Heat pump device

Abstract

To provide a heat pump device capable of recovering flammable refrigerant that has leaked into the device's casing. [Solution] The heat pump device 10 includes a heat pump module 19 that includes a refrigerant circuit that performs a refrigeration cycle using a flammable refrigerant with a density greater than that of air, and a housing 11 that houses the refrigerant circuit, with a machine room 11A as a first chamber and a tank housing chamber 11B as a second chamber separated from the machine room 11A formed inside. The machine room 11A houses the refrigerant circuit and an adsorbent 43 that adsorbs the flammable refrigerant. The adsorbent 43 has a side adsorbent 43B that is positioned in a portion of the side parts 12A, 13A, 14A, 15A of the machine room 11A that includes at least the lower part, and a bottom adsorbent 43A that is positioned in a bottom part 17 that is below the side parts 12A, 13A, 14A, 15A of the machine room 11A. The thickness T1 of the bottom adsorbent 43A is greater than the thickness T2 of the side adsorbent 43B.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present disclosure relates to a heat pump device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a heat pump device including an adsorbent that handles a flammable refrigerant, in which the adsorbent device is connected to a housing and also serves as a sound-absorbing material in a structure that allows the refrigerant to be released to the external space through the adsorbent in case of refrigerant leakage.

[0003] Patent Document 2 describes a configuration in which an adsorbent for adsorbing leaked refrigerant is appropriately arranged inside the housing of a heat pump device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In addition to the refrigerant circuit that performs a refrigeration cycle inside the housing of a heat pump device, there are components that can be ignition sources, such as an electrical component box and a heater. Therefore, when a flammable refrigerant leaks into the housing unintentionally from the refrigerant circuit, it is necessary to quickly recover the leaked refrigerant.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a heat pump device capable of recovering a flammable refrigerant leaked into the housing of the device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] According to this embodiment, a heat pump device (10) capable of recovering flammable refrigerant leaked into the device housing (11) can be provided.

[0009] In other embodiments of the heat pump device (10) of this disclosure, the second chamber (11B) may be configured to be located above the first chamber (11A).

[0010] According to this embodiment, it is possible to suppress the movement of a flammable refrigerant with a density greater than that of air to the vicinity of elements that could become a source of ignition, thereby improving the safety of the heat pump device 10 in the event of refrigerant leakage.

[0011] In other embodiments of the heat pump device (10) of this disclosure, the side adsorbents (43C1, 43C2, 43D) may be configured such that the thickness of the lower side is greater than the thickness of the upper side.

[0012] According to this embodiment, the flammable refrigerant leaked into the housing (11) of the heat pump device (10) can be recovered more quickly.

[0013] In another embodiment of the heat pump device (10) of the present disclosure, the side adsorbents (43C1, 43C2) include a first member (43C1) positioned on the upper side of the side portions (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) and a second member (43C2) positioned adjacent to the first member (43C1) on the lower side of the side portions (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A), wherein the thickness of the second member (43C2) may be greater than the thickness of the first member (43C1).

[0014] According to this embodiment, flammable refrigerant leaked into the housing (11) of the heat pump device (10) can be recovered more quickly. Furthermore, by having a configuration with a first member (43C1) and a second member (43C2) of different thicknesses as the side adsorbent, maintenance such as adjusting the adsorption performance of the side adsorbent and replacing the members can be easily performed.

[0015] In a heat pump device (10) according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the bottom adsorbent (43A) may be arranged over the entire bottom (17) of the first chamber (11A), and the side adsorbents (43B, 43C1, 43C2, 43D, 43E1, 43E2) may be arranged such that their lower ends are adjacent to the bottom adsorbent (43A).

[0016] According to this embodiment, leakage of refrigerant from the bottom (17) of the first chamber (11A) to the outside of the housing (11) can be more reliably suppressed.

[0017] In other embodiments of the heat pump device (10) of this disclosure, the side adsorbents (43B, 43C1, 43C2, 43D, 43E1, 43E2) may be arranged to extend to the lower end of the side portions (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) of the first chamber (11A), and the bottom adsorbent (43A) may be arranged so that its outer edge is adjacent to the side adsorbents (43B, 43C1, 43C2, 43D, 43E1, 43E2).

[0018] According to this embodiment, leakage of refrigerant from the lower end of the side portion (12A~15A) of the first chamber (11A) to the outside of the housing (11) can be more reliably suppressed.

[0019] In the heat pump device (10) according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the refrigerant circuit (19) includes a compressor (22) that compresses the refrigerant, a first heat exchanger (27) that exchanges heat between the flammable refrigerant and the heat source fluid, a decompression mechanism that decompresses the flammable refrigerant, a second heat exchanger (28) that exchanges heat between the flammable refrigerant and the utilization fluid, and a refrigerant pipe (24) that connects each element of the refrigerant circuit and circulates the flammable refrigerant. The upper end of the side adsorbent (43E1) may be provided up to the height of the connection portion (24A1) between the refrigerant pipe (24) and the second heat exchanger (28) in a portion (24A) of the refrigerant pipe (24) disposed between the compressor (22) and the second heat exchanger (28).

[0020] According to this aspect, even if refrigerant leakage occurs at the connection portion (24A1), it is possible to easily adsorb the leaked refrigerant to the adsorbent.

[0021] In the heat pump device (10) according to another aspect of the present disclosure, corner adsorbents (43F1, 43F2) that adsorb the flammable refrigerant in the same manner as the adsorbent (43) may be arranged along the extending direction of the corner at the corner where the adjacent sides (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) of the first chamber (11A) are connected.

[0022] According to this aspect, it is possible to more reliably suppress the leakage of refrigerant from the corner to the outside of the housing (11).

[0023] In the heat pump device (10) according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the corner adsorbent (43F1) may be formed in a triangular prism shape in which the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the extending direction is triangular, the surface corresponding to the hypotenuse of the triangle faces the inside of the first chamber (11A), and the surfaces corresponding to the other two sides are in contact with the sides (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A).

[0024] According to this aspect, it is possible to more efficiently adsorb the refrigerant that tends to leak from the corner to the adsorbent.

[0025] In the heat pump device (10) according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the side adsorbents (43B, 43C1, 43C2, 43D) may be arranged over the entire side portions (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) of the first chamber (11A).

[0026] According to this aspect, the combustible refrigerant leaked into the housing (11) of the heat pump device (10) can be recovered more efficiently.

[0027] In the heat pump device (10) according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the adsorbent (43) may be configured to be able to adsorb 152 g of the combustible refrigerant.

[0028] According to this aspect, it is possible to suppress the refrigerant from staying in the first chamber and promote recovery by the adsorbent.

[0029] The heat pump device (10) according to another aspect of the present disclosure is installed inside the housing (11) and includes a partition plate (18) that partitions the first chamber (11A) and the second chamber (11B). The partition plate (18) is formed such that a horizontal gap is formed between the four side surfaces (181, 182, 183, 184) in the plate thickness direction of the partition plate (18) and the side walls (12, 13, 14, 15) of the housing (11). The side portions (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) of the first chamber (11A) are part of the side walls (12, 13, 14, 15) of the housing (11). Below the partition plate (18) among the side portions (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) of the first chamber (11A), a baffle plate (39(391, 392, 393, 394)) that extends along the longitudinal direction of the side surfaces (181, 182, 183, 184) of the partition plate (18) and protrudes from the side portions (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) toward the partition plate (18) side may be installed.

[0030] According to this embodiment, the baffle plate (39) can prevent the flammable refrigerant from being sprayed towards the gap during rapid leakage, and the flammable refrigerant that is reflected off the baffle plate (39) diffuses into the first chamber (11A), allowing it to efficiently come into contact with the adsorbent.

[0031] In other embodiments of the heat pump device (10) of the present disclosure, the baffle plates (39 (391, 392, 393, 394)) may be formed to protrude from the sides (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) of the first chamber (11A) toward the partition plate (18) to a position where they overlap with the partition plate (18) beyond the horizontal gap.

[0032] According to this embodiment, the baffle plate (39) can more reliably prevent flammable refrigerant from being sprayed into the gap during rapid leakage.

[0033] In other embodiments of the heat pump device (10) of this disclosure, the baffle plates (39 (391, 392, 393, 394)) are arranged with a vertical gap between them and the partition plate (18), and a gap adsorbent (43G) is arranged on the upper surface of the baffle plates (39 (391, 392, 393, 394)) to a height that fills the vertical gap, and adsorbs the flammable refrigerant in the same manner as the adsorbent (43).

[0034] According to this embodiment, even after hitting the baffle plate (39), the flammable refrigerant that moves further towards the gap can be adsorbed and recovered by the gap adsorbent (43G), thus more reliably preventing the flammable refrigerant from being sprayed towards the gap during rapid leakage.

[0035] In other embodiments of the heat pump device (10) of the present disclosure, the baffle plates (39 (391, 392, 393, 394)) may be formed to protrude horizontally or downward from the sides (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) of the first chamber (11A).

[0036] According to this embodiment, the reflection direction of the flammable refrigerant after it hits the baffle plate (39) can be directed further downward, thereby further suppressing the flammable refrigerant from continuing to move towards the gap after hitting the baffle plate.

[0037] A heat pump device (10) according to another aspect of the present disclosure may have a plurality of connecting members (40) arranged along the longitudinal direction of the sides (181, 182), which connect a first pair of opposing sides (181, 182) of the partition plate (18) and a first pair of opposing side walls (14, 15) of the side walls (12, 13, 14, 15) of the housing (11), and the baffle plate (391, 392) may be installed between the first pair of sides (181, 182) on which the connecting members (40) are arranged and the side portions (14A, 15B) of the first chamber (11A), which are part of the first pair of side walls (14, 15).

[0038] According to this embodiment, the baffle plate (39) can prevent flammable refrigerant from being sprayed into the gap during rapid leakage.

[0039] In other embodiments of the heat pump device (10) of the present disclosure, the baffle plates (393, 394) may be installed between a second pair of sides (183, 184) of the partition plate (181, 182, 183, 184) of the partition plate (18) that are different from the first pair of sides (181, 182), and the sides (12A, 13A) of the first chamber (11A), which are part of a second pair of side walls (12, 13) of the housing (11) that are positioned opposite the second pair of sides (183, 184).

[0040] According to this embodiment, the baffle plate (39) can more reliably prevent flammable refrigerant from being sprayed into the gap during rapid leakage. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0041] [Figure 1]This figure shows a schematic configuration example of a heat pump system to which the heat pump device according to this embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] Perspective view showing an example of the external appearance of a heat pump device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the heat pump unit with the door removed. [Figure 4] Perspective view showing an example of the external appearance of a heat pump module. [Figure 5] A schematic diagram showing the first example of the refrigerant leakage suppression function according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] A schematic diagram showing a modified example of the first refrigerant leakage suppression function. [Figure 7] A schematic diagram showing a second example of the refrigerant leakage suppression function according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] A schematic diagram showing a third example of the refrigerant leakage suppression function according to this embodiment. [Figure 9] A schematic diagram showing a fourth example of the refrigerant leakage suppression function according to this embodiment. [Figure 10] A schematic diagram showing a fifth example of the refrigerant leakage suppression function according to this embodiment. [Figure 11] A schematic diagram showing the sixth example of the refrigerant leakage suppression function according to this embodiment. [Figure 12] A schematic plan view illustrating the fifth example of the refrigerant leakage suppression function, including the partition plate. [Figure 13] A schematic diagram illustrating the effect of a baffle plate in the sixth example of refrigerant leakage suppression function. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0042] The embodiments will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. To facilitate understanding of the explanation, the same reference numerals are used for identical components in each drawing whenever possible, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0043] In the following explanation, the X, Y, and Z directions are perpendicular to each other. The X and Y directions are horizontal, and the Z direction is vertical. The X direction is the front-to-back direction of the heat pump device 10's housing 11, with the positive X direction being the front and the negative X direction being the rear. The Y direction is the width direction of the heat pump device 10's housing 11. Also, for convenience of explanation, the positive Z direction may be referred to as the upper side and the negative Z direction as the lower side.

[0044] <Basic configuration of a heat pump system> The basic configuration of the heat pump device 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4.

[0045] First, with reference to Figure 1, we will describe the heat pump system 100 to which the heat pump device 10 is applied. Figure 1 is a diagram showing a schematic example of the configuration of the heat pump system 100 to which the heat pump device 10 according to this embodiment is applied.

[0046] The heat pump system 100 is a system that uses a common heat source 101 to provide hot water and heating to multiple indoor spaces such as houses. In the example in Figure 1, an example of application is illustrated in the introduction of the system to a multi-unit dwelling 200, such as an apartment building, consisting of multiple houses 201. Other indoor spaces include, for example, detached houses, shops, office buildings, commercial facilities, educational facilities, public facilities, or factories.

[0047] As shown in Figure 1, each house 201 is equipped with a heat pump device 10 according to this embodiment. In the example in Figure 1, a total of 10 heat pump devices 10 are shown individually for each of the 10 houses.

[0048] The heat source 101 includes, for example, one or more air-source heat pump chillers. Other heat sources that can be used include, for example, a ground source, surface water, district heating, and water heat recovery.

[0049] A heat source circuit 102 connects the heat source 101 to each heat pump device 10. A heat source fluid circulates within the heat source circuit 102, allowing the heat source fluid heated by the heat source 101 to be supplied to each heat pump device 10 via the heat source circuit 102. Furthermore, the heat source fluid, after heat exchange with the refrigerant in the first heat exchanger 27 (see Figure 4, etc.) of the heat pump device 10, can be recovered from each heat pump device 10 via the heat source circuit 102.

[0050] In the case of multi-story indoor spaces such as apartment buildings 200 to which the heat pump system 100 is applied, it is preferable to configure the building to efficiently exchange heat by individually arranging heat source circuits 102 for each floor or a predetermined number of floor groups, and by exchanging heat source fluid between one heat source circuit 102 and multiple heat pump devices 10 within a predetermined height range.

[0051] Furthermore, within each house 201, the heat pump device 10 and the heating devices and other items used to heat the house 201 are connected by a utilization circuit 103. A utilization fluid circulates through the utilization circuit 103, and the utilization fluid heated by the second heat exchanger 28 (see Figure 4, etc.) of the heat pump device 10 can be supplied to the utilization circuit 103 via the utilization circuit 103. Additionally, the utilization fluid used for heating and other purposes can be recovered from each item via the utilization circuit 103.

[0052] Next, the basic configuration of the heat pump device 10 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 4. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the external appearance of the heat pump device 10 according to the embodiment. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the heat pump device 10 shown in Figure 2 with the door 12a removed.

[0053] In this example, the heat pump device 10 is a geothermal heat source unit. The heat pump device 10 comprises a housing 11 that is roughly rectangular in shape, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and houses the elements related to each function of the heat pump device 10 inside the housing 11.

[0054] The housing 11 has a front wall 12 formed facing the positive X direction and a rear wall 13 formed facing the negative X direction on the opposite side. The front wall 12 and the rear wall 13 are arranged in a basically parallel relationship at the front and rear of the heat pump device 10. The front wall 12 has a door 12a that can be attached to and detached from the housing 11 in the portion from a predetermined height in the Z direction to its lower end. The door 12a may be configured to be detachable from the housing 11, or it may be configured to be connected to the main body of the housing 11 in an openable and closable manner, for example, via a hinge.

[0055] The housing 11 has a first side wall 14 formed facing the positive Y direction and a second side wall 15 formed facing the negative Y direction on the opposite side. The side walls 14 and 15 also face each other and are arranged in parallel to the left and right sides of the heat pump device 10, respectively.

[0056] The front wall 12, the rear wall 13, and the pair of side walls 14 and 15 are formed with approximately equal height dimensions in the Z direction, and their respective end faces in the width direction are connected to each other at approximately right angles. In other words, the front wall 12, the rear wall 13, and the pair of side walls 14 and 15 form a rectangular tube with a rectangular cross-sectional shape when viewed in the Z direction. For the purposes of the following explanation, the front wall 12, the rear wall 13, and the pair of side walls 14 and 15 may be collectively referred to as "side walls."

[0057] The upper end of the housing 11, i.e., the end face on the positive Z-direction side of the rectangular tube, is closed by the upper wall 16. The bottom wall 17 is located on the lower end of the housing 11 opposite the upper wall 16, i.e., the end face on the negative Z-direction side of the rectangular tube, and closes the lower end.

[0058] The heat pump unit 10 is configured as an independent unit and is installed on a flat surface such as the floor of an indoor space in a house. For this purpose, multiple height-adjustable legs can be provided on the underside of the bottom wall 17. By adjusting the height of each leg, the housing 11 can be positioned horizontally.

[0059] As shown in Figure 3, the heat pump unit 10 has three spaces stacked in the height direction. Figure 3 shows the state with the door 12a of the front wall 12 removed. The space that can be exposed to the outside by opening the door 12a is divided into two spaces by a partition plate 18 (see Figure 5) located at a predetermined height in the Z direction. The space at the lowest end below the partition plate 18 is the machine room 11A (first room). The space above the partition plate is the tank storage room 11B. The space at the highest end above the top of the door 12a is the piping storage room 11C.

[0060] The tank housing chamber 11B houses a household hot water tank 20 for storing hot water to be supplied to homes and the like. Inside the household hot water tank 20, pipes are arranged through which a working fluid, heated by, for example, a second heat exchanger 28 (described later), flows. In this configuration, heat exchange occurs between the working fluid in the pipes and the tap water stored in the tank 20, thereby heating the tap water and storing it as hot water in the household hot water tank 20. Other elements besides the tank 20 may be placed in the tank housing chamber 11B, such as an electrical equipment box 25 (see Figure 5) which houses various electrical components related to the function of the heat pump device 10.

[0061] The piping storage chamber 11C houses various devices, such as piping connected to the heat source circuit 102 to exchange heat source fluid, and piping connected to the utilization circuit 103 to exchange utilization fluid with a heating circuit (for example, one incorporating radiators or underfloor heating) for heating a residential building. In the example shown in Figure 3, the piping 21 extending to the connection points of the heat source circuit 102 and the utilization circuit 103 is shown at the upper end of the housing 11.

[0062] The machine room 11A houses the heat pump module 19. The configuration of the heat pump module 19 will be described below.

[0063] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the external appearance of the heat pump module 19. The heat pump module 19 includes components of the refrigerant circuit of the heat pump.

[0064] In the example shown in Figure 4, the refrigerant circuit consists of a compressor 22, an expansion valve (pressure reducing mechanism) (not shown), a first heat exchanger 27, and a second heat exchanger 28, all connected by refrigerant pipes 24. The refrigerant circuit may also include an accumulator 23, a muffler, and other components such as sensors and valves. Furthermore, the heat pump module 19 is equipped with a control box 29. The control box 29 houses various devices, including an inverter (inverter PCB) for controlling the capacity of the compressor 22.

[0065] In the refrigerant circuit according to this embodiment, instead of specific fluorocarbons or their substitutes that affect the global environment, such as ozone depletion and greenhouse gas effects, natural refrigerants with a low global warming potential (GWP) are used as the refrigerant circulated within the circuit. Such natural refrigerants often contain flammable components, such as propane.

[0066] The first heat exchanger 27 includes a first heat source pipe 30 connected to the heat source fluid inlet of the first heat exchanger 27. Furthermore, a second heat source pipe 31 is provided and connected to the heat source fluid outlet of the first heat exchanger 27. For example, if the heat pump system 100 is a system that utilizes a geothermal heat source, saltwater can be used as the heat source fluid. In this case, the first heat source pipe 30 and the second heat source pipe 31 are saltwater pipes.

[0067] The first heat exchanger 27 is configured to perform heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing through the first heat exchanger 27 portion of the refrigerant circuit and the heat source fluid flowing through the first heat exchanger 27 portion of the heat source circuit 102. A pump 32 (a saltwater pump in this example) is located in the first heat source pipe 30 to supply the heat source fluid (e.g., saltwater) to the first heat exchanger 27.

[0068] The second heat exchanger 28 includes a first fluid pipe 33 connected to the inlet of the second heat exchanger 28's used fluid. Furthermore, a second fluid pipe 34 is connected to the outlet of the second heat exchanger 28's used fluid. For example, tap water can be used as the used fluid. In this case, the first fluid pipe 33 and the second fluid pipe 34 are water pipes.

[0069] The second heat exchanger 28 is configured to perform heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing through the second heat exchanger 28 portion of the refrigerant circuit and the utilization fluid flowing through the second heat exchanger 28 portion of the utilization circuit 103. A pump 35 (a water pump in this example) is located inside the first fluid pipe 33 to supply the utilization fluid (e.g., tap water) to the second heat exchanger 28.

[0070] Below the piping, such as the refrigerant pipe 24, heat source pipes 30 and 31, and fluid pipes 33 and 34, a drain pan 36 is positioned to collect condensation water that is generated on these components and drips or flows down.

[0071] All elements of the aforementioned heat pump module 19 are directly or indirectly attached to the drawer plate 37. The drawer plate 37 is, for example, a rectangular plate positioned along the XY plane. The drawer plate 37 is located inside the housing 11, and its rectangular cross-sectional shape is, for example, aligned with the XY plane of the housing 11, with each side of the rectangle being parallel to it. Each element of the heat pump module 19 is positioned on the upper side of the drawer plate 37. A handle 38 is also positioned on the front edge of the drawer plate 37 (i.e., one side of the rectangle facing the front wall 12 of the housing 11). In this example, the drawer plate 37 is a relatively rigid and thick rectangular plate made of metal, particularly a light metal. In one example, the material is aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

[0072] In this embodiment, the heat pump module 19 is installed in the machine room 11A in a state that it can slide in the X direction via the pull-out plate 37. For example, the configuration makes it easy for a worker to remove the heat pump module 19 from the machine room 11A of the heat pump device 10 or to install the heat pump module 19 inside the machine room 11A by gripping the handle 38 and applying external force.

[0073] With this configuration, where the heat pump module 19 can be easily attached to and detached from the housing 11 of the heat pump device 10, when installing the heat pump device 10 at a desired location, for example, the housing 11 and the heat pump module 19 can be separated and transported to the installation site separately. As a result, compared to a case where the entire heat pump device is configured as a single unit, the individual components of the heat pump device 10 in this embodiment are lighter to transport to the installation site, making transportation easier. Furthermore, the maintainability of the heat pump module 19 can be improved.

[0074] It should be noted that the machine room 11A does not necessarily need to house all the components of the heat pump module 19; it is sufficient if at least a portion of the heat pump module 19 is housed in the machine room 11A. However, as described later, the heat pump device 10 according to this embodiment has a function to suppress the leakage of flammable refrigerant that has leaked into the machine room 11A to the outside of the device housing 11, so it is necessary to house at least some of the elements that may leak refrigerant into the machine room 11A. Examples of such elements include the compressor 22, which is a component of the refrigerant circuit of the heat pump, as well as the expansion valve, the first heat exchanger 27, the second heat exchanger 28, and the refrigerant pipe 24.

[0075] The above describes the basic configuration of the heat pump device 10 according to this embodiment. The heat pump device 10 further includes functions to suppress refrigerant leakage into the installation space of the device. These functions will be explained with reference to Figure 5 and subsequent figures. These functions are particularly useful when the refrigerant is a flammable refrigerant. The following explanation assumes that the refrigerant is a flammable refrigerant.

[0076] <Refrigerant leakage suppression function for heat pump systems> Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing a first example of the refrigerant leakage suppression function according to this embodiment. Figure 5 schematically illustrates the portion of the heat pump device 10 that includes the tank storage chamber 11B and the machine room 11A at the bottom of the housing 11. As shown in Figure 5, the machine room 11A and the tank storage chamber 11B are separated by a partition plate 18 that is horizontally arranged at a predetermined height in the Z direction, dividing the space within the housing 11. For example, the partition plate 18 is a rectangular plate material similar to the drawer plate 37 described above.

[0077] As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment in particular, the heat pump device 10 is housed in a machine room 11A, which serves as the first chamber, and includes an adsorbent 43 for adsorbing flammable refrigerant, as an element for realizing the refrigerant leakage suppression function.

[0078] The adsorbent material 43 comprises a bottom adsorbent material 43A and a side adsorbent material 43B. The side adsorbent material 43B is arranged over the entirety of the four sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A (see Figure 10) of the machine room 11A. The four sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A correspond to the lower end portions of the four side walls 12, 13, 14, and 15 of the housing 11.

[0079] The bottom suction material 43A is positioned at the bottom of the machine room 11A, below the sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A (i.e., the upper surface of the bottom wall 17 of the housing 11; hereafter sometimes referred to as "bottom 17").

[0080] The bottom adsorption material 43A is positioned over the entire bottom 17 of the machine room 11A. The side adsorption material 43B is positioned so that its lower end is adjacent to the bottom adsorption material 43A.

[0081] In this embodiment in particular, as shown in Figure 5, the bottom adsorbent 43A and the side adsorbent 43B are formed such that the thickness T1 of the bottom adsorbent 43A is greater than the thickness T2 of the side adsorbent 43B. In the example in Figure 5, both the bottom adsorbent 43A and the side adsorbent 43B are formed with constant thicknesses T1 and T2. Note that in Figure 5, only the two side adsorbent 43B installed on a pair of side sections 14A and 15A that are facing each other in the Y direction are shown, but similar side adsorbent 43B are also installed on another pair of side sections 12A and 13A that are facing each other in the X direction (see Figure 10, etc.).

[0082] As described above, in this embodiment, a flammable refrigerant with a density greater than that of air is used. Therefore, if refrigerant leakage occurs in the refrigerant circuit of the heat pump module 19, it is likely that the leaked refrigerant will accumulate at the bottom of the machine room 11A. In this embodiment, by configuring the bottom adsorbent material 43A to have a thickness T1 greater than the side adsorbent material 43B's thickness T2, more adsorbent material can be placed in the area where the refrigerant accumulates. This allows the leaked refrigerant accumulated in the machine room 11A to be efficiently adsorbed by the adsorbent material, thus recovering the flammable refrigerant that has leaked into the housing 11 of the heat pump device 10. If the leaked refrigerant can be recovered, the accumulation of flammable refrigerant in the machine room 11A can be suppressed, and the amount of flammable refrigerant leaking outside the housing 11 of the heat pump device 10 can be reduced. As a result, it is less likely that a flammable area will be formed in the installation space of the heat pump device 10 due to the leaked flammable refrigerant.

[0083] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the tank storage chamber 11B, which serves as the second chamber, is positioned above the machine room 11A, which serves as the first chamber. As described above, the tank storage chamber 11B contains elements that could be sources of ignition, such as the electrical equipment box 25. However, by positioning it above the machine room 11A, it is possible to suppress the movement of the flammable refrigerant, which has a density greater than that of air, into the vicinity of elements that could be sources of ignition, thereby improving the safety of the heat pump device 10 in the event of refrigerant leakage.

[0084] In the first example, the bottom adsorbent 43A is placed over the entire bottom 17 of the machine room 11A, which is the first chamber. The side adsorbent 43B is placed so that its lower end is adjacent to the bottom adsorbent 43A. With this configuration, the entire bottom 17 of the machine room 11A can be covered with the bottom adsorbent 43A, and the outer edge of the bottom adsorbent 43A can be sealed by the lower end of the side adsorbent 43B, thereby more reliably suppressing the leakage of refrigerant from the bottom 17 of the machine room 11A to the outside of the housing 11.

[0085] In the first example, the side adsorbent 43B is placed over the entire sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A of the machine room 11A, which serves as the first chamber. With this configuration, the side adsorbent 43B can adsorb leaked refrigerant not only from the bottom 17 of the machine room 11A but also from the entire sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A, allowing for more efficient recovery of flammable refrigerant leaked into the housing 11 of the heat pump device 10.

[0086] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing a modified example of the first example of the refrigerant leakage suppression function. The outline of Figure 6 is the same as that of Figure 5. The bottom adsorbent 43A and the side adsorbent 43B only need to cover at least the lower parts of the sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A of the machine room 11A and the entire bottom 17, and are not limited to the configuration in Figure 5.

[0087] For example, as shown in Figure 6, the side adsorbent 43B may be arranged to extend to the lower ends of the sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A of the machine room 11A. In this case, the bottom adsorbent 43A is arranged so that its outer edge is adjacent to the side adsorbent 43B. With the modified configuration shown in Figure 6, the entire sides 12A to 15A of the machine room 11A can be covered with the side adsorbent 43B, and the lower ends of the side adsorbent 43B can be sealed by the outer edge portion of the bottom adsorbent 43A, thereby more reliably suppressing the leakage of refrigerant from the lower ends of the sides 12A to 15A of the machine room 11A to the outside of the housing 11.

[0088] Furthermore, the modified configuration shown in Figure 6 can also be applied to the second to sixth examples of refrigerant leakage suppression functions, which will be explained with reference to Figures 7 and beyond.

[0089] In this embodiment, it is preferable that the adsorbent 43 has properties that allow it to adsorb 152 g of flammable refrigerant. With this configuration, even if refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit of the heat pump module 19 leaks into the machine room 11A, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of refrigerant in the machine room 11A and promote its recovery by the adsorbent 43.

[0090] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing a second example of the refrigerant leakage suppression function according to this embodiment. The overview of Figure 7 is the same as that of Figure 5. In the second example of Figure 7, there is a first member 43C1 and a second member 43C2 as side adsorbents. The first member 43C1 is positioned on the upper side of the side portions 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A of the machine room 11A. The second member 43C2 is positioned adjacent to the first member 43C1 on the lower side of the side portions 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A.

[0091] In the second example of Figure 7, the side adsorption material is formed such that the thickness of the second member 43C2 is greater than the thickness of the first member 43C1. In the example of Figure 7, both the first member 43C1 and the second member 43C2 are formed with different constant thicknesses. Furthermore, the thickness of the thicker second member 43C2 is formed to be approximately the same as the thickness T2 of the side adsorption material 43B in the first example of Figure 5. Note that in Figure 7, only the first member 43C1 and the second member 43C2 installed on a pair of side sections 14A and 15A that are facing each other in the Y direction are shown, but similar first member 43C1 and second member 43C2 are also installed on another pair of side sections 12A and 13A that are facing each other in the X direction (see Figure 10, etc.).

[0092] In the second example, the first member 43C1 and the second member 43C2, which serve as side adsorbents, are configured such that the thickness of the second member 43C2 is greater than that of the first member 43C1. This allows for the placement of not only the bottom adsorbent 43A but also more side adsorbents (second member 43C2) on the lower side of the machine room 11A, which is the refrigerant retention area. As a result, leaked refrigerant retained in the machine room 11A can be efficiently adsorbed by the side adsorbents, enabling more rapid recovery of flammable refrigerant leaked into the housing 11 of the heat pump device 10. Furthermore, the configuration of the side adsorbents, which include the first member 43C1 and the second member 43C2 with different thicknesses, facilitates maintenance such as adjusting the adsorption performance of the side adsorbents and replacing components.

[0093] In the second example, the configuration involves stacking multiple members in the Z direction as side adsorption material, and it is sufficient if the thickness of the lower side is greater than the thickness of the upper side. Figure 7 illustrates a configuration in which two members 43C1 and 43C2 are stacked, but a configuration in which three or more members are stacked is also acceptable. In the case of a configuration with three or more members, for example, the thickness of the members positioned towards the bottom increases in stages.

[0094] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing a third example of the refrigerant leakage suppression function according to this embodiment. The overview of Figure 8 is the same as that of Figure 5. In the third example of Figure 8, the side adsorbent material 43D is formed so that the thickness on the lower side is greater than the thickness on the upper side. In the example of Figure 8, the thickness of the lower end of a single member 43D is formed to be approximately the same as the thickness T2 of the side adsorbent material 43B in the first example of Figure 5, and the thickness is formed to decrease continuously as it moves upward. Note that in Figure 8, only the two side adsorbents 43D installed on a pair of side sections 14A and 15A that are arranged opposite each other in the Y direction are shown, but similar side adsorbents 43D are also installed on another pair of side sections 12A and 13A (see Figure 10, etc.) that are arranged opposite each other in the X direction.

[0095] In the example shown in Figure 8, the X-direction view of the side adsorption material 43D satisfies the requirement that the thickness of the lower side is greater than the thickness of the upper side. As such, the portion corresponding to the hypotenuse is exposed to the inside of the machine room 11A, and the other two sides are formed in a right-angled triangle shape, with the other two sides facing the sides 14A, 15A and the bottom 17. However, the shape of the side adsorption material 43D is not limited to a right-angled triangle as long as it satisfies the above requirements. For example, the portion corresponding to the hypotenuse in Figure 8 may be a convex curved surface protruding to the inside of the machine room 11A, or a concave curved surface recessed towards the sides 14A and 15A.

[0096] In the third example, the side adsorbent 43D is configured such that the thickness on the lower side is greater than the thickness on the upper side. This allows for the placement of not only the bottom adsorbent 43A but also more side adsorbents 43D below the machine room 11A, which is the area where the refrigerant accumulates. As a result, leaked refrigerant accumulating in the machine room 11A can be efficiently adsorbed by the side adsorbents 43D, enabling more rapid recovery of flammable refrigerant leaked into the housing 11 of the heat pump device 10.

[0097] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing a fourth example of the refrigerant leakage suppression function according to this embodiment. The overview of Figure 9 is the same as that of Figure 5. In the first to third examples described with reference to Figures 5 to 8, a configuration was shown in which the upper end of the side adsorbent reaches the upper end of the sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A of the machine room 11A. However, the side adsorbent only needs to be positioned in a portion including at least the lower part of the four sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A of the machine room 11A, which is the first chamber. In the fourth example of Figure 9, two side adsorbents 43E1 and 43E2 with different upper end positions are shown as examples. One side adsorbent 43E1 is provided on one side 14A, and the other side adsorbent 43E2 is provided on the other side 15A.

[0098] In the example shown in Figure 9, the components of the refrigerant circuit of the heat pump module 19 are shown in the machine room 11A, including the compressor 22, the refrigerant pipe 24, the first heat exchanger 27 which performs heat exchange between the heat source fluid and the refrigerant, and the second heat exchanger 28 which performs heat exchange between the utilization fluid and the refrigerant. In the example shown in Figure 9, the second heat exchanger 28 is positioned closer to one side 14A, and the compressor 22 is positioned closer to the other side 15A. In Figure 9, the portion 24A of the refrigerant pipe 24 of the refrigerant circuit, which is located between the compressor 22 and the second heat exchanger 28, is shown with a solid line, while the portion located between the second heat exchanger 28 and the first heat exchanger 27, and the portion located between the first heat exchanger 27 and the compressor 22, are shown with dotted lines.

[0099] In the fourth example of Figure 9, one of the side adsorbents 43E1 is provided in the portion 24A of the refrigerant pipe 24 of the refrigerant circuit, which is located between the compressor 22 and the second heat exchanger 28, up to the height H1 of the connection portion 24A1 between the refrigerant pipe 24 and the second heat exchanger 28.

[0100] Furthermore, the other side adsorbent 43E2 is provided in portion 24A of the refrigerant pipe 24, which is located between the compressor 22 and the second heat exchanger 28, up to the height H2 of the connection portion 24A2 between the refrigerant pipe 24 and the compressor 22.

[0101] In the example shown in Figure 9, a configuration is illustrated in which two side adsorbents 43E1 and 43E2 with different upper end positions are provided. However, the height of either side adsorbent 43E1 or side adsorbent 43E may be aligned. Furthermore, the portion of the side adsorbent located closer to the connection portion 24A1 between the refrigerant pipe 24 and the second heat exchanger 28 may be formed to a height H1, and the portion located closer to the connection portion 24A2 between the refrigerant pipe 24 and the compressor 22 may be formed to a height H2.

[0102] The effects of the fourth example will now be explained. In the refrigerant circuit, the connection portion 24A1 between the refrigerant pipe 24 and the second heat exchanger 28 tends to be particularly susceptible to stress because the pressure of the refrigerant flowing inside is relatively high. Furthermore, the connection portion 24A1 is joined by two members using conventional methods such as brazing. For this reason, it is considered that cracks and other damage are more likely to occur in this connection portion 24A1 compared to other parts, leading to refrigerant leakage. Therefore, in the fourth example of this embodiment, by providing the upper end of the side adsorbent 43E1 up to the height H1 of the connection portion 24A1, even if refrigerant leakage occurs in the connection portion 24A1, the leaked refrigerant can be easily adsorbed by the adsorbent.

[0103] Furthermore, in the refrigerant circuit, the connection portion 24A2 between the refrigerant pipe 24 and the compressor 22 is also prone to stress, similar to the connection portion 24A1, and there is a possibility of refrigerant leakage. Similar to the connection portion 24A1, the two components are joined at the connection portion 24A2 by conventional methods such as brazing. Therefore, by providing the upper end of the side adsorbent 43E2 shown in Figure 9 up to the height H2 of the connection portion 24A2, it is possible to further adsorb leaked refrigerant onto the adsorbent.

[0104] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing a fifth example of the refrigerant leakage suppression function according to this embodiment. Figure 10 shows a cross-section along the XY plane at an arbitrary height position in the machine room 11A, and only the adsorbent material 43 is shown in the internal space of the machine room 11A. Figure 10 also illustrates two examples, (A) and (B).

[0105] As shown in Figures 10(A) and (B), in the fifth example, the adsorbent 43 has corner adsorbents 43F1 and 43F2. The corner adsorbents 43F1 and 43F2 are arranged along the extending direction (Z direction) of each corner at the four corners where adjacent sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A of the machine room 11A are connected. The corner adsorbents 43F1 and 43F2 have the property of adsorbing flammable refrigerants, similar to the other adsorbents 43.

[0106] The corner adsorption material 43F1 shown in Figure 10(A) has a triangular cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the direction of extension, with the hypotenuse of the triangle facing inward into the machine room 11A, and the other two sides contacting the sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A, forming a triangular prism shape. In the fifth example,

[0107] The shape of the corner adsorbent is not limited to a triangular shape like the corner adsorbent 43F1 shown in Figure 10(A). The corner adsorbent only needs to be shaped to cover at least the rectangular corners of the machine room 11A. For example, as shown in Figure 10(B), the corner adsorbent 43F2 may have a rectangular cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the direction of extension, with two adjacent sides in contact with the sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A, and the other two adjacent sides facing inward into the machine room 11A.

[0108] As shown in Figures 10(A) and (B), the four side walls 12, 13, 14, and 15 that form the rectangular cross-section of the housing 11 are each made of flat plate material and are connected at the ends in the width direction of each plate material, so gaps tend to occur at the connection points. Similarly, in the side parts 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A of the machine room 11A, gaps tend to occur at the connection points, i.e., at the four corners of the rectangular cross-section, and the airtightness of the machine room 11A cannot often be guaranteed. In the fifth example, by providing corner adsorbents 43F1 and 43F2, the adsorbent material can be made thicker at the corners where there is a high possibility of refrigerant leakage from the inside to the outside of the machine room 11A, so that refrigerant leakage from the corners to the outside of the housing 11 can be suppressed more reliably. In addition, as illustrated in Figure 10(A), by configuring the corner adsorbent 43F1 to have a triangular cross-sectional shape, the surface corresponding to the hypotenuse of the right triangle can be made to face the inside of the machine room 11A. This allows the surface of the corner adsorbent 43F1 exposed into the machine room 11A to be directly aligned with the direction of movement of the leaking refrigerant toward the corner, thereby enabling the adsorbent to more efficiently adsorb refrigerant attempting to leak from the corner.

[0109] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing a sixth example of the refrigerant leakage suppression function according to this embodiment. The outline of Figure 11 is the same as that of Figure 5. Figure 12 is a schematic plan view showing the portion of the fifth example of the refrigerant leakage suppression function that includes the partition plate 18. In Figure 12, the baffle plate 39 in Figure 11 is shown with a dotted line. Also, for convenience, in Figure 12, the area of ​​the gap between the four side walls 12, 13, 14, and 15 of the housing 11 (the four sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A of the machine room 11A) and the four sides 181, 182, 183, and 184 of the partition plate 18 is shown in dark gray.

[0110] In the sixth example, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, a baffle plate 39 is provided inside the machine room 11A. As shown in Figure 11, the baffle plate 39 is installed directly below the partition plate 18 on the sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A of the machine room 11A.

[0111] Here, as shown in Figure 12, the partition plate 18 is formed to a size that creates a horizontal gap between the four side surfaces 181, 182, 183, and 184 of the partition plate 18 in the thickness direction and the side portions 12, 13, 14, and 15 of the housing 11.

[0112] The structure in which the partition plate 18 is installed at a predetermined height position in the housing 11 in this shape is as follows. A connecting member 40 is arranged inside the housing 11 of the heat pump device 10, and the partition plate 18 is connected and fixed to the housing 11 by the connecting member 40. For example, as shown in Figure 12, the connecting member 40 connects the first pair of sides 181 and 182 of the four sides 181, 182, 183 and 184 of the partition plate 18, which are arranged opposite each other in the Y direction, to the first pair of sides 14 and 15 of the four sides 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the housing 11, which are arranged opposite each other in the Y direction. In addition, the sides 12A, 13A, 14A and 15A of the machine room 11A are part of the sides 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the housing 11.

[0113] Multiple connecting members 40 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the sides 181 and 182. In the example shown in Figure 12, the connecting members 40 are formed with the same Y-direction dimension as the gap between the side 181 of the partition plate 18 and the side 15A of the machine room 11A, with two members placed at both ends of the X-direction of the side 181 within this gap. Similarly, the connecting members 40 are formed with the same Y-direction dimension as the gap between the side 182 of the partition plate 18 and the side 14A of the machine room 11A, with two members placed at both ends of the X-direction of the side 182 within this gap. Each connecting member 40 is provided with a through hole in the Y-direction, for example, and bolts are inserted from outside the housing 11 and screwed into female threaded holes provided on each side 181 and 182 of the partition plate 18, thereby connecting and fixing the partition plate 18 to the housing 11.

[0114] The connecting member 40 may also be simply a bolt member, and other structures may be applied, such as a configuration in which it is directly fastened from the outside of the housing 11 to the sides 181 and 182 of the partition plate 18 so as to leave a predetermined gap between the partition plate 18 and the side of the housing 11. Alternatively, the connecting member 40 may be configured to connect a second pair of sides 183 and 184 of the partition plate 18, which are arranged opposite each other in the X direction, to a second pair of sides 12 and 13 of the housing 11, which are arranged opposite each other in the X direction, to the four sides 12, 13, 14, and 15 of the housing 11. Alternatively, the connecting member 40 may be configured to connect all four sides 181, 182, 183, and 184 of the partition plate 18 to the housing 11.

[0115] As shown in Figure 11, the baffle plate 39 according to this embodiment extends along the longitudinal direction of the sides 181, 182, 183, and 184 of the partition plate 18, and is formed to protrude toward the partition plate 18 from the sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A of the machine room 11A. In the example of Figure 12, the sides 181, 182, 183, and 184 of the partition plate 18 are arranged facing the negative Y direction, the positive Y direction, the positive X direction, and the negative X direction, respectively.

[0116] More specifically, the baffle plate 39 includes, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, a first baffle plate 391 formed projecting from the side 15A of the machine room 11A toward the side 181 (positive Y direction) of the partition plate 18, a second baffle plate 392 formed projecting from the side 14A of the machine room 11A toward the side 182 (negative Y direction) of the partition plate 18, a third baffle plate 393 formed projecting from the side 12A of the machine room 11A toward the side 183 (negative X direction) of the partition plate 18, and a fourth baffle plate 394 formed projecting from the side 13A of the machine room 11A toward the side 184 (positive X direction) of the partition plate 18.

[0117] This configuration prevents flammable refrigerant from being sprayed towards the gap during rapid leakage by the baffle plate 39, and allows the flammable refrigerant, after being reflected by the baffle plate 39, to diffuse into the machine room 11A, enabling efficient contact with the adsorbent. As a result, the leaked refrigerant can be recovered more efficiently.

[0118] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, the four baffle plates 391, 392, 393, and 394 are formed to protrude from the sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A of the machine room 11A toward the partition plate 18, extending beyond the horizontal gap between the partition plate 18 and the sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A to a position where they overlap with the partition plate 18. With this configuration, the baffle plates 39 can reliably seal the gap between the partition plate 18 and the sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A in a vertical view (Z-direction view), thus more reliably preventing flammable refrigerant from being sprayed toward the gap during rapid leakage, and as a result, leaked refrigerant can be recovered more efficiently.

[0119] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, each baffle plate 391, 392, 393, and 394 is positioned with a vertical (Z-direction) gap between it and the partition plate 18. A gap adsorbent 43G is placed on the upper surface of each baffle plate 391, 392, 393, and 394. The gap adsorbent 43G is formed to a height that fills the vertical gap between the partition plate 18 and each baffle plate 391, 392, 393, and 394, and, like the other adsorbent 43, has the property of adsorbing flammable refrigerant. With this configuration, the gap adsorbent 43G can adsorb and recover flammable refrigerant that moves further towards the gap even after hitting the baffle plate 39, thus more reliably preventing the flammable refrigerant from being sprayed towards the gap during rapid leakage.

[0120] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating the effect of the baffle plate 39 in the sixth example of the refrigerant leakage suppression function. Figure 13 illustrates a situation in which a crack A occurs in the refrigerant pipe 24, and the refrigerant inside the pipe is discharged toward the side 15A of the machine room 11A, as indicated by arrow B.

[0121] In this example, the refrigerant discharged from crack A strikes the side 15A and then splits and moves upward and downward along the side 15A, as indicated by arrows C and D. The refrigerant moving downward, as indicated by arrow C, is adsorbed, for example, by the side adsorbent 43B and the bottom adsorbent 43A further down.

[0122] On the other hand, the refrigerant moving upward, indicated by arrow D, hits the baffle plate 391. After that, as indicated by arrow E, it is reflected downward by the baffle plate 391 and its direction of movement changes downward. As a result, the refrigerant that moved upward at the side 15A is also adsorbed by the lower side adsorbent 43B and the even lower bottom adsorbent 43A.

[0123] Furthermore, as indicated by arrow F, it is possible that some of the refrigerant may continue to move upward even after hitting the baffle plate 391. In this case as well, since the gap adsorption material 43G is provided on the baffle plate 391, some of this refrigerant can also be adsorbed by the gap adsorption material 43G.

[0124] As a result of these actions, even if refrigerant leaks into the machine room 11A, it can be efficiently adsorbed and recovered by the adsorbent 43. Furthermore, the configuration with baffle plates 391 and gap adsorbent 43G prevents leaked refrigerant from entering the tank storage chamber 11B above the machine room 11A.

[0125] Although Figure 13 illustrates the operation using one side 15A of the machine room 11A and a baffle plate 391 provided on side 15A as an example, similar effects can be achieved with the other three side sections 12A, 13A, and 14A, and the other three baffle plates 392, 393, and 394 provided on these sections.

[0126] In the sixth example, as illustrated in Figures 11 and 13, the baffle plates 39 (391, 392, 393, 394) are shown to be formed by projecting horizontally from the sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A of the machine room 11A, but the configuration is not limited to this. The baffle plates 39 only need to have a structure that can at least reflect upward-moving leaked refrigerant downward and prevent it from moving further upward.

[0127] For example, the baffle plate 39 may be formed to protrude downward from the sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A of the machine room 11A. This configuration allows the baffle plate 39 to more reliably prevent the flammable refrigerant from being sprayed towards the gap during rapid leakage, and also allows the reflection direction of the flammable refrigerant after it hits the baffle plate 39 to be directed further downward, thereby further suppressing the flammable refrigerant from continuing to move towards the gap after hitting the baffle plate 39.

[0128] Furthermore, in the sixth example, as illustrated in Figure 12, a configuration was shown in which four baffle plates 391, 392, 393, and 394 are provided on the sides 12A, 13A, 14A, and 15A of the machine room 11A. However, it is also possible to limit the provision of baffles to only a portion of the four baffle plates 391, 392, 393, and 394, for example, in areas where there is a high possibility of refrigerant leakage. This configuration can reduce the number of parts.

[0129] The embodiments have been described above with reference to specific examples. However, this disclosure is not limited to these specific examples. Modifications made to these specific examples by those skilled in the art are also included within the scope of this disclosure, as long as they retain the features of this disclosure. The elements, their arrangement, conditions, shapes, etc., of each of the aforementioned specific examples are not limited to those illustrated and can be modified as appropriate. The elements of each of the aforementioned specific examples can be combined in different ways as appropriate, as long as no technical inconsistencies arise.

[0130] In the above embodiment, a configuration in which the tank storage chamber 11B, as the second chamber, is arranged above the machine room 11A, as the first chamber, was illustrated, but the arrangement of the first and second chambers is not limited to this configuration. For example, like the outdoor unit of a typical room air conditioner, the machine room 11A and the tank storage chamber 11B (electrical equipment box 25) may be arranged in parallel in a horizontal direction, for example. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0131] 10 Heat pump system 11 cabinets 12, 13, 14, 15 side wall 11A Machine room (1st room) 12A, 13A, 14A, 15A side 11B Tank storage room (Room 2) 11C Piping Room 17 Bottom wall (bottom) 18 partition plates 181, 182, 183, 184 Side view 19. Heat pump module (refrigerant circuit) 22 Compressors 24, 24A refrigerant pipes 24A1, 24A2 connection section 27 1st heat exchanger 28 Second heat exchanger 39 (391, 392, 393, 394) Baffle plate 43 Adsorbent 43A Bottom adsorbent 43B, 43C1, 43C2, 43D, 43E1, 43E2 Side Adhesion Material 43F1, 43F2 Corner Adhesive 43G Gap Adhesion Material 100 Heat Pump Systems

Claims

1. A refrigerant circuit (19) that performs a refrigeration cycle using a flammable refrigerant with a density greater than that of air, The refrigerant circuit (19) is housed in a housing (11) which has a first chamber (11A) and a second chamber (11B) separated from the first chamber (11A) formed inside. The first chamber (11A) houses the refrigerant circuit (19) and an adsorbent (43) for adsorbing the flammable refrigerant. The adsorbent material (43) is a side adsorbent material (43B, 43C1, 43C2, 43D, 43E1, 43E2) that is positioned in a portion of the side parts (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) of the first chamber (11A) that includes at least the lower part, The first chamber (11A) has a bottom adsorption material (43A) positioned at the bottom (17) which is below the side portions (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A), The thickness (T1) of the bottom adsorbent (43A) is greater than the thickness (T2) of the side adsorbent (43B, 43C1, 43C2, 43D, 43E1, 43E2). Heat pump device (10).

2. The second chamber (11B) is located above the first chamber (11A), The heat pump device (10) according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned side adsorbents (43C1, 43C2, 43D) are formed such that the thickness of the lower side is greater than the thickness of the upper side. The heat pump device (10) according to claim 1.

4. The side adsorbent material (43C1, 43C2) comprises a first member (43C1) positioned on the upper side of the side portion (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A), and a second member (43C2) positioned adjacent to the first member (43C1) on the lower side of the side portion (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A). The thickness of the second member (43C2) is greater than the thickness of the first member (43C1). The heat pump device (10) according to claim 3.

5. The bottom adsorbent (43A) is arranged over the entire bottom (17) of the first chamber (11A). The side adsorbents (43B, 43C1, 43C2, 43D, 43E1, 43E2) are arranged such that their lower ends are adjacent to the bottom adsorbent (43A). The heat pump device (10) according to claim 1.

6. The side adsorbents (43B, 43C1, 43C2, 43D, 43E1, 43E2) are arranged to extend to the lower end of the side portions (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) of the first chamber (11A), The bottom adsorbent (43A) is arranged such that its outer edge is adjacent to the side adsorbent (43B, 43C1, 43C2, 43D, 43E1, 43E2). The heat pump device (10) according to claim 1.

7. The refrigerant circuit (19) includes a compressor (22) for compressing the refrigerant, a first heat exchanger (27) for exchanging heat between the flammable refrigerant and a heat source fluid, a pressure reducing mechanism for reducing the pressure of the flammable refrigerant, a second heat exchanger (28) for exchanging heat between the flammable refrigerant and a utilization fluid, and a refrigerant pipe (24) that connects the elements of the refrigerant circuit and circulates the flammable refrigerant. The upper end of the side adsorbent (43E1) is provided in the portion (24A) of the refrigerant pipe (24) that is located between the compressor (22) and the second heat exchanger (28), up to the height of the connection portion (24A1) between the refrigerant pipe (24) and the second heat exchanger (28). The heat pump device (10) according to claim 1.

8. At the corners where adjacent sides (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) of the first chamber (11A) are connected, corner adsorbents (43F1, 43F2) that adsorb the flammable refrigerant, similar to the adsorbent (43), are arranged along the extending direction of the corners. The heat pump device (10) according to claim 1.

9. The corner adsorbent (43F1) has a triangular cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the extending direction, with the surface corresponding to the hypotenuse of the triangle facing inward into the first chamber (11A), and the surfaces corresponding to the other two sides in contact with the sides (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A), forming a triangular prism shape. The heat pump device (10) according to claim 8.

10. The side adsorbents (43B, 43C1, 43C2, 43D) are arranged over the entire side portions (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) of the first chamber (11A). The heat pump device (10) according to claim 1.

11. The adsorbent (43) is configured to be able to adsorb the flammable refrigerant 152 g. The heat pump device (10) according to claim 1.

12. A partition plate (18) is installed inside the housing (11) and separates the first chamber (11A) and the second chamber (11B), The partition plate (18) is formed such that a horizontal gap is created between the four sides (181, 182, 183, 184) of the partition plate (18) in the thickness direction and the side walls (12, 13, 14, 15) of the housing (11). The side portions (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) of the first chamber (11A) are part of the side walls (12, 13, 14, 15) of the housing (11), In the first chamber (11A), a baffle plate (39 (391, 392, 393, 394)) is installed directly below the partition plate (18) in the side portions (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) of the partition plate (18), extending along the longitudinal direction of the side surface (181, 182, 183, 184) of the partition plate (18), and projecting outwards from the side portions (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) toward the partition plate (18). The heat pump device (10) according to claim 1.

13. The baffle plates (39 (391, 392, 393, 394)) are formed to protrude from the sides (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) of the first chamber (11A) toward the partition plate (18) to a position where they overlap with the partition plate (18) beyond the horizontal gap, The heat pump device (10) according to claim 12.

14. The baffle plates (39 (391, 392, 393, 394)) are arranged with a vertical gap between them and the partition plate (18), On the upper surface of the baffle plate (39 (391, 392, 393, 394)), gap adsorbent material (43G) is arranged to fill the vertical gap and adsorb the flammable refrigerant in the same manner as the adsorbent material (43). The heat pump device (10) according to claim 12.

15. The baffle plates (39 (391, 392, 393, 394)) are formed to protrude horizontally or downward from the side portions (12A, 13A, 14A, 15A) of the first chamber (11A), The heat pump device (10) according to claim 12.

16. The partition plate (18) has a pair of opposing first side surfaces (181, 182) among its side surfaces (181, 182, 183, 184) and a pair of opposing first side walls (14, 15) among its side walls (12, 13, 14, 15) of the housing (11), and has a plurality of connecting members (40) arranged along the longitudinal direction of the side surfaces (181, 182). The baffle plates (391, 392) are installed between the first pair of sides (181, 182) on which the connecting member (40) is positioned and the side portions (14A, 15B) of the first chamber (11A), which are part of the first pair of side walls (14, 15). The heat pump device (10) according to claim 12.

17. The baffle plates (393, 394) are installed between a second pair of sides (183, 184) of the partition plate (18) that are different from the first pair of sides (181, 182) and the sides (12A, 13A) of the first chamber (11A), which are part of the second pair of side walls (12, 13) of the housing (11) that are positioned opposite the second pair of sides (183, 184). The heat pump device (10) according to claim 16.

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