Ball valve, heat pump system including ball valve, and control method thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a ball valve, a heat pump system including the ball valve, and a control method thereof. The present invention includes a valve housing having three T-shaped openings and a ball having two different types of flow paths, and thus can control the flow of a refrigerant in up to six modes. Accordingly, the present invention can reduce the number of expansion valves applied to the heat pump system, thereby simplifying the control algorithm and the circuit shape of the refrigerant and reducing the manufacturing costs.

Description

Heat pump system including ball valve and ball valve and control method thereof

[0001] The present invention relates to a ball valve and a heat pump system including the ball valve.

[0002]

[0003] As with many other interior spaces, vehicles require cooling and heating to ensure passenger comfort. In this regard, heating devices for use in vehicles have been proposed in the past. Furthermore, flow valves for commonly used air conditioners have been proposed. However, heat pump systems have the disadvantage of requiring an additional expansion valve to expand the refrigerant.

[0004] Accordingly, conventional expansion valves have been proposed for applying heat pump systems to vehicles. More specifically, the structure of the existing expansion valve is a 3 / 2-way expansion valve, comprising a housing with one inlet and two outlets, and a ball embedded in the inner center of the housing and designed with a communication port and an expansion slot.

[0005] However, in the case of the existing 3 / 2-way expansion valve, it was difficult to apply it to a complex heat pump system because it was configured so that the refrigerant flowing into the inlet could only expand to one outlet. Even if it was applied, it required two or more expansion valves, which increased the manufacturing cost, increased the control difficulty, and had the problem of complicating the refrigerant circuit structure.

[0006]

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and the purpose of the present invention is to provide a ball valve and a heat pump system including the ball valve and a control method thereof, which can control the flow of refrigerant in up to six modes by including a valve housing having three T-shaped openings and a ball having two different types of flow paths, thereby reducing the number of expansion valves applied to the heat pump system, simplifying the control algorithm and the circuit shape of the refrigerant, and reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0008]

[0009] In order to solve the above-described problem, a ball valve according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a ball having one side coupled to a shaft and rotating around the shaft, and a valve housing having a ball inserted therein, one end in contact with the ball, the other end communicating with an external space, and including a first outlet, a second outlet, and a third outlet that are different from each other, wherein refrigerant flows inside the ball and the valve housing, and the refrigerant is formed such that the refrigerant can be introduced through one of the first outlet, the second outlet, and the third outlet according to the rotation of the ball, and the expanded refrigerant can be discharged through at least one of the remaining two outlets.

[0010] In addition, the first outlet and the second outlet are positioned facing each other, and the third outlet is formed in a different direction from the first outlet and the second outlet.

[0011] In addition, the ball valve is characterized by including a first channel formed on the outer surface to a predetermined depth and extending along the circumferential direction centered on the rotational axis of the ball, and communicating with or closing the first inlet / outlet and the second inlet / outlet according to the rotation of the ball, a second channel including a 2-1 channel extended in the direction of the rotational axis of the ball and having one end communicated with the third inlet / outlet, and a 2-2 channel extended along the radial direction of the ball, having one end communicated with the other end of the 2-1 channel and the other end communicated with the outside of the ball.

[0012] Additionally, the first euro and the second-second euro are characterized in that they are formed at the same height based on the axial direction of the ball.

[0013] In addition, one end of the first euro and one end of the second-second euro are spaced apart by a predetermined distance in the circumferential direction centered on the rotational axis of the ball, and the distance is characterized by being shorter than the diameter of the first inlet and the second inlet.

[0014] In addition, when one end of the first euro is connected to the first outlet, the other end of the first euro is extended to be connected to the second outlet.

[0015] In addition, when one end of the first euro and at least a part of the second-second euro are simultaneously connected to the first outlet, the first euro is characterized in that it is extended so that the other end is connected to the second outlet.

[0016] In addition, when one end of the first flow path and a part of the second-second flow path are simultaneously connected to the first outlet, at least a part of the refrigerant passes through the first flow path, expands, and is connected to the second outlet, and the refrigerant that does not pass through the first flow path passes through the second-second flow path, expands, and flows toward the third outlet through the second-first flow path.

[0017] In addition, when one end of the first euro is not connected to the first outlet and the second outlet, and the other end of the first euro is also not connected to the first outlet and the second outlet, the second-second euro is characterized in that it is connected to either the first outlet or the second outlet.

[0018] In addition, when a part of the second-second flow path is connected to the first inlet or the second inlet, the refrigerant flowing through the second-second flow path expands and flows toward the third inlet through the second-first flow path.

[0019] In addition, when the entire 2-2nd flow path is connected to the first inlet or the second inlet, the refrigerant flowing through the 2-2nd flow path does not expand and flows toward the third inlet through the 2-1 flow path.

[0020] A heat pump system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a ball valve of the first aspect, a first heat exchanger communicating with a first inlet / outlet, a second heat exchanger communicating with a second inlet / outlet, a third heat exchanger communicating with a third inlet / outlet, and a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, wherein the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, the third heat exchanger, and the compressor are connected to each other through a pipe.

[0021] In addition, the first heat exchanger is a double-pipe heat exchanger that is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger, the accumulator, and the compressor to exchange heat with the fluid flowing in and out, the second heat exchanger is an evaporator, and the third heat exchanger is a chiller.

[0022] Additionally, the heat pump system includes an HVAC including a second heat exchanger therein, the HVAC including a fourth heat exchanger and a fifth heat exchanger therein, the fourth heat exchanger being an indoor heat exchanger, the fifth heat exchanger being a PTC heater, and the indoor heat exchanger being connected to the compressor through piping.

[0023] In addition, the heat pump system is characterized in that it further includes a four-way valve that is connected to the fourth heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, the accumulator, and the outdoor heat exchanger through a flow path, and selectively opens and closes the connected flow path.

[0024] In addition, the controller includes a step of (a) determining a mode of the ball valve, and a step of (b) rotating the ball according to the mode of the ball valve determined in step (a), and in step (a), if the mode of the ball valve determined is a predetermined first mode, step (b) includes a step of (b1) rotating the ball so that both ends of the first flow path are communicated with the first outlet and the second outlet, respectively, and the refrigerant expands and flows out from the first outlet toward the second outlet, and in step (a), if the mode of the ball valve determined is a predetermined second mode, step (b) includes a step of (b2) rotating the ball so that one end of the first flow path and one end of the second-second flow path are communicated with the first outlet, the other end of the first flow path is communicated with the second outlet, and at least a part of the refrigerant passes through the first flow path and expands and flows out to the second outlet, and the refrigerant that does not pass through the first flow path is A step of rotating a ball so that the refrigerant flows through the 2-2 flow path, expands, and flows toward the third outlet through the 2-1 flow path, and in step (a), if the mode of the ball valve determined is a predetermined third mode, step (b) comprises: (b3) a step of rotating the ball so that one end portion of the 2-2 flow path is communicated with the first outlet, and refrigerant flows in from the first outlet, expands, and flows out from the third outlet through the 2-2 flow path and the 2-1 flow path, and in step (a), if the mode of the ball valve determined is a predetermined fourth mode, step (b) comprises: (b4) a step of rotating the ball so that one end portion of the 2-2 flow path is communicated with the second outlet, and refrigerant flows in from the second outlet, expands, and flows out toward the third outlet through the 2-2 flow path and the 2-1 flow path.

[0025] In addition, in step (a), when the mode of the determined ball valve is a predetermined fifth mode, step (b) is characterized by including a step of rotating the ball so that (b5) the entire end of the second-second euro is connected to the first outlet and the refrigerant flows from the first outlet to the third outlet without expansion.

[0026] In addition, in step (a), when the mode of the determined ball valve is a predetermined sixth mode, step (b) is characterized by including a step of rotating the ball so that (b6) the entire end of the second-second euro is connected to the second outlet and the refrigerant flows from the second outlet along the third outlet without expansion.

[0027]

[0028] The ball valve of the present invention and the heat pump system including the ball valve and the control method thereof as described above can control the flow of refrigerant in up to six modes by including a valve housing having three T-shaped openings and a ball having two different types of flow paths, thereby reducing the number of expansion valves applied to the heat pump system, simplifying the control algorithm and the circuit shape of the refrigerant, and reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0029]

[0030] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the entire ball valve of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the ball valve of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the ball valve of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the ball of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the ball of the present invention.

[0035] Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a cross-section of a ball valve of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the ball valve of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 8 is a table schematically illustrating each mode of the ball valve of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the refrigerant flow and the ball phase in the first mode of the ball valve of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing the refrigerant flow and the ball phase in the second mode of the ball valve of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing the refrigerant flow and the ball phase in the third mode of the ball valve of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing the refrigerant flow and the ball phase in the fourth mode of the ball valve of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing the refrigerant flow and the ball phase in the fifth mode of the ball valve of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram showing the refrigerant flow and the ball phase in the sixth mode of the ball valve of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of a heat pump system including a ball valve of the present invention.

[0045]

[0046] Hereinafter, the technical concept of the present invention will be described in more detail using the attached drawings. Prior to this, it should be noted that the terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be construed as limited to their conventional or dictionary meanings. Based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of a term to best explain his or her invention, they should be interpreted in a way that aligns with the technical concept of the present invention.

[0047] Hereinafter, the basic configuration of the ball valve (100) of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0048] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ball valve (100) of the present invention may include a valve housing (120) and a ball (110). More specifically, the ball (110) may have one end coupled to a shaft (S) and may rotate around the shaft (S). At this time, the shaft (S) may be connected to an actuator (A) to rotate and rotate the ball (110). In addition, the valve housing (120) may include a first outlet (121), a second outlet (122), and a third outlet (123) that are different from each other, with one end in contact with the ball (110) and the other end communicating with the external space. At this time, as illustrated in FIG. 3, seals (S2, S3, S4) that prevent refrigerant leakage may be combined at the corners where the first outlet (121), the second outlet (122), the third outlet (123) and the ball (110) come into contact. In addition, the ball valve (100) of the present invention may include a detachment prevention member (S1) that supports the components inside the valve housing so that they do not detach.

[0049] At this time, the first inlet / outlet (121) and the second inlet / outlet (122) are formed in a direction parallel to each other and formed at the same height, and the third inlet / outlet (123) can be formed in a direction perpendicular to the first inlet / outlet (121) and the second inlet / outlet (122). That is, the first inlet / outlet (121), the second inlet / outlet (122), and the third inlet / outlet (123) can be formed in a T shape with a ball (110) placed in the center. Each of the first inlet / outlet (121), the second inlet / outlet (122), and the third inlet / outlet (123) can all function as an inlet through which refrigerant flows in according to the operation of the heat pump system described later, and can also function as an outlet through which refrigerant flows out.

[0050] In this way, by including a ball (110) inserted and rotating inside the valve housing (120), the degree of opening of the first outlet (121), the second outlet (122), and the third outlet (123) can be controlled, thereby determining the flow path of the refrigerant and whether or not the refrigerant expands.

[0051] Hereinafter, the ball (110) of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.

[0052] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the ball (110) may include a first flow path (111) and a second flow path (112) that are formed separately from each other. More specifically, the first flow path (111) is formed on the outer surface to a predetermined depth, extends in a circumferential direction centered on the rotational axis of the ball (110), and may be connected to or closed with the first inlet / outlet (121) and the second inlet / outlet (122) depending on the rotation of the ball (110). In addition, the second flow path (112) may include a second flow path (112a) that extends in the direction of the rotation axis of the ball (110) and has one end communicated with the third inlet / outlet (123), and a second flow path (112b) that extends along the radial direction of the ball (110) and has one end communicated with the other end of the second flow path (112a) and the other end communicated with the outside of the ball (110).

[0053] The first flow path (111) can be formed in the shape of a shallow slit groove on the side of the ball (110), and thus the refrigerant can be induced to expand while flowing through the first flow path (111), thereby allowing the refrigerant to be cooled instantaneously. On the other hand, the 2-1 flow path (112a) can be formed to penetrate the ball (110) in the axial direction, and the flow cross-sectional area can be the same as that of the third inlet / outlet (123) with which it is connected within a predetermined error range. Accordingly, the refrigerant flowing in and out through the third inlet / outlet (123) and flowing through the 2-1 flow path (112a) can be induced not to expand. In addition, the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the 2-2 flow path (112b) that penetrates the ball (110) in the radial direction can be changed according to the phase of the ball (110), and thus, whether or not the refrigerant flowing through the 2-2 flow path (112b) expands can be varied. Accordingly, the mode of the ball valve (100) can be changed.

[0054] Specifically, one end of the 2-2 flow path (112b) communicating with the outside of the ball (110) may be formed in a narrow slit shape. Furthermore, one end of the 2-2 flow path (112b) may be fully or partially connected to the first inlet / outlet (121) or the second inlet / outlet (122) depending on the phase of the ball (110). If the entire flow path is fully connected, the refrigerant does not expand and flows in as is. However, if a portion of the flow path is partially connected, the refrigerant may expand while passing through the narrow flow path of one end of the 2-2 flow path.

[0055] Furthermore, the first flow path (111) and the second-second flow path (112b) may be formed at the same height based on the axial direction of the ball (110). At this time, the axial heights of the first flow path (111) and the second-second flow path (112b) may be the same as the axial heights of the first inlet / outlet (121) and the second inlet / outlet (122). Accordingly, when the ball (110) rotates around the rotation axis, the communication between the first flow path (111) and the second-second flow path (112b) and the first inlet / outlet (121) and the second inlet / outlet (122) may be changed, and the mode of the ball valve (100) may be changed depending on the direction in which the refrigerant flows in and out and whether the refrigerant expands or not.

[0056] In addition, the extension length of the first flow path (111) may be greater than the limit length of the radii of the first inlet / outlet (121) and the second inlet / outlet (122) at half the maximum circumference of the ball (110), and may be less than the sum of the radii of the first inlet / outlet (121) and the second inlet / outlet (122) at half the maximum circumference of the ball (110). Accordingly, the first flow path (111) may be connected at both ends with both the first inlet / outlet (121) and the second inlet / outlet (122) depending on the phase of the ball (110), or may be connected with only one of the first inlet / outlet (121) and the second inlet / outlet (122), and multiple modes may be implemented.

[0057] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 5, one end of the first flow path (111) and one end of the second-second flow path (112b) may be spaced apart by a predetermined distance a in the circumferential direction centered on the rotation axis of the ball (110). At this time, the distance a may be a shorter distance between the first flow path (111) and the second-second flow path (112b). The distance a may be shorter than the diameters of the first inlet / outlet (121) and the second inlet / outlet (122). Accordingly, either one of the first inlet / outlet (121) and the second inlet / outlet (122) may be simultaneously connected to the first flow path (111) and the second-second flow path (112b), and multiple modes may be implemented.

[0058] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the ball (110) may include a shaft coupling groove (113) coupled to a shaft (S) on one side. The shaft coupling groove (113) may be formed on the opposite side of the 2-1 flow path (112a).

[0059] Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the ball (110) can be inserted into the interior of the valve housing (120) so as to be in contact with all of the first outlet (121), the second outlet (122), and the third outlet (133) of the valve housing (120), and the shaft (S) can be coupled to the coupling groove (113) and rotated by the shaft (S).

[0060] Hereinafter, each mode of the ball valve (100) of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 8 to 14.

[0061] The ball valve (100) of the present invention may include modes 1 through 6, as illustrated in FIG. 8. Each mode may be a mode depending on the direction in which the refrigerant flows in and out and whether or not the refrigerant expands. Each mode is described in more detail in the following paragraphs.

[0062] The first mode of the ball valve (100) of the present invention is a mode in which the refrigerant flows from the first inlet / outlet (121) to the second inlet / outlet (122), as illustrated in FIG. 9(a), but the expanded refrigerant flows out, and the inlet / outlet of the refrigerant to the third inlet / outlet (123) may be blocked. To achieve this, as illustrated in FIG. 9(b), the phase of the ball (110) may be adjusted so that both ends of the first flow path (111) are positioned in communication with the first inlet / outlet (121) and the second inlet / outlet (122), respectively. Accordingly, the 2-2 flow path (112b) may not be in communication with the 1st flow inlet (121) and the 2nd flow inlet (122), and therefore, the refrigerant flow in and out through the 2-1 flow path (112a) and the 3rd flow inlet (123) that are in communication with the 2-2 flow path (112b) may be blocked.

[0063] The second mode of the ball valve (100) of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 10 may be a mode in which, as illustrated in (a) of FIG. 10, refrigerant can be introduced from the first inlet / outlet (121), and then the refrigerant flows both toward the second inlet / outlet (122) and the third inlet / outlet (123), but the expanded refrigerant flows out from the second inlet / outlet (122) and the third inlet / outlet (123). To implement this, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 10, the phase of the ball (110) may be adjusted so that one end of the first flow path (111) and a portion of one end of the second-second flow path (112b) are both positioned in communication with the first inlet / outlet (121). Accordingly, the refrigerant flowing toward the first flow path (111) can be expanded and cooled when flowing out of the first flow path (111), and the refrigerant flowing toward the second-second flow path (112b) from the first inlet / outlet (121) can also be expanded and cooled when flowing out of the second-second flow path (112b) from the second-second flow path (112b) to the second-first flow path (112a) because the flow cross-sectional area is reduced due to the second-second flow path (112b) being only partially connected to the first inlet / outlet (121).

[0064] The third mode of the ball valve (100) of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 11 is a mode in which the refrigerant flows from the first inlet / outlet (121) to the third inlet / outlet (123), as illustrated in (a) of FIG. 11, but the expanded refrigerant flows out, and the inlet / outlet of the refrigerant to the second inlet / outlet (122) may be blocked. To implement this, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 11, the phase of the ball (110) may be adjusted so that one end of the second-second flow path (112b) is positioned in communication with the first inlet / outlet (121). At this time, since only a part of the 2-2 flow path (112b) is connected to the 1st inlet / outlet (121), the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the 2-2 flow path (112b) can be reduced, and the refrigerant can be expanded and cooled when flowing from the 2-2 flow path (112b) to the 2-1 flow path (112a).

[0065] Also, naturally, the first euro (111) may be in communication only with the second inlet / outlet (122), and therefore, the second inlet / outlet (122) may not be in communication with the first inlet / outlet (121) and the third inlet / outlet (123), so that the inflow / outflow of refrigerant may be blocked.

[0066] The fourth mode of the ball valve (100) of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 12 is a mode in which the refrigerant flows from the second inlet / outlet (122) to the third inlet / outlet (123), as illustrated in (a) of FIG. 12, but the expanded refrigerant flows out, and the inlet / outlet of the refrigerant to the first inlet / outlet (121) may be blocked. To implement this, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 12, the phase of the ball (110) may be adjusted so that one end of the second-second flow path (112b) is positioned in communication with the second inlet / outlet (122). At this time, since only a part of the 2-2nd flow path (112b) is connected to the 1st inlet / outlet (121), the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the 2-2nd flow path (112b) can be reduced, and the refrigerant can be expanded and cooled when flowing from the 2-2nd flow path (112b) to the 2-1st flow path (112a).

[0067] Also, naturally, the first euro (111) may be in communication only with the first inlet / outlet (121), and thus the first inlet / outlet (121) may not be in communication with the second inlet / outlet (122) and the third inlet / outlet (123), so that the inflow / outflow of the refrigerant may be blocked. That is, the fourth mode illustrated in Fig. 12 is a mode in which the phase of the ball (110) is approximately 180 degrees opposite to that of the third mode illustrated in Fig. 11.

[0068] The fifth mode of the ball valve (100) of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 13 is a mode in which the refrigerant flows from the first inlet / outlet (121) toward the third inlet / outlet (123) as illustrated in (a) of FIG. 13, but the refrigerant does not expand, and the inflow / outflow of the refrigerant to the second inlet / outlet (122) may be blocked. To implement this, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 13, the phase of the ball (110) may be adjusted so that one end of the 2-2 flow path (112b) is positioned in a position in communication with the first inlet / outlet (121). Accordingly, the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the 2-2 flow path (112b) may not change, and expansion does not occur when the refrigerant flows out from the 2-2 flow path (112b).

[0069] The sixth mode of the ball valve (100) of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 14 is a mode in which the refrigerant flows from the second inlet / outlet (122) toward the third inlet / outlet (123) as illustrated in FIG. 14 (a), but the refrigerant does not expand, and the inflow / outflow of the refrigerant to the first inlet / outlet (121) may be blocked. To implement this, as illustrated in FIG. 14 (b), the phase of the ball (110) may be adjusted so that one end of the 2-2 flow path (112b) is positioned in communication with the 2nd flow path (122). Accordingly, the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the 2-2 flow path (112b) may not change, and the refrigerant does not expand when flowing out from the 2-2 flow path (112b). That is, the 5th mode illustrated in FIG. 13 is a mode in which the phase of the ball (110) is approximately 180 degrees opposite to that of the 6th mode illustrated in FIG. 14.

[0070] Hereinafter, the heat pump system (1000) of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 15.

[0071] As illustrated in FIG. 15, the present invention may include the ball valve (100) described above, a first heat exchanger (200) communicating with the first inlet / outlet (121), a second heat exchanger (300) communicating with the second inlet / outlet (122), and a third heat exchanger (400) communicating with the third inlet / outlet (123). At this time, the first heat exchanger (200) may be a double-pipe heat exchanger that communicates with the outdoor heat exchanger (500), the accumulator (600), and the compressor (700) to exchange heat between the fluids flowing in and out. At this time, the accumulator (600), i.e., the gas-liquid separator, may perform the function of separating the liquid refrigerant among the refrigerants flowing in and discharging the gaseous refrigerant. The second heat exchanger (300) may be an evaporator, and the third heat exchanger (400) may be a chiller.

[0072] In addition, the heat pump system (1000) may include an HVAC (800). The HVAC (800) may include a second heat exchanger (300), a fourth heat exchanger (810), and a fifth heat exchanger (820) therein. In this case, the fourth heat exchanger (810) may be an indoor heat exchanger, and the fifth heat exchanger (820) may be a PTC heater. The fourth heat exchanger (810) may be connected to the compressor (700) through a pipe. In addition, the heat pump system (1000) may further include a four-way valve (900) that is connected to the fourth heat exchanger (810), the second heat exchanger (300), the accumulator (600), and the outdoor heat exchanger (500) through a flow path, and selectively opens and closes the connected flow path.

[0073] By configuring the heat pump system (1000) in this way, the flow of refrigerant flowing through the first heat exchanger (200), the second heat exchanger (300), and the third heat exchanger (400) can all be controlled with just one ball valve (100) having an expansion function, simplifying the control algorithm of the heat pump system (1000) and the circuit shape of the refrigerant, and reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0074] Hereinafter, the control method of the heat pump system of the present invention will be described in more detail.

[0075] The heat pump system (1000) of the present invention may include a controller capable of controlling an actuator (A) that adjusts the phase of a ball (110) included in a ball valve (100), and a control method of the heat pump system may be performed by the controller. More specifically, the control method of the heat pump system may include (a) a step of determining a mode of the ball valve (100), and (b) a step of rotating the ball (110) according to the mode of the ball valve (100) determined in step (a).

[0076] In step (a), if the mode of the determined ball valve (100) is a predetermined first mode, step (b) may include a step of rotating the ball (110) so that both ends of the first flow path (111) are connected to the first inlet / outlet (121) and the second inlet / outlet (122), respectively. Accordingly, a first mode can be implemented in which the refrigerant flows from the first inlet / outlet (121) to the second inlet / outlet (122) but the expanded refrigerant flows out, and the refrigerant flows out to the third inlet / outlet (123) in a blocked manner.

[0077] In addition, in step (a), if the mode of the determined ball valve (100) is a predetermined second mode, step (b) may include a step of rotating the ball (110) so that one end of the first flow path (111) and one end of the second-second flow path (112b) are connected to the first inlet / outlet (121) and the other end of the first flow path (111) is connected to the second inlet / outlet (122). Accordingly, the second mode, which is a mode in which the refrigerant can be introduced from the first inlet / outlet (121) and then flows toward both the second inlet / outlet (122) and the third inlet / outlet (123) and the expanded refrigerant is discharged from the second inlet / outlet (122) and the third inlet / outlet (123), may be implemented.

[0078] In more detail, in the second mode, the refrigerant flowing toward the first flow path (111) can be expanded and cooled when flowing out of the first flow path (111), and the refrigerant flowing toward the 2-2 flow path (112b) from the first inlet / outlet (121) can also be expanded and cooled when flowing out from the 2-2 flow path (112b) to the 2-1 flow path (112a) because the 2-2 flow path (112b) is only partially connected to the first inlet / outlet (121) and the flow cross-sectional area is reduced.

[0079] In addition, in step (a), if the mode of the determined ball valve (100) is a predetermined third mode, step (b) may include a step of rotating the ball (110) so that a part of the second-second flow path (112b) (b3) is connected to the first inlet / outlet (121). Accordingly, a third mode can be implemented in which the refrigerant flows from the first inlet / outlet (121) to the third inlet / outlet (123), but the expanded refrigerant flows out, and the refrigerant flows out to the second inlet / outlet (122) and is blocked.

[0080] In more detail, since only a part of the 2-2nd flow path (112b) is connected to the 1st inlet / outlet (121), the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the 2-2nd flow path (112b) may be reduced, and the refrigerant may be expanded and cooled when flowing from the 2-2nd flow path (112b) to the 2-1st flow path (112a). In addition, naturally, the 1st flow path (111) may be connected only to the 2nd inlet / outlet (122), and therefore, the 2nd inlet / outlet (122) may not be connected to the 1st inlet / outlet (121) and the 3rd inlet / outlet (123), so that the inlet / outlet of the refrigerant may be blocked.

[0081] In addition, in step (a), if the mode of the determined ball valve (100) is a predetermined fourth mode, step (b) may include a step of rotating the ball (110) so that a portion of the second-second flow path (112b) (b4) is connected to the second inlet / outlet (122). Accordingly, a fourth mode can be implemented in which the refrigerant flows from the second inlet / outlet (122) to the third inlet / outlet (123), but the expanded refrigerant flows out, and the refrigerant flows out to the first inlet / outlet (121) and is blocked.

[0082] At this time, since only a part of the 2-2nd flow path (112b) is connected to the 1st inlet / outlet (121), the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the 2-2nd flow path (112b) may be reduced, and the refrigerant may be expanded and cooled when flowing from the 2-2nd flow path (112b) to the 2-1st flow path (112a). In addition, naturally, the 1st flow path (111) may be connected only to the 1st inlet / outlet (121), and therefore, the 1st inlet / outlet (121) may not be connected to the 2nd inlet / outlet (122) and the 3rd inlet / outlet (123), and thus the refrigerant inlet / outlet may be blocked.

[0083] In addition, in step (a), if the mode of the determined ball valve (100) is a predetermined fifth mode, step (b) may include a step of rotating the ball (110) so that one end of the second-second flow path (112b) is in communication with the first inlet / outlet (121). Accordingly, the fifth mode can be implemented in which the refrigerant flows from the first inlet / outlet (121) toward the third inlet / outlet (123) but does not expand, and the inlet / outlet of the refrigerant to the second inlet / outlet (122) is blocked. That is, by adjusting the phase of the ball (110) so that the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the second-second fluid does not change, expansion may not occur when the refrigerant flows out from the second-second flow path (112b).

[0084] In addition, in step (a), if the mode of the determined ball valve (100) is a predetermined sixth mode, step (b) may include a step of rotating the ball (110) so that one end of the second-second flow path (112b) is in communication with the second inlet / outlet (122). Accordingly, the sixth mode can be implemented in which the refrigerant flows from the second inlet / outlet (122) toward the third inlet / outlet (123) but the refrigerant does not expand, and the refrigerant inlet / outlet to the first inlet / outlet (121) is blocked. That is, by adjusting the phase of the ball (110) so that the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the second-second fluid does not change, expansion may not occur when the refrigerant flows out from the second-second flow path (112b).

[0085] The technical concept of the present invention should not be construed solely based on the above-described embodiments. The scope of application is diverse, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed in the claims. Therefore, such improvements and modifications, as long as they are obvious to those skilled in the art, fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A ball having one side joined to a shaft and rotating around the shaft; and A valve housing having a ball inserted therein, one end in contact with the ball, the other end communicating with an external space, and including different first outlets, second outlets, and third outlets; A ball valve characterized in that it includes a mode in which refrigerant flows inside the ball and the valve housing, refrigerant flows in through one of the first outlet, the second outlet, and the third outlet according to the rotation of the ball, and the expanded refrigerant flows out through the remaining two outlets.

2. In paragraph 1, The above first outlet and the above second outlet are positioned facing each other, A ball valve characterized in that the third outlet is formed in a different direction from the first outlet and the second outlet.

3. In paragraph 2, The above ball valve, A first flow path formed on the outer surface to a predetermined depth and extending along the circumferential direction centered on the rotational axis of the ball, and communicating with or closing the first inlet / outlet and the second inlet / outlet according to the rotation of the ball; A ball valve characterized by including a second channel including a 2-1 channel that extends in the direction of the rotation axis of the ball and has one end communicated with the third inlet / outlet port, and a 2-2 channel that extends along the radial direction of the ball and has one end communicated with the other end of the 2-1 channel and the other end communicated with the outside of the ball.

4. In paragraph 3, A ball valve characterized in that the first euro and the second-second euro are formed at the same height based on the axial direction of the ball.

5. In paragraph 3, One end of the first euro and one end of the second-second euro are spaced apart by a predetermined distance based on the circumferential direction centered on the rotation axis of the ball. The above distance is, A ball valve characterized in that the diameter of the first outlet and the second outlet is shorter than that of the first outlet and the second outlet.

6. In paragraph 3, A ball valve characterized in that when one end of the first euro is connected to the first outlet, the other end of the first euro is extended to be connected to the second outlet.

7. In paragraph 6, When at least one end of the first euro and at least a part of the second-second euro are simultaneously connected to the first inlet / outlet, The above first euro is, A ball valve characterized in that the other end is formed to be extended so as to be connected to the second inlet / outlet port.

8. In paragraph 7, When one end of the above first euro and a part of the above second-second euro are simultaneously connected to the above first inlet / outlet, At least a portion of said refrigerant passes through said first passage and expands and communicates to said second outlet, A ball valve characterized in that the refrigerant that has not passed through the first passage passes through the second-second passage, expands, and flows toward the third inlet / outlet through the second-first passage.

9. In paragraph 3, If one end of the first euro is not connected to the first outlet and the second outlet, and the other end of the first euro is also not connected to the first outlet and the second outlet, A ball valve characterized in that the above 2-2 euro is connected to either the first outlet or the second outlet.

10. In paragraph 9, If a part of the above 2-2 Euro is connected to the first outlet or the second outlet, A ball valve characterized in that the refrigerant flowing through the 2-2nd passage expands and flows toward the 3rd inlet / outlet port through the 2-1st passage.

11. In paragraph 9, If the entirety of the above 2-2 Euro is connected to the above 1st inlet or the above 2nd inlet, Among the above refrigerants, the refrigerant flowing through the second-second passage does not expand, A ball valve characterized in that it flows toward the third inlet / outlet side through the above-mentioned 2-1 euro.

12. Ball valve of clause 1; A first heat exchanger communicating with the first inlet / outlet port; A second heat exchanger communicating with the second inlet / outlet port; a third heat exchanger communicating with the third inlet / outlet; and A compressor for compressing the above refrigerant is included; A heat pump system, characterized in that the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, the third heat exchanger, and the compressor are connected to each other through pipes.

13. In paragraph 12, The above first heat exchanger, It is a double-pipe heat exchanger that is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger, accumulator, and compressor to exchange heat between the inflow and outflow fluids. The above second heat exchanger is an evaporator, A heat pump system, characterized in that the third heat exchanger is a chiller.

14. In paragraph 13, The above heat pump system, HVAC including the second heat exchanger therein; The above HVAC, Containing a fourth heat exchanger and a fifth heat exchanger inside, The above fourth heat exchanger is an indoor heat exchanger, The above fifth heat exchanger is a PTC heater, A heat pump system, characterized in that the indoor heat exchanger is connected to the compressor through piping.

15. In paragraph 14, The above heat pump system, A heat pump system characterized by further comprising a four-way valve that is connected to the fourth heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, the accumulator, and the outdoor heat exchanger through a flow path and selectively opens and closes the connected flow path.

16. In a control method of a heat pump system that controls the heat pump system of Article 12, The controller, (a) a step of determining the mode of the ball valve; and (b) a step of rotating the ball according to the mode of the ball valve determined in step (a); In the step (a) above, if the mode of the ball valve determined is a predetermined first mode, Step (b) above, (b1) a step of rotating the ball so that both ends of the first flow path formed in the ball are connected to the first inlet and the second inlet, respectively, and the refrigerant expands and flows out from the first inlet and the second inlet, In the step (a) above, if the mode of the ball valve determined is a predetermined second mode, Step (b) above, (b2) a step of rotating the ball so that one end of the first flow path and one end of the second-second flow path formed in the ball are connected to the first inlet and outlet, the other end of the first flow path is connected to the second inlet and outlet, at least a portion of the refrigerant passes through the first flow path and expands to be connected to the second inlet and outlet, and the refrigerant that has not passed through the first flow path expands to pass through the second-second flow path and flows toward the third inlet and outlet through the second-first flow path formed in the ball; In the above step (a), if the mode of the ball valve determined is a predetermined third mode, Step (b) above, (b3) a step of rotating the ball so that a part of the 2-2nd flow path is connected to the first inlet / outlet, and the refrigerant flows in from the first inlet / outlet, passes through the 2-2nd flow path and the 2-1 flow path, and expands and flows out from the third inlet / outlet side; In the step (a) above, if the mode of the ball valve determined is a predetermined fourth mode, Step (b) above, (b4) A control method of a heat pump system, characterized in that it includes a step of rotating the ball so that a part of the 2-2nd flow path is connected to the 2nd inlet / outlet, and the refrigerant flows in from the 2nd inlet / outlet, expands and flows out toward the 3rd inlet / outlet through the 2-2nd flow path and the 2-1 flow path.

17. In paragraph 16, In the above step (a), if the mode of the ball valve determined is a predetermined fifth mode, Step (b) above, (b5) A control method of a heat pump system, characterized in that it comprises a step of rotating the ball so that one end of the second-second euro is connected to the first inlet and outlet, and the refrigerant flows from the first inlet and outlet along the third inlet and outlet without expanding.

18. In paragraph 16, In the above step (a), if the mode of the ball valve determined is the predetermined 6th mode, Step (b) above, (b6) A control method of a heat pump system, characterized in that it comprises a step of rotating the ball so that one end of the second-second euro is connected to the second inlet and outlet, and the refrigerant flows from the second inlet and outlet along the third inlet without expanding.

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