Air conditioner and inspection device of air conditioner

Abstract

To provide an air conditioner and an inspection device of the air conditioner, which can enhance notification accuracy.SOLUTION: An air conditioner 1 includes: a compressor 13; a storage section 2 which is connected to a refrigerant flow passage of a refrigerating cycle in which a refrigerant circulates and stores mixed liquid of the refrigerant and refrigerating machine oil; a light irradiating section 3 which irradiates the mixed liquid stored in the storage section 2 with light; a light receiving section 4 which detects light transmitting the mixed liquid; an output section which separates the light received by the light receiving section 4 into at least three components of R, G and B and outputs a voltage value or a current value of each component; and a notification section which gives notification about an abnormality when a ratio of an absolute value of the voltage value or the current value of each component output by the output section when the compressor 13 is operated or the absolute value of the voltage value or the current value of each component output by the output section when the compressor 13 is operated changes by a prescribed value or more.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioner and an inspection device for the air conditioner. [Background technology]

[0002] Refrigeration oil is necessary to provide lubrication to the sliding parts of the compressor, reduce wear, and ensure the reliability of the compressor for a long time. Refrigeration oil deteriorates and turns into acidic substances due to the influence of air and moisture mixed in during temperature changes during the operation of the air conditioner and during the installation of the piping of the air conditioner. If the refrigeration oil generates acidic substances or if there is a shortage of refrigeration oil supplied to the sliding parts of the compressor (oil shortage occurs), the lubrication performance of the refrigeration oil is impaired, and wear is promoted in the sliding parts of the compressor, which may cause the compressor to break down. If the compressor breaks down, there is a risk that unnecessary economic burdens will be incurred for both the manufacturer and the customer, such as large repair costs and damage to the customer's products due to the stop of operation of the air conditioner due to compressor failure. Therefore, it is desirable to prevent compressor breakdown by understanding the additive consumption rate contained in the refrigeration oil, the mixing of wear powder, or oil shortage, which indicate the degree of deterioration of the refrigeration oil.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses that, when the compressor is stopped, a light detection sensor composed of an RGB sensor is used to notify that the refrigerating oil has deteriorated if the color of the refrigerating oil is brown, and to notify that the compressor is damaged if the color of the refrigerating oil is black. However, when the compressor is stopped, the difference (degree of superheat) between the temperature of the refrigerating oil and the saturation temperature of the refrigerant calculated from the pressure is smaller than when the compressor is operating. As a result, the solubility of the refrigerant in the refrigerating oil is higher when the compressor is stopped, and more refrigerant is dissolved in the refrigerating oil than when the compressor is operating, resulting in a state where the purity of the refrigerating oil is low. For this reason, it is difficult to accurately grasp the properties of the refrigerating oil, and there is a demand for improving the accuracy of the notification.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a method for detecting a drop in the level of a lubricant oil by irradiating light from a light source through an optical fiber onto the lubricant oil containing an oil-soluble colorant, and detecting the presence or absence of a DC value component in the intensity signal of the light transmitted through the lubricant oil. However, depending on the type of refrigerant or refrigeration oil, there are problems such as a decrease in material compatibility with the colorant and an increase in cost due to the addition of the colorant.

[0005] Patent Document 3 discloses that the extreme pressure agent contained in the lubricant is quantified using chromaticity data of the lubricant of a wind power generator obtained by an optical sensor, and if the B value in the chromaticity data is significantly lower than the R and G values, it is determined that the extreme pressure agent contained in the lubricant is consumed. However, this technology is used in an environment where the lubricant and air coexist under atmospheric pressure, and there are problems with applying this technology in a high-temperature, high-pressure environment where a refrigerant and a refrigerating machine oil coexist. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2018 / 042495 [Patent Document 2] JP 2003-215040 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2019-078718 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an air conditioner and an air conditioner inspection device that are capable of improving reporting accuracy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The air conditioner of the present disclosure comprises a compressor, a storage unit for storing a mixed liquid of a refrigerant and a refrigeration oil, a light irradiating unit for irradiating light onto the mixed liquid stored in the storage unit, a light receiving unit for receiving light that has passed through the mixed liquid, an output unit for separating the light received by the light receiving unit into at least three components, R, G and B, and outputting a voltage value or current value of each component, and an alarm unit for alerting an abnormality when the ratio of the absolute values ​​of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​of each component output by the output unit when the compressor is operating, or the absolute values ​​of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​of each component output by the output unit when the compressor is operating, changes by more than a predetermined value.

[0009] The air conditioner inspection device disclosed herein comprises a light irradiating unit which irradiates light onto a mixture of refrigerant and refrigeration oil stored in a storage unit of the air conditioner; a light receiving unit which receives light that has passed through the mixture; an output unit which separates the light received by the light receiving unit into at least three components, R, G and B, and outputs a voltage value or current value of each component; and an alarm unit which alerts an abnormality when the ratio of the absolute values ​​of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​of each component output by the output unit when the compressor of the air conditioner is operating, or the absolute value of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​of each component output by the output unit when the compressor is operating, changes by more than a predetermined value.

[0010] According to the above configuration, the reporting accuracy can be improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a refrigeration cycle of an air conditioner according to one embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the compressor of the air conditioner according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a compressor of an air conditioner according to another embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic view of region IV of FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the degree of discoloration of a refrigerating machine oil and the consumption rate of an extreme pressure additive. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between the absolute value of the voltage value or current value and the operation time of the air conditioner. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between the voltage value or current value and the operation time of the air conditioner. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an accumulator of an air conditioner according to another embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of an accumulator of an air conditioner according to another embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an oil separator of an air conditioner according to another embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an oil separator of an air conditioner according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] (Air conditioner) An example of an air conditioner 1 according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the refrigeration cycle of the air conditioner 1. Note that in Fig. 1 (as well as Figs. 2 to 11), the dimensional ratios in the drawing do not necessarily match the actual dimensional ratios, and the dimensional ratios between the drawings do not necessarily match either.

[0013] The air conditioner 1 is, for example, a room air conditioner, a packaged air conditioner, a multi-air conditioner for a building, etc. In Fig. 1, an example is shown in which the air conditioner 1 is a multi-air conditioner for a building, and illustration of a bypass circuit, a receiver, a blower, etc. is omitted.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 1, the air conditioner 1 includes an outdoor unit 10 and two indoor units 20a, 20b. The outdoor unit 10 and the indoor units 20a, 20b are connected by liquid piping 31 and gas piping 32. Note that multiple outdoor units may be connected to one indoor unit, and multiple indoor units may be connected to one outdoor unit. The solid arrows shown in Fig. 1 indicate the flow of refrigerant during cooling operation. The dashed arrows shown in Fig. 1 indicate the flow of refrigerant during heating operation.

[0015] The outdoor unit 10 includes a four-way valve 11, an accumulator 12, a compressor 13, an oil separator 14, an outdoor heat exchanger 15, and an outdoor expansion valve 16. The indoor units 20a and 20b include indoor heat exchangers 21a and 21b and indoor expansion valves 22a and 22b, respectively.

[0016] The four-way valve 11 switches the flow path of the refrigerant depending on the operation mode of the air conditioner 1. By switching the four-way valve 11, during cooling operation, as shown by the solid arrows, a refrigeration cycle is established in which the refrigerant circulates in the order of the accumulator 12, compressor 13, oil separator 14, outdoor heat exchanger 15 (condenser), outdoor expansion valve 16, indoor expansion valves 22a and 22b, and indoor heat exchangers 21a and 21b (evaporators).

[0017] In addition, by switching the four-way valve 11, during heating operation, a refrigeration cycle is formed in which the refrigerant circulates in the following order: accumulator 12, compressor 13, oil separator 14, indoor heat exchangers 21a, 21b (condensers), indoor expansion valves 22a, 22b, outdoor expansion valve 16, and outdoor heat exchanger 15 (evaporator), as shown by the dashed arrows.

[0018] The indoor heat exchangers 21a and 21b exchange heat between the refrigerant and the indoor air, and function as evaporators during cooling operation and as condensers during heating operation. The indoor expansion valves 22a and 22b are composed of, for example, electronic expansion valves or thermostatic expansion valves, and function as pressure reducers during heating operation.

[0019] The accumulator 12 is a container that adjusts the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator to a specified refrigerant dryness and discharges it to the compressor 13. Even if an excessive amount of liquid refrigerant flows in while the air conditioner 1 is in operation, the accumulator 12 supplies refrigerant with a specified dryness to the compressor 13, thereby preventing liquid compression in the compressor 13 and ensuring the reliability of the compressor 13.

[0020] The oil separator 14 separates the refrigeration oil discharged together with the gas refrigerant from the compressor 13 from the gas refrigerant. In this embodiment, the outflow side of the oil separator 14 is connected to the accumulator 12 via the oil return pipe 33, and the refrigeration oil is returned to the compressor 13 via the accumulator 12. However, the position of the oil return pipe 33 is not limited to this position, and it may be connected between the accumulator 12 and the compressor 13.

[0021] Cooling by the air conditioner 1 is performed based on the following principle. High-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas compressed by the compressor 13 has the refrigeration oil contained in the refrigerant gas separated by the oil separator 14. The separated refrigerant gas then passes through the four-way valve 11 and is sent to the outdoor heat exchanger 15. The refrigerant gas is then cooled by heat exchange with the outside air in the outdoor heat exchanger 15, which functions as a condenser, and becomes high-pressure liquid refrigerant. The high-pressure liquid refrigerant is decompressed and expanded by the outdoor expansion valve 16, becoming a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant (a low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant that contains a small amount of refrigerant gas).

[0022] The gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant decompressed by the outdoor expansion valve 16 is sent to each of the indoor heat exchangers 21a, 21b. Then, in the indoor heat exchangers 21a, 21b, which function as evaporators, the refrigerant evaporates through heat exchange with the indoor air, removing heat and becoming a low-temperature, low-pressure gas refrigerant. The low-temperature, low-pressure gas refrigerant passes through the four-way valve 11 and enters the accumulator 12, where the low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant that has not been completely evaporated is separated. The low-temperature, low-pressure gas refrigerant from which the liquid refrigerant has been separated returns to the compressor 13. The same cycle is then repeated to continue cooling.

[0023] Heating by the air conditioner 1 is performed in a cycle that is the opposite of that during cooling operation. High-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas adiabatically compressed by the compressor 13 is sent to each of the indoor heat exchangers 21a, 21b by switching the four-way valve 11. Then, the indoor heat exchangers 21a, 21b, which function as condensers, give heat to the indoor air, and then the outdoor heat exchanger 15, which functions as an evaporator, takes heat from the outdoor air. This similar cycle is repeated to continue heating.

[0024] Examples of the refrigeration oil that can be used include polyol esters, polyethers, carbonates, naphthenic mineral oils, paraffinic mineral oils, and alkylbenzenes. Examples of the polyethers include polyvinyl ether compounds, and base oils mainly composed of cyclic ketals or cyclic acetals. Examples of the carbonates include monocarbonates.

[0025] The refrigerating machine oil may contain, as additives, extreme pressure additives (also called extreme pressure agents), antioxidants, stabilizers, acid scavengers, antifoaming agents, metal deactivators, and the like. The refrigerating machine oil preferably contains an extreme pressure additive. This can increase the lubricity of the sliding parts of the compressor 13. The content of the extreme pressure additive is preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 2.0% by mass or less with respect to the refrigerating machine oil.

[0026] As the extreme pressure additive, thermochemically stable tertiary phosphates such as tricresyl phosphate, triphenyl phosphate, trixylenyl phosphate, cresyl diphenyl phosphate, 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate, and tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate can be used.

[0027] The following chemical formula 1 shows an example of a part of the initial structure of an additive contained in a refrigerating machine oil, and the following chemical formula 2 shows an example of the initial structure changed due to deterioration. When the substance of chemical formula 1 deteriorates, it changes to the substance of chemical formula 2, which has a structure in which a carbon atom and an oxygen atom are connected by a double bond, called a carbonyl group. The carbonyl group is called a chromophore, and is a type of structure that causes a compound to become colored. The phenomenon in which refrigerating machine oil or the additives contained therein deteriorate and change color occurs when the molecular structure of the constituent substances changes due to a deterioration reaction, generating a chromophore. By checking the color change of the refrigerating machine oil, it is possible to grasp the deterioration of the refrigerating machine oil or the additives contained therein. [ka] [ka]

[0028] Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the compressor 13. Fig. 2 shows an example in which the compressor 13 is a scroll compressor, but is not limited to this. The compressor 13 may be, for example, a rotary compressor or a swing compressor. As shown in Fig. 2, a suction pipe 41 is provided at the top of the compressor 13, and a discharge pipe 42 is provided at the side of the compressor 13.

[0029] The air conditioner 1 includes a storage section 2 that stores a mixed liquid A of a refrigerant and a refrigeration oil. The storage section 2 is preferably provided in the lower part of the compressor 13 (below the motor 48 of the compressor 13). The mixed liquid A stored in the storage section 2 is sent to the upper part of the crankshaft 44 through an oil supply passage 45 in the crankshaft 44. The lower end of the crankshaft 44 is provided with a suction port 46 that draws in the mixed liquid A. The storage section 2 may be provided in a refrigerant flow path in which the refrigeration oil circulates, such as the pipes 34, 35, and 36 and the oil return pipe 33 shown in FIG. 1. The mixed liquid A includes not only a mixed liquid in which the refrigerant is dissolved in the refrigeration oil, but also a mixed liquid in which the refrigerant and the refrigeration oil are separated into two layers.

[0030] The air conditioner 1 includes a light irradiating section 3 that irradiates light onto the mixed liquid A stored in the storage section 2, and a light receiving section 4 that receives the light that has passed through the mixed liquid A. The light irradiating section 3 is a light source that includes the three components R, G, and B, and is, for example, a white LED light source. The air conditioner 1 according to this embodiment includes a reflecting section 5 that reflects the light that has passed through the mixed liquid A, and the light receiving section 4 receives the light reflected by the reflecting section 5, but is not limited to this.

[0031] The compressor 13 is provided with a window portion 43 for checking the oil level position of the mixed liquid A stored in the storage portion 2. The window portion 43 is formed of, for example, glass. In this embodiment, the light emitting portion 3 and the light receiving portion 4 are integrally formed. The light emitting portion 3 and the light receiving portion 4 are attached to the outside of the window portion 43 (the outside of the storage portion 2). The reflecting portion 5 is attached to the inside of the window portion 43 (the inside of the storage portion 2).

[0032] A gap is provided between the reflecting section 5 and the window section 43, with the mixed liquid A being interposed therebetween. A distance D1 between the reflecting section 5 and the light emitting section 3 (light receiving section 4) is appropriately set depending on the thickness of the window section 43, the performance of the light emitting section 3, the type of refrigerating machine oil, etc. The distance D1 is, for example, 50 mm. The reflecting section 5 may be formed integrally with the light emitting section 3 and the light receiving section 4, or may be separate from the light emitting section 3 and the light receiving section 4.

[0033] The height H1 of the light-receiving unit 4 is preferably higher than the height H2 of the suction port 46. This makes it possible to detect when the liquid level (oil level) of the mixed liquid A falls below the attachment position of the light-receiving unit 4. The height H1 of the light-receiving unit 4 is preferably lower than the liquid level height H3 of the mixed liquid A in the normal state (when the oil level is higher than the suction port 46).

[0034] As shown in Fig. 3, the light receiving unit 4 may directly receive the light irradiated from the light irradiating unit 3. In such a configuration, the light receiving unit 4 is separate from the light irradiating unit 3 and is attached to a position facing the light irradiating unit 3. The light irradiating unit 3 may be provided inside the storage unit 2 and attached to the bottom of the storage unit 2. In Fig. 3, the window portion is not shown.

[0035] 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of region IV in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the air conditioner 1 includes an output unit 6 that separates the light received by the light receiving unit 4 into at least three components, R, G, and B, and outputs the voltage value or current value of each component, and an alarm unit 8 that alarms an abnormality when the ratio of the absolute values ​​of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​of each component output by the output unit 6 when the compressor 13 is operating, or the absolute value of the voltage value or current value of each component output by the output unit 6 when the compressor 13 is operating, changes by a predetermined value or more. According to this configuration, the abnormality in the refrigerating machine oil is detected by the light irradiated when the compressor 13 is operating, so that the accuracy of alarming the properties of the refrigerating machine oil can be improved (false alarming of the properties of the refrigerating machine oil can be suppressed). This is because the solubility of the refrigerant in the refrigerating machine oil is lower when the compressor 13 is operating than when it is stopped, and the ratio of the refrigerating machine oil in the mixed liquid A is high. Furthermore, by reporting an abnormality, an abnormality in the refrigeration oil can be found early and a breakdown in the compressor 13 can be prevented. This makes it possible to operate the air conditioner 1 for a long period of time, and a highly reliable air conditioner 1 can be provided. Furthermore, since no additive is required to detect the properties of the refrigeration oil as in Patent Document 2, there is no problem with the material compatibility between the refrigerant and the refrigeration oil, and no increase in cost due to additives. The reporting unit 8 may report the properties (state) of the refrigeration oil. The air conditioner 1 may be configured so that an operator can check the properties of the refrigeration oil by inspecting the air conditioner 1 after being notified by the reporting unit 8.

[0036] The notification unit 8 may notify that an abnormality exists in a device containing the refrigerating machine oil, such as a refrigeration cycle, instead of an abnormality in the properties of the refrigerating machine oil. In other words, the "abnormality" notified by the notification unit 8 means that an abnormality exists in the properties of the refrigerating machine oil or in a device containing the refrigerating machine oil. The properties of the refrigerating machine oil include the deterioration state of the refrigerating machine oil (additives contained in the refrigerating machine oil), the state of wear powder mixed into the refrigerating machine oil, the storage state of the refrigerating machine oil stored in the storage unit 2, and the foaming state of the refrigerating machine oil. The deterioration (consumption) of the additives contained in the refrigerating machine oil tends to cause the voltage value (or current value) of B, among the three components R, G, and B, to decrease significantly compared to the other components. For example, the notification unit 8 notifies of an abnormality (refrigerating machine oil deterioration) when the ratio of the absolute value of the voltage value (or current value) of B among the components or the absolute value of the voltage value (or current value) of B among the components changes by more than a predetermined value between before and after a predetermined time has elapsed.

[0037] The predetermined value is appropriately set depending on the property of the refrigerating machine oil to be notified, the performance of the light irradiation unit 3, the type of refrigerating machine oil, the type of additives contained in the refrigerating machine oil, and the like.

[0038] The notification unit 8 may include a determination unit that determines that there is an abnormality in the refrigeration oil (or the properties of the refrigeration oil) when the ratio of the absolute values ​​of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​of the components output by the output unit 6 while the compressor 13 is operating, or the absolute values ​​of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​of the components output by the output unit 6 while the compressor 13 is operating, changes by a predetermined value or more. In this case, the notification unit 8 issues a notification after determining that there is an abnormality in the refrigeration oil (or the properties of the refrigeration oil).

[0039] The notification unit 8 may notify of an abnormality when the ratio of the absolute values ​​of the voltage value or the current value changes by a predetermined value or more while the compressor 13 is operating. With this configuration, the influence of the decrease in light intensity due to aging of the light emitting unit 3 can be reduced compared to the case where an abnormality in the refrigeration oil is detected by the absolute value of the voltage value or the current value. This can improve the accuracy of notifying the properties of the refrigeration oil.

[0040] The notification unit 8 (determination unit) may quantify the degree of discoloration of the refrigerating machine oil from the voltage value or current value output by the output unit 6, and notify (determine) the consumption rate of the extreme pressure additive from the degree of discoloration of the refrigerating machine oil. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the degree of discoloration of the refrigerating machine oil and the consumption rate of the extreme pressure additive. In Figure 5, the black circles indicate measured values, and the straight lines indicate approximation straight lines of the measured values.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 5, the consumption (decomposition) of the extreme pressure additive forms a molecular structure that causes the refrigeration oil to change color, so the consumption rate of the extreme pressure additive and the degree of discoloration of the refrigeration oil are proportional to each other. This makes it possible to estimate the consumption rate of the extreme pressure additive by quantifying the degree of discoloration of the refrigeration oil, and to grasp the deterioration state of the refrigeration oil. In this case, the degree of discoloration of the refrigeration oil can be indicated by the absolute value of the difference between the RGB values ​​(R, G, B) of the refrigeration oil in an undegraded state and the RGB values ​​(R', B', C') calculated from the voltage value or current value output by the output unit 6.

[0042] The above numerical values ​​(R, G, B) and (R', B', C') are used to indicate the amount of change in RGB values ​​from an undegraded refrigeration oil in a one-dimensional numerical value, which is used as an index showing the degree of discoloration of the refrigeration oil. For example, the numerical value shown in the following mathematical formula 1 may be used as an index showing the degree of discoloration of the refrigeration oil. If the amount of change in the numerical value calculated by the following mathematical formula 1 exceeds a threshold value B1, this indicates that the consumption rate of the extreme pressure additive exceeds a threshold value B2 (%), and it is notified (determined) that the refrigeration oil has deteriorated and discolored. It is calculated from the amount of change in RGB values ​​shown in the following mathematical formula 1.

number

[0043] When the absolute value of the voltage value or current value output by the output unit 6 is equal to or greater than a second threshold value A2 and equal to or less than a first threshold value A1, which will be described later, and the value calculated by the above formula 1 has changed by more than the threshold value B1 from the refrigeration oil in an undegraded state at the time when the use of the air conditioner 1 was started, it is preferable that the notification unit 8 notifies that the extreme pressure additive contained in the refrigeration oil has been consumed by more than B2 (%) and the refrigeration oil has deteriorated.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 4, the notification unit 8 may have any configuration as long as it is capable of notifying a person of an abnormality. For example, the notification unit 8 may be a lamp or a buzzer that emits a warning sound. The lamp or buzzer is provided, for example, in the indoor units 20a, 20b shown in Fig. 1 or a remote control (not shown). The notification unit 8 may be configured to be able to notify a control room or the like provided in a location away from the air conditioner 1.

[0045] It is preferable that the notification unit 8 notifies an abnormality by comparing the ratio of the absolute values ​​of the undegraded state voltage values ​​or undegraded state current values ​​of each component in the undegraded mixed solution A, or the absolute values ​​of the undegraded state voltage values ​​or undegraded state current values ​​of each component in the undegraded mixed solution A, with the ratio of the absolute values ​​of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​of each component output by the output unit 6, or the absolute values ​​of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​of each component output by the output unit 6. According to such a configuration, by comparing with the undegraded mixed solution, the accuracy of notifying the properties of the refrigeration oil can be further improved. The undegraded state refers to the state of the mixed solution immediately after the air conditioner 1 is installed and started to operate.

[0046] The notification unit 8 is not limited to the above, and may notify an abnormality based on the voltage value or current value of each component of mixed solution A in a state where a predetermined time has elapsed from the undegraded state output by the output unit 6. The notification unit 8 may include a storage unit that stores the undegraded state voltage value or undegraded state current value, the voltage value or current value of each component of mixed solution A in a state where a predetermined time has elapsed from the undegraded state, etc.

[0047] The compressor 13 is equipped with a control unit (not shown) that controls the rotation speed of the compressor 13. It is preferable that the notification unit 8 notifies of an abnormality (the refrigeration oil in the storage unit is insufficient (out of oil)) when the absolute value of the voltage value or current value is equal to or greater than a first threshold value A1 (see FIG. 6). The first threshold value A1 is set appropriately depending on the performance of the light irradiation unit 3, the type of refrigeration oil, the type of additives contained in the refrigeration oil, etc. FIG. 6 shows the relationship between the absolute value of the voltage value or current value and the operating time of the air conditioner 1 (the operating time of the compressor 13), and is a diagram showing the threshold value that serves as a reference for detecting wear powder and oil shortage.

[0048] When the oil level of the mixed liquid A falls below the light emitting unit 3 or the light receiving unit 4, the irradiated light does not pass through the mixed liquid A or the amount of irradiated light passing through the mixed liquid A decreases, so that the amount of reflected light received by the light receiving unit 4 increases, and the absolute value of the voltage value or current value output by the output unit 6 becomes larger than in the normal state (when the light emitting unit 3 or the light receiving unit 4 is below the oil level). Therefore, the notification unit 8 can notify of an abnormality (insufficient refrigeration oil in the storage unit 2) by checking whether the absolute value of the voltage value or current value is equal to or greater than the first threshold value A1.

[0049] The control unit of the compressor 13 preferably controls the rotation speed of the compressor 13 so that the mixed liquid A returns to the storage unit 2 where a shortage of refrigerating machine oil has been notified. With such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the mixed liquid A in the storage unit 2 from becoming insufficient. This makes it possible to prevent, for example, the refrigerating machine oil supplied to the sliding unit of the compressor 13 from becoming insufficient, causing the compressor 13 to break down. When the refrigerating machine oil in the storage unit 2 is insufficient even after controlling the rotation speed of the compressor 13, for example, the notification unit 8 may notify the shortage of refrigerating machine oil in the storage unit 2. For example, a state in which refrigerating machine oil is insufficient from inside the compressor is assumed to be a state in which refrigerating machine oil is discharged from inside the compressor 13 into the refrigeration cycle and adheres to the tube walls and the inside of the heat transfer tubes of the condenser and evaporator. When a large amount of refrigerating machine oil adheres to the inner wall of the piping and the refrigerating machine oil in the compressor 13 becomes insufficient, it is desirable to operate the compressor 13 to recover the refrigerating machine oil in the piping to the compressor 13. Specifically, by increasing the rotation speed of compressor 13 to increase the mass circulation amount of the refrigerant, the refrigerant flow rate in the piping can be increased and the refrigeration oil adhering to the inner wall of the piping can be recovered and returned to compressor 13.

[0050] It is preferable that the notification unit 8 notifies when the absolute value of the voltage value or current value is equal to or less than the second threshold value A2 (see FIG. 6). With such a configuration, it is possible to prevent a breakdown of the compressor 13, and it is possible to operate the air conditioner 1 for a long period of time. This makes it possible to provide a highly reliable air conditioner 1. This is because, when the absolute value of the voltage value or current value is equal to or less than the second threshold value A2, there is a high possibility that wear will occur in the sliding parts of the compressor 13, and that wear powder will be mixed into the mixed liquid A. The second threshold value A2 is appropriately set depending on the performance of the light irradiation unit 3, the type of refrigeration oil, the type of additives contained in the refrigeration oil, and the like.

[0051] As wear progresses in the sliding parts of the compressor 13, metal wear powder (iron powder) is generated from the crankshaft and bearings that constitute the sliding parts of the compressor and is dispersed in the mixed liquid A. If wear powder is present in the mixed liquid A, the light irradiated from the light irradiating unit 3 is scattered, the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 4 decreases compared to when no wear powder is present, and the absolute value of the voltage value or current value output by the output unit 6 becomes smaller. Therefore, the notification unit 8 is able to notify that wear powder has been mixed into the mixed liquid A by checking whether the absolute value of the voltage value or current value is equal to or less than the second threshold value A2.

[0052] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between the voltage value or current value output by the output unit 6 and the operation (operation) time of the air conditioner 1 (compressor 13) when light is irradiated to the mixed liquid A from before the start of operation of the air conditioner 1 (compressor 13) to the end of operation. As shown in FIG. 7, the voltage value or current value output by the output unit is approximately constant before the compressor starts operating, but fluctuates greatly after the air conditioner 1 starts operating. At this time, inside the compressor, the temperature and pressure increase from the time the compressor is stopped, the solubility of the refrigerant in the refrigeration oil decreases, and the amount of refrigerant that can be dissolved decreases, so the mixed liquid may foam due to the refrigerant that cannot be dissolved from inside the refrigeration oil, or the volume of the mixed liquid itself may change due to the decrease in the amount of refrigerant that can be dissolved, causing the oil level to fluctuate. Then, after a predetermined time has passed, the number of rotations (frequency) of the compressor stabilizes, and the temperature and pressure of the air conditioner stabilize, and the fluctuation of the mixed liquid becomes small, and the voltage value or current value becomes approximately constant. After that, when the operation of the air conditioner 1 ends, the voltage value or current value fluctuates again. This can be seen, for example, when pump-down operation is performed to recover refrigerant to the condenser at the end of operation. In this way, the voltage and current values ​​output by the output unit fluctuate when there is a change in the number of indoor units in operation, a change in the set temperature of each indoor unit, the outside air temperature, or the compressor rotation speed when the air conditioner 1 starts or stops operating. The voltage and current values ​​output by the output unit also fluctuate when the mixed liquid is foaming or the oil level of the mixed liquid rises and falls.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 4, it is preferable that the notification unit 8 notifies of an abnormality when the voltage value or current value output by the output unit 6 is stable (the fluctuation in the voltage value or current value is small) (see Fig. 7). With such a configuration, it is possible to suppress erroneous notification of the properties of the refrigeration oil and to improve the accuracy of notification of the properties of the refrigeration oil. The stability of the voltage value or current value means that the difference between the voltage value or current value output by the output unit 6 after a predetermined time has elapsed and the voltage value or current value output by the output unit 6 before the predetermined time has elapsed is within ±3% of the voltage value or current value output by the output unit 6 after the predetermined time has elapsed.

[0054] It is preferable that the notification unit 8 does not notify of an abnormality when foaming occurs in the mixed liquid A. This is because foaming in the mixed liquid A causes a large fluctuation in the voltage value or current value, which reduces the accuracy of notifying the properties of the refrigeration oil.

[0055] It is preferable that the notification unit 8 does not notify an abnormality when the compressor 13 is stopped and the temperature of the mixed liquid A is lower than a predetermined temperature. When the temperature of the mixed liquid A is lower than a predetermined temperature, the mixed liquid A separates into two layers. In this case, the layer with a high refrigeration oil ratio and the layer with a low refrigeration oil ratio become cloudy, and the voltage value and current value output by the output unit 6 change, making it difficult to notify accurately. The predetermined temperature is the temperature at which the mixed liquid A separates into two layers, a layer with a high refrigeration oil ratio (a layer with a low refrigerant ratio) and a layer with a low refrigeration oil ratio (a layer with a high refrigerant ratio). This predetermined temperature differs depending on the combination of the refrigerant and the refrigerant oil, so it is preferable to select it appropriately depending on the type of the refrigerant oil and the refrigerant used in the air conditioner 1.

[0056] It is preferable that the notification unit 8 notifies of an abnormality by correcting the absolute value of the voltage value or current value output by the output unit 6 for a change (decrease) due to deterioration of the light irradiation unit 3 over time. That is, it is preferable that the notification unit 8 notifies of an abnormality by adding a correction value according to the number of years that the light irradiation unit 3 has been used to the absolute value of the voltage value or current value output by the output unit 6. With this configuration, even if the light irradiation unit 3 has deteriorated over time, the accuracy of the notification of the properties of the refrigeration oil can be maintained. The correction value is appropriately set depending on the performance and number of years that the light irradiation unit 3 has been used.

[0057] Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an accumulator 12 of an air conditioner 1 according to another embodiment. As shown in Fig. 8, an inlet pipe 62 and an outlet pipe 63 for a refrigerant are provided at the upper part of a container 61 of the accumulator 12. The inlet pipe 62 is connected to the pipe 34 shown in Fig. 1. The outlet side of the outlet pipe 63 is connected to the pipe 35 shown in Fig. 1.

[0058] The storage section 2 is provided at the bottom of the accumulator 12. The mixed liquid A is stored in the storage section 2, and is sucked up from an opening 63a provided in an outflow pipe 63 and sent to the compressor. The outflow pipe 63 is further provided with openings 63b and 63c for preventing overflow and adjusting the dryness fraction.

[0059] The accumulator 12 has a window 64 for checking the oil level of the mixed liquid A stored in the storage section 2. The window 64 is made of, for example, glass. The light emitting section 3 and the light receiving section 4 are attached to the outside of the window 64 (outside of the storage section 2). The reflecting section 5 is attached to the inside of the window 64 (inside of the storage section 2).

[0060] It is preferable that the height H4 of the light receiving unit 4 is substantially the same as the height H5 of the opening 63a. By providing the light receiving unit 4 at substantially the same height as the opening 63a of the outflow pipe 63, it is possible to detect whether the mixed liquid A having a high liquid refrigerant ratio is present at the position of the opening 63a of the outflow pipe 63. As a result, it is possible to prevent the mixed liquid A from being separated into two layers and the liquid having a high liquid refrigerant ratio being sent from the opening 63a of the outflow pipe 63 to the compressor, causing liquid compression and damaging the compressor. When the occurrence of the two-layer separation is detected, the two-layer separation of the mixed liquid A may be eliminated, or the amount of refrigerant in the accumulator 12 may be reduced.

[0061] As shown in Fig. 9, the light receiving unit 4 may directly receive the light irradiated from the light irradiating unit 3. In such a configuration, the light receiving unit 4 is separate from the light irradiating unit 3 and is attached at a position facing the light irradiating unit 3. The light irradiating unit 3 may be provided in the storage unit 2 and attached to the outflow pipe 63. In Fig. 9, the window portion is not shown.

[0062] 10 is a cross-sectional view of an oil separator 14 of an air conditioner 1 according to another embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, an outlet pipe 51 for the refrigerant is provided at the top of the oil separator 14, and an inlet pipe 52 for the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant and mixed liquid A discharged from the compressor is provided at the side of the oil separator 14, and the refrigerant gas and mixed liquid A with a high ratio of refrigeration oil are separated inside the oil separator. An outlet pipe 53 through which the mixed liquid A with a high ratio of refrigeration oil flows out is provided at the bottom of the oil separator 14. The outlet pipe 51 is connected to the pipe 37 shown in FIG. 1, the inlet pipe 52 is connected to the pipe 36 shown in FIG. 1, and the outlet pipe 53 is connected to the oil return pipe 33 shown in FIG. 1.

[0063] The oil separator 14 has a window 54 for checking the oil level of the mixed liquid A stored in the storage section 2. The window 54 is made of, for example, glass. The light emitting section 3 and the light receiving section 4 are attached to the outside of the window 54 (outside of the storage section 2). The reflecting section 5 is attached to the inside of the window 54 (inside of the storage section 2).

[0064] The height H6 of the light receiving section 4 is preferably equal to or greater than a predetermined height. If an excessive amount of mixed liquid A is stored in the storage section 2 of the oil separator 14, the amount of mixed liquid A (refrigerating machine oil) stored in the storage section of the compressor will decrease, and the amount of refrigerating machine oil supplied to the sliding sections of the compressor will decrease, causing poor lubrication. The predetermined height is set appropriately depending on the total amount of mixed liquid A (refrigerating machine oil), the capacity that can be stored in the storage section of the compressor, etc.

[0065] As shown in Fig. 11, the light receiving unit 4 may directly receive the light irradiated from the light irradiating unit 3. In such a configuration, the light receiving unit 4 is separate from the light irradiating unit 3 and is attached to a position facing the light irradiating unit 3. The light irradiating unit 3 may be provided inside the storage unit 2 and attached to the bottom of the storage unit 2. In Fig. 11, the window portion is not shown.

[0066] (Air conditioner inspection device) The inspection device (not shown) of the air conditioner may include a light irradiating unit that irradiates light onto a mixture of refrigerant and refrigerating machine oil stored in a storage unit of the air conditioner, a light receiving unit that receives light that has passed through the mixture, an output unit that separates the light received by the light receiving unit into at least three components, R, G, and B, and outputs the voltage value or current value of each component, and a notification unit that notifies an abnormality when the ratio of the absolute value of the voltage value or current value of each component output by the output unit when the compressor of the air conditioner is operating, or the absolute value of the voltage value or current value of each component output by the output unit when the compressor is operating, changes by a predetermined value or more. As a result, for example, by placing the inspection device in a window of the compressor, it is possible to notify the properties of the refrigerating machine oil in the storage unit. In such a configuration, the air conditioner does not include the light irradiating unit 3, the light receiving unit 4, the output unit 6, and the notification unit 8 as shown in FIG. 2. Note that a reflecting unit 5 shown in FIG. 2 may be provided in the storage unit.

[0067] [1] As described above, the air conditioner 1 according to this embodiment includes a compressor 13, a storage section 2 for storing a mixed liquid A of a refrigerant and a refrigeration oil, a light irradiating section 3 for irradiating light onto the mixed liquid A stored in the storage section 2, a light receiving section 4 for receiving light that has passed through the mixed liquid A, an output section 6 for separating the light received by the light receiving section 4 into at least three components, R, G and B, and outputting the voltage value or current value of each component, and a notification section 8 for notifying an abnormality when the ratio of the absolute values ​​of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​of each component output by the output section 6 when the compressor 13 is operating, or the absolute value of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​of each component output by the output section 6 when the compressor 13 is operating, changes by more than a predetermined value.

[0068] According to this configuration, the solubility of the refrigerant in the refrigerating machine oil is lower when the compressor 13 is operating than when it is stopped, so that the ratio of the refrigerating machine oil is high in the mixed liquid A. This makes it easier to detect an abnormality in the refrigerating machine oil, and improves the accuracy of reporting the properties of the refrigerating machine oil.

[0069] [2] In the air conditioner 1 of [1] above, the notification unit 8 may be configured to notify of an abnormality if the ratio of the absolute values ​​of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​changes by more than a predetermined value while the compressor 13 is operating.

[0070] According to such a configuration, the influence of the decrease in light intensity due to aging of the light emitting unit 3 can be reduced compared to the case where an abnormality is notified by the absolute value of the voltage value or current value. This makes it possible to improve the accuracy of the notification.

[0071] [3] In the air conditioner 1 of the above [1] or [2], the storage section 2 is preferably provided inside the compressor 13.

[0072] According to this configuration, since the mixed liquid A is reliably stored in the storage unit 2, it is possible to constantly notify an abnormality. Also, the storage state of the refrigeration oil stored in the compressor 13 can be notified by the notification unit 8.

[0073] [4] The air conditioner 1 of any one of the above [1] to [3] may be configured to include an accumulator 12 and / or an oil separator 14, and the storage section 2 may be provided within the accumulator 12 and / or the oil separator 14.

[0074] According to such a configuration, the notification unit 8 can notify the storage state of the refrigeration oil stored in the accumulator 12 and / or the oil separator 14, etc.

[0075] [5] In the air conditioner 1 of any one of the above [1] to [4], the refrigeration oil preferably contains an extreme pressure additive.

[0076] With this configuration, the lubrication of the sliding parts of the compressor 13 can be improved.

[0077] [6] In the air conditioner 1 according to any one of the above items [1] to [5], the notification unit 8 is (i) reporting an abnormality by comparing the ratio of the absolute values ​​of the undegraded voltage values ​​or the undegraded current values ​​of the components in the undegraded mixed solution A with the ratio of the absolute values ​​of the voltage values ​​or the current values ​​of the components output by the output unit 6; or (ii) It is preferable to configure the device so that the absolute value of the undegraded state voltage value or the undegraded state current value of each component in the mixed solution A in an undegraded state is compared with the absolute value of the voltage value or the current value of each component output by the output unit 6, and an abnormality is notified.

[0078] According to this configuration, by comparing with the mixed solution A in an undegraded state, the accuracy of the notification can be further improved.

[0079] [7] In any one of the air conditioners 1 of [1] to [6] above, it is preferable that the compressor 13 is equipped with a control unit that controls its rotation speed, the notification unit 8 notifies that there is an abnormality in the storage unit 2 when the absolute value of the voltage value or current value output by the output unit 6 is equal to or greater than the first threshold value A1, and the control unit controls the rotation speed of the compressor 13 so that the mixed liquid A returns to the storage unit 2 for which it has been notified that there is an abnormality.

[0080] According to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent a shortage of the mixed liquid A (refrigerating machine oil) in the storage unit 2. As a result, it is possible to prevent a shortage of the refrigerating machine oil supplied to the sliding parts of the compressor 13, for example, which causes the compressor 13 to break down.

[0081] [8] In any one of the air conditioners 1 [1] to [7] above, it is preferable that the notification unit 8 is configured to notify that refrigeration oil needs to be replaced when the absolute value of the voltage value or current value output by the output unit 6 is equal to or less than the second threshold value A2.

[0082] According to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent breakdowns in the compressor 13 and operate the air conditioner 1 for a long period of time. As a result, it is possible to provide a highly reliable air conditioner 1.

[0083] [9] In the air conditioner 1 of any one of the above [1] to [8], the notification unit 8 is preferably configured to notify of an abnormality when the voltage value or current value output by the output unit 6 is stable.

[0084] According to this configuration, it is possible to suppress false alarms and improve the accuracy of the alarm.

[0085]

[10] In any one of the air conditioners 1 [1] to [9] above, it is preferable that the notification unit 8 is configured to correct the voltage value or current value output by the output unit 6 for a change due to deterioration over time of the light irradiation unit 3, and notify of an abnormality.

[0086] According to such a configuration, even if the light emitting unit 3 deteriorates with age, the reporting accuracy can be maintained.

[0087]

[11] The air conditioner inspection device comprises a light irradiation unit which irradiates light onto a mixture of refrigerant and refrigeration oil stored in a storage unit of the air conditioner, a light receiving unit which receives light that has passed through the mixture, an output unit which separates the light received by the light receiving unit into at least three components, R, G and B, and outputs the voltage value or current value of each component, and an alarm unit which alerts an abnormality when the ratio of the absolute values ​​of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​of each component output by the output unit when the compressor of the air conditioner is operating, or the absolute value of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​of each component output by the output unit when the compressor is operating, changes by more than a predetermined value.

[0088] According to this configuration, the solubility of the refrigerant in the refrigeration oil is lower when the compressor is operating than when it is stopped, so the ratio of the refrigeration oil in the mixed liquid is high. This makes it easier to detect an abnormality in the refrigeration oil, and improves the accuracy of reporting the properties of the refrigeration oil.

[0089] The air conditioner 1 and the air conditioner inspection device are not limited to the configurations of the above-mentioned embodiments, and are not limited to the above-mentioned effects. Of course, various modifications can be made to the air conditioner 1 and the air conditioner inspection device without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, it is of course possible to arbitrarily select one or more of the configurations, methods, etc. related to the various modified examples described above and adopt them in the configurations, methods, etc. related to the above-mentioned embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 1...air conditioner, 2...storage section, 3...light emitting section, 4...light receiving section, 5...reflecting section, 6...output section, 8...notification section, 10...outdoor unit, 11...four-way valve, 12...accumulator, 13...compressor, 14...oil separator, 15...outdoor heat exchanger, 16...outdoor expansion valve, 20a, 20b...indoor unit, 21a, 21b...indoor heat exchanger, 22a, 22b...indoor expansion valve, 31...liquid piping, 32...gas Piping, 33...oil return pipe, 34, 35, 36, 37...piping, 41...suction pipe, 42...discharge pipe, 43...window, 44...crankshaft, 45...oil supply passage, 46...suction port, 48...motor, 51...outlet pipe, 52...inlet pipe, 53...outlet pipe, 54...window, 61...container, 62...inlet pipe, 63...outlet pipe, 63a...opening, 63b...opening, 63c...opening, 64...window, A...mixed liquid

Claims

1. A compressor; a storage section for storing a mixture of a refrigerant and a refrigeration oil; a light irradiation unit that irradiates the mixed liquid stored in the storage unit with light; a light receiving unit that receives light transmitted through the mixed liquid; an output section that separates the light received by the light receiving section into at least three components of R, G, and B and outputs a voltage value or a current value of each component; an alarm unit that alerts an abnormality when the ratio of the absolute values ​​of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​of each component output by the output unit when the compressor is operating, or the absolute values ​​of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​of each component output by the output unit when the compressor is operating, changes by a predetermined value or more.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the notification unit notifies of an abnormality when a ratio of an absolute value of the voltage value or the current value changes by a predetermined value or more while the compressor is in operation.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the storage section is provided inside the compressor.

4. An accumulator and / or an oil separator are provided, The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the storage section is provided within the accumulator and / or the oil separator.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the refrigeration oil contains an extreme pressure additive.

6. The notification unit is (i) reporting an abnormality by comparing a ratio of the absolute values ​​of the undegraded state voltage values ​​or the undegraded state current values ​​of the respective components in the mixed solution in an undegraded state with a ratio of the absolute values ​​of the voltage values ​​or the current values ​​of the respective components output by the output unit; or (ii) The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein an absolute value of the undegraded state voltage value or the undegraded state current value of each component in the mixed liquid in an undegraded state is compared with the absolute value of the voltage value or the current value of each component output by the output unit, and an abnormality is notified.

7. The compressor includes a control unit that controls a rotation speed of the compressor, The notification unit notifies that an abnormality exists in the storage unit when an absolute value of the voltage value or the current value is equal to or greater than a first threshold value, The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls a rotation speed of the compressor so that the mixed liquid returns to the storage unit for which an abnormality has been notified.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the notification unit provides notification that replacement of the refrigeration oil is necessary when an absolute value of the voltage value or the current value is equal to or less than a second threshold value.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the notification unit notifies of an abnormality when the voltage value or the current value output by the output unit is stable.

10. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the notification unit corrects an absolute value of the voltage value or the current value for a change due to deterioration of the light irradiation unit over time, and notifies of an abnormality.

11. a light irradiation unit that irradiates light onto a mixture of the refrigerant and the refrigeration oil stored in a storage unit of the air conditioner; a light receiving unit that receives light transmitted through the mixed liquid; an output section that separates the light received by the light receiving section into at least three components of R, G, and B and outputs a voltage value or a current value of each component; an alarm unit that alerts an abnormality when the ratio of the absolute values ​​of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​of each component output by the output unit when the compressor of the air conditioner is operating, or the absolute values ​​of the voltage values ​​or current values ​​of each component output by the output unit when the compressor is operating, changes by more than a predetermined value.

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