Outdoor unit and heat pump device

Abstract

An outdoor unit housing (5) in this outdoor unit (3) is provided with a water circuit device accommodation space (13a) that accommodates the water circuit device (45), and a refrigerant circuit device accommodation space (13b) that accommodates a refrigerant circuit device (35). The water circuit device accommodation space (13a) and the refrigerant circuit device accommodation space (13b) are positioned so as to be aligned along a front-surface part (6). In the water circuit device accommodation space (13a), a pump (71) is fixed to a bottom-surface part (11). A triangular-prism-form frame (91) is disposed on the bottom-surface part (11) so as to cover the pump (71). An expansion tank (77) is disposed above the pump (71) by being placed on the triangular-prism-form frame (91) disposed so as to cover the pump (71).

Description

Outdoor units and heat pump devices

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an outdoor unit and a heat pump device.

[0002] Conventionally, there is a heat pump device that uses a heat pump cycle to heat or cool water, for example, for air conditioning (Patent Document 1). In such a heat pump device, water flowing through a water circuit exchanges heat with a refrigerant flowing through a refrigerant circuit, and the water that has undergone this heat exchange is supplied indoors to heat or cool the indoor space.

[0003] The water circuit in a heat pump unit is provided with an expansion tank to maintain the pressure, which changes due to changes in water volume caused by heating, within a certain pressure range. When the heat pump unit is installed in a large facility such as a factory, hotel, or building, the water circuit installed within the facility will be large depending on the size of the facility. As the water circuit becomes larger, the amount of water expansion also increases, so the expansion tank must also be large.

[0004] JP 2013-167398 A

[0005] In a heat pump apparatus, it is necessary to secure space for installing an expansion tank that is becoming larger within the limited space inside the outdoor unit housing of the outdoor unit.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made based on such developments, and one object is to provide an outdoor unit that can accommodate an increasing expansion tank within the limited space inside the outdoor unit casing of a heat pump device, and another object is to provide a heat pump device equipped with such an outdoor unit.

[0007] The outdoor unit according to the present disclosure is an outdoor unit for a heat pump device. The outdoor unit includes a refrigerant circuit, a water circuit, an outdoor unit housing, and a base. The refrigerant circuit is connected to refrigerant circuit equipment including a first heat exchanger via refrigerant piping. The water circuit is connected to water circuit equipment including the first heat exchanger, a pump, and an expansion tank via water piping, and heat exchange with the refrigerant circuit occurs in the first heat exchanger. The outdoor unit housing has a refrigerant circuit equipment accommodating space that accommodates the refrigerant circuit equipment, and a water circuit equipment accommodating space that accommodates the water circuit equipment. The expansion tank is placed on the base. The outdoor unit housing includes a bottom portion and a front portion. The water circuit equipment accommodating space and the refrigerant circuit equipment accommodating space are positioned side by side along the front portion. In the water circuit equipment accommodating space, a pump is placed on the bottom portion. The base is placed on the bottom portion so as to cover the pump. The expansion tank is placed above the pump by being placed on the base that is positioned so as to cover the pump.

[0008] A heat pump apparatus according to the present disclosure is a heat pump apparatus including the outdoor unit described above. In the heat pump apparatus, the water circuit device includes a third heat exchanger. The heat pump apparatus includes an indoor unit that houses the third heat exchanger.

[0009] In the outdoor unit according to the present disclosure, the refrigerant circuit equipment accommodation space that accommodates the refrigerant circuit equipment and the water circuit equipment accommodation space that accommodates the water circuit equipment are positioned side by side along the front portion of the outdoor unit housing, and in the water circuit equipment accommodation space, the expansion tank is placed on a stand that is positioned to cover the pump, thereby being positioned above the pump. This makes it possible to minimize the installation areas for the expansion tank and pump, which would otherwise be large, within the limited space within the outdoor unit housing. Furthermore, by minimizing the installation areas for the pump and expansion tank, it is possible to minimize the volume of the water circuit equipment accommodation space that must be secured within the outdoor unit housing, in addition to the refrigerant circuit equipment accommodation space.

[0010] The heat pump apparatus according to the present disclosure includes the outdoor unit described above. This minimizes the installation area for the expansion tank and pump, which would otherwise be large, and minimizes the volume of the space required to accommodate the water circuit equipment within the outdoor unit housing, in addition to the space required to accommodate the refrigerant circuit equipment.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a refrigerant circuit and a water circuit of a heat pump apparatus including an outdoor unit according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a first perspective view showing the appearance of the outdoor unit in the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a second perspective view showing the appearance of the outdoor unit in the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a first front view showing the arrangement of refrigerant circuit equipment and water circuit equipment within an outdoor unit housing of the outdoor unit in the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a second front view showing the arrangement of refrigerant circuit equipment and water circuit equipment within an outdoor unit housing of the outdoor unit in the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a top view showing the arrangement of refrigerant circuit equipment and water circuit equipment within an outdoor unit housing of the outdoor unit in the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a triangular prism-shaped frame on which an expansion tank is placed in the embodiment. FIG. 8 is a top view showing the arrangement of the triangular prism-shaped frame within the outdoor unit housing of the outdoor unit in the embodiment. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the mounting structure of the expansion tank to the triangular prism-shaped frame in the embodiment. FIG. 10 is a top view for explaining the effects of using the triangular prism-shaped frame in the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a front view for explaining the effects of using the triangular prism-shaped frame in the embodiment. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a pump and a triangular prism-shaped frame for explaining a maintenance method for the pump in the same embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a triangular prism-shaped frame according to a first modified example in the same embodiment. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a triangular prism-shaped frame according to a second modified example in the same embodiment. Fig. 4 is a partial perspective view schematically showing a structure in which a check joint and a pressure gauge are connected to an expansion tank in the same embodiment.

[0012] First, an example of a refrigerant circuit and a water circuit in a heat pump apparatus equipped with an outdoor unit according to an embodiment will be described. As shown in Fig. 1, the refrigerant circuit 31 in the heat pump apparatus 1 includes, as refrigerant circuit equipment 35, a compressor 51, a four-way valve 55, an air heat exchanger 59 as a second heat exchanger, an expansion valve 61, and a plate heat exchanger 57 as a first heat exchanger. The refrigerant circuit equipment 35 is connected by refrigerant piping 33.

[0013] The water circuit 41 in the heat pump unit 1 includes water circuit equipment 45, which includes a pump 71, a plate heat exchanger 57, and an indoor heat exchanger 85 as a third heat exchanger. The water circuit equipment 45 is connected by water piping 43. In the heat pump unit 1, heat exchange occurs between the refrigerant circuit 31 and the water circuit 41 in the plate heat exchanger 57. Next, the operation of the heat pump unit 1 described above will be described.

[0014] (Cooling Operation) First, the cooling operation will be described (see solid arrows). In the refrigerant circuit 31, by driving the compressor 51, high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant is discharged from the compressor 51. The discharged high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant flows into the air heat exchanger 59 via the four-way valve 55.

[0015] In the air heat exchanger 59, heat is exchanged between the gas refrigerant that has flowed in and the air sent in by the fan 27. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant condenses into high-pressure liquid refrigerant. The high-pressure refrigerant sent out from the air heat exchanger 59 is transformed into a two-phase refrigerant of low-pressure gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant by the expansion valve 61. The two-phase refrigerant flows into the plate heat exchanger 57.

[0016] During cooling operation, the plate heat exchanger 57 functions as an evaporator. In the plate heat exchanger 57, heat is exchanged between the two-phase refrigerant and the water flowing through the water circuit 41, thereby cooling the water. The water circuit 41 will be described later. In the plate heat exchanger 57, the liquid refrigerant of the two-phase refrigerant evaporates and becomes a low-pressure gas refrigerant.

[0017] The low-pressure gas refrigerant sent out from the plate heat exchanger 57 flows into the compressor 51 via the four-way valve 55. The low-pressure gas refrigerant that has flowed into the compressor 51 is compressed to become high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant, and is again discharged from the compressor 51. This cycle is then repeated.

[0018] Meanwhile, water is circulated in the water circuit 41 by the pump 71 (see solid arrows). The water cooled in the plate heat exchanger 57 flows into the indoor heat exchanger 85. In the indoor heat exchanger 85, heat is exchanged between the cooled water that has flowed in and the air sent into the indoor heat exchanger 85, thereby cooling the air. The air that has undergone heat exchange is sent out into the room (indoors), where it is cooled.

[0019] The water that has exchanged heat with the air is sent out from the indoor heat exchanger 85. The water sent out from the indoor heat exchanger 85 flows into the plate heat exchanger 57 by the pump 71. The water that has flowed into the plate heat exchanger 57 is cooled again by heat exchange with the refrigerant and is sent out from the plate heat exchanger 57. This cycle is then repeated.

[0020] (Heating Operation) Next, the heating operation will be described (see dotted arrow). In the refrigerant circuit 31, driving the compressor 51 causes high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant to be discharged from the compressor 51. The discharged high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant flows into the plate heat exchanger 57 via the four-way valve 55. In the heating operation, the plate heat exchanger 57 functions as a condenser. In the plate heat exchanger 57, heat is exchanged between the high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant and the water flowing through the water circuit 41, thereby heating the water. The water circuit 41 will be described later.

[0021] In the plate heat exchanger 57, the high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant condenses into high-pressure liquid refrigerant. The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the plate heat exchanger 57 is converted into a two-phase refrigerant of low-pressure gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant by an expansion valve 61. The two-phase refrigerant flows into the air heat exchanger 59. In the air heat exchanger 59, heat is exchanged between the two-phase refrigerant that has flowed in and the air sent in by the fan 27.

[0022] In the air heat exchanger 59, the liquid refrigerant of the two-phase refrigerant evaporates and becomes low-pressure gas refrigerant. The low-pressure gas refrigerant sent out from the air heat exchanger 59 flows into the compressor 51 via the four-way valve 55. The low-pressure gas refrigerant that has flowed into the compressor 51 is compressed to become high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant, and is discharged again from the compressor 51. This cycle is then repeated.

[0023] Meanwhile, water is circulated in the water circuit 41 by the pump 71 (see dotted arrows). The water heated in the plate heat exchanger 57 flows into the indoor heat exchanger 85. In the indoor heat exchanger 85, heat is exchanged between the heated water that has flowed in and the air that has been sent into the indoor heat exchanger 85, warming the air. The air that has undergone heat exchange is sent out into the room (indoors), heating the room (indoors).

[0024] The water that has exchanged heat with the air is sent out from the indoor heat exchanger 85. The water sent out from the indoor heat exchanger 85 flows into the plate heat exchanger 57 by the pump 71. The water that has flowed into the plate heat exchanger 57 is heated again by heat exchange with the refrigerant and is sent out from the plate heat exchanger 57. This cycle is then repeated.

[0025] As described above, in the heat pump unit 1, the expansion tank 77, which is one of the water circuit devices 45, is provided to maintain the pressure, which fluctuates due to changes in the volume of water caused by heating, within a certain pressure range. When the heat pump unit 1 is installed in a large facility such as a factory, hotel, or building, the water circuit 41 installed in the facility becomes larger depending on the size of the facility. As the water circuit 41 becomes larger, the amount of expansion of the water also increases, so the expansion tank 77 must also be larger.

[0026] The refrigerant circuit equipment 35 that constitutes the refrigerant circuit 31 is housed in the outdoor unit housing 5 of the outdoor unit 3 that is installed outdoors. Of the water circuit equipment 45 that constitutes the water circuit 41, the pump 71 and expansion tank 77 are also required to be housed in the outdoor unit 3. Below, we will specifically describe the outdoor unit 3 (outdoor unit housing 5) that can house the enlarged expansion tank 77 together with the pump 71 in the limited space inside the outdoor unit housing 5 of the outdoor unit 3.

[0027] Embodiment. An example of an outdoor unit 3 according to an embodiment will be described. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the outdoor unit casing 5 of the outdoor unit 3 includes a front portion 6, a first side portion 7, a second side portion 8, a rear portion 9, and a bottom portion 11. The front portion 6 and the rear portion 9 are attached to the bottom portion 11 with a gap in a first direction (front-to-rear direction). The first side portion 7 and the second side portion 8 are attached to the bottom portion 11 with a gap in a second direction (left-to-right direction) intersecting the first direction, so as to close the gap between the front portion 6 and the rear portion 9.

[0028] Front panels 15 are attached to the front portion 6. The front panels 15 include a first front panel 15a, a second front panel 15b, a third front panel 15c, a fourth front panel 15d, and a fifth front panel 15e. Center pillars 17 are also attached to the front portion 6. The center pillar 17 is disposed between the first front panel 15a and the fourth front panel 15d. The center pillar 17 is also disposed between the second front panel 15b and the fifth front panel 15e.

[0029] The first front panel 15a and the second front panel 15b each have a first width W1. The fourth front panel 15d and the fifth front panel 15e have a second width W2 that is narrower than the first width W1. As will be described later, the first front panel 15a and the second front panel 15b are intended to be common front panels 15 as front panels for outdoor unit housings (not shown) that do not house water circuit equipment 45.

[0030] An air heat exchanger 59 serving as a second heat exchanger is disposed in the outdoor unit housing 5. The air heat exchanger 59 includes an air heat exchanger first section 59a serving as a second heat exchanger first section, an air heat exchanger second section 59b serving as a second heat exchanger second section, and an air heat exchanger third section 59c serving as a second heat exchanger third section. The air heat exchanger first section 59a is disposed on the first side surface section 7. The air heat exchanger second section 59b is disposed on the second side surface section 8. The air heat exchanger third section 59c is disposed on the rear surface section 9.

[0031] Next, the arrangement of the refrigerant circuit equipment 35 and the water circuit equipment 45 within the outdoor unit housing 5 will be described. As shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6, the outdoor unit housing 5 is provided with a water circuit equipment accommodating space 13a that accommodates the water circuit equipment 45 and a refrigerant circuit equipment accommodating space 13b that accommodates the refrigerant circuit equipment 35. The water circuit equipment accommodating space 13a and the refrigerant circuit equipment accommodating space 13b are positioned side by side along the front surface 6. The water circuit equipment accommodating space 13a is positioned on the first side surface 7 side. The refrigerant circuit equipment accommodating space 13b is positioned on the second side surface 8 side.

[0032] The water circuit equipment accommodation space 13a accommodates a pump 71 and an expansion tank 77. The pump 71, which is a heavy object, is fixed to the bottom surface 11 via a flange 73. A triangular prism-shaped frame 91 is disposed on the bottom surface 11 so as to cover the pump 71. The expansion tank 77 is placed on the triangular prism-shaped frame 91. The expansion tank 77 is placed above the pump 71 by being placed on the triangular prism-shaped frame 91 that is disposed so as to cover the pump 71.

[0033] Meanwhile, in the refrigerant circuit equipment accommodating space 13b, the compressor 51 and plate heat exchanger 57, which are heavy objects, are disposed on the bottom surface portion 11. A front cover 63 and a top cover 65 are attached to cover the compressor 51. Also disposed within the outdoor unit housing 5 are a control box 21 and a control box frame 23 that supports the control box 21. An active filter 25 is disposed above the control box 21. A fan 27 for sending air to the air heat exchanger 59 is disposed on the upper part (ceiling) of the outdoor unit housing 5.

[0034] Next, the arrangement structure within the water circuit equipment accommodation space 13a will be described in more detail. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the triangular prism-shaped frame 91 is a triangular prism-shaped frame structure, and includes a first support frame 93a, a second support frame 93b, a third support frame 93c, a first bridge frame 95a, a second bridge frame 95b, and a third bridge frame 95c.

[0035] 8, the first support frame 93a is located at a first position closer to the first side surface 7 than the pump 71. The second support frame 93b is located at a second position closer to the second side surface 8 than the pump 71. The third support frame 93c is located at a third position closer to the back surface 9 than the pump 71. The second support frame 93b is located at a third position closer to the back surface 9 than the first support frame 93a.

[0036] The first bridge frame 95a is attached to span between the first support frame 93a and the second support frame 93b. The second bridge frame 95b is attached to span between the second support frame 93b and the third support frame 93c. The third bridge frame 95c is attached to span between the third support frame 93c and the first support frame 93a.

[0037] The first bridge frame 95a, the second bridge frame 95b, and the third bridge frame 95c are arranged to form an equilateral triangle in a plan view looking from above inside the outdoor unit housing 5. An equilateral triangle does not mean a geometrically strict equilateral triangle, but rather a shape that can be recognized as an equilateral triangle at a glance, taking into account, for example, manufacturing errors, etc.

[0038] As shown in Figure 9, the expansion tank 77 is provided with legs 79 for fixing to a triangular prism-shaped frame 91. The legs 79 include a first leg 79a, a second leg 79b, and a third leg 79c. The first leg 79a is fixed to a first bridge frame 95a. The second leg 79b is fixed to a second bridge frame 95b. The third leg 79c is fixed to a third bridge frame 95c. The outdoor unit 3 according to this embodiment is configured as described above.

[0039] In the outdoor unit 3 described above, in addition to the refrigerant circuit equipment accommodating space 13b that accommodates the refrigerant circuit equipment 35, a water circuit equipment accommodating space 13a that accommodates the water circuit equipment 45 is provided within the outdoor unit housing 5. A pump 71 is fixed to the bottom surface portion 11 of the water circuit equipment accommodating space 13a, and a triangular prism-shaped stand 91 is arranged to cover the pump 71.

[0040] By placing the expansion tank 77 on the triangular prism-shaped frame 91, the expansion tank 77 is disposed above the pump 71. This makes it possible to minimize the installation area of ​​the pump 71 and the expansion tank 77 within the limited space inside the outdoor unit housing 5.

[0041] Furthermore, by minimizing the installation area of ​​the pump 71 and the expansion tank 77, it is possible to minimize the volume of the water circuit equipment accommodating space 13a that must be secured in addition to the refrigerant circuit equipment accommodating space 13b within the outdoor unit housing 5. This makes it possible to prevent the outdoor unit housing 5 from becoming larger than necessary.

[0042] The strength of the triangular prism-shaped frame 91 on which the expansion tank 77 is mounted above the pump 71 is set in consideration of the dynamic load during transportation of the outdoor unit 3 and the static load after installation of the outdoor unit 3. The weight of the expansion tank 77 when empty and without water is several kilograms. On the other hand, the weight of the expansion tank 77 when filled with water is several tens of kilograms.

[0043] When the outdoor unit 3 shipped from the factory is transported to the installation site, the outdoor unit 3 is transported with the empty expansion tank 77 placed on the triangular prism-shaped frame 91. The triangular prism-shaped frame 91 is set to have a strength that can withstand vibrations, impacts, etc. (dynamic loads) acting on the triangular prism-shaped frame 91 during transportation.

[0044] On the other hand, after the outdoor unit 3 is installed on site, the triangular prism-shaped frame 91 is set to have a strength capable of supporting the expansion tank 77 (static load) in which water is stored. By considering these dynamic loads and static loads, the strength of the triangular prism-shaped frame 91 can be kept to the minimum necessary.

[0045] The triangular prism-shaped frame 91 is a triangular prism-shaped frame structure including first to third support frames 93a to 93c and first to third bridge frames 95a to 95c. This makes it less likely for distortion to occur in the triangular prism-shaped frame 91 when it is assembled. Furthermore, compared to a typical quadrangular prism-shaped frame, the installation area can be minimized, making it easier to ensure paths for routing the refrigerant pipes 33 and the water pipes 43, for example.

[0046] Furthermore, by attaching the triangular prism-shaped stand 91, which is a frame structure without walls, as the stand, it is possible to minimize the obstruction of the air flow inside the outdoor unit housing 5. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, when the fan 27 is driven, the air that has flowed in through the air heat exchanger 59 inside the outdoor unit housing 5 flows toward the fan 27 (see arrows Y1, Y2, Y3, and Y4). This air flow is no longer obstructed by walls, which contributes to efficient heat exchange in the air heat exchanger 59.

[0047] 10 and other figures, the first support frame 93a is located closer to the first side surface 7 than the pump 71, and the second support frame 93b is located closer to the second side surface 8 than the pump 71. The second support frame 93b is located closer to the back surface 9 than the first support frame 93a. The third support frame 93c is located closer to the back surface 9 than the pump 71.

[0048] That is, the triangular prism-shaped stand 91 is fixed to the bottom surface portion 11 in such a manner that, when viewed from above in a plan view of the outdoor unit housing 5, the triangular prism-shaped stand 91 is rotated counterclockwise, for example by about 10 degrees, from an equilateral triangle in which the first bridge frame 95a is positioned parallel to the front surface portion 6.

[0049] This allows the positions of the legs 79 of the expansion tank 77 to be easily seen from the front side 6 when fixing the legs 79 to the first bridge frame 95a to the third bridge frame 95c, and allows the work of fixing the legs 79 with bolts, for example, to be carried out efficiently.

[0050] In addition, the triangular prism-shaped stand 91 may be fixed to the bottom surface portion 11 in such a manner that, when viewed in a plane, it becomes an equilateral triangle in which the first bridge frame 95a is positioned parallel to the front surface portion 6, but is rotated clockwise by about ten degrees.

[0051] The triangular prism-shaped frame 91 is arranged so that the pump 71 is located in an area surrounded by the first support frame 93 a, the first bridge frame 95 a, and the second support frame 93 b (see FIG. 5 ) when the interior of the outdoor unit housing 5 is viewed from the front part 6. This allows maintenance of the pump 71 to be easily performed from the front part 6 (see arrow Y5 in FIG. 10 ).

[0052] As shown in Figure 12, when performing maintenance on the pump 71, first, the expansion tank 77 is removed from the triangular prism-shaped frame 91. Then, the first bridge frame 95a of the triangular prism-shaped frame 91 located on the front face 6 side is removed, and the pump 71 is then removed from the flange 73, allowing the pump 71 to be lifted up. This allows the pump 71 to be pulled out toward the front face 6 side (see arrow Y5 in Figure 10), making it easy to perform maintenance on the pump 71.

[0053] Furthermore, the triangular prism-shaped frame 91 may have a structure in which the first bridge frame 95a, the second bridge frame 95b, and the third bridge frame 95c form an equilateral triangle when viewed from above inside the outdoor unit housing 5, or may have a structure in which the first bridge frame 95a, the second bridge frame 95b, and the third bridge frame 95c form an isosceles triangle as shown in Figure 13.

[0054] By setting the length of the first bridge frame 95a shorter than the respective lengths of the second bridge frame 95b and the third bridge frame 95c, it is possible to suppress deflection of the first bridge frame 95a to the third bridge frame 95c caused by vibrations, etc., when transporting the outdoor unit 3.

[0055] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 14, the triangular prism-shaped frame 91 may be provided with guide portions 96 that guide the legs 79 of the expansion tank 77. By aligning the legs 79 with the guide portions 96, the legs 79 can be easily placed on the first bridge frame 95a or the like. The guide portions 96 can be easily formed by bending upward an inner portion of the metal plate portion (see Fig. 7) that is bent downward relative to the metal plate portion on which the legs 79 are placed on the first bridge frame 95a or the like.

[0056] As already mentioned, the expansion tank 77 mounted on the triangular prism-shaped frame 91 has the function of maintaining a constant water pressure in the water piping 43 (water circuit 41) by using the air (air pressure) filled in the expansion tank 77. The expansion tank 77 also has the function of protecting the water circuit 41 by allowing water to flow into the expansion tank 77 in the event of a sudden increase in pressure in the water piping 43.

[0057] The air filled in the expansion tank 77 will leak out over time. In order to maintain a constant air pressure in the expansion tank 77, it is necessary to periodically fill the expansion tank 77 with air.

[0058] 15, a check joint 97 and a pressure gauge 99 are connected to the expansion tank 77 in order to fill the expansion tank 77 with air. The check joint 97 and the pressure gauge 99 are preferably located on the front portion 6 side of the outdoor unit housing 5. This makes it possible to easily check the air pressure in the expansion tank 77 from the front portion 6 side, and if the air pressure drops, air can be easily filled into the expansion tank 77 from the front portion 6 side via the check joint 97.

[0059] The expansion tank 77 is fixed to a triangular prism-shaped frame 91 and connected to the water pipe 43 (water circuit 41) via a flare pipe 81 (see FIG. 5). This allows the water in the expansion tank 77 to be easily discharged to the water pipe 43 by utilizing the air pressure and potential energy in the expansion tank 77 when performing maintenance on the expansion tank 77.

[0060] As described above, in the outdoor unit 3, in addition to the refrigerant circuit equipment accommodating space 13b that accommodates the refrigerant circuit equipment 35, the water circuit equipment accommodating space 13a that accommodates the water circuit equipment 45 is provided within the outdoor unit housing 5. In the water circuit equipment accommodating space 13a, the expansion tank 77 is mounted on a triangular prism-shaped stand 91 that is arranged so as to cover the pump. This minimizes the installation area for the pump 71 and the expansion tank 77, and makes it possible to minimize the volume of the water circuit equipment accommodating space 13a that must be secured within the outdoor unit housing 5 in addition to the refrigerant circuit equipment accommodating space 13b.

[0061] The triangular prism-shaped frame 91 on which the expansion tank 77 is mounted is a frame structure. This eliminates dead space compared to a frame with walls, for example, and reduces ventilation resistance when the fan 27 causes air to flow through the outdoor unit housing 5. This also improves the flexibility of routing the refrigerant piping 33 and the water piping 43 within the outdoor unit housing 5. Furthermore, because the expansion tank 77 is mounted on the triangular prism-shaped frame 91, gravity and the pressure within the expansion tank 77 can be used to drain the water from the expansion tank 77 during maintenance of the expansion tank 77.

[0062] The triangular prism-shaped mount 91 is fixed to the bottom surface 11 in such a manner that, in a plan view, it becomes an equilateral triangle rotated counterclockwise by about 10 degrees from an equilateral triangle with one side parallel to the front surface 6 (see, for example, FIG. 8 ). This makes it easy to see from the front surface 6 where the legs 79 of the expansion tank 77 are fixed to the triangular prism-shaped mount 91, allowing for efficient removal and installation of the expansion tank 77.

[0063] In addition, by connecting a check joint 97 and a pressure gauge 99 to the expansion tank 77, air can be easily filled into the expansion tank 77 through the check joint 97 if the pressure inside the expansion tank 77 drops.

[0064] In addition to the first specification outdoor unit 3 that houses the above-mentioned refrigerant circuit equipment 35 and water circuit equipment 45, there is also a second specification outdoor unit (not shown) that houses the refrigerant circuit equipment 35 but does not house the water circuit equipment 45. In this second specification outdoor unit, the same front panels as the first front panel 15a, second front panel 15b, and third front panel 15c are used as the front panels. Front panels corresponding to the fourth front panel 15d and fifth front panel 15e are not used.

[0065] In other words, the front panel 15 in the first specification outdoor unit 3 (see Figures 2 and 3) includes the same first front panel 15a, second front panel 15b, and third front panel 15c as the front panel of the second specification outdoor unit (not shown). This allows the front panel 15 to be common between the first specification outdoor unit 3 and the second specification outdoor unit, which can contribute to reducing production costs.

[0066] Furthermore, the length L (see FIG. 2) from the second side surface 8 to the water pipe connection ports 75 (water pipe connection ports 75a, 75b) in the first specification outdoor unit 3 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) is set to be the same as the length from the side surface corresponding to the second side surface to the water pipe connection ports in the second specification outdoor unit (not shown). This makes it possible to align the pitch (length L) of the water pipe connection ports 75, for example, when one first specification outdoor unit 3 is installed together with multiple second specification outdoor units.

[0067] The embodiments disclosed herein are examples and are not intended to be limiting. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the scope of the claims, not the scope described above, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of the claims.

[0068] The present disclosure is effectively applied to an outdoor unit of a heat pump device including an expansion tank and a pump.

[0069] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Heat pump device, 3 Outdoor unit, 5 Outdoor unit housing, 6 Front portion, 7 First side portion, 8 Second side portion, 9 Rear portion, 11 Bottom portion, 13a Water circuit equipment accommodating space, 13b Refrigerant circuit equipment accommodating space, 15 Front panel, 15a First front panel, 15b Second front panel, 15c Third front panel, 15d Fourth front panel, 15e Fifth front panel, 17 Center pillar, 19 Attachment, 21 Control box, 23 Control box frame, 25 Noise filter, 27 Fan, 29 Indoor unit, 31 Refrigerant circuit, 33 Refrigerant piping, 35 Refrigerant circuit equipment, 41 Water circuit, 43 Water piping, 45 Water circuit equipment, 51 Compressor, 55 Four-way valve, 57 Plate heat exchanger, 59 Air heat exchanger, 59a Air heat exchanger first part, 59b Air heat exchanger second part, 59c Air heat exchanger third part, 61 Expansion valve, 63 Front cover, 65 Top cover, 71 Pump, 73 Flanges, 75, 75a, 75b Water pipe connection port, 77 Expansion tank, 79 Legs, 79a First leg, 79b Second leg, 79c Third leg, 81 Flare piping, 85 Indoor heat exchanger, 91 Triangular prism-shaped frame, 93a First support frame, 93b Second support frame, 93c Third support frame, 95a First bridge frame, 95b Second bridge frame, 95c Third bridge frame, 96 Guide part, 97 Check joint, 99 Pressure gauge.

Claims

1. An outdoor unit for a heat pump device, comprising: a refrigerant circuit in which refrigerant circuit equipment including a first heat exchanger is connected by refrigerant piping; a water circuit in which water circuit equipment including the first heat exchanger, a pump, and an expansion tank are connected by water piping, and heat exchange with the refrigerant circuit takes place in the first heat exchanger; an outdoor unit housing having a refrigerant circuit equipment accommodating space for accommodating the refrigerant circuit equipment and a water circuit equipment accommodating space for accommodating the water circuit equipment; and a stand on which the expansion tank is placed, wherein the outdoor unit housing includes a bottom surface and a front surface, and the water circuit equipment accommodating space and the refrigerant circuit equipment accommodating space are positioned side by side along the front surface, and in the water circuit equipment accommodating space, the pump is placed on the bottom surface, and the stand is placed on the bottom surface so as to cover the pump, and the expansion tank is placed on the stand which is positioned so as to cover the pump, thereby being positioned above the pump.

2. The outdoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the frame is a triangular prism-shaped frame structure, the triangular prism-shaped frame structure having: a first support frame attached to a first position on the bottom surface of the outdoor unit housing; a second support frame attached to a second position on the bottom surface different from the first position; a third support frame attached to a third position on the bottom surface different from the first and second positions; a first bridge frame attached to span between the first support frame and the second support frame; a second bridge frame attached to span between the second support frame and the third support frame; and a third bridge frame attached to span between the third support frame and the first support frame; and the expansion tank is fixed to the first bridge frame, the second bridge frame, and the third bridge frame.

3. The outdoor unit according to claim 2, wherein the outdoor unit housing has the front and rear sections attached to the bottom section with a gap in a first direction, and a first side section and a second side section attached to the bottom section with a gap in a second direction intersecting the first direction and respectively positioned so as to block the space between the front section and the rear section, and wherein, when the outdoor unit housing is viewed from the front section, the water circuit equipment accommodating space is located on the first side section side, and the refrigerant circuit equipment accommodating space is located on the second side section side, the first support frame is attached to a side closer to the first side section than the pump, the second support frame is attached to a side closer to the second side section than the pump, and the third support frame is attached to a side closer to the rear section than the pump, and either the first support frame or the second support frame is attached to a side closer to the rear section than the other.

4. The outdoor unit according to claim 3, wherein the triangular prism-shaped frame structure is arranged such that the first bridge frame, the second bridge frame, and the third bridge frame form an equilateral triangle when the interior of the outdoor unit housing is viewed in a plan view from above.

5. An outdoor unit as described in claim 3, wherein the triangular prism-shaped frame structure is arranged such that, when the interior of the outdoor unit housing is viewed from above in a plan view, the first bridge frame, the second bridge frame, and the third bridge frame form an isosceles triangle with the first bridge frame as its base.

6. An outdoor unit according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the expansion tank is provided with legs for fixing the expansion tank to the triangular prism-shaped frame structure.

7. The outdoor unit according to claim 6, wherein the triangular prism-shaped frame structure is provided with guide members for guiding the legs.

8. An outdoor unit as described in claim 6 or 7, wherein the legs of the expansion tank include a first leg fixed to the first bridge frame, a second leg fixed to the second bridge frame, and a third leg fixed to the third bridge frame.

9. An outdoor unit according to any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein, when the interior of the outdoor unit housing is viewed from the front, the pump is located in an area surrounded by the first support frame, the second support frame, and the first bridge frame.

10. An outdoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising: a check joint connected to the expansion tank for adjusting the air pressure within the expansion tank; and a pressure gauge attached between the expansion tank and the check joint.

11. An outdoor unit according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the refrigerant circuit equipment includes a second heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant circuit and air, the second heat exchanger including a second heat exchanger first section, a second heat exchanger second section, and a second heat exchanger third section, the second heat exchanger first section being disposed on the first side section, the second heat exchanger second section being disposed on the second side section, and the second heat exchanger third section being disposed on the rear section.

12. The outdoor unit according to claim 11, wherein the refrigerant circuit equipment includes a fan that sends the air to the second heat exchanger, and the fan is disposed above the refrigerant circuit equipment accommodating space and the water circuit equipment accommodating space.

13. A heat pump device comprising an outdoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the water circuit equipment includes a third heat exchanger, and the heat pump device comprises an indoor unit accommodating the third heat exchanger.

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