Air conditioning system

Abstract

To provide an air conditioner having a cooling structure which can efficiently cool a control unit.SOLUTION: An air conditioner comprises an outdoor machine housing, a blowing chamber, a control unit, a second fan and an ambient air intake port. The blowing chamber comprises a first fan for making ambient air flow to an outdoor heat exchanger installed in the outdoor machine housing in a first direction, which is from behind the outdoor machine housing toward front side. The control unit is arranged in the outdoor machine housing in a region outside the blowing chamber and controls an outdoor machine. The second fan is a fan of a smaller size than the first fan and makes ambient air flow to the control unit in a second direction different from the first direction. The ambient air intake port is formed at a position that is not opposite the second fan in a portion of an outer wall of the outdoor machine housing and is communicated with the second fan.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[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 and are also likely to be affected by an increase in the ambient temperature, and when the temperature exceeds the allowable temperature, it has been one of the causes of function degradation and failure. 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

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, outdoor units for general households are often installed using only a small amount of space outdoors. In particular, when installed on balconies in apartments, there are often obstructions around them. As a result, for example, during cooling operation, the warm air (hot air) discharged from the outdoor unit after heat exchange is prevented from diffusing by these obstructions and tends to stagnate around the outdoor unit. This high-temperature air can then be drawn back into the outdoor unit through the outside air intake, easily forming a short circuit. Especially in extreme heat, when the ambient temperature around the outdoor unit is high, the temperature of the intake air rises due to the mixing of outside air and the discharged hot air. In such situations, if the control unit (electronic components, etc.) is not cooled sufficiently, it can lead to a decrease in the operating efficiency of the outdoor unit.

[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 a control unit (electronic components, etc.). [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An air conditioning system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises an outdoor unit housing, a ventilation chamber, a control unit, a second fan, and an outside air intake. Heat dissipation component, The air blower chamber is equipped with a first fan for blowing outside air in a first direction from the rear to the front of the outdoor unit housing towards an outdoor heat exchanger located inside the outdoor unit housing. The control unit is located in the area outside the air blower chamber within the outdoor unit housing and controls the outdoor unit. The second fan is smaller than the first fan and blows outside air in a second direction different from the first direction toward the control unit. The outside air intake is located on a part of the outer wall of the outdoor unit housing at a position not facing the second fan and is in communication with the second fan. The heat dissipation member has a first heat dissipation surface that contacts and supports the control unit, and a second heat dissipation surface that is different from the first heat dissipation surface and comes into contact with the outside air flowed by the second fan.

[0007] Furthermore, the outside air intake of the air conditioner may be formed, for example, in a lower region on the bottom side of the control unit, which is positioned in the outdoor unit housing opposite the second fan.

[0008] Furthermore, the air conditioning device may be provided with, for example, a wind-blowing section in a part of the communication area where the outside air intake and the second fan are in communication, which is exposed to the outside air flowing in from the outside air intake.

[0009] Furthermore, the air conditioning system may also include, for example, a heat storage material on at least one of the first surface of the second fan that flows outside air toward the control unit, which faces the control unit, and on the second surface opposite to the first surface, which has refrigerant piping through which a refrigerant circulates and through passages through which outside air flowing toward the control unit can pass.

[0010] Furthermore, the heat storage material of the air conditioning system may, for example, be in contact with at least a part of the control unit.

[0012] 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]

[0013] [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 exemplary and schematic front view 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 arrangement of the second fan and the surrounding structure of the air conditioning system according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is an exemplary and schematic enlarged cross-sectional view showing the airflow section of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is an exemplary and schematic cross-sectional view showing the arrangement of the second fan of the air conditioning system of the embodiment and other structures surrounding it. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is an exemplary and schematic diagram showing an alternative arrangement of the second fan in the refrigerant system diagram of the air conditioning system according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] Several embodiments will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 6. 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 also be described by expressions different from those used herein.

[0015] 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.

[0016] 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.

[0017] 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.

[0018] The outdoor unit 11 includes an outdoor heat exchanger 21, an outdoor blower fan 22 (sometimes referred to as the first fan), a compressor 23, an accumulator 24, a four-way valve 25, a first expansion valve 31 (sometimes simply referred to as an expansion valve), a first on-off valve 33, a second on-off valve 32, a second expansion valve 34 (sometimes referred to as a flow control valve), a first heat storage material 61, a second fan 62, a heat dissipation member 63 (sometimes referred to as a heat sink), a control unit 71, a second heat storage material 90, etc. The indoor unit 12 includes an indoor heat exchanger 41 and an indoor blower fan 42.

[0019] The refrigerant pipe 13 is, for example, a pipe made of a metal such as copper or aluminum. The refrigerant pipe 13 includes a first pipe 51, a second pipe 52, a bypass pipe 53, etc.

[0020] 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.

[0021] 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.

[0022] 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 in 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 that connects the fifth region 52a of the second pipe 52 and the first heat storage material 61. The eighth region 53b is a region that connects 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.

[0023] 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 then 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 then flows from the indoor heat exchanger 41 to the outdoor heat exchanger 21 through the second pipe 52.

[0024] 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 to promote 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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, depending on whether it is in heating or cooling operation, thereby changing the direction in which the refrigerant flows.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] The outdoor control unit 14a controls the outdoor blower fan 22, compressor 23, four-way valve 25, first expansion valve 31, second expansion valve 34, second fan 62, etc. of the outdoor unit 11. Note that the outdoor control unit 14a may be included in the control unit 71. The indoor control unit 14b controls the indoor blower fan 42 of the indoor unit 12.

[0035] 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.

[0036] Figure 2 is an exemplary and schematic front view showing the configuration of the outdoor unit 11 of the air conditioning system 10. As described above, the outdoor unit housing 11A that constitutes the outer casing of the outdoor unit 11 is, for example, a rectangular box made of metal and is installed outdoors. The outdoor unit 11 houses a compressor 23 (not shown) that compresses and circulates the refrigerant flowing between the outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 12, and an outdoor blower fan 22 (first fan) that supplies outside air to the outdoor heat exchanger 21 (not shown) to promote heat exchange, both of which are housed within the outdoor unit housing 11A. When the outdoor blower fan 22 is in operation, it blows outside air towards the outdoor heat exchanger 21 located inside the outdoor unit housing 11A in a first direction from the rear to the front of the outdoor unit housing 11A (for example, from the back to the front of the paper in Figure 2: the Y direction in Figure 2). The outdoor unit housing 11A can draw in outside air from the back, bottom, sides, etc., by the suction force of the outdoor blower fan 22, and heat exchange takes place as the drawn-in outside air passes through the outdoor heat exchanger 21.

[0037] The outdoor unit 11 is separated into a blower chamber 11W and a machine room 11M in the width direction (X direction) by a simple partition wall. Although the blower chamber 11W and the machine room 11M are simply separated by a partition wall, air can flow between them. The blower chamber 11W mainly houses the outdoor blower fan 22 and the outdoor heat exchanger 21. The machine room 11M houses the compressor 23 and accumulator 24, which are not shown in Figure 2, as well as the first heat storage material 61, the second fan 62, the heat dissipation member 63, the control unit 71, etc. 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 where the outdoor unit 11 is installed. The control state of the compressor 23 is switched by a control unit 71 (outdoor control device 14a) located in the machine room 11M that constitutes the outdoor unit 11.

[0038] 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 blower fan 22. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the control unit 71 is located in the area outside the blower chamber 11W in the outdoor unit housing 11A, that is, in the machine room 11M. As shown in detail in Figure 3, a second fan 62 smaller than the outdoor blower fan 22 is located near the control unit 71, which is capable of flowing outside air in a second direction different from the first direction of airflow by the outdoor blower fan 22 to the control unit 71. The second fan 62 functions separately from the outdoor blower fan 22 (first fan) and mainly takes in (sucks in) outside air from the outside air intake 11Aa to cool the control unit 71. The outside air intake 11Aa is located on a part of the outer wall of the outdoor unit housing 11A, in a position that does not face the second fan 62, and is in communication with the second fan 62. A dedicated outside air vent may be formed between the second fan 62 and the outside air intake 11Aa, or an area surrounded by the components constituting the outdoor unit 11 may be used as a vent. The outside air intake 11Aa can be formed in any position as long as it can draw in outside air with the suction force of the second fan 62 and guide it to the position of the control unit 71. However, it is desirable to restrict the installation position in order to easily avoid contact of moisture such as raindrops and snow with the control unit 71. For example, it is desirable to form the outside air intake 11Aa in a lower region (in the -Z direction in Figure 2) below the control unit 71, which is located in a position facing the second fan 62 on the outdoor unit housing 11A.

[0039] Figure 3 is an exemplary and schematic cross-sectional view showing the arrangement of the second fan 62 of the outdoor unit 11 (air conditioning unit 10) and the surrounding structure. In Figure 3, the control unit 71 is fixed to a bracket fixed to a part of the inner wall of the outdoor unit housing 11A and supported and fixed to the heat dissipation member 63. The heat dissipation member 63 has a first heat dissipation surface 63a that contacts and supports the control unit 71, and a second heat dissipation surface 63b that is different from the first heat dissipation surface 63a and comes into contact with the outside air flowed by the second fan 62. The heat dissipation member 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 surface between the control unit 71 and the first heat dissipation surface 63a of the heat dissipation member 63. As a result, the cooling (heat dissipation) of the control unit 71 can be performed smoothly and efficiently. Furthermore, the second heat dissipation surface 63b of the heat dissipation member 63 is configured, for example, in the shape of heat dissipation fins, to improve the efficiency of heat dissipation from the control unit 71 and the cooling of the heat dissipation member 63 itself. The shape of the heat dissipation member 63 can be changed as appropriate as long as heat dissipation is ensured; for example, the heat dissipation fin shape may be omitted, or the heat dissipation fin shape may be replaced with another shape. In addition, by interposing the heat dissipation member 63 between the control unit 71 and the second fan 62, even if the air flowing from the second fan 62 contains moisture or dust, it becomes easier to avoid direct contact with the control unit 71. As a result, it is possible to reduce or avoid malfunctions such as short circuits in the electronic components that make up the control unit 71.

[0040] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, a second fan 62 is positioned adjacent to the heat dissipation member 63 to efficiently guide outside air to the heat dissipation member 63 and improve cooling efficiency. The second fan 62 has a first surface 62a facing the control unit 71 and a second surface 62b on the opposite side of the first surface 62a, and is designed to flow outside air from the second surface 62b to the first surface 62a, introducing outside air into the heat dissipation member 63. In addition, in the case of the outdoor unit 11 shown in Figure 3, a first heat storage material 61 is positioned adjacent to the second surface 62b of the second fan 62. Inside the first heat storage material 61, there is a refrigerant pipe 13 through which the refrigerant flowing between the outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 12 circulates, and a through passage 61a is formed through which outside air flowing toward the control unit 71 can pass. As explained in Figure 1, the first heat storage material 61 is cooled by supplying a low-temperature refrigerant through a bypass pipe 53 connected to the refrigerant pipe 13.

[0041] 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.

[0042] The bypass piping 53, during cooling operation of the air conditioning system 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 11Aa 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 mentioned 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.

[0043] As shown in Figure 3, 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.

[0044] The first heat storage material 61 has a bypass pipe 53, which is part of the refrigerant piping 13, that passes through it via an insertion region 53p. The bypass pipe 53 extends in a direction along the direction in which it passes through the bypass pipe 53 (insertion region 53p), and multiple through passages 61a are arranged to surround the bypass pipe 53 (insertion region 53p). That is, the through passages 61a extend along the bypass pipe 53 in the direction of the front and back of the paper in Figure 3. The arrangement relationship between the bypass pipe 53 (insertion region 53p) ​​and the through passages 61a can be changed as appropriate, as long as the bypass pipe 53 (insertion region 53p) ​​and at least a part of the first heat storage material 61 are in contact. The low-temperature refrigerant passing through the first heat storage material 61 via the insertion region 53p cools the first heat storage material 61 and can also cool the outside air drawn in by the second fan 62 that passes through the through passages 61a. The outside air cooled by passing through the first heat storage material 61 passes through the second fan 62 and is guided to the heat dissipation member 63, which cools the heat dissipation member 63. As a result, the control unit 71 can be cooled (heat dissipated). In Figure 3, an example is shown in which the insertion areas 53p of the bypass pipe 53 are arranged in two places, but the system is not limited to this, and the bypass pipe 53 may be branched into three or more pipes 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 a circle, it is acceptable as long as the cooling of the first heat storage material 61 and the cooling of the air flowing through the through passage 61a can be performed efficiently, for example, it may be a rectangle. In addition, it is desirable that the orientation of the through passage 61a be formed to be in line with the direction of airflow when the second fan 62 is driven, as shown in Figure 3. In this case, it becomes possible to efficiently and low-load take in outside air into the through passage 61a, and the cooling efficiency can be further improved.

[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 sufficiently 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 cooling 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 cooling operation. As a result, even when the outdoor unit 11 is operating in cooling mode, 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 cooling. In this case, the temperature rise of the refrigerant can be suppressed compared to when the refrigerant flows 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. 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.

[0048] As mentioned above, the outside air flowing through the second fan 62 is mainly introduced from the outside air intake 11Aa. As mentioned above, it is undesirable for moisture such as raindrops or snow to come into contact with the control unit 71, so the outside air intake 11Aa is equipped with a louver that is inclined diagonally downward, for example. As a result, the entry of raindrops or snow from the outside air intake 11Aa is further suppressed. However, fine raindrops or snow may move upward with the outside air and may pass through the diagonally downward-facing louver. Therefore, in this embodiment, the outdoor unit 11 (air conditioning device 10) is provided with a wind deflector 80 in a part of the communication region WR where the outside air intake 11Aa and the second fan 62 (first heat storage material 61) are in communication. The wind deflector 80 allows the outside air flowing in from the outside air intake 11Aa to collide with the wind deflector before flowing to the second fan 62 side. In other words, raindrops, snow, etc. that pass through the outside air intake 11Aa are collected by colliding with the airflow section 80, and only the outside air (air) from which the raindrops and snow have been removed (reduced) flows to the second fan 62 side.

[0049] The airflow section 80, as shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view in Figure 4, has a cross-section that is, for example, roughly L-shaped, and is formed, for example, by bending or welding a thin plate, and includes a return region 80a, a collision region 80b, a guide region 80c, etc. Raindrops and snow contained in the outside air W come into contact with the collision region 80b and the return region 80a and are collected in the collision region 80b and the return region 80a. The moisture from the collected raindrops and snow adheres to the guide region 80c to form aggregates D, or collides with each other in the air and combines to form aggregates D. The aggregates D, which have become heavier, fall against the flow of outside air W due to their own weight and are collected in a drain (not shown) provided in the bottom region of the outdoor unit housing 11A, or are discharged directly from the gap in the outer wall of the outdoor unit housing 11A. Furthermore, moisture-absorbing members made of sponge, fiber, or the like may be attached to the collision area 80b and return area 80a of the air-blowing section 80 to improve the efficiency of moisture collection. In Figure 4, the air-blowing section 80 is shown with a roughly L-shaped cross-section, but any shape can be appropriately selected as long as the outside air W that has entered the ventilation area WR can be made to collide with it, and the same effect can be obtained.

[0050] As described above, the air conditioning system 10 (outdoor unit 11) of this embodiment shown in Figure 3 cools the outside air taken in by the second fan 62 with the first heat storage material 61, and then supplies it to the control unit 71 supported by the heat dissipation member 63, thereby enabling efficient cooling of the control unit 71.

[0051] Figure 5 is an exemplary and schematic cross-sectional view showing the arrangement of the second fan 62 in the air conditioning unit 10 and the structure of other components surrounding it.

[0052] In the structure shown in Figure 5, the first heat storage material 61 is in contact with the heat dissipation member 63A supporting the control unit 71, and the second fan 62 is positioned on its back side (upstream side). In other words, the outside air passing through the second fan 62 is cooled and directly cools the heat dissipation member 63A. In Figure 5, the first heat storage material 61 and the second fan 62 are shown in close contact as an example, but the arrangement can be changed as appropriate as long as outside air W passing through the second fan 62 can be supplied to the first heat storage material 61. For example, a gap may be formed between the first heat storage material 61 and the second fan 62, and the same effect can be obtained.

[0053] The configuration of the first heat storage material 61 is substantially the same as the configuration described in Figure 3, and the connection to the refrigerant piping 13 is also the same. That is, the insertion region 53p of the bypass piping 53 passes through the first heat storage material 61, and it extends in a direction along the direction in which the bypass piping 53 (insertion region 53p) ​​passes through, with multiple through passages 61a arranged to surround the bypass piping 53 (insertion region 53p). In the case of Figure 5, the heat dissipation member 63A is a plate-shaped member without heat dissipation fins, and the second heat dissipation surface 63Ab, which is the surface opposite to the first heat dissipation surface 63Aa that contacts the control unit 71, is in contact with the first heat storage material 61. As a result, the through passages 61a formed in the first heat storage material 61 are sealed on the heat dissipation member 63A side and become groove-shaped. Therefore, the through passages 61a become grooves that extend along the bypass piping 53 in the front-back direction of the paper in Figure 5. Furthermore, as long as the bypass pipe 53 (insertion region 53p) ​​and at least a portion of the first heat storage material 61 are in contact, the arrangement relationship between the bypass pipe 53 (insertion region 53p) ​​and the through passage 61a (groove) can be changed as appropriate. Therefore, the first heat storage material 61 supports the control unit 71 via the heat dissipation member 63. The heat dissipation member 63A, like the heat dissipation member 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 surface between the heat dissipation member 63A and the control unit 71 and at the contact surface between the heat dissipation member 63A and the first heat storage material 61, so that the cooling (heat dissipation) of the control unit 71 can be performed smoothly and efficiently.

[0054] As shown in Figure 5, the first heat storage material 61 is installed with the second heat dissipation surface 63Ab (unconnected) side of the heat dissipation member 63A facing the first surface 62a of the second fan 62 (outside air intake 11Aa of the outdoor unit 11), so that outside air W (airflow) directly enters the through passage 61a. As a result, the outside air W introduced from the second surface 62b side of the second fan 62 is supplied to the first heat storage material 61 while increasing its flow velocity. The refrigerant in the bypass piping 53 (insertion region 53p) ​​that penetrates the first heat storage material 61 increases its flow velocity to cool the outside air W flowing through the through passage 61a, and also cools the first heat storage material 61 itself. The cooled airflow through the through-passage 61a, which is sealed at one end by the heat dissipation member 63A, flows along the through-passage 61a in the front-to-back direction of the paper in Figure 5, efficiently removing heat from the control unit 71 via the heat dissipation member 63A and discharging it from the through-passage 61a. By allowing cooled air to flow inside the first heat storage material 61 in the front-to-back direction of the paper, the first heat storage material 61, the heat dissipation member 63A, and the control unit 71 can be efficiently cooled. In Figure 5, an example is shown where the insertion areas 53p of the bypass pipe 53 are arranged in two places, but this is not limited to this, and the bypass pipe 53 may be branched into three or more pipes to increase the number of insertion areas 53p. Also, although an example is shown where the cross-sectional shape of the insertion area 53p is circular, it is sufficient as long as the cooling of the first heat storage material 61 and the cooling of the air flowing through the through-passage 61a can be efficiently performed, for example, it may be rectangular. Furthermore, Figure 5 shows an example in which the through passage 61a penetrates the first heat storage material 61 and reaches the heat dissipation member 63A (penetrating in the thickness direction of the first heat storage material 61). In another embodiment, the groove shape may be formed so that it does not penetrate the first heat storage material 61, but stops at a depth partway through 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.

[0055] In Figure 5, 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 in advance through testing which parts of the electronic components mounted on the control unit 71 are heat-sensitive components that may affect the operation of the control unit 71, and which components are heat-sensitive components, thus identifying the heat-sensitive components 71a that require heat countermeasures (cooling measures). 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, contributing 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. The same applies to the configuration shown in Figure 3, where the size of the first heat storage material 61 and the second fan 62, the position where the cooling air is supplied, etc., may be appropriately changed to focus the cooling on the heat dissipation component 71a, and similar effects can be obtained.

[0056] Figure 6 is a refrigerant system diagram showing a simplified configuration for cooling the control unit 71, and is an exemplary and schematic diagram in which the control unit 71 and the heat dissipation member 63B are cooled solely by the second fan 62.

[0057] In the case of Figure 6, since refrigerant is not used to cool the control unit 71, the bypass piping 53, the second heat storage material 90, the second expansion valve 34, etc., are omitted. The heat dissipation member 63B that supports the control unit 71 is the same as the heat dissipation member 63A shown in Figure 5. In other examples, a configuration similar to the heat dissipation member 63 with heat dissipation fins shown in Figure 3 may be used. In this case, since the first heat storage material 61 is omitted in the configuration shown in Figure 6, the cooling capacity of the control unit 71 is reduced compared to when the first heat storage material 61 is used. However, while cooling the control unit 71, the overall configuration of the outdoor unit 11, including the refrigerant piping 13, is simplified, which can contribute to cost reduction and simplified maintenance.

[0058] In any of the above configurations, the structure for cooling the control unit 71 may be placed anywhere within the outdoor unit 11 (machine room 11M). However, as mentioned above, it is desirable to place it above the outside air intake 11Aa to easily avoid the effects of moisture such as raindrops and snow. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, it is desirable to place it on the front side (in the +Y direction in Figure 3) of the outdoor unit 11 (machine room 11M). This is based on experimental results showing that the air temperature is lower on the front side of the outdoor unit 11 compared to the rear side (in the -Y direction in Figure 3). Therefore, as shown in Figure 6, when the control unit 71 is cooled only by the second fan 62, the control unit 71 and the second fan 62 can be placed above the outside air intake 11Aa and on the front side of the outdoor unit 11 to easily implement temperature control measures for the control unit 71. In the configuration shown in Figure 3, the outside air intake 11Aa is located on the front of the outdoor unit housing 11A. However, it may also be formed on the side of the outdoor unit housing 11A, but closer to the front, and a similar effect can be obtained. Furthermore, as mentioned above, if the warm air (hot air) discharged from the outdoor unit 11 after heat exchange is not obstructed by an obstacle or remains around the outdoor unit 11, that is, if the outdoor unit 11 is installed in a relatively open space, the degree of freedom in selecting the location of the outside air intake 11Aa increases, and it may be located on the bottom or back of the outdoor unit 11. In addition, if a structure is provided to prevent raindrops, snow, etc. from entering through the outside air intake 11Aa, it is also possible to provide the outside air intake 11Aa on the top surface of the outdoor unit 11.

[0059] The air conditioning system 10 according to the embodiment described above comprises an outdoor unit housing 11A, a ventilation chamber 11W, a control unit 71, a second fan 62, and an outside air intake 11Aa. The ventilation chamber 11W is equipped with an outdoor ventilation fan 22 (first fan) for flowing outside air W in a first direction (+Y direction) from the rear to the front of the outdoor unit housing 11A toward the outdoor heat exchanger 21 located inside the outdoor unit housing 11A. The control unit 71 is located in the area outside the ventilation chamber 11W within the outdoor unit housing 11A and controls the outdoor unit 11. The second fan 62 is a smaller fan than the outdoor ventilation fan 22 (first fan) that flows outside air W toward the control unit 71 in a second direction (-Y direction) different from the first direction. The outside air intake 11Aa is located on a part of the outer wall of the outdoor unit housing 11A, in a position that does not face the second fan 62, and communicates with the second fan. With this configuration, for example, it is possible to provide an air conditioning system 10 that can more efficiently cool the control unit 71 located inside the outdoor unit 11.

[0060] Furthermore, the outside air intake 11Aa of the air conditioning unit 10 may be formed in a lower region on the bottom side of the control unit 71, which is located in the outdoor unit housing 11A opposite the second fan 62. With this configuration, for example, even if moisture such as raindrops or snow, or dust enters through the outside air intake 11Aa, it is possible to reduce or suppress the possibility of it reaching the control unit 71.

[0061] Furthermore, the air conditioning unit 10 may be provided with a wind-blowing section 80 in a part of the communication region WR where the outside air intake 11Aa and the second fan 62 are in communication, which is hit by the outside air W flowing in from the outside air intake 11Aa. With this configuration, for example, even if moisture such as raindrops or snow enters from the outside air intake 11Aa, it can be more reliably reduced or suppressed from reaching the control unit 71.

[0062] Furthermore, the air conditioning unit 10 may also include, for example, a first heat storage material 61 on at least one of the following sides: a first surface 62a facing the control unit 71 side of the second fan 62 that flows outside air W toward the control unit 71 side, and a second surface 62b opposite to the first surface 62a side. This first heat storage material 61 has a refrigerant pipe 13 (bypass pipe 53 penetrating the insertion region 53p) ​​through which a refrigerant circulates, and a through passage 61a through which the outside air W flowing toward the control unit 71 can pass. This configuration makes it possible to efficiently cool the outside air W flowing by the second fan 62, and to cool the control unit 71 more reliably and effectively.

[0063] Furthermore, the first heat storage material 61 of the air conditioning unit 10 may be in contact with at least a portion of the control unit 71. This configuration allows for, for example, more effective cooling of the control unit 71.

[0064] Furthermore, the air conditioning device 10 may also include a heat dissipation member 63 having, for example, a first heat dissipation surface 63a that contacts and supports the control unit 71, and a second heat dissipation surface 63b that is different from the first heat dissipation surface 63a and comes into contact with the outside air W flowed by the second fan 62. With this configuration, for example, the heat dissipation efficiency of the control unit 71 can be improved, and even if the outside air W contains moisture, dust, etc., it is possible to avoid the outside air W coming into direct contact with the control unit 71.

[0065] 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]

[0066] 10...Air conditioning unit, 11...Outdoor unit, 11A...Outdoor unit housing, 11Aa...Outdoor air intake, 12...Indoor unit, 13...Refrigerant piping, 14...Control device, 21...Outdoor heat exchanger, 22...Outdoor blower fan (first fan), 23...Compressor, 51...First piping, 52...Second piping, 53...Bypass piping, 61...First heat storage material, 61a...Through passage, 62...Second fan, 63...Heat dissipation component, 71...Control unit, 80...Air blowing section.

Claims

1. Outdoor unit casing and A ventilation chamber is provided with a first fan for circulating outside air in a first direction from the rear to the front of the outdoor unit housing to an outdoor heat exchanger located inside the outdoor unit housing, The outdoor unit housing includes a control unit provided in the area outside the air blowing chamber for controlling the outdoor unit, A second fan, smaller than the first fan, flows outside air to the control unit in a second direction different from the first direction. An outside air intake is provided on a part of the outer wall of the outdoor unit housing at a position not facing the second fan and communicating with the second fan, A heat dissipation member having a first heat dissipation surface that contacts and supports the control unit, and a second heat dissipation surface different from the first heat dissipation surface that comes into contact with the outside air flowed by the second fan, An air conditioning system equipped with the following features.

2. The air conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein the outside air intake is formed in a lower region on the bottom side of the control unit, which is positioned in the outdoor unit housing opposite the second fan.

3. The air conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein a part of the communication region in which the outside air intake and the second fan communicate is provided with a wind-blowing section that is exposed to outside air flowing in from the outside air intake.

4. The air conditioning device according to claim 1, comprising a heat storage material having a refrigerant pipe through which a refrigerant circulates arranged and a through passage through which outside air flowing toward the control unit can pass, on at least one of the first surface of the second fan that flows outside air toward the control unit and on the second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein a refrigerant pipe through which a refrigerant circulates is arranged and outside air flowing toward the control unit can pass.

5. The air conditioning device according to claim 4, wherein the heat storage material is in contact with at least a portion of the control unit.

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