Air conditioner

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of air conditioners, air conditioner includes compressor, multiple indoor heat exchangers, outdoor heat exchanger, multiple pass valve and control valve group, multiple pass valve is connected with import, export, the second end of indoor heat exchanger and the fourth end of outdoor heat exchanger respectively, to form refrigerant circuit, and refrigerant circuit is equipped with multiple heat exchange branch, multiple heat exchange branch is in parallel, multiple indoor heat exchangers are one-to-one on multiple heat exchange branch, control valve group is equipped on multiple heat exchange branch, control valve group controls refrigerant to flow through multiple indoor heat exchangers in turn, or, control valve group controls refrigerant shunt flow through multiple indoor heat exchangers.The air conditioner of the utility model is equipped with control valve group on multiple heat exchange branch, to change the refrigerant flow path on multiple heat exchange branch, so that it can simplify the valve body arrangement structure of air conditioner, reduce the use quantity of spare parts, be favorable to reduce manufacturing cost, refrigerant flow path and the failure rate of valve body can also be effectively reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and in particular to an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] The air conditioner in the related technology includes a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, an outdoor heat exchanger, and a multi-way valve. The multi-way valve is connected to the inlet and outlet of the compressor, the indoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor heat exchanger to form a refrigerant circuit.

[0003] Furthermore, the air conditioner also includes multiple valves and throttling elements. The air conditioner can switch the refrigerant flow direction in the refrigerant circuit by switching the state of the valves, thereby realizing the heating, cooling and dehumidification modes of the air conditioner.

[0004] However, due to the large number of valves in the refrigerant circuit of air conditioners in related technologies, and the dispersed distribution of valves in the refrigerant circuit, the valve arrangement structure is complex, which in turn leads to a complex refrigerant circuit structure. This not only increases the manufacturing cost of air conditioners, but also leads to an increase in the failure rate of refrigerant flow paths and valves. Utility Model Content

[0005] This utility model aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, one objective of this utility model is to provide an air conditioner in which the control valve assembly is located on multiple heat exchange branches to change the refrigerant flow path on multiple heat exchange branches. This simplifies the valve body arrangement structure of the air conditioner, reduces the number of parts used, helps to reduce manufacturing costs, and effectively reduces the failure rate of the refrigerant flow path and valve body.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, an air conditioner is proposed according to an embodiment of the present invention. The air conditioner includes: a compressor having an inlet and an outlet; an indoor heat exchanger having a first end and a second end, used for heat exchange with indoor air; an outdoor heat exchanger having a third end and a fourth end, used for heat exchange with outdoor air, and the third end of the outdoor heat exchanger being connected to the first end of the indoor heat exchanger; and a multi-way valve connected to the inlet, the outlet, the second end of the indoor heat exchanger, and the fourth end of the outdoor heat exchanger to form a refrigerant circuit. The air conditioner switches the state of the multi-way valve... The system is configured to control one of the indoor heat exchangers and the outdoor heat exchanger to act as a condenser and the other as an evaporator. The refrigerant circuit includes multiple heat exchange branches connected in parallel. One end of each heat exchange branch is connected to the third end of the outdoor heat exchanger, and the other end is connected to the multi-way valve. There are multiple indoor heat exchangers, each corresponding to one of the multiple heat exchange branches. The air conditioner also includes a control valve group located on the multiple heat exchange branches. The control valve group controls the refrigerant to flow sequentially through the multiple indoor heat exchangers, or controls the refrigerant to flow in a split stream through the multiple indoor heat exchangers.

[0007] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: By setting control valve groups on multiple heat exchange branches, and by adjusting the control valve groups, the refrigerant flow path on multiple heat exchange branches can be changed. The refrigerant flows sequentially through multiple indoor heat exchangers or flows in a split manner through multiple indoor heat exchangers, enabling the air conditioner to operate in heating, cooling, and dehumidification modes without cooling. Furthermore, it simplifies the valve body arrangement structure of the air conditioner, making the refrigerant circuit structure simpler. This not only reduces the number of components used, thus lowering the manufacturing cost of the air conditioner, but also effectively reduces the failure rate of the refrigerant flow path and valve body, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the air conditioner's operation.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the plurality of indoor heat exchangers include: a first indoor heat exchanger, the plurality of heat exchange branches including the first heat exchange branch, the first indoor heat exchanger being disposed on the first heat exchange branch; a second indoor heat exchanger, the plurality of heat exchange branches further including the second heat exchange branch, the second indoor heat exchanger being disposed on the second heat exchange branch; wherein, the control valve group controls the refrigerant to flow sequentially through the first indoor heat exchanger and the second indoor heat exchanger, or, the control valve group controls the refrigerant to flow in a split manner through the first indoor heat exchanger and the second indoor heat exchanger.

[0009] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: When the air conditioner is in cooling or heating mode, under the regulation of the control valve group, the refrigerant can flow through the first indoor heat exchanger and the second indoor heat exchanger. Through the simultaneous heat exchange with the indoor air in the first and second indoor heat exchangers, the heat exchange efficiency with the indoor air can be improved, thus better cooling or heating the room. When the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, under the regulation of the control valve group, the refrigerant can flow through the first and second indoor heat exchangers in sequence. The first indoor heat exchanger can act as a condenser, and the second indoor heat exchanger can act as an evaporator. In this way, the air conditioner can first absorb heat from the indoor air through the second indoor heat exchanger to cool and dehumidify the indoor air, and then heat the dehumidified air through the first indoor heat exchanger to achieve dehumidification of the room without cooling.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the control valve assembly includes: a first throttling element, one end of which is connected to the second end of the first indoor heat exchanger, and the other end of which is connected to the first end of the second indoor heat exchanger.

[0011] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: by closing the first throttling element, the first indoor heat exchanger and the second indoor heat exchanger can be connected in parallel; or, the first throttling element can be opened and the refrigerant can be throttled and cooled by the first throttling element, so that the first indoor heat exchanger and the second indoor heat exchanger can be connected in series, and the first throttling element can throttle and cool the refrigerant flowing to the second indoor heat exchanger, so that the refrigerant can absorb heat from the indoor air through the second indoor heat exchanger.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the control valve group further includes: a first on / off valve, which is disposed on the first heat exchange branch, one end of which is connected to the second end of the first indoor heat exchanger, and the other end of which is connected to the multi-way valve; and a second on / off valve, which is disposed on the second heat exchange branch, one end of which is connected to the first end of the second indoor heat exchanger, and the other end of which is connected to the third end of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0013] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: By adjusting the states of the first on / off valve, the second on / off valve, and the first throttling element, the flow path of the refrigerant in different modes of the air conditioner can be adjusted, thereby enabling the air conditioner to independently complete cooling, heating, and dehumidification without cooling. Furthermore, by centrally locating the first on / off valve, the second on / off valve, and the first throttling element on multiple heat exchange branches, the arrangement of valves in the air conditioner can be simplified, and the number of components used can be reduced, making the refrigerant circuit structure simpler. This not only reduces the production cost of the air conditioner but also effectively reduces the failure rate of the refrigerant flow path and valves, ensuring stable operation of the air conditioner.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the air conditioner further includes: a second throttling element, one end of which is connected to the third end of the outdoor heat exchanger, and the other end of which is connected to the first end of a plurality of indoor heat exchangers respectively.

[0015] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: When the air conditioner is running in any of the cooling, heating, or dehumidifying modes, the refrigerant needs to flow through the second throttling element. When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the second throttling element can be opened and throttled to reduce the temperature of the refrigerant flowing to the indoor heat exchanger, so that the refrigerant can absorb heat from the indoor air through the indoor heat exchanger. When the air conditioner is in heating mode, the second throttling element can be opened and throttled to reduce the temperature of the refrigerant flowing to the outdoor heat exchanger, so that the refrigerant can absorb heat from the outdoor air through the outdoor heat exchanger and then flow back to the compressor. When the air conditioner is in dehumidifying mode, the second throttling element can be fully open without throttling. At this time, only the first throttling element is used for throttling and cooling, so that the first indoor heat exchanger can act as a condenser and the second indoor heat exchanger can act as an evaporator.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the air conditioner has at least a switchable heating mode, a cooling mode, and a dehumidification mode; wherein, when the air conditioner is in the heating mode or the cooling mode, the first on-off valve and the second on-off valve are open, the first throttling element is closed, and the second throttling element is open and throttling; when the air conditioner is in the dehumidification mode, the first on-off valve and the second on-off valve are closed, the first throttling element is open and throttling, and the second throttling element is open and not throttling.

[0017] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: When the air conditioner is in heating or cooling mode, the first and second on / off valves are open, the first throttling element is closed, and the second throttling element is open and throttling. This reduces the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the second throttling element. When the cooled refrigerant flows into the indoor or outdoor heat exchanger, it improves the heat exchange efficiency of the indoor or outdoor heat exchanger. When the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the first and second on / off valves are closed, the first throttling element is open and throttling, and the second throttling element is open but not throttling. Thus, the refrigerant flowing from the first indoor heat exchanger can be throttled and cooled by the first throttling element before flowing to the second indoor heat exchanger. The second indoor heat exchanger absorbs heat from the indoor air, reducing its temperature and causing condensation to form, thereby cooling and dehumidifying the indoor air.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the air conditioner further includes: a first three-way valve, which is connected to the third end of the outdoor heat exchanger, one end of the first heat exchange branch and one end of the second heat exchange branch respectively; and a second three-way valve, which is connected to the multi-way valve, the other end of the first heat exchange branch and the other end of the second heat exchange branch respectively.

[0019] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: by setting the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve in the refrigerant circuit, the arrangement of multiple heat exchange branches can be more flexible, so that multiple heat exchange branches can be connected to the outdoor heat exchanger or multi-way valve, and the structure of the refrigerant circuit can be simplified, which is convenient for production and processing.

[0020] According to some embodiments of the present invention, along the air outlet direction of the air conditioner, the first indoor heat exchanger is spaced downstream of the air outlet of the second indoor heat exchanger.

[0021] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: In this way, the indoor air inside the air conditioner can first flow through the second indoor heat exchanger and exchange heat with the second indoor heat exchanger. The refrigerant can absorb the heat of the indoor air through the second indoor heat exchanger to cool and dehumidify the indoor air. Then, the cooled and dehumidified indoor air flows through the downstream first indoor heat exchanger. The refrigerant can heat the cooled and dehumidified indoor air through the first indoor heat exchanger to increase the temperature of the cooled and dehumidified airflow, avoiding the airflow temperature from being too low, so as to achieve dehumidification of the indoor air without cooling.

[0022] According to some embodiments of this utility model, the multi-way valve is a four-way valve, and the four-way valve has: a first port connected to the outlet; a second port connected to the fourth end of the outdoor heat exchanger; a third port connected to the inlet; and a fourth port connected to the second end of a plurality of indoor heat exchangers; wherein, the multi-way valve controls the first port to be connected to the fourth port and the second port to be connected to the third port, so as to control the plurality of indoor heat exchangers to act as condensers and the outdoor heat exchanger to act as evaporators; or, the multi-way valve controls the first port to be connected to the second port and the third port to be connected to the fourth port, so as to control the outdoor heat exchanger to act as a condenser and at least one of the indoor heat exchangers to act as an evaporator.

[0023] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: By controlling the state of the four-way valve, the flow direction of the refrigerant can be changed, thereby adjusting the flow direction of the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path. When the air conditioner is in heating mode, the refrigerant can be diverted to multiple indoor heat exchangers and release heat into the room. The cooled refrigerant then flows to the outdoor heat exchanger and absorbs heat from the outdoor air. It then flows back to the inlet through the four-way valve to return to the compressor, thus realizing the air conditioner's heating cycle. Conversely, when the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the refrigerant can flow to the outdoor heat exchanger and release heat into the outdoor air, thus cooling. The cooled refrigerant then flows to multiple indoor heat exchangers, where it absorbs heat from the indoor air. The refrigerant then flows through the four-way valve back to the inlet to return to the compressor, thus achieving the air conditioner's heating cycle. The refrigerant flows through the four-way valve to the inlet, returning to the compressor to achieve the refrigeration cycle of the air conditioner. When the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the refrigerant first flows through the outdoor heat exchanger to release heat to the outdoor air and cool it down. The cooled refrigerant can then flow through the first indoor heat exchanger and the second indoor heat exchanger in sequence. The refrigerant absorbs heat from the indoor air through the second indoor heat exchanger to cool and dehumidify the indoor air. Meanwhile, the refrigerant in the first indoor heat exchanger can release heat to the cooled and dehumidified airflow through the first indoor heat exchanger to increase the temperature of the cooled and dehumidified airflow, thus achieving dehumidification of the indoor air without cooling it down.

[0024] An air conditioner is provided according to an embodiment of the present invention. The air conditioner includes: a compressor having an inlet and an outlet; an indoor heat exchanger having a first end and a second end for exchanging heat with indoor air; an outdoor heat exchanger having a third end and a fourth end for exchanging heat with outdoor air, wherein the third end of the outdoor heat exchanger is connected to the first end of the indoor heat exchanger; and a multi-way valve connected to the inlet, the outlet, the second end of the indoor heat exchanger, and the fourth end of the outdoor heat exchanger to form a refrigerant circuit. The air conditioner controls one of the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger to act as a condenser and the other as an evaporator by switching the state of the multi-way valve. The indoor heat exchangers are multiple, including a first indoor heat exchanger and a second indoor heat exchanger, which are connected in parallel. The air conditioner also includes a control valve assembly, comprising: a first throttling element, one end of which is connected to the second end of the first indoor heat exchanger, and the other end of which is connected to the first end of the second indoor heat exchanger; a first on / off valve, one end of which is connected to the second end of the first indoor heat exchanger, and the other end of which is connected to the multi-way valve; and a second on / off valve, one end of which is connected to the first end of the second indoor heat exchanger, and the other end of which is connected to the third end of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0025] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: By adjusting the opening and closing states of the first on / off valve, the second on / off valve, and the first throttling element, the flow path of the refrigerant can be adjusted, allowing the air conditioner to independently complete cooling, heating, and dehumidification without cooling. By centrally locating the first on / off valve, the second on / off valve, and the first throttling element on multiple heat exchange branches, the arrangement structure of the valve body in the air conditioner can be simplified, and the number of components used can be reduced, making the refrigerant circuit structure simpler. This not only reduces the production cost of the air conditioner but also effectively reduces the failure rate of the refrigerant flow path and valve body, ensuring stable operation of the air conditioner.

[0026] Additional aspects and advantages of this invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this utility model will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present utility model; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the refrigerant flow in cooling mode of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the refrigerant flow in dehumidification mode of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the refrigerant flow in heating mode of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure label: 100. Compressor; 110. Import; 120. Export; 200, Indoor heat exchanger; 201, First end; 202, Second end; 210, First indoor heat exchanger; 220, Second indoor heat exchanger; 300. Outdoor heat exchanger; 301. Third end; 302. Fourth end; 400, multi-way valve; 410, first port; 420, second port; 430, third port; 440, fourth port; 500, Heat exchange branch; 510, First heat exchange branch; 520, Second heat exchange branch; 610. First on / off valve; 620. Second on / off valve; 630. First throttling element; 710, Second throttling element; 720, First three-way valve; 730, Second three-way valve. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0030] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

[0031] In the description of this utility model, "first feature" and "second feature" may include one or more of the features.

[0032] In the description of this utility model, "multiple" means two or more, and "several" means one or more.

[0033] An air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] like Figures 1-4 As shown, the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present utility model may include a compressor 100, the compressor 100 having an inlet 110 and an outlet 120, the refrigerant in the compressor 100 can flow out through the outlet 120, and the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit can flow back into the compressor 100 through the inlet 110.

[0035] An air conditioner may include an indoor heat exchanger 200, which has a first end 201 and a second end 202. The indoor heat exchanger 200 is used for heat exchange with indoor air. Thus, the refrigerant flowing through the indoor heat exchanger 200 can exchange heat with the indoor air through the indoor heat exchanger 200. The refrigerant can absorb heat from the indoor air through the indoor heat exchanger 200 to cool the room, or the refrigerant can release heat to the indoor air through the indoor heat exchanger 200 to heat the room.

[0036] The air conditioner may include an outdoor heat exchanger 300, which has a third end 301 and a fourth end 302. The outdoor heat exchanger 300 is used for heat exchange with outdoor air, and the third end 301 of the outdoor heat exchanger 300 is connected to the first end 201 of the indoor heat exchanger 200. In this way, the refrigerant can flow to the outdoor heat exchanger 300 after flowing through the indoor heat exchanger 200, or the refrigerant can flow to the indoor heat exchanger 200 after flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger 300. Furthermore, the refrigerant flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger 300 can exchange heat with the outdoor air through the outdoor heat exchanger 300. The refrigerant can absorb heat from the outdoor air through the outdoor heat exchanger 300, or the refrigerant can release heat to the outdoor air through the outdoor heat exchanger 300.

[0037] The air conditioner may include a multi-way valve 400, which is connected to an inlet 110, an outlet 120, a second end 202 of an indoor heat exchanger 200, and a fourth end 302 of an outdoor heat exchanger 300 to form a refrigerant circuit. The air conditioner controls one of the indoor heat exchanger 200 and the outdoor heat exchanger 300 to act as a condenser and the other as an evaporator by switching the state of the multi-way valve 400.

[0038] For example, the multi-way valve 400 can be configured as a four-way valve.

[0039] The flow direction of the refrigerant can be changed by controlling the state of the multi-way valve 400, thereby adjusting the flow direction of the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path. Specifically, when the air conditioner is in heating mode, the high-temperature refrigerant flowing from outlet 120 of compressor 100 can flow sequentially through indoor heat exchanger 200 and outdoor heat exchanger 300 under the control of multi-way valve 400. In this mode, indoor heat exchanger 200 acts as a condenser, and outdoor heat exchanger 300 acts as an evaporator. The refrigerant can release heat into the room through indoor heat exchanger 200, and then absorb heat from the outdoor air through outdoor heat exchanger 300. The refrigerant then flows to multi-way valve 400 and returns to compressor 100 through inlet 110, thus achieving the air conditioner's heating cycle. When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the high-temperature refrigerant flowing from outlet 120 of compressor 100 can flow sequentially through outdoor heat exchanger 300 and indoor heat exchanger 200 under the control of multi-way valve 400. In this mode, outdoor heat exchanger 300 acts as a condenser, and indoor heat exchanger 200 acts as an evaporator. The refrigerant can release heat into the room through indoor heat exchanger 200, and then absorb heat from the outdoor air through outdoor heat exchanger 300. Finally, the refrigerant flows back to compressor 100 through multi-way valve 400 and then back to compressor 100 through inlet 110, thus achieving the air conditioner's heating cycle. When the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the high-temperature refrigerant flowing from the compressor 100 outlet 120 can flow through the outdoor heat exchanger 300 and the indoor heat exchanger 200 under the control of the multi-way valve 400. At this time, the outdoor heat exchanger 300 can act as a condenser and the indoor heat exchanger 200 can act as an evaporator. The refrigerant can release heat to the outdoor air through the outdoor heat exchanger 300 and then absorb heat from the indoor air through the indoor heat exchanger 200 to reduce the temperature of the indoor air and cause condensation to form in the indoor air, thereby dehumidifying the indoor air. The refrigerant then flows through the multi-way valve 400 and back to the compressor 100 through the inlet 110 to achieve the dehumidification mode of the air conditioner.

[0040] In addition, the refrigerant circuit can be provided with multiple heat exchange branches 500, which are connected in parallel. One end of the heat exchange branch 500 is connected to the third end 301 of the outdoor heat exchanger 300, and the other end of the heat exchange branch 500 is connected to the multi-way valve 400. There are multiple indoor heat exchangers 200, which are correspondingly installed on the multiple heat exchange branches 500.

[0041] Among them, two indoor heat exchangers 200 can be set in parallel, but not limited to this. For example, three or more indoor heat exchangers 200 can also be set, and multiple indoor heat exchangers 200 are set one-to-one on multiple heat exchange branches.

[0042] By connecting multiple indoor heat exchangers 200 in parallel, when the air conditioner is in cooling or heating mode, the refrigerant can flow to multiple indoor heat exchangers 200 along multiple heat exchange branches 500 respectively. The refrigerant can simultaneously absorb heat from the indoor air through multiple indoor heat exchangers 200, or the refrigerant can simultaneously release heat to the indoor air through the indoor heat exchangers 200, so as to better cool or heat the room.

[0043] In addition, when the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the refrigerant can flow through multiple indoor heat exchangers 200 in sequence. At this time, some indoor heat exchangers 200 can act as evaporators, and others can act as condensers. The refrigerant can absorb heat from the indoor air through the evaporator to lower the indoor air temperature, causing condensation to form in the indoor air, thereby cooling and dehumidifying the indoor air. Then, the refrigerant can heat the cooled and dehumidified indoor air through the indoor heat exchangers 200 that act as condensers to raise the temperature of the dehumidified indoor air, thus enabling the air conditioner to achieve a dehumidification mode without cooling, which is beneficial to improving the user experience.

[0044] The air conditioner may also include a control valve assembly, which is located on multiple heat exchange branches 500. The control valve assembly controls the refrigerant to flow sequentially through multiple indoor heat exchangers 200, or controls the refrigerant to flow in a branch to multiple indoor heat exchangers 200.

[0045] In other words, the control valve assembly can control multiple indoor heat exchangers 200 connected in series or in parallel. Specifically, when the air conditioner is in cooling or heating mode, the refrigerant, under the regulation of the control valve assembly, can be diverted and flow along multiple heat exchange branches 500 to multiple indoor heat exchangers 200, i.e., the multiple indoor heat exchangers 200 are connected in parallel. This allows multiple indoor heat exchangers 200 to simultaneously heat or cool the room, thus achieving the air conditioner's heating or cooling mode. When the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the refrigerant, under the regulation of the control valve assembly, can flow sequentially through multiple indoor heat exchangers 200, i.e., the multiple indoor heat exchangers 200 are connected in series. In this way, the multiple indoor heat exchangers 200 can act as condensers and evaporators respectively, cooling and dehumidifying the indoor air before heating it, thereby achieving the air conditioner's dehumidification mode without cooling.

[0046] By installing control valve assemblies on multiple heat exchange branches 500 and adjusting these assemblies, the refrigerant flow path on these branches can be altered. This allows control over the refrigerant flow direction on multiple indoor heat exchangers 200, enabling the refrigerant to flow sequentially through or divert through these exchangers. This allows the air conditioner to operate in heating, cooling, and dehumidification modes without cooling. Furthermore, centralizing the control valve assemblies on multiple heat exchange branches 500 simplifies the air conditioner's valve arrangement, resulting in a simpler refrigerant circuit. This not only reduces the number of components, lowering manufacturing costs, but also effectively reduces the failure rate of the refrigerant flow path and valves, improving the stability and reliability of the air conditioner's operation.

[0047] Thus, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioner has the control valve assembly located on multiple heat exchange branches 500 to change the refrigerant flow path on multiple heat exchange branches 500. This simplifies the valve body arrangement structure of the air conditioner, reduces the number of parts used, helps to reduce manufacturing costs, and effectively reduces the failure rate of the refrigerant flow path and valve body.

[0048] In some specific embodiments of this utility model, such as Figure 1 As shown, the plurality of indoor heat exchangers 200 may include a first indoor heat exchanger 210, and the plurality of heat exchange branches 500 may include a first heat exchange branch 510, with the first indoor heat exchanger 210 disposed on the first heat exchange branch 510. Specifically, the first end 201 of the first indoor heat exchanger 210 may be connected to the third end 301 of the outdoor heat exchanger 300, and the second end 202 of the first indoor heat exchanger 210 may be connected to the multi-way valve 400.

[0049] Additionally, the indoor heat exchanger 200 may include a second indoor heat exchanger 220, and the multiple heat exchange branches 500 may also include a second heat exchange branch 520, on which the second indoor heat exchanger 220 is disposed. Specifically, the first end 201 of the second indoor heat exchanger 220 may be connected to the third end 301 of the outdoor heat exchanger 300, and the second end 202 of the second indoor heat exchanger 220 may be connected to the multi-way valve 400, that is, the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 are arranged in parallel.

[0050] The control valve group controls the refrigerant to flow sequentially through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220, or the control valve group controls the refrigerant to flow in a split stream through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220.

[0051] In other words, the control valve assembly controls the flow path of the refrigerant in the heat exchange branch 500 to ensure that the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second heat exchanger are connected in parallel or in series. Specifically, as shown... Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, when the air conditioner is in cooling or heating mode, under the regulation of the control valve group, the refrigerant can flow through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220, that is, the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second heat exchanger are connected in parallel. The refrigerant can simultaneously release heat to the indoor air or absorb heat from the indoor air through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 to achieve the heating or cooling mode of the air conditioner. Furthermore, by exchanging heat with the indoor air simultaneously through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220, the heat exchange efficiency with the indoor air can be improved, thus better cooling or heating the room. When the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, as... Figure 3 As shown, under the regulation of the control valve group, the refrigerant can flow sequentially through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220, that is, the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second heat exchanger are connected in series. Furthermore, the first indoor heat exchanger 210 can act as a condenser, and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 can act as an evaporator. In this way, the air conditioner can first absorb heat from the indoor air through the second indoor heat exchanger 220 to cool and dehumidify the indoor air, and then heat the dehumidified air through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 to achieve the effect of the air conditioner dehumidifying the indoor air without cooling.

[0052] In some specific embodiments of this utility model, such as Figure 1 As shown, the control valve assembly may include a first throttling element 630, one end of which is connected to the second end 202 of the first indoor heat exchanger 210, and the other end of which is connected to the first end 201 of the second indoor heat exchanger 220.

[0053] For example, the first throttling element 630 can be an electromagnetic expansion valve, but is not limited to this.

[0054] By placing the first throttling element 630 between the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220, the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 can be connected in parallel by closing the first throttling element 630, or the first throttling element 630 can be opened to throttle and cool the refrigerant. This allows the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 to be connected in series, and the first throttling element 630 can throttle and cool the refrigerant flowing to the second indoor heat exchanger 220, so that the refrigerant can absorb heat from the indoor air through the second indoor heat exchanger 220.

[0055] Specifically, such as Figure 2 and Figure 4As shown, when the air conditioner is in cooling mode or heating mode, the first throttling element 630 is in the closed state. In this way, the first throttling element 630 can block the flow of refrigerant between the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220, so that the refrigerant flows through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 along multiple heat exchange branches 500. Thus, when the air conditioner is in heating mode, both the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 can act as condensers, so that the air conditioner can better heat the room. When the air conditioner is in heating mode, both the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 can act as evaporators, so that the air conditioner can better cool the room.

[0056] like Figure 3 As shown, when the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the first throttling element 630 can be turned on and throttled, so that the refrigerant can flow through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 in sequence. The first indoor heat exchanger 210 can act as a condenser and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 can act as an evaporator. That is, the air conditioner can cool and dehumidify the indoor air through the second indoor heat exchanger 220 and heat the dehumidified indoor air through the first indoor heat exchanger 210. In this way, the air conditioner can achieve dehumidification of the indoor air without cooling.

[0057] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 As shown, the control valve group may also include a first on / off valve 610, which is located on the first heat exchange branch 510. One end of the first on / off valve 610 is connected to the second end 202 of the first indoor heat exchanger 210, and the other end of the first on / off valve 610 is connected to the multi-way valve 400.

[0058] For example, the first on / off valve 610 can be a solenoid valve, but is not limited to this.

[0059] Therefore, by controlling the opening and closing state of the first on-off valve 610, the flow path of the refrigerant in the first heat exchange branch 510 can be controlled. Specifically, when the air conditioner is in cooling mode or heating mode, the first on-off valve 610 is in the open state, that is, the first heat exchange branch 510 is open, and the refrigerant can flow along the first heat exchange branch 510 between the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the multi-way valve 400; while when the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the first on-off valve 610 is in the closed state, at which time the first heat exchange branch 510 and the multi-way valve 400 are disconnected, and the refrigerant flowing through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 can flow to the second indoor heat exchanger 220 through the first throttling element 630, and then flow to the multi-way valve 400.

[0060] In addition, such as Figure 1As shown, the control valve group may also include a second on / off valve 620, which is located on the second heat exchange branch 520. One end of the second on / off valve 620 is connected to the first end 201 of the second indoor heat exchanger 220, and the other end of the second on / off valve 620 is connected to the third end 301 of the outdoor heat exchanger 300.

[0061] For example, the second on / off valve 620 can be a solenoid valve, but is not limited to this.

[0062] Therefore, by controlling the opening and closing state of the second on / off valve 620, the flow path of the refrigerant in the second heat exchange branch 520 can be controlled. Specifically, when the air conditioner is in cooling or heating mode, the second on-off valve 620 is open, allowing refrigerant to flow along the second heat exchange branch 520 between the second indoor heat exchanger 220 and the outdoor heat exchanger 300. When the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the second on-off valve 620 is closed, disconnecting the second heat exchange branch 520 from the outdoor heat exchanger 300. The refrigerant flowing from the outdoor heat exchanger 300 will not flow directly to the second indoor heat exchanger 220. Thus, by closing the first on-off valve 610 and the second on-off valve, and opening and throttling the first throttling element 630, the refrigerant flowing from the outdoor heat exchanger 300 can flow sequentially through the first indoor heat exchanger 210, the first throttling element 630, and the second indoor heat exchanger 220, and then flow to the multi-way valve 400, so that the indoor air can be dehumidified without cooling through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220.

[0063] In summary, by placing the first on / off valve 610 in the first heat exchange branch 510, the second on / off valve 620 in the second heat exchange branch 520, and the first throttling element 630 between the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220, the flow path of the refrigerant in different modes of the air conditioner can be adjusted by adjusting the states of the first on / off valve 610, the second on / off valve 620, and the first throttling element 630. This allows the air conditioner to independently complete cooling, heating, and dehumidification without cooling. Furthermore, by concentrating the first on / off valve 610, the second on / off valve 620, and the first throttling element 630 on multiple heat exchange branches 500, the arrangement of valves in the air conditioner can be simplified, and the number of components used can be reduced. This simplifies the refrigerant circuit structure, reduces the production cost of the air conditioner, and effectively reduces the failure rate of the refrigerant flow path and valves, ensuring stable operation of the air conditioner.

[0064] In some specific embodiments of this utility model, the air conditioner may further include a second throttling element 710, one end of which is connected to the third end 301 of the outdoor heat exchanger 300, and the other end of which is connected to the first end 201 of a plurality of indoor heat exchangers 200 respectively.

[0065] For example, the second throttling element 710 can be an electronic expansion valve, but is not limited to this.

[0066] By placing the second throttling element 710 between multiple indoor heat exchangers 200 and outdoor heat exchangers 300, the refrigerant needs to flow through the second throttling element 710 when the air conditioner is running in any of the cooling, heating, or dehumidifying modes. Specifically, when the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the second throttling element 710 can be turned on and throttled, allowing the refrigerant flowing to the indoor heat exchanger 200 to be cooled and throttled, so that the refrigerant can absorb heat from the indoor air through the indoor heat exchanger 200 to cool the room. When the air conditioner is in heating mode, the second throttling element 710 can be turned on and throttled, allowing the refrigerant flowing to the outdoor heat exchanger 300 to be cooled and throttled, so that the refrigerant can absorb heat from the outdoor air through the outdoor heat exchanger 300 and flow back to the compressor. When the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the second throttling element 710 can be fully turned on without throttling, and only the first throttling element 630 throttles and cools the refrigerant, so that the first indoor heat exchanger 210 can act as a condenser and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 can act as an evaporator.

[0067] In some specific embodiments of this utility model, such as Figures 2-4 As shown, the air conditioner has at least switchable heating mode, cooling mode and dehumidification mode.

[0068] When the air conditioner is in heating or cooling mode, the first on / off valve 610 and the second on / off valve 620 are open, the first throttling element 630 is closed, and the second throttling element 710 is open and throttling. This reduces the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the second throttling element 710. When the cooled refrigerant flows into the indoor heat exchanger 200 or the outdoor heat exchanger 300, it can absorb heat from the indoor air through the indoor heat exchanger 200 or the outdoor heat exchanger 300, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the indoor heat exchanger 200 or the outdoor heat exchanger 300, and thus enabling the air conditioner to better heat or cool the room.

[0069] like Figure 3 As shown, when the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the first on / off valve 610 and the second on / off valve 620 are closed, the first throttling element 630 is open and throttles, and the second throttling element 710 is open and does not throttle.

[0070] It should be noted that when the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the second indoor heat exchanger 220 acts as an evaporator, absorbing heat from the indoor air through it to achieve cooling and dehumidification. The first indoor heat exchanger 210 acts as a condenser, heating the dehumidified airflow. Specifically, the refrigerant flowing from the outdoor heat exchanger 300 needs to release heat into the dehumidified indoor air through the first indoor heat exchanger 210. Therefore, when the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the refrigerant flowing into the first indoor heat exchanger 210 needs to maintain a relatively high temperature. By adjusting the second throttling element 710 to an open, non-throttling state, the refrigerant flowing from the outdoor heat exchanger 300 can maintain a relatively high temperature as it flows into the first indoor heat exchanger 210, allowing it to continue releasing heat through the first indoor heat exchanger 210. This enables the air conditioner to achieve a dehumidification mode without cooling.

[0071] In addition, the first throttling element 630 is turned on and throttles, so that the refrigerant flowing out of the first indoor heat exchanger 210 can be throttled and cooled by the first throttling element 630 and then flow to the second indoor heat exchanger 220, so that it can absorb the heat of the indoor air through the second indoor heat exchanger 220, thereby reducing the temperature of the indoor air, so that the indoor air is cooled down and condensed, and then the indoor air can be cooled and dehumidified.

[0072] In some specific embodiments of this utility model, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the air conditioner may also include a first three-way valve 720, which is connected to the third end 301 of the outdoor heat exchanger 300, one end of the first heat exchange branch 510, and one end of the second heat exchange branch 520.

[0073] Specifically, when the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the outdoor heat exchanger 300 is connected to both the first heat exchange branch 510 and the second heat exchange branch 520 through the first three-way valve 720. The refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger 300 can be diverted to the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220. When the air conditioner is in heating mode, both the first heat exchange branch 510 and the second heat exchange branch 520 are connected to the outdoor heat exchanger 300 through the first three-way valve 720. The refrigerant flowing out of the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 can be combined and flow to the outdoor heat exchanger 300 through the first three-way valve 720. When the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the outdoor heat exchanger 300 is only connected to the first heat exchange branch 510 through the first three-way valve 720. The refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger 300 can flow sequentially through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 after passing through the three-way valve.

[0074] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the air conditioner may also include a second three-way valve 730, which is connected to the multi-way valve 400, the other end of the first heat exchange branch 510, and the other end of the second heat exchange branch 520.

[0075] Specifically, when the air conditioner is in heating mode, the multi-way valve 400 is connected to the first heat exchange branch 510 and the second heat exchange branch 520 through the second three-way valve 730. The refrigerant flowing out of the multi-way valve 400 can be diverted to the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220. When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, both the first heat exchange branch 510 and the second heat exchange branch 520 are connected to the multi-way valve 400 through the second three-way valve 730. The refrigerant flowing out of the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 can be merged and flow to the multi-way valve 400 through the second three-way valve 730. When the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the refrigerant flows through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 in sequence, and only the refrigerant flowing out of the second indoor heat exchanger 220 flows to the multi-way valve 400 through the second three-way valve 730.

[0076] In summary, by setting the first three-way valve 720 and the second three-way valve 730 in the refrigerant circuit, the arrangement of multiple heat exchange branches 500 can be more flexible, so that multiple heat exchange branches 500 can be connected to the outdoor heat exchanger 300 or the multi-way valve 400, and the structure of the refrigerant circuit can be simplified, making production and processing easier.

[0077] In some specific embodiments of this utility model, such as Figure 3 As shown, along the air outlet direction of the air conditioner, the first indoor heat exchanger 210 is spaced downstream of the air outlet of the second indoor heat exchanger 220.

[0078] In other words, along the airflow direction inside the air conditioner, the first indoor heat exchanger 210 is located downstream of the second indoor heat exchanger 220. This allows the indoor air inside the air conditioner to first flow through the second indoor heat exchanger 220 and exchange heat with it. At this point, the second indoor heat exchanger 220 acts as an evaporator, allowing the refrigerant to absorb heat from the indoor air and cool and dehumidify it. The cooled and dehumidified indoor air then flows downstream through the first indoor heat exchanger 210, where it acts as a condenser. The refrigerant can then heat the cooled and dehumidified indoor air through the first indoor heat exchanger 210, increasing the temperature of the airflow and preventing it from becoming too cold. This achieves dehumidification without cooling the indoor air, resulting in a reasonable structural design that improves the user experience.

[0079] In some specific embodiments of this utility model, such as Figure 1As shown, the multi-way valve 400 is a four-way valve, and the four-way valve has a first port 410, which is connected to the outlet 120. The refrigerant flowing out of the outlet 120 of the compressor 100 can flow to the first port 410.

[0080] The four-way valve has a second port 420, which is connected to the fourth end 302 of the outdoor heat exchanger 300. The refrigerant flowing out of the second port 420 can flow to the outdoor heat exchanger 300, or the refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger 300 can flow to the second port 420.

[0081] The four-way valve has a third port 430, which is connected to the inlet 110. The refrigerant can flow through the third port 430 to the inlet 110 and then flow back into the compressor 100.

[0082] The four-way valve has a fourth port 440, which is connected to the second end 202 of a plurality of indoor heat exchangers 200. Refrigerant can flow through the third port 430 to the inlet 110 and then back into the compressor 100.

[0083] Among them, such as Figure 4 As shown, the multi-port valve 400 controls the connection of the first port 410 to the fourth port 440 and the second port 420 to the third port 430, so as to control multiple indoor heat exchangers 200 to act as condensers and outdoor heat exchangers 300 to act as evaporators.

[0084] In other words, when the air conditioner is in heating mode, the first port 410 of the four-way valve is connected to the fourth port 440, and the second port 420 is connected to the third port 430. In this way, the high-temperature refrigerant flowing out of the outlet 120 of the compressor 100 can be diverted through the first port 410 and the fourth port 440 of the four-way valve to multiple indoor heat exchangers 200. At this time, multiple indoor heat exchangers 200 can all act as condensers. The high-temperature refrigerant can release heat into the room through multiple indoor heat exchangers 200, which can better heat the room. Then, the cooled refrigerant can flow from multiple indoor heat exchangers 200 to outdoor heat exchanger 300. Outdoor heat exchanger 300 acts as an evaporator. The refrigerant can absorb heat from the outdoor air through outdoor heat exchanger 300, and then flow to the inlet 110 through the second port 420 and the third port 430 of the four-way valve to flow back to the compressor 100, realizing the heating cycle of the air conditioner.

[0085] like Figure 2 As shown, the multi-port valve 400 controls the connection of the first port 410 to the second port 420 and the third port 430 to the fourth port 440, so as to control the outdoor heat exchanger 300 to act as a condenser and at least one indoor heat exchanger 200 to act as an evaporator.

[0086] When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the first port 410 of the four-way valve is connected to the second port 420, and the third port 430 is connected to the fourth port 440. In this way, the high-temperature refrigerant flowing out of the outlet 120 of the compressor 100 can flow to the outdoor heat exchanger 300 through the first port 410 and the second port 420 of the four-way valve. At this time, the outdoor heat exchanger 300 acts as a condenser, and the high-temperature refrigerant can release heat to the outdoor air through the outdoor heat exchanger 300 to cool down. Then, the cooled refrigerant can be diverted from the outdoor heat exchanger 300 to multiple indoor heat exchangers 200. Each of the multiple indoor heat exchangers 200 can act as an evaporator, and the refrigerant can absorb heat from the indoor air through the multiple indoor heat exchangers 200 to better cool the room. Then, the refrigerant can flow to the inlet 110 through the fourth port 440 and the third port 430 of the four-way valve to flow back to the compressor 100, realizing the cooling cycle of the air conditioner.

[0087] When the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the first port 410 of the four-way valve is connected to the second port 420, and the third port 430 is connected to the fourth port 440. In this way, the high-temperature refrigerant flowing out of the outlet 120 of the compressor 100 can flow to the outdoor heat exchanger 300 through the first port 410 and the second port 420 of the four-way valve. At this time, the outdoor heat exchanger 300 acts as a condenser. The high-temperature refrigerant can release heat to the outdoor air through the outdoor heat exchanger 300 to cool down. Then, the cooled refrigerant can flow through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 in sequence. The first indoor heat exchanger 210 acts as a condenser, and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 acts as an evaporator. The refrigerant absorbs heat from the indoor air through the second indoor heat exchanger 220 to cool and dehumidify the indoor air. Meanwhile, the refrigerant in the first indoor heat exchanger 210 can release heat to the cooled and dehumidified airflow through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 to increase the temperature of the cooled and dehumidified airflow, thus achieving dehumidification of the indoor air without cooling down.

[0088] An air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0089] like Figures 1-4 As shown, the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present utility model may include a compressor 100, the compressor 100 having an inlet 110 and an outlet 120, the refrigerant in the compressor 100 can flow out through the outlet 120, and the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit can flow back into the compressor 100 through the inlet 110.

[0090] An air conditioner may include an indoor heat exchanger 200, which has a first end 201 and a second end 202. The indoor heat exchanger 200 is used for heat exchange with indoor air. Thus, the refrigerant flowing through the indoor heat exchanger 200 can exchange heat with the indoor air through the indoor heat exchanger 200. The refrigerant can absorb heat from the indoor air through the indoor heat exchanger 200 to cool the room, or the refrigerant can release heat to the indoor air through the indoor heat exchanger 200 to heat the room.

[0091] The air conditioner may include an outdoor heat exchanger 300, which has a third end 301 and a fourth end 302. The outdoor heat exchanger 300 is used for heat exchange with outdoor air, and the third end 301 of the outdoor heat exchanger 300 is connected to the first end 201 of the indoor heat exchanger 200. In this way, the refrigerant can flow to the outdoor heat exchanger 300 after flowing through the indoor heat exchanger 200, or the refrigerant can flow to the indoor heat exchanger 200 after flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger 300. Furthermore, the refrigerant flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger 300 can exchange heat with the outdoor air through the outdoor heat exchanger 300. The refrigerant can absorb heat from the outdoor air through the outdoor heat exchanger 300, or the refrigerant can release heat to the outdoor air through the outdoor heat exchanger 300.

[0092] The air conditioner may include a multi-way valve 400, which is connected to an inlet 110, an outlet 120, a second terminal 202 of an indoor heat exchanger 200, and a fourth terminal 302 of an outdoor heat exchanger 300 to form a refrigerant circuit. The air conditioner controls one of the indoor heat exchanger 200 and the outdoor heat exchanger 300 to act as a condenser and the other as an evaporator by switching the state of the multi-way valve 400. For example, the multi-way valve 400 can be configured as a four-way valve.

[0093] By controlling the state of the multi-way valve 400, the flow direction of the refrigerant within the multi-way valve 400 can be changed, thereby adjusting the flow direction of the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path. When the air conditioner is in heating mode, the high-temperature refrigerant flowing from outlet 120 of compressor 100, under the control of multi-way valve 400, flows sequentially through indoor heat exchanger 200 and outdoor heat exchanger 300. In this mode, indoor heat exchanger 200 acts as a condenser, and outdoor heat exchanger 300 acts as an evaporator. The refrigerant can release heat into the room through indoor heat exchanger 200, and then absorb heat from the outdoor air through outdoor heat exchanger 300. The refrigerant then flows to multi-way valve 400 and returns to compressor 100 through inlet 110, thus completing the heating cycle of the air conditioner. When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the high-temperature refrigerant flowing from outlet 120 of compressor 100, under the control of multi-way valve 400, flows sequentially through outdoor heat exchanger 300 and indoor heat exchanger 200. In this mode, outdoor heat exchanger 300 acts as a condenser, and indoor heat exchanger 200 acts as an evaporator. The refrigerant can release heat into the room through indoor heat exchanger 200, and then absorb heat from the outdoor air through outdoor heat exchanger 300. Finally, the refrigerant flows back to compressor 100 through multi-way valve 400 and then back to indoor heat exchanger 100 via inlet 110, thus completing the heating cycle of the air conditioner. Heat is released to the outdoor air, and then the refrigerant can absorb the heat from the indoor air through the indoor heat exchanger 200. The refrigerant then flows to the multi-way valve 400 and back to the compressor 100 through the inlet 110 to achieve the refrigeration cycle of the air conditioner. When the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the high-temperature refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 100 outlet 120 can flow through the outdoor heat exchanger 300 and the indoor heat exchanger 200 successively under the control of the multi-way valve 400. At this time, the outdoor heat exchanger 300 can act as a condenser, and the indoor heat exchanger 200 can act as an evaporator. The refrigerant can release heat to the outdoor air through the outdoor heat exchanger 300, and then absorb the heat from the indoor air through the indoor heat exchanger 200 to lower the temperature of the indoor air, causing condensation to form in the indoor air, thereby dehumidifying the indoor air. The refrigerant then flows to the multi-way valve 400 and back to the compressor 100 through the inlet 110 to achieve the dehumidification mode of the air conditioner.

[0094] In addition, there are multiple indoor heat exchangers 200, including a first indoor heat exchanger 210 and a second indoor heat exchanger 220. The first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 are arranged in parallel. With this arrangement, when the air conditioner is in cooling mode or heating mode, the refrigerant can be diverted to flow through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220, so that the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 can simultaneously release heat to the indoor air or absorb heat from the indoor air, so as to realize the heating mode or cooling mode of the air conditioner, and improve the heat exchange efficiency with the indoor air, so as to better cool or heat the indoor space.

[0095] When the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the refrigerant can flow sequentially through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220. The first indoor heat exchanger 210 can act as a condenser, and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 can act as an evaporator. In this way, the air conditioner can absorb heat from the indoor air through the second indoor heat exchanger 220 to cool and dehumidify the indoor air, and then heat the dehumidified air through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 to raise the temperature of the cooled and dehumidified air, so as to achieve dehumidification of the indoor air without cooling.

[0096] The air conditioner also includes a control valve assembly, which may include a first throttling element 630. One end of the first throttling element 630 is connected to the second end 202 of the first indoor heat exchanger 210, and the other end of the first throttling element 630 is connected to the first end 201 of the second indoor heat exchanger 220. That is, the first throttling element 630 can control the on / off connection between the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220, and the first throttling element 630 can throttle and cool the refrigerant.

[0097] The control valve assembly may include a first on / off valve 610, one end of which is connected to the second end 202 of the first indoor heat exchanger 210, and the other end of which is connected to a multi-way valve 400. The first on / off valve 610 can control the on / off connection between the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the multi-way valve 400.

[0098] The control valve assembly may include a second on / off valve 620. One end of the second on / off valve 620 is connected to the first end 201 of the second indoor heat exchanger 220, and the other end of the second on / off valve 620 is connected to the third end 301 of the outdoor heat exchanger 300. The second on / off valve 620 can control the on / off connection between the second indoor heat exchanger 220 and the outdoor heat exchanger 300.

[0099] Therefore, by adjusting the opening and closing states of the first on / off valve 610, the second on / off valve 620, and the first throttling element 630, the flow path of the refrigerant can be adjusted so that the air conditioner can independently complete the cooling, heating, and dehumidification operations without cooling.

[0100] Specifically, when the air conditioner is in cooling mode, both the first on / off valve 610 and the second on / off valve 620 are open, and the first throttling element 630 is closed. The refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 100 flows to the outdoor heat exchanger 300 through the multi-way valve 400, and then is split to flow to the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220, so as to cool the indoor space simultaneously through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220.

[0101] When the air conditioner is in heating mode, the first on / off valve 610 and the second on / off valve 620 are opened, the first throttling element 630 is closed, and the refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 100 can flow to the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 respectively after passing through the four-way valve, so as to heat the room simultaneously through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220.

[0102] When the air conditioner is in dehumidification mode, the first on / off valve 610 and the second on / off valve 620 are closed, and the first throttling element 630 is opened and throttled. In this way, the refrigerant flowing out from the outdoor heat exchanger 300 can flow through the first indoor heat exchanger 210, the first throttling element 630 and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 in sequence. At this time, the first indoor heat exchanger 210 acts as a condenser and the second indoor heat exchanger 220 acts as an evaporator. The air conditioner can absorb heat from the indoor air through the second indoor heat exchanger 220 to cool and dehumidify the indoor air, and then heat the dehumidified air through the first indoor heat exchanger 210 to achieve dehumidification of the indoor air without cooling.

[0103] Furthermore, by concentrating the first on / off valve 610, the second on / off valve 620, and the first throttling element 630 on multiple heat exchange branches 500, the arrangement structure of the valve body in the air conditioner can be simplified, and the number of parts used can be reduced, making the structure of the refrigerant circuit simpler. This not only reduces the production cost of the air conditioner, but also effectively reduces the failure rate of the refrigerant flow path and valve body, so that the air conditioner can operate stably.

[0104] Thus, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioner has the control valve assembly located on multiple heat exchange branches 500 to change the refrigerant flow path on multiple heat exchange branches 500. This simplifies the valve body arrangement structure of the air conditioner, reduces the number of parts used, helps to reduce manufacturing costs, and effectively reduces the failure rate of the refrigerant flow path and valve body.

[0105] Other components and operations of the air conditioner according to the embodiments of this utility model are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0106] The air conditioner of this invention performs a refrigeration cycle by using a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator. The refrigeration cycle includes a series of processes involving compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation, and supplies refrigerant to the conditioned and heat-exchanged air.

[0107] The compressor compresses refrigerant gas under high temperature and pressure and discharges the compressed refrigerant gas. The discharged refrigerant gas flows into the condenser. The condenser condenses the compressed refrigerant into a liquid phase, and the heat is released to the surrounding environment through the condensation process.

[0108] The expansion valve expands the high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant condensed in the condenser into a low-pressure liquid refrigerant. The evaporator evaporates the expanded refrigerant in the expansion valve and returns the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas to the compressor. The evaporator achieves its cooling effect by utilizing the latent heat of refrigerant evaporation to exchange heat with the material being cooled. Throughout the cycle, the air conditioner regulates the temperature and humidity of the indoor space.

[0109] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "specific embodiment" and "specific example" refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example that is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0110] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, comprising: The compressor has an inlet and an outlet; An indoor heat exchanger having a first end and a second end, the indoor heat exchanger being used for heat exchange with indoor air; An outdoor heat exchanger having a third end and a fourth end, the outdoor heat exchanger being used for heat exchange with outdoor air, and the third end of the outdoor heat exchanger being connected to the first end of the indoor heat exchanger. A multi-way valve is connected to the inlet, the outlet, the second end of the indoor heat exchanger, and the fourth end of the outdoor heat exchanger to form a refrigerant circuit. The air conditioner controls one of the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger to act as a condenser and the other as an evaporator by switching the state of the multi-way valve. Its features are, The refrigerant circuit is equipped with: Multiple heat exchange branches are arranged in parallel. One end of each heat exchange branch is connected to the third end of the outdoor heat exchanger, and the other end of each heat exchange branch is connected to the multi-way valve. There are multiple indoor heat exchangers, and each indoor heat exchanger is correspondingly arranged on one of the multiple heat exchange branches. in, The air conditioner also includes: A control valve assembly is provided on multiple heat exchange branches. The control valve assembly controls the refrigerant to flow sequentially through multiple indoor heat exchangers, or the control valve assembly controls the refrigerant to flow in a split stream through multiple indoor heat exchangers.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plurality of said indoor heat exchangers include: The first indoor heat exchanger, the plurality of heat exchange branches including the first heat exchange branch, the first indoor heat exchanger being disposed on the first heat exchange branch; The second indoor heat exchanger, and the plurality of heat exchange branches further include a second heat exchange branch, wherein the second indoor heat exchanger is disposed on the second heat exchange branch; The control valve group controls the refrigerant to flow sequentially through the first indoor heat exchanger and the second indoor heat exchanger, or the control valve group controls the refrigerant to flow in a split stream through the first indoor heat exchanger and the second indoor heat exchanger.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control valve assembly includes: A first throttling element, one end of which is connected to the second end of the first indoor heat exchanger, and the other end of which is connected to the first end of the second indoor heat exchanger.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that, The control valve assembly also includes: The first on / off valve is located on the first heat exchange branch. One end of the first on / off valve is connected to the second end of the first indoor heat exchanger, and the other end of the first on / off valve is connected to the multi-way valve. The second on / off valve is located on the second heat exchange branch. One end of the second on / off valve is connected to the first end of the second indoor heat exchanger, and the other end of the second on / off valve is connected to the third end of the outdoor heat exchanger.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: The second throttling element has one end connected to the third end of the outdoor heat exchanger, and the other end of the second throttling element is connected to the first end of the plurality of indoor heat exchangers respectively.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 5, characterized in that, The air conditioner has at least a switchable heating mode, a cooling mode, and a dehumidification mode; When the air conditioner is in the heating mode or the cooling mode, the first on-off valve and the second on-off valve are open, the first throttling element is closed, and the second throttling element is open and throttles. When the air conditioner is in the dehumidification mode, the first on / off valve and the second on / off valve are closed, the first throttling element is open and throttling, and the second throttling element is open and not throttling.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that, Also includes: The first three-way valve is connected to the third end of the outdoor heat exchanger, one end of the first heat exchange branch and one end of the second heat exchange branch respectively; The second three-way valve is connected to the multi-way valve, the other end of the first heat exchange branch, and the other end of the second heat exchange branch.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that, Along the air outlet direction of the air conditioner, the first indoor heat exchanger is spaced downstream of the air outlet of the second indoor heat exchanger.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multi-way valve is a four-way valve, and the four-way valve has: A first interface, which is connected to the outlet; The second interface is connected to the fourth end of the outdoor heat exchanger; A third interface, which is connected to the inlet; A fourth interface is connected to the second end of the plurality of indoor heat exchangers; The multi-way valve controls the connection between the first interface and the fourth interface and the second interface and the third interface, so as to control the multiple indoor heat exchangers to act as condensers and the outdoor heat exchanger to act as evaporators. or, The multi-port valve controls the connection between the first interface and the second interface and the third interface and the fourth interface, so as to control the outdoor heat exchanger to act as a condenser and at least one of the indoor heat exchangers to act as an evaporator.

10. An air conditioner, comprising: The compressor has an inlet and an outlet; An indoor heat exchanger having a first end and a second end, the indoor heat exchanger being used for heat exchange with indoor air; An outdoor heat exchanger having a third end and a fourth end, the outdoor heat exchanger being used for heat exchange with outdoor air, and the third end of the outdoor heat exchanger being connected to the first end of the indoor heat exchanger. A multi-way valve is connected to the inlet, the outlet, the second end of the indoor heat exchanger, and the fourth end of the outdoor heat exchanger to form a refrigerant circuit. The air conditioner controls one of the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger to act as a condenser and the other as an evaporator by switching the state of the multi-way valve. Its features are, The indoor heat exchangers are multiple and include a first indoor heat exchanger and a second indoor heat exchanger, wherein the first indoor heat exchanger and the second indoor heat exchanger are arranged in parallel. in, The air conditioner also includes a control valve assembly, and the control valve assembly includes: A first throttling element, one end of which is connected to the second end of the first indoor heat exchanger, and the other end of which is connected to the first end of the second indoor heat exchanger; A first on / off valve, one end of which is connected to the second end of the first indoor heat exchanger, and the other end of which is connected to the multi-way valve; The second on / off valve has one end connected to the first end of the second indoor heat exchanger and the other end connected to the third end of the outdoor heat exchanger.

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