US 11,739,956 B2 · Air conditioning apparatus

Abstract

An air conditioning apparatus is provided that may include an outdoor unit including a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger and through which a refrigerant is circulated, an indoor unit through which a fluid, such as water is circulated, and at least one heat exchange device including a heat exchanger in which the refrigerant and the fluid are heat-exchanged with each other. The at least one heat exchange device may include a high-pressure guide tube that extends from a high-pressure gas tube of the outdoor unit so as to be connected to a first side of the heat exchanger, a low-pressure guide tube that extends from a low-pressure gas tube of the outdoor unit so as to be combined with the high-pressure guide tube, a liquid guide tube that extends from a liquid tube of the outdoor unit so as to be connected to a second side of the heat exchanger, and a solenoid valve installed in the high-pressure guide tube or the low-pressure guide tube to perform an opening and closing operation so as to allow the refrigerant to flow in a first direction. The high-pressure gas tube and the low-pressure gas tube may be connected to each other by a single gas tube, and when the indoor unit performs a cooling operation or a heating operation, flow of refrigerant in the first direction may be blocked in a state in which power is applied to the solenoid valve.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An air conditioning apparatus, comprising:

an outdoor unit comprising a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger and through which a refrigerant is circulated;
an indoor unit through which a fluid is circulated;
and
a heat exchange device comprising at least one heat exchanger in which the refrigerant and the fluid are heat-exchanged with each other, wherein the at least one heat exchange device comprises:
a high-pressure guide tube that extends from a high-pressure gas tube of the outdoor unit so as to be connected to a first side of the at least one heat exchanger;
a low-pressure guide tube that extends from a low-pressure gas tube of the outdoor unit so as to be combined with the high-pressure guide tube;
a liquid guide tube that extends from a liquid tube of the outdoor unit so as to be connected to a second side of the at least one heat exchanger;
and
a solenoid valve installed in the high-pressure guide tube or the low-pressure guide tube to perform an opening and closing operation so as to allow the refrigerant to flow therethrough, wherein the high-pressure gas tube and the low-pressure gas tube are connected to each other by a single gas tube, and wherein when the indoor unit performs a cooling operation or a heating operation and an outlet-side pressure of the solenoid valve is greater than an inlet-side pressure of the solenoid valve, power is applied to the solenoid valve to block flow of the refrigerant.

6 more elements

An air conditioning apparatus, comprising:

an outdoor unit comprising a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger and through which a refrigerant is circulated;
an indoor unit through which a fluid is circulated;
and
a heat exchange device comprising at least one heat exchanger in which the refrigerant and the fluid are heat-exchanged with each other, wherein the at least one heat exchange device comprises:
a high-pressure guide tube that extends from a high-pressure gas tube of the outdoor unit so as to be connected to a first side of the heat exchanger;
a low-pressure guide tube that extends from a low-pressure gas tube of the outdoor unit so as to be combined with the high-pressure guide tube;
a liquid guide tube that extends from a liquid tube of the outdoor unit so as to be connected to a second side of the heat exchanger;
and
a solenoid valve installed in the high-pressure guide tube or the low-pressure guide tube to perform an opening and closing operation so as to allow the refrigerant to flow in a first direction, wherein the high-pressure gas tube and the low-pressure gas tube are connected to each other by a single gas tube, and wherein the solenoid valve comprises:
a valve body comprising a first through-hole, through which the refrigerant is introduced, a second through-hole, through which the refrigerant is discharged, and a main orifice configured to connect the first through-hole to the second through-hole;
a valve shaft disposed inside of the valve body to selectively open or close the main orifice;
a valve spring disposed inside of the valve shaft to elastically support the valve shaft;
and
a pilot device connected to the valve body, the pilot device being configured to perform an opening and closing operation so as to adjust an internal pressure of the valve body.

11 more elements

An air conditioning apparatus, comprising:

an outdoor unit comprising a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger and through which a first fluid is circulated;
an indoor unit through which a second fluid is circulated;
and
a heat exchange device comprising at least one heat exchanger in which the first fluid and the second fluid are heat-exchanged with each other, wherein the at least one heat exchange device comprises:
a high-pressure guide tube that extends from a high-pressure gas tube of the outdoor unit so as to be connected to a first side of the heat exchanger;
a low-pressure guide tube that extends from a low-pressure gas tube of the outdoor unit so as to be combined with the high-pressure guide tube;
a liquid guide tube that extends from a liquid tube of the outdoor unit so as to be connected to a second side of the heat exchanger;
and
a high-pressure valve installed in the high-pressure guide tube to generate a flow of the first fluid from the gas tube to the heat exchanger;
and
a low-pressure valve installed in the low-pressure guide tube to generate a flow of the first fluid from the heat exchanger to the gas tube, wherein the high-pressure gas tube and the low-pressure gas tube are connected to each other by a single gas tube.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Air conditioning apparatus

Life of this patent

Air conditioning apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19