Air conditioning system

Abstract

To provide an air conditioning device comprising a cooling structure capable of efficiently cooling a control unit even in a usage environment in which an air short occurs in an outdoor machine.SOLUTION: An air conditioning device comprises an indoor heat exchanger, an outdoor heat exchanger, a first pipe, a second pipe, a compressor, a control unit, a bypass pipe, and a first heat storage material. The first pipe connects the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger, and a refrigerant flows therethrough. The second pipe connects the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger, and comprises an expansion valve between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant flows therethrough. The compressor is provided in the first pipe, and comprises a suction port for sucking the refrigerant, and a discharge port for discharging the refrigerant. The control unit is provided in an outdoor machine, and controls the outdoor machine. The bypass pipe connects the first pipe and the second pipe, and the refrigerant flows therethrough. The first heat storage material is provided so as to be capable of transferring heat to the control unit, and the bypass pipe penetrates therethrough.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0003]

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an air conditioner.

Background Art

[0002] An air conditioner such as an air conditioner adjusts the indoor temperature by condensing and evaporating a refrigerant in a refrigeration cycle. The outdoor unit discharges the air around the outdoor heat exchanger to the outside by driving the built-in outdoor blower fan, and promotes heat exchange by sucking in outside air and passing it around the outdoor heat exchanger. Such an outdoor unit houses a control unit on which electronic components for driving devices such as a compressor are mounted. Electronic components are likely to generate heat during operation, are also easily affected by an increase in the ambient temperature, and have been one of the causes of function degradation and failure when the temperature exceeds the allowable temperature. Therefore, various air conditioners (outdoor units) having a cooling structure for operating electronic components within an appropriate temperature range have been proposed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] One example of a problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide an air conditioning system equipped with a cooling structure that can efficiently cool the control unit (electronic components, etc.) even in operating environments where an air short occurs in the outdoor unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An air conditioning system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises an indoor heat exchanger, an outdoor heat exchanger, a first pipe, a second pipe, a compressor, a control unit, a bypass pipe, and a first heat storage material. The indoor heat exchanger is provided in the indoor unit. The outdoor heat exchanger is provided in the outdoor unit. The first pipe connects the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger, through which the refrigerant flows. The second pipe connects the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger, and is provided with an expansion valve between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger, through which the refrigerant flows. The compressor is provided in the first pipe and has an intake port for drawing in the refrigerant and an outlet port for discharging the refrigerant. The control unit is provided in the outdoor unit and controls the outdoor unit. The bypass pipe connects the first pipe and the second pipe, through which the refrigerant flows. The first heat storage material is provided so as to be able to transfer heat to the control unit, and the bypass piping passes through it.

[0007] Furthermore, the first heat storage material of the air conditioning system may, for example, be in contact with at least a portion of the bypass piping and may have a plurality of grooves.

[0008] Furthermore, the control unit of the air conditioning system may be equipped with thermal protection components that require thermal protection, and for example, the mounting area of ​​the thermal protection components may be positioned to face at least a portion of the first heat storage material.

[0009] Furthermore, the air conditioning system may include, for example, a flow control valve between the second piping and the first heat storage material to adjust the flow rate of the refrigerant.

[0010] Furthermore, the air conditioning system may include, for example, a second heat storage material between the expansion valve of the second piping and the flow control valve of the bypass piping.

[0011] According to the above air conditioning system, for example, it is possible to provide an air conditioning system that can more efficiently cool the control unit installed inside the outdoor unit. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an illustrative and schematic diagram showing the refrigerant system diagram of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an illustrative and schematic diagram showing the configuration of the outdoor unit of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an exemplary and schematic cross-sectional view showing the utilization state of the first heat storage material in the air conditioning system of the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Several embodiments will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Note that in this specification, components and descriptions of such components may be expressed in multiple ways. The components and their descriptions are examples and are not limited by the expressions used herein. Components may also be identified by names different from those used herein. Furthermore, components may be described using expressions different from those used herein.

[0014] Figure 1 is an illustrative and schematic diagram showing the refrigerant system diagram of an air conditioning system 10 according to an embodiment. The air conditioning system 10 is, for example, a household air conditioner. However, the air conditioning system 10 is not limited to this example and may be other air conditioning systems such as commercial air conditioners.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1, the air conditioning system 10 includes an outdoor unit 11, an indoor unit 12, refrigerant piping 13, and a control device 14. The outdoor unit 11 is located outdoors, for example. The indoor unit 12 is located indoors, for example. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the outdoor unit 11 is installed in a location where there are obstructions (such as exterior walls) around it, such as on a balcony of an apartment building, and the air discharged from the outdoor unit 11 (hot air during cooling operation) tends to stagnate around the outdoor unit 11.

[0016] The air conditioning system 10 includes a refrigeration cycle in which an outdoor unit 11 and an indoor unit 12 are connected by refrigerant piping 13. Refrigerant flows between the outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 12 through the refrigerant piping 13. The outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 12 are also electrically connected to each other, for example, by electrical wiring.

[0017] The outdoor unit 11 includes an outdoor heat exchanger 21, an outdoor blower fan 22, a compressor 23, an accumulator 24, a four-way valve 25, a first expansion valve 31 (sometimes simply called an expansion valve), a first on-off valve 33, a second on-off valve 32, a second expansion valve 34 (sometimes called a flow control valve), a first heat storage material 61, a second heat storage material 90, and the like. The indoor unit 12 includes an indoor heat exchanger 41 and an indoor blower fan 42.

[0018] The refrigerant pipe 13 is a pipe made of a metal such as copper or aluminum, for example. The refrigerant pipe 13 includes a first pipe 51, a second pipe 52, a bypass pipe 53, and the like.

[0019] The first pipe 51 connects the indoor heat exchanger 41 and the outdoor heat exchanger 21. The compressor 23, the accumulator 24, the four-way valve 25, and the first on-off valve 33 are provided on the first pipe 51. The first pipe 51 has a first region 51a, a second region 51b, a third region 51c, and a fourth region 51d. The first region 51a is a pipe region connecting the four-way valve 25 and the indoor heat exchanger 41. The second region 51b is a pipe region connecting the four-way valve 25 and the accumulator 24. The third region 51c is a pipe region connecting the four-way valve 25 and the outdoor heat exchanger 21. The fourth region 51d is a pipe region connecting the four-way valve 25 and the discharge port 23b of the compressor 23.

[0020] The second pipe 52 connects the outdoor heat exchanger 21 and the indoor heat exchanger 41. The first expansion valve 31, the second on-off valve 32, and the second heat storage material 90 are provided on the second pipe 52. The second pipe 52 has a fifth region 52a and a sixth region 52b. The fifth region 52a is a region connecting the first expansion valve 31 and the indoor heat exchanger 41. The sixth region 52b is a region connecting the first expansion valve 31 and the outdoor heat exchanger 21.

[0021] The bypass pipe 53 connects the first pipe 51 and the second pipe 52. The second expansion valve 34 and the first heat storage material 61 are provided on the bypass pipe 53. The bypass pipe 53 has a seventh region 53a and an eighth region 53b. The seventh region 53a is a region connecting the fifth region 52a of the second pipe 52 and the first heat storage material 61. The eighth region 53b is a region connecting the first heat storage material 61 and the second region 51b of the first pipe 51. Details of the bypass pipe 53 and the first heat storage material 61 will be described later.

[0022] In the cooling operation, the refrigerant flows from the indoor heat exchanger 41 to the outdoor heat exchanger 21 through the first pipe 51, and flows from the outdoor heat exchanger 21 to the indoor heat exchanger 41 through the second pipe 52. Also, in the heating operation, the refrigerant flows from the outdoor heat exchanger 21 to the indoor heat exchanger 41 through the first pipe 51, and flows from the indoor heat exchanger 41 to the outdoor heat exchanger 21 through the second pipe 52.

[0023] The outdoor heat exchanger 21 of the outdoor unit 11 performs heat absorption of the refrigerant as an evaporator or heat dissipation of the refrigerant as a condenser according to the flow direction of the refrigerant. The outdoor blower fan 22 blows air to the outdoor heat exchanger 21 and promotes the heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air in the outdoor heat exchanger 21. In other words, the outdoor blower fan 22 generates an air flow that exchanges heat with the outdoor heat exchanger 21.

[0024] The compressor 23 has a suction port 23a and a discharge port 23b. The compressor 23 sucks the refrigerant from the suction port 23a and discharges the compressed refrigerant from the discharge port 23b. Thereby, the compressor 23 compresses the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle and causes the circulation of the refrigerant.

[0025] The accumulator 24 is connected to the suction port 23a of the compressor 23. The accumulator 24 separates the gaseous refrigerant and the liquid refrigerant. Thereby, the compressor 23 can suck the gaseous refrigerant that has passed through the accumulator 24 from the suction port 23a. The accumulator 24 can also serve as the suction port of the compressor 23 by being integrally formed with the compressor 23.

[0026] The four-way valve 25 is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger 21, the indoor heat exchanger 41, the discharge port 23b of the compressor 23, and the accumulator 24 (the suction port 23a of the compressor 23). The four-way valve 25 switches the flow paths connected to the outdoor heat exchanger 21, the indoor heat exchanger 41, the discharge port 23b of the compressor 23, and the accumulator 24 respectively during the heating operation and the cooling operation, and changes the direction in which the refrigerant flows.

[0027] During cooling operation, the four-way valve 25 connects the discharge port 23b of the compressor 23 to the outdoor heat exchanger 21. Furthermore, during cooling operation, the four-way valve 25 connects the indoor heat exchanger 41 to the accumulator 24. As a result, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 23 flows to the outdoor heat exchanger 21, and the refrigerant that has undergone heat exchange (evaporated) in the indoor heat exchanger 41 flows to the accumulator 24.

[0028] Furthermore, during heating operation, the four-way valve 25 connects the outdoor heat exchanger 21 and the accumulator 24. Additionally, during heating operation, the four-way valve 25 connects the discharge port 23b of the compressor 23 to the indoor heat exchanger 41. As a result, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 23 flows to the indoor heat exchanger 41, and the refrigerant that has undergone heat exchange (evaporated) in the outdoor heat exchanger 21 flows to the accumulator 24.

[0029] The first expansion valve 31 provided in the second piping 52 is, for example, an electromagnetic expansion valve. The first expansion valve 31 may be any other type of expansion valve. The first expansion valve 31 regulates the amount of refrigerant passing through by controlling its opening degree.

[0030] The first on-off valve 33 provided in the first piping and the second on-off valve 32 provided in the second piping are, for example, manually operated on-off valves. The first on-off valve 33 and the second on-off valve 32 are closed, for example, when the first piping 51 and the second piping 52 of the outdoor unit 11 are filled with refrigerant during the manufacturing of the outdoor unit 11 at a factory or the like. Then, when the air conditioning system 10 is installed (when the outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 12 are installed), the first on-off valve 33 and the second on-off valve 32 are opened to fill the indoor unit 12 with the refrigerant that has been filled on the outdoor unit 11, thus completing the installation work. Therefore, the first on-off valve 33 and the second on-off valve 32 are fixed to remain open after the installation work is completed and before normal operation begins.

[0031] The indoor heat exchanger 41 of the indoor unit 12 absorbs heat as an evaporator or releases heat as a condenser, depending on the direction of the refrigerant flow. The indoor blower fan 42 blows air toward the indoor heat exchanger 41, promoting heat exchange between the indoor heat exchanger 41 and the air. In other words, the indoor blower fan 42 generates an airflow that exchanges heat with the indoor heat exchanger 41.

[0032] The control device 14 includes, for example, an outdoor control device 14a and an indoor control device 14b. The outdoor control device 14a and the indoor control device 14b are electrically connected to each other by electrical wiring. At least one of the outdoor control device 14a and the indoor control device 14b is a computer having, for example, a control device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microcontroller, and a storage device such as ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), and flash memory. However, the control device 14 is not limited to this example. For example, the control device 14 may have only one of the outdoor control device 14a and the indoor control device 14b.

[0033] The outdoor control unit 14a controls the outdoor blower fan 22, compressor 23, four-way valve 25, first expansion valve 31, and second expansion valve 34 of the outdoor unit 11. Note that the outdoor control unit 14a may be included in the control unit 71 described later. The indoor control unit 14b controls the indoor blower fan 42 of the indoor unit 12.

[0034] The control device 14 controls the outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 12 so that the air conditioning system 10 can perform cooling, heating, dehumidifying, defrosting, and other operations. The indoor control device 14b may receive signals from, for example, a remote controller, or from an information terminal such as a smartphone via a communication device.

[0035] Figure 2 is an illustrative and schematic diagram showing the configuration of the outdoor unit 11 of the air conditioning system 10. Note that Figure 2 shows the outdoor unit 11 with its front panel removed. As described above, the outdoor unit 11 houses a compressor 23 that compresses and circulates the refrigerant flowing between the outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 12, and an outdoor fan 22 that supplies outside air to the outdoor heat exchanger 21 (not shown) to promote heat exchange, all within a housing. When the air conditioning system 10 is in operation, the compressor 23 frequently adjusts the compression drive state switching control so that the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant piping 13 is in an optimal state, according to the indoor temperature where the indoor unit 12 is installed, the set temperature, and the outside air temperature outdoors where the outdoor unit 11 is installed. The switching of the control state of the compressor 23 is performed by a control unit 71 (outdoor control device 14a) located in the machine room 11M that constitutes the outdoor unit 11.

[0036] As described above, the control unit 71, which controls the operating state of the compressor 23, includes heat-generating electronic components such as switching elements. Therefore, the control unit 71 may be equipped with a cooling structure that uses outside air drawn in by the outdoor fan 22. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the control unit 71 is air-cooled by placing it in the flow path of the outside air intake 11a into which outside air W is drawn in when the outdoor fan 22 is driven. The outside air intake 11a of the outdoor unit 11 is provided not only on the side as shown in Figure 2, but also on the back and bottom of the outdoor unit 11, etc., so that outside air can be efficiently drawn into the interior of the outdoor unit 11. In the case of Figure 2, the outside air W drawn in from the outside air intake 11a formed on the side of the outdoor unit 11 moves to the heat exchange chamber 11F through the ventilation holes 11b formed in the partition wall 11G between the machine room 11M and the heat exchange chamber 11F which houses the outdoor fan 22, etc. Then, the outside air drawn in from the back or bottom of the outdoor unit 11 promotes heat exchange in the outdoor heat exchanger 21, and the outside air is discharged to the outside, for example, from the front side of the outdoor unit 11, by the outdoor blower fan 22.

[0037] Incidentally, when the air conditioning system 10 is operating in cooling mode, the high-temperature refrigerant passes through the outdoor heat exchanger 21 and performs heat exchange, resulting in the release of heat. The released heat is discharged to the outside of the outdoor unit 11 by the outdoor blower fan 22. At this time, if there are obstructions or other obstacles around the outdoor unit 11, the air (hot air) discharged from the outdoor unit 11 may stagnate around the outdoor unit 11 and be drawn back into the outdoor unit 11 through the outdoor air intake 11a. When the air conditioning system 10 is operating in cooling mode, the outdoor temperature is generally high, and the intake air mixes with the surrounding air, causing its temperature to rise further and exceed the outside temperature, which may result in insufficient cooling of the control unit 71.

[0038] Therefore, the air conditioning system 10 of this embodiment is configured to include a bypass pipe 53 in the refrigerant pipe 13, and to cool the first heat storage material 61 using a low-temperature refrigerant, thereby promoting the cooling of the control unit 71 via the first heat storage material 61.

[0039] As mentioned above, the bypass pipe 53 is a pipe that connects the first pipe 51 and the second pipe 52, and the first heat storage material 61 and the second expansion valve 34 are provided in the bypass pipe 53. The seventh region 53a of the bypass pipe 53 connects the fifth region 52a of the second pipe 52 and the first heat storage material 61. In addition, the eighth region 53b of the bypass pipe 53 connects the first heat storage material 61 and the second region 51b of the first pipe 51.

[0040] The bypass piping 53, during cooling operation of the air conditioning unit 10, introduces a portion of the liquid refrigerant, which has become low-temperature and low-pressure after passing through the first expansion valve 31 on its way from the outdoor heat exchanger 21 to the indoor heat exchanger 41, into the first heat storage material 61 via the seventh region 53a, thereby cooling the first heat storage material 61. For example, the temperature of the air drawn in from the outside air intake 11a is measured, and if that temperature reaches, for example, 42°C or higher, the second expansion valve 34 is opened to introduce the refrigerant into the first heat storage material 61, thereby cooling the first heat storage material 61. Note that if the outdoor unit 11 is installed in a narrow place such as a balcony of an apartment building with surrounding exterior walls, the temperature of the intake air may rise due to the hot air discharged from the outdoor unit 11, even if the outside temperature is not very high, as described above. Therefore, it is desirable to measure the temperature that serves as the reference for opening the second expansion valve 34 near the control unit 71.

[0041] Figure 3 is an exemplary and schematic cross-sectional view showing the utilization state of the first heat storage material 61. The first heat storage material 61 can be formed, for example, by filling a block-shaped container with a latent heat storage material. The latent heat storage material is, for example, calcium chloride. The first heat storage material 61 may have other latent heat storage materials.

[0042] The first heat storage material 61 has an insertion area 53p of the bypass pipe 53 through it and extends in a direction along the direction in which the bypass pipe 53 (insertion area 53p) ​​penetrates, with multiple grooves 62 arranged to surround the bypass pipe 53 (insertion area 53p). That is, the grooves 62 extend along the bypass pipe 53 in the front-back direction of the paper in Figure 3. Note that the arrangement relationship between the bypass pipe 53 (insertion area 53p) ​​and the grooves 62 can be changed as appropriate, as long as the bypass pipe 53 (insertion area 53p) ​​and at least a part of the first heat storage material 61 are in contact. The first heat storage material 61 supports the control unit 71 via a support plate 63. The support plate 63 is made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum, and a highly thermally conductive connecting material, such as thermal conductive putty, thermal conductive grease, or thermal conductive sheet, is interposed at the contact surfaces between the control unit 71 and the support plate 63, and between the support plate 63 and the first heat storage material 61, to enable smooth and efficient cooling (heat dissipation) of the control unit 71. The support plate 63 may be omitted if the first heat storage material 61 can stably support the control unit 71. Therefore, the first heat storage material 61 can support and contact the control unit 71 indirectly or directly to perform cooling (heat dissipation) operations.

[0043] As shown in Figure 2, the first heat storage material 61 is installed with the non-connected side of the support plate 63 facing the outside air intake 11a of the outdoor unit 11, so that outside air W (airflow) directly enters the groove 62. As a result, the refrigerant in the bypass pipe 53 (insertion region 53p) ​​that penetrates the first heat storage material 61 cools the first heat storage material 61 itself and also cools the airflow entering the groove 62 via the first heat storage material 61. The cooled airflow flowing through the groove 62 flows along the groove 62 in the front-to-back direction of the paper in Figure 2, efficiently removing heat from the control unit 71 via the support plate 63 and discharging it from the groove 62. By circulating cooled air inside the first heat storage material 61, the control unit 71 can be cooled efficiently. In Figure 3, an example is shown in which the insertion areas 53p of the bypass pipe 53 are arranged in two locations. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the bypass pipe 53 may be branched into three or more sections to increase the number of insertion areas 53p. Also, although an example is shown in which the cross-sectional shape of the insertion area 53p is circular, it is acceptable as long as the cooling of the first heat storage material 61 and the cooling of the air flowing through the groove 62 can be performed efficiently, for example, it may be rectangular. Furthermore, in Figure 3, an example is shown in which the groove 62 penetrates the first heat storage material 61 and reaches the support plate 63 (penetrating in the thickness direction of the first heat storage material 61). In another embodiment, the groove 62 may not penetrate the first heat storage material 61, but may be formed to stop at a depth partway along the thickness direction of the first heat storage material 61. In this case, the rigidity of the first heat storage material 61 can be improved. Furthermore, it is desirable that the groove 62 be oriented in the depth direction so as to align with the flow direction of the outside air flowing in from the outside air intake 11a, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. In this case, outside air can be efficiently taken into the groove 62, and the cooling efficiency can be further improved.

[0044] In Figure 3, for illustrative purposes, a first heat storage material 61 with a larger mounting area than the control unit 71 is shown, but the first heat storage material 61 does not necessarily need to be larger than the control unit 71. For example, since the characteristics of the electronic components mounted on the control unit 71 are known, it is possible to identify which electronic components mounted on which parts are heat-sensitive components that may affect the operation of the control unit 71, and which components are heat-sensitive components, and thus which heat-sensitive components 71a require heat countermeasures (cooling measures), through testing, etc. Therefore, when positioning the control unit 71 relative to the first heat storage material 61, it is also possible to position it so that the mounting area of ​​the heat-sensitive components 71a faces at least a part of the first heat storage material 61. In other words, it becomes possible to focus the cooling on the heat-sensitive components 71a, which contributes to miniaturization of the first heat storage material 61, i.e., a reduction in the amount of refrigerant supplied to the first heat storage material 61, while efficiently cooling the heat-sensitive components 71a (control unit 71). Furthermore, in order to cool the control unit 71 more efficiently using the first heat storage material 61, the distribution of the bypass pipes 53 (insertion region 53p) ​​that penetrate the inside of the first heat storage material 61 and the diameter of the pipes in the insertion region 53p may be determined according to the heat generation distribution of the control unit 71.

[0045] In order to maintain good operating conditions for the control unit 71 (heat dissipation component 71a), it is necessary to maintain an appropriate operating temperature through cooling. However, excessive cooling can cause condensation, which may adversely affect the control unit 71 (heat dissipation component 71a). Prior tests have shown that it is generally desirable to maintain the control unit 71 (heat dissipation component 71a) of the outdoor unit 11 at around 25°C. Therefore, in the case of the bypass piping 53 of this embodiment, a second expansion valve 34 is provided in the seventh region 53a, that is, between the second piping 52 and the first heat storage material 61. The second expansion valve 34 is, like the first expansion valve 31, for example, an electromagnetic expansion valve. The second expansion valve 34 may be any other type of expansion valve, or it may simply be a flow control valve that adjusts (controls) the flow rate of the medium. The second expansion valve 34 adjusts the amount of refrigerant passing through by controlling its opening. For example, the amount of opening and closing is controlled based on the outside temperature and the internal temperature of the first heat storage material 61 to adjust the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing into the first heat storage material 61. Since the temperature at which condensation occurs changes depending on the environment around the outdoor unit 11 (temperature, humidity, etc.), the target temperature of the first heat storage material 61 may also be changed according to the environment around the outdoor unit 11. For example, the value detected by the temperature sensor Su, which measures the temperature of the refrigerant returning to the accumulator 24, is defined as the Su value, and the value detected by the temperature sensor T2, which detects the internal temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 41, is defined as the T2 value. In this case, the temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the first heat storage material 61 is controlled by controlling the first expansion valve 31 so that the superheating degree SH = Su value - T2 value ≥ 2℃. However, if the outside temperature is high due to extreme heat and it is difficult to achieve a superheating degree SH ≥ 2℃, the temperature of the first heat storage material 61 may be adjusted by flow rate control using the second expansion valve 34.

[0046] Furthermore, during extreme heat, it may be difficult for the outdoor unit 11 to achieve sufficient supercooling, and the control unit 71 (heat countermeasure component 71a) may not be able to be cooled by the first heat storage material 61 (refrigerant). Therefore, the outdoor unit 11 of this embodiment is equipped with a second heat storage material 90 between the first expansion valve 31 of the second piping 52 and the second expansion valve 34 of the bypass piping 53. For example, when the air conditioner 10 is not in use (when going out or at night, etc.), a cooling operation may be performed to cool the second heat storage material 90, and when the air conditioner 10 is in cooling operation, the refrigerant may be further cooled to compensate for insufficient cooling of the first heat storage material 61. Note that the additional cooling of the refrigerant by the second heat storage material 90 also lowers the temperature of the refrigerant flowing to the indoor heat exchanger 41. As a result, it becomes possible to mitigate the phenomenon of reduced cooling efficiency of the indoor unit 12 even during extreme heat.

[0047] When performing a cooling storage operation, it is optional whether or not refrigerant is flowed through the indoor unit 12 (indoor heat exchanger 41). When refrigerant is flowed through the indoor unit 12 (indoor heat exchanger 41), the indoor blower fan 42 is stopped or operated at low speed. As a result, cooling storage operation can be achieved while suppressing temperature changes in the room where the indoor unit 12 is installed. When refrigerant is not flowed through the indoor unit 12 (indoor heat exchanger 41), for example, the first on-off valve 33 and the second on-off valve 32 are used. In the above explanation, the first on-off valve 33 and the second on-off valve 32 are shown as manual on-off valves used only for filling the indoor heat exchanger 41 with refrigerant during the installation work of the air conditioning system 10. On the other hand, when the first on-off valve 33 and the second on-off valve 32 are used for heat storage operation, the first on-off valve 33 and the second on-off valve 32 are controlled as automatic on-off valves (solenoid valves, etc.) and are closed during cold storage operation. As a result, even when the outdoor unit 11 is in cooling operation, the refrigerant does not flow to the indoor unit 12, and the second heat storage material 90 and the first heat storage material 61 are efficiently cooled to achieve cold storage. In this case, the temperature rise of the refrigerant can be suppressed compared to when the refrigerant is flowed to the indoor heat exchanger 41 of the indoor unit 12 for heat exchange, so the amount of drive required for the compressor 23 can be reduced, enabling energy-saving operation, quiet operation, etc.

[0048] Furthermore, the installation of the second heat storage material 90 is not mandatory. For example, if there is a sufficient amount of refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant piping 13 and sufficient cooling capacity can be ensured, or if the cooling performance of the first heat storage material 61 can be sufficiently ensured, the second heat storage material 90 may be omitted.

[0049] The air conditioning system 10 according to the embodiment described above comprises an indoor heat exchanger 41, an outdoor heat exchanger 21, a first pipe 51 and a second pipe 52, a compressor 23, a control unit 71, a bypass pipe 53, and a first heat storage material 61. The indoor heat exchanger 41 is provided in the indoor unit 12. The outdoor heat exchanger 21 is provided in the outdoor unit 11. The first pipe 51 connects the indoor heat exchanger 41 and the outdoor heat exchanger 21, through which the refrigerant flows. The second pipe 52 connects the outdoor heat exchanger 21 and the indoor heat exchanger 41, and also has a first expansion valve 31 between the outdoor heat exchanger 21 and the indoor heat exchanger 41 through which the refrigerant flows. The compressor 23 is provided in the first pipe 51 and has an intake port 23a for drawing in refrigerant and an outlet port 23b for discharging refrigerant. The control unit 71 is installed in the outdoor unit 11 and controls the outdoor unit 11. The bypass piping 53 connects the first piping 51 and the second piping 52, through which the refrigerant flows. The first heat storage material 61 is installed so as to be able to transfer heat with the control unit 71, and the bypass piping 53 passes through it. With this configuration, for example, the refrigerant can be supplied to the first heat storage material 61, which is arranged so as to be able to transfer heat with the control unit 71, via the bypass piping, thereby cooling the first heat storage material 61. For example, the control unit 71 installed inside the outdoor unit 11 can be cooled more efficiently. Also, since a portion of the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant piping 13 is used, there is no need to increase the amount of refrigerant for cooling the first heat storage material 61. Furthermore, the impact on the cooling operation of the indoor unit 12 can be kept to a minimum.

[0050] Furthermore, the first heat storage material 61 of the air conditioning unit 10 may, for example, be in contact with at least a portion of the bypass piping 53 and may have a plurality of grooves 62. With this configuration, for example, the airflow flowing through the grooves 62 cooled by the first heat storage material 61 flows along the grooves 62, efficiently removing and discharging heat from the control unit 71 via the support plate 63. In addition, the cooling of the control unit 71 can be efficiently performed by the flow of cooled air inside the first heat storage material 61.

[0051] Furthermore, the control unit 71 of the air conditioning system 10 is equipped with a heat-resistant component 71a that requires heat countermeasures. For example, the mounting area of ​​the heat-resistant component 71a may be positioned to face at least a portion of the first heat storage material 61. This configuration makes it possible to focus cooling on the heat-resistant component 71a, contributing to miniaturization of the first heat storage material 61, i.e., reducing the amount of refrigerant supplied to the first heat storage material 61, while efficiently cooling the heat-resistant component 71a (control unit 71).

[0052] Furthermore, the air conditioning system 10 may also include, for example, a second expansion valve 34 between the second pipe 52 and the first heat storage material 61. With this configuration, for example, it becomes easier to adjust the amount of refrigerant flowing to the first heat storage material 61, and it becomes easier to manage and control the cooling temperature of the first heat storage material 61. As a result, it becomes easier to manage the cooling temperature of the control unit 71, and it is possible to avoid condensation while performing good cooling.

[0053] Furthermore, the air conditioning system 10 may also include a second heat storage material 90 between the first expansion valve 31 of the second piping 52 and the second expansion valve 34 of the bypass piping 53. With this configuration, for example, even if the cooling of the first heat storage material 61 becomes insufficient, additional cooling of the refrigerant becomes possible through the storage of heat by the second heat storage material 90, thereby supplementing the cooling of the first heat storage material 61. By storing heat in the second heat storage material 90 when the air conditioning system 10 is not in operation, the cooling of the first heat storage material 61 can be assisted efficiently and smoothly.

[0054] In the embodiment described above, the control unit 71 is shown as being located in a machine room 11M, which is separated from the heat exchange chamber 11F of the outdoor unit 11. However, the control unit 71 may be located anywhere inside the outdoor unit 11. For example, a part of the control unit 71 may be located on the heat exchange chamber 11F side. Also, in Figure 2, the control unit 71 is shown as being located in an upright position relative to the ceiling surface of the outdoor unit 11. The control unit 71 may be located in other positions as long as cooling by the first heat storage material 61 can be performed. For example, the control unit 71 may be located along the ceiling surface (lying down) or in an inclined position.

[0055] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 10...Air conditioning unit, 11...Outdoor unit, 12...Indoor unit, 13...Refrigerant piping, 14...Control device, 21...Outdoor heat exchanger, 23...Compressor, 23a...Intake, 23b...Discharge, 25...Four-way valve, 31...First expansion valve, 34...Second expansion valve (flow control valve), 41...Indoor heat exchanger, 51...First piping, 52...Second piping, 53...Bypass piping, 61...First heat storage material, 62...Groove section, 71...Control unit, 90...Second heat storage material.

Claims

1. The indoor heat exchanger installed in the indoor unit, The outdoor heat exchanger installed on the outdoor unit, A first pipe connects the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger, through which the refrigerant flows, A second pipe connects the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger, and has an expansion valve between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger through which the refrigerant flows, A compressor provided in the first piping, having an inlet for drawing in the refrigerant and an outlet for discharging the refrigerant, A control unit provided in the outdoor unit for controlling the outdoor unit, The first pipe and the second pipe are connected, and a bypass pipe through which the refrigerant flows is provided. The control unit and the first heat storage material, which is heat-transferable and through which the bypass piping passes, An air conditioning system equipped with the following features.

2. The air conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein the first heat storage material is in contact with at least a portion of the bypass piping and has a plurality of grooves.

3. The air conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is equipped with a heat dissipation component that requires heat dissipation measures, and the mounting area of ​​the heat dissipation component is arranged to face at least a portion of the first heat storage material.

4. The air conditioning device according to claim 1, further comprising a flow control valve between the second piping and the first heat storage material for adjusting the flow rate of the refrigerant.

5. The air conditioning device according to claim 4, further comprising a second heat storage material between the expansion valve of the second piping and the flow control valve of the bypass piping.

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