Air conditioner

Abstract

An air conditioner provided with: a base that constitutes a bottom side; a drain pan that is provided on a part of an upper surface of the base and receives drain water; a soft member that is placed on a part of an upper surface of the drain pan; and a heat exchanger that is provided on the upper surface of the drain pan via the soft member, the heat exchanger being harder than the soft member.

Description

air conditioning equipment

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioner equipped with a heat exchanger.

[0002] Conventionally, air conditioners equipped with a heat exchanger are known. Generally, air conditioners are configured to perform cooling and heating operations by switching the flow of refrigerant using a flow switching device such as a four-way valve. When an air conditioner performs heating operations in an environment with low outdoor temperatures, frost accumulates on the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit, reducing heat exchange efficiency. For this reason, the outdoor unit is usually equipped with a defrosting function to remove frost.

[0003] The outdoor unit melts frost during defrost operation, causing it to flow downward as meltwater, which is then collected by a metal base located below the interior space of the outdoor unit and then drained to the outside through drainage holes formed in the metal base. However, because the metal base is corrugated, some of the meltwater collected by the metal base may not reach the drainage holes and may remain on the metal base. If the outdoor temperature is below freezing when the defrost operation ends and heating operation is resumed, the meltwater remaining on the metal base will refreeze. Furthermore, because the heat exchanger periodically undergoes defrost operation, the meltwater that has frozen once will continue to freeze, eventually covering the entire metal base with ice.

[0004] When the metal base is covered with ice, the ice blocks the drainage holes in the metal base. This prevents meltwater from draining, causing the ice to grow to the bottom of the heat exchanger and crush the fins that make up the heat exchanger. If the ice continues to grow and reaches the heat transfer tubes, the worst case scenario is that the tubes may break, causing refrigerant to leak.

[0005] Furthermore, in heat exchangers in which the axial direction of the heat transfer tubes extends vertically, headers such as a liquid header and a gas header are arranged below the heat exchanger. Because the heat exchanger headers are made of aluminum, for example, they may be damaged by ice growth. Therefore, when the headers are arranged below the heat exchanger, the risk of refrigerant leakage due to freezing and melting increases even more.

[0006] Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioner in which a bulge is provided on the bottom plate of the outdoor unit, on which an outdoor heat exchanger is placed. The bulge has a long hole formed in it, and drain water flowing from the outdoor heat exchanger is discharged through the long hole.

[0007] International Publication No. 2013 / 080772

[0008] However, the outdoor heat exchanger of the air conditioning unit disclosed in Patent Document 1 is placed on the bulging portion of the bottom plate, and therefore if the header is installed below the heat exchanger, there is a risk that the header will be damaged when the drain water freezes.

[0009] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides an air conditioning device that prevents damage to the header when drain water freezes, even if the header is installed below the heat exchanger.

[0010] The air conditioning apparatus of the present disclosure comprises a base portion that forms the bottom surface, a drain pan that is provided on a part of the upper surface of the base portion and that receives drain water, a soft member that is placed on a part of the upper surface of the drain pan, and a heat exchanger that is provided on the upper surface of the drain pan via the soft member and is harder than the soft member.

[0011] According to the air conditioning apparatus of the present disclosure, even if the lower header is installed below the heat exchanger, damage to the header can be prevented when drain water freezes.

[0012] 1 is a circuit diagram showing an air conditioning apparatus according to embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outdoor unit according to embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a sectional perspective view showing an outdoor unit according to embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a sectional front view showing an outdoor unit according to embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a lower part of an outdoor unit according to embodiment 1. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a base portion, a drain pan, and a soft member according to embodiment 1. FIG. 6 is a side view showing a lower part of an outdoor unit according to embodiment 1. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a lower part of a heat exchanger according to embodiment 1. FIG. 8 is a side view showing a lower part of a heat exchanger according to embodiment 1. FIG. 9 is a rear view showing a lower part of a heat exchanger according to embodiment 1. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a lower part of a heat exchanger according to embodiment 1. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an upper part of a heat exchanger according to embodiment 1. FIG. 12 is a side view showing the upper part of a heat exchanger according to embodiment 1. FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view showing an upper part of a heat exchanger according to embodiment 1.

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of a heat exchanger and an air conditioning apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, in the following drawings, including FIG. 1, the dimensional relationships between components may differ from the actual relationships. Furthermore, in the following description, terms indicating directions are used as appropriate to facilitate understanding of the present disclosure. However, these terms are for the purpose of explaining the present disclosure and do not limit the present disclosure. Examples of terms indicating directions include "up," "down," "right," "left," "front," and "rear." Note that hatching in cross-sectional views has been partially omitted in some of the drawings.

[0014] Embodiment 1. Figure 1 is a circuit diagram showing an air conditioner 1 according to embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 1, the air conditioner 1 is a device that conditions the air in an indoor space, and includes an outdoor unit 2 and an indoor unit 3 connected to the outdoor unit 2. The outdoor unit 2 is provided with a compressor 6, a flow path switching device 7, a heat exchanger 8, an outdoor blower 9, and an expansion section 10. The indoor unit 3 is provided with an indoor heat exchanger 11 and an indoor blower 12.

[0015] A compressor 6, a flow switching device 7, a heat exchanger 8, an expansion section 10, and an indoor heat exchanger 11 are connected by refrigerant piping 5 to form a refrigerant circuit 4 through which a refrigerant (working gas) flows. The compressor 6 draws in refrigerant in a low-temperature, low-pressure state, compresses the drawn refrigerant, and discharges it as a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant. The flow switching device 7, which is, for example, a four-way valve, switches the direction of refrigerant flow in the refrigerant circuit 4. The heat exchanger 8 exchanges heat between, for example, outdoor air and the refrigerant. The heat exchanger 8 functions as a condenser during cooling operation and as an evaporator during heating operation.

[0016] The outdoor fan 9 is a device that sends outdoor air to the heat exchanger 8. The expansion section 10 is a pressure reducing valve or expansion valve that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant to expand it. The expansion section 10 is, for example, an electronic expansion valve whose opening degree is adjustable. The indoor heat exchanger 11 is, for example, a device that exchanges heat between the indoor air and the refrigerant. The indoor heat exchanger 11 acts as an evaporator during cooling operation and as a condenser during heating operation. The indoor fan 12 is a device that sends indoor air to the indoor heat exchanger 11.

[0017] (Operation Modes, Cooling Operation) Next, the operation modes of the air conditioner 1 will be described. First, cooling operation will be described. In cooling operation, the refrigerant drawn into the compressor 6 is compressed by the compressor 6 and discharged in a high-temperature, high-pressure gas state. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 6 passes through the flow switching device 7 and flows into the heat exchanger 8, which functions as a condenser. In the heat exchanger 8, the refrigerant exchanges heat with outdoor air sent by the outdoor fan 9, condensing and liquefying. The condensed liquid refrigerant flows into the expansion section 10, where it expands and is decompressed to become a low-temperature, low-pressure, two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant. The two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant then flows into the indoor heat exchanger 11, which functions as an evaporator. In the indoor heat exchanger 11, the refrigerant exchanges heat with indoor air sent by the indoor fan 12, evaporating and gasifying. At this time, the indoor air is cooled, and cooling is performed in the room. The evaporated refrigerant in a low-temperature, low-pressure gas state passes through the flow switching device 7 and is sucked into the compressor 6 .

[0018] (Operation Mode, Heating Operation) Next, the heating operation will be described. In the heating operation, the refrigerant drawn into the compressor 6 is compressed by the compressor 6 and discharged in a high-temperature, high-pressure gas state. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 6 passes through the flow switching device 7 and flows into the indoor heat exchanger 11, which functions as a condenser. In the indoor heat exchanger 11, the refrigerant exchanges heat with indoor air sent by the indoor blower 12, condensing and liquefying. At this time, the indoor air is heated, and heating is performed in the room. The condensed liquid refrigerant flows into the expansion section 10, where it expands and decompresses to become a low-temperature, low-pressure, two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant. The two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant then flows into the heat exchanger 8, which functions as an evaporator. In the heat exchanger 8, the refrigerant exchanges heat with outdoor air sent by the outdoor blower 9, evaporating and gasifying. The evaporated low-temperature, low-pressure gas refrigerant passes through the flow switching device 7 and is drawn into the compressor 6.

[0019] The air conditioner 1 does not have to have the flow path switching device 7. In this case, the air conditioner 1 becomes a dedicated heating machine or a dedicated cooling machine.

[0020] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the outdoor unit 2 has a housing 20, a heat exchanger 8, and an outdoor fan 9. The housing 20 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the heat exchangers 8 are provided on three of the four side surfaces of the housing 20. Inside the housing 20, the outdoor fan 9 is provided above the heat exchanger 8.

[0021] (Housing 20) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the outdoor unit 2 according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional front view showing the outdoor unit 2 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 , the housing 20 forms the outer shell of the outdoor unit 2 and includes a base 21, pillars 25, a decorative panel 26, and a frame 27. The base 21 is a member that forms the bottom surface of the outdoor unit 2 and is made of, for example, sheet metal. The pillars 25 are four L-shaped members that stand upright from the four corners of the base 21 and are made of, for example, sheet metal. In this manner, the outdoor unit 2 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The heat exchangers 8 are provided between the pillars 25 and on three of the four sides of the housing 20. The heat exchangers 8 may be provided on one, two, or four sides of the housing 20. The decorative panel 26 is a plate-shaped member provided above the heat exchanger 8 so as to cover the fan provided above the heat exchanger 8. The decorative panels 26 are made of, for example, sheet metal and are provided on each of the four sides of the housing 20. The frame 27 is a member attached to the decorative panels 26 and is made of, for example, sheet metal.

[0022] (Base 21, Drain Pan 22, and Flexible Member 23) FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the lower part of the outdoor unit 2 according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the base 21, drain pan 22, and flexible member 23 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, the heat exchanger 8 is provided on the upper surface of the drain pan 22 via the flexible member 23. As shown in FIG. 6, the base 21 is a rectangular member that is slightly longer in the width direction than in the depth direction, and is made of, for example, sheet metal, as described above. The base 21 is formed with a base hole 21a into which the portion of the drain pan 22 having the drain pan drain hole 22a formed therein is inserted. The drain pan 22 is provided on three of the four sides of the base 21, namely, both sides and the back side. The drain pan 22 is a member extending in the longitudinal direction. The drain pan 22 receives drain water from the heat exchanger 8 and is made of, for example, resin. Drain pan 22 is formed with drain pan drain holes 22a for discharging accumulated drain water, and the portion where drain pan drain holes 22a are formed is inserted into base holes 21a of base portion 21. Soft member 23 is provided on a portion of the upper surface of each drain pan 22 and is a member softer than lower header 43 of heat exchanger 8. Soft member 23 is made of, for example, rubber.

[0023] (Heat Exchanger 8) Fig. 7 is a side view showing the lower part of the heat exchanger 8, and Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the lower part of the heat exchanger 8 according to embodiment 1. Next, the heat exchanger 8 will be described in detail. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the heat exchanger 8 has flat tubes 41, fins 42, a lower header 43, and an upper header 46 (see Fig. 13).

[0024] 7 and 8 , the flat tubes 41 allow the refrigerant to flow therethrough and extend in the height direction. A plurality of the flat tubes 41 are provided at intervals along the longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger 8. The flat tubes 41 are provided in two rows in the width direction of the heat exchanger 8. The flat tubes 41 may be provided in one row, or in three or more rows in the width direction of the heat exchanger 8.

[0025] 7 and 8, the fins 42 are provided between the flat tubes 41 and transfer heat of the refrigerant flowing through the flat tubes 41. The fins 42 are, for example, corrugated fins.

[0026] (Lower Headers 43) As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 , the lower headers 43 are provided below the flat tubes 41 and collect and distribute the refrigerant flowing through the flat tubes 41. The lower headers 43 are tubular members extending along the longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger 8. Two rows of the lower headers 43 are provided in the width direction of the heat exchanger 8, and each row is connected to the lower portion of the flat tubes 41. The lower headers 43 may be provided in one row or three or more rows in the width direction of the heat exchanger 8. The lower headers 43 include a header cover portion 44 and a header base portion 45. The header cover portion 44 is disposed on the drain pan 22 side and is a U-shaped member with an open top that forms the bottom surface. The header cover portion 44 is, for example, made of sheet metal and extends along the longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger 8.

[0027] The header base 45 is a U-shaped component with an open bottom, disposed on the flat tube 41 side, that defines a space between the header base 45 and the header cover 44 through which the refrigerant flows. A shower pipe 43a is provided in the space. The header base 45 is, for example, made of sheet metal and extends along the longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger 8. The header base 45 and the header cover 44 are connected so that the opening of the header base 45 faces the opening of the header cover 44. This defines a space through which the refrigerant flows between the header base 45 and the header cover 44. Support claws 45a are provided on a portion of the lower end of the header base 45, and the support claws 45a extend in an arc shape from the lower end of the header base 45 to support both widthwise ends of the header cover 44. The lower portion of the header cover 44 is supported by the support claws 45a on both sides of the header base 45, preventing the header cover 44 from falling off the header base 45. The header base portion 45 also has a separator 45b that divides the internal space. As shown in FIG.

[0028] (Drainage Path) FIG. 9 is a side view showing a lower portion of the heat exchanger 8 according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 10 is a rear view showing the lower portion of the heat exchanger 8 according to the first embodiment. Next, a drainage path for discharging drain water generated from the heat exchanger 8 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 , the drain water generated from the heat exchanger 8 falls from the lower header 43 of the heat exchanger 8 through the soft member 23 into the drain pan 22, or falls directly into the drain pan 22. The drain water that falls into the drain pan 22 passes through the inclined portion 22b formed in the drain pan 22 and is discharged outside the outdoor unit 2 from the drain pan drain hole 22a. In other words, the drain water is discharged outside the outdoor unit 2 without coming into contact with the base portion 21.

[0029] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the lower part of the heat exchanger 8 according to the first embodiment. As described above, the lower header 43 is disposed on the drain pan 22 side and includes a header cover 44 that forms the bottom surface. The lower header 43 is also disposed on the flat tube 41 side, forming a space between itself and the header cover 44. The lower header 43 also includes a header base 45 with support claws 45a that support both widthwise ends of the header cover 44. The support claws 45a of the header base 45 contact the flexible member 23. That is, a gap is formed between the support claws 45a above the flexible member 23. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11 , drain water flowing from the inside of the two rows of lower headers 43 passes through the gaps between the support claws 45a and is discharged into the drain pan 22. This further improves drainage of drain water.

[0030] (Upper Header 46) FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the upper portion of the heat exchanger 8 according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 13 is a side view showing the upper portion of the heat exchanger 8 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 , the upper header 46 is provided above the flat tubes 41 and collects and distributes the refrigerant flowing through the flat tubes 41. The upper header 46 is a tubular member extending along the longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger 8. The upper header 46 spans two rows of flat tubes 41 so as to connect the upper portions of the two rows of flat tubes 41. The upper header 46 has an upper base portion 47 and a cover portion 48. The upper base portion 47 is disposed on the flat tube 41 side and is a U-shaped member with an open top that forms the bottom and side surfaces. The upper base portion 47 is made of, for example, sheet metal and extends along the longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger 8. An upper support claw 47a that holds down the cover portion 48 is provided on a portion of the upper end of the upper base portion 47. The cover portion 48 is a plate-like member that covers the opening of the upper base portion 47. The cover portion 48 is, for example, a metal plate, and extends along the longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger 8. With the cover portion 48 attached to the opening of the upper base portion 47, upper support claws 47a on both sides of the upper base portion 47 support the cover portion 48. This prevents the cover portion 48 from coming off the upper base portion 47.

[0031] Figure 14 is an enlarged perspective view showing the upper part of the heat exchanger 8 according to the first embodiment. As described above, the frame 27 is a member attached to the decorative plate 26, and is made of, for example, sheet metal. As shown in Figure 14, the frame 27 is a member with a Z-shaped cross section, and has a top part 27a, an extension part 27b, and a tip part 27c. The top part 27a is a plate-like member attached to the decorative plate 26 and extends in the vertical direction. The extension part 27b is a plate-like member connected to the lower end of the top part 27a and extending in a direction away from the decorative plate 26. The tip part 27c is a plate-like member extending downward from the tip of the extension part 27b.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 14 , the upper header 46 is disposed between the decorative board 26 and the leading end 27c of the frame 27. An elastic member 51 having elasticity is disposed between the upper header 46 and the leading end 27c of the frame 27. Furthermore, a buffer material 52 is disposed between the upper header 46 and the decorative board 26. The buffer material 52 includes a first buffer material 52a and a second buffer material 52b. The first buffer material 52a is disposed closer to the decorative board 26. The second buffer material 52b is disposed closer to the upper header 46 than the first buffer material 52a and is softer than the first buffer material 52a. The thickness of the first buffer material 52a is thicker than the thickness of the second buffer material 52b. The upper header 46 is in contact with the second buffer material 52b, which is softer than the first buffer material 52a, rather than the first buffer material 52a. This prevents the upper header 46 from being pressed. As described above, the upper header 46 is sandwiched between the elastic member 51 and the second buffer material 52b. The number of buffer materials 52 may be one, three, or more. Also, there may be two or more elastic members 51.

[0033] (Effects) According to the first embodiment, the heat exchanger 8 is mounted on the upper surface of the drain pan 22 via the soft member 23, which is softer than the heat exchanger 8. Therefore, when drain water freezes, the soft member 23 is damaged by the pressure caused by the freezing before the heat exchanger 8. Therefore, even if the lower header 43 is installed below the heat exchanger 8, damage to the lower header 43 when drain water freezes can be suppressed. Here, if the soft member 23 is made of rubber, the lower header 43 is made of sheet metal that is harder than the soft member 23, and therefore the soft member 23 will break first when it freezes. Furthermore, because the heat exchanger 8 is not in direct contact with the base portion 21, corrosion can also be suppressed.

[0034] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the upper header 46 is provided between the decorative panel 26 and the leading end 27c of the frame 27. Drain water generated by condensation on the upper header 46 hits the decorative panel 26 or the leading end 27c. This prevents the drain water from splashing. After hitting the decorative panel 26 or the leading end 27c, the drain water falls downward. In this way, the upper header 46 also has the function of guiding the drain water.

[0035] In addition, although the present embodiment 1 illustrates a case where the heat exchanger 8 of the present disclosure is provided in the outdoor unit 2, the heat exchanger 8 of the present disclosure may also be provided in the indoor unit 3.

[0036] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Air conditioning apparatus, 2 Outdoor unit, 3 Indoor unit, 4 Refrigerant circuit, 5 Refrigerant piping, 6 Compressor, 7 Flow path switching device, 8 Heat exchanger, 9 Outdoor blower, 10 Expansion section, 11 Indoor heat exchanger, 12 Indoor blower, 20 Housing, 21 Base section, 21a Base hole, 22 Drain pan, 22a Drain pan drainage hole, 22b Inclined section, 23 Soft member, 25 Column section, 26 Decorative panel, 27 Frame, 27a Top section, 27b Extension section, 27c Tip section, 41 Flat tube, 42 Fin, 43 Lower header, 43a Shower pipe, 44 Header cover section, 45 Header base section, 45a Support claw, 45b Separator, 46 Upper header, 47 Upper base section, 47a Upper support claw, 48 Cover section, 51 Elastic member, 52 cushioning material, 52a first cushioning material, 52b second cushioning material.

Claims

1. The base portion that makes up the bottom surface, A drain pan is provided on a part of the upper surface of the base portion to receive drain water, A flexible member placed on a part of the upper surface of the drain pan, A heat exchanger, which is harder than the soft member, is provided on the upper surface of the drain pan via the soft member, Equipped with, The heat exchanger is, Inside, a refrigerant flows, and there are multiple flattened tubes extending in the vertical direction, A fin is provided between the flattened tubes to transfer heat from the refrigerant flowing through the flattened tubes, It has a lower header provided at the lower part of the flattened pipe, which collects and distributes the refrigerant flowing through the flattened pipe, The aforementioned lower header is, The header cover portion, which is located on the drain pan side and forms the bottom surface, The header base portion is positioned on the flattened pipe side, forms a space between itself and the header cover portion, and has support claws that support both ends of the header cover portion in the width direction, An air conditioning device in which the support claws of the header base portion are in contact with the soft member.

2. The outer casing consists of a housing and The housing includes a heat exchanger, The aforementioned enclosure is A decorative panel to shield the interior, It has an uppermost part attached to the decorative panel and extending in the vertical direction, and a frame connected to the lower end of the uppermost part and provided on the decorative panel, having an extended part that extends away from the decorative panel and a tip part that extends downward from the tip of the extended part, The heat exchanger is, Inside, a refrigerant flows, and there are multiple flattened tubes extending in the vertical direction, A fin is provided between the flattened tubes to transfer heat from the refrigerant flowing through the flattened tubes, It has an upper header provided at the top of the flattened pipe for collecting and distributing the refrigerant flowing through the flattened pipe, The aforementioned upper header is, The decorative panel and the tip portion of the frame are provided Air conditioning system.

3. An elastic member is provided between the upper header and the tip portion. The air conditioning device according to claim 2.

4. A cushioning material is provided between the upper header and the decorative panel. The air conditioning device according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The aforementioned cushioning material is The first cushioning material is placed on the decorative panel side, The cushioning material comprises a second cushioning material which is positioned on the upper header side of the first cushioning material and is softer than the first cushioning material. The air conditioning device according to claim 4.