a fan 90, a heat exchanger 30, and a refrigerant sensor 80. The housing 10 is provided with an air duct 10a, and an air inlet 10c and an air outlet 10d that are located at both ends of the air duct 10a and communicate with the air duct 10a. Both the heat exchanger 30 and the fan 90 are arranged in the air duct 10a.

[0049] For the convenience of description, in the present application, the up-down direction ZZ, the front-back direction YY, and the left-right direction XX are defined, and the up-down direction ZZ, the front-back direction YY, and the left-right direction XX are arranged at an angle to each other in pairs.

[0050] In the embodiments of the present application, the housing 10 is connected to the indoor ceiling or wall, and is used to provide an installation basis for other structural components in the air conditioner indoor unit 100. The housing 10 can adopt various shapes according to actual needs. For example, the housing 10 can be generally in the shape of a cuboid for easy installation. The housing 10 is constructed to form the above-mentioned air duct 10a for gas flow. The air duct 10a extends in the front-back direction. The air inlet 10c is arranged at the rear part of the housing 10, and the air outlet 10d is arranged at the front part of the housing 10, so that gas can enter the air duct 10a through the air inlet 10c, move from back to front through the heat exchanger 30 and the fan 90, and then flow out through the air outlet 10d.

[0051] The fan 90 is arranged in the air duct 10a, and can extract the gas at the air inlet 10c and do work on it to provide power for the gas circulation in the air duct 10a. The fan 90 can be a cross-flow fan, a centrifugal fan or an axial-flow fan, etc. In one embodiment, the fan 90 can be selected as a cross-flow fan, and the cross-flow fan has the advantages of energy saving, large air volume, low noise and simple installation. In this embodiment, the fan 90 includes an impeller and a motor. The impeller is arranged in a long cylindrical shape extending in the left-right direction XX. The motor is arranged at one end of the impeller and is connected to the housing 10, and the output shaft of the motor is connected to the impeller. One side in the circumferential direction of the impeller is generally oriented towards the air inlet 10c, and this side of the impeller is defined as the air inlet side; the other side spaced from the air inlet side in the circumferential direction of the impeller is generally oriented towards the air outlet 10d, and this side of the impeller is defined as the air outlet side. A plurality of blades are distributed along the circumferential direction of the impeller. When the motor drives the impeller to rotate, the rotating blades can promote the gas to flow from the air inlet side to the air outlet side.

[0052] The heat exchanger 30 can be arranged on the side of the fan 90 close to the air outlet 10d or on the side of the fan 90 close to the air inlet 10c, and is used to perform heat exchange with the gas flowing through the air duct 10a and passing through the heat exchanger 30, so as to cool or heat the gas. Optionally, to improve the heat exchange efficiency, the heat exchanger 30 can be arranged in a U shape, an arc shape or a wavy shape, and can be composed of a single heat exchange fin or a combination of multiple heat exchange fins. In the embodiments shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the air inlet 10c is arranged below the housing 10, and the heat exchanger 30 is arranged obliquely. On the one hand, the oblique arrangement can enable the heat exchanger 30 to have a larger heat exchange area with the flowing gas. On the other hand, it can also reduce the included angle between the air flow entering from the air inlet 10c and the heat exchanger 30, and the air flow can pass through the heat exchanger 30 more smoothly, thereby further improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0053] Specifically, the heat exchanger 30 includes side plates and heat exchange pipelines 35. The side plates are used to be fixedly connected to the housing 10 to provide an installation basis for the heat exchange pipelines 35. In some embodiments, the heat exchanger 30 includes at least two side plates, and the at least two side plates are arranged on at least two sides of the heat exchange pipelines 35 to fix the heat exchange pipelines 35 on at least two sides. To improve the structural strength, the side plates can be made of metal materials such as aluminum or steel. Through holes are provided on the side plates so that the heat exchange pipelines 35 can pass through the through holes and be arranged on the side plates. The heat exchange pipelines 35 are used for working media such as refrigerant to flow through, so as to exchange heat with the air flow passing through the heat exchange management. Optionally, the heat exchange pipelines 35 are made of stainless steel pipes or copper pipes with a smaller diameter. To improve the heat exchange efficiency, the number of through holes on each side plate is multiple, and the heat exchange pipelines 35 reciprocally pass through at least two side plates. Of course, to further improve the heat exchange efficiency, in some embodiments, the heat exchanger 30 further includes a plurality of heat exchange fins, and the plurality of heat exchange fins can be arranged at intervals in any direction, and the heat exchange pipelines 35 pass through the plurality of heat exchange fins to increase the contact area between the heat exchanger 30 and the air flow in the air duct 10a, thereby effectively improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0054] It can be understood that during the manufacturing process of the heat exchange pipelines 35, bending or welding will inevitably be carried out. For example, when reciprocally passing through the above-mentioned side plates, it is necessary to bend the heat exchange pipes forming the heat exchange pipelines 35; and at the splicing joints of the heat exchange pipes, welding is mostly used for connection. The stress conditions at the bending or welding joints of the heat exchange pipes are relatively complex, and it is relatively easy to rupture in some cases, causing the refrigerant flowing inside to leak out, and some refrigerants have flammable and explosive properties, which are likely to cause safety accidents.

[0055] Please refer to Figure 3 , in the embodiment of the present application, a detection space 100a is formed in the indoor unit 100, and the refrigerant sensor 80 is arranged in the detection space 100a to detect the refrigerant in the detection space 100a. The detection space 100a is defined by the side plates and the housing 10. Exemplarily, a side plate is provided on the right side of the heat exchange pipelines 35 along the left-right direction XX, and the side plate is spaced from a part of the right side wall inside the housing 10, thereby defining the detection space 100a. The heat exchange pipelines 35 pass through the side plates, and a part is located between the side plates and the side wall of the housing 10, that is, located in the detection space 100a. It can be understood that the part of the heat exchange pipelines 35 located in the detection space 100a is prone to refrigerant leakage, and the leaked refrigerant enters the detection space 100a. The refrigerant sensor 80 can be arranged on any wall surface in the detection space 100a. For example, the refrigerant sensor 80 can be arranged on a part of the right side wall inside the housing 10 to detect the refrigerant entering the detection space 100a. Of course, in the embodiment of the present application, the side plate can also be arranged on the left side of the heat exchange pipelines 35 along the left-right direction XX, or on the lower side of the heat exchange pipelines 35 along the up-down direction ZZ, etc., and define the detection space 100a with the housing 10. The present application does not limit this.

[0056] In this way, the embodiment of the present application detects the refrigerant leaking in the detection space 100a by setting a detection space 100a in the indoor unit 100 and setting a refrigerant sensor 80 in the detection space 100a, so as to facilitate timely response and timely treatment, which is conducive to eliminating safety hazards. The detection space 100a is set near the heat exchanger 30, and the heat exchanger 30 includes a side plate and a heat exchange pipeline 35. The heat exchange pipeline 35 is penetrated by the side plate. The side plate and the shell 10 define the detection space 100a, and part of the heat exchange pipeline 35 is located in the detection space 100a. The detection space 100a is defined by the side plate and the shell 10, and the part of the heat exchange pipeline 35 passing through the side plate is targetedly protected, which can not only quickly detect the refrigerant leaking from the part of the heat exchange pipeline 35, but also facilitate the rapid response of subsequent treatment, and can also reduce or avoid the refrigerant from flowing into the air duct 10a to a certain extent, thereby effectively controlling the scope of refrigerant leakage and improving the safety of the indoor unit 100.

[0057] Optionally, the side plate is sealed and connected to the shell 10 so that the detection space 100a is isolated from the air duct 10a. In this way, the leaked refrigerant in the heat exchange pipeline 35 located in the detection space 100a can be confined to the detection space 100a, preventing the refrigerant from entering the air duct 10a and expanding the influence range of the refrigerant by circulating through the air duct 10a, thereby further improving safety.

[0058] like Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment, the heat exchanger 30 includes at least two side plates, and the at least two side plates are arranged at intervals and are arranged on different sides of the heat exchange pipeline 35. For example, at least two side plates can be arranged at intervals in the left-right direction XX. At least two side plates and the inner wall of the shell 10 define at least two parts of space, namely, the tube end chamber 15a and the tube outlet chamber 10b. The tube end chamber 15a and the tube outlet chamber 10b respectively constitute part of the detection space 100a, and the tube end chamber 15a and the tube outlet chamber 10b can be isolated from the air duct 10a. The heat exchange pipeline 35 includes a connected curved pipe section 351, a straight pipe section and an outlet pipe section 353. The straight pipe section is arranged between at least two side plates, the curved pipe section 351 is arranged at one end of the straight pipe section, and is passed through at least one of the side plates, and the outlet pipe section 353 is arranged at one end of the straight pipe section away from the curved pipe section 351. Optionally, the curved pipe section 351 has a bent pipe section, and the outlet pipe section 353 is connected to multiple pipes by welding. In this embodiment, the curved pipe section 351 is located in the pipe end chamber 15a, and the outlet pipe section 353 is located in the outlet pipe chamber 10b. In this way, this embodiment can form the pipe end chamber 15a and the outlet pipe chamber 10b for the curved pipe section 351 and the outlet pipe section 353 of the heat exchange pipe 35, which are prone to leakage, while avoiding the air duct 10a and not affecting the heat exchange.

[0059] In the embodiments of the present application, the pipe end chamber 15a communicates with the outlet pipe chamber 10b. The refrigerant sensor 80 can be disposed in the pipe end chamber 15a or the outlet pipe chamber 10b. Thus, when refrigerant leakage occurs in any one of the bent pipe section 351 or the outlet pipe section 353, the refrigerant can be detected by the refrigerant sensor 80, improving safety. For example, the refrigerant sensor 80 can be disposed in the outlet pipe chamber 10b, which can not only detect the refrigerant leaked from the outlet pipe section 353, but also detect the refrigerant entering the outlet pipe chamber 10b from the pipe end chamber 15a when refrigerant leakage occurs in the bent pipe section 351.

[0060] Please refer to Figure 2 , in some specific embodiments of the present application, the housing 10 includes an air duct housing 11 and a water receiving tray 13. The air duct housing 11 and the water receiving tray 13 are connected and cooperate to define the above-mentioned air duct 10a and the air inlet 10c and the air outlet 10d communicating with the air duct 10a, so that gas can enter the air duct 10a from the air inlet 10c and finally flow out from the air outlet 10d.

[0061] Wherein, the air duct housing 11 and the water receiving tray 13 can be made of metal materials such as aluminum alloy or stainless steel respectively to meet the requirements of high strength and corrosion resistance; or, the air duct housing 11 and the water receiving tray 13 can also be made of plastic materials to realize the lightweight of the air duct 10a assembly, and the present application does not limit this.

[0062] Please continue to refer to Figure 2 , and in combination with Figure 4 , further, the air duct housing 11 includes a cover housing 111 and a volute 113. The volute 113 defines at least the air duct 10a with the water receiving tray 13. The cover housing 111 covers the volute 113 to play a supporting and protecting role. The volute 113 defines the top wall and at least part of the left and right side walls of the air duct 10a, and the water receiving tray 13 defines the bottom wall of the air duct 10a. The housing 10 further includes a sealing side housing 15. The sealing side housing 15 is connected to a part of one of the side walls formed by the volute 113, so as to be disposed on one side of the air duct 10a. For example, the part of the volute 113 forming the side wall of the air duct 10a is spaced from the air inlet 10c. The sealing side housing 15 is connected to the left part of the volute 113 and is disposed on the left side of the air duct 10a. Define one of at least two side plates as the first side plate 31. The bent pipe section 351 in the heat exchange pipeline 35 penetrates through the first side plate 31. The first side plate 31 is connected to the sealing side housing 15, so as to form a pipe end chamber 15a with the sealing side housing 15. Specifically, the sealing side housing 15 has the same extending direction as the first side plate 31 and has an opening facing the first side plate 31. The first side plate 31 seals the above-mentioned opening to form a pipe end chamber 15a with the sealing side housing 15 and makes the bent pipe section 351 located in the pipe end chamber 15a. Thus, while the first side plate 31 and the sealing side housing 15 cooperate to form the pipe end chamber 15a, the structure is simple and convenient for assembly.

[0063] Among them, the sealed side shell 15 and the first side plate 31 can be connected by snap or bolt connection, etc., and the present application does not limit this. The sealed side shell 15 and the volute 113 can be a split structure or an integral member. When the two are integral members, integral injection molding can be selected, which has high processing efficiency and good structural integrity. Of course, the sealed side shell 15 can also be directly connected to the housing 111 and can be connected to the first side plate 31 in a manner different from the previous embodiment. On the premise that the sealed side shell 15 and the first side plate 31 can cooperate to form the pipe end chamber 15a, the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0064] Please refer to Figure 5 , in an embodiment, at least two side plates further include a second side plate 33. The second side plate 33 and the first side plate 31 are spaced apart in the left-right direction XX. The part of the heat exchange pipeline 35 passing through the second side plate 33 is the above-mentioned outlet pipe section 353. The second side plate 33 is spaced apart from the side of the air duct housing 11 away from the first side plate 31 and defines a receiving groove. Specifically, the right side part of the volute 113 is spaced apart from a part of the right side wall of the housing 111. The second side plate 33 is connected to the right side part of the volute 113. The second side plate 33, the right side part of the volute 113 and the right side wall of the housing 111 define the receiving groove, and the opening of the receiving groove faces downward. The water receiving tray 13 includes a main water receiving tray 131 and a secondary water receiving tray 133. The main water receiving tray 131 is connected to the air duct housing 11 (volute 113) and defines a part of the air duct 10a. The heat exchanger 30 is arranged on the main water receiving tray 131. The secondary water receiving tray 133 is connected to the right side of the main water receiving tray 131 and is fixedly connected to the housing 111 so that the secondary water receiving tray 133 covers the opening of the receiving groove and cooperates to form the above-mentioned outlet pipe chamber 10b. It can be understood that the outlet pipe section 353 is located in the outlet pipe chamber 10b. In this embodiment, the outlet pipe chamber 10b is defined by the air duct housing 11, the second side plate 33 and the secondary water receiving tray 133, and the construction of the outlet pipe chamber 10b can be completed during the assembly of the housing 10, improving the assembly efficiency.

[0065] Of course, the outlet pipe chamber 10b can also be directly formed by the air duct housing 11 and the second side plate 33, and the present application will not elaborate on this here.

[0066] Furthermore, a first seal can be filled at the connection gap between the sealed side shell 15 and the first side plate 31, and a second seal is provided at the connection gaps between the second side plate 33, the secondary water receiving tray 133 and the air duct housing 11 to further improve the tightness of the pipe end chamber 15a and the outlet pipe chamber 10b, so that both the pipe end chamber 15a and the outlet pipe chamber 10b are isolated from the air duct 10a, effectively avoiding the refrigerant in the pipe end chamber 15a and the outlet pipe chamber 10b from escaping into the air duct 10a. Optionally, the first seal and the second seal can be sealing materials made of sealant or rubber.

[0067] To connect the pipe end chamber 15a and the outlet pipe chamber 10b, the indoor unit 100 further includes a first connecting pipe 60. The first connecting pipe 60 defines a first connecting channel. Both ends of the first connecting pipe 60 extend into the pipe end chamber 15a and the outlet pipe chamber 10b respectively, so that the first connecting channel connects the pipe end chamber 15a and the outlet pipe chamber 10b. The first connecting pipe 60 can be made of metal or plastic, and the cross-sectional shape of the first connecting pipe 60 can be circular, square, etc., which is not limited in detail in the embodiments of the present application.

[0068] In the Figure 3 shown embodiment, the pipe end chamber 15a and the outlet pipe chamber 10b are respectively located on opposite sides of the air duct 10a, specifically on the left and right sides of the air duct 10a. The first connecting pipe 60 extends in a direction forming an angle with the extending direction of the air duct 10a to span the air duct 10a and connect the pipe end chamber 15a and the outlet pipe chamber 10b. This can avoid complex design of the first connecting pipe 60 and has less influence on the air flow in the air duct 10a, thereby improving the production and assembly efficiency.

[0069] Specifically, in combination with Figure 4 and Figure 6 , in an embodiment, the sealed side shell 15 includes a side shell body 151 and a connecting portion 153. The side shell body 151 is connected to the first side plate 31 and forms the above-mentioned pipe end chamber 15a. The connecting portion 153 is provided on one side of the side shell body 151, with a connecting cavity formed therein and communicating with the pipe end chamber 15a through a communication port. One end of the first connecting pipe 60 is connected to the connecting portion 153, and the first connecting channel is communicated with the connecting cavity. In this way, the refrigerant in the pipe end chamber 15a can enter the connecting cavity through the communication port and enter the first connecting channel through the connecting cavity. It can be understood that in this embodiment, the pipe end chamber 15a is communicated with the first connecting channel through the connecting cavity formed by the connecting portion 153 provided on one side of the sealed side shell 15, which not only separates the first connecting pipe 60 from the heat exchange pipeline 35 to avoid mutual interference, but also avoids the bending part for connection at the end of the first connecting pipe 60, which may cause refrigerant leakage at the end of the first connecting pipe 60, further improving safety.

[0070] On the other side of the housing 10, the volute 113, or the volute 113 and other parts of the housing 10 such as the second side plate 33 and the auxiliary water receiving tray 133 define an avoidance port communicating with the outlet pipe chamber 10b. The end of the first connecting pipe 60 far from the pipe end chamber 15a can directly pass through the avoidance port and extend into the outlet pipe chamber 10b, so that the first connecting channel is communicated with the outlet pipe chamber 10b.

[0071] Understandably, the connection manner of the first connecting pipe 60 to the housing 10 is not limited to the above-described embodiments. On the premise of realizing the communication between the pipe end chamber 15a and the outlet pipe chamber 10b, the embodiments of the present application do not limit this too much here.

[0072] Further, in some embodiments, along the air flow direction of the air duct 10a, the first connecting pipe 60 is located downstream of the heat exchanger 30. As can be seen from the figure, the heat exchanger 30 is inclined. If the first connecting pipe 60 is arranged upstream of the heat exchanger 30, the water condensed when the heat exchanger 30 works is likely to drip onto the first connecting pipe 60. In the long run, it is likely to affect the service life of the first connecting pipe 60 and increase the risk of refrigerant leakage. In this embodiment, the first connecting pipe 60 is arranged downstream of the heat exchanger 30, which not only avoids the first connecting pipe 60 interfering with the connecting pipeline, but also further improves the safety of the indoor unit 100.

[0073] Understandably, in other embodiments, in addition to using the first connecting pipe 60 to communicate the pipe end chamber 15a and the outlet pipe chamber 10b, a connection channel communicating the pipe end chamber 15a and the outlet pipe chamber 10b can also be formed by the housing 10 itself. For example, the above connection channel can be formed by a structure between the volute 113 and the cover 111, or the volute 113 itself can form the connection channel.

[0074] Please refer to Figure 5, one side of the housing 10 is provided with a pipe passing orifice 111a. One end of the heat exchange pipeline 35 passes through the housing 10 through the pipe passing orifice 111a and forms a connector 355 for connecting with the external pipeline 200. The connector 355 and the external pipeline 200 can be connected by means of threading or welding, etc. Obviously, refrigerant leakage is also likely to occur at the connector 355. Therefore, in some embodiments of the present application, the indoor unit 100 further includes a shielding cover 50. The shielding cover 50 is arranged outside the housing 10 and has a shielding cavity 50a communicating with the detection space 100a. The connector 355 is located in the shielding cavity 50a. It can be understood that if there is refrigerant leakage at the connector 355, since the shielding cavity 50a and the detection space 100a are communicated, the refrigerant will flow into the detection space 100a and can be detected by the refrigerant sensor 80. Of course, refrigerant sensors 80 can also be arranged in both the shielding cavity 50a and the detection space 100a to be able to detect the refrigerant in the shielding cavity 50a and the detection space 100a in a timely manner. In this way, in the embodiments of the present application, by arranging the shielding cover 50 outside the housing 10 and the shielding cover 50 is provided with the shielding cavity 50a communicating with the detection space 100a, the refrigerant leaked at the connector 355 can be detected by the refrigerant sensor 80 in a timely manner, which is beneficial to quickly give an alarm and remind, strive for time for quickly dealing with the refrigerant leakage, and reduce or avoid accidents caused by the refrigerant leakage. Moreover, the shielding cover 50 can also shield the refrigerant leaked at the connector 355, reduce or avoid the situation that the refrigerant quickly leaks into the room, so as to be more conducive to avoiding safety accidents and further improving the safety of the refrigerant switching device.

[0075] In a specific embodiment, one end of the pipe outlet section 353 in the pipe outlet chamber 10b passes through the housing 10 through the pipe passing orifice 111a and forms the above-mentioned connector 355, and the shielding cavity 50a communicates with the pipe outlet chamber 10b. Optionally, the number of the pipe passing orifices 111a is two to facilitate the liquid pipe and the gas pipe of the pipe outlet section 353 to extend. Combining Figure 3 and Figure 5 , in this embodiment, the pipe end chamber 15a, the pipe outlet chamber 10b and the shielding cavity 50a communicate with each other. The refrigerant sensor 80 can be arranged in at least one of the pipe end chamber 15a, the pipe outlet chamber 10b and the shielding cavity 50a. Among them, the bent pipe section 351 of the heat exchange pipeline 35 is arranged in the pipe end chamber 15a, the pipe outlet section 353 is arranged in the pipe outlet chamber 10b, and the connector 355 is arranged in the shielding cavity 50a. When refrigerant leakage occurs in any of the pipeline parts in the pipe end chamber 15a, the pipe outlet chamber 10b and the shielding cavity 50a, due to the mutual communication relationship among the three, the refrigerant can reach the chamber where the refrigerant sensor 80 is located and be detected by the refrigerant sensor 80, so as to more comprehensively realize the detection of refrigerant leakage of the indoor unit 100 and further improve the safety of the indoor unit 100.

[0076] In one embodiment, the pipe passing orifice 111a is provided on the right side plate of the air duct housing 11. The shape of the pipe passing orifice 111a is not limited in this embodiment, as long as the heat exchange pipeline 35 can pass through it. Among them, the pipe passing orifice 111a can be integrally formed on the air duct housing 11 by stamping. As Figure 7 shown, it can also be that the air duct housing 11 includes a housing main body 1111 and a pipe pressing plate 1113 detachably connected to the housing main body 1111. The pipe pressing plate 1113 is spaced from the second side plate 33 and forms a part of the right side wall of the pipe outlet chamber 10b. Specifically, a first notch 1111a is formed on the right side plate of the housing main body 1111, and a second notch 1113a opposite to the first notch 1111a is formed on the pipe pressing plate 1113. The first notch 1111a and the second notch 1113a communicate to form the above-mentioned pipe passing orifice 111a. In this way, during assembly, the pipe outlet section 353 can be first placed into the first notch 1111a, and then the pipe pressing plate 1113 is connected to the housing main body 1111 so that the second notch 1113a accommodates the pipe outlet section 353. Obviously, the cooperation of the housing main body 1111 and the pipe pressing plate 1113 can facilitate the disassembly and assembly of the heat exchange pipeline 35 and improve work efficiency.

[0077] Among them, the pipe pressing plate 1113 and the housing main body 1111 can be connected by bolts or snap connections, etc., and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this. The shielding cover 50 shields the pipe pressing plate 1113 to prevent the refrigerant from flowing out from the connection gap of the pipe pressing plate 1113.

[0078] The shielding cover 50 and the housing 10 can be spaced apart, or can be connected to the housing 10 to improve stability. Please refer to Figure 5 In one embodiment, the indoor unit 100 further includes a second connecting pipe 70. The second connecting pipe 70 is connected to the air duct housing 11 and defines a second connecting channel. One end of the second connecting channel is located in the shielding cavity 50a, and the other end is located in the detection space 100a (pipe outlet chamber 10b) so that the second connecting channel communicates the detection space 100a and the shielding cavity 50a. The second connecting pipe 70 can be made of metal or plastic, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this. In this embodiment, the second connecting pipe 70 is used to connect the shielding cavity 50a and the detection space 100a. On the one hand, the structure is relatively simple and easy to implement. On the other hand, the second connecting pipe 70 can also play a guiding role, enabling the refrigerant to quickly enter the detection space 100a from the shielding cavity 50a, so that the refrigerant can be detected faster, which is beneficial to subsequent processing and improves the safety of the indoor unit 100.

[0079] In other embodiments of the present application, the shielding cover 50 is connected to the housing 10. A gap is formed between the wall surface of the housing 10 forming the pipe passing orifice 111a and the pipe portion passing through the pipe passing orifice 111a. The shielding cavity 50a and the detection space 100a can communicate with each other through this gap. For example, the pipe passing orifice 111a is circularly arranged, the pipe passing through the pipe passing orifice 111a is a cylindrical pipe, and the inner diameter of the pipe passing orifice 111a is larger than the outer diameter of the pipe, so that the above-mentioned gap can be formed therebetween. The communication between the shielding cavity 50a and the detection space 100a is realized through the pipe passing orifice 111a. The leaked refrigerant at the connector 355 can enter the installation cavity along the pipe through the pipe passing orifice 111a, without the need for additional openings in the housing 10. The structure is relatively simple and easy to implement, improving production efficiency. Of course, the housing 10 can be additionally provided with a ventilation hole communicating the installation cavity and the detection space 100a, which will not be elaborated in the embodiments of the present application. In this embodiment, the shielding cover 50 covers the outside of the housing 10, and the communication port is arranged on the side of the housing 10 close to the shielding cover 50.

[0080] Furthermore, the shielding cover 50 can be hermetically connected to the housing 10, so as to prevent the leaked refrigerant at the connector 355 from flowing out between the shielding cover 50 and the housing 10. This not only allows more refrigerant to enter the detection space 100a and be quickly detected by the refrigerant sensor 80 in the installation cavity, but also reduces or avoids the flow of refrigerant into the room, thereby improving the safety factor and avoiding safety accidents. For example, a sealing gasket is provided between the shielding cover 50 and the housing 10 to fill the gap between the shielding cover 50 and the housing 10.

[0081] Please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 8 , in an embodiment, the refrigerant sensor 80 is arranged in the outlet pipe chamber 10b, and the shielding cavity 50a communicates with the outlet pipe chamber 10b, which can effectively shorten the distance between the refrigerant in the shielding cavity 50a and the refrigerant sensor 80, facilitating the structural arrangement and facilitating the detection of the refrigerant in the shielding cavity 50a.

[0082] Specifically, the refrigerant sensor 80 can be arranged on the side of the pipe clamping plate 1113 facing the heat exchanger 30 body, so that the refrigerant sensor 80 can be connected to the pipe clamping plate 1113 before installing the pipe clamping plate 1113, and when connecting the pipe clamping plate 1113 to the housing main body 1111, the refrigerant sensor 80 can be assembled together, improving the assembly efficiency.

[0083] Furthermore, the refrigerant sensor 80 is disposed near the bottom of the housing 10, that is, the refrigerant sensor 80 is disposed in the lower portion of the housing 10 along the up-and-down direction ZZ. Since the density of the refrigerant is greater than that of air, the leaked refrigerant will sink to the bottom of the chamber. Disposing the refrigerant sensor 80 near the bottom of the housing 10 can be detected by the refrigerant sensor 80 more quickly, further shortening the detection time and improving the detection sensitivity of the refrigerant sensor 80.

[0084] Optionally, the refrigerant sensor 80 is electrically connected to the control module of the indoor unit 100. When the refrigerant sensor 80 detects refrigerant leakage, it sends a preset signal to the control module. After receiving the preset signal, the control module can perform operations such as power cut-off and warning. The embodiments of the present application will not elaborate here.

[0085] The above content mainly explains the specific implementation manner of the indoor unit 100 of the present application. It can be understood that since the HVAC systems proposed in other aspects of the present application all adopt all the technical solutions of the above-mentioned all embodiments, they at least have all the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be elaborated here one by one.

[0086] In the drawings of this embodiment, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components; in the description of the present application, it should be understood that if there are terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", etc. indicating the orientation or positional relationship, it is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms describing the positional relationship in the drawings are only for illustrative purposes and cannot be understood as a limitation of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0087] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, and improvements made within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. An indoor unit, characterized in that: include: a housing defining an air outlet duct; A heat exchanger is arranged in the air duct, comprising a side plate and a heat exchange pipeline, wherein the side plate and the shell define a detection space, and the heat exchange pipeline passes through the side plate and is partially located in the detection space; as well as A refrigerant sensor is arranged in the detection space to at least detect the refrigerant leaking from the portion of the heat exchanger pipeline located in the detection hole.

2. The indoor unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heat exchanger comprises at least two side plates, and the at least two side plates respectively define a tube end chamber and a tube outlet chamber with the shell, the detection space comprises the tube end chamber and the tube outlet chamber, the heat exchange pipeline comprises a bend section and a tube outlet section connected to each other, the bend section is located in the tube end chamber, and the tube outlet section is located in the tube outlet chamber; The tube end chamber is communicated with the tube outlet chamber, and the refrigerant sensor is disposed in at least one of the tube end chamber and the tube outlet chamber.

3. The indoor unit according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a first connecting pipe, which defines a first connecting channel, and the first connecting channel communicates with the tube end chamber and the tube outlet chamber.

4. The indoor unit according to claim 3, characterized in that: Along the air flow direction of the air duct, the first connecting pipe is located downstream of the heat exchanger.

5. The indoor unit according to claim 3, characterized in that: The tube end chamber and the tube outlet chamber are respectively located on two opposite sides of the air duct, and an extension direction of the first connecting tube is arranged at an angle to an extension direction of the air duct.

6. The indoor unit according to claim 2, characterized in that: The housing comprises an air duct shell and a sealing side shell, wherein the air duct shell defines at least a portion of a side wall of the air duct, and the sealing side shell is connected to the air duct shell and is located at one side of the air duct; At least two of the side plates include a first side plate, which is connected to the sealing side shell and defines the tube end chamber.

7. The indoor unit according to claim 6, characterized in that: At least two of the side plates further include a second side plate, the second side plate is spaced apart from the first side plate, and a receiving groove is defined between the second side plate and an inner side wall of the air duct shell away from the first side plate; The shell also includes a water receiving tray, which includes a main water receiving tray and an auxiliary water receiving tray. The main water receiving tray is connected to the air duct shell and defines the air duct with the air duct shell. The auxiliary water receiving tray is connected to one side of the main water receiving tray and covers the notch of the accommodating groove to define the outlet pipe chamber.

8. The indoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: A pipe opening is provided on one side of the shell, and one end of the heat exchange pipeline passes through the pipe opening to go out of the shell and forms a connector for connecting with an external pipeline; The indoor unit further comprises a shielding cover, which is arranged on the outer side of the shell and has a shielding cavity communicated with the detection space, and the connecting head is located in the shielding cavity.

9. The indoor unit according to claim 8, characterized in that: It also includes a second connecting pipe, which is connected to the shell and defines a second connecting channel, and the second connecting channel communicates with the detection space and the shielding cavity.

10. The indoor unit according to claim 8, characterized in that: The detection space includes an outlet pipe chamber, and a side of the heat exchange pipeline close to the pipe opening is provided with an outlet pipe section, the outlet pipe section is located in the outlet pipe chamber, and one end of the outlet pipe section passes through the pipe opening to the outside of the shell to form the connecting head, and the shielding cavity is connected to the outlet pipe chamber.

11. The indoor unit according to claim 10, characterized in that: The refrigerant sensor is arranged in the outlet tube chamber; And / or, the refrigerant sensor is arranged close to the bottom of the shell.

12. The indoor unit according to claim 10, characterized in that: The shell comprises a shell body and a pipe pressing plate detachably connected to the shell body, wherein the pipe pressing plate is spaced apart from the side plate and forms a part of the side wall of the pipe outlet chamber; The shell body cooperates with the pipe pressing plate to define the pipe opening, and the shielding cover is connected to the shell body and shields at least a portion of the pipe pressing plate.

13. The indoor unit according to claim 12, characterized in that: The refrigerant sensor is arranged on a side of the pipe pressing plate facing the heat exchanger body.

14. A HVAC system, characterized in that: The invention comprises an outdoor unit and an indoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the outdoor unit is connected to the indoor unit through a pipeline.

Images