Outdoor unit and refrigeration cycle device

Abstract

This refrigeration cycle device includes an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. The outdoor unit comprises a housing, two or more outdoor heat exchangers, a compressor, and an outdoor fan. The housing has a cuboid shape having an air outlet in the upper surface. The two or more outdoor heat exchangers are provided inside the housing to cause heat to be exchanged between a refrigerant and air. The compressor is provided inside the housing to compress the refrigerant. The outdoor fan causes air to flow upward through the outlet. The refrigerant flows in parallel through the two or more outdoor heat exchangers. The four side surfaces of the housing include two or more flow-through surfaces through which air flows, and a sealed surface through which air does not flow. The two or more flow-through surfaces are adjacent to one another. The two or more outdoor heat exchangers are provided so as to face the two or more flow-through surfaces, respectively. An upstream heat exchanger, which is one of the two or more outdoor heat exchangers, is provided so as to face an upstream surface, which is the flow-through surface, among the two or more flow-through surfaces, that is adjacent to the sealed surface in the direction of rotation of the outdoor fan. The compressor is provided in a position in which the distance from the upstream heat exchanger is less than the distance from downstream heat exchangers, the downstream heat exchangers being constituted by those from among the two or more outdoor heat exchangers that are other than the upstream heat exchanger.

Description

Outdoor units and refrigeration cycle devices

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a top-flow type outdoor unit for a refrigeration cycle device, and to a refrigeration cycle device.

[0002] Conventionally, a top-flow outdoor unit has been known that includes, in a housing, an outdoor heat exchanger having a plurality of flat tubes arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction with the extension direction being the vertical direction, and an outdoor fan that blows air upward (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this outdoor unit, the plurality of outdoor heat exchangers are arranged along the circumferential direction of the housing, and the outdoor fan is arranged above the outdoor heat exchangers and on the top of the housing.

[0003] Patent No. 6595125

[0004] Here, in the outdoor unit of Patent Document 1, there was a problem in that the wind speed distribution around the circumferential direction of the housing was uneven, causing an unevenness in the wind speed passing through the multiple heat exchangers, which in turn caused an unevenness in the heat exchange amount in the multiple outdoor heat exchangers, resulting in a decrease in the heat exchange performance of the entire outdoor heat exchanger.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an outdoor unit and a refrigeration cycle device that improves heat exchange performance by adjusting the bias in wind speed distribution.

[0006] The outdoor unit according to the present disclosure includes a rectangular parallelepiped housing having an air outlet on an upper surface thereof, two or more outdoor heat exchangers provided inside the housing for exchanging heat between a refrigerant and the air, a compressor provided inside the housing for compressing the refrigerant, and an outdoor fan for circulating the air upward from the outlet, the refrigerant circulating in parallel through the two or more outdoor heat exchangers, and four side surfaces of the housing include two or more flow surfaces through which the air circulates and a sealing surface that does not allow the air to circulate, and the two or more flow surfaces are adjacent to each other, each of the two or more outdoor heat exchangers is provided opposite each of the two or more flow surfaces, an upstream heat exchanger that is one of the two or more outdoor heat exchangers is provided opposite an upstream surface that is a flow surface adjacent to the sealing surface in the rotation direction of the outdoor fan, and the compressor is provided at a position where the distance from the upstream heat exchanger is shorter than the distance from a downstream heat exchanger that is an outdoor heat exchanger other than the upstream heat exchanger among the two or more outdoor heat exchangers.

[0007] The refrigeration cycle device according to the present disclosure includes the above-described outdoor unit and an indoor unit that is connected to the outdoor unit by a refrigerant pipe through which the refrigerant circulates, and that adjusts the temperature of a target using the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit.

[0008] According to the outdoor unit and refrigeration cycle device of the present disclosure, the imbalance in the heat exchange amount in two or more outdoor heat exchangers is adjusted, thereby improving the heat exchange performance.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram illustrating the configuration of a refrigeration cycle apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example configuration of an outdoor heat exchanger according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an outdoor unit according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an internal configuration of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically illustrating the configuration of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 6 is a plan view schematically illustrating wind speed distribution in an outdoor unit according to a comparative example. FIG. 7 is a plan view schematically illustrating a configuration for adjusting bias in wind speed distribution in the outdoor heat exchanger of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 8 is a plan view schematically illustrating a configuration for adjusting bias in wind speed distribution in the outdoor heat exchanger of an outdoor unit according to a modification of Embodiment 1. FIG. 9 is a plan view schematically illustrating the configuration of an outdoor unit according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically illustrating the configuration of an outdoor unit according to Embodiment 3.

[0010] Hereinafter, an outdoor unit and a refrigeration cycle device according to an embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below. Also, the size relationships between the components in the drawings may differ from those in reality.

[0011] Embodiment 1. Fig. 1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram illustrating the configuration of a refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1. The refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 is, for example, an air conditioner. The refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 includes an outdoor unit 1 and an indoor unit 2, which are connected to each other by refrigerant piping 5. The outdoor unit 1 includes a compressor 10, a flow switching device 11, a first flow control valve 12, a second flow control valve 13, an accumulator 14, a first heat exchanger 30a, a second heat exchanger 30b, and a third heat exchanger 30c inside a housing indicated by a dashed-line square in Fig. 1. The indoor unit 2 includes a throttling device 20 and an indoor heat exchanger 21 inside a housing indicated by a dashed-line square.

[0012] The accumulator 14, the compressor 10, and the flow switching device 11 are connected in series by refrigerant piping 5. A first flow control valve 12 and a second flow control valve 13 are connected to the flow switching device 11 in parallel by the refrigerant piping 5. A first heat exchanger 30a and a third heat exchanger 30c are connected to the first flow control valve 12 in parallel by the refrigerant piping 5. A second heat exchanger 30b is connected in series to the second flow control valve 13 by the refrigerant piping 5. The first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c are connected to a throttling device 20 by the refrigerant piping 5. The throttling device 20 is connected in series to an indoor heat exchanger 21 by the refrigerant piping 5, and the indoor heat exchanger 21 is connected in series to the flow switching device 11. This forms a refrigerant circuit 6 in which the refrigerant circulates.

[0013] The compressor 10 draws in a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, compresses the drawn refrigerant, and discharges a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant. The compressor 10 is an inverter compressor whose capacity, which is the amount of refrigerant delivered per unit time, is controlled by, for example, changing the operating frequency.

[0014] The flow path switching device 11 is, for example, a four-way valve, and switches the refrigerant flow path to switch between cooling operation and heating operation. Specifically, during cooling operation, the flow path switching device 11 sets the refrigerant flow path as shown by the solid lines, and connects the discharge side of the compressor 10 to the first to third heat exchangers 30a to 30c. On the other hand, during heating operation, the flow path switching device 11 sets the refrigerant flow path as shown by the dashed lines, and connects the discharge side of the compressor 10 to the indoor heat exchanger 21.

[0015] Each of the first flow control valve 12 and the second flow control valve 13 is, for example, an electronic expansion valve with an adjustable opening. The first flow control valve 12 adjusts the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing into the first heat exchanger 30 a and the third heat exchanger 30 c by changing its opening. The second flow control valve 13 adjusts the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing into the second heat exchanger 30 b by changing its opening.

[0016] The first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c exchange heat between the outdoor air and the refrigerant. During cooling operation, the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c function as condensers that cause the refrigerant to release heat to the outdoor air and condense the refrigerant. During heating operation, the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c function as evaporators that cause the refrigerant to absorb heat from the outdoor air and evaporate the refrigerant. Details of the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c will be described later.

[0017] The expansion device 20 is, for example, an electronic expansion valve with an adjustable opening, and by adjusting the opening, the pressure of the refrigerant flowing into all or part of the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, the third heat exchanger 30c, and the indoor heat exchanger 21 is adjusted. Note that, in the first embodiment, a case is described in which the expansion device 20 is provided in the indoor unit 2, but the installation location of the expansion device 20 is not particularly limited, and the expansion device 20 may be provided in the outdoor unit 1, for example.

[0018] The indoor heat exchanger 21 exchanges heat between a target and the refrigerant. The target may be the air or water in the room or inside the storage unit. During cooling operation, the indoor heat exchanger 21 functions as an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant and cools the target using the heat of vaporization. During heating operation, the indoor heat exchanger 21 functions as a condenser that radiates heat from the refrigerant to the target and condenses the refrigerant.

[0019] The accumulator 14 is provided on the intake side of the compressor 10 and serves to store excess refrigerant resulting from differences in operating conditions between cooling and heating, or excess refrigerant resulting from transient changes in operation, etc. Furthermore, the accumulator 14 serves to prevent liquid from returning to the compressor 10.

[0020] <Cooling Operation> The operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 during cooling operation will now be described. In cooling operation, the flow path switching device 11 connects the discharge side of the compressor 10 to the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 flows into the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c, respectively, via the flow path switching device 11. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant that flows into the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c exchanges heat with the outdoor air and condenses while releasing heat, becoming a low-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant, which then flows out of the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c, respectively.

[0021] The low-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant flowing out of the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c flows into the expansion device 20, where it is decompressed to become a low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant, which then flows into the indoor heat exchanger 21. The low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant that flows into the indoor heat exchanger 21 exchanges heat with an object, evaporates while absorbing heat, and becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure gas refrigerant that flows out of the indoor heat exchanger 21. At this time, the object is cooled, for example, to cool the room. The low-temperature, low-pressure gas refrigerant flowing out of the indoor heat exchanger 21 is drawn into the compressor 10 via the flow switching device 11 and the accumulator 14, and becomes a high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant again.

[0022] <Heating Operation> Next, the operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 during heating operation will be described. In heating operation, the flow path switching device 11 connects the discharge side of the compressor 10 to the indoor heat exchanger 21. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 flows into the indoor heat exchanger 21 via the flow path switching device 11. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant that flows into the indoor heat exchanger 21 condenses while exchanging heat with an object and releasing heat, becoming a low-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant that flows out of the indoor heat exchanger 21. At this time, the object is heated, and, for example, heating is performed indoors. The low-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant that flows out of the indoor heat exchanger 21 flows into the expansion device 20, where it is decompressed to become a low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant.

[0023] The low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant flows into each of the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c. The low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant that flows into each of the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c exchanges heat with the outdoor air, evaporates while absorbing heat, and flows out as low-temperature, low-pressure gas refrigerant. The low-temperature, low-pressure gas refrigerant that flows out of each of the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c is drawn into the compressor 10 via the flow switching device 11 and the accumulator 14, and becomes high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant again.

[0024] The configurations of the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c according to the first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. 2 . Note that, hereinafter, each of the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c may also be referred to as the outdoor heat exchanger 30. FIG. 2 is a perspective view that schematically illustrates an example configuration of the outdoor heat exchanger 30 according to the first embodiment. Note that the arrows in FIG. 2 indicate the flow of refrigerant when the outdoor heat exchanger 30 functions as a condenser. The outdoor heat exchanger 30 is a corrugated fin tube type with a parallel piping configuration.

[0025] The outdoor heat exchanger 30 has a first header 31, a turn-back header 34, and a second header 35. In the outdoor heat exchanger 30 according to the first embodiment, a pair of headers, each consisting of the first header 31 and the turn-back header 34, and the other consisting of the second header 35 and the turn-back header 34, are arranged above and below each other. A plurality of flat tubes 32 are arranged between the first header 31 and the turn-back header 34, and are perpendicular to the first header 31 and the turn-back header 34 and parallel to each other. Similarly, a plurality of other flat tubes 32 are arranged between the second header 35 and the turn-back header 34, and are perpendicular to the second header 35 and the turn-back header 34 and parallel to each other. The flat tubes 32 between the first header 31 and the turn-back header 34 are arranged with their flat surfaces facing each other, and the flat tubes 32 between the second header 35 and the turn-back header 34 are arranged with their flat surfaces facing each other. The plurality of flat tubes 32 between the first header 31 and the turn-back header 34 and the plurality of flat tubes 32 between the second header 35 and the turn-back header 34 are arranged in two rows in the air flow direction. The flat tubes 32 are an example of heat transfer tubes that allow the refrigerant to flow in the outdoor heat exchanger 30 and transfer heat between the refrigerant and the air.

[0026] The first header 31 is provided below the outdoor heat exchanger 30. The first header 31 is connected to other devices constituting the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 through piping, and is a pipe through which the refrigerant flows in and out and through which the refrigerant branches or merges. The first header 31 is provided with a first refrigerant inlet / outlet pipe 36 that is connected to the refrigerant piping 5 and through which the refrigerant flows in and out.

[0027] The flat tubes 32 are heat transfer tubes having a flat cross section, with the outer surface on the long side of the flat shape along the air flow direction being flat and the outer surface on the short side perpendicular to the long side being curved. The flat tubes 32 are multi-hole flat tubes having multiple holes therein that serve as refrigerant flow paths. The holes in the flat tubes 32 are formed along the vertical direction, and the refrigerant flows in the vertical direction between the first header 31 or the second header 35 and the return header 34.

[0028] Of the plurality of flat tubes 32 between each of the first header 31 and the second header 35 and the turn-back header 34, corrugated fins 33 are provided between two adjacent flat tubes 32. The corrugated fins 33 have a wave shape, and a plurality of apexes are joined to the flat surfaces of the flat tubes 32.

[0029] The foldback header 34 acts as a bridge that folds back from the plurality of flat tubes 32 between one of the first header 31 and the second header 35 and the plurality of flat tubes 32 between the foldback header 34 to the plurality of flat tubes 32 between the other of the first header 31 and the second header 35 and the plurality of flat tubes 32 between the foldback header 34.

[0030] The second header 35 is provided below the outdoor heat exchanger 30. The second header 35 is connected to other devices constituting the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 through pipes through which the refrigerant flows in and out and through which the refrigerant branches or merges. The second header 35 is provided with a second refrigerant inlet / outlet pipe 37 that is connected to the refrigerant pipe 5 and through which the refrigerant flows in and out.

[0031] The arrangement of the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c in the outdoor unit 1 will be described below with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the outdoor unit 1 according to embodiment 1. Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the internal configuration of the outdoor unit 1 according to embodiment 1. Note that Figure 4 shows a state in which some of the components constituting the outdoor unit 1 have been removed.

[0032] The outdoor unit 1 according to the first embodiment is a top-flow type in which an air outlet 41 is formed in the center of the upper part of the housing 40. The air outlet 41 is an opening through which air blown by an outdoor fan 42 (described later) is discharged. The housing 40 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and four side surfaces of the housing 40 extend vertically from four edges of the lower surface 40e of the housing 40. The four side surfaces are a first surface 40a, a second surface 40b, a third surface 40c, and a fourth surface 40d. The first surface 40a is adjacent to the second surface 40b, and the first surface 40a and the second surface 40b are substantially perpendicular to each other. The second surface 40b is adjacent to the third surface 40c, and the second surface 40b and the third surface 40c are substantially perpendicular to each other. The third surface 40c is adjacent to the fourth surface 40d, and the third surface 40c and the fourth surface 40d are substantially perpendicular to each other. The fourth surface 40d is adjacent to the first surface 40a, and the fourth surface 40d and the first surface 40a are approximately perpendicular to each other. A detachable sealing plate 43 that blocks air flow is provided on the fourth surface 40d. The sealing plate 43 is removed during maintenance of the outdoor unit 1, for example. Hereinafter, the fourth surface 40d on which the sealing plate 43 is provided may also be referred to as the sealing surface.

[0033] Each of the first surface 40a, the second surface 40b, and the third surface 40c is a flow surface through which air flows, and is provided with a plate having an air inlet formed therein. A first heat exchanger 30a having a generally flat plate shape is provided facing the first surface 40a. A second heat exchanger 30b having a generally flat plate shape is provided facing the second surface 40b. A third heat exchanger 30c having a generally flat plate shape is provided facing the third surface 40c.

[0034] The compressor 10 and other components are housed inside the housing 40. An outdoor fan 42 is housed in the upper part of the housing 40, directly below the air outlet 41. The outdoor fan 42 supplies outdoor air to the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c, and the airflow rate is adjusted by controlling the rotation speed.

[0035] FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically illustrating the configuration of the outdoor unit 1 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in FIG. 5 , the first heat exchanger 30a is provided on the first surface 40a, the second heat exchanger 30b is provided on the second surface 40b, and the third heat exchanger 30c is provided on the third surface 40c. A first sealing portion 44 that blocks air flow is provided at a portion where the first surface 40a and the second surface 40b meet but do not face the outdoor heat exchanger 30. A second sealing portion 45 that blocks air flow is provided at a portion where the second surface 40b and the third surface 40c meet but do not face the outdoor heat exchanger 30. In the example shown in FIG. 5 , the outdoor fan 42 rotates clockwise in a plan view, as indicated by the curved arrow.

[0036] 2, the refrigerant flows vertically in each outdoor heat exchanger 30, and the first refrigerant inlet / outlet pipe 36 and the second refrigerant inlet / outlet pipe 37 are each connected to the refrigerant piping 5. Also, as shown in FIG. 1, during cooling operation, the refrigerant flowing out of the flow path switching device 11 is distributed to each of the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c, where it exchanges heat with the outdoor air in each outdoor heat exchanger 30, and then merges after flowing out of each outdoor heat exchanger 30. Also, during heating operation, the refrigerant from the indoor unit 2 is distributed to each of the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c, where it exchanges heat with the outdoor air in each outdoor heat exchanger 30, and then merges after flowing out of each outdoor heat exchanger 30. That is, in embodiment 1, the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c are arranged in parallel, and the refrigerant that flows out of any one of the outdoor heat exchangers 30 flows into the refrigerant piping 5 without flowing into the other outdoor heat exchangers 30.

[0037] In this case, conventionally, bias occurs in the air velocity distribution in the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c. Figure 6 is a plan view schematically showing the air velocity distribution in an outdoor unit 1A according to a comparative example. In Figure 6, the air velocity in each outdoor heat exchanger 30 is indicated by a white arrow, and the wider the white arrow, the higher the air velocity. In Figures 6 and subsequent figures, the air velocity is indicated by a white arrow, and the magnitude of the air velocity is indicated by the width of the white arrow. As shown in Figure 6, the air velocity in the first heat exchanger 30a, which is the flow surface and adjacent to the fourth surface 40d, which is the sealing surface, in the direction along the rotational direction of the outdoor fan 42, is the highest among all the outdoor heat exchangers 30. The wind speed in the third heat exchanger 30c, which is provided on the third surface 40c, which is the flow surface adjacent to the sealing surface in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the outdoor fan 42, is the smallest among all the outdoor heat exchangers 30.

[0038] Hereinafter, the flow surface adjacent to the sealing surface in the rotation direction of the outdoor fan 42 may be referred to as the upstream surface. The outdoor heat exchanger 30 facing the upstream surface may be referred to as the upstream heat exchanger. Furthermore, the outdoor heat exchangers 30 other than the upstream heat exchanger may be referred to as the downstream heat exchanger. In the first embodiment, the first surface 40a is the upstream surface, the first heat exchanger 30a is the upstream heat exchanger, and the second heat exchanger 30b and the third heat exchanger 30c are the downstream heat exchangers.

[0039] The bias in the air velocity distribution in the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c causes a bias in the amount of heat exchanged between the refrigerant and the air flowing through the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c. The bias in the amount of heat exchanged in each outdoor heat exchanger 30 may reduce the heat exchange performance of the outdoor heat exchanger 30 as a whole. The outdoor unit 1 according to the first embodiment has the following configuration for adjusting the bias in the air velocity distribution that leads to a reduction in heat exchange performance.

[0040] 7 is a plan view illustrating a schematic configuration for adjusting the bias in the air velocity distribution in the outdoor heat exchanger 30 of the outdoor unit 1 according to Embodiment 1. In Embodiment 1, the compressor box 10A that houses the compressor 10 and the accumulator 14 are arranged in a space surrounded by the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c, so that the accumulator 14 is closest to the first heat exchanger 30a among the first heat exchanger 30a, the second heat exchanger 30b, and the third heat exchanger 30c. Specifically, the compressor box 10A and the accumulator 14 are arranged along the first heat exchanger 30a at positions closer to the first heat exchanger 30a than the third heat exchanger 30c. Furthermore, the compressor box 10A and the accumulator 14 are each arranged such that the horizontal distance between them and the first heat exchanger 30a is shorter than the horizontal distance between them and the third heat exchanger 30c.

[0041] By arranging the compressor box 10A and the accumulator 14 near the first heat exchanger 30a, the air flowing through the first heat exchanger 30a is stagnated, and the wind speed in the first heat exchanger 30a is reduced compared to the conventional system. As a result, the bias in the wind speed distribution in the first to third heat exchangers 30a to 30c is corrected, and heat exchange performance is improved.

[0042] In FIG. 7, the accumulator 14 is provided closer to the sealing surface than the compressor box 10A, but the compressor box 10A may be provided closer to the sealing surface than the accumulator 14.

[0043] FIG. 8 is a plan view schematically illustrating a configuration for adjusting the bias in the air velocity distribution in the outdoor heat exchanger 30 of the outdoor unit 1 according to a modified example of Embodiment 1. In FIG. 8, the same equipment configuration as FIG. 7 is used, but the rotation direction of the outdoor fan 42 is reversed relative to the rotation direction of the outdoor fan 42 in FIG. 7. In the modified configuration shown in FIG. 8, the third surface 40c is the upstream surface, the third heat exchanger 30c is the upstream heat exchanger, and the second heat exchanger 30b and the first heat exchanger 30a are downstream heat exchangers. The compressor box 10A and the accumulator 14 are each positioned so that the horizontal distance from the third heat exchanger 30c, which is the upstream heat exchanger, is shorter than the horizontal distance from the first heat exchanger 30a. The configuration shown in FIG. 8 can also achieve the same effects as the configuration shown in FIG. 7.

[0044] The effects of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 and outdoor unit 1 according to the first embodiment will be described below. The refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment includes an outdoor unit 1 and an indoor unit 2. The indoor unit 2 is connected to the outdoor unit 1 by a refrigerant pipe 5 through which a refrigerant flows, and adjusts the temperature of a target using the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit 1. The outdoor unit 1 includes a housing 40, two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30, a compressor 10, and an outdoor fan 42. The housing 40 is rectangular and has an air outlet 41 on its top surface. The two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30 are provided inside the housing 40 and exchange heat between the refrigerant and air. The compressor 10 is provided inside the housing 40 and compresses the refrigerant. The outdoor fan 42 circulates air upward from the outlet 41. Refrigerant flows in parallel through the two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30. The four side surfaces of the housing 40 include two or more flow surfaces that allow air to flow and a sealed surface that does not allow air to flow. The two or more flow surfaces are adjacent to each other. The two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30 are each provided opposite a respective one of the two or more flow surfaces. An upstream heat exchanger, which is one of the two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30, is provided opposite an upstream surface, which is a flow surface that is adjacent to the sealed surface in the rotation direction of the outdoor fan 42, among the two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30. The compressor 10 is provided at a position where the horizontal distance from the upstream heat exchanger is shorter than the horizontal distance from the downstream heat exchanger, which is one of the two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30 other than the upstream heat exchanger.

[0045] According to the above configuration, the air flowing through the upstream heat exchanger is stagnated by the compressor 10, and the air speed in the upstream heat exchanger is reduced, thereby reducing the imbalance in the air speed distribution between the upstream heat exchanger and the downstream heat exchanger. Therefore, the imbalance in the heat exchange amount in the two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30 is adjusted, and the heat exchange performance is improved.

[0046] Each of the two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30 in the first embodiment extends in the vertical direction and includes a plurality of heat transfer tubes through which the refrigerant flows. This makes it easy to install the two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30 in parallel within the outdoor unit 1.

[0047] The outdoor unit 1 in the first embodiment further includes an accumulator 14 provided inside the housing 40 for storing refrigerant. The accumulator 14 is provided at a position where the horizontal distance from the upstream heat exchanger is smaller than the horizontal distance from the downstream heat exchanger. This causes the air flowing through the upstream heat exchanger to stagnate, further adjusting the bias in the air speed distribution in the two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30. Therefore, the bias in the heat exchange amount in the two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30 is further adjusted, thereby further improving the heat exchange performance.

[0048] The outdoor unit 1 in the first embodiment is equipped with three outdoor heat exchangers 30. Each of the three side surfaces of the housing 40 is a flow surface. Each of the three outdoor heat exchangers 30 is arranged to face a flow surface. This increases the amount of heat exchanged in the outdoor unit 1 compared to when there are two outdoor heat exchangers 30.

[0049] Embodiment 2. The following describes the configurations of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 and the outdoor unit 1 according to Embodiment 2. In Embodiment 2, the same components as those in Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In addition, in Embodiment 2, the same configurations as those in Embodiment 1 and the same functions as those in Embodiment 1 will not be described unless there are special circumstances.

[0050] FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating a schematic configuration of the outdoor unit 1 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, the outdoor unit 1 according to the second embodiment includes two outdoor fans 42. The two outdoor fans 42 are arranged along the sealing surface and the second surface 40b. The outdoor fans 42 rotate in the same direction, as in the first embodiment. As in the first embodiment, the first to third heat exchangers 30a to 30c are provided on the respective sides of the first to third surfaces 40a to 40c, facing the respective first to third surfaces 40a to 40c. In the second embodiment as well, the upstream surface, which is the flow surface adjacent to the sealing surface along the rotation direction of the outdoor fan 42, is the first surface 40a. In the second embodiment as well, the upstream heat exchanger is the first heat exchanger 30a.

[0051] In the second embodiment, the compressor box 10A housing the compressor 10 and the accumulator 14 are arranged so as to be closest to the first heat exchanger 30a among the first, second, and third heat exchangers 30a, 30b, and 30c. Specifically, the compressor box 10A and the accumulator 14 are arranged along the first heat exchanger 30a at positions closer to the first heat exchanger 30a than the third heat exchanger 30c. Furthermore, the compressor box 10A and the accumulator 14 are arranged so that the horizontal distance between them and the first heat exchanger 30a is shorter than the horizontal distance between them and the third heat exchanger 30c.

[0052] In the second embodiment, the outdoor unit 1 is provided with two outdoor fans 42, but the outdoor unit 1 may be provided with three or more outdoor fans 42. In this case, the rotation directions of the three or more outdoor fans 42 are the same. Also in the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8 of the first embodiment, the multiple outdoor fans 42 may be configured to rotate in the opposite direction to that shown in FIG. 9. In this case, following the example of FIG. 8, the compressor box 10A that houses the compressor 10 and the accumulator 14 are positioned symmetrically to the arrangement in FIG. 9.

[0053] The effects of the outdoor unit 1 and the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment will be described below. The refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment includes an outdoor unit 1 and an indoor unit 2. The indoor unit 2 is connected to the outdoor unit 1 by a refrigerant pipe 5 through which a refrigerant flows, and adjusts the temperature of a target using the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit 1. The outdoor unit 1 includes a housing 40, two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30, a compressor 10, and two or more outdoor fans 42. The housing 40 is rectangular and has an air outlet 41 on its top surface. The two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30 are provided inside the housing 40 and exchange heat between the refrigerant and air. The compressor 10 is provided inside the housing 40 and compresses the refrigerant. The two or more outdoor fans 42 circulate air upward from the outlet 41. The two or more outdoor fans 42 rotate in the same direction. Refrigerant flows in parallel through the two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30. The four side surfaces of the housing 40 include two or more flow surfaces that allow air to flow and a sealed surface that does not allow air to flow. The two or more flow surfaces are adjacent to each other. The two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30 are provided facing each of the two or more flow surfaces. An upstream heat exchanger, which is one of the two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30, is provided facing an upstream surface, which is a flow surface that is adjacent to the sealed surface in the rotation direction of the two or more outdoor fans 42. The compressor 10 is provided at a position where the horizontal distance from the upstream heat exchanger is shorter than the horizontal distance from the downstream heat exchanger, which is one of the two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30 other than the upstream heat exchanger.

[0054] According to the above configuration, a larger amount of air is guided to the two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30 by the two or more outdoor fans 42. At this time, the air flowing through the upstream heat exchanger is stagnated by the compressor 10, thereby adjusting the bias in the air speed distribution in the two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30. Therefore, the bias in the heat exchange amount in the two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30 is adjusted, and the heat exchange performance is improved.

[0055] Embodiment 3. The configurations of a refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 and an outdoor unit 1 according to Embodiment 3 will be described below. In Embodiment 3, the same components as those in Embodiments 1 and 2 above will be assigned the same reference numerals. Furthermore, in Embodiment 3, explanations of configurations similar to those in Embodiments 1 and 2 and functions similar to those in Embodiments 1 and 2 will be omitted unless there are special circumstances.

[0056] Fig. 10 is a plan view schematically illustrating the configuration of the outdoor unit 1 according to embodiment 3. As shown in Fig. 10, in the outdoor unit 1 according to embodiment 3, a fifth surface 40d1 that is a part of the fourth surface 40d, i.e., the portion where the sealing plate 43 is not provided, is the flow surface, and a sixth surface 40d2 that is the remaining portion where the sealing plate 43 is provided is the sealing surface. In embodiment 3, the fifth surface 40d1 is adjacent to the first surface 40a, and the sixth surface 40d2 is adjacent to the third surface 40c.

[0057] A fourth heat exchanger 30d is provided facing the fifth surface 40d1. In the third embodiment, each of the first to fourth heat exchangers 30a to 30d is referred to as an outdoor heat exchanger 30. A third sealing portion 46 that blocks air flow is provided in a portion where the fifth surface 40d1 and the first surface 40a contact each other but does not face the outdoor heat exchanger 30.

[0058] The fourth heat exchanger 30d is provided in parallel with the first heat exchanger 30a to the third heat exchanger 30c. In the refrigerant circuit 6 in Fig. 1, the fourth heat exchanger 30d may be provided in series with the first flow rate control valve 12 and in parallel with the first heat exchanger 30a and the third heat exchanger 30c, or in series with the second flow rate control valve 13 and in parallel with the second heat exchanger 30b. Alternatively, another flow rate control valve may be provided in parallel with the first flow rate control valve 12 and the second flow rate control valve 13, and the fourth heat exchanger 30d may be provided in series with the other flow rate control valve.

[0059] In the third embodiment, the fifth surface 40d1 is an upstream surface because it is disposed adjacent to the sixth surface 40d2, which is the sealing surface, in the rotation direction of the outdoor fan 42. The fourth heat exchanger 30d is an upstream heat exchanger, and the first to third heat exchangers 30a to 30c are downstream heat exchangers.

[0060] In the third embodiment, the compressor box 10A housing the compressor 10 and the accumulator 14 are arranged so as to be closest to the fourth heat exchanger 30d among the first to fourth heat exchangers 30a to 30d. Specifically, the compressor box 10A and the accumulator 14 are arranged along the fourth heat exchanger 30d at a position closer to the fourth heat exchanger 30d than the first to third heat exchangers 30a to 30c.

[0061] In the third embodiment, the fifth surface 40d1 is disposed adjacent to the sixth surface 40d2 in the rotation direction of the outdoor fan 42. However, the fifth surface 40d1 may be disposed adjacent to the sixth surface 40d2 in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the outdoor fan 42. In this case, the first surface 40a is the upstream surface, and the first heat exchanger 30a is the upstream heat exchanger. As in the first embodiment, the compressor box 10A and the accumulator 14 are disposed closest to the first heat exchanger 30a among the first to fourth heat exchangers 30a to 30d.

[0062] The effects of the outdoor unit 1 and the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 according to the third embodiment will be described below. The refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 according to the third embodiment has an outdoor unit 1 and an indoor unit 2. The indoor unit 2 is connected to the outdoor unit 1 by a refrigerant pipe 5 through which a refrigerant flows, and adjusts the temperature of a target using the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit 1. The outdoor unit 1 is equipped with four outdoor heat exchangers 30. Of the four side surfaces of the housing 40 of the outdoor unit 1, three side surfaces are flow surfaces, and a portion of one side surface other than the three side surfaces is also a flow surface, with the remaining portion of the one side surface being a sealing surface. Each of the four outdoor heat exchangers 30 is arranged along a flow surface. The upstream heat exchanger is provided along the upstream surface, which is the flow surface adjacent to the sealing surface in the rotation direction of the outdoor fan 42, among the four flow surfaces. The compressor 10 is located at a position where the horizontal distance from the upstream heat exchanger is smaller than the horizontal distance from the downstream heat exchanger, which is one of the four outdoor heat exchangers 30 other than the upstream heat exchanger.

[0063] According to the above configuration, the air flowing through the upstream heat exchanger is stagnated by the compressor 10, thereby adjusting the bias in the air speed distribution in the two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30. Therefore, the bias in the heat exchange amount in the two or more outdoor heat exchangers 30 is adjusted, and the heat exchange performance is improved.

[0064] In the above-mentioned embodiments 1 to 3, the outdoor heat exchanger 30 is a corrugated fin tube type in which groups of flat tubes 32 are arranged in two rows, but this is not limited to this, and groups of flat tubes 32 may be arranged in only one row or in three or more rows.

[0065] In the above-described first to third embodiments, an example has been shown in which the outdoor heat exchanger 30 has a plurality of flat tubes 32, but the outdoor heat exchanger 30 may have a plurality of circular tubes instead of the plurality of flat tubes 32. In this case, the circular tubes are an example of heat transfer tubes.

[0066] In the above-described first to third embodiments, the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 and the outdoor unit 1 have the accumulator 14 by way of example. However, the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 and the outdoor unit 1 do not necessarily have to include the accumulator 14.

[0067] In the above-described first to third embodiments, an example has been shown in which the outdoor unit 1 has three or more flow surfaces and three or more outdoor heat exchangers 30, but the outdoor unit 1 may have two flow surfaces and two outdoor heat exchangers 30. Note that each of the two outdoor heat exchangers 30 is provided on the side of and along each of the flow surfaces.

[0068] Although the embodiments have been described above, the contents of the present disclosure are not limited to the embodiments and include conceivable equivalents. Furthermore, the configurations described in the first to third embodiments and their modifications can be combined with each other as long as the functions and operations are not impaired.

[0069] As an aspect different from the above-described first to third embodiments, the locations of either or both of the compressor 10 and the accumulator 14 may be determined based on the distribution of refrigerant circulation volume due to the refrigerant pipe 5, in addition to the air volume distribution of the heat exchanger according to the rotation direction of the outdoor fan 42. Specifically, the length of the refrigerant pipe 5 connected to the compressor 10 and the bending state of the refrigerant pipe 5 vary depending on the location of the compressor 10, resulting in different pressure losses of the refrigerant before it reaches each heat exchanger. Therefore, it can be said that the refrigerant circulation volume in each heat exchanger varies depending on the piping state of the refrigerant pipe 5. Therefore, the locations of either or both of the compressor 10 and the accumulator 14 are determined taking into consideration not only the air volume distribution of the heat exchanger according to the rotation direction of the outdoor fan 42, but also the distribution of refrigerant circulation volume due to the refrigerant pipe 5. In this case, for example, either or both of the compressor 10 and the accumulator 14 may be installed so as to minimize the distance to the downstream heat exchanger shown in the first to third embodiments.

[0070] 1, 1A Outdoor unit, 2 Indoor unit, 5 Refrigerant piping, 6 Refrigerant circuit, 10 Compressor, 10A Compressor box, 11 Flow switching device, 12 First flow control valve, 13 Second flow control valve, 14 Accumulator, 20 Throttle device, 21 Indoor heat exchanger, 30 Outdoor heat exchanger, 30a First heat exchanger, 30b Second heat exchanger, 30c Third heat exchanger, 30d Fourth heat exchanger, 31 First header, 32 Flat tube, 33 Corrugated fin, 34 Turned header, 35 Second header, 36 First refrigerant inlet / outlet pipe, 37 Second refrigerant inlet / outlet pipe, 40 Housing, 40a First surface, 40b Second surface, 40c Third surface, 40d Fourth surface, 40d1 Fifth surface, 40d2 Sixth surface, 40e Bottom surface, 41 Air outlet, 42 Outdoor fan, 43 sealing plate, 44 first sealing portion, 45 second sealing portion, 46 third sealing portion, 100 refrigeration cycle device.

Claims

1. A rectangular parallelepiped housing having an air outlet on its top surface, The enclosure is provided with two or more outdoor heat exchangers that exchange heat between the refrigerant and the air, A compressor is provided inside the aforementioned housing to compress the refrigerant, An outdoor fan that circulates the air upward from the aforementioned outlet, Equipped with, The refrigerant flows in parallel through the two or more outdoor heat exchangers. The four sides of the aforementioned housing are, Two or more circulation surfaces through which the aforementioned air flows, The aforementioned sealing surface that prevents air from circulating, Includes, The two or more distribution surfaces mentioned above are adjacent to each other, Each of the two or more outdoor heat exchangers is provided facing each of the two or more flow surfaces, The upstream heat exchanger, which is one of the two or more outdoor heat exchangers, is provided facing the upstream surface, which is the flow surface adjacent to the sealing surface in the rotation direction of the outdoor fan, among the two or more flow surfaces. The compressor is, An outdoor unit in which, among the two or more outdoor heat exchangers, the distance to the upstream heat exchanger is smaller than the distance to the downstream heat exchanger, which is an outdoor heat exchanger other than the upstream heat exchanger.

2. A rectangular parallelepiped housing having an air outlet on its top surface, The enclosure is provided with two or more outdoor heat exchangers that exchange heat between the refrigerant and the air, A compressor is provided inside the aforementioned housing to compress the refrigerant, Two or more outdoor fans that circulate the air upward from the aforementioned outlet, Equipped with, The two or more outdoor fans mentioned above rotate in the same direction. The refrigerant flows in parallel through the two or more outdoor heat exchangers. The four sides of the aforementioned housing are, Two or more circulation surfaces through which the aforementioned air flows, The aforementioned sealing surface that prevents air from circulating, Includes, The two or more distribution surfaces mentioned above are adjacent to each other, Each of the two or more outdoor heat exchangers is provided facing each of the two or more flow surfaces, The upstream heat exchanger, which is one of the two or more outdoor heat exchangers mentioned above, Of the two or more flow surfaces, the one provided is facing the upstream surface, which is a flow surface adjacent to the sealing surface in the rotation direction of the two or more outdoor fans, The compressor is, An outdoor unit in which, among the two or more outdoor heat exchangers, the distance to the upstream heat exchanger is smaller than the distance to the downstream heat exchanger, which is an outdoor heat exchanger other than the upstream heat exchanger.

3. Each of the two or more outdoor heat exchangers is The outdoor unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, comprising a plurality of heat transfer tubes that extend vertically and through which the refrigerant flows.

4. The enclosure further comprises an accumulator provided inside the housing for storing the refrigerant, The accumulator is The outdoor unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the outdoor unit is installed at a position where the distance to the upstream heat exchanger is smaller than the distance to the downstream heat exchanger.

5. Equipped with three of the aforementioned outdoor heat exchangers, Each of the three sides of the housing is the circulation surface, The outdoor unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each of the three outdoor heat exchangers is arranged to face the flow surface.

6. Equipped with four of the aforementioned outdoor heat exchangers, Of the four sides of the housing, each of the three sides is the flow surface, Of the four sides, a portion of one side other than the three sides is the flow surface, and the remaining portion of the one side is the sealing surface. The outdoor unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each of the four indoor heat exchangers is arranged to face the flow surface.

7. An outdoor unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, An indoor unit connected to the outdoor unit by refrigerant piping through which the refrigerant flows, and which adjusts the temperature of the target using the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit, A refrigeration cycle device having a refrigeration cycle.