Outdoor unit for air conditioning device and air conditioning device

Abstract

Provided is a top-flow type outdoor unit for an air conditioning device, the outdoor unit comprising: a box-shaped housing constituting an outer shell; a plurality of heat exchangers disposed along different side surfaces of the housing; a compressor disposed on the bottom surface of the housing; and an outdoor fan disposed in an upper part of the housing. Each of the plurality of heat exchangers is composed of a plurality of heat transfer pipes extending in the vertical direction and disposed at intervals in a direction along the closest side surface, and through which refrigerant flows, each heat exchanger comprising: one or more heat transfer pipe groups disposed at an interval in an air flow direction orthogonal to the direction along the closest side surface; and a header that is provided at a lower part of a most-downstream heat transfer pipe group disposed on the most downstream side in the air flow direction among the one or more heat transfer pipe groups, and in which a refrigerant inlet into which the refrigerant flows from the outside is formed. The compressor, in a plan view, is disposed in a region facing a portion within the upstream three-fourth of the refrigerant flow in the header of the closest heat exchanger among the plurality of heat exchangers.

Description

Outdoor unit of air conditioner, and air conditioner

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an outdoor unit of an air conditioner having an outdoor heat exchanger, and to an air conditioner.

[0002] Conventionally, an outdoor unit for an air conditioning system has been known which has an outdoor heat exchanger having an inlet header and an outlet header extending in the vertical direction, and a plurality of flat tubes connected at one end to the inlet header and at the other end to the outlet header and arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction, with refrigerant flowing horizontally within the flat tubes (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The outdoor unit of the air conditioner in Patent Document 1 is a top-flow type with a fan located above, and the outdoor heat exchanger located inside the housing includes an inlet header located on the refrigerant inlet side, an outlet header located on the refrigerant outlet side, a partition plate provided inside one of the inlet and outlet headers to divide the internal space into multiple rooms, multiple flat tubes connected in parallel between each of the multiple rooms and the other of the inlet and outlet headers, a distributor provided in the refrigerant piping, and multiple branch pipes connecting each room to the distributor. The branch pipes have branch sections between the rooms and the distributor according to the air velocity distribution in the outdoor heat exchanger, and the number of branch sections of the branch pipes connected to rooms connected to flat tubes located in areas with high air velocity is fewer than the number of branch sections of the branch pipes connected to rooms connected to flat tubes located in areas with low air velocity.

[0004] International Publication No. 2022 / 209919

[0005] In the housing of the outdoor unit of a top-flow air conditioner such as that described in Patent Document 1, multiple outdoor heat exchangers in which the refrigerant flows vertically through flat tubes are arranged along different sides of the housing, instead of heat exchangers in which the refrigerant flows horizontally through flat tubes. In this case, it is necessary to achieve refrigerant distribution that is more suited to the air speed distribution in the direction in which the flat tubes are arranged, i.e., the circumferential direction of the housing, rather than the vertical air speed distribution. In particular, outdoor heat exchangers located near components with large occupancies, such as compressors and accumulators, have issues such as increased ventilation resistance, reduced air volume, and uneven air speed distribution, which reduces heat exchange performance.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an outdoor unit for an air conditioning unit and an air conditioning unit that have improved heat exchange performance in an outdoor unit for a top-flow type air conditioning unit in which multiple heat exchangers, in which refrigerant flows vertically inside heat transfer tubes, are arranged along different sides of the housing.

[0007] The outdoor unit of an air conditioning apparatus according to the present disclosure is an outdoor unit of a top-flow type air conditioning apparatus comprising a box-shaped housing that forms an outer shell, a plurality of heat exchangers arranged along different side surfaces of the housing, a compressor arranged on the bottom surface of the housing, and an outdoor fan arranged on the upper part of the housing, wherein the plurality of heat exchangers each extend in the vertical direction and are arranged at intervals in a direction along the side surface that is closest to them, and each comprise a plurality of heat transfer tubes through which a refrigerant flows, and the outdoor unit comprises at least one group of heat transfer tubes that are arranged at intervals in an air flow direction that is perpendicular to the direction along the side surface that is closest to them, and a header that is provided below the most downstream group of heat transfer tubes that is arranged most downstream in the air flow direction, of the at least one group of heat transfer tubes, and has a refrigerant inlet through which the refrigerant flows from outside, and the compressor is arranged in an area that faces within the upstream three-quarters of the refrigerant flow of the header of the heat exchanger that is closest to them among the plurality of heat exchangers, in a plan view.

[0008] Furthermore, an outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present disclosure is an outdoor unit of a top-flow type air conditioner including a box-shaped housing that forms an outer shell, a plurality of heat exchangers arranged along different side surfaces of the housing, a compressor arranged on the bottom surface of the housing, and an outdoor fan arranged on the upper part of the housing, wherein the plurality of heat exchangers each extend in the vertical direction, are arranged at intervals in a direction along the side surface that is closest to them, and are made up of a plurality of heat transfer tubes through which a refrigerant flows, and are arranged at intervals in an air flow direction that is perpendicular to the direction along the side surface that is closest to them. and a header provided below the most downstream heat transfer tube group, which is located furthest downstream in the air flow direction among the at least one heat transfer tube group, and having a refrigerant inlet through which the refrigerant from the outside flows in, wherein the header has a double-tube structure having an inner tube in which a plurality of orifices are formed at intervals in the extension direction, and the compressor is disposed in a region facing, in plan view, a portion of the header of the heat exchanger that is closest among the plurality of heat exchangers, within the upstream five-sixths of the refrigerant flow.

[0009] An air conditioner according to the present disclosure includes the outdoor unit of the air conditioner described above.

[0010] In the outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to the present disclosure, a top-flow type air conditioner has multiple heat exchangers arranged along different sides of a housing, with refrigerant flowing vertically through heat transfer tubes. In this outdoor unit, the compressor is positioned in a region facing within the upstream three-quarters of the refrigerant flow of the header of the heat exchanger closest to the multiple heat exchangers in a plan view. Alternatively, if the header has a double-pipe structure with an inner tube having multiple orifices spaced apart in the extension direction, the compressor is positioned in a region facing within the upstream five-sixths of the refrigerant flow of the header of the heat exchanger closest to the multiple heat exchangers in a plan view. In other words, a compressor with a large volume is positioned in an area where the liquid distribution flow rate is low and a large heat exchange volume is not expected, while a compressor with a large volume is not positioned in an area where the liquid distribution flow rate is high and a large heat exchange volume is expected, thereby ensuring a high airflow velocity. This increases the airflow velocity in areas where the liquid refrigerant distribution volume is high and decreases the airflow velocity in areas where the liquid refrigerant distribution volume is low, thereby improving heat exchange performance.

[0011] 1 is a diagram for explaining a refrigeration cycle system according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a refrigerant circuit diagram of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing an outdoor heat exchanger of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 with some of the components constituting the outdoor unit removed. FIG. 6 is a top view schematically showing a cross section of the outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing the state of the refrigerant inside when a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flows into the first header of the outdoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between the flow path position and the liquid distribution flow rate when a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flows into the first header of the outdoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the state of the refrigerant inside when a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flows into the first header of the outdoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the relationship between the flow path position and the liquid distribution flow rate when a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flows into the first header of the outdoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a top view schematically showing a cross section of an outdoor unit of an air conditioning apparatus according to a second embodiment.

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below. Also, the size relationships of the components in the drawings may differ from those in reality.

[0013] Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a refrigeration cycle system 1000 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigeration cycle system 1000 is installed in a building or other structure and includes multiple air conditioning apparatuses 100A and 100B. The air conditioning apparatus 100A includes an outdoor unit 10A that supplies cold or hot heat to an indoor unit 20A, and an indoor unit 20A that air-conditions an indoor space R. The air conditioning apparatus 100B includes an outdoor unit 10B that supplies cold or hot heat to an indoor unit 20B, and an indoor unit 20B that air-conditions an indoor space R. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the air conditioning apparatuses 100A and 100B, the suffixes "A" and "B" will be omitted and they will be referred to as the air conditioning apparatus 100. The same applies to the outdoor unit 10A and the outdoor unit 10B, and the indoor unit 20A and the indoor unit 20B.

[0014] The refrigeration cycle system 1000 may have three or more air conditioning devices 100. Also, multiple air conditioning devices 100 may condition air in different indoor spaces R. Furthermore, the air conditioning device 100 is not limited to a form in which the correspondence between the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor units 20 is 1:1, but may be a 1:many, many:1, or many:many relationship.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a refrigerant circuit diagram of the air conditioning apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. The outdoor unit 10 includes a compressor 11, a flow switching device 12, a first flow control valve 13, a second flow control valve 14, an accumulator 15, and an outdoor heat exchanger 30. The outdoor heat exchanger 30 is composed of multiple heat exchangers, including a right heat exchanger 30a, a rear heat exchanger 30b, and a left heat exchanger 30c. While the outdoor heat exchanger 30 includes three heat exchangers in the first embodiment, it is not limited thereto and may include two or more. The indoor unit 20 includes a throttle device 21 and an indoor heat exchanger 22.

[0016] The refrigerant circuit is configured by connecting the compressor 11, the flow switching device 12, the indoor heat exchanger 22, the expansion device 21, the right heat exchanger 30a, the rear heat exchanger 30b, the left heat exchanger 30c, the first flow control valve 13, the second flow control valve 14, and the accumulator 15 via piping 90. In the refrigerant circuit, the rear heat exchanger 30b is connected in parallel with the right heat exchanger 30a and the left heat exchanger 30c. Furthermore, the right heat exchanger 30a is also connected in parallel with the left heat exchanger 30c.

[0017] The compressor 11 draws in a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, compresses the drawn refrigerant, and discharges a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant. The compressor 11 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.

[0018] The flow path switching device 12 is, for example, a four-way valve, and switches between cooling operation and heating operation by switching the direction of refrigerant flow. During cooling operation, the flow path switching device 12 switches to the state shown by the solid line, which will be described later, and connects the discharge side of the compressor 11 to the outdoor heat exchanger 30. During heating operation, the flow path switching device 12 switches to the state shown by the dashed line, and connects the discharge side of the compressor 11 to the indoor heat exchanger 22.

[0019] The right heat exchanger 30a, the rear heat exchanger 30b, and the left heat exchanger 30c are outdoor heat exchangers 30 that exchange heat between outdoor air and the refrigerant. The right heat exchanger 30a, the rear heat exchanger 30b, and the left heat exchanger 30c function as condensers that radiate heat from the refrigerant to the outdoor air during cooling operation to condense the refrigerant. The right heat exchanger 30a, the rear heat exchanger 30b, and the left heat exchanger 30c function as evaporators that absorb heat from the outdoor air to evaporate the refrigerant during heating operation. Details will be described later using Figures 4 to 6, but the right heat exchanger 30a, the rear heat exchanger 30b, and the left heat exchanger 30c in the first embodiment are independent heat exchangers that are located on the right, rear, and left sides of the outdoor unit 10, respectively.

[0020] The first flow control valve 13 and the second flow control valve 14 are, for example, electronic expansion valves that can adjust the throttle opening. The first flow control valve 13 is provided corresponding to the right heat exchanger 30 a and the left heat exchanger 30 c, and by changing its opening, it adjusts the flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the right heat exchanger 30 a and the left heat exchanger 30 c. The second flow control valve 14 is provided corresponding to the rear heat exchanger 30 b, and by changing its opening, it adjusts the flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the rear heat exchanger 30 b.

[0021] The opening degrees of the first flow control valve 13 and the second flow control valve 14 are determined for each site where the outdoor unit 10 is to be installed, for example, during construction of the outdoor unit 10. For example, if the air volume passing through the right heat exchanger 30a and the left heat exchanger 30c is expected to be small, the opening degree of the first flow control valve 13 is set smaller than when the air volume passing through the right heat exchanger 30a and the left heat exchanger 30c is expected to be normal or large. In this case, the opening degree of the second flow control valve 14 may be set larger than when the air volume passing through the right heat exchanger 30a and the left heat exchanger 30c is expected to be normal or large.

[0022] By setting the opening degrees of the first flow control valve 13 and the second flow control valve 14 in this manner, even when the air volume passing through the right heat exchanger 30a and the left heat exchanger 30c is small, the flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the right heat exchanger 30a and the left heat exchanger 30c can be reduced, thereby preventing excess refrigerant from flowing through the right heat exchanger 30a and the left heat exchanger 30c. Note that if a wall or another outdoor unit 10 is adjacent to the side of the outdoor unit 10 facing the right heat exchanger 30a or the left heat exchanger 30c, the air volume passing through the right heat exchanger 30a and the left heat exchanger 30c is expected to be small. The arrangement of the right heat exchanger 30a, the rear heat exchanger 30b, and the left heat exchanger 30c will be described later.

[0023] The accumulator 15 is provided on the intake side of the compressor 11 and serves to store excess refrigerant that occurs due to differences in operating conditions between cooling and heating, or excess refrigerant that occurs due to transient changes in operation, etc. Furthermore, the accumulator 15 serves to prevent liquid compression in the compressor 11.

[0024] The expansion device 21 is, for example, an electronic expansion valve that can adjust the aperture, and by adjusting the aperture, controls the pressure of the refrigerant flowing into the right heat exchanger 30a, the rear heat exchanger 30b, and the left heat exchanger 30c, or the indoor heat exchanger 22. In the first embodiment, the expansion device 21 is provided in the indoor unit 20, but it may also be provided in the outdoor unit 10, and the installation location is not limited.

[0025] The indoor heat exchanger 22 exchanges heat between the indoor air and the refrigerant. During cooling operation, the indoor heat exchanger 22 functions as an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant and cools the indoor air with the heat of vaporization. During heating operation, the indoor heat exchanger 22 functions as a condenser that radiates heat from the refrigerant to the indoor air to condense the refrigerant.

[0026] <Cooling Operation> Here, the behavior of the air conditioner 100 during each operation will be described. In cooling operation, as shown by the solid line in Fig. 2, the flow path switching device 12 is switched so that the discharge side of the compressor 11 is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger 30. As shown by the solid line arrows in Fig. 2, the high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 flows into the right heat exchanger 30a, the rear heat exchanger 30b, and the left heat exchanger 30c via the flow path switching device 12. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant that flows into the right heat exchanger 30a, the rear heat exchanger 30b, and the left heat exchanger 30c exchanges heat with the outdoor air, condenses while releasing heat, and flows out as low-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant.

[0027] The low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant flowing out of the right heat exchanger 30a, the rear heat exchanger 30b, and the left heat exchanger 30c flows into the expansion device 21, where it is decompressed to become a low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant, which then flows into the indoor heat exchanger 22. The low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant that has flowed into the indoor heat exchanger 22 exchanges heat with the indoor air, absorbing heat and evaporating, becoming a low-temperature, low-pressure gas refrigerant that flows out of the indoor heat exchanger 22. At this time, the indoor air is cooled, and cooling is performed inside the room. The low-temperature, low-pressure gas refrigerant that has flowed out of the indoor heat exchanger 22 is drawn into the compressor 11 via the flow switching device 12 and the accumulator 15, and becomes a high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant again.

[0028] <Heating Operation> In heating operation, as shown by the dashed line in Fig. 2, the flow path switching device 12 is switched so that the discharge side of the compressor 11 is connected to the indoor heat exchanger 22. As shown by the dashed arrow in Fig. 2, the high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 flows into the indoor heat exchanger 22 via the flow path switching device 12. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant that flows into the indoor heat exchanger 22 exchanges heat with the indoor air and condenses while releasing heat, becoming a low-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant that flows out of the indoor heat exchanger 22. At this time, the indoor air is heated, and heating is performed in the room. The low-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant that flows out of the indoor heat exchanger 22 flows to the expansion device 21, where it is decompressed to become a low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant.

[0029] The low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant flows into the right heat exchanger 30a, the rear heat exchanger 30b, and the left heat exchanger 30c. The low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant that flows into the right heat exchanger 30a, the rear heat exchanger 30b, and the left heat exchanger 30c exchanges heat with the outdoor air, absorbing heat and evaporating, and flows out as low-temperature, low-pressure gas refrigerant. The low-temperature, low-pressure gas refrigerant that flows out of the right heat exchanger 30a, the rear heat exchanger 30b, and the left heat exchanger 30c is drawn into the compressor 11 via the flow switching device 12 and the accumulator 15, and becomes high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant again.

[0030] Here, the configurations of the right heat exchanger 30a, rear heat exchanger 30b, and left heat exchanger 30c will be described in detail. Because the right heat exchanger 30a, rear heat exchanger 30b, and left heat exchanger 30c all have similar configurations, the right heat exchanger 30a will be described here as a representative example. Figure 3 is a perspective view schematically showing the outdoor heat exchanger 30 of the air conditioning apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1. Note that the arrows in Figure 3 indicate the flow of refrigerant. The right heat exchanger 30a is a corrugated fin tube type with parallel piping.

[0031] The right heat exchanger 30a includes a first header 31, heat transfer tubes 32, corrugated fins 33, a folded header 34, and a second header 35. Hereinafter, the first header 31, the second header 35, and the third header are also referred to as "headers." In the right heat exchanger 30a according to the first embodiment, a pair of headers, consisting of the first header 31, the second header 35, and the folded header 34, are arranged above and below each other. Between the first header 31, the second header 35, and the folded header 34, groups of heat transfer tubes 32 (hereinafter also referred to as heat transfer tube groups) are arranged in two rows in the air flow direction. The groups of heat transfer tubes 32 are perpendicular to the first header 31, the second header 35, and the folded header 34 and are parallel to each other and spaced apart along the side surface closest to the housing 40. The groups of heat transfer tubes 32 in each row are connected to the first header 31 or the second header 35.

[0032] The first header 31 extends along the side closest to the housing 40 and is provided below the right heat exchanger 30a. The first header 31 is connected to the other devices that make up the air conditioning apparatus 100 and is a pipe through which the refrigerant flows in and out and through which the refrigerant branches or merges. The first header 31 has a single-pipe structure. A refrigerant inlet (not shown) is formed in the first header 31, and a refrigerant inlet pipe 36 through which the refrigerant flows in from the outside is connected to the refrigerant inlet.

[0033] The heat transfer tubes 32 extend in the vertical direction, with their lower ends connected to the first header 31 or the second header 35 and their upper ends connected to the turn-back header 34. The heat transfer tubes 32 are, for example, flat tubes with 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 longitudinal direction being curved. The heat transfer tubes 32 are, for example, multi-hole flat tubes with multiple holes inside the tube that serve as refrigerant flow paths for refrigerant flowing in the vertical direction. The holes of the heat transfer tubes 32 are formed facing the vertical direction because they serve as flow paths between the first header 31 and the second header 35 and the turn-back header 34.

[0034] The corrugated fins 33 have a wave shape and are disposed between two adjacent heat transfer tubes 32, with multiple apexes joined to the flat surfaces of the heat transfer tubes 32. In the first embodiment, the right heat exchanger 30a is a corrugated fin tube type in which groups of heat transfer tubes 32 are arranged in two rows in the air flow direction, but this is not limited thereto, and groups of heat transfer tubes 32 may be arranged in only one row or in three or more rows in the air flow direction.

[0035] The turn-back header 34 extends in a direction along the side surface closest to the housing 40 and is provided above the right heat exchanger 30a. The turn-back header 34 serves as a bridge that turns back from a group of heat transfer tubes 32 in one row to a group of heat transfer tubes 32 in the other row.

[0036] The second header 35 extends along the side closest to the housing 40 and is provided below the right heat exchanger 30a. The second header 35 is connected to other devices that make up the air conditioning apparatus 100 and is a pipe through which the refrigerant flows in and out and through which the refrigerant branches or merges. The second header 35 has a single-pipe structure. A refrigerant outlet (not shown) is formed in the second header 35, and a refrigerant outlet pipe 37 through which the refrigerant flows out to the outside is connected to the refrigerant outlet.

[0037] Hereinafter, the first header 31 of the right heat exchanger 30a, the heat transfer tubes 32 inserted into the first header 31, and the corrugated fins 33 connected to the heat transfer tubes 32 may be collectively referred to as a first heat exchange section 30a1. Similarly, the second header 35 of the right heat exchanger 30a, the heat transfer tubes 32 inserted into the second header 35, and the corrugated fins 33 connected to the heat transfer tubes 32 may be collectively referred to as a second heat exchange section 30a2.

[0038] Next, the arrangement of the right heat exchanger 30a, rear heat exchanger 30b, and left heat exchanger 30c in the outdoor unit 10 will be described. First, using Figures 4 and 5, the housing 40 that forms the outer shell of the outdoor unit 10 and the general arrangement of the outdoor heat exchanger 30 in the housing 40 will be described. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioning apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioning apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1 with some of the components that make up the outdoor unit 10 removed. In the following figures, directions are indicated by arrows as appropriate, with the left being -X, the right being +X, the front being -Y, the rear being +Y, the bottom being -Z, and the top being +Z, based on the outdoor unit 10 being positioned in a usable state.

[0039] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the outdoor unit 10 is a top-flow type having an air outlet 41 formed in the center of the top of a box-shaped housing 40. The air outlet 41 is an opening through which air blown by an outdoor fan 50 (described later) is discharged. The housing 40 has four side surfaces (right surface 40a, rear surface 40b, left surface 40c, and front surface 40d), and these four side surfaces form a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that rises substantially perpendicularly from a lower surface 40e that forms the bottom of the housing 40. In addition, a removable sealing plate 43 is provided on the front surface 40d that forms the front of the housing 40. The sealing plate 43 is removed during maintenance of the outdoor unit 10, for example.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 5, the compressor 11 and other components are housed inside the housing 40. An outdoor fan 50 is housed in the upper part of the housing 40, directly below the air outlet 41. The outdoor fan 50 supplies outdoor air to the right heat exchanger 30a, the rear heat exchanger 30b, and the left heat exchanger 30c, and the airflow rate is adjusted by controlling the rotation speed.

[0041] 5, the right heat exchanger 30a has a generally flat plate shape and is disposed along the right surface 40a that forms the right portion of the housing 40, with substantially the entire area facing the right surface 40a. The rear heat exchanger 30b has a generally flat plate shape and is disposed along the rear surface 40b that forms the rear portion of the housing 40, with substantially the entire area facing the rear surface 40b. The left heat exchanger 30c has a generally flat plate shape and is disposed along the left surface 40c that forms the left portion of the housing 40, with substantially the entire area facing the left surface 40c.

[0042] FIG. 6 is a top view schematically illustrating a cross section of the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioning apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1. In FIG. 6, arrows indicate the flow of refrigerant during cooling operation. Furthermore, in the rear heat exchanger 30b, the portion corresponding to the first heat exchange section 30a1 of the right heat exchanger 30a is referred to as the first heat exchange section 30b1, and the portion corresponding to the second heat exchange section 30a2 of the right heat exchanger 30a is referred to as the second heat exchange section 30b2. Similarly, in the left heat exchanger 30c, the portion corresponding to the first heat exchange section 30a1 of the right heat exchanger 30a is referred to as the first heat exchange section 30c1, and the portion corresponding to the second heat exchange section 30a2 of the right heat exchanger 30a is referred to as the second heat exchange section 30c2.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 6, the right heat exchanger 30a, the rear heat exchanger 30b, and the left heat exchanger 30c are arranged so that their refrigerant inlets are inside the housing 40 and on the downwind side in the air flow direction, and their refrigerant outlets are outside the housing 40 and on the upwind side in the air flow direction. The right heat exchanger 30a has a first header 31 connected to a refrigerant inlet pipe 36 through which refrigerant flows from outside, located below the group of heat transfer tubes 32 that is upstream of the two rows of heat transfer tubes 32. As shown in Fig. 6, the compressor 11 and the accumulator 15 are arranged in a region (hereinafter also referred to as the upstream region of the refrigerant flow) that faces within the upstream three-quarters of the refrigerant flow of the first header 31 of the right heat exchanger 30a, which is the closest heat exchanger among the multiple heat exchangers, in a plan view. In other words, when viewed from above, the compressor 11 and the accumulator 15 are arranged in the region between the upstream end of the refrigerant flow in the first header 31 of the right heat exchanger 30a and the upstream 3 / 4 position (see the upstream 3 / 4 region boundary line in Figure 6).

[0044] Fig. 7 is a diagram schematically showing the state of the refrigerant inside when two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant flows into the first header 31 of the outdoor heat exchanger 30 of the air conditioning apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between the flow path position and the liquid distribution flow rate when two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant flows into the first header 31 of the outdoor heat exchanger 30 of the air conditioning apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1.

[0045] As shown in Figure 8, it can be seen that the liquid distribution flow rate increases from the upstream three-quarters position of the first header 31, to which the refrigerant inlet pipe 36 through which the external refrigerant flows, toward the downstream side (see arrow A in Figure 8). This is because, as shown in Figure 7, when the outdoor heat exchanger 30 functions as an evaporator, of the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant that flows from the refrigerant inlet pipe 36 into the first header 31, gravity tends to cause the low-density gas phase to be biased toward the upper side within the first header 31 and the high-density liquid phase to be biased toward the lower side within the first header 31, and inertia tends to cause the low-density gas phase to be biased toward the upstream side within the first header 31 and the high-density liquid phase to be biased toward the downstream side within the first header 31. Therefore, in embodiment 1, the compressor 11 and accumulator 15, which occupy a large volume, are arranged in an area facing the upstream 3 / 4 of the refrigerant flow in the header of the heat exchanger that is closest to the multiple heat exchangers when viewed in a plane. This makes it possible to bring the air velocity distribution closer to the liquid distribution in the header, thereby improving heat exchange performance.

[0046] In a top-flow outdoor unit equipped with an outdoor heat exchanger 30 in which refrigerant flows vertically, an air velocity distribution occurs within the outdoor heat exchanger 30 within the housing 40. The air velocity is slowed in the area facing the compressor 11 and accumulator 15, which occupy large volumes, due to their obstruction. If the compressor 11 and accumulator 15, which occupy large volumes, are placed in an area where a large liquid refrigerant distribution flow rate and a large heat exchange volume are expected, the air velocity will be slowed in the area where a large liquid refrigerant distribution volume is expected and the air velocity will be fast in the area where a small liquid refrigerant distribution volume is expected, resulting in reduced heat exchange performance. Therefore, the compressor 11 and accumulator 15, which occupy large volumes, are placed in the upstream refrigerant flow area, where a small liquid refrigerant distribution flow rate and a large heat exchange volume are not expected, and they are not placed in the area where a large liquid distribution flow rate and a large heat exchange volume are expected, thereby ensuring a high air velocity. This increases the air velocity in the area where a large liquid refrigerant distribution volume is expected and decreases the air velocity in the area where a small liquid refrigerant distribution volume is expected, thereby improving heat exchange performance.

[0047] As described above, the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioning apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment is a top-flow type outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioning apparatus 100, which includes a box-shaped housing 40 that forms an outer shell, a plurality of heat exchangers arranged along different side surfaces of the housing 40, a compressor 11 arranged on the bottom surface of the housing 40, and an outdoor fan 50 arranged on the top of the housing 40, and the plurality of heat exchangers each extend in the vertical direction and are arranged at intervals in a direction along the side surface that is closest to them, and are made up of a plurality of heat transfer tubes 32 through which a refrigerant flows, and the outdoor unit 10 is equipped with at least one heat transfer tube group arranged at intervals in an air flow direction that is perpendicular to the direction along the side surface that is closest to them, and a header provided below the most downstream heat transfer tube group of the at least one heat transfer tube group that is arranged furthest downstream in the air flow direction, and having a refrigerant inlet through which refrigerant flows from outside, and the compressor 11 is arranged in an area that faces within the upstream three-quarters of the refrigerant flow of the header of the heat exchanger that is closest to them among the plurality of heat exchangers, in a plan view.

[0048] According to the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioner 100 of Embodiment 1, in the outdoor unit 10 of the top-flow type air conditioner 100 in which multiple heat exchangers, in which refrigerant flows vertically through heat transfer tubes 32, are arranged along different sides of the housing 40, the compressor 11 is arranged in a region facing, in a plan view, within the upstream three-quarters of the refrigerant flow of the header of the heat exchanger closest to the multiple heat exchangers. In other words, compressors 11 with large occupancy volumes are arranged in regions where the liquid distribution flow rate is low and a large heat exchange volume is not expected, and compressors 11 with large occupancy volumes are not arranged in regions where the liquid distribution flow rate is high and a larger heat exchange volume is expected, thereby ensuring a high airflow speed. This increases the airflow speed in regions where the liquid refrigerant distribution volume is high and decreases the airflow speed in regions where the liquid refrigerant distribution volume is low, thereby improving heat exchange performance.

[0049] Furthermore, the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioning apparatus 100 according to embodiment 1 is provided with an accumulator 15 arranged on the bottom surface of the housing 40, and the accumulator 15 is arranged in an area facing the upstream 3 / 4 of the refrigerant flow in the header of the heat exchanger that is closest to the heat exchanger in plan view.

[0050] According to the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioner 100 of Embodiment 1, in the outdoor unit 10 of the top-flow type air conditioner 100 in which multiple heat exchangers, in which refrigerant flows vertically through heat transfer tubes 32, are arranged along different sides of the housing 40, the accumulator 15 is arranged in a region facing, in a plan view, within the upstream three-quarters of the refrigerant flow of the header of the heat exchanger that is closest to the multiple heat exchangers. In other words, accumulators 15 with large occupancy volumes are arranged in regions where the liquid distribution flow rate is low and a large heat exchange volume is not expected, and accumulators 15 with large occupancy volumes are not arranged in regions where the liquid distribution flow rate is high and a larger heat exchange volume is expected, thereby ensuring a high airflow speed. This increases the airflow speed in regions where the liquid refrigerant distribution volume is high and decreases the airflow speed in regions where the liquid refrigerant distribution volume is low, thereby improving heat exchange performance.

[0051] Moreover, the air conditioning apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment is equipped with the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioning apparatus 100 described above.

[0052] According to the air conditioning apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, the same effects as those of the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioning apparatus 100 described above can be obtained.

[0053] Embodiment 2. Hereinafter, embodiment 2 will be described, but explanations of parts that overlap with embodiment 1 will be omitted, and parts that are the same as or equivalent to embodiment 1 will be given the same reference numerals. Furthermore, embodiment 2 will be described mainly focusing on differences from embodiment 1.

[0054] Fig. 9 is a diagram schematically showing the state of the refrigerant inside when gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flows into the first header 31A of the outdoor heat exchanger 30 of the air conditioning apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 2. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the relationship between the flow path position and the liquid distribution flow rate when gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flows into the first header 31A of the outdoor heat exchanger 30 of the air conditioning apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 2. Fig. 11 is a top view schematically showing a cross section of the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioning apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 2.

[0055] 9, the first header 31A has a double-pipe structure having an inner pipe 71 and an outer pipe 72. The inner pipe 71 and the outer pipe 72 extend in a direction (hereinafter also referred to as the extension direction) along the side surface closest to the housing 40, and the inner pipe 71 is inserted inside the outer pipe 72. The inner pipe 71 and the outer pipe 72 are joined by brazing.

[0056] The inner pipe 71 is, for example, a circular pipe and is connected to the refrigerant inlet pipe 36. The inner pipe 71 and the refrigerant inlet pipe 36 may be integrally formed. The inner pipe 71 has a plurality of orifices 73 formed at intervals in the extension direction through which the refrigerant flows. By forming the plurality of orifices 73 in the inner pipe 71 in this manner, when the outdoor heat exchanger 30 functions as an evaporator, the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant that flows into the inner pipe 71 of the first header 31A via the refrigerant inlet pipe 36 passes through the plurality of orifices 73 and flows into the space between the outer peripheral surface of the inner pipe 71 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer pipe 72. The gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant that flows into the space between the outer peripheral surface of the inner pipe 71 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer pipe 72 then flows into each heat transfer pipe 32.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 10 , the liquid distribution flow rate increases from the upstream 5 / 6 of the first header 31A connected to the refrigerant inlet pipe 36 through which the external refrigerant flows toward the downstream side (see arrow B in FIG. 10 ). This is because, as shown in FIG. 9 , the first header 31A has an inner pipe 71 and an outer pipe 72, and a double-pipe structure in which multiple orifices 73 are formed in the inner pipe 71. This reduces the bias of liquid refrigerant toward the downstream side of the first header 31, improving distribution performance compared to the single-pipe structure of the first embodiment. Therefore, in the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11 , the compressor 11 and accumulator 15, which occupy large volumes, are positioned in a region facing the upstream 5 / 6 of the refrigerant flow in the header of the closest heat exchanger among the multiple heat exchangers in a plan view. This allows the wind speed distribution and the liquid distribution in the header to be closer, thereby improving heat exchange performance. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the compressor 11 and the accumulator 15 only need to be arranged in an area facing the upstream portion of the refrigerant flow in the header of the heat exchanger that is closest to the compressor 11 and the accumulator 15 in a plan view. This improves the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the compressor 11 and the accumulator 15, which occupy a larger volume than in the first embodiment.

[0058] As described above, the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioning apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment is an outdoor unit 10 of a top-flow type air conditioning apparatus 100 that includes a box-shaped housing 40 that forms an outer shell, a plurality of heat exchangers arranged along different side surfaces of the housing 40, a compressor 11 arranged on the bottom surface of the housing 40, and an outdoor fan 50 arranged on the top of the housing 40, and the plurality of heat exchangers each extend in the vertical direction, are arranged at intervals in a direction along the nearest side surface, and are made up of a plurality of heat transfer tubes 32 through which a refrigerant flows, and are arranged in an air flow direction perpendicular to the direction along the nearest side surface. The compressor includes at least one group of heat transfer tubes arranged at intervals, and a header provided below the most downstream heat transfer tube group of the at least one group of heat transfer tubes arranged furthest downstream in the air flow direction, the header having a refrigerant inlet through which a refrigerant flows from outside, the header having a double-tube structure having an inner tube 71 in which a plurality of orifices 73 are formed at intervals in the extension direction, and the compressor 11 is arranged in an area facing within the upstream 5 / 6 of the refrigerant flow of the header of the heat exchanger that is closest to the plurality of heat exchangers in plan view.

[0059] According to the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioner 100 of the second embodiment, the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioner 100 is a top-flow type in which multiple heat exchangers, in which refrigerant flows vertically through heat transfer tubes 32, are arranged along different sides of the housing 40. The header has a double-pipe structure with an inner tube 71 having multiple orifices 73 spaced apart in the extension direction. The compressor 11 is located in a region facing within the upstream five-sixths of the refrigerant flow of the header of the closest heat exchanger among the multiple heat exchangers, in a plan view. In other words, a compressor 11 with a large volume is located in a region where the liquid distribution flow rate is low and a large heat exchange volume is not expected, while a compressor 11 with a large volume is not located in a region where the liquid distribution flow rate is high and a large heat exchange volume is expected, thereby ensuring a high airflow speed. This increases the airflow speed in regions where the liquid refrigerant distribution volume is high and decreases the airflow speed in regions where the liquid refrigerant distribution volume is low, thereby improving heat exchange performance. This also increases the flexibility in the placement of the compressor 11 with a large volume.

[0060] In addition, the air conditioning device 100 according to embodiment 2 is provided with an accumulator 15 arranged on the bottom surface of the housing 40, and the accumulator 15 is arranged in an area facing the upstream portion of the refrigerant flow in the header of the heat exchanger that is closest to the heat exchanger among the multiple heat exchange sections, when viewed in a plane.

[0061] According to the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioner 100 of the second embodiment, the outdoor unit 10 of the top-flow type air conditioner 100 has multiple heat exchangers arranged along different sides of the housing 40, with refrigerant flowing vertically through heat transfer tubes 32. The header has a double-pipe structure with an inner tube 71 having multiple orifices 73 spaced apart in the extension direction. The accumulator 15 is located in a region facing within the upstream five-sixths of the refrigerant flow of the header of the heat exchanger closest to the multiple heat exchangers, as viewed from above. In other words, the accumulator 15 with a large volume is located in a region where the liquid distribution flow rate is low and a large heat exchange volume is not expected. The accumulator 15 with a large volume is not located in a region where the liquid distribution flow rate is high and a large heat exchange volume is expected, thereby ensuring a high airflow velocity. This increases the airflow velocity in regions where the liquid refrigerant distribution volume is high and decreases the airflow velocity in regions where the liquid refrigerant distribution volume is low, thereby improving heat exchange performance. In addition, the degree of freedom in the placement of the accumulator 15, which occupies a large volume, can be improved.

[0062] An air conditioning apparatus 100 according to a second embodiment is provided with the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioning apparatus 100 described above.

[0063] According to the air conditioning apparatus 100 of the second embodiment, it is possible to obtain the same effects as the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioning apparatus 100 described above.

[0064] 10 Outdoor unit, 10A Outdoor unit, 10B Outdoor unit, 11 Compressor, 12 Flow path switching device, 13 First flow control valve, 14 Second flow control valve, 15 Accumulator, 20 Indoor unit, 20A Indoor unit, 20B Indoor unit, 21 Throttle device, 22 Indoor heat exchanger, 30 Outdoor heat exchanger, 30a Right heat exchanger, 30a1 First heat exchange section, 30a2 Second heat exchange section, 30b Rear heat exchanger, 30b1 First heat exchange section, 30b2 Second heat exchange section, 30c Left heat exchanger, 30c1 First heat exchange section, 30c2 Second heat exchange section, 31 First header, 31A First header, 32 Heat transfer tube, 33 Corrugated fin, 34 Turned header, 35 Second header, 36 Refrigerant inlet pipe, 37 Refrigerant outlet pipe, 40 housing, 40a right side, 40b rear side, 40c left side, 40d front side, 40e bottom side, 41 air outlet, 43 sealing plate, 50 outdoor fan, 71 inner pipe, 72 outer pipe, 73 orifice, 90 piping, 100 air conditioner, 100A air conditioner, 100B air conditioner, 1000 refrigeration cycle system.

Claims

1. The outer shell consists of a box-shaped enclosure, Multiple heat exchangers arranged along different sides of the aforementioned housing, A compressor is located at the bottom of the aforementioned enclosure, An outdoor unit of a top-flow type air conditioner, comprising an outdoor fan positioned at the top of the aforementioned housing, Each of the aforementioned heat exchangers is, It consists of multiple heat transfer tubes that extend in the vertical direction, are spaced apart in the direction along the nearest side surface, and through which a refrigerant flows, and at least one group of heat transfer tubes is spaced apart in the direction of air flow perpendicular to the direction along the nearest side surface, The system includes a header provided at the bottom of the downstream heat transfer tube group, which is located on the downstream side in the airflow direction among the at least one heat transfer tube group, and which has a refrigerant inlet formed therein through which the refrigerant from the outside flows in when the plurality of heat exchangers function as evaporators, The compressor is, In a plan view, it is positioned in a region facing the portion of the header of the nearest heat exchanger among the plurality of heat exchangers that is within the upstream 3 / 4 of the refrigerant flow. Outdoor unit of an air conditioning system.

2. The housing is equipped with an accumulator located on the bottom surface, The accumulator is In a plan view, it is positioned in a region facing the portion of the header of the nearest heat exchanger among the plurality of heat exchangers that is within the upstream 3 / 4 of the refrigerant flow. The outdoor unit of the air conditioning system according to claim 1.

3. The outer shell consists of a box-shaped enclosure, Multiple heat exchangers arranged along different sides of the aforementioned housing, A compressor is located at the bottom of the aforementioned enclosure, An outdoor unit of a top-flow type air conditioner, comprising an outdoor fan positioned at the top of the aforementioned housing, Each of the aforementioned heat exchangers is, It consists of multiple heat transfer tubes that extend in the vertical direction, are spaced apart in the direction along the nearest side surface, and through which a refrigerant flows, and at least one group of heat transfer tubes is spaced apart in the direction of air flow perpendicular to the direction along the nearest side surface, The system includes a header provided at the bottom of the downstream heat transfer tube group, which is located on the downstream side in the airflow direction among the at least one heat transfer tube group, and which has a refrigerant inlet formed therein through which the refrigerant from the outside flows in when the plurality of heat exchangers function as evaporators, The above header is, It is a double-tube structure having an inner tube in which multiple orifices are formed at intervals in the extension direction. The compressor is, In a plan view, it is positioned in a region facing the portion of the header of the nearest heat exchanger among the plurality of heat exchangers that is within the upstream 5 / 6 of the refrigerant flow. Outdoor unit of an air conditioning system.

4. The housing is equipped with an accumulator located on the bottom surface, The accumulator is In a plan view, it is positioned in a region facing the portion of the header of the nearest heat exchanger among the plurality of heat exchangers that is within the upstream 5 / 6 of the refrigerant flow. The outdoor unit of the air conditioning system according to claim 3.

5. The air conditioner comprises an outdoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4. Air conditioning system.