Air conditioning system with controlled refrigerant flow

Abstract

An air conditioning system in which the flow path of a refrigerant is controlled is disclosed. An air conditioning system in which the flow path of a refrigerant is controlled according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a compressor module including a plurality of compressors for compressing a refrigerant; a condenser module in which the compressed refrigerant supplied from the compressor module is condensed by heat exchange with cooling water; an expansion valve module in which the refrigerant condensed in the condenser module is expanded; and an evaporator module in which the refrigerant condensed in the condenser module is evaporated by heat exchange; and may include a bypass flow path section that controls the flow path of the refrigerant so that the refrigerant selectively bypasses some of the plurality of compressors.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioning system in which the flow path of a refrigerant is controlled, and more specifically, to an air conditioning system in which the flow path of a refrigerant is controlled according to the air conditioning load. Background Technology

[0002] Generally, a vehicle air conditioning system includes an air conditioning system that circulates refrigerant to heat or cool the vehicle's interior.

[0003] This air conditioning system is designed to maintain a comfortable interior environment by keeping the vehicle's cabin temperature at an appropriate level regardless of external temperature changes. It is configured to heat or cool the vehicle's cabin through heat exchange in the evaporator during the process in which refrigerant discharged by the operation of the compressor circulates back to the compressor after passing through the condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator.

[0004] In other words, during the summer cooling mode, the air conditioning system lowers the indoor temperature and humidity by condensing high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant compressed by the compressor through the condenser, passing through the expansion valve, and then evaporating in the evaporator.

[0005] Meanwhile, as interest in energy efficiency and environmental pollution issues grows day by day, there is a demand for the development of eco-friendly vehicles that can effectively replace internal combustion engine vehicles. These eco-friendly vehicles are generally classified into electric vehicles powered by fuel cells or electricity, and hybrid vehicles powered by both engines and batteries.

[0006] Among these eco-friendly vehicles, electric or hybrid vehicles do not use separate heaters unlike the air conditioning systems in conventional vehicles, and the air conditioning system applied to eco-friendly vehicles is commonly referred to as a heat pump system.

[0007] Generally, a heat pump system is a heating and cooling device that utilizes the heat of refrigerant's exothermic or condensation to transfer heat from a low-temperature source to a high temperature or vice versa; it is a system that absorbs external heat and releases it into the room during heating, and releases heat from the room to the outside during cooling.

[0008] Meanwhile, conventional air conditioning systems used in internal combustion engines utilize the engine's power and waste heat emitted from the engine to heat and cool the interior. However, in electric or hybrid vehicles, since the heating and cooling functions must operate even when there is no engine or the engine is not running, an air conditioning system that uses electricity instead of an engine is required.

[0009] In the case of electric vehicles driven by fuel cells as a power source, the energy from the chemical reaction between oxygen and hydrogen is converted into electrical energy to generate driving force. During this process, heat energy is generated by the chemical reaction within the fuel cell, so effectively removing the generated heat is essential for ensuring the performance of the fuel cell.

[0010] Furthermore, in hybrid vehicles, driving force is generated by driving a motor using electricity supplied from the aforementioned fuel cell or electric battery, in addition to an engine that operates on conventional fuel; therefore, the heat generated from the fuel cell, battery, and motor must be effectively removed to ensure the motor's performance.

[0011] Accordingly, in hybrid or electric vehicles according to conventional technology, the battery cooling system, along with the cooling system and heat pump system, must each be configured as a separate sealed circuit to prevent heat generation of the motor, electrical components, and the battery including the fuel cell.

[0012] Therefore, there was a disadvantage in that the size and weight of the cooling module placed at the front of the vehicle increased, and the layout of the connecting pipes supplying refrigerant or coolant to the heat pump system, cooling system, and battery cooling system within the confined space became complex.

[0013] In addition, refrigerant loss occurred due to refrigerant leakage through the piping over time.

[0014] In addition, due to the structure in which the components constituting multiple air conditioning systems are connected by piping, significant pressure loss was inevitable as the refrigerant passed through the pipes.

[0015] Such pressure loss caused energy loss in the refrigerant, which not only degraded the performance of heating, cooling, and refrigeration devices but also acted as a determining factor in system performance limits by restricting the refrigerant flow rate.

[0016] In particular, when heating, cooling, and cooling requirements increased, it was necessary to increase the size of components and piping to minimize performance degradation due to pressure loss.

[0017] However, as the increase in vehicle interior space and eco-friendly vehicles such as electric cars demand thermal management for electrical components like batteries and motors in addition to air conditioning systems, there were inevitably limits to increasing pipe sizes due to spatial constraints, and the reality was that performance degradation of the air conditioning system due to pressure loss had to be accepted.

[0018] To address these issues, technologies are being proposed to configure air conditioning systems by including components in a single housing while minimizing the use of piping.

[0019] However, since the refrigerant pressure acts within a single housing case, this air conditioning system was technically applicable only to low-pressure refrigerants with low operating pressures, such as R123 or R1233zd, and had the problem of limitations in applying high-pressure refrigerants such as R134a and R1234yf.

[0020] In addition, electric motors are used as the power source for compressors that compress refrigerants; however, since motor durability generally decreases when exposed to high temperatures, there was a need to develop an air conditioning system that could improve efficiency while maintaining motor durability. Prior art literature

[0021] Republic of Korea Published Patent No. 10-2019-0016711 (Published Feb. 19, 2019) The problem to be solved

[0022] The present invention aims to solve the aforementioned problems, and the objective of the present invention is to provide an air conditioning system in which the refrigerant flow path is controlled, which can improve heating and cooling capacity while preventing a decrease in efficiency and compressor durability.

[0023] The problems of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below. means of solving the problem

[0024] According to one aspect of the present invention, an air conditioning system in which the flow path of a refrigerant is controlled is provided, comprising: a compressor module including a plurality of compressors for compressing a refrigerant; a condenser module in which the compressed refrigerant supplied from the compressor module is condensed by heat exchange with cooling water; an expansion valve module in which the refrigerant condensed in the condenser module is expanded; an evaporator module in which the refrigerant condensed in the condenser module is evaporated by heat exchange; and a bypass flow path section for controlling the flow path of the refrigerant so that the refrigerant selectively bypasses some of the plurality of compressors.

[0025] It may further include an internal heat exchanger module disposed between the condenser module and the expansion valve module, wherein the refrigerant passing through the condenser module and the refrigerant passing through the evaporator module exchange heat with each other.

[0026] The above bypass flow path can control the flow path of the refrigerant so that the refrigerant selectively bypasses the internal heat exchanger module.

[0027] The compressor module comprises: a first compressor; a second compressor; a first refrigerant guide path that guides refrigerant to the inlet of the first compressor; a second refrigerant guide path that guides refrigerant compressed in the first compressor to the second compressor; and a third refrigerant guide path that guides refrigerant discharged from the second compressor to the condenser module; wherein the bypass path section comprises: a first branch pipe that branches off from the first refrigerant guide path and bypasses the first compressor; and a second branch pipe that is connected to the first branch pipe, bypasses the second compressor, and joins the third refrigerant guide path. It includes a third branch pipe that branches off at the point where the first branch pipe and the second branch pipe are connected and joins the second refrigerant guide path; wherein the first branch pipe and the third branch pipe form a first bypass path that bypasses the first compressor, and the second branch pipe and the third branch pipe can form a second bypass path that bypasses the second compressor.

[0028] The above bypass passage section may include: a first valve installed at the point where the first branch pipe and the first refrigerant guide passage branch off; a second valve installed at the point where the second refrigerant guide passage and the third branch pipe branch off; and a third valve installed at the point where the third branch pipe and the second branch pipe meet.

[0029] The above bypass flow path may include a third bypass flow path that branches off from the front end of the internal heat exchanger module, bypasses the internal heat exchanger module, and then joins at the rear end of the internal heat exchanger module; and a fourth valve that opens and closes the third bypass flow path.

[0030] It may further include a control unit that controls the opening and closing of the bypass passage section according to the air conditioning load. Effects of the invention

[0031] According to the above configuration, the air conditioning system in which the refrigerant flow path is controlled according to the present invention is equipped with multiple compressors, thereby improving cooling and heating capabilities through a multi-stage compression method. At the same time, by controlling the refrigerant flow path according to the cooling / heating load to control the number of compressors in operation or to control whether the refrigerant passes through an internal heat exchanger, the temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the compressor can be lowered, thus improving efficiency and durability.

[0032] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and should be understood to include all effects that can be inferred from the configuration of the invention described in the detailed description or claims of the present invention. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0033] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating an air conditioning system in which the flow path of a refrigerant is controlled according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an air conditioning system in which the flow path of a refrigerant is controlled according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a graph showing the pH diagram of an air conditioning system in which the flow path of a refrigerant is controlled according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a refrigerant bypassing a first compressor in an air conditioning system in which the flow path of the refrigerant is controlled according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a refrigerant bypassing a second compressor in an air conditioning system in which the refrigerant flow path is controlled according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a refrigerant bypassing an internal heat exchanger in an air conditioning system in which the refrigerant flow path is controlled according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a refrigerant bypassing an internal heat exchanger in an air conditioning system in which the refrigerant flow path is controlled according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the passage of a refrigerant through a compressor when the compressor of an air conditioning system in which the refrigerant flow path is controlled according to one embodiment of the present invention is a turbo compressor. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0034] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the invention. The present invention may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. To clearly explain the present invention, parts unrelated to the description in the drawings have been omitted, and the same reference numerals have been used throughout the specification for identical or similar components.

[0035] The words and terms used in this specification and claims are not limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted in a meaning and concept consistent with the technical spirit of the invention in accordance with the principles by which the inventor defines terms and concepts to best describe his invention.

[0036] Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings correspond to preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all technical concepts of the present invention; thus, various equivalents and modifications that may replace such configurations may exist at the time of filing the present invention.

[0037] In this specification, terms such as “comprising” or “having” are intended to describe the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should not be understood as precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0038] The statement that a component is "in front," "rear," "upper," or "lower" of another component includes, unless there are special circumstances, not only being positioned "in front," "rear," "upper," or "lower" in direct contact with the other component, but also cases where another component is positioned in between. Furthermore, the statement that a component is "connected" to another component includes, unless there are special circumstances, not only being directly connected to each other, but also being indirectly connected to each other.

[0039] Hereinafter, an air conditioning system in which the flow path of a refrigerant is controlled according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the "air conditioning system" for convenience of explanation) will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0040] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, an air conditioning system (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a condenser module (100), an evaporator module (200), a compressor module (300), and an expansion valve module (400), and can be operated through a phase change according to the circulation of refrigerant inside the system.

[0041] An air conditioning system (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention has a structure in which each module is interconnected without separate connecting pipes or with minimal connecting pipes, and selectively exchanges heat energy generated from the refrigerant during the condensation and evaporation of the refrigerant circulating inside with cooling water, and can perform cooling or heating using the heat-exchanged low-temperature or high-temperature cooling water.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 1, in a vehicle equipped with such an integrated modular air conditioning system (1), the refrigerant is compressed in the compressor module (300) and then flows to the condenser module (100) to exchange heat with the coolant and dissipate heat.

[0043] The refrigerant that has been heated in this way flows into the expansion valve module (400) and the refrigerant expands.

[0044] Then, the refrigerant expanded in the expansion valve module (400) flows into the evaporator module (200), absorbs heat while exchanging heat with the cooling water, and then flows back into the compressor module (300) to be compressed.

[0045] In this way, the refrigerant circulates sequentially through the compressor module (300), condenser module (100), expansion valve module (400), and evaporator module (200), exchanging heat with the cooling water and raising or lowering the temperature of the cooling water.

[0046] Meanwhile, conventionally, the circulating refrigerant flowed while passing through piping (connecting pipes or connecting hoses, etc.) connecting each part (component), but the most significant feature of the embodiment of the present invention is that the compressor module (300), condenser module (100), expansion valve module (400), and evaporator module (200) are modularized into an enclosure shape having an internal space, and these modularized components have a structure that is directly connected without piping.

[0047] Through this, the size of the entire system can be minimized by eliminating connecting pipes through which the refrigerant flows, thereby minimizing refrigerant-related parts (components) and the flow paths for refrigerant and cooling water. Additionally, since the pipe-free structure eliminates the need to consider the pressure that pipes can withstand, high-pressure refrigerants can be easily applied.

[0048] In this case, the refrigerant may be a high-pressure refrigerant such as high-performance R1234yf.

[0049] In other words, when cooling in a vehicle, the high-temperature refrigerant in the condenser module (100) exchanges heat with the incoming coolant, and the high-temperature coolant passes through a radiator (not shown) and releases heat to the outside air (condensation).

[0050] In addition, the low-temperature refrigerant in the evaporator module (200) exchanges heat with the incoming cooling water, and the low-temperature cooling water cools the room through a cabin cooler (not shown) (evaporation).

[0051] Meanwhile, when heating in a vehicle, the high-temperature refrigerant in the condenser module (100) exchanges heat with the incoming coolant, and the high-temperature coolant passes through a heater core (not shown) to heat the interior (condensation).

[0052] In addition, the low-temperature refrigerant in the evaporator module (200) absorbs heat from the cooling water passing through the radiator (not shown) and raises the refrigerant temperature (heat absorption).

[0053] Meanwhile, in an air conditioning system (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention, the condenser module (100), evaporator module (200), compressor module (300), and expansion valve module (400) can be combined in a modular manner.

[0054] That is, the chambers formed by the internal space of the condenser module (100), evaporator module (200), compressor module (300), and expansion valve module (400) are directly connected without piping through the line through which the refrigerant circulates.

[0055] The internal configuration of the condenser module (100), evaporator module (200), compressor module (300), and expansion valve module (400) can have various forms for performing functions applicable to a conventional air conditioning system (1).

[0056] However, in one embodiment of the present invention, in order to form a condenser module (100), an evaporator module (200), a compressor module (300), and an expansion valve module (400) and a connection (coupling) relationship without piping, each internal space is chambered to form an enclosure shape having a space.

[0057] Additionally, each condenser module (100), evaporator module (200), compressor module (300), and expansion valve module (400) is formed to have a flat coupling surface or a coupling surface with a corresponding curved or uneven shape so as to be coupled to each other, and also has a refrigerant inlet / outlet port that is coupled to each other so as to allow refrigerant to flow in and out, thereby enabling circulation of refrigerant without separate piping.

[0058] The above condenser module (100) performs the function of condensing the incoming refrigerant by exchanging heat with the cooling water.

[0059] And, the expansion valve module (400) performs the role of expanding the incoming refrigerant.

[0060] In addition, the evaporator module (200) performs the function of evaporating the incoming refrigerant by exchanging heat with the cooling water.

[0061] In addition, the compressor module (300) compresses the refrigerant, and in this embodiment, the compressor module (300) may be equipped with one or multiple compressors.

[0062] The above plurality of compressors may have the same compression capacity or different compression capacities and may be arranged in series or parallel so that one compressor compresses the refrigerant and another compressor compresses it.

[0063] In the description of the present embodiment, the compressor module (300) is described as having two compressors, a first compressor (301) and a second compressor (302). However, the present invention is not limited to the number of compressors. The first compressor (301) and the second compressor (302) may be connected in series with each other to implement a multi-stage compression method in which the refrigerant compressed in the first compressor (301) is compressed again in the second compressor (302).

[0064] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioning system (1) can form a circulation path in which a refrigerant circulates by connecting the modules without separate piping, such that the compressor module (300), the condenser module (100), the expansion valve module (400), and the evaporator module (200) are connected to each other.

[0065] At this time, the intake and discharge ports through which the refrigerant enters and exits each component may further include a separate sealing member (not shown) to prevent leakage of refrigerant between the connecting sides, and it goes without saying that they may have mutually uneven shapes and be joined together to prevent leakage at the contact points.

[0067] Meanwhile, the air conditioning system (1) according to the present embodiment may be equipped with an internal heat exchanger module (500) as shown in FIGS. 1 and FIGS. 2.

[0068] The above internal heat exchanger module (500) may be positioned between the condenser module (100) and the expansion valve module (400) so that the refrigerant passing through the condenser module (100) and the refrigerant passing through the evaporator module (200) can exchange heat with each other.

[0069] That is, by exchanging heat between the refrigerant that is compressed in the compressor module (300) and then condensed in the condenser module (100) and the refrigerant that is evaporated through the evaporator module (200), the difference in enthalpy between cooling and heating can be increased, thereby increasing cooling and heating performance.

[0070] FIG. 3 is a graph showing the pH diagram at each point of the air conditioning system (1) of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the outlet end of the evaporator module (200) is designated as P1, the inlet end of the compressor module (300) as P1', the outlet end of the compressor module (300) as P2, the outlet end of the condenser module (100) as P3, the outlet end of the internal heat exchanger module (500) as P3', and the outlet end of the expansion valve module (400) as P4, and FIG. 3 shows the pH diagram for each point.

[0071] In the case of an air conditioning system in which the internal heat exchanger module (500) is not applied (i.e., a cycle in which the refrigerant does not pass through the internal heat exchanger module (500)), the pH diagram can form a cycle consisting of P1, P2, P3, and P4 of Fig. 3.

[0072] Here, the difference in enthalpy between P2 and P3 becomes the heating capacity, and the difference in enthalpy between P1 and P4 can become the cooling capacity.

[0073] However, in the air conditioning system (1) to which the above internal heat exchanger module (500) is applied (i.e., the cycle in which the refrigerant passes through the above internal heat exchanger module (500)), the refrigerant that has passed through the above condenser module (100) exchanges heat with the refrigerant that has passed through the above evaporator module (200). That is, the refrigerant that has passed through the above condenser module (100) dissipates heat in the above internal heat exchanger module (500), and the refrigerant that has passed through the above evaporator module (200) can absorb heat in the above internal heat exchanger module (500).

[0074] Accordingly, the enthalpy of the refrigerant that has passed through the condenser module (100) and then through the internal heat exchanger module (500) decreases, resulting in the state at point P3' of FIG. 3. Additionally, since it passes through the expansion valve module (400) at point P3' of FIG. 3, the pressure is lowered, resulting in the state at P4'.

[0075] Additionally, after heat exchange with the outside through the evaporator module (200), the refrigerant passing through the internal heat exchanger module (500) has an increase in enthalpy and reaches the state at point P1' in FIG. 3. Subsequently, it is compressed by the compressor module (300), causing both pressure and enthalpy to increase, and can reach the state at point P2' in FIG. 3.

[0076] In addition, the refrigerant compressed in the compressor module (300) passes through the condenser module (100), and the refrigerant that has exchanged heat with the outside is directed back to the internal heat exchanger module (500) to be circulated.

[0077] That is, as shown in FIG. 3, when passing through the internal heat exchanger module (500), the heating capacity becomes the difference between P2' and P3, and the cooling capacity becomes the difference between P1 and P4', so it can be seen that both the heating capacity and the cooling capacity are increased compared to the case where the internal heat exchanger module (500) is not passed through.

[0079] Meanwhile, the air conditioning system (1) according to the present embodiment may include a bypass flow path (700).

[0080] As shown in FIG. 2, the bypass flow path (700) can control the flow path of the refrigerant so that the refrigerant can selectively bypass some of the multiple compressors.

[0081] In the air conditioning system (1) of the present embodiment, the compressor module (300) is provided with two compressors, a first compressor (301) and a second compressor (302). Therefore, the bypass flow path (700) may be provided so that the refrigerant bypasses the first compressor (301) and enters the second compressor (302) to be compressed only in the second compressor (302), or enters the first compressor (301) and is compressed before bypassing the second compressor (302).

[0082] At this time, the compressor module (300) may include a first compressor (301) and a second compressor (302), a first refrigerant guide path (701) that guides the refrigerant passing through the evaporator module (200) or the internal heat exchanger module (500) to the inlet of the first compressor (301), a second refrigerant guide path (702) provided between the first compressor (301) and the second compressor (302) to guide the refrigerant compressed in the first compressor (301) to the second compressor (302), and a third refrigerant guide path (703) provided between the second compressor (302) and the condenser module to guide the refrigerant discharged from the second compressor (302) to the condenser module (100).

[0083] That is, as illustrated in FIG. 2, when the refrigerant passes through both the first compressor (301) and the second compressor (302), the refrigerant enters the first compressor (301) through the first refrigerant guide path (701), the refrigerant compressed in the first compressor (301) enters the second compressor (302) through the second refrigerant guide path (702), and the refrigerant discharged after being compressed in the second compressor (302) can be guided to the condenser module through the third refrigerant guide path (703).

[0084] Meanwhile, the above-mentioned bypass section (700) includes a first branch pipe (711), a second branch pipe (712), and a third branch pipe (713), and may also include a first valve (V1), a second valve (V2), and a third valve (V3).

[0085] The first branch pipe (711) may branch off from the first refrigerant guide path (701) and bypass the first compressor (301). Additionally, the second branch pipe (712) may be connected to the first branch pipe (711), bypass the second compressor (302), and join the third refrigerant guide path (703). Furthermore, the third branch pipe (713) may branch off at the point where the first branch pipe (711) and the second branch pipe (712) are connected and join the second refrigerant guide path (702).

[0086] Accordingly, the first branch pipe (711) and the third branch pipe (713) form a first bypass path (731) that bypasses the first compressor (301), and the second branch pipe (712) and the third branch pipe (713) can form a second bypass path (732) that bypasses the second compressor (302).

[0087] Additionally, the first valve (V1) is installed at the point where the first branch pipe (711) and the first refrigerant guide path (701) branch off to switch the path of the refrigerant so that the refrigerant flows into either the first branch pipe (711) or the first refrigerant guide path (701); the second valve (V2) is installed at the point where the second refrigerant guide path (702) and the third branch pipe (713) branch off to switch the path of the refrigerant so that the refrigerant flows into either the second refrigerant guide path (702) or the third branch pipe (713); and the third valve (V3) is installed at the point where the third branch pipe (713) and the second branch pipe (712) meet to switch the path of the refrigerant so that the refrigerant flows into either the third branch pipe (713) or the second branch pipe (712). You can switch.

[0088] That is, when the first valve (V1) is opened toward the first refrigerant guide path (701) and the second valve (V2) is opened toward the second refrigerant guide path (702), the refrigerant can be compressed in multiple stages by passing through both the first compressor (301) and the second compressor (302).

[0089] Additionally, when the first valve (V1) is opened toward the first branch pipe (711), the second valve (V2) is opened toward the second refrigerant guide path (702), and the third valve (V3) is opened toward the third branch pipe, the refrigerant can bypass the first compressor (301) through the first bypass path (731) and enter the second compressor (302).

[0090] Additionally, when the first valve (V1) is opened toward the first refrigerant guide path (701), the second valve (V2) is opened toward the third branch pipe (713), and the third valve (V3) is opened toward the second branch pipe (712), the refrigerant can pass through the first compressor (301), then bypass the second compressor (302) through the second bypass path (732) and flow toward the condenser module.

[0091] Additionally, a control unit (740) for controlling the first valve (V1), the second valve (V2), and the third valve (V3) may be provided. The control unit (740) can control the first valve (V1) to the third valve (V3) according to whether the first compressor (301) and the second compressor (302) are operating, thereby controlling the flow path of the refrigerant.

[0092] Meanwhile, the bypass flow path (700) may further include a third bypass flow path (733) so that the refrigerant selectively bypasses the internal heat exchanger module (500).

[0093] The above third bypass path (733) may be branched from the path through which the refrigerant passing through the condenser module enters the internal heat exchanger module (500) at the front end of the internal heat exchanger module (500), bypass the internal heat exchanger module (500), and then join the path through which the refrigerant is guided to the expansion valve module (400) at the rear end of the internal heat exchanger module (500).

[0094] Additionally, at the point where the third bypass path (733) branches off, a fourth valve (V4) may be provided to control the flow of refrigerant to either the third bypass path (733) or the internal heat exchanger module (500). The fourth valve (V4) may be controlled by the control unit (740).

[0095] As shown in FIG. 2, when the cooling / heating load is at its maximum, the refrigerant can be operated to pass through the internal heat exchanger module (500), the first compressor (301), and the second compressor (302).

[0096] Additionally, when the cooling / heating load is low and there is no need to operate the first compressor (301), as shown in FIG. 4, the refrigerant can be bypassed through the first bypass path (731) to bypass the first compressor (301) and pass through the second compressor (302) and the internal heat exchanger module (500).

[0097] Additionally, when the cooling / heating load is low and there is no need to operate the second compressor (302), as shown in FIG. 5, the refrigerant can be bypassed through the second bypass path (732) to bypass the second compressor (302) and pass through the first compressor (301) and the internal heat exchanger module (500).

[0098] Additionally, when the cooling / heating load is reduced and the operation of the internal heat exchanger module (500) is not required, the refrigerant may be bypassed through the third bypass path (733) as shown in FIG. 6 and operated to pass through the first compressor (301) and the second compressor (302). When the refrigerant bypasses the internal heat exchanger module (500), the temperature of the refrigerant compressed in the compressor module (300) is lowered, which can also improve the durability of the compressor.

[0099] Additionally, depending on the cooling / heating load, the refrigerant may be operated to pass through the third bypass path (733) and the first bypass path (731) or the third bypass path (733) and the second bypass path (732).

[0100] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of an air conditioning system according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the above-described embodiment, the third bypass path (733) branches off from the front end of the internal heat exchanger module (500), bypasses the internal heat exchanger module (500), and then joins at the rear end of the internal heat exchanger module (500). However, in the air conditioning system of the present embodiment, the third bypass path (743) may be configured such that the refrigerant passing through the evaporator module (200) branches off from the front end before entering the internal heat exchanger module (500), bypasses the internal heat exchanger module (500), and then joins the path where the refrigerant at the rear end of the internal heat exchanger module (500) is guided to the compressor module (300).

[0101] Additionally, the fourth valve (V4) may also be positioned at the point where the third bypass path (743) branches off.

[0102] Therefore, even if the refrigerant that has passed through the condenser module passes through the internal heat exchanger module (500), the refrigerant that has passed through the evaporator module (200) may not pass through the internal heat exchanger module (500) via the third bypass path (743), so that heat exchange may not occur in the internal heat exchanger module (500).

[0104] Meanwhile, a turbo compressor (310) may be applied as at least one of the first compressor (301) and the second compressor (302).

[0105] As shown in FIG. 8, the turbo compressor (310) may include a motor (312) that is rotated by electric power, an impeller (322) that is rotated by the motor (312), and a volute (324) provided around the impeller (322) to guide the refrigerant flowing into the impeller. Additionally, the volute (324) may have an inlet (326) for the refrigerant to be drawn in and an outlet (328) for the refrigerant to be discharged.

[0106] That is, as the impeller (322) rotates, the refrigerant is drawn into the volute (324) and then discharged while being compressed.

[0107] Generally, the refrigerant is drawn into the volute (324) and discharged as it is compressed due to the pressure difference generated by the rotation of the impeller (322). However, if there is a separate power source for circulating the refrigerant in addition to the compressor, the refrigerant can be drawn into the volute (324) and discharged even when the impeller (322) is not rotating. Of course, no compression occurs during this process.

[0108] Accordingly, if at least one of the first compressor (301) and the second compressor (302) is a turbo compressor (310), the same result as bypassing the first compressor (301) or the second compressor (302) can be obtained even if a bypass path that bypasses the turbo compressor (310) is not provided among the first bypass path (731) or the second bypass path (732).

[0109] For example, if both the first compressor (301) and the second compressor (302) are turbo compressors (310), even if the first bypass path (731) and the second bypass path (732) are not provided, if the control unit (740) stops the operation of either the first compressor (301) or the second compressor (302), the refrigerant may pass through the compressor that has stopped operation without compression.

[0110] That is, the inlet (326) and outlet (328) formed in the volute (324) of the compressor that has stopped operating perform the function of a bypass path, and the volute (324) of the first compressor (301) and the volute (324) of the second compressor (302) function as the first bypass path (731) and the second bypass path (732).

[0111] In this case, not only the first bypass path (731) to the second bypass path (732), but also the first valve (V1) to the third valve (V3) that controls the refrigerant path of the first bypass path (731) and the second bypass path (732) may be removed.

[0113] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described, the spirit of the present invention is not limited by the embodiments presented in this specification. Those skilled in the art who understand the spirit of the present invention may easily propose other embodiments within the scope of the same spirit by adding, changing, deleting, or adding components, and such are also to be considered to fall within the scope of the spirit of the present invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0114] 1: HVAC System 100: Condenser Module 200: Evaporator Module 300: Compressor Module 301: First compressor 302: Second compressor 310: Turbo compressor 312: Motor 322: Impeller 324: Volute 326: Entrance 328: Exit 400: Expansion valve module 500: Internal heat exchanger module 700: Bypass Euro section 701: First refrigerant guide path 702: Second refrigerant guide path 703: Third refrigerant guide path 711: 1st Branch 712: 2nd Branch 713: 3rd branch pipe V1: 1st valve V2: 2nd valve V3: 3rd valve V4: 4th valve 731: 1st bypass path 732: 2nd Bypass Euro 733: 3rd Bypass Euro 743: 3rd Bypass Euro 740: Control Unit

Claims

Claim 1 An air conditioning system in which the flow path of a refrigerant is controlled, comprising: a compressor module including a plurality of compressors for compressing a refrigerant; a condenser module in which the compressed refrigerant supplied from the compressor module is condensed by heat exchange with cooling water; an expansion valve module in which the refrigerant condensed in the condenser module is expanded; an evaporator module in which the refrigerant condensed in the condenser module is evaporated by heat exchange; and a bypass flow path section for controlling the flow path of the refrigerant so that the refrigerant selectively bypasses some of the plurality of compressors. Claim 2 An air conditioning system in which the flow path of a refrigerant is controlled, further comprising an internal heat exchanger module disposed between the condenser module and the expansion valve module, wherein the refrigerant passing through the condenser module and the refrigerant passing through the evaporator module exchange heat with each other. Claim 3 In paragraph 2, the bypass flow path section controls the flow path of the refrigerant so that the refrigerant selectively bypasses the internal heat exchanger module, in an air conditioning system in which the flow path of the refrigerant is controlled. Claim 4 In claim 1, the compressor module comprises: a first compressor; a second compressor; a first refrigerant guide path that guides refrigerant to the inlet of the first compressor; a second refrigerant guide path that guides refrigerant compressed in the first compressor to the second compressor; and a third refrigerant guide path that guides refrigerant discharged from the second compressor to the condenser module; and the bypass path section comprises: a first branch pipe that branches off from the first refrigerant guide path and bypasses the first compressor; a second branch pipe that is connected to the first branch pipe and bypasses the second compressor to join the third refrigerant guide path; and a third branch pipe that branches off at the point where the first branch pipe and the second branch pipe are connected and joins the second refrigerant guide path; wherein the first branch pipe and the third branch pipe form a first bypass path that bypasses the first compressor, and the second branch pipe and the third branch pipe are the An air conditioning system in which the refrigerant path is controlled to form a second bypass path that bypasses a second compressor. Claim 5 In claim 4, the bypass flow path comprises: a first valve installed at the point where the first branch pipe and the first refrigerant guide flow path branch off; a second valve installed at the point where the second refrigerant guide flow path and the third branch pipe branch off; and a third valve installed at the point where the third branch pipe and the second branch pipe meet; thereby controlling the flow path of the refrigerant in the air conditioning system. Claim 6 In paragraph 3, the air conditioning system in which the flow path of a refrigerant is controlled comprises: a third bypass flow path that branches off from the front end of the internal heat exchanger module, bypasses the internal heat exchanger module, and then joins at the rear end of the internal heat exchanger module; and a fourth valve that opens and closes the third bypass flow path. Claim 7 An air conditioning system in which a refrigerant flow path is controlled, further comprising: a control unit that controls the opening and closing of the bypass flow path according to the air conditioning load in paragraph 3.

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